Finding God in Our Pain

God Meets us on the Hamster Wheel of Life, with Karen Dittman

The God of the Holy Bible has promised to never leave us nor forsake us. So when life becomes overwhelming we have the option to turn to Him and let Him be the support we need. Guest, Karen Dittman shares the insight she’s gained through her seasons of life on the hamster wheel. She knows that God meets on that wheel and she’s here to share the various ways we can do more than survive, we can thrive even in the midst of overwhelming situations.

 

Summary:
- Karen Dittman discusses her journey of faith and personal growth amidst challenging life circumstances.
- Of her two books, one focuses on the benefits of 7 minutes with Jesus, practicing gratitude and the other is a simple yet life changing perspective on wellness from a biblical perspective, introducing concepts like the Grace Cycle.
- Karen's life was profoundly impacted by her daughter's addiction, which led her to seek a deeper connection with God.
- She describes feeling overwhelmed during a difficult period, likened to being on a "hamster wheel," with multiple personal and family challenges.
- A pivotal moment was when she learned to surrender control and place her daughter "on the altar," trusting God's plan for her.
- Karen emphasizes the importance of experiencing God's presence in the midst of life's struggles, rather than seeking to change the circumstances.
- Her journey led to a deeper understanding of God's love, transforming her perception of her own worth and identity in Christ.
- She discusses the concept of the grace cycle in her latest book, promoting gradual, supportive changes rather than drastic overhauls.
- Karen concludes by reassuring the audience that they are not alone in their struggles, as God is always present and ready to offer support and love.

Podcast Intro:
Karen Dittman, my guest on this episode, shares her journey through overwhelming personal challenges. I say overwhelming because in an by itself each one of these challenges could take its toll on any of us and Karen was juggling many of these life challenges at the same time.

In Karen’s personal example she didn’t have the option to put life on hold, catch her breath and reengage. Life was coming non-stop, fast and furious and in serious ways. Serious responsibilities that included her husband and her children. She and her husband fostered and adopted, and after struggling years with infertility she’s surprised with a bio child at 47 (God has a sense of humor right!). She discovers that her adult daughter is struggling with addiction, and Karen has walked through other challenges with her children, things like anxiety, ADHD, autism.

Rather than delve into each one of these areas we touched on a couple but I thought it important to discover how did Karen learn to lift our head under the weight of everyday life. I want to know not only how she survives but actually thrives. What did she discover about Jesus in the midst of what she terms as life on the hamster wheel?

Life can be very chaotic and I loved the way Karen pursed the heart of God for a practical solution that met her where she was at. She discovered that God cares about the hamster wheel and that He had solutions and practices that would keep her tethered to His heart, walking His pace and staying in grace, peace and true joy.

We talked about her book: Thriving in Grace: Unleashing Wellness from a Biblical Perspective. I found great value in the Grace Cycle. A process for change that focuses on acceptance, small steps to turn things around and celebrating progress. The Grace Cycle is so simple and yet life changing. I scratch my head sometimes. How is it that I overlook the power of Christ’s simplicity. There are often times when the simplicity of God is my stumbling block to breakthrough!

Also, Karen has a spiritual discipline of spending 7 minutes with Jesus throughout the day. I knew immediately the value of this because when I am intentional about making this a priority to my day I’m refreshed, I have clarity and I’m motivated. So I loved this reminder. She gives us great info on the benefits of 7 minutes with Jesus and how she practices that but she goes into greater detail in her book The Fruit of Gratitude: Cultivate a Thankful heart of Experiencing God’s Goodness.

Karen’s ability to find peace and purpose through pain serves as a beautiful inspiration for those of us facing similar challenges, offering hope and practical guidance for deepening one's relationship with God. That my friend, intimate relationship with our Creator enables us to lift our head under the weight of life in its most crushing seasons.

Let’s listen in so that we might discover how to live loved and thrive in the midst of the overwhelming seasons of life!

Live Loved and Thrive! @alifeofthrive. com
Sherrie Pilk

 

Additional Podcast Episodes/blogs related to this topic (overwhelm):

Navigating the Empty Nest with a Healthy Mental Well-being with Dr. Mel Tavares:  https://alifeofthrive.com/2025/01/29/navigating-the-empty-nest-with-a-healthy-mental-well-being/

Letting God Rewrite Trauma and Abuse, with LaShaundra Barnes: https://alifeofthrive.com/2024/11/20/letting-god-rewrite-trauma-and-abuse-with-lashaundra-barnes/

A Caregiving Season with No Regrets, with Rayna Neises: https://alifeofthrive.com/2024/12/04/a-caregiving-season-with-no-regrets-rayna-neises/

 

Connect with Karen:
Website: https://karenadittman.com/

Amazon Book Links:
Thriving in Grace: Unleashing Wellness from a Biblical Perspective: Amazon Link

Bringing Grace Home: A Bible Study Companion to Thriving in Grace: Amazon Link

The Fruit of Gratitude: Cultivate a Thankful Heart by Experiencing God's Goodness: Amazon Link

Loss, Resilience and Faith, with Denise Clanin

Summary/Outline:
*Introduction and Context:
The focus is on Denise Clanin's personal experience with the loss of her brother, Garrett, who was diagnosed with a rare disorder called NF2
*Personal Recollections:
Denise shares fond memories of her brother, highlighting his love for music and his contagious sense of humor. She also discusses his academic skills and intelligence.
*Brother's Diagnosis and Impact:
Garrett was diagnosed with NF2 at 11, which led to the loss of certain abilities over time. Denise reflects on how this condition affected her family dynamics and her own feelings of being secondary in focus.
*Coping with Challenges:
Denise talks about the gradual changes in family dynamics and her personal journey through grief. She discusses the importance of giving oneself grace and the role of faith in navigating these challenges.
*Faith and Identity:
The conversation touches on the role of faith in dealing with suffering and the challenges of maintaining one’s identity amidst family and personal upheaval. Denise emphasizes the importance of keeping one’s identity rooted in God.
*Writing as a Path to Healing:
Denise shares how writing her book, "Among the Stars," helped her process grief and pay homage to her brother. The book serves as a medium to explore themes of hope and personal growth.
*Family and Community Support:
The importance of community support and family connections is highlighted, especially through shared experiences like charity events.
*Future Aspirations:
Denise discusses her plans for future writing projects and how she wants to continue exploring themes of identity and personal growth.
*Overall Message:
The conversation ends with a message of hope. Denise encourages finding hope and blessings even in difficult times and emphasizes the significance of prayer and faith in providing strength and direction.

Podcast Intro:
My guest is Denise Clanin, a wife, mom and author. She and I connected because of her willingness to share her personal story about losing her brother, Garrett to a rare mutation known as NF2. This disorder caused tumors to grow throughout his body, and that resulted in degrees of loosing his quality of life such as his ability to speak and hear; two of the major ways we communicate! I can’t even fathom that slow separation from your loved ones. At the time of the diagnosis Denise was 9 and Garrett 11. At the time of Garrett’s passing he was 29.

My conversation with Denise weaved together loss, resilience, and faith and the fact that grief can be very transformative in powerful ways. Faith was the cornerstone for Denise as she navigated what it meant to have a sibling who was experiencing a gradual decline in health and in quality of life.

We talked about how she felt as her parents naturally gravitated to Garrett’s ever increasing dependency. I was curious about that because at 9 years old she’s in elementary school, and then through middle and high school and into college; crucial years for a young girl, a young woman. As we talked, I felt I heard in her voice (and the way she shared about this part of the journey) healing and acceptance saturated with grace.

With the ever morphing process of the family dynamic we talked about identity and how that is impacted, and how everything about our life is based on identity and so what do we do when things are shifted and we lose titles, responsibilities, relationships? Denise talked about God’s ability to use the tragedy of life for transformation in us and how He moves us into a greater purpose using the pain of life.

We talked about the book she authored, Among the Stars and how she blended parts of her life to create a family friendly read that has an uplifting message for the heart and the mind. We folded into the conversation, how therapeutic writing/journaling can be in the grief process. And she’s started on her next book that will develop one of the characters found in the first book. I love a series where you can engage in more than one book.

Listen in and I hope you’ll be encouraged by Denise’s desire to share her experience into the complexities of grief, the importance of community, and the enduring power of hope, faith, and love.

Live Loved and Thrive! @alifeofthrive.com
Sherrie Pilk

Related topics (podcast and/or blog):
Sara Salazar - Autoimmune Disease, Pulmonary Fibrosis and Faith: https://alifeofthrive.com/2021/09/01/autoimmune-disease/
Sherrie Pilkington - Here’s How Psalm 23 Showed Me God’s Faithfulness: https://alifeofthrive.com/2022/08/17/heres-how-psalm-23-showed-me-gods-faithfulness/
Genetic Testing and Prophylactic Mastectomy, with Erin Simon: https://alifeofthrive.com/2023/02/01/genetic-testing-and-prophylactic-mastectomy-with-erin-simeone/

Connect with Denise:
FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100092102171844

Bio:
Denise had always dreamed of writing her book. As a child, she loved to write stories with memorable characters and positive themes. She carried this passion for writing into her adolescence and early adulthood, hoping to publish one of her stories someday. However, as with any story plot, there were obstacles to reaching this goal. At Pepperdine University, she began to study accounting, a degree that required intense concentration and countless hours of studying and memorization. In addition, it was around that time when her older brother’s chronic medical condition took a turn for the worse – leaving him in almost constant pain and removing his ability to hear, speak, and see well. His parents transitioned into full-time caregivers who sacrificed their time and energy so that their son could live another day.

For Denise, this devastating life change meant taking a step back from her hobbies, instead focusing on her family and establishing herself in her career. Sadly, her brother succumbed to the complications of his condition five years after her college graduation. She appreciated the precious time she had with him and the positive impact he left behind. Although she continued her accounting profession after his passing, she knew the corporate world wasn’t where she wanted to remain.

A few years later, Denise and her husband moved from sunny San Diego to the forested terrain of Post Falls, Idaho, to plant their roots – buying their first home and expanding their family. That was when she finally found the inspiration to pen her first book, “Among the Stars” – originally an idea she wrote for her creative writing class in college. From there, she continued to push forward despite a decade-long writing hiatus and several bouts of writer’s block. She is thankful that God has provided her with the words to share with others through her book, touching on the themes of forgiveness, redemption, and hope – while also paying homage to the notable people in her life, including those who have passed. She hopes this tale of first love, friendship, and family connection will bring joy and encouragement to those who need it.

Navigating the Complex Terrain of Church Hurt, with Michelle Nezat

Key Takeaways:
*Understanding Church Hurt: Church hurt can arise from personal issues, sins committed by others, and failed leadership. It's important to recognize that while people and communities can fail, Christ remains a steadfast focus.
*Navigating Church Hurt: Michelle emphasizes the importance of surrounding oneself with a supportive, biblical community and seeking guidance from scripture during times of hurt.
*The Role of Leadership: Leaders should model confession, repentance, and humility, acknowledging their imperfections and striving for restoration within the church community.
*Forgiveness and Healing: Forgiveness is a command and does not always mean restored relationships. It requires personal work, often without acknowledgment or change from the other party.
*Moving Forward: It's crucial to maintain faith and commitment to God's word, even when church experiences are painful. The journey involves seeking a church community that aligns with biblical truth and provides a place for spiritual growth.
*Personal Reflections: Michelle shares her journey of having lost a sense of purpose within her church community and her ongoing pursuit of finding a new church home, highlighting the complexity and emotional layers involved in such transitions.

Intro/Blog Post:
I’m so appreciative for my guest Michelle Nezat and her courage to talk about what is often termed as church hurt. In the intricate tapestry of human relationships, church communities hold a unique place, often serving as a haven of support, spiritual growth, and community. However, church communities including the leadership are not immune to the imperfections of human nature, and at times, they can become a source of profound hurt. 

To Michelle’s heartbreak she and her husband are in between churches. She shared her very transparent, humble journey and what it’s like in their current waiting period of leaning into the Lord to direct and confirm a new church family they can be folded into. Her willingness to look at both sides of the equation was refreshing. Whether it was through the lens of church responsibilities or the responsibilities of the believer she had a fair, biblically informed perspective.

As I listened to Michelle, I became aware of the various ways church hurt affects so many aspects of one’s spiritual grounding. We looked at what are some of the causes of church hurt such as personal sensitivities, past traumas, and individual mistakes. As human beings, we bring our own emotional baggage into every relationship, including those within a church community.

Additionally, failed leadership or sins committed against members can definitely be the most significant contributors to church hurt. Even well-intentioned leaders can fall short in their responsibilities. When they do it can lead to a deep sense of betrayal and hurt because as Michelle states, the leadership is not just someone you like or hope likes you, they are someone you have put your trust in, whom you look up to for examples and modeling of God and His word.

The conversation also touched upon the options available to individuals experiencing church hurt. While leaving the church may seem like the immediate solution, Michelle emphasized that leaving might not always lead to healing. Instead, she advocated for seeking greater holiness and aligning one's actions with God's will. This could involve choosing to stay and work through the issues or leaving with a heart open to finding a new community where spiritual growth can continue. The decision ultimately rests on discerning what leads to greater holiness in one's life and seeking the Lord's guidance in the process.

Finally, our discussion highlighted the role of forgiveness and the importance of maintaining a focus on Christ. Forgiveness is essential for healing, but it does not always mean restoring broken relationships. It involves letting go of bitterness and entrusting the situation to God. By fixing our eyes on Jesus and embracing how He modeled forgiveness, we can navigate the complexities of church hurt and find peace and purpose.

Michelle helps us keep our focus on the fact that the church is the bride of Christ, and where man fails, God himself will reveal His truth. In whatever context we pursue Him in, He will reveal Himself to those who earnestly seek Him.

If you’re navigating church hurt today, this episode is a must. Michelle will encourage your heart, help you stay on the right path and give you hope for your breakthrough in Christ!

Live Loved and Thrive! @alifeofthrive.com
Sherrie Pilk

Other Resources - Podcasts/Blogs:
After Abortion Care and Healing, with Serena Dyksen: https://alifeofthrive.com/2024/06/05/after-abortion-care-and-healing-with-serena-dyksen/
Investing in Relationship (Blog): https://alifeofthrive.com/2020/11/03/investing-in-relationship/
Micro Moments with God To Grow Relationship Intimacy, with Sherrie Pilkington: https://alifeofthrive.com/2024/08/14/micro-moments-with-god-to-grow-relationship-intimacy/

Connect with Michelle:
Website: https://www.michellenezat.com/about/
Podcast: https://www.michellenezat.com/podcast-3/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/MichelleLNezat/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@michellenezattv
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellenezat/

Bio:
Michelle Nezat writes Christian fiction with a purpose. The themes in her novels mirror the themes in the Bible and serve as a jumping-off point to study Scripture and theology in a new way. She's a Cajun girl born in Idaho and living in Louisiana, and she has the best gumbo and sweet tea in the neighborhood (according to her husband and two daughters). Her passion is God's Word and inspiring others to discover and interact with Scripture for themselves. Drawing from over a decade of Bible teaching through her podcast More Than a Song, she's turned to stories to inspire readers to explore deep theological truths.

Building Faith in the Midst of Uncertainty, with Katie Jones

Summary:
Faith and Resilience: Katie shares her journey of infertility, foster care, and unexpected pregnancy. She discusses how her faith was tested and ultimately strengthened through these trials. Her story highlights the importance of maintaining faith in God, even when circumstances seem insurmountable.

Infertility and Foster Care: The conversation delves into Katie's struggle with infertility and how she and her husband embraced foster care. Her experience underscores the emotional and spiritual challenges involved in letting go of personal desires and aligning them with their purpose according to God’s plan for their life.

Unexpected Blessings: Despite having made peace with not having biological children, Katie's unexpected pregnancy brought both joy and new challenges. She shows us how life can take unexpected turns and the importance of being open to God’s plans.

Medical Crisis and Faith: Katie faced a life-threatening situation after childbirth, leading to an emergency hysterectomy and her newborn would need a last ditch effort to save him. Her unwavering faith, even in the face of potential loss, demonstrates profound trust in God's goodness and plan.

Community and Support: The role of community and the church is emphasized as a vital source of support and prayer during difficult times. Katie’s talks about how being part of a faith community can provide strength and encouragement.

God's Presence in Suffering: Katie reflects on the presence of God during her darkest times, finding comfort in knowing that God understands human suffering and pain. She experienced first hand that in God you can find peace and strength through faith, even when faced with trauma and loss.

Transformation Through Trials: The conversation highlights the transformative power of trials, as Katie learns to appreciate God for who He is, not just for the blessings He provides. This insight is a profound reminder of the deeper spiritual growth that can occur through adversity.

Podcast Intro:
My guest Katie Jones is quite inspiring and her story had me holding my breath and fighting back tears. Life is often a tapestry of unexpected events and trials that test our resilience and faith and Katie has that in common with many of us.

Early in her marriage, she and her husband discovered they were not able to conceive and the doctors could not give them an answer as to why they could not. Katie struggled with God about wanting to be a mom. As she and her husband try to discern God’s leading He opens their hearts to fostering children. Despite the challenges that come with fostering children they fall in love with the kids and the beauty in breakthroughs and progress in the children’s healing journey. As they walk out their fostering journey with the Lord, they shifted their desires to align with what they believed were God’s plans for them, no biological children but rather the blessing of foster children. Her story takes a dramatic turn when she unexpectedly becomes pregnant.

This news was hard to wrap her mind around and is initially met with disbelief but that soon turned to joy, and Katie and her husband began to let themselves be excited about having a biological child. But their joy and happiness were severely tested at the birth of her sweet baby boy. Within hours both Katie and their newborn Malachi were being monitored for serious problems. Within a day or two they are both diagnosed with sepsis and things began to quickly and drastically change for them both.

Katie had to make a life or death decision that would prevent her from having any future children and Malachi would endure a last ditch effort that involved cutting into both the carotid and the jugular arteries, a high-risk procedure that would prevent any further use of those two arteries in the future.

One of the more profound moments, for me during our conversation was when she shares how she was praying with her husband, their family, church family and those who have supported them in the last couple of days. They’re praying together as Malachi is preparing to go in for this procedure, what they call an ECHMO procedure and she verbally takes a stance by telling God out loud, God if you take his life, I still trust you. That was yet another place in our conversation where I had to fight back tears because she stands in faith knowing that her one and only son is at risk during a medical procedure and that she has no future opportunity to have biological children.

Katie's story is an incredible testament to resilience, faith, and the power of community. She emphasizes the importance of the church's support and the way God is working through the church as a global community of believers. Her experience underscores the belief that while God does not promise an easy life, His gives us the beauty of HIs presence and His faithfulness and that offers us comfort, peace and hope in the darkest of times.

Listen in to Katie’s message of who the God of the Holy Bible is in the midst of loss and uncertainty and may your faith be encouraged for greater intimacy with Jesus.

Live Loved and Thrive! @alifeofthrive.com
Sherrie Pilk

Here’s where you can find Katie when she’s not playing with Malachi:
My online financial school - https://redeemingyourfinances.com
Free Gospel-Centered Budget Planner - https://kingdomimpactworkshops.com/budget-planner-optin
Youtube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/@KatieFiolaJones  

Bio:
Katie Fiola Jones embodies a passion for empowering individuals to manage their money in alignment with their faith. As a youth pastor's wife, mom, foster mom, a graduate of Colorado Christian University, avid traveler, real estate investor, and Certified Christian Financial Counselor, Katie's diverse experiences have shaped her understanding of the intersection between faith and finances. She is the visionary behind Redeeming Your Finances, an online school for believers to learn how to manage their money using skills that are rooted in the Gospel.

Additional Episodes and/or Blogs on this topic:
Living in Uncertainty, with Angie Baughman: https://alifeofthrive.com/2024/02/28/uncertainty/
The Uncertainty of Life - Choroidal Melanoma (Eye Cancer), with Suzanne Stines: https://alifeofthrive.com/2023/08/16/the-uncertainty-of-life-cordial-melanoma-eye-cancer-with-suzanne-stines/
Hope in the Midst of Chronic Illness, with Sara Willoughby: https://alifeofthrive.com/2025/01/01/hope-in-the-midst-of-chronic-illness-with-sara-willoughby/

From Living in Poverty to Globally Transforming It, with Ana Megrelishvili

Key Takeaways

Transformation Through Faith: Ana's story highlights the transformative power of faith and community, demonstrating how even those facing significant adversity can find hope and purpose.

Overcoming Adversity: Her journey exemplifies resilience and determination, showing how education and a supportive network can break the cycle of poverty and abuse.

Purpose and Calling: Ana's experience underscores the importance of seeking one's purpose, suggesting that prayer and reflection can reveal one's calling, even in unexpected ways.

Community Impact: Her work with the Christian Professionals Network Worldwide illustrates how individuals can effect change by addressing both physical and relational poverty, emphasizing the importance of holistic support systems.

Hope and Redemption: Ana's story is a testament to God’s redemption and the idea that no matter how dire one's circumstances, there is potential for a better future through faith and perseverance.

Podcast Intro:
Ana Megrelishvili shares her incredible journey from a painful childhood marked by poverty and abuse to finding hope and purpose through faith and community. As a child, Ana faced severe hardships, including hunger and isolation, exacerbated by an abusive alcoholic father. Despite these challenges, she experienced a pivotal moment at 12 or 13 when she felt a profound sense of purpose, after receiving a word of encouragement from God. She shares that she didn’t realize it was God at the time but this experience stayed with her even to this day with great detail and vividness. As her story unfolds, you’ll see that God was speaking about His plans for her life.

Her path to transformation began with a life-changing opportunity to study in the United States as an exchange student, which exposed her to a loving and supportive Christian family. She discovered a way to return to the US via a college scholarship and in her second host family the father was a Christian pastor. These families modeled the heart of God and her experiences planted the seeds of faith, even though she initially resisted religious beliefs. It’s so like God to always be creating opportunities for us to know Him if we choose to engage Him, isn’t it?

She graduates with a degree in business and immediately jumps in to the lucrative career of sales. And she’s successful. After building a solid career in sales complete with the various accolades and achieving all of her personal goals such as buying the condo in the beautiful high-rise, having it tailored to her specific taste, driving the fancy car and wearing the beautiful clothes. Yet Ana felt unfulfilled and empty despite achieving her American dream.

She knew there had to be more to life and so she begins to question God. God visits again and speaks to her. She responds to what He says and makes the most of trying to follow what she heard. In her obedience she’s brought to tears, weeping because of an unexpected gesture from a homeless woman. In that moment a spiritual awakening ignited a genuine desire to pursue the heart of God and discover what her purpose in life was supposed to be.

As Ana shares her journey you’ll notice the golden thread that God was weaving throughout her life and continues to do so to this day. As she pursued God’s heart, laid down all the material things she had collected He brought her full circle and she shares that she’s never been more joy filled in all of her life. She now dedicates herself to addressing relational poverty through her global ministry, the Christian Professionals Network Worldwide, an initiative that aims to eradicate homelessness by building supportive communities and providing mentorship to those in need.

Let’s listen in to discover how God used the very thing, poverty, abuse, .the very things that were supposed to destroy Ana and leave her void of her purpose. But because Ana responded to God, she’s discovering what God had written on the pages of her life before even one of them came to be.

Lived Loved and Thrive! @Alifeofthrive.com
Sherrie Pilk

 

Related Resources:
Does God Care About People in Prison? Ex-con, Steven Snook says Yes!: https://alifeofthrive.com/2023/02/15/does-god-care-about-people-in-prison-ex-con-steven-snook-says-yes/
Crisis Pregnancy and Foundation House Ministries, with Suzanne Burns: https://alifeofthrive.com/2021/02/17/podcast-episode-suzanne-burns-crisis-pregnancy-and-foundation-house-ministries/
Unconditional Love - Blog post by Sherrie Pilk: https://alifeofthrive.com/2019/07/15/unconditional-love/
His Way - Blog post by Sherrie Pilk: https://alifeofthrive.com/2020/09/21/his-way/

 

Connect with Ana:
Website: www.cpnworldwide.com

Bio:
Ana Megrelishvili grew up in the country of Georgia in Eastern Europe in a highly dysfunctional family, experiencing hunger, violence, and abuse. Ana immigrated to the United States at the age of twenty on scholarship with Berea College in Kentucky, where she hoped to begin a better life.

After years of success in business, Ana had a transformative experience that resulted in surrendered faith. As a result of a God-given vision, Ana founded the Christian Professionals Network Worldwide (CPNW) in Atlanta, Georgia, blending her passion for positive change with actionable initiatives.

CPNW goes beyond typical networking by integrating business relationships with service-oriented values, fostering global community transformation. Grounded in Christian principles, Ana ensures CPNW serves as a collaborative hub, uniting faith-driven leaders to pursue a societal betterment.

Though CPNW Foundation work, Ana addresses relational poverty by facilitating meaningful connections and providing a support network. CPNW Foundation focuses on mentoring the homeless, providing them with the relationships and support necessary to rebuilt their lives and break the cycle of poverty.

Ana shares her journey of healing and resilience in her book, Finding Courage to Change, while also contributing to Powerful Female Immigrants: Volume 3, sharing her inspiring journey from Georgie to the US Ana’s impact extends to co-authoring Success Redefined with Jack Canfield, earning her recognition as an Amazon Best-Selling Author

Suffering Well In the Even Though, And the Even If Seasons, with Heather Bradley

Summary:
*Suffering Well: Heather discusses the concept of suffering well, emphasizing the importance of maintaining faith and finding peace in the presence of God, even amidst life's most painful trials.
*Christ as a Model: The conversation delves into how Jesus' suffering and obedience to God serve as a model for Christians to follow in their own times of hardship.
*Loss of a Child: Heather shares the heart-wrenching story of losing her four-month-old son, Brennan, which became a catalyst for her deepened relationship with Jesus and a transformative moment in her faith journey.
*Challenges with Mental Illness: She recounts the struggles with her other son, Nate, who battled mental health issues, and how this experience taught her about spiritual warfare and the power of persistent prayer.
*The Presence of God: Heather repeatedly emphasizes the unparalleled peace and joy found in God's presence, which she describes as the ultimate reward for enduring suffering with faith.
*Miracles in the Journey: She highlights that the miracle often lies in the journey itself rather than an immediate resolution, and how persistence in faith can lead to profound personal and spiritual growth.
*Persistence in Prayer: Heather encourages believers to persist in prayer and not give up, even when immediate answers are not apparent. She uses biblical references, such as the persistent widow and the story of Jericho, to illustrate the importance of enduring faith.
*Spiritual Warfare and Authority: She discusses the importance of recognizing and combating spiritual attacks, particularly those targeting one's family, and the necessity of standing firm in faith.

Intro:
Author and Women’s Ministry Leader, Heather Bradley shares her profound experiences and insights on the theme of "suffering well". Heather's journey through personal tragedies and challenges highlights the intersection of suffering, faith, and the transformative power of a relationship with God.

Heather herself has been challenged with this very thing not once but twice and both of those instances had to do with 2 of her children, both sons. She refers to these seasons of life as her "even if" and "even though” stories. 

God didn’t move His hand to change Heather’s 4 month old son’s health issues and her baby boy, Brennan passed into the arms of Jesus. When her other son, Nathan was 6 years old the family experienced his overnight transformation into a mental and emotional journey of pure exhauston lasting 10 years before God moved His hand to change Nathan’s health condition. 

How do we suffer well when the One who could change our circumstance doesn’t or at the very least He waits an awfully long time? 

But hold on to this truth…we don’t need to fear the painful valleys in this life, and it has nothing to do with sidestepping or avoiding the pain itself. Nobody this side of heaven avoids trauma and suffering. But if you’re a believer in Christ our suffering and pain are turned into purpose. 

We’re transformed, refined and walking in a deeper level of intimacy with and freedom in Christ. There is nothing in this life that compares to the peace and joy that God can give in the very midst of traumatic pain and suffering. That’s why no weapon formed against us shall prosper. If we give God space to speak into our pain, to answer the cries of our heart, comfort us when the answers won’t come, He gives us the beauty of His presence that overwhelms our pain.

So Heather and I made it a point to talk about the struggles and realities faced by many Christians, particularly in the United States, who often perceive faith as a pathway to unending joy and favor, devoid of pain and suffering. However, Heather's journey illustrates that suffering can coexist with divine joy, favor, and anointing, revealing a more complex, yet enriching, narrative of faith. The truth is, God is in the business of transforming us using the very pain that was supposed to destroy us.

In sharing her journey, Heather not only provides insight into her personal trials but also offers a message of encouragement for others navigating their own paths of suffering. Her story is a testament to the transformative power of faith and the beauty that can emerge from the ashes of our pain. 

As believers, we are reminded that suffering is not the end of our story. God transforms all the weapons formed against us for our good and His glory. To me, being held in God’s secure embrace, is the safest place to be in the most unstable environment I’ve ever know.

Let’s listen in to hear the wisdom that Heather shares, may your heart be encouraged!

Live Loved and Thrive! @alifeofthrive.com
Sherrie Pilk

Other resources on the topic of suffering:
Hope in the midst of Chronic Illness, with Sara Willoughby: https://alifeofthrive.com/2025/01/01/hope-in-the-midst-of-chronic-illness-with-sara-willoughby/
Discovering God Through RevelationShip, with Cathy Garland: https://alifeofthrive.com/2024/10/23/discovering-god-through-revelationship-with-cathy-garland/
Finding Hope in the Ashes, with Lea Turner: https://alifeofthrive.com/2024/09/25/finding-hope-in-the-ashes-with-lea-turner/
Suffering (Blog Post), Sherrie Pilk: https://alifeofthrive.com/2021/09/21/suffering/

Connect with Heather:
Website: https://www.truthfreedomministry.com/
Podcast: https://www.truthfreedomministry.com/podcast
Link for her Book, Unthinkable: https://www.truthfreedomministry.com/unthinkable
Brandon Heath - Don’t Be Afraid: https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=WzmghvthTTk&list=OLAK5uy_lwPpoQjoIU5-72AJC5MRU6ug30PYAeKuU
Brandon Lake - Don’t Give Up On Me: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gW1IVM3qq0#ddg-play

Bio:
Heather Bradley is the founder of Truth Freedom Ministry, a social media ministry for women, to be equipped and encouraged in the things of God. She is passionate about helping people walk through the hard things of life. 

A Texas girl at heart, but loves the adventure of going to new places. She has been married to the love of her life, Kelly, for over 29 years and they have 4 children. They homeschooled their kiddos and have lived all over the USA, but are happy to be home in Austin during this season. 

You will typically find her serving at her local church, that they help plant, in pastoral care and women's ministry. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Education. Later she attended Bible School and has been ordained in pastoral ministry. 

Heather love’s gardening, reading books, trying new recipes, and traveling. Her favorite pace to be is sitting down for coffee with others while listening to them share their life stories. The latest news is she is a first time grandmother! So, her new name is Gigi! 

Heather co-host’s a podcast, called Leaving The Shallows, with her good friend-where they help listeners leave the shallow end and go into the deeper things of God. Her prayer is that others would know the love of Jesus in their hardest moments here on earth and experience His healing and purpose and know that He is always with them.

Navigating The Empty Nest and a Healthy Mental Well-being, with Dr. Mel Tavares

So excited to be talking about how to make the most of our empty nest season with Dr. Mel Tavares! Dr. Mel is an award-winning author, speaker, life coach, and frequent media guest. Mel holds a Doctorate of Ministry, in Pastoral Care and Counseling and has 35 years of experience in working with families professionally and in ministry. She is a board certified mental health coach and life coach.

Summary:
-Distinction Between Mental Health and Mental Well-being: Mental health often involves clinical diagnoses, while mental well-being focuses on overall emotional and psychological health without a clinical diagnosis.
-Holistic Approach to Health: Importance of addressing mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual health collectively. The conversation highlights the impact of nutrition and lifestyle habits on mental well-being.
-Role of Faith in Counseling: Mel discusses the benefits of incorporating a biblical perspective in counseling and the limitations faced by secular counselors in discussing faith.
-Purpose and Productivity in Later Life: The conversation touches on the idea that individuals in their 50s and 60s enter some of their most productive decades, encouraging listeners to pursue dreams and goals regardless of age.
-Overcoming Trauma and Forgiveness: Mel shares personal experiences and emphasizes the importance of forgiveness and healing from past traumas, suggesting that Christian counselors or recovery groups can provide support.
-Importance of Goal Setting: Setting goals provides structure and motivation, allowing individuals to turn their dreams into reality.
-Community Engagement: Engaging in community activities and volunteering can alleviate loneliness and depression, fostering connections with others.
-Anxiety Busters: Practical tips like eating healthily, maintaining a sleep routine, and reducing media consumption can help manage anxiety.
-Hope and Encouragement: Mel concludes with a message of hope, emphasizing that there is always hope in God's plan and encouraging listeners to reach out for support.

Podcast Intro:
My guest, Dr. Mel Tavares is an award winning Author, Speaker, Teacher, and Coach and she sat down with me and provided a very informative conversation about entering our 50’s and 60’s with a healthy mental well-being and ready to explore all the new possibilities set before us. I chose the empty nester season of life because I felt like that encompassed a lot of the changes that a woman faces when entering her 50’s and I wanted to expand it to our 60’s as well.

The transition into the empty nest phase of life can be a profound and transformative period in a woman’s life because it is often filled with mixed emotions and new challenges. You may be seeing your children off to college, giving some away in marriage. Maybe your employment is going through changes; do you want to quit your current job and start the job you’ve always wanted to do/changing careers altogether? Or maybe you’ve decided to start going back to school and let’s not forget that some ladies are also caregivers for their parents. So this particular time in a woman’s life can be mentally, emotionally and physically overwhelming and how do we navigate it all?

So Mel and I looked at the question how can we enter into this season of life equipped to make the most of it? The first thing we look at is our mental well being. Mel makes a distinction about mental health and mental well-being. I asked her questions such as, where can someone start when trying to pinpoint our gifts and talents? How can we discover what we’re created for especially if we’ve lost connection with our true selves? Truth is, we’ve devoted ourselves to those around us and in doing so we can loose touch with who we are as an individual woman. And then there are the times we’re just stuck; we know somethings not working but we don’t know how to get unstuck. And here’s something else we talked about, what happens when we forget how to dream?

Ultimately, the journey through the empty nest phase is an invitation to embrace change and rediscover oneself. By prioritizing mental well-being and adopting a holistic approach (which Mel talks about), individuals can navigate this transition with confidence and joy. It is a time to reflect, dream, and step into new roles with a renewed sense of identity and purpose, knowing that the best years are yet to come.

Listen in for all the wisdom and insight that Mel has to share!

Live Loved and Thrive! @alifeofthrive.com

Connect with Mel:
Mel Tavares Media Links
 Website: https://www.drmeltavares.com/
                                                                          *Free Downloadable Workbook: 6 Weeks, 6 Life Goals
Author Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/authormeltavares/
Rise Up and Conquer Your Day Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/208329358938340
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drmeltavares/

Bio:
Mel Tavares is an award-winning author, speaker, life coach, and frequent media guest. Mel holds a Doctorate of Ministry, in Pastoral Care and Counseling and has 35 years of experience in working with families professionally and in ministry. She is a board certified mental health coach and life coach. She and her husband live in Connecticut, have seven adult children and eleven grandchildren. Her books, including the award-winning, best-selling book ’21 Days to Improved Mental Well-Being’ are available through Amazon. Other resources can be found on her website: DrMelTavares.com

Additional Episodes on the topic of mental illness:
Navigating Her Children’s Mental Illness Journey - Patty Sepety: https://alifeofthrive.com/2023/07/06/navigating-her-childrens-mental-illness-journey-with-patty-sepety/
Making Marriage Healthy with Marriage Counselor, Leslie Davis: https://alifeofthrive.com/2023/11/08/marriage-healthy/
Michele Poe on Mental Health Illness and Suicide: https://alifeofthrive.com/2020/10/28/mental-health/

The Transformative Power of Gratitude, with Amanda Schaefer

Summary:
*The conversation discusses the power and simplicity of gratitude as a spiritual discipline.
*Gratitude is seen as a choice and a discipline that can lead to transformation and intimacy with God.
*Practicing gratitude can rewire the brain's neural network to focus more on positive aspects.
*Simple daily practices, such as acknowledging things to be grateful for, can cultivate gratitude.
*Gratitude can combat negative emotions like fear and anxiety, promoting peace.
*Engaging with biblical teachings, like Philippians 4:8, can help maintain a posture of gratitude.
*The discussion emphasizes the importance of intimacy with God for true gratitude and compassion.
*Gratitude and love are linked, with love being viewed as faith in action and compassion.
*Practicing gratitude can lead to improvements in one's life, including emotional and spiritual growth.
*Gratitude is portrayed as a gift from God, intended to be shared with others as an overflow of His love.

Podcast Intro:
Gratitude is an ever-present concept in our lives, yet we often underestimate its power to transform our perspectives and experiences. The episode today was a great conversation with author, podcast host and speaker, Amanda Schaefer.

She shared her insights on how the simplicity of gratitude can be more profound than we imagine, offering a window into a value system that transcends our earthly understanding. Gratitude, she explains, is not a trait some are simply born with, but a discipline and a choice that anyone can learn and embrace. It is an attitude that, when practiced intentionally, can lead to a profound transformation in one's spiritual and emotional life.

Amanda discovered gratitude is part of our neural pathway that, once traveled repeatedly, becomes a well-worn trail in our minds. This practice of choosing to focus on the positive aspects of life, even amid challenges, reaps, peace, joy, and blessings. 

By acknowledging the beauty and goodness around us, we can cultivate a mindset that anticipates good things and, in turn, experiences more of it. This is not to say that gratitude is a natural inclination for everyone; it requires conscious effort and practice. Amanda emphasizes that the discipline of gratitude is something that has to be developed, much like any other skill or habit. Once the habit is formed, you will naturally perceive and notice countless things to be thankful for.

The practice of gratitude is not complicated. Amanda recounts how she began a simple morning routine of expressing gratitude before her feet even touched the ground. By starting the day with a focus on the goodness of God, she found that it set a positive tone for the rest of her day. When one is grateful, feelings of fear and anxiety are replaced with peace and joy, as gratitude and fear cannot coexist.

Moreover, Amanda highlights the biblical perspective on gratitude. We talked about Philippians 4:8, which encourages believers to focus on what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable. This verse encapsulates a heart posture of gratitude, guiding individuals to meditate on the good and praiseworthy things in life. In doing so, one aligns closer with a life of peace and intimacy with God. The act of focusing on gratitude is not just a spiritual exercise but a transformative experience that can renew the mind and spirit.

Throughout this conversation Amanda reminds us, this practice of gratitude is within everyone's reach and can bring about profound personal and spiritual growth and create deeper intimacy with Christ.

Let’s listen in and be encouraged today!

Live Loved and Thrive! @alifeofthrive.com

Other Related Podcast and/or Blog:
Blog - Hallelujah! https://alifeofthrive.com/2021/11/02/hallelujah/
Podcast: Donna Renay Patrick - When Life Doesn’t Go As Planned: https://alifeofthrive.com/2021/11/10/donna-patrick/

Connect with Amanda:
Website: www.acupofgratitude.org
IG: www.instagram.com/acupof_gratitude
FB: www.facebook.com/amanda.f.schaefer

Bio:
Amanda Schaefer is a podcast host, author, and speaker. She carries with her the goodness of looking through a lens of gratitude. The “A Cup of Gratitude” podcast is global, reaching over 111 countries and 3000 cities. As a speaker, Amanda teaches the Bible while challenging audiences to live the way God intends. She has a way of making scripture come alive through everyday examples. Amanda’s books include, “Crumbled, A Place for Broken People” and “Daily “Instaration.” She is a contributing author of “Life Changing Stories and the newly released books, “One Chance, One Dance, Don’t Miss the Moments in Your Life,” and “Courageous Voices Unlocked.” Her books are down to earth and packed with Biblical truth. Amanda has also written articles for “The Brave Women Series,” “The Uncommon Normal Gratitude Series,” “The Love Offering,” “The Warrior Women Series,” “Butterfly Living, “The Empty Nest Mom Series,” and “The Season Series.” She has a new collaborative book project due to be released this December and is under contract to write a new manuscript slated to be released in February 2025.