A Christian Woman’s Guide to Menopause, with Danna Demetre

Are you bombarded on social media by ads promoting anti-aging and beauty products? Have you ever wondered what God’s Word says about aging gracefully? Biblical health coach Danna Demetre joins the Grounded hosts for an episode filled with advice and encouragement.

Connect with Danna 

Instagram: @leanhealthyageless 

Twitter: @LeanHealthyAgls

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leanhealthyageless

Website: https://leanhealthyageless.com/

Episode Notes

• Danna Demetre’s post: https://leanhealthyageless.com/a-womans-guide-to-menopause/
• (Un)remarkable Volume 2 eBook: www.reviveourhearts.com/donate/

Give toward Revive Our Hearts’ Fiscal Year End goal: https://www.reviveourhearts.com/donate/ 

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Erin Davis: I have a riddle for you, what is something that every woman will experience but no woman seems to be able to explain. I'm Erin Davis, and you are listening to Grounded.

Dannah Gresh: It's too early in the day for a riddle. You’re about to put me into a hot flash. 

Erin: I thought you’d say that. 

Precisely–hot flashes, irritability, maybe even the feeling that you're going a little crazy. Those are all clues. You know what I'm talking about yet?

Dannah: Oh yeah, I know, all too well, all too familiar with it. 

Erin: I had a feeling you might. 

Dannah: You're talking about menopause. And Erin, you forgot to mention the joint pain. Nobody warned me about that. It is just cruel.

Erin: I didn't know that was a thing. 

Dannah: It’s a thing. 

Erin: Menopausal joint pain? 

Dannah: Yeah, it’s a thing,

Erin: Yeah, nobody tells anybody about it. I actually went to my OB several years ago and said, Okay, what is it? How do I know when it's happening? And she just kind of smiled at me and patted me on the backend and told me nothing. So, it's hard to learn about. Dannah, have you ever had a Bible-based conversation about menopause or hormones in general?

Dannah: Literally, never. 

Erin: Right? Me, neither, and it is time. 

Dannah: Until you and I started talking about this episode. And then I was like, there's really some great scriptural stuff that we need to be considering as we approach that.

Erin: You're right. The Bible is for all of us for all seasons of life. So, it does definitely apply to those hormonal years. 

And we want to fix that. Maybe you've never heard a Bible-based conversation about menopause, or at least it's rare. Here's why we need to address it. Research shows us that menopause can cause strain in your marriage. Some of y'all just want to hit an “amen” button, because maybe you just bit the head of your husband this morning. 

Dannah: I hope Bob Gresh is not watching this. He probably would probably press the amen button.

Erin: He probably said amen. 

Or maybe you've got some crazy mood swings, and you don't want to have them. Maybe, like me, you deal with irritability, and you don't want to be irritable. But all of that can really impact our relationships with our children, with our coworkers, with our friends, with our spouses, you name it, so we can't just refuse to address it. We need a Bible-rooted response or we're sunk, because there's a lot that can happen in our bodies and our minds.

Dannah: That's right. Our guest today is Danna Demetre. I am so excited.

Erin: Another Danna.

Dannah: Yeah, another Danna. It was so fun to meet her. I actually met her at an event where we were both speaking many years ago. It was such a delight to meet another there, not very many of us.

Erin: Did you call her Dannah banana? Because that's what we call you. 

Dannah: No, I didn’t.

Erin: Okay. Your relationship isn’t there yet. 

Dannah: When everybody sees her, they're gonna know why I didn't. She's far too elegant for Danna banana. It fits me better than her. I'm actually a really big fan. I follow her work. I've read a bunch of her books. I've used some of her advice for my own physical health as I age. I just highly commend her to anyone listening that really wants to approach her aging health in a biblical way that's not focused on chasing the fountain of youth.

Erin: Yeah, listen, some of you are in your 20s, in your 30s. You just heard aging and said,
I'm out. This doesn't have anything to do with me.” Stay with us because it does have to do with you, and I hate to break it to you, you're also aging. There's going to become a day when you go “How did I get to be 42?” As I am or another age. So, you're in for a treat. 

Our guest is a biblical health coach, another phrase I've never heard before, and I'm so excited about it. And so, since that's what she is, she's going to help us think about menopause. Biblically, you might be scanning through the what you know about the Bible in your mind and go, “I don't remember the chapter about menopause.” But it's all useful for our instruction. So, this is going to be one of those episodes where you're going to want to take some notes, and probably share it. 

Dannah: Especially if you're bombarded on social media with ads promoting anti-aging and beauty producta. And I am, and I think it's been impacting me more than I realized. So, there's an honest confession coming up, when I help you get grounded in God's Word on the topic of aging gracefully.

Erin: If you're on social media at all, you're being bombarded. So, it does apply to you. And there's certainly a lot of information swirling that's not helpful.

Dannah: Yeah, my phone is actually listening to me right now, and we’re talking about menopause. 

Erin: Yes, it is. 

Dannah: So I can't wait to see the ads I get today. 

Erin: You’re gonna be getting some supplement ads soon. It's all coming your way. I said it before, but let me say it again, this is an episode to share. Your friends are going to thank you because they are having the same thoughts like: when is menopause? Well, how do I know if I have it? How do I deal with the symptoms? What do I do? How does my faith intersect all of those things? So hit that share button at a minimum, but maybe start a text thread with some friends and let them know that this conversation is happening. 

Before we get much further down that road. We need our girl Portia to join us she always brings the sunshine. She helps me when I'm irritable from time to time. So, Portia, how're you doing, girl?

Portia Collins: I'm doing good, taking notes today, because I’m the baby on the block. 

Erin: You are. 

Portia: And so far, I hadn't hit this stage yet. But I'm headed in that direction, and I want to be prepared. 

Erin: And you have a little girl.

Dannah: Portia, how old are you?

Portia: I am 35. 

Dannah: Okay.

Erin: We should all say our ages.

Dannah: Yes. 

Erin: I just had a birthday on April 29, so I'm 42.

Dannah: I'm exactly 20 years older than Portia, that's what I can admit to.

Erin: There you go. 

Dannah: You’re going to see I'm reticent when I share what I'm gonna share when we get grounded in God's Word. 

Portia: You look good, girl. 

Dannah: Yeah you do. 

Erin: Well, hey baby of the family, share the good news with us.

10:57 - Good News

Portia: Listen, no matter what stage of life you're in, I've always got some good news for everybody. Okay, young, older, I like to say seasoned. 

Well, according to a new study, Americans who regularly read and engage with the Bible are more likely than non-Bible readers to walk daily with hope. Y’all know we love hope around here. 

The poll by the American Bible study asked Americans questions from this persevering hope scale. This is a psychological assessment test that is popular among researchers. It uses phrases that are free of biblical language. Yet among Americans who are what is classified as “Scripture engaged,” they scored much higher and tended to have a glass-half-full mentality. Don't we love it? 

Check out this line here. It says and this is directly from the report. “In dealing with the struggles of life, people who engage with the Bible have far more hope than others.” So, need a dose of hope for whatever you're facing with hope perspective today? Can I encourage you to grab your Bible and start reading. Erin, I think that includes women who are facing hot flashes, don’t you think?

Erin: Woman who are facing hot flashes they have their Bible, but they're doing a little bit of this with it. 

Portia: I'm telling you.

Erin: We want you to open it and read it. We're gonna enjoy this episode. We're already having some fun, but we all need hope no matter what season we're in, and I love that the research fleshes that out. You and I are Bible girls, Portia. We need it. Siri also knows. 

Portia: Absolutely. Look, she's looking up stuff about hot flashes.

Erin: Of course she is. Siri can’t help us now.

Portia: Yeah. 

Erin: Thanks for that good news segment, Portia. 

13:22 - Grounded with God's People (Danna Demetre)

One of your homework assignments from this episode is get your Bible and get it open. Dannah is going to jump us into it soon. I'm talking about Dannah Gresh. But before that we need to meet Danna Demetre. She's so qualified. She has had a wide range of professional experiences that bring her to the table. Registered Nurse, fitness professional, she helps women change their habits in a God-honoring way. She's the co-founder of a ministry called Lean, Healthy, Ageless— sign me up—which is a ministry that helps women thrive. Danna, welcome to Grounded. We're excited for this conversation.

Danna Demetre: I am excited. And oh my, you're all sharing your ages. You're all so young. I was just 42, Erin, five minutes ago. And now, I’m almost . . .

Erin: You don’t have to share if you don’t want to. 

Danna: 71 and proud of it.

Erin: You look gorgeous. And I know it's not all about how you look, but how you feel. So, we're gonna jump into a conversation. I want to start with some definitions and maybe some common symptoms. We know where we are. There probably are some members of our listening audience that are so young. They're not in any of these phases yet, but they soon will be. Because I know the age ranges is varied, most of us are somewhere in this. So, help us with some definitions. Perimenopause, what are some of the symptoms? 

Danna: Perimenopause are the years leading up. We have a certain number of eggs we were born with. And really, they're just running out month after month. And so, as we hit perimenopause, it can be up to 10 years. And so for some women on the early end, it might be in the mid 30s, again, just depending on your genetics and physiology and all that, but commonly in the early to mid 40s when you start to notice the symptoms. We all hear about hot flashes, night sweats. But this whole emotional side, our hormones are shifting so much that we can really go . . . We sometimes experience that early on called PMS. There's lots of physiological reasons for it and things we can control. But there are also things that really changing so dramatically. 

So, when you start experiencing some of those symptoms, that's when we start to say, “I'm in perimenopause,” but you really are sometimes before you even feel it. It's the thriving through the transition. That's the biggest challenge physiologically, but also, as you already mentioned in the intro, emotionally, there’s a lot going on. 

Erin: We're gonna get to those emotional symptoms soon because I think that's where women are like, “Help me!” I want to make a confession. My husband Jason and I are now in the phase of marriage where he is always freezing, and I am always burning up. So, I think that means that I'm in perimenopause. And so, I'm eager to hear your thoughts. 

Okay, menopause. You’ve got 10 years in perimenopause. How do you know when the switch has happened?

Danna: Menopause is actually medically defined as missing your period 12 consecutive months, that's when you're in menopause and then technically you're postmenopausal. So, I have been postmenopausal for 21 years, and I say this with great pride, because I want to say to you all that you will survive and you will thrive. But there's so many things we can do mentally, emotionally, physically, spiritually, that can help us.

Erin: Okay, I want you to coach us up on that in a minute. But we are Christian podcast, we're always trying to open our Bibles and get insight for our lives. So, do you think God cares about these hormonal changes that happen inside a woman's body?

Danna: Hey, He created us that way. He created us for these seasons. We’re growing in puberty and then all those preparing for having babies and all that. I think what happens with women is we think this is all negative. We are going to, we're aging, but yes, God cares. He cares about every season. 

In Ecclesiastes we remember those beautiful phrases: there's a time for every season under heaven. There's a time for this season too, girls. We want to negotiate it well and acknowledge there are some challenges, but He cares about all of it. 

When I'm coaching women all the time through our live right diet, we're always saying, “If you care, God cares.” He cares about your health, your well-being, all of it. I do believe that in this current day and age, because of some of the ways we eat and our environment, I do think physiologically, we’re handling some tougher things than maybe than we did in many, many years past. Those are things we have to address, practically. But yes, He cares.

Erin: You're right. We live in a fallen world; our bodies are stamped by sin. And so, we feel some of the effects of that. But I wanted to ask that question, even though I knew how you're going to answer it. Because I think we can kind of put hormones in a box. There's my spiritual life. There's my relational Life. And then there's this other thing that I've never thought about how it intersects with my faith. 

And we want to think that through today. One of the most common symptoms is increased irritability, and it's become a cultural joke. I mean, people just joke about how horrible women can be during that time, how irritated we are. I was in the beauty shop not long ago, and all of the women were talking about it. One of the beauticians said, “Nobody can do anything when you're in menopause.” Everybody laughed, and I thought, I’m not sure I want to write myself that permission slip to be irritable for 10 years or longer.

So, the emotional peaks and valleys are no joke. What can we do to combat those hormonally induce feelings that feel very, very real.

Danna: They are real. And in fact, I had a Christian psychologist friend. I was interviewing her years ago on this very subject. She said, as a psychologist, I would not have realized, but she went through a premature menopause because she had a full hysterectomy and her ovaries removed, so full blown. She said, “I literally thought I was going crazy.” 

Erin: Yeah, I’ve heard that before. 

Danna: And here I am a psychologist. And she said, I'm so glad I experienced that. Because now as I counsel women, there's very real physiological changes that impact us emotionally and mentally. And this is hard, because it's not just a, “I gotta pray myself out of this.” I mean, you asked me does God care? He absolutely cares. 

But there are these changes. I think the biggest message I want to say to women experiencing some of these things is, don't give yourself permission. I like what you said, Erin, “I'm giving myself just a hall pass. I can just act any way I want for the next 10 years.” And it's not going to be 10 years, let me also say that most of you are not going to feel those intense symptoms for 10 years. 

But at the same time, you gotta give yourself a lot of grace, because hormones are powerful. I balanced that with also take a lot of personal responsibility, because what you do in your lifestyle, your diet and exercise, your quality of sleep, things that you can control. You can't totally control it but you can influence it greatly. Those will impact your hormones and bring balance. 

So, there's that balance of giving yourself grace, there's praying for supernatural intervention, there's doing your part. I wrote a book years ago called The Heat Is On. I wanted to call it Holy Hotties. It's a book about menopause for Christian women. I had a chapter called “Hormone Hostage Husbands.” My husband wrote a few pages in that chapter. There was a season for me for about three years. I just wanted to bite his head off.

Dannah: Are you saying that you and your husband survived menopause, wrote about menopause, and stayed married? Is that what you're saying?

Danna: Yes. And we're gonna celebrate 30 years here in a month. So, you will get through it girls, but there's a lot of grace needed. The people surrounding you to be able to express how you're feeling and then really praying for that ability to modulate your reactions. 

Erin: Actually, the Bible doesn't call us to self-control, it does in some places, but what it's really talking about is spirit control, saying, “Holy Spirit, I feel out of control. I need you to take control.” It was a lesson I had to learn in pregnancy. I could have gone through pregnancy eating ice cream all day every day and gained a zillion more pounds than unnecessary. And I would have been making it much harder on me and my baby than I needed to do. 

So same thing, I couldn't write a permission slip then; I don't want to write a permission slip now. So, I love that you're encouraging us to pray about what's going on. 

Listen, women can be each other's greatest allies. And we can also be the opposite of that. We can be very hard on each other. So, what are some practical ways that Christian women can support each other as we're walking through these years of menopause and perimenopause?

Danna: I think older women like me can come alongside and say, “These are some of the things that worked for me. They worked for me with my relationship with my husband.” It’s as simple as maybe putting a Post-it note on the door, or a different color code today just to be honest with your emotions of the day. I do think there's a lot of physical things we can do that modulate the extremes of these hormone shifts. 

And that's something to also to pray about, because we talk about praying about controlling our emotions and our words and all that. But I say take this journey this menopause journey to prayer with God and journal and say, “Lord, give me wisdom.” Smith therapy helped me find the right books and mentoring and the kind of experts that really will help me find the physical balance because that's a mind-body connection and the hormones. They're so powerful. God created them. So, to give you wisdom what are the things I'm doing in my lifestyle that are creating some of the imbalances now? 

We're going to have hormone shifts naturally, as our ovaries put out the last eggs and all that. And that's a whole other matter for prayer, HRT for me, but networking with women. 

Erin: We can definitely laugh, we can definitely encourage each other. I'm so blessed by those friends who don't let me reach for the wrong kinds of things. We need to be each other's champions in every season. 

You've said there's lots of things we can do. I know we could talk endlessly. You've written books about it, we've got a whole website we're going to point them to. But maybe give us a top two or three practical things we can do when we're entering these seasons. 

Danna: Well, seriously, even before you talked earlier about your younger viewers, I mean, the truth is start with just a healthy diet. And yes, I'm a health coach. I've written all sorts of health books, but I am not like a fanatic. If you will see me you know, like she eats a little bit normal. But we can make a lot of changes. The processed food, the sugar, all these things, they really lead to weight gain. And we know that when women are overweight, they tend to have much more severe symptoms. There's something going on with the body fat and so forth. 

And so, if we can be at least a reasonably healthy weight that will help. The quality of the food, there is some science that says that too many grains can actually cause some negative menopausal symptoms. Our carbohydrate thresholds start to drop at 30. 

So, if we can adjust our total protein, carbohydrate, and fat ratio a little bit . . . and I'm not about being all heavy keto or anything, just really reasonable. But these little shifts—that diet and exercise and sleep component. If you can get the handle on those and notch those up even 5, 10, 20% in these years in perimenopause, I think it will make menopause easier, and help you balance the hormone imbalance so it is not as dramatic.

Erin: I so agree. It was in my 40s that I started taking responsibility for my own body, the foods I eat, whether I move. And I saw what a difference it made in my whole life. So, I just affirm all of that so much. 

I want to end with kind of a heavy question. I think we talked about it. There is a temptation to point to these very real physiological symptoms as an excuse for sin. But being frustrated isn't necessarily a sin. But certainly, we can sin with our tongue when we're in that state. We're gonna be angry and not sin, the Bible says that, but certainly we can sin in our anger. How do we avoid that temptation to sin as our body is changing?

Danna: Well, what a huge question. And also feeling sorry for yourself, you might not equate that as sin but just that wallowing in kind of poor me.

Erin: It sounds like the Israelites to me, so I would maybe qualify it as a sin. 

Danna: Exactly, yeah, true. It's groaning and moaning. This is the day the Lord has made this, today is the day, don't waste it by feeling like, “I just gotta get through this.”

You know, we then we lose a whole season of life that we're not fully embracing. And so again, I go back to my prayer journal when I'm struggling with something that I know is bigger than me. And most things are, aren't they? I mean, nothing's bigger than God. Journaling to me is a powerful way of saying, “Lord, reveal to me in this emotional time in my life, which I can't completely control the hormonal side. Reveal to me where I am sinning, where I'm not watching my words, where I'm giving myself an excuse,” like you called it a hall pass to speak abruptly.

Philippians 4:1 says to be anxious for nothing. How about don't be all tied up in menopause. Instead, pray, let your requests be made known. And you know, the peace of God can even surpass fluctuating hormones. It's bigger than the hormones, and so we ask for some supernatural intervention, because it is bigger than us.

Erin: Amen. And prayer and confession go together so often. So, if you're listening to this, you're listening to Danna and you're realizing, “Oh, I have been using hormonal changes as an excuse to sin.” Use that chat feature right there, let us know about it. But more importantly, run to your Christian sister, and let her know I've been sinning. I've been acting out of control, help me pray about this. 

Danna, you have written a lot about this. Our own Dannah says she's found a plethora of advice and encouragement on your website. Will you point women to that website. Tell us where to go and point us to any other resources you want us to know about?

Danna: Absolutely. The homebase website is called LeanHealthyAgeless.com It's for every age, but we do specialize in mentor women. Our most recent book, which is really really helping women of this age, anywhere from let's just say 35 on, is called The Eat, Live, Thrive Diet, and it is really designed for Christian women. But it gives a real practical approach to doing your part on the on the physical dimension and changing our habits from the inside out with biblical concepts of renewing our mind as it says in Romans 12:2. I'd love to just connect with any woman that's struggling, feel free to email us through the website and take advantage of some of the many free resources there

I did create a post for your listeners just with some basic resources and top couple physical ideas to help if they're if they're right in the midst of all this perimenopause and menopausal madness.

Erin: All right, sisters, you heard it—run, don't walk. Fan yourself as you go if you’re having hot flashes to that website, a post that is created just for you. I'm imagining the Church, the women of the Church, being equipped to move through the seasons of life with a lot of grace and dignity and eyes on the Lord. What a gift that would be to our families, to our communities to the world. 

So, it really does matter. Danna, you gave us such wise input. I'm so grateful for this conversation. Thanks for being on Grounded.

Danna: My pleasure. Thank you, Erin. 

Erin: All right. It's time for the other Dannah to take the wheel and get us grounded in God's Word.

30:56 - Grounded in God's Word (2 Cor. 4:16–18)

Dannah: Well, friends, are you struggling with not just the symptoms of menopause, but also the very idea of aging? 

Let's face it, your pastor is probably not going to be preaching on how to face this significant life change with God's grace in the driver's seat. Probably not going to happen next Sunday. But there will be lots of other voices preaching at you. I know because the beauty of my youth is fading. And Instagram reminds me every single day with ads targeted women my age. They invite me to fight it with all I've got to buy the elixirs that will take ten years off my age, supposedly, none of them work by the way. 

There are even face masks with red lights and blue lights that promised to make wrinkles and zits disappear. And I would just like to say, is it really fair that we should have both at once? No, it is not. 

And then all the pills oh, the promise to push pause on the mental fog, the joint pain, the hot flashes. And I want you to know, I did try a bunch of them and found one that has worked wonders for me. It's not that I'm against fighting the pain and the problems. It's just that the modern world seems to see menopause as a condition that needs to be treated so that a woman can continue functioning at her younger capacity and hold on to her youth with all she's got. 

Let me remind you, no message we read or watch or see is ideologically neutral. They're all telling us what to believe and how to act. 

So, if we aren't intentional to think biblically about any subject, we will end up believing whatever the world tells us do. I want to posit a question. What if menopause isn't something to treat so that we stay young? What if God looks at it another way. Let's open our Bibles to 2 Corinthians chapter 4. I want to read verses 16–18. To you, it says:

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. 

You find a woman in menopause and she won't need to be told that her outer self is wasting away. Oh no, she knows it, and no amount of lotions, pills, or light up face masks is going to make that stop. Period. Pun intended. 

But Paul says there is for the Christian woman something going on that's actually quite exciting. At the same time, he acknowledges that we might not recognize it. He says, don’t lose heart. Some of you are. 

So, I'm here to remind you: don't lose heart, my friend. 

What is it that's so good about our outer self wasting away that Paul would invite us to notice it. It's that our inner self is being renewed day by day through Christ. He calls this wasting away of our bodies a light momentary affliction that's preparing us for the eternal weight of glory. And oh my goodness, that is something that is beyond comparing to our youth and beauty. The things God is crafting inside of us in these maturing years are unseen and eternal. 

Just like last week, Erin and I sat with our 80-year-old mentor, Tippie Duncan. She is by every physical standard, wasting away. Her body is smaller, her skin is paler. But there was a victory in her weaker voice, and we see it. In fact, last Sunday, Erin got to watch Tippie testify in her church that at the ripe age of 80, our sweet friend has finally won a lifelong battle with shame. And that's a fierce one that many of us will face. 

Our sweet Tippie has finally won it. Why? Because her inner self is being renewed. And I don't know how to explain this. But look at this picture of her. It doesn't really communicate what you experienced in her presence. But if you've seen it in someone you know, Tippie is growing more resplendent in a way mere physical eyes can't see. And I tell you what, that sounds like the kind of beauty plan a woman who intends to live eternally might rather invest in than all the lotions and potions. 

This is so important to remember in a world that prizes physical youth and beauty. So if you, like me, are becoming more mindful that your outer self is wasting away, do not lose heart. Your inner self is being renewed.

Portia: Amen, amen, amen. 

Erin: I’m staring at that picture of that Tippie girl because what a beautiful woman. What a beautiful woman. 

Portia: Absolutely, absolutely. Thank you for sharing that, Dannah. 

Dannah: You’re welcome. 

Portia: I love it. 

Well, y'all already know we have the tools to keep you grounded. And guess what? We've got a brand-new resource. Who loves brand-new resources, raise your hand? I see you guys I see you. So the brand-new resource releases today it is (Un)Remarkable, Volume Two. We have added 10 more ordinary women who changed their world for Christ. Women like Gracia Burnham, she's been a guest here on Grounded, also Elisabeth Elliot and Helen Roseveare. And if you've never heard of her, that means you really got to get this resource. 

All of these women had two things in common. Number one, they had hormones. Number two, through their everyday ordinary choices, God used them to make a big difference for His kingdom. 

And so, when you give a gift of any amount this month to Revive Our Hearts, we will send you a copy of (Un)Remarkable Volume 1 that includes a QR code to download Volume 2 of (Un)Remarkable. It's on my little iPad here. I got my QR code and downloaded it. And so, you basically get two books for the price of one.

Also, when you give this month, you are helping us to reach our fiscal year-end goal so that we can continue producing podcasts like this one, Grounded, like our flagship podcast, all of our podcasts. We want to encourage you to head on over to ReviveOurHearts.com to give.

Erin: I got to be a part of the team that assembled that resource. I was brought to tears many times during the editing process because these were ordinary women who through everyday obedience put God on display. You can do that too, and you can honor Him in every season. So get that resource. 

Portia, I knew this was going to be a good episode, and it was a good episode. Did anything surprise you?

Portia: I mean, not really. I think insightful would be the better word. Danna not, Dannah banana, but . . .

Erin: Danna Demetre. 

Portia: Danna D, that’s what I’ll call her.

Erin: I like that.

Portia: I think she just laid it on thick as it pertains to health and prioritizing that and not making excuses. And even for me, how I can start to make changes now that can potentially help me to ease into menopause a little bit smoother, not as rocky.

Erin: Yeah, we don't need to add any rockiness to that season. I heard her say something like taking responsibility for our own role in it. There are things we can't control, but there are things that we can be wise about. And there are things that I often am not wise about, and then I don't like the consequences. I want the Lord to erase the consequences of me not being wise. So, I heard her call for us to be wise women who want to thrive, because when we thrive, we display the gospel through our thriving lives. 

So, really good episode, one I'm gonna go back and listen to again.

Portia: Absolutely, same. Well, I guess there's nothing else left to say other than, let's wake up with hope together next week on Grounded.

Erin: Grounded audio is powered by Skype. Grounded is a production of Revive Our Hearts calling women to freedom, fullness, and fruitfulness in Christ. 

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