Hey listeners! I’m popping into you podcast feed with a surprise! Starting now, I’ll be releasing solo episodes every other week to share some of my life experiences and Jesus moments with you! I’ll still be doing interviews but thought it would be fun to be able to talk directly to you about my struggles and triumphs. And I’m calling these episodes The Kitchen Table. So why the kitchen table? I’m so glad you asked!

I believe the dinner table is an important ingredient in the glue that helps us build strong families. My siblings and my children would agree. And so, these solo episodes that I’ll bring to you, hopefully every 2 weeks, will be short stories of how I’ve seen God work in my own life through sometimes mundane, and other times amazing, experiences and how those experiences have grown my faith. Just like if you came to my house and we sat around my kitchen table enjoying a snack and a cup of coffee (or hot tea for me!). I may even share some things I’m learning in the Word that might encourage you.

And since we’re talking about the dinner table, you might have heard that one of my favorite recipes to make for a crowd is baked spaghetti. It’s the meal my husband and I shared the first time we met, at a church youth group progressive dinner on New Year’s Eve, 1979. My mother-in-law shared the recipe with me years ago and I’ve always made this my go-to meal when I need to feed a lot of people, especially when I had lots of kids over for youth group events or parties. Guideposts magazine picked up our story and even printed the recipe for the baked spaghetti that has kind of become my trademark. So, if you’d like to receive that recipe, go to the link below and sign up and you’ll receive an email where you can download it. You’ll also receive weekly updates about podcast episodes as well as any other events that might be happening and maybe even some of my thoughts on faith and family. You’ll also be able to see a few Instagram posts from recent days.

So, let me know what you think about this Kitchen Table episode and if you have a question or an idea about something you’d like for me to discuss, please don’t hesitate to email me at [email protected]. I’d love to hear from you! I’ll have a link to that in the show notes.

Show notes and link to baked spaghetti recipe

CarolRoper.org/podcast

Melissa Huray lived a life of hopelessness as a former alcoholic who struggled with addiction from the time she was a child. First it was sugar and junk food. Then, because her father was an alcoholic and she saw him go to alcohol to diffuse many situations, she believed alcohol was the magic cure for all of her troubles. But instead of finding healing in the bottle, she found herself in a hopeless cycle of addiction, believing she could stop at any time, but finding that she didn’t have the strength to overcome the hold alcohol had over her. Until she finally fully surrendered to Christ and prayed for healing. Melissa has a fascinating story of turning her life around through the power of Christ, not her own, and using her experience to counsel others living in addiction and bringing freedom through the gospel. In this episode she shares practical tools and encouragement to help addicts and those who love them fight the battle of addiction.

Melissa is now an author and has been a part of Mike Lindell’s recovery network for over a decade. She has much wisdom and insight for those looking for recovery. Melissa now experiences the longing fulfilled and is humbled to be able to share her healing story. If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction of any sort, this episode is one that will bring hope and encouragement.

Find show notes at CarolRoper.org/podcast

Does God care about the little decisions you have to make every day?

The Bible is full of spiritual wisdom. But does God provide specific direction for real-world questions? Questions like Is this the right job? and Which college should my child attend?

The answer is a resounding yes. And in this episode, you will discover how to access God's divine wisdom in any situation.

Jane Glenchur had no concept of a loving heavenly Father who longed to interact with her daily through prayer. To her, God seemed light-years away, too busy running the planet to even notice her, let alone want a relationship. She had head knowledge of God but no heart knowledge.

That all changed when she took a bold step of faith and attended a Beth Moore Bible study and saw the passion Beth had for God. Having grown up in a denomination that had served Jesus up like dry toast, Jane's hunger for a personal connection with Him translated into a prayer that would change the rest of her life: "Lord, I want the same passion she has."

As she continued on in the Bible study, the weekly cry of her heart became, "Lord, make me passionate about You".

Jane's pursuit caused her to realize that God is looking for people who have a passion for Him and that passion unlocks doors to encounters with Him that can be entered no other way. She shares the seven secrets to praying with power that God taught her, along with other gems of prayer wisdom, to help take the guesswork and stress out of decision-making. Her numerous personal stories will motivate you to set apart time with the Lord and tune your ear to His voice during your daily routine. 

In this conversation, Jane shows how ordinary believers like you and me can receive extraordinary answers to our prayers.

For show notes go to CarolRoper.org/podcast

Hi listeners! Welcome back to the podcast! This is season 5 (can you believe it?) and episode 117! I took a few weeks off to enjoy my family over the holidays and to spend some time on a few exciting things I have in the works, so I appreciate your patience as I took a break from putting out the podcast. But now we’re back and there are a lot of exciting episodes coming up in this season and I can’t wait to introduce them to you!

Did you know that 20% of the youth that age out of the foster care system are instantly homeless. Tori Hope Petersen was one of those young adults who decided it would be easier to go it alone than have to navigate the system that caused her so much pain, having been in 12 foster homes from the ages of 12-18. But Tori was blessed to have mentors to come alongside her and help, eventually becoming adopted by her track coach.

Tori’s mom came from brokenness and generational curses and did the best she knew how, but Tori has become intentional about breaking those curses in her own family. She also does advocacy in the foster care system and has written two books, Fostered: One Woman’s Powerful Story of Finding Faith and Family Through Foster Care, and her just released book, Breaking the Patterns that Break You: Healing from the Pain of Your Past and Finding Real Hope That Lasts.

As I spoke to Tori, I realized that, even though she’s still so young, her experiences have made her wise beyond her years.

If Tori’s story encouraged you would you kindly leave a rating and a review on your favorite podcast app? You can go to my Facebook or Instagram at Building Strong Homes and find a video there that will show you how to do that if you’re not familiar with the process.

For show notes go to carolroper.org/podcast

Merry Christmas Y’all! I know as this episode drops it Thanksgiving week but since Thanksgiving is so late this year, I wanted to get a head start on Christmas! I’ve got my tree up already so I can enjoy it longer and I’m not sad about that at all! Haha.

Another reason I wanted to go ahead and release this episode is because I’m sharing some Christmas traditions, and you may want to implement some of these ideas into your own family and might need a little time to prepare.

So, I’m going to share a little research, a few fun and meaningful Christmas traditions and some fun Christmas stories as well as something we did when our family was grieving and having a hard time wanting to celebrate the holiday at all that helped a lot.

Check out the show notes at CarolRoper.org/podcast

A Marriage That Started With Spaghetti - Guideposts

If you listened to my podcast episode this past June, Fear is a Liar, you heard me talk about a couple in our church whose testimony made me decide to keep going with this podcast. When I was ready to shut it all down their story made me want to keep going so that others will have a place to share their own amazing God stories so together, we can help others to keep building strong.

You wouldn't think a breast cancer diagnosis would lead a couple into a marriage that was more joyful than they could have ever imagined, but that's what happened with Glen and Kelly Daigle. They had both been married before they met and were ready for a fresh start, having each gone through difficulties with drugs and alcohol. Glen had recently finished a self-admitted time in rehab for alcohol addiction and Kelly was looking for a man who'd been married, didn't have children and loved the Lord. Since Glen met all three requirements they dated and eventually married. But everything wasn't all rainbows and hearts. Glen spiraled into such a deep depression Kelly says many days she prayed she wouldn't come home to find that her husband had committed suicide. After Glen found help from counseling their lives were okay, but still not great. Neither of them had a strong relationship with God, they just did the bare minimum. Until Kelly's breast cancer diagnosis. Something changed in both of them as they realized the only thing they had to hold on to was Jesus, and they weren't letting Him go.

There are so many ways that God showed up in each of their journeys that there's no denying the Hound of Heaven was pursuing them from the very beginning. If you feel like you've messed up so badly that there's no promise of hope in your life anymore, this episode is for you.

For show notes go to Carolroper.org/Podcast

Watch on YouTube No One is Too Far Gone for God to Use with Glen and Kelly Daigle

Have you ever had a life changing moment? A tragedy, unexpected diagnosis or sudden loss that left you feeling alone, confused or in despair, wondering what to do next? When Wendy Rickard's husband fell into a utility area, dropping twenty feet on his head, she began to question God. He survived, but his brain injury meant her family lost the father and husband they depended on for everything. Their family of four imploded.

Wendy wondered what God's purpose was in this heartache, if He would take care of their future and if their lives would ever be the same again. God’s answers were not immediate, and quite frankly, rather slow. But He did answer her questions in His own way and in His own timing.

Today Wendy can tell the story of both her husband and their family's healing and she's sharing that story in this episode. If you've been through a life-altering experience, Wendy wants you to know that no matter what you are facing, God can bring hope and healing to you as well.

For show notes go to CarolRoper.org/podcast

If you'd like to watch the podcast on YouTube go to this link: https://youtu.be/CNwVxvCAfxg

Y’all, I’ve had Sophie Hudson on my bucket list of guests since before I started the podcast! She’s the co-host, along with Melanie Shankle, of the Big Boo Cast podcast as well as the voice of the Boo Mama blog (she shares in this episode how that name came to be!) and author of several of my favorite books. She’s a southern girl from Alabama who loves her family and her football but mostly she loves Jesus. Her books include A Little Salty to Cut the Sweet, Home is Where My People Are and Giddy Up Eunice. And she recently released her newest book, A Fine Sight to See: Leading Because You Were Made for It, where she shares how it empowers women to embrace their God-given roles as leaders and serve with boldness, both inside and outside the church. She was such a delight to talk to and has such a heart for women! I know you’re going to enjoy listening to our conversation and love Sophie as much as I do!

Go to CarolRoper.org/Podcast for shownotes

You wouldn't expect a bout with breast cancer and a heart transplant would lead to a better marriage, but that's exactly what happened for Anthony and Mary Mabry. In 2018, before Mary's breast cancer diagnosis, their marriage was difficult. But Anthony was there for Mary through six rounds of chemo, losing her hair, a double mastectomy and 20 rounds of radiation. Finally, she was cancer free, and they were ready to move on with their lives. But their marriage still wasn't great. Then the tables were turned in 2020 when Anthony discovered he'd been having silent heart attacks for over six months, and he was put on the transplant list. Something neither of them had seen coming even though a heart attack had taken one of Anthony's brothers a few years earlier. After 48 days in a hospital two hours away from home, Anthony was finally sent home with an electric device to keep his heart working. However, the device was only supposed to work for a year. But God showed up over and over again in their story as He provided one miracle after another as they navigated the difficult journey, waiting 2-1/2 years before finally receiving a heart and kidney transplant.

Now, they say their health struggles helped to build their faith and made their marriage so much stronger than it was before both of their health crisis and they give God all of the glory. Listen to how God provided for and healed not only their bodies, but also their marriage.

CarolRoper.org/podcast

Hey listeners, I just wanted to take a few minutes to address some things I’ve been hearing about and thought I’d share a few thoughts that I hope are encouraging to you through this little bonus episode.

Right now, our country is one of the most divisive states we’ve been in since before the civil war. Our world has been turned upside-down where good is bad and bad is good and no one seems to know what truth really is anymore. And this is having an alarming effect on our children and young adults, especially those who haven’t been educated with critical thinking skills and that is having a disastrous effect on our culture. And to be honest, it can seem hopeless, especially for our children and grandchildren, and our nation’s children overall.

But, I’ve also heard that, as far as the election is concerned, many Christians are just sitting this one out. They are also throwing up their hands and saying Jesus is coming back soon so we’ll just hunker down and wait for Him to make things right again. Wow! Talk about a hopeless stance coming from a people who have the most hope of all! We think that we have no position of power or influence so what we do doesn’t matter. Well, I want to remind you that we are not helpless, and we certainly aren’t hopeless. Y’all, we are called!

In this episode I will share what we, as Christians, need to do in order to make a difference in our nation for God's glory.

Find all the links at CarolRoper.org/podcast