WT 186: Keeping The Faith When The Road Is Dark
From losing a parent and co-parenting with a wayward ex, to dealing with disappointment and silence from God - today we are talking about the role faith plays when life is not easy. Don’t miss Karen sharing stories she’s never told before about experiencing God’s voice throughout her life, including the story of God telling her to start this ministry. We hope today’s show leaves you encouraged to seek God and run after His will regardless of your life’s circumstances.
Links from today’s show:
Karen’s home church, NorthPoint Community Church
Karen’s lesson, The Scoreboard of Life from Six Truths (available for free in the BOAW app)
Wire Talk episode on Grief + Motherhood with Rev. Judy Wolfe
1996 newspaper article from Greg Stubbs’ mid air collision
Article with images from midair collision
The Power of a Whisper by Bill Hybels
Question 1: How do you surrender to God’s will when your life (and so by extension God’s will for your life) looks NOTHING what you thought your life would be?
Karen’s Answer: Whew! Good question. HARD question! “How” do you surrender to God? It is a choice. It truly is. You have a choice to follow your own will or follow God’s. That’s what Jesus did in the Garden of Gethsemane, he asked if there was anyway his cup could be removed let it be done, but He would do the Father’s will. Jesus said that three times. Three times, and he is the son of God. How many more times must we choose to accept and follow after God? Many more. Be honest with God, like Jesus was, tell him what you want, but then say, “Yet not as I will, but as You will”.
Question 2: I lost my mom a couple years ago. She was an alcoholic who became sober 8 months before she passed away. By God’s grace we did a lot of catching up, reconnecting and I did a lot of forgiving during those last months. The fact is, mom was checked out for the majority of my childhood. There are things that I struggle with in marriage and parenting that I long for a mother to talk to about. I feel lonely outside of having a wonderful, supportive husband. Do I just put my big girl panties on and go on with life? I know God is my source, but I still feel a hole in my heart. Some days I just wish I had a mom I could go to.
Karen’s Answer: Of course you miss your mom! What a gift and a blessing that God gave you those last months to reconcile. What a gift. I think you have put on your big girl panties and you are getting on with life. You just miss your mom, and I get that. Even with God being your source, you still miss your mom, and that is okay, 100% okay. I wish I could give you a hug. I think you need to continue do what you are doing and give yourself grace. Not having your mom in your life is hard. I think God understands, and He can still be your source, you just miss her. Pray for a mentor in your life, not to replace your mom, but someone you can talk to and learn from.
Question 3: My biggest parenting struggle is raising a Christian daughter when her dad's house is anything but. I don't want to speak ill of her dad and his choices to her, but not sure how to teach her his behavior is not godly. She is 9 years old, and I've been separated from her dad since she was a baby, so having two households is the norm for her. But her dad regularly has various women spend the night, his house really has a revolving door of women. How do I raise my child in God's light when she is around the opposite at her other house?
Karen’s Answer: I think it is so wise of you not to speak ill of her father. I think you can just teach her what you believe and what a Godly relationship looks like. Children can see reality a lot more than we give them credit for seeing. Regardless of her Dad’s choices in life, just keep teaching her God’s truth. Pray, pray, pray!
Question 4: How do I hear God talking to me? I know His work mainly only after the fact, where I can see what I have put before Him... but how do I hear Him steer me, give me wisdom to do my job as a mother? You have mentioned a few times on the show about God telling you what His work for Greg is or for one of your children. How do I hear this, too?
Karen’s Answer: I think it is a process, and it is through prayer, reading His word, and listening. Jesus said that he is the shepherd and his sheep know his voice. You have to learn to listen to his voice, and for me, I have learned it over time. Usually it is a still quiet voice. Over time when I would step out in faith on what I thought I heard, then I was like you, I would see the results afterward that it truly was God. Sort of like hearing him telling me to start BOAW, then later I could see it was God how he opened doors and how BOAW grew. Start praying that God would speak to you and you will be able to hear him.
Show Credits:
Hosted by Karen Stubbs with Sunny Williams, written & produced by Katie Leipprandt, edited by Kyle Cummings
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