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Thriving Beyond Belief with Cheryl Scruggs


Jul 25, 2018

Welcome to today's episode of Thriving Beyond Belief! With me today is Katherine Wolf, who is the cofounder, along with her husband, of the ministry Hope Heals. Katherine and her husband wrote the book "Hope Heals" and the two of them travel around the country speaking about their own journey.

10 years ago, Katherine's life was completely interrupted when she experienced AVM rupture in her brain from a rare birth defect. Miraculously surviving the trauma, she now is confined to a wheelchair and endures many physical limitations. Katherine speaks with us today about how the Lord has allowed so much healing to take place in her life. She talks about her journey and the miracles she has seen from the Lord despite her severe sufferings.

We take a lot of time on this episode to talk honestly and biblically about going through tremendous trial and suffering and how it brings it such immense growth and hope in the Lord. Katherine even defines thriving as flourishing through constraints. We in this world will experience trial and suffering, but the times we live in feed us the lie that we deserve a lie without constraints or suffering. If we look at our lives through the lens of the Lord, we see that we endure constraints because Christ has proven to be the constraint overcomer! He is the overcomer in each of our stories! We are to take hold of the sufferings and to use those to bring glory to God on earth.

As we talk, we discuss vulnerability and the lack of conversation about suffering in our culture. But Scripture reminds us that the most beautiful things have come out of the hardest moments in our lives.

In this episode, Katherine discusses her own experiences of walking through immense trauma, and how that has affected her marriage. She reminds us beautifully that the battles we face are not against our spouse. The battle is against the outside circumstances that that have come at the marriage. Katherine stresses that there must also be an intense hold on Jesus. The Lord is never surprised by the trials that hit a marriage, and therefore He knows that that marriage can not only survive, but thrive through difficult times.

Katherine discusses fears she faces now because of her disabilities and how she often looks back on her life to see how the Lord has been faithful every step of the way to spur her ahead. She encourages each of us to dwell on and process our own stories so that they can be used for His glory as well as bring healing to our own lives.

The world will tell you that darkness is the end of your story. But Katherine reminds us that Scripture says the opposite- the Lord bestows a treasure specifically for those who suffer. The light is sweeter because we have walked through darkness. He will uphold us!

Please take some time to listen to this incredible story- you won't want to miss it!