Thank you!

It has been a privilege for me to be the creator and host of the Spiritually Minded Women podcast for the past 5 years. I am now pursuing a new path and this podcast has ended. The podcast feed will still be available anywhere you listen to podcasts. I hope to pop into my Instagram page @spirituallymindedwomen from time to time but I will not actively be posting or sharing there. THANK YOU to all of my guests and listeners as you have made this journey something I will always treasure. 

I’m cheering you on!

 

Darla

Interview with Stephanie Piacitelli

Why You Can Have Joy in the Middle of Hard Things || Stephanie Piacitelli

Interview with Stephanie Piacitelli

Stephanie Piacitelli, my guest for this episode, is someone who has learned to find joy in the middle of hard things.

In October 2014, Stephanie and her husband, Bryant, were living a normal life with their four children. But near the end of that month, everything changed in an instant. Bryant was on his way to work as a police officer when he was struck on his motorcycle by a driver who ran a red light. Bryant was killed and Stephanie was left a widow with four young children.

Losing Her Husband

In the interview, Stephanie shares about her life before Bryant passed away and the details of the day he was killed. She talks about how she shared the heartbreaking news with her children that their father had been killed.

One of her first thoughts was forgiveness for the person who hit her husband. Her second thought was that she and her family were loved. She knew they had so many people around them who loved them. 

Stephanie shares the tender mercies she received from God prior to her husband’s death that did not lessen the shock but did leave her with the knowledge she was loved. She didn’t know it at the time, but as she looks back, she can see how God was preparing her and giving her what she needed. 

Submitting Her Will to God

During her grief, Stephanie had a pivotal moment when she was able to turn everything over to God. She said, “This was a test for me. Am I really willing to put my trust in my Heavenly Father, in an all-knowing, all-loving God? Am I able to do that?… These experiences that we go through, are for our own good. We may not see it in the moment, but if we will allow the refiner’s fire to allow Heavenly Father to mold us into the person that He needs us to become, we will be better off than what we may have thought.”

Stephanie used the word “liberating” when talking about surrendering her will to God. We discussed the miracle of giving your will to the One who matters most and how surrendering will change your life.

“God will not forsake me” was on repeat in Stephanie’s mind for months after her husband’s death and is how she ultimately got through the darkest days. 

Knowing Her Children's Needs

Stephanie also shares how prayer and relying on the spirit have helped her know the individual needs of her four children who lost their dad. She also talks about how she uses these same skills to help the four step children she is mothering since remarrying. 

Joy in the Middle of Hard Things

Overall, Stephanie’s story illustrates well it is possible to have faith and trust, even during difficult challenges. Stephanie knows “Joy is possible, even in the midst of hard things.” God makes this possible.

Episode Links

Follow Stephanie on Instagram – @stephaniepiacitelli

Follow Spiritually Minded Women on Instagram: @spirituallymindedwomen

Watch Spiritually Minded Women podcast episodes on YouTube

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