Fierce Calling

We have a powerful new episode to share with you! This week, Doris Swift welcomes the incredible Mary DeMuth—author of over 50 books, literary agent, artist, podcaster, and global speaker—who shares her story and wisdom on finding freedom, healing, and joy through surrender. Here’s what you’ll find in this inspiring conversation: ✨ The Freedom of Surrender Mary opens up about her latest devotional, The Freedom of Surrender: 40 Devotions for a Joyful Life in Christ. She shares how her journey with art, Lent, and letting go of daily struggles became a lifeline and ministry for others. Her artwork (featured throughout the book!) makes this devotional extra special. 🌱 Healing from Church Hurt and Trauma Mary connects deeply with listeners struggling with church hurt, grief, or past trauma. With practical encouragement, she reminds us that “an untold story never heals,” and offers her gentle approach to lament, processing pain with God, and finding safe spaces for healing. 🤝 Community & Connection Both Doris Swift and Mary DeMuth highlight how genuine community can be the remedy for pain received in broken relationships. For those feeling lonely or unseen, Mary shares hope and a prayer that God will bring needed friendships into your life. ✍️ For Writers and Creatives Are you a writer or aspiring author? Mary gives a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to be represented by a literary agent and her journey writing across genres. If you’re interested in publishing, she offers a three-legged-stool framework: platform, writing ability, and unique ideas. 🎨 Bonus! Free Art for Your Soul Mary is generously offering free downloadable lock-screens featuring her original art from The Freedom of Surrender. Sign up for her email list at marydemuth.com/surrender to receive yours and find encouragement in your inbox. 🎧 Don’t Miss Out Whether you’re seeking healing, longing for joy, looking for creative inspiration, or simply needing to feel less alone, this episode will encourage your heart. And if you haven’t yet, check out Mary’s “Pray Every Day” podcast for daily scripture and prayer! ▶️ [Listen to the episode now] (insert your episode link here) 🖼️ Grab your free art lock screens here Let us know what touched your heart most—we love to hear from you! Stay tuned for more faith-filled encouragement, and remember: your story matters and you are never alone. We’re talking about this amazing book and more! Connect with Mary! Mary loves Jesus. And really that’s the most important thing about her. It’s not writing or speaking or praying or mommying or any other -ing you can find. She flat out loves Him. Why? Because he has utterly, truly, completely re-storied her.  She has three adult children, and she’s been married to Patrick for 33 years now. Mary counts those relationships as the most important people in her life. In the mid 2000s, their family helped plant a church in Southern France–a difficult, but amazing experience.  In her spare (ha!) time, she loves to cook, run, garden, decorate, paint, and do interior design. You can find all her artwork here. She’s been writing for 30+ years–half of them in obscurity. She mentored many writers during that time, and continues to do so through the Rockwall Christian Writers Group and some of her  instructional books. Since then she has written over 52 books, translated into five languages. You can see a listing of all her books on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, CBD, Lifeway and Parable. Mary pioneered a literary agency in 2022, Mary DeMuth Literary, where she shepherds writers toward traditional publishing. She currently lives in North Texas, serves in her local church alongside her husband, and she’s had the privilege of speaking around the world in places like Johannesburg, Monaco, Geneva, Munich, Port-au-Prince, Nice, and Florence. Although her past story is difficult, her current story leaks adventure. Not only has Mary been restored and restoried, but she longs to see the same for you. You no longer have to live haunted. I believe your new story starts today. Carl Bard wrote, “Though no one can go back and make a brand-new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand-new ending.” Paul reminds us of this important truth: “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT).  Living in retrospect is a bad idea. It’s time to heal, be set free, and find the new story God has for you. Mary has experienced God turning her storm into a story, moving her from a bitter story into a bigger one. Won’t you join her on the adventure? What Threatens to Steal Your Joy? Check out Surrender the Joy Stealers: Rediscover the Jesus Joy in You 6-week Bible study rooted in John 15. You can find more info at https://dorisswift.com/book/ Let’s Stay Connected! Find my free resources including Fear Fighting Bible Verses, Simple Tips for Sharing Your Faith, Surrender the Joy Stealers, Step Out of Your Doubt and Into Your Calling ebook, and more on my dorisswift.com homepage! Love Fierce Calling? Did you know that following, rating, and leaving a review over at Podchaser or Apple Podcasts helps others discover the show too? I would so appreciate it, friend! Need a Speaker for Your Next Women’s Event? Now Booking for 2026! Check out my speaking page, grab my flyer, and let’s talk about me speaking at your next women’s event… Thanks for Listening! I hope this episode encouraged, inspired, and challenged you to cultivate community, live and walk in the value, purpose, and worth God gave you, and take action where your passion, compassion, and conviction intersect. If you’re looking for a speaker for your next women’s conference, retreat, luncheon, or workshop, reach out and connect with me on my speaker page at https://www.womenspeakers.com/florida/edgewater/speaker/doris-swift Let’s have a chat about your next event! Stay tuned for more amazing content and remember to check the show notes for all the links mentioned. Thank you for being a part of our community. We are grateful for your continued support and encourage you to embrace the unique gifts that make you magnificently you. I hope you’ll join me next time when I talk with another guest who is taking action where her passion, compassion, and conviction intersect … Until then friend, have a blessed week, and I’ll talk to you soon. With love and joy, Doris Transcript Doris [00:01:51]:What is threatening to steal your joy? What is it that feels so heavy right now that you could barely stand? God has a plan. And his plan is to surrender it. Surrender it to him. It might be a prodigal, it might be a relationship, a marriage, something with your job. So many things. We have so many amazing blessings, but there are so many things in our life that threaten to steal our joy. I’m Doris Swift, author of the award winning six week Bible study, Surrender the Joy. Rediscover the Jesus joy in you. Doris Swift [00:02:31]:And it helps women rediscover the overflowing, ever present Jesus joy within. Using personal and biblical stories I share, how you can identify your joy stealers, Surrender them to God, Reawaken the joy within and share the joy with others. You can do it on your own or with a group. Check it out, friends. Surrender the joy stealers. Rediscover the Jesus joy in you. It’s available on all the online retailers. It’s time to take your joy back. Doris Swift [00:03:05]:Welcome back to the show. Today I am very excited to welcome my friend, Mary DeMuth. She is an amazing woman of God and she has written over 50 books and she’s been a writer for over 30 years and those books have been translated into like seven different languages, so that’s pretty powerful. And through her podcast Pray Every Day, and her speaking events around the globe, she seeks to help people hear, heal from past trauma, and live restoried lives as followers of Jesus. She’s also a mentor for writers and she developed Mary demeth literary in 2022. And she’s also an artist, a magnificent artist that God has really gifted her. I have purchased many of her different, you know, her calendars and cards and things like that. Very beautiful. Doris Swift [00:03:55]:And her inspiration comes from seasons of Lent spent prayerfully and she creates these small scale art pieces based on scripture. So you’ll see scripture throughout the art and it’s kind of really like all part of the art, which is really cool. It’s not just like a scripture at the bottom or at the top. It’s like in the art itself. So that is really, really wonderful. And she currently lives in Texas with her family and she is here to talk about her newest book, which I’m excited to hear more about, which is the freedom of surrender. 40 devotions for a Joyful life in Christ. Welcome to the show, Mary. Doris Swift [00:04:34]:It’s great to have you. Mary DeMuth [00:04:35]:Well, that was just the nicest introduction ever and it is so good to be here today. Doris Swift [00:04:39]:Oh, well, thank you so much. And that introduction in no way Covers all the things that. All the things. Mary demuth, you know, lots of layers there over the years. You’ve been in ministry for so long, and before we started recording, I was just talking about how I think I started kind of following your ministry way back, maybe before 2010. And so, because I think the first book I purchased of yours was then Places, which was your memoir. And that was really powerful book and testimony, and you continue to help others. And through, you know, since then, you’ve also experienced so many different things that you have had to come to surrender. Doris Swift [00:05:22]:And we just need to hear more about that. So as I ask all my guests how you’re taking action, where your passion, compassion, and conviction intersect, what would you say to that, Mary? And how does this new book kind of intersect with all of that? Mary DeMuth [00:05:39]:It’s a terrific question. So I am really

We’re excited to bring you a fascinating episode this week! Doris welcomed Dr. Mikel Del Rosario, professor, author, and host of the Apologetics Guy podcast, to talk about his brand new book: Did Jesus Really Say He Was God? Making Sense of Historical Claims. Many have wrestled with doubt or faced tough questions from loved ones about who Jesus is, did Jesus claim to be God, and the reliability of the Bible. This episode is packed with encouragement, practical insight, and real stories that will help you defend your faith with clarity, courage, and compassion. Here’s what you’ll discover in this episode: – What history says about Jesus’ divine claims Dr. Mikel Del Rosario gives an accessible look into how historians—including skeptics—evaluate Jesus’ words and actions, and why his claims to be God are both profound and credible. – Why it’s OK to doubt—and how God meets us when we do Doris and Dr. Mikel Del Rosario discuss how doubt isn’t the opposite of faith, and how asking good questions can actually strengthen it. – How to love and listen well in spiritual conversations You don’t have to be a Bible scholar to share your faith—just a good listener, willing to walk alongside others and meet them where they are. – Practical answers to tough questions—from skeptics and other faiths From thoughtful responses to Jehovah’s Witnesses or Muslim friends, to talking with those who see Jesus as “just a good teacher,” you’ll come away empowered to share clear, respectful answers. Resource Highlight: New Book! Did Jesus Really Say He Was God? is available now from InterVarsity Press (IVP Academic) and online retailers. This is not only for church leaders or professors—you’ll find it accessible, practical, and perfect for reading on your own or with a Bible study group. We’re talking about this amazing book and more! Episode Highlights and Takeaways … 000:00 Faith Conversations and Apologetics Insights 05:14 “Explaining Faith with Courage” 08:49 “Debating Jesus’ Divinity Claims” 15:25 “Faith, History, and Jesus” 16:49 “Jesus’ Divine Authority Examined” 21:32 Engaging Skeptics and Other Faiths 27:32 Eyewitnesses and Jesus’ Identity 32:13 Unexpected Messiah Revealed 32:47 Messianic Signs and Jesus’ Miracles 37:33 Listening First, Sharing Later 40:59 Faith-Building Resource for Groups Connect with Dr. Del Rosario! You can connect with Dr Mikel Del Rosario at www.apologeticsguy.com where you’ll find his book, blog, YouTube channel info, The Accessible Apologetics Workbook, and a plethora of helpful resources and recommended reading! Dr. Mikel Del Rosario helps Christians find clear answers to tough questions about Christianity and explain the faith with courage and compassion. He is a Professor of Bible and Theology at Moody Bible Institute and the author of Did Jesus Really Say He Was God? Making Sense of His Historical Claims (IVP Academic). Previously, he taught Christian Apologetics and World Religion at William Jessup University and Digital Media for Ministry at Dallas Theological Seminary. He has published over 30 journal articles on apologetics and cultural engagement in Bibliotheca Sacra with his mentor, Dr. Darrell Bock. He holds an M.A. in Christian Apologetics with highest honors from Biola University, along with a Master of Theology (Th.M) and a Ph.D in Biblical Studies (Emphasis in New Testament Studies) from Dallas Theological Seminary, where he served as Project Manager for Cultural Engagement at the Hendricks Center, producing and hosting The Table podcast. He has also served in the Philippines as a missionary professor with Converge Worldwide and a youth pastor to refugees and multicultural students in California. Follow him online at ApologeticsGuy.com, the Apologetics Guy YouTube channel, and his podcast on the Christianity Today Network: The Apologetics Guy Show. What Threatens to Steal Your Joy? Check out Surrender the Joy Stealers: Rediscover the Jesus Joy in You 6-week Bible study rooted in John 15. You can find more info at https://dorisswift.com/book/ Let’s Stay Connected! Find my free resources including Fear Fighting Bible Verses, Simple Tips for Sharing Your Faith, Surrender the Joy Stealers, Step Out of Your Doubt and Into Your Calling ebook, and more on my dorisswift.com homepage! Love Fierce Calling? Did you know that following, rating, and leaving a review over at Podchaser or Apple Podcasts helps others discover the show too? I would so appreciate it, friend! Need a Speaker for Your Next Women’s Event? Now Booking for 2026! Check out my speaking page, grab my flyer, and let’s talk about me speaking at your next women’s event… Thanks for Listening! I hope this episode encouraged, inspired, and challenged you to cultivate community, live and walk in the value, purpose, and worth God gave you, and take action where your passion, compassion, and conviction intersect. If you’re looking for a speaker for your next women’s conference, retreat, luncheon, or workshop, reach out and connect with me on my speaker page at https://www.womenspeakers.com/florida/edgewater/speaker/doris-swift Let’s have a chat about your next event! Stay tuned for more amazing content and remember to check the show notes for all the links mentioned. Thank you for being a part of our community. We are grateful for your continued support and encourage you to embrace the unique gifts that make you magnificently you. I hope you’ll join me next time when I talk with another guest who is taking action where her passion, compassion, and conviction intersect … Until then friend, have a blessed week, and I’ll talk to you soon. With love and joy, Doris Transcript Doris [00:01:54]:What is threatening to steal your joy? What is it that feels so heavy right now that you could barely stand? God has a plan. And his plan is to surrender it. Surrender it to him. It might be a prodigal, it might be a relationship, a marriage, something with your job. So many things. We have so many amazing blessings, but there are so many things in our life that threaten to steal our joy. I’m Doris Swift, author of the award winning six week Bible study, Surrender the Joy. Rediscover the Jesus joy in you. Doris [00:02:34]:And it helps women rediscover the overflowing ever present Jesus joy within. Using personal and biblical stories I share, how you can identify your joy stealers. Surrender them to God, Reawaken the joy within and share the joy with others. You can do it on your own or with a group. Check it out, friends. Surrender the joy stealers. Rediscover the Jesus joy in you. It’s available on all the online retailers. Doris [00:03:04]:It’s time to take your joy back. Welcome back to the show. I am really excited to welcome this guest today. I’ve been looking forward to this interview for some time. I am welcoming Dr. Mikel Del Rosario and he is a professor of Bible and theology at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago and he’s a member of the Evangelical Theological Society. He is also a podcast host of the popular podcast the Apologetic Guy. And you gotta love that name so much. Doris [00:03:37]:I love it. Um, it’s fantastic. And you listen to podcasts, so go and listen to that and subscribe. And today we’re talking about his new book, Did Jesus really say He Was God? Making Sense of His Historical Claims. And it’s published by InterVarsity Press, which is IVP academic and it’s an apologetics book that uses history to defend the deity of Christ and helps Christians engage unbelievers in thoughtful conversations about the Lord. Welcome to the show, Dr. Del Rosario. It’s so great to have you. Dr. Mikel Del Rosario [00:04:10]:Thanks so much, Doris, for the invitation. I’m glad we finally made this happen. I know we’ve been talking about this for a little while. Doris [00:04:15]:Yeah, we sure have. And I just, I. I have a love for apologetics and just fascinates me the investigative part of it, you know, and that there’s so many, even atheists, who have gone to the word of God to try to disprove it and instead wound up becoming a Christian who then teaches apologetics or, you know, also has a heart for helping others to share their faith. So I love the message that you want to help others to not only walk in their faith and know what they believe and why they believe it, but also to help others when they have faith conversations. Because, you know, I. I personally used to get defensive when I was talking about faith, but understanding that it’s not being defensive, it’s being. It’s defending the faith, but having a faith conversation. So I would love if you would share, as I asked my guests, how you’re taking action, where your passion, compassion, and conviction intersect now. Dr. Mikel Del Rosario [00:05:14]:What a great question. So my passion is helping people find clear answers to tough questions about God, Jesus and the Bible, and then helping Christians to better explain their faith, too, with both courage and compassion. And so with my new book, did Jesus really say he was God? This is where these things come together for me, because specifically, I want to talk about helping people talk about Jesus with their unbelieving friends, having more confidence just for themselves, that the Bible is giving us real history. And so it’s a matter of engaging with courage because you have to stand up for what is true in the midst of a culture that’s pushing back on the Gospel message, pushing back on the deity of Jesus, but also compassion, because a lot of times the people we talk to don’t see the Bible as any kind of authority at all and don’t even see the general reliability of the Bible. And so as a way to find common ground and meet them where they’re at, we need to be able to engage, even on a historical level, when they ask questions like, did this really happen? Instead of just saying, well, how could you possibly ask that? It’s God’s word, but actually to be compassionate, put yourself in their shoes and. And then walk with them through how they can

Welcome back to Fierce Calling! In this episode, host Doris Swift sits down with award-winning author Kristen Hogrefe Parnell for an inspiring conversation about faith, fiction, and trusting God’s unique timeline. Kristen shares her journey from writing young adult suspense to crafting women’s fiction rooted in faith, revealing how her own experiences—like waiting for her husband and navigating motherhood—have shaped her stories and perspective. We dig into the power of Christian fiction to reflect real-life struggles and joys, Kristen’s advice for aspiring writers on developing characters and honing their craft, and the messy, beautiful reality of unfinished stories—both on the page and in our lives. Plus, Kristen gives us a peek into her Crossroads Suspense series and her upcoming children’s book, “Not Much Lunch,” reminding listeners that “little is much when God is in it.” Whether you’re an avid reader, a writer-in-progress, or simply someone seeking encouragement in a season of waiting, this episode is full of practical wisdom, hope, and a reminder that God’s plans are always better than our own. Stay tuned to hear how passion, compassion, and conviction intersect in Kristen’s work—and get ready to be uplifted and inspired on your own fierce calling! We’re Talking About Kristen’s Amazing Books & More! Episode Highlights and Takeaways … 00:00 Author Spotlight: Crossroads Suspense 06:02 “Compassion Through Fiction’s Truth” 09:25 Writing Tips for Aspiring Authors 14:08 Faith, Fiction, and Inspiration 18:17 “Daily Faithful Waiting on God” 18:52 “Waiting on God’s Timing” 25:12 “Success Takes Time and Faith” 29:08 “Writing Books That Fill Needs” 30:33 Spiritual Maturity and God’s Timing 35:58 “Abiding in the Vine” 37:39 Finding Faith in Busy Seasons 41:53 Writing Process and Plot Gaps 43:34 “Living in Your Season” 46:59 Marriage Is Like a Dance 49:51 “Jesus: The Only Way” 53:34 Encouragement and Connection Await Connect with Kristen! You can connect with Valerie and find her books and resources mentioned in the show, here: kristenhogrefeparnell.com Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Amazon  | BookBub More About Kristen! Kristen Hogrefe Parnell writes suspenseful fiction from a faith perspective for women and young adults. Her own suspense story involved waiting on God into her thirties to meet her husband, and she desires to keep embracing God’s plan for her life when it’s not what she expects. A former English teacher and youth leader, she now designs curriculum for a Christian academy and spends most of her time at her favorite assignment to date: being a mom to her toddler. Whenever possible, she welcomes speaking opportunities and enjoys being a podcast guest. She is represented by The Blythe Daniel Agency. Her faith perspective is a shaping influence in all her books. These include an inspirational women’s romantic suspense series called Crossroads Suspense with Mountain Brook Ink. The first book, Take My Hand, released in 2022. The second, Hold Your Breath, released November 2023, and the third, Watch Your Back, released in 2025. Her young adult fiction includes a dystopian trilogy, The Rogues, published under her maiden name. The first book, The Revisionary, and the final book in the trilogy, The Reactionary, both received the Selah Award for Speculative Fiction. Blogging is something she also enjoys. Kristen shares nonfiction inspirational pieces through guest blogging opportunities and has contributed to The Write Conversation and the KHCB Network. She also blogs on her website where she often features other authors and their stories. Her monthly newsletter includes a personal word from Kristen as well as the latest giveaway opportunities for her readers (and a free short story just for signing up). Putting her pen aside, she and her husband James enjoy traveling and outdoor adventures. Of all their adventures, though, their favorite is raising their young son. They live in the Tampa, Florida area and love sharing their lake home with family and friends. What Threatens to Steal Your Joy? Check out Surrender the Joy Stealers: Rediscover the Jesus Joy in You 6-week Bible study rooted in John 15. You can find more info at https://dorisswift.com/book/ Let’s Stay Connected! Find my free resources including Fear Fighting Bible Verses, Simple Tips for Sharing Your Faith, Surrender the Joy Stealers, Step Out of Your Doubt and Into Your Calling ebook, and more on my dorisswift.com homepage! Love Fierce Calling? Did you know that following, rating, and leaving a review over at Podchaser or Apple Podcasts helps others discover the show too? I would so appreciate it, friend! Need a Speaker for Your Next Women’s Event? Now Booking for 2026! Check out my speaking page, grab my flyer, and let’s talk about me speaking at your next women’s event… Thanks for Listening! I hope this episode encouraged, inspired, and challenged you to cultivate community, live and walk in the value, purpose, and worth God gave you, and take action where your passion, compassion, and conviction intersect. If you’re looking for a speaker for your next women’s conference, retreat, luncheon, or workshop, reach out and connect with me on my speaker page at https://www.womenspeakers.com/florida/edgewater/speaker/doris-swift Let’s have a chat about your next event! Stay tuned for more amazing content and remember to check the show notes for all the links mentioned. Thank you for being a part of our community. We are grateful for your continued support and encourage you to embrace the unique gifts that make you magnificently you. I hope you’ll join me next time when I talk with another guest who is taking action where her passion, compassion, and conviction intersect … Until then friend, have a blessed week, and I’ll talk to you soon. With love and joy, Doris

Are you feeling weighed down and searching for more joy in your life? Well, you’re in the right place! Welcome to another uplifting episode of Fierce Calling! This week, Doris Swift invites us to explore and rediscover joy — what joy truly is and how we can reclaim it, even in life’s toughest seasons. Doris is joined by two extraordinary guests: Karen Whiting, a prolific author, speaker, and certified writing coach, and Pam Farrel, beloved for her wisdom on relationships and joy, and co-author of more than 61 books alongside her husband Bill. Together, Pam and Karen share their personal stories of facing adversity — from health crises and loss to everyday struggles —while living out their message of “choosing joy.” You’ll hear Pam’s powerful testimony of transformation and perseverance through illness, and Karen’s gentle wisdom born from raising a family across the country and sharing joy through creativity and kindness. The conversation delves into their collaborative devotional, Growing a Joyful Heart, filled with practical ways to cultivate, nurture, and spread joy, as well as the impact of biblical and historic joy-givers. If you’re craving encouragement and ready to let the “Jesus joy” overflow in your life, don’t miss this inspiring episode. There’s even a special announcement about their upcoming Joy Challenge — so get ready to connect, reflect, and rediscover the source of true, lasting joy. We’re Talking About This Amazing Book & More! Florida Women’s Ministry Leadership Conference mentioned in the intro: Episode Highlights and Takeaways … 00:00 “Surrender What Steals Joy” 07:53 “Women: Multitasking by Design” 09:26 “Joy, Communication, and Devotion” 12:23 Choosing Joy Amid Change 17:54 “Finding Joy in Memories” 20:55 Sprinkling Joy Through Seasons 24:19 Sharing Joy Through Crafts 25:44 Streams of Joy Amid Struggles 29:28 “Transformed by Jesus’ Love” 31:26 Medieval Monks’ Quirky Scribbles 36:07 “Teal Tuesdays: Choosing Joy” 38:17 “Sprinkling Joy in Daily Life” 43:51 “Sharing Christ’s Love Together” Connect with Karen! You can connect with Karen, join the JOY CHALLENGE, and find her books and resources mentioned in the show, here: www.karenwhiting.com More About Karen! Karen Whiting, a freelance writer and award-winning author of more than thirty nonfiction books, loves to let creativity splash onto the pages as she writes. Karen’s newest books Growing a Peaceful Heart and Growing a Joyful Heart help people live above the negative news and difficult circumstances to embrace God’s love. Karen also writes books to equip families and help them and their children thrive. Karen is a certified personality trainer, certified children’s ministry coach, and AWSA certified writing and marketing coach. She loves to guide people to move forward in life and God’s calling. Connect with Pam! You can connect with Pam, join the JOY CHALLENGE, and find her books and resources mentioned in the show, here: love-wise.com More About Pam! Two phrases sum up Pam’s approach to life: Choosing Joy! One ordinary woman connected to the extra-ordinary God can make difference! These sayings captured Pam’s heart because they sum up her experience. “I am the first-born daughter of an alcoholic father with severe rage issues. I often thought our family would make the headlines but for all the wrong reasons. When I was 8 years-old, however, a family friend saw the chaos we were living in and invited us to attend church with her. There I saw what real love looked like.” Having discovered peace and focus in her life, she is motivated to help women everywhere uncover their potential through a life of confidence and courage. Her writing career began shortly after she began attending church as a child. She wrote her first book under a tree on her family farm. As an adult, she has published more than 40 books including the best-seller Men Are Like Waffles, Women Are Like Spaghetti, 7 Simple Skills for Every Woman, Becoming a Brave New Woman, Devotions for Women on the Go!, Got Teens? (co-authored with Jill Savage), 52 Ways to Wow Your Husband; Red Hot Romance Tips for Women, 10 Secrets for Living Smart, Savvy and Strong and most recently Discovering Creative Bible Study Experience books: Discovering Hope in the Psalms, Discovering Joy in Philippians, Discovering Jesus in the Old Testament – release date October, 2019 and 2 future Discovering books (co-authored with Jean E. Jones and Karla Dornacher). Pam is an engaging and energetic leader who has impacted women’s lives with her experience as an international speaker, Director of Women’s Ministry, radio co-host, newspaper columnist, pastor’s wife, youth leader, and mentor. What Threatens to Steal Your Joy? Check out Surrender the Joy Stealers: Rediscover the Jesus Joy in You 6-week Bible study rooted in John 15. You can find more info at https://dorisswift.com/book/ Let’s Stay Connected! Find my free resources including Fear Fighting Bible Verses, Simple Tips for Sharing Your Faith, Surrender the Joy Stealers, Step Out of Your Doubt and Into Your Calling ebook, and more on my dorisswift.com homepage! Love Fierce Calling? Did you know that following, rating, and leaving a review over at Podchaser or Apple Podcasts helps others discover the show too? I would so appreciate it, friend! Need a Speaker for Your Next Women’s Event? Now Booking for 2026! Check out my speaking page, grab my flyer, and let’s talk about me speaking at your next women’s event… Thanks for Listening! I hope this episode encouraged, inspired, and challenged you to cultivate community, live and walk in the value, purpose, and worth God gave you, and take action where your passion, compassion, and conviction intersect. If you’re looking for a speaker for your next women’s conference, retreat, luncheon, or workshop, reach out and connect with me on my speaker page at https://www.womenspeakers.com/florida/edgewater/speaker/doris-swift Let’s have a chat about your next event! Stay tuned for more amazing content and remember to check the show notes for all the links mentioned. Thank you for being a part of our community. We are grateful for your continued support and encourage you to embrace the unique gifts that make you magnificently you. I hope you’ll join me next time when I talk with another guest who is taking action where her passion, compassion, and conviction intersect … Until then friend, have a blessed week, and I’ll talk to you soon. With love and joy, Doris P.S. Don’t forget to follow us on social media for bite-sized wisdom and inspiration from Doris and our incredible guests! Transcript Doris Swift [00:01:55]:What is threatening to steal your joy? What is it that feels so heavy right now that you could barely stand? God has a plan and his plan is to surrender it. Surrender it to him. It might be a prodigal, it might be a relationship, a marriage, something with your job. So many things. We have so many amazing blessings, but there are so many things in our life that threaten to steal our joy. I’m Doris Swift, author of the award winning six week Bible study Surrender the joy. Rediscover the Jesus joy in you. And it helps women rediscover the overflowing ever present Jesus joy within. Doris Swift [00:02:40]:Using personal biblical stories I share how you can identify your joy stealers. Surrender them to God, Reawaken the joy within and share the joy with others. You can do it on your own or with a group. Check it out, friends. Surrender the joy stealers. Rediscover the Jesus joy in you. It’s available on all the online retailers. It’s time to take your joy back. Doris Swift [00:03:09]:Welcome back to the show today. I am so excited to have two of my friends joining me today. Karen Whiting has been on the show before and Pam Farrell, I think this is her first time on so we’re happy to have her. Pam Farrel [00:03:24]:I’m so happy. Doris Swift [00:03:25]:This is exciting. Pam Farrel [00:03:25]:I’m so joyful. Yes. Doris Swift [00:03:27]:We’re going to talk all about joy and you know, things have been heavy lately and, and so joy is just the perfect subject to talk about. It’s a fruit of the spirit, it’s given to us by our lord and so we’re going to talk about that and I’m going to introduce you to my friends. Karen is the mother of two daughters and three sons including rocket scientists. And I think Karen, you’re a mathematician as well, correct? So yeah, this is a really cool family. She’s the grandmother of two, 15. Is that still the same? Is that still the right number? Karen Whiting [00:04:01]:No, we got a new baby a few weeks ago, actually 17 now, so. Doris Swift [00:04:07]:Wow, that’s awesome. And so she, yeah, she’s raised her children from Hawaii to New York, in Michigan to Florida as her late husband served in the U. S. Coast guard. And she’s the author of Golly. She’s up to like 34 books or more. She’s in the process of writing more books that are in the editing stages and she’s an international speaker, a certified writing and marketing coach and former television host. And Karen is a joy and I have personally met her in person and also have done book signings alongside of her and it’s just Just a fun gal and such a blessing. Doris Swift [00:04:47]:And Pam is so joyful. And her and her husband Bill are the authors of More than Golly. They’re up to 61 books. Right. Pam and the Ferals are co founders and co directors of Love Wise, an organ to help people connect love and wisdom and bring practical insight to their personal relationships. So they do a lot of conferences and marriage type retreats and things like that. And the Pharaohs make their home aboard boat that is cool. Decked in. Doris Swift [00:05:19]:And you’re docked in Southern California. Pam Farrel [00:05:23]:We are. We actually are two places right now because we’ve been caregiving for a decade. And so inland. Currently getting Bill’s parents house ready for the market. And we have our boat 30 minutes away. I’m missing the boat. It’s l

Welcome back to Fierce Calling! In this episode #215, host Doris Swift is joined by returning guest Valerie Ellis—author, speaker, teacher, and founder of Our Everyday Parables, a multi-author site dedicated to bringing families resources where faith and fun meet. Valerie’s passion for connecting kids with biblical truth through engaging books shines as she shares about her journey, including inspiration from her own two boys and her background as a certified teacher. Doris and Valerie dive into the stories behind Valerie’s beloved children’s books—like Let’s Go Bible Adventures, designed for kids obsessed with trains, trucks, and ice cream vans, and Share the Joy: A Christmas Lift-the-Flap Book, which helps instill a spirit of giving during the holidays. They discuss Valerie’s newest release, Wild Faith Devotional for Kids, packed with fascinating animal facts and faith lessons, and explore how everyday moments and the wonders of creation can point children (and adults!) to God. You’ll also hear practical wisdom on helping your kids experience “Jesus joy,” resources for parents and caregivers to make faith relatable, and tips for aspiring writers who feel called to create meaningful books for children. Tune in for encouragement, laughter, and a timely reminder that investing in the youngest generation can have eternal impact—even in the busiest seasons. We’re Talking About These Amazing Books & More! Florida Women’s Ministry Leadership Conference mentioned in the intro: Episode Highlights and Takeaways … 00:00 Children’s Christian Books and Devotional 07:06 “Supporting Parents in Faith Education” 09:42 Teaching Christmas Sharing to Kids 12:28 Promoting Christian Books in Libraries 14:44 “Books Adults and Kids Love” 20:15 Teaching Faith Through Everyday Moments 21:28 VBS Themes: Truth and Fun 25:02 “Catfish Devotion: Sense God’s Goodness” 30:39 Joy of Writing Rhyming Books 31:44 Writing Children’s Christian Books 34:53 “Get Excited Every Day” 38:07 Critique Groups for Writing Growth 42:19 Writing Journey: Faith, Fiction, and Nonfiction 45:01 Unrecognized Parental Impact 49:47 Sharing Faith and Resources Connect with Valerie! You can connect with Valerie and find her books and resources mentioned in the show, here: valerieellis.com Our Everyday Parables Blog Instagram: @iamvalerieellis Instagram: @oureverydayparables  Let’s Go! Bible Adventures: Real Bible Stories for Kids Who Love Trains, Tractors, Ice Cream Trucks, and More  Share the Joy! A Christmas Lift-the-Flap Book Wild Faith Devotional for Kids: 52 Amazing Animals That Point to One Great God Listeners can find a free activity pack for Let’s Go! Bible Adventures at https://valerieellis.com/letsgo/. and info & resources for Wild Faith, plus a YouVersion study for kids at https://valerieellis.com/wildfaith/. The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, Valerie mentioned: https://www.scbwi.org More About Valerie! Valerie Ellis is an author, speaker, and founder of Our Everyday Parables, a multi-author online resource with book reviews and ideas for families pursuing faith and compassion. A certified teacher with countless hours in children’s ministry, Valerie writes books that serve kids at the intersection of faith and fun.  Valerie is a frequent speaker for The MomCo (formerly MOPS) and similar groups. She stays involved with her own local chapters of The MomCo, SCBWI, and the Texas Library Association as well. Valerie is also a nonprofit consultant, trainer, and grant writer in the Houston area, where she lives with her husband, Josh, and their two boys. An Ohio-born, Texas-raised TCU Horned Frog, Valerie loves live music and going on adventures—big and small—with her family and friends. What Threatens to Steal Your Joy? Check out Surrender the Joy Stealers: Rediscover the Jesus Joy in You 6-week Bible study rooted in John 15. You can find more info at https://dorisswift.com/book/ Let’s Stay Connected! Find my free resources including Fear Fighting Bible Verses, Simple Tips for Sharing Your Faith, Surrender the Joy Stealers, Step Out of Your Doubt and Into Your Calling ebook, and more on my dorisswift.com homepage! Love Fierce Calling? Did you know that following, rating, and leaving a review over at Podchaser or Apple Podcasts helps others discover the show too? I would so appreciate it, friend! Need a Speaker for Your Next Women’s Event? Now Booking for 2026! Check out my speaking page, grab my flyer, and let’s talk about me speaking at your next women’s event… Thanks for Listening! I hope this episode encouraged, inspired, and challenged you to cultivate community, live and walk in the value, purpose, and worth God gave you, and take action where your passion, compassion, and conviction intersect. If you’re looking for a speaker for your next women’s conference, retreat, luncheon, or workshop, reach out and connect with me on my speaker page at https://www.womenspeakers.com/florida/edgewater/speaker/doris-swift Let’s have a chat about your next event! Stay tuned for more amazing content and remember to check the show notes for all the links mentioned. Thank you for being a part of our community. We are grateful for your continued support and encourage you to embrace the unique gifts that make you magnificently you. I hope you’ll join me next time when I talk with another guest who is taking action where her passion, compassion, and conviction intersect … Until then friend, have a blessed week, and I’ll talk to you soon. With love and joy, Doris P.S. Don’t forget to follow us on social media for bite-sized wisdom and inspiration from Doris and our incredible guests! Transcript Doris [00:01:56]:What is threatening to steal your joy? What is it that feels so heavy right now that you could barely stand? God has a plan, and his plan is to surrender it. Surrender it to Him. It might be a prodigal, it might be a relationship, a marriage, something with your job. So many things. We have so many amazing blessings, but there are so many things in our life that threaten to steal our joy. I’m Doris Swift, author of the award-winning six-week Bible study Surrender the Joy Stealers. Rediscover the Jesus joy in you. And it helps women rediscover the overflowing, ever-present Jesus joy within. Doris [00:02:41]:Using personal and biblical stories I share, how you can identify your joy stealers. Surrender them to God, reawaken the joy within, and share the joy with others. You can do it on your own or with a group. Check it out, friends. Surrender the joy stealers. Rediscover the Jesus joy in you. It’s available on all the online retailers. It’s time to take your joy back. Doris [00:03:10]:Welcome back to the show Today. I am excited to welcome back a good friend of mine. She’s been on the show actually twice before. So this is exciting. Valerie Ellis, she is an author, speaker and founder of Our Everyday Parables which is a multi author site for families filled with amazing resources and book reviews and things like that to help families navigate, you know, and find good resources for where their faith and fun intersect. She’s also a certified teacher and she writes books that serve kids in that intersection of faith and family and fun. And I love that because that’s, you know, fierce calling the intersection where your passion, compassion and conviction intersect. So that word intersect is dear, near and dear to my heart. Doris [00:04:01]:She’s also a nonprofit consultant and she is a trainer and grant writer. So that’s cool. And she lives in the Houston area with her husband and their two boys and she’s written some amazing books. We’ve talked about a few on the past episodes. I think she actually she was episode 106 and 168, so it was a little spread there. So we’re spreading it out a little bit. But it’s so great to have her on. She has several different books. Doris [00:04:31]:One of them is let’s Go Bible. Real Bible stories for kids who love trains, tractors, ice cream trucks and more. And she has a book also that we talked about and since we’re getting near the Christmas season, it’ll be a cool one to kind of bring back up to the forefront, share the joy, a Christmas lift, the flat book. And I don’t know who doesn’t like Lift the Flat books because I love those. And her new devotional, which will be coming out October 7th, but by the time this episode comes out, it will be available. And it’s Wild Faith devotional for kids, 52amazing animals that point to one great God. And I love this book so much. It’s filled with fun and fascinating animal facts. Doris [00:05:16]:It’s very unique and I’ve learned a lot of stuff from it already. So it’s so great to have you back on the show. Welcome, Valerie. Valerie Ellis [00:05:25]:My pleasure. Thank you, Doris. I just love chatting with you. So I’m thrilled about what we’re going to talk about today. Doris [00:05:32]:Thank you. Me too. It’s always so fun to have you on. We go way back. We met through a book membership program called Book Camp. Yeah. Chad R. Allen, and he has, you know, coaching for writers and, you know, helps writers get their books into the world, basically is kind of part of what his tagline is, you know, helping us get books into the world, which he has. Doris [00:05:57]:And so we’re kind of proof to that. And so, yeah, I’m excited to get into this conversation and talk about where your passion convat. I can’t even talk. Your passion, compassion and conviction currently intersect through the writing and the things that you have going on right now. Valerie, since we last spoke. Valerie Ellis [00:06:20]:Yes. Well, I am, I guess, a little bit at loss for words because I have so many passions. And so it’s like, well, how do they intersect? I mean, starting with family, of course. Honestly, I wouldn’t have written any children’s books if it hadn’t been for my own kids. And I know that’s not everyone’s path, but my first book idea was the let’s Go Bible Adventures, even though it w

Welcome back to Fierce Calling! In this important episode, host Doris Swift welcomes guest Heather Creekmore—a writer, speaker, coach, and the host of the popular “Compared to Who?” podcast—to talk about a struggle many women face but rarely speak about openly: body image. Heather shares her deeply personal journey, beginning in childhood and traveling through years of dieting, disordered eating, and the belief that changing her body would finally bring happiness. Even marriage and motherhood didn’t resolve her struggle—until a message about modern-day idolatry led to a powerful awakening in her heart. Heather unpacks how cultural messages fuel our obsession with appearance, how comparison steals our joy, and why true freedom comes from understanding our God-given identity—not from pursuing the latest health trend or fitting into a certain pair of jeans. She also dives into her work coaching women, The 40-Day Body Image Workbook, and her devotional Aging Gratefully. And you’ll love the story about her memorable appearance on Netflix’s “Nailed It!”—and what it taught her about real freedom. Whether you’ve battled body image insecurities, comparison in any area of your life, or the pressures of aging in a looks-obsessed world, this honest and hope-filled conversation will inspire you to pursue joy, purpose, and your fierce calling right where you are. Get ready for truths, laughter, encouragement, and the reminder that you are so much more than a number on a scale or a face in the mirror. We’re Talking About These Amazing Books & More! Florida Women’s Ministry Leadership Conference mentioned in the intro: Episode Highlights and Takeaways … 00:00 Unexpected Struggles with Eating Disorders 08:13 “Discovering Modern Idolatry Challenges” 14:37 “Overcoming Idolatry and Distractions” 19:11 Challenging Self-Worth and Body Image 22:48 Love Language Pitfalls for Women 28:05 Diet Trends Roller Coaster 38:01 Encouragement, Laughter, and Scale Reality 40:56 “Aging Gracefully Through Inner Beauty” 44:17 “Inner Beauty Over Outer Appearance” 51:51 “Wisdom through Experience and Guidance” 54:47 “Baking Show: Embrace Imperfection” 01:00:50 “Community and Connection for Women” Connect with Heather! You can connect with Heather through her website and social media links below: Website: https://www.improvebodyimage.com https://www.facebook.com/heathercreekmoreblog https://www.youtube.com/comparedtowho https://www.instagram.com/comparedtowho https://www.pinterest.com/comparedtowho/ Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/compared-to-who/id1448403677 Heather Creekmore writes and speaks hope to thousands of women each week, inspiring them to stop comparing and start living. She’s the host of the Compared to Who? podcast and the author of four books, including The 40-Day Body Image Workbook: Hope for Christian Women Who’ve Tried Everything and Aging Gratefully , a new devotional on aging for women in midlife. Heather has been featured on Fox News, Huff Post, Morning Dose, Church Leaders, For Every Mom, and dozens of other shows and podcasts. But she’s best recognized from her appearance as a contestant on the Netflix hit show, Nailed It. Heather and her fighter-pilot-turned-pastor husband, Eric, have four children and live in Austin, Texas. Connect with Heather at: www.improvebodyimage.com What Threatens to Steal Your Joy? Check out Surrender the Joy Stealers: Rediscover the Jesus Joy in You 6-week Bible study rooted in John 15. You can find more info at https://dorisswift.com/book/ Let’s Stay Connected! Find my free resources including Fear Fighting Bible Verses, Simple Tips for Sharing Your Faith, Surrender the Joy Stealers, Step Out of Your Doubt and Into Your Calling ebook, and more on my dorisswift.com homepage! Love Fierce Calling? Did you know that following, rating, and leaving a review over at Podchaser or Apple Podcasts helps others discover the show too? I would so appreciate it, friend! Need a Speaker for Your Next Women’s Event? Now Booking for 2026! Check out my speaking page, grab my flyer, and let’s talk about me speaking at your next women’s event… Thanks for Listening! I hope this episode encouraged, inspired, and challenged you to cultivate community, live and walk in the value, purpose, and worth God gave you, and take action where your passion, compassion, and conviction intersect. If you’re looking for a speaker for your next women’s conference, retreat, luncheon, or workshop, reach out and connect with me on my speaker page at https://www.womenspeakers.com/florida/edgewater/speaker/doris-swift Let’s have a chat about your next event! Stay tuned for more amazing content and remember to check the show notes for all the links mentioned. Thank you for being a part of our community. We are grateful for your continued support and encourage you to embrace the unique gifts that make you magnificently you. I hope you’ll join me next time when I talk with another guest who is taking action where her passion, compassion, and conviction intersect … Until then friend, have a blessed week, and I’ll talk to you soon. With love and joy, Doris P.S. Don’t forget to follow us on social media for bite-sized wisdom and inspiration from Doris and our incredible guests! Transcript Doris Swift [00:01:57]: What is threatening to steal your joy? What is it that feels so heavy right now that you could barely stand? God has a plan. And his plan is to surrender it. Surrender it to him. It might be a prodigal, it might be a relationship, a marriage, something with your job. So many things. We have so many amazing blessings, but there are so many things in our life that threaten to steal our joy. I’m Doris Swift, author of the award winning six week Bible study, Surrender the joy Stealers, Rediscover Jesus joy in you. Using personal biblical stories I share how you can identify your joy stealers, surrender them to God, reawaken the joy within and share the joy with others. Doris Swift [00:02:49]: You can do it on your own or with a group. Check it out, friends. Surrender the joy stealers, Rediscover the Jesus joy in you. It’s available on all the online retailers. It’s time to take your joy back, friends. Doris Swift Welcome back to the show. Today I’m very excited to welcome my friend Heather Creekmore. She writes and speaks hope to thousands of women each week, inspiring them to stop comparing and start living. Doris Swift [00:03:18]: And she’s the host of the popular Compared to Who podcast where she presents a biblical approach to body image so that we really need to hear. And she’s the author of four books including The 40 Day Body Image workbook: Hope for the Christian Women who’ve tried Everything and Aging Gratefully. And that is an amazing book. It’s a devotional on aging for women in midlife. She’s wife to Eric, who is a fighter pilot turned pastor husband. She’s mom to four. They live in Austin, Texas. And she might be best recognized for her appearance on a popular Netflix show. Doris Swift [00:03:57]: Nailed it. So we’re gonna maybe hear a little bit about that. So welcome to the show, Heather. It’s great to have you on. Heather Creekmore [00:04:04]: Oh, it’s so great to be here. Thanks for having me. Doris Swift [00:04:06]: Doris, I am so happy to have you here and talk about this because it’s, it’s really an important subject for women. I know men struggle with it too, actually, but primarily your, your ministry is to women. So I would love if you would share a little bit about your story and how you’re taking action where your passion, compassion and conviction intersection. Heather Creekmore [00:04:31]: Well, Doris, I like to say that this is one place I never expected to take action, never hoped to take action, never wanted anyone to know the depths of my struggles with my body. I started struggling, I would say, in elementary school. By middle school, I was dieting with my mom. By high school, I had And I say this tongue in cheek and very sensitively, but I had become a quote unquote, better dieter in that I could go long periods of time without eating, didn’t recognize that I had any kind of eating disorder. By the time I got to college, I had lost my period for about 9, 10 months and was told it was just stress. And this, you know, Doris, this is back in the early 90s. And so there was only a couple categories for eating disorders back then. And I wasn’t severely underweight, so I didn’t look like I had anorexia and I wasn’t able to throw up, so I didn’t fit the bulimia category. Heather Creekmore [00:05:30]: And so I just was a normal girl with normal girl problems and normal girl problems being. I had this compulsion, drive, need to always try to look better. And, you know, I mean, specifically looking better meant always trying to get thinner. Right? But it was, it was more than that, especially at various points in my life. And, and what I need you to hear and your listeners to understand is that I was raised in a Christian home. I went to Christian school, I went to Christian college. So I knew the God and Jesus answers. I knew I was fearfully and wonderfully made. Heather Creekmore [00:06:12]: I knew that God looked at my heart and not my gene size. Right? I. I knew all the things, but it didn’t actually help me. I still struggled. I still very much kind of led a dichotomized life of, okay, I’m a good Christian. And really what the most important thing in my life is is to try to, like, fix this body of. And it really wasn’t until. So I didn’t get married until I was 31. Heather Creekmore [00:06:39]: I met my husband at 30. And so all through my 20s, I struggled, like, really to the point of I became a fitness instructor because I thought that would solve it. You know, my eating was severely disordered, but didn’t have anyone to tell me that was the case. And I really kind of thought maybe my problem is that I’m not married. Right? Like, maybe women who are married don’t struggle with all this b

Welcome back to Fierce Calling! In this episode, host Doris sits down with Melissa McLaughlin, an author, teacher, and speaker, who writes to uplift and inspire followers of Christ.. Melissa opens up about her faith journey, including her unexpected bout with debilitating health issues that led her to an unexpected and unplanned early retirement from her teaching career. What could have been a season of loss became a time of deep spiritual renewal, as Melissa rediscovered her identity in Christ and found new ways to connect with God through scripture-based prayer. Out of her darkest moments came her first book, In Dark of Night When Words Fail, Voice of Jesus, Pray for Me, designed to help those who struggle with prayer find their voice again through scripture. Melissa also shares how her second book, The Whole Bible Devotional: Seeing Jesus in Every Book of the Bible, was inspired by her own challenges with reading the Bible all the way through, and her desire to help others see the big-picture story of Jesus woven throughout all the books of the Bible. Join us for an encouraging conversation about hope, identity, and the power of God, Who creates beauty from ashes. Whether you’re in a season of uncertainty, desire to deepen your prayer life, or looking for fresh ways to engage with Scripture, Melissa’s story and resources will inspire you to keep seeking God’s purpose—no matter what twists and turns life may bring. We’re Talking About This Amazing Devotional and More! Florida Women’s Ministry Leadership Conference mentioned in the intro: Episode Highlights and Takeaways … 1. Introduction to Melissa McLaughlin Roles and identity: teacher, writer, wife, mom, speaker, prayer leader, overcomer Passion for pursuing Christ with biblical truth, grace, and prayer Brief overview of her books: “In Dark of Night When Words Fail, Voice of Jesus, Pray For Me” “The Whole Bible Devotional: Seeing Jesus in Every Book of the Bible” Context of her writing coming from personal struggles Doris’s introduction and excitement about the conversation 2. Melissa’s Personal Faith Journey Growing up in a Christian home Making her faith her own during college years Becoming a teacher and her passion for education Marriage and raising three grown children 3. The Impact of Health Challenges Long history of back problems leading to debilitating health issues at age 50 Forced, early, and unexpected retirement from teaching Struggles with loss: health, job, and sense of identity Spiritual wrestling: questioning God’s plan and lack of healing 4. Rediscovering Identity in Christ God “peeling back” layers of false identity Coming to see herself as a child of God, identity rooted in Jesus Faith being deepened and transformed through suffering 5. Losing and Regaining the Voice to Pray Feeling unable to pray during her darkest moments Returning to Scripture and learning to pray aloud from the Bible Rewriting Scripture into personalized prayers Restoration of her prayer life: God’s words empowering her prayers 6. The Birth of Her First Book Decision to write for others struggling to pray Combining teaching, compassion, and personal pain into her writing Purpose and design of “In Dark of Night When Words Fail, Voice of Jesus, Pray For Me” A prayer guide using Scripture for those struggling to pray or seeking to refresh prayer life 7. Transitioning from Teaching to New Ministry Letting go of her expected career path Recognizing how God repurposes gifts for new seasons The unexpected call to writing and blogging 8. Encouragement for Listeners Facing Unexpected Change Reflection on how God is never surprised by our circumstances Importance of not finding identity solely in career or roles Trusting God’s faithfulness to unfold new things 9. Struggles and Strategies in Reading the Bible Personal experience of reading the Bible fully as a teenager Attempts to encourage her children to read the Bible, and the challenges they faced Disappointment over not completing a family Bible reading plan 10. Creation of the Second Book: The Whole Bible Devotional Desire to help people get the “big picture” of the Bible and see Jesus throughout Scripture Structure and purpose of the book: Non-academic, accessible Bible overview 66 representative Scripture passages, one from each book of the Bible Prayers accompanying each passage, focusing on Jesus’s role across Scripture Suitable as a 66-day devotional for deeper Bible engagement 11. Teaching as a Calling Beyond the Classroom Understanding that her core gift of teaching could be used in new formats Comparing experiences with Doris regarding finding new avenues to teach 12. Practical Guidance for Bible Reading and Study Difference between reading through and studying the Bible The benefit of structured plans for reading large sections Importance of context and seeing the Bible as a whole 13. Process and Discernment in Selecting Devotional Scriptures Details on the five-year journey to select the 66 passages Reading one chapter a day and prayerfully discerning key verses Consulting study Bibles and biblical resources Seeking to highlight how Christ is present in every book 14. The Transformational Power of the Project Personal spiritual impact on Melissa during the writing process Emphasis on patience and allowing God’s timing 15. Central Themes of Her Devotional Seeing Jesus as present from Genesis to Revelation Understanding Jesus beyond just the New Testament/manger story The significance of Jesus as Savior AND Lord 16. The Need for a High View of Scripture and Christ Importance of filtering all teachings through the Bible Jesus as the eternal Word, present from the beginning The fullness of Christ: mercy, righteousness, justice, lordship 17. Addressing Modern Misconceptions About Jesus Tendency toward emphasizing only grace and love Balanced understanding of repentance, lordship, and salvation through Jesus alone The danger of “multiple ways to God” and affirming Jesus’s claim as the only way 18. Encouragement for Listeners in Difficult Seasons Personal words for those facing pain or loss Assurance that God sees, loves, and can use broken places for His glory The power of waiting on God and trusting in His continued work 19. Resources and Ways to Connect with Melissa Website and blog: melissamclaughlin.org Free subscription with prayer resources Blog content: devotionals, Bible studies, prayers, poetry Books available on Amazon and major retailers Social media presence: Facebook, Instagram, X/Twitter, Pinterest Invitation to reach out for prayer or encouragement 20. Closing Thoughts and Exhortation Reminder that endings often lead to new beginnings Encouragement to trust God’s bigger plan Affirmation of listeners’ value and place in God’s story Invitation to future episodes and continuing community Connect with Melissa! You can connect with Melissa at melissamclaughlin.org Email – melissa.melissamclaughlin.orgX/Twitter – https://x.com/MMcLaughlinsongFacebook – https://www.facebook.com/melissa.mclaughlin.7906/Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/melissamclaughlinwriter/Pinterest – https://www.pinterest.com/MelissaMcLaughlinTruthfulGrace/Amazon link to The Whole Bible Devotional – https://a.co/d/cPXLDlUAmazon link to Whisker, Wags, and Woofs – https://a.co/d/4D3jF1BAmazon link to In Dark of Night When Words Fail – https://a.co/d/iunv6Hr Melissa McLaughlin is a writer, teacher, and speaker. She loves encouraging others through her faith and words. Having retired from her career as a public school teacher, she now writes and speaks about her passion, Jesus Christ. She holds Bachelor’s Degrees in Elementary Education and Special Education, as well as a Master’s degree as a Reading Specialist. In addition, she earned a Certificate in Foundations of Biblical Studies, which complements her teaching degrees as she writes to uplift and inspire followers of Christ. Melissa co-hosted a Writer’s Workshop and numerous Bible studies and prayer groups at her local church. She is currently hosting a summer Zoom Bible study with people from many locations. During the darkest seasons of her life, Melissa lost her voice to pray. God led Melissa to use Scriptures to articulate her prayers. Melissa’s voice was restored, and her faith was reignited. Melissa’s powerful prayer strategies are included in her first book, In Dark of Night When Words Fail, Voice of Jesus Pray for Me. God inspired Melissa to write her second book, The Whole Bible Devotional: Seeing Jesus in Every Book of the Bible, after struggling to read through the Bible with her family. Her goal with this book is to help others with today’s busy lifestyles grasp the Bible’s main message and see Jesus throughout the Scriptures. Melissa has won several awards, including the Selah Award for her essay in the compilation, Whiskers, Wags, and Woofs: Poems and Heartfelt Essays for Dog and Cat Lovers; the Silver Selah for her article in Refresh Bible Study Magazine; the Christlist Award for The Whole Bible Devotional. Melissa enjoys walks in nature, soaking in the sights and sounds of God’s wonderful creation. One of her greatest delights is spending time with her husband, young adult children, and family. Melissa and her husband have two cats who fill their days with laughter and cuddles. What Threatens to Steal Your Joy? Check out Surrender the Joy Stealers: Rediscover the Jesus Joy in You 6-week Bible study rooted in John 15. You can find more info at https://dorisswift.com/book/ Let’s Stay Connected! Find my free resources including Fear Fighting Bible Verses, Simple Tips for Sharing Your Faith, Surrender the Joy Stealers, Step Out of Your Doubt and Into Your Calling ebook, and more on my dorisswift.com homepage! Love Fierce Calling? Did you know that following, rating, and leaving a review over at Podchaser or Apple Podcasts helps others discover the show too? I would so appreciate it, friend! Need a Speaker for Your Next

Welcome back to Fierce Calling! In today’s episode, I welcome a very special duo: mother-daughter team Donna and Charity Amidon. Donna—an accomplished author, speaker, and Bible teacher—returns to the show to talk about her impactful book, Tracing His Promise: Understanding the Bigger Story of Jesus and What That Means for Us. But this time, there’s a creative twist: Donna’s daughter, Charity, an exceptional artist and illustrator, joins the conversation to share her unique role in bringing this project to life. Together, Donna and Charity reveal how a simple Advent family tradition grew into a beloved Bible study—one that seamlessly connects Old Testament Scriptures to the promises fulfilled in Jesus. We’ll hear behind-the-scenes stories about how illustrations that started as small doodles at the kitchen table grew into the artwork that now graces the pages of Donna’s book, as well as full-color Christmas ornaments, inviting families to create meaningful Advent traditions. You’ll also get practical ideas for using the book at home, in small groups, or as part of your church community, plus inspiration on how to use your own gifts to impact others for Christ. Whether you’re looking for hope in God’s timing, new ways to engage with Scripture, or encouragement to pursue your calling, this episode is sure to uplift you. Let’s dive into this heartwarming conversation about faith, creativity, advent, and God’s faithfulness across generations! We’re Talking About This Amazing Book and More! P.S. Planning your fall Bible study or Christmas Advent? Now’s the perfect time to explore Tracing His Promise! And if you do, be sure to share your experience with us. We’d love to hear—and maybe feature your story, too! Episode Highlights 00:00 “Book Discussion with Charity” 07:31 Divine Preparation and Small Beginnings 11:46 Art, Passion, and Impact 14:00 Mother-Daughter Art Collaboration 18:04 “Illustrations Enhanced with Color PDF” 20:51 Bible Study Book’s Progression 23:19 Exploring the Old Testament Together 27:10 “Fulfilled Prophecies: Hidden Treasures” 30:17 Empowering Youth Through Faith Sharing 34:37 “Passover’s Symbolic Link to Jesus” 37:49 Faith’s Universality Through Art 40:24 Trusting God’s Perfect Timing 43:19 Trust God’s Timing 47:30 Gratitude and Future Invitations Connect with Donna! You can connect with Donna at donnaamidon.org, where you’ll find out more about the book, her blog, and speaking. Follow & connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/donnaamidon_/ Follow & connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ignitetheheart/ A graduate of Southern Evangelical Seminary, Donna is an author, speaker, musician, and lover of all things Bible. For over two decades, Donna has been helping women engage with the rich truths of Scripture and apply them to everyday life.  With a heart for the local church, Donna has served as a Bible teacher, worship leader, radio broadcaster, small groups director, and pastor’s wife. Donna brings Scripture to life with clarity, heart, and just the right touch of humor, leaving her audience both challenged and refreshed.  Donna regularly shares at women’s conferences, retreats, and church gatherings. She also serves as a Spiritual Fitness Coach with Back to the Bible, where she hosts short video messages to encourage Christians in their spiritual journey.  Her first book, Tracing His Promise, invites readers to see Jesus throughout the Old Testament and discover God’s faithfulness from creation to the cradle. Donna and her husband, Ryan, live in Virginia with their adult daughter and teenage son. Connect with Charity! You can connect with Charity and find her amazing art at https://www.luckydogart.com/ Follow & connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amidonartstudio/ Follow & connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/luckydogart/ Link to view more about the book and see Charity’s art and ornaments: https://www.donnaamidon.org/tracinghispromise You can find the downloadable PDFs with the ornaments at the back of the book (pg. 297) via a special QR code! My Endorsement Written for Tracing His Promise: “Tracing His Promise is a powerful, biblically grounded study that reveals profound connections between Old Testament Scripture and the coming Messiah who was born in Bethlehem and is undeniably Jesus. Throughout the study, Amidon illuminates for the reader the significance of events, prophecies, and people of Old Testament times, and not only how they connect directly to Jesus’s birth, but also how Jesus was present from the beginning of it all. Amidon engages readers through thought-provoking questions, impactful illustrations, and deep insight. She invites families to incorporate the Jesse Tree into their Christmas traditions and provides creative ideas and downloadable ornaments to help them assemble their own Jesse Tree. Amidon’s passion is evident at every turn of the page, while she helps her readers make golden-nugget connections hidden in plain sight. This study is unique and impactful! Don’t miss it!” —Doris Swift, host of the Fierce Calling Podcast and author of Surrender the Joy Stealers: Rediscover the Jesus Joy in You What Threatens to Steal Your Joy? Check out Surrender the Joy Stealers: Rediscover the Jesus Joy in You 6-week Bible study rooted in John 15. You can find more info at https://dorisswift.com/book/ Let’s Stay Connected! Find my free resources including Fear Fighting Bible Verses, Simple Tips for Sharing Your Faith, Surrender the Joy Stealers, Step Out of Your Doubt and Into Your Calling ebook, and more on my dorisswift.com homepage! Love Fierce Calling? Did you know that following, rating, and leaving a review over at Podchaser or Apple Podcasts helps others discover the show too? I would so appreciate it, friend! Need a Speaker for Your Next Women’s Event? Now Booking for 2026! Check out my speaking page, grab my flyer, and let’s talk about me speaking at your next women’s event… Thanks for Listening! I hope this episode encouraged, inspired, and challenged you to cultivate community, live and walk in the value, purpose, and worth God gave you, and take action where your passion, compassion, and conviction intersect. If you’re looking for a speaker for your next women’s conference, retreat, luncheon, or workshop, reach out and connect with me on my speaker page at https://www.womenspeakers.com/florida/edgewater/speaker/doris-swift Let’s have a chat about your next event! Stay tuned for more amazing content and remember to check the show notes for all the links mentioned. Thank you for being a part of our community. We are grateful for your continued support and encourage you to embrace the unique gifts that make you magnificently you. I hope you’ll join me next time when I talk with another guest who is taking action where her passion, compassion, and conviction intersect … Until then friend, have a blessed week, and I’ll talk to you soon. With love and joy, Doris P.S. Don’t forget to follow us on social media for bite-sized wisdom and inspiration from Doris and our incredible guests! 📲 Transcript Doris [00:01:53]:Welcome back to the show. Today. I’m excited to have a return guest, which this is Donna’s, I think, third time on the show. And I’m excited to have her back. Donna Amadon. And she is an author, a speaker, a Bible teacher, and just amazing author. And we’re going to talk about one of her books today. And we also have an amazing other guest with us, Charity Amadon, and she is Donna’s daughter. Doris [00:02:21]:So we are so excited and blessed to have both of them here together because there’s a special connection that they’re going to share about this book. And the book I have behind me here is amazing. It’s called Tracing His Promise, Understanding the Bigger Story of Jesus and what that means for us. And we’re going to be talking about this among other things. So I’m excited to get started. Welcome to the show. It’s great to have you both. Donna Amidon [00:02:49]:Thank you. Charity Amidon [00:02:50]:Hey, thank you. Doris [00:02:51]:All right, well, we’ve talked a little bit about the book before on, you know, the past episode, but there’s a special twist that we did not have before, and that was also inviting Charity into the conversation and how she was connected with this book. So how, however the Lord leads, if you want to, you know, Donna, if you want to kind of lean in first and then bring Charity into how this all connected, because this book is powerful. And I’ll tell you, I’m actually also going to lead this book as a Bible study at our church in the fall, and we’re going to talk more about that. But I can’t wait to help, ladies, to read through it and just dig in to what this means for us. Exactly, as the subtitle says. So. So yeah, Donna, if you could share a little bit more about that. And of course, this is how you’re taking action, where your passion, compassion, and conviction intersect. Doris [00:03:48]:Oh, and also, I wanted to also mention, too, that Charity is an amazing artist and illustrator. So that gives you a little hint about what we’re going to talk about. So go ahead, Donna. Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt you sure? Donna Amidon [00:04:05]:Well, it’s just funny how God orchestrates things and how he sees the whole picture of your life in mind. And we get so kind of trapped in one day at a time, but he just has a bigger plan all the time. And we really saw this happen with how this book kind of blossomed. And it really started about eight years ago. I was leading a Bible study at a church, and it was fall about this time of year. And I’m praying, God, what do I teach these precious ladies. And I had picked out a book that I kind of liked, but was a little hesitant and just didn’t have that feeling in my spirit, like, this was the book. And then one morning, Charity, my daughter and I, who’s here with me, she was about 10 years old at the time, and we were talking at the kitchen island. Donna Amid

Welcome back to Fierce Calling! In today’s episode, host Doris Swift sits down with Kate Battistelli—author, speaker, and one of the hosts of the popular Mom to Mom Podcast. Kate shares her powerful story of stepping from a career in theater and the New York Broadway scene into an unexpected life of faith, family, and purpose after coming to know Christ at the age of 29. Together, Doris and Kate explore what it means to step into unknown seasons—such as the empty nest—and discover new meaning and purpose beyond motherhood. Kate reflects on her journey, from being a Broadway understudy to embracing roles as a mother to the award-winning Christian music artist, Francesca Battistelli, grandmother to 7, wife, and writer, all while encouraging women to boldly obey God’s call, even if it means venturing outside their comfort zones. We’re talking about her career in theater opposite a well-known actor, how she met her hubby, their sweet salvation story, and how God has amazing plans and a powerful purpose for each of our lives. You’ll also hear practical tips for navigating life transitions, building strong marriages, mentoring the next generation, and saying “yes” to unexpected challenges—whether it’s writing a book, starting a podcast, or simply volunteering. Stick around until the end for a special offer from Kate, and get ready to be inspired to step out where your passion, compassion, and conviction intersect! Episode Highlights 00:00 “Writer, Podcaster, Former Actress” 04:20 Exciting Stories and New Offers 10:25 From Understudy to Leading Role 12:45 “Unexpected Encounter at Holiness Church” 14:35 “Life-Changing Divine Calling” 20:30 Faithful Obedience and Calling 22:12 Redefining Life After Parenting 25:44 “Preparing for Future Goals” 28:20 Prioritize Relationship Over Parenting 31:31 Finding Purpose Beyond Motherhood 34:32 Pray for Prodigal Children’s Return 38:02 Impact Through Obedience 42:06 “Join, Share, and Connect” We’re Talking About Her Amazing Books and More! Connect with Kate! You can connect with Kate at katebattistelli.com where you’ll find her books, social media links, podcast, blog, and even some amazing recipes! Plus, If you’d like to read the introduction and the first chapter of The Afterparty of the Empty Nest for free, just text: afterparty (all one word with no spaces), to 44144. And you’ll get a couple of other fun goodies as well! Kate Battistelli is the author of The After Party of the Empty Nest: Mom is Not Your Only Name, the bestseller, The God Dare: Will You Choose to Believe the Impossible, and Growing Great Kids: Partner with God to Cultivate His Purpose in Your Child’s Life. She is a contributing writer to the (in)courage Bible for Women and The Spirit-Led Woman’s Bible, and her writing has appeared in Guideposts, The Joyful Life magazine, The Better Mom, Mici magazine, and more. She is one-third of the popularMom to Mom Podcast. In addition, she is an honoree with She Leads Tennessee. As a young actress in New York City, Kate had a life-changing experience, going from understudy to starring as Anna in theBroadway National Tour of The King and I opposite Yul Brynner for more than 1,000 performances. Kate and her husband laid down their careers in the Broadway theatre in answer to their first “God Dare,” moving out of New York City and into a life of homeschooling and home business. She lives in Franklin, TN, near her daughter, contemporary Christian recording artist Francesca Battistelli, and seven precious grandchildren. Kate serves women by encouraging them to step out of their safe space and into His irresistible future. She’s a Jersey girl living in Franklin, TN, with her husband Mike. They’ve been married for 40 plus years and are the parents of GRAMMY Award-winning Christian recording artist Francesca Battistelli Goodwin. She and her husband, Matt, have given us 7 beautiful grandchildren, and they are the delight of our lives! What Threatens to Steal Your Joy? Check out Surrender the Joy Stealers: Rediscover the Jesus Joy in You 6-week Bible study rooted in John 15. You can find more info at https://dorisswift.com/book/ Let’s Stay Connected! Find my free resources including Fear Fighting Bible Verses, Simple Tips for Sharing Your Faith, Surrender the Joy Stealers, Step Out of Your Doubt and Into Your Calling ebook, and more on my dorisswift.com homepage! Love Fierce Calling? Did you know that following, rating, and leaving a review over at Podchaser or Apple Podcasts helps others discover the show too? I would so appreciate it, friend! Need a Speaker for Your Next Women’s Event? Now Booking for 2026! Check out my speaking page, grab my flyer, and let’s talk about me speaking at your next women’s event… Thanks for Listening! I hope this episode encouraged, inspired, and challenged you to cultivate community, live and walk in the value, purpose, and worth God gave you, and take action where your passion, compassion, and conviction intersect. If you’re looking for a speaker for your next women’s conference, retreat, luncheon, or workshop, reach out and connect with me on my speaker page at https://www.womenspeakers.com/florida/edgewater/speaker/doris-swift Let’s have a chat about your next event! Stay tuned for more amazing content and remember to check the show notes for all the links mentioned. Thank you for being a part of our community. We are grateful for your continued support and encourage you to embrace the unique gifts that make you magnificently you. I hope you’ll join me next time when I talk with another guest who is taking action where her passion, compassion, and conviction intersect … Until then friend, have a blessed week, and I’ll talk to you soon. With love and joy, Doris P.S. Don’t forget to follow us on social media for bite-sized wisdom and inspiration from Doris and our incredible guests! 📲 Transcript Doris [00:00:52]:What is threatening to steal your joy? What is it that feels so heavy right now that you could barely stand? God has a plan and his plan is to surrender it. Surrender it to him. It might be a prodigal, it might be a relationship, a marriage, something with your job. So many things. We have so many amazing blessings, but there are so many things in our life that threaten to steal our joy. I’m Doris Swift, author of the award winning six week Bible study, Surrender the Joy. Rediscover the Jesus joy in you. And it helps women rediscover the overflowing, ever present Jesus joy within that fills, empowers and ripens the fruit that God produces in our lives. Doris [00:02:32]:Using personal and biblical stories, I share how you can identify your joy stealers. Surrender them to God. Reawaken the joy within and share the joy with others. You can do it on your own or with a group. Check it out, friends. Surrender the joy stealers. Rediscover the Jesus joy in you. It’s available on all the online retailers. It’s time to take your joy back. Doris [00:02:57]:Welcome back to the show today. I am so excited to introduce to you my friend, Kate Battistelli. I’ve been looking forward to this interview with her. She is the author of The After Party of the Empty Nest. Mom is Not Your Only Name. Amen. And she’s also the author of the bestseller The God Dare, Will you choose to believe the impossible? And Growing Great Kids Partner with God to Cultivate His Purpose in Your Child’s Life. Doris [00:03:26]:And she is a contributing writer to a lot of different publications and she’s also one third of the popular mom to mom podcast. So you listen to podcasts, so be sure to check that out. And she’s also a former actress, so we’re going to hear a little bit about that. It’s kind of exciting. She currently lives in Franklin, Tennessee and she is near her daughter, who you probably know, she’s the contemporary Christian recording artist Francesca Battistelli and she has seven precious grandchildren. So this is very exciting and a good reason to move to Tennessee. And I love this about Kate, that she serves women by encouraging them to step out of their safe space and into his irresistible future. I’ve never heard it put that way. Doris [00:04:13]:So I, I’m really intrigued and I love that so much. Kate, welcome to the show. Kate [00:04:17]:Thank you, Doris. I am thrilled to be here. Doris [00:04:20]:I am so excited about this because we are going to talk about so many amazing things that are really going to bless the audience, the listener today. So Listener, stay tuned to the end because Kate has something exciting that she wants to offer you. So. So we don’t want to miss out on that. And we are talking about the new book. But there’s so many things, really, that are kind of intertwined in your story, Kate, and from your background and everything, that’s so fascinating. And I just can’t wait for you to share that. So I would love if you would share a little about your story, however the Lord leads you and how you are taking action, where your passion, compassion and conviction intersection. Kate [00:05:03]:Yeah, I mean, my story is so quirky. I always tell people, you know, God just. God has a sense of humor because he took me from not knowing him to finding him at 29. So I didn’t grow up in a Christian home. I grew up going to church. But there was never any, you know, any desire to know Jesus, and it was never really talked about. So I left home. I went to four colleges in two years. Kate [00:05:28]:I didn’t graduate from any of them. So I like to remind people I’m a college dropout. But that doesn’t matter. You can still do lots of stuff. But I did get on the dean’s list, so there’s that. And my husband has a doctorate, so combined, kind of, you know, works, works, works in my favor. But, yeah, just had an interesting life. Now I’m married. Kate [00:05:47]:We’ve been married 42 years this summer. We have seven grandkids. Just one child. God. I wanted a big family. God gave us one, but she’s got seven. And it’s such a blessing, you know, you don’t thi

On today’s episode of Fierce Calling, I’m talking with Hadassah Treu, an award-winning international author, poet, and blogger, who is passionate about encouraging the brokenhearted and helping others find hope in difficult seasons. Hadassah encourages us to discover the blessings and purposes in the painful seasons of our lives. From Bulgaria to Austria and back, Hadassah shared how her most painful experiences have become the birthplace of blessings, and how surrendering our struggles to God can transform our journey. If you’re ready to rediscover lasting joy and resilience through faith, this episode is packed with wisdom and practical encouragement to help you keep moving forward, no matter what you’re facing. I know what Hadassah shares will encourage, inspire, and challenge you, so listen in while I have a chat with Hadassah Treu. Episode Highlights 00:00 Surrender to Rediscover Joy 06:32 From Illusions to Spiritual Growth 09:46 Faith Journey Through Writing 13:01 Spiritual Journeys in Christian Europe 17:37 “Finding Growth Through Pain” 21:47 Faith and God’s Definition of Good 24:53 Facing Failure: Losses and Gains 28:39 Pursuing Spiritual Maturity and Growth 30:58 Reflecting on God’s Work Through Journaling 34:02 Prophetic Poetry of Eternal Hope 37:16 “New Creations in Christ” 40:14 Inspiring Interview with Hadassah We’re Talking About … Connect with Hadassah! You can connect with Hadassah at onthewaybg.com where you’ll find her blog posts, books, social media links, and helpful resources. Hadassah Treu is an award-winning international author, blogger, poet, speaker, and spiritual growth mentor. She is the Encouraging Blogger Award Winner for 2020, the Literature Award Winner of the Municipality of Pazardzhik, Bulgaria for 2024, and a winner of the National Literary Translation Award “Stoyan Bakardzhiev”, Bulgaria for 2025.  Hadassah loves to encourage and motivate people to stand firm in the faith, and grow spiritually by applying biblical truths in their lives. She loves diving deeper into the Word of God and finding hidden treasures. Her blog is on the Top 100 Faith Blogs (spot 19) on the web by Feedspot in 2025. Hadassah is a regular contributor to several faith-based platforms like Devotable, Koinonia, COMPEL Pro Proverbs 31 Ministries Blog,  COMPEL Pro Training Freelancing Group leader, and Blogger Voices Network contributor. She has been featured on The Upper Room, (In)Courage, Proverbs 31 Ministries, Her View From Home, Living by Design Ministries, Thoughts About God, Aletheia Today, Today’s Christian Living,   The Way Back to Ourselves, and other popular sites. Hadassah is also a contributing author to 14 devotional and poetry anthologies. She is also the author of 2 poetry books in Bulgarian: “A Guarantee for Another Life” and “Memories Keeper.” Her first solo book “Draw Near: How Painful Experiences Become a Birthplace of Blessings” with Calla Press Publishing was released on March 15,  2024. Order HERE! Hadassah is no stranger to suffering and losses. From the platform of her greatest pains equipped with lessons gathered on the way, she delivers a powerful message of comfort and hope, found in God’s Word. What Threatens to Steal Your Joy? Check out Surrender the Joy Stealers: Rediscover the Jesus Joy in You 6-week Bible study rooted in John 15. You can find more info at https://dorisswift.com/book/ Let’s Stay Connected! Find my free resources including Fear Fighting Bible Verses, Simple Tips for Sharing Your Faith, Surrender the Joy Stealers, Step Out of Your Doubt and Into Your Calling ebook, and more on my dorisswift.com homepage! Love Fierce Calling? Did you know that following, rating, and leaving a review over at Podchaser or Apple Podcasts helps others discover the show too? I would so appreciate it, friend! Need a Speaker for Your Next Women’s Event? Now Booking for 2026! Check out my speaking page, grab my flyer, and let’s talk about me speaking at your next women’s event… Thanks for Listening! I hope this episode encouraged, inspired, and challenged you to cultivate community, live and walk in the value, purpose, and worth God gave you, and take action where your passion, compassion, and conviction intersect. If you’re looking for a speaker for your next women’s conference, retreat, luncheon, or workshop, reach out and connect with me on my speaker page at https://www.womenspeakers.com/florida/edgewater/speaker/doris-swift Let’s have a chat about your next event! Stay tuned for more amazing content and remember to check the show notes for all the links mentioned. Thank you for being a part of our community. We are grateful for your continued support and encourage you to embrace the unique gifts that make you magnificently you. I hope you’ll join me next time when I talk with another guest who is taking action where her passion, compassion, and conviction intersect … Until then friend, have a blessed week, and I’ll talk to you soon. With love and joy, Doris P.S. Don’t forget to follow us on social media for bite-sized wisdom and inspiration from Doris and our incredible guests! 📲 Transcript Doris Swift [00:01:40]:What is threatening to steal your joy? What is it that feels so heavy right now that you could barely stand? God has a plan and his plan is to surrender it. Surrender it to him. It might be a prodigal, it might be a relationship, a marriage, something with your job. So many things. We have so many amazing blessings, but there are so many things in our life that threaten to steal our joy. I’m Doris Swift, author of the award winning six week Bible study, Surrender the Joy. Rediscover the Jesus joy in you. And it helps women rediscover the overflowing, ever present Jesus joy within that fills, empowers and ripens the fruit that God produces in our lives. Doris Swift [00:02:31]:Using personal and biblical stories, I share how you can identify your joy stealers. Surrender them to God. Reawaken the joy within and share the joy with others. You can do it on your own or with a group. Check it out, friends. Surrender the joy stealers. Rediscover the Jesus joy in you. It’s available on all the online retailers. Doris Swift [00:02:56]:It’s time to take your joy back. Welcome back to the show. Today I’m excited to welcome my friend, Hadassah Troy. She is an award winning international authority poet. She’s a popular blogger and speaker and she loves motivating people to grow in faith and keep a hopeful outlook, which I love that so much because right now we just need hope. We need to share hope. We need to allow people to know the hope of Christ and bring that to the forefront and share the gospel. So I love that Hadassah is doing that and we are going to also be talking about her book, Draw near how painful experiences, experiences become the birthplace of blessings. Doris Swift [00:03:44]:And that alone should keep you listening throughout this whole episode. Thank you for being on the show. Welcome Hadassah. Hadassah Treu [00:03:54]:So much stories. I love your podcast. I love the topic Fierce Calling. This is really amazing. And I love the word fears. Doris Swift [00:04:02]:All right. Hadassah Treu [00:04:04]:Really? Because. Because we need this. We need this as followers of Christ and as you said, in this dark world when chaos and frustration and everything is growing, so to say, in negative sense, we need to stay fierce. We need to stay brave. We need to start to stay resilient and keep following the Lord wherever he leads and keep making disciples because this is our greatest mission. Doris Swift [00:04:33]:Amen. Amen. And you are coming to us from Bulgaria, which is amazing and I would love if you would share a little bit about your story, about your background, how you came to know Jesus and how you’re taking action, where your passion, compassion and conviction intersect. Hadassah Treu [00:04:54]:Yes, gladly. I’m coming from Bulgaria. I’m actually a Bulgarian and currently living in Bulgaria. It was not like this my whole life. And when I came to Christ, Bulgaria was still a communist country. So it was quite a wonder and miracle that I came to Christ as a teenager. Then for first time, I prayed to God, whom I didn’t know, and placed like an ultimatum to the universe because I wanted that my life to find some meaning. I wanted simply meaning and purpose in my life. Hadassah Treu [00:05:33]:And I felt this void, I felt this emptiness as a teenager. I guess a lot of teenagers are going through this phase, this is normal. But for me it was even heavier because I came from a family with difficult history and difficult relationships. And yeah, I needed God. So through arranging miraculous meetings and yeah, how only how God can do things, I came here, the gospel for the first time. And I immediately responded by faith. And this is how it all started. And then in my 30s, I met my future husband, the love of my life, so to say. Hadassah Treu [00:06:32]:And he however, was not a Bulgarian, he was an Austrian. And we married and I lived for 15 years in Austria. This is really a beautiful country, so I highly recommend to visit. And then actually in my 30s, it all started. And by all I mean the painful losing of my illusions and the painful gaining of reality. So it all started with facing a lot of struggles like infertility, anxiety disorders, panic attacks, marriage problems and a lot of other painful experiences. But this was actually the, the deep phases of spiritual formation and spiritual growth. And five years ago I got another blow, so to say the heaviest in my life up to now. Hadassah Treu [00:07:43]:I lost my husband unexpectedly. And yeah, this was followed by a lot of life altering changes. So I moved back to Bulgaria again, where I’m living here since four and a half years. And this is in short, my life story. But of course this life story has birthed this fierce calling. And I love the definition of how you define this fierce calling, this intersection of pas

Welcome back to Fierce Calling! In this episode, host Doris Swift welcomes back her friend and returning guest, Rebecca George—author, speaker, and founder of the Radical Radiance podcast community. Doris and Rebecca dive into themes every woman can relate to, including living in that “in-between-almost-but-not-yet” season, and the struggle of waiting on God’s timing in a world telling us to hurry up, because we’re falling behind. Rebecca shares insights from her newest book, You’re Not Too Late: Trusting God’s Timing in a Hurry Up World, and opens up about how longing, comparison, and even resentment can creep in, no matter what stage of life you’re in. Together, Doris and Rebecca discuss faith and trusting God with hopes, dreams, and that thing we’re longing for. They also talk about the importance of community, the dangers of the prosperity gospel, and how to cultivate spiritual resiliency in our everyday rhythms of waiting. Whether you’re waiting for a breakthrough, struggling with unmet desires, or simply looking to find more joy right where you are, this episode promises wisdom, encouragement, and a reminder: it’s not too late for you. Join us as we lean into God’s timing, celebrate kingdom work, and find inspiration for your own fierce calling! Episode Highlights Introduction to Rebecca’s New Book: “You’re Not Too Late” Book’s core message: Trusting God’s timing in a hurry-up world Who the message is for and why it resonates Living in the “In Between Almost-But-Not-Yet” The tension of waiting and longing Faithfulness in the “meanwhile” Rebecca’s Story and Passion Intersection Multiple hats Rebecca wears in life and ministry Importance of community among writers, speakers, and podcasters Creating environments free of competition and comparison How real-life women’s stories are integrated Each chapter’s exploration of an opposing mindset/emotion Interactive aspects—readers relating to stories and self-reflection prompts Shift in Book Focus: From Singleness to Bigger Picture Regarding Longing Original intent as a “singleness” book Expansion into broader themes of longing and desire Recognizing longing continues even after certain desires are fulfilled Coping with Longing and Waiting Gospel-centered perspective versus earthly focus Transitioning from struggle (despair, doubt, isolation) to hope (joy, community) Challenges of comparison and resentment Idolatry and Resentment in the Waiting When desires become idols Personal stories of jealousy and difficult emotions Honest conversations with God about unmet desires Navigating Comparison The ongoing struggle with comparison Coping with guilt over mixed emotions (joy for others, pain for self) Reminder of true fulfillment found in God Prosperity Gospel and Misguided Self-Help Critique of self-help and prosperity gospel ideas infiltrating Christian messaging Dangers of self-reliance and the myth that effort guarantees results Importance of biblical truth as the foundation Culture of Instant Gratification How technology trains us to avoid waiting Everyday habits undermining our resilience and patience Practicing small disciplines to build spiritual resilience God’s Timing and Looking Back Reflections on answered prayer coming in the right season The sweetness of fulfilled longing after seasons of waiting Gratefulness for God’s story being better than our plan Favorite Stories and Practical Takeaways from the Book “The Bench Story”—Rebecca and her husband’s intertwined journeys of prayer and waiting Psalm 139 “Search Me, God” prayer as a practical tool for self-examination Encouragement to use scriptural prayers during hard seasons Encouragement for Listeners Still Waiting Praying for future blessings and spouses Warning against making impulsive decisions out of fear of being “too late” Affirming listeners’ value and God’s perfect timing Connecting with Rebecca & Additional Resources Where to find Rebecca online (Instagram, podcast, books) Free video series accompanying the book Use of book for group or individual study Conclusion and Invitation Reiteration of every woman’s “fierce calling” Encouragement to partner with God in kingdom work Preview of future episodes and invitation to tune in again Connect with Rebecca! You can connect with Rebecca on Instagram @rebeccageorgeauthor and her website radicalradience.live Rebecca George is the author of You’re Not Too Late: Trusting God’s Timing in a Hurry Up World, and Do the Thing: Gospel-Centered Goals, Gumption, and Grace for the Go-Getter Girl , and the host of the popular podcast Radical Radiance. Her work has been featured on outlets such as Life Today TV, HomeLife magazine, and Moody Radio. Rebecca and her husband, Dustin, live in East Tennessee. Link to Previous Episode with Rebecca What Threatens to Steal Your Joy? Check out Surrender the Joy Stealers: Rediscover the Jesus Joy in You 6-week Bible study rooted in John 15. You can find more info at https://dorisswift.com/book/ Let’s Stay Connected! Find my free resources including Fear Fighting Bible Verses, Simple Tips for Sharing Your Faith, Surrender the Joy Stealers, Step Out of Your Doubt and Into Your Calling ebook, and more on my dorisswift.com homepage! Love Fierce Calling? Did you know that following, rating, and leaving a review over at Podchaser or Apple Podcasts helps others discover the show too? I would so appreciate it, friend! Need a Speaker for Your Next Women’s Event? Now Booking for fall/winter 2025 & 2026! Check out my speaking page, grab my flyer, and let’s talk about me speaking at your next women’s event… Thanks for Listening! I hope this episode encouraged, inspired, and challenged you to cultivate community, live and walk in the value, purpose, and worth God gave you, and take action where your passion, compassion, and conviction intersect. If you’re looking for a speaker for your next women’s conference, retreat, luncheon, or workshop, reach out and connect with me on my speaker page at https://www.womenspeakers.com/florida/edgewater/speaker/doris-swift Let’s have a chat about your next event! Stay tuned for more amazing content and remember to check the show notes for all the links mentioned. Thank you for being a part of our community. We are grateful for your continued support and encourage you to embrace the unique gifts that make you magnificently you. I hope you’ll join me next time when I talk with another guest who is taking action where her passion, compassion, and conviction intersect … Until then friend, have a blessed week, and I’ll talk to you soon. With love and joy, Doris P.S. Don’t forget to follow us on social media for bite-sized wisdom and inspiration from Doris and our incredible guests! 📲 Transcript Doris [00:01:40]:What is threatening to steal your joy? What is it that feels so heavy right now that you could barely stand? God has a plan and his plan is to surrender it. Surrender it to him. It might be a prodigal, it might be a relationship, a marriage, something with your job. So many things. We have so many amazing blessings, but there are so many things in our life that threaten to steal our joy. I’m Doris Swift, author of the award winning six week Bible study, Surrender the Joy. Rediscover the Jesus joy in you. And it helps women rediscover the overflowing, ever present Jesus joy within that fills, empowers and ripens the fruit that God produces in our lives. Doris [00:02:31]:Using personal biblical stories, I share how you can identify your joy stealers. Surrender them to God. Reawaken the joy within and share the joy with others. You can do it on your own or with a group. Check it out, friends. Surrender the joy stealers. Rediscover the Jesus joy in you. It’s available on all the online retailers. Doris [00:02:56]:It’s time to take your joy back. Welcome back to the show. I am so excited today to welcome back a returned guest, my friend Rebecca George. She is the founder of the podcast community Radical Radiance. She’s a speaker and an author whose greatest joy in life is discipling others to pursue their passions in a way that builds the kingdom, which is amazing and it’s also the heart of fierce calling and I love that so much. She was actually previously on and it was back in 23. That was right before her other book came out, do the Thing, Gospel Centered Goals, Gumption and Grace for the Go Getter Girl, which we love talking about. And that was episode 138. Doris [00:03:38]:And I will put that link in the show notes so you can check out that episode. And today we are going to talk about a lot of things, but we are also talking about Rebecca’s newest book, you’re not Too Late. Trusting God’s timing in a Hurry up world. And I just can’t think of a person that that message wouldn’t resonate with. So welcome to the show, Rebecca. It’s so great to have you back. Rebecca George [00:04:02]:Oh, Doris, I’m so happy to be with you. Thank you for having me again. Doris [00:04:05]:Yeah, I just love that we’re doing this. Well, Rebecca, you’ve been a super busy gal. You have a lot going on. You also have an amazing retreat that we can talk about too. You know what I really like in the back of your book. I love the whole thing about your book Your whole book. But you know the message that says, what does it look like to be faithful in the meanwhile? There was a quote that I really liked and it says the in between almost, but not yet. So the in between almost, but not yet, all like with little hyphens, tension is where we live most of our days. Doris [00:04:41]:So the in between almost, but not yet. We live there. We live there a lot. So we can definitely relate to that. And so we’re gonna jump right into this conversation. I would love if you would share a little bit about you, a little bit about your story and then also how you’re currently taking action where your passion, compassion and conviction intersection. Rebecca George [00:05:01]:So good. Well, I’m so excited to be with yo

Welcome back to Fierce Calling! In today’s episode, host Doris Swift sits down with Jessica Ronne—author, speaker, caregiver advocate, and founder of the Lucas Project—for an inspiring conversation about faith, resilience, and answering God’s call in the midst of life’s biggest challenges. Jessica opens up about her lifelong journey as a caregiver, from growing up as the eldest of twelve siblings to raising a blended family of eight children, including her son Lucas who has profound disabilities. Jessica shares how her experiences of navigating personal loss, blending families, and caring for a child with special needs have shaped her calling to support caregivers and create real solutions through initiatives like the Lucas Project and her work as an author and documentary producer. Together, they discuss the importance of giving yourself permission to feel all the complex emotions that come with caregiving, the holy and transformative nature of serving others, and practical ways to support families facing these unique challenges. Whether you’re a caregiver yourself, know someone who is, or simply want to understand what it means to walk in faith and fierce compassion, this episode is packed with encouragement, wisdom, and actionable insights. Get ready to rediscover joy, find community, and learn how God meets us—and uses us—in every season of life. Episode Takeaways … Permission to Feel: Jessica opens up about the reality of caregiving—how it’s okay to admit feelings of grief, resentment, or overwhelm, and how naming those feelings is the first step toward healing. Finding Holy Purpose: She beautifully reframes caregiving as “holy work,” reminding us that as we care for those who can’t care for themselves, we reflect the heart of Christ. Blended Family Wisdom: Jessica and her husband blended families after losing their spouses. She shares practical, honest advice for navigating new relationships, grief, and all the “stuff” that comes with starting over. Practical Help for Caregivers: Learn about the power of presence, the need for respite, and practical ways to support families—like bringing a meal (pro tip: offer easy choices like tacos or lasagna!). Resources You Can Use Today: The Lucas Project provides respite and resources for parent caregivers The Coffee with Caregivers podcast for ongoing encouragement Caregivers Cove Facebook support group (2,200+ members!) Two documentaries: Unseen and the upcoming Uncertain Jessica’s books: Caregiving with Grit and Grace, Sunlight Burning at Midnight, Blended with Grit and Grace, and more Episode Highlights 06:38 Lifelong Caregiver Journey 08:38 “Author’s Journey and Family Life” 10:39 “Blending Families: Grace and Grit” 16:30 Permission to Feel in Caregiving 20:18 “Founding the Lucas Project” 22:31 Divine Design and Support Systems 26:49 Caregiving: Finding Purpose and Support 28:30 Seek Professional Help, Not Spouse 33:05 Simplifying Help for Caregivers Connect with Jessica! You can connect with Jessica at thelucasproject.org and jessronne.com Facebook: @jessronneofficial Instagram: @jessplusthemess Jessica Ronne is a multi-published author, speaker, host of the Coffee with Caregivers Podcast, producer of UNSEEN and UNCERTAIN,  and caregiver advocate. She offers encouragement and practical tips to her listeners. She is also the founder/executive director of The Lucas Project, a nonprofit providing resources, and respite for special needs caregivers. She and her husband, Ryan, live in Michigan with their eight children, including their son Lucas, who has profound disabilities. What Threatens to Steal Your Joy? Check out Surrender the Joy Stealers: Rediscover the Jesus Joy in You 6-week Bible study rooted in John 15. You can find more info at https://dorisswift.com/book/ Let’s Stay Connected! Find my free resources including Fear Fighting Bible Verses, Simple Tips for Sharing Your Faith, Surrender the Joy Stealers, Step Out of Your Doubt and Into Your Calling ebook, and more on my dorisswift.com homepage! Love Fierce Calling? Did you know that following, rating, and leaving a review over at Podchaser or Apple Podcasts helps others discover the show too? I would so appreciate it, friend! Need a Speaker for Your Next Women’s Event? Now Booking for fall/winter 2025 & 2026! Check out my speaking page, grab my flyer, and let’s talk about me speaking at your next women’s event… Thanks for Listening! I hope this episode encouraged, inspired, and challenged you to cultivate community, live and walk in the value, purpose, and worth God gave you, and take action where your passion, compassion, and conviction intersect. If you’re looking for a speaker for your next women’s conference, retreat, luncheon, or workshop, reach out and connect with me on my speaker page at https://www.womenspeakers.com/florida/edgewater/speaker/doris-swift Let’s have a chat about your next event! Stay tuned for more amazing content and remember to check the show notes for all the links mentioned. Thank you for being a part of our community. We are grateful for your continued support and encourage you to embrace the unique gifts that make you magnificently you. I hope you’ll join me next time when I talk with another guest who is taking action where her passion, compassion, and conviction intersect … Until then friend, have a blessed week, and I’ll talk to you soon. With love and joy, Doris P.S. Don’t forget to follow us on social media for bite-sized wisdom and inspiration from Doris and our incredible guests! 📲 Transcript Doris Swift [00:01:40]:What is threatening to steal your joy? What is it that feels so heavy right now that you could barely stand? God has a plan. And his plan is to surrender it. Surrender it to him. It might be a prodigal. It might be a relationship, a marriage, something with your job. So many things. We have so many amazing blessings, but there are so many things in our life that threaten to steal our joy. I’m Doris Swift, author of the award winning six week Bible study, Surrender the Joy. Doris Swift [00:02:18]:Rediscover the Jesus joy in you. And it helps women rediscover the overflowing, ever present Jesus joy within that fills, empowers and ripens the fruit that God produces in our lives. Using personal biblical stories, I share how you can identify your joist dealers. Surrender them to God, Reawaken the joy within and share the joy with others. You can do it on your own or with a group. Check it out, friends. Surrender the joy stealers. Rediscover the Jesus joy in you. It’s available on all the online retailers. It’s time to take your joy back. Doris Swift [00:02:53]:Welcome back to the show today. I am excited to welcome my friend today, Jessica Ronnie. She is an author, a speaker, a podcast, host of the podcast Coffee with Caregivers, associate producer of the unseen documentary, which I would love to hear more about and I know you would too. And she’s a caregiver advocate. She’s the founder and executive director of the Lucas Project, which is a nonprofit dedicated to serving parent caregivers with recognition, respite and resources, which is so, so, so needed. And she is a wife and a mama in a exciting blended family with eight kids. Doris Swift [00:03:41]:And we just want to hear more about how God has been working in your life. Welcome to the show. Jessica Ronne [00:03:48]:Yeah, thanks for having me. I’m excited to be here. Doris Swift [00:03:50]:Yeah, this has been great. And I know there’s so many things that we could go and share about your story that you could encourage the listener with. So I will just ask where you are taking where your passion, compassion and conviction intersect. Jessica Ronne [00:04:08]:Jess, Goodness, that’s a big question. Doris Swift [00:04:12]:You can break it down. Jessica Ronne [00:04:13]:Where am I taking action? I’m taking action in all kinds of different spheres these days. Still very much so in the caregiver advocacy space. I am, like you mentioned, the founder of the Lucas Project, and we are still coming up with programs and different areas to support parent caregivers in that regard. Still writing books, still speaking a lot nationally, and hosting the podcast Coffee with Caregivers and really just kind of trying to simplify my life. Too, since we did end up creating a group home for our son Lucas, and he moved into that group home about a year ago. And I find I have a lot more space on my hands now, a lot more time, because I’m not his primary caregiver anymore. There’s absolutely still a lot of micromanaging that has to be accomplished from afar. But he now has new primary caregivers and I find myself leaning more into this space of helping families create solutions for their loved ones because it is a national crisis. Jessica Ronne [00:05:17]:And we are creating a new documentary called Uncertain, which will explore that housing crisis for disabled adults and their families. And I’ve started a coaching service so that I can partner with families to help them create solutions as well. Doris Swift [00:05:32]:Wow, that is fantastic and so beautiful and, and very encouraging because that is a challenge for families. I know I have had several guests on the show who have, who, who are or were caregivers. And there are a lot of moms that come on that have special needs children and some of the things that they have concerns about is what happens when I’m no longer here, you know, how, how is this going to play out, you know, because oftentimes other family may not be able to take on that caregiver role. So I love that you have these resources and how God has led you to create this group home and then now freed up time to help others in this journey that they’re on. And you have quite an extensive background. I know, really, God has been preparing you as a caregiver for like I’ve heard you talk about how even growing up you can look back and see that. Can you share a little bit about that? Jessica Ronne [00:06:38]:

Welcome back to Fierce Calling! In this inspiring episode, host Doris Swift sits down with Robin Gerblick, an award-winning author, biblical life coach, and founder of the Exodus Women’s Retreat. Robin shares her powerful story of redemption, from a painful past marked by abortion and decades of wandering, to finding healing and purpose through Jesus. Together, Doris and Robin discuss the real, raw, and redeemed journey that led Robin to embrace forgiveness, launch a transformative women’s ministry, and write her book, Giving Up Grace: A Spiritual Rebranding of the Soul. Robin opens up about the challenges she faced, the grace she found after hitting rock bottom, and how God used her story to impact the lives of other women. Whether you’re struggling with regret, searching for healing, or just needing a reminder that it’s never too late to step into your calling, Robin’s testimony will encourage you to trust God’s timing and reclaim your joy. Plus, discover how Robin’s retreats empower women to encounter God in the wilderness and take the next steps toward spiritual wholeness. Tune in for an honest, hope-filled conversation about surrender, restoration, and stepping boldly where passion, compassion, and conviction intersect! Episode Highlights 00:00 “Surrendering Joy Stealers” 05:17 “Real, Raw, Redeemed Journey” 09:27 Regret Over Missed Adoption Choice 11:53 “Seeking Identity Before Faith” 15:31 “Giving Up Grace Explained” 17:54 “Believing Is Seeing: Trusting God” 22:52 Abortion’s Lasting Impact on Fertility 24:41 Volunteering at Crisis Pregnancy Centers 28:33 “Grace: Healing and Reflection” 31:43 Grace, Stories, and Comfort 36:51 “Faith-Driven Success and Leadership” 39:48 Post-Abortion Support and Encouragement 42:49 Forgiveness Journey and Healing Resources Connect with Robin! You can connect with Robin at robingerblick.com where you’ll find her book, social media links, the Exodus Women’s Retreat, and more! She’d love to hear from you and continue the conversation! What Threatens to Steal Your Joy? Check out Surrender the Joy Stealers: Rediscover the Jesus Joy in You 6-week Bible study rooted in John 15. You can find more info at https://dorisswift.com/book/ Let’s Stay Connected! Find my free resources including Fear Fighting Bible Verses, Simple Tips for Sharing Your Faith, Surrender the Joy Stealers, Step Out of Your Doubt and Into Your Calling ebook, and more on my dorisswift.com homepage! Love Fierce Calling? Did you know that following, rating, and leaving a review over at Podchaser or Apple Podcasts helps others discover the show too? I would so appreciate it, friend! Need a Speaker for Your Next Women’s Event? Now Booking for fall/winter 2025 & 2026! Check out my speaking page, grab my flyer, and let’s talk about me speaking at your next women’s event… Thanks for Listening! I hope this episode encouraged, inspired, and challenged you to cultivate community, live and walk in the value and worth God gave you, and take action where your passion, compassion, and conviction intersect. If you’re looking for a speaker for your next women’s conference, retreat, luncheon, or workshop, reach out and connect with me on my speaker page at https://www.womenspeakers.com/florida/edgewater/speaker/doris-swift Let’s have a chat about your next event! Stay tuned for more amazing content and remember to check the show notes for all the links mentioned. Thank you for being a part of our community. We are grateful for your continued support and encourage you to embrace the unique gifts that make you magnificently you. I hope you’ll join me next time when I talk with another guest who is taking action where her passion, compassion, and conviction intersect … Until then friend, have a blessed week, and I’ll talk to you soon. With love and joy, Doris P.S. Don’t forget to follow us on social media for bite-sized wisdom and inspiration from Doris and our incredible guests! 📲 Transcript Doris Swift [00:01:53]:What is threatening to steal your joy? What is it that feels so heavy right now that you could barely stand? God has a plan, and his plan is to surrender it. Surrender it to him. It might be a prodigal. It might be a relationship, a marriage, something with your job. So many things. We have so many amazing blessings, but there are so many things in our life that threaten to steal our joy. I’m Dora Swift, author of the award winning six week bible study, Surrender the Joy Stealers Rediscover the Jesus Joy in You, And it helps women rediscover the overflowing, ever present Jesus joy within that fills, empowers, and ripens the fruit that God produces in our lives. Using personal and biblical stories, I share how you can identify your joy stealers, surrender them to God, reawaken the joy within, and share the joy with others. Doris Swift [00:02:56]:You can do it on your own or with a group. Check it out, friends. Surrender the Joy Stealers. Rediscover the Jesus joy in you. It’s available on all the online retailers. It’s time to take your joy back. Welcome back to the show. Today, I’m excited to introduce to you my friend, Robin Gerblick. Doris Swift [00:03:17]:She is an award winning author. She’s a biblical life coach, a certified personal trainer, and Pilates instructor. Hello. I’m impressed with that. I need more of that in my life. And I just love that she’s a lover of life and the living water. That’s amazing. And she has so many things going on, wonderful ministry work that she does. Doris Swift [00:03:40]:She has, a retreat, the Exodus Women’s Retreat, and we’re also gonna talk about her book, Giving Up Grace, a Spiritual Rebranding of the Soul. And you’re gonna wanna hear all about that. And I would love if you would share a little bit more about yourself, Robin. Welcome to the show. Robin Gerblick [00:04:01]:Thanks so much, Doris. I’ve been looking forward to this. We’ve we’ve had a few schedule changes, and I’m excited excited to be here. So thanks. Doris Swift [00:04:10]:Thank you. And, yeah. So you are married to your best friend, which I love, and, and you go between a couple of different states. We were talking earlier, Arizona and Idaho. Right. So those of you who are listening, I know I have some listeners in those states. So, Robin, I would love if you would share a little bit about your story, however the Lord leads you, and how you’re taking action where your passion, compassion, and conviction intersect. Robin Gerblick [00:04:39]:Yeah. That’s perfect. As we were talking about about earlier, I I just love that because that’s how how God uses us, and he calls us. And I love the scripture that you that you use, in your notes. It’s I’m gonna remind myself, but I think it’s the Ephesians three twenty. And I just love that because God is able to do so much more than we could ever possibly imagine and all the glory to him. But what I really love is it’s never too late to use your story. You know? God can always use it. Robin Gerblick [00:05:17]:And I I think for me, I always felt like I was late to the party. I’m a lot older than people think, and I just I just think it took me so long to well, it took me a really long time to find Jesus, number one, and then to find healing for my, my abortion journey that I had, my inability to have children because of that. It it just took so long that I I felt like like, god, are you ever gonna once I found Jesus, I’m like, are you ever gonna use me? It’s like it just seemed to go on forever. But, yeah, my story is is hard, and, I have these three words that describe it. So there it’s real, raw, and redeemed. And I know my life was just so upside down and hard when I was younger, but that started with an abortion when I was 19. And and I truly thought I was gonna marry that guy and have, you know, the family, the white picket fence, the station wagon, the 2.5 children, but that, it didn’t play out that that way at all. He he didn’t want anything to do with me. Robin Gerblick [00:06:35]:And, so that sort of started my what I called my forty year wandering in the desert like the like the Israelites, you know, searching for manna and living water and anything really that would fill the the spot that Jesus was meant to fill. But when you don’t know Jesus, you can go in a lot of a lot of different directions, which is what I did. And, you know, I I I wanna say I don’t have any regrets because God does use every bit of our story for his good and his glory. And if I had it to do over again, I well, there are certain things that I definitely would do differently. But, but what he’s given me now on the end of the redemption side is just so so amazing. And I think that’s where our our passion and compassion and conviction collide. Doris Swift [00:07:37]:Yeah. So true. And I love your your words, real raw redeemed. It’s just something that is is a powerful statement, and I know that a lot of us can really relate to that and how you talked about a forty year wandering. So things started to really spiral in your life when you were 19 then, and things didn’t look quite the way you thought they were gonna look, which oftentimes in our life, things happen and it’s not what we would have planned. And we might say, this is not my story, God. What, you know, what is this all about? But what was the circumstance at the time when you, you know, found yourself pregnant and was it something that others in your life were encouraging you to do? Or how how was it back then as a 19 year old girl? Robin Gerblick [00:08:35]:Yeah. And back then, when we’re talking, was, like, nineteen seventy three. So that was just when, you know, Roe v Wade was coming on the scene, and I was also on birth control when I got pregnant, which is a big misconception that a lot of people have and that the abortion industry would love to, you know, think have you think otherwise. But but, really, there’s quite a few women that do get pregnant on birth control. So you think you’re doing the right thing and and real

Welcome back to Fierce Calling! In today’s episode, host Doris Swift welcomes friend Erin Harrigan—a Christian wife, empty nest mom, sought-after speaker, business coach, and host of the award-winning podcast “Redefining Hustle: Pursuing Success as a Christian Woman.” Erin is also the author of Pursuing Success God’s Way: A Practical Guide to Hustle with Heart, and she’s here to share her journey from achieving worldly success in business to discovering what it truly means to find fulfillment and impact by letting Jesus lead. Listen in as Erin opens up about her radical transformation after giving her life to Christ at age 46, the traps of new age thinking, and how true success is rooted in obedience, stewardship, and joy in the Lord, not in hustle or comparison. Doris and Erin dig deep into what it means to pursue God’s assignments in every season, whether you’re working in the corporate world, beginning a new adventure at home, or stepping out into something new. You’ll walk away encouraged to seek God first in every venture, redefine success by His standards, and take practical steps toward living abundantly (not in a prosperity gospel kind of way, but God’s way) and making kingdom impact—right where you are. Get ready for a powerful conversation that will inspire you to surrender your joy stealers, cultivate your God-given gifts, and step into your unique calling with wholehearted faith! Episode Highlights 00:00 “Surrender Your Joy Stealers” 05:40 From New Age to Christian Faith 10:06 Pursuing Success God’s Way 11:52 “Success: A Divine Perspective” 16:00 Avoiding Distraction: Focus on Purpose 19:18 Sin, Success, and Spiritual Guidance 21:44 Walking in Faith, Not Prosperity 25:40 Embracing Change and Identity 30:39 Listening to God’s Guidance Connect with Erin! You can connect with Erin at erinharrigan.com, where you’ll find her books, podcast, coaching info, social media links, and more about Erin. She’d love to hear from you and continue the conversation! What Threatens to Steal Your Joy? Check out Surrender the Joy Stealers: Rediscover the Jesus Joy in You 6-week Bible study rooted in John 15. You can find more info at https://dorisswift.com/book/ Let’s Stay Connected! Find my free resources including Fear Fighting Bible Verses, Simple Tips for Sharing Your Faith, Surrender the Joy Stealers, Step Out of Your Doubt and Into Your Calling ebook, and more on my dorisswift.com homepage! Love Fierce Calling? Did you know that following, rating, and leaving a review over at Podchaser or Apple Podcasts helps others discover the show too? I would so appreciate it, friend! Need a Speaker for Your Next Women’s Event? Now Booking for fall/winter 2025 & 2026! Check out my speaking page, grab my flyer, and let’s talk about me speaking at your next women’s event… Thanks for Listening! I hope this episode encouraged, inspired, and challenged you to cultivate community, live and walk in the value and worth God gave you, and take action where your passion, compassion, and conviction intersect. If you’re looking for a speaker for your next women’s conference, retreat, luncheon, or workshop, reach out and connect with me on my speaker page at https://www.womenspeakers.com/florida/edgewater/speaker/doris-swift Let’s have a chat about your next event! Stay tuned for more amazing content and remember to check the show notes for all the links mentioned. Thank you for being a part of our community. We are grateful for your continued support and encourage you to embrace the unique gifts that make you magnificently you. I hope you’ll join me next time when I talk with another guest who is taking action where her passion, compassion, and conviction intersect … Until then friend, have a blessed week, and I’ll talk to you soon. With love and joy, Doris P.S. Don’t forget to follow us on social media for bite-sized wisdom and inspiration from Doris and our incredible guests! 📲 Transcript Doris [00:01:53]:What is threatening to steal your joy? What is it that feels so heavy right now that you could barely stand? God has a plan, and his plan is to surrender it. Surrender it to him. It might be a prodigal. It might be a relationship, a marriage, something with your job. So many things. We have so many amazing blessings, but there are so many things in our life that threaten to steal our joy. I’m Dora Swift, author of the award winning six week bible study, Surrender the Joy Stealers Rediscover the Jesus Joy in You, And it helps women rediscover the overflowing, ever present Jesus joy within that fills, empowers, and ripens the fruit that God produces in our lives. Using personal and biblical stories, I share how you can identify your joy stealers, surrender them to God, reawaken the joy within, and share the joy with others. Doris [00:02:56]:You can do it on your own or with a group. Check it out, friends. Surrender the joy stealers. Rediscover the Jesus joy in you. It’s available on all the online retailers. It’s time to take your joy back. Welcome back to the show. Today, I am very excited to welcome my friend, Erin Harrigan. Doris [00:03:18]:She is a Christian wife, mom, and I’ll have to mention empty nest mom, which I love because that’s what I am too, and I know some of you listening are. She is a speaker and a business coach and the host of the award winning Pursuing Success as a Christian Woman. And she wrote an amazing book we’re gonna talk about today among other things called Pursuing Success God’s Way, A Practical Guide to Hustle with Heart. And this is for women I mean, Erin coaches, entrepreneurial women, you know, women in business, but this goes for any woman who is listening right now because there is probably something in your heart or on your heart that God wants to do in and through you. Maybe it’s something new. Maybe it’s to refresh or revitalize something that you’re already doing. So we’re gonna talk about that today, and it’s so great to have you, Erin. Welcome to the show. Erin Harrigan [00:04:16]:Thank you, Doris. It’s such an honor to be here on your show. I know I’ve been following you for a while, and, it’s exciting to have these conversations that the Lord appoints the time. Right? So here we are today. Doris [00:04:28]:Here we are today. Yes. Yes. I’m so thankful that you’re on. And I just love how you talk about hustle with heart because hustle from the world’s definition can really burn us out, and I think you have some good words of wisdom to speak into that. So I would love if you would share a little bit about your story and how you’re currently taking action, where your passion, compassion, and conviction intersect. Erin Harrigan [00:04:57]:So I came to Jesus later in life. I gave my life to Christ at age 46 in October of twenty fourteen. I knew of the Lord growing up, but I never had a personal relationship. Right? We we so often talk about it’s not about religion, it’s about relationship. And I came to saving grace in Jesus because of a mentor of mine who I had reached out to in my, at the time, multilevel marketing business, and I just said something is not working. I have the success. The numbers look good, but I I just don’t feel like I got it where it’s supposed to be. And she said, that’s because you don’t know who you are or whose you are. Erin Harrigan [00:05:40]:And she asked me if I knew Jesus. Now at the time, Doris, I was very influenced by a lot of new age thinking in the company that I was in. There was a lot of talk about universe and law of attraction and manifestation. And so I had talked a good game of that, but she I call her the velvet hammer with the grace and truth, hold me out of that and led me to Jesus that day. So what then began to happen, as we all know, is once you give your life to Christ, that changes everything. And over the years, the the next four years or so, he just began to shift the way I view business, the way I do business, how I viewed success, how I viewed achievement. And then he began to bring me sisters in Christ who were walking a very similar journey, asking me to coach them. And so that’s what I started doing. Erin Harrigan [00:06:35]:And then in 2019, he had me start my podcast and then take that content and begin to shape what became the book that I published in 2020. So that’s the backstory. The the ongoing story is every single day asking him, where where are you taking me today and who do I need to serve? And so doing that through coaching, of course, but also opportunities like this to be a guest on a podcast or writing. I see so much power, holy spirit power, in his daughters that we either shrink back from because we think we’re not equipped and qualified or, we overachieve in. And so he’s positioned me at this place of biblical truth and business acumen to to help them understand that life at his best is letting Jesus lead. So how do we actually do that? Doris [00:07:35]:Yeah. That is awesome. I love how you kinda laid that out so smoothly, and the things that you brought out were really important, nuggets there. Like, for example, when you were talking about being in a multilevel company and you were you were very successful by the world standards, but there was a new age kinda ideology or mentality that you were just kind of living out. And it’s funny because sometimes we’ll hear those messages and not really identify that it is something that is not biblical. It’s new kind of a new age type thinking, very focused inward on self and Yeah. You know, success and making things happen, like, that we can think things into existence and, you know, those kind of things. Yeah. Doris [00:08:30]:So I’m glad that you brought that out, and I’m glad well, of course, God had that plan to send you the velvet hammer. That’s Erin Harrigan [00:08:38]:right. So that’s You know, I think that the the piece about the new age, Doris, I just wanna bring out a little bit is, you know, the enemy is so skilled at and he did it to Jesus. Let’s let’s not overloo

Welcome to another episode of Fierce Calling! Today, host Doris Swift sits down with the inspiring Stephanie Alton—literary agent, marketing expert, wife, and mom, who shares how profound moments happen when we listen to God. Stephanie encourages us with her remarkable journey, including unexpected steps and small beginnings that God used to lead her right where she’s meant to be. Through stories of divine timing, open doors, and the willingness to say “yes,” Stephanie offers practical advice, reminding us that every big dream starts with small, faithful steps. Whether you’re looking to step into your calling, start writing, or need encouragement in a difficult season, this conversation will remind you that God’s purpose unfolds in ways we never expect. So grab your coffee or tea, get comfortable, and get ready to be inspired by the story of how ordinary obedience can lead to extraordinary impact. Episode Highlights 00:00 “Surrender Your Joy Stealers” 05:18 “Divine Path to Literary Agent” 10:57 Embracing Opportunities in Publishing 12:15 “Journey to Becoming a Gatekeeper” 18:33 Undeniable Divine Intervention 20:31 Milestone Moments of Faith 23:05 Understanding Audiences and Unique Voices 29:16 “Building Your Writing Platform” 32:21 Steps Lead to Big Opportunities 35:46 “Know Your Audience’s Expectations” 40:50 Parenting Reflections and Growth 41:53 Cherishing Motherhood and Personal Timing 45:51 Join Our Book Pod Network 49:07 Blessings and Goodbye for Now Connect with Stephanie! You can connect with Stephanie through The Book Pod Review and Interview Network Facebook group, as she mentioned in the show! You can also find out more about her and which conferences she’ll be attending at theblythedanielagency.com, which is in the process of being updated soon. Stephanie Alton is a wife, mom, literary agent, and marketing expert. What Threatens to Steal Your Joy? Check out Surrender the Joy Stealers: Rediscover the Jesus Joy in You 6-week Bible study rooted in John 15. You can find more info at https://dorisswift.com/book/ Let’s Stay Connected! Find my free resources including Fear Fighting Bible Verses, Simple Tips for Sharing Your Faith, Surrender the Joy Stealers, Step Out of Your Doubt and Into Your Calling ebook, and more on my dorisswift.com homepage! Love Fierce Calling? Did you know that following, rating, and leaving a review over at Podchaser or Apple Podcasts helps others discover the show too? I would so appreciate it, friend! Need a Speaker for Your Next Women’s Event? Now Booking for 2025 & 2026! Check out my speaking page, grab my flyer, and let’s talk about me speaking at your next women’s event… Thanks for Listening! I hope this episode encouraged, inspired, and challenged you to cultivate community, live and walk in the value and worth God gave you, and take action where your passion, compassion, and conviction intersect. If you’re looking for a speaker for your next women’s conference, retreat, luncheon, or workshop, reach out and connect with me on my speaker page at https://www.womenspeakers.com/florida/edgewater/speaker/doris-swift Let’s have a chat about your next event! Stay tuned for more amazing content and remember to check the show notes for all the links mentioned. Thank you for being a part of our community. We are grateful for your continued support and encourage you to embrace the unique gifts that make you magnificently you. I hope you’ll join me next time when I talk with another woman who is taking action where her passion, compassion, and conviction intersect … Until then friend, have a blessed week, and I’ll talk to you soon. With love and joy, Doris P.S. Don’t forget to follow us on social media for bite-sized wisdom and inspiration from Doris and our incredible guests! 📲 Transcript Doris [00:01:53]:What is threatening to steal your joy? What is it that feels so heavy right now that you could barely stand? God has a plan, and his plan is to surrender it. Surrender it to him. It might be a prodigal. It might be a relationship, a marriage, something with your job. So many things. We have so many amazing blessings, but there are so many things in our life that threaten to steal our joy. I’m Dora Swift, author of the award winning six week bible study, Surrender the Joy Stealers Rediscover the Jesus Joy in You, And it helps women rediscover the overflowing, ever present Jesus joy within that fills, empowers, and ripens the fruit that God produces in our lives. Using personal and biblical stories, I share how you can identify your joy stealers, surrender them to God, reawaken the joy within, and share the joy with others. Doris [00:02:56]:You can do it on your own or with a group. Check it out, friends. Surrender the Joy Stealers. Rediscover the Jesus joy in you. It’s available on all the online retailers. It’s time to take your joy back. Welcome back to the show. Today, I’m excited to introduce to you my friend, Stephanie Alton. Doris [00:03:17]:She is an amazing literary agent and a marketing agent. She’s a mom, a wife, and a million other things that she does. She’s a a busy gal, and she is with the Blythe Daniel agency, which is my literary agency. So, of course, I love them so much. And we’ve connected over the years in a lot of different ways. I used to be a blogger in their blog, network and just kind of connected at conferences. And Stephanie has an amazing story that she wants to share with us. So welcome to this show today. Doris [00:03:53]:It’s so great to have you, Stephanie. Stephanie Alton [00:03:55]:Thanks for having me, Doris. I love getting to see you, and thank you so much for having me. Doris [00:04:00]:Thank you. I I appreciate you being on. And we actually tried this once before, but we kind of chatted all the way through, and Stephanie Alton [00:04:06]:we never actually recorded. Doris [00:04:07]:But that was fun, and I enjoyed it. And it was meant to be for that day. You know, sometimes we make plans. You know, God directs our steps, and that was what what was meant to happen that day. So this was meant to happen on this day. So I would love it. So I just you know, how he moves in our lives and everything. And and so I would just love if you would share a little bit about your story and how you’re taking action where your passion, compassion, and conviction intersect. Stephanie Alton [00:04:35]:Okay. Well, to touch back to what you were saying the last time we tried to connect, I think, a while ago, today, I was sitting there thinking I was like, oh, no. Not again. This time, it’s gonna be tech issues or something. And so I was thinking, there’s probably gotta be something really good that’s gonna come out of our conversation today. The last time we tried, we just went way off course and chatted all of our time away. And then this time, I’m like, I’m probably well into my appointment time, and I still cannot get in there. So, I’m just gonna believe that our time today is anointed and meant to be something important. Stephanie Alton [00:05:18]:But, I think the most relatable way that I could share that god has moved through my life is how I became a literary agent. And I think it even started when I felt the calling to become a writer. But I’ll I’ll I’ll fast forward through that part and then get to the good another good part because there’s two really divine interactions that I’ve had with writing specific, but this one led me to my job. And I had met Blythe, Blythe Daniel of the Blythe Daniel agency, at a writer’s conference and, pitched her my project. It was my first writer’s conference, and I made every single rookie mistake you can make. So if anyone’s thinking about writing, you’re you’re in good company, and I come with a humble heart. I have made all the mistakes. And I still make mistakes now, so, there’s that too. Stephanie Alton [00:06:23]:I met her. I connected with her. It was, like, right when Facebook was, like, the ultimate thing. It was so cool. And if somebody was your accepted your friend request, it was even cooler. So, after the conference well, she had told me no on my projects politely. She’s like, well, do some work on it and then send it back to me in, like, six months. And I was like, yes. Stephanie Alton [00:06:46]:I didn’t get a direct no. So, I took that with, like, a little bit of a dose of excitement. And, I friended her, and she accepted. And I was like, major win. And then, I just kept an eye on her because she would share about different conferences she was going to or little events that she would do in Colorado Springs where where she lives. And, I had fam I still have family there. So I always kinda, like, was watching to see if when I was going to Colorado, if she was doing something, and she always had so much interaction. Like, so many people would respond to anything she posted. Stephanie Alton [00:07:32]:And, again, this was years ago over ten years ago when Facebook was, like, so so cool. And one time, she posted that she needed she wanted somebody to review a movie for her, and I thought for sure there would already be, like, dozens of people saying, I’ll do it. I’ll do it. But there was no one there, and it the post had been up for a couple of hours. And so I sheepishly raised my hand and say, I’ll do it. I’ll do it. Thinking she was gonna reply with, no. You you don’t have enough email subscribers or a big enough platform or this, that, and the other. Stephanie Alton [00:08:08]:But she said yes. And she not only sent me one movie to review, she sent me two. And so I thought, oh, man. I’ve gotta get this done right away. Like, it’s top priority. And so I I watched the movie and took a bunch of notes, and I I did the review, and I sent it to her. And we were just corresponding about you know, she was like, so have you been working on your project and this, that, and the other. And during this season of communicating with Blythe, we had recently moved to Colorado Springs to be near my husband’s family. Stepha

Welcome back to Fierce Calling! In today’s episode, host Doris Swift welcomes back author, coach, and Proverbs 31 Ministries writer Abby McDonald. Abby is here to talk about her brand new book, Surrendering Certainty: Hearing God Today by Letting Go of Tomorrow. With warmth and honesty, Abby opens up about juggling the demands of motherhood, writing, and community, and how God has shifted her focus to finding Him in both the big moments and everyday interruptions. Together, Doris and Abby dig into what it means to truly surrender our need for control and certainty, and to trust God—especially when life doesn’t go the way we planned. Abby shares insightful stories, biblical wisdom, and practical steps to help you trade fear and frustration for adventurous faith, and to recognize that even life’s distractions can be holy moments of growth and connection with God. Whether you’re in a season of waiting, feeling weighed down by uncertainty, or looking for encouragement to embrace your calling, this conversation will remind you that you’re not alone. Get ready to be encouraged, challenged, and equipped to rediscover joy and confidence in following God’s lead—one surrendered step at a time. Episode Highlights 05:36 Intentional Connections and Community Building 09:32 “Trusting God’s Plan” 13:41 “Surrendering Certainty” Book Endorsement 18:38 Honest Prayer for Clarity 23:07 Chronic Pain and Seeking Comfort 24:06 “Meteor Shower and Divine Assurance” 29:51 “Rejection as a Refining Process” 31:19 Psalm’s Guidance Against Fear 34:49 “Delayed Success is Sweeter” 38:44 Encourage Book Reviews for Abby Connect with Abby! You can connect with Abby and find her books, social media links, coaching services, blog, and her 5 Days to Life Unstuck Challenge, and more at abbymcdonald.org Abby McDonald is a writing coach, speaker, and the author of Surrendering Certainty: Hearing God Today by Letting Go of Tomorrow. and Shift: Changing Our Focus to See the Presence of God. Her mission is to empower women to hear God’s voice in their lives and act on it in faith. Abby writes regularly for Proverb 31 Ministries’ daily devotions team, and her work has been featured in numerous publications. Abby lives with her husband, three children, and black lab in the mountains of western Maryland. Connect with her at abbymcdonald.org. What Threatens to Steal Your Joy? Check out Surrender the Joy Stealers: Rediscover the Jesus Joy in You 6-week Bible study rooted in John 15. You can find more info at https://dorisswift.com/book/ Let’s Stay Connected! Find my free resources including Fear Fighting Bible Verses, Simple Tips for Sharing Your Faith, Surrender the Joy Stealers, Step Out of Your Doubt and Into Your Calling ebook, and more on my dorisswift.com homepage! Love Fierce Calling? Did you know that following, rating, and leaving a review over at Podchaser or Apple Podcasts helps others discover the show too? I would so appreciate it, friend! Need a Speaker for Your Next Women’s Event? Now Booking for 2025 & 2026! Check out my speaking page, grab my flyer, and let’s talk about me speaking at your next women’s event… Thanks for Listening! I hope this episode encouraged, inspired, and challenged you to cultivate community, live and walk in the value and worth God gave you, and take action where your passion, compassion, and conviction intersect. If you’re looking for a speaker for your next women’s conference, retreat, luncheon, or workshop, reach out and connect with me on my speaker page at https://www.womenspeakers.com/florida/edgewater/speaker/doris-swift Let’s have a chat about your next event! Stay tuned for more amazing content and remember to check the show notes for all the links mentioned. Thank you for being a part of our community. We are grateful for your continued support and encourage you to embrace the unique gifts that make you magnificently you. I hope you’ll join me next time when I talk with another woman who is taking action where her passion, compassion, and conviction intersect … Until then friend, have a blessed week, and I’ll talk to you soon. With love and joy, Doris P.S. Don’t forget to follow us on social media for bite-sized wisdom and inspiration from Doris and our incredible guests! 📲 Transcript Doris:What is threatening to steal your joy? What is it that feels so heavy right now that you could barely stand? God has a plan, and his plan is to surrender it. Surrender it to him. It might be a prodigal. It might be a relationship, a marriage, something with your job. So many things. We have so many amazing blessings, but there are so many things in our life that threaten to steal our joy. I’m Dora Swift, author of the award winning six week bible study, Surrender the Joy Stealers Rediscover the Jesus Joy in You, And it helps women rediscover the overflowing, ever present Jesus joy within that fills, empowers, and ripens the fruit that God produces in our lives. Using personal and biblical stories, I share how you can identify your joy stealers, surrender them to God, reawaken the joy within, and share the joy with others. Doris:You can do it on your own or with a group. Check it out, friends. Surrender the joy stealers, rediscover the Jesus joy in you. It’s available on all the online retailers. It’s time to take your joy back to the show. Today, I’m excited to welcome back my dear friend, Abby McDonald. We had her on, a time when she had a book came that came out called Shift, and that was amazing. She has a new one coming out called Surrendering Certainty, Hearing God Today by Letting Go of Tomorrow. Doris:I was honored to read an advanced copy and endorse this book. It’s fantastic. And we’re gonna talk about that today among many other things, I’m sure. Welcome to the show. It’s great to have you back, Abby. Abby McDonald:Thank you, Doris. I’m glad to be here. Doris:Thank you. Yeah. This is really exciting for you to have this next book coming out. I know that you’re you’re always working on something. And you’re also you’re you’re an author, you’re a a coach, you’re a mom, and you’re a wife. You have a lot going on, and you’re an editor too. So that’s something that’s, in your wheelhouse that you’ve been doing. So that’s pretty exciting. Doris:And I know sometimes people might think, okay. Well, this book comes out here and then this next book comes out. It might be a while in between because it takes a while for books to come out, but it doesn’t mean that God is not moving or doing other things in our life. So we would love to hear, Abby, a little bit about what’s been happening with you and what God’s been doing in and through your life and how you’re currently taking action where your passion, compassion, and conviction intersect. Abby McDonald:Absolutely, Doris. Well, a lot of my time is spent with my kids and, getting them from one activity to the next. I have three kids. They are 16, 13, and eight, so they keep me pretty busy with their various activities. Sometimes I just feel like I’m a taxi service getting them from one place to the other, but, my 16 year old is, about to get his driver’s license. He has his permit right now, and so I am gonna be soliciting his health in that area and having him running errands for me. Looking forward to that for sure. But, yeah, I have just the past few years, God has really put a passion in me to really connect in my community, and really focus there. Abby McDonald:And, not that I wasn’t connected before, you know, I’ve always had a local church, but, to really just focus more of my efforts and, being intentional, you know, about connecting with people, meeting for coffee, you know, going to a bible study, that sort of thing, and just building those relationships, because I think that online ministry is wonderful, and I I continue to do that. I’m a writer for Proverbs thirty one Ministries, encouragement for today. But I think that where God really moves and where people’s lives are really impacted is in those just everyday moments and in those relationships that we build with the people around us. He’s put us in in the places we are, in the spheres of influence we have for a reason. And I think it’s important for us to realize that and to really, ask him for his guidance and then be intentional about doing where whatever we feel that he’s leading us forward. Doris:That you brought that out. That that’s really important to talk about being intentional about, the the people around us, like, right where we are and to see the people. Mhmm. Yeah. I I kind of had that same feeling this past year. It’s kind of been a realization of, you know, we we focus so much on reaching the masses with a message that God has given us, which is so important because even Jesus said, you know, go to the ends of the earth with the gospel. But sometimes we do lose sight, and I kind of called that, like, a farsightedness and versus a nearsightedness, you know, that we we might focus on so many things that are, like, kind of out there versus what’s right in front of us. And so I’m glad that you brought that out. Doris:I’m glad because it is it is important. Abby McDonald:Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. And, you know, I mean and I hate almost to bring up COVID, but I think that that was part of, you know, what kind of isolated us, you know, and make us, just look more inward, you know, and not necessarily connect to the people around us. And I think it’s taken us a long time to get back to that point, you know, where we’re realizing, I we need people. You know? We need that connection, and it can’t just be online or, you know, on a Zoom call with, well, I love talking to you. You know? It it need we need to have that face to face Doris:Yeah. Abby McDonald:Interaction. And so, yeah, I feel like God is leading a lot of people toward that realization, you know, that we we need each other. Doris:Definitely. And so, you you know, you have a lot of activities going on. Like you said, you’ve got the the kids

Welcome back to another uplifting episode of Fierce Calling! I’m your host, Doris Swift, and today we have a special guest joining us—Amanda Schaefer. Amanda is an inspiring author, speaker, and host of the popular podcast “A Cup of Gratitude.” In this episode, Amanda shares her incredible transformation journey through faith, joy, and gratitude. From encountering Jesus in her home in a powerful way, to using her podcast to spread the gospel during the pandemic, Amanda’s story highlights the power of choosing gratitude and finding joy even in difficult times. Amanda shares about the difficult seasons of two divorces, but don’t miss the praise story of what God did to redeem it all. We dive into her upcoming book, which is set to encourage readers to explore their own stories and discover God at work in every chapter of their lives. Join us for a heartfelt conversation filled with insight, encouragement, and the reminder that our past story is part of our grace story. Stay tuned for an episode that will inspire you to take action where your passion, compassion, and conviction intersect. Episode Highlights 06:03 Gratitude and Opportunity Beyond Borders 10:56 Testimony: Sharing Stories of Faith 12:29 “Connecting Through Shared Stories” 16:11 “Discovering God’s Purpose in Stories” 19:48 Divine Guidance in Marriage Choices 24:37 Seeking God’s Guidance 26:40 “Journey of Faith and Renewal” 31:01 Journey to Healing and Faith 33:40 Amanda’s Inspiring Show Highlights Connect with Amanda! You can connect with Amanda at acupofgratitude.org where you’ll find her podcast, blog, and all her social media links! Amanda Schaefer is a podcast host, author, and speaker. She carries with her the goodness of looking through a lens of gratitude. The “A Cup of Gratitude” podcast is global, reaching over 112 countries and 3000 cities. As a speaker, Amanda teaches the Bible while challenging audiences to live the way God intends. She has a way of making scripture come alive through everyday examples.  Amanda’s books include, “Crumbled, A Place for Broken People” and “Daily “Instaration.” She is a contributing author of “Life Changing Stories and the newly released books, “One Chance, One Dance, Don’t Miss the Moments in Your Life,” and “Courageous Voices Unlocked.” Her books are down to earth and packed with Biblical truth. Amanda has also written articles for “The Brave Women Series,” “The Uncommon Normal Gratitude Series,” “The Love Offering,” “The Warrior Women Series,” “Butterfly Living, “The Empty Nest Mom Series,” and “The Season Series.” She is under contract to write a new manuscript slated to be released in April 2025. Connect with Amanda at www.acupofgratitude.org or on Social media  www.instagram.com/acupof_gratitude www.facebook.com/amanda.f.schaefer www.acupofgratitude.org https://youtube.com/@acupofgratitude?si=PF55x6T4ecrs7jdg What Threatens to Steal Your Joy? Check out Surrender the Joy Stealers: Rediscover the Jesus Joy in You 6-week Bible study rooted in John 15. You can find more info at https://dorisswift.com/book/ Let’s Stay Connected! Find my free resources including Fear Fighting Bible Verses, Simple Tips for Sharing Your Faith, Surrender the Joy Stealers, Step Out of Your Doubt and Into Your Calling ebook, and more on my dorisswift.com homepage! Love Fierce Calling? Did you know that following, rating, and leaving a review over at Podchaser or Apple Podcasts helps others discover the show too? I would so appreciate it, friend! Need a Speaker for Your Next Women’s Event? Now Booking for 2025 & 2026! Check out my speaking page, grab my flyer, and let’s talk about me speaking at your next women’s event… Thanks for Listening! I hope this episode with Nancy encouraged, inspired, and challenged you to cultivate community, live and walk in the value and worth God gave you, and take action where your passion, compassion, and conviction intersect. You’ll find links in the show notes to connect with Nancy and with me. If you’re looking for a speaker for your next women’s conference, retreat, luncheon, or workshop, reach out and connect with me on my speaker page at https://www.womenspeakers.com/florida/edgewater/speaker/doris-swift Let’s have a chat about your 2025 event! Stay tuned for more amazing content and remember to check the show notes for all the links mentioned. Thank you for being a part of our community. We are grateful for your continued support and encourage you to embrace the unique gifts that make you magnificently you. I hope you’ll join me next time when I talk with another woman who is taking action where her passion, compassion, and conviction intersect … Until then friend, have a blessed week, and I’ll talk to you soon. With love and joy, Doris P.S. Don’t forget to follow us on social media for bite-sized wisdom and inspiration from Doris and our incredible guests! 📲 Check out my home page for free resources! Transcript Doris:What is threatening to steal your joy? What is it that feels so heavy right now that you could barely stand? God has a plan, and his plan is to surrender it. Surrender it to him. It might be a prodigal. It might be a relationship, a marriage, something with your job. So many things. We have so many amazing blessings, but there are so many things in our life that threaten to steal our joy. I’m Dora Swift, author of the award winning six week Bible study, surrender the joy stealers rediscover the Jesus joy in you and it helps women rediscover the overflowing ever present Jesus joy within that fills, empowers, and ripens the fruit that God produces in our lives. Using personal and biblical stories, I share how you can identify your joy stealers, surrender them to god reawaken the joy within and share the joy with others you can do it on your own or with a group if you’re looking for a bible study check it out friends Surrender the Joy Stealers. Doris:Rediscover the Jesus Joy in You. It’s available on all the online retailers. It’s time to take your joy back. Welcome back to the show. Today, I’m very excited to welcome my friend, Amanda Schafer. She is an author, a speaker, and she is host of a popular podcast called A Cup of Gratitude. And she encourages and invites us to see things through the lens of gratitude, which I love that. And we’re gonna talk a little bit more about that in the show. Doris:But, yeah, she’s amazing. So you listen to podcasts, so be sure to go check that out. And I’ll have the link in the show notes, of course. And we’re just happy to get into this conversation and excited to see where God’s gonna lead us. So welcome to the show, Amanda. So great to have you. Amanda Schaefer:Thank you. Thanks for having me. I’m excited to to talk with you. We have followed each other on social media for a really long time, so I’m gonna have to have you back on my podcast as well. I’m very glad to have this conversation with you. Doris:I’m looking forward to that as well. And, yeah, we love how God connects us. And so this episode is very special, and I just can’t wait to hear, like, how God is gonna lead you and to share. So I would love if you would share a little bit about your story and how you are taking action where your passion, compassion, and conviction intersect? Amanda Schaefer:Well, how am I not at this point? So I’m 60, and I only came to Christ twenty three years ago. So I had quite a lot of past and quite a lot of trauma that, I needed to work through, but I can’t believe what God is doing in my life right now and and and that I get to share the gospel all over the world in so many different ways. So I started off with a lot of healing to do. I met Jesus not in church, but in my home, and I have been on fire for God ever since. I cannot get enough of the word. I cannot get enough of his presence. I can’t spend enough time in worship, and so he’s really transformed my heart. I’m able to connect with a lot of people who don’t know him because I spent more of my life not knowing him than knowing him. Amanda Schaefer:And so, he uses me a lot in these everyday moments where I look around and I am able to choose to look for the good in bad situations. It’s actually discipline, gratitude, you know, looking for the good. And the way that God created our our brains, he actually created a neural network that the more that you choose something, the easier it is to get there. It kind of creates a roadway. So it goes both ways. Unfortunately, conversely, if you think bad things or look for things anxiously or fearfully. But when you look for the good that is still there even in the midst of difficulty, you will find it, and then you’ll become expectant for more. And so that is really how he’s been using me is to remind people. Amanda Schaefer:I started my podcast during the pandemic after moving to care for my parents, in a into a sixteen hundreds farmhouse in the middle of nowhere and started podcasting from a closet because I was cut off and still wanted to share the gospel. And so he’s used my ability to look around and see his goodness and everything to connect to people and bring them hope. Doris:I love that. I mean, we could probably just end the show right now. I don’t want to. We’re not going to, but that was amazing. And I and I love how you talk about gratitude and what God did in your life, you know, even though you were feeling like you might have been isolated from where you used to live and maybe getting into more community outside of your home, he gave you an avenue to reach countries that you never would probably have had the opportunity to visit, and, you know, people are listening Yeah. To you because of that. And I love how on your show, you do say, that you’re not talking about whether your cup is half empty or half full. We hear that a lot, but it’s what’s in your cup. Doris:Right? Amanda Schaefer:Yeah. Yeah. Like I said, it’s an intentional thing. It really is. We have to choose it. And I love that God has always given us choice about ever

Welcome back to another inspiring episode of Fierce Calling! I’m your host, Doris Swift, and today we have the pleasure of welcoming back a dear friend and esteemed guest, Dr. Evelyn Johnson-Taylor. With over three decades of leadership in women’s ministry, Dr. Evelyn is dedicated to guiding women through the many seasons of their lives, encouraging, empowering, and equipping them to triumph at every stage. In this episode, we delve into her newest book, In and Out of Seasons: Thriving in Life’s Transitions, where she courageously shares her personal journey through loss, grief, and rediscovery. Through transparency and wisdom, Dr. Evelyn reveals how God uses life’s transitions to prepare us for our callings, reminding us that we are never alone in our journeys. Join us as we explore the power of embracing each season of life with hope and resilience. Whether you’re navigating a season of change or seeking to find your purpose, this conversation promises to uplift and encourage. You won’t want to miss this. Grab a cup of your favorite beverage, settle in, and let’s dive into this transformative discussion with Dr. Evelyn Johnson-Taylor. Episode Highlights Dr. Evelyn’s Personal Journey and Calling Her unexpected journey into women’s ministry. The influence of her husband’s pastoral work on her path. The importance of recognizing one’s calling through interactions with others. Impact of Loss and Life Transitions Dr. Evelyn’s experience with the passing of her husband and its emotional impact. Her approach to grief and the importance of aligning feelings with faith. The process of finding clarity and purpose after loss. Purpose and Objectives of the Book Using personal experiences to help others through similar life transitions. Emphasizing empathy and understanding through shared experiences. Different types of life transitions covered in the book, including empty nest and divorce. Engagement and Impact on Readers Feedback received from readers who relate to the book. Dr. Evelyn’s desire for readers to know they are not alone. Practical Advice on Navigating Seasons and Transitions Encouragement to approach change with an open heart and mind. Insight into thriving through challenges and opportunities for growth. Conclusion and Further Engagement Encouragement for listeners to connect with Dr. Evelyn through her website and social media. Information about Dr. Evelyn’s ongoing projects, including a prayer line for women. Connect with Dr. Evelyn! You can connect with Dr. Evelyn Johnson Taylor at https://evelynjtaylor.org/ where you’ll find all of her social media links, services, Women Called to Prayer prayer line, and more! Connect with Doris! Connect with Doris at https://dorisswift.com/ For speaking engagements, visit her booking page at womenspeakers.com Join us for this heartening episode of Fierce Calling and be inspired to deepen your biblical study and walk with God. What Threatens to Steal Your Joy? Check out Surrender the Joy Stealers: Rediscover the Jesus Joy in You 6-week Bible study rooted in John 15. You can find more info at https://dorisswift.com/book/ Let’s Stay Connected! Find my free resources including Fear Fighting Bible Verses, Simple Tips for Sharing Your Faith, Surrender the Joy Stealers, Step Out of Your Doubt and Into Your Calling ebook, and more on my dorisswift.com homepage! Love Fierce Calling? Did you know that following, rating, and leaving a review over at Podchaser or Apple Podcasts helps others discover the show too? I would so appreciate it, friend! Need a Speaker for Your Next Women’s Event? Now Booking for 2025 & 2026! Check out my speaking page, grab my flyer, and let’s talk about me speaking at your next women’s event… Thanks for Listening! I hope this episode with Nancy encouraged, inspired, and challenged you to cultivate community, live and walk in the value and worth God gave you, and take action where your passion, compassion, and conviction intersect. You’ll find links in the show notes to connect with Nancy and with me. If you’re looking for a speaker for your next women’s conference, retreat, luncheon, or workshop, reach out and connect with me on my speaker page at https://www.womenspeakers.com/florida/edgewater/speaker/doris-swift Let’s have a chat about your 2025 event! Stay tuned for more amazing content and remember to check the show notes for all the links mentioned. Thank you for being a part of our community. We are grateful for your continued support and encourage you to embrace the unique gifts that make you magnificently you. I hope you’ll join me next time when I talk with another woman who is taking action where her passion, compassion, and conviction intersect … Until then friend, have a blessed week, and I’ll talk to you soon. With love and joy, Doris P.S. Don’t forget to follow us on social media for bite-sized wisdom and inspiration from Doris and our incredible guests! 📲 Check out my home page for amazing for free resources and encouragement! Transcript What is threatening to steal your joy? What is it that feels so heavy right now that you could barely stand? God has a plan, and his plan is to surrender it. Surrender it to him. It might be a prodigal. It might be a relationship, a marriage, something with your job. So many things. We have so many amazing blessings, but there are so many things in our life that threaten to steal our joy. I’m Dora Swift, author of the award winning six week Bible study, Surrender the Joy Stealers Rediscover the Jesus Joy in You. And it helps women rediscover the overflowing, ever present Jesus joy within that fills, empowers, and ripens the fruit that God produces in our lives. Using personal and biblical stories, I share how you can identify your joy stealers, surrender them to God, reawaken the joy within, and share the joy with others. You can do it on your own or with a group. If you’re looking for a bible study, check it out, friends. Surrender the Joy Stealers. Rediscover the Jesus Joy in You. It’s available on all the online retailers. It’s time to take your joy back. Doris Swift:Welcome back to the show. Today, I am so excited to welcome back my good friend and sister in Christ, doctor Evelyn Johnson Taylor. She has three decades of leadership in women’s ministry dedicated to guiding women through the various seasons of their lives. Her overarching vision is to encourage, empower, and equip women to triumph in every stage of life, which is so fitting for fierce calling, and she sure has one. Today, we’re talking about her newest book. I believe it’s her sixth book, actually, In and Out of Seasons, Thriving in Life’s Transitions, traditionally published by Elk Lake Publishing. And she is a requested speaker for for conferences, and she has a background in nursing and caregiving. And she’s a theology professor at great Grace and Truth Christian University in Tampa, Florida, which is amazing. Welcome back to the show. Doris Swift:It’s so great to have you. Dr. Evelyn Johnson Taylor:Thank you, Doris. I am delighted to be back with you. I love spending time with you. Doris Swift:Thank you. I enjoy it so much too. And I know that my listeners are gonna be so encouraged by what you have to share. And you shared so much, in the previous episode that we did a while back and, talked a lot about your journey and the different seasons that you’ve been in. And you have really come out with a book that has been so encouraging, and I was so blessed to put a review, on Amazon for the book. And, you know, just to let people know that, you know, reviews really, really help authors to get the word out and more people can find the book. So it’s so important. So just a little reminder there, if you, love a book that you read and love an author, that if you do reviews, that’s, like, one of the best gifts ever. Doris Swift:So and it’s free, except for the book. But, you know, the review is free. So, so glad to have you back. So, doctor Evelyn, I would love if you would share a little bit about your story, maybe recap some things we’ve talked about before and how you’re currently taking action where your passion, compassion, and conviction intersect. Dr. Evelyn Johnson Taylor:Yes. Thank you. I’ve as you said, I’ve been a women’s ministry leader now for for over thirty years. I started started teaching a women’s bible study when my youngest daughter was about she’s probably about nine months old, and that’s how I started. I have to say this part because it’s it’s not something that I really in aspired to do, not something that I set out to do. My husband was a pastor, just started pastoring, a young pastor. We had two young daughters, so I thought, you know, my my role would be to support him, of course, but to mainly just focus on raising out daughters. And the interesting thing happened is that women started coming to me and asking me, will you teach us? Will you help us? Can you can you advise me on this? And I thought, well, I don’t you know, what what am I gonna say? But they just kept coming. Dr. Evelyn Johnson Taylor:And every time I would direct them to someone else, they would always come back to me. And what I discovered is that many times, we we have a call, you know, something that god has placed in us. And even though we don’t want to want to walk in it or go forth in it, he will send people around us to pull out of us what he has put in us. And I tell people this all the time that if you’re if you’re thinking I don’t know what I’m supposed to do, pay attention to who comes around you. Pay attention to the questions that they ask, you know, what kind of information they want from you. Because more than likely, what they’re asking from you is what God has placed in you to give them. Your purpose and your calling, it connects with what people are asking from you. So pay special attention to that. Dr. Evelyn Johnson Taylor:So the women just kept coming. And would you teach us, you know, a bible study

In this episode of Fierce Calling, Doris welcomes Tawana Lowery, founder of Miss Overcomer Global, a movement dedicated to helping women overcome through Christ and empowering them to become the key women of influence God created. Join us as Tawana delves into her incredible journey of overcoming life’s trials, from personal heartbreak and loss to the powerful epiphany that transformed her perspective on hardships. Discover how these experiences led her to develop a ministry that aids others in connecting with their courage, calling, and the power of prayer. Listen in as Tawana shares her wisdom on the importance of casting cares onto Christ, defeating the enemy’s lies, and embracing our unique calling. Whether you are seeking encouragement or looking for ways to enhance your spiritual journey, this episode is packed with insights that will encourage, inspire, and challenge you! Episode Highlights *Tawana’s personal overcomer story *The forming of Miss Overcomer Global *The power of prayer *Finding God’s faithfulness through hard seasons *God does work all things together for good *Prayer coach academy Connect with Tawana! You can connect with Tawana and find her coaching, speaking info, prayer coaching info, and more at www.MissOvercomer.com  Learn more about the Power of Prayer Coaching with this Free Prayer Coach Readiness Quiz… ️ https://bit.ly/PrayerCoachQuiz  Let Tawana help to make 2025 your MEGA year for:   Mega Impact  Mega Purpose  Mega Empowerment  Discover your Score now https://bit.ly/PrayerCoachQuiz Then book your Free 2025 Planning call with Tawana to discuss your results and your goals.   Possibly you were Born for such an Opportunity as this!   Tawana Lowery is a dynamic figure in the world of women’s leadership and personal growth. For more than 20 years, she has dedicated her career to Empowering women of Faith as a Leadership Coach, Best Selling Author, International Speaker, and YouTube Host. Connect with Doris! Connect with Doris at https://dorisswift.com/ For speaking engagements, visit her booking page at womenspeakers.com Join us for this heartening episode of Fierce Calling and be inspired to deepen your biblical study and walk with God. What Threatens to Steal Your Joy? Check out Surrender the Joy Stealers: Rediscover the Jesus Joy in You 6-week Bible study rooted in John 15. You can find more info at https://dorisswift.com/book/ Let’s Stay Connected! Find my free resources including Fear Fighting Bible Verses, Simple Tips for Sharing Your Faith, Surrender the Joy Stealers, Step Out of Your Doubt and Into Your Calling ebook, and more on my dorisswift.com homepage! Love Fierce Calling? Did you know that following, rating, and leaving a review over at Podchaser or Apple Podcasts helps others discover the show too? I would so appreciate it, friend! Need a Speaker for Your Next Women’s Event? Now Booking for 2025 & 2026! Check out my speaking page, grab my flyer, and let’s talk about me speaking at your next women’s event… Thanks for Listening! I hope this episode with Nancy encouraged, inspired, and challenged you to cultivate community, live and walk in the value and worth God gave you, and take action where your passion, compassion, and conviction intersect. You’ll find links in the show notes to connect with Nancy and with me. If you’re looking for a speaker for your next women’s conference, retreat, luncheon, or workshop, reach out and connect with me on my speaker page at https://www.womenspeakers.com/florida/edgewater/speaker/doris-swift Let’s have a chat about your 2025 event! Stay tuned for more amazing content and remember to check the show notes for all the links mentioned. Thank you for being a part of our community. We are grateful for your continued support and encourage you to embrace the unique gifts that make you magnificently you. I hope you’ll join me next time when I talk with another woman who is taking action where her passion, compassion, and conviction intersect … Until then friend, have a blessed week, and I’ll talk to you soon. With love and joy, Doris P.S. Don’t forget to follow us on social media for bite-sized wisdom and inspiration from Doris and our incredible guests! 📲 Check out my home page for amazing for free resources and encouragement! Transcript Doris [00:01:54]:Welcome back to the show. Today, I am excited to welcome my friend, Tawana Lowry. For more than twenty years, she’s been empowering women of faith as a leadership coach, keynote speaker, best selling author, and YouTube host, and prayer coach. She is the founder of Miss Overcomer Global, and she gets joy from helping women overcome setbacks and leap forward with joy and purpose. And I am so excited to get into this conversation with you today. Welcome to the show, Tawana. Tawana Lowery [00:02:28]:Thank you, Doris. I’m so happy to be here. Doris [00:02:30]:This has been an experience, kind of just meeting with you over time and getting to know your heart and how you love to help women to be the overcomers that God is calling them to be. And I know that you have dealt with a lot of struggles and hardships in your life, and I I know that what you share is gonna encourage, inspire, and challenge our listeners. So I would love if you would share a little bit about your story and also how you are taking action where your passion, compassion, and conviction intersect. Tawana Lowery [00:03:06]:Yeah. So, you know, we do overcome so that we can help others overcome. Right? Paul talked about that. We are encouraged so we can help others and encourage them. And so, really, when you think about having an overcomer story, it’s almost like it’s ordained to have that because, you know, how else would we have something powerful to offer others if we ourselves haven’t gone through something and come out of it. I like to say that my hardships were multiplied, but God used it all to give me a message, Doris, that multiplies hope. And so, it spans, you know, three decades of just one tragic hardship after another after another. But what stands out the most is I’ll never forget the day that I discovered that my twenty five year marriage had ended. Tawana Lowery [00:04:00]:And it was every woman’s worst nightmare, but it happened to me. You know, it’s amazing how a simple text message can turn your life upside down and wrong side out all at the same time. And that’s kind of my story. And it just kicked off this very, very painful set of circumstances. And if that horrible news wasn’t bad enough, realizing that my marriage was ending came just six months after my mother had suddenly passed away from a stroke. Well, a year later, I hate to say, a year later, my father suddenly died from heart failure. And a couple of days after his memorial, I was in my living room, and I was looking at the pictures on the credenza of family time together and kind of trying to just grasp a happy memory. And so, I was looking at a picture of my father and I and I went to sit it down around all the other beautiful pictures on my credenza. Tawana Lowery [00:05:10]:You know, those photo displays for women, that’s like our trophy case, right? It’s the vacations and the holidays. That’s our trophy case. Well, I had mine, but a lot of those trophies were tarnished. And so, I went to sit back on the credenza, and all of a sudden, I saw those pictures, and I just realized it it represented a life I was never gonna have, you know, a life I had dreamed about that turned out to just disappear. And and it was like sand just going through my fingers, and I couldn’t stop it. It it hurt me so bad, and it was such a hard punch to my emotions. I just dropped to my knees. I just felt nauseated with despair and pain. Tawana Lowery [00:05:55]:And I remember just crying out to God, like, look at all I’ve overcome. Look at all I’ve overcome. And I couldn’t stop saying it. And, you know, I was a faith minded, Bible believing, spirit filled woman of God. And yet, it felt like I couldn’t go on. I literally hit a wall. And I have to be honest with you. I mean, it happened. Tawana Lowery [00:06:17]:Right? It was the real thing that happened to me. And so I’m just kinda crying out to God and and with everything in me, look at all I’ve overcome. And I couldn’t stop saying it. And I wasn’t just talking about that was my second marriage, by the way, my second marriage ending in such a horrific, painful way. My parents dying. I wasn’t just talking about that. I was talking about all the other things, Doris, that had happened years prior, like being raised in domestic abuse, being raped at 15, date raped at 15. My mother forced me to have an abortion. Tawana Lowery [00:06:52]:And then a lot of complications emotionally from that, having, you know, horrible panic attacks and insecurity, like, you just can’t even believe. Then I married early, had a baby, got divorced. I was a single mother living below the poverty level, had a season of homelessness. And then, you know, when I remarried, I had two bankruptcies, law lost three homes, and then all of these other things that had happened. And and I just said, I can’t do it anymore. And all I could think about is everything I had overcome. And I’m laying in the floor on a hardwood floor, right? It can’t ever be soft carpet. It’s got to be the hardwood floor. Tawana Lowery [00:07:32]:So, I’m laying literally face down on this hardwood floor, and I’m exhausted. And finally, I just hear God say, Tawana, did you have to overcome it, or did you get to overcome it? Were you forced to, or were you unable to? And I was like, well, I never really thought about it like that before. And he said, think about it. You did overcome it. And I couldn’t deny it. I was still I was still there. But I’ve gotten so distracted about everything that happened. I completely missed the fact that I did, in fact, overcome it. Tawana Lowery [00:08:09]:And he said, Tawana, you you overcame every single one of those issues because I prepac

Welcome to episode 200!!!! Praise God and thank you to all my listeners!!!! The Fierce Calling Podcast is part of Fierce Calling Ministries which exists to encourage, equip, and engage women to take action where their passion, compassion, and conviction intersect, use their God-given gifts to impact the world for Christ, and partner with God in Kingdom work. In this milestone episode … Doris welcomes Dawn Ward, a dedicated author, speaker, biblical life coach, and founder of the transformative ministry, The Faith to Flourish. which helps women grow and flourish in their relationship with Jesus in all seasons of their lives. Dawn delves into her personal journey from her childhood in a typical Midwestern family to navigating the tumultuous waters of addiction within her family. Through her story, Dawn shares profound insights into how God intervened in her life, steering her from overwhelming fear and guilt toward a path of trust and surrender. Together, Doris and Dawn explore the intersecting lines of passion, compassion, and conviction that mark Dawn’s fierce calling, offering hope and Christian guidance to women burdened by life’s challenges. Join us for an episode filled with encouragement and inspiration as Dawn reveals how her faith, fortified by God’s word, guided her through the trials of addiction in her family and empowered her to assist other women seeking hope and healing! Key Topics and Takeaways … *Dawn’s Personal Story *Family Struggles with Addiction *Emotional and Spiritual Journey *Research and Seeking Help *Support and Community Building *Dawn Ward’s Ministry and Writing *Impact of Dawn’s Ministry *Call to Action and Resources Connect with Dawn! You can connect with dawn on her website thefaithtoflourish.com where you’ll find her resources, blog, her book From Guilt to Grace, social media links, and more! Dawn is married to her wonderfully supportive husband, Steve, and is the mother of three adult children. She and her family live in Las Vegas, a city of bright lights, surrounded by the dry, barren Mohave desert. Thus, the name The Faith to Flourish was born. Dawn founded this ministry out of a desire to help other women grow and flourish in their relationship with Jesus in all seasons of their lives. ​Professionally, until recently, she worked over 25 years in the medical field, primarily with female patients. Dawn has also served in women’s ministry in various teaching and leadership capacities for over thirty years. Both opportunities have given her invaluable perspective into the hearts and lives of women. Dawn’s passions are teaching, discipling, and equipping women to live victorious lives of faith. ​​​Because of the painful seasons of experiencing the trauma of watching her family members engage in self-destructive behaviors, Dawn was falling apart along with them. And sadly, her relationship with the Lord was also suffering. ​Dawn didn’t want to just say that Jesus was first in her life, she wanted Jesus to be first in her life. Dawn wanted to trust him in the good times, and yes, even in the bad, and longed to grow in grace while drawing closer to the Lord. ​​​Dawn took a deep dive into God’s word and discovered God is always faithful and his word never fails. She learned that the destructive life choices of others are hard, but so are many other trials we face in our lifetime. Her heart is for women to know that regardless of the journey each of us is on, it’s her heart’s desire to see each of us flourishing in our faith, rooted in God’s word, and growing in his grace.  Connect with Doris! Connect with Doris at https://dorisswift.com/ For speaking engagements, visit her booking page at womenspeakers.com Join us for this heartening episode of Fierce Calling and be inspired to deepen your biblical study and walk with God. What Threatens to Steal Your Joy? Check out Surrender the Joy Stealers: Rediscover the Jesus Joy in You 6-week Bible study rooted in John 15. You can find more info at https://dorisswift.com/book/ Let’s Stay Connected! Find my free resources including Fear Fighting Bible Verses, Simple Tips for Sharing Your Faith, Surrender the Joy Stealers, Step Out of Your Doubt and Into Your Calling ebook, and more on my dorisswift.com homepage! Love Fierce Calling? Did you know that following, rating, and leaving a review over at Podchaser or Apple Podcasts helps others discover the show too? I would so appreciate it, friend! Need a Speaker for Your Next Women’s Event? Now Booking for 2025 & 2026! Check out my speaking page, grab my flyer, and let’s talk about me speaking at your next women’s event… Thanks for Listening! I hope this episode with Nancy encouraged, inspired, and challenged you to cultivate community, live and walk in the value and worth God gave you, and take action where your passion, compassion, and conviction intersect. You’ll find links in the show notes to connect with Nancy and with me. If you’re looking for a speaker for your next women’s conference, retreat, luncheon, or workshop, reach out and connect with me on my speaker page at https://www.womenspeakers.com/florida/edgewater/speaker/doris-swift Let’s have a chat about your 2025 event! Stay tuned for more amazing content and remember to check the show notes for all the links mentioned. Thank you for being a part of our community. We are grateful for your continued support and encourage you to embrace the unique gifts that make you magnificently you. I hope you’ll join me next time when I talk with another woman who is taking action where her passion, compassion, and conviction intersect … Until then friend, have a blessed week, and I’ll talk to you soon. With love and joy, Doris P.S. Don’t forget to follow us on social media for bite-sized wisdom and inspiration from Doris and our incredible guests! 📲 Check out my home page for amazing for free resources and encouragement! Transcript Doris [00:01:56]:Welcome back to the show. Today, I am excited to introduce to you my friend, Dawn Ward. She is an author, a speaker, and biblical coach. I love it. Biblical life coach. This is gonna be an awesome conversation. She is the founder of the Faith to Flourish, and it’s a ministry that equips women with addicted loved ones to break free from the cycle of addiction, reclaim their lives, and flourish in their faith. So needed for today. Doris [00:02:25]:The faith to flourish also offers life transforming insight, wisdom, and Christian guidance for all women along with hope and support to those who feel burdened and overwhelmed by life. This is a powerful ministry. Welcome to the show, Dawn. It’s so great to have you on. Dawn Ward [00:02:43]:Storis, thank you for having me. Doris [00:02:45]:Yes. This is just something that I when I saw that you were you had written this book and that you had posted about it, and I just thought I need to reach out to Dawn and have her come on the show because this is just something that people need so much encouragement, and they need to know they’re not alone. And they need resources and tools to be able to look at these things from a biblical perspective and regain the hope that maybe they’ve lost because of what’s happening in their particular situations. So I would love if you would share a little bit about your story and then how you are taking action where your passion, compassion, and conviction intersect, which is your fierce calling. Dawn Ward [00:03:30]:Yes. It is. Well, again, thank you for having me. You know, my story really does start back in my childhood. I grew up in probably a very typical family. We were a midwestern family and came and moved to Las Vegas when I was a little girl. My father joined the fire department. And along with being in the fire department comes, you know, drinking beer and socializing and all the things the guys were involved in. Dawn Ward [00:03:53]:My uncles were also part of the fire department. But what I noticed when I was a little girl was that when they’re when my uncles drank, they got funny and, you know, silly and goofed off and everything. My dad got angry. And so I was often afraid of him. He didn’t hit me or anything like that, but he was just loud and, you know, his voice was so deep and everything. And I just remember being afraid. And so when I was about 4 years old, between the age of 4 5, I’m not being raised in a Christian home. My mother did take us to the Lutheran Church on the holidays, and I remember feeling God there and feeling his love there. Dawn Ward [00:04:30]:But I didn’t know much about Jesus or anything. But when I was about 4 or 5 years old, I remember that the Lord reached down and took my hand, and he said, hold on to my hand and never let go because you’re going to need me for this life. And that is very important to where, you know, my journey as I moved forward. So when I finally had got married, had kids of my own, I wanted to make sure that they didn’t have the same struggles that my dad, my uncles had with substances. And so if they were in Christian school and we went to the Christian church and they had Christian friends, and I did everything I could to vet who they hung out with and control their circumstances, just determined that, you know, they would not end up drinking. And I told them it’s just very dangerous and stay away from it. But it never crossed my mind that drugs would enter the picture, And I just didn’t. I I knew what alcohol looked like. Dawn Ward [00:05:23]:I knew what it smelled like. I had just never been around drugs or substances. And so I I mean, I probably had been around some people that maybe had smoked pot or something, and I just thought, you know, they acted silly and had red eyes and stuff, but I don’t even know anything more than that. So when my son started going through some changes, it was his last year of high school, and I noticed his attitude changing. I caught him smoking cigarettes. I noticed that his, you know, his, cleanliness, his hygiene wasn’t w