Beauty in the Brokenness – Christian Women (Bible Study, Faith, Healing, Trauma, Hope)

What if your greatest heartbreak catapults you to your greatest growth? This is the question Jodi Snowdon asks in her book, Depth: Growing Through Heartbreak to Strength. Join me as I discuss with Jodi the myriad of ways God grows us during difficult days. Episode 44     

About Jodi:
Jodi Snowdon is an author, podcaster, and speaker who helps women grow deeper in their faith and stronger in their relationships. Through God's strength, she emerged from miscarriage, divorce, and losing a dear friend to cancer to help women everywhere experience hope, joy, and purpose through life’s unexpected storms. She is raising two sons (One in high school and one in college) in Southern California and would love to connect with you on her website or Instagram.

Get Jodi's Hop for Your Hurting Heart Kit:  sign up here

Jodi’s book: Depth: Growing Through Heartbreak to Strength

Jodi’s Book Recs:

How We Love Our Kids: The Five Love Styles of Parenting by Milan Yerkovich, Kay Yerkovich 

Unglued: Making Wise Choices in the Midst of Raw Emotions by Lysa TerKeurst

Anonymous: Jesus' hidden years...and yours by Alicia Britt Chole 

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Order Graced: How God Redeems and Restores the Broken
Order Seen: How God Pursues the Overlooked and Uninvited

Book Teresa to speak at an upcoming event!

Music: Home (Inspirational And Uplifting Acoustic Guitar) by Daniel Carrizalez

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Have you ever felt like you’ve been discarded? Maybe someone who once loved you- a spouse, a child, a friend- has walked out of your life. In situations like this, it’s easy to ask, “Where is God?” The story of Hagar beautifully answers this question. She teaches us that when the whole world walks away… God comes looking for us!!

Find this story in Scripture:
Genesis 16
Genesis 21:1-21

Mentioned on the show:
Psalm 139:1-12

Interested in having Teresa as a speaker for your event?
Let’s connect!

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Order Graced: How God Redeems and Restores the Broken
Order Seen: How God Pursues the Overlooked and Uninvited

Book Teresa to speak at an upcoming event!

Music: Home (Inspirational And Uplifting Acoustic Guitar) by Daniel Carrizalez

Any Amazon links on this page are affiliate links. To learn more about what that means, click here.

Have you ever felt like you were merely surviving, not thriving? Meet Nikki Hardy, a cancer thriver who transformed her life and learned how to truly live despite her circumstances. Her story is one of faith, resilience, and hope and she shares it beautifully in her book Breathe Again. But this episode isn’t just for cancer patients or survivors, it’s for anyone going through a hard time be it in your marriage, finance, or whatever life throws at you.

I often listen to audiobooks while running errands or cleaning my house. The day I started Breathe Again by Niki Hardy, my house got a thorough cleaning because I did NOT want to stop listening. Niki writes with humor, wit, and godly wisdom. Niki is not merely a cancer survivor but a thriver who believes life doesn't have to be pain-free to be full. In between scrubbing toilets and mopping floors, I was texting them all and telling them they MUST read her book. I know you're gonna love this conversation!

About Niki Hardy:

Niki Hardy is a Brit in the USA, author, speaker, coach, and cancer Thriver, who knows what it's like to live a life you never signed up for and wrestle with God through it. Her number one goal is to help you discover how, with God, life doesn’t have to be pain-free to be full. Niki is a passionate people person and relentless encourager who's happy place is on a stage, at a retreat, or in a breakout session, helping people see how loved and seen they are by her and God. She is the author of Breathe Again: How to Live Well When Life Falls Apart, One Minute Prayers For Women With Cancer, amongst other titles (here and here) as well as the host of the Chemo Chair Prayers podcast and The Trusting God Through Cancer Summit. Her work has been featured on The HallMark Channel, LifeToday, 100 Huntley Street, Christian Today, iBelieve and Relevant Magazine. 

Niki's Books:
Books: Breathe Again: How To Live Well When Life Falls Apart
One-Minute Prayers for Women with Cancer

Connect with Niki:
Website: nikihardy.com
Instagram: @niki.hardy
Get the Book Bundle Giveaway!

Book Recs:
The Last Ordinary Hour: Living life now that nothing will ever be the same. by Kathy Izard
What If It's Wonderful?: Release Your Fears, Choose Joy, and Find the Courage to Celebrate by Nicole Zasowski
La La Lovely: The Art of Finding Beauty in the Everyday by Trina McNeilly

Bonus Book Rec: The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy

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Order Graced: How God Redeems and Restores the Broken
Order Seen: How God Pursues the Overlooked and Uninvited

Book Teresa to speak at an upcoming event!

Music: Home (Inspirational And Uplifting Acoustic Guitar) by Daniel Carrizalez

Any Amazon links on this page are affiliate links. To learn more about what that means, click here.

Enter the world of two daughters whose lives have been transformed by their encounters with Jesus. We've been talking about what it's like when God holds you together when life falls apart,  or when things aren't going the way you hoped or the way you planned. We've talked about how we are held in God's mighty arms. He carries us and hides us under the shadow of His wings. There are also times when all it takes is a touch from Jesus, and that changes everything. This story in Scripture will remind us of  the healing that comes through Jesus' touch. Together we will draw strength  from His words, "Do not fear, only believe."

Mentioned on the show:
Find this story in Scripture:
Matthew 9:18-26
Mark 5:21-43
Luke 8:40-56

The tender, mighty hand of God:
Isaiah 40:10-11
Isaiah 43:1-3

Order Graced: How God Redeems and Restores the Broken

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Order Graced: How God Redeems and Restores the Broken
Order Seen: How God Pursues the Overlooked and Uninvited

Book Teresa to speak at an upcoming event!

Music: Home (Inspirational And Uplifting Acoustic Guitar) by Daniel Carrizalez

Any Amazon links on this page are affiliate links. To learn more about what that means, click here.

Lisa Appelo woke up one summer morning to the sound of her husband's last breath. Instantly, she became a single mom of seven children. And though God wrote a chapter into Lisa's story she never would have chosen, she has found a way to fight for defiant joy.  Now, Lisa tenderly and passionately comes alongside others who are walking through loss —whether because of the death of a loved one, the death of a dream, or any number of reasons and she shines hope into the dark corners of grief. I assure you, today, you will find HOPE here!

About Lisa:
Lisa Appelo is a widow and mom to seven amazing children. As a member of Widow Mama Collective, a Facebook community for young widows, she helps women find hope in the hard places of loss. A popular blogger, Lisa loves seeing women flourish in the strength of God’s promises. Learn more at lisaappelo.com.

Connect with Lisa:
Website: lisaappelo.com
Free Resource: lisaappelo.com/hope
Instagram:@ lisaappelo
Facebook:@ lisaappeloauthor
Twitter: @ AppeloLisa
Pinterest: @ LisaAppelo

Lisa’s book: Life Can Be Good Again: Putting Your World Back Together After It All Falls Apart

Book Recs:
Hind’s Feet in High Places (Beautifully illustrated version)
Being Elisabeth Elliot: The Authorized Biography: Elisabeth’s Later Years by Ellen Vaughn

Mentioned on the show:
No More Faking Fine: Ending the Pretending by Esther Fleece

2 Corinthians 10:5  We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ
Deuteronomy 33:27 The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.
Romans 4:18-22 “Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed…”

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Order Graced: How God Redeems and Restores the Broken
Order Seen: How God Pursues the Overlooked and Uninvited

Book Teresa to speak at an upcoming event!

Music: Home (Inspirational And Uplifting Acoustic Guitar) by Daniel Carrizalez

Any Amazon links on this page are affiliate links. To learn more about what that means, click here.

We live in a world driven by the desire to be seen and celebrated. We want to be extraordinary. Our world tries to convince us that our value lies in how we perform, what we look like, or how talented we are. But when we study scripture, it becomes evident that God delights in using ordinary people. 

As we wrap up the book of Ruth, we see God using two ordinary women to build His kingdom in ways they never could have imagined.

So, maybe we don’t need to be seen and known by hundreds of people. Maybe we don’t need a blue checkmark by our name on Instagram or millions of views on TikTok. Maybe God is working out His plans and purposes in and through us as we work and live and pray in our own little corner of the world. And maybe He is using our ordinary lives in ways we cannot see.

Mentioned on the Show:
Do you want to go through Graced: How God Redems and Restores the Broken with me in January? Shoot me an email at [email protected]. More details coming soon!

You Are Special by Max Lucado - This is such a GREAT book!! ... I think it is just as much for adults as it is for children!!

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Order Graced: How God Redeems and Restores the Broken
Order Seen: How God Pursues the Overlooked and Uninvited

Book Teresa to speak at an upcoming event!

Music: Home (Inspirational And Uplifting Acoustic Guitar) by Daniel Carrizalez

Any Amazon links on this page are affiliate links. To learn more about what that means, click here.

Have you ever wondered, “Does God know or care about me? Does he even love me?” Today, we hear God answer that question with a resounding “Yes”! as we continue to unpack the story of Ruth and Naomi.  Listen in as God offers to take us under the shelter of His wings.

Mentioned on the show:

Episode 1: Everyone Has a Story to Tell

Episode 2: God of Scandalous Grace - Tamar’s Story

Want to win a copy of Graced: How God Redeems and Restores the Broken? This Week’s challenge:
Just shoot me an email with “yes” or “no” to this question: Have you ever asked Jesus to be your savior? Do you know what it is to be safely tucked under His wings?

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Order Graced: How God Redeems and Restores the Broken
Order Seen: How God Pursues the Overlooked and Uninvited

Book Teresa to speak at an upcoming event!

Music: Home (Inspirational And Uplifting Acoustic Guitar) by Daniel Carrizalez

Any Amazon links on this page are affiliate links. To learn more about what that means, click here.

We sometimes think of life as a fairy tale. We desperately want to experience our happily ever after. But the truth is: Life is war. And we are equipped because we are warriors.

But more important than our ability to withstand the battles of life is the undeniable truth that we are held secure in the arms of our victorious Savior.

Today, we continue the story of Ruth & Naomi and see them as warriors battling for the kingdom of God and being held securely in His strong arms.

Mentioned on the Show:

See, the Sovereign Lord comes with power, and he rules with a mighty arm. See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him. He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart...

Isaiah 40:10-11 (NIV)

This week's challenge: 

Would You like to win a free copy of Graced: How God Redeems and Restores the Broken? Simply sign up to receive my monthly newsletter.

If you're already a subscriber, would you consider forwarding a copy of my most recent newsletter to a friend? Just shoot me an email and let me know you have shared it. Thank you, friend!

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Order Graced: How God Redeems and Restores the Broken
Order Seen: How God Pursues the Overlooked and Uninvited

Book Teresa to speak at an upcoming event!

Music: Home (Inspirational And Uplifting Acoustic Guitar) by Daniel Carrizalez

Any Amazon links on this page are affiliate links. To learn more about what that means, click here.

Have you ever been angry with God? Have you ever wondered if He sees, knows, or even cares about your life? Have you questioned His love? If so, the story of Ruth & Naomi will resonate with you. This episode is the first in a series entitled Held.

What does it mean to be held? Today, we look at a story in the Bible about the kindness of God that holds you together when everything in your life falls apart! It's a story about love & loss, anger & kindness, poverty & riches, risk-taking, & bold faith, rescue & redemption.

Would You like to win a free copy of Graced: How God Redeems and Restores the Broken? Simply leave a 5-star rating & review of this podcast! Then, send your screenshot to me at [email protected] for an entry to win.

If you don't need a copy of Graced, would you consider leaving a rating and review anyway to support this podcast? Thank you, friend—you're the best!

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Order Graced: How God Redeems and Restores the Broken
Order Seen: How God Pursues the Overlooked and Uninvited

Book Teresa to speak at an upcoming event!

Music: Home (Inspirational And Uplifting Acoustic Guitar) by Daniel Carrizalez

Any Amazon links on this page are affiliate links. To learn more about what that means, click here.

Today, we talk about important questions to ask yourself when you're deciding what comes next. I share my process with you and tell you a little bit about what is coming up in season 2 of Find Hope Here.

Grab the free reflection questions.

Did you share this podcast with a friend? Send your screenshot to me at [email protected] for an entry to win a copy of Graced: How God Redeems and Restores the Broken.

Thanks for listening! If you like the podcast, you will love Teresa's weekly podcast update.  Sign up here.

Order Graced: How God Redeems and Restores the Broken
Order Seen: How God Pursues the Overlooked and Uninvited

Book Teresa to speak at an upcoming event!

Music: Home (Inspirational And Uplifting Acoustic Guitar) by Daniel Carrizalez

Any Amazon links on this page are affiliate links. To learn more about what that means, click here.