Tuesday Feb 04, 2025
Ep. 25 Divine Detour and Deepened Faith | Lori Ann Wood
Have you ever asked yourself, "Has my life turned out the way I thought it would?" Maybe you're grappling with regret, wishing you’d responded differently or acted sooner. What happens when everything you’ve planned vanishes due to an unexpected crisis, like a life-altering diagnosis? In today’s episode of Living the Grace Life, we dive into the powerful journey of deepened faith in the face of a Divine detour.
Lori Ann Wood, multi-award-winning author of Divine Detour: The Path You'd Never Choose Can Lead to the Faith You've Always Wanted, shares her personal story of navigating a sudden and serious heart condition. Despite her previously healthy life, Lori Ann was diagnosed with heart failure due to an enlarged heart. (Strange irony.) Released from the hospital with an external defibrillator and a hospice binder, Lori Ann’s health crisis became the catalyst for a profound shift in her faith, from a transactional faith to a deeply grace-filled faith.
In this episode, we discuss how Lori Ann wrestled with doubt, worry, and control in the midst of her journey and how you, too, can deepen your faith by addressing the hard questions of life. We also explore the importance of community and vulnerability when navigating life’s toughest challenges.
Key Topics Discussed:
- Deepening faith by asking life’s hardest questions: Is this life all there is? (Doubt), Is God always good? (Worry), Is God's plan enough? (Control)
- The Temptation of Jesus: How understanding Christ’s detour can equip us in our own
- Seeking community: Finding support when facing life’s toughest challenges
- Recognizing heart failure symptoms: Lori Ann’s personal health journey and how she moved toward healing
Inspiring Grace Quotes from Lori Ann Wood:
- "Grace and regret can't be roommates."
- "I wanted to have God's grace, but I wanted to hold on a little bit to regret because I was still a little bit mad at myself."
- "Faith is trusting that God has a storyline that's bigger than us."
Tune in to hear how embracing life’s unexpected detours can lead to a deepened, more authentic faith. Even when life doesn’t turn out the way we planned, God’s grace is always at work.
Listen now and be reminded that you’re not alone on this journey. Faith, God's grace, and the power of community can guide us through life-altering moments.
Key Scripture:
"All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth." Hebrews 11:13, NLT.
Resources mentioned:
Connect with Lori Ann Wood:
Website: https://loriannwood.com
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/loriannwood/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/DivinelyDetoured
Complete show notes here
Connect with Jennifer:
Jennifer's FREE Resource, Living the Grace Life: One Prayer at a Time