Heart Of The Matter Radio

Hostess Cynthia L Simmons offers a prayer for thanksgiving: Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good. Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him Oh fear the Lord, you His saints,  For those who fear him have no lack The young lions want and suffer hunger, But those who seek the Lord lack for no good.

My father seldom called me the right name. First he called me his sister's name, then mother's before he landed on mine. Once my aunt died, I requested he drop out her name, but he didn't. I can't criticize him, though, because I messed up my kids names. Even worse, I've used the cat's name by mistake. LOL. Recently, a young father complained on facebook about confusing his kid's names. I welcomed him to the joys of parenting. My guest this week was Lori Wildenberg. She gave amazing advice about how to connect with your child, and how to empower them. Plus, have you thought about the difference between helping and enabling? She clears up that issue. Listen and enjoy!  

Princess Beatrice has been flashing her new engagement ring, and the media has been showing photos of other royal rings for comparison. How fun to ooh and ah over the size and cost of each However, because platinum is rare, it's worth even more.  Bethany Jett and Michelle Medlock Adams recently finished a book called Platinum Faith, which described all-in faith. They shared how valuable we are in God's eyes and how to have resilient faith.      

I had five children, and each child had different strengths. In fact, the first two seemed so opposite, I wondered what the third child would be like while I was pregnant.  Both girls struggled with math, and so I used Saxon math in my homeschool because that text keeps reviewing. Once the girls learned a concept, I didn't want them to forget. When my son came along, I used the same book, and he missed a lot of problems too. However, when he entered college, I learned my son excelled at math.  That puzzled me, so I asked him why he found math hard. He told me math wasn't difficult. It was boring.  He had a strength and I didn't know it. My guest this week was Analyn Miller. She and her husband wrote Play to Their Strengths, and they explain how to look for areas where your child is strong.

I've never enjoyed going through clothes. Years ago my mother-in-law gave me a bag of old clothes for the kids in varying sizes and colors. I stuck them in the attic and prayed they would all match when I brought them down in the spring. Thank goodness my closet door stays closed because my clothes are often a mess. However, I've learned all sorts of new things from Kathryn Graves. She's an author who loves to organize closets and drawers, and she also discusses fashion tips. She was my guest this week, so tune in and enjoy. 

The homeschool movement started just after I married, and the idea fascinated me. I wanted to do it myself, but I gave birth to my third child about the time my oldest would have started kindergarten. Homeschooling with an infant seemed impossible, so I put my daughter in our church school.  What a big mistake! My daughter was very sensitive and too young to put into a classroom situation. She disobeyed and became hard to handle, and we all missed the sweet girl she had been. Now I realize that's how she handled stress. We decided to homeschool and took her out of kindergarten.  But I was terrified. The moment I started, I felt a huge weight descend on me. I had dreams of ruining my children. However, i adjusted to the new routine and school went well. I kept going when I realized my children thrived and had good manners. I ended up teaching all five through high school.  My guest yesterday was Jennifer Henn. She also taught her three children through high school and wrote the book, Take the Mystery Out of Ho

The North and South operated different economies, and misunderstandings led to continual pressure during the mid-1800s. The two sides disagreed over slavery, states' rights, and tariffs. Finally after Lincoln won the 1860 election, Southern states left to form their own country. A bitter, bloody war fought between them lasted from 1861 to 1865. The battles caused the death of many soldiers and the deprivation of numerous civilians. George Santana said, "Those who cannot remember the past are doomed to repeat it." Author Cathy Gohlke was my guest this week. She has researched extensively and written two novels on the war. Cathy shares insights on what we can learn from this terrible time.

I recall going through a period of transition a few years back. Even though I understood what I faced, I didn't feel comfortable. The world didn't seem right, and I didn't know what to do.  I'm thankful for the older women in my life who helped me navigate those times. They knew how to speak to my heart when nothing else worked.  The Bible talks about older women teaching the younger ones how to love their husband and children, so praying for a mentor can be a good thing. My guest this week was Susie Davis, and she has called herself a spiritual momma. She shared topics younger women often struggle with.   

Habakkuk's complains ring true today: Oh Lord, How long shall I cry for help and you will not hear?... Why do you make me see iniquity and why do you idly look at wrong?   Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise. So the law is paralyzed and justice never goes forth.   Many people today suffer at the hands of others, creating pain and sorrow.  I'm glad we have hope. Today my guest is Paula Mosher Wallace and she will share her story and ministry: Bloom in the Dark.  God can "restore the years the locusts have eaten" and he has done that for her. 

Recently a dear friend suffered a severe heart attack and died. Sadness overwhelmed us The suddenness caught us by surprise because our friend was so strong and healthy. He had a vital role to play in our church and in missions. In my grief, I remember accusing God of making a mistake.  From my earthly perspective, God needed to plan better since this man who died did helped so many people.  Emotions don't always reflect truth when you are hurting. My guest today is Sarah Forgrave suffered a long illness and shares how she managed tough emotions to find hope and healing.

Once I married, I realized the complexity of relationships. I thought I understood my husband's facial expressions, and I expected him to read my body language. He didn't. In fact, I learned his perspective often differed from mine.  Babies are challenging too. They start off sweet and cuddly, but someday they'll grow up enough to say, "No!"  How should you discipline them? Should you spank? That's a big controversy today. Have you ever been misunderstood or betrayed by a friend? What should you do about that? The book of Proverbs addresses all these issues. Kathy Collard Miller is my guest today, and she shares on these topics from her recent Bible study.     

I once heard a joke on the James Dobson show. The guest said that when a child turns 12 you lock him/her in a barrel with a small opening, and when he/she turns 13, you stop up the hole. That expresses the frustration we parents feel while trying to navigate those sensitive years. I was a difficult teen at times too. When my mother got me a ride to school, I took issue with the family I didn't know and refused to talk. Mother told me they wondered if I hated them, and that wasn't far from the truth. It's embarrassing to think how rudely I acted. My guest is Letitia Suk and she has written 100 Need to Know Tips for Moms of Teens and Tweens. She's offering tips on managing our almost-grown-up kids. 

When you hear the word cancer, you tremble. Recently, the doctor found I had enlarged lymph nodes. I understood he was trying to rule out cancer, but I felt creepy when my scan took place in the hospital cancer center.  I'm a retired RN, so I know what can happen. Death. That's scary Have you ever noticed people whisper when they talk about death? I heard a pastor from England remind the congregation that death is serious. At the least, facing death makes you evaluate your life. Don't get me wrong, I'm confident in my faith, but I'm not anxious to be sick. The ups and downs of chemotherapy weigh on the family as well as the patient.  I'm thankful my tests came back normal.  Today my guest is Joanie Shawhan, and she shares how she lived through cancer and chemotherapy.  

My bedroom sat at the opposite end of the house from my parents, which enhanced that feeling of loneliness you have after a nightmare. Once I had a terrible dream, and I rushed down that long hallway to my father only to hear him tell me to trust in God. At that moment, I wanted someone I could see and feel.  We all sense the ache and tragedy in our world, so how can we sense the love of God. Deb and Roy Haggerty share from their recent book which draws from a lifetime of learning about God's mercy and love.

Years ago, while teaching my kids at home, we watched at the window while two birds landed on our bird feeder. One bird, (I assumed it was the mother bird) grabbed a beakful of seeds and stuffed them down the other bird. I was shocked. The 'baby' bird appeared full grown to me, especially since he flew to the feeder himself. After mom gave him several servings, both birds flew away.  What a terrific image for moms. As your children near their teens, you start equipping them to leave the nest and survive on their own. Counselor Brenda L. Yoder shares ways we can help our kids (and ourselves) through that tough transition.

I love reading women's diaries from the past because we often write down what we really think but would never say aloud. Once I read a diary by a young lady who thought she saw her friend in a mirror, and she recorded how beautiful and posed her chum appeared. However, she suddenly realized she was seeing herself.  That story reveals a lot about how a woman sees herself. Not many of us like what we see in the mirror. For instance, I used to long for straight hair instead of curly, but I've talked to women who wanted my curls rather than what they had.  Often we come close to condemning ourselves too. Author Tina Yeager shares from her latest book on how we can become beautiful warriors and see ourselves as God does. 

Life doesn't always turn out the way we expect. I recall showing off my ring after I was engaged, and one lady commented on how it might look after I mopped the kitchen floor. Looking back, I realize she thought I might be overly romantic rather than living in the real world, but I already knew life could be hard. And during tough times, we can wonder where God went. However, I have seen him at work during trials. My guest today, Patti Richter, wrote about a friend who experienced God's presence during a trial. 

In the South, we expect heavy thunderstorms and often tornadoes in the spring and fall, but we listen to the weather forecast so we can be prepared. When our kids were young, we had a tree fall on our house during a storm that hit in the middle of the night. My husband and I woke the children, and all of us huddled together in the basement until the danger had past. Life brings storms that can be just as devastating as tornadoes. You can weather those storms stay anchored. Author Cynthia Cavanaugh shares how to do that from her newest book.

If you injured your arm, you'd see the doctor and follow his instructions to elevate and add ice until you recovered.  However, if you had your nails done, you'd show all your friends and talk about the latest trends in nail design. In the same way, God intended believers to use their gifts in the church to build up and encourage one another. In a healthy church, if one member hurts, the others minister to that person, bringing them back to strength. Joy Trachsel is my guest today, and we trade stories on how we've seen the church do it's job. 

When God created male and female, he planned for us to have children and raise them together. Notice what Genesis says: "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it..." He gave that command to both the woman and the man because neither could have children alone. God designed us to need a father and mother. Notice this verse from Proverbs: "Hear my son, your father's instruction, and do not forsake your mother's teaching." Prov 1:8 We learn best from both parents, and the lack of either can hurt us, even if death causes the loss.  TV personality Lisa Burkhardt Worley grew up without her father, and she tells how she found both healing and hope. Now her ministry offers help to others.