Your Hope-Filled Perspective with Dr. Michelle Bengtson podcast

Episode Summary:  As part of our “Sacred Scar Story Series,” my guest, Lisa Saruga, shares part of her story about being a victim of a violent crime on a college campus, and how God is now using her painful wounds to create a sacred scar that helps and encourages others. Latest statistics indicate that about 20% of Americans have experienced attempted or completed rape. That is over 430,000 American victims each year, 1 rape every 73 seconds. Yet only 5 out of 1,000 rapists go to jail. Part of Lisa’s sacred scar is her work toward changing legislation to provide greater protection for victims than perpetrators. Quotables from the episode: I’m at a point now, where I’m not grateful for the experience I endured, but I am grateful for my sacred scar. There was no healing until I took the time to process the wound. A lot of people post-trauma minimize what they went through, as a form of self-preservation. My experience impacted all areas of my life, including my parenting out of fear that something could happen to my kids. The assault negatively impacted my ability to trust others and God, but ironically it also deepened my faith in God. God is a God of justice. God didn’t purpose for me to experience trauma, but he can and is using it for his purposes. The key to my healing was to surrender to God. God doesn’t forget our experiences. He wants to heal us, but we have to be open to the work that healing entails. God didn’t purpose for you to be abused, but he can use all things for his purpose. I have learned to trust God, his timing, and his faithfulness. He showed me in a powerful way that when we are working to chip away at walls that stand in the way of healing, we have no idea what kind of powerful work he is doing on the other side of that wall. While God does not purpose for us to experience trauma, he can use our trauma for his purposes if we let him. Sometimes he is up to great things when we don’t even sense that he remembers our trauma. I encourage victims to find a support network and talk about the experience. Hiding it away on a back shelf in our brain does not work forever. We all experience bad things in our life. We can heal from trauma with appropriate help, but tragedy results when we don’t heal from the trauma. Scripture References: Romans 8:28 (NLT) And we know that God causes everything to work together[a] for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. 2 Corinthians 1:4 (NLT) He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. John 16:33 (NIV) I have told you these things, so that in my you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.   Recommended Resources:  How to Heal From Sexual Trauma and Violence - Episode 183 Sacred Scars: Resting in God’s Promise That Your Past Is Not Wasted by Dr. Michelle Bengtson  The Hem of His Garment: Reaching Out to God When Pain Overwhelms by Dr. Michelle Bengtson YouVersion 5-Day Devotional Reaching Out To God When Pain Overwhelms   Today is Going to be a Good Day: 90 Promises to Start Your Day Off Right by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the AWSA 2023 Inspirational Gift Book of the Year Award, the Christian Literary Awards Reader’s Choice Award in four categories, and the Christian Literary Awards Henri Award for Devotionals YouVersion 7-Day Devotional, Today is Going to be a Good Day YouVersion 7-Day Devotional, Today is Going to be Another Good Day Breaking Anxiety’s Grip: How to Reclaim the Peace God Promises by Dr. Michelle Bengtson Breaking Anxiety’s Grip Free Study Guide Free 7-Day YouVersion Bible Reading Plan for Breaking Anxiety’s Grip 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 <a href="http

Episode Summary:  In this week’s episode, I speak with Gina Kelly who was a sixth grader when she was hit by a truck which caused significant physical and emotional injury and wounds. She shares what she endured, as well as how she has seen God use that for good, and how she has witnessed God’s faithfulness to her through it all.   Quotables from the episode: There was definitely a defining moment in my life, which happened a little over 45 years ago. When I was a 6th grade crossing guard and was crossing the street to get to my post, I was hit by a truck. I flew 100-125 feet in the air and landed in a snowbank. I suffered the most pain in my life from that event: the physical pain, the trauma, the suffering. I had a skull fracture on the right side of my head, which left me deaf in one ear, complete facial paralysis on the right, I had six broken ribs on the right and my right lung collapsed. Physically, my body went through a lot from that. That event caused emotional wounds too. I was just entering middle school when I had to wear an eye patch over my eye, my smile was very asymmetrical, so I experienced a lot of insecurities with my physical body and with the emotional wounds that went along with the physical wounds from my accident. One of the ways that God used the wounds you experienced for someone else’s good was when I was in a car accident and suffered physical injuries and you reached out to me to comfort me in my healing process. That is directly related to the scripture that says, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” Before the accident, I was pretty reserved and shy. After the accident, I remember two prominent feelings. One was feeling like I was in a fishbowl because I went back to school and everyone was curious about the girl who almost died so all of a sudden, as someone who preferred to shrink back to the edges of society was thrust into the forefront because everyone wanted to know what happened and that made me uncomfortable. I did experience some cruelness. About two weeks after I returned to school, I participated in the spelling bee. In the very front row were two boys from a different elementary school and every time I went up front, they made faces at me and pointed at me, and I was nervous anyway trying to remember how to spell the words and I remember crying with my parents after we left. I experienced the shame of not wanting people to see my deformity. I was blessed to have one youth leader who sat with me in my pain, listened to me, spoke truth into me and little by little I no longer covered up my asymmetrical smile. Something good came out of it in that they did not put another sixth grader in that role but had an adult as a crossing guard going forward. It’s been 45 years since my accident and just over the past couple of months God has been revealing to me some lies I have held onto since childhood. I was recently at a youth conference and one of the speakers felt the call to pray for someone who was deaf specifically in their right ear. I realized that since my accident no one had ever prayed for me and for what I had gone through. My whole life I’ve praised God for keeping me alive but there was something about going back and specifically praying over that area. When the leader prayed over me, he happened to touch my scar that I hadn’t revealed to him, and God revealed to me that I was still seeing myself as broken, which was a lie and God showed me I am not broken. Also, because I couldn’t hear physically in that ear, I had believed I couldn’t hear God speak very well either. There was that spiritual wound. I had always previously sensed his presence on my left side, but recently, during my quiet time when I was journaling, I sensed God speaking to my heart that “I will always position myself so you can hear me.” Since that prayer for healing of my deafness, I have been able to sense him on my right side as well.  If God can raise dead bones to life, he can speak into a deaf ear and it can hear. As I look back over the course of my life, I can see several ways God redeemed those wounds. It led me into my current profession as a pediatric physical therapist. I worked as a missionary in a clinic with children with special needs and I used my hands to show them God’s love. One particular incident occurred when I was on the mission field when I was working with a woman who had been in an accident and her husband asked me, “What’s wrong with your face?” In that moment, God showed me that this was my opportunity so I told them about my accident and about how even in the hospital I sensed God’s presence, and I knew

Episode Summary:  No parent expects to live longer than their children. The death of a child brings such unimaginable grief that is almost impossible for others to relate to if they haven’t walked that road. On this episode, I had a conversation with Alycia Morales about the pain, the wounds, and now the sacred scars she bears after her son, Caleb, died a few years ago. She shares the hope that she has found to help her as she grieves. Listen for how to overcome grief from the death of a child. Quotables from the episode: Frequently, some areas of our greatest areas of ministry come out of our greatest areas of woundedness and pain. The death of our son caused emotional, relational, and spiritual wounds and pain. I experienced a bout with grief amnesia and couldn’t remember any of the details of his death, until one by one God reminded me what happened and it was like I re-experienced it all over again. Despite death touching each one of us, it’s just a shadow because Jesus conquered it. Even though darkness is overwhelming and I couldn’t see through it, as soon as you let God’s light in, that shadow shifts or disappears completely. So I needed to let God’s light shine into my grief. I went to the Word looking for encouragement and God promises that if we will call out to Him, He will answer you. Grief is a gift from God, but if we’re not careful, it’ll lead us into places we aren’t meant to go. As all the first holidays, his birthday, and the anniversary of his death approached, I could feel myself going deeper and darker, and I realized I was under a spirit of grief, but the minute my pastor prayed over me, that came off me. The hole that my son left in my heart is still there, but is precious to me. We have complete healing in Christ through little drops of his healing balm in our lives. The essence behind Sacred Scars is that we will all go through some form of pain and woundedness, but in the hands of a holy and redemptive God, He can and will bring good from it. What the enemy intended for harm, God will use for good for the saving of His people (Gen. 50:20). Six months after my son died, I was able to comfort another family whose son died. When we’re willing to be authentic and vulnerable and transparent about our pain, even though sometimes it’s really embarrassing what we’ve gone through, what we’ve done, or what’s been done to us, when we bring that out of the dark and into the light, and we share it with others, it brings them comfort. You could step in and comfort that couple in a different way because you understood. You knew what they needed because you had been through something similar, in a way that others of us could not know. That’s a beautiful example of God redeeming the pain in our lives. As I started writing about our grief journey, it helped others know how to help someone else who is going through this. We all still have things that God has called us to do in life and we have people He wants us to minister to out of that pain we’ve endured, and He has lives that He wants to restore out of our pain, and He can use our testimony for His glory. Even though my son died, I have to keep living, I have to keep going. It’s not that we move on, but rather, we move forward with God walking with us through the rest of the story. Every day we get closer to being reunited with our loved ones so continue walking out your faith. Scripture References: Ecclesiastes 3:4 “…a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance…” Proverbs 18:1 “An unfriendly person pursues selfish ends and against all sound judgment starts quarrels.” Philippians 4:6-7 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Psalm 23:4 “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”   Recommended Resources:  Surviving the Year of Firsts: A Mom’s Guide to Grieving Child Loss by Alycia Morales (Releases 7-30-24) Sacred Scars: Resting in God’s Promise That Your Past Is Not Wasted by Dr. Michelle Bengtson  The Hem of His Garment: Reaching Out to God When Pain Overwhelms by Dr. Michelle Bengtson YouVersion 5-Day Devotional Reaching Out To God When Pain Overwhelms   Today is Going to be a Good Day: 90 Promises to Start Your Day Off Right by Dr. Michelle Be

Episode Summary:  In this episode, I wanted to share with you what brought me to the place where I knew this book was needed, where I knew God was calling me to share my own sacred scars, why I’ve written the book Sacred Scars for you, and what I hope you’ll get out of it.  Quotables from the episode: Sometimes our wounds come at the hands or wounds of others; sometimes we behave in a way that causes or contributes to our wounds; and sometimes there is no obvious explanation for them. But the hope that we have in Jesus is that when we will take our painful wounds and surrender them to the creator of the universe, the very One who knit us in our mother’s womb, we can experience a redemptive scar, a beautiful sacred scar in place of our wounds when we allow God to heal what has hurt us. The Hem of His Garment: Reaching Out to God When Pain Overwhelms is about how we hold onto our faith while we are waiting on God for our healing. Sacred Scars picks up where The Hem of His Garment left off. Sacred Scars is for those who think, I’ve gone through something so bad that it disqualifies me from living the abundant life that Christ came to give; I’ve gone through something so bad or I’ve done something so bad that it disqualifies me from being loved and valued; or I’ve gone through something so bad that it disqualifies me from service to God. Sacred Scars was written for that reader, to assure them that there is nothing they have gone through that is beyond the hands of a redemptive God. Jesus never gave up, so as a child of God, it’s not in my DNA to give up. The thing that drives me the most is that I’m just not going to let the enemy have that much satisfaction. The lies of the enemy is what produces guilt, shame, regret, remorse, isolation, fear. As long as he can take us there because of the wounds that we’ve gone through, as long as we listen to those lies, we will live a defeated life, but Jesus came so we can have victory. The only way to experience that victory is to recognize the lies of the enemy and to determine that I’m willing enough to feel the pain to get healing.  In over 30 years in private practice, I’ve had thousands of people come into my private practice ashamed to share their deep, dark secret because they feared I would reject them or abandon them or give them a strange look like, “I can’t believe what you just said.” But nothing surprises me anymore. What I found, is that when people will share that secret that they are so embarrassed and ashamed of, it doesn’t hold power anymore. Once they bring it out into the light, the enemy loses. Wounds are open assaults either on the body or the mind. They are those things that have been injured, abraded, or infected and leave us in a state of pain. When we are wounded, we need healing. I love what God does: in the physical body, when you get a scratch or a burn, or an infection, your body automatically sends cells to try to produce collagen to produce a scar. This book is focusing on scars, because once we have a scar, that wound, that painful experience (whether it’s physical, emotional, relational, spiritual) doesn’t hold the same pain that it did when it was an open wound. When we will take our wounds to God and let Him heal the wounds, because He’s such a good and redemptive God, He will bring beautiful sacred scars as a reminder not just of the pain we’ve gone through, but of the healing that’s taken place if we’re willing to go on that healing journey. God never pries our heart or our hands open. He’s always waiting for us to say, “Okay, Lord, I’m ready.” Too often, we’re afraid of the pain of the unknown more than we are the pain of the current discomfort of our injured situation. If you will step out and entrust your pain to God, He can bring a beautiful sacred scar. We’re all familiar with physical scars but I think it’s also important to recognize that we all carry invisible scars from emotional wounds, relational wounds, spiritual wounds, grief or loss. I mistakenly thought that being a doctor would protect me or insulate me from depression or any other mental health disorder, but it doesn’t. Neither does being a Christian. The Lord taught me that there was a spiritual root to depression. Previous to that, I had been addressing the physical, the emotional, and the mental, but not the spiritual, because I didn’t know there was one. What initially felt like forced rest, I hated, but over time, on bed rest, I came to appreciate that time because it was like my cocooning time alone with God. I didn’t want that time to end. She said to me, “Thank you. Thank you for sharing out of your pain, so that I would know that I’m not alone and that if you could make it through your ordeal, I can too.” That is a beautiful

Episode Summary: With one in five mobile searches being for pornography, it may be more prevalent than you think. Jody Allen shares her story, her pain, her wounds, and her sacred scars that resulted from her husband’s addiction to pornography. Tune in as Jody offers hope and strategies for overcoming the deep wounds caused by porn addiction.   Quotables from the episode: Pornography can create emotional, relational, and spiritual wounds. I felt betrayed because I was living with someone who’s behavior was inconsistent with who he was. I lived a constant cycle of regret, apology, relapse, and feeling unimportant which created emotional wounds. Nothing can prepare a person for the breakup of the family. When God didn’t answer my prayers the way I wanted him to answer, that brought about spiritual wounds. Because when the God of the universe, the one who hates divorce, doesn’t answer your prayers in a way that is consistent with his will and pro-marriage, it leads to disappointment. One in five mobile searches is actually for pornography. My husband’s pornography addiction caused me so much shame. We answered all the “what if” questions, and came to the conclusion that we would ultimately be okay if we trusted God. Guilt, shame, and condemnation does not come from our Heavenly Father but from the Father of Lies. Shame made me believe that people were judging me and left me feeling like I wasn’t good enough. The wound is the open painful place that is festering and hurts so bad. But once we have a scar, it doesn’t hurt as much. It’s the place where healing has taken place. It doesn’t mean we forget the pain of the wound, it just means that it doesn’t have the same hold on us. As part of my role as a women’s ministry leader, I didn’t feel I could expect other women to share their story if I wasn’t willing to share my own story. Those hard years were preparation for my future ministry. The enemy wants to isolate us from others to shut us up. Satan is an equal opportunist. He is so sly and wants us to believe in any area of sin that “just once” doesn’t matter. We don’t have to squeak by. We don’t have to get to the other side of our pain and just survive. We can thrive. We can get to the other side of our pain and heartache and flourish. Pain doesn’t have to win. Pornography doesn’t have to win. Divorce doesn’t have to win. Let us take the best things from our time of pain and suffering…maybe it’s a fresh perspective, new skills, or a fresh start. If we know Jesus, we have the potential to get to the other side of our heartache and be whole and even be happy on the other side of it.   Scripture References: Proverbs 3:5 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” 2 Timothy 1:7 “For God hath not given you the spirit of fear, but of power, love, and sound mind.” Genesis 50:20 “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” Exodus 12:36 “The Lord caused the Egyptians to look favorably on the Israelites, and they gave the Israelites whatever they asked for. So they stripped the Egyptians of their wealth!”   Recommended Resources:  Sacred Scars: Resting in God’s Promise That Your Past Is Not Wasted by Dr. Michelle Bengtson  The Hem of His Garment: Reaching Out to God When Pain Overwhelms by Dr. Michelle Bengtson YouVersion 5-Day Devotional Reaching Out To God When Pain Overwhelms   Today is Going to be a Good Day: 90 Promises to Start Your Day Off Right by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the AWSA 2023 Inspirational Gift Book of the Year Award, the Christian Literary Awards Reader’s Choice Award in four categories, and the Christian Literary Awards Henri Award for Devotionals YouVersion 7-Day Devotional, Today is Going to be a Good Day YouVersion 7-Day Devotional, Today is Going to be Another Good Day Breaking Anxiety’s Grip: How to Reclaim the Peace God Promises by Dr. Michelle Bengtson Breaking Anxiety’s Grip Free Study Guide Free 7-Day YouVersion Bible Reading Plan for Breaking Anxiety’s Grip <a

Episode Summary:  In this episode, I chat with Jill Savage of “No More Perfect Marriages.” She shared her story of infidelity in her marriage, and how God has since healed her marriage so that she and her husband, Mark, now have a beautiful sacred scar and are able to minister to other married couples in despair.   Quotables from the episode: The normal trials of life is the stuff that ultimately leaves us with sacred scars. Painful trials are part of our normal experience this side of heaven. Our marriage experienced a slow-fade while we both had huge responsibilities outside the home. The downward spiral started with an emotional affair and then resulted in a physical affair. The enemy took a direct hit to our greatest area of ministry. I began a one year process of standing for my marriage. “Standing for Your Marriage” is when one spouse believes and contends for the marriage while the other spouse checks out. The most painful thing I have ever experienced was my husband’s betrayal. I had a ministry based on authenticity and I determined to be open and honest about my pain. I didn’t cause my husband’s infidelity, but I did contribute to the dysfunction in my marriage. It’s important that we build a supportive community outside of times of tragedy because when we’re in a crisis, we don’t have the energy to do that. We can use our hard times as fertilizer for growth! As I began to change, my husband started seeing that as his own personal seeds of growth. God can turn our pain into his purposes. God forgives us the first time we ask—when are we going to forgive ourselves? Nothing is impossible with God. The God of the universe wants to do his best work in the cracks of your life. It takes two to build a marriage, but it takes one to divorce. It takes two to restore a marriage, but it takes One to restore a life.   Recommended Resources:  How to Rebuild Trust After Cheating Rebuilding Trust: The Only Time Words Don’t Matter in Marriage My Heart is Broken: Your Next Steps for When Your Spouse is Unfaithful by Jill Savage and Joss Cambridge Your Next Steps: What to Do When Your Spouse is Unfaithful by Jill Savage  No More Perfect Marriages: Experience the Freedom of Being Real Together by Mark and Jill Savage FREE Rebuilding Trust Guide  Rebuilding Trust Course The Wait Is Not Wasted Course Sacred Scars: Resting in God’s Promise That Your Past Is Not Wasted by Dr. Michelle Bengtson  The Hem of His Garment: Reaching Out to God When Pain Overwhelms by Dr. Michelle Bengtson YouVersion 5-Day Devotional Reaching Out To God When Pain Overwhelms   Today is Going to be a Good Day: 90 Promises to Start Your Day Off Right by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the AWSA 2023 Inspirational Gift Book of the Year Award, the Christian Literary Awards Reader’s Choice Award in four categories, and the Christian Literary Awards Henri Award for Devotionals YouVersion 7-Day Devotional, Today is Going to be a Good Day YouVersion 7-Day Devotional, Today is Going to be Another Good Day Breaking Anxiety’s Grip: How to Reclaim the Peace God Promises by Dr. Michelle Bengtson Breaking Anxiety’s Grip Free Study Guide Free 7-Day YouVersion Bible Reading Plan for Breaking Anxiety’s Grip Hope Prevails: Insights from a Doctor’s Personal Journey Through Depression by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice

Episode Summary Join me with Dr. Mel Tavares as we discuss how painful trials can not only challenge us but also lead to profound spiritual healing and growth. Dr. Mel shares her personal journey of overcoming a series of devastating setbacks, including a severe injury and job loss, by employing three key strategies. Learn how these strategies help turn what the enemy intended for harm into beautiful marks of victory and testimony forming sacred scars. Quotables from the Episode "I spent the fall trying to rehab it... and they said, there's no fixing this and you have to have a total knee replacement."  "I forgot everything I teach other people... and then coming out on the other side, I began to see the good." "The Lord already knows and it helps others when we are transparent about our struggles."  "God's ways are higher and his ways are better than ours, and I was able to see that as time went on, but not in the beginning." "You went from a place of striving to get it all done to just looking and saying, what can I do today? And that's two different mindsets."  "I put earbuds in and played worship music... it kept my mind filled with the positive, and as I listened, I began to rise up."  Scripture References Jeremiah 29:11 - "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." Romans 8:28 - "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." Matthew 6:25-33 - Discusses not worrying about life's material needs, emphasizing trust in God's provision.   Recommended Resources:  Sacred Scars: Resting in God’s Promise That Your Past Is Not Wasted by Dr. Michelle Bengtson  The Hem of His Garment: Reaching Out to God When Pain Overwhelms by Dr. Michelle Bengtson YouVersion 5-Day Devotional Reaching Out To God When Pain Overwhelms   Today is Going to be a Good Day: 90 Promises to Start Your Day Off Right by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the AWSA 2023 Inspirational Gift Book of the Year Award, the Christian Literary Awards Reader’s Choice Award in four categories, and the Christian Literary Awards Henri Award for Devotionals YouVersion 7-Day Devotional, Today is Going to be a Good Day YouVersion 7-Day Devotional, Today is Going to be Another Good Day Breaking Anxiety’s Grip: How to Reclaim the Peace God Promises by Dr. Michelle Bengtson Breaking Anxiety’s Grip Free Study Guide Free 7-Day YouVersion Bible Reading Plan for Breaking Anxiety’s Grip 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 Trusting God Through Cancer 1 Trusting God Through Cancer 2 Revive & Thrive Women's Conference Subdue Stress and Anxiety: Fifteen Experts Offer Comprehensive Tools in Ten Minutes a Day. Use my link plus discount code BENG99 to save $90 on course (course will be $99.) Free Download: How To Fight Fearful/Anxious Thoughts and Win   Social Media Links for Guest and Host: Connect with Dr. Mel Tavares: Website / Instagram / Facebook / Pinterest   For more hope, stay connected with Dr. Bengtson at: Order Book Breaking Anxiety

Episode Summary: We discuss the principle that we all endure experiences in our lives that produce wounds, but when God heals those wounds, sacred scars result. Join me with Jessica Van Roekel as we share how to transform the wounds of rejection into sacred scars. We dissect the deep emotional and spiritual impacts of rejection, reveal how these healed wounds can be converted into powerful testimonies, and demonstrate how sharing these stories empowers and uplifts others. Learn to overcome fears, recognize the importance of scripture in healing, and discover God's transformative role in turning past pains into triumphs. This episode is a beacon of hope for anyone grappling with past hurts and seeking God’s help on their path to recovery.   Quotables from the Episode: They triumphed over him by the blood of the lamb and the word of their testimony Personal histories don't need to define the present or determine the future A scar is a healed wound We have to feel it to heal it God set me free, and then I prayed a dangerous prayer, 'Lord, teach me how to walk in this freedom.' Rejection doesn't have to stop their life. It doesn't have to train wreck their life. But how about this? How about if we go through it so that we have a story of God's faithfulness on the other side of it.   Scripture References: Revelation 12:11 – “They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony;” Psalm 147:3 - He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.   Recommended Resources:  Reframing Rejection: How Looking Through a Different Lens Changes Everything By Jessica Van Roekel Sacred Scars: Resting in God’s Promise That Your Past Is Not Wasted by Dr. Michelle Bengtson  The Hem of His Garment: Reaching Out to God When Pain Overwhelms by Dr. Michelle Bengtson YouVersion 5-Day Devotional Reaching Out To God When Pain Overwhelms   Today is Going to be a Good Day: 90 Promises to Start Your Day Off Right by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the AWSA 2023 Inspirational Gift Book of the Year Award, the Christian Literary Awards Reader’s Choice Award in four categories, and the Christian Literary Awards Henri Award for Devotionals YouVersion 7-Day Devotional, Today is Going to be a Good Day YouVersion 7-Day Devotional, Today is Going to be Another Good Day Breaking Anxiety’s Grip: How to Reclaim the Peace God Promises by Dr. Michelle Bengtson Breaking Anxiety’s Grip Free Study Guide Free 7-Day YouVersion Bible Reading Plan for Breaking Anxiety’s Grip 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 Trusting God Through Cancer 1 Trusting God Through Cancer 2 Revive & Thrive Women's Conference Subdue Stress and Anxiety: Fifteen Experts Offer Comprehensive Tools in Ten Minutes a Day. Use my link plus discount code BENG99 to save $90 on course (course will be $99.) Free Download: How To Fight Fearful/Anxious Thoughts and Win   Social Media Links for Guest and Host: Connect with Jessica Van Roekel: Website / Instagram / Facebook For more hope, stay connected with Dr. Bengtson at: Order Book Breaking Anxiety’s Grip / Order Book 

Episode Summary Join me for healing pain and the power of Sacred Scars. Discover how personal hardships and emotional wounds can lead to spiritual and emotional growth. Gain insights on accepting your scars, finding purpose in pain, and realizing that your past struggles are not wasted. Hear inspiring stories that demonstrate resilience and hope, along with practical advice on how to view your scars through a lens of thanksgiving and healing.  Quotables from the Episode Trusting God's promise that your past is not wasted. No matter what wound you've experienced, God can and will create a beautiful sacred scar from it if you offer it up to Him. Once he gave me some healing and once he showed me purpose in the pain, it changed my perspective. If we seek Him with our whole heart, we will find Him. There is healing for your pain and God can take your wounds and create beautiful healing. God shapes your scars and shapes you in the process. Scripture References Psalm 147:3: "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds." Recommended Resources:  Sacred Scars: Resting in God’s Promise That Your Past Is Not Wasted by Dr. Michelle Bengtson  The Hem of His Garment: Reaching Out to God When Pain Overwhelms by Dr. Michelle Bengtson YouVersion 5-Day Devotional Reaching Out To God When Pain Overwhelms   Today is Going to be a Good Day: 90 Promises to Start Your Day Off Right by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the AWSA 2023 Inspirational Gift Book of the Year Award, the Christian Literary Awards Reader’s Choice Award in four categories, and the Christian Literary Awards Henri Award for Devotionals YouVersion 7-Day Devotional, Today is Going to be a Good Day YouVersion 7-Day Devotional, Today is Going to be Another Good Day Breaking Anxiety’s Grip: How to Reclaim the Peace God Promises by Dr. Michelle Bengtson Breaking Anxiety’s Grip Free Study Guide Free 7-Day YouVersion Bible Reading Plan for Breaking Anxiety’s Grip 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 Trusting God Through Cancer 1 Trusting God Through Cancer 2 Revive & Thrive Women's Conference Subdue Stress and Anxiety: Fifteen Experts Offer Comprehensive Tools in Ten Minutes a Day. Use my link plus discount code BENG99 to save $90 on course (course will be $99.) Free Download: How To Fight Fearful/Anxious Thoughts and Win   Social Media Links for Host: For more hope, stay connected with Dr. Bengtson at: Order Book Breaking Anxiety’s Grip / Order Book Hope Prevails  /  Website  /  Blog  /  Facebook / Twitter (@DrMBengtson)  /  LinkedIn  /  Instagram / Pinterest / YouTube   Host: Dr. Michelle Bengtson is an international speaker, a national and international media resource on mental health, and the bestselling, award-winning author of Hope Prevails, the Hope Prevails Bible Study, Today

Episode Summary:  In moments of pain and suffering, we often find the deepest appreciation for acts of love and care from those around us. It is during our pain when we are most in need and perhaps most receptive to when others serve like Jesus. But when the tables are turned, we may struggle to know what to do for others. Join me with Michele Howe as we explore how to embrace service through pain and grace, learning how to serve like Jesus.   Quotables from the episode: Just as we are blessed, encouraged, and discipled by others, we likewise grow in grace and maturity when we use our gifts to serve others. The whole principle of serving like Jesus means being on the receiving end of others God-given gifts and talents, while we serve others using our own. God is faithful. He never calls us to a task without equipping us with everything we need to complete it. Serving like Jesus requires intentionality, counting others higher than ourselves, and giving without reservation or expectation. When we are on the receiving end of service as fellow believers obeying Jesus by using the gifts and talents given them by God, we are deeply impacted and can grow in wisdom, Bible knowledge, understanding, and application. When we obey the Lord's command to serve others through his grace and strength, we in turn build up and strengthen our fellow believers so that the entire body of Christ can come to maturity. We are called to serve--everyone of us, every day. There are no exceptions to this high calling. We are saved by grace and in dwelled by the Holy Spirit, who teaches us, comforts us, chastises us, and compels us to serve. Serving like Jesus means offering kindness and mercy to those who don't deserve it. Before speaking the truth in love, bathe the conversation in prayer in order to help ensure that you approach the conversation with humility, grace, and compassion.    Scripture References: Philippians 2:3-8 “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” 2 Timothy 1:7 “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” Galatians 5:13-14 “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”    Recommended Resources:  Serving as Jesus Served: Practical Ways to Love Others by Michele Howe Grace & Gratitude for Everyday Life by Michele Howe Empty Nest: What’s Next? Parenting Adult Children Without Losing Your Mind by Michele Howe Finding Freedom and Joy in Self-Forgetfulness by Michele Howe Sacred Scars: Resting in God’s Promise That Your Past Is Not Wasted by Dr. Michelle Bengtson  The Hem of His Garment: Reaching Out to God When Pain Overwhelms by Dr. Michelle Bengtson YouVersion 5-Day Devotional Reaching Out To God When Pain Overwhelms   Today is Going to be a Good Day: 90 Promises to Start Your Day Off Right by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the AWSA 2023 Inspirational Gift Book of the Year Award, the Christian Literary Awards Reader’s Choice Award in four categories, and the Christian Literary Awards Henri Award for Devotionals YouVersion 7-Day Devotional, Today is Going to be a Good Day YouVersion 7-Day Devotional, Today is Going to be Another Good Day Breaking Anxiety’s Grip: How to Reclaim the Peace God Promises by Dr. Michelle Bengtson Breaking Anxiety’s Grip Free Study Guide <a href="https://www.bible.