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When life as we know it is flipped upside down, we struggle to make sense of it all. Why would a good God allow this to happen? Hi, I’m Sherrie Pilkington, your host of Finding God In Our Pain. In 2018, when I unexpectedly lost my husband of 32 years, questions erupted out of my deepest despair. Since then, I’ve continued to search the heart of God for what He has to say about pain and suffering. In this podcast we’ll discover how God enters into our pain, shepherds us through our darkest valleys, and leads us to green pastures once again. I’ll bring you firsthand stories from women who allow us into their authentic struggles, along with professional advice from experts, counselors, and others who can help us navigate pain. Join me, as we discover God’s answers to the deepest cries of our shattered hearts.
Episodes
Wednesday Jul 21, 2021
Wednesday Jul 21, 2021
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!
Wednesday Jul 07, 2021
Wednesday Jul 07, 2021
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:
Wednesday Jun 23, 2021
Wednesday Jun 23, 2021
Kimberley Milousis - From Victim to Victor
You're going to enjoy my conversation with my Canadian guest, Kimberly Milousis. I say enjoy, because if you're like me, you never get tired of hearing someone beat the odds.
If anyone has a reason to never amount to much, Kimberley had the perfect childhood set up that ensures she would continue to struggle through life. An alcoholic mom, a father who was a pimp and a drug dealer, foster care, sexual abuse ... definitely all the components of a life, far less than what God had for her.
In reflection of her life Kimberley understands that God was pursuing her through it all. Since the moment she turned her heart toward God to where she is today, she's experienced four things that moved her through healing and into restoration, and she shares them with us.
Kimberley continues to thrive in her life as she practices what she preaches. You can learn more about her on her website: KimberlyMilousis.com. There, you'll find her signature course Life More Abundantly, among other offers.
She has a strong passion to help others create abundance in the areas of emotional, physical, spiritual and financial health, all areas that she has excelled in and continues to excel in.
Listen in to the conversation to discover some insight on what it takes to move from victim to victor!
Live Loved and Thrive! @alifeofthrive.com
Connect with Kimberley on her website: kimberleymilousis.com & on FB facebook.com/kimberleymilousis/
Transcript: https://www.happyscribe.com/transcriptions/68728e8dff2b402b85c0dcfe2912a3e9/edit_v2
About: Kimberley is a CPA tax-specialist turned natural-health-entrepreneur and abundance coach. In her coaching work, she focuses on empowering people to create an abundance in their mind, body, and finances, and she recently launched her Life More Abundantly course for that very purpose. Kimberley is also a home-schooling mom and loves swimming, hiking, scuba diving and gardening.
Wednesday Jun 09, 2021
Wednesday Jun 09, 2021
Beverley Walters - Surviving Human Trafficking
Beverley Walters is my guest today and she shared her life experience on why participating in human trafficking would even seem like a realistic option. Most interesting to me is how she found the courage to walk away and seek a new identity.
Beverley’s trauma started early in life. The people she was entrusted to did more than let her down they gave her an identity that would set her up for the decisions she would make as she tried to provide for herself.
So when she showed up for a job interview and at one point they request she take her clothes off I imagine it didn’t seem out of place to be violated yet again. This gateway to human trafficking was not a far reach for an orphan heart, with no voice, no worth and the identity of a ghost.
As I share that, I’m reminded why God tells us not to judge but to love. For only God knows the depths of a heart that has been continually abused, has no understanding of love and is filled with vengeance.
Beverely's heart is to reach the one who is suffering in silence. The one who thinks there’s no way to overcome this. There’s no way out. God doesn’t love me. I’ve done some horrible things. I’ve gone too far for anyone to love me.
"Not so," says Beverley.
What Beverley left me with and I hope you receive it too, is that she no longer identifies with her past.
God is the center of her life. She no longer identifies with her old life but instead has fully embraced who God says she is to Him. Claiming what Christ did on the cross for her. She has chosen to put on God’s extravagant love for her.
Beverley has discovered that God is not mad with her but rather He’s madly in love with her.
May we all grasp that today so that we might Live Loved and Thrive! @alifofthrive.com
Transcript: https://www.happyscribe.com/transcriptions/c0356e4c1f6044748f4b8b69c4c5283f/edit_v2
Get Connected with Beverly:
https://www.facebook.com/beverlywalters13
Instagram : trauma_courage_coach_beverley
Twitter: Beverley Walters
Email:beverlywalters13@yahoo.com
Contact or Whatsapp 876-581-3818
BIO:
Beverley Walters is a survivor of human trafficking. In 2013 she turned her life over to God and made a vow to use her past to help other women who have experienced all forms of abuse. She is now living a committed Christian life and using her experiences as a stepping stone to propel her into her God-ordained life . Beverley works with women who desire to build their courage and overcome past hurts so that they can win in life to fulfill the desire of their heart.
Since giving her life to God, Beverley has become a Certified Christian Life Coach, Motivational & Transformational Speaker, Founder of Born to Win Coaching International, Founder of the Courageous Women Mastermind, Member of Feast of Esther in Jamaica and has started the annual ‘Real Story, Real Talk’ Women Empowerment Conference.
Wednesday May 26, 2021
Wednesday May 26, 2021
Jennifer Uren - A Surprise Adoption Times TWO!
Any time I hear the word adoption, I always think about God's heart for the orphan, namely me, or any of His children that have chosen Him as their heavenly Father. The transitioning from one family to another and yet not having lost your connection in your family of origin.
My experience has been that tuning into God's vision and value system for relationship helps you love your earthly family much better. So when I heard about my guest, Jennifer Uren's, unconventional adoption, I was up for the conversation.
I wanted to hear her personal thoughts and reflections on how she perceived God's heart for the orphan, especially since she wasn't looking to adopt and the process of adoption was the fastest I've ever heard of. Not looking to adopt, going from one child to two and their arrival in a matter of weeks, that made for a very difficult transition for her and her family of 5.
As I listened to her talk about why she didn't see the adoption as a rescue, it really got my mind churning as to how God does not simply rescue us, but that He has a much more intimate and satisfying purpose in mind when He calls us to Himself.
Jennifer talked about the importance of educating oneself on trauma, but that understanding connection was the game changer. And she suggested the book that gave her that much needed breakthrough. It's titled The Connected Child: Bring Hope and Healing to Your Adoptive Family by Karyn B. Purvis.
As we wrapped up the conversation, she shares one more thing that she's learned about God in the difficult transitioning process, and I could immediately apply it to my life.
It seems the more conversations I have with those who share their stories of holding their trauma up for inspection through the lens of their relationship with Christ, it becomes increasingly clear. All the diversity, all the creativity, all the shades of skin that human beings embody-- we all find unity in Christ.
Lived Loved and Thrive! @A Life of Thrive
Stay connected with Jennifer:
Email: ThisMomKnowsPodcast@gmail.com
Website: ThisMomKnows.com
Bio: Jennifer Uren lives with her husband and 5 kids (bio and adopted) in the Chicagoland area. She is a mompreneur on a mission to help other mompreneurs set aside "mom guilt" by using simple systems to help them use time well so they can succeed at being both "mom" and "entrepreneur". You can connect with Jenn via her website at ThisMomKnows.com, via Facebook @ThisMomKnows, or on Instagram @ThisMomKnowsPodcast
Wednesday May 12, 2021
Wednesday May 12, 2021
Melinda Patrick - Christian Mom Whose Child has Same Sex Attraction
My guest, Melinda Patrick, is a Christian whose daughter came to her in 2011 saying she has same-sex attraction. Melinda, a devoted Christian for many years, was teaching women's Bible studies on Wednesday nights and Sunday mornings, was highly involved in the women's ministry team on a rather large church, and she ran a ministry in her own home.
I was interested in this conversation for several reasons, two of which are, the church struggles with being in the world and not of the world and Christians, including myself, have a hard time speaking truth in love.
How do we truly love like Christ and yet not compromise the truth in the process? And why are we making it so hard?
I wanted to hear from the heart of a mother, a Christian mother, who can't simply throw scripture around to make herself feel better or who has some distance on the particular topic of same-sex attraction; a mom who loves her daughter dearly and would lay down her life for her without hesitation, but whose heart also knows that to love as Christ is to choose the purest form of the highest love.
Live Loved and Thrive! @ alifothrive.com
Stay connected with Melinda Patrick on her website: melindapatrick.org
Transcript: https://www.happyscribe.com/transcriptions/f7574bb1aae948cb8db4a8737677a882/edit_v2
Bio:
Melinda Patrick has been the Director of Parent Support for His Wonderful Works (https://hiswonderfulworks.com/) since 2013. Having a child herself who has been involved in Same-Sex Attraction (SSA) for more than 9 years, Melinda is all too familiar with the grief and loss of hope this can bring to a family. By way of her own healing and the healing of her relationship with her daughter, she is now passionate about offering the same hope to other parents and family members.
Through her speaking, podcasting, and writing, God is using Melinda to touch the hearts of parents with the healing power of His Word. She has a great desire to lead other parents into a joyful relationship with the God who has been so faithful to honor His Word in her life. Her passion is to inspire and equip others to bear fruit in every season of life, even the most painful.
On the south side of Atlanta, Georgia, is where you will find Melinda and her husband, Ron. Her kitchen is notorious for impromptu dance parties, and her porch is loved for long talks, slow swinging, and sweet tea. The outdoors is where she loves to spend most of her time reading, hiking, and enjoying lazy lake days.
Wednesday Apr 28, 2021
Wednesday Apr 28, 2021
Sarah Geringer - Hope in an Abusive Marriage
My conversation with guest, Sarah Geringer is focused on giving hope to the woman who finds herself in an abusive marriage. She's not talking about the various things that we all have to put up with when married, she's talking about real abuse be it physical, emotional, mental etc.
When faced with abuse her heart was to please God by honoring the vows she had made to her husband and in front of the guests who witnessed her pledge, not to mention in the sight of the God who takes a vow very seriously. She wanted to be able to look at God and say, I have truly tried everything within my human ability to make this marriage work.
Sarah talks about her 20 year journey, what she discovered about herself, about God and his intention for marriage. She shares resources, mistakes, revelation practices and insight that allows others to potentially take a shortcut through their journey.
She defines love bombing, how our gift of choice can be a gift we give ourselves. And she explains this quote from one of Henry Cloud and John Thompson's books on why it was a stumbling block for her, “Become so strong that they can no longer hurt you and become so loving that they cannot resist you.”
You'll want to hear her take on Dr. John Gutman's analysis of the Four Horsemen, which are actually four attitudes and the actions that back them up. Sarah helps us understand that when these four attitudes are present, the marriage is doomed. Additionally, she tells us why she thinks contempt is the worst one of the four.
The list of the books and the authors, and the various resources she talks about are available in the podcast notes themselves or on my website.
Live Loved and Thrive! @alifeofthrive.com
Her Website: https://www.sarahgeringer.com/
Resources Mentioned in Sarah's interview: https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/rui3xx/Sarah_Geringer_Links6av2z.pdf
Transcript: https://www.happyscribe.com/transcriptions/edd353c763864659984d41b31e420478/edit_v2
Bio: Married in the millennium to my first kiss.
Mother of three beautiful children.
B.A. in English, B.F.A. in graphic design and illustration.
Must begin the day with hot tea, local honey, and my One Year Bible.
With flowers on the table, I’m fully alive.
Living in my dream home in the woods.
Dark chocolate is my daily pleasure.
Terrified by spiders, heights, and carnival rides.
I share thoughts, pictures and curated posts every day on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as well. You’ll find many of my posts on Pinterest too.
Wednesday Apr 14, 2021
Wednesday Apr 14, 2021
Lady Kavan - The Murder of Her Husband
Kavan and I had an immediate connection because sadly, she and I know what it is like to lose a spouse. Painful as mine was and can still be, I had the luxury of knowing a massive heart attack was what took my husband from me. I say luxury because in comparison to the way Kavan had to say good-bye to her beloved, I definitely consider it a level of peace and comfort in his departure.
Her husband was murdered in the wee hours of the morning during a home invasion.
Kavan's scream woke her husband. A devoted family man of God and honorable husband ran toward his wife knowing something was terribly wrong. In the struggle a shot rang out and he fell to the floor. But the invasion did not stop there. Kavan was made to leave him laying in the floor as she was separated from him. Others began to wake in the house. Was her newborn still in his crib? What would happen if he wakes and she's not able to get to him?
Kavan felt as though her heart was devastated beyond repair. Healing would surely be on the level of a miracle. But miracles are God's business and He didn't seem to care on the night she lost her husband.
How could her heart heal if she was too busy running away from God? Would God just let her run and hope she'd come back? Did He even care that the grief was too much to process? What did He have to say for Himself by taking one of His most devoted earthly saints? Where was He anyway when evil broke into their house?
Even though Kavan's shattered heart kept her running from God, He kept pursuing her. He'd turn her escape plans into blessings. He sent provision from unlikely people. He expedited the process for her to leave her home town.
As we talked, the most precious thing to me was when she shared about posing a challenge to her followers. She asked them to find something to be thankful for on the worst day of their life. She took that challenge herself and she discovered proof that even though the intruder used his gift of choice to kill, steal and destroy, God was present.
As you listen to Kavan's journey into grief, the struggle through and then her restoration, you'll get to see that we are never alone. Despite what it may feel like or look like, the fact remains God is present at all times and in everything. God's presence isn't to condone the senseless act but to be with us in the reality of this life...He has promised never to leave us. No. Matter. What.
Live Loved and Thrive! @alifeofthrive.com
Here are some of the ways you can connect with Lady Kavan:
Check out her website: https://ladykavanwrites.com/
For booking email: ladykavanwrites@gmail.com
Follow Lady Kavan on Instagram @ladykavanwrites; Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ladykavanwrites/ or on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQIkfRdG6daH5R1oLxv1i-A
Bio: Kavanaugh Dickson-Williams is a Christian Best Selling Author, Speaker and Blogger for “Lady Kavan Writes.” Her writing navigates complex emotions to provide hope and encouragement based on experience and scripture.