WELCOME HEART: Living a Legacy Life

Author, speaker, soul-care coach, Bonnie Gray shares  her legacy of being honest enough to tell your story, no matter the pain and hardship in that story. When she started experiencing panic attacks as an adult she didn't know what was going on. Life was good. Life was moving forward. But her body was telling her something different.  She discovered she needed to return to her past, write her stor...

Amber Cullum learned from her husband's family what she didn't learn in her own that to say, "I'm sorry" makes all the difference in building strong, healthy and loving relationships. Host and creator of the podcast, Grace Enough , Amber's desire is to share stories of faith and resilience that glorify God and encourage His followers that no matter what's happened in our lives, His grace covers it...

With only $500 in the bank and a family of 6, Kevin was calling out to God for some help, some very practical help: they needed food on the table. While praying, he found himself praying these words: "Lord, give us food so others may eat!" Hear Kevin's incredible story of how God answered that prayer and led him to build non-profits, feed the hungry around the world--physically and spiritually, an...

Celebrate the 100th episode of Make it Count: Living a Legacy Life with me today as we hear the story of Joni, a woman who didn't waste her suffering. All for God's glory. Joni Earackson Tada dove into the Chesapeake Bay in 1969 and broke her neck. For the last 55 years she's lived in a wheelchair, sharing her story of how God met her there and continues to draw her closer to Himself.  "My respons...

Today I am celebrating God's faithfulness, sense of humor, creativity, leading, and glory! I didn't actually understand what a podcast was when I started my podcast almost two years ago, and now I'm at the cusp of Ep. 100 next week with my wonderful guest, Joni Eareckson Tada. Today I share 9 or 10 things from my list of "100 things I learned from 100 podcasts" - I got mixed up. I don't know if it...

With my love of questions, I was attracted immediately to lovely Lain Ehman of the A More Beautiful Question Podcast and Radio Show. Her legacy has to do with changing a problem into a solution by asking the better question. Instead of: "Why is life so hard?" ask, "What am I learning right now?"  Lain's desire is to bring people to ask questions about life and God for the express intention to help...

Eric Nevins claims we are all "halfway there" because our spiritual growth is an ongoing journey and we can never come to the end of knowing God better this side of Glory. Spiritual Formation isn't just a course of study for Eric. He brings stories of how everyday believers to light by sharing people's stories of their walk with God, whether at the very beginning, the muddled middle or those who a...

Kristi Woods didn't meet God until her mid-20's, and from the very beginning she knew that going deeper in His Word was not only key to eternal peace, but also a daily passion—a dance, if you will, of seeing Him work in and around her days and moments. From her own experience of knowing God, Kristi longs to encourage others to grow deeper in their spiritual walk. Her prayer on a regular basis keep...

A contented woman expects great things from God – because He loves her and because He is a great God. And a contented woman is a surrendered woman. She places all her heart’s desires and needs into the hands of her Savior, and keeps them there. That’s always the key, isn’t it? A contented woman surrenders her time schedule to the one who holds her hand in the dark. She chooses the best camping spo...

Patsy had an idea. She knew a little bit about tech and she knew a lot about her God and the great comfort and truths found in His Word. She said: "I needed a place to share what God was giving me." Patsy made a committment to share whatever He would teach her that day on a social media platform every day—that's a big commitment. From that decision was born her ministry: InstaEncouragements.  Pats...

I Timothy 6:9 says this: “People who want to get rich, fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction…some people eager for money, have plunged themselves with many griefs.” And Jeremiah 2:13 adds this practical warning: “For my people have done two evil things: They have abandoned me— the fountain of living water. And they have...

Elizabeth Oschwald, entreprenuer and mother of 7 in her new blended family, shares how she now lives in the freedom Christ offers after enduring an abusive marriage. She found herself facing the question: "Who am I?" followed by an even more important one: "Who are You, Jesus?" Follow her story of how God brought her to freedom and how she now lives to encourage others to receive all God has for u...

Satan doesn’t come at most of us with temptations to take drugs or rob banks. His main temptation is to rob our joy and rob God of glory by keeping a bunch of unhappy, complaining, whining believers on the loose. I don't want to be one of those. I'm not an expert on being content 100% of the time. Maybe that’s why I’m a good person to talk about it. I do know it’s  all about trusting God and I alw...

David Hegg, husband of 44 years, father of three, grandfather and pastor, loves the Word of God because he's seen the power of transformed lives, starting with his own. You will hear him say more than once, "The Spirit of God uses the Word of God to do the work of God."  "I'm a better husband, a better man, when I study God's Word, so that helps me get up early in the morning to spend time reading...

God has blessed me through short-term and ongoing mentoring relationships. I’m grateful for my many mentors through the years. For Jeanne, who said, “Your spiritual growth is not dependent upon a man.” For Joan, who said, “Do what’s right and God will strengthen you.” For Annadale who said, “Hearts break but they also heal.” For Lorraine who said, “Choose where to camp: in the land of worry or the...

Melissa Moore speaks from her own experience, not just to tell her story, but to offer hope and strength to those who have suffered loss or mental illness. She's passionate and real and biblical. A great combination. In her own words: I want people to understand what it truly means to be loved by God. I have struggled with depression off and on my whole life but my faith, and the right medication,...

My Heavenly Father has great loves, at least two—you and me. He went to great strides to show the world what He treasures most: a personal relationship with each child.  I want to do the same: to love what God loves, to treasure what the Creator treasures, and show it by how I live my life. The older I grow in Christ, the more I want make our treasures the same, and live like God’s priorities are...

Blake is on a mission to help 1 MILLION DADS write at least one well-written, meaningful, lasting LEGACY LETTER to their children. You will be inspired and moved by Blake's story of how his dad's letter changed his life forever. As the founder of the Legacy Letter Challenge , Blake's mission is to empower father's to connect with their children, lead their families, and run their God-given race wi...

When I look back at my parenting experience, I wish I could start over and call it: “Let’s Try This Again.” But that’s not how it works. I asked our girls for input, “What did we teach you that you needed to know as an adult?” and added, “But please don’t hurt my feelings.” (I needed some emotional intelligence.) “And yes, I know we didn’t teach you to budget…” Sure enough, the runt wrote right ba...

When asked, "What makes a successful person?" Steve Burgason barely pauses before saying through his signature chuckle: "Return back to the simplicity of your faith. When Jesus was asked what was the greatest commandment, He could've picked any or all of the 600 commands but all He said was, 'Love God. Love your neighbor.'" Steve Burgason is a successful person and he would say it's because of his...

We all have the same 24 hours in a day. But for some of us and for some days, we get to the end of our 24 hours and wonder where the time went. I'm not a Time-Management Guru - I know people who are. I've taken their courses. They have great ideas (if I would only do them!) I first wrote about this grand topic for the premier issue of The Joyful Life Magazine . I'll add the "Time-Scriptures" below...

Jennifer Dukes Lee, popular author, speaker, and blogger has learned much from the land. An Iowa farmer's wife, she's embraced deep lessons from God and about her walk with her "CEO" by observing the cycle of seasons, seeds planted, unruly weather, and all-in-all relying on God to bring the harvest. "There's always a harvest," she speaks from experience and confidence. You will love her practical...

Did you write your Manifesto after hearing my ziplining story? See Ep 79, if not. Companies and ministries alike know the significance of creating a great mission statement. I find them in the back of magazines, church bulletins, and online articles. People want others to know what they are about, and in the believer’s case, Who they are about. We know right away with Paul that His mission is abou...

Marva Smith is a writer, speaker, coach and all-around encourager and hails from the British Virgin Islands.  She began writing at her website Sun, Sparkle, Shine to help her through the grief of the loss of her father. More losses were to come, and she learned through each one that she found her true strength—not in herself, but in who God made her. She comes from a long line of Carribean strong...

I went ziplining once. Just once. To say I did. Today's episode is about what it means to create a "Mission Statement." Do you have a manifesto for life? Paul's mission rang out loud and clear in Philippians 1:21—"For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain!" (I felt that dying part right before running off the ledge. Six times.) To write a mission statement is a great exercise. To base it on...