What a slam dunk way to start off the Summer of Mentorship!

In May of 2015, author, speaker & mentor, Vickie Kraft, invited me into her home to record this conversation.  Vickie was the first women’s minister at our church and has mentored many of my mentors. She attended seminary. . .in her 50s. . .and started her own Titus 2:4 ministry.

Y’all. I didn’t want to stop chatting with her. What a holy experience!

Every word and Scripture and truth Vickie spoke gave me a little more confidence, courage and peace.

A few months after the show aired, Vickie went home to be with her Savior. Making this episode even more of a treasure than it already was. 

My hope is you can really allow her wisdom to sink deeply and hold on.  We focus on God’s Word, His Faithfulness, our longing for significance, family dynamics, gratitude, and the reality of suffering.

What we chat about:

  • How God’s Word is the only sure foundation for life
  • Vickie’s tips for being in God’s Word, studying & applying.
  • The necessity of obedience to grow in faith, not to earn salvation.
  • Vickie’s story of growing up with a single mom & knowing God is faithful
  • The longing we all have for significance & why God put that desire in us
  • Fathers, family structure, and submission
  • Learning to be content in every situation & the role of gratitude
  • How to get right in the middle of God’s will.
  • How suffering is guaranteed in this life
  • The “but if not” prayer

Discussion Questions:

  1. Vickie shares that God’s Word needs to be our anchor. Think of a time you applied God’s truth to your life. How did obedience to God’s Word change your perspective or reaction to that situation?
  2. Vickie shares about her mother’s faith that God would provide for her family when her father died. What are some places in your life you need to have more faith in God? Take a moment to surrender those places, people or needs to God in prayer. Declare his faithfulness.
  3. Anything (besides God) that we need to have to feel significant or to have purpose is an idol, even good things. What things in your life make you feel significant? Reflect on whether any of those things fills a place meant for God to fill.
  4. Thankfulness leads to contentment in all situations. Take a moment to write down 5 things you are thankful for right now. How can you stay in the attitude of gratitude throughout your day?
  5. Suffering is guaranteed in this life. Have you prayed for something that you did not see God change? Are you holding on to any bitterness toward him in your heart? Take a moment to re-surrender an area of unanswered prayer to God.

Vickie’s Books:

**Amazon Affiliate Links

Links Mentioned:

  • Leslie Johnson (Sursee Gal)–Ep 1 ; Ep 20
  • Nancy Williams–The Best Ever Life (Ep 11)
  • Kris Habashy– Expect the Hard, Experience the Good-Part One (Ep 34) ; Part Two (Ep 35)
  • Vela Tomba–Hula Hoopology Ep 28
  • James 1:2-4 “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
  • 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”
  • John 10:28 “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.”
  • One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are
     **Amazon affiliate link–Ann Voskamp
  • 1 Thessalonians 5:18 “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
  • 2 Corinthians 1:9 “But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.”

How to listen to the podcast:

1.Listen on the blog. Click through to GodCenteredMom.com and click the play button at the beginning of this post.

2. Listen on your smartphone, iPad or iPod Touch – There are a lot of great podcasting apps. Apple has a free one (that I mentioned) in the app store, there is also one called Downcast. It allows you to search for shows, subscribe to them and even speed up the audio. If you don’t have an iDevice, you can listen via Stitcher.

3. Subscribe to the Podcast – access the podcast in iTunes (Click here to access via iTunes). You can also search for it on your smartphone app (like the ones listed above) and subscribe.