Donna Woolam on her faith journey, navigating grief, and coaching Christian women.Key Takeaways – Donna’s faith deepened through caring for her husband during cancer and navigating widowhood – Daily Bible reading and journaling have been crucial practices in Donna’s spiritual growth – Donna now coaches Christian women to find purpose and possibility after life transitions – Key advice: Be your own medical advocate, allow yourself to process emotions, and lean into communityTopicsDonna’s Faith Journey – Accepted Christ at 12, but lacked discipleship – Had “adult confession” around age 30 after reading Hebrews – Daily Bible reading and journaling became foundational practices – Started reading Bible in full each year ~8-9 years ago, bringing new insightsNavigating Her Husband’s Cancer and Passing – Husband Richard diagnosed with two cancers in 2012; one healed, other returned in 2018 – Entered hospice care in early 2020, passed away July 2020 (during pandemic lockdowns) – Donna was primary caregiver, supported by long-term disability insurance – Richard maintained strong faith in healing until the end – Donna wrestled with praying for healing vs. release from sufferingGrief and Widowhood – Initially struggled to engage in daily activities – Found support through new church community – Gradually re-engaged with writing and coaching work – Discovered new depths in relationship with God as a widow – Advises: “Don’t waste the struggle” – seek God’s perspective in painCoaching Christian Women – Focuses on helping women navigate life transitions and decisions – Uses “Journey to Wholeness” process based in Scripture – Addresses mental, spiritual, emotional, and physical aspects – Helps clients see possibilities for the future, not just process the past – Website: donnawoolam.comAdvice for Parents on Faith Transfer – Have regular family meals and discussions about church/faith – Ask specific questions about what kids learned at church – Encourage kids to write down questions during sermons for later discussion – Take children to church, don’t just send themHelpful Links:Donna created a gift of one of her courses for our guests. The link is: https://donnawoolam.com/you-are-seen-pillars-of-purpose-gift/You can subscribe to the podcast at https://matthewefird.com.Are you a seasonal business owner who’s struggling to make ends meet during the winter months? Do you hate losing great staff when the weather turns cold because you don’t have enough work to keep them employed year-round?You could be a perfect fit for a Lighting Pros Franchise location! Learn more about Lighting Pros Franchise here: https://lightingprosfranchise.comWould you consider yourself a corporate refugee or portfolio investor looking to get into business ownership in the emerging market of outdoor lighting? Would you be interested in an award-winning system focused on permanent holiday lights, landscape lighting, and temporary Christmas lights? Did you know that you can do outdoor lighting all year long? You could be a perfect fit for a Lighting Pros Franchise location! Learn more about Lighting Pros Franchise here: https://lightingprosfranchise.comInterested in having Matthew speak at your upcoming Event? Go here: https://matthewefird.com