Crystal Woodman Miller lives in Morrison, Colorado with her husband, Pete, and three children Lucca, Malachi and Josephine. She is the author of Marked for Life: Choosing Hope and Discovering Purpose After Earth-Shattering Tragedy (NavPress). She is an international speaker on issues of faith and hope in the midst of suffering. Crystal survived the shootings at Columbine High School in 1999, and shares candidly of her own journey of hardship, faith and hope so that it may encourage others in the challenges they face. Crystal also speaks in effort to prevent school violence and to help those who, unfortunately have already been impacted by it. Crystal is most passionate about teaching God’s word and carrying life through the hope of the Gospel to a broken world.
IF YOU HAVE NEEDED TO BELIEVE THAT GOD IS WITH YOU IN YOUR SUFFERING, THIS WAS THE EPISODE FOR YOU.
In this conversation, you’ll hear, through Crystal’s example, how God uses our stories -– no matter how dark and hopeless -- to make an impact for His Kingdom. You’ll also learn how the enemy of our souls feeds us lies that trick us into insecurity, comparison, and fear to keep us from making that Kingdom impact. And you’ll be reminded, again, that our dreams aren’t really about us.
If you’re suffering or grieving or struggling to find hope in a broken world, I pray this conversation gives you hope that God is with you in the midst of it all.
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CONNECT WITH CRYSTAL:
Website || Instagram
FIND CRYSTAL SPEAKING THIS SUMMER:
San Antonio, TX -- May 31-June 2
Kremmling, CO for Elevation Festival -- July 22
Ft. Lauderdale, FL -- July 27-28
MENTIONED ON THE SHOW:
Marked for Life by Crystal Woodman Miller
Life Gate Church, Denver
Alex Kuykendall and Krista Gilbert and the Open Door Sisterhood (blog and podcast)
SCRIPTURE:
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
~ 2 Corinthians 12:9 (NIV)
Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the Lord,
who has compassion on you.
~ Isaiah 54:10 (NIV)
Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”
Surely he will save you
from the fowler’s snare
and from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
You will not fear the terror of night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
nor the plague that destroys at midday.
A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
You will only observe with your eyes
and see the punishment of the wicked.
If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”
and you make the Most High your dwelling,
no harm will overtake you,
no disaster will come near your tent.
For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;
they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the great lion and the serpent.
“Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
He will call on me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.
With long life I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation.”
~ Psalm 91 (NIV)
The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.
~ Exodus 14:14 (NIV)
God is within her, she will not fall;
~ Psalm 46:5a (NIV)
MAIN TAKEAWAYS:
Crystal’s story about the shootings at Columbine High School in 1999 [3:20]
How she began to deal with the resulting trauma and suffering [8:11]
How the Lord was her anchor in the storm [10:18]
A little bit of background about her faith pre-shootings [11:20]
Crystal’s God-shaped dream wasn’t what she had planned for her life [13:00]
How God takes our brokenness and makes something beautiful [14:42]
How taking our eyes off our situation and putting them on others helps in our healing [15:35]
Crystal’s first speaking trip after the shootings, to war-torn Kosovo [15:46]
How thankful she is to be invited into other people’s suffering [17:30]
Your pain is part of your story, and your story matters [20:15]
Her struggles in pursuing the dream: insecurity & comparison [21:35]
Letting the enemy’s voice sideline her & choosing instead to believe the truth God says about her [23:40]
Losing her identity in her dream & almost losing the dream [25:10]
Her long struggle with fear and how she overcame it [29:55]
Her favorite sections of scripture [34:20]
“If God is in her midst, she will not fail.” [37:18]
Advice to the dreamer: Just stop waiting! [39:00]
Where you can find Crystal speaking in the next few months [40:49]
How sweet it is when women celebrate each other instead of compete with each other [43:44]
How we can let go of the scarcity mentality in exchange for an abundance mentality [43:57]
How her dream has changed her [45:24]
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