When we find ourselves in a difficult season of our lives, we may ask ourselves the question, How did I get here? And when we aren’t able to figure it out right away, we may turn on ourselves for the blame—bringing on deep feelings of regret and shame. Psalm 145 reminds us that when we seek the Lord, He will answer us and deliver us from all our fears. It also says “Those who look to Him are radiant—and their faces shall never be ashamed.” Our guests this week dealt with really tough circumstances—ones that caused them to question deeply who they were and where they would end up. CNN anchor Christi Paul dealt with an abusive spouse and didn’t know where to turn, until she was at the end of her rope and a verse from Proverbs brought her hope that she could trust God to find a way out—not her own understanding. Travel blogger Glo Atanmo was in another country when she became very ill and had to have a major surgery that set her back for months. As she wondered how she would recover physically, emotionally and financially, a caring nurse gave her a copy of Jesus Calling where she was able to find a bit of hope to see beyond the place she was in. 

Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned:

Jesus Calling

Jesus Always

Jesus Listens

Jesus Calling Podcast

Sarah Young

Psalm 145 NIV

Past interview: Lathan Warlick

Upcoming interview: Operation Christmas Child

Christi Paul

CNN New Day Weekend

Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV

Love Isn’t Supposed to Hurt

Glo Atanmo

www.theblogabroad.com

Interview Quotes:

“God wants us to be who He created us to be, and living in an abusive relationship is not going to create you to be the person you're supposed to be. I tell people all the time, ‘You were not born to be abused, but God can take really horrible situations and make something really good out of them.’” - Christi Paul

“I realized the importance of words because of how they were used against me. I felt how they cut you, even if they don't cut you physically, emotionally they just can rip you to shreds if you do not use the right words, if you do not use some care and compassion.” - Christi Paul

“We will never run out of chances with God, even if we screw up again and again and again. God is there every single time to just hold our hand and pick us up and say, ‘Let's try this again together.’” - Christi Paul

“I learned that a healthy relationship will never require you to sacrifice your friends or your dreams or your dignity, and I just want everybody to know God is for you.” - Christi Paul

“When I look back on that journey, I think it was that moment where I stopped giving the glory and the honor and the praise to God. I got so full of my own skills and what I accomplished. And, Oh, Glo, you're killing it, girl, like, you know, and you forget who qualified you, who gave you the opportunities and the blessing.” - Glo Atanmo

“I don't care about what I can do for myself. How can I help the world? How can I heal the world? How can I speak to those who are also going through a traumatic experience? And it's so incredible how God will use seasons of pain to really set you up for your next season of elevation.” - Glo Atanmo

“When you have purpose and legacy behind what you do, you feel more called and led in your work. [And] if we can be more intentional with the way we use our words and how we deliver them and how we pour into people with them, we're literally delivering healing to other people.” - Glo Atanmo

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