Zigzag & 1: Recent Episodes

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Today’s episode is a video solocast. Rather than just listening to it, watching it on my YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@melonybrown is suggested.

Throughout 2025, God’s been teaching me about the importance of maintaining a healthy spiritual posture. Episode 117, titled STAND FIRM, I shared about the posture of standing firm. The visual image of a hiking boot reminds us that the Holy Spirit empowers us to stand firm when challenges intersect our path. Episode 127, titled LEANING ON GOD, I shared about the posture of leaning on God. The visual image of hiking poles reminds us with our entire personality we can trust, rely on, and confidently lean because God rescues, delivers, and saves us during our trials.

Holding on to expectant hope is another posture God has been teaching me about this year.

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, hope is cherishing a desire with anticipation or wanting something to happen or be true. While this modern definition of hope is accurate, it falls short of fully defining the hope believers have when they accept and follow Jesus.

I shared the Greek meanings of hope and expectant.

When I prayed about the visual image that could represent expectant hope, the Holy Spirit brought to mind a cup.

Yes, the visual image for expectant hope will be a cup.

I shared what I learned about the promises in Exodus 6 that are connected to the four cups of the Passover Seder.

Is there a fifth promise and a fifth cup?

I shared the Greek meaning of overflow.

Notable quotes:

· The Holy spirit doesn’t just fill you with a drop or two of hope. Nor does He fill you till you’re full of hope. He fills you to overflowing with hope!

· The four promises or four cups were for the Israelites. But they are for us too! When you accepted Jesus and committed to live your life for Him: He set you apart as His own. He rescued you from bondage, oppression, and sin. He forgave your sins and reconciled you to God. He desires to have a relationship with you.

· Expectant hope is an active, faith-filled posture of confidence and a Spirit-filled expectation that God WILL fulfill His promises.

Bible verses:

· Romans 15:13

· Matthew 26:39

· Exodus 6:6-8

· Luke 22”17-18

· I share 12 verses of God’s promises that can fill us with expectant hope.

· Lamentations 3:21 fight verse for expectant hope

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Today's guest is author, speaker, and podcast host Laine Lawson Craft.

This episode is a little longer because Laine's personal experience as the mother of three - yes three! - prodigal children and the strategies she's learned along the way are just too helpful and powerful to edit down to the length of most of my episodes.

Our children mean so much to us but parenting them isn't for the faint of heart. The terrible twos were indeed terrible. And no one prepared us for the turbulent teen years.

Today's interview is about parenting an adult child who is making destructive decisions or who is walking down a dark path or who has turned his/her back on their faith. Parenting a wayward or prodigal child impacts a parent in significantly different ways.

Laine poured her experiences with her three prodigal children and the wisdom she gained into her book, The Parent's Battle Plan: Warfare Strategies to Win Back Your Prodigal Childand her devotional, Warfare Parenting: A Daily Battle Plan to Fight for Your Child. Both are available on Amazon.

Laine and I discussed the journey with each of her three children, content from her book, and her desire to have Warfare Parenting Small Groups across the country to support parents of wayward and prodigal children.

Notable quotes:

• "Hope to me is waiting expectantly on God's turnaround."

• "Today’s struggle is tomorrow’s testimony.”

• "Like a relentless rescue team, God is tirelessly working to bring your lost one home. God is in the rescue business, and He’s really good at it.”

• "I'm going to love you so that you see something different in me that makes you yearn to be more like that."

"They were just in a chapter of their story, and God gets all the glory. And now they are messengers of hope to their generation."

Bible verses:

• John 10:10

• Matthew 20:1-16

• Isaiah 54:17

• 1 John 4:4

• Exodus 14:14

• John 8:32

• Luke 19:10

• Laine's fight verse is Ephesians 3:20.

Learn more about Laine at

her website: lainelawsoncraft.com

her Facebook page: facebook.com/momlaine.lawsoncraft

her Instagram page: instagram.com/lainelawsoncraft

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In episode 130, Carole Lewis shared how God strengthened her during multiple devastating losses.

I neglected to ask her about Hurricane Ike, so she shares about the loss it caused in this episode, which leads us into discussing the importance of leaving a legacy.

Carole shares examples from her life that highlight her intentionality in living a life of joy, which will be part of her legacy.

Notable quotes from Carole:

• "When I'm gone and they talk about me, is it going to be a warm fuzzy or a cold prickly?"

• "And this is what legacy is . . . living everyday as though it was your last because it very well could be. We don't want to get to the end of our life and have regrets."

• "A legacy is about having joy in your heart and it overflowing to people around you."

Bible verses:

• Matthew 5:23-24

• Luke 12:48

• Isaiah 55:9

Connect with Carole:

• on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carolelewis

• her blog: https://carolelewis.com

• her books: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=carole+lewis+books&crid=2FYQLY8FWGJQ5&sprefix=carole+lewis+books%2Caps%2C101&ref=nb_sb_noss_1

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Author, speaker, and ministry leader Carole Lewis shares her story of overcoming multiple devastating losses in today's episode.

Carole admits she gave her life to Jesus as a child, but she didn't live for Him until her life began falling apart.

Financial loss, her mother's passing, her husband's stage 4 cancer diagnosis and his passing, her daughter being killed by a drunk driver, and Hurricane Ike destroying her home - all devastating losses that could have caused her to turn her back on God.

Instead, Carole declares, "God has been with me every step of the way and taught me to persevere."

Carole's husband, Johnny, persevered for seventeen years after his stage 4 cancer diagnosis, allowing them to enjoy fifty-five years of marriage.

Notable quotes from Carole:

• "God is a perfect gentleman. He will never come in and work on your stubborn will without your permission."

• "His [Jesus] ultimate goal is to get glory from my life and your life ... He gets glory from a life that is full of joy even though they've gone through some terrible things. And then people say, 'I don't know what she's got, but I want it.'"

• "Let Him [God] use you to the fullest."

Bible verses:

• Psalm 139:13

• Psalm 50:9-10

• 1 Corinthians 9:27 (Carole's fight verse)

• Romans 15:13

• Romans 8:28

• James 1:2-4

• James 1:27

Connect with Carole:

• on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carolelewis

• her blog: https://carolelewis.com

• her books: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=carole+lewis+books&crid=2FYQLY8FWGJQ5&sprefix=carole+lewis+books%2Caps%2C101&ref=nb_sb_noss_1

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Julie Seals is a speaker and a prison minister. Her memoir is titled All My Hope: A Prisoner No More.

Julie returns to discuss a strategic mindset that helped her while serving time in federal prison and continues to help her no matter what challenge she faces.

Her strategic mindset is based off Matthew 11:12, which reads, “From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.” This verse is also Julie’s fight verse.

I admit I was a bit confused when Julie told me this was her fight verse, and she wanted to discuss it as her strategic mindset.

After Julie shares the Greek words and their definitions for ‘suffers violence’ and ‘the violent,’ I can see why Matthew 11:12 is indeed a powerful fight verse and strategic mindset.

Notable quotes by Julie Seals:

· “I know that because there is a war going on for my soul that I must seek the calling of God on my life with the most ardent zeal and the most intensest exertion.”

· “It’s not just about the destination. It’s about who we become on the journey.”

· “I press on and eagerly seize what the promises of God are by speaking the Word.”

Bible verses:

· Jeremiah 29:11

· John 10:10

· Hebrews 4:16

· Romans 8:1

· Jerremiah 31:16-17

· Isaiah 49:25

· Isaiah 54:13

· Isaiah 61:7

Connect with Julie:

· on her website at julieseals.com

· on Facebook at facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093057408356

· on Instagram at instagram.com/julie_seals

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Today’s guest is Julie Seals. She is a speaker and a prison minister. Her memoir, All My Hope: A Prisoner No More, tells of her dysfunctional childhood, her lifelong health challenges, getting hooked on meth as a teen, hanging out with the Mafia, and serving time in prison for carrying meth across the border. God followed her every step of the way, wooing her to choose Him. After she accepted Christ in prison, Julie dove into His Word, learning everything she could about her identity and life in Him.

Julie truly is a HOPE DEALER who is on a mission to offer the hope found in the gospel to all who don’t know Jesus.

Notable quotes by Julie Seals:

· “I felt the Holy Sprit descend into my living room while I was there on my knees at my lowest point.”

· “We serve a big God who will take us up on our big words of surrender.”

· “Federal prison was one of the best things to ever happen to me.”

Bible verses:

· Revelation 12:11

· Matthew 11:12 (Julie’s fight verse)

Connect with Julie:

· on her website at julieseals.com

· on Facebook at facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093057408356

· on Instagram at instagram.com/julie_seals

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Today's episode is a video solocast, so watching it here on YouTube allows you to hear it and see it!

For the last year or so, God has been teaching me about the importance of a believer's posture.

We know good posture is part of good physical health. Good posture is
also part of good spiritual health.

It looks like standing firm on God's foundation, which I shared about in episode 117.

Today's episode is about the posture of leaning on God. I discuss what it
looks like to lean on the world's ways to navigate challenges versus navigating
them God's ways.

The Greek word for lean is shaan. It's used in these verses in the Amplified Bible, Classic Edition:
Psalm 22:4-5
Psalm 28:7
Psalm 37:5 and 7
Psalm 56:3-4
Psalm 62:8
Psalm 143:8
Isaiah 26:3-4
Colossians 1:4
2 Timothy 1:5
Hebrews 6:11-12

A fight verse to remind you to lean on God is Psalm 112:7, which reads, "I shall not be afraid of evil tidings; my heart is firmly fixed, trusting (leaning on and being confident) in the Lord."

When challenges intersect your path,
check your posture. Are you standing firm? Are you leaning on God?

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My guest, Lieutenant Colonel Leslie Chandler, is a chaplain in the Georgia National Guard. She returns to share her way of life interview, focusing on what God imparted during her husband’s fight with COVID-19 and after he passed away.

Having the love of her life pass away from COVID was devastating. God brought Psalm 23 to mind again and again. Apart from grieving her loss, God taught her more about Himself and more about her through each verse of Psalm 23.

Listen to the end of this episode to hear Leslie’s challenge. Hop over to the YouTube version of this episode to participate at https://www.youtube.com/@melonybrown/videos.

Memorable quotes from Leslie Chandler:
• “What I realized is a verse that often leads us to sadness is also a verse that helps us find joy.”
• “That’s God saying, ‘I’m filling you and making you strong so that you can glorify Me by caring for other people.”
• “Our cup will always run over when God is involved.”

Bible verses:
• Psalm 23
• Hebrews 13:5

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Every person alive in 2020 was impacted by COVID-19 in some form or fashion.

My guest, Lieutenant Colonel Leslie Chandler, was no exception. She serves as a chaplain in the Georgia National Guard.

Married twenty years and then having to navigate a divorce during a deployment to Afghanistan prior to COVID was a difficult challenge.

Leslie found joy again when she reconnected with the love of her life, Greg. They enjoyed almost four years of marriage before COVID impacted her husband. Two weeks of a health roller coaster nightmare. Good days followed by bad days.

Leslie shared, “I knew the second he [Greg] died. I could feel life leave him. And I could literally feel life leave me.”

She already knew God’s presence, but He poured it into her in a way she hadn’t experienced before. She was an empty vessel, and God poured in His love.

Memorable quotes from Leslie Chandler:

· “The chaplain can’t be going through trauma in the war zone because all of the trauma came to me.”

· “One of the things that chaplains sometimes struggle with is they can’t relate to soldiers on a very personal level because not many chaplains are divorced. Not many chaplains have endured rejection.”

· “I wouldn’t wish it upon anybody, but the revelation of God that I’ve experienced in the last four years I would wish on everyone.”

Bible verses:

· Psalm 125:2

· Isaiah 6:1

· Isaiah 6:8

· Leslie’s fight verse is Philippians 4:6-7

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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.vober

On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lorilonghorn99/

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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.vober

On 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.

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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 2:14

Connect with Amanda:

Her website: a cupofgratitude.org

Her Facebook: facebook.com/amanda.f.schaefer

Her Instagram: instagram.com/acupof_gratitude

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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 2:15

Connect with Amanda Schaeffer:

Her website: a cupofgratitude.org

Her Facebook: facebook.com/amanda.f.schaefer

Her Instagram: instagram.com/acupof_gratitude

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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.org

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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.org

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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.com

Take the rest quiz: https://www.drdaltonsmith.com/resources

Check 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=true

Listen to her "I Choose My Best Life" podcast: https://ichoosemybestlife.com/podcast

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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 5:8

While 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.

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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."

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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's
  not in all these external things."

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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.com

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brenda.holley.946

On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachbrendaholley

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THANK YOU FOR LISTENING!

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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.com

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brenda.holley.946

On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachbrendaholley

Send me a COMMENT or QUESTION!

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING!

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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.com

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/danitacummins

On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danita_cummins

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THANK YOU FOR LISTENING!

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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.com

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/danitacummins

On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danita_cummins

Send me a COMMENT or QUESTION!

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING!

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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.39

On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kimpatton730

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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.39

On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kimpatton730

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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 8:11

Grab Carol’s books on Amazon. Check out Carol Graham’s YouTube channel where she posts her video podcast interviews.

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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.

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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.com

Take her TOXIC STRESS QUIZ at https://drgala.com/kryptonite-resources/

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drgalaauthor

On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drgalagorman

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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 18:21

Check 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.

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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 6:33
• Psalm 46:10
• Romans 12:2
• Romans 8:28
• Proverbs 3:5-6

Check 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.

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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 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/pmanginelli

On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pmanginelli/

Watch his sermons: https://www.youtube.com/@TheSquareChurch

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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.com

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessica.roberts.3591

On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessicanicole8726

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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.com

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessica.roberts.3591

On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessicanicole8726

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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.com

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KaceyRuegseggerJohnson

On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kaceyjohnsonspeaker

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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 4:7

Connect with Grace English:

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/grace.s.english

On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gracecenglish

About Deep in the Heart: https://deepintheheartministries.com

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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.english

On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gracecenglish

About Deep in the Heart: https://deepintheheartministries.com

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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.com
On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carol.b.mcleod
On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolmcleod_

Get your ticket to the 20th annual women's conference: Overflowing: Living Abundantly in a Broken Culture HERE.

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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/

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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/

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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.cormany

On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saracormany/

Her website: https://saracormany.com/

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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.cormany

On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saracormany/

Her website: https://saracormany.com/

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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.

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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.

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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 new
creation; the old has gone, the new had come!"

Connect with Cherie Denna:

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cheriedenna

On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cheriedenna/

Her website: https://cheriedenna.com/

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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.

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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!

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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.

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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!

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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!

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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 emotions
E- Examine our thoughts
A - Ask for motivation
R - Run with courage
T - Take action

These 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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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 us

El Roi – the name of God that means God sees us

Immanuel – 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 5:14-15

God 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 11:33

God 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, 20

I 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.

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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" before
watching this episode. In that episode, Dee Dee shared her story of being in a
teen 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.

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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 girlfriend

The National Dating Abuse helpline number is 1.866.331.9474

Please 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.com

Order Dee Dee’s book, It Doesn’t Start with a Punch: My Journey through an Abusive Teen Dating Relationship, on Amazon.

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Do the enemy’s attacks and lies drip, drip, drip throughout your day? What’s your response? Do you ignore them and hope they will go away? Or do you fight back?

I invited Sandy Storm back to share the strategies she uses when she finds herself on the front line of a spiritual attack.

Sandy explains why we can’t be passive and let those drips accumulate. Instead, we must actively engage by using the warfare strategies God gave us. If you listened to Sandy’s story interview on episode 72, you know this warrior not only comes face to face with spiritual warfare in her personal life, but also as a human trafficking abolitionist. This girl means business!

Sandy referred to 2 Corinthians 10:3-5. It says, "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."

And Philippians 4:8-9. It says, "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you."

I shared Ephesians 6: 10-18 (the armor of God). It says, "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people."

You’re going to want to remember the wisdom Sandy shares, so grab a pen and paper or start a new notes page on your phone. Put these effective strategies into practice whenever you encounter spiritual warfare.

Want to learn more about Sandy? Please visit authorsandystorm.com.

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WARNING: Today’s episode contains graphic content about human trafficking and could be a trigger for people who have experienced abuse or violence at the hands of another.

January is National Slavery & Human Trafficking Prevention month. It is difficult to hear the atrocities of human trafficking and its impact on human lives. My guest, Sandy Storm, shares the numerous challenges she faced throughout the twenty years she was exploited and dehumanized, she also shares how during those difficult years, she believed God had a plan for her life.

Could any good come from someone so broken? Yes!!!

Sandy cried out to God, handing him her broken life. He graciously exchanged her brokenness with salvation wrapped in His unfailing love. Her healing and restoration led her to the realization God made her a new creation. Filled with this life-changing news, Sandy drew close to Him.

Remember Joseph’s reply to his brothers? He said, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish the saving of many lives.” God whispered the same words to her and said He preserved her during those horrific years, so she could be a part of the solution to ending human trafficking.

Thus, Sandy is a modern-day abolitionist and serves as the Director of Strategic impact for Deliver Fund, a non-profit whose mission is to keep communities safe by bringing human traffickers to justice. Her experiences and knowledge make her a powerful warrior who IS helping to destroy the darkness in our world.

Her three novellas based on her experiences – Becoming Navi, Hello Navi, and Goodbye Navi – are available on Amazon.

To learn more about Sandy or connect with her, visit her website at authorsandystorm.com.

If you are interested in learning more about Deliver Fund’s efforts to end human trafficking or joining their prayer team, please visit deliverfund.org.

If you are being trafficked or know someone who is, the Human Trafficking hotline is 1-888-373-7888. All calls are confidential.

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It's January. It seems everyone makes New Year's Resolutions that include trying a new diet, exercising more, and quitting a bad habit. By far, people resolve to get healthier.

64% of people who make New Year's resolutions fail after just one month. Why? They set unrealistic goals and didn't keep track of their progress.

On today's episode, Susan Neal joins us again to share four strategies for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. She's clear that these strategies aren't about a diet. They are lifestyle changes that will be maintained for the rest of your life.

Maybe you're not interested if that's the length of the commitment you must make. Hold on, please. Susan doesn't just share four strategies; she also shares the benefits of consistently maintaining each strategy. An unexpected bonus for you is that Susan explains how our bodies react to sugar and gluten. If her explanations don't convince you to consider your sugar and gluten intake, I don't know what will!

Instead of making New Year's Resolutions that are unrealistic and you forget to keep track of your progress, follow Susan's healthy lifestyle strategies and experience tangible outcomes in your weight, energy level, happiness, and desire to pursue your dreams.

Learn more at susanuneal.com. Her books are available on Amazon:

• Christian Study Guide for 7 Steps to Get Off Sugar and Carbohydrates: Healthy Eating for Healthy Living with God's Food
• 7 Steps to Get Off Sugar and Carbohydrates: Healthy Eating for Healthy Living with a Low-Carbohydrate, Anti-Inflammatory Diet
• Healthy Living Journal: Track Your Healthy Eating and Living Habits for Improved Health and Well-Being
• Scripture Yoga: 21 Bible Lessons for Christian Yoga Classes
• Solving the Gluten Puzzle: Discovering Gluten Sensitivity and Embracing the Gluten-Free Lifestyle
• Yoga for Beginners: 60 Basic Yoga Poses for Flexibility, Stress Relief, and Inner Peace

Want to build or maintain a 'challenges won't stop me' mindset? Check out my book, Challenges Won't Stop Me: An Interactive Survival Guide for Overcoming & Thriving, on Amazon.

Visit melonybrown.com for resources to empower and equip you to overcome & thrive!

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Health challenges don’t only impact our physical bodies. Health challenges impact every area of our lives. When multiple challenges rudely intersected Susan’s path over the course of nine months … well, those challenges exponentially impacted her life.

Having been very healthy up to that point made her feel like her life was spiraling out of control. Doctor after doctor. Test after test. Still no answers. Even though she felt depleted and frustrated, she was determined that the challenges she was facing would not stop her. She continued to fight to overcome the challenges.

I was curious how she dealt with challenge after challenge impacting her life. She shared how a friend gave her a plaque for her 50th birthday with a verse from Isaiah on it.

It said, “But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint” (Isaiah 40:31).

She didn’t just read those words. She believed them. She clung to the hope included in those words. “I just had faith that one day I would run, and I would not be weary. And I would walk and not be faint.” She took God at His Word.

Finally, after the tenth medical diagnosis, Susan discovered the root cause of her multiple health challenges. With this information in hand, Susan researched how to fight this infection. Among several things, she radically changed her diet, which improved her gut health and allowed her to regain her health.

Take Susan’s Candida quiz to find out if Candida is contributing to your health challenges at www.candiquiz.com.

Those multiple health challenges tried to stop Susan. But God used them to refine her purpose: to help others reclaim their health. She’s written eight health-related books that will help you reclaim your health. Check them out on Amazon by typing in Susan U Neal.

Want to build or maintain a 'challenges won't stop me' mindset? Check out my book, Challenges Won't Stop Me: An Interactive Survival Guide for Overcoming & Thriving, on Amazon.

Visit www.melonybrown.com for resources to empower and equip you to overcome & thrive!

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After four amazing seasons of the Zigzag & 1 podcast, it was time for a makeover! She got an new name and an unstoppable mindset.

Let me tell you about all the changes. The most obvious change of course is the name change. This change stemmed from conversations about the book I published in September of 2022 titled "Challenges Won't Stop Me: An Interactive Survival Guide for Overcoming & Thriving." After reading it, several readers said, "Oh, I get it! Your book name describes the mindset of the overcomers you interview on your podcast!" YES! EXACTLY!

Their comments led to renaming the podcast and putting a sharper focus on giving the listener more strategies and habits in every guest interview and in my solocast messages. In addition to the overcomer interviews and the strategies/habits interviews, I'm excited about sharing motivational messages via video solocasts. You can listen to them on your favorite podcast app or watch them on my YouTube channel @melonybrown. Going forward on the Resources page at melonybrown.com, I will be adding helpful resources for those times when you're fighting hard to overcome challenges and need more.

Be sure to follow the show on your favorite podcast app and on my YouTube channel. Let's go!

Buy Challenges Won't Stop Me: An Interactive Survival Guide for Overcoming and Thriving HERE.

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When we face very difficult challenges, our faith in God is challenged too.

Throughout Jody's daughter's ten-year fight against Lyme disease, she begged God to heal Alex. Despite numerous doctor's visits and numerous treatments, Alex passed away. The pain, loss, and grief Jody felt was overwhelming. She gave into the grief so her mind, heart, and soul could process what she describes as her greatest hurt.

But, there came a day when Jody decided she would always grieve the loss of her precious daughter, but she didn't want to be known as the grief girl. Instead of being angry at God, Jody drew closer to God. She praised him for the twenty-two years she was given to love Alex and be her mom. She thanked God for the grace, courage, and dignity Alex consistently showed throughout her battle for seeing these traits in Alex taught her so much.

Alex's very difficult struggle challenged Jody's faith in the hardest of ways and the best of ways. Her faith grew in the best way, which looks like God shining in her. That light shining in her is filled with purpose, passion, joy, and love.

When you meet Jody Hudson, she will tell you all about her precious daughter, Alex. But, you won't see the grief girl. You'll see God shining in her instead.

Visit The Alex Hudson Lyme Foundation to learn more about Lyme disease and ways to support Jody's mission to increase awareness of Lyme disease, raise money for research, and support patients who have Lyme disease with financial grants for testing and treatments.

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No one would ask for or volunteer for a challenge that would end in one's greatest hurt. But we know that varying degrees of hurt and pain come with the challenges of this world.

Jody's daughter, Alex, suffered ten long years with unusual symptoms that were considered a medical mystery until finally a diagnosis of Lyme disease was given. Throughout those years, Alex experienced unbearable physical pain and unbearable loss. Loss of playing sports, of going to her dream college, of friends who were busy living their lives, and of living a thriving life. While those losses are truly tragic, Alex gained a fighter mentality, a determination to never give up, a stronger faith and trust in God, and a desire to serve and love others.

Our discussion is based on her book My Promise to Alex: Through Pain Comes Purpose. You'll hear Jody describe the numerous obstacles and challenges she and Alex faced. Yet, each time mother and daughter sought God's direction and then persevered. Both Alex and Jody are courageous overcomers.

Even though Alex passed away at twenty-two, she lives on through Jody's greatest ministry: the Alex Hudson Lyme Foundation whose mission is to increase research efforts for Lyme disease while supporting patients via financial grants for their treatments and testing. Learn more at www.alexhudsonlymefoundation.org

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Ever find it difficult to stay focused when you're praying? I know I do!

I believe I'd be hard-pressed to find one person who couldn't admit to feeling distracted while praying. While we know prayer is an incredible blessing because we are communicating directly with God, our brains jump to investigate every stray thought and noise. Determination to stay focused works for a while, but then ... well, you know. You realize you're thinking about what you need at the grocery store, how your daughter needs new cleats for soccer, or how you want those new boots but know they are not in the budget.

My guest, Kathy McInnis, shares a habit she's incorporated into her prayer time that helps her stay focused: prayer journaling. You'll hear her describe how she uses it, but please know it's not a magic formula. It works for her because she started with writing her prayers in a journal and then tried new ways to connect with God using her journal.

If you've always wanted to try prayer journaling or you're just curious how in the world writing in a journal helps you stay focused during prayer, grab a pen and paper and take some notes of the different ways Kathy uses her prayer journal. Make sure to jot down what positive outcomes she's experienced too!

Want to connect with Kathy? Go to ferventgrace.org

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Pause for a moment and think about your companions. 

Are they healthy companions who offer life-giving interactions by encouraging, supporting, and loving you? If so, those companions are priceless. 

Or are they toxic companions who shatter your heart by bullying, lying, intimidating, and threatening you? These toxic companions can be humans, but they can also be beliefs.

Today’s Zigzag & 1 guest, Kathy McInnis, is the author of Companions on My Journey. In her memoir, Kathy describes the toxic companions who invaded her life during her childhood, her college years, and her first marriage and divorce. Shame, fear, bitterness, and condemnation were the toxic companions that convinced Kathy she was unlovable, unworthy, and unforgivable. The pain was so great she wanted to end it all.

Thankfully, Kathy chose not to end her life. A loving, forgiving God took the broken pieces of Kathy’s heart and filled her with love, peace, and assurance that she is worthy. 

Whether you’ve encountered toxic companions or not, hearing Kathy’s story and how she fought to overcome will inspire and encourage you.

To invite Kathy to speak at your next event or connect with her, go to ferventgrace.org.

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My guest, Yvonne Taylor, shared her story of being one of the twenty-one black students who integrated into the all-white Hoxie High School in 1955 in episode 63. Make sure you check out that episode as hearing her experiences will emphasize why her mindset of choosing kindness can truly impact the world.

Ever stop to think about the values and wisdom passed down to you from your parents, grandparents, and teachers? You might choose to discard some of it, but some of those values and mindsets are so powerful that they become a part of you and how you navigate life.

Yvonne’s parents were diligent about teaching her values that pertained to their faith. Those shaped her beliefs about God. They also imparted ways to treat others. It’s one thing to hear your parents tell you how to live a certain way, but Yvonne was blessed with parents who lived out what they taught.

Choosing to show kindness was a value taught and consistently modeled by Yvonne’s parents. A reminder of this value was shared the night before Yvonne and her siblings walked through the front doors of the all-white Hoxie High School. Would she choose kindness as her response when insulted? Would she choose kindness when her white friends from the neighborhood ignored her? Would she choose kindness when a rock was thrown through her kitchen window? Yes. Yes. And yes. Kindness is a choice. And Yvonne chose kindness no matter how others treated her.

Choosing kindness became part of Yvonne’s values and have proven to be a way she can impact the world. You can bet she passed down the value of choosing kindness to her children and grandchildren.

What if each of us chose kindness as our response? Imagine the impact we could have on our world!

Buy Yvonne’s book, Momma, Daddy & Me: When Perseverance Prevails, on Amazon.

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The civil rights movement was in full swing in 1955, but fourteen-year-old Yvonne Taylor wasn’t paying attention to the news about activists fighting for an end to discrimination and injustice. Nor was she aware of the Supreme Court ruling in Topeka versus the Board of Education that would significantly impact her education. Until … Yvonne learned she and twenty other black students would be integrating into Hoxie High School in Hoxie, Arkansas. That was sixty-seven years ago this month.

In this episode, you’ll hear Yvonne describe how she was treated by white students and teachers and how she responded during her year at Hoxie High School.

Yvonne is an integral part of the history of the civil rights movement in the US. No, she didn't speak in front of thousands like Martin Luther King, Jr. did. Nor did she refuse to give up her bus seat like Rosa Parks. You likely haven’t heard of her name before, but I assure you her contribution is no less important.

MLK Jr. did something to help blacks gain equal rights. Rosa Parks did something too. Countless others did something, including Ms. Yvonne Taylor.

Helen Keller said it best when she said, “I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something that I can do.”
Thank you, Yvonne for doing something. Your brave actions and positive attitude paved the way for black students to access the same quality education as white students.

Buy her memoir, Mommy, Daddy & Me: When Perseverance Prevails on Amazon.

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Ever feel like your head is going to explode? Incessant noise coming at you from every direction—the news, social media, podcasts, YouTube videos, music you’ve streamed. While some of this noise is educational or informative, some of it is mind-numbing entertainment.

After typing that last sentence, I laughed at my words. Sounds like the explanations I’ve given my tutoring students this summer when discussing how the characters in Ray Bradbury’s book, Fahrenheit 451, consume hours and hours of mindless entertainment coming from the walls of TVs while also listening to their ear shells.

Why do we need silence and solitude (getting away by yourself)? Silence and solitude break the endless consumption of entertainment and noise. They refresh our minds. They make room for new ideas. And they invite closeness with God.

Imagine God trying to compete with all the noise you and I willingly take in. Now imagine purposefully getting away from the noise and listening to and enjoying the silence. Maybe, just maybe, there’s space in the silence for God to talk to you. And me.

My guest, Risa Owens, shares how she seeks silence and solitude in her backyard, at the beach, in the mountains, and anywhere she can be alone. No phone. No disruptions. She invites God to come close, for she’s eager to hear what He wants to say to her.

She also shares several benefits she’s gained by making time for silence and solitude. Don’t be surprised if you feel convicted enough to pull out your calendar and schedule some time for silence and solitude!

Connect with Risa at risascorner.net.

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My guest, Risa Owens, is an author and speaker. While those are interesting professions, what’s most interesting about Risa being an author and speaker is that her educational journey began with the label of mentally retarded*. This label created limits and further ostracized her from her peers.

*This term is used throughout Risa’s interview as it was the terminology used during the years Risa was in school. The current (and less offensive) terminology is intellectual disabilities. 

Risa wrote about her educational journey in her book, The Heart that Grieves of a Little Girl Lost. In this interview, Risa and I discuss several poignant moments in her childhood and how they impacted her. 

Excerpts from her book:

·   “They gave up on me.”

·   “I was totally a little girl lost in the mazes of my own life, not knowing where to go or what to do.”

·   “The majority of my family didn’t want to be around me because of my condition. Not only was I sick all the time, but I was a freak to them.”

When her school updated the educational testing, Risa’s life began to change. In her words: “I turned humiliation into determination.” All these years later, the little girl who was severely limited by an incorrect label is now an author and speaker. She gives God all the credit. 

Check out her website at www.risascorner.net and her books on Amazon. 

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Paralympian, Gia Pergolini joins me for an interview. She is an 18-year-old world record holder and gold medalist. I'm a little star struck about interviewing an Olympian!! 

Gia may be a beast in the pool, but she was full of laughter during her interview.

Check out these Olympic facts:

·         Since the first Olympic games in 1896, the summer Olympics have only been cancelled three times – all as a result of world wars.

·         Not until the 2020 Olympics have the games ever been postponed. They were postponed due to the global pandemic.

At the time the games were postponed, Gia was a 16-year-old high school who had been training for her favorite event: the 100-meter-backstroke. She was disappointed but determined to take advantage of the extra time to train. 

When the Paralympics were rescheduled for the summer of 2021 in Tokyo, Gia was ready!

Gia qualifies for the Paralympics due to her diagnosis of Stargardt’s disease. It’s a rare genetic disease that significantly impacts her vision. She is a fighter. Not only does she navigate life with 30% vision, but she is also a fierce competitor in the pool.

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In Tami O’Connor’s story interview – episode 58 – she shared how her daughter Jordyn’s cancer diagnosis and her passing away tested her ‘even if He does not faith.’ Facing those zigzags drew Tami closer to God. She learned that the faster she surrenders when facing life’s tough challenges, the sooner God will show up. She described surrender as running into the fire, believing He will reveal what she needs to learn. 

She explained, “I can honestly say that walking through what I’ve walked through has allowed me to find my even if He does not faith.”

In this episode, Tami shares a deeper understanding of the purpose of Jordyn’s passing: a seed that dies produces a plentiful harvest. It comes from John 12:24, which says, “I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels – a plentiful harvest of new lives.”

With Jordyn’s passing only a year ago, God living and working in Tami can be the only explanation for her joy, contagious laughter, and quest to live fully. 

Tami discusses the growth she has experienced during the last year, crediting it to intentionally seeking God by studying His Word, journaling, and sharing her heart in prayer. She believes the seed, Jordyn, dying has already started producing a harvest and is expectant for the harvest that will continue to come in the years ahead.

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A short Bible story from Daniel 3 will help you understand the significance of my guest, Tami O’Connor, finding her ‘even if He does not’ faith.

In Daniel 3, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia made a golden image of himself and then issued an edict that stated everyone within hearing distance of the music must fall down and worship the golden image or be thrown into a blazing furnace.

Three Jewish men named Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to bow down to the golden image, so they were brought before King Nebuchadnezzar. When he asked why they refused, they replied, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”

Even if God did not save them from the fiery furnace, these men would not serve his gods or worship the golden image. Pretty bold faith, huh?

There are many takeaways from this well-known Bible story. Tami’s story focuses on the takeaway of praising and worshipping Him even if He does not heal a loved one in the way she prayed.

Tami referred to it when her 15-year-old daughter Jordyn asked her if she would still praise God if one or more of their family had died in the tornado. Essentially, Tami affirmed that she would praise God even if He had not protected her family.

Her quick response stuck with her, causing her to question if she really did have ‘even if He does not’ faith. An intense period of Bible study, prayer, and journaling drew her close to God, developing the even if faith that she would need in the future.

Almost a decade later, her daughter Jordyn was diagnosed with a rare stage 4 Sarcoma cancer. Each time she prayed for Jordyn’s healing, she grappled with the question of whether or not she would have that ‘even if He does not’ faith.

Jordyn passed away after a brave three-year fight on April 11, 2021. This episode is in remembrance of her.

Tami’s hard-earned wisdom after going through several significant zigzags is: “I have found that the faster I surrender and I just run into what I’m having to face, the sooner He will show up. Running into the fire always seems to present a deeper understanding of who He is and who I am in Him. I can honestly say that walking through what I’ve walked through has caused me to find my even if He does not faith.”

After listening to today’s episode, I challenge you to take some time to read through Daniel 3 and consider whether or not you have ‘even if He does not’ faith.

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HOPE – an intangible but very real mindset that God is for you and is working all things together for your good.

Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”

Do you have a hope-filled mindset? Do you lean hard on hope when life’s struggles overwhelm you? Do you believe God can bless our lives even through difficult times?

My guest, Eva Aigner, a precious and joy-filled woman, believes hope carried her through the many zigzags she’s faced in her 84 years. Ms. Eva shares in this mindset interview about how hope carried her:

·         through the horrors of the Holocaust

·         when her family escaped Communist oppression during the Hungarian revolution 

·         when her family boarded the last ship to the United States through President Eisenhower’s Hungarian-Refuge Relief program

·         through the years of raising her children in a safe and free country instead of a country with no freedoms and little to no safe places to live

·         and when per precious husband, Les, passed away unexpectedly

Ms. Eva’s mother, Giselle, modeled what hope looked like in those fear-filled months during the Holocaust before she was forced on a train, leaving Eva and her sister, Violet, alone. 

When each of the zigzags described above happened, Eva’s mindset of hope strengthened her and opened her eyes to the miracle God was working in her life.

She briefly discusses each of those zigzags and how she’s thankful for them. Thankful? Yes, thankful. 

I am honored to call Ms. Eva my friend. 

Want to hear Ms. Eva’s story interview? Listen to episode 22 titled, “In Honor of Holocaust Remembrance Day” here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/zigzag-1/id1447918523?i=1000472233085

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Are you able to see beauty in your struggles? I don’t mean after the struggle has passed. We often can see the beautiful reasons why the struggle was necessary and for our good after the struggle has passed.

I mean are you able to see beauty at the onset of a struggle. A big, unexpected struggle. One you aren’t sure how to navigate. Can you see the beauty then?

My guest, Sharon Richardson, shared her story on last week’s episode of her daughter Paige being born with multiple health issues. That was a big, unexpected struggle. She wasn’t sure how to navigate it. Could she see Paige as a blessing? Check out episode 55 if you missed it.

In those first few weeks when the doctor’s prognosis for Paige was unsettling, Sharon received a poem titled “Welcome to Holland” by Emily Perl Kingsley that encouraged her to consider this new place (having a daughter with multiple challenges) as a beautiful new place. When she looked at Paige, she could see beyond her struggles and see the beauty in her just the way God created her.

Sharon shares how the mindset of “There’s something beautiful here” not only impacted the way she viewed her daughter but choosing that mindset again and again has carried her through other challenges she’s encountered in life.

Choosing this mindset at the onset of a struggle is challenging. But as Sharon shared in her story interview, “the sooner you see the blessing, the sooner you receive it.” Blessings are beautiful!

Order Sharon’s book, How Deep Is Your Love? A Mom’s Shattered Dreams Are Transformed into Showers of Blessings, on Amazon!

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I LOVE the uniqueness of each of the overcomer interviews I’ve had the honor of sharing over the last ten years! While there may be similarities in their struggles, each overcomer shares unique insights, lessons learned, and ways God transformed her life.

My guest for today’s Zigzag & 1 podcast interview is my friend, Sharon Richardson. Having a child with special needs is a similarity Sharon shares with several other overcomers I’ve interviewed, but her insights about why God chose her to be Paige’s mom will remind you of the beauty of being chosen by God. The lessons she’s learned will remind you to look for the blessings instead of focusing on the struggles. The way God transformed her life by being Paige’s mom will remind you how God will transform your life no matter what zigzags intersect your path.

Check out Sharon’s book, How Deep Is Your Love: A Mom’s shattered Dreams Are Transformed into Showers of Blessings, and learn more about her at sharonmrichardson.com.

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Christine Trimpe joins us again to discuss a powerful habit and mindset that fills her with joy at the start of every day.

For three decades, Christine struggled with her weight. Her food provided very little nourishment and left her feeling joyless. As we discussed in her story interview – episode 53 – her turning point was realizing she hadn’t considered inviting God into her weight loss journey. When Christine began studying her Bible a daily habit and feasting on God’s Word, she began losing the excess weight.

Jeremiah’s words in Jeremiah 15:16 came alive. He said, “When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, Lord God Almighty.”

A deep joy is the amazing outcome Christine’s experienced as a result of feasting daily on God’s Word. Completing this habit first thing in the morning while she enjoys her coffee is her way of starting the day with a positive and encouraging mindset.

Learn more about Christine at christinetrimpe.com.

Grab a copy of her book: Seeking Joy through the Gospel of Luke: A Christmas to Calvary Advent Countdown

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My guest, Christine Trimpe, is a bacon-loving, joy-seeking author, speaker, and health & wellness coach. She wasn’t so joyful during her three-decade long struggle with her weight. Like most people who know they need to lose weight, Christine tried all the diets, exercised, etc. Her success should have been possible as she is a type A, rule follower. She did everything “they” told her to do, but the excess weight remained.

Her turning point was realizing she was missing the most important piece of the puzzle. Focusing on her relationship with God and inviting Him to be part of her weight loss journey kept the pieces she had been putting in place from completing the picture.

After accepting God’s invitation to sit at His table and meet with Him as she studied His Word, Christine found a deep joy that has wrecked her life (in a good way!) She began feasting on God’s smorgasbord of whole food! Slowly but surely, the weight she carried for decades fell off to the tune of 100+ pounds! Christine’s weight loss journey has been featured in Women’s World, Diet Doctor, Reader’s Digest, and First for Women.

Christine even describes herself as a joy-seeker who is pursuing a joy-fueled life in body, mind, and spirit! Her book, Seeking Joy Through the Gospel of Luke: A Christmas to Calvary Advent Countdown, is a must read during the advent season!

Learn more about Christine at christinetrimpe.com

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My guest is Dr. Christi Bartolomucci of Atlanta Innovative Counseling Center. She’s been a licensed counselor, working with hundreds of clients for the last eighteen years.

Dr. Christi shared her wisdom about anxiety and strategies to help those struggling with anxiety during season 2. Check out episode 17 “Anxiety Is a Bully,” episode 18 “Our Kids & Anxiety: Q & A,” and episode 19 “Helping Our Kids Navigate Uncertain Times & Survive Online Learning.”

Because listeners loved those episodes, I knew I wanted her to join me again. In this episode, Dr. Christi shares her wisdom about thinking errors we experience that often lead to feeling stuck or trapped. What do we do about these thinking errors? She shares strategies to correct those errors, which really work as I used them to stop my thinking error during the show!

And she shares what we all need most: strategies for getting unstuck. Dr. Christi mentioned these strategies are common and simple but effective IF we use them consistently.

Dr. Christi shared, “Usually when we feel stuck, there is a reality that we are facing, and we don’t know what to do. We can’t figure out movement, and we feel trapped. We just don’t know the next steps. We start thinking is this just the way it’s always going to be.”

She referred to the book We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury. She quoted this repetitive phrase from the book: “You can’t go under it. You can’t go over it. You’ve gotta go through it.”

Additional quotes from Dr. Christi:

“Our thoughts, in part, are what get us stuck.”

“When we make shifts in our thinking, we can get a very different outcome.”

Three common thinking errors:

1. All or none (black and white thinking, using always and never)

2. Catastrophizing (worst case scenario)

3. We are not mind readers or fortune tellers.

Ways to correct thinking errors:

1. Catch the thinking error and bring attention to the story we are telling ourselves.

2. Take a pause and think about what is really true.

3. Ask yourself, “What is a more realistic story?”

Three simple but effective strategies for getting unstuck:

1. Practice gratitude. “When we practice gratitude, our lens changes. We begin to see things from a different perspective.”

2. Focused attention mindfulness. “It means being present in the moment.”

3. Remind yourself that you have a purpose. “It’s easy to forget our purpose when we feel disconnected. We each have a purse. Every one of us have worth.”

To read or listen to stories of courageous women who've fought to overcome life's tough challenges, visit melonybrown.com.

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Ideally, a marriage lasts a lifetime. But as we know, many factors can derail or end a marriage. Unfaithfulness is the reason 20-40% of marriages get derailed and ultimately end.

According to a 2014 American Psychological Association study, 60-80% of those marriages impacted by infidelity are restored, often because both partners engaged in couples counseling.

I'm excited to have author, speaker, podcaster, and coach Jill Savage on the show to discuss how discovering her husband's unfaithfulness impacted her and how she and Mark worked to rebuild their marriage. A marriage that she now describes as healthier and stronger than ever.

Jill gained much wisdom during that difficult season in her life, which lead to her writing "Your Next Steps: What to Do When Your Spouse Is Unfaithful." In this short but powerful book, Jill shares the ten steps she and Mark took to rebuild their marriage. (Book is available on Amazon)

Step 1: Connect with the Friend [Jesus] Who Understands
Step 2: Drop Your Anchor in His Word
Step 3: Be Still
Step 4: Fight on Your Knees
Step 5: Take Care of You
Step 6: Accept Help
Step 7: Understand This Isn't About You
Step 8: Own What's Yours
Step 9: Set Boundaries
Step 10: Choose Love

In addition to this book on marriage, Jill has also written "No More Perfect Marriages" and "Is There Really Sex After Kids?" Two online courses - Rebuilding Trust and The Wait Is Not Wasted - are available on her website, jillsavage.org.

If your marriage has been impacted by an unfaithful partner, Jill's books and resources were written by someone who truly understands and desires a restored marriage for you, too.

If your marriage is healthy and strong, you will learn much for this interview. And Jill's books and resources will benefit you, too!

Here's to experiencing the many blessings God desired when He created marriage!

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On this 20th anniversary of 9/11, Americans and likely others around the world will pause and remember the 2,977 precious and innocent lives that were taken and the thousands of others who were injured but survived.

At a 2002 memorial, Sandy Dahl, wife of Flight 93 pilot Jason Dahl, said, "If we learn nothing else from this tragedy, we learn that life is short and there is no time for hate.” Her words were poignant then and oh how we need to be reminded of them now.

I was honored to interview 9/11 survivor, Michelle Cruz. In my interview with her, she describes her journey during that horrific day, as well as how that day led her to finding her purpose.

As an eager and driven 28-year-old professional at Fidelity Trust, Michelle arrived early to work on the 95th floor of Tower Two that day at her manager's request to put the finishing touches on that morning's presentation. Before she had a chance to unpack her briefcase, she heard the roar of the first plane's engine as it flew by Tower Two and into Tower One. Realizing the seriousness of the situation, she ran for the elevator.

When she reached the ground floor, she ran outside only to see the second plane crash into Tower Two. Her co-worker, Andrew, encouraged her to keep going. After nearly 40 blocks, she and Andrew parted ways as he took the ferry to New Jersey and Michelle took a taxi to her mother's house.

Michelle describes how she's certain the sudden appearance of the taxi driver and his powerful words to her were that of an angel. Over the next few weeks, Michelle processed the events of that day and began making plans to move forward with her life.

Michelle and I discussed the book she co-authored titled "Pursuing Your Destiny: How to Overcome Adversity and Achieve Your Dreams." Her book gives a full account of her journey on 9/11, as well as the many experiences she's had since then.

Follow Michelle on Instagram @mikaila_nyc or on Facebook at mikaila_cruz_nyc

Michelle is working on her second book, which will dive deeper into her philosophy about finding empowerment within and pursuing your purpose.

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After graduating from college, Hannah Gavios followed her adventurous spirit to Vietnam to teach and explore a new country. A weekend vacation to Thailand promised rest and relaxation, but Hannah encountered evil at the hands of a stranger instead.

After he sexually assaulted her, she unknowingly ran away in the direction of a cliff. As it was nighttime, she did not know she was running off a 150-foot cliff. The horrific pain she endured through the night was coupled with additional assaults by the stranger who ran down to where she landed.

Doctors did everything they could when Hannah arrived in the Emergency Room eight hours after her attack, but paralysis from her waist down was the horrific outcome after enduring the horror of that evening.

Hannah felt bitterness and anger for some time after the attack. But she didn't want to remain there, so worked hard in physical therapy to strengthen her body as much as possible. She watched runners running at Central Park and longed to experience again "the high" she felt when she ran.

Determined not to let the paralysis steal the joy she found when running, she began training for the New York City marathon. Since then, she's run the marathon twice using her crutches and will run it again this November. Additionally, she loves being a yoga instructor.

Hannah's positive attitude and encouragement to others to keep picking yourself up when you encounter life's tough challenges is crazy inspiring! You rock, Hannah!

Follow Hannah on Instagram @hannahgavios.

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When we encounter zigzags (struggles) in our paths, we likely will seek help from a doctor or friend. We might pray for healing or guidance or wisdom. While those actions are important in fighting to overcome, do we include laughter?

Laughter when sickness has attacked your body? Yes. Laughter when your loss is so overwhelming the tears flood your pillow? Yes. Laughter when your frustration is so great your head feels as if it will explode? Yes.

Will laughter fix these zigzags? No. But my guest, Cherie Nettles, points us to Proverbs 17:22 that says, "A cheerful heart is good medicine." During Cherie's toughest times of growing up with parents who fought addiction, a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis as a teenager, and a diagnosis of stage 3 ovarian cancer as an adult, she discovered cheerfulness and laughter are a powerful medicine.

She didn't just read this verse, she believed God was telling the truth. Because He said a cheerful heart and laughter are good medicine, she found ways to laugh and looked for humor even in those tough times.

Cherie is an author, speaker, and comedian. You can connect with her and book her to speak at your next event at www.cherienettles.com.

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On a Facebook post to encourage people to listen to this episode, I wrote, "You can't talk about being thrown into the wilderness without also talking about the beauty you find there during those long and lonely years."

If Shelly hadn't agreed to record part 2 of her interview, you might have thought her story ended there - that dark, lonely, and painful place. Thankfully, she agreed to come back, so we could discuss the beauty she found in the wilderness.

It's hard to see beauty when you're in the wilderness, but Shelly and I discussed how the transformation during that time is like the metamorphosis process and like the refining fire. Neither the cocoon nor the fire feels beautiful while we are in it. It's what happens after the cocoon and after being taken out of the fire that proves to be beyond beautiful.
So, if you're in the cocoon or in the fire, hang in there. It will end. And you'll have a new perspective - one that highlights the beauty that you will not be able to ignore it!

"The same sun that melts the butter hardens the clay." ~ Billy Graham

TRANSFORMATION: Caterpillar ---> butterfly

2 wings of the butterfly ----> Spirit + truth = freedom

Shelly referred to many verses during her explanations. As promised, here they are:

• The great exchange: Isaiah 61:1-3

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,[a]
to proclaim the year of the
Lord’s favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of joy
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the Lord
for the display of his splendor.

REFINING FIRE:

Job 23:10

But he knows the way that I take;
when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.

• The journey to freedom:

The more you know Him, the more you love Him.
The more you love Him, the more you trust Him.
The more you trust Him, the more freedom you experience.

Ephesians 2:10:

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Romans 12:2

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Ephesians 3:16-19

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

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WILDERNESS.

When we hear that word, a mental picture instantly forms in our mind. Maybe it looks like a forest or a desert.

Perhaps you don't just think of a wilderness in your mind. It's more than just a picture in your mind. You know it well. Because you've lived it. Or you're there now.

My guest, Shelly Brown, was thrown into a wilderness for 13 years. All the zigzags in her past and present imploded and exploded at the same time, stripping everything from her except her three children.

Shelly shares how the death of her mother combined with her father leaving her and her siblings filled her with unfathomable grief. Her extended family took them to foster care. It led to a seemingly wonderful set of new parents for she and her brother, but she was wrong. Additional zigzags happened in this new home. Into her adult life, marriage, children, close friends, and a thriving ministry were all Shelly dreamed of.

Thirteen years ago, Shelly lost all of her dreams except her children. This is when Shelly was thrown into a wilderness. She shares some of the challenges she faced while in the wilderness in this episode. She would never say the wilderness experience was the best years of her life but that she needed that time there to heal and to grow.

Shelly will join me again for episode 47 where she will share more details about the challenges she faced in the wilderness as well as the beauty she found there.

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To bring awareness about an autoimmune disease called Myasthenia Gravis during MG awareness month, I invited my good friend, Cheryl Lutz, to join me.

For the last 23 years, Cheryl has lived with MG. We discuss the symptoms that led to her diagnosis, the criteria for MG, and the prognosis. She shares her struggles with a droopy left eye, weakness in her left arm and leg, fatigue, and brain fog. Thankfully, these aren't daily struggles.

She shares what she's learned about extending grace to herself on her hard days and extending grace to others as we really never know what others are going through. Throughout the years, she's learned much about God and her faith has grown deeper as a result. 

Cheryl is an author, speaker, and lay counselor. You may learn more about her and her m inistry, Securely Held, at www.cheryllutz.com.

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When her business failed, her marriage ended, and her son was diagnosed with cancer, Kim's life imploded. The struggles were great, but her faith was greater.

She leaned hard on God. "I wouldn't have survived all this without God. He's never ever abandoned me through any of this. I clung to Him, because I had nothing else," she shared.

A bright light broke through when Kim reunited and married her high school sweetheart, but her son passing away a few months later was a zigzag she didn't think she could survive.

She leaned hard on God again. "When you realize God is all you have, you also realize He is all you need. He's been everything to me," Kim shared. She would need to lean on God and her faith again when her husband incurred a traumatic brain injury and passed away several months later.

How does a person endure this many zigzags and maintain a positive attitude about life? In this episode, Kim discusses how learning gratitude is the antidote to self-pity changed her perspective and impacted her greatly.

Kim McBrayer is a recent widow, Cassidy's mom, and mom to her warrior son Carson who passed away from osteosarcoma. She is the owner of Space Cadets in Birmingham, Alabama, which helps clients with closet designs and their organizational needs.  Learn more about Space Cadets at www.spacecadetsorg.com.

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Violence. It's a word that instantly brings vivid images to mind. It's a word that is often combined with pain and loss and fear. And unfortunately, it's a word we hear way too often these days.

My guest on today's episode, Tamiko Pugh, endured years of domestic violence. She still has vivid images of the violence she endured. Pain and loss and fear walked with her while she was with the men who abused her. Fortunately, Tamiko put an end to the violence.

Once she experienced healing, she determined to turn her pain into purpose. She started a non-profit that focuses on domestic violence advocacy, awareness, and prevention. Because Tamiko's walked in their shoes, women trust her and eagerly accept her support and resources.

One of the best takeaways from my conversation with Tamiko was when we discussed how we all experience trials and tribulations. Instead of being defeated by the trials we face, she said, "God is preparing us for something greater. He is pushing us into our purpose."

Sometimes it's hard to remember that when we are experiencing violence or pain or loss. Listen to today's episode to hear more of Tamiko's wisdom.

In the Atlanta area and want to connect with Tamiko's non-profit? Visit The Still standing Alliance at thestillstandingalliance.com. Connect with her on tamikolowery.com to access her blog, her podcast, and her Empowered Life coaching programs!

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Stories. Our life stories. The good, the bad, and the ugly parts. We likely are just fine with others knowing the good parts of our story. Often, though, we try hard to hide or even wish away the bad and the ugly parts.

My guest on this episode, Sharon Jaynes, believes all the parts of our story are divine weapons against the enemy. That's a bold but true statement!

In her book, When You Don't Like Your story: What If Your Worst Chapters Were Your Greatest Victories?, she writes, "God turns broken stories into beautiful prose and unwanted pages into stunning narratives of victory." Do you believe this? I do!

She continues, "Our pain can become a portal of God's grace. Our ravaged pages can become God's redemptive masterpiece."

Not only does Sharon share examples from her story that were painful and challenging, but she also shares how what felt like setbacks were really God setting her up for something good!

Even though Sharon and I discuss several points from her book, we couldn't cover all the incredible content about why our worst chapters can become our greatest victories. So I recommend you get a copy of her book. Make sure you have a pen ready as there as so many valuable insights and words of wisdom you will want to remember!

You can learn more about Sharon at www.sharonjaynes.

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National Infertility Awareness Week is April 18-24 this year. 

While infertility may not be a struggle you have personally experienced, you likely know someone who has. An estimated 1 in 8 men and women have struggled with infertility. 

An estimated 15% of couples struggle with infertility. The physical struggles of not being able to conceive might be outweighed by the emotional struggles. 

• Nearly 41% of infertile women have depression.
• Almost 87% of infertile women have anxiety.

Spreading awareness about infertility helps grow compassion and empathy for those who desperately want a child but are unable to conceive.

My friend, Samantha Morgan, is my guest. She not only shares the physical, emotional, and spiritual struggles she experienced when she and her husband couldn't conceive, but she also shares the wisdom she gained during those very tough years.

We discuss her book, Miraculously My Own, which details her infertility struggles and their decision to adopt. She and her husband are now parents to a handsome son and a beautiful daughter.  As a writer and speaker, Sam desires to spread awareness about infertility, as well as encouraging and supporting those who are walking in those shoes now.

You may learn more at www.rushtohopministries.com. 

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Today's episode is based on one of Maya Angelou's quotes. She said, "We all should know that diversity makes for a rich tapestry, and we must understand that all the threads of the tapestry are equal in value no matter what the color."

I believe these wise words point us to an image we cannot deny. All the colors of ethnicities make for a rich tapestry - the tapestry of the human race.

My guest is my friend, Christina Custodio. We discuss why it's important to see color. And why diversity is beautiful. We tackled what may seem a tough conversation. I agree. It can be a tough conversation.

But as we've seen time and time again, not communicating widens the divide. The bridge to unity among ethnicities can be built IF we communicate and truly seek to understand.

It's time for us to have the tough conversations. It's time to heal.

If you'd like to connect with Christina, you can find her on Facebook and Instagram. You can also visit her website at www.christinacustodio.com.

If you'd like to get a copy of She Writes for Him: Black Voices of Wisdom, you can order it HERE.

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As an author, avid reader, and fan of paper planners, I was excited to interview fellow author, avid reader, and fan of paper planners, Bethany Jett, who has an allergy to paper. Oh, the irony!

Bethany Jett is an author, marketer, ghost writer, and co-owns Platinum Literary Services and Serious Writer, Inc. Learn more about Bethany at bethanyjett.com.

While writing her book, Platinum Faith, with co-author, Michelle Medlock Adams, Bethany suffered with extreme dryness in her hands. Unbeknownst to her, her affinity for paper, reading books, paper planners, and stickers for her planner were causing her skin to break out. Finally, a doctor diagnosed her with colonophy, an allergy to rosin, which is found in paper products and most plastic products.

Before and after her diagnosis, her social media posts were hilarious as she took a light-hearted, humorous approach to the zigzags (struggles) she faced.

Bethany discussed her book, Platinum Faith, on this episode.

In the book, she and co-author, Michelle Medlock Adams, describe twelve properties of platinum, show how those properties are also characteristics of a strong faith, and point out Biblical characters who demonstrate those properties.

The twelve properties of Platinum that describe a strong faith:
1. All-In
2. Useful
3. Can Withstand the Heat
4. Precious
5. Rare
6. Shines Brightly
7. Created to Bond
8. Malleable
9. Resists Corrosion
10. Its Presence Is Weighty
11. Has Worth
12. Responds Instead of Reacts

Platinum Faith is available at all retail and online book sellers. Order your copy today!

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Sometimes life is a series of trials that never seem to end. You make it through one and manage to take a deep breath just before the hints of another one come into view, right? Those consecutive hits can leave you feeling discouraged, frustrated, and worn out.

Trials test us. Trials often push us past what we think we can endure. AND trials are power packed with purpose IF we are willing to be transformed by them.

Roman philospher, Seneca, reminds us of the purpose of those never-ending trials: "A gem cannot be polished without friction, nor a man perfected without trials."

If it's hard to see the purpose in the trials you're currently facing, perhaps hearing what Page discovered were the purposes of her trials will encourage you.

In this episode, Page Geske, shares about the seemingly never ending trials she's faced: anorexia, recovering from a horrific car accident, divorce, colon cancer, and having her daughter decide to become a transgender man. Through each of these trials, she encountered God who took her through the refining fire yet showered her in His unfailing love and an indescribable peace.

Connect with her story and want to learn more? I encourage you to pick up a copy of her book, "Milepost 95: From Wreckage to Redemption."

Visit Page's website at milepost95.com. You can invite Page to your next book club, to speak at your next event, or chat with her about your struggles by emailing her at pagesgeske@gmail.com.

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Raise your hand if you like food.  Me, too! We know we need it to fuel our bodies, but food does so much more. It comforts and numbs us when we're struggling. What fun are celebratory occasions without food? We consume it when we're bored. Connecting with others often involves sharing food. 

To complicate matters, if you have a food addiction, it's not something you can completely eliminate like you can alcohol or drugs. 

The road to freedom for a food addiction has to be about a mindset change. It has to be about changing your lifestyle.

My guest on today's episode of the Zigzag & 1 podcast, Sara Fisher, shares her journey with food addiction. Get a glimpse of the daily struggles with something we MUST have to survive. Sara reached a point where she let others in and admitted she had a problem. Those actions were crucial in finding freedom from a food addiction. From there, she changed her mindset. And her lifestyle.

In our conversation, Sara shares the wisdom she's gained. She explains the benefits of the healthy living lifestyle she's now living.

Sara is a professional organizer. Need help organizing your space or your life? Reach out to Sara at asimplespace.net. Additionally, she is a Health & Well Being expert!

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Since March of 2020, the world's been "schooled." Our classes have been challenging. We're not just taking the on level version either.

We've been thrown into the most advanced classes of how to stay healthy so as not to get COVID (Health), how to stretch our money as far as possible when the income dwindles (Economics), how to set up an office or classroom in our home (Home Ec), and how to live during a catastrophic worldwide event that is history in the making (History). No course description is needed for our last class (Government), because, well, who could sum up that craziness in five words or less?

At this point, most of us are weary and just want to shout, "Enough already!" The tests we've faced have been like the extra credit word problems on a test. Who even knows how to solve them?

My guest, Robin Luftig, faced the biggest test of her life. One which didn't allow for any time to study or prepare. Weird symptoms sent her to the Emergency Room. Tests revealed she would need a life-altering surgery in ten days to remove a brain tumor.

Imagine if you were given ten days to "get your affairs in order." You're smart. You can read between the lines and know that means those could be your last ten days. What do you do during those ten days?

What Robin did those ten days between her diagnosis and surgery is shared in her book, God's Best During Your Worst. You'll learn how she can proclaim, "A faith that is tested by fire is a faith that can be trusted."

Visit Robin's websit at robinluftig.com.

Her books, Ladies of the Fire, God's Best at Your Worst, God's Best During Your Worst Guided Journal, and Learning to Bloom Again: Walking Through Forgiveness After Divorce can be found whever books are sold.

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Wow! It feels as if JOY has been sucked out of our world this week. The danger is getting stuck here. If JOY seems to be absent, it's imperative we purposefully look for it as a continued absence of joy will defeat us.

Pause for a moment and think of five people/places/things that bring you joy. That wasn't hard was it? Focus on those when difficult circumstances seem to overshadow any good in this world.

My friend, Adria Wilkins, had reason to lose all hope of experiencing joy again after her three-year-old son, Blake, passed away. Could she be joyful when her pain and grief was so great? She will tell you she found joy all around her in the friends who prayed for Blake, the beauty of God's creation, and the love Blake lavished on his family during his short but meaningful life.

You may not have experienced the loss of a child, but learning how to LOOK OUT FOR JOY when your circumstances are challenging is what you'll hear throughout this episode! 

Listen to learn how to get your name in the drawing to receive a copy of Adria's book, The Joy Box Journal!

Adria Wilkins is the author of The Joy Box Journal and has a podcast called Joy Box Stories. You may contact her at joxboxstories.com if you'd like her to speak at your next event.

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I'm looking out my window, watching the neighbors walk by with their dogs. Two boys on their bikes rode by, laughing with their heads thrown back at who knows what. The trees swaying signals a breeze that caused me to grab a jacket on my way out. The flag on my mailbox is down, reminding me our postman, Todd, picked up our outgoing mail today and likely left a pleothera of campaign ads and bills behind.

Neighbors. Dogs. Boys on bikes. Laughing. Cool breeze. Jackets. Mailman.

All seemingly normal things. Hardly noticed prior to March 2020. But now? I find it's the little things that remind me of life before COVID especially meaningful. In fact, those things cause gratitude to fill my heart and leak out of my mouth.

Have we stopped to express our gratitude for these things lately?

I think of myself as a grateful person, but reading Janice Kaplan's book, The Gratitude Diaries, made me aware of many other ways I could show my gratitude. Her year-long "experiment" of being intentional about expressing gratitude transformed her life. It transformed her marriage. Her relationship with her sons. How she viewed her work. How nature was an antidote to stress. How stopping to be grateful for the food she ate helped her savor her food instead of just eating to curb the hunger. Those really are big transformations!

She also learned to appreciate the big and small things she already had instead of always seeking to have the next new shiny thing. She shared, "we must find the joy in what we have."

Visit janicekaplan.com to learn more about her. Listen to "The Gratitude Diaries" podcast on your favorite podcast app.

Her books:
The Genuis of Women, The Gratitude Diaries, How Luck Happens, A Job to Kill For, Looks to Die For, The Men I Didn't Marry, Mine Are Spectacular, The Botox Diaries, I'll See You Again, A Morning Affair, Wild Nights, Whole Truth, If You Believe in Me, First Ride, Women & Sports

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I interviewed my guest, Elise Tedeschi, several weeks ago. As I waved goodbye, my first thought was how much I wanted to publish her amazing story right away.

The positive mindset she relied on as she fought the beast known as pancreatic cancer is incredible, but learning how God rocked this Jewish girl to the core is a story you don't want to miss! 

Those diagnosed with pancreatic cancer are given a dismal prognosis, usually months to live and a 5% chance of surviving five years. This fighter ignored those statistics, and she is not just surviving eight years later, she's thriving!

"I didn't choose to get cancer and I didn't choose to go through this, but I do get to choose my attitude. I choose to be happy and live my life!" Elise shared. 

Elise appreciates and makes the most out of every day as she KNOWS every day is a gift! I wonder . . . do you see every day as a gift?

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2020 has been a challenging year for everyone I know, including me. Being overwhelmed with the incessant stream of information about COVID-19, struggling with the growing divide in our country concerning race relations and politics, and feeling disconnected from those we love is causing each of us to struggle with our mental health.

But for those, like my guest Diane McDaniel, who have a mental illness diagnosis, the last six months during the pandemic has only amplified their struggles. Diane shares her journey and the ongoing zigzags (struggles) she faces as she fights daily for her mental health. 

Maybe you know someone who is struggling with anxiety or depression or suicidal thoughts right now. Diane offers suggestions of ways we can reach out, encourage, and support them during this very challenging time. 

Each time Diane falls and then makes a comeback, she proclaims, "God isn't done writing my story." I couldn't agree more as she has gained much wisdom and compassion that will teach all of us about loving and caring for those who have mental illnesses. 

If you'd like to read her story, go to www.melonybrown.com. Type "No Casserole Illness" into the search bar to access her two part overcomer story. 

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Everyone I know is experiencing a hard time (in one way or another) thanks to this pandemic. It's easy to get caught up in our struggles and how they are impacting our lives. No stones being thrown here as I've often done this myself. But I wonder if we could love one another better during hard times. 

My friend, Susan Kent, joined me on this episode to share how she received love and support from friends and family during the hardest time of her life. Her husband, Nimish, was killed in a plane crash, leaving her a young widow and mother of a 4 1/2-month-old son. They sat with her, cried with her, and helped care for her son while she grieved her husband's tragic death. It was during those long and painful months that Susan realized how much she learned when she received the gift of her friends and family carrying her to the feet of Jesus. 

Since then, she's been determined to be a "mat carrier" for others who are hurting. When she sees friends or family hurting during their hard times, she gives the gift of carrying them to the feet of Jesus, so they can soak in Jesus' love, comfort, and healing.

Let's receive -----> then give. 

Contact Susan at skent@twumc.org to purchase her Bible studies - Courageous Living, Living Hope, and Forged in Friendship - or to invite her to speak at your next event.

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Today IS a good day.

Is it? What makes today a good day? When during the day do you decide today is good? Do irritations like spilled coffee or frustrations like losing your debit card cause your day to go from good to bad?

Categorizing a day as good or okay or bad is something we all do. When someone tells you to "have a good day!" they are wishing you well. Do their well wishes perk you up? Or make you grumble "it couldn't get worse"?

My guest, Dr. Michelle Bengtson, adopted a mindset years ago to start each day by declaring TODAY IS GOING TO BE A GOOD DAY. Did you catch that she started the day this way? You see, she was struggling greatly at that time in her life. Every reason for her perspective and mindset to be murky and grumbly and expecting more bad to happen. But she resolved to start each day basing her day on God's promises that are always good instead of whatever bad circumstances or irritations or frustrations sprouted up during the day.

Our conversation is filled with her hard earned and rich wisdom about leaning hard on God's promises in His Word. She's faced MANY zigzags in her journey. In fact, she's in the middle of a big zigzag right now. Even though she's experienced many tough days lately, you won't hear her say any of them has been bad. Why? Because she doesn't base her day on the circumstances. Rather, she declares her days as good, because God is faithful, unchanging, forgiving, gives her strength, unfailing in His love, never leaves her alone, and working all things for her good.

• Her hope-filled perspective is what she's known for. Learn more about her at drmichelleb.com
• Her books, Hope Prevails, Hope Prevails Bible Study, and Breaking Anxiety's Grip, are available everywhere!
• Check out her podcast, Your Hope-Filled Perspective, on all podcast apps to hear Michelle discuss ways to find hope when life is going well AND when you're finding it tough to see the good in each day.

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Sometimes it seems God isn't answering our prayers. This quote by Anonymous might give us some insight: "When you're going through something hard and wonder where God is, remember the teacher is always quiet during a test."My guest, Amy Satterfield, spent years praying for children. Many unsuccessful attempts led to desperation and a crisis of faith. Why wasn't God answering her prayers? Why was He silent? Was this a test?

During her lonely and empty times, Amy experienced God's presence through His Word. His faithfulness to His children was written on every page. Slowly, Amy realized surrendering her desire to have a child led to an acceptance and appreciation of God for who He was and not what He could give her.

As her heart changed, her prayers changed too. She discovered His plans for her life - children or no children - were the vesy best plans for her life. After five years of waiting, God answered Amy's prayer to have children. While her children are answer to prayers, she knows those years had another purpose: surrendering to God allowed her to experience God's faithfulness in all aspects of her life.

Maybe you haven't struggled with infertility, but I bet you have struggled at some point in your life with why God isn't answering your prayers. Amy's jouirney of experiencing God's faithfulness might help you when it seems your prayers aren't being answered.

Visit www.womenofthewaytn.com to check out Amy's devotions and Bible studies. If you'd like Amy to speak at your next event, you may email her at womenofthewaytn@gmail.com

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How many of us are willing to admit we are exhausted beyond explanation? Sure, our bodies are tired. But so are our minds, our emotions, and our souls. We run and run and run, trying to keep up with all the demands and expectations placed on us and those we place on ourselves. We rarely take the time to rest.

For some, sleep comes easily when your head hits the pillow. While others, many others, struggle to piece together five hours of sleep over the course of a night. Sleep, or physical rest, is as vital to our overall health as food and water.

But physical rest is but one of the seven types of rest we need says Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith, author of the book Sacred Rest.

In this episode, Dr. Saundra explains the difference between sleep and rest and how rest replenishes, restores, renews, recovers, rebuilds, regenerates, remolds, and repairs every area of our lives. Rest does important work! We discuss each of the seven areas of rest and examples of how to get that rest so you may enjoy your life fully.

The seven areas of rest are:

• physical rest
• mental rest
• emotional rest
• spiritual rest
• social rest
• sensory rest
• creative rest

When I heard her discussing her book, Sacred Rest, at a writers conference, I knew I had to read it. Taking the Rest Quiz at restquiz.com helped me discover what areas of rest I needed most. Once I put her practice of rest in those areas into practice, I noticed more energy, less brain fog, and relief from fatigue.

Take the rest quiz at restquiz.com and learn which types of rest you need.

Follow Dr. Saundra at ichoosemybestlife.comfor resources, tips, and articles about rest and how your health, spirit, emotions, and relationships will thrive when you practice rest.

Listen to her podcast, I Choose My Best Life, on all podcast apps and at her website.

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Admitting you're a control freak isn't something any of us want to do. Yet, those of us, myself included, who like things to be done a certain way or want to have a say in the outcome of an activity have struggles with control. We want control.

What if demanding or expecting control demonstrates a lack of trust? A lack of trust in our spouse or our children. A lack of trust in the government or our employer. You get the idea.

But what if our desire to be in control demonstrates a lack of trust in God? What message is that sending God? Perhaps it says we don't trust Him to provide our dreams and wishes just exactly as we envision them. Maybe it says His way isn't the best way.

My guest, Tammy Whitehurst, admits she was a control freak. She confesses the ways she attempted to control others and situations. It was stealing her joy. An unexpected heart condition which required surgery led to Tammy making some big changes in her life. Not long after she made those changes, she found abundant joy. She realized her control freak mentality really meant she wasn't trusting God with the details of her life.

Listen in and learn how Tammy found abundant joy when she kicked her control freak mentality to the curb.

Learn more about Tammy at www.tammywhitehurst.com and follow her on her Facebook page at Tammy Whitehurst Speaker.

You can listen to her podcast, Joy for the Journey, on all podcast apps.

CORRECTION: In my introuction of Tammy, I mistakenly said she was the co-founder of the Christian Communicators Conference. She and Lori Boruff are the co-owners, not the co-founders.

Interested in reading and listening to other overcomer stories? Visit www.melonybrown.com. Subscribe and you will be notified when I publish new overcomer stories.

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There are multiple reasons why this episode is special, but the one I'm excited about most is my guest, Mary James. She is a writer, speaker, and talented musician! And she is my 100th overcomer interview!!!

Mary and I tried to record her episode over Zoom since she lives in California, and I live in Georgia. The connection was terrible - it kept dropping and lagging. Neither of which make for a great episode. I believe it was no coincidence she was flying to Georgia a few days later to begin recording two new albums. She suggested we meet at the farm where she would be staying and record the episode there.

To say the setting and the conversation were magical would be an understatement. We talked zigzags and lessons learned from them and music and why music is restorative. Her story of overcoming demonstrates the power of restoration when one gives their heart and life to Jesus.

If you're listening to this episode, I invite you to hop over to my YouTube channel (click HERE) as we videoed this episode, too!

Check out Mary's beautiful voice on her YouTube channel (click HERE) and at www.maryjamesministries.org.

Interested in reading or listening to the other 99 overcomer stories? Visit www.melonybrown.com. Subscribe and you'll be notified when I publish new overcomer stories.

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During these days, now months, of sheltering in, I've needed music more. It fills my soul. How about you?

Just a few days ago, I had some alone time in my Jeep, so I streamed Mandisa's Greatest Hits album. For my forty-five minute drive, I drank in Mandisa's powerful voice reminding me to "press on," that "(God) gives me just what I need," and to "raise our voices to the One because He is worthy of all our praise." I needed those reminders. I needed the encouragement to press on when this extroverted hugger is missing people and warm embraces.

My guest on the podcast today is Johnny Burkhalter, aka "the johnny b." He may tell bad "dad jokes" and drink too much coffee, but his insight aboiut music is powerful. He shares how "music has the power to pause the pain." Maybe this pandemic has injected pain into your life. You might not be experiencing physical pain, but it's painful to watch your bank account dwindle while you wait for your unemployment check to arrive. Perhaps it's emotionally painful to see your graduation day pass by because your school hasn't been open since mid March and congregating hundreds of students to get their diplomas is against governor's orders.

Can music take away the pain? No. But just for a moment, music can express what we are feeling, encourage us that we are not alone, and bring a smile to our face.

You can find Johnny at "the johnny b" on all social media platforms. If you are interested in booking him for an event, email him at tfgmanagement@gmail.com

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Martin Luther, theologian and prominant figure during the Reformation, said, "Beautiful music is the art of the prophets that can calm the agitations of the soul; it is one of the most magnificent and delightful presents God has given us."

I couldn't agree more. I love music. I don't sing well nor can I play an instrument, but I love music. It speaks to my heart and my soul. It is one of the most delightful presents God has given me.

This episode was indeed a gift to me as I had the honor of interviewing guitartist, Mark Lee of the Christian rock band, Third Day. With his 27 years of experience in the music industry, he shares great stories about what goes into writing music and performing in front of large crowds with the sole purpose of glorifying God. He also shares his thoughts about the connection between music and humanity and how an accident in his teens was instrumental in pointing him to music.

Check out his book, Hurt Road, on amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com.

Follow him on Facebook and join his weekly Facebook Live at the bookshelf or at marklee.me to learn more about him and his solo career.

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If each of us took a moment to step back and look at our lives, I would venture to bet there is at least one area of our lives that needs to change. Once we've decided to make that change, we have a greater chance of being successful if we make a commitment, set goals, and follow through with the plan. When we do those things, we realize transformation is possible.

When my guest, Sue Reynolds, took a look at her life, she realized weighing 335 pounds was unhealthy and prevented her from living her life to the fullest. She began a weight loss plan and started exercising. As she began losing weight, she committed to losing the unhealthy weight and engaging more in life. Her commitment and a goal motivated her. How would she follow through?

Running a 5K road race with her son started Sue on a path of significant weight loss and found an athlete inside of her that was competitive and determined. In her book, The Athlete Inside, Sue invites you to a close up view of her goals and her training regimen that ultimately ended with her winning 6th place in the World Championship Triathlon!

Join me as I discuss Sue's incredible journey of overcoming. She believes, "Transformation is possible at any age!"

Follow Sue on all social media platforms and at www.suereynolds.net. 

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Seventy-five years ago, survivors of the Holocaust were liberated. Millions of lives were literally saved and nearly 400,000 survivors are still alive.

The horrors they witnessed will never be erased from their memories. Beloved family members and friends shot or sent to the crematoriums before their very eyes. Most were starved and beaten during the months and years they were held against their will. 

These atrocities must never happen again. On this Holocaust Remembrance Day, we will remember the six million Jewish lives lost and the survivors who were liberated and given the opportunity to start a new life.

My guest, Ms. Eva Aigner, is a Holocaust survivor. At 83 years old, she is healthy, active, and full of life. She shares her experiences of watching her father be taken to the forced labor camps, her months living in the ghetto, and watching her mother be taken away. 

Ms. Eva's husband, Les, is also a survivor of four concentration camps. She shares why she and Les didn't share their experiences until 50 years after being liberated. Now, they travel to speak at schools and events around the country to dispel the lies that say the Holocaust never happened.

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Author, speaker, podcaster, and artist, Mary DeMuth, joins me to discuss her book, We Too: How the Church Can Respond Redemptively to the Sexual Abuse Crisis.

In her book, Mary urges the church to better care for those who have been sexually abused. She writes, "While we long to see the church grow deeper through discipleship and wider through evangelism, instead we are experiencing a shameful exodus of the people who could offer the world the kind of authentic, raw hope the next generation craves and needs. We are losing our clarion voice because of our nearsighted fear of how messy caring for them can be . . . The abused are our tutors, but we've expelled then."

Mary's concern and passion for those who've been abused is a reflection of her not plea for help being ignored when she was sexually abused at just five years of age. In this episode, she shares, "I have a deep empathy for survivors who tell someone and nothing happens. Or they get shamed for it. I also have empathy for survivors who tell it and people don't believe them."

If, like me you haven't experienced sexual abuse, I still urge you to listen to this episode as Mary shares much about how we can be "the kind of friend who is invitational for other people's stories. The kind of friend who doesn't jump to conclusions, who listens excessively, and who errs on the side of listening and asking good questions. We change people's lives by listening to their stories."

Please visit Mary's website, www.marydemuth.com, for a wealth of resources. Additionally, you can follow her podcast, Pray Every Day, there. For more about healing together (#wetoo), visit www.wetoo.org.

For additional books about sexual abuse, check out her book Not Marked: Finding Hope and Healing After Sexual Abuse, which is co-written with her husband, Patrick and her memoir Thin Places.

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March of 2020 in the United States is like no other March I've ever experienced!

News of the Coronavirus and all the ensuing restrictions occurred within days. The lives of Americans radically shifted with the closing of schools, horrendously long lines at the grocery store to buy toilet paper, having to practice social distancing, and hundreds of thousands of people facing layoffs. The list goes on and on.

While the news provides updated information, it can increase fear, even panic. Throw in some sensationalized news that's fake, and it might feel like the world is ending. Negative thoughts creep in and begin to take root. Instead of believing things will get better, one might begin to be convinced life will never be the same when the Coronavirus is gone. Once those thoughts take root, it's hard to pull them out.

Negative thinking isn't limited to living as cautiously as possible during the Coronavirus. It can creep in when a happily married couple finds themselves arguing nightly. An unexpected health crisis with the doctor giving a grim prognosis ushers in negative thinking. Failed job after failed job leads to negative thoughts like, "I'm just not good enough."

My guests, Cathie and Addlia, join me for a discussion on the importance of keeping a positive attitude, especially when life is tough. These two have faced years of tough times, yet each fight (and fight hard) to focus on the positive things happening in their lives. Through their journeys of overcoming, both ladies have gained wisdom that will convince you positive attitudes add years to your life.

Join us for a laughter-filled discussion to learn why we believe positive attitudes are life-giving.

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In this special edition episode, I wanted to focus on our kids. Even though adults have never experienced anything like this in our lives, we are better equipped to process the news and the required social adjustments. Some kids will ride this wave and enjoy the “different way of life.” Other kids will battle anxious thoughts and fears as they see this “different way of life” as unsettling and scary. Wherever your child falls on that continuum, this episode offers helpful information about how to navigate these uncertain times and survive online learning. 

My friend, Dr. Christi Bartolomucci, is a psychologist and counselor and super talented with talking with kids in a way that eases their fears. So, I invited her to join me as I believe some of our kids are having a difficult time processing everything they are hearing about the Coronavirus. Not to mention having a big part of their social lives taken away when the schools closed. Dr. Christi offers great advice to parents about how to talk to our kids during these uncertain times. She stresses how important it will be to be open and honest when answering their “what if” questions, all the while reassuring them often.

Then Dr. Christi asks me questions about how to help children AND parents survive this very different learning environment: online learning at home. Creating a schedule of when to complete schoolwork will provide a comfortable structure and establish expectations. The most important key to a successful online learning experience is getting organized. Many websites are super helpful in providing additional information if your child is struggling to understand a concept. Offering praise for completed assignments and working hard will keep your kids motivated.

If you’ve found this episode helpful, PLEASE share it with your friends who are parents. They likely need these tips as much as you do!

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Psychologist and counselor, Dr. Christi Bartolomucci, joins me for part 2 of our anxiety series where she answers questions about our kids and anxiety.

Dr. Christi shares what children do and say when they are struggling with anxiety. She offers strategies to help them fight and overcome anxiety. Listen to episode 17 where Dr. Christ talks about helping children name anxiety so they can talk back to it when it attacks.

Statistics show 1 in 4 teens between ages 13 and 18 struggle with anxiety. That number is alarming! Not only will our teens exhibit similar struggles as children, but they will also experience anxiety with regards to peer relationships, academic expectations, the comparison trap, and social media. Dr. Christi offers practical and helpful strategies to help our teens fight and overcome anxiety.

Additional resources: Click HERE for the Anxiety and Depression Association of America website and click HERE for the Child Anxiety Network.   

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Psychologist and counselor, Dr. Christi Bartolomucci, joins me for this two part series on anxiety. In depth knowledge of anxiety and practical strategies to fight anxiety fill our conversation.

Dr. Christi, shares, "Anxiety is a bully. It's sneaky. Sometimes when it's lurking, it can sound like your own voice. The more you give in to anxiety, the more it keeps showing up in your life."

Dr. Christi explains how anxiety takes over the thinking brain. Engaging the thinking brain instead of just listening to the feeling brain allows us to fight overwhelming fears and those "what if" questions..

If you struggle with anxiety, the strategies shared in this episode are powerful!

For additional information about anxiety, click HERE for the Anxiety and Depression Association of America website and HERE for the Child Anxiety Network website. 

Join us for part 2 (episode 18) in the anxiety series titled "Our Kids and Anxiety."

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Why wait until October to spread breast cancer awareness? Especially if you have two sisters who have the BRCA1 gene and fought to overcomer breast cancer with the most positive attitudes and lots of laughter!

Sisters Brenda and Bernadette, along with their older sister and brother tested positive for the BRCA1 gene. Listen in to learn how each sister handled knowing she had the gene and what that meant for her treatment.

All of the overcomers I interview have positive attitudes throughout their fight, but not until chatting with these sisters have I ever laughed so much during an interview. 

After listening to this episode, join my outtake video with Brenda and Bernadette on my youTube channel - Melony Brown. I asked them to share something funny that happened during their journeys - you don't want to miss it!

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Hardships are a fact of life. Some of our nation's young people experience abuse, gang violence, bullying, poverty, drug addictions, and educational struggles. These hardships and many others invite hopelessness and a lack of purpose.

My guest, Ron Green of Operation Snatch Back, is passionate about stepping into the lives of at-risk youth to teach life skills that will give them the tools they need to be successful in life.

As a teen and young adult, Ron made poor decisions that left him addicted to drugs, homeless, and lacking direction for his life. Once he chose to get help and gain the tools he was lacking, Ron was eager to equip teens so they wouldn't make the mistakes he made.

Check out Operation Snatch Back at www.snatchback.net. Consider making a donation to this incredible non profit organization and you too can impact the lives of at-risk teens. 

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From early childhood, my guest BJ Garrett, felt unloved and unwanted. Sexual abuse by a family member scarred her. Those emotional wounds led her to make poor choices as a young teen and young adult.

BJ faced many zigzags in her life. She knew she was running away from the God who was pursuing her. Then she met several Jesus-loving people who loved her just as she was - wounds and all.

BJ shares her story in her new book, Unwanted No More. She and I discuss parts of her book and how accepting Christ healed her wounds. She KNOWS she is loved and wanted by Christ. Grab a copy of her book online or at any book retailer.

Learn more about BJ at www.bjgarrett.com.

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When we are in the trenches, we often feel overwhelmed. Thoughts swirl in our head at a dizzying pace. We oftentimes stuff our emotions, because they feel too big to process. 

What if creativity could invite healing?

My guest, Amy Markham, shares how creative living practices helped her express her bottled up emotions and overpowering thoughts during her fight with cancer. She found reconnecting with creative processes reminded her of her passions and purpose.

Check out her podcast titled "Starling" and her website at www.starlingcreativeliving.com. 

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September is National Suicide Awareness Month.

Suicide is a topic we'd rather avoid. It's uncomfortable. There often are no answers. But, it's a topic we must discuss. And we must learn as much as we can with the intention of preventing as many suicides as possible.

My guest, Tracy Hurst, struggled as an adolescent with depression and had suicidal ideations. Now she is a licensed professional counselor with a heart for anyone who struggles with depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts.

If you are feeling suicidal, PLEASE call the suicide hotline at 1-800-273-8255 for support.In Part 2 of this two part series, Tracy and I discuss how bullying and social media are causing some of our youth to feel disconnection, isolated, and lonely. Those feelings can lead to suicide ideations. We explore the idea that true connection with others could break the disconnection they feel and prevent them from attempting suicide. Attached are the following resources:
1. the 10 commonalities of suicide
2. Is social media contributing to rising teen suicide rate?
3. positive and negative effects of social media

This episode is published in memory of my cousin, Jerome Williams. May 1972 - January 1991.

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September is National Suicide Awareness Month.

Suicide is a topic we'd rather avoid. It's uncomfortable. There often are no answers. But, it's a topic we must discuss. And we must learn as much as we can with the intention of preventing as many suicides as possible.

My guest, Tracy Hurst, struggled as an adolescent with depression and had suicidal ideations. Now she is a licensed professional counselor with a heart for anyone who struggles with depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts.

If you are feeling suicidal, PLEASE call the suicide hotline at 1-800-273-8255 for support.In Part 1 of this two part series, Tracy and I discuss the alarming statistic about suicide rates, how depression is the common cold of mental illness, andhow those who are thinking about suicide feel disconnection with others. Attached are the following resources:
1. the 10 commonalities of suicide
2. Is social media contributing to rising teen suicide rate?
3. positive and negative effects of social media

Music credits: "Bigger Than I Thought" by Sean Curran. Check out Sean's music HERE.

This episode is published in memory of my cousin, Jerome Williams. May 1972 - January 1991.

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Parenting is not for wimps! Because parenting can be hard, most parents are eager to hear great parenting advice as each age presents a different set of challenges. Learning from those who have gone before us and lived through it is one of the best ways to be a better parent.

Kenn Kington, comedian and motivational speaker, joins us for another episode to share the wisdom he's gained in parenting his four kids. 

Make sure you have a pen to take some notes about parenting the FAIR way. Implementing this strategy will help your children become responsible, productive adults. Isn't that the point?

You can learn more about Kenn at www.kennkington.com!

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You may have heard of new age practices or cults (even Christian ones), but you likely don't know how one becomes involved in one or what day to day life is like. In this episode, we explore both. 

My guest, Athena Dean Holtz, dabbled in several new age practices. In her book, Full Circle, she explained, "The enemy used my hunger to know God to draw me into his lies. Because I didn't know the truth, I was easy prey for the counterfeit."

Athena not only shares what her life was like while experimenting with new age practices, but she also shares how she joined a Christian church not knowing it was a cult.  

Her openness about how she got involved in the cult and how much emotional and spiritual abuse she endured gives the listener a deep look into the dangers of looking for God in all the wrong places. 

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My interview with Maegan came about in a unique way. Knowing about the ministry, at least ten mutual friends from church said I needed to interview Maegan as she had an incredible story. I’m so glad I followed their advice as her story is truly a beautiful one of God turning her ashes into beauty. 

The phrase beauty for ashes comes from Isaiah 61:1-2. It says, “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me . . . to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.”

When Maegan surrendered her circumstances to God, she began to understand the gift of grief. 

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It's always a great day when you can spend it with someone who makes you laugh! 

Kenn Kington - comedian, motivational speaker, author, and occasional fill-in pastor - joins us to discuss how laughter helps us have a different perspective when life zigzags. 

Kenn's always observing life and sees what most of us miss. When he retells  stories about what he's observed, it's easy to see the humor in even the toughest of situations. "It's impossible to laugh and worry at the same time," he shares. 

When life zigzags, laughter brings joy and makes you feel lighter. Laughing is a vulnerable thing, but it always leaves you feeling more positive. 

Check out Kenn at kennkington.com and his videos on YouTube. 

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In the last chapter of 1 Corinthians, Paul wraps up his message to the church in Corinth by saying: "Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.Do everything in love."

What does it mean to stand firm in the faith, especially when your path hits a zigzag?

My friends, Stephanie, Holli, and Lisa, joined me for a round table discussion about the zigzags they've each faced and how they leaned hard on their faith during those difficult times. 

So many valuable nuggets of wisdom are in this episode, so grab a pen and paper and hit the play button!

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Parenting in a sexualized culture is very challenging. With all our children see in the media, do they know how to process it? The bigger question is how will it impact them?

Anne Kerr of True North Freedom project is our guest. She tackles these questions and more! Join us as she shares the importance of having a grace-filled, practical approach to understanding, teaching, and modeling God-honoring, biblical sexuality.

Her website, truenorthfp.org. offers blog posts, tools, and resources to help parents have those tough but rewarding conversations with their kids.

Resources Anne mentions in this episode:
Dan Allender website: theallendercenter.org books on Amazon (click on green for links)
Dr. Juli Slattery website: authenticintimacy.com books on Amazon (clink on green for links)
* Jay Stringer website: jay-stringer.com book on Amazon (click on green for links)

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February is Heart Health Month. Who better to help us have healthy hearts than a health and wellness coach? Melony invited Severin Garrett to share her knowledge and experiences regarding healthy living with us, so we can have healthy hearts. 

A surprising statistic is 1 out of 3 women will have cardiovascular disease. While these numbers may currently be true, women CAN make healthy a lifestyle and change this statistic. Learn what NEWS6 means, and then LIVE IT!

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January is National Slavery and Sex Trafficking Awareness Month. After meeting several ministry leaders who are fighting to end the human trafficking epidemic, Melony knew she must interview Kasey McClure of 4Sarah.

Kasey knows and understands the sex industry, because she's been there. Kasey shares about the zigzags she experienced while working in a dance club. After walking away from it, she started a ministry to rescue women and children out of exploitation and empower them to become healthy, thriving women.

Kasey's ministry, 4Sarah, offers multiple ways to get involved to stop human trafficking.

Disclaimer: Although the material in this episode is not explicit, the topic of human trafficking is discussed in detail. Recommended audience is ages 13+.

CHeck out melonybrown.com for more overcomer stories and learn more about Melony. 

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January is National Slavery and Sex Trafficking Awareness Month. After meeting several ministry leaders who are fighting to end the human trafficking epidemic, Melony knew she must interview Kasey McClure of 4Sarah.

In part 1, Kasey shared about her years in the sex industry and how she is now passionate about helping rescue women and girls being exploited in human trafficking with her ministry team at 4Sarah.

In part 2, Kasey shares more about Atlanta's human trafficking crisis. She encourages us to not turn our back on this crisis as there are many ways to get involved in ending this horrible epidemic.

Disclaimer: Although the material in this episode is not explicit, the topic of human trafficking is discussed in detail. Recommended audience is ages 13+.

Check out melonybrown.com for more overcomer stories and to learn more about Melony. 

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Welcome to Zigzag & One! Face a big dog struggle lately? Worried and anxious you won't make it through? Don't know which way to turn? Wish you had someone wiser than you to pour their wisdom into you? This podcast will tackle the issues women face, as well as offer valuable wisdom that can be applied to your life.

In this inaugural episode of Zigzag & One, Melony sits down with her mentee, Avery, to discuss the crazy podcast name and its purpose. Navigating life's zigs and zags together made Avery the perfect interviewer to kick off this podcast. She wasn't afraid to ask the tough questions!

You don't want to miss upcoming episodes when Melony interviews women who share ways to keep moving forward after facing life's toughest zigzags (struggles).

Check out melonybrown.com for more overcomer stories and learn more about Melony.