RISE FROM STUCK -- Get Unstuck, Christian Author, Take Consistent Action, Be More Productive

Here in the U.S. Thanksgiving is days away. Then the holiday events abound for the next five weeks. If you are single like me, you're probably dreading the “Are you seeing anyone?” question from family or friends you haven't seen in a while because the answer is no. That's not how I'm going to answer that question this year, though. With a little help from ChatGPT, I have curated a list of fun responses to the dreaded question of “Are you seeing anyone?”  I'll share them with you in today's episode. Get ready to laugh cause here we go. Your friend, Bonnie Jean   P.S. Want to read the responses? Check out the blog post. Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts “I love Bonnie and Rise from Stuck.” If that sounds like something you'd say, please rate and review my show. Your rating and review helps the show get found by other authors with big writing dreams. It'll take a quick 30 seconds to click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then share what you enjoyed most about this episode. And if you haven't already done so, follow the podcast.  That way you'll never miss an episode and will be better prepared to write and publish your novel.  Follow now!

In this episode, I share my story of how I found significance as a single Christian woman. If you want to feel significant now as a single Christian woman, I invite you to join me on this journey to pursue God and our dreams.  I've wasted way too much time waiting to start living because I haven't found my man yet. I've spent way too much mental energy wallowing in my singleness and wondering if I'll ever find love. I've spent way too much emotional energy being embarrassed and resentful and bitter about my relationship status. I'm done waiting. I'm done wallowing. I'm done wondering. I'm done being embarrassed. I'm done being resentful. I'm done being bitter. I'm just done. I'm starting something new right here right now. I'm starting my ministry to you, my single sister in Christ. I want this podcast to be for you. I want to help you know God and understand His design. I want to you to know yourself in light of your identity in Christ and respect the strengths He has given you. I want to motivate you to take determined, persistent, consistent action toward your God-given dreams. I want you to become the diligent, disciplined, passionate woman God is calling you to become. Sound good? Listen in and discover the secret to finding significance as a single Christian woman. Your friend, Bonnie Jean Next Steps: Sign up for the free 2023 Renewed Conference coming in November 2023 so that you can grow in BOLDNESS.   Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts “I love Bonnie and Rise from Stuck.” If that sounds like something you'd say, please rate and review my show. Your rating and review helps the show get found by other authors with big writing dreams. It'll take a quick 30 seconds to click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then share what you enjoyed most about this episode. And if you haven't already done so, follow the podcast.  That way you'll never miss an episode and will be better prepared to serve God with confidence as a single Christian woman.  Follow now!

In today's episode, you will hear an encouraging story of bold faith in action as I interview my friend Erika Diaz-Castro, host of the Her Renewed Strength podcast and leader of the 2023 Renewed Conference. She literally thanks God for her cancer diagnosis and talks about how her study of the bible changed as a result of cancer. Powerful stuff. We met in a podcast mastermind last fall, and she has helped shape my mindset regarding productivity from a Christian perspective. Since meeting her and learning from her through her course and coaching, I am becoming more bold and more confident.  I never would have shared the story I shared had she not given me the opportunity to speak at the 2023 Renewed conference, which, by the way, takes place Nov 6-10. You should get yourself registered for free today.  As a result of that speech, I am becoming more clear about who God is calling me to be and who He is calling me to serve. If you're looking for an extra dose of boldness in your life, listen to today's episode, get yourself signed up for the 2023 Conference, and then show up for the conference! Who is going to be speaking at this conference? What are they going to be speaking about? Glad you asked. Listen in to find out. Your friend, Bonnie Jean Next Steps: Sign up for the free 2023 Renewed Conference coming in November 2023 so that you can grow in BOLDNESS. Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts “I love Bonnie and Rise from Stuck.” If that sounds like something you'd say, please rate and review my show. Your rating and review helps the show get found by other authors with big writing dreams. It'll take a quick 30 seconds to click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then share what you enjoyed most about this episode. And if you haven't already done so, follow the podcast.  That way you'll never miss an episode and will be better prepared to write and publish your novel.  Follow now!

As a Christian, it's important to have a strong faith foundation. The more you know about God, the more you learn about you. And people. And the world around you. How can we believe that, though? Should we blindly believe the Bible is true because it claims to be the inspired word of God? Does God expect us to just take His word for it, or does He provide tangible proof from outside sources? As we've seen in episodes 24, 25, 26 and 27, God provides an abundance of proof in the way of prophetic prophecies, historical records, and even medicine. In today's final episode in the Why Believe the Bible series, we'll explore some recent and significant archaeological discoveries that once again prove the Bible is true. Listen in as my dad Harry Schaefer continues to teach from his fancy recording studio…which also doubles as his dining room. Here's Harry! Your friend, Bonnie Jean Next Steps: Sign up for the free 2023 Renewed Conference coming November 6-10, 2023 so that you can grow in BOLDNESS. Listen to the Entire Why Believe the Bible Series Part 1: Is the Bible True? Part 2: 2 Fulfilled Prophecies Provide Proof of Biblical Truth Part 3: 3 Reasons to Believe the Bible Part 4: Medical Facts that Help Prove the Bible is True Part 5: The Search for TRUTH Keeps Uncovering Evidence   Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts “I love Bonnie and Rise from Stuck.” If that sounds like something you'd say, please rate and review my show. Your rating and review helps the show get found by other authors with big writing dreams. It'll take a quick 30 seconds to click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then share what you enjoyed most about this episode. And if you haven't already done so, follow the podcast.  

Welcome to the fourth episode in the Why Believe the Bible series taught by my awesome dad Harry Schaefer. The underlying premise of this Why Believe the Bible series is that we can verify the truth of the Bible by looking to outside sources such as the historical record to see if what's in the historical record aligns with scripture. And we find that it does. In episodes 23, 24, and 25, we looked at ways prophetic prophecies and archeological findings prove the Bible is true. Today, we'll look into an interesting outside source by exploring the realm of medicine. To explain, I'm handing the microphone to my dad as he continues to teach from his dining room table. Here's Harry! Your friend, Bonnie Jean Next Steps: Sign up for the free 2023 Renewed Conference coming November 6-10, 2023 so that you can grow in BOLDNESS. Listen to the Entire Why Believe the Bible Series Part 1: Is the Bible True? Part 2: 2 Fulfilled Prophecies Provide Proof of Biblical Truth Part 3: 3 Reasons to Believe the Bible Part 4: Medical Facts that Help Prove the Bible is True Part 5: The Search for TRUTH Keeps Uncovering Evidence   Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts “I love Bonnie and Rise from Stuck.” If that sounds like something you'd say, please rate and review my show. Your rating and review helps the show get found by other authors with big writing dreams. It'll take a quick 30 seconds to click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then share what you enjoyed most about this episode. And if you haven't already done so, follow the podcast.  

Have you ever believed something but didn't have any practical evidence to prove your belief was true? Well, until the last century or so, Christians had to endure criticism for believing the Bible even though the historical or archeological record could not find any proof that the Hitites or two significant leaders mentioned in the Bible existed.  But thanks to some cool discoveries you'll learn about in today's episode, those critics have been silenced. Let's dive in to explore three evidence-based reasons to believe the Bible is true. As with the first two episodes in this series, my dad Harry Schaefer will be your guide on this adventure. Here's Harry! Your friend, Bonnie Jean Next Steps: Sign up for the free 2023 Renewed Conference coming November 6-10, 2023 so that you can grow in BOLDNESS. Listen to the Entire Why Believe the Bible Series Part 1: Is the Bible True? Part 2: 2 Fulfilled Prophecies Provide Proof of Biblical Truth Part 3: 3 Reasons to Believe the Bible Part 4: Medical Facts that Help Prove the Bible is True Part 5: The Search for TRUTH Keeps Uncovering Evidence   Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts “I love Bonnie and Rise from Stuck.” If that sounds like something you'd say, please rate and review my show. Your rating and review helps the show get found by other authors with big writing dreams. It'll take a quick 30 seconds to click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then share what you enjoyed most about this episode. And if you haven't already done so, follow the podcast.  That way you'll never miss an episode and will be better prepared to write and publish your novel.  Follow now!  

Welcome to the second episode the Why Believe the Bible series hosted by my dad, Harry Schaefer. In episode 24, we learned that one way to confirm the truth of any book, including the Bible, is to compare it to outside sources. We take what's written, compare it to known facts, and see if it matches. If it lines up, it's true. The Bible lines up with known facts, so it can be trusted as a source of truth. And two, we can use predictive prophecy. Men inspired by God wrote amazingly accurate prophecies, and we looked at one such prophecy concerning Tyre.  In this episode, we'll dig into prophecies made by both Isaiah and Jeremiah regarding Babylon and explore how these prophecies really happened and thus help prove the Bible is true. Understanding why the Bible is true is a fundamental building block of Christian confidence. Confidence leads to boldness. If you're in need of more confidence and boldness, you should attend the FREE Renewed conference happening Nov 6-10. Ten Christian women—including myself—will be sharing golden nuggets of the faith to help you become more bold in your walk with God.  Right now, I'm turning the microphone back over to my dad. Here's Harry! Your friend, Bonnie Jean Next Steps: Sign up for the free 2023 Renewed Conference coming November 6-10, 2023 so that you can grow in BOLDNESS. Ready to let God renew your heart & mind? Join the Ephesians Challenge! Read one chapter of Ephesians every Monday - Saturday. Read the entire book of Ephesians on Sunday. Repeat for the remainder of 2023. Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts “I love Bonnie and Rise from Stuck.” If that sounds like something you'd say, please rate and review my show. Your rating and review helps the show get found by other authors with big writing dreams. It'll take a quick 30 seconds to click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then share what you enjoyed most about this episode. And if you haven't already done so, follow the podcast.  That way you'll never miss an episode and will be better prepared to write and publish your novel.  Follow now!

Greetings, my friend! If you've ever wondered why you can declare with confidence that the Bible is true, you'll want to tune in to today's episode. Today marks the start of a five-part Why Believe the Bible series I recorded with a special guest for my other podcast. I'm sharing it because knowing why you can believe the Bible and being able to defend your faith is important and lays the foundation for your boldness. Speaking of boldness, that is the theme of the Renewed conference I'll be participating in as a speaker on November 10. The free virtual event actually starts on Nov 6 and runs all week long. I'd love to be able to hang out with you live on Nov 10! All you have to do is get registered today to make sure you secure your zoom spot for our chat time. The link is below. Now on to today's topic: the Bible. Your friend, Bonnie Jean Next Steps: Sign up for the free 2023 Renewed Conference coming in November 2023 so that you can grow in BOLDNESS. Ready to let God renew your heart & mind? Join the Ephesians Challenge! Read one chapter of Ephesians every Monday - Saturday. Read the entire book of Ephesians on Sunday. Repeat for the remainder of 2023. Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts “I love Bonnie and Rise from Stuck.” If that sounds like something you'd say, please rate and review my show. Your rating and review helps the show get found by other authors with big writing dreams. It'll take a quick 30 seconds to click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then share what you enjoyed most about this episode. And if you haven't already done so, follow the podcast.  That way you'll never miss an episode and will be better prepared to write and publish your novel.  Follow now!

Through reading and studying Ephesians, I'm learning so much about who I am in Christ and how to live boldly for Him as a result. God is transforming me through this book, and it's this book that influenced the speech I'll be delivering the RENEWED 2023 conference. I want you to be transformed as well. In order for God to do a mighty work in you, you have to be willing to spend some focused time with Him. Hear His voice and let Him work. Join the Ephesians Challenge today! Your friend, Bonnie Jean Next Steps: Sign up for the free 2023 Renewed Conference coming in November 2023 so that you can grow in BOLDNESS. Ready to let God renew your heart & mind? Join the Ephesians Challenge! Read one chapter of Ephesians every Monday - Saturday. Read the entire book of Ephesians on Sunday. Repeat for the remainder of 2023. Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts “I love Bonnie and Rise from Stuck.” If that sounds like something you'd say, please rate and review my show. Your rating and review helps the show get found by other authors with big writing dreams. It'll take a quick 30 seconds to click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then share what you enjoyed most about this episode. And if you haven't already done so, follow the podcast.  That way you'll never miss an episode and will be better prepared to write and publish your novel.  Follow now!

Ready to reclaim the life of purpose God intends for you?  In this episode, we'll explore what it means to be productive, what it means to be mediocre and why you as a female Christian author should embrace productivity and escape mediocrity. Signature Links Your friend, Bonnie Jean Next Steps: Sign up for the free 2023 Renewed Conference coming in November 2023 so that you can grow in BOLDNESS. Snag your freebie: Rise from Stuck Starter Kit Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts “I love Bonnie and Rise from Stuck.” If that sounds like something you'd say, please rate and review my show. Your rating and review helps the show get found by other authors with big writing dreams. It'll take a quick 30 seconds to click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then share what you enjoyed most about this episode. And if you haven't already done so, follow the podcast.  That way you'll never miss an episode and will be better prepared to write and publish your novel.  Follow now!

Ever made a commitment you didn't stick to? Not a good feeling, huh? Today I share about a commitment I made that I shouldn't have and what I learned from it. Then I interview #1 International Bestselling author Lynda Sunshine West. She shares her own writing and publishing journey as well as some great book marketing tips to help you market your book effectively.   Register for the RENEWED 2023 Conference and enjoy the following benefits: Grow in your relationship with the Lord. Walk out your faith with BOLDNESS. Find support to live out your calling, be healthier or simply enjoy a lifestyle that aligns with your faith as a Christian woman! Want to get published? Connect with Lynda Sunshine West: CEO/Founder of Action Takers Publishing Award-Winning, International #1 Bestselling Author, Speaker The mission of Action Takers Publishing is to empower 5 million women and men from all over the world to share their stories to make a greater impact on the planet. If you're ready to share your story, check out Action Takers Publishing.

Rules.  Ugh.  Who wants to talk about rules? Rules are just made to be broken anyway, right? Bad rules are made to be broken. Good rules provide structure and allow you to thrive. So if you could define three rules to follow, what would they be? What rules would keep you focused on God and your dreams? Today I'll share my three core life rules and the prayer I prayed to God as I worked through articulating the reasons for each rule.   Feel free to steal my rules and apply them to your own life. Otherwise, shoot me an email to bonniejean@bonniejeanschaefer.com to let me know what your three core rules are.  I'd love to hear from you. For now, I'll share my rules with you.  Let's get to it.

You have a dream of writing a book.  But when does that dream become a goal?  Is that goal a project?  Are tasks attached to a dream, a goal or a project?   When your book writing dream remains a dream because you struggle to take action and follow through, you have a productivity problem.  To fix the problem and turn you into a lean, mean, writing machine who finishes book after book, you don't need another course on writing.  You don't need a new task management system.  You don't need a new planner.   What you do need is a mindset shift, and that starts by understanding the difference between a goal, a project, and a task.  So let's get to it. Your friend, Bonnie Jean Next Steps: Snag your freebie: Rise from Stuck Starter Kit Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts “I love Bonnie and Rise from Stuck.” If that sounds like something you'd say, please rate and review my show. Your rating and review helps the show get found by other authors with big writing dreams. It'll take a quick 30 seconds scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then share what you enjoyed most about this episode. And if you haven't already done so, follow the podcast.  That way you'll never miss an episode and will be better prepared to write and publish your novel.  Follow now!

Yesterday marked the one year anniversary of the debut of this podcast.  Wow.  One year. What a whirlwind year it has been! I've been whirling behind the scenes anyway as my consistency with creating episodes for this podcast has been seriously lacking.  My attention has been focused on creating content for my other podcast, Published Before College. I've also taken four intense courses to learn podcasting, blogging, productivity, and Notion, tech tool that's helping me get my life and business organized.  I've made entrepreneurial friends that I'm now in a mastermind with, have been a featured guest on several other podcasts, and changed day job.  I'm still working for the same insurance company, but now I'm getting paid to write fascinating things like underwriting guides.  It's not my burning passion, but it's a step in the right writing direction.  Along the way, I've toyed with the idea of disbanding this podcast altogether.  Life sure would be easier if my focus was on one podcast.  But anytime I think of letting this one go, I'm filled with a nagging sense that my work here is unfinished, and I have a responsibility to see this through. Tune in to find out why I'm moving forward with two podcasts and how this podcast is being designed to help any author stuck in mediocrity rise toward her writing dreams.   Connect: bonniejean@bonniejeanschaefer.com

Hey, friend! If you're feeling stuck and in need of inspiration, start by going to God and studying the Bible. That's what I do, and that's what I did on February 13, 2023. Here's a snippet of that prayer.  Tune in to listen to the full conversation with God. Heavenly Father, I believe Your word is the source of absolute truth.  Why I believe the Bible is true is a conversation for another day, but because I believe the Bible is true, I want to understand the core story of the Bible and why Your story matters to me.   I know there is much more depth and meaning than this, but here is how I summarize Your Word...

Hey, friend! If you're feeling stuck and in need of discernment, start by going to God and seeking Him. That's what I do, and that's what I did on February 5, 2023. Here's a snippet of that prayer.  Tune in to listen to the full conversation with God.   Dear Heavenly Father,       I once heard that nothing has meaning except the meaning you give it. The more I dug into how the mind works, the more I began to understand the truth of that statement.  Through my study, I have come to understand that You designed the human mind to be a storytelling machine. You've placed in us a desire to understand the why behind the what and to ask questions in order to make sense of life.  Why do we exist?  What is the meaning of life?  What is my purpose?   Connect with me at BonnieJeanSchaefer.com.

Hey, friend! If you're feeling stuck and in need of direction, start by going to God and seeking Him. That's what I do, and that's what I did on January 29, 2023. Here's a snippet of that prayer.  Tune in to listen to the full conversation with God. Dear Father, You know that when I write books, I like to see the big picture and know where the story is going and how it ends before I start writing. You also know that I'm the same way when setting goals. I'm a big picture gal. I like to plan things and start with the end in mind. But I'm not sure where this podcast is going. I don't know what the finish line looks like. I just know that You want me to talk to You about You and me and dreams and work and writing. And I know You want me to share these prayers or conversations of ours through this podcast for the foreseeable future. So instead of waiting to see the big picture and understand where You are taking me and my listeners, I'm starting. I'm obeying even though I don't quite understand or have a grand and detailed plan. What do You want this show to be? Why do you want me to document my journey from a stuck dreamer to a strong and courageous action taker? How can you speak through me to encourage others to get into writing action? How can You change me through these prayers and encourage me to get into both writing and teaching action?   Connect with me at www.BonnieJeanSchaefer.com.

When I started Rise from Stuck in May 2022, I was in a dark place career-wise.  I liked the people I worked with, but working as a auto insurance claims adjuster did not play to my strengths.  The workload was overwhelming.  The phone calls were relentless.  And it had sucked all creativity from my soul.  I felt stuck in a deep, dark hole and didn't know how to dig myself out. On January 23, I start a new role on the operations side of the insurance company I work for, a role as a Business Process Consultant that will allow me to utilize my writing strengths. I'm excited about this change, but I don't want to be content with just changing jobs.  It will be a welcome improvement in my circumstances, but it won't complete my rise from stuck. In order to truly rise, I need to rewire my brain.  To change the way I think and thus behave.  After all, God tells us in Romans that the way to be transformed is by the renewing of our minds. Contrary to popular new age-type thinking, I can't rewire my brain and renew my mind in my own power.  I want God to be in charge of my transformation.  I want Him to change the way I think. So I'm wiping my mental slate clean and will rebuild the foundation and framework of my life.  And I'm going to utilize this podcast to document my journey.

If you ever struggle to make progress on your book because you are busy with that full-time job and family and staying fit and all the things, then try implementing this one time management strategy to help you write with consistency.   Get your free Rise from Stuck starter kit here: https://bonniejeanschaefer.com/ Join my free community here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/risewithbonniejean Snag your free D.K. Drake Starter Library here: https://authordkdrake.com/

Today we have our grand finale of our go to God series.  This is my favorite of the five because the Bible records for us BOTH sides of the conversation between God and Moses, but it's also the most convicting because it reminds me that I can't excuse my way out of God's calling on my life no matter how scared I may feel. In this conversation, Moses holds nothing back.  Neither does God as God has a solution for every perceived problem Moses brings up. Technically, God came to Moses, and Moses wasn't stuck in fear until God told Moses to do something that terrified him.  God's instructions paralyzed Moses with fear, though.  He had his excuses ready, but to his credit, he voiced those fears.  He didn't stay stuck and let the fears eat away at his soul.  He talked through them with God. If God has placed a calling on your life that terrifies you, and that calling has rendered you stuck in fear, tune in as we learn from Moses how to rise when we feel stuck in fear.   Get your free Rise from Stuck starter kit here: https://bonniejeanschaefer.com/ Snag your free D.K. Drake Starter Library here: https://authordkdrake.com/

This episode is the fourth in our Go to God series, and it's about how to ignite our rise when we are stuck in the midst of an identity crisis. One of the main reasons we get stuck is because we fail to own our God-given identities. It's easier to own the circumstantial identities thrust upon us rather than consciously identify with the role God put us here to play. In other words, it's easy to say you are your job but when it comes to saying you are a writer, that's tough.  It's hard to identify as a writer when that isn't your full-time profession. Why do we feel we have to sell a certain number of books or earn a certain level of income before we can call ourselves writers?  Why do we feel we have to achieve anything in order to see ourselves as the person God put us here to be? When we believe we have to achieve something before we can identify as our dream role in life, we get trapped in an identity crisis.  We believe we are our job but can't be a writer because writing isn't our job.  Since we don't identify as a writer, we don't write. In Scripture, we read of a woman trapped in an identity crisis.  Her role was that of a queen of a pagan nation, and she owned that identity.  The one of her circumstances.  But she suppressed her true identity as a Jew.  Then her people were on the verge of annihilation, and if she didn't own her true identity, she wouldn't be able to help them. But if she told her husband who she truly was—if she even approached him without an invitation—she risked death. Queen Esther was stuck.  So what did she do to ignite her rise from stuck?  You guessed it.  She turned to God. In part four of our go to God series, we're going to look at the importance of identity and how to go to God the way Esther did when we are stuck in an identity crisis.   Get your free Rise from Stuck starter kit here: https://bonniejeanschaefer.com/ Join my free community here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/risewithbonniejean Snag your free D.K. Drake Starter Library here: https://authordkdrake.com/

As we discussed last week, having the ability to follow through with a challenge as well as enjoy life wherever you are amid whatever circumstances you find yourself in are important skills to cultivate in the rise from stuck journey. Let's practice enjoying life today.  Here's your adventure challenge: Live PHONE-FREE for one hour a day, seven days in a row. Do you dare?

Having the ability to follow through with a challenge as well as enjoy life wherever you are amid whatever circumstances you find yourself in are important skills to cultivate in the rise from stuck journey. Let's practice enjoying life today.  Here's your adventure challenge: Within the next seven days, go for a hike at a park, mountain or field near you.  Take a friend or two.  Or venture out on your own so you have some quality time chatting with God about life while you hike.  And here's the catch: you can't take any pictures or post anything online about your hiking adventure. That's right.  NO pictures.  Not one.  And no social media posts.  Ghost your online crew and experience the joy of experiencing the great outdoors. Do you dare accept the challenge?

Welcome to part three of our five part Go to God series exploring the ways we feel stuck and the one thing that ignites our rise every time—talking to God. How we approach God changes depending on the way we feel stuck, and we're exploring examples from scripture to teach us how to approach God.  From Jonah, we learned how to approach God when we feel stuck in the depths of despair.  From Hannah, we learned how to approach God when we feel stuck in a state of hopelessness. Today we'll learn from David how to Go to God when we feel stuck in the sin of inaction.  We'll explore why failing to take action we know to do is sin and how we ignite our rise by talking to God.   Get your free Rise from Stuck starter kit here: https://bonniejeanschaefer.com/ Join my free community here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/risewithbonniejean Snag your free D.K. Drake Starter Library here: https://authordkdrake.com/

Today we're continuing our Go to God series. In part one, we learned that when you're stuck in the depths of despair, the way to ignite that rise is to Go to God like Jonah did. In part two, we're talking about what to do when you're stuck in hopelessness. Hopelessness is the despair you feel when you want something you don't have and believe that desire is possible for you, but the logical chance of that dream actually coming true is one below zero. What do you do when you're stuck in such a state? How do you break free from that hopeless feeling that the book you want to write will forever be stuck in your head? How do you overcome the hopelessness of knowing what to write but not having the time to get the words out and finish your book? How do you keep writing when the idea of being able to sell your books seems hopeless? You go to God like Hannah did in I Samuel. No, Hannah wasn't a writer.  But she was a woman with a desperate desire who was stuck in a state of hopelessness.  She found her way out, and we can too when we follow her example. Tune in now for part two of our Go to God series.   Get your free Rise from Stuck starter kit here: https://bonniejeanschaefer.com/ Join my free community here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/risewithbonniejean Snag your free D.K. Drake Starter Library here: https://authordkdrake.com/

It's fantasy fiction Friday…one day late.  I had this episode recorded but debated about publishing it as this week has been filled with lots of prayer and recalibration.  Which is also why I didn't publish a regular episode earlier this week. There is one part of me who wants to help my fellow female authors and entrepreneurs get out of dreaming/learning/planning mode and into confident consistent action toward our God-honoring dreams. Then there's the DK side of me who wants to entertain you with my books and share background stories and other insider information that will make the books come to life in a richer way. I thought I could do both effectively through this show, but God has been leading me to do something a bit unorthodox by letting DK launch her own show. The Escape Break with Author DK Drake show (title pending) will be my creative outlet for people who just want to be entertained with fun tales of fantasy fiction. Rise from Stuck with Bonnie Jean Schaefer will then narrow in to focus on helping Christian authors write with consistency so we start and finish book after book after book. The consistent writing journey depends on building a solid faith foundation and framework for our lives, then executing the systems that allow us to be productive in the pursuit of our writing dreams while thriving spiritually, physically, mentally and emotionally in every area of our lives.  So those are the things we'll be discussing in this show. DK will pop in from time to time to share about her journey on this path of developing consistent writing routines, but today will be the final fantasy fiction Friday episode. You'll be able to continue to listen to her read the Dragon Collector when her show launches next month, so for now, enjoy chapters four and five of The Dragon Collector. In these chapters, Javan gets to fly on a dragon and learns that the portal to the dragon dimension is real.   Snag your free D.K. Drake Starter Library here: https://authordkdrake.com/

It's fantasy fiction Friday! Author DK Drake is here in her usual guest host spot to read the first three chapters of The Dragon Collector, book one of The Dragon Stalker Bloodlines Saga. In these chapters, Javan discovers his heritage as the chosen one from the Collector Bloodline.  Which comes as a bit of a shock...as does the news that DRAGONS ARE REAL. Enjoy!   Want to download the entire book for FREE?  It's part of your the D.K. Drake Starter Library only at: https://authordkdrake.com/ Or you can buy it for a buck on Amazon here:  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B097L1SQY4

Greetings, Rise from Stuck Warrior! Today we're starting a five part series that reveals the one secret to rising from stuck whether you find yourself stuck in despair, hopelessness, sin, an identity crisis or straight up fear.  These emotions can cripple us and keep us from moving forward, but there is always one thing we can do no matter what kind of emotional state of stuck we are in to ignite our rise.   If you guessed “go to God,” you are right! This is thus our Go to God series.  In it, we'll look at five people from the Bible and their Go to God prayers to help us learn how to go to God and seek His guidance in our quest to rise from stuck. Today we start with despair. When you're stuck in the depths of despair, it's easier to wallow in your misery and spin stories that make your misery multiply than it is to stop the spiral, seek God, and take some sort of forward action. So what can you do when you're drowning in despair, feeling as though you've been swallowed up by the woes of life and can see no way out in the midst of the darkness? You go to God like Jonah did.  The way he turned to God in the midst of his darkness is the kind of action that sparks lasting change. I had to go to God like Jonah did just last week when the woes of my job crushed me in a way I've never been crushed before.  It was a dark and scary place, and I didn't like being there. If you don't like being in your state of stuck, listen in.  I'll share my story as well as Jonah's to help you find your way out as well.   Get your Rise from Stuck Starter Kit here: https://bonniejeanschaefer.com/ Join my free community here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/risewithbonniejean Snag your free D.K. Drake Starter Library here: https://authordkdrake.com/

It's Fantasy Fiction Friday!  Time for an escape break with Author D.K. Drake. Today you'll hear the prologue of The Dragon Collector, book one of the Dragon Stalker Bloodlines Saga. In The Dragon Collector, fifteen-year-old Javan believes he is simply an ordinary orphan abandoned by his mother at birth--until he is whisked away to another dimension and his destiny as the chose one from the Collector Bloodline is revealed. Armed only with an ancient weapon, a trio of old advisors, and his determination to win, Javan is soon caught up in a dangerous Battle for the Throne.   Now his choices could save--or destroy--the people and dragons of Zandador, including the mother he just met.   In the prologue, you'll meet some familiar characters if you listened to the short story in episode three (and you'll learn how Kenton and his dragons ended up on earth!).  So sit back, relax, and enjoy.  You are now entering the Land of Zandador...   Connect with me at here: https://bonniejeanschaefer.com/ Join my free community here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/risewithbonniejean Snag your free D.K. Drake Starter Library here: https://authordkdrake.com/

Greetings, Rise from Stuck Warrior! It's Seek God Sunday. This is the part of the show where we strengthen our faith foundation as it relates to knowing God, knowing ourselves in light of who God is, and knowing what we want and why in light of who God is and who He created us to be. Do you know what you believe about who God is, what core roles He fills in relation to you, and why He gets to be exalted above all? Knowing God is where our rise begins. Being clear about His absolute truth and the beliefs we will not compromise is the anchor our soul needs to keep us grounded in our faith and connected to our Savior regardless of our circumstances. So you need to know what your core convictions are, and you need to pray through them daily. And that's today's strategy: pray through your core convictions daily. That's one way you can remain grounded in your faith and connected to God. To that end, I wrote a prayer that defines my core convictions at the outset of 2022 that I've been praying daily. In today's short but mighty episode, I'll share that prayer with you. Does it define everything I believe that I will not compromise? No. I have a detailed doctrinal statement complete with scripture references for that. This prayer condenses those beliefs to the critical few that I need to be reminded of most often so that my heart and mind remain loyal to God. In future episodes, we'll break it down and explore the scripture these beliefs are derived from, but today I want to let you hear the prayer from beginning end. You can snag a written copy of it at bonniejeanschaefer.com, and I invite you to pray with me today.   Get your Rise from Stuck Starter Kit here: https://bonniejeanschaefer.com/ Join my free community here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/risewithbonniejean Snag your free D.K. Drake Starter Library here: https://authordkdrake.com/

Rise from Stuck Warrior, I've got author DK Drake here with me today.  It's really easy to have her on the show because, well, she is me.  D.K. Drake is my pen name, and the short story I'm about to share is the origin of that pen name. Why do I use a pen name?  Several reasons.  One, to humble my pride.  I don't want to be obsessed with seeing my name on the cover of a book.  And two, DK Drake is a lot easier to say and spell than Bonnie Jean Schaefer, plus it sounds more like a fantasy author than my given name.  So what does DK stand for?  Darcy Kimberly.   So why Darcy Kimberly?  Well, I needed to come up with the name of the main character for the story I'm sharing today.  My older, bolder sister's name is Marcy, and I wanted my character to be bold like my sister, so I replaced the M with the D and named her Darcy. As for the K, my boss at the time was also a graphic designer, and she designed the first cover of the first fantasy novel I wrote.  Her name is Kimberly, and I threw the K in there to honor her part in the genesis of my fantasy writing career.  Then I threw Drake in the mix to bring out the alliteration of the D and the K. And at the time I wrote the story, I had only published one novel that was a complete flop.  I thus wanted to get into the head of a successful novelist, so I made the main character a bestselling author in search of an idea for her next book. Notice in the story that she doesn't have a last name.  All I knew at the time was that her name was Darcy.  After readers enjoyed the story, I decided to write a fantasy series based on the dragon stalker concept I created for the story, and that's when I added the K and Drake.  I wanted to let her be the author of the series. Now I wrote the story at the prompting of friends who kept harassing me to write a story about cops and a story about dragons.  To make both of those friends happy, I wrote Cops, Robbers…and Dragons?  If you want to read along as I read, you can snag a copy as part of the DK Drake starter library at AuthorDKDrake.com.   Get your free Rise from Stuck Starter Kit here: https://bonniejeanschaefer.com Engage with me here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/risewithbonniejean Snag your free D.K. Drake Starter Library here: https://authordkdrake.com

Rise from Stuck Warrior, Today we're going to face our fears, own our excuses and voice our doubts.  We're going to whine.  We're going to complain.  We're going to vent our frustrations.  But not to ourselves.  Not to a friend.  To God.   As uncomfortable as it may make us feel, we're going to take our woes to God. I'll share five questions to ponder to prepare for this prayer followed by a series of prayer prompts to help you structure the conversation with God in a way that will bring clarity to your problem.  I'll also share snippets of my prayer as an example of how this process works.   The purpose of this prayer is to seek God's help in recognizing what is keeping us stuck.  If we don't clearly understand the mental and emotional barriers to our struggles, we're never going to make true, lasting progress.  This recognition process is step one in allowing God to renew our minds in order to transform our lives. Besides, God has the solutions we are looking for, and He wants to share them with us.  We first have to recognize the problem and ask for help solving it.   Before we begin, pick one specific are of life where you are feeling the most stuck.  Got it?  Good.  Let's dive in.   Get your free Rise from Stuck Starter Kit here: https://bonniejeanschaefer.com Engage with me here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/risewithbonniejean Snag your free D.K. Drake Starter Library here: https://authordkdrake.com

Rise from Stuck Warrior, Today you'll hear a true story about a woman who had this ridiculous idea that if she could write good books and learn how to sell them via her own publishing company, she could earn a living telling and selling stories.   But then she let her doubts, fears and excuses consume her and get her stuck as an employee in a series of unfulfilling job while dreaming about working as author and leader in her own thriving publishing business. The story starts with her earliest memory and takes you on a journey from her secret childhood dreams to the ways she is finally working to make those dreams a reality now. Spoiler alert: I am that woman, and this is my Rise from Stuck story. I share it to introduce myself as you likely have no clue who I am.  I also hope it will encourage you to seek God, trust God and start to take confident, consistent action toward your own dreams.  Let's get to it!   Get your free Rise from Stuck Starter Kit here: https://bonniejeanschaefer.com Engage with me here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/risewithbonniejean Snag your free D.K. Drake Starter Library here: https://authordkdrake.com

Welcome to Rise from Stuck with Bonnie Jean Schaefer! This show is for you if you have crazy exciting dreams but are stuck in dreaming/learning/planning mode, too trapped by your fears, doubts and excuses to take confident, consistent action. Maybe you're feeling stuck in a job that makes you miserable, a business that is unprofitable, or a life that is unfulfilling. Or are you stuck in uncertainty, unsure of where you belong, who you are, what you want and why? If so, we need to become friends!  Because I'm stuck, too.  I'm on the rise, however, and I'm inviting you to join me. You see, since earning my Bible degree in 1999, I've been chasing this crazy dream that I could earn a living telling and selling stories as an author entrepreneur.  I thus intentionally did not commit to any specific career path. I feared that if I got locked into a normal job with decent pay, I would become content and abandon my writing dream. Even though I was capable of earning more and doing more, I worked a series of entry level jobs for over two decades while devouring books and courses and programs about writing, business, and personal development. Only I was better at learning than implementing, partly because I didn't trust God enough and partly because I dared not trust the gurus who didn't know God at all. So here I am.  A woman with big dreams stuck in a job that drains the creativity from her soul.  An author stuck at the start line of the fourth novel in her fantasy adventure series.  A mentor with an abundance of knowledge stuck in her head.   If you're as frustrated with your state of stuck as I am with mine, this is the podcast for you.  In it, I'll be sharing what God is teaching me about Him, about mindset, about performance, and about…adventure! (Fantasy author here, remember? Adventure MUST be a part of our dream doing experience!) We're going to build a foundation and framework for our lives that is in alignment with God and His desires for us.  We're going to discover the answers to four fundamental questions: Who is God?  Who am I in Christ?  What do I want?  And why?  Then we're going to create systems within that framework that make confident, consistent action towards God and our dreams inevitable. Along the way, we'll hear from other women who have learned to rise from stuck.  We'll dig in to ways God renewed their minds so their actions and lives were transformed. We'll also hear from author D.K. Drake each Friday for an escape break into her fantasy world.  She'll read to us from her action adventure fantasy series or share practical ways she is learning to implement the rise from stuck framework to get back into consistent writing action. Okay...full disclosure.  D.K. Drake is my pen name, and as D.K., I've lost touch with my fantasy world and my characters.  To get me out of this state of stuck and reignite my passion for writing, I need to read through my books again.  So I'll read them to you just for fun three chapters at a time on fantasy fiction Friday. This journey may be a bumpy ride, but as we learn to trust God, respect our strengths, and do the work our dreams require, we are going to build confidence, courage and consistency in the pursuit of God and our dreams.  So strap into God's word. Grab on to my hand. And let's rise from stuck. Together.   Get your free Rise from Stuck Starter Kit here: https://bonniejeanschaefer.com Engage with me here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/risewithbonniejean Snag your free D.K. Drake Starter Library here: https://authordkdrake.com