Your Biggest Breakthrough

Lisa Burkhardt Worley wasn't even alive when her father tragically died of a massive heart attack while playing polo. Her mother was at the match and watched him collapse on his horse. She was at his side when he passed en route to the hospital.

Sadly, Lisa's mom never recovered from this trauma. She numbed her pain with alcohol and prescription drugs - to the point she couldn't even care for Lisa and she had to live with her grandmother for several years.

Fast forward a decade or three, and Lisa is now a traveling correspondent for ESPN, at the time a brand new network that covered exclusively sports. After stints with HBO Sports and the Madison Square Garden Network, it was a perfect fit. But the road lifestyle wasn't suitable for a woman with a husband and young daughter. She needed something more stable.

So she turned down what at one point would have been considered her dream job. She was offered employment with ESPN as a full-time reporter, but she turned it down to take a less prestigious position in San Antonio, TX. She did this because she felt called to be there for her mother - in spite of her mother not exactly being there for her at critical times in her childhood.

Now in 2021, Lisa sees that the trauma she experienced vicariously through the womb and the ensuing dysfunction in her childhood was the pressure needed to make her into a pearl that minister's the grace of God - the only Father she has ever known - to those with similar experiences.

In this episode, you'll discover:

-Dysfunction defined...05:00

-What causes us to break free from dysfunction...07:15

-The tragedy that contributed to dysfunction in Lisa's childhood...10:30

-The moment Lisa accepted Jesus as Lord in 9th grade English class...14:00

-How Lisa got into sports broadcasting...17:00

-How losing the sweet gig led to a personal collapse...21:30

-If you feel like you need to go back to church, you probably do :) ...24:00

-How Lisa redeemed her faith with a new opportunity in broadcasting...26:30

-How to gain proper perspective when facing a challenge...28:25

-How a shift in mindset led Lisa to turn down her dream job...31:00

-How Lisa reconciled with her dysfunctional mom...34:00

-About Lisa's current ministry, Pearls of Promise...37:45

-Lisa chose to be healed...42:00

Resources from this episode:

Lisa's website: pearlsofpromiseministries.com

The Root That Never Died: A Christian Woman’s Journey Back to Her Hebraic Heritage

The Only Father I Ever Knew: How a Fatherless Child Finally Found True Love

POP Talk Radio

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"Blessed are they who are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." -Matthew 5:10

In this episode of the show, we welcome Okongo Samson and his wife Shyla.

Now anyone who adorns the cross of Jesus in any way knows what persecution is. It can be as mild as murmuring behind your back, or in more extreme forms, bodily harm and even death can come about.

No matter what form it takes, it's not enjoyable in the flesh to endure. But with God's grace, we can take joy in our suffering, because we know it's not really us that is suffering; it's the One we serve that is really the target.

Okongo has suffered mightily while serving God, so much so that we can't share in this description for fear the Apple bots will take notice and deplatform our show. You'll have to hear for yourself what Okongo endured, as well as his journey of healing and ultimately forgiving those who wrought the suffering.

In our conversation with Okongo, you'll hear:

-How a literal thorn in the flesh led Okongo to embrace the Lord...05:00

-How to know how to follow Jesus...12:10

-Okongo's first persecution...14:05

-Coping with the reality of the abduction...19:40

-Holding onto hope in hopeless circumstances...23:20

-Dealing with the trauma after escaping the camp...25:50

-How Okongo's outlook began to change...30:45

-The ministry (and persecution) continues in full force...37:30

-Returning to the prisons to offer forgiveness to the captors...47:05

Learn more about Okongo's work at unite4africa.org

"Can you handle it if I heal you?" Susie Larson felt the Lord speaking this to her when she asked for healing from Lyme disease. This led to her considering whether she had "infrastructure for healing," or in other words, if she was ready to think like someone who isn't always sick.

Trauma in her childhood caused her to pass on an invite to hang out with some boys. This indirectly led her to embracing a genuine faith in God, in her words, "Getting into heaven on a technicality." We can't explain it, you'll just have to listen :)

As an adult, Susie struggled with various illnesses that would often manifest at the most inopportune times - like when she's about to speak to thousands of people who think she is the picture of health.

At this point in her walk of faith, she "gets it." Illness and disease are evidence of a fallen world, signs of our mortality. Whether we indulge in self-pity and other hindrances to our faith is our decision.

In this interview with Susie Larson, you'll hear:

-When the promises of God seem to be revoked...3:15

-Balancing faith with patience in God fulfilling his promises in His time...5:40

-Changing the mindset regarding her health...7:30

-Hindrances in the soul to the healing process...8:45

-Our body hears what we think..12:20

-Faith in God is more important than riches....14:45

-Don't succumb to the parasite called Self-Pity...18:15

-The moment God became real to Susie...26:00

-15 minutes per day to affirm God's love for us...31:05

-The driving force that keeps Susie going...35:30

-The one thing that sums up Susie's life and ministry...39:45

About the guest:

Susie Larson is a talk radio host, national speaker, and bestselling author. In both 2016 and 2017 Susie was nominated and voted into the top ten groups for the National John Maxwell Leadership Award. Susie has been married to her dear husband Kevin since 1985 and together they have three wonderful sons, three beautiful daughters-in-law, two beautiful grandchildren, and one adorable pit bull named Memphis. Susie’s passion is to see women everywhere awakened to the value of their soul, the depth of God’s love, and the height of their calling in Christ Jesus.

Find Susie on the web at susielarson.com

Books by Susie Larson

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Why should we give a hoot about our physical appearance? Is it to look sexy, or attractive to the opposite sex, or to simply feel good about ourselves?

All those are well and good in their proper place, but Wendie takes things a bit further and says we should be concerned with our physical appearance and well-being because we are the temple of the living God. (1 Corinthians 6:19)

Paul said to the Romans that we are to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1). Does this mean God is unpleased with us, or that we've somehow failed Him if we put on a few pounds over time? Of course not. What it does mean is that God desires us to be fit to serve him, and we can best serve him when our body is working at its optimal level.

In this special episode, Todd interviews Wendie about her Visibly Fit program that she's operated successfully for over 2 decades.

You'll hear:

-How the Visibly Fit brand began over two decades ago...3:30

-Why you should begin with fitness in the mind before the body...5:40

-Two things you can do right now to begin shifting your mindset...8:30

-Wendie's biggest challenge client in her coaching business...13:55

-Why it's necessary to become visibly fit in body...15:40

-The three things to immediately start with in taking care of your body...18:00

• Take a walk
• Eat better food
• Drink more water

-Why you need to "release" not "lose" weight...24:30

-How poor health may separate us from our Creator...26:15

-How to encourage healthy spiritual fitness...28:05

-Stories of victory following the Visibly Fit program...30:45

-How to contact Wendie and get started!...33:00

Resources mentioned:

getvisiblyfit.com

wendiepett.com

yourbiggestbreakthrough.com

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Zero-point energy is "the lowest possible energy that a quantum mechanical system may have." While that sounds a tad bit technical, Lisa Jimenez brilliantly incorporates that principle of physics into her practice of helping clients, listeners and readers to retrain their brain.

In her words, "If you have nothing, you have everything." Why is this? Because you're not relying on the past to define you, nor your future to fulfill you. All you have is what you have NOW, and what you make of it is telling of your mindset.

Lisa isn't just full of high-minded platitudes. She has walked the walk through a devastating divorce, as well as finding success as a speaker and mentor to others (which comes with its own set of challenges).

We humans are the only element of creation that has the ability to choose one thought, or one emotion over another. With this unique ability, Lisa tells us we can change our mindset and finally find that sweet surrender to our Creator and His will for our lives.

In our discussion with Lisa Jimenez, you'll hear:

-How Lisa defines a mindset, and why we need to reset our mindset...03:30

-Embrace, not resist your duality as a part of God's creation...09:15

-From breakdown to breakthrough...11:15

-How Lisa learned how to reset her own mindset...19:00

-What gets in the way of us surrendering...24:10

-Lisa's steps to changing a money mindset...28:20

-Where does the faith come from to change our mindset...38:10

About the guest:

"I’m a mom of three fab kids, a blushing new bride to JJ, an opera singer in the shower, and I’m obsessed with mastering the ukulele for my “future” grand babies!

I love fearless living, luxury travel, stimulating conversations, and inspiring myself and others to unleash our gifts and share them with the world."

To learn more about Lisa, and some of her free offerings, visit: lisajcoaching.com/freebies

Find out exactly what stands between you and your biggest breakthrough and how you can achieve your next level of living.

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Paul Wessel has seen it all. For better or worse, for richer or poorer, Paul has been there and done that. When his son was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, and wanted to die from having his finger pricked constantly, Paul invented a blood glucose monitor that his son could play with kind of like a Game Boy. After years of struggling to make ends meet while pitching his invention to various corporations, he finally got picked up by a major corporation in Germany.

While it seemed his financial worries were over, it opened up a brand new set of challenges to overcome. In many ways, the days of hacking the neighboring church's power supply to power his home was easier than his life with all the money in the world. He admits the sudden fortune, wining and dining, the showering with gifts and luxury went to his head, before eventually realizing all of these so-called "perks" was their way of saying, "We own you and your ideas."

If ever a man's life resembled a roller coaster ride, it's Paul's. On top of struggles with raising disabled children, he's also endured the heartbreak of divorce twice. In his words, he's managed to get through all of it by simply relying on God's grace, and remaining faithful to the principles that enabled him to endure the struggles he faced as a young man.

You'll be inspired by Paul's story, and you'll also learn some hard-earned wisdom on how to run a profitable business (or if you should even start it in the first place.)

In our conversation with Paul, you'll hear:

-How two dramatic events with Paul's children began his career with the medical device industry...5:30

-A very personal "aha" moment that led to Paul's first entrepreneurial venture...12:30

-The levels of stress broke his first marriage apart...16:00

-Why most marriages with a chronically ill child fail...19:00

-Bringing the invention to market with serious financial struggles...22:15

-How to know whether an inspiring idea is viable for the marketplace...27:00

-The subtle perversion that takes place when finances prosper...31:30

-How Paul has stayed true to his principles through success and deprivation...37:15

-The most impactful advice Paul has received...44:30

Find out exactly what stands between you and your biggest breakthrough and how you can achieve your next level of living.

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"I lost my dad a long time before he passed from this world," says our guest, Micah Mitlyng.

Like all kids, Micah's father was a superhero in his eyes when he was a young child. He could do no wrong. But as he grew older and wiser, he began to sense something wasn't quite right. His father was obsessed with what we call "conspiracy theories". Things like ... Black helicopters spying at the behest of Big Brother. The President of the United States and half his cabinet members are aliens from another planet. Secret meetings of the Elites planning the future of mankind and a growing list born more out of imagination than facts.

Not that there's anything intrinsically wrong with showing interest in current events and not sticking your head in the sand. I mean, who can prove definitely that the Illuminati doesn't exist? But when a person is so consumed with unfounded theories that it causes one to lose touch with things that are immediately affecting them - family, job, community - it's problematic to say the least.

The era of social media has confounded the problem even more, explains Micah. Of course, Facebook and Twitter are often in the news for distorting reality, for having a distinct bias toward a particular worldview. But many smaller sites and platforms are just as guilty. They don't have as big a reach as Mark Zuckerberg or Jack Dorsey, but they do have an agenda. The agenda isn't to spread truth to their patrons, it's to sell ad space. And what sells and holds one's attention better than a story that taps into our worst fears?

We discuss this and much more with Micah, and then share some practical tips on how to enjoy social media without it dominating your life.

In this episode, you'll hear:

-How Micah lost his father to conspiracy theories...08:00

-Creating a world where you're in control...12:20

-Pushing back against the insanity...14:30

-How conspiracy theories create the illusion of community and belonging...

-How social media makes even a fleeting interest become a full-on obsession...19:00

-How to heighten your awareness and develop a balanced worldview...23:10

-How Micah broke through a troubled past...27:00

-Own when you're wrong more than prove you're right...33:50

-One conspiracy you can believe in...35:00

-5 ways to maintain normalcy with technology...38:45

Find out exactly what stands between you and your biggest breakthrough and how you can achieve your next level of living.

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Two blondes driving from Minneapolis to Fargo saw a road sign that said, "Clean restrooms ahead."

Those two blondes cleaned 19 restrooms before they made it to Fargo.

Go ahead. You may as well laugh.

Because it's good for you!

We know that God has a sense of humor, because he made us, and we are created in his image.

The Scriptures are replete with calls for laughter. Job, for example, who had as much reason to be sorrowful as anyone, was told by his friend Bildad, "He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy."

Of course, we don't know what occurred after that exchange. Maybe Job popped him in the nose after Bildad said that. That would be funny, wouldn't it?

Ecclesiastes says there's a time for everything done under the sun. A time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to dance and a time to mourn.

There's been plenty to mourn about this past year, hasn't there? If you watch the news, or even scroll your Facebook feed, it's enough to make anyone feel hopeless. That's why you need to literally force yourself to laugh.

So quit watching the news, put a hard limit on time you spend on social media. Use that newfound time to watch cat videos on YouTube, or watch people trip at the mall. (Bonus points if you can make them trip.)

Of course, you don't want to be seen as the village idiot. You need proper balance in everything. But we put together this episode to remind you that in this world in which we live, you need to make an effort to laugh. Even when... No, especially when laughing is the last thing you feel like doing.

Here's what you'll hear in this week's episode:

-Reason to be pessimistic...02:45

-Laughter is "internal jogging"...05:00

-Does God laugh?...08:05

-There's a time and a place for everything, including laughter...11:00

-What makes Wendie and Todd laugh?...14:55

-Make the decision to learn to laugh...20:10

-Watch news less, laugh more...23:00

-"The perfect couple"...29:30

Find out exactly what stands between you and your biggest breakthrough and how you can achieve your next level of living.

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To be completely honest, we weren't sure we were going to post this episode. The story you'll hear in it is so powerful, so profound, we thought maybe our little podcast wouldn't do it justice.

But we didn't title our show "Your Most Mundane Breakthrough"; it's Your Biggest Breakthrough. And our guest on this episode will seriously blow you away with what she's experienced and the grace she's shown in spite of it.

Angela Alexander has suffered what most of us would consider unspeakable tragedy in her life multiple times. But you'd never know it listening to her speak (and you really owe it to yourself to watch this on YouTube even for just a few minutes to see her radiant smile.)

Perspective is everything, especially when dealing with tragedy in our lives. Angela has learned that when all is well in her relationship with God, anything that happens in this life is for His glory.

We won't share any more of Angela's story in this post. We think it's best coming straight from her.

In our conversation with Angela, you'll hear:

-Search for the miracles even on your darkest day...03:45

-Angela's faith breakthrough after a major incident w/ her husband...05:10

-Building patience and trust while on the long road to recovery...10:30

-God speaks to us in ways we can receive...13:00

-Becoming foster parents...19:30

-Peace that passes all understanding when tragedy again strikes...22:45

-Grieving in the comfort of God's grace...30:15

-A cryptic message from the Lord recovering from the highway tragedy...36:00

-Transitioning from the military to ministry...41:30

-How to turn grief into peace...47:00

search for your miracles, or your misery; whatever you choose is up to you

Miracles in Action - Angela's book and more products!

https://www.grief2peace.com

Think about a time you got fired from a job. Perhaps you said the wrong thing at the wrong time. Maybe your heart just wasn't into the job and it caused you to miss an important deadline.

Now imagine getting fired because you simply ate a real meal.

That was the world Jennifer Strickland thought was normal. Blessed with exceptional physical beauty and a healthy metabolism, Jennifer rose through the ranks of the modeling industry, regularly posing for the likes of Giorgio Armani and the creme de la creme of Milan's fashion elite.

Then she went home for Christmas, gained 4 pounds, and her career was effectively over.

Armani fired her, and the agency that employed her didn't know what to do with her. (Sound crazy? We think so too.)

This culture obsessed with skin-deep beauty, while turning a blind eye to the awful physical and spiritual effects of it, was dysfunctional but it's all Jennifer knew. And now she felt estranged by it.

After meeting a group of Christians in Munich, Germany, Jennifer felt compelled to quit the profession of selling her beauty to the highest bidder, and return home where she belonged.

She wrote a book about her experiences in the modeling industry, and today helps young women cope with the appearance-obsessed culture that has sadly become the norm in Western society.

In our conversation with Jennifer, you'll hear:

-Jennifer's breakthrough with her faith...4:00

-Life in a culture obsessed with outward appearance...9:46

-What's at the root of the toxic Instagram culture in which we live...16:15

-Just how far God will go for one girl...19:45

-Beauty doesn't equal love; ugly doesn't equal hate...29:00

-Why men need to learn the intense pressure girls feel to be loved and valued...36:30

-Speaking truth to power in the lives of girls who are trapped as Jennifer was...40:15

-One thing about Jennifer most people don't know...45:15

suicidal, depression,

11:30

Girl Perfect book and study guide

urmore.org