This week, I want to share with you about something that is dear to my heart, and that is the ministry of intercession. In essence, praying for others, especially when they are hurting.

I call these prayers “standing between” prayers, because essentially, you are standing in the space between that person and the enemy or the hurt, and you are lifting them up before God, asking Him to act on their behalf.

Let’s explore why intercession is such a vital ministry for us today.

Kari

RELATED EPISODES:

·       Episode 27: The Cost of Caring for Others

·       Bonus Episode 1: [Guided Prayer + Meditation] Sitting with Your Friend in Her Pain

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>> Free Journaling Workshop: 3 Ways to Encounter God on the Pages of Your Journal

http://lovedoesthat.org/journalingworkshop

>> Journal Gently: An 8-week program designed to help you process grief and trauma with God

http://lovedoesthat.org/journalgently

>> Written Spiritual Direction: Recognize God’s presence in your pain

http://lovedoesthat.org/spiritualdirection

“Think… of the last time you were with people. In whatever situation you pictured, half or more of the people around you were likely introverts—even if it didn’t seem like it. Now imagine with me a world in which 100 percent of people, introverts and extroverts, dare to be who they are.  What if we all understood how we’re wired, intentionally used our strengths to serve the greater good, and thrived for a lifetime? Imagine what it would be like for you to live more like that every day.” (Holley Gerth)

How did those words resonate with you?

I know there has been a lot said about introverts. Yet rather than treating it like a fad that is here one day and gone the next, I believe there is a lot of value into learning more about how God has designed each one of us.

My book recommendation for this month is The Powerful Purpose of Introverts, by Holley Gerth. Listen in to find out why. 

Kari

RESOURCES:

·       Holley Gerth’s Resource Page for Introverts (includes both books and her mini-course)

·       Episode 81: Encouraging and Caring Others as an Introvert

·       Episode 106: Leading As An Introvert

______

 >> Free Journaling Workshop: 3 Ways to Encounter God on the Pages of Your Journal

http://lovedoesthat.org/journalingworkshop

>> Journal Gently: An 8-week program designed to help you process grief and trauma with God

http://lovedoesthat.org/journalgently

>> Written Spiritual Direction: Recognize God’s presence in your pain

http://lovedoesthat.org/spiritualdirection

I don’t know about you, but I look around me and I see changes everywhere. 

Either changes that have been happening over the past several months, or changes about to happen in the coming weeks. I see loved ones walking through loss or hardship, or desperately seeking an answer to something that feels incredibly overwhelming and out of their control.

And it reminded me of a story from the life of the prophet Elisha. It's told in the early chapters of 2 Kings.

I think it really speaks to these moments when maybe we know there’s something big happening or getting ready to happen, but we just don’t have it within us to have a conversation about it. 

Kari

RELATED EPISODES:

·       Episode 28: How Elisha Inspires Me to Look After Others

·       Episode 54: 4 Simple Ways to Start (or Keep) Journaling

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>> Free Journaling Workshop: 3 Ways to Encounter God on the Pages of Your Journal

http://lovedoesthat.org/journalingworkshop

>> Journal Gently: An 8-week program designed to help you process grief and trauma with God

http://lovedoesthat.org/journalgently

>> Written Spiritual Direction: Recognize God’s presence in your pain

http://lovedoesthat.org/spiritualdirection

I’m wondering if you have a family member in your life—a parent, a son or daughter, a brother or sister—who doesn’t know Christ.

If so, then you probably know the heaviness and grief that can bring to your spirit.

You wonder how you can witness to them.

You pray for their salvation.

You try to find ways to love them and show them you care.

But ultimately, you cannot make them accept Christ.

And that’s hard.

This week, I want to let you listen in to a conversation I had with a friend of mine. Her name is Janell Wood and she is passionate about bringing others to know the Lord. And she has such a beautiful podcast dedicated to having honest and real conversations with those who are doubting the Christian faith or rejecting it all together. 

It’s called Finding Something Real, and I really encourage you to go follow her show, so that you can continue to let her not just speak truth into your life, but also listen to her model how to have some of these conversations well.

This is a holy and tender conversation. Thanks for joining us.

Kari

MEET JANELL:

Janell has been a Christian for most of her life but has a deep passion for those who are struggling with faith. She's been through her own seasons of wondering, wandering, hurting, and doubting. With a Masters-level education in Counseling Psychology, a background in advocacy for women in crisis, and communication skills gained from 17 years of "'til death do us part," Janell has found just one who has the answers. His name is Jesus. True Restoration, Eternity, Authenticity, and Love belongs to Him. And she loves to share and talk about what’s REAL with others, whether it's one-on-one with young women on her podcast, or when speaking for an audience.

CONNECT WITH JANELL:

·       Website

·       Say Hello

·       Free Resource: 7 Deep Questions

RELATED EPISODES:

·       Episode 6: The Message That Ignited Love Does That 

______

>> Free Journaling Workshop: 3 Ways to Encounter God on the Pages of Your Journal

http://lovedoesthat.org/journalingworkshop

>> Journal Gently: An 8-week program designed to help you process grief and trauma with God

http://lovedoesthat.org/journalgently

>> Written Spiritual Direction: Recognize God’s presence in your pain

http://lovedoesthat.org/spiritualdirection

Today is the day! I am going to share with you what happened during the break in the podcast and how God encouraged me during that time.

If you’re not sure what I’m talking about, just go back a couple of episodes to episode 109 and you’ll hear more about how God invited me to pause the podcast for the last month of Lent so that I could spend that time with Him in silence. I share how it all came about and some of the obstacles and objections that kind of stood in my way.

But today, I wanted to share with you a couple of specific things: first, the intentions and boundaries I set for myself during this time, and second, how I actually spent my time and the ways God met with me through that.

Kari

RELATED EPISODES:

·       Episode 109: It's Getting Real: God's Invitation to Me for the Rest of Lent

·       Episode 92: Practicing the Holy Hush Instead of the Holiday Hustle: Intentionally Inviting Moments of Deep Silence

·       Episode 94: Entering the Silence and Stillness with God: A Conversation with Blogger and Writer Celia Miller

______

 >> Free Journaling Workshop: 3 Ways to Encounter God on the Pages of Your Journal

http://lovedoesthat.org/journalingworkshop

>> Journal Gently: An 8-week program designed to help you process grief and trauma with God

http://lovedoesthat.org/journalgently

>> Written Spiritual Direction: Recognize God’s presence in your pain

http://lovedoesthat.org/spiritualdirection

Stop with me for a moment and consider how many decisions you make every single day.

What clothes to wear.What to eat for breakfast. For lunch. For supper.How to spend your time at work.What gets cleaned that day at home.What time to go to the grocery store, how to get there, and which items to buy and which ones to pass on.Whether to answer that phone call, or that text message, or that email.And if to answer, what to say in response.Whether to let the kids work out their argument on their own or whether you need to step in—and if so, how to do so in a good way.

And those are just some of the little, everyday, ordinary sort of decisions we make.

What about the big ones, like where to work, or how to school our children, or who to marry, or what to drive?

It can get overwhelming really fast. And that’s why discernment and having support as you make these kinds of decisions can be so crucial.

That’s why I recommend Emily P. Freeman’s book, The Next Right Thing.

Kari

RELATED EPISODES:

·       Episode 24: An Example in Spiritual Discernment and Decision Making: Going "All In" With Love Does That

·       Episode 48: The Power of Pre-Deciding in Difficult Seasons

·       Episode 77: Three Prayers for Discernment: Making Difficult Choices in Difficult Seasons

·       Episode 79: Burdens vs. Loads: Discerning When to Help Someone

______ 

>> Free Journaling Workshop: 3 Ways to Encounter God on the Pages of Your Journal

http://lovedoesthat.org/journalingworkshop

>> Journal Gently: An 8-week program designed to help you process grief and trauma with God

http://lovedoesthat.org/journalgently

>> Written Spiritual Direction: Recognize God’s presence in your pain

http://lovedoesthat.org/spiritualdirection

So today, I’m supposed to be sharing with you my book recommendation for the month of March. 

But apparently God has some other plans.

Listen in to find out what’s going on.

Kari

BIBLE VERSES + RESOURCES:

·       Episode 92: Practicing the Holy Hush Instead of the Holiday Hustle: Intentionally Inviting Moments of Deep Silence

·       Episode 94: Entering the Silence and Stillness with God: A Conversation with Blogger and Writer Celia Miller

·       Episode 103: 6 Strategies to Manage Overwhelm, Stress, and Change

·       “But those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him.” (1 John 2:5a NLT)

______

>> Free Journaling Workshop: 3 Ways to Encounter God on the Pages of Your Journal

http://lovedoesthat.org/journalingworkshop

>> Journal Gently: An 8-week program designed to help you process grief and trauma with God

http://lovedoesthat.org/journalgently 

>> Written Spiritual Direction: Recognize God’s presence in your pain

http://lovedoesthat.org/spiritualdirection

I’m wondering if you are doing something that is really, really hard right now.

Maybe you are raising little ones.

Maybe you are caring for an aging parent.

Maybe you have a friend who is in a season of grief.

Maybe you are working extra hours to pay off debt.

Maybe you are getting a degree or certification in your so-called free time.

Maybe you are leading a small group or Bible study or ministry.

There are times when I get so incredibly discouraged, and maybe you do, too, because you are striving to do a good job or doing your best to care for someone else or just trying to keep up with what life has thrown at you.

And you’re tired.

And you’re weary.

And some days you just feel like giving up.

And we begin to question, “Is God really asking me to do this? Where are all my open doors? Where is God making the path easy for me? Why does my burden feel so heavy? This doesn’t feel easy or light.”

And today, I want to speak a word of encouragement with you:

Just because something is hard doesn’t mean that it’s wrong.

Kari

BIBLE VERSES + RESOURCES:

·       Episode 103: 6 Strategies to Manage Overwhelm, Stress, and Change

·       “So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9 NRSVA)

·       “You must hold on, so you can do what God wants and receive what he has promised.” (Hebrews 10:36 NCV) 

______ 

>> Free Journaling Workshop: 3 Ways to Encounter God on the Pages of Your Journal

http://lovedoesthat.org/journalingworkshop

>> Journal Gently: An 8-week program designed to help you process grief and trauma with God

http://lovedoesthat.org/journalgently

>> Written Spiritual Direction: Recognize God’s presence in your pain

http://lovedoesthat.org/spiritualdirection

God designed us each so differently. And we want to use those characteristics to love others well, right?

But what I’ve experienced, and maybe you have, too, is that it is so easy for us to get this idea in our heads that we don’t fit the right mold. 

I’m not outgoing.

I don’t know what to say.

I’m not like so-and-so… she always knows what to do.

I don’t really know her that well, so how can I try to comfort her?

What if what I say comes out wrong and hurts her?

People think I’m so detached; how am I supposed to comfort them?

I get so nervous at hospitals or funeral homes.

What is it for you? What thoughts pop into your head when you think about providing comfort and care to others?

What I want to show you today is that you can use the characteristics God gave you to bring comfort to others. You don’t have to try to be someone else. And really, comforting others isn’t so much a personality type as it is the act of being present.

Listen in to find out more…

Kari

RESOURCES:

·       Book: The Art of Comforting, Val Walker

·       Courageous Care Masterclass: http://lovedoesthat.org/care  

______

>> Free Journaling Workshop: 3 Ways to Encounter God on the Pages of Your Journal

http://lovedoesthat.org/journalingworkshop

>> Journal Gently: An 8-week program designed to help you process grief and trauma with God

http://lovedoesthat.org/journalgently

>> Written Spiritual Direction: Recognize God’s presence in your pain

http://lovedoesthat.org/spiritualdirection

If you are an introvert, you have probably found yourself questioning why God designed you that way and how you can possibly do what He has called you to do. You’re not outgoing. You’re not fond of being in front of others. Maybe you don’t like small talk or ice breakers or things of that sort. 

Perhaps you’ve found yourself looking for ways to serve God and impact others in spite of your introversion.

But I am here to tell you that God designed you that way on purpose. It was not a mistake. 

And you don’t have to serve others in spite of your introversion; you can actually serve them out of your introversion.

Listen in to my session at the Small Church Women’s Ministries Conference. I hope and pray it will be a blessing to you.

Kari

RESOURCES:

·       Book: The Powerful Purpose of Introverts by Holley Gerth

______ 

>> Free Journaling Workshop: 3 Ways to Encounter God on the Pages of Your Journal

http://lovedoesthat.org/journalingworkshop

>> Journal Gently: An 8-week program designed to help you process grief and trauma with God

http://lovedoesthat.org/journalgently

>> Written Spiritual Direction: Recognize God’s presence in your pain

http://lovedoesthat.org/spiritualdirection