Zigzag & One

Fellow stroke survivor, Lori Vober, joins me again to chat about God's miracles. While she suffered a hemorrhagic stroke when she was twenty-nine years old, Lori believes surviving it is a miracle. She is grateful for all the miracles she experienced during her recovery and all the years since then.Being grateful is a huge part of Lori's mindset.Notable quotes from Lori Vober:·         “It's a mindset of when we lose control and we are in the depths of despair because of our challenges, but God is good, and our faith is strong.”·         “God's always there for us, but it's the seeking and the finding Him and being in His Word and surrounding ourselves with a good community of believers that remind us of Him and Ghis plans for us that create the whole package.”·         “If I had complete physical healing, my testimony to others would not be the same.” Bible verses:·         Jeremiah 29:11-13·         Jeremiah 1:5 Connect with Lori Vober at https://lorivober.com/On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lori.voberOn Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lorilonghorn99/Send me a COMMENT or QUESTION!THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! Have a comment about this episode? Click HERE and complete the form.

May is Stroke Awareness Month. Strokes can happen to anyone at any age. When I had a stroke in 1972 at age 2, that wasn't the case. Back then, strokes happened to people 65 years and older who were unhealthy: obese, smoker, drinker, and rarely exercised.My guest, Lori Vober, is also a stroke survivor. Her hemorrhagic stroke happened when she was twenty-nine years old. Thankfully, people were at the church at that day and got Lori help quickly. Lori shares her story in her book: Choices: When You Are Faced with a Challenge, What Choice Will You Make? When we face challenges that significantly impact our lives, Lori believes we must trust that God has a bigger and better plan.Notable quotes by Lori Vober:·         “We can get stuck in bitter, or we can grow better through our experiences.”·         “I am thankful I have the mindset and perseverance to be able to do all I can do.”·         “Although I can't control my circumstances, I can control my attitude and my faith.”Lori's fight verse is 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, which reads, “Rejoice always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.” Connect with Lori Vober at https://lorivober.com/On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lori.voberOn Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lorilonghorn99/ Stroke awareness facts: ·         Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in the US and a leading cause of severe disability. ·         The two major types of strokes are hemorrhagic, which occurs when a weakened blood vessel ruptures, and ischemic, which occurs when a clot blocks a blood vessel and cuts off blood flow. ·         Nearly two million brain cells die each minute a stroke is untreated. ·         About 55,000 more women than men have a stroke each year.·         In the US, 1 in 5 women will have a stroke.·         Stroke kills twice as many African Americans as Caucasians.·         80% of strokes are preventable. ·         Know the anacronym FAST: F = droopy face, A = arm or leg numb, S = slurred speech, T = time.  Call 9-1-1 fast! Time is of the essence if you are experiencing any of these symptoms. Send me a COMMENT or QUESTION!THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! Have a comment about this episode? Click HERE and complete the form.

Amanda Schaefer joins me again to discuss a strategy she relies on when challenges intersect her path.She believes peace and listening to God's voice are intricately interwoven.Amanda shares how we must know the identity of each of the voices we hear: our own voice, God's voice, the voice of the world, and the voice of the enemy.She gives an overview of her newest book, Holy Plot Twists: God Is Still Writing Your Story. It's available on Amazon!Notable quotes:* "These circumstances are temporary, but your identity as My child is eternal."* "There comes this part of it where we have to know His voice, and we have to trust His character, and then we have to obey."* "My life according to Romans is supposed to be a living sacriice."Bible verses:* Romans 12:1* Hebrews 11:1* Revelation 12:11* Habakkuk 3:17-18* 2 Chronicles 16:9* 2 Corinthians 2:14Connect with Amanda: Her website: a cupofgratitude.orgHer Facebook: facebook.com/amanda.f.schaeferHer Instagram: instagram.com/acupof_gratitudeSend me a COMMENT or QUESTION!THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! Have a comment about this episode? Click HERE and complete the form.

Today's guest is Amanda Schaefer. She is the host of A Cup of Gratitude podcast and a speaker. She's also the author of several books, including her newest release titled "Holy Plot Twists: God Is Still Writing Your Story."Amanda's fought to overcome numerous challenges throughout her life. She knows that Jesus is always the dorrway of hope. She wants you to know it too.Notable quotes:* "I wasn't even wrestling it out with God. I didn't think about God. I didn't think about Jesus. They were just kind of characters in a book that I didn't read."* "I had all of these new traumas to deal with and that's when Jesus encountered me."* He's an Ephesians 3:20 God."Bible verses:*Ephesians 3:20* Hosea 2:15Connect with Amanda Schaeffer:Her website: a cupofgratitude.orgHer Facebook: facebook.com/amanda.f.schaeferHer Instagram: instagram.com/acupof_gratitudeSend me a COMMENT or QUESTION!THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! Have a comment about this episode? Click HERE and complete the form.

My guest, Lisa Steven, is the author of A Place to Belong: The true story of a Teen Mom, a Humbling Leadership Journey, and a House Called Hope. She is also the cofounder and executive director of Hope house Colorado.  Lisa's back to chat about the strategy of seeking wise advisers. Throughout her journey as cofounder and executive director of Hope House, Lisa has seen time and again the importance of seeking wisdom and accepting correction from wise advisers.ope House Powerful quotes from Lisa:·         “When God called me to do something I was completely not equipped to do, I learned the lesson of how He will surround you with the most amazing people to make His calling a reality.”·         “God is the greatest connector.”·         “There truly is safety in those counselors because they're keeping you on the path God put you on. They are going before you. They are clearing the pathway for you.”Bible verses:·         Proverbs 19:20·         Proverbs 24:6·         Titus 2:2-5·         Proverbs 31:28        Learn more about Lisa Steven:·         Hope House Colorado https://hopehousecolorado.orgSend me a COMMENT or QUESTION!THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! Have a comment about this episode? Click HERE and complete the form.

My guest, Lisa Steven, is the author of A Place to Belong: The true story of a Teen Mom, a Humbling Leadership Journey, and a House Called Hope. She is also the cofounder and executive director of Hope house Colorado. Lisa was the oldest of four children. Her parents' relationship was volatile. Her brother's accident and unexpected death caused her to be mad at God. At seventeen, she discovered she was pregnant. Being a teen mom wasn't in her plans, but she and her boyfriend got married. His parents welcomed Lisa into their family.Her mother-in-law became an influential person in Lisa's decision to grow her faith in Jesus. The leaders of MOPS – Moms of Preschoolers – and the other young mothers welcomed Lisa. It was here she learned that God redeems everything. Years later, God called Lisa to start Hope House, which provides free personal, educational, and economic programs for teen moms. Powerful quotes from Lisa:·         “I just wanted his family.”·         “He will always surround you with the most extraordinary people to make His call a reality.”·         “Look what God can do! It's crazy what He can do!”Bible verses:·         Romans 8:28·         Jeremiah 29:11 Learn more about Lisa Steven:·         Hope House Colorado https://hopehousecolorado.orgSend me a COMMENT or QUESTION!THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! Have a comment about this episode? Click HERE and complete the form.

When I heard Dr. Saundra Dalton - Smith was releasing a new book, I knew I had to have her on the show again.I interviewed Dr. Saundra in 2020. We chatted about her book Sacred Rest, which has impacted me in many ways. Check out episode 28: Rest = Restoration to listen to our conversation.In this interview, Dr. Saundra and I are chatting about her new book: "Being Fully Known: The Joyful Satisfaction of Beholding, Becoming and Belonging."The basis for this book is Psalm 46:10, which reads, "Be still, and know that I am God." While most believers are familiar with this verse, Dr. Saundra expands upon it:"On the surface, this verse sounds like an invitation to rest. Underneath flows a depth that rivals the ocean. It's the DNA of a deeper relationship. It's a call to fully understand who God is and who we become because of Him."Other notable quotes:"I can only rest at the level of my trust.""The longer I gaze at Him, the freer I become. You become what you behold.""Our creative God has hidden treasures inside each earthen vessel. Most of us have only begun to scratch the surface of what God has deposited within us.""It's in belonging that you see where you have been graced and favored by God intentionally and strategically. The pieces of your life come into alignment with your circumstances to usher in the full realization that Christ in you is enough."I highly recommend Dr. Saundra's book, "Being Fully Known: The Joyful Satisfaction of Beholding, Becoming and Belonging." I hope you'll check it out and buy a copy!Learn more about Dr. Saundra at https://www.drdaltonsmith.comTake the rest quiz: https://www.drdaltonsmith.com/resourcesCheck out her books on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Saundra-Dalton-Smith/author/B0048J3YZC?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1743127122&sr=8-1&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=trueListen to her "I Choose My Best Life" podcast: https://ichoosemybestlife.com/podcastSend me a COMMENT or QUESTION!THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! Have a comment about this episode? Click HERE and complete the form.

I'm super excited to share the first video solocast of season 7! This episode is not an audio interview with a guest. This episode is a video of me sharing a message about Standing Firm, so hop over to my YouTube channel at Melony Brown to get the most out of this episode.This episode is the outcome of my deep dive study of Ephesians 6 for my School of the New Testament class. As I was studying the armor of God in Ephesians 6:10-18, the words ‘stand firm' hit me in a different way. I used Strong's Concordance on biblehub.com to learn the Greek definitions for stand firm, which uncovered a “hidden treasure” and gave me a deeper understanding of why Paul told the Ephesian believers to stand firm just before he described the weapons in the armor of God. When we face challenges, we stand on God's firm foundation. God calls us to stand firm-not in our own strength, courage, and perseverance. In His!Bible verses discussed in this episode:·         Matthew 7:24-27·         Ephesians 6:10-14·         2 Chronicles 20:17·         1 Corinthians 15:58·         Hebrews 2:13 (Amplified Bible Classic Edition)The words “stand firm” are found 23 times in the Bible:Exodus 14:13 ---- 2 Chronicles 20:17 ---- Job 11:15 ---- Psalm 20:8 ---- Psalm 30:7 ---- Psalm 33:11 ---- Psalm 93:5 ---- Proverbs 10:25 ---- Isaiah 7:9 ---- Ezekiel 13:5 ---- Luke 21:19 ---- 1 Corinthians 15:58 ---- 1 Corinthians 16:13 ---- 2 Corinthians 1:21 ---- 2 Corinthians 1:24 ---- Galatians 5:1 ---- Ephesians 6:14 ---- Philippians 1:27 ---- Philippians 4:1 ---- Colossians 4:12 ---- 2 Thessalonians 2:13 (section header) ---- 2 Thessalonians 2:15 ---- James 5:8While I shared most of what I learned about standing firm, I realize the “HOW” or the application part of standing firm isn't included (This episode would have been entirely too long had I done so!!)So, I started a STAND FIRM boot camp that will begin February 1 and go through February 28. When you sign up at melonybrown.com, you will receive an email each day of February with a 3–5-minute video of a spiritual practice that will strengthen your relationship with God and fortify your foundation. I would love for you to join me for the STAND FIRM boot camp!Sign up at melonybrown.com.Send me a COMMENT or QUESTION!THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! Have a comment about this episode? Click HERE and complete the form.

 In episode 115, my guest, Lauren Buice who is an adolescent and young adult counselor, and I defined achievement culture and discussed how teens are overwhelmed by all they must achieve and be to apply for college. She described the dangerous outcome associated with achievement culture: anxiety, depression, and substance abuse.  Lauren has returned for another episode to share strategies for teens & parents who are navigating the hoops of achievement culture. I share a few quotes from Jennifer Breheny Wallace's book, "Never Enough: When Achievement Culture Becomes Toxic and What We Can Do About It" for Lauren to respond to. Notable quotes from this interview with Lauren Buice: * "Achievement culture is affecting parents too." * "Failure is, and can be, a teacher. But shame is not. Shame is not a teacher." * "I tell parents, 'Wouldn't you rather them learn what it's like to fail and how to deal with that now versus when they are an adults and the stakes are much higher?'"  Lauren shares five strategies for teens and parents that are challenging, but they will have a big impact if they are consistently put into practice.  Lauren chose Colossians 3:23 as a helpful "fight verse" for teen who are in the muck of achievement culture. It reads, "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart as working for the Lord and not human masters."Send me a COMMENT or QUESTION!THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! Have a comment about this episode? Click HERE and complete the form.

To kick off season 7 of the Challenges Won't Stop Me podcast, adolescent and young adult counselor Lauren Buice at Rise Therapy in Roswell, GA is joining me to discuss the challenge of achievement culture, specifically as it relates to teens who desire to further their education in college. Type "achievement culture in teens" into Google, and 357,00 results populate within seconds. That is a significant number. As I perused the topics and clicked on several, very few of those articles or blog posts shared any positive outcomes of achievement culture in teens. That is concerning! Throughout this interview, Lauren shared research and statistics regarding achievement culture in teens which she learned about in Jennifer Breheny Wallace's book, Never Enough: When Achievement Culture Becomes Toxic and What We Can Do About It. Notable quotes from this episode with Lauren Buice:  "Achievement culture is basically this mindset . . . their self-worth, their identity is tied to what they achieve. Anything like that becomes central to who they are. And it leads to a lot of comparison and low self-esteem. We're seeing ties between achievement culture, and kids that are overachievers and driven by that, and things like anxiety, depression, and substance abuse." ". . . the people that feel they are truly happy are the people that are surrounded by really healthy relationships. They feel like they matter to people . . . we have to matter on the inside - who we are at our core - more than just what we can accomplish." "We need to raise compassionate humans. We need to raise good citizens, not just high achieving ones." "They matter to God. Their identity is in Christ. It'snot in all these external things." Send me a COMMENT or QUESTION!THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! Have a comment about this episode? Click HERE and complete the form.

My dear friend Brenda Holley joins me again to discuss how she gained a deeper understanding of the Holy Spirit during her journey of fighting to overcome pancreatic cancer. Brenda is a master coach, helping professionals thrive in their careers. She and Paul have been married for eighteen years. She is mom to two adult sons. Prior to her diagnosis, Brenda wasn't seeking God even though she believed in Him. Receiving a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer put her right back into the Presence of God. While she'd learned about the Holy Spirit years ago, she'd never heard His voice.In this episode, Brenda describes two experiences where hearing the Holy Spirit's voice encouraged and strengthened her.  Notable quotes from this episode with Brenda Holley: ·         “I was praying to God one day. And I said, ‘I know that it's a big task to overcome this particular kind of tumor.' And He said, ‘It's not too big for Me.'”·         “It's a blessing of God to have a long life.”·         “I don't think I will ever refer to this as a gift . . . however, the gifts that I've been given are clarity, a refocus on what is important, so that to me certainly means my walk with God and my desire to give back.”·         “We don't need to be moved by what we see. We need to be motivated by what we believe.” Bible verse: ·         Romans 8:11 “And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of His Spirit who lives in you.”·         1 Thessalonians 5:23 “My body and mind will be sound and in tact all the days of my life.”·         Psalm 91:16 “With long life God satisfies me and shows me His salvation.” Connect with Brenda Holley:Her website: https://brendaholley.comOn Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brenda.holley.946On Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/coachbrendaholleySend me a COMMENT or QUESTION!

Today's guest is my dear friend Brenda Holley. She is a master coach, helping professionals thrive in their careers. She and Paul have been married for eighteen years. She is mom to two adult sons. I've been friends with Brenda for several years, so I was honored when she reached out to me soon after receiving a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.Pancreatic cancer has a bad reputation because the prognosis is often extremely grim. While she knew this fact, she chose not to entertain it or dwell on it. Instead, she decided she would fight to overcome it.Brenda's positive mental attitude going into this cancer journey would be incredibly helpful. During our interview, Brenda admitted she hadn't made God a priority over the last few years. Her diagnosis changed that. She said, “I leaned into my faith.” Praying healing verses out loud, reading God's Word, and getting quiet were and continue to be Brenda's daily practices.Brenda was eager to share the valuable wisdom she gained during her cancer journey.The book Brenda mentioned in her interview is Charles Capps' book titled God's Creative Power for Healing. It can be purchased on Amazon. Notable quotes from this episode with Brenda Holley: ·         “Unfortunately, it took a really scary experience to put me right back into the Presence of God. And I discovered so much love and support there.”·         Thank God for His faithfulness even when we're not doing a good job. Because He's always there to pick up those pieces, and there's no judgment. There's only love.”·         “I have also found it helpful to read those Scriptures out loud. If you say them, you get to see what you say.”·         “The more you dig in there and study it [Scripture], the richer it gets.”·         “One other thing that I did that I've used a lot is I made a physical list . . . of all the things that showed God's hand on my situation . . . I go back and look at it all the time.”Bible verse: ·         Jeremiah 1:12 “I am watching over My Word to perform it.”·         Hebrews 1:3 “He is upholding all things by the Word of His power.” Connect with Brenda Holley:Her website: https://brendaholley.comOn Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brenda.holley.946On Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/coachbrendaholleySend me a COMMENT or QUESTION!

Danita Cummins joins me again for her mindset discussion about showing care and comfort to others. She is the author of her first book titled Promise Over Purpose: The Path to a Peace-Filled Life, which is due out in the fall of 2024. Danita is also the host of the Entrusted to Lead podcast, the director of the Alpha Life Pregnancy Center, and a business coach. She and Mark have been married for 20 years and they have four adult children and two grandchildren.In this episode, Danita and I discuss how she believes strongly in caring for others and showing them comfort when they are struggling. In one of her most difficult challenges, others shared comfort with her. They cared for her physical needs and her emotional, mental, and spiritual needs.Midway through our conversation, Danita and I had an idea of challenging others to share comfort and care with others. The idea for a thirty-day comfort challenge was formed. We both wanted to invite our friends, families, coworkers, neighbors, and even strangers to join us as we show care or comfort every day of September.Details about the challenge:1.      The 30 Day Comfort Challenge runs September 1 through September 30, 2024.2.      Each day of September, offer comfort or care to someone. Be sure to record it on the Comfort Challenge list.3.      Email your completed list to melony@melonybrown.com between October 1 and October to be entered into the drawing for a copy of Danita's new book, Promise Over Purpose and Melony's book, Challenges Won't Stop Me.4.      The winner will be announced on October 7.Get a copy of the 50 Ways to Show Comfort and the Comfort Challenge List at melonybrown.com. Please help us spread the word about the 30 Day Comfort Challenge on your social media.  Notable quotes from this episode with Danita Cummins: ·         “There is this beautiful algorithm between suffering and comfort where God promises to bring you comfort in your suffering . . . that compassion which is underneath everything that the Lord does is this unbelievable love. It just undergirds all that we are and do in Him.”·         “There are a billion different ways you can love God and love the world.”·         “where I was praying, Lord just let me see your hand in the good and the hard. I don't need all the keys to the kingdom. I just need to know on these really hard days that I can still see Your hand at work or know that You're by my side.”·         “What do you have in your hand? Don't make it complicated.”Bible verse: ·         2 Corinthians 1:3-4 “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” Connect with Danita Cummins:Her website: https://danitacummins.comOn Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/danitacummins On Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/danita_cumminsSend me a COMMENT or QUESTION!

Today's guest is Danita Cummins. She is the author of her first book titled Promise Over Purpose: The Path to a Peace-Filled Life, which is due out in the fall of 2024. Danita is also the host of the Entrusted to Lead podcast, the director of the Alpha Life Pregnancy Center, and a business coach. She and Mark have been married for 20 years and they have four adult children and two grandchildren.In this episode, Danita describes the challenges she faced throughout her childhood, during her time in the military, and when she became pregnant unexpectedly. An invitation to see The Passion of the Christ, a movie about the twelve hours before Jesus Christ's death, became a turning point in her life. Seeing all that Jesus did for her confirmed that His promises are true. Danita's heart for those who feel alone led her to volunteer at the Alpha Pregnancy Center. Now as director, she continues to find joy and purpose when working with women who are making pregnancy decisions. Notable quotes from this episode with Danita Cummins: ·         “There was an extended period of time where alcohol was a daily part of my life . . . It's pretty easy to do in the military culture and then also with my family background. It was something I was more prone to.”·         “Sometimes you have to go back into the darkness to see the light was always there.”·         “Sometimes, we think that miracles are really big, and they are . . . but in my life, a miracle was a seven-dollar movie ticket that changed the course of human history.”·         “How can you let all of God live through all of you?”·         “I needed to know in my soul that the promises were true. My soul and my heart were searching for a truth and a promise that I could hold onto because every single thing in my life was, in my mind, falling apart.” Bible verse: ·         Jeremiah 31:3 “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.” Connect with Danita Cummins:Her website: https://danitacummins.comOn Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/danitacummins On Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/danita_cumminsSend me a COMMENT or QUESTION!

Today's guest is Kim Patton. She is the author of Nothing Wasted: Struggling Well Through Difficult Seasons and the host of the Book Therapy podcast. Kim and Kevin have been married for fourteen years and have two beautiful daughters. Kim adopted a mindset to trust and have faith in God as her guide through life. She admits from the start of our interview that God is not very forthcoming about His leading and guiding. Kim gives numerous examples of how she's experienced God's leading. Her examples will help those who think they haven't experienced God's leading.One of the best insights Kim shares is “I've been thinking of it [the Christian life] as an adventurous life.” Adventurous because we give up our control of knowing all the details and let God handle the details. If we took on the mindset of our Christian life as an adventure, imagine how different our lives and our impact on others would be!  Notable quotes from this episode with Kim Patton: ·         “If my own understanding is not working, I must bend to the will of the Lord.”·         “God slowly leading and slowly guiding. It is often through the people that I trust.”·         “There's an adventure to be had when you follow the Lord because you never know what's going to happen.”·         “He's the one who's going to meet that need for another person, and He's going to use you to do it. And that is the greatest adventure.”Bible verses: ·         2 Corinthians 1:3-4 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort which we ourselves are comforted by God.”·         Psalm 56:8 “You number and record my wanderings; put my tears into Your bottle-are they not in Your book?”·         Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; think about Him in all your ways, and He will guide you on the right paths.”·         John 6:68 “Simon Peter answered, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.'”·         Galatians 1:10 “Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.”Connect with Kim Patton:Her website: https://www.kimpatton.com On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kimberly.patton.39On Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/kimpatton730Send me a COMMENT or QUESTION!

Today's guest is Kim Patton. She is the author of Nothing Wasted: Struggling Well Through Difficult Seasons and the host of the Book Therapy podcast. Kim and Kevin have been married for fourteen years and have two beautiful daughters. Growing up in a large family led Kim to dream of a family of her own. Hosting baby showers for her friends filled her with joy. She believed, “Someday it will be me.”At the end of a long and difficult infertility journey, God assured Kim she would be a mother, but it wouldn't look exactly like her dreams. Their home is now filled with the laughter and joy of two daughters who were adopted from the same birth mother.Infertility has been Kim's biggest challenge, but she and Kevin have fought to overcome his ongoing struggles with seizures. Kim chose Nothing Wasted as the title of her book because she believes, “The tears I have cried through the trials of these years have been many. Those tears were caught. They were held, saved, and used for another purpose. Nothing was wasted.” Notable quotes from this episode with Kim Patton: ·         “I may grieve, complain, and even wallow in the pain I'm feeling during hard seasons. But I'm not giving up. Endurance is admirable, and the years we spend during challenging seasons are building up muscles to endure patiently and struggle well. I'm not giving up.”·         “The way that God carried us through that was just slowly, persistently showing up, giving me grace, giving me love, answering prayers.”·         “And that day, He ripped me apart because He opened my eyes to the needs of the world and to the beauty of adoption . . . He made me have immense compassion for the brokenness of children whose parents cannot take care of them or died.” Bible verse: ·         2 Corinthians 12:9 “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Connect with Kim Patton:Her website: https://www.kimpatton.com On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kimberly.patton.39On Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/kimpatton730Send me a COMMENT or QUESTION!

Today's guest, Carol Graham, shared her story of overcoming rheumatoid arthritis, ovarian cancer, and her husband's devastating car accident in episode 107. Be sure to check it out! Carol is an author, host of the Never Ever Give Up podcast, and a health coach. In this episode, Carol shares a way of life that she believes is a game changer. So much so that she published her book, Pray the Answer Not the Problem, in 2023, which describes how we must pray the promises God has in His Word rather than begging God for help. Praying the answer and not the problem may be a shift in how you've prayed in the past. It's based on believing God's promises and that God has given you authority and power of any challenges that intersect your path. That power and authority come from His Word, Jesus' blood, and Jesus' name.After reading Carol's book, I prayed by speaking aloud verses that related to a current challenge. I thanked God for the promises of healing, and how He fights for me, and how He is my inner strength. I'm still waiting for my answer. I believe it's coming. Carol said in her story interview, “God is never late. He's always on time.” I've found that to be true. How about you?Notable quotes from the episode with Carol Graham:·         “God responds to two things: His Word and your faith.”·         “Who are we giving top billing to? . . . Stop recognizing who the enemy is. Start recognizing who God is.”·         “Whatever problem we have, there is an answer in the Word.”·         “God equips us when we choose to trust Him . . Opportunities come in discomfort.Bible verses:·         Luke 1:45 is Carol's life verse/fight verse: “Blessed is she who believed that there shall be a fulfillment of that which was promised her by the LORD.”·         2 Timothy 2:1·         Romans 8:11Grab Carol's books on Amazon. Check out Carol Graham's YouTube channel where she posts her video podcast interviews. Send me a COMMENT or QUESTION!

When challenges rudely intersect our path, we reach out to God for help. When His answer is slow in coming, fear and doubt fill our minds. Where is He? Is He really working on my problems? It's human nature to think His answer is going to be too late to help or matter.Today's guest, Carol Graham, is an author, host of the Never Ever Give Up podcast, and a health coach. When she was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis as a child, her father modeled a principle: pray in faith – have no doubt in God's power – and He will fulfill His Word. When Carol was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, she followed what her father had taught her. Her cancer was healed, and she was able to conceive a child, despite what her OB GYN predicted. Again, when her husband was seriously injured in a car accident, she prayed in faith and spoke aloud God's promises until the answer arrived.Carol believes, “God is never late. He is always on time.”Throughout this interview, you will hear Carol describe how we have been given power and authority over any challenge by the Word of God, the blood of Jesus, and the Name of Jesus. Notable quotes from the episode with Carol Graham:·         “Where there is faith, there is no doubt. Where there is faith, there is no fear.”·         “Whatever we are coming up against, we have the authority given to us by the Word of God, the blood of Jesus, and the Name of Jesus to take a stand against whatever.”·         “They [her grandchildren] have rights and authority as a result of their inheritance as a believer.”Bible verses:·         Matthew 13:23·         Hebrews 13:8 Grab Carol's books on Amazon. Check out Carol Graham's YouTube channel where she posts her video podcast interviews. Send me a COMMENT or QUESTION!

GOT STRESS? No one could honestly say, "I have no stress at all!"Stress is part of life, right? Yes, but too many of us are consumed by stress. We know we are stressed out, but WHAT CAN WE DO?Today's guest, Dr. Gala Gorman, shares a combination of strategies, mindsets, and habits to help you manage and even reduce the toxic stressors in your life.Dr. Gala Gordon is an acupuncturist, neuropath, and the author of What's Your Kryptonite? Manage the Toxic Stressors Threatening Your Super Woman Status. She is an advocate of getting to the root cause of your health issue and treating it naturally. Dr. Gala not only discusses how toxic stressors negatively impact our lives, but she also discusses ways to manage or reduce those toxins.She calls her go-to method of managing/reducing stress the MOLT Method. In her book she describes why she chose this unusual name. She wrote, “In nature, molting happens when it's time for growth and change. Molting is what's called for in a world where people wear their stress like a badge of honor.”In this episode, Dr. Gala describes what each letter of MOLT represents. Notable quotes from this episode with Dr. Gala Gorman: ·         “Stress is a pandemic.”·         “Toxins must make an exit to restore vitality, health, and well-being. We must manage the toxic stressors in our life.”·         “Without rest, there is no repair.”·         “From about 11pm to 7am, our body is hard-wired to do the detox and cleanup. Basically, it's the gallbladder, liver, lungs, and large intestines that get a little bit of love throughout the night.” Connect with Dr. Gala Gorman:Her website: https://drgala.comTake her TOXIC STRESS QUIZ at https://drgala.com/kryptonite-resources/On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drgalaauthorOn Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drgalagormanSend me a COMMENT or QUESTION!

Today's guest is Janet Perez Eckles. She is a speaker and the author of five books. In her story episode, we discussed excerpts from her memoir, Now I See: How God's Amazing Grace Transforms the Deepest Pain to Shining Joy, which included her son's murderer being found not guilty.Anger, bitterness, and unforgiveness are understandable reactions to learning the man who murdered her son was found not guilty. While Janet didn't understand how that verdict was possible, she decided she didn't want to carry anger, bitterness, and unforgiveness. Instead, she chose to forgive her son's killer. From that day forward, Janet has chosen to forgive her son's killer. She's found freedom in forgiveness. Janet and I define freedom and forgive. Janet explains, “Freedom is a choice that sets you free.” And she goes on to say, “Forgiveness also allowed us to welcome more fully the radiance of God's love. A love that filled us even when we didn't understand the seeming injustice.”Janet explained that she realized God would hold her son's killer responsible. And God would hold her responsible for unforgiveness if she held onto it. Janet shares show unforgiveness keeps you in bondage. In pain. Forgiving the person who hurt you or did wrong to you sets you free from the bondage and pain. If Janet can forgive the man who killed her son, we, too, can forgive those who've hurt us.  Notable quotes from this episode with Janet Eckles:·         “Even though he hadn't served one day in prison, he would be accountable to God . . . We, too, would be accountable to God if he continued to hold resentment, anger, or animosity toward this man. The only step God required from us was to extend forgiveness.”·         “You really can't move forward to that abundant life that God has prepared for you if you hold onto unforgiveness . . . Forgiveness is a choice that sets you free.”·         “Life has meaning. Life has a purpose. Life has joy and peace no matter what happens to you if you put your trust and your life in Christ Jesus.”Bible verses:·         John 15:5·         Romans 8:28·         Proverbs 3:5-6·         Proverbs 18:21Check out Amazon for Janet's books. Learn more about her and invite her speak by visiting her website. Connect with Janet Eckles on Facebook and Instagram. Send me a COMMENT or QUESTION!

Today's guest is Janet Perez Eckles. She is a speaker and the author of five books. We discussed excerpts from her memoir, Now I See: How God's Amazing Grace Transforms the Deepest Pain to Shining Joy. Janet Eckles grew up in Bolivia during the twelve years of the Bolivian revolution. She observed the grit and determination her mom and dad showed as they struggled to live during difficult circumstances. Janet internalized their response to challenge, which helped her tremendously when she learned she's inherited the gene for a progressive eye disease called retinitis pigmentosa. Janet was thirteen when the eye doctor shared this news with her parents. He predicted she wouldn't lose her sight until she was sixty years old.Janet met Gene, and they fell in love and were married. Three sons followed, which brought her much joy. Unfortunately, her eyesight began diminishing during her twenties. By her thirtieth birthday, Janet had completely lost her sight.  Gene struggled greatly with his wife losing her sight. When she shared with him that she was blind, he shared that he'd found someone else.Janet's world crashed down around her. A friend invited her to her church's healing service.  This became a turning point in Janet's story. Growing up Catholic, Janet recited prayers, but she didn't know Jesus. At that healing service, Janet didn't experience healing. But she met Jesus. Janet learned about Jesus' love, which caused her to realize how much she needed Jesus to take over every part of her life. Sometime later, Gene returned and asked forgiveness. They began repairing their marriage.Years later, Janet leaned hard on her faith in Jesus when their son Joe was murdered. Although the man was arrested on first degree murder charges, the jury found him not guilty.  Janet, Gene, and her other sons were devastated by the jury's decision.Janet and Gene's marriage survived many challenges, but after forty-two years they divorced. With God's guidance, Janet has processed and learned from the challenges she's fought to overcome. She shares the message of Jesus' victory in our lives with audiences across the nation.Notable quotes from this episode with Janet Eckles:"I refused to believe I was going blind. Those things don't happen to me . . . I still believe. God is going to heal me. Something's going to happen, and there's no way I could lose my sight completely.""I didn't know that while I could see physically, I was spiritually blind.""When we're going through the hardship, when we're going through the heartache, we need to remember God has all the pieces put together. He has a plan. He has a purpose . . . And all we have to do is trust Him."Bible verses:Matthew 6:33Psalm 46:10Romans 12:2Romans 8:28Proverbs 3:5-6Check out Amazon for Janet's books. Learn more about her and invite her speak by visiting her website.Connect with Janet Eckles on Facebook and Instagram.Send me a COMMENT or QUESTION!

Even though this episode with Pastor Phil Manginelli is a lengthier interview, I strongly encourage you to invest the extra time. You will gain an understanding of spiritual warfare and how to prepare for it, which are invaluable to your walk as a Christ-follower.Phil Manginelli is the lead pastor of The Square Church in Smyrna, GA. In this interview, Phil shares his knowledge about the challenge of spiritual warfare, specifically what it is, who is the target of the enemy's schemes, and how the weapons of the armor of God are the most effective weapons to defeat the enemy when he attacks. Phil explains that the enemy and a greater movement of darkness connected to the enemy devise schemes to oppose Jesus, His mission, and His people. The enemy's mission is noted in John 10:10, which reads, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.” When we are in a spiritual battle, the enemy attacks repeatedly to convince us to give up our faith, our belief in Jesus, our hope, our confidence, and our trust in Jesus. We must remember that God is with us and He fights for us. In the middle of the well-known passage in Ephesians 6 about the armor of God are the words “after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then.” Phil explains how standing your ground when the enemy is attacking may not look like victory, but it is.Phil admits that the strategies of knowing our identity in Christ and prayer to prepare for a spiritual battle may seem obvious, God promises these two weapons will defeat the enemy. Notable quotes from this episode with Phil Manginelli: ·         “The promises are not that we won't face challenges. In fact, this is what I love about Jesus is He's honest. It's kind to be honest. And over and over again, He tells us the truth. You will suffer. You will walk through hardships. You are going to have trials. You are going to face difficulties.”·         “What the Scriptures tell us it's there in the challenge God isn't necessarily making go away, but He is present with us where He does the deepest work of our lives. He does the most transformational work of our lives.”·         “There's a knowing of God that only comes in hardship.”·         “There is a place of strength you'll only find in weakness.”·         “We have normalized a prayerless Christianity.” Scripture references: John 16:33, Ephesians 6:10-18, 2 Timothy 2:13, 1 Peter 5:8-10, and Revelation 12:12 Connect with Phil Manginelli: On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pmanginelliOn Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pmanginelli/Watch his sermons: https://www.youtube.com/@TheSquareChurch Send me a COMMENT or QUESTION!

Jessica Roberts shared her story of being wrongly accused of drug conspiracy and sentenced to serve 27 months in prison in episode 101. If you haven't listened to it yet, it would be helpful as Jessica refers to her story several times throughout this interview. While in prison, Jessica realized she was not in control. Her story had many similarities to Job's story in the Bible. It was clear that God is in control.  Throughout the stories Jessica shares, you'll hear her wisdom, humor, determination, passion, and faith. Choosing to return to prisons to train and encourage male and female prisoners strategies for successful re-entry into society is a statement about God's powerful work in her. Notable quotes from this episode with Jessica Roberts: ·         “As long as you have Him on the inside, it reflects on the outside. And you will have the mindset of overcoming, conquering, determination, and just a pressing forward in spite of your circumstances.”·         “You are judged by the company that you keep. Be mindful. Be mindful of the company that you keep and separate because unfair things do happen in life.”·         “God is Almighty. The things He can do is limitless . . . We as human beings are limited, but God is not limited.” Bible verses: ·         Job 42:12 “And the Lord blessed the latter part of Job's life more than the former part.”·         Genesis 50:20 "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives."·         Romans 8:28 “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is not being done – the saving of many lives.”  Connect with Jessica Roberts:Her website: https://www.jessicanroberts.comOn Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessica.roberts.3591On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessicanicole8726Send me a COMMENT or QUESTION!

When you hear a story about someone in prison claiming to be not guilty, do you ever wonder what that would be like if it happened to you? I know not all who claim to be not guilty are, but Jessica Roberts was wrongly accused AND given a 27-month prison sentence. Was she upset? Yes. Did she feel wronged? Yes.  She could have fallen into negativity and anger, but she chose a different response. In today's interview, Jessica Roberts explains, "My attitude was to remain as positive as possible and play the cards we were being dealt. I was determined not to break. I was not built to break." Jessica is the author of Triumphant! One Woman's Journey from Prison to Purpose. She describes herself as a re-entry activist with a passion to help promote smooth re-entry into civilian life for men and women who are soon to complete their prison sentence. Jessica describes her childhood and young adult years as ‘being a good girl.' She had no desire or intention to become ‘a bad girl,' but being at the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong people led to her being charged with the crime of drug conspiracy.  As difficult as prison was, God met Jessica there and changed her life. She shares about how reading the book of Job while in prison impacted her. Instead of never going near a prison ever again, Jessica is passionate about following God's call to minister to male and female inmates, pointing them to Jesus and offering them hope. Notable quotes from this episode with Jessica Roberts: ·         “That's when the spiritual side took over because I was raised in the church, but I didn't have a personal relationship with God . . . when I became incarcerated and when my mother and father and no one could help me, God was taking the blinders off little by little. I began to see things in the different light, from a different perspective. Job lost everything, but God would not let the devil take his life. He was tested and tried, but He would not let him take his life. It resonated with me really, really deep.”·         “In the shower, I just would cry out to Him – ‘I have to go through this. I must go through this. Be with me. Never leave my side.' And so, I found comfort in that and that's where that strength came from. I'm in prison physically, but not mentally or spiritually.” Bible verse: ·         1 Corinthians 15:33 “Do not be misled. Bad company corrupts good character.” Connect with Jessica Roberts:Her website: https://jessicanroberts.comOn Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessica.roberts.3591On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessicanicole8726Send me a COMMENT or QUESTION!

Where were you when the news hit about President Kennedy's assassination (November 22, 1963)? When the news hit about MLK Jr's assassination (April 4, 1968)? When the news hit about planes hitting the Twin Towers in New York (September 11, 2001)? Where were you when the news hit about the Columbine school shooting in Littleton, Colorado (April 20, 1999)? I remember it clearly. I was teaching at Garrett Middle School. It's hard to believe the deadliest school shooting occurred twenty-five years ago. The lives of twelve students and one teacher were taken that day. Twenty-one others were wounded, including Kacey Ruegsegger Johnson.  In this interview, Kacey shares her story of being shot in the library, her recovery, and how those challenges prepared her for the challenges she would face in the following years.  Kacey's daughter, Logan, was diagnosed with aniridia, or the absence of irises in her eyes. She knew what she'd learned would help her parent a child with disabilities. She said, “Only God could have known that the injuries I sustained at Columbine would turn into a huge blessing with regard to my parenting journey.”Kacey is on the Board of Directors for the Limb Preservation Society. Notable quotes from this episode with Kacey Johnson:  ·         "In that most horrific moment of my life also came the proof that I love a living God and that He's bigger than the absolute worst kind of evil that was right in my face. He's bigger than that. It gives me so much to live for."·         “I'd become comfortable in the trauma I knew and how I was just surviving it. I didn't know how to get out of the surviving and into the thriving. And I wanted to be thriving as a parent and not just surviving.”·         “God has ultimately transformed the shotgun slug that tore through me into seeds that have grown to produce very good fruit in my life. The fiery missile of hate that burned through my body has not had the pleasure of destroying me, and what was ultimately meant for evil will continue to be choked out by all the beautiful good that is still to come.”Bible verses: ·         Romans 8:2 “For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free from the law of sin and death.”·         Romans 8:28 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him.” Connect with Kacey Ruegsegger Johnson:Her website: https://www.kaceyjohnsonspeaker.comOn Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KaceyRuegseggerJohnsonOn Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kaceyjohnsonspeaker 

Dr. Grace English joins me again to discuss the mindset of getting real to heal. She is a speaker and the director of the Deep in the Heart Conference, which is held in Texas every spring. Didn't catch her story interview in episode 98? She refers to it several times, so I would encourage you to listen to it before you listen to this episode.When she found herself getting extremely anger with her two-year-old daughter, Grace began to realize she'd stuffed her pain. She shared, “Not until I really got real and had true confession and repentance over my sin of abortion and acknowledging the humanity of my baby did God free me from that guilt and shame.”Grace knows getting real to heal is hard, but she believes it's the way for God to heal your heart.Notable quotes from this episode with Grace English:·         “I think we have many idols in our life. He's a jealous God, and He doesn't want to be put second on the back burner. When we think other things in life are more important than Him, then that's when we get into trouble.”·         “I have had to just get really real with the Lord. God, this really sucks. And He's like, ‘I know it does, but I'm writing your story and there is going to be purpose from this whole journey.”·         “The Lord can't use that pain and that loss to minister and speak to you unless it rises up to the surface.”Scripture references:·         Luke 4:18-19·         Romans 8:1·         Galatians 5:22-23·         Nehemiah 8:10·         John 13:7·         Philippians 4:7Connect with Grace English:On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/grace.s.englishOn Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gracecenglishAbout Deep in the Heart: https://deepintheheartministries.com

We are discussing emotional infidelity on the show today. It's a topic no other guest has covered. During my interview with Dr. Grace English, she shared the following statistic from Shannon Ethridge's book, Every Woman's Battle: “More than 90% of women have had emotional thoughts of another man that's not their spouse.” Grace explained that she has struggled with emotional infidelity for many years. Dr. Grace English is a speaker and the director of the Deep in the Heart Conference, which is held in Texas every spring. In Ethridge's book, Grace learned a love-relationship addiction stems from a childhood in which you weren't nurtured. Not having a good relationship with her parents left her with a father-daughter wound and a mother-daughter wound. Sharing her struggles with two close friends led to her realizing that speaking her secret broke its power. In this episode, Grace explains why speaking our struggles is the first step in breaking the stronghold it has over us.Notable quotes from this episode with Grace English:·         “Me sharing it [emotional infidelity] with a friend actually opened that door where the power of the secret is broken when it's spoken.”·         “He [God] can't speak truth into my life if I refuse to acknowledge the truth of what is actually happening to me.”·         “Somebody needs to speak light into the darkness. Shine the light because so many times we want to hide in the dark.”Scripture references:·         Matthew 5:28 reads, “But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”·         1 Corinthians 10:13 reads, “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”Connect with Grace English:On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/grace.s.englishOn Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gracecenglishAbout Deep in the Heart: https://deepintheheartministries.com

Are you in a meanwhile?My guest, Carol McLeod, describes a meanwhile as "the test of faith between a crisis and God's visible intervention."What do you do or say during the time between when a crisis intersects your life and when you see God's visible intervention?My guest is Carol McLeod. She's an overcomer, an award-winning author of sixteen books, host of the Significant Women podcast, international speaker, Craig's wife, and Marmie to her ten grandchildren.Carol and I discuss several snippets of her Bible study about the life of Joseph titled "Meanwhile: Meeting God in the Wait."I gained so much insight and understanding about those months or years in the meanwhiles - in the waiting - when I worked through Carol's powerful Bible study.Notable quotes from this episode with Carol McLeod:"Just as God has a plan for your life, so does the enemy. His ugly plan is that you, as a believer in Christ, will live out your earthly days in the dit of despair, in the pit of hopelessness, and the pit of unending depression. There is no potential for growth or nourishment there. The devil is unable to take eternal life from you, so he endeavors to take abundant life from you.""Joseph spoke generously because his life had been refined by human pain and he saw the unprecedented and miraculous plan of God unfold."Bible verses:2 Corinthians 5:7 "We live by faith, not by sight."Psalm 138:8 "God will accomplish what concerns me."John 16:22 "... no one can take away your joy ..."Genesis 50:20 "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many nations."Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."Carol's Bible study, Meanwhile: Meeting God in the Wait, is available on Amazon and wherever books are sold.Connect with Carol McLeod:On her website:  https://www.carolmcleodministries.comOn Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carol.b.mcleodOn Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolmcleod_Get your ticket to the 20th annual women's conference: Overflowing: Living Abundantly in a Broken Culture HERE. 

My guest, Honey Duncan, is celebrating her 7th year of sobriety today – February 20, 2024. Since her recovery from drug addiction, Honey has been intentional about practicing gratitude. It's a mindset that keeps her focused on the good things in her life, helps her maintain a positive attitude, and shows her thankfulness to God for always being with her.Honey believes gratitude is a powerful force in every area of her life. Notable quotes from this episode with Honey Duncan:·         “I know that the devil is attacking us. I know that he will look for cracks in our armor or he will look for any weaknesses that you are focused on. Gratitude is one more defense that I can put up.”·         “There is a powerful notion that you can restart your day at any time. At any moment, you can decide to have a different version of your day.”·         “Gratitude helps me soothe my sickness. To heal what's broken and dark inside of me. Gratitude is not homework. It is rescuing me.”·         “I am done being the problem in my life. It's no longer going to be me that holds myself back.”Connect with Honey Duncan:On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/honey.h.duncan On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/honeyd/

My guest, Honey Duncan, is celebrating her 7th year of sobriety today – February 20, 2024. It took just one pain pill to cause her descent into addiction. While that pain pill helped with her back pain, it also helped numb her emotional pain. She liked how that pill seemingly solved her problems. She quotes actor Russell Brand in her interview. He said, “Drugs and alcohol are not my problem. Reality is my problem. Drugs and alcohol are the solutions to my problem.” Four overdoses scared her, but they were not her rock bottom. Jail was. While there, Honey decided, “I was made for more.” Jail was the needed ‘wakeup call' to take recovery seriously. Today is a day of celebration. One in which Honey will give all the credit to God for breaking the stronghold of addiction. Notable quotes from this episode with Honey Duncan:·         “I don't know at what point I gave up on being worthy. But I was like I'm never gonna be worthy, so I might as well be bad.”·         “There's no running away from your pains. You have to confront them and overcome them.”·         “The only person my anger is hurting is myself.”Bible verses:·         Romans 8:28 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a] have been called according to his purpose.”·         Ephesians 6:12 NLT “For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.”Connect with Honey Duncan:On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/honey.h.duncan On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/honeyd/

During the difficult days of Sara Cormany's journey, she developed a mindset of seeing God's grace in seemingly impossible situations.Sara believes God has done the impossible in her life. His grace allows her to understand the hard times were necessary in growing her faith and trust in Him. The years of living with a chronic illness, the neurological residuals she now has after a stroke, the pain and grief of miscarriages … Sara sees how God worked in and through those impossible challenges. She poured out her heart to God, which strengthened her relationship with Him. This grace of the impossible is a gift from God. This gift allows you to see all the ways God was with you, protected you, fought for you, and surrounded you with love during your difficult days.Notable quotes from this episode with Sara Cormany: ·         “The just hard … just every single day over the last year, and it is no mistake that God would be bringing this book out into the world now. Because I was able to look at His faithfulness and see how He worked through our impossible years ago. And I think that's what He does. When we are able to look across the landscape of our lives and see His faithfulness through our hard things in the past, it gives us the hope to keep pressing on in the future.”·         “Without God … the grace of the impossible, or the impossible, is nothing but an obstacle. But with God, it's just the beginning of what's possible.”·         “When we can be vulnerable and we can be honest, that builds relationship. And knowing He is big enough to handle our hurts and our pain and our frustration, it keeps an ongoing conversation so that we can truly know His heart.”Scripture references:·         Matthew 17:20 “Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,' and it will move.”·         1 Samuel 17:48 “As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him.”·         2 Corinthians 12:9 “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.”Connect with Sara Cormany: On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sara.cormanyOn Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saracormany/Her website: https://saracormany.com/ 

My guest, Sara Cormany, is a speaker and author of the newly released devotional, Even When: Experiencing God During Difficult Days.The daily fight with a chronic illness became too much to bear, forcing Sara to leave her role as a high school drama and speech teacher. In 2011, Sara's life-impacting disease became life-threatening.Unaware of the seriousness of her symptoms, Sara continued living as normally as possible for six weeks before being given the news that she'd suffered a stroke. Post stroke, Sara says she has a ‘wonky brain' and a ‘wonky body,' but be assured that her wonkiness doesn't stop her from continuing to pursue her dream of teaching. Now, she teaches through the messages in her book and when she shares messages with audiences.Notable quotes from this episode with Sara Cormany: ·         “When you've gone through life thinking, oh, I just have a weird body, but nobody is that woofed about it, so I guess I won't be either. To words like strokes and death, and it just changed the game. And it requires deeper faith and deeper trust that God, you've got this.”·         “He grows beautiful things in and through my story.”·         “I continue to thank Him even in the hard … that's part of the journey and that's part of the utter dependence on God.”Connect with Sara Cormany: On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sara.cormanyOn Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saracormany/Her website: https://saracormany.com/ 

In this first video solocast of season six, I'm excited to share some insights I've gained through the hard challenges of my journey. *Please note that this episode is a video solocast. Please visit my YouTube channel @MelonyBrown to watch it. In 2005, the office supply company, Staples, launched a marketing campaign which introduced the 'easy button.' The easy button would solve frustrating situations. The downfall of the 'easy button' is it trained our culture to be frustrated by anything that was hard, or time-consuming, or took too long to obtain. Going through the drive-thru is easier than preparing a home-cooked meal. Ordering cleaning supplies, wrapping paper, and dog food on Amazon is indeed less-time consuming than making a trip to Target. Unfortunately, the 'easy button' marketing campaign has permeated our mindsets. Not just about our errands but about the hard challenges we face in life. John 16:33 reads, "In this life you will have trouble. Take heart, for I have overcome the world." James 1:2-4 reads, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." Matthew 19:26 reads, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Jeremiah 32:17 reads, "Nothing is too hard for you." When we are going through hard challenges, we see several of God's responses in each letter of the word hard. H - God helps. Check out these additional verses: 2 Samuel 22:36, 2 Chronicles 32:8, Psalm 46:1, and Psalm 121:1-2. We often don't see God helping us. Hebrews 11:1 reminds us, "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see." A - God is active.Check out these additional verses:Isaiah 64:4, Deuteronomy 23:14, and 2 Chronicles 36:22. R - We receive many blessings from God. Those blessings are activated by hard challenges, which is often how God strengthens, develops, and grows character traits in us. This one is different from the other three letters. You receive blessings when you accept Jesus' salvation. Challenges activate those blessings, which can lead to your growth. Think fruit of the Spirit from Galatians 5:22-23.D - God directs. Check out these additional verses:Proverbs 20:24, Isaiah 48:17, and 1 Kings 17:9. What is the purpose of hard challenges? Your growth is the purpose of hard. Your growth is what makes hard necessary. Your growth is the outcome of hard. Your growth is valuable because you are invaluable to God. In the last third of this episode, I share several hard challenges I've faced and how those challenges activated my growth. *I do not share this to boast about myself. As Paul said in 1 Corinthians 1:31, "Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”2 Corinthians 12:9 reads, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." Moyamoya disease is a rare cerebrovascular disease that affects 1 in 2 million people. It is characterized by strokes, mini strokes, and migraines. Philippians 4:7 reads, "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Ephesians 6:17 reads, "Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." My books, Challenges Won't Stop Me and Keep Moving Forward, are available at www.melonybrown.com.books.

Cherie Denna joined me for episode 90: Didn't Fit In. Didn't Belong. A dysfunctional childhood didn't stop her. Cherie is an author, speaker, and writing coach. In episode 90, she shared about growing up with members of the mob and members of an outlaw biker gang as her family. She witnessed excessive violence, suffered abuse, and never felt like she belonged. If you missed Cherie's story episode, be sure to listen to it!In this interview, Cherie joined me to discuss the habit of healthy boundaries and why we need to establish them. Notable quotes from this episode with Cherie Denna: * "The Holy Spirit is our protector.” * "Being in God's Word. There's a reason why it's described as a sword. Having that boundary is key. Above any other type of boundary that I could possibly adopt in my life because it all starts with what's up in my head. What I'm thinking. What I'm focused on is going to determine what I speak and what I do.” * "We can forgive, but we do not necessarily have to be reconciled to that person.”Scripture references:Luke 18:7 “And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?”Connect with Cherie Denna: On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cheriedenna On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cheriedenna/ Her website: https://cheriedenna.com/Cherie's memoir, Beloved Outcast: The Quest for True Belonging, is releasing in February of 2024. 

Excited to kick off season 6 with Cherie Denna's story interview! Cherie Denna is an author, speaker, and writing coach. In this interview, she describes her dysfunctional childhood, which was comprised of mob members from her mom's family and outlaw bikers from her dad's family. Violence occurred daily. Additionally, Cherie and her sister were abused by her stepfather. At 17, she knew she had to get away from that toxic environment. She began to process the violence, abuse, and fear she experienced in her childhood home. The resulting trauma caused PTSD, suicidal ideations, and infertility. Many years later, Cherie accepted an invitation to a ladies retreat at a church from a friend. This event became a turning point for her. She accepted Jesus and discovered her identity and belonging in Him. Cherie's memoir, Beloved Outcast: The Quest for True Belonging, is releasing in February. Notable quotes from this episode with Cherie Denna: * "Just the nature of the culture of belonging to a mob family and being associated with outlaw bikers. Everything had to stay within the family. Nobody outside the family can be trusted." * "I grew up immersed in fear." * "I knew I had to get out of there. I thought I was running from it all. You can't. You can run from the environment, but the after effects of all the trauma goes with you." * [Jesus] set me on a whole different path. I had a way now through Him - through Christ - to truly learn who I was born to be. And who I truly belonged to." Scripture references:2 Corinthians 5:17: "if anyone is in Christ, he is a newcreation; the old has gone, the new had come!" Connect with Cherie Denna: On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cheriedennaOn Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cheriedenna/Her website: https://cheriedenna.com/

Excited to have author, speaker, podcaster, and personal trainer for your mind, Mimika Cooney, join me.While Mimika could have chatted about any of the numerous topics she's written about in her ten books, we focused on the topics covered in her soon to be released book, Unlock the Mind of a Champion: How Ordinary People Achieve the Extraordinary. This book can be pre-ordered on Amazon and purchased on September 28, 2023.Surrendering, or yielding to the power of another, is a challenging topic. Being forced to surrender leads to fear, anger, and resentment. Surrendering your will to Jesus leads to transformation and personal growth. Jesus will never force you to surrender your will. When you freely surrender your will to Jesus, you will find freedom. Mimika shares an analogy about breaking a wild horse so as to become a winning racehorse. You may wrinkle your nose at being compared to a racehorse, but listen to her explanation and you'll understand why her analogy is a powerful one!Mimika also describes how God will give you elastic time to complete the tasks He's given you. She encourages us to allow God to stretch us.Enter Mimika's drawing at www.mimikacooney.com until October 6 for a chance to win a signed copy of her book and other goodies to celebrate the release of her new book, Unlock the Mind of a Champion: How Ordinary People Achieve the Ordinary.  To learn more about Mimika Cooney, visit her website at www.mimikacooney.com.Check out her YouTube channel at www.youtube/@mimikacooney for videos and resources. 

I met today's guest, Maggie Rowe, at the 2023 Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference. I enjoyed chatting with her between speakers and taking her class. I truly enjoyed reading Maggie's devotional, This Life We Share: 52 reflections on journeying well with God and others. I knew from the first sentence of the Introduction: "Let's take a road trip!" that Maggie and I likely have a love for journeys in common.Later in the Introduction, Maggie wrote, "The word of God will serve as our map." I could hardly contain my excitement as a map represents the Word of God in my book, Challenges Won't Stop Me! As I read through the devotion topics (anxiety, peace, joy, waiting, gratitude, friendship, parenting, hospitality, faith, prayer, etc.), I realized she covered topics that would interest a person in all stages of life, both male and female. In this episode, Maggie and I discuss two devotion topics that related to overcoming challenges. In the devotion, "Reflection 8: Finding Peace in the Midst of Pain," she shares how a tour guide during a trip to Israel explained the definition of Gethsemane, which is gath (press) and shemen (oil). When Jesus was being crucified, the weight of all sin pressed heavily on Him.While we won't face the challenge of crucifixion, most of have experienced the weight of our challenges pressing heavily on us. Maggie shared how we can experience God's peace during pain.In the devotion, "Reflection 10: God Writes Straight by Broken Lines," Maggie shares this quote by Ann Voskamp: "The seed breaks to give us the wheat. The soil breaks to give us the crop, the sky breaks to give us the rain, the wheat breaks to give us the bread. And the bread breaks to give us the feast." It's in the breaking that we grow.My favorite part of this devotion is the Portuguese phrase, Deus escreve certo por linhas tortas, which translates, "God makes straight by broken lines." I love what Maggie shares about this phrase and how it relates to facing challenges and fighting to overcome them.This Life We Share: 52 reflections on journeying well with God and others and Maggie's other book, Life Is Sweet Y'all: Wit and Wisdom with a Side of Sass, are available on Amazon and wherever books are sold.Learn more about Maggie and connect with her at www.maggierowe.com.Be sure to enter the drawing for a copy of Maggie's book, This Life We Share, by subscribing to her website at www.maggierowe.com between August 23, 2023 and September 1, 2023. A winner will be announced on September 1, 2023!

Whitney Ward is back to share a strategy that keeps her moving forward! In episode 86, Whitney described her rare disease named MAGIS Syndrome and how it has caused some limitations that could have stopped her.But be assured, this joy-filled woman isn't about to let challenges stop her. Long ago, Whitney decided she would choose to focus on what she can do instead of what she cannot do. This strategy has allowed her (and others) to see that the cans outweigh the cannots!Whitney believes, "We can't get stuck in our limitations. Keep moving forward. Our God is a God of cans, not cannots!" Such great wisdom about how to navigate life.Connect with Whitney HERE. And check out her books on Amazon.

My guest is Whitney Ward. I've followed Whitney on social media for several years. because we have so much in common, especially our personal stories and our ministries.I was thrilled to meet her in person at this year's Blue Ridge Christian Writers Conference. Just imagine two women standing outside the coffee house, excitedly talking about challenges, grit, and not giving up!Whitney will share about the unusual symptoms she experienced at age 6 that stumped her doctors. Many needs, many tests, and too many studies over the years finally led her doctors to categorize her disease when Whitney was 28 years old! Twenty-two years after her first symptoms!Whitney shares her message of overcoming challenges in her books, her Seeing the Invizable podcast, and when she speaks. It sounds something like this: "When your strength comes from the right source ... there's not a mountain you can't climb." Amen, sister!Learn more about Whitney at www.whitneylaneward.com.Check out her books - MORE Than My Mountains, MORE Than Your Mountains, MORE Than Creation, andAnd They Came With Haste - on Amazon!

THIS EPISODE IS A VIDEO SOLOCAST. TO APPRECIATE IT BEST, PLEASE VIEW IT ON MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL @MELONYBROWN.NOTE: This video solocast was recorded in Hawaii, which has a constant breeze blowing. My husband, Jeff, added noise reduction effects to lessen the wind noise, but it didn't remove all of it. Words are composed of letters in various combinations. A list of words will likely come to your mind when I tell you today's topic is a four letter word. Most people will think this four letter word is a curse word. Or a word that is profane or obscene. A swear word. Many avoid using four letter words in conversations, especially if little ears are present.Even though the four letter word I'm discussing in today's vide solocast is not a curse word, some dislike it so much that they still would deem it a curse word.What is this four letter word? WAIT. Yep, you see why some would throw it in with the other four letter curse words. In our fast lane, microwaveable, 4G, lightning speed society, we don't like to wait. In fact, Jen Wilkin, author of Abide: A Study in 1, 2, & 3 John, shares, "We have turned waiting into an enemy that is to be removed. We think waiting is something to be mitigated. It's not something to be sat in. We should be good at waiting." Essentially, we try everything we can to make waiting less harsh or severe.MIssionary and author Elisabeth Elliot said, "He [God] makes us wait. He keeps us on purpose in the dark. He makes us walk when we want to run, sit when we want to walk, for He has things to do in our souls that we are not interested in."As much as we might like to say curse words when we have to (are forced to) wait, many benefits are found in waiting.I share several of those benefits in this episode, as well as several Bible verses about waiting. Listen in to discover the benefits of waiting. Thank you for listening/watching this episode!

Brenda Underwood, business life coach, joined me again to share some effective strategies she's learned to implement when she's feeling insecure.In episode 83, titled "Danced with the Devil," Brenda shared some experiences from her traumatic childhood that filled her with fear, rejection, and insecurity. When she encountered God, she immersed herself in reading and studying the Bible. It was in God's Word that she discovered courage, acceptance, and security. Her validation comes from God. She encourages us to "embrace the jewel that God created you to be."Brenda speaks aloud the following verses to combat the enemy when he is roaring and spewing lies:1 Corinthians 12:3 ". . . no one can say, 'Jesus is Lord,' except by the Holy Spirit."2 Corinthians 10:3-5 "For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 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."Galatians 1:10 "Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ."Brenda shared, "The Holy Spirit whispers, and the enemy roars."Learn more about Brenda or connect with her at breakthroughforlife.com.

Growing up in a dysfunctional family with a father who drank hard liquor, a mother who smoked weed, and considerably older siblings exposed Brenda to destructive behaviors. She had access to things that weren't good for a young child. Additionally, Brenda felt overlooked and rejected, which led to hanging out with people who were not good influences. "I looked for a place to fit in, and doing drugs was that place. I danced with the devil," Brenda shared.After having her son, Brenda decided, "I had to turn the page, I had to get to the place where I couldn't let the dysfunction that I had chosen to be my life story. I had to make a decision to pivot. To overcome. To move in a different direction."Reading God's Word slowly began transforming her. Dancing with the devil changed to dancing in the freedom of God's love. Brenda fought hard to overcome the demons of her past, and now she is excited to tell others about how Jesus will help them overcome their struggles too.Brenda shared, "You don't appreciate the overcome unless you understand the undercome."Brenda is a business life coach. You can learn more about her coaching and connect with her at www.breakthroughforlife.com.

Author Heidi McGill joins me for another episode to discuss her habit of choosing joy. She shares that she began reading the Psalms after her diagnosis of retinitis pigmentosa. This progressive disease will cause her to be completely blind in the future. She discovered Psalm 27:13, which says, "I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living." Notice "I will see" in the middle of that verse?Isn't it just like God to cause our hearts to connect with a verse that allows His strength to be seen in our weakness?Every morning, Heidi chooses to look for joy before her feet hit the floor. She's thanking God for the goodness while here on earth instead of waiting to see God's goodness when she gets to heaven.Do you see God's goodness in your life? Are you thanking Him for those good things? If so, I bet you are full of joy every day! Check out Heidi's books on Amazon. Learn more about her here. 

Imagine if you will - slowly losing your sight in your early thirties. Maybe you've never thought about the gift that eye sight is. I know I take it for granted.Today's guest, Heidi McGill, was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa when she was just 31 years old. As you can imagine, Heidi was angry with God about losing her sight. She grieved what she would miss seeing in the future with her two daughter and her husband. Her anger slowly faded and was replaced with a new outlook.Losing her sight has been a difficult journey, but she said, "I will not allow those challenges to defeat me. I will also not allow those challenges to define me."During COVID, Heidi began writing. Since then, she's published three historical Christian novels and three contemporary romance novellas. You can learn more at www.heidmcgill822089357.wordpress.com.Check out her books on Amazon.

Grateful to Christine Trimpe for joining me for a habits interview!Habit: an acquired mode of behavior that has become nearly or completely voluntary because of repetition.It's easy to think of the bad habits that we need to stop when this topic comes up. But that's not where we are going in this episode. Instead, Christine shares about those times when it feels our emotional and spiritual heart ... well ... just feels out of rhythm.I've been there. Have you?The five heart habits go along with the anacronym H-E-A-R-T:H - Handle our emotionsE- Examine our thoughtsA - Ask for motivation R - Run with courageT - Take actionThese healthy heart habits have helped Christine experience BIG results in her life. And in the lives of her coaching clients.If you're ready to see BIG results in your life, grab a pen and paper, and listen to this habits interview with Christine Trimpe.To learn more about Christine, visit her at www.christinetrimpe.com.Check out her book, Seeking Joy Through the Gospel of Luke: A Christmas to Calvary Countdown.

I'm excited to have author, speaker, health coach, and friend Christine Trimpe join me again.  She's known as the 'joy girl' as she's learned to seek joy no matter what challenge she's facing!And Christine's faced several challenges! You might remember Christine from episode 53: An Invitation to Sit at His Table. In that episode, she shared about her incredible weight loss transformation.  If you haven't already listened to it, I encourage you to check it out.About the same time Christine was seeing great results with her weight loss journey, another challenge intersected her path.  Her son, Kyle, was involved in a catastrophic car accident, which significantly impacted his life.Because their insurance company repeatedly denied Kyle's treatments and therapies claims, a court battle followed. Christine leaned hard on God when the challenges weighed heavy on her, seeking God's strength and focusing on the joy in her life.Psalm 27 and 37 were her 'go-to- verses, reminding her to not fret about the circumstances and to trust God. As she pondered these verses, she realized, "My job is to trust God. God's job is the outcome." WOW! What great wisdom!To learn more about Christine, go to www.christinetrimpe.com. Her book, Seeking Joy through the Gospel of Luke: A Christmas to Calvary Advent Countdown, is available on Amazon. 

Please listen to episode 77: Drew Her Out of Deep Waters before listening to this episode as Tiffany shares the story of when she was attacked by a shark. Tiffany Johnson survived a shark attack while on vacation with her husband in 2017. Every year since then, she takes time to pause and remember God's faithfulness before, during, and after the shark attack. Tiffany explains how this is an intentional habit for her as God commands it for our benefit. While it can be difficult remembering the terror she felt while it was happening, it sets the stage for her to also remember all the ways God was faithful in shielding her, protecting her, filling her with peace, and saving her life. In addition to a set aside time of remembering on the anniversary of the shark attack, she brings up parts of that day in conversations with her children. She wants them to know how God protected her and saved her. Not only does talking about God's faithfulness strengthen her faith, but it also strengthens her children's faith. In this episode, Tiffany refers to Judges 2:10-13 which says, "After that whole generation had been gathered to their ancestors, another generation grew up who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel. Then the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord and served the Baals. They forsook the Lord, the God of their ancestors, who had brought them out of Egypt. They followed and worshiped various gods of the peoples around them. They aroused the Lord's anger because they forsook him and served Baal and the Ashtoreths." Tiffany comments that the Israelites forgot to remember all the things God had done and His faithfulness toward them. Their "forgetfulness" led to them forsaking God. We must remember God's faithfulness in our lives, so we aren't tempted to forsake God.Tiffany refers to the song "Do It Again" by Elevation Worship. You can listen to this song on YouTube. Connect with Tiffany at beanovercomerministries.com.

In 2017, Tiffany Johnson and her husband went on their yearly getaway to nurture their marriage: a cruise to the Bahamas and some adventures when the ship stopped at various ports. No kids. Lots of sun. Good food. What could go wrong?The parasailing adventure was fantastic, but the snorkeling adventure proved to be filled with one huge challenge followed by several other challenges. The huge challenge? A shark attacked Tiffany, biting off the bottom half of her dominant arm. Tiffany cried out to Jesus. And boy, did God show up in numerous ways! Tiffany shares, "the peace of the LORD surrounded me. It was thick and tangible."When describing how God was with her during the attack and the rescue efforts, Tiffany refers to Psalm 18:16 which says, "He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters." Her doctors declared that surviving the shark attack, receiving very delayed medical attention, and not needing a blood transfusion were nothing short of a miracle. It's been nearly six years since she encountered the shark. While that challenge impacted her life in many ways, it didn't stop her. In fact, she believes, "I'm not supposed to be here. God rescued me. He saw something in me to give me this second chance. I was rescued for a purpose."Tiffany started a ministry to share the message of overcoming the challenges we face in life. It's called 'Be an Overcomer.' She speaks to students to share the message of Jesus being alive and active in our lives. Additionally, she's co-authored two devotionals titled Endurance and Unchartered Waters.Connect with Tiffany at beanovercomerministries.com.

My fight verse is Hebrews 2:18 from the Amplified Bible Classic Edition. It says, “My trust and assured reliance and confident hope shall be fixed in Him.” I refer to the Jesus & Women Bible study by Kristi McLelland in this episode. I highly recommend this Bible study!El Shema – the unofficial name of God that means God hears usEl Roi – the name of God that means God sees usImmanuel – the name of God that means God is with us Other verses that refer to God hearing us, seeing us, and being with us to read and color code:God hears us: Genesis 16:11, Genesis 17:20, Genesis 21:17, Exodus 2:24, Exodus 3:7, Exodus 3:9, Exodus 6:5, Exodus 22:23, Exodus 22:27, Numbers 11:18, Numbers 20:16, Deuteronomy 27:17, 2 Samuel 22:7, 1 Kings 9:3, 1 Kings 17:22, 2 Kings 20:5, 2 Kings 22:19, 2 Chronicles 7:12, 2 Chronicles 7:14, 2 Chronicles 20:9, 2 Chronicles 30:20, 2 Chronicles 30:27, Nehemiah 9:27, Nehemiah 9:28, Job 34:28, Psalm 4:3, Psalm 6:8-9, Psalm 10:17, Psalm 18:6, Psalm 28:6, Psalm 31:22, Psalm 34:17, Psalm 40:1, Psalm 55:17, Psalm 69:33, Psalm 106:44, Psalm 116:1, Psalm 145:19, Psalm 145:19, Proverbs 15:29, Isaiah 38:5, John 11:41-42, Acts 10:31, 2 Corinthians 6:2, 1 John 5:14-15God sees us: Genesis 16:13, Genesis 29:31, Deuteronomy 26: 7-8, Deuteronomy 32:36, 1 Chronicles 21:15, Nehemiah 9:9, Job 34:21,Psalm 11:14, Psalm 33:13, Psalm 138:6, Lamentations 3:50, Jonah 3:10, Matthew 6: 4, 6, 18, Matthew 9:2, Matthew 9:22, Matthew 9:36, Mark 2:5, Mark 5:38, Mark 6:34, Mark 9:25, Luke 5:20, Luke 7:13, Luke 13:12, John 5:6, John 9:1, John 11:33God is with us: Genesis 26: 3, 24, Genesis 31:5, Numbers 23:21, Joshua 1:9, Judges 6: 12, 16, 2 Samuel 7:9, 1 Kings 11:38, 2 Chronicles 13:12, 2 Chronicles 20:17, 2 Chronicles 32:7-8, Psalm 23:4, Psalm 46:7,11, Psalm 91:15, Psalm 118:6-7, Isaiah 8:10, Psalm 41:10, Isaiah 43:2, 5, Jeremiah 20:11, Jeremiah 46: 28, Haggai 1:13, Haggai 2:4, Matthew 1:23, Matthew 28:20, Luke 1:28, Luke 13:33, John 14: 17, 20I refer to the map (God's Word) and the binoculars (taking your focus off your struggles and focusing on God instead) in this episode. Those are two of the pieces of essential gear that I discuss in my book, Challenges Won't Stop Me: An Interactive Survival Guide for Overcoming & Thriving. My book is available on Amazon. Additionally, an autographed copy is available at www.melonybrown.com/merch.

WARNING: This interview contains descriptions of violence and sex that are not suited for children below the age of 12. Please watch episode 74: "He Loves Me but He Hits Me: teen dating violence didn't stop her with Dee Dee Said" beforewatching this episode. In that episode, Dee Dee shared her story of being in ateen dating violent relationship. This episode is a valuable resource for any adult who lives with, teaches, mentors, or interacts with a tween through college aged young adult. Listed below are a few statistics taken from Dee Dee's book, "It Doesn't Start with a Punch: My Journey through an Abusive Teen Dating Relationship": * 24% of teens aged 16 to 18 said they feel pressured to have a boyfriend or girlfriend. * Data from the 2015 national Youth Risk Behavior Survey of 9th through 12th grade students found that 10% of females and 3% of males have experienced forced sex. * Approximately 1 in 3 adolescent girls will experience an abusive relationship. * A 2021 survey by Common Sense Media found that in 2019 teens spent almost 7.5 hours per day watching TV, movies, and online videos, playing video games, and visiting social media sites. (James Steer, founder and CEO of Common Sense Media, explained, "Children's screen time has wide-ranging implications for their social and emotional development, how they form relationships, how they identify themselves, and how they are exposed to hate speech." * A 2005 study by the Kaiser Family Foundation reported that 12 to 17 year olds who are heavy viewers of sexual content are twice as likely to initiate sexual intercourse over the next year as those that saw the least amount. * Pediatrician Dr. Todd Huffman stated, "The sexual content in much of the media today's teens attend to is frequent, glamorized, and consequence free." * The Congressional Public Health Summit in 2000 reported the following measurable effects of exposure to violent entertainment: more likely to view violence as an effective way of settling conflicts; can lead to emotional desensitization toward violence in real life; feeds a perception that the world is violent and mean; and may lead to real-life violence. * In the summer of 2009, of the songs on the top music charts: 69% referenced sex at least once; 49% contained sexual lyrics; 41% contained profanity; and 31% referenced drugs or alcohol. * Females who watch music videos are more likely to tolerate sexual harassment. * Boys who watch music videos begin to treat women as sex objects, which can lead to becoming sexually aggressive with them. To learn more, please visit Dee Dee Said's website at buildstrongfoundations.com.

WARNING: This interview contains descriptions of violence and sex that are not suited for children below the age of 12. February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month. My guest, Dee Dee Said, was involved in an abusive teen dating relationship between the ages of 16 and 19; she shares about the raw details in her book, It Doesn't Start with a Punch: My Journey through an Abusive Teen Dating Relationship. While it's hard to hear Dee Dee describe the emotional, verbal, and physical abuse she endured, she offers valuable insight into the subtle ways her abuser drew her in and kept her fearful enough to not disobey or anger him. As parents, educators, neighbors, and church friends of tweens through college aged young adults, we NEED TO KNOW these warning signs.A few statistics to be aware of:·        1 in 10 teens will experience teen dating violence·        Youth ages 12 to 19 experience the highest rates of rape and sexual assault·        62% of tweens surveyed said they knew friends who had been verbally abused (called stupid, worthless, ugly, etc.) by a boyfriend or girlfriendThe National Dating Abuse helpline number is 1.866.331.9474Please listen to this interview yourself first for your knowledge. Then, I do encourage you to invite a tween through college aged young adult to listen to it with you. Have a conversation after listening to Dee Dee's interview together.  To learn more about Dee Dee, please visit buildstrongfoundations.comOrder Dee Dee's book, It Doesn't Start with a Punch: My Journey through an Abusive Teen Dating Relationship, on Amazon.