In this episode of the I Witness Podcast, we uncover the inspiring story of Stephanie Flohr, an unlikely servant of God who, amidst profound grief, found herself in a dark place, even planning the date she would take her life. Through unwavering courage and a renewed trust in God, listen to how she discovered her true worth and purpose.
Stephanie Flohr is an unlikely missionary, but she follows God’s call anyway. On May 4, 2020, her husband unexpectedly passed away, and her desires, dreams, and goals went along with him.
Stephanie has traveled to a dark place, planning her own time to meet Jesus in heaven, but God had other plans. Through her unique ministry of encouragement and compassion, she spreads the transformative message of Jesus’ love, offering hope to those who need it most.
Stephanie is determined to share her uplifting story of faith, resilience, and obedience to help others come to know their beautiful worth in Jesus.
“I can’t spend a lot of time dwelling on what I am leaving behind, the tears start to flow and the heart hurts. Yes, I will miss so many people. But I know beyond any doubt where the Lord is leading me, allowing me to go and He has a plan and purpose for my life.”
-Stephanie Flohr
Bible Verses for Encouragement
Psalms 147:3, NKJV: “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”
Are you inspired by Stephanie Flohr’sstory but not sure how to reconnect with God in a difficult time?
I have a resource to help you walk with God in your own unique way.
The Stillness Prayer Journal is a printable prayer journal with over 100 customizable pages all dedicated to simplifying your walk with God.
The journal has cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) techniques combined with Bible verses and Christian-based encouragement to guide your time with Him in a simple, thoughtful way.
Stillness Prayer Journal Includes:
A one-page daily journal for simple goal-setting and reflection
We have parts of ourselves that we wish didn’t exist. It could be a perceived flaw in our character or mistakes we’ve made in the past.
Those mistakes are often the ones we don’t tell anyone about.
We want to silence the regret to make it easier to move forward. Forget about it until it goes away. Sometimes you don’t even realize how much your past affected your choices because it’s buried so deep in your heart. It just burns inside of you until the smoke wakes you up one day and clouds your mind with grief.
Don’t let your regret bind you up any longer.
Trying to start over with a clean slate without facing it doesn’t remove the hurt. Accountability for what you have done helps you confess it to God. You can ask Jesus to forgive you. He’ll set you free.
Jesus is the rock in which you can stand, and no longer be enslaved by guilt. Not one person on this Earth is perfect and every one of us has made sinful mistakes.
Your purpose is not your pain
Your purpose is your heart, rebuilt from that pain through Jesus Christ.
You are the walking testimony of the work in your heart. If your heart is filled with hate or sorrow, you can’t share the goodness that is inside of you. Once you accept Jesus into your life as your personal Savior the Holy Spirit fills you with the fruits of His Spirit. You no longer have to be bonded to your sin because He has already removed it from you.
Letting go of the guilt that binds you is a choice you have.
But it’s not what saves you. Jesus has already paid the price for you. It’s not about you being worthy to accept His gift, it’s about Him being worthy to sacrifice. Take the focus off your sin and focus it on His grace. If you don’t know how to do that start by talking to Him. Ask Him to search your heart and remove the thorns within it.
You are the witness to what God is doing in your life.
You are the tablet He uses to share His love. That time when you were kind to someone for no other reason but because it was “the right thing to do” is a page in that book. The time you showed mercy to someone who’s hurt you or cried with someone who’s needed encouragement is your heart sharing that love with others.
What’s important is moving forward from the mistakes. Once you believe in Jesus as the Son of God you are a new creation.
You can embrace God’s purpose for you once your surrender
That doesn’t mean that you must forget about your past, it just means you don’t let it dictate your future. Many people around you may not see the change inside you or have an opinion about it. Even if that happens that doesn’t mean you aren’t different. Change in any person starts from the inside, with your heart, mind, and your spirit.
You believe but maybe those closest to you don’t. You know that He is the Son of God who chose to die and rise again so you could have eternal life through Him. You are a new creation, but your family remembers what you’ve done. They will be more skeptical than any new person you meet because they witnessed your sins and mistakes. They knew you as the person you once were. Until their heart is filled with the love and acceptance that Christ brings, they won’t be able to accept the change as a true transformation. This brings division into your household.
This is why it’s so important to be humble and kind.
You can impact those very people that question you by witnessing every single day in your life simply being who Christ called you to be. Sharing the fruits of the Spirit, which are love, peace, joy, gentleness, kindness, faithfulness, long-suffering, goodness, and self-control.
You are not going to change their heart, only God/Christ can do that. You are the branch; He is the vine that provides you the nourishment you need to share the fruit.
Remember you are not the rule, you’re the exception.
There will be many people you encounter in your life that won’t understand nor want to be a part of the love you have inside for God and Jesus. You can’t change their heart, but you can exhibit the change on your own. You are the vessel for the living word of God inside you. Your heart is His tablet. Your life is His legacy.
In this episode of the I Witness Podcast, host Kelly Jo Wilson explores how to heal while grieving, and the intersection of grief and faith with guest Stefanie Cabaniss, a specialist in grief support for Christian women. Stef shares her poignant journey of losing her best friend to cancer, a loss that deepened her faith and inspired the creation of the Grief 2 Great Day podcast and ministry. Their conversation delves into the transformative power of trusting God through life’s toughest challenges, highlighting the strength of honesty and vulnerability in prayer.
Stefanie Cabaniss is the founder of Grief2GreatDay.com, a coach and author specializing in grief support for Christian women. She hosts the Grief 2 Great Day Podcast to support Christian women navigating the difficult journey of grief.
Experiencing indescribable pain and confusion after losing her best friend to cancer, she struggled to create a new life. She earned a master’s degree in Public Health focusing on community grief support. She served as secretary for the Eastern Carolina End of Life Care Coalition.
Her book entitled, Dying to Be Healed, was released in January 2021. Stef is also the creator of What Do I do After the Loss of a Loved One? 4 Actions to Take Now to Cope with Grief a faith-based workshop to help women breathe, laugh, and live again.
Stef contributes to local newspapers and radio and is available to discuss grief support topics such as ‘getting through’ the first year of grief and creating purpose after loss. Stef and her husband, Jeff live in eastern North Carolina.
Interview Highlights
How to heal from grief when it doesn’t have a timeline
Giving ourselves grief grace and what that looks like
Stef has practical tips for how to heal from grief and prepare for difficult days
Stef talks about her anger at God and how her faith changed when coping with the loss of her best friend
Stef shares uplifting ways she and her friend Monica kept positive through the cancer journey with their B-POD
Stef shares wonderful takeaways and resources to help women navigate grief, especially during the first year after the loss
Bible Verses for Encouragement
Matthew 11:28-30, NKJV: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
Matthew 6:33: “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and al these things shall be added to you.”
Stefanie Cabaniss knew in those agonizing moments watching her friend dying that the story must be told. As with the Scriptural account of Noah, Abraham, and Moses, this recollection conveys a realistic version of that manner of ‘crazy’ faith.
Dying to be Healed is not a story set in a backdrop of ages past. It is a contemporary, true, bittersweet, and altogether real-life narrative of the final months of the earthly existence of Stefanie’s best friend, Monica.
Monica battled the ravages of stage-four Melanoma but came to strongly and immovably believe that she had been miraculously healed by the power of the Great Physician. This is a story of that unshakeable faith in the midst of rampant physical contradiction.
Do you struggle to spend time with God because of anxiety, distraction, or because you’re going through a difficult time?
I have a resource to help you walk with God in your own unique way.
The Stillness Prayer Journal is a printable prayer journal with over 100 customizable pages all dedicated to simplifying your walk with God.
The journal has cognitive behavioral therapy techniques combined with Bible verses and Christian-based encouragement to guide your time with Him in a simple, thoughtful way.
Stillness Prayer Journal Includes:
A one-page daily journal for simple goal-setting and reflection
In the latest episode of the I Witness Podcast, Kelly Jo dives deep with CJ Milacci into a compelling dialogue about faith, life challenges, and the transformative power of community.
Their candid conversation navigates CJ’s unique life experiences from the Disney college program to her spiritual immersion in Italy, shedding light on the significant role of faith in shaping her responses to life’s twists and turns.
A dark time had CJ questioning her purpose. She discusses how she battled loneliness and a loss of direction that caused her to drop to her knees.
Listen to Part 1 here
IW EP008 CJ Milacci Part 1
Listen to Part 2 here
Meet CJ Milacci
CJ writes stories for teens and young adults with heart-pounding action and hope. As a referee, she’s always relearning the hard lesson that it’s impossible to make everyone happy, and she’s discovered that stories can be found anywhere, even on a lacrosse field. She’s passionate about crafting stories of good overcoming evil, finding hope amid seemingly hopeless circumstances, and true acceptance.
CJ’s story touches on many different themes, such as overcoming isolation, the reality of faith in dark times, and being honest with God during life’s greatest challenges. Kelly and CJ offer insights into the blend of personal journeys.
The top takeaways that really encompass the themes of the podcast discussion between Kelly and CJ are:
Incorporating Faith into Everyday Challenges: Both Kelly and CJ discuss how their faith has been a guiding force in their lives. Whether it’s confronting isolation or handling the life challenges of unfamiliar emotions, CJ Milacci shares how faith plays a pivotal role in shaping her decisions. Their experiences emphasize the significance of faith in everyday life, not just during profound spiritual moments.
Community and Connection: The podcast highlights the importance of a religious community and the human need for connection. CJ’s contrasting experiences at Disney College and in Italy underline the significance of spiritual fellowship. Fellowship grounds and broadens experiences.
Empathy and Vulnerability: CJ’s interactions with young people from various backgrounds showcase the need for understanding and empathy. CJ discusses how the differences in upbringing and experiences of others shed light on the power of genuine connection.
God’s Guidance through Life Transitions: Kelly and CJ touch upon surrendering to God’s plan, even during life’s challenges. CJ’s shift from direct youth ministry to writing emphasizes God’s role in guiding individuals through various phases of life. CJ’s personal challenges have made a broader impact, and the same can happen for us.
Addressing Young Adult Issues: CJ gives a raw account of the issues facing young adults today, many fearing judgment and being shunned by the church if they share what’s truly on their hearts.
Struggling With Doubts: CJ shares how most of us struggle with doubt and question God. Thus, the enemy tries to isolate us, but she encourages us to reach out and talk about what’s happening in our lives. It’s okay to tell our problems to God, no matter how awful.
You’re not alone.
Bible Verses for Encouragement
Galatians 3:28, NKJV: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
Romans 8:28: “And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”
Luke 12:7: “But the very hairs on your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.”
Psalms 139:14: “I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.”
2 Corinthians 12:9: “And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”
Resources for You
Check out CJ Milacci’s two-time, award-winning book Recruit of Talionis.
“Forget where you came from. Forget the life you knew. You are now recruits of Talionis!”
America has fallen.
Seventeen-year-old Bria Averton grew up in a small town of survivors near the ruins of Portland, Maine. It’s all she’s ever known — until she’s kidnapped along with hundreds of other teens and brought to the city of Talionis. A city no one knew existed.
The soldiers tell them the intense trainings are for the good of the survivors, and Bria resists being forced into a new life as a recruited soldier. But she soon finds the dangers in the city are greater than she imagined.
Escape is impossible, and Bria fears drowning in the evil of the city… and the guilt from her own past. But can she find hope, even here?
In the latest episode of the I Witness Podcast, Kelly Jo dives deep with CJ Milacci into a compelling dialogue about faith, life challenges, and the transformative power of community.
Their candid conversation navigates CJ’s unique life experiences from the Disney college program to her spiritual immersion in Italy, shedding light on the significant role of faith in shaping her responses to life’s twists and turns.
A dark time had CJ questioning her purpose. She discusses how she battled loneliness and a loss of direction that caused her to drop to her knees.
Listen to Part 1 here
IW EP008 CJ Milacci Part 1
Meet CJ Milacci
CJ writes stories for teens and young adults with heart-pounding action and hope. As a referee, she’s always relearning the hard lesson that it’s impossible to make everyone happy, and she’s discovered that stories can be found anywhere, even on a lacrosse field. She’s passionate about crafting stories of good overcoming evil, finding hope amid seemingly hopeless circumstances, and true acceptance.
CJ’s story touches on many different themes, such as overcoming isolation, the reality of faith in dark times, and being honest with God during life’s greatest challenges. Kelly and CJ offer insights into the blend of personal journeys.
The top takeaways that really encompass the themes of the podcast discussion between Kelly and CJ are:
Incorporating Faith into Everyday Challenges: Both Kelly and CJ discuss how their faith has been a guiding force in their lives. Whether it’s confronting isolation or handling the life challenges of unfamiliar emotions, CJ Milacci shares how faith plays a pivotal role in shaping her decisions. Their experiences emphasize the significance of faith in everyday life, not just during profound spiritual moments.
Community and Connection: The podcast highlights the importance of a religious community and the human need for connection. CJ’s contrasting experiences at Disney College and in Italy underline the significance of spiritual fellowship. Fellowship grounds and broadens experiences.
Empathy and Vulnerability: CJ’s interactions with young people from various backgrounds showcase the need for understanding and empathy. CJ discusses how the differences in upbringing and experiences of others shed light on the power of genuine connection.
God’s Guidance through Life Transitions: Kelly and CJ touch upon surrendering to God’s plan, even during life’s challenges. CJ’s shift from direct youth ministry to writing emphasizes God’s role in guiding individuals through various phases of life. CJ’s personal challenges have made a broader impact, and the same can happen for us.
Addressing Young Adult Issues: CJ gives a raw account of the issues facing young adults today, many fearing judgment and being shunned by the church if they share what’s truly on their hearts.
Listen to Part 2 here
IW EP008 CJ Milacci Part 2
Bible Verses for Encouragement
Galatians 3:28, NKJV: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
Romans 8:28: “And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”
Resources for You
Check out CJ Milacci’s two-time, award-winning book Recruit of Talionis.
“Forget where you came from. Forget the life you knew. You are now recruits of Talionis!”
America has fallen.
Seventeen-year-old Bria Averton grew up in a small town of survivors near the ruins of Portland, Maine. It’s all she’s ever known — until she’s kidnapped along with hundreds of other teens and brought to the city of Talionis. A city no one knew existed.
The soldiers tell them the intense trainings are for the good of the survivors, and Bria resists being forced into a new life as a recruited soldier. But she soon finds the dangers in the city are greater than she imagined.
Escape is impossible, and Bria fears drowning in the evil of the city… and the guilt from her own past. But can she find hope, even here?
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