
Hosted by Catherine Duggan · EN

Witness Wednesday #122 More PopWe Stories (Anxiety/Depression) Today’s witnesses are from Matthew West’s website called popwe.org. If you don’t know who Matthew West is, he is a singer, songwriter, and storyteller. This website is for the non-profit that he has with his father, a pastor. Matthew and his father encourage people to share their stories. They have various categories of stories. Today, I chose three testimonies from the Anxiety/Depression Category. I know so many people who are struggling with anxiety and depression right now. Suicide seems like it is increasing as well. Often, we can hear our own story in someone else’s story. When we listen to others tell their story, it helps us see that we are not alone. When we hear how God worked in their situation, it gives us hope that He will work in ours, too! I pray when you hear these testimonies, you get the faith and hope to believe that miracles can happen in your situation also. I pray you know that God is there with you, and if you invite Him into your anxiety and depression, He can help. Jenna: I grew up in a Christian family. We went to church every Sunday and Wednesday and were a part of almost everything; Awana, Elevate teen group, and even school there. Two and a half years ago, I lost someone who I was close to because she felt the need to commit suicide. I was heartbroken and I felt like I lost everything. 2022 was a challenging year for me. I had daily panic attacks and felt like I was worthless. My eating habits went down significantly, and I was stressed all the time. As exams neared, I was super stressed and ended up passing out. Months passed and I still felt worthless. I planned to commit suicide when I got a text from a friend, and it was like a text from God. She said she heard I was going to camp and hoped to see me there. I thought if I waited til after camp, and then committed suicide it would be okay. So I went to camp and it changed my life. I met so many new people and was able to share my hurt with my church and they told me that I was not alone. Camp was my blue couch moment as I sat there in service Thursday night, I realized that I needed God in my life more than ever. I had already been saved, but I realized I hadn’t been living like Christ wanted me to. Around late February early March, my friend introduced me to someone…we immediately hit it off and became great friends. A month or two later, it was revealed that he liked me. We started dating in June and have been together ever since. I tell you that little story because sometimes when you need it most, God has someone in mind who will help you grow in faith and support you through it all. They can also help you overcome the hardships in your life. I still deal with anxiety and eating habits, but they have gotten so much better since camp and I am so thankful for all that my church has done for me. Also, I have my three closest friends with me right by my side and the Lord has blessed me with an amazing boyfriend who I love and who has helped me through a lot. GOD’S NOT DONE WITH YOU OR YOUR STORY! HE STILL CARES A LOT AND WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU. YOU HAVE A PURPOSE – TURN TO GOD TO FIND THAT PURPOSE AND YOU WILL BE FOUND. Brianna: From the age of 10, I was stuck with the label “child prodigy,” winning piano competitions, featured in local newspapers, and recognized as a passionate, fiery recitalist. Yet, even as a youth, I was severely depressed. I was insecure, seeking affection, and perpetually in pursuit of attaining “good enough.” Right before my 16th birthday, my world suddenly turned upside down. In an unexpected turn of events, I faced a close encounter with death, had my innocence taken, and watched helplessly as my mother’s health began to rapidly fail. Too ashamed to ask for help and blaming myself for the situation, I despairingly turned to self-harm, eating disorders, and eventually, planned my own suicide. One day, I heard the song ‘Broken Pieces’, and I found something onto which I could cling to – Truth, even when I could not feel it and it failed to make sense. Through involvement with an organization called Csehy Summer School of Music, I came to personally know Christ. For the first time in my life, I experienced peace, hope, and true joy. Dedicating my life to God, I went back home with a different perspective. My life was still intense – balancing high school and conservatory studies, living between home and the hospital, while being a full-time caretaker for my undiagnosed mother. By the grace of God, I managed to graduate as Salutatorian and get accepted into music school. However, shortly before college began, my mother passed away. I started my B.A. in piano at Charleston Southern University, using every spare moment to pour my heart out into the keys as a wordless prayer. Yet, a lingering pain in my right hand soon became constant. A few months after my mother’s funeral, I was diagnosed with severe damage in my right hand, incited by the physical strains from being a caretaker. The only option left was surgery, followed by excruciating therapy, without guarantee of returning to the keys. My doctor strongly advised me to quit and choose a different career path. But I fought back. Over the next several years, I fought through recovery – from both surgical and emotional scars. I realized that though I had given my life to Christ, I hadn’t fully “surrendered” it. In those precious years of undergrad, I experienced the freedom found in surrendering to the grace of God, the beauty of vulnerability, and the power of learning to fly again. Then, nearly four years to the day the doctor said it was over, I found myself sitting onstage, performing at Carnegie Hall. When I turned to the audience to see a standing ovation, I burst into tears, because I remembered the words, “With You I can attack a barrier, and with my God I can leap over a wall.”-Psalm 18:29 Today, despite the formalities infused in classical music, I get to use the concert stage as a platform to share my story and encourage others to seek help and experience the peace of God. I perform and travel internationally as a soloist and chamber musician, frequently being sought after to premiere avant-garde piano works, and I am actively involved in youth and collegiate ministry. Although healing is an ongoing process, by the hand of God’s work in my life, the label of “Victim” has been replaced with “Victorious,” “Hopeless” has been covered by “Confidence,” and what was “Impossible” is now a living, breathing, walking “Miracle.” Bubby: Hey, I just wanted to thank Matthew for his book, “Hello My Name Is” and for all he does for us! I’ve met him a handful of times and he is such an awesome child of God. On page 58, I believe, he talks about the story of the 11-year-old who asked for the hug and shared about his anxiety. It took me back to my childhood. I didn’t come to faith until I was 14. A man!! (Lol. I thought…) But I can remember being 5-10 and suffering through anxiety and panic issues every night and throughout the day. I won’t go into it, but it was messed up. Family life was messed up. When I read how this little boy thinking of God holding him when listening to Matt’s song, it brought tears to my eyes. I’m 58 and still have memories of my childhood that can hurt if I dwell in them, but I very seldom do…only when things like reading or seeing or hearing someone else’s experiences. I looked back at how God was there for me all along even though I was not His child yet. His love is so totally encompassing!! It fills every void in my soul. At 12 I was prescribed some medicine that helped, but it was addictive, and when my mom took me off them abruptly, I turned to drinking and drugging heavier then I had already started a year or so earlier. It was a long road I went through, but thank God, I will have 19 years of sobriety this month. My name is “Saved,” in so many ways. Thank you all for sharing your stories with the world. It can be hard to be vulnerable and talk about the hard things we have gone through.Yet when you are brave and do it even when its hard then we help others who are suffering know that it is ok for them to talk about it too! I am so grateful God saved each of you and thank you again for sharing your story! www.findingtruenorthcoaching.comCLICK HERE TO DONATECLICK HERE to sign up for Mentoring CLICK HERE to sign up for Daily "Word from the Lord" emailsCLICK HERE to sign up for my newsletter & receive a free audio training about inviting Jesus into your daily lifeCLICK HERE to buy my book Total Trust in God's Safe Embrace

God, How Can I Help You Today? Ezekiel 37:7 “So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold, a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to its bone.” I like this verse for many reasons. First, I love that it shows Ezekiel's obedience to God. God wasn't asking him to do something easy. He was asking him to prophesy over dry bones and make them live again. Let me read the whole section: Ezekiel 37:1-6 says, “The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley; it was full of bones. And he led me round among them; and behold, there were very many upon the valley; and lo, they were very dry. And he said to me, ‘Son of man, can these bones live?’ And I answered, ‘O Lord God, thou knowest.’ Again he said to me, ‘Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live.’” Take a minute and put yourself in Ezekiel's shoes. God asks you to speak to a valley full of dry bones and tell them to come back to life. I wonder what Ezekiel was thinking. Did he know it would work? Did he have a moment of doubt? What must it have felt like when he obeyed and suddenly heard the rattling of bones coming together all around him? It must have been incredible. Another reason I love this passage is because it shows that God likes to use us to do His work. God could have raised those bones Himself, but He chose to involve Ezekiel. Did you know God wants to use you too? I know many of you immediately counted yourselves out when I said that. Maybe you think you're too old, too young, too shy, too busy, or not holy enough. Maybe you think you're not bold enough or not qualified enough. Those are lies from the enemy. God calls us exactly where we are. He may not be calling all of us to raise the dead or travel the world preaching the Gospel, but He does have a role for each one of us in His plan. What if we started asking God every morning: “God, what can I do for you today?” How do you think your life would change if you started each day that way? God usually doesn't begin by asking us to do huge things. He often starts with small acts of obedience. As we become faithful in the small things, He entrusts us with more. Sometimes we're afraid to ask God what He wants because we're worried He'll ask us to do something uncomfortable. The truth is, He probably will ask us to step outside our comfort zone from time to time. That's how we grow. But God also knows us better than we know ourselves. He isn't trying to set us up for failure. He loves us. And if we miss it sometimes, that's okay. We can try again next time. In our prayer group, we spend time in silence listening to the Lord. Over the years we've noticed that if someone feels prompted to share a word but is too nervous to do it, God often gives that same word to someone else. I find that comforting. It takes some of the pressure off. However, I don't think we should use that as an excuse not to step out when we feel God calling us. I was reminded of a story this weekend that illustrates this perfectly. A girl was at church camp when a pastor shared a story about his daughter. One day she felt God telling her to do a handstand next to the soda machine at a gas station. She didn't want to do it. It seemed ridiculous. But the feeling wouldn't go away. Finally, she drove to the gas station. She walked in, saw only one employee behind the counter, awkwardly waved, walked over to the soda machine, and did a handstand. As she was leaving, the employee stopped her and asked, “Why did you do that?” She replied, “I felt like God told me to do a handstand by the soda machine.” The man stared at her for a moment, pulled a gun from beneath the counter, and placed it on top. He said, “Today after work I was planning to kill myself. I prayed and asked God that if He was real, He should send a girl to do a handstand by the soda machine.” Every time I hear that story, I get emotional. She had no idea why God was asking her to do something so strange. She only knew He was asking. Sometimes God calls us to do things and we never find out why. Other times He lets us see the impact. I don't know why God doesn't always tell us the reason ahead of time. Maybe part of it is building our trust and faith. What I do know is that God wants to use you. He wants to speak to you. He wants you to be part of His plan. What if, after listening to this episode, you took a minute and asked Him: “God, how can I help You today?” Don't worry if you don't hear perfectly. None of us do. Don't worry if you don't always have the courage to do everything He asks. God doesn't stop loving you. He simply invites you to try again. Being part of God's plan isn't a burden. It's an honor. And it is an invitation He freely offers to each of us. Dear Heavenly Father, I ask you to bless all those listening to this episode today. Lord, we love you so much, and we can't believe you invite us into your plan. Help us to say yes. Give us courage, boldness, and trust. Help us make time each day to listen for your voice. Help us ask how we can help you and then give us the grace to respond. We are so grateful for your love. We ask all of this in accordance with your will and in Jesus' holy name, Amen. Thank you so much for joining me on this journey to walk boldly with Jesus. If you've been feeling distant from God lately, but you're not sure why, I created a free quiz called "What's Quietly Blocking Your Connection With God?" In just a few minutes, you'll discover one of four common obstacles that may be affecting your relationship with God. At the end, you'll receive a personalized result, a short podcast episode, and a mentoring replay chosen specifically for your result. CLICK HERE for the quiz. I look forward to meeting you here again tomorrow. Have a blessed day! Today’s Word from the Lord was received in November 2025 by a member of my Catholic Charismatic Prayer Group. If you have any questions about the prayer group, these words, or how to join us for a meeting, please email CatholicCharismaticPrayerGroup@gmail.com. Today’s Word from the Lord is, “I know your interior struggles. I know every single thought that the devil feeds you in order to make you curse yourself and burn yourself. I love you, my precious ones. Stay strong. Keep trying. Keep moving forward. I will let nothing hold you from me or your purpose. I kiss each of you.” www.findingtruenorthcoaching.comCLICK HERE TO DONATECLICK HERE to sign up for Mentoring CLICK HERE to sign up for Daily "Word from the Lord" emailsCLICK HERE to sign up for my newsletter & receive a free audio training about inviting Jesus into your daily lifeCLICK HERE to buy my book Total Trust in God's Safe Embrace

Are You Listening to God? Zechariah 7:8-14 “And the word of the Lord came again to Zechariah: ‘This is what the Lord Almighty said: Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. Do not plot evil against each other.’” This is more verses than I usually cover in one day, but I wanted to include the whole passage because the context is important. What stood out to me most was the beginning: “Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor.” There are two reasons this struck me. The first is because of a retirement ceremony I attended for my husband Tony's boss. Several people spoke about him, and one phrase came up repeatedly: “Sometimes you just need to give a little grace.” That phrase has stayed with Tony for years. I think we need more of that today. We are often quick to become offended, angry, or frustrated. Someone cuts us off in traffic, speaks sharply to us, or has a bad day, and we let it affect us for hours. I'm not saying bad behavior is okay. I'm saying that we all have bad moments. We all need grace sometimes. Think about the last time you got upset. If you had stopped and given that person a little grace, would it have changed the situation? The second reason this passage stood out to me is because of what God specifically tells us: “Show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor.” This is not a political statement. It is a biblical one. No matter where we stand politically, we should ask ourselves: Am I being compassionate? Am I showing mercy? Am I treating others the way God asks me to treat them? God does not tell us to show compassion only to people who think like us, vote like us, look like us, or agree with us. He tells us to show compassion to those who need it. One phrase that stands out to me is “the foreigner.” We don't know people's stories. We don't know what they have escaped, what they have endured, or what burdens they carry. It can be frustrating when communication is difficult, but imagine living every day struggling to understand and be understood. God calls us to compassion. The passage then continues: “But they refused to pay attention; stubbornly they turned their backs and covered their ears. They made their hearts as hard as flint and would not listen.” That part convicted me. Are we listening to God? Or are we allowing social media, news, culture, and our own opinions to shape us more than Scripture? God's Word has not changed. Yet sometimes we harden our hearts little by little until we stop hearing what He is saying. I think many of us struggle to make time for God and then wonder why we feel distant from Him. The people in this passage refused to listen to the Lord. As a result, the passage says: “When I called, they did not listen; so when they called, I would not listen.” That verse stopped me in my tracks. Does this mean God sometimes ignores our prayers? I wanted to be careful before answering that question, so I did some research. The answer I found was essentially this: Persistent, willful rejection of God's voice creates a barrier in our relationship with Him. Not because God stops loving us, but because we are turning away from Him. The barrier is built by us, not by Him. This passage is not meant to create fear. It is meant to invite conversion. God is constantly calling us back to Himself. The Catechism teaches that authentic prayer flows from a converted heart. The saints repeatedly taught that how we live affects how we pray and whether our prayers bear fruit. This does not mean that every time we sin, God stops listening to us. If that were true, none of us would have hope. I believe this passage is talking about a persistent hardening of the heart—a repeated refusal to listen to God and live according to His ways. That should cause all of us to pause and ask: How am I treating the widow? How am I treating the fatherless? How am I treating the foreigner? How am I treating the poor? Am I listening when God calls me to show compassion? I want to leave you with one final question: In what area of your life might God be calling you to listen—and are you giving Him the silence He needs to speak? Dear Heavenly Father, I ask you to bless each person listening to this episode today. Lord, help us recognize anything that may be creating a barrier between us and you. Help us show compassion to the widow, the fatherless, the foreigner, and the poor. Help us give people a little grace. Help us listen when you speak. Soften our hearts and make them more like yours. We love you, Lord, and we ask all of this in accordance with your will and in Jesus' holy name, Amen. Thank you so much for joining me on this journey to walk boldly with Jesus. If you've been feeling distant from God lately, but you're not sure why, I created a free quiz called "What's Quietly Blocking Your Connection With God?" In just a few minutes, you'll discover one of four common obstacles that may be affecting your relationship with God. CLICK HERE. I look forward to meeting you here again tomorrow. Remember, Jesus loves you, just as you are, and so do I! Have a blessed day! Today’s Word from the Lord was received in November 2025 by a member of my Catholic Charismatic Prayer Group. If you have any questions about the prayer group, these words, or how to join us for a meeting, please email CatholicCharismaticPrayerGroup@gmail.com. Today’s Word from the Lord is, “Look at them, I say to you, my father. See them, father? They try hard, Father. They see them all through their obstacles. They put their own needs on the shelf to be there for others. I am so proud.” www.findingtruenorthcoaching.comCLICK HERE TO DONATECLICK HERE to sign up for Mentoring CLICK HERE to sign up for Daily "Word from the Lord" emailsCLICK HERE to sign up for my newsletter & receive a free audio training about inviting Jesus into your daily lifeCLICK HERE to buy my book Total Trust in God's Safe Embrace

God Can Give You a New Heart Ezekiel 36:26-28 “A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will take out of your flesh the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to observe my ordinances. You shall dwell in the land which I gave to your fathers; and you shall be my people, and I will be your God.” When I read this verse, I was instantly in love. I think there is so much in this short verse. “A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will take out of your flesh the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” The Lord will give us a new heart and a new spirit. That is amazing to me. Do you understand how amazing that is? This is saying that nothing is too much for the Lord. Sometimes we think that our past is too much, and so when the Lord is talking about loving us, He is talking about loving others, but not us. When He is asking us to love Him, He is talking to other people. He knows that I could never love Him because I could never love anyone. I wonder if we all know and realize that God knows all we have been through? God knows about your childhood. God knows about the parent or spouse who abused you. He still loves you! He knows about the sins of our past. He still loves us! He knows about the terrible way we treated others over the years, but he still loves us. He knows about that thing that you did that one time that you think no one knows about. He knows, and He still loves you. He knows about drinking and drugs. He still loves you! He knows about that unforgivable thing that you did that you would do anything to take back, but you can’t. He still loves you! I know I may sound like a broken record because I give you this message often. It is because it is the foundation of everything. If you know that God loves you just as you are, sins and all, then you can love God. If you can’t accept that God loves you, then I am not sure if you can love God. I have heard it said before that we can only love God as much as we love ourselves. I don’t know if this is true or not. Honestly, I hope it is not because I know a lot of people who don’t love themselves very much, and it makes me sad to think that they might not be able to love the Lord. Also, it makes us wonder if they can feel the Lord’s love. If we do not think that we are worthy of love, then how can we believe that the Lord loves us? This is why I love this verse! The Lord can give us a new heart. Maybe our hearts have been broken too many times. Maybe our hearts have too much baggage, and we just can’t seem to let go of it. Maybe our hearts are full of unforgiveness. We may have been hurt so much in the past that we don’t want to forgive. We can’t see a way to forgive the horrible things that have happened. We don’t have to; the Lord can give us a new heart. It says right in the verse that He will take out the heart of stone and give us a heart of flesh. Do you feel like He is talking to you? Do you feel like you have been hurt one too many times, and it is too difficult for you to love anyone? Have you asked the Lord for help? Have you asked Him for a new spirit or a new heart? Maybe this had never occurred to you. I know I never knew this verse before. But now that I do, I know that all we need to do is turn to the Lord, and he will give us a new heart and a new spirit. How amazing is that? The next part of the verse is one that I need to remind myself of often. “And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to observe my ordinances.” The Lord will put his spirit in us and cause us to walk in His statutes and be careful to observe my ordinances. I am constantly thinking that I have to do this all on my own. I turn to God, and I ask Him for help. We talk often. And yet, when it comes down to it, I try to be perfect for Him. I am hard on myself if I am not doing what I think He wants me to do. I wonder whether I am praying the right way, should I be fasting, should I be doing more? I wonder if the Lord is pleased with what I am doing, and I wonder if He thinks I am not doing enough. I know that He loves me and that He doesn’t need anything from me. Then I act like I need to do everything on my own. I like this part of the verse because God is telling us that He will put His Spirit within me and He will cause me to walk in His statutes. I don’t have to do it all on my own. God is not saying that He will help me. He is saying He will do it for me. Why don’t I rest in the promise? Why do I strive to be perfect when I know the Lord doesn’t need my perfection? All He needs is my yes. All He wants is for us to be a willing vessel and then for us to let Him do His work. I worry that I don’t have enough faith. Then the Holy Spirit tells me that faith is a gift from the Lord. If I want more, all I have to do is ask. I worry that I won’t walk in His footsteps, and yet this verse is saying He will give His Spirit so that I will. I worry that my prayers are not fruitful, and the Holy Spirit tells me that He alone can make them fruitful. All God needs from us is our YES! Yes, I am willing. Yes, I am your vessel, fill me up. Yes, I want my will to be your will. Yes, I believe, help my unbelief. All we need to do is give God permission, and He will take care of the rest. Can you do that? The last line of the verse says, “You shall dwell in the land which I gave to your fathers; and you shall be my people, and I will be your God.” We shall be His people, and He will be our God! I want to leave you with the words of God from our Prayer Group March 2021 because they go so well with this verse and because they are so powerful. “Listen to your heartbeat. I want to be fully one with you. Draw closer. The Father and I are one, and you are one with me, so you are one with the Father as well. I will pour down my grace upon your heart, your will, your very soul. You will look like me. Trust in me. Follow me. Take time to listen to me, to know my will. Fear nothing. Have confidence in me. I am your Lord and God. I died for you to grow ever closer to me.” Dear Heavenly Father, I ask you to bless all those listening to the podcast today. I ask that you put a new heart in us and a new spirit. Lord, take our hearts of stone and replace them with hearts of flesh. Lord, the world can be cruel, and we need a new heart and spirit. Lord, help all those who don’t believe they are worthy of your love. Help them to feel your love and to love you right back. Lord, help us to walk in your ways. We say yes to your spirit, causing us to dwell in your ways, and we thank you for being so gracious. Walking in your ways is not always easy, and we appreciate all the help we can get. Lord, we are grateful that we are yours and you are ours. We love you so much, and we ask all of this in accordance with your will and in Jesus’ holy name, Amen. Thank you so much for joining me on the journey to walk boldly with Jesus. If you've been feeling distant from God lately but aren't sure why, I created a free quiz called "What's Quietly Blocking Your Connection With God?" In just a few minutes, you'll discover one of four common obstacles that may be affecting your relationship with God. At the end, you'll receive a personalized result, a short podcast episode, and a mentoring replay chosen specifically for your result. CLICK HERE for the quiz. I look forward to spending time with you on Monday. Remember, Jesus loves you just as you are, and so do I! Have a blessed weekend! Today’s Word from the Lord was received in November 2025 by a member of my Catholic Charismatic Prayer Group. If you have any questions about the prayer group, these words, or how to join us for a meeting, please email CatholicCharismaticPrayerGroup@gmail.com. Today’s Word from the Lord is, “Each of you is more precious to me than anything else I have created. And I love my creations in all their forms. But each of you are my crowning glory.” www.findingtruenorthcoaching.comCLICK HERE TO DONATECLICK HERE to sign up for Mentoring CLICK HERE to sign up for Daily "Word from the Lord" emailsCLICK HERE to sign up for my newsletter & receive a free audio training about inviting Jesus into your daily lifeCLICK HERE to buy my book Total Trust in God's Safe Embrace

The Holy Spirit Is Speaking to You John 16:13-15 "When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine. For this reason, I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.” This verse talks about the Holy Spirit, the gift the Lord sent us when Jesus went to heaven. It tells us that the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth and that He will guide us into all truth. This is important because it reminds us that we can trust what we hear from the Holy Spirit. He is not speaking on His own; He is sharing what He hears from the Father. The verse also says He will declare to us the things that are to come. This doesn't mean we will know everything that happens in our future. It means the Holy Spirit can prepare us for what is coming if we make time to listen to Him. We need to pay attention to what He says and not just hear it and let it go. Our prayer group sets aside time each week to listen quietly for the words of the Holy Spirit. We record these words and later discern what we believe the Lord is saying to our community. We then create a bookmark so everyone can remember the words and apply them to their lives. This is our most recent bookmark: “My call to each one of you is very personal. It is not a message for everyone. It is intimate, personal, all-loving, and all-consuming. From the beginning, I spoke, and my Word created new life. I speak again today through my holy Word to each of your hearts. I create new life. I renew, replenish, and fill you with grace and mercy that I wish you to share with others. I watch over you, my children. I break the sword of the enemy who would come against you. I will defend you in battle. I have sent you the power of the Spirit, and he will give you all that you need to do what you have been called to do. You are the anointing I send to the world. Be not afraid. I am with you. My Spirit will speak through you the words that I wish to say. When I say you can, don’t tell me you can’t. Smile that I sent you today.” These words were spoken over the course of a month. We receive many words each week, so the discernment team helps identify the key themes the Lord wants us to remember. There are four categories we look for: call, proclamation, promise, and directive. First, we look for the call. What is the Holy Spirit calling us to do? God has a plan for each of us, and the Holy Spirit often reveals that plan little by little. Are you taking time to listen to what God may be calling you to do? Next is proclamation. These are often "I am" statements where God tells us who He is and what He is doing. In the bookmark above, the Lord reminds us that He creates new life, renews us, replenishes us, and fills us with grace and mercy to share with others. The third category is promise. God still reminds us of His promises today. In this bookmark, He promises to watch over us, defend us in battle, break the sword of the enemy, and give us everything we need to fulfill our calling. We are not on our own. The Holy Spirit is with us. The final category is directive. What is God asking us to do? In the bookmark above, the Lord tells us not to be afraid. He reminds us that His Spirit will speak through us and give us the words we need. He also says something that really convicts me: “When I say you can, don’t tell me you can’t.” Isn't that exactly what we do sometimes? I know I do. When I feel the Lord calling me to do something outside my comfort zone, my first response is often, "I can't." Yet God created me. He knows me better than I know myself. Who am I to tell Him what I can and cannot do? Instead, I should be saying, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." The reason I wanted to share our discernment process today is because I hope it helps you recognize when the Holy Spirit is speaking to you. Now that you know some of the ways He communicates, maybe you will start recognizing His voice more often. Hearing the voice of the Lord is a gift from the Holy Spirit. Like any relationship, it grows when we spend time together. When we make time to listen, God speaks. I encourage you to write down what you hear from the Lord. I often look back through my prayer journals and am amazed at what God has said. Every time I do, I wonder why I don't do it more often. I hope this episode encourages you to pay a little more attention to the Holy Spirit's voice and the different ways He may be speaking to you. He is speaking, and His words come straight from the heart of the Father. Dear Heavenly Father, I ask you to bless all those listening to this episode today. Lord, we pray that we can all hear your voice. We pray that it brings fruit into our lives. Help us not only hear what you are saying but remember it and put it into action. We love you, Lord, and we ask all of this in accordance with your will and in Jesus' holy name, Amen! Thank you so much for joining me on this journey to walk boldly with Jesus. If you've been feeling distant from God lately, but you're not sure why, I created a free quiz called "What's Quietly Blocking Your Connection With God?" In just a few minutes, you'll discover one of four common obstacles that may be affecting your relationship with God. At the end, you'll receive a personalized result, a short podcast episode, and a mentoring replay chosen specifically for your result. CLICK HERE to take the quiz. I look forward to seeing you again tomorrow. Remember, Jesus loves you, and so do I! Have a blessed day Today’s Word from the Lord is, “I planned ahead of your coming into this world. I saw every tear you ever shed. I have a picture of every time you laughed. I have a scrapbook for each of you. Yet, yet, you worry and fret. And though you come to me, you still wonder if I hear or see or know or care. My children, do you care for your children?” www.findingtruenorthcoaching.comCLICK HERE TO DONATECLICK HERE to sign up for Mentoring CLICK HERE to sign up for Daily "Word from the Lord" emailsCLICK HERE to sign up for my newsletter & receive a free audio training about inviting Jesus into your daily lifeCLICK HERE to buy my book Total Trust in God's Safe Embrace

(Click Here) for Encounter School Boston YouTube Page. We will be posting more testimonies on this YouTube page each week. We have all seen God working in our lives; however, we might not all be aware that it is God who is working in our lives. This is why it is so important we start talking about it more. The more we share our experiences, the more people understand how God works and how much He truly loves us. If you would be willing to share any experience you have had of how God has worked or is working in your life, please email me at catherine@findingtruenorthcoaching.com or just click here. It won’t take up much of your time, and your story could be just the story that someone needs to hear today. Prayerfully consider sharing. Everyone has a story, and the world needs to hear them. I look forward to spending time with you again tomorrow, and I will have another witness for you next Wednesday. Have a blessed day! www.findingtruenorthcoaching.comCLICK HERE TO DONATECLICK HERE to sign up for Mentoring CLICK HERE to sign up for Daily "Word from the Lord" emailsCLICK HERE to sign up for my newsletter & receive a free audio training about inviting Jesus into your daily lifeCLICK HERE to buy my book Total Trust in God's Safe Embrace

When You Don't Understand What God Is Doing Isaiah 40:31 “They that hope in the LORD will renew their strength, they will soar on eagles’ wings; They will run and not grow weary, walk and not grow faint.” This is a message that I have been receiving a lot lately. The part where it says they will run and not grow weary, walk and not grow faint. I feel that God wants us to know that he is here for us. He knows what we are going through, and if we hope in Him, He will renew our strength. It seems like a lot of people that I know are going through some really difficult things right now, and they are definitely feeling weary. God wants us to know that he is with us in our struggle. When we feel weary, we can renew our strength by leaning into Him rather than pulling away. What do I mean by pulling away? When we are going through a hard time, sometimes we get mad at God. We don’t understand what is going on. We know He could fix the situation, and we don’t understand why He is not doing anything. There is never a time when God is “not doing anything.” However, if we can’t see or understand what he is doing, it may seem like he is doing nothing. This can cause us to pull away. This can make it hard for us to pray. Our hope can sometimes diminish because we can’t see a way out of the situation. We can’t see a way for God to use the situation for our good. This is normal. If you are in this situation right now, please know you are not alone. You are in good company. There were even some Saints who found that they could not find the words to pray sometimes. God understands this. God is not looking for us to have all the answers. He is not looking for us to know exactly what to say to Him, or what to do in each circumstance. He is just looking for us. Yes, that means you, too. He just wants you to be with Him in whatever way you can. He wants you to hope in him even if you don’t know what to hope for. I know that may not make sense. How can you hope if you don’t know what to hope for? I think that just means that you hope in the fact that God has a plan. That even though you have no idea what the plan is, you know He has one. You hope in the promise that God uses all things for your good. That even though you don’t know how it will turn out, it will ultimately be good for you. I know this is not easy, but it is possible. I was in a situation that I didn’t really understand. A very good friend of mine was in a lot of pain in the hospital. She had cancer. I know she was close to the Lord, and if it was her time to go, she would go to Heaven. I also knew that she wanted to get better. I knew God could heal her. It seems to me that if I ask God to heal her and trust that He will, then He will, in fact, heal her. I have read many Bible passages, and they all seem to support this theory. Ask, and you will receive. Have faith and trust with all your heart, and it will be granted. (ok, that last one was a paraphrase) You get what I mean, though, right? However, I think this is a trap that the enemy has set up for us to fall into. This is something I struggle with, so I am letting the Holy Spirit lead my fingers as I type this, and I want to acknowledge that I have not figured this out yet. I am not an expert on this; I am on a journey of discovery and understanding, just like you. I have prayed for understanding on this a lot. I know I have talked about this before when discussing losing a close friend and my dog. What I am talking about now is my understanding from my time of prayer. The reason I say this is a trap the enemy sets up for us to fall into is because there is so much potential for anger and doubt. If we ask God to heal her, and she dies, we will most likely get angry with God and not understand what is going on. We may stay angry for a long time. We may also start to doubt that there is a God, or that He actually hears our prayers. We may start to doubt ourselves if we read verses like Mark 11:22-23, “Jesus said to them in reply, ‘Have faith in God. ' " Amen, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it shall be done for him.” It says “does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it shall be done for him.” So if it was not done for you, then you may start to question if you could have done something differently. Would things have turned out differently if you had just believed more? Do you see how all of those things are things that the enemy wants us to feel? He would do anything to try to destroy our relationship with our Heavenly Father. The enemy is the father of lies. I talked about him before and how he sometimes uses scripture against us. It is usually not a blatant lie. Do you see how he is not even changing anything about the scripture? He is just using it to try to show you that God doesn’t keep his promises and can’t be trusted. This is anything but true, and yet the enemy takes advantage of our weakened, vulnerable states and plays with our emotions. So, if it’s not true that God let us down, what is the truth? This is what I was asking God this morning. What came to my mind was that we don’t know the whole story. Only God does. First, if we ask Him to cure or heal someone, and they end up dying, He still cured them, as there is no sickness in Heaven. They are no longer in pain and are restored to perfect health. He did still answer our prayer, just not the way we wanted Him to. Second, we don’t know what is really in a person's heart. Only God does. For instance, my friend stated that she wanted to go to rehab. This implies that she wanted to get better and go home, which is the purpose of rehab. She did not just want to go to hospice and just be comfortable. To you and me, this would seem like she was not ready to die or that she felt like she wanted more time here. Therefore, when I pray, I pray that she is healed here on earth and that she gets to keep on living. However, only God knows what is truly in her heart. Only He knows why she wanted to go to rehab. Did she choose that because she is scared to die? Did she choose that because she is afraid her children aren’t ready for her to go? Did she choose that because she wanted more time with them? We don’t know what is in her heart, but God knows. We don’t know what His plan is and how He is going to use the outcome of this for everyone’s good. All we know is that right now she is in pain. We know what we want. We know what we think is best. He knows what is really best. He has seen the ending of her story. He wrote the ending of her story. If God chooses this to be the ending of my friend’s story, it will not be because I did not believe or trust enough. That is a lie the enemy is telling me. If she dies, it is because God has decided it was for her good. If you are struggling and find yourself in a difficult situation right now, know that God is answering your prayers. The answers may not be what you thought they would be, but they are the best answers. God is not just trying to make you feel better in the moment. He knows the ending of your story, and he is working all things for your good. You may not understand what He is doing, but if you can hope in the Lord anyway, he will renew your strength, and you will “soar on eagle’s wings.” Dear Heavenly Father, I ask that you bless all those listening to this episode today. We ask that you help us to lean into you when times are tough. We ask that you help us to see all you are doing in our situation. We ask that you strengthen us and help us to fly on eagle’s wings, especially when we feel we can’t go on any longer. Lord, help us not to grow weary. We ask that you help us to understand when we feel like we don’t have any understanding. Lord, we ask that you comfort us and help remind us that you will use all things for our good. We love you, Lord, and we know that you do so much for us. We are so grateful that you always keep your promises. You are so amazing! We ask all of this in accordance with your will and in Jesus’ holy name, Amen. Thank you so much for joining me on this journey to walk boldly with Jesus. If you've been feeling distant from God lately, but you're not sure why, I created a free quiz called "What's Quietly Blocking Your Connection With God?" In just a few minutes, you'll discover one of four common obstacles that may be affecting your relationship with God. At the end, you'll receive a personalized result, a short podcast episode, and a mentoring replay chosen specifically for your result. CLICK HERE to take the quiz. I look forward to meeting you here again tomorrow. Remember, Jesus loves you, just as you are, and so do I! Have a blessed day! Today’s Word from the Lord is, “Rejoice in our love and our relationship. I am the rock upon which you lean.” www.findingtruenorthcoaching.comCLICK HERE TO DONATECLICK HERE to sign up for Mentoring CLICK HERE to sign up for Daily "Word from the Lord" emailsCLICK HERE to sign up for my newsletter & receive a free audio training about inviting Jesus into your daily life<a href="https://www.amazon.com/TOTAL-TRUST-Gods-Safe-Embrace/dp/B0BM3SWNB1/" target="_...

Putting God First Is Hard Sometimes Matthew 6:33 “But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” “Strive first for the kingdom of God.” This sounds easier than it is. Of course we want the kingdom of God. Of course we want to go to heaven. Yet there are so many distractions competing for our attention every day. When I was younger, if you had a favorite TV show, you had to wait a whole week between episodes. Now you can watch an entire season in a day. Between streaming services, social media, games on our phones, and endless entertainment, it is easy to fill our days with things of this world and leave very little room for God. How are we spending our time? Are we putting God first, or are we fitting Him in wherever we can? Someone at my prayer group received this word from the Lord: “My children, I tell you if you seek first my kingdom, I will bring order into your life. I will share my wisdom with you. I am always your God; there is none other like me. Seek not anything else. I tell you again, seek my kingdom, seek my will, place it first in your life, and you will have found less strife. My children, I love you. Imprint that deeply in your heart. I am your God, and I am to be placed first.” After sharing the word, she said she sensed that the Lord was almost sorrowful because so many things are being placed ahead of Him. She could feel how deeply He desires to be first in our lives. When I heard that, it cut right through me. I knew God was talking to me. Lately I have been putting other things ahead of Him. I will sit down and watch several episodes of a TV show even though I know I haven't finished writing my podcast. If I haven't finished writing it, then I certainly haven't recorded or edited it. That isn't putting God first. That is fitting Him in when I can. It makes me sad to think that God may be hurt by that. When we think about it, it makes sense. How do we feel when our spouse, children, parents, or friends continually put everything else ahead of us? God provides for me every day. He answers prayers. He comforts me. He guides me. He helps me write these episodes. He never takes a day off. Yet how often do I give Him whatever time is left over? The first step is recognizing where we are putting other things ahead of God. The answer will look different for each of us. For me, it is often sleep, television, and distractions on my phone. I'm not saying these things are bad. Sleep is important. Rest is important. Entertainment is fine in moderation. The problem comes when I give my best time and energy to those things and then give God whatever is left. The reason I am telling you this is because I want to be honest with you. I struggle with the same things I talk about in these episodes. When I heard that word from the Lord, I knew I wasn't the only one who needed to hear it. Living the life God calls us to live is not always easy. Sometimes we have to choose what God wants over what we want. A while back, Tony and I had friends visiting for the weekend. We had such a great time together. On Sunday morning, our friends left just in time for us to make Mass. The church is only a few minutes from our house. Instead of going, we sat on the couch, ate breakfast, and watched television. I still can't believe we did that. Actually, I can, because doing the right thing isn't always easy. And when we aren't in the habit of putting God first, it becomes easier and easier to choose something else instead. I didn't really want to tell you that story, but the Holy Spirit kept bringing it to mind. Maybe someone listening needs to know they aren't alone. Maybe someone else struggles to put God first too. I truly want to put God first. Yet every time I fail, I think of what St. Paul says in Romans 7:15: “For what I want to do, I do not do, but what I hate, I do.” I know I want to live the way God wants me to live. I also know that when I fail, that is not who I am. It is simply something I did. The good news is that we can always begin again. I don't think God is looking for perfection. I think He is looking for effort, persistence, and hearts that keep turning back to Him. When we fail, we repent and try again. When we get distracted, we turn back to Him. When we put something else first, we ask for His help and start over. I am going to keep trying to put God first. Will you keep trying with me? Dear Heavenly Father, I ask that you bless all those listening to this episode today. Lord, we hear you. We understand how it may hurt you when we place everything else ahead of you, and we want to stop doing that. Please give us the wisdom, strength, and courage to put you first. Help us place your will above our own. We are sorry for the times we have been too busy for you while making time for everything else. Thank you for all that you do for us. We love you, Lord, and we ask all of this in accordance with your will and in Jesus' holy name, Amen. Thank you for joining me on this journey to walk boldly with Jesus. If you've been feeling distant from God lately, but you're not sure why, I created a free quiz called "What's Quietly Blocking Your Connection With God?" In just a few minutes, you'll discover one of four common obstacles that may be affecting your relationship with God. At the end, you'll receive a personalized result, a short podcast episode, and a mentoring replay chosen specifically for your result. CLICK HERE for the quiz. I look forward to spending time with you on Monday. Remember, Jesus loves you just as you are, and so do I! Have a blessed weekend. Today’s Word from the Lord was received in October 2025 by a member of my Catholic Charismatic Prayer Group. If you have any questions about the prayer group, these words, or how to join us for a meeting, please email CatholicCharismaticPrayerGroup@gmail.com. Today’s Word from the Lord is, “Wash away your doubts. They have no place in me. Your doubts cloud your vision and are a product of the evil one. Be not fooled.” www.findingtruenorthcoaching.comCLICK HERE TO DONATECLICK HERE to sign up for Mentoring CLICK HERE to sign up for Daily "Word from the Lord" emailsCLICK HERE to sign up for my newsletter & receive a free audio training about inviting Jesus into your daily lifeCLICK HERE to buy my book Total Trust in God's Safe Embrace

Can Unforgiveness Affect My Eternal Salvation? Colossians 3:13 “Bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if one has a grievance against another; as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do.” I recently attended a boot camp to learn about the Unbound method of deliverance. Unbound is a technique that helps set people free from the things that weigh them down. The reality is that our enemy, the devil, wants to keep us from living out our destinies as children of God. Evil spirits can gain influence in our lives through open doorways. These doors are often opened through our own choices, the choices of others, or wounds from our past. Sometimes we unknowingly open doors through things like the occult, bitterness, resentment, or unforgiveness. The first two essential steps we learned were repentance and forgiveness. The first step is repenting of sin and expressing faith in Jesus. We all sin, and sin damages our relationship with God. It also gives the enemy ammunition to use against us. One of his favorite weapons is shame. Shame is not from God. Shame causes us to hide, isolate, and believe we are unworthy. When we repent, we bring our sins into the light and remove their power over us. The second step is forgiveness. This is the one that left the biggest impression on me. Several years ago, I was at a Bible study discussing Matthew 6:14: “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.” Someone pointed out that God forgives us the same way we forgive others. I was shocked. I had prayed the Our Father countless times and never fully realized what I was saying when I prayed, “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” That realization changed my life. There have only been a few times when Scripture completely changed the way I thought. One was when I learned that the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives in us. The other was realizing what I was actually praying every time I prayed the Our Father. When I understood this, I became determined to learn how to forgive better. Over the years, I have learned that forgiveness is an act of the will, not a feeling. It is choosing to stop carrying the offense and turning judgment over to God. Forgiveness does not mean what happened was okay. It does not mean forgetting. It does not mean reconciling or allowing someone back into your life. It simply means refusing to let unforgiveness continue to control you. The analogy I hear most often is that unforgiveness is like drinking poison every day and expecting the other person to die. Usually, the person we refuse to forgive has moved on while we continue carrying the burden. I know some of you have every reason to be angry, hurt, and wounded. I know people can do terrible things. However, holding onto unforgiveness hurts us far more than it hurts them. Our teacher shared a story about a priest who had a near-death experience. Although he had spent his life serving God, Jesus revealed that he was holding unforgiveness in his heart toward people who had hurt him. Jesus reminded him that those people belonged to Him and that his job was to focus on the mission God had given him. The priest later said something that really stayed with me: “A person who can't forgive is a person who has forgotten how much they have been forgiven.” That statement hit me hard. What if God held all of our sins against us? What if He refused to forgive us? What if He never sent Jesus to save us? Forgiveness is far more important than many of us realize. I know many people refuse to forgive because they feel the other person doesn't deserve forgiveness. You may be right. They may not deserve it. But forgiveness is not about them. It is about you. It is about setting yourself free from the spirit of unforgiveness. Unforgiveness can block healing, peace, freedom, and intimacy with God. Is it really worth it? I want to end with some hope because some of you may be thinking, “I want to forgive, but I don't know how.” The good news is that God does not expect us to forgive through our own strength. One of my teachers shared a story about a woman who could not forgive her sister. She wasn't even ready to pray, “Lord, help me forgive.” But she was willing to pray, “Lord, help me want to want to forgive.” That small opening was enough for God to begin working in her heart. Maybe that is where you are today. Maybe all you can pray is, “Lord, give me the grace to want to forgive.” That is enough. God meets us exactly where we are. He can do the hard part if we are willing to take even the smallest step. Remember, forgiveness is an act of the will, not a feeling. God is asking us to give Him even the tiniest opening so He can transform our hearts. Don't let the unforgiveness of what others have done continue to affect your life. Haven't they taken enough already? A wonderful way to conclude your forgiveness of another is to pray the Father's Blessing upon them. God rejoices when we choose forgiveness because that is exactly how He treats us. Dear Heavenly Father, I ask you to bless all those listening to this episode today. Lord, we want to spend eternity with you. We don't want anything to get in our way, especially unforgiveness. Please show us whom we need to forgive and then help us forgive them. For those we feel we cannot forgive, please soften our hearts and give us the grace to at least want to forgive. Help us allow you into every area of our lives. Help us repent of our sins and repair our relationship with you. We love you, Lord, and we ask all of this in accordance with your will and in Jesus' holy name, Amen. Thank you so much for joining me on this journey to walk boldly with Jesus. I look forward to meeting you here again tomorrow. Remember, Jesus loves you and so do I! Have a blessed day! www.findingtruenorthcoaching.comCLICK HERE TO DONATECLICK HERE to sign up for Mentoring CLICK HERE to sign up for Daily "Word from the Lord" emailsCLICK HERE to sign up for my newsletter & receive a free audio training about inviting Jesus into your daily lifeCLICK HERE to buy my book Total Trust in God's Safe Embrace

You Are Not Meant to Climb This Mountain Alone 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 “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. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.” This verse reminds me of a saying I heard several years ago that brought me comfort. At the time, there was a lot going on in my family. Everything was so hard, and I didn’t understand why it was happening. Why did I need to go through all of that with my boys or with my marriage? The quote was something to the effect of, “Maybe you have been given this mountain to climb so that you can show others it can be done.” That quote helped me because it gave my suffering a purpose. It reminded me that what I was learning through my struggles could one day help someone else. This is what this verse is telling us. God is with us in our troubles, and He comforts us. God will be there for you through everything. There is nothing you have to go through alone. He is always there for you, not only to comfort you, but to strengthen you and help you through it. I love how this verse starts by reminding us that God is the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort. God plays so many roles in our lives. He is not only there to solve our problems, heal our loved ones, and answer our prayers. He also wants to comfort us. He understands what we are going through and has compassion for us. Do you ever feel like no one understands what you are going through? Maybe you keep it to yourself because you feel ashamed, afraid of judgment, or convinced no one would understand. If this is you, please know you are not alone. Over the years, I have talked to many people, and almost all of them felt alone in their struggles. It is a common feeling, but that does not make it true. Do you know who wants you to feel like you are alone? The enemy does. He is a liar. He whispers things like, “No one understands,” “Don’t bother people with your problems,” “Things will never change,” and “You have to do this all by yourself.” These lies keep us isolated and disconnected from the very people who could help us. It is important that you hear me right now: HE IS A LIAR! HE IS A LIAR! You are not alone. There are many people who are going through the same thing you are going through, and there are many people who have already gone through it. Find someone who has been where you are and has made it through. I promise there is a way through whatever you are facing. There are communities for nearly every struggle imaginable—parenting challenges, depression, marriage struggles, caregiving, career issues, and so much more. The enemy wants us isolated. Let’s not give him that satisfaction. Another lie the enemy tells us is that we would be bothering others with our problems. This is not true. People who truly love you want to know when you are hurting and want to help when they can. Even if they can’t solve the problem, simply saying it out loud to another person can help. I once heard of two people who called each other once a week and simply took turns talking while the other listened without giving advice or judgment. Sometimes just saying things out loud helps more than we realize. If you don’t feel comfortable talking to another person, try talking out loud to God. There is something powerful about bringing your struggles into the light. The enemy also likes to tell us that things will never change. This is another lie. I don’t know what your circumstances are. Maybe it is something that will be a lifelong challenge. Maybe you have an illness that cannot be cured, or you are caring for someone whose situation may never improve. Even if your situation cannot change, that does not mean there is no hope. Even if your circumstances remain difficult, you can change how you show up to them. You can ask for help. You can practice self-care. You can allow others to support you. The enemy wants you exhausted and convinced you must carry everything yourself. That is another lie. There are people who want to help. Even when circumstances remain difficult, hope remains because God can change us within the situation. Please remember this: You have so much more power than the enemy wants you to think you do. If you are feeling hopeless and you see no way things will change, please send me an email at catherine@findingtruenorthcoaching.com. I can’t go into much detail in this short episode, but I truly believe that no one is stuck in a hopeless situation. I get worked up when I think about how much the enemy attacks people and convinces them they are alone. That is why I love this verse. God shows us compassion and comfort, and we are called to pass that compassion and comfort on to others. Is there someone in your life who is suffering? Have you been afraid to say anything because you worry they won’t want your help? We need to be brave and ask anyway. Some people may not be ready to accept help, but that should not stop us from offering it. God did not create us to walk through life alone. If you are in a place to help someone, be bold enough to ask. If you need help, be brave enough to receive it. I am going to say these next four sentences because I know someone listening needs to hear them: YOU ARE LOVED! YOU ARE ENOUGH! YOU ARE STRONG! YOU CAN DO HARD THINGS! Dear Heavenly Father, I ask that you bless all those listening to this episode today. Lord, help us to see the enemy’s lies for what they are. Help shine a light on any lies in our lives that we might be believing. Help us to know that our situation is never hopeless because with you, all things are possible. Help us all to be bold and brave and to reach out and ask for help when we need it, or accept the help that is offered. Help us also be bold and brave enough to offer help wherever we can. Lord, we are so thankful for all the compassion and comfort that you give to us. Please help us to pass that on to others. Lord, help us to love others as you love us. You are truly amazing, and we love you, Lord, and we ask all of this in accordance with your will and in Jesus’ holy name, Amen. Thank you so much for joining me on this journey to walk boldly with Jesus. If you've been feeling distant from God lately, but you're not sure why, I created a free quiz called "What's Quietly Blocking Your Connection With God?" In just a few minutes, you'll discover one of four common obstacles that may be affecting your relationship with God. At the end, you'll receive a personalized result, a short podcast episode, and an email with a mentoring replay chosen specifically for your result. CLICK HERE for the quiz. I look forward to spending time with you tomorrow. Remember, Jesus loves you just as you are, and so do I! Have a blessed day! Today’s Word from the Lord was received in October 2025 by a member of my Catholic Charismatic Prayer Group. If you have any questions about the prayer group, these words, or how to join us for a meeting, please email CatholicCharismaticPrayerGroup@gmail.com. Today’s Word from the Lord is, “You have time to give to me. You can be present in every moment with me. No matter what you do, I am in that moment with you. I am part of that moment. I exist in all moments. The moment of grief, loneliness, despair, joy, and success. I am there. I am there in all your moments. Across what you do.” www.findingtruenorthcoaching.comCLICK HERE TO DONATECLICK HERE to sign up for Mentoring CLICK HERE to sign up for Daily "Word from the Lord" emailsCLICK HERE to sign up for my newsletter & receive a free audio training about inviting Jesus into your daily lifeCLICK HERE to buy my book Total Trust in God's Safe Embrace