Finding God in Our Pain

Meredith Bunting - Crisis, Chaos, Surrender and Celebration

Meredith Bunting - Crisis, Chaos, Surrender and Celebration

My sweet friend Meredith Bunting is back, and she was one of the original seven women who agreed to get my podcast off the ground. And at that time she shared her journey with chronic illness that included paralyzing pain that would seize her body and leave her balled up in a fetal position for days until it decided to let her go. And she had no promise that it would get better, and no one had a cure for her.

Additionally, you might remember, in our original episode, we briefly talked about a book that she had in the works. Well, she's back today to talk about that book because it's been published, and it will be available for purchase in February. At the current moment, you can preorder it and I'll give you the info below.

The title of her book is "Cutting and Pasting Truth: Snapshots of a Life Lived Through Faith and Fitness." The book is broken down into four parts, crisis, chaos, surrender and celebration. We talk about the journey of pain and what it looks like through those 4 phases but I want to share with you my favorite part of our conversation. Here's some amazing news. A month or two ago, Meredith's pain went away, disappeared. It has not returned.

She'll tell you it's been somewhat of a struggle to go from living with that level and frequency of pain to no pain at all. That in itself brought on a whole different struggle with God. Meredith knows crisis, chaos, surrender and she has entered into the celebration phase.

Now that she had been supernaturally healed, I had a question for her that centers around people who, without a supernatural move of God, will not receive an answer to their prayers. What if their mountain will not be moved? What does God have for those who are in a holding patter of chaos or even surrender but no proof that things are changing?

My question comes at a time in Meredith's personal life when she just recently laid to rest one precious friend and is watching another dear friend who is slipping into the arms of Jesus. Her answer is so beautiful, and it reveals the God we serve in a way that He never wastes a thing and that we're never alone. I immediately wrote about it in a blog post as well.

If you've ever wondered if God has something for us when we suffer, don't miss what she has to share. I feel sure your heart will be infused with a deep measure of peace and joy.

Live Loved and Thrive!

Amazon Book Link: Cutting and Pasting Truth - Snapshots of a life lived through faith and fitness

Connect with Meredith:
Email:  mbunting3195@gmail.com
Website: meredithbunting.com

Finding God in Our Pain Turns ONE!! Year in Review

Finding God in Our Pain Podcast Turns ONE!!

Bonus Episode!

It’s my one year podcasting anniversary! I'm ONE YEAR OLD!  It’s celebration time for Finding God in Our pain because my learning curve was real but I can testify that God is faithful!

Today’s episode is my year in review. What did I learn in this past year from hearing the stories of others? How have their experiences shaped my understanding of who the God of the Holy Bible is when it comes to pain and suffering? 

It has been such a precious experience because of the places I’ve been allowed to go and by places I mean, my guests have allowed me to enter into their intimate pain, their vulnerable places and their genuine struggle with God. To me that is sacred ground where our pain meets Gods sovereignty.

I have been extravagantly encouraged to learn, in deeper ways that God never leaves us. That is pure gold in this life. With each story my heart has been given significant revelation in my understanding of God’s heart for us in the midst of this life's trauma, trials and disappointments.

In todays episode I’ve asked my friend Amy Heilman to be the interviewer and to help me reflect on the past year of guests and topics with a focus on what I’ve learned in my own life through the concept of shared story.  You may remember Amy's episode on Identity. She kicked off 2021 having an in-depth conversation with me on our identity in Christ.

To date, I have produced 27 podcast episodes (a couple of which are bonus episodes) and I currently have 2600+ downloads. As you know, Finding God in Our pain is a bimonthly podcast so I release episodes every other Wednesday.

The majority of my listeners are in the states but here is a short list of the areas where I also have listeners: Switzerland, Ireland, Russia, India, Netherlands, Germany, Guatemala, France, New Zealand, Austria, Australia, United Kingdom, Jamaica, Canada…just to name a few

Of my 27 episodes to date I share who the top five are with regard to number of downloads only. I’ve had my head in the learning curve on how to produce a quality product and give you something worth listening to so I haven’t had a chance to learn analytics nor what the measurable aspects are other than downloads.

Of the 27 current episodes, 2600+ downloads I get an average of 96 downloads per episode. I’l be honest, I have no idea if that’s good or not so good but to me, its phenomenal.  When I look at it I see progress, I see God’s intimacy of calling and equipping.

Every time I get to talk with a guest I get a front row seat to someone’s redemption story. With each testimony God is continually showing me who He is. You want to talk about building faith… I am richly rewarded over and over again

To my listeners….Thank you for listening! Where would I be without you? Granted I'd still be learning some beautiful things about God but my heart would still be longing to reveal these things to your heart too. May these stories of the God who never leaves us in our distress, give you the courage to take the next breath, the next step and give you hope in a better tomorrow.

Also, I deeply appreciate any time you share my podcast with those whom you have influence with or someone you want to bless with an encouraging message.  That is a blessing to me. I love and appreciate YOU! Thank you!

As a Side note: I’m open to suggestions on what I can do better or the type of guest you want to hear from or maybe there is a topic you want to hear about. Are you ready to share your story? I’d love to talk to you! Maybe you know someone who needs to share their story that will encourage others.  Should any of that apply to you, please Visit the home base for my podcast and it’s the website A Life of Thrive .com. Use the contact link and let me know your thoughts, give me your suggestions, let's talk about your story or introduce me to your friend who has beauty to share with the world.

Again, Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

Much love to you sweet friend!

Live Loved and Thrive @ alifeofthrive.com 

Transcript: https://www.happyscribe.com/transcriptions/9aa609a97c394a908e5b7d0289a217b5/edit_v2

 

Charlie Griffin - Facing the Lie that I‘m Never Enough

Charlie Griffin - Facing the Lie that I'm Never Enough

I’m so happy you’re here because my guest Charlie Griffin is the sweetest, I mean the sweetest young woman who has a precious story of transformation. She’s been set free from the lie she once believed, “I’m not enough.”  She’s left addiction behind, a failed marriage when her husband returned to his addiction and the revelation that sometimes what we think are God’s plans for us turn out to be exactly that … what WE thought He wanted.

Charlie and I really dug into regret, guilt, shame and looked at it through several different angels because I wanted to find all the different ways that it surfaces.

Charlie’s transformation began when she learned that God did love her and begin to understand that He says she is enough. Period.  No matter what she’d done or where she found herself God saw the beauty of who He had made her to be. 

The power of her transformation really grabbed major traction when she moved from what she thought she knew about God to discovering Him for who He truly was. From what she believed and reasoned in her own mind to what she discovered about Him with her heart.

As you listen to her talk you will hear that she is thoughtful about what she says and how she reveals the heart of God. You’ll also hear her love of God pour forth and you’ll understand why as she tells you about  her journey through addition, trying her best to save her marriage only to realize she’s fighting against God, how God used her 4 year old daughter to give her a reality check and the beauty of the knowledge that she lives in and with today. 

Friend, since you’re listening in, I want to encourage you. Hang on to this truth - No matter what this life wants to label you with or put on you, keep the eyes of your heart on God because He is writing a much bigger love story with you as the individual He created you to be.

Connect with Charlie:
https://www.facebook.com/charlie.griffin.589
charlie@thatmediagirl.org

Transcript: https://www.happyscribe.com/transcriptions/f18fb18e05794ca88a6c1c08b90250dd/edit_v2

Sara Salazar - Autoimmune Disease and Pulmonary Fibrosis

Sara Salazar - Autoimmune Disease and Pulmonary Fibrosis

When I originally recorded this episode with today’s guest Sara Salazar there were 2 things that stood out to me then and they stay with me even now. The strength of such a small family unit, Sara, her brother and their mom and the influence of a mother’s unwavering faith.

Sara had watched her mom overcome obstacle after obstacle, challenge after challenge. Sara held onto the hope that they’d be able to catch that needed break and things would level out for them and be a little easier.

So what would they do when a health diagnosis shakes the one foundation that their mother stands on? Solid. Unwavering. This mom’s faith in Christ alone was non-negotiable. But what happens when the expectations we have of God our ways of defining what it means for Him to show up are not fulfilled?

In my conversation with Sara, now a young woman in her mid 20’s, she shares the story of her mom through the eyes of a young teen. When Sara was 14 she received devastating news. Her mom who had scleroderma, an autoimmune disease finds out it has brought the onset of pulmonary fibrosis. It is a rare lung disease that affects 1 in 20,000 people. pulmonary fibrosis would scar her lungs making it difficult to breathe.

Upon receiving the bleak diagnosis, her mom stepped out in faith and shared that she believed God would heal her. Sara stood in agreement with her mother. They joined together in shared faith, believing that God would heal her. The faith community joined in faithful prayer for healing.

We all know that God has promised to never leave us alone especially in our pain and suffering but we also have to admit that there are times that God in His Sovereignty does not move the mountains that we so desperately pray for Him to move. And that was Sara’s experience. God did not heal her mom on this side of heaven. When Sara was 19 she laid her mother to rest.

I’ll admit that a believer’s death is the ultimate healing but what about those left behind to deal with the pain of separation? How would Sara make sense of a good God and the reality that He did not intervene in her mother’s suffering nor did He stop her death.

The good deposit that Sara’s mom made in her life, a fierce faith, the kind that weathers the storms and deeply painful seasons was then and is now, the life preserver of truth that keeps Sara firmly planted on solid ground.

May you be as blessed as I was to hear this precious woman’s story of genuine struggle, the revelations she received and what it looks like for her to arrive at a place of peace despite her deep pain.

 

Get Connected with Sara
Social Media: 
https://www.instagram.com/justbeingsara/
https://www.facebook.com/sara.salazar.3323/
https://www.joinclubhouse.com/@justbeingsara

Website - Need help through your journey of grief? Get more info about all the ways Sara is there to help.
https://www.justbeingsara.com/

Transcript: https://www.happyscribe.com/transcriptions/1f62b5446cf34ffe810dc9397ac4eb0f/edit_v2

 

 

 

Bonnie Rawlins - Divorce and Personal Restoration

Bonnie Rawlins - Divorce and Personal Restoration

My guest today is Bonnie Rawlins and she shares her personal experience of being a mom of 3, rushing into marriage, discovering she’d made a terrible mistake, and what it was like to get through her divorce.

Bonnie prayed for a man that was Godly and would lead the family with biblical values. Bonnie was confident God had brought the right man into her life. But what would she do when she realizes she'd rushed ahead of God? Would God shame her for not being patient, for doing what she wanted and not really listening for His leading?

Does God care about us when we make mistakes or is it our fault and He lets us get the consequences we deserve? Did God turn his back on her? Did He provide for her? Does God have a future for Bonnie?

I hope your heart will be as encouraged as mine to hear of God’s presence in the midst of what we define as mistakes.

If you've ever rushed ahead of God only to realize you'd made a mistake, listen in to discover the various ways God showed up.

Get connected with Bonnie: You can reach her through her coaching and heart healing services: withaservantsheart@gmail.com or via Facebook at With a Servants Heart Breakthrough Coaching, @withaservantsheartcoaching (https://www.facebook.com/withaservantsheartcoaching) 

Transcript: https://www.happyscribe.com/transcriptions/8dee003b893c45e18e9bf5bc40214ceb/edit_v2

Bio:

I am a survivor of domestic abuse, which began as financial control and kept me "prisoner" for 7 years, and yet, I can see all the ways God was protecting me and how He kept me going. What felt like being crushed was really my road to healing because it turned out to be the way God was preparing me for His call on my life. Once set free of the abusive cycle, God began connecting me with other women who were in or had been in similar situations. In doing so, I was able to meet various needs as well as help in different ways with their healing process.

At 44 years of age I graduated from college and now enjoy each day working with children who have special needs. God has brought purpose and redemption from my pain because I am also the Owner of With a Servant’s Heart. Through this opportunity I have the honor of coaching women to find healing and purpose through their pain.

Sherry Jones - The Power of Speaking Life

Sherry Jones - The Power of Speaking Life

Bible scripture can feel so empty when tragedy and trauma hit us. We struggle to right ourselves and make sense of what has happened.

My precious guest Sherry Jones is no different. What started out as hanging with friends turned into a night that would bring confusion, shame and regret. But God never leaves us in our suffering and He proved Himself faithful as the pain and confusion ran its course in Sherry's mind and heart. 

It was the word of God, the scriptures that would rewrite her darkest fears. It was God's presence that brought the ink on crinkly pages to life and made His promises real to her. It was God's promises that would set her on a new path, into healing and restoration, a deeper understanding of His heart for her. 

Do you have any regret and shame? Ask God for a promise that you can set the eyes of your heart on and begin to believe Him for. He's the Father that never leaves, is never offended and does not give ultimatums. You're free to choose Him and you're free not to choose Him but do know that He waits patiently to restore, heal and redeem. That's His heart for you!

Transcript: https://www.happyscribe.com/transcriptions/1cc3b4302f584107bf19f5e841f64ad1/edit_v2

Social Media links: 

https://www.facebook.com/SherrySpeaksLife

https://www.instagram.com/sherryspeakslife

https://www.facebook.com/groups/201151113563621 (Glory Carriers Women's Network)

 

Website: 

https://sherryspeakslife.com/

 

Bio: 

Sherry Jones believes in the power of speaking life! She is passionate about helping women push past their limitations so that they can pursue their purpose. She does this by empowering them to make speaking life a lifestyle, transforming the negative words spoken over their lives into positive words and thoughts rooted in the Word of God.

Sherry is the author of two books. Speak Life Moments: A Transformational Journey is a 21-day devotional that shares moments in her life that taught her how to speak life to herself and her circumstances so that her readers can do the same. Trouble Don’t Last Always is a Christian fiction novel that tells the story of a young woman struggling with her faith and takes readers on her journey back to God. These books are available on Amazon.

The How to Speak Life with Your Story Coaching Program is for first-time authors who know they have a book inside them but don’t know where to start. Sherry will help you determine what to share and how to share it in a way that will bless and encourage your readers. Learn more about this program at bit.ly/speaklifewithyourstory.

Sherry believes in the power of prayer and wants to encourage you to speak life through prayer. Infusing speaking life into your prayer life strengthens your connection with the Lord, increases your confidence in who God says you are and empowers you to confess that truth boldly. You’re invited take the 7-Day Speak Life Prayer Challenge and join Sherry on this journey at bit.ly/speaklifeprayerchallenge.

Sherry is the founder of Glory Carriers Women’s Network, a Facebook community for Christian women. The mission of GCWN is to uplift, support, and encourage Christian women to glorify God in every aspect of their lives. Not only do they carry the glory, but they are #spreadingtheglory to the masses.

Learn more about Sherry and listen to her podcast, We Are The Church with Sherry Jones, at sherryspeakslife.com. Enjoy words of encouragement and interviews with Christian thought-leaders, business owners, and ministry leaders about today’s issues from a Christ perspective.

Follow Sherry on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube @sherryspeakslife. She would love to connect with you!

 

 

Artisha Bolding - Navigating a Health Crisis, ICU Stay and a Coma

Artisha Bolding - Navigating a Health Crisis, an ICU Stay and a Coma

Artisha is the founder of T-Bold Media Group. She sat down with me and allowed me to dig around in her personal story of a health crisis that eventually landed her in the intensive care unit and in a coma.

She shared how some significant changes in her life created stress and anxiety. What began as a cough was also the beginning of her health decline.

She'd never had a hospital stay, didn't have a primary care physician, and even had trouble finding her insurance card as she entered into a journey that would include countless doctor visits, medications and hospital stays, eventually ending up in the ICU. During the ICU portion of her stay, she was in a coma.

While in the hospital, she prayed to be out of her misery and what she meant by that was that she wanted to be with Jesus in heaven. At one point, throughout her health struggle, she feels the life draining out of her body. She feels her breath leaving her. God gives her a glimpse of heaven and she is prepared to meet Him and then it seems the door is shut, because whenever she comes into consciousness, she's still here, present in this life.

Artisha calls herself a pew baby, someone who has been raised in the church, but from my own personal reflection, even though we point our children to the Lord, there will come a time in their lives when crisis hits and when they call out to the God that we have pointed them to, he must be real to them in order to move from their ears of hearing about this good God to their heart of knowing that he is indeed who he says he is

Listen to find out why Artisha defines such an incredibly painful time in her life as a divine pause. You'll discover how it encouraged her to walk boldly into her purpose, why gratitude is so important to her and the reason she makes it her life mission to point others to the heart of God.

Lived Loved and Thrive! @alifeofthrive.com

Transcript: https://www.happyscribe.com/transcriptions/6887289d545540b699bcaee5aba261e6/edit_v2

Stay Connected with Artisha:
COACHTEE@ARTISHABOLDING.COM
ARTISHABOLDING.COM
FACEBOOK.COM/ARTISHA.BOLDING
INSTAGRAM.COM/ARTISHABOLDING

Bio: Artisha “Tee” Bolding is a minister and certified life coach known as the Mindset Midwife. Through her coaching she motivates women and entrepreneurs to birth their business, book or brand. Artisha has spent the last decade providing relationship and spiritual advice to friends, clients and groups of teenagers. Her programs ensure individuals are no longer stuck in life but thriving in success that's aligned with their purpose and passion. Since her early days at Howard University, positively impacting people has been a serious passion for this visionary. From charter schools to City Hall and even a dusty construction site, Artisha has experienced a lot and has touched many lives. In fact she founded her company T Bold Media Group after hitting rock bottom and pushing past crises in her marriage and health. She knows God will do great things because we expect Him to. When this loving wife and fur mom is not saving the world and missing DC ever so terribly, you can find her kicking the truth and cracking jokes on Instagram (@artishabolding). Keep an eye out for Artisha’s next project — it just might be your new favorite book!

 

Kristi Wells and Brittany Dunn of Safe House Project - Child Sex Trafficking.

Kristi Wells and Brittany Dunn of Safe House Project - Child Sex Trafficking

Every single day we receive information about the world that is deeply disturbing. And for me, there are simply few rivals to deeply disturbing than the reality of child sex trafficking. And I'll confess, I only like to read the articles or watch the news clips where children are rescued. I tend to ignore the reports about statistics because I feel helpless to make a difference. And to be further honest, I overlook the fact that when a child is rescued, the work to freedom has only begun

I mean, who am I anyway? One person can't possibly make a difference in such an incredible underground network of evil. But all that has changed after having the opportunity to speak with the founders of Safe House Project, Kristi Wells and Brittany Dunn.

Safe House Project, or SHP, is an anti-sex trafficking organization with the aggressive goal to eradicate child sex trafficking in America by 2030. I'm over here whining about being only one person, but Kristi and Brittany are busy uniting communities, corporations, and individuals to end domestic sex trafficking.

With regard to people like you and I who want to show our support, Brittany and Kristi simplify the process because they find great value in the gifts and talents of others. As a matter of fact, they rely on people to show up with their unique experiences, backgrounds, and knowledge, believing that the skill set they already have in place is what will equip them to help not only slow the evil of child sex trafficking, but to end it.

Every July 30 is World Day Against Trafficking in Persons and Safe House Project takes part in the march to bring awareness to the trafficking of children. If your heart is moved to stand up for the innocent lives in this way, join the march in a location nearest you. You don't have to raise money for this march, but I'll be making a personal donation.

For my local listeners here in the southeastern part of Virginia, the City of Norfolk has authorized a march in support of World Day Against Trafficking in Persons. Join me on July 30th in Town Point Park, closest to Nauticus from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. Norfolk Mayor, Kenneth Alexander has taken an aggressive stance, even challenging other local mayors to eradicate human trafficking in their cities by 2025.

Let's join together across the nation in a unified march for the lives of our most precious ones, literally, our future.

It's a new day because individual people like you and I can indeed make a difference, and Safe House Project equips us to do just that. Listen in to discover the beauty, the heart and the mission behind Safe House Project.

My time with Kristi and Brittany was limited so stop by their website to discover all the ways they make it easy to come along side them.  (SafeHouseProject.org). There you'll find a variety of ways you can make a difference for children.

How exciting to think that people like you and I can make a difference and be a part of bringing the aggressive goal (of eradicating child sex trafficking in America by 2030) into reality!

Lived Loved and Thrive! @alifeofthrive.com

Transcript: https://www.happyscribe.com/transcriptions/f784c04666a84ddea98b793b87c4e22e/edit_v2

Connect with Safe House Project, Kristi and Brittany:

Website: https://www.safehouseproject.org/

FB: https://www.facebook.com/SafeHousePrjct

IG: https://www.instagram.com/safehouseproject/