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February 3, 2024 17 mins

This episode unfolds the transformative journey of journaling and prayer, as we share how these spiritual practices have not only reshaped our lives but also deepened our faith. Hosts Tiffany Windsor and Mary Koning bring forth the poignant reflections of a skeptical journaler and the profound impact of chronicling our innermost thoughts. Mary's story, intertwined with the wisdom from the Circle Maker's prayer journal, promises to ignite a spark within you to seek clarity and connection with the divine through the simple, yet powerful act of writing.

Our daily prayer sets the tone for the day, weaving the strength of community into our  being. The conversation takes you into the heart of this practice, highlighting the immeasurable value of a supportive network where truth can be spoken and healing can begin. We confront the shadows of fear and celebrate the leaps of faith that lead us toward the futures God envisions for us. As you become more involved in the In His Hands community, our hope is that you will feel a part of something greater—a fellowship fostering courage, recovery, and the shared wisdom that emerges when we dare to voice our truths and bear witness to each other's growth. Join us, not just as listeners, but as fellow travelers on this path of upliftment and enlightenment.

You can find all our episode information at https://www.inhiscircle.com and join us on Instagram and Facebook. You can also watch our podcast episodes on YouTube - Please join our community!

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Episode Transcript

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Announcer (00:00):
Welcome to In His Hands podcast from women for
women.
We're here to help you findpeace in knowing you are in
God's hands.
Our goal is sharing the Word ofGod in simple conversations.
We're here to help you thriveevery day.
And now, here are your hosts.

Tiffany Windsor (00:18):
Good morning.
I'm Tiffany Windsor and I'mMary Koenig, and we are so
delighted that you are joiningus today.
Mary, do you want to start offin prayer?

Mary Koning (00:29):
I would love to.
The verse today is Galatians1-5.
It is for freedom that Christhas set us free.
So, dear ones, I just pray ahedge of protection around you
as we enter this space together.
The Lord wants us free from thecage of our mind thinking small

(00:49):
, feeling small, isolating,because we don't want people to
see our ugly bits.
But everybody has ugly bits andwe help each other grow and
learn beyond them.
So I invite you to ask Christto set you free, because that is
what he came to do to save usand set us free.
And yes, it was mighty name,Amen.

Tiffany Windsor (01:11):
Thank you so much for that.
We've had the opportunity tospeak and reflect this morning
before we've gone on air here,and there's a lot of reflection
for Mary and myself about wherewe started with In His Hands
Community, where we are today,what we've spoken about, the

(01:33):
topics that we've spoken verydeeply and clearly about as we
spoke this morning.
What keeps coming to me istalking more today about God's
Toolbox.
We had a great episode onjournaling.
When I went back to listen toit, I felt like there was so
much more that we could add, andso a journal is just one of the

(01:55):
items in our toolbox.

Mary Koning (01:57):
I just want to circle back to journaling
because I feel like that's maybeGod's direction manual.
So the Bible is theinstructions and then we learn
who we are and what he wants usto do as we journal.
So they go hand in hand.
In Exodus 17, 14, the Lord saysto Moses write this on a scroll
as something to be remembered.

(02:18):
Isaiah 30, verse 8, go now andwrite it on a tablet.
Revelation 111, jesus commandsJohn to write what you see on a
scroll.
So we're writing what we'reseeing in our life and I
followed Rachel Hollis for manyyears, right after she wrote
girl wash your face, and Iforget the second one.
But she has a journal actionplan.
She's a big fan of journalingand writing things down and she

(02:41):
had five things get up early,exercise, drink all the water
and a few other things.
And I just did those dailybecause that was my lifeline in
my journal, to check thosethings off that I did them at a
time where I couldn'tnecessarily get myself up and
out on my own.
The other thing she had us doas a group was our 10 dreams and

(03:06):
to work towards those dreams,and I was casting around in the
dark like a person bumping intothe walls on my way to the
bathroom at night, but it reallyhelped me dream again.
So tool in a toolbox number onejournaling and don't stop If it
doesn't feel good or it feelsicky, or to write that thing
down you don't necessarily wantanybody to see.

(03:27):
Sally Field had a funny thing.
She had journals and journalsand journals, boxes and bins of
journals and she's like nobodycares.
Nobody cares about my journalsand so don't, don't worry about
that, nobody's going to see it.
Nobody, nobody really caresabout you and God.

Tiffany Windsor (03:41):
You've really inspired me with all of your
explanations about journaling,because when we first started
and I said, oh, I don't journaland I laugh when I go back and
listen to that episode because Ifelt like I was being very
strong and saying that justwasn't for me.
And you have certainly changedmy life with regard to
journaling and my understandingmore of the importance of it,

(04:05):
because to me it was more likejournals may be something that
you leave to your children, or Ijust had the wrong idea about
them, of how they're used.
And I love it when you comeback to me and you say, a year
ago today, this is the space Iwas in and I've never thought
about my life that way, I'venever looked that way to go.

(04:28):
Where was I a year ago?
It takes me a bit of time to goback and remember and figure
that out, and then I lovereflecting on the growth, and so
you've really inspired me tohave a deeper understanding of
how the tool of journaling, howit, can really help you.

Mary Koning (04:46):
What is so cool about that is you were a
reluctant journaler and had towalk through that because the
Lord is making a movement here.
We know that you might feelreluctant and that's okay.
It's okay.
There's some really pure goldon the other side of journaling.
Wise women use these tools andhere we are, in this phase in

(05:11):
our life, who we've lived a lotof life and we've made a lot of
mistakes, and we just hope thatthese pearls of wisdom can be
jewelry for you, that you knowwe've walked through these
things and it's not we'retelling you to do one more thing
.
We're actually wanting you toknow yourself better and to know
how much your maker loves youand wants to speak with you, and

(05:34):
journaling is just one of thoseways that is very effective and
powerful.

Tiffany Windsor (05:40):
The other aspect of journaling that has
really grown for me isunderstanding how to bring God
into my journaling, because justwriting words in a journal of
course many, many years ago,when the artist's way first came
out, that was the thing to do.
And you sit down and you write,and you write, and you write
until you get everything out forthat particular day.

(06:02):
Sometimes it can take a whilefor you to start writing and you
just go with the flow.
To me, bringing in theprayerfulness into my journaling
, I had just finished up theCircle Maker, which was the
40-day prayer journal, and againit made so much more sense to
me and had so much more purposein my life when I was being

(06:25):
asked to tie it in every singleday to my prayerfulness.
So that was a big shift for mealso.

Mary Koning (06:34):
You can tell we're big fans of journaling.
That's a major tool in yourtoolbox.
You'll understand yourself moreand reflect on circumstances
and conversations that couldhave gone better or went really
well and find the keys tosuccess in there.
It has been life-changing forme.
Another tool is to pray, and wehad mentioned before about a

(06:58):
group of girlfriends sayinglet's just start praying for
each other 7.30 in the morning.
I saw results of those prayersthe next day and my prayers are
heard and answered lately moreoften when I'm praying for
others.
So my prayers are.
You know, sometimes I feel likethey're falling on deaf ears,
but I think what I'm learningthrough this is that inviting my

(07:21):
prayer warriors into my spaceby asking for specific prayer
and praying for others moves themountains that were not meant
to do it alone, and so prayer isthat communication and that
community on a spiritual level.

Tiffany Windsor (07:36):
And I thank you so much for inviting me into
that circle of prayer.
At 7.30 every morning I have myphone set with a reoccurring
7.30 AM alarm.
What I try and do is get readyfor work before 7.30 comes and
so that I can be quiet and prayfor this beautiful group of

(07:59):
women and just put my prayersout to the Lord and anyone else
that I want to be sure toinclude in my prayers every
single day.
I haven't missed a day and Ican't imagine missing a day.
It's now become a part of myroutine and I feel so blessed.

Mary Koning (08:19):
And that is where the power lies.
So lots of times when we feelpowerless or alone, it's right
there and, sweet pea, we'repraying for you too.
You're part of those beautifulwomen that you just mentioned.
I love that Fabulous.

Tiffany Windsor (08:34):
The other thing that we feel is so important in
our toolbox is community.
We just talked about perhapsfeeling alone and feeling alone
in our prayers, and so webelieve so much in community and
it has certainly unfoldedbeautifully for us, mary,
because of how our friendshiphas grown.

(08:55):
We've only known each other fora few years and we would meet
in the driveway and we'd strikeup conversation and each time it
would just get deeper anddeeper and you were able to
share with me more what wasgoing on in your life.
And this community, startingwith just two people and
building into what I imaginewill be massive amounts of women

(09:19):
who are seeking community I'mcertainly realizing the
importance of it because I havestruck off on my own for 40
years and believed that I was areally strong woman in doing
that, and I'm totally changingmy vision on that because I'm
realizing how importantcommunity is.

Mary Koning (09:41):
And it's this community that we've built, the
community of two and the Lordsays we're two or more are
gathered there.
He is among us is changing thetrajectory of my life and what
was my job and what I'm doing?
Knowing there was that was nota long term future.
This has altered that.

(10:01):
So, buckle up, buttercup,because your community, your
tribe, your people, they will bethe trail blazers.
And another important part ofthat is saying yes.
How do you say yes?
What are you saying yes to?
Well, it's in the pages of thejournal and it's the prayer time
and it's the toolbox for thebig, beautiful future God has

(10:24):
for you, that he wants to showyou.
That's there for you.
We have talked about fear inthe past and fear would keep me
from stepping into that big,beautiful future.

Tiffany Windsor (10:36):
What are three or five ideas that we can give
to our lovely sisters?
The biggest challenge is takingthat first step, having the
faith to take that first step.
Certainly when you turn toprayer, to me that would be step
number one.
When you call out in prayer,you have to first know that you

(10:57):
need help.
Right, you have to admit that,and sometimes just the act of
getting down on your knees andturning it over to the Lord and
admit that you need help, Ithink has to be one of the first
steps.

Mary Koning (11:11):
I love step one Recognize there's a problem, and
I just think that's hugebecause you can fix something
that's broken.
But if we're going to keepusing the broken thing, say it's
fine, it's fine, then God can'twork with us there, because
there's a vast canyon of denialbetween you and him and I find

(11:32):
that I use denial so often likethis is fine.
If I admit it, my world willfall apart and every single time
my world has not fallen apart.
It has not fallen apart bybeing honest with myself, and
it's important to remember thatin Malachi 1, verse 2, god says
he has always loved you, he hasalways loved me and he's just

(11:54):
waiting for us to be healed andwhole.
We're part of it, since we'reinvolved, we're a part of it and
we have to say yes to Him.
So it's step one or one step.
It's a baby step.

Tiffany Windsor (12:08):
You do need to find a safe place to speak up,
because if you keep holdingthese words and these feelings
and whatever, it isdisappointment, hurt, fear, if
you do not have someone to speakup to, about just getting the
flow of the words going, becausethere's one thing to pray

(12:30):
quietly by yourself, but there'ssomething in the strength of
being able to speak the words,because then at that point, I
believe, you start opening upthe floodgates to the dam to be
able to admit that you needcommunity, you need help, you
need the Lord.
That's something that just cameto me, just a visual.

Mary Koning (12:52):
That is a huge piece of the puzzle.
I was in a recovery group foryears I want to say almost five
years and did not talk about meand my situation.
I was happy to talk about you.
I'd always be like, oh, youneed to listen to my voice, you
need to, or here's what youshould do, or I'd have some

(13:14):
piece of advice.
And it was just in the lastthree months of the class that I
started to say I so I amprobably a late bloomer and a so
I'm going to make a commentabout your voice right now.

Tiffany Windsor (13:32):
This is when you know you're digging really
deep, because that will happenwhere you will lose your voice
because there's part of thisfear that comes up and you are
pushing through it.
You are clearing your voice,you're making your voice strong
and if you watch other people,you can catch this so many times
where we'll start to lose ourvoice when we are digging really

(13:57):
deep to speak our words oftruth.
So I thank you for doing this.

Mary Koning (14:02):
That has been worth everything because I feel like
I was silenced in my marriage,silenced in my church, silenced
by weaponizing scripture againstme, and I'm working through all
that with the help of Jesus.
So all that to say.
That recovery group was a groupof safe women going through the

(14:25):
same ugly things and comingthrough on the other side better
and beautiful.

Tiffany Windsor (14:34):
So I think in this moment, what we're trying
to say is there is hope, becausewhen you're stuck in that
moment and you feel so alone andyou feel like there's no one to
talk to, there is hope.
There is hope on the other sideof that fear.

Mary Koning (14:49):
So I love our toolbox tools so far.
Take one step Just figure outwhat that is.
Find a church and go visit.
Take a friend with you.
Step two is find safe people.
Find recovery group.
I'm a big fan of counseling,but talk therapy doesn't do the
whole job.
It's a circle of things, that acombination of things.

(15:10):
There it goes again, acombination of things that you
need to find that work for you.
Prayer, join our prayer groupat seven thirty and talk.
Talk through the fear in thepast, because there's power in
your voice and God put you hereto speak the words that he's

(15:30):
giving you.

Tiffany Windsor (15:32):
I am going to wrap up today with a prayer of
thanks for you, mary, because Ihave been seeking women who are
brave enough to speak up and soto sit here next to you and
listen to you, speak your truth,listen to your body trying to
say no, I can't do that, but youare learning to trust in the

(15:59):
messages that are coming to youand, dear Lord, we thank you for
bringing these messages to Maryand helping her to speak so
that she can help other women,our dear sisters, who need to
hear her strong voice.
I've been telling Mary forweeks speak up, speak up into
this microphone, and I can hearthe Lord saying the same thing.

(16:22):
Mary, thank you for trustingand, lord, thank you for
bringing me into this smallcommunity of two that is growing
, and we cannot wait to continueto share our wise woman ideas
with you, share our communitywith you, share our prayers with

(16:42):
you and wrap it all up withpearls of wisdom.
We thank you, lord.

Announcer (16:48):
Thank you for joining us for today's podcast.
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