Finding God in Our Pain

SUMMARY: The Challenge of Understanding - Kim and I acknowledge and discuss, that many Christians (me included) struggle to truly love like Jesus without feeling like they're compromising biblical truth with regard to the LGBTQ community, and Kim shares her journey with her LGBTQ child. It's a genuine complexity to understand how to find balance and Kim sets the marker at the foot of the cross. Judgment vs. Discernment - Parts of the conversation focuses on the difference between judgment and discernment. Kim stresses the importance of building relationships and understanding individual stories because we can't expect to be heard if we don't first invest, aka listen. The Role of the Church - The conversation touches on the importance of allowing space for questions and struggles without fear of judgment or ostracism. Invite difficult conversations and differing viewpoints for the purpose of discovering and revealing God's truths and His heart about the matter for both the one struggling with identity issues as well as the believer who may have a heart posture that God wants to bring a deeper revelation that aligns with His truth, love, character and nature. Embracing Both Faith and Love - As Kim reveals, it's possible to hold onto faith while loving an LGBTQ child. Kim emphasizes that understanding doesn't mean affirming every choice but involves listening, empathizing, and walking alongside them. Tools and Resources - Kim's journey led to the creation of resources like "Pride and Promises," aimed at helping families navigate these complex dynamics. Final Reflections - The conversation ends with a powerful reminder of God's scandalous grace — a grace that doesn't discriminate and a love that is unwavering. Kim's story is a testament to the transformative power of love and the importance of reflecting Christ's love in all interactions. We can lay down the weight of judgement, which enables us to share God's truths without feeling responsible for the outcome and relax in the knowledge that the Holy Spirit is qualified to do His work. In navigating these challenging waters, may we all strive to embody the empathy, compassion, and love that Kim so beautifully advocates for. PODCAST INTRO: My guest is Kim Stlip and she is the founder of Pride and Promises, a beautiful ministry she created that equips believers to hold on to their Christian faith and their LGBTQ+ kids. But I want any parent listening to know, no matter how your child identifies you'll find great wisdom in the biblical discernment that Kim shares. Kim doesn't have any 3 letter adjectives behind her name or lofty degrees that declare her worthy but she is a mom with the courage to stand in the gap between God's truth in the holy scriptures and God's heart for humankind. Kim is motivated by the fact that many Christians struggle to truly love like Jesus without feeling like they're compromising biblical truth. When I think about the phrase of investing blood sweat and tears, surely Kim's picture is next to that description…actually, any mom who has been willing to be the punching bag (my words not Kims) for truth in the very context of a broken world and their children trying to find their way in it. I want to share my personal take away from our conversation because I could really relate to every bit of the relationship aspect of our conversation and relationships beyond my children. I do not have children who struggle with same sex attraction but relationship (across the board) is hard, complicated and layered. I used to think that the hardest part of raising children was when they were young and I was trying to bend their will to the things that would bring them reward, benefit, health. In my heart I was trying to equip my sons to contribute to the world in meaningful, purposeful ways. But no one told me it would be more difficult when they were adults and you have to watch them struggle with the complexities of life as it gets weightier and responsibility after responsibility is added to their years. Here's a quote from Kim “And the hard part is when we hold on so tightly to our right and your wrong, and we don't take one another's stories with empathy, then that's where we hold our fist up and we don't end up coming back together. And so you always diffuse anger with empathy and understanding. And truly, anger is almost always love disappointed.” That my friend hit me in the heart. I had a powerful reminder of the finished work of the cross when Kim brought us back to the cross….and it always comes down to this for any human being (and not just in the context of this topic, it's all of humanity)….if the opportunity to have direct access to God again was going to be a possibility then it was necessary for Christ to go to the cross. For me, my sins. Imagine yourself as the only person alive and Christ goes to the cross for you. He endured the horrific process of crucifixion, the bloody, beaten beyond recognition, publicly stripped naked, disfigured in every way; and I've read some commentary that pointed out you would not have been able to tell if he was male of female.  When Christ hung on the cross He had no guarantee that any of us would choose Him. Now, God knows our heart, the condition/character/nature and because of that He knows which one of us will choose Him but that does not negate the fact that our gift of choice is still a real thing. He doesn't man-handle our gift of choice. There's enough evil in the world to see that He does not intervene with our ability to choose. In other words, He doesn't remove that ability because we refuse to use it in a responsible, wise, healthy way but it is worth remembering He is capable of healing anything this broken world does to us via other peoples choices or the places we find ourselves in because of our own choices. Kim has such courage to have this delicate conversation pointing out that the core of where the conversation should be grounded is in the person of Christ versus where the church and most people, myself included focus on, and that is sexuality. I get it though, the world has made it a sexual issue but as believers we're to look through the lens of God's heart at the world around us. And that's what Kim does at Pride and Promises. A wealth of information that is honest, straightforward biblical truth and presented with the same compassion that Christ provided for each and every one of us on the cross. As Kim and I agreed, at the foot of the cross is level ground for sinners. When you hear Kim's heart behind her encouraging message, I hope that you have breakthrough in your personal life and personal relationships on every level. All of what she shares can be applied to any relationship we can experience because again, our conversations and heart motive should be grounded in the person of Christ. Let's get into the beauty, the hope, and the heart of God by listening to what Kim has to share! Live Loved and Thrive! @alifeofthrive.com Sherrie Pilk Other Episodes and Blogs that pertain to this subject of God meeting us in broken places: -Joining Jesus Christ In His Pursuit of Your LGBTQ Identified Child, with Melinda Patrick: https://alifeofthrive.com/2024/08/28/joining-jesus-christ-in-his-pursuit-of-your-lbgtq-identified-child/ -No Longer in Bondage to Sexual Addiction, with Logan Hufford: https://alifeofthrive.com/2024/07/17/sexual-addiction/ -Christian Mom Whose Child has Same-Sex Attraction, with Melinda Patrick: https://alifeofthrive.com/2021/05/16/same-sex-attraction/ -A Porn Free Marriage is Possible, with Rosie MaKinney: https://alifeofthrive.com/2022/05/11/porn-free/ Connect with Kim: Website: https://www.prideandpromises.com/ Free Resource - 31 Conversation Starters to engage your child after they come out: https://www.prideandpromises.com/conversation-starters Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61569053302851 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prideandpromises/ Kim's Bio: My sweet spot has always been in coaching and mentoring young women, moms and wives, offering encouragement and guidance through everyday life and its challenges. Driven by a profound dedication to my family, a gratitude for people, and a love for the one-anothers, my heart is to encourage other families in navigating the tangled up circumstances that don't have linear solutions. We haven't done it perfectly…read the blogs.   My favorite people are my husband, Pete, our son & two daughters, and the guys they took the names of and brought into our family. Beyond treasuring my family, I'm a curriculum and freelance writer, ministry volunteer, and fellow encourager.

SUMMARY: - The conversation centers around grief, faith, and healing, featuring Dr. Amanda McNeil, an associate pastor and counselor. - Amanda shares her journey, raised in a blended family and losing her father as a teenager, impacting her deeply and leading her to her current path. - She speaks on the intersection of the Bible and science in understanding grief, discussing her book, "Overcoming the Overcast: Navigating the Storms of Life with God." - The dialogue explores the concept of grief as a journey that can coexist with hope, emphasizing the importance of community and support. - They discuss the role of childhood perceptions and shame in shaping adult grief experiences, highlighting the need for honest engagement with personal stories. - The transformative power of God in grief is emphasized, with insights into how God's presence can provide comfort and healing. - Amanda stresses the importance of allowing oneself to feel both joy and grief simultaneously, a duality that can aid in healing. - The discussion touches on identity shifts due to grief and how the church can better support those suffering. - Amanda's book serves as a practical guide combining scripture, neuroscience, and personal insights to help navigate grief. - The conversation concludes with the notion that despite the storms of grief, the constant presence of God offers hope and healing.   PODCAST INTRO: Grief is a universal experience. As I've often shared with you, there are many types of grief so if you're listening today and you haven't lost a significant person but you've been separated from something that you held near and dear to your heart then you'll be able to apply what Dr. McNeil shares in this message to your pain/your life. I say Dr. McNeil because she's certainly earned her credentials but I found her to be so down to earth I caught myself addressing her as Amanda. Dr. Amanda McNeil, is mom, wife, counselor, pastor, speaker, and an author and I'll share a little bit about her most recent book in just a minute. A Personal Journey of Grief and Faith Her journey with grief began at a young age after unexpectedly losing her father. And this personal tragedy began to shape her path, leading her to become a strong voice and advocate for those who grieve. The Interplay of Grief, Mental Health, and Faith During our discussion, Amanda highlighted how grief impacts mental health and how both the Bible and science provide insights into navigating this difficult journey. She emphasized the importance of understanding how grief can be traced through family history and how it affects us on multiple levels—emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Story Work and Healing Amanda advocates for engaging in "story work" to process grief. This involves reflecting on our life experiences and understanding the narratives we've formed, often from childhood. By doing story work, we can identify and challenge lie-based beliefs that might be rooted in shame or guilt. The purpose for bringing those emotions to the surface is because now you have a target to work with in regard to healing and wholeness. Joy and Grief Can Coexist A common struggle in grief is reconciling moments of joy with the pain of loss. Dr. McNeil reassures us that experiencing joy does not betray our grief or love that was attached to our loss. Instead, it is part of the healing process, allowing us to live fully even amidst sorrow. Overcoming the Overcast As mentioned she's an author and her latest book titled "Overcoming the Overcast: Navigating the Storms of Life with God," is her book that she describes as a “love letter” to those experiencing loss. It combines scripture, neuroscience, and counseling principles to provide a practical guide for navigating grief. She emphasizes that, like a storm, grief can feel overwhelming, but the "Son of God is still shining" above the clouds, offering hope and healing. Final Thoughts Grief is a complex journey, and faith can provide a powerful anchor. Whether through scripture, community, or personal reflection, finding ways to navigate grief with hope and resilience is crucial. Dr. Amanda's insights remind us that while loss may be a part of our story, it does not define the entirety of our lives. If you're in need of encouragement and hope today, listen in to receive the wisdom and guidance that Dr. McNeil offers those who are navigating the storms of grief and loss. Lived Loved and Thrive! @ALifeOfThrive.com Sherrie   EPISODES AND/OR BLOGS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS TOPIC: - Widows, Grief and Finding Hope, with Anne-Marie Lockyer: https://alifeofthrive.com/2024/02/14/widows-grief-and-finding-hope-with-anne-marie-lockmyer/ - Pet Loss and Grief, with Pet Loss Grief Companion, Rachel Shirley: https://alifeofthrive.com/2024/05/08/pet-loss/ - Joy in the Midst of Grief, with Author, Sonya Mack: https://alifeofthrive.com/2024/05/08/pet-loss/ - Finding Peace and Comfort After the Death of Her son, with Alicia Hodges: https://alifeofthrive.com/2023/08/30/finding-peace-and-comfort-after-the-death-of-her-son-alicia-hodges/ - Scars (blog post by Sherrie Pilkington): https://alifeofthrive.com/2021/12/28/scars/ - It's Always Been You (blog post by Sherrie Pilkington): https://alifeofthrive.com/2021/08/24/its-always-been-you/ - Suffering (blog post by Sherrie Pilkington): https://alifeofthrive.com/2021/09/21/suffering/   CONNECT WITH DR. AMANDA MCNEIL: - Website: https://www.amandacmcneil.com/ - Free Chapter to her newest book: https://www.amandacmcneil.com/free - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandacmcneil/ - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/McNeilCoaching/ - Coaching with the McNeils: https://www.mcneilcoaching.com/   Bio: After losing her father tragically as a teen and later navigating infertility, Amanda learned how to lean into faith and has developed an authoritative voice of hope. Dr. Amanda McNeil is an author, counselor, and pastor from Orlando, FL. She is an expert in leadership coaching, and both premarital and grief counseling. Her first book released November 2024 as a #1 New Release on Amazon for the Christian Counseling and the Death, Grief, & Spirituality categories. She is an international speaker for leadership and mental health conferences and the cofounder of McNeil Coaching alongside her husband, Justin. She is a miracle mom and is mid at pickleball and is proudly millennial picking an oat milk latte over any other type of coffee.

Summary: *Ron Jones discusses treatment resistant depression (TRD), which occurs when multiple classes of antidepressant medications fail to provide relief. *TRD is described as a subcategory of major depressive disorder, unrelated to therapy but linked to the ineffectiveness of psychotropic medications. *Ron shares his personal experience with TRD, highlighting the frustration and discouragement of ineffective treatments and the lengthy process of testing medications. *He suggests that emotional and mental needs, when unmet, can lead to chemical imbalances, and treating only the symptoms without addressing underlying issues is insufficient. *Jones emphasizes the importance of understanding one's identity in relation to God, suggesting that misalignment can contribute to mental health issues. *He recounts a pivotal moment in a church service where he felt the Holy Spirit's guidance, leading to a significant change in his depression. *Jones discusses the role of community, vulnerability, and addressing lies or misconceptions about oneself as crucial steps in the healing process. *He advocates for the recognition of negative emotions as truthful indicators and encourages seeking the Holy Spirit's guidance for healing. *Jones stresses the importance of relational accountability and having supportive people in one's life to provide honest feedback. *He concludes by affirming the possibility of finding hope and new life even after experiencing deep depression, through a relationship with Christ and understanding one's true identity. PODCAST INTRO: My guest today, Ron Jones, is a pastoral counselor and mental health advocate and he stopped by to share his first-hand experiences and insights into his victory over treatment-resistant depression (TRD). This discussion touches on the complexities of living with TRD, the challenges of traditional treatment methods, and the importance of having a strong identity in Christ and growing in faith throughout the healing process. What is Treatment-Resistant Depression? Treatment-resistant depression is a severe form of major depressive disorder. Ron explained that clinically, it is defined as depression that does not respond to at least three different classes of antidepressant medications. Ron also shared that this condition is not merely about resistance to therapy but is specifically linked to the ineffectiveness of psychotropic medicines. The Struggle with Traditional Treatments Ron describes the frustration of navigating the medical system, which often prioritizes treating symptoms over addressing root causes. He likens the process to taking aspirin for a headache without investigating the underlying cause. He even pointed out that this approach can be disheartening, especially when medications take weeks to show results, if at all. A Journey of Identity and Faith Throughout his journey, Ron emphasizes the importance of understanding one's true identity. He believes that much of mental illness stems from a misalignment between who we are and who we perceive ourselves to be. For Ron, this journey of self-discovery was deeply intertwined with his faith, which provided a foundation and a source of hope. This foundation withstood 13 years of struggling AND also provided room for growth and intimacy with Christ as he searched how to get out from under his depression. As shared in then opening clip….Ron was desperately clinging to hope God and yet had no hope. Steps Toward Healing Ron offered practical steps for those struggling with depression: Evaluate Your "Have To's": Examine the non-negotiables in your life that might be contributing to your stress and consider whether they are truly necessary. Identify Primary Lies: Reflect on the negative emotions you feel most often and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the first time you felt this way. Listen for the Holy Spirit: Spend time in silence, asking the Holy Spirit, "What's We most important thing I could hear right now?" and be open to whatever answer comes without editing it. Something I added, only because I have to do this: when I'm seeking God for an answer I have learned that I need to write it down. It is very commen for me to forget the details of what He spoke into my spirit. If you want to add a #4: Write down what you hear the Holy Spirit speak into your spirit and refer to it as often as you need to. Conclusion Ron's story gives us a deeper revelation about Treatment Resistant Depression because it's from his personal experience; his 13 year battle to find relief. His faith, community, and self-reflection was instrumental in overcoming his TRD. While traditional treatments may fall short mainly because they're go to is to fix things with medicine vs looking at a more holistic approach that would include a deep dive into one's identity. So Ron's journey offers hope and encouragement to those facing similar struggles, reminding us that there is always a path to discovering the benefits of knowing the truth and having a stronger identity. Live Loved and Thrive! @alifeofthrive.com Sherrie Pilk With regard to the acronyms you'll hear Ron use, here is what they stand for (this info is more current than the audio intro to this podcast episode): SSRIs - (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) are a class of antidepressants that help treat depression Sozo is a practice/method used by some Christian ministries to describe their approach to inner healing, which focuses on restoring broken relationships with God and healing past trauma (for more info check out sozo.org)  SNRIs - Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors PCP - Primary Care Physician BPD - Borderline Personality Disorder Resources along the same topic: Unrelenting Pain Known as The Suicide Disease (CRPS), with Darci Steiner -  https://alifeofthrive.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=9563&action=edit Autoimmune Disease, Pulmonary Fibrosis and Faith, with Sara Salazar - https://alifeofthrive.com/2021/09/01/autoimmune-disease/ Hope in the Midst of Chronic Illness, with Sara Willoughby - https://alifeofthrive.com/2025/01/01/hope-in-the-midst-of-chronic-illness-with-sara-willoughby/ Connect with Ron: Ron's podcast w/his friend (Nick): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ron-and-nicks-best-friend-podcast/id1599899345 Amazon link to Ron's most recent book - The Little Book of Forgiveness - The Pathway to Freedom: https://www.amazon.com/Little-Book-Forgiveness-pathway-freedom/dp/B0DYNXWKBW/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&dib_tag=se&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.oljVyfzmkcvd-tRRqhc8qzcDCCeB-vKQpdasKmcPpGyLFkFehAMYradfiTGZARL3MVN6ar_YRewiXpEMrwt-ig.0u01g9j57uS-UD4NfXgrNw4IxQKkAQYxAoW0rJG8AV0&qid=1743803194&sr=8-1 Ron's Bio: R. Kenward Jones is a disruptive teacher, writer, podcaster (who isn't these days?), counselor, husband, father and grandfather.  He holds a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering and master's degrees in biblical studies and counseling.  His debut novel, Buried at Sea, was published by Penmore Press in 2022.  Daily, he writes proverbs, parables and prayers and shares them on his Facebook page and website to inspire and encourage. R. Kenward Jones is a US Navy veteran and served as both an enlisted man and officer for 12 years before he left the military to become a pastor.  After a 13-year long bout with treatment resistant depression he left the ministry to reset his life.  He knows the Valley of the Shadow of Death and the power of personal Creativity as the way through it and out of it. Currently he works as a counselor and teaches the 515A “zero excuses” bootcamp at the local YMCA.  He and Tina, his high school sweetheart, have been married for 40 years, have two children and one grandchild, and live in Southeastern Virginia although they still consider the Shenandoah Valley to be their “home.”  R. Kenward Jones enjoys life and joy tempered by suffering and more than anything wants to help other sufferers experience the same.

Summary: * Leslie Brennan shares her personal journey of faith and resilience, focusing on her experiences with loss and uncertainty. * She discusses her family dynamics, including blending families and dealing with her husband's past drug addiction. * Leslie recounts the initial shock and self-blame she felt upon discovering her husband's addiction. * She describes the challenges of handling financial instability and maintaining family life during her husband's addiction and subsequent recovery. * Leslie emphasizes the importance of faith, prayer, and support from her family and community in overcoming life's challenges. * She details the process of moving from questioning God's plans to embracing His purpose for her struggles. * Leslie's story includes significant health challenges her family faced, including her husband's motorcycle accident leading to amputation and a subsequent stroke. * She explains how these experiences have strengthened her faith and relationship with God, highlighting moments of divine intervention and grace. * Leslie shares her journey through therapy and healing, discovering her self-worth and identity in Christ. * She is now focused on sharing her story to help others, writing a book, and engaging in public speaking to inspire and encourage those facing similar challenges. PODCAST INTRO: In the face of life's most challenging storms, it's often the faith journeys of resilience that inspire us to keep moving forward. Leslie Brennan's journey, as shared on this podcast episode, paints a vivid picture of how faith in the God of the Holy Bible, His grace, and our perseverance/our faith can transform even the darkest moments into a testament of hope and healing. A faith journey that transformed Leslie's heart, her perspective and her future as she transitioned from, “Why God!” to “How can You use this God?” Embracing the Unexpected Leslie's story begins with the revelation of her husband's drug addiction, a discovery that initially left her questioning her own role in the unfolding chaos. The initial blame, filtered through past trauma, led her to believe she was somehow responsible for the turmoil. However, it was through this painful revelation that Leslie began to see the bigger picture: a journey of faith that would lead her from self-blame to a deeper understanding of God's purpose and His extravagant love. A Journey of Faith and Healing Leslie emphasizes the importance of not abandoning faith, even when life's challenges seem insurmountable. Her husband's addiction, his process to overcome his addiction…and later, separate from any addiction issues, his motorcycle accident that resulted in the loss of his leg, these were pivotal moments that tested their marriage and her faith. Then two years after the motorcycle accident her husband suffers a debilitating stroke brought on by an undetected fragmented bone that prohibited blood flow. Yet, it was through these trials that Leslie witnessed what she describes as "God's extravagant grace." The Power of Vulnerability and Sharing One of the most powerful aspects of Leslie's story is her willingness to be vulnerable and share her journey with others and her story serves as a reminder that our past mistakes and current struggles do not define us; rather, they become a part of the larger narrative of redemption and grace as God brings us inner healing, clarity and purpose to our lives.  A Testament to God's Grace Despite the challenges and heartaches, Leslie has emerged with a stronger faith and a renewed sense of identity. Her journey from questioning "why" to embracing "how" God will use her experiences for good exemplifies a profound shift in perspective that many of us strive for. As she continues to navigate life's uncertainties, Leslie's faith remains her anchor. Her story encourages us all to seek God's presence in our own trials and trust that He is writing an overarching love story with us, one of redemption, healing, purpose and hope. In sharing her journey, Leslie invites us to reflect on our own lives and consider how we can find grace and strength in the midst of our personal storms.  Listen in and discover Leslies' message that God uses every painful moment because no matter how dark the night, in God's hands there's always a breakthrough—a new beginning filled with the promise of God's unwavering love and grace.  Live Loved and Thrive! Sherrie Pilk Additional Blogs and/or Podcasts That Are Similar to This Topic: Navigating the Journey to Spiritual Maturity, with Dr. Sheila Jackson: https://alifeofthrive.com/2024/09/11/navigating-the-journey-to-spiritual-maturity-with-dr-sheila-jackson/ Healing is a Journey and You're Worth the Trip, with Taleah Pletzer: https://alifeofthrive.com/2024/12/18/healing-is-a-journey-and-youre-worth-the-trip-taleah-pletzer/ Spiritual Disciplines Can Heal and Transform, with Healey Ikerd: https://alifeofthrive.com/2024/06/19/spiritual-disciplines/ Turning Chaos Into Purpose, With Noah Asher: https://alifeofthrive.com/2024/03/13/turning-chaos-into-purpose-with-noah-asher/ Connect with Leslie: Website: https://lnk.bio/lesliebrennanspeaks Email: leslie@targethomegroup.com Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/gracetogrowcircle/ Bio: Leslie Brennan is a passionate speaker, author, and Realtor® dedicated to helping others break free from past mistakes and step boldly into their God-given purpose. With raw authenticity and a powerful personal testimony, Leslie inspires audiences to embrace their true identity, overcome life's obstacles, and walk confidently in faith. As a trusted Realtor® in Hampton Roads, Virginia, Leslie helps families find the homes where their next chapter begins—serving with compassion, integrity, and a heart for healing. Whether from the stage, in her writing, or across the closing table, her mission is the same: to bring healing, hope, and lasting transformation to those ready to rewrite their story.

The God of the Holy Bible has promised to never leave us nor forsake us. So when life becomes overwhelming we have the option to turn to Him and let Him be the support we need. Guest, Karen Dittman shares the insight she's gained through her seasons of life on the hamster wheel. She knows that God meets on that wheel and she's here to share the various ways we can do more than survive, we can thrive even in the midst of overwhelming situations.   Summary: - Karen Dittman discusses her journey of faith and personal growth amidst challenging life circumstances. - Of her two books, one focuses on the benefits of 7 minutes with Jesus, practicing gratitude and the other is a simple yet life changing perspective on wellness from a biblical perspective, introducing concepts like the Grace Cycle. - Karen's life was profoundly impacted by her daughter's addiction, which led her to seek a deeper connection with God. - She describes feeling overwhelmed during a difficult period, likened to being on a "hamster wheel," with multiple personal and family challenges. - A pivotal moment was when she learned to surrender control and place her daughter "on the altar," trusting God's plan for her. - Karen emphasizes the importance of experiencing God's presence in the midst of life's struggles, rather than seeking to change the circumstances. - Her journey led to a deeper understanding of God's love, transforming her perception of her own worth and identity in Christ. - She discusses the concept of the grace cycle in her latest book, promoting gradual, supportive changes rather than drastic overhauls. - Karen concludes by reassuring the audience that they are not alone in their struggles, as God is always present and ready to offer support and love. Podcast Intro: Karen Dittman, my guest on this episode, shares her journey through overwhelming personal challenges. I say overwhelming because in an by itself each one of these challenges could take its toll on any of us and Karen was juggling many of these life challenges at the same time. In Karen's personal example she didn't have the option to put life on hold, catch her breath and reengage. Life was coming non-stop, fast and furious and in serious ways. Serious responsibilities that included her husband and her children. She and her husband fostered and adopted, and after struggling years with infertility she's surprised with a bio child at 47 (God has a sense of humor right!). She discovers that her adult daughter is struggling with addiction, and Karen has walked through other challenges with her children, things like anxiety, ADHD, autism. Rather than delve into each one of these areas we touched on a couple but I thought it important to discover how did Karen learn to lift our head under the weight of everyday life. I want to know not only how she survives but actually thrives. What did she discover about Jesus in the midst of what she terms as life on the hamster wheel? Life can be very chaotic and I loved the way Karen pursed the heart of God for a practical solution that met her where she was at. She discovered that God cares about the hamster wheel and that He had solutions and practices that would keep her tethered to His heart, walking His pace and staying in grace, peace and true joy. We talked about her book: Thriving in Grace: Unleashing Wellness from a Biblical Perspective. I found great value in the Grace Cycle. A process for change that focuses on acceptance, small steps to turn things around and celebrating progress. The Grace Cycle is so simple and yet life changing. I scratch my head sometimes. How is it that I overlook the power of Christ's simplicity. There are often times when the simplicity of God is my stumbling block to breakthrough! Also, Karen has a spiritual discipline of spending 7 minutes with Jesus throughout the day. I knew immediately the value of this because when I am intentional about making this a priority to my day I'm refreshed, I have clarity and I'm motivated. So I loved this reminder. She gives us great info on the benefits of 7 minutes with Jesus and how she practices that but she goes into greater detail in her book The Fruit of Gratitude: Cultivate a Thankful heart of Experiencing God's Goodness. Karen's ability to find peace and purpose through pain serves as a beautiful inspiration for those of us facing similar challenges, offering hope and practical guidance for deepening one's relationship with God. That my friend, intimate relationship with our Creator enables us to lift our head under the weight of life in its most crushing seasons. Let's listen in so that we might discover how to live loved and thrive in the midst of the overwhelming seasons of life! Live Loved and Thrive! @alifeofthrive. com Sherrie Pilk   Additional Podcast Episodes/blogs related to this topic (overwhelm): Navigating the Empty Nest with a Healthy Mental Well-being with Dr. Mel Tavares:  https://alifeofthrive.com/2025/01/29/navigating-the-empty-nest-with-a-healthy-mental-well-being/ Letting God Rewrite Trauma and Abuse, with LaShaundra Barnes: https://alifeofthrive.com/2024/11/20/letting-god-rewrite-trauma-and-abuse-with-lashaundra-barnes/ A Caregiving Season with No Regrets, with Rayna Neises: https://alifeofthrive.com/2024/12/04/a-caregiving-season-with-no-regrets-rayna-neises/   Connect with Karen: Website: https://karenadittman.com/ Amazon Book Links: Thriving in Grace: Unleashing Wellness from a Biblical Perspective: Amazon Link Bringing Grace Home: A Bible Study Companion to Thriving in Grace: Amazon Link The Fruit of Gratitude: Cultivate a Thankful Heart by Experiencing God's Goodness: Amazon Link

Summary/Outline: *Introduction and Context: The focus is on Denise Clanin's personal experience with the loss of her brother, Garrett, who was diagnosed with a rare disorder called NF2 *Personal Recollections: Denise shares fond memories of her brother, highlighting his love for music and his contagious sense of humor. She also discusses his academic skills and intelligence. *Brother's Diagnosis and Impact: Garrett was diagnosed with NF2 at 11, which led to the loss of certain abilities over time. Denise reflects on how this condition affected her family dynamics and her own feelings of being secondary in focus. *Coping with Challenges: Denise talks about the gradual changes in family dynamics and her personal journey through grief. She discusses the importance of giving oneself grace and the role of faith in navigating these challenges. *Faith and Identity: The conversation touches on the role of faith in dealing with suffering and the challenges of maintaining one's identity amidst family and personal upheaval. Denise emphasizes the importance of keeping one's identity rooted in God. *Writing as a Path to Healing: Denise shares how writing her book, "Among the Stars," helped her process grief and pay homage to her brother. The book serves as a medium to explore themes of hope and personal growth. *Family and Community Support: The importance of community support and family connections is highlighted, especially through shared experiences like charity events. *Future Aspirations: Denise discusses her plans for future writing projects and how she wants to continue exploring themes of identity and personal growth. *Overall Message: The conversation ends with a message of hope. Denise encourages finding hope and blessings even in difficult times and emphasizes the significance of prayer and faith in providing strength and direction. Podcast Intro: My guest is Denise Clanin, a wife, mom and author. She and I connected because of her willingness to share her personal story about losing her brother, Garrett to a rare mutation known as NF2. This disorder caused tumors to grow throughout his body, and that resulted in degrees of loosing his quality of life such as his ability to speak and hear; two of the major ways we communicate! I can't even fathom that slow separation from your loved ones. At the time of the diagnosis Denise was 9 and Garrett 11. At the time of Garrett's passing he was 29. My conversation with Denise weaved together loss, resilience, and faith and the fact that grief can be very transformative in powerful ways. Faith was the cornerstone for Denise as she navigated what it meant to have a sibling who was experiencing a gradual decline in health and in quality of life. We talked about how she felt as her parents naturally gravitated to Garrett's ever increasing dependency. I was curious about that because at 9 years old she's in elementary school, and then through middle and high school and into college; crucial years for a young girl, a young woman. As we talked, I felt I heard in her voice (and the way she shared about this part of the journey) healing and acceptance saturated with grace. With the ever morphing process of the family dynamic we talked about identity and how that is impacted, and how everything about our life is based on identity and so what do we do when things are shifted and we lose titles, responsibilities, relationships? Denise talked about God's ability to use the tragedy of life for transformation in us and how He moves us into a greater purpose using the pain of life. We talked about the book she authored, Among the Stars and how she blended parts of her life to create a family friendly read that has an uplifting message for the heart and the mind. We folded into the conversation, how therapeutic writing/journaling can be in the grief process. And she's started on her next book that will develop one of the characters found in the first book. I love a series where you can engage in more than one book. Listen in and I hope you'll be encouraged by Denise's desire to share her experience into the complexities of grief, the importance of community, and the enduring power of hope, faith, and love. Live Loved and Thrive! @alifeofthrive.com Sherrie Pilk Related topics (podcast and/or blog): Sara Salazar - Autoimmune Disease, Pulmonary Fibrosis and Faith: https://alifeofthrive.com/2021/09/01/autoimmune-disease/ Sherrie Pilkington - Here's How Psalm 23 Showed Me God's Faithfulness: https://alifeofthrive.com/2022/08/17/heres-how-psalm-23-showed-me-gods-faithfulness/ Genetic Testing and Prophylactic Mastectomy, with Erin Simon: https://alifeofthrive.com/2023/02/01/genetic-testing-and-prophylactic-mastectomy-with-erin-simeone/ Connect with Denise: FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100092102171844 Bio: Denise had always dreamed of writing her book. As a child, she loved to write stories with memorable characters and positive themes. She carried this passion for writing into her adolescence and early adulthood, hoping to publish one of her stories someday. However, as with any story plot, there were obstacles to reaching this goal. At Pepperdine University, she began to study accounting, a degree that required intense concentration and countless hours of studying and memorization. In addition, it was around that time when her older brother's chronic medical condition took a turn for the worse – leaving him in almost constant pain and removing his ability to hear, speak, and see well. His parents transitioned into full-time caregivers who sacrificed their time and energy so that their son could live another day. For Denise, this devastating life change meant taking a step back from her hobbies, instead focusing on her family and establishing herself in her career. Sadly, her brother succumbed to the complications of his condition five years after her college graduation. She appreciated the precious time she had with him and the positive impact he left behind. Although she continued her accounting profession after his passing, she knew the corporate world wasn't where she wanted to remain. A few years later, Denise and her husband moved from sunny San Diego to the forested terrain of Post Falls, Idaho, to plant their roots – buying their first home and expanding their family. That was when she finally found the inspiration to pen her first book, “Among the Stars” – originally an idea she wrote for her creative writing class in college. From there, she continued to push forward despite a decade-long writing hiatus and several bouts of writer's block. She is thankful that God has provided her with the words to share with others through her book, touching on the themes of forgiveness, redemption, and hope – while also paying homage to the notable people in her life, including those who have passed. She hopes this tale of first love, friendship, and family connection will bring joy and encouragement to those who need it.

Key Takeaways: *Understanding Church Hurt: Church hurt can arise from personal issues, sins committed by others, and failed leadership. It's important to recognize that while people and communities can fail, Christ remains a steadfast focus. *Navigating Church Hurt: Michelle emphasizes the importance of surrounding oneself with a supportive, biblical community and seeking guidance from scripture during times of hurt. *The Role of Leadership: Leaders should model confession, repentance, and humility, acknowledging their imperfections and striving for restoration within the church community. *Forgiveness and Healing: Forgiveness is a command and does not always mean restored relationships. It requires personal work, often without acknowledgment or change from the other party. *Moving Forward: It's crucial to maintain faith and commitment to God's word, even when church experiences are painful. The journey involves seeking a church community that aligns with biblical truth and provides a place for spiritual growth. *Personal Reflections: Michelle shares her journey of having lost a sense of purpose within her church community and her ongoing pursuit of finding a new church home, highlighting the complexity and emotional layers involved in such transitions. Intro/Blog Post: I'm so appreciative for my guest Michelle Nezat and her courage to talk about what is often termed as church hurt. In the intricate tapestry of human relationships, church communities hold a unique place, often serving as a haven of support, spiritual growth, and community. However, church communities including the leadership are not immune to the imperfections of human nature, and at times, they can become a source of profound hurt.  To Michelle's heartbreak she and her husband are in between churches. She shared her very transparent, humble journey and what it's like in their current waiting period of leaning into the Lord to direct and confirm a new church family they can be folded into. Her willingness to look at both sides of the equation was refreshing. Whether it was through the lens of church responsibilities or the responsibilities of the believer she had a fair, biblically informed perspective. As I listened to Michelle, I became aware of the various ways church hurt affects so many aspects of one's spiritual grounding. We looked at what are some of the causes of church hurt such as personal sensitivities, past traumas, and individual mistakes. As human beings, we bring our own emotional baggage into every relationship, including those within a church community. Additionally, failed leadership or sins committed against members can definitely be the most significant contributors to church hurt. Even well-intentioned leaders can fall short in their responsibilities. When they do it can lead to a deep sense of betrayal and hurt because as Michelle states, the leadership is not just someone you like or hope likes you, they are someone you have put your trust in, whom you look up to for examples and modeling of God and His word. The conversation also touched upon the options available to individuals experiencing church hurt. While leaving the church may seem like the immediate solution, Michelle emphasized that leaving might not always lead to healing. Instead, she advocated for seeking greater holiness and aligning one's actions with God's will. This could involve choosing to stay and work through the issues or leaving with a heart open to finding a new community where spiritual growth can continue. The decision ultimately rests on discerning what leads to greater holiness in one's life and seeking the Lord's guidance in the process. Finally, our discussion highlighted the role of forgiveness and the importance of maintaining a focus on Christ. Forgiveness is essential for healing, but it does not always mean restoring broken relationships. It involves letting go of bitterness and entrusting the situation to God. By fixing our eyes on Jesus and embracing how He modeled forgiveness, we can navigate the complexities of church hurt and find peace and purpose. Michelle helps us keep our focus on the fact that the church is the bride of Christ, and where man fails, God himself will reveal His truth. In whatever context we pursue Him in, He will reveal Himself to those who earnestly seek Him. If you're navigating church hurt today, this episode is a must. Michelle will encourage your heart, help you stay on the right path and give you hope for your breakthrough in Christ! Live Loved and Thrive! @alifeofthrive.com Sherrie Pilk Other Resources - Podcasts/Blogs: After Abortion Care and Healing, with Serena Dyksen: https://alifeofthrive.com/2024/06/05/after-abortion-care-and-healing-with-serena-dyksen/ Investing in Relationship (Blog): https://alifeofthrive.com/2020/11/03/investing-in-relationship/ Micro Moments with God To Grow Relationship Intimacy, with Sherrie Pilkington: https://alifeofthrive.com/2024/08/14/micro-moments-with-god-to-grow-relationship-intimacy/ Connect with Michelle: Website: https://www.michellenezat.com/about/ Podcast: https://www.michellenezat.com/podcast-3/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/MichelleLNezat/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@michellenezattv LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellenezat/ Bio: Michelle Nezat writes Christian fiction with a purpose. The themes in her novels mirror the themes in the Bible and serve as a jumping-off point to study Scripture and theology in a new way. She's a Cajun girl born in Idaho and living in Louisiana, and she has the best gumbo and sweet tea in the neighborhood (according to her husband and two daughters). Her passion is God's Word and inspiring others to discover and interact with Scripture for themselves. Drawing from over a decade of Bible teaching through her podcast More Than a Song, she's turned to stories to inspire readers to explore deep theological truths.

Summary: Faith and Resilience: Katie shares her journey of infertility, foster care, and unexpected pregnancy. She discusses how her faith was tested and ultimately strengthened through these trials. Her story highlights the importance of maintaining faith in God, even when circumstances seem insurmountable. Infertility and Foster Care: The conversation delves into Katie's struggle with infertility and how she and her husband embraced foster care. Her experience underscores the emotional and spiritual challenges involved in letting go of personal desires and aligning them with their purpose according to God's plan for their life. Unexpected Blessings: Despite having made peace with not having biological children, Katie's unexpected pregnancy brought both joy and new challenges. She shows us how life can take unexpected turns and the importance of being open to God's plans. Medical Crisis and Faith: Katie faced a life-threatening situation after childbirth, leading to an emergency hysterectomy and her newborn would need a last ditch effort to save him. Her unwavering faith, even in the face of potential loss, demonstrates profound trust in God's goodness and plan. Community and Support: The role of community and the church is emphasized as a vital source of support and prayer during difficult times. Katie's talks about how being part of a faith community can provide strength and encouragement. God's Presence in Suffering: Katie reflects on the presence of God during her darkest times, finding comfort in knowing that God understands human suffering and pain. She experienced first hand that in God you can find peace and strength through faith, even when faced with trauma and loss. Transformation Through Trials: The conversation highlights the transformative power of trials, as Katie learns to appreciate God for who He is, not just for the blessings He provides. This insight is a profound reminder of the deeper spiritual growth that can occur through adversity. Podcast Intro: My guest Katie Jones is quite inspiring and her story had me holding my breath and fighting back tears. Life is often a tapestry of unexpected events and trials that test our resilience and faith and Katie has that in common with many of us. Early in her marriage, she and her husband discovered they were not able to conceive and the doctors could not give them an answer as to why they could not. Katie struggled with God about wanting to be a mom. As she and her husband try to discern God's leading He opens their hearts to fostering children. Despite the challenges that come with fostering children they fall in love with the kids and the beauty in breakthroughs and progress in the children's healing journey. As they walk out their fostering journey with the Lord, they shifted their desires to align with what they believed were God's plans for them, no biological children but rather the blessing of foster children. Her story takes a dramatic turn when she unexpectedly becomes pregnant. This news was hard to wrap her mind around and is initially met with disbelief but that soon turned to joy, and Katie and her husband began to let themselves be excited about having a biological child. But their joy and happiness were severely tested at the birth of her sweet baby boy. Within hours both Katie and their newborn Malachi were being monitored for serious problems. Within a day or two they are both diagnosed with sepsis and things began to quickly and drastically change for them both. Katie had to make a life or death decision that would prevent her from having any future children and Malachi would endure a last ditch effort that involved cutting into both the carotid and the jugular arteries, a high-risk procedure that would prevent any further use of those two arteries in the future. One of the more profound moments, for me during our conversation was when she shares how she was praying with her husband, their family, church family and those who have supported them in the last couple of days. They're praying together as Malachi is preparing to go in for this procedure, what they call an ECHMO procedure and she verbally takes a stance by telling God out loud, God if you take his life, I still trust you. That was yet another place in our conversation where I had to fight back tears because she stands in faith knowing that her one and only son is at risk during a medical procedure and that she has no future opportunity to have biological children. Katie's story is an incredible testament to resilience, faith, and the power of community. She emphasizes the importance of the church's support and the way God is working through the church as a global community of believers. Her experience underscores the belief that while God does not promise an easy life, His gives us the beauty of HIs presence and His faithfulness and that offers us comfort, peace and hope in the darkest of times. Listen in to Katie's message of who the God of the Holy Bible is in the midst of loss and uncertainty and may your faith be encouraged for greater intimacy with Jesus. Live Loved and Thrive! @alifeofthrive.com Sherrie Pilk Here's where you can find Katie when she's not playing with Malachi: My online financial school - https://redeemingyourfinances.com Free Gospel-Centered Budget Planner - https://kingdomimpactworkshops.com/budget-planner-optin Youtube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/@KatieFiolaJones   Bio: Katie Fiola Jones embodies a passion for empowering individuals to manage their money in alignment with their faith. As a youth pastor's wife, mom, foster mom, a graduate of Colorado Christian University, avid traveler, real estate investor, and Certified Christian Financial Counselor, Katie's diverse experiences have shaped her understanding of the intersection between faith and finances. She is the visionary behind Redeeming Your Finances, an online school for believers to learn how to manage their money using skills that are rooted in the Gospel. Additional Episodes and/or Blogs on this topic: Living in Uncertainty, with Angie Baughman: https://alifeofthrive.com/2024/02/28/uncertainty/ The Uncertainty of Life - Choroidal Melanoma (Eye Cancer), with Suzanne Stines: https://alifeofthrive.com/2023/08/16/the-uncertainty-of-life-cordial-melanoma-eye-cancer-with-suzanne-stines/ Hope in the Midst of Chronic Illness, with Sara Willoughby: https://alifeofthrive.com/2025/01/01/hope-in-the-midst-of-chronic-illness-with-sara-willoughby/

Key Takeaways Transformation Through Faith: Ana's story highlights the transformative power of faith and community, demonstrating how even those facing significant adversity can find hope and purpose. Overcoming Adversity: Her journey exemplifies resilience and determination, showing how education and a supportive network can break the cycle of poverty and abuse. Purpose and Calling: Ana's experience underscores the importance of seeking one's purpose, suggesting that prayer and reflection can reveal one's calling, even in unexpected ways. Community Impact: Her work with the Christian Professionals Network Worldwide illustrates how individuals can effect change by addressing both physical and relational poverty, emphasizing the importance of holistic support systems. Hope and Redemption: Ana's story is a testament to God's redemption and the idea that no matter how dire one's circumstances, there is potential for a better future through faith and perseverance. Podcast Intro: Ana Megrelishvili shares her incredible journey from a painful childhood marked by poverty and abuse to finding hope and purpose through faith and community. As a child, Ana faced severe hardships, including hunger and isolation, exacerbated by an abusive alcoholic father. Despite these challenges, she experienced a pivotal moment at 12 or 13 when she felt a profound sense of purpose, after receiving a word of encouragement from God. She shares that she didn't realize it was God at the time but this experience stayed with her even to this day with great detail and vividness. As her story unfolds, you'll see that God was speaking about His plans for her life. Her path to transformation began with a life-changing opportunity to study in the United States as an exchange student, which exposed her to a loving and supportive Christian family. She discovered a way to return to the US via a college scholarship and in her second host family the father was a Christian pastor. These families modeled the heart of God and her experiences planted the seeds of faith, even though she initially resisted religious beliefs. It's so like God to always be creating opportunities for us to know Him if we choose to engage Him, isn't it? She graduates with a degree in business and immediately jumps in to the lucrative career of sales. And she's successful. After building a solid career in sales complete with the various accolades and achieving all of her personal goals such as buying the condo in the beautiful high-rise, having it tailored to her specific taste, driving the fancy car and wearing the beautiful clothes. Yet Ana felt unfulfilled and empty despite achieving her American dream. She knew there had to be more to life and so she begins to question God. God visits again and speaks to her. She responds to what He says and makes the most of trying to follow what she heard. In her obedience she's brought to tears, weeping because of an unexpected gesture from a homeless woman. In that moment a spiritual awakening ignited a genuine desire to pursue the heart of God and discover what her purpose in life was supposed to be. As Ana shares her journey you'll notice the golden thread that God was weaving throughout her life and continues to do so to this day. As she pursued God's heart, laid down all the material things she had collected He brought her full circle and she shares that she's never been more joy filled in all of her life. She now dedicates herself to addressing relational poverty through her global ministry, the Christian Professionals Network Worldwide, an initiative that aims to eradicate homelessness by building supportive communities and providing mentorship to those in need. Let's listen in to discover how God used the very thing, poverty, abuse, .the very things that were supposed to destroy Ana and leave her void of her purpose. But because Ana responded to God, she's discovering what God had written on the pages of her life before even one of them came to be. Lived Loved and Thrive! @Alifeofthrive.com Sherrie Pilk   Related Resources: Does God Care About People in Prison? Ex-con, Steven Snook says Yes!: https://alifeofthrive.com/2023/02/15/does-god-care-about-people-in-prison-ex-con-steven-snook-says-yes/ Crisis Pregnancy and Foundation House Ministries, with Suzanne Burns: https://alifeofthrive.com/2021/02/17/podcast-episode-suzanne-burns-crisis-pregnancy-and-foundation-house-ministries/ Unconditional Love - Blog post by Sherrie Pilk: https://alifeofthrive.com/2019/07/15/unconditional-love/ His Way - Blog post by Sherrie Pilk: https://alifeofthrive.com/2020/09/21/his-way/   Connect with Ana: Website: www.cpnworldwide.com Bio: Ana Megrelishvili grew up in the country of Georgia in Eastern Europe in a highly dysfunctional family, experiencing hunger, violence, and abuse. Ana immigrated to the United States at the age of twenty on scholarship with Berea College in Kentucky, where she hoped to begin a better life. After years of success in business, Ana had a transformative experience that resulted in surrendered faith. As a result of a God-given vision, Ana founded the Christian Professionals Network Worldwide (CPNW) in Atlanta, Georgia, blending her passion for positive change with actionable initiatives. CPNW goes beyond typical networking by integrating business relationships with service-oriented values, fostering global community transformation. Grounded in Christian principles, Ana ensures CPNW serves as a collaborative hub, uniting faith-driven leaders to pursue a societal betterment. Though CPNW Foundation work, Ana addresses relational poverty by facilitating meaningful connections and providing a support network. CPNW Foundation focuses on mentoring the homeless, providing them with the relationships and support necessary to rebuilt their lives and break the cycle of poverty. Ana shares her journey of healing and resilience in her book, Finding Courage to Change, while also contributing to Powerful Female Immigrants: Volume 3, sharing her inspiring journey from Georgie to the US Ana's impact extends to co-authoring Success Redefined with Jack Canfield, earning her recognition as an Amazon Best-Selling Author

Summary: *Suffering Well: Heather discusses the concept of suffering well, emphasizing the importance of maintaining faith and finding peace in the presence of God, even amidst life's most painful trials. *Christ as a Model: The conversation delves into how Jesus' suffering and obedience to God serve as a model for Christians to follow in their own times of hardship. *Loss of a Child: Heather shares the heart-wrenching story of losing her four-month-old son, Brennan, which became a catalyst for her deepened relationship with Jesus and a transformative moment in her faith journey. *Challenges with Mental Illness: She recounts the struggles with her other son, Nate, who battled mental health issues, and how this experience taught her about spiritual warfare and the power of persistent prayer. *The Presence of God: Heather repeatedly emphasizes the unparalleled peace and joy found in God's presence, which she describes as the ultimate reward for enduring suffering with faith. *Miracles in the Journey: She highlights that the miracle often lies in the journey itself rather than an immediate resolution, and how persistence in faith can lead to profound personal and spiritual growth. *Persistence in Prayer: Heather encourages believers to persist in prayer and not give up, even when immediate answers are not apparent. She uses biblical references, such as the persistent widow and the story of Jericho, to illustrate the importance of enduring faith. *Spiritual Warfare and Authority: She discusses the importance of recognizing and combating spiritual attacks, particularly those targeting one's family, and the necessity of standing firm in faith. Intro: Author and Women's Ministry Leader, Heather Bradley shares her profound experiences and insights on the theme of "suffering well". Heather's journey through personal tragedies and challenges highlights the intersection of suffering, faith, and the transformative power of a relationship with God. Heather herself has been challenged with this very thing not once but twice and both of those instances had to do with 2 of her children, both sons. She refers to these seasons of life as her "even if" and "even though” stories.  God didn't move His hand to change Heather's 4 month old son's health issues and her baby boy, Brennan passed into the arms of Jesus. When her other son, Nathan was 6 years old the family experienced his overnight transformation into a mental and emotional journey of pure exhauston lasting 10 years before God moved His hand to change Nathan's health condition.  How do we suffer well when the One who could change our circumstance doesn't or at the very least He waits an awfully long time?  But hold on to this truth…we don't need to fear the painful valleys in this life, and it has nothing to do with sidestepping or avoiding the pain itself. Nobody this side of heaven avoids trauma and suffering. But if you're a believer in Christ our suffering and pain are turned into purpose.  We're transformed, refined and walking in a deeper level of intimacy with and freedom in Christ. There is nothing in this life that compares to the peace and joy that God can give in the very midst of traumatic pain and suffering. That's why no weapon formed against us shall prosper. If we give God space to speak into our pain, to answer the cries of our heart, comfort us when the answers won't come, He gives us the beauty of His presence that overwhelms our pain. So Heather and I made it a point to talk about the struggles and realities faced by many Christians, particularly in the United States, who often perceive faith as a pathway to unending joy and favor, devoid of pain and suffering. However, Heather's journey illustrates that suffering can coexist with divine joy, favor, and anointing, revealing a more complex, yet enriching, narrative of faith. The truth is, God is in the business of transforming us using the very pain that was supposed to destroy us. In sharing her journey, Heather not only provides insight into her personal trials but also offers a message of encouragement for others navigating their own paths of suffering. Her story is a testament to the transformative power of faith and the beauty that can emerge from the ashes of our pain.  As believers, we are reminded that suffering is not the end of our story. God transforms all the weapons formed against us for our good and His glory. To me, being held in God's secure embrace, is the safest place to be in the most unstable environment I've ever know. Let's listen in to hear the wisdom that Heather shares, may your heart be encouraged! Live Loved and Thrive! @alifeofthrive.com Sherrie Pilk Other resources on the topic of suffering: Hope in the midst of Chronic Illness, with Sara Willoughby: https://alifeofthrive.com/2025/01/01/hope-in-the-midst-of-chronic-illness-with-sara-willoughby/ Discovering God Through RevelationShip, with Cathy Garland: https://alifeofthrive.com/2024/10/23/discovering-god-through-revelationship-with-cathy-garland/ Finding Hope in the Ashes, with Lea Turner: https://alifeofthrive.com/2024/09/25/finding-hope-in-the-ashes-with-lea-turner/ Suffering (Blog Post), Sherrie Pilk: https://alifeofthrive.com/2021/09/21/suffering/ Connect with Heather: Website: https://www.truthfreedomministry.com/ Podcast: https://www.truthfreedomministry.com/podcast Link for her Book, Unthinkable: https://www.truthfreedomministry.com/unthinkable Brandon Heath - Don't Be Afraid: https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=WzmghvthTTk&list=OLAK5uy_lwPpoQjoIU5-72AJC5MRU6ug30PYAeKuU Brandon Lake - Don't Give Up On Me: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gW1IVM3qq0#ddg-play Bio: Heather Bradley is the founder of Truth Freedom Ministry, a social media ministry for women, to be equipped and encouraged in the things of God. She is passionate about helping people walk through the hard things of life.  A Texas girl at heart, but loves the adventure of going to new places. She has been married to the love of her life, Kelly, for over 29 years and they have 4 children. They homeschooled their kiddos and have lived all over the USA, but are happy to be home in Austin during this season.  You will typically find her serving at her local church, that they help plant, in pastoral care and women's ministry. She received her Bachelor's Degree in Education. Later she attended Bible School and has been ordained in pastoral ministry.  Heather love's gardening, reading books, trying new recipes, and traveling. Her favorite pace to be is sitting down for coffee with others while listening to them share their life stories. The latest news is she is a first time grandmother! So, her new name is Gigi!  Heather co-host's a podcast, called Leaving The Shallows, with her good friend-where they help listeners leave the shallow end and go into the deeper things of God. Her prayer is that others would know the love of Jesus in their hardest moments here on earth and experience His healing and purpose and know that He is always with them.

So excited to be talking about how to make the most of our empty nest season with Dr. Mel Tavares! Dr. Mel is an award-winning author, speaker, life coach, and frequent media guest. Mel holds a Doctorate of Ministry, in Pastoral Care and Counseling and has 35 years of experience in working with families professionally and in ministry. She is a board certified mental health coach and life coach. Summary: -Distinction Between Mental Health and Mental Well-being: Mental health often involves clinical diagnoses, while mental well-being focuses on overall emotional and psychological health without a clinical diagnosis. -Holistic Approach to Health: Importance of addressing mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual health collectively. The conversation highlights the impact of nutrition and lifestyle habits on mental well-being. -Role of Faith in Counseling: Mel discusses the benefits of incorporating a biblical perspective in counseling and the limitations faced by secular counselors in discussing faith. -Purpose and Productivity in Later Life: The conversation touches on the idea that individuals in their 50s and 60s enter some of their most productive decades, encouraging listeners to pursue dreams and goals regardless of age. -Overcoming Trauma and Forgiveness: Mel shares personal experiences and emphasizes the importance of forgiveness and healing from past traumas, suggesting that Christian counselors or recovery groups can provide support. -Importance of Goal Setting: Setting goals provides structure and motivation, allowing individuals to turn their dreams into reality. -Community Engagement: Engaging in community activities and volunteering can alleviate loneliness and depression, fostering connections with others. -Anxiety Busters: Practical tips like eating healthily, maintaining a sleep routine, and reducing media consumption can help manage anxiety. -Hope and Encouragement: Mel concludes with a message of hope, emphasizing that there is always hope in God's plan and encouraging listeners to reach out for support. Podcast Intro: My guest, Dr. Mel Tavares is an award winning Author, Speaker, Teacher, and Coach and she sat down with me and provided a very informative conversation about entering our 50's and 60's with a healthy mental well-being and ready to explore all the new possibilities set before us. I chose the empty nester season of life because I felt like that encompassed a lot of the changes that a woman faces when entering her 50's and I wanted to expand it to our 60's as well. The transition into the empty nest phase of life can be a profound and transformative period in a woman's life because it is often filled with mixed emotions and new challenges. You may be seeing your children off to college, giving some away in marriage. Maybe your employment is going through changes; do you want to quit your current job and start the job you've always wanted to do/changing careers altogether? Or maybe you've decided to start going back to school and let's not forget that some ladies are also caregivers for their parents. So this particular time in a woman's life can be mentally, emotionally and physically overwhelming and how do we navigate it all? So Mel and I looked at the question how can we enter into this season of life equipped to make the most of it? The first thing we look at is our mental well being. Mel makes a distinction about mental health and mental well-being. I asked her questions such as, where can someone start when trying to pinpoint our gifts and talents? How can we discover what we're created for especially if we've lost connection with our true selves? Truth is, we've devoted ourselves to those around us and in doing so we can loose touch with who we are as an individual woman. And then there are the times we're just stuck; we know somethings not working but we don't know how to get unstuck. And here's something else we talked about, what happens when we forget how to dream? Ultimately, the journey through the empty nest phase is an invitation to embrace change and rediscover oneself. By prioritizing mental well-being and adopting a holistic approach (which Mel talks about), individuals can navigate this transition with confidence and joy. It is a time to reflect, dream, and step into new roles with a renewed sense of identity and purpose, knowing that the best years are yet to come. Listen in for all the wisdom and insight that Mel has to share! Live Loved and Thrive! @alifeofthrive.com Connect with Mel: Mel Tavares Media Links
 Website: https://www.drmeltavares.com/
                                                                          *Free Downloadable Workbook: 6 Weeks, 6 Life Goals Author Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/authormeltavares/ Rise Up and Conquer Your Day Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/208329358938340 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drmeltavares/ Bio: Mel Tavares is an award-winning author, speaker, life coach, and frequent media guest. Mel holds a Doctorate of Ministry, in Pastoral Care and Counseling and has 35 years of experience in working with families professionally and in ministry. She is a board certified mental health coach and life coach. She and her husband live in Connecticut, have seven adult children and eleven grandchildren. Her books, including the award-winning, best-selling book '21 Days to Improved Mental Well-Being' are available through Amazon. Other resources can be found on her website: DrMelTavares.com Additional Episodes on the topic of mental illness: Navigating Her Children's Mental Illness Journey - Patty Sepety: https://alifeofthrive.com/2023/07/06/navigating-her-childrens-mental-illness-journey-with-patty-sepety/ Making Marriage Healthy with Marriage Counselor, Leslie Davis: https://alifeofthrive.com/2023/11/08/marriage-healthy/ Michele Poe on Mental Health Illness and Suicide: https://alifeofthrive.com/2020/10/28/mental-health/

Summary: *The conversation discusses the power and simplicity of gratitude as a spiritual discipline. *Gratitude is seen as a choice and a discipline that can lead to transformation and intimacy with God. *Practicing gratitude can rewire the brain's neural network to focus more on positive aspects. *Simple daily practices, such as acknowledging things to be grateful for, can cultivate gratitude. *Gratitude can combat negative emotions like fear and anxiety, promoting peace. *Engaging with biblical teachings, like Philippians 4:8, can help maintain a posture of gratitude. *The discussion emphasizes the importance of intimacy with God for true gratitude and compassion. *Gratitude and love are linked, with love being viewed as faith in action and compassion. *Practicing gratitude can lead to improvements in one's life, including emotional and spiritual growth. *Gratitude is portrayed as a gift from God, intended to be shared with others as an overflow of His love. Podcast Intro: Gratitude is an ever-present concept in our lives, yet we often underestimate its power to transform our perspectives and experiences. The episode today was a great conversation with author, podcast host and speaker, Amanda Schaefer. She shared her insights on how the simplicity of gratitude can be more profound than we imagine, offering a window into a value system that transcends our earthly understanding. Gratitude, she explains, is not a trait some are simply born with, but a discipline and a choice that anyone can learn and embrace. It is an attitude that, when practiced intentionally, can lead to a profound transformation in one's spiritual and emotional life. Amanda discovered gratitude is part of our neural pathway that, once traveled repeatedly, becomes a well-worn trail in our minds. This practice of choosing to focus on the positive aspects of life, even amid challenges, reaps, peace, joy, and blessings.  By acknowledging the beauty and goodness around us, we can cultivate a mindset that anticipates good things and, in turn, experiences more of it. This is not to say that gratitude is a natural inclination for everyone; it requires conscious effort and practice. Amanda emphasizes that the discipline of gratitude is something that has to be developed, much like any other skill or habit. Once the habit is formed, you will naturally perceive and notice countless things to be thankful for. The practice of gratitude is not complicated. Amanda recounts how she began a simple morning routine of expressing gratitude before her feet even touched the ground. By starting the day with a focus on the goodness of God, she found that it set a positive tone for the rest of her day. When one is grateful, feelings of fear and anxiety are replaced with peace and joy, as gratitude and fear cannot coexist. Moreover, Amanda highlights the biblical perspective on gratitude. We talked about Philippians 4:8, which encourages believers to focus on what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable. This verse encapsulates a heart posture of gratitude, guiding individuals to meditate on the good and praiseworthy things in life. In doing so, one aligns closer with a life of peace and intimacy with God. The act of focusing on gratitude is not just a spiritual exercise but a transformative experience that can renew the mind and spirit. Throughout this conversation Amanda reminds us, this practice of gratitude is within everyone's reach and can bring about profound personal and spiritual growth and create deeper intimacy with Christ. Let's listen in and be encouraged today! Live Loved and Thrive! @alifeofthrive.com Other Related Podcast and/or Blog: Blog - Hallelujah! https://alifeofthrive.com/2021/11/02/hallelujah/ Podcast: Donna Renay Patrick - When Life Doesn't Go As Planned: https://alifeofthrive.com/2021/11/10/donna-patrick/ Connect with Amanda: Website: www.acupofgratitude.org IG: www.instagram.com/acupof_gratitude FB: www.facebook.com/amanda.f.schaefer Bio: Amanda Schaefer is a podcast host, author, and speaker. She carries with her the goodness of looking through a lens of gratitude. The “A Cup of Gratitude” podcast is global, reaching over 111 countries and 3000 cities. As a speaker, Amanda teaches the Bible while challenging audiences to live the way God intends. She has a way of making scripture come alive through everyday examples. Amanda's books include, “Crumbled, A Place for Broken People” and “Daily “Instaration.” She is a contributing author of “Life Changing Stories and the newly released books, “One Chance, One Dance, Don't Miss the Moments in Your Life,” and “Courageous Voices Unlocked.” Her books are down to earth and packed with Biblical truth. Amanda has also written articles for “The Brave Women Series,” “The Uncommon Normal Gratitude Series,” “The Love Offering,” “The Warrior Women Series,” “Butterfly Living, “The Empty Nest Mom Series,” and “The Season Series.” She has a new collaborative book project due to be released this December and is under contract to write a new manuscript slated to be released in February 2025.

SUMMARY: *Sarah Willoughby shares her personal journey with chronic illness and how it has impacted her life and faith. *Sarah emphasizes the importance of knowing one is not alone in their struggles, which can be a lifeline for many. *She details her journey to getting a diagnosis, which took seeing 13 doctors and being misdiagnosed multiple times. *Sarah highlights the impact of chronic illness on her family, community, and personal dreams. *She discusses the spiritual journey and questions that arose during her illness, including struggles with understanding God's love and purpose. *Sarah shares how her faith was strengthened by wrestling with difficult questions and seeking God's presence. *She emphasizes the value of asking God questions and the importance of being honest in one's relationship with Him. *Sarah has found new ways to serve and connect with others through writing, speaking, and organizing online conferences for those with chronic illnesses. *The conversation concludes with resources for those struggling with chronic illness and the reassurance that they are not alone and have purpose. PODCAST INTRO: My guest, Sara Willoughby is a young woman who is courageously navigating life with chronic illness. Sara's journey is not just a testament to her resilience but also a beacon of hope for many who find themselves battling similar challenges. Her story underscores the power of faith, the importance of community, and the unexpected beauty that can emerge from suffering. The Beginning of a Long Journey Sara's life took an unexpected turn when she was diagnosed with Lyme disease, multiple chemical sensitivity, and toxic mold poisoning. Her path to diagnosis was long and stressful because of several misdiagnoses and various consultations with 13 different doctors—Sara shared that misdiagnoses and countless doctors is a journey that is very familiar in the chronic illness community. This prolonged uncertainty and the eventual diagnosis upended her life. One facet of her diagnosis of being exposed to mold in her home lead to her and her family losing their home and cherished possessions. Faith Amidst Adversity Sara's faith has been a cornerstone in her journey. She speaks candidly about the struggles she faced in reconciling her belief in a loving God with the suffering she endured. She talks about what it means to live a purposeful and fulfilling life in the midst of ongoing uncertainty. Her relationship with God deepened as she allowed herself to ask difficult questions and seek God for His answers. Finding Purpose in Pain Despite her limitations, Sara discovered new avenues to serve God and others. Her writing became a powerful tool for ministry, allowing her to connect with a global audience. Through her blog, the book she wrote and the Diamonds conference for Christians with chronic illnesses, Sara has fostered a community where individuals can share their experiences, find resources, and support each other. The Beauty of a Slower Pace Sara highlights the unique contributions that those with chronic illnesses can make to the world and the church. The slower pace of life, often imposed by illness, offers opportunities for deeper reflection, creativity, and meaningful/purposeful connection (something that I personally feel is no longer prioritized in our society; people are just too busy). Whether through snail mail ministries, prayer, or online conferences, Sara emphasizes that those with chronic illnesses have valuable gifts to share. Embracing God's Love Throughout her journey, Sara has learned to trust in God's plan, even when it doesn't look like what she personally envisioned for herself. She has seen God resurrect her aspirations in unexpected ways, from publishing a book to serving overseas and marrying a supportive partner. Her story is a powerful reminder that God's love and purpose for us are not diminished by our circumstances. Conclusion Sara Willoughby's journey with chronic illness challenges how we naturally want to define a "normal life" and I loved it because the beauty that radiates from her life, the intimacy she has with the Lord, the significance of a slower pace, the creativeness born out of hitting a wall per se, it's one of the most beautiful reminders that God uses everything about our life to deliver us into a deeper richness of identity, meaning, and purpose and on countless levels. 
Her willingness to share her story offers hope and encouragement to those facing similar challenges. Leaning into her limitations by trusting in God's love, Sara has found a fulfilling and purposeful life, inspiring others to do the same. Her message is clear: you are not alone, and there is beauty and purpose to be found, even in the midst of suffering. Live Loved and Thrive! @ alifeofthrive.com Connect with Sara: Diamonds Conference Website: https://diamondsconference.org/  He's Making Diamonds devotional freebie: https://sgwilloughby.com/devotional/  Website: https://sgwilloughby.com/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sgwilloughby/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sgwilloughbyauthor  Bio: Sara is the author of He's Making Diamonds and the founder of the Diamonds Conference, an online event for Christians with chronic illnesses. She lives in California with her husband and loves dark chocolate and adventures.

Summary: *Taleah Pletzer shares her personal journey through trauma and how it has influenced her work as a trauma-informed coach and healing prayer facilitator. *She describes a turbulent childhood, including being abandoned by her biological mother and experiencing sexual abuse from her father. *Taleah emphasizes the importance of healing and finding wholeness, explaining the concept of trauma A (single incident) and trauma B (ongoing trauma). *She recounts a pivotal moment where she nearly attempted suicide but was stopped by a powerful voice she attributes to God. *Taleah discusses her process of finding a personal relationship with God, which involved questioning and seeking answers about her worth and God's love. *She highlights the role of the Emmanuel Approach in her healing journey, which combines brain science with biblical principles to foster healing through direct interaction with Jesus. *Taleah expresses a passion for helping women, particularly young women, heal from their trauma and avoid carrying it into their adult lives. *She shares her plans to start a nonprofit organization to offer healing services to women who may not be able to afford them and to create a supportive community. *Taleah's biggest reward is witnessing others experience the presence of Jesus and gain freedom from their past traumas. *She concludes with a message of hope, reminding listeners that healing is a journey worth taking and that God is always with the brokenhearted. Podcast Intro: I had the absolute pleasure of speaking with Taleah Pletzer, a trauma-informed coach and healing prayer facilitator. She shared her personal journey through a turbulent childhood and the profound impact that trauma had on her life. Through her story, she illustrates the powerful message that healing is possible, no matter the depths of past traumas and I don't know about you but that's the kind of message I love to hear; hope in a better tomorrow. Understanding Trauma and Its Impact Talia's childhood was marked by chaos and abandonment, leading to countless challenges, including issues of attachment and self-worth. She candidly spoke about her experiences with sexual abuse, the rejection of her family, and the struggles she faced growing up in a household filled with addiction and darkness. Despite these challenges, Taleah found hope and healing through her relationship with God. The Role of Faith in Healing One of the key themes of our discussion was the role of faith in Taleah's healing journey. She described moments of divine intervention that saved her life and provided comfort during her darkest times. While Taleah did not have a relationship with God during the abuse, she now emphasizes the importance of building an intimate relationship with God, because she believes it is crucial for true healing and transformation. Trauma-Informed Coaching and the Emmanuel Approach As a trauma-informed coach, Taleah uses the Emmanuel Approach, a method that combines brain science with biblical principles. This approach helps individuals connect with Jesus in a tangible way, allowing them to explore their emotions and experiences in a safe and supportive environment. Taleah highlighted the significance of starting healing sessions with positive memories to activate relational circuits in the brain, facilitating a deeper connection with God and oneself…which played a significant role in her recovery. Her story serves as a testament to the transformative power of faith and perseverance. Conclusion Taleah Pletzer's story is powerful…so much so I titled this podcast after her own words….healing is a journey and your worth the trip!. Her message to those who feel trapped by their past is clear: you are not alone, and there is hope for a brighter future. By embracing the healing power of faith and seeking support from compassionate guides like Taleah, anyone can find the strength to overcome their trauma and live the life God intended for you o experience…one of wholeness and freedom. Whether you're in trauma A, B or you simply feel stuck in your head or your heart, Taleah is waiting to help and the healing power of Jesus is waiting to transform. WARNING Before we get started Taleah does give a warning that her testimony may create a trigger for some people as it does include the topic of self harm. If that is something you are sensitive to you will want to listen out for the point in our conversation when you hear Taleah's voice crack, she pauses and she says sorry, this is a little bit hard for me….this is where you will want to pause and either pray to prepare yourself to enter into the topic with Taleah or come back at a later time when you've had time to process your own feelings. Let's listen in! Connect with Taleah: FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563515485284 Email: Hearthealing123@gmail.com Phone: 775-324-8064 Bio: Taleah (pronounced Ta'Leah) is a dedicated trauma informed coach specializing in empowering women to navigate through life's challenges with resilience and grace. As a survivor of both physical and sexual abuse throughout her childhood, Taleah knows first hand the long term effects of trauma can have on a person if the root issues are not addressed.  As a Christian and a mother of 5 daughters, she brings a compassionate and understanding approach to her work. Living on a ranch, Taleah understands the importance of nurturing growth and healing, both in the fields and in the hearts of those she supports. With her expertise and empathy, Taleah guides women on their journey towards complete healing and freedom , therefore empowering them to live abundantly!

My guest today, Rayna Neises (Nigh-sis) has a passion for coming alongside those in a season of caregiving. Her experiences of walking both of her parents home, and into the arms of Jesus started her on a journey with a deep desire to help others who find themselves overwhelmed as a caregiver. She's now a certified coach who can help you navigate your caregiving season. She's authored a book, No Regrets, Hope for your Caregiving Season and the focus is to do just that, help you meet the demands of caring for others and not loosing yourself in the process. I love how she puts it, helping people find a way to honor the person they're caring for, walking them all the way home with no regrets and still have a life to walk back into. You'll need to listen to all the different options for balancing the ever changing demands on a caregiver's day. And while Rayna's parent's diagnosis of Alzheimers had an end to her caring season, all of her knowledge, insight and practical advice would be super beneficial for those who are caring for loved ones over an extended period of time. Instances where there is no closure; they're living with uncertainty as to how long they will be caring for their loved ones. The longer the caregiver role the more important it will be to put Rayna's suggested practices in place and use them on a regular basis. The natural relationship of caregiving can include parents caring for children, spouses caring for each other, friends who step in to care well. Rayna is also the host to her podcast, A Season of Caring where her guests share their knowledge and experience, about the subject of caregiving and they too provide hope, encouragement and resources in addition to all that Rayna has available on her website: https://raynaneises.com/ Here are some of the topics we touched on: Rayna challenges the traditional definition of a caregiver, advocating for a broader understanding that includes anyone who provides care and support to others, whether they are paid professionals or family members. Rayna reminds us that Caregiving is not a static role but one that ebbs and flows with the ever changing caregiving demands. Rayna makes the point that it's important to recognize when making adjustments are necessary. Whether it's reallocating time, seeking help, or making pivotal decisions about care etc. We talked about how important it is to build a support network. It's essential, whether it's through family, friends or hired caregivers. Rayna points out ways to build a support system saying this approach not only eases the caregiver's burden but also enriches the caregiving experience for everyone involved. I delved into what it means to finish the caregiving task well and with no regrets. To me, the thought of that being a possibility (and Rayna is proof that it is possible), is an incredibly comforting outcome to being a caregiver. We talked about embracing flexibility and options. I love this because Rayna's journey teaches us that caregiving decisions are not set in stone. The ability to pivot and explore options, whether in living arrangements or daily routines, can lead to better outcomes for both the caregiver and the person receiving care. Ultimately, Rayna's message is one of living without regrets. By being intentional in your caregiving roles, making informed decisions, and allowing room for change, caregivers can look back on their experience with a sense of fulfillment and peace. Rayna's story is a testament to the power of love, resilience, and faith in transforming the caregiving journey into a season of growth, peace and no regrets. If you are in the midst of a caregiving season or if you find yourself in a caregiving role, listen in and let Rayna speak some beautiful encouragement to you today! Live Loved and Thrive! Sherrie Connect with Rayna: Email: Rayna@ASeasonofCaring.com Coaching Services/Support Groups/Education workshops etc: https://www.aseasonofcaring.com/ Caregiver Wellbeing Check-In: This free resource is a pop up (it will appear on the page as you visit her coaching website): https://www.aseasonofcaring.com/ Book - No Regrets, Hope for you Caregiving Season: https://www.aseasonofcaring.com/no-regrets-hope-for-your-caregiving-season/ Podcast: A Season of Caring: https://www.aseasonofcaring.com/podcast/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMNeQw8WKnxWal4Qp3G5OBg Content Magazine: https://www.aseasonofcaring.com/content-magazine/ Bio: Rayna Neises is Certified coach and author of “No Regrets:  Hope for Your Caregiving Season”. With the rich tapestry of her life, from the fields of her family farm to the heart-wrenching experience of losing both parents to Alzheimer's disease, Rayna has crafted her calling into a mission that lights the way for others. As a devoted wife, a cherished Graham, and a loving stepparent, her life is a testament to the power of faith and family. Rayna's professional journey as a Certified Coach, speaker, and Author offers a beacon of light to those navigating the complexities of life and caregiving. Her voice resonates not only through the pages of her book but also through the airwaves as the host of "A Season of Caring Podcast," where she delves into conversations that help caregivers live content, love well and care without regret in their caring season. Rayna also extends her reach and compassion through "Grannies Talkin' Dementia Podcast," a platform where she shares insights, stories, and support for those affected by dementia, bringing understanding and hope to a community that cherishes every memory and moment. In every word she writes and every conversation she leads, Rayna Neises embodies the essence of living a life with no regrets, embracing each season of life with grace, faith, and a heart full of gratitude.

Summary: *My guest, LaShaundra Barnes shares her story of finding God amidst her deep personal struggles of abuse and suffering. *LaShaundra discusses her abusive relationship, which began after reconnecting with a high school acquaintance, highlighting the barriers that kept her in the relationship, including love, loyalty, and legal issues concerning her children. *She speaks about the fear of the unknown and anxiety that hindered her ability to leave the abusive relationship sooner. *LaShaundra emphasizes the importance of having a supportive community and the role of her church in helping her through the healing process. *She shares her experiences with her children's mental and emotional health, revealing the impact of witnessing domestic abuse and the challenges of raising neurodivergent children. *Our discussion touches on the need for individualized parenting, considering each child's unique needs and triggers. *LaShaundra highlights the power of scriptures and worship music in providing comfort and encouragement during difficult times. *She talks about the importance of forgiveness in the healing journey and how it has helped her find peace and co-parent with her children's father. *LaShaundra encourages others to share their stories, emphasizing that our experiences can transform lives and bring people closer to God. *She stresses that for those in abusive situations there is a need for therapy and counseling to thrive after abuse. *LaShaundra provides hotline numbers that have 24/7 access: In emergency and life of death situations: Call 911 or the emergency number in your area. National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233 The Center for Family Safety and Healing: Text the word start, S-T-A-R-T, to 88788. The Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, simply dial the number 988. Podcast Intro: When I met LaShaundra my first impression was her vibrancy. The joy in her eyes, (which as believers we know that is the presence of the Holy Spirit), the tone of her voice and her presence. These things combined, I heard and saw joy and it became more pronounced as she began to share what she has been through, is going through. Life has not been easy and yet she describes herself as blessed. LaShaundra's testimony is one of the reasons why I do this podcast. When everything familiar in our life gets turned upside down, people want to know where is God? Does God make a difference? Does He care and if so, what does His kindness look like? How does He make a difference? LaShaundra is a single mom with 3 young children and she has endured countless levels of abuse some of which are mental, emotional, physical, financial, etc. And yet, she shares a message of God's goodness despite the cruelty of this life and the proof (of God's goodness) is displayed in her, through her, day to day. I'm not saying her life is all sunshine, rainbows and smiles because she admits it's difficult. Single moms know that singleness is a challenge all it's own. Moms with special needs children know the complications on a daily basis. Abused women are familiar with the struggle to find healing and wholeness again. Women who know they need to leave abusive situations are faced with overwhelming fears of what if and that is enough to keep them in the abuse.  When faced with the possibility of a new life, rebuilding ourselves and rebuilding our lives, how do we trust, who do we trust? I even think about, if we can't even trust the people we can see, hear and touch, how do we learn to trust God? Will God still love us even if we find ourselves in situations that are of our own doing or does He just look at us and say, you made that bed now sleep in it. If you're living any of these situations or questioning God about His goodness you will find great encouragement in LaShaundra's message of how God cares for us at every turn in our journey. She has learned that having spiritual disciplines that keep her grounded in Christ is the first line of defense against overwhelm, anxiety and fear. She reads the word of God and she relies on God to be who He says he is and do what He says He'll do. He has never failed her and even her learning curves of discovering God's heart have brought her new levels of intimacy and greater/deeper joy. Be encouraged today as you listen to LaShaundra's example of who the God of the Holy Bible is in the context of pain and suffering. God speaks the most beautiful things in the dark. Live Loved and Thrive! @alifeofthrive.com   Other Related Podcast Episodes: Breaking Cycles of Abuse and Trauma: https://alifeofthrive.com/2024/07/31/breaking-cycles-of-abuse-and-trauma-with-lindsey-smith/ From Survive to Thrive, Overcoming Sexual Abuse: https://alifeofthrive.com/2024/01/03/from-survive-to-thrive-overcoming-sexual-abuse-with-tina-ivey/ Heal From Childhood Abuse: https://alifeofthrive.com/2023/03/01/healing-from-childhood-abuse-with-virginia-jones/ Christian Marriage, Abuse and Boundaries: https://alifeofthrive.com/2023/04/12/christian-marriage-abuse-and-boundaries/ Connect with LaShaundra: Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@herdesiredhaven Bio: LaShaundra Barnes is a Podcast Host and Producer who uses her passions, gifts and creativity to glorify God. She is an entrepreneur, a domestic violence survivor and is currently a single mother raising neurodiverse children. Her life experiences both good and bad have shaped and molded her into the woman she is today. She's determined to tell her story showing how good God is and the wonderful acts and miracles He's done in her life. By sharing her story she desires to help others believe, to find purpose in their pain and peace in the midst of life's storms. RESOURCES: Here are some 24/7 Confidential Services: In emergency and life of death situations: Call 911 or the emergency number in your area. National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233 The Center for Family Safety and Healing: Text the word start, S-T-A-R-T, to 88788. The Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, simply dial the number 988.

Summary: *Gina Economopoulos shares her journey of faith, family, and personal struggles. *She grew up in a large, loving Italian-Greek Catholic family. *After college, Gina became a bartender, finding it a suitable job due to her social personality. *She struggled with alcoholism, initially not recognizing it as a problem. *Gina faced significant grief with the loss of her mother, which led her to question her faith. *Her journey included becoming a Catholic nun, seeking deeper meaning and love. *She experienced significant suffering and confusion during her time in the convent. *Gina eventually left the convent and struggled with identity and faith. *Her fiancé's death from alcoholism was a turning point in her life. *Gina found healing and a renewed relationship with God through a 12-step program, leading to sobriety. Intro to the Podcast: My guest, Gina Economopoulos has quite the unexpected twists, turns and cliffhangers in the chapters of her life story. Even as unique as our individual stories are I feel sure you'll find many ways that you can connect with Gina. Her message is most definitely is for us all, God never gives up!  Raised in a large, traditional Italian-Greek family, Gina's early life was a rich tapestry of Catholic values and unconditional love. The seventh child of 8, Gina was doing all the expected things as well as all the typical things of her youthful days in college and young adulthood but as life does, her world is flipped upside down and for her it was the death of her mother. Gina shares her story of navigating the fragility of life both in her (in her brokenness and searching for love and purpose) as well as the brokenness of the world around her. Throughout her mistakes, searching, challenges and heartbreak after heartbreak, Gina maintains her out-going, people loving personality. Her resilience continues to bring her faith to the forefront and even her sense of humor remained albeit, at times it was used to cover up the pain. A quick line of events for Gina's life gives you the overview of the various challenges and a glimpse of God's faithfulness to be along for the whole journey. A child who had medical/health complications that lead to a feeling of lack and the need to excel and prove her worth. In college she was a party girl and also graduated with a degree in social work. Out of college she began bartending as a career but as mentioned it was the death of her beloved mother that shook her to the core. She found herself turning back to her Catholic roots, searching for meaning and solace in her grief. This loss acted as a catalyst, propelling her into a period of searching for something more profound—something to fill the void that partying and alcohol could not. Her spiritual journey took a sharp turn when she joined a convent, seeking a deeper relationship with God and a sense of belonging. Despite her efforts to discover the peace she thought the convent would give her, the challenges within herself as well as the added difficulties and conflicts with the other nuns/sisters, would lead to her being asked to leave the convent. This was a devastating blow that increased her feelings of lack, adding more confusion and uncertainty. The next chapter of Gina's life brought her back into the world where she would need a job and a paycheck, problem is she hadn't worked for 12 years. So she returns to what she knows best, bartending. Her knowledge of religion struggles against the intimate relationship with Christ that is developing but it's never more challenged than when she finds love and is then forced to endure the heartbreak of losing her fiancé and his death is associated with alcoholism. She walks away from God but little does she know, God never gives up and she hasn't given up either, she just doesn't know it yet. She goes to a global recovery program modeled after AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) called The Rooms. Heartbreak/pain and anguish were in full anger and hatred mode but just maybe a tinge of fear lead her to The Rooms. And this is the very place where she slowly allows God to reveal Himself in a deeper and more intimate way. Learning that God never gives up on us solidified her journey from religion to relationship and it's been maturing ever since. Gina's story highlights the incredible resilience of the human spirit and the unwavering belief that even in the darkest times, there is hope and healing available. Her message is clear: don't give up, because God never does. He loves you and He will transform you if you let Him. It's a testament to God's heart to save, heal and redeem. No matter how winding the road may be God is there every step of the way. God never gives up on us! Live Loved and Thrive! @alifeofthrive.com Other Related Podcast/Blog Topics & Resources: Resource: In the Rooms - A Global Recovery Community: https://www.intherooms.com/home/ Podcasts: Did God Fail Jane?: https://alifeofthrive.com/2023/05/10/did-god-fail-jane/ In the Presence of God: https://alifeofthrive.com/2022/03/02/presence/ Blog: The Good God: https://alifeofthrive.com/2021/06/01/good-god/ Connect with Gina: https://www.ginaecon.com/ Bio: Gina Economopoulos was born in Syosset, NY, to a strong Italian and Greek loving family. She graduated from Eastern CT State University and bartended before embarking on a 12 year convent journey after her mother's passing. Settled on the Jersey Shore, Gina now works as an End of Life Doula, extending her compassionate heart to those in there final chapter. She found solace in sobriety as a proud Alcoholics Anonymous member, and her story of resilience through tragedy and faith inspires others to face life's challenges.

Summary - *RevelationShip Concept: Kathy Garland discusses the concept of "revelationship," a term that emerged from a teaching session at her father's church. It emphasizes a dynamic relationship with God through ongoing revelations, exploring how God reveals Himself through various ways, including scripture, creation, and personal experiences. *Suffering and Faith: Kathy shares her personal journey through significant life challenges such as divorce, child loss, and a severe car accident. Despite these hardships, her faith remained strong, and she questions why churches often fail to teach believers how to suffer well and glorify God through their suffering. *Authentic Faith and Deconstruction: Kathy talks about the importance of authentic questioning in faith, drawing from her own deconstruction experience. She highlights the value of testing one's beliefs and the dangers of adopting a consumer-like approach to religion by picking elements from different faiths without deeper understanding. *Attributes of God: The discussion touches on God's holiness as the foundation of His attributes, referencing a quote by Stephen Charnock. Kathy emphasizes that every action of God is inherently holy and serves a purpose, even if difficult to understand. *Upcoming Works and Study Guides: Kathy mentions her upcoming book "The God Who," which will further explore how God reveals Himself. Both this and her previous work, "Revelationship," include study guides designed to help readers apply theological insights practically in their lives. Podcast Intro: My guest Cathy Garland introduces us to the word and concept of revelationship. She shares her journey of faith, which has been tested through numerous hardships, including divorce, child loss, and a car accident. These experiences have led her to develop a concept called "revelationship," which she explains as an evolving relationship with God through revelations. Cathy emphasizes the importance of seeing God in all aspects of life, including the painful parts, and how this understanding forms the basis of her book titled Revelationship - Transformative Intimacy with Christ. Cathy discusses the shortcomings of the church in teaching believers how to suffer and mourn well. She critiques certain prosperity-driven teachings that suggest hardships are solely a result of personal failures. Instead, she argues that suffering is a part of life and can serve as a profound teacher that draws individuals closer to God. Cathy stresses the importance of authentic mourning and the discomfort it can cause others, highlighting the cultural reluctance to face and share pain openly. The conversation also delves into the topic of deconstruction of faith, with Cathy sharing her own experience of questioning her beliefs and how her parents, her father was a pastor, supported her exploration. She emphasizes that true faith can withstand questioning and that deconstruction should not be feared. Cathy advocates for the importance of surrender and obedience to God, suggesting that these practices help train us to resist the our human tendency to choose lesser things over what God offers us and Cathy even points out how we would easily and consistently choose the very thing that will kill us if left to our own understanding and our own desires. Finally, Cathy discusses various ways people can experience God, such as through worship, nature, and service, noting that these are legitimate pathways to deepen one's faith. She highlights the significance of repentance, not as a means to earn God's forgiveness but as a process of personal growth and sanctification. As we wrapped up you'll hear Cathy's passion for people to understand that God actively pursues a relationship with us, and that He's eager to reveal Himself, driven by His unwavering and holy love for us. Live Loved and Thrive! @lifeofthrive.com   Other Related Podcast topics and/or blogs: The Trouble With Jesus, Navigating Faith with Constance Hastings: https://alifeofthrive.com/2024/10/09/the-trouble-with-jesus-navigating-faith-with-constance-hastings/ Relationship is Simple (Blog - Sherrie): https://alifeofthrive.com/2019/03/11/relationship-is-simple-but-it-will-take-courage/ Micro Moments with God to Grow Relationship Intimacy: https://alifeofthrive.com/2024/08/14/micro-moments-with-god-to-grow-relationship-intimacy/ Connect with Cathy - Revelationship: Revelationship site: revelationship.net Revelationship on IG: https://www.instagram.com/seekrevelationship/ Revelationship on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seekrevelationship Revelationship on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@seekrevelationship Free Devotional & Study Guide: https://www.revelationship.net/devotional-and-study-guide-lp Gracefull Garlands: Gracefull Garlands on IG: https://www.instagram.com/gracefullgarlands Threads: https://www.threads.net/@gracefullgarlands Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gracefullgarlands LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherinegarland/ Blog: https://cathy544.wixsite.com/gracefullgarlands (also on Revelationship.net) Bio: Cathy Colver Garland, oldest daughter of Dr. Randy Colver, writes Gracefull Musings, a blog providing
women a moment of rest and challenge before those little fingers appear under the bathroom door. A
former Vice-President of a software company, she currently consults with institutions and companies on
marketing, sales, and strategy. She also mentors women in professional, spiritual, and personal
development. Saved and living an “absolutely surrendered” life, her passion is to teach people to hear
God's voice and obey, surrender their lives absolutely, and walk in freedom. She is married to
Mickey and has two children in elementary school. Since Cathy mentioned her father (Dr. Randy Clover) as being the co-author of the book, here is his Bio: Ordained in 1982, Dr. Randy Colver is a seasoned Bible teacher who has written numerous Bible
workbooks for class instruction and online studies. Dr. Colver received his ThD from Logos University
and is a member of the Evangelical Theological Society. Dr. Colver serves as an elder and teacher at the
Coweta Community Church. Dr. Colver and his wife, Kim, have been married for over forty years. They
have six children and fifteen grandchildren, including co-author Cathy Colver Garland. Dr. Colver
believes, “My greatest blessing is to know that all my children are serving God.“

Summary: *Constance discusses her book, "The Trouble with Jesus: Considerations Before You Walk Away," which explores controversial topics related to faith and encourages readers to reflect on their beliefs and understanding of Jesus. *The conversation delves into themes such as understanding God's role in suffering, the transformative power of faith, and the importance of maintaining a relationship with God despite doubts and challenges. *Constance shares personal anecdotes to illustrate her journey of faith, including experiences that reinforced her belief in God's presence and guidance through difficult times. *The discussion touches on contemporary issues like the deconstruction of faith and contrasts the world's view of love and tolerance with the unconditional love of God. *The importance of engaging in respectful conversations about faith with skeptics or doubters is emphasized, with Constance suggesting that her book can serve as a catalyst for meaningful dialogue and spiritual exploration. Podcast Intro: My guest, is author, Constance Hastings, who has recently written a book titled "The Trouble with Jesus: Considerations Before You Walk Away." I think you can tell by the title that we poked around in some pretty weighty specifics on faith, skepticism, and how we make sense of the world. The reason I wanted to have this conversation because suffering will have you contemplating the plan to leave your faith. If you find yourself if a place of skepticism because the pain is too great and you it simply does not match your definition of what a good God would do, take some time to listen to all that Constance has to share. Constance talks about her personal growth with the Christian faith and she also shared examples of her journey and the moments in her life where she felt God's presence most profoundly. One story she shared was about a time when she felt abandoned—not just by people, but by God. She described a church retreat where, somehow, she was left behind as everyone else packed up and left the area the group had been visiting. Alone and angry, she journeyed down the rock road and finds herself standing in front of an unusually large stop sign…with the wind whipping through the night air she continues demanding answers from God. And then something remarkable happened: a sense of peace washed over her, and the Holy Spirit reminds her spirit that she is not alone…for me, it's always that marker of peace in the midst of struggle that reminds us of God's presence. When she was finally reunited with the group, she knew the experience had changed her. The first-hand experience of not only God attending to her on a dark road, all alone. But feeling His presence evaporated those moments of vulnerability and hard questions and drew her into a deeper intimacy with Christ. Listening to Constance's stories made me reflect on my own life and those moments when I've felt life's troubles weighing heavily on me. It's easy to get caught up in the idea that we need to have all the answers or we need to be in control of the outcome. But as Constance pointed out, the real beauty is revealed when we let go of the need to control everything and allow ourselves to be open to the possibility of transformation. Her words reminded me that faith isn't about having everything figured out; it's about trusting that in the midst of our struggles, we're never truly alone. So next time you're feeling overwhelmed, have the courage to discover who God really is vs who you think He should be—pause, engage the heart of God, and remember that the love and answers that you're seeking is already available, He's just waiting for you to notice and lean in to His great love for you. Live loved and thrive! @alifeofthrive.com Related Podcast Topics on having hope and growing faith when you want to give up: Here's How Psalm 23 Showed Me God's Faithfulness w/Sherrie Pilkington: https://alifeofthrive.com/2022/08/17/heres-how-psalm-23-showed-me-gods-faithfulness/ Finding Hope in the Ashes w/Lea Turner: https://alifeofthrive.com/2024/09/25/finding-hope-in-the-ashes-with-lea-turner/ Blog Post - Life Verse: https://alifeofthrive.com/2021/09/07/life-verse/   Connect with Constance: Link to purchase the book: The Trouble with Jesus: Considerations Before You Walk Away https://amazon.com/author/constancehastings Substack: https://jesustrouble.substack.com Blog: https://constancehastings.com The Trouble with Jesus blog LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/constance-hastings-0969a7136 X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/@cm_hastings Facebook: https://facebook.com/TheTroublewithJesus Bio: I did not intend to write a book about Jesus. I did not believe I would ever join any church. I never thought I would be involved in formal church ministry as ordained clergy. My life should have been my own, teaching the literature I loved and having a life to enjoy my simple hobbies and family. But the Trouble with Jesus is God does not let us walk away, but instead pursues us until we find ourselves found. I was very good arguing with God, wanting my own direction and expecting it to be blessed. Didn't happen. With gentle nudges and a Holy Spirit grab around the throat, God has taken me through a life-journey to places and people I would have never known except by God's plan. Not the path I ever wanted, but the one I was given. Thank God. Constance Hastings brings an outsider's perspective to what insiders know about the story of Jesus. Raised by non-religious parents, educated in a Christian school; lover of great literature, teacher of the disadvantaged; ordained in a mainline denomination, mental health counselor outside the church; she aims to make connections speaking in new places the old voices of meaning. With an edgy voice recognized by those caught in an existential dilemma, for those who have never or not been in church for a long time, for those who used to think they knew him, Constance Hastings confronts your concept of one of the most controversial figures whoever existed and the trouble Jesus means.

Summary: Personal Experience and Faith: Leah shares her personal journey through multiple hardships, including the loss of her house, her son's addiction, and her mother's cancer. She emphasizes how these experiences have deepened her intimacy with God and strengthened her faith. Permission to Feel and Wrestle with God: The discussion touches on the importance of embracing emotions and being transparent with God. Leah explains that acknowledging and wrestling with feelings of grief and suffering can lead to experiencing God's peace and presence more profoundly. Community and Support: Leah highlights the significance of community support during times of grief. She shares examples from her own life where friends and community members provided crucial support, reinforcing the idea that healing often involves others helping to "unravel our grave clothes." Message of Hope and Redemption**: Throughout the conversation, Leah and Speaker 1 underscore the message of hope in Christ. They stress that while grief and suffering are inevitable, turning towards God and trusting in His plan of redemption can lead to healing and transformation. Podcast Intro: My guest is Lea Turner, a wife, a mom to 5 children, she's an author and a grief coach. When you hear just a little bit of her story today, you'll see how much experience she's had in the area of grief and it will explain why she's the perfect one to come alongside grieving hearts and help them navigate the seasons of life when we live with loss and uncertainty. A quick overview of her grief journeys (with an S - plural)…within a very short time period of 3 years it included death, cancer, a house fire where she and her family lost absolutely everything include the family dog), her son battling addiction, shattered dreams, heart surgery…and just recently her mom's cancer journey has shifted and is adding yet more uncertainty for the days ahead. Our conversation focuses on Lea's book, The Freedom to Feel: Finding God in Grief and Trauma, Her book goes into greater depth with regard to what we discussed plus additional topics that we didn't have time to discuss. I really picked around in Lea's pain and she was gracious enough to answer every question. She explains how her relationship with God has evolved through each season of loss, emphasizing the importance of building a foundation with God to weather difficult times. She shares a story about a pastor's advice that spending time with God is preparation for future hardships. Lea highlights the importance of embracing feelings of grief and suffering rather than running from them and she explains that acknowledging and feeling pain allows the Holy Spirit to provide comfort, contrasting this with numbing behaviors like alcohol or excessive activities. She also discusses the importance of not becoming a victim of grief, suggesting that continually dwelling on hard stories can trap a person in their suffering. Instead, she recommends balancing necessary daily responsibilities with the need to process emotions and seek God's guidance. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did as we discussed the hope and transformation that comes from a relationship with God. All that she shared is very encouraging but I especially loved the reminder when she said that as believers we lament, meaning we grieve with hope. I'd say that Leah's over all message and I whole heartedly agree with it….is the importance of continually turning towards God. Even in the midst of grief and heartache we can count on God's character and presence to remain constant through every crashing wave of any storm we endure. Let's listen in for encouragement and a reminder that God has a plan of redemption for every form of suffering they endure. Live Loved and Thrive! @alifeofthrive.com Podcasts Related to this Topic: Widows, Grief and Finding Hope with Anne-Marie Lockmyer: https://alifeofthrive.com/2024/02/14/widows-grief-and-finding-hope-with-anne-marie-lockmyer/ Life and Hope After an Accidental Death, with Jennifer Eikenhorst: https://alifeofthrive.com/2023/07/18/life-and-hope-after-an-accidental-death-with-jennifer-eikenhorst/ Hope Deferred with Lainie Stubblefield - Marriage and Children - https://alifeofthrive.com/2022/10/26/hope-deferred/   Connect with Lea: Website: leaturner.com IG: @leagjturner FB: facebook.com/aheartatrest Newest book: The Freedom to Feel: Finding God in Grief and Trauma Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Freedom-Feel-Finding-Midst-Trauma/dp/B0D2PGK11T/ref=monarch_sidesheet   Bio:  Lea Turner is a heartfelt, empathetic writer and speaker who longs to meet and encourage us in our pain. Joyfully broken through three years of her family struggling with trauma and loss, including death, cancer, losing everything to a house fire, drug addiction, loss of a dream, and heart surgery has made her a reluctant expert on grief. Lea is a soulful listener and wisdom seeker, passionate about walking with grieving people through trauma, pain, and loss. She lives in Mississippi with her husband and five kids making her a northern girl stuck in a southern world.   

Summary: *Faith and Surrender: Both speakers highlight the importance of faith, surrendering one's will to God, and trusting Him even when it requires personal sacrifice and letting go of one's own desires. *Discerning God's Voice: Identifying God's voice involves aligning it with Scripture and recognizing the fruits of the Spirit, while being cautious of one's own desires potentially deceiving them. *Spiritual Dreams and Visions: Dr. Sheila explains that dreams and visions connect believers to the spiritual realm, can be used for personal guidance or intercession for others, and should be journaled for clarity and interpretation. *God's Unfailing Support: The conversation concludes with the affirmation that nothing is impossible with God, and He is always willing to go to great lengths to support and guide His followers, even in their most challenging times. INTRO TO THE EPISODE: Life can throw some seriously tough curveballs. When it does, it's our spiritual foundation that can make all the difference. My guest Dr. Sheila Jackson is an intercessor, a prophetic voice, Biblical teacher, and an Associate Pastor. Additionally, she founded the Wind Spirit Soul Prophetic School in 2006, dedicated to training prophetic vessels, people just like you and I. In this episode I had the privilege of sitting down with her to unpack what it really means to be spiritually mature, how to hear from God, and why faith and prayer are so crucial. We had a very relaxed conversation exploring God's Word and His heart for us as we pursue an intimate relationship with Him. Dr. Sheila opened up about the journey to spiritual maturity, describing it as a process of developing a deeper relationship with God and transforming into His image. It's about embodying the character of God, showing love, patience, and kindness, and living it out. It's not just about knowing these virtues intellectually. It's about putting them into action. Being the hands and feet of the Lord. Dr. Sheila shared her struggles with submitting her will to God. Boy, can I relate to that! Dr. Sheila, someone who's always made things happen, found it tough to let go and trust God, especially when His plans didn't align with her desires. She candidly admitted that it's easy to obey God when His will matches ours, but the real test comes when He asks us to give up something we deeply want. It's in those moments of surrender that we grow the most. We also delved into the intricacies of discerning God's voice amidst the noise of our own desires and the enemy's deceptions. Dr. Sheila emphasized that God's voice always aligns with Scripture and is rooted in love and truth. Yet, when our desires are strong, it's easy to be deceived. She shared personal stories, including a poignant one about almost marrying the wrong person because she mistook her own desires for God's will. It's a humbling reminder that we need to constantly renew our minds and seek God's guidance with a pure heart. We touched on the mysterious realm of spiritual dreams and visions. As we talked about discerning God's voice from the voice of the enemy in the context of dreams and visions, I share my experience with a dream that until now, I've only told my sister about. It has to do with satan injecting himself into my dream and God breaks the communication. But these spiritual dreams and visions aren't just for the prophets of old; they're a way God communicates with us today. Dr. Sheila encouraged us to journal our dreams and visions, as they often contain messages from God meant for prayer and intercession, not just for the sake of knowing. It's a practice that connects us to the spiritual realm and helps us align our lives with God's purpose. If you're a Christian who gets uncomfortable with the thought of moving in the spiritual realm; you have a spirit; you're already part of the spiritual realm. As you pursue the Lord, and you receive discernment from the Lord it is of the spirit. A relationship with God is spiritual so there's no reason to fear it and besides In Ephesians 12 it tells us who we battle. We do not fight against flesh and that the real fight is rooted in, and based on the spiritual realm. So the journey to spiritual maturity is about constant growth, surrender, and the courage to seek God's will above our own. It's a path filled with challenges and detours, but also with profound revelations and deeper intimacy with God. As Dr. Sheila so beautifully put it, “There's nothing impossible with God.” And that's a truth worth holding onto, most especially as we learn to grow in relationship with God. So no matter where you are on your spiritual journey God delights in us as we journey to His heart. Lived Loved and Thrive! @alifeofthrive.com  Connect with Dr. Sheila Jackson: Facebook: https://www.facebook/joshua2715 Email: sheilajac12@yahoo.com Email: windspiritsoul28@yahoo.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-sheila-jackson-ed-d-99116a29/ Bio: Dr. Jackson holds an Ed.D. in Transformational Leadership from Concordia University and an M.S. in Business Administration from Central Michigan University. After nearly 15 years as a Corporate Buyer for General Motors, she transitioned into education and ministry. With over 20 years of ministry experience, Dr. Jackson has served as an intercessor, prophetic voice, Biblical teacher, and Associate Pastor. She founded the Wind Spirit Soul Prophetic School in 2006, dedicated to training prophetic vessels. Dr. Jackson also expanded her ministry internationally and is a staff instructor with The Prophetic Empowerment Network. She is a mother, grandmother, and spiritual mentor to many.

Points of Discussion: Melinda emphasizes the importance of prayer and surrender to God, highlighting that your LGBTQ identified child's same-sex attraction itself isn't a sin, but acting on it is, and her main prayer is for her daughter's holiness rather than heterosexuality. Melinda emphasizes that a parent's responsibility is to love, pray for, and support their child, but not to control or fix them, as transformation is God's role. The conversation covers practical steps for parents, such as setting boundaries with love, having open and honest conversations, and not compromising biblical truths, while still showing unconditional love and support to their children. Melinda shares her personal experiences and the transformation in her relationship with her daughter, advocating for the pursuit of Jesus and intimate prayer as key elements in walking this difficult journey. The show notes include resources, as well as Melinda's links where you can purchase her book, sign up for her newsletter, follow her podcast etc. If you sign up for her newsletter you can find out where she's speaking next and the various events that are available for parents dealing with similar situations.  Podcast Intro: My guest Melinda Patrick is multi-talented on many levels. She is a podcast host of two podcasts, one of which is The Bridge Between Us: Loving Your LGBTQ Identified Child Without Compromising Truth. Melinda is a writer, an international speaker and she recently added author to her writing credentials in early 2024 when she published, The Daring Rescue: Joining Jesus Christ in His Pursuit of Your LGBTQ Identified Child's Heart. What I believe makes Melinda successful at connecting with people and loving them well is her passion to love Christ first and foremost; to discover His heart and to willingly make her own heart transparent so that the Lord can write His love story with her, onto/into her own heart. I'm going to try and make this intro super short because I want to get right into all the information and insight that Melinda has to share but I am excited about everything she shared so hopefully I can contain myself. May you have ears to hear all that the Holy Spirit shares through her. Listen to this episode a couple of times because you don't want to miss anything. From practical advice, deep wisdom, a parent's insight, knowledge of how to navigate this sensitive topic with God, you simply do not want to miss anything. Here are just a few of the questions she addressed:  What is the parent's responsibility? Is it our job, the parent's job, to save our child? Is there any hope for relationship if our child doesn't want to be saved? What is the difference between desiring our child to change vs our child being transformed? How do we navigate hard conversations? Melinda says we need to define some words as the basis of hard conversations. I think we can all agree that in this particular time and culture, words have been hijacked and they no longer mean what they used to mean.  My biggest take away from our conversation was personal. I loved how her experience of allowing God to challenge her heart, her fears and her pride was in line with what I am discovering about the Lord myself. Taking our emotions, fears, lie based thinking and all the ways we feel/believe that God should/would/could answer our prayers and we pause. We bring Him our pain and our hard questions, expose what our heart believes, we get real about our motives with the One who thoroughly knows these things about us.  God's not afraid of our emotions. He gave us emotions and I personally believe they also serve as an alarm system of sorts. Emotions let us know when we need to engage the heart of God for His truth and healing. In 2 Corinthians 10:5, the word says, "We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”  In short, we bring God our pain and we allow Him to speak His truth/His Word into that pain and it redefines what we've built our false belief system on. I can't express to you the level of freedom, peace, truth, love that is available to you through this process of trusting God with our pain. Actually, here's a perfect example. Let's jump into my conversation with Melinda! What you see, in this case what you hear, is what you get in real life with her.  Listen in and be encouraged by her passion for the things of God because He's doing a deep revelatory work in this woman's heart and you get to glean the wisdom. Live Loved and Thrive! @alifeofthrive.com Related Podcast Topics: Melinda Patrick (May 16, 2021): Christian Mom Whose Daughter has Same Sex Attraction - https://alifeofthrive.com/2021/05/16/same-sex-attraction/ Sherrie Pilkington (Solo Podcast Episode): Micro Moments With God To Grow Relationship Intimacy - https://alifeofthrive.com/2024/08/14/micro-moments-with-god-to-grow-relationship-intimacy/ Rachel Fahrenbach, Practicing Rest, Practicing Sabbath - https://alifeofthrive.com/2021/10/27/sabbath/ Complicated Questions (Blog Post): https://alifeofthrive.com/2019/07/22/complicated-questions/ Connect with Melinda: Author of The Daring Rescue: Joining Jesus Christ In His Pursuit Of Your LGBTQ-Identified Child's Heart Host of The Bridge Between Us Podcast and The Even While Podcast Opt-in for Living Life, Waiting Well Newsletter Opt-in for The Bridge Between Us Newsletter melindapatrick.org Bio: Having a child involved in the LGBTQ community for more than 11 years, Melinda Patrick knows what it is like to grieve the choices our loved ones have made and understands the helplessness we feel when things aren't as we had hoped. Through her healing journey and healing relationship with her daughter, she is passionate about emboldening and equipping parents to join God where He is at work in their lives and families.   Melinda Patrick provides parent support for His Wonderful Works, Inc., is the host of the award-winning podcast - The Bridge Between Us, author of The Daring Rescue: Joining Jesus Christ In His Pursuit Of Your LGBTQ-Identified Child's Heart and serves on the board for Restored Hope Network. She is an international speaker who often speaks at family conferences, church ministry events, and parent groups to equip families and the church to love well while not compromising Truth.

Discussion Points: *Host, Sherrie discusses a Bible Study titled "Do You Love Me? Exploring Our Relationships with God and Others" by Debbie Swindall, facilitated by Amy Heilman of Breathe Deep Ministries, which has deeply impacted her relationship with God. *Sherrie emphasizes the importance of making intentional time to engage with God, especially during emotional or challenging moments, to discover His love and purpose for us. *She shares her journey of finding peace and intimacy with God, highlighting the challenges of slowing down and truly resting in Him, rather than merely checking off religious tasks. *The episode encourages listeners to seek God's presence in every micro moment, using specific action steps to process emotions and receive God's grace and guidance, ultimately experiencing a more peaceful and fulfilling life. Podcast Episode/Transcript: This is going to be a short episode but it was important enough for me to make it an episode because I had to share this study with you. It's titled, Do You Love Me? Exploring our relationships with God and others by Debbie Swindoll. Published by Grafted Life Ministries. From what I can discern it's been around since 2014; I have the 3rd edition published in 2018. Have you ever had the opportunity to participate in this particular bible study? If so, I'd love to hear your thoughts, your takeaway. This is the first time I've ever described a bible study as sweet. The most tender hearted bible study I've ever been a part of. When I say tender hearted, it's because of the way it reveals the Father's love for us, His heart to know us and for us to discover Him. The point that was highlighted for me, was the simplicity of what God requires of us in order to know Him more. Then I was perplexed because I treat it with such difficulty. Because of the way I've grown in my intimacy with Christ (after doing this bible study) I wanted to make you aware of it as well. Should you want to participate I can definitely get you in contact with my friend who is the founder of Breathe Deep Ministries, Amy Hellman. I don't receive any type of compensation for connecting you with her. Her contact info will be in the show notes. She's not the publisher nor the author but she facilitates this study. You may be familiar with Amy's name because she has been on my podcast a couple of times. A few years back she was a guest and we talked about her book Soul Stripper. It's a free download online. It is her personal story of how God works with us to strip us of (by way of healing) the various ways we're attached to this world. As well as the ways we attempt to satisfy our flesh or people please etc. and she moves us into finding our identity in Christ, a strong identity in Him alone. Also, she did one other episode where she took the mic to interview me about my first year of podcasting, asking me questions about all that I had learned through the messages that my guests had shared. That would have been in Sept. of 2021, which reminds me, I'm putting together some pretty exciting things for my 4 year anniversary in September of this year! I'll keep you posted. And then lastly, real quick with Amy you may have heard me speak of finding, what I considered and it has proven true, my last layer of healing from abandonment issues. Part of my journey with finding healing for various things associated with my childhood. Amy walked me through Theophostic Prayer and using that healing model the Lord gave me a vision. I've talked about the vision before so I won't repeat it again, so we can get to the purpose of this episode but engaging the Holy Spirit through Theophostic prayer and the vision of the Lord's presence (in a very scary time as a child), broke off the last bit of pain associated with abandonment. All that to say this, the reason I even know anything about this study is because I'm currently seeing Amy for Spiritual Direction counseling and she offered me this study and I gladly joined in and boy am I happy I did. The Lord has been calling me into these pockets of quiet time with Him. As He's doing that it's never been more obvious to me that my challenge is to slow down. Rest. Rest in Him. Rest with Him. I actually thought I was slowing down because my typical pace and the fact that I was making time to engage the Holy Spirit showed a marked difference in my life even from a couple of years ago. I'm thinking I'm doing the thing and knocking it out of the park but something just stayed under the surface that simply did not sit right. A feeling of doing the thing but still missing out. Not getting the full expression, the full experience. However, I simply couldn't put my finger on what was possibly missing. I'm reading the word, I'm making a joyful noise unto the Lord singing praise and worship music, praying for my family/friends, I go to church etc. I'm checking off the good Christian girl checklist. Well, I did the Christian checklist for many years but at this time in my life I would not have called it that because my heart is head over heels in love with Jesus. I love my time with the Lord. I'm no longer trying to perform to earn His affection or make sure I'm maintaining His approval. He has seen me at my absolute worst. And not just once. But countless times. He has yet to turn away. As an example of my affection for the Lord, in this particular season of my life, I am very content, very happy and I have a deep rooted peace in my soul. I need nothing and I want nothing. He has my full attention and I wait on Him to direct my life. So it was in those quiet times with the Lord, that the missing something seemed to be more prominent when I rushed the wrap up of my time with Him. I would enjoy my bible reading and prayer time but in the mornings I'd get to a certain point and then I'd be up and into something else so quickly I was left wondering if I even told the Lord, "I love you?!" When I'd have my quiet time with the Lord in the evenings, it often ended with me going to sleep and not remembering if I even finished my prayers. I would fall asleep in the middle of praying or simply talking to God about something or reading His word. It's not that I felt condemned because if you have children, is that not the sweetest thing you can experience; your children so content with you that they will let their guard down, and surrender to the day, falling asleep with you nearby. However, I just couldn't shake the feeling that I'm missing out on something. That Jesus intended more for me. But what was missing? It's intriguing to me that the simplicity with which we have access to the heart of God as He sits on His sovereign throne and yet in real time our actions say it's incredibly difficult. Maybe on a subconscious level, we believe it to be a, too good to be true, scenario and so our heart discredits it so that it carries no weight in our life? Or maybe it's that God's goodness and kindness are always available and so we take it for granted. It'll always be there so it's no rush, I'll get to it when I can. I know I've treated God that way. The Creator of all things wants to know me and I have “better things” more pressing things to do. As I say that out loud it's incredibly humbling. It's mind boggling that I pass up these moments with such ease. Even if I experience a flash of guilt, it's simply that, a flash. Because the truth is, as a daughter of the One True King of kings and Lord of lords, the One who has no rival and no equal that you can picture yourself running up to the throne room doors and not only do the armed guards step aside they open the massive doors without a question. You run toward your Father. No one stops you as you climb up the steps, probably stepping all over His royal train that fills the throne room. Into His lap you sit and you begin to tell Him about your day and He is absolutely delighted that you have chosen to come and sit with Him. If you're a parent, you can imagine or maybe you know the feeling when your children chose to spend time with you OR when your children choose lesser things (like video games or being on their phone). We've all heard it said that one of our biggest mistakes is that we think we have time….but time is a resource that quickly evaporates. Many times I have questioned, you've heard me ask on my podcasts, why-oh-why do we choose lesser things than the perfection that God offers us. After engaging this study I have the answer! Many of you already have the answer but God is so kind to us in the way He brings revelation to us as the individuals He created us to be. Sometimes, things just click and you have a DUH moment. Like, I knew that part and that part but now it's all come together for a much clearer understanding. Maybe that's when you move from the duh moment to the ah ha moment. Why do we choose lesser things compared to what God has for us? Because in this life we will deal with the flesh and yet our soul knows there's something more. We are made mind, body and soul/spirit. We're trapped in an earthly body, with a soul that longs for heaven and our mind is the battlefield. We straddle this world with our flesh and the spiritual world with our spirit. There is an intentional action, an intentional choice, in the battleground of the mind that takes us from being controlled by the flesh to walking in the fullness of who God created us to be but let's look at the details of what we're working against first. In this place between discovering what we were created for and heaven, we fight against the desires of the flesh because the flesh that we're wrapped-in is broken and sinful; it wants what it wants using the quickest, least resistant path to immediate gratification and yet our soul intuitively knows there is something more. In our DNA, God placed His image and therefore a natural desire for Garden of Eden moments. Our soul longs for beauty, truth, life, relationship, love, joy, etc. etc so the soul searches and its first access point is to use the flesh to find it. Our emotions, our 5 senses, the world around us…it's natural to us, God gave us those things….but this is why the Lord says we must be born again, that we need to die to our flesh, that we need to pick up our cross and follow the Lord. As uninviting as that sounds always remember you are never alone in the process. You have the very presence of God and our biggest trials bring the most beautiful rewards. In the midst of choosing lesser things over taking those incremental steps toward discovering and fulfilling what you were created for, which is rooted in discovering God's heart for you, you can be encouraged that God is never offended, never mad, nor does He want to teach you a lesson. We can learn plenty of hard knock lessons from following our flesh…God doesn't need to do anything to us, there's plenty of teachable moments in one days time based on how we personally engage life….one micro decision at a time, throughout any given day. In the moments when our feelings and/or our emotions are driving us, it's time to take breath, maybe a couple of breaths, and grab a few minutes with Holy Spirit. This juncture (of environment and our emotion) is the place where we can interrupt old patterns, challenge lie based thinking and negative reactions. Because the truth is, if we do not create a space in which we give God our emotions and allow Him to filter them with His truth we will, without fail, end up creating survival skills and self-coping vices (based on our own limited understanding/experiences) that we think are helping or at the very least, protecting us. When we don't take responsibility by way of making time to heal from our past traumas, emotional and mental scars, all the affects of living in a broken world and with our self-imposed survival skills and self-coping vices we will stay in our own dry, dusty desert for 40+ years just like the Israelites. God is with us but our eyes are never seeing and our ears never hear. Sadly, trauma never leaves on its own. The grip of that which seeks to steal, kill, and destroy has to be evicted. You have to break agreement with it, cast it out when necessary. You've heard me say this before, we're not responsible for what has been done to us but we are responsible to find the healing we need and to not give up until we are walking in God's peace, healing and redemption. When you accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and invited Him to live in your heart, you gained access (through Jesus) to now discover who you were created to be. Something that had been hidden from you as a prior enemy of Christ. Now with direct access to the throne of God, you have the opportunity to discover how He knit you together in our own mother's womb. What is it about you that is most like God? What gifts and talents mirror His creative heart? What are your core charateristics that align with Him? As you go on this adventure with Christ and He reveals your gifts, talents, skills and He begins to open doors and create certain connections and relationships, He will reveal this things and teach you how to steward them with Heaven's value system vs our own value system. He will reveal it little by little so that you can digest and apply what He is showing you. Hence the lifelong adventure of relationship and His revelation after revelation. The simplicity with which we can know the depths of God's love for us and who He created us to be, what we were created for, the different seasons He's calling us into, what our gifts and talents are… comes down to this, time. To make time, is the intentional action, the intentional choice in the midst of the emotional and mental battleground of the mind that takes us from being controlled by the flesh to walking in the fullness of who God created us to be. Not time checking off the good Christian girl to do list with the just get it done heart posture. The result of that type of investment is fake at best and you can expect your return to be empty as well; ask me how I know. Take the time to be still and discover the type of Father who loves you. Intimacy grows over time and engagement. In every circumstance of your life and in every micro moment that you have an emotion or a question about who you are, maybe you're being challenged in an area where you're weak, or your moments when you feel disconnected, overwhelmed and you're loosing hope. Pause, be still, breathe, turn your heart and mind toward Jesus. Engage God/Jesus/Holy Spirit (you can start with any one of the 3), invite Him in, ask Him what is this I'm feeling. Why am I feeling this? If He reveals it (because sometimes He simply gives you encouragement in the moment to endure and/or He offers His reassurance that He's with you and He'll see you through) ... so when the time comes that He reveals it, ask Him to help you. And maybe this might be the most challenging part of the process is to accept His grace as you are stepping into who He's called you to be. Most of the time it's not a flawless transition. Here's what I think is the perfect example of this journey we're on. Adam and Eve started off living in intimacy with God. They had daily, face to face conversations with God. He was present 24/7, and they rejected Him. We're born in the condition of having rejected Him and we're on the journey to return to the benefits of the Garden of Eden. Daily, direct access spirit to spirit or heart to heart with God. He's present 24/7 and He waits for our invitation for Him to join us in our darkest, most painful places of life. Nothing about this life, our existence, our challenges, how we use our gift of choice etc. has God concerned, confused or disengaged. Nor is He overwhelmed or disgusted. No. God knows marriage is hard. God knows that the various types of handicaps or physical illness will cause us to question who He is. He knows the evil that people do to one another. Heat breaking yes, but He's the God who walks among His people He's never taken off guard and you know why? Because He's already put those things to death in the spiritual and He wants you and I to know and experience it too. He wants those Garden of Eden moments with us. He's saying, babe, will you bring that to me? Will you trust me with that pain, that emotion, your reaction? I've already healed that on the cross but I want you to allow me to walk you through your personal pain because I want you to experience, first-hand, the healing I've provided. I want you to see how much I love you as you let me dismantle the lie based thinking or the painful memories you have. I give double for the what the enemy has robbed you of. I take the very thing that satan wanted to destroy you with and I flip it producing good things in your life. I bring redemption, I bring restoration. Allow me to remind your heart of Matthew 11:28-30, "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart and you will find rest for your soul. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Making time is a challenge. Accepting God's grace as a way of life is humbling and therefore it struggles against our pride/our flesh, but there may be an even bigger challenge for the flesh and that is to have the courage to see God for who He really is. Not who we want Him to be and not who we think He should be. It threatens our flesh because we may have to redefine some foundational things we have been building our life on. I actually think it might even be more scary to change direction when we realize that some of our foundational blocks have been lies. All the more reason to give God space (by being still) and allow Him to reveal Himself to us in every context of life, most especially in the context of pain and suffering. If we can do that and actually embrace who He is even though it may be in direct opposition to what we thought would be, or what we want it to be … that's the place of transformation, where we step into more and more of who we were created to be. Where we find the kind of purpose that even if it's the hardest thing we've ever done, we've never felt more alive, fulfilled and rewarded. (side note: God moves in unique ways with us as the individual He created us to be but what we experience or the revelations we receive with Him will never contradict God's character and nature. If you feel that God is revealing Himself and it is in opposition to His word, question the source. If not inline with God, it is not of Him). Do you have the courage today to give God those micro moments of engagement with the emotions or feelings that need some healing, maturing; things that need a closer inspection even though it will challenge the way you perceive yourself? I would encourage you to start today and try to catch yourself in those type moments. Interrupt where those emotions will take you. Pause, breathe and engage God with these 3 actions steps/conversation that were in the study (I've added some of my words for the way I shared this message but they are in the same in nature). God, what is happening with regard to what I'm experiencing or feeling? God, help me to perceive what you reveal and give me courageous ears to hear. God, show me what your grace looks like in this moment. And I'd even add this question for God ... Who do you want to be for me in this situation? The more time we spend with God to process the impact or purge the residue of this life, the more peaceful, and the more beautiful life becomes. We don't have to wait for heaven to enjoy the heart of the Father, the joy of the Son, Jesus nor the wisdom/revelations of Holy Spirit. We can know a slice of heaven, a small taste of the Garden of Eden in the here and now. All it takes are micro moments of pausing, of investing our time in the heart of God. When we do, we watch our meager offer, our 5 loaves and 2 fish if you will, multiplied beyond our imagination. Live Loved and Thrive! @alifeofthrive.com Resources: Breathe Deep Ministries/Amy Hellman - https://www.breathedeepministries.org/ Grafted Life Ministries: Graftedlife.org   Related Podcast Episodes: In the Presence of God (w/Kevin White): https://alifeofthrive.com/2022/03/02/presence/ Here's How Psalm 23 Showed Me God's Faithfulness (w/Sherrie Pilkington): https://alifeofthrive.com/2022/08/17/heres-how-psalm-23-showed-me-gods-faithfulness/ Can I (or Anyone) Ruin God's Plan for My Life? (W/Sherrie Pilkington): https://alifeofthrive.com/2024/04/24/can-i-or-anyone-ruin-gods-plan-for-my-life/ Related Bog Posts: Investing in Relationship: https://alifeofthrive.com/2020/11/03/investing-in-relationship/ Relationship is Simple But it Takes Courage: https://alifeofthrive.com/2019/03/11/relationship-is-simple-but-it-will-take-courage/

Bullet Points: *Impact of Trauma: Lindsey details the profound effects of her childhood trauma on her mental health, relationships, and self-worth. She describes how these experiences led to severe anxiety, depression, and feelings of shame, impacting her ability to form healthy relationships. *Healing Process: Lindsey explains how she sought various forms of therapy and self-help without success until she found healing through a relationship with Jesus. Her faith journey involved overcoming misconceptions about God and slowly understanding His true nature. *Forgiveness and Generational Curses: Lindsey discusses the importance of forgiveness in her healing process, including forgiving her father and ex-husband. She also highlights the role of breaking generational curses and soul ties as part of her spiritual and emotional recovery. *God's Redemption: Lindsey emphasizes the transformative power of God's love and redemption, stating that God can heal any trauma and restore what has been lost. She encourages others to trust in God's plan and His ability to bring good out of even the most painful experiences. Podcast Intro: Lindsey Smith is my guest today and I admire her courage to talk about the darkest experiences of trauma in her life; some of which include sexual abuse, marital abuse and the various ways it impacted her mental health and self-worth. Side Note: I want to pause for just a moment before I jump back into this intro because I want to point out how important it is that once we have healed we share our story of God turning our pain into purpose….right before Lindsey and I get together for this recording for her to share her testimony of healing and restoration despite the evil of this life, she gets a call that gives her some very disturbing news. This happens …I'd say with 1 out of every 15 of my guests; something unforeseen and certainly the timing is unexpected that an obstacle to our recording or a type of derailment presents itself and we have the decision to make, do we stop, do we delay or cancel our conversation. To me, it was obvious that the enemy wanted to break Lindsey's focus, silence her voice, cause her to cancel our conversation. But the enemy did not win. We prayed and asked Holy Spirit to intervene and bring peace to her heart and mind so that the goodness of God could be proclaimed. We went from the prayer right into the recording and maybe it was just me but I could hear it in her voice as Holy Spirit began to bring her into a place of calm. Lindsey's courage to share her story reveals her passion to let people know the importance of God's role in her healing process, saying that it was through a gradual and gentle reintroduction to faith that she began to understand and accept God's love and salvation. Every single one of us are created in God's image, but we're born into a sinful world. Lindsey, born in God's perfect image entered into a generational curse that plagued her family which included sexual abuse and a lack of respect for the women in the family. Since no one before had stood in authority to break the curse Lindsey bore the effects that resulted in a very unstable and fearful mental state of mind. Fear crippled her ability to live her life, cultivate healthy relationships and make confident decisions. The expected result of these influences resulted in an abusive marriage for 18 years. We talk about the significance of breaking generational curses and soul ties as part of her spiritual healing and how God's guidance was crucial in orchestrating her recovery. Lindsey also discusses her journey through various forms of therapy, and her eventual realization that only through Jesus could she find true healing and freedom from shame. Lindsey's message is clear: despite the severity of her traumas, God's grace can transform and redeem, turning even the darkest experiences into sources of strength and hope. Listen in and be encouraged today! God's heart for healing and restoration breaks the grip of the enemy's plans over your life. Lived Loved and Thrive! @alifeofthrive.com Connect with Lindsey: IG: https://www.instagram.com/lindseymary_smith/ Bio: Lindsey Smith is Spiritual Coach for women specializing in anxiety and trauma.  In her decades long pursuit of relief from the effects of childhood trauma she trained in many modalities to facilitate her own healing while also developing a deep desire to help other women. Her path ultimately brought her back to the Heavenly Father and Jesus where she experienced deep healing of long-time wounds and restoration of her wholeness as a Holy Daughter. It is her greatest desire to help free women from the bondage and suffering that results from trauma and abuse so they can reclaim their birthright of peace, love, joy and abundance.  As a coach she helps women find a place of safety within themselves by building a relationship with God.  Guided by God and the Holy Spirit, she assists them in finding healing and liberation from anxiety and the consequences of complex trauma such as shame, depression, hopelessness, toxic relationships and chronic pain. Related Podcast Topics: Kimberly Bell - Taking Responsibility for Your Healing: https://alifeofthrive.com/2022/12/07/taking-responsibility-for-your-healing-with-kimberly-bell/ Amy Nordhues - Sexual Abuse at the Hands of a Mental Health Professional: https://alifeofthrive.com/2022/03/16/amy-nordhues-sexual-abuse-by-a-mental-health-professional/ Tina Ivey - From Survive to Thrive, Overcoming Sexual Abuse: https://alifeofthrive.com/2024/01/03/from-survive-to-thrive-overcoming-sexual-abuse-with-tina-ivey/ Dr. Kelli Palfy - Healing for Male Sexual Abuse Survivors: https://alifeofthrive.com/2022/03/30/male-sexual-abuse/

Bullet Points: *Spiritual and Psychological Struggles: Logan experienced deep shame, self-hatred, and hopelessness, feeling disconnected from God despite frequent prayers. He struggled with both sexual addiction and anger, which he describes as major hurdles in his journey. *Role of Support and Community: Key to Logan's recovery was joining a Christ-centered 12-step program called Prodigals, where he found intense accountability and support. This community played a crucial role in his healing, providing practical tools and spiritual guidance. *Importance of the Amends Process: A significant part of Logan's recovery involved making amends to those he hurt, which helped him take ownership of his actions and heal from his past. *Message of Hope and Encouragement: Logan emphasizes that no one is beyond hope or redemption. He encourages others struggling with addiction to seek help and trust in the transformative power of God and supportive communities. PODCAST INTRO: The topics of sexual addiction, being a sex addict and really any addiction is a prison that I know God not only desires to set people free from but absolutely can break the chains and offer people truth, freedom, and forgiveness. Which in turn allows them to live a life that many do not image is possible. My guest, Logan Hufford has a candid conversation about his struggle with sexual addictions. While this is a man's perspective I do believe that my primarily female audience can benefit from what Logan shares. Logan says that 60-80% of men struggle with a sexual addiction of some degree so there is the possibility that someone you love is silently struggling and I'd like to think that this conversation will give you courage to bring up this topic, or give you hope in knowing that healing and recovery is possible and may the resources Logan shares encourage your loved one to take step toward recovery. Logan is brutally honest about the way he operated in his addiction and the dual life he was living. After bargaining with God to change him, and not receiving a response, the simple realization that there were other men who had found freedom from this dark cave of existence gave Logan a glimmer of hope that started him on the road to recovery. He also sheds some light on the fact that it's a spiritual battle, and that Satan's goal is to pervert anything good that God has established, with the family being the number one target. He shares the resources that he has participated in to overcome the demonic grip of addiction and in this specific conversation, (sexual addiction as it pertains to men), he spoke about these resources: The Conquer Series - Ted Roberts (Pure Desire Ministries) Logan said this is the best resource for someone who wants to understand sexual addiction & sexual addiction recovery. It goes in to great depth about what is happening to the body and the mind (spiritually, physically, emotionally). Because it is more than making a choice. You'll hear Logan talk about how the brain and body are changed by the very things that God created and meant for our good but as Logan shares, we can pervert the good things God has for us. Prodigals - This is a men's group that offers accountability - Logan himself leads a Prodigals group. The Amends Process - Elective Mentorship program He briefly mentioned Celebrate Recovery - I know of the Celebrate Recovery programs here in my area because a previous church that I attended hosts them. It's a 12 step, faith based program that offers hope, and help to anyone who struggles with things such as addiction, co-dependency, compulsive behaviors. Side Note: At one point Logan uses a term FOMO and just in case you wonder what that means, it's Fear Of Missing Out. Let's dive into this conversation to discover Logan's journey through addiction and into his willingness to be proactive, engage recovery, and submit himself to God's transforming, sustaining power and in exchange he receives freedom, wholeness and living the life he had only dreamed was possible. Live Loved and Thrive! @alifeofthrive.com    More Episodes Similar to this Topic: Rosie MaKinney, A Porn Free Marriage is Possible: https://alifeofthrive.com/2022/05/11/porn-free/ Rose Anne Forte, Consider The Possibility of a Transformed Life Without Alcohol:https://alifeofthrive.com/2024/01/17/consider-the-possibility-of-a-transformed-life-without-alcohol/   Connect with Logan: IG: @no.longer.in.bondage (direct link: https://www.instagram.com/no.longer.in.bondage?igsh=MWl6d3B0NzE0Y2ltdQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr) Prodigals (in Alaska, where Logan lives) - Www.prodigalsofalaska.com Resources: The Conquer Series: https://conquerseries.com/whats-the-conquer-series Celebrate Recovery: https://celebraterecovery.com/ BIO: Logan is a born & raised Alaskan, married to his gorgeous bride Carrie, who herself is a 4th-generation Alaskan; and together they are raising 4 amazing but crazy little monkeys.  Their life is a simple one - they love their family time, their dogs, and exploring the beautiful Alaskan wilderness.  And yet, absolutely none of this should be possible today. For years, Logan did just about everything in his power to destroy his marriage and his life. Logan was a raging sex addict. Porn, affairs, hiring prostitutes, and more had simply become a way of life for Logan. He thought he had no hope.  In 2016, God began to change all that. Through Recovery, God transformed Logan's life and his marriage. Logan and his wife Carrie each now lead Recovery groups, doing what they can to give back by sharing the gifts that God has given them. Since January of 2021, Logan has been blessed to be able to use many of the tools he's learned in Addiction Recovery, as a Dave Ramsey-endorsed personal finance coach. He's honored to help folks find freedom & healthy living, in a different venue than just specifically recovery.

My guest Bridgett Dunbar, holds a Master's Degree in marriage and family therapy, and is a Grief Counselor. She's served in the pastoral ministry, healing ministry and several other positions, all with the focus on helping people find healing and wholeness in Jesus. But when her personal life was flipped upside down by the loss of her precious son (at birth) would it be her professional training that helped her or her personal relationship with Christ? After having the chance to talk with her I see where both were very beneficial. To me, what I came away with (and granted this is just a small portion of her story), in and around the initial impact of such devastating pain it was her faith, her intimate relationship with Christ that enabled her to struggle well with the good God she professed in the context of suffering. And now, after having walked through that very personal valley of death Bridgett uses the revelations/the healing she experienced coupled with her professional skills. True to God's nature He wastes nothing and you'll hear that in this conversation and you'll see the fruit on her website bridgettdunbar.com. She offers various resources and services that give focus in helping others find their way through confusion, uncertainty, grief and loss. Along with those resources on her website you'll also see that one of the ways that she extends her hand and heart to others is through the book she authored, Grief, Loss and the Goodness of God - A Path to Healing After the Death of a Child. You can learn more about this book on her website. At the time of this episode going live in July of 2024, she's offering the download for free. There are many layers to Bridgett's personal story and you know me, I ask some bold questions of my guests, only because I truly desire to know how did the God of the Holy Bible meet them in their pain.  I genuinely want to know, does knowing, following, and serving God make a difference? I asked Bridgett, questions like, “What did you need to surrender to God in order to heal?” I asked, “After such a deep dive with God what is your personal discovery about the meaning of life?” And, “What did it do to you, what did it mean to come face-to-face with the fact that the good God you professed did not show up when you needed him?” Bridgett did not shy away from these tough questions and as I listened, there was a strong theme that kept coming up. It was the way she reminded me that grief makes us very vulnerable and in that vulnerability we are at war with the enemy. She lays out clear strategies in order to overcome each wave of grief and spiritual attack. You'll hear her say she's not denying reality but rather she's engaging it with truth. She shares that when we're pressed in on all sides, what we've been cultivating on the inside of us, in our heart, our mind, our emotions will come to the surface. Pain causes us to clash with our belief system. In that clash, that struggle to make sense of what we thought life was supposed to be and where we find ourself, which is faced with uncertainty about everything we thought, then we're challenged with what comes to the surface. Will it be fear, lack of faith, lie based thinking? It all comes to the surface. Our emotions that were grounded in experiences rather than truth are at question. Bridgett shares that when she engaged worship she experienced one of the most effective strategies in a spiritual battle. It's when we take the battle stance of worship that we engage the power of the Kingdom of God. It's such a simple engagement when you turn worship music on, begin to listen, begin to sing. No matter where we are in our grief/healing journey, it's immediately effective. It grounds us, invites the very presence of God, the joy (that is beyond our ability to comprehend/or create on our own) shows up. It gives us hope in a better tomorrow and lifts our gaze to God's promises for us. Let's listen in and hear all the beautiful ways that Bridgett points us to the heart of God and equips us to fight well in the midst of grief, pain, and suffering. Live Loved and Thrive! @alifeofthrive.com Connect with Bridgett: Website: BridgettDunbar.com IG: https://www.instagram.com/bridgettrdunbar/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/brdunbar Free (at time of original release 07.2024) Download of her book titled, Grief, Loss and the Goodness of God - A Path to Healing after the death of a Child: https://bridgettdunbar.com/grief Resources (both free and very affordable!) - https://bridgettdunbar.com/resources444 BIO: BRIDGETT DUNBAR is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, public speaker, co-host of the HE/She Podcast, and co-founder of the Outlier's Way. She has personally experienced the loss of two children through stillbirth and miscarriage. Since then, Bridgett has dedicated herself to helping individuals dealing with grief and loss find their way back to joy and peace. With a diverse background that includes positions as a spiritual leader, pastor, inner healing trainer, facilitator, and prophetic teacher, Bridgett is deeply passionate about guiding both men and women toward a life of freedom, wholeness, and an authentic connection with God. More podcasts on this topic: Erin Honeycutt on Infertility and Miscarriage: https://alifeofthrive.com/2020/12/16/bonus-podcast-episode-erin-honeycutt-infertility-and-miscarriage/ Alicia Hodges - Finding Peace and Comfort After the Death of Her Son: https://alifeofthrive.com/2023/08/30/finding-peace-and-comfort-after-the-death-of-her-son-alicia-hodges/ Serena Dyksen - After Abortion Care and Healing: https://alifeofthrive.com/2024/06/05/after-abortion-care-and-healing-with-serena-dyksen/ Hope Reager - The Death of Her Adult Son: https://alifeofthrive.com/2021/12/22/hope/

Lately I've taken a keen interest in finding ways, methods, tools for my listeners to not only pursue peace in their life but I also want to connect them with actual people who can make a difference in their pursuit for freedom in the mind/mental health, heart/emotional health and body/physical health. With that in mind, my guest today is Psychotherapist Healey Ikerd. As you listen in you'll hear that she can definitely make a difference in those areas of your life.  Together she and I want you to know, to have, to experience freedom in all the ways God meant for you to be free so that you can walk in your true identity in Christ and know the fullness of His plans for your life. God is the only deity that I'm aware of who never asks you to act like something didn't happen or to accept what happened or to distance yourself from your traumas. The God of the Holy Bible says give me your hand, I'm going to guide you through this valley and into healing. So God boldly walks us right through the middle of our personal valley of death. He takes pain and gives it purpose, redeems what we've lost and replaces it with better and He restores us to our right mind where fear does not reign.  The more I talk about the transforming power of God's word the more I realize that change starts with a simple decision that we want peace more than we want to live with what fear cultivates in our life. That decision is not enough though because we must take action with some discipline and intention. Among many things that Healey talked about she gave us a super simple way to start the process of changing the way we think and therefore changing the way we live. Healey suggests that we take a situation or a lie based thought, such as I don't like my smile, no one loves me, I can never do anything right,(fill in the blank with your personal fear or negative self-talk). Then find a scripture to replace the destructive nature of the words and beliefs you are currently using/thinking. Using scripture to replace destructive self-talk will begin to feed the creation of new neuropathways in the brain and starve the life based neuropathways that you previously created and used.  lie.  By not focusing on our lack but by speaking God's truth into life starves the lie we believed.  Scriptures such as Psalm 139:14, I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Or if fear is overwhelming, then turn to a full scripture such as Isaiah 41:10 “So do not fear, for I am with you, do not be dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”  In short, every time your negative thought comes into your head, interrupt it with your phrase or wash your thoughts with scripture and rewrite the lies with God's truth. I'd suggests you practice this discipline with intention for a minimum of 21 days because that's the time it takes to rewrite a neuro pathway in your brain. Thirty days is even better! Something else that Healey shared that was super simple and yet oh so powerful with regard to changing our language is to rephrase your I am statements and to I feel.  She made the distinction that speaking I am statements over ourselves such as I am scared, I am lonely, I am weary, are statements of identity and yet we are not our emotions or our fears. So when we're talking about emotions use the phase I feel scared, I feel lonely, I feel weary.  I'd even suggest you include self defeating statements such as I am ugly, I am fat because there is an emotion/a fear behind these words and change them to I feel ugly, I feel fat.  When we intentionally change the wording to I feel, this gives us control over our emotions and we move from labeling ourself as less than, to healing; in other words, restored to who God says we are. We're no longer a victim of an emotion. We have emotions but it's not who we are.  That is just a few of the simple actions that we can take that will change the direction of our life! Alright, let's get into this informative and potentially life changing conversation with Healey Ikerd. Live Loved and Thrive! @alifeofthrive.com Connect with Healey: Website:  https://writtenbyhealey.com/ Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/writtenbyhealey/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/WrittenbyHealey Face your Fears Freebie - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fu_CGjKaGWXO3QapzQtyxV62EuTwIrfe2b2Br3Ii2zk/edit?usp=sharing Bio: Healey Ikerd is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in the State of Arkansas and a Certified Clinical Mental Health Counselor.  She has also earned a Certificate in Ministry from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary.  She is a U.S. Army Veteran and has worked in the mental health field for over 17 years.  She owns her own private practice in Fayetteville, Arkansas called HopeLife Counseling and is the author of Changing Your Feeling – A Workbook for Anxiety and Worry From a Christian Perspective and a newly released children's book called The Red Ball – A Story of Friendship and Forgiveness.  Her passion is to help others excel in life and relationships through biblical principles. Healey is a mom and a new “Grammie”.  She and her husband live on a small farm in Northwest Arkansas.  Additional Podcasts on Various Other Healing Ministries: Theophostic Healing w/Frank Meadows: https://alifeofthrive.com/2024/04/10/theophostic-healing-prayer-with-frank-meadows/ Deliverance Ministry w/Karen King: https://alifeofthrive.com/2023/09/13/finding-freedom-through-the-deliverance-ministry/ Emotion Code w/Eileen Love: Part 1 - https://alifeofthrive.com/2023/06/07/emotion-code-therapy-part-1-with-eileen-love/ & Part 2 - https://alifeofthrive.com/2023/06/22/emotion-code-therapy-with-eileen-love-part-2/

You will be so encouraged to hear all that my guest, Serena Dyksen has to share. Serena is an author, speaker and she and her husband Bruce are the Chief Visionary Officers for the ministry, She Found His Grace. After Serena found healing for her abortion, she accepted God's invitation to spearhead His plan to bring healing and restoration to others just like her. Per their website SheFoundHisGrace.org, their mission is “For men and women to find forgiveness after abortion and be set free from shame, guilt and regret. Turning our pain into purpose.”                  I'll start with this statistic that Serena shared however, this episode does not shame or guilt anyone. You'll hear Serena share her abortion experience at the age of 13 and how it impacted her life for many years, even in ways she didn't connect with the abortion. We are discussing truths, facts, personal stories and examples but only encouragement for those who are hurting is what you'll hear. Serena shared that 63 million babies have been lost to abortion so that made me think about the ripple effect. If we want to look at, say a ballpark figur with regard to the level of pain that is present in our communities, our families, our churches we can't forget that there is a set of parents. We need to remember that the abortion has affected 2 additional people (per baby) who will potentially live with guilt and shame. She Found His Grace Ministry has a mission to provide post abortion healing so mothers and fathers can find forgiveness, purpose and redemption. Every hurting heart that connects with She Found His Grace is pointed to the only One who can do such a transformational work of the heart. Only God is the superior opponent for satan. God is the only reason we can know anything good in the reality of a broken world and an enemy who hates us. God has the power and the authority to use the very thing that satan meant to destroy you with and give it purpose in your life. Victory over sin and shame is God's expertise. How can we experience a come back from one of life's most devastating choices? Jesus' example on the cross and his resurrection is for us today and He offers us that same ability to rise again to new life in Him. Yes, we'll know new life in eternity with Him but the God of the Holy Bible is alive and active in our life today and he offers us new life. New life to experience and to know it in the here and now. I stress this because I want you to know that you can never go too far and that you are not alone in your pain and confusion. Throughout this podcast episode you'll hear reason after reason to reinforce this truth. Serena and I talked about so many things one of which was how the abortion pill has shifted the abortion clinic from an office environment into the personal home. This move shifts the responsibility and magnifies how the mom is even more isolated in her abortion experience. Something that Serena is hearing more and more is that when the so called “clump of cells” passes from the body looks more like a baby than the women were prepared for. The level of trauma is layers deep. What are they supposed to do under those circumstances because abortion clinics do not offer any after care even though they know how traumatizing it is for their customers. Something that I wasn't aware of and I don't hear it being talked about AT ALL is the abortion pill reversal option. Serena shares some helpful and encouraging information and a beautiful testimony of a woman who regretted taking the abortion pill, took action within the required timeframe, received and took the reversal antidote pill and was able to deliver a healthy baby. Here's a perspective I never considered, on the She Found His Grace website there are personal stories from siblings who grieve the loss of the aborted baby and Serena shares that these are some of the most passionate supporters because they see the healing transformation their family experiences and they want that for other families too. There is a lot of heartbreaking aspects about abortion but something Serena talked about was the various types of abuse experienced in abortion clinics. This caused me to wondered out loud how much worse it could get especially if the woman shows any indication that she may not get the abortion. Something precious we talked about was the event Serena hosts and it's when mothers and fathers give dignity to their children and part of that experience is to name their child. Serena almost had me in tears hearing how beautiful God is to not only make it okay to acknowledge the life of the child, but to give him/her an identity with a name and to create a family bond. That's so God's heart; family, relationship. Yet another reason why He wants more than anything for you to bring Him your pain. You're His son or daughter and He wants to heal you. After this conversation and getting a glimpse into Serena's passion to facilitate healing for the men and women who have experienced abortion I was left with the lingering impression on my heart of the powerful impact that a once broken heart made whole in Jesus can realistically have on those around them. Every healed heart becomes a voice and gives courage for other broken hearts to find healing as well…Think about how Serena herself found healing and gave God her yes in obedience and look at what He's done with her transformed heart. If the gospel started with 12 transformed lives and has reached around the globe, I'm in awe to think what's possible with each ripple affect that individual people will start and the contribution they'll make for post abortion healing throughout the continents. All the more reason to find healing for guilt, shame, condemnation because when you do, it flips the table on satan's plans to destroy your life. Letting God rewrite the painful places with His extravagant love, forgiveness, restoration, grace, mercy and all the beautiful ways that He cares for us and heals us, that's true victory. Let's listen in to hear all that Serena has to share. Not only is it very interesting and life changing but I love to hear the joy in her voice. God has done a good work because even her laughter is a testimony that with God it'll all work out for our good and His glory. Lived Loved and Thrive! Connect with Serena: serenadyksen.com SheFoundHisGrace.org Hotline: 574-400-5272 abortionpillreversal.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shefoundhisgrace Instagram: Instagram.com/she_found_his_grace Pinterest: Pinterest.com/sdyksen Bio: Serena Dyksen is a wife, mother, speaker, post-abortive, author and founder of the She Found His Grace Ministry. She is also a sidewalk counselor where she ministers to abortion-minded mothers and fathers. Serena shares her story to empower men and women to know their worth through the saving power of Jesus Christ. She currently serves on the board of Northern Indiana Adult and Teen Challenge along with her husband Bruce. When she's not in the trenches of ministry, she enjoys spending time with her family, drinking coffee, traveling and enjoying the beach.

My guest Cindy LaFavre Yorks is on a mission to help people identify their emotions and press into the heart of God for both healing whenever needed and the ability to live in peace. Cindy will help you get to the root cause of various emotions such as anxiety, worry, fear, overwhelm right down to the root cause. Once identified, any lie based thinking will be challenged and rewritten with the truth of God's word. Doing this will deliver you into a place of freedom as you begin to interrupt thought patterns and belief systems that we've built on lies. This is where freedom is introduced into your life because dismantling lie based thinking will bring results that will be seen and felt in the quality of your life and your relationships not to mention the physical peace in your mind and body. Cindy showed me a colorful wheel that has 6 core emotions and from there the wheel fans out into other possible underlying emotions. It looked intimidating but as she talked me through it I can see where it's an effective tool that goes right to the heart of things. This pinpoints a starting place, an emotion to work with and begin your healing journey right away. As I talked with Cindy I realized how tangled our emotions can be and gained a better appreciation on how important it is to take the time to sort them out. Cindy's knowledge, the ability to ask the right questions, her tools, especially the emotion wheel partnered with the word of God, will give you the ability to take ownership of your emotions. Cindy equips you to actively move toward healthy emotions and healthy mental condition for the win. And the win is using God's truth to find freedom and peace. We talk about personalities like those who stuff feelings down, those who don't know what they really feel and would prefer to avoid having to confront them as well as those who explode saying exactly how they feel without a filter.  In the middle of looking at these types of reactions that people have Cindy said something that stood out to me (among other things), she was talking about being embarrassed by forgetting to pay a friend for their services and how Satan can get a foothold with emotions such as embarrassment. This caused Cindy to want to avoid other friends who might know she failed to pay their mutual friend Then Cindy begin to isolate, which of course is satan's playground of the mind. Cindy's experience reminded her of the power of our emotions to cause chaos and anxiety until she was able to get back to her friend and make that payment.  Just another reminder of why we need to pause and evaluate our emotions when they seem out of proportion to the situation, whenever they're over the top or even concerning when the result is unhealthy (as a pattern for responding) such as isolating or avoidance. Because ultimately satan's strategy is to separate us from our friends and especially separate us from God because He is the Fountain Head of truth. He's the God of relationship and therefore satan will delight and work overtime to rob us of knowing freedom and thriving at life especially in these specific areas of our life. I like that Cindy didn't side step the fact that the way we process our emotions is a life-long challenge but that the gift you give yourself when learning to identify them is that you do so quicker. Being more efficient at identifying unproductive thinking helps us to resolve our emotions faster which returns us to a healthy mental condition even sooner and that is a beautiful thing if you ask me.  This reminds me of being a Christian in the sense that It's not that we'll never sin again, it's that we recognize our patterns faster. We begin to take immediate responsibility, we repent which keeps an ongoing, open communication relationship with God. Because satan is betting, hoping that we'll hide ourselves form God (because of our sin). That way satan can work us over punishing us as he mentally beats us up about our sin. Cindy shared so much more but I've said enough so let's get into this most interesting topic that can pave the way for a whole new skill set by enabling you to maintain your peace and live in freedom from mental chaos and overwhelm. Live Loved and Thrive! @alifeofthrive.com Connect with Cindy: Website: https://cindyyorks.com/ Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/your-emotional-rescue/id1527487292 Instagram: @_cindy_lafavre_yorks Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cindylafavre.yorks?mibextid=LQQJ4d YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CindyLaFavreYorks Published Trilogy: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Cindy-Yorks/author/B07L7GG8H3?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true Bio: Cindy LaFavre Yorks shares her gift of encouragement and passion for authenticity and emotional healing through a variety of artistic mediums. She is an award winning journalist, a speaker and the author of a devotion door trilogy available on Amazon (The Side Door: Welcoming God's Divine Detours (Book 1 of 3, Door Devotional Trilogy). Additionally, Cindy is a podcast host and her podcast “Your Emotional Rescue” debuted this spring (2024) and can be found on YouTube and a variety of other hosting sites.

My guest, Rachel Shirley is a Certified Professional Coach and Pet Loss Grief Companion and she's here today to talk about her book, Pet Loss and Divine Healing - A compassionate Guide for navigating your Devastating Loss. When Rachel and I were connected up I was so excited to learn that there is true support for those who are grieving the loss of a beloved pet. I love my pets but I'm also one who tries to just push through my grief possibly because I've bought into societies value system with regard to grading the level of importance when it comes to death. I don't really know why I try very hard to push through the death of my pets Every time I've lost a pet I am utterly heartbroken but I never take the time to grieve like I need to and with each passing pet loss my grief seems to get more difficult and more difficult. I had my 13 year old, little 5lb Yorkiepoo put down in March of 2023 and it broke. My. Heart. So much so that I kept feeling like I wanted to cry the whole time I was talking with Rachel and even now tears are threatening to start but as usual I'm holding them back as I do this intro. Something that is in the distance for me is that I currently have 2 senior dogs who are each 11 years old and a cat who is 7 years old. Flesh or fur we never get them as long as we want them so it is inevitable that I will have to lay them to rest some time in the near future. The thought of that causes me to struggle with whether or not I'll get any more animals. I just don't know if my heart can take it.So when I learned there is grief support I knew I wanted to share this with you, my listeners! Rachel is someone who cares about your beloved fur baby and she can help you navigate this painful season. As soon as Rachel starts talking you'll be able to tell that she's comforting and kind, two wonderful traits that let you know you can trust her with your pain and that she's genuinely there to help heal your broken heart. She knows your pain firsthand because she lost her beloved fur baby, Winston. We delve into all the aspects of her book which, in my opinion cover the full scope of what someone will go through when they lose a pet. I can't think of a topic in her book that she left out right down to the last chapter where it addressed the los of various professions that either care for dogs like veterinarians as well as dogs who serve their community both professionally and personally to include military, police, support animals. But she didn't stop there, she brings these additional topics to the table…having to euthanize a pet due to financial or behavioral issues, a pet who died of a tragic accident. She addresses people who do not have children and she wraps up her book by sharing first-hand stories from her clients. Some of the topics that Rachel and I talked about were how does one process grief for a pet, the importance of a bond between human and pet, is there a right way or wrong way to grieve, honoring your precious fur baby and we didn't side step the debate about pets going to heaven. At one point Rachel and I talk about our pets being a gift form God and how much they embody His spirit of unconditional love, joy, and tangible affection. We refer to God reveling Himself through our pets…I even said that His spirit shows up in animals…but to be clear I'm not saying that God is a dog or is a specific animal I'm saying that God uses our pets and any animal he wants to speak to us….like the Balaam's donkey in the book of Numbers 22:21-39 - not only did the donkey save Balaam's life because God reveals Himself to the Donkey… but God also opens the donkeys mouth and he spoke truth, common sense to Balaam. So when/if you hear me say that God is like a dog or a cat etc. I'm not saying He is an animal but that He uses His creation to reveal His nature and give tangible ways that we can experience His character. If you're grieving the loss of a precious pet, I hope that what Rachel shares with you today will strengthen your heart for the grief journey because you're not alone! Let's get into this most encouraging conversation and you can find all the links in the show notes. Live Loved and Thrive! @alifeofthrive.com Connect with Rachel: Website: https://www.rachel-shirley.com/ Book: https://www.rachel-shirley.com/the-book-pet-loss-and-divine-healing Purchase Rachel's Book via Amazon Bio: As a mother of two incredible boxer boys, Spencer and Charley, my life is deeply enriched by their loving companionship. As a devoted wife and woman of faith, I've dedicated my life to helping those in need of comfort and care during the most painful seasons of their lives.   Many people ask me how I can walk so closely with others during their time of difficulty when losing a pet. I affectionately share with them that I could not imagine doing anything besides serving my fellow man and their beautiful pets in this loving way.     Life is precious. Together, let's honor what we've been graciously blessed with…our pet's lives with whom we love so dearly.

The topic, or the question for today is, can God's plan for your life be ruined, specifically ruined by our own poor choices, or can it be ruined by the choices of other people by way of impacting our life? I wish that question was cut and dry, but the answer is yes and no. That's the best short answer I can provide, but we're going to use Scripture as our basis as we push out this topic. There are tons of truth that will show you, no, God's plan for your life cannot be ruined, no matter the contributing force. However, near the end of this podcast, I talk about the one thing that can indeed block God's plan for your life, and I don't think you'll be surprised when you hear what it is. I do hope that you'll receive a fresh dose of encouragement and that you feel empowered to take the next step. And here's how this topic came up and why I wanted to share it with you. I had the chance to speak at a Christian women's event, and Psalm 23 was the verse that their gathering was based on. I get excited about Psalm 23 (as many of you know this about me). Memorizing that particular Psalm has been such an incredible weapon for me, not only in my every day, ordinary life, but it's my lifeline when things are complicated and painful. When I proclaim Psalm 23 over my life or the life of my loved ones, it infuses me with hope, encouragement, confidence, and it strengthens my faith muscle. Allow me to tie this in really quick as another resource for Psalm 23. After I had a measure of grief healing, I could look back and see how God worked in my life in ways (at the time) that I did not discern, and I wanted to share how God showed up. And so, I did a stand-alone podcast episode titled Here's How Psalm 23 Showed Me God's Faithfulness. In this episode I gave tangible examples of what it meant for God to be faithful in the midst of my grief. Currently it has over seven thousand six hundred downloads (I'll put the link in the show notes). I add that little bit of info because in this episode we're going to specifically build on Psalm 23:3 as our core scripture. With regard to the question, can God's plan for our life be ruined, the verse reads, "He restoreth my soul. He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake." The purpose of drawing the focus in on that specific verse is that I want to look at God's heart for restoration, as well as look at other examples of how the heart of God is to restore us to his paths of righteousness, who He created us to be for His name's sake. Think about how invested God is in us. We are His name sake. If you're one of my faithful listeners, many of you know my story of unexpectedly losing my husband in early 2018. It was six years ago as of February 21st, 2024. He left our home at 8AM. Everything seemed fine. However, by lunchtime that same day, he had a massive heart attack and passed away. Something my boys and I never saw coming. Never. Out of that pain a portion of my redemption is to encourage believers in the dark valleys of life, so I spend a lot of my time looking at the good God I profess through the lens of pain and suffering. I have the precious privilege of my guests allowing me into some of the most vulnerable moments they've ever known. It is an intimate space to be allowed into because I get a glimpse of how God enters into our pain and how he works in the privacy of someone's personal devastation. When life no longer resembles anything we once knew, I think it's a fair request we make of God to put things back like they used to be. I too have pleaded with God. I had been with my husband for a little over 33 years. I repeatedly asked the Lord to give me back my normal, return things to how they used to be. Give me back my old life. Struggling under the weight of pain and an internal fight to orient myself and to gain my footing, in my mind, it actually seemed possible that if I could just go back to the way things used to be, everything would be OK. Life would be good again. If you've got some life under your belt, life experiences with some hard things, more than likely you've asked God to put things back like they used to be. And I've shared this with you before, this type of pain, loss, suffering is not exclusive to losing a loved one. Anytime we struggle under an immense weight of pain, (no matter what it personally means to have your world flipped upside down), our brain is grasping at anything familiar. And yet, at the same time, panic is there because we know in the back of our mind, or maybe it's in the back of our heart, knowing that this shaking and shifting is actually exploding our life into tiny little pieces. That's why it's so important to grieve when life takes unexpected twists and turns. After a life changing event, it will not return to how things used to be. It simply can't. And we need time for our head and our heart to catch up. When life goes missing, the good news of the gospel isn't exclusive to our salvation. It is the reason that we can know anything good on this side of heaven. There are times when we'll find ourselves in broken, painful consequences because of our own choices. And then there are times when we'll find ourselves in broken, painful consequences because of someone else's choices or simply because life happens, like with my husband. Either way, we're left with the aftermath of what feels like a head on collision. In any of these situations, something that had been previously tethered to our heart, our life, our identity has been disrupted. And when it's broken, it's broken. Acting like it isn't broken only delays the suffering. Whether we find ourselves in the position of needing God to restore us because of our own choices or the choices of others, we have two perfect biblical examples that are proof that we can know and experience God's hope, healing and restoration. The biblical proof that I'm going to share is something you are more than likely very familiar with but I want to look at these historical accounts, potentially/hopefully through the lens of a fresh new reminder. For those of us who have made poor decisions (and I count myself among these precious people), whether we're living with lifelong consequences, maybe unforgiveness is eating at us, or shame and guilt stab us like a knife. Be encouraged by this beautiful example of God's power and authority to repurpose our poor decisions. God's standard, His rules, His precepts, are for our safety. So, when he told Eve (and he told Adam too) eat from any tree in the garden except that one, the tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, he did so as a loving father who wanted to protect his children. And as we know, Eve decided to go outside the boundary that God had put in place because she had heard from the serpent that eating the fruit would make her like God so that couldn't be a bad thing, right? Eve loved God. But what Eve didn't bargain for is that while she would indeed know something God knew, Eve did not have the authority and the sovereignty to handle or overcome this new knowledge. The reality of her choice came with consequences, and that's what God was trying to protect her from. He didn't want her to endure the consequences that he knew were attached to her choice. It was going to break his heart as he watched her struggle under the reality of this knowledge with no power against it. I feel sure, because I'm a mama, that what broke his Fatherly heart the most, Eve was now separated from him. And He knew who was coming for her. The enemy and a constant battering on her mind and her heart and her body. Steal, kill, destroy, steal, kill, destroy. Sean Covey said, “We are free to choose our paths, but we can't choose the consequences that come with them." Eve's choice to do things on her own terms resulted in more than a lifelong consequence. We live under a generational curse because of Eve's choices. The language of the culture today gives us so-called encouragement by telling us to handle things on our own. You see all the social media quotes and posts about being independent and strong and how you don't need to rely on anyone. You don't have to ask for help, you can do it yourself, and you're so strong but that my friend, is the world talking. Every single time without exception when I want to handle things in my own understanding and with my own discernment, I will create a coping skill or some sort of self protection method apart from God's plan to heal and redeem. If I don't take the thing straight to God and expose it, ask for his guidance, input and his wisdom, I end up struggling with something God never intended for me to endure. I end up in the negative, struggling with things that are detrimental to my well-being, less than God's best for me. The result of me doing things independent from God is that fear and anxiety show up. My emotions want to lean into depression. I start feeling disconnected, feeling like no one sees me or no one cares. I have a constant feeling of overwhelm. All these things have Satan's fingerprints on them. These types of steal, kill, destroy feelings. So, Eve bites the apple, introduces sin to the world, and then God threw his hands up and proclaimed that his plan was ruined and that he didn't know what he was going to do now, right? No! Thank God, no! Eve's choice, catastrophic as it was, did not overpower God's authority. God always has a plan of restoration. A plan that overwhelms the broken things of this life. God flips the script on the pain and suffering in this life and brings beauty from our ashes, both for our good and his glory. For those who choose the finished work of the cross, the curse that Eve put on us is broken. Because of Christ's shed blood and resurrection, we have direct access to the heart of the Father. His heart for us that desires to save and restore. And that, my sweet friend, is why your poor choices do not have the power to destroy the calling on your life. Can we temporarily derail the original path? Delay it? Cause added obstacles and complications where we show up with additional baggage than before we went off the rails? Yes, we can. But once we submit ourselves to God, when we repent and bring it into the light, His light, we get to watch him transform our situation and return us to His paths of righteousness. In God's plan of redemption things like regret, shame, guilt, unforgiveness, and the like have been accounted for or planned for. God knew it was coming. He's not surprised by our humanity. He was not caught off guard and had to scramble to figure out how to manage this new revelation that we threw at him. Sweet friend, he's made a way for you and I to lift our heads under the weight of our choices and even better, we don't have to wait for heaven. I think our biggest challenge is comprehending the truth of God's heart for restoration and stepping into it. If we knew how true, how strong God's heart is for restoration, we would grab a hold of it in the here and now. We wouldn't delay for a single second. We don't have to pray for God to have a heart of mercy and restoration. We don't have to look for it, work for it, hope for it. That's who he is, with or without our acknowledgement. All we need to do is engage his heart. And how do we do that? Cultivate a life of intimacy with our Father. Discovering who he really is versus who we want him to be, who we think he is or who we think he should be. Get to know his heart and who he says we are and watch your life be transformed. For those of us who by no choice of our own, find our lives flipped upside down, that which was the atoning sacrifice to correct Eve's selfish decision is also perfect proof that despite the horrific tragedies in this life, abandonment, rejection, innocent blood, being misunderstood, lied about, betrayed, all the different ways that one human being can choose to assault another human being, the list is endless. Nothing, and I mean absolutely nothing is impossible for God. His plans are bigger, his power is sovereign, and his authority answers to no one. He has no rival and no equal. And allow me to add this example of God's extensive power and authority. Hell, the lake of eternal fire, is the place God has ordained where people will spend eternity if they choose not to allow Jesus to pay their sin debt. Hell is God's real estate. That's why God's word plainly tells us in Philippians 2:10-11, "Whether in, heaven, on the earth, or under the earth, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord." From the very pit of hell, God will be acknowledged. In either eternity, (heaven or hell), we're on God's turf and we are on His Kingdom territory. And that is why I can guarantee you that God can bring good despite the devastation of this life. Hell answers to God. With God having no rival and no equal, and because all things are under His authority, He ordained the death of His only Son as the acceptable atoning sacrifice that would break the curse of our sin penalty. Yes, Christ's death was planned, but Jesus would not have the luxury of avoiding the human aspect of that suffering. He would suffer in every way that we do as humans. Jesus's life, his horrific death, the burial, the victory of his resurrection, and ascension to the right hand of the Father would not be without deep pain. A soul aching, bone saturating submission that caused him to cry out to the Father to give him relief from the torment, anguish that brought blood out of Jesus's pores while in the garden of Gethsemane. And not just the physical suffering, but the very core of who God is. Our God, the God of the Holy Bible is the God of relationship, and Father and Son would be separated. God would turn away from his son until our sin penalty was paid in full and the curse was broken. And what result does God bring about with his son's horrific death? Colossians 2:15 tells us in the NIV, "And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross." And let's not forget Ephesians 6:12 that tells us the importance of disarming the powers and authorities, Ephesians 6:12 in the NIV tells us, "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." Christ's death publicly put Satan to shame, both in the physical world as well as being acknowledged in the spiritual realm. If you've had no choice about what happened to you, where does this leave you? What does Christ's death, burial, and resurrection mean regarding what you've lost? Ultimately, Jesus offers us hope, healing and restoration but it will take courage to heal. The dark valley you find yourself in…God knows the way through. He's been there. He put to shame the evil that has been inflicted on you. You do not walk this journey alone. No valley is too dark nor is there one that is too deep for him to bring healing. I do hope it's comforting to know that God fears nothing. Not our anger or our rage, not our ungodly questions, not the evil of this life. There is simply nothing about our existence that God fears because he has the power and authority (the permission and ability) to take the very thing that Satan meant to destroy us with…and not necessarily destroy us, as in our physical death. Satan is content if he can destroy us with our thought life, hold us captive through our emotions, or keep trauma locked in our hearts. It's all the same to him. If it will silence us, make us bitter, isolate us, paralyze us, or separate us from God from his truth in any way, shape, or form, it's a payoff for Satan. God isn't afraid, dismayed, overwhelmed or disconnected because no matter our situation, his solution is redemption for absolutely anything evil that this life can dish out. What we can't do in our own strength, the fact that we have no power or authority to change our circumstances, but God. God repurposes the reality of pain. Not that He immediately takes us out of it, but in His hands, we're guaranteed that our pain is never for no reason. He takes the evil pain inflicted upon you and turns it into purpose. That's a table prepared for you in the presence of your enemies. I feel sure I've shared this with you before but allow me to share once again, something the Lord spoke into my spirit as I processed the death of my husband. I was telling God that I found no comfort in what people were saying to me, that God does not give you more than you can handle. I knew they were trying to be kind, and so I received it with grace, mainly because even I've said that before to people. But now, standing on the receiving side, it's stung every time because I wanted to scream. Oh, yes, he does. I assure you he does. I am undone in every way. I did not choose this, and I don't want to be here. So, I took all of that pain to the Lord. It was probably considered ungodly, and it was raw, but it was honest. And in the midst of my breakdown, the quiet, calm voice of the Holy Spirit downloaded something very precious into my heart, and it changed my perspective. It is something that I will always hold close to my heart, he said Sherrie, I don't allow anything I don't plan to redeem. And that didn't mean that I was going to skip the grieving process or forget my husband. It simply meant that nothing touches his children that he does not have the power to use for our good in his glory. He always has a plan. God always has a plan that overwhelms our limitations, that rewrites the mental, emotional, and spiritual demise that Satan had planned for us. So, my sweet friend, no matter the reason that you're struggling with the evil of this life, my encouragement for you today is rest. Rest your weary heart. Rest your mind and the constant running from one anxiety laden thought and memory to another. Grab a hold of this lifeline Matthew 11:28 "And then Jesus said, come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest." Your heart can have complete confidence that God will take care of you to the degree that you allow Him. And here's where the Yes, God's plan for your life can be blocked. Because remember, He will never force himself on us. He doesn't push us into anything. He extends His hand and invites us to allow Him into our pain. He will gently, tenderly work in the places that we expose to him. To walk in our full calling is to engage God's heart on an intimate level. In that intimacy we find healing, meaning, clarity, and our calling. Plenty of people leave this life, never having fulfilled the calling on their life because they did not have the courage to allow God to heal them. And I'm not saying God can't work in your life on your behalf. I'm just saying that if you don't engage him, the benefits of your healing are limited, and you won't perceive what he's doing. In the healing process, you discover things about God that solidifies your value and your worth. If you keep God at arm's length, you'll miss out on the secrets that He has that he only reveals in the darkest, most painful places of life. He responds to our authentic, honest, and transparent pain when we trust Him with it. Whether we're a victim of our own bullying because we won't accept God's forgiveness, nor will we forgive ourselves, or we're a victim to someone else's choices and maybe there's some unforgiveness there that holds us hostage. I want you to remember this. In the fight between good and evil. Forgive, don't forgive. Heal, don't heal. Rest, don't rest. Trust, don't trust. The push and the pull. Do you know what the prize is? Do you know why the fight is so intense? It's your heart. Your heart is the prize. It's the place where the fountain of your devotion, affections, love, commitment, are sheltered in. All that God placed in you when He knit you together, creating you in His image. You get to choose who you give your heart to. Either one. Satan or Jesus. Because both are pursuing you, both have a plan for your life. Let this truth settle deep into your heart. Amid such a savage battle for your heart and I say savage because we know that Satan is cruel, ruthless, and full of vile hatred for the things that bear the image of God, you. But God is savage in his extravagant, pure, selfless, uncompromising, unapologetic love for us. In this every day battle for your heart, Satan sees your heart as a trophy with bragging rights. But God sees your heart as a priceless treasure that he longs to restore, right up until the moment you get to see him face to face. Friend, let's embrace God's restoration. Let's have the courage to heal and fulfill God's plan for our lives. Additional Resource: Another Podcast Episode You May Like Episode Title: Here's How Psalm 23 Showed Me God's Faithfulness - Website w/audio: https://alifeofthrive.com/2022/08/17/heres-how-psalm-23-showed-me-gods-faithfulness/ Audio Only: https://www.podbean.com/eas/pb-mqbaw-1295c97

My guest today is the former Clinical Director of Christian Psychotherapy Services where he had been in practice since 1989 but then left that practice to become the Founder of the Meadows Healing Prayer Center. He is a mental health professional and a licensed clinical social worker. My guest is Frank Meadows and he has been counseling and ministering with Theophostic Healing Prayer and seeing countless people being healed and delivered. This episode with Frank Meadows takes a very close look at the benefits of healing and deliverance. You'll hear me press into this healing and deliverance a few times as I try to dig down for a deeper understanding. Frank takes us back to his roots on why he would even become interested in the healing ministry and how it impacted his life. He does an incredible job of explaining healing and deliverance as he shares his practices, methods and overall goal when he's working with a client. What excites me the most about the deliverance ministry is that even though we're Christians the fact remains that we still deal with trauma and with Theophostic Healing Prayer we have the ability to be set free. Which equates to peace for our minds and our hearts.  Ever wonder why a Christian pastor can also be a slave to porn? Why would a Christian wife be unfaithful? Didn't she make a vow to her husband in the presence of God? Wouldn't you be shocked to find out that a highly respected Christian is prone to fits or rage and physically abuses his/her spouse and children?  There's been more than one Christian family dealing with wayward children struggling with drugs, alcohol, identity issues, same sex attraction. Why are believers still using curse words in their every day language? Why are we lying about things, cheating people or the business we work for? Especially if we know God's word and walk in a deep relationship with him? And yet, that is exactly what can and does happen. Ultimately, we know that becoming a Christian does not mean that we are instantly perfect. We were born into sin and our maturing process with God is done in layers as He washes off the residue of this life, transforming us into His likeness. Could it be that believing what we read in the Bible or hear in church is not enough or more accurately our knowledge needs experience too?  If our living God wants a living breathing relationship with us might He want to take us from believing what we read/hear to knowing by way of experiencing His benefits? I believe so because when we experience God it reinforces what we've read/heard/believed with our mind and now our heart has proof because of God's peace and freedom that floods our life. I'm not knocking traditional therapy, I've used it, it's great but the difference that I have experienced between traditional therapy and Christian deliverance therapy has been hands down a level of sustained peace in my life that I have never known before. At the core of my heart, mind, body I am at peace. I'm not saying that situations/circumstances/people do not challenge that peace but I have a place of rest that I can continually return to or build on whenever I find myself using/trying to create self-protection/coping skills. Because remember, as Christians we don't need to go looking, begging, praying, wishing, hoping for God's peace, healing, deliverance. It's already there. We're called to engage what is already available to us and live with the benefits in the here and now. Let's get into this episode because I want you to hear all the good stuff that my guest Frank Meadows has to share, let's dive in and hear how our lie based thinking is how we stay trapped and how using Theophostic Healing Prayer to dismantle these barriers opens up a floodgate of freedom and peace; living water poured into our hearts, bodies, minds. Live Loved and Thrive! @alifeofthrivie.com   Connect with Frank on his website: https://www.meadowshealingprayercenter.com/about-us/   Bio: Frank is the founder of the Meadows Healing Prayer Center in Chesapeake, Va. For years,he has counseled and ministered healing prayer to many in the Hampton Roads, VA area. He has been utilizing Theophostic Healing Prayer with great results since 1999. Since that time many have come from across the United States to receive Franks' ministry for extended times of intensive healing prayer. Since that time he has ministered over 17,000 hours using Theophostic Healing Prayer. Frank has taught and facilitated many Theophostic Basic Training Seminars and healing prayer training locally, nationally, and internationally. Frank is a mental health professional and a licensed clinical social worker. He is also the clinical director of Christian Psychotherapy Services in Chesapeake, Virginia. He has been in practice there since 1989 ministering to clients and families with emotional, relational, spiritual and abuse trauma recover issues.  

My guest is Mary Beth Powers and we connected over the topic that we're discussing today, unhealthy soul ties. Mary Beth is a long-time Bible teacher, a certified speaker, she currently serves as a connection Pastor at her church and we'll be able to call her author as soon as her book is completed and published. Additionally, she leads a healing ministry called Freedom. We talked about the impact that soul ties have on relationships, personal growth, and the importance of recognizing and breaking these ties through self-evaluation, Godly instruction, leaning into the heart of God and professional counseling with regard to trauma associated with some soul ties. Mary Beth defined a soul tie and while it is not a biblical term she connected the dots for us with regard to how the Bible refers to uniting/joining/cleaving to someone as the same result of a soul tie. I had a lot of curiosity about soul ties because it's not something often spoken about in church and yet when they go undetected they rob us personally in countless ways, some of which are delaying our ability to fulfill the calling on our life, becoming a victim because of a lack of identity, staying stuck in trauma which cripples mentally, emotionally/physically. These are some of the possible results of staying attached to unhealthy soul ties.  I asked some very pointed questions about pornography soul ties, how soul ties created in past sexual relationships impact current ones. We talked about abusive relationship soul ties. I even asked Mary Beth about unwanted soul ties that are forced upon us such as rape and she even included incest in that portion of the discussion. In short, it was a very I interesting topic for me.  You may hear Mary Beth back on my show again because the book that she is in the process of writing is on generational curses and that is something else that I'm very interested in! Let's jump in and educate ourselves on soul ties, see if they apply to our life and if so, let's break them off and walk in countless new levels of freedom! Live Loved and Thrive! @alifeofthrive.com Connect with Mary Beth: Website marybethpowers.com FB: https://www.facebook.com/mary.b.powers IG: girl.be.still Bio: Mary Beth is passionate about seeing women experience Jesus in a life-changing way. She speaks authentically as a safe place for women to share their struggles. Whether one-on-one or from a podium in a room full of women, she loves to see women thriving in the fullness of Jesus! Mary Beth is a certified speaker and long-time Bible teacher. She currently serves as a connection Pastor at her church. She is known for her infectious personality and caring for others. She has a deep devotion to her family. She is married to her forever crush, Mike, and they parent three children together. They live in North Alabama in a small but growing town called Hazel Green. They enjoy the empty-nest season, and together, they love to travel and try out new restaurants. She loves exploring new coffee shops, but most days, you will find her curled up next to her Aussie, Hartlee, coffee in one hand and her journal in the other, finishing a book about God's unfailing love. But she has a new role that she finds her favorite: being a Nana to her 3 new grandsons!

My guest, author Noah Asher has written a book titled Chaos, Overcoming the Overwhelming. Noah uses his personal experience with chaos and leads us through what I believe (after talking to Noah and hearing this examples) is our own journey into, through and out of what Jesus modeled on the cross. Don't get me wrong our pain and suffering do not fulfill the same purpose and plan as the crucifixion. It will never equate to the work He accomplished. My point in making the connection of the Easter weekend from Friday to Sunday is that Jesus took all of our suffering, anguish, shame, guilt, regret, trauma and nailed it to the cross. This is proof that He has the power to turn our chaos into purpose too! Through the model that Jesus gave us on the cross of overcoming the evil of this life, when we experience heartbreaking seasons we have an example of what processing the pain of this life looks like: Friday can be the pain of the impact, the moment our life changed forever.  Saturday is the waiting season in-between Friday and Sunday. And then Sunday is the season of healing and restoration.  Noah breaks down a season of chaos into 3 phases:  *The Prepare Season - I really liked that Noah equips us to prepare for our own Friday moment.  I was really curious to know, how can someone actually prepare for their life to be interrupted with chaos because we all know it's not an “if it happens” scenario it's a “when it happens” reality and yet I don't consciously prepare for bad things to happen. So his insight is very helpful to first recognize that you probably are preparing yourself you just didn't recognize it and then to see other ways you can equip yourself.  *The second season is In The Midst - Noah terms it as your Saturday season. You're between the life changing event and the healing, restoration, redemption phase. Noah talked about how we can make this time as beneficial as possible, what value does this phase even have? What can you learn about God in (what I call the) the struggle season because it can be full of questions as we struggle to understand all that has been impacted. Questions like, "Why did you let this happen God?” "Why did this happen to me?” "What am I supposed to do with my life now?” "Who am I now?"  *And the final season, the Aftermath which I now term as Sunday. This is a time of healing, restoration and redemption - but what does that even mean in an individual life? It means a lot of beautiful things. Discovering your purpose, receiving revelation of God's heart for you as his son or daughter and Noah talks about several more.  Noah did a fantastic job of making this topic of chaos very relatable and as you'll hear he adds humor to what can be a very weighty topic. Not only does he back up his revelation and the real examples with Biblical truth, he also adds a little wit with references to characters such as The Lion Kin and Eeyore.  I asked Noah if there was a difference between chaos and trauma, and we talked about grief and grace, perseverance on the journey and we used Joseph's story (among other biblical examples) to look at how God repurposed everything that was done to Joseph to bring good out of despair, and not just good for Joseph but for many and of course that echos the work of the cross as well. When you think about the good that the cross produced for as many who will accept Jesus' payment for our sin debt.  Let's listen in to find out how to navigate the 3 phases of chaos so that we might be prepared when our Friday arrives. If we're prepared we know Who to turn to so that we can go from pain to purpose! We can have hope in a better tomorrow because we have the promise and the proof that Sunday is coming. Live Loved and Thrive! @alifeofthrive.com   Connect with Noah: Website: www.thenoahasher.com IG: @TheNoahAsher on Instagram  Email: chaosovercomer@gmail.com Bio: Noah Asher is an author, Chaos-survivor, business owner, and communicator. Noah helps people find purpose within their pain and their past. His new book, CHAOS: Overcoming the Overwhelming, is a guide on how to navigate through difficult times and come out stronger on the other side. Noah believes that everyone has a purpose, and he is dedicated to helping people find it.

This conversation is deeply layered and beautifully delivered by my guest Angie Baughman who intimately knows loss and what it means to live with complete uncertainty.  A simple car ride with her family turns their world upside down. She's in the car with her husband and 2 young sons, a vehicle crosses the line and hits them head on. The crash affects her entire family; immediate, extended, church as well as their friends. Everyone  who was courageous enough to step into roles and take on responsibilities of what it entails to support a family.  The tragic results of the accident put Angie and her oldest son who was 7 years old at the time, in the hospital. Between the two of them they had 8 surgeries. In the blink of an eye she began a journey of loss and total uncertainty at no fault of her own.  And then at a point where she's gaining some independence, she's working hard to hit the physical therapy goals with a strong desire to do away with the level of need and personal care she receives, including the desire to be the one making all of the decision for her and her family, but then she's blind signed by a brain bleed. It was a result of the car crash but yet it doesn't present itself until 18 months later.  She's in a great place of improvement, moving forward and now she's starting all over again.  Because of her extended recovery Angie's belief system, and not exclusive to her faith, is more than simply challenged or shaken, it's shattered. Since satan is famous for attaching himself to our traumas, in the midst of Angie questioning everything about her life, satan brings a past trauma to the forefront of her mind/heart.  Satan's intention, of course, is to destroy Angie with this compounding trauma but she decides to accept God's invitation and allow Him to heal her. In the intimacy of His invitation, He lets her know, He's not giving her back the life she had, He's taking her back to move her forward. Satan may have brought back past trauma but God was going to reveal His heart to healing. He was preparing a table for her in the presence of her enemy. At one point in our conversation I asked her how do we take negative/traumatic/lies/thoughts captive to Christ and she lays out several things we can do to interrupt satan's intentions and rewrite them with God's promises.  If you're living with uncertainty or it's one of your biggest fears, then you'll find quotable wisdom that you can hang on to, right down to her parting words as we closed our time together. Listen in to discover what those lifelines are that Angie has to share. Let's dive in to find God in the painful places of life.  Live Loved and Thrive! @ alifeofthrive.com Connect with Angie: Website: https://livesteadyon.com/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/angiebaughman421/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/livesteadyon YT: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwl0_Edd8fNHz7y1jLOqj4g Bio: Angie Baughman is a pastor, Bible teacher, author, podcaster, founder of Steady On ministries, and creator of the Step By Step Bible study method. At sixteen, she was groomed into a romantic relationship with a high school teacher and faced community rejection when she went public with her story. Knowing and living by the promises of God helped free her from layers of shame, and she now creates resources that help people cultivate consistent Bible study habits.

My guest today is a grief specialist, she is certified in critical incident stress debriefing, a certified trauma-integrative practitioner, an 8-time award-winning author on grief, and the founder of The Grief & Trauma Healing Network. Anne-Marie Lockmyer has quite a well-rounded education on grief but her passion is to help grieving widows. She's a widow herself, so my conversation with Anne-Marie is both from her personal experience as well as her professional ability to help widows process and heal. We had a great conversation that I'm excited to share with you! Some of the things we talked about were: what does it mean to be blessed in a Christian context when in fact we're not exempt from pain and suffering; the complexity of grief (that it does affect the brain and the body); giving yourself permission to grieve, to be angry, to laugh, to have joy. Grief is a roller coaster at best so the focus is to care for yourself as you journey through. We talked about healing and that it is possible. Doesn't mean you forget about your loved one or that you're not honoring them anymore if you're not sad. It doesn't mean that your life will magically return to what it used to be. Sadly, it will never be the same. It will be different, but it can still be beautiful. As Anne-Marie shares her experience of unexpectedly losing her husband Mark and it happens while she's out of the country. I add that because I personally think that not being able to get to your loved one at such a critical time adds yet another layer of trauma to the trauma. Her husband passed from a brain aneurysm, this not only leaves her blindsided and numb but they have a special needs son who responded to his father like no one else. When Anne-Marie received word over the phone, in a foreign country that her world had been ripped apart and would never be the same, she asked one thing of God. "God, if I have to go through this, may I glorify you, honor Mark and impact lives?" As you listen to the message on her heart, or visit her website, check out her widows retreat and engage her extensive resources, I think you'll see that God has honored her request. God has taken the very same thing that evil intended to destroy Anne-Marie with and did something really beautiful. Let's listen in so that we might find God in the midst of pain and suffering. Live Loved and Thrive! @alifeofthrive.com Connect with Anne-Marie: Email: annemarie@griefandtraumahealing.com Website: Grief & Trauma Healing Network  https://griefandtraumahealing.com Free online grief support site: MyGriefCare.com  https://www.mygriefcare.com Your Grief Guides YouTube Channel  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxXrACWW7qjFlQ1A26onCMQ Anne-Marie's 8-time award-winning book “When Their World Stops - The Essential Guide to Truly Helping Anyone in Grief”   https://amzn.to/3Sb2T2f Bio: Anne-Marie Lockmyer is a grief specialist, certified in critical incident stress debriefing, a certified trauma-integrative practitioner, 8-time award-winning author on grief, and founder of The Grief & Trauma Healing Network. As a widow herself, Anne-Marie knows the pain and devastation that grief and loss cause and is living proof that you can go from surviving to thriving. Anne-Marie works with people worldwide, and is passionate about advocating for and loving grievers and being an educational catalyst to society on grief and loss.  

What do we do when God interrupts our life and turns it in a completely different direction? My guest, Morgan McCarver has an answer to that question. Just when all of her disciplined years of dance training and mastering control of her body was about to pay off in the world of competitive dance, she was forced to submit to a surgery that would avoid severe health complications in the future.  Morgan would endure a spinal fusion surgery that would alter her body's ability to comply with the demands of dance. With a year long recovery ahead, and without dance, Morgan felt the need to create so she and her mom began to look for various outlets. What could possibly be out of convenience for her mother's schedule, she enrolls Morgan in a summer camp and her class is a pottery workshop. You'll hear how God uses this seemingly insignificant enrollment to then open a whole new world for Morgan.  Morgan makes mention of the book of Genesis (in the Bible) reminding us that humanity is first introduced to God through the creation process and it's that side of His nature that He shares with Morgan as a way of revealing His heart to her. The beauty He brings forth through this form of expression in Morgan can be found in numerous art galleries, her Etsy account and in the pages of the book she's written, titled, “God the Artist: Revealing God's Creative Side Through Pottery.” As Morgan creates with her hands, God is creating in her and through her as well and it's the same for each of us.  Listen in to discover the beauty God has for us in the creative process and how it can be overlayed onto what He's doing in our lives as the individuals He created us to be. Live Loved and Thrive! @alifeofthrive.com    Connect with Morgan: www.morganmccarver.com (find the link to her book, Etsy shop & if you buy wholesale, her link to Faire.com) Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/morgan_mccarver_porcelain/?hl=en Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/morgan.mccarver.7/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/morgan-mccarver X (formerly Twitter): https://www.sotwe.com/GodTheArtistBk Bio: Morgan McCarver was born and raised in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Her work is inspired by her female mentors of past and present, as well as her connection to Victorian corsetry through her scoliosis journey. She received an art degree with a ceramics concentration and a double minor in art history and business in 2019 from Anderson University in Anderson, SC. McCarver had the honor of receiving the 2019 Outstanding Art Major Ceramics Award her senior year. As a 2020 701 Center for Contemporary Art prize finalist, she had the honor of being the youngest artist to ever make it that far. She is a multi-award winning artist who recently received an Artist Support Grant to attend a national ceramics conference. She has had the honor of displaying her work in 3 solo exhibitions, “FemininiTEA” 2020, “The Strength of a Wildflower” 2022 and “Postures in Porcelain” 2023. She recently completed a residency at Edgewood Cottage in Blowing Rock Summer 2023 and participated 2022 as well. McCarver has studios in Asheville, NC and Spartanburg, SC. Her art can be found in various galleries around the Carolinas and Tennessee. Her first book, “God the Artist: Revealing God's Creative Side Through Pottery,” will be released with Morgan James Publishing January 9, 2024.

My guest today is Rose Anne Forte (For-Tay). She is an Alcohol-Free coach, a Positive Intelligence Coach and an International Best-Selling author of the award winning daily devotional titled, “The Plans He Has for Me.” Today's episode is discovering more about her 12 week devotional and the challenge to purposefully consider the possibility of a transformed life.  Rose Ann was a successful executive, ministry leader in the church, bible teacher, mom, wife and more but when her marriage fell apart she found herself in a place of desiring to be free from the psychological slavery of her alcohol habit. One of the great things I feel that Rose Ann is doing in the program that she's created (by marrying the secular addiction program she used with the true, lasting hope and change that the God of the Holy Bible offers), is to shift our mindset about labels such as alcoholic, recovery and sober.  In my personal opinion, she's taken a very practical approach about these 3 words moving them from a secular viewpoint to the transformed reality that God provides.  That made sense to me because of the complete work of Christ on the cross and the fact that by His stripes we are healed. Not partially healed. Not kinda healed. But healed. And I agree that healing takes place in layers but that does not negate the full redemptive restoration accomplished on the cross that is available to us today and every day.  Don't get me wrong, I think labels are important when it comes to identifying a problem. Labels help  to establish a starting point to work from. Once a problem is identified it helps with taking responsibility for the changes you need to initiate. What does taking responsibility do? It moves you from the victim mentality (another label) to victor, a much better adjective.   Do relapses happen? Sure. Rose Ann and I talk about that aspect of breaking any type of addiction. Relapse is part of being healed in layers.  If you struggle with or have struggled with addiction, it will always be a part of your testimony with regard to the journey you went through. However, that doesn't mean that you're tied to that label or this world's value system. If there's one thing (among many) that a personal relationship with Christ gives you it's living above the chaos and limited understanding of this world.  What I'm getting at is, at some point there comes a time when you leave behind the words alcoholic, recovery and sober.  Rose Ann talks about this in more detail. You reach a point where you're reigning in life, free of addiction and in this case alcohol. The recovery process is complete, you're living a life that no longer resembles addiction. With every layer of healing we step into the progressive story of renewal and redemption that Christ is writing over our life. He's writing a much bigger love story with us as the unique person He created us to be. His heart is to help you break free from the grip of this life and step into who He created you to be when He knit you together with His own hands. If you feel like something in your life is out of sync, maybe something has a bigger hold on you than you feel comfortable with/it's nagging you or if you're clear that you struggle with any type of addiction, Rose Ann's personal transformation will give your heart encouragement to know that freedom is possible.   If you'd like to consider the possibility of a transformed life, check out Rose Ann's 12 week program, “The Plans He has for Me.” The link is in the show notes. Also included in the show notes are links to Rose Ann's free resources which I think they are also on her website. ThePlansHeHasForMe.com  Listen in for a dose of encouragement from Rose Ann Forte! Live Loved and Thrive! @alifeofthrive.com   Connect with Rose Ann: Articles and free resources: Website Podcast: Say Goodbye and Imagine! Podcast Instagram:  @roseannforteplans Bio: Rose Ann is an Alcohol-Free Coach, a Positive Intelligence Coach and International Best-Selling author of an award winning daily devotional called “The Plans He Has For Me”.   She helps people put alcohol to the side for 12 consecutive weeks by educating them with the scientific principles behind alcohol abuse using God's foundational principles to renewing your mind.   The Plans He Has For Me is a 12 week focused devotional for those who want to rid themselves of the psychological slavery of their alcohol habit.

My guest and friend, Tina Ivey allowed me to ask questions about her personal trauma of domestic and sexual abuse. Tina has not only survived sexual abuse by her father but she's excelled beyond merely surviving. She is living a life that is full, busy and rewarding. I personally feel that one of the strongest markers for a life of thrive/thriving is to live in peace, contentment and forgiveness. Those qualities describe Tina. In this episode we talk about many aspect of abuse such as what keeps victims from speaking up? What is something that the average person can look for in order to help someone who is experiencing sexual abuse? Additionally, Tina shares her foster care experience that included a neighbor girl who was a bully. Tina also shares how she and that girl (after they had become adults) cross paths and how God challenged Tina's ability to forgive. I asked Tina about forgiveness in 3 areas: her father, God and herself. Like so many abuse victims, she withheld forgiveness from herself the longest. She shared about her regrets and the healing process that took place as she wrote her book titled, Better Than I Should be: Overcoming Sexual and Domestic Abuse through Forgiveness and Personal Healing. The book became available for purchase on December 20, 2023, so it's available now. We didn't get to discuss all that Tina's book reveals so the purchase link will be in the show notes if you'd like to read more about her journey. She had the proverbial cards of life stacked against her since she was a tiny girl but God does amazing things with simple childlike faith. Real quick before we get started, when I was looking at the transcript there is a part of our conversation where Tina refers to Jaci. I noticed we did not share who that is. Jaci is Tina's daughter. Let's get to it. Listen in for a small glimpse into Tina's journey through sexual abuse and her steadfast faith in believing that God is who He says He is and that He will do what He says He'll do. Lived Loved and Thrive! Connect with Tina: IG - christina.w.ivey FB - https://www.facebook.com/christina.w.ivey Resources: Tina's book: Better Than I Should Be: https://www.amazon.com/Better-Than-Should-Overcoming-Forgiveness/dp/B0CLMVMWBC/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2YZSKAX6THOO&keywords=better+than+i+should+be%2C+tina+ivy&qid=1703796036&sprefix=%2Caps%2C112&sr=8-1 Safe House Project: safehouseproject.org Amy Watson - Wednesday's with Watson. Amy has a powerful story of her own and is a strong advocate for hope, healing and restoration. Connect with Amy: WednesdaysWithWatson.com Living Waters - Help for those who are dealing with sexual and relational brokenness- https://www.desertstream.org/who-we-are & https://www.desertstream.org/find-a-group Bio: Christina Warren Ivey Grew up in a small rural town in Martin County, NC. As a young girl, her childlike faith led her to invite Jesus to be her Lord and Savior and she has pursued Him ever since. Growing in her personal and intimate relationship with Christ has given her the keys to find healing and forgiveness after years of abuse. Better Than I Should Be is her first book and will walk you through her journey to emotional wellness.

If you're dealing with overwhelming pain my guest Darci Steiner has a testimony of amazing resilience as she lives out the debilitating affects of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome or CRPS. In her book, Beauty Beyond the Thorns, Darci reveals how God cares for us in the darkest valleys in life. What she shares can benefit anyone who is dealing with pain that makes it seem like there's no way out. While we didn't discuss in detail the medical side of self-care I wanted to mention it now. If you're experiencing a crisis of mental health, emotional health of physical health, consider medical professionals and/or medication (per your doctor) in addition to your faith journey. Unrelenting pain can be a very lonely journey so Darci points us to the One who will never leave nor forsake us. God is always present, always listening and ready to tend to you. CRPS is called the suicide disease because when ranked on a pain scale, CRPS is found to be the highest pain one can feel hence the suicide disease label. People who know this level of unrelenting pain want to escape, permanently. Especially because they're told there is no cure. But God, right? Twenty years ago a fall down the steps ignited Darci's first experience with CRPS. The pain was so great that she did not have an appetite and became malnourished and was dying. Darci shares a little bit about her story of being bedridden for 2 years and the healing journey she experienced. What gripped my heart is that 5 years ago on a very special day for her family, the simple need of having to go back into the venue to grab something that she forgot and a chair topples from a stack and strikes her in the ankle. Immediately the pain seared from the injury and Darci knew she was headed back into CRPS. So at the time of this recording she is living with CRPS once again. She talked about the difference in how she engages God's heart this time. Because of her vulnerability, we get a glimpse of a maturing faith forged in deep pain that produces an intimacy with God that cannot be developed in any other context. One of the ways that Darci's faith matured is that while in God's word she received revelation on the distinction between being and doing. Darci's pain severely limited her ability to engage in some of the most simple things in life…at one point of being bedridden for 2 years, as Darci lay in bed she asked her husband to create a tent over her with the bed sheet because when it touched her skin it caused excruciating pain. As she lay in bed day in and day out she began to question the purpose of living. She couldn't do anything, she wasn't of any help, she couldn't enjoy her young daughters. Life was happening around her but without her. Even today she can only watch her grandchildren with assistance and short intervals. It's in this quiet place of simply being with God that she discovers a whole new level of intimacy with Him. The revelation that His only request for her, for any of us is to be with Him. A weight was lifted and she began to see the beauty of Christ's extravagant love for her in the humble posture of being. One last thing and we'll jump into the conversation with Darci.  I especially loved how Darci shares that in the dark valleys of life God is there. I know we've heard that a thousand times but it's a great reminder that we don't have to go looking for Him. We don't have to pray for Him to find us. We don't have to check off the good Christian checklist for Him to show Himself. He's already there. We simply need to engage Him in the being. If you've been struggling with the thought that a good God would not have you suffer like this I challenge you to reframe that. God is good because despite the reality of the pain in this life, He doesn't abandon or reject us nor does He leave us to figure it out on our own. He enters into our pain with us, comforts us, leads us into healing, and untangles our fears. In short, He gives us His very presence. Darci was the absolute sweetest because despite her pain and my probing questions she has such a deep desire in her heart to share an encouraging message with others who are experiencing unrelenting pain whether it's in their mind/mental health, body/physical health, heart/emotional health. Listen in because Darci does a beautiful job of revealing the heart of God in the context of pain and suffering. Lived Loved and Thrive! @alifeofthrive.com Connect with Darci: Website: https://www.darcijsteiner.com  Facebook Author: https://www.facebook.com/darcijsteiner Facebook Personal: https://www.facebook.com/darci.andersonsteiner Instagram: https://instagram.com/darcijsteiner.writer/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darcijsteiner/  X (Formerly Twitter):  https://twitter.com/DarciJSteiner  Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/darcijsteiner Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/darcijsteiner/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/darcijsteiner.com YouTube  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8I8Pweui5tUt1DVvpeqEIA WomenSpeakers.com Audible Bio: Darci J. Steiner is the author of the award-winning biblically based book Beauty Beyond the Thorns: Discovering Gifts in Suffering. She is an inspirational speaker, author, writing coach, and nutritionist. Darci began writing to process her pain after a foot injury disabled her due to the nerve-pain disorder Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). Darci writes and speaks messages that uplift and inspire audiences to always hold on to hope. She loves spending time with her husband, two adult daughters, and two grandchildren. Please visit www.darcijsteiner.com to subscribe to The Upside of Suffering Newsletter.

Have you ever felt inadequate when trying to express your care and concern to someone who is grieving? If so, my guest Sherrie Dunlevy is going to help us understand how we can genuinely help the brokenhearted. She'll shed some light on what to say and what not to say as well as what to do and what not to do. Plus along the way, Sherrie gives us additional insight that is going to help if you're facing a season of loss and uncertainty yourself. Something I always like to point out is that grief is not limited to loosing a loved one. Anything that leaves us brokenhearted which equates to anytime we're separated from that which we hold near and dear to our hearts. It's times like that when everything familiar shifts and the pain demands a grieving process. When part of our life is torn away, we're in need of an honest evaluation of how this tragedy impacts our life and what resources do we need to engage, in order to move toward full healing. Sherrie has a background in television as a news anchor, a radio talk show host, and she is currently a podcast host as well as a grief coach. And we can add author to her list of accomplishments because she's published a book titled, Can I Help? Sherrie wrote this book because she has a deep compassion for those who are in a season of grief. As a grief coach her focus is to help the grieving process their pain. Based on the knowledge and insight that Sherrie has gained as a grief coach we push out the topic of grief to talk about how we can avoid adding extra stress and demands on our loved ones who are struggling with deep pain and even deeper questions. When someone is faced with the uncertainty of life, the struggle to understand their circumstance is fertile ground for isolation, confusion and to be honest, awkwardness. It's the awkwardness that causes us to distance ourself from our loved one or to say things that are blanket statements. Blanket statements are the type of cliche comments that when said everyone knows it's just a substitute for, I don't know what to say. Sherrie's book, Can I Help?, will give you the confidence to feel more at ease with the topic of grief and as you implement and practice Sherrie's advice you become more comfortable to share space someone who is grappling with the reality of their old life vs the life they are now forced to know. There's power in having confidence for this topic because it removes barriers and lets an aching heart know that they are seen, heard and cared about. When you're in pain, knowing that you're not alone is powerful enough to give people hope for a better tomorrow. The bottom line is, neither the brokenhearted nor the people who desperately want to help will have all the answers. Every situation is unique to the person who has experienced a tragedy/trauma. And the truth is, the brokenhearted can't articulate what they need in the moment. In addition, the one who desires to be there for their loved one, feels helpless. If they both know anything, it's that neither one can reach the pain because neither one can change the devastating reality of loss. Sherrie makes a clear distinction, which I felt was truly foundational to having the courage to reach out to someone who needs a kind word and that is, to remember it's not about you. Sherrie and I partnered that portion of the conversation with another key truth that she pointed out: The person who wants to help can't fix it and it's not their job to fix it. To me, that takes a huge weight off and it allows the caregiver (not in a medical sense but rather in the context of relationship) to simply show up, sit quietly if necessary and allow their loved one to find their way through the grief. If you've ever felt helpless, confused, or awkward when it comes to navigating grief then listen in to see how you can remove typical barriers and create a connection of support that brings peace and invites healing. Live Loved and Thrive! Connect with Sherrie: Website Grief Coaching Services Book and Resources Facebook Bio: Former NBC News Anchor Sherrie Dunlevy served the Wheeling, WV area for nearly 30 years both on television and radio. Today she is a best selling author, Inspirational speaker and the Founder of the Graduating Grief Academy and host of the Graduating Grief podcast.    Her Number one best selling book “How Can I Help?” was written to help people know exactly what to say and do when the people they love and care about are hurting.   Sherrie helps people step out of the pain of their grief, so they can step into living with purpose, passion and JOY.   Transcript

Author Jodi Howe is here to talk about anxiety. More specifically, she's here to tell us how to do more than simply manage it. She gives us various examples of how we set ourself up for patterns of anxiety. She shares practical steps for not only catching these patterns but she also offers suggestions on evaluating our schedules and practices that we can unknowingly add overwhelm to our typical day.  Jodi's book, The Air That I Breathe is a resource that she couldn't find when she so desperately wanted relief from the panic attacks that threatened to overtake her life. She shares the various lessons she's learned along the way so that you can gain immediate insight vs struggling to figure out the best ways to find freedom. She also shares the countless ways that God steadied her, led her and healed her through this journey.  The current (IYKYK) publishing date for Jodi's book is November 27, 2023. You will be able to find it on Amazon as well as Jodi's website (jodihowe.com). Christmas is just around the corner so maybe you want to drop a hint or two to let your peeps know that you'd like a copy for Christmas. Also, if there's someone in your life who could really use help to get their anxiety under control, consider Jodi's resource (aka her book, The Air That I Breathe) an excellent tool in seeing that come to fruition.  If you're like me you're gonna immediately love Jodi because she's full of life. While her wit will have you laughing I'm most impressed with her courage to be transparent about real life challenges.  Even when life doesn't look neat, predictable and pretty she doesn't side step the hard parts but takes them on knowing that God will see her through. This book is such an incredible tool because Jodi's personal experience has been so beautifully blended with practical steps of application and the wisdom of God's word and the fact that He's already laid out how we can live without anxiety, worry, fear and overwhelm. Let's listen in to discover how we can find God in the midst of the struggle to quiet our mind and find peace in a world that is anything but peaceful. Live Loved and Thrive! @Alifeofthrive.com  Connect with Jodi: Website Facebook Instagram X (Formerly Twitter) Jodi's Bio as seen on her website: I grew up in Upstate New York. Raised in Syracuse and even attended Syracuse University. I am still a die-hard fan of everything Orangemen Football and Basketball. I also enjoy the NFL. Go Giants. Oh, and the Bills, too. After all, I am from NY!   I now live in North Carolina. In between life, I have lived in New York City, San Francisco, and Albany, New York. Still, I love the South. Not the heat, but the south. The mountains are 3 hours away—the ocean, 2.  It's the best of both worlds and I get all of my beloved seasons.      At home, I can be found in my comfy chair with my smartphone, writing content and studying through devotionals and the Bible. And sometimes I watch a show or two.     I love to be with people and am highly extroverted. I am in my "happy place" when behind a microphone. This may come as a surprise to some, but I also love to retreat on my own. I am fueled by quiet time with the Lord and peaceful surroundings. Reflecting. Praying. Dreaming. Learning and then Praying some more. Focusing on The Air that I Breathe. Which is Jesus!   I have lived, grieved, and learned hard lessons through a marital break-up and family struggles (2 Corinthians 4:8-9). I also know anxiety very well, and it is my first actual testimony to God, his love, and experiencing the peace that surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:6-7). Apostle Paul tells us we will have thorns in our flesh (2 Corinthians 12:7), but God's grace is sufficient for each day. I am a testimony to that.   I am a mother of 2 girls. I adore them with all of my heart. They are beautifully unique in their ways, and I am genuinely proud of them.    Will you join me in my life-long journey of knowing and loving Jesus? Living in him is the abundant life promised, and yes, it's all good when we shift our perspective toward God's plan for our lives.  And wholeheartedly, I believe we can also have some fun along the way. You are Loved, Jodi

My guest Leslie Davis, is a founder (along with her husband) of HeartCall Ministries and it's because of the way God has blessed their marriage that makes Leslie passionate about seeing marriages healed and strengthened through the truth of God's Word. Their marriage is proof that you can have a solid, godly, blessed, rewarding marriage.  Leslie and I talked about how marriage is simply two broken people bringing out the brokenness in each other but Leslie said something that I cannot ever remember considering it quite like she shared. Granted, I've been a widow now for a little over 5.5 years so maybe I'm just not remembering. She said, “A lot of times God will use the marriage relationship to provide healing for those broken places.” I don't recall considering conflict in my marriage, as an opportunity to heal. Although, in hindsight it was times of frustration and feeling at my wits end in my marriage that caused me to seek my own personal healing. When I think about it, that's so like God. He knows marriage is gong to bring our brokenness to the surface. He knows we're going to challenge each other and it's going to trigger all the areas where we need healing and He's fine with that. He's fine with it because in the process He's asking us to give that painful place, that brokenness to Him so He can heal it. The sooner we give it to Him the sooner we get to walk in freedom. God's heart is to heal us in the here and now. To build our trust, to show us His faithfulness and ability to Shepherd us well.  A significant distinction that Leslie made is looking at the difference of what it means to have a strong identity based on who we are IN Christ AND who we are TO Christ. So good. I can't wait for you to hear that part. We took a look at abuse, submission, obedience and humbling but it's not the typical conversation that you may be used to hearing. Leslie believes that submission preached without including the importance of biblical leadership is not viable. Additionally, Leslie points to varying levels of trust between spouses and the fact that when the marriage vows (that were spoken between you and your spouse in front of witnesses) are broken then there's some work that needs to be done. Whether is was submission, obedience, humbleness, or abuse, no matter our topic, Leslie balances it with clarity, hope and God's heart for us and for marriage. I am confident that her message is going to encourage you to continue pursuing the heart of God and discovering His intention for marriage and the freedom He has for us as the individual He created you to be. We can't forget, that if we've professed the Son of God as our Lord and Savior, then He's made a vow to us. He'll never leave us nor forsake us especially in the painful places of life.  I don't want to delay any longer, let's listen in so that we might get a glimpse of how to find God in our pain, specifically the broken places in marriage. Live Loved and Thrive! @Alifeofthrive.com Connect with Leslie: Website Counseling Podcast Resources Facebook Instagram   Bio: Leslie is the co-host with her husband, Doug, of The Vision-Driven Marriage podcast. They currently work with couples who are experiencing the overwhelm of the whirlwind of life. She earned a Master of Science degree in counseling from Illinois State University in 2008 and a Bachelor of Science degree from Southern Illinois University in 1991. She has been trained as a certified Suicide Intervention Specialist and is a member of the American Association of Christian Counselors. Leslie has been married to Doug for 34 years. Together they have four beautiful daughters and three sons-in-law. Four sweet little granddaughters call her Nana.  She likes to write, scrapbook, and has recently taken up watercolor painting.  Transcript: https://www.happyscribe.com/transcriptions/463bf4a1bbd74ee6b8e335669e679edb/view  

My guest Sue Corl is the Founder and Executive Director at Crown of Beauty International. Her childhood and young adult years were very difficult. She was born with a facial birth defect and from birth to 15 years of age most of those formative years were spent living with complications both physical and mental, from back to back corrective surgeries.  But talking with Sue, listening to her life, hearing about her ministry, her husband and family, God has not wasted a single moment of pain and suffering and neither has Sue. In pursuit to rewrite the lies that she believed about herself, she has agreed with God on everything that He has to say about her, and the way that He loves her. Hence the birth of Crown of Beauty International. It is her passion to lead women to find freedom from the defeating lies that they think, feel, and live out in their personal lives.  Sue travels all around the world and walks through every door God opens for her and she points the hearts of women to God's truth and His deep love for them. Sue is amazing! I want let you know that the thing that was supposed to keep your mouth shut, the thing that has you feeling guilt and shame, give it to God and He'll transform it into an adventure you would have never thought to ask for nor could you imagine.   We talked about so many things but a few of those that stuck out to me were, talking about how reading God's word (the Bible), how it transforms you through the work of the Holy Spirit. Not just from a spiritual aspect. She talked about when the word is built upon and it begins to transform us little by little it also affects our posture, the way we walk, how we talk to people, the way we show up in places, roles, responsibilities. It reminded me of this, I'm not sure if you've ever experienced it but sometimes when you're talking to someone you can see joy in their eyes, a light in some people's eyes. Without fail, every time I dig a little deeper in conversation with them, sometimes asking point blank are you a Christian or a different faith based question I find out that they are indeed Christians. Seeing a light in their eyes makes complete sense to me because we are filled with the Light of the World.   Because of Sue's international travel she talked about how our negative self-image and negative internal dialog is seen all around the world, even including men. They've started a separate program for men. Hearing that, I asked her what is the common dominator. And of course you can always trace it back to the one who steals, kills and destroys us from the inside out.  Ultimately, we believe varying degrees of lies about ourself. Anytime we believe a  lie and it goes unchecked, it is not in our favor. We will not fare well.  It can start out as a good thing but at some point it has the potential to tip into a lie. We can start out confident but then end up prideful, we can start out being kind and caring but we end up being a doormat. So I had to ask her this question, how do we keep our life in balance? Sue's response? By consistently, exposing our way of thinking to God's truths. Challenge the triggers in our life by allowing God room to speak into those places. In doing so He'll expose the lies for us. The best part is that He downloads His truth so that if we choose, we can rewrite what we thought was truth with the real thing, God's truth AND His love. I saw a quote from Billy Graham “ Most of all let the Word of God fill you and renew your mind every day. When your minds are on Christ, Satan has little room to maneuver.”  If you've been listening to several of my past podcast episodes on the healing ministry here's something that Sue shared that lined right up with how God made us mind, body, soul, spirit, it's all meshed together. Sue has been studying the brain and unforgiveness. She's been reading medical materials etc. and she shares that through medical science she discovered that unforgiveness is now considered a disease because it has the same impact on your body as a disease. So, that of course reminds me of the Bible verse Proverbs 14:30 (NLT), A peaceful heart leads to a healthy body; jealousy (in my opinion a form of unforgiveness) is like cancer (a disease) to the bones. (My emphasis added) Let me wrap up with this and we'll get started. Our transformation from bondage, and I don't care what area or form of bondage you're in, but going from bondage to freedom it's going to require our participation. An active engagement not only pursuing God for truth but putting it to work in our life. Taking part in our transformation has to do with interrupting negative thoughts or beliefs by using God's promises, His truths to rewrite the lies we believe, and Sue says, it takes intentional work to create new neuro pathways that change our brain and therefore change the course of our life.  God is inviting us to discover Him in the healing process and He's created our body to be successful at overcoming the obstacles of this life. So let's listen in and see how and where we can find God meeting us in our pain with solutions, transformation and redemption. Live Loved and Thrive! @alifeofthrive.com   Bio: Crown of Beauty International founder, Sue Corl, was born with a severe cleft palate, without a nose, upper lip, or palate. During the first 15 years of her life, Sue underwent 26 major operations. As a child, she heard lies about her physical appearance and struggled emotionally with her self-worth. In her late twenties, she began the journey of emotional healing as she opened God's Word and discovered the truths of who she is: fearfully and wonderfully made and an image bearer of God. Her personal story inspired her to begin Crown of Beauty International to help women around the world to experience the same freedom from lies, shame, and strongholds that God provided for her. Sue is an international women's conference speaker, author, mentor, and Bible teacher, and served 25 years as a missionary in Asia. Her greatest joy is being a wife and mother of two adult children. She has a passion to see women set free by receiving the love of God and living out their potential in the powerful truth of who they are in Christ. Connect with Sue: https://www.CrownofBeautyInternational.com

I'm so glad you're here today because it could mean we are a lot alike in that we struggle with letting go of guilt and shame. It does the heart good, or at least it does my heart good to know that I'm not the only one struggling with this. I wanted to share this sweet reminder, that the Lord gave me. I love when the truth of what I know about God sinks in a little bit deeper into my heart. In this case it broke off some pride I had about forgiveness and not the forgiveness we typically think of first, that of forgiving others. This was about forgiving myself. I almost want to ask you to listen to this episode at a time when things are quiet and you're in a personal space so that you can actively respond to what a share but I know that everyone has a very busy life and therefore that's a hard request. Whether you listen now or whether you use my suggestion later to process with God, I'm hoping to create an opportunity for you to hear God's voice because I'm thinking you're like me in that you already know the truth of God's forgiveness and yet we still beat ourself up with guilt and shame. This proves there is some value in digging a little deeper, or simply lingering a little longer with focused concentration to discover freedom when it comes to forgiving ourself. Again, the quiet space is not mandatory because I was driving down the road when God spoke into my spirit. The sweetness of the Lord had me in tears. I don't want anything to happen to you should you be driving. Maybe pull over if the love of the Lord comes over you like it did me. What I have to share today will keep pointing us back to the cross, something you may feel is a bit overdone. Not overdone with the reverence we have for the cross but possibly overdone with regard to how familiar you are with the message of the cross. Stay with me please because I can't get to where I want to take us without going to the cross. And to be honest, as Christians it is always about the cross. It is the core of our faith. It's what makes our faith different. The fact that we have a relationship with the Living God. An alive, active, engaged relationship. We can know our God and hear His voice. There is the potential that some parts of what I'm going to delve into might feel a little abrasive because when God revealed my pride to me in the context of forgiving myself I hadn't thought of it as pride. Additionally, I'm well aware that when people get too close to the things that we are sensitive about it feels judgmental but when God exposes us He does it in love and He's inviting us into deeper relationship, where trust (in Him) is matured. I want this message to be done in love so that is why I'll be pointing you to God to have your conversation with Him. I want Him to reveal what He wants to set you free from. My goal is not to add condemnation to this conversation. That is satan's speciality. God convicts but He never condemns, two different things. I want this conversation to be done in the same gentle, kind way that God did it for me. He didn't call me out to embarrass me. He gently exposed my pride in order to set me free from it. It's times like that when He takes us back to the cross, not to harm us, but to heal us. I'm going to prompt you with an exercise and it's based on the times when the devil tries to drag us back to a place that reminds us of our shame, guilt and regret. I've worked through a lot of childhood trauma. I think everybody's pretty clear on the fact that our family of origin sets the pace for our adult life and so it impacts our decisions. Those experiences help craft the lens through which we see people and the world. We make a lot of assumptions because our experiences do not have a full understanding so now we're dealing with lies we believe, and it all creates the value system we live by. Because no family, no person, no relationship is perfect and sinless, this gives satan plenty of opportunity to try and take us back to painful memories or experiences. We can all find ourselves in these familiar places of thinking defeating thoughts because satan has his successful patterns that he runs on us. It will always be his goal to to steal the truth of God's word, because in truth there is freedom. Satan wants to kill our hope, faith, love, our relationships and at the very least destroy us from the inside out. In times when a situation activates one of our coping skills or in any way that we've created a self protection method, let it be an instant signal for us that God wants to engage our heart about what we're feeling. He'd love to hear your heart and be given the opportunity to speak His truth into whatever it is we're believing to be true. In moments like that, meet Him at the cross. The place where He won the full victory over all of life's failures and brokenness. The things that primarily cause us guilt and shame are structured around something that we've done, that we're responsible for. Our actions, our decisions, and our choices have brought us shame and regret. If we've repented for our sins then we can have assurance that we're forgiven (because of the cross) and yet we play the shameful memory of our actions over and over in our mind and in our heart. It's in this context of forgiven yet unable to let go that I want to create an opportunity for you to take a fresh look at the cross and reconsider something about God's heart for you. And real quick allow me to take a detour because I don't want to overlook this aspect of guilt and shame. With regard to feeling shame or guilt, I'm not referring to times when someone has violated/victimized you. If you're living with guilt and shame because you feel that what happened to you is somehow your fault, this message does not apply to your situation. I'll be talking about choices that we make and are solely responsible. If you find yourself dealing with guilt and shame over something someone did to you, there is a measure of trauma healing that needs to take place because you're not responsible for the actions of another person. In short, you can't own another person's choices. While you are not responsible for what happened to you, if there is any responsibility to be had on your part it would taking responsibility to flip the script on satan. Make every effort to find the healing you need. Make life giving decisions to get what you need and don't stop until you are free. Just so I don't drop you off cold in the middle of this episode, if you have a few minutes, disengage from your immediate To Do List and recline in the Lord, rest with Him. Just receive from Him. If you want to engage God, ask Him, Lord what step do you want me to take next so that I can process the guilt and shame I feel? Who do I need to talk to in order to find healing from these thoughts that are eating away at me on the inside. Also, I will put links in the show notes for a few past episodes and in a couple of weeks there is another one coming out on October 20th. These episodes all take a look at the various healing ministries available to believers. My guest Eileen Love and I talked about Emotion Code Healing - it was broken into 2 parts (Part 1 & Part 2). There's an episode on the Deliverance Ministry Healing with Karen King. Additionally, the episode on October 20th is on the Healing Prayer ministry with Frank Meadows. So remember to come back on or after the 20th to find that one. Coming back to our topic at hand, overcoming the guilt and shame that is based on our decisions and choices. Specifically the situation where we've repented for our sins but we are not able to forgive ourselves. Here's a suggestion, my intended exercise on how to engage the Lord: Find a place where you can be real with God. Intentionally invite him into your space, ask him to protect the conversation that you'll be having with him. He'll command His army to position themselves in the atmosphere so that you can say whatever is on your heart. God is going to protect your vulnerability. He never asks for a perfect conversation, He asks for a genuine one. Once you've intentionally invited God into your space and He has secured the atmosphere I want you to bring to the forefront of your mind the thing that taunts you with guilt and shame. Expose it by speaking it out loud to the Lord. Father, every time this thing (tell him what the thing is not because He doesn't know but He will only work on what you're willing to give Him. He will not force anything from you or on you). Father, every time this comes to mind I block it out. I feel disgusted…whatever it is you feel, think, believe etc., talk to God. Today could possibly be the first time that you've actually verbalized it. Maybe your shame and regret keeps you from talking about that thing that has left your heart battered and ragged, and exhausted. But you think about it. Your internal dialog beats you up over it when it surfaces. Maybe you've been talking with God about it but you keep returning to it, like you're still chained to it. Feeling like you have no control over it, no voice about it, no freedom from it? You just feel helpless to change it or make a difference. You did what you did or maybe you didn't do what you should have done. You said what you said or maybe you said nothing and you feel that you should have said something. Now you're left with the emotional baggage, potentially physical ailments not to mention the mental battle. The good news? All that has the potential to change if you're willing to be transparent with the Lord in the safety of the space He's protecting you in. Remember in Genesis 32 when God asked Jacob, “What is your name?” It was not that God didn't know Jacob's name but Jacob had a lot of trauma attached to his name. In Biblical times, a person's name was part of their identity. Jacob's name means deceiver and Jacob lived up to that. As a matter of fact, the reason Jacob is struggling with God in this verse is because he was getting ready to cross paths with his twin brother Esau and Jacob was responsible for not only stealing Esau's birth right but Jacob also stole the final blessing from their father that rightfully belonged to Esau. Jacob initially reaches out to Esau in an attempt to make peace with his brother. In response, he receives word that Esau is headed his way with 400 hundred of his men in tow. So now Jacob has come to God scared to death for his life and God asks Him, What is your name? It might seem like a strange question in such a desperate situation. God wasn't trying to shame Jacob. God was inviting Jacob into transparency, to be truthful with him. But why, you might ask? Because change only happens when we expose our fear, guilt, and shame. But not to just anyone but rather expose it to the One who defeated it. The One who can make a difference, the One who can turn it of your good. Guilt and shame left in the dark, bouncing off our heart and our mind, it only becomes bigger and bigger in our mind and emotions. I can't say this enough, when God calls us out of the dark places of our mind, he's not trying to expose us for the purpose of embarrassment or to beat us down reminding us who the Almighty God is. Without authentic transparency we can't connect to people. We'll have a surface relationship at best. And let me just say here, not everyone is trustworthy with our pain so you should guard you heart in this area. But the God of the Holy Bible wants real, life giving, life breathing relationship with us. We can't change what we don't acknowledge. Change only happens when we expose our fears to the origin of truth, the fountain head of truth. Nothing stands against God's truth. Because God will not push Himself on us, He was inviting Jacob into deeper relationship. He was saying, son, will you get real with me about what you're feeling/experiencing? Will you have the courage to expose your fear to me so that the thing you keep struggling with, that thing you keep running from, we can put on the table and we can talk about it and we can work through it together? And Jesus says to us, my precious daughter, will you give that thing to me? Will you trust me with your pain? Daughter, do you believe that I love you and I have good things to give you in exchange for your nightmares? When we take our pain to God and struggle well to discover His truths in the context of our deep questions He gives us the beauty of His presence and we are transformed by the revelation that accompanies His presence. Truth shows up every time God shows up and we don't have to wait for the spirit to move we can invite Him in and initiate an intimate exchange. God honors our authentic struggle because He knows that it takes courage to be transparent with Him, to step beyond our human understanding and experiences and accept His invitation into intimacy. So you've invited God into your space, and He has taken authority over the atmosphere, you've brought that thing into the Light of His presence and you're letting anxiety flow out of your mouth. As you verbally process this brings a measure of release to your mind and body. The next thing I want you to do is picture God with you. See His kind and caring manner. Maybe He's holding your hands, looking into your eyes with gentle affection. Maybe He's sitting at the table with you. I can guarantee you this, if he's sitting at the table with you He's sitting next to you and He's got His arm around you. In the safety and security of God, continue to purge your pain as long as you need to. Let Him know how you feel. What is your worst fear, your worst nightmare about that thing? Tell Him why you feel guilt and shame, or whatever emotion you feel. If you want, ask Him to show you where He was when this or that happened? He's never left you so He was present. He's not afraid of anything you share. You won't scare Him off. He won't reject you. This space of transparency and pain all tangled together in what can feel like a terrifying mess, this is His speciality and I'll tell you why. He doesn't extravagantly attend to us knowing that He WILL heal us, He's drawing us into the healing He's ALREADY provided. When we expose our fear and pain to him, healing and restoration begins not because a spontaneous healing happened in that He's decided to now alleviate your guilt in that moment. But because you pursued Him in this context, it was engaged and therefore applied in that moment. It was already purchased on the cross you just hadn't made it personal yet. Whatever you admit, confess or reveal, all the emotion, regret, shame, it doesn't have to be pretty, or nice or even godly. Real pain, deep pain is messy. After you've poured it all out and you've come to the end of yourself, I want you to hear your Father God's voice. He's calm, soft spoken, loving. He's saying, my precious precious daughter, I'll take that, and I'll take that, and that too and give me that one. Give it all to me. Let it go. I've already settled these things. Let me show you. Let Jesus lead you to the cross. Envision Christ scooping up all the emotion that you've been willing to expose and I want you to watch him lay your actions, choices, sins, onto His heart and then willingly lay on the wooden beams fashioned into a cross. Bear with me, this is the familiar part that may feel a little overdone. But this time, make it personal by seeing it through the eyes of knowing Jesus is taking your place. See the roman soldiers drive an iron peg through his left hand, and an iron peg his right hand, then another iron peg through his feet. Watch as they hoist the pole into the air and drop the foot of the cross down into the hole in the ground. It hits hard and the iron pegs tear His flesh. They'll pierce his side with a spear and the final drops of His atoning blood along with water, the living water of life, will spill onto the ground. I'm not reminding you of this historical account because I want you to feel sorry for Him. This is not about pity. Jesus was not victimized in the manner of the Romans taking his life, He willingly laid down His life. I'm not telling you this to compound any guilt or shame because the truth is, we have no authority, no input, and no point of reference with regard to God's plan on what the payment for sin will be and Jesus' agreement on how it will be settled. I'm reminding you of the cross because it's always about the cross. It's the intersection where God's truth and provision meets man's sin and human will. This question may still be be lingering in the air, How do we move from the knowledge of forgiveness to embracing this as truth in our life? How do we make this our core belief and understanding so that we operate and do life from the place of being forgiven? How do we make the leap from knowing in our head that we're forgiven to actually forgiving ourselves? Maybe our inability to forgive ourselves is twisted up with the cross. And it's the reason why we won't let ourselves off the hook. Because the truth is, it should have been me. It should have been you. Paying for what we've done. That was our debt. Our burden, our guilt, our shame, our choices, our actions. When it comes to realistically applying forgiveness, there is a portion of the process when we apply God's truth every time guilt and shame comes up in our mind. We interrupt the thought with truth, not allowing our mind to start running wild. While that can seem robotic, God's truth overwhelms every lie and is very effective. The point of forgiveness that I'm trying to examine are the times where we're checking all the Christian boxes of what makes a good Christian so that our good outweighs our bad. We're doing all the right things. We're praying, we're fasting, we're in church every Sunday all with the hope that we'll get God's approval and then He will supernaturally change the way we feel. I don't want to deny the practical part of applying God's word to our life, but what I want to dig down into is the pride part. Could it be that we've put ourself on the cross? Let's say we have. And yet we're STILL struggling to extend forgiveness to ourselves. On the one hand, we can't deny the truth of our guilt and on the other hand, somewhere down to the core of our DNA we also acknowledge that we are grossly under qualified (and that is putting it lightly) to carry the weight of the cross. Whatever the reason is, I do know that pride can blind us. It did me. If we don't humble our hearts we will find ourselves on the hamster wheel of guilt, shame, forgiveness, guilt, shame, forgiveness. It feels like a rat race but that's simply the world's value system. In God's value system, it's the intersection where God's truth and provision meets man's sin and human will. I'm reminded of a story that's been around as long as I can remember, I feel sure you've heard it. It's about the man who worked at a bridge with railroad tracks. He was responsible for opening and shutting the bridge for both the boats and the train. He'd taken his little boy to work one day and the youngster was playing on the tracks. To the father's surprise a train was approaching faster than he could get to his son but if he closed the bridge lowering the train track his son would be crushed. Not sure if it's a true story or not but it goes on to say that the man made the excruciatingly heart shattering decision to save all the people and their families that were on the train and he lowered the tracks crushing his little boy. The people on that train would go on living their life, never knowing what the father sacrificed nor what the precious son had afforded them. I often overlay that onto God's Fatherly heart because some believers will never grasp the fullness of freedom that has been paid for them. Surely God's heart must have broken because in the sin payment transaction God turned His face away from His beloved Son. Full payment for sin, the kind that saves us, translates to God the Father, being separated from His Son, Jesus. Some believers will go on living their life, entangled in shame, regret, never embracing what God ordained and what the blood of the Son afforded them. They'll maintain a distance between their head knowledge that God had a plan to pay their debt of sin and yet never embrace it in their heart what the precious son afforded them with His blood. This whole message, this episode started when I was in my car, driving down the road, talking with God, the image of Christ on the cross making the just and final payment for my sin came to my mind. I've seen this picture countless times in books, and all kinds of preaching material but this time, my heart responded to the immense sacrifice, I made it personal. I saw the intimacy of what Jesus was doing for me and it softened my heart in a different way. The kindness of Jesus overwhelmed me. Kindness can seem like such a weak word in the scale of this particular context. Romans 2:4 says, Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness is intended to lead you to repentance? What had me weeping was being overwhelmed with the goodness and kindness of God even though I was in a place of pride, despising the riches of His kindness, forbearance and patience. I wasn't letting the work of the cross, His Son's blood be enough. I was making it about me. I would not have made a direct connection with that way of thinking, none-the-less, it was playing out in my life, in my thought life. And when I saw how precious the Lord is to me even though I looked upon the cross with contempt/pride my heart become overwhelmed. If Jesus' blood satisfied my sovereign, holy God, why was I being prideful still making it about me? God hasn't abandoned us at Friday on the Cross. He gave us the Sunday resurrection. Our God is alive. Jesus is alive. Living breathing, fresh perspectives, new beginnings, the God of do overs. That's the power of the blood. I've said a lot to bring us to this one point. It's time to change our vision of the cross, our self imposed definition of what pays our debt. If you're still in a strangle hold by your past I want to know, when you look up at the cross do you see Jesus on it or is it empty? Do you see Jesus' work finished or unfinished? If we haven't allowed the blood to pay our debt we're as good as a dead (wo)man. We're physically alive but we're mentally/emotionally 6 feet under. And we'll stay stuck in that type of mental grave until we soften our hearts, humbly admit that we're not capable of paying our debt. Not now, not at our last breath, not at any time in between. Let's take ourself off the cross. It's not about us. Face it, we cannot pay for what we've have done or not done. We cannot fix what we said or did not say. If you agree with the atoning blood of Jesus and His finished work on the cross, you have been acquitted. The final words of Christ on the cross apply to us. It. Is. Finished. Tell your mind, YOU'RE FREE! Tell your heart, YOU'RE FREE! Tell your body, YOU'RE FREE! We don't have to wait for heaven to live in peace, joy, and freedom. Give God, give Jesus, your praise and gratitude. Take a moment to let Him embrace you with His presence. Soften your heart toward His love, make Him personal in your heart and mind. And then do Him the best honor of all, let the world see God in you! Get out there and... Live Loved and Thrive! Get Rid of Guilt and Shame: Invite God into a conversation. Ask Him to take control of the atmosphere. Bring to the forefront of your mind the thing that still causes you guilt and shame. Talk with God about how you feel. Give him all of your pain and questions - Purge all your beliefs that surround the pain. Picture God with you, listening in a loving way. Ask Him, who do you want to be for me in this? What do you want me to know about You in this context of my guilt and shame? Trust God with your pain. Tell God you do not despise His Son Jesus and the work of the cross. Lay your guilt and shame at the foot of the cross. Break any agreement you have made with the lies you have believed about your guilt and shame. Give God your praise and thanksgiving. It can be in tears, laughter, songs of worship, outright words of praise etc. in whatever way you want to worship Him and give Him His due honor. RESOURCES: Past Podcast Episodes: Emotion Code with Eileen Love: Part 1 - https://alifeofthrive.com/2023/06/07/emotion-code-therapy-part-1-with-eileen-love/ Part 2 - https://alifeofthrive.com/2023/06/22/emotion-code-therapy-with-eileen-love-part-2/ Deliverance Ministry with Karen King: https://alifeofthrive.com/2023/09/13/finding-freedom-through-the-deliverance-ministry/ October 20, 2023 - I'll add the link for the podcast on Healing Prayer Ministry with Frank Meadows. In the meantime you can check out his website: https://www.meadowshealingprayercenter.com/

I can't think of anyone who would intentionally sign away their freedoms to a dangerous sect or a toxic community, so how does one find themselves in this type of environment? After talking with my guest Lauren Hunter, who shares her story of leaving Christian Science, I realized that often, it comes down to a very simple unassuming entry.   Christian Science was the faith of her family so Lauren was born into the teachings, practices and beliefs. Family is key. People find themselves in cults just like people join gangs or enter into relationships that end up being toxic because initially they feel like family and ultimately who doesn't want to belong? I've often said this, when we look at society as a whole, (our worries, fears, anxieties, or motivations to accept less than we are worthy of, when we allow people to violate our bodies and our minds etc.)we can peel away all the different choices that people use to cope and self protect and I personally believe that we can all be boiled down to one thing. We fear being alone. I also think that our fear of being alone has to do with the way we were created. It's in our DNA to seek relationship and yet nothing in this world will fully satisfy. Ultimately, our desire for relationship is to draw us to the One who created us. We were created for an intimate, real relationship with the living God. It was His original plan for us to dwell face to face with Him but when sin entered the Garden of Eden we were separated from Him. We're left with the need, a deep desire to find home, to find God. This desire to find the One who fills us is a beautiful gift from the Father because once we pass from here, our soul, the part of us that lives eternally will face one of two realities, heaven or hell. God has created in us the desire to know Him so that we might choose Him and therefore live eternally with Him.  The thought of not spending eternity with God grieves His heart and so He gives us an innate desire to avoid being eternally alone (separated from love, joy, peace, a place where there is no pain, no tears etc.). It is the goodness and kindness of God to give us yet another way to seek Him and choose Him. That's the heart of a Father, to give His children every opportunity to choose Him, to have another chance at eternity with Him. Being heard, seen, loved, valued, not being alone is an incredibly powerful motivator for people to stay in destructive relationships be that faith based, dating, friendship, marriage, work etc.   Lauren talks about the red flags that we need to be aware of. Granted we may not discern them at first because there is a conditioning, a soft build up to the actual abuse but some of the ones Lauren touched on were things like, the requirement to be obedient to the belief system, don't question their authority, distrust outsiders, shoulder any burdens you experience, and undermining trust in yourself. After you hear all that Lauren talks about in this conversation you're going to want to get her book, Leaving Christian Science. She shares more of her personal story and includes 9 other people who share their experiences and why they too left the false faith.  Each chapter addresses the various theological inconsistencies taught by Mary Baker Eddy, the Founder of Christian Science. Lauren and her guests compare Christian Science themes such as matter, Jesus Christ, contagion, prayer, and sin. Examining these inconsistencies provides a deeper understanding of the Christian faith that Lauren now pursues in freedom and truth. Let's get this conversation started.  Live Loved and Thrive! @alifeofthrive.com Connect with Lauren: Website: laurenhunter.net Amazon Book Page: https://amzn.to/32LKPRk Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/laurenhunter.net/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/mamahunter100 Twitter: https://twitter.com/laurenhhunter LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurenhhunter/ Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/laurenhhunter/ Amazon Author Central: https://amazon.com/author/laurenhunter NetGalley Widget Link to review copy: https://www.netgalley.com/catalog/book/203967 Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/lauren_hunter BookBub Author Page: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/lauren-hunter Bio: Lauren Hunter is a writer who loves the big picture of God's journey we are all on together. Raised in a fourth-generation family of Christian Scientists, Lauren left her family's faith behind at the age of 25 to become an evangelical Christian. She is married to her high school sweetheart, and they live in Northern California with their four children.

My guest Karen King has developed a passion for the deliverance ministry specifically the deliverance from demonic attachment, influence, oppression, all the plans and schemes that Satan has set against us.  It's no secret, God has a plan for your life and so does Satan but before we jump into finding freedom I do want to pause for one minute and acknowledge that some people do not believe that a Christian should or could have trouble with demonic attachments and influences or oppression, and if that's you, don't check out.  Allow me to humbly submit to you Job. A man who was tested in every single capacity of life and never sinned against God. As a matter of fact, it was because of Job's faithfulness that God offered him up to Satan. With restrictions of course, but none the less we see Job go from traumatic emotional pain, to physical illness pain to a place where the pain turned inward on himself as he cried out to the God he believed in.  We have this perspective about Job but we can also acknowledge that we've all been through portions of Job's journey. Our own emotions can become weary unless we isolate ourselves from life and relationship. But isolation is Satan's playground with regard to our mental thought life. So take the time to talk to Holy Spirit and ask Him to reveal the various ways that your enemy works against you to steal your mental health, kill your peace of mind and ultimately destroy you, even though you remain physically alive. Ask Holy Spirit to give you revelation and then whatever He reveals, take it captive to Christ. Karen is here to let us know that we can find freedom from anguish, confusion, depression and anxiety, all the ways that we suffer when Satan goes undetected and therefore runs rampant in our thought life. Times when we allow negative thoughts and experiences to overwhelm us to the point that we live in fear and cannot find any peace. We're in constant survival mode, never confident about which way to turn.  Mental health is simply one way Satan works against us and Karen feels that stored emotions in her body (from a 20 year abusive marriage) contributed to the 2 cancer diagnoses that she's received. But it has only fueled her desire to stand on God's word and experience what it means when we read in the Holy Bible that, "...by His stripes (His wounds) we are healed." (My emphasis inserted) He paid the price for our healing (be it mental, physical or emotional) with every drop of His Son's blood so I am confident that the blood He's invested is a clear indication that healing is for everyone. In other words, God wants a return on His most precious investment.  Not only does Karen participate in the deliverance ministry by assisting people to be set free by the power of Christ but she herself has benefited greatly by also allowing others in the deliverance ministry to break off demonic influences that she has experienced.  Additionally, she's taken the time to investigate in what ways she has allowed Satan to have access to her and when she finds points of access she exercises the power and authority of Christ's work on the cross. She shuts down the strongman and his structured kingdom, forbidding any division and casting them all into the pit of hell where they came from.   Another way that Satan finds an access point and then we'll get to the conversation with Karen, is when the uncertainty of life hits us it creates an environment that is rich with regard to questioning God's goodness which in turn causes us to question God's love for us and His intentions. Questioning God in the midst of pain is normal and expected but it's an opportune time for Satan to attach himself to our pain and flood us with past pain that lines up with our current situation and therefore validating our emotions. All with the purpose of driving a wedge between our heart and God's heart. Satan wants us to lose our footing on the truths that we already know about God.   Satan wants us to define God based on our pain and fear.  Satan attacks us in our most vulnerable places. Our weakest moments are the perfect time for him to slay us and again, he doesn't necessarily want to kill us physically but rather slay us emotionally and mentally. I can only imagine the daily celebration we afford him when we are alive yet dead inside. And really what kind of Christian testimony is that to the world especially when we've been given authority over our enemy and freedom in the presence of our enemies, despite the existence of evil in his life. Take that Satan! Let's get started so we can hear all that Karen has to share!  Live Loved and Thrive! @alifeofthrive.com Connect with Karen: https://finding-freedom-ministries.com Resources: Downloads Books Videos Want more information/episodes about other types of deliverance ministry options? Here are some links to past episodes: Emotion Code Therapy Part 1 Emotion Code Therapy Part 2 Bio: Karen King is an ordained minister who has been involved in ministry in Hampton Roads for many years. She is trained in deliverance, inner healing, and counseling. She is also a mother of seven children and has four grandchildren. Karen spent many years raising her large family as a single mom. Because of her perseverance and years walking closely with the Holy Spirit, she experienced deep inner healing from fear and low esteem. In the midst of these trials, she was also diagnosed with multiple myeloma. She has an amazing testimony of walking out her physical and emotional healing that was activated by her amazing faith in the healing power of Christ. Karen's faith and determination through these trials allowed her to flourish in her spiritual gifts as she sought deliverance and inner healing from the oppression. Karen also has a passion for nutrition and is a certified health coach.  This has played a large role in her physical healing.  Karen spent many years in catering and loves to mentor others in nutrition and wellness.  The Lord has given Karen a vision of one day opening a healing ranch where people can come for health coaching, physical healing, inner healing, and deliverance.  She has a passion to help people from the inside out and shares the love of Christ through her relationships. Karen now serves the Lord by ministering to others who are fighting through the same mental, spiritual, and physical trials that she conquered through the power of Christ.  She has a special calling to mentor young people and woman who are struggling in their spiritual and physical walk.  Karen also specializes in personality assessments using the Disc assessment system to discover a person's personality type.  These assessments help improve communication, productivity, and conflict management in one's spiritual walk, job, and ministry.  She also has taught Disc assessment to churches, ministries, and businesses. Karen also actively serves as a deliverance minister and is on staff with Finding Freedom Ministries, helping break ungodly oppression through the power of Christ and counseling others through inner healing.

My precious friend, Alicia Hodges sat down with me to talk about the death of her son, Zane Hodges who was 30 at the time of his passing. We've had many of these conversations over the last 3 years. Our time together is full of exploring God in this context of loss and crying. I want to back up just a little bit. Allow me to layout my day before I learned we had lost Zane. I had recently started a 7am Tuesday morning prayer time with a sweet mom of 10. We had to start early because of the demands on her day. On the morning of June 16th 2020, we met and this young momma shared an amazing miracle that she and her family experienced that past weekend. True to the nature of a miracle something horrific presents itself and despite everything saying it should have a tragic ending it turns out completely different and their (then) 4 year old son is perfectly fine with no concerns left about his physical condition or motor skills etc. I can testify to the fact that he is indeed complete, whole, typical little boy. I left our short visit in awe of how God shows Himself faithful. On that same day, twelve hours later I saw my phone ringing with a number I did not recognize so I ignored it. What immediately followed was a text and the caller shared her name saying she was a good friend of Alicias  Alicia, my sweet friend and devoted mx (motocross) mom whose family we had grown close to through many years of traveling together cheering our sons on, praying for their safety and nursing them when they were injured. We shared in tragedy and triumph, good and bad, highs and lows.  I snatched up the phone and dialed the number back. I knew in my spirit I didn't want to hear what she had to say.  But of course when someone you love is in need you're propelled to run toward them.  As the woman spoke on behalf of Alicia my heart shattered into a million pieces. It would seem that God did not show Himself faithful for her baby boy. Yes, Zane was 30 but do our children ever stop being our babies?  These two women, my young mom of 10 and Alicia wear many hats in order to fulfill all the roles they are responsible for and they both value that of wife and mother above all the titles they're known by. They are passionate about God and they each serve Him with their whole heart.  Two moms serving the same God whom they profess to be good, kind, loving and protective. One with a beautiful story of restoration and protection and the other laid her son to rest.  Neither mom did anything wrong. Neither mom was more perfect than the other, more godly and more favored and loved by God.  How do we make sense of the good God who, at times seems cruel and at the very least does not treat us fair or equal. One minute He's saving the day and the next it seems He's disinterested, nowhere to be found.  I'm not going to pretend I have the answers to understand what is clearly beyond my ability to grasp or process. A deep wisdom beyond my limited understanding holds the answers to the deepest cry of a shattered heart.  What I can do though is share personal, first hand stories that give real life examples of how God cares for us in the darkest of dark valleys and that's what Alicia does in this episode. We discuss the sovereignty of God, His authority over life and death and why He is trustworthy with our pain. We touch on the stigma of drug abuse and whether or not it's a choice. Especially when it's introduced to a young person because of an injury. Maybe it's a choice early on but at some point the chemical change in the brain takes over and that's the reality of the fight, not a simple choice to use or not use.  She briefly talks about what she refers to as “growth edges” and how, not wanting to be stuck in her grief, caused her to step out in faith to new territory in her spiritual growth and personal life.  At one point I ask her a question that I like to ask my guests because I think it's one of the major ways Satan attempts to separate us from God, His truth, healing, and redemption.  I asked her, in what ways did Satan try to drive a wedge between her and God. Her answer gave me a different perspective. One I hadn't thought about. Satan was set on destroying relationship but since He couldn't shake Alicia's connection with God he came after her personal relationships. Near the end of our conversation I asked her about Psalm 23, specifically  how did God prepare a table for you in the presence of your enemy and what she shared gave revelation of what God did and made it clear that what He did in that situation can be applied to everyday life. Where is the good God we profess when things become to much to bear? Listen in and hear Alicia's testimony on how to find God in our pain.  Connect with Alicia: Email: skinsoreal@gmail.com  IG @aliciahodges7 FB Alicia Williams Hodges  Biz. Website aliciahodges.neora.com Bio: My name is Alicia Williams Hodges and I am originally from Roanoke, VA.  I have been married 37 years and we live right outside Roanoke on Smith Mountain Lake. I have two beautiful children and a 2 year old granddaughter. I am a Founding Member with Neora, a Holistic Anti-Aging Beauty and Wellness Company and celebrated my 11th year in May of 2023. Previously, I had been a stay at home mom for 20 years and my days were filled with ministry, non-profit work and raising my kids. Life happened in “08 and Neora found me! I am a solution provider for your aging needs and concerns. I am very passionate about helping people look, feel and live their BEST life NOW, while building a legacy of faith, hope, love and wealth for families and future generations. Although I have an international business, I love networking, connecting and helping people build their businesses.   Want more encouragement on this topic? Listen to this episode with guest Carole Sluski, a mom who lost her daughter: https://alifeofthrive.com/2023/03/15/surviving-grief-and-the-death-of-her-daughter-with-carol/  

My guest, Suzanne Stines has an absolute amazing story. A story that begins with complete and utter uncertainty. Suzanne and I talk about her diagnosis of Choroidal Melanoma, a cancer in the eye that is believed to never go away. Only 6 people in a million get this type of eye cancer.  Even though Suzanne was having trouble with her eyes she felt it had more to do with her new schedule and work environment than anything serious so she didn't make a doctor's visit a priority.  What initiated this journey of uncertainty was a simple, but out of character request from her young daughter to see an eye doctor based on the fact that she was having trouble seeing the front of the classroom, the chalkboard.   In the process of diagnosing Suzanne accurately, they look at 3 markers that will tell a patient what their chances are of the cancer spreading to other parts of the body. Suzanne's test revealed that of the 3 levels, she has the highest marker indicating she is at the highest risk for her cancer to spread. But that initial diagnosis, is just the beginning of her journey as she pressed into the God who has shown Himself faithful in so many other areas of her life.  As you listen to her story, maybe you'll hear what I heard with regard to Suzanne's faith. Yes, she struggled with God, yes it was frightening, yes she had questions for God as the heart stopping news continued to  unfold. But God was already in motion, putting things in place. In His perfect timing, He moves Suzanne and her family from rural North Carolina to the hustle and bustle of Richmond, VA. This location would put her much closer to the doctors she would need before she even knows she'll need them.  Here's why I ponder how her faith has increased the miracles in her life. 1 Chronicles 5:20, the last part of verse 20 says, “…they cried out to him during the battle. He answered their prayers, because they trusted in Him.” Suzanne's story is going to encourage your heart in knowing that God is trustworthy and faithful through the dark valleys, especially because she shares two very important updates that I'm sure have the medical field scratching their heads or at the very least rereading previous data. But now they have some hope to share with their other patients.  You know, if someone told me I was one of 6 people, in one million who had received something, I'd be thanking God for the lottery win. It's embarrassing, but I do believe that is where my mind would go first. But listen to the end of this episode and hear Suzanne's parting words. In her heart she did win. She is discovering the most precious, intimate things about God in the fight for her life.  Let's jump in to this amazing testimony of finding the God of the Holy Bible in the midst of pain and suffering.  Live Loved and Thrive! @alifeofthrive.com   Connect with Suzanne: Freebie - 6 verses for peace, trust, and healing: https://suzanne-stines.ck.page/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/homebasewithsuz   Bio: When Suzanne was diagnosed with a rare eye cancer in 2018, her world came crashing down. She felt completely overwhelmed and struggled through every stage of grief. She learned how to chase Jesus with her whole heart and has since pursued a deeper and more intimate walk with Him. She will encourage you, make you laugh and bring you to tears with stories of how God has moved in her life before and after the diagnosis. Suzanne resides in Richmond, VA with her husband and daughter. Ladies are invited to join her Facebook group, Home B.A.S.E. with Suz, where she provides weekly Biblical and spiritual encouragement. You can find more info about Suzanne here where you can sign up for her newsletter and contact her for speaking events.

Think about the new level of joy you can have if you'll take the time to identify the joy stealers in your life! So if you want more joy in your life then what my guest has to offer is going to be a great resource for you! Author Doris Swift is here to throw us a life line and what I mean, is the she's here to help us identify the joy stealers in our life. As many of us know joy is not something we have to cultivate in our own power and it isn't defined by our circumstances. As believers it is a fruit of the spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness and self-control). And because it is a fruit of the spirit it is already present and available to us. We need only identify what we're allowing to get in between us and the joy that is rightfully ours as God's children's.  Doris has written a 6 week bible study on joy and this conversation includes the topics covered in the book: Reveal, Respond, Receive, Renew, Rest and Reach.  I believe her bible study provides a full investigation of joy, how we can find the fruit of joy in our life, how we can maintain it, and how we can increase the joy in our life. At the beginning of this episode Doris shares about an exercise she challenged her audience to participate in with regard to laying down their joy stealers as well as agreeing not to take them back.  She said she'd love to know if my podcast listeners take her challenge too and engage in the exercise she talks about. If you do interact with her proposed exercise, I as well would love to hear how you did and especially what action you took afterward to acknowledge your desire to leave your joy stealer(s) with God allowing Him to work them out in your life as you go about your day in His joy.  So leave us a comment associated with this episode.  Let's listen in to discover the power found in the simplicity of the type of joy that God has provided for us.  Lived Loved and Thrive! @alifeofthrive.com  Author Bio: Doris Swift is an author, speaker, founder of Fierce Calling Ministries, and host of the award-winning Fierce Calling podcast. She is passionate about equipping women to dig deeper into God's word, take action where their passion, compassion, and conviction intersect, and walk boldly in their fierce calling. Her new Bible study, Surrender the Joy Stealers: Rediscover the Jesus Joy in You, a six-week Bible study rooted in John 15, is available at dorisswift.com.          She currently resides in Central Florida with her husband Brian, is mom to an amazing son and daughter and their spouses, and Gammy to six awesome grandkids.   Connect With Doris: Website: dorisswift.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DorisSSwift Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dorissusanswift/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/DorisSSwift   Transcription: https://www.happyscribe.com/transcriptions/621e62d78ba64b39ad5170405c44bc78/view?organization_id=868176  

My guest, author Jennifer Eikenhorst knows a depth of sorrow, I pray I never know. She knows the reality of causing someone's accidental death. She's been on a healing journey ever since that fateful day in October of 2014. A journey that has spanned the full gamut of human suffering as she struggled and grappled with trying to make sense of what she used to know and who she used to be tangled with the reality of what she's forced to know in every area of her existence. She's recently published a book about her journey titled, Left Turn: Life Unimagined. Unimagined indeed. The scope of all that this tragedy seeps into is nothing shy of every facet of her life and the lives of others. Her heart and the hearts of everyone affected have been shattered in countless ways. Jennifer takes full responsibility for the accidental death of David, a motorcyclist that she did not see after stopping at the stop sign. She has an incredibly humble posture in the position of having taken the life of another human being. Additionally, she has great compassion for those who find themselves in the same exact position as her, having accidentally caused the death of another person. I'm not quite sure why I find the topic of forgiveness so intriguing but when Jennifer and I were able to get our schedules together for this conversation I knew that she would provide us with an incredible glimpse into the heart of God and His forgiveness. And in her case, not only God's forgiveness but the hope for forgiveness from David's family, her children's forgiveness because they were in the car at the time of the accident, her husband's forgiveness whom she withdrew from him feeling unloveable and unworthy, forgiveness from her community, her church, her job not to mention having to forgive herself and that's just the tip of the iceberg. We ran out of time before we had a chance to talk about the legal process that Texas has in place and the way it added to the devastation. As we talked, the layers that were affected by David's death, boggled my mind. From the moment of impact the repercussions would be felt in both her life as well as David's life. They didn't know each other prior to that moment in the intersection and despite the fact that David did not survive the tragic accident, Jennifer will never forget him or his family and nor does she want to. I'm going to keep this intro short. I'm finding it difficult to put into words the beauty and wisdom that Jennifer has to offer because of what God has walked her through. You're going to have to hear it yourself so that you can absorb this life changing information about the heart of God. As hard as it was for Jennifer to come to grips with what had happened, she knew that this situation had to pass through God's hands and receive approval. So she had to face the fact that God in His sovereignty had allowed it. In an effort to trust Him with His purpose behind allowing it, she asked God to show her how He had prepared her for this moment and she shares the various ways that He confirmed for her that He had prepared her and that He would see her through. Part of God's redemption for Jennifer was to connect her with Jada Pinkett Smith as a guest on her show, Red Table Talk. The Red Table Talk website describes the show "where we tackle current social and cultural issues with an inter-generational perspective." (redtabletalk.com) Jennifer's time on the show gave her the opportunity to share the tragedy she was experiencing and how the God of the Holy Bible made all the difference. Jennifer mentions that the Red Table Talk show has approximately 5 million viewers and I do see where they have 11 million followers on Facebook. I can't help but think about how amazing God is in the redemption process. God has also put Jennifer in the path of people whom she randomly passes and she's able to give an encouraging word for healing as well as provide resources that can help. We talked about so many things and that's why this audio ran over my preferred 1 hour max but you will not be disappointed with the message that Jennifer has to share. As we closed I asked her the final question, was there any ONE thing she'd want to share with our listeners today. Her response echoed her compassion and empathy that you'll hear throughout the entire conversation. She didn't plead her case, you'll never hear her side step or avoid taking responsibility for the accidental death of David. Instead, she takes the posture of a surrogate of sorts and offers an apology to anyone who needs to hear, "I'm sorry" from someone like her. This conversation will give your heart courage to trust God especially when life makes no sense and ending it all sounds more appealing. Let's listen in to find out what beautiful things God spoke to Jennifer in her very dark valley. Live Loved and Thrive! @alifeofthrive.com    Connect with Jennifer: You can connect with Jennifer at accidentalhope.com  Her Podcast: Accidental Hope Podcast  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AccidentalHope Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/accidentalhope/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/HopeAccidental   Resource: Accidental Impacts under the Hyacinth Fellowship - a support group for those who have unintentionally caused harm to another person: https://hyacinthfellowship.org/   Bio: Jennifer Eikenhorst loves Jesus which she feels is essential in her healing and therefore she shares her beliefs freely. Her faith is the cornerstone of content for her blog and podcast. She's the wife of a multi-sport coach, Chris (who stole her heart in her senior year of high school), mom to 4 amazing kids, math teacher, blogger, podcast host (Accidental Hope), grad student, hope-seeker, and notorious over-sharer! She's also an advocate for CADIs (Causing Accidental Death or Injury). Besides Jesus and her family, she loves their golden-doodle Coda, dance fitness, making recipes her own, and Bible journaling.   Transcript: https://www.happyscribe.com/transcriptions/227d72c9f31e45efb44c8d4ba5126b08/edit