Building Strong Homes: Blueprints to Strengthen Your Faith and Family podcast

Have you ever wondered if God had something specific for you to do? That maybe you missed your calling, or you don't know what your purpose is? I think all of us at least once in our lives have questioned, "What am I here for?" or "Is there an assignment you have for me God?"

Mandy Hood, a self-described introvert, felt God calling her to become involved in helping at a crisis pregnancy center years ago and stepped into a volunteer role. Several years later she felt God leading her to leave her job as an office administrator after 24 years and took a job in that crisis pregnancy center. That career shift led to a one-third cut in her family income. Even though she was terrified, she knew she needed to be obedient. During her time and that position she learned new skills for what God had for her next: create a program to bring women together.

Today, The Connection is a thriving community-based ministry designed to connect women with each other and God. They offer fun social activities, Bible studies, small groups and a mentoring program that is conducive to welcome Chrisitan women and women who may not have a relationship with God. This organization exists and impacts the lives of so many today. My prayer is that her story will encourage you to step into your calling too.

Links to Resources

Find out more about Connecting Women with God

Check out Mandy's books, Let's Get Together: The Story of a Unique Women's Ministry and Let's Make Plans: Journal to Discover God's Plan for You

Did you know the average age of a widow is 59? And there are eleven million widows in the United States with 1000 women becoming widowed every day?? This is a sobering topic none of us likes to think about, but the truth is, because it's so prevalent, we need to talk about it.

Marilyn Nutter suddenly became a widow twelve years ago after 42 years of marriage and knows first-hand that widowhood is an uncomfortable the topic. But she also knows that there are many women out there, like herself, who are hurting and looking for resources to help. Because of this, she's written a book, Hope for Widows: Reflections on Mourning, Living and Change. She wrote it for two groups of people: widows and those who know and love widows. It's a valuable source of encouragement and comfort as widows adjust to their new normal and reimagine an active life with purpose in their future.

She also gives practical tips on how to interact with widows in a way that lifts them up and provides much needed help. And she shares her secret to learning how to do things her husband used to take care of. We also talk a little about how to be better prepared if something does happen to your husband. Marilynn has acquired a lot of hard-earned wisdom over the last twelve years and wants to share that wisdom with you so that your load won't be quite as heavy to carry.

Resources

Order Marilyn's book, Hope for Widows: Reflections on Mourning, Living and Change

Find out more about Marilyn and check out additional resources at Marilynnutter.com

Griefshare

Watch on YouTube Hope for Widows and the People Who Love Them with Marilyn Nutter

Related Episodes

Finding Hope After Loss with Mike Nappa

Embracing Joy in Life: Lessons from Carol McLeod on Finding Happiness Amidst Challenges

Learning to Trust God in Our Suffering with Kathy Burry

What To Do When Your Life Falls Apart with Marilyn Nutter and April White

A Widow’s Journey Part 1 with Melanie Forbes Cook

Please be aware that this content is not suitable for young children.

George Carneal grew up in the ’70s, raised by a Southern Baptist minister in the ultra-conservative Bible Belt where his world revolved around the church, country fried chicken and trying to fit in with other boys. As disco music pulsated through the speakers in his bedroom, he plotted his escape from the misery and boredom of Southern suburbia before landing in Los Angeles; a city of glitz and hedonism. Much like Alice as she traveled through the looking glass, this is George's journey through a queer culture fantasyland filled with drag queens, drugs and dangerous situations before discovering healing, joy and peace in Christ.

In this episode, George, author of the book From Queer to Christ, shares his painful journey through a secular world at odds with homosexuality, in addition to a religious world that is hostile to homosexuals. He is hopeful that sharing his story through the eyes and mind of a confused child dealing with a same-sex attraction will give some insight into the pain and difficulty of navigating those two worlds. After 25 years of living as a gay man God brought him out of that lifestyle and into His glorious truth. His story will help parents of children of all ages understand how best to influence them for God, as well as teens and adults who are struggling with the LGBTQ agenda in their own lives.

George says that he wrote the book for three reasons:

1. To give Christians insight into what it's like for someone dealing with same-sex attraction and their struggle with faith
2. To give hope to parents who have children in the LGBTQ lifestyle
3. To give LGBTQ individuals who are struggling with this lifestyle to understand that there's a different narrative and that they are being lied to and expose those lies and find peace and give them hope

George has been out of that lifestyle for almost 17 years now and has a passion to help others learn the truth. Through his testimony he wants others to know that deliverance from bondage is possible and there is hope in Christ.

Go to CarolRoper.org/Podcast for shownotes

GeorgeCarneal.com for George's website

George's book From Queer to Christ

Have you ever had a life changing moment? A tragedy, unexpected diagnosis or sudden loss that left you feeling alone, confused or in despair, wondering what to do next? When Wendy Rickard's husband fell into a utility area, dropping twenty feet on his head, she began to question God. He survived, but his brain injury meant her family lost the father and husband they depended on for everything. Their family of four imploded.

Wendy wondered what God's purpose was in this heartache, if He would take care of their future and if their lives would ever be the same again. God’s answers were not immediate, and quite frankly, rather slow. But He did answer her questions in His own way and in His own timing.

Today Wendy can tell the story of both her husband and their family's healing and she's sharing that story in this episode. If you've been through a life-altering experience, Wendy wants you to know that no matter what you are facing, God can bring hope and healing to you as well.

For show notes go to CarolRoper.org/podcast

If you'd like to watch the podcast on YouTube go to this link: https://youtu.be/CNwVxvCAfxg