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Let’s be honest, living a divorced Christian woman is a topic that Christian speakers and authors rarely talk about from the platform.

We talk about marriage, motherhood, career, but it’s crickets when the topic of divorce comes up. YET, we know that a significant percentage of our mailing list and audience have gone through a divorce AND the wake of that divorce has a tremendous wake on every single area of someone's life.

These Christian women are desperate to be seen, accepted and loved rather than feel the silence, stigma of Christian divorce or shame.

I see them, because I am one of them.

So, I developed The Confidence Course: Getting Your Groove Back After Divorce for Christian women who’ve gone through the soul-crushing loss of their marriage and identity as a married woman.

When I went through my divorce after 26 years of marriage, there was a season when I just wanted to die. No exaggeration. I didn't want to go on. The loss of my identity as a married woman and the daunting days of unwanted singlehood ahead were more than I could bear. Add in the silence from Christians who didn't know what to say and judgemental comments from other Christians. The result of all of that was shame. So much shame. So, it wasn't a surprise that my confidence crashed.

Without Christ-centered confidence, a divorced Christian woman is:

> at risk of rebounding into an unhealthy relationship;

> suspectible to Satan's fierce and destructive lies, leading to cripping spiritual shame, struggling mental health and poor physical self-care;

> less likely to live out God's great adventure of joy and purpose;

But it doesn't have to be this way!

God is faithful!

After a divinely timed phone call with a friend, I began journaling and praying.

While I never lost sight of my identity in Christ, I needed God’s help to forge a new identity as a divorced Christian woman.

Over a few weeks, God gave me a powerful three-sentance statement that was centered in His truth and equipped me to get my groove back – in Jesus’ name!

That Christ-Centered statement is the basis for The Confidence Course, which features four-modules teaching Christian women who to speak, walk, dress and live with confidence again!

Each module includes three videos: practical, spiritual and application as well as other special features that will uplift, inspire and re-build their battered confidence.

I’m writing to ask you to share this announcement with your audience because we both know that there are women who long to regain their Christ-Centered confidence so that they can experience God’s great adventure of joy and purpose for their lives.

Here are some simple ways you can spread the word:

1. Share the graphic below about The Confidence Course and the registration link. P.S. You can offer your mailing list and social media audience a special coupon code for $20 off the course until February 10. Coupon Code: Friend20
2. Share the following promo YouTube video.
3. Invite me to over for an IG Live or Facebook Live to talk about The Confidence Course. We can talk about the "Five Lies that Divorced Christian Women MUST Stop Believing."

IMPORTANT: We know that women tend to take care of themselves before taking care of everyone else, so I’m only offering The Confidence Course ONCE this year. I don’t want women who need Christ-Centered Confidence to put this off!

Registration is open! This course is time intentionally to begin on Valentine’s Day weekend, which is one of the most painful days of the year for Christian divorced women, even if they are remarried.

Thank you for taking the time to read about The Confidence Course. If you have any questions, let me know.

Check out the registration page link to see what the course offers and since you know me, you can trust that I’m teaching 100% Christ-Center content with lots of stories, laughter and encouragement along the way!

With much gratitude,

Barb

She wakes up early. 

She makes her own clothing.

She is fearless in the face of uncertainty.

When we look at the life of the Proverbs 31 woman, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed or straight up discouraged.

Join host, Barb Roose, and special guest Christina Patterson as she teaches us that the Proverbs 31 woman isn’t a model to discourage us, but a source of deep inspiration for our lives. If you feel like you’ve been missing the mark as a woman of God, this episode is just for you!

Big Ideas From Today's Show

1. Proverbs 31 is not as much about the woman as it is about God.

Christina reminds us that all Scripture is God-breathed and written to build us up and help us do God's work, even Proverbs 31. The only reason the woman in this passage was able to be strong and laugh at the future was because of her genuine relationship with God. 

2. Surrender your expectations. 

Sometimes we place unrealistic expectations on ourselves to be the perfect woman, wife or mother. Christina shows us through her life that many times God will call us to walk a path of surrender, requiring us to give up our picture perfect plans and become who He has called us to be. In her words, "The surrendered journey is one step after another and trusting God for what is next."

3. Keep seeking God. 

Christina shared that she doesn't have a 5 or 20-year plan. Instead, she encourages us to start our days by seeking God and simply praying, "God, help me to do what you've called me to do, and help me to trust you with what you haven't."

About Our Guest Christina Patterson

Christina Patterson is a Bible teacher, author, and speaker passionate about empowering women in the love of Jesus Christ and the truth of God’s Word. Christina holds a Master’s degree in Theological Studies from Liberty University and is the founder of Beloved Women, a 501(c)3 non-profit providing resources and community for women to truly know who they are in Christ: His Beloved. She is also the author of several books, Bible Studies, and the creator of the LIFE Bible Journal that helps believers to intentionally study the Bible and apply God’s word to their everyday lives. She lives in North Carolina with her husband Donald and their two children.

Links from today's episode:

Beloved Women Website

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Worth More Than Rubies Bible Study

Worth More Than Rubies

Better Together host Barb Roose is a popular speaker and author with a passion to help women live beautifully strong and courageous in Jesus' name. She's the author of multiple books and Bible studies, including Surrendered: Letting Go and Living Like Jesus and Joshua: Winning the Worry Battle. Visit Barb's online home at barbroose.com.

Unfortunately, there are far too many women who’ve experienced both abuse and shaming within the walls of their church.

Join host, Barb Roose, and special guest Tiffany Bluhm as she shares her story of speaking up and against unchecked misogyny. She will help us learn how to break our silence and speak up for ourselves as well as for other women around us.

Big Ideas From Today's Show

1. We have created systems that are centered around one person's vision...and it isn't healthy.

Tiffany encourages us to take a hard look at the systems we have created that elevate the vision of one individual instead of creating a space for everyone to flourish. What we need instead is an equal, equitable vision where everyone feels valued and respected.

2. We need to lament. 

We need to lament that someone has been harmed. Tiffany reminds us of Jesus who, although He knew He would raise Lazarus from the dead, first took the time to weep.

3. We need to listen.

Tiffany reminds us of the importance of listening to those who have been harmed, even if they are sharing unsavory news about someone that we know or esteem. Just because we may have had a positive experience with that individual, it doesn't mean that this abuse did not happen. Listen to someone if they choose to confide in you.

4. We need to learn. 

As we listen, we will learn more about the situation, how abuse happens, and patterns of abusive power.

5. We need to love.

Love looks like justice, calling the police, and calling those in power to account. In order to move each other closer to what God intended, we need to speak up against sin and injustice.

6. Speaking up is worth the price. 

Tiffany's choice to speak up cost her everything, but she still says with confidence that it was worth it. Telling the truth may be costly, but do not squelch the Spirit's leading to speak up. Entrust everything to God's hands and move forward in faith.

About Our Guest Tiffany Bluhm

Tiffany Bluhm is the author of She Dreams and Never Alone, their companion Bible studies, and the forthcoming book Prey Tell: Why We Silence Women Who Tell the Truth and How Everyone Can Speak Up. She is a sought after speaker, writer, and podcast co-host of the popular podcast Why Tho, a show answering the existential and nonsensical questions we ask ourselves, with author and speaker, Ashley Abercrombie.

She speaks at conferences and events around the world, and her work has been featured in World Vision Magazine, Pentecostal Evangel, TODAY Parents, the Hallmark Channel, The Jenny McCarthy Show, and more. Her Bible studies on the Bible app have been downloaded more than 130,000 times and she was named a Woman to Watch in 2018 by Premier Media.

Tiffany leads an engaged audience online around women’s issues, identity, and faith. As a minority, immigrant woman with a interracial family, she is passionate about equality, justice, and dignity.

Links from today's episode:

Tiffany's Website

tiffanybluhm.com

Prey Tell: Why We Silence Women Who Tell the Truth and How Everyone Can Speak Up

Pre-order your copy here.

Better Together host Barb Roose is a popular speaker and author with a passion to help women live beautifully strong and courageous in Jesus' name. She's the author of multiple books and Bible studies, including Surrendered: Letting Go and Living Like Jesus and Joshua: Winning the Worry Battle. Visit Barb's online home at barbroose.com.

It can be easy to allow technology to get in the way of intentional family time, especially in this season.

Join host, Barb Roose, and special guest Arlene Pellicane for a discussion all about screen time! Arlene will empower you with the tools you need to make positive changes. Through stories, science, and wisdom, you’ll discover how to take back your home from an overdependence on screens. Plus, you’ll learn to teach the five A+ skills that every child needs to master: affection, appreciation, anger management, apology, and attention.

Big Ideas From Today's Show

1. Screen time is not neutral. 

The time that your child spends on a screen directly impacts their brain and overall health. Technology has an addictive nature and can derail children emotionally, physically and spiritually. Boundaries are crucial to protect your child from the potential dangers of screen time.

2. Screen time can either be digital candy or digital vegetables. 

Screen time can be profitable such as watching sermons, learning a new skill, or connecting with loved ones (digital vegetables) but it can also be extremely unproductive or even harmful such as excessive binging, turning to technology as a constant distraction, and accessing inappropriate content (digital candy).

3. As a parent, you get to set the rules.

It can be easy to give into our children when they want to spend time on screens, but Arlene encourages us to remember our authority and responsibility as parents. You get to set the boundaries for your children. Will you allow them to have cell phones? Can they create social media accounts? How much television can they watch during the week? You decide!

The A+ Social Skills:

1. Affection

Does your child feel loved? Is your child capable of showing genuine affection other than just liking a post or sending an emoji?

2. Appreciation

Does your child show gratitude rather than entitlement?

3. Anger Management

Is your child capable of managing their anger? Are you willing to stand in your authority as a parent even when your child gets angry?

4. Apology

Can your child apologize when they have done wrong?

5. Attention

Is your child capable of staying attentive or are they prone to distraction? Arlene shares that our attention span has decreased by 40% in the last 20 years. Your child's attention will vary depending on age, but ensuring that they are not consumed with screen time and spending more time on tasks such as reading can help with this. 

About Our Guest Arlene Pellicane

Arlene Pellicane is a speaker and author of several books including Screen Kids, Grandparenting Screen Kids, Parents Rising, and 31 Days to Becoming a Happy Wife.

Arlene has been a featured guest on the Today Show, Fox & Friends, Focus on the Family, FamilyLife Today, The 700 Club, and Turning Point with Dr. David Jeremiah. She hosts The Happy Home podcast and writes regularly for Proverbs 31 Ministries and Girlfriends in God.

Arlene earned her BA from Biola University and her Masters in Journalism from Regent University. Arlene lives in San Diego with her husband James and their three children.

Links from today's episode:

Arlene's Website

arlenepellicane.com

happyhomeuniversity.com

Screen Kids: 5 Relational Skills Every Child Needs in a Tech-Driven World

Grab your copy here.

Grandparenting Screen Kids: How to Help, What to Say, and Where to Begin

Purchase the book here.

Better Together host Barb Roose is a popular speaker and author with a passion to help women live beautifully strong and courageous in Jesus' name. She's the author of multiple books and Bible studies, including Surrendered: Letting Go and Living Like Jesus and Joshua: Winning the Worry Battle. Visit Barb's online home at barbroose.com.

A lot happened this year! So, I’m putting a pin in my annual self-reflection because this is a tough year to self-evaluate. During a world-wide pandemic, I survived. I should probably call the year a success on that point alone and keep it movin'.  Still, I’m an Enneagram Three, so it’s REALLY hard not to self-evaluate!

After a much-needed nap, I got the bright idea to move from self-evaluation to survival tips. What helped me get through 2020? That’s much easier for me to identify. Here they are:

✔️ Friends – Cue the “Friends” theme show music and sing the line with me: “When it hasn’t been your day, your week, your month or even your year / I’ll be there for you/ ‘Cause you’re there for me, too.” There’s a whole tribe of you who’ve been there for me. Thank you.

✔️ My Girls - They've been so brave this year. I'm really proud of them!

✔️ Devotion Time – Here’s a stack of the Bible studies that I did this year for my own personal devotion time. While I’m a Christian writer, my professional work is not substitute for my own necessary spiritual work. Thank you to these friends who brilliantly wrote content that helped me get better this year.

✔️ Walking – Bless. Walking is one of my MVPs for 2020. It’s the one thing that the pandemic didn’t take away. It preserved my mental health over and over again.

✔️ Reading – Books helped me escape the pressure of the pandemic on many-a-day. One of my top books this year is Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert. As a writer and creator, I floated on her words and stories.

✔️ Gratitude – Wearing “gratitude glasses” and giving thanks each day for God’s love, provision and preservation pushed back a lot of anxiety and worry.

✔️ Farmer’s Market –Each Saturday, my soul soaked up the bright colors, fresh vegetables and the enduring human spirit at my downtown farmer’s market. I can’t wait to go back!

✔️ Healthy Food – I’m generally a healthy eater. Thanks to grocery pick-up during the quarantine, I could stick with healthy eating.

😂 Finally, memes. To all of the meme creators out there who made us laugh when 2020 life wasn’t funny at all, thank you.

👉🏾 What about you? What got you through this wild year? Who do you want to shout out and thank?