Hard times can blind us to anything but the pain. We can get stuck wrestling with God and allowing anger and bitterness to steal our joy. Angela Mackey found that asking the hard questions of God can bring us closer to a more intimate relationship with Him. We can still have joy, while we grieve and we can find things to be grateful for when we open our eyes to what is going on around us. We talk about some of the lessons Angela learned in her journey of infertility, and writing the book, Difficult to Conceive.

Angela Mackey has a master’s in biblical and theological studies and is a Maxwell certified speaker and trainer, registered nurse, and longtime Sunday school teacher. She has written for Encouragement Café and the MOM Initiative, she contributed to Overwhelmed: 31 Devotions for Moms and blogs at www.rethinkingmythinking.com. She lives in the Arkansas River Valley with her husband, three kids (two born through IVF treatments), and three dogs. She loves University of Kansas basketball, crafting, reading, and encouraging others to rethink their thinking in light of God’s Word so they can live transformed lives.

For more on gratitude, listen to this conversation with Amber Cullum.

For more episodes of A Woman’s Heart: https://www.lisagranger.com/podcasts

Have you ever needed a change of heart? You had hopes and dreams that are not being realized and you wonder why God seems have to put you on a shelf. It is easy to become bitter and our relationship with others and God can become strained. Beth Runkle remembers feeling frustrated that her career and identity had been lost in the shuffle of multiple moves for her husband’s military career. She was asking “what about me?” when she and her husband learned about a relationship with Jesus. From there, she made the switch in her heart to being passionate about serving the military community.

Beth and her husband serve with Cru Military®. She served as a military wife during her husband’s 25-year career with the Air Force. She disciples and conducts Bible studies for female cadets and young military spouses. Having come to faith through Bible study, she has led small groups for military couples and taught Bible study for 23 years. She is also a women’s ministry speaker in various venues. She earned her Master of Theological Studies at Gateway Seminary and released a book for military wives called Another Move, God? 30 Encouragements to Embrace Your Life as a Military Wife. The Runkles have two kids in college.

To connect with Beth: www.BethRunkle.com

For information about the book: www.anothermovegod.com

What would you do if you had a burning desire to do something and it wasn’t happening? Would you give up or would you keep trying? Life is full of regret when we give up on a dream and the definition of insanity is trying the same thing and expecting a different result. So maybe you persevere with a twist. Mesu Andrews loves the Word of God and wanted to write serious Bible Studies, but it wasn’t happening. That’s when she pivoted and began writing fiction. We talk about her personal journey and her latest book, Brave, in this cozy conversation.

MESU ANDREWS is a Christy Award-winning, best-selling author of biblical novels and devotional studies whose deep understanding of and love for God’s Word brings the Bible alive for readers. Her heritage as a “spiritual mutt” has given her a deep yearning to both understand and communicate biblical truths in powerful stories that touch the heart, challenge the mind, and transform lives. Mesu lives in Indiana with her husband Roy, where she stays connected with her readers through newsie emails, blog posts, and the social media we all love to hate. For more information, visit MesuAndrews.com.