WELCOME HEART: Living a Legacy Life
WELCOME HEART: Living a Legacy Life with Sue Donaldson from WelcomeHeart.com. Hear how to invest in what matters beyond ourselves. We have one life - let’s make the most of it by inviting others into God’s welcoming heart.
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Episodes
Sunday Mar 13, 2022
Sunday Mar 13, 2022
Nancy Thomason loves kids. And she will go wherever they are to tell them the Good News of Jesus. Nancy worked with Child Evangelism Fellowship for 47 years and she loves talking about what God did through those years because the "searchlight is on God." At 84, Nancy's smile hasn't dimmed nor has her open heart and home for everyone who needs to know that God loved them enough to die for them.
Nancy with the Director of Child Evangelism Fellowship at their conference.
If you want to serve God and you love kids, hosting a Good News Club may be the very best way to get started. Contact Child Evangelism Fellowship in your area to find out more.
I loved hearing Nancy's stories of faith and trust in God as He led her to begin Good News Clubs in her neighborhood, then to Whittier, the San Fernando Valley and South Central LA. She made sure she was ready with a flannel graph story in the trunk of her car and a welcoming smile on her face.
Some Nancy-ism's:
"If we are unplugged from God, where will we get our power?"
"When God tells you to go, you know He's got you in His hand."
"If you don't come to the edge of the cliff and jump, you'll never know that God can hold you."
"You don't have an adventure with God without obstacles because that's when God shows up."
Nancy's Acorn Squash
Poke some holes in the top of squash
Cook in microwave for 10 minutes.
Voila! Add butter and brown sugar. Yum!
Sunday Mar 06, 2022
Sunday Mar 06, 2022
Cheri Fletcher is my younger twin—an enneagram 7 with a great smile and desire to help women and young people find their purpose, no matter what they may be facing. While watching her husband coach basketball, she recognized that we all need a "game plan" if we are going to endure the normal trials and troubles of this world. Once we know the plan and our purpose, we can thwart Satan at his own game to sideline us from what God intends for our lives.
Our purpose? To show who God is to everyone we meet.
Our legacy? To build into our kids a clear understanding of spiritual warfare. God has a plan and Satan has a plot to wreck that plan.
Cheri says:
I want our kids to have a very clear understanding of the war that is going on for their attention, mental health, salvation, marriage, their life! To fully grasp that God has had a plan for them all along and the enemy has had a plot against it.
When things are hard—to be able to step back, to fully KNOW that God is already victorious and that with a spiritual game plan in place, they are too.
Sounds like a great plan to me!
Cheri Fletcher is a writer, speaker, singer and the host of Your Spiritual Game Plan podcast.
She loves to help women develop a spiritual game plan so that they can live out the purpose God created for them. She wants to share the message of how intentionally you were made to be a part of God’s plan.
Through her writings, speaking and podcast guests, it is her desire to equip you with an understanding of the enemy’s plot against that very plan.
She and her husband Todd are empty nesters and have just moved from Seattle WA to Cleveland Tennessee. They have three grown children and 1 dog, Libby.
You can find out more about Cheri on her website Cherifletcher.com
From Cheri, when I asked her for a favorite recipe:
A recipe --- Hmmmm, well, it is a vegetarian one that is a staple at all holidays. The very first time that my mom made it my dad (an avid meat eater) said: "Well, for dog food that tasted pretty good!" My 5-year-old brother decided to tell everyone that we had dog food for Thanksgiving and thus - we still serve dog food at every Thanksgiving meal and I have had several friends who grew up in my life ask me for my dog food recipe. LOL
https://cherifletcher.com/wp-content/uploads/Dog-Food-Recipe.pdf
Follow Cheri here: https://cherifletcher.com
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One simple way to spread God's message of love and forgiveness is to welcome others like He welcomed you. Join my series to do simple hospitality, one task a day for 4 weeks:
Hospitality By the Day
What to do Today to Host Guests in a Month.
It's fun.
It's simple.
I promise.
Sign up here and it will begin next Monday.
Can't wait to hear all about it!
Sunday Feb 27, 2022
Sunday Feb 27, 2022
I love a good invitation and this morning’s invitation is from God Himself: “Come to Me and find rest” Matthew 11:28
To find rest, we could just all go home and get in the tub and lock the door, which is always a good idea, but for now let’s see what God wants to remind us of today
Why do we need to come when Jesus invites?
Women are tired, period. We do too much, often, for too many people, with too little money, cooperation or sleep.
I’m in the process of learning the 3 d’s to help me get a handle on this overload. I need to figure out one of 3 things:
Do I delegate this job? Do I do things that energize me? Or, do I dump something? (I learned that from life coach, Kathy Vick from runlikeagirl.org)
The main part of rest is connecting with God. How's that going for you in 2022?
Through many years, starts and stops, I've found a rhythm of sitting at Jesus' feet and it's made all the difference in growing in my relationship with God.
This is what I do now and I find I rarely miss, even on a cruise with the Man-in-Plaid or a weekend with the girls. For more details on how I'm currently connecting with God and finding rest on my blog in January.
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Going on a women's retreat is one of the great boons of a believer's life. If you have a chance to go this year, I hope you go. So much fun and such a great time to connect with God and with others.
For information on my 8 Retreat Series, go to my website. I'd love to meet you in person.
Sunday Feb 20, 2022
Sunday Feb 20, 2022
You will love hearing Laura Thomas's story today, not only because she's from the UK and sounds like she lives at Downton Abby, but because her love for God and others shines through everything she says. Laura is an author, speaker, and mentor and blogs at laurathomasauthor.com.
She dreamed of becoming a writer as a child and kept it a secret dream for 20 years, and now is a published writer of mostly Christian fiction.
Laura will be giving away a signed, personalized copy of The Glass Bottom Boat - first in her Flight to Freedom Series. Leave comment to be entered!
Her legacy is storytelling not just because she writes stories but because she has seen the value of how our stories can touch and encourage others. We don't have to have a grand story of success or a painful story of crisis to have our story be used of God. He's created us uniquely and all stories are of value.
A published Christian author, Laura writes heartwarming encouragement for your soul. She has three Christian romantic suspense novels published as well as a Christian teen fiction trilogy, marriage book, middle-grade novel, several anthology books, devotionals, articles, and stories in magazines and online.Laura is a chocoholic mom of three, married to her high school sweetheart—originally from the UK, they live in Kelowna, British Columbia as audacious empty-nesters.Find more on her website: https://www.laurathomasauthor.comINSTAGRAM: @lauracthomas FACEBOOK PAGE: @LauraThomasAuthorTWITTER: @Laura_Thomas_PINTEREST: lauracthomasGOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5837074.Laura_Thomas
BOOKBUB: https://bit.ly/2Uj4gyRYOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAIg1LlXedxtfqmEAssdgnQ
“A storytellers’ job is to find the common threads in this tattered world and hold them out so that a reader will grab and pull until the veil is torn in two and they behold the heart of God.” --Robin Jones Gunn
“After nourishment, shelter, and companionship, stories are the thing we need most in the world.” --Philip Pullman
And here’s Laura's recipe for her go-to chocolate cake, the perfect accompaniment to a good story!
"PERFECT CHOCOLATE CAKE"Ingredients:2 cups sugar1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour3/4 cups cocoa1 1/2 tsp baking soda1 1/2 tsp baking powder1 tsp salt2 tsp vanilla2 eggs1 cup milk1/2 cup vegetable oil1 cup boiling water(Frosting)1/4 cup butter or marg (melted)2 cups icing sugar1/4 cup cocoa1/2 tsp vanilla1-3 tsp milk as needed Directions:1. Heat oven to 350 degrees2. Combine dry ingredients in a bowl3. Add eggs, oil, milk, and vanilla— mix well4. Carefully stir in boiling water (batter will be thin)5. Pour into greased baking cake pan6. Bake for 50-70 mins depending on oven (check after 50 mins)7. Cool and frostFROSTING:1. Melt butter in microwave2. Add to icing sugar and cocoa— mix well3. Add vanilla and milk a little at a time, until desired consistency*Optional: top cake with grated chocolate/ berries
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When asked, "What's the greatest commandment?" Jesus replied simply: "Love God, love your neighbor." I imagine He was thinking,"It's not rocket science" or "What's not to like?" or "It's not complicated."
He was right, it's not complicated.
I make it complicated. I need to pray daily to uncomplicate what He says is best for me and best for others. So I wrote 31 Days of Uncomplicated Prayers, and once I pray them through, I start over again.
You can too.
Sign up HERE to receive 31 Days of Uncomplicated Prayers to take the "complicated" out of the simple commands of Jesus. Love God. Love your neighbor. It's not complicated.
Sunday Feb 13, 2022
Sunday Feb 13, 2022
Conell and Rhonda Hollins say that a good marriage is worth the work including all the "heated fellowship" involved along the way. They claim that we can be trained to staying married in a loving, passionate and joyful relationship—the kind of marriage God means for us to enjoy and to model to our children and to a needy world.
Parents of three boys, elders in a large church, and podcast founders of the MetoWeTalk Podcast, this dynamic duo (you will love their passion and laughter) isn't afraid to discuss any aspect of marriage, and their desire is to keep a couple from marriage if they aren't "marriage material" as yet, and to protect and grow the marriage of everyone they meet.
In their book, Marriage Material: Pre & Post-Marital Training Guide they write: "If we break you up before you ever get married to save you from divorce, we did our job!"
Leave a comment here or on instagram to be entered to win a copy. Be sure to order the companion workbook as well.
Start praying now about who to get this book for - one for yourself, as well.
"Most couples want the look of marriage but not the work involved to make marriage last with passion, joy and a growing love for one another."
"We have become students of love and of one another."
"Our mission is to empower your marriage with tools, resources and education to ensure your marriage is strong enough to last a lifetime."
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Use this as a reminder (bookmark?). God's design is for marriages to flourish. And we only can flourish when we put God in the center of all our relationships.
Don't forget to comment on blog or instagram to be entered to win a copy of Marriage Material!
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How to invest in what matters beyond ourselves. We have one life - let’s make the most of it for God, others, and eternity.
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Sunday Feb 06, 2022
Sunday Feb 06, 2022
Markus Watson—pastor, podcaster, author, teacher—knows what really matters. His passion is to help show individuals and churches who they really are and how their gifts can align with the mission of God's heart. A self-described "reluctant" pastor, Markus heard God's call in the prayer of St. Augustine, "Late have I loved You." He learned some very hard things in a very difficult situation but knows more than ever that his worth is not in what he does nor how he succeeds, but in how he is loved by God. A legacy worth living and replicating in everyone he knows and meets.
In his own words:
I’m a Presbyterian pastor, living in San Diego with my beautiful wife, Robin, and my three kids, Micah, Macy, and Drew. I currently serve as an interim pastor at a small but mighty congregation in the rural town of Westmorland, about two hours east of San Diego. I also host the Spiritual Life and Leadership podcast and am the author of Beyond Thingification: Helping Your Church Engage in God’s Mission.
I’ve been serving in churches for over twenty years. But, believe it or not, church ministry was never on my radar when I was young…
Hear more at www.markuswatson.com
His podcast is all about encouraging those in Christian leadership and is in collaboration with Fuller Theological Seminary.
Check it out: Spiritual Life and Leadership Podcast
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One simple way to spread God's message of love and forgiveness is to welcome others like He welcomed you. Join my series to do simple hospitality, one task a day for 4 weeks:
Hospitality By the Day
What to do Today to Host Guests in a Month.
It's fun.
It's simple.
I promise.
Sign up here and it will begin next Monday.
Can't wait to hear all about it!
Sunday Jan 30, 2022
Sunday Jan 30, 2022
I met Sarah at a coffee shop during her book signing. She signed my book. We got acquainted. I asked, "What's your mission in life?" (She's young. She can handle big questions. I'm old. I ask them.)
"My mission is to share with others the foundational, healing, and transformational love of God." That was a mouthful, and you will love hearing some of Sarah's story that sadly includes childhood sexual abuse, depression, and suicide ideations. She came to finally accept that in spite of things she experienced as well as the lies she continued to tell herself, that God did indeed love her. And she wants you to know the same truth.
I ask in this interview, "How did you know God loved you even though you had been a victim of another's sin?" She replied, "Well, one thing was that it could have been worse. I thought of suidcide but I never made a plan." God kept her from continuing down that path and there's nothing more than either of us would have you know today that He wants you to live. He loves you. He will restore and heal. No wound too deep beyond His love.
ENTER TO RECEIVE SARAH'S BOOK: LOVE LETTERS FROM POLAND. LEAVE COMMENT BELOW OR ON INSTAGRAM
To access Sarah's FREE Life Balance Worksheet, CLICK HERE.
Sarah's legacy is in her tagline: Sarah de Orlando, Chief Hope-Giver. We all need hope. God will heal and restore because He loves us so very much.
Sarah de Orlando is an author, speaker, and the Chief-Hope-Giver of Sarah de Orlando Coaching. She recently left her structural engineering career after an encounter with Jesus in 2016 brought her full circle to her purpose: to live a life rooted in Jesus’ love. Her heart is to help others discover and embrace their own unique, vibrant journey with him and be set free to be who they are created to be. She is married to her college sweetheart, Andres and they have one super-cute daughter. In her downtime, you can find her hiking her favorite trails in San Luis Obispo, California, or strolling the beaches in search of perfect sea glass. Her debut memoir about her heart restoration was released in March of 2021 and you get get your copy at sarahdeorlando.com or Amazon.
You can find more of Sarah's message at these places
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-de-orlando/
https://www.facebook.com/sarah.deorlando.coaching
https://www.instagram.com/sarahdeorlando/
https://www.sarahdeorlando.com
LOVE LETTERS FROM POLAND - LEAVE COMMENT TO BE ENTERED TO WIN!
Sarah's recipe:
"Grammie that Knits" Banana Bread with a de Orlando Twist:
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 tsp vanilla
Dash of cinnamon
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup flour (all-purpose gluten-free flour like Bob's Red Mill comes out great)
1 tsp baking soda
3 large brown bananas, mashed
3/4 cup chocolate chips (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 F. In a medium bowl, cream sugar, butter, vanilla, and cinnamon. Add eggs and mix until blended. Spoon in flour and baking powder and mix, scraping down sides occasionally. Add mashed banana and mix until blended. Stir in chocolate chips by hand. Pour batter into a greased 9"x9" pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center.
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When asked, "What's the greatest commandment?" Jesus replied simply: "Love God, love your neighbor." I imagine He was thinking,"It's not rocket science" or "What's not to like?" or "It's not complicated."
He was right, it's not complicated.
I make it complicated. I need to pray daily to uncomplicate what He says is best for me and best for others. So I wrote 31 Days of Uncomplicated Prayers, and once I pray them through, I start over again.
You can too.
Sign up HERE to receive 31 Days of Uncomplicated Prayers to take the "complicated" out of the simple commands of Jesus. Love God. Love your neighbor. It's not complicated.
Sunday Jan 23, 2022
Sunday Jan 23, 2022
I met Misty Phillip in 2016 at the SheSpeaks Conference. Since that time, she's authored the top-selling Bible Study entitled: The Struggle is Real: But So Is God, started the podcast, By His Grace-Empowering You to Live By His Grace, and is the founder of SPARK Christian Podcast Community and Conference.
Also, a mom and wife, Misty would tell you that she has only done what she's done by the grace and favor of God while spening time in prayer and listening to His directions. I loved her question: "Where does my gifting and my calling line up with this season in my life?"
When we take time to hear God's direction and figure out our gifting and calling, we will know His strength, leading and blessing in living a life of love and obedience.
From Misty:
Jesus is everything Y’all! And it is only by his grace that we are here to draw another breath each day. Everything is for Him, and by Him and through Him. He has radically changed my life, and I will never get over that.
God called me home from my corporate job at Enron in 1999 to devote myself fulltime to being a wife and mom. Shortly after coming home, I began to homeschool my boys. As the boys grew I felt God’s call to write, blog, and speak in preparation for the next season in my life after homeschooling. Writing and Speaking lead to podcasting. When I began seeing the impact my podcast was having all over the world, the Lord gave me the vision to gather together a bunch of Christians passionate about podcasting for the very first Christian Podcast Conference. We hosted the inaugural Spark Christian Podcast Conference in February 2020. Shortly after I co-founded the Rocket Podcast Community, a coaching and training membership community for podcasters.
Through the years at home devoted to my family, I have learned many valuable life lessons and desire to impart some wisdom through the podcasts and posts here. Life has not always been easy, but God has always been there to see me through.
Learn more about Misty and the legacy life she's leading at her website: MistyPhillip.com
For more information on attending the next SPARK Christian Podcast Conference, see HERE.
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One simple way to spread God's message of love and forgiveness is to welcome others like He welcomed you. Join my series to do simple hospitality, one task a day for 4 weeks:
Hospitality By the Day
What to do Today to Host Guests in a Month.
It's fun.
It's simple.
I promise.
Sign up here and it will begin next Monday.
Can't wait to hear all about it!
Sunday Jan 16, 2022
Sunday Jan 16, 2022
Meet Laura whose heart is as big as her welcome—we are kindreds that way, and I'm delighted to introduce her to you!
Laura Crosby lives her welcoming legacy each day as she prays, "Lord, may there be Your welcome mat out in front of my life today so that I can love and welcome others to You." She's been mentored well and now mentors countless of men and women on knowing God and representing His welcome heart well. She loves hospitality like I do and you'll love her stories of what she's learned and what she prays for her children on a daily basis.
Laura Crosby is working on her first book which addresses the much needed topic of “choosing welcome”.
Whether introvert or extrovert, single or married, if there’s one thing Covid taught us, it is that we crave connection beyond pixels on a Zoom, or text messages.
This is a book of stories about connection to God and others that happens when we choose welcome.
It encourages the reader to put out a metaphorical welcome mat at the door of her life.
It explores the ordinary, the unexpected, and the profound ways we are welcomed to connect with God and extend welcome to others for encouragement, comfort, insight, and a sense of being part of something bigger than ourselves.
In her own words:
"My passion is connection which is most often through different types of welcome, but another way I love is through notes."
“If you see something, say something.” There are signs like that all over airports - be on the alert for something “off” or dangerous.
But I love applying this positively to note writing. In fact I feel so strongly about the power of encouragement through hand-written notes that I created a free resource with monthly prompts and brief spiritual reflections. You can snag your “Year of Grace Notes” by clicking on the link https://view.flodesk.com/pages/5e23063ed9dee30026924946
Thanks so much, Laura. Note-writing is a lost art and I love it that you include it as part of your "welcome!"
Laura and her husband John served in ministry at a large church in Minneapolis for 30 years.They have traveled the world as pastors and John as a board member of World Vision. Over the past two years they have taken on roles as interim pastors first at an international church in Lucerne, Switzerland and currently in Menlo Park, CA. Additionally, Laura and John mentor cohorts of young leaders in ministry. Laura writes, preaches and speaks to women’s groups around the country. She loves creating all kinds of things, including a welcoming place in her home where there is good food and lively conversation. Starbucks mochas, Lou Malnati’s pizza, puppies and any outdoor activity, especially tennis and hiking are passions!
Connect with Laura:
lauracrosby.me
Inspiring joyful, creative connection to Jesus and others.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauracrosby/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lauracrosby.me
Here's the recipe Laura talks about on our conversation today:
My Go-to Fancy Fast Chicken Recipe
6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
6 slices deli swiss cheese
1/4 lb. sliced mushrooms (optional)
2 cans (10 3/4oz) cream of chicken soup (can use one if you want it less soupy)
1/2 cup dry white wine (you can omit if you want)
2 cups herb stuffing mix (the BLUE Pepperidge farm bag - it's shredded, not cubes)
1 stick margarine melted.
Preheat oven to 350. Place chicken in a lightly greased 9x13 baking dish
Top each piece of chicken with a slice of swiss cheese.
Arrange sliced mushrooms on top.
Mix soup and wine and spread over chicken.
Sprinkle with stuffing and drizzle melted butter on top.
Bake about 45-50 minutes, uncovering for the last 15 minutes.
________________
When asked, "What's the greatest commandment?" Jesus replied simply: "Love God, love your neighbor." I imagine He was thinking,"It's not rocket science" or "What's not to like?" or "It's not complicated."
He was right, it's not complicated.
I make it complicated. I need to pray daily to uncomplicate what He says is best for me and best for others. So I wrote 31 Days of Uncomplicated Prayers, and once I pray them through, I start over again.
You can too.
Sign up HERE to receive 31 Days of Uncomplicated Prayers to take the "complicated" out of the simple commands of Jesus. Love God. Love your neighbor. It's not complicated.
Sunday Jan 09, 2022
Sunday Jan 09, 2022
We just got through the holidays and they say that the holidays can be one of loneliest times of the year. We want to feel like we are part of a big, happy family that loves and accepts us just the way we are, but instead, we may feel lonely, no matter how many people are around us.
Mother Theresa said that the most terrible poverty in the world is loneliness, and she faced poverty every day.
Are you lonely? It can be hard to admit. Everyone is lonely some of the time.
What can we do about it? Let me know in comments if you have some good ideas that help you when feeling lonely or that can be helpful to the world full of lonely people.
I remember when we first invited my friend, Suzanne for dinner. A single mom whose best friends had just moved away. She and her daughter Heather became part of our family from that time on.
Do you know a single person who could use an invitation? We are invited to God so that we can pass along His invitation.
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One simple way to break the chain of loneliness is to do simple hospitality. Join my series:
Hospitality By the Day
What to do Today to Host Guests in a Month.
It's fun.
It's simple.
I promise.
Sign up here and it will begin next Monday.
Can't wait to hear all about it!