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SummaryTamara K. Anderson shared her personal journey of overcoming adversity through faith in God's help, emphasizing the importance of perseverance and seeking support from others. She discussed the role of Satan in causing resistance and doubt, and how God can strengthen and empower individuals to overcome these challenges. Tamara also shared practical principles for finding hope and faith in challenging situations, including praying for miracles and opening one's eyes to see the blessings in everyday life. She launched a new podcast focused on exploring Jesus Christ's teachings and women's stories in the Bible, and encouraged listeners to subscribe and follow her on YouTube for more content.

Outline1. If you want to move forward with something positive in your life, expect resistance from the adversary. Things don’t always go you planned, even if you’re inspired by God. 2. God can strengthen us to do ANYTHING! Importance of learning to level up, bring in more light and get rid of things that drag us down. 3. God sends angels (both seen and unseen) to help us and support us in difficulties.

Bonus principle:

“Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes.” —2 Kings 6:16-17

New Podcast: Bible, Women & BathrobesApplying biblical teachings and women in the Bible.* Tamara Anderson and co-hosts discuss lessons from Jesus' teachings and women in the Bible. * Podcast covers modern applications of biblical teachings and historical background on women in the Bible. * Subscribe to the Bible, Women & Bathrobes podcast for more inspirational stories and connection. * She emphasizes the importance of God's love and support in difficult times.

TranscriptTamara Anderson 0:00

Have you ever set a goal to do something and then it's like all hell broke loose to try to stop you from accomplishing that goal? And you wonder, why did I try this to begin with? Why is this so difficult? If you have, you're not alone, I'm going to share with you three key principles of making positive progress, including overcoming the adversary in my personal journey and give you an update of everything that's been going on for the past year as I promised I would stay tuned.

Tamara Anderson 0:37

Welcome to Stories of Hope in Hard Times, the show that explores how people endure and even thrive in difficult times, all with God's help. I'm your host Tamara K Anderson. Join me on a journey to find inspiring stories of hope and wisdom learned in life's hardest moments.

Tamara Anderson 1:03

Hello, and welcome to another episode of Stories of Hope in Hard Times. I'm your host, Tamara K Anderson. And I'm so excited to be with you today. I promised you that as I paused this podcast to launch Women Warriors of Light, the group that God has kind of been nudging me to start for several years now, that I would give you progress updates. And it's been about a year since I've done that. So I apologize that I haven't done that sooner. I have been feverishly working towards this goal. And I am so excited to tell you that we launched that women warriors of light launched on March 28, we had our official launch virtual launch.

Tamara Anderson 1:49

And it was wonderful. And I am so happy that it's finally started. But it's the beginning of the beginning. People are like, aren't you glad it's done? And I'm like, oh, it's the beginning of the beginning. And I have to tell you guys, I started a new podcast. And I'll tell you about that at the end of this episode.

Tamara Anderson 2:09

But first, I want to talk you through some of the struggles that I've experienced over the past year. And I'm sure I'm not the only one who's ever felt that they needed to act on something only to have the adversary just open up the gates of hell, and just try to stop you. That is really what I've gone through this past year, year and a half a lot of fear. He's thrown at me a lot of negativity in my mind. Like you can't do this. It's too big. It's too much. And yes, it it is. It has been very big. And it's been too much for just me, but God has blessed me.

Tamara Anderson 2:53

There have been times that I wondered if I would make it and, and I wasn't sure. Because it was hard. And it was heavy. There were nights when I cried and cried to my husband and just said I don't know if I can It's too hard. I'm struggling with things that I've never struggled with my entire life, you know, and and just the discouragement and the fear factor that Satan throws at you when when you're trying to make positive progress was heavy and oppressive and overwhelming.

Tamara Anderson 3:35

And there were times I really wanted to give up, I'll be honest. And so I guess the first thing that I learned is that anytime you want to make forward progress in your life, Satan, it and his are hosts of devils is gonna want to stop you. You know, it's not any surprise when I pause and think about it that what God wants for us is eternal life. He wants us to come home to him.

Tamara Anderson 4:08

And what Satan wants is he wants to stop our progress. Because that's what being damned means. It means having your progress stopped. If you think about a dam, stopping the progress of water. That's what Satan wants. He doesn't want us to move forward and our progress. And so as I moved forward and it felt sometimes it felt like I had big concrete bricks on my feet. Oh, one little baby step at a time. And sometimes it felt like I would take those step forward and something would pull me back. I learned that when we are making forward progress, whether it's with a goal, or we're moving out of perhaps an addiction or something, anything that moves our life forward in a positive way. Maybe you're going back to school Maybe you're trying to help someone in need that maybe it's a child, maybe it's a friend, maybe it's a parent to expect opposition expect that things aren't just going to open up. And it's going to be easygoing.

Tamara Anderson 5:17

And the reason I've pondered that and said, Why is it so hard and, and things from the scriptures popped into my mind, think of the two gardens that are talked about in the Scriptures, the Garden of Eden the Garden of Gethsemane, Good Things were moving forward. And both of those places, and yet Satan showed up. And they became places where it was tough and tough decisions had to be made. And, and so it shouldn't surprise this since from the very, very beginning of time. It's been hard when we try to make more progress, because we have an enemy here on Earth. But I've also learned, and this is one of the key points to kind of counterbalance that is that God helps us line upon line, precept upon precept, she just told us. There are also growing pains, because where we want to go, isn't who we are yet. And so as we grow to become that newer, better person. It requires a little bit of refining in us.

Tamara Anderson 6:32

So I guess what I learned is that anyone making poor progress, whether it's Adam and Eve, whether it's Jesus Christ is going to experience hard times moving forward, it's not going to be easy, it's not going to be seamless. And I think something in the back of my brain have thought, I am doing God's work, he's calling me to do this. Things will be things will flow, things will be easy. And certainly there have been moments where that happened. But there has been so much resistance. And it just helps me realize that you know, the adversary is alive and well and, and is trying to stop the work of God from going forward as he always has. And he just like he wants to stop God's work from going forward. He wants to stop you from moving forward and me from moving forward and doing good things.

Tamara Anderson 7:33

I loved what one of the gals said at the launch that I had for Women Warriors of Light, she said, Don't doubt in the night, what you learned in the day. And I thought that is so true. That's one of the key things I learned as I tried to push forward was that Satan always tries to make us doubt these impressions that we get these thoughts that pop into our head that are good things that move us forward that allow us to help someone. But and so doubt is one of his biggest tactics, and also discouragement and negative thoughts, those are key things to us. So key principle number one is if you are going to move forward in your life, expect resistance, don't expect that it's going to be smooth sailing. Trust me, it won't.

Tamara Anderson 8:33

But the good news is principle number two, God can strengthen and empower you or me to do anything. I kind of go back to my mantra that I learned years ago, when my kids were diagnosed with autism, that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me and I can were there days of weeping. Absolutely. The joy to come in the morning as the scripture promises. Yes. There were times when I was trying to work out complex technology stuff on the back end of our website that we've been building. And I went to my husband and I was crying. And I'm like, This is too hard for me to figure out. I had a website gal that was helping me but you know, it took a labor of love and lots of people working to get this thing off the ground. And I had to help things that were beyond my capacity. I had to learn how to do and there were times that I prayed for technology angels to be with me because oh my goodness, it was hard. It was super, super hard.

Tamara Anderson 9:45

I also learned so another thing that I loved was that God does send angels to be with us. Just like an angel comforted the Savior in the Garden of Gethsemane when he was going through I'll be the hardest thing that has ever been witnessed on this earth, suffering and pain for our sins. An angel went and comforted him. And I know the angels came and comforted with me. And were with me in those times, because I needed help. I couldn't do it by myself. Other times, they were people who showed up in my life and just said, I feel like I'm supposed to be involved in this organization, how can I help you? I just thought, Oh, thank you, because I can't do it on my own.

Tamara Anderson 10:31

So God sends angels, and also sometimes he sends angels within our own family to help and strengthen. I know that my kids were angels at times they came, and they, you know, my husband said, Okay, you guys got to help make dinners because mom is super busy right now. And so they would take turns making dinners on certain nights for the week. Was it consistent? No. But it was less that I had to be thinking about and doing as we got ready and launched women word of white. So sometimes the angels can be people in our own family. Or maybe it's we don't have angels in our own family. Maybe we need help from the outside. And I did have help from the outside, I had some key people stand, step up and say, hey, I want to help with this. And others, I had to ask and say, Hey, can you help with this? And they said, Yes, I would love to help with this.

Tamara Anderson 11:23

So God strengthens us to do anything. But sometimes those strengthening people come in the form of both angels seen and unseen. The third principle that I learned for making positive progress was that if I'm going to do something bigger, then has ever been required of me that I need to level up. And so I had to make forward progress as a person, getting rid of things that were holding me back, especially in that battle, that constant battle with Satan. Over the last couple years, I had to eliminate things that were dragging me down, that perhaps brought darkness in and bring more things into my life that were adding light and positivity. And Heavenly Father, God inspired me to know what those steps were, you know, stop watching that kind of thing: Stop reading that kind of book, you need to be reading the scriptures, you need to be doing things that bring light into your life.

Tamara Anderson 12:39

Also, with all the added stress, I had to start an exercise program that was better for me. And, and I did, I had to walk more I started strength training and stuff like that things that I needed to do physically, but I was leveling up in several areas of my life. And because when when we're stressed, it takes a toll on our bodies. And I'm not saying that I didn't have bowls of chocolate ice cream, sometimes I sure did. But I had to level up in several areas of my life, getting rid of things that drag me down, that brought darkness into my life, and adding things that increased my life or adding them with more frequency.

Tamara Anderson 13:31

I remember one particular day, I was really feeling the weight and the pressure of launching women warriors of light. And I was driving to a place where I could feel God's peace and God's holiness because I needed it more in my life. And as I was driving, I often I will put on uplifting music that will calm and inspire and lift me up when I feel the forces of the adversary attacking with greater frequency. And I had a song pop up that wasn't on my playlist that I had never heard before. And it is an old Christian hymn about standing on the promises of Christ, our Savior, and standing on the promises of God. And that song resonated with me. And it buoyed me up and it was like God kind of peeking into my heavy weight and saying, Hey, remember, you're doing what I asked you to do, and I'm going to fulfill my part. I'm going to fulfill my promise that I will help you with this. And so it was little moments like that, that kept me going.

Tamara Anderson 14:58

Sometimes it was a When talking to a friend and talking to a friend about a dilemma that I was facing, and, and sometimes just bouncing it off of people helped me solve the problems. But what I realized in this third principle about how I needed to level up in all areas of my life is that God helps me as I moved forward just inch by inch, and line by line and precept by precept forward. He blessed me with the people that I needed, he blessed me with an amazing advisory board that are all over the nation who have been awesome. He blessed me with an amazing co founder, Wendi Christiansen who has been super instrumental and I could just name several people who I could not have gone come this far without, we had two amazing teams of interns from a local university that helped us with several key pieces. And so I am thankful, I guess I'm here to tell you that even though it's been hard, it is it has been a good growing experience for me. And I'm not saying that I'm done growing, because the resistance hasn't stopped. So I know that forward, progress still needs to be made.

Tamara Anderson 16:17

But I've learned those three key principles to expect resistance. And that even though we're doing good things, Satan doesn't want us to make progress. But number two key principle is that relying on God and the angels that he sends, we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. And he does send the right people at the right time. And then the third principle is that if we're leveling up, we've got to increase the light coming to us and eliminate things that are dragging us down. Because that's what's required. As we level up and make positive progress in our lives. There's a favorite scripture that I know I've shared with you before that, that I felt.

Tamara Anderson 17:06

We're gonna take a quick break. But when we get back, we'll have more lessons, tips and things you can apply to your life. Stay tuned.

Tamara Anderson 17:14

Hey, guys, have you started thinking about Mother's Day yet? Every Mother's Day I am looking for a card or something a gift to give my mom, my sisters, my friends. And it's hard for me to sometimes find those gifts. And so today, I'm so excited to tell you about this booklet, The Mother's Mite it's a perfect simple, inexpensive gift you can give your friends, your family, your sisters, anyone that you want to share this story with. And it will be meaningful. It's not just a little piece of candy that they eat and forget. It's something they can read over and over again. Because so often we as women feel alone and overwhelmed and burdened, and like there's so many things weighing on our shoulders. And what I love about this story is that it points us to Jesus Christ in our times of trouble, that he understands us. He loves us knows what we're going through, and he is more than willing to help us bear that burden. And I love that about this story that it gives not only me hope, but it will convey that sense of hope for all of you. So get your copy of it today. TamaraKanderson.com/store, you can order one to 10-20 however many you want, and we will get those to you so you can get them distributed by Mother's Day. All right now on to our show.

Tamara Anderson 18:46

There's a favorite scripture that I know I've shared with you before that that I felt many times and I had to learn to pray for angels and to cast out Satan on a regular basis. Daily surely. But I love this verse in Kings Second Kings for chapter six verses 16 and 17. Is this is when Elijah and his manservant we're looking at the city in this attacking army had completely surrounded them. And sometimes we feel like that in life we feel like we are surrounded by the enemy and his hosts and it's overwhelming and we're like I we're going to die I can't move forward and here's what he likes shoulda told his servant fear not are they that be with us are more than they that be with them. Lord, I pray the open his eyes.

Tamara Anderson 19:45

And so I guess that would be maybe a bonus principle is that when we're feeling down and discouraged and like things aren't not gonna go well, that we pray that God will open our eyes to see you The miracles and the angels around us. There were times when I woke up and I could just feel, I just felt heavy. And I would go and I would write about how I felt. And then I would say a quick prayer and say, God helped me to write things I'm thankful for helped me to see the miracles that are happening, despite all this heaviness. And I would end up journaling, like two or three pages of things that had happened that were miracles.

Tamara Anderson 20:26

And, and so sometimes we need to pray when we're feeling heavy, that God will open our eyes to the angels and to the miracles that are around us. Ah, how's that for three key principles plus the bonus principle of making positive progress in our lives? All right, I promised I'd also give you an update. Well, let me tell you, I have launched another podcast with some amazing people who are connected to women warriors of light. It's called Bible, Women & Bathrobes. And seriously guys, we do record this in our bathrobes at like 6am. It is crazy. But it's a lot of fun. And there's usually two or three of us on there.

Tamara Anderson 21:13

And we are focusing on two things. We're launching two episodes a week, once on Tuesday morning, and once on Thursday morning. The Tuesday mornings we are talking about lessons from the teachings of Jesus Christ. And we started the Sermon on the Mount a couple of weeks ago. And so we've been just taking them just a few verses at a time. And we're pulling from it lessons, we can learn that and apply to ourselves today. So modernizing terms, what does being meek mean, you know, and it's been so much fun. I have some amazing co host, Bonnie Randall. And she has been awesome. And we brought on women from our...

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In this quick update I share 4 tips that revolve around a Bible verse I have learned by example which have helped me move forward while moving on to my new project: starting Women Warriors of Light. I also share about a giveaway I have going on right now. More details below.

As I have started working on my new project, starting my women’s group called Women Warriors of Light there is a Bible Verse that has come to life as I have experienced setbacks and yet been given the guidance to know how to overcome the obstacles placed in my path.

Bible Verse

Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. ~Hebrews 12:1-2

4 Principles to Succeed when Upping Our Game1. Lay aside every weight 2. Lay aside every sin (including distractions) which so easily beset us 3. Run with patience the race set before us 4. Focus on Jesus to help us do all of the above and move forward with faith.

GiveawayI also share about a giveaway I have going on. You can see more about that here:https://kingsumo.com/g/mzfa4b/deluxe-christian-womens-package-giveawayTranscript of today’s episodeTamara Anderson 0:03

Have you ever felt like you're hitting obstacles when you're trying to hit a big new goal? If so, you're not alone. I'm going to share with you some quick tips today that I have learned over the last couple of months as I have been launching a new company and share with you some personal examples as well as give you an update as well as an opportunity to enter a giveaway where you will win over $450 in items with my new women warriors of light group. Stay tuned.

Tamara Anderson 0:42

Welcome to stories of hope in hard times, the show that explores how people endure and even thrive in difficult times, all with God's help. I'm your host Tamara K Anderson. Join me on a journey to find inspiring stories of hope and wisdom learned in life's hardest moments.

Tamara Anderson 1:07

Hello, and welcome to an update version of the stories of hope in hard times podcast. I'm your host Tamara K Anderson. And oh, my goodness. First of all, thank you to everyone who has reached out since I finished my podcast in January. Thank you for the sweet comments. I feel so blessed to have been able to connect with so many of you on a personal level. Over the last four years as I've been doing this stories of hope in hard times podcast.

Tamara Anderson 1:35

And as I promised you when I did that last episode, I would give you periodic updates. And so today, I wanted to just share with you some quick updates on how I'm doing as well as share with you for tips that I found to help me succeed, as I've kind of been upgrading to a new level, which is starting this women warriors of light company and I am so so excited for it. But I also have to talk to you about some obstacles that I've faced along the way.

Tamara Anderson 2:08

One of the most common questions I've gotten from friends, and from even some of you who I've never met is Tamra, how has it been, you know, stopping the podcast, how's that felt? And there really was some grief involved and just changing from podcasting every week to now focusing on other little goals and trying to get this women warriors of light group started. It has been a more difficult transition than I imagined it would.

Tamara Anderson 2:42

So I've learned a lot about the word patience. And that's really one of the things I wanted to talk to you guys about today. There is a Bible verse that has just kind of been rolling around in my mind that I feel really describes kind of what I've been feeling and some of the things, some of the four things that I've been going through the last little while.

Tamara Anderson 3:12

So let me let me read this Bible verse to you. It is found in Hebrews chapter 12. And it's verses one and two. And I'm going to start halfway through the verse that says, Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily be set us. And let us run with patience, the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Tamara Anderson 3:53

Now, I'm going to start back where I started at the beginning of that verse one. And one of the first things that were taught is that we're invited to lay aside every weight. And one of the things that I found, as I've tried to kind of upgrade to this new company that I'm starting and everything like that, is that there were some things holding me back.

Tamara Anderson 4:22

And I remember one particular day, when I just felt like there was a weight on my chest and I know I've talked about that feeling before and sometimes it's hard to discern. Okay, what is this? Wait, is it something stopping me? Is it something I need to get rid of? Is it something that maybe from my childhood, a perceived belief or something that I've got in there, that what is it that's holding me back? And as I prayed and kind of journal about that weight, one of the thoughts and impressions that kept coming to my mind was that I needed to go see a friend of mine who's a counselor.

Tamara Anderson 5:00

I will be honest with you guys I've visited with her before and she is absolutely amazing. I love her to pieces. But there was a prideful side of Tamara that's like, Tamara, you can do this on your own. Why is it that we do that? You guys, we think it's like God tells us what we need to do. And we're like, oh, no, God, I'm good. I can do this all by myself. It's like, we're a two year old, telling our parents that, no, I'm good. You know, I know, you told me what I need to do. But I'm really just going to do this all by myself. And I'm sure God kind of rolls his eyes at me sometimes and is like, Well, you asked me what you should do. And I told you now, you need to kind of swallow your pride and do it or ignore me, you know?

Tamara Anderson 5:49

And so finally, after praying about it, I thought, you know, Tamara, God gave you an answer, you need to just go and talk to your friend. And, and so I did, I set up an appointment with her and I went, and we had some really good conversations about some of these weights. And, and we found out that some of the weights that were holding me back were beliefs that I had had since I was a child. And and these things these preconceived notions from when I was so much younger, seven and eight years old, and I watched my parents go through some really hard things. Were holding me back, they were weights. As it talks about here in Hebrews, Let us lay aside every weight, sometimes things that are holding us back are beliefs that we've had in our mind from childhood.

Tamara Anderson 6:37

And I'm not a trained psychologist or counselor, or licensed social worker. And even though I've been able to process a lot of things on my own, I really don't think I could have figured out what these weights were that were holding me back, if I hadn't gone and talked to a friend and had her help me process them and kind of look at my younger self and, and tell my younger self, that's okay, and forgive my younger self, and forgive some of the notions that I believed that weren't true, especially with regards to God and him expecting me to run faster and harder than I was able to work hard every day. And if I didn't do that I didn't have worth.

Tamara Anderson 7:21

And so that was the first thing that I really had to kind of overcome and learn to upgrade, so that I could succeed with women warriors of light, or began succeeding. The second thing that's mentioned in these Bible verses, so we have lay aside every weight and then and the sin which doth so easily be set us.

Tamara Anderson 7:46

Another thing that I've noticed the last couple of months is because I want to start this group that helps women become stronger in their battles against Satan, in these winding up scenes before the second coming, in inspiring them and teaching them to put on their armor of light that guess who doesn't want me to succeed? Satan. And so I feel like he's just throwing everything at me the last couple of months. And so I've noticed that when we try to upgrade and do something new and better, especially things that are going to add more light, not only to our lives, but to others lives, that Satan doesn't want that to happen, and he'll start throwing things at us. And I noticed that some of the tactics he used on me, were maybe even little simple ones, like, trying to get me to forget to pray, or don't read my scriptures.

Tamara Anderson 8:43

I remember there was one day in particular, I just got up later than usual. And I think it was about noon that I went, Wait, did I say my morning prayers and read my scriptures today? And I was shocked, because that's like one of my go to habits like, I just do it like clockwork. And I was like, Oh, I didn't. And it kind of shocked me, I think I was like, Wait, what is this? And he just distracted me by keeping me busy with so many other things that I wasn't doing the things necessary to get my armor up and shielding me and protecting me.

Tamara Anderson 9:17

And so often when we're trying to hit these higher goals that are requiring us to step up, maybe farther and higher than we've ever gone before. We'll find these obstacles, beliefs that are holding us back are other things that are holding us back that we need other people's help to process or maybe Satan's throwing everything but the kitchen sink at us will have struggles that will hit us that maybe we've never dealt with before or children who need help or family members who need help and their distractions. And so those are two of the things that I've noticed these last couple of months that I've been struggling with.

Tamara Anderson 9:59

The Next thing that is mentioned in Hebrews 12 is, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. And this one, guys, what is it about patience? I don't know, I thought I had patients before I had kids. And I've quickly learned that that's not the case that I've become so much more patient and understanding of a person, ever since my kids were little and every task I seem to get that's helping me move upward and forward. It requires more patience. And I remember when I was a little girl, my dad said, with any like, project that you that I was going to do with regards to building something, or constructing something out of wood or fixing something in the house, he always said, take the time that you think it's going to take in your mind. So if you think, Oh, this project is going to take me two hours. And he said, take that time and multiply it by at least two, maybe three, or four.

Tamara Anderson 11:13

And I found as I've gone through life, that that doesn't just happen with little projects that I'm doing to fix things around my house. It happens with big projects, like starting women's groups and stuff like that, that, like, for example, starting a simple website. I was like, Oh, I'll get on there. It'll take me a couple hours. And I'll be good, I will have just basic homepage, something like that, you know, and then 6, 7, 8 hours later, I've got okay stuff going. And all the sudden, I'm trying to link my domain name, which is www.womenwarriorsoflight.com. Back with the new site, and it's not letting me and it took me like a week to figure out how to solve that problem.

Tamara Anderson 12:04

And so sometimes, I would get impatient with myself that I was setting these goals and say, oh, yeah, I can have that done on Thursday. And then Friday would come and on glitch would come up and Saturday and Sunday and Monday. And it's taking some of these actions that go with starting this new group or just taking me longer than I thought they would. And so I've had to remind myself to be patient. I love how it says and let us run with patients the race that is set before us. Not getting too anxious, not getting down on myself, when things don't go as fast as I thought they would, in my mind, kind of like my dad said, but giving myself the grace that, okay, it's taking longer, I'm just gonna have to be patient and let the people who are working with me know to be patient with me because I'm working as fast as I can. But it's not getting done because there's dominoes that need to fall one before the other. So that's the third principle.

Tamara Anderson 13:06

The fourth principle is in the beginning of chapter 12, verse two. And I love this one it says, Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. And I love this because it takes whatever we're trying to do, and puts our focus right on Jesus Christ as a perfect example of laying aside every weight, because he took upon himself the cross, and the sin which does so easily be set as now. He didn't get into sins like we do. But because he suffered and bore that cross, He gives us the hope that we can be free of our sins, and looking to where he is that the right hand of God knowing that because he is there, we can be there someday to and that he can help us run that race of upgrading our lives and improving our lives and setting aside our sins and the setting aside every weight that seems to come upon us, and and he can help us get where we want to go, which is ultimately back at the right hand of God right beside Jesus Christ. So keeping that focus riveted on him, What would Jesus do? How can Jesus help me do this kind of yoking myself to him?

Tamara Anderson 14:28

And it's been quite a learning process for me these last couple of months as I have transition from podcasting to building this women's group, and it's going slower than I'd like. But I've been blessed with five amazing college interns who've been helping me start up with social media. And I have to tell you guys that these college interns have been absolutely so fun and fantastic to work with.

Tamara Anderson 14:57

And one of the things that they said they said Tamara Uh, let's do a giveaway. And so I was like, Okay, sweet. Let's do a giveaway so that we can get more traction online on Instagram On Facebook. We just got the YouTube channel up and running this past week. And I just wanted to let you guys know that we're doing this giveaway. And as you share, and you follow on Facebook, on Instagram on YouTube, that you will get more entries into this. And so I'm sure you're wondering, well, Tamra, tell me what you're giving away.

Tamara Anderson 15:33

And so I'm here to show you some of the things and this giveaway is going to be running through March 28. So we're running it for two weeks. It actually launched yesterday, on March 14, then it's going to be running through the 28th of March. And we are giving away. This is a beautiful Minky blanket. And for those of you who don't know what that is, that is a super, super soft blanket. It's like a $250 value. And it's a beautiful cream color with a waffle pattern in it. So that is a beautiful gift.

Tamara Anderson 16:09

The next thing I'm giving away is a Stanley Cup. There it is. And this is a tumbler so it has a built in straw that you can kind of fold down I noticed a lot of the Stanley Cups had a big straw poking out. And I liked this one because it collapsed. It's a cream colored cup with a handle on top. And it's just a beautiful cup. And that's probably worth about 50 bucks. It's hard to find a beautiful neutral color.

Tamara Anderson 16:39

The next thing I have is a $75 Lululemon gift card. And I'm super excited about that, because I know a lot of women love Lululemon.

Tamara Anderson 16:51

And so that is another big gift that we that we have going another gift is a copy of my book Normal for Me. And I'm so excited to give that away as part of this giveaway. It's my journey from grief to peace after two of my sons were diagnosed with autism. In fact, if you have any child with a disability, you can order this free on my website, just follow the links in my store and you can get that another gift is five copies of my mother's might booklet This is an awesome gift for Mother's Day coming up. It's an award winning booklet. It's a super short story. And it's awesome. It's it's great for moms who are feeling especially worn out and exhausted or any woman who's feeling worn out and exhausted and like God doesn't see them and isn't answering their prayers. And it's kind of a modern parable of a woman learning those principles that God sees her and knows her and loves her just like he saw the widow giving her last two mites.

Tamara Anderson 17:52

The final thing is it's this beautiful fine art print of a woman wearing the armor of light. And it says on the sides here the sword of the spirit, the helmet of salvation, the shield of faith, feet shod with the preparation of gospel peace. And it's it's it's a beautiful piece of artwork, it's framed, it's ready to go. And I'm so excited to share that with you guys.

Tamara Anderson 18:21

So this awesome giveaway, it's about $450 worth of things. And you can enter by going to my personal profile Tamarakanderson.com, on Facebook, on Instagram, on YouTube. And or just look for women worries of light. And you will find it there. You can also go to the website women warriors of light and enter the giveaway from there. We'll have links to it on the website there that you can find. And I'm just gonna apologize in advance. The website isn't where we want it to be yet, but it's coming and it's getting there. So be patient with this is we're under construction. But follow us because we are doing amazing social media things and have been for the last couple weeks.

Tamara Anderson 19:14

We've got mental health Monday that we're doing. We're doing tips on Tuesday. We've got things on Wednesday, Thursday, fitness Friday, we've got tips on Saturday, and then Sunday is always a Bible verse. And so I will invite you to follow us we've got reels that are going up and YouTube shorts that are going up. And so just general, awesome tips for women. And just what the idea and motivation that we can get through the challenges that we face.

Tamara Anderson 19:49

And I'm also going to be doing a survey coming up where I want to find out what are some of the struggles that you're having because one of the things that we're going to do with this women's group is to bring in experts, and have them teach us and coaches how to handle those challenges that we're facing with a perspective of faith. And so, follow us join the women warriors of light group, I'm so excited to be sharing this content with you. And making it a part of women's daily lives because we need each other life is really, really hard. And as we work together, and inspire and motivate each other, we can overcome the challenges that we face. So that is just a quick update...

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A few months ago I felt like there was a giant wall in front of me every time I tried to edit a podcast. Here I tell the story of my wrestle with God to try to figure out what He was trying to tell me and teach me.

Episode Discussion Points* I share some journal entries from October 2022 about how I literally felt sick and ill every time I needed to record or edit a podcast. * Brainstorming how to deal with podcasting burnout, including reaching out to fellow podcasting friends. * Reading the story of Balaam in Numbers 22 about his progress being stopped by an angel that his donkey saw. * Balaam said, “All that the Lord speaketh, that I must do.” (Numbers 23:26) * At some points in my life I had felt like my blocks have been my own fears, but I didn’t feel that was true this time. I felt like I, like Jacob of old, had been wrestling with an angel. * I was finally guided to ask the right question, “What is keeping me from progressing?” And God’s answer to me, and how it impacts this podcast. * “Focus on the peace,” when an answer is hard.

InvitationIf you are struggling with your progress being stopped, take it to God. You may need to wrestle with Him a bit for an answer, find some quiet time to read your scriptures, ponder and pray.

• Specifically ask God this question, “What is keeping me from progressing?” And then listen.
• Ask God to help you see and be able to act on the right answer.
• Then move forward with faith and trust in God and the path He points you toward.

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #progressstopped #wrestlewithGod #answerstoprayer #prayer #Godguides #trustGod #podcasting

TranscriptionYou can find the transcription of today's episode here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/what-to-do-when-god-stops-your-progress

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Several years ago I went on a hike with my family in Great Basin National Park to see the Bristlecone Pine trees. What I learned about these trees helped me see more clearly how we can all stay strong during times of adversity.

Episode Discussion Points* How we visited in October 2019 in Great Basin National Park, and Nathan wasn’t very happy about hiking in the snow. * As we approached the grove of Bristlecone Pines I was amazed by what I learned reading the placards about these ancient and resilient trees.

Facts About Bristlecone Pines* Some Bristlecone Pines can live nearly 5,000 years and are the oldest living things on our planet. * Most of these pine trees have been alive 3,000 to 5,000 years. Imagine them clinging to rocks when the Romans, Jesus Christ, Cleopatra and the construction of the pyramids. * The species are native to the Rocky Mountains and other ranges of the southwestern United States. * The usually grow at elevations above 5,500 feet and up to 11,200 feet. * We went and saw the Great Basin Bristlecone pines at their high elevationspiral out from seemingly impossible soil of limestone rock * Bristlecone pines in Great Basin National Park grow in isolated groves just below the tree-line. The conditions in which they live are harsh (with temperatures that drop well below freezing), a short growing season, and high winds that twist the trees into almost human-like forms along their limestone ridges. Because of these conditions Bristlecone Pine grow very slowly, and in some years do not even add a ring of growth. * Often they twist into gnarly shapes which makes them very strong and they stay standing for centuries even after the tree dies. * The Bristlecone Pines grow in rugged conditions in the high mountains and in the middle of desert valleys. * They have an unusual ability to adapt to their environments * They can also live in isolation where other species cannot survive

3 Tips for Strong Growth in Adversity1. Grow Slow, be patient, wait on GodSlow down in times of adversity, so you can process change, make time to absorb God’s goodness into circumstance and be able to grow strong—producing the resin needed to resist the adversary who wants you to decay.

• The bristlecone pine is the world's slowest-growing tree
• One tree (which was still alive) had a sample of its core removed which dated back to 1126 BC!!!!
• Nutrients are scarce, slow-and-steady approach to growth,
• Example: Hollow Tree: different tree which is about 2000 years old,
• Grew too fast which made its center more subject to decay—and the tree’s center rotted
• But the tree is still alive in its outer rings—being more wise and slow as it has aged.

Related Bible Verses About Slowing Down in Adversity Isaiah 40:31 “But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. * James 5:7-8 “Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.”*

1. Adapt to Adversity: Stronger in ChristFreezing, harsh, remote conditions can make you grow strong and stand the test of time.

2. The environment’s combo of tough conditions—especially freezing temperatures, dry soils, high winds, and short growing seasons—makes them resilient.

3. This slow growth rate makes the wood dense and heavy, which helps to ward off insects, fungi, rot, and weathering.
4. Re: Adversity—The Bristlecone Pine’s “ability to stand for centuries after death is directly related to the adversity of its life.”
5. Remain standing for thousands of years after they die.
6. They can survive in these harsh environments by storing water in their thick needles and roots.

Bible Verses About Becoming Resilient During Adversity How do we become resilient in adversity* as described in 2 Corinthians 4:8-9, “We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;” * Tip from Paul 2 Corinthians 12:9 – “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

3. Prune back the unnecessarySometimes during times of hardship, we need to prune things from our lives and focus on the basics.

• Many pines rely on a single tap root and utilize shallow just-below-the-surface roots to chase cracks in soil and sniff out water spots to send nutrients upward. Bristlecones do this, too; they just do it in a hardier way, in far tougher soil.
• Even after a lifetime of endurance, they can slowly start to shut off flow to outer limbs and hold on to the most viable living tissue, for centuries upon centuries, which is part of why they erode into the wild shapes they are known for—and can continue to, after they actually die.
• Often they will die in portions. As the roots become exposed they will dry out and die. The tree directly connected above those roots will eventually die as well.
• The remainder of the tree will continue to live.
• Get my Not to Do List to figure out what you can eliminate from your life here.

Bible Verses About Pruning* John 15:2 “Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.” * Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven . . . a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

Good Questions to Ask1. What are the basics you need to focus on? 2. What do you need to prune?

Religious leader Dieter F. Uchtdorf said, “It is good advice to slow down a little, steady the course, and focus on the essentials when experiencing adverse conditions.”

InvitationGo to God and

1. Ask Him what you need to focus on during adversity?
2. What do I need to prune?

Then act on the inspiration He gives you.

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #adversity #tipsforadversity #JesusChrist #BibleVerses #BristleconePines #Resilience

TranscriptionYou can find the transcription of today's episode here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/bristlecone-pines-3-tips-for-strong-growth-in-adversity

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May I share with you my favorite Christmas tradition? Listen as I share with you a little about our Nativity program that we act out as a family every year on Christmas Eve. Bonus: You can even get a copy of the program in the show notes.

Christmas Nativity Program* Years ago when I was a little girl we began acting out the nativity each year and have kept the tradition each Christmas Eve with our family. * I share what this looks like and even give you a peek into what our simple program looks like. * Download a copy of my Bible-Based Nativity Christmas Program here. * Remember, acting the Nativity out can be as simple or complex as you want it to be, but it doesn’t have to be perfect. * The purpose is to have fun and to point us to Jesus Christ during the holiday season. He is the reason for the Christmas season after all. * I testify that Jesus Christ lives and loves each of us! Merry Christmas!

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #nativity #christmasprogram #holidaytraditions #christmastraditions #nativity #bible #christmasstory #JesusChrist #BirthofChrist

TranscriptionYou can find the transcription of today's episode here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/a-peek-at-the-anderson-family-christmas-program

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After a move across the country when I was fourteen, Christmas didn't feel quite the same until a knock at our door set in motion a series of events that changed Christmas for the better.

StoryWhen I was fourteen years old, my family moved across the country from Virginia to Arizona. This was a hard move for me as a teenager and I had a hard time making new friends. As Christmas approached, it was a transition to even see the difference in the weather. It didn’t even feel like Christmas in Arizona.

That all changed when twelve days before Christmas a piece of a nativity showed up on our doorstep along with a note about how this was a holiday 12-days of Christmas gift to our family. Each night after that another piece of the nativity showed up.

On Christmas day evening, a sweet family in our congregation showed up with the final piece of the nativity: Jesus Christ.

This family noticed the new family struggling to fit in and adapt and they loved us with the pure love of God. To this day I am thankful that God blessed and filled us with love because of the gift of another family that holiday season.

Holiday Bible Verse

Isaiah 9:6, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”

InvitationIf you are feeling lonely or discouraged this holiday season, I invite you to give of yourself—for it is in giving that we receive.

Talk to God and ask Him who needs to feel His love this holiday season, and how you can be a part of that. He will inspire you to know what to do.

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #christmasstory #holidaystory #christmasgift #giftoflove #giftofhope #lonely #JesusChrist

TranscriptionYou can find the transcription of today's episode here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/the-one-piece-at-a-time-nativity-gift

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Debbie learned from her parents example the importance of choosing to still celebrate Christmas even when a tragedy struck their family during the holiday season.

Episode Discussion Points* Favorite holiday tradition: buying an ornament the different places they went, and getting one for each of her children too (so they could have ornaments when they got married.) * This tradition eventually evolved into Debbie getting each ornament out and telling the story of each ornament. * Debbie shares the Christmas season when she was five years old when her oldest brother died in an accident. * The miracle that even though the entire town shut down and turned Christmas off after it that they were able to celebrate Christmas every year with joy since then. * Debbie says it was almost like her mom tried to celebrate Christmas more joyfully after that—but it was definitely a choice for her to do that. * We always remember those who have passed on when the anniversary of their death occurs, but we can choose whether to celebrate it with sadness or with joy (or maybe a bit of both). * If you are mourning a death right now and even have a small desire to begin to change that to be something positive, it all starts with a small desire. Then ask God to help you begin that process of healing so you can find more joy and less grief in the memory.

Favorite Bible Verse

Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy path.”

This is especially applicable when we talk about losing those we love to death.

Connect with Debbie Website: https://www.authordebbieihlerrasmussen.com/ * Listen/Read Debbie’s story—Rediscovering her Self-Worth after Divorce, on my podcast. * Awesome Christmas presents: The Mystic Trilogy: Mystic Angel, Mystic Lake, and Mystic Mansion. * For younger gift recipients: Nessumsar Family - Legend of the Crow, Book 2 is Immanence*.

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #death #grief #holidaygrief #holidayhope #JesusChrist

TranscriptionYou can find the transcription of today's episode here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/debbie-ihler-rasmussen-choosing-christmas-joy-amidst-grief

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Krista shares the story of her grandfather spending his first Christmas away from his wife as a soldier in Korea where he spent a humble and joyful Christmas in an orphanage as he shared a simple gift. She also shares how she has found joy during the holidays even after her daughter has passed away.

Episode Discussion Points* Holiday tradition—pick any box of sugared cereal for Christmas Morning breakfast * Krista tells the story of her grandfather leaving his brand new bride to go serve in the Korean War. * Her grandpa said it was hard to see the little children who were orphaned due to the war. * Someone in the village set up a little makeshift orphanage in a bombed out village * He and a buddy would take anything they could and visit the children in the orphanage. * Taking the hard tack candy from his care package and giving it to the children in the orphanage—and their joy since this was their only Christmas present. * The children then danced for them in their bare feet and ragged clothes to say thank you.

Lessons Learned* Be thankful for the blessings we have and never take them for granted because things can so easily be taken away. * Even in the hardest, darkest days there can still be things that bring us hope * Allow others to come into your darkness and bless your life * If you are away from family during the holidays, look for someone to serve * True joy doesn’t come from decorations, family or lights—it comes from serving and giving what you can.

To People Grieving Loved Ones During the Holidays* If you feel stuck—it is okay * Be patient with yourself and allow time and grace as you go through all the emotions * Don’t pretend grief doesn’t exist * Try not to be stuck forever. Allow yourself moments and times to grieve, and then say, “I don’t want to be stuck here.” * Remember the joyful times—Krista wants her angel daughter to know (in heaven) that her death didn’t only bring sadness to her life, that she also remembers the joyful times as well. * Each Christmas Krista and her husband write their angel daughter a letter and stick it in her stocking. In this letter they make a promise to her of something they will do that coming year to better themselves, serve others or add goodness. Because these are the things that will help them become more like her and be prepared to be where she is in heaven. *

Favorite Bible Verse about Jesus Christ* Isaiah 12:2, “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.” * It is a process to truly learn to trust God and have Him become our salvation.

Connect with Krista Listen to her podcast where she shares the story of losing her young daughter to a brain tumor here: Krista Isaacson: Courageously Trusting God With Heavy Burdens * Buy her book Unbearable Burde*n on Amazon. This makes a great Christmas Gift—especially to someone struggling with grief. * https://www.kristamisaacson.com/ * Facebook: Krista Walker Isaacson * Instagram: @kristamisaacson

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #christmasstory #koreanwar #orphanage #christmascandy #service #grief #loss #peace

TranscriptionYou can find the transcription of today's episode here:...

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Rhonda joins us to tell the story of Heidi, who was a young girl in Berlin during World War II and a valuable lesson she learned about Christmas and perspective when things don’t go as you expect.

Episode Discussion Points* Holiday tradition of having biscuits and gravy on Christmas morning—which goes back several generations. * Rhonda has been working with Heidi, an 86-year-old who went through WWII in Berlin as a child. * Heidi came out of the war with hope and resilience—never losing her dimpled smile. * Heidi’s Holiday story has its setting in Berlin in 1944—when the situation there was dire with daily bombings and very little food. There were no Christmas presents—no tree. * Heidi and her mother decided their big celebration was they were going to make a cake and they had been saving their sugar. * Unfortunately, Heidi accidentally put salt in the mixture instead of sugar, so when the cake was done is was awful and too salty. * Her mother slumped on the floor and sobbed at this point and Heidi thought she ruined Christmas. And unfortunately that was the theme of Christmas of 1944 in Berlin. * Good interview question for family history: “Tell me about a time when you didn’t think you would make it.” Those are the moments that we learn what we are really made of—those are the stories family wants to hear—how you made it (without sugar coating it), what you learned, and how you leaned on God—and how it made you into the person you are today. * If you need a good Christmas gift idea—give someone you love the gift of recording their story (even on your phone) this holiday season.

Lessons* When we have hard times or are going through grief, depression or financial challenges (even and especially during the holidays) sometimes it helps us have empathy for others in their hard times. * “Sometimes the happy ending is in the bigger story arc. The bright side comes from carrying on and surviving.” * Sometimes we have seasons where we feel we are losing battles—but keep trying. * “Whatever you’re feeling right now is okay.” * Its okay to sob on the floor and then get up the next day and keep living. * Try to keep a broader perspective in hard times and a hope that things will get better. * If you are having a good and happy holiday season, be aware of those who may be struggling. Ask God to help you find and help someone in need. * Be sure to follow God-thoughts to be kind to someone.

Favorite Bible Verse about Christ

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy path.” ~Proverbs 3:5-6

InvitationAsk someone this question this holiday season:

“Tell me about a time when you didn’t think you would make it.”

Then listen and learn from them and their story (and maybe record it).

Connect with Rhonda Connect with Rhonda on her website: https://evalogue.life/ * Get the FREE Interviewing Tool Kit here: https://evalogue.life/oral-history1/ * Looking for a great Christmas gift? Rhonda and her team can help you give the gift of a professional interview with a loved one for Christmas—learn more on her website. * Rhonda is also a writing coach and helped Rob A. Gentile with his #1 Best-Seller, Quarks of Light. (You can find my interview with Rob here:*

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Joan shares a poignant story from wondering where God was when she was broke at Christmas time to receiving a Christmas miracle. Enjoy her holiday story of hope!

Episode Discussion Points* Making new traditions that fit your family better (like Thanksgiving breakfast) * Holiday story being broke * Praying to God for help * Miracle that happened

Lessons Learned* Always trust that God is listening—orchestrating miracles even years in advance * He knows our needs and will not leave us or forsake us. * Make or keep mementos to remind you of miracles (or journal about it) * Follow thoughts (inspiration) when we are feeling stuck, need guidance or miracles

Bible VersePs. 91:1-2 "Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

Need a Christmas Gift?Get Joan’s book, Fly on the Wall (for 8-12 year olds) about a boy who gets what he wants only to find out it wasn't what he really needed. Find it here on Amazon

Connect with Joan* Website: https://joanraymondwriting.com/ * Blog: http://aheartforwriting.com

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #holidaystory #christmasmiracle #holidays #miracle

TranscriptionYou can find the transcription of today's episode here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/joan-raymond-god-where-is-my-christmas-miracle

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Jo Ann tells the story of a memorable Christmas when she was five-years-old and her Swedish grandmother gave her the gift of tradition. Enjoy this warm and happy holiday memory.

Lessons Learned* It is important to bring out and pass on traditions from the past and pass them on to future generations in our family. And if you don’t have traditions to pass on, start your own traditions. * Gather as families during the holidays and share stories of Christmas past or stories of our ancestors. * Pass down ornaments from grandparents to grandchildren * Traditions are often something that have brought you love or joyful feelings. * If you have a favorite Christmas memory, write it down so it can be passed on to future generations as well. (And this would be a great Christmas gift to give to your family.)

Connect with JoAnn* Listen to my interview with Jo Ann about surviving and recovering from her stroke here. * Visit her website here https://www.joannglim.com/ * Buy her award-winning book, Begotten With Love, where she shares this story and more about her grandparents.

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #Christmasstory #holidaytraditions #traditions #sharetraditions #humor

TranscriptionYou can find the transcription of today's episode here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/jo-ann-glim-how-do-you-share-the-gift-of-tradition

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Did you know there are 4 research-based habits you can incorporate into your life to help you live feeling more balanced and with less stress? Join us today as Dr. Michael Olpin shares what these four habits are and why they are so important to living a more happy and whole life. Episode Discussion PointsResearch has shown if you do at least 4 habits consistently you will get your body and mind in the state of balance. You don’t change a behavior overnight, but over the course of 9-weeks Dr. Olpin sees these behaviors changing his students. So, in his Mind, Body Wellness class he invites the students to participate in a Behavioral Contract where they promise to incorporate at least the 4 key habits into their lives during that semester. After reporting on in weekly, they find their lives are much more balanced and they are able to handle their stress better. Getting Your Mind and Body In Balance1.Exercise: this is one of the best things for us! The physiological effects of exercise are huge! This is the MVP of wellness. 2.Nutrition: there are lots of diets, but Dr. Olpin recommends thinking about what our ancestors ate and focus on that. Eat as natural as possible. Try to stay away from sugars, liquid oils & processed foods. 3.Managing Stress: There are two approaches to managing stress. First, preventing stress by how we think about things (Example it is near impossible to be stressed and grateful at the same time.) Other examples of positive thoughts to prevent stress are: acceptance, forgiveness, discovery, observing mindfulness, but gratitude or thankfulness are the most powerful. “Stress doesn’t happen to us like a virus or pathogen. Stress is a result of how we are thinking about our environment.” Second is turning the stress response off once it starts through meditation, yoga and other things.

4.Get Enough Sleep: Studies show that if you don’t get enough sleep you will start hallucinating (showing the importance of dreaming). Sleep in a place as dark and quiet as possible. Also getting rid of screen time as early as possible before bed can impact sleep. Spend Time in the Sun Every Day: This is especially important early in the morning. Getting a little sun every day will affect your sleep at night. If there is any blue light at night, melatonin doesn’t kick in and you have a hard time falling asleep. And melatonin is the hormone which helps us sleep deeply. Science seems to back Ben Franklin’s adage early to bed early to rise. At least sleep from 11pm-3am—which are the golden hours.

*Bonus: How to Think in Peace-Promoting Ways Reading uplifting literature Being kind

InvitationIncorporate one of these habits into your life today and see if you can add all four in your life over the next month. Connect with Dr. OlpinWebsites: https://www.michaelolpin.com (michaelolpin.com) and https://stressmanagementplace.com (https://stressmanagementplace.com) get his free newsletter or reach out to contact him on either website. You can also invite him to come and speak to your organization. Textbook: https://amzn.to/3CZ61Xk (Stress Management for Life: A Research-Based Experiential Approach) Award winning book: “https://amzn.to/3T4teND (Unwind: 7 Principles for a Stress-Free Life)” Additional book: “https://amzn.to/3MzOOXR (The World is NOT a Stressful Place: Stress Relief for Everyone).” You can also get his workbooks with his online classes or on his website.

Want To Hear More of Dr. Olpin & His Story? If you missed Dr. Olpin’s personal story in last week’s episode as well as his meditation you can do anywhere to calm your stress response, be sure to check out last week’s episode here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/dr-michael-olpin-how-to-easily-decrease-your-stress-today (https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/dr-michael-olpin-how-to-easily-decrease-your-stress-today)

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #stressmanagement #balance...

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Michael didn’t set out to be a college professor, he just wanted to learn to manage his stress, but this quest led him to not only lower his blood pressure but influence tens of thousands to live a more healthy lifestyle. Episode Discussion PointsLooking younger than you are has pros and cons The diagnosis and curiosity around “meditation” that led to his becoming a professor of stress management, health and wellness. Stress plays a part in high blood pressure Dr. Olpin has learned several tools, including meditation, that help bring out bodies back into balance, and when a body is in balance it can heal. Everyone has more stress than is useful What turns on the stress response Stress makes every health problem worse As stress levels go up, immune function goes down. The impact of losing his older brother to suicide had on him and his journey toward acceptance which included forgiving and letting guilt and negative self-talk go. How God helped him change his thinking so he could work toward peace, and how meditation helped him hear God’s spirit speaking to him and guiding him. When he meditates before prayer, his prayers and his ability to listen are exponentially more powerful. How are thoughts are like bees busy buzzing around and meditation calms them and puts them back in the hive. And once they are quiet they can hear inspiration. Studies show that people who meditate frequently can get into the theta and delta levels in their brain (*which usually appear when people are in deep sleep). People who meditate are biologically 12 years younger than their age. Every system in the body breaks down when we are in a stress response (fight or flight) Meditation helps stop the stress response and bring the body back to normal Meditate means to focus—whether it be on a mantra, watching the sunset, a campfire, or the ocean waves rolling in.

A Simple Meditation You Can Do Anywhere Put one hand on your chest and try NOT to make your chest or shoulders move as you breathe. Put your other hand on your stomach to help you breathe deep and expand. Breathe in naturally through your nose. Then exhale as slow and soft as you can. Don’t worry about how fast or slow you are breathing Simply focus on your breath, and bring your mind back if it wanders (don’t get mad at yourself if it does wander). Then move through your body from the top of your head taking each part and relaxing or releasing the muscles with each exhale (ex: inhale, breathe out—relax your eyebrows, inhale, breathe out—relax your cheeks and jaw, inhale, breathe out—release your neck and shoulders, inhale, breathe out—release your arms, then hands, your back…on down to your toes.) This type of breathing is the exact opposite of fight or flight breathing and will automatically calm you down. His goal with his mind body wellness is to help people live at their peak levels. The waves of stress never stop, but we can learn to be peaceful through the waves of life.

Favorite Bible VerseProverbs 3:5-6—especially where it says, “Lean not unto thine own understandings.” Don’t get cocky. Lean on God and He will steer you in better direction than you could go on your own. Every time Dr. Olpin tries God and His promises things work out for the best. “We can’t out-God God.” Dr. Olpin likes to apply this verse every time he presents by saying a prayer before he teaches and asking for God’s help to reach His children. And it always goes better. Connect with Dr. OlpinWebsites: https://www.michaelolpin.com (michaelolpin.com) and https://stressmanagementplace.com (https://stressmanagementplace.com) get his free newsletter or reach out to contact him on either website. Textbook: https://amzn.to/3CZ61Xk (Stress Management for Life: A Research-Based Experiential Approach) Award winning book: “https://amzn.to/3T4teND (Unwind: 7 Principles for a Stress-Free Life)” Additional book: “https://amzn.to/3MzOOXR (The World is NOT a Stressful Place: Stress Relief...

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I’ve been dealing with some major burnout and strong emotions lately, so I thought I’d share a quote from a book I read recently which really resonated about how to deal with and process strong emotions. Awesome Quote“Acknowledge your emotions. All of them. Even the ugly and scary ones. Resisting them only lets them build up and makes them harder to deal with. Don’t be ashamed of your strong emotions. Give them a voice. If it’s not safe to express to people, write them out. Vent them on the page. If you don’t have time to express them, take a minute to admit them to yourself. And when you have the time, give them that voice and that time. You owe it to yourself to have every emotion you feel.”—https://amzn.to/3RU6z5l (Full Rigged), by Rebecca Connolly, Sophia Summers, and Heather B. MooreTips to Deal with Strong EmotionsBaseline Hack: Acknowledge ALL Emotions—don’t bottle them up inside (it only makes it worse). Talk it Out to Someone You Trustfriend, family member, accountability group

Vent Them Through Writingwrite or journal about the feelings or emotions

Admit Them to Yourself & GodPersonal story about me being angry and having to talk to God to get the emotion out. https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Jeremiah-33-3/ (Jeremiah 33:3) - Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.

Take Time to Process All EmotionsNot always fine Be patient with yourself as you process all your emotions.

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #strongemotions #anger #frustration #exhaustion #processemotions #talkitout #write #journal #talktoGod #forgiveness #mercy #patience

TranscriptionYou can find the transcription of today's episode here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/4-tips-to-deal-with-strong-emotions

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After trying to unsuccessfully rebound after a few divorces, Coree finally figured out the importance of becoming a whole person through healing with God. She shares her passion to help those who have gone through the pain of divorce find the healing journey that puts them in a position to thrive. Episode Discussion PointsFunny story of a snake while she was helping a woman in Paraguay on a healing journey What Coree thought life would look like for her when she was in high school Her first marriage ended in divorce after 10 years and why she shouldn’t have done a quick rebound marriage, and another marriage. Coree finally realized she needed to do some healing before she moved forward, but she had to hit rock bottom to figure out she needed to heal. She realized the common denominator was her. AFter reading a book about the Law of Attraction she realized she was attracting what she was putting out there: “Two broken people attract each other.” In order to attract a whole and healed person, you need to be a whole and healed person. How once she came back to church and started learning the truth and developing a relationship with God, that God was able to help her heal. She also found it was important to have a good support group of friends. Half way through her healing she got a coach to keep her accountable. God designed us to have relationships with others—because in relationships with others is where we grow. How Coree likes to make quiet time in the morning to connect with God. This usually includes prayer, praise music, talking to God about what she should do that day and how she wants to do what He wants her to do that day. “Help me to stay out of my agenda and do Your agenda today.” How she has learned to give God the troubles she is facing and how she asks God to help her with those. At the end of the day Coree likes to write things she can celebrate from the day or how she has seen God’s hand. She also records the answers she gets. Because there is always bad happening, recording and looking for good has given her a “different pair of eyes” to see and attract good in her life. “If you really want change in your life, you’re going to have to be intentional about making it happen.” Inner peace takes time to achieve, but now Coree is in such a better place and has awesome friends.

Advice to DivorceesYou’re not alone in your journey—even though it may be unique to you, God is with you. Allow God in to help you heal. Healing is worth it in the end. Treat your heart like a garden and pull out the hurtful things there: fear, rejection, hatred, anger, shame and guilt so we can let the flowers grow. Be realistic about where you are and start right there at the crossroads Be intentional—don’t just wander. Know what you want and where you want to go. Be real with yourself about where you are in your journey. Set goals. (Example: Don’t tear down your former spouse because God loves them and it won’t make you any bigger.) For the really hard days—Set a goal to do one thing for yourself every morning before you leave home (ex: make sure your clothes match or that you get a shower). Read a declaration for you and your life daily. (Check out the Patricia King’s book she used for her declarations https://amzn.to/3VjDPWk (here).) Replace the Adversary’s Negative thoughts with Positive Affirmations. Write positive affirmations all over to remind you of your worth, for example: on your phone, on your car visor, on you mirror. Make new happy memories: Once you tackle little things start setting bigger goals to tackle places or things you are avoiding because of memories (like visiting certain restaurants). Hack: To make it easier, take a good friend with you. Remember the car windshield analogy: the front window is so much bigger and broader that always looking through the little rearview mirror. Move forward to bigger and better things with God’s help. Build a core group of friends you can be real...

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Exhausted? What can you do when you are beyond weary, and how can God help? Listen as I share 7 Bible principles I have learned from being weary. 7 Bible Principles to Remember When You’re Weary1.     God is With You & Will Help YouIsaiah 41:1010 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.Isaiah 43: 2-52 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.3 For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: …4 Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: …5 Fear not: for I am with thee:    2.     Take Time to RestGenesis 2:2-32 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. 3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.Remember one of the 10 Commandments—Exodus 20:88 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Something that pricked me last week in my scripture study—Isaiah 58:13-1413 If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:14 Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.    3.     God can Strengthen and Renew My Bible verse mantra: Philippians 4:1313 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.  Key: Take my yoke upon you!   Matthew 11:28-3028 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.  4.     Submit & Let God guide you  Proverbs 3:5-85 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.8 It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.  5.     Be PatientIsaiah 40:3131 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. Psalms 27:14 - Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD. Lamentations 3:25-26 - The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.  Ecclesiastes 3:1 - To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:   6.     Take Care of Your Body3 John 1:2 - Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. 1 Corinthians 3:19, 2019 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.    7.     Claim the Power of

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Paul was devastated when his son was diagnosed with Down Syndrome, but he came to see not only the power and impact of one life but how God works in the details of our lives. Episode Discussion PointsHow his birth date ended up changing the outcome of his life. God is in the details of our life—learning to submit to God in all things The story of Mark (their 5th of 6th child) being born Hearing the news that Mark had Down Syndrome, which initially devastated him What helped him literally and figuratively “get up off the closet floor” after the diagnosis The Down Syndrome support group they joined in the Chicago area which changed their entire perspective on being parents of a child with disabilities and how to be an advocate for your child. How their advocacy and Mark changed an entire school district’s opinion of special needs children Sometimes you have to take a step of faith into the darkness, and give yourself grace if you move slower than you think you should—God doesn’t give up on us. “Life isn’t a summation of good and bad. It is a picture you build over time." The significance of the Footprints in the Sand story for him personally Lesson in divine love from being buried in the snow on a Scout Campout with Mark Choosing how to react toward life’s difficulties with softness or anger Sometimes prayers bring about miracles, and other times you have to learn to let someone you love go, like his daughter Sarah We’re here to learn and grow but when it is time to pass on we can take comfort in what Sarah shared with her father, “It's nice over there.” The importance of remembering times when God has helped you through hard times and reminding yourself that if He did it then, He will do it again. A father’s perspective on the influence and capacity of his child The power and impact of one life

Lessons From MarkIt’s not about him, its about Mark and what Mark has taught him and those around him throughout their life The spiritual impressions he personally learned that every person has great worth Don’t underestimate the power one person can have to change people and programs with God’s help Lesson in divine love after being buried in the snow on a Scout Campout with Mark These special needs souls have a divine gift to influence so many people

Favorite Bible VersePsalm 46:10, “Be Still and know that I am God.” Connect With PaulBuy His book, https://amzn.to/3C4GknN (“Mark and Me.”) Website: https://www.paultaylorauthor.com/ (PaulTaylorauthor.com) Facebook and Instagram @PaulTaylorAuthor

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #specialneedschild #downsyndrome #Godinthedetails #peace #thepowerofone #Godslove

TranscriptionYou can find the transcription of today's episode here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/paul-taylor-how-is-god-in-the-details-of-our-lives

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Have you ever poured out your soul and cried before God? Does He hear and listen? Does He weep with us. Listen as I share a particularly poignant Bible Story which has helped me answer these questions. Bible Story of Weeping— John chapter 11Story of Lazarus dying and his sisters Mary and Marht "Lord if you had been here” moments (verses 21 & 32) When we are weeping—Jesus feels our sorrow (verse 33). Also see Hebrews 4:15-16 “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” "He sees the joy of your future but He feels the pain of your present." Jesus weeps with us because He loves us (verse 36) Jesus has power to raise one from the dead and also heal one who is weeping Brokenness may sometimes be a prerequisite to having a breakthrough with God 3 examples from my personal life where I felt so broken but then had an epiphany breakthrough while I was weeping. Sometimes we don’t get the miracle we are so desperately praying for—but perhaps we learn something even better—that He sees us and hears us and weeps with us in our brokenness.

3 Bible Tips to Remember When Weeping1. You’’re not alone in your weepingMary and Martha wept Joseph wept Hannah wept David wept Jesus wept

1. When you are weeping God is there with you.Jesus is there with you in your pain Jesus weeps with you.

2. Trust in God’s timingTrust that in time your weeping and sorrow will turn to joy (Psalm 30:5). Trust that though God weeps with you, He sees the joy coming for you and can and will heal you.

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtime #crying #weeping #BibleStory #healing #JesusChrist #MaryandMartha #Lazarus

TranscriptionYou can find the transcription of today's episode here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/where-is-god-when-im-weeping

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Sharon cried when her husband was told he was going to go blind, but she learned to adapt to caregiving with imagination and flexibility as she faced each challenge with faith, hope and God. Episode Discussion PointsHow she became an amateur silversmith When her husband was building homes for Habitat for Humanity during his retirement, she began writing When her husband started having vision problems it took them a while to get a final diagnosis that he would eventually go blind. How they got medical help for his condition, but were also proactive in trying to get him trained so that when he did go blind it wouldn’t be such a tragic shock The importance of taking care of yourself when you are a caregiver so you don’t get worn out When she was anxious--The process of learning to lay your problems at Jesus feet (at the cross) and leave them there—not to go back and “chew on them.” Part of truly giving our burdens to God is learning to trust Him—and so it is a process of learning to work at it a bit at a time with God’s help. Part of abounding in hope is remembering that sometimes we don’t get the miracles we want, but watch for the miracles God sends. Will wanted a miracle of the healing of his sight, but got a miracle of peace and the understanding that he would see again in heaven. Having a “knowing hope” of things we know will happen in heaven eventually Even when you have hard things enter your life you can still find things that bring your joy, so be creative and find things you enjoy by trying different activities. How we need each other and weren’t meant to do it alone. If you are feeling alone, serve others! After her husband died, she wondered what her purpose was, and she figured out that she could help and serve others. Now she serves the church and the poor in her community. “You don’t ever have to be lonely if you reach out and help others.” The story behind her book “Scaredy.” The doors that have opened to help her publish her book Scaredy is about a 10-year-old boy facing his bullies. He and his friend end up in a fantasy world which teaches him self-confidence to help him conquer their bullies. Using imagination and fantasy can help children learn to problem solve, which is a skill we all need to use in life.

Advice for CaregiversBe good to yourself Take time to read and pray daily Go on outings by yourself or with a friend Forgive yourself for making mistake. You are only human. Take time to be alone Do things that renew you and your spirit Be flexible and modify your caregiving needs to meet the constraints of your family (ie: if you like shopping maybe you can also learn to shop online). Stay connected to God because he can help you to manage the emotions of the changes in your life. (This takes practice, so be patient with yourself when you feel like you have failed). Plan fun activities you can still do Set up weekly time for you to get away and get a break by building a network of friends to help you. It is okay to take overnight getaways without them and leave them with someone you trust.

Favorite Bible VersesRomans 15:13, “May the God of hope fill you with joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” Philippians 4:6-7, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your request to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your heart and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Connect with SharonWebsite: https://www.sharonleinoauthor.com/ (https://www.sharonleinoauthor.com/) Buy a copy of https://amzn.to/3A9y5G3 (Scaredy) here.

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #blind #maculardegeneration #losingvision #caregiving #facingfears #writing #creativeproblemsolving

TranscriptionYou can find the transcription of today's episode here:...

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Music is such a powerful tool to connect us to God and has been throughout the ages. King David wrote the Psalm section as songs of praise unto God—and you can tell his mood in the different Psalms. —from psalms of thanksgiving, praise, lament, courage, sorrow, anger, mourning, adoration, meditation. 1. Listen tosong about loss and almost crying—broken my heart story—Let us all press on in the work of the Lord, “in the fight for right, let us wield the sword, the mighty sword of truth.” “Fear not. Though the enemy deride. Courage for the Lord is on our side.”

1. Sing or playHappy journal entry from May 11, 2003—Played the piano “if you’re happy and you know it” Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes” for my kids. Journal entry just a few days later where we were having a hard day and the music I sang in an octet expressed my understanding of grief and sorrow.

2. Dancehttps://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Psalms-149-3/ (Psalms 149:3) - Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp. Fun times dancing Walking out of a concert—community college

How to Decide what Music is UpliftingI use this scripture as a great deciding guide:

Philippians 4:8 "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Need increased connection with God? Look at what you are listening to and choose music which will bring you closer to God.

IdeaMake a music favorites playlist

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #ConnectiontoGod #dance #upliftingmusic #happymusic #music#musicplaylist

TranscriptionYou can find the transcription of today's episode here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/connecting-to-god-through-music

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Richie Norton’s life hasn’t been easy, but he has figured out how to ask the right questions and find he values most and live life to achieve what matters most. (And you can too!) Episode Discussion PointsThe interesting thing his dad told him when he wanted to get a job as a teenager You can be creative and earn money as an entrepreneur Don’t lose meaning in your life. Spend time doing the things that matter most The passing of his brother-in-law Gavin & what he learned about not putting off your dreams The passing of their little son Gavin and wondering how they would ever handle that Gavin’s Law: Live to Start, Start to Live—meaning start living the ideas that are pressing on your mind. Don’t let fear hold you back from living life to its fullest in the present, without regret It is important in hard times to make like “airy & available” so you can navigate hard times. With grief—a little bit of pain can fill your whole body "Grief is a tunnel, not a cave.” Goals are usually means to an end—so you need to ask yourself what your end goal? So, start with the end goal in mind. Anti-time management means you control your time and live according to your values. Don’t work on your values last! Time-management was made to control people Example of rapper ________ (Sirah?) When we decide “I am….” therefore, I will do and act like that right now. Get over the self-imposed hurdles and be who you know you can be How people aren’t afraid of failure, they’re afraid of slow growth or looking bad. When he wondered, “Does God hate me?” And what he decided to do. Don’t tie your faith to an outcome. “And the greatest miracle of faith is having faith when there is no miracle.” Do what you can with what you’ve got, where you are. Assign positive meaning to even hard things and choose how you will look at it. If you want a better outcome you should ask a better question. What, “Begin with the end in mind,” means to him. Ask yourself where you want to be in 2 years and bake in the real outcome from the start. Live from your values and you’ll live without regret

Connect with RichieWebsite: https://richienorton.com (RichieNorton.com) Buy his new book https://amzn.to/3AcCt7y (Anti-Time Management) on Amazon here

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #deathofchild #dreams #values #lifeofmeaning #whatmattersmost #grief #faith

TranscriptionYou can find the transcription of today's episode here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/richie-norton-life-hacks-to-living-a-meaningful-life

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There are times when going to church is hard. So why do we do it? Listen as I share 4 reasons I feel a deeper connection to God when I attend church. Going to Church Bible VerseIn Ephesians 4:12 we learn a great reason to go to church, “For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.”   4 Reasons I Feel a Deeper Connection with God at ChurchGo to Worship God

Christ is the head of the church. In Ephesians 5: 23 we learn, “Christ is the head of the church and he is the Savior of the body." increase connection by renewing our promises to God at church by taking communion or the Sacrament—this shows God you are willing to be His disciple. Perhaps you will feel God teaching you how you can become more “perfected” by repenting or acting differently. Psalm 150: 1, “Praise ye the LORD. Praise Good in his sanctuary.”

1. Listen with your heart Tell God you are going to Church and hope to hear what He needs you to hear/learn watch for the fruits of the Holy Spirit as taught in Galatians, “love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness and faith." Pay attention to how you feel Listen to the music, sermons, thoughts you have and notice how God speaks to you. Often when I go to church I feel strengthened and empowered as I hear the testimonies of others

2. Take Notes and Take Action When you get thoughts, write them down. Write it on your phone, email yourself, write it in your journal Then act when you get home. Make sure you put the thoughts on your “to do” list.

3. Ask Who Needs Help Matthew 18:20 “Where 2 or 3 are gather in my name, there i am with them.” Maybe you feel like "I don’t know anyone/no one talked to me/offended" Maybe you feel like need a friend—so go and chat with people before or after the meetings Be brave and follow impressions to meet someone new.

If you physically can’t go to church right now, remember God knows you and the desires of your heart and will help you. InvitationGo to church this week with a listening heart.

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #church #JesusChrist #WorshipingGod #minister #listen #Act #helpothers #ConnecttoGod #Bibleverses

TranscriptionYou can find the transcription of today's episode here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/4-ways-to-connect-to-god-more-deeply-at-church

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Haley used to pray she would die because she was so depressed, but chose life when she had a near death experience. Listen to her share her story of hope and healing. Episode Discussion PointsWhy they call Anorexia “the 10-Headed Monster.” For her, some of her monsters were low self-esteem, depression, negative self-talk, believing you need diet, being a perfectionist, people commenting on her weight loss (that she looked good), feeling guilty for eating (it isn’t “fat-free or guilt-free”). Even when her brother and parents tried to help her, she lied, acted very confrontational and ran away to hide—because this was her coping mechanism. She even refused to go to the doctor—because she wasn’t ready to give up Anorexia yet. Anorexia is a mind game. Some of the physical symptoms of anorexia The day where she felt like her heart was going to give up, and how she prayed she wouldn’t die. Getting help at a treatment facility and a hospital How her mom had to go to bat for her and spoon feed her at the hospital because she was so incoherent and so weak that she couldn’t do it herself Glimpsing the other side and being with her sister and grandmother who had passed away. How she felt the Savior’s love and the love of her family in that place How she was given a choice—she wasn’t done with her earth’s mission yet and how she was meant to write her book and have a family and help others. Never doubt God’s love and that you have such a unique mission to fulfill Choosing to live even when she had been praying that she would die. Knowing she had a purpose helped her choose to live. Her sister told her to learn sign language—and it replaced her obsession with anorexia. If you are trying to heal from an eating disorder—find a passion—something that makes you excited to replace the disorder. Her prognosis was she would have brain damage, and how she miraculously healed without deficits. How important it is to get therapy specific for eating disorders. There is hope and healing available from eating disorders, but you need help from others (specifically therapists) and from God. There are self-esteem building exercises in the back of her children’s books which will help parents teach their children about self-love. She wrote her children’s books because parents asked her how they can help their children have good self-esteem. The key to being comfortable in your own skin is to catch the negative self-talk and stop it. Remind yourself that you have worth and it is important you tell yourself good and positive things not only for your good, but for your children’s good because they will follow your example. Think about all the things you can be thankful for with your body—how your arms and eyes work. It’s not to late to stop a negative pattern in your family. Start today! The story behind the illustrations on her new book.

Favorite QuoteHaley’s favorite quote by Naomi Wolf, “A mother who radiates self-love and acceptance actually vaccinates her daughter against low self-esteem.” Advice for ParentsNever give up on your child What your child want you to know: the disorder destroys your body and your soul and changes your personality. Please know—the real them is still in there. They don’t want to act that way. They need help and want help. Once your child gets treatment, the real them will return. Don’t diet!!!! This is like exposing your child to their addiction while they are recovering. Be on their side! Give them a clean environment to recover in.

Favorite Bible VerseJohn 14:18, “I will not leave you comfortless. I will come to you." Connect with HaleyWebsite: HaleyHFreeman.com Buy her books on Amazon Connect with her on Facebook and Instagram

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #anorexia #eatingdisorders #neardeathexperience #depression #mentalhealth #dontgiveup

TranscriptionYou can find the transcription of today's episode here:...

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Last year I was pondering about healing and God taught me some powerful concepts that I want to share with you today. Important Teaching About Healing I Learned Through RevelationThe power of Jesus Christ can heal and help remove or release any trauma we experience in this physical fallen world. There are no limits on the healing of the soul or Spirit. There are limits with regards to God’s will on physical healing, but those are only temporary because someday we will all have a glorious, perfect resurrected body.

https://www.echotraining.org/we-love-science/ (The Effects of Trauma on our Bodies)Brain—neural pathways, neurotransmitters, brain waves Hormones Nervous System Immune Systems How Cells reproduce

Episode Discussion PointsSo although there are limits to physical healing, when we heal the soul and Spirit through the power of Jesus Christ, it impacts our physical body as well. Sometimes we pray for a specific physical healing, but God grants peace. So we don’t always get to pick what kind of healing God shares. All healing happens “in the name of Jesus Christ.” Ex: "Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST of Nazareth rise up and walk." Acts 3:6 If you don’t get the physical healing you want, watch for a compensatory healing from God. The promise of a physical resurrection with perfect bodies for all of us. Ex: Job 19:25-27, “For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold.” He can help heal any unkind thing done to you or that you have done. Jesus has paid the price for all sins and traumas Sometimes traumas have layers and they take a long time to completely heal. You can even get help from a counselor to aid you in this process—just be sure to invite Christ to go to each appointment with you—because He is the ultimate healer. He can help with repentance and forgiveness He can also take the burdens we absorb when talking to others (because we are not their Savior).

When You Need HealingConnect with God and ask what you need to do to heal Listen for any thoughts or ideas Say “I choose to heal.” Lay the burden at His feet and ask His help not to take it up again Remember that repentance and forgiveness are part of that healing of your soul

God’s Healing PromiseMalachi 4:2, “But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings.”

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #healing #JesusChrist #ThePowerofChrist #HealinChrist #trauma #repentance #change

TranscriptionYou can find the transcription of today's episode here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/connecting-to-christ-for-healing

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Tracy Rhoades is an outspoken Christian woman who encourages unity among all Christian sects. We talk about the importance of loving and ministering to each other as we abide in Jesus Christ. Episode Discussion PointsAs a Christian neighbor sometimes you have no idea how to help others (like when their cows get out) but you go and help anyway. How Traci grew up in a small town attending church and participating with friends in other churches & kept meeting different people from many religions which broadened her perspective of the body of Christ. The importance of having a spiritual toolbox of habits and practices for following Jesus at all times—but especially when life gets a little shaky A personal story of looking for a home for six years with a lot of “why God” moments and finally standing on what would soon be her property in rural Michigan and hearing a quiet voice in her soul whisper, “You’ll heal here.” How prayer, scripture and silence played a part in her healing Healing has layers No one likes to have the bottom drop out of life, but we always seem to appreciate the lessons learned through and after hard times happen Having "rhythms of spiritual practices" helps not only us but helps us know how to minister to other in their moments of need. Sometimes the best ministry for those who are struggling is simply the ministry of your presence—just be there Good prayers/phrases to say in shaky ground moments, “Oh Lord have mercy,” or “Oh Lord draw near.” What it means to “abide” with Jesus and how we do it on a daily basis What makes hard situations easier? "As we abide with Christ, He abides with us. And then you don’t ever go through shaky times alone.” Levels of relationships we can have with Jesus—and how Tracy wants ALL of Jesus she can receive in abundance. You can share all your emotions with God—and there is usually a Psalm that corresponds to the emotions you are feeling It is okay to write about the hard things you are experiencing and the emotions you feel The importance of unity among Christians “Christ is big enough for all of us."

Favorite Bible VerseProverbs 3:5-6—There are so many life truths packed in these two verses. Trust in the Lord—most of the anxiety and fear in the world come from a lack of trust in God (and in His timing)

Ministering Ideasif someone loses a loved one—mark the date in your calendar a year out and be sure to pray for, call, text or visit on that day Turn people to Jesus (not to you or the latest self-help book). We need His presence in those times more than anything else Be sensitive to how a grieving person is feeling “today” because grief ebbs and flows Be there to hug them—sometimes no other words are needed

Connect with TracyBuy her new book, https://amzn.to/3OS6yNy (Shaky Ground), at any of the major bookstores or online or at https://bookshop.org/books/shaky-ground-what-to-do-after-the-bottom-drops-out/9781640655591 (bookshop.org )(they give a proceed of the book to a local bookstore) Website: https://www.tracesoffaith.com (tracesoffaith.com) check out her section on “All the Churches” She is also on Facebook, Instagram and her favorite—Twitter

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #shakyground #christian #jesuschrist #abideinChrist #unity #ministering

TranscriptionYou can find the transcription of today's episode here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/traci-rhoades-abiding-in-christ-even-on-shaky-ground

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There are several different ways you can feel closer to God and heal through writing. Listen as I share them and see which one you feel you can incorporate better into your own life. 6 Different Ways to Write & Connect with God1. JournalingYou can journal about hopes, dreams, expectations, sorrows and gratitudes The health benefits to journaling

1. Being GratefulI’ve been journaling 3-5 things I am thankful for on an almost daily basis for a couple of years. It is a powerful practice. https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/giving-thanks-can-make-you-happier#:~:text=In%20positive%20psychology%20research%2C%20gratitude,adversity%2C%20and%20build%20strong%20relationships. (Harvard Health did a study) where they showed people who journaled about gratitude came to realize that the source of blessings lay in part outside of themselves (with God) and helps them connect with something larger than they are. Helps you notice the hand of God in your life Studies show you’re happier when you write about things you are thankful for daily.

2. Write to HealWrite a letter to God about grief, sorrow, hard things in your life Read it out loud to God and then just sit there & feel His answer. https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/episodes/shanna-johnson-how-writing-letters-helped-heal-my-grief?rq=shanna (Read/Listen to what happened to my friend Shanna Johnson when she followed her therapist’s advice to try this.) Write a letter to you from God.

3. Write Down a PrayerSometimes I get distracted while praying and so it helps if I can write down bullet points of things I want to talk to God about  I also have a list of people I need to pray for Remember King David’s Psalms in the Old Testament are powerful written prayers and use those examples to write your own prayer to God.

4. Write AffirmationsI share 6 Bible Based Affirmations you can write or say daily to help you connect more powerfully with God You can get the download of these here (or you can write your own)

5. Speech to TextIf you don’t feel you are very good at writing, you can use one of the cool speak to text features so you can still get the powerful benefits of connecting to God through (speaking/writing)

There are several different ways you can feel closer to God and heal through writing. Listen as I share them and see which one you feel you can incorporate better into your own life.

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #journaling #gratitude #writing #prayer #BibleBased #Affirmations

TranscriptionYou can find the transcription of today's episode here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/6-ways-to-connect-to-god-through-writing

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Ganel-Lyn had a mom and sister who struggled with mental health challenges, and her sister finally chose suicide. She shares key tips and ideas for both family members and those who struggle. Episode Discussion PointsWe all need connection with others. Getting ready for empty-nesting and entering a new phase is challenging (and she is kind of mourning that change). Wishes she knew more about parenting adult children How when she was a young mom it was so hard and so slow, and now that her kids are grown she feels like it sped by in the blink of an eye. She is blessed to have a very busy life outside of mothering that will keep her busy now. She has given herself permission to go back to therapy and not have everything planned and sorted out (which is new for her). The blocks analogy of life through this life transition. How she is a perfectionist “in recovery” who used to think if she was perfect she could fix those around her and protect them from their challenges. She grew up with a desire to put things in order.

Dealing with Mental Health & SuicideShe has a mom who deals with severe mental health issues, and a sister died by suicide. Suicide grief is difficult and complex to deal with, and helped her realize the importance of accepting the parts of her that are broken. Jesus is the only one who can save. “I am not responsible for saving someone else.” “Everyone on the planet either struggles with mental health or loves someone who does.” “Every day I wake up and I check in with my mental health.” “Suicide is really bad exhaustion of the soul,” where they think the world would be better off without them, and wanting the pain of the soul to stop. “Hope is doing the next plan B.” You have been through hard things before and you will get through this hard thing now. For those struggling with pain, find the tool that will work that day. Choose to stay in your body. “Suicide changes your other choices.” “I love Therapy! It is education for your mind and your relationships.”

How to Help Loved Ones with Mental Health ChallengesAsk a middle age man how he is doing (and do show you with emojis). “The opposite of addiction is connection.” So watch for loved ones who isolate. Have a list of 5 “SOS friends” you can call when you are in crisis. These are people you love and trust, and you have planned that you can call/text when you are in need. These are people who have gone through hard times. Ask friends in need, “What does support look like for you?” Often people just need to be heard--go on a walk or drive with them and just listen. What do they need? Drop of dry cleaning? Go to a movie? You only need 1-2 really good support people. If you feel you don’t have anyone, go to God and ask Him who needs you? “There is a resiliency skill in service.”

The Stewardship PrincipleHer new book https://www.amazon.com/Stewardship-Principle-Reframing-Your-Life/dp/1524421952/ (The Stewardship Principle—)everything we own or experience—God is asking us to watch over it, not own it. Stewardship vs. Ownership principles and what it looks like. Don’t compare—we each have different stewardships! Gratitude for “hard times” which now she gives back as “offerings.” Often the people you show up for, show up for you. “if we are to receive all that [God] has, our capacity has to increase.”

Mental Health Checkup IdeasTherapy: If you haven’t found a good therapist, post on social media and find one that works for you. This can include talk therapy, EMDR (helps with trauma), massage therapy (which she does regularly), Light Therapy, Physical Movement/Exercise Rest Drinking Water Don’t over-schedule yourself when you are coming into busy times when you need to process change. Journaling—sometimes she can’t say the words, so she writes. And sometimes she writes prayers to God. (And you can have a journal where you tear out or burn the pages afterwards.) Meditation

Favorite Bible VersePsalm 91:4 “He...

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Can you connect to God while doing creating things? What are some ideas of how you can unplug from stress and connect with God and your inner creative self. Episode Discussion PointsConnecting with God can help us when we are feeling drained by life’s challenges. Comparison to plugging a phone in when you need to recharge. God the Father is the ultimate Creator, and we each have this seed of divine creativity within us. “As we tap into our own creativity, we are connecting to God.” When we are feeling worn out and exhausted, often doing something creative energizes us. Ex: doodling on a page, creative cooking, sculpture/play-dough, music, science, cooking, building, dancing, decorating, digital creation etc. God is the Master-Creator, and we are his crowning creation He helps sculpt our lives to reach our biggest and best potential Don’t compare your creative abilities to another’s. There are gifts and talents that only you can bring into the world. As we tap into our creativity, we tap into our potential, and we can connect with God, our Father and Creator. How I feel when I connect to God as an author and feel the words flowing from Him through me onto the page. Set a goal and reaching it is an act of creation.

Creativity CategoriesVisual Arts—paint, sculpt, draw Musical Abilities—composing, playing instruments, singing Science—Learning about chemical reactions, cooking Physical Creation—Build things, sew, dance, decorate home, Digital Creation—Coding, audio, video

“The true work of art is but a shadow of the divine perfection.” ~MichelangeloInvitationMake time today or a day this week to create or do one of your hobbies—and watch to see if that helps you feel happier and have increased connection with God.

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #creativity #visual arts #musicalarts #physicalcreation #cooking #writing

TranscriptionYou can find the transcription of today's episode here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/connecting-to-the-creator-while-creating

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When Annie’s husband suffered a massive cerebellar stroke, her world changed. Through a series of small miracles, she found two mantras to live by through his very long recovery: “Stronger Every Day” & “I Can Do Hard Things.” Episode Discussion PointsWhy reading the "Drama in Real Life" from the Reader’s Digest helped prepare her for her own challenges. The story of how her husband suffered a massive cerebellar stroke, but since it is so uncommon and the symptoms don’t match a regular stroke, it often goes misdiagnosed. Being misdiagnosed because the CT scan couldn’t see the cerebellar stroke, and he was diagnosed with vertigo Being misdiagnosed again with Viral Ear Infection Her prayer of pleading to God to help her know what to do Ended up being diagnosed with the Cerebellar Stroke and Hydrocephalus (and he was hours away from death unless they did surgery to relieve the pressure). Make time to ugly cry and grieve because of the change. She felt a tremendous peace and she felt like Darryl’s mother was there, “I am very aware of everything going on and I will be with Daryl." How she remembered a talk called “I Can Do Hard Things” and she took 3 pieces of paper and wrote, "I can do hard things,” which became her mantra. Daryl’s grim and not very promising prognosis Feeling guilty that her husband was alive when so many others in the stroke unit were dying. But getting a warm reassurance from God that just like He was there with her in her story, He was with the others and knew the details of their story too and He was in control. She was not responsible for anyone else or their story. God has that figured out. He stayed at the hospital for a long time, and then went to a rehab center. As a caregiver, Annie learned how important it was for her to take care of herself—get herself a Coke and a Snicker’s Bar and hang out at the chapel and it brought her peace. It is okay to take some time off as a caregiver. The nurse whispered in her ear, “Stronger every day,” which she also added to her mantras. The rehab and how hard it was when he couldn’t even brush his teeth. Be willing to look for miracles every day—and speaking them out loud. The beautiful visual image of taking your burdens and pinning them to Jesus’ cross, because He has already bourne them. Annie knew faith was important, and love/charity was important, but she always wondered about hope. Hope became so critical while Daryl recovered—and how even though he had hopes and dreams about his recovery, “only the Lord knows” and Christ became the focus of his hope. Physically and emotionally turning the outcome over to God Turning ashes into a something beautiful. How her sharing her story online and always ending with “Stronger every day,” and “I can do hard things,” has helped so many people. Remember to have grace for other people when you see them around you. We have angels all around us (family members who have passed on), but we have to “see” His hand through them.  Ask God to help you see the little miracles.

Things that bring Annie PeaceListening to talks or sermons first Exercising Keeping things clean and simple in her home, so she can feel peace there Listening to peaceful or fun music Prayer: Talk to God all day long, and thank Him out-loud (gratitude)

Cerebellar Stroke SymptomsEyeballs flicking back and forth in head Dizziness Vomiting Headache Hard to speak Hard to walk, poor coordination (often leaning to the side they had the stroke on). Can’t remember

Cerebellar stroke comprise only 10% of strokes. Victims are often misdiagnosed, and although the stroke doesn’t kill them, the hydrocephalus (swelling in their brain) does, unless it is diagnosed correctly quickly.   Bible VersePhillipians 4 :13 - I can do all (hard) things through Christ who strengthens me.  John 14: 26-27- Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

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How do you connect with God in nature? Today we will talk about three ideas on how you can do this and incorporate a little more peace into your life. This is the second in our series of connecting to God. Episode Discussion PointsStory of my husband kayaking out on a lake in the early morning and feeling a peace and such a release of stress.

3 Ideas for Connecting with God Through Nature 1. Stand BarefootAn https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/wellness/could-walking-barefoot-on-the-grass-improve-your-health-the-science-behind-grounding/2018/07/05/12de5d64-7be2-11e8-aeee-4d04c8ac6158_story.html (article in the Washington Post) a few years ago showed research on how standing barefoot in the grass can “improve sleep, reduce pain, decrease muscle tension and lower stress.” How I have felt such peace when I have stood on the beach. A college health professor has encouraged his students to go and stand barefoot when they are feeling stressed (and it actually works).

1. Slow Down & CommuneExamples in the scriptures: Jesus going out into the wilderness to pray and commune with His Father, Moses going up into a mountain to talk to God “Consider the lilies of the field.” Luke 12:27—take time to slow down and look at the details of the world around you. See and notice God in the world around you.

2. Use All Your Senses & Give ThanksDisconnect from the busyness of the world and think about what you are seeing, feeling, hearing and experiencing in nature around you. Give thanks to God for what you see, touch, smell, hear Story of me enjoying a peaceful moment giving thanks to God as I sat under a tree at Bryce Canyon. “There is beauty to be found in every part of God’s creations.”

Call to ActionSay a prayer in nature sometime this week, be thankful and feel of God’s love and peace. Download the 7 Ways to Connect with God infographic https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/j1t4k6

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #nature #connecttoGod #peace #prayer #barefoot #senses #gratitude

TranscriptionYou can find the transcription of today's episode here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/3-ways-to-connect-with-god-in-nature

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Liz joins us today to share 3 personal stories of how God’s Spirit helped her move forward , feel peace and helps us amidst life’s challenges. Episode Discussion PointsTraining guide dogs When God says, “no.” Being totally involved in music and wanting to major in it, to all of the sudden losing her passion for music and wondering what she was supposed to do with her life. God led her toward Human Development Journaling helped her process the change. When she felt disappointment coming from other people, but she knew God knew what she needed to do. Choosing an internship—and how God guided her to pick an internship which led her to go to Romania to a hospital and an orphanage. Being able to listen when the Holy Ghost gives you direction The Holy Ghost can help you discover your “Why!" God can lead to to find the best path which will bring you the most joy and learning. Follow impressions to help and serve others (in big and little things). When she experienced postpartum depression and felt like something was broken in her brain When she finally opened up to her sisters about it, she found out several of them had experience it as well. Her decision to begin taking medication Learning to deal with anxiety after she got her depression under control The Holy Ghost—can speak truth to you A lot of the problems with depression and anxiety are thoughts entering your mind that aren’t true The Spirit can teach you what inner voices aren’t truth and what is truth The first step to recognize negative self-talk and then replace it with the positive and the truth You can also ask God to help you to recognize it and pull out of it (because in the moment it is often very hard) Prayer is powerful—both asking for God’s help and asking others to pray for you as well. A sweet story of one of her little daughters praying for her. How God wants us to turn to each other for help and comfort and how we aren’t meant to do it alone The story of being able to marry her fiancé Vlad, from the Ukraine, and how hard it was to be able to married and get a fiancé visa. How after pouring her heart out to God, she felt God’s love and empathy.

Favorite Bible VersesWhen you are weeping: “Jesus wept,” when He was comforting Mary & Martha after Lazarus died (even though He was going to bring him back to life). Remember Jesus waited to bring Lazarus back, and sometimes we have to be patient and wait for the miracle. For comfort: John 14:16

Connect with LizWebsite: http://lizkazandzhy.com/ (LizKazandzhy.com) LDS Book Nook—her podcast Buy her book: The Holy Ghost from A to Z

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #HolyGhost #Spirit #GodsSpirit #peace #moveforward #choices #anxiety #depression #calm #negativeselftalk #truth

TranscriptionYou can find the transcription of today's episode here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/liz-kazandzhy-3-ways-the-holy-ghost-helps-in-trials

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I am going to be doing a series on connection over the next few Tamara’s Takeaway episodes, and we are first going to talk about how we can connect to God through a daily devotional. Episode Discussion PointsIt is important to connect to God because the closer we feel to Him, the stronger and more courageous we feel. Religious leader Jeffrey Holland said about our connection with God that it is the “most important connection of all.” He continued, “As you forge a bond your Father in Heaven, He will forge a bond with you.” (Deseret News, March 6, 2021 page 24.) James 4:8, “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.” John 15:5, “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”

4 Daily Devotion IdeasThere are 7 categories I am going to be talking about over the next few weeks, but we will only discuss 1 today: Connecting to God through daily devotionals and what that can look like. PrayerKneeling (formal) or informal—mid-day, while driving, conversations, pleas for help, evening prayer, in moments of crisis, help to know how to handle a situation, to deal with strong emotions, etc. Colossians 4:2, “Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with Thanksgiving.” Examples of Jesus praying through the Lord’s prayer

Scripture StudyReading the word of God chapter by chapter Following a daily devotion prepared by someone else coupled with quotes/insights Memorizing Bible Verses Posting Bible verses around home, car, on phone Listening to scripture Open to a random verse/chapter and read

MeditationMeditation can be prayer It can be repeating a word over and over like peace, heaven, God, connect, hope, love etc. If you lose focus, just come back and keep going (everyone tends to get distracted while meditating—especially when they are first starting). Meditation can also be saying Bible phrases while breathing deeply like, “Be still and know that I am God,” or “Peace be still.” Story of Elijah and how after all the distractions he found connection with God through the “still, small voice.” (1 Kings 19:12) If you need help meditating, check out this podcast episode:

Gospel Talks/SpeechesI love either reading or listening to people talk about the gospel This often helps bring be closer to God.

Call to ActionIncorporate a daily devotional in your life starting today! If you already do one, did God inspire to to add something or tweak your routine a little bit. Listen to and follow those promptings.

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #dailydevotional #devotional #prayer #scripturestudy #Inspirationalspeeches #meditation

TranscriptionYou can find the transcription of today's episode here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/devotional-ideas-to-connect-to-god-daily

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Jeff Corrigan and Sheldon Mills of the Idea Gym podcast are no strangers to setting and reaching goals. Today we talk about some of the key ingredients to making good habits stick which will change your life for the better. Episode Discussion PointsThe great white tiger Mohini’s story and how that applies to limiting beliefs that seem to hold us captive and stuck. Jeff shares a story in his life where life got really hard and very busy, and he had to evaluate what habits were most important to keep him going. power in habits in keeping your momentum moving forward when we’re trying to push passed limiting beliefs Jeff’s daily habits included: daily scripture study, journaling, listening to personal development books, Jeff noticed the things being taught in the scriptures were the same things being taught in personal development books and he started wondering how he could apply these things in his life. Jeff’s & his wife pushed forward searching for answers to her health challenges until wife was finally diagnosed with Hashimoto’s disease. In order to help his wife manage her health, they have had a complete lifestyle change, especially with diet. These changes happened a little at a time, but their overall impact has helped them both become healthier. How God helps us work through life line upon line, one baby step at a time. If not seeing progress, remember to be patient, then identify the end result/identity shift you are trying to make (instead of saying you want to lose 30 pounds realize the real goal is you want to live a healthier lifestyle). “if you want to change your life, you have to change something you do daily.”—Sheldon The power of having an accountability partner We know we can get stuck in bad habits, now let’s shift that and get stuck in good habits. One of the core fundamentals to developing a habit is a concept called Decide who you want to be and prove it to yourself by small daily wins. Don’t quit when you miss a day. Just keep going. Core Fundamental Upper and Lower Limits. This means establishing a maximum and a minimum you are going to do for a goal each day/week—not an all or nothing (because we inevitably don’t fulfill those). Ex: Lower limit writing one sentence in my journal; Upper Limit—writing a 1-2 pages (but don’t overdo it—set a max). "It’s not about getting there tomorrow, it is about progress each day.”—Jeff The best routine is something you will actually do. If you want to change the shape of your hour, change 10 minutes of that hour. If you want to change the shape of your day, change what you do this hour.

Favorite Bible Verse and Quotes“Ships turned about with a very small helm.”—from James chapter 3 “The minutes and hours well-spent are the building blocks of a good life.” —Sheldon Check out the Habit Master’s CourseHelp you identify and clarify the person you want to become Identify a very clear daily action step to get you there 6 Fundamentals checklist to help you build successful habits

Then you become a habit master, because you can repeat what you have learned over and over and reach your full potential. Cost: $98, but that is for 2 people. You have to do it with a buddy/accountability partner— ***BONUS, as my listeners, you get a 50% discount with this code: ________ Check it out at: http://ideagym.info/ (IdeaGym.info) https://www.thehabitmasters.com/ (https://www.thehabitmasters.com/)

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #habits #goals

TranscriptionYou can find the transcription of today's episode here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/jeff-and-sheldon-how-to-make-habits-that-actually-stick

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My youngest child just graduated from high school. How do we navigate seasons of change successfully? I share 3 tips which will help us get through with God's help. Episode Discussion PointsMy daughter just graduated from high school and she is the youngest. So, I am experiencing a range of emotions. An artistic Bible Verse a friend gave me as a senior in high school that applies to our situation today. Story of lesson I learned from a friend who recently had back surgery. A story of a friend whose husband suddenly passed away, and what I would tell her.

Three Tips to Help Navigate Change with HopeRemember God and trust Him. Slow Down & Notice Simple Joys Remember Life Has Season and be patient

Bible Verses Shared“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own undestanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He will direct thy paths.” —Proverbs 3:5-6Ecclesiastes 31 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: 2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; 3 A time to break down, and a time to build up; 4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; 5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; 6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; 7 A time to arend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; 8 A time to love. InvitationsTalk to God during your time of change and share with Him all of your emotions. Slow down and be patient.

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #change #Godshelp #seasonsoflife #JesusChrist

TranscriptionYou can find the transcription of today's episode here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/navigating-seasons-of-change-with-hope

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After being hospitalized for COVID Jen found she had a hard time thinking clearly and even discerning God’s presence. She pressed forward in faith despite difficult challenges and found a powerful answer. Episode Discussion PointsHow she spent a few summers kayaking along the Thames. How her author job and keeping up with her six children keeps her busy. How her really bad case of COVID changed her body and triggered an abnormally high cortisol/high stress response in her body. An experience in the hospital while she had the fuzzy brain COVID stuff and she felt alone and far from God. “it takes mental concentration to receive revelation that’s like truth or thought.” She couldn’t pray long prayers when she was brain fuzzy at the hospital, so she leaned on her husband (via text) to help her pray and discern what she should be doing. Even when she couldn’t feel God at that point, she knew He was there. How she had people praying for her during her daughter’s weddings to have a “bubble of the Spirit” around her when she wasn’t functioning 100% Her answer from God—“Just focus on the Joy” Sometimes God places you in situations where you can’t do it on your own, so He will reach you in the way you need to be reached. God keep trying. "When you’re perfectly healthy, you can handle a lot, but when your not, you need to become more aware of how these things are effecting your whole body makeup.” She has now experienced social anxiety and has a lot more empathy How sometimes prayer, scriptures study don’t work the way we want—we need to tack on “keep going even when you don’t feel the help or answers” with the hope that God will answer/help eventually. “God will reach you but it may be in the way you aren’t expecting. Look for the joy and see the miracles that might not be super-obvious. Look for the little whisper of inspiration from God which may change your perspective when things aren’t getting fixed. You can’t really measure the value of someone’s love…empathy…hard times.” We accumulate knowledge and experiences which help us become more. How Jesus Christ has perfect empathy for each of us. “Christ’s empathy is emboldened because He knows all of our stories.” Take time to hear people and their stories. We all want to know we are making a difference—even when you can’t feel Him.

Tips for Reducing StressSupport network--Ask for help—people to be your “pray-ers” Talk to you family and friends about the emotions you are processing so that they can help how they can. Name emotions and process them with God’s help Positive Mantras--Focus on the Joy Be okay slowing down during crisis Meditation/Prayer/Scripture Study—way to receive revelation (because you are quieting distractions). Calm body, focus on breathing Watch what thoughts enter a quiet mind—push out the pointless worries and instead focus on positive things. “Nope. I’m only thinking about breathing right now.” “Think about a joyful time.”—these are often the things that mean the most too us—the personal interactions (children, friends)

Favorite Bible VerseGenesis 39 “And the Lord was with Joseph.” (even though Joseph was sold into slavery, and plus in prison.) God is with us in the details of our lives—throughout the hard times. Sometimes God’s purposes can’t be seen for a long time.

Connect with Jenhttp://jengeiglejohnson.com/ (JenGeigleJohnson.com) Buy physical copies of her books at Deseret Book or Seagull Book Social Media @JenGeigleJohnson

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #hospital #COVID #faith #answer #keepgoing #seekjoy #illness #sick

TranscriptionYou can find the transcription of today's episode here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/jen-geigle-johnson-what-to-do-when-god-is-silent

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Do you have true faith--meaning you are okay if you or your loved ones aren't healed? If not, listen as I share a personal story of how I worked toward that ideal. Episode Discussion PointsThe question of “Do I have the faith not to be healed?” A story in my life where I realized that I didn’t have that kind of faith yet when Nathan was diagnosed with autism. How I realized I needed to change and have more true faith in God. The “But if Not” clause & story My very trial led me to my knees over and over again because I didn’t have the ability to get through such a heavy trial on my own. I needed God.

How to Develop Faith “Not to Be Healed”Recognize you need better, truer faith Work to gain that kind of faith

By talking to the Lord openly and honestly in prayer (that you aren’t there yet) Following the example of the Savior to submit your will to His Ask God to teach you what this process of gaining true faith looks like for you Listen Keep going one day at a time Fortify yourself by reading God’s word—especially the life of Jesus Christ.

Remember to keep hope in the ultimate goal of eternal life with God with perfect, whole and resurrected bodies for us and our loved ones.

Bible Verse SharedMatthew 26: 39 “And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.”

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #faith #healing #JesusChrist #miracle #prayer

TranscriptionYou can find the transcription of today's episode here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/faith-not-to-be-healed

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Becca didn’t let her paralysis keep her from living her life fully, but kidney disease tested her faith and led her to have a deeper connection with Christ she never had experienced before. Episode Discussion PointsWinning a contest that took her to New York Being paralyzed from the waist down since she was a baby Having and ignoring the thought she needed to prepare for something hard in her life. Her story of being diagnosed with kidney disease and sinking into depression. Crying herself to sleep when she felt like every dream she ever had was being taken from her after diagnosed with kidney disease. One of her biggest griefs was when her doctors said she and her husband not have children, when all she had ever wanted was to be a mother. Wondering where her miracle turnaround was that seemed to happen for other people—but seemed to be eluding her. A heartfelt desire she had in a hospital room while reading the scriptures The inspiration she received when she asked God for help to remove the bitterness from her heart. Key: Place your hope in God, not in man Feeling shame sometimes that she didn’t have enough faith to overcome her fear. “When you put your hope completely in Christ, everything becomes better.” Becca loves being able to perform on her violin with the Tabernacle Choir, and has several favorite songs that have helped her in her dark moments to keep faith going. Her biggest miracle—planting Jesus Christ’s grace into her heart What keeping her heart tuned to the Savior looks like compared to tuning her violin—the Savior is all about the fine tuning (in our lives). Inviting God to help you tune yourself to Him—and asking God the specific questions—how do I change? How do I move out of this place? God will give each person the right answers for them and their unique situation.

Tips to Keep Focus Riveted on the SaviorPrayer Word of God Uplifting Music

Becca’s Go-To Powerful Music ResourcesBe Still My Soul; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJAakUklHCw (view the performance by the Tabernacle Choir here on YouTube) Jesu The Very Thought is Sweet; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AR6G2CQO2SE (view the performance by the Tabernacle Choir here on YouTube) How Can I Keep from Singing; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYDNb7r75fg (view the performance by the Tabernacle Choir here on YouTube)

Connect with BeccaFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/becca.goeckeritz (Becca Bierwolf Goeckeritz) https://www.youtube.com/user/BeccaBoo2967/featured (YouTube search Becca Goeckeritz)

paralysis #faith #hope #kidneydisease #dailyconnection #JesusChrist #grace #music #upliftingmusic #tuningtoGod #tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes

TranscriptionYou can find the transcription of today's episode here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/becca-goeckeritz-tuning-bitterness-out-and-bringing-hope-in

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Kenneth Earl may not have had the best start in life, but like the sun he learned the foundational principles he needed to rise—all due to his angel mother. Episode Discussion PointsWe discussed what being a naval cryptologist means How his mother influenced His life with a lot of love—even though she was a single mom What inspired him to write his book—he realized he owed his mother—and he wanted to honor his mother. No matter where you come from in life, if you partner with God you can achieve and become your best self—overcoming all obstacles in your way.

Kenneth's mom was a great example of strength, courage and integrity Treat people like they want to be treated Prayed all the time and loved the Psalms Because she worked so hard Kenneth didn’t know how poor they were She made a way out of no way She inspired each of her children to succeed She taught her children to pray—which came in handy when he was stranded on a roof and in trouble. His mother helped lay the foundation which helped him be successful

Here are some of the Life Lessons he “cracked” A mother’s wisdom is indisputable. Character and integrity is worth something. Mistakes and failures should be options for growth— And the story of him praying for an angel after being stranded on the roof. Lesson—when you fall, learn and get up. You can’t buy peace of mind Overcoming and defeating yourself is freedom—meaning you have try to be the best version of yourself. No matter what you do in life, no one can beat you at being you. “Be who you are, or who God made you to be.” Unhappiness and frustration are unproductive

Favorite Bible VersePhilippians 4:13 “ I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Connect with KennethWebsite: http://Illegitimate-sun.com (Illegitimate-sun.com)  Buy his book, https://www.amazon.com/Illegitimate-Sun-Cryptologist-Cracked-Lessons/dp/1737565005 (Illegitimate Sun: How a Naval Cryptologist Cracked the Code of Life Lessons)

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #change #become #mother #tribute #lessonslearned #navalcryptologist

TranscriptionYou can find the transcription of today's episode here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/kenneth-earl-how-a-naval-cryptologists-mom-changed-the-world

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Chani has had many experiences in her life where she has felt completely worthless and like she isn’t enough. She shares several amazing tips to help combat our inner critic. Episode Discussion PointsA story when Chani felt like she didn’t measure up and wasn’t enough “I’m a nobody,” feelings 6 Tips on how to combat those feelings Hack—at the top of Chani’s “To Do” List every day she physically writes out the quote, “Do what you can do, in the best way you know and the Lord will accept of your effort.” —Gordon B. Hinckley How we are not perfect, but God can help and heal and inspire hope.

Steps to Battle “I’m Not Enough”Feel the Feelings and sit with them for a minute. It is important to name them and acknowledge them, cry over it, but work through the feelings. Get it out of your system. Journal either on a computer (on an "Icky Page") or a journal. Some people talk it out. Some people pound it out with boxing gloves at the gym or exercise. Connection with Friends, Family or others. You can connect in person (this is best) or talk on the phone. Be real and authentic. It takes a village to healthily get through life. You don’t have to do it alone. Connect with God. God loves us and wants us to do better. Be real and authentic with God too—tell Him the good, the bad a nd the ugly. “He doesn’t need formalities, He just wants to hear from you.” Take the 50 foot perspective. Sometimes you have to step back and get out of your head for just a minute and ask yourself these questions: Is it true? Would everyone else around you agree with that? Are you giving yourself credit or grace for what you have donet? (Don’t just think about what you didn’t do.) Am I measuring myself up against someone else (comparing yourself to a Pinterest picture of someone else.) Compare yourself to yourself, and give yourself grace for your shortcomings. If you feel you need to talk to a professional, then do it! Chani was able to get a lot of emotions out instead of keeping it bottled up. “They help you unravel the mess inside of you."

Get Chani’s FREE “10 Practical Habits to Tame Your Inner Critic,,” pdf download on Chani’s website: https://www.chanibarlow.com (chanibarlow.com)

Bible VerseStory of father bringing a son with a dumb spirit to the Savior begging for help. Jesus tells the man that “all things are possible to him that believeth.” Then the man says, “Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.” (Mark 9:23-24) I might not have perfect belief, but God can help and heal.

ConnectWebsite: https://www.chanibarlow.com (chanibarlow.com) Get Chani’s book, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09X3RPMPP/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1 (Seeking Solace: Finding Hidden Miracles and Peace) Join Chani and I as we speak at the https://enoughalreadyconf.com/ (Enough Already Conference for Christian Women) on May 13th in Las Vegas. For more information https://enoughalreadyconf.com/ (check it out here.)

worth #enough #impostersyndrome #innercritic #negativeselftalk #connection #journal #vent #prayer #grace #counseling #tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes

TranscriptionYou can find the transcription of today's episode here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/chani-barlow-if-you-feel-youre-not-enough-start-here

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I share the story of an experience I had when I was completely overwhelmed thinking about the super-busy schedule I had the next day and how God taught me the exact steps to take to replace anxiety with peace. Episode Discussion PointsStory of me feeling anxious when I looked at my busy, packed schedule. 3 steps I took during prayer which completely changed my anxiety to peace

3 Steps to Move Anxiety to PeacePray & Share how you are feeling, and ask God to help you change

“Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts.” —Psalm 139:23Ask God to help you see it through the lens of gratitude

“In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”—1 Thessalonians 5:18Invite angels to be with you

“For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.”—Psalm 91:11#tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #anxiety #stress #worry #prayer #gratitude #angels #steps #lesson #story TranscriptionYou can find the transcription of today's episode here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/3-prayerful-steps-to-turn-anxiety-to-peace

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Daniel shares an epiphany which led him on a path to discover and experience God's abundance, which we can all tap into. Episode Discussion PointsSometimes God puts us in an environment where we are a bit uncomfortable and we can rely on Him as we enter new and different things. How he was raised and what his father taught him about seeing all people as God sees them—equally. How his parents divorce changed his perspective and made him want to figure out how life and finances worked. Being young, fearful and insecure—feeling he wasn’t accepted by God, which made him hunger after God. The spiritual manifestation he had of light, love and acceptance of “God touching him” which banished doubt and fear. How God guided him into sales (even though he didn’t want to be there). God immediately answers, but we may not always understand or recognize his miracles for what they are. What shifting into an abundance mentality looks like and why people have a hard time understanding God’s love and abundance. We all can tap into God and His power inside of us. As a believer Daniel wants to live the life that testifies that God can work miracles with abundance—not only for him but for others as well. Making belief statements personal, “God is good…to me, “ “God has abundance … for me.” A story of immense faith of him applying the principle of give, and pray over what you give with a specific request and God will return it to you with abundance. God wants our our presence—so turn to Him. Fall in love with God all over again!

Financial Principles of AbundanceHonoring God in our finances The Law of Reciprocity—Give and He will give back to you; and he shares how this works. “When you give, speak over it, and release it in faith,” expecting God will give back to you. But be sure to be specific with what you want. You will have joy as you give in your heart. You will have no doubt in your heart (although your mind may doubt). Follow the inspiration God sends you. Remember you are royalty, and royalty summons. Remember we have an enemy and he wants us to live under the curse versus under abundance. If when trying these principles you find it doesn’t work, ask God, “What did I do wrong? Guide me. I know I missed it.” Tithe Pray and ask God, “Lord, give me better than the solution I am asking for.”

Favorite Quotes“That little void in all of us is how God draws us to him."“Heaven does not have a recession."“Faith is the open door to all of heaven’s abundance.”“Heaven has a currency. It is called faith.”“God uses tough times to draw us close to Him. . . because more than anything God wants our company. He wants our presence. And in His presence is everything you could ever ask for.”“God is either moving something for us or moving us to it. Or He is developing you or developing the something for us.” Connect with Daniel and Buy His BookWebsite: https://danieltezeno.com/ (https://danieltezeno.com/) Book: The way of the profit" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Way of the Profit: Building Material Wealth Through Your Spiritual Self

poverty #lack #abundance #Godsabundance #LawofReciprocity #Giveandreceive #Bible #Godsword #Godsblessings #faith #trust #tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes

TranscriptionYou can find the transcription of today's episode here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/daniel-tezeno-moving-from-lack-to-gods-abundance

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I share a story from my childhood where playing in a rocking chair taught me an important lesson we can all apply today. Episode Discussion PointsStory of my sisters and I giving each other “roller-coaster” rides on a rocking chair. It was all fun and games until someone (me) got hurt. Parallels to our day and our life with not trusting the arm of flesh, but trusting God to guide, but we get to choose who we want with us on our crazy rocking journey. I share a personal experience of one of my children recently being diagnosed with a new diagnosis, and how it impacted them and me. How I gave my burden to Jesus and He carried it and gave me peace. I share a journal entry where I remembered this story and God guided me to once again let go and let Him take control. Invitation to ask God “what am I holding onto that I need to let go of?”

Bible Verses SharedCursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm. —Jeremiah 17:5For 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. —Jeremiah 29:11Choose you this day whom ye will serve. —Joshua 24:15#tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #childhoodstory #funnystory #trustGod #control #faith #letgoletGod #bibleverse TranscriptionYou can find the transcription of today's episode here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/how-to-apply-the-rocking-chair-principle

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Andre Norman thought he'd spend the rest of his life in prison until God gave him an epiphany which changed everything! Episode Discussion PointsHe learned how important it was to follow instructions (the recipe) when he did a culinary class in prison, and since he has been released from prison he applies that same principle to life. The path that led him to choose material things over integrity and character He ended up in jail and wanted to be the boss of the gang The epiphany he had when God told him to not go down that life path. He decided he didn’t want to be free (because every prisoner who got out came back. He wanted to be successful. He decided he wanted to go to Harvard University. So for the next 8 years he did everything he could to move toward that goal. When he got out the next steps he took that opened doors for him to get into Boston College. How he learned why it is important to have blind faith in God but not in man. The power of being taught that he was a golden eagle—not the golden goose. Don’t live with other people’s limitations. Let God help you live in abundance. “They stopped the job, but I maintained the mindset.” The two books he keeps on his nightstand and his favorite Bible Psalm. “So get close to God, which is get close to nature and just study. Just be one with nature. Just go lay in the grass. It's the best feeling ever.”

Favorite Quotes"I didn't have to audition. I just had to be authentic." “He said you're a golden eagle. So you don't have to sit there and let somebody else benefit off of you. You're allowed to fly and spread your wings.” “It doesn't get much better than this I thought. How could it be much better than this? It can always be greater if you let go and let God.” People's limits shouldn't have to be yours.” Speaking of his scriptures, “These are my guideposts and you will never find a house that I live in that these won't be two feet from my bed.” There is nothing that can't be done if God is with you. And if you put limits on yourself, then you put limits on yourself.” The Word of God is great. Study God. And it'll lead.

Recommended ResourcesWho Not How by Ben Hardy & Dan Sullivan Never Split The Difference by Chris Voss Giftology By John Ruhlin The 90-minute Book by Dean Jackson Ambassador of Hope by Andre Norman—purchase it https://www.amazon.com/Ambassador-Hope-Turning-Poverty-Purpose-Driven/dp/1544507216/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=ambassador+of+hope&qid=1628108047&sr=8-1 (HERE)

Connect with Andre NormanEmail: admin@andrenorman.com Website: https://andrenorman.com (www.AndreNorman.com) Instagram: @AndreNorman Facebook: @AndreNorman21 Twitter: @AndreNorman YouTube: Andre Norman

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #prisoner #success #limitations #AmbassadorofHope #businesssuccess #trustinGod #mercy #grace #Godsgoodness

TranscriptionYou can find the transcription of today's episode here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/andre-norman-from-prisoner-to-unlimited-success

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Are you feeling worn out—like you can’t go on? There are three principles in the Bible which teach us how to best solve this problem—and it revolves around learning to take care of ourselves. Episode Discussion PointsI tell the story of Putt-Putt the car which I drove when I went to college when I was younger. I didn’t keep up on the maintenance as well as I should have, and something unfortunate happened. This taught me the importance of doing little things to maintain not only cars but ourselves.

3 Bible-Based Tips to Prioritizing Your HealthTake Care of Your Spirit

In Mark 1:35, we are told this about how Jesus prioritized his soul and the connection He had with God: “And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.” We too can ask God how we can best do this in our own lives—whether it is waking up early or doing it during a lunch break or at bedtime. God will inspire us to find the right solution for us.

Take Care of Our Physical Bodies

Paul taught the Corinthians that their bodies were temples because they housed their divine souls or spirits: “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is bholy, which temple ye are.” (1 Corinthians 3:16-17) The story of how I had to learn to do this in my life when I was physically exhausted from taking care of kiddos on the autism spectrum.

Don’t Do Everything Alone

Story of Jethro telling Moses that he was doing too much and that he needed to learn to delegate: “Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee: for this thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone.” (Exodus 18:18) In the book, https://amzn.to/3MdvLBS (Who Not How,) Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy also talk about how usually when we are worn out and trying to change we need to learn to ask “who can help me with this,” NOT “how can I do it.” The principle of learning to delegate is a godly principle.

So, if you are feeling stressed out and like you can’t keep going like that, maybe you can talk to God and begin to prioritize your own health and well being in baby steps. He will bless you to do it right in your life.

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #physicalhealth #spiritualhealth #notalone #Bibleverses #selfcare #story #priorities #maintenance

TranscriptionYou can find the transcription of today's episode here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/3-bible-based-tips-to-prioritizing-your-health

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Liz Kazandzhy has been so worried about her family in the Ukraine. She shares some of God’s powerful lessons to her since the war began and how she’s been able to find moments of peace. Episode Discussion PointsA funny story about making brownies Her personal connection to the Ukraine, serving a volunteer mission there How she ended up marrying a man from the Ukraine and how his family still lives there The feeling of shock when the invasion first happened How dealing with anxiety and the stressors of war have been a challenge for her Experiencing grief, sorrow, anger, as well as peace and hope Encouraging their family in Ukraine to get out of Kiev How she and her husband attend church with a Russian speaking congregation with people from the Ukraine and what their pastor said that has helped their congregation focus on unity. What Russians and Ukrainians together in a church congregation taught her about being strong. How the Holy Ghost can bring peace even in times of strife Anxiety tip—imagining the worst case scenario and then finding God in it (ex: those who have died have gone to God and they are home). God understands each person’s worries, fears and what is going on in their lives. It brings her peace to know God is with them. How Liz has tried to put God and her family as a priority even when she constantly wants to be checking the news and checking on her family in the Ukraine. The blessings of putting God first The importance of learning to live in the moment because you never know how long you will have with people here on earth. Don’t let other things distract you from things that matter most. When she couldn’t focus because she was so preoccupied with the war. The ah-ha she had when she was reading that the Russians were “occupying” the Ukraine. How the Ukranians defending their lands and freedom has become symbolic to her for the battle going on in her mind—battling back despair and depression with faith, hope, light and love. Battling fear with faith

Favorite Bible VerseIsaiah 41:10, “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”Connect with Lizhttp://www.LizKazandzhy.com (www.LizKazandzhy.com) http://www.ldsbooknook.com (www.ldsbooknook.com) You can preorder Liz’ book, The Holy Ghost from A to Z, on https://www.amazon.com/Holy-Ghost-What-Spirit-Can/dp/1462142745 (Amazon), https://www.target.com/p/the-holy-ghost-from-a-to-z-by-elizabeth-kazandzhi-hardcover/-/A-85813837 (Target), https://www.walmart.com/ip/The-Holy-Ghost-from-A-to-Z-Hardcover/737242847?selectedSellerId=0&wmlspartner=wlpa (Walmart) etc.

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #war #UkraineWar #Family #battles #peace #comfort #holyghost #Spirit #prayer #mentalbattles #depression#anxiety

TranscriptionYou can find the transcription of today's episode here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/liz-kazandzhy-finding-peace-when-worried-about-ukranian-family

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With the war starting between Russia and the Ukraine I have been pondering war and what we can do to help ourselves when we are faced with physical and spiritual battles. 3 Keys to Remember in Times of WarGod is Omniscient

This means God knows everything and this war is not a surprise to Him We can find evidence of this when we read in Matthew 24 where Jesus tells us the signs of the times before His Second Coming and tells us “And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass.” (Matthew 24: 6) So, don’t be troubled by these wars you see happening, it is all part of the winding up scenes before Christ comes.

We are ALL at War

We learn this in Ephesians 6: 12 “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Satan is attacking because he knows this is his last opportunity before Jesus Christ comes again. So, what do we do? This leads us to step #3

Act—Put On God’s Armor & Help Spread His Word

In Ephesians 6:10-18 we read what we can do to put on God’s armor every day—because the battle for our souls is fierce! In Matthew 24:14, Christ also explains that one of the things that needs to happen before He comes again is: “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.”

We know how this war will end—with Jesus Christ coming in the clouds of glory. It will be an incredible day for the righteous. Until, put your armor on and stand with God. He will help you be God strong and ready when He comes again. Call to ActionI have felt called to start a women’s group based on these same ideas I have been talking about today called Women Warriors of Light. Please follow my new social media channels for more information about how you can connect to Jesus Christ, put on His armor, and band together with a group of warrior preparing for His Second Coming.

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #war #physicalbattles #spiritualbattles #armoroflight #armorofGod #Bibleverses #SecondComingofChrist #JesusChrist #SignsoftheTimes

TranscriptionYou can find the transcription of today's episode here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/3-keys-to-remember-in-times-of-war

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Jodi Reynosa's life didn't go as planned. She experienced multiple detours and struggles in her life—including finding a tumor in her brain. Episode Discussion PointsJodi compares her life to being in a car, ready to go and then then feeling like she is driving with the brakes on. Then, when she finally figures out how to go full speed a roadblock is thrown up in her path and she wonders “why?” Jodi had a lot of “firsts” in her family How she made the varsity basketball team as a sophomore, which got derailed by her eating disorder—and what that looked like—from negative mental thoughts to eating challenges. When she was cut from the team she felt like she lost her identity, and after counseling and getting some help God helped her to pivot and turned toward the arts. How she found joy along her new path. How challenges can be blessings How losing her academic scholarship steered her in a different direction AGAIN! Don’t ask disempowering questions—that doesn’t help us, figure out which direction God wants you to go. Her decision to serve a church mission to help people. “Loving God allows you to see the divinity within yourself, and He helps you to love yourself. And then you can see the divinity in other people.” As you love God, yourself and others, love can flow through you and to you like the infinity sign. The chicken soup syndrome Jodi learned from her mom which applies to life. How a professor tried to warn her about how hard it was to juggle family and a media career. You can do everything you want to do in life at the right season and the right time. What her early career in media looked like—life happens and we learn from it. The diagnosis of a tumor in her brain which led to another life detour. This shifted her to working on her YouTube show https://www.youtube.com/c/JodisJems (Guided.) God sees the whole picture and we don’t. We see the little threads, so we need to trust Him. Sometimes you need to pause and “reset” and “be still.” Often it takes time for us to process a new idea, or a change. Our knee jerk-reaction is to say “no.” But once an idea of change has been planted it takes a while for us to realize it wasn’t a bad suggestion after all. So approach change with a creative mind, and be willing to welcome new ideas. Figuring life out is a process we experience day to day.

Empowering Questions The concept of empowering questions was originally introduced to Jodi by https://michaelbeckwith.com (Michael Bernard Beckwith), founder of the Agape Center. Ask God what is trying to emerge from me right now that can help me serve my fellow man? How can I be of service where I am right now? If I had to be in this situation for a long time, what qualities would I need? (Example: I would need strength and empathy and trust in God). Then pray those traits down from heaven to help you as you pass through hard times.

Other Empowering Questions These 4 questions come from from Byron Katie, who developed https://thework.com (The Work.) These are especially helpful if you deal with negative self-talk. Is it true? (Ex: That guy just passed me on the sidewalk scowling. He probably hates me. Is this true? Maybe, but maybe not.) Can you absolutely know that it’s true? (No, he could have just lost his job or maybe his dog died). What happens when you believe that thought? (I feel anxious, stressed and that thought doesn’t feel good.) Who or what would you be without that thought? (Without that thought I would feel at peace. I’d feel free. Whatever that scowl was—that was there’s not mine. I can go on my merry way now.)

Jodi’s Favorite Bible VerseIsaiah 40:31“But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”Matthew 6:28“And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin.”Resources Jodi...

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Why do we sometimes walk through muddy patches in life? It slows us down and it's no fun. Here are 2 lessons I learned after a muddy hike which apply so well to life. Episode Discussion PointsThe story of hiking the Canyon Overlook trail in Kolob Canyon (part of Zion National Park) with my family 5 years ago. We happened to do this hike in January and so the trail (which is usually dry, red dirt, was covered in ice and snow and we got really messy and dirty and muddy. We had our son with low-functioning autism hold onto the back of either my jacket or my husband’s jacket to help him, and we tried to point out the easiest way to go, but he wanted the hike over and just trudged straight through the mud. Life is often like this, where we feel like we are slogging through the mud, and it isn’t very fun. We may wonder why in the world God has us here on this path! I share the story of a broken engagement I had back in my college years and how God even helped good come from that.

Lessons From Hiking in the MudPause, stop looking at your feet, and look up and around you to see the miracles, and trust that God has a grand vista He has in store for you (or something grand He is making you into). You are not on the path alone. Jesus is there beside you and often prompts you what you can do to get through it more easily, but we always have the choice whether or not we listen to Him. So, don’t be afraid! God can make even mucky, muddy paths turn out for your good (Romans 8: 28).

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #muddypatches #JesusChrist #Godiswithus #Wearenotalone #Godhelpsus #changeperspective #pause#pray #help

TranscriptionYou can find the transcription of today's episode here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/2-life-lessons-from-a-muddy-hike

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Within a period of a few days Leisa’s husband was diagnosed with cancer, she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and their daughter went to the hospital. In today’s episode she shares tips on how you get through heavy times with your sanity and even with joy. Episode Discussion PointsLeisa has had many points in her life where it has both rained and poured problems and complications. A couple of things she learned during the hard times were the power of positive self talk: “Leisa, you can make it through the next minute.” “Leisa, you can make it through the five minutes.” “Leisa, you can make it through the fifteen minutes.” Another thing that helped was looking at the big picture—we got through this situation and that situation previously, and we can surely get through this new situation as well. There is wisdom that comes only by going through tough times. Focus on the things you can control—like maybe you can’t control when your husband gets hit by a drunk driver, but you can begin to take back control of your life by cleaning out a drawer or some other little thing to create order. Going through hard times helped her become resilient, and for her resilience is tied to hope. Change is constant and the sooner you can adapt to it, the easier it is. We also have to learn to control and change our expectations—because life isn’t going to turn out the way we thought or hoped. For Leisa acceptance means, “This happened. So now what, what can I do about it? And the only thing you can do is control how you react to it.” When Leisa was raped as a young woman, she went to a therapist who helped her process all of her emotions and helped her learn it is okay to be angry. So, Leisa learned to process all of her angry emotions out on paper by writing it out in a journal. Then she’d burn the angry words and her anger would dissipate. For Leisa burning the pages is more effective than shredding the pages. You have to be willing to do the work. Often people feel stuck when they stop working on themselves. Take baby steps when you don’t know what is the next thing you can do. If you don’t know the next right step you can ask your brain, if we were pretending we knew what the next right thing was, your brain will fill in ideas. Sometimes when you are heading for burn out because you are doing too much, you have to pause and take time to breathe and do self-care. You will be better at doing all your other roles if you stop and take a day off now and then. Choosing to do things “happily or unhappily.” When you have a negative thought, dismiss it and then counter it with the truth or a positive thought. Asking the right questions is important when we encounter a difficult situation. If we ask, Why did this happen to me? Then your brain will find answer to it. So be careful to ask more productive questions like: How do I want to look at this? How do I want to approach it? What can I control? What can't I control? What can I do? What can I do about this? What good things can come out of this? Another idea is to take photo per day of something you’re thankful for that day.

Tips to Get You Out of a Dark SpotEase up on the self-judgment Give yourself credit for the little steps forward you make. Take focus off yourself by helping others. Do self-care. (Leisa’s favorite is to turn on music and dance in the bathroom). Moving physically can actually help you get unstuck mentally. Do positive self-talk. Let go and let God be in control. Talk to God if you are struggling to move forward, picture handing your problems over to Christ. Ask God to help you figure out how to take the next right step for you—especially if you are stuck.

Connect with LeisaLeisa blogs on her website https://cultivatinghealthandhappiness.com (cultivatinghealthandhappiness.com) There you will find resources, tips and more of her family’s experiences getting through hard times with happiness and joy. You can also download her...

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Have you ever thought, “Something needs to change around here,” when looking at your family? I invited my friend Mike Richards on to share a insightful poem and we chat about how changing something in our families starts with one big step. Episode Discussion Points When Mike shared this poem at an author retreat a couple of years ago, it really impacted me, and I wanted him to share it with my listeners. Mike has learned that sometimes when he gets inspiration, he has got to act on it, and that is where this poem came from—he wrote it in 30 minutes. The poem conveys a yearning for better work/family life balance and a desire to make an impact by making little daily changes in yourself. “If I wanted to change my family, I would…..” If you do want to change your family, you begin by leveling up yourself Reaching out to God in daily prayer at the beginning and end of each day If you put God first, He will bless you to know how to help your family. Asking Him to help you parent His/your children in a better way—and following those promptings. As parents we are often our own harshest critic. Teaching repentance and forgiveness by example. “If I want to see this ripple effect of change in my children, then I need to model it myself.”

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #family #faith #change #changeyourselfchangetheworld #changestartshere #JesusChrist

TranscriptionYou can find the transcription of today's episode here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/michael-richards-want-to-change-your-family-try-this

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As a homeless mother of six children, LaTarsha Holden began having dreams that she was speaking to people all over the world. On today’s episode she shares her journey from homeless to PhD and motivational speaker. Episode Discussion PointsHow she went from being homeless and being squatters living in an abandoned house to getting her PhD. What a pastor told her (that made her mad) and was the catalyst for her journey. What to do when your struggles outlast your strength. How she got help when she felt like she was drowning by going to the hospital Sometimes you can’t give your children all the fancy things they want—but you can give them love and teach them to serve and give back. Even when you don’t have anything, you can serve. Lead by example because children are watching you. aTips to young people and mothers: Lead well and leave a legacy God gives each of us gifts—be the best you that you can be. You have the power to change your gifts. Your gifts are your legacy. Teach your children your emotions and talk through hard times with them. Help them see how you struggle and keep going. “You are the generational curse breakers.” “Its not about who gets to the finish line faster. . . There is no competition when you are authentically you!” If you are wondering what your gifts are, ask: What really makes you happy (if money weren’t an issue) and pursue those things. “Just be who you are. It doesn’t have to be something grand.” God would tell you, “Use what I gave you.” “If you are faithful to God, God will take you places man cannot.” But don’t give up because its not overnight. Fulfill your vows to God. Will you serve when people don’t know you? Can you serve with the little that you have? Sometimes you can be delivered from homelessness or other challenges, but the residue, the doubt is still there. When she asked God why He allowed to her struggle so much and so alone she learned two things: He didn’t want others to take credit for her success when it was God helping her. She realized she needed her wilderness experience to build up her muscles and not give up as easily, to prove to herself she was strong. Sometimes when you are in the purging process, you feel like God is trying to kill you. But the purging process is there to purify and strengthen you and make you a warrior. Best advice to kids: Get to know God for yourself. Learn how to cry out to Him. Ask God for wisdom and guidance because He is the only one who knows about tomorrow. Focus on what God thinks about you—not what the world thinks about you. You walk and talk different when you know God has been with you and gotten you out of a struggle. There is an inner confidence.

Favorite Bible Verse“Jesus wept.” Jesus had a human side and it is okay to cry and have human emotions. He is Lord of Lords but he cried. He isn’t so above us that He can know what we go through. Dr. Holden ResourcesHer book, “No Longer Lost.” “Leadership Principles” book Parenting Guide, “Nurture Me So I Can Grow.” All of her books are on Amazon or on her website: https://www.drlatarshaholden.info/ (https://www.drlatarshaholden.info/) She is also an excellent speaker and can be booked on her website. She is also a coach if you need personal coach.

Connect with Dr. HoldenEmail: latarshaholden@yahoo.com Website: https://www.drlatarshaholden.info/ (https://www.drlatarshaholden.info/)

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #homeless #singlemother #Godshelp #NothingisImpossible #success #dontcompare #reachingyourdreams #workhard #change

TranscriptionYou can find the transcription of today's episode here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/dr-latarsha-holden-from-homeless-to-phd-with-gods-help

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A few weeks ago I had a listener reach out with a question about how she can learn to trust herself after being abused. Dr. Jennifer Finlayson-Fife joins us again to answer this question. Question From a Listener"I was sitting here, going thru some rather rough moments the past few days with this journey of healing from abuse that I'm on, and came upon a question that is really difficult for me. The question that has come to me is how do I learn to trust myself again after abuse has happened? Really trust myself, and not keep falling back into the traps of feeling the abuse was somehow caused by me, or whatnot? Where is trust in Me that lasts? Because it seems that I need to trust Me before I can really truly trust others, including the Savior. At least that's what I've read.” Episode Discussion PointsHow the brain begins to change how it views others after being abused Why abused children seem to feel they are the problem causing the abuse—that they are unlovable and deficient. One of the first steps is creating an accurate notion of God loving us unconditionally (instead of projecting our view of our imperfect parents on Him). This takes real faith and courage. “Faith is reaching in the dark for something better than where you are.” Once you know this, people who have struggled with abuse often need a trauma counselor to help them begin to look at life with the lens of truth. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy or trauma therapy helps abuse victims learn to understand the truth and put themselves in the mind of the abuser (sometimes) to see they were not at fault. Sometimes it is hard for people to learn to lean on the Savior if they have been abused—because it is an act of faith. Sometimes you feel you “don’t get it,” or don’t understand how God sees and loves you—but yet still act as though it is true.

4 Steps to Build Trust After AbuseFaith/Belief in another possibility Work with a good therapist, who can walk through “hell” with you and come back out into the light. This therapist will help you reprocess the meaning and see the truth of what really happened. Self-love is more something you do vs. something you feel.

”Do something hard as an investment in you.” “Your behavior is a step ahead of your feelings.” “The clarity of who you are comes after the behavior.”

Connect with Dr. Jennifer Finlayson-FifeListen to her story on my podcast —https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/jennifer-finlayson-fife-why-you-really-need-self-compassion?rq=Jennifer (Jennifer Finlayson-Fife: Why You Really Need Self-Compassion) https://www.finlayson-fife.com (Check out her website here.) She also has courses, workshops, and a podcast you can listen to on her website.

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #abuse #trauma #therapy #counselor #trust #help #healing #love #selflove #JenniferFinlaysonFife

TranscriptionYou can find the transcription of today's episode here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/can-i-learn-to-trust-myself-after-abuse

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Can a person with a bipolar disorder live a normal life? Julie didn’t know she had a mental health issue until she was in her late twenties, and once she got help learned to thrive. Episode Discussion PointsChanging the World One Story at a Time As a teen she started exhibiting symptoms of Bipolar disorder, but didn’t get diagnosed until her twenties So, Julie got into alcohol, and that is why what she writes tries to teach teens to stay away from it because she knows what it did to her. Julie describes bipolar disorder as like bugs crawling under your skin and no matter how much you scratch, you can get rid of the itch. So, that is why a lot of people with symptoms end up turning to drugs, alcohol or promiscuity to try to “self-medicate” and escape. Julie ended up getting pregnant in high school, but she feels getting pregnant saved her because she stopped drinking for the baby. After marrying her high school boyfriend who was an alcoholic, but she and her daughter were abused by him, until her mom helped her escape. If you or someone you love is in an abusive situation they need to escape you can call the National Domestic Abuse Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE or 1-800-799-7233. She went back to college, married her forever husband and figured out during a Chemistry class that the lithium she was taking often helped people with bipolar disorder. A psychiatrist was able to finally diagnose her and get her on medication. A story where the stress of a job almost killed her because she became so depressed. Coping mechanisms she has used: finding a safe place to retreat and decompress or getting a hug from her husband really help.

Connect With Juliehttps://www.authorjuliespencer.com (authorjuliespencer.com) You can also connect with her on Facebook as https://www.facebook.com/julie.spencer1 (Julie L. Spencer) You can also purchase any of her books on https://www.amazon.com/Julie-L-Spencer/e/B01AYOPVIC/ref=aufs_dp_mata_dsk (Amazon.)

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #bipolar #bipolardisorder #mentalhealth #suicide #help #healing #coping #abuse #alcoholism

TranscriptionYou can find the transcription of today's episode here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/julie-l-spencer-learning-to-live-with-bipolar-disorder

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The story of my son getting stuck on a boulder has some amazing life lessons and parallels we can draw from it about leaning on God and trusting Him to help us get unstuck. Episode Discussion PointsThe story of my son Jacob getting stuck on top of a boulder outside of Yosemite National Park. How I saw him and sent my husband to help him down. What my husband did to help him off the ledge How this story parallels God watching out for us and how he sends the Savior who: Invites us to come unto Him To trust Him To lean on Him as he bears our weight and helps us down How He will help each of us in to solve situations that are unique and different for each of us in a unique way

Bible Verse SharedMatthew 7: 7-117 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?Here we learn God wants us to ask, seek and knock. We also learn that if earthly parents can give imperfect help to their children, we need to trust God even more to provide the right solution when we are stuck.

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #stuck #paralyzed #help #needhelp #trust #comeuntome #JesusChrist #leanonGod #Godhelps #trustGod

TranscriptionYou can find the transcription of today's episode here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/stuck-in-life-try-this

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There was a day when the lights seemed to go out in Sara’s daughter, and the struggle for her life began as she battled depression and suicide. She shares the hard lessons learned as she struggled to find God in her extremity. Episode Discussion PointsWhy she loves to read more than watch movies Why life not turning out the way we expect can be a good thing (but maybe we don’t see it right away) The story of her teenage daughter coming into depression and wanting to do self-harm, having suicidal ideations How she felt so helpless and hopeless as a mother trying to help her daughter go through this. Her story is her story—perfectly designed by a loving God for her family. Everyone’s story is going to be unique for them. Depression can try your faith in God—because you often can’t feel Him there. As a parent she struggled comparing her daughter to other kids her age and what she thought she would be doing. Her daughter’s addiction to self-harm How she felt when she wasn’t getting the answer to prayers she wanted. The rough counsel she got one day, “You need to grow up in your prayers,” which helped her realize she had the answer to her prayers all along (but just didn’t realize it). As a parent you need to trust your gut Children do reach a point where they are ready to take responsibility for their own health and decisions How she felt reading her daughter’s suicide note in her journal, and the chronic worry that ensued How she chose to begin repeating the mantra, “I’m choosing faith!” when the fear felt so all-consuming. She reached a point that night where she realized she couldn’t save her daughter and that she had to be okay with whatever God’s plan was for her. From this point on she began to make choices based on faith instead of fear. The great advice she learned from a friends that she applied, “You can leave the church but you can’t leave our family.” Talk through what the situation of a child leaving the faith will look like with your spouse and family—and how you choose to love them. The negative thoughts she had after helping her daughter move in with her boyfriend as she left for college—leaving behind all she had taught her. The inspiration she had walking and grieving: As earthly parents we are supposed to be imperfect parents, but what was her intention 100%? If yes, then she did her best—it was enough. Move through the grief without the shame and guilt. We never grow from shame or guilt. Praying with gratitude for good and the bad in our lives and the lives of our loved ones—because ultimately it will lead them back to God. Why it’s important to write down what you believe at your deepest core. Example: “I believe my Heavenly Father is all-knowing, and He is always working out in front of me to make everything happen for my good and the good of those I love.” If you believe this then you can trust God will help life work out for your good—and you will have hope. Often when you are dealing with trauma you may not feel God is a part of your story. At those times, pray and ask God to show you how He IS a part of your story. It is not just you fighting the battle for your child—there are also loved ones—angels, who are there fighting with you. The example of Sara’s mom helping her daughter one dark night when she wanted to commit suicide. How she has gained so much love and compassion for those for whom suicide is a part of their journey. How God is with each person on their journey—even if that includes suicide. For those left—seek for peace until the understanding comes. “Pain is part of life,” Sara explained, “but suffering is optional.” For parents—don’t forget to fill your own cup because then you have so much more to give. A creative way to teach children the concept of why the focus of parents sometimes goes to another child who is in trauma. It’s a sacred privilege to be someone’s safe place.

Things to Try With a Loved-One Struggling with DepressionFirst, know there...

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Merry Christmas! As my gift to you this holiday season, I wanted to share with you the story of my newest story, A Broken Down Holiday: One Mother's Journey to Finding Christmas Again. Enjoy listening and have a joyful season.

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #story #holiday #christmasstory #abrokendownholiday #mary #widow #gifts #merrychristmas #JesusChrist

TranscriptionYou can find a partial transcription of today's episode here. https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/my-gift-to-you-a-broken-down-holiday

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What do you do when you have a family mystery in your family history? Is there any hope of resolving unsolvable adoptions? Listen to Wendy share the story behind how she became a genetic genealogist. Episode Discussion PointsWhat she does as Vice Chair for the Daughters of the American Revolution, Art/Heritage contest each year. What got her into genetic and forensic genealogy The fascinating story in her own family tree where she helped find her husbands biological family (since his dad had been adopted). How genetic genealogy ties into her new historical fiction book, Celtic Winter Should every adopted person find their biological family? “The truth shall set you free.” Every family is broken and we each get to choose which characteristics we emulate or which destructive cycles we stop. Self-care ideas: art therapy, exercise, cake decorating, OR family history. We’ve never discussed picking up family history as a hobby or as self-care on my podcast, but it is fun and addictive. As Wendy sayd, “I have not yet found an adventure that is more exciting than my family tree.” We are all family!

Ideas for Family Discussions this ChristmasAsk an older family member to tell you about their parents, or an uncle or a story from when they were younger or about their parents, their family home, favorite memory etc. Be sure to record them telling this story on your phone so you can have that piece of family history and share it. Family History presents: You can also ask for pictures and photo albums, letters journals and any original documents and get copies of those. There is usually a family “keeper” who has the copies of the family history. Go to https://www.familysearch.org/en/ (FamilySearch.org) and locate a center near you to be able to go and scan family documents for free, and then upload them onto your family tree on familysearch.org so that your entire family can have access to these documents.

Favorite Bible VerseMalachi 4:5-6, “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers.”For Wendy this Bible verse is all about family history and we are seeing hearts turning in our days as people look for and find out about their own families. Connect with Wendyhttps://knowmyroots.com (knowmyroots.com) https://wendywilsonspooner.com (wendywilsonspooner.com) Buy Wendy’s books: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/once-upon-an-irish-summer-wendy-wilson-spooner/1136084922 (Once Upon an Irish Summer) or https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/celtic-winter-wendy-w-spooner/1140487669 (Celtic Winter) on https://www.amazon.com/Celtic-Winter-Elizas-Story-Summer-ebook/dp/B09KQBMTWM/ (Amazon) or https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/celtic-winter-wendy-w-spooner/1140487669 (Barnes and Noble)

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #familyhistory #familymysteries #genealogy #adoption #familystories #geneticfamilyhistory #genetest #DNAtest #family #ancestors #books #historicalfiction

TranscriptionYou can find the transcription of today's episode here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/wendy-wilson-spooner-how-do-i-solve-my-family-mysteries

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What lessons can we learn from Mary the Mother of Jesus? I have found several which we can apply to our lives today. 5 Lessons from Mary Mother of Jesus These lessons are taken from the Bible in Luke 1:28-44 When we feel troubled, continue trusting in the Lord. God calls ordinary men and women to do extraordinary things. It's okay to talk to God and ask questions. Submit to the Lord with faith. If you feel alone after the prompting, watch for God to send a second witness.

InvitationAt this holiday season, I invite you to remember our Savior Jesus Christ, and the miracle of his birth and the faith of the women and the men around him. I also invite you to share this with those who may need some inspiration during this holiday season. I add my witness to that of Mary and Elizabeth and the angel that Jesus is the Son of God.

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #MaryMotherofJesus #Mary #faith #submit #askquestions #ordinarytoextraordinary #Christmasstory #JesusChrist #Christmas #BibleStory

TranscriptionYou can find the transcription of today's episode here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/5-lessons-from-mary-mother-of-jesus

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An aneurysm left Jeff paralyzed, but with miraculous perseverance he pushed himself daily to not only walk, but live life to its fullest. Episode Discussion PointsAs a 5-year-old the aviation bug bit him as he watched planes take off and land You don’t get do-overs in life, so spend time with family and loved ones while you can. Live with no regret. The death of her father and sudden death of his cousin Lessons with friends who committed suicide Be kind to all Don’t always assume things are okay Tell them you’re there for them unconditionally, always. Also realize you won’t always be there If you are grieving First, go into the bathroom and smile again Remember God is always there There are also family members and friends who are there and can be with you—even grieving groups Get outside, look around Keep moving forward every day You are your own advocate—concentrate your energy on find something good or that will make you happy. When people are depressed, they project the same sorrow into the future. Remind them they don’t know the future. Focus on getting through today. The aneurysm that paralyzed him He took life one breath at a time—”live your life in every breath.” Be thankful for the grace God gives to give you each moment and breath The advice he gave to a diabetic in the hospital who lost part of his leg—coming from a man paralyzed from the neck down Always look to give something back—even in your worst moment you can give something Super-power of laughter: Jeff’s goal was to help people laugh when they came to visit him in the hospital. He realized he still had a lot to offer. When Jeff woke up paralyzed he wondered where the instruction book was for this. Then he said, “When there is no instruction book for your life, write it yourself!” He determined even though he was paralyzed that he was going to walk out of that hospital Doing PT he couldn’t feel his body. He had to learn to think differently and take a leap of faith and try. Focus on what you can do and use your energy in a positive manner He had to motivate the PT to have him work. He gave 100% and he demanded 100% of them. Set goals—ridiculous as they might me, and work for them. How he walked without feeling his feet What paralysis felt like starting from zero all over again—no matter where you are you can figure out miniscule steps to move forward. His new job became working on overcoming paralysis The funny story he had climbing the Notra Dame Cathedral stairs 6 months later There are always two components to trauma and recovery—the physical component and the psychological. You have to work on both. Remember while you are working hard that life is going on around you—pause and be thankful for the world around you. You can still breathe, smell, see a sunrise, feel the rain, etc. This ties into Jeff’s favorite Bible verse, Psalm 46:10, “Be still and know.” Thank God for your journey—the good and the bad It took time for him to allow patience and mindfulness back into his life. Pilates and neuromuscular massage therapy are some of the treatments that helped him the most. Don’t put a limit on the progress you can make. “Don’t let ‘I can’t’ into my vocabulary.” “Do things because you want to, not because you have to.”

Connect with JeffreyBuy Jeffrey’s Book, https://www.amazon.com/Finding-Forward-Have-Will-Within/dp/1612544916/ (Finding Forward) Website: https://www.jeffreyamorse.com/ (https://www.jeffreyamorse.com/) Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jeffrey.a.morse.1 (https://www.facebook.com/jeffrey.a.morse.1) Instagram: @finding_forward Twitter: @Finding_Forward

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #paralysis #stroke #aneurysm #gratitude #babysteps #determination #courage #livelife #BibleVerse #BeStill #Laughter #Behappy #humor

TranscriptionYou can find the transcription of today's episode here:...

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Some of the amazing miracles that happened as I felt God guiding me to start a new project--writing a holiday booklet, A Broken Down Holiday. Episode Discussion PointsThe phone call and invitation to participate in a book signing with Richard Paul Evans which started the process. The idea that popped into my head at the airport of the story I should write. The strict timeline which seemed impossible to meet. The miracles and people who helped made the booklet possible When we trust in God, He will open the right doors for us Miracles really do happen today

A Little About the BookletThe booklet, A Broken Down Holiday: One Mother’s Journey to Finding Christmas Again, is based on the true story of my mother-in-law trying to get home for the holidays after she was widowed with a young son (my husband). She was left stranded to spend Christmas Eve in a bathroom stall, where she experienced some true miracles of Christmas. I interviewed my mother-in-law, Judy Cromar about her story losing her husband Dennis when their son was only 9 months old on my podcast. You can listen to her story here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/judy-cromar-asking-god-the-right-questions (https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/judy-cromar-asking-god-the-right-questions) Order A Broken Down HolidayLearn more about the booklet and order it here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/broken-down (https://www.tamarakanderson.com/broken-down) They make great gifts for family, friends and neighbors for under $5 each Use the discount code HOPE10 for a 10% discount through December 15, 2021

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #miracles #believe #trustintheLord #Christmasbook #Christmasstory #ABrokenDownHoliday #Bibleverse #Christmas

TranscriptionYou can find the transcription of today's episode here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/god-can-still-work-miracles

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Episode Discussion PointsShe was born during WWII in Czechoslovakia, and her family escaped to Denmark She immigrated to the United States alone as a 19-year-old A year after she came to California she married her husband and began to mother his two children. They eventually had 4 more children. The day that changed everything when her husband’s airplane went down and he died along with her two little children. As she felt like she was going to fall apart she chose to hold it together for her son, and felt enveloped in a cocoon of love by God The night she felt like the Savior was holding her heart in His hands, and often dragging her along when she didn’t feel she could go any further. A second tragedy occurred five years ago when her son and grandson died in another plane crash. The hardest part of this loss was the empathetic grief she had for her daughter-in-law and grandchildren who were left. Karin changed her perspective from thinking of her son and grandson lying on the ocean floor to thinking about them in heaven. You have to process the past and then choose to move forward Karin did marry again 4 1/2 years after her husband passed, and they have made a new life together.

Lessons from GriefIt comes in waves—its not constant, but when the waves hit you are completely inundated and pummeled in the surf. Hang on tight to God through prayer and scripture study through the rough times—and cling to faith, because sometimes it is all you have left. If you aren’t going to see a counselor, have at least 5 good friends who will listen to you without judgment as you go through grief. You can also process grief by writing it out, like Karin did when she wrote her book, Be Still. The day she chose to stay in bed and wallow in her misery she found it was so much worse, and she had to get up. Focus on what you still have and count your blessings How she considered suicide, but couldn’t leave her two other kids—so she stayed for them. Try to find and do things that make you feel happy again. For her this was taking her boys water skiing, had friends over, visited family etc. When you feel like you are in the dark tunnel of grief, just keep walking toward the pinprick of light in the distance. You will get through to the other side and find a new and different but good life there. In her darkest moments she remembered she hadn’t suffered like Christ and He understood and carried her. As she read books on grief she learned she could control her thoughts. If a negative thought came onto the stage in her mind she could dismiss it and replace it with a positive thought. Happiness will come again eventually if you want it and let it. “You don’t get over it. You get through it.” Loss is like a giant shadow that hovers around you for a long time—let the Savior help you and carry that heaviness.

Resources for Those Who are Grieving“Living with Death and Dying” or “https://www.amazon.com/Grief-Grieving-Finding-Meaning-Through/dp/1476775559/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=5+Stages+of+Grief%2C%E2%80%9D+by+Elizabeth+Kubler-Ross&qid=1637195600&qsid=135-5611665-7239210&sr=8-1&sres=1476775559%2C0684839415%2C1501192744%2C1471139883%2C1587613182%2C1585429139%2C073823477X%2C0684839369%2C0684839377%2C1617222380%2C1476775540%2C1641521317%2C0578667894%2C1402212216%2CB0948LLNB7%2C0380773384&srpt=ABIS_BOOK (On Grief and Grieving: Finding the Meaning of Grief Through the Five Stages of Loss)” by Elizabeth Kubler-Ross https://www.amazon.com/Grief-Observed-C-S-Lewis-ebook/dp/B002BXH5WU/ (“A Grief Observed,”) by C.S. Lewis https://www.amazon.com/Tragedy-Destiny-Spencer-W-Kimball/dp/0877476527 (“Tragedy or Destiny”) by Spencer W. Kimball, or you can https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/spencer-w-kimball/tragedy-destiny/ (listen to the talk here). Karin’s book, https://www.amazon.com/Be-Still-Karin-Larsen-Ford/dp/1649528760/ (“Be Still.”)

Connect with KarinOn Facebook as https://www.facebook.com/KarinLarsenFord (Karin L...

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Tired of being tempted and not knowing what to do? Today we look at a pattern Jesus used to battle temptation with the truth and see how we can apply it today. Episode Discussion PointsTired of all of the adversary’s increasing temptations Go through the story in Matthew 4:1-11 where Jesus is tempted How Satan says “if” to make us doubt Jesus knew who He was and I’m sure he affirmed it in his mind. Then he battled Satan with a bible verse Then he told him to go away. Remember to invite Jesus to be your battle buddy. You’re never alone in your temptations.

Jesus’ Pattern to Battle TemptationAffirm truth, (ex: I am a child of God). Quote scripture Tell Satan, to “Get thee hence.”

InvitationThink of what Satan tempts you with. Then think of a truth or an affirmation beginning with “I am or I can.” Next Google a Bible verse you can memorize to combat that temptation. You can put this on your phone either as audio or text to help you memorize it. Tell Satan to go away, in the name of Jesus Christ.

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #Temptation #battle #Jesus #power #Adversary #Satan #GettheehenceSatan #Bibleverse #notalone

TranscriptionYou can find the transcription of today's episode here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/how-do-i-battle-temptation-effectively

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Sheldon has battled depression, impulsivity and negative thoughts for many years, and in this episode he teaches tips and tactics to overcome these challenges and replace them with positivity. Episode Discussion PointsSome of the fun things he has built with his kids Mythbusting the perfect person/family “Everybody is fighting a battle you know nothing about.” Satan is attacking more frequently Comparing our blooper reel to everyone else’s highlight reel on social media isn’t accurate or helpful. It is okay to talk about and reach out when we need help. There are so many people out there who struggle with the same thing. We should be real on Social Media—don’t compare yourself to perfection. Dan Sullivan and Ben Hardy’s new book, https://www.amazon.com/Gap-Gain-Achievers-Happiness-Confidence/dp/1401964362 (The Gap and the Gain), has made him realize that he has been unhappy with his progress because he is always measuring where he wants to be instead of considering everything he had already accomplished. Quote from a talk he read recently called, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2021/10/35wilcox?lang=eng (Worthiness is Not Flawlessness,) “Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf has said: “God does not need people who are flawless. He seeks those who will offer their ‘heart and a willing mind,’ and He will make them ‘perfect in Christ.” Then Brad Wilcox continues, “So many have been hurt by broken and strained relationships that it is difficult for them to believe in God’s compassion and long-suffering. They struggle to see God as He is—a loving Father who meets us in our need and knows how to “give good things to them that ask him.” His grace is not just a prize for the worthy. It is the “divine assistance” He gives that helps us become worthy. It is not just a reward for the righteous. It is the “endowment of strength” He gives that helps us become righteous. We are not just walking toward God and Christ. We are walking with Them.” Satan wants us to focus on our shortcoming and sins while Christ wants us to focus on HIm and how He can help us. The story of how worthless he felt once when struggling with a compulsive behavior and he wondered if he was lacking in faith or if he was too weak for God to help him overcome. And although he didn’t get an immediate answer, God helped him figure out the next step with the feeling of hope. How to discern between thoughts coming from God and those coming from a bad spirit—especially when you are reliving the same thought or conversation or worry over and over. How Sheldon breaks the negative thought cycle by listening to audiobooks, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference?lang=eng (General Conference talks), and being persistent (because it usually takes a while to break the negative cycle). How if Sheldon can control his thoughts, and break the negative cycle, the positive feelings will follow. First step is to recognize the negative thought pattern and realize you need to change. Second, doing something to stop the negative cycle Then feeling better should naturally happen. Note: If you struggle with major mental health issues you may need to see a professional for help and medication. Then, don’t feel guilty for having negative thoughts—everyone has bad and hard times. How changing your perspective and looking at it differently—especially about those we interact with, can change everything. Sometimes we put thoughts and ideas other’s heads. To change our perspective we need to get closer to the one being who has the best and clearest perspective—and that is God. He knows the truth. Don’t be afraid to ask for help if you are struggling. Sometimes you may need professional help, and other times you may just need to cry on the shoulder of a friend. Watch for earthly angels to come in answer to your prayer (and don’t tell them you are “just fine” if God is sending them to help you.) In James Allen’s...

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Just what do baby chick hatching, a little boy under a blanket and feeling like God is forsaking us have in common? On today’s episode we talk about all three of these and how they teach of a merciful God who wants what is best for us. Episode Discussion PointsStory of my son’s Kindergarten teacher having baby chicks hatch in her classroom How my son mimicked what he saw by grabbing his blanket and hatching out of it while I hugged him and was so happy to see him when he “hatched. Why it is important to allow baby chicks to hatch on their own How chicks have all they need to break out of their shell—nutrients, an air sack and even a special tooth to help crack the egg. How God plays into this image of a chick pushing its way out of it’s shell—how He is there waiting and encouraging us to gain the strength necessary to move forward. My personal experiences feeling alone, forgotten and forsaken. How my perspective has changed as I think about God looking at us like a mother hen looks at her baby hatching. Bible verses that talk about: He sustains us Fear not Have courage God hasn’t forsaken us He sees the sparrows He has graven us on the palms of His hands He is preparing the way for us Someday He will be there to greet us as we finally break free of our shell and welcome us home.

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #babychickshatching #babychicks #hatching #growth #development #strength #Godisthere #Goddoesntforsakeus #Love #bibleverse

TranscriptionYou can find the transcription of today's episode here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/has-god-forsaken-me

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Jessica wasn’t sure why she started having hiccups when she was a teen, but was finally diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome. She shares positive lessons learned from her diagnosis and how she grieved the loss of her brother. Episode Discussion PointsThe new book she is writing about a French Countess in the 1800s who had Tourette Syndrome which will be called “Madamn” This is important to Jessica because she was diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome in her later teens/early twenties. What her childhood and adulthood looked like as Tourette’s gradually came on with her starting to make noises. “Stop trying to fix me. I’m not broken.” What Tourette Syndrome tics look like and the range—between the echolalia, the swearing, flipping people off or eye blinking. Each person with Tourette’s is unique and different. What it feels like to tic and how sometimes they pop out and other times they build up. The process she went through from being a shy child to being very vocal about Tourette Syndrome. First, recognizing ticking was just a normal bodily function Learn all you can about your diagnosis, and figure out how you can share your uniqueness in our culture—and create new rules for how we deal with different situations (like Tourette’s). The ability to create a new story for herself and how people deal with her with Tourette’s was so empowering. All an awkward situation is, “When we don’t know what the rules are.” “We are beings of creation just like [God] is. And we are also able to create. . . in the world around us.” Jessica has also dealt with the death of several close family members and friends, and has had to learn how to grieve. When Jessica’s brother was murdered in 2019 it was the hardest thing she had ever experienced. She wasn’t handling it very well—and then COVID hit and she had the time she needed to process her grief. She learned to evaluate—is this grief and bitterness serving me? If not, how am I going to change it? Different people are going to go through the grief and healing process differently. But just because they do it differently, doesn’t mean it is right for you. The beauty of being unique is we can each tap into God and ask Him to help us process grief the way that is right for us. Things which helped Jessica heal from grief: journaling prayer: talk to God and ask, “This is my new situation. How do I move forward?” God often then gives or helps us find baby steps to build upon. going to church or other holy places Sometimes God opens doors to healing which you might not traditionally think of but which will help you heal. Be open to those. restorative yoga tapping She started to see God in a lot of metaphysical practices which aren’t traditionally Christian. “This grief thing did open up new pathways and I found God there too.” Be willing to prayerfully keep trying different healing techniques God may guide you to until you feel whole. Each time you try a new technique it like putting different tools in your toolbox which you can then access and use to help you now or later. Be real. Don’t try to paste on a happy face if you’re not feeling that way. Sometimes we get embarrassed by our emotions, but it is good to be real. It is okay to feel grief. It isn’t going to go away magically. You will reach a point where you finish a crying session, and take a breath. Then, the key is to “move forward,” and take baby steps towards your new normal. The idea that destruction is actually part of creation. When something or someone is taken from us, it leaves a space to build, design, grow or create something new—A new normal in who we are becoming. “God sees the potential of who we can become.” Those who pass on are still with us in spirit

Tips for Helping Friends Who Are GrievingBring in meals, and perhaps ask if there is anything they need specifically Some of the best meals were pre-frozen so they could use it whenever they needed it You don’t have to “say” anything. Just go and...

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Justin Anderson shares the story of why choosing a good battle buddy was important while doing “killer push ups” during basic training and how this relates to God and life. Episode Discussion PointsJustin shares how during Army Basic Training he had to do “Killer Push Ups” and what that looked like. At first he chose a friend (who was smaller than him) to spot him during Killer push ups, but why he quickly switched to find someone big and strong How Justin was able to use this experience to realize it is so important to choose Jesus as our battle buddy in life because He will never let us down or let us fall flat on our face. He is strong enough to lift us when we are weak and worn out. How Justin was able to use this battle buddy analogy of having Jesus help him during a time when he was sick, in work and at home. Sometimes we don’t realize Jesus was there carrying us during a particular situation until after it is over. Then we need to remember to thank Him for His help and mercy. How to yoke yourself to Jesus so you can rely on Him as a Battle Buddy through the basics of daily prayer, and scripture study and going to church weekly.

Justin’s Favorite Bible VerseIsaiah 12:2, “Behold God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.”#tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #battlebuddy #killerpushups #JesusChrist #BibleVerse #Tips #Lessons #army TranscriptionYou can find the transcription of today's episode here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/choosing-the-best-battle-buddy-in-life

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Lynn Taylor tells about his recovery from a car accident (which nearly derailed him from becoming a fighter pilot) and a heartfelt experience God had with him as he helped one of his sons. Episode Discussion PointsThe incredible story of how he became a screenwriter and how his story is going to become a movie. The car accident that derailed his dream The miracle that happened for him to be released from the hospital so he and his fiance could still get married (in a full leg cast and in a wheelchair). How he was confident he would get back in shape, but if not it wasn’t going to be because he gave up. Lessons of patience when plans get delayed You need a team to support you in your life to help you achieve your dreams How he almost gave up on his dream during fighter pilot training due to sheer exhaustion, and the talk with his wife that kept him going. He believes life isn’t a test—it is more like a school. We are here to learn and grow. What Aristotle’s “golden mean” means to him How God looks at us as His children and His goals for us as His sons and daughters The transformative spiritual experience he had talking to his son one day when God taught him how he views all His children: with peace, compassion and love. Here is what he told his son, “I love you. Everything is going to be okay. Just don’t quit.” “You decide what goes on in your head and in your heart.” Let negative emotions flow through you and if you are stuck in an emotion like anger, you can ask God to help you get rid of it. He is always willing to take it. If you know you need to let something go, but are having a hard time, pray for the desire to let that feeling or emotion go as a baby step forward. In the midst of a POW training how he found a little bright spot and was able to pass a message of hope throughout his company by acting on it. “If you ever feel alone it is usually because you are looking inward, not outward.” Serve others, or allow them to serve you as needed. Serving and being served perpetuates love. God didn’t mean for us to live life alone. When life is like a hurricane, remember to “Be still and know that I am God.” God isn’t going to set you up to fail.

Some of my Favorite Quotes“The rough memories fall into shadow.” “As long as there was any chance at all, I was going to pursue it with every chance that I had.” “Life is like a gym. It is a mental, emotional, spiritual gym.” Your attitude may not influence your destination, but it definitely influences your journey.”

Connect with LynnWebsite: https://lynnsense.com/ (https://lynnsense.com/)

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #caraccident #recovery #fighterpilot #goals #dreams #resilience #children #love

TranscriptionYou can find the transcription of today's episode here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/lynn-taylor-how-i-believe-god-sees-us

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Do you hate waiting? Today we talk about 9 action steps based in Bible stories that you can take while you wait for God to open a door. 9 Biblical Actions to Take While WaitingKeep Working Pray Be Patient in Suffering Keep the Faith Repent Trust in God’s Timetable Remember Vengeance is the Lord’s Love and Kindness Work on obtaining the characteristics like hope, diligence, peace and purity

Psalms 37:7 “Rest in the Lord, and wait https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/ot/ps/37?lang=eng#note7a (patiently) for him.”

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #wait #waiting #Biblestories #work #pray #love #kindness #development #repent #patience #trust #vengeance #faith #characteristics

TranscriptionYou can find the transcription of today's episode here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/9-actions-to-take-while-waiting

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Reverend Christopher grew up being bullied which morphed into defending and loving all those who are bullied in life—no matter their race, religion or sexual orientation. He is on a mission to raise the love and kindness meter in the world today. Episode Discussion PointsHow he sees and photographs hearts everywhere in nature. Moving so many times as a kid he experienced bullying and became a defender of the bullied. God used “2x4’s” to help him find his purpose in the ministry. The best advice for people dealing with challenges is to keep moving. There are “blessons” (blessings in the lessons) of life. He and his wife are advocates for loving and serving the LGBTQ+ community. We are all one people and our purpose is to love each other. There is light at the end of the tunnel if we are willing to look for it.

Favorite TakeawayI loved how Christopher encouraged us to do the things that feed our souls—be it prayer, meditation, or dancing in the kitchen. Take care of yourselves and then be kind to others.

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #love #ministry #weddings #lessons #lifelessons #detour #bullied #LGBTQ+ #kindness

TranscriptionYou can find the transcription of today's episode here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/reverend-christopher-t-scuderi-love-and-raise-each-other-up Connect with Rev. ChristopherWebsite: https://universalheartministry.com/ (https://universalheartministry.com/)

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How to Cling to Hope with Long-Lasting TrialsHave you ever felt discouraged…like you wanted to give up? That whatever trial you have been facing has been long and hard and seems to never end? That you’ve been trying—so very hard to find the solution to your problem…but you can’t seem to figure it out?  What can you do to keep going?   Today I am going to share with you a great story from the Bible that we can apply today—it is known as the story of the woman with the issue of blood in the New Testament, Mark 5:25-34  3 Lessons from the Woman with the Issue of BloodResearch for Solutions with FaithResearch and ask God to guide you Talk to Experts Keep your ears open she had “heard of Jesus”

According to William Barclay’s commentary, the Talmud gave at least eleven possible cures for her ailment. She was also desperate, which can be a very good thing. Desperation keeps complacency and self-pity away. “When she heard people speak of the power of Christ, she believed and began to hope again for an ultimate cure. If she could just get to him. She had been in hiding so long that she felt she couldn’t just go up to him and talk to him. She was embarrassed and needed as private a cure as she could get. She devised a plan. If she could just touch his clothing for a second. She pushed her way through the crowd. A crowd that could turn on her if they realized that she was that woman, the one with the issue of blood. But she pushed through anyway. She was desperate. She got to touch his garment AND instantly the blood stopped, and she felt perfectly well. But she couldn’t remain anonymous as she wanted. Her feeling of triumph gave way to fear and trembling. What would he do to her? She fell down at his feet and humbly explained what she had done. And his response wasn’t anger. It was delight at her extreme faith."  2.   Act on Ideas, Thoughts and ImpressionsGod often answers line upon line…an idea here and there Take one step at a time—don’t be overwhelmed by 20 things all at once. Don’t give up when the first few things don’t work—keep trying. Keep hoping. (the woman tried different things for 12 years).

When you face obstacles, keep moving through them.

3.     Trust the Savior Can Heal in His own Time and WayBe patient as you wait on His timeline Ask Him to tell you if there is anything you can or should be doing while you are waiting Remember to pray asking for baby steps of miracles—while always adding, “thy will be done.” Sometimes God heals different things than we are praying for Praying for physical healing and he blesses you with emotional resilience Praying for mental health help—resources (medication/support) to cope you may be seeing physical health and he heals you spiritually The healing will happen through Christ eventually—maybe even in the next life (which lasts forever btw)

My Personal Experience Dealing With Long-Lasting Illness·      When Nathan was first diagnosed with autism I prayed God would heal him. He didn’t. ·      But, God did teach me little baby steps of healing for helping him with sound sensitivity and learning to sleep through the night. ·      It was still hard, but we moved forward with faith, the help of experts ·      We acted on the things we learned—bought medication, learned to make social stories, etc. ·      We leaned on God to help us with all the rest. ·      Don’t discount the baby steps of miracles along the way when you are praying for a big miracle.

ConclusionThe woman with the issue of blood researched solutions to her problem, acted on thoughts and impressions, and trusted that God would heal in His own time and way. From her story, we learned that it’s sometimes it takes time, patience, persistence and a lot of faith to carry on...

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Teinamarrie dreamed about competing in a Miss America pageant and making a difference in the world. She did both, and teaches us how to love all people—including those who have AIDS and are LGBTQ+. But love must always start within ourselves. Episode Discussion PointsHer experience with the Miss America Program How she learned to be elegant (for a tom girl) Why she kept going even when she didn’t win The question she asked the judges about wearing swimsuits and their answer The amazing lessons learned doing Miss America Personal Development Seminars Competing with yourself, and do better than you did before Walking and presenting yourself elegantly and with confidence Core values like integrity, family, truthfulness, loyalty Confidence comes from setting and reaching little goals The power of setting goals Interview skills Importance of being punctual The cool thing about learning skills is they stay with you the rest of your life, whereas wearing a crown is one and done. How her work in college with the Utah AIDS foundation led her to learn to love people unconditionally Why it is important to learn to love without conditions You can love people and not like them or agree with them. "The opposite of love is fear.” Why she and her husband started Transgender Education Advocates of Utah back in 2003 Her journey to love people as they are and not judge. To overcome a fear of people you need to first learn about them, and second interact with them and not have them be a faceless person. Keys to loving people—especially those who have hurt you Love yourself Forgive yourself and others Don’t judge or assume--Remembering you don’t know others situation Put yourself in their shoes Be brave to shine and be your best self. "Don’t dim your sparkle."

Favorite Quotes“It wasn’t about that crown. It wasn’t about the title, it wasn’t about the scholarship money. It was about helping us become the absolute possible woman we could be.” One of Teinamarrie’s coaches taught her, “We are not in competition with everybody else. We are in competition with ourselves.” “There is only one me. No one can compete with me.” “Shift out of road rage and shift into love” "If I want a more loving, welcoming, compassionate world, it starts with me.

Resources Teinamarrie RecommendsAny book or seminar by https://www.tonyrobbins.com (Tony Robbins) 'The Game of Life and How to Play It' by Florence Scovel Shinn 'Mama Gena's School of Womanly Arts'

Connect with TeinamarrieWebsite:Teinamarrie’s Treasures https://www.teinamarrie.com/ (https://www.teinamarrie.com/)

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #love #selflove #loveothers #AIDS #HIV #LGBTQ #transgender

TranscriptionYou can find the transcription of today's episode here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/teinamarrie-scuderi-a-more-loving-world-starts-with-me

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Have you ever wondered if you always have angels with you? Vinney shares what he has learned about angels, love and agency since his near death experience. Episode Discussion PointsWhere our spirit guides are beside us, and why we have more than one. Ancestra/Family guide (usually stands on your right) Spirit guides part of your spirit family (stands on your left) Also have guardians and higher guides All these guides work together to help you connect with God and get answers that are right for you and those you love. Who angels are and why they sometimes show up with wings Angels share God’s love for you purely God loves ALL His children all over the world. Therefore He has planted truth all over the world in different cultures. God wants all of His children to progress, grow at their own pace and come home to Him. “Through the grace of God we are going to go further than we think we deserve to go.” Because we are each unique God helps each of us build our own divine path which helps us achieve who we want to become. Why Vinney believes the writers of the US Constitution “divined” it’s principles so God could share His light with the world. There is an awakening happening right now to shine God’s light bigger and brighter. Why agency or freedom is so very important, and why you should guide people with love, not authority, as you exercise your agency.

Bible Verses SharedPsalm 91:11-12, 14 God’s angels are always with us and around us to help us because of His tremendous love for us, His children.

For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands. . . because he hath set his love upon me.Genesis 2:16-17 God gave us agency or the ability to choose from the very beginning.

“Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat; But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat.” Galatians 5:1, 13, 14 God made us free from sin, and we should share this love with the world.

“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.“Ye have been called unto liberty…by love serve one another.”“For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even this; Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.”InvitationPray for God’s love to help you as you love others through their good and bad choices. Remember He loves you through your choices and is committed to helping you grow at your own pace. God will also be with your loved ones and help them grow and progress and make choices at their own pace with their own angel guides.

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #angels #guaridanangels #Godslove #agency #choices #love #BibleVerses

TranscriptionYou can find the transcription of today's episode here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/why-youre-never-alone-or-beyond-gods-love

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When Vinney had an incredible near-death experience, he learned just how much God loves him, and how much he should love himself. Listen as he shares his incredible journey to heaven and back again. Episode Discussion PointsHow Vinney died and what he saw. The miracle that saved him physically (even though he was dead) The smothering fear he felt when he realized the body he was watching was his body and the immense feeling of love he felt that saved him from this darkness. How God’s immense love in that moment was enough to save him from a lifetime of pain The guide who came and took him on a journey How Vinney’s guide asked him about/taught him some Important principles before they could progress Being authentic: which means being the same you no matter who you are with because, “until we can be authentic with ourselves we can’t grow.” Authentically love ourselves—“You can never truly love anyone outside you until you love inside you first.” Time isn’t measured in heaven, and Vinney saw people of different cultures, faiths and time there in heaven. Heaven looked like a ginormous star as he approached, but it was a planet a million times bigger than earth that shone. The interesting “pearly gates” that surround heaven as a decompression spot to get rid of their negative energy so they then keep progressing The concept that we each progress only as quickly as we allow ourselves to progress How you don’t have to communicate verbally in heaven—you just think it and it is easier to understand. Heaven is so bright and energetic that our normal human eye couldn’t abide it. Vinney explains how there are a hundred million colors in heaven and mountains, rivers, flowers and trees. When Vinney’s feet “touched down” in heaven he felt like he plugged into God’s love The beautiful opalescent buildings in heaven were built out of “loving consciousness.” God asked the building to exist and it formed itself out of that love. The place of learning Vinney visited where people learn pure knowledge. Since he “came back” Vinney has become more aware of the light and patterns all around here on earth. We have quite a bit of growing to do to return to live with God at His level in His dimension Vinney explains what frequency is by using the story of Jacob’s ladder in the Bible. Every choice we make can move us up or down the scale. “If you want to learn to raise your frequency, come from the perspective of love.” If you lash out in anger at a fellow human being, you are only hurting yourself because “we’re all different fingers on one hand.” Feeling anger and that you can’t forgive someone is “like drinking poison and hoping someone else gets sick.” As Vinney coaches people with marital challenges, he finds a lot of people who say, “He doesn’t make me happy.” To which Vinney replies, “The only person who can make you happy is you.” What coming back to his body was like and why he felt claustrophobic. The humorous situation at the hospital with the staff after he came back. How at first he didn’t remember his near death experience and how talking to his sister a day later brought it back to his mind. Why he felt suicidal after he came back. The changes he made once he came to terms with being back on earth We all have spirit guides here on earth There is no reason to fear death If you are missing a loved one, remember that this life is the pit stop on the road of eternity—be patient, allow yourself time to heal, and remember you can be with them forever. If you think positively and with love about loved ones who have passed on, you can get your own signs that they are okay. How we can connect and tune into the divine and into our higher frequency.

Some of my Favorite Quotes from the Episode”We are kings and queens of the most high God, and we don’t act like it.” “You can never truly love anyone outside you until you love inside you first.” “The whole reason we are here is to learn to make choices.” “We...

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What do you do when you feel you or someone you love is in a dark place? How do you turn up the light? Episode Discussion PointsStory of my husband and I visiting Natural Bridge Caverns near San Antonio, Texas How dark and isolating true darkness feels We all pass through dark times Bible verse John 8:12, "I am the light of the world. He that followeth me, shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." And why that was symbolic during the Feast of the Tabernacles. Times when I felt dark Things we can do to connect to the Savior when we feel like we are in dark times. How God helped me learn to teach my kids a really cool object lesson about turning up the light inside of ourselves. How we are each connected to God by a kind of spiritual umbilical cord and things we can do to turn our brightness up and then shine light to the world. Why it is important to learn to avoid things that bring us down or increase the darkness within us. The song, “The Lord is my Light” and what those words mean to us today. Invitation to increase your light so that darkness will depart.

A Favorite Quote“No matter how dark the night is, morning always comes. And don't you think God is teaching us something by that pattern every single day? Maybe it's a dark and cloudy day, and a dark and cloudy night. But the sun rises the next day.”#tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #darkness #light #help #cave #tips #story #Bibleverse #JesusChrist TranscriptionYou can find the transcription of today's episode here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/got-darkness-get-light

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Stephanie has battled bulimia, depression and the loss of loved ones in her life. Listen as she shares how leaning on God and family have helped her pull through with faith. Episode Discussion PointsStephanie’s struggle with bulimia as a teen which followed her into adulthood. How she finally talked to her husband about her struggle with bulimia and his response which helped her change—”Let’s do this together.” How even 17 years after stopping binging and purging she still feels tempted to go throw up. How Stephanie battles her inner voice with the truth: Purging doesn’t make her feel better. How she has chosen to be open and honest with her husband and children about her struggle and has tried to teach by example that you can lose weight healthily. (She lost 80 pounds by exercising and lifting weights 4 times per week). Stephanie’s 1-2-3 punch to start her day powerfully with God on her side: studying God’s word, talking to God in prayer and listening to praise music to combat her negative thoughts. When her husband was not around to help her and she felt unworthy or unloved, Stephanie leaned on God to speak the truth to her through the scriptures: “I’m fearfully and wonderfully made.” God does not make mistakes. He made you beautiful and perfect for you. “There is no condemnation in Christ Jesus.” Surround yourself with people who love you and will help you. Stephanie found one of the keys to overcoming bulimia was being completely honest with her husband and with God. If she made a mistake, she would tell her husband. He would pray with her and then she would pray and talk to God about it as well. We were not meant to live life alone. How to combat the negative voices in her head when she made a mistake—constantly falling on her knees at the feet of Jesus to beg for help, strength, forgiveness, and begging for Him to walk with her. Post favorite motivating scripture verses all over your house to remind you God is there and loves you. What depression has looked like for her all of her life—feeling so alone The advice a therapist gave her about journaling and writing that helped her immensely God is with her in her dark, lonely places as she invites Him in through studying his word and prayer. He doesn’t always make it better, but He stays there with her. The tragedy of losing her sister to cancer during 2020 and learning to grieve and mourn and heal when they were locked down. She also lost her uncle to COVID. How she vented and cried to God and how He lovingly consoled her and reassured her He hadn’t taken the wrong child (her). Why it is important to be real to God with all the emotions you are experiencing (even and especially anger.) She can still talk to her sister in heaven. Reminding herself she will see her sister again. The concept that we are and can be victorious, “beauty from ashes,” and God can turn our weaknesses into strengths. Be patient. Our struggles allow us to help us empathize and then help others who have similar struggles. Stephanie started writing years ago—so she started writing fantasy because she wanted to live in another world. Stephanie’s Zelina trilogy can be found here: https://www.authorstephaniefaye.com/ (https://www.authorstephaniefaye.com/)

Ways to Help People Struggling With DepressionGive them a hug Say/text “I love you. I’m thinking of you.” Pray with them Take them to lunch Don’t say, “Snap out of it. Choose to be happy.” (They would if they could). Say, call me when you need help. Then listen with love and without judgment.

Connect with StephanieWebsite: https://www.authorstephaniefaye.com/ (https://www.authorstephaniefaye.com/) Instagram: @stephaniefaye_books Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/s.faye.books (https://www.facebook.com/s.faye.books)

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #bulimia #depression #connection #scripturestudy #prayer #music #battle #negativity #worth #grief #death #truth...

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The other day people were sharing stories of miracles at church and I wanted to stand up and say, "And sometimes God says no." Sometimes the miracle doesn't happen. What then? When God Says No: 4 Lessons From the Book of Job1. Hard Things Happen to Good PeopleThe very beginning of the book of Job opens with this verse: “There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright and one that feared God and eschewed evil.” (Job 1:1)Then Job's life derailed and fell apart. NOTE: Job’s suffering didn’t come because he was bad, but because he was so faithful to God. (Job 1:8) 2. Friends May Fail Us, But God Never DoesJob’s three friends call him a wicked man and a hypocrite. Finally Job confronts them by saying: “Miserable comforters are you all!”“My friends scorn me; but mine eye poureth out tears unto God.” (Job 16:2, 20)Even his wife tells him to “Curse God, and die.” (Job 2:9) But he answers her wisely: “Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?” (Job 2:10)Three of my favorite statements from Job are these:  “Though he slay me, I will hope in him.” (Job 13:15)“For I know that my Redeemer lives, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth. And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh I shall see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another.” (Job 19:25-27)3. Trials Can Be for Our Good“But he knows the way that I take; when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.” (Job 23:10)4. Hope on--Blessings Come EventuallyIn the last chapter of Job, he again humbles himself before God with an increased perspective that he should pray for his friends (even though they were unkind to him). Repentance, humility and forgiveness were a great stepping stone for Job. Job’s prayer then released blessings and opened the windows of heaven! “The Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.. . . So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning.” (Job 42:10, 12)ConclusionWhat do you do when God says “no” and you don’t get the miracle you are looking for? When my two sons were diagnosed with autism no matter how hard I begged, pleaded and prayed the answer was no. I learned these same lessons as Job. 1). No matter how good I was, this challenge was part of my life. 2). That God never failed me--in fact because I was so overwhelmed and weak day in and day out I had to lean heavily on Him to survive. 3). This trial and challenge of autism in my family has been for my good. I have learned so much and am a better person because of it. 4). Blessings have come into my life because of this challenge and I feel blessed and honored to have had God bless me with children who struggle.

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #Godsaysno #Job #BibleStory #trustGod #trials #challenges #hard times #faith #testimony #JesusChrist

TranscriptionYou can find the transcription of today's episode here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/when-god-says-no-4-lessons-from-jobs-story (https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/when-god-says-no-4-lessons-from-jobs-story)

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As the mother of 3 adopted children (two with Down syndrome), Heather Avis has a passion to shout the God-Given worth of every person! She loves celebrating inclusivity and how we are each different and unique. https://contestpearl.com/EYi7Ev2tXbCkAQtOszWD (Enter to win a FREE copy of Heather’s New York Times Bestselling Children’s book, Different - A Great Thing To Be! )  The contest ends August 11th 2021 at midnight. Episode Discussion PointsFun had yard saling in Southern California How she felt life was so unfair when she and her husband couldn’t get pregnant How she was angry and vented to God like a tantruming child, and how He loved her through it all. What her most frustrating moment with God looked like when she was going through the adoption process. Sometimes God gives us gifts that we unwrap and the present isn’t what we were hoping for. At those moments we need a shift in perspective, and realize God is the giver of good gifts. How they adopted their daughter with Down Syndrome, heart and lung conditions and were able to have front seats to miracles. When you are blessed with a child with special needs, your life changes, and there is a grieving period for your expectations, but it also opens you up to “the other side of things” where you get to glimpse divinity. When asked, “How do you do that?” Heather answered, “You do the thing you have to do for your kid,” whether it be open heart surgery or whatever else they are dealing with. The stories of adopting her three children, two with Down Syndrome and congenital heart defects, and one typical child. How her perspective on adoption has changed (For more details see separate section below). We need to shift the narrative from adoptive parents being the heroes to they are just a part of the triad along with birth families (where possible) and the child being adopted. Starting her group, “The Lucky Few” as a voice for parents of Down Syndrome children. Writing her books, https://www.amazon.com/Lucky-Few-Finding-Unlikely-Places/dp/0310345464 (“The Lucky Few,”) and https://www.amazon.com/Scoot-Over-Make-Some-Room/dp/0310354838/ (“Scoot Over and Make Some Room.”) Her dream of writing a children’s book, and how that came to be her New York Times Bestselling book, https://www.amazon.com/Different-Great-Thing-Heather-Avis/dp/0593232658 (“Different - A Great Thing to Be!”) We also had a great discussion on how we promote inclusivity from the time people are young. Heather’s favorite Bible verse is: 1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18, “Rejoice always. Pray continually. Give thanks in all circumstances for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” For Heather this means she can rejoice and pray always. God is God—period! She can trust in Him and His plan no matter what.

Heather’s Perspective on AdoptionHeather’s perspective on adoption has changed from her getting a baby to having different goals when a child is born. This is how she thinks people should look at adoption: Keeping families intact by giving birth families support; Look at kinship adoption Look at adoption within their same race. Interracial adoption

ALL with the idea of what is best for the child and that there will always be a birth family who is important to the child who are not a threat. Book TrailerCheck out the fun book trailer for Different - A Great Thing to Be! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_Q5QzKEV14 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_Q5QzKEV14) Favorite Quotes by Heather Avis“Hard is not bad. Hard is just hard.” “Motherhood is the hardest gig—raising another human.” “God’s holiness doesn’t hinge on me getting pregnant or not.” “When you are hurting and broken, God is hurting and broken with us.”

Connect with HeatherInstagram @theluckyfewofficial Website: https://www.heatheravis.com/ (https://www.heatheravis.com/)

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #adoption #downsyndrome #inclusivity #different #worth...

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How do we battle a World full of crazy commotion? What do you do when you need answers, peace or stillness? This one secret will help. What is the secret? How do people do it?  The Story of ElijahWell, I’m going to take us back to a story in the Old Testament about the prophet Elijah and see if we can learn an important principle. Do you remember Elijah? He is the one who had the competition with the prophets of Baal to see whose God was the true God by asking them to have their God bring down fire from heaven to consume the sacrifice. And Elijah’s God did. He burned the sacrifice and the people fell on their knees. But wicked queen Jezebel was mad that Elijah killed the prophets of Baal and sought his life.   So, he fled to the wilderness, and begged God to die—Talk about commotion and probably what felt like the whole world coming after you. God strengthened him by an angel and then invited him to come to a mountain to talk to Him. Elijah did. He went to the mountain and hung out in a cave where he told the Lord everything going on in his life and how he felt: —I have done what I was supposed to —I am alone —they are trying to kill me   Then God tells him to go stand on the mountain before God and this is what happened: 1 Kings 19: 10-11And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake:And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. When Elijah heard the still, small voice of God communicating with Him, God told him exactly what he needed to do to solve his problems. And He did. When Life is in Commotion1. Find a Quiet Place where we can Be Still 2. Expect Commotion will find you--Don’t be discouraged if when you are trying to be quiet you are interrupted—wind, earthquake or fire 3. Persist in trying to be still and inviting God to be with you and He will answer you like he Did Elijah How We Apply the Secret of StillnessRemember the story of Julianne, when the world fell apart for her—she found a quiet place in the cupboard under her stairs which she called her “Harry Potter Room.” There she communed with God. There He taught her of her worth and what she should do to solve the myriad of problems she was dealing with. I too have felt like hit the accelerator. and I too have found places of stillness—but it hasn’t been the same place. Sometimes my place of stillness is in my car. Other times my car is way too noisy with kids   Lately one of my still places is walking. I used to walk with my headphones on listening to audiobooks or talks. But lately, I have craved more stillness and I left the headphones at home and spend my walks talking to God.   I have also found stillness waking up before everyone else and sitting on my back lawn or in my office.   My point is—you can find stillness in many places—from the cupboard under your stairs, to mountains, to offices. God will meet you in your stillness and commune with you as you invite Him to be a part of your life.   Just this week I was wondering how I could help my daughter with a challenge. I had talked to God about it and kept pondering what was the right solution. Then this morning, while I was walking—a solution just popped into my head. To me, that is God speaking. But would that solution have come if I had earbuds in and was listening to something else? Probably not.   I believe God is trying to communicate with us often, the question is, are we still enough to listen?   As He invites in Psalm 46:10, “Be still, and know that

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Julianne Donaldson never thought she would struggle with depression or go through a divorce. But, she clung to God to help her find her true self amidst her darkest moments and wrote a beautiful new book, "Come Sweet Day: Holding On to Hope in Dark Times.” Episode Discussion PointsFavorite place she has ever lived was Germany and she has a huge bucket list of places she wants to still visit and things she wants to do. Going from normal busy young family to looking to get a divorce in the matter of a year or so. Confronting the idea that you “never put kids through a divorce” and the hard question, “At what point is staying worse than leaving?” When the decision became divorce or suicide because she felt like the fate of the family was resting on her shoulders The answer Julianne received from God when she felt so burdened How she moved from feeling worthless to loved How trusting God helped deliver her, and how God walked that road with her. How both staying in her marriage and leaving her marriage she did “for the sake of her kids” and she let her love for them and hope for them pull her forward. She had to be unshakable in her conviction to divorce because so many people tried to dissuade her. But she knew what God told her to do. Why it is so important to support people in their choices and decisions when they are making them with God’s help. The amazing book of heartfelt poetry Julianne wrote called, “Come, Sweet Day: Holding on to Hope in Dark Times.” In her Harry Potter room under the stairs, she had an epiphany as she read a scripture that told her to stand up and take her chains off and get up out of the dirt. Why noticing small and large details in nature helped Julianne feel God’s love when she was feeling lonely. What Julianne did when she felt like the devil had grabbed her by the ankles Taking time to talk to God about everything Being patient and courageous during the long waiting period while you are healing Struggling with depression, hope and optimism don’t come naturally to Julianne, but she discovered that both hope and optimism are a choice. They are also like a muscle that you can work on every day. How sometimes she just had to hold still and let the world wash by because it was all she could do to hold her spot. Why it is important to remember spiritual experiences when you are feeling down. Use all the tools in your toolbox to keep you from sinking into depression: therapy, medication, exercise, journaling, meditation, praying, connecting with God or someone she loves, etc. How Julianne starts each day: Listing 3 things in her journal she is grateful for and 3 things she is excited for. This helps her start her day off in a positive way. 15-second hug time!

My Favorite Julianne Quotes from the Podcast Episode“There is no life plan that is one size fits all.” “God loves us enough to rearrange heaven and earth for us to show us His love.” “I can practice hope so my hope becomes more and more buoyant.”

Tips to Rebuilding WorthFind a good therapist who can help sort through the lies and find the truth. Connect with God in a quiet place (Julianne had her Harry Potter room under the stairs). Unpacking a lot of pain to figure out why she had lost her self and allowing healing into her life. Making a list of her “True Self” characteristics like “I’m joyous” and reminding herself of them frequently.

Connect with Julianne DonaldsonWebsite: https://www.juliannedonaldson.com/ (https://www.juliannedonaldson.com/) Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJulianne (https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJulianne) Instagram: @writerJulianne Buy Julianne’s new book, https://www.amazon.com/Come-Sweet-Day-Holding-Writers/dp/1629728446/ (“Come, Sweet Day: Holding on to Hope in Dark Times”) on Amazon or at your favorite book store.

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #depression #selfworth #divorce #connection #optimism #therapy #newbook...

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Have you ever had an impression to do something that scares you? Today I share the ICAN steps to help you overcome fear and reach your goal. (Plus you get a sneak preview of my new song, Don't Give Up.) What do you do when an intriguing but scary idea pops into your head, and you're pretty sure God wants you to take some action? 4 Simple Steps to a Achieve a Scary GoalLet me introduce the acronym ICAN to help you remember 4 simple steps. Impression/Inspiration Communicate with God Act on baby steps Navigate continuously until you reach your goal

The Project I've Been Working for 1 and 1/2 yearsTo show you how I have used the ICAN method, I am giving my podcasting audience the first peek at a new song I have felt God prompting me to share for the past couple of years. This project scares me and excites me all at the same time. The problem: I knew absolutely NOTHING about producing a song professionally even though I have been writing music since I was a teenager. My New Song: Don't Give UpI was so inspired by Nina's story of sharing her very personal music this past week. After the podcast recording was over, she and I sat and chatted about I, like her, felt God nudging me to share my music as well. I was very candid and had some open conversations with God--like, what the heck? One more thing to learn? Wasn't podcasting and writing a book enough? But, with a LOT of help from some amazing people, I have navigated this scary new arena with success and am please to share my new song, Don't Give Up.

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #newsong #sneakpeek #musicpreview #goals #keepgoing #dontgiveup #moveforward #progress #fear #overcome

TranscriptionYou can find the transcription of today's episode here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/4-simple-steps-to-a-achieve-a-scary-goal

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Nina’s life was altered the day her teenage son came home from school with yellow eyes. She learned to courageously choose God and gratitude along her detoured path. Episode Discussion PointsWhat growing up in her home looked like The car accident that changed everything Why she climbed out the window to escape her father How the things her mother taught her came back to her memory What she used to sing when her parents were fighting downstairs and how it brought her peace The day life changed for her son The tips Nina used to keep her strong through the 17 year battle for her son’s life How asking the question “What can I be grateful for in this moment?” helped her keep going How she felt when the doctors said they had done all they could do How a woman in an elevator became Nina’s angel The things she was grateful for when her son passed away Why the saying, “This too shall pass,” meant to her—especially when it lasts for a long time How Nina learned that every breath is a gift, and how it motivated Nina and her family to begin living without regrets and experience life in its fullness. Don’t let fear hold you back from reaching your full potential and how NIna finally was courageous enough to share her music and talents. How Nina’s love for others overrides her fear of being onstage and sharing her music. How Nina got involved with Women of Worth and the amazing organization it is.

One of My Favorite TakeawaysI loved how Nina talked about having gratitude even when her son died. At first I thought she was crazy to try to think of things to be grateful for at that point, but as she began listing them, I realized God taught Nina so much through her journey—and although it was awfully heart-breaking, she could still find joy amidst as she was thankful. ResourcesMusic has always been a great resource for Nina—soft classical or meditation on Pandora. Caregiver support groups—there are support groups for everything. Ask and find them. They can become your tribe. Chicken Soup for the Soul books. https://www.amazon.com/Path-Home-Henry-B-Eyring/dp/1629722537/ (“On the Path Home,” by Henry B. Eyring) https://www.amazon.com/Consider-Blessings-True-Accounts-Lives/dp/1609077164/ (“Consider the Blessings,” by Thomas S. Monson) You can also listen to Nina’s music and imagine getting a hug from her here: https://www.ninaangelalee.com/music (https://www.ninaangelalee.com/music) or on Spotify or YouTube.

Connect with NinaWebsite: https://www.ninaangelalee.com/ (https://www.ninaangelalee.com/) Facebook as Nina Angela Lee Nina’s email: nina@ninaangelalee.com Women of Worth Website: https://www.wowutah.org (wowutah.org)

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #gratitude #grief #autoimmunedisease #death #lessons #angels #supportgroups #womenofworth #WOWutah

TranscriptionYou can find the transcription of today's episode here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/nina-angela-lee-courageous-gratitude-amidst-grief

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Did you know that some meditations are proven to reduce stress? Today Christian Yoga Instructor, Katy Willis, teaches us the Kirtan Kriya. If you would prefer to watch today’s episode as see the techniques Katy teaches, watch the YouTube version here: Episode Discussion PointsKaty tells us how she got into Yoga and Meditation and how it helps her Katy teaches us the interactive and proven method of the Kirtan Kriya meditation How the chants in this particular meditation relate to Jesus Christ and Christianity How our mind is uniquely wired and our Savior can help us as we learn to process things in our unique way. Why it is important to find stress relieving techniques that work for us so we can build our mental reserves for the challenges we face.

If you would like to hear Katy's story, you can listen to it here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/katy-willis-how-to-be-still-amidst-trauma (https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/katy-willis-how-to-be-still-amidst-trauma) If you would like to hear Katy’s intro to breathing techniques, you can listen to it here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/stressed-try-these-3-breathing-exercises (https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/stressed-try-these-3-breathing-exercises) ResourcesMeditation write up: https://mindworks.org/blog/different-types-meditation-technique/ (https://mindworks.org/blog/different-types-meditation-technique/) Katy’s free 11 minute Kirtan Kriya recording: https://soundcloud.com/user-820416336/11-minute-kirtan-kriya (https://soundcloud.com/user-820416336/11-minute-kirtan-kriya) Be sure to click on the picture to find the links to the studies that have been done on this meditation as well as Amazing proven benefits of the Kirtan Kriya: https://kripalu.org/resources/incredible-power-kirtan-kriya-conversation-brain-health-and-longevity-dr-chris-walling (https://kripalu.org/resources/incredible-power-kirtan-kriya-conversation-brain-health-and-longevity-dr-chris-walling) The written instructions for the Kirtan Kriya: https://www.3ho.org/kirtan-kriya (https://www.3ho.org/kirtan-kriya) Katy’s "Rooted" yoga therapy course I mentioned during the interview where we address the mind from both the "top down" and the "bottom up:" https://be-still.teachable.com/p/http-be-still-teachable-com-p-roots (https://be-still.teachable.com/p/http-be-still-teachable-com-p-roots) Instructions to other Kundalini yoga meditations: https://www.3ho.org/kundalini-yoga/meditation/featured-meditations (https://www.3ho.org/kundalini-yoga/meditation/featured-meditations) Katy’s favorite mantra translation site: http://www.spiritvoyage.com/mantra (http://www.spiritvoyage.com/mantra) Katy’s other top three recommendations for beginners (Kirtan Kriya is #1)

2 is Sat Kriya: https://www.3ho.org/articles/everything-kriya-sat-kriya (https://www.3ho.org/articles/everything-kriya-sat-kriya) and

3 is Long Ek Ong Kars: https://www.3ho.org/kundalini-yoga/sadhana/aquarian-sadhana/long-ek-ong-kars (https://www.3ho.org/kundalini-yoga/sadhana/aquarian-sadhana/long-ek-ong-kars);

Other great meditations

1 The Meditation for Healing Addictions: https://www.3ho.org/3ho-lifestyle/health-and-healing/meditation-healing-addictions-0 (https://www.3ho.org/3ho-lifestyle/health-and-healing/meditation-healing-addictions-0)

2 Meditation for Release of Cold Depression: https://www.3ho.org/3ho-lifestyle/healthy-happy-holy-lifestyle/happy/meditation-release-cold-depression (https://www.3ho.org/3ho-lifestyle/healthy-happy-holy-lifestyle/happy/meditation-release-cold-depression)

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #meditation #kirtankriya #stressrelief

TranscriptionYou can find the transcription of today's episode here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/need-a-proven-stress-reliever-try-kirtan-kriya (https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/need-a-proven-stress-reliever-try-kirtan-kriya)

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Krista Isaacson had 30 hours from the time her two-year-old daughter was diagnosed with a brain tumor until she passed away. She shares her incredible journey of faith and learning to lean on God through this unbearable burden. Discussion PointsThe crazy shenanigans Krista’s daughter Elora got into as a young girl The day everything changed The blessing of having family close by to help, support and love. Battling between extreme fear and faith Her thoughts while pacing the floor waiting for diagnosis Juggling grief upon diagnosis while watching her daughter battle for life How God helped and sustained her through two sleepless nights How she felt angels with her An agonizing decision when she didn’t want to pray to know the answer Courageously submitting to God’s will The sacred moment of death The downward spiral Krista went through and what pulled her out Be patient with yourself on your journey

Lessons LearnedGod can see what's coming on our path, and He puts things in place ahead of time to soften the blow, to help us endure the hardship, and so that we can see his hand and know he's with us. How Krista thought God was asking something horribly cruel of her when Krista had to choose to take her daughter off of life-support. But this decision opened the door to one of the most sacred experiences of Krista's life. WE DO NOT have to carry burdens alone. Christ has enough strength and love to help us all. And if I let him pull the heaviness alongside me, I find rest and my burdens become light. He will walk beside me and you always if we ask him to. Heaven is real, and we WILL see our loved ones again someday.

Comforting Bible VersesJohn 14: 18-- "I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you." Psalm 55:22-- "Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee." Matthew 11: 28-30-- "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest until your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Resources for Those Struggling with Griefhttps://www.amazon.com/Tear-Soup-Recipe-Healing-After/dp/0961519762/ (Tear Soup: A Recipe for Healing After Loss) by Chuck DeKlyen and Pat Schwiebert I love this picture book. A beautiful, simple parable accessible for all ages, educating readers about the grief process, and granting permission for each person to grieve individually, uniquely. https://www.amazon.com/Gateway-We-Call-Death/dp/0875799531 (The Gateway We Call Death by Russell M. Nelson) President Nelson, a world renowned surgeon and special witness of Christ, provides a better understanding of death from both medical and theological points of view. An excellent source for questions about death and the after-life. https://www.amazon.com/Continuous-Atonement-Brad-Wilcox/dp/1606410377/ (The Continuous Atonement by Brad Wilcox) If ever we need reassurance of Christ's love and power to heal, it's when we are grieving. With love and a touch of humor, Brother Wilcox reminds us that the Savior can and will do all he has promised and that he'll be with us continually. "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezGzcuAfyBE (How Firm a Foundation)," Hymns #85, particularly verses 3, 4, 5, & 7 This is Krista's favorite hymn for strength during trials "https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=njzAEaJFzrY (A Gaelic Blessing,)" by John Rutter, performed by the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=njzAEaJFzrY (https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=njzAEaJFzrY) When I need peace, I often listen to this beautiful song. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/inspiration/latter-day-saints-channel/watch/collection/gods-plan/we-can-live-with-god-again?lang=eng (We Can Live With God Again), YouTube Video Krista and her husband were blessed to participate in this church video about our belief that life continues after we die,...

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Has change ever paralyzed you with anxiety? Today I share the story of my son with low-functioning autism aging out of public education and the 6 steps which helped me (and can help you) successfully navigate change. 6 Tips to Navigate Change with SuccessTurn to God Focus on Today Use Healthy Distractions Talk or Journal about it Be Kind to Yourself and Don't Compare Take Baby Steps Toward Your Plan

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #autism #autismawareness #autismmom #publiceducation #agingout #change #success #anxiety #specialneeds #healthydistractions

TranscriptionYou can access the transcript of today's episode at: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/6-tips-to-navigate-change-with-success (https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/6-tips-to-navigate-change-with-success)

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Danice wondered if God was punishing her when her health began to fail as a teen. Follow her journey to a correct diagnosis with SAD and ME/CFS with God’s help. Discussion PointsHow Danice had undiagnosed exhaustion as a teenager, and why it took 6 years to be properly diagnosed with Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD How she finally found someone who figured out what was wrong with her. How Danice learned to bring joy and beauty into her life not only during her healthy summers, but during the winter as well. What Danice did as she turned to God to help her endure when her illness got worse and going to 24 different doctors couldn’t help her get a diagnosis. What Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is and what it looks like How Danice learned to trust God— and that He will lead us to those who can help us. How her trials helped her become closer to Jesus The answer to, “Is God punishing me?” The trait Danice values most in people The critical decision “I can learn from this” which changed her perspective.

Tips for when you are feeling alone or discouragedturn off TV read scriptures listen to uplifting music read uplifting books seek peace

Favorite TakeawayDanice said one of the greatest lessons she learned was that, “My life is of worth as it is.” This worth was there despite all of the health challenges and the unfulfilled expectations. I think it is a good reminder that our lives have such tremendous value just as we are. ResourcesBook: https://www.amazon.com/Tao-Pooh-Benjamin-Hoff/dp/0140067477 (The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff) the principle of “working with the waterfall” “Instead of fighting against this superior force, I’ve learned to work with what I’ve got.” Book: https://www.amazon.com/Winter-Blues-Fourth-Everything-Affective/dp/1609181859 (Winter Blues by Norm Rosenthal)—recommended book for those who have SAD Danice’s Blog: https://danicehope.com/ (https://danicehope.com/)

TranscriptionYou can access the transcription of today’s episode here: https://tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/danice-hope-finding-peace-amp-hope-with-chronic-illness (https://tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/danice-hope-finding-peace-amp-hope-with-chronic-illness)

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #SeasonalAffectiveDisorder #SAD #ME/CFS #ChronicFatigueSyndrome #Faith #Hope #Peace #Bible #Endurance

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Tamara shares how she decided to dive deep on the the meaning of one word: repentance. This changed her entire perspective on death. Episode Discussion PointsI have two words I have never liked: repentance and death. They have a negative connotation in my brain. But all of this changed one day when I deep dived into what the original Hebrew and Greek words for Repentance meant (surprise: they don't have a negative connotation at all). Both the Hebrew (שׁוּב or shub) and the Greek (μετάνοια or metánoia) both really mean to turn or return to God. It is the Latin root word for repentance where the negativity comes into play. Poenitere: This word is related to the words punish, penance, penitent, and repentance. But this root word means hurting, punishing, whipping, cutting, mutilating, disfiguring, starving, or even torturing! Yikes! No wonder I don't like this word very much! As I studied this idea of returning my epiphany came. God sent His son, Jesus Christ, so we could give Him our sins and return to Him. Repentance is simply the process of removing anything that would keep us from returning--pure, clean and whole. No unclean or unholy thing can dwell with God, so that means we also have to give up our current physical and imperfect bodies for a perfect one at the resurrection. I had never thought of my body, as wonderful but flawed as it is, as something keeping me from the presence of God. But because it is imperfect, I need a resurrected body before I can return to God. Death is a step in getting me closer to God. How the seasons, universe, water cycle etc. all show us this process of returning or repeating over and over. Bible verses that go along with this concept

Transcription You can read the entire transcript of today's episode here: https://tamarakanderson.com/episode/1-word-changed-my-perspective-on-death (https://tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/1-word-changed-my-perspective-on-death)

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #death #repentance #jesuschrist #bible

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Shawn Rapier: Adoption & How I Learned Love is UnconditionalShawn never dreamed as a kid struggling with ADD that someday he would adopt 6 children. He humorously shares the struggles, joys and perspective he's learned from parenthood. Episode DiscussionWhat it was like Living with ADD in the 1970’s and 1980’s and how he wasn’t doing well in school. How using technology has helped Shawn with his ADD (reminders, alarms, emails, EverNote, etc) Why it is important to not use challenges as a crutch. Why his home is “dysfunction junction.” The amazing story of adopting six children and having two biological children How his parenting perspective has changed, and how God has an eternal perspective. To change perspectives and “let go” of expectations he had to break and realize he really has no control of his kids. When Shawn “broke” and went through a super-rough period, he realize the answer was focusing more on Christ to help and heal. The “he is mine” answer which changed Shawn’s perspective. How two principles can exist at the same time: God is all knowing and things are out of control. Why learning to respect agency is so important. Love is the antidote to hate and anger and cannot be used as a weapon or tool. Never say something you can’t take back. Good question to ask: Did I make peace in my home?

My Favorite Shawn Quotes About Love“All we can do is show an increase of love and trust God to do the rest.” “Love is not a temporary thing.” “Love is to be given freely.” “Forgiveness breeds love.” “Decide to love and don’t give up.” “If you want love, give it and give it unconditionally.” “They can’t outrun our love!”

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #adoption #love #challenges #peace #keepgoing #children #family #humor

TranscriptionYou can find the transcription of today's podcast here: www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/shawn-rapier-adoption-how-i-learned-love-is-unconditional

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A story Caroline Rose shared morphed into an powerful image in my mind which gives me hope in my darkest moments. Episode Talking PointsCaroline's story of saying "no" to chemo and then changing her mind when nurse Jan told her what to focus on. What did Jesus focus on when he suffered in Gethsemane and on Golgotha? Did He look down through the ages to see you and me? Did His love for us pull Him forward? Bible Verses which teach and confirm God's love and understanding 3 lessons I can take from this and remember in my darkest times.

Picturing Jesus lovingly thinking of me or you in His moment of greatest trial helps me realize that I can focus back on Him and lean on Him in my personal Gethsemane. Transcriptionhttps://tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/picture-this-pull-through-your-darkest-moments

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #darktimes #focus #JesusChrist #Golgotha #Gethsemane #Bibleverse #love #understanding

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Caroline Rose went from running marathons to being a cancer patient with non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. She shares her journey of faith, endurance and how a dog she rescued, saved her in return. Episode Discussion PointsHow she reacted to the news of her sudden life detour of non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. How her type A personality was able to learn (eventually) that she really doesn’t control anything. God is in control and we can trust Him. The wise advice her doctor uncle gave her which gave her the courage to fight. How rescuing a dog then helped her through subsequent treatments Why she and her husband froze embryos after she went into remission. How her son was a medical miracle Sometimes we have to wait for miracles to happen The angel who came to help Caroline when she relapsed a third time. The four types of prayers: “help,” “thank you,” “whatever” and “oh well.” There is an emotional component to healing, fighting and surviving. The reason why Caroline kept fighting when she wanted to give up and quit chemo. The shifting of hope that takes place after someone you love dies. Hope isn’t always getting the outcome we want. It is getting to the point where we can accept the situation, be okay, and keep going. Listen to your “God-voice” or intuition. Everyone’s journey is unique. How she emerged from the struggle with cancer different than she was before. This also affected her loved ones around her.

Favorite QuoteOne of my favorite things Caroline said is, “We can’t fully live unless we hope.” So, if you are struggling, keep your flicker of hope alive. Believe in God and that with His help you can get through anything. You then will live, and live fully. Resourceshttps://brenebrown.com/ (Brenee Brown) https://jenhatmaker.com/ (Jen Hatmaker) https://kriscarr.com/ (Kris Carr) Connect with Carolinehttps://dearrileyrose.com/ (https://dearrileyrose.com/)

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #cancer #nonhodgkinslymphoma #lymphoma #cancerbattle

TranscriptionYou can access the transcription of today's show here: https://tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/caroline-rose-why-i-chose-hope-and-kept-fighting

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Today I share The Mother's MIte, the story of a modern woman blended with the Bible story of the Widow's Mite. Jesus can and will help in our darkest hour. The Mother's MiteThe Mother’s Mite tells the short story of Sarah, a modern-day mother juggling a teething baby, sick children, laundry, dishes, work, and finances. Sarah feels spent, drained, alone, and empty. One night her exhaustion turns to desperate pleas heavenward. God's answer came to her in a dream where she met a man who saw into her heart and taught her a soul-stirring lesson as an old widow gave her last two mites. TranscriptionYou can find the transcript of today's story here: https://tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/the-mothers-mite

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #biblestory #themothersmite #mothersday #gift #story #exhausted #wornout #lonely #worth #loved #understood

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Chani had several life detours including an accident and being unable to have children. She learned to trust God through adoption, foster care, and life. Episode Discussion PointsHow being hit by a car at 15 changed her life dreams of being an Olympic athlete How a photo of Jesus and a simple saying helped her to keep going How one phone call from a doctor shattered her dreams for having children The questions she asked God after finding out she wouldn’t have biological children How Chantelle grieved for the children she would never have, and how it is totally normal to grieve lost expectations. What adoption looks like, and the roller-coaster of emotions it brings. Why waiting in limbo is really hard and the piece of advice that kept her going when they didn’t get picked for adoption. What it felt like when her son was placed in her arms. Can adoptive moms have baby blues after adopting a baby? The things she did to pull out of the blues. Why it is important to be open and honest when we are struggling. The dream of having a baby girl that kept recurring, and the different emotions that went with that. What it is like to be a foster parent. Find and enjoy the season you are in right now and find the everyday miracles.

Lessons Learned Through Her TrialsPatience--learning to wait for God's timing. God is there. He cares—even about the little foster care kids she has in her home. There are miracles everywhere—little messages from God if we can see them. Let go of the “control” of your life and let God guide you. His path is better. Trust Him. Remembering and looking back on times in the past when God has helped you through tough situations helps us be okay to trust Him with the issues we are facing today. Self-care isn’t a luxury it is a necessity to keep us going in a more balanced manner. Some of the things Chani does for self-care are: A daily devotional where she can connect with God. Time to meditate and be still and listen. Chani uses the Ten Percent Happier app to help her meditate. https://www.tenpercent.com/ (https://www.tenpercent.com/) Exercise, moving and getting outside. Take a break when you need a breather because life is “too much.” Writing can help you get your thoughts and feelings out—both the positives and the negatives. Writing also helped her see the patterns in her life. Chani used a program https://calliopewritingcoach.com/ (https://calliopewritingcoach.com/) to help her write her story into a book.

My Favorite TakeawaysI loved two quotes Chani said that work really well paired together: “Heavenly Father seems to know I grow the most when I’m asked to wait.” She also added to this by saying, "The best way to get there is His way, not mine.” It takes a lot of trust in God to let Him help us navigate the detours in our lives, but it all works out...eventually. Favorite Bible VerseMatthew 11:28-30 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.Chani loves this verse which the Savior speaks because, “it is an invitation to share that burden together.” And “He can help better than I can do it myself.” Connect with Chanihttps://www.chanibarlow.com/ (https://www.chanibarlow.com/)

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #adoption #fostercare #lifedetour #challenges

TranscriptionYou can find the complete transcription of this episode here: https://tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/chani-barlow-my-life-didnt-turn-out-how-i-thought (https://tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/chani-barlow-my-life-didnt-turn-out-how-i-thought)

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Lisa Goich shares the story of being able to spend 14 days with her mother before she passed away and how she learned to process grief. Episode Discussion PointsLoved ones and others come as death draws near to usher loved ones to the other side. Why it is important to keep talking about loved ones after they pass—especially their funny stories. Processing death (especially when it is unexpected) takes time. Live life and tell people how much you love them! You never know how many lives you touch. How using a journal (whether it be Lisa’s guided grief journal or a blank spiral notebook) can be a place to write down your thoughts or what you want to tell your loved one who has passed. Or you can talk to them as if they are in the room. Everyone goes through grief differently. Don’t carry around guilt or “I should’ve called, visited, etc.” That won’t help you. Put yourself in their shoes and choose to live life happily—because that is what they would want for you. Why it’s okay to feel okay again after a loved one passes. Embrace wherever you are today in your grief journey. Grief is often like the game Chutes and Ladders. Have a list of friends names and phone numbers to call when you are struggling. You are not the only one grieving. Find a support group in person or online. You can also join Lisa’s group: @guidedgriefjournal

One of My Favorite TakeawaysLisa said, “We all grieve differently. We all heal differently." I love this thought. Too often we compare where we are vs. where someone else is, and that is such an unfair comparison because we are each unique and process things differently. Connect with Lisahttps://mailtrack.io/trace/link/b17242d47e6256148b9b7ed0ee0a772b8af0392b?url=http%3A%2F%2FGuidedGriefJournal.com&userId=477776&signature=882df8b46397deef (GuidedGriefJournal.com) https://mailtrack.io/trace/link/802a335b79aa7c8d490ec317988b04542233987c?url=http%3A%2F%2FAGirlOnTheGo.com&userId=477776&signature=139379d2e16db979 (AGirlOnTheGo.com) You can order her new Guided Grief Journal here: https://www.amazon.com/I-Wonder-Guided-Grief-Journal/dp/1642936421 (https://www.amazon.com/I-Wonder-Guided-Grief-Journal/dp/1642936421)

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #hardtimes #grief #griefjournal #lisagoich #death #healing

TranscriptionYou can find a transcription of today's episode here: https://tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/lisa-goich-learning-to-process-grief-with-humor-and-grace

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Sharla shares the story of her grandfather going from mobster to faithful follower of Christ and how telling true stories can help youth learn resilience. Lessons from GrandfatherYou don’t have to be perfect to fulfill your life mission and to follow God. When you know God loves you, you can follow Him with complete trust and faith.

Episode Talking PointsOne prime example she uses in her newly released book, Spiritual Resilience: Leading Our Youth to Go and Do, is that of Nephi, a young man in the first chapters of the Book of Mormon, who left Jerusalem about 600 BC. Sharla explains that unlike Esther, Mary or Daniel, where we don’t have much of the backstory for why they chose to be faithful to God, that with Nephi we have many chapters. Sharla tells the story of walking away from a promising job in New York City because she kept feeling it wasn’t right—and how years later it all made sense. It’s important to teach youth the good stories and the stories where we have struggled in our lives. Youth need life-size examples of people trying to do what is right. The lessons learned from hiking into a cave with a group of young women that was pitch black. The Holy Ghost is part of our life on a daily basis—so follow the small promptings to send a text, talk to a friend, comfort someone who is sad.

How to teach youth to follow God’s GuidanceGo and Do, take action Help them figure out their deepest why—what motivates them the most. Articulate why they want to follow Christ and believe that He will helps them fulfill their deepest desires in life. Teach youth that “our doubts and our testimonies can live along side each other.”

One of My Favorite TakeawaysI loved when Sharla shared that Christ loves us so much that He wants to interact in the details of our lives—big and small. It is a good reminder that our daily interactions matter to God and we can invite Him to be a part of all that we do. Connect with Sharlahttps://sharlagoettl.com/ (https://sharlagoettl.com/) You can also find her on social media Order Sharla’s new book here: https://www.amazon.com/Spiritual-Resilience-Leading-Our-Youth/dp/1736349600/ (https://www.amazon.com/Spiritual-Resilience-Leading-Our-Youth/dp/1736349600/)

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #resilience #stories #familystories #teachingyouth #youth

TranscriptionYou can find the transcript for today's episode here: https://tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/sharla-goettl-how-sharing-stories-helps-youth-build-resilience

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Have you ever wondered why we hit rock bottom? Could good ever come from it? I share 4 questions which help rebound stronger after hitting rock bottom. My Most Recent Story of Hitting Rock BottomIn September https://www.tamarakanderson.com/blog/im-in-my-pajamas-and-im-broken (I hit rock bottom). The combination of dealing with COVID restrictions, trying to help my children stay focused for online school after a LONG and exhausting summer caring for my son with low-functioning autism. I was exhausted and broken. . . again! Here are 4 questions I learned and used as I was rebounding from my rock bottom. I hope they help you as well. Ask These 4 Questions to Rebound Stronger After Hitting Rock Bottom 1. God, Will You Help me?First, ask God to help! He is uniquely situated to help you in your specific situation. Talk to Him and ask Him for help and guidance as you desire to do better and be better. Isaiah 57:15, "For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones."

1. Why did I burn out and hit rock bottom?The first question to ask yourself is why. If we don’t know why we can change and solve it. "Hitting rock bottom doesn't mean you have to stay there." — Michelle ParsonsStory of leper colony and the purpose in pain.

2. What do I want to change?"Never be afraid to fall apart. It represents an opportunity to rebuild yourself the way you wished you'd been all along." — ​Rae Smith

When we hit rock bottom it is probably because some of our foundations stones in life have cracked and need to be repaired. We can only build a taller, stronger and better us when our foundation is solid. 4. How do I commit to change it?"Strength and growth only come from continuous effort and struggle." — Napoleon Hill

Now that you know why and what you want to change, make a plan HOW you will change. InvitationWant to avoid rock bottom in the first place? Take 30 min or more to evaluate your life and see if you are out of balance. Need help? Download and use my ‘Not-To-Do-List.’ PromiseIsaiah 40: 28-31 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. . .But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. God is never weary nor faint. He can and will renew and increase your strength as you move forward with His help from rock bottom. Rock bottom can be good after all because you can use it as a powerful tool to change yourself to be better, stronger and more capable.

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #rockbottom #rebound #selfevaluation #change #help

TranscriptYou can read the entire transcript of this episode here: https://tamarakanderson.com/episode/why-hitting-rock-bottom-might-be-good-for-you (https://tamarakanderson.com/episode/why-hitting-rock-bottom-might-be-good-for-you)

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Kristen Jenson’s life changed one day when her 18 month old son almost died. As a full-time caregiver of a child with a disability, she leaned on God and angels to help her survive and then she was able bless others. Discussion PointsKristen enjoys baking. It is one of her creative outlets which brings her joy. She and her husband eat a mostly plant-based diet. The near-drowning of her son, and his comatose state afterwards. How to deal with feeling overwhelmed, and the idea that you just have to get through that day—don’t take on the whole future. The brick wall analogy. “Lord give me enough to get through this one day.” The angels who came into her life to help her. Be thankful. It could always be worse. God doesn’t always give us what we want, but He does give us what we need. How her prayers changed. How God prepared her for her son’s death. The prompting to help God protect young minds from pornography, and starting the company Protect Young Minds. How writing her book “Good Pictures, Bad Pictures” was a group effort. What physical exhaustion and burnout felt like. The importance of finding joyful hobbies or recreation. Jesus will help us through every step of the way—even you may not feel like He’s there.

Caregiver TipsGet help! You can’t do it alone. Find something you enjoy doing to keep you sane. Walk or exercise with friends. Work on projects or goals. Find time to get respite or get a break. “You can handle anything if you get a break!”

ProtectYoungMinds.orgKristen is now the driving force for helping parents protect their children from pornography. Has many FREE resources to each parents how to protect their children, and keep them up to date with the latest threats and give them tools to combat pornography. Parenting advice on how to help raise their kids to be emotionally resilient. They have a new video based curriculum available.

My Favorite Takeaway“God doesn’t give you the whole picture, but He does give you hope—hope to carry on.” --Kristen JensonWhen Kristen said this, it totally resonated with me. I often wish I could see the whole picture that God sees, but often He blesses me with peace. Feeling peace fills me with hope that God is aware of me and my situation and will help me carry on. It is a beautiful pattern.

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #caregiver #specialneeds #disability #pornography #help #angels #gethelp #cargivertips

TranscriptYou can access the transcript of today's episode here: https://tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/kristen-jenson-how-god-and-angels-helped-me-when-i-couldnt-go-on (https://tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/kristen-jenson-how-god-and-angels-helped-me-when-i-couldnt-go-on)

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After a conversation with a friend dealing with a spouse who was diagnosed with depression, I decided to bring on Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Kim Rippon to give tips on how to help loved ones who are struggling. Episode Discussion PointsTalk to your loved one (ideally one on one). Some ideal phrases that help people open up are: How are you doing? We are pretty good friends and I’ve noticed you just don’t seem yourself lately. You know, I’ve had a pretty terrible week. What about you? If your loved one has noticed have noticed they aren’t sleeping as well, eating habits have changed, or feel more down or discouraged have them go talk to their doctor about it and have an evaluation done. Why service and exercise doesn’t cure mental illness Is our brain like a light switch? Why it is important to begin a toolbox of coping skills to help manage your situation. https://nami.org/Home (NAMI.org) (National Alliance on Mental Illness) is a fantastic resource for both people who are struggling and their loved ones. They even have support groups for loved ones! Don’t do this on your own. Get help for both you and your loved one! https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ (National Suicide Prevention Lifeline) 800-273-8255—is for both those who are struggling but also caregivers and friends of those who are struggling. What to do about burnout as a caregiver or friend. Why 30 minutes of self-care is so important for caregivers and why it is okay to have “good selfishness,” For people who think there is shame or weakness in seeing a counselor, Kim explains, “It’s the weak people who don’t go and get help. It’s the weak people that keep it a secret. It’s the strong people that say, ‘Hey, I cannot do this on my own, and I need help. Please give me some tools!’”

Recommendations to Help Struggling Children and TeensSo many more teens and children are struggling with anxiety and depression symptoms due to COVID restrictions. If your child is struggling with anxiety or depression (and you have a diagnosis or are seeing a counselor), be sure you get a 504 or an IEP for them so they get accommodations at school. Be sure to ask for and IEP or 504 in writing, because then it starts a clock for the school to respond within 60 days.

My Favorite TakeawayI had no idea that associations like NAMI.or and the Suicide Hotline can also help people who are calling for advice on how to help a friend or loved one. So, if you don’t know where to start, you can make a call or use the resources on the NAMI website. Resources for Caregivers or Friends of Those Struggling with Depressionhttps://youtu.be/HznVuCVQd10 (Video on Empathy by Brene Brown on YouTube) Self-Nurturing Activities (for Teens and Adults) Suggestions for Adult “Feel Goods”

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #depression #anxiety #caregiver #helpforlovedones #selfcare

You can find the complete transcription of today's episode here: https://tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/kim-rippon-lcsw-how-to-help-loved-ones-struggling-with-depression (https://tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/kim-rippon-lcsw-how-to-help-loved-ones-struggling-with-depression)

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Bill Bach never expected to face divorce or lymphoma in his life, but he found he could navigate any challenge with God’s help and by changing his perspective. Discussion PointsThe place he’d recommend visiting after traveling and living all over the world Navigating the shock of divorce and it’s ensuing grief with God’s help How asking God “What lack I yet?” and “What wouldst thou have me do? helped him grow Why he made the decision to not let himself stay stuck being depressed and alone How sick he got before getting a Lymphoma diagnosis Why he didn’t want to do chemotherapy, but why he’s glad he did it What it means when you’re not getting an answer to prayers Why it is important to keep asking and knocking with different questions to God Our trials can give us an opportunity to change our perspective The story of a young boy on top of a mountain in Pakistan that changed his perspective The story of a terminally ill young boy who asked “Why not me” in his challenge

Tips for Those StrugglingYou’re not alone Others have experienced what you are going through right now The Savior has experienced all sorrows and suffering and can help you. Reach out to Him and He can help you overcome any struggle. There is something to learn, or a silver lining in the clouds of every storm. Be courageous with God’s help to walk your path. When you think you are humble enough, you may still have a ways to go.

My Favorite QuoteBill said, “From adversity and trials great growth comes.” I think this is one of the hardest things about the challenges we face—the growing pains.

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #lymphoma #divorce #choice #perspective #growth #challenges #trials #courage

TranscriptYou can access the complete transcript of this episode here: https://tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/dr-bill-bach-how-divorce-cancer-and-god-changed-my-perspective (https://tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/dr-bill-bach-how-divorce-cancer-and-god-changed-my-perspective)

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We all get lost sometimes, the question is: are we worth finding? I share what I learned losing a pair of gloves. Story SummaryToday I share the story of losing a very needed and appreciated pair of gloves at hardware store. I was devastated and enlisted the help of store associates to help me find the gloves. I searched all over for about 10 minutes. 3 Truths About Lost SoulsAt the time of the lost gloves, I was preparing to teach a Sunday School lesson on Luke 15 which includes the parable of the Lost Sheep, the Lost Coin and the Prodigal son. As I walked out to my car that day a distinct impression came into my head: “You just spent 10 minutes looking for a $15 pair of gloves. Will you spend 10 minutes helping my lost sheep?” 1. We Each Have Tremendous Worth! We are worth more than gloves or sheep! We are worth loving and searching for. Isaiah 53:6, “All we like sheep have gone astray.”

Religious leader M. Russell Ballard said, “Every soul is very precious to our Heavenly Father. We must never forget that through the atonement, the Lord Jesus Christ paid a great price for the redemption of each one of us. His suffering must not be in vain.”2. God loves us Perfectly! I believe the parable of the prodigal son teaches us so much about God’s infinite love and mercy. We learn from this parable that: God doesn’t want to control us or keep us from making foolish mistakes. He loves us and our agency, and so He watches. When we take the slightest turn to come back, he runs to us!

Religious leader Jeffrey R. Holland said, “The tender image of this boy’s anxious, faithful father running to meet him and showing him with kisses is one of the most moving and compassionate scenes in all holy writ. It tells every child of God, wayward or otherwise, how much God wants us back in the protection of His arms.”3. We Can All Rejoice Together! At the end of each parable, there is a great rejoicing which takes place—a celebration.

Going back to my story of the lost glove. After searching with the store associates for 10 minutes, we found the gloves. I was so happy! Conclusion of StoryIt was on the way out to the car (with my gloves on my hand) that God began teaching me those 3 critical lessons: 1.    We each have tremendous worth—more that gloves, sheep, or coins. We are each worth looking for and finding. 2.    Now, I loved my gloves because they kept my hands warm in the cold. But God loves each of us perfectly and wants us to come home. He loves us when we are lost, and He loves us when we are found. 3.    And when we find lost gloves, sheep, coins or prodigals, We can all Rejoice Together! Any time a soul repents, it is worth celebrating. I celebrated with the store associates when my gloves were found—and they were only worth $15. The worth of souls is worth celebrating eternally. InvitationMy invitation to you today is to spend 10 minutes loving someone who needs a little love. Maybe that someone is you. Maybe that someone is a friend or a family member. God will inspire you to know who needs a little love. You can do this through a text, a phone call or maybe by dropping cookies on their doorstep. PromiseI promise that whoever is lost is loved and noticed by God. And in His own time and way, not only will gloves, sheep and coins be found, but so will souls be wrapped in His eternal embrace.

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #lost #found #God #Bible #parable #Luke15 #prodigal #lostsheep #lostcoin #worth #love #rejoice

You can find the full transcription of today's episode on my website: https://tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/3-truths-learned-from-lost-gloves (https://tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/3-truths-learned-from-lost-gloves)

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After experiencing the death of her son and father to suicide, Lark Galley had to learn to heal herself and her family. Listen as she shares her story, wit and wisdom and learns to breathe again. Lark and I had some very frank and open conversations about mental health and how to help ourselves and others since the added stress of COVID has hit us. Episode Discussion PointsShifting priorities to what matters most Ideas of self-care in a stressful situation How to connect with teens and young adults in your family How writing helps us process life Why Lark went into a deep depression after publishing her book and how her mentor Richard Paul Evans helped shift her perspective to look at the completion of the goal differently. Why sharing the vulnerable parts of our lives helps others connect with us. Everyone has a message to share—even as imperfect as we each are. What gave Lark the courage to be vulnerable, open and willing to share her story completely even when she was so scared to do it. How finding a bigger purpose sometimes helps us move through grief. Key message to those struggling with suicidal ideations: You are not a burden! You matter! The message you have inside you matters! You can change the world by changing one person’s life. So hang in there! There are so many lives you would impact traumatically if you choose to end your life early! “The impact you have is so big!” Get help! Find someone to talk to about your emotions and feelings. Find a reason to keep living.

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #suicide #suicideawareness #healing #healingaftersuicide #resourcessuicideprevention #suicideprevention #mentalhealth

Resources for Those Struggling with Suicide or CaregiversOn Lark’s website she had a great interview with Dr. Paul Jenkins with some key information. https://larkdeangalley.com/larks-resources/ Lark’s Book, https://amzn.to/37NMwkE (“Learning to Breathe Again: Choosing to Heal after Losing a Loved One to Suicide”) What’s the state of your mental wellness? Take a quick 5 minute test here. http://33374.amarecontent.com/ (http://33374.amarecontent.com) SafeUT app https://healthcare.utah.edu/uni/safe-ut/ (https://healthcare.utah.edu/uni/safe-ut/) Hope Squad https://hopesquad.com/ (https://hopesquad.com/) Golden Gate Movement: https://goldengatemovement.org/ (https://goldengatemovement.org/) NAMI: https://nami.org/ (https://nami.org) Or Google “free suicide resources in [my state]”

Favorite Bible VerseRevelation 21:4, “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain.” My Favorite Quote which Lark Shared“Relationships are the spice that give flavor to our lives.” You can read the entire transcript of this podcast here: https://tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/lark-galley-learning-to-breathe-after-suicide

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Tamara K. Anderson tells a story in her life about a time when she felt completely overwhelmed, the answer she received, and the 4 steps to problem solve any situation with God's help. My Story of Feeling OverwhelmedIn this episode I take you to a time in my life as a young mother when life was very overwhelming. I had 4 children ages: 7 years, 6 years, 2 1/2 years and 6 months. The challenge: only one of my children could communicate with me verbally. That is because my 6 year old Nathan and my 2 1/2 year old Jacob were on the autism spectrum. Nathan was challenging and wouldn't stay dressed, tantrumed because he couldn't communicate, and smeared his poop into the carpet every few days. Jacob was so smart and capable at escaping our home and running straight toward danger because he had no fear. Once we found him climbing the ladder onto a neighbors roof, running into the street or once he almost jumped into a neighbor's pool. My days were long and my nights were even longer since kiddos on the spectrum have a hard time falling asleep and staying asleep (plus I had a sleeping baby). Exhausted as I was, I was devastated when a much anticipated family walk ended in disaster. It was the straw which broke the camel's back and I fell to my knees in prayer where I poured out my grief to God. I promise I will now share with you a solution and then the resolution of the story. 4 Steps to Solve Life's ProblemsConnect & Ask. This means to find a place to talk to God openly and honestly about our situations and challenges and then ask for help. Listen & Record. This means take time to listen for ideas, inspiration and answers you will get and record them so you will remember to act on them. Plan & Act. Sometimes we need to brainstorm or plan how we will break down how we will act on our impression. Then we can act on it. Repeat. When we take action we will either find success or have a failure/learning lesson. If we succeed, we can repeat the process and ask God to teach us the next baby step in our life. If we fail, we go back and ask God to help us figure out the solution.

PromiseAnswers come. They came for me. That night as I prayed to God he answered, "Tamara, this is normal for you." This changed my perspective to realize He knew me personally. He knew my name. He knew my situation and He would help me figure out how to solve problems in my own "normal for me" way. Seven years later our family decided to hike Delicate Arch in Arches National Park in Utah. This was a huge undertaking! My husband and I prayed and asked God for help. We listened and recorded our ideas and thoughts. Then we made a plan: We would write on a piece of paper what we were doing to communicate with Nathan and then give him an iPod and headphones to distract him. We then began the hike. My sweet family who couldn't even walk around the block together before then did the 3 mile, uphill hike to Delicate Arch. We did it together. It was a miracle. We have since repeated this process and had many more successful hikes. InvitationWill you use these steps to problem solve in your life? I promise God is anxiously awaiting to connect and help you find your "normal for me" solution. He knows you. He knows your problem and He knows the solution if you will ask.

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #questions #answers #God #prayer #steps #autism #autismmom

You can read the transcript to todays episode here: https://tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/4-surefire-steps-to-solve-lifes-problems (https://tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/4-surefire-steps-to-solve-lifes-problems)

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After several surgeries and losing part of her skull, Christine Jacobson-Ware shares how feeling God's love helped her through the darkest part of her life. We also discuss: Why hugging is important How she moved from "I don't want to die," to feeling peace and thinking, "I'm not afraid. The reality of miracles How God can carry us and be with us in our most intense suffering. Why it is important to not get too busy to connect with God. Remember God is in control.

One of my favorite things that Christine does is she has a little bag full of inspirational books she takes with her when she goes and visits those who are struggling or in the hospital. Then, she can read to them and help them feel God's love. Some of the books Christine keeps in her bag are: Jesus Calling by Sarah Young Hope for Each Day by Billy Graham Max Lucado's books The Bible

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #subduralhematoma #faith #miracles #love #Godslove #healing

You can read the entire transcript of Christine's episode here: https://tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/christine-jacobsen-gods-love-can-get-you-through-anything (https://tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/christine-jacobsen-gods-love-can-get-you-through-anything)

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Tamara K. Anderson shares 7 lessons learned on the 20 year anniversary of what should have been a fatal car accident. On February 11, 2001, my husband and I were in what should have been a fatal car accident. I am so thankful I survived and have been blessed with 20 more years of life. Life Lessons From the Past 20 YearsThe Cycle of Love and Service Humility and Saying "Thy Will Be Done"/Trust God Completely Life Continues on After Death There is Power in Prayer Don't fear the future--Trust God wants you to Grow! Cherish Each Day as a gift! Count Your Blessings and Praise God.

I also weave in several favorite verses from Psalm 118. 5 I called upon the Lord in distress: the Lord answered me.6 The Lord is on my side; I will not fear.24 This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.28 Thou art my God, and I will praise thee: thou art my God, I will exalt thee.29 O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.Transcript of today's episodehttps://tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/i-should-have-died-20-years-ago Other Episodes About the Car Accidenthttps://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/podcast-intro-and-my-story-of-hope https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/gratitude-after-a-car-accident

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #accident #lifelessons #prayer #humility #trustGod #gratitude #praise #eachdayisagift

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Sue Lamoree didn’t know why she was having a hard time walking until she was diagnosed with Transverse Myelitis. She shares how she learned to navigate life with hope and faith from a wheelchair. On this episode Sue shares: The importance of "remembering" How God opens doors to our dreams in ways we didn't expect The benefits of Equine Therapy Get past the bitter and learn to be gracious God never abandons us--EVER! You can find joy in your adventurous journey

One of my favorite stories Sue shared was after her diagnosis when she was trying to sleep, but she couldn't. As she lay in bed she began to picture Jesus holding her through the night as she lay there grieving and felt peace. At that moment she knew everything was going to be okay. So, she kept going.

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #transversemyelitis #wheelchair #equinetherapy #horses #joy #journey #God #prayer

You can find the complete show notes to today's episode and the transcript here: https://tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/sue-laramee-my-key-to-success-when-my-body-fell-apart (https://tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/sue-lamoree-my-key-to-success-when-my-body-fell-apart)

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I share a story and journal entry about how I felt shortly after my son was diagnosed with autism, and what one thing got me through. Updates on the PodcastBut first, big news: On January 23, 2021, we hit the beginning of the third year of my podcast, Stories of Hope in Hard Times. Thank you for supporting me in this. Cool statistics about my podcast: Most of my listeners are in the United States India just passed Canada for the #2 in listeners to my podcast. It has been listened to in 57 countries including China, Nigeria, Bangladesh, and New Zealand. I have launched 82 episodes I’ve had a 300% increase in listeners during 2020. Thank you for making this possible!

New change for this year of podcasting: I will be posting videos of each episode on YouTube! Feeling Overwhelmed?Hard times? I know how you feel. In May 2003 I wrote a journal entry which tells the story of how broken and worn out I felt shortly after Nathan was diagnosed with autism. I was singing in an octet on a Sunday at church and felt some of the words resonate through my exhausted soul: Lord, I Would Follow Thee by Susan Evans McCloud In the quiet heart is hidden sorrow that the eye can’t see…To the wounded and the weary, I would show a gentle heart….Find in thee my strength, my beacon...When I felt exhausted I knew I could turn to Jesus Christ to lift me and help me. Tad R. Callister wrote in his book, The Infinite Atonement, about Jesus Christ’s amazing power to help us when we feel broken and need healing. I love this quote because it draws from powerful Bible verses to speak of Christ’s ability understand and succor us when we feel overwhelmed. “One of the blessings of the Atonement is that we can receive of the Savior’s succoring powers. Isaiah spoke repeatedly of the Lord’s healing, calming influence. He testified that the Savior was ‘a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat’ (Isaiah 25:4). As to those who sorrow, Isaiah declared that the Savior possessed the power to ‘comfort all that mourn’ (Isaiah 61:2), and ‘wipe away tears from off all faces’ (Isaiah 25:8; see also Revelation 7:17); ‘revive the spirit of the humble’ (Isaiah 57:15); and ‘bind up the brokenhearted’ (Isaiah 61:1; see also Luke 4:18; Psalm 147:3). So expansive was his succoring power that he could exchange ‘beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness’ (Isaiah 61:3).“Oh, what hope soars in those promises! … His spirit heals; it refines; it comforts; it breathes new life into hopeless hearts. It has the power to transform all that is ugly and vicious and worthless in life to something of supreme and glorious splendor. He has the power to convert the ashes of mortality to the beauties of eternity.”You can find the complete transcript of today's episode here: https://tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/how-i-endured-feeling-overwhelmed-in-one-easy-lesson (https://tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/how-i-endured-feeling-overwhelmed-in-one-easy-lesson) You can watch the video of this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/S6qvR0ITowI (https://youtu.be/S6qvR0ITowI)

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #help #lessons #hardtimes #autism #exhausted #broken #overwhelmed

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Mike Frazier was shocked when his wife told him she'd been a victim of sex trafficking. With God's help he found 3 tips to help his and others marriages. Dr. Mike's StoryIn this podcast Dr. Mike shares his story of coming to know God better when he felt so overwhelmed and broken. He shares: How God helps us with mercy when times get too hard for us to proceed alone. How God puts other people in our lives to help and support us. How hard things can help us build our strength, faith and compassion. How we take turns giving and receiving service, and that is okay.

Tips Shared for Building a Happy MarriageDr. Mike also talks about several things he has learned about marriage: He busts the "happy wife, happy life" myth He talks about the proper role of intimacy in marriage How important it is for you to realize that you have value as a person, and that you are as valuable as your spouse and worth choosing as a partner. What to do if you want to change but your spouse doesn't.

The 3 Principles of a Strong MarriageGet strong. This means to get strong spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and sexually. Get attractive. This means developing interpersonal skills, learning to communicate, and turn conflict into connection. Get an incredibly intimate marriage. This means learning to know each other at a deeper level.

One of my favorite quotes by Dr. Mike is this, "Marriage is a place where we practice the second great commandment to love our neighbor as ourselves." RecommendationsYou are Special by Max Lucado Dr. Mike's podcast, https://mikefraziermd.com/strong-men-strong-marriages-podcast/ ("Strong Men, Strong Marriages") https://mikefraziermd.com/ (https://mikefraziermd.com/)

You can find the transcript for this podcast episode here: https://tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/dr-mike-frazier-3-principles-to-build-a-better-marriage (https://tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/dr-mike-frazier-3-principles-to-build-a-better-marriage)

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #help #lessons #hardtimes #marriage #service #intimacy #getstrong #getattractive #love #happymarriage

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How often to we set an exciting goal only to be stopped by an insurmountable obstacle? On today’s podcast, Tamara K. Anderson shares 3 ways we can overcome these obstacles that prevent us from reaching our goals. 3 Ways to Overcome ObstaclesBrainstorm about your biggest obstacles and visualize how you can overcome them successfully. Pray for help to overcome your obstacle. Sometimes you need to change what you are asking, and maybe ask God to help you find people to help you reach your goal. Overcome Fear through journaling about your WHY?

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopepodcast #hope #podcast #goals #obstacles #overcome

You can find the transcript to today's podcast here: https://tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/3-ways-to-overcome-obstacles-to-goals

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Daren Falter is no stranger to failure, and talks about setting goals and priorities in the right order. He shows us how to succeed despite the challenges of dealing with Parkinson’s disease. In this episode, Daren talks about: An event early in his marriage which changed his perspective and goals Prioritizing the most important things in life and doing those first How God sometimes uses failure to move us forward Financial hardships Physical challenges Climbing Mount Rainier with Parkinson’s disease The importance of Visualization in achieving goals

You can connect with Daren Falter on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, or you can go to his website, http://www.darenfalter.com/ (Darenfalter.com) You can find the transcript of today’s episode on my website: https://tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/daren-falter-failing-my-way-to-success (https://tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/daren-falter-failing-my-way-to-success)

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #help #lessons #hardtimes #parkinsonsdisease #priorities #mountrainer #visualization

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Tamara K. Anderson shares an audio chapter from her book, Normal for Me, which addresses the question: Does God give us more than we can handle? In today's episode Tamara shares: How she felt God has given her more than she could handle and how that phrase should be changed. What it felt like to be a "Zombie Mom" A powerful lesson about angels An humorous example of what 2 hours of my life looked like during my "survival mode" Several journal entries Stories of our escape artist, Jacob

If you like what you hear today, you can order a copy of Tamara's book, Normal for Me, on Amazon or https://www.tamarakanderson.com/store (on her website). You can also listen to her audiobook on audible or wherever audiobooks can be found. You can read the entire transcript of today's episode here: https://tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/not-more-than-we-can-handle (https://tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/not-more-than-we-can-handle)

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #overwhelmed #autism #angels #survival #humor #normalforme #journalentries

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Mark Willis struggled through anxiety, depression, job loss and a pornography addiction before finding hope and healing in Jesus Christ. I had the opportunity to interview Mark’s wife Katy about her side of the story on my podcast earlier this year. You can https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/katy-willis-how-to-be-still-amidst-trauma (listen to her episode here.) In this episode we talk about:The importance of reaching out for help if you are suicidal How God often answers our prayer through others The importance of self-compassion Pride and humility Emotions are messages for myself and I can “NAME” them to give better context for what my emotions are looking to teach me: Notice, Acknowledge, Make Space, Expand Awareness The importance of self-care and connecting with Christ to fill your own bucket daily Christ can heal all broken people (and we are all broken)

You can find the resources shared and the transcript here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/mark-willis-finding-hope-and-healing-in-christ (https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/mark-willis-finding-hope-and-healing-in-christ)

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #pornography #addiction #selfcare #healing #JesusChrist #gethelp #suicide #marriage

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Tamara K. Anderson shares her experience being quarantined for COVID and three things which helped her, along with the story of a Christmas miracle from WWI. Today I share three things which have helped me get through the COVID quarantine sanely: Gratitude Goals God

I also tell the story of a the Christmas miracle of the truce which took place in 1914 during the first World War. Truly Christmas has always been a time of miracles--from the very first gift of Christmas--a Father giving the gift of His Divine Son, to my own experience with COVID this holiday season. God lives and loves us. Invitation: Set aside your differences and let this Christmas be a time of love and miracles in your life. You can find the full transcription of this week's episode here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/of-covid-and-christmas-miracles (https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/of-covid-and-christmas-miracles)

tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #COVID #gratitude #goals #god #christmasmiracles #WWI

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Teri Benson died for 26 minutes during the surgery for her aortic dissection. Listen as she shares the secrets to finding joy in life. In Teri’s podcast we discuss: How to deal with hard times Why it is important to have a purpose to pull you forward The reality of angels—both the heavenly kind and the earthly kind What heaven is like How God and prayer can help us You can choose to find joy in life’s little victories Sometimes you have to allow others to serve you—and that is okay Gratitude equals positivity and joy

You can access the transcript of Teri’s podcast here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/teri-benson-finding-joy-in-my-lifes-second-chance (https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/teri-benson-finding-joy-in-my-lifes-second-chance)

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On today’s episode Tamara tells about the gift of a friend in high school, sings the chorus of a song she wrote over 20 years ago, explains 3 reasons we need each other. Here are the 3 Reasons We Need Each other We need deep friendships which help us feel seen and heard. We have strengths and weaknesses to complement each other to make us “whole” as a team. We are God’s ministering angels on earth to help and serve one another.

The invitation at the end of the podcast is to perform an act of friendship in the next week. You can find the complete transcription of today's podcast on Tamara's website: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/3-reasons-we-need-each-other

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Abby Stephen's life changed when she was paralyzed in a car accident. But she beat the odds and is now a walking quadriplegic. Listen as she shares her wit and wisdom through her amazing journey of faith. Some of the topics we discuss are: Why she believes in miracles The importance of finding humor in hard situations Growing into a feeling of gratitude vs. just listing things to be grateful for Happiness is a choice Don't ask "Why" ask "What" Why we need people

You can find Abby on Instagram @abspeaks, https://www.facebook.com/abby.stephens.735 (Facebook), https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsPqjFVotfb9zgwyE1yybPA (YouTube) and on her https://www.abbystephens.net/ (website.) You can see the transcript and videos mentioned in this podcast on my website: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/episodes/abby-stephens-walking-after-paralysis (https://www.tamarakanderson.com/episodes/abby-stephens-walking-after-paralysis)

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Tamara K. Anderson shares a personal story of a car accident and the lesson of gratitude she learned from reading her journal almost 20 years later. I also share 3 lessons we can apply during this time of year and a family tradition. Here is the transcription of today's episode:0:01   Today I'm going to share with you a story of a car accident I was involved in, and I'm going to read you something from the little journal where I recorded about the car accident and something that really surprised me years later when I reread it. I'm also going to share with you a Thanksgiving tradition that we have in my family. Stay tuned. 0:27   Welcome to Stories of Hope in Hard Times, the show that explores how people endure and even thrive in difficult times.--all with God's help. I'm your host Tamara K. Anderson. Join me on a journey to find inspiring stories of hope and wisdom learned in life's hardest moments.  0:53   Hello, and welcome to another episode of Tamara's takeaways. I'm your host, Tamara Anderson. And today I'm going to tell you a story from my life. And I'm going to take you back in time, almost 20 years to a point when I had two young children. My oldest son Jordan was three years old, and my son Nathan had just barely turned two. And our family was getting ready to move from California where we had been living for the past almost four years to Bentonville, Arkansas, which was clear across the country and way far away from families since our family lives out west. And so we had an airplane flight booked to go and look for houses. And we had family that was going to come and watch our children while we did this. And on the way to the airport. We were involved in what should have probably been a deadly car accident along the freeway.  2:01   I was taken to the hospital, where I remained for the next week and a half healing from a myriad of injuries that included things like a broken collarbone, bruised and broken ribs collapsed and punctured lung, bruised heart fluid around my liver. And then just general aches and pains--whiplash after an accident. I was in pretty bad shape. The thing I had the most problems with was with my lung because it wouldn't stay reinflated I had to have a chest tube put in.  2:36   Anyway, what I wanted to tell you this story about today is because this is a month of gratitude November is. And I'm surprised when I go back I had a little tiny spiral bound notebook that I had started keeping a journal in back then. And it was probably only four inches by six inches big, super small. And I was just listing things that I was doing on a day to day basis. But as I look back on the accident, and I opened this little notebook up recently, I found in that notebook that when I wrote very (my handwriting is off because I had a broken collarbone) But when I wrote about the accident, the first thing I did after briefly describing the accident was not complain about hospital food. It wasn't saying about how I didn't sleep very well when I was at the hospital. 

3:32   No, the first thing I wrote about were the things that I was grateful for--the miracles that I saw. And that kind of blew me away. I was really humbled and grateful looking back to see that even at a point in my life when things were extremely challenging, I was able to look back and see the miracles of it. 

3:57   And so I'd love to read to you from my little journal. This is dated February 18, 2001. And it says, Here are the miracles: Tamara's Journal Listing Miracles and Things to be Thankful forThe driver of the other car was not in it or else I doubt she would have lived her car crumpled like an accordion. The engine of our car was thrashed, but nothing came and crushed us in the passenger area of the car. In fact, you could completely open my door which was good because the paramedics had to remove me. The kids were not...

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Wendi was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and MS. She didn't think she could get out of bed, but discovered baby steps which helped her move forward. Listen as Wendi shares: Pray--even if you don't feel like it Building a storehouse of remembering It's not "all or nothing." Do "small or something." How walking saved her Love people where they are and love yourself too Toxic perfectionism What to do when a spouse doesn't believe anymore

You can find Wendi on her blog: https://walkingwithwendi.blogspot.com (https://walkingwithwendi.blogspot.com) Wendi also talks about the power of Hilary Week's music. Here are links to Hilary's website and her Live All In subscription: https://hilaryweeks.com/ (https://hilaryweeks.com/) https://liveallintoday.com/ (https://liveallintoday.com/) You can read the transcript of Wendi's interview on my website: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/episodes (https://www.tamarakanderson.com/episodes)

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Do you need tips to help manage stress, anxiety or depression? Listen as Trina shares ideas to help physically, emotionally and in everyday situations. Tamara K. Anderson interview Dr. Trina Boice on coping techniques to help with stress, anxiety, and depression. This is especially needed during this time of the Coronavirus or COVID-19. We specifically talk about: The importance of taking care of your physical body Changing your surroundings How the friends you keep can impact you Meditation, mindfulness and many more tips

For Trina's FREE Guide to coping techniques mentioned in today's podcast go here: http://www.findingjoytoday.net/ (http://www.findingjoytoday.net/) To take her course, Managing Stress, Anxiety and Depression 90% off the listed price go here: https://lifelonglearningeducation.com/p/stress-reduction-strategies (https://lifelonglearningeducation.com/p/stress-reduction-strategies) And use this code: Corona2020 You can find Trina on her social media platforms of https://www.facebook.com/trina.boice (Facebook), https://www.instagram.com/trinaboice/?hl=en (Instagram), https://www.linkedin.com/in/author-trina-boice/ (LinkedIn) and https://www.youtube.com/c/TrinaBoice/null (YouTube). You can also find her on the following websites: http://moviereviewmom.com/?fbclid=IwAR1X98jxT7WHVO-53VT_kzlumFt8RQud9jpIvQvgw68MQLVYB69H7c1WAEk (MovieReviewMom.com) http://lifelonglearningeducation.com/?fbclid=IwAR1ysmuIcTiWVrOnEIJ698bu0-XLJW6zmK8KaRFfR9Lmodm5kIWy7JOeWs4 (LifelongLearningEducation.com) http://frombook2business.com/?fbclid=IwAR0D6Qmby9aa9C_UgNhzUfWC1wb-bom3VsifVluph9LqvqrP70QlHnRWW7M (FromBook2Business.c)om Here is the transcription for this week's episode: Tamara Anderson 0:02  Today I'm going to give you some life hacks for stress, anxiety and depression with a good friend of mine Dr. Trina Boyce. We're going to talk about physical things you can do, emotional things you can do, and who doesn't need life hacks for these important things? We need all the help we can get to make it through this crazy Coronavirus year so stay tuned. Welcome to Stories of Hope in Hard Times, the show that explores how people endure and even thrive in difficult times, all with God's help. I'm your host, Tamara K Anderson. Join me on a journey to find inspiring stories of hope and wisdom learned in life's hardest moments. Welcome my friends! Here we are, beginning of November of 2020, and this has just been a crazy year. I am constantly amazed by all of the challenges so many people are facing. Some of the challenges due to COVID-19 have been very, very weighty. There's been a lot of people who are struggling because of all the change. There's been an increased amount of stress, anxiety, depression, and even suicide rates. So this is a topic that is a really challenging one to juggle and handle and deal with. In order to do so, I am so pleased to bring back my guest from last week, Dr. Trina Boyce. For those of you who were unable to catch my interview with Trina last week, I'm going to do a brief introduction and then we're going to talk about this topic that is so important and so needed right now. Trina does is such a positive voice and she even has some free giveaways. Dr. Trina Boyce is the number one best-selling author of 31 books and she was named the California Young Mother of the Year, which really amuses her four sons. She teaches online, she has created online courses and she's got a free offer for you guys later on in today's podcast. She's a movie critic on moviereviewmom.com. She has a daily podcast on Alexa called Daily Inspirational Quote with Trina. And last week, we were blessed to have her talking to us about parenting and the miscarriages that she experienced and the lessons she learned from those. So if you didn't catch last week's episode, go back and take a listen to get more of the background on Dr. Trina Boyce and her story. Let's transition a little bit into this topic of anxiety...

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Although she won the award of California Young Mother of the Year, Trina admits she is not a perfect parent. She shares lessons learned parenting along her imperfect road. Tamara K. Anderson interviews Trina Boice about life as an imperfect parent and the lessons she has learned along the way. Today we discuss: Miscarriages The "Whatever" Mantra Don't Sweat the Small Stuff Don't Be Afraid to Go Deep

You can find Trina on her social media platforms of https://www.facebook.com/trina.boice (Facebook), https://www.instagram.com/trinaboice/?hl=en (Instagram), https://www.linkedin.com/in/author-trina-boice/ (LinkedIn) and https://www.youtube.com/c/TrinaBoice/null (YouTube). You can also find her on the following websites: http://moviereviewmom.com/?fbclid=IwAR1X98jxT7WHVO-53VT_kzlumFt8RQud9jpIvQvgw68MQLVYB69H7c1WAEk (MovieReviewMom.com) http://lifelonglearningeducation.com/?fbclid=IwAR1ysmuIcTiWVrOnEIJ698bu0-XLJW6zmK8KaRFfR9Lmodm5kIWy7JOeWs4 (LifelongLearningEducation.com) http://frombook2business.com/?fbclid=IwAR0D6Qmby9aa9C_UgNhzUfWC1wb-bom3VsifVluph9LqvqrP70QlHnRWW7M (FromBook2Business.c)om Here is the transcript of Trina's episode: Trina 0:02  It went from pretending to really connecting with my child. And it was a really hard conversation. There were lots of tears that were shed. But in the end, lots of hugging, and a greater appreciation for the paths and the journeys that we take and how different they all are.   Tamara Anderson 0:28  Welcome to Stories of Hope in Hard Times, the show that explores how people endure and even thrive in difficult times, all with God's help. I'm your host, Tamara K. Anderson. Join me on a journey to find inspiring stories of hope and wisdom learned in life's hardest moments. My guest today is a doctor and a number one best-selling author of 31 books and was named the California Young Mother of the Year, an award which completely amuses her four sons. She teaches online for Brigham Young University and creates online courses at lifelonglearningeducation.com. She's also a movie critic at moviereviewmom.com and has a daily podcast on Alexa called Daily Inspirational Quote with Trina. She worked as a legislative assistant for a congressional representative in Washington DC and was given the Points of Light Award and Presidential Volunteer Service Award for her domestic and international community service. She's taught classes at the famous Lake Cordon Bleu Culinary College, and she says she has the weight gain to prove it. If she told you everything that she really does, she'd have to kill you. Basically. I am pleased to present Dr. Trina Boyce. Trina, are you ready to share your story of hope?   Trina 1:57  Oh, thank you for having me, Tamara. You know, I adore you. And for those listening, I've known Tamara for, I don't know, two, three years now. Right?   Tamara Anderson 2:08  Something like that. I can't remember. But it's been fun. So question, Trina, how in the world did you end up being named California Young Mother of the Year? I mean, I know that people are named mothers of the year. I always imagine them to be like these perfect moms. I know that's not the right image I should be putting in my brain. But I guess when you get an award like that people assume that's what it is. Why don't you tell me a little bit of background on that? Were you the perfect mom?   Trina 2:47  Oh no, absolutely not. I always say I look really good on paper. But the title is awarded by a wonderful organization called American Mothers Inc. I was involved with it when I was living in Georgia. Then I moved to California and I was still involved. Then one year I actually received that honor. But it's kind of tricky. Because if they just said, “We just think you're great, have this award,” that would be wonderful. It's kind of a little bit of a competition, because people can nominate a bunch of women. From all those

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On today's episode, I get to tell you a true story the Candy Bomber after World War II and three lessons we can learn from it. 3 Lessons from the Candy BomberLittle Things Can have a Big Ripple Effect Serving Others Heals Inspiring Hope Saves Lives

You can learn more about Gail S. Halvorsen, The Candy Bomber on his website: http://wigglywings.weebly.com/ (http://wigglywings.weebly.com/) Here is the transcription of today's episode:Welcome to stories of hope in hard times, the show that explores how people endure and even thrive in difficult times. All with God's help. I'm your host, Tamara K. Anderson. Join me on a journey to find inspiring stories of hope and wisdom learned in life's hardest moments.  The Berlin AirliftMy true story today starts just after World War II in Germany during the Berlin airlift. You see, the city of Berlin then was starving due to the Soviet blockade. So in order to get food and supplies to the famished people, Allied Airmen flew over the city and dropped thousands of tons of food daily. I now quote from a history that talks about that time period, "It was determined that the city's daily food ration would be 646 tons of flour and wheat, 125 tons of cereal, 64 tons of fat 109 tons of meat and fish, 180 tons of dehydrated potatoes, 180 tons of sugar, 11 tons of coffee, 19 tons of powdered milk, five tons of whole milk for children, three tons of fresh yeast for baking, 144 tons of dehydrated vegetables, 38 tons of salt, and 10 tons of cheese. In total 1,534 tons were needed to keep the over 2 million people alive on a daily basis. And that number did not include necessities like coal and fuel."  So really what they ended up dropping was about 4,500 tons on a daily basis. Isn't that crazy? But that is what was needed to keep that city alive during the Soviet blockade. And they did this by dropping food from airplanes to the people.  The Candy BomberOne of the pilots who was part of this Berlin airlift was Gail Halverson and he just celebrated his 100th birthday this past week. So it is in memory of him and his service that I'd love to tell you a little bit about the impact two sticks of gum had not only on Berlin, but the ripple effect it had on the entire world.  Gail Halverson, known as "Hal" to his friends, was a rural farm boy from Utah, and he was serving as an Air Force pilot, then in the Berlin airlift. One day at the Tempelhof Airport, he noticed a line of children at the fence watching the planes fly over to bring them these life saving supplies. He felt he needed to go talk to these children. I now quote from his history.  The Two Sticks of Gum Which Changed Everything"One day in July 1948, I met 30 kids at the barbed wire fence at the Tempelhof in Berlin. They were excited, they said, "When the weather gets so bad that you can't land, don't worry about us. We can get by on little food, but if we lose our freedom, we may never get it back. The principle of freedom was more important than the pleasure of flour. "Don't give up on us," they asked. The Soviets had offered the Berliners food rations, but they would not capitulate.  For the hour I was at the fence not one child asked for gum or candy. Children I had met during and after the war, like them in other countries had always begged insistently for such treasures. These Berlin children were so grateful for the flour to be free, that they wouldn't lower themselves to be beggars for something more. It was even the more impressive because they hadn't had gum or candy in months.  When I realized this silent, mature show of gratitude, and the strength that it took not to ask, I had to do something. All I had was two sticks of gum. I broke them in two and passed them through the barbed wire. The result was unbelievable. Those with the gum tore off the strips of wrapper and gave them to the others. Those with the strips, put them to their noses and smell the tiny fragrance. The expression of...

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Alma grew up wanting to reach his goals, but he knew he wouldn't achieve them in Ghana. So he set his sights on the American Dream.  In today's show Alma and I talk about: How discontent plus courage equal innovation and creation. Recognizing and reaching for your full potential. How all things work together for good to them that love God. Always look to the glory of your destination and set your own rhythm and pace. Compete with yourself and not others. Be willfully positive in everything you do. Choose courage over comfort. Freedom of speech for everyone and what true unity looks like. The choice to be "offended."

You can find Alma at http://almaopare.com/ (http://almaopare.com/) or on social media under Alma Ohene-Opare. Alma Ohene-Opare 0:01  It just bothered me. Why couldn't I dream freely? Why couldn't I think about something that has never been done and find a way to do it? Unfortunately for me, I could not see that happening in Ghana. It became my quest and my goal somehow to come to America for some reason, because of what my dad had told me. I always thought America was the place where that could happen.   Tamara Anderson 0:31  Welcome to Stories of Hope in Hard Times, the show that explores how people endure and even thrive in difficult times, all with God's help. I'm your host, Tamara K. Anderson. Join me on a journey to find inspiring stories of hope and wisdom learned in life's hardest moments. My next guest is originally from Ghana, West Africa. He first came to the United States as a missionary in Los Angeles, California. After his mission, he graduated with a bachelor's degree in Information Technology and later obtained an MBA. He and his wife have four kids between the ages of three and 13. He currently works as a senior solutions engineer at DOMO. His hobbies include public speaking, writing, entrepreneurship, and most importantly, spending time with his wife and children. I am pleased to introduce Alma Ohene-Opare. Alma, are you ready to share your story of hope? Alma Ohene-Opare 1:35  Yes, I am. Thank you for having me. Tamara Anderson 1:37  I am so excited to have you. Alma and I met through a connection a couple of months ago. He has just been so inspiring to talk to. I have had the chance to talk to him a couple of times. He is just amazing. I'm just so thrilled to have him on the podcast today. So Alma, tell me a little bit about growing up in West Africa. And how it is that you chase this American dream of coming here to America and why you did that. Alma Ohene-Opare 2:09  Well, how much time do you have? Yeah, it's a long story. But in a nutshell, my journey here kind of started a long, long time ago, long before I sat on the plane to get here. My life in Ghana, I would say, for the most part, was privileged in the sense that I grew up in a very stable family, we had everything we needed. There wasn't much that I needed that I didn't have. My parents were successful. My mom was an entrepreneur. My dad worked for the government. For all intents and purposes I would say I lived a good life as a child in Ghana. There was never a time where I was hungry or had any wants that were not met. In general, I would say I had a pretty good childhood. I attribute that to the various sacrifices my parents had to make. Because, from my perspective, we were well to do. Maybe not from their perspective. The reason I bring that up is that a lot of times we think about people coming to America as people who, you know, were potentially oppressed in some way where they came from. That wasn't the case for me. My fascination with America happened after my dad visited America when I was young, in 1989. When my dad came back, he brought pictures of places he had visited. All those things just fascinated me and stuck with me for a long time. So I knew as a child, I wanted to come to America. But that desire became more solidified as I...

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While hiking with her mother last year, Tamara learned 3 great truths that can be applied to our rugged life journeys today. The Family TripJust before school started last year, our family took a last minute vacation to two National Parks: Yellowstone and the Tetons. I found out my 73-year-old mother had never been, so I invited her to come with us.  While in Teton National Park we did two hikes on the other side of Jenny Lake: Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point. Mind you, we were hiking with Nathan, our son with low-functioning autism, so we go at a different pace than most and try not to push our luck with him.  It was beautiful and memorable—and we even made it without any autism tantrums (a miracle in and of itself). But the lessons I learned from my mother (who has had a hip replacement) as we hiked Inspiration Point will stick with me the rest of my life. https://tamarakanderson.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Hiking-with-the-family.jpg () The HikeWe have taken our children to the Tetons National Park three times, and we’ve always done half of the hike up Inspiration Point because there is this beautiful overlook at the halfway point.  We haven’t wanted to push our luck with Nathan making him climb the rest of the steep rocky trail the other half (although I’m sure he’d make it if he were in a good mood).  After several photos of us with Jenny Lake behind us at the halfway mark, my three other children decided they wanted to go to the top. So they took off.  As the next group of hikers descended, my mom asked how the rest of the hike was. They responded enthusiastically that, “It is worth the climb!” Hiking with MomMy mom then said she wanted to go too, but we weren’t sure she should. She decided to go anyway, and I followed her—leaving my hubby with Nathan at the halfway point.  Even though she did catch her foot on one rock and did fall down at one point she picked herself up and kept going. She happily chatted and paused along the way mostly to take photos of wildflowers.  When we got to the steepest part with the rockiest path, I offered her my arm. She told me that she had learned helping others who are getting a little unsteady on their feet that it is better to hold onto something solid like a chair, table, or in our case the rocky mountain wall beside us than it was for her to hold onto me, because I was moving. So, she slowed down, held onto the rocky ledge beside her and stepped carefully as we made our way up that final rocky incline to the top of Inspiration Point.  https://tamarakanderson.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Mom-holding-to-the-rock.jpg () The view at the top was spectacular, but not as amazing as the many lessons I pondered as we climbed back down. Today, I share 3 that are particularly meaningful in this time of distress. 3 Truths Learned Hiking with Mom#1-When Life Gets Steep and Rocky, Hold to the RockAmerican author, publisher, CEO and religious speaker Sheri Dew said, “He rarely moves the mountains in front of us. But He always helps us climb them.”As a young child I remember singing the song, The Wise Man Built His House Upon a Rock. Since then, I’ve always loved the image of Christ being my Rock to build on. When we hit the steep and bumpy parts of our life path, we should follow mom’s advice and hold to the rock. It is sturdy, it is stable and it will not shift or move. God can be our strength in good times and bad. https://tamarakanderson.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Mom-holding-on-to-the-rock.jpg () The Psalmist wrote in Psalm 43:1-3, 7, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof… The Lord of hosts is with us.”So, the number one...

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At a dark point in her life, Diane Passey decided she was too heavy to keep living. Follow her journey from grief and despair to coach. Some of the points discussed are: There will be a light at the end of the tunnel. It may be just a tiny glimmer. But it's there. There is always hope. You don't have to feel God's hand to have Him there. He's there whether or not you can feel it. We are never really as alone as we feel. Diane strongly believes our trials are not just for our own experience and growth, but to help other people through their trials.  How important it is to have a survivor mentality vs. a victim mentality Satan will do anything he can to destroy your self esteem and make you feel like nothing. I almost took my life because of a number on a scale. It was only a number. When you're feeling stuck in that dark place, you have to talk. Talking is the hardest thing to do. Depression is so self centered and inward focused. As soon as you can reach out and look up, you'll be able to work your way back up again. There isn't a right or wrong way to cope with mental struggles. Medication, Therapy, Coaching, Exercise, Connection, all are good ways. The challenge can be to find the combinations that work best for you. The value of an individual is always more than a number on a scale or a pant or dress size. Numbers are neutral they are not good or bad. It's what your brain, Satan, and society tells you about the numbers that create those feelings of worthlessness and hopelessness. Gratitude is very powerful and the fastest way to change the focus of your brain. Self care, self care, self care! Don't listen to shame. It's a liar. Don't listen to Satan. He's a liar. You are never truly alone.

Enjoy the transcript from today's episode: Diane 0:01  Just one particular day, I went and stood on the scale to donate plasma and I saw the red lights of this digital scale flash 201 and I couldn't believe I was over 200 pounds. I though, “How could my family love me? How am I even going to face them again?” I was devastated. It's like something inside me just broke.   Tamara Anderson 0:31  Welcome to Stories of Hope in Hard Times, the show that explores how people endure and even thrive in difficult times, all with God's help. I'm your host, Tamara K. Anderson. Join me on a journey to find inspiring stories of hope and wisdom learned in life's hardest moments. My next guest has been married for 25 years and has seven children, three in-law children, and three grandchildren with a fourth on the way. She has a passion for teaching and has taught children, teens and adults in religious, personal and professional settings for over two decades. She started out her coaching career helping people through weight loss and emotional eating for eight years. Two and a half years ago, she became certified through the ICF and CCA and now loves helping parents and teens navigate the difficult path of parenting and adolescence. What a chore. I am pleased to present Diane Passie. Diane, are you ready to share your story of hope?   Diane 1:39  I am so excited. Definitely ready.   Tamara Anderson 1:44  Yay. This is going to be fun. Diane and I go clear back to high school days almost. She was one of my sister's best friends and so we kind of know each other from back then and then reconnected through Facebook after she shared a very, very personal story which I'm gonna invite her to share today, so I'm excited to have her on. But before we dive into that story, a little known fact about you is that you have a crested gecko named Creo. And I have to ask about this because we have a dog. And the reason we have a dog is because my children, it's one of their stress relievers, and they will love on this dog and talk to the dog and play with the dog when they are not as apt to talk or be as open to me sometimes because teenagers are tough.   Diane 2:32 

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Tamara shares an outtake from a podcast, talks about 3 tips for authenticity and shares an announcement of a hard goal she's working on. Here is the transcript from today's podcast: Tamara Anderson 0:00  On today's episode, I have a couple of exciting things I'm going to share with you. First is that this will be the first episode that I ever do an outtake on. I'm taking an outtakes from last week's podcast that you guys didn't hear and I'm going to share it on this week's podcast. I'm also going to teach you three amazing tips and share a big announcement about something I've been working on that I've been really nervous to talk about because it's something new and different for me, so stay tuned. Welcome to Stories of Hope in Hard Times, the show that explores how people endure and even thrive in difficult times, all with God's help. I'm your host, Tamara K. Anderson. Join me on a journey to find inspiring stories of hope and wisdom learned in life's hardest moments. Hello, and welcome to another episode of Tamara’s Takeaways on the Stories of Hope in Hard Times podcast. Last week, I had the opportunity to interview my friend https://tamarakanderson.com/episodes/rob-a-gentile-lessons-of-love-from-a-near-death-experience/ (Rob Gentile.) We had a great time talking about his near death experience, about his life perspective and how it's changed, and how love is so important. But one of the interesting things that Rob and I talked about wasn't even on the podcast. It happened to occur at the commercial break. I had a quick conversation with him that I wanted to share with you because we talked about something pretty important. Now to give you some background before we dive into this outtakes clip that I'm going to share with you today, I have to tell you that Rob and I met several years ago at a premier author training put on by New York Times best-selling author Richard Paul Evans. One of the things that Richard Paul Evans emphasizes every single time he teaches about writing is the importance of being authentic. That is saying something coming from a man like Richard Paul Evans, because he is very, very authentic in his writing. People can feel that authenticity and that's why every book that he writes is a New York Times best-selling book. So one of the things that we talk about in here is a quote that he shared with us during this premier author training. I refer to Richard Paul Evans as Rick in the clip because that is what his friends call him. So that's who we're talking about when we talk about that. Here's the outtakes clip. “Okay, we're gonna pause there. And I'm gonna wipe my eyes again. Goodness, Rob, I tell you sometimes doing these interviews is really hard. Rob 3:18  Well, it's been hard on me on this. And so I've had to mute my mic a couple of times and wipe my nose. Tamara Anderson 3:26  Thank you, because these are the things that are meaningful to people. So I appreciate you being willing to share some tender things. Because I think people need to realize both the struggle but the blessing of the struggle. Rob 3:43  Right. Absolutely. You know, this book, you've seen because you've read it now. It's all about how I took a lot of risks. Here I am, you know, I'm an executive in the professional world. And when this thing gets published, some people might say “Holy cow, I didn't know this guy. This guy's kind of wacky or this guy. He's so tender.” I mean, but look, I had this revealed to me when I was writing, if God is anything, God's authentic. And I knew that if, if this book was going to have the kind of impact on people's lives that I wanted it to, that I better be authentic. I put myself out there in some of these vignettes and stories that I didn't have to share. But I wanted the reader to know, hey, this is real. Tamara Anderson 4:39  Yeah. Well, and I think people relate because it's like, I think Rick teaches this, you know, "slit...

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Rob never expected a heart attack or near death experience, but he is thankful he learned more about God, love and connection because of these hardships. BioRob A. Gentile was born one of four boys outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Italian immigrants. His grandfather and father worked at a steel company where Rob also began his career right out of high school. For the past 25 years, he has worked as a sales engineer living in Texas, California, Tennessee and now resides in Charlotte, North Carolina. Rob has won several awards for his sales efforts including diversity supplier award for the Minority Business Development Council. He's been blessed to have been married for 30 years and he and his wife have also been blessed with a wonderful daughter Maria, who is 23 and has been diagnosed with Rett Syndrome, a rare neurological disorder. Photography CareerRob has a passion for photography that started in the seventh or eighth grade. Rob had always been very visual and his brother gave him a camera. He started to research photography and light, and even built a darkroom in his basement where he started to developing his own photographs. From that point on, he was hooked. When the steel company that Rob had been working for went out of business, he found himself out of a job and decided to dedicate that time to pursuing his photography passion. His older brother was working as a writer for Newsweek at the time. Rob drove to Guatemala to learn Spanish and then met his brother in Nicaragua and became a freelance stringer for the New York Times and the Chicago Tribune. Rob spent a lot of time in combat situations. Often, young soldiers would dive on top of Rob to protect him while they were under fire. They told him they did that so that he could help the truth to come out. Rob says that living through wars was like training for the challenges that were looming in his life in the not too distant future. The Heart AttackIn 2016, Rob had surgery on his neck to remove some bone spurs he had developed from old sports injuries. It was a relatively easy procedure, so Rob was only in the hospital overnight to make sure there were no problems. Four days later at about 11 o'clock at night, Rob had a massive heart attack. He was screaming and writhing in bed, and his wife initially thought it was their daughter having seizures, as that was a typical occurrence for her around that time. When she realized it was Rob, she called the ambulance. Hospital & ComaRob was rushed to the hospital but the doctors could not revive him. He was unresponsive and without a pulse for 20 minutes. They did several injections of epinephrine and paddle shocks. They did everything they could and were on the verge of giving up when there was a small sign of a heartbeat. At that point they rushed Rob to surgery and fished a balloon pump into his heart to remove the blockage, (which that is commonly called the widow-maker), and they also placed two stents. But it was too late. Rob's heart was too damaged. He slipped into a coma for four days. When he woke up, he was told that the only way he would survive was a getting a heart transplant. He was just 56 years old. Looking for a TransplantSo Rob started on a journey to find a new heart. He went to a wide variety of regional transplant centers and was told the same thing: Hearts are in short supply. His only option was to be in the hospital for 40 days and be placed on the critical list. If a heart arrived, he would be there to get it. But if a heart didn't come, he would have to be put on a device called an LVAD, which is commonly used for people who can't get a heart. Rob didn't want an LVAD because of the challenges helping with Maria and trying to keep up with his life. It wasn't a good fit. So he was turned down by multiple transplant organizations. He was about to give up on his search. At that point he called his boss and told him what was going on and that he would have to resign. His boss...

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Tamara shares 5 empowering actions to take when you're feeling drained, exhausted, worn out, and just feel you can't go on. Drained? Take These 5 Empowering ActionsToday I want to talk about something that I feel is so needed in the world today. I don't know about you, but I look around and I see a lot of discouraged, drained, exhausted, and worn out people. This has been a physically, emotionally, and mentally challenging year. It's been challenging because of the changes. I have seen so many people who are depleted and I have felt that way myself. And so because of that, I thought, Tamara, you need to talk about this. God Changed My Object LessonI have to go back to April of this year when I was feeling the need to teach this "feeling drained" concept to my children. They'd been home from school for a month and they just found out school was canceled for the rest of the year. So they were feeling frustrated and bummed out. How do we replenish that inner supply of strength when we're feeling down? How do we do it? So going back to this lesson that I was trying to teach my kids: I started trying to think about how I could teach refilling our souls with an object lesson. In my brain, I was picturing taking a water pitcher and filling it one cup at a time as I talked about each of the things you can do to fill yourself up. And as I was thinking and praying about that concept, God said, "That is not how it works Tamara." Ha! I love it when when God tells you--Nope, that's not quite it. Anyways, the good news is, He gave me a visual picture of what would work better than that object lesson. The Real Object LessonAnd so let me tell you what I did. I ended up getting a big empty plastic juice bottle. I rinsed it out and I took a big drill bit and I drilled a hole in the bottom of it. And then I screwed the hose to our house outside into the bottom of it. Then I turned the water on and the water filled this bottle up until it was overflowing. https://tamarakanderson.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/water-overflowing-bottle.jpg () So God taught me and I taught my children that when we are tapped into the correct power source, we have enough inside that we can fill ourselves and then share and give to others. I love the symbol of Christ being living water. But really, I think what we're tapping into His light. Our Spiritual Umbilical CordAnd I've come to visualize it as kind of a spiritual umbilical cord which ties us to God because I believe that every person born on this earth is a child of God. We read about that in the Scriptures. As the Jesuit priest, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, observed, "We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience." And spiritually, we are tied to God. We are His children, and He can connect with us. And He can fill us with whatever it is that we need. So let's get on to these five empowering actions we can each take to tap into that spiritual umbilical cord. 5 Empowering Actions to Tap into GodAction #1-Choose to Flip the SwitchSo the first thing that we need to do is we need to realize that we are the ones that control how much light or how much living water comes into us. It's our choice. Joshua in the Old Testament said, "Choose you this day whom ye will serve; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15).You'll see all over in the Scriptures, invitations for us to choose to turn our power source on. Here is an example: “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you” (James 4:8).We Take the First StepSo God is saying, if you come to me, I will give this to you. He always lets us take the first step. The spiritual umbilical cord is there attached to us. It's ready to nourish us--to fill us with God's light, love, and strength beyond our own when we don't feel we can go on. But first He needs us to flip the switch needs us to turn the light on. The plug is in the outlet. But we need to be willing to flip the...

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Jennifer didn't start life with much confidence, but through several struggles she learned important lessons on self-confidence & compassion. Jennifer Finlayson-Fife: Why You Really Need Self-CompassionBioJennifer Finlayson-Fife is a wife, mother of three, as well as a licensed clinical professional counselor in the state of Illinois. She has a PhD in counseling psychology. Her teaching and coaching focuses on helping members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, both individuals and couples, achieve greater satisfaction and passion in their emotional and sexual relationships. Jennifer teaches online relationship and sexuality courses, workshops and retreats designed to foster self and sexual development and create happier relationships and individuals. She's a frequent guest on podcasts and writes articles for blogs and magazines on the subjects of sexuality, relationships, mental health and faith. Self-SufficiencyGrowing up, Jennifer was no stranger to hard work. With eight children in the home, there was never very much extra money. The basics were taken care of, but if she wanted anything she had to pay for it herself. Jennifer was born legally blind and had many eye surgeries. At 12-years-old, she wore very thick, coke bottle glasses. She wanted to get contact lenses. So she started making Christmas decorations to sell. The first year she made around $150. Jennifer saved that money and did the same thing the next year, as well as adding gingerbread house sales on top of her other decorations. That year she made $400, allowing her to buy her contact lenses. Jennifer was able to stay on top of the upkeep costs by continuing her Christmas decoration business. She also started doing exterior and interior painting in the summers to add to her growing income. At the time Jennifer saw this challenge as a burden. She usually didn't have as much money to spend as her friends with allowances, but now she recognizes the lessons she learned. She learned that she could attend to her own suffering and wants by working hard to make things better. Self DoubtDespite all of her hard work, Jennifer always felt very awkward. She typically only had two pairs of pants and two shirts for the year. She hit adolescence very late, so she was always very small compared to her peers. Jennifer wasn't very interested in the things her peers were interested in, and felt that they were immature. She was more connected to her family than the social world. She struggled to find a group where she fit in. Jennifer felt misunderstood by her peers, which made her very self-conscious. She didn't think she was very pretty either. She was a little afraid of being in a relationship with a boy because she felt that meant she had to be a step down from them. Jennifer acknowledges that many teens and even adults feel the same way she did. It's OkKnowing what she does now, Jennifer says that it is developmentally appropriate to have some self- doubt during the teenage years. It's ok to be uncertain about who you are and what you're really about, because you haven't lived long enough to sort it all out. The challenge is when we get stuck worrying about how other people feel about us and trying to keep other people happy as a way to feel good about ourselves. While it's normal to start out with referencing other people to make sense of ourselves, if we keep doing that then we will struggle to have a solid sense of self. If you need other people to make you feel good about yourself, you're either going to need people constantly telling you that you're ok or you'll be very demanding and always trying to get other people to yield to you. While being bossy may seem like it comes from a place of self-confidence, it's actually a weak position because it requires control of other people. Self ConfidenceJennifer says there are two important parts of developing true self-confidence. First, you have to live up to your own value. This means you...

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Tamara discusses the miracle of forgiveness by sharing 3 people we can forgive and 4 tips to help us forgive. The Secrets to ForgivenessForgivenessOn today's episode, we are going to talk about a powerful word that is really hard. I've kind of got mixed emotions about it: forgiveness. And we're going to talk about three people you can forgive and four steps to help you do it. Last week, we had a very interesting conversation with our good friend, Debbie Ihler Rasmussen. and Debbie is an amazing author and a good friend of mine. We talked about courageous things, including being courageous in the ability to forgive her husband, when he had had several affairs. And that was something that was really really hard for Debbie. She finally said that one person told her that if you can't forgive someone, you're letting them rent space in your head for free. And we often carry this weight of anger and frustration against people. So today I thought we'd talk a little bit about forgiveness because I don't know about you, but it is something I've struggled with throughout my life. And I want to talk today about how we forgive and who we forgive. Who We Forgive1. Forgive GodThe first person I think we often get angry with is God. Maybe it's just me. But when my son Nathan had been diagnosed with autism I was very angry with God because I knew He could heal my son, but He chose not to. I wish I could say it was different. But it wasn't. Some people will close God out of their lives when they're angry with Him. Like they don't even want to talk to Him. And that's a normal reaction. So if you've ever felt that way, please don't beat yourself up over it. But I was one of those who felt comfortable talking to God about how I felt. I think God knows where we are, and takes us where we are. He knew I didn't like feeling angry or feeling frustrated. I didn't like feeling that my life was so completely out of my control and I felt God was causing it. And so, as I talked to Him about it, and I asked him to help me with it. He did. He blessed me with peace although it was not immediate. This process probably took over a year. I talked about the whole process in my book, https://amzn.to/2FFAnPU (Normal for Me). (So if you want to read all the nitty gritty go ahead and read it there.) But it was a hard process for me. So if you've ever felt angry with God, know you're not the only one. But I think sometimes, especially in times like this when things have changed (like the coronavirus) or when things are just falling apart, we might have the tendency to point our finger and blame God. And there's a way to get past that. Great Bible VersesSometimes maybe we feel like David in the Psalms, where he says in Psalm 22:1 "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Why art thou so far from helping me and from the words of my roaring?" Do you ever feel like roaring at God? I know I do. Sometimes we feel He's gone far away. Maybe we've pushed Him far away because we're angry with Him, and we need to forgive Him. But here's God's answer to us in another beautiful verse from 2 Kings chapter 20:5, "I have heard thy prayer. I have seen thy tears. I will heal thee." So know that even though we may push God far away, He can and will heal us. You can't do anything to push yourself too far away from God. He's always there waiting like in the story of the prodigal waiting for us to "come to ourselves" and turn back home. And when we do turn to Him, He comes, and runs to us and embraces us. So reach out to God. 2. Forgive YourselfThe second person that we need to forgive is ourselves. Have you ever done something wrong and then felt the weight of that mistake on your head, shoulders and heart? You can't seem to forgive yourself. I know I felt that way before. The Tie Between Forgiveness and LoveI think forgiveness is tied to love. When Jesus Christ is talking about his great commandments--to love God and love our neighbor as ourselves. We can't love...

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Debbie never wanted her family to be a statistic, but finally knew it was time for a divorce. She shares how she regained her self-worth with God's help. Rediscovering my Self-WorthBioDebbie Ihler Rasmussen opened a dance studio and began teaching when she was 17 and that developed into a 44 year career teaching dance. Debbie was married for 25 years and then divorced. She has six children and 17 grandchildren, 19 depending upon how you count them. Debbie’s passion for writing has been there for as long as she can remember. She has been writing since she was 12 and finally published her first book in 2014. She's been able to express herself in happy times, sad times and hard times through writing. Debbie has written a book series called The Mystic Trilogy. Her three books take people into another world, if only for a little while, because it's just good to have fun and imagine. SkydivingDebbie is incredibly fun-loving and adventurous. When she was 18, she remembers seeing some skydivers with her mom. She told her mom that she had always wanted to try skydiving but her mom informed her, "One splat and you're dead." Years later, after her divorce, Debbie would go out to the Elsinore drop zone in California and watch people jump. She decided she really wanted to sky dive. So she worked at the diving school to earn the money to do it. She rode the plane up 13 times over the course of 3 years before she finally jumped because she was so afraid. Finally, she was tired of the painful pressure on her ears when the pilot dove back to earth, so she decided she would just jump. Back then, you didn't have to do a tandem jump so Debbie was just freefalling on her own and pulled her own ripcord. She loved it and went back often after that, but it wasn't the kind of habit she could keep up with because of the expense. But she would highly recommend it to anyone, even if you think you're too old. Marriage to BobDebbie met her husband Bob shortly after high school. After being married a few weeks, Debbie saw a different side of Bob. One day Bob was mad at Debbie and picked her up and dropped her. It didn't hurt her so much as it hurt her feelings. She was so surprised that she wanted to talk to her dad about getting an annulment, but she couldn't get ahold of him. Things calmed down a little bit and she decided to just ride it out and move past it. Thanksgiving rolled around and she remembers telling her dad that the turkey made her feel sick. Her dad said, "You're going to have a baby." He was right, Debbie was pregnant. So she doubled down and decided she was going to make it work. The First AffairFor the first 10 years, there were some little control issues with Bob but he was a good dad. But when Debbie was pregnant with their sixth baby, she discovered Bob was having an affair. Debbie had been pregnant off and on for three years and had lost two babies at that point. They had six children under the age of 10. She didn't feel very pretty and finding out about Bob's affair certainly didn't help. Debbie's dad came to visit them for Christmas that year and she told him about the affair. She did not expect what he said next. He said, "Well Debbie, just look as pretty as you can every day when he comes home from work." Debbie was shocked. Her whole life she had been her dad's girl and always felt like a princess. She distinctly remembers standing in her room after her dad left trying to figure out what to do. Again, Debbie decided to stick with it and push through and she believed everything would be fine. She stayed in her marriage for another 13 years. Two More AffairsAt one point, Bob left the family and moved to California. He would come to visit occasionally. Debbie decided to move the family to California to try and fix their marriage. After three years of trying, she was done. Bob had two more affairs and started to get abusive towards the kids. Debbie says she sort of just woke up and realized she didn't have to deal with...

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On today's episode we talk a little bit about angels--both the heavenly kind and the earthly kind. I also share a story from my family history which teaches about earthly angels. Are There Angels in the World Today?First, I need to do a shout out to Elizabeth Allen, who shared her wonderful story last week about her son Jesse passing away. She also shared how she learned to see signs of Jesse in her life--that his light would appear in pictures that they were taking, and he was often with them. So we're going to talk about those kinds of angels, friends and people we know and love who come and be with us from the other side. And we're also going to talk about physical angels that come into our lives at the moment we need them the very most. A Favorite Old Testament StoryA couple of years ago I was at a church event, and they invited us to turn to the person next to us and share our favorite story from the Old Testament. And this is the story that I shared. Because it is one of those stories that impressed me so much when I first heard it. Elisha and the SyriansThis story is found in 2 Kings chapter 6. And in this story, we have the prophet Elisha, and and there's a war going on between Israel and Syria. And every time the Syrians go to make a move, it seems like the Israelites are prepared, and they know exactly what the Syrians are doing. Finally, the King of Syria like, What's going on? Who is the spy among us? Basically, who is telling the Israelites about our plans? And one of the people who was advising the king of Syria said it's none of us. Israel has a prophet named Elisha, and he is counseling them what to do. And the King decided he wanted to talk to this prophet guy. Where is he so that I can talk to him? They said, He's in a city called Dothan. And so the Syrians went and surround this city called Dothan in the middle of the night. It says here in 2 Kings 6:14-17 it says, "They came by night and compassed the city about. And when the servant of the man of God was risen early and gone for behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, (so he's talking to Elisha), "Alas, my master! how shall we do?" So at this point, He's like, We're dead. We are surrounded by our enemies. Elisha Sees The Chariots of FireSo Elijah, looking as only a prophet can, looked at the surrounding Syrian army and gave this powerful, powerful response. "And he answered, fear not for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. And Elijah prayed and said, Lord, I pray thee open his eyes that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire, round about Elisha." So often, we, like the servant of Elisha, look at the world around us, and we freak out. There are so many things nowadays that can bring fear into our lives. My message today is "fear not they that be with us are more than they that be with them." Loneliness During the CoronavirusI think one of the most challenging things about the coronavirus and quarantining us to our homes is that it has been a very isolating experience. Perhaps we feel more alone than we have felt our entire lives. We feel alone, forgotten, like nobody cares, and that nobody understands what we're going through. And so my response to you is first, God understands. Second, you're not alone. And I want to drive that home. Because there are horses and chariots and angels round about you. You may not see them, but they are there. And you can call on God, to have those angels be with you to help you "see" and feel the angels that are with you. You may not see them with your physical eyes, but you can see them with spiritual eyes. There are family members and loved ones who are with us in our deepest and hardest moments of trial. I've had too many experiences in my life, to be able to say different. Learning About...

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Elizabeth Allen was stunned when her healthy 16-year-old son died suddenly one day from HCM. She shares wisdom learned along grief's road with God's help. 4 Lessons From LossBioElizabeth Allen is the oldest of 10 children and grew up in California. She met her husband as a student at BYU and they have lived in Utah for almost 30 years now and have eight children. Through her husband, she was introduced to alternative medicine and she has studied the healing arts for over 30 years. Her daughter Glenna was the first to be diagnosed with the hereditary heart condition HCM, which stands for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. This led to the diagnosis of her husband and two youngest children, Stephen and Jesse. Baffling SymptomsWhen her kids were young, Elizabeth remembers her kids having stomachaches on a regular basis, and they just seemed to be sick a lot. Some were diagnosed with H. pylori, the bacteria that causes stomach ulcers, but there was something more going on. At one point, Glenna was living with Elizabeth's sister in Connecticut. One morning, they weren't able to wake her up. They called the paramedics and testing began. The doctors were baffled. Her EKG, a type of heart testing, was more indicative of a 90-year-old who had had multiple heart attacks. They even sent her tests to Columbia University to have them looked at. Even they were baffled. Health professionals then performed a stress test where she ran on a treadmill with a heart monitor on. But throughout all the testing, they never performed any imaging tests. Elizabeth had Glenna brought back to Utah and they got an MRI done. Finally, she received a diagnosis of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The doctors told them that this condition was hereditary and that everyone in the family needed to be tested. What is HCM?Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a condition in which the muscles of the heart wall thicken. This makes the chambers that hold the blood smaller so that the heart can't pump as much blood. Additionally, the fibers in the muscles tend to be scrambled and stiff so the heart goes into atrial fibrillation, which causes sudden death. HCM is sometimes known as the life snatcher because it's young people like athletes who suddenly drop on the field or court. HCM often goes undiagnosed because here in the United States we don't offer any kind of screening. Because of this, Elizabeth recommends that all parents, and especially parents of athletes know what symptoms to watch out for. Common symptoms of HCM are a kids who tires out quickly and just often doesn't feel well. They are generally low energy. Getting an echocardiogram for kids with those symptoms is not very expensive but is an important test to visualize the thickening in the heart. The thickening that they saw in Glenna's heart sent the Allen family to Stanford University to do genetic testing and counseling with a specialist. Their family now knows the specific gene responsible for their HCM. After this testing, they were able to find out that Elizabeth's husband and two other children also have HCM. Some of their other children also carry the gene, though they don't actually have the disease. JesseElizabeth's son Jesse was one of her children with HCM. But he never complained. He had some trouble, but nothing that really stood out to Elizabeth. A few days before the 4th of July, when Jesse was 16, Elizabeth remembers noticing Jesse's hands shaking but not much else. Elizabeth remembers that he had an invincible spirit and really pushed himself. He signed up for things like weightlifting at school, even though he wasn't supposed to. Elizabeth didn't know that, and Jesse's health plan hadn't followed him from middle school over to the high school. Even though Elizabeth was frustrated with him pushing himself so hard, he was the picture of health. One afternoon, Jesse was out in Roosevelt with some friends. He collapsed. His friends didn't know what to do. They did their best and called the...

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Katy Willis found yoga and breathing exercises to be healing from trauma. Listen as she teaches 3 breathing techniques to relieve stress. If you prefer to watch a video of this episode, you can access that here: https://youtu.be/Y4R8OMqgakU (https://youtu.be/Y4R8OMqgakU) Stressed? Try These 3 Breathing ExercisesOur Guest for our Breathing Episode TodayOn today's Tamara's Takeaways I'm doing things a little different. Today I have an extra special treat for you. Since my last takeaways episode was all about stress, I've been researching some more amazing stress relieving techniques because I feel I need it. (And I know everybody else probably does, too.) And so because last week's episode was my interview with Katy Willis, I thought it would be so fun to bring her back on today because she has some specialties that she's willing to share with us. The cool thing about Katy is she has such a huge and broad background not only as a nurse, but she's also a certified Kundalini yoga instructor, a certified practitioner in quantum neuro reset therapy, and she is also a Christian. So, what is so interesting about this is she can kind of give us a Christian's take on breathing and yoga. In Katy's interview last week she talked about how yoga became a way for her to help the begin the healing process from the stressors caused by the addiction, and the betrayal trauma from her husband's addiction to pornography. YogaWhen I asked Katy how she was introduced to yoga to begin with, she explained she had several people recommend it to her when she was at that low point in her life, so finally she ordered some DVDs on Amazon, and did yoga for the first time. And at that point, Katy's husband Mark was working three full time and part time jobs, so she'd have a couple hours every night between putting the kids to bed, and before he came home. Katy then designated this as her self-care time and began doing yoga. The first time she tried yoga she was unsure what she was doing, but immediately recognized how amazing she felt physically and mentally, emotionally. She just felt so clear. And so the next night Katy popped another DVD in and every day since then. It has been eight years she has kept up a daily yoga practice. Benefits of YogaNow the research has been catching up as to the benefits of yoga, which is important to her medical training as a nurse. Due to how yoga has helped Katy process her own trauma, she realized quickly that she had to teach others how to breathe and do yoga to heal as well. For this reason she explains, "I've spent the past few years literally traveling all over the country, hoping to get in the best of everything. ...Yoga is helping me also spiritually to be more intentional about abiding in Jesus Christ from moment to moment and seeing God in my life. I'm more aware spiritually. The Difference Between Pressure and StressKaty feels like stress gets a bad rap, especially in western culture where we are going to die of stress. But she defines "the difference between pressure and stress is, is me where I'm at in that moment. If I have enough of a reserve, and or I'm able to adapt and adjust and shift into low low gear, I am able to rise to meet that pressure and it stays pressure. But when I am too depleted, I'm having a hard time adapting to what's happening" that is when pressure becomes stress. Katy explains that's important to differentiate, because "pressure is not 'bad.' It's a huge part of living on this planet. Pressure is what allows us to grow and become stronger physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Another way to think about pressure and stress is comparing it to a checking account. We have to have more in our checking balance than we're withdrawing or else we're going to get in trouble. The same is true with our physical, spiritual and emotional health. Two Key Components to Deep Breathing1. LifestyleYoga has been a key component in helping Katy maintain her well-being balance in...

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Katy Willis lived many years with stress and betrayal trauma. She found hope and healing through Jesus Christ for her and her family from pornography. How to Be Still amidst traumaBioKaty Willis lives in Brigham City, Utah with her husband Mark. She earned degrees in nursing and music from BYU Idaho and is always in the middle of a good book or two as a passionate lifetime learner. She shares that love for learning as a full time homeschooling mom with her four young, energetic children. And when she isn't with the kids, she's probably helping to lead and serve the women of her church congregation, teaching one of her yoga therapy courses, or working with one of her brain wellness clients as a certified practitioner for a protocol called quantum neuro reset therapy. She feels it is her mission to help people heal from trauma, increase their awareness and consciousness, and guide others to find Jesus Christ personally. Katy has used her medical training in lots of unique instances. Once she was at a meeting in a facility similar to a food pantry. There was a man there who started sweating profusely and his hands were shaking. Katy took notice, but thought maybe it was just too hot in the room. After a few more minutes, he slumped over. Katy went over to him and asked if he was ok and he told her that he was a diabetic and hadn't eaten dinner. There was nothing in the food pantry that was high enough sugar to help this man. But luckily, Katy only lived a few blocks away. She called her husband, Mark, and told him that she needed him to put some orange juice concentrate out on the porch with a spoon. Katy quickly drove to her home, picked up the orange juice concentrate, brought it back, and helped this man eat some to get his blood sugar under control. Katy is thankful for all the times that God has helped her to recall knowledge she has or just whispered answers to her. Deciding to Marry MarkKaty met Mark on a blind date. It was probably the most awkward date she had ever been on, but eventually they figured it out. During their engagement, Mark told Katy that he had struggled his entire youth with pornography, sex addiction, and masturbation. Right after he told Katy, his mom walked into the room so Katy didn't have the chance to ask him any questions or even discuss it with him. The rest of the night was a blur, and she couldn't sleep. As a Christian, Katy had made the choice at a young age to intentionally live a virtuous life. To find out that the man she wanted to marry had not made those same choices was very disorienting for her. After a long night of agonizing over what she had learned, as the sun was rising, God had something to say. He told Katy, "This does not change what I've known. Every time that you have come to me and asked if marrying Mark was the right choice, I've told you yes. Every time you've asked, I have known. This is changing what you know, Katy, but it's not changing what I know." Get Help, Don't WaitKaty's biggest regret at that point was that they didn't seek professional help right away. Mark had been "sober" for about two years, but Katy says there is a difference between sobriety and white knuckling, or just holding on and not acting on the addiction. While there may be some who are able to white knuckle through the rest of their lives, most can't and will relapse at some point if they haven't done recovery work. Mark hadn't truly recovered at that point. You have to dig the problem up by the roots and look at the patterns and allow Jesus Christ to change your heart. Just because someone has addiction in their past doesn't mean that's their future. But the smartest thing to do is get professional help to explore how far the entanglements of addiction are reaching in to their life. Katy says it's important for both the addict and their spouse or future spouse to receive counseling as well. Find the Right Kind of HelpKaty says it's important to get the right kind of counseling though. She

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With all of the stressful situations in the world today, one of the most needed things we can incorporate into our lives is stress reduction techniques. 11 Quick and Easy Ways to Reduce StressHas Anyone Felt Stressed lately?Raise your hand if you've been feeling stressed. On today's episode, I get to talk to you about 11 stress relieving tactics I have used to feel more relaxed and less stress in my life. My life has been crazy lately, and I'm sure yours has been too. Welcome to another episode of Tamara's Takeaways. Last week, I had the opportunity to interview Abel Keogh. And he lost his wife when he was very young in their marriage. But one of the things Abel commented on was one of the things that got him up and out of bed when he was stressed and grieving was this pull to get up and run. That was one of the things in his routine. And it was something that helped him, get up, get moving and process the stress one more day. An Interesting RealizationI had an interesting thing happen yesterday. I have an accountability call with a few fellow authors every Monday morning, and we report how we did last week with our goals and we talked about our goals for the next week. But I told my fellow authors, "I have been feeling an extraordinary amount of stress lately. Then I asked, "How many of you have been feeling stressed?" Almost every hand went up. And what surprised me about that was that so many people are under an extreme amount of stress, not only with the pandemic going on and the racial violence and rioting going on. Every time you turn around, there seems to be one more challenge one more complication. And this doesn't even include the challenges we're having in our own personal lives, with our families, and relationships. So there is a lot of stress prevalent right now. And I found that in the last couple of weeks with this burden of stress, I've had to start consciously thinking of and working on ways that I can personally relieve stress--just like Abel found running as one of his go-to outs to relieve stress. So today I'm going to give you 11 ways I have proven over the last many years of my life which have helped me relieve stress. Some of them you may have used before and some of them you may not have ever used before. So I hope that they will be helpful to you in the stresses that you are encountering on a daily basis. Please share them with friends who are stressed out as well. 11 Ways to Relieve StressTip #1. Prayer"We have to pray with our eyes on God, not on the difficulties." ~ Oswald ChambersPrayer is not new. It's been around since Adam and Eve. Praying can help us develop a relationship with God who will guide us and help us through any challenge or stress we may face in life. Prayer gives us the opportunity to express gratitude, but to also invite God's Spirit into our lives. And having the Spirit can help us maybe think of ways to manage stressful situations in our lives that we maybe hadn't thought of before. The great thing is because God is smart and all-knowing, He can help us with these things. Max Lucado said, "Don't worry about having the right words; worry more about having the right heart. It's not eloquence he seeks, just honesty."I have found solutions to problems just in the last couple weeks to challenges that I've been facing. Ideas will just pop into my brain, maybe not praying, but later in the day in a quiet moment. So pray. Tip #2. Prioritize Exercising"Take care of your body. It's the only place you have to live." ~ Jim RohnWhen I have stress, it seems I feel it like big ball in my stomach area. It's almost like this hard rock of energy that I need to get out of my body. I woke up Monday morning feeling particularly stressful. And since I was up before everybody else, I thought, I have got to pray and I've got to go run. And I'm not a runner guys--I walk. I've never been a runner, but this ball stress in my stomach was so big that I knew I needed to run. So I grabbed our...

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Abel Keogh never expected the suicide of his first wife nor his terrible grief as a widower. Through God's grace he experienced the power of second chances. Abel Keogh: Why I Believe in Second ChancesBioAbel Keogh is a relationship coach and the expert on widower relationships. As a remarried widower he has successfully helped thousands of widowers and the women who date them know if they're ready to open their hearts to a new relationship. He is the author of seven books for widower relationship guides, two novels, and a memoir about losing his late wife to suicide and falling in love again. He is also an avid runner. Abel and his wife Juliana live in the beautiful state of Utah and, of course, have the requisite seven children. It's hard for many of us to think that running is something we could ever enjoy, but Abel truly enjoys running. For him, it's about getting up and releasing energy. Going for a run is the first thing Abel does each morning. Running clears his head and helps him think better. He says that any kind of exercise can do that for you, so you don't have to like running! Find a type of exercise you enjoy, like biking or lifting weights and have that be your way of putting your body and mind in the place they need to be in order to start your day. Life with KristaAbel married his wife Krista in December of 1998. Everyone else said it was freezing cold that day, but Abel doesn't remember the cold. Abel and Krista had practically grown up together, but didn't start dating until college. They found out they were expecting in 2001. Abel remembers being very excited, but as the pregnancy progressed, he noticed Krista's mood and attitude changing. This was very strange for Krista. She had always been someone who lit up a room and felt like your best friend. She was positive and upbeat. Abel says there wasn't one specific thing that he really noticed changing, Krista just seemed more depressed with life in general. PregnancyAbel remembers people at work asking how his wife was doing with the pregnancy. He would say that she didn't really seem like herself, and they would laugh it off and say that was just pregnancy. So he assumed it was normal. He couldn't wait until the baby was born so that things would go back to normal. Krista's SuicideEverything changed very quickly. They had spent the night at Krista's grandmother's house after moving into a new apartment, about 20 minutes away. Abel knew Krista didn't want to run the errands that they needed to get done, so he told her that he was going to take care of them and he would be back in a few hours and then they could go to the apartment. When Abel got back, Krista was gone. He figured she had gone to the apartment, even though they had agreed to go together. He called the apartment and Krista answered and told him not to come over. What started as a very strange conversation turned into a fight, ending with the slamming down of the phone and Abel saying he was coming over to the apartment. As soon as he arrived at the apartment, he knew something was wrong. It was the middle of the day but the blinds were all drawn and the lights were off. Krista's car was there though, so Abel knew she was there. He tried to calm down a little bit as he walked into the apartment. When he walked in, it was dark and quiet. Then, he heard a gunshot from the bedroom. Krista had shot herself. Everything was a blur from that moment on. The paramedics arrived and kicked Abel out of the room. Krista was seven months pregnant, so he was worried for both her and the baby. Finally, he asked one of the officers if she was going to be ok. The officer told him that Krista was dead, but they were going to try and take her body to the hospital and save the baby. Abel couldn't really understand what was going on. After a few more minutes, her body was gone and he was left at the apartment with some police officers. Losing HopeThe next few days felt like Abel was watching his life...

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Tamara K. Anderson shares 3 actions to help us find peace amid times of chaos like the Coronavirus and racial division. Peace is the answer. Why Seeking Peace is the AnswerHow Do People Feel Peace in Extreme Circumstances?Welcome to another episode of Tamara's Takeaways. Last week, I had the wonderful opportunity to share with you https://tamarakanderson.com/episodes/suzanne-earl-look-for-the-sugar/ (Suzanne Earl's interview). I asked Suzanne an interesting question part of the way through the podcast. I asked if she ever felt overwhelmed by the thought that all her children have all these different allergies, EOE, and EGE? Did she ever wonder why God let this happen and feel completely overwhelmed by the challenges she faced? Suzanne was very sweet. She explained that each of her four children's diagnosis with different allergies and health challenges happened gradually and just built on each other. There were times she cried, Yes. But she pressed forward with an amazing amount of faith and courage. And I loved how she mentioned at the end that she spent time in prayer and that with God's help and strength. Suzanne seemed so at peace. How Do They Do That?Do you ever wonder how people do that? How do people go through extreme circumstances and yet they are at peace with their lives? I'm going to cover that today and also give you three things we can do to achieve peace in our own lives. And boy! Don't we need peace now? The w0rld is a crazy place with the Coronavirus, racial division, and major disasters happening. Today I'm going to tell you a story from my life about a hard situation I went through that I didn't have answers for. And the one thing I found that helped me pull through with hope, and faith, because I think that's what the world is really lacking right now. It's hope and faith and peace and maybe love to go get through what we're going through right now. Because it's, it's kind of crazy out there, guys. My Story of Personal DistressA Broken EngagementSo I'm going to take you back many, many moons ago, when Tamara was young and single. So it was a while ago. I met a guy that I really liked, and we dated for a while and we had a lot of fun. And he proposed and I said yes, and we were So excited. We were gonna get married and we, we dated, it was summertime we dated in the summer it was just so much fun. We went on several adventures together exploring nature. It was great. I mean, we had bumps in the road, like every couple, but it it was it was a great adventure. And somewhere amidst all this adventure, he came to me one night and said, "Tamara, I just don't love you anymore." And I remember being so shocked, like, Wait, what? Because I knew I loved him. I was shocked that he all of a sudden just didn't love me anymore. And so we just broke off the engagement and we still continued to date for a while. And then finally he just said, "Okay, I just need a complete break." It's hard to get over somebody if you're with them all the time. My Broken HeartAnd I felt like my heart had broken because I knew I loved him and I didn't understand why this had happened. I felt like I had prayed and gotten an answer that it was good to get for us to get married and then it just didn't work out. And so I was confused. I was so so heartbroken. I remember going to bed at night and just feeling the inside of my chest aching, so, so badly and waking up and the pain was still there. It wouldn't go away. Looking back, with a little more hindsight, I dropped into a situational depression. I felt heartbroken and sad for several months. And I prayed and I prayed. I tried as hard as I could to draw near to God. To help me process this, I spent a lot of time talking to his sister (a good friend) who still loved her brother too. I still loved him so much but the love just wasn't returned. The ChangeSeveral months into this heartbreak, I remember was Sunday evening and just feeling a little unsettled again. And felt like I just

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Suzanne became a baking queen as her four children were diagnosed with food allergies, EOE and EGE. She shares 8 lessons and 5 tips learned along the way. Suzanne Earl: Look for the SugarBioSuzanne Earl has been married for 19 years and has four children ages 17 to three. She has lived in Utah, Wyoming, Texas, and is now back in Utah again. All of her children have severe food allergies and eosinophilic esophagitis (EOE) or eosinophilic gastroenteritis (EGE). These challenges sparked a need and eventual joy for baking and cooking in her home. She also loves to work in her garden. On a personal note, Suzanne and I met when our families lived in Texas. When I found out that I did not tolerate wheat very well, she taught me how to make a gluten-free mixture before it became a thing that you could buy at the store. Suzanne is a baking queen. She knows the science of baking. She's had to learn this because of her children. Interesting FactAn interesting fact about her is that she and her family were on the show Random Acts and had a Bake Off with the Random Acts crew, which they won! Being on Random Acts TV ShowSuzanne's oldest daughter Christine went online and nominated her little sister Brooklyn to be a Random Acts recipient because she knew how much her family loves baking shows. Suzanne reads lots of cookbooks and watches baking shows like she's taking a college class. She pays close attention to all the science and every little thing that they do so that she can learn new ways to do things. They even like to quote their favorite baking shows. Sadly, they knew that baking and things like that weren't something that Brooklyn could ever really do because she's allergic to too many common ingredients. Imagine their surprise when Random Acts called and said they would like to have Brooklyn on their show and do some sort of baking show! Suzanne provided most of the ingredients from home to make sure they were safe. The staff of the show built a kitchen to ensure Brooklyn would have a safe place to bake. Suzanne says it was a great experience for their family. If you would like to watch their family's episode on the Random Act's TV show https://www.byutv.org/player/39d2f1e1-83fb-4887-bb90-2d5d2b90f786/random-acts-make-or-bake (click here) (and start at the 5:00 minute mark). InfertilityIt wasn't easy for Suzanne to get her family established though. After getting married and trying to have children, Suzanne learned that she has polycystic ovarian syndrome, but was asymptomatic. She had to take a lot of medications to even get her body to ovulate. It took a few years to get her first two girls here, between medications and working closely with her doctors. A few years later, Cristine was completely surprised to find out she was 15 weeks pregnant with her son. Miraculously they got pregnant on their own with him. He was born at 35 weeks, so it was a short pregnancy for Suzanne. They knew they wanted to have one more child after their son, but their doctors wouldn't give them anymore fertility medications. After a move they continued looking for a doctor who would help them. It took ten years until they were finally able to get pregnant again with twins. Unfortunately, they lost one of the twins at 12 weeks. Suzanne then had to take a lot of medications and be on bedrest to save the other twin. She was born and now they have their beautiful four children. Struggles with AllergiesHowever, the struggles didn't end there. They struggled to get their babies here, but once they arrived, they struggled to feed them. It all started with Christine and her food allergies. She struggled a lot as a baby and they didn't really know why. Then, when she was 15 months old, she ate part of a granola bar that someone had left on the coffee table and broke out into hives all over her body. They learned she was allergic to peanuts, and the number of allergies continued to grow from there. Many kids grow out of their allergies as they...

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In today's episode I share the story of the Salmon who migrate through the Ballard Locks with how we navigate around the obstacles in our lives. How to Navigate the Coronavirus/Change with HopeThe Story of the SalmonIf you were a Salmon coming in from the Pacific ocean north of Seattle, Washington in the United States with the goal of spawning somewhere in the tributaries of Lake Washington, you would come into the Puget Sound, go into Shilshole Bay and continue up until you were stopped by a Dam. Now this dam is no ordinary dam. It separates the 20 foot above sea level freshwater of the Lakes from the salt water of the Pacific. Just like a dam stops the progression of water--it also halts the progress of the salmon and the boats. Unfortunately Sea Lions also know that the Salmon will be stopped here, and love feasting at this stopping point. Now, if you were a Salmon you might be thinking, What the heck! What happened to my goal to swim upriver and spawn. How do I get upriver when I am stopped by a dam and hunted by predators? I'm going to pause there and step back from this story and continue it in just a little bit. Navigating ChangeSo, what do you do when you hit a change--something that stops you--something that stops your progress? That is a hard feeling to have the rug pulled out from under you. There is nothing more frustrating than having your progress completely stopped. Many people felt this frustration when countries locked down during the Coronavirus outbreak. It was hard to have our progress--our normal lives--stopped, halted, or damned. Most experienced a decrease in bope. It think it is important to understand the concept of hope and what helps us have hope, so that when our progress is stopped or our normal is changed, you know how to pivot. Having Hope During ChangeOn last week's episode, Dr. Benjamin Hardy and I talked about hope. One of the quotes I read from his book was, https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/607021/personality-isnt-permanent-by-benjamin-hardy-phd/ (Personality Isn't Permanent), is “Research shows you cannot have hope without a goal.” Now, you might be thinking--"Tamara, that is crazy! Goals aren't connected to hope." But, the more I have studied hope, the more I have realized goals or how we envision the future has everything to do hope! If I were to ask you, "What changed in your future because the world shut down with the Coronavirus?" I bet you could tell me what changed or didn't happen in your life. Personal Example of Dashed HopesFor me and my family, we missed going on choir tour to California. Choir concerts were cancelled, piano and voice lessons were cancelled. School was cancelled. Heck--going to the store normally was changed. Our Spring Break trip to Yosemite and the Giant Sequoias was cancelled. I had hoped to go to Disneyland for my birthday in May--but it never happened. What happened to hope? It decreased because our family couldn't envision the future. It had changed. Life stopped. And it felt frustrating. People were clamoring trying to figure out how to solve problems and keep moving. How the Salmon Navigate Their ObstacleLet's go back to my story of the Salmon. They have come as far as they can go up the waterway and are stopped by the dam. But this is no ordinary dam. This is the Ballard Locks. The Ballard Locks and the Fish LadderNow, as the fish swim backwards and forwards trying to find a way through the dam, they'll catch the scent of fresh water, because they're drawn to it. Salmon have a very good sense of smell. And by following this fresh water scent, it requires them to go a different or perhaps a more difficult route up a series of what they call weirs--picture a giant water staircase. The Salmon press forward, propelling their bodies up and out of the water to jump to the next level 21 times before they reach the freshwater and can continue their journey. So my family and I had the privilege of visiting these Ballard locks back in...

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Dr. Benjamin Hardy used to be a video game junkie who almost didn't graduate from high school. He shares how he was able to completely change his life and personality. Dr. Benjamin Hardy: Want to Change? You Can! Personality Isn't PermanentBioDr. Benjamin Hardy is an organizational psychologist and best selling author of the book "Willpower Doesn't Work." From 2015 to 2018, he was the number one writer in the world on Medium.com. During that time, he grew his email list from zero to 400,000 without having paid advertising. He and his wife Lauren adopted three children from the foster care system in February of 2018. One month later, Lauren got pregnant with twins who were born in December of 2018. They live in Orlando, Florida. His blogs are read by millions every month. His next book, "Personality isn't Permanent," will be released next week. Formative YearsDivorce and AddictionOne of the first big challenges in Ben's life came when he was very young. His parents divorced when he was 11 years old. Prior to the divorce they had been a very religious family, but afterward, they stopped going to church. Religion and faith were no longer part of their lives. Observing his parents was very interesting to Ben as they developed radically different habits. The whole process was not what Ben's father had expected and Ben watched as him sink into a depression that ultimately led to the path of addiction. Their home became a very dangerous place, with lots of strange people coming and going. Video GamesLooking back, Ben has no idea how he graduated from high school. He rarely went, and he never did homework. After high school he moved to his cousin's home. He enrolled in community college but dropped out quickly because he had no work ethic nor purpose. He was living at his cousin's home playing video games all day. Decision to ChangeSo his life was basically very sad, purposeless, and confusing. Finally, Ben looked around and realized that he needed something new. He needed to find direction. He decided to serve a church mission for two years. Ben says it was the church mission that led him to pursue psychology, not the trauma of his formative years. Despite the trauma that he experienced, Ben was able to reconnect with his father just before his church mission. His father was able to overcome his addictions and they have become good friends. Ben says that he doesn't have any negative feelings toward his father. He has asked him about the past and has been able to learn many things about his dad. Ben explains that having more information and context is important to being able to have more empathy for someone. In fact, Ben is grateful for the experiences he had because if he hadn't gone through what he did, he wouldn't have had resilience or faith in the same way. TransformationWhen Ben got out on his mission, he had a new role and a new purpose. It was a fresh start. He had great leaders, new experiences and a fresh perspective. Ben was connected with God. He felt free: Free from his past, free from constraints, free to grow and free to evolve. From that experience he realized that he wanted to be a writer. But when he got home, his friends didn't see the amazing changes that Ben had undergone. They assumed he was the same person that he was when he left. They continued to use vulgar language around him and got on with life as it was before. But Ben was now sensitive to those things and he knew his purpose. He knew if he hung around those friends too much, he would revert to his old self. He decided to attend a different college than his friends and started studying psychology. That was ten years ago. Now Ben is married, has five kids, and is continuing to learn and grow and be blown away by life. Step #1: Involve GodBen says that God was crucial in his transformation during his mission. His experiences with God refocused his path towards growth and development instead of just sitting and staring. Ben says that you can...

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In today's episode Tamara K. Anderson shares a personal story of hitting a life detour and learning how to move forward when she was in limbo. In Limbo Waiting for Answers to Prayer? Try These 4 TipsWelcome to another episode of Tamara's Takeaways on the Stories of Hope in Hard Times podcast. I'm your host, Tamara K. Anderson and I am so tickled to be here with you today. Recap of Rob's Prayer StoryLast week, I interviewed a man named https://tamarakanderson.com/episodes/robert-pk-mooney-one-foster-kids-road-to-success/ (Rob Mooney). Rob was in and out of foster care just had really tough time growing up. But the thing I want to pull away from his episode is about the power of prayer. There was a day when Rob was hanging out with a couple of his teenage friends. They were just kind of bagging on their families and parents, like teenagers. Anyway, at the end of this, Rob kind of pulled this friend aside and said, You guys complain about your mom's your dad's and stuff, but I just wish I had a family. And this teenage friend of Rob's looked at him, he said, "Rob, you can have a family. So just pray and ask God for one." And it was a sincere statement of a faith filled teenager. But it made a difference. Rob, began praying that very moment for a for a family. Anyway, to make a long story short, an opportunity came up that Rob thought was the perfect opportunity. He'd been waiting in limbo forever, and it looked like this family was gonna adopt him and then it didn't work out. And Rob was very discouraged. Finally, as he was beginning his senior year, he met another family that wasn't exactly like him, but they had qualities that he was lacking. And these people ended up becoming who his children call Grandma and Grandpa, even though he wasn't officially adopted. Being in LimboSo, today, I want to talk about that that state of limbo that we sometimes find ourselves in when we feel we've been praying for something. And sometimes when you're in that limbo, you feel like the heavens are closed. You feel like saying, "God, where are you and I need you the most?" And, and so what do you do in those times when you know, God's listening, but it doesn't feel like He's there? What do you do when you don't feel you're getting answers or as clear of answers to prayers as you'd like to get? If you have been or are waiting in limbo--know this: You are not alone. Noah waited not only 40 days and nights, but also had to wait for the water to receed before he could leave the confinement of the ark. The children of Israel waited and wandered for 40 years in the wilderness before they entered the promised land. Jacob waited and worked 7 long years to marry Rachel. There is a lot of waiting and hanging out in limbo in the scripture stories. Let me tell you a personal story of muddling through limbo. A Personal Story of Limbo and ChangeAfter I graduated from high school, I went to Brigham Young University for a year. And like every college student, I was doing GE's (general electives). I was trying to figure out who I wanted to be when I grew up and I really had this intense desire to try to figure out my life. I wanted to figure out my major and make a plan. Back then I was kind of funny about planning everything, so having a plan was really important for me. Making a PlanI took aptitude tests, and eventually decided I wanted to do something in the medical field. But I had a challenge: I got queasy at the sight of blood, so that really limited me. So I ended up looking at what therapies were available at BYU and chose Therapeutic Recreation early in my sophomore year. I prayed about it and felt good about that decision. And so I grabbed all the information I could on what I needed to graduate with a degree in Therapeutic Recreation, and I started laying out my life year by year, with every class that I would take through to graduation. I even put some space in there for me to serve a mission for my church. Then I figured out when I

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Robert PK Mooney was able to overcome traumatic experiences in his childhood and change his future through the power of choice. Robert PK Mooney: One Foster Kid's Road to SuccessBioRobert PK Mooney was born in Honolulu, Hawaii. He grew up in an abusive home and then went into the foster care system from age six until 18. Rob beat the stereotype and graduated from BYU with a degree in finance. He went on to receive two law degrees, one from BYU and one from Northwestern. During his career, he specialized in intellectual property cases where he has been recognized as one of the world's leading IP strategists. Recently he quit his law practice so that he could spend his time with his wife and five children, who are his top priority. Home LifeMillions of children in America have parents who don't provide for their physical, emotional or spiritual needs. This was the kind of upbringing Rob experienced. His mother was very sick physically, emotionally and mentally. His father was very abusive, including sexual, physical, and emotional abuse in the home. Those experiences left some pretty significant scars. Rob grew up with seven siblings. His parents had previous marriages, and both of them had children from those marriages. His mother's two oldest children left to go to college on the mainland as soon as they could. Rob and his six biological siblings often didn't have enough to eat. The MarathonThe Decision to RunEven when he was very young, Rob was always filled with determination. He remembers living on Oahu when he was five years old. One Sunday he saw hundreds of people running near his home. He asked his father what all the people were running from. Rob's father explained they were running the Honolulu marathon. He went on to explain that it was a 26.2 mile long race. Well, Rob had no understanding of how far a mile was, but he decided right then and there in his five year old brain that he was going to run the Honolulu marathon the next year. TrainingRob had seen the movie Rocky, so he knew he'd have to train. So he convinced his older brother and sister to run with him. They did push ups, sit ups, and ran up and down a hill near their home (a distance of around three miles). Rob was also sure that to finish a race you needed to sprint. He and his brother and sister would see the finish line of their home and would just take off running. Rob says he lost every time, but it was ok. Sometimes their dad would come with them, sometimes their mom would drive the station wagon behind them to make sure they were ok. A few months before the race, their mom signed them up. The night before the race, Rob remember that his mom didn't come home until very late. Rob had been very worried, but she brought them matching white shirts and ironed on letters to spell out "Mooney bunch." She also got them matching, red runner's shorts and white tube socks with red stripes on the tops. Running the MarathonThe next morning they got up very early to go downtown. They had to park so far from the starting line that they had to hitchhike to get to the beginning of the race. The starting line was packed with people, and in their midst was the now six-year old Rob. The gun went off, and the race began. At first it was very slow going, but eventually the crowd started to thin. Rob's siblings were outpacing him, but, for all his shortcomings, Rob's dad stayed behind and ran the race with Rob. They reached one mile, then two, then they hit Rob's max of three. But he kept running. Around mile 20, Rob's legs started to seize up. They didn't have Gatorade or anything like they do now, and Rob was malnourished to begin with. He had never had cramps like that before. He fell onto the pavement and just started to cry, it hurt so badly. For about twenty minutes, Rob's father rubbed out his legs to try and ease the pain. Of course Rob wasn't exactly the fastest in the race, so the race organizers had started to open the roads back up to cars. Some

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In this week's episode Tamara shares 9 Tips which can help you empathetically and lovingly save the world one person at time. The Secret of How to Save the World One Person at a TimeHello and welcome to another episode of Tamara's Takeaways on the Stories of Hope in Hard Times podcast. I'm your host Tamara K. Anderson. Earlier this week, I was going to record this episode and do a completely different topic. And then I had a day where I spent several hours talking to friends and family members, checking up on them making sure they were doing okay. And I decided I needed to talk about something totally different today. So I've titled this episode, "The Secret of How to Save the World, One Person at a Time." What To Do In Seasons of ChangeWe live in unprecedented times. We live in a time where life has shifted for every single person on this earth. I don't care where you live. You have been impacted by the changes from the Coronavirus. And for all of us, change is challenging. It is one thing that is consistent, but change is challenging. And we all need help, as we process change and challenges in our life. Now one of the primary and best ways that we can tackle new and different challenges in our life is to talk to God about them. Jo Ann's Lesson: Giving Challenges to GodIn fact, in last week's episode, where I interviewed https://tamarakanderson.com/episodes/jo-ann-glim-winning-tactics-for-physical-mental-and-spiritual-struggles/ (Jo Ann Glim), she shared a beautiful story about how when she was a young mother. She had four major challenges she was dealing with at the time. And because she wasn't sure if God could handle these challenges as well as she could, she kept the big challenge for herself and delegated the three minor challenges to God. The interesting point is that within a week God had all three of those problems solved. And then Jo Ann thought, Maybe God can handle these problems better than I can. This is a really cute and sweet story, to help us realize that one of the primary people we can turn to in times of challenges is turning to God. He is the best person because He sees the beginning of our life to the end of our life, and He knows exactly what we need to learn and who we can become. And so we can trust Him--that He can help and guide us through everyday challenges. The Power of Listening in PrayerNow, the way that we involve God in our challenges, is talking to him through prayer. I found a great time quote by Mother Teresa where she says, "God speaks in the silence of the heart, and we listen. And then we speak to God from the fullness of our heart, and God listens. And this listening, and this speaking is what prayer is meant to be." So there are two principles we learn there, and they both involve the word I want to talk about today. It is the word listening. God is ListeningFirst of all, God is a great listener. You can vent to Him in prayer. any time of the day or night you can tell him about your joys, sorrows, excitements or gratitudes. But He is an especially great listener when it comes to listening to the challenges that we are facing. We Need to ListenNow, the other half of the equation when talking to God is us learning to listen back after we've talked to Him. And that is so much easier said than done because often God speaks to us as Mother Teresa says, He "speaks to us in the silence of our heart," and we live in a very noisy world. And so we need to learn to have times of quiet, where we can turn off the cell phone, find a quiet room, closet, or space. Or maybe it's just learning to meditate and listen with our heart, and with our mind. Often God's ideas come a little bit at a time. A Personal Story When I Didn't Know What to DoI was dealing with a situation just yesterday where I needed to talk to one of my children about something that he had been looking forward to, that wasn't going to happen. I was nervous about how he was going to react. And so I prayed to God to know...

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Jo Ann Glim's life changed instantly when she experienced a stroke. Listen as she shares the lessons learned through overcoming struggles. Jo Ann Glim: Winning Tactics for Physical, Mental and Spiritual StrugglesBioJo Ann Glim was born in Chicago, Illinois to a military family and raised in Anacortes, Washington in the far reaches of the Pacific Northwest. It was an ideal place to raise a precocious child, especially one who is inquisitive and daring. Tragically, her mother passed away from a stroke when Jo Ann was 14. This was the beginning of a life path littered with many dark events. In her own words, "Instead of consuming me, they made me stronger. And I'm here to tell you, darkness can be replaced with light." Her three pronged career involving broadcast and print media, freelance writing, and business management formed her into the award winning indie author she is today. Her books, the award winning, "Begotten With Love," and her newest release, "https://www.amazon.com/TRAPPED-Within-Story-Survival-Recovery-ebook/dp/B07WXKBQB9 (Trapped Within)," are both nonfiction life stories filled with challenges, hope, and humor. She now lives in Florida with her husband Bill, and their Scottish terrier Lucy, where her passions are writing, photography and travel. I had the opportunity to meet Jo Ann at a Premiere Author Training last year with Richard Paul Evans. Having a StrokeJo Ann and her husband moved to Florida and were just getting to know the area and their community. They wanted to continue working part time and Jo Ann was able to get some assignments through her former employer, where she had worked for 16 years. She went to work one morning and found the lunches had not been picked up for a meeting. Jo Ann offered to go pick up the lunches, but when she went to pay for them, something strange happened. She tried to ask how much she owed for the sandwiches, but it came out sounding like Russian. Jo Ann couldn't even understand herself. She tried to ask again but the same thing happened. Feeling frustrated, Jo Ann paid for the sandwiches and left. When she got to the car, she realized her knees felt weak. She knew then she was having a stroke. Stroke Symptoms and What to DoThe first symptoms of a stroke are often slurred speech, one side of the body being weak, or one side of the face drooping. For anyone experiencing these symptoms, call 911 immediately. If you are concerned someone may be experiencing a stroke, ask them to smile. If their smile is crooked because one side is drooping, call 911 for them. Knowing all of this now, Jo Ann wouldn't have done this, but she drove herself to the hospital. She says it made perfect sense to an addled mind. She was so used to making all of the decisions so she was sure she was still in control. Her mother had passed away from a stroke, but Jo Ann was sure she was home free. Her mother had smoked, she was overweight, she didn't exercise, and she had high blood pressure. Jo Ann eats healthy, she exercises, she's thin. But her stroke was caused by a weakening of an artery in her brain rather than a blood clot, like her mother's was. Side Effects of a StrokeDepending on where in your brain the stroke occurs, it can have different effects. For Jo Ann, the stroke occurred in her thalamus, the portion of the brain which helps to control your behavior. She still has to check herself to make sure she doesn't do something just because someone dares her to. One night in particular stands out when she had a hard time maintaining a grasp on her behavior. It was the first night she had been out of her rehab facility since her stroke. She was going out to dinner with her husband and neighbor. She wasn't doing very well walking on her own, but she refused to bring her cane to the restaurant because she wanted to do everything herself. Jo Ann then heard their name called for a table, but she couldn't see her husband anywhere. She knew she had to get to the stand before they gave the

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In today's episode, Tamara shares 4 lessons we can learn from from trees, wind, and the storms life throws at us. Got Storms? God is At Work, Even in ThisWelcome to another episode of Tamara's takeaways in the Stories of Hope in Hard Times podcast. This week we are going to talk about my takeaways from PeggySue Wells episode last week. And she is just unbelievable and amazing. And I am so inspired by her strength and courage as she weathered her divorce with faith and came out stronger and better and able to pass on so many incredible lessons. So there was one lesson that I loved in particular that I'd love to talk about and tell you a personal story as well, and that is the fact that God is at work--even in this. No matter where you are in your life, whether it's being quarantined because of the coronavirus, cancer, diabetes, or other challenges, know God is at work. He can take that challenge and have it turn out for your good. The Story of the Straight Line WindsNow, I want to take you back in time, probably about 25 years or so. And at that point, I was preparing to be a missionary for my church. On one particular day I was just hanging out, and all of a sudden this huge storm hit and began blowing like crazy. Of course, we ran inside and took cover. Ten minutes later the storm was completely over, and I went back outside. There I was shocked to see the extent of the damage. And what had happened was there was a weather phenomenon called a derecho, which in Spanish means "straight." Basically, it's a storm that has straight line winds. This storm happened to go through Utah and the Great Basin here of the United States. And these winds were so strong, that about a mile away from where I was, they clocked the highest wind at 121 miles per hour. So you can imagine there was extensive damage. What I noticed the most were the trees. Before the storm there were trees that looked beautiful and vibrant and totally fine. After the storm, those same beautiful trees were laying flat on their side with their roots tipped up. And what's interesting about this is that the trees that was stood the storm were the trees that had sunk their roots deep into the earth. The ones that had fallen over had shallow roots. In fact, I'm looking at a picture right here of me standing by a tree and it had shallow roots, because it it just hadn't been exposed to strong winds. https://tamarakanderson.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Uprooted-tree.jpg () The Scientific Study on TreesAnd what's really cool is there was https://academic.oup.com/jxb/article-abstract/46/9/1139/575781?redirectedFrom=fulltext (a study done by a bunch of scientists on trees that were exposed to wind) versus trees that were not exposed to wind. And the little tiny saplings which were exposed to wind did a couple of things to the trees. The first thing is it stimulated diameter growth. So it made the tree trunk build thicker and stronger. The tree also sent out stronger roots.

So exposing a tree to wind helped it have stronger roots, stronger branches. Lessons From Storms and TreesLesson #1 God is At Work--Even in ThisEvery situation you face in life can be interpreted as wind or a storm. And we can either look at the wind as something that's trying to uproot us. Or we can look at the wind as something that is trying to give us thicker roots and thicker branches so that when the next storm comes, we are stronger and our roots are more deep. And I love that is what Peggy Sue is able to now look back on her divorce and say, This gave me stronger roots. This gave me stronger branches. God was at work even in this. Maybe during this season of the coronavirus you're totally stressed out because you've been home. We all have situations in our life where the stresses and strains get to us. At that point, we can begin to build those stronger roots and branches so that we can withstand the next storm. Lesson #2 Nourishing the RootsPeggy Sue gave us an example of...

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PeggySue Wells never expected to go through a divorce, but she shares the secrets of how she rebuilt her life and found peace through the process. PeggySue Wells: The Secrets of Rebuilding Life After DivorcePeggySue Wells is a mother of seven, has worked five years as a radio show host, is a history buff, and a tropical island votary. She parasails, skydives, snorkels, scuba dives, and has taken pilot training. She writes from the Hundred Acre Wood in Indiana and is the best selling author of 29 books including, "https://www.amazon.com/Slave-Across-Street-Theresa-Flores/dp/1733620613 (The Slave Across the Street)," "https://www.amazon.com/Slavery-Land-Free-Students-Modern-ebook/dp/B01AO6LUVC (Slavery in the Land of the Free,)" "https://www.amazon.com/Bonding-Your-Child-through-Boundaries/dp/1433543346 (Bonding With Your Child Through Boundaries)," "https://www.amazon.com/Homeless-Holidays-P-S-Wells-ebook/dp/B07GZCBCJ8 (Homeless for the Holidays)," and "https://www.amazon.com/Chasing-Sunrise-P-S-Wells/dp/1948888645 (Chasing Sunrise)." Facing DivorcePeggySue remembers the toll that her mother's two divorces took on her when she was young. Her grandmother, aunt, and uncle were also divorced. Almost everyone on her mother's side of the family had experienced a divorce. PeggySue was determined not to repeat the pattern. She was going to work so that she could live happily ever after. The problem was, it didn't work. When her youngest daughter was not quite two years old, the family sat down and PeggySue told her husband that this wasn't a good environment for her or their children. She didn't want her children to think that this was how men should treat women. She told him that either he had to stop being abusive or he needed to move out. He chose to leave. PeggySue was heartbroken because this was the one thing she was going to do right in her life. She didn't have a plan B. For PeggySue, the hardest part was feeling so betrayed by someone that she had given her whole heart to. She felt that she must not be valuable enough, because if she was he would have stayed and made the effort to make it work. PeggySue remembers that one of her daughters asked him once why he didn't try to date their mom again and win the marriage back. He told her that it was too hard. But after many times in court and mediation, PeggySue is sure that working it out would have been easier. The StigmaAfter her husband left, PeggySue went into crisis management mode. Her kids were embarrassed and didn't want to tell anyone. They didn't want to be considered a "broken home." PeggySue was sure he would come back within six months so she was ok with that. Looking back now, she wishes she had told someone, because they needed help. But there was also a stigma associated with divorce twenty years ago. If you couldn't keep your marriage together you were a bad wife, a bad mom, and you didn't have enough faith. You weren't a good Christian. When the news of their divorce finally broke, PeggySue says that there were people who dropped their friendship with her family immediately. She had to realize that those actions said a lot more about her "friends" than they said about PeggySue and her family. While things are different now and people are generally more accepting of divorce, PeggySue says that those who consider themselves churchgoers still face a stigma around divorce. We are holding on so tight to the ideal that we allow things to happen that shouldn't be allowed to happen until it escalates to a point where the situation is very toxic. How to Help a Friend Going Through DivorcePeggySue says that the best thing you can do if your friend is going through a divorce is to stay by them, no matter what. PeggySue has some friends who have stuck with her through everything. She has called them to cry, to tell them how she can't believe what is happening to her, and they have empathized and discussed everything with her with no judgment. Even if they are...

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Feeling discouraged? Today Tamara talks about the relationship between goals and hope, a personal story of healing, and one thing that makes her smile. What Everyone Ought to Know About Rebuilding HopeLast week we had just a wonderful conversation with author https://tamarakanderson.com/episodes/wendy-spooner-5-lessons-every-imperfect-family-should-know/ (Wendy Wilson Spooner), and she talked a lot about family and how none of us grow up in perfect families. But she also talked about two points I would like to discus today: First, is the message of never giving up, never losing hope. The second message is that you can heal from these hard times. And these are powerful messages especially for what we are going through right now as citizens of planet Earth. Lives have changed because of COVID-19 or the Coronavirus. The Relationship Between Goals, Despair and HopeLast week I got to preview a book, Personality Isn't Permanent, that comes out in June from a friend of mine, https://benjaminhardy.com/ (Dr. Benjamin Hardy). He has a quote in this book which I want to share with you today. He said, "Research shows you cannot have hope without a goal."So you need to have goals so that you can have hope. Now this podcast is all about having hope. And I want to talk about loss of hope, dreams, and expectations which we are all experiencing right now. We've all had plans that have changed. We've had school change for children and parents. Life is not looking anything like we expected. And when this happens, there is a sense of loss. There is a sense of discouragement, loss of excitement, and loss of anticipation. If you are anything like me, you have started to feel a little down. I just want to let you know that this is completely normal. And that is because all these goals or expectations or dreams that we had are now gone. And so if you're feeling down and discouraged, because all those old dreams are gone. What to Do About Lost Hope and DreamsSo first pause right now and say, "It's okay. It's okay to grieve these lost dreams." Secondly, I want you to start using the creative powers of your brain. Start imagining a Plan B, a Plan C, or a Plan D. Start letting your imagination and your brain hope again. What would that look like? I have already told my husband that when all this Coronavirus stuff is over, I'm going to go to Disneyland. For me, Disneyland is a happy place (for my husband it is not a happy place). But that is something I am looking forward to with hope. Begin BrainstormingSo start imagining future plans, but I want you to also think of and start brainstorming things that you can do that bring you hope right now. Is there something you can rearrange in your room? So try to think of things that will bring you hope and joy. Because as Dr. Ben Hardy taught, "Research shows you cannot have hope without a goal." So I would love to invite you to set a goal today. Set a dream or an expectation to replace those broken ones. It doesn't have to be anything big, it can be small. And start there because setting a goal means rebuilding hope. And that is what we're all about right now we need to rebuild hope and it starts right in our own minds and in our own hearts. If you're having problems, thinking of things, call a friend, and brainstorm together. Maybe you can do something together when this is all said and done. Because it's fun to share that dream with somebody else. Ideas to Get Your Brainstorming StartedI'm going to give you a quick list of possibilities. Do an art project or painting. When we interviewed Wendy last week, we found out she was an artist. Have you ever done or wanted to do a painting? Now is your perfect opportunity. You can even order the supplies online. Do Genealogy or Record Family Stories. Wendy is also an avid genealogist. Have you ever looked at your family history? Try setting up a free account on https://www.familysearch.org/en/ (Family Search.) You have ancestors that went through hard...

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Wendy Wilson Spooner shares how she healed from trauma and why it is important for every family to know it is okay to be imperfect (everybody is). Wendy Spooner: 5 Lessons Every Imperfect Family Should KnowBioWendy Wilson Spooner is a professional genetic genealogist by day, a writer by night, and an artist in between. Her love of what we can learn from history compels her to write the true stories she has found on earth doing research, and she has found that truth is indeed much more exciting and inspiring than fiction. She writes about family, faith, grief, art, and overcoming obstacles in life by coming to know who we truly are as children of God, and the descendants of remarkable people who paved the way before us, even if they really struggled. She believes in learning from our ancestors, honoring them, and then standing on their shoulders to become someone even better. As an award winning artist and author of professional articles and poems, Wendy turned to novel writing to share what she knows with a wider audience. Art in Every Aspect of her LifeWendy says that she was born with artistic abilities. She has been painting and drawing for as long as she can remember. Her mother encouraged her to enter her pieces into contest. She pursued a major in art in college. Other things became more important throughout her life, but art has always been a part of her life, even in unexpected ways, like cake decorating. A New NovelArt is an integral part of her new book, "Once Upon an Irish Summer." The novel follows the true story of an epic immigration from Ireland, but also follows his descendant five generations later, a present day 15 year old who is a gifted artist. She is suffering from debilitating grief that is affecting her art career. The historical chapters are actually about the family of Wendy's third-great grandfather. He left Ireland to find a way to save his family. The Daughters of the American RevolutionArt even brought Wendy national prominence in the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) organization. Wendy says that proving your lineage all the way back to a patriot of the Revolutionary War is very difficult, even for professional genealogists, but that she loved the challenge. For Wendy, there was an even greater draw to the organization than the challenge of proving her descent. Every year, the Daughters of the American Revolution holds the American Heritage contest. There are lots of art categories that you can enter a piece in through the contest. All of these entries pour into the homes of vice chair members and the judging takes place in February. The winning entries go on display in Washington D.C. at the Continental Congress every two years. In 2018, Wendy's painting won first place. The national regent contacted Wendy and asked her to be vice chair or the art and sculpture category. Only 2% of members of the DAR will ever hold a national position, so Wendy was honored to be chosen. Early TraumaWendy's life wasn't always rosy though. When she was growing up, her family had some truly tragic experiences. Because of this trauma, the family had some attachment problems but they never got any help for the things they had gone through. Wendy was very close to her brother though, who is five years older than her. When she was 13, he left to serve a mission for their church. For her, it was like her lifeline was taken away. Wendy says that she looked outside her home for a replacement, but that she didn't attract the greatest people for friends. She started getting into a lot of trouble and lost sight of those things that are truly important. She lost all sense of how her decision would affect herself or her family. For a few years, she really struggled. You Make an ImpactAfter a particularly difficult day, Wendy remembers staring out her bedroom world and just loathing her family and everything else. Suddenly, a thought came to her mind and heart: "You are right where you belong, with the...

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Tamara K. Anderson shares stories about storms, the coronavirus, why God lets bad things happen, and what all this has to do with the 2 great commandments. I am so excited to be here with you today. I'm feeling a little bit of the Coronavirus quarantine going on and I am excited talk about two specific reasons why God lets things like the Coronavirus happen. In https://tamarakanderson.com/episodes/scott-shay-where-is-god-in-hard-times/ (my episode with Scott Shay) last week, he told the phenomenal story of his father being a Holocaust survivor. And he talked about the golden rule, and how God lets people use their free will. And then He watches what we do with it. It's kind of a test, Scott explained. Why does God let Hard Things Happen?1. Free WillSometimes God lets hard things happen it is because of the free will of others. For example, in the case of Nazi Germany, and Scott's father. You can read more about Scott's thoughts about this in https://tamarakanderson.com/episodes/scott-shay-where-is-god-in-hard-times/ (last week's episode.) One of these reasons is because people choose to use their free will in a way that impacts others negatively. We see that all around us. But we also see the positive reaction of free will as well. Scott also talked about the golden rule and how we act to those around us. 2. Act of NatureSometimes, like in the case of the Coronavirus or earthquakes, it's an act of nature. Why does God let these types of things happen? Now, we happen to have had an earthquake here in Utah just a few weeks ago and it scared me. I thought, Oh my goodness, we're having this on top of the coronavirus. Dear Lord, what what are supposed to do? I'm thankful it was short. So why does God let things like the coronavirus, earthquakes and devastations like floods happen? I think that these moments when we experience hard times are defining moments for each of us to choose how we are going to react. The Tornado StoryI'm going to tell you a story about when a tornado went through our neighborhood when our family lived in Arkansas. We lived in Arkansas for seven and a half years. It was wonderful. We loved our neighbors. We loved the area. The only thing I really did not like about the area was the tornadoes or the chance for tornadoes. They had the practice tornado sirens that went off every week. It seemed like every thunderstorm that came in, that the tornado siren would go off. And so we kind of got used to it. But this particular storm, I remember going outside and looking at the clouds, and it just felt different. There was a feeling of heaviness in the air. And I remember looking at those clouds and they looked a little green and thinking, This isn't normal. This is different. So I ran inside and told my husband to move the truck in the garage as the tornado sirens were going off. Then we grabbed our kids and we ran downstairs to our laundry room, which is our innermost room. And just as we were getting the last the kids inside our laundry room, the noise became so loud. Projectiles were hitting our house. It felt like we were suddenly in a pressurized airplane. I remember my ears feeling the pressure suck air out of our house. It was it was surreal and scary. We sat huddled in that little laundry room probably for longer than we should have, because a tornado is over very quickly. I mean, it's like you blink your eyes and it's over. It's just unbelievably fast. The Aftermath of the TornadoThank goodness, we were only impacted by an F1 tornado. So, fences were down, windows were broken in our neighborhood. There were shingles from people's roofs everywhere. I mean, you couldn't go five feet in any direction without finding a shingle. Amazingly, our kids went to school the next day and everybody in our neighborhood took off work or was excused from work, so that they could start the cleanup effort. And I will tell you, that time brought our neighborhood closer together. It really did. We were out loving...

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Financial icon Scott Shay grew up in the shadows of the holocaust his father survived. He shares tips to finding God even amidst life's hardest challenges. Scott Shay: Where is God in Hard Times?BioScott Shay has spent his life balancing both work and faith. He is well known on Wall Street and was a founding member of Signature Bank in New York. Scott has spoken on many podcasts and even on TEDx and Google. He and his wife Susan are the parents of four children and he is the author of "Getting Our Groove Back: How to Energize American Jewry" and his new book, "In Good Faith: Questioning Religion and Atheism." Scott's FatherScott's story starts with his father, who was born in a town called Švėkšna, Lithuania. He grew up in a shtetl, or a small Jewish town or village, like in Fiddler on the Roof. About 25% of the population of his village was Jewish and 75% was Christian Lithuanian. The same year of his father's Bar Mitzvah, the Nazis came in late June and rounded up all the Jews. Scott's grandfather was murdered before the deportation. All of Scott's immediate family on his father's side were killed sometime during the Holocaust. The closest relative Scott has on that side of his family is a second cousin once removed. Scott's father was deported to a work camp and after moving a few times ended up in Auschwitz in 1943. That would have been the end except he was put in a work duty group in Warsaw. From there he went to Dachau where he was liberated. Scott's father weighed less than 70 pounds when liberated and was certainly no more than weeks, or days from death. He was extremely fortunate to be taken to an Allied hospital and nursed back to health for about a year. Then he was sent to a displaced persons camp. A doctor in Chicago named Julius Mayo signed a form stating that Scott's father wouldn't be a burden on the US taxpayer and brought him to Chicago, where he began working as a carpenter. God in the DetailsThere was no doubt in Scott's father's mind that there was a God in heaven looking out for him. Any slight deviation in his path would have been certain death for him. He wouldn't have survived if he had been standing in a different line or been at a different place at a different time. Random chance couldn't explain it. But this didn't stop Scott's father from being angry. His own father had been murdered when he was 14 years old. His younger brother had been murdered and everyone he knew was gone. Unfortunately, he was not even welcomed back to his hometown. So while he knew God was there, he was angry with Him. It took a long time for Scott to understand that. Scott remembers that when he was young, they would always go to synagogue, but that his father would talk to others or doze off during the sermon. He wanted to make sure Scott went, but he was giving God the silent treatment. He, along with many others, could not understand how God had let such a horrible thing happen to them. But Why?In spite of all this, Scott has always felt that God was looking out for his family. "God was present at Auschwitz. God was present at Dachau." God knew what his father had gone through. How could God be in the details of such a horrific event? Scott spent his life thinking about this and other "Why" questions. That idea was a fundamental part of his first book. When he spoke with atheists, he found that the idea of God allowing such awful things to happen throughout the world was a large part of the reason why they didn't believe God could exist. Scott found that when he went on book tours, he would often be asked by people in all walks of life and with all kinds of difficulties, "How could God let this happen?" At the end of the day, Scott feels that those who believe in God have to be able to explain the why, while atheists have to be able to explain everything else. Free WillScott says there is no one answer to why God allows bad things to happen. But it does come down to one big thing for him: free will. No one

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With all of the craziness of Coronavirus sweeping the world it is critical to examine 4 mindsets that can help us survive and thrive during these hard times. IntroductionWelcome to another episode of Tamara's Takeaways on the Stories of Hope in Hard Times Podcast. The world in the last few weeks has just gone crazy. And I have to tell you that my life has seems to have been turned upside down as well. This is totally out of the norm. It is not how I expected March to turn out at all. In fact, I've really never been quarantined to my house before. So life is different. It's a good time for us to ask the question: What do we do in times when life gets turned on its head? This is a perfect time to reflect on last week's episode where I interviewed an incredible man named Matt Bowen. Matt's life completely changed in one day due to an accident which paralyzed him. Now, Matt gave us six amazing lessons that he has learned from his hard time. And these lessons were positive and uplifting. I'm going to pull from some of those today and kind of add on to them. Mindset #1. PatienceNow the first lesson I would love to talk about is the word patience. The word patience does not have a positive connotation. Matt said he had to learn to be patient with himself, that things were going to be different. It was like he had begun running a marathon of sorts. That is fantastic advice when we hit bumps in the road, like COVID-19, the earthquake we had in Utah, or other things that are totally unexpected. Sometimes life changes for a day, for a week, or even for a month, and we have to learn to be patient not only with others but with ourselves as well. That is tricky to do. I found some really awesome quotes on patience. There is a great scripture in the New Testament in the Bible where Paul explains a little bit about patience and the evolution of hard things in Romans 5:3-4. We glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope.So maybe you're not glorying in your tribulations right now. But those hard times help make us more patient. And when we have more patience, we gain experience. Then when we have experience, we gain something called hope. And this podcast is all about hope. A Personal ExampleLet me give you a personal example of that. When my children were diagnosed with autism, it was very hard. I really wanted to pray that challenge. I did not want that challenge. Would it have made me more patient? Yes, but I didn't want it. In my book, https://amzn.to/2FFAnPU (Normal for Me), I compare it to the children of Israel when they left Egypt and got to the edge of the Red Sea. It's easy to look at these people and say, why were they complaining? They just left Egypt. They're on their way to the Promised Land. But they got stopped at the edge of the Red Sea and Pharaoh's army came. They complained to Moses that they'd rather go back to Egypt. Sometimes the things we know (either Egypt, Coronavirus, or life without autism) seems to be more comfortable than what we are currently going through. For example, we're quarantined at home and there's a shortage of toilet paper. Life is different than it used to be. So, we don't want the challenges we have--and yet by going through them, we gain patience and experience. And then we have hope that because we made it through that with God's help, maybe we can get through something else. And so patience is a great quality. We don't like getting it, but once we have it, it is a blessing to have. And I'm not saying I'm a hundred percent patient, believe me, I'm not. There are some days I'm more patient than others. I think a lot of that has to do with self care. So during this time of stress for you and your family, I have just one tip to help you with patience: get enough sleep! Everybody does better when they sleep better. So take care of yourself. As Paul says Hebrews 12:1, "Let us run with patience the race that

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Matt Bowen shares how an accident that left him paralyzed transformed his life. He has learned, grown, and is now sharing his story of hope with others. BioMatt Bowen is a Utah native and has always been very active playing football, basketball, lacrosse, and anything else he could get into. He graduated from high school in 2009, served an LDS mission in France, and attended Utah State University. In March of 2015 he was in an accident where he broke his neck, which left him paralyzed from the chest down. He did not let this slow him down and he graduated from USU with a Bachelor of Science in Management Information Systems just six months after his original expected graduation date. Matt then married his sweetheart, Sloan. He has since gone biking, skiing, parasailing, scuba diving, skydiving, and more. He currently works for Master Control as an onboarding support engineer. His family lives just down the street from Tamara, so she has watched as he has dealt with his diagnosis without letting it paralyze his life. The AccidentMatt's accident occurred when he was on a spring break trip in California. He and his friends were hanging out on the beach and body surfing. On the last day of their trip, Matt was body surfing. He started to get tired and decided to catch a wave in, just like he had done dozens of times. But for whatever reason, this wave was different. The wave shoved Matt head-down into the sand and he felt a pop. He immediately knew something. Matt decided just to ride the wave out and not try to move or fight it in any way. After the wave subsided, he was floating face down and tried to flip over. That was when he realized he couldn't move. He held his breath as long as possible but couldn't see anyone coming. Once Matt got to the point where he was going to have to breathe, he said a prayer. He told Heavenly Father to save Him if he wanted and if not, he would see Him in a few minutes. Then Matt's body forced him to take a breath of water. A few seconds later he was flipped over by one of his friends. He remembers saying, "I'm dead, I'm dead." His friend told him that he wasn't, but Matt insisted that he was paralyzed. His friend helped him float to shore and the lifeguards put him on a stretcher and kept him alert. He was taken to the closest hospital where he had a few surgeries. At the hospital Matt was diagnosed with paralysis from the chest down without functioning hands or arms. The only thing he could move was four toes on his left foot. He is still regaining movement of his big toe on that foot. RecoveryMatt was on a lot of medication at first. Because he had taken so much water into his lungs, he developed pneumonia. He was connected to a breathing tube and in and out of consciousness. When he would wake up, he would thrash around and try to remove the breathing tube, so he was placed into a medically-induced coma. When he was brought out of the coma, Matt was very confused. He doesn't even remember the doctor telling him that he was paralyzed. He sort of came to the realization that he was paralyzed, but he says it seemed temporary. In his mind he was going to be up walking and back to normal. Matt was going to be just like the many stories he'd read of incredible comebacks. The diagnosis became harder and harder to swallow the further along he got without much progress. Matt says there wasn't really a definitive moment when he realized his paralysis was permanent. He remembers the doctors on the rehab floor showing him videos of paralyzed individuals who had learned how to navigate everyday life and he remembers thinking, "Good for them, but that's not me." He started going to a state-of-the-art outpatient facility with a walking machine and he was sure that was what was going to get him up and moving again. But as things dragged on, he started to realize that maybe it just wasn't in the cards for him right then. Even now, Matt doesn't believe that he won't ever get back to walking. He...

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On today's episode, we're going to talk a little bit about rolling hills, earthly angels, and an important lesson I learned after I broke my collar bone. Also I'm instituting a fun new tradition at the end of my episode today (so we aren't so serious all the time). So, read to the end. 3 Tips for Hard Times You Can't Afford To MissWelcome to another episode of Tamara's Takeaways on the Stories of Hope in Hard Times podcast. Last week we had the opportunity to listen to the amazing story of https://tamarakanderson.com/episodes/roxanne-granata-how-god-helped-me-with-my-husbands-pornography-addictionhy-addiction/ (Roxanne Kennedy-Granada). She shared the story of her husband's challenge with pornography and how that affected her as his wife. She also taught so many amazing lessons. I found her story to be full of hope and faith and what an amazing testimony she bore of Jesus Christ and His ability to heal and fill her heart even though it was broken. It is just a beautiful, beautiful episode. So today I would like to talk about three principles I absolutely loved about Roxanne's episode. Tip #1--The Rolling Hills AnalogyOne of the principles Roxanne talked about was the principle of life and being like a series of rolling hills. Roxanne explained there are times when something hard comes into your life and then there's another thing and then you get a reprieve. And then there's another hard thing and then you get a reprieve. And sometimes you feel like it's just never ending. I know I've felt that way before. Sometimes you're going up and sometimes you're going down, because life is a series of learning experiences. A Pertinent Bible VerseOne of the things that came to mind when she was talking about rolling hills was a verse in the Bible in Isaiah 28:13 and it talks about how we learn and it talks about how God teaches us. The word of the Lord was unto them, precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little and there a little.God teaches us in baby step increments. There are times when I've often wondered why can't I see five years down the road. Having that image of my future self could pull me forward. God doesn't work like that (unfortunately). A Great QuoteThere is a quote by poet Patrick Overton from his book The Leaning Tree, which I feel goes along with this Bible verse. “When you walk to the edge of all the light you have and take that first step into the darkness of the unknown, you must believe that one of two things will happen. There will be something solid for you to stand upon or you will be taught to fly.”I love that quote. I love that life is a journey of faith and we often feel like we're climbing that rolling hill and we get to the top and we have to either go down or maybe it's just another step and it's a larger Hill than you originally thought. Rolling Hills With GodSometimes you feel like the whole world has dropped out from under you and God is all the sudden expecting you to fly. But he's not going to give you something that you cannot do with his help. He's going to give you challenges. Challenges will come into your life that are too hard for you to do all by yourself. I know I felt that way so, so many times--just burdened down and, and Roxanne felt that way too. And she shares in her podcast, "I come honest and broken. God knows how broken I am and the pain that is pressing on my heart and He just loves me. He loves me exactly where I am now. He doesn't think I'm a terrible person." And so the beautiful thing is God loves us when we're broken. He loves us when we're falling. He loves us when we are a completely overwhelmed and He is so willing to help us take that one step into the darkness. And then the next line upon line, precept upon precept learning is a series of building upon what we already know. I love how Roxanne shared how God took her where she was and helped her move forward at her own pace. She also talked about how sometimes she...

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What do you do when you find out your spouse is deeply involved with pornography and lying about it? Roxanne Granata shares her story and the lessons learned with God's help. Roxanne Granata: How God Helped Me with My Husband's Pornography AddictionRoxanne's BioRoxanne Kennedy-Granata was raised in Northern California and lived for 20 years in Idaho. The past six years she has lived in Utah. She has worked in sales the majority of her adult life, teaching and training others to reach personal success in their businesses. Roxanne is the author of Cutting Ties: Healing from Betrayal Trauma as the Spouse of an Addict. She loves tennis when she makes the time for it. Her true passion has become meeting and talking with individuals and groups about healing from trials and challenges addiction bring into a family and relationships. She recently married a man she dated in college 27 years ago after they reconnected through a friend. Together, they have nine children. Roxanne met her current husband in college. However, that relationship ended and they both got married. He had been married for 25 years and Roxanne was married for 21 years. Those marriages both ended. They had a mutual friend who was his roommate in college who read Roxanne's book. He sent his friend Roxanne's book, mostly to help his friend but also to help set them up. He read Roxanne's book twice and left her review, and that's how their relationship rekindled. Roxanne's First MarriageSix months into their marriage, Roxanne found the first clue her husband struggled with pornography. She was totally shocked. She didn't think it made sense. Roxanne remembers thinking they were married, they were intimate, so something must be wrong with her. She thought she wasn't cute enough or smart enough. But as Roxanne learned more about addiction, she learned it actually has nothing to do with the person and everything to do with the addict and what they're missing in their own lives. Roxanne confronted him and he admitted he had a problem. They went to see their church leader, who was very loving and shared his own struggle with pornography. He told them to continue to read scriptures and pray together. Roxanne says those things are good, but that's not what takes the addiction away. It's not just a choice. While they came away from their meeting feeling better, Roxanne's trust was gone. She felt anxious about what he could be doing while she wasn't home. Their lives had become extremely difficult. She wouldn't understand until many years later, but Roxanne was experiencing betrayal trauma. Betrayal TraumaBetrayal trauma is when someone you love (and who is supposed to care for you) lies, manipulates, and deceives. All of the sudden, your whole world has been turned upside down and you feel trauma and anxiety over things you didn't before. You might be triggered over something. For Roxanne, seeing someone not fully clothed might trigger her and make her worry about what he might think. When those things happen, your body goes into a traumatic response similar to PTSD. Your body could start shaking, your heart could start to race and it takes times to calm yourself down. Initially, Roxanne went into, "I can do this and I can save everybody" mode. She realized after going to counseling she was trying to make up for the fact this was all happening. She felt her husband was present and supportive, in spite of everything going on. So she was still very confused as to why he was making the choices he was making. Roxanne learned later her reality was skewed. She began to understand that being good dad but still choosing pornography was manipulative. He was lying to them so his other life wouldn't be discovered. Over 17 years, Roxanne continued to find evidence her husband was still having problems with pornography. Her trust in him was continually broken. Things That HelpedWhen she found more things indicating a bigger problem than she first thought, she decided she...

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Tamara shares her takeaways from her interview with Jeff Steinberg. They include some personal stories and 4 critical choices we can make during hard times. 4 Critical Choices in Hard TimesHello my friends and welcome to another episode of Tamara's Takeaways. Last week I had an amazing interview with https://tamarakanderson.com/episodes/jeff-steinberg-why-having-no-arms-gimpy-legs-doesnt-stop-me-from-living-life/ (Jeff Steinberg). Jeff was born with no arms and 'gimpy legs' as he calls them, and yet he was one of the funniest people I think I have ever interviewed on my podcast. He had such an amazingly optimistic outlook on life. And so it naturally begs the question, if Jeff can be happy having no arms and gimpy legs and live life to its fullest--How can each of us with whatever circumstance we're in, follow that same path? I would like to build on and dive into 4 choices we make during hard times which I got out of Jeff's episode last week.   Choice #1: Choose to Remember Your WorthThe first Jeff Steinberg quote I want to share with you is this: "God makes no mistakes. God makes no junk. God has a design that's bigger and better and that we have value and goes beyond appearances."  So the first thing that Jeff teaches us is you have to understand who you are. You have to understand your worth, that God knows you and that He isn't going to make any junk. This means you have value as His child. And our value goes deeper than what we see on the outside. I found a really great quote by Dieter Uchtdorf I want to share with you which goes along with this. "You are not ordinary, rejected or ugly. You are something divine, more beautiful and glorious than you can possibly imagine. This knowledge changes everything. It changes your present. It can change your future and it can change the world."This choice Jeff made of realizing who he really was flowed into the next choice he made.   Choice #2: Choose Better not BitterAnd we saw that in Jeff's life. He did not let his circumstance define who he was. In fact, he talks about that specifically. He says, "I'm identified as the guy who has no arms, has gimpy legs, but he seems that doesn't define me. But given the opportunity, my circumstance or my story can refine me, it can make me better, not bitter." And you'll notice that there's a choice there that he made because we each have that choice. We can make our circumstance or we can choose to have our circumstances make us better or bitter. There are days we might feel bitter and there are days we might feel better. It just depends on the day. And so remind yourself that you can actually make that choice.   My Better or Bitter ChoiceMy family moved to Argentina when I was eight years old and it was quite a challenge because I had to learn to speak a different language. I had to go to school where my sister and I stood out because we were American. And so every day at recess the kids would gather around us and stare at us like we were some oddity. And that was hard. But the great thing about being a kid when we moved there is that we were able to pick up on the language quite quickly and we learned to speak Spanish fluently.  The Bullying and the WarThe problem was the following year, the Argentine government declared war on the British over the Falkland islands. Now you may or may not know where the Falkland islands are, but they are these two islands off the Eastern coast of Argentina, which in Argentina's mind means that they are theirs. The only problem is that these islands have been under Britain's power for a very long time. Of course the United States sided with Great Britain. This meant that all of my cute new little Argentine friends now saw me as the enemy because the United States sided with Britain. Because of course, little 9-year-old Tamara Klein had total control over what America did, right? No, I was just the only American they knew and they didn't know how else to take...

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Jeff Steinberg humorously shares the lessons learned after he was born with no arms and 'gimpy legs.' God taught him he is a masterpiece in progress. Jeff Steinberg: Why Having No Arms Doesn't Stop Me From Living LifeJeff Steinberg BioJeff Steinberg calls himself a masterpiece in progress, yet to see him, he looks anything but a masterpiece. You see, he was born with no arms and badly deformed legs and he grew up mostly in hospitals and homes for the disabled. His Professional CareerHe began performing professionally in 1972. He is a speaker, singer, humorist, author, and has spent his days motivating and inspiring others all over the world for more than 45 years. Jeff has spoken at high schools and universities like Notre Dame, hospitals, and churches. He has spoken to US military troops. Jeff has shared the stage with the likes of Zig Ziglar, Pat Boone, Christopher Salem, Justin Dart, Art Linkletter, Daniel Miller, and even Senator Bob Dole. The true highlight of Jeff's career was a memorable appearance on stage where he sang for Mother Teresa of Calcutta during her 1989 United States visit. He is the 13th inductee into the Good Shepherd Hall of Fame for Persons with Disabilities, located in Allentown, Pennsylvania, for his achievements in the field of music and his advocacy for the physically challenged. Jeff also won the 2015 and 2019 Heritage Award for Comedian of the Year from the Artists Music Guild. Jeff and his wife Ellen have a blended family of four children and he has nine grandchildren. His Humorous Current JobOne of Jeff's current jobs is as an Uber driver where he meets many different people and gets all sorts of questions from "Were you born like that?" One kid called him "Captain Hook" due to the hook he wears as one of his hands. Jeff's StoryJeff was born in 1951 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was born with what doctors call phocomelia. Phocomelia is a congenital birth defect that usually manifests in deformed arms and legs. Jeff has a little stump that's about five inches long for his upper arm on his right side. He has no left arm. He also has malformed legs. When Jeff was born, his father made the decision not to tell Jeff's mother about his disability. His father was afraid his mother was not in a good place emotionally or mentally to deal with the news. So his mother did not find out about Jeff's condition until he was 17 months old. His mother blamed herself for his condition because she had been prescribed a medication to help her with the pregnancy that we now know is linked to phocomelia. Care at ShrinersJeff was placed into the care of Shriners hospital when he was two and a half years old. They decided to perform surgery to see what they could do for Jeff's legs. They cut open his right knee and discovered there was no joint, just two bones that had fused together. So the doctors broke the bones and refused them so that his legs would be straight. They did not know that the growth tissue was damaged in the process. His legs did not grow after that procedure. Jeff is 4 feet, 6 inches tall. Jeff then learned to do a lot of things with his feet. He learned to feed himself, as well as write and sign his name. At four years old he was fitted with his first leg brace and arm prosthesis. The prosthesis was a stump socket with a spoon attached. Jeff also went to school at the hospital. A teacher would come in every day, just like regular school. He would go home on some weekends. Another HomeWhen Jeff was nine years old, his parents decided that they could no longer take care of him as well as his three sisters, so Jeff was placed in a foster home. He was there for about eight weeks and was then moved to Good Shepherd Home for children with disabilities. He remembers his parents telling them that he was going to excel here and that he would make a difference one day. But all he could think was why were his parents leaving him here? The People Who Changed His LifeWhile living at the Good...

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Tamara K. Anderson expounds on the one thing the world needs in today's world, why it's important, and how to problem solve getting it in our lives. The One Thing We Need More OfWelcome to another episode of Tamara's Takeaways. I'm your host Tamara K. Anderson, and I am so excited to be talking to you today and sharing with you a few of the things that I gleaned from https://tamarakanderson.com/episodes/wendy-andersen-changing-expectations-for-a-happy-life/ (Wendy Andersen's podcast) last week. Wendy has a son, Dexter, who was diagnosed with tuberous sclerosis as a young child. She explains her life changed within 36 hours from something that was normal and expected to where she had to redefine what normal looked like for her family. Wendy and her husband had to make a choice. They were either going to take this diagnosis lying down and despair over what could have been, or they could rise up and do everything in their power to help Dexter get the best help available. And so, even though they were sad, they chose to see the good. And that is a powerful, powerful message. One of the things Wendy talked about was the idea to love your life. In fact, she talked about that it's important to love your life, embrace and redefine. And I loved those three key concepts that she taught. The One Key Thing We Need More OfIn this month of February, I think one of the most important concepts we can talk about is learning to love ourselves and our life. Love OurselvesWe often talk during February about love with other people. But I want to share with you a couple of verses in the New Testament that you have probably read, but maybe never thought of in this way. These verses can be found in Matthew 22:37-39. And this is Jesus's answer when a lawyer asks which of the commandments was the greatest. "Jesus said unto him, thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all the mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself."Notice that last part of the verse--we need to love our neighbor as ourselves. So often I think we forget that God not only wants us to love him, but he also wants us to love ourselves. Do we do we love ourselves? An Interesting CorrelationThe interesting correlation I'd need to point out with this scripture is "thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." It's almost like there's a correlation between how much love we have for ourselves and how much love we can show to our neighbors. And I think it's directly connected to how much we love God. If we love God and ourselves a whole bunch, then our capacity to love our neighbor is amazing, fantastic, and great. If we don't love ourselves, then it, it's not. And so my question to you this Valentine's day time of the year is, what can you do to learn to love yourself and love your life more than you do now? Because you're going to have an instance where you have a day (or a 36-hour period like Wendy), where your world is going to tilt on its axis and forever change. For Wendy, it was when Dexter was diagnosed with tuberous sclerosis. For me it was when my son Nathan was diagnosed with autism. My world changed. For some it's another diagnosis like cancer. Or perhaps it is the sudden death of a loved one or abuse which causes their world to completely change. And all of a sudden they don't feel worthy of love and they don't love themselves. I think this is one of the saddest things. The Big QuestionWe need more love in the world today and it needs to start right in our own soul, right in our own home. We need to learn to love ourselves. How do you learn to love yourself? Learn God Loves YouOne of the first steps to loving yourself is learning how much God loves you. And there is a beautiful scripture in Romans 8:16-18 which says: "The spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God. And if children then heirs, heirs of God and...

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Wendy Andersen shares powerful lessons and tips she learned about redefining normal after her son was diagnosed with tuberous sclerosis and autism. Wendy Andersen: Changing Expectations For A Happy LifeBioWendy Andersen is an accomplished author, speaker, coach, and mentor. She is a wife and the mother to three amazing children. Having a special needs child has taught her the critical importance of setting up her world to fit the current expectations of her family over those delivered by the expectations of others. For most of us, life does not go as planned. It certainly didn't for Wendy and her husband when, in less than 36 hours, their seemingly normal life was turned upside down when their oldest son Dexter was diagnosed with tuberous sclerosis complex epilepsy and then four years later with autism. Her experience created a deep desire to redefine what normal looks like in her own life and instilled in her a passion to help others redefine normal for themselves. She is passionate about spreading her message and encouraging families to break free of external expectations and instead find the balance in life. The Day Everything ChangedWendy Andersen had a relatively normal life before her son Dexter's diagnosis. She had been married to her husband for eight years before having Dexter. They loved being new parents. Then one day when Dexter was six months old, everything changed. Wendy was working and her husband was in school when Wendy got a call from her mother-in-law telling her that she needed to come home right away. Something was wrong with Dexter. Wendy got home and Dexter was napping, but when he woke up she saw exactly what her mother-in-law was talking about. Dexter's head would bob up and down and his left arm would straighten. Wendy knew right away that he was having seizures. Tuberous Sclerosis DiagnosisWendy called the pediatrician and they took Dexter to the office and were then sent onto the hospital. Within 36 hours, they had received a diagnosis. Dexter was having infantile spasms, a very debilitating type of seizure, as a result of tuberous sclerosis. Wendy and her husband didn't even know what that meant. Tuberous sclerosis is a very rare condition, with 1 in 6,000 children being diagnosed each year. Wendy says that she and her husband didn't allow themselves time to mope about the diagnosis though. They went right into survival mode, trying to find any and all information about Dexter's condition. The timing of his diagnosis couldn't have been better. Two months prior, the FDA had approved a new drug that could treat his condition and stop the seizures in just one dose. What is TSC?Tuberous sclerosis, or TSC, is a condition that causes non-cancerous tumors to develop throughout the body. Dexter had these growths in his brain, which were causing the seizures. Dexter also has them in his heart, called rhabdomyomas. Fortunately, the ones in his heart were not causing problems. In fact, they grow as a child, then shrink and go away. When Dexter was two and a half they discovered another type of tumor in his brain, called a sega. A sega will grow if it is not treated, so Wendy and her husband had two options: they could try a new medication and see if that would shrink the tumor, or they could have Dexter undergo brain surgery. If they didn't remove all of the tumor during surgery, the sega would grow back and they would have to try the medication anyway. So they opted to try the medication first. Within six months, the tumor had shrunk by half. Autism Diagnosis and Choosing to Stay PositiveDexter continued to grow and Wendy started to notice some signs of autism, but he did not display all the common symptoms. He had some delays in his speech, despite being able to understand what was said to him. Wendy worked with him on sign language, and he was able to recognize all of the letters of the alphabet at a young age. He struggled with sensitivity to noise, a common symptom of autism, but he has...

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In this episode, Tamara K. Anderson shares 3 tips which build momentum and growth by sharing personal stories, quotes and examples. Welcome to another Takeaways Episode of Stories of Hope in Hard Times! Last week we had https://tamarakanderson.com/episodes/kelly-walker-from-gamer-to-the-queen-of-manifesting/ (Kelly Walker, The Queen of Manifesting) on the show. She is an a ball of energy and so fun to talk to. One of the amazing things about Kelly is that she completely changed her life from being depressed and being a video game junkie to becoming The Queen of Manifesting. She has her own podcast now, and she is a speaker who changes lives from the stage. 3 Tips to Build Momentum and Growth1. The Power of Tiny ActionsKelly's Story SummaryLast week Kelly talked about being in the depths of despair, starting to be suicidal and not being sure where she was going to go with her life. She was playing video games all night and sleeping all through the day. That all changed one day when she got an email inviting her to a personal development seminar. Believe it or not, she took the initiative and she went. This one tiny step attending one seminar made her want to go to another one, and then another one, and then another one. Soon she was at a speaking seminar. This little tiny step propelled her forward quickly. My Example of Tiny ActionsThis concept is true for any of us. As we start any new goal, whether it is a ginormous goal or a teeny tiny goal, sometimes we need to build up our confidence in ourselves that we can do this. In the fall of 2018 I joined Benjamin Hardy's, https://www.ampmentoring.com/amp-10x-order-page?affiliate_id=2149716 (Accelerated Momentum Program (called AMP for short). )It is a fantastic group! I learned so much. One of the first things Ben taught us was that taking tiny little steps of progress can help us build confidence in ourselves. For example, when I joined the group, he encouraged us to do some little goal that day (like clean out a drawer or delete an app that we were wasting too much time). He explained that by taking several of these tiny little baby steps of things that you know you can do in less than five minutes, that you are building confidence. Once you accomplish those little things you can do bigger and better things. And so I remember that first week after I joined AMP, I set little goals to tidy one thing every day. Believe it or not, these little tiny things really did help give me momentum. And there is something magical about having a clean space to work. It helps to somehow declutter my mind. Applying the Goal AgainAnd so my office had become quite cluttered again, and as I started this brand new year, one of my January goals has been to declutter something every day. And sometimes it has been as simple as going through my closet and removing 10 things to donate. Another day I cleared off my desk. Another day I cleaned out my desk drawers. Last night I actually helped my daughter clean off a cluttered surface in her room. And the amazing thing was, as I was cleaning in her room, all of a sudden she just naturally started pulling things out of her closet. The momentum is real, and it's catchy. So it's funny how when we take one baby step of progress, it kind of spurs us onward. There is power in taking tiny steps. It does build confidence. And so just like Kelly--you and I and anybody else can build confidence by doing tiny things which gives us momentum do then go on and do bigger goals. 2. The Parable of My Apple TreesThis parable comes from that Women's Conference that I spoke at last year. I'm a bit of a gardener. I really like getting my hands dirty. Everywhere we've moved, I have always planted some sort of tree in our backyard. A Tale of Two TreesAbout seven and a half years ago, when we moved to Utah, I planted a Fuji Apple tree and a Granny Smith Apple tree. The interesting thing about these trees is even though they got the same amount of water and light, one...

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Kelly Walker completely changed her life from a video game junkie to become The Queen of Manifesting. She shares her journey and the lessons learned along the way on this week's episode of Stories of Hope in Hard Times. Kelly Walker: From Gamer to The Queen of ManifestingBioKelly Walker is a manifesting coach, international speaker, podcaster, and cruise retreat host. She is originally from Dallas, Texas and she spent her school years in Kansas. Now she lives in Spanish Fork, Utah with her husband and teenage son. She loves to help unlock the potential of women entrepreneurs who know they are meant for big things, but have been stuck playing small. She helps them tap into their purpose, take control of their inner chatter, build themselves in their tribe, and change the world on a bigger scale. Kelly Walker is The Queen of Manifesting. Hiding in the BathroomKelly decided she was going to be a motivational speaker after attending her first motivational seminar. Sitting in the audience, she realized that was what she needed to do. She was a graphic designer at the time but had just been fired, so she decided that speaking would be her new career. She went on the lookout for speaker training programs or anything that might help her on this new path. Every day, she said out loud, "I am a motivational speaker and I change lives from the stage." She had no idea how she would get there, but she believed she could. The Event & The BathroomDuring her search for training, she found an event on Facebook which was a cross between a TED talk and America's Got Talent. They have four contestants each month. The contestants speak for ten minutes to a panel of judges and then are given feedback. Kelly read this as free speaker coaching. So, she bought a ticket and went to watch. The judges were amazing and gave great feedback. When the judging was over, the MC stood up and told the audience that there was an open spot for a contestant next month. Kelly felt like this was her chance! She stood up and started walking over to sign up, even though she was scared. But she was so afraid she walked right past the table and toward the exit. She didn't even recall changing directions. As she was quickly walking away, she noticed a bathroom by the exit where she quickly went to hide. In the bathroom Kelly argued with herself about going to sign up. She sat there for at least ten minutes, trying to convince herself that she should sign up. Eventually, "brave Kelly" won and she went to find the MC and sign up. She asked if the spot was still open and when he said yes, she burst into tears of terror. But she did come back, and she won the contest! Kelly has spoken over 150 times since that contest. Years of Health ChallengesInfertility ChallengesLife wasn't always as easy as signing up for a contest and winning though. When Kelly was 38 years old, she struggled with fertility. She would leave church every Sunday because it was so hard for her to see other young moms with their babies. They tried fertility treatments but to no avail. Finally, Kelly quit her job and they went to Mexico, and she got pregnant! Kelly swears the lack of stress is what did it. Pregnancy ComplicationsHowever, the pregnancy itself was no less difficult. At 26 weeks, Kelly developed toxemia and had to go on bed rest. The doctors gave Kelly a steroid that helps the baby's lungs to develop faster because they were afraid they were going to have to deliver him early. Kelly remembers praying and praying that she wouldn't need to deliver her son yet. She stabilized and he ended up being able to stay put until week 38, with Kelly in the hospital on complete bed rest. AnxietyAs her son kept growing, Kelly felt claustrophobic and at one point she was having 24-hour panic attacks. Kelly was so anxious she doesn't know how her husband survived the last few months of the pregnancy. Neither she nor her husband got much due to the extreme anxiety. Everytime she tried to go to...

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In this episode, Tamara K. Anderson shares how scared she really was to start podcasting and the tips and goals which helped her overcome this fear. Tamara K. Anderson: How I Overcame My Fear to PodcastingI am so excited to announce an epic change in the Stories of Hope in Hard Times podcast. Starting today, I will be launching an episode every week on Wednesday. This is helpful for you because now you get twice the content. Sometimes I will take an episode to tell additional stories and expound upon the previous episode (like I will do today). These episodes will be considerably shorter than our typical episodes. Other times I might just launch a new episode every week. Last week I interviewed https://tamarakanderson.com/episodes/alan-gulledge-setting-goals-facing-fears-and-recovering-with-faith/ (Alan Gulledge) and we talked about his bike crash and we talked about the fear that went along with setting new goals as Alan tried to build his body back. I wanted to kind of piggyback onto that story and tell you a story from my own life. And that story is actually the story of the launch of this podcast. Overcoming Fears Launching This PodcastIn January of 2018 I decided I would spend that year learning all about podcasting and take all the steps necessary so that I could launch my podcast in January of 2019. I hit the ground running. I named my podcast (with your help), Stories of Hope in Hard Times. Then, I had my logo for my podcast professionally designed and people voted on it. And I even picked a format for my podcast. I spent a lot of time, learning about podcasting, from professionals like John Lee Dumas. I even recorded my first podcasting episodes of May of 2018. StallingAnd then in June I hit this dead stop when my kids got out of school. I made this conscious decision just stop and not do anything during the summer. Believe it or not I even stopped doing social media. Come September, I got my kids back in school and I started just really reexamining where I was with my life and what my goals were. Then I remembered the podcasting goal and I realized I was scared to death to start and launch this podcast. It really freaked me out and that's why I had stopped and had not made any progress. JournalingI really had to pause and think and write about it. In fact, I even drew a picture in my journal. https://tamarakanderson.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Screen-Shot-2018-12-28-at-3.30.40-PM.png () Here is what I wrote, "This is how I feel. My fear is real and it's keeping me stuck on my path." And so there I was--little me stuck on the path of this mountain that I wanted to climb. But there was this huge word in my way which said FEAR. Where to FocusAnd I learned that while I was looking at the fear, I couldn't move forward. It was too scary. I'd had some experiences where I was picked on and bullied when I was a kid. And so I, I realized that I had to raise my sights a little bit higher and start thinking of my WHY: What are the benefits of the podcast? Who will this help? And set my sights on that. I realized that this podcast had the potential to help people who are struggling to help people who have lost their hope. And as I focused on the benefit of doing the goal and not the fear itself (basically focusing on faith and I believed the outcome could be), then I was finally able to move forward again. I really had to detail a lot of this in my journal and figure it out. Podcast LaunchI launched Stories of Hope in Hard Times in January of 2019 and it felt so good to accomplish that goal. But it also felt good to not have that fear incapacitate me anymore. The Power of Fear and How to Overcome itAs imperfect people, we have goals that we set and get excited about and then all of a sudden we stop. And it's often because there's an underlying fear. So if you're setting goals this year and you're finding yourself at a stopping point, stop and examine that fear. Maybe you need to journal about it a little bit,...

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After a life-altering accident, Alan Gulledge learned to set powerful goals, face his fears, and move forward with faith. He now helps others learn reach their physical goals as a coach. Alan Gulledge - Setting Goals, Facing Fears and Recovering with FaithBioAlan Gulledge has lived in Virginia, California, Honduras, and Utah. He was a Division 1 collegiate track and field athlete in the pole vault who was fortunate enough to win conference championships, competed in the NCAA finals and appeared in the top 50 in the pole vault for world rankings in the 2000 Olympic year. Once he retired from pole vaulting he began to explore the world of triathlon/endurance sports and has been hooked ever since—having competed in over 200 competitive endurance events. Alan qualified for the Boston Marathon and became and All-World Ironman tri-athlete (top 5% division worldwide). After receiving his undergrad in Psychology and getting his MBA had a 13 year career in corporate sales. About 8 years ago he left the sales world to pursue his passion of working in the world of health and fitness. He is the owner and operator of TriFit Evolution a small strength, endurance coaching and personal training business located in Arlington, Virginia. His goal is to help others achieve their fitness goals. He married his sweetheart, Laura Dawn two and a half years ago and they have been blessed with a beautiful son. Loving the ProcessPole VaultingAlan says he could never sit still as a kid. He was always wanting to be running outside. Alan became a pole vaulter in high school, but he actually joined the track team after moving to Utah in order to make friends. At first, he was the worst one on the entire team at the pole vault. Alan was very competitive and started practicing more and more. He would drag his twin brother to the track on Saturday mornings to help him get better. Alan says even though he wasn't a gifted athlete, he believes that applying yourself and working hard is what it takes to become better. In college, Alan loved training for pole vaulting. Most of the time, he was running, working in the weight room, working on technique, plyometrics, running stadiums, and working on aerial and body awareness. Alan truly loved that process. He retired from pole vaulting in his mid twenties. TriathlonsAlan moved to California and that's where his friends introduced him to the triathlon. Again, he was not very good in the beginning. He could barely swim across a 25 meter pool doing a unique combination of many swimming strokes. He was familiar with challenging athletic goals, as he had tried to qualify for the Olympics in the pole vault the year before. Alan thought pole vaulting was difficult and that a triathlon wouldn't be as challenging since it was just running, riding a bike, and swimming. He was wrong. Alan did not do well in his first race. In triathlons, they put you in a division based on age, so your age is written on your leg for the race. He remembers women in their 50's just flying past him on their bikes, and he was this 26-year old collegiate athlete. That was very eye opening for him and made him want to work even harder to excel. He thinks that is a good life lesson to learn: even if you aren't a natural or something, you just work on the process and become something that you never imagined you'd become. The AccidentIn September of 2015, Alan was two weeks away from running an Iron Man. An Iron Man involves swimming 2.4 miles, riding a bike for 112 miles, and then running a full marathon, 26.2 miles. This was not Alan's first Iron Man and he was excited. He was poised to do well as an amateur in his division. On that fateful day, Alan decided to go out for an easy training ride of about an hour. He was riding across a bridge on a bike path alongside a major highway. There had been a car accident and another cyclist was distracted by the accident and crossed over into Alan's lane and ran into Alan head on. The force of the...

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As a Christmas gift to her listeners, Tamara shares two audio chapters from her book, Normal for Me. One chapter talks about her son's diagnosis of autism and the other how God helps us learn to problem solve the challenges we face. A Special Christmas Gift: 2 Audio Chapters from my Book, Normal for MeOn today's episode, I'm going to do something very special for you, my wonderful listeners, because it is Christmas. And to celebrate Christmas, I would love to give you a gift. The GiftI have two chapters I have chosen from my book, Normal for Me, that I am going to give you. This is partially to celebrate the launch of my audiobook, which happened just a few weeks ago. So I would love to share with you chapter three and chapter seven from my book, Normal for Me. Chapter 3: Diagnosis--Dead End or Detour?Chapter three is one of the most heartfelt chapters in my book. It is where I talk about my son Nathan's diagnosis. This chapter was hard for me to write, but it was also a hard for me to read--because everytime I read it I went through those same emotions all over again. I actually had to stop several times when I was recording it because I would get a little emotional. This chapter talks about the life detours that we face. And one of the fun things I did in this chapter was I wove in the story of Moses and the Children of Israel as they are leaving Egypt. They got to the edge of the Red Sea and Pharaoh's army was coming after them. And at this point in their journey they panicked and were angry with Moses for getting them to this dead end. And don't we all feel like that at some point in our life? We think, "God, I've been following the path you wanted me to take. I am at a total dead end. I don't know which way to go and I don't know why you brought me here." And so, in chapter three, I talk about how I went through all of those emotions and the grief cycle. I also explain how God opens up a path I probably never would have chosen. And it's through the Red Sea and into the wilderness called autism. This is where I was able to learn a lot of things on my detoured path. In this chapter you will be able to experience a lot of my journey and relate to it. Chapter 7: My ToolboxThis is a really fun chapter where I tell you a little bit about one of my hobbies, which happens to be using my toolbox and fixing things. I tell you a little bit about a Christmas gift that I got when I was 12 years old and how that plays into some of the things God expects us to do and learn so that He can help us know what actions we're supposed to take to get us through. So sit back and enjoy these gift chapters from my book, Normal for Me. And remember that Jesus is the reason for the season. Buy the Book or AudiobookIf you like what you hear, you can purchase the Normal for Me book or audiobook on Amazon. https://amzn.to/2FFAnPU (Here is a direct link.) Shareable Thoughts and Memes

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Did you know NY Times Bestselling author Richard Paul Evans was bullied as a child or that he lived in a home infested with rats? Listen as he shares the stories which shaped him to become one of the most loved and heart-stirring authors today. Richard Paul Evans: Lessons from Brokenness, Bullying, and Tourette'sRichard Paul Evans BioWhen Richard Paul Evans (Rick) wrote the #1 global best-seller, The Christmas Box, he never intended on becoming an internationally known author. The story was written as an expression of love for his then two young daughters. Three years later, this quiet, simple story of parental love and the true meaning of Christmas made history when it became simultaneously the #1 hardcover and paperback book in the nation. Since then, more than 8 million copies of The Christmas Box have been printed. Eight of Rick’s books were produced into television movies and have starred such well-known actors as Maureen O’Hara, Rob Lowe, Christopher Lloyd, James Earl Jones, Naomi Watts and Academy award winners Vanessa Redgrave and Ellen Burstyn. He has since written 40 consecutive New York Times bestsellers and is one of the few authors in history to have hit both the fiction and non-fiction bestseller lists. There are currently more than 30 million copies of his books in print. Rick won the American Mothers book award, two first place Storytelling World awards, The Romantic Times Best Women’s Novel of the Year Award, the German Leserpreis Gold Award for Romance, is a five-time recipient of the Religion Communicator’s Council’s Wilbur Award and more than a dozen other awards for his young adult series Michael Vey. During the fall of 1998, Rick founded The Christmas Box International, an organization devoted to maintaining emergency shelters and providing services and resources for abused, neglected or homeless children, teens and young adults. To date, more than 100,000 children have been served by the Christmas Box House facilities and programs. Rick lives in Salt Lake City, Utah, with his wife, Keri. They have been blessed with five children and two grandchildren. A Personal ConnectionRick has become a great friend and mentor to me. I went to his first https://www.facebook.com/RPEPremierAuthorTraining/ (Premier Author Training) almost three years ago. We had a lot of fun and I learned so much. I felt like I was drinking out of a fire hose just with the amount of knowledge he imparted on not only writing but on marketing books. The King of CrepesA little known fact about Rick is he is the crepe-making King. He first learned to make crepes at a friend’s house in Seattle. He then decided everyone should know how to make three things really well. So, Rick know how to make three things: French toast, crepes and fried rice. Writing from the HeartI love the ending of Rick's latest book, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PSKFTSJ/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1 (Noel Street), as I think it gives us a picture of his life. He says, "I've always thought of God as an artist. One who uses our hopes, fears, dreams, and especially our tears to paint on the canvas of our souls rendering something beautiful. The hardest part I suppose is waiting to see what he's up to." So many of Rick’s books dive into people who are broken and waiting to see what God is painting on the canvas of their lives. He seems to write from a personal place of brokenness. Rick gave us a sneak-peek into the next book he is working on which will launch in 2020. He is taking his writings and blogs from the past 25 years and compiling these personal stories of things which have made him who he is. Some of these blogs have been read by millions of people, so they are very compelling. Lessons from Hard Times1. A Broken ChildhoodThe year 1970 was a really bad year for Rick’s family. They lived in Arcadia, California and his father lost his job and was blackballed in the community where he worked in Beverly Hills. As he tried to provide for...

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Today we are going to focus on the holiday season, and how we can overcoming the sadness and holiday blues which sometime accompany this time of year. 14 Tips to Face the Holiday Blues with CheerBrad J. Neufeld (https://tamarakanderson.com/episodes/the-american-dream-falls-apart/ (who was previously interviewed on Stories of Hope about his personal story)) is back to discuss how we can overcome depression that often accompanies this time of year and find joy and happiness.  Brad's Experience With Holiday SadnessBrad says that there are many people who experience loneliness during the Christmas holiday season. Brad himself knows firsthand what it's like to be alone for the holidays. He has been supporting himself since he was 13 years old. Though he saw his family temporarily in 1980, six months later his parents moved from Utah to California. He was 16 years old at the time, living in Utah by himself. Brad had agreed with his parents to talk on the phone regularly but it was still a very lonely time. "When you are used to everyone being around, opening presents together, and experiencing the happiness of the holidays, watching the parades and the football by yourself just isn't the same," he says. Though he made it through the first year, the following year was even more difficult. The hardest was the year he was 18 but still alone for the holidays. Brad jokes that he almost considered himself a Grinch, but that changed slowly when he met his wife. Brad says his wife loves all holidays and celebrates each one, but that Christmas is a big one. She has always insisted on having a fresh tree each year. and that's something they have done for 33 years now. What Christmas is Really AboutBrad recalls that the most impactful holiday season for him was about 15 years ago. That year had been a financially challenging one for Brad and his family, and they weren't going to be able to get their children anything for Christmas. Brad felt himself shift back into the mentality that Christmas was no good for him and he truly did not want his kids to experience what he had felt growing up. But the members of Brad's community sensed that Brad's family needed some help that year. On Christmas morning, their family woke up to bags of gifts from "anonymous." Brad says that instance truly touched his heart and humbled him. He realized that is what Christmas is about, thinking of others. Brad says he knows that depression rates and other emotions run high during this time of year. He also experienced the feeling of wanting others to stay away, and even had suicidal thoughts at times. He says it's often we talk about just surviving Christmas, rather than enjoying it. Holiday Blues Tips Learned the Hard WayTip #1--Focus on the PositiveFor Brad, it's important to focus on the happy emotions that come out of the holidays, rather than just the commercial aspects, even though that can be hard to do sometimes. His experience with loving neighbors reminded him that even though it can feel like no one cares, "God is always is always looking over us. Neighbors do care. People care." Brad explains he used to look for and find the negative about the holidays, but ever since this loving experience with his neighbors, he had a shift in his thinking. Quoting Dr. Wayne Dyer' book title, https://www.amazon.com/Youll-See-When-Believe-Transformation/dp/0060937335/ref=asc_df_0060937335/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312736349443&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=754182668978577858&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9029699&hvtargid=aud-801381245258:pla-452474035426&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=63700707018&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=312736349443&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=754182668978577858&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9029699&hvtargid=aud-801381245258:pla-452474035426 ("You'll See It When You Believe It.") Brad...

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In this episode Hannah shares how she overcame her own internal struggles after her daughter was diagnosed with dyslexia. Learning A New Identity After A Dyslexia DiagnosisHannah’s BioHannah Coles is a mom to 4 amazing children and has been married for over 18 years. She has been homeschooling her kids for over 12 years and absolutely loves it. She’s a voracious reader with an ongoing goal of reading 100 books each year. Hannah loves learning and teaching, and considers herself a teacher at heart, whether that’s at home, at church, with music, and in her career as a life coach. She loves being able to uplift others and help with their suffering. Hannah’s Story100 Book GoalHannah says this fun and exciting goal of reading 100 books a year wasn’t hers. She heard an author being interviewed, and the author mentioned that he read 100 books per year to help him get ideas as a writer. Hannah thought that sounded fun, so for the past 8 years she has made that goal. Sometimes in December she has to do a lot of reading to catch up and make her goal. Hannah says reading has been a great blessing in her life. She reads fiction and nonfiction alike, but she does stay away from dark and scary books. She says picking a favorite book is hard, but if she had to pick one it would be https://www.amazon.com/Wonder-R-J-Palacio/dp/0375869026/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=wonder+book&qid=1573599599&sr=8-1 (Wonder). Wonder a middle grade book that she says touched her heart and made her cry several times. She also loves the movie, but says that of course, the book is always better. Dyslexic DaughterHannah’s third child has dyslexia. Hannah says that when her oldest daughter was born, she got lots of one-on-one attention since she was the only child. She read very early, and everything was great. Her second child, a son, was reading early as well, finishing Harry Potter by the time he was six. Hannah says she was giving herself a pat on the back, thinking she was a great mother and teacher and homeschooler. Then when her third daughter was started getting close to being school age, Hannah had a little bit of a panic. She realized they were behind on reading. Every year Hannah would notice that she wasn’t improving in her reading. At eight years old she was still struggling to read at a first grade level. Hannah just kept thinking something couldn’t be right and felt like an unsuccessful mother and homeschooler. The ChallengesHannah would be helping her daughter read a paragraph, and the same word would come up multiple times in the paragraph. Every time, her daughter would have to stop and really struggle to get the word. Hannah says it was a painstaking process to read. So she went to the school to see if they could help. They told her they couldn’t, and that she’d need to go to a doctor. Well, her doctor told her that she needed to get help from the school. For years Hannah went back and forth between school and doctor. Eventually Hannah and her family moved. Through divine design within the first week of living in their new home they met a family who had a child with dyslexia. The mother told Hannah she needed to go see an ophthalmologist to get her daughter tested. Hannah’s daughter was tested and diagnosed with several forms of dyslexia, and the knowledge and awareness that Hannah and her daughter both had helped them start to navigate through the journey. Different Types of DyslexiaHannah says that there are a variety of forms of dyslexia and they stem off of a handful of major forms; surface, phonological, visual, primary, and mathematical. Hannah found out that there was dyslexia on both sides of her family that could have contributed to her daughter’s diagnosis. Hannah’s daughter wasn’t even able to follow the lines on a page and she would constantly lose her place. The doctor walked through how Hannah’s daughter was reading and it made much more sense. Hannah found the entire process fascinating. Her ophthalmologist told her that...

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In this episode Alan Smith shares how he was able to take health struggles and the death of a child, and find happiness even after extreme pain. How Alan Found Perspective and Peace After His Son’s Death.Alan’s BioAlan was born and raised in Utah. He is something of a Renaissance man with his love to read, write, paint, sing, and ballroom dance. He’s a realtor by profession, and has been married for 25 years to Susan who rolls her eyes at his dad jokes, but he’s sure she’s laughing on the inside. As a writer, Alan goes by the name A.D. Sherman. Alan’s Writing CareerAlan goes by A.D. Sherman because he says he’s still a little shy about his writing, and the name Alan Smith isn’t that exciting. Alan decided to write under a pseudonym. A high school nickname inspired the last name of Sherman, the A is from his name Alan, and the D stands for death, dismemberment, dragons, Dracula and all of those fun, creepy things. Alan is currently working on a book. It is called the Undertaker’s Apprentice and it’s about a 16 year old boy who on his first awkward day as an undertaker’s apprentice, accidentally becomes a sorcerer. Alan’s Childhood and PastAlan is the oldest of four kids, but was very small for his age and got bullied in the neighborhood. He had one close friend but didn’t have lots of other friends. Alan’s mom also had some complications with pregnancy and postpartum, which left Alan to do a lot of the work around the house like laundry and cooking. Alan didn’t really have a traditional childhood because he was busy taking care of things for his siblings. He tried to have a sense of humor and fun, but overall his childhood was busy and full of work. A Stroke At Age 18At the age of 18, Alan had something shocking happen to him. He had a significant stroke, which is highly unusual in someone so young. He didn’t expect it at all. Alan and his family didn’t realize what had happened right away. He was working in a book warehouse, and suddenly began feeling really sick. He felt dizzy and nauseous and he couldn’t stand or see. Alan worked at the warehouse with his mom, and she was busy working. So, Alan went up to the bathroom and spent a half hour throwing up and feeling miserable. He finally dragged himself to the break room couch where slept the rest of the day. Within a couple of days he felt enough better that he could go back to work, and he thought nothing else of it. A little while later Alan went in for a physical. They tested his peripheral vision by holding up fingers, and on one side Alan couldn’t see any fingers at all. This lead to a lot of tests, a misdiagnosis of a heart valve issue, and more tests. The Cause of the StrokesFourteen years later, Alan was having stroke symptoms. He decided to go in and see a doctor who told him he had an opening between the chambers of his heart. This opening allows blood clots to happen, so he was having little strokes. The doctor went in with a catheter to close the opening, which is a relatively successful surgery. It didn’t work for Alan though. He had another surgery 10 months later which fixed the problem. Alan says that spending so much of his life wondering why he felt tired and sick made him depressed and was extremely hard to deal with. But 14 years later when he finally understood that he’d been having strokes, it made a huge difference in his ability to start moving forward with his life. Stroke SymptomsAlan says that when he was young MRI’s were relatively new and unreliable. So it was hard for him to get correctly diagnosed. He says that you can watch to find stroke symptoms like drooping in a face, tingling in a face or fingertips, and other things that can help indicate a stroke. A Shocking Infant DeathAlan met his wife after his first stroke at 18, and has been married for 25 years. But marriage and parenthood didn’t start out smoothly for Alan and his wife Susan. On May 6th, 1996, Alan’s first son Bryse was born. But just a few months later on August...

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In this episode Cristine shares her journey from drug addiction to mental health counselor and the miracles which shaped her life: prayer, choice, and God’s grace. The Miracles Which Helped Me Overcome AddictionCristine’s BioOver 30 years ago, Christine Price found herself deep in addiction. Through several miracles she turned her life around and is now a clinical mental health counselor. She has worked in the substance abuse field and has been a school psychologist. Cristine has a thriving practice in integrative mental health, which brings both Eastern and Western medicine together. She is currently a doctoral student in natural medicine studying the wellbeing of practitioners. Cristine is the author of various self help books and tools, and she’s working to promote conscious therapies. She is a wife, mother, and has a beautiful story of hope. Cristine’s StoryThe Boat AnalogyCristine loves using the analogy of a little boat on a little river, there’s a natural, downhill slope and if you’re not rowing upward, you naturally gravitate downward. She says that analogy describes most of her childhood and adolescence. The Oars of Faith and WorksShe explains she later figured out she only had one oar and for that reason she really wasn’t a great rower. Cristine says the oars are “faith” and “works” and she was only using the “works” oar to row her boat. Cristine says it took her a major fall to find the “faith” oar she needed. Christine says there was no substance abuse in her family system. She was raised by a fairly religious family and it was a major surprise for them when she started declining in a way that they didn’t understand. The Trauma She Tried to BuryCristine believes an early trauma at age 4 and then at age 14 led to her spiritual decline, although her parents didn’t realize she had been traumatized. So at age 14 she threw out her “faith” oar and began to drink and to do things which were against the rules she grew up with. She felt that she should be punished for breaking the rules, and even wrote in her journal that she needed to punish herself. Cristine felt she would be in trouble if she confessed, so she decided to do punishment for herself. She also felt a lot of fear. Her parents were baffled and couldn’t understand the major changes in her personality and her anger. Cristine says she stifled fear for most of her life due to her trauma, and that led to anger. She was punishing herself, and everyone else. The Truth Comes OutOne day her mom read her journal, desperate for some answers. Cristine says she can’t imagine how that night was for her mom. She believes must have been heartbroken to find the reality of what Cristine was going through, and the depth of where she had gotten. Cristine was heavily into drugs, and says it was a wonder she wasn’t pregnant. As the oldest child, Cristine knew her parents had hopes and dreams for her, they wanted her to be an example to her siblings and actively involved in their church. CounselingHer parents ended up taking her to counseling, which eventually inspired her career. She’s so grateful they made the choice to get her help, because at the time, she never would have asked for it. Cristine worked with a wonderful counselor who was accepting, and didn’t involve Cristine’s parents which she says was a good thing. She built a relationship with her counselor, and began to model her life after her. She planted seeds for Cristine, and knew that something deeper was going on. Cristine couldn’t even tell her what was wrong; the trauma was too deep. Her counselor suggested hypnotherapy, which Cristine was very against. She says she didn’t want to know what she knew deep down. The trauma that was deep inside her fueled her drug addiction which lasted from ages 14 to 20. The RideCristine explains there is a dividing line with addiction. If you go above the dividing line, you’re in recovery. On the other side of the line, it’s a ride with no effort going downward....

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Erin thought she had depression in high school. She was finally correctly diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder and Postpartum Depression, and has since found help and hope. Erin’s BioErin was born and raised in Arizona, where she played high school volleyball. She graduated from Brigham Young University in Human Development, and was also able to serve a mission for her church in Trujillo, Peru. Today, she has a husband and two daughters. And even though she’s a busy mom, she finds time for her hobbies which include volleyball and painting. She’s part of a mom volleyball league, and they bring their kids to the park to play while they play. In the evenings after her girls have gone to sleep, she takes time to draw and paint. She finds it’s a healthy outlet, and believes moms should find things they like to do apart from their kids as much as possible.She’s also going to talk little bit about what it is like to have bipolar disorder. Defining bipolar disorderBipolar disorder is a brain disorder, also known as manic depressive illness. It causes unusual shifts in mood, energy, activity levels, and the ability to carry out day-to-day things. Those with bipolar disorder, they cycle between manic states and depressive states. Erin says her manic symptoms manifested as being restless. She couldn’t sleep. Her brain felt like very overstimulated. She became very agitated and irritable easily. She had racing thoughts and lots of anxiety. What many people who have bipolar disorder experience is depression and actually a lot of people with bipolar disorder ended up being misdiagnosed with depression because a lot of times when you’re going through the manic phase, you have a lot of energy and you’re manic or hypomanic. People with bipolar disorder are also at higher risk for thyroid problems, migraines, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, other physical illnesses. Many people with bipolar disorder also have anxiety disorders, ADHD, substance abuse problems, trying to self-medicate, eating, eating disorders. They sometimes can have relationship problems, perform poorly at school, at work, they may not be able to hold a job because they’re cycling. Family, friends and people experiencing symptoms may not recognize those problems as signs of a major mental illness such as bipolar disorder. Erin’s StoryHigh School DepressionErin says her bipolar disorder began while she was in high school, manifesting itself as depression. She says she’d be staying in on a Friday night, and her mom would ask her why she didn’t want to go out with her friends. She instead would lay by herself in the dark, not talking to anyone and not doing anything. At the time, she thought it was a character flaw in herself. She thought maybe she was just a bad daughter or a bad student. Her parents didn’t understand either. They would encourage her to get out of bed, to go exercise. Luckily, since that time, Erin’s mother has become one of her biggest advocates. Erin’s DiagnosisErin went a lot of years not being diagnosed, and then she was diagnosed with depression. She admits, “In hindsight, I should have gone to a psychiatrist long before I did. Once I got to college, that’s when the manic issues started settling in. I was up at school and I would just have huge panic attacks. And I’d be walking to school and even the thought of being in class surrounded by people, I would just have freak outs and I had no idea what was happening. I just saw it as what’s the matter with me? I must be lazy, not a good student, all those things.” Erin says she also had a really hard time socializing. She says she knew college was the time she should be having fun with her friends, and she just wasn’t in that state. She ended up dropping out for a while and moving home, where she went to different doctors and tried different things to help. Finally A Proper DiagnosisIn 2011, after she was married, she finally went to a psychiatrist. She laid all her feelings out, and the psychiatrist...

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Even though she was a victim most of her life, Aleesha has found freedom and healing in forgiveness with God’s help. She now finds peace helping others. Aleesha’s BioAleesha is a joy filled passionate woman. She is the mother of four amazing children whom she is raising to be happy and responsible people. She is a speaker, mentor, author and facilitator of healing. Aleesha continues to build her healing and coaching practice, Pure Essence Healing, LLC and she uses her gifts to facilitate powerful healing and awakening on many levels for individuals. She works with people striving to heal from the effects of trauma and abuse and also those who are trying to create a healthier life path. Aleesha also works with parents and families to create greater joy and connection within the family structure. The reason she does this is because she herself is an overcomer of the effects of childhood sexual abuse, molestation, teenage rape and domestic violence, and so her life mission is to teach love, forgiveness and acceptance for every human being in whatever state they may be in. Aleesha and her family lived in Africa for one year and loved and serving the people there. She is a lover of truth and continually encourages her students and audiences to find the truth within and align their lives with it and become creators of their lives and live their truth. She has let go of being a victim and stands strong in encouraging other women to take their lives back, change their story, and create a life they want by taking 100% responsibility for their lives. Aleesha’s StoryThe Name ChangeFor many years Aleesha went by her given name Jenn Alexander McMurdo. But recently she changed it. I asked her to tell me why. When Jenn (Aleesha) was 18 years old, she started having the memories of sexual abuse. At this point of her life she was in a safe place out of her home. At this time she was blessed to have some really beautiful people around her supporting her. There was one particular woman with whom she became really good friends. This friend had just gotten out an abusive marriage. They began to study, learn and heal together. They actually had some really spiritual experiences together and felt like they had known each other before this life, that God had brought them together to help each other during this time to help each other heal. One night they felt like there were angels with them ministering to them. Jenn heard an angel say, “We want to give you the name that you had before you came here so that you have, something to hold onto to know who you really are as you go through this experience in your life.” Then they told her that her name is Aleesha.” Aleesha decided a few years ago that she wanted to come into full authenticity and alignment in every area of her life–including changing her name–which she did. The Victim MentalityWith so much abuse, domestic violence, and rape in her past, I asked Jenn if she would mind talking about how it felt to be a victim and then evolve into how she feels about herself now and how that change happened. Aleesha explained that victims tend to heal physically from the events, but that it was harder to heal from the beliefs that we form about ourselves. Some people never do heal from these traumatizing events. Aleesha feels like she lived two different lives when she was younger. She would put on a happy face in public but on the inside she always felt there was something wrong with her. Aleesha explains, “I felt like I was never good enough. I was anxious so much of the time, I just would feel nervous. I dealt with depression for 15 years and I tried to take my life twice….So on the inside I felt desperate. I felt broken.” A lot of her younger years were spent in bed, alone, and isolated. Her Inner Feelings TodayAleesha confesses, “I probably still look the same in some way on the outside just because I am a people person. I do love people but I feel completely different on the...

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Jen’s whole life changed when her daughter was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis. She shares valuable advice on how to find joy and hope even with diagnosis. Jennifer’s BioJennifer Hepworth is a wonderful woman who was born in Southern California, but calls Gilbert, Arizona home. She currently lives in Davis County, Utah. She married her husband seven years ago and they have four awesome children. Jen spends her free time volunteering for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and sitting on the Intermountain’s Cystic Fibrosis Parent Advisory Council and working the women in her church organization. She also is a volunteer in her children’s classroom and in the PTO. She spends a lot of her time driving her children around to all of their activities. I met Jen a couple of years ago and she has been blessed and challenged with a daughter who has cystic fibrosis. I will be the first to admit that when her daughter was diagnosed, I didn’t really know what it was. And so I watched her go through those early years of diagnosis and figuring stuff out, and I was on inspired by her. What is Cystic Fibrosis?Cystic Fibrosis (abbreviated CF) is a genetic disease which affects most organs in your body, but primarily the respiratory and digestive systems. The genetic mutation causes the CFTR protein not to function correctly. So your salt doesn’t go the places it’s supposed to go. So people with CF end up with very sticky mucus which lines their lungs, intestines, stomach, and it wraps around their pancreas. If you are a healthy person, your mucus has the consistency of water. With CF, the mucus is more like peanut butter and so it’s very easy for bacteria to stick in there. So, if a person with CF gets a cold, that bacteria can overgrow and cause a lung infection and they can go into the hospital for two weeks. It’s usually 10 to 14 days for IV antibiotics after doses at home and trying to get it kicked at home. That hospital stays are often part of the treatment for people with CF. Jennifer’s StoryPenny is BornJen had been married for 8 months when she got pregnant with their first daughter. Jen had a really hard pregnancy and was on bed rest and had to stop working. So Jen and her husband John actually moved in with her in-laws who were wonderful and let them take over their basement. Finally Penny was born and they were in love with this darling baby. Penny kept doing this “snort” like she was trying to gasp for air and snort. Jen took the problem to her doctor, and they passed it off as Jen being a crazy first time mom. Penny was learning how to breathe correctly. Is Something Wrong?So, the third time she had Penny in, they told Jen they needed to talk to her about something. They then told Jen that Penny’s newborn screening had flagged for cystic fibrosis. This was shock to Jen. The only thing she knew about cystic fibrosis was that John’s cousin passed away from it when she was 14 years-old. So, all Jen knew was that CF was life limiting. The doctor’s office told her they had an appointment for her the next day at Primary Children’s Hospital, to do a sweat test. So, they went and had to wrap Penny’s arm they put gauze and then make her sweat. And three weeks old babies don’t really sweat. So she held Penny and had a space blanket wrapped around her trying to get a little bit of sweat so they could see what her sweat chloride was. And while they were waiting, there was a genetic counselor who came to talk to them. She explained that if Penny got a mutation from John and a mutation from her that it was a one in four chance. Jen felt horrible when they told her this. She thought, “Cool. Great. Thanks. I did this to my baby.” In the hours between when the pediatrician told her this is a possibility and the results coming in, she had convinced herself it was just a false positive. Jen thought maybe Penny is a carrier because she got one mutation from my husband, but she knew there was no history of CF in her family. Official...

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Julie’s life changed one day when two of her children died in a car accident. She shares heartfelt tips on how to recover from & help others through grief. About JulieJulie Cluff is a full-time entrepreneur, Build a Life After Loss podcaster, hope giver, life coach, grief recovery specialist, and artist but not always in that order. She is a wife to a wonderful husband who brings the fun, the mother to 6 beautiful children including 2 angels and a spectacularly young and vibrant grandma. Julie shares her story of the loss and grief after her two youngest children died in a car accident on Mother’s Day and her transformation to bring hope to others who are grieving. She believes powerfully in the human spirit and the ability for all to rise from the ashes and create beauty. An interesting thing about Julie is she decided to become an artist a few years ago. She used the time she was recovering from surgery to watch and learn all she could online so she could become a painter. This is now one of her passions. She loves painting large abstract paintings Julie’s StoryThe AccidentOn Mother’s Day 2007 Julie loaded her three youngest children in the car and took off from the Houston area to make the drive to North Carolina to visit her in-laws. As they approached the Mississippi/Alabama border Julie remembers “waking up” (even though she doesn’t remember being sleepy) driving down the median of the highway. As she tried to pull the car back on the highway it started to roll. Her suburban rolled several times and they ended up upright on the opposite side of the freeway on the grass. Due to hitting her head during the accident, Julie temporarily lost her vision. She could hear her 12-year-old crying in pain in the seat beside her but she couldn’t hear Carrie and David who had been in the back seat. She started calling for them, but there was no answer. As her eyesight gradually began to come back, Julie noticed all the windows on their car were shattered and there were people congregating 20-30 feet away. That is when she realized Carrie and David had been thrown from the car. A gentleman approached her car and she asked to borrow his phone. She then made the call to her husband and told him they had been in an accident and she didn’t know what was going on with Carrie and David because they had been thrown from the car. Medical HelpThe ambulances came and Julie and her son James were placed on striker boards and taken to one hospital while Carrie and David were taken to another hospital. Once they arrived at the hospital, Julie kept asking the nurses if they had heard anything about her other two children. Julie had an aunt and uncle who lived in Mississippi who drove up to be with her when they found out about the accident. When they arrived they put her husband on the phone who told her Carrie and David didn’t make it. Five minutes after this call, the doctors informed her that her son James had to have emergency surgery on his leg. So, they wheeled her back to talk to him. She didn’t tell him about Carrie and David, but she did comfort him and explained what the doctors were going to do and he would be alright. After that Julie describes how her body just couldn’t seem to process everything—the grief, the shock. It was too much for her to comprehend. SupportAfter James got out of surgery, they put them together in a room which had a lobby. This was a blessing because they had so much family and friends who came and held vigil with them for the next week while they were recovering in the hospital. Powerful Actions Which Helped Julie Heal1. Recognizing MiraclesThe doctor who operated on James had developed the very surgery which he needed to fix his leg. Another miracle was as the car rolled Julie heard a voice in her head say, “Bring in your arm” which she did and didn’t lose her arm. Over time, Julie realized the very miracles which happened to save her arm and to save James’ leg could have happened for Carrie...

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Lark Galley shares lessons learned from divorce and suicide: You are not alone, everyone matters, and there is NOTHING that cannot be resolved or overcome. Lark’s BioLark has lived all over the United States and seemed to attend a different school every year of her life. She was even a foreign exchange student in Sweden as a junior. For this reason, she loves to travel and has been all over the world. She also loves reading historical fiction. She loves her workout time and her morning self improvement time at [4:45] AM (which according to her is the best time to get this done!) Lark has 4 children, 4 grandchildren, and a husband who is a full time engineer and part time Army Colonial. She received her BA in Political Science and a Masters degree in Economics from the University of Utah. She has worked in sales for a global company where she earned the #1 Senior Sales Rep award. Lark currently runs her own small trucking company and spends the rest of the time coaching. Three months ago her focus shifted due to some dramatic life experiences she is going to share with us today including suicide within her own family. Lark’s StoryFirst MarriageAbout 30 years ago Lark was married to her first husband and she felt like she was living her dreams, but sometimes dreams don’t turn out the way we had originally imagined they would. InfertilityAfter being married for a few years, she and her husband decided to start a family, but were unsuccessful. So, they went to an infertility clinic for three years and nothing worked. She had been praying all along God would help them have a child, but God told her “no.” Finally Lark gave up and told God she was done trying to do things her way. She set an appointment with an adoption agency, and then she started feeling like she might be pregnant. She took a pregnancy test and found out she was pregnant! Unexpected ShockShe was so excited to tell her husband–after three years of trying she was finally pregnant. So when he got home she excitedly told him, but his reaction shocked her. He said, “I don’t want to be a father, and I don’t want to be married to you.” This was devastating for Lark to hear! She had no idea what was going on. But over the next few months he seemed to pick fights over everything. Looking back now she can see he was trying to justify to himself a reason to leave. When she was 6 months pregnant, her husband disappeared. This is pre-cell phone days, so she had no idea where he was or what had happened to him. Lark explains she felt like an abandoned teenage mother even though she was 30-years-old. Depression & Unexpected BlessingsThe next little while Lark calls her “18-months of Hell” because she was in a really dark place after her husband left. Lark believes it is having her baby that saved her. First, it gave her a purpose, a reason to live. Second, this lonely time gave her a chance to firm up her relationship with God, who taught her about her daughter. God told her during this time that her daughter was never meant for her husband. She was a gift to Lark because she was living righteously, and her daughter was a blessing to her life. She literally saved Lark. Lark can now see the blessing of why she didn’t get pregnant sooner. God knew what He was doing all along. This was the lesson Lark learned going through this broken marriage: God knows what He is doing. Trust Him and it will all work out the way it is supposed to. It may not be how you think it should work out, but it will all work out. After going through divorce proceedings, Lark met and married the man who became her husband and father to her daughter. Father’s DeathFive-and-a-half years ago Lark’s father passed away. He was bipolar and had a really hard time socializing with people. He wanted to be with the family during the holidays but when they got together it was too much for him, so he would go off by himself in a room. Lark explained, “We tend to think the answer is to...

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John Lee Dumas shares 8 tips that helped him become a successful entrepreneur. They include working hard, having accountability, and 100% commitment. Interview with John Lee DumasJohn Lee Dumas BioJohn Lee Dumas grew up in Maine and was an active duty Army Officer for four years, he tried Law School and was a 1st semester dropout. Then he then tried Corporate Finance, Commercial Real Estate and felt he was just in the grind of going to work and getting a paycheck. While on the way to work one day he had an epiphany when a podcast he was listening to finished and he had nothing but the radio to listen to for the next 45 minutes. He wondered why there wasn’t a 7-day-per-week podcast to help make his commute be more productive. Then came the “ah-ha” moment. He had the thought that he could do it. He could start that 7-day-per-week podcast. And he did. Podcasting has since become his passion. JLD is the host of Entrepreneurs on Fire, which is an award winning podcast where he interviews inspiring Entrepreneurs who are truly ON FIRE. With over 2000 episodes, 1 million + listens a month, and seven-figures of annual revenue, he is just getting started. John is the author of Podcast Launch, The 100-Day Goal Journal, The Freedom Journal, The Mastery Journal, and the Podcast Journal. John currently lives in Puerto Rico where he enjoys watching the sunrise and living the dream. The Keys to Being Successfulhttps://www.inc.com/benjamin-p-hardy/how-to-take-100-responsibility-for-your-life.html (Benjamin Hardy wrote), “Making a commitment means you’re seeing it through to the end. It means you are leaving yourself no escape routes. You are burning any bridges that might lead to lesser paths of distraction. Your decision has been made. There’s no going back. You’ve passed your point of no return.” Dr. Hardy once studied what made the https://medium.com/thrive-global/22-ways-to-know-if-youll-become-brilliant-and-successful-at-what-you-do-f72b333e436a (difference between would-be entrepreneurs and successful entrepreneurs.) One of the things he noticed was that those who were successful seemed to burn the bridge to their past which tended to force them to commit fully to their future. They had a point of no return. When I asked JLD if he had seen this in his own life, he explained it had happened to him several times. After experiencing what he did serving full-time in the military in Iraq, John came home determined to make a difference in the world. “I had seen how precious life is and how quickly things can be altered, changed or taken away. I had that desire, but it didn’t translate into instant success.” He spent the next 6 years trying to find what that focus was going to be. He tried law, finance, real estate and he was successful because he was committed and “all in.” John quickly found out that these avenues he was trying were awesome but just weren’t satisfying his need to make a difference. So, he burned that bridge and moved to the next thing wholly committed. Be 100% CommitteedThe lesson John learned from this is to commit 100% to whatever you do. Give it time to see if it is the right thing. If it isn’t, then don’t be afraid change your plan and pivot until you find your true mission in life. This also gave John an opportunity to “taste” and then eliminate things that weren’t for him. But each career he tried took him one step closer to what was his one true mission in life. When John committed to podcasting he was all in! He wasn’t going to be a weekly podcaster. He was going to be a daily podcaster. “How does anybody become good at anything doing it once a week? You don’t. There is no professional athlete that’s practiced one a week that has become a professional athlete. It just doesn’t happen.” So, John had to put in the reps 2000 days in a row making 2000 episodes to become who he is today. 2200 episodes 80 million listens 60 million dollars in total revenue...

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Andrea has been able to thrive despite growing up in a home with an alcoholic father and a mother addicted to opioids. Find out what lessons she learned along her bumpy road and how she overcame a victim’s mentality. Andrea’s BioAndrea was raise in Utah and California. She grew up with an alcoholic as a father and a mother who became addicted to opioids. At the age of 16 she found Jesus, and her conversion is at the heart of who she is and has carried her through every dark time she has encountered. After high school she felt God pushing her to figure out who she was and applied to serve with AmeriCorps NCCC (National Civilian Community Corps). She spent the next year serving with at risk youth, building houses with Habitat for Humanity, and even with the American Red Cross in New York after 9/11. Andrea prayed to God pleading that she could find herself, and He showed her exactly who she was while she served others. She met her husband of 15 years just three weeks after returning home from the Corps. Andrea is a proud stay-at-home mom of 5. Her husband is a rocket scientist and she is the crazy extrovert. They have lived in Seattle, Washington, Charleston, South Carolina, and recently moved to Layton, Utah. She is an active board member for https://areasontostand.org/ (A Reason to Stand.) Andrea is passionate about family, friendship, and sharing the message that peace can be found in Christ and joy can be found in any circumstance. Andrea’s StoryAndrea grew up in a home where her parents loved her deeply and she believes they were doing the best they could. Knowing her parents loved her helped her through a lot. Addiction in Her Childhood HomeAndrea goes on to explain “addiction comes from a place of pain.” And Andrea knew her father was dealing with some depression and other challenges. In an effort to get through them, he chose substance abuse to numb the pain. “That is where most addicts come from,” Andrea explains. AlcoholismThe tricky thing about growing up with an alcoholic is their home environment was very unpredictable–kind of like walking on eggshells all the time. Andrea never knew if she was going to have a happy father or a raging father. In an effort to numb his pain, her father would also numb everything else which enhanced his anger and frustration. Andrea’s dad was amazing too, but he struggled with the addiction so much that, “There was contention in the home. It was really difficult. You lived in fear all the time.” Sometimes it was fear of how much he drank and what it was doing to his body. Other times it was fear of his mood or fear she wasn’t good enough. One of Andrea’s early wishes for her father was that he would live long enough to see her graduate from high school. She worried about him because he drank so much. Mom, The RockSo, Andrea’s mother, Debbie, was the rock of the family in these early years. She was so fun and joyful. Andrea’s mom was the type of person who was going to hug every person in the room. You almost couldn’t help from loving her because you knew she loved you. Andrea’s mom tried for years to “save” her dad and finally when she turned 13, decided maybe it would be better for her daughters if she got a divorce. That way they wouldn’t be fighting all the time. Her parents got joint custody and so they rotated houses every two weeks. This was hard for Andrea and her sister because they constantly felt uprooted as teenagers. Her mother met and married Andrea’s step-father, who has been a bright spot in their lives ever since. The Surgery that Changed EverythingHer mother was working as a house-cleaner at the time when she slipped, fell, and broke her knee. During the recovery, the doctors gave her opioids, and she became addicted to those. Years later (in a brief moment of sobriety) her mother explained she took the medication as prescribed, but they gave her more than she needed. She got in the habit of taking the medicine at a certain time of day even when she...

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Megan Kroff shares how she kept her faith having a child with a heart problem and Prader-Willi Syndrome as well as her personal struggles with anxiety and bipolar disorder. Megan’s BioMegan was born and raised in St. George, Utah but has also lived in Texas. She met and married the love of her life, Justin, while attending Dixie State College. While living in St. George, Megan gave birth to their special daughter, Sarah. It was a struggle to keep her alive and her birth sent them spiraling into the special needs world. Next they had their son, Spencer. He too was a miracle. While she was pregnant with him, they found out he had cysts on his brain and we were told he could be born with Trisomy 18—he may not survive birth. When Sarah turned 3 years old she was finally diagnosed with Prader-Willi Syndrome. Megan and her husband Justin have experienced job loss, miscarriage, hurricanes, bed rest, and Megan was finally diagnosed with a soft form of bipolar, which explained her depression and anxiety/panic attacks. These challenges gave them opportunities to grow. Megan and Justin are now living back in Utah where they are on the Board of Directors for the Utah Prader-Willi Syndrome Association. They love traveling together. Megan loves being a mom more than anything in the world. Family is her passion. When she has alone time, she loves reading, Pilates, cooking, and organizing other people’s houses—no joke! Megan’s StorySarah’s Birth & StoryWe begin Megan’s story with a normal first pregnancy. Sarah was about a week overdue, so the doctors decided to induce her. The induction went very quickly. Sarah was born an hour and a half after they started, which was very fast for a first baby. Sarah was born blue. Her https://americanpregnancy.org/labor-and-birth/apgar-test/ (APGAR) scores were very low. She wasn’t breathing, and didn’t even cry when she was born. So, the nurses immediately whisked Sarah away down the hall to help her. Megan and her husband didn’t even get to see her. They brought her back when she was pink and warm. When Megan went to breastfeed Sarah she didn’t have any kind of a sucking reflex or desire to eat. She was very weak. Sarah’s pediatrician seemed concerned she was so little and was losing weight. Babies are often born with a hole in their heart which will close up when they cry. But Sarah’s wasn’t closing up. So the little hospital in St. George was communicating with Primary Children’s Hospital up in Salt Lake City about the hole in Sarah’s heart. After keeping Sarah for a week, they sent her home with an appointment up a Primary Children’s hospital. ComplicationsNot long after they had been home, Megan was on the phone with the pediatrician setting up an appointment and Sarah turned bright blue. The nurse told her to bring her right into their office which was a block away. When they arrived the doctor grabbed her and the oxygen and got her breathing again. Their doctor was a man of great faith and he prayed with them. He decided they needed to drive up to Salt Lake City right then to see the cardiologist. After getting Sarah stabilized they decided to do the 5 hour drive up to Salt Lake City instead of doing a life flight. They arrived at her sister’s house who lived a few blocks away from Primary Children’s hospital and started to eat. While they were eating Sarah’s oxygen levels began dropping, so they decided to take her to the Emergency Room. This started the lowest low Megan had ever experienced. When they got Sarah to the hospital she was in heart failure. The doctors and nurses were frantically working on her and while Megan and Justin sat on the bed across from them watching them work on their daughter’s bare body. They sat and clung to each other as a Code Blue went off and more doctors rushed to the room. Changing Her PrayerMegan remembers praying a lot, “Father, save her! Take this from her. Please don’t let them poke and prod her one more time. I can’t see her in that...

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Shanna shares her journey through grief after she had a stillborn baby and how writing some important letters helped her heal with God’s help. Shanna Johnson: How Writing Letters Helped Heal my GriefShanna’s BioWife and mother to 9 children, two of which have been adopted. Shanna has had 7 miscarriages and one stillborn baby. Today we are going to talk about miscarriages, having a full term stillborn baby and grief.

Shanna’s StoryShanna was 38 weeks along with her pregnancy, and each morning she would wake up and push on her tummy to wake the baby up. She’d say “good morning” and feel them start kicking and then she’d go on her way. This particular morning when she pushed on her tummy, she didn’t get any response. After she got her other children off to school she called the doctor’s office because she felt uneasy about the baby. Looking for a HeartbeatWhen she arrived at the doctor’s office, they took her back to listen to the heartbeat and they couldn’t find one. After that, they immediately took her in to do an ultrasound to double-check and make sure they weren’t missing anything. She heard them whispering out in the hall and the tech, who knew her really well asked, “Who is it?” They told her “It’s Shanna.” The tech then said, “Oh no. Not Shanna. Not Shanna.” But this sweet tech put on a brave face and came in to do the ultrasound. There still was no heartbeat. GriefHer doctor just wrapped her arms around her and they all started crying together. Then they put her in a quiet room and started calling family to come and be with her. At this point Shanna was in shock. She kept thinking, “This can’t be real. How can this be? I just felt her moving last night. What happened?” The night before Shanna had visited her sister in the hospital because she had just had a baby. As she was holding her sister’s baby and Shanna’s baby was pushing on her tummy. Shanna’s baby was kicking her new cousin. Shanna’s husband and her parents came to pick her up at the doctor’s office and then went back to her parents house where she received a blessing (or a prayer for her). Although she was comforted by this prayer she was still very sad. The thought that just persisted in Shanna’s mind was, “I just want my baby back. I just want her back. I don’t want this to be real.” Shanna described, “It’s like you’re in this dream, in this situation and you don’t want to be in it but and there is no way out of it. You just have to keep moving forward. You still have to go and have the baby.” She feels like she was in shock and denial. Shanna worried about how she was going to tell her other children because they were all so excited because Cozette was supposed to be born any day. Shanna’s other kids would come up to her belly and talk to “baby Cozy” as they called her. DeliveryShanna was scheduled for an induction a few days later. Shanna’s doctor’s office was so incredible. In fact, they called the hospital and requested a specific nurse to help Shanna who had also lost a baby. This helped Shanna tremendously because when her body started to contract and push on the baby’s body it felt like Cozette was kicking. This sweet nurse was able to explain what was really happening and that she had felt that too. Shanna also had another friend who had lost a baby bring her a CD to play in the room because it seems so quiet without the baby’s heart monitor going. After Cozette was born, Shanna’s nurse immediately took her and cleaned her body, put a hat and diaper on her, wrapped her in a blanket and brought her to Shanna so she could spend some times with her. Since Cozette was full term she looked like a sleeping baby in her arms. Earthly AngelsPeople were so sweet to Shanna at this time. One friend stayed up all night making a blanket with little angels on it and brought it to her at the hospital. That is the blanket they ended up burying Cozette in. After the delivery Shanna was tired and took a nap. One of her friends who had also had a...

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Claudia shares the many lessons, tips, and bits of advice she learned along her battle with breast cancer. God got her through and she learned to trust Him. Claudia Bretzing: Lessons, Tips and Advice from CancerClaudia Bretzing is a wife, mother of six, grandmother of 17. She is an accomplished violinist and a retired elementary school teacher. Claudia was inducted into Hall of Heroes at Nathan Hale Elementary. She was also the winner of “Stories of Strength” on ABC 15. She is the author of https://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=as_li_qf_sp_sr_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=tkas1tips-20&keywords=the cancer effect claudia bretzing&index=aps&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=ur2&linkId=44b362724d1a51ac7b997443549dd8fb (The Cancer Effect )and a Breast Cancer Survivor Claudia’s StoryClaudia is a very energetic and positive person who kept very busy with her family and teaching 2nd grade. Her youngest daughter was starting her senior year of high school in 2009 and they had lots of fun things planned. Earlier in the year Claudia noticed one of her breasts looked different than the other one, but she thought it was just old age. Once the school year finished she pointed it out to her nurse practitioner who didn’t seem too worried about it but she scheduled her mammogram anyway. After the mammogram they wanted to do an ultrasound on her breast. After the second ultrasound the radiologist said, “This needs to be biopsied. It looks very much like cancer.” The next few weeks were filled with questions like, “Where do I turn? Where do I get a biopsy? What do I do now?” Claudia was diagnosed two weeks later with breast cancer and she chose a surgeon to help her along this journey. Family’s reactionThe diagnosis was reeling for the family. Claudia’s husband was very supportive but she knows he worried more than he showed. It was extremely hard on her senior daughter, Brittany, who was a bit of a worrier, and she withdrew into herself. Thank goodness she had a very good counselor to talk to during the year. Claudia’s ReactionBeing an optimistic person she talked herself into believing everything was going to be okay. She decided she would get the treatment she needed and then her life would resume its normal path. Her treatments would be done by Christmas and so she had a goal to return to normal after that. Claudia found that although the physical treatment was over, there was still an emotional battle. In fact this is one of the reasons Claudia wrote her book, https://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=as_li_qf_sp_sr_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=tkas1tips-20&keywords=the cancer effect claudia bretzing&index=aps&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=ur2&linkId=44b362724d1a51ac7b997443549dd8fb (The Cancer Effect) , so other cancer survivors would know what to expect after you are done with the cancer journey. Due to complications, Claudia’s treatment was extended and ended up going through March. This was big blow to her psychologically. This is when Claudia began to lose hope and feel discouraged because it didn’t end when it was supposed to end. She couldn’t control how the treatment went, which was hard for her. Claudia thought this was a good lesson to learn in life because she had to learn to let go and trust in God. We often think we are in control of our lives and then something happens which helps us realize we are not in control. God is in control. Emotions and FeelingsFirst there was panic when she was diagnosed. Then there was shock that the body she had taken care of and had trusted was letting her down. Then there was worry–especially after the surgeon explained he would need to remove both breasts. This was a lot to have to process. Claudia also realized she was going to lose her hair due to chemotherapy. This was also very hard for her to swallow. Claudia was dealing with so many things which were overwhelming that she opened a file in her mind and put everything in there that was too...

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Judy shares the story of her husband being diagnosed & passing away from Non Hodgkin Lymphoma at age 25–leaving her to learn hard lessons as a young widow. Judy Cromar: Asking God the Right QuestionsJudy’s BioJudy grew up in Samoa, Germany, and Oregon. She has since lived in Iowa, Utah, and California. Judy’s first husband, Dennis was diagnosed with stage 4 Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma when he was 25 years old and died soon thereafter, when their only son was only 8 months old. She learned many lessons as a young widow. She remarried and now she and her husband Richard have a Brady Bunch family of 8 children, and 32 grandchildren. Judy was a Special Ed teacher for 21 years. Judy and her husband Richard served a mission for their church in Hungary a few years ago and now keep themselves busy traveling, helping refugees, and getting together with their large family. Dennis’ DiagnosisAt the age of 23, Judy was just two years into her marriage with Dennis. They were living in the midwest in Sioux City, Iowa where he was working as a supervisor of instruction for their church. Four days before Christmas in 1972, Dennis woke up with his thigh swollen to twice its normal size. They immediately went to the doctor who performed many tests and finally determined that Dennis had Lymphoma. They didn’t know what Lymphoma meant–although the doctors looked very grave. The doctors in Sioux City at the time explained they didn’t have the resources they needed to specify what kind of Lymphoma it was and suggested they return to Salt Lake City to get more of a specific diagnosis, treatment, and family support. CancerSo, they moved their family to Salt Lake City and sought out a more specific diagnosis. Judy still remembers meeting with the hematologist who told them Dennis had Non Hodgkin Lymphoma and explained that this was cancer. Dennis was diagnosed at https://www.webmd.com/cancer/cancer-stages#1 (stage IV b)–The IV meant he was in the final stages of cancer before death. The “B” meant the cancer was active vs. an “A” meant the cancer was dormant or in remission. Of course they were really young, and so their first question was, What are his odds for survival? The doctors told them 50%. Changes for the their FamilyThey were devastated. They had just had their first baby, Dennis had graduated from college and they had the first job, and seemed to have such a full life in front of them. This diagnosis was so frightening to them. He began treatments in Salt Lake City, and then they returned to Iowa where Dennis continued his treatments an hour away in Omaha. They tried radiation and chemo, but nothing worked. Nothing stopped the cancer from spreading. The doctors then tried some exploratory treatments which just seemed to make everything worse. Dennis died 5 months after he was diagnosed. The Hardest ThingsThe hardest thing for Judy was watching Dennis suffer. The side-effects of the treatments were horrific. Faith, Nothing WaveringAnother hard thing was being Christian was not having the prayers of so many loved ones answered when they prayed for a miracle. Judy held onto the scripture that if she had “faith, nothing wavering” (James 1:6) her prayers would be answered. So, through the whole process she wouldn’t even entertain the idea her husband was dying. Judy remembers one day in particular where Dennis looked at himself in the mirror and saw how much he had wasted away. He commented, “I just don’t know how I can ever get my health back,” to which Judy replied, “You’re not doubting that a miracle is going to happen?” Dennis quickly replied no, he didn’t doubt but he didn’t see how physically he was going to get back to health. RegretsJudy regretted not even allowing the conversation about the possibility of death to happen between them. Years later she still regrets she didn’t allow him to talk about it and she didn’t allow herself to talk about what she was feeling. Judy was so focused on the idea a miracle was going to...

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Listen as a mother shares her journey through grief after her daughter commits suicide. God inspires her how to help others even as she is healing herself. Rebecca Christians: Healing and Fulfilling a Vow to GodRebecca’s BioRebecca has lived in Milwaukee, Colorado, Illinois, Montana, Arizona and Arkansas. She has worked doing many things from gas station attendant to hospital work. She went to nursing school and was a paraprofessional in an autism classroom, which is where I met her when she worked with my boys. Now she is a rancher. Rebecca has three children, three step-children, and nine grandchildren. She’s been married to the love of her earthly life, Steve, for the last 15 years. He has been her hero in many ways. In her spare time, Rebecca likes to knit, crochet, spend time with her horses and read. Her passion is Jesus and serving the Lord. Autumn’s StoryBack in 2002 Rebecca’s daughter, Autumn, struggled with anxiety and depression. Rebecca found out later Amber had kept a journal and it got into the wrong hands at school and got passed around. This brought on bullying. In addition to this, Amber was also struggling with her sexuality. Unfortunately no one ever approached Rebecca to tell her about this until after she had lost her daughter. Rebecca was working full time at the hospital and going to nursing school. Rebecca confesses she was an unintentional neglectful parent. She did get Autumn counseling and she wanted to get her into a mental health hospital but they were full. The day before, Rebecca came home from work really tired and she vividly remembers Autumn telling her she loved her. Rebecca then went to bed and left the next morning for work. She got a phone call from her oldest daughter who found Autumn dead and was absolutely hysterical. Rebecca turned around and came home to paramedics, ambulances, and police officers. A friend had come over and gotten her son and daughter. Rebecca remembers being confused and totally in denial. The officials wouldn’t let her in the house. Autumn was a Born Again Christian and had been baptized. Her pastor showed up and she went running up to him and grabbed him by the lapels and said, “Please tell me Autumn is in heaven.” He didn’t have an answer for her. Difficult DecisionsRebecca had just arrived and the funeral home showed up and wanted her to start making decisions–and yet she still wasn’t even computing everything that had just happened. The paramedics came up to her and said, “We can’t do anything for your daughter. Can we do something for you?” Rebecca said she was so confused and kept thinking, “What do you mean? Where is my child?” It almost felt like she was living in a dream. Rebecca feels like she couldn’t even process what was going on, and she couldn’t cry. The paramedics finally wheeled Autumn down the hall and they stopped so Rebecca could see her. Rebecca said it looked like she was sleeping. Then Rebecca began crying. Autumn was wheeled out and she was gone. Rebecca was left sitting on the couch with these other people who were crying and grieving. She still didn’t understand what is going on. Her former pastor’s wife called to tell her how sorry she was. Rebecca remembers telling her, “God could have stopped her and He didn’t. So I have to figure out what to do with this.” That was the day Rebecca felt her life ended. This started a whole new season where she just wasn’t sure what to do. She had questions for God and questions about Autumn. The First LessonThat very day of Autumn’s suicide Rebecca learned her first lesson: her shoulder’s weren’t big enough to carry the burden. She needed God. Rebecca didn’t have the answers but to why He didn’t stop it. She trusted God knew what he was doing even though she didn’t–she still had to trust. She never asked “Why?” The ServicesThey had the viewing and the service, which was weird. Rebecca feels kind of like she was standing outside of her body as people filed by. It was...

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Jason Hagues shares his journey from feeling numb, moving to aching joy with his son Jack, who has autism. There are seasons of both sorrow and joy. Jason Hague: Feeling Both Joy and Sorrow with AutismJason Hague BioJason grew up in the piney woods of East Texas. He is the associate pastor of Christ’s Center Church in Junction City Oregon (near Eugene.) He has served on staff for Youth With A Mission for many years. Jason and his wife have been married for nearly twenty years, and they have five amazing kids. He has a passion for writing, and enjoys creative, visual storytelling. Jason often speaks often about the intersection of faith and special needs, due to the fact that he has a son, Jack, who is on the autism spectrum. He is the author of https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1631469401/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1631469401&linkCode=as2&tag=tkas1tips-20&linkId=911e433a912e4c1acddd2e72bc9ca7c2 (Aching Joy), which I highly recommend. Jack’s DiagnosisJack was a lively and interactive child, but at age one and a half to age two he started to drift. Jason says he didn’t even notice at first that he wasn’t interacting with them anymore until a friend mentioned that Jack had never given him eye contact. He and his wife researched a little bit but were certain whatever was wrong with Jack wasn’t autism. He made little gains and to them, that was further proof he was doing just fine. Finally Jason’s mom emailed him and said, “I think Jack has autism and I think you are in denial.” He laughed when he read it, which he is pretty sure people in denial do when they are accused of being in denial. But they had to face the facts. Jack received his diagnosis at age three and they have been on a journey since then. Facing DiagnosisThe diagnosis was a real blow for Jason. He and his wife had two daughters and he was anxiously awaiting a son to be born. His daughters seemed to be born speaking “Elizabethan English” and he took it for granted that his son would be the same. He came from a loud and excitable family that loved sports. Jason imagined that when he had a son that they would watch football on Sundays and then go outside and play. He had all these visions in his head about what fatherhood was going to be like when he had a son. After Jack’s autism diagnosis Jason realized that the dreams he had imagined might never happen and that he was going to have to recalibrate the expectations he had for Jack. Lesson #1 Grieving & FeelingsJason went through the denial stage and then he went through a stage where he was angry with God. After that, Jason went through this long season of sadness and numbness. Jason wasn’t sure how to deal with this grief. Dealing with GriefSome people don’t like using the term grief when you talk about a child, because you should be able to celebrate each child’s uniqueness. But Jason simply wasn’t able to do that at this point. This is a concept Jason talks about in his book and I was so glad to hear it brought up. So many of us have dreams or expectations that we truly do grieve when they don’t happen. The diagnosis doesn’t have to be autism. It could be cancer or depression. Jason explains that for some reason it is okay to feel blue when someone you love is diagnosed with disease–then people understand. But for some reason he feels it is controversial to mention feeling down after a child is diagnosed with some kind of mental disorder like autism. People feel they have to tiptoe around it. Feeling Your FeelingsHe has had some people say, “You should be rejoicing about your child and the beauty that they bring.” But in Jason’s experience you just can’t tell someone how they ought to feel. “Feelings don’t sing on command.” If you are feeling sorrow or grief you can’t just wish your way out of it. “You just pray you can get past some of the heavy stuff so you can see the beauty.” You have to deal with the feelings you are actually...

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Listen as I interview a family on how their lives have been changed for the better because of two sons with autism. Lessons, advice, tips and love shared. The Anderson Family: One Family’s Perspective on AutismAnderson family BioJustin (old) according to the kids. Husband to Tamara for 22 and a half years, and father to four amazing children. Jordan, age 21. College student majoring in Elementary Education. One of my typical kids. Nathan, age 20. Mostly non-verbal kiddo on the autism spectrum. We talk about Nathan on our podcast, but he doesn’t comment (mostly because he would just echo back whatever we said). Jacob, age 16. Jacob is an amazing kid that has high-functioning autism. He just learned to drive last year and is attending high school. Noelle, age 14. Noelle is our only girl and she is an amazing “second mother” to the group of boys. She is also in high school and is my other “typical” child. What was it like to grow up with two brothers on the autism spectrum?Jordan: It was a learning experience. They didn’t grow up doing “normal” activities. He noticed that he couldn’t interact the same with his brothers as other brothers that he saw. He dreamed of playing catch with his brother or wrestling with his brother, but Nathan didn’t want to do those kinds of social interactions. When Jacob came along he was able to finally grow into doing some of these things as he got older. Jordan explains that he had to learn to interact with Nathan differently. He learned how to show him that he loved him without a reaction. One interesting thing is that Jordan has always been extremely social and he wanted to tackle and interact with Nathan (who didn’t always appreciate that). I often felt when they were little like I was always playing referee. But looking back I realize that was probably the best thing for Nathan, because he had someone constantly inviting him to interact in the “real” world instead of always staying in “autism’s world.” Jordan is not intimidated by children with special needs, and he believes this is one of the blessings of growing up with brothers on the autism spectrum. As he is studying Elementary Education, Jordan looks at each child differently and he knows, he “can work with them.” He concludes he has a baseline because he has two amazing brothers with autism. He feels he has been guided to this major so that he can help children with all different kinds of needs. What is it like to have autism? What goes on inside your mind, and what makes you different from other kids?Jacob: The problem is learning to relate the “autism world” to the real world. “I don’t know what the normal world is like. All my life I’ve been living just being me.” Jacob is now fully integrated into regular high school. He didn’t always used to be able to handle this, but has grown to this point. One thing that is important to explain is that there is this real draw or pull to click over to the autism world in his mind or what we call “Imaginations” in our home. ImaginationsWhen I asked Jacob what he is thinking about when he does his “Imaginations” he answered that it is kind of a wild card. He explains that he can’t just think of one thing because that would be boring. So, he thinks of lots of things, but he can’t always control where his mind wanders. Sometimes he thinks of recent video games he has played, and creating off-stories in his mind. He also likes to imagine what would happen after the end of a book he has just read or the story before the book begins. Basically prequels, sequels and stuff like that. That is one of the cool things about having Jacob in our home is that he often thinks outside the box. When he was little he crafted these amazingly creative Super Jacob-man comic books that were so fun to read. He made the illustrations for them and everything. Jordan remembers having Jacob read him those comic books and helping him create the characters and then just watching the story come alive....

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Jamie shares the 5 lessons she learned having a son with Down Syndrome. She also explains how God helped and gives IEP advice. Jamie’s BioWife and mother of three–her oldest has Down Syndrome Meme to her two treasures Lived most of her live in North West Arkansas Also lived in a small town in North Carolina Worked with children doing home therapy and as an autism specialist Teaches Pre-K at a Mother’s Day Out Loves serving in her church Loves watching her kids to the things they love: baseball, soccer and Special Olympics Loves the beach and has been swimming with dolphins and 4-wheeling

Jamie’s StoryAt the age of 18 Jamie found herself expecting. She married the father of her unborn baby and took very good care of herself during her pregnancy–just like overly cautious first-time mamas do. She had several ultrasounds throughout her pregnancy, and they were all normal. She gave birth to her first baby, an 8 pound 8 ounce boy who they named Tyler in February 1990. A couple of hours after he was born the medical staff took him back for routine tests. After about 4 hours they finally asked the nurse where their baby was and she told them that their pediatrician would be in soon to talk to them. At this point their minds just started going a thousand miles per hour wondering what could be wrong. Tyler’s DiagnosisWhen their pediatrician came in he told them that they had detected a heart defect in their son. So, they were going to run some more tests on him and have him go down to Arkansas Children’s Hospital. Four hours later, their pediatrician returned, this time with their baby and confirmed that he did have heart problems which included several holes in his heart. He also was missing a valve that was connecting his chambers. The doctor also told them that this particular heart defect is associated with Down Syndrome, and that they suspected that he had Downs but they couldn’t confirm it yet. Jamie confesses that as they told her all of this information, she was more concerned about the heart defect. She had been blessed to grow up with some friends who had a baby with Down Syndrome so that wasn’t as scary to her. She felt shocked and scared, of course and they started praying. Their doctors were very shocked that she had a Down Syndrome baby at age 18–that is usually something that happens to 40-year-old women. So there was also some mom guilt associated with her son having Downs–even though she knew she couldn’t have changed anything genetically, she still felt guilty like maybe there was something she could have done to help Tyler be different. So, they sent them home with their baby with specific instructions to immediately return to the hospital if his lips started turning blue. Of course this made them scared to even sleep at night. Arkansas Children’s HospitalThey were also supposed to go to Arkansas Children’s Hospital in three days. Once they arrived they found out that Tyler’s jaundice was bad enough that they had to put him under the lights for a week before they could even look at his heart problem or do genetic testing for Downs. This turned their one day trip into a three week stay! They finally got the genetic testing back and the doctor confirmed that Tyler did indeed have Down Syndrome. This doctor also told them that their son would never read his name, ride a bike, go to public schools; the list went on. This made Jamie mad and she decided this doctor couldn’t tell her that her child was NOT going to do something. They may have swallowed half the pill when he was born knowing that he had heart problems, but the diagnosis was like getting punched in the stomach again. At 8 weeks, Tyler had major heart surgery and the doctors repaired his heart. This was a time of seeing how blessed they were even in their scary moments. Lessons LearnedLesson #1 Count Your BlessingsWhile they were at the hospital they met another little girl with Down Syndrome who was three and she was on her 17th...

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Brad Neufeld has hit many rock bottom moments in that have put him on a path to mentor troubled teens. He also shares life lessons learned in hard times. Brad J. Neufeld: The American Dream Falls ApartBrad’s BioBrad was born in Bakersfield, California and lived there until he was 13 years old. Moved to a very small town in Alabama where he worked on a 4,000-acre soybean farm. Moved to Utah and supported himself through high school. Married to Charlotte for almost 32 years, and has 6 children and 7 grandchildren Professionally—migrant worker, to trucker, to being the founder and President of Affinity Guidance Services, Inc. Developed the Positive Self-Management Learning System, the Winning Mindset Series, the Ultimate Self-Worth Workshop Series, and others. Over 30 years of experience in assisting others with overcoming personal challenges and helping them succeed with their own personal goals and desires. His passion is to help people discover their own self-worth, talents and value, and create for themselves success filled lives.

Brad’s Story of Going from Gangs in California to Being SuccessfulHe lived in Bakersfield, California growing up and was often beat up, so he got really good at running, but that got old. Finally as he reached his teens he began to wonder if he should join a gang to get some protection. Just as he was deciding this he came home to find that his family was packing and moving–that night! Their family drove across the country and ended up in Alabama living in a trailer. After a few months his parents decided to go back to California to clean up their mess and Brad said he didn’t want to go back. They had come to such a small town where everyone left their keys in their car and their windows open at night. It was such a contrast and Brad didn’t want to leave and go back to gangs. So, he stayed with their friends Frank and Marlene Crabtree, but he had to support himself, even though he was 13-years-old, so he could make payments on their trailer. So, he worked on the Crabtree soybean farm making $1.85 an hour so he could stay in Alabama. He loved his time in Alabama and stayed there for two and a half years until his family moved to Utah, and Mr. Crabtree said he should probably join his family. So he went to Utah, graduated from high school, served a mission, got married, started working as a trucker and also got into sales which earned him a good living. The American Dream Falls ApartBrad felt he was living the American dream. He bought a home, a car, and had a wife and a couple of kids–and then the world seemed to drop out from under him. After working for the frozen food company and being one of their top sales people for several years, his boss called him in and split his sales territory in half. Brad went from being on top of the world, to losing his house, car, and living in his in-laws unfinished basement in 9 months. This was devastating to him. He started having a hard time getting out of bed in the morning. Brad finally went to see a doctor who told him he was depressed and gave him some medication. Brad went through several years trying different things, visiting psychiatrists and getting psychologists and they tweaked his meds, but nothing seemed to help. Considering SuicideAfter struggling for two years, Brad decided he was going to give up. He prayed and he told God, “I’m done. I don’t want to do this anymore,” and made a plan to end it all. Just at this moment of great despair a little voice inside of him said, “Give it one more shot.” So, he decided he would study everything he could for the next 6 months and see if it made any difference. During that 6 months of studying and he found options and avenues he could pursue. This began changing him. He realized a lot of his depression that due to people relations and abandonment issues. He figured out what people’s true needs were (including his own). After that he made a commitment to start teaching the...

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After a bike crash, Sarah’s daughter was diagnosed with kidney disease, and then her marriage fell apart. She shares lessons on survival with God’s help. Sarah Gowans: Lessons from a Bike Crash, Kidney Disease, and DivorceBioSometimes people have periods of their life that seem to follow the saying,“when it rains, it pours.” Sarah Gowans had 3 years (2009-2012) where things seemed to go from bad to worse. First, she was hit by a car while riding her bike, then her daughter almost died from Kidney disease, and while she was helping her daughter recover her husband told her he no longer wanted to be married. Sarah is a wife and mother of 5 daughters She has been studying health and wellness for over 10 years. Sarah is a Licensed Massage Therapist and a member of the American Footzonology® Practitioners Association. She has presented on health, relationships, and lifestyle on radio, and other various events. Sarah is a lover of nature, hiking, running, cycling, and water and snow skiing, yoga, and strength training. She is an avid reader. She also spends time each day meditating and connecting with her spirit and God.

Bike CrashSarah had a car turn in front of her while she was biking and hit the car with her head, shoulders and face. It was the most painful thing she had experienced up to that point. Miraculously she didn’t break any bones, but did chip some teeth, had a big gash and some pretty sore. This was her little wake-up call, even though Sarah didn’t know it yet. Life was about to change for her and it was time to do some growing. First Lessons LearnedWork with your healthcare practitioners to help you take care of body especially when you go through physical trauma. Prioritize taking care of your body because you need your health to keep going.

Sarah feels like the pain and recovery she experienced after the bike crash was physical pain, whereas the pain she would soon experience was more emotional and spiritual pain. She explained that if she had to pick between physical pain and emotional pain, she would pick physical pain every time. Daughter with Kidney FailureOne day Sarah noticed that her 7-year-old daughter Halle looked heavier all of the sudden. A few days later as she went to help her bathe, she noticed even more that her body just looked swollen. Halle’s ankles, stomach and even eyelids were swollen, and Sarah knew this wasn’t normal. So, she took her to the doctor who did some blood and urine tests to see if they could figure out what was wrong. The doctor called them to come back when the tests were done and had them come right back into his office instead of going to the waiting room. That was Sarah’s first clue that something was really wrong. The pediatrician told them there was something wrong with Halle’s kidneys, and because he had studied with a nephrologist (kidney doctor) at one point he was able to recognize the signs and symptoms before she got worse. He said he believed their daughter had Minimal Change Disease. What is Minimal Change Disease?https://unckidneycenter.org/kidneyhealthlibrary/glomerular-disease/minimal-change-disease/ (Minimal Change Disease) is a disease of the kidneys. The first thing to know is that kidneys are supposed to filter waste out of our blood several times per day. Kidneys are supposed to leave proteins in the blood, but Halle’s kidneys were filtering the protein out and it was spilling over into her urine. This causes edema, or swelling. The reason it is called Minimal Change Disease is that if you were to compare a healthy kidney biopsy and with a diseased kidney biopsy under a regular microscope, they would look the same. It isn’t until you look at the biopsies under an electron microscope where you can see that the filters aren’t working. This is why it is called Minimal Change Disease–because you can’t see a change under a regular microscope. Blessings and TreatmentThe fact that their pediatrician diagnosed Halle correctly quickly was

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Cindy Cloninger learned many lessons as her husband struggled with brain cancer. Enjoy her 5 lessons and 14 tips learned from the death of a spouse. 5 Lessons & 14 Tips Learned from the Death of a SpouseAbout Cindy

6 children who have issues ranging from cataracts, lyme disease, epilepsy, and MTHFR gene mutation (which means they don’t process folic acid).

She is the biological mother of 5 and they adopted their youngest from China.

She was also a foster mom.

Her husband died of brain cancer in 2012.

Cindy’s StoryCindy’s husband, John, was in the military throughout his career, and served several tours. He became a podiatrist. One day John came home from work with the most awful headache of his life and she had a feeling things were going to change.

He was diagnosed with stage 4 brain cancer.

The doctors did brain surgery to remove the tumor and John was back to practicing medicine within 3 weeks, which was a miracle. He also did chemotherapy and radiation, and had brain scans every other month.

About a year after the surgery he started getting a little dizzy, which increasingly had got worse. When they did a follow-up brain scan, they found that the tumor had grown and spread throughout his brain.

His doctors said that there was nothing more they could do for him other than try to stunt the growth and try to prolong his life.

In one month John went from doing surgery on his patients, to being so dizzy he couldn’t stand and was in a wheelchair, along with partial paralysis.

For her this was crushing! She was completely broadsided because he had been doing so well. There were moments that were surreal–kind of like a movie where time slows down.

Cindy soon reached a tipping point, a moment of choice, of how she was going to act because she knew her kids would watch and follow.

John’s Last Few MonthsThis started the hardest, the most beautiful and the most sanctifying time of Cindy’s life.

With her husband in a wheelchair and declining rapidly, they took some of the life insurance money and went on a family trip to Mexico. There they celebrated her daughter’s 7th birthday.

Cindy’s prayers began to change. She began to beg God, “Please don’t let my husband die near any of my children’s birthdays.” This was important to her because she didn’t want them to have to associate his death with their birthday every year.

Another prayer was that they wouldn’t get very much snow that year because she didn’t want to stand in several feet of snow and bury her husband.

They both wanted him to remain in their home until he died. This presented a bit of a physical challenge because she is 5’4″ and he was 6’1.” Amazingly, she was able to have him stay with them in their home until his death.

As the lights began to bother him, Cindy brought him an umbrella he could hold to block the light. That way she was able to keep the light on and read books to him.

She came home one day to find him in their children’s bedrooms downstairs singing children’s songs with them. He said, “These are the things that I cherish.”

John finally reached the point where he couldn’t go down the stairs and having everyone in the room was too much. So, the kids rotated and each got to spend “dinner with dad” up in his room.

As he further declined, she was able to shave, bathe and help her husband care for his body. She wouldn’t trade those experiences for anything. Cindy found a refining joy in serving her husband.

About a year later there was a big debate about a person’s right to die, and Cindy was prompted to share her experience of her husband’s last few months on https://www.facebook.com/notes/john-cindy-cloninger/sanctified-through-suffering/10205210602251391/ (Facebook.) She explained how although it was extremely hard, they are things she wouldn’t want to miss....

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Alissa shares the lessons learned from her life’s challenges breaking the poverty cycle, surviving infertility and watching her preemies struggle to live. About Alissa McClureRaised in poverty in a broken home Became a teacher Children’s book author Blogger Married her best friend Struggled with infertility Gave birth to preemie twins and almost lost them Summer of 2018 released her first book for adults called, “Joy On! Ten Ways to Add More Joy to Your Life”

Lessons from a Broken HomeFirst, Alissa shared an experience she had in first grade where she learned that there was a better way to treat people than she was taught in her home. From this experience, she learned to watch people outside of her home that were happy and doing good things and tried to incorporate those examples in her own life. It must have worked with a nickname like “Smiley.” Lessons from InfertilityAfter trying for over 5 years to get pregnant, she started to feel broken, frustrated, and that she was the only one that was struggling with this challenge. She visited many specialists in the Houston area and no one could figure out what was wrong or help her. Alissa wondered why God wouldn’t bless them with such a good goal of having children. She wondered if maybe God didn’t trust her or think she was worthy to be a mother. Alissa said lots of prayers asking for children, but received no answer. Satan is cunning and places doubts in our minds because he doesn’t want us to feel good about ourselves. You are not alone in your doubts and inner struggles! It took Alissa years to realize that as a teacher and working with the young women of her church that she was able to “mother” children, and she was finally able to be okay with that. And she loved those girls and her students as best as she could. She told God that she was finally okay with the extent of her motherhood in March and found out she was pregnant with twins in July. Alissa feels like she needed to reach that point where she could submit to God’s will before He blessed her with children, but everyone is on their own path and the answer might be different for other people. Find an infertility support group. God will guide you to others who are struggling with the same issue, but you need to be willing to open up and talk to others, because often they have no idea. She almost felt both joy and sadness when she found out she was expecting: Joy because it had finally happened, but sadness because she didn’t want to tell her support group friends that were still struggling with infertility. It was kind of like a “survivor’s guilt.” Extreme gratitude for every child God gave her–even when they are fighting she reminds herself, “I begged for this!”

Tip 1: Never ask a woman if she is pregnant! Tip 2: Don’t expect people who struggle with infertility to participate in baby showers, it is often too hard for them to straddle the happiness and grief at the same time. Lesson for others: Don’t judge someone if you see they don’t have children–sometimes it is not by choice. Be kind in your comments. Birth of PreemiesNext, Alissa shared her story of getting pneumonia and having to deliver the babies 10 weeks early by Emergency C-Section. Then her babies got a Staph infection and were balancing between life and death. Alissa remembers thinking as she watched her babies struggle for life “This might be it for me. This might be my one chance for motherhood and I might never take my babies home.” She learned to be grateful for each moment she spent with her babies. Faith is shown in our works: She spent two months in the NICU beside her babies. Finally a nurse came up to her and said, “You must have a lot of faith.” Alissa wondered what she was talking about, but the nurse explained that she was there every day and she was smiling. Look up and serve no matter where you are. After that, Alissa reached out to the other mothers in the NICU and formed like a mini support...

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Jerald shares the many lessons he learned from surviving falling off a cliff, watching his wife bleed-out, and dealing with a sudden job loss. Wisdom and Lessons from Jerald SimonAbout Jerald SimonHusband to Zanny, and a father to his wonderful children. Founder of Music Motivation® Composer of 10 Music Albums, 4 EP’s and dozens of piano books Author of 4 motivation and self-help books (see links below) Music mentor and piano teacher He loves music, teaching, speaking, performing, playing sports, exercising, reading, writing poetry and self help books, and gardening.

Lessons from Falling off a CliffWhen we fall down, we get back up! Look to God in moments of darkness. Keep the faith. Life is precious. It is a gift, it should be cherished. “Focus intently on what matters most…we all need to continually have reminders and even wake-up calls that help us refocus our energy into the best life has to offer.” Power of prayer: The doctors believed that I would not make it, but there were so many people praying on my behalf. It was a miracle. When bullied due to seizures during recovery–Jerald made a choice as an 8-year-old that “Every will be a new day regardless of what had happened in the past. Every day I will start fresh. I’m not going to let name-calling or my problems or experiences hold me back.” Layers of barbed wire stopped fall at intervals and saved his life–sometimes it is the hard things we hit that save us in the end.

Read Jerald’s blog about falling off the cliff http://musicmotivation.com/at-the-age-of-8-i-fell-off-an-80-foot-cliff-and-dont-remember-anything-before-i-was-8/ (here.) Lessons from Almost Losing WifeJerald went through the emotions of sadness, fear and grief for himself and for his children At times of deepest loss it is vital to turn to God the most because you feel as if part of you is gone, and only He can fill that hole–eventually. There is a difference between “ritual” prayers and heartfelt prayers and “During dark days and difficult times, that is when your prayers become so sincere as if you are really speaking personally to God.” God answered with peace. “I knew that everything would be okay, I just didn’t know what okay meant.” Jerald explained that sometimes we are so focused on what we want that it is a bit like looking through a straw, and then God removes the straw our understanding is heightened, and we understand an eternal perspective–to think and see things with an enlarged capacity. This experience with God helped him better appreciate God’s will vs. his will. “If I focus on what God wants me to do, if I put Him first–whatever happens I know the right thing will happen.” “We can find the good even in the bad. There is always light even in the darkest area. There is a faint light that we can look to.” There is greatness within everyone. There is goodness. If you look for the best you will find it, whether it’s finding it in a person or a situation or a problem. If you focus on that good, then it will help you to feel better about your situation.” A good prayer in hard times is, “Help me find the good in this.”

Lessons from Job LossAs a provider, new home owner, and soon to be father Jerald was devastated. Feelings of inadequacy and failure crept in. Prayed to God, and asked, “What would you have me do?” He decided to turn from teaching piano part-time to doing it full-time. At first it was a struggle, but looking back it was the best thing that could have happened to me. A year later, he wrote his first piano book, and then he wrote another and composed CDs (see links below to view piano books and free sheet music) If you are in a dark place, perhaps it will put you on a trajectory that will lead you to the best place for you. Sometimes we look at a problem and we think it is the worst, most terrible problem…but we don’t realize that it is taking us from our course and putting us on an even better path.

Find out what God wants you to do!...

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Tamara introduces her podcast Stories of Hope in Hard Times. She also shares lessons learned from a car accident and having two sons on the autism spectrum. Stories of Hope in Hard Times IntroductionMy reason for doing this podcast–love learning from stories. Noticed that my sister who was struggling with Lyme’s disease and I were learning the same lessons even though I was raising children with autism. Even though situations are different, often the lessons learned are the same.

Stories of Hope Podcast basicsPodcast will launch a new episode twice a month, every other week on Wednesday. The shows will be 40-60 minutes each.

My Story of Hope and 3 Lessons Learned in Adversity1. Lesson Learned from a Car AccidentNot only do you learn to love others when you serve them, but the opposite is also true. You can learn to love others when they serve you. The cycle of service is a cycle of love.

1. Lesson as the mother of 2 autistic boys about being “normal.”God taught me “Tamara, this is normal for you.” Quit looking out your window at everybody else, and comparing yourself to what you are perceiving their “normal” is. Just look at yourself. This is normal for you.” The times when I felt discouraged or sad was when I was comparing my life and my children and my family to what I was perceiving as other people’s normal lives. I’m normal for me and my kids are normal for them and I’m okay with that. “Most internal healing and solutions take time. So, we need to be patient with ourselves…as we learn tough life lessons.”

2. Learning True FaithStory of Shadrach, Meshack and Abednego in Daniel 3. I realized I knew God could heal my boys—I had that kind of faith. BUT I couldn’t say, “But if not” I will be okay if you don’t—because I wasn’t. It took time to heal my heart and change it so that I could say “Thy will be done.” This was a process. It wasn’t something I immediately came to. It was something I grew towards. I think God changed my heart because I asked him to help me with it because I knew I wasn’t there yet.

Bonus TipsGod loves you no matter what. You can vent to Him in prayer. “If you are worrying about the future, don’t. Just worry about getting through today. God shows us baby steps day by day.” God never gives us more than we can handle WITH HIS HELP. He gives us more than we can handle by ourselves all the time so we can develop stronger spiritual muscles. God often doesn’t give us solutions all at once. He will give us a glimmer here and a glimmer there and we will find solutions to a problem little bits at a time. (I wish it was more quickly but it is often not).

Favorite Bible Versehttps://www.bible.com/bible/1/PHP.4.13.KJV (Philippians [4:13]) “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Inspirational Quotes & Shareable Memes

Thanks for listening! Hope on and remember God loves you! Tamara

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To gear up for the launch of my podcast I made a trailer. Yes, I know usually trailers are only for movies, but this is a 2 minute podcast trailer.

It will give you a peek at what my podcast is all about and and who I am doing this podcast for.

Have you ever felt:

Overwhelmed

Exhausted

Discouraged

Anxious about problems or challenges in life

Have you ever felt alone—like no one understands or has ever experienced what you are going through? Are you looking for ideas or solutions to your problems?

Welcome to Stories of Hope in Hard Times—the podcast where I interview people that have been through dark times and find out how they got through with God’s help.

I am your host, Tamara K. Anderson, and I invite you to join me every other Wednesday beginning Jan 23 to hear real stories and lessons learned through adversity’s refining fire. I will share interviews from normal people (just like you) that have had scrapes with death, survived the death of a loved one, been fired from jobs, experienced extreme health challenges, mental illness or disability themselves or in their family.

I invite you to come laugh, cry, and feel hope as you hear these heart-warming stories and the hard-learned lessons only found in rock-bottom moments with God.

Subscribe now so you don’t miss a single episode at Stories of Hope Podcast.com

So, pull up an imaginary chair at my kitchen table as you listen and feel inspired by Stories of Hope in Hard Times.

Hope on!

Tamara