Several years back I had the privilege of hosting a conference through Anchored Souls Ministries and as a part of that conference my friends Aimee and Melissa created a Quiet Reflection Room for ladies to use during the day.

In today’s podcast, I have a heartfelt talk with Aimee about worship, prayer, resting in God’s presence, and creating a Place of Quiet Reflection whether in a room or in your heart.

This type of space could be created anywhere and at any time. During this time of stress, strife, and struggle creating these spaces of rest and renewal becomes necessary.

Try not to let the “place” of the space hold you back. To create a place of rest and reflection, all you really need is a heart to sit in God’s presence, listen, and rest in Him.

To create an actual place of Quiet Reflection, however, here are some tips on how to set it up.

• Begin in the middle and place a soft rug, some pillows, and candles (flameless to insure safety) at the center of the space. This will be the place to begin, quietly sitting, listening and resting in Jesus.
• Around the perimeter of the space, choose a few areas to mark out prayer stations. Ideas for stations include: Praise, thanksgiving, forgiveness, stones of remembrance, confession.
• Play worshipful music
• Surround the space with beauty—greenery, flowers, candles, encouraging signage

For more direction on how to create a Quiet Reflection space, contact me.

How do you find rest, refreshment, and renewal? Leave a comment below. I’d love to hear from you.

If you are not familiar with podcasting, simply click on the “play” button above to listen from the blog. If you’d like to listen “on the go,” you can click here to access the podcast from iTunes. Be sure and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes so you don’t miss an episode.

Blessings,

The post Podcast #10 Creating a Space of Quiet Reflection appeared first on Jacqueline Heider.

When God created us, He created us with emotional needs. He designed us with the need for love, respect, security, significance as well as much more. Unfortunately, we tend to try to get our needs met in ways that don’t bring fulfillment and leave us discouraged. Many times it’s the people in our own family or our closest friends who let us down the most. Why does this happen? Can we ever be free of this cycle of trying to get our needs met only to find disappointment instead? In this podcast, “Escaping the Seduction of Expectation,”Toni Hebel will unveil to us the seduction of expectation and how, if left unchecked, can lead us not only to disappointment but also to anger, frustration or depression.  We will discover how God intended us to get our needs met and how, when applied, we can experience God in tangible, real ways.

These are some of the questions Toni answers:

• Why am I easily offended or angered?
• Why does it seem that people always let me down?
• How am I supposed to get my emotional needs met?
• How do I get joy back into my life?
• Where did my peace go?
• How can I tangibly experience God in my life?
• Where is my freedom?

Toni and her husband, Bruce are co-founders of ReGenerating Life Ministries, a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing life back into the church through the power of forgiveness. Visit their website at forgivingforward.com.

Blessings friends!

If you are not familiar with podcasting, simply click on the “play” button above to listen from the blog. If you’d like to listen “on the go,” you can click here to access the podcast from iTunes. Be sure and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes so you don’t miss an episode.

The post Podcast #9: The Seduction of Expectation with Toni Hebel appeared first on Jacqueline Heider.

Dreams really do come true! Did you know that?

When God places a dream in your heart and prompts you to get out of the boat and join Him, some amazing things happen.

In this episode you’ll hear the heart behind Anchored Souls Ministries. Anchored Souls is a 501(c)3 non-profit that provides hope and encouragement to moms who have children with special needs and for all women weathering the storms of life.

Have a listen to my conversation with one of my co-founders, Stacey Weinberger. You’ll hear all about the ministry and its purpose and mission. Then hop on over to Anchored Souls and see what we’re all about.

Enjoy!

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

The post Podcast #8 The Heart Behind Anchored Souls Ministries appeared first on Jacqueline Heider.

Happy end of November! Earlier this fall my friend Kimberly Campbell at kcreatives, and I had a fun conversation. It turns out that Kim and I have the same love language—food! Now before you think this is a food podcast, (I know my last podcast was on food, as well.) it’s not. Anchored Souls is a podcast about weathering the storms of life. But let’s face it, one of the basic needs for any human is … FOOD! And I happen to really enjoy it.

So, what will you hear in this podcast between two friends? You’ll hear a bit about our favorite foods. You’ll hear us talk a little about gratitude and the fact that God has gifted us with so many varieties of foods and given us the joy of eating and enjoying conversation with friends around the table. You’ll also hear us get gut honest about how we sometimes turn to food for satisfaction and comfort rather than our true source, God. Oh, and we also chat a little about the picky eaters in our homes.

I’ve posted a couple of links about some things we discussed below—a cookbook where you can find that amazing three-layer chocolate cake recipe we talked about, and my momma’s easy roast beef and brown gravy recipe.

So, you may be asking, how does a chat about food help me weather the storms of life? Well, first of all, I believe that laughter is a good medicine, and you’ll find humor in this light-hearted conversation between friends. I believe focusing on things other than our problems—that is the storms we face—helps us find perspective. And last of all, I believe there is some real truth we all need to hear about finding satisfaction and comfort in our true Anchor, Jesus.

When we choose to turn to anything—food, shopping, TV, Netflix, drugs, alcohol, sex, you name it to be filled or comforted, that my friend is called idolatry. I know that sounds harsh, but idolatry happens when something becomes a substitute for God. When I turn to Double Stuffed Oreos or when I binge-watch Netflix to de-stress from my day before turning to God and asking Him to help me process through my emotions, idolatry has crept into my life.

How do I prevent that? I must take all those stressors, all of my emotions and have a conversation with God about them first. I choose to ask Him His opinion. I ask Him to quiet my mind and calm my emotions.

Now please do not hear me say that I can never enjoy Double Stuffed Oreos or Netflix. That is not what I mean at all. But what I must do is ask myself what the motivation behind those things is for me. Am I enjoying the gifts God has given me (i.e. the Oreos and Netflix) or am I using those in place of Him? There is a subtle difference but an oh so important one.

I hope you enjoy listening.

Links you may enjoy:

• Half Baked Harvest Cookbook by Tieghan Gerard
• My Momma’s Roast Beef & Gravy Recipe

Blessings to you!

If you are not familiar with podcasting, simply click on the “play” button above to listen from the blog. If you’d like to listen “on the go,” you can click here to access the podcast from iTunes. Be sure and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes so you don’t miss an episode.

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSaveIf you are not familiar with podcasting, simply click on the “play” button above to listen from the blog. If you’d like to listen “on the go,” you can click here to access the podcast from iTunes. Be sure and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes so you don’t miss an episode.

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

The post Podcast #7 Food Is My Love Language: a chat with Kimberly Campbell on favorite foods, picky eaters & true satisfaction appeared first on Jacqueline Heider.

Allow me to introduce my friend Cynthia Stuckey to you. She is a Georgia girl who loves all things writing, cooking, and creating. She’s down-to-earth, kind and compassionate, and did I mention she’s an incredible friend? Well she is! And today you get to eavesdrop on a conversation we had in recent days about our over-stuffed schedules and fall soups that simmer.

Seriously, we had a wonderful chat about busyness and ways we can encourage ourselves as moms in the midst of our crowded calendars. Cynthia shares some healthy strategies for those to-do list blues, those meal-planning nightmares, and those difficult to plan for suppers.

We talked about two resources that can really help you with meal planning and I’ve listed those below. I hope you enjoy and don’t forget to try Cynthia’s soups we talked about. And be sure to checkout her amazing stories in Simmer! She is a beautiful writer! You can connect with Cynthia at HappyGoStuckey.com 

Resources:

• Cynthia’s ebook: Simmer: Six Seasonal Soups & the Stories that Inspired Them
• Meal Planning App: Plan to Eat

Have a great day, friends!

If you are not familiar with podcasting, simply click on the “play” button above to listen from the blog. If you’d like to listen “on the go,” you can click here to access the podcast from iTunes. Be sure and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes so you don’t miss an episode.

The post Episode #6 Stuffed Schedules & Simmering Soups with Cynthia Stuckey appeared first on Jacqueline Heider.

We’ve all had ’em … days when we’d just like to pull the covers back over our head. But I’ve got a remedy for those seasons in life when things get difficult. I’ve got an easy little formula that can help you just like it does me. Remember Jesus’ words in in Matthew 11:28 when He said,

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

Jesus is faithful. He will carry our burdens. We simply need to come to Him and hand our struggles over to Him. I hope you enjoy today’s podcast and grab thislittle freebie over at Anchored Souls that can help you apply the prayer method I talk about to your daily life. This simple, yet effective tool has helped calm my anxious heart by refocusing my thoughts and attention onto the Lord. I pray it does the same for you.

Have a great day, friend!

If you are not familiar with podcasting, simply click on the “play” button above to listen from the blog. If you’d like to listen “on the go,” you can click here to access the podcast from iTunes. Be sure and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes so you don’t miss an episode.

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

The post Podcast #5 How To Pray When You’re Having a Bad Day appeared first on Jacqueline Heider.

Stress … what an ugly six letter word! But did you know there are good and bad kinds of stress? Today as you listen in on my conversation with wellness guru, Cherie Hurt, you’ll hear all about stress and its effects on your body,  AND Cherie will show us a six-step process for DE-STRESSING. Who couldn’t use some of that?

Listen in and then download this pretty printable that Cherie created for you, outlining her six-step De-stressing Method.

Also, visit Cherie’s websites and learn all about her passions. Her website, Waiting on Wildflowers, is the business side of Cherie–flowers, oh so nothin’ but simply gorgeous flowers!  Not only is Cherie a wellness wonder, she is a lovely creative who makes all things beautiful, all the time! Then you can check out Cherie’s blog. That’s the place where you can read about her musings and hear her joyful heart really come alive. Check both of these out.

I want to thank Cherie for joining us the past two weeks. It’s been fun sharing the mic with someone. We’ll have her back soon to chat more. And thank you for listening! I’m loving these Friday Podcasts and I hope you are too.

Please comment below and let us know what you think …

Oh, one more thing. If you’re interested in checking out my book that was mentioned in the podcast, Remind Me, you can click here.

Until next time … just remember that you’re too blessed to be stressed and Jesus loves you immensely!

If you are not familiar with podcasting, simply click on the “play” button above to listen from the blog. If you’d like to listen “on the go,” you can click here to access the podcast from iTunes. Be sure and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes so you don’t miss an episode.

The post Podcast #4 – Chatting with Cherie Hurt about STRESS!! appeared first on Jacqueline Heider.

On this week’s episode, you’ll enjoy listening in on my conversation with Cherie Hurt.

Cherie’s mantra for healthy living is “Be Well,” and you’ll get to hear her share some thoughts on overall wellness, her personal testimony to wellness, and what it truly means to be fearfully and wonderfully made.

Take a look at the seven Dimensions of Wellness below.

In which areas are you strong? Which needs some tending to? Pray and ask God to help you anchor your soul by finding balance in all these areas of wellness.

Until next time, follow the mantra of my favorite wellness guru …

Be Well!

If you are not familiar with podcasting, simply click on the “play” button above to listen from the blog. If you’d like to listen “on the go,” you can click here to access the podcast from iTunes. Be sure and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes so you don’t miss an episode.

The post Podcast #3 – Be Well … An Interview with Cherie Hurt appeared first on Jacqueline Heider.

In today’s episode I talk about exercise and how God taught me that just as I needed to persevere with regard to physical exercise, so I also need to persevere and discipline my body in the spiritual areas of as well.

Perhaps you’re going through a difficult time and just need to take it one step at a time and “do the next thing.”  Maybe you’re a brand new believer and are having difficulty finding the time to pray and read God’s Word. In all honesty, many who have been Christians for years still find it hard to be still and sit at Jesus’ feet.

Whatever your area of need, I’m providing you with a 60/90 second Prayer and Reading Challenge downloadable  that will help you discipling your body to pray and read God’s Word.

Also included in the FREE download is the “Jesus Wheel” example and a list of attributes of God.

I’m praying that God speaks to your heart as you spend time with Him this week. You can do it!! Don’t forget to get your FREE 60/90 Second Downloadable PDF.

If you are not familiar with podcasting, simply click on the “play” button above to listen from the blog. If you’d like to listen “on the go,” you can click here to access the podcast from iTunes. Be sure and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes so you don’t miss an episode.

The post Podcast #2 – My Love-Hate Relationship with Exercise appeared first on Jacqueline Heider.

And it was a bit painful. No epidural here!! All of the technical stuff that goes along with this STRESSED ME OUT! But here she is …

Allow me to introduce the newest member of our family:

Anchored Souls … Real Hope for Real Life

In today’s episode, we’ll talk about things that we use to try to anchor our souls, and the One true Anchor who can and will anchor our souls and keep us on course–Jesus, our sure and steadfast hope.

At the end of my podcast I mention my new FREE Online Bible Study for Remind Me. If you’d like to join this study on the attributes of God, click here to register and here to order your copy of the study.

Thanks for joining me today, friend!

If you are not familiar with podcasting, simply click on the “play” button below to listen from the blog. Soon you’ll be able to access the podcast from iTunes and subscribe there so you won’t miss an episode.

The post I’ve Just Given Birth to My First Podcast! appeared first on Jacqueline Heider.