Welcome to another inspiring episode of Fierce Calling! Today, host Doris sits down with good friend Kristi Woods, an acclaimed author and speaker whose profound journey of faith and perseverance will leave you deeply moved. We delve into Kristi’s latest book, 101 Prayers for Military Wives, a heartfelt guide designed to help military spouses—and anyone seeking a deeper spiritual connection—grow closer to God through prayer. Kristi shares personal anecdotes, from how she met her husband through a pen pal program during Desert Storm, to the divine timing that led to her first book's publication after years of patience and faith.
Doris and Kristi explore the intricate dynamics of developing a robust prayer life, the significance of understanding God’s character through scripture, and the transformative power of prayer. They also touch on Kristi's foray into fiction writing, emphasizing perseverance and obedience to God’s calling even when the path seems uncertain.
If you’re seeking encouragement to deepen your faith, enrich your prayer life, or simply need a gentle reminder of God’s perfect timing, this episode is for you. Stay tuned as Kristi Woods shares her journey, offers valuable resources for women's groups, and provides that much-needed spiritual nourishment to fuel your walk with God. Don't miss it!
Connect with Kristi!
Kristi Woods, author and speaker, shares stories about Jesus, a few pretend couples, and other military and everyday heroes. Her award-winning work is published across the Internet and in print, including her recent gift book release,101 Prayers for Military Wives. Kristi, her Desert Storm pen pal-turned-husband, and three (now adult) children survived a nomadic, military lifestyle and have set roots in Oklahoma. There, she keeps a close watch for tornadoes and good chocolate.
Website/Contact:KristiWoods.net
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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/
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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!
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Transcript
Surrender the Joy Stealers Bible Study Intro ...
Doris [00:01:45]: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 6 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.
Doris [00:02:36]: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. Welcome back to the show.
Now On with the Show ...
Doris [00:03:06]:I am excited to welcome my friend, Kristi Woods. She has been a friend for a long time. We were just talking about over the years how we originally connected, how God connects us. And there's some relationships that are in our lives for maybe a season, and then there's some that are in for the long haul, and that's kinda how ours has been. She's an author and speaker, and she shares stories about Jesus. And a few pretend couples will ask her about that, and other military and everyday heroes. Her award-winning work is published across the Internet and in print, and she has a book, it's a gift book that released called 101.
Doris [00:03:49]:[laugh] It's not prayers 101, It's a 101 prayers for military wives. So she actually met her husband through being a pen pal in Desert Storm. She's gonna talk about that a little bit. She has 3 adult children. They've moved a lot because of the military lifestyle. So some of you listening can relate to that, and they have set roots in Oklahoma.
Doris [00:04:14]:Welcome to the show, Kristi. It's so great to have you on.
Kristi Woods [00:04:18]:I'm so excited and honored to be here, so thank you.
Doris [00:04:20]:Well, thank you. Yeah. We were talking about how we just, you know, connected years ago with our love for writing and our call for writing and speaking. So tell us a little bit about your desert storm, Pen Powell turned husband. And then after that, tell us more about your story and how you're taking action where your passion, compassion, and conviction intersect.
Kristi Woods [00:04:46]:Wonderful. Well, my desert storm pen pal was just that. You know, desert storm was happening. I was a senior in college at the time, so that ages me a bit. And I love to write letters, and at the time, dear Abby, who was a newspaper columnist, had this thing where you could write to any service person. Like, literally, that is what you put as the 2. And then she had an address where you sent it, and then they got it to the different military forces and to different people, the personnel. And then, you know, it's it's up to to chance, to fate, to god, whether you got a letter back or not.
Kristi Woods [00:05:26]:And so my I sent several letters. I got a few in return. I actually got one from my husband, though, and he continued to write. And he was special, just different. You know? He was very kind in his letters, and, and that was, well, that was 1 year. And then the next year, we had the chance to finally talk on the phone. So we only had letters for the 1st year, phone calls for the second, and then the 3rd was in person, and then the 4th, we got married. So it was kind of an interesting progression, and I'm I'm grateful for it because I was really focused far too much on the exterior, and I believe the Lord knew that.
Kristi Woods [00:06:07]:And so he brought me a man that was handsome in so many ways inside and out, but his appearance on the outside was not something I typically looked for. So I probably would have looked right past him, Not because he was ugly or anything, it just wasn't my particular look. Mhmm. And because I didn't know what he looked like for a year because he didn't send me any pictures for a whole year. We were writing letters, and I got to know who he was on the inside through those letters. And, you know, it could've turned out kinda scary if you think about that, honestly, but it didn't. God had his hand in it, and it's always good when it's and, so we've been married 30 years now. We just celebrated 30 this year, so it's been a a wonderful, sometimes wild, sometimes, you know, difficult, but fabulous overall ride, and I wouldn't wanna do it with anybody else.
Doris [00:07:00]:Wow. Well, congratulations on 30 years. And I love that story so much. It seems like it should be like a Hallmark movie or something, you know.
Kristi Woods [00:07:10]:And But it it did make it into a chicken soup for the soul. Oh, nice. So if you signed 1 on Love Stories.
Doris [00:07:16]:Oh, wow. Okay. Which, which of the chicken soups was that in?
Kristi Woods [00:07:23]:I I I think it's called Love Stories, I think, is the total, but it's a couple walking hand in hand with their their back to you on the front cover. So it's it's been a few years ago. 6 or 7 years ago, it was published. So
Doris [00:07:35]:Nice. Well, it's a story that needs to be told. It's so special and precious. And I love the fact that you all had the opportunity to connect on a heart level before, you know, a physical level. Because oftentimes, you know, it's that physical attraction first, and it may not be the person that you're compatible with, you know, or that's not the person god has for you. And so I I love that story. And I'm I'm gonna have to check out and get that chicken soup for the soul book, wherever that is. Whatever whichever.
Doris [00:08:11]:Because I know they have so many of those, but that is great. I'm glad it got into that book because it it's so sweet. I just love that so much. So so then tell us more about your story and and how you're taking action where your passion, compassion, and conviction intersect. I kind of alluded a little to that with what your calling is, but share what you feel God is leading you to share with our listeners today.
Kristi Woods [00:08:40]:Well, hopefully, it'll be encouragement to somebody or maybe a few somebody's out there. I hope so. Because, mine is one of a dream that I thought was lost. And I had had felt this calling to write and to, just really dive in to the non Christian nonfiction world. And so I was so eager, you know, and then it got tough, and I wanted to quit, and the holy spirit said stay the course three times. And so I did, and then finally, at about year 7, there was still no book contract. And for me, I guess, I felt there was going to be a book contract. So I'm not sure that was my identity, but it was definitely a big part of the picture.
Kristi Woods [00:09:22]:And there was no book contra
