Daily Affirming Women's Network (DAWN)

ILet Him Finish What He Started | Terri Thomas, Part 3

If God has a plan, trust Him to finish it.

In this final portion of my conversation with Terri Thomas, we talk about surrender, obedience, leadership, legacy, and remaining teachable throughout every season of life.

Terri shares how God led her and her husband, Larry, to begin JLT Services when they had very little and could not see what the business would eventually become. They simply took the faithful step in front of them. Years later, God reminded Terri that the business had never truly belonged to them—it had always belonged to Him.

Her story reminds us that success is not merely found in a particular outcome. The success is first found in our obedience.

We also discuss what leadership has taught Terri about listening, recognizing people’s strengths, and refusing to dismiss someone simply because her gifts look different from ours. Terri shares her desire to leave a legacy of being a safe place for women, her daughters, and her grandchildren—a place where they know they are loved, supported, and never beyond God’s reach.

Like Ruth, we may be taking one faithful step while God is building a legacy we cannot yet see. Ruth responded to what was before her, trusted God with what remained hidden, and became part of a redemption story that would bless generations.

Terri closes the episode with a powerful prayer for women who feel as though they are being stretched, pressed, or refined. Her encouragement is simple: remain in the Potter’s hands and let Him finish what He started.

In this episode:

Trusting God without knowing the complete outcome

Releasing ownership and control

Recognizing success in obedience

Listening with humility

Seeing people’s strengths instead of only their weaknesses

Finding identity beyond comparison

Building a legacy of faith and safety

Remaining teachable and finishing well

Questions for reflection:

What do you need to release into God’s hands?

Where can you notice His faithfulness in your present chapter?

What is the next faithful step He is asking you to take?

What do you hope remains because you were here?

Scriptures for further reflection: Ruth 3–4; Matthew 1:5–6; Deuteronomy 6:5; Philippians 1:6

God sees you. He hears you. He is faithful. You are loved—and you are still becoming.

What happens when the roles that once made you feel needed begin to fall away?

In Part 2 of PD Sue’s conversation with Terri Thomas, we step into Deep Waters. Terri reflects on a season when her familiar roles in ministry, business and motherhood began changing—and she found herself asking, “Who am I?” God used that season to reveal how deeply her identity had become connected to what she did.

Terri and PD Sue discuss the fear beneath control, renewal in marriage, practicing the abundant life Jesus promised and learning not to serve others from emptiness. Their conversation also turns to Ruth 2 and Naomi’s important question: “Where did you glean today?” What we continually receive will eventually affect what we have available to give.

The conversation closes with encouragement for mothers who are learning to surrender their children and trust God with outcomes they cannot control.

Key Scriptures: John 10:10; Ephesians 3:20; Ruth 2:17–19; Psalm 127:4

Reflection questions:

• What role have you allowed to define you?• Where are you gleaning in this season?• What person or outcome do you need to surrender to God?

Follow DAWN Conversations so you don’t miss Part 3: At His Feet with Terri Thomas.

Content note: This episode includes discussion of painful childhood memories, identity struggles and fear concerning an adult child.

Where was Jesus during the hardest parts of your story?

In Part 1 of this three-part DAWN Conversation, PD Sue sits down with Terri Thomas—a wife, mother, grandmother, mentor and ministry leader—to talk about finishing well, surrendering control and discovering our identity in Christ.

Terri shares how God led her back into painful parts of her past, not to leave her there, but to heal her, remove the masks she had learned to wear and rebuild her life upon a stronger foundation. Through Terri’s story and Ruth 1, we are reminded that God’s quietness is not the same as His absence. He may have been present all along—even before we recognized Him.

Reflection question: Where might God be asking you to go back—not to relive the past, but to allow Him to heal what remains?

Remember the three N’s:

• Name what is true about your season.• Notice the evidence of God’s grace.• Take your next faithful step.

Join us next Wednesday for Part 2 with Terri Thomas.

Content note: This episode includes a brief discussion of childhood abuse, grief and trauma recovery.

#DAWNConversations #Becoming #BookOfRuth

Sometimes what looks like an ending may actually be God inviting us to pause, listen, and return with greater clarity.

In this season-opening episode of DAWN Conversations, PD Sue introduces our theme, BECOMING: Living Aware of God, and walks through Ruth 1—a story filled with loss, transition, loyalty, uncertain beginnings, and the quiet providence of God.

Naomi’s feelings did not immediately change, but her direction did. She took the next faithful step while she was still grieving—and arrived in Bethlehem just as the harvest was beginning.

This episode introduces three practices we’ll carry throughout the season:

Name what is true about your present season.Notice the quiet evidence of God’s grace.Next: Ask God for your next faithful step—and take it.

God’s quietness is not the same as God’s absence. He is not waiting for you only at the end of your story; He is present with you now.

Scripture: Ruth 1

Coming next: PD Sue’s three-part conversation with Terri Thomas about identity, contentment, spiritual maturity, and learning that Jesus is enough.

Join the conversation and consider: Which do you need most today—Name, Notice, or Next?

When Life Gets Loud: Returning to the Secret Place

DAWN Conversations — Episode 7

What happens when vacation ends and life immediately becomes loud again?

In this first solo episode of DAWN Conversations, PD Sue reflects on the tension between serving God and remaining intimately connected to Him. After returning from vacation to a demanding week of ministry, meetings, teaching, community outreach, and podcasting, she realized how easily meaningful time with God could be displaced by urgent responsibilities.

This candid conversation explores grief, rest, spiritual intimacy, caregiving, accountability, and the danger of allowing busyness to disguise itself as fruitfulness. PD Sue also shares personal reflections about losing her mother in March and considers whether a constantly full schedule has kept her from fully sitting with her grief.

Through the example of Mary and Martha and Jesus’ invitation to abide in John 15, this episode reminds us that God does not merely want us to do things for Him. He desires to walk with us through everything He has called us to do.

In This Episode

The difference between living for God and living with God

How ministry can slowly become work instead of worship

Why busyness is not always the same as fruitfulness

Returning to life and responsibility after vacation

Creating margin rather than merely escaping to another location

Recognizing and processing delayed grief

Memories of PD Sue’s mother and the legacy of love she left

Why communication preserves intimacy in relationships

Refusing to allow urgency to become your master

Caring for yourself while continually caring for others

The importance of accountability and shared responsibility

Practicing silence before Scripture

Writing before scrolling

Praying without an agenda

Returning to Jesus as our first love

Central Question

Are you living for God—or are you living with God?

It is possible to remain extremely active in ministry while becoming increasingly disconnected from the presence of the One we are serving. Abiding means allowing Christ to remain at the center of our work, relationships, responsibilities, rest, and grief.

Key Takeaways

Busyness Can Resemble Fruitfulness

A full schedule may make us feel productive, but activity is not always evidence of spiritual effectiveness. Fruitfulness flows from connection to Christ.

Ministry Must Flow From Intimacy

Preparing messages, leading others, and fulfilling ministry responsibilities cannot replace personal time with God. We need His presence for ourselves—not only for what we plan to give others.

Grief Needs Room

Continuing to function does not necessarily mean we have processed a loss. Sometimes the soul needs enough quiet and margin to acknowledge what the heart has experienced.

Rest Is an Act of Stewardship

Our bodies belong to God. Listening to them, caring for them, and allowing them to rest are parts of faithful stewardship—not signs of laziness or weakness.

Urgency Is a Poor Master

Not every demand deserves immediate access to us. Learning to pause helps us discern what God is asking us to carry and what should be entrusted to others.

You Already Have Access

God’s presence is not something we must earn. Through Christ, we are invited to approach Him as daughters who are deeply loved.

Practices for Returning to the Secret Place

Begin with silence before reading Scripture.

Write or journal before opening social media.

Pray without immediately presenting requests.

Ask others to help carry responsibilities.

Schedule protected time to rest and listen.

Notice what your body and soul are communicating.

This Week’s Abide Challenge

Spend ten uninterrupted minutes with Jesus every day.

During those ten minutes:

Put away your phone.

Release your checklist.

Set aside sermon, lesson, or podcast preparation.

Resist the pressure to perform.

Ask, “Jesus, what do You want to say to me today?”

Write down what you sense Him placing on your heart.

Scripture References

John 15:4–5

Luke 10:38–42

Ecclesiastes 4:9–10

Proverbs 8–9

1 Corinthians 6:19–20

Hebrews 4:16

Galatians 6:9

Quotes From the Episode

“Before you know it, you’ve gone several days living for God instead of living with God.”

“Ministry can become work instead of worship.”

“Sometimes we think we need a vacation, but what we actually need is margin.”

“I had to intentionally choose not to let urgency become my master.”

“You don’t have to earn God’s presence. You have already been invited—just show up.”

Reflection Questions

What has been making life feel loud for you?

Has urgency become your master in any area?

Are you doing things for God without consistently spending time with God?

What responsibilities could you share with someone else?

What grief, exhaustion, or emotion may need room to surface?

What would returning to the secret place look like this week?

Mentioned in This Episode

The First Ladies by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray

“I Speak Jesus”

DAWN’s summer theme: Abide

The ten-minute daily Abide Challenge

About DAWN Conversations

DAWN stands for Daily Affirming Women’s Network. DAWN Conversations creates space for honest stories, biblical encouragement, spiritual growth, and meaningful discussions that help women become who God created them to be.

Our summer invitation is simple:

Learn to be with Jesus before doing for Jesus.

Join the Conversation

What is one practice that helps you quiet the noise and reconnect with God?

Share your answer in the comments, subscribe to DAWN Conversations, and send this episode to a woman who needs permission to slow down and return to the presence of Jesus.

Permission to Pause

Sometimes the most spiritual thing we can do is stop.

This week, my husband, Pastor Rohan Thompson, joins me for an honest conversation about what God taught us during our recent family vacation to Pawleys Island, South Carolina.

Although we stepped away from our normal ministry rhythm, we quickly discovered that rest doesn't happen automatically. It requires intentionality.

In this episode we discuss:

Why leaders often struggle to rest

The difference between being away and actually unplugging

How family rhythms help protect what matters most

What our children taught us during vacation

Why delegation is an act of trust

The surprising lessons we learned after getting lost on the beach

Why vacation should never become a vacation from God

Whether you're a pastor, caregiver, parent, volunteer, entrepreneur, or simply someone carrying heavy responsibilities, this conversation is an invitation to breathe.

Because rest isn't weakness.

Rest isn't selfish.

Rest is worship.

Scripture

Mark 6:31

Psalm 23

Matthew 11:28–30

Exodus 20

There is something we sometimes forget when listening to another person’s testimony: the person telling the story had to live through every painful part of it.

We hear the ending. We see the family photograph. We celebrate the degree, the career, the children, the restored life. But the person sharing the testimony once stood in a place where none of those outcomes were guaranteed.

There was no tidy conclusion yet.

No beautiful bow.

No certainty that the story would turn out the way she hoped.

That is what stayed with me after my conversation with Dr. Victoria Ehima.

Victoria describes herself as “that woman the Lord has shown mercy.” After hearing even a portion of her story, I understand why those words carry so much weight for her.

She has known joy, but she has also walked through incredibly deep waters.

She lost her first son after an emergency delivery at only 24 weeks. She later suffered a life-threatening stroke caused by a blood clot that traveled to her brain. The stroke left the left side of her body paralyzed. She went from using a wheelchair to a walker and then a cane as she slowly learned how to navigate life again.

And still, her story continued.

Faith formed long before the crisis

Victoria was born and raised in Nigeria. As she described her childhood, she talked about prayer as something woven into the atmosphere around her.

Churches prayed early in the morning. The sounds of people calling on God could be heard throughout the community. Her parents—especially her mother—made sure she was surrounded by faith and the things of God from an early age.

Listening to her reminded me that we often do not realize how the faith being formed in us today will sustain us tomorrow.

The Scriptures we are learning now matter.

The prayers we are praying now matter.

The habit of going into God’s presence matters.

We do not always know when we will need to reach for what has already been planted deeply within us.

For Victoria, one of those moments came while she was holding her first son.

Psalm 23 in the valley

After Victoria’s baby was delivered prematurely, he was placed on life support in the NICU. Doctors later discovered bleeding in his brain and spoke with Victoria and her husband about the devastating decisions before them.

They were allowed time to hold their son.

As Victoria held him, she began reciting Psalm 23.

“The Lord is my shepherd…”

But when she reached the words, “Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,” she broke down.

She was not merely reading about a valley.

She was standing in one.

She was holding her child while confronting the reality of death. Psalm 23 was no longer simply a familiar passage. It became the language of her grief.

That part of our conversation deeply moved me because grief has a way of changing how we hear Scripture. Verses we have read many times suddenly meet us differently when we are hurting.

The words do not remove the pain. They do not rush us through the valley. But they remind us that we are not walking through it alone.

“For You are with me.”

Sometimes that is the promise we have to hold when we cannot hold anything else.

Before her son died, Victoria spoke to him. She told him to return peacefully to the God who gave him. Then she said something remarkable:

“When you come back, please bring your sister.”

She believed that one day she would have a boy and a girl.

At the time, there was no evidence that this would happen. There was only grief, faith, and a prayer she placed before God.

When another crisis came

After returning home, Victoria experienced a stroke.

She woke one morning unable to understand what was happening to her body. The left side of her body had become paralyzed. When she attempted to stand, she fell and hit her head. Confusion set in, and she could not even think clearly enough to use her phone to call for help.

Eventually, she received medical treatment and entered rehabilitation.

Doctors told her that the blood clot in her brain was large enough that it should have killed her.

But it did not.

That is why she says she is a woman shown mercy.

Not because nothing painful ever happened to her. Not because she avoided every valley. But because she can look back over a life that should have ended and see that God preserved her.

Mercy does not always mean we are spared from the battle.

Sometimes mercy is the reason we are still here to tell the story.

From rehabilitation to returning to school

One part of Victoria’s testimony that I especially loved was what happened while she was recovering at home.

She went back to school.

She began her bachelor’s degree online while still recovering from the stroke. She later completed her master’s degree and earned her doctorate. At the time of our conversation, she had also recently passed her certification examination in Nursing Informatics.

Think about that.

The woman who once had to progress from a wheelchair to a walker and then a cane continued moving forward academically and professionally.

She did not look like what she had been through.

In fact, during our Rapid Fire segment, when I asked what people might be surprised to know about her, she answered by pointing to her faith and then said:

“I don’t look like what I’ve been through.”

That sentence deserves a pause.

Some people are carrying testimonies we would never recognize simply by looking at them. Their lives may appear polished now, but we do not know the cost of the oil they carry. We do not know the nights they cried, the diagnoses they received, the things they lost, or the strength it took to keep moving.

Be careful about assuming that someone’s current chapter tells you the whole story.

The boy and the girl

Despite the risks and the fear surrounding another pregnancy, Victoria continued to believe God for children.

When she discovered she was pregnant again, she told her husband she believed she was carrying twins.

Later, during the ultrasound, she saw the first gestational sac.

Then she saw the second.

She immediately knew: twins.

But she continued believing for the rest of the prayer—a boy and a girl.

And that is what she and her husband received.

Their twins are now preparing to enter their senior year of high school.

I want to be careful here because the birth of the twins did not erase the life or loss of their first son. New joy does not cancel old grief. A new child does not replace the child who died.

But God gave Victoria and her husband beauty alongside the sorrow they carried.

He allowed grief and fulfillment to exist within the same story.

And, as Victoria shared, even the birth of the twins was not the end of her medical journey. There is still more of her testimony to tell—so much more, in fact, that I have already told her she must return for another conversation.

What waiting can produce

During our SALT segment—Sweet Affirming Ladies Talk—I asked Victoria what she would say to the woman who feels forgotten by God.

Her answer was simple, but it was not shallow:

“Your waiting is not in vain.”

She explained that waiting can become a place where our faith and intimacy with God deepen. She described delay as a season of divine preparation.

I know that we often say, “Delay is not denial.” It is a powerful encouragement, but I also believe we must hold that statement tenderly.

We cannot promise one another that every prayer will be answered exactly as we envision it. Faith is not a formula through which we control the outcome.

Trust is deeper than that.

Trust says, “God, I believe You are good even when I do not yet know what You will do.”

Trust says, “I will remain near You while I wait.”

Trust says, “My life is in Your hands, not because I understand everything, but because You do.”

That brought our conversation directly back to Proverbs 3:5–6:

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart,and lean not on your own understanding;in all your ways acknowledge Him,and He shall direct your paths.”

We want understanding because understanding can make us feel safe. We want the plan, the timeline, the reason, and the guarantee.

But sometimes God does not give us all the information.

Sometimes He asks us to lean on His wisdom rather than our own.

Abiding at His feet

When I asked Victoria about her favorite woman in Scripture, her answer was Mary of Bethany.

That was fitting.

Mary understood the value of sitting at Jesus’ feet. She knew how to worship. She knew that His presence was not a distraction from what mattered; His presence was what mattered most.

Victoria described her own time with Jesus in much the same way: worship music, the Bible, prayer, meditation, and simply resting in His presence.

That is what we have been talking about throughout this summer’s ABIDE series:

Learning to be with Jesus before doing for Jesus.

Abiding does not mean we will never experience grief.

It does not mean we will always understand God’s timing.

It does not mean the medical report will always say what we hoped it would say.

Abiding means we remain connected to Jesus in all of it.

In the hospital.

In the waiting.

In the rehabilitation center.

In the classroom.

In the fulfillment.

In the questions that still have no answers.

We stay near.

Her final encouragement

At the end of our conversation, I asked Victoria what one truth she wanted every woman listening to remember.

Her answer was direct:

Have faith in God.

Not faith in a specific outcome.

Not faith in our ability to make everything turn out well.

Faith in God.

The God who knows all.

The God who sees what we cannot see.

The God who remains present in the valley.

The God whose mercy is new every morning.

Dr. Victoria Ehima’s story is not merely a story about surviving a stroke or eventually giving birth to twins. It is a story about what it means to keep turning toward God when life moves beyond our control.

And perhaps that is the invitation for each of us today:

Do not wait until you understand everything to trust Him.

Do not wait until the grief is gone to sit at His feet.

Do not wait until the testimony has a beautiful ending to believe that He is still with you.

Keep abiding.

Keep praying.

Keep leaning into His wisdom.

Your waiting is not empty when God is meeting you in it.

Watch the Conversation

DAWN Conversations with Dr. Victoria EhimaAbiding Through Loss: Trusting God When You Can’t Control the Outcome

HERE

Content note: This conversation includes discussion of pregnancy complications, premature birth, infant loss, stroke, paralysis, hospitalization, and medical trauma. Please care for yourself as you watch or listen.

Sit With This

Where are you struggling because you cannot control the outcome?

What would it look like to lean on God’s wisdom instead of demanding immediate understanding?

How might God be inviting you to remain near Him in this season—not simply until the answer comes, but because His presence is your true place of rest?

Share your reflections in the comments. Your words may be the encouragement another woman needs today.

Grace and peace,PD Sue

Learning to be with Jesus before doing for Jesus.

Deeper Church Women's Newsletter is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Recently, I had the honor of sitting down with my good friend—and truly my sister from another mister—Kim Jarvis.

Kim is one of those rare women who simply makes you love Jesus more. She is a gem in Christendom. Her life is a well of beautiful things that just keep springing forth, and I have personally been blessed to be a recipient of her many gifts, her servant’s heart, and her unwavering faith.

As we talked, I found myself smiling, laughing, reflecting, and even being challenged. That’s what happens when you’re around someone who has learned to trust God—not just in the victories, but in the waiting.

Our conversation couldn’t have come at a better time.

This summer, our DAWN community is embracing one simple word:

ABIDE.

We’re learning what it means to be with Jesus before doing for Jesus. And if I’m honest, abiding often feels a lot less exciting than accomplishing.

Abiding requires waiting.

Listening.

Trusting.

Following God’s pace instead of our own.

Kim reminded me of something we don’t always like to admit: sometimes God doesn’t show us the whole staircase. Sometimes He doesn’t even show us the next step. He simply asks us to trust Him enough to move when He says move—and to stay still when He says wait. That truth became the heartbeat of our conversation, rooted in the picture of Israel following the cloud by day and the fire by night.

As Kim shared her story, I was struck by how often God prepares us in places we never would have chosen.

She talked openly about the pain of infertility after dreaming of having a large family. For six years she and her husband waited, questioned, prayed, and wondered why God seemed silent. Looking back now, she can see that God wasn’t withholding something good—He was strengthening their marriage before entrusting them with parenthood. And even though that season was incredibly painful, she now sees how God’s plan made room for spiritual sons and daughters, youth ministry, missions, and women around the world whose lives she has been able to influence.

That part of our conversation stayed with me long after the cameras stopped rolling.

How many times have I prayed for something that, in hindsight, would have limited what God was preparing me to do?

How many times have I mistaken God’s delay for His denial?

Kim’s story reminded me that God is never late. His timing is never random. Even when we don’t understand it, He is faithfully working beneath the surface.

We also talked about church hurt—a subject that touches more people than we often realize. What I appreciated most was Kim’s honesty. She didn’t minimize the pain, but neither did she allow it to define her. Through healing, she came to recognize that while people had failed her, God never had. That perspective didn’t come overnight, but it became part of her journey toward freedom.

One of my favorite moments in the interview came as we talked about her work in neonatal medicine.

Every day, Kim helps resuscitate premature babies—tiny lives that require careful attention, patience, and a willingness to trust the process. As we talked, we realized that what she does professionally mirrors what God often does spiritually. We don’t skip steps in neonatal care because every step matters. Likewise, in our walk with Christ, we cannot rush past the lessons God is teaching us in the waiting. The next step only makes sense after we’ve faithfully taken the one before it.

I don’t know where you find yourself today.

Maybe you’re waiting for healing.

Maybe you’re praying for a child.

Maybe you’re wondering why God hasn’t opened the door you thought He would.

Or maybe you’re simply trying to discern your next step.

Wherever you are, I hope this conversation reminds you that the same God who led Israel with a cloud by day and fire by night is still leading His people today. He hasn’t forgotten you. He’s not behind schedule. He’s inviting you to trust Him one faithful step at a time.

And if you’re local to the Dallas, Georgia area, I hope you’ll consider attending the upcoming Grace Neema Women’s Gathering on Saturday, July 11, at Deeper Church. Kim shares more about the heart behind Grace Neema during our conversation, and I know it will be a meaningful time of worship, encouragement, and connection.

You can register here:https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc5LRUDud9TdDi-LFW_I0No4F71kNYqT7XjYMUhcwjsp7ayzw/viewform

Thank you, as always, for being part of this growing DAWN community. Every conversation reminds me why I started this podcast—not simply to tell stories, but to create a place where women encounter the faithfulness of God through the lives of other women.

Until next time...

Keep abiding.

Keep trusting.

And don’t move until the Cloud moves.

With love,

PD Sue

Deeper Church Women's Newsletter is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

DAWN Conversations – Episode 3 Show Notes

Waiting Well: Faith, Finances & Learning to Rest with Melissa Cranon

Host: PD SueGuest: Melissa Cranon

Episode Summary

What do you do when life doesn't unfold the way you expected?

In this heartfelt episode of DAWN Conversations, PD Sue welcomes Melissa Cranon—a Chief Financial Officer, author of Go Figure, wife, mother, and bonus mom—for an honest conversation about faith through life's unexpected seasons.

Melissa shares her powerful testimony of surviving a difficult first marriage, navigating 17 years as a single mother, overcoming the pressure to "prove herself," and discovering that God wasn't simply calling her to survive—but to wait well.

Together, PD Sue and Melissa explore the difference between striving and abiding, the importance of learning to hear God's voice, trusting Him as our ultimate Provider, stewarding finances wisely, and allowing Him to prepare us for every new season.

Whether you're waiting for healing, provision, marriage, direction, or simply longing for deeper rest in Christ, this conversation offers biblical encouragement, practical wisdom, and hope.

In This Episode

Melissa's journey from a sheltered upbringing to making her faith her own

Learning to hear God's voice through quietness instead of constant striving

Walking through divorce and choosing peace over a toxic relationship

Seventeen years of single motherhood and God's faithful provision

The difference between simply waiting and waiting well

Why God is our Source—not our job, paycheck, or relationships

Overcoming insecurity, comparison, and the need to prove ourselves

Practical biblical principles for financial stewardship

Preparing for marriage by first learning to submit to God

Learning to rest in Christ instead of living in survival mode

Key Takeaways

"Waiting isn't wasted when God is shaping you."

"God is your Source. Everything else is a resource."

"Waiting well means staying connected, staying aligned, and trusting God's process."

"You don't have to prove yourself when your identity is secure in Christ."

"Some victories don't require fighting—they require trusting."

Scripture Focus

Matthew 11:28–30

"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest... and you will find rest for your souls."

Mentioned in This Episode

Go Figure

By Melissa Cranon

A practical resource offering six tools to help women steward their finances with wisdom, confidence, and biblical principles.

Book Purchase Link

Reflection Questions

Where am I striving instead of abiding?

What fear has been driving my decisions lately?

Am I talking to God more than I'm listening?

What does "waiting well" look like in my current season?

Do I truly believe that God is my Source?

Challenge for the Week

Spend time each day in Matthew 11:28–30.

Rather than beginning your prayer time with a list of requests, begin with silence.

Ask:

"Lord, what do You want to say to me today?"

Practice listening before speaking.

Connect with Melissa Cranon

📖 Book: Go Figure

📷 Instagram: (Add Melissa's handle)

📘 Facebook: (Add Facebook page)

🌐 Website: (Add website if applicable)

Connect with DAWN

🎥 Watch this episode on YouTube:https://youtu.be/vCqZcj1ApQs

Thank you for joining us for another episode of DAWN Conversations.

If today's conversation encouraged you, please subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with another woman who may be walking through a season of waiting.

Music Credit

Music featured in this episode was created using licensed audio available through CapCut.

Follow DAWN Conversations

Join us as we continue our ABIDE summer series, where we're learning to be with Jesus before doing for Jesus.

Until next time… stay rooted, stay encouraged, and keep abiding.

Connect with Melissa

📖 Book: Go Figure

📷 Instagram: @melycole

📘 Facebook: Melissa Coles Cranon

Watch the Full Conversation

🎥 YouTube:

If this episode encouraged you, would you consider sharing it with another woman who may be walking through a waiting season? You never know how God may use one conversation to remind someone that they have not been forgotten.

Until next time...

Stay rooted. Stay encouraged. Keep abiding.

Grace and peace,

PD Sue

DAWN Conversations | Episode 2

Abiding in the In-Between | Pastor Suzette Williams | DAWN Conversations Ep. 2

What do you do when God has given you a promise, but the fulfillment hasn't yet arrived?

In this episode of DAWN Conversations, PD Sue sits down with Pastor Suzette Williams—Worship Pastor at Deeper Church, counselor, mother, leader, and twin sister—to discuss what it means to abide in Christ during the "in-between" season: the space between promise and fulfillment.

Together, they explore:

• Trusting God in seasons of waiting

• Why the "in-between" is often where God does His deepest work

• Healing and forgiveness as a process

• Women in ministry and leadership

• Building while you wait

• Practical ways to abide in Christ daily

• God's faithfulness in every season

Whether you're in a planting season, a waiting season, or an "almost there" season, this conversation will encourage you to trust God's timing and remain connected to the Vine.

Key Scriptures

📖 John 15:4

📖 Proverbs 3:5-6

📖 Habakkuk 2:3

📖 Psalm 119

In This Episode

00:00 – Introduction

03:00 – What does "the in-between" season mean?

10:30 – Trusting God while waiting for the promise

20:15 – Healing, forgiveness, and emotional restoration

31:00 – Women in ministry and leadership

40:00 – Practical ways to abide daily

50:00 – Encouragement for women in their waiting season

Memorable Quote

"The in-between is often where God does His deepest work."

Connect with DAWN

YouTube: Deeper Church

Instagram: @deeperchurchdallas

Facebook: Deeper Church

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Grace and peace,

PD Sue

Host, DAWN Conversations

Learning to be with Jesus before doing for Jesus.