The Amanda Ferguson Show

Season 3, Episode 2: The Grace to Keep Moving

Welcome to Season 3 Episode 2. This podcast was inspired by my academy students, who asked me on several different occasions, “What do you do when you’re going through trauma and you’re trying to heal, but you still have to live? How do you do that?”

I would like to talk about two different, equally devastating experiences, and how having a true purpose, changed the way I moved forward.

Seeing my mom struggle and suffer through her battle with breast cancer was very difficult. At the age of 25, I was struggling in my own life, trying to figure out who I was, what I wanted to do and where I was supposed to be. My purpose had not been defined at the time my Mom died. I was scared, I was scattered, and I didn’t have a purpose. I just knew that I wanted to do more than what I was doing and that caused me to feel unsettled, sad and hopeless. I worked as a flight attendant, passing out snacks on an airplane and I was drowning in despair; shattered and scattered. 

When you don’t know what your purpose is, you are constantly searching for something and it usually ends up leaving you feeling empty and angry. When my mom died, I felt like God let me down. I thought I had been doing exactly what I was called to do, and yet God let this happen to my mom. I relived the nightmare of her final days and it hindered my healing. I kept reliving the same nightmare and I couldn’t move forward. When my mom died, I didn’t have a purpose. It took a long time for me to shift my thinking and to stop grieving the loss.

The difference in the seasons, the way that I dealt with the pain from my mother’s death compared to my miscarriage were vastly different. During my miscarriage, my Academy had just launched. I had an Angelic encounter where the Lord told me to start the Feminine Woman’s Academy. I was called out to train women in etiquette and femininity so that the Lord could use them (and me) to raise up a world of Esthers. This purpose was a huge part of my healing because I had a new focus. Yes, the miscarriage was devastating, but I had a purpose that God called me to do, and I was driven to do what the Lord had called me to do and it was a part of my healing. I poured out my pain and built myself up in Scriptures. I gave all of my pain and despair to God.

Here are four ways to gain the grace to keep moving:

[7:28] Know your true purpose. Please let me pray over you to help you find your true purpose so that you will find clarity and peace.

[9:12] Feed yourself on the scriptures. Read scriptures that build up your strength and your hope. 

[16:29] Take a break, but don’t stop. You don’t have go at the same pace. Take a break but to do the same things you were doing before. Don’t isolate and alienate because you don’t want to miss your blessings. 

[19:20] Refresh yourself. Do something for yourself that makes you feel a live and new. Treat yourself to something you may not do for yourself very often.

Trials will come but you can be completely free from the grief and the sadness. God will give you the grace to keep moving if you just ask Him!

Please Tag, rate and review this episode and listen next week for Listener shout outs!

References:

The Amanda Ferguson Show, Season 3, Episode 1: How God Healed me from the Grief of my Miscarriage in 3 Days

The Amanda Ferguson Show, Season 1, Episode 1: How Grief and Depression Helped Me Pivot in Life

Subscribe & Review

Have you subscribed to The Amanda Ferguson podcast? If not, I would encourage you to do that today. I would not like for you to miss any of the episodes coming up this season. I will be adding bonus episodes and if you are not subscribed there might be a possibility that you’ll miss out on them. Click here to subscribe in iTunes to have the podcast downloaded to your device every week.

I would love to stay connected with you! If my podcast is blessing your life, I would appreciate if you left me a review over on iTunes. Select the Ratings & Reviews and write a review. I will be reading your reviews and do not forget to comment on what was your favorite part of the podcast.

For more of The Amanda Ferguson Show, you can also follow me on Instagram and Facebook @mrsamandaferguson. Thank you so much!

Also, to be the first to receive email alerts, subscribe to amandasclub.com. Thank you so much!

Season 3, Episode 1: How God Healed Me from the Grief of my Miscarriage in 3 Days

Welcome to Season 3 of the Amanda Ferguson Show. Thank you to all of my followers following me from Season 1 and welcome to all of our new listeners! Please tag me and let me know how the podcast is touching you. Then listen next week in episode 2 for my special listener shout outs!

I like to start every new season sharing a vulnerable experience that I’ve had. People may look at my life and think everything is perfect. I’m here to tell you that no one’s life is perfect. By sharing some of these experiences, I can offer you something other than how to simply deal with pain but how to overcome that pain and actually heal from it.

After months of planning and preparations for our final baby, we were beyond excited when we found out we were pregnant. A few weeks into my pregnancy I began to feel like something was wrong. My husband and I have three children already, so I know when I’m pregnant and I know how it should feel. When things started to feel differently, I began to worry. Within 24 hours, we had lost our baby.

The pain of losing this beautiful life was overwhelming. The guilt and the shock were just too much to bear. I was devastated. 

Fortunately for us, we are surrounded by a close group of people that we consider our Tribe. These are the ones that we hold close and respect. Sharing our grief with them was the beginning of our supernatural healing, in just 3 days. 

Here are the 4 ways that God healed me from this overwhelming sadness in just 3 days! 

[7:31] You have to let people in. Our Tribe was overwhelmed with sadness with us. There is power in allowing people into your life. They were with us through the pain and the tears.

[9:17] Let God comfort you. Don’t let your anger towards God keep you from Him comforting you. The Lord is your Father and wants to take care of you. He is the perfect Father. He’s just waiting for you to come to Him. Let Him.

[11:59] Special prayer to know God as your Father. You know Him as a Savior, let Him love you as your Father.

[13:26] Give Him your pain. Being a Christian doesn’t automatically keep you from trials. You are not expected to carry all of your pain alone. Ask the Lord to take the pain away and give it to Him. Joy will follow.

[17:14] Nothing in life is wasted. God uses every single thing for His Glory! No pain, no miscarriage, no abortion is ever considered waste!

Please know, you do not have to lose a part of yourself because of the pain and the trails you go through. The Lord will fully restore you when you let Him have your pain and you let Him into your life!
 

Please Tag, rate and review this episode and listen next week for Listener shout outs!

Scripture References:

Romans 12:15 (NIV) Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.

1 Peter 4:12 (NIV) Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.

1 Peter 5:7 (NIV) Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Nehemiah 8:10 (NIV) Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”.

References:

Jo Naughton on the Amanda Ferguson Show Podcast; Season 2, Episode 3; July 22, 2019: “How Jo Naughton healed from the loss of her 2-year old daughter”

Link: iTunesAmanda Ferguson and Jo Naughton in Season 2, Episode 3.

Subscribe & Review

Have you subscribed to The Amanda Ferguson podcast? If not, I would encourage you to do that today. I would not like for you to miss any of the episodes coming up this season. I will be adding bonus episodes and if you are not subscribed there might be a possibility that you’ll miss out on them. Click here to subscribe in iTunes to have the podcast downloaded to your device every week.

I would love to stay connected with you! If my podcast is blessing your life, I would appreciate if you left me a review over on iTunes. Select the Ratings & Reviews and write a review. I will be reading your reviews and do not forget to comment on what was your favorite part of the podcast.

For more of The Amanda Ferguson Show, you can also follow me on Instagram and Facebook @mrsamandaferguson. Thank you so much!

Also, to be the first to receive email alerts, subscribe to amandasclub.com. Thank you so much!

When you feel like you have already progressed so far, it can be hard to force yourself to stop, turn back and look at the beginnings of your story. This is exactly what was being asked of me by my therapist. I did not like it. I was thriving! My business was successful, my kids and I were spending quality time together and my husband and I were living the dream.

So why would I ever look to my past?

At this point in my life, I kept trying to advance in the goals and dreams I had for myself, but nothing was working out. Have you ever felt like you were doing everything in your power to make something happen and the results just would not show up? Well, I had to come to the hard realization, by my therapist, that all my chasing was for nothing if I continued to chase after my future.

Now, that sounds confusing so let me break it down. My problem wasn’t that I was going after my dreams. It was that I was pursuing my dreams so aggressively as a way to avoid what I actually needed to confront.

My past.

In trying to avoid the pain I still quietly carried in my heart, I was trying to trail blaze through all my goals for the future. I want to save you some time and tell you that you will only be able to get so far in your life, dreams and goals before you will have to turn back and confront.

My therapist was painfully spot on. The pain of dealing with what had happened in my family was too difficult to process. Hardships, financial problems, deaths, abandonment and more were too much for me to deal with then, and it still felt too hard as an adult. As a result, I decided, whether I realized it or not, that I would not stop to process the memories. I would simply outrun them instead.

Unsurprisingly, that didn’t work. I thought I still had to “become”. However, I would never feel like I “arrived” until I dealt with those broken pieces inside of me. Only then would I truly become the best version of myself and no longer have the need to chase anything.

If you can relate to any of this, I want you to know that it is your reality. You don’t have to chase anything. That instinct to chase comes from feeling that you still need to get work done before you can call yourself a success. Except, you already are a success. If you want the best for your life, you are already on the right track.

So instead of getting frustrated and discouraged in your pursuit to live your best life, make success chase you instead. How? You need to start from the beginning. Follow the three tips I learned along the way and implement them! I was surprised at how these small tips made such a huge impact in every area of my life.

How to Make Success Chase You

[10:25] Slow down to speed up. I know you want to run through your goals, but you would be amazed at how much you can get done when you take the time to slow down your pace.

[11:57] Allow your pain to unravel in layers. The process may take time. It could be days, weeks or months. Be gentle and give yourself the time you need to fully go through this process.

[18:18] Choose you. This does not make you selfish, it is necessary!

Subscribe & Review

Have you subscribed to The Amanda Ferguson podcast? If not, I would encourage you to do that today. I would not like for you to miss any of the episodes coming up this season. I will be adding bonus episodes and if you are not subscribed there might be a possibility that you’ll miss out on them. Click here to subscribe in iTunes to have the podcast downloaded to your device every week.

I would love to stay connected with you! If my podcast is blessing your life, I would appreciate if you left me a review over on iTunes. Select the Ratings & Reviews and write a review. I will be reading your reviews and do not forget to comment on what was your favorite part of the podcast.

For more of The Amanda Ferguson Show, you can also follow me on Instagram and Facebook @mrsamandaferguson. Thank you so much!

Also, to be the first to receive email alerts, subscribe to amandasclub.com. Thank you so much!

References:

Feminine Woman Academy, https://www.femininewomanacademy.com/

As a wife I have the responsibility to bring peace, happiness and order to my marriage. A little spice never hurt either though! How to keep that special spice alive in your marriage is a question I get asked often. After seven years of marriage, it could have been easy to fall into the trap of getting comfortable instead of continuously going the extra mile for my husband.

I remember when I was newly married how people would tell me the initial fire you feel at the beginning of marriage is bound to go away. I wouldn’t accept that. I can confidently say that my husband and I are just as in love now as we were in our first year. However, I had to be intentional.

I love being a wife to my amazing husband and because I am so grateful to him, I go out of my way to make his life easier. Learning just how to do this was the part that took some extra effort. Scratch that, a lot of effort! One main key you will hear me talk about, is always looking presentable.

That may sound simple, but years ago I didn’t know what I did now. One of the main arguments my husband and I would have was in how I dressed. Looking back, he was right, but at the moment I believed I knew way more about how to pull an outfit together than he did! Learning what hairstyle looked best on me and how to do it myself was tricky. Learning how to do my makeup right required trial and error. It didn’t happen overnight, but I got there! And you can too.

It can be easy to give up before you even start trying to learn, but I promise you it is worth it. As his wife, I help set the tone of our marriage, so if I want sparks to fly I have to be a little strategic. Knowing that men are highly visual makes me want to look all the better for him. And if I am going to be honest, knowing that I look good to him makes me feel so in touch with my femininity.

The same way I set out to be an uncommon wife, is the same way I made sure that my marriage would be full of passion. I discovered that keeping the passion alive didn’t take as much work as one might think. Follow along with my key tips on how to do it, I think you’ll be surprised at how easy you can implement them!

5 Ways to Keep Your Spice As a Wife:

[3:42] Dance around the house for no reason. It makes laughter and happiness come out!

[8:29] Keep a journal of what stresses out your husband. The less stressful your partner is, the more peace there will be in the house.

[10:44] Look good while you cook. You should try to look presentable no matter what you are doing, but I especially advise some eye shadow while you cook!

[15:50] Spend extra time on your hair and makeup. If you aren’t too skilled, watch video tutorials online or visit a local beauty store that can service you.

[23:57] Remind your husband how great he is to you. Men need to be told compliments too!

Subscribe & Review

Have you subscribed to The Amanda Ferguson podcast? If not, I would encourage you to do that today. I would not like for you to miss any of the episodes coming up this season. I will be adding bonus episodes and if you are not subscribed there might be a possibility that you’ll miss out on them. Click here to subscribe in iTunes to have the podcast downloaded to your device every week.

I would love to stay connected with you! If my podcast is blessing your life, I would appreciate if you left me a review over on iTunes. Select the Ratings & Reviews and write a review. I will be reading your reviews and do not forget to comment on what was your favorite part of the podcast.

For more of The Amanda Ferguson Show, you can also follow me on Instagram and Facebook @mrsamandaferguson. Thank you so much!

Also, to be the first to receive email alerts, subscribe to amandasclub.com. Thank you so much!

References:

Feminine Woman Academy, https://www.femininewomanacademy.com/

Storytelling is an art.

Have you ever wondered why people admire a good storyteller? There is something about a person who knows how to communicate well that touches our hearts. The art of storytelling can impact millions, and it can also take your influence to the next level.

Everyone has a story inside of them that can impact thousands. You probably have life stories of your own that may shock the people around you. Maybe you have always wanted to share what your journey has really been like, you just don’t know how to do it in a way that will do it justice. I completely understand!

I get complimented so many times on how good of a speaker I am. Except, I am not a good speaker because I was born that way. Just like any other skill, it took practice! Even more than practice, I discovered that when I was my most vulnerable, open and transparent I received the most traction. Only then did people really connect with me and want to get to know me more.

To this day, I continue to do just that. If you have listened to my other podcast episodes or follow me on social media, you will see that I have a storytelling style. I always want to bring my audience close by sharing a personal story of mine, opening up deeply about a struggle or thought, and I finish with encouragement. I am not afraid to go to a deep place with people! I have talked about the struggles of motherhood, marriage, family, business, you name it! And strangers who I have never met finish feeling like we are best friends.

The reason is very simple. Being open makes you relatable. People relate to your struggles more than they will ever relate to your victory! The impact is in your victory, the connection forms when you get real about your struggles.

I can personally attribute a large amount of my success to the way I tell stories! I want you to have success in it too. Follow along below to find out my secrets on how to tell your story in a way that will make an impact.

Story Telling Tips

[4:19] It’s not about you, its all about them (your audience). Your story may be powerful, but the real impact is how your story can bring change to others.

[8:13] Figure out which type of storyteller you are. Everyone has their own unique style that works for them.

[16:18] Be likeable! This creates a long-lasting connection with people.

Subscribe & Review

Have you subscribed to The Amanda Ferguson podcast? If not, I would encourage you to do that today. I would not like for you to miss any of the episodes coming up this season. I will be adding bonus episodes and if you are not subscribed there might be a possibility that you’ll miss out on them. Click here to subscribe in iTunes to have the podcast downloaded to your device every week.

I would love to stay connected with you! If my podcast is blessing your life, I would appreciate if you left me a review over on iTunes. Select the Ratings & Reviews and write a review. I will be reading your reviews and do not forget to comment on what was your favorite part of the podcast.

For more of The Amanda Ferguson Show, you can also follow me on Instagram and Facebook @mrsamandaferguson. Thank you so much!

Also, to be the first to receive email alerts, subscribe to amandasclub.com. Thank you so much!

References:

Feminine Woman Academy https://www.femininewomanacademy.com/

Back by popular demand, this week’s episode I am going deeper into how to heal from mother and father wounds. If you heard me talk about this in season 1 already, I want you to still take the time to listen to this episode. Why? Because healing has layers.

There was a time where I put my raw emotions on the back burner and decided to move forward with my life instead. Except I never really went anywhere emotionally. Even as time passed me by, my heart never moved from the place of pain after my mother passed away. The more I ignored the resentment I had towards my father, the longer I would remain stagnant. I do not want you to do the same.

Whether we notice it or not, the pain we experience in our childhood is still in our hearts as adults if that pain never went through a process. Your pain, whatever the source of it is, needs to go through a grieving process. Many of us avoid this process because we think we should just get over it and move on with our lives. Some of us think it makes us weak if we continuously cry over a loved one that is no longer with us. A sad moment I unnecessarily made myself endure as a result of not allowing myself to grieve was loneliness.

The truth is, pain is isolating. Pain can build walls that make genuine people that want to be there for you unable to since you have made yourself unreachable. A week after my mother’s funeral I felt more alone than I ever had before. That feeling grew with time and resulted in me secretly being upset with my friends and family for not seeing the wounds I was hiding. The problem was not a lack of people who were willing to support me. It was a lack on my part of willing to be vulnerable.

Who around you do you know would gladly be your crying shoulder if you opened up about your feelings? If a person comes to mind, I encourage you to reach out to that person, set a lunch date, and talk about it. If you feel like you don’t have that kind of person you can turn to, well I have great news for you.

Even if everyone else has forgotten you, God never has. You were always on His mind and you didn’t leave his sight. Not for a second. He knows everything you have been through and is the best friend, therapist, and father that can help you heal.

Along with God, I was fortunate enough to realize what I was doing wrong and started to allow people to come into my life who could truly help me on my journey. I want to share with you the key advice I received on my journey to healing, in hopes that I can be this person for you too. I know that if you truly allow yourself to go through this process, you will come out stronger, free and full of joy.

Listen until the end to hear me pray over you, and know that nothing is impossible!

How to Heal from Mother and Father Wounds

[18:28] God can handle your disappointment. It’s easy to be upset with God when life doesn’t work out the way we wanted it to. Tell Him how you feel anyway.

[19:57] Ask God to bring someone into your life that can be a mother or father figure that you need.

[23:20] You don’t have to be afraid to heal. Allow yourself to start the process and go from there.

[25:14] Write a letter to the person who has caused you pain. It may sound silly, but this method brought

[27:19] Write a letter to your younger self. Let out all the emotions you have bottled up since your youth.

Subscribe and Review

I would love to stay connected with you! If my podcast is blessing your life, I would appreciate if you left me a review over on iTunes. Select the Ratings & Reviews and write a review. I will be reading your reviews and do not forget to comment on what was your favorite part of the podcast.

For more of The Amanda Ferguson Show, you can also follow me on Instagram and Facebook @mrsamandaferguson. Thank you so much!

Also, to be the first to receive email alerts, subscribe to amandasclub.com. Thank you so much!

References:

Many of you have asked me how to look polished from head to toe. The key is, before you can look polished you need to know a few things first.

Before I go into this, I want you to know that I was not always the polished woman you see me as today. While being polished and profitable was always God's intention for me, and for every woman, there was a time where I disliked myself so much that I would change clothes in the dark.

I did not want to see my body because I was ashamed of it. I saw the shape of my body as being the reason why I was molested at a young age or why male teachers use to treat me unprofessionally. More so, this caused me to want to hide my body and dress in clothes two times my actual size.

Do you think God wanted me to treat my body, his work of art, this way? Absolutely not. He definitely did not want me to hold on to a shame that was never mine to carry.

Before you can be a polished woman on the outside, you need to know with every fiber of your being that God took his time when He made you. You are a walking masterpiece of awe and wonder. I used to think that I was hideous when in reality, every feature of my face and body, was intentional.

God did not make my nose, ears, lips or body shape in a rush. I was not made as an afterthought or as an experiment. And neither were you. I want you to believe that with so much confidence and truth. Your dark hair was intentional, your eyebrows, no matter how thick or thin, were on purpose. Own it!

Society has such high, ever-changing standards of what beauty is, but God’s definition of beauty does not change with the trends. His definition of beauty is a woman who is strong like a pillar that holds a palace up. A woman that is so sure and confident of who she is, that she does not need to compete with anyone else. Instead, she is a woman that offers love, kindness and brings peace to whoever is in contact with her.

There is nothing wrong with wanting to look beautiful on the outside! But do not conform to other people’s standards of beauty because it will surely only lead to self-hatred and low self-esteem like it did for me.

I want to make it clear that wanting to see a change in how you look is completely okay! As long as that desire is because you want to better yourself out of self-love. I know some of today’s culture has a message of femininity being related to weakness and that it allows men to objectify a woman. I believe that tapping into our femininity and womanhood allows us to access our true God-given strength!

The truth is, becoming polished does not mean I want you to be a pretty doll to look at because you are truly so much more than that. Being polished attracts opportunities that can bring breakthrough in your life and if you take cultures advice and abandon your femininity, you could be missing out on all the answered prayers you have been petitioning for!

God always intended for you. Even if no one else chose you, you were chosen by your Heavenly Father. In embracing my true beauty, I was able to be everything God had called me to be.

God wants to do the same in you!

How to Be a Polished Woman

[20:33] Be a pillar of strength. Being a woman does not mean you are just something to be enjoyable to look at. As a woman, you are called to be strong, durable and supportive to your families, friends and this world.

[28:07] Work on your inner self as much as you would on your outer self. This will attract opportunities that you have always wanted!

Subscribe and Review

I would love to stay connected with you! If my podcast is blessing your life, I would appreciate if you left me a review over on iTunes. Select the Ratings & Reviews and write a review. I will be reading your reviews and do not forget to comment on what was your favorite part of the podcast.

For more of The Amanda Ferguson Show, you can also follow me on Instagram and Facebook @mrsamandaferguson. Thank you so much!

Also, to be the first to receive email alerts, subscribe to amandasclub.com. Thank you so much!

References

Being a mother is without a doubt one of my favorite titles.

Even though I have a successful business, nothing makes me happier than being with my family. Since this is such a huge priority for me, as I know it is a priority for most of you all, I wanted to tell you my personal story on how I decided my kids’ education for this year.

Making these decisions for them and trying to find the perfect school caused me to have anxiety at one point. In previous years, my husband had always felt that public school just wouldn’t be right for our three girls. He was more in favor of other alternatives. I, on the other hand, knowing that we were still in the process of building our businesses, figured that God would speak to my husband and convince him otherwise.

I reigned in my emotions and followed the guidance of the Holy Spirit to give my wondering to God and let it go, trusting that He would guide me to the perfect plan for my family and me.

And so, he did.

Instead of my husband agreeing with my original thought, my mind began to change and I felt a pull to start researching for Christian schools. I ended up finding an amazing hybrid program that worked perfectly with our business schedule, and our family schedule. I immediately felt at peace and thank God, our daughters are beyond excited for school this year with so many plans already set!

If I hadn’t given this decision to God, I may not have ever found this amazing program that allowed me to have quality time with my girls and still give them an excellent education they could be excited about.

It took me being open, trusting God and following His lead to come to a decision that ultimately was the best plan for our family.

This hybrid program is certainly outside of the box and is very different than the kind of education that neither my husband nor I ever experienced. My heart is to provide my kids with possibilities, experiences, and exposures that I didn’t get at their age. Walking into something new was not going to stop me from giving that to them.

If you too are wondering how to make school decisions for your kids, follow along with my tips below to find out! It might even help you to apply in decision making outside of just this scenario.

How to Decide on A Plan for Your Family

[8:34] Follow your peace. If a choice brings you peace, it is usually an indication that you are in the right direction.

[10:12] Access your schedule. Knowing what does and does not work for your schedule as a parent is a good starting point.

[23:40] Always remain flexible. If you have more than one child, what may work for one child, may not work for the other. If you keep an open mind, each child can blossom in the environment that works best for them individually.

[27:12] Take it one step at a time. What works right now, may not work later. You don’t have to lock in a set plan!

Subscribe & Review

I would love to stay connected with you! If my podcast is blessing your life, I would appreciate if you left me a review over on iTunes. Select the Ratings & Reviews and write a review. I will be reading your reviews and do not forget to comment on what was your favorite part of the podcast.

For more of The Amanda Ferguson Show, you can also follow me on Instagram and Facebook @mrsamandaferguson. Thank you so much!

Also, to be the first to receive email alerts, subscribe to amandasclub.com. Thank you so much!

Life can be so full of unexpected events.

From forming friendships that you didn’t know could happen, to stumbling upon a six-figure business without even meaning to. This week I have another special guest that I believe will bless every single and married couple out there.

Co-creator of “Married and Young” a blog with articles full of every topic under the sun about godly dating, Natasha Miller will talk to you about her beautiful, unorthodox journey to meeting her husband Jamal Miller and how their YouTube video “The Facebook Love Story” completely changed their lives!

Natasha explains how God has taken her from food stamps to six figures, all by consistently having Jesus at the center of her life, prayer, and obedience. For most of us, we’ve heard this kind of advice concerning finding your husband or wife, and sometimes it is definitely easier said than done. And yet, waiting on God has always proven to be worth it!

For Jamal and Natasha, waiting went to a whole other level with distance being involved in their relationship. He lived in Chicago and Natasha was living in California. Jamal was attracted by her genuine love for God as he discovered her on Facebook, and after much prayer and counsel with his spiritual authorities, he messaged her! From there, the rest is His story.

The key to their success? They both saw the opportunity to be of service to believers of all ages who were seeking to do dating and marriage God’s way and decided to answer the call.

Walking in alignment with the purpose that God has over your life is one of the greatest feelings.

I do not want you to take the easy route. I do not want you to give up on the beautiful, supernatural calling of God over your life.

When you wait patiently for your husband or wife to come, your testimony will not only bless you, but it will bless others around you.

In the middle of our frustrations, we forget that God will use us to be the answer to the problems we see. Sometimes we are given a front-row seat to these kinds of issues because we are being called by the stirring of our souls to be the solution to the very problem that frustrates us.

Because of our frustration, it becomes too easy to make mistakes in this area, which is why so many believers get discouraged when relationships don’t go as planned. Discouragement causes believers to wonder if they should take things into their own hands.

I hope that Natasha’s story causes you to not quit on the plans God has for you. God had plans with their relationship, and He has plans for you and your spouse too.

[15:59] Be a risk-taker. Everyone in business has seen highs and lows, but you shouldn’t quit the journey out of fear.

 [17:59] Hiring staff. Intentional about developing them, praying for them, being a part of their life to a certain degree.

[20:37] Protect your heart. Do not let it get hardened by your business. Have the balance of separating business, family, and marriage.

[22:57] Be confident in what you know you can do. Don’t doubt your strengths nor abandon them.

[24:25] When thinking about branding, ask yourself what you want to be known for.

[24:57] Clarity comes in the doing. You may not have all the answers in the beginning but while you are trying to answer the questions one piece at a time, it will come to you.

[25:46] Just be. Everything you need for success is already in you so don’t be afraid. It's going to work out, just do!

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I would love to stay connected with you! If my podcast is blessing your life, I would appreciate if you left me a review over on iTunes. Select the Ratings & Reviews and write a review. I will be reading your reviews and do not forget to comment on what was your favorite part of the podcast.

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Dealing with pain is not something that we should be ashamed of.

Deep down, we know everyone is struggling, yet no one wants to talk about their struggle. When your pain goes silent, it only begins to fester and take root even deeper into your heart. Your pain needs the freedom to come out and express itself in a healthy way.

Last week you heard Pat and I be vulnerable about our own journeys, but the pain is not the only part of the story. It’s really only a piece. The story of how we found healing is what truly makes a difference with others.

The way Pat was powerfully drawn to the altar after her first divorce. The way I was called out by God through a pastor in the middle of a church service, where I would never be the same again.

Healing began when God met us right where we were. Healing continued when we stopped running from our pain and instead began to confront it.

If what you are dealing with makes you feel alone, I want you to know something. People can connect with you when you take your mask off, more than they ever could with it on. You do not have to do this journey alone. I want to encourage you to open up about your pain without fear. I know how scary and uncomfortable this can be. I also know how freeing and powerful it can be too.

This is where second chances are born. Your pain is an opportunity to start fresh. Even if it may take some time or a couple of tries, second chances are where God can transform the direction of your life. Even if you think it is unrecoverable, unredeemable or impossible the second time around.

God always has a future in mind for you, regardless of what you may have done. Regardless of what has been done to you. It’s time to get out of your grief and start walking in purpose!

If you need support in this area, tune in until the end to receive a powerful prayer from Pat just for you!

How to Deal with Pain Continued:

[5:55] You are given second chances, repeatedly. God is a God of second chances. There is more for you than where you may be right now.

[8:27] Pay attention to where your thoughts are coming from. Recognize when a thought is not yours. This will indicate where your pain is actually coming from.

[11:53] It’s okay to not be okay. Your healing journey may have layers and take more time to fully mend, and that is okay.

[17:35] Let your pain fall apart so you can begin to rebuild. Let it all come out because the longer your pain goes without having a space of expression, the deeper your pain takes root in your heart.

[23:50] If your pain is coming from your family or marriage, look at the relationship of your grandparents, then your parents’ marriage. History will tell you where the issues are coming from.

[31:41] Consider sharing your pain with others. You don’t have to start with a social media post to all your followers. It can be as simple as being real with one person you are close to first. The people closest to you will be forever impacted by this, and you can begin a new culture of transparency.

Subscribe & Review in iTunes

I would love to stay connected with you! If my podcast is blessing your life, I would appreciate if you left me a review over on iTunes. Select the Ratings & Reviews and write a review. I will be reading your reviews and do not forget to comment on what was your favorite part of the podcast.

For more of The Amanda Ferguson Show, you can also follow me on Instagram and Facebook @mrsamandaferguson. Thank you so much!

Also, to be the first to receive email alerts, subscribe to amandasclub.com. Thank you so much!

References: