A podcast designed to encourage believers that God can use you to impact His kingdom no matter your story. Yes, it requires surrender and trust, but His grace is enough.
Episodes
Tuesday Sep 24, 2019
Tuesday Sep 24, 2019
Lindsay and I chat about her journey of becoming a foster parent, the need for more Christians to step into the role of foster parenting, and what she would like the biological parents of her foster children to know.
3:52 Lindsay shares how her relationship with Jesus began
6:05 Lindsay shares how she and her husband became foster parents
"In our church, there was a lot of national talk bubbling up about social justice...."
"This organization was going to churches and to Christians and was saying, 'We are in a capacity crisis here and we don't have people stepping up.' Hillsborough County is the worst in the state of Florida, in terms of the number of children that are removed from their homes."
8:29 Lindsay shares some of the fears she experienced prior to becoming a licensed foster parent
Biggest fear: How having a foster child would affect her biological children.
"We've been very open with our kids about why we have chosen to foster, about who Jesus is, and what He calls us to do, and about the lives our children lead and how different they are from the lives of our foster children. How the inequality of justice should spur us on, so our kids our incredible."
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SPONSOR: Hope Threads
Click over and check out their new fall line.
This organization was founded by moms in north Raleigh, who have been inspired and motivated to join with highly resilient and talented refugees as they learn English, and develop marketable skills to support their families. These women come from countries with political turmoil, where they had to fight for the safety of their families. They’ve been given the opportunity to come to the United States and the challenges still exist, though they’ve changed face. Their children are generally thriving in school, though they lack the language skills to understand what’s being said in parent teacher conferences….or to know how to get their children proper medical care in the maze of a medical system.
Hope Threads was born out of relationships formed over years of serving these women by teaching them English or caring for their children as they learn. They are graciously hosted by North Ridge Bible Chapel and have virtually no overhead costs, as volunteers teach sewing skills and care for children in a gospel centered children’s program.
You can find them online at hope-Threads.com or on Instagram at hope.threads.
Your purchase empowers a resilient woman as she acculturates, learns new skills, and supports her family. Please visit Hope Threads to view their catalog and for OPPORTUNITIES to SPONSOR refugee women.
Tuesday Sep 17, 2019
Tuesday Sep 17, 2019
Treva shares with me her story of losing her husband, Jeff, in a tragic car accident. She walks through her grief during the first few months following his death and how God has walked with her and her children every step of the way. She encourages widows and shares of Christ's redemptive work through her suffering.
Raleigh Muralist: Lisa Gaither
4:58 Treva begins sharing her faith story with us and what life has looked like for her the last 5-10 years
She and her husband, Jeff, were married for 22 years.
8:16-17:04 Faith and grief collide in Treva's story. She takes us back to 2017 and walks us through the tragic car accident where her husband lost his life.
"That was something I feared, losing my husband. He was such a good dad, such a great husband, a godly man, very strong in his faith. I used to call him, my Boaz. I didn't think from the abandonment I had already suffered as a daughter that the Lord would ever allow me to be a widow (before 80)."
Treva and her husband, Jeff, did ministry to teens together for 17 years.
"Your dad makes sure you have fun and I make sure you're alive."
17:06 Treva shares about what the months were like following the loss of her husband, Jeff.
"It was the most beautiful act of love that the Lord had for us every day that week. It is where joy and sorrow collide. Where we saw the hand of God so mightily, but in the worst circumstance. I used to always says, 'We have the best scenario in the worst circumstance,' just how God carried us. If I had ever doubted God's love for me or for my kids, it was in those first few months afterwards that God solidified for me who He is and how He loves our children....He doesn't have to have all the pieces that we think He has to have to finish the good work that He started in them."
18:53 Treva shares how her relationship with God changed as a result of losing her spouse, her best friend.
SHOW NOTES continued
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Follow Treva at Not Just A Widow
Tuesday Sep 10, 2019
Tuesday Sep 10, 2019
Sharon and I chat about the difference between niceness and kindness, the dangers of making words like authenticity and courage trendy, how God cultivates the fruit of the Spirit in us, and how knowing the depth of God's Word is vital as a believer. Our conversation surrounds her newest book Nice: Why We Love to Be Liked and Why God Calls Us to More.
5:58 Sharon shares how her faith journey with Jesus began
Sharon worked for Proverbs 31 ministrywhen she graduated from college. It was a small ministry at that time with about 5 people on staff.
“I went back to seminary, because I realized I really wanted to equip myself for ministry.”
8:50 Sharon expounds on the first line in her new book Nice: Why We Love to Be Liked and Why God Calls Us to More, “God didn’t call us to be nice.”
The book came from a paragraph she wrote in her first book, Free of Me.
“I was a really good kid. I was a nice Christian girl. I was a rule follower. I was an achiever. I was a people pleaser. That was a big part of my identity. As I looked back, I think all along I felt like I was a good kid, because I loved God and I wanted to honor God. To some extent that was true, but I could also see that it was really rewarding to be a good kid. It earned me a lot of affirmation from all of the adults in my life. I could look back and see these mixed motives in my heart and how that was blurring my identity as a Christian.”
“The more I noticed this [nice Christian mentality] the more I thought this is a false virtue in our culture, but it is also a false idol in the church. We don’t see anywhere in the Bible that tells us to be nice. We are told to bear fruits of kindness and patience and gentleness and love, but nowhere are we told to be nice.”
“We will often excuse sin or dysfunction if a person is simply nice to us. “
“He doesn’t call us to be mean. He doesn’t call us to be aggressive. He doesn’t call us to be divisive, but He doesn’t call us to simply be pleasant.”
15:15 “Nice Christianity looks a lot like the real thing. Jesus says the way you can know it’s not the real thing is look at the fruit it is producing.”
“Some of the fruits [of niceness] are unexpected like self-righteousness. This doesn’t look like niceness on its face, but it is a fruit of it. That was 100% my story, because I was such a good girl, I would think, ‘’Being good is so easy. What’s wrong with these other people who aren’t nice like me?’ Instead of owning the fact that part of the reason I was good was I was a slave to people’s affirmation and approval.”
SHOW NOTES continued.
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Sharon Hodde Miller at SheWorships.com and IG
SPONSOR: Hope Threads
You can find them online at hope-Threads.com or on Instagram at hope.threads.
Your purchase empowers a resilient woman as she acculturates, learns new skills, and supports her family. Please visit Hope Threadsto view their catalog and for OPPORTUNITIES to SPONSOR refugee women.
Tuesday Sep 03, 2019
Tuesday Sep 03, 2019
Dr. Deering and I chat about common mother/daughter relationships experiences that shape their communication, some tips for addressing a broken relationship and more from her book "What Mothers Never Tell Their Daughters."
4:26 Dr. Deering shares how her personal story plays into the work she does with mothers and daughters.
Her interaction with young moms in her neighborhood prompting her writing the book What Mothers Never Tell Their Daughters.
9:32 Dr. Deering observed young moms complaining about their moms yet repeating some of those same behaviors. She discusses how that pertains to her relationship with her 2 daughters.
"I have owned up to when I have done something incorrectly. I've apologized...I am quick to say I am sorry."
11:15 Dr. Deering shares a few common mother/daughter experiences that shape the way they see each other, which ultimately influences how they communicate with one another.
"How moms and daughters deal with their experiences of difference is key....For instance, the first time a mom will notice her daughter is doing something that's different than how she would think it ought to be done and how that mom reacts to that and in turn how the daughter responds to that or reacts to that. That then, starts a certain dance between the two of them, because ultimately what a daughter wants is to feel accepted and love."
15:49 Dr. Deering shares a few ways mothers and daughters can begin the reconciling process
"I think there is an element (this is not to say anything negative about the body of Christ), but I think sometimes there can be this expectation that reconciliation is the definite goal. Reconciliation actually takes two....It is the same way God deals with us. Jesus died on the cross. It's out there for everyone. It's available....The fix really takes two if you want the full reconciliation, but sometimes it is just one willing to come to terms with some things."
SHOW NOTES continued
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Dr. Deering and Curative Connections
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Tuesday Aug 27, 2019
Tuesday Aug 27, 2019
Steven and I chat about being a "good kid", becoming an Army Ranger, his role in the death of Pat Tillman, PTSD, and how the grace of God literally changed his heart.
4:15 Steven begins sharing his faith experience as a child and how he was a "good kid"
"The lens I would describe a lot of my faith journey, I suppose, is through the lens of the prodigal son....In retrospect, as I grew up, I am a good rule follower. I can't stand it if people aren't approving of me. I viscerally need that...."
Steven talks about pride and how the idea of do X and get Y was very appealing to him.
"Going into the military in 2003, I was very much the older son in that story [prodigal son]."
7:55 Steven shares about joining the army in the wake of 9/11 and becoming a Ranger
He describes how one becomes a Ranger in the Army.
11:32: Steven became a Ranger in the 2nd Ranger Battalion based at Ft. Lewis where he was assigned to his platoon. In his platoon were two brothers, Pat and Kevin Tillman.
April 2004: Platoon sent to Afghan/Pakistan border to conduct combat operations (raids and patrols)
12:47: Steven explains what a raid and/or patrol looks like for a Ranger Unit.
15:22-27:40 Steven shares the details of April 22, 2004
"Once the smoke cleared our platoon had sustained 2 casualties (2 dead and 2 wounded). One of those that were killed was an Afghan military soldier....the other who was killed that day was Pat Tillman."
28:00Steven shares how the narrative surrounding Pat Tillman death varied greatly between the American media and what actually happened on the ground
SHOW NOTES continued
Steven Elliott's book: WAR STORY
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SPONSOR: Hope Threads
This organization was founded by moms in north Raleigh, who have been inspired and motivated to join with highly resilient and talented refugees as they learn English, and develop marketable skills to support their families. These women come from countries with political turmoil, where they had to fight for the safety of their families. They’ve been given the opportunity to come to the United States and the challenges still exist, though they’ve changed face. Their children are generally thriving in school, though they lack the language skills to understand what’s being said in parent teacher conferences….or to know how to get their children proper medical care in the maze of a medical system.
Multiple barriers exist that prevent these women from traditional employment opportunities, as most of them do not have cars to get them to work, the finances to pay for childcare, or the language skills to communicate and advocate for themselves. Hope Threads was born out of relationships formed over years of serving these women by teaching them English or caring for their children as they learn. They are graciously hosted by North Ridge Bible Chapel and have virtually no overhead costs, as volunteers teach sewing skills and care for children in a gospel centered children’s program.
You can find them online at hope-Threads.com or on Instagram at hope.threads.
Your purchase empowers a resilient woman as she acculturates, learns new skills, and supports her family.
Please visit Hope Threads to view their catalog and/or sponsor a refugee woman.
Tuesday Aug 20, 2019
Tuesday Aug 20, 2019
Heather and I chat about the power of God's Word to change lives, the loss she has experienced in her life, dealing with anxiety, and her Bible studies: Ready and Determined.
4:08 Heather shares her story of coming to know Jesus and how her love of God's Word took root in her heart
10:42 Heather walks us through the major medical events in her life that led to a diagnosis of vEDS (Vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome) and how that has challenged and changed her faith.
Major Medical Events: Pre-mature birth, Colon rupture, miscarriage, two aneurysm flare ups (kidney and gut), kidney infarction, and left carotid artery rupture.
vEDS makes your blood vessels and organs prone to rupture.
There is no cure or treatment for vEDS. "The prescription he gave me was prepare your bucket list and live your life well, because the average life expectancy of someone with Vascular EDS is 48 years."
18:22 Heathertalks about the days and months following the diagnosis.
"I wasn't afraid to die. I wasn't afraid to go see Jesus. I hunger to see Jesus. The hardest thing for me was coming to terms with the fact that God would take care of my husband and son."
"We had to come face to face with the reality that we are not promised another day on this earth."
"During that season I literally sat an alarm on my phone every 60 minutes to pray, because that was about as long I would last before I felt a wave of a panic attack coming on."
Deuteronomy 30:19-20 This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live20 and that you may love the Lordyour God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lordis your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
"I said, Okay, I am going to choose life. I am going to put two feet on the floor.... choose life, Heather. You still have life to live. If you have a pulse, you have a purpose."
"I don't think God intentionally caused pain, but I do think He used that pain to bring me to my knees, to a place where I had to confess to Him, I'm not giving You everything. I am not giving you my trust over my husband and my son and their life. It was that moment when he said, 'Choose life. I got you. I got your family, choose life'."
25:58 Have a wholistic tool box when dealing with anxiety.
29:39Heathershares encouragement and tools she uses in dealing with anxiety.
- You are not alone in this struggle. Other humans struggle with it, but so did Jesus. "At the final moments of the cross in Luke 22, He is literally sweating blood, because He is so afraid." There is a Greek term used agonia for agony in the passage, when Jesus is praying to God out of fear for His life. "We serve a Savior who understands what it feels like to battle that in His body physically, in His mind. He understands what it feels like to cry out to God for relief."
- Don't expect to fix it all at once
- Make intentional, sustainable choices
35:58Heather shares about the 2 Bible studies she has written.
- READY: FINDING THE COURAGE TO FACE THE UNKNOWN | A SIX-WEEK BIBLE STUDY ON JOSHUA 1-5
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DETERMINED: LIVING LIKE JESUS IN EVERY MOMENT | A SIX-WEEK BIBLE STUDY ON LUKE
SHOW NOTES continued
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SPONSOR: Beloved Women's Conference
The Beloved Women’s Conferenceis a one-day event in Raleigh, NC filled with speakers, worship, breakout sessions and more to refresh, refuel, and empower women like us to find rest for our souls, peace for our minds, and hope for the journey.
The mission of the Beloved Women’s Conferenceis to replenish the women who do so much for their families and communities so they can continue to build better futures for themselves and those they love and serve. This is the break that you not only need, but that will replenish your soul.
Learn more and register today at www.belovedconference.org.
Tuesday Jul 30, 2019
Tuesday Jul 30, 2019
Lara and Hayley, the founders of Layers of Dignity, and I chat about how they began donating totes full of clothing and other items to emergency rooms and advocacy centers to be given to sexual assault survivors immediately after evidence collection. We chat about Layers mission to provide hope and connection for survivors, so they know they are not alone.
4:46 Hayley shares about Layers of Dignity(what it is, what they do, etc.)
Tote bag includes:
- Brand new outfit
- Toiletries
- Resources
- Love note from another survivor
7:14 Lara shares about how the anger they experienced following Hayley's assault turned to righteous anger, which led to Layers of Dignity
"This anger, it's there, it's purposeful, it makes sense, it is allowed to be there. It [sexual assault] is a thing that is wrong. It is something God weeps over. The anger can happen, but if you just stay there it can get dangerous real quick. Moving it into a righteous anger almost definitely means there is going to be some kind of positive action. We came up with the idea to give clothes to the hospital..."
Vintage Church has been a huge support.
10:05 Hayley shares about their first delivery and how Layers has spread to other hospitals and advocacy centers
12:02 1 in 6 women will experience a sexual assault or attempted assault in their lifetime. 98% of women will experience symptoms of PTSD during the two weeks after an assault and 1 in 10 sexual assault survivors are male.
Hayley discusses how Layers of Dignityis helping to decrease that 98% experiencing PTSD
"One of our main missions and goals is to be a catalyst for hope and redemption as early as possible and part of that is creating a community. Going through that [assault] is/has been the darkest time in my life and even though I had the best support system....Even though you are totally surrounded, you still feel the loneliest you've ever felt, so I think if you can create a place where you feel known there can be less of that loneliness, which hopefully will lead to less depression, anxiety, and hopefully bring that trauma to a place where it can be dealt with early on."
13:23 They share about the notes included in each tote from a sexual assault survivor
SHOW NOTES continued
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SPONSOR: Hope Threads
This organization was founded by moms in north Raleigh, who have been inspired and motivated to join with highly resilient and talented refugees as they learn English, and develop marketable skills to support their families. These women come from countries with political turmoil, where they had to fight for the safety of their families. They’ve been given the opportunity to come to the United States and the challenges still exist, though they’ve changed face. Their children are generally thriving in school, though they lack the language skills to understand what’s being said in parent teacher conferences….or to know how to get their children proper medical care in the maze of a medical system.
Multiple barriers exist that prevent these women from traditional employment opportunities, as most of them do not have cars to get them to work, the finances to pay for childcare, or the language skills to communicate and advocate for themselves. Hope Threads was born out of relationships formed over years of serving these women by teaching them English or caring for their children as they learn. They are graciously hosted by North Ridge Bible Chapel and have virtually no overhead costs, as volunteers teach sewing skills and care for children in a gospel centered children’s program.
You can find them online at hope-Threads.com or on Instagram at hope.threads.
Your purchase empowers a resilient woman as she acculturates, learns new skills, and supports her family.
Please visit Hope Threads to view their catalog.
Tuesday Jul 23, 2019
Tuesday Jul 23, 2019
Sarah and I chat about identifying that passion God has placed deep within you and living it out. For Sarah, it is gathering people around a table to connect over food and helping others to do the same by crafting hand made tables through Neighbor's Table.
2:41 Sarah shares how a pastor friend helped her shift her identify from work back into Christ.
"I learned to not strive so much, but rest in who God made me to be... Come to find out God made me to be a people gatherer."
"I thought back to the very best moments of my life and they were always around the table."
"I think God made me to gather people at the table."
Sarah set a goal to serve 500 people around the table in her backyard and on Thanksgiving the 500th guest walked down the driveway.
7:00 "The best part of what we now call Neighbor's Tableis my friend called about a year and half in and said, 'Sarah, I see God getting a lot of glory around your table and I wonder if He has something outside your own yard?'....I started thinking there's other people wired just like me. There's other people gatherer's in the world. What if I could find those people? And what if I could cheer them on?....Neighbor's Table is my full time job now."
Neighbor's Tablebuilds hand-crafted tables and deliver them across the country and cheer people on to love their neighbor's.
"People might say we're in the table business, but I really like to think we're in the people business."
9:25 Sarah shares the who, what, when, where and how she hosted the first gathering in her backyard
Who: 300 closest neighbors (91 people attended)
What: A potluck So-Hip Soiree
Where: Sarah's backyard
"I learned that night that people just want to be invited. There's something special about being invited to the table."
"My rule at my house is there's no private party, so if any neighbor sees there's an open seat they can join me. I pass plates of food over the fence. People stop and say hello."
14:45 Sarah shares her faith journey with us and how she discovered God created her to be a people gatherer
"I think people gathering probably looks a little like evangelism with a dinner napkin wrapped around it...I just love people....Now we say Neighbor's Tableis a love mission. I want to be very missional about the way we love people and not in a project kind of way, but in a real, genuine, as a believer, I have the light of Christ inside of me [kind of way]."
SHOW NOTES continued
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SPONSOR: Dwell Differently
Dwell is a monthly scripture memory service that helps you get God’s words off the page and into your mind and heart.
How is dwell different? Dwell helps people connect with God through taking the first letter of each word in a verse & stringing them together in a unique, beautiful design. Each month, you receive temporary tattoos, key chain tags, & a print of that month’s verse design.Every time you see the image, you’re challenged to recall what each letter represents, & eventually you memorize the verse.
Insta and FB: @dwelldifferently
Sign up for their weekly email/blog at www.dwelldifferently.com
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Tuesday Jul 16, 2019
Tuesday Jul 16, 2019
Jan and I chat about enjoying Jesus, quieting the mind, ridding your life of life-draining behaviors, and God’s invitation.
4:12 Jan shares how she came to know Jesus as Lord and Savior
“I always had a sense that Jesus was everywhere.”
The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence
- During the time of writing Enjoying the Presence of God is when Jan began to ask what it was like to meditate on Scripture, to hang out with God. God’s Word became less of a checklist and more of a relationship.
- God became the companion of her soul during this time.
6:55 Jan discusses spiritual formation, partnering with God in caring for the voiceless, and living with purposeful intentionality.
“Spiritual formation is really discipleship, but it’s not just doing practices. It’s about letting the Spirit transform you into Christlikeness.”
Spiritual practices = different ways of connecting with God
8:35 “The focus of attention in spiritual formation isn’t on me and how I am doing….It’s always about oneness with God, union with God.”
“What would it look like to love God for the next 10 minutes?”
10:50 Jan talks about having a voice for the voiceless
“That is what Jesus did. The people nobody wanted to hang out with, there He was.”
13:36 “What breaks your heart that breaks the heart of God?….Different things break people’s hearts differently, which is great, because then we are all the hands and feet of Jesus in so many different ways.”
“Ask God for a next step?”
SHOW NOTES continued
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Tuesday Jul 09, 2019
Tuesday Jul 09, 2019
Jodie and I chat about praying for your children throughout their lives, how God delights in hearing from His children, and how praying the Scripture brings peace and aligns our heart with God's heart.
6:07 Jodieshares her faith journey, mothering in the early years, and how her first book, Praying the Scripture for Your Children came to be
"I turned Eph. 4:29 in to a prayer for me and my family."
She did a paper survey asking one question, "If you could ask God to do one thing for your children, for your family, what would it be?"
She used the top 20 answers to create a table of contents of what might become a book. Then, she dug into God's Word to see what it said about each topic.
All 3 books are cataloged by topics.
11:16 Jodie shares what she has experienced in her own personal prayer life as she has prayed the Scriptures for her children
"There is a lot of richness and depth and variety as we lift our prayers out of Scripture, but not only that, I think they become a lot more powerful. God says in Isaiah 55 that His word will not return empty, but will accomplish the purposes for which it's sent. I have really seen that His Word goes forth and it accomplishes things."
"It's this beautiful hand in hand partnership where God invites us to partner with Him in accomplishing these purposes through prayer."
"As I slip my hand into God's and bring my children before Him, for me I get a peace that I don't think I would get any other way, because even if I not yet seen the result (even if I am still in the thick of whatever the issue is) I know God is at work. I have released it to Him. I know He is for us and it keeps anxiety at bay and opens the door to that peace, that contentment and that confidence in the midst of the storm."
"Share your heart with Him even in the midst of the mayhem."
Praying the Scripture for Your Teens
Praying the Scripture for Your Adult Children
15:35 Jodie shares how praying changed as her children got older.
"Their needs may change and their friendships may change, but at the end of the day we want them to have godly friends."
Parent's of adult children don't have the same community as parents of young children, so that is challenging. They can feel alone, so that is why I wrote praying the scripture for your adult children.
Free Study guide for Praying the Scripture for Your Adult Children at jodieberndt.com
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