Challenges Won't Stop Me

Today's episode is a video solo cast. If you're listening on your favorite podcast app, please head over to my YouTube channel @melonybrown. I don't want you to miss any of the visual symbols or God's beautiful creation!

God's been teaching me about the importance of good spiritual posture the last few years. I've been sharing what I've learned in these video solo casts. If you missed any or want to view them again, they are:

episode 117 Standing Firm

episode 127 Leaning on God

episode 133 Holding on to Expectant Hope

Today's episode is about flexing God's faithfulness. No, I'm not talking about flexing our own strength when we face challenges. Instead, I believe we can flex God's faithfulness and strength when challenges rudely intersect our path.

El Emunah is the Hebrew name of God for God is the faithful God. 

Bible verses:

* Deuteronomy 7:9

* 1 Thessalonians 5:24

* Hebrews 10:23

*I share how in 1 Samuel 17 David flexed God's faithfulness when he went before King Saul to explain why he wanted to fight Goliath. Then David flexed again when he approached Goliath.

* 2 Corinthians 12:9

* Fight verse is Psalm 145:13

I share the visual symbol for flexing God's faithfulness.

I also share about getting a tattoo to remind myself of God's faithfulness in my life. 

Good spiritual posture is important every day of your life, but it is critical when you are facing challenges. 

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Dawn Damon returns to chat about the habitual practice of reading and studying God’s Word. As a Bible nerd myself, I loved hearing why she loves God’s Word so much.

Dawn Damon is the author of six books, a speaker, the host of The Bravehearted Woman podcast, and a life coach. She and her husband, Paul, have been married for fifteen years. Their blended family is made up of five adult children, thirteen grandchildren, and three great grandchildren. 

Notable quotes:

·         “So then, verses were jumping out of the pages and just gripping my heart . . . It literally was feeding my soul.”

·         “What I would do as my warfare, I would begin to speak the Scriptures out loud, out of my mouth.”

·         “If I don’t know the Word, I don’t know what God’s promise is to me.”

·         “We gotta put it [God’s Word] in there in order for Him to bring it out.”

·         “If you know the Word of God, you’re packin’.”

Bible verses:

·         Revelation 19:15

·         2 Corinthians 12:9

·         Philippians 4:19

·         Isaiah 54:17

·         Ephesians 4:29

·         Ephesians 6:17

·         Psalm 119:105

·         Luke 4:1-2, 4, 8, 12

·         Psalm 23:6

·         Psalm 17:8

·         1 John 3:1

·         Genesis 1:27

·         Romans 8:17

Connect with Dawn on her website at  https://www.dawndamon.com

      on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/DawnScottDamon

      on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/dawndamonlive 

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I heard today’s guest, Dawn Damon, speak at the Advanced writers and Speakers Conference last summer. She asked the audience to consider this question: “Is it possible that you might discover something about yourself or God that you wouldn’t know except for your challenges?”

She was speaking my language! YES! I’ve leaned many things about myself and God that I wouldn’t have learned any other way.

I knew the things she learned during her fight to overcome abuse, depression, and divorce would be a powerful testimony for YOU to hear!

Dawn Damon is the author of six books, a speaker, the host of The Bravehearted Woman podcast, and a life coach. She and her husband, Paul, have been married for fifteen years. Their blended family is made up of five adult children, thirteen grandchildren, and three great grandchildren. 

Notable quotes:

·         “I remember feeling angry at the church, angry at religious people, angry at the hypocrisy, and eventually just angry at God.”

·         “And that Sunday, something broke through . . . And that Sunday, God broke though.”

·         “You forgive at a whole different level when you understand really what was taken from you. You have to grieve it. You have to feel it. You have to acknowledge it. My childhood was stolen. My teen years were stolen. My early adulthood was stolen. My marriage was affected.”

·         “I clung to the Word of God. I spoke it. I quoted it. And I said this almost every day to the Lord: ‘Fill my heart with your dream for my life.’”

Bible verses:

·         Genesis 50:20

·         Romans 8:31

·         2 Corinthians 4:17

·         Dawn’s fight verse - Psalm 27:1 “The Lord is the light of my salvation. Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life. Of whom shall I be afraid?”

·         Psalm 27:14

·         Joshua 1:9

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Friendship. Such a beautiful gift. 

My guest, Kim Todd, shares the strategy
of having a kingdom community, a family. These are the people who you laugh
with, who fill you with joy, and who you share "you had to be there"
moments with during the good times. 

While those good times are important,
oh, how valuable true friends are during the hard times when they listen as you
pour out your heart, they speak nourishing words of encouragement over you, and
they offer prayers for you. 

Notable quotes:
* "We have to go into friendships knowing that we’re not there to fix anyone's problems because if you go into there with that, it's not going to go well."

* "When I see they're doing well, I'm excited for them."

* "It's this natural give and take. It's not a transaction. It's a connection."

* "When it becomes performance, friendship is completely hindered. It's blocked. Nothing's going to come from that cause it's limited."

 Bible verses:
* Proverbs 27:9
* John 15:17
* 1 Thessalonians 5:11
* John 10:27

Connect with Kim on Facebook at
https://www.facebook.com/dwstodd and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/kimwonderwoman

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My guest, Kim Todd, has faced many challenges, but none tougher than watching difficult and painful challenges impact her sons.  

Like any parent, she wished she could fix their challenges or soften the pain, but Kim knew God would grow their faith as they learned how to fight to overcome. Their challenges were opportunities for their growth. 

But her sons' challenges were also opportunities for God to grow her faith and trust as well.

Noteable quotes: 
* "Now I look back, and I see God's hand in everything."
* "God goes before us. he goes before us to fight our battles."
* "It's those two things living together - heartbreak and comfort - at the same time. Heartbreak and hope at the same time."

Bible verses:
* Romans 8:26
* Philippians 4:7
* Deuteronomy 31:8
* Psalm 144:1 (Kim's fight verse)

Connect with Kim on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/dwstodd
and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/kimwonderwoman

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Author and speaker Maureen Miller joins me to share about her mindset of Embracing Being Peculiar.

Have you ever had the feeling you weren't like everyone else? Like you aren't "normal" and you don't fit in? "Being normal" is the goal, right? Maybe. Maybe not.

Maureen shares, "I longed to be normal. I don't know exactly what I thought normal was, but I knew that I didn't feel like I was that. And therefore, I felt left out. I began to develop a mindset of being one on the outside looking in at everything I considered normalcy. I just never was invited to be part of that."

Sound like you?

Her description sounded a lot like how I felt as a kid, and even sometimes feel as a middle-aged adult.

Maureen shares how not feeling normal impacted her. And she shares what God did to show her that He had something far better for her than "normal."

Notable quotes:

* "By promise from God's Word, I received His love in return. He took me to a different place. He removed that mindset of normalcy and gave me something so much more beautiful."
* "If Jesus set the example - shunning normalcy and embracing peculiarity - then that's what we should do too."
* "My soul - the fighting soul, the despairing soul, the bitter soul, the fearful soul - waits silently for God alone."

Bible verses:

* Philippians 4:8
* Matthew 16:24
* John 15:18
* Jeremiah 33:3
* John 4:7
* Psalm 62:5
* 2 Corinthians 10:5

Learn more about Maureen Miller at her website: https://www.maureenmillerauthor.com/
and her Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/maureen.miller.393

Check out Gideon's Book: Maureen's Christian Market Book's 2025 Contemporary Novel of the Year at 
https://www.amazon.com/Gideons-Book-Maureen-Miller/dp/1646459040/ref=sr_1_1?crid=Y1A35085OQRN&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.vOHTA0-EEGis83IWA5CmGjRAXSkbO_AniTG5nc1MnbOXu1izdM0ii_SNZ_mlxQP7J-lHZQJ1U54pjL4ZtivUOFl75wq1b4PeYuNiESbGNYl1SXigZq2-WUvxHgvUcwou4IES8z8gNefSnWlE0yPXCbg7IZn3khkfoILrcIIMZklui6XzeAnF2hJxMVwDyqtZQ7KvZFDUwqhDWvlhMvoNpRqEYVNs3q_mIj6hU87FTFk.KXCBGtXcxPeILVs2lYAFdI922IsfU7jPiSNXLHCdAtA&dib_tag=se&keywords=maureen+miller&qid=1768264452&sprefix=maureen+miller%2Caps%2C149&sr=8-1

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When I noticed today's guest, Maureen Miller, wearing pearl earrings during her interview, I remembered hearing pearls held meaning for her, so I asked her to tell me about them.

Author and speaker Maureen Miller shared that she loves pearls because the adversity - the things we go through, the challenges we face - are similar to the sand that agitates an oyster. A valuable treasure - a pearl - is produced because of the agitation or challenge. And God produces a valuable treasure - us - as a result of the agitations and challenges we face.

Maureen shares about the challenges she faced as a teenager and young adult (sexual impurity and an eating disorder), as well as the challenge of learning she would not be able to have children with God performing a miracle.

Throughout each of these challenges, Maureen sought God, desiring to follow His will for her life.

Notable quotes:

* "The oyster is just this creature in the ocean, and a bit of sand gets in there and agitates the oyster. It's uncomfortable and it's not fun, I'm sure. Over time what is produced is this valuable treasure . . . the pearl."
* "We were still making choices that were not God's best for us. And as we know, those ungodly choices hold consequences."
* "God has us under a protective umbrella when we obey Him, but when we disobey Him it's like we've stepped out from under that umbrella."

Bible verses:

* Philippians 4:8
* Hebrews 13:5
* Genesis 2:24
* James 1:6
* Proverbs 26:11
* Psalm 37:4
* Hebrews 4:12


Maureen's fight verse is Psalm 62:5, which reads, "My soul waits silently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him." (NKJV)

Learn more about Maureen Miller at her website: https://www.maureenmillerauthor.com/
and her Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/maureen.miller.393

Check out Gideon's Book: Maureen's Christian Market Book's 2025 Contemporary Novel of the Year!

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

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

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

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

I shared the Greek meanings of hope and expectant. 

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

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

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

Is there a fifth promise and a fifth cup?

I shared the Greek meaning of overflow.

Notable quotes:

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

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

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

Bible verses:

·       Romans 15:13

·       Matthew 26:39

·       Exodus 6:6-8

·       Luke 22”17-18

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

·       Lamentations 3:21 fight verse for expectant hope

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

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

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

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

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

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

Notable quotes:

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

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

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

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

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

Bible verses:

* John 10:10

* Matthew 20:1-16

* Isaiah 54:17

* 1 John 4:4

* Exodus 14:14

* John 8:32

* Luke 19:10

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

Learn more about Laine at

her website: lainelawsoncraft.com

her Facebook page: facebook.com/momlaine.lawsoncraft

her Instagram page: instagram.com/lainelawsoncraft

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

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

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

Notable quotes from Carole:

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

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

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

Bible verses:

* Matthew 5:23-24

* Luke 12:48

* Isaiah 55:9

Connect with Carole:

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

* her blog: https://carolelewis.com

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

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