Bragg-About Life Podcast April Bragg

When I was a child, I believed in Happy Ever Afters.  

I believed God was going to bring me a perfect man, and I was going to fall perfectly in love, and we were going to have a perfect wedding, and live happily every after, with our couple of perfect kids.
And then I went to college, a GREAT place for that perfect man to find me (especially in the olden days - before all the dating apps) and I learned this valuable lesson - 
He couldn't find me if I was hiding all the time.

Sometimes, we're taught that we as Christians should ALWAYS be waiting - that FAITH requires waiting for God to take action on our behalf.
And SOMETIMES, that is true.  But JUST sometimes.
Sometimes, FAITH looks like, well, looking!  And it's in the looking, that we learn more about ourselves.  And that is GROWTH, and that's a good thing!

So, here's some unconventional advice from a Christian life coach who is very happily married (on most days, lol! - because NOBODY AND NO RELATIONSHIP IS ALWAYS PERFECTLY PERFECT!!!) 

What are your thoughts about money?
And, do they cause you to be suspicious of it, or good stewards of it?
Broadly speaking, I believe Christians have been led by the Enemy to be suspicious of money.  "The love of money is the root of all evil."  

It's so clever of him to take the words of JESUS and twist them through the centuries to convince us to be afraid of money and wealth, instead of seeing it for the USEFUL tool that it is!

When we as Christians, and especially as Christian women, become confident stewards of the resources God gives us, and use our God-given intelligence and our God-given gifts to INCREASE our wealth and abundance, just imagine how we can use that tool to expand our influence in the world!
Let's not fear it - and of course, let's not see it as a replacement for God in our life.

I wanted to interview Danesca because she has gone from huge debt as a single mom, to conquering that mountain by applying wise biblical principles of stewardship, to NOW educating others in financial matters and also as a day trader.
I was dying to learn more - and I thought you'd like to join me!

To get more info about Danesca, follow her on IG at https://www.instagram.com/danesca_7/
 

Want a GREAT marriage?
Here's tip #1 - Never take marriage advice from people who don't enjoy their marriage - in ALL aspects.
I was raised to believe that a "godly" marriage should look a certain way - 
Husband leads in all things,
Wife submits in all things,
Children obey in all things,
And dogs are better than cats as pets.
Dogs are loyal.  Cats are too independent.
Okay - that last part was a stretch, but not by much.
Here's the problem I see.  We are looking for the "perfect formula" to avoiding divorce, and having a great marriage, 
Not realizing that the Bible is about FAITH, not formulas.
And the "perfect formula" for marriage was - if the wife submits, the marriage will be great.
Maybe. Maybe not.
Maybe the marriage will be about 2 people devoting all their time, energy and attention to the selfishness of one person.
And that's not a great thing - not for either person.
Listen, I both LOVE to help couples stay HAPPILY married forever AND ALSO believe that "avoiding divorce at all costs" is the WRONG goal.  
Is marriage a picture of Christ and His Bride, the church?  Yes.
But an abusive marriage?  That is an EVIL corruption of God's beautiful design.
Let's not turn a blind eye to it.
Let's not be guilty of telling a woman to "submit" to abuse.
Let's not make "a forever marriage" an idol in our churches, and ignore the real needs of the people in the marriage.
A STRONG marriage, a HEALTHY marriage, a MUTUALLY loving marriage - that's the best buffer against divorce.  
Let's not rely upon a simple "submission" formula to replace the work of admonishing, exhorting, teaching, bearing one another's burdens, and mutual submission that we as Christians are called to do.
 
 

Were you told, "Train up a child, and when he is old, he will not depart from it."
Were you promised, if you parent correctly, everything will be okay.
Were you pressured to insist that your kids obey, promptly, completely, with a positive attitude, every time, every adult?

Were you taught a PARENTING MYTH?
I've never met a parent who didn't have the desire to be the best parent possible to their kids.
And, parenting is a sensitive topic.
And parents are getting so much conflicting advice. After 22 years, I'm sharing my secret but strong opinion.
Just so you know, I don't think we're doing our kids any favors by not trusting that we know what's best for our kids. 
That's why I say that parents need to be confident!
Then, I debunk the fear myth I learned at church that would have made me into a hyper-controlling parent.
And, finally, I share why I believe raising our kids to be strong, instead of training them to be submissive, is the far superior (and Biblical) approach.

Have you ever CRAVED wisdom?
I remember when I was a little girl, and I wanted to know EVERYTHING.
I'm sure my questions drove my family nuts.  
(I KNOW they drove my teachers nuts - they told me so!)
But it just seemed to me, if you knew more, you'd make better decisions.
And better decisions would lead to a better life.
Anyway, that's what I thought when I was about age 8.
Now, at 47?  I am CONVINCED of it.
So, I thought I would share with you the stages we pass through to go from IGNORANCE (everyone's starting spot) to WISDOM - and how that can help us become SELF AWARE of our own blind spots!

I think that's pretty cool - but remember, I was the nerdy kid at school asking ALL the questions!
 
Here's the thing to remember, especially if you are like me, with an insatiable desire for growth - 
NOT EVERONE is like you.
And that's okay.
That does not make them wrong, or you WEIRD.
It makes you WISE.  
There's a saying, Ignorance is bliss.  
The more you learn, the more you desire to learn.
If I had to choose between wisdom or bliss - 
I'd choose wisdom.  I'd envy the blissful person next to me, lol!
But I would STILL choose wisdom.
What would you choose?
So, that's my warning before you listen to this episode!
 

Are you looking for a better time management system so you'll have more time to spend with the ones you love, and doing the things you love to do?
Or, are you looking for a time management system that will help you get EVERYTHING done, regardless of its importance to you and your purpose and goals in life?
This episode dives into how "time management" stops being a tool, and potentially becomes a TRAP - when it is used indiscriminately.
Especially geared for Christians who feel guilty about resting when there's ALWAYS more that can be done for the Kingdom of God,
I hope that this episode will give you:
greater discernement, greater peace, and more confidence
As well as gently nudge you to make MORE time for God's gift of REST in your life.  
PS - ready to escape the time management trap and enjoy the benefits of having more time, getting more done, without hustle, without fear, but not sure where to start?  Start here by booking a Clarity call at https://aprilbragg.as.me/clarity