1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:07,800 Speaker 1: Life Audio. Welcome to the Love Offering Podcast. I'm your 2 00:00:07,800 --> 00:00:10,280 Speaker 1: host Rachel Adams, author of every Day Prayers for Love, 3 00:00:10,360 --> 00:00:12,959 Speaker 1: Learning to Love God, others, and even yourself. Each week, 4 00:00:13,000 --> 00:00:15,600 Speaker 1: we dive into meaningful conversations about how to live out 5 00:00:15,600 --> 00:00:18,160 Speaker 1: the greatest commandment, living God with all of our heart's soul, 6 00:00:18,239 --> 00:00:21,200 Speaker 1: mind and strength, and loving our neighbors as ourselves, whether 7 00:00:21,280 --> 00:00:24,759 Speaker 1: through inspiring stories, practical wisdom, or biblical truth. My hope 8 00:00:24,840 --> 00:00:27,600 Speaker 1: is to encourage you to love boldly, live faithfully, and 9 00:00:27,680 --> 00:00:30,800 Speaker 1: reflect God's love in your everyday life. Today, I'm honored 10 00:00:30,840 --> 00:00:33,120 Speaker 1: to welcome Rachel Wojo back to the show. Rachel is 11 00:00:33,120 --> 00:00:36,199 Speaker 1: an author's speaker, podcaster, and Bible teacher whose ministry has 12 00:00:36,280 --> 00:00:39,360 Speaker 1: encouraged countless of women to draw near to God through prayer, 13 00:00:39,520 --> 00:00:43,280 Speaker 1: especially in life's hardest seasons. Through her newest devotional, Praying 14 00:00:43,280 --> 00:00:46,880 Speaker 1: through Life's Battles, Rachel offers ninety reflections and prayers designed 15 00:00:46,880 --> 00:00:50,280 Speaker 1: to help readers navigate personal, emotional, and spiritual struggles with 16 00:00:50,320 --> 00:00:53,200 Speaker 1: hope and confidence in God's presence. Drawing from her own 17 00:00:53,240 --> 00:00:56,320 Speaker 1: profound journey, including the life and loss of her beloved 18 00:00:56,360 --> 00:00:59,320 Speaker 1: daughter Taylor, Rachel gently reminds us that even in our 19 00:00:59,360 --> 00:01:02,960 Speaker 1: deepest battle, we are never alone and that ultimately the 20 00:01:03,000 --> 00:01:07,560 Speaker 1: battle belongs to the Lord. Well, hello Rachel, and welcome 21 00:01:07,640 --> 00:01:10,080 Speaker 1: back to the Love Offering Podcast. I'm so happy to 22 00:01:10,120 --> 00:01:10,640 Speaker 1: have you again. 23 00:01:11,160 --> 00:01:14,399 Speaker 2: Thank you so much, Rachel. I appreciate you so much. 24 00:01:14,640 --> 00:01:15,600 Speaker 2: I'm glad to be here. 25 00:01:16,680 --> 00:01:19,520 Speaker 1: So I'm trying to thank You've been on the show too, 26 00:01:19,560 --> 00:01:22,360 Speaker 1: maybe three times already, and so you're one of my 27 00:01:22,360 --> 00:01:23,120 Speaker 1: favorite guests. 28 00:01:23,680 --> 00:01:26,000 Speaker 2: I feel very honored. Yes, I think this will be 29 00:01:26,080 --> 00:01:29,679 Speaker 2: the fourth episode, though, the fourth episode. Look at us, 30 00:01:29,800 --> 00:01:32,160 Speaker 2: I know, well, so we share more than just the 31 00:01:32,200 --> 00:01:38,520 Speaker 2: same name and love for the Lord, but also just 32 00:01:38,760 --> 00:01:43,080 Speaker 2: the wanting to encourage women in their journey of faith 33 00:01:43,200 --> 00:01:46,319 Speaker 2: and rely on prayer. And so for those that haven't 34 00:01:46,360 --> 00:01:49,000 Speaker 2: maybe heard your story, you do write from a place 35 00:01:49,040 --> 00:01:52,080 Speaker 2: of personal experience, especially through your journey with your daughter Taylor. 36 00:01:52,160 --> 00:01:54,840 Speaker 2: So how did those difficulties in shape your understanding of 37 00:01:54,880 --> 00:01:58,960 Speaker 2: prayer and your dependence on God? What a question. So 38 00:01:59,040 --> 00:02:02,440 Speaker 2: I think the hard spaces of our lives or where 39 00:02:02,480 --> 00:02:05,640 Speaker 2: we have this opportunity to either run to God or 40 00:02:05,760 --> 00:02:09,760 Speaker 2: run away from God. And I discovered early on that 41 00:02:09,880 --> 00:02:12,720 Speaker 2: I didn't want to run away from God, but I 42 00:02:12,800 --> 00:02:14,880 Speaker 2: sort of found a middle ground for a while and 43 00:02:15,120 --> 00:02:17,880 Speaker 2: did what I call stiff arming God, where I was 44 00:02:18,000 --> 00:02:22,560 Speaker 2: mad about my daughter's diagnosis and upset that the perfect 45 00:02:22,639 --> 00:02:25,000 Speaker 2: Christian life didn't turn out to be the way that 46 00:02:25,120 --> 00:02:29,679 Speaker 2: I thought it would be. But I eventually learned that 47 00:02:29,720 --> 00:02:33,120 Speaker 2: the Lord was going to use my story and using 48 00:02:33,200 --> 00:02:36,160 Speaker 2: my story not only to work in my own heart 49 00:02:36,240 --> 00:02:39,120 Speaker 2: and life and do a miracle inside of me, but 50 00:02:39,240 --> 00:02:43,000 Speaker 2: also to help others along the way. So I started 51 00:02:43,040 --> 00:02:48,120 Speaker 2: writing seventeen years ago, believe that wow, and wrote my 52 00:02:48,160 --> 00:02:51,480 Speaker 2: first Bible study that first year, and then just proceeded 53 00:02:51,560 --> 00:02:55,120 Speaker 2: on to write on a blog and try to stay 54 00:02:55,480 --> 00:02:58,240 Speaker 2: faithful to what God had called me to do in 55 00:02:58,280 --> 00:03:02,320 Speaker 2: the midst of the hard places. Daughter Taylor lived to 56 00:03:02,400 --> 00:03:05,320 Speaker 2: be twenty two years old. She passed away January second, 57 00:03:05,400 --> 00:03:10,959 Speaker 2: twenty nineteen from a rare metabolic disorder called muco polystachardosis. 58 00:03:11,120 --> 00:03:15,880 Speaker 2: It's often called a childhood Alzheimer's. And I believe that 59 00:03:16,000 --> 00:03:19,720 Speaker 2: the last episode I was on with you, we talked 60 00:03:19,720 --> 00:03:23,040 Speaker 2: about praying God's promises, and prior to that, we talked 61 00:03:23,080 --> 00:03:26,280 Speaker 2: about desperate prayers. So someone wants to go back and 62 00:03:26,480 --> 00:03:29,040 Speaker 2: hear a little bit more of the story, they can 63 00:03:29,120 --> 00:03:33,680 Speaker 2: dive into that episode where I share about her beautiful life, 64 00:03:33,800 --> 00:03:38,760 Speaker 2: my Taylor, and also what I learned after she left 65 00:03:38,840 --> 00:03:43,120 Speaker 2: us and graduated to Heaven. Well, I would encourage everybody 66 00:03:43,120 --> 00:03:45,160 Speaker 2: to go back and listen to those episodes, so we'll 67 00:03:45,160 --> 00:03:47,640 Speaker 2: link them in the show notes. But you know, most 68 00:03:47,680 --> 00:03:50,800 Speaker 2: of us listening today are carying battles that feel overwhelming, 69 00:03:50,840 --> 00:03:54,800 Speaker 2: whether emotionally, spiritually, physically, or relationally. So why do you 70 00:03:54,800 --> 00:03:57,440 Speaker 2: think prayer is often one of the first things we 71 00:03:57,600 --> 00:04:01,760 Speaker 2: neglect even when we actually needed the most. Yeah, that's 72 00:04:01,800 --> 00:04:04,000 Speaker 2: such a great question. I think there are a few 73 00:04:04,040 --> 00:04:04,960 Speaker 2: reasons for that. 74 00:04:05,080 --> 00:04:05,360 Speaker 1: One. 75 00:04:05,520 --> 00:04:08,520 Speaker 2: We struggle to find the words. We just I don't 76 00:04:08,520 --> 00:04:10,840 Speaker 2: know about anyone else, but the first thing to goes 77 00:04:10,840 --> 00:04:14,720 Speaker 2: sometimes in my mind is the ability to articulate and 78 00:04:14,760 --> 00:04:17,800 Speaker 2: get words to move from my mind out my mouth, 79 00:04:18,040 --> 00:04:21,360 Speaker 2: and then we're onto paper even And then I think 80 00:04:21,400 --> 00:04:25,560 Speaker 2: also besides the struggle to find words, we just get 81 00:04:25,600 --> 00:04:28,680 Speaker 2: caught up in our emotions and our feelings, and those 82 00:04:28,920 --> 00:04:32,599 Speaker 2: overwhelm us to the point to where we probably could 83 00:04:32,600 --> 00:04:34,719 Speaker 2: find the words if we could push the feelings and 84 00:04:34,760 --> 00:04:39,320 Speaker 2: emotions aside. But the fear, the anger, the frustration, all 85 00:04:39,400 --> 00:04:43,279 Speaker 2: of those things just bowl over us and prevent us 86 00:04:43,320 --> 00:04:46,599 Speaker 2: from being able to pray. We give way to our 87 00:04:46,640 --> 00:04:50,599 Speaker 2: feelings instead of our faith, and so I think those 88 00:04:50,600 --> 00:04:54,880 Speaker 2: are probably the primary two reasons that we struggle with prayer. 89 00:04:54,960 --> 00:04:59,520 Speaker 2: But also there's a thing Corey Timboom is noted as saying, 90 00:04:59,560 --> 00:05:01,920 Speaker 2: and that's if the devil can't make you bad, he 91 00:05:02,000 --> 00:05:04,080 Speaker 2: will make you busy. And you and I were just 92 00:05:04,160 --> 00:05:07,200 Speaker 2: talking about our seasons of life right now before we 93 00:05:07,279 --> 00:05:10,800 Speaker 2: came on air, and how it's so easy for just 94 00:05:10,880 --> 00:05:14,320 Speaker 2: the busyness, even when we know we need the Lord 95 00:05:14,480 --> 00:05:18,920 Speaker 2: and we're struggling with whatever the problems are. We get 96 00:05:18,960 --> 00:05:21,760 Speaker 2: so busy trying to take care of things ourselves that 97 00:05:21,800 --> 00:05:24,560 Speaker 2: we forget that He wants to carry that burden for us. 98 00:05:25,839 --> 00:05:29,200 Speaker 2: Absolutely well, I can't wait to continue today's conversation, but 99 00:05:29,200 --> 00:05:30,640 Speaker 2: we're going to take a brief break to hear a 100 00:05:30,680 --> 00:05:32,920 Speaker 2: word from today's sponsor, and when we come back, we'll 101 00:05:32,920 --> 00:05:35,880 Speaker 2: talk about spiritual battles, finding peace and suffering, and how 102 00:05:35,920 --> 00:05:43,200 Speaker 2: prayer helps anchor us in God's presence and promises. Welcome back. 103 00:05:43,240 --> 00:05:46,120 Speaker 1: I'm talking with Rachel Wojo about her devotional praying through 104 00:05:46,400 --> 00:05:49,160 Speaker 1: life's battles and in your book you talk about seeing 105 00:05:49,200 --> 00:05:52,320 Speaker 1: our struggles in light of God's past faithfulness. So why 106 00:05:52,400 --> 00:05:55,800 Speaker 1: is remembering God's provisions so important when we are walking 107 00:05:55,839 --> 00:05:57,040 Speaker 1: through difficult seasons. 108 00:05:57,480 --> 00:06:01,360 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's a great question. I I think that His 109 00:06:01,600 --> 00:06:05,279 Speaker 2: faithfulness is important for us to remember because when we 110 00:06:05,400 --> 00:06:08,960 Speaker 2: forget that, we lose our way. We tend to start 111 00:06:09,000 --> 00:06:12,600 Speaker 2: to rely on our own abilities, our own circumstances. We 112 00:06:12,800 --> 00:06:16,520 Speaker 2: think about the way the enemy whispers lies to us 113 00:06:16,600 --> 00:06:20,520 Speaker 2: and the tactics that he uses to try to pull 114 00:06:20,640 --> 00:06:22,960 Speaker 2: us away from the truth, and they start to work. 115 00:06:23,120 --> 00:06:26,200 Speaker 2: They start to run on a ticker in our minds. 116 00:06:26,279 --> 00:06:28,320 Speaker 2: You know, I'm not good enough, I'm not smart enough. 117 00:06:28,360 --> 00:06:30,440 Speaker 2: I'll never be able to do this. This is too 118 00:06:30,520 --> 00:06:34,200 Speaker 2: much for me. I'm overwhelmed. Anxiety is more than I 119 00:06:34,240 --> 00:06:37,719 Speaker 2: can bear. And all of those lies he just places 120 00:06:37,839 --> 00:06:40,720 Speaker 2: in our minds and our hearts to prevent us from 121 00:06:40,760 --> 00:06:44,000 Speaker 2: being able to focus on the truth. So when we 122 00:06:44,160 --> 00:06:47,400 Speaker 2: refocus on the truth, which is that God is faithful, 123 00:06:47,800 --> 00:06:52,120 Speaker 2: He has never changed and ever will, and we rely 124 00:06:52,520 --> 00:06:56,840 Speaker 2: on his promises, we rely on his faithfulness, then it 125 00:06:57,440 --> 00:07:01,360 Speaker 2: gives us the ability to move forward and approach this 126 00:07:01,720 --> 00:07:04,839 Speaker 2: whole topic of prayer sort of in a different way, 127 00:07:05,120 --> 00:07:09,200 Speaker 2: understanding that we don't have to pray for victory. We're 128 00:07:09,240 --> 00:07:14,840 Speaker 2: already praying from victory. Jesus has the victory over death, 129 00:07:15,280 --> 00:07:19,200 Speaker 2: and because he lives, we have the ability to stand 130 00:07:19,440 --> 00:07:22,960 Speaker 2: on his word and know that God is going to 131 00:07:23,040 --> 00:07:27,680 Speaker 2: deliver us from whatever the battle is. You know, I 132 00:07:27,720 --> 00:07:31,480 Speaker 2: think you mentioned this, but prayer can sometimes feel intimidating 133 00:07:31,760 --> 00:07:34,560 Speaker 2: or discouraging, especially when answers don't come in the way 134 00:07:34,760 --> 00:07:37,160 Speaker 2: or in the time that we hoped. So what encouragement 135 00:07:37,160 --> 00:07:39,000 Speaker 2: would you give to the woman who feels weary or 136 00:07:39,000 --> 00:07:43,480 Speaker 2: disappointed in prayer right now? Yeah, stay faithful. I know 137 00:07:43,720 --> 00:07:46,680 Speaker 2: that that can just seem like such a trite little 138 00:07:46,720 --> 00:07:51,880 Speaker 2: answer and easier to say than done. But staying faithful 139 00:07:52,080 --> 00:07:56,640 Speaker 2: in your prayer life. It's not about the answers. It's 140 00:07:56,680 --> 00:07:59,760 Speaker 2: about understanding that God wants to do so much more 141 00:07:59,800 --> 00:08:02,320 Speaker 2: than give us the answer to our prayers. He wants 142 00:08:02,360 --> 00:08:06,280 Speaker 2: to be the answer to our prayers. So the reason 143 00:08:06,400 --> 00:08:09,480 Speaker 2: for prayer is not for the answers. The reason for 144 00:08:09,560 --> 00:08:13,880 Speaker 2: prayer is for the relationship, and when we can grasp that, 145 00:08:14,320 --> 00:08:17,880 Speaker 2: then it changes how we approach the throne of God. 146 00:08:18,040 --> 00:08:20,960 Speaker 1: All Rachel that's so good. You know, I've read your 147 00:08:21,120 --> 00:08:24,760 Speaker 1: entire devotional covert to cover, and I believe that it 148 00:08:24,840 --> 00:08:27,400 Speaker 1: is actually really helpful, and that there is so much 149 00:08:27,680 --> 00:08:30,440 Speaker 1: encouragement and biblical truth in the pages. And one of 150 00:08:30,520 --> 00:08:32,400 Speaker 1: the most beautiful things that I think about your book 151 00:08:32,440 --> 00:08:35,520 Speaker 1: is how practical and comforting that it feels. How do 152 00:08:35,600 --> 00:08:38,480 Speaker 1: you hope that these ninety devotions and prayers will minister 153 00:08:38,559 --> 00:08:40,720 Speaker 1: to readers in the midst of their real struggles? Because 154 00:08:40,720 --> 00:08:41,480 Speaker 1: administered to. 155 00:08:41,440 --> 00:08:47,040 Speaker 2: Me, I divided this up into sections, and I really 156 00:08:47,080 --> 00:08:50,679 Speaker 2: wanted it to be quickly digestible as far as the devotion, 157 00:08:50,960 --> 00:08:55,160 Speaker 2: but I also felt like offering some summary practicality would 158 00:08:55,160 --> 00:08:57,520 Speaker 2: help as well. And so after the title and the 159 00:08:57,559 --> 00:09:01,360 Speaker 2: scripture of east devotion, there's this action that has the 160 00:09:01,480 --> 00:09:05,680 Speaker 2: enemies lie, whatever tactic it is that he specifically tries 161 00:09:05,720 --> 00:09:09,000 Speaker 2: to use against you. And then the opposite truth of 162 00:09:09,000 --> 00:09:13,760 Speaker 2: that God's promise is God's strategy, the divine strategy to 163 00:09:13,880 --> 00:09:16,960 Speaker 2: approach that lie with and refute it in the name 164 00:09:17,000 --> 00:09:21,800 Speaker 2: of Jesus, and specifically naming those I think helps us 165 00:09:22,040 --> 00:09:24,960 Speaker 2: know what we're up against. So then you read through 166 00:09:24,960 --> 00:09:27,880 Speaker 2: the devotional for that morning, and at the close there 167 00:09:27,960 --> 00:09:30,720 Speaker 2: is a prayer, and then there's one more thing at 168 00:09:30,760 --> 00:09:33,520 Speaker 2: the end after the prayer. It's called a battle cry 169 00:09:33,600 --> 00:09:37,000 Speaker 2: for today, and that one summary statement is just designed 170 00:09:37,000 --> 00:09:38,800 Speaker 2: for you to carry it with you throughout the day, 171 00:09:38,840 --> 00:09:40,760 Speaker 2: whether you decide to write it on a post it 172 00:09:40,800 --> 00:09:43,760 Speaker 2: note or you know, screenshot it on your phone, or 173 00:09:43,800 --> 00:09:47,160 Speaker 2: whatever you decide to do to help carry it with 174 00:09:47,200 --> 00:09:50,000 Speaker 2: you throughout the day. And I just really wanted this, 175 00:09:50,200 --> 00:09:52,600 Speaker 2: like you said, to be not only encouraging, but a 176 00:09:52,640 --> 00:09:56,600 Speaker 2: really practical tool where you feel like you're carrying that 177 00:09:56,720 --> 00:10:01,240 Speaker 2: inspiration and the encouragement of God's work with you as 178 00:10:01,240 --> 00:10:02,280 Speaker 2: you go throughout your day. 179 00:10:03,440 --> 00:10:06,719 Speaker 1: You mentioned that you have walked through tremendous grief and 180 00:10:06,760 --> 00:10:10,400 Speaker 1: hardship yourself. So have there been specific prayers or scriptures 181 00:10:10,440 --> 00:10:13,719 Speaker 1: that have become lifelines for you during those seasons? For 182 00:10:13,880 --> 00:10:17,480 Speaker 1: since the story of my daughter, One of the reasons 183 00:10:17,520 --> 00:10:20,480 Speaker 1: that I wrote this particular book is that when she 184 00:10:20,760 --> 00:10:22,960 Speaker 1: was a four year old little girl, she went to 185 00:10:23,000 --> 00:10:26,360 Speaker 1: Sunday school and the teacher in the class really believed 186 00:10:26,360 --> 00:10:28,520 Speaker 1: in her. This was at a time when she was 187 00:10:28,559 --> 00:10:31,640 Speaker 1: barely talking, didn't have very many words. She was four 188 00:10:31,760 --> 00:10:35,240 Speaker 1: years old and at six is when she stopped being 189 00:10:35,240 --> 00:10:38,560 Speaker 1: able to have conversations on a regular basis, but from 190 00:10:38,920 --> 00:10:42,800 Speaker 1: four to six she was pretty talkative, and the teacher 191 00:10:42,840 --> 00:10:45,200 Speaker 1: felt like she could learn a Bible verse. And so 192 00:10:45,320 --> 00:10:48,280 Speaker 1: I came back after the church service to pick her up, 193 00:10:48,400 --> 00:10:51,800 Speaker 1: and the teacher, Mollie, brought her out and said, Taylor 194 00:10:51,880 --> 00:10:52,880 Speaker 1: learned a verse today? 195 00:10:53,400 --> 00:10:54,920 Speaker 2: Would you like to say your verse? 196 00:10:54,960 --> 00:10:55,320 Speaker 1: Taylor? 197 00:10:55,600 --> 00:10:59,199 Speaker 2: And Taylor said, the battle is the Lord's and that 198 00:10:59,360 --> 00:11:02,360 Speaker 2: is from the famous David and Goliath story, of course, 199 00:11:02,880 --> 00:11:06,760 Speaker 2: and for Samuel and I think that that verse carried 200 00:11:06,920 --> 00:11:11,000 Speaker 2: our family for so many years. We still in our 201 00:11:11,040 --> 00:11:14,360 Speaker 2: fouryer of our hallway, above the front door, before you 202 00:11:14,480 --> 00:11:17,120 Speaker 2: walk out the door, there's a wall art that says 203 00:11:17,160 --> 00:11:20,320 Speaker 2: the battle is the Lord's and we just really believe 204 00:11:20,400 --> 00:11:23,760 Speaker 2: that that became our family mantra in order for us 205 00:11:23,840 --> 00:11:28,360 Speaker 2: to understand that we don't have to fight with our energy, 206 00:11:28,600 --> 00:11:32,320 Speaker 2: our strength, our futility, if you will, We don't have 207 00:11:32,400 --> 00:11:35,040 Speaker 2: to try to fight in our weaknesses, because God has 208 00:11:35,120 --> 00:11:39,520 Speaker 2: provided what we need. The battle truly is his. I 209 00:11:39,679 --> 00:11:43,600 Speaker 2: just pray that that key verse encourages someone today to 210 00:11:43,720 --> 00:11:46,040 Speaker 2: know that you can hold on to just those couple 211 00:11:46,040 --> 00:11:49,120 Speaker 2: of words from the David and Goliath story. The battle 212 00:11:49,280 --> 00:11:52,640 Speaker 2: is the Lord's. And know that whatever you're carrying today 213 00:11:52,880 --> 00:11:55,559 Speaker 2: does not have to be yours to carry. You can 214 00:11:55,640 --> 00:11:57,719 Speaker 2: lay it at the foot of the cross and know 215 00:11:57,840 --> 00:11:59,520 Speaker 2: that He has already won the victory. 216 00:12:00,520 --> 00:12:03,240 Speaker 1: Amen, I love that so much, and I didn't know 217 00:12:03,320 --> 00:12:06,719 Speaker 1: that about you and about Taylor. That's beautiful. Well, we 218 00:12:06,800 --> 00:12:09,560 Speaker 1: are going to take another brief break to hear a 219 00:12:09,559 --> 00:12:12,240 Speaker 1: word from today's sponsor, and when we come back, we're 220 00:12:12,240 --> 00:12:14,319 Speaker 1: going to talk about surrender God's peace in the middle 221 00:12:14,360 --> 00:12:17,760 Speaker 1: of battle and how prayer transforms not just our circumstances 222 00:12:17,800 --> 00:12:24,000 Speaker 1: but our hearts. Welcome back. I'm talking with Rachel Wojo 223 00:12:24,040 --> 00:12:27,360 Speaker 1: about praying through life's battles. So many women, I feel like, 224 00:12:27,400 --> 00:12:30,319 Speaker 1: feel isolated in their pain, like no one fully understands 225 00:12:30,320 --> 00:12:32,640 Speaker 1: what they're carrying. So how does prayer remind us that 226 00:12:32,679 --> 00:12:36,120 Speaker 1: we are never truly alone in our battles? So good? 227 00:12:36,880 --> 00:12:40,840 Speaker 2: I think that prayer teaches us to have that ongoing 228 00:12:40,960 --> 00:12:43,880 Speaker 2: commune and with the Lord. And it's so easy to 229 00:12:44,600 --> 00:12:46,840 Speaker 2: I'm guilty of it myself. Get up in the morning 230 00:12:47,400 --> 00:12:51,520 Speaker 2: and have a quiet time that is just beautiful and wonderful, 231 00:12:51,640 --> 00:12:54,640 Speaker 2: and then by noon have forgotten what I even read 232 00:12:55,200 --> 00:12:57,959 Speaker 2: or forgotten that God even exists, if I'm being honest, 233 00:12:58,120 --> 00:13:01,840 Speaker 2: like life can get crazy pretty fast. For us to 234 00:13:01,920 --> 00:13:04,600 Speaker 2: stay in tune with his presence and know that He 235 00:13:04,720 --> 00:13:07,280 Speaker 2: is with us, we have to keep that openness and 236 00:13:07,320 --> 00:13:10,960 Speaker 2: that willingness in our hearts that we want to commune 237 00:13:10,960 --> 00:13:13,600 Speaker 2: with him, we want to serve him and know him, 238 00:13:13,640 --> 00:13:16,120 Speaker 2: and we want to feel his presence with us. Life 239 00:13:16,200 --> 00:13:19,040 Speaker 2: is pretty crazy and it can feel like his presence 240 00:13:19,120 --> 00:13:21,680 Speaker 2: is not with us, or we don't know where or 241 00:13:21,720 --> 00:13:23,280 Speaker 2: who he is. So I think we have to be 242 00:13:23,400 --> 00:13:28,640 Speaker 2: purposeful in making sure that we put reminders around us 243 00:13:28,679 --> 00:13:34,400 Speaker 2: and use our circumstances to continually go back to Him 244 00:13:34,440 --> 00:13:38,160 Speaker 2: with them, whether it is you know, an accident you 245 00:13:38,200 --> 00:13:41,120 Speaker 2: see somewhere as you're driving to school and stopping to 246 00:13:41,160 --> 00:13:47,160 Speaker 2: pray for those people, where you're washing dishes and you remember, okay, Lord, 247 00:13:47,200 --> 00:13:49,680 Speaker 2: thank you for this food that we just ate, even 248 00:13:49,679 --> 00:13:52,720 Speaker 2: though we prayed and thanked you for it before. You 249 00:13:52,800 --> 00:13:56,200 Speaker 2: can also take whatever conversation was had during that meal 250 00:13:56,280 --> 00:13:59,320 Speaker 2: and pray for your kids while you're washing the dishes. 251 00:13:59,480 --> 00:14:02,280 Speaker 2: I've met this before, I think on your podcast, Rachel, 252 00:14:02,360 --> 00:14:06,400 Speaker 2: how I Will fold the laundry and whoever's laundry i'm folding, 253 00:14:06,440 --> 00:14:10,000 Speaker 2: I pray for that person. So just making prayer a 254 00:14:10,040 --> 00:14:13,200 Speaker 2: lifestyle of continually being open and having that open and 255 00:14:13,280 --> 00:14:18,320 Speaker 2: honest conversation is just a truly remarkable thing. It helps 256 00:14:18,360 --> 00:14:21,200 Speaker 2: you know that you're not alone, and it gives you 257 00:14:21,280 --> 00:14:25,960 Speaker 2: just a solidification of your faith because you're growing closer 258 00:14:26,000 --> 00:14:29,320 Speaker 2: to the Lord during that time. I sometimes use the 259 00:14:29,400 --> 00:14:33,920 Speaker 2: example of my husband and I. We don't text each 260 00:14:33,920 --> 00:14:37,880 Speaker 2: other all day long, but the opportunity is there, right 261 00:14:38,280 --> 00:14:41,040 Speaker 2: if I need to text him, if we need to communicate, 262 00:14:41,520 --> 00:14:45,400 Speaker 2: we can't. But also there's this natural flow to it. 263 00:14:45,400 --> 00:14:48,240 Speaker 2: It's not forced. He's not going to come home and say, 264 00:14:48,240 --> 00:14:51,040 Speaker 2: why didn't you text me today? Because we have an 265 00:14:51,120 --> 00:14:53,520 Speaker 2: understanding of one another, and he knows that I might 266 00:14:53,560 --> 00:14:55,840 Speaker 2: have been busy or I know he might not have 267 00:14:56,120 --> 00:14:59,040 Speaker 2: had a break so that he could answer something that 268 00:14:59,120 --> 00:15:02,520 Speaker 2: I sent to him. So we're after that mutual understanding 269 00:15:02,560 --> 00:15:05,480 Speaker 2: with our Lord, and I just believe that that's one 270 00:15:05,520 --> 00:15:07,360 Speaker 2: of the ways that we can do it is to 271 00:15:07,400 --> 00:15:10,480 Speaker 2: be more purposeful about engaging with him throughout the day. 272 00:15:11,680 --> 00:15:15,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, you're right about positively anticipating the future that God 273 00:15:15,800 --> 00:15:18,080 Speaker 1: has for us. Even in the midst of hardship. So 274 00:15:18,120 --> 00:15:20,320 Speaker 1: how can women hold on to hope even when life 275 00:15:20,360 --> 00:15:25,600 Speaker 1: feels uncertain or pain Well, I wish again there was 276 00:15:25,640 --> 00:15:29,840 Speaker 1: a pat little answer. I often think that most of 277 00:15:29,920 --> 00:15:34,360 Speaker 1: us struggle with the hard things because that's just how 278 00:15:34,400 --> 00:15:38,680 Speaker 1: the world is and so our expectation, at least mine, 279 00:15:38,920 --> 00:15:41,720 Speaker 1: as someone who grew up in the church, Christian home, 280 00:15:41,840 --> 00:15:45,320 Speaker 1: Christian school, went on to Christian College, I think I 281 00:15:45,480 --> 00:15:48,400 Speaker 1: just had an idea of this little white pickt fenced 282 00:15:48,480 --> 00:15:52,240 Speaker 1: dream that nothing would ever burst my bubble. And I 283 00:15:52,280 --> 00:15:55,280 Speaker 1: don't know where I was placing the verse that Jesus says, 284 00:15:55,360 --> 00:15:58,080 Speaker 1: in this world you will have trouble, you know. It 285 00:15:58,160 --> 00:16:01,400 Speaker 1: was like that was nowhere in my cognitive brain to 286 00:16:02,000 --> 00:16:05,760 Speaker 1: process that. But I do believe that when we are 287 00:16:05,920 --> 00:16:09,280 Speaker 1: in the midst of the hard if we can continually 288 00:16:09,360 --> 00:16:11,600 Speaker 1: take it to Him. And I know I sound like 289 00:16:11,640 --> 00:16:15,040 Speaker 1: a broken record, but I'm just telling you, Rachel, if 290 00:16:15,120 --> 00:16:18,720 Speaker 1: I didn't have Jesus, I would not be able to 291 00:16:18,760 --> 00:16:21,880 Speaker 1: survive my daughter's death. And that's just the crux of it. 292 00:16:22,000 --> 00:16:25,960 Speaker 1: So I truly believe that prayer is the only reason 293 00:16:26,520 --> 00:16:30,000 Speaker 1: that I'm sitting here talking with you today. So I 294 00:16:30,040 --> 00:16:34,440 Speaker 1: would encourage anyone who's listening if you say, I just 295 00:16:34,680 --> 00:16:37,680 Speaker 1: sometimes don't know what to pray, or can't find the words, 296 00:16:37,880 --> 00:16:41,520 Speaker 1: or I feel like life is so crazy that I 297 00:16:41,600 --> 00:16:45,320 Speaker 1: have struggles settling my heart. I'm so weary in the 298 00:16:45,360 --> 00:16:48,200 Speaker 1: battle that I just I sit down to pray and 299 00:16:48,240 --> 00:16:51,680 Speaker 1: I carve out the time. But I'm sending there, numb 300 00:16:52,240 --> 00:16:54,760 Speaker 1: pick up a tool that can help you. And I 301 00:16:54,840 --> 00:16:58,360 Speaker 1: know that this devotional, this ninety Nay devotional does that. 302 00:16:58,560 --> 00:17:02,800 Speaker 1: Praying through life's battles. Spiritual battles often affect our emotions, thoughts, 303 00:17:03,040 --> 00:17:05,200 Speaker 1: and even our physical health. So what are some practical 304 00:17:05,200 --> 00:17:07,880 Speaker 1: ways that we can stay spiritually grounded even when life 305 00:17:07,920 --> 00:17:08,840 Speaker 1: feels overwhelming. 306 00:17:09,200 --> 00:17:13,000 Speaker 2: I was reading this morning about how God's word never 307 00:17:13,080 --> 00:17:16,760 Speaker 2: returns void, and I talked about this with a woman yesterday. 308 00:17:16,840 --> 00:17:19,720 Speaker 2: She said, I'm just really struggling to read my Bible 309 00:17:19,840 --> 00:17:23,200 Speaker 2: because my mind is so foggy. And so I made 310 00:17:23,240 --> 00:17:26,560 Speaker 2: a couple of suggestions that I wish someone had kind 311 00:17:26,600 --> 00:17:30,480 Speaker 2: of shared with me earlier. For a long time, I 312 00:17:30,520 --> 00:17:34,400 Speaker 2: grew up reading the KJV version of the Bible, and 313 00:17:34,840 --> 00:17:39,640 Speaker 2: I switched to an ESV. It kind of brought new 314 00:17:39,720 --> 00:17:43,560 Speaker 2: light on my life. But then when Taylor passed away, 315 00:17:44,400 --> 00:17:48,439 Speaker 2: my ESV started to become kind of muddy in my mind. 316 00:17:48,680 --> 00:17:53,080 Speaker 2: I was having trouble focusing on just the smallest things 317 00:17:53,200 --> 00:17:56,960 Speaker 2: a paragraph of verse, and so I once again made 318 00:17:57,000 --> 00:18:01,119 Speaker 2: the transition to switch my translation from the ESB to 319 00:18:01,200 --> 00:18:04,879 Speaker 2: the NIV. And I felt like a whole new world 320 00:18:04,960 --> 00:18:08,600 Speaker 2: open to me because of the short, simple sentences, because 321 00:18:08,640 --> 00:18:12,320 Speaker 2: of the short phrasing. I just felt like it really 322 00:18:12,440 --> 00:18:15,680 Speaker 2: helped me significantly. And then I will go on. Two 323 00:18:15,720 --> 00:18:18,520 Speaker 2: other little pieces of that, you know, saturating yourself with 324 00:18:18,600 --> 00:18:21,919 Speaker 2: the Word of God, is you can always listen to 325 00:18:22,000 --> 00:18:25,080 Speaker 2: audio on the Bible app. You version Bible app. You 326 00:18:25,119 --> 00:18:28,520 Speaker 2: can listen to any passage on audio. And sometimes when 327 00:18:28,520 --> 00:18:31,640 Speaker 2: I'm driving by myself, I will put the audio Bible 328 00:18:31,680 --> 00:18:34,280 Speaker 2: on and just let it run. Listen to the entire 329 00:18:34,280 --> 00:18:37,400 Speaker 2: book of Dmya, listen to a couple chapters in Psalms. 330 00:18:39,040 --> 00:18:41,560 Speaker 2: It is life changing to listen to God's word. It 331 00:18:41,600 --> 00:18:43,919 Speaker 2: allows you to absorb it in a different way. And 332 00:18:43,960 --> 00:18:46,800 Speaker 2: then the last thing I will say is that if 333 00:18:46,840 --> 00:18:51,159 Speaker 2: you really are struggling to read, focus even listen, get 334 00:18:51,200 --> 00:18:54,920 Speaker 2: a children's Bible. And I'm not joking as an adult, 335 00:18:55,040 --> 00:18:59,679 Speaker 2: get a children's Bible and refresh yourself on the Bible stories, 336 00:19:00,040 --> 00:19:03,280 Speaker 2: because I mean there were times where the Jesus storybook 337 00:19:03,320 --> 00:19:07,159 Speaker 2: Bible is what saved me from myself. As I was 338 00:19:07,240 --> 00:19:10,520 Speaker 2: reading to my kids, I would get new lights on 339 00:19:10,840 --> 00:19:13,960 Speaker 2: a story and understand that God's word is living in 340 00:19:14,119 --> 00:19:17,000 Speaker 2: act of no matter what form it's in. So I 341 00:19:17,040 --> 00:19:19,320 Speaker 2: hope that's helpful to someone. 342 00:19:19,560 --> 00:19:22,520 Speaker 1: It is helpful, and I have found that too. Switching translations, 343 00:19:22,600 --> 00:19:25,080 Speaker 1: it does. It opens your eyes to even like the 344 00:19:25,119 --> 00:19:27,560 Speaker 1: passion or the message. I even have been listening to 345 00:19:27,880 --> 00:19:30,600 Speaker 1: just even fiction and hear me out on this. There's 346 00:19:30,640 --> 00:19:34,200 Speaker 1: The Faithful on Amazon Prime, the movie, and then there's 347 00:19:34,240 --> 00:19:37,200 Speaker 1: The Chosen, And then I've been reading these fiction books 348 00:19:37,200 --> 00:19:39,480 Speaker 1: that's by Connell and Cosette and so her Out of 349 00:19:39,520 --> 00:19:43,679 Speaker 1: Egypt series, and it walks you through the Israelites and 350 00:19:43,720 --> 00:19:46,159 Speaker 1: the parting of the Red Sea and Rahab's story and 351 00:19:46,200 --> 00:19:48,840 Speaker 1: again it's fiction but based on biblical truth, and it 352 00:19:48,920 --> 00:19:52,840 Speaker 1: really inserts you into these people's lives to see, gosh, 353 00:19:52,880 --> 00:19:55,359 Speaker 1: this is what they experienced was so hard. So just 354 00:19:55,400 --> 00:19:57,679 Speaker 1: like reframing your mind because a lot of times, I 355 00:19:57,680 --> 00:19:59,679 Speaker 1: think the stories become so familiar that we can kind 356 00:19:59,720 --> 00:20:03,080 Speaker 1: of some past them. Yeah, so that's been really helpful 357 00:20:03,240 --> 00:20:05,639 Speaker 1: to me too. But you know you were talking about 358 00:20:05,680 --> 00:20:08,560 Speaker 1: and I one hundred percent agree with you on prayer 359 00:20:08,720 --> 00:20:12,040 Speaker 1: is about a relationship with God and regardless of what 360 00:20:12,080 --> 00:20:15,040 Speaker 1: the answer will be, but prayer not only changes our hearts, 361 00:20:15,080 --> 00:20:19,040 Speaker 1: it can change our reality, and it can change our circumstances. 362 00:20:19,280 --> 00:20:20,960 Speaker 1: And you have found that in your own life and 363 00:20:21,040 --> 00:20:24,120 Speaker 1: reading through so many of your experiences in this book 364 00:20:24,200 --> 00:20:26,639 Speaker 1: and other books, and just because I know you in person, 365 00:20:26,720 --> 00:20:29,800 Speaker 1: so talk to us about just the power prayer in general, 366 00:20:29,920 --> 00:20:31,680 Speaker 1: beyond even just our heart change. 367 00:20:32,200 --> 00:20:37,119 Speaker 2: Yeah. Well, I think we often go to God wanting 368 00:20:37,160 --> 00:20:41,720 Speaker 2: those answers, and that is what kind of we're looking for. 369 00:20:41,840 --> 00:20:44,280 Speaker 2: Is it change of circumstances most of the time, you know, 370 00:20:44,440 --> 00:20:48,800 Speaker 2: give us the finance, provide the financial need, give us 371 00:20:49,040 --> 00:20:53,119 Speaker 2: what we need to make it through, help me to 372 00:20:53,200 --> 00:20:55,960 Speaker 2: forgive someone. You know, all of those are kind of 373 00:20:55,960 --> 00:20:59,600 Speaker 2: we're looking for a change in our circumstances or our heart. 374 00:20:59,800 --> 00:21:04,120 Speaker 2: But then once we start to experience heart change, then 375 00:21:04,600 --> 00:21:07,280 Speaker 2: just like the verses and proverbs, you know, he will 376 00:21:07,320 --> 00:21:10,160 Speaker 2: give you the desires of your heart. And so when 377 00:21:10,200 --> 00:21:14,040 Speaker 2: we have experienced heart transformation and our heart is in 378 00:21:14,160 --> 00:21:18,040 Speaker 2: a pure and good place, our desires line up with his. 379 00:21:18,920 --> 00:21:23,600 Speaker 2: Then doors of opportunity open and we start to get 380 00:21:23,640 --> 00:21:27,040 Speaker 2: glimpses of His redemptive story in our lives. And it 381 00:21:27,240 --> 00:21:31,359 Speaker 2: truly is remarkable. Not only does He provide in the 382 00:21:31,359 --> 00:21:36,399 Speaker 2: way of you know, finances or physical needs, but even 383 00:21:36,560 --> 00:21:40,240 Speaker 2: just a comprehension of the story of our lives. I 384 00:21:40,400 --> 00:21:45,680 Speaker 2: stood in front of about two hundred moms last weekend, 385 00:21:46,359 --> 00:21:49,200 Speaker 2: and they were moms who, on Mother's Day weekend either 386 00:21:49,359 --> 00:21:53,560 Speaker 2: lost a child, or lost a mom, or never had 387 00:21:53,600 --> 00:21:55,960 Speaker 2: the opportunity to be a mom. I mean, there were 388 00:21:56,000 --> 00:21:59,560 Speaker 2: just so many different cases of loss, but all of 389 00:21:59,600 --> 00:22:03,040 Speaker 2: these had experienced heartache on some level. And as I 390 00:22:03,280 --> 00:22:07,600 Speaker 2: looked out over them and I was speaking to them, 391 00:22:08,040 --> 00:22:12,359 Speaker 2: my heart was so moved by the spirit of God 392 00:22:12,480 --> 00:22:17,520 Speaker 2: because it felt like it was this incredibly redemptive moment 393 00:22:18,240 --> 00:22:23,200 Speaker 2: where I understood that God had been weaving a story 394 00:22:23,480 --> 00:22:27,760 Speaker 2: in my life all along for this very moment that 395 00:22:27,840 --> 00:22:31,399 Speaker 2: I could stand on the stage and not just share 396 00:22:31,480 --> 00:22:36,040 Speaker 2: my story but be able to empathize with these women. 397 00:22:36,760 --> 00:22:40,840 Speaker 2: It's like what Jesus went through if he hadn't gone 398 00:22:40,880 --> 00:22:44,159 Speaker 2: through the suffering. If he hadn't actually come to the 399 00:22:44,280 --> 00:22:47,159 Speaker 2: earth in the form of a man, would he have 400 00:22:47,359 --> 00:22:50,520 Speaker 2: known what it was like to be human and would 401 00:22:50,600 --> 00:22:55,240 Speaker 2: he have been able to die for us in the 402 00:22:55,320 --> 00:22:59,520 Speaker 2: same way knowing the suffering? And so I just know 403 00:22:59,720 --> 00:23:04,199 Speaker 2: that that moment of redemption where I'm standing there and 404 00:23:04,240 --> 00:23:06,240 Speaker 2: I'm like, oh my gosh, Lord, this is what you 405 00:23:06,280 --> 00:23:09,520 Speaker 2: wanted to do all along, and the through me. How 406 00:23:09,560 --> 00:23:12,920 Speaker 2: amazing that I get to be this conduit of your 407 00:23:12,960 --> 00:23:15,680 Speaker 2: love and your grace to other peoples. I pray that's 408 00:23:15,840 --> 00:23:19,520 Speaker 2: encouraging to someone who's saying right now, I can't see 409 00:23:19,560 --> 00:23:22,200 Speaker 2: the end of this story, and I can't see how 410 00:23:22,200 --> 00:23:25,320 Speaker 2: God is going to use it. I think shifting your 411 00:23:25,400 --> 00:23:30,560 Speaker 2: question to asking God to reveal himself to you, he 412 00:23:30,640 --> 00:23:34,680 Speaker 2: will do that. His faithfulness will show up and show 413 00:23:34,760 --> 00:23:37,960 Speaker 2: you that His story of your life and what he 414 00:23:38,000 --> 00:23:40,360 Speaker 2: wants to do in and through you is far beyond 415 00:23:40,520 --> 00:23:42,280 Speaker 2: what you can even ask or imagine. 416 00:23:43,359 --> 00:23:45,560 Speaker 1: Yeah, you know, I'm just thinking about the prayer of 417 00:23:45,600 --> 00:23:48,760 Speaker 1: the persistent widow. So even if you are still fighting 418 00:23:48,800 --> 00:23:50,879 Speaker 1: the same battles and you've been praying about it over 419 00:23:50,920 --> 00:23:54,800 Speaker 1: and over and over again for years, stay persistent. Does 420 00:23:54,800 --> 00:23:56,040 Speaker 1: that evoke any thought in you. 421 00:23:56,400 --> 00:24:00,800 Speaker 2: One hundred percent. Yes, It's one of my very favorite 422 00:24:00,840 --> 00:24:04,720 Speaker 2: Bible stories and how she just did not give up. 423 00:24:04,960 --> 00:24:08,560 Speaker 2: She did not give up. And I believe that prayer 424 00:24:08,600 --> 00:24:12,200 Speaker 2: and perseverance go hand in hand. That it may take 425 00:24:12,280 --> 00:24:15,920 Speaker 2: years for a prayer to be answered, and there are 426 00:24:15,920 --> 00:24:19,359 Speaker 2: times when the answer is no. God gives us those 427 00:24:19,880 --> 00:24:24,000 Speaker 2: unanswered prayers or those prayers that are clearly answered but 428 00:24:24,160 --> 00:24:26,879 Speaker 2: not the way we wanted them to be, and so 429 00:24:27,400 --> 00:24:31,000 Speaker 2: in that He is growing us and moving us toward 430 00:24:31,320 --> 00:24:34,600 Speaker 2: becoming more like him, which really is the point of prayer, 431 00:24:34,720 --> 00:24:38,640 Speaker 2: right The communication with our heavenly Father is to transform 432 00:24:38,720 --> 00:24:42,240 Speaker 2: us into more and more of His likeness as we 433 00:24:42,320 --> 00:24:45,920 Speaker 2: walk with him. So I hope that's encouraging someone that 434 00:24:46,680 --> 00:24:50,040 Speaker 2: is looking at this saying, man, I just don't know 435 00:24:50,040 --> 00:24:53,560 Speaker 2: if what she's saying is true or not. I wouldn't 436 00:24:53,600 --> 00:24:56,919 Speaker 2: sit here if I didn't believe it to be one 437 00:24:57,000 --> 00:25:00,520 Speaker 2: hundred percent true. That God wants to do has a 438 00:25:00,560 --> 00:25:05,800 Speaker 2: plan for every single person listening to this podcast right now. Yeah, 439 00:25:05,960 --> 00:25:08,720 Speaker 2: me and me either. Well, so is there a biblical 440 00:25:08,760 --> 00:25:12,920 Speaker 2: concept of love that you think applies to this topic today? Yeah, 441 00:25:13,160 --> 00:25:16,600 Speaker 2: one hundred percent. I was thinking about this in depth, 442 00:25:16,760 --> 00:25:20,600 Speaker 2: and I thought, you know, my very favorite verse as 443 00:25:20,640 --> 00:25:24,439 Speaker 2: a child that I first memorized, John three sixteen is 444 00:25:24,440 --> 00:25:26,800 Speaker 2: what came to fruition in my own life when I 445 00:25:27,080 --> 00:25:33,679 Speaker 2: when I understood through prayer that God really does love me. 446 00:25:34,000 --> 00:25:36,440 Speaker 2: He loves the whole world so much that he gave 447 00:25:36,480 --> 00:25:42,200 Speaker 2: his only son, and that thought of his love is 448 00:25:42,359 --> 00:25:44,840 Speaker 2: just that's what opened the door for us to be 449 00:25:44,840 --> 00:25:48,440 Speaker 2: able to communicate directly with our heavenly Father and go 450 00:25:48,520 --> 00:25:51,480 Speaker 2: to his throne of grace. So what could be more 451 00:25:51,560 --> 00:25:55,160 Speaker 2: perfect or more aptly named than John three p. Sixteen 452 00:25:55,480 --> 00:25:57,400 Speaker 2: As the answer to your question. 453 00:25:57,280 --> 00:25:59,720 Speaker 1: So is there something you are loving right now? 454 00:26:00,920 --> 00:26:03,679 Speaker 2: Oh? Something I am loving right now? 455 00:26:04,520 --> 00:26:04,720 Speaker 1: You know. 456 00:26:06,160 --> 00:26:10,119 Speaker 2: I am just loving the opportunity to be with my girls. 457 00:26:10,720 --> 00:26:13,680 Speaker 2: My daughter's getting married in the fall, and so I've 458 00:26:13,720 --> 00:26:17,120 Speaker 2: got three girls at home right now. I have two 459 00:26:18,200 --> 00:26:22,879 Speaker 2: married adult children, and then I have two college agers 460 00:26:22,960 --> 00:26:27,960 Speaker 2: and two high schoolers. And so yeah, we're just loving 461 00:26:28,000 --> 00:26:31,080 Speaker 2: life as much as we possibly can while they are 462 00:26:31,119 --> 00:26:32,880 Speaker 2: still in the nest. I'm soaking it up. 463 00:26:33,600 --> 00:26:36,280 Speaker 1: Yeah, me too, me too. Well, I know that I 464 00:26:36,320 --> 00:26:38,399 Speaker 1: want to stay connected with you. I'm sure listeners are 465 00:26:38,400 --> 00:26:39,919 Speaker 1: going to want to, so tell us how we can 466 00:26:39,960 --> 00:26:40,439 Speaker 1: best do that. 467 00:26:40,800 --> 00:26:45,600 Speaker 2: Sure, yeah, I have a beautiful guide that is at 468 00:26:45,640 --> 00:26:50,439 Speaker 2: battleprayers dot com. That's battleprayers dot com. It is just 469 00:26:50,600 --> 00:26:55,280 Speaker 2: a simple battle prayer plan and it gives you six 470 00:26:55,359 --> 00:26:59,200 Speaker 2: steps for any problem, no matter what the problem is, 471 00:26:59,480 --> 00:27:02,160 Speaker 2: six ways that you can just run it through these 472 00:27:02,160 --> 00:27:05,359 Speaker 2: steps when you're unsure how to pray and give yourself 473 00:27:05,600 --> 00:27:08,480 Speaker 2: with a strategy. I think a lot of times we 474 00:27:08,640 --> 00:27:11,359 Speaker 2: struggle because we're floundering and we don't know what to do, 475 00:27:11,400 --> 00:27:12,760 Speaker 2: and we don't know what to say, and we don't 476 00:27:12,760 --> 00:27:15,920 Speaker 2: know what to pray. But if we start to have 477 00:27:16,160 --> 00:27:19,320 Speaker 2: a strategy, then it can help us. So I would 478 00:27:19,359 --> 00:27:22,280 Speaker 2: encourage anyone to pick up that free guide at battleprayers 479 00:27:22,320 --> 00:27:25,040 Speaker 2: dot com and then you can always find me at 480 00:27:25,119 --> 00:27:29,199 Speaker 2: Rachelwojo dot com. Well, we will include that in the 481 00:27:29,240 --> 00:27:31,240 Speaker 2: show notes. Would you do us the owner of Braying 482 00:27:31,280 --> 00:27:34,720 Speaker 2: Force As we close, Sure thing, Lord, thank you for 483 00:27:34,920 --> 00:27:37,960 Speaker 2: Rachel for the love Offering podcast, for what it means 484 00:27:38,000 --> 00:27:41,959 Speaker 2: to so many to hear these messages of spiritual encouragement 485 00:27:42,200 --> 00:27:45,680 Speaker 2: and to hear Rachel's heart as she guides us through 486 00:27:46,040 --> 00:27:49,240 Speaker 2: understanding deeper truth from your word. I pray that you 487 00:27:49,280 --> 00:27:53,240 Speaker 2: would help us, Lord, to rely on you fully. I 488 00:27:53,280 --> 00:27:56,160 Speaker 2: am convicted even as I sit here, that there are 489 00:27:56,560 --> 00:27:59,359 Speaker 2: places and spaces in my own heart and life that 490 00:27:59,480 --> 00:28:03,720 Speaker 2: I try to pull back and pick back up after 491 00:28:03,720 --> 00:28:05,960 Speaker 2: I've laid them at your feet. And so I ask 492 00:28:06,119 --> 00:28:10,320 Speaker 2: that you would help all of us listening to take 493 00:28:10,359 --> 00:28:13,600 Speaker 2: the time to give our lives over to you again 494 00:28:13,640 --> 00:28:18,119 Speaker 2: and again, and to not for the purpose of salvation, Lord, 495 00:28:18,160 --> 00:28:21,760 Speaker 2: but for sanctifying us, for being able to use us 496 00:28:21,840 --> 00:28:25,120 Speaker 2: in a deeper way as we align our hearts with 497 00:28:25,160 --> 00:28:29,639 Speaker 2: yours and you answer the desires. I pray that you 498 00:28:29,640 --> 00:28:33,040 Speaker 2: would help each person listening to recognize that the battle 499 00:28:33,080 --> 00:28:37,280 Speaker 2: truly is yours. Whatever they're facing today, you have already 500 00:28:37,280 --> 00:28:41,280 Speaker 2: won the victory, and this issue, whatever it is, is 501 00:28:41,320 --> 00:28:44,160 Speaker 2: not the end of their story. It's just one chapter. 502 00:28:44,360 --> 00:28:46,360 Speaker 2: So we praise you and thank you for what you're 503 00:28:46,400 --> 00:28:51,000 Speaker 2: doing in the name of Jesus. Amen, Amen, Rachel. 504 00:28:51,160 --> 00:28:53,320 Speaker 1: Thank you. You are always such an encouragement to me, 505 00:28:53,400 --> 00:28:57,040 Speaker 1: and I appreciate you being here and sharing and helping 506 00:28:57,120 --> 00:29:00,600 Speaker 1: us to learn how to pray through life's battles. Thank 507 00:29:00,640 --> 00:29:04,440 Speaker 1: you for having me. Thank you so much for listening 508 00:29:04,560 --> 00:29:07,640 Speaker 1: to the love offering podcast. I hope today's conversation reminded 509 00:29:07,680 --> 00:29:09,880 Speaker 1: you that no matter what battle you are facing, you 510 00:29:09,960 --> 00:29:13,200 Speaker 1: do not face it alone. God sees you, walks with you, 511 00:29:13,360 --> 00:29:16,640 Speaker 1: and fights for you. Through prayer, we can find peace, strength, 512 00:29:16,680 --> 00:29:19,080 Speaker 1: and hope, not because life is easy, but because God 513 00:29:19,240 --> 00:29:21,640 Speaker 1: is faithful. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it 514 00:29:21,640 --> 00:29:23,360 Speaker 1: with their friend and leave of you. It helps others 515 00:29:23,360 --> 00:29:25,680 Speaker 1: find the show and spreads the message of love even further. 516 00:29:25,880 --> 00:29:27,840 Speaker 1: To connect with me, visit me on my website at 517 00:29:27,880 --> 00:29:31,240 Speaker 1: Rachelkadams dot com, where you can download the Love Always Devotional, 518 00:29:31,280 --> 00:29:33,520 Speaker 1: a free resource to help you realize how beloved you 519 00:29:33,560 --> 00:29:36,560 Speaker 1: already are. Be sure to check out Rachel Wobjo's devotional 520 00:29:36,600 --> 00:29:39,920 Speaker 1: Praying through Life's Battles. A special thank you to Life 521 00:29:39,920 --> 00:29:43,160 Speaker 1: Audio for supporting this podcast and making it possible. To 522 00:29:43,200 --> 00:29:47,000 Speaker 1: find more great podcasts visitlifeaudio dot com. Until next time, 523 00:29:47,120 --> 00:29:49,479 Speaker 1: let's make our lives an offering of