Challenges Won't Stop Me

Today’s guest is Kim Patton. She is the author of Nothing Wasted: Struggling Well Through Difficult Seasons and the host of the Book Therapy podcast. Kim and Kevin have been married for fourteen years and have two beautiful daughters. 

Kim adopted a mindset to trust and have faith in God as her guide through life. She admits from the start of our interview that God is not very forthcoming about His leading and guiding. Kim gives numerous examples of how she’s experienced God’s leading. Her examples will help those who think they haven’t experienced God’s leading.

One of the best insights Kim shares is “I’ve been thinking of it [the Christian life] as an adventurous life.” Adventurous because we give up our control of knowing all the details and let God handle the details. 

If we took on the mindset of our Christian life as an adventure, imagine how different our lives and our impact on others would be! 

Notable quotes from this episode with Kim Patton: 

·         “If my own understanding is not working, I must bend to the will of the Lord.”

·         “God slowly leading and slowly guiding. It is often through the people that I trust.”

·         “There’s an adventure to be had when you follow the Lord because you never know what’s going to happen.”

·         “He’s the one who’s going to meet that need for another person, and He’s going to use you to do it. And that is the greatest adventure.”

Bible verses: 

·         2 Corinthians 1:3-4 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort which we ourselves are comforted by God.”

·         Psalm 56:8 “You number and record my wanderings; put my tears into Your bottle-are they not in Your book?”

·         Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; think about Him in all your ways, and He will guide you on the right paths.”

·         John 6:68 “Simon Peter answered, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.’”

·         Galatians 1:10 “Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.”

Connect with Kim Patton:

Her website: https://www.kimpatton.com 

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kimberly.patton.39

On Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/kimpatton730

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Today’s guest is Kim Patton. She is the author of Nothing Wasted: Struggling Well Through Difficult Seasons and the host of the Book Therapy podcast. Kim and Kevin have been married for fourteen years and have two beautiful daughters. 

Growing up in a large family led Kim to dream of a family of her own. Hosting baby showers for her friends filled her with joy. She believed, “Someday it will be me.”

At the end of a long and difficult infertility journey, God assured Kim she would be a mother, but it wouldn’t look exactly like her dreams. Their home is now filled with the laughter and joy of two daughters who were adopted from the same birth mother.

Infertility has been Kim’s biggest challenge, but she and Kevin have fought to overcome his ongoing struggles with seizures. 

Kim chose Nothing Wasted as the title of her book because she believes, “The tears I have cried through the trials of these years have been many. Those tears were caught. They were held, saved, and used for another purpose. Nothing was wasted.”

Notable quotes from this episode with Kim Patton: 

·         “I may grieve, complain, and even wallow in the pain I’m feeling during hard seasons. But I’m not giving up. Endurance is admirable, and the years we spend during challenging seasons are building up muscles to endure patiently and struggle well. I’m not giving up.”

·         “The way that God carried us through that was just slowly, persistently showing up, giving me grace, giving me love, answering prayers.”

·         “And that day, He ripped me apart because He opened my eyes to the needs of the world and to the beauty of adoption . . . He made me have immense compassion for the brokenness of children whose parents cannot take care of them or died.”

Bible verse: 

·         2 Corinthians 12:9 “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

Connect with Kim Patton:

Her website: https://www.kimpatton.com 

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kimberly.patton.39

On Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/kimpatton730

Send me a COMMENT or QUESTION!

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING!

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Today’s guest, Carol Graham, shared her story of overcoming rheumatoid arthritis, ovarian cancer, and her husband’s devastating car accident in episode 107. Be sure to check it out! 

Carol is an author, host of the Never Ever Give Up podcast, and a health coach. 

In this episode, Carol shares a way of life that she believes is a game changer. So much so that she published her book, Pray the Answer Not the Problem, in 2023, which describes how we must pray the promises God has in His Word rather than begging God for help. 

Praying the answer and not the problem may be a shift in how you’ve prayed in the past. It’s based on believing God’s promises and that God has given you authority and power of any challenges that intersect your path. That power and authority come from His Word, Jesus’ blood, and Jesus’ name.

After reading Carol’s book, I prayed by speaking aloud verses that related to a current challenge. I thanked God for the promises of healing, and how He fights for me, and how He is my inner strength. I’m still waiting for my answer. I believe it’s coming. Carol said in her story interview, “God is never late. He’s always on time.” I’ve found that to be true. How about you?

Notable quotes from the episode with Carol Graham:

·         “God responds to two things: His Word and your faith.”

·         “Who are we giving top billing to? . . . Stop recognizing who the enemy is. Start recognizing who God is.”

·         “Whatever problem we have, there is an answer in the Word.”

·         “God equips us when we choose to trust Him . . Opportunities come in discomfort.

Bible verses:

·         Luke 1:45 is Carol’s life verse/fight verse: “Blessed is she who believed that there shall be a fulfillment of that which was promised her by the LORD.”

·         2 Timothy 2:1

·         Romans 8:11

Grab Carol’s books on Amazon. Check out Carol Graham’s YouTube channel where she posts her video podcast interviews. 

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When challenges rudely intersect our path, we reach out to God for help. When His answer is slow in coming, fear and doubt fill our minds. Where is He? Is He really working on my problems? It’s human nature to think His answer is going to be too late to help or matter.

Today’s guest, Carol Graham, is an author, host of the Never Ever Give Up podcast, and a health coach. When she was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis as a child, her father modeled a principle: pray in faith – have no doubt in God’s power – and He will fulfill His Word. 

When Carol was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, she followed what her father had taught her. Her cancer was healed, and she was able to conceive a child, despite what her OB GYN predicted. Again, when her husband was seriously injured in a car accident, she prayed in faith and spoke aloud God’s promises until the answer arrived.

Carol believes, “God is never late. He is always on time.”

Throughout this interview, you will hear Carol describe how we have been given power and authority over any challenge by the Word of God, the blood of Jesus, and the Name of Jesus.

Notable quotes from the episode with Carol Graham:

·         “Where there is faith, there is no doubt. Where there is faith, there is no fear.”

·         “Whatever we are coming up against, we have the authority given to us by the Word of God, the blood of Jesus, and the Name of Jesus to take a stand against whatever.”

·         “They [her grandchildren] have rights and authority as a result of their inheritance as a believer.”

Bible verses:

·         Matthew 13:23

·         Hebrews 13:8

Grab Carol’s books on Amazon. Check out Carol Graham’s YouTube channel where she posts her video podcast interviews. 

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GOT STRESS? No one could honestly say, "I have no stress at all!"

Stress is part of life, right? Yes, but too many of us are consumed by stress. We know we are stressed out, but WHAT CAN WE DO?

Today's guest, Dr. Gala Gorman, shares a combination of strategies, mindsets, and habits to help you manage and even reduce the toxic stressors in your life.

Dr. Gala Gordon is an acupuncturist, neuropath, and the author of What’s Your Kryptonite? Manage the Toxic Stressors Threatening Your Super Woman Status. She is an advocate of getting to the root cause of your health issue and treating it naturally. 

Dr. Gala not only discusses how toxic stressors negatively impact our lives, but she also discusses ways to manage or reduce those toxins.

She calls her go-to method of managing/reducing stress the MOLT Method. In her book she describes why she chose this unusual name. She wrote, “In nature, molting happens when it’s time for growth and change. Molting is what’s called for in a world where people wear their stress like a badge of honor.”

In this episode, Dr. Gala describes what each letter of MOLT represents.
 

Notable quotes from this episode with Dr. Gala Gorman: 

·         “Stress is a pandemic.”

·         “Toxins must make an exit to restore vitality, health, and well-being. We must manage the toxic stressors in our life.”

·         “Without rest, there is no repair.”

·         “From about 11pm to 7am, our body is hard-wired to do the detox and cleanup. Basically, it’s the gallbladder, liver, lungs, and large intestines that get a little bit of love throughout the night.”

Connect with Dr. Gala Gorman:

Her website: https://drgala.com

Take her TOXIC STRESS QUIZ at https://drgala.com/kryptonite-resources/

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

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

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Today's guest is Janet Perez Eckles. She is a speaker and the author of five books. In her story episode, we discussed excerpts from her memoir, Now I See: How God's Amazing Grace Transforms the Deepest Pain to Shining Joy, which included her son’s murderer being found not guilty.

Anger, bitterness, and unforgiveness are understandable reactions to learning the man who murdered her son was found not guilty. While Janet didn’t understand how that verdict was possible, she decided she didn’t want to carry anger, bitterness, and unforgiveness. Instead, she chose to forgive her son’s killer. 

From that day forward, Janet has chosen to forgive her son’s killer. She’s found freedom in forgiveness. 

Janet and I define freedom and forgive. Janet explains, “Freedom is a choice that sets you free.” And she goes on to say, “Forgiveness also allowed us to welcome more fully the radiance of God’s love. A love that filled us even when we didn’t understand the seeming injustice.”

Janet explained that she realized God would hold her son’s killer responsible. And God would hold her responsible for unforgiveness if she held onto it. 

Janet shares show unforgiveness keeps you in bondage. In pain. Forgiving the person who hurt you or did wrong to you sets you free from the bondage and pain. 

If Janet can forgive the man who killed her son, we, too, can forgive those who’ve hurt us.
 
 Notable quotes from this episode with Janet Eckles:

·         “Even though he hadn’t served one day in prison, he would be accountable to God . . . We, too, would be accountable to God if he continued to hold resentment, anger, or animosity toward this man. The only step God required from us was to extend forgiveness.”

·         “You really can’t move forward to that abundant life that God has prepared for you if you hold onto unforgiveness . . . Forgiveness is a choice that sets you free.”

·         “Life has meaning. Life has a purpose. Life has joy and peace no matter what happens to you if you put your trust and your life in Christ Jesus.”

Bible verses:

·         John 15:5

·         Romans 8:28

·         Proverbs 3:5-6

·         Proverbs 18:21

Check out Amazon for Janet's books. Learn more about her and invite her speak by visiting her website.

Connect with Janet Eckles on Facebook and Instagram.

Send me a COMMENT or QUESTION!

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Today's guest is Janet Perez Eckles. She is a speaker and the author of five books. We discussed excerpts from her memoir, Now I See: How God's Amazing Grace Transforms the Deepest Pain to Shining Joy. 

Janet Eckles grew up in Bolivia during the twelve years of the Bolivian revolution. She observed the grit and determination her mom and dad showed as they struggled to live during difficult circumstances. 

Janet internalized their response to challenge, which helped her tremendously when she learned she's inherited the gene for a progressive eye disease called retinitis pigmentosa. Janet was thirteen when the eye doctor shared this news with her parents. He predicted she wouldn't lose her sight until she was sixty years old.

Janet met Gene, and they fell in love and were married. Three sons followed, which brought her much joy. Unfortunately, her eyesight began diminishing during her twenties. By her thirtieth birthday, Janet had completely lost her sight.  Gene struggled greatly with his wife losing her sight. When she shared with him that she was blind, he shared that he'd found someone else.

Janet's world crashed down around her. A friend invited her to her church's healing service.  This became a turning point in Janet's story. Growing up Catholic, Janet recited prayers, but she didn't know Jesus. At that healing service, Janet didn't experience healing. But she met Jesus. 

Janet learned about Jesus' love, which caused her to realize how much she needed Jesus to take over every part of her life. Sometime later, Gene returned and asked forgiveness. They began repairing their marriage.

Years later, Janet leaned hard on her faith in Jesus when their son Joe was murdered. Although the man was arrested on first degree murder charges, the jury found him not guilty.  Janet, Gene, and her other sons were devastated by the jury's decision.

Janet and Gene's marriage survived many challenges, but after forty-two years they divorced. With God's guidance, Janet has processed and learned from the challenges she's fought to overcome. She shares the message of Jesus' victory in our lives with audiences across the nation.


Notable quotes from this episode with Janet Eckles:

• "I refused to believe I was going blind. Those things don't happen to me . . . I still believe. God is going to heal me. Something's going to happen, and there's no way I could lose my sight completely."
• "I didn't know that while I could see physically, I was spiritually blind."
• "When we're going through the hardship, when we're going through the heartache, we need to remember God has all the pieces put together. He has a plan. He has a purpose . . . And all we have to do is trust Him."

Bible verses:

• Matthew 6:33
• Psalm 46:10
• Romans 12:2
• Romans 8:28
• Proverbs 3:5-6

Check out Amazon for Janet's books. Learn more about her and invite her speak by visiting her website.

Connect with Janet Eckles on Facebook and Instagram.

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Even though this episode with Pastor Phil Manginelli is a lengthier interview, I strongly encourage you to invest the extra time. You will gain an understanding of spiritual warfare and how to prepare for it, which are invaluable to your walk as a Christ-follower.

Phil Manginelli is the lead pastor of The Square Church in Smyrna, GA. In this interview, Phil shares his knowledge about the challenge of spiritual warfare, specifically what it is, who is the target of the enemy’s schemes, and how the weapons of the armor of God are the most effective weapons to defeat the enemy when he attacks. 

Phil explains that the enemy and a greater movement of darkness connected to the enemy devise schemes to oppose Jesus, His mission, and His people. The enemy’s mission is noted in John 10:10, which reads, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.” When we are in a spiritual battle, the enemy attacks repeatedly to convince us to give up our faith, our belief in Jesus, our hope, our confidence, and our trust in Jesus. We must remember that God is with us and He fights for us. 

In the middle of the well-known passage in Ephesians 6 about the armor of God are the words “after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then.” Phil explains how standing your ground when the enemy is attacking may not look like victory, but it is.

Phil admits that the strategies of knowing our identity in Christ and prayer to prepare for a spiritual battle may seem obvious, God promises these two weapons will defeat the enemy.

Notable quotes from this episode with Phil Manginelli: 

·         “The promises are not that we won’t face challenges. In fact, this is what I love about Jesus is He’s honest. It’s kind to be honest. And over and over again, He tells us the truth. You will suffer. You will walk through hardships. You are going to have trials. You are going to face difficulties.”

·         “What the Scriptures tell us it’s there in the challenge God isn’t necessarily making go away, but He is present with us where He does the deepest work of our lives. He does the most transformational work of our lives.”

·         “There’s a knowing of God that only comes in hardship.”

·         “There is a place of strength you’ll only find in weakness.”

·         “We have normalized a prayerless Christianity.”

Scripture references: 

John 16:33, Ephesians 6:10-18, 2 Timothy 2:13, 1 Peter 5:8-10, and Revelation 12:12

Connect with Phil Manginelli: 

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

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

Watch his sermons: https://www.youtube.com/@TheSquareChurch 

Send me a COMMENT or QUESTION!

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Jessica Roberts shared her story of being wrongly accused of drug conspiracy and sentenced to serve 27 months in prison in episode 101. If you haven’t listened to it yet, it would be helpful as Jessica refers to her story several times throughout this interview.

While in prison, Jessica realized she was not in control. Her story had many similarities to Job’s story in the Bible. It was clear that God is in control. 

Throughout the stories Jessica shares, you’ll hear her wisdom, humor, determination, passion, and faith. Choosing to return to prisons to train and encourage male and female prisoners strategies for successful re-entry into society is a statement about God’s powerful work in her.

Notable quotes from this episode with Jessica Roberts: 

·         “As long as you have Him on the inside, it reflects on the outside. And you will have the mindset of overcoming, conquering, determination, and just a pressing forward in spite of your circumstances.”

·         “You are judged by the company that you keep. Be mindful. Be mindful of the company that you keep and separate because unfair things do happen in life.”

·         “God is Almighty. The things He can do is limitless . . . We as human beings are limited, but God is not limited.”

Bible verses: 

·         Job 42:12 “And the Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part.”

·         Genesis 50:20 "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives."

·         Romans 8:28 “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is not being done – the saving of many lives.”

Connect with Jessica Roberts:

Her website: https://www.jessicanroberts.com

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessica.roberts.3591

On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessicanicole8726

Send me a COMMENT or QUESTION!

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING!

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When you hear a story about someone in prison claiming to be not guilty, do you ever wonder what that would be like if it happened to you?

I know not all who claim to be not guilty are, but Jessica Roberts was wrongly accused AND given a 27-month prison sentence. Was she upset? Yes. Did she feel wronged? Yes. 

She could have fallen into negativity and anger, but she chose a different response. In today’s interview, Jessica Roberts explains, "My attitude was to remain as positive as possible and play the cards we were being dealt. I was determined not to break. I was not built to break."

Jessica is the author of Triumphant! One Woman’s Journey from Prison to Purpose. She describes herself as a re-entry activist with a passion to help promote smooth re-entry into civilian life for men and women who are soon to complete their prison sentence.

Jessica describes her childhood and young adult years as ‘being a good girl.’ She had no desire or intention to become ‘a bad girl,’ but being at the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong people led to her being charged with the crime of drug conspiracy. 

As difficult as prison was, God met Jessica there and changed her life. She shares about how reading the book of Job while in prison impacted her. Instead of never going near a prison ever again, Jessica is passionate about following God’s call to minister to male and female inmates, pointing them to Jesus and offering them hope.

Notable quotes from this episode with Jessica Roberts: 

·         “That’s when the spiritual side took over because I was raised in the church, but I didn’t have a personal relationship with God . . . when I became incarcerated and when my mother and father and no one could help me, God was taking the blinders off little by little. I began to see things in the different light, from a different perspective. Job lost everything, but God would not let the devil take his life. He was tested and tried, but He would not let him take his life. It resonated with me really, really deep.”

·         “In the shower, I just would cry out to Him – ‘I have to go through this. I must go through this. Be with me. Never leave my side.’ And so, I found comfort in that and that’s where that strength came from. I’m in prison physically, but not mentally or spiritually.”

Bible verse: 

·         1 Corinthians 15:33 “Do not be misled. Bad company corrupts good character.”

Connect with Jessica Roberts:

Her website: https://jessicanroberts.com

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessica.roberts.3591

On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessicanicole8726

Send me a COMMENT or QUESTION!

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING!

Want to leave a comment about this episode? Click HERE!