Rise Up – Episode 1

This is An Abundant Life’s first official podcast episode of “Rise Up” where we will hear ordinary women who have had to Rise Up from extraordinary circumstances and deep valleys and have watched as God did a great work in their life. This absolutely could not come at a better time, because, I think we all need a little fuel in our hope tanks right now, so every Thursday night, shut off the news, grab some sweet tea or pop in your head phones and go for a walk and listen as we learn, laugh, celebrate, wipe away tears, and are inspired as ordinary women share their stories of what God has done in their lives. Every woman you walk by on the street or stand in line behind has a story, and I believe so strongly that every story matters. Many of our stories have a common thread that weaves us all together somehow, and I pray these sweet times bring unity for us in these times of division and distancing.

I had planned to start out with my friend Megan’s incredible story of surviving a stroke at age 30 and how that has impacted her, and we had an absolutely incredible time recording last week, but after doing some thinking, I felt if I was asking women to be vulnerable in this way, it was only fair to begin with my own story. This isn’t easy for me, because although Mike and I talk in front of all sizes of groups, it’s never the people we continue to look in the eye every day. But I also know that there are an enormous amount of women who are suffering in the same way I suffered, many of you feeling alone. So, I am going to trust God with this step out, and pray it touches your heart in some way. Some of you listening may know my story or part of it, but I am going to start our podcasting adventure off with what my husband, Mike and I call “our exodus,” our walking out into freedom.