Author and speaker Maureen Miller joins me to share about her mindset of Embracing Being Peculiar.

Have you ever had the feeling you weren't like everyone else? Like you aren't "normal" and you don't fit in? "Being normal" is the goal, right? Maybe. Maybe not.

Maureen shares, "I longed to be normal. I don't know exactly what I thought normal was, but I knew that I didn't feel like I was that. And therefore, I felt left out. I began to develop a mindset of being one on the outside looking in at everything I considered normalcy. I just never was invited to be part of that."

Sound like you?

Her description sounded a lot like how I felt as a kid, and even sometimes feel as a middle-aged adult.

Maureen shares how not feeling normal impacted her. And she shares what God did to show her that He had something far better for her than "normal."

Notable quotes:

* "By promise from God's Word, I received His love in return. He took me to a different place. He removed that mindset of normalcy and gave me something so much more beautiful."
* "If Jesus set the example - shunning normalcy and embracing peculiarity - then that's what we should do too."
* "My soul - the fighting soul, the despairing soul, the bitter soul, the fearful soul - waits silently for God alone."

Bible verses:

* Philippians 4:8
* Matthew 16:24
* John 15:18
* Jeremiah 33:3
* John 4:7
* Psalm 62:5
* 2 Corinthians 10:5

Learn more about Maureen Miller at her website: https://www.maureenmillerauthor.com/
and her Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/maureen.miller.393

Check out Gideon's Book: Maureen's Christian Market Book's 2025 Contemporary Novel of the Year at
https://www.amazon.com/Gideons-Book-Maureen-Miller/dp/1646459040/ref=sr_1_1?crid=Y1A35085OQRN&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.vOHTA0-EEGis83IWA5CmGjRAXSkbO_AniTG5nc1MnbOXu1izdM0ii_SNZ_mlxQP7J-lHZQJ1U54pjL4ZtivUOFl75wq1b4PeYuNiESbGNYl1SXigZq2-WUvxHgvUcwou4IES8z8gNefSnWlE0yPXCbg7IZn3khkfoILrcIIMZklui6XzeAnF2hJxMVwDyqtZQ7KvZFDUwqhDWvlhMvoNpRqEYVNs3q_mIj6hU87FTFk.KXCBGtXcxPeILVs2lYAFdI922IsfU7jPiSNXLHCdAtA&dib_tag=se&keywords=maureen+miller&qid=1768264452&sprefix=maureen+miller%2Caps%2C149&sr=8-1

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When I noticed today's guest, Maureen Miller, wearing pearl earrings during her interview, I remembered hearing pearls held meaning for her, so I asked her to tell me about them.

Author and speaker Maureen Miller shared that she loves pearls because the adversity - the things we go through, the challenges we face - are similar to the sand that agitates an oyster. A valuable treasure - a pearl - is produced because of the agitation or challenge. And God produces a valuable treasure - us - as a result of the agitations and challenges we face.

Maureen shares about the challenges she faced as a teenager and young adult (sexual impurity and an eating disorder), as well as the challenge of learning she would not be able to have children with God performing a miracle.

Throughout each of these challenges, Maureen sought God, desiring to follow His will for her life.

Notable quotes:

* "The oyster is just this creature in the ocean, and a bit of sand gets in there and agitates the oyster. It's uncomfortable and it's not fun, I'm sure. Over time what is produced is this valuable treasure . . . the pearl."
* "We were still making choices that were not God's best for us. And as we know, those ungodly choices hold consequences."
* "God has us under a protective umbrella when we obey Him, but when we disobey Him it's like we've stepped out from under that umbrella."

Bible verses:

* Philippians 4:8
* Hebrews 13:5
* Genesis 2:24
* James 1:6
* Proverbs 26:11
* Psalm 37:4
* Hebrews 4:12


Maureen's fight verse is Psalm 62:5, which reads, "My soul waits silently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him." (NKJV)

Learn more about Maureen Miller at her website: https://www.maureenmillerauthor.com/
and her Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/maureen.miller.393

Check out Gideon's Book: Maureen's Christian Market Book's 2025 Contemporary Novel of the Year!

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Today’s episode is a video solocast. Rather than just listening to it, watching it on my YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@melonybrown is suggested.

Throughout 2025, God’s been teaching me about the importance of maintaining a healthy spiritual posture. Episode 117, titled STAND FIRM, I shared about the posture of standing firm. The visual image of a hiking boot reminds us that the Holy Spirit empowers us to stand firm when challenges intersect our path. Episode 127, titled LEANING ON GOD, I shared about the posture of leaning on God. The visual image of hiking poles reminds us with our entire personality we can trust, rely on, and confidently lean because God rescues, delivers, and saves us during our trials.

Holding on to expectant hope is another posture God has been teaching me about this year.

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, hope is cherishing a desire with anticipation or wanting something to happen or be true. While this modern definition of hope is accurate, it falls short of fully defining the hope believers have when they accept and follow Jesus.

I shared the Greek meanings of hope and expectant.

When I prayed about the visual image that could represent expectant hope, the Holy Spirit brought to mind a cup.

Yes, the visual image for expectant hope will be a cup.

I shared what I learned about the promises in Exodus 6 that are connected to the four cups of the Passover Seder.

Is there a fifth promise and a fifth cup?

I shared the Greek meaning of overflow.

Notable quotes:

· The Holy spirit doesn’t just fill you with a drop or two of hope. Nor does He fill you till you’re full of hope. He fills you to overflowing with hope!

· The four promises or four cups were for the Israelites. But they are for us too! When you accepted Jesus and committed to live your life for Him: He set you apart as His own. He rescued you from bondage, oppression, and sin. He forgave your sins and reconciled you to God. He desires to have a relationship with you.

· Expectant hope is an active, faith-filled posture of confidence and a Spirit-filled expectation that God WILL fulfill His promises.

Bible verses:

· Romans 15:13

· Matthew 26:39

· Exodus 6:6-8

· Luke 22”17-18

· I share 12 verses of God’s promises that can fill us with expectant hope.

· Lamentations 3:21 fight verse for expectant hope

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