For the One

You've been questioning your purpose lately. Wondering what you're made for, and how God can use you. A little lost, stuck, or even just uncertain.

In this episode, I'm sharing a life-changing chapter of my story when the Lord revealed a huge piece of my purpose. Transformation would be an understatement! Listen in to discover two insights to help you engage your assignment and activate your deepest passions.

Meet your Host; Laura Dudek. Connect with her on Instagram or Facebook- @laurakdudek. Purchase her bible studies on Amazon.

For the woman who feels like her heart is a battlefield. Your heart is weighed down with tension or heaviness. Maybe you look around and just see loss; unmet expectations. Despair and disappointment. 

You’re grieved. Drained. Burned out. Confused. 

Maybe you feel like your life is the battlefield and you’re getting hit with the shrapnel. From a toxic job, a circle of drama at church, conflict with your kids or your husband.

I’ve thought a lot about his word ‘ashes.’ It paints a picture of something getting lit on fire and endlessly burning until there is nothing left. 

I’m hearing that there are quite a few women in that place; feeling stuck in the ashes. 
From personal experience, in the throws of navy seal mommy boot camp, I met the middle of a valley filled with ashes. I was at the end of myself in every way possible... and then the 'suddenly' of God showed up.
If you need a strong dose of empathy, compassion and a prophetic word to get your heart hoping again, this episode is all yours love.

There is a fresh word from the Lord in this season to see what He sees and to say what He is saying about your life. There is a fresh wind to rise again.

Meet your Host; Laura Dudek. Connect with her on Instagram or Facebook- @laurakdudek. Purchase her bible studies on Amazon.

A heart-to-heart conversation for the woman who feels like she's been left behind.  It seems lately like so many women are experiencing massive transitions; like friends moving away, entering first-time motherhood, and seeing their coworkers get promoted. And in the wake of all this change, we can feel abandoned. Lonely. And straight up left behind. 

So this week on the podcast, I want to encourage the woman who finds herself in a lonely place. The woman who keeps dreaming of past seasons and friends she used to have. The woman who feels stuck between who she was and who she is becoming.

This is your bold encouragement for this season. You are seen and wildly loved. And while you may feel left behind, you are not forgotten. 

Meet your Host; Laura Dudek. Connect with her on Instagram or Facebook- @laurakdudek. Purchase her bible studies on Amazon.

Calling all Creatives; gardeners, artists, musicians, small shop owners...

Creativity and the Kingdom of God go hand-in-hand. As creatives, we are called to steward ideas, inspiration, and the very talents God has woven into our DNA. But it's a process that takes care and cultivation.

We've got Jackie Wachter on the podcast today; founder of FOUNT Leather Goods based in Cleveland Ohio. She's unraveling her story of honing in her drive for fashion and discovering God in the middle of what she thought were simply childhood passions.

Maybe, creative, you've been in a dry season and need a fresh reminder of your calling. You've hit some roadblocks and you need a big sister in faith or a seasoned mentor to come alongside you and remind you why what you do is essential in your faith.

Meet Jackie Wachter. She is the Creative Director and CoFounder (along with her husband Phillip - CEO) of FOUNT, a Cleveland based luxury leather goods brand. The couple started the brand in 2014 in their Cleveland Heights apartment. FOUNT has since grown to five brick and mortar store locations and counting. The word FOUNT by definition means “An abundant source of desirable quality.” That’s exactly what they are striving to create through their heirloom bags, which are constructed from all Italian leather and solid brass hardware, made with fair trade practices, and come with a lifetime guarantee.

Follow her on Instagram: @fountjackie @fount

Shop Fount: fountleather.com

Listen to her podcast: The Fount Jackie Show

Meet your Host; Laura Dudek. Connect with her on Instagram or Facebook- @laurakdudek. Purchase her bible studies on Amazon.

Over the years, countless women have come to me saying, "I feel like I'm supposed to write a book!" 

But life takes over.
Fear sets in.
Doubts kill the inspiration.
Hurried schedules squeeze out any writing time. 

And suddenly that calling becomes a pipe dream that never actually happens.
Many women talk themselves out of the book before they even get to the starting line.

So maybe you've got a book in you. But you need some practical, powerful tips to help you hone in the words, develop your craft and stay in it for the long haul to actually finish the book!

We've got  Jenna Zint, founder of The Habit Lab and Habit Coach,  on the podcast this week.

Discover with Jenna game-changing perspectives attainable FOR ANY WOMAN in ANY SEASON:

• avoiding writing burn out
• navigating lies from the enemy
• creating a lifestyle of writing 
• setting habits to get you to the end without sacrificing your whole life

Meet Jenna Zint. Hey all! ’ve coached & taught 350+ people how to designer simple healthy habits & how to get to the roots of unhelpful habits. I’m a deacon at Bethel Church & love gathering groups of people to go after growth together. 
Follow her on Instagram: @Jennazint
Listen to her podcasts: Marriage Lab + The Habit Lab

Meet your Host; Laura Dudek. Connect with her on Instagram or Facebook- @laurakdudek. Purchase her bible studies on Amazon.

What do you do when the enemy steals from you?

Maybe you've been stolen from lately by the enemy. He stole your joy, your hope, an idea or a relationship. Now you feel violated in deepest way, something was taken from you without your permission.

You're sad. Angry. Defeated. Hopeless.
The full range of emotions. 
Coming from my story, I want to encourage you today with some deeply personal insights from a moment when I felt the enemy flat-out stole from me. May this episode bless your socks off and awaken the fighter in you.

WILDLY AWARE: A journey to become fiercely present.

You feel pulled to a decision that takes great faith. You want to step forward, but you first feel like you need to have every question answered and check every box for what could be around the corner of your yes.

Why? Because you don't want to be the one later saying, "I wish I would have known..."

I wish I would have known...how hard it was going to be, how uncomfortable it would be, how it would bring me to the end of myself.

The possibility of facing hard things often make us tap out early of profound blessings. The presence of adversity seems like an easy permission slip to opt out and sulk back into familiarity. But what if you stepped over the chicken line of this decision, without knowing what was ahead of you- trusting that the blessing is worth it and the adversity won't take you out?

You are made for hard things.

WILDLY AWARE: A journey to become fiercely present.

'It’s not that big of a deal. You’re being dramatic. Settle down.'

If your passions and emotions have ever been met with these words, I’m sorry. My guess is that those words changed you. Maybe you tried a little harder to hide those tears next time, or you composed yourself before sharing your exciting news. 

The passion, excitement, and emotions that feel “too much” are the very things that are going to enable you to do what God has called you to do, but more importantly, to be who God has called you to be. 

Let’s find our childhood wonder again. Let’s unleash the dreams we’ve been keeping safe in our “just enough” boxes. Let’s boldly step into the woman, powerhouse, and leader that God has called us to be. 

If you’ve ever felt like you’re “too much,” this one’s for you. 

As of late, you've been feeling a little one note. Almost like there is a part of you that's missing; a part of your personality, a passion, or quality. 
Suddenly, you are aware of this missing piece of you- a part that hasn't seen the light of day in quite some time.

You realize there is a piece of you lost. Maybe she got left during a hard season. Maybe she got ditched when you got promoted, or your life dramatically changed. But here you stand in life, acutely aware that you aren't fully yourself. And man, now that you think of it, you're exhausted not being fully you.

This episode is the brush-the-dust conversation; a pulling off the shelf parts of you long forgotten and a brushing of the dust to fully live who God has made you to be.  (And spoiler- maybe this missing part of you is huge piece of your current purpose.)

WILDLY AWARE: A journey to become fiercely present.

For the woman in ministry who longs for a consecrated 'more,' this is for you. Just like a woman who knows she is made to have another child, feeling both the absence of a person in your life but also the anticipation of who will be joining you, you've had this longing for something 'more' in your ministry. Whether it's new territory, a new project, a new adventure, or a new responsibility... you can't shake this feeling that there is something you are made to cultivate that you aren't right now.

For the woman praying to expand her ministry, there are some encouragements and advice you need to hear - some bits of wisdom to not only prepare you for more, but best position you for it. We've got the amazing Heather Margiotta on the podcast again this week, delivering a fresh conversation with YOU about how you can best handle this season as you long, pray, and contend for what's next.

This conversation will bless your little heart out (and get your notepad ready because there are nuggets to record all over the place!)

Connect with Laura Dudek: @laurakdudek

Purchase her bible studies on Amazon. Or book her to speak at your next event: LauraDudek.com

Connect with Ruah + Ember: @ruahandember

So you feel called to ministry...
Maybe you're in the early years of ministry, or on the edge of diving in.  You find yourself in the place of just figuring out what ministry looks like for you, or maybe you've pinpointed it like a dart to a bullseye.
No matter what 'ministry' looks like for you, we can all agree it's a tough career to enter into. And with rising rates of ministry burn out,  it's a race many don't finish.
But that's not going to be you! You will finish strong and run the race well. In fact, this episode is MADE FOR YOU!
Our guest, Heather Margiotta, with her 17 years of ministry experience, is going to have the heart-to-heart spilling the wisdom you need to minister strong. She's sharing the raw, golden pieces of advice she wishes she was told as her 18 year old self; fresh faced and called into ministry.
You'll walk away as a better leader, servant and woman of God; ready to steward your calling well for the long haul.

Connect with Laura Dudek: @laurakdudek

Purchase her bible studies on Amazon. Or book her to speak at your next event: LauraDudek.com

Connect with Ruah + Ember: @ruahandember

You are reading that right... today we have our FIRST podcast guest! Kirsten has been a part of Ruah + Ember since the beginning, and her heart for the Lord is absolutely contagious. You'll just love meeting her.

This is the conversation for the woman stuck in a wrestling match she was never meant to be in. Fighting the same lies, the same struggles;  feeling  inadequate, un-useable, unstable. You feel so inconsistent in your relationship with God, and you stop trusting yourself. You stop trusting God. You find yourself in the ring with  insecurity and shame as your opponents.

BUT, you haven’t forgotten what you are called to. You know you are called to write, you know you are called to the state or neighborhood the Lord has you. You know what God said to you on your knees 10 years ago. You know what you are supposed to do next but you are still in tension, you're still stuck in the ring, fighting a fight you were never meant to be in. We know the ring feels like home but it’s not. It’s a facade and a cage to keep you contained.

There are seasonal shifts from time to time, a fresh word for a fresh season. And boy do I feel that weightiness on this episode! As we continue getting the wind back in our sails this summer, there must first be an honest assessment of what we are currently holding onto.

Maybe you've been caught overcommitting, overextending, over-functioning, and now, you are overly exhausted. There couldn't be any space for God to actually give you more in this season because the weight of your current state is far too heavy. So if you've been praying for more of God, this is the episode to get you thinking about a life that is truly and genuinely prepared for what He's about to give you!

ENTER TO WIN!
How to Enter: Leave a review on Apple Podcasts or share the show on social media and tag me, @laurakdudek! 
You've got all summer to rack up those entries! Announcing 3 winners at the end of our series in September.
Enter to win a personalized encouragement package;

• includes a custom engraved necklace,
• one of my Bible studies,
• a personalized keychain
• and a prayerful note! 

You are bored. Stuck in the mundane routine, and you are craving some real adventure in your faith. While you've had a lot of excuses for why you can't venture out, you now need to throw them away and take Jesus up on His bold invitation to more. If you want to get the wind back in your sails this summer, maybe the first step is just right outside the boat.

ENTER TO WIN!

How to Enter: Leave a review on Apple Podcasts or share the show on social media and tag me, @laurakdudek! You've got all summer to rack up those entries! Announcing 3 winners at the end of our series in September. Enter to win a personalized encouragement package;

• includes a custom engraved necklace,
• one of my Bible studies,
• a personalized keychain
• and a prayerful note! 

Welcome to our kick-off episode of our summer series: Wind Back in your Sails Summer!! This whole summer is dedicated to experiencing the presence of God ignite our faith and lives in a whole new way. To literally 'get the wind back in our sails' for our faith lives! Buckle up for this adventure to get our spiritual fires back!!

This kick off episode is waking up that dreamer again. For the one on the edge of adventure, longing for more and hoping for more. Maybe your heart is craving something new and beautiful. To take hold of new creativity and joy. And to challenge yourself with a new endeavor. 
Together, we are stepping into a Summer of Getting the Wind in our Sails. And first, we must sit in the stillness to allow our dreamer to come alive again. To let her get caught with a fresh perspective that fills us with extraordinary purpose. This episode is pivotal turning point for you to start getting the wind back in your lungs.

ENTER TO WIN!

How to Enter: Leave a review on Apple Podcasts or share the show on social media and tag me, @laurakdudek! You've got all summer to rack up those entries! Announcing 3 winners at the end of our series in September. Enter to win a personalized encouragement package;

• includes a custom engraved necklace,
• one of my Bible studies,
• a personalized keychain
• and a prayerful note! 

You feel like you've been in a faithful season; serving and stewarding well what's in front of you. But there is this heavy feeling of being forgotten in the mix. In a crowd of people longing to encounter God and experience a miracle, you feel like you've been passed by. You watch as they get the miracle and breakthrough while you just keep on serving. Together, we are stepping into a Summer of Getting the Wind in our Sails (series starts June 21!), but at this point, you need to process why you feel forgotten. Because there will be a moment soon when you are on the water, facing the storm, and this pain will come back in full force. This episode is the moment of truth; an invitation to be honest about the status of your heart and the step before you get the wind back in your sails.

June 21 marks the start of our summer series; Getting the Wind Back in our Sails Summer. Stay tuned next week as we venture off together and experience a fresh wind of passion, direction and hope for what God is doing!

You've got a lot on your mind and heart. And this is a week you just need to be in Jesus' presence. No agenda planned other than to just receive from Him. Today's broadcast is straight-up powerful prayer to bring you into Jesus' presence. We'll dive in to boldly encourage the woman who feels lost, the woman stepping out in faith and the woman stuck between faith and fear. So why wait... let's get praying for your heart.

Maybe you left that phone call or meeting with this odd sense that something was off. You can't explain it, but suddenly you face an assault of lies and negative emotions. You rationalized, 'It's just me,' so you carried on. But without realizing it, you were in the heat of spiritual warfare and now you're in a tailspin. So how do you peel back the enemy's schemes and get your peace back? This is the episode to wake up the warrior in you and walk in the victory you were made for.

The enemy stole your voice. He silenced you. Kept you lost in the dark screaming until you lost your voice. Or maybe, he's been playing mind games with you to the point he convinced you to surrender it yourself. This isn't your moment to stay silent, lost, defeated, or surrendered; this is when you take your voice back. The enemy doesn't have rights to your voice; and now you get to remind him of that. Together, we're going to claim back your God-given story, your authority and the voice made to push back the darkness.

- - -

You stand on the edge of your promise, but it's like a tidal wave of doubt hit you like a mac truck. You know God told you a promise, and yet you can't just step into it. Before this unbelief consumes your heart, you need a Holy Spirit, power-packed word of encouragement. You need a spiritual tool that comes right from the heart of the Father to get your legs moving forward again. You aren't made to stay on the sidelines of your promise forever, you are made for supernatural faith to take down the giants in your promised land and finally claim it in Jesus' name.