Life Builders By Julie Hamilton | Encouragement | Faith

“The day before I went to jail, I was laying on the floor of our empty apartment with no where to go and I was asking God to kill me.  I didn’t want to live anymore. There was no hope in my life. I ended up in jail and it was the best thing that could have happened to me because it saved my life.” *Trigger Warning — sensitive content* Abuse. Addiction. Jail. Recovery. Redemption. Today, you’ll hear Roxanne Wilson’s powerful testimony — how she walked through hell, came out on the other side, and how God is now using her story to help women uncover their true identities! Hear her survival story, how jail saved her life, the hardest part of forgiving yourself, how to see yourself differently & to begin shifting your identity. I also accidentally preached a message about finding your identity in this podcast!

"I opened up the file folder to see what was in it…..she was practicing my signature. Her forgery of my signature was so authentic, it was scary."  Embezzlement. Forgery. Fraud. Imagine these things were happening in your $13M program of federal money to help the poor.  Imagine you went to your boss to turn in the "bad guys." Surely, he would be on your side. Wrong. In this case, Dr. Amy Block Joy had no idea how high up the deception was happening at UC Davis, but she knew one thing...she needed to sleep at night. Doing the right thing was the only solution that gave her peace. On today's podcast, she shares the turn of events that led her to find herself as a whistleblower, what it cost her, how she maintained courage through demoralizing retaliation and solid advice to those who might find themselves in the same situation.  He said, "You’ll need to find new friends and build a new life. Few people will understand what you feel, but remember it’s you who will sleep better at night knowing you did the right

After spending thousands of hours mastering video games, young Yu Kai Chou realized that he felt a deep sense of emptiness. That epiphany inspired his research that has now affected more than 1 BILLION people worldwide. In a quest to make real life more appealing than video games, he began studying the science of how developers create virtual worlds that satisfy our needs & make us want to spend time there. He has spent decades learning how to apply the core drives found in games to real life. In this episode we talk about why most gamers are actually women, core drives, how games can help solve real world problems & meet real world needs (like learning algebra) and how parents can apply these strategies to tap into core drives of our children to teach them effectively.  When I started this episode, I didn’t quite know what to expect, but by the end, I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was one of my most informative & insightful podcast episodes ever. It opened up my world to an entirely ne

Pastors Myles & Katharine Weiss come from the most different backgrounds you could imagine: a New York Jew and a California christian girl. But somehow they overcame their differences, merged their lives beautifully and have been married for over 33 years. In their new book "When Heaven Hits Home: Ancient Wisdom for Today's Couples," they share wisdom for joining two lives into one with all the expertise you would expect from 27 years of being a Marriage & Family Therapist. We talked about what most marriages struggle with, tips for communication, men's vs. women's needs, how to merge two completely unique backgrounds & traditions, the process of writing about their own personal weaknesses, the hardest time in their marriage and how to regain a vision for a healthy and thriving marriage when it's not your current reality.    Some of the other topics we touched on are:  -finding God as the common denominator -how does ancient wisdom apply? -why marriage isn't old-fashioned, it's cream filled -what

"You were made to influence the world in a way that no one else can." Leadership = influence. If you've got anyone in your life that you are influencing, whether you're a stay at home mom or a CEO (or both!), you are a leader. In this podcast, Jenni Catron delves deep into 4 dimensions of leadership to build a strong, healthy leader. You'll also hear why some people don't like the word "leader," about building and navigating good team partnerships, a leadership strength assessment and how to lead yourself well. This book was very instrumental in my leadership journey and I'm so honored to have Jenni on today! You can hear her smile and her passion throughout the entire podcast!   Some of the topics we touched on are:  -Where leadership begins -Hairstyle regrets -The fun of being an auntie -Why the word "leader" is polarizing -Defining characteristics of a leader -Do you need a title to be effective? -Sacred responsibility -Discovering 4 dimensions that we can lead from -Framework for effective leadership -The

How can women overcome their fears of connecting with other women? How can we enable each other to walk in the unique callings on our lives with confidence and without comparison? Heather Estebez tackles these questions and more in this week’s podcast! Learn more about her testimony, why every person’s reaction is not about us, her first super scary speaking assignment, doing it afraid, how walking in our true calling frees others to do the same, how to find your tribe, and why personality is never an excuse for poor behavior! You will also get to hear about our most embarrassing mis-text mistakes! lol!  Some of the topics we touched on are:  -Heather's story  -Her dramatic turn away from drugs and gangs -Heart for missions -Connecting with other women -First scary speaking assignment -Why "their" actions are not all about you -Loving wounded people -American women's culture vs. global women's culture -Just do you! -Don't give up -Finding the confidence to walk in our calling -Finding inspiration -Proximity i

“If God had opened the door when I thought He should have, it would have been a complete train wreck.” This episode is for every person who is in a time of waiting, in the middle where it seems so dark & you can’t see the vision come to pass yet! Jessie Seneca, founder of More of Him Ministries & “She Leads” Conference was "in the wait" for twelve long years as she struggled with illness and God was building something in her. But now on the other side of that promise fulfilled, she’s encountered more than she could ever imagine!  In today’s

  "The more and more we’re in these times of waiting, we can root down more into our identity and remember that no matter how this situation turns out, we are still beloved, we are still planned for, we are still accepted, and that our worth is not in question."   This former zookeeper turned Project Manager for Trueface (and throw in a little book sculpture :), really pulls back to curtains to go where not many are willing to -- to the depths of talking about identity, the struggle of being in the middle and how to wait well in that darkness, dealing with anxiety, and why rest in hard. She shares about the main reason millennials are struggling with making real connections and being seen and known.  So grateful for this very REAL chat with Brittany! "If we practice transparency by saying lots of facts, but not really inviting anyone into the struggle, the joys, to walk with us in THAT, then we’re not going to really experience the kind of relationships we were literally made for." "Have gentle curiosity abou

Acknowledging your own pain and showing yourself compassion is the first step to emotional healing. In this unique episode, Gayle Belanger, a addiction and PTSD counselor for almost 30 years, actually leads us through an exercise to show compassion to ourselves (at 39:00). Gayle is not just any counselor, she's MY counselor and I wanted to share with you the tools she's been teaching me that have been bringing healing to my life and I think could do the same for you! In this episode we talk about standing in our true identity, how self compassion brings healing, silencing that inner critic, being rooted & grounded in Jesus and His word, and redeeming all the gifts inside you -- even the ones you don't like! It is my prayer that this episode will open up worlds of healing for you that you didn't even know existed and that it will help you begin to walk in who you truly are, not limited by your past wounds and the world that daily tries to bring us down!  Note: When you hear us say "meditation", it's just a

How a simple and good desire can become the one thing that rules our hearts! Here are 6 stages of war that keep us from moving forward freely.  Resources:  Instruments in the Redeemer's Hands: People in Need of Change Helping People in Need of Change by Paul David Tripp

"We have lost the art of finding common ground. We immediately come in and we look for clues to figure out whether someone is on our side or not." After speaking to millions of teens and leaders around the world for the last few decades, Mark Matlock is still not afraid to "stir the pot." As the author of over 20 books, this established thought leader, advisor, and executive leader of WisdomWorks and Youth Specialities, is constantly pressing the boundaries of "safe" conversation and spurring us on to have THOUGHTFUL conversation instead. In this chat, Mark shares tips for examining the tension between faith and politics, brings wisdom for difficult conversations that occur within opposing viewpoints, and shows us how we can regain the art of finding common ground. This eye-opening discussion is overflowing with wisdom for traveling today's social media landscape. I hope you will be inspired to dig deeper and explore the tensions that arise with open hearts and open eyes.   "So I’ve assigned to them this idea

"Everybody talks about how strong we are all the time, but it’s really how much we’ve been lifted up by everyone around us from literally the first second."   Arik & Hannah Housley are learning to live in a new world after losing their beautiful 18 yr old daughter Alaina to gun violence at Borderline in 2018. We are so honored and humbled that they shared in such an honest way about their experience from what has carried them through every parent's nightmare to honoring many of those who have supported them (they honored at least 23 people in this podcast-- I counted!). We also discussed their feelings toward the shooter, how faith has impacted their journey and "Alaina's Voice" -- a movement to change the world through kindness. "From a couple of friends that have lost loved ones, I remember thinking to myself “I would be so mad at God if this happened to me.” and it was also again like a message of the exact opposite. Like you expect one thing and it’s the complete opposite." Some of the other topics we

Jeff Hutsell is in the process of turning "business as usual" on it's head.  Taking the merit and cut throat competition out of the workplace, this Owner/CEO is intentional about creating an environment built on trust, honesty, freedom to fail, the freedom to create (and of course rising productivity!) and it all comes down to one word: grace. In today's chat with Jeff, he talks to us about how a grace-infused business is different than the world we are used to, adjusting our mindsets what grace really means, how the ability to fail without fear is changing their company and creativity, and what every great leader needs to know.  Some of the other topics we touched on are:  -Experiencing Christmas in Bethlehem -How a Holy Land Tour opened his eyes -Finding yourself pampered in your own beliefs -Jeff's struggle with "grace" -Receiving unmerited favor -What distinguishes a grace culture from business as usual -The key to building an env't of grace -What can go wrong -How office conversations have shifted -The e

"When you stall healing, you stall growth and even worse stall purpose."   "Do the heart work." That is the hard work that healing specialist Monique Melton had devoted her life to. Today she shares about how we can know if we need healing, what keeps most people from getting healed, her own dark, personal struggle that turned her pain into purpose and we how we can be honor all of humanity.  "People say time heals.  No. Intentional work over time heals." Some of the topics we touched on are:   -Warning signs that healing is needed -How to handle hard discoveries about ourselves -How busy-ness can indicate more below the surface -Serving to your detriment -What keeps us from getting healed -Purpose comes through pain -We can't rush the process -The "Baking Season" -Her struggle with Postpartum Mood Disorder -An invitation to explore deeper -Dealing with heart pain -What does unity look like?  -Keeping love, respect, and dignity even when we disagree -Losing our humanity -Why the heart work matters   Follow al

Her daring cross country move to Hollywood at only 23 years of age brought Freelance Creative Director Tiffani Tyler amazing opportunities to work with companies like WNBA and Lewis Howes: School of Greatness.  Every week, Tiffani gets to film and hear the top 1% of achievers in their fields and the knowledge that she has gleaned from this combination of experiences is so vast! In this episode aimed at young creatives, entrepreneurs and business owners, Tiffani gets real about the skills you need to know they aren't taught, the most life-impacting interview she's filmed, and what every creative needs after they start to make a living with their art.  Some of the topics we touched on are:  -Why an unconventional education matters -Taking a leap of faith -Timing is crucial -The wrong way to network -Lone wolf mentality -Redefining failure -Everybody's "couch" days -Most important thing young entrepreneurs need to know -Grow by saying no -Value of $50 days -Most life-changing interview -The days when no one call

"Trust God all the way. Even when there’s potholes and divots and accidents, you still have to trust God all the way." What a powerful episode! I was blown away and full on ugly-crying throughout this chat (read: straight up preach) with powerhouse speaker, stylist and transformation specialist Chastity Stemmons! She went so deep into how to discover and develop your true identity, stripping back our masks and self-imposed expectations, and finding strength in the time where you feel all is lost. Not only that, but at the end she shares a blessing for every listener for 2019! I cannot get enough of this episode and I think you'll feel the same.  Hang on time because this episode is a crazy ride! "Don’t ignore the little nudges that seem like they don’t add up to anything. It’s the simple obedience in God’s plan that is going to lead to greater results in every area of your life." "I had to get rid of my blog because it was hindering me from hearing God. Even though I was talking about God, I was no longer mak

The first year her ex-husband left, Tonya West made $19,000. Her childcare expenses that year cost $12,000. With little knowledge of finance, Tonya struggled for years as a single mom, but now she has brought it full circle.  She became a financial planner with a heart to love her neighbors by helping them take control of their finances, imparting hope and freeing them from shame and embarrassment over financial troubles. In this chat, we talk about common money misconceptions and mistakes, practical advice on how to find ourselves in a better financial position one year from now and she shares valuable financial insight just for single moms along the way.  Some of the topics we touched on were: -What is exciting about the new year -The most common misconception about finance -Why you are empowered in your own money situation -What to do if you didn't learn about good money habits from your family -The heart behind financial advising -Why money habits don't stop with you - they are generational -The first ste

"God is always present and at work in all aspects of our lives to prepare us for what he has for us at this time in our lives." Anita had found her forever job in ministry. That is, until earlier this year when she was scooped up in a dramatic transition to a huge international organization in a business role. She is as surprised as anyone to now be operating as Regional Director of the Florida/Puerto Rico Region for Operation Christmas Child. Looking back, Anita can see how God has been preparing her for this unexpected role since she was in high school! I loved this opportunity to draw on Anita's 30+ years of business and ministry experience to chat about what she's learned in walking through this tough transition and her tips for high capacity leaders on how to remain healthy even through life's most unexpected storms.    Some of the topics we touched on were:  -Building a legacy -Hope for a kinder & gentler nation -The power of influence -Transition from small ministry to huge int'l organization -Oper

"There’s no other way to experience love except through allowing another to meet a need, so I have to become vulnerable. Learning to trust people is scary, but it’s more scary to not get loved."  When John talks he makes you feel like you're the only person on the earth. In this chat, international speaker, pastor, and author John Lynch sits down & rips his heart out to show us the most important things in life -- being vulnerable, grace, humility, trusting others and even reveals the lessons that he's learned about God, faith, and others through chronic illness.  This is a chat you will want to digest again and again and share with others!  "I love you more than 10 million yet unnamed galaxies on your worst day." -God   Some of the topics we touched on were:   -John's beautiful roller coaster ride of faith -How to "remove the mask" -The only way to experience love -Winning at parenting -Most important quality in a leader -What humility looks like -Creating an environment of grace for our homes & busi

  "You don’t have to do this the hard way like I did. I didn’t know. I didn’t have anyone. So these are all the lessons I had to go through the hard way." It's only fitting that preschool teacher turned author, Carol Woodiwiss, touches on topics from A - Z included how she continued to love a spouse with an addiction and why finding a good mentor is key to living the life you want!  Her book is perfect for individual study or small groups and is called "ABC's of Life for Women". Find it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble & Copperfields.    Some of the topics we touched on were:    -The benefits of being in the second half of your life -Why she walked away from church & what brought her back -Loving a spouse or child through an addiction -Praying the hardest prayers -Being in the "waiting" -Inspiration for ABC's of Life for Women -The chapter she refused to write -Even God made marriages have hard things -How a good mentor changed her life -Learning lessons the hard way -What makes a great mentee -How to be