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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Today's guest is author, speaker, and podcast host Laine Lawson Craft.

This episode is a little longer because Laine's personal experience as the mother of three - yes three! - prodigal children and the strategies she's learned along the way are just too helpful and powerful to edit down to the length of most of my episodes.

Our children mean so much to us but parenting them isn't for the faint of heart. The terrible twos were indeed terrible. And no one prepared us for the turbulent teen years.

Today's interview is about parenting an adult child who is making destructive decisions or who is walking down a dark path or who has turned his/her back on their faith. Parenting a wayward or prodigal child impacts a parent in significantly different ways.

Laine poured her experiences with her three prodigal children and the wisdom she gained into her book, The Parent's Battle Plan: Warfare Strategies to Win Back Your Prodigal Child and her devotional, Warfare Parenting: A Daily Battle Plan to Fight for Your Child. Both are available on Amazon.

Laine and I discussed the journey with each of her three children, content from her book, and her desire to have Warfare Parenting Small Groups across the country to support parents of wayward and prodigal children.

Notable quotes:

* "Hope to me is waiting expectantly on God's turnaround."

* "Today’s struggle is tomorrow’s testimony.”

* "Like a relentless rescue team, God is tirelessly working to bring your lost one home. God is in the rescue business, and He’s really good at it.”

* "I'm going to love you so that you see something different in me that makes you yearn to be more like that."

"They were just in a chapter of their story, and God gets all the glory. And now they are messengers of hope to their generation."

Bible verses:

* John 10:10

* Matthew 20:1-16

* Isaiah 54:17

* 1 John 4:4

* Exodus 14:14

* John 8:32

* Luke 19:10

* Laine's fight verse is Ephesians 3:20.

Learn more about Laine at

her website: lainelawsoncraft.com

her Facebook page: facebook.com/momlaine.lawsoncraft

her Instagram page: instagram.com/lainelawsoncraft

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In episode 130, Carole Lewis shared how God strengthened her during multiple devastating losses.

I neglected to ask her about Hurricane Ike, so she shares about the loss it caused in this episode, which leads us into discussing the importance of leaving a legacy.

Carole shares examples from her life that highlight her intentionality in living a life of joy, which will be part of her legacy.

Notable quotes from Carole:

* "When I'm gone and they talk about me, is it going to be a warm fuzzy or a cold prickly?"

* "And this is what legacy is . . . living everyday as though it was your last because it very well could be. We don't want to get to the end of our life and have regrets."

* "A legacy is about having joy in your heart and it overflowing to people around you."

Bible verses:

* Matthew 5:23-24

* Luke 12:48

* Isaiah 55:9

Connect with Carole:

* on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carolelewis

* her blog: https://carolelewis.com

* her books: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=carole+lewis+books&crid=2FYQLY8FWGJQ5&sprefix=carole+lewis+books%2Caps%2C101&ref=nb_sb_noss_1

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Author, speaker, and ministry leader Carole Lewis shares her story of overcoming multiple devastating losses in today's episode.

Carole admits she gave her life to Jesus as a child, but she didn't live for Him until her life began falling apart.

Financial loss, her mother's passing, her husband's stage 4 cancer diagnosis and his passing, her daughter being killed by a drunk driver, and Hurricane Ike destroying her home - all devastating losses that could have caused her to turn her back on God.

Instead, Carole declares, "God has been with me every step of the way and taught me to persevere."

Carole's husband, Johnny, persevered for seventeen years after his stage 4 cancer diagnosis, allowing them to enjoy fifty-five years of marriage.

Notable quotes from Carole:

* "God is a perfect gentleman. He will never come in and work on your stubborn will without your permission."

* "His [Jesus] ultimate goal is to get glory from my life and your life ... He gets glory from a life that is full of joy even though they've gone through some terrible things. And then people say, 'I don't know what she's got, but I want it.'"

* "Let Him [God] use you to the fullest."

Bible verses:

* Psalm 139:13

* Psalm 50:9-10

* 1 Corinthians 9:27 (Carole's fight verse)

* Romans 15:13

* Romans 8:28

* James 1:2-4

* James 1:27

Connect with Carole:

* on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carolelewis

* her blog: https://carolelewis.com

* her books: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=carole+lewis+books&crid=2FYQLY8FWGJQ5&sprefix=carole+lewis+books%2Caps%2C101&ref=nb_sb_noss_1

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Julie Seals is a speaker and a prison minister. Her memoir is titled All My Hope: A Prisoner No More.

Julie returns to discuss a strategic mindset that helped her while serving time in federal prison and continues to help her no matter what challenge she faces.

Her strategic mindset is based off Matthew 11:12, which reads, “From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.” This verse is also Julie’s fight verse.

I admit I was a bit confused when Julie told me this was her fight verse, and she wanted to discuss it as her strategic mindset.

After Julie shares the Greek words and their definitions for ‘suffers violence’ and ‘the violent,’ I can see why Matthew 11:12 is indeed a powerful fight verse and strategic mindset.

Notable quotes by Julie Seals:

· “I know that because there is a war going on for my soul that I must seek the calling of God on my life with the most ardent zeal and the most intensest exertion.”

· “It’s not just about the destination. It’s about who we become on the journey.”

· “I press on and eagerly seize what the promises of God are by speaking the Word.”

Bible verses:

· Jeremiah 29:11

· John 10:10

· Hebrews 4:16

· Romans 8:1

· Jerremiah 31:16-17

· Isaiah 49:25

· Isaiah 54:13

· Isaiah 61:7

Connect with Julie:

· on her website at julieseals.com

· on Facebook at facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093057408356

· on Instagram at instagram.com/julie_seals

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Today’s guest is Julie Seals. She is a speaker and a prison minister. Her memoir, All My Hope: A Prisoner No More, tells of her dysfunctional childhood, her lifelong health challenges, getting hooked on meth as a teen, hanging out with the Mafia, and serving time in prison for carrying meth across the border. God followed her every step of the way, wooing her to choose Him. After she accepted Christ in prison, Julie dove into His Word, learning everything she could about her identity and life in Him.

Julie truly is a HOPE DEALER who is on a mission to offer the hope found in the gospel to all who don’t know Jesus.

Notable quotes by Julie Seals:

· “I felt the Holy Sprit descend into my living room while I was there on my knees at my lowest point.”

· “We serve a big God who will take us up on our big words of surrender.”

· “Federal prison was one of the best things to ever happen to me.”

Bible verses:

· Revelation 12:11

· Matthew 11:12 (Julie’s fight verse)

Connect with Julie:

· on her website at julieseals.com

· on Facebook at facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093057408356

· on Instagram at instagram.com/julie_seals

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