Episode: "Bless Your Heart: Southern Sass, Holy Spirit Nudges, and BOGO Blessings with Debora Coty"

Episode Summary

Join Michele Vrabel on Old School as she welcomes award-winning author, humorist, and speaker Debora Coty (aka the "Irma Bombeck of Florida"), who shares her remarkable journey from 30+ years as a piano teacher and occupational therapist to penning over 40 books, including the Too Blessed to Be Stressed series (2M+ copies sold worldwide). Starting writing at 45 after a God-ordained "two-by-four" nudge in a dentist's office, Debora's first novel sprang from a Florida cracker patient's grandmother's memoir. She decodes the Southern gem "Bless Your Heart" (sympathy or shade?) and celebrates her new 365-day devotional, Bless Your Heart: Daily Devotions to Warm Your Heart and Feed Your Soul, born from personal losses and COVID chaos—complete with a wild China shipping hostage saga.

Debora's grocery store "Holy Spirit elbow jab" tale—buying toilet paper for a desperate family after her cart mysteriously brakes—proves obedience unlocks double blessings. They dive into tuning into God's voice (audible nudges, scripture, even non-believers), with her nugget: 1 Peter 3:9's BOGO—"Be a blessing, get a blessing!" Perfect for women seeking faith-fueled laughter, this episode sparks hope, humor, and holy prompts. Grab Bless Your Heart, enter their collab giveaway, and practice those divine listens!

Chapters00:00 - Intro & "Bless Your Heart" Double Meaning01:40 - Southern Sayings & Grandma Wisdom02:40 - Debora's Writing Journey at Age 4507:00 - First Articles, Column & Novel Spark11:00 - Too Blessed to Be Stressed Explosion14:00 - Bless Your Heart Amid Loss & Delays18:00 - Holy Spirit Toilet Paper Miracle24:00 - Hearing God: Nudges, Obedience & Non-Believers27:00 - Future Books, YouVersion Plan & Giveaway30:00 - Nugget: BOGO Blessings (1 Peter 3:9)

KeywordsDebora Coty, Bless Your Heart devotional, Too Blessed to Be Stressed, Christian humor, women's inspiration, Holy Spirit nudges, writing journey, Florida author, faith laughter, daily devotions, BOGO blessings, Southern sayings

Guest ContactDebora M. Coty | Author, Speaker, HumoristWebsite: deboracoty.comBuy Book: Bless Your Heart on AmazonFacebook: @AuthorDeboraCotyInstagram: @deboracotyX/Twitter: @deboracotyEmail/Contact Form: deboracoty.com/contact | deboracoty@gmail.com

Show Notes: Your Story to Tell, with author Bridget Gengler

In this episode of the podcast, host Michele sits down with Bridget Gengler, a dedicated elementary school teacher, author, and advocate for children's voices. Bridget shares her personal journey from a shy child in a large family to a passionate educator who ensures every student feels seen and valued. Drawing from her father's influence as a storyteller and poet, Bridget discusses how his passing in 2020 inspired her to fulfill their shared dream of writing. She delves into her children's books, including "Hold Your Head Up and Walk with Grace" (dedicated to her dad) and her latest release, "You Have a Story to Tell," a heartfelt message empowering kids to recognize their worth and share their unique stories.

The conversation pivots to Bridget's experiences with divorce 20 years ago, co-parenting young children, and blending families after remarriage. She opens up about contributing a chapter to the collaborative book "Rediscovering You: Life After Divorce," emphasizing her reliance on faith to navigate challenges and emerge stronger. Michele and Bridget bond over themes of healing, grace, and purpose, with Bridget offering a powerful nugget of wisdom: embracing one's worthiness through faith in God. This inspiring episode highlights resilience, the power of storytelling, and the importance of making others feel heard.

Chapters:

- 00:00 - Introduction and Podcast Setup

- 02:50 - Bridget's Teaching Journey and Family Background

- 05:00 - Influence of Her Father and Promise to Write

- 07:30 - First Book: "Hold Your Head Up and Walk with Grace"

- 09:11 - Evolution of Writing and Latest Book: "You Have a Story to Tell"

- 15:35 - Collaborating on "Rediscovering You: Life After Divorce"

- 18:11 - Navigating Divorce, Co-Parenting, and Remarriage

- 24:02 - Nugget of Wisdom: Worthiness and Faith

- 26:35 - Closing Thoughts and Future Plans

Keywords:

teaching, children's books, divorce recovery, faith and healing, storytelling, family legacy, education, authorship, resilience, co-parenting, personal growth, Bridget Gengler

Connect:

Website: bridgetgengler.com

IG: @bridgetgengler

In this heartfelt episode of Old School with Michelle Vrabel, we welcome Sheri Sekafetz, a life coach introduced by Diana Swallinger of the Renew Your Mind Institute. Sheri shares her powerful journey of overcoming abusive relationships, challenging self-imposed labels, and finding healing through faith and life coaching. Together, Michelle and Sheri explore the importance of questioning negative thoughts, embracing God-given identity, and living authentically. This episode is a must-listen for anyone seeking freedom from past wounds and a path to joy and peace.

Chapter

• 00:00 - Introduction: The Power of Challenging Thoughts
  Sheri introduces the core of life coaching: questioning whether beliefs are true and serve us, and aligning them with God’s truth.

• 00:31 - Welcome to Old School
  Michelle introduces the episode and Sheri Sekafetz, highlighting her connection to the Renew Your Mind Institute and her journey of healing.

• 01:29 - Sheri’s Story: Living with Labels
  Sheri reflects on how labels from herself and others shaped her life, leading to unhealthy and abusive relationships.

• 02:05 - Impact of Childhood and Divorce
  Sheri discusses how her parents’ divorce and her father’s guilt tactics influenced her beliefs about love and worthiness.

• 04:04 - A Turning Point: Hearing God’s Voice
  Sheri shares a pivotal moment in Florida when God spoke to her, affirming her worth and prompting her to reject abusive treatment.

• 05:11 - Seeking Help: From Counseling to Life Coaching
  Sheri explains her decision to hire a life coach to uncover why she allowed herself to stay in harmful patterns.

• 06:46 - Questioning Beliefs and Finding Truth
  Sheri and Michelle discuss the importance of challenging false beliefs and labels, using the Holy Spirit’s guidance to discern truth.

• 07:09 - The Board Meeting: Connecting with God
  Sheri and Michelle share how they engage with the Holy Spirit, Abba Father, and King Jesus in their daily spiritual practices.

• 09:17 - No Excuses for Abuse, But Taking Accountability
  The conversation addresses the importance of recognizing abuse, setting boundaries, and taking responsibility for personal choices.

• 11:05 - Letting Go of Control
  Michelle shares a sermon-inspired lesson about releasing control to God and embracing the gifts and choices He provides.

• 13:38 - Learning to Love Yourself as God Made You
  Sheri emphasizes the importance of self-acceptance and not forcing others to change, while Michelle reflects on her own journey.

• 15:29 - Breaking the Cycle of Broken Choices
  Sheri and Michelle discuss how past wounds influence decisions and the importance of breaking unhealthy cycles through self-awareness.

• 18:33 - Living Authentically Without Masks
  Sheri compares living with false labels to wearing tinted sunglasses, urging listeners to embrace their God-given identity.

• 20:29 - Identity in Christ
  The discussion highlights how God’s design for us aligns with His word, encouraging discernment over accepting negative labels.

• 22:06 - Connection with Renew Your Mind Institute
  Sheri shares how her friendship with Diana Swallinger led to her life coaching journey and training with the Renew Your Mind Institute.

• 27:46 - Sheri’s Nugget of Wisdom
  Sheri shares the one thing she wishes she knew sooner: that we are fearfully and wonderfully made, and we can question others’ words to live a full life of joy and peace.

• 29:19 - The Beauty of a Woven Tapestry
  Sheri reflects on how God used her painful experiences to create a beautiful life, comparing it to a tapestry woven with purpose.

• 32:17 - Closing Thoughts and Gratitude
  Michelle thanks Sheri for her vulnerability and Diana for the introduction, encouraging listeners to connect and share their thoughts.