Choose 2 Think: Renew Your Mind. Live with Purpose.

Adoption.

Join me to listen to Christine's journey through the long road of international adoption.  We talk process, the ups-and-downs, and the agonizing waiting.   Her story has a lot of wonderful twists and turns before we arrive to its miraculous ending.

Christine Gibson is also a published author of two books.

Saints on Call: Everyday Devotions for Moms">Saints on Call:  Everyday Devotions for Moms (2011) 

Stay Mr. & Mrs. after You're Mom & Dad (Ligouri Press, 2013)

Mission to Promote Adoption of Kids and the Baby Box  https://www.mpak.com/

https://adoptionnetwork.com/adoption-statistics

Please stay connected with Start with a Grateful Heart and Choose 2 Think Ministries

www.victoriadwalker.com

Click to shop for themed merch: ONE HAPPY BABY

Be sure to subscribe to the show wherever you listen.

What keeps you up at night?

Sleep is essential for optimal health and we spend about 1/3 of our lives doing it! 

But these days anxiety levels are high and finding sufficient rest can be a bit of a challenge. This episode is mostly common knowledge (you know google-able)…you’ve heard most your life…but I wanted to pull all the info together, condense it, and to remind you that as Christians, sound sleep IS possible. So kick off your shoes and fluff up your pillow. Let’s take a deep dive into the notion of how to experience peaceful nightly sleep.  And all this with the backdrop of Psalm 3!

KEY CATEGORIES

KEY VERSES

MERCH THEME

I CHOOSE PEACE TODAY

As you may know October is breast cancer awareness month. According to breastcancer.org:  "As of January 2020, there are more than 3.5 million women with a history of breast cancer in the U.S. This includes women currently being treated and women who have finished treatment."

On today’s episode, we will hear from one of them. Renee Boss, a self-described reader, writer, thinker, runner and teacher, shares her journey through the diagnosis and recovery stages as well as the practical tools she used in order to cope, find health, and walk it all out in joy. She realized that although she could not control her breast cancer diagnosis, she could control her response to it.

If you know someone who is struggling with breast cancer, please share this episode link. If you’re listening on apple podcasts, would you please subscribe to the show, rate and review as well? This would really help me to spread the Good News to others. 

Or If you’re listening on YouTube, please be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel here, so I’ll know you’re there. 

Please Visit victoriadwalker.com, and opt in so we can stay connected. 

And finally, the themed merch for this episode: I CHOOSE JOY TODAY and THE JOY OF THE LORD IS MY STRENGTH. Be sure to check out these designs as well as many others in the Choose 2 Think Merch and more store.

CONTACT RENEE

Renee’s blog site: http://reneeboss.blogspot.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/renee_boss

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/renee.boss/

The RUNNING WIFE CLUB:  https://www.facebook.com/therunningwife/

Do you ever feel a bit battle weary from wrestling around with toxic or potentially toxic thinking? 

Well, in today’s episode, I’ll offers you a 6-fold battle tactic plan especially if you are feeling a bit battle weary. We’re gonna see how King David kept his mind in the right place as he actually battled for his very life. His expectations and hope were in God alone.

The 6 tactics include:

⁠EXPECTANCY MINDSET DAILY DECLARATION PDF⁠⁠

https://mailchi.mp/8188b920a997/expectancymindset

⁠⁠BONUS:  ARMOR FOR EVERY THOUGHT WORKSHEET ⁠

CONNECT WITH VICTORIA:

*NEW RELEASE: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pickleball Passion A Marriage Devotional: 21 Days to a Stronger Connection on and off the Court⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://amzn.to/48wnvaV

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SUPPORT CHOOSE 2 THINK MINISTRIES AND PODCAST HERE: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/victoria-d-lydon

Today we take a deep dive into grief and coping after loss of a loved one.  

You'll meet Bryan C. Taylor, the #1 best selling author on Amazon in the categories of love & loss and death & grief.  Bring your notebook and paper as you listen because this episode is chock full of practical life applications and inspirational takeaways that you will want to ponder and pray a bit more about especially if you are struggling to move beyond your grief.  

Bryan also shares a glimpse of his wrestling with secondary losses, bitterness, purpose, and coming to grips with the fact that the popular adage "Love heals all wounds" is really a misnomer.    

Click here to find Even If You Don't (2018)  and The Lazarus Within (2020)

CONNECT WITH BRYAN

WEBSITE:  http://bryanctaylor.com/

EMAIL: [email protected]

CHOOSE 2 THINK MERCH & MORE theme for this episode:  Today I choose to GO GET IT!  Find this unique design on apparel, mugs, pillows, and totes.  Check us out!  Feel empowered today!  

Visit my website for freebies, such as podcast worksheets, brain-changer downloadables.  Please opt in so we can stay in touch!  

Or check this out the free, faith-based:  ULTIMATE GRATITUDE GUIDE  Inside you'll find practical tips, checklists, Scripture cards, bookmarks, templates and so much more that will help pivot your mind in a healthy, new direction!  Your thoughts matter!  Take those rogue, toxic thoughts captive today!

*The Choose 2 Think Podcast show notes may contain affiliate links, meaning, if you click through and make a purchase, I may earn a commission.  

it’s just that time of year in Kentucky when we go hiking and camping! The nights are cooler and not so stuffy and the fireside is inviting to chase away the chill. We have a trip planned out to Red River Gorge within the next couple of weeks, and I cannot wait. 

My favorite part is disconnecting from the world, reconnecting and being present with those I love the most in this life, putting my phone away, letting the dust from all my busy-ness settle down a bit, and slowing down to think and reorient a bit and relax. All the oxygen fills my lungs, God’s beautiful creation captivates my attention and the stress just rolls away. My heart fills up to full again – camping is right up there with a stroll on the ocean beach to me. 

Camping has also been a way to bench mark a whole lot of memories, some really frightful like using a gallon of gasoline in a milk jug to attempt to ignite wet wood that was smoldering a bit – yeah, the flames leaped up onto the rim of the gallon jug—it is nothing short of a miracle that our camp site didn’t go up in flames taking with it the camper holding the jug – that is about my worst memory…but there are others to keep me in stitches years later—like the time a bear came sniffing around our tent that one night-- I just know it was a bear!  C'mon, camper!  I know you can totally relate! :)

Journey with me today to connect the dots between the essentials we need hiking literally and spiritually(as inspired by David's Psalm 25)!  I found so many great practical applications for our faith:

ESSENTIALS for our journey:

And hey, wanna stay connected?

Click on my secure website link and opt in! https://www.startwithagratefulheart.com/

OR check out our themed merch for today's episode! 

You may need a box of tissues nearby as you listen to Lisa’s story about her dear sister Heather. Today Lisa will help us unpack and shed light on a topic that we tend to avoid or that we don’t know much about.  It make even make us feel uncomfortable.  The topic is organ donation. 

Is this something you have considered? Why or why not? 

Tune in to hear this true story of Lisa and her loved one's journey to becoming an organ donation family. 

SHOW LINKS:

Statistics from: https://www.organdonor.gov/

Kentucky Organ Donor Affiliates (KODA):   https://donatelifeky.org/partners/koda/

Contact Lisa Prather (Century 21 realtor in Frankfort): https://www.century21.com/real-estate-agent/profile/lisa-prather-P80078079  

Lisa on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/lisa.prather.35

STAY IN TOUCH w/Victoria: 

Website (opt in):  www.victoriadwalker.com

Blog link:  https://www.startwithagratefulheart.com/

Choose 2 Think Merch & More - click here to find merch for today's episode:  "I choose to give the gift of life"

Our message for today is about experiencing the presence and glory of God. 

From Psalm 24, I pulled  3 exercises we can do daily as examples to help us connect the dots between the philosophical and the practical when it comes to seeking God's presence. 

How to enjoy God's presence:

1) we open

2) we learn

3) we grow

Tune in for all the specifics, a few helpful ideas on how to practically become energized as you seek God, His presence, His face, His favor.  

The t-shirt theme for this episode is I CHOOSE GOD'S PRESENCE.   You can find the link on my website by clicking the MERCH tab or below.  Be sure to get the PROMO CODE to save $5!  Please opt in to stay connected!

WEBSITE:  https://www.startwithagratefulheart.com/

PROMO CODE:  https://mailchi.mp/18418cb9f7ce/c2t-merch-promo-code

MERCH SHOP:  https://teespring.com/stores/choose-2-think-merch-more

LIMITED MERCH on AMAZON:  https://www.startwithagratefulheart.com/amazon-merch.html

Cheri Scott is the Executive Director for Avenues for Women -- a pregnancy center in Frankfort KY offering 100% free counseling and medical services for their clients.  Not only does Avenues for Women advocate for the sanctity of human life in the womb, they also advocate for the sanctity of the life of the woman, young or old, who walks through their doors, takes a seat in their office, and is carrying that tiny life within her. 

One of my favorite lines from the show was when Cheri said – when folks ask her if the organization is pro life or pro choice, her response is we are pro woman. I liked this line because to me it puts compassion, care, and love first with the steadfast and prevailing prayer that this kind of love will in part be the catalyst that leads the woman or the couple to a god-honoring decision. 

But if it doesn’t, the relationship between the woman and AFW remains and there is still opportunity for future change, God willing.  The heart of the ministry is to educate in a holistic supportive fashion in a nonjudgmental way and lend a helping hand practically and emotionally before, during, and after decisions are made.

Call us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

(502) 695-0500

Avenues for Women

WEBSITE:  https://avenuesforwomen.com/

FACEBOOK:  https://www.facebook.com/AvenuesForWomen

___________________________________

MY WEBSITE:  https://www.startwithagratefulheart.com/

How I lowered my cholesterol blog post:  https://www.startwithagratefulheart.com/agh-blog

Choose 2 Think Merch & More (find the Pro-Woman shirt and I choose Life items here): https://teespring.com/stores/choose-2-think-merch-more

Save $5 

The 15th most popular psalm is Psalm 31 – and in a nutshell it is a song of complaint and praise (as subtitled in the NASB). 

As we examine the psalm we can study the way that David did this and then apply this technique to our lives. David historically was persecuted by Saul. He was treated wrongly, shamed by his enemies, was slandered – all of which had the potential to steal his joy and peace. But he had this unique expressive technique in his writing time and time again where he switched his complaint to praise. 

He almost always ends all his psalms reaffirming God’s character and amazing goodness.  It sounds simple, but it requires persistence and endurance. 

In this episode, I share a story or two of personal quote “victimization” from theft – and persecution, if you will, from the enemy of my soul.

C2T PROMO CODE CLICK HERE

VISIT C2T MERCH & MORE STORE HERE

VISIT MY WEBSITE & START WITH A GRATEFUL HEART BLOG HERE (be sure to opt in)