1 00:00:02,700 --> 00:00:08,220 Speaker 1: Life Audio. Hi, from the Salvation Army, you're listening to 2 00:00:08,560 --> 00:00:09,300 Speaker 1: Words of Life. 3 00:00:10,000 --> 00:00:18,710 Speaker 2: These are the words, these are the words, these are 4 00:00:18,750 --> 00:00:27,950 Speaker 2: the words of life. Hey, and welcome back to Words 5 00:00:27,990 --> 00:00:30,710 Speaker 2: of Life. Back in June of last year, we made 6 00:00:30,730 --> 00:00:33,990 Speaker 2: a new friend and had her on the show, author, podcaster, 7 00:00:34,030 --> 00:00:37,970 Speaker 2: and speaker Rachel Wojo. And starting today, she'll be joining 8 00:00:38,010 --> 00:00:40,570 Speaker 2: us again for the next four weeks to talk about 9 00:00:40,610 --> 00:00:44,010 Speaker 2: the power of prayer and praying through life's difficult battles. 10 00:00:44,390 --> 00:00:46,890 Speaker 2: So if you're in a really difficult season right now, 11 00:00:46,990 --> 00:00:49,199 Speaker 2: but you are still showing up, you are still praying, 12 00:00:49,590 --> 00:00:52,159 Speaker 2: but you're starting to wonder if it's working, these next 13 00:00:52,240 --> 00:00:52,820 Speaker 2: few weeks. 14 00:00:52,680 --> 00:01:01,450 Speaker 3: Are for you. What I believe the crux of the 15 00:01:01,490 --> 00:01:04,650 Speaker 3: power of prayer is, is not who we are, but 16 00:01:04,750 --> 00:01:09,710 Speaker 3: who God is and allowing ourselves to be infused with 17 00:01:09,790 --> 00:01:14,190 Speaker 3: the strength that He offers to give us. Whatever you're 18 00:01:14,230 --> 00:01:19,470 Speaker 3: going through today, listener, no matter how difficult, God's love 19 00:01:19,730 --> 00:01:22,209 Speaker 3: is with you and He is for you. 20 00:01:28,290 --> 00:01:31,610 Speaker 2: Listeners, we are so excited to once again have our 21 00:01:31,720 --> 00:01:34,920 Speaker 2: friend Rachel Wojo back on the show. Rachel, thank you 22 00:01:34,959 --> 00:01:36,320 Speaker 2: so much for hanging out with us again. 23 00:01:36,959 --> 00:01:39,420 Speaker 3: My privilege. Thank you for having me. 24 00:01:39,980 --> 00:01:43,339 Speaker 2: For any listeners who didn't hear your last series that 25 00:01:43,360 --> 00:01:46,140 Speaker 2: we had, which actually aired last year, June to July, 26 00:01:46,160 --> 00:01:48,040 Speaker 2: would you please just introduce yourself? 27 00:01:48,300 --> 00:01:53,060 Speaker 3: Who is Rachel? Sure. Well, I most of the time 28 00:01:53,310 --> 00:01:57,170 Speaker 3: am sitting crisscrossed applesauce in a beanbag chair surrounded by 29 00:01:57,210 --> 00:02:00,310 Speaker 3: a bunch of kids. if the truth is known. But 30 00:02:01,510 --> 00:02:06,690 Speaker 3: I am an author, podcaster, speaker. I appreciate the topic 31 00:02:06,730 --> 00:02:10,350 Speaker 3: of prayer deeply and have really honed it in on 32 00:02:10,380 --> 00:02:13,760 Speaker 3: the topics of prayer and perseverance for the last few years. 33 00:02:14,620 --> 00:02:17,620 Speaker 3: I have a house full of kiddos that are in 34 00:02:17,680 --> 00:02:21,760 Speaker 3: and out of the nest as we speak. Two married, 35 00:02:22,180 --> 00:02:24,860 Speaker 3: two currently in college, and two currently in high school. 36 00:02:25,000 --> 00:02:28,180 Speaker 3: So we may as well put a revolving door on 37 00:02:28,200 --> 00:02:32,930 Speaker 3: the front of the house, right? And so my husband 38 00:02:33,650 --> 00:02:39,070 Speaker 3: is a hardworking man who just supports the ministry in 39 00:02:39,110 --> 00:02:41,470 Speaker 3: so many ways. If he didn't do what he does, 40 00:02:41,570 --> 00:02:44,560 Speaker 3: then I couldn't do what I do. And we're just 41 00:02:44,639 --> 00:02:48,440 Speaker 3: honored to be able to take a few words, throw 42 00:02:48,480 --> 00:02:52,220 Speaker 3: them on paper, and pray that the Lord uses them 43 00:02:52,280 --> 00:02:53,540 Speaker 3: to minister to people. 44 00:03:02,150 --> 00:03:05,310 Speaker 2: Well, since we saw you last, you have now released your, 45 00:03:05,450 --> 00:03:09,869 Speaker 2: I believe, third book. What inspired you to write another book? 46 00:03:09,930 --> 00:03:11,770 Speaker 2: What inspired you to write this one in particular? 47 00:03:12,630 --> 00:03:17,980 Speaker 3: Yeah. So I love that book, Desperate Prayers. Honestly, it 48 00:03:18,000 --> 00:03:22,179 Speaker 3: is kind of my heart on paper. But as I 49 00:03:22,540 --> 00:03:25,620 Speaker 3: produced that book and started to get it out in 50 00:03:25,639 --> 00:03:29,320 Speaker 3: the wild, I realized that one of the hardest things 51 00:03:29,380 --> 00:03:33,619 Speaker 3: for me as a mom of a special needs child 52 00:03:33,680 --> 00:03:38,110 Speaker 3: who was suffering gradually, losing her abilities over the course 53 00:03:38,150 --> 00:03:42,370 Speaker 3: of 22 years, there were seasons where I could not 54 00:03:42,610 --> 00:03:46,510 Speaker 3: read a long chapter. I could not sit and focus 55 00:03:46,570 --> 00:03:50,040 Speaker 3: on something for 12 to 15 minutes. And so as 56 00:03:50,100 --> 00:03:52,480 Speaker 3: much as I love that book, and it truly is 57 00:03:52,560 --> 00:03:56,360 Speaker 3: my heart, I wanted to give those people who are 58 00:03:56,440 --> 00:04:00,320 Speaker 3: in seasons where they cannot focus for very long, just 59 00:04:00,640 --> 00:04:06,290 Speaker 3: really strong, bite-sized encouragement. And that was the goal of 60 00:04:06,430 --> 00:04:09,450 Speaker 3: producing Praying Through Life's Battles. When you're in the thick 61 00:04:09,490 --> 00:04:13,630 Speaker 3: of it, it can be so hard to really focus 62 00:04:13,770 --> 00:04:17,010 Speaker 3: for long periods of time or even find the time 63 00:04:17,029 --> 00:04:21,100 Speaker 3: to have to read a whole chapter at once, which 64 00:04:21,690 --> 00:04:24,330 Speaker 3: only takes 12 to 15 minutes, but we all know 65 00:04:24,450 --> 00:04:28,360 Speaker 3: sometimes getting that amount of time is a challenge. So 66 00:04:28,420 --> 00:04:32,299 Speaker 3: that really was the heart behind writing Praying Through Life's Battles, 67 00:04:32,380 --> 00:04:36,810 Speaker 3: was to take the prayers, make them bite-sized, take strong, 68 00:04:36,870 --> 00:04:39,190 Speaker 3: deep encouragement, and make it bite-sized. 69 00:04:53,240 --> 00:04:55,280 Speaker 2: One of the things that you kind of start out 70 00:04:55,440 --> 00:04:58,000 Speaker 2: in the book is talking about having a life verse 71 00:04:58,920 --> 00:05:01,320 Speaker 2: or just having verses that really speak to you and 72 00:05:01,360 --> 00:05:04,700 Speaker 2: kind of shape you. Why does the verse in 1 Samuel, 73 00:05:05,240 --> 00:05:06,600 Speaker 2: the battle is the Lord, speak. 74 00:05:06,380 --> 00:05:11,099 Speaker 3: So deeply to you? Yeah. When my Taylor was just 75 00:05:11,180 --> 00:05:14,339 Speaker 3: a little girl and still had her words, she eventually 76 00:05:14,420 --> 00:05:18,320 Speaker 3: lost her communication skills and vocabulary. Between the ages of 77 00:05:18,400 --> 00:05:21,479 Speaker 3: six and nine, she lost it. But at age four, 78 00:05:21,560 --> 00:05:24,720 Speaker 3: she could still speak. She had many things that were 79 00:05:24,779 --> 00:05:28,060 Speaker 3: her own little language. And her Sunday school teacher really 80 00:05:28,440 --> 00:05:32,940 Speaker 3: believed in her. And one day after church, my husband 81 00:05:32,990 --> 00:05:36,450 Speaker 3: and I went to pick her up. And her teacher said, Taylor. Taylor. 82 00:05:37,060 --> 00:05:41,050 Speaker 3: what's your verse for today? And I just stood there thinking, 83 00:05:41,070 --> 00:05:44,930 Speaker 3: the child memorized a verse? Are you serious? And sure enough, 84 00:05:45,010 --> 00:05:49,670 Speaker 3: she just spouted out, the battle is the Lord's. And 85 00:05:50,240 --> 00:05:54,000 Speaker 3: we didn't even have her diagnosis at that point. So 86 00:05:54,120 --> 00:05:57,360 Speaker 3: for her to have memorized a verse and be able 87 00:05:57,420 --> 00:06:01,340 Speaker 3: to carry those words, the battle is the Lord's, and 88 00:06:01,380 --> 00:06:04,440 Speaker 3: remind myself of it over and over again was just 89 00:06:05,040 --> 00:06:08,930 Speaker 3: Really critical. 22 years is a long time, a long 90 00:06:09,010 --> 00:06:14,650 Speaker 3: time to face daily battles. And so I hope that 91 00:06:14,690 --> 00:06:17,820 Speaker 3: that encourages someone that you can take a few words 92 00:06:18,500 --> 00:06:22,800 Speaker 3: that really speak volumes from God's Word and apply them 93 00:06:22,839 --> 00:06:25,290 Speaker 3: to your life. That's why that verse is so special 94 00:06:25,320 --> 00:06:26,909 Speaker 3: to me. I love that. 95 00:06:37,070 --> 00:06:39,490 Speaker 2: You had talked about Taylor's journey last time you were 96 00:06:39,510 --> 00:06:42,010 Speaker 2: with us as well. And of course, you've spoken about 97 00:06:42,050 --> 00:06:44,450 Speaker 2: it a lot on your podcast. But how did her 98 00:06:44,510 --> 00:06:47,539 Speaker 2: life change the way that you personally understood prayer? 99 00:06:48,220 --> 00:06:54,860 Speaker 3: Yeah, I think that initially, when you receive a diagnosis 100 00:06:54,920 --> 00:06:58,360 Speaker 3: for your child that's terminal, you get pretty angry at God, 101 00:06:58,720 --> 00:07:00,830 Speaker 3: if I'm just going to be honest. You get mad 102 00:07:00,870 --> 00:07:06,900 Speaker 3: at God. And I realized that God can handle our emotions. 103 00:07:07,540 --> 00:07:11,790 Speaker 3: He can handle our anger, our frustration. When we take 104 00:07:11,850 --> 00:07:16,270 Speaker 3: it to Him, we're better off than when we keep 105 00:07:16,330 --> 00:07:20,830 Speaker 3: it to ourselves. And so that open communication, whether you 106 00:07:20,950 --> 00:07:24,750 Speaker 3: feel like you have words that are maybe honoring to 107 00:07:24,810 --> 00:07:28,890 Speaker 3: Him or not, to still take that communication to Him 108 00:07:28,970 --> 00:07:31,810 Speaker 3: is so important to And if you think about it 109 00:07:31,910 --> 00:07:35,680 Speaker 3: as parents, when our kids are mad at us, we 110 00:07:35,740 --> 00:07:38,360 Speaker 3: don't want them to just go sulk in their room. 111 00:07:39,060 --> 00:07:42,620 Speaker 3: We want that open communication. We want to be able 112 00:07:42,660 --> 00:07:46,360 Speaker 3: to hear their frustrations and feelings. And our Heavenly Father 113 00:07:46,400 --> 00:07:49,630 Speaker 3: is the same. And so I think initially that really 114 00:07:49,730 --> 00:07:54,630 Speaker 3: was my motivation to just pray and be honest with God. 115 00:07:55,110 --> 00:07:58,770 Speaker 3: But then the relationship grew, and I'm so thankful that 116 00:07:58,810 --> 00:08:03,050 Speaker 3: it did. I realize that it doesn't have to stop there. 117 00:08:03,430 --> 00:08:06,030 Speaker 3: It really doesn't have to end with just taking your 118 00:08:06,070 --> 00:08:11,110 Speaker 3: frustrations to Him. You can have that open communication all 119 00:08:11,150 --> 00:08:14,570 Speaker 3: the time, and it's available to you. So that's pretty amazing. 120 00:08:15,830 --> 00:08:18,470 Speaker 3: Just learning that God would rather hear about your bad 121 00:08:18,510 --> 00:08:21,730 Speaker 3: day as not hear from you at all was really 122 00:08:22,090 --> 00:08:26,120 Speaker 3: important for me. And so as I began to open 123 00:08:26,160 --> 00:08:28,900 Speaker 3: up that prayer communication, I think that was the very 124 00:08:29,000 --> 00:08:33,750 Speaker 3: first thing that I kind of learned in the hard places. 125 00:08:44,530 --> 00:08:48,110 Speaker 2: Shortly after Taylor's passing, we say in the Salvation Army 126 00:08:48,150 --> 00:08:49,050 Speaker 2: was promoted to glory. 127 00:08:49,070 --> 00:08:51,069 Speaker 3: I love that. 128 00:08:51,230 --> 00:08:52,850 Speaker 2: And people would say to you that they were sorry 129 00:08:52,870 --> 00:08:53,990 Speaker 2: that she lost her battle. 130 00:08:54,710 --> 00:08:54,970 Speaker 3: Yeah. 131 00:08:55,830 --> 00:08:59,240 Speaker 2: How did her life teach you what victory truly looks like? 132 00:08:59,700 --> 00:09:05,690 Speaker 3: Yeah. I really believe that heaven is just something we 133 00:09:05,750 --> 00:09:09,510 Speaker 3: can't even wrap our minds around fully, right? We just 134 00:09:09,730 --> 00:09:16,410 Speaker 3: don't understand it on this side. But her life and 135 00:09:16,710 --> 00:09:20,650 Speaker 3: looking at lost her battle, I really believe that she 136 00:09:20,750 --> 00:09:26,600 Speaker 3: actually won the battle at that point because God took 137 00:09:26,760 --> 00:09:31,840 Speaker 3: her human flesh and said, enough. we're going to give 138 00:09:31,880 --> 00:09:34,750 Speaker 3: you a better body and we're going to give you 139 00:09:34,760 --> 00:09:40,810 Speaker 3: a heavenly body. And so her spirit and her soul 140 00:09:42,010 --> 00:09:46,790 Speaker 3: have now experienced the ultimate glory, as you would say, 141 00:09:46,890 --> 00:09:52,620 Speaker 3: promoted to glory. And I really think that looking at 142 00:09:52,840 --> 00:09:57,660 Speaker 3: her life, victory in Christ is, yes, we have daily 143 00:09:57,720 --> 00:10:00,980 Speaker 3: battles to face here on this earth, But, you know, 144 00:10:01,040 --> 00:10:03,780 Speaker 3: so many of us were like, yeah, we're trusting God 145 00:10:03,880 --> 00:10:07,600 Speaker 3: for eternal salvation. We believe that he's going to take 146 00:10:07,679 --> 00:10:10,280 Speaker 3: us home to heaven. But then we don't trust him 147 00:10:10,300 --> 00:10:15,060 Speaker 3: for everyday solutions. We just kind of, you know, bank 148 00:10:15,400 --> 00:10:18,610 Speaker 3: on the victory in heaven. And I think Taylor's life 149 00:10:18,640 --> 00:10:22,829 Speaker 3: taught me that we could begin to live in victory 150 00:10:22,890 --> 00:10:25,910 Speaker 3: in the here and now. And not that it's easy. 151 00:10:25,929 --> 00:10:28,990 Speaker 3: I mean, if I told you all the things, the 152 00:10:29,050 --> 00:10:33,210 Speaker 3: details that are happening in our lives just this week, 153 00:10:33,370 --> 00:10:37,410 Speaker 3: me and my family, you would just be shocked probably. 154 00:10:38,710 --> 00:10:42,990 Speaker 3: I haven't really divulged the last two weeks of what's 155 00:10:43,030 --> 00:10:47,130 Speaker 3: happened in our family's life too much because I'm like, wow, 156 00:10:47,450 --> 00:10:49,930 Speaker 3: we got this book coming out, Praying Through Life's Battles, 157 00:10:50,190 --> 00:10:55,470 Speaker 3: should we not have expected a few battles along the way? 158 00:10:55,670 --> 00:11:01,720 Speaker 3: And so learning to position ourselves that we're living from 159 00:11:01,840 --> 00:11:05,640 Speaker 3: the victory that Jesus has already won the war instead 160 00:11:05,760 --> 00:11:10,210 Speaker 3: of fighting for the victory. I think that perspective is 161 00:11:10,350 --> 00:11:11,489 Speaker 3: really important. 162 00:11:20,910 --> 00:11:24,650 Speaker 2: So the first section in the book is called For 163 00:11:24,670 --> 00:11:27,580 Speaker 2: the Weary. Why did you feel that this section needed 164 00:11:27,620 --> 00:11:28,240 Speaker 2: to come first? 165 00:11:29,080 --> 00:11:33,640 Speaker 3: Yeah, that's a great question. I think because most of us, 166 00:11:34,440 --> 00:11:40,600 Speaker 3: the first emotion, the first physical, mental, spiritual emotion Fatigue 167 00:11:41,020 --> 00:11:44,600 Speaker 3: is that thing that we feel like we're just tired 168 00:11:44,679 --> 00:11:48,800 Speaker 3: of it. You're tired of back pain. You're tired of 169 00:11:48,860 --> 00:11:53,199 Speaker 3: doctor visits. You're tired of scans. You're tired of addiction. 170 00:11:53,280 --> 00:11:56,870 Speaker 3: You're tired of whatever it is. You really are just 171 00:11:57,210 --> 00:12:00,309 Speaker 3: sick and tired of it. And so I feel like 172 00:12:00,350 --> 00:12:04,010 Speaker 3: the for the weary section is just saying, okay, I'm 173 00:12:04,070 --> 00:12:07,630 Speaker 3: tired of this, but this doesn't have to be where 174 00:12:07,830 --> 00:12:11,750 Speaker 3: I stay. And so when we look at the fatigue, 175 00:12:12,270 --> 00:12:16,070 Speaker 3: I think addressing that first is important because most of 176 00:12:16,190 --> 00:12:18,410 Speaker 3: us are kind of in that place in some way, 177 00:12:18,460 --> 00:12:19,200 Speaker 3: shape or form. 178 00:12:21,300 --> 00:12:24,800 Speaker 2: For someone walking through a difficult season right now, just 179 00:12:24,840 --> 00:12:27,260 Speaker 2: to a listener out there, what would you want to 180 00:12:27,300 --> 00:12:30,000 Speaker 2: remind them about God and about the power of prayer? 181 00:12:30,480 --> 00:12:33,780 Speaker 3: Yeah, just reach out to him. Just reach out to him. 182 00:12:34,640 --> 00:12:39,300 Speaker 3: I really believe that there is power, not because of 183 00:12:39,380 --> 00:12:43,140 Speaker 3: who we are, but because of who God is. And 184 00:12:43,179 --> 00:12:48,400 Speaker 3: when we open ourselves up to what He not only 185 00:12:48,460 --> 00:12:52,520 Speaker 3: can do for us, but more importantly, who He can 186 00:12:52,700 --> 00:12:57,189 Speaker 3: be for us. I mean, that really is What I 187 00:12:57,230 --> 00:12:59,969 Speaker 3: believe the crux of the power of prayer is, is 188 00:13:00,070 --> 00:13:03,390 Speaker 3: not who we are, but who God is and allowing 189 00:13:03,470 --> 00:13:08,740 Speaker 3: ourselves to be infused with the strength that He offers 190 00:13:08,820 --> 00:13:09,430 Speaker 3: to give us. 191 00:13:23,309 --> 00:13:26,390 Speaker 1: The Salvation Army's mission, doing the most good, means helping 192 00:13:26,490 --> 00:13:29,530 Speaker 1: people with material and spiritual needs. You become a part 193 00:13:29,550 --> 00:13:32,170 Speaker 1: of this mission every time you give to the Salvation Army. 194 00:13:32,490 --> 00:13:36,670 Speaker 1: Visit SalvationArmyUSA.org to offer your support. You can subscribe to 195 00:13:36,710 --> 00:13:41,690 Speaker 1: Words of Life on your favorite podcast store or visit SalvationArmySoundcast.org. 196 00:13:41,990 --> 00:13:44,490 Speaker 1: Join us next time for the Salvation Army's Words of Life. 197 00:13:46,160 --> 00:13:49,059 Speaker 2: These are the words, these are the words. 198 00:13:50,540 --> 00:13:50,900 Speaker 3: Of life. 199 00:13:50,940 --> 00:13:54,660 Speaker 2: These are the words, these are the words, these are 200 00:13:56,230 --> 00:14:05,510 Speaker 2: the words of life. These are the words of life. 201 00:14:15,010 --> 00:14:16,470 Speaker 3: These are the words of life. 202 00:14:31,900 --> 00:14:34,360 Speaker 2: Thanks so much for listening to Words of Life. We 203 00:14:34,380 --> 00:14:36,200 Speaker 2: want to thank the team at Life Audio for their 204 00:14:36,240 --> 00:14:40,040 Speaker 2: partnership with us on the show. Visit lifeaudio.com where you'll 205 00:14:40,080 --> 00:14:43,570 Speaker 2: find dozens of other faith-centered podcasts in their network. They 206 00:14:43,610 --> 00:14:47,590 Speaker 2: have shows about prayer, Bible studying, parenting, and more. Thanks 207 00:14:47,630 --> 00:14:49,280 Speaker 2: again for listening. We'll see you next time.