Hi friends! We’ve been through a lot over the past year, as people, as communities, as a nation and world. And although there is comfort to be found in suffering through hardships together, what happens to our souls when we’re left suffering privately or by ourselves?

My good friend Ruth Schwenk is joining me on the show today to help us figure that out. Ruth is an author of many wonderful books about parenting, the founder of TheBetterMom.com, and the co-founder of FortheFamily.org.

But what I’m really excited about is her most recent book she co-wrote with her husband Patrick. It’s called In a Boat in the Middle of a Lake: Trusting the God Who Meets Us in Our Storm. 

She talks about this new book along with an update on her husband’s health, which inspired the idea of writing about God meeting you in the roughest waters and in the darkest storms. 

We also chat about some practical tips on how to take care of yourself right now, even if you’re sitting in the middle of one of those dark, stormy lakes. 

Stick around for the whole episode to hear:

• Ruth sharing some of the ways God has used suffering and trials to change and teach His people. 

Favorite quotes:

1. When we’re put in the middle of a storm our faith is tested. It exposes what we really believe about God. And honestly that’s where God really grows us and helps us learn because we have no other choice but to cling to him in that.

3. It’s ok to sit in your pain. It’s not comfortable. Who wants to sit in their pain? But it’s the day after day, step after step looking towards him that he used to change us.

4. I think in dryness and in burnout, he’s using that to purify our faith and to deepen our faith. He wants us to keep seeking him. Eventually if we keep seeking him day after day we discover that he was there all along waiting for us.

 In this episode I answer this question:

1. How should I handle fasting as someone who has a tendency to have an eating disorder? (41:32)

Great things we discussed: 

1. Ruth Schwenk

8. Standing Strong

Hope you loved this episode! Be sure to subscribe in iTunes and slap some stars on a review! :)

xo,

Alli

https://alliworthington.com/ruthschwenk2/