Episode 31 :: Carol Kent :: Staying Power : When Life Sends Its Worst
Today I am talking with best-selling author, speaker, and just incredible woman of faith, Carol Kent. I loved this conversation with Carol because it felt like I got to sit and talk with a woman further along in life than me and talk about all that is going on around us right now and how it's impacting our relationships, our hearts, as well as it is impacting the hidden hurting in our society. She and her husband, Gene, along with two of their dear friends, Cindy and David Lambert have just recently released an incredibly timely book called Staying Power: Building A Stronger Marriage When Life Sends Its Worst. In this book and in our conversation today, Carol shares practical advice about how to commit to each other when life comes at you. I’m so grateful for Carol’s honesty about what they’ve experienced with their son’s incarceration, as well as how God has changed his life and theirs. Her practical insights about choosing to build up instead of tear down come from an authentic heart who has lived in the trenches, and we need those voices now more than ever.
This conversation also presented a beautiful opportunity for us to discuss how to encourage those around us who are experiencing this pandemic in a totally different way than we might be. Easter was just a few days ago, and I cannot help but think about all the people that encountered Jesus that day on Golgotha, the place of the skull, where He was crucified. Some were afraid, some were angry, some were in awe of Him, some just wanted to embrace the spectacle. And yet in that place, the last person He spoke to forgiveness and eternal life, was the condemned criminal beside him. Jesus modeled that in our darkest hours, we can still look for the Light, and share that Light with others.
To connect with all the different resources that Carol mentioned in our conversation, please be sure and check out our show notes or hop over to my blog. There you can also find tons of links there for you if you felt led to pursue one of the books or studies she mentioned, or ways to get involved with loving some of the least of these. All of our stories matter to the One who made us, including yours, dear one. Take heart.
Product Spotlight for this episode: Freedom : Productivity Tool
References:
Staying Power: Building A Stronger Marriage When Life Sends Its Worst
Speak Up ministry/conference
International BSF in Port Huron
Waiting Together (for families of the incarcerated)
Praying on Facebook for the prisons and dealing with covid 19
Scripture References:
1 Peter 1:12- The angels rejoice and marvel at the work is the Gospel
Hebrews 12:1-We’re called to throw off every hindrance
Luke 4:18-/ 2 Corinthians 3:17- Rejoicing in our freedom
Psalm 46:10- Be Still : Cease Striving
Hebrews 12:2- The author and the creator
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18- Pray without ceasing
2 Corinthians 4:16-18- Don’t lose heart
Acts 16:25-40- Prison guard and the salvation of his household
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12- Two are better than one
Judges 6- Gideon and the altars of his Father
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8-There’s a time to tear down and a time to build
Esther 4:14- Such a time as this
Genesis 50:20- What the enemy means for evil, the Lord will use
1 Corinthians 15:58-He wastes nothing
Luke 23:39-43- Jesus on the cross, and when His grace for the criminal beside Him
Connecting with Carol:
Other books by Carol can also be found on her website, or by this link here!
Connecting with Em and catching up on episodes:
Instagram
Facebook
Blog
Sign up for our newsletter!
*Intro and Outro music by audionautix.com