Finding Inspiration - Catherine West
Bold, Brave & Beautiful Podcast with Barb Roose
Release Date: 05/08/2017
Bold, Brave & Beautiful Podcast with Barb Roose
This powerful conversation aired back in February and you all loved it, so we are bringing it back for this special Labor Day episode! Join Barb and Grace Wabuke Klein, author of Flourish: Finding Purpose in the Unknown and Unexpected Seasons of Life, for a conversation on how to trust God’s grace and goodness when we’re not sure what’s happening in our lives. Grace will explain the four seasons of life and how to hold on to hope and believe God for His best in your life. RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE ABOUT OUR SPECIAL GUEST Grace Wabuke Klein...
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Relationships are tough, even when two people truly love God and one another. In this week's conversation, join Barb and certified life coach Lisa Allen for a conversation on how to foster healthy relationships that celebrate differences and complement rather than complicating our lives. Tune in for the final part of our Stronger than Stress Series! RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE ABOUT OUR SPECIAL GUEST Lisa Allen has a passion for and connection to women. She has been featured as a keynote speaker at Proverbs 31 Ministries’ annual She Speaks Conference,...
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When we get stuck in daily cycles of stress it can feel like this is just the way that things will always be! But what if it was possible to stop the spiral and take practical steps towards breaking the seemingly neverending cycle of stress? Listen in to today's episode as Barb provides an easy framework for moving from a place of stress to a place of rest. RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE
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Are you feeling worn down or burnt out? Many of us are carrying so many burdens and responsibilities that at times it feels like we will be crushed beneath the weight of them. Join us for this week's conversation as Barb speaks with author Ashley Morgan Jackson about burnout, grace, and accepting God's gift of rest in the tough seasons of waiting. RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE ABOUT OUR SPECIAL GUEST Ashley Morgan Jackson is an author, speaker, and social media expert. She formerly worked full-time for Proverbs 31 Ministries and has ministered to her...
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Are you stressed all of the time? Do you ever think about running away from your life because it’s just too much? You aren’t alone! Over 50% of people are highly stressed these days! The problem is that too many of us believe that we’re stuck in our stress, but that isn’t true! Join me for this new episode of Bold, Brave & Beautiful Podcast called “Too Stressed to Be Blessed." Not only will I tell you about how God taught me to turn my stress into strength, but I'll share how you can become an overcomer, too! RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE
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When the men in our life are struggling, it is natural for us as women to long to help but just don't know what to do! Join us today for part 2 of Barb's conversation with comedian Isaac Witty as he shares his dramatic journey of faith from pastor’s kid to successful comedian who hit rock bottom and found his way back to God. Last time, Isaac covered the topics of identity and anxiety and today he will be discussing the topics of self-medication (such as drug use, pornography, and unhelpful distractions), the importance of who men hang around with, and the one truth that brings him comfort...
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Most of us have men in our lives that we love and our deepest prayer is that those men love Jesus. What do you do when the Christian man in your life is struggling and you are not sure how to help? Join Barb for today’s conversation with comedian Isaac Witty who has performed on some of America’s biggest stages and listen to his dramatic journey of faith from pastor’s kid to successful comedian who hit rock bottom and found his way back to God. Isaac will share his story and address the 5 things that a Christian man must fight in order to have faith. His story will encourage you and help...
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People of color often feel invisible and alienated, even traumatized, by the oppression and discrimination still prevalent in our American culture today. The result leads to not only internalized trauma but also a particular type of aloneness, which author Prasanta Verma defines as ethnic and racial loneliness. Join Barb as Prasanta discusses her new book, Beyond Ethnic Loneliness, and listen to learn about the exhausting effects of cultural isolation, the dynamics of marginalization, and the weight of being “other”. Prasanta points toward the path of healing which includes the need to...
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Does your life feel like it is the opposite of what you’ve been praying for? Perhaps you’ve wondered if God has mixed up your life with someone else’s because you definitely didn’t sign up for the drama that keeps coming your way. In this conversation, Barb and author Nicole Unice discuss Nicole’s new book, Not What I Signed Up For, and how to find strength and faith to get through what you never thought you’d have to go through. RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE Connect with Nicole on Check out Nicole's book, ABOUT OUR SPECIAL GUEST ...
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Part 1 of this conversation was incredible, and part 2 is finally here! Last time we talked about just how messy love can be. Many of us have had our hearts broken whether by a spouse, family member or friend and found ourselves feeling like the rug was pulled right out from under us. However, in Christ we can find an indestructible foundation. In today's conversation, Caleb and Stefanie discuss how our broken hearts and lives can be rebuilt by letting God into the darkest parts of our stories. In this encouraging conversation they will also share true stories of transformation,...
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Last week, it rained for several days straight in my little corner of the world. It rained enough that I regretted passing up that fabulous pair of rainboots that I saw at the store. My soggy sneakers held up just fine...
Since we experience all four seasons in my area of the country, heavy spring rains always seem to wash away the last vestiges of winter and pour in the freshness of the spring season.
Is your life ready to embrace spring?
Did you know that every season has a metaphor? If you aren't familiar with this concept, here's a quick overview:
- Summer = sunny and steady
- Fall= transition and uncertainty
- Winter = reflection and rehabilitation
- Spring = fresh and hopeful
So, now it's spring. Do you feel fresh and hopeful? I'm trying to be! After a long winter, I need to fill my tanks a little after a long winter. So, these days, I'm focused on finding things that inspire me toward godly momentum and creativity.
One of my main places of inspiration is walking outside. There's something about the fresh air and walking underneath God's big blue sky that just makes me feel close to God. And I LOVE flowers! Lucky for me, I live in a historical neighborhood filled with lots of amazing gardens.
Another source of inspiration is when I travel to speaking events. As I write out this paragraph, many of your faces that I've met over the past few months float across my memory - and make me smile. I'm inspired when I think about all of the women that I've met and all of the stories that I've heard.
For me, being inspired is all about putting myself in situations where my heart, mind and soul can be connected to God and connected to others who also long to be connected to God.
I don't know about you, but the farther I get away from God, the more draining life seems to be. So, my goal each day is to make purposeful plans to find connections with God and others such as.
Here's a quick list of six ways that I find inspiration:
1. Walking outside and focusing on God's beauty of creation,
2. Sitting with a friend over coffee as she tells me about how God is stretching or growing her faith,
3. Attending a conference or event that will challenge me in my faith or help me expand my skills,
4. Consuming books or listening to podcasts by people who write/speak about their faith or craft,
5. Journaling or reading old journal entries to see how God has stretched and grown my faith.
6. Traveling to new places and meeting new people lets me see faith from lots of different and powerful perspectives.
Now, this is my list. But, it's not the be-all-end-all list. However, if you're looking for some ideas, perhaps my list might motivate you to create your own list.
Don't forget, inspiration is essential for living!
Inspiration keeps us moving forward. Inspiration is essential for resilience and keeping us hopeful. Inspiration keeps us looking toward the future when we're tempted to focus on the past or the negative circumstances in the present.
So, what should go on your inspiration list? Share what inspires you in the comments on the blog page for this podcast episode.
My friend Cathy West joins me for this week's Better Together episode and shares how she finds inspiration for her stories. Her newest book, The Memory of You, just released a few weeks ago and Cathy gives us some inside scoop about a powerful story that many of us can relate to. Cathy also explains why fiction stories have the power to help us work through some of our struggles.
Click here to find out more about this story of a woman who deals with PTSD after the death of her sister. She discovers the freeing power of forgiveness, confession and faith.
About Catherine West...
INSPY Award-winning author Catherine West writes stories of hope and healing from her island home in Bermuda. When she’s not at the computer working on her next story, you can find her taking her Border Collie for long walks or reading books by her favorite authors. She and her husband have two grown children.