How do you see life’s challenges and obstacles?

Do you accept challenges as opportunities for growth and discovery?

Do you lean in to them to learn?

Do your challenges from the past define you?

Do you deny what it is in front of you without embracing moments for God to reveal Himself in personal ways to you?

Do you quit too soon, before a miracle is about to break open?

Do you see yourself as someone, who with God’s strength, can overcome?

Our first guest on Girlfriendit Radio this week is from our partner ministry, Bloom, which inspires and connects church planting wives. Bloom is under the umbrella of Stadia which plants churches that intentionally care for children. “They won’t stop…until every child has a church.”

Tracie Raitz, and her husband, Jason, planted Thrive Church in Mt Pleasant, MI almost 2 years ago. Tracie is in charge of Thrive Kidz Operations and Jason is the lead pastor. Two of their four kids are living with a genetic disorder, but they are thriving as a family!

Our second guest, Becky Wade is the Carol Award-and Inspirational Reader’s Choice Award-winning author of My Stubborn Heart, Undeniably Yours, Meant to Be Mine and her latest, A Love Like Ours.

Becky and her husband lived overseas in the Caribbean and Australia before settling in Dallas, Texas. It was during her years abroad when Becky’s passion for reading turned into a passion for writing. She published three historical romances for the general market then put her career on hold to care for her kids. When God called her back to writing, she knew He meant for her to turn her attention to Christian fiction.

A great conversation about dealing with depression, finding hope and practicing forgiveness!

Author, speaker and board certified clinical neuropsychologist, Dr. Michelle Bengtson. She knows pain and despair firsthand and combines her professional expertise and personal experience with her faith to address issues surrounding medical and mental disorders, both for those who suffer and for those who care for them. She offers sound practical tools, affirms worth, and encourages faith. Dr. Michelle Bengtson offers hope as a key to unlock joy and relief—even in the middle of the storm. She blogs regularly on her own site: http://www.DrMichelleBengtson.com. Dr. Bengtson’s first solo project comes out in 2016 entitled “Hope Prevails: Insights From a Doctor’s Personal Journey Through Depression."

Suzanne Woods Fisher is a bestselling author of Amish fiction and non-fiction. We will be discussing her recent book, The Heart of the Amish. Suzanne says, you don’t have to “go Amish” to incorporate many of their principles into your life: simplicity, living with less, appreciating nature, forgiving others more readily, trusting in God. We will start out with, “What is the number-one lesson the Amish can teach us about forgiveness?”

With women longing for meaningful connections to help them grow in their faith and find emotional wholeness, now is the perfect time to interview our guest Pamela Havey Lau’s. Her new book, A Friend in Me: How to be a Safe Haven for Other Women will help answer the question that so many of us have, “Why do we feel so isolated and alone?”

We also want to dig into a Christian perspective on popular entertainment via articles and blogs, by Bob Smithouser who has over 20 years of service at Focus on the Family and co-hosts The Official Adventures in Odyssey Podcast.

A few tips in pursuing relationships:

1.Love Jesus and Love others so much, that you can’t help but see people through Gods lens.

2.Give Love instead of judging.

3.Fully Listen

4.Be aware of your self-talk (or what you are listening to the enemy say.)

So what do we do to help the next generation? How are we inspiring and challenging them to see beyond themselves and that they have something to offer that will make a difference?

We dive into this will effective tools and ideas on what it takes and what it can look like to live mission minded.

Joining us this week, we are excited to welcome back Ann Dunagan. Ann is the author of The Mission-Minded Child, and has much to share with us about pointing our children and youth to Jesus.

Also joining us is Anne Milam, a leader and a woman who inspires, from our ministry partner, Bloom.

We are excited for our dialogue this week on Girlfriendit Radio with our two special guests, Susie Davis and Amber Ancarrow.

Author Susie Davis found herself stuck in a decades-long relationship with fear and anxiety after experiencing a profound tragedy when she was in the 8th grade. That day changed everything for Susie “I didn’t realize it then, but that was the beginning of my breakup with God. I don’t think I ever stopped loving him, but I definitely stopped trusting him,” says Susie. She is the author of the recent book, Unafraid: Trusting God in an Unsafe World.

Amber Ancarrow from the ministry of Bloom/Stadia lives and serves her community in Baltimore, which recently experienced racial tension and riots. Fear is not defining them or the community, and Amber will talk with us about what they are doing to love their city and promote unity.

This will be a show about hope and restoration!

Joining us this week on Girlfriendit Radio is best selling author of romantic, suspense and mystery books, Colleen Coble. She has more than two million books in print and writes romantic mysteries because she loves to see justice prevail. Colleen is CEO of American Christian Fiction Writers.

We talk about tension points in life and appropriate ways of dealing with it.

Joining us this week on Girlfriendit Radio: Amanda Leaks

Recently, Ryan Leaks made headlines for getting engaged and married on the same day to his now wife, Amanda Roman. Ryan secretly planned their entire wedding for two years without her knowing a thing. Ryan and his team captured the entire day to produce “The Surprise Wedding” which went viral a few short months after the two got hitched. They’ve been featured on Good Morning America, The Today Show, CNN, The Queen Latifah Show, and many other various media outlets.

Ryan and Amanda authored the book, The One: An Amazing Love Story Starts with You!

Great tips for a healthy relationship and marriage! Are you the ONE?

Let’s keep the laughter flowing as we chat with our returning guest, Melissa Hofmeister from our partner ministry, Bloom.

We also have the pleasure of hearing from USA Today bestselling author Tamera Alexander, author of her recent novel, To Win Her Favor. Set during the tumultuous years following the Civil War, Tamera takes us inside the emotions and history.

When God empowers us our lives become an overabundance of adventures!

Join us this week as we look at the positive things in life with author Sue Ann Cordell. Her books, Simplify, A Life Anchored in Purpose; Social Graces, A Practical Guide to Surviving the Holidays; How To Be A Light In A Dark World; and Ready, Set, Start Over offer practical advice, and new ways of looking at life. Her thought provoking writing style keeps people coming back for more.

Sue Ann is the founder of SHINEWORTHY Lifestyles. Her passion is to train and equip men and women to take a positive approach to life. She influences the lives of people all over the world with her daily blog. Her motto is straightforward: “Stay positive, and live the life out of every day.”

Also joining our show is author, Kristy Cambron. Kristy fancies life as a vintage-inspired storyteller. Her debut historical novel, The Butterfly and the Violin (Thomas Nelson, 2014), was named to Library Journal Reviews’ “Best Books of 2014,”

Kristy brings high energy and inspiring stories to our conversation.