Challenges Won't Stop Me

My guest, Lisa Steven, is the author of A Place to Belong: The true story of a Teen Mom, a Humbling Leadership Journey, and a House Called Hope. She is also the cofounder and executive director of Hope house Colorado. 

Lisa’s back to chat about the strategy of seeking wise advisers. Throughout her journey as cofounder and executive director of Hope House, Lisa has seen time and again the importance of seeking wisdom and accepting correction from wise advisers.ope House

Powerful quotes from Lisa:

·         “When God called me to do something I was completely not equipped to do, I learned the lesson of how He will surround you with the most amazing people to make His calling a reality.”

·         “God is the greatest connector.”

·         “There truly is safety in those counselors because they’re keeping you on the path God put you on. They are going before you. They are clearing the pathway for you.”

Bible verses:

·         Proverbs 19:20

·         Proverbs 24:6

·         Titus 2:2-5

·         Proverbs 31:28

Learn more about Lisa Steven:

·         Hope House Colorado https://hopehousecolorado.org

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My guest, Lisa Steven, is the author of A Place to Belong: The true story of a Teen Mom, a Humbling Leadership Journey, and a House Called Hope. She is also the cofounder and executive director of Hope house Colorado. 

Lisa was the oldest of four children. Her parents’ relationship was volatile. Her brother’s accident and unexpected death caused her to be mad at God. 

At seventeen, she discovered she was pregnant. Being a teen mom wasn’t in her plans, but she and her boyfriend got married. His parents welcomed Lisa into their family.

Her mother-in-law became an influential person in Lisa’s decision to grow her faith in Jesus. The leaders of MOPS – Moms of Preschoolers – and the other young mothers welcomed Lisa. It was here she learned that God redeems everything. 

Years later, God called Lisa to start Hope House, which provides free personal, educational, and economic programs for teen moms. 

Powerful quotes from Lisa:

·         “I just wanted his family.”

·         “He will always surround you with the most extraordinary people to make His call a reality.”

·         “Look what God can do! It’s crazy what He can do!”

Bible verses:

·         Romans 8:28

·         Jeremiah 29:11

Learn more about Lisa Steven:

·         Hope House Colorado https://hopehousecolorado.org

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When I heard Dr. Saundra Dalton - Smith was releasing a new book, I knew I had to have her on the show again.

I interviewed Dr. Saundra in 2020. We chatted about her book Sacred Rest, which has impacted me in many ways. Check out episode 28: Rest = Restoration to listen to our conversation.

In this interview, Dr. Saundra and I are chatting about her new book: "Being Fully Known: The Joyful Satisfaction of Beholding, Becoming and Belonging."

The basis for this book is Psalm 46:10, which reads, "Be still, and know that I am God." While most believers are familiar with this verse, Dr. Saundra expands upon it:
"On the surface, this verse sounds like an invitation to rest. Underneath flows a depth that rivals the ocean. It's the DNA of a deeper relationship. It's a call to fully understand who God is and who we become because of Him."

Other notable quotes:

• "I can only rest at the level of my trust."
• "The longer I gaze at Him, the freer I become. You become what you behold."
• "Our creative God has hidden treasures inside each earthen vessel. Most of us have only begun to scratch the surface of what God has deposited within us."
• "It's in belonging that you see where you have been graced and favored by God intentionally and strategically. The pieces of your life come into alignment with your circumstances to usher in the full realization that Christ in you is enough."

I highly recommend Dr. Saundra's book, "Being Fully Known: The Joyful Satisfaction of Beholding, Becoming and Belonging." I hope you'll check it out and buy a copy!

Learn more about Dr. Saundra at https://www.drdaltonsmith.com

Take the rest quiz: https://www.drdaltonsmith.com/resources

Check out her books on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Saundra-Dalton-Smith/author/B0048J3YZC?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1743127122&sr=8-1&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true

Listen to her "I Choose My Best Life" podcast: https://ichoosemybestlife.com/podcast

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I’m super excited to share the first video solocast of season 7! This episode is not an audio interview with a guest. This episode is a video of me sharing a message about Standing Firm, so hop over to my YouTube channel at Melony Brown to get the most out of this episode.

This episode is the outcome of my deep dive study of Ephesians 6 for my School of the New Testament class. As I was studying the armor of God in Ephesians 6:10-18, the words ‘stand firm’ hit me in a different way. 

I used Strong’s Concordance on biblehub.com to learn the Greek definitions for stand firm, which uncovered a “hidden treasure” and gave me a deeper understanding of why Paul told the Ephesian believers to stand firm just before he described the weapons in the armor of God. 

When we face challenges, we stand on God’s firm foundation. God calls us to stand firm-not in our own strength, courage, and perseverance. In His!

Bible verses discussed in this episode:

·         Matthew 7:24-27

·         Ephesians 6:10-14

·         2 Chronicles 20:17

·         1 Corinthians 15:58

·         Hebrews 2:13 (Amplified Bible Classic Edition)

The words “stand firm” are found 23 times in the Bible:

Exodus 14:13 ---- 2 Chronicles 20:17 ---- Job 11:15 ---- Psalm 20:8 ---- Psalm 30:7 ---- Psalm 33:11 ---- Psalm 93:5 ---- Proverbs 10:25 ---- Isaiah 7:9 ---- Ezekiel 13:5 ---- Luke 21:19 ---- 1 Corinthians 15:58 ---- 1 Corinthians 16:13 ---- 2 Corinthians 1:21 ---- 2 Corinthians 1:24 ---- Galatians 5:1 ---- Ephesians 6:14 ---- Philippians 1:27 ---- Philippians 4:1 ---- Colossians 4:12 ---- 2 Thessalonians 2:13 (section header) ---- 2 Thessalonians 2:15 ---- James 5:8

While I shared most of what I learned about standing firm, I realize the “HOW” or the application part of standing firm isn’t included (This episode would have been entirely too long had I done so!!)

So, I started a STAND FIRM boot camp that will begin February 1 and go through February 28. When you sign up at melonybrown.com, you will receive an email each day of February with a 3–5-minute video of a spiritual practice that will strengthen your relationship with God and fortify your foundation. 

I would love for you to join me for the STAND FIRM boot camp!
Sign up at melonybrown.com.

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 In episode 115, my guest, Lauren Buice who is an adolescent and young adult counselor, and I defined achievement culture and discussed how teens are overwhelmed by all they must achieve and be to apply for college. She described the dangerous outcome associated with achievement culture: anxiety, depression, and substance abuse. 

Lauren has returned for another episode to share strategies for teens & parents who are navigating the hoops of achievement culture. I share a few quotes from Jennifer Breheny Wallace's book, "Never Enough: When Achievement Culture Becomes Toxic and What We Can Do About It" for Lauren to respond to.

Notable quotes from this interview with Lauren Buice:

 * "Achievement culture is affecting parents too." 

* "Failure is, and can be, a teacher. But shame is not. Shame is not a teacher." 

* "I tell parents, 'Wouldn't you rather them learn what it's like to fail and how to deal with that now versus when they are an adults and the stakes are much higher?'" 

Lauren shares five strategies for teens and parents that are challenging, but they will have a big impact if they are consistently put into practice. 

Lauren chose Colossians 3:23 as a helpful "fight verse" for teen who are in the muck of achievement culture. It reads, "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart as working for the Lord and not human masters."

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To kick off season 7 of the Challenges Won't Stop Me podcast, adolescent and young adult counselor Lauren Buice at Rise Therapy in Roswell, GA is joining me to discuss the challenge of achievement culture, specifically as it relates to teens who desire to further their education in college. 

Type "achievement culture in teens" into Google, and 357,00 results populate within seconds. That is a significant number. As I perused the topics and clicked on several, very few of those articles or blog posts shared any positive outcomes of achievement culture in teens. That is concerning!

Throughout this interview, Lauren shared research and statistics regarding achievement culture in teens which she learned about in Jennifer Breheny Wallace's book, Never Enough: When Achievement Culture Becomes Toxic and What We Can Do About It. 


Notable quotes from this episode with Lauren Buice: 

•  "Achievement culture is basically this mindset . . . their self-worth, their identity is tied to what they achieve. Anything like that becomes central to who they are. And it leads to a lot of comparison and low self-esteem. We're seeing ties between achievement culture, and kids that are overachievers and driven by that, and things like anxiety, depression, and substance abuse." 

• ". . . the people that feel they are truly happy are the people that are surrounded by really healthy relationships. They feel like they matter to people . . . we have to matter on the inside - who we are at our core - more than just what we can accomplish." 
  
  
  
• "We need to raise compassionate humans. We need to raise good citizens, not just high achieving ones." 
  
  
  
• "They matter to God. Their identity is in Christ. It's
  not in all these external things." 
  
  
  

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My dear friend Brenda Holley joins me again to discuss how she gained a deeper understanding of the Holy Spirit during her journey of fighting to overcome pancreatic cancer. Brenda is a master coach, helping professionals thrive in their careers. She and Paul have been married for eighteen years. She is mom to two adult sons. 

Prior to her diagnosis, Brenda wasn’t seeking God even though she believed in Him. Receiving a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer put her right back into the Presence of God. While she’d learned about the Holy Spirit years ago, she’d never heard His voice.

In this episode, Brenda describes two experiences where hearing the Holy Spirit’s voice encouraged and strengthened her. 

Notable quotes from this episode with Brenda Holley: 

·         “I was praying to God one day. And I said, ‘I know that it’s a big task to overcome this particular kind of tumor.’ And He said, ‘It’s not too big for Me.’”

·         “It’s a blessing of God to have a long life.”

·         “I don’t think I will ever refer to this as a gift . . . however, the gifts that I’ve been given are clarity, a refocus on what is important, so that to me certainly means my walk with God and my desire to give back.”

·         “We don’t need to be moved by what we see. We need to be motivated by what we believe.”

Bible verse: 

·         Romans 8:11 “And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of His Spirit who lives in you.”

·         1 Thessalonians 5:23 “My body and mind will be sound and in tact all the days of my life.”

·         Psalm 91:16 “With long life God satisfies me and shows me His salvation.”

Connect with Brenda Holley:

Her website: https://brendaholley.com

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brenda.holley.946

On Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/coachbrendaholley

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Today’s guest is my dear friend Brenda Holley. She is a master coach, helping professionals thrive in their careers. She and Paul have been married for eighteen years. She is mom to two adult sons. I’ve been friends with Brenda for several years, so I was honored when she reached out to me soon after receiving a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic cancer has a bad reputation because the prognosis is often extremely grim. While she knew this fact, she chose not to entertain it or dwell on it. Instead, she decided she would fight to overcome it.

Brenda’s positive mental attitude going into this cancer journey would be incredibly helpful. During our interview, Brenda admitted she hadn’t made God a priority over the last few years. Her diagnosis changed that. She said, “I leaned into my faith.” Praying healing verses out loud, reading God’s Word, and getting quiet were and continue to be Brenda’s daily practices.

Brenda was eager to share the valuable wisdom she gained during her cancer journey.

The book Brenda mentioned in her interview is Charles Capps’ book titled God’s Creative Power for Healing. It can be purchased on Amazon.

Notable quotes from this episode with Brenda Holley: 

·         “Unfortunately, it took a really scary experience to put me right back into the Presence of God. And I discovered so much love and support there.”

·         Thank God for His faithfulness even when we’re not doing a good job. Because He’s always there to pick up those pieces, and there’s no judgment. There’s only love.”

·         “I have also found it helpful to read those Scriptures out loud. If you say them, you get to see what you say.”

·         “The more you dig in there and study it [Scripture], the richer it gets.”

·         “One other thing that I did that I’ve used a lot is I made a physical list . . . of all the things that showed God’s hand on my situation . . . I go back and look at it all the time.”

Bible verse: 

·         Jeremiah 1:12 “I am watching over My Word to perform it.”

·         Hebrews 1:3 “He is upholding all things by the Word of His power.”

Connect with Brenda Holley:

Her website: https://brendaholley.com

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brenda.holley.946

On Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/coachbrendaholley

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Danita Cummins joins me again for her mindset discussion about showing care and comfort to others. She is the author of her first book titled Promise Over Purpose: The Path to a Peace-Filled Life, which is due out in the fall of 2024. Danita is also the host of the Entrusted to Lead podcast, the director of the Alpha Life Pregnancy Center, and a business coach. She and Mark have been married for 20 years and they have four adult children and two grandchildren.

In this episode, Danita and I discuss how she believes strongly in caring for others and showing them comfort when they are struggling. In one of her most difficult challenges, others shared comfort with her. They cared for her physical needs and her emotional, mental, and spiritual needs.

Midway through our conversation, Danita and I had an idea of challenging others to share comfort and care with others. The idea for a thirty-day comfort challenge was formed. We both wanted to invite our friends, families, coworkers, neighbors, and even strangers to join us as we show care or comfort every day of September.

Details about the challenge:

1.      The 30 Day Comfort Challenge runs September 1 through September 30, 2024.

2.      Each day of September, offer comfort or care to someone. Be sure to record it on the Comfort Challenge list.

3.      Email your completed list to [email protected] between October 1 and October to be entered into the drawing for a copy of Danita’s new book, Promise Over Purpose and Melony’s book, Challenges Won’t Stop Me.

4.      The winner will be announced on October 7.

Get a copy of the 50 Ways to Show Comfort and the Comfort Challenge List at melonybrown.com. 

Please help us spread the word about the 30 Day Comfort Challenge on your social media. 

Notable quotes from this episode with Danita Cummins: 

·         “There is this beautiful algorithm between suffering and comfort where God promises to bring you comfort in your suffering . . . that compassion which is underneath everything that the Lord does is this unbelievable love. It just undergirds all that we are and do in Him.”

·         “There are a billion different ways you can love God and love the world.”

·         “where I was praying, Lord just let me see your hand in the good and the hard. I don’t need all the keys to the kingdom. I just need to know on these really hard days that I can still see Your hand at work or know that You’re by my side.”

·         “What do you have in your hand? Don’t make it complicated.”

Bible verse: 

·         2 Corinthians 1:3-4 “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”

Connect with Danita Cummins:

Her website: https://danitacummins.com

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/danitacummins 

On Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/danita_cummins

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Today’s guest is Danita Cummins. She is the author of her first book titled Promise Over Purpose: The Path to a Peace-Filled Life, which is due out in the fall of 2024. Danita is also the host of the Entrusted to Lead podcast, the director of the Alpha Life Pregnancy Center, and a business coach. She and Mark have been married for 20 years and they have four adult children and two grandchildren.

In this episode, Danita describes the challenges she faced throughout her childhood, during her time in the military, and when she became pregnant unexpectedly. An invitation to see The Passion of the Christ, a movie about the twelve hours before Jesus Christ’s death, became a turning point in her life. Seeing all that Jesus did for her confirmed that His promises are true. 

Danita’s heart for those who feel alone led her to volunteer at the Alpha Pregnancy Center. Now as director, she continues to find joy and purpose when working with women who are making pregnancy decisions. 

Notable quotes from this episode with Danita Cummins: 

·         “There was an extended period of time where alcohol was a daily part of my life . . . It’s pretty easy to do in the military culture and then also with my family background. It was something I was more prone to.”

·         “Sometimes you have to go back into the darkness to see the light was always there.”

·         “Sometimes, we think that miracles are really big, and they are . . . but in my life, a miracle was a seven-dollar movie ticket that changed the course of human history.”

·         “How can you let all of God live through all of you?”

·         “I needed to know in my soul that the promises were true. My soul and my heart were searching for a truth and a promise that I could hold onto because every single thing in my life was, in my mind, falling apart.”

Bible verse: 

·         Jeremiah 31:3 “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.”

Connect with Danita Cummins:

Her website: https://danitacummins.com

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/danitacummins 

On Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/danita_cummins

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