← The Thyroid (and Hormone) Fixer Podcast: Thyropause, Menopause, Metabolism and How to Fix It
The Thyroid (and Hormone) Fixer Podcast: Thyropause, Menopause, Metabolism and How to Fix It
540. How Faith Plays a Pivotal Role in Healing with Monica Brandt
00:53:26
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- [00:01]
Dr. Amy
Welcome to the Thyroid Fixer podcast. I'm your host, Dr. Amy, and we're diving deep into the world of hormones, especially for all you fierce women in perimenopause and menopause and everyone struggling with hypothyroidism. So if you are battling weight gain, you're feeling like shedding those pounds is an impossible feat. If you're dealing with plummeting energy levels, gut wrenching fatigue, or a libido that seems to have left town, then you're in the right place. And let's not even start on the hair loss if these symptoms are sounding all too familia. Have found your tribe. My goal is to educate, empower, and shake up your world. Remember, I want you to embrace every inch of that badass woman that you truly are. So if you're ready to dive in and fix things, let's go. Have you ever wished your brain would just, like, cooperate? Yeah, same here. So that's why I've been using something that actually works. Troscription, Specifically blue canteen for focus and then Trocalm for stress, which there's been a lot of lately. And let me tell you, these are not your average supplements. They actually work. They are buccal trochees, little blue squares that you place between your cheek and your gum. And they are absolutely effective. So let's start with blue canadine. It's like this amazing fuel for your brain. Clean, controlled, zero crash. And within 15 to 20 minutes, I am locked in. No fog, no distractions, just crystal clear focus. I'm actually going to go get some right now. I use it when I need to power through a big project, record back to back podcasts or just get out of my squirrel brain Add mode. It contains methylene blue, which you've heard so much about. Nicotine, caffeine and hemp crystal. All precision dosed, pharmaceutical grade and formulated by physicians. Now, I know what you're thinking.
- [01:50]
Monica Brandt
Wait a minute.
- [01:51]
Dr. Amy
I'm supposed to be avoiding nicotine and caffeine. No, no, no. Nicotine in and of itself, when combined with methylene blue actually helps protect against cancer. Lights up your brain. I've been using it throughout my cancer journey as well. And a little bit of caffeine does not hurt. There's no reason why we avoid caffeine in the correct amounts in the right form. Then there's Trocom, which is saving more times than I can count, especially before a high pressure meeting.
- [02:19]
Monica Brandt
Podcast.
- [02:20]
Dr. Amy
Those days when my nervous system is just on edge, I can feel my cortisol so surging. And one trochee and I feel like I can breathe again. No sedation, just grounded calm where I'm still productive but no longer buzzing with anxiety. And that's thanks to ingredients like B3 and GABA and calming mushrooms delivered in a way that actually hits fast, like 20 minutes because it bypasses your gut go straight into your bloodstream. That's the magic of Troscriptions. Physician created precision dose delivered in a way that works. So no guessing, no waiting around for hours for maybe something to kick in. So if you're doing all the right things and you feel like your brain is lagging behind or your stress is through the roof, try the blue canadine and the TRO Calm. You will feel the difference. So you're going to go to troscriptions.com forward/doctor Amy. You're going to use the code Dr. Amy at checkout for 10% off your first order. Let me spell it for you. T R O S C R I P T I o n s.com forward/d r a M I E and use the code D R A M I E at checkout because midlife, the time we're in right now, not a time to guess, just a time to feel good. Did you know there's a reason why boosting NAD can actually make us feel years younger? This vital NAD molecule powers cellular energy, it supports our DNA health, it aids in detoxification, and it helps your body remain youthful. But by the age of 50, which I'm there now, NAD levels dropped to half of what they were at 20. So yeah, we need to replace them because I want to feel and look like I'm 20. All right, maybe 30. So luckily there is Qualia NAD Plus, a clinically proven cutting edge supplement that can boost your NAD levels by 67%. So no shots, just a pill. Works amazingly, contains powerful precursors like niacin, niacinamide and niagen. And the top NAD boosters known to science, along with 11 other key ingredients to support the body's entire NAD production process. It's vegan, non GMO, gluten free, so no worries there.
- [04:42]
Monica Brandt
And.
- [04:42]
Dr. Amy
And it's a clinically proven formula that has become my go to for maximizing my NAD levels because I want to anti age. So if you want to age well, too high NAD levels are a must. So you're going to visit qualia life.com I'm going to spell that for you. Q-U a l I a l I f e.com Thyroid to try Qualia NAD backed by a 100 day money back guarantee.
- [05:15]
Monica Brandt
What?
- [05:16]
Dr. Amy
Yeah, they back their products. It's going to work, people. So you're going to use the promo code thyroid for 15% off. So that's quality of life.com forward/thyroid with the promo code thyroid for 15% off. I wanted to explore how faith plays such a pivotal role in healing and this really isn't the. It's not new age, it's not woo. It's faith in the Lord. So if this doesn't speak to you, then don't listen to this episode. It's as simple as that. But I know a lot of my listeners are Christians. They are very deep into their faith. And as a Christian myself, I know sometimes we forget that we have to go to the Lord with things when we're facing a crisis, especially a health crisis. We have to bring that and literally cast our cares and cast our burdens on the Lord. That's how we get answers. That's how we get a light shined on our path, which path we're supposed to take. And that's how we get strengthened and we can start to shift our focus and see our trials and tribulations as true gifts. I've always said that symptoms, the symptoms you have are, are gift by your body. And it's your body saying, hey, there's something going on here that maybe you need to pay attention to. It's no different. Whatever, wherever you are, whether it's a thyroid issue or cancer or heart disease, you are being given a gift. And this gift is not only to give you a lesson, possibly allow you to walk through your own pain to purpose story and then help other people. But it's also there to bring you deeper into your faith to literally rely on, on the Lord for your healing and for your transformation. So for those of you who are offended at this or don't want to listen, just don't listen. But for those who want to go deeper, then continue listening to this amazing conversation that I had with Monica Brandt. Who is Monica Brandt? Let me give you a quick intro in case you don't know who she is. She is an IFBB pro. She has been in the fitness and figure space for decades. She was my first, first idol when I started competing.
- [07:32]
Monica Brandt
I said I want to, I want to be like Monica.
- [07:34]
Dr. Amy
I want to look like Monica. She's so beautiful. She's so, just has the perfect body.
- [07:38]
Monica Brandt
She looks gorgeous.
- [07:39]
Dr. Amy
And she was just kicking ass and taking names in the figure competition space. But she went much deeper with her life. And yes, she still helps women get in the best shape of their life, but she went deeper in her own life with her spirituality, with her faith, with her walk with God. And today we share a deep conversation on how faith plays a pivotal role in healing. I'm here today with Monica Brandt, and you've heard me say that she really is my. I don't know what the word is. Mentor isn't quite right idol, who I've looked up to for literally decades, especially in my fitness career. But now we've had just the absolute pleasure of connecting, yes, of course, on the podcast and the fitness level, but on such a much deeper level as she has really become a powerful sister in Christ, a prayer warrior. For me and what I'm going through and through our discussions, I really wanted to bring this to the podcast because faith really does play a pivotal role in healing any health condition. I mean, yes, it can be as extreme as dealing with cancer. It can be, I'll say as simple, use air quotes there. As simple as dealing with something like a hormone imbalance or a thyroid condition. And whenever we are faced with a health crisis, whenever we're faced with our bodies rebelling against us and doing things that we, we know are not in our best interest for our overall health and vitality, we have to get grounded in our faith and we have to bring our requests before the Lord and use faith as a powerful healing tool. That's the conversation that I really wanted to dive with Monica today. Dive into with Monica today, because as I was thinking about this podcast and, and praying about it as well, one thing that came to my mind, and I'm going to start the conversation off with this, Monica, and you can speak to this. You know, we hear so much about mindset and mindset training. And then there's, there's Joe Dispenza, which, you know, he's working on how you think about yourself and how your thoughts and, and emotions drive your body and can start affecting your cells and how they function and how disease can really manifest if we're hyper focused on that. And we've heard about this for years with the Secret and with various books coming out regarding our thoughts and emotions driving our health. But when you look at the origins of all of these people out there talking about mindset and thoughts, it originates in the Bible. It originates with. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind. And even Joe Dispenza himself will reference. God will reference quotes in the Bible. Because that naturally ties back to who we are as a person and how our belief system and our faith and our thoughts can affect our entire body from head to toe. So that's where I'm starting and I'm leading off with that topic. I really want to pick your brain about that and then we'll see where this goes.
- [10:46]
Monica Brandt
Well, thanks for having me, Amy. And you know, as you're sharing just that whole entrance, our introduction to this moment, I just overwhelming of gratitude and thankfulness of the life that God has provided me and the opportunities of meeting people like yourself and just being able to connect. And I think about just the original connection email that we had together and talking about the podcast and just where we are now. I feel like I've known you for a long time. I know. So true. Right. And it's just interesting how if we allow God to guide our paths and use us, then, you know, he brings people into our life that we need and that each other need. Right. There's always a. There's a give and a take, and it's wonderful to see when there's a blessing come from both sides. I appreciate, I appreciate you and already what you've helped me with, with my personal stuff, that's what we're here for. Funny. And I just, you know, here we are in the podcast talking about this and it's just funny because, you know, we look over at my blood work today and you're like, well, you know, you have Hashimoto's. I'm like, no, no one's ever told me that. And so this, that's a whole nother thing that I think we can walk down and really kind of dive into at another time. And I think there's a lot we can do together, not just for each other, but really for the viewers and people that will be listening and, and trying to encourage others. And, you know, as far as mindset goes, like, I just, I'm just going to go out on a limb and say I feel like so much of that can be new age and really. Woo.
- [12:26]
Dr. Amy
Yeah, it's in that woo space. Yeah.
- [12:28]
Monica Brandt
And anytime we put the focus on our self being the reason that we have seen something or something's happened, positive, like, we take the glory away from the Lord. And all through scripture we read that we are to walk in a way that glorifies the Lord. So if we're just focused on, well, my mindset and I'm going to get through this because I'm positive and I'm thinking correctly, like what what is that in the big picture of things? Like, ultimately, I'm just going to go out on. On. On the edge here, okay. And be real and raw. And I may not say everything correctly, but this is just like, I think if I went and met the Lord right now, if I died and I went and met the Lord right now, immediately what is my mindset going to do to. For him? When he asked me, well, what did you do with what I've given you? And is he even going to say he knows me? Because if I have a good mindset, that doesn't mean that I'm connected with the Lord. That doesn't mean that I'm connected with my Creator and that I'm going to meet him and he's going to say, well done. Or he's going to say, I don't know you. I mean, you know, my neighbor can come over here in the middle of the night, and I kind of know my neighbor. But would I want to open my door in my home to my neighbor that I don't really know that I'm kind of questioning?
- [13:45]
Dr. Amy
Right.
- [13:47]
Monica Brandt
And that's. Is. That's how a lot of people are with the Lord. Yeah, right. They have an idea who this person, you know, who he is, and they have made up their own idea of who he is, but they have not taken the time to get to know him by reading His Word, by learning, reading and scrutinizing the Scripture. So one of the ways that I do this is I go out and I do my cardio. I have a weighted vest and I walk and I read my Bible while I'm walking. Well, today I went hiking and I need a little more concentration because I'm like, up in the hills and the rocks. But I had my phone, which I don't like to carry, but I did because I can't, you know, couldn't carry. I wasn't going to carry my Bible, but I had my phone open to Psalm 37, and I read through it a few times, and I just kept going back to seeing what are the things that David, King David at the time writing this, what are the things that he's saying that I need to do in order to have God do something? And it's really beautiful. And I wanted to share this with you because there's some pieces in it that kind of made me go back. And then after I read it, I went and I read Romans 7 and 8, where Paul talks about being good versus having the spirit living inside of us. And what he was walking through. And it's just some interesting kind of concepts because I know a lot of people just think, well, I just need to be good and do good things, but.
- [15:11]
Dr. Amy
Right, right. And then I'll be rewarded.
- [15:13]
Monica Brandt
And the scripture, you know, here, it talks about doing things that God considers worthy and that glorify God. Like it's so different than just doing something good. Right. I don't know. That's, you know, I know a lot of concepts there, I think, but.
- [15:30]
Dr. Amy
Well, no, to your point, I think a lot of people think when they are faced with something, and I'll. I'll stay kind of in the health crisis mode. Whenever they're faced with a diagnosis, they're faced with a health crisis, they immediately go, why me, God? I've been so good. And as if their behaviors in life. And I'm not saying, like, go out and be a bad person, but. But their behaviors in life should dictate how God treats them or what he allows to come into their life. And that's simply not the case. Oftentimes we are given things for us. We are given a health affliction to grow who we are and to bring us closer to God, not because we're a bad person and we're being punished by Him.
- [16:15]
Monica Brandt
Right. Isn't that interesting that people think that they're being punished by God? Now? I. I think that there's a lot of things that we do to ourselves that, like you were telling me over, you know, just this when we're talking about my thyroid, like, this is something that's gone on for a few years and maybe some of the choices I've made here or there have affected it or maybe, you know, but it's like saying my past marriage didn't work out. And if I go back to the very beginning of when I married him, he wasn't probably the right guy for me to marry. And did I do everything the way God would have wanted me to do? Everything in the beginning of that relationship, did I, like if I'm really honest. So if the marriage went downhill, he ended up to be abusive, had ended up with a protective order. Get. Get away from him. I never one time said, God, why did. Why are you letting this happen? Because I could go back and be honest and say I wasn't doing things the way I knew I should. Of course, I was in my 30s and, you know, I'm just. I'm a lot more mature now, and I have more understanding and more resilience to things. And now I've walked through that And I've come out on the other side with blessings and action and different train of thought and. But I. We can take these opportunities that God gives us. Or maybe the word is allows. Because I don't. I don't know that God ever says, oh, I'm going to make you sick. I think he just says, or, you know, have it. Have a broken bone or whatever the health concern is. I think he allows things sometimes because, number one, we're not connected with him. We're not praying, we're not asking for protection. He says, you have not because you ask not. And then there's other. Another scripture that talks about. I think it's in Luke that talks about the lady that goes to the wicked king over and over and over, asking for him to give her justice. And he finally, you know, kind of throws his hands up. It's like, fine, I'll give you justice just so you leave me alone. And the point of the story is how much more loving God, a loving king of the universe, as we continue to ask him, he wants to give us that justice. And that justice isn't just, you know, in. In the law, but justice in our. Our physical walk, you know, and pointing us in our direction and our steps. He wants to give us all those things, so we are to ask for those things. And I think sometimes, Amy, it's so hard to pray for ourself, right? Yes, it's hard to, because we have to get real with God and with ourselves, and we have to pray for ourselves not to do things or to do these things or to wake up with the right attitude of gratitude for what God's doing in our life and the blessings we have. Like, how many times do I wake up? And I just think, lord, I'm so thankful for my bed. And every day that I wake up in this bed. Thank you for this moment. Because in five years from now, the way things are going, I may be in a rehabilitation house because of my views of the Lord, you know?
- [19:19]
Dr. Amy
Right, right.
- [19:20]
Monica Brandt
I might be in a FEMA home, living on the floor, because I won't say no to Jesus, you know, like, I don't know. But I think praying for ourselves is what God wants us to do, as he wants us to pray for others and to be there for others, but he also wants us to pray for ourselves. My husband and I helped raise a young girl for about seven or eight years of her from 11 to graduate. She graduated first in her family to ever graduate high school. And she came to us with. She couldn't Talk, Really. She, I mean, she could talk, but she was like, she didn't know how to use her words. She didn't know how to vocalize things. And so we had to teach her how to ask for things. Like, I know what you need. I would tell her, I said, I know what you need, but I need you to ask me. And here's how you ask. For instance, if she had to get, pick her up from school, like, don't just text me and say, I'm done. Say, you know, and I taught her how to speak and how to ask and how to, and I think that's what we are to do with God, right? Like, we, we have to be taught those things. And so that's why I feel like the scripture is so awesome to go read. That's why we have it, to learn how to talk to God and how to ask and, and I believe it's okay that we read the scripture and pray, pray it for ourselves, and use it as a blueprint for ourselves.
- [20:41]
Dr. Amy
Do you think it's, I mean, pride thing, though, that where people don't pray for themselves? Because it's almost like, ooh, I, I, I can't put myself first. But actually they're not even realizing that that's one of the seven deadly sins is pride. I mean, it's one of the things that can separate us from God is pride. And, and I'm just wondering if it's, if it's almost the enemy coming in and putting those thoughts in our head where we see it as, well, I'm being humble and I'm being selfless because I'm not praying for myself. I'm praying for other people when in, in fact, you are putting up a blockade to your own healing by thinking that way.
- [21:17]
Monica Brandt
Well, and the other thing is, are you really praying for other people if you're not able to pray for yourself? Like, you know, really, I mean, most other people, you know, they put the little prayer hand and like, are you really praying? Like, could you take that to the Lord and be like, why gave him pray hands? You know, I gave them pray hands. True. You know, we had a visit yesterday with a wonderful lady, and one of the things she said was that a health issue is actually a gift. Yes, yes. And I, I have never heard it put that way. The research and the work she's done, her life mission, and to have that as her leading information for someone was so impactful. And I'm like, tearing up now, and I'm like, I think it's so important that when these things come up that we have, we get excited. And so I almost feel this for other people when, when I have done, I've done a lot of faith consulting or consultating, consultations, helping people with their, with their walk with the Lord. And every time I find someone that comes to me with some deep hearted, whether it's a marital issue or something, I get excited for them because they're in a place where, where they can really, they really want that, they want that change and they want to know what God wants. And when we don't have that kind of failing something in our life, we just go on like we're okay. We don't, you know, God, we're. Me and God are fine, you know, and it's, yeah. And it's like all of a sudden things are falling apart and you go to the Lord and he's so good, he's so gracious. And his gift is grace, mercy. Right, it is that it is. And he is ready to take us in. But, so when I heard that, I thought that's so beautiful. It's such a beautiful way to think. And I guess that's kind of how I've always felt. But I, I never verbalize it like that for people. I, I would tell people, I'm like, I, I don't want to, this doesn't, I don't want you to come out, this come out wrong. But I'm actually excited for you because you're ready for this change and you're ready for God to step in. You're ready to let him do this. But now here's your part, here's what you do. And this is what I was reading out of Psalm 37 today was what do we do in order to have the Lord do what he says he's going to do? And I'm just going to read some of this real quick from.
- [23:40]
Dr. Amy
I want you to read that and then break that down a little bit more.
- [23:43]
Monica Brandt
Yeah. Okay. And this, I mean it starts off, it says, and this is the niv, which I usually, you know, like to read in the kgv, but it's a little easier to read and for people, so, so it starts off saying, do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong. For like the grass they will soon weather, like green plants, they will soon die away. I mean, and I look and I just think, I mean, off the first bat there's like, what do we see going on in the world right now? Like, and, and from Every direction, you know, between human, you know, trafficking and all of the. Okay, we know there's just a lot, there's a lot going on in the world that's evil, right?
- [24:23]
Dr. Amy
Yeah.
- [24:23]
Monica Brandt
And so we are, I mean the first thing, do not fret because those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong. And then it goes in. And then this is what we're to do. Trust in the Lord and do good. Dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Here's another thing we are to do. Take delight in the Lord and he will give you desires of your heart. So as I was reading this today, I was praying about this. I was like, okay, it says trust in the Lord and do good. I'm like, well there we go with well, what is good and who's to judge what good is? Because we have, you know, everyone's like, I just need to be good. Well, and, and you. Okay, well the Bible says to do good, but that's when I had to go and dig deeper into Romans and read what Paul talks about being good and, and all the, the fleshly versus the spirit.
- [25:09]
Dr. Amy
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- [27:25]
Monica Brandt
But here we are to trust in the Lord. So that's the main thing, trust in the Lord. Dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture and take delight in the Lord. And so I was asking the Lord, I'm like, do I even know what. Like I don't even know sometimes what the desires of my heart are. And how do we. And it says take delight in the Lord. And I'm like, lord, how do I take delight in you? And I think taking delight in the Lord could be different for everyone. But for me it's like, like I was out walking in the woods and reading his Word and connecting with Him. I feel like that's taking delight in the Lord, right?
- [27:59]
Dr. Amy
Yes.
- [27:59]
Monica Brandt
And that's also as I put the time into reading His Word, that's allowing me to trust in him more. So that, that takes care of trust in the Lord, Take delight in the Lord. And then it goes into verse five it says, commit your way to the Lord, trust in him and he will do this. So here's what it says he will do if we commit our way and we trust in Him. He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn. He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn. If we commit our ways to the Lord and trust in him, then he will do that. And your vindication like the noonday sun. So I was like, I was just taking these verses and literally just reading them and then asking the Lord, am I committing my ways to you? What are the desires of my heart? Make my desires and my heart be your desires for me so that they connect with him. Because then I will do good, but I will do good in the ways that the Lord wants me to do good. Right, right. Which will be on this. The spirit filled ways, not my fleshly. Because the flesh wants to do good in ways that aren't good for us.
- [29:03]
Dr. Amy
Exactly, exactly.
- [29:05]
Monica Brandt
And then verse seven, I mean that's just the first six verses. And then verse seven it says, be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him. And I'm like, lord, do I do that enough? And I know for me, when I start having any kind of lack of confidence, lack of joy, all these things that, you know, I'm like, the brain feels uneasy or whatever these things are, it's like, I know that I haven't sat before the Lord and I wasn't still before him. So be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him. Like, I mean, that one verse, just that alone can do so much for us. Right?
- [29:45]
Dr. Amy
Well, and you really brought that to my attention when we've been talking about actually getting on your knees and that. And believe it or not, we need reminded by our, our friends in faith to do these things. Because when you're in that turmoil, when you're in your head, when you're in the worry and you have moments that you pull out of the fear and you, and you get back into your faith, sometimes it is quick. Sometimes it is just a, a quick conversation with God. And I think we do need to break out of that mold and get on our knees and get on our face and, and, and spend as much time as you would spend doing breath work. Spend that time in prayer and, and cast your cares on the Lord because he does care about you that much. Now, on that note, Monica, I want to pick your brain about this because I know a lot of people think that if it doesn't work out, if, if I am not healed, if I don't get that miracle that I'm praying for, then God must not love me. And, and it goes back, it does tie into what you said about these things that we run into, these burdens that were given, the health crisis we're given, they're all gifts. And I firmly believe that. I mean, my thyroid issue 20 some odd years ago is a total gift because I wouldn't be here, I wouldn't be able to help you with your thyroid or all the people listening to this show with their thyroid. It was a 100, a complete gift. Now that I'm in the, the C word, the cancer space, it's like, wow, it's really hard to look at cancer as a gift. But what I'm trying to do with it is to turn it into a positive. Whatever God has in store for me, I want to be able to help the next person. How do you convince someone that this isn't being done to you? It's kind of, I'm kind of tying all the pieces of our conversation together. It's not that God hates you. It's not that he's punishing you. Yes. Even the worst health crisis is a gift. And even if he doesn't miraculously heal you, there is still something that can be done through you.
- [31:46]
Monica Brandt
Yes, Yes. I think he wants to continue hearing our praise. He wants. Because if we go back and again read through Scripture of all of the persecution that people had. I mean, the old days of the prophets, they were all. They were all killed for their word of God. You know, in the Old Testament, you think about it like they were. They weren't looked upon, friendly or fairly or. And they were probably most of them killed, you know, unless God just took them, like a couple of them, you know, Enoch and Elijah, he just took. But then you get into the New Testament with Jesus and they were all horribly murdered and killed for their testimony. And, and Jesus said that that would happen for his namesake. And he said, but he says, but you will be rewarded. So I think it's just it. Everything that we walk through here is. I mean, at this point in our lives is nothing compared to what the early church and people even to today are dealing with in other countries. You know, there was just recently what, how many Christians beheaded because they wouldn't, you know, deny Lord Jesus. Yeah, I mean, that's just recently. So I think it goes back to our praise of the Lord. And the enemy hates it when we praise the Lord. So we have to find. That's why that being still committing, committing our ways, taking delight in the Lord, trusting in the Lord not. Do not fret about those who do evil. Be still, refrain from anger. Turn away from wrath. Do not fret. And it. And it says the meek will inherit the land and enjoy peace and prosperity. We have to keep reading his promises and his words so that we understand what his promises are, so that, you know, what we're walking through now is going to strengthen us for the next thing. And every chance you get to praise his name while you're being still or while you're talking to somebody, as we're doing right now, I, I believe that what we're doing right now is considered fellowship. And it says that we are to fellowship with one another. And, and I love this. It says, the Lord makes the steps of the one who delights in him. Though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand. And I think that that is so important to remember that the Lord makes our steps when we delight in him. But otherwise, if we're not delighting in him, I mean, we always have to take these verses and kind of deconstruct them and then what's the opposite of what it's saying? If we're not delighting in him, if we're not being still in front of him, if we're not looking for his promise so that we can sing his praises and, and be, I mean we just look. And if we say that the, the meek will inherit the land and enjoy peace and prosperity, well, Lord, help me from refraining from anger. Help me to just watch and look for you. Help me to stay meek so that I will inherit the land and, and thank you that I will get to enjoy peace and prosperity. And I think if we can use his words to speak back to him and pray through those for ourselves, that will help us to pray for ourselves, right? Yes. And then we go over here and go, okay, well if we delight in him, then he will make firm our steps. Well then he's going to show us the directions that we are to go. But we have to be still in front of him long enough to be able to hear. Right?
- [35:08]
Dr. Amy
Right.
- [35:08]
Monica Brandt
And I think that's when God, when all of this starts making sense for us and it starts working and we start hearing from the Lord, we start hearing, maybe someone else will speak something into you that you'll be like, that's what, and you'll feel the peace about it. And God can bring those things but, and then we just keep giving the glory back to Him. Like no, it's because I'm taking the time to do this. I'm, now I'm, I'm putting it in front of me, I'm reading it and, and meditating on the words of God. It says through scripture that we are to meditate on His Word. And you know, the new age people want to say, oh, open up your heart and your mind and open it and close, clear it for all the universe stuff to come in. But God says meditate. So they've taken the word of God meditate and tried to make it their own thing. But it says all through scripture that we are to meditate on His Word and bury it in our hearts. So if you think that's like kind of Old Testament thinking because in Old Testament God was external, right? But in the New Testament, Jesus died on the cross, rose again, his spirit indwells in us when we ask him to live in our heart and we accept him as a newborn born Christian. That's what that is. And then he's internal. So we now are meditating on His Word. He's Internal. And it all works correctly, then right now that we have that opportunity that he's internal. And that's where I was going with, like reading in. In Romans 7 and 8 about the struggle that Paul was talking about being good versus the things that he wants to do and knows he should do, he doesn't do. And the things that he knows he should be on the spiritual side. He does. I mean, he's like, so open and honest about it. Like, and, and here's Paul. He wrote, you know, most of the New Testament from jail, persecuted and killed and like, imprisoned and beaten for Jesus. And yet he's still talking about his flesh versus his spirit. But he talks specifically about when we have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. And I, and I think this is a big part for people to hear is that we don't have all of these things that the Lord gives us if we don't have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. And it's a big part of being. And that's the gospel. That's, you know, what we're to get the word out. And it's so simple. It's. It's that gift that we, you know, I always describe it as salvation is a beautiful wrapped gift that someone's given you. You never open it. And you sit and look at it and you're like, okay, I'll open it another time. I'll look at it another time, I'll open it. And you don't realize that inside there is the most amazing piece of whatever you like to eat. Like, let's say it's the most amazing piece of Belgium chocolate or whatever, whatever your favorite thing is that you could just like, you know, dream about. But it's sitting in there and it's waiting for you to open it and take it in and enjoy it. Right? That's what people do with the Lord. They just leave that gift sitting, sitting for another time. Put it on the back burner or the back shelf. And the gift of the, of salvation and then being able to be sanctified, justified. So they're the word sanctification and justification, that these are big kind of big words for someone outside of faith. But salvation is the literally just accepting the Lord and asking him to live in our heart knowing that he died on the cross, died for our sins. There had to be blood to. For the covering of all sin. You know, there's still that sacrificing going on today, even the dark side. That's why the blood is so important. But Jesus blood Covered all of our sins. But we still. Once we know that, we still have to ask him.
- [38:53]
Dr. Amy
He doesn't wave a magic wand. He's not a genie. We do have to ask him. One thing that popped in my head as you were talking is in James when it says we, and I'm paraphrasing here, but basically we have to ask. But we have to ask in faith. We can't go, God, please heal me. Please heal me. Oh, gosh, I really don't think he's going to do this. Please heal me, God, please. Yeah, it's not going to be me. It's going to be my neighbor that's going to get the healing, not me. We can't ask with doubt. We have to ask in faith. And that faith is what. It not only strengthens our relationship with the Lord, but it does something internally. And I would love to know if. If somebody out there, and I. I know they've done a lot of studies on prayer and actually looking at cells and how they respond. Like, we can actually look at cells in a. In a petri dish under a microscope, and we can see. Can see how they vibrate and how they respond to. To. To prayer and to praise, and we can see them flourish as opposed to. We can take cells and we can talk. Nick, you're never going to get well.
- [39:55]
Monica Brandt
You're. You're.
- [39:56]
Dr. Amy
You're sick. And we can actually see those cells respond to negativity as well. And I think that that's the same thing when we are. When we're on our knees, when we're on our face, when we're activating our faith and we're. We're asking God for healing in our life. We have to ask from that place of. Of faith. We can't be doubting. Now, if you're a human being, of course doubt is going to creep in. But when it creeps in, you give that. So then that goes over to cast your cares and cast your burdens and give those to the Lord. He gets it. He gets that you're going to have doubt. He's not going to punish you because you had a moment of doubt. But as long as you come back and go, you know what, Lord, no, wait, I know that's the enemy. I know that's my fear talking to me, trying to get me off track of my relationship with you. I'm coming back to center. And I know you have the power, and I know that whatever your will is for me will be done. And, you know, I have to go back To a quick story too with my dad that we're not always going to get the absolute miraculous healing. So I rewind. Ten years ago, my dad was diagnosed with non Hodgkin's lymphoma. So he was going through his chemotherapy and at that point in time I was with my ex husband. He lost his job. We ended up literally back in Erie, Pennsylvania, living behind my parents. No other set of circumstances would have led me to living behind my parents in a tiny little apartment. But that was the situation at the time. My dad goes through his first round of chemo and he calls me over on a Saturday. I was fully dressed to go to yoga. Something inside me made me stay. I didn't go to yoga. I was fully dressed to go to yoga. He gives me a call, I answer because I'm still there. He's like, yeah, can you come over real quick? And I come over. He goes, I'm just starting to have some, some chest pains. I'm like, well then we should probably call 91 1. He's like, let me go to the bathroom first. He walks back to the bathroom. I hear thud. And I knew, like, I just knew I was calling 91 1, running down the hallway. I ended up being there, started CPR immediately. I mean he was for all intents and purposes gone. And I was doing CPR. Paramedics came, they defibrillated him I think 11 to 15 times. There is nothing that should have kept him alive except those set of circumstances that let me be there. He ended up in the hospital. They didn't know how his brain function would be. He turned out completely fine. 100 after that. Now, did God prevent the heart attack? No. Did God cure his cancer? Eventually. But after he went through all the treatments and he ended up having a bone marrow transplant, but I still consider that a huge miracle because God was there, intervening, lining up the pieces that had to be in place for my dad's life to be saved. That wasn't me. That was God lining up everything and just using me as a vessel to be there. And, and so I think you, I look at that as a true miracle, a modern day miracle. But I think people too often think that they want the genie miracle, they want the magic wand. Poof, you are healed and be gone. And that's not how God always works right now.
- [43:09]
Monica Brandt
I mean, sometimes he allows those things to happen for. But you know what you're doing right now is you are glorifying him through the story, right? And that's what we are to do. Is give him back the glory and the praise for his, his handiwork upon all the situation and kept your dad's life there for you. Yeah, that's amazing.
- [43:29]
Dr. Amy
And you know, I mean, I've seen, and I'm sure you have too, I've seen many miracles in my life. But you have to be open to seeing them and seeing them for what they are. Not be expecting something major and deem that a miracle. You know, yes, he can make the blind see, but it might not be that big. It might be something very small and it might be that this health crisis that you're going through is the miracle because you don't know what's going to come out on the other side and you don't know how many people's lives you might touch because of what you've went through.
- [44:01]
Monica Brandt
I heard someone recently, that good friend of mine say that she uses the term the obstacle is the answer. Kind of interesting, right? You mentioned James. It says here, if any of you lack wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt. Because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double minded and unstable in all they do. And then if you go over because, okay, so then it says, asking if you lack wisdom, you should ask God and he'll give you. So then we go over here to chapter three and it's very specific about what God's wisdom is. And I have a whole another day story. I did a devotional on this myself on God's wisdom. And I had a whole thing that I walked through at one point. But it says, who is wise and understanding among you, let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not boast about it or deny the truth. If you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your heart, don't boast about it and don't deny it. Isn't that crazy? Such wisdom in quotes does not come down from heaven, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. But this is verse 17. But the wisdom that comes from heaven from God is first of all pure, then peace, loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy, good fruit, impartial, sincere peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness. So I did a whole study on this because I walked. My husband and I walked through something a few years ago that this really was impactful, having this information about God's wisdom, because it was a really hard situation that I was devastated in. And I had read this. But then it was brought to my attention again through my pastor as he preached on it literally the day before. I needed it, like, really needed it. And I was just, like, everything opened up for me. It was like I needed to hear what God's wisdom is, because we think we know what wisdom is. And really, if it doesn't fit in this category, and then if you go to the King James Version and read it, it reads just a little bit different. And there's some different words in there that sometimes we gotta, you know, go to the dictionary and translate because it's interesting how the words differ a little bit. But it's pretty impactful knowing what God's wisdom is versus ours. So we can think about anything that we're trying to do. And we ask the Lord, do I have selfish ambition? Do I have any bitterness in my heart? You know, like, yeah, need to get those things out. Because it says those things lead to every evil, practice and disorder.
- [46:59]
Dr. Amy
Yeah.
- [46:59]
Monica Brandt
Isn't that crazy? That's what's in our heart. Right. So when was I reading? Just in Psalm 37 about not fretting when the, you know, crooked people succeed, you know, because the Lord will handle them. The Lord will take care of that. He will make all wrongs right. I know a lot of stuff we've talked about here. It's good.
- [47:18]
Dr. Amy
Oh, yeah, yeah. No, it all ties together. It ties beautifully together. So what would you say when. When you are counseling women and let's just call them baby Christians. I love how Joyce Meyer said, you know, sometimes some people are baby Christians, they're just starting out, and that's fine. I mean, it doesn't matter where you are with your walk. You gotta start somewhere. So, you know, let's say someone is listening to this for the first time, and they're like, yeah, this is. This is missing, but where do I start? And you really helped me with this. When we first spoke about, actually when I'm going for a walk with my dog, like, just like you do on your hike, speaking scripture out loud, because that has power when it comes out of our mouth. Where would you tell a person to start who is hearing this?
- [48:02]
Monica Brandt
Yeah, well, make sure they have a. A real Bible, like a hard one.
- [48:08]
Dr. Amy
Well, as opposed to what? Like clarify that.
- [48:10]
Monica Brandt
As opposed to just your phone.
- [48:12]
Dr. Amy
Okay, okay.
- [48:13]
Monica Brandt
I mean, yeah, for now I say phones are, I think, still good to have and. But at some point AI is going to come in and start changing things up.
- [48:25]
Dr. Amy
Oh my goodness.
- [48:26]
Monica Brandt
And we may end up losing freedom on our phones for. I mean, this is kind of going down a different rabbit hole. So I just not to go off that, that route. But I just encourage people have Bible. So your esv, your KJV and niv. I have all three because I like to read them and I have notes in all of them. And you know, I have a different size for when I go walking, so I can carry it easily versus when I'm home and I'm studying and I am in my little, my little room where I study and I have stuff where I can put my big study Bible up and not have to hold it. So anyways, so you know, make sure you get a Bible and NIV is a decent one to start with. I think we talked about this before about translations. I think the biggest thing is just get one that you'll read. So if you need one that has larger print, ESV is a real good in between the KJV and the niv.
- [49:22]
Dr. Amy
What do you think about the amplify? I like how the amplify breaks it down too, a little bit further.
- [49:27]
Monica Brandt
Yeah. Okay, so that's good. So make sure you have a few Bibles in your house and then you just start reading. And I would suggest like my ESV has a. In the back of it, it has a reading plan to read through the Bible. So and it's a little bit each day and there's some from the Old Testament and some from the New Testament. There's just a little each day. I think that's a great way to just get in the Word. Now there's going to be a ton of, you know, depending on somebody's understanding. And there's so much research you can do. Right. I mean, and I'm kind of a research person. I love it. I like to go research words and then take notes. And so I think the biggest thing is just to start reading. A reading plan is very helpful. I would say you could read one chapter of Psalm and one chapter of Proverbs each day. That way you get Psalms is usually more about praising God and as you're walking through things and learning how to praise him, like we were reading out of Psalm 37 earlier. And then Proverbs is just tons of great wisdom and some of it you're going to be like, oh, I've kind of heard this before. Some of it's not going to make some sense to you because it's a translation. And. But Proverbs is really great for wisdom. And you could do a chapter each day, just, you know, like day one of the month day, you know, chapter one, chapter one, something like that. And then the Gospels are really awesome. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Those are the first four stories of the life of Jesus. And there's. And they're called the Gospels. So the Gospel is a story of the Jesus, of his ministry, of his birth, his death, his resurrection. And all four of them are really good. They, you know, they pretty much have the same story, the same information, but there's. Some of them have a little more like Mark's got. Mark probably has a lot more emphasis on how God delivered, how, how Jesus, who is God but Jesus in human form, how he delivered people from infirmities and healed people and all the miracles that he did. There's a lot of that, but they're all really similar. And some have a little more emphasis. Just like if you and I spent three years together and then we wrote about it, like, I would point out some things more than you would point out, and some things would match up. So it's just, you know, that kind of thing. But just to really get a good grasp on who Jesus is, of course, you know, there's so much with prophecy. You know, finding a good church that you can go to is important. We have an amazing church we've been involved with for, well, since 2013, and we're involved with the church family, the pastor and his wife and their kids. And we, we do a lot there. We take people there. We love it. We can't get every Sunday, but we do online when we can't go. But, you know, going is so much more impactful than just online. And we're meant to be together. People thrive together. So find a church that talks about Jesus, doesn't hold back, teaches the word of God and, and all of the word of God, the Old Testament, New Testament prophecy. You need a pastor that's not afraid to say hard things and speak truth. So, but just, you know, at least getting started there is, you know, there's some really great simple ABCs of Christian faith. You know, accepting and believing and confessing and becoming a Christian, you know, so that's kind of another thing. Maybe we can walk down sometime, talk about a little bit more. Because, you know, if people think that it's so, so hard to accept Jesus. It's not, it's the one of the most simple things you can do. It's on all about your heart and giving your heart to the Lord and asking the Lord to come into your heart and clean it up. I think what people think is hard is I have to change my life and all this. But it's kind of funny because when I hosted Women's events for 15, almost 20 years, I had so many women that would, I would meet them somewhere at an event or they would email me. I'm just not ready to come to your event. I need to get myself in better shape or you know, they, they never thought they were ready to come to my event. And I'm like, no, my event is for you. Like you just come as you are. I don't need you to go and spend three months preparing for my camp. I just need you to come and participate. Like you don't have to do something to change who you are. Like, just come as you are. Fine. But people would always tell me that they're like, oh, I didn't think I was in good enough shape to come to your event. I'm like, my event is not, you know, it's for you, the new person that is hungry for the information, that wants to communicate, want to meet like minded women. They wanted to learn and be, participate and just step out in of their comfort zone. And that's what really what, that's what faith with Jesus is. It's like, come as you are.
- [54:14]
Dr. Amy
Yeah, right.
- [54:14]
Monica Brandt
Just, you don't have to change anything. You just come all your faults, all your flaws, all your things. And Jesus just says, come on, let me help you, you know, and then we start. That's what, that's the words. I think I mentioned them earlier. Salvation leads to justification, leads to sanctification. And those are just kind of big words. But justification is when we become a Christian and we are saved by the blood of Jesus and the covering of him. And we have just accepted that and said, yes, Jesus is the son of the only God. He is God. He is. He died on the cross, he's resurrected. His blood covered my sins. Like, lord, come in my heart, live in my heart. Like that's all it is. But it's that heart change. We then have justification with God. And it says in Romans 5:1 that because of Jesus and what he did on the cross, we have peace with God. That's justification. So if we dissect that verse and take it apart, if Jesus hadn't done what he did, and we don't accept the free gift of what he did for us and. And ask him to come and live and accept and say, yes, I am a sinner and I need salvation, then we're not justified. We. We don't have peace with God. So. So that's justification. And then sanctification is just the ongoing changing of our thoughts, our views are how we handle our time, how we're learning the Word and implementing it into our life and then our steps, and with the Lord directing our steps because we're delighting in Him. That's all sanctification, that's just changing. That's how God changes us. So that's why I say we don't have to change ourselves. He does it for us. When we're doing these things, if we're not being still in front of him, if we're not committing our ways to him, if we're not delighting in him and we're not asking him, him, he can't change us, then there's no sanctification going on. That's when people get stuck.
- [56:04]
Dr. Amy
Right.
- [56:04]
Monica Brandt
And then something big happens in their life, and they're like, why God? Well, God's like, you haven't been talking to me and walking with me and commending your ways to me. And I mean, you know, we're all guilty of. Of that to some degree. Right.
- [56:16]
Dr. Amy
And we all are. Yeah.
- [56:17]
Monica Brandt
But, you know, King David, it says that no matter what King David did, and he did some really horrible things. You know, it's all in scripture, but he also did amazing, wonderful things, but he always had a heart bent to the Lord. He had a soft heart for God, and he fell on his face and he's like, lord, don't take your spirit from me. When's the last time we've prayed and said, lord, don't take your spirit from me?
- [56:43]
Dr. Amy
Yeah, right.
- [56:43]
Monica Brandt
Like, it's. So he did that. I mean, and we can read and learn from him, that we just. I always say we just have to have our heart bent towards the Lord.
- [56:54]
Dr. Amy
Yeah.
- [56:54]
Monica Brandt
Because then he will come in and show us what we need. He will give us the wisdom that we need as we read His Word. I mean, it just. We just go back through all those things that said in some. Don't fret. Yep. Yeah.
- [57:06]
Dr. Amy
You can find so much in there. But I think that's a beautiful place to leave people with. Is. Is your analogy with the women that were coming to you and saying, but. But I'm not perfect. I need to be perfect. Perfect to come and work with you. And that's not the case. And that's that's exactly how it is with the Lord is you don't have to be perfect. You can be broken right now. You can be going through the worst time in your life and it is never too late to come to him and give him your cares and your burdens. So we'll leave it with that. Monica, thank you so much for your your wisdom and and your love for God and being able to share this and fellowship with me so that this can now help others. And just if it helps one person, then we've done our job and the Lord has worked through us. So I thank you so much for your time today. Of course you and I will be talking so much more and we'll have you back on the show again. But I deeply value your friendship and your faith and just thank you for coming on.
- [58:08]
Monica Brandt
Thanks, Amy Foreign.
- [58:12]
Dr. Amy
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