Challenges Won't Stop Me

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Follow Michelle on Instagram @mikaila_nyc or on Facebook at mikaila_cruz_nyc

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Follow Hannah on Instagram @hannahgavios.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

TRANSFORMATION:  Caterpillar ---> butterfly

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

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

* The great exchange: Isaiah 61:1-3

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

REFINING FIRE:

Job 23:10

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

* The journey to freedom:

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

Ephesians 2:10:

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

Romans 12:2

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

Ephesians 3:16-19

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

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WILDERNESS. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

You can learn more about Sharon at www.sharonjaynes. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

You may learn more at www.rushtohopministries.com. 

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