Connecting With the Heart (#656)

Last week Wayne talked to Jeff Andrechyn about the spirit of adventure that can be part of our growing walk with Jesus. After talking to Jeff, he also recorded a conversation with is wife, Dana, who is on a great journey of her own. Not quite the same as Jeff's, they prove to be a great complement to the other. She also talks about her dreams of being the model of a Christian wife and mother and what happened to her when her life didn't turn out that way. But learning to stay connected with her kids through the twists and turns of life has yielded great fruit not only in her life, but in theirs as well. Jeff and Dana live near Charlotte, NC, where she works with Zoweh Ministries.

Podcast Notes:
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20 Comments

  1. Honey

    After 33 years I’m still learning things about you. You are a deep well that satisfies. So proud of you ??

  2. Hi you guys, My wife Irene and I had some great moments as we listen to your talk this morning. Love it when it takes us back to who does God say we are and how that brings security and fulfillment. Wow how true when wa can have the hearts of our children to support who God made them to be and jealous for what He has for them. Realizing at the same time there is a world trying to steal and take away that truth. Also to be able to see the great work being done in our spouse. Allowing our selves to enjoy the life coming from them and being able to share Gods love together. I know this podcast was not abought marriage but I like how Gods love is it for all parts of our life. Thanks for shairing

    • From Wayne: It was about marriage, and so much more, Ora! I enjoyed this conversation with Dana. Thanks for your comment, too. You’re family has had an incredible journey, too, with tragedy and glory in it both.

      For those that are interested in their journey out of the Amish world and into a more relational journey, you can read Irene and Ora’s book “Plain Faith”. I met them a few years ago in Canada. Find out more here.

    • Ora, thanks for your comments. I enjoyed being invited to chat with Wayne on his podcast! He asks great questions and is so affirming of our journeys into the Heart of the Father’s Affection for us. And yes, even though I learned about mothering the hearts of my kids from a place of freedom when they were in their later teens, it has been such a joy to love them this way NOW (It’s never too late!)! Jesus has redeemed a lot in our stories together. Yes, there is an enemy who wants to steal, kill and destroy…BUT “greater is He that is in me, that he that is in the world.” And I love watching this Overcomer come again and again for my own heart and for the hearts of those I love. I love this journey. It’s full of mystery and surprise and joy. It never gets old.
      And with my husband, it’s the same. I thought I knew him when I married him, but he is on a journey of “becoming” and it’s glorious to watch.
      From Wayne’s comment here, it sounds like I need to hear your stories, Ora and Irene!

      Dana

    • Doug

      Your comment makes my heart sing. For years Dana ran “behind the scenes” fighting for the hearts of our kids and running support for me while working with men in my community. How beautiful for her to find her voice now. She has earned the right to speak let me tell you. I think Father shields you and then reveals you when your ready. We just helped host a marriage retreat and she was a star.

  3. Near the end of this podcast it started to get poetic. I enjoy poetry as well as you and Dana. To hear you both describe how darkness, even darkness, can be a benefit was so encouraging. To face it and realize there is a light coming, even when I don’t know when it’ll come, was relaxing and strengthening because it was based in who God is and who I am in Him. So thanks to both of you.

    • Jared,
      I love how you said that the podcast got poetic at the end. I am drawn to the poetic, to poetry. I love to read it and dabble in writing a bit. It’s a language that invites to us mystery and to ponder. For me it’s a way to stop the busyness and to soak in words and beauty. And it’s a path to healing and hope. Those words about heading into the darkness and eventually meeting the sunrise, have been words of hope and infusion of faith at just the right season. Thanks for your comment!

  4. This was a delightful conversation. So many things that you talked about rang true for me. We are all created in God’s glory. Viewing others in this light is transformative. Creates in me that sense of adventure that Jeff spoke of. It widens and deepens space for me and for others, even though there may be tension at times in that space. To experience peace while holding the tension is something I have come to appreciate on this journey. I like the idea of seasons in our lives. I find this to be true in life. I don’t know how I got the idea this journey would be a piece of cake and when it’s not..something is wrong with me or the someone else’s around me. It is the journey, the ups, the downs, the dark places, the places filled with light and everything in between. I love what you said about moving through the darkness heading East. The only way out is through.

    That is one of the things that draws to the monarch butterfly. I love watching the monarchs lay their eggs, watching for the teenie weenie caterpillar develop stripes, watching the caterpillar grow. I love caterpillars. I don’t see them as less than butterflies. I see them as glorious creatures holding the potential to have their lives transformed becoming new creatures.

    Anyway..I could go on, your conversation spoke to my heart so much love and inspiration. Many thanks and blessings to you both.

  5. Dear Pat,
    I love your thoughts here! And your affirmation. Love what you said about what Glory does, “It widens and deepens space f or me and for others, creates a sense of adventure”! We belong to a wild God who is full of glory and he shares that with his sons and daughters. Scripture is full of this, but it is only recently that I have seen just how much. The church trains us in sin management, but Jesus came to take care of that problem . “The old has passed, the new has come.” Why don’t we talk about THAT!! And start pursuing that in one another? It’s so much more liberating and encouraging, isn’t it?

    When I was a little girl, I loved studying caterpillars and butterflies, just like you. And I love what you said about the caterpillars, they are just as glorious as the butterfly, holding great potential. I love looking at one another this way too. Beautiful. This is our destiny!

    So glad you were encouraged. I am too!

  6. Thankful for this podcast! Thankful for the excerpt about seeing Gods glory and the original glory!!! I’ve been dealing with my soon to be 9 year old who is incredibly wonderfully independent and outside the box type girl, feisty and will be truthful not flattery or people pleasing…so going to this from my firstborn compliant sweeter than heaven sweet little girl:), (my youngest is sweet sweet too), it’s been great opportunity for God to continue to change me to focus on freedom and the original glory in them rather than conformity to my desire what works for me…just yesterday I sat with my youngest and said, (and her name is Grace… oh do I learn a whole lot more about His Grace raising her!!!lol) anyways I said, “ I LOVE you so much, I’m in love with you and I don’t want us to be against each other but for each other, this parenting thing is hard and I want to be the best mommy God created me to be for you and us the have the best relationship He created for us, I don’t want to push you away I want us to be close and sometimes I just get confused in parenting”. She then saw my vulnerability and was open to admit she really was being disrespectful when “asking” me a question that it wasn’t just asking like she said but it was because she was mad she had to do more work than her sister…she also explained her perspective why she got mad was because I was upset to begin with (which looking back I do see my tempermant was on edge)
    We prayed and asked God together for wisdom…
    I think I came away from the prayer that I need to relinquish control…the very thing I pray for is for liberty to be in our household and my daughter is living in that with her perspective, her heart and yet I had been quenching or fighting the very thing I had been praying for.
    Freedom, LOVE, Grace.
    Also a while back God was leading me in the revelation our children are created for dominion…do I honor that do I nurture that…they need freedom to have dominion. I absolutely love that my youngest will never be brainwashed lol….she questions and thinks for herself:) it just takes more patience on my part with her not doing what she is told to do right away or the way I think lol!
    Thank you Dana and Wayne!
    And I hope to read Plain Faith as my daughters are reading a character named Ora in their pathway readers:) he he.

  7. Victoria, thanks for sharing. That is one of the best demonstrations of a grace-based encounter with a child being difficult that I’ve ever read. I love how your vulnerability opened a door for hers and how it Brough you closer together and inside God together. That’s so awesome. I love the things you said to her and pray this will go on to bear fruit in your family.

  8. Thank you so much for your encouragement! Means a lot to keep pressing forward:)! I had a perfect example of NOT using grace in parenting the day before but we prayed and asked His blood to wash and heal…somehow through all my utter failures I pray those are less and grace is more and He will continue to navigate us through and my girls will be rooted and grounded in His Love and His thoughts for them. Amen. I am excited to watch and see His glory in and through them as they be and do all He created for them.
    Thanks again for the encouragement and podcast from Dana a veteran mom:) giving profound encouragement to see the original glory.

  9. Thank you Victoria and Wayne. Your comments reached into an interaction I was just having with Father….this story of grace, vulnerability and “relationship first” allowed me to see a little more of His heart for me. Thank you. Sue

  10. Victoria, I agree w Wayne! I love reading of your interaction with your strong (and lovely) daughter! Beautiful. I think as parents, we have the gift of having eyes to see the glory of our kids lives. Especially when we have been the recipients of experiencing the Father’s heart for us first. Sounds like you are walking so beautifully in that for your own heart as well as for your kiddos. I love it! Thanks for sharing. I’m inspired!

  11. Thank you so much for this Podcast. This message is close to home, we have been going through a very dark time with 2 of our kids. This has been very encouraging and a much needed story to be told. Could you please give me the names of the authors of the books you mentioned I couldn’t make it out. “The butterfly and the song, and Loving your kids on purpose” thankyou

  12. Leona,
    You are so NOT alone in this journey of parenting kids who are in a dark place. Wish we could take a long walk or have a cup of coffee and share stories and pray together. I do pray that you find Hope in our Good Father for this part of your journey. He is present IN this season with you AND your beloved children. The story isn’t over yet! Ruth Graham’s book Prodigals and Those Who Love Them is also a very good read.

    With hope,
    Dana

    • Thank you so much for your encouragement. I have been thinking about how to respond and not sure what to say. We do see light at the end of the tunnel but the journey has worn us down. I am feeling numb and a shell of what I was. But I know I am not alone that Papa is always with me and will help me drop the walls I have put up to protect myself from the pain. Thank you again Leona

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