Recap/Podcast 11/30 Grieving During the Holidays with Hospice Chaplain Gary Roe

Here’s the podcast in case you missed the live show.

What an important show this was…so many hurting people during this time of the year. Gary did such a great job articulating WHY the holidays are so hard, and what we can do to make them work for us instead of against us. If you know someone who is hurting during the holidays, pass this show on to them…and encourage them to get a copy of Gary’s new book, “Surviving the Holidays Without You: Navigating Grief During Special Seasons.”

Starting Monday, December 2, Gary is launching a Holiday Grief Campaign, getting the word out that there IS hope for the hurting during the holidays, and also to equip the rest of us to be safe people to those who are grieving during this difficult time of the year. For more information on the campaign and Gary Roe, visit www.garyoe.com.

Thankful for a God Who is Always Faithful

I ponder my life on this Thanksgiving Day 2013 and I have much to be thankful for.

Family … though spread out across the country, the restoration God has allowed and is continuing to orchestrate with my children, grandkids, and siblings has been a deep blessing.

Friends, old and new, who have been praying for me, walking with me, rejoicing with me when I am happy, weeping with me when I am sad.

I feel incredibly loved and supported, and I am filled with gratefulness for so many of you who continue to encourage me.

As I think back to this time last year, I was all packed up and spending Thanksgiving with Ailen and the family. The next day I would fly out on a one-way ticket to San Antonio to help my brother with our Momma.

If you had told me a year later I would be settled in Texas as a radio broadcast missionary and out of publishing, I would have laughed in disbelief. But God is truly doing a new thing in my life and I am continually amazed at His faithfulness. He continues to show Himself as One I can trust, and His call to proclaim this truth is not only humbling but thrilling.

Who would’ve thought that out of such devastation God could bring me great comfort, so that I could then extend that comfort to others, (2 Corinthians 1:3-5).

I am thankful that He allowed me to experience the sorrow and suffering that I did, so that I would not rely on myself, but instead I would learn to rely on HIM, the One who raises the dead, (2 Corinthians 1:8-10).

He has raised me from the dead, from spiritual deception and death, from emotional anguish, and from mental destruction. But as He has done so, He has deepened my faith, grown me in relationships, and brought me to a place of hope.

Yes, I have much to be thankful for today. Thanks to many of you for being part of my journey, and thanks to the One who is always faithful.

Saturday, 11/30 – Grieving During the Holidays with Hospice Chaplain Gary Roe

I am so excited to welcome back to Always Faithful my good friend. For the last two weeks we’ve been working non-stop to get this resource ready for this upcoming show, so I am honored to have Gary share his powerful new book “Surviving the Holidays Without You: Navigating Grief During Special Seasons.”

In this resource, Hospice chaplain Gary Roe offers a powerful grief survival kit designed for the holidays. Speaking from both personal and professional grief experiences, he will empower the reader to navigate special seasons with new confidence.

Holidays are difficult, especially when you’re grieving the loss of someone you love. You find yourself faced with a host of challenges. You wonder how to:

• deal with unspoken yet powerful expectations, your own and others’
• handle continual memories and reminders of your loved one
• face feeling misunderstood, lonely, and isolated
• process unpredictable emotions and feeling vulnerable
• take yourself and your own heart seriously
• make good choices -what to do, how, and with whom

Finding your way to grieve well over the holidays can be overwhelming without a trusted guide. Gary knows your pain and will walk beside you, offering effective tools to help you face the holidays with hope rather than apprehension.

If you’re grieving, or know someone else who is and want to know how best to help them, tune in this Saturday, November 30, from 11:00 AM to Noon CST on AM 630 KSLR, or streaming live on www.kslr.com or www.iheartradio.com.

After the show, Gary and I will head over to El Jarro’s at 12:30 pm for a no host lunch, and would love to have you join us to continue the conversation off the air.

Recap 11/23 Facing the Holidays after Divorce with Michelle Borquez & Daily Bread’s Seth Kuehn & Tammy Baird

In case you missed the show today, here’s the podcast.

What an amazing show today with Michelle Borquez on Facing the Holidays after a Divorce. She gave such helpful insight on the struggle of newly divorced women making it through the holidays … some great suggestions to go from woundedness to healing. My favorite quote from her press kit was “God is more interested in what you do with your circumstances and what you become as a result of your circumstances than he is in the circumstances themselves.” SO TRUE! We gave away one set of the DVD lessons on Live Again: Wholeness After Divorce and 3 copies of Divorce to Wholeness.

During the second half of the show I had the privilege of having both Seth Kuehn, the founder of Daily Bread Ministries, and Tammy Baird, Daily Bread’s marketing director. What a powerful ministry meeting the needs of some of San Antonio’s poorest people. They shared so many stories of God’s faithfulness AND gave some great examples of ways you can make a difference!

Saturday 11/23 – Facing the Holidays After Divorce with Michelle Borquez & Daily Bread’s Seth Kuehn and Tammy Baird

At the last minute, Holly Wagner had to cancel for this coming Saturday, so I scrambled to find a replacement. God provided what I believe is the perfect resource for many women who are Always Faithful listeners as well as those in church leadership or those who are married and enjoying the holidays. This is a topic we need to be well versed on all the ways we can be Jesus-with-skin-on to those who will struggle through the holida

Join me this Saturday, 11/23 as I introduce you to Michelle Borquez, on the topic of Facing the Holidays as a Divorced or Single Person.

The Holidays can be Absolute Worst for Divorced Parents & Single People

How churches and families can recognize and welcome those in need

For single parents or single people, the holidays can feel like a huge weight or burden. It is a sense of disconnectedness that produces anxiety that leads to loneliness. It is not just a financial burden; it’s an aching that lasts well through the holidays.

For best-selling author, Michelle Borquez, the holidays were the “absolute hardest for me as a single mom.” This time of the year is a simple, but very loud reminder, of the isolation and aloneness. “Everything from shopping for gifts, not having someone to share in the celebration, attending holiday events alone, to trimming the tree, was so difficult,” says Borquez.

She is the creator of LIVE AGAIN (www.liveagaindvd.com), a DVD-based series that helps women navigate the tough times of life and post-divorce relationships; all in the context of God’s redeeming love. In hindsight, Borquez says that New Years was often the hardest. “I would experience the ringing in of the New Year knowing I might not ever enjoy it with someone else again. It was a silent suffering. No one knew of the pain in my heart in those moments.”

Though gradually it gets better, Borquez encourages people of faith to reach out to those who are alone or hurting this time of the year; a time that’s supposed to be filled with hope, joy, and celebration with family and loved ones. “It took years before the pain subsided as I embraced and made a new life within my circumstances,” she now explains.

Aside from the relationship challenges, Borquez points to the pressure on finances and the challenges she had with four children.  As she looks back on it now she says, “God was truly there for me. I remember lying in bed one night, asking God for the plan, now that I was no longer married, and His answer was, ‘I am the plan. Put your faith and trust in me.’” For those families that are fractured. It’s awkward during the holidays as kids move from one household to another. Borquez says, “There is something so unnatural about that.”

While she says loneliness was ever present, there were also the nagging questions. Where did it all go? How would I press ahead?  “I had nowhere to turn. The crushing of my spirit felt like I was experiencing a slow death. Every day seemed gray. I was numb to all emotion. Happiness seemed so far away and foreign. When I did have a moment of laughter, it brought water to my soul.”

During the second half of the show, I’ll have in-studio with me, founder Seth Kuehn and marketing director Tammy Baird of Daily Bread Ministries where they feed the “poorest of the poor” right here in San Antonio. They’ll share not only God’s faithfulness in meeting spiritual and physical needs through the ministry, but also highlight some ways you can make a difference.

Seth, Tammy and I will be continuing the conversation at El Jarro’s after the show and would love to have you join us!

Listen in at 11AM CST on AM630 KSLR here in San Antonio, streaming live on www.kslr.com, or download the KSLR app from the app store and listen in on your phone!

Recap from 11/16 – Spiritually Mismatched Homes & Radical Obedience

Here’s the podcast from today’s show with Dineen Miller & Eileen Vincent, in case you missed it.

What awesome guests we had today! Dineen very articulately shared the struggles and victories of raising godly children in a spiritually mismatched home. Great takeaway! Be sure to visit her site: www.spirituallyunequalmarriage.com and pick up a copy of her books…great resources for you to have whether this is your issue or not!

And my time with Eileen Vincent was just magnificent. She has such a heart for the Lord and to see His purposes furthered here in our city. The stories she shares in her new book, Faith Works: A True Story of Radical Obedience, were such amazing examples of the faithfulness of God! You can buy the book on Amazon, but if you buy it from the ministry, you’ll get a better deal! www.cityreachers.net.

This Saturday, 11/16 Dineen Miller on the Spiritually Mismatched Home & Eileen Vincent on Radical Obedience

I am so excited to introduce you to two incredible authors and women of God this Saturday!

During the first half hour, you’ll meet Dineen Miller, author of  “Not Alone: Trusting God to Help You Raise Godly Kids in a Spiritually Mismatched Home.” If your husband or ex-husband doesn’t share your faith, you probably pray and stress over how to raise faith-filled children. Your spiritually mismatched home may feel like the wilderness where the children of Israel wandered on their way to the Promised Land. Will they ever make it? What about God’s promises?

Now the authors of Winning Him Without Words and founders of Spiritually Unequal Marriage offer 10 faith principles you can pass on to your kids. In Not Alone, you’ll find encouragement and inspiration from Scripture and true-life stories from other spiritually mismatched moms. Plus, find practical tips for capturing teachable moments with eternity in mind, and discovery questions to help you grow as a parent.

This is a parenting book, but it’s much more. It’s a love letter to all mothers—a message that changes our homes, our kids and our lives. It’s about the Father’s love that impacts those around us and changes ordinary moms into women of extraordinary grace, beauty and wisdom.

You may sometimes feel you’re on your own when it comes to godly parenting, but Jesus promised to be with you always. You’re not alone!

Then during the 2^nd half of the show, you’ll meet Eileen Vincent, author of “Faith Works: A True Story of Radical Obedience”  and founder of City Reachers: For the Love of San Antonio.

Eileen and her husband Alan were converted in 1958 and within weeks heard the call to serve the Lord in India.  Five years later – with one small child and Eileen pregnant with the next – they left for India, began Outpouring Ministries, and spent the next 13 years pioneering the work of God in and around Mumbai.  They then relocated their family to Hertfordshire, England and established churches there until God called them to move to San Antonio in 1991.

Eileen has been used mightily to ignite the church to new levels of prayer and passion for God.  She is a powerful intercessor, preacher and teacher who ministers with a strong prophetic anointing at churches and conferences throughout the world.  Eileen has served on intercessory teams for many national and international conferences.

In 1998, God instructed Eileen to focus her attention primarily on San Antonio.  During a time of travailing prayer, God places His burden on Eileen’s heart for the city and gave her a strategy to mobilize a multi-cultural, cross denominational Christian ministry facilitating prayer and connecting pastors, leaders and intercessors for the purpose of revival in the church and transformation in society.

Since February 2000, Eileen has hosted Pray San Antonio! a radio program focused on prayer.  From the beginning, Eileen has been working to see revival in the church and a sweeping move of God in the city that will bring true transformation in every area of society.

Listen to the show locally in San Antonio on AM 630 KSLR, or streaming live on www.kslr.com or www.iheartradio.com.

Eileen will be with me at El Jarro’s for our no-host lunch to “continue the conversation off the air” from 12:30 to 2pm so we’d love to have you join us!

 

Recap 11/9 My Detour into Deception

In case you missed the show, here’s the podcast.

Wow, what a trip, sitting here in the studio, telling the story of my detour into deception. So much I had to leave out, but so much I was able to share of God’s incredible faithfulness to restore what the enemy stole from me.

He truly IS faithful, and proves it over and over as I walk this journey of faith.

To read the “whole story” about my detour into deception and all that has happened since my deliverance 2 years ago this weekend, visit www.notafraidtotellmystory.com.

Speed Bumps and Benches and Trees…Oh My!

Yesterday my personal trainer asked me, “What’s with all the benches?”

She’s pretty new to my Facebook page, so never saw my posts back in August about the speed bumps, and since there are many others like her, I think it’s time to revisit that lesson from the Lord.

Back in August I was feeling anxious about certain areas of my life just not moving forward quickly enough.

I wasn’t getting enough sponsors for the radio show, and a friendship wasn’t progressing as quickly as my Type A personality would have liked…so it was kindof a double whammy.

My thoughts and emotions were all over the map, so a close friend counseled me to:

1)      Slow down
2)      Take every thought captive
3)      Replace it with the TRUTH in God’s Word
4)      Ask for input

As I was pondering those steps, one day walking to Starbucks, I went by 2 sets of speedbumps in the road. What a great visual reminder to slooooowwww down…being a “get things done fast” kind of person, I needed to see things around me that would remind me of what I needed to do.

On my way back from Starbucks, right before I get to the speed bumps, a little white car comes out of nowhere and flies over the speed bumps…it didn’t slow down even a little bit. My jaw dropped as I stood there…Oh Lord, that is ME! How often are you trying to get me to slow down and I just ignore you and keep racing forward?

A few days later, He reminded me how smitten I’d been lately with benches…especially those in beautiful settings, in front of a lake or under a tree. Many scriptures started to come to mind about resting, taking a break, and just being still with God. Sitting for a spell on a bench and tuning my heart in to God.

Those dots were connected, but God wasn’t done with me yet. The next day as I was walking, admiring the many trees in our neighborhood, I sensed Him saying…”how fast do those trees grow?”

Hmmmmm…yep, trees grow sloooowwwww. Benches sing “take a break and sit a spell”…and speed bumps  remind me to respond to God’s promptings by stopping…looking…and listening…to HIM! Quieting MY thoughts and seeing which ones are not from God and need to be replaced with Truth.

I think there’s a correlation to slowing down, spending more time with Him, and learning to wait with growing in faith and TRUSTING HIM. That seems to be what it’s all about…when we get going too fast and don’t take those times of solitude with Him, our thoughts seem to take over and it’s hard to discern what is God and what isn’t.  We’re just going too fast and end up being out of touch with Him.

After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. (1 Kings 19:12)

So, Lord, thanks for having my trainer ask me about those benches. It gave me an opportunity to ponder again the importance of having that “bench time” with You. Slowing down, listening for that still small voice, that gentle whisper, and allowing You to work in my heart.  Amen!

This Saturday, 11/9 Athena Dean Tells Her Story – Detour into Deception

I’ve been waiting for just the right time to share my story, and this Saturday seems to be the time God has ordained for me to do so.

This weekend marks the 2 year anniversary of my deliverance from deception. November 10, 2011 was the day I realized everything I thought was true for 12 long years was actually a lie. Not only a lie, but an extremely abusive, destructive, graceless and legalistic “Christianity.”

How amazing it will be to look back at God’s hand on my life, and see His enduring faithfulness…even during the darkest times of my life, even through losing everything I once held dear, even when I came to terms with the fact that I had been deceived, He was, and is, always faithful.

How fitting it was for me to spend this morning with Mike Sharpe and his wife, Marna. Mike led me to the Lord 27 years ago and has watched my life take many twists and turns. As I share this Saturday, I’ll start from that point 27 years ago and bring you all up to speed on the mountains and the valleys of my Christian walk, and all that God has done to restore what the enemy attempted to steal from me.

I look forward to sharing my life with my listeners, and hope you’ll be able to join me for Always Faithful this Saturday, November 9, from 11AM to Noon CST on AM 630 KSLR, or streaming live on www.kslr.com or iheartradio.com.

And yes, I’ll even be going to El Jarro’s to continue the conversation with anyone who would like to join me!