Stay ConnectedMany women feel overwhelmed with the chaos of life, struggle with the fact that life, relationships and marriage are hard, and lack what they need to truly thrive.
The Thriving Beyond Belief podcast, with host, Cheryl Scruggs, and online community provide women with encouragement & support, to better manage their stress, create healthy relationships, and build a life that thrives beyond belief.
Copyright: © 2018 Thriving Beyond Belief / Hope Matters Marriage Ministries, Inc., a 501c3
It is such a treat to have Kait Warman on Thriving Beyond Belief with me today!
Kait is a such a joy and exudes such positivity and light in all that she does. We discuss her story and how even having the "dream job" of being a senior buyer in New York for a high end company (her life truly was a scene from "Devil Wears Prada"!) did not bring what only Jesus can bring to our lives- true and ultimate fulfillment.
Kait now lives in beautiful Santa Monica, where she is a professional blogger, is starting a social media company that focuses on creative content, has a truth talk series on YouTube, and is about to begin a podcast solely focused on Christian Dating called The Heart of Dating and can be found on iTunes and stitcher at also www.heartofdating.com and @heartofdating on instagram! .
The greatest thing about our time talking together is how openly we talk about all of the true and vulnerable issues that are difficult for women to discuss today. We talk about everything from what our identity should truly lie in, comparison to others, self-care, heartbreak, and even body positivity.
We take some time to expand on what it means to "thrive". Kate believes that we are thriving when we are functioning wholly and fully in all areas- mind, body, and spirit. To be whole in those areas is to bring Jesus into the details of our lives! We learn to take care of ourselves in a way that is glorifying to the Lord and helpful to others. In order to love others as Christ loves us, we must be spending time with Him ourselves. It is important to remember that we must set aside time to do so.
Kait shares some of her past and trials that she has walked through, only to know Jesus in a sweeter way because of those times. She discusses shame in a very vulnerable way, and shares how we as women can combat the lies the enemy wants us to believe. Kait also talks about this season of singleness and how to be thankful for seasons that are truly in God's will for us to experience.
Kait, venturing in to the social media world, gives some amazing insight on the pros and cons of social media. We should be using social media as a tool to connect, gain creative insight, and spur one another on. But all too easily it can become a dark place of comparison, body shaming, and a place where vulnerability is not welcome. But Kait shares that "we cannot compare others' nuggets to the treasure the Lord has stored up for us". We talk further about taking care of what has been entrusted to us, how we are to feel healthy more than "skinny", and that we must set boundaries on places that can easily lead to us thinking we are not beautiful, when Christ tells us in His Word how much we are valued. We must never replace truth with the lies the world tells us.
Take a listen today to this amazingly real and genuine talk. I hope it blesses you!
Today on the podcast my guest is Jordan Lee Dooley. Jordan is married to Matt Dooley, they currently live in Indiana, and have a Goldendoodle pup named Hoosier.
Jordan Lee organically founded a ministry SoulScripts, during her college days at Indiana University. Jordan would doodle scripture on paper and canvas as a way to memorize verses, but didn't realize that God would take this simple gesture and create a full-time ministry. As the ministry has grown, today Jordan travels across the country speaking to women on college campuses encouraging them to grow in their faith and step into their purpose. I love a comment Jordan made during our interview, "When we follow Jesus, we get to walk in His glory, but we are also called to walk in the gory stuff."
In this interview we talk about thriving and what thriving means to her. Jordan feels right now she is thriving in community, but finds herself not thriving in remembering to see herself the way God sees her; it's something she continually works on.
Over the past few years as Jordan has spoken to so many women in her generation she has learned that vulnerability is the key to overcoming brokenness, and you will thrive when you move beyond your brokenness. She is passionate about helping women realize not to let your identity be shaped by mistakes, pain, or circumstances.
A hot topic in our culture today is social media and we talked about the ways social media can be a blessing and a tool or can be a burden. Social media is a lifestyle choice, a balance and an art, and it takes effort to keep this in check. On this topic, Jordan asks women to pray about whether social media is your default, and if you use this as an escape in your marriage or in your relationships. Take the time to become aware of how this is affecting you and others around; it can be life changing.
Jordan passionately mentors women about how to be real, find self-awareness, share raw emotions, and develop a heart to be in a relationship with Jesus. She wants you to know Jesus is there for you and that He made the way for us to be redeemed and healed by giving His life for us.
Finally, we talk about how to do life on a daily basis when life is so busy. First, Jordan blocks out time throughout the day to be with the Holy Spirit, she makes people a priority, and finally Jordan is intentional about stewarding the body God gave her. Focusing on these three things helps bring a sense of balance to her life.
In February 2019, Jordan has a new book coming out and although the title has not been revealed, the book will focus on identifying your brokenness, but not identifying with it so that you can live out your God given purpose. I can't wait to get a copy when it comes out!
Grab your coffee and enjoy my interview with Jordan Lee Dooley.
Today my guest on the podcast is Nicole Zasowski. Nicole is married to Jimmy, they have a two year old son and currently live in Connecticut. Nicole is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in the state of Connecticut where she has a private practice. She earned her BA in Psychology from Pepperdine University and her Masters of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy from Fuller Theology Seminary School of Psychology. In addition to her practice, Nicole serves as a Restoration Therapist and Trainer several times a year at The Hideaway Experience an intensive marriage retreat at WinShape Retreat Center in Rome, Georgia. She cherishes her time with these couples and feels that she has "a front row seat to God's miracles and in ninety-six hours gets to see the transformation in so many couples lives."
In our interview Nicole shares with me the challenges she faced as she and her husband made a major move across the country, how she has began removing idols from her life, their struggle with infertility, and how she has learned that when God calls us to do something He will equip us and give us what we need.
As a Marriage and Family Therapist, Nicole talks about two common themes many women face today, loneliness and performance. She understands that many women do not recognize they are in "performance mode" or that they are in pain (loneliness).
Are you in "performance mode" and what do you do when you are in pain? Nicole has outlined four common coping behaviors many women experience and encourages you to reach out to someone if you have these feelings.
In conclusion, Nicole and I talk about the keys to a healthy marriage and relationships. I love what she says, "Nothing changes if nothing changes and we each must own our own stuff for this to ever happen."
I hope you gain wisdom from this interview, and find peace in knowing that you can become vulnerable and you don't need to cover the cracks and scars in your life. Let God's light into those cracks which then become beacons of light.
Grab your coffee and enjoy my interview with Nicole Zasowski.
I have the immense pleasure of having Roma Downey join me today on Thriving Beyond Belief!
From humble beginnings in Ireland and losing her mother at a young age to being a coat check girl in New York to being America's favorite voice of hope in Touched by an Angel, Roma's story rivals that of the films that she now produces through her production company, Light Workers.
Roma's definition of thriving is the picture of a life of overflow and abundance. We discuss that this doesn't necessarily mean that life is always easy or that everything goes our way, but that from the struggle, you can see the blessing. We have fullness of life, and thrive from all of the experiences we have in life.
It was a blessing to speak with her about her new book that just came out on March 6th. Box of Butterflies is about discovering the unexpected blessings all around us. Roma even shares that butterflies have been a beautiful symbol from the Lord all her life that He is faithful, no matter the circumstance.
We also talk on being empty nesters and the journey we take with our children as they grow up. We discuss the amazing opportunity her and her husband have of being able to work together (and how I can relate to that!), and all the adventures that entails. Roma shares her unforgettable time on the set of "Touched by an Angel", where she gained a mentorship and mother figure that impacted her life forever. She also speaks on what kind of stories her production company, Light Workers, wants to put out for the world. Roma and her husband have a burden to share stories of hope and goodness to a world and industry so filled with the opposite.
My favorite time we had speaking, though, was about our faith. Roma discusses feeling the closest with the Lord in her early morning time with Him in nature. Nature seems to bring her communion with the Lord and perspective on matters in her life. We all must see the importance of communicating our gratitude with the Lord, because when we aren't in a state of gratefulness, we forget all the Lord has done for us!
Grab some coffee, find a comfy chair, and take a listen as I speak with Roma Downey.
I am super excited to have my friend, Kathie Lee Gifford, back on the podcast! She was first on Thriving Beyond Belief last September as we talked about Jesus, her faith, her new book coming out, her hubby Frank and much more!
Kathie Lee is a talented and gifted woman who loves Jesus more than life. She co-hosts with Hoda on NBC"s 10 am hour on The Today Show which bring viewers a fresh, lively show that always gets people talking!
I am so excited to have a conversation about her new book, The Rock, the Road, and the Rabbi: My Journey into the Heart of Scriptural Faith and the Land Where It All Began which just released yesterday, March 6th! We go into depth about this incredible book so you don't want to miss what she has to say and how going deeper into the study of the Scriptures will help you thrive!
Kathie Lee Gifford has enjoyed a diverse and successful four-decade career as a television host, actress, singer, playwright, songwriter, and author. Though best known for her 15 years on Regis and Kathie Lee (11 Emmy nominations), and currently acting as the three-time Emmy-winning co-host of the fourth hour of the Today Show with Hoda Kotb, Gifford has always pursued projects which inspire and challenge her.
Gifford devotes much of her time to the Association to Benefit Children, which spawned the Cody Foundation. The resources from the Association continue to support Cody House and Cassidy's Place. Cody House provides a transitional home for infants and children who have severe disabilities and serious medical problems. Named for Gifford's daughter, Cassidy's Place is the home of the Association to Benefit Children's (ABC) national children advocacy.
Here is my interview with my sweet friend, Kathie Lee Gifford
My guest on the podcast today is Jourdan Johnson. She is married to Jeff, they have two beautiful kids and recently relocated to Atlanta, GA where she and Jeff serve on the worship team at Passion City Church. In addition, she also serves on The GROVE Team a monthly gathering for worship, teaching & prayer for the women of Atlanta. Jourdan and I been friends for over ten years and I know you will be amazed by the twists and turns in her love story.
Jourdan defines the word thrive as "being fully tapped into exactly who God created you to be, and to explore every part of who that person is."
Jeff and Jourdan have spent most of their adult lives leading worship. But their story began when Jourdan, who was from Florida, began serving as an intern at a church in Texas. She met Jeff and they began dating long distance. Sadly, after eight months Jeff broke off the relationship, Jourdan was heartbroken. The crazy part about their story is that they dated on and off for the next ten years; traveling and leading worship together. In the span of the next ten years, Jeff broke off the relationship two more times, leaving Jourdan crushed, without a job, a ministry, and was now in her late twenties.
Through this difficult season, Jourdan wrestled with a lot of fears but found God's strength in realizing who she was and chose not to be defined by this relationship. Jourdan decided she was going to live life to the fullest. One of the questions she continually asked herself during this time was, " Am I too much, and can a man really lead me?" Asking that question, Jourdan began to grow her relationship with Jesus and found a peace in Him and realized that He is enough. Period.
God had Jeff and Jourdan on a journey and only through His perfect timing, and at the right time, would their relationship become what it is today. God wanted them to stretch their faith walk with Him first, before making a lifelong commitment to each other. Today, Jourdan talks to lots of girls about relationships and wants you to know, "If you are going through something in a relationship, God will do whatever He wants to do in His timing. If you are supposed to be with a person, the Lord will make it abundantly clear and you don't have to take matters into your own hands. You never want to be anywhere outside of God's full best for you."
I hope you enjoy this beautiful love story.
Here's my interview with Jourdan Johnson.
Happy Valentines today! I am so thrilled to interview my wonderful husband Jeff Scruggs, on the podcast today. I hope you enjoy this very special conversation and remember to do something special for the loved one in your life.
Jeff & Cheryl Scruggs are the founders of Hope Matters Marriage Ministries, a 501c3 non-profit Christian non-denominational organization. Their ministry includes sharing God's heart for marriage and relationships through Biblical marriage counseling, writing, and speaking. They passionately seek to help make marriages whole in God's power. We train, teach, and disciple believers from the Word of God, to help them understand their true identity in Jesus Christ so that they can live out an abundant marriage. Jeff & Cheryl are intimately familiar with a marriage focused on the principles of the world, the sting, heartbreak, pain from a divorce, and the deep-rooted hope and joy of a fully restored marriage centered on Jesus Christ. It is this unique perspective and experience that they obediently share in a private couple to couple, individual appointments, and with audiences nationwide.
Their writings include the well-known book "I Do Again," their 30-year story of marriage, betrayal, infidelity, divorce, emotional damage, forgiveness, restoration, trust, and re-marriage. They are co-authors of "Still LoLo" with their daughters Lauren and Brittany. This remarkable and life-changing story has been featured on The Today Show, I Am Second, Focus On The Family, The Village Church Interview with Matt Chandler, Good Morning America, and many more.
Here's my interview with Jeff Scruggs.
I am beyond excited about today's podcast. My guest, Curt Steinhorst, loves Jesus, is married, has two young boys, and has been our friend for almost 20 years.
Curt Steinhorst is the bestselling author of Can I Have Your Attention? Inspiring Better Work Habits, Focusing Your Team, and Getting Stuff Done in the Constantly Connected Workplace. He is on a mission to rescue us from our distracted selves. After years studying the impact of tech on human behavior, Curt founded Focuswise, a consultancy that equips organizations to overcome the distinct challenges of the constantly-connected workplace.
Diagnosed with ADD as a child, Curt knows intimately the challenges companies face to keep the attention of today's distracted workforce and customer. He has coached executives, TV personalities, and well-known professional athletes on how to effectively communicate and create focus when they speak to audiences, lead their employees and engage their customers.
Curt's unique insight and entertaining speaking style have captured the attention of audiences worldwide. He speaks more than seventy-five times a year to organizations that include everyone from global leadership associations and nonprofits to Fortune 100 companies.
During our interview, Curt gave me his definition of thriving from both a corporate and personal perspective. Both definitions point to becoming aware of living in the moment, rather than being frustrated about where we may be going. Honestly, my conversation with Curt was so eye-opening as we talked about the impact social media has in shaping our relationships, marriages, and communities. The digital world allows us an instant connection, but can also leave us feeling very lonely.
I know you will enjoy this fascinating interview with Curt Steinhorst.
My guest today on the podcast is Lysa Terkeurst. Lysa is one of the founders of Proverbs 31 Ministries and for the past twenty years has touched thousands of women with this ministry.
In our interview, we talk about how women walk in victory over things from their past, but still struggle with feelings that linger deep within their heart. Lysa encourages women to be on guard because Satan loves to pick up the old scripts that say, 'you're not worthy, not good enough, not capable.' It's at these times we need to stand firm in our faith, affirm our identity is in Christ, and be confident that God is good at being God. These words are so powerful!
I asked Lysa how she guides women to walk in assurance every day? She paints a beautiful picture using Psalm 51 to give us a fresh perspective. Not everyone can identify with being in a season of success or celebration, but everyone can identify, in some way, with being broken. In Psalm 51, David cries out to God about the brokenness in his life, asks God to cleanse him, and to create a new heart in him. For each of us, doing these steps allows God to begin to change and create a new heart in us.
Lysa defined thriving this way,"Thriving is not how I feel each morning, but rather what choices I make for the day. Some days I don't feel very good about life, but I can choose how I think about the day."
As a mom of five children, Lysa is a wealth of knowledge about being a mom, wife, successful woman, and finding your way through parenting.
Proverbs 31 Ministries encourages women to choose a word for the year. Lysa's word this year is beautiful. She describes an inspiring story about a set of antique doors that now hang in her bathroom, and why these doors inspired her to feel beautiful and put something beautiful in her line of sight every day.
I am so thankful to have this opportunity to talk to Lysa.
Here's my interview with Lysa Terkeurst.
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