christian book

Can you believe it has been two months since I have been on the podcast? It was a wonderful sabbatical as I spent the first two months of my marriage being intentional as my new role as wife as well as helping our family’s transition.

But I have to say that I have missed doing my ministry, so I am so happy to be back and I am excited for this first guest! It is a good friend of mine, Becky Beresford and we are going to talk about her new book, *She Believed He Could So She Did. I cannot wait for you to hear the story behind the title. Also, I know you are going to learn so much from her as we look at some of culture’s lies and combat them with Biblical truth.

Also, I am so excited for someone to win a copy of Becky’s new book: *She Believed He Could So She Did. All the details of the book giveaway are on my website at jodirosser.com or you can click this direct link: https://kingsumo.com/g/bh1lwx/she-believed-he-could-so-she-did-book-giveaway

It is fun to have Becky back on the Podcast! If you missed my first conversation with Becky,  please check out Episode 30 on the Depth podcast.  I love what she shares about our identity in Christ and her Brave women series.

Book Recommendation: *I Will Be Found By You by Francis Frangipane

BECKY BERESFORD lives in North Carolina and is happily outnumbered by her husband and three wonderful boys. She is an author, speaker and coach with a Master's Certificate in Spiritual Formation and Discipleship from Moody Theological Seminary. Becky loves encouraging God’s Daughters to embrace Christ-centered empowerment through the truth found in the gospel. Her work has been featured in large online communities including Crosswalk, (in)courage, iBelieve, HuffPost, DaySpring, and she recently became a writer for Proverbs 31 Ministries’ First 5 writing team. Becky’s book with Moody Publishers, She Believed He Could So She Did releases in March. Connect with Becky at BeckyBeresford.com or follow her on Instagram and Facebook.

*Note: If you are interested in purchasing this book or the books recommended, I would love for you to use the Amazon Affiliate link above to help support the podcast. Thank you!

Author Israel Wayne joins the Master Books podcast to discuss Foundational Truths: A Modern Catechism answering the essential questions of Christianity. In this episode, we talk about why catechisms are used in family discipleship and churches. You will learn why this resource is perfect for helping your family live closer to God by knowing these important Bible doctrines.

Links:

Order Foundational Truths 

Order Foundations in Faith 

 

Time Stamps:

1:54 - The concept of catechism goes back for many centuries.

2:10 - Catechism is the concept of question-and-answer used to determine if the person understands the concepts they were taught.

2:34 – Foundational Truths teaches an overview of Christian doctrine revealing the things that have been believed by believers for over 2000 years.

2:51 – There is great value in families using catechism to teach their children the primary doctrines of the Christian faith.

3:30 - What age or grade was Foundational Truths developed for? Master Books and Israel Wayne partnered together to create a family catechism resource.

 3:49 - The book includes 52 of the most important biblical doctrine issues so a family can focus on one per week.

4:14 - Israel Wayne compares Foundations in Faith homeschool Bible curriculum to Foundational Truths.

5:28 - The purpose of Foundational Truth is to point people back to Scripture and create a foundational understanding of the Christian life under the authority of the Bible.

5:52 – Israel explains the historical background of catechism and how denominations used it to teach the doctrine of their denomination.

6:13 - The first protestant to write a catechism was Martin Luther.

6:52 - The rise of the Sunday school movement decreased the use of catechism among protestants.

8:25 - Take the timeliness of the historic confessions and repackaged them into a resource that is modern.

9:25 - Questions and answers about Bible doctrine should be something every Chrisitan should be excited about.

9:38 - More history behind catechism and church membership

10:57 - Catechism had a part in welcoming children into church membership. There was a similar process for adults coming to salvation in Christ later in life.

11:33 - One historic downside to that process was the student only had a mental assent to the doctrine and were not "born again."

12:30 - Revivalists in the 1800s and the 2nd Great Awakening discussed

15:21 - Foundational Truths works to bring together the importance of knowing Bible doctrine with a deepening of the individual's relationship with God.

15:45 - Within the book, Foundational Truths, the reader also learns how to apply the Scriptures to their life.

16:15 - Using Foundational Truths will help the reader have a transformed mind leading to a transformed heart and life.

17:02 - Israel Wayne explains the elements found in the weekly chapters.

17:54 - Foundational Truths: A Modern Catechism would be a great discipleship tool for people who come to Christ through a jail or prison ministry.

18:51 - How Scripture is used throughout the book.

19:00 - What makes this catechism different or distinct.

20:00 - Some traditional catechisms were created to teach the distinctions between denominations.

20:33 - Foundational Truths focuses on historic Christianity that every Christian can agree upon.

20:47 – Foundational Truths is non-sectarian and non-denominational. This new catechism is cross-denominational providing Bible doctrine embraced by a wide cross section of Christians.

21:56 - Foundational Truths is uniquely filled with Scripture to drive the student or new disciple to the Bible, not to man's opinions.

23:43 - Most catechisms were written over 400 years ago, so the language is antiquated.

24:23 - Why Foundational Truths: A Modern Catechism uses the King James Version of the Bible

26:20 - Israel Wayne reveals how a church or family would use Foundational Truths throughout the week.

30:17 - Closing Prayer by Israel Wayne

Are you passing a legacy of faith on to your children? I know this is so important, so I am so excited to have Casey Hilty on the podcast this week as we talk about her new book, *Her Children Arise: Passing a Legacy of Faith to the Next Generation. I am so excited because we are going to look at some of the women in the Bible and their examples. We are going to dive deep and even put ourselves in the shoes of these women in the Bible. I just love it. Also, I know you are going to learn so much from Casey.

Also, I am so excited for someone to win a copy of Casey's book, *Her Children Arise: Passing a Legacy of Faith to the Next Generation as well as her Nativity Garland. All the details of this giveaway are on my website at jodirosser.com or you can click this direct link: https://kingsumo.com/g/seqmsq/her-children-arise-and-nativity-garland-giveaway

Link to Depth Podcast Episode 128: Lessons from Biblical Mothers -- Rachael Adams

Book Recommendations:

• *Lineage of Grace by Francine Rivers
• *Hinds Feet on High Places by Hannah Hurnard
• *Psalms of Ascent by Beth Moore
• *Pearl in the Sand by Tessa Afshar

Casey Hilty is a Christian speaker, artist, worship leader, and author of *Her Children Arise: Passing a Legacy of Faith to the Next Generation. Using both storytelling and visual art, she is passionate about taking mothers on a journey from apathy to awe to fall in love—or back in love—with God and His Word. Casey recently jumped back into the world of teaching after being a stay-at-home mom for 14 years. She and her husband, Bo, have three school-aged kids, a gaggle of pets, and call South Louisiana home. You can find her on Instagram @caseyhilty and Facebook @caseyhilty1 and at www.caseyhilty.com.

*Note: If you are interested in purchasing this book or the books recommended, I would love for you to use the Amazon Affiliate link above to help support the podcast. Thank you!

Are you preoccupied? Do you find yourself physical present but your mind is everywhere else? Maybe emotionally and mentally—you are distracted! I think this is a struggle for many women. I know it is for me.

So, I am excited to have Julie Lefebure on the podcast. She has a new book called *Right Now Matters: Empowering “Right Now” Women in a Culture of Distraction. She has some great practical tools on how to live undistracted.  And I cannot wait for you to hear how she talks about replacing busy for full. It is my favorite part of the episode.

Also, I am so excited for someone to win a copy of Julie’s book: *Right Now Matters: Empowering “Right Now” Women in a Culture of Distraction. All the details of the book giveaway are on my website at jodirosser.com or you can click this direct link: https://kingsumo.com/g/wqjxyt/right-now-matters-book-giveaway

Recommended Podcast Episodes:

• Link to Julie’s first episode on the Depth Podcast Episode 93
• Link to my guest appearance on the Encouragement for Real Life Podcast: Heartbreak is Not the End of Your Story

Book Recommendations

• *Undistracted by Bob Goff
• *It’s Not Supposed to Be this Way by Lysa TerKeurst
• *The Best Yes by Lysa TerKeurst

Julie Lefebure (pronounced Lef-a-bure) is a Christian encourager who personally coaches, writes, and speaks to help women live encouraged and undistracted so we can live abundant, joy-filled lives and make a difference in this world.

Julie is the author of Right Now Matters: Empowering Right-Now Women in a Culture of Distraction, and hosts the Encouragement for Real Life Podcast. She also writes regularly at julielefebure.com, where you can receive access to her free Resources (julielefebure.com/resources/) which are designed to encourage your heart and lift your spirit. She is also the founder of Real Encouragement LIVE!, a local, quarterly evening of encouragement for women.

She resides in rural Iowa and is married to Bill. They are avid tandem bicyclists and have a goal to bike in each of the 50 states! They have two amazing adult children, a wonderful son-in-law, and two precious grandsons. Julie loves hanging out with her family and watching sunrises and sunsets. You can find Julie on all social media outlets. Her favorite is Instagram @julielefebure.

*Note: If you are interested in purchasing this book or the books recommended, I would love for you to use the Amazon Affiliate link above to help support the podcast. Thank you!

Are you familiar with the verse Romans 8:28? Sometimes this verse can be misconstrued so let me read it to you: The NIV version says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” I am excited today that we are going to talk more about this verse on the podcast.

Also, I cannot wait for you to meet Karen Hacker. We met through Saddleback Church, and she runs the Empty Arms Ministry — that is the ministry I attended after the loss of my baby. She is going to share a little bit about her story. October 15^th is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day. For so many of us, this is part of our story, so I like to do an episode each year and highlight God’s faithfulness in the middle of this unexpected storm. I am excited for this episode. You are going to learn so much from Karen about grief, what to say, what not to say, and we are going to dive deeper into that verse Romans 8:28.

Depth Podcast Episode Recommendations:

• Episode 5: Episode with Yvonne Buck where I share about my miscarriage.
• Episode 6: Episode with Dr Shari Bridgman who wrote the Empty Arms Curriculum
• Episode 196:  Episode with Clarissa and how I shared my story with her and helped her through her miscarriage.

Book Recommendations:

• *When Bad Things Happen to Good People by Harold S. Kushner
• *Grace Disguised by Jerry Sitzer
• *Don’t Give the Enemy a Seat At Your Table by Lou Giglio

Karen Badal Hacker’s story is one of love, loss, faith, healing and hope. Karen has been married to her husband, Rick, for 38 years and their bond has been both tested and strengthened by profound personal losses. Karen is a native Californian, a wife and mother of four—two babies in heaven and two adult children here on earth.

For 28 years, Karen and Rick Hacker have led "Empty Arms," a grief support group through Saddleback Church in Southern California. This ministry helps couples who have lost babies to miscarriage, stillbirth, and infant death.

Karen is the author of 8:28 Hope in the Darkness, which is set to be published and released by the end of 2023.  In her book, Karen seamlessly blends her personal journey with the timeless truths from Romans 8:28, offering readers a lifeline of hope and resilience during the most trying times. You can connect more with Karen on her website.

Karen and Rick are in the process of establishing a non-profit 501C3, 8:28 Hope in the Darkness. An educational and charitable organization dedicated to providing care, counsel, support and encouragement to grieving people who have suffered loss. Karen is passionate about helping the hurting navigate the difficult times of life by using life experiences, practical applications, understanding and acknowledgment of emotions, a firm foundation of faith, and trusting in God's promise of Romans 8:28. "And we know that all that happens to us is working for our good if we love God and are fitting into His plans."

*Note: If you are interested in purchasing this book or the books recommended, I would love for you to use the Amazon Affiliate link above to help support the podcast. Thank you!

Has someone else’s story ever encouraged you? Maybe the hard thing you walked through is similar to what you have walked through, and their story of God’s faithfulness has ignited hope in you. Hope that God can do the same thing in your story. This is such an important part of the grief journey.

And the last letter of my STRENGTH acrostic from my book, *Depth: Growing Through Heartbreak to Strength is the letter H: Honestly share your story and help another hurting heart. I love that God never wastes any of our pain. He doesn’t waste one tear or one hurt and instead He uses it. And this is how I think He uses it as we come alongside and help another hurting heart. I really believe it makes our healing come full circle as well. This is what my life verse is all about: 2 Cor 1:3-4. “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”

I am so excited to have Clarissa Paz on the podcast this week. This is so exciting because Clarissa is in my book. I am actually sharing a story where I honestly shared my personal story and helped another hurting heart and that was Clarissa. This is in the “Me Too” Chapter and the last part of the book and we are going to talk about our story. I walked through a miscarriage and a year or two later, she walked through a miscarriage and how I can alongside and helped her. We are going to show you practically how it looks, and we both get a little choked up at times because it is amazing how it brought us together. It connected us in such a beautiful way, and it did bring my healing full circle as well as help her in the middle of her unexpected storm. We are also going to talk about how she has gone on since then and helped others. It is a really heartfelt episode!

Recommended Depth Podcast Episodes:

• Episode 53 with Kathe Wunnenberg- Grieving the Child I Never Knew & Hopelifter
• Episode 5 with Yvonne Buck- Loss of Pregnancy
• Episode 6 with Dr. Shari Bridgman- In Heavenly Arms
• Episode 145 with Kathe Wunnenberg- God's Connections are Powerful, His Timing Perfect

Book Recommendations:

• *Purpose Drive Life by Pastor Rick Warren
• *Grieving the Child I Never Knew by Kathe Wunnenberg
• *Depth by Jodi Rosser

*Note: If you are interested in purchasing the books recommended, I would love for you to use the Amazon Affiliate link above to help support the podcast. Thank you!

Do you find it hard to trust God when you don’t fully understand what he is doing in your life? Like it is easy to trust Him when life is going well. But when things are hard and you are walking through grief or heartbreak or when the rug is pulled out from under you, it is always a little harder to trust that God has a plan. Oh friend, that is why I am so excited for the second T in my STRENGTH acrostic from my book, Depth: Growing through Heartbreak to Strength.

The second T stands for Trust God is good when your mind is doubting, and you don’t understand. This one is hard. So I am really excited to have Sonia Abraham on the podcast this week. She is a fellow friend of mine and she also walked through a divorce and today we are going to dive deep on how that looks to trust God when you have doubts and don’t understand why the circumstances of your life did not go as you hoped or planned. We are going to talk about some different Bible characters too. There is lots of truth and wisdom on this episode!

Book Recommendations:

• *Living Unbroken by Tracie Miles
• *It's Not Supposed To Be This Way by Lysa TerKeurst
• *Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy by Mark Vroegop

Sonia Abraham writes about faith and loss on her website. She’s passionate about leading Restored & Renewed, a local ministry at her church in Texas that encourages and supports women walking through separation and divorce. She works as an editor and has three teenaged children. You can also connect with her on Instagram or Facebook. 

*Note: If you are interested in purchasing this book or the books recommended, I would love for you to use the Amazon Affiliate link above to help support the podcast. Thank you!

Have you been following this series with my STRENGTH acrostic from my Depth Book? We have already covered S,T,R, & E and then we took a break for the one year birthday of the book. Now we are back to the acrostic and today we are going to cover N- Never Lose Sight of God’s Grace.

It is interesting because when God dropped that STRENGTH acrostic in my mind on that bus ride, there were a couple letters that were harder to identify than others and the N was one of them. I remember meeting my friend for lunch. She also had walked through a divorce, and we were talking about how some heartbreaks have a shame or a stigma attached to them and others don’t. And she said, “I think it is really important that you do something about God’s grace.” And that day at lunch together, we came up with Never Lose Sight of God’s Grace! It is a very important part of the book; we talk about forgiveness and being vulnerable.

So I am really excited to have Faith Griffin Sims on the podcast this week. She is going to share about her heartbreak. Sadly, she lost her son to suicide. This week is suicide prevention week and suicide awareness week. So I want this episode to also help us become more aware. Faith is going to share so much truth and wisdom.

Faith wrote a post for my Heartbreak to Strength Story Blog Series back in 2021. The title of her post was Held By His Strength and I cannot wait for you to read her powerful article.

Other Resources:

-Link to Depth Podcast Episode 149: *Hope Always by Dr. Matthew Sleeth

-Link to Depth Podcast Episode 99: *I Love Jesus, But I Want To Die by Sarah J. Robinson

-Link to Depth Podcast Episode 49: *Fear Gone Wild: A Story of Mental Illness, Suicide, and Hope Through Loss By Kayla Stoecklein

Book Recommendations:

• *Depth by Jodi Rosser
• *The Gospel According to Job by John Mason
• *Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy by Mark Vroegop
• *A Grace Disguised by Jerry Sittser

Faith Griffin Sims is a wife, a mom of six, and “Mia” to 17 grandchildren. She writes about grief, suicide loss, and living life with hope. Faith believes in offering comfort in the way she has been comforted (2 Corinthians 1:4). In that vein; she began a local chapter of Survivors of Suicide (SOS) for others navigating the loss of a loved one by suicide. Faith recently earned a certificate in grief education. She is honored to be a contributing author on several books and websites and is currently writing a book. She would love to connect with you on her website and Instagram.

*Note: If you are interested in purchasing this book or the books recommended, I would love for you to use the Amazon Affiliate link above to help support the podcast. Thank you!

Did you know that one year ago I released my first book? This is so exciting! *Depth: Growing Through Heartbreak to Strength entered the world August 30, 2022.

This week on the podcast I am doing a special birthday episode for the book. I am sharing everything that has happened in the last year in my ministry from my speaking engagements I got because of my book to my podcast. It is a lot of fun! My friend, Karyce who I went to Rwanda with two different times is going to be interviewing me. I think it is special to go back and see the God stories in the ministry especially around the book. I am super excited for you to hear this behind the scenes episode.

To hear more about behind the scenes about the Depth Podcast and *Depth Book, check out the episodes below:

Depth Podcast Episode 47: Special Behind the Scenes Episode for the one year birthday of the podcast.

Depth Podcast Episode 97: The Depth Podcast is Two Years Old! Cannot wait for you to hear more behind the scene stories about the last two years.

Depth Podcast Episode 146: The Depth Podcast is Three Years Old and my first book, *Depth: Growing Through Heartbreak to Strength releases August 30, 2022.

Also, I am so excited for someone to win a copy of my book: *Depth: Growing Through Heartbreak to Strength. All the details of the book giveaway are on my website at jodirosser.com or you can click this direct link: https://kingsumo.com/g/scoocw/depth-birthday-book-giveaway

I shared on the podcast episode about a shipping delay that crushed my spirit on book launch day. That morning, I had to surrender it all to God. I remember pouring out my heart in a blog post called Trusting God When You Don't Understand the Plan. I recommend reading it if you are struggling at all in understanding God’s timing. Here is a link to another blog post called Learning Patience When Plans Change when the Amazon link to preorder was delayed too.

Book Recommendations

• *The Masterpiece by Francine Rivers
• *Try Softer by Aundi Kolber
• *Raising Emotionally Strong Boys by David Thomas

*Note: If you are interested in purchasing this book or the books recommended, I would love for you to use the Amazon Affiliate link above to help support the podcast. Thank you!

Have you ever seen God use difficult circumstances in your life to grow your character? Maybe he is making you more patient. I know that is a big one for me that I struggle with. Maybe is helping you become more compassionate and empathetic towards others. I think one of the main ways God grows our character is through the storms in our life. So today, that is what I want to talk about on the podcast, the E in my STRENGTH acrostic from my book, *Depth: Growing Through Heartbreak to Strength. Again, its one year birthday is at the end of this month. Now if you missed my episodes on the S, T, and R in STRENGTH, then I definitely recommend going back and listening to those episodes, especially the S and T. I think those are very foundational as we are walking through grief.

Today, I want to focus on the E. It stands for Embrace God’s Character Development in the midst of the Chaos. If I am being completely honest, I don’t always like to Embrace the Character Development. But I do think it is an important way God chisels us and makes us more like Jesus. So today on the podcast I have Jen Roland. She is going to be sharing her story and how God used chronic pain to grow her and her character. I cannot wait for you to hear the truth she has to share.

Jen wrote a post for My Heartbreak to Strength Story Blog Series back in 2021. The title of her post was Finding Victory Over Defeat and I cannot wait for you to read her powerful article.

Click Here to get God's Truth to Combat Your Not Enough Statements- a free resource on my website!

Book Recommendations:

• *Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster
• *The Deeper Journey by Robert Mulholland
• *Boundaries by Townsend and Cloud
• *Boundaries For Your Soul by Allison Cook and Kimberly Miller
• *Body Keeps the Score by Bessel Van Der Kolk
• *What Happened to You? by Oprah Winfrey and Bruce D. Perry

Jen Roland is a writer, speaker, board-certified Christian mental health coach, and women's ministry leader with a passion for walking alongside others toward healing and wholeness. She helps others implement positive lifestyle practices for their mind, body, and soul while developing a deeper relationship with God. Since her neuropathy diagnosis, Jen has focused her ministry on serving those with chronic pain and illness. On her website www.jenroland.com, she provides resources to restore hope, reduce pain, overcome fear and anxiety, and strengthen their faith. Jen lives in Woodbine, MD with her husband and three children.

*Note: If you are interested in purchasing this book or the books recommended, I would love for you to use the Amazon Affiliate link above to help su

Have you heard the saying, “Hindsight is 20-20.” It is when we look back at our lives and we see a clearer picture. For some reason during the middle of it, we couldn’t see what was really happening. Well, I think this has a lot do to with perspective and today that is our topic on the podcast.

We are going to be highlighting the letter R in the strength acrostic in my book, Depth: Growing Through Heartbreak to Strength. Again, its one year birthday is coming up at the end of this month. The R stands for Replace Your Finite View With God’s Infinite Perspective. Friend, I think this is one of the hardest things when we are going through grief and heartbreak: Trying to see it in a new light and a new perspective.  Now let me say first, if you haven’t listened to the S and T episodes in the acrostic, I recommend listening to those first. I think they are important steps before this letter R.

Depth Podcast Episode 188: Seek God and Invite Him into Your Pain

Depth Podcast Episode 189: Tearfully Allow Yourself Time to Grieve and Process the Emotions

I am excited to have my friend, Alycia Betz as a guest on my podcast this week. She walked through two losses back-to-back, so she is going to share her story. Together we are going to talk about how do we replace our finite view with God’s infinite perspective. I have to tell you that I prayed more over this episode than any other in the acrostic because this one can be challenging. So, hope these words encourage you!

Alycia Betz is a writer, speaker, songwriter, homeschooling mom, and wife for over 20 years. She loves to use words and songs to bring hope, healing, and freedom to other women who are on their own journey through darkness. She’d love to journey together! You can connect with her on her website or check out her youtube channel

 

When you are in the middle of a hard season, do you allow yourself time to grieve? Do you know how to name your emotions and process them with someone you trust. Maybe a friend, a counselor or a support group? Honestly, I think this is a struggle for many people. So today on the podcast, I am so excited to highlight the letter T in my acrostic Strength in my book, Depth: Growing Through Heartbreak to Strength which is celebrating its one-year birthday at the end of August.

The letter T stands for Tearfully Allow Yourself Time to Grieve and Process the Emotions. My friend, Heather Jeffery, is my guest this week. Both of us have walked through a divorce and this week on the podcast, we are going to share how we process those hard emotions and what did that practically look like. Now let me just say that you don’t have to have walked through the same heartbreak that we did in order to learn about how to process your emotions in your heartbreak. Again, everyone grieves differently, but we just wanted to give you some real life practical tools to add to your emotional tool box on how to walk through hard emotions.

If you missed last week’s episode, we covered the S in Strength- how to seek God and invite Him into the pain. I think each episode builds on each other, so I highly recommend listening to this first episode as well.

Lastly, I recorded an episode with my counselor last year called How to Process Emotions in a Healthy Way. Debbie shares so many pearls of wisdom; I hope this episode encourages you too!

If you want to hear more about naming your feelings, you can listen to an episode on my Depth Podcast where my sons and I talk about Family and Feelings. Click on Depth Podcast Episode 26.

Heather wrote the first guest post for my Heartbreak to Strength Story Blog Series back in 2021. The title of her post was Finding Strength in Brokenness and I cannot wait for you to read her powerful article.

Heather Jeffery is a Christian writer, mentor, and certified abuse and recovery mental health coach. She is passionate about empowering women with Biblical truth as they link arms to seek clarity specializing in emotional abuse and divorce recovery. Heather believes our stories have purpose and are meant to be shared to encourage others just as we are encouraged by those in the Bible. She lives in Maryland with her two teenage daughters where she also works as a physical therapist and enjoys spending time outdoors anywhere there's water. You can receive truth filled encouragement by subscribing at heatherjeffery.com and follow her writing on Instagram @straightenyourcrown.1.

Have you ever felt the presence of God? Have you ever felt Him close to you? I know for me, I felt the presence of God the most in the middle of my hard seasons: my divorce, the loss of my friend, and my miscarriage. Maybe you can relate.

This week on the podcast, I am so excited to have Evelyn Sherwood. She is a friend of mine who sadly has walked through many hardships. One of the things we talk about today is just how much she felt the presence of God in the middle of this hard season. She actually says this amazing quote (I am going to give you a little sneak peek because it is so good). She says, “The sweetness of His presence far surpassed the pain of my suffering.” Evelyn has so much wisdom to share with you.

But before we head over to the conversation, I have something exciting to share. My book, Depth: Growing Through Heartbreak to Strength is actually celebrating its one-year birthday at the end of August! So for the next 8 weeks, I am doing a special series based on the acrostic in the book. As I was writing the book, I prayed to God for wisdom on how to write a book with three storylines. He gave me this acrostic for the word, STRENGTH!

So, we are going to be going through the acrostic starting with the S today with Evelyn to Seek God and Invite Him Into the pain. Then we will move through the acrostic over the next 8 weeks on the podcast. I so excited for you to hear the wisdom from Evelyn of how she was able to seek God and invite Him into the middle of her pain. She went through an intense 18 month season where there was one storm after another, so you do not want to miss the truth she shares!

Evelyn wrote a post for my Heartbreak to Strength Story Blog Series back in 2021. The title of her post was Finding Strength in the Middle of the Storm, and I cannot wait for you to read her powerful article.

Book Recommendations:

• *Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy by Mark Vreogop
• *Breath as Prayer by Jennifer Tucker

Evelyn Sherwood is a trusted soul-care guide, speaker, and blogger who has served in pastoral ministry for thirty-five years.  Sherwood serves an active and growing audience through her blog, evelynsherwood.com, and her bi-weekly subscription devotional Hope for the Journey, encouraging her readers to grab hold of hope in the trials by helping them recall God’s work in their past. Nothing puts a smile on her face more than sharing about the faithfulness of God with a friend over a steaming cup of cappuccino or iced peach tea. On a summer evening, you might spot Evelyn and her husband, Steve, driving through Indiana farmlands in a canary yellow ’47 Ford pickup or enjoying an outdoor movie night in their backyard with their eight grandkids.  You can connect with Evelyn on her website, on Instagram, and you can sign up for her weekly devotional.

*Note: If you are interested in purchasing this book or the books recommended

Did you hear my episode with Karen Ehman that I recorded back in 2020? It is one of my favorite books of hers; it is called *Listen, Love, Repeat: Other-Centered Living in a Self-Centered World.  Her book encourages us to be more intentional and live alert. Taking our eyes off ourselves and placing them on others, we can “become a noticer” and scatter love and kindness.  I cannot wait for you to hear her share about a heartdrop; honestly, it is my favorite part. 

Book Recommendation:

*Soul Keeping by John Ortberg

Karen Ehman is a New York Times bestselling author, a Proverbs 31 Ministries speaker, and a writer for Encouragement For Today, an online devotional that reaches over 4 million users daily. She has written 14 books and Bible studies including *Keep It Shut: What to Say, How to Say It; When to Say Nothing at All, *Zip It: The Keep It Shut 40 Day Challenge and *Keep Showing Up: How to Stay Crazy in Love You’re your Love Drives You Crazy. Karen has been featured on numerous media outlets including TODAY Parents, FoxNews.com, Redbook.com, Crosswalk.com, and HomeLife Magazine. Her passion is to help women to live their priorities as they reflect the gospel to a watching world. Married to her college sweetheart, Todd, and the mother of three, she enjoys collecting vintage kitchenware, cheering for the Detroit Tigers, and feeding the many people who gather around her kitchen island for a taste of Mama Karen's cooking. Connect with her at karenehman.com.

*Note: If you are interested in purchasing this book or the books recommended, I would love for you to use the Amazon Affiliate link above to help support the podcast. Thank you!

Have you listened to my episode with Rebekah Lyons back in 2019? It was the very first year of the podcast and we talked about her book, *Rhythms of Renewal. This book is life changing for anyone that struggles with stress, worry, or anxiety. Rebekah shares in detail about her 4 rhythms as well as practical examples for each one.  She even shares which rhythm comes most naturally to her as well as which one is most challenging.  I promise you do not want to miss her insight and wisdom.

Please comment below and share which rhythm comes most naturally to you as well as which one is most challenging and involves you being intentional.

For more information about Rebekah’s book, go to her website: https://rebekahlyons.com/

*Note: If you are interested in purchasing this book or the books recommended, I would love for you to use the Amazon Affiliate link above to help support the podcast. Thank you!

Have you heard my first episode with Nicki Koziarz back in 2020. We talk about her book,  *Why Her. The subtitle is 6 Truths We Need to Hear When Measuring Up Leaves Us Falling Behind. This book is all about comparison and I think this is such a real struggle in our lives especially with social media. We are going to address that today, and I am so excited to share some of my favorite truths from her book. Going back and listening to this, reminded me of the importance of helping our kids navigate this comparison struggle. Cannot wait for you to hear the truths from Nicki’s book.

Note: Nicki has been a guest three times on my podcast! The first time is this repeat episode we are listening to today about her book, *Why Her?

Her second time on the podcast we talked about her book, *Flooded, where she vulnerably shares how doubt flooded her soul and began to impact her faith. You can check out our conversation on Episode 74. I cannot wait for you to hear Nicki share about the life of Noah in the Bible and the 5 Best Decisions to Make When Life is Hard and Doubt is Rising (the subtitle of her book).

Finally, she came back for a 3^rd time on the podcast to talk about her latest book, *Your New Now: Finding Strength and Wisdom When You Feel Stuck Where You Are. This book is all about transitions. You definitely want to check out Depth Podcast Episode 169.

Book Recommendations:

• *Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller

Nicki Koziarz is an ECPA bestselling author and a speaker with Proverbs 31 Ministries. She speaks nationally at conferences, retreats, and meetings and hosts her own podcast, Lessons from the Farm. An evangelist at heart, Nicki inspires others to become the best version of who God created them to be. Nicki, her husband, and their family run a small farm just outside of Charlotte, North Carolina, which they affectionately call The Fixer Upper Farm. Learn more at nickikoziarz.com.

*Note: If you are interested in purchasing this book or the books recommended, I would love for you to use the Amazon Affiliate link above to help support the podcast. Thank you!

Did you hear my first episode with Michele Cushatt? It was back in 2020, and we talked about her book, *Relentless. The subtitle is The Unshakable Presence of a God Who Never Leaves. It is such a powerful episode and in it, she shares about her pain and suffering that she has walked through. She started to doubt, question, and wonder if the presence of pain meant the absence of God. Maybe you can relate.

Maybe you are wondering where God is in the middle of your hard time. You have doubts and questions. Some of the questions Michele had: God, when are you going to intervene? God, why haven’t you put a stop to this pain and suffering? Maybe you have those same questions. There is so much truth in this episode and Michele’s books have depth to them. I know you are going to learn so much for her.

Note: Michele came back for a 2^nd time on the podcast to talk about her latest book, *A Faith That Will Not Fail. You definitely want to check out Depth Podcast Episode 171.

As an experienced communicator, Michele Cushatt speaks internationally to a wide variety of audiences and has published three previous books, including *Undone, *I Am. Her fourth book, *A Faith That Will Not Fail, publishes March 2023. A three-time head and neck cancer survivor and parent of "children from hard places, " Michele is a (reluctant) expert of trauma, pain, and the deep human need for authentic connection and enduring faith. She and her husband, Troy, share a blended family of six children, including biological children, stepchildren, and foster-adopt children. They live on eight acres outside of Denver, Colorado. Visit www.michelecushatt.com

*Note: If you are interested in purchasing this book or the books recommended, I would love for you to use the Amazon Affiliate link above to help support the podcast. Thank you!

Have you heard my first episode with Jennifer Dukes Lee with her book, *It's All Under Control? We recorded it back in 2019. Honestly, she was my second interview ever on the podcast (Episode 3). It was really fun to talk with her since I was on her book launch team for that very book. This episode has so many practical tools to help you especially if you struggle with control and surrender. My word this year is surrender so it was so fun to go back and listen to this episode in light of that.

One of my favorite quotes in this book as well as on this episode is “We surrender outcomes, but we don’t surrender effort.” I loved that reminder, so I think you are going to learn so much from Jennifer.

Note: Jennifer has been a guest three times on my podcast! The first time is this repeat episode we are listening to today about her book, *It's All Under Control

Her second time on the podcast we talked about her book, *Growing Slow. You can check out our conversation on the Depth Podcast Episode 80. I cannot wait for you to hear about the four seasons: Spring Planting, Summer Growth, Autumn Harvest and Winter Rest

Finally, she came back for a 3^rd time on the podcast to talk about her latest book, *Stuff I’d Only Tell God: A Guided Journal of Courageous Honesty, Obsessive Truth-Telling, and Beautifully Ruthless Self-Discovery. You definitely want to check out Depth Podcast Episode 173.

Book Recommendations:

• *The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel
• *Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller
• *One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp

Jennifer Dukes Lee is a bestselling author, thinker, and question asker from Iowa. Her friends say they are scared to sit alone in a room with her because they end up telling her things they never intended to say. She is both proud of this fact and also a little annoyed at how nosy she can be. She put a bunch of her favorite questions into a journal called *Stuff I’d Only Tell God. It’s like your own little confession booth. She’s also the author of *Growing Slow and *It's All Under Control. Learn more at jenniferdukeslee.com.

*Note: If you are interested in purchasing this book or the books recommended, I would love for you to use the Amazon Affiliate link above to help support the podcast. Thank you!

Have you heard my episode with Suzie Eller that I recorded back in 2019? It is about the book, *The Mended Heart. If you have ever heard me speak or share about my broken clay pot, this is the book that inspired it.

I am so excited for you to hear this episode that I recorded the very first year of the podcast.  I went back and listened to it today and loved hearing some of the truths in it that have really become foundational truths I share in my speaking and my book, Depth: Growing Through Heartbreak to Strength. Also, it was a joy to see God’s faithfulness with my book and this podcast over the last four years. Friend, this episode is definitely one of my favorites and I cannot wait for you to hear it.

Also, we talked about her podcast, More Than Small Talk and it was such an honor to be a guest on it earlier this year. Here is a link to listen to my conservation with Holley Gerth, Jennifer Watson, and Suzie Eller.

Note: Suzie was my first guest to be on my podcast twice so I would love for you to check out my conversation with Suzie about her book, *JoyKeeper.  Please check out Episode 46 on the Depth podcast. I love what she shares about joy!

Finally, she came back for a 3^rd time on the podcast to talk about her latest book, *Prayer Starters: Talking with God About Hard Times. You definitely want to check out Depth Podcast Episode 158.

Book Recommendations:

• *Mere Christianity by C.S Lewis
• *Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis
• *Undone by Michele Cushatt
• *It's All Under Control by Jennifer Dukes Lee
• *Sacred Rest by Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith

Suzanne Eller (Suzie) is a bestselling author. She is co-host of the More Than Small Talk podcast with KLRC Podcast Network, which debuted in the top 25 Christian podcasts. Suzie has appeared on media such as Focus on the Family, Aspiring Women, The Harvest Show, KLOVE and many others. She served with Proverbs 31 Ministries for 14 years. She believes that healed women scoop up other women and run toward the cross. When she's not writing, you'll find her kayaking, hanging out with her "littles," finding the best foodie food truck, or hiking. Connect with Suzie at www.tsuzanneeller.com

*Note: If you are interested in purchasing this book or the books recommended, I would love for you to use the Amazon Affiliate link above to help support the podcast. Thank you!

Father’s Day is just around the corner, how are you feeling? For some of us, we have a great relationship with our dad. For others, we don’t. For some of us, we have a spouse. For others, we don’t.  For a single parent, it can be really hard.

Today, I want to have an honest conversation about loss and single parenting. I am excited to have Matthew Ronan on the podcast this week. He is going to vulnerably share about losing his wife and being a single dad for his daughter. But more than that, we dive deeper into grief and loss and how to deal with the hard emotions.

Before his wife passed away, together they wrote a children’s book called The Girl With Five Hearts. The question on the back of the book says, “What do you do with a broken heart.” So, we are going to talk about that today as well. It is an honest conversation full of vulnerability, wisdom, and even some Father’s Day advice for our solo parents. It was great advice for me as a mom too.

Also, I am so excited for someone to win a copy of Matthew’s new book: The Girl With Five Hearts. All the details of the book giveaway are on my website at jodirosser.com or you can click this direct link: https://kingsumo.com/g/j8izmo/childrens-book-giveaway

Book Recommendations:

• *The Soul of Shame by Dr. Kurt Thompson
• *I Still Believe by Jeremy Camp
• *Beyond the Darkness by Clarissa Moll
• *Grief Share Workbook

Link to Depth Podcast Episode 160: Beyond the Darkness – Clarissa Moll

Matthew Ronan is an artist and writer who’s worked in film, television, and radio. His credits include projects for Disney/Lucasfilm, Warner Bros., 20th Century Fox, and the Michael Jackson estate. He recently published The Girl With 5 Hearts, a children’s book he illustrated and co-authored with his late wife Chastidy. He lives in San Francisco with his daughter Catica. You can connect with him on his website or on Facebook and Instagram.

*Note: If you are interested in purchasing this book or the books recommended, I would love for you to use the Amazon Affiliate link above to help support the podcast. Thank you!