Your Hope-Filled Perspective with Dr. Michelle Bengtson podcast

Your Hope-Filled Perspective draws on Dr. Michelle Bengtson’s almost 3 decades of clinical expertise as a neuropsychologist to help her listeners regain hope, renew their minds, and transform their lives. With a perfect balance of clinical expertise, compassion, and vulnerability, Dr. Bengtson and her guests purpose to share Biblically-based hope-filled perspectives for real-life issues, struggles, and concerns.

060 HOPE: What Is It, How Do We Get it, and How Do We Display it? 06/04/2020

060 HOPE: What Is It, How Do We Get it, and How Do We Display it? Episode Summary: This is the second in a four-part anniversary series of “Your Hope-Filled Perspective.” Specifically, today we are discussing the concept of “Hope.” What is hope, how do we get it and how do we display it? And what isn’t it? The Bible has two uses for the term HOPE One is simple but ungrounded expectation that something specific may happen—closest to English vernacular understanding. Second is a CONFIDENCE that something anticipated will come to pass. What is the difference between FAITH and HOPE? The Bible talks about both, and sometimes the same word is used. The concepts are very closely related. Best illustration: a child is told by her parents that they will be taking her to DisneyWorld soon. FAITH is the quiet confidence that her parents are being truthful and that the promised visit will happen. HOPE is the excited expectancy of the promised visit that has the child bouncing off the walls. FAITH is the basis for HOPE. What are the characteristics of HOPE? Forward looking Positive Expectant/anticipatory of something longed for Patient Focused on sufficiency and abundance ACTIVE HOPE is ACTIVE, it requires PREPARATION. Think of the Disney example. As the child ANTICIPATES, she will engage in various activities that illustrate this expectancy. In our culture and language, HOPE is understood in a very passive context—we don’t grant it much power in our lives, yet both the NT and the OT point to HOPE as crucial to our daily existence. HOPE is closely paralleled to FEAR Forward looking Expectant—of something dreaded Negative instead of positive Based on anxiety or worry instead of faith Focused on inadequacy & loss Quotables from the episode: Emil Brunner— “What oxygen is to the lungs, such is hope to the meaning of life.” FAITH is the basis for HOPE. Hope is active. Our hope is grounded in the overwhelming abundance and goodness of God. Scripture References: Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord. “Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans for a future and a hope.” David in Psalms linked his HOPE in God with courage and strength (Ps 31:24) Paul also (Rom 5:5) describes the abundance and fulfilling nature of HOPE. Recommended Resources: by Dr. Michelle Bengtson by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award Social Media Links for Host: For more hope, stay connected with Dr. Bengtson at: Order Book / Order Book / / / / (@DrMBengtson) / / / / / Hosted By: Scott and Dr. Michelle Bengtson Audio Technical Support: Bryce Bengtson /episode/index/show/yourhopefilledperspective/id/14689952

059 Celebrating the One Year Anniversary of YHFP: The Importance of “Your” Pt 1 05/28/2020

058 How To Practically Fight Anxious Thoughts and Win 05/21/2020

058 How To Practically Fight Anxious Thoughts and Win Episode Summary: We’ve been in the middle of a special series of podcasts about defeating anxiety during times of crisis. In this episode, we talk in depth about how we can fight anxious thoughts and win. Forty million American adults suffer from anxiety, while 264 million suffer worldwide. Chances are, even if you don’t suffer with anxiety, you know many friends and loved ones who do. In this episode, we’re going to talk about how to win over fearful and anxious thoughts. The first thing to remember is that we are in a battle, and the enemy of our soul doesn’t play fair. Secondly, we have to recognize that it is the enemy who tempts us with worry, fear, and anxiety. So often the thoughts we have aren’t even our thoughts. But if we don’t actively take them captive, and compare them to God’s word, we all too often readily accept them. Did you know that you can actually talk back to anxiety? You can! In this episode, we talk at length about how to talk back to worry, fear, and anxiety, and reclaim a much more peaceful life. Quotables from the episode: You can talk back to anxiety and make it leave! If we want to rid ourselves of worry, fear, and anxiety, we’ve got to separate the facts from God’s truth. God’s truth always trumps the facts. Scripture References: John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal, and kill, and destroy, but I have come that they might have life and have it to the full.” 2 Timothy 1:7 “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” 1 Peter 5:8 “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” 2 Corinthians 10:5 “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” Recommended Resources: by Dr. Michelle Bengtson by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award Social Media Links for Host: For more hope, stay connected with Dr. Bengtson at: Order Book / Order Book / / / / (@DrMBengtson) / / / / / Hosted By: Dr. Michelle Bengtson Audio Technical Support: Bryce Bengtson /episode/index/show/yourhopefilledperspective/id/14505977

057 - How God Gives us a Sound Mind to Defeat Anxiety 05/14/2020

057 - How God Gives us a Sound Mind to Defeat Anxiety Episode Summary: We’ve been in the middle of a special series of podcasts about defeating anxiety during times of crisis. In this episode, we talk in depth about the third weapon God gives us to defeat anxiety: a sound mind. When God says He has given us a sound mind to defeat worry, fear, and anxiety, we can get excited because we have been given the mind of Christ. Before Jesus started his earthly ministry, the Holy Spirit led Him into the wilderness for 40 days and nights. There he was repeatedly tempted by the enemy. It was Jesus’s sound mind that allowed Him to defeat the enemy and not give in to temptation. He knew the word of God and He used it to refute the enemy’s temptation. We too can refute the enemy’s temptation for worry, fear, and anxiety by using the sound mind God gave us, coupled with the word of God. Psalm 112:8 tells us, “They are confident and fearless and can face their foes triumphantly.” With a sound mind, you are hopeful and confident. In this episode, we discuss how we access and use our sound mind in order to defeat worry, fear, and anxiety in our lives. Quotables from the episode: With a sound mind, you are hopeful and confident. Part of using our sound mind to refute worry, fear, and anxiety, is standing on God’s word. Scripture References: Psalm 112:8 tells us, “They are confident and fearless and can face their foes triumphantly.” 1 Thessalonians 5:6 “So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded.” Recommended Resources: by Dr. Michelle Bengtson by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award Social Media Links for Host: For more hope, stay connected with Dr. Bengtson at: Order Book / Order Book / / / / (@DrMBengtson) / / / / / Hosted By: Dr. Michelle Bengtson Audio Technical Support: Bryce Bengtson /episode/index/show/yourhopefilledperspective/id/14412866

056 How God Gives Us His Perfect Love to Defeat Anxiety 05/07/2020

056 How God Gives Us His Perfect Love to Defeat Anxiety Episode Summary: We’ve been in the middle of a special series of podcasts about defeating anxiety during times of crisis. In this episode, we talk in-depth about the second weapon God gives us to defeat anxiety: His perfect love. John 15:9 tells us, “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.” In order to remain in God’s love, we must first accept that He gives His love, and we must then receive it for ourselves. But His love is crucial for defeating worry, fear, and anxiety in our lives. 1 John 4:18 says, “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” In this episode, we discuss the things we know to be true about God’s love and the many ways that we can access God’s love to defeat worry, fear, and anxiety in our lives. Quotables from the episode: One of the greatest issues I witnessed in my private practice was of individuals thinking they were unlovable, and not truly knowing how much God loves them. When we realize that we are loved by the God of the universe and that out of love for us He protects us, comforts us, fights for us, etc., then we can face any situation without worry, fear, or anxiety. Scripture References: John 15:9 tells us, “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.” 1 John 4:8 “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” 1 John 4:18 “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” Recommended Resources: by Dr. Michelle Bengtson by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award Social Media Links for Host: For more hope, stay connected with Dr. Bengtson at: Order Book / Order Book / / / / (@DrMBengtson) / / / / / Hosted By: Dr. Michelle Bengtson Audio Technical Support: Bryce Bengtson /episode/index/show/yourhopefilledperspective/id/14316527

055 How To Improve Mother Daughter Relationships 04/30/2020

055 How To Improve Mother Daughter Relationships Episode Summary: Today we’re going to be talking about how to improve mother/daughter relationships and the hope available for restoration and reconciliation. Mother/daughter relationships can be so painful, and especially with Mother’s Day coming up, we can have a tendency to mourn what we don’t have in our own mother/daughter relationship. If you struggle in your mother/daughter relationship, or have been desiring an improved relationship, then you’ll want to stick this program out to the last minute. Experts in mother/daughter relationship reconciliation and restoration, Blythe Daniel and Dr. Helen McIntosh join us to share what they learned, and the lessons they penned in “Mended: Restoring the Hearts of Mothers and Daughters.” Quotables from the episode: When it comes to relationship reconciliation, we have to put our relationship over any differences. Relationship reconciliation doesn’t just happen. We have to purpose to be healthy in our interactions with each other. Scripture References: Isaiah 61:4 Then they will rebuild the ancient ruins, They will raise up the former devastations; And they will repair the ruined cities, The desolations of many generations. Ephesians 3:20 Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen. Recommended Resources: “” by Blythe Daniel and Dr. Helen McIntosh Award-Winning by Dr. Michelle Bengtson by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award Social Media Links for Host and Guest: / / / / / For more hope, stay connected with Dr. Bengtson at: Order Book / Order Book / / / / (@DrMBengtson) / / / / Guests: Blythe Daniel is a literary agent and marketer with more than 20 years of experience in publishing. She has written for Proverbs 31 Ministries, Focus on the Family, Ann Voskamp, Christian Retailing, and she links bloggers with readers through the agency’s blog network. The daughter of Dr. Helen McIntosh, she lives in Colorado with her husband and three children. Dr. Helen McIntosh (EdD, Counseling Psychology) is a counselor, speaker, educator, and author of Messages to Myself and Eric, Jose & The Peace Rug. Her work has appeared in Guideposts, ParentLife, and HomeLife magazines. She resides in Georgia with her husband Jim. They have two children and five grandchildren. Hosted By: Dr. Michelle Bengtson Audio Technical Support: Bryce Bengtson /episode/index/show/yourhopefilledperspective/id/14211107

054 How God Gives Us Power To Defeat Anxiety 04/23/2020

054 How God Gives Us Power To Defeat Anxiety Episode Summary: We’ve been in the middle of a special series of podcasts about defeating anxiety during times of crisis. In this episode we talk in-depth about one of the weapons God gives us to defeat anxiety: Power. There are many ways for Christ followers to appropriate God’s power. Romans 8:11 tells us, “And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.” We have been given the same power that raised Christ Jesus from the dead, yet too many believers are walking around powerless, not appropriating His power. In this episode we discuss the many ways that we can access God’s power to defeat worry, fear, and anxiety in our lives. Quotables from the episode: The first of three key weapons that God has given us to defeat anxiety is His power. Too many Christ followers don’t appropriate the power that God has made available to them. Scripture References: Revelation 12:10 “…now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of His Christ, for the accuser…has been thrown down. Romans 8:11 “And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.” Recommended Resources: by Dr. Michelle Bengtson by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award Social Media Links for Host: For more hope, stay connected with Dr. Bengtson at: Order Book / Order Book / / / / (@DrMBengtson) / / / / / Hosted By: Dr. Michelle Bengtson Audio Technical Support: Bryce Bengtson /episode/index/show/yourhopefilledperspective/id/14106791

053 Worry Creeps, Anxiety Seeps, Crises Explode 04/16/2020

053 Worry Creeps, Anxiety Seeps, Crises Explode Episode Summary: We’ve been in the middle of a special series of podcasts about defeating anxiety during times of crisis. In this episode, we break down worry, fear, anxiety, and crises, and how they are different, and how they each impinge on our lives. Jesus said not to worry about tomorrow and be anxious for nothing. He never said “except when my bank account dips, or when the toilet paper runs out, or when you have to work or go to school online.” Anxiety results from living in a place of dread instead of victory. When we become anxious, we have projected dread into our situation. That brings with it an endless supply of “what ifs?” So much of our anxiety comes from us wanting to have control, but the reality is that we have very little control, but God is in control and He isn’t going to wrestle us for it. In this episode, we continue to discuss how to defeat anxiety especially in times of crisis. Quotables from the episode: Fear is an emotional response to a real or perceived threat. Anxiety is apprehension and anticipation of some future event. Worry is thinking about problems or fears that may never even come to pass. Worry creeps, anxiety seeps, and crises explode. Faith entails having the courage to give God control. True peace is not the absence of trouble but resting in the sovereignty of God in the midst of it. Scripture References: Luke 12:26 “And if worry can’t accomplish a little thing like that, what’s the use of worrying over bigger things?” Philippians 4:9 “Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of Peace will be with you.” Recommended Resources: by Dr. Michelle Bengtson by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award Social Media Links for Host: For more hope, stay connected with Dr. Bengtson at: Order Book / Order Book / / / / (@DrMBengtson) / / / / / Hosted By: Dr. Michelle Bengtson Audio Technical Support: Bryce Bengtson /episode/index/show/yourhopefilledperspective/id/14008340

052 Practical Ways to Exchange Worry, Fear and Anxiety for Peace During a Crisis 04/09/2020

052 Practical Ways to Exchange Worry, Fear and Anxiety for Peace During a Crisis Episode Summary: With the Coronavirus outbreak, the world is facing astronomical amounts of worry, fear, and anxiety. In episode 50, we discussed ways of defeating anxiety during a crisis like the Coronavirus. In this episode, Scott and I discuss more practical tips to exchange worry, fear, and anxiety for peace during a crisis. Trusting God is key! Quotables from the episode: It’s important not to run on our feelings, during times of crises, but rather, to stand on truth. Instead of saying, “I have to” we can shift the perspective and say “I get to…” For example, instead of I have to stay in the house for the next two weeks or longer you say, I get to spend quality time with my family. Let’s take this opportunity to do some new things, to look at the situation from a new perspective, to consider our feelings and how our feelings are often grounded in the lies that we believe. The truth is, God is still in control. Fear is really the emotional response to either a real or a perceived imminent threat, something that might happen right away. Anxiety is really an abnormal or overwhelming sense of apprehension in anticipation of a future event that may or may not ever happen. Worry is thinking about a problem or fears over something that could happen. Worry is our thoughts about an unknown future. My concern is that when we allow anxiety, worry, fear to rule and reign in our heart and our mind, we lose the chance to respond rationally, and we lose our peace. God tells us in His Word, be anxious for nothing; do not worry about tomorrow; do not be afraid. God knows what's going on in the world today. I believe that what has allowed us to get through these recent circumstances is being able to look back and recognize where God has been faithful each and every time before. Peace really comes from living in the present and remembering what has already been accomplished in the past, to assure us of our future. We tend to approach life thinking, “Show me, then I'll trust you.” But God tells us to “trust Him, then he'll show us.” Trusting God really takes the responsibility for the outcome off our shoulders and places it on God’s. How do we trust God? T-Take God at His Word (Numbers 23:19) R-Rest in His presence and promises (Matthew 11:28-30) U-Understand the outcome doesn’t depend on us S-Acknowledge that God is Sovereign (Psalm 84:11) T-Turn to the testimony of previous experiences (Revelation 12:11) An attitude of gratitude when we recognize all that God has already blessed us with amazing blessings makes it easier to trust Him. God inhabits the praises of his people. Find ways to praise Him during this time. Recommended Resources: by Dr. Michelle Bengtson by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award Social Media Links for Host: For more hope, stay connected with Dr. Bengtson at: Order Book / Order Book / / / / (@DrMBengtson) / / / / / Hosted By: Dr. Michelle Bengtson Audio Technical Support: Bryce Bengtson /episode/index/show/yourhopefilledperspective/id/13913360

051 Helping a Teenager with Anxiety during a Crisis 04/02/2020

051 Helping a Teenager with Anxiety during a Crisis Episode Summary: We’ve been doing a series on the podcast recently of episodes all related to helping defeat anxiety during times of crisis. Given what so many of us have been experiencing with the current crisis and the disruption of anything normal, it would be natural to realize that our children’s lives are being significantly impacted as well, and this may breed worry, fear, and anxiety. This episode is about how to help a teenager with anxiety during a crisis. Join me as I interview my teenager, Bryce. We discuss ways that help us understand worry, fear, and anxiety in our teens and children and what we and they can do about anxiety. For many of our children, the Coronavirus is the first major crisis they have ever had to face, at least on such a global level. This episode is unique in that I have the opportunity to interview a teenager to help understand their perspective and what they might be doing to try to manage the emotional impact that crises have on them. While this episode was recorded during the COVID19 pandemic, the truths contained therein are applicable regardless of the situation prompting a child’s anxiety. Quotables from the episode: Coronavirus didn’t take God by surprise, and He promises He knows the plans He has for us: to prosper us and not to harm us, plans for a hope and a future! Scripture References: Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” Matthew 6:34 “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.” 1 Peter 5:7 “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.” Recommended Resources: Free Download: by Dr. Michelle Bengtson by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award Social Media Links for Host: For more hope, stay connected with Dr. Bengtson at: Order Book / Order Book / / / / (@DrMBengtson) / / / / About the Host About Dr. Bengtson Dr. Bengtson studied neuroscience and is board certified in clinical neuropsychology. She established her own clinical practice in the Dallas area. From her professional and personal life, she recognized a deep lack of understanding of the call to “renew our minds” and the transformational effects a robust understanding of this has on our physical and mental health and outlook. Dr. Bengtson lives to foster regeneration and renew life in her listeners. She recognizes brokenness in her life and others’ and offers steps we can take as we walk with Christ through the thin places. Dr. Bengtson authored the award-winning “Hope Prevails: Insights from a Doctor’s Personal Journey Through Depression” and its award-winning companion “Hope Prevails Bible Study.” Her third award-winning book, “Breaking Anxiety’s Grip: How to Reclaim the Peace God Promises,” released in 2019 (Revell). She blogs at DrMichelleB.com and is a frequent guest on Fox News Radio and speaks at conferences and churches internationally. Hosted By: Dr. Michelle Bengtson Audio Technical Support: Bryce Bengtson /episode/index/show/yourhopefilledperspective/id/13812056

050 Defeating Anxiety During a Crisis like Coronavirus 03/26/2020

050 Defeating Anxiety During a Crisis like Coronavirus Episode Summary: Everyone will fight challenges and trials at some point in their life, and at the time of this recording, the world is facing the Coronavirus outbreak, and with that has come astronomical amounts of worry, fear, and anxiety. In this episode, we discuss ways to defeat anxiety during a crisis like the Coronavirus. This may be the first real crisis our children have had to face in their lifetimes, and it’s important for us to remember that they will take their cues for how to respond to crisis from watching and listening to us. In today’s society, our ready access to news and information can fuel anxiety. In our current situation, we need time to absorb this, but that is made difficult because the information is changing day by day, or sometimes hour by hour. It’s important not to run on our feelings, during times of crises, but rather, to stand on truth. Quotables from the episode: We need to absorb this. Anxiety comes because we want to know it all. We want to control it all. We want to influence it all…but we can’t. Our feelings are really just the outward manifestation of the thoughts we believe. We may not be able to control the situation, but we can choose our response to the situation. Scripture References: Exodus 20:2 “I am the Lord your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery.” Romans 8:28 “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” Recommended Resources: Free Download: by Dr. Michelle Bengtson by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award Social Media Links for Host: For more hope, stay connected with Dr. Bengtson at: To order Hope Prevails: Website: Blog: Facebook: Twitter: (@DrMBengtson) LinkedIn: Instagram: Pinterest: YouTube: Radio Show Host: Hosted By: Dr. Michelle Bengtson Audio Technical Support: Bryce Bengtson /episode/index/show/yourhopefilledperspective/id/13705427

049 Hope for Recovery for Suicide Attempt Survivors 03/19/2020

049 Hope for Recovery for Suicide Attempt Survivors Episode Summary: If you’ve ever had suicidal thoughts, have survived an attempted suicide, suffered the loss of a friend or loved one to death by suicide, or experienced depression or anxiety. Join me with my guest, Veronica Sites, as we talk about Hope for Recovery for Suicide Attempt Survivors. The Bible tells us in Psalm 34:18 that “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” If you are feeling broken-hearted, crushed in spirit, or perhaps, hopeless, stay with us and listen to the conversation between a board certified clinical neuropsychologist and a first response crisis chaplain. More importantly, we are two individuals who have been there. My guest, Veronica Sites, is a first response crisis chaplain. She grew up in a family of first responders. Sadly, she lost a family member to death by suicide. Afterward, the experience caused a shift in how she responded in those situations. Experiencing tragic life experiences brought her to the point where she began to believe some lies that took her down the path to attempt to end her own life by suicide. When she woke up she told a friend, “The Lord is going to use this for His glory. You just watch.” That is what has happened!. She now serves as a first response crisis chaplain and tries to educate others about suicide prevention. The word success, commit, failed, and complete are dangerous words with respect to suicide. When God brings us through a suicide attempt is not a failure. The enemy will use those words to make the individual feel shame. Success is not in death. Success is in who we are in Christ, and how will we respond. To commit, means a crime against humanity. God says thou shalt not kill. It is better to say that someone died by suicide or attempted to die by suicide in order to help with healing. We have to recognize the power of our words and use them in a sensitive manner. Peer support is so important in recovery for survivors and suicide attempt survivors. Proverbs 17:17 says “A brother is born for a time of adversity.” And “Just as iron sharpens iron, friends sharpen the minds of each other” (Proverbs 27:17). When a brother stumbles, we are called to come alongside and pick them up and run the race with them. Recognize that relationships are going to change because trust has been broken after a suicide attempt. Every relationship becomes shaken, including their relationship with themselves and the Lord. Recent research has found that suicide has to be dealt with in the church because it still remains an elephant in the room. We must be bold and courageous and enter into the conversation. We can’t always refer out to mental health if they aren’t addressing the spiritual foundation or else it won’t be a full continuum of care that is addressed. When it comes to suicide, you would much rather ask an individual “Are you thinking about hurting yourself or committing suicide?” than you would have to ask the question “Why didn’t they say anything?” or “Why didn’t I ask them?” It’s okay to ask God how we are to get through our most difficult circumstances. When God’s children submit to Him, He will often send us back to give others hope. We must be so very careful of the words we speak. When we speak things like “I can’t do this anymore,” we forfeit in the spiritual, and give the enemy an open door to bring havoc into our lives. The enemy takes just a seed of truth and twists it to try to deceive us. That is why it is so crucial that we truly know the truth of God’s word. Use the truths of God’s word. Meditate on scripture, listen to praise and worship. When the stinking thinking sets in, speak it out and ask the Lord to unpack it like a trunk. He has given us power, love, and a sound mind. Quotables from the episode: The Lord never wastes a hurt. God transforms pain that was meant to be destructive into something that can be productive for His namesake and the healing of others. People don’t necessarily want to die…they just want the pain to end. You are the temple of the living God. We can always trust the Lord, even when we don’t know what the outcome is going to be. Scripture References: 2 Corinthians 10:5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. Proverbs 17:17 says “A brother is born for a time of adversity.” Proverbs 27:17 “Just as iron sharpens iron, friends sharpen the minds of each other.” Psalm 34:18 “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." 2 Timothy 1:7 "For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and (self-discipline. NIV), (NASB - discipling / sound judgement) Romans 12:2 "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." Recommended Resources: TALK Suicide Hotline (800) 273-8255 Suicide Text Line: 741-741 Hope Line Suicide Prevention Network (800) 784-2433 Elijah App –helps people struggling to reach their support system with one text by Dr. Michelle Bengtson by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award Social Media Links for Host and Guest: Connect with Veronica Sites Website: FaceBook https://www.facebook.com/conflictresolutionspeaker/ Twitter link Pinterest link https://www.pinterest.com/veronicasites/ Vimeo link https://vimeo.com/veronicasites Youtube link: For more hope, stay connected with Dr. Bengtson at: To order Hope Prevails: Website: Blog: Facebook: Twitter: (@DrMBengtson) LinkedIn: Instagram: Pinterest: YouTube: Radio Show Host: Guest: Veronica Sites is a chaplain, motivational speaker, and life coach. Military Gold families have given her the nick name of “The Happy Chappy.” Ministry care ranges from the womb (as a mentor to expectant moms) to the tomb, and coming along side individuals on some of life’s hardest days. Her passion is helping people in places of pain and penetrating hearts with hope and help to empower those seeking freedom and how to navigate traumatic events. /episode/index/show/yourhopefilledperspective/id/13608242

048 Hope for Parents of Incarcerated Children 03/12/2020

048 Hope for Parents of Incarcerated Children Episode Summary: In this episode, we talk with my guest, Shonda Whitworth, who found herself in the worst of situations…the kind of situation no parent ever wants to experience. She received a call that her son had been arrested and charged with murder and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon under the Texas Law of Parties. She shares not only her heartache but what the Lord has taught her through it, how her prayer life has changed, and the hope available for parents of incarcerated children. Quotables from the episode: When tragedy comes, God’s word has to be inside of us in order to come out of us during those hard times. You have to know what you believe before a crisis hits, because when it does you have a split second before you fall back on what you really do believe. Only God can make something good come out of a good situation. And He promises that in His word. We can take a situation that the enemy tries to shame us for, and say “No!” to his taunts and jeers because the Bible says there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1) God used the most unlikely people and the most difficult circumstances to fulfill His promises. For example, God used Samson even though he wandered off, but God ultimately used him for good. We need to pray for those who are in prison as if we were in prison ourselves. Appealing to the courtroom of heaven is praying. God is judge of all. The enemy is our accuser. Because Jesus died on our behalf, we can enter the courtroom of heaven at any time. But the enemy doesn’t like we can petition our Father for those things that are rightfully ours. The blood of Jesus covers our sin when we come to the Father and repent and confess. We may not have a loved one in prison, but the enemy so often holds each of us in our own prisons through worry, fear, anxiety, depression, discouragement, shame, sin, etc. Confession and repentance sets us free! Jesus already paid the price for every sin we have or will ever commit, but it is up to us to go to our Heavenly Father, the only one worthy of judging us, to repent and confess our sin so that he will declare us not guilty. And that sets us free. Scripture References: Romans 8:28 NLT "And we know that God causes everything to work together[] for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them." Hebrews 4:16 NLT "So, let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most." Romans 15:13 NLT "I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit." Recommended Resources: by Shonda Whitworth A free downloadable PDF of 8 Prayers to Pray for Your Incarcerated Loved One is available at by Dr. Michelle Bengtson by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award Social Media Links for Host and Guest: Connect with Shonda Whitworth: / / / / / / For more hope, stay connected with Dr. Bengtson at: Order Book / Order Book / / / / (@DrMBengtson) / / / / Guest: Shonda Whitworth writes, teaches, and speaks at conferences and retreats to share the hope of healing and restoration we have in Jesus. After her son landed in state prison, she realized the hardships families of prisoners encounter. She and her husband, Eldon, founded Fortress of Hope Ministries, a nonprofit organization that offers hope to families affected by incarceration. Shonda transparently shares her testimony of living with a son in prison at ShondaWhitworth.com and FortressofHopeMinistries.com. Hosted By: Dr. Michelle Bengtson Audio Technical Support: Bryce Bengtson /episode/index/show/yourhopefilledperspective/id/13516232

047 Hope and Healing for Humans Trafficked, Exploited and Abused 03/05/2020

047 Hope and Healing for Humans Trafficked, Exploited and Abused Episode Summary: It is so easy for us to go about our daily life oblivious to the hurt and pain and bondage of others around us. But human trafficking, exploitation, and abuse are happening to people in our own cities and neighborhoods. In this episode, my guest, Brenda Harkins, and I talk about this troublesome issue, and how victims can find hope and healing. Quotables from the episode: So many of us have no idea that trafficking happens right here in the United States, and in our own cities. There are over 300,000 trafficked victims in the United States. California is the most trafficked state, and Texas is second. Within Texas, Houston is the most trafficked city, and Dallas/Ft. Worth is the second most trafficked city in Texas. Once it gets on your radar, you begin noticing girls/women with a more controlling adult who won’t let them speak for themselves, and they avert their eyes. As parents, we need to be having discussions with our children to help safeguard them. We must talk about it. We must explain the dangers of social media, and trusting strangers…even those who seem extremely interested and friendly. People pose as people they are not. They need to know never to give personal information out online. People are sent into schools to befriend those who may not have friends, and then they will groom them until the children believe they are truly their friend, but their real intentions are otherwise. We must talk to our children about the reality of this, and we must be involved enough to know our children’s friends and their families. We all have an Egypt, a wilderness, and a promised land. With Egypt we think of the slavery of the Israelites, but it was a place that saved their lives because during a famine it was a place they could get food. Often, in our lives, what starts out as a safe place, can become a place where we are trapped or in bondage (like addictions, or unhealthy relationships). The Israelites left Egypt and were about to enter a place of freedom, when they stepped into the wilderness which was unfamiliar to them. Sometimes the unfamiliar can seem worse than what we know because we don’t know what to expect. The wilderness experience is where we can come alongside and tell others that we are with them and they do not have to walk their journey alone, as they walk toward their Promised Land. Too often, we become comfortable in our discomfort because it’s what we know, and we fear the unknown because we don’t know how to navigate that. But we don’t have to know how to navigate that if we are trusting our heavenly Father. There is often a relationship between being trafficked, exploited, or abused, and those never knew the love of their earthly parents. The enemy manipulates people into believing that others can be trusted who will violate that trust. People in abusive situations don’t always recognize that they are being abused, frequently because it’s all we know. Or we downplay our own situation thinking it isn’t as bad as someone else. But the truth is, what hurt you, hurt you…regardless of what anyone else is going through. Once we become aware of it, we need to take care of our pain. If we grow up with relationships that aren’t loving or that are abusive, we often get involved later in unloving or abusive relationships because it’s all we know. What we experience feels normal for us until we are shown something different. It takes quite an awareness and it’s hard for those in an abusive situation to see it on their own, but others can help them. Check your relationships and ask, “Am I control of the decisions I make, or is someone else making those decisions for me?” “Am I fearful of standing up for myself or voicing my desires or opinions?” Frequently we mistake love because we listen to others’ words rather than paying attention to their actions. Ask yourself if there is anyone in your life, who you know loves you, who are speaking to you about concern they have about your relationships? Open up your mind to the possibility that if this sounds familiar, then ask those around you who you trust, “You know I just want to be sure that I’m as healthy as I can be, and that I’m seeing the situation for what it is, and I’m wondering what you see?” If you are feeling like you don’t have a safe person, I promise you, the Lord is safe. If you sit still with Him in the quiet and listen, He will speak in your heart. There will be thoughts in your mind that you didn’t think of…those thoughts are from the Holy Spirit. You are not alone…God is there. If your gut is saying, “Could it be?” Then that’s enough reason for some exploration. Love requires a choice. If God had made everyone to love him, we would all be robots. Because He gives us choice, there are some who choose evil. In the midst of the most difficult situation, we live in a broken world with people who make poor choices, but He is still present with us. He wants us to choose love, and for those who don’t choose love, God will ultimately hold them accountable for their actions, and they will have to answer to Him. God wants a relationship with us so badly, but He won’t force us to stay there with Him, yet He always has open arms waiting for us to come back to Him. What about submission? Isn’t a wife supposed to submit to her husband? The Lord tells us to submit to one another, so we cannot always focus on the woman. God says the man’s responsibility is to love his wife like Christ loves the church. When he does that, then a woman would willingly submit to her husband if she knew he would die for her. Submission is an act of the will, that we choose to do to someone else. If someone demands that we submit, then they are attempting to get us to yield to evil. Submission is an act of will that we choose to offer. There is healing available. Trauma can affect us on so many levels. But there is healing and hope through counseling, through ministries. The pain and emptiness and fear you feel doesn’t have to stay there. God can remove even the trauma from our brains. The hope is that there is healing, and that there are relationships who do not desire to manipulate but instead to truly love you. If you are feeling guilt and condemnation, that does not come from God. Instead, God offers opportunity. That opportunity might be for healing, and for you to understand your true identity in Christ. Reach out: Reach out to organizations who are willing to be your advocate. Reach out to the National Trafficking Hotline. Reach out to a counselor or a pastor. Scripture References: Isaiah 61:1- 4: “He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives and freedom to prisoners…so they will be called oaks of righteousness…they will rebuild the ancient ruins, they will raise up the former devastations…the desolations of many generations. I Corinthians 2:9 – “Eye has not seen, ear has not heard, nor has the mind conceived all that God has prepared for those that love Him.” Revelation 12:11 – “They overcame…by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony.” Recommended Resources: by Brenda Harkins Courageously You e-book by Brenda Harkins is available free here: If you are in a trafficking situation, the National Trafficking Hotline number is 888-373-7888. If you are in a situation of domestic violence or rape in Tarrant County, contact the Women’s Center hotline that is answered 24/7 at 817-927-2737. General counseling is also offered at the Women’s Center. For more info on that you can call 817-927-4000. If you desire ministry for heart wounds you want the Lord to heal you are welcome to message me at . That form will send me an email. Just please put HELP in the subject line so it won’t slip by me. If our ministry is able to help you, we will. If not, we have plenty of excellent resources where we can refer you. by Dr. Michelle Bengtson by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award Social Media Links for Host and Guest: Connect with Brenda Harkins: / / / For more hope, stay connected with Dr. Bengtson at: Order Book / Order Book / / / / (@DrMBengtson) / / / / Guest: Brenda Harkins is a believer in seemingly impossible possibilities. As a Mediator, Coach, Minister, Author and Speaker, Brenda works to clear the way for people to walk in the fulness God has prepared for them. She believes in the dreams God has put in each heart and takes joy in helping people fulfill those dreams by helping dismantle roadblocks and build super highways to their Destiny. Hosted By: Dr. Michelle Bengtson Audio Technical Support: Bryce Bengtson /episode/index/show/yourhopefilledperspective/id/13420877

046 Trusting God is Faithful in Our Painful Situations 02/27/2020

046 Trusting God is Faithful in Our Painful Situations Episode Summary: If you have ever experienced an unforeseen trial and wondered how God could possibly use it for good, then this episode is the perfect show for you. I talk with my guest, Gina Kelly, about how God can use the absolute worst circumstances in our life for good and for His glory. My guest today experienced a significant tragedy as a young child that threatened her life. Doctors expected her to either die, or to have significant brain injury and to never walk or talk again. You’ll want to hear her story and what she learned about God’s faithfulness. Even in our most difficult circumstances, God can use them to comfort others who are going through difficult trials. During those times, God will show us how He can be trusted. Children can be so cruel to other children who are different in some way, but when we can maintain our faith in God, they will come to see that and admire it. And God will bring circumstances in our lives to help us value our own differences. Furthermore, God will use our differences for His glory. God truly does give beauty for ashes, and what the enemy intends for harm, God will use for good. Sometimes God uses our adversity to help us learn that He can be trusted. Ultimately God has to be our source of hope, and our source of peace, and our source of confidence. The enemy is defeated by the blood of the lamb and the word of our testimony. So our testimony has the power to impact the lives of others. Quotables from the episode: God is big enough and patient enough to handle our reactions to our trials. Healing often starts when others love on us and speak truth into our lives. God will use our differences for His glory. God truly does give beauty for ashes, and what the enemy intends for harm, God will use for good. Sometimes God uses our adversity to help us learn that He can be trusted. Scripture References: Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” Philippians 4:6-7, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” Recommended Resources: by Dr. Michelle Bengtson by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award About Gina Kelly Gina Latta Kelly is wife to her husband Brian, and mother to her two teenagers, Joy and Joseph. She works as a pediatric physical therapist in an outpatient clinic and also does some contract work in a cyber school system where she lives in south central Pennsylvania. She served as a missionary in Peru, South America prior to getting married. Gina says she still feels as if she left a piece of her heart in Peru with the families she worked with when she was there. Gina loves to be active and breaking boards in TaeKwonDo is one of her favorite ways to spend a Friday night. Gina and her family serve in their church by teaching the 4 and 5-year-old Sunday School class. Hosted By: Dr. Michelle Bengtson Audio Technical Support: Bryce Bengtson Social Media Links for Host: For more hope, stay connected with Dr. Bengtson at: Order Book / Order Book / / / / (@DrMBengtson) / / / / /episode/index/show/yourhopefilledperspective/id/13315451

045 Hope for Freedom from Depression 02/20/2020

045 Hope for Freedom from Depression Episode Summary: If you have ever struggled with depression or loved someone who struggles, then today is the perfect show for you. Today we’re going to be talking about how my guest was able to break the bonds of depression, and wants to offer that same hope to you. So many people suffer with depression in silence because they are ashamed to share their pain. Many who struggle with depression wear a protective mask as a protective barrier, but it can really weigh you down. So much of social media portrays a perfect life when really things were falling apart behind the scenes. Nobody wants to admit that they are depressed. Most often depression starts months or years before we recognize it for what it is. And depression often turns us into someone we, nor our friends and family members recognize. Some who are depressed get to the point of feeling helpless and hopeless, which is a tool of the enemy of our soul, making us believe that suicide is the only way out of the pain. God can use others to speak life and wellness into our lives. Their testimony of overcoming life’s darkest circumstances can lend us hope. God wants to be all we need. Sometimes we have to get so desperate or even flat on our back that the only place we can look is up and trust God in the hardest of times. Unforgiveness can contribute to depression. We need to forgive those who have hurt us, otherwise bitterness and resentment build up and contribute to depression. Forgiveness isn’t denying what has happened but it is saying, “God you are in a better place to deal with the situation” and allowing God to redeem the situation. It releases us from carrying that burden. There are times we may have to forgive repeatedly. Sometimes forgiveness is a process over time. Jesus offered me forgiveness freely. When our view of God changes, our life will also change. Our view of God affects our mental health whether it is a false view of God or a right view of God. So often when circumstances are hard, we can accuse God and assume He doesn’t care about us or love us, but that is a false view of God. You might consider praying three things: 1) that you’d have an accurate perception of God, 2) that he would show you his perception of you, and 3) that he would help you have the same perception of yourself that he has of you. For families who have a depressed loved one, even if you don’t understand depression, just listen because you play an important role in your loved one’s healing. You don’t have to have the answers or try to fix the situation. Just offer to be there for them and go through the journey with them. Know you are not alone. Even though you feel alone, God is with you, God sees you, He loves you, He cares about you, and you are not the only one to feel that way. There is hope. When you don’t know what else to do, cry out to God. Admit your need for Him. Quotables from the episode: Most often depression starts months or years before we recognize it for what it is. Depression often turns us into someone we, nor our friends and family members recognize. Sometimes forgiveness is a process over time. Scripture References: Job 33:28 “God has delivered me from going down to the pit, and I shall live to enjoy the light of life.” Psalm 42:5 “Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God.” Psalm 30:5b “…weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.” Recommended Resources: “” by Patty Mason by Dr. Michelle Bengtson by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award Social Media Links for Host and Guest: Connect with Patty Mason: / / / For more hope, stay connected with Dr. Bengtson at: Order Book / Order Book / / / / (@DrMBengtson) / / / / Guest Patty Mason: A wife, mother, grandmother, author, national speaker, and founder of Liberty in Christ Ministries, Patty Mason has shared her story of God’s redeeming grace and deliverance from depression before numerous audiences, in several books, blogs, and magazines, such as Lifeway’s “Living More,” as well as radio and television programs, including American Family Radio, Moody Radio, and The 700 Club. Hosted By: Dr. Michelle Bengtson Audio Technical Support: Bryce Bengtson /episode/index/show/yourhopefilledperspective/id/13222790

044 Hope for Marriage Struggles 02/13/2020

044 Hope for Marriage Struggles Episode Summary: If you have ever had marriage struggles or have friends or loved ones who struggle in their marriage, or just want to improve your marriage, then today is the perfect show for you. In this episode, my guest, Pam Farrel, and I discuss how to thrive, not just survive, in marriage. Relationships are hard, but marriage is on an entirely different level. And sometimes the things we loved about our fiance’ is the same thing that we grow to dislike or resent in marriage. But Pam will discuss how to grow our love for our mate. Quotables from the episode: Sometimes wisdom breeds willingness to change. The Farrels encourage a confident covenant, which are rules of engagement during disagreements. Don’t be interested in just solving a marital problem, but also fall in love with that person again. Men are like waffles, women are like spaghetti. Women move from one issue to many different issues, but then tie it all up together, like spaghetti, but men like to keep individual issue in separate boxes, and resolve each box before moving on to another box. Men park in their boxes, often not thinking about anything, while women misinterpret their silence. In olden days, you pulled together because you had to just to survive. So emotional needs were not high on the list at that point. Today we have a different view of survival and includes “Am I feeling satisfied? Am I feeling peaceful? Am I feeling fulfilled?” If our spouse isn’t making us happy, we mistakenly believe someone else out there will. We live in a social media driven society, where we only get to see others’ highlights, and people don’t see the real work that has to be done, and how God meets our needs to pull us through.Valentine’s Day is like a double-edge sword. For singles and widows, get a plan in place before Valentine’s Day. There are many around you who are feeling the same way. Ways to encourage your spouse: Let your spouse you know you admire them. Commend your spouse in front of their friends or colleagues. Warm up to an idea by asking questions for more details of their idea. Let you know you are praying for them. Enthusiastically embrace one of their opinions. It only takes one breakthrough. You’re only one breakthrough away from a stronger relationship. The last thing we should do when we’re struggling in our relationships is to isolate. We need community and the support of others./ Scripture References: Proverbs 19:8 “The one who gets wisdom loves life.” 1 John 4:19 “We love each other because he loved us first.” Ephesians 4:2-3 “With all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." Recommended Resources: by Bill & Pam Farrel by Pam Farrel, Jean E Jones, and Karla Dornacher by Bill and Pam Farrel by Dr. Michelle Bengtson by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award Social Media Links for Host and Guest: Connect with Pam Farrel: / / / / For more hope, stay connected with Dr. Bengtson at: Order Book / Order Book / / / / (@DrMBengtson) / / / / Guest Pam Farrel: Pam Farrel, with her husband, Bill, are international speakers, and authors of over 50 books including best-selling Men are like Waffles, Women are like Spaghetti. They are relationship specialists and seek to help people become “Love-Wise.” Pam has experience as a Pastor’s wife and Women’s Ministry Director. Pam is a cheerleader, challenger and coach that believes that "The one who gets wisdom loves life." (Proverbs 19:8) Her new creative Bible studies are Amazon bestsellers: Discovering Hope in the Psalms ; Discovering Joy in Philippians and Discovering Jesus in the Old Testament. When the Farrels are not traveling for speaking, you will find them on their live aboard boat or enjoying their 3 sons, 3 daughters in law and 5 grands. /episode/index/show/yourhopefilledperspective/id/13134842

043 How To Change Your Thoughts and Transform Your Life 02/06/2020

043 How To Change Your Thoughts and Transform Your Life Episode Summary: If you have ever struggled with your thought life or wondered what it means to transform your thought life, then today is the perfect show for you. Join me with my friend, Sarah Geringer, as we talk about how to change your thoughts and transform your life. Paying attention to our thought life is important! As a neuropsychologist, I can tell you we have between 50-70,000 thoughts a day. That’s a lot of taking thoughts captive but so worth it. God’s word is the ultimate truth. While other books can help us, there is no comparison to the power of God’s word to change us into someone more like Him. The answer to all our problems lies within Scripture. God said in His word that He has already given us everything we need for life and godliness. We can break the stronghold Satan has put on our lives by using Scripture. Jesus was the son of God and the son of man, He was the word and He chose to use the ancient scriptures to counter Satan’s attacks. When we come up against anxiety-provoking situations, or worrisome thoughts, or feelings of insecurity, we can come against them with scripture. God would love nothing more than to give us His peace in exchange for our anxiety. It’s crucial that we pay attention to the thoughts we are having, and the words we are speaking. We can be condemning ourselves with our own words. As we read our Bible, it’s helpful to ask three questions: What does this verse tell me about God? What does this verse tell me about myself? What does God want me to do with this information for others (personal application)? So many of our thoughts are careless thoughts because we don’t pay enough attention before we have them. By being intentional about examining our thoughts and asking God to search our minds and hearts, God will teach us things we weren’t previously aware of. We need to also be careful about the shows we watch and the music we listen to, because we’re putting information into our minds that do not mesh with the truth of God’s word. As you examine your thoughts, you’ll be surprised by all the things God wants to reveal to you. Our emotions are the outward manifestations of the thoughts we believe. But we must take the time to monitor the thoughts we believe. It’s too easy to get caught up in our emotions and believe them and let them influence us in nonproductive ways. God’s word is our anchor, our guide, the one true thing when so much of what we encounter is not true. Whatever our thought life struggles are, is where Satan is likely to strike. That’s where we are most vulnerable to believing his lies. Any of these places are weak places in our stress. A stronghold is any area where Satan has a hook in a certain area to try to distract you, make you more miserable, and make you less effective for God’s kingdom. Christian meditation is thinking about God’s word, taking scriptures and mulling over them. What does it tell me about God’s character? What does it tell me about what to do? What does it tell me about how I can help other people? Quotables from the episode: It’s crucial that we pay attention to the thoughts we are having, and the words we are speaking. Our emotions are the outward manifestations of the thoughts we believe. But we must take the time to monitor the thoughts we believe. Scripture References: Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” Romans 12:1-2 “And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” Isaiah 26:3 “You will keep in perfect peace, those who are steadfast because they trust in you.” Romans 8:1 “So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.” Recommended Resources: “” by Sarah Geringer by Dr. Michelle Bengtson by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award Social Media Links for Host and Guest: You can follow Sarah on social media here: / / / / / / For more hope, stay connected with Dr. Bengtson at: Order Book / Order Book / / / / (@DrMBengtson) / / / / Guest: Sarah Geringer writes about finding peace in God’s Word at . She is also on the writing teams for , , and . Sarah also writes for , a quarterly publication for senior citizens. When she’s not reading over 100 books per year, Sarah enjoys prayer walks, gardening, baking, painting and playing the flute. She lives in her beloved southeast Missouri with her husband and three children. Hosted By: Dr. Michelle Bengtson Audio Technical Support: Bryce Bengtson /episode/index/show/yourhopefilledperspective/id/13039124

042 Hope When Life Knocks You Down 01/30/2020

042 Hope When Life Knocks You Down Episode Summary: If you have ever felt like God gave you direction and maybe even a path to take but then life didn’t look like you expected or desired, then today is the perfect show for you. Today we’re going to be talking about maintaining hope even when life doesn’t go or doesn’t look like we expected it to. On today’s show, we’re going to be talking to my friend, Abby McDonald who is going to share with us how she finds hope in Christ in the midst of life’s messes and struggles. So often we think we hear from God for our direction, but then we question Him when things don’t go the way we thought they were supposed to go. We can see God during those seasons, but we have to shift our perspective. Scripture gives us example after example of people who held onto that hope and held onto their faith when they were encountering adversity. They felt called by God, they received a word from Him, and they persevered, but still they encountered struggle and opposition and obstacles. When Jesus called the first disciples, they didn’t see a miracle or anything from Him other than the request to follow Him. Yet they dropped everything and went—it wasn’t until later that they saw Him reveal himself as the true Messiah. We have to look at God’s character and His attributes when we don’t see what we expected. When we receive Christ, we receive a new spirit, but our minds aren’t new. They have to be continually renewed and transformed for our entire lives because we have an enemy who fills our minds with lies. Abby explained how after going through some pretty tumultuous times, she faces life now with much more peace. When situations come up in her life now, she doesn’t always default to fear or doubt anymore, but now recognizes it as an attack and knows what to do now. We talk about how so often we focus on the short term conveniences and happiness rather than the long term rewards that come from faith in Jesus. Surrender is often so hard because it has a passive connotation to it, and when we think of surrender, we think someone is laying down and letting people walk all over them. Our culture hasn’t given us a popular view of surrender. But surrender really brings peace, and that only comes through trusting God. If we will let things go, and not demand we understand all the why’s of our experiences, we can experience His peace when we no longer hold onto that need for control. First, pray, and then know that God has such a beautiful plan for each of our lives. It goes far beyond what we can see in that moment and goes into eternity. He sees all of it and He is knitting all of it together as He works even when we cannot see it. If you prayerfully surrender to God, He will lift that weight. When we try to control things, we are holding on. As long as we hold on (to the bitterness, resentment, unforgiveness, need to control, etc.) our hands are not open to receiving God’s best for us. We have to open up our grasp onto the situation and trust God. When we start acting on what we can’t see yet, we give room for God to move. Quotables from the episode: If we are certain we heard from God, we just have to be obedient and the end result is up to God, not us. We have to hold onto the promises of God. It helps to say Scripture out loud, pray it out loud, and write it down. When you see God deliver you from something or you see an answer to a prayer no matter how small it may seem, write it down, record it, tell someone about it because when you’re in the thick of it, you need to remember it and recall how God has been faithful in the past. If God has been faithful before, we have no reason to doubt that He will be faithful again because that is who He is. He is faithful. Nothing else can stand against the enemy when we have the truth underneath us as our cornerstone. We have to declare God’s truth in those circumstances. We all like the mountain top experiences, but fruit grows in the valley, and it’s there that we learn valuable lessons. Often we focus on the short term conveniences and happiness rather than the long term rewards that come from faith in Jesus. Surrender is essentially telling God that we no longer feel the need to be in control anymore and we are going to trust God enough to give Him control of the situation. Security is only found in Christ alone. We think that if we had answers we would be secure. But faith is not based on what we see, but on what we don’t see. Faith is active, it’s not passive. When we start acting on what we can’t see yet, we give room for God to move. Scripture References: Ecclesiastes 3:9-11, “What do people really get for all their hard work? I have seen the burden God has placed on us all. Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s word from beginning to end.” Proverbs 16:9 “We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.” Hebrews 11:1 says, “Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see.” 2 Corinthians 4:18 says, “So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.” Recommended Resources: by Lysa TerKeurst by Abby McDonald by Dr. Michelle Bengtson by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award Social Media Links for Host and Guest: To connect with Abby McDonald: / / / For more hope, stay connected with Dr. Bengtson at: Order Book / Order Book / / / / (@DrMBengtson) / / / / Guest: Abby McDonald is a blogger, speaker, wife and mom whose work has been featured Proverbs 31 Ministries, (in)Courage, For Every Mom, and more. Her passion is to empower women to grow in faith and hope, even when life is messy. She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in English from the University of South Carolina, and loves to teach about writing at conferences each year. Abby lives with her husband and three children in western Maryland. Hosted By: Dr. Michelle Bengtson Audio Technical Support: Bryce Bengtson /episode/index/show/yourhopefilledperspective/id/12941201

041 Hope for Overcoming SAD Seasonal Affective Disorder 01/23/2020

041 Hope for Overcoming SAD Seasonal Affective Disorder Episode Summary: It’s a common phenomenon: presents are unwrapped, resolutions are made, decorations are put away, bills arrive and with them often come the post-holiday blues. We often feel deflated, let down, and perhaps weighed down by a few extra pounds. Are you having a hard time resuming your normal activities? Has your energy been replaced by the winter sluggishness? Does it seem no matter how hard you try, you just can’t seem to find your joy in the aftermath of the holidays? Then stick with us today as we talk about hope for overcoming SAD Seasonal Affective Disorder or the post-holiday blues. Quotables from the episode: There is a diagnosis called SAD “Seasonal Affective Disorder” which often happens to people during the winter months when it is often dark, gloomy, and less sunlight during the day. The lack of sunlight does contribute to seasonal affective disorder which is a form of depression during the winter months. ALL depression is significant. But often we experience a let-down following the holidays which contributes to mild, post-holiday blues. And frequently we experience expectations that aren’t met during the holiday season that leave us feeling inadequate or unappreciated or devalued which can leave us feeling down after the holidays are over. To make matters worse, not everyone experiences a merry Christmas, which can make going into a new year even more difficult. Grief and depression are NOT the same thing, but often, those who are grieving also experience a bout of depression. We serve a God who is rich in mercy and grace, but so often we don’t extend the same grace and mercy to ourselves or others. I’m grateful for the Biblical greats who we can read about who have struggled with depression. Just like David or Elijah. David often cried “why so downcast oh my soul?” and in the next moment he was praising God. “Hope Prevails: Insights from a Doctor’s Personal Journey Through Depression” was written to encourage others who are struggling with the blues or a more significant case of depression. It’s the kind of book I wish I had had when I was depressed. If you are experiencing a change in mood, a change in appetite, energy, or sleep, and have been experiencing such changes for more than a couple of weeks, you may be experiencing SAD Seasonal Affective Disorder, the blues or a more significant depression. But that is not something to be ashamed of. And you need to know you are not alone. There isn’t a magic bullet for depression. It’s something we have to walk through. But God walks with us and can bring us through it. There is no right or wrong experience of depression. Everyone’s experience is different, and it can change from time to time. Not everyone who is depressed feels down all the time…many experience depression as irritability, agitation, or anger. Overcoming SAD Seasonal Affective Disorder, depression or the blues is a process. You didn’t become depressed overnight and it won’t go away overnight. But small baby steps will make a difference. To help mitigate the effect of SAD Seasonal Affective Disorder or the post-holiday blues: Plan one thing each day that you enjoy. (i.e. take a bubble bath, read for 15-20 minutes) Write it in your day planner. It prioritizes self-care. If you don’t take care of yourself, you have nothing left to pour out to others. When we feel depressed, we can feel like we have nothing left to look forward to, especially after the holidays, but this can give us something small to look forward to. Instead of listening to the news, listen to calming music or text a friend to give yourself an emotional holiday for a few minutes. Sometimes when you are the one experiencing the blues or depression, you want others to reach out to you. It’s easy to believe the lie that no one understands or cares. But be the one to reach out to someone else. Start the dialogue. Don’t let yourself give in to the enemy of your soul who wants you to isolate. (Karl Meninger gave the advice to get up off the couch, go out their door, go across the railroad track and find someone else to help because when we invest in others it brings joy. Today we don’t even have to go across the railroad tracks…we can text, email, or share with others through social media). Establish a set bedtime. This allows your brain to replenish it’s naturally occurring neurotransmitters that we often take medication for. A consistent bedtime is crucial. Enjoy a balanced diet with an emphasis on sufficient protein. Without protein, your brain cannot think clearly or regenerate those naturally occurring neurotransmitters. Just 10-15 minutes of exercise can make a positive difference in our mood. Many people who are depressed don’t feel like they have any energy. But the less you do, the less energy you will have. If you start with 5 minutes of exercise a day, you will get more energy and you can extend that to 10 minutes a day, and then 15 minutes, etc. Find some form of exercise that you enjoy, that will help you continue with it even when you don’t feel like it. You might also consider exercising with a friend. That helps with accountability, as well as the social aspect which can help our mood. Pay attention to the thoughts you have. Our feelings are the outward manifestation of the thoughts you believe. Scripture tells us to take every thought captive. That means pay attention to your thoughts and ask if they agree with what God says. If they do not, you must replace those thoughts with the truth of God’s word. When you read God’s word and come across scriptures that really hit you in the heart, write them down and repeat them out loud. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Then when you need them, the Holy Spirit will remind you of those truths, but he can only remind us of those things we’ve already known. Consider listening to our other podcast episodes about depression. Consider reading and the for more information and advice written from the perspective of both a doctor who has diagnosed and treated patients, as well as one who has walked through the depression journey herself. If you have experienced any of the signs and symptoms of depression mentioned above, for more than a couple weeks, consider consulting with your general practitioner to rule out any contributing medical condition, or to see if depression is the cause of such symptoms. If any and all medical conditions have been ruled out, and depression deemed to be the reason for your struggle, consider seeking out the advice and wisdom of a mental health practitioner for ongoing support. Scripture References: Psalm 34:18, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Psalm 30:5 Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning. 2 Corinthians 5:17 “faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.” Recommended Resources: The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-TALK [8255]) is a United States-based network of 161 crisis centers that provides a , toll-free hotline available to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress. After dialing 1-800-273-TALK (8255), the caller is routed to their nearest crisis center to receive immediate counseling and local mental health referrals. The Lifeline supports people who call for themselves or someone they care about. by Dr. Michelle Bengtson by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award Social Media Links for Host and Guest: For more hope, stay connected with Dr. Bengtson at: Order Book / Order Book / / / / (@DrMBengtson) / / / / About Dr. Michelle Bengtson: Dr. Michelle Bengtson is an international speaker, and the author of the bestselling, award winning “Hope Prevails: Insights From A Doctor’s Personal Journey Through Depression,” the award winning companion “Hope Prevails Bible Study” and the newly released “Breaking Anxiety’s Grip: How to Reclaim the Peace God Promise.s” She has been a board certified clinical neuropsychologist for more than twenty years. This doctor knows pain and despair firsthand and combines her professional expertise and personal experience with her faith to help others be all God created them to be. Using sound practical tools, she affirms worth and encourages faith. Dr. Bengtson offers hope as a key to unlock joy and relief—even in the middle of the storm. She and her husband of thirty-two years have two teenage sons and reside in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. She blogs regularly on her own site: and is on most social media platforms. She is also a popular podcast show host of “Your Hope-Filled Perspective with Dr. Michelle Bengtson” at . Hosted By: Dr. Michelle Bengtson Audio Technical Support: Bryce Bengtson /episode/index/show/yourhopefilledperspective/id/12855524

040 Finding Freedom from Comparing Yourself to Others 01/16/2020

040 Finding Freedom from Comparing Yourself to Others Episode Summary: If you have ever struggled with comparing yourself to others or wishing you were someone else, then today is the perfect show for you. Today we’re going to be talking about how we get trapped in the comparison cycle and what effect that has on us. All of us struggle with comparison from time to time. Comparison can be used as a tool, but not when we use it to determine if we are worthy and okay. Even before we know there is something different about us or doesn’t measure up, Satan uses that to hold us down. It all boils down to lies and we believe him. This often happens to us early in childhood before we can recognize the lies for what they are. Think about Mary and Martha. That is one of the most classic examples of comparison. But Jesus held both Mary and Martha in such high regard. The root of comparison often comes down to insecurity, but it usually comes back to the enemy of our souls. We all long for and look for love. So we look for assurance and our insecurity prompts us to look around. Sometimes the deeply ingrained comparison stemming from insecurity often comes from the way our faith is distorted. Every good Christian woman knows about the virtuous Proverbs 31 woman and feels like she doesn’t measure up. After a while, we become burdened with the need to become always better without the assurance that we are loved just as we are. God loves us so much that we are adopted as His children and loved as we are, where we are. True humility is accepting what God says about us. We often choose the most outstanding attribute in others and wish we were like that and then take all those outstanding attributes and created a mythical person who doesn’t exist. Often we then project our insecurities onto others around us which can create real problems in relationships. One of the reasons we hold others in such high esteem while we struggle to accept ourselves is because we know all our own sin, but we don’t know about the sin of others. So they look spotless while we feel tarnished. Social media can be used for so much good, but we must not let it be a tool that causes God’s image-bearers to doubt their place. Comparison can be used for good: doctors compare our status to the expected outcome and compare our numbers to the ideal because often someone’s life depends on it. Comparison often helps to ensure social justice. Comparison can be used as a teaching tool during which we compare our efforts with someone who is more knowledgable to learn from it. But comparison often results in isolation to keep us from the fellowship and communion that we were designed for. Comparison is the thief of joy. God himself is about relationship. We were created for relationship because we were created by relationship. We were not intended to stand alone. You are enough. You are more than enough. You were intended to be one part of a beautiful puzzle. You are needed. You are necessary. You are an essential part of a beautiful whole and the rest of us are less without you. Jesus’ father is also your father. He wants only good things for you. Quotables from the episode: We often look around to determine if we measure up and if we belong. Comparison often results in isolation to keep us from the fellowship and communion that we were designed for. Comparison is the thief of joy. We were created for relationship because we were created by relationship. Comparison is a tool that can be used for good or used for bad. Scripture References: Ephesians 5:1 “Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children.” Proverbs 3:1-2 says “My child, never forget the things I have taught you. Store my commands in your heart. If you do this, you will live many years and your life will be satisfying.” Recommended Resources: by Richella Parham. Anyone interested in looking a little further into the book before deciding to buy can read the first chapter at . Anyone who purchases the book can download a companion prayer guide; it’s available at . by Dr. Michelle Bengtson by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award. Social Media Links for Host and Guest: Connect with Richella Parham: / / / / For more hope, stay connected with Dr. Bengtson at: Order Book / Order Book / / / / (@DrMBengtson) / / / / Guest: Richella Parham is a speaker, a blogger at , and the author of and A Spiritual Formation Primer. The mother of three young adult sons, she lives in Durham, North Carolina with her husband, Jack. She serves in leadership and worship planning at The Gathering Church. Hosted By: Dr. Michelle Bengtson Audio Technical Support: Bryce Bengtson /episode/index/show/yourhopefilledperspective/id/12758993

039 A More Hope-Filled Alternative to New Year's Resolutions 01/09/2020

039 A More Hope-Filled Alternative to New Year's Resolutions Episode Summary: If you have ever failed at accomplishing a New Year’s resolution and then felt bad about yourself, then today is the perfect show for you. The New Year always seems to impose a “re-set,” if you will, on our lives, and often it brings with it the expectation of life-altering changes in the form of resolutions which days later have a tendency to usher in feelings of defeat and failure. But that doesn’t have to be and today we will discuss some healthy alternatives to the fateful New Year’s resolution. Quotables from the episode:One of the problems with New Year’s resolutions is that they largely depend wholly on us. Too often we exclude God from the picture or the process. Resolutions short-circuit the process of discovery of what’s really important to you, or to God. Consider instead, giving yourself a concept to consider and use January to think about why that is appealing to you, and keep in mind the ultimate goal and how you want to achieve that. If we focus less on a specific goal, and more on the overarching theme that is driving the resolution, then we can have more grace with ourselves. Another problem with setting resolutions is that too often when we achieve those resolutions, we realize it’s “not all that and more.” We often find out that reaching that goal hasn’t fundamentally changed us and we still feel like we have missed out. Too often when people mess up and miss our resolution within days or weeks, we settle in a place of failure instead of recognizing God’s grace. One alternative to New Year’s resolutions is to focus on one word or theme for the word and embrace the discovery of what God wants to teach us throughout the year. Such words or themes often require us to look beyond our circumstances to see how God will work or change us in the process. We go into the New Year with ourselves…we haven’t fundamentally changed, and the turn of the calendar is already imprinted with who you are. So if you haven’t made the changes before, you’ll have to do more than change the calendar to make such changes. But including God in the process lets us ask “God, what is it you want to do in me, through me, and around me?” and partner with Him in that. Another alternative to New Year’s resolutions is to believe in, operate in, and appropriate God’s promises (i.e. worry less about pleasing others, and focus more on doing what pleases God). Something that we often forget in making our New Year’s resolutions is that we often forget that when Jesus died on the cross, He declared that all those things that are the focus of our resolutions “is finished.” Greed, gluttony, selfishness, procrastination, (fill in the blank________) is finished because we have inside us the same power that raised Christ from the dead. We try to do things in our own strength, but nothing is impossible with God. So if we go into the New Year, recognizing what Christ accomplished for us on the cross, and has already declared what His will is, then when we are focused on His will, He will help us make the necessary changes. One way to usher into the New Year is to celebrate the Lord’s Supper, as a way of remembering what Christ did for us, and how we want to change to be more like Him. And we can take this time to offer thanksgiving for all God has done in, and through, and for us this past year. May you experience a New Year blessed by Him. Scripture References: Colossians 3:23, “Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.” John 19:30, “When Jesus had tasted it, he said, ‘It is finished!’ Then he bowed his head and released his spirit.” Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” Isaiah 43:19, “For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.” Recommended Resources: by Dr. Michelle Bengtson by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award Social Media Links for Host and Guest: For more hope, stay connected with Dr. Bengtson at: Order Book / Order Book / / / / (@DrMBengtson) / / / / Hosted By: Dr. Michelle Bengtson Audio Technical Support: Bryce Bengtson /episode/index/show/yourhopefilledperspective/id/12670361

038 Hope for Living in our True Identity in Christ 01/02/2020

038 Hope for Living in our True Identity in Christ Episode Summary:If you have ever questioned who you are, what your purpose is, or how God views you, then today is the perfect show for you. Today we’re going to be talking about Embracing who we are, and becoming all God created us to be. And in order to know who that is, sometimes we have to dispel some of the lies we have believed about ourselves. My guest on today’s show is author, speaker, and life coach, Holley Gerth. Holley helps us understand some of the most common lies we believe, where these lies come from, and how to replace these lies with life-giving truth about our true identity in Christ. We often have the tendency to believe lies such as “I am not enough…” or “I’m all alone,” or “I’m invisible.” Yet God’s word assures us, that in our humanness we aren’t enough but having Him living inside us is enough and makes us more than conquerors. Furthermore, God sees us, He promises to always be with us, and that He thinks about us constantly. Scripture tells us to guard our heart and our mind and to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ Jesus. This means it’s important that we examine our thoughts, determine where they come from and the source of those lies, repent of believing the lies and receive God’s truth. Holley suggests that instead of focusing on all of our flaws, that we focus on the strengths God has entrusted into us, the skills we’ve been given, and those whom we can serve from our strength. It’s so important to know God’s word so that we can recognize the lies when we encounter them, and so that we realize God loves us just as we are, as His children, but that He also loves us so much He doesn’t want to leave us where we are. Quotables from the episode:If you have ever questioned who you are, what your purpose is, or how God views you, then today is the perfect show for you. We all have lies that we have come to believe about ourselves. One very common lie that people believe is “I am not enough (pretty enough, talented enough, educated enough…).” The truth is, we’re not enough, but Jesus is enough in us. His word says that he will give us everything we need for life and godliness. Another common lie that many believe is “I’m alone” or “I’m invisible.” A U.S.A. Today study said that half of Americans said they had one or fewer people that they could talk to about meaningful things, and that includes spouses and family. So if you have more than one close person in your life to share things with, consider yourself blessed. Sometimes we feel especially alone when we go through transitions (like a move, or a new job, or we’ve become a new parent with a young baby in the home). If you truly have no one to share with or discuss meaningful things with, that’s an especially good time to seek someone out in the mental health field. The lies that we’re prone to believe really started back in the Garden of Eden when the enemy said, “Did God really say…” When we begin hearing those thoughts, we can pause and ask “What is the source of this?” If God is not the source, and the message is not spoken with love, then we can know it’s not the truth. We need to pay attention to our thoughts. The lies we’ve believed become automatic thoughts. Go to God’s word to find the truth, and be honest with friends when you’re having trouble remembering the truth so they can speak truth to you. Taking every thought captive is an act of war. It’s okay if it’s a battle. It is hard work. It’s easy to fall prey to the imposter syndrome because as long as we’re on this earth, there’s a gap between our real self and our ideal self. We know deep down in our hearts that we are not all we are made to be. And we think that’s our responsibility to make that happen on earth. Scripture says that He who began a good work in you will see it through to completion. That takes the weight off our shoulders because God is the one who is responsible for doing that work. We’re often prone to asking “Who do I think I am?” In the Bible when Moses argued with God and tried to convince God that he wasn’t up to the task God was calling him to do, God didn’t answer with a reassurance of who Moses was, He answered with a reassurance of who God was. God basically told Moses, and us, not to focus on who we are, but instead focus on who God is. Sometimes it comes down to us trusting God. We can have an honest dialogue with God and admit “I don’t know if I can trust you, God, but I want to.” God says that when you seek Him with your whole heart, you will find Him. Start by looking not at what has to happen but at what strengths you already possess. What characteristics of God show up in your life? What are some of the skills God has given you? And who is God asking you to serve in this season of your life? Put those three things together, and those overlapping circles in the middle of those three is probably your God-given sweet spot. These Bible Verses describe how God sees you. They will help you see yourself as God sees you. God says you are created in His image. (Genesis 1:27) “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” God says you are a loved child of the Most High God. (John 1:12) “Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” God thinks you are beautiful. (Song of Solomon 4:7) “You are altogether beautiful, my darling; there is no flaw in you.” When God looks at you, He sees the righteousness of Jesus. (2 Corinthians 5:21) “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” Scripture References: 2 Corinthians 10:5, “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” Genesis 1:27, “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” John 1:12, “Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God." Song of Solomon 4:7, “You are altogether beautiful, my darling; there is no flaw in you.” 2 Corinthians 5:21, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” Recommended Resources: by Holley Gerth https://amzn.to/2MOM7DU by Holley Gerth https://amzn.to/36kBT62 by Holley Gerth https://amzn.to/36jKdDe by Holley Gerth https://amzn.to/2rKtr0S by Dr. Michelle Bengtson by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award Social Media Links for Host and Guest: Connect with Holley: / / / / For more hope, stay connected with Dr. Bengtson at: Order Book / Order Book / / / / / (@DrMBengtson) / / / Guest: Holley Gerth Holley Gerth is the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of You’re Already Amazing as well as several other books. She’s a follower of Jesus, wife to Mark and mama to Lovelle. She loves encouraging the hearts of women and you can connect with her at . Hosted By: Dr. Michelle Bengtson Audio Technical Support: Bryce Bengtson /episode/index/show/yourhopefilledperspective/id/12596294

037 Soul Care: How To Reduce Anxiety During the Holidays 12/26/2019

037 Soul Care: How To Reduce Anxiety During the Holidays Episode Summary: If you have ever felt overwhelmed, worn out, or overcome by holiday pressures, then today is the perfect show for you. Today we’re going to be talking about soul care: how to reduce anxiety with tips on tending to your soul and remaining unruffled during the chaos of the holidays Whether we have a lot of time or a little time, our Heavenly Father delights in spending time with us. When we spend time with Him, we can rid ourselves of worry, fear, and anxiety, and remain in His peace. When we think about Jesus’s three years of ministry, he walked into the most chaotic environments but brought His peace with Him. So we can walk into any situation, allowing God’s peace to dominate us, and then it will spread outward. As believers with the Holy Spirit, we do carry God’s peace with us, but too often we forfeit that peace by becoming consumed by the chaos around us. Peace is not the opposite of chaos, it comes from inside so it’s not dependent on our circumstances. We need to look at situations from God’s vantage point. We are all capable of bringing His peace to our situations but we have to be more deliberate and less easily influenced by our circumstances. Anxiety comes from looking at our circumstances rather than up at our heavenly Father. We lose our peace when we’ve gotten our focus wrong. We never see the entire situation, but He can because He’s already gone before us. So often we become consumed by focusing on the details when He wants us to leave the details to Him and trust Him with the big picture. Try to make time for family, friends, and memory making. Be sure to make sure you are already plugged into God, before the chaos takes over. Taking time at the end of the day to still our thoughts and give God our cares of the day can help us sleep more peacefully and wake up unruffled the next morning. By looking over the plans of the next day, we can wake up prepared instead of in a panic about the day. Understand that your wellbeing is paramount to God, as well as the wellbeing of those around you. You cannot get water from an empty well. It’s just not possible to pour out when we ourselves are dry and empty. He wants us to be taking care of our own soul, and taking care of our physical body so that it doesn’t give out on you. Quotables from the episode: “Find your voice, live your story.” Edie Melson Whether we have a lot of time or a little time, our Heavenly Father delights in spending time with us. When we think about Jesus’s three years of ministry, he walked into the most chaotic environments but brought His peace with Him. Scripture References: John 14:27, “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” Philippians 3:16, “Only let us live up to what we have already attained.” Recommended Resources: Books in the Soul Care Series Soul Care When You’re Weary by Edie Melson Soul Care for Writers by Edie Melson Soul Care When You’re Grieving (releasing January 2020) Soul Care When You’re an Empty Nester (releasing August 2020) Unruffled: Thriving in Chaos by Edie Melson and Rhonda Rhea “Breaking Anxiety’s Grip: How to Reclaim the Peace God Promises” by Dr. Michelle Bengtson Hope Prevails: Insights from a Doctor’s Personal Journey Through Depression” by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award “Hope Prevails Bible Study” by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award Social Media Links for Host and Guest: To connect with Edie Melson: For more hope, stay connected with Dr. Bengtson at: To order Breaking Anxiety’s Grip: https://drmichellebengtson.com/breaking-anxietys-grip/ To order Hope Prevails: https://drmichellebengtson.com/hope-prevails-book/ Website: Blog: Facebook: Twitter: (@DrMBengtson) LinkedIn: Instagram: Pinterest: YouTube: Radio Show Host: Guest: Edie Melson is a woman of faith with ink-stained fingers experiencing life through the lens of her camera. No matter whether she’s talking to readers, fellow creatives, or writers, her first advice is always “Find your voice, live your story.” As an author, blogger, and speaker she’s encouraged and challenged audiences across the country and around the world. Her numerous books reflect her passion to help others develop the strength of their God-given gifts and apply them to their lives. Edie has this to say about her heritage, “I’m creative out of self-defense. As the daughter of an artist-mother and musician-turned-photographer-father, I’d have been a disgrace if I hadn’t been true to my own creativity.” Edie’s a popular speaker and a board member of the , the director of the , and the social media director of . Connect with her on her website, and through , , and She and husband Kirk have been married 38+ years and raised three sons. They live in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in SC where they love to hike and wander the mountains. Hosted By: Dr. Michelle Bengtson Audio Technical Support: Bryce Bengtson /episode/index/show/yourhopefilledperspective/id/12535358

036 Ways to create more peace during the holidays 12/19/2019

036 Ways to create more peace during the holidays Episode Summary: We all want a peaceful Christmas, but, “life gets busy.” Sometimes we’re forced to slow down, and guess what? We discover we actually CAN let go of some of the tasks and duties that not only weigh us down, but also steal our peace. Don’t we all desire more peace during the holidays? From November first until the decorations come down sometime in January, and then the credit card bills start coming in, stress and anxiety rise and with it, our peace dwindles. What a shame when the reason for the holiday is the celebration of the Prince of Peace. What if I told you that you really can let go of some of the anxiety and overwhelm of the holiday season with some simple ways to create more peace during the holidays? It’s true. I’ve been there and have been so grateful for making some simple changes so that I could celebrate from a peaceful place. You can too as you read about ways to create a more peaceful holiday season. Last week, on Ways to create a More Peaceful Holiday Season Part 1 - Episode 35, we talked about the fact that in order to create a more peaceful holiday season, we need to remember who the source of our peace is. We also started talking about ways to recognize and reduce our expectations of ourselves and others in order to experience less worry and anxiety and more of His peace during the holidays. So often Paul addressed the people in his letters by saying “Grace and peace to you from God our Father through Jesus Christ our Lord.” God wants us to experience His peace, But we cannot experience true peace apart from God’s presence.” So much worry, fear, and anxiety are a result of trying to maintain control of things that we cannot control. And we certainly cannot control others’ expectations. If all the holidays' preparations are a burden to you, whose expectations are you trying to live up to? Consider sitting the family down to determine what expectations they have. If you didn’t do ____, it wouldn’t feel like Christmas to them. This could mean just sending digital Christmas cards instead of physically mailing cards. Or perhaps you reduce your baking to just baking the family’s absolute favorite treats. Consider lessening the amount of decorating you do to the favorite décor for your family. You might also consider cutting back on the holiday meals to just the favorite dishes or buying a precooked meal to reduce the stress you encounter during the holiday season. Limiting the gift-giving not only simplifies things, but helps you be a good steward of what God has given you, and lets you enjoy people over presents. Assess why you do what you do? Is it because you’re trying to live up to someone else’s expectations? Is it bringing you joy or draining yourself of joy? In our gift-giving, I think it’s so important to teach our children that Christmas isn’t about them, but about the greatest gift God could ever give in the birth of His son. And it’s great to take a lesson from the wisemen and limit our gift-giving to those that are the most special way to communicate our love to each other. We try so hard to set the perfect table, cook the perfect meal, and give the perfect gifts. But one great gift to give others is to release them from our expectations of how they will respond. They will never live up to the expectations in our mind anyway. Another way to maintain peace during the holidays is to choose our focus. It’s crucial that we focus on maintaining our healthy routines during the holidays. Consider continuing to make time for a daily quiet time, getting in your regular exercise, make rest a priority, and eat well. But it’s also important to maintain a nightly routine: review your calendar for the next day or two so you aren’t taken by surprise the next day, record the new tasks that come up that must be completed, consider reading an advent reading or similar devotion each evening before going to bed, and pray thanking God for what He enabled you to do during the day and giving him your cares for all your tomorrows. Another way to choose our focus is to limit technology during the holiday season. It’ll free up your time to get some of the holiday-specific tasks completed. Another way to choose our focus is to limit negativity and negative inputs. Also consider helping those who are alone or are going through a hard time during the holidays. Even when you are feeling down, you’d be surprised how helping others will encourage your own heart and bring a sense of peace to your heart and mind. Quotables from the episode: We cannot experience true peace apart from God’s presence. In our gift-giving, I think it’s so important to teach our children that Christmas isn’t about them, but about the greatest gift God could ever give in the birth of His son. Even when you are feeling down, you’d be surprised how helping others will encourage your own heart and bring a sense of peace to your heart and mind. Scripture References: Colossians 3:15 “Let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.” Isaiah 26:3 “He will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is stayed on thee.” Luke 6:31 “Do to others as you would like them to do to you.” Philippians 4:6-7 “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. THEN you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” Recommended Resources: “Breaking Anxiety’s Grip: How to Reclaim the Peace God Promises” by Dr. Michelle Bengtson Breaking Anxiety’s Grip free study guide “Hope Prevails: Insights from a Doctor’s Personal Journey Through Depression” by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award “Hope Prevails Bible Study” by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award Social Media Links for Host and Guest: For more hope, stay connected with Dr. Bengtson at: To order Hope Prevails: Website: Blog: Facebook: Twitter: (@DrMBengtson) LinkedIn: Instagram: Pinterest: YouTube: Radio Show Host: Dr. Michelle Bengtson is an international speaker, and the author of the bestselling, award winning “Hope Prevails: Insights From A Doctor’s Personal Journey Through Depression” and the award winning companion “Hope Prevails Bible Study” and the soon to be released “Breaking Anxiety’s Grip: How to Reclaim the Peace God Promises” (Sept 2019). She has been a board certified clinical neuropsychologist for more than twenty years. This doctor knows pain and despair firsthand and combines her professional expertise and personal experience with her faith to help others be all God created them to be. Using sound practical tools, she affirms worth and encourages faith. Dr. Bengtson offers hope as a key to unlock joy and relief—even in the middle of the storm. She and her husband of thirty-two years have two teenage sons and reside in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. She blogs regularly on her own site: and is on most social media platforms. She is also a popular podcast show host of “Your Hope-Filled Perspective with Dr. Michelle Bengtson” at https://apple.co/2madPRo Hosted By: Dr. Michelle Bengtson Audio Technical Support: Bryce Bengtson /episode/index/show/yourhopefilledperspective/id/12467462

035 Ways to Create a More Peaceful Holiday Season 12/13/2019

035 Ways to Create a More Peaceful Holiday Season Episode Summary: Holidays are a busy time, and we experience an increase in stress, commitments, and chaos. But what we really want is to be able to experience the holiday joy while keeping our peace. Today we’re going to discuss some practical ways to keep our peace during the holiday season. Don’t we all desire a more peaceful holiday season? From November first until the decorations come down sometime in January, and then the credit card bills start coming in, stress and anxiety rise and with it, our peace dwindles. What a shame when the reason for the holiday is the celebration of the Prince of Peace What if I told you that you really can let go of some of the anxiety and overwhelm of the holiday season with some simple ways to create a more peaceful holiday season? It’s true. I’ve been there, and have been so grateful for making some simple changes so that I could celebrate from a peaceful place. You can too as you read about ways to create a more peaceful holiday season. Sometimes we go into the holidays with expectations we have of ourselves, expectations we have of others, and feeling the weight of expectations others have of us. After my mother died, I felt the weight of being the new matriarch of the family, and the pressure to do things the way my mother had done it. But over time, I realized that living up to those spoken or unspoken expectations was stealing my peace and joy during a time when the commercials and Hallmark movies tell us should be the most wonderful time of the year. 1. It’s so crucial that we remember who the source of our peace is. If we were to really understand the nature of God, not only would we not have to worry about peace, but all the other worldly concerns we have would go away. Jesus came not just as our savior, but also the Prince of Peace. In my newest book, “Breaking Anxiety’s Grip: How to Reclaim the Peace God Promises,” one of the chapters talks about “God Is” our peace. We sacrifice our peace when we take our eyes off God and put our focus on the circumstances going on around us. A regular discipline of spending time with God and in His word, will remind us of who we are in Him. During the holiday season before you do any of the holiday tasks, take a moment, stop where you are and mentally go through the list of who you are and who the source of your peace is. When we realize how much God cares for us, and the fact that nothing takes Him by surprise, we can rest in His peace. One way to remember the source of peace, is remembering Jesus only had three years on this earth to complete his heavenly mission, his kingdom assignment. Yet, we never saw Jesus running from appointment to appointment. He walked everywhere, and He walked at the pace God set for Him. We sacrifice our peace because we make a long list of to do’s that we think we must get done each day. We can get caught up in anxiety when we think of all the demands we put on ourselves. Yet Jesus said His yoke is easy and His burden is light. What if we started off the day asking God what HE wants us to do today? We’ve been invited to participate in the ministry of reconciliation. It’s something we get to do. Sometimes the most important thing on our agenda is seeing the people around us. 2. It’s important to assess and reduce our expectations on ourselves and others. We can try so hard to buy the perfect gift, to cook the perfect meal, or set the most elegant dinner table. But we cannot control how others will respond to our best efforts. In the familiar story about Jesus visiting Mary and Martha, I’m grateful that Jesus didn’t say that what Martha was doing wasn’t important. In fact, scripture said that Martha was doing the preparations that needed to be done. But Martha sacrificed her peace by worrying about all the details, whereas Mary kept her peace because she made Jesus her priority. Too often we continue rituals and traditions because we feel like that’s what is expected of us. But when we do, we sacrifice our peace. We want to spend time around the table not focused on the details, but on creating memories for our families to enjoy. Quotables from the episode: To enjoy a more peaceful holiday season, it’s crucial that we remember the source of our peace. Sometimes we preach the loudest just by taking time for the person in front of us. To enjoy a more peaceful holiday season, It’s important to assess and reduce our expectations on ourselves and others. Scripture References: Isaiah 9:6 “For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Luke 10:40-42 “But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, ‘Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!’ ‘Martha, Martha,’ the Lord answered, ‘you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.’” Recommended Resources: “Breaking Anxiety’s Grip: How to Reclaim the Peace God Promises” by Dr. Michelle Bengtson Breaking Anxiety’s Grip free study guide “Hope Prevails: Insights from a Doctor’s Personal Journey Through Depression” by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award “Hope Prevails Bible Study” by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award Social Media Links for Host: For more hope, stay connected with Dr. Bengtson at: To order Hope Prevails: Website: Blog: Facebook: Twitter: (@DrMBengtson) LinkedIn: Instagram: Pinterest: YouTube: Radio Show Host: Dr. Michelle Bengtson is an international speaker, and the author of the bestselling, award winning “Hope Prevails: Insights From A Doctor’s Personal Journey Through Depression” and the award winning companion “Hope Prevails Bible Study” and the soon to be released “Breaking Anxiety’s Grip: How to Reclaim the Peace God Promises” (Sept 2019). She has been a board certified clinical neuropsychologist for more than twenty years. This doctor knows pain and despair firsthand and combines her professional expertise and personal experience with her faith to help others be all God created them to be. Using sound practical tools, she affirms worth and encourages faith. Dr. Bengtson offers hope as a key to unlock joy and relief—even in the middle of the storm. She and her husband of thirty-two years have two teenage sons and reside in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. She blogs regularly on her own site: and is on most social media platforms. She is also a popular podcast show host of “Your Hope-Filled Perspective with Dr. Michelle Bengtson” at https://apple.co/2madPRo Hosted By: Dr. Michelle Bengtson Audio Technical Support: Bryce Bengtson /episode/index/show/yourhopefilledperspective/id/12385574

034 Trusting God in Difficult Times 12/05/2019

034 Trusting God in Difficult Times Episode Summary: We only get one life to live, and we don’t want to take it for granted. In this episode, we sit down and talk with author and speaker, Tracie Miles, about trusting God in Difficult Times, and how to find joy in the hard times. Today’s guest is my friend, Tracie Miles. Tracie is an author, speaker, and Director of COMPEL training for Proverbs 31 ministries. Tracie has walked through several difficult valleys in recent years and took the time to share not only the journey she has been on, but how she learned to cope and find joy again. Tracie shared that a key to loving life again and finding joy when life is hard, recording those times in our history when God was faithful to encourage our hearts when life gets difficult again. Tracie also suggested finding a support system, which may or may not be in the church. She further shared the importance of getting enough rest, sleep, eating well, and perhaps even seeking out a Christian counselor. Tracie pointed out that frequently a stumbling block to our joy is our attitude and perspective. She talked about the difference between complaining to God and lamenting as we share our sorrows with God. Tracie pointed out that if we truly want God’s joy, that it’s crucial we recognize our value and know that God truly loves us. Tracie talked about the importance of having God’s perspective: When Jesus looks at us, He sees us through the lens of mercy, and grace. Quotables from the episode: If you’ve been going through a hard time trusting God in difficult times, then this is the show for you to listen to! During those really difficult, painful experiences in life, it helps to look back and remember all those other times before when God was faithful and brought me through, and trusting that He will bring us through the current situation as well Make sure you find a strong support system. Friends, family, people in your church who can also give you spiritual support, to help keep you grounded in your faith so you are strong enough mentally and physically to be able to do the hard things. Make sure that you are taking care of yourself: physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Especially if others (like children) are depending on you, you’ve got to take care of yourself in order to be able to attend to the needs of others. Eat well, exercise, and do what it takes to sleep. We have to choose not to let our circumstances dictate our joy. It’s so important that we let God renew our thoughts and renew our mind, because only then can the real healing begin. Besides our circumstances (which are often largely outside of our control), another stumbling block to keeping our joy is out attitude and perspective; the thoughts we entertain. We have to be intentional about the thoughts we have. If we keep having the same negative thoughts we had yesterday and the day before, we’ll end up having the same negative outcome. If we truly want to experience joy, it’s crucial that we not only recognize our value, but that we also love ourselves. When Jesus looks at us, He sees us through the lens of mercy, and grace. He doesn’t look at what we’ve done or haven’t done, or all our mistakes or regrets, or sins or failures. We can’t have joy and love other people, and love on other people, really until we love ourselves. There’s no way we can experience joy and happiness when we complain frequently. Complaining is really against God but lamenting is sharing our sorrow with Him. We need to keep in mind that divorce results in grief, just like after losing someone to death. The difference is that you mourn the loss of someone who is still living. You mourn the loss of the relationship, and the dreams you had. People going through a separation or divorce need to be treated with tenderness or sympathy rather than judgement or condemnation, or even rather than offering advice or taking sides. Being content in all situations doesn’t mean that we necessarily like or approve the situation, but that we trust that God has us right where we are supposed to be and He will provide for my needs. Scripture References: Psalm 46:1-2 God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea. Isaiah 41:10 “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.” Recommended Resources: Love Life Again: Finding Joy When Life is Hard by Tracie Miles Unsinkable Faith: God-Filled Strategies for Transforming the Way You Think, Feel and Live by Tracie Miles Your Life Still Counts: How God Uses Your Past To Create A Beautiful Future by Tracie Miles Stressed Less Living: Finding God's Peace In Your Chaotic World by Tracie Miles Breaking Anxiety’s Grip: How to Reclaim the Peace God Promises by Dr. Michelle Bengtson Hope Prevails: Insights from a Doctor’s Personal Journey Through Depression by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award Hope Prevails Bible Study by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award Social Media Links for Host and Guest: Facebook: Facebook Live Life Again Community: Instagram: Twitter: @traciesmiles Blog: For more hope, stay connected with Dr. Bengtson at: To order Hope Prevails: Website: Blog: Facebook: Twitter: (@DrMBengtson) LinkedIn: http:// Instagram: Pinterest: YouTube: Radio Show Host: Guest: Tracie Miles Tracie Miles is a national Speaker and Author with Proverbs 31 Ministries. She is the author of four best-selling books, Unsinkable Faith: God-Filled Strategies for Transforming the Way You Think, Feel and Live. (2017), Your Life Still Counts: How God Uses Your Past To Create A Beautiful Future (2014) and Stressed Less Living: Finding God's Peace In Your Chaotic World (2012). Her latest book released in 2018 called Love Life Again: Finding Joy When Life is Hard. Tracie is a contributing author to the popular Zondervan NIV Women’s Devotional Bible, and the Proverbs 31 Encouragement for Today Daily Devotional Book, in addition to being a monthly contributing writer for the Proverbs 31 Ministries Encouragement for Today daily devotions which reach over one million people per day around the globe. In addition to her speaking and writing, Tracie is the Director of COMPEL Training at Proverbs 31 Ministries, has 3 adult children and lives in Charlotte, North Carolina. Hosted By: Dr. Michelle Bengtson Audio Technical Support: Bryce Bengtson /episode/index/show/yourhopefilledperspective/id/12296432

033 Hope for Healing after Spiritual Abuse 11/29/2019

033 Hope for Healing after Spiritual Abuse Episode Summary: If you have ever been abused by someone in the church, been manipulated by the church, or been under abusive authority within the church, or want to know how to avoid all the above, then this show is the perfect show for you. In this episode, I speak with Athena Dean Holtz about spiritual abuse. Those at greatest risk of being the victim of spiritual abuse appear to be those who don’t truly know what the Word of God says. Manipulators thrive on control and thrive on converting others to their way of thinking. Intimidation is another characteristic of abusers, leaving their victims feeling all alone, powerless, defeated, and victimized. While most situations of abuse are not the victim’s fault, it can nonetheless be so helpful for the victim to ask God the Father “What role did I play in this?” When we take responsibility for our own behavior, it strips the abuser of their power. Furthermore, learning what behaviors and patterns are recurring and leaving victims wounded, helps us take responsibility for the roll we played, and it makes us more responsible for having honest dialog with the one who is wounded by agreeing in prayer, and agreeing with what God says about us, and often has the added benefit of helping us not repeat behaviors and patterns in relationship that would lead to future abuse. Quotables from the episode: It’s so crucial that we know the Scripture and know when it is being taken out of context. Furthermore, when we aren’t familiar enough with the scriptures for ourselves can make us easily intimidated by the scriptures when others proclaim them. If we leave wounded areas in our life unhealed, leaves us open to further work by the enemy of our soul. Intimidation is a common strategy used by those who are abusive. And that’s just like the enemy, who is a big bully and is intimidating when Jesus isn’t like that at all. When we have been hurt and wounded by people, that can leave a void in our lives that can leave us open to being wounded by others and be drawn in by others in the future, and manipulators are good at observing and figuring out what our triggers points and vulnerable weak spots are, so they can use those to their advantage. Abusers often begin with a grooming process, where they take a special interest in someone and go out of their way to make that person feel special. But at the same time, they also make it seem that anyone who questions, or challenges, or who points out anything that could be negative as the enemy. The abusers will often make it sound righteous by cutting off anyone who disagrees with their position. In the grooming process, they also want to isolate you and cut you off from friend, family members, and anyone who might point out the fallacies of their beliefs and help you see truth. If a spiritual leader is not humble enough to allow people to challenge them on their opinions or teachings, but instead intimidate or get angry, that’s a very dangerous place to be. To aid in our healing, we have to be willing to ask God, “What was my role in this? Where did I open the door for the enemy to come in? What do I need to take responsibility and repent for?” God’s way is for us to be teachable and humbling ourselves to his conviction. Another useful thing to do when you want to ensure that you know truth, is to ask the Holy Spirit “What do you say about this?” The Holy Spirit’s job is to remind us of all truth. But He can’t remind us of the truth if we haven’t already been exposed to it by reading God’s word. If you have a friend or loved one who is being spiritually abused, pray for them. Because of the brainwashing that takes place, they are not likely to listen to your concerns. You might gift them a copy of Athena’s book because it comes from the perspective of someone else who has been there. If you’ve been in a position of having been spiritually abused, do not allow it to steal your trust with others. Not all churches, pastors, or spiritual leaders are abusive. You need to find a safe community of believers who believe the truth, and help you get healed from the past abuse, whereas the enemy would like to use this to isolate you further. Scripture References: Hosea 4:6, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” Joshua 1:7 “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do." Isaiah 30:20-21 “Though the Lord gave you adversity for food and suffering for drink, he will still be with you to teach you. You will see your teacher with your own eyes. Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, ‘This is the way you should go,’ whether to the right or to the left.’” Recommended Resources: Full Circle: Coming Home to the Faithfulness of God by Athena Dean Holtz Twisted Scriptures: Untangling 45 Lies Christians Have Been Told by Andrew Farley The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse: Recognizing and Escaping Spiritual Manipulation and False Spiritual Authority Within the Church by David Johnson and Jeff Van Vonderen Damaged Disciples: Casualties of Authoritarian Churches and the Shepherding Movement by Ron Burks “Breaking Anxiety’s Grip: How to Reclaim the Peace God Promises” by Dr. Michelle Bengtson “Hope Prevails: Insights from a Doctor’s Personal Journey Through Depression” by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award “Hope Prevails Bible Study” by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award Social Media Links for Host and Guest: https://facebook.com/redemptionpress For more hope, stay connected with Dr. Bengtson at: To order Hope Prevails: Website: Blog: Facebook: Twitter: (@DrMBengtson) LinkedIn: Instagram: Pinterest: YouTube: Radio Show Host: Guest: Athena Dean Holtz Athena Dean is a publisher, speaker, former radio host and pastor’s wife. For the last 30 years she has worked in the industry, spearheading the independent publishing movement in the Christian publishing market. In 2014 Athena co-founded Redemption Press to fill an author-centered niche in publishing. She was president of the Northwest Christian Writer’s Association from 2016-2018, is a president’s club member of Christian Women in Media Association (CWIMA), a member of Advanced Writer & Speaker Association (AWSA), and recently retired host of a weekly radio program, “” on AM 630 KCIS, where she shared God’s faithfulness with women across the globe. Her recounts the story of her twelve-year Job-like experience and the modern day Cinderella story she is now living. Hosted By: Dr. Michelle Bengtson Audio Technical Support: Bryce Bengtson /episode/index/show/yourhopefilledperspective/id/12216392

032 Hope and Healing for a Wounded Heart 11/21/2019

032 Hope and Healing for a Wounded Heart Episode Summary: If you have ever felt broken, worthless, or unable to be used by God, then today is the perfect show for you. (And by the way, if it sounds like thunder in the background, there IS thunder in the background. Both Suzie and I were in the midst of terrible storms when we recorded this. But the show must go on. In this episode, I spoke with my friend, Suzie Eller, about how God can heal our broken places. Suzie and I discussed how we all have areas of brokenness in our lives, and so often God uses those areas of brokenness to become areas of ministry after God has come in and healed us. By inviting God into those broken places, God changes us, our direction, our heart, and even the future generation Healing is always a process. While we never become completely healed this side of heaven, we can experience increasing levels of healing over time. Healing was exactly part of the reason Jesus came, and the closer we become to God, the greater the levels of healing we receive. The power of Jesus’s death on the cross is not in anything we do, but instead in what He did for us. By healing us in our areas of brokenness, we can then comfort others who may go through similar situations. Suzie discussed three things we don’t have to do for our healing: earn God’s love, do this alone, or run away. Quotables from the episode: Whenever we see the word “will” in Scripture, that is a promise from God. Knowing God changes us. But it doesn’t just change us, knowing Him changes our direction, it changes our heart, and it changes the next generation. Healing goes on for a lifetime. We never become fully healed this side of heaven. Our story matters a lot, and our woundedness looks different from person to person, but Jesus came for us. We begin the healing process by embracing the truth that no matter what it looks like, He has us on His heart, and He also knows how to heal us. Our woundedness can look very different from person to person. We can be wounded from people, from the church, from sin, from loss... Jesus knows where our woundedness lies and how to heal us. If we could have healed ourselves, we would have. Jesus meets us where we are. 3 Things You Don’t Have to do for Your Healing: You don’t have to earn God’s love. You don’t have to go anywhere. He meets you right where you are. You don’t have to do this alone. God’s got you. Just like when Peter began to sink, Jesus reaches out to help us. You don’t have to run away. We run away from a lot of things. We run toward comparison and away from God. We run away when we think we’ve made a mistake. But we never have to run away from God. Jesus said He has come for us. If you are running away, you don’t have to run anymore. Just stop, turn around, and move toward Him. When God says “I have come…” or “I have overcome the world…” or “I will fight for you…” takes the pressure off our own shoulders, and puts the responsibility on God’s shoulders. Part of Jesus’s mission statement was to come to heal us. A relationship with God is a discovery process of becoming who He knew all along that we would be. Forgiveness is crucial in order to mend our heart. It’s hard, but it’s not something we have to do, but rather, that we get to do. It’s a surrendering process to what God wants to do in us. Forgiveness is opening the door to say, whether you apologize or not, whether you understand or not, I’m going to release you so that I can run wholeheartedly after who God wants me to be. We tend to ruminate in our thoughts on how we want situations to go. We give way too much mental real estate to unforgiveness, which keeps us from being free. That’s when we need to pray, “Lord, do in my heart what I cannot do for myself.” God will change our heart as we surrender it. Our heart is a little bit like a jigsaw puzzle, and bitterness, resentment, and unforgiveness are pieces of the puzzle. As we hold onto those pieces, our heart (the puzzle) can never become whole until we give God all the pieces so that He can come in and mend and then it becomes a beautiful picture. How frustrating is it when we go to put a jigsaw puzzle together and we get to the end and one or two pieces are missing? It’s up to us to allow God to have all the pieces of our broken heart in order to mend it and allow it to become a beautiful picture. We are not limited by one chapter of our story. We can live in that one chapter, or we can look at that one chapter and see it as just a short portion of our life. That one chapter doesn’t have to be our destiny. Our broken heart doesn’t just impact ourselves. It also impacts those around us. We aren’t meant to heal alone. We can take advantage of good Godly counsel, and friends who will speak the truth in love. Go to the people who will shine a light into our dark places that will help us grow. You are worth fighting for. The one truth is: God sent His son for us so we can be free. He said you were worth fighting for. Imagine yourself in a competition in a boxing ring, but picture God in that ring with you, wearing boxing gloves to fight for us. He is greater than us, and knows the perfect way to help. The power of the cross is not in what we can do, but in what has already been done for us. He loves you like crazy. You are not alone. He’s in this with you. Scripture References: Luke 4:18-19, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.” Matthew 6:8, “Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!” Ephesians 1:19-21, “I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come.” Recommended Resources: “The Mended Heart: God’s Healing for Your Broken Places” by Suzie Eller “Hope Prevails: Insights from a Doctor’s Personal Journey Through Depression” by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award “Hope Prevails Bible Study” by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award Social Media Links for Host and Guest: For more hope, stay connected with Dr. Bengtson at: To order Breaking Anxiety’s Grip: https://drmichellebengtson.com/breaking-anxietys-grip/ To order Hope Prevails: https://drmichellebengtson.com/hope-prevails-book/ Website: Blog: Facebook: Twitter: (@DrMBengtson) LinkedIn: Instagram: Pinterest: YouTube: Radio Show Host: Guest: Suzanne Eller Suzanne (Suzie) Eller is an ECPA bestselling author, podcaster, and popular media guest. She co-hosts, along with Holley Gerth and Jennifer Watson, the More Than Small Talk podcast. Suzie has written 10 books and is writing her latest, Joy Keeper, which will be launched in 2020. She’s mom to three grown children and their spouses, wife to Richard, and “Gaga” to six beautiful littles under the age of eight. When she’s not writing, she’s with her family, hiking, cycling, kayaking, dancing with her littles at the Farmer’s Market. Hosted By: Dr. Michelle Bengtson Audio Technical Support: Bryce Bengtson /episode/index/show/yourhopefilledperspective/id/12131438

031 You are Loved by God 11/14/2019

031 You are Loved by God Episode Summary: If you have ever felt like God didn’t or couldn’t love you, then today is the perfect show for you. In this episode, I had the opportunity to chat with Wendy Blight about her journey to discovering how much God loves her, and how that has positively impacted her outlook since that time. Wendy shares her most harrowing life experience, and how that caused her to view God initially, question God, and come to know God’s love in a new and transforming way. We all go through experiences that cause us to question, and sometimes even question God. Such experiences can either cause us to turn away from God in anger, or turn toward God to find His love and comfort despite our circumstances. We often have a picture of God that is quite different than who He really is, until we begin to get to know God’s character. Wendy shared what helped her get through life’s difficult trials, and how He can change us if we let Him. Wendy discussed the importance of answering the question “Who is on the throne of my heart,” and how that impacts our attitudes and behaviors. Wendy shared how we can know and truly receive God’s love, and how much He desires that for each one of us. Quotables from the episode: Many people question if God loves them, especially when it seems God allowed things to happen to us that He could have prevented. It’s hard to associate someone who supposedly loves you and who is so powerful who allows bad things to happen. But the truth is nothing separates us from the love of God. There are several universal questions people ask when going through a dark time, “God are you real?” and “God do you care? Sometimes we grow up with a picture of God that isn’t consistent with the God of the Bible. What we really need to know is the character of God. Being in the word of God can give us a new lens and a new perspective. Even when God allows things to happen, He is there, He cares, He loves us, He weeps for us, and He is waiting for us on the other side. We will be more than a conqueror in Christ Jesus. But to be a conqueror, we have to go through the battle. But we make it through that because of Him. He can take the most ugly, traumatic messes of our life and make them beautiful with his healing, peace, love, and joy. An important question for us to ask is, “Who is on the throne of my heart?” God wants to be on the throne of our heart. He wants to be our everything. When we talk about what is on the throne of our heart, it’s anything, like a recurring thought pattern, that comes to you all the time and governs your day or governs your life. Who or what am I looking to for my hope, and for my safety and my security? That’s an indication that that thing holds a higher place in your heart and in your life than God does. In such situations, it’s important to have Scriptures which can interrupt those thought patterns, and speak those scriptures out loud over our lives and our situation which cause us to look to other things or other people. When we do it faithfully and consistently, God will use it to change us. When you have the perspective of God sitting on the throne of your heart, it helps you love everyone better. If we don’t truly know how much God loves us, then we can’t give that kind of love away. We love out of the overflow of our heart, so that means our heart must first be filled up with the knowledge of how much He loves us. The reason God loves you so much is because you are His: a child of God. We are blood-bought children of the One True God. That is our identity. When we carry the identity around that we are lavishly loved by the God of the universe, and He lives inside of us, that empowers us. No matter what you’re walking through right now, God is living inside of you and He promises He will never leave us or forsake us. Instead, He is living inside us to help equip us and teach us. Jesus came to save us, despite all our faults. If we were perfect that would make His sacrifice for us worth nothing. Scripture References: 1 John 3:1 “Consider the kind of extravagant love the Father has lavished on us … He calls us children of God. It’s true, we are His beloved children.” 1 John 5:12 “Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.” 1 John 4:4 “You, dear children are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” Recommended Resources: “I Am Loved: Walking in the Fullness of God’s Love” by Wendy Blight FREE Declaration from Wendy “Breaking Anxiety’s Grip: How to Reclaim the Peace God Promises” by Dr. Michelle Bengtson “Hope Prevails: Insights from a Doctor’s Personal Journey Through Depression” by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award “Hope Prevails Bible Study” by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award https://amzn.to/2yMdN46 Social Media Links for Host and Guest: https://twitter.com/wendy_blight Twitter @wendy_blight Facebook Instagram For more hope, stay connected with Dr. Bengtson at: To order Breaking Anxiety’s Grip: https://drmichellebengtson.com/breaking-anxietys-grip/ To order Hope Prevails: Website: Blog: Facebook: Twitter: (@DrMBengtson) LinkedIn: Instagram: Pinterest: YouTube: Radio Show Host: Guest: Wendy Blight Wendy is a wife, mother, author, Bible teacher, attorney, and the Biblical Content Specialist for Proverbs 31 Ministry’s Online Bible Studies. Her heart's desire is to help women fall in love with God's Word. To learn it, pray it, and know with confidence they can tackle any problem life presents through it. Wendy has authored four books, Hidden Joy in a Dark Corner, Living So That, I Know His Name, and her newest book, I Am Loved: Living in the Fullness of God’s Love. Wendy has been a featured guest on Oprah Radio, The 700 Club, Family Life Today with Dr. Dennis Rainey, Revive Our Hearts with Nancy Leigh DeMoss, and Building Relationships with Dr. Gary Chapman. Wendy lives with her husband, Monty, in Charlotte, North Carolina and loves most when her two children, Lauren (26) and Bo (20), come home to visit and fill their home with lots of love and laughter! Hosted By: Dr. Michelle Bengtson Audio Technical Support: Bryce Bengtson /episode/index/show/yourhopefilledperspective/id/12039143

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