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Thank you for joining me for the 150th episode of the Challenges Won't Stop Me podcast.  Today's episode is a video solo cast. You will get the most out of it by watching it on my YouTube channel @melonybrown.  For the past couple of years, God has been teaching me about the importance of spiritual posture, especially when you are going through challenges.  In episode 117, I shared about the spiritual posture of standing firm.  In episode 127, I shared about the spiritual posture of leaning on God.  In episode 133, I shared about the spiritual posture of holding on to expectant hope.  In episode 140, I shared about the spiritual posture of flexing God's faithfulness.  In today's episode, I share about the spiritual posture of running with perseverance. The visual symbol to represent this concept is socks.  Notable quotes:  * "By perseverance, even the snail made it to the ark." ~ Charles Spurgeon  * "Since God intends to make you like Jesus, He will take you through the same experiences Jesus went through. That includes loneliness, temptation, stress, criticism, rejection, and many other problems." ~ Pastor Rick Warren  Bible verses:  * Hebrews 12:1-2 I share about HOW we persevere. * James 1:2-4 I share WHY we persevere. * James 1:12 holds two of God's promises for those who persevere. Near the end of this episode, I reveal a special announcement about the Challenges Won't Stop Me podcast. Send me a COMMENT or QUESTION! THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! Want to leave a comment about this episode? Click HERE!

Are you experiencing "a dark night of the soul" - a season where challenges are overwhelming you and you feel as if God is nowhere to be found?  Author and speaker Maggie Rowe has been there. In today's interview, Maggie shares what the Bible says about God's presence during those difficult seasons and what she learned during her dark nights of the soul. About a year and a half ago, Maggie's pastor quoted Isaiah 45:3 during a Sunday morning sermon. It reads, "And I will give you treasures hidden in the darkness - secret riches. I will do this so you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, the one who calls you by name." While she'd heard that verse before, it hit her in a new way. She shared a dozen or so blog posts on her website that explored this topic of treasures hidden in the darkness. The response she received led her to write a book on this topic and seek publication. In today's interview, Maggie reveals the title of her book, which will be released in September of 2027 by InterVarsity Press.  Notable quotes:  * "I call that the Holy Spirit highlighter principle." * "We may not be healed of our woundedness on this side of Heaven, but we are always held in His loving grip." * "It's the darkness that defines our faith because it's refining it. Anybody can walk in the light, but it's when we're walking in the darkness where we can't see that we need to develop night vision." * "The morning light from Heaven will break upon us." Bible verses: * Isaiah 45:3 * Isaiah 45:15 * Proverbs 25:2 * Lamentations 3:44 * Proverbs 3:5-6 * Psalm 119:71 * Job 13:15 * James 1:17 * Luke 1:78-79 * Maggie's fight verse: Isaiah 45:3 Connect with Maggie on her website at www.maggierowe.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/maggie.w.rowe, and on Instagram at www.instagram.com/maggiewallemrowe   Send me a COMMENT or QUESTION! THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! Want to leave a comment about this episode? Click HERE!

Cheryl Bonds joins me today to discuss the mindset of breaking generational curses. If you missed Cheryl’s story interview, episode 147, I strongly urge you to listen to it as it will give you context as to why this mindset was so powerful in her journey. What is a generational curse? According to Christian author and speaker Amanda Pittman, a generational curse is “a spiritual or a behavioral pattern that is passed down through family lines because of sin, idolatry, or rebellion. It’s when the same struggles show up in the same family for generations.” Destructive behavioral patterns were definitely part of Cheryl’s maternal family line. Cheryl had experienced harmful emotional, physical, financial, and educational outcomes in her childhood and young adult years.  When Cheryl was incarcerated, the writing was on the wall. She was continuing the destructive behaviors/ the generational curses.  God met her in prison and offered her salvation and forgave her sins.  With God’s help, Cheryl became intentional about breaking the generational curses that had hurt her in so many ways.  Notable quotes: ·         “So, my mother when she got mad, she just wouldn’t speak. I started seeing that in my personality.” ·         “I don’t ever recall her ever saying, ‘I love you.’ Matter of fact, she called me, ‘bad seed.’” ·         “God would show me things – one thing at a time. This is what’s going on. This is how you need to deal with it.” ·         “And that’s like with a curse. You gotta stop it. You gotta put an end to it because it’ll just start getting’ bigger and bigger and bigger. Generation after generation.” ·         “I think about that morning in that prison. If I hadn’t surrendered, where would my children be today?” Bible verses: ·         Proverbs 18:21 ·         Deuteronomy 28:13 ·         Philippians 4:7 ·         Galatians 5:1 ·         Proverbs 20:7 Learn more about Cheryl: her website: https://www.cherylbonds.com her Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cheryl.bonds.520 her Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cherylbonds2025 Buy her book, From Chains to Chosen: A Journey From Prison to Purpose, on Amazon!  Send me a COMMENT or QUESTION! THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! Want to leave a comment about this episode? Click HERE!

We don't choose how we were conceived, who our parents are, or where we are born. The miracle of birth can be overshadowed if one or more of these conditions are unfavorable. A baby born to a mother who is in a prison has a 30% chance of following in his or her mother's footsteps.  Today's guest, author and speaker Cheryl Bonds, experienced all three unfavorable conditions when she was born, as well as being one who fit the term 'intergenerationally incarcerated.' In her interview, Cheryl describes how her birth announcement - "It's a girl, inmate 2029" - was blasted over the prison intercom.  Just as the statistics describe, Cheryl's childhood included food insecurity, behavioral challenges, poverty, little to no education, subpar housing, and the potential to be a target to predators.  Pregnant at an early age. Domestic violence. Alcohol and drug abuse. All connected to a young woman who lacked social skills, was hungry for attention, couldn't read, and didn't have any coping skills. BUT GOD . . .  Cheryl admits serving time in prison was exactly what she needed. God met her there and completely changed her life. He gave her a life that replaced 'unwanted' with 'chosen.' 'Unloved' with 'loved.' 'Unforgiveable' with 'forgiven.' 'Hopeless' with 'full of hope.' Notable quotes: * "I thought this is life, so at a very early age, I learned survival mode." * "I was so disgusted with myself. I pled guilty and refused to testify, so that nailed my coffin. And I didn't care. I didn't even like me." * When I saw that, God spoke to my heart. He said, 'I just give you a snapshot of your legacy.'" Bible verses: * Cheryl's fight verses: 1 Peter 5:6 and 2 Samuel 7:18-19 Learn more about Cheryl: her website: https://www.cherylbonds.com her Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cheryl.bonds.520 her Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cherylbonds2025 Buy her book, From Chains to Chosen: A Journey From Prison to Purpose, on Amazon!  Send me a COMMENT or QUESTION! THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! Want to leave a comment about this episode? Click HERE!

Linda Goldfarb is back to chat about a mindset that helps her during any challenge that dares to intersect her path. How do you respond to circumstances? Is your response the same regardless if the circumstance brings joy or if it brings struggle? Linda decided long ago that it doesn't matter what comes her way, she trusts God. How Linda starts her day is something you'll want to remember and implement, so grab a pen and paper. Jot down the Bible verses that remind her that all of life's circumstances can be met with a simple but powerful response: God is with me. Notable quotes: * "It's an AMEN day. I heartily agree with whatever God brings my way." * "I call my Bible my life manual." * "I, at times, will look at my life and say, 'If I'm walking through this fire, I will trust you in the midst of it.'" * "My God can save me from any fire if I need saving. If it is not His will for the saving, then it is His will for the refining." Bible verses: * Luke 12:7 * Romans 10:17 * 1 Peter 1:8 * John 15:11 * John 14:27 * John 17:24 * Isaiah 57:1 * James 1:5-6 * Philippians 4:8 * Luke 19:40 * Philippians 4:7 * 2 Timothy 1:7 Connect with Linda: ~ on her website: www.lindagoldfarb.com ~ on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/linda.goldfarb ~ on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/texasgoldfarb Send me a COMMENT or QUESTION! THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! Want to leave a comment about this episode? Click HERE!

Today's guest, Linda Goldfarb, is both a Bible nerd and a joy-filled story teller. She knows this beautiful combination of interests and abilities is God's doing.  The tough challenges Linda's faced throughout her life were not wasted as God intentionally used them to equip and empower her to write vbooks, to speak messages that encourage believers, to host a podcast that provides tools for authors and speakers, and to offer Christian coaching to help believers reach their goals.  Notable quotes: * "Evidently I was just hungry for someone to want to want to participate in my life." * "And I will tell you I have become an amazing performer. I didn't know that was goping to be one of my superpowers." * "In that moment is when Jesus said, 'You know if it was only you, Linda. If it was only you, I would be on the cross for you. And in that moment He became my Savior.'" * "When God says it, that settles it." Bible verses: * Psalm 42:1 * Linda's fight verse: James 1:22 "Do not merely listen to the word and so deceive yourselves; do what it says." Connect with Linda: ~ on her website: lindagoldfarb.com ~ on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/linda.goldfarb ~ on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/texasgoldfarb Send me a COMMENT or QUESTION! THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! Want to leave a comment about this episode? Click HERE!

My friend, Lindsey Arcaro, who is the worship pastor at my church - The Square - joins me again to discuss how lyrics to a song poured out of her during her deepest grief. Those tear-filled words became the worship song “Worthy of a Hallelujah.” Lindsey shares how walking in alignment with God leads to opportunities for us to experience what we were made for. Memorable quotes:  ·        “I don’t want to go lead this in front of our church. I’m not grateful right now.” ·        “Lord, I don’t need a word right now. I just need you to come and be with me ‘cause I got nothing for you.” ·        “As much as I was staying up holding my son at night, He was staying up holding me.” ·        “He showed me He doesn’t check out when it gets hard, and if it feels like I can’t trace His hand, I can still trust His heart for me is good.” ·        “I could choose an easy life, but I’m always going to feel empty at the end of the day if I’m not walking in alignment with Jesus.” Bible verses: ·        Psalm 27:13 ·        2 Corinthians 12:9 ·        Colossians 3:2-3 Connect with Lindsey on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/lindseyarcaro and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/lindseyarcaro_ WATCH Lindsey sing “Worth of a Hallelujah” here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=leSfW_d2PCs&list=RDleSfW_d2PCs&start_radio=1 Send me a COMMENT or QUESTION! THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! Want to leave a comment about this episode? Click HERE!

My friend, Lindsey Arcaro, who is the worship pastor at my church - The Square - joins me today to share her story of overcoming a miscarriage and her son's neurological diagnosis.  Lindsey and her husband, Braden, have been married for eleven years and have a daughter and a son.  Lindsey doesn't sugarcoat the pain she went through in either of those challenges. Instead, she is vulnerable and admits she just wanted to hide.  Memorable quotes:  * "I laid on the couch with my dog all day and just wept because I was trying to reconcile what I was experiencing in my body and what I had heard the Lord say."  * "I felt life in me and now it was gone. And it was a tremendous feeling of emptiness."  * "When you have something that happens in your home that no one else has seen to the degree that you're seeing it, sometimes you can feel like you're a crazy person."  * "And we get the opportunity in suffering to partner with God and believe in faith."  * "They're not gonna find hope in my story. Find hope in Jesus in my story."  Bible verses:  * Psalm 139:7  * Psalm 27:13 * Isaiah 53:3  * Psalm 138:8  * James 1:2-4  * Psalm 23:1-2  * Hebrews 12:2  * Lindsey's fight verse: 1 Corinthians 2:2  Connect with Lindsey on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/lindseyarcaro and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/lindseyarcaro_ Send me a COMMENT or QUESTION! THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! Want to leave a comment about this episode? Click HERE!

What aspects of your faith would you consider to be creative? If you are having a hard time thinking of any, you’re not alone. Almost every five-year-old believes he or she is creative, but very few adults do. God is a creative God. And He made you to be creative! Today’s guest, Pam Farrel, shares how she discovered Bible art and how it has impacted her faith.  Notable quotes: ·         “The purpose isn’t to become the world’s greatest Bible artist who has her work in the Louvre. It’s to help you grow with God.” ·         “The second thing I love and is so about the character of God in that if you are doing anything creative . . . the part of your brain where your problems reside is taken offline because the creative part has more power.” ·         “Being creative will actually help your problems go away.” Bible verses:  ·         Psalm 42:7,8, 11 ·         Psalm 23 ·         Psalm 5:12 ·         Isaiah 61:3 Connect with Pam Farrel: ·         Her website: www.love-wise.com ·         Facebook: www.facebook.com/pamelafarrel.author.3 ·         Instagram: www.instagram.com/lovewise62 Send me a COMMENT or QUESTION! THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! Want to leave a comment about this episode? Click HERE!

How have you seen God’s fingerprints during your challenges? It could've been the right person at the right time. Or the cancerous mass no longer showing on the scan. Or your bills being paid by an unknown source.  God IS with us during our challenges. And He still does miracles. Today’s guest, author and speaker Pam Farrel, shares about how challenges with her weight, being diagnosed with diabetes, being put into a medically induced coma after going into diabetic ketosis, being diagnosed with ovarian cancer were tough. But God left His fingerprints during each of them.  She sought to learn what God wanted to teach her during those times.  Notable quotes: ·         “At the end of that year, I lost fifty pounds. And eventually lost seventy. And for a decade, I’ve kept it off.” ·         “So it was a huge victory. But it was also a huge wake up call.” ·         “From the moment I went into my coma, God was wrapped around me.” ·         “I’m still restoring, rejuvenating, refreshing, rebuilding. I need resilience. And God is the one who arms me with strength day by day by day.” Bible verses:  ·         1 Corinthians 11:1 ·         Ephesians 3:20 ·         Fight verse ~ Psalm 18:32 ·         Philippians 1:11 Connect with Pam Farrel: ·         Her website: www.love-wise.com ·         Facebook: www.facebook.com/pamelafarrel.author.3 ·         Instagram: www.instagram.com/lovewise62 Send me a COMMENT or QUESTION! THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! Want to leave a comment about this episode? Click HERE!

Today's episode is a video solo cast. If you're listening on your favorite podcast app, please head over to my YouTube channel @melonybrown. I don't want you to miss any of the visual symbols or God's beautiful creation! God's been teaching me about the importance of good spiritual posture the last few years. I've been sharing what I've learned in these video solo casts. If you missed any or want to view them again, they are: episode 117 Standing Firm episode 127 Leaning on God episode 133 Holding on to Expectant Hope Today's episode is about flexing God's faithfulness. No, I'm not talking about flexing our own strength when we face challenges. Instead, I believe we can flex God's faithfulness and strength when challenges rudely intersect our path. El Emunah is the Hebrew name of God for God is the faithful God.  Bible verses: * Deuteronomy 7:9 * 1 Thessalonians 5:24 * Hebrews 10:23 *I share how in 1 Samuel 17 David flexed God's faithfulness when he went before King Saul to explain why he wanted to fight Goliath. Then David flexed again when he approached Goliath. * 2 Corinthians 12:9 * Fight verse is Psalm 145:13 I share the visual symbol for flexing God's faithfulness. I also share about getting a tattoo to remind myself of God's faithfulness in my life.  Good spiritual posture is important every day of your life, but it is critical when you are facing challenges.  Send me a COMMENT or QUESTION! THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! Want to leave a comment about this episode? Click HERE!

Dawn Damon returns to chat about the habitual practice of reading and studying God’s Word. As a Bible nerd myself, I loved hearing why she loves God’s Word so much. Dawn Damon is the author of six books, a speaker, the host of The Bravehearted Woman podcast, and a life coach. She and her husband, Paul, have been married for fifteen years. Their blended family is made up of five adult children, thirteen grandchildren, and three great grandchildren.  Notable quotes: ·         “So then, verses were jumping out of the pages and just gripping my heart . . . It literally was feeding my soul.” ·         “What I would do as my warfare, I would begin to speak the Scriptures out loud, out of my mouth.” ·         “If I don’t know the Word, I don’t know what God’s promise is to me.” ·         “We gotta put it [God’s Word] in there in order for Him to bring it out.” ·         “If you know the Word of God, you’re packin’.” Bible verses: ·         Revelation 19:15 ·         2 Corinthians 12:9 ·         Philippians 4:19 ·         Isaiah 54:17 ·         Ephesians 4:29 ·         Ephesians 6:17 ·         Psalm 119:105 ·         Luke 4:1-2, 4, 8, 12 ·         Psalm 23:6 ·         Psalm 17:8 ·         1 John 3:1 ·         Genesis 1:27 ·         Romans 8:17                                                  Connect with Dawn on her website at  https://www.dawndamon.com       on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/DawnScottDamon       on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/dawndamonlive  Send me a COMMENT or QUESTION! THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! Want to leave a comment about this episode? Click HERE!

I heard today’s guest, Dawn Damon, speak at the Advanced writers and Speakers Conference last summer. She asked the audience to consider this question: “Is it possible that you might discover something about yourself or God that you wouldn’t know except for your challenges?” She was speaking my language! YES! I’ve leaned many things about myself and God that I wouldn’t have learned any other way. I knew the things she learned during her fight to overcome abuse, depression, and divorce would be a powerful testimony for YOU to hear! Dawn Damon is the author of six books, a speaker, the host of The Bravehearted Woman podcast, and a life coach. She and her husband, Paul, have been married for fifteen years. Their blended family is made up of five adult children, thirteen grandchildren, and three great grandchildren.  Notable quotes: ·         “I remember feeling angry at the church, angry at religious people, angry at the hypocrisy, and eventually just angry at God.” ·         “And that Sunday, something broke through . . . And that Sunday, God broke though.” ·         “You forgive at a whole different level when you understand really what was taken from you. You have to grieve it. You have to feel it. You have to acknowledge it. My childhood was stolen. My teen years were stolen. My early adulthood was stolen. My marriage was affected.” ·         “I clung to the Word of God. I spoke it. I quoted it. And I said this almost every day to the Lord: ‘Fill my heart with your dream for my life.’” Bible verses: ·         Genesis 50:20 ·         Romans 8:31 ·         2 Corinthians 4:17 ·         Dawn’s fight verse - Psalm 27:1 “The Lord is the light of my salvation. Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life. Of whom shall I be afraid?” ·         Psalm 27:14 ·         Joshua 1:9 Send me a COMMENT or QUESTION! THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! Want to leave a comment about this episode? Click HERE!

Friendship. Such a beautiful gift.  My guest, Kim Todd, shares the strategy of having a kingdom community, a family. These are the people who you laugh with, who fill you with joy, and who you share "you had to be there" moments with during the good times.  While those good times are important, oh, how valuable true friends are during the hard times when they listen as you pour out your heart, they speak nourishing words of encouragement over you, and they offer prayers for you.  Notable quotes: * "We have to go into friendships knowing that we’re not there to fix anyone's problems because if you go into there with that, it's not going to go well." * "When I see they're doing well, I'm excited for them." * "It's this natural give and take. It's not a transaction. It's a connection." * "When it becomes performance, friendship is completely hindered. It's blocked. Nothing's going to come from that cause it's limited."  Bible verses: * Proverbs 27:9 * John 15:17 * 1 Thessalonians 5:11 * John 10:27 Connect with Kim on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/dwstodd and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/kimwonderwoman Send me a COMMENT or QUESTION! THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! Want to leave a comment about this episode? Click HERE!

My guest, Kim Todd, has faced many challenges, but none tougher than watching difficult and painful challenges impact her sons.   Like any parent, she wished she could fix their challenges or soften the pain, but Kim knew God would grow their faith as they learned how to fight to overcome. Their challenges were opportunities for their growth.  But her sons' challenges were also opportunities for God to grow her faith and trust as well. Noteable quotes:  * "Now I look back, and I see God's hand in everything." * "God goes before us. he goes before us to fight our battles." * "It's those two things living together - heartbreak and comfort - at the same time. Heartbreak and hope at the same time." Bible verses: * Romans 8:26 * Philippians 4:7 * Deuteronomy 31:8 * Psalm 144:1 (Kim's fight verse) Connect with Kim on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/dwstodd and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/kimwonderwoman Send me a COMMENT or QUESTION! THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! Want to leave a comment about this episode? Click HERE!