If you've ever wondered where God is in the middle of unanswered prayers or unexpected detours, this conversation is for you. As I sit down with author Laurie Short, we talk about how looking back at God's faithfulness gives us the confidence to trust Him with what's ahead. Laurie shares powerful stories from her own life, practical ways to recognize God's hand in your story, and why even painful seasons aren't wasted. My prayer is that you'll walk away with fresh hope, a stronger faith, and a renewed confidence that God is still writing a beautiful story in your life (because, my friend, He is).

Remember, I'd love to connect more on Instagram, where you'll find me at @donnaajones. And don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss a single episode!

Xo,

Donna

Key Takeaways:

0:02:12 -  Series on Discerning God’s Will and Introducing Laurie Short

0:03:16 – “Tracking God in Your Life” and the Power of Remembering

0:07:54 – Open/Closed Doors, Timing, and God in the “Rearview Mirror”

0:14:09 – Risk, “Mirrors and Cliffs,” and God’s Path to Freedom

0:19:46 – Pain, Flipped Scripts, and Finding Purpose in Your Story

What We Talk About
Why God is often easier to recognize in hindsight
Learning to trust God's timing instead of our own
Open doors, closed doors, and divine redirection
How suffering shapes our faith and our purpose
The importance of vulnerability and self-awareness
Why life's unexpected detours often become God's greatest blessings
Sharing your faith story with your children and others
Laurie's interactive approach to discovering God's fingerprints throughout your life


Eight Ways to Track God in Your Life

Laurie Short encourages readers to recognize God's work through everyday experiences, including:
Hearing God's voice
Open and closed doors
God's timing
"Coincidences" and divine appointments
Mirrors (looking honestly at ourselves)
Cliffs (taking courageous steps of faith)
Pain and suffering
Life's unexpected detours ("when the script gets flipped")

She also encourages creating a personal "stone pile"—a list of moments that remind you of God's faithfulness whenever your faith feels weak.

Donna’s Resources:

Order a copy of my latest book - 

Healthy Conflict, Peaceful Life: A Biblical Guide to Communicating Thoughts, Feelings, and Opinions with Grace, Truth, and Zero Regret. 

It is available anywhere books are sold– here is the link on Amazon. 

If you need a helpful resource for someone exploring faith and Christianity or simply want to strengthen your own knowledge, you’ll want a copy of my book, Seek: A Woman’s Guide to Meeting God.

It’s a must for seekers, new believers, and those who want to deepen their faith.


Connect with Laurie:

Laurie’s Website: https://laurieshort.com/

Laurie’s Book: Tracking God in Your Life: https://laurieshort.com/product/tracking-god-in-your-life/

 

Let’s Connect:

Instagram: @donnaajones    

Website: www.donnajones.org    

Donna’s speaking schedule: https://donnajones.org/events/

If you've ever wondered where God is in the middle of unanswered prayers or unexpected detours, this conversation is for you. As I sit down with author Laurie Short, we talk about how looking back at God's faithfulness gives us the confidence to trust Him with what's ahead. Laurie shares powerful stories from her own life, practical ways to recognize God's hand in your story, and why even painful seasons aren't wasted. My prayer is that you'll walk away with fresh hope, a stronger faith, and a renewed confidence that God is still writing a beautiful story in your life (because, my friend, He is).
Remember, I'd love to connect more on Instagram, where you'll find me at <a href="https://www.instagram.com/donnaajones/?hl=en">@donnaajones</a>. And don&rsquo;t forget to subscribe so you don&rsquo;t miss a single episode!
Xo,
Donna
Key Takeaways:
0:02:12 -&nbsp; Series on Discerning God&rsquo;s Will and Introducing Laurie Short
0:03:16 &ndash; &ldquo;Tracking God in Your Life&rdquo; and the Power of Remembering
0:07:54 &ndash; Open/Closed Doors, Timing, and God in the &ldquo;Rearview Mirror&rdquo;
0:14:09 &ndash; Risk, &ldquo;Mirrors and Cliffs,&rdquo; and God&rsquo;s Path to Freedom
0:19:46 &ndash; Pain, Flipped Scripts, and Finding Purpose in Your Story
What We Talk About
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Why God is often easier to recognize in hindsight</li>
<li aria-level="1">Learning to trust God's timing instead of our own</li>
<li aria-level="1">Open doors, closed doors, and divine redirection</li>
<li aria-level="1">How suffering shapes our faith and our purpose</li>
<li aria-level="1">The importance of vulnerability and self-awareness</li>
<li aria-level="1">Why life's unexpected detours often become God's greatest blessings</li>
<li aria-level="1">Sharing your faith story with your children and others</li>
<li aria-level="1">Laurie's interactive approach to discovering God's fingerprints throughout your life</li>
</ul>
 Eight Ways to Track God in Your Life
Laurie Short encourages readers to recognize God's work through everyday experiences, including:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Hearing God's voice</li>
<li aria-level="1">Open and closed doors</li>
<li aria-level="1">God's timing</li>
<li aria-level="1">"Coincidences" and divine appointments</li>
<li aria-level="1">Mirrors (looking honestly at ourselves)</li>
<li aria-level="1">Cliffs (taking courageous steps of faith)</li>
<li aria-level="1">Pain and suffering</li>
<li aria-level="1">Life's unexpected detours ("when the script gets flipped")</li>
</ul>
She also encourages creating a personal "stone pile"&mdash;a list of moments that remind you of God's faithfulness whenever your faith feels weak.
Donna&rsquo;s Resources:
Order a copy of my latest book -&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Healthy-Conflict-Peaceful-Life-Communicating/dp/1400243998">Healthy Conflict, Peaceful Life: A Biblical Guide to Communicating Thoughts, Feelings, and Opinions with Grace, Truth, and Zero Regret.&nbsp;</a>
It is available anywhere books are sold&ndash; <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Healthy-Conflict-Peaceful-Life-Communicating/dp/1400243998">here is the link on Amazon.&nbsp;</a>
If you need a helpful resource for someone exploring faith and Christianity or simply want to strengthen your own knowledge, you&rsquo;ll want a copy of my book, <a href="https://seekmeetinggod.com/">Seek: A Woman&rsquo;s Guide to Meeting God.</a>
It&rsquo;s a must for seekers, new believers, and those who want to deepen their faith.
 Connect with Laurie:
Laurie&rsquo;s Website: <a href="https://laurieshort.com/">https://laurieshort.com/</a>
Laurie&rsquo;s Book: Tracking God in Your Life: <a href="https://laurieshort.com/product/tracking-god-in-your-life/">https://laurieshort.com/product/tracking-god-in-your-life/</a>
&nbsp;
Let&rsquo;s Connect:
Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/donnaajones/?hl=en">@donnaajones</a> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Website: <a href="http://www.donnajones.org">www.donnajones.org</a> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Donna&rsquo;s speaking schedule: <a href="https://donnajones.org/events/">https://donnajones.org/events/</a>

If you’ve ever had a conversation where you’ve walked away thinking, “Wow! That was just what I needed”, you know you felt encouraged, learned a thing or two, laughed, and maybe even felt a bit challenged.

Author, national speaker, and pastor’s wife, Donna Jones provides life-giving “that’s just what I needed” conversations to help you know, love, and follow God in the midst of real-life--the one with daily demands and crazy cultural chaos. Sometimes she’ll welcome a guest we can learn from; sometimes the conversation will be just her and you.

 But, Donna’s hope is that each conversation will be exactly what you need.

That's Just What I Needed Podcast

If you’ve ever had a conversation where you’ve walked away thinking, “Wow! That was just what I needed”, you know you felt encouraged, learned a thing or two, laughed, and maybe even felt a bit challenged. Author, national speaker, and pastor’s wife, Donna Jones provides life-giving “that’s just what I needed” conversations to help you know, love, and follow God in the midst of real-life--the one with daily demands and crazy cultural chaos. Sometimes she’ll welcome a guest we can learn from; sometimes the conversation will be just her and you. But, Donna’s hope is that each conversation will be exactly what you need.

If you&rsquo;ve ever had a conversation where you&rsquo;ve walked away thinking, &ldquo;Wow! That was just what I needed&rdquo;, you know you felt encouraged, learned a thing or two, laughed, and maybe even felt a bit challenged. Author, national speaker, and pastor&rsquo;s wife, Donna Jones provides life-giving &ldquo;that&rsquo;s just what I needed&rdquo; conversations to help you know, love, and follow God in the midst of real-life--the one with daily demands and crazy cultural chaos. Sometimes she&rsquo;ll welcome a guest we can learn from; sometimes the conversation will be just her and you. But, Donna&rsquo;s hope is that each conversation will be exactly what you need.

That's Just What I Needed

How to Trust God with Your Life, Your Future, and Your Questions with Laurie Short

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/5e27a451-e6e6-4c51-aa03-a7370003783c/clips/5623ab1a-cf71-4322-80c0-b49c00deb7e5/transcript