Fierce Calling

Welcome back to Fierce Calling! In today’s episode, I welcome a very special duo: mother-daughter team Donna and Charity Amidon. Donna—an accomplished author, speaker, and Bible teacher—returns to the show to talk about her impactful book, Tracing His Promise: Understanding the Bigger Story of Jesus and What That Means for Us. But this time, there’s a creative twist: Donna’s daughter, Charity, an exceptional artist and illustrator, joins the conversation to share her unique role in bringing this project to life.

Together, Donna and Charity reveal how a simple Advent family tradition grew into a beloved Bible study—one that seamlessly connects Old Testament Scriptures to the promises fulfilled in Jesus. We’ll hear behind-the-scenes stories about how illustrations that started as small doodles at the kitchen table grew into the artwork that now graces the pages of Donna’s book, as well as full-color Christmas ornaments, inviting families to create meaningful Advent traditions.

You’ll also get practical ideas for using the book at home, in small groups, or as part of your church community, plus inspiration on how to use your own gifts to impact others for Christ.

Whether you’re looking for hope in God’s timing, new ways to engage with Scripture, or encouragement to pursue your calling, this episode is sure to uplift you. Let’s dive into this heartwarming conversation about faith, creativity, advent, and God’s faithfulness across generations!

We're Talking About This Amazing Book and More!

P.S. Planning your fall Bible study or Christmas Advent? Now’s the perfect time to explore Tracing His Promise! And if you do, be sure to share your experience with us. We’d love to hear—and maybe feature your story, too!

Episode Highlights

00:00 "Book Discussion with Charity"

07:31 Divine Preparation and Small Beginnings

11:46 Art, Passion, and Impact

14:00 Mother-Daughter Art Collaboration

18:04 "Illustrations Enhanced with Color PDF"

20:51 Bible Study Book's Progression

23:19 Exploring the Old Testament Together

27:10 "Fulfilled Prophecies: Hidden Treasures"

30:17 Empowering Youth Through Faith Sharing

34:37 "Passover's Symbolic Link to Jesus"

37:49 Faith's Universality Through Art

40:24 Trusting God's Perfect Timing

43:19 Trust God's Timing

47:30 Gratitude and Future Invitations

Connect with Donna!

You can connect with Donna at donnaamidon.org, where you'll find out more about the book, her blog, and speaking.

Follow & connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/donnaamidon_/

Follow & connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ignitetheheart/

A graduate of Southern Evangelical Seminary, Donna is an author, speaker, musician, and lover of all things Bible. For over two decades, Donna has been helping women engage with the rich truths of Scripture and apply them to everyday life. 

With a heart for the local church, Donna has served as a Bible teacher, worship leader, radio broadcaster, small groups director, and pastor’s wife. Donna brings Scripture to life with clarity, heart, and just the right touch of humor, leaving her audience both challenged and refreshed. 

Donna regularly shares at women's conferences, retreats, and church gatherings. She also serves as a Spiritual Fitness Coach with Back to the Bible, where she hosts short video messages to encourage Christians in their spiritual journey. 

Her first book, Tracing His Promise, invites readers to see Jesus throughout the Old Testament and discover God's faithfulness from creation to the cradle.

Donna and her husband, Ryan, live in Virginia with their adult daughter and teenage son.

Connect with Charity!

You can connect with Charity and find her amazing art at https://www.luckydogart.com/

Follow & connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amidonartstudio/

Follow & connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/luckydogart/

Link to view more about the book and see Charity's art and ornaments:

https://www.donnaamidon.org/tracinghispromise

You can find the downloadable PDFs with the ornaments at the back of the book (pg. 297) via a special QR code!

My Endorsement Written for Tracing His Promise:

"Tracing His Promise is a powerful, biblically grounded study that reveals profound connections between Old Testament Scripture and the coming Messiah who was born in Bethlehem and is undeniably Jesus. Throughout the study, Amidon illuminates for the reader the significance of events, prophecies, and people of Old Testament times, and not only how they connect directly to Jesus's birth, but also how Jesus was present from the beginning of it all. Amidon engages readers through thought-provoking questions, impactful illustrations, and deep insight. She invites families to incorporate the Jesse Tree into their Christmas traditions and provides creative ideas and downloadable ornaments to help them assemble their own Jesse Tree. Amidon's passion is evident at every turn of the page, while she helps her readers make golden-nugget connections hidden in plain sight. This study is unique and impactful! Don't miss it!" --Doris Swift, host of the Fierce Calling Podcast and author of Surrender the Joy Stealers: Rediscover the Jesus Joy in You

What Threatens to Steal Your Joy?

Check out Surrender the Joy Stealers: Rediscover the Jesus Joy in You 6-week Bible study rooted in John 15. You can find more info at https://dorisswift.com/book/

Let’s Stay Connected!

Find my free resources including Fear Fighting Bible Verses, Simple Tips for Sharing Your Faith, Surrender the Joy Stealers, Step Out of Your Doubt and Into Your Calling ebook, and more on my dorisswift.com homepage!

Love Fierce Calling?

Did you know that following, rating, and leaving a review over at Podchaser or Apple Podcasts helps others discover the show too? I would so appreciate it, friend!

Need a Speaker for Your Next Women’s Event? Now Booking for 2026!

Check out my speaking page, grab my flyer, and let’s talk about me speaking at your next women’s event…

Thanks for Listening!

I hope this episode encouraged, inspired, and challenged you to cultivate community, live and walk in the value, purpose, and worth God gave you, and take action where your passion, compassion, and conviction intersect.

If you're looking for a speaker for your next women's conference, retreat, luncheon, or workshop, reach out and connect with me on my speaker page at https://www.womenspeakers.com/florida/edgewater/speaker/doris-swift

Let's have a chat about your next event!

Stay tuned for more amazing content and remember to check the show notes for all the links mentioned.

Thank you for being a part of our community. We are grateful for your continued support and encourage you to embrace the unique gifts that make you magnificently you.

I hope you'll join me next time when I talk with another guest who is taking action where her passion, compassion, and conviction intersect ...

Until then friend, have a blessed week, and I'll talk to you soon.

With love and joy,

Doris

P.S. Don't forget to follow us on social media for bite-sized wisdom and inspiration from Doris and our incredible guests! 📲

Transcript

Doris [00:01:53]:Welcome back to the show. Today. I'm excited to have a return guest, which this is Donna's, I think, third time on the show. And I'm excited to have her back. Donna Amadon. And she is an author, a speaker, a Bible teacher, and just amazing author. And we're going to talk about one of her books today. And we also have an amazing other guest with us, Charity Amadon, and she is Donna's daughter.

Doris [00:02:21]:So we are so excited and blessed to have both of them here together because there's a special connection that they're going to share about this book. And the book I have behind me here is amazing. It's called Tracing His Promise, Understanding the Bigger Story of Jesus and what that means for us. And we're going to be talking about this among other things. So I'm excited to get started. Welcome to the show. It's great to have you both.

Donna Amidon [00:02:49]:Thank you.

Charity Amidon [00:02:50]:Hey, thank you.

Doris [00:02:51]:All right, well, we've talked a little bit about the book before on, you know, the past episode, but there's a special twist that we did not have before, and that was also inviting Charity into the conversation and how she was connected with this book. So how, however the Lord leads, if you want to, you know, Donna, if you want to kind of lean in first and then bring Charity into how this all connected, because this book is powerful. And I'll tell you, I'm actually also going to lead this book as a Bible study at our church in the fall, and we're going to talk more about that. But I can't wait to help, ladies, to read through it and just dig in to what this means for us. Exactly, as the subtitle says. So. So yeah, Donna, if you could share a little bit more about that. And of course, this is how you're taking action, where your passion, compassion, and conviction intersect.

Doris [00:03:48]:Oh, and also, I wanted to also mention, too, that Charity is an amazing artist and illustrator. So that gives you a little hint about what we're going to talk about. So go ahead, Donna. Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt you sure?

Donna Amidon [00:04:05]:Well, it's just funny how God orchestrates things and how he sees the whole picture of your life in mind. And we get so kind of trapped in one day at a time, but he just has a bigger plan all the time. And we really saw this happen with how this book kind of blossomed. And it really started about eight years ago. I was leading a Bible study at a church, and it was fall about this time of year. And I'm praying, God, what do I teach these precious ladies. And I had picked out a book that I kind of liked, but was a little hesitant and just didn't have th

Welcome back to Fierce Calling! In today’s episode, host Doris Swift sits down with Kate Battistelli—author, speaker, and one of the hosts of the popular Mom to Mom Podcast. Kate shares her powerful story of stepping from a career in theater and the New York Broadway scene into an unexpected life of faith, family, and purpose after coming to know Christ at the age of 29.

Together, Doris and Kate explore what it means to step into unknown seasons—such as the empty nest—and discover new meaning and purpose beyond motherhood. Kate reflects on her journey, from being a Broadway understudy to embracing roles as a mother to the award-winning Christian music artist, Francesca Battistelli, grandmother to 7, wife, and writer, all while encouraging women to boldly obey God’s call, even if it means venturing outside their comfort zones.

We're talking about her career in theater opposite a well-known actor, how she met her hubby, their sweet salvation story, and how God has amazing plans and a powerful purpose for each of our lives.

You’ll also hear practical tips for navigating life transitions, building strong marriages, mentoring the next generation, and saying “yes” to unexpected challenges—whether it’s writing a book, starting a podcast, or simply volunteering.

Stick around until the end for a special offer from Kate, and get ready to be inspired to step out where your passion, compassion, and conviction intersect!

Episode Highlights

00:00 "Writer, Podcaster, Former Actress"

04:20 Exciting Stories and New Offers

10:25 From Understudy to Leading Role

12:45 "Unexpected Encounter at Holiness Church"

14:35 "Life-Changing Divine Calling"

20:30 Faithful Obedience and Calling

22:12 Redefining Life After Parenting

25:44 "Preparing for Future Goals"

28:20 Prioritize Relationship Over Parenting

31:31 Finding Purpose Beyond Motherhood

34:32 Pray for Prodigal Children's Return

38:02 Impact Through Obedience

42:06 "Join, Share, and Connect"

We're Talking About Her Amazing Books and More!

Connect with Kate!

You can connect with Kate at katebattistelli.com where you'll find her books, social media links, podcast, blog, and even some amazing recipes!

Plus, If you'd like to read the introduction and the first chapter of The Afterparty of the Empty Nest for free, just text: afterparty (all one word with no spaces), to 44144. And you'll get a couple of other fun goodies as well!

Kate Battistelli is the author of The After Party of the Empty Nest: Mom is Not Your Only Name, the bestseller, The God Dare: Will You Choose to Believe the Impossible, and Growing Great Kids: Partner with God to Cultivate His Purpose in Your Child’s Life. She is a contributing writer to the (in)courage Bible for Women and The Spirit-Led Woman’s Bible, and her writing has appeared in Guideposts, The Joyful Life magazine, The Better Mom, Mici magazine, and more. She is one-third of the popularMom to Mom Podcast. In addition, she is an honoree with She Leads Tennessee.

As a young actress in New York City, Kate had a life-changing experience, going from understudy to starring as Anna in theBroadway National Tour of The King and I opposite Yul Brynner for more than 1,000 performances. Kate and her husband laid down their careers in the Broadway theatre in answer to their first “God Dare,” moving out of New York City and into a life of homeschooling and home business. She lives in Franklin, TN, near her daughter, contemporary Christian recording artist Francesca Battistelli, and seven precious grandchildren. Kate serves women by encouraging them to step out of their safe space and into His irresistible future.

She's a Jersey girl living in Franklin, TN, with her husband Mike. They’ve been married for 40 plus years and are the parents of GRAMMY Award-winning Christian recording artist Francesca Battistelli Goodwin. She and her husband, Matt, have given us 7 beautiful grandchildren, and they are the delight of our lives!

What Threatens to Steal Your Joy?

Check out Surrender the Joy Stealers: Rediscover the Jesus Joy in You 6-week Bible study rooted in John 15. You can find more info at https://dorisswift.com/book/

Let’s Stay Connected!

Find my free resources including Fear Fighting Bible Verses, Simple Tips for Sharing Your Faith, Surrender the Joy Stealers, Step Out of Your Doubt and Into Your Calling ebook, and more on my dorisswift.com homepage!

Love Fierce Calling?

Did you know that following, rating, and leaving a review over at Podchaser or Apple Podcasts helps others discover the show too? I would so appreciate it, friend!

Need a Speaker for Your Next Women’s Event? Now Booking for 2026!

Check out my speaking page, grab my flyer, and let’s talk about me speaking at your next women’s event…

Thanks for Listening!

I hope this episode encouraged, inspired, and challenged you to cultivate community, live and walk in the value, purpose, and worth God gave you, and take action where your passion, compassion, and conviction intersect.

If you're looking for a speaker for your next women's conference, retreat, luncheon, or workshop, reach out and connect with me on my speaker page at https://www.womenspeakers.com/florida/edgewater/speaker/doris-swift

Let's have a chat about your next event!

Stay tuned for more amazing content and remember to check the show notes for all the links mentioned.

Thank you for being a part of our community. We are grateful for your continued support and encourage you to embrace the unique gifts that make you magnificently you.

I hope you'll join me next time when I talk with another guest who is taking action where her passion, compassion, and conviction intersect ...

Until then friend, have a blessed week, and I'll talk to you soon.

With love and joy,

Doris

P.S. Don't forget to follow us on social media for bite-sized wisdom and inspiration from Doris and our incredible guests! 📲

Transcript

Doris [00:00:52]:What is threatening to steal your joy? What is it that feels so heavy right now that you could barely stand? God has a plan and his plan is to surrender it. Surrender it to him. It might be a prodigal, it might be a relationship, a marriage, something with your job. So many things. We have so many amazing blessings, but there are so many things in our life that threaten to steal our joy. I'm Doris Swift, author of the award winning six week Bible study, Surrender the Joy. Rediscover the Jesus joy in you. And it helps women rediscover the overflowing, ever present Jesus joy within that fills, empowers and ripens the fruit that God produces in our lives.

Doris [00:02:32]:Using personal and biblical stories, I share how you can identify your joy stealers. Surrender them to God. Reawaken the joy within and share the joy with others. You can do it on your own or with a group. Check it out, friends. Surrender the joy stealers. Rediscover the Jesus joy in you. It's available on all the online retailers. It's time to take your joy back.

Doris [00:02:57]:Welcome back to the show today. I am so excited to introduce to you my friend, Kate Battistelli. I've been looking forward to this interview with her. She is the author of The After Party of the Empty Nest. Mom is Not Your Only Name. Amen. And she's also the author of the bestseller The God Dare, Will you choose to believe the impossible? And Growing Great Kids Partner with God to Cultivate His Purpose in Your Child's Life.

Doris [00:03:26]:And she is a contributing writer to a lot of different publications and she's also one third of the popular mom to mom podcast. So you listen to podcasts, so be sure to check that out. And she's also a former actress, so we're going to hear a little bit about that. It's kind of exciting. She currently lives in Franklin, Tennessee and she is near her daughter, who you probably know, she's the contemporary Christian recording artist Francesca Battistelli and she has seven precious grandchildren. So this is very exciting and a good reason to move to Tennessee. And I love this about Kate, that she serves women by encouraging them to step out of their safe space and into his irresistible future. I've never heard it put that way.

Doris [00:04:13]:So I, I'm really intrigued and I love that so much. Kate, welcome to the show.

Kate [00:04:17]:Thank you, Doris. I am thrilled to be here.

Doris [00:04:20]:I am so excited about this because we are going to talk about so many amazing things that are really going to bless the audience, the listener today. So Listener, stay tuned to the end because Kate has something exciting that she wants to offer you. So. So we don't want to miss out on that. And we are talking about the new book. But there's so many things, really, that are kind of intertwined in your story, Kate, and from your background and everything, that's so fascinating. And I just can't wait for you to share that. So I would love if you would share a little about your story, however the Lord leads you and how you are taking action, where your passion, compassion and conviction intersection.

Kate [00:05:03]:Yeah, I mean, my story is so quirky. I always tell people, you know, God just. God has a sense of humor because he took me from not knowing him to finding him at 29. So I didn't grow up in a Christian home. I grew up going to church. But there was never any, you know, any desire to know Jesus, and it was never really talked about. So I left home. I went to four colleges in two years.

Kate [00:05:28]:I didn't graduate from any of them. So I like to remind people I'm a college dropout. But that doesn't matter. You can still do lots of stuff. But I did get on the dean's list, so there's that. And my husband has a doctorate, so combined, kind of, you know, works, works, works in my favor. But, yeah, just had an interesting life. Now I'm married.

...

On today’s episode of Fierce Calling, I'm talking with Hadassah Treu, an award-winning international author, poet, and blogger, who is passionate about encouraging the brokenhearted and helping others find hope in difficult seasons. Hadassah encourages us to discover the blessings and purposes in the painful seasons of our lives.

From Bulgaria to Austria and back, Hadassah shared how her most painful experiences have become the birthplace of blessings, and how surrendering our struggles to God can transform our journey.

If you’re ready to rediscover lasting joy and resilience through faith, this episode is packed with wisdom and practical encouragement to help you keep moving forward, no matter what you’re facing. I know what Hadassah shares will encourage, inspire, and challenge you, so listen in while I have a chat with Hadassah Treu.

Episode Highlights

00:00 Surrender to Rediscover Joy

06:32 From Illusions to Spiritual Growth

09:46 Faith Journey Through Writing

13:01 Spiritual Journeys in Christian Europe

17:37 "Finding Growth Through Pain"

21:47 Faith and God's Definition of Good

24:53 Facing Failure: Losses and Gains

28:39 Pursuing Spiritual Maturity and Growth

30:58 Reflecting on God's Work Through Journaling

34:02 Prophetic Poetry of Eternal Hope

37:16 "New Creations in Christ"

40:14 Inspiring Interview with Hadassah

We're Talking About ...

Connect with Hadassah!

You can connect with Hadassah at onthewaybg.com where you'll find her blog posts, books, social media links, and helpful resources.

Hadassah Treu is an award-winning international author, blogger, poet, speaker, and spiritual growth mentor. She is the Encouraging Blogger Award Winner for 2020, the Literature Award Winner of the Municipality of Pazardzhik, Bulgaria for 2024, and a winner of the National Literary Translation Award “Stoyan Bakardzhiev”, Bulgaria for 2025.  Hadassah loves to encourage and motivate people to stand firm in the faith, and grow spiritually by applying biblical truths in their lives. She loves diving deeper into the Word of God and finding hidden treasures. Her blog is on the Top 100 Faith Blogs (spot 19) on the web by Feedspot in 2025.

Hadassah is a regular contributor to several faith-based platforms like Devotable, Koinonia, COMPEL Pro Proverbs 31 Ministries Blog,  COMPEL Pro Training Freelancing Group leader, and Blogger Voices Network contributor. She has been featured on The Upper Room, (In)Courage, Proverbs 31 Ministries, Her View From Home, Living by Design Ministries, Thoughts About God, Aletheia Today, Today’s Christian Living,   The Way Back to Ourselves, and other popular sites.

Hadassah is also a contributing author to 14 devotional and poetry anthologies. She is also the author of 2 poetry books in Bulgarian: “A Guarantee for Another Life” and “Memories Keeper.”

Her first solo book “Draw Near: How Painful Experiences Become a Birthplace of Blessings” with Calla Press Publishing was released on March 15,  2024. Order HERE!

Hadassah is no stranger to suffering and losses. From the platform of her greatest pains equipped with lessons gathered on the way, she delivers a powerful message of comfort and hope, found in God’s Word.

What Threatens to Steal Your Joy?

Check out Surrender the Joy Stealers: Rediscover the Jesus Joy in You 6-week Bible study rooted in John 15. You can find more info at https://dorisswift.com/book/

Let’s Stay Connected!

Find my free resources including Fear Fighting Bible Verses, Simple Tips for Sharing Your Faith, Surrender the Joy Stealers, Step Out of Your Doubt and Into Your Calling ebook, and more on my dorisswift.com homepage!

Love Fierce Calling?

Did you know that following, rating, and leaving a review over at Podchaser or Apple Podcasts helps others discover the show too? I would so appreciate it, friend!

Need a Speaker for Your Next Women’s Event? Now Booking for 2026!

Check out my speaking page, grab my flyer, and let’s talk about me speaking at your next women’s event…

Thanks for Listening!

I hope this episode encouraged, inspired, and challenged you to cultivate community, live and walk in the value, purpose, and worth God gave you, and take action where your passion, compassion, and conviction intersect.

If you're looking for a speaker for your next women's conference, retreat, luncheon, or workshop, reach out and connect with me on my speaker page at https://www.womenspeakers.com/florida/edgewater/speaker/doris-swift

Let's have a chat about your next event!

Stay tuned for more amazing content and remember to check the show notes for all the links mentioned.

Thank you for being a part of our community. We are grateful for your continued support and encourage you to embrace the unique gifts that make you magnificently you.

I hope you'll join me next time when I talk with another guest who is taking action where her passion, compassion, and conviction intersect ...

Until then friend, have a blessed week, and I'll talk to you soon.

With love and joy,

Doris

P.S. Don't forget to follow us on social media for bite-sized wisdom and inspiration from Doris and our incredible guests! 📲

Transcript

Doris Swift [00:01:40]:What is threatening to steal your joy? What is it that feels so heavy right now that you could barely stand? God has a plan and his plan is to surrender it. Surrender it to him. It might be a prodigal, it might be a relationship, a marriage, something with your job. So many things. We have so many amazing blessings, but there are so many things in our life that threaten to steal our joy. I'm Doris Swift, author of the award winning six week Bible study, Surrender the Joy. Rediscover the Jesus joy in you. And it helps women rediscover the overflowing, ever present Jesus joy within that fills, empowers and ripens the fruit that God produces in our lives.

Doris Swift [00:02:31]:Using personal and biblical stories, I share how you can identify your joy stealers. Surrender them to God. Reawaken the joy within and share the joy with others. You can do it on your own or with a group. Check it out, friends. Surrender the joy stealers. Rediscover the Jesus joy in you. It's available on all the online retailers.

Doris Swift [00:02:56]:It's time to take your joy back. Welcome back to the show. Today I'm excited to welcome my friend, Hadassah Troy. She is an award winning international authority poet. She's a popular blogger and speaker and she loves motivating people to grow in faith and keep a hopeful outlook, which I love that so much because right now we just need hope. We need to share hope. We need to allow people to know the hope of Christ and bring that to the forefront and share the gospel. So I love that Hadassah is doing that and we are going to also be talking about her book, Draw near how painful experiences, experiences become the birthplace of blessings.

Doris Swift [00:03:44]:And that alone should keep you listening throughout this whole episode. Thank you for being on the show. Welcome Hadassah.

Hadassah Treu [00:03:54]:So much stories. I love your podcast. I love the topic Fierce Calling. This is really amazing. And I love the word fears.

Doris Swift [00:04:02]:All right.

Hadassah Treu [00:04:04]:Really? Because. Because we need this. We need this as followers of Christ and as you said, in this dark world when chaos and frustration and everything is growing, so to say, in negative sense, we need to stay fierce. We need to stay brave. We need to start to stay resilient and keep following the Lord wherever he leads and keep making disciples because this is our greatest mission.

Doris Swift [00:04:33]:Amen. Amen. And you are coming to us from Bulgaria, which is amazing and I would love if you would share a little bit about your story, about your background, how you came to know Jesus and how you're taking action, where your passion, compassion and conviction intersect.

Hadassah Treu [00:04:54]:Yes, gladly. I'm coming from Bulgaria. I'm actually a Bulgarian and currently living in Bulgaria. It was not like this my whole life. And when I came to Christ, Bulgaria was still a communist country. So it was quite a wonder and miracle that I came to Christ as a teenager. Then for first time, I prayed to God, whom I didn't know, and placed like an ultimatum to the universe because I wanted that my life to find some meaning. I wanted simply meaning and purpose in my life.

Hadassah Treu [00:05:33]:And I felt this void, I felt this emptiness as a teenager. I guess a lot of teenagers are going through this phase, this is normal. But for me it was even heavier because I came from a family with difficult history and difficult relationships. And yeah, I needed God. So through arranging miraculous meetings and yeah, how only how God can do things, I came here, the gospel for the first time. And I immediately responded by faith. And this is how it all started. And then in my 30s, I met my future husband, the love of my life, so to say.

Hadassah Treu [00:06:32]:And he however, was not a Bulgarian, he was an Austrian. And we married and I lived for 15 years in Austria. This is really a beautiful country, so I highly recommend to visit. And then actually in my 30s, it all started. And by all I mean the painful losing of my illusions and the painful gaining of reality. So it all started with facing a lot of struggles like infertility, anxiety disorders, panic attacks, marriage problems and a lot of other painful experiences. But this was actually the, the deep phases of spiritual formation and spiritual growth. And five years ago I got another blow, so to say the heaviest in my life up to now.

Hadassah Treu [00:07:43]:I lost my husband unexpectedly. And yeah, this was followed by a lot of life altering changes. So I moved back to Bulgaria again, where I'm living here since four and a half years....

Welcome back to Fierce Calling! In this episode, host Doris Swift welcomes back her friend and returning guest, Rebecca George—author, speaker, and founder of the Radical Radiance podcast community. Doris and Rebecca dive into themes every woman can relate to, including living in that “in-between-almost-but-not-yet” season, and the struggle of waiting on God’s timing in a world telling us to hurry up, because we're falling behind.

Rebecca shares insights from her newest book, You're Not Too Late: Trusting God's Timing in a Hurry Up World, and opens up about how longing, comparison, and even resentment can creep in, no matter what stage of life you’re in. Together, Doris and Rebecca discuss faith and trusting God with hopes, dreams, and that thing we're longing for. They also talk about the importance of community, the dangers of the prosperity gospel, and how to cultivate spiritual resiliency in our everyday rhythms of waiting.

Whether you’re waiting for a breakthrough, struggling with unmet desires, or simply looking to find more joy right where you are, this episode promises wisdom, encouragement, and a reminder: it’s not too late for you. Join us as we lean into God’s timing, celebrate kingdom work, and find inspiration for your own fierce calling!

Episode Highlights

Introduction to Rebecca’s New Book: "You’re Not Too Late"

Book’s core message: Trusting God’s timing in a hurry-up world

Who the message is for and why it resonates

Living in the "In Between Almost-But-Not-Yet"

The tension of waiting and longing

Faithfulness in the "meanwhile"

Rebecca’s Story and Passion Intersection

Multiple hats Rebecca wears in life and ministry

Importance of community among writers, speakers, and podcasters

Creating environments free of competition and comparison

How real-life women’s stories are integrated

Each chapter’s exploration of an opposing mindset/emotion

Interactive aspects—readers relating to stories and self-reflection prompts

Shift in Book Focus: From Singleness to Bigger Picture Regarding Longing

Original intent as a "singleness" book

Expansion into broader themes of longing and desire

Recognizing longing continues even after certain desires are fulfilled

Coping with Longing and Waiting

Gospel-centered perspective versus earthly focus

Transitioning from struggle (despair, doubt, isolation) to hope (joy, community)

Challenges of comparison and resentment

Idolatry and Resentment in the Waiting

When desires become idols

Personal stories of jealousy and difficult emotions

Honest conversations with God about unmet desires

Navigating Comparison

The ongoing struggle with comparison

Coping with guilt over mixed emotions (joy for others, pain for self)

Reminder of true fulfillment found in God

Prosperity Gospel and Misguided Self-Help

Critique of self-help and prosperity gospel ideas infiltrating Christian messaging

Dangers of self-reliance and the myth that effort guarantees results

Importance of biblical truth as the foundation

Culture of Instant Gratification

How technology trains us to avoid waiting

Everyday habits undermining our resilience and patience

Practicing small disciplines to build spiritual resilience

God’s Timing and Looking Back

Reflections on answered prayer coming in the right season

The sweetness of fulfilled longing after seasons of waiting

Gratefulness for God’s story being better than our plan

Favorite Stories and Practical Takeaways from the Book

"The Bench Story"—Rebecca and her husband’s intertwined journeys of prayer and waiting

Psalm 139 "Search Me, God" prayer as a practical tool for self-examination

Encouragement to use scriptural prayers during hard seasons

Encouragement for Listeners Still Waiting

Praying for future blessings and spouses

Warning against making impulsive decisions out of fear of being "too late"

Affirming listeners’ value and God’s perfect timing

Connecting with Rebecca & Additional Resources

Where to find Rebecca online (Instagram, podcast, books)

Free video series accompanying the book

Use of book for group or individual study

Conclusion and Invitation

Reiteration of every woman’s "fierce calling"

Encouragement to partner with God in kingdom work

Preview of future episodes and invitation to tune in again

Connect with Rebecca!

You can connect with Rebecca on Instagram @rebeccageorgeauthor and her website radicalradience.live

Rebecca George is the author of You're Not Too Late: Trusting God's Timing in a Hurry Up World, and Do the Thing: Gospel-Centered Goals, Gumption, and Grace for the Go-Getter Girl , and the host of the popular podcast Radical Radiance. Her work has been featured on outlets such as Life Today TV, HomeLife magazine, and Moody Radio. Rebecca and her husband, Dustin, live in East Tennessee.

Link to Previous Episode with Rebecca

What Threatens to Steal Your Joy?

Check out Surrender the Joy Stealers: Rediscover the Jesus Joy in You 6-week Bible study rooted in John 15. You can find more info at https://dorisswift.com/book/

Let’s Stay Connected!

Find my free resources including Fear Fighting Bible Verses, Simple Tips for Sharing Your Faith, Surrender the Joy Stealers, Step Out of Your Doubt and Into Your Calling ebook, and more on my dorisswift.com homepage!

Love Fierce Calling?

Did you know that following, rating, and leaving a review over at Podchaser or Apple Podcasts helps others discover the show too? I would so appreciate it, friend!

Need a Speaker for Your Next Women’s Event? Now Booking for fall/winter 2025 & 2026!

Check out my speaking page, grab my flyer, and let’s talk about me speaking at your next women’s event…

Thanks for Listening!

I hope this episode encouraged, inspired, and challenged you to cultivate community, live and walk in the value, purpose, and worth God gave you, and take action where your passion, compassion, and conviction intersect.

If you're looking for a speaker for your next women's conference, retreat, luncheon, or workshop, reach out and connect with me on my speaker page at https://www.womenspeakers.com/florida/edgewater/speaker/doris-swift

Let's have a chat about your next event!

Stay tuned for more amazing content and remember to check the show notes for all the links mentioned.

Thank you for being a part of our community. We are grateful for your continued support and encourage you to embrace the unique gifts that make you magnificently you.

I hope you'll join me next time when I talk with another guest who is taking action where her passion, compassion, and conviction intersect ...

Until then friend, have a blessed week, and I'll talk to you soon.

With love and joy,

Doris

P.S. Don't forget to follow us on social media for bite-sized wisdom and inspiration from Doris and our incredible guests! 📲

Transcript

Doris [00:01:40]:What is threatening to steal your joy? What is it that feels so heavy right now that you could barely stand? God has a plan and his plan is to surrender it. Surrender it to him. It might be a prodigal, it might be a relationship, a marriage, something with your job. So many things. We have so many amazing blessings, but there are so many things in our life that threaten to steal our joy. I'm Doris Swift, author of the award winning six week Bible study, Surrender the Joy. Rediscover the Jesus joy in you. And it helps women rediscover the overflowing, ever present Jesus joy within that fills, empowers and ripens the fruit that God produces in our lives.

Doris [00:02:31]:Using personal biblical stories, I share how you can identify your joy stealers. Surrender them to God. Reawaken the joy within and share the joy with others. You can do it on your own or with a group. Check it out, friends. Surrender the joy stealers. Rediscover the Jesus joy in you. It's available on all the online retailers.

Doris [00:02:56]:It's time to take your joy back. Welcome back to the show. I am so excited today to welcome back a returned guest, my friend Rebecca George. She is the founder of the podcast community Radical Radiance. She's a speaker and an author whose greatest joy in life is discipling others to pursue their passions in a way that builds the kingdom, which is amazing and it's also the heart of fierce calling and I love that so much. She was actually previously on and it was back in 23. That was right before her other book came out, do the Thing, Gospel Centered Goals, Gumption and Grace for the Go Getter Girl, which we love talking about. And that was episode 138.

Doris [00:03:38]:And I will put that link in the show notes so you can check out that episode. And today we are going to talk about a lot of things, but we are also talking about Rebecca's newest book, you're not Too Late. Trusting God's timing in a Hurry up world. And I just can't think of a person that that message wouldn't resonate with. So welcome to the show, Rebecca. It's so great to have you back.

Rebecca George [00:04:02]:Oh, Doris, I'm so happy to be with you. Thank you for having me again.

Doris [00:04:05]:Yeah, I just love that we're doing this. Well, Rebecca, you've been a super busy gal. You have a lot going on. You also have an amazing retreat that we can talk about too. You know what I really like in the back of your book. I love the whole thing about your book Your whole book. But you know the message that says, what does it look like to be faithful in the meanwhile? There was a quote that I really liked and it says the in between almost, but not yet. So the in between almost, but not yet, all like with little hyphens, tension is where we live most of our days.

Doris [00:04:41]:So the in between almost, but not yet. We live there. We live there a lot. So we can definitely relate to that....

Welcome back to Fierce Calling! In today’s episode, host Doris Swift sits down with Jessica Ronne—author, speaker, caregiver advocate, and founder of the Lucas Project—for an inspiring conversation about faith, resilience, and answering God’s call in the midst of life’s biggest challenges. Jessica opens up about her lifelong journey as a caregiver, from growing up as the eldest of twelve siblings to raising a blended family of eight children, including her son Lucas who has profound disabilities.

Jessica shares how her experiences of navigating personal loss, blending families, and caring for a child with special needs have shaped her calling to support caregivers and create real solutions through initiatives like the Lucas Project and her work as an author and documentary producer. Together, they discuss the importance of giving yourself permission to feel all the complex emotions that come with caregiving, the holy and transformative nature of serving others, and practical ways to support families facing these unique challenges.

Whether you’re a caregiver yourself, know someone who is, or simply want to understand what it means to walk in faith and fierce compassion, this episode is packed with encouragement, wisdom, and actionable insights. Get ready to rediscover joy, find community, and learn how God meets us—and uses us—in every season of life.

Episode Takeaways ...

Permission to Feel: Jessica opens up about the reality of caregiving—how it’s okay to admit feelings of grief, resentment, or overwhelm, and how naming those feelings is the first step toward healing.

Finding Holy Purpose: She beautifully reframes caregiving as "holy work," reminding us that as we care for those who can’t care for themselves, we reflect the heart of Christ.

Blended Family Wisdom: Jessica and her husband blended families after losing their spouses. She shares practical, honest advice for navigating new relationships, grief, and all the “stuff” that comes with starting over.

Practical Help for Caregivers: Learn about the power of presence, the need for respite, and practical ways to support families—like bringing a meal (pro tip: offer easy choices like tacos or lasagna!).

Resources You Can Use Today:

The Lucas Project provides respite and resources for parent caregivers

The Coffee with Caregivers podcast for ongoing encouragement

Caregivers Cove Facebook support group (2,200+ members!)

Two documentaries: Unseen and the upcoming Uncertain

Jessica’s books: Caregiving with Grit and Grace, Sunlight Burning at Midnight, Blended with Grit and Grace, and more

Episode Highlights

06:38 Lifelong Caregiver Journey

08:38 "Author's Journey and Family Life"

10:39 "Blending Families: Grace and Grit"

16:30 Permission to Feel in Caregiving

20:18 "Founding the Lucas Project"

22:31 Divine Design and Support Systems

26:49 Caregiving: Finding Purpose and Support

28:30 Seek Professional Help, Not Spouse

33:05 Simplifying Help for Caregivers

Connect with Jessica!

You can connect with Jessica at thelucasproject.org and jessronne.com

Facebook: @jessronneofficial

Instagram: @jessplusthemess

Jessica Ronne is a multi-published author, speaker, host of the Coffee with Caregivers Podcast, producer of UNSEEN and UNCERTAIN,  and caregiver advocate. She offers encouragement and practical tips to her listeners. She is also the founder/executive director of The Lucas Project, a nonprofit providing resources, and respite for special needs caregivers. She and her husband, Ryan, live in Michigan with their eight children, including their son Lucas, who has profound disabilities.

What Threatens to Steal Your Joy?

Check out Surrender the Joy Stealers: Rediscover the Jesus Joy in You 6-week Bible study rooted in John 15. You can find more info at https://dorisswift.com/book/

Let’s Stay Connected!

Find my free resources including Fear Fighting Bible Verses, Simple Tips for Sharing Your Faith, Surrender the Joy Stealers, Step Out of Your Doubt and Into Your Calling ebook, and more on my dorisswift.com homepage!

Love Fierce Calling?

Did you know that following, rating, and leaving a review over at Podchaser or Apple Podcasts helps others discover the show too? I would so appreciate it, friend!

Need a Speaker for Your Next Women’s Event? Now Booking for fall/winter 2025 & 2026!

Check out my speaking page, grab my flyer, and let’s talk about me speaking at your next women’s event…

Thanks for Listening!

I hope this episode encouraged, inspired, and challenged you to cultivate community, live and walk in the value, purpose, and worth God gave you, and take action where your passion, compassion, and conviction intersect.

If you're looking for a speaker for your next women's conference, retreat, luncheon, or workshop, reach out and connect with me on my speaker page at https://www.womenspeakers.com/florida/edgewater/speaker/doris-swift

Let's have a chat about your next event!

Stay tuned for more amazing content and remember to check the show notes for all the links mentioned.

Thank you for being a part of our community. We are grateful for your continued support and encourage you to embrace the unique gifts that make you magnificently you.

I hope you'll join me next time when I talk with another guest who is taking action where her passion, compassion, and conviction intersect ...

Until then friend, have a blessed week, and I'll talk to you soon.

With love and joy,

Doris

P.S. Don't forget to follow us on social media for bite-sized wisdom and inspiration from Doris and our incredible guests! 📲

Transcript

Doris Swift [00:01:40]:What is threatening to steal your joy? What is it that feels so heavy right now that you could barely stand? God has a plan. And his plan is to surrender it. Surrender it to him. It might be a prodigal. It might be a relationship, a marriage, something with your job. So many things. We have so many amazing blessings, but there are so many things in our life that threaten to steal our joy. I'm Doris Swift, author of the award winning six week Bible study, Surrender the Joy.

Doris Swift [00:02:18]:Rediscover the Jesus joy in you. And it helps women rediscover the overflowing, ever present Jesus joy within that fills, empowers and ripens the fruit that God produces in our lives. Using personal biblical stories, I share how you can identify your joist dealers. Surrender them to God, Reawaken the joy within and share the joy with others. You can do it on your own or with a group. Check it out, friends. Surrender the joy stealers. Rediscover the Jesus joy in you. It's available on all the online retailers. It's time to take your joy back.

Doris Swift [00:02:53]:Welcome back to the show today. I am excited to welcome my friend today, Jessica Ronnie. She is an author, a speaker, a podcast, host of the podcast Coffee with Caregivers, associate producer of the unseen documentary, which I would love to hear more about and I know you would too. And she's a caregiver advocate. She's the founder and executive director of the Lucas Project, which is a nonprofit dedicated to serving parent caregivers with recognition, respite and resources, which is so, so, so needed. And she is a wife and a mama in a exciting blended family with eight kids.

Doris Swift [00:03:41]:And we just want to hear more about how God has been working in your life. Welcome to the show.

Jessica Ronne [00:03:48]:Yeah, thanks for having me. I'm excited to be here.

Doris Swift [00:03:50]:Yeah, this has been great. And I know there's so many things that we could go and share about your story that you could encourage the listener with. So I will just ask where you are taking where your passion, compassion and conviction intersect.

Jessica Ronne [00:04:08]:Jess, Goodness, that's a big question.

Doris Swift [00:04:12]:You can break it down.

Jessica Ronne [00:04:13]:Where am I taking action? I'm taking action in all kinds of different spheres these days. Still very much so in the caregiver advocacy space. I am, like you mentioned, the founder of the Lucas Project, and we are still coming up with programs and different areas to support parent caregivers in that regard. Still writing books, still speaking a lot nationally, and hosting the podcast Coffee with Caregivers and really just kind of trying to simplify my life. Too, since we did end up creating a group home for our son Lucas, and he moved into that group home about a year ago. And I find I have a lot more space on my hands now, a lot more time, because I'm not his primary caregiver anymore. There's absolutely still a lot of micromanaging that has to be accomplished from afar. But he now has new primary caregivers and I find myself leaning more into this space of helping families create solutions for their loved ones because it is a national crisis.

Jessica Ronne [00:05:17]:And we are creating a new documentary called Uncertain, which will explore that housing crisis for disabled adults and their families. And I've started a coaching service so that I can partner with families to help them create solutions as well.

Doris Swift [00:05:32]:Wow, that is fantastic and so beautiful and, and very encouraging because that is a challenge for families. I know I have had several guests on the show who have, who, who are or were caregivers. And there are a lot of moms that come on that have special needs children and some of the things that they have concerns about is what happens when I'm no longer here, you know, how, how is this going to play out, you know, because oftentimes other family may not be able to take on that caregiver role. So I love that you have these resources and how God has led you to create this group home and then now freed up time to help others in this journey that they're on. And you have quite an extensive background. I know,...

Welcome back to Fierce Calling! In this inspiring episode, host Doris Swift sits down with Robin Gerblick, an award-winning author, biblical life coach, and founder of the Exodus Women’s Retreat. Robin shares her powerful story of redemption, from a painful past marked by abortion and decades of wandering, to finding healing and purpose through Jesus. Together, Doris and Robin discuss the real, raw, and redeemed journey that led Robin to embrace forgiveness, launch a transformative women’s ministry, and write her book, Giving Up Grace: A Spiritual Rebranding of the Soul.

Robin opens up about the challenges she faced, the grace she found after hitting rock bottom, and how God used her story to impact the lives of other women. Whether you’re struggling with regret, searching for healing, or just needing a reminder that it’s never too late to step into your calling, Robin’s testimony will encourage you to trust God’s timing and reclaim your joy.

Plus, discover how Robin’s retreats empower women to encounter God in the wilderness and take the next steps toward spiritual wholeness.

Tune in for an honest, hope-filled conversation about surrender, restoration, and stepping boldly where passion, compassion, and conviction intersect!

Episode Highlights

00:00 "Surrendering Joy Stealers"

05:17 "Real, Raw, Redeemed Journey"

09:27 Regret Over Missed Adoption Choice

11:53 "Seeking Identity Before Faith"

15:31 "Giving Up Grace Explained"

17:54 "Believing Is Seeing: Trusting God"

22:52 Abortion's Lasting Impact on Fertility

24:41 Volunteering at Crisis Pregnancy Centers

28:33 "Grace: Healing and Reflection"

31:43 Grace, Stories, and Comfort

36:51 "Faith-Driven Success and Leadership"

39:48 Post-Abortion Support and Encouragement

42:49 Forgiveness Journey and Healing Resources

Connect with Robin!

You can connect with Robin at robingerblick.com where you'll find her book, social media links, the Exodus Women's Retreat, and more! She'd love to hear from you and continue the conversation!

What Threatens to Steal Your Joy?

Check out Surrender the Joy Stealers: Rediscover the Jesus Joy in You 6-week Bible study rooted in John 15. You can find more info at https://dorisswift.com/book/

Let’s Stay Connected!

Find my free resources including Fear Fighting Bible Verses, Simple Tips for Sharing Your Faith, Surrender the Joy Stealers, Step Out of Your Doubt and Into Your Calling ebook, and more on my dorisswift.com homepage!

Love Fierce Calling?

Did you know that following, rating, and leaving a review over at Podchaser or Apple Podcasts helps others discover the show too? I would so appreciate it, friend!

Need a Speaker for Your Next Women’s Event? Now Booking for fall/winter 2025 & 2026!

Check out my speaking page, grab my flyer, and let’s talk about me speaking at your next women’s event…

Thanks for Listening!

I hope this episode encouraged, inspired, and challenged you to cultivate community, live and walk in the value and worth God gave you, and take action where your passion, compassion, and conviction intersect.

If you're looking for a speaker for your next women's conference, retreat, luncheon, or workshop, reach out and connect with me on my speaker page at https://www.womenspeakers.com/florida/edgewater/speaker/doris-swift

Let's have a chat about your next event!

Stay tuned for more amazing content and remember to check the show notes for all the links mentioned.

Thank you for being a part of our community. We are grateful for your continued support and encourage you to embrace the unique gifts that make you magnificently you.

I hope you'll join me next time when I talk with another guest who is taking action where her passion, compassion, and conviction intersect ...

Until then friend, have a blessed week, and I'll talk to you soon.

With love and joy,

Doris

P.S. Don't forget to follow us on social media for bite-sized wisdom and inspiration from Doris and our incredible guests! 📲

Transcript

Doris Swift [00:01:53]:What is threatening to steal your joy? What is it that feels so heavy right now that you could barely stand? God has a plan, and his plan is to surrender it. Surrender it to him. It might be a prodigal. It might be a relationship, a marriage, something with your job. So many things. We have so many amazing blessings, but there are so many things in our life that threaten to steal our joy. I'm Dora Swift, author of the award winning six week bible study, Surrender the Joy Stealers Rediscover the Jesus Joy in You, And it helps women rediscover the overflowing, ever present Jesus joy within that fills, empowers, and ripens the fruit that God produces in our lives. Using personal and biblical stories, I share how you can identify your joy stealers, surrender them to God, reawaken the joy within, and share the joy with others.

Doris Swift [00:02:56]:You can do it on your own or with a group. Check it out, friends. Surrender the Joy Stealers. Rediscover the Jesus joy in you. It's available on all the online retailers. It's time to take your joy back. Welcome back to the show. Today, I'm excited to introduce to you my friend, Robin Gerblick.

Doris Swift [00:03:17]:She is an award winning author. She's a biblical life coach, a certified personal trainer, and Pilates instructor. Hello. I'm impressed with that. I need more of that in my life. And I just love that she's a lover of life and the living water. That's amazing. And she has so many things going on, wonderful ministry work that she does.

Doris Swift [00:03:40]:She has, a retreat, the Exodus Women's Retreat, and we're also gonna talk about her book, Giving Up Grace, a Spiritual Rebranding of the Soul. And you're gonna wanna hear all about that. And I would love if you would share a little bit more about yourself, Robin. Welcome to the show.

Robin Gerblick [00:04:01]:Thanks so much, Doris. I've been looking forward to this. We've we've had a few schedule changes, and I'm excited excited to be here. So thanks.

Doris Swift [00:04:10]:Thank you. And, yeah. So you are married to your best friend, which I love, and, and you go between a couple of different states. We were talking earlier, Arizona and Idaho. Right. So those of you who are listening, I know I have some listeners in those states. So, Robin, I would love if you would share a little bit about your story, however the Lord leads you, and how you're taking action where your passion, compassion, and conviction intersect.

Robin Gerblick [00:04:39]:Yeah. That's perfect. As we were talking about about earlier, I I just love that because that's how how God uses us, and he calls us. And I love the scripture that you that you use, in your notes. It's I'm gonna remind myself, but I think it's the Ephesians three twenty. And I just love that because God is able to do so much more than we could ever possibly imagine and all the glory to him. But what I really love is it's never too late to use your story. You know? God can always use it.

Robin Gerblick [00:05:17]:And I I think for me, I always felt like I was late to the party. I'm a lot older than people think, and I just I just think it took me so long to well, it took me a really long time to find Jesus, number one, and then to find healing for my, my abortion journey that I had, my inability to have children because of that. It it just took so long that I I felt like like, god, are you ever gonna once I found Jesus, I'm like, are you ever gonna use me? It's like it just seemed to go on forever. But, yeah, my story is is hard, and, I have these three words that describe it. So there it's real, raw, and redeemed. And I know my life was just so upside down and hard when I was younger, but that started with an abortion when I was 19. And and I truly thought I was gonna marry that guy and have, you know, the family, the white picket fence, the station wagon, the 2.5 children, but that, it didn't play out that that way at all. He he didn't want anything to do with me.

Robin Gerblick [00:06:35]:And, so that sort of started my what I called my forty year wandering in the desert like the like the Israelites, you know, searching for manna and living water and anything really that would fill the the spot that Jesus was meant to fill. But when you don't know Jesus, you can go in a lot of a lot of different directions, which is what I did. And, you know, I I I wanna say I don't have any regrets because God does use every bit of our story for his good and his glory. And if I had it to do over again, I well, there are certain things that I definitely would do differently. But, but what he's given me now on the end of the redemption side is just so so amazing. And I think that's where our our passion and compassion and conviction collide.

Doris Swift [00:07:37]:Yeah. So true. And I love your your words, real raw redeemed. It's just something that is is a powerful statement, and I know that a lot of us can really relate to that and how you talked about a forty year wandering. So things started to really spiral in your life when you were 19 then, and things didn't look quite the way you thought they were gonna look, which oftentimes in our life, things happen and it's not what we would have planned. And we might say, this is not my story, God. What, you know, what is this all about? But what was the circumstance at the time when you, you know, found yourself pregnant and was it something that others in your life were encouraging you to do? Or how how was it back then as a 19 year old girl?

Robin Gerblick [00:08:35]:Yeah. And back then, when we're talking, was, like, nineteen seventy three. So that was just when, you know, Roe v Wade was coming on the scene, and I was also on birth control when I got pregnant, which is a big misconception that a lot of people have and that the abortion industry would love to,...

Welcome back to Fierce Calling! In today’s episode, host Doris Swift welcomes friend Erin Harrigan—a Christian wife, empty nest mom, sought-after speaker, business coach, and host of the award-winning podcast "Redefining Hustle: Pursuing Success as a Christian Woman." Erin is also the author of Pursuing Success God’s Way: A Practical Guide to Hustle with Heart, and she’s here to share her journey from achieving worldly success in business to discovering what it truly means to find fulfillment and impact by letting Jesus lead.

Listen in as Erin opens up about her radical transformation after giving her life to Christ at age 46, the traps of new age thinking, and how true success is rooted in obedience, stewardship, and joy in the Lord, not in hustle or comparison. Doris and Erin dig deep into what it means to pursue God’s assignments in every season, whether you’re working in the corporate world, beginning a new adventure at home, or stepping out into something new.

You’ll walk away encouraged to seek God first in every venture, redefine success by His standards, and take practical steps toward living abundantly (not in a prosperity gospel kind of way, but God's way) and making kingdom impact—right where you are.

Get ready for a powerful conversation that will inspire you to surrender your joy stealers, cultivate your God-given gifts, and step into your unique calling with wholehearted faith!

Episode Highlights

00:00 "Surrender Your Joy Stealers"

05:40 From New Age to Christian Faith

10:06 Pursuing Success God's Way

11:52 "Success: A Divine Perspective"

16:00 Avoiding Distraction: Focus on Purpose

19:18 Sin, Success, and Spiritual Guidance

21:44 Walking in Faith, Not Prosperity

25:40 Embracing Change and Identity

30:39 Listening to God's Guidance

Connect with Erin!

You can connect with Erin at erinharrigan.com, where you'll find her books, podcast, coaching info, social media links, and more about Erin. She'd love to hear from you and continue the conversation!

What Threatens to Steal Your Joy?

Check out Surrender the Joy Stealers: Rediscover the Jesus Joy in You 6-week Bible study rooted in John 15. You can find more info at https://dorisswift.com/book/

Let’s Stay Connected!

Find my free resources including Fear Fighting Bible Verses, Simple Tips for Sharing Your Faith, Surrender the Joy Stealers, Step Out of Your Doubt and Into Your Calling ebook, and more on my dorisswift.com homepage!

Love Fierce Calling?

Did you know that following, rating, and leaving a review over at Podchaser or Apple Podcasts helps others discover the show too? I would so appreciate it, friend!

Need a Speaker for Your Next Women’s Event? Now Booking for fall/winter 2025 & 2026!

Check out my speaking page, grab my flyer, and let’s talk about me speaking at your next women’s event…

Thanks for Listening!

I hope this episode encouraged, inspired, and challenged you to cultivate community, live and walk in the value and worth God gave you, and take action where your passion, compassion, and conviction intersect.

If you're looking for a speaker for your next women's conference, retreat, luncheon, or workshop, reach out and connect with me on my speaker page at https://www.womenspeakers.com/florida/edgewater/speaker/doris-swift

Let's have a chat about your next event!

Stay tuned for more amazing content and remember to check the show notes for all the links mentioned.

Thank you for being a part of our community. We are grateful for your continued support and encourage you to embrace the unique gifts that make you magnificently you.

I hope you'll join me next time when I talk with another guest who is taking action where her passion, compassion, and conviction intersect ...

Until then friend, have a blessed week, and I'll talk to you soon.

With love and joy,

Doris

P.S. Don't forget to follow us on social media for bite-sized wisdom and inspiration from Doris and our incredible guests! 📲

Transcript

Doris [00:01:53]:What is threatening to steal your joy? What is it that feels so heavy right now that you could barely stand? God has a plan, and his plan is to surrender it. Surrender it to him. It might be a prodigal. It might be a relationship, a marriage, something with your job. So many things. We have so many amazing blessings, but there are so many things in our life that threaten to steal our joy. I'm Dora Swift, author of the award winning six week bible study, Surrender the Joy Stealers Rediscover the Jesus Joy in You, And it helps women rediscover the overflowing, ever present Jesus joy within that fills, empowers, and ripens the fruit that God produces in our lives. Using personal and biblical stories, I share how you can identify your joy stealers, surrender them to God, reawaken the joy within, and share the joy with others.

Doris [00:02:56]:You can do it on your own or with a group. Check it out, friends. Surrender the joy stealers. Rediscover the Jesus joy in you. It's available on all the online retailers. It's time to take your joy back.

Welcome back to the show. Today, I am very excited to welcome my friend, Erin Harrigan.

Doris [00:03:18]:She is a Christian wife, mom, and I'll have to mention empty nest mom, which I love because that's what I am too, and I know some of you listening are. She is a speaker and a business coach and the host of the award winning Pursuing Success as a Christian Woman. And she wrote an amazing book we're gonna talk about today among other things called Pursuing Success God's Way, A Practical Guide to Hustle with Heart. And this is for women I mean, Erin coaches, entrepreneurial women, you know, women in business, but this goes for any woman who is listening right now because there is probably something in your heart or on your heart that God wants to do in and through you. Maybe it's something new. Maybe it's to refresh or revitalize something that you're already doing. So we're gonna talk about that today, and it's so great to have you, Erin. Welcome to the show.

Erin Harrigan [00:04:16]:Thank you, Doris. It's such an honor to be here on your show. I know I've been following you for a while, and, it's exciting to have these conversations that the Lord appoints the time. Right? So here we are today.

Doris [00:04:28]:Here we are today. Yes. Yes. I'm so thankful that you're on. And I just love how you talk about hustle with heart because hustle from the world's definition can really burn us out, and I think you have some good words of wisdom to speak into that. So I would love if you would share a little bit about your story and how you're currently taking action, where your passion, compassion, and conviction intersect.

Erin Harrigan [00:04:57]:So I came to Jesus later in life. I gave my life to Christ at age 46 in October of twenty fourteen. I knew of the Lord growing up, but I never had a personal relationship. Right? We we so often talk about it's not about religion, it's about relationship. And I came to saving grace in Jesus because of a mentor of mine who I had reached out to in my, at the time, multilevel marketing business, and I just said something is not working. I have the success. The numbers look good, but I I just don't feel like I got it where it's supposed to be. And she said, that's because you don't know who you are or whose you are.

Erin Harrigan [00:05:40]:And she asked me if I knew Jesus. Now at the time, Doris, I was very influenced by a lot of new age thinking in the company that I was in. There was a lot of talk about universe and law of attraction and manifestation. And so I had talked a good game of that, but she I call her the velvet hammer with the grace and truth, hold me out of that and led me to Jesus that day. So what then began to happen, as we all know, is once you give your life to Christ, that changes everything. And over the years, the the next four years or so, he just began to shift the way I view business, the way I do business, how I viewed success, how I viewed achievement. And then he began to bring me sisters in Christ who were walking a very similar journey, asking me to coach them. And so that's what I started doing.

Erin Harrigan [00:06:35]:And then in 2019, he had me start my podcast and then take that content and begin to shape what became the book that I published in 2020. So that's the backstory. The the ongoing story is every single day asking him, where where are you taking me today and who do I need to serve? And so doing that through coaching, of course, but also opportunities like this to be a guest on a podcast or writing. I see so much power, holy spirit power, in his daughters that we either shrink back from because we think we're not equipped and qualified or, we overachieve in. And so he's positioned me at this place of biblical truth and business acumen to to help them understand that life at his best is letting Jesus lead. So how do we actually do that?

Doris [00:07:35]:Yeah. That is awesome. I love how you kinda laid that out so smoothly, and the things that you brought out were really important, nuggets there. Like, for example, when you were talking about being in a multilevel company and you were you were very successful by the world standards, but there was a new age kinda ideology or mentality that you were just kind of living out. And it's funny because sometimes we'll hear those messages and not really identify that it is something that is not biblical. It's new kind of a new age type thinking, very focused inward on self and Yeah. You know, success and making things happen, like, that we can think things into existence and, you know, those kind of things. Yeah.

Doris [00:08:30]:So I'm glad that you brought that out, and I'm glad well, of course, God had that plan to send you the velvet hammer. That's

Erin Harrigan [00:08:38]:right. So that's You know,...

Welcome to another episode of Fierce Calling! Today, host Doris Swift sits down with the inspiring Stephanie Alton—literary agent, marketing expert, wife, and mom, who shares how profound moments happen when we listen to God. Stephanie encourages us with her remarkable journey, including unexpected steps and small beginnings that God used to lead her right where she’s meant to be. Through stories of divine timing, open doors, and the willingness to say “yes,” Stephanie offers practical advice, reminding us that every big dream starts with small, faithful steps.

Whether you’re looking to step into your calling, start writing, or need encouragement in a difficult season, this conversation will remind you that God’s purpose unfolds in ways we never expect. So grab your coffee or tea, get comfortable, and get ready to be inspired by the story of how ordinary obedience can lead to extraordinary impact.

Episode Highlights

00:00 "Surrender Your Joy Stealers"

05:18 "Divine Path to Literary Agent"

10:57 Embracing Opportunities in Publishing

12:15 "Journey to Becoming a Gatekeeper"

18:33 Undeniable Divine Intervention

20:31 Milestone Moments of Faith

23:05 Understanding Audiences and Unique Voices

29:16 "Building Your Writing Platform"

32:21 Steps Lead to Big Opportunities

35:46 "Know Your Audience's Expectations"

40:50 Parenting Reflections and Growth

41:53 Cherishing Motherhood and Personal Timing

45:51 Join Our Book Pod Network

49:07 Blessings and Goodbye for Now

Connect with Stephanie!

You can connect with Stephanie through The Book Pod Review and Interview Network Facebook group, as she mentioned in the show! You can also find out more about her and which conferences she'll be attending at theblythedanielagency.com, which is in the process of being updated soon.

Stephanie Alton is a wife, mom, literary agent, and marketing expert.

What Threatens to Steal Your Joy?

Check out Surrender the Joy Stealers: Rediscover the Jesus Joy in You 6-week Bible study rooted in John 15. You can find more info at https://dorisswift.com/book/

Let’s Stay Connected!

Find my free resources including Fear Fighting Bible Verses, Simple Tips for Sharing Your Faith, Surrender the Joy Stealers, Step Out of Your Doubt and Into Your Calling ebook, and more on my dorisswift.com homepage!

Love Fierce Calling?

Did you know that following, rating, and leaving a review over at Podchaser or Apple Podcasts helps others discover the show too? I would so appreciate it, friend!

Need a Speaker for Your Next Women’s Event? Now Booking for 2025 & 2026!

Check out my speaking page, grab my flyer, and let’s talk about me speaking at your next women’s event…

Thanks for Listening!

I hope this episode encouraged, inspired, and challenged you to cultivate community, live and walk in the value and worth God gave you, and take action where your passion, compassion, and conviction intersect.

If you're looking for a speaker for your next women's conference, retreat, luncheon, or workshop, reach out and connect with me on my speaker page at https://www.womenspeakers.com/florida/edgewater/speaker/doris-swift

Let's have a chat about your next event!

Stay tuned for more amazing content and remember to check the show notes for all the links mentioned.

Thank you for being a part of our community. We are grateful for your continued support and encourage you to embrace the unique gifts that make you magnificently you.

I hope you'll join me next time when I talk with another woman who is taking action where her passion, compassion, and conviction intersect ...

Until then friend, have a blessed week, and I'll talk to you soon.

With love and joy,

Doris

P.S. Don't forget to follow us on social media for bite-sized wisdom and inspiration from Doris and our incredible guests! 📲

Transcript

Doris [00:01:53]:What is threatening to steal your joy? What is it that feels so heavy right now that you could barely stand? God has a plan, and his plan is to surrender it. Surrender it to him. It might be a prodigal. It might be a relationship, a marriage, something with your job. So many things. We have so many amazing blessings, but there are so many things in our life that threaten to steal our joy. I'm Dora Swift, author of the award winning six week bible study, Surrender the Joy Stealers Rediscover the Jesus Joy in You, And it helps women rediscover the overflowing, ever present Jesus joy within that fills, empowers, and ripens the fruit that God produces in our lives. Using personal and biblical stories, I share how you can identify your joy stealers, surrender them to God, reawaken the joy within, and share the joy with others.

Doris [00:02:56]:You can do it on your own or with a group. Check it out, friends. Surrender the Joy Stealers. Rediscover the Jesus joy in you. It's available on all the online retailers. It's time to take your joy back. Welcome back to the show. Today, I'm excited to introduce to you my friend, Stephanie Alton.

Doris [00:03:17]:She is an amazing literary agent and a marketing agent. She's a mom, a wife, and a million other things that she does. She's a a busy gal, and she is with the Blythe Daniel agency, which is my literary agency. So, of course, I love them so much. And we've connected over the years in a lot of different ways. I used to be a blogger in their blog, network and just kind of connected at conferences. And Stephanie has an amazing story that she wants to share with us. So welcome to this show today.

Doris [00:03:53]:It's so great to have you, Stephanie.

Stephanie Alton [00:03:55]:Thanks for having me, Doris. I love getting to see you, and thank you so much for having me.

Doris [00:04:00]:Thank you. I I appreciate you being on. And we actually tried this once before, but we kind of chatted all the way through, and

Stephanie Alton [00:04:06]:we never actually recorded.

Doris [00:04:07]:But that was fun, and I enjoyed it. And it was meant to be for that day. You know, sometimes we make plans. You know, God directs our steps, and that was what what was meant to happen that day. So this was meant to happen on this day. So I would love it. So I just you know, how he moves in our lives and everything. And and so I would just love if you would share a little bit about your story and how you're taking action where your passion, compassion, and conviction intersect.

Stephanie Alton [00:04:35]:Okay. Well, to touch back to what you were saying the last time we tried to connect, I think, a while ago, today, I was sitting there thinking I was like, oh, no. Not again. This time, it's gonna be tech issues or something. And so I was thinking, there's probably gotta be something really good that's gonna come out of our conversation today. The last time we tried, we just went way off course and chatted all of our time away. And then this time, I'm like, I'm probably well into my appointment time, and I still cannot get in there. So, I'm just gonna believe that our time today is anointed and meant to be something important.

Stephanie Alton [00:05:18]:But, I think the most relatable way that I could share that god has moved through my life is how I became a literary agent. And I think it even started when I felt the calling to become a writer. But I'll I'll I'll fast forward through that part and then get to the good another good part because there's two really divine interactions that I've had with writing specific, but this one led me to my job. And I had met Blythe, Blythe Daniel of the Blythe Daniel agency, at a writer's conference and, pitched her my project. It was my first writer's conference, and I made every single rookie mistake you can make. So if anyone's thinking about writing, you're you're in good company, and I come with a humble heart. I have made all the mistakes. And I still make mistakes now, so, there's that too.

Stephanie Alton [00:06:23]:I met her. I connected with her. It was, like, right when Facebook was, like, the ultimate thing. It was so cool. And if somebody was your accepted your friend request, it was even cooler. So, after the conference well, she had told me no on my projects politely. She's like, well, do some work on it and then send it back to me in, like, six months. And I was like, yes.

Stephanie Alton [00:06:46]:I didn't get a direct no. So, I took that with, like, a little bit of a dose of excitement. And, I friended her, and she accepted. And I was like, major win. And then, I just kept an eye on her because she would share about different conferences she was going to or little events that she would do in Colorado Springs where where she lives. And, I had fam I still have family there. So I always kinda, like, was watching to see if when I was going to Colorado, if she was doing something, and she always had so much interaction. Like, so many people would respond to anything she posted.

Stephanie Alton [00:07:32]:And, again, this was years ago over ten years ago when Facebook was, like, so so cool. And one time, she posted that she needed she wanted somebody to review a movie for her, and I thought for sure there would already be, like, dozens of people saying, I'll do it. I'll do it. But there was no one there, and it the post had been up for a couple of hours. And so I sheepishly raised my hand and say, I'll do it. I'll do it. Thinking she was gonna reply with, no. You you don't have enough email subscribers or a big enough platform or this, that, and the other.

Stephanie Alton [00:08:08]:But she said yes. And she not only sent me one movie to review, she sent me two. And so I thought, oh, man. I've gotta get this done right away. Like, it's top priority. And so I I watched the movie and took a bunch of notes, and I I did the review, and I sent it to her. And we were just corresponding about you know, she was like,...

Welcome back to Fierce Calling! In today’s episode, host Doris Swift welcomes back author, coach, and Proverbs 31 Ministries writer Abby McDonald. Abby is here to talk about her brand new book, Surrendering Certainty: Hearing God Today by Letting Go of Tomorrow. With warmth and honesty, Abby opens up about juggling the demands of motherhood, writing, and community, and how God has shifted her focus to finding Him in both the big moments and everyday interruptions.

Together, Doris and Abby dig into what it means to truly surrender our need for control and certainty, and to trust God—especially when life doesn’t go the way we planned. Abby shares insightful stories, biblical wisdom, and practical steps to help you trade fear and frustration for adventurous faith, and to recognize that even life’s distractions can be holy moments of growth and connection with God.

Whether you’re in a season of waiting, feeling weighed down by uncertainty, or looking for encouragement to embrace your calling, this conversation will remind you that you’re not alone. Get ready to be encouraged, challenged, and equipped to rediscover joy and confidence in following God’s lead—one surrendered step at a time.

Episode Highlights

05:36 Intentional Connections and Community Building

09:32 "Trusting God's Plan"

13:41 "Surrendering Certainty" Book Endorsement

18:38 Honest Prayer for Clarity

23:07 Chronic Pain and Seeking Comfort

24:06 "Meteor Shower and Divine Assurance"

29:51 "Rejection as a Refining Process"

31:19 Psalm's Guidance Against Fear

34:49 "Delayed Success is Sweeter"

38:44 Encourage Book Reviews for Abby

Connect with Abby!

You can connect with Abby and find her books, social media links, coaching services, blog, and her 5 Days to Life Unstuck Challenge, and more at abbymcdonald.org

Abby McDonald is a writing coach, speaker, and the author of Surrendering Certainty: Hearing God Today by Letting Go of Tomorrow. and Shift: Changing Our Focus to See the Presence of God. Her mission is to empower women to hear God's voice in their lives and act on it in faith. Abby writes regularly for Proverb 31 Ministries' daily devotions team, and her work has been featured in numerous publications. Abby lives with her husband, three children, and black lab in the mountains of western Maryland. Connect with her at abbymcdonald.org.

What Threatens to Steal Your Joy?

Check out Surrender the Joy Stealers: Rediscover the Jesus Joy in You 6-week Bible study rooted in John 15. You can find more info at https://dorisswift.com/book/

Let’s Stay Connected!

Find my free resources including Fear Fighting Bible Verses, Simple Tips for Sharing Your Faith, Surrender the Joy Stealers, Step Out of Your Doubt and Into Your Calling ebook, and more on my dorisswift.com homepage!

Love Fierce Calling?

Did you know that following, rating, and leaving a review over at Podchaser or Apple Podcasts helps others discover the show too? I would so appreciate it, friend!

Need a Speaker for Your Next Women’s Event? Now Booking for 2025 & 2026!

Check out my speaking page, grab my flyer, and let’s talk about me speaking at your next women’s event…

Thanks for Listening!

I hope this episode encouraged, inspired, and challenged you to cultivate community, live and walk in the value and worth God gave you, and take action where your passion, compassion, and conviction intersect.

If you're looking for a speaker for your next women's conference, retreat, luncheon, or workshop, reach out and connect with me on my speaker page at https://www.womenspeakers.com/florida/edgewater/speaker/doris-swift

Let's have a chat about your next event!

Stay tuned for more amazing content and remember to check the show notes for all the links mentioned.

Thank you for being a part of our community. We are grateful for your continued support and encourage you to embrace the unique gifts that make you magnificently you.

I hope you'll join me next time when I talk with another woman who is taking action where her passion, compassion, and conviction intersect ...

Until then friend, have a blessed week, and I'll talk to you soon.

With love and joy,

Doris

P.S. Don't forget to follow us on social media for bite-sized wisdom and inspiration from Doris and our incredible guests! 📲

Transcript

Doris:What is threatening to steal your joy? What is it that feels so heavy right now that you could barely stand? God has a plan, and his plan is to surrender it. Surrender it to him. It might be a prodigal. It might be a relationship, a marriage, something with your job. So many things. We have so many amazing blessings, but there are so many things in our life that threaten to steal our joy. I'm Dora Swift, author of the award winning six week bible study, Surrender the Joy Stealers Rediscover the Jesus Joy in You, And it helps women rediscover the overflowing, ever present Jesus joy within that fills, empowers, and ripens the fruit that God produces in our lives. Using personal and biblical stories, I share how you can identify your joy stealers, surrender them to God, reawaken the joy within, and share the joy with others.

Doris:You can do it on your own or with a group. Check it out, friends. Surrender the joy stealers, rediscover the Jesus joy in you. It's available on all the online retailers. It's time to take your joy back to the show. Today, I'm excited to welcome back my dear friend, Abby McDonald. We had her on, a time when she had a book came that came out called Shift, and that was amazing. She has a new one coming out called Surrendering Certainty, Hearing God Today by Letting Go of Tomorrow.

Doris:I was honored to read an advanced copy and endorse this book. It's fantastic. And we're gonna talk about that today among many other things, I'm sure. Welcome to the show. It's great to have you back, Abby.

Abby McDonald:Thank you, Doris. I'm glad to be here.

Doris:Thank you. Yeah. This is really exciting for you to have this next book coming out. I know that you're you're always working on something. And you're also you're you're an author, you're a a coach, you're a mom, and you're a wife. You have a lot going on, and you're an editor too. So that's something that's, in your wheelhouse that you've been doing. So that's pretty exciting.

Doris:And I know sometimes people might think, okay. Well, this book comes out here and then this next book comes out. It might be a while in between because it takes a while for books to come out, but it doesn't mean that God is not moving or doing other things in our life. So we would love to hear, Abby, a little bit about what's been happening with you and what God's been doing in and through your life and how you're currently taking action where your passion, compassion, and conviction intersect.

Abby McDonald:Absolutely, Doris. Well, a lot of my time is spent with my kids and, getting them from one activity to the next. I have three kids. They are 16, 13, and eight, so they keep me pretty busy with their various activities. Sometimes I just feel like I'm a taxi service getting them from one place to the other, but, my 16 year old is, about to get his driver's license. He has his permit right now, and so I am gonna be soliciting his health in that area and having him running errands for me. Looking forward to that for sure. But, yeah, I have just the past few years, God has really put a passion in me to really connect in my community, and really focus there.

Abby McDonald:And, not that I wasn't connected before, you know, I've always had a local church, but, to really just focus more of my efforts and, being intentional, you know, about connecting with people, meeting for coffee, you know, going to a bible study, that sort of thing, and just building those relationships, because I think that online ministry is wonderful, and I I continue to do that. I'm a writer for Proverbs thirty one Ministries, encouragement for today. But I think that where God really moves and where people's lives are really impacted is in those just everyday moments and in those relationships that we build with the people around us. He's put us in in the places we are, in the spheres of influence we have for a reason. And I think it's important for us to realize that and to really, ask him for his guidance and then be intentional about doing where whatever we feel that he's leading us forward.

Doris:That you brought that out. That that's really important to talk about being intentional about, the the people around us, like, right where we are and to see the people. Mhmm. Yeah. I I kind of had that same feeling this past year. It's kind of been a realization of, you know, we we focus so much on reaching the masses with a message that God has given us, which is so important because even Jesus said, you know, go to the ends of the earth with the gospel. But sometimes we do lose sight, and I kind of called that, like, a farsightedness and versus a nearsightedness, you know, that we we might focus on so many things that are, like, kind of out there versus what's right in front of us. And so I'm glad that you brought that out.

Doris:I'm glad because it is it is important.

Abby McDonald:Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. And, you know, I mean and I hate almost to bring up COVID, but I think that that was part of, you know, what kind of isolated us, you know, and make us, just look more inward, you know, and not necessarily connect to the people around us. And I think it's taken us a long time to get back to that point, you know, where we're realizing, I we need people. You know? We need that connection, and it can't just be online or, you know, on a Zoom call with, well, I love talking to you. You know? It it need we need to have that face to face

Doris:Yeah.

Abby McDonald:Interaction. And so, yeah, I feel like God is leading a lot of people toward that real

Welcome back to another uplifting episode of Fierce Calling! I'm your host, Doris Swift, and today we have a special guest joining us—Amanda Schaefer. Amanda is an inspiring author, speaker, and host of the popular podcast "A Cup of Gratitude."

In this episode, Amanda shares her incredible transformation journey through faith, joy, and gratitude. From encountering Jesus in her home in a powerful way, to using her podcast to spread the gospel during the pandemic, Amanda's story highlights the power of choosing gratitude and finding joy even in difficult times.

Amanda shares about the difficult seasons of two divorces, but don't miss the praise story of what God did to redeem it all.

We dive into her upcoming book, which is set to encourage readers to explore their own stories and discover God at work in every chapter of their lives. Join us for a heartfelt conversation filled with insight, encouragement, and the reminder that our past story is part of our grace story.

Stay tuned for an episode that will inspire you to take action where your passion, compassion, and conviction intersect.

Episode Highlights

06:03 Gratitude and Opportunity Beyond Borders

10:56 Testimony: Sharing Stories of Faith

12:29 "Connecting Through Shared Stories"

16:11 "Discovering God's Purpose in Stories"

19:48 Divine Guidance in Marriage Choices

24:37 Seeking God's Guidance

26:40 "Journey of Faith and Renewal"

31:01 Journey to Healing and Faith

33:40 Amanda's Inspiring Show Highlights

Connect with Amanda!

You can connect with Amanda at acupofgratitude.org where you'll find her podcast, blog, and all her social media links!

Amanda Schaefer is a podcast host, author, and speaker. She carries with her the goodness of looking through a lens of gratitude. The “A Cup of Gratitude” podcast is global, reaching over 112 countries and 3000 cities. As a speaker, Amanda teaches the Bible while challenging audiences to live the way God intends. She has a way of making scripture come alive through everyday examples. 

Amanda’s books include, “Crumbled, A Place for Broken People” and “Daily “Instaration.” She is a contributing author of “Life Changing Stories and the newly released books, “One Chance, One Dance, Don’t Miss the Moments in Your Life,” and “Courageous Voices Unlocked.” Her books are down to earth and packed with Biblical truth. Amanda has also written articles for “The Brave Women Series,” “The Uncommon Normal Gratitude Series,” “The Love Offering,” “The Warrior Women Series,” “Butterfly Living, “The Empty Nest Mom Series,” and “The Season Series.” She is under contract to write a new manuscript slated to be released in April 2025. Connect with Amanda at www.acupofgratitude.org or on Social media 

www.instagram.com/acupof_gratitude

www.facebook.com/amanda.f.schaefer

www.acupofgratitude.org

https://youtube.com/@acupofgratitude?si=PF55x6T4ecrs7jdg

What Threatens to Steal Your Joy?

Check out Surrender the Joy Stealers: Rediscover the Jesus Joy in You 6-week Bible study rooted in John 15. You can find more info at https://dorisswift.com/book/

Let’s Stay Connected!

Find my free resources including Fear Fighting Bible Verses, Simple Tips for Sharing Your Faith, Surrender the Joy Stealers, Step Out of Your Doubt and Into Your Calling ebook, and more on my dorisswift.com homepage!

Love Fierce Calling?

Did you know that following, rating, and leaving a review over at Podchaser or Apple Podcasts helps others discover the show too? I would so appreciate it, friend!

Need a Speaker for Your Next Women’s Event? Now Booking for 2025 & 2026!

Check out my speaking page, grab my flyer, and let’s talk about me speaking at your next women’s event…

Thanks for Listening!

I hope this episode with Nancy encouraged, inspired, and challenged you to cultivate community, live and walk in the value and worth God gave you, and take action where your passion, compassion, and conviction intersect. You'll find links in the show notes to connect with Nancy and with me.

If you're looking for a speaker for your next women's conference, retreat, luncheon, or workshop, reach out and connect with me on my speaker page at https://www.womenspeakers.com/florida/edgewater/speaker/doris-swift

Let's have a chat about your 2025 event!

Stay tuned for more amazing content and remember to check the show notes for all the links mentioned.

Thank you for being a part of our community. We are grateful for your continued support and encourage you to embrace the unique gifts that make you magnificently you.

I hope you'll join me next time when I talk with another woman who is taking action where her passion, compassion, and conviction intersect ...

Until then friend, have a blessed week, and I'll talk to you soon.

With love and joy,

Doris

P.S. Don't forget to follow us on social media for bite-sized wisdom and inspiration from Doris and our incredible guests! 📲

Check out my home page for free resources!

Transcript

Doris:What is threatening to steal your joy? What is it that feels so heavy right now that you could barely stand? God has a plan, and his plan is to surrender it. Surrender it to him. It might be a prodigal. It might be a relationship, a marriage, something with your job. So many things. We have so many amazing blessings, but there are so many things in our life that threaten to steal our joy. I'm Dora Swift, author of the award winning six week Bible study, surrender the joy stealers rediscover the Jesus joy in you and it helps women rediscover the overflowing ever present Jesus joy within that fills, empowers, and ripens the fruit that God produces in our lives. Using personal and biblical stories, I share how you can identify your joy stealers, surrender them to god reawaken the joy within and share the joy with others you can do it on your own or with a group if you're looking for a bible study check it out friends Surrender the Joy Stealers.

Doris:Rediscover the Jesus Joy in You. It's available on all the online retailers. It's time to take your joy back. Welcome back to the show. Today, I'm very excited to welcome my friend, Amanda Schafer. She is an author, a speaker, and she is host of a popular podcast called A Cup of Gratitude. And she encourages and invites us to see things through the lens of gratitude, which I love that. And we're gonna talk a little bit more about that in the show.

Doris:But, yeah, she's amazing. So you listen to podcasts, so be sure to go check that out. And I'll have the link in the show notes, of course. And we're just happy to get into this conversation and excited to see where God's gonna lead us. So welcome to the show, Amanda. So great to have you.

Amanda Schaefer:Thank you. Thanks for having me. I'm excited to to talk with you. We have followed each other on social media for a really long time, so I'm gonna have to have you back on my podcast as well. I'm very glad to have this conversation with you.

Doris:I'm looking forward to that as well. And, yeah, we love how God connects us. And so this episode is very special, and I just can't wait to hear, like, how God is gonna lead you and to share. So I would love if you would share a little bit about your story and how you are taking action where your passion, compassion, and conviction intersect?

Amanda Schaefer:Well, how am I not at this point? So I'm 60, and I only came to Christ twenty three years ago. So I had quite a lot of past and quite a lot of trauma that, I needed to work through, but I can't believe what God is doing in my life right now and and and that I get to share the gospel all over the world in so many different ways. So I started off with a lot of healing to do. I met Jesus not in church, but in my home, and I have been on fire for God ever since. I cannot get enough of the word. I cannot get enough of his presence. I can't spend enough time in worship, and so he's really transformed my heart. I'm able to connect with a lot of people who don't know him because I spent more of my life not knowing him than knowing him.

Amanda Schaefer:And so, he uses me a lot in these everyday moments where I look around and I am able to choose to look for the good in bad situations. It's actually discipline, gratitude, you know, looking for the good. And the way that God created our our brains, he actually created a neural network that the more that you choose something, the easier it is to get there. It kind of creates a roadway. So it goes both ways. Unfortunately, conversely, if you think bad things or look for things anxiously or fearfully. But when you look for the good that is still there even in the midst of difficulty, you will find it, and then you'll become expectant for more. And so that is really how he's been using me is to remind people.

Amanda Schaefer:I started my podcast during the pandemic after moving to care for my parents, in a into a sixteen hundreds farmhouse in the middle of nowhere and started podcasting from a closet because I was cut off and still wanted to share the gospel. And so he's used my ability to look around and see his goodness and everything to connect to people and bring them hope.

Doris:I love that. I mean, we could probably just end the show right now. I don't want to. We're not going to, but that was amazing. And I and I love how you talk about gratitude and what God did in your life, you know, even though you were feeling like you might have been isolated from where you used to live and maybe getting into more community outside of your home, he gave you an avenue to reach countries that you never would probably have had the opportunity to visit, and, you know, people are listening Yeah. To you because of that. And I love how on your show, you do say, that you're not talking about whether your cup is half empty or half full. We hear that a lot,...