Pain has a way of reshaping how we see the world—especially after divorce. In this episode, we explore how living from pain instead of God’s truth can quietly delay healing, purpose, and forward movement.

Using Matthew 28 and the story of the women at the tomb, we unpack how grief distorted their expectations—and how we often do the same thing when we’ve been wounded. They came prepared to bury what they believed was dead, unaware that resurrection had already happened.

If you’ve been navigating life with a broken compass—led by emotions, fear, or past experiences—this episode will help reorient you back to true north: the Word of God.

This is a call to stop carrying spices for what God has already promised to raise, to trust that the stone has already been rolled away, and to step into healing with faith instead of fear.

In This Episode, You’ll Hear:

• The difference between your truth and God’s truth
• Why pain can distort perspective and delay purpose
• How the women at the tomb forgot Jesus’ promise—and how we often do the same
• What it means to stop praying only from pain and start praying with expectation
• Why emotions make a terrible compass after divorce
• How God is already working on obstacles you’re still worrying about
• The danger of carrying “grave clothes” into your future
• How to leave the past at the foot of the cross and press forward

Key Scriptures Referenced:

• Matthew 28:1–8 – The women at the tomb and the rolled-away stone
• Hebrews 11:1 – Faith as the substance of things hoped for
• Isaiah 65:24 – God answering before we even call
• Philippians 3:13–14 – Forgetting what is behind and pressing forward
• Psalm 91:1 – Dwelling in the shelter of the Most High
• Psalm 34:18 – The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
• Hebrews 13:5 – God will never leave or forsake you

Reflection Questions:

• Are you living by God’s truth—or by pain-shaped emotions?
• What are you still carrying spices for that God has already promised to raise?
• Are you focused on past hurt so much that you’re missing future purpose?
• What truth will you take into your next season?

Call to Action: If this episode encouraged you, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who may be stuck between pain and purpose. And remember—resurrection isn’t something you earn. It’s something you receive when you trust His truth over yours.

We are the fragrance of Christ,

Dana

This video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/5qvBdlbTsyk

WEBSITE: www.redeemed-identity.com

LINK TREE: https://redeemed-identity.com/links/

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:

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

TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@redeemedidentity

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/redeemedidentityafterdivorce/#

Book Funnel: Who AM I After Divorce: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/4k769kpebf

Amazon:

Healing After Divorce Paperback:

https://a.co/d/8mjG6dp

Healing After Divorce ebook

https://a.co/d/etcpVyR

WHERE CAN YOU FIND THE SHOW:

PODCAST:

APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/redeemed-identity-after-divorce-christian-divorce-encouragement/id1752761447

YOUTUBE:

https://www.youtube.com/@RedeemedIdentityAfterDivorce

In response to the aftermath of a situation involving a recent guest, Redeemed-Identity Ministries and Redeemed Identity After Divorce needs to make a public statement:

"

At Redeemed-Identity Ministries and on the Redeemed Identity After Divorce podcast and YouTube channel, we want to be very clear about our heart and values.

We do not support racism, violence, or harm of any kind toward another person. Period.

This platform exists to host faith-based conversations focused on healing, growth, and redemption after divorce. While we occasionally welcome guests to share their stories or perspectives, we are not involved in — nor are we commenting on — any personal, legal, or interpersonal matters involving our guests outside of the conversations that take place on our platform.

We also want to state clearly that harassment, threats, or hateful behavior toward anyone connected to our ministry will not be tolerated.

We remain committed to creating a space rooted in faith, truth, and dignity for all people. This platform and all associated platforms are here to educate, encourage and bring healing to those wounded by divorce."

In Service,

Dana

Guest: Mrs. Janis (J.D.) Denis Book: Stories From the Heart, Vol. 1

Episode Overview

Have you ever been mad at God in the middle of—or after—your divorce? Have you wrestled with forgiveness and wondered why it feels so painfully hard?

If so, this episode is for you. ☕ Grab your favorite beverage and settle in for a raw, honest, and deeply healing conversation.

In Episode 76 of Rise & Reclaim After Divorce, Dana sits down with author, speaker, and worship leader Mrs. Janis Denis to talk about real faith for real pain. Janis doesn’t sugarcoat the journey—she shares honestly about anger toward God, feeling abandoned after divorce, and the long road toward forgiveness and freedom.

About Today’s Guest

Mrs. Janis Denis (often known as J.D. Denis) is the author of Stories From the Heart, Vol. 1. She is a powerful speaker, worship leader, and storyteller who uses real language to talk about real-life heartbreak—and the radical love of God that meets us right there.

Dana introduces Janis by reading the back of her book because, honestly, you can’t improve on perfection.

What We Cover in This Episode

Conversation Highlights

• Radically Loved by God Janis shares when she first truly “got it”—the moment she realized just how radically loved she is by God.
• The Story Behind the Words (Pages 8–9) Dana reads a powerful section from the book and Janis opens up about the deep, personal story behind those words.
  • A special focus on the closing paragraph of the chapter (page 11) and why it matters so much.
• “Sometimes I Get Mad at God” (Chapter 3, Page 13) Janis speaks candidly about the aftermath of her divorce—feeling abandoned, unattractive, useless, and worthless—and being angry with God.
  • How she rose above that season
  • What helped her rebuild her faith and identity
• Why Forgiveness Is So Freaking Hard (Chapter 12) Dana reads a powerful excerpt that many listeners will deeply relate to.
  • What prompted Janis to write this devotional
  • How forgiveness became a process—not a performance
  • Finding real freedom after deep betrayal

Key Takeaways

• God can handle your anger, questions, and tears
• Feeling broken doesn’t mean you’re faithless
• Forgiveness is hard—but freedom is possible
• Healing begins when we stop pretending and start telling the truth

Where you can connect with Janis and her book:

Website: https://linktr.ee/jdennis8?utm_source=linktree_profile_share

Book on Amazon: https://a.co/d/hwmKXok

YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/kSwQFCNAfdE

Listen & Watch

🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major podcast platforms 📺 Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/kSwQFCNAfdE

If this episode encouraged you, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who needs hope today.

About the Podcast

Rise & Reclaim After Divorce helps you re-member who you are after divorce—faith, identity, healing, and hope included.

In His Service,

Dana

Want to connect with Dana?

WEBSITE: www.redeemed-identity.com

LINK TREE: https://redeemed-identity.com/links/

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:

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

TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@redeemedidentity

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/redeemedidentityafterdivorce/#

Book Funnel: Who AM I After Divorce: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/4k769kpebf

Amazon:

Healing After Divorce Paperback:

https://a.co/d/8mjG6dp

Healing After Divorce ebook

https://a.co/d/etcpVyR

The holidays can stir up all kinds of emotions after divorce — loneliness, pressure, old memories, and moments that hit way harder than expected. In this episode, Dana gets real about what this season can feel like… and how God meets us right in the middle of it.

She walks you through the “rebuilding bricks” God gave her over the last few years, how those words held her steady when circumstances didn’t, and why intentionally redirecting the mind is a powerful part of healing. You’ll also hear how the valley of dry bones in Ezekiel isn’t just a dramatic Bible moment — it’s a picture of what happens when we speak God’s truth over situations that look completely lifeless.

Dana also shares new research on gratitude and how it literally transforms the brain — from boosting dopamine and serotonin to calming emotional triggers and helping you shift your perspective. It’s wild how God designed us to heal from the inside out.

If you remember Episode 33, this episode builds on that foundation of praying Scripture out loud and watching the atmosphere change. Dana ties it all together for this holiday season, reminding you that you don’t have to pretend things aren’t hard — but you can choose what you cling to.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why redirecting your thoughts is both simple and hard — and why it matters
• How gratitude rewires your brain (yes, literally)
• What Ezekiel’s dry bones teach us about speaking life over impossible situations
• How the Word of God becomes your anchor when emotions try to run the show
• Ways to prepare your heart for the holidays after divorce without shutting down emotionally

Listen in if you need:

• Hope for the holiday season
• A reminder of God’s faithfulness
• Practical tools to calm your mind and emotions
• A nudge to speak life over the places that feel dry or heavy
• Encouragement to believe again — even in a tough season

Resources Mentioned:

• Episode 33: How Praying the Word Shifts Your Atmosphere
• Free ebook: Who Am I After Divorce — available on Dana’s website

Scriptures: Ezekiel 37:4–5, Hebrews 4:12

If this episode encourages you, share it with a friend who’s navigating a hard holiday season. You never know who needs a reminder that God rebuilds, restores, and breathes life into what feels lost.

In Service to Him,

Dana

WEBSITE: www.redeemed-identity.com

LINK TREE: https://redeemed-identity.com/links/

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:

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

TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@redeemedidentity

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/redeemedidentityafterdivorce/#

Book Funnel: Who AM I After Divorce: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/4k769kpebf

Amazon:

Healing After Divorce Paperback:

https://a.co/d/8mjG6dp

Healing After Divorce ebook

https://a.co/d/etcpVyR

WHERE CAN YOU FIND THE SHOW:

PODCAST:

APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/redeemed-identity-after-divorce-christian-divorce-encouragement/id1752761447

YOUTUBE:

https://www.youtube.com/@RedeemedIdentityAfterDivorce

In today’s episode, we’re talking about something simple, steady, and powerful: how to build a prayer focus after divorce, one word at a time—just like laying bricks on a wall.

For years, the Lord has given me one or two “focus words” each year, along with scriptures that anchor my prayers. What I didn’t realize until recently was how each word built on the last… and how God was quietly rebuilding my life brick by brick.

In this episode, I’m walking you through my yearly “bricks” from 2020 to now—Hope, Endurance, Rebuilding, Transition, Focus, Shepherding, Obedience, and more—and showing you how this simple practice became a blueprint for healing after divorce.

Inside this episode:

• Why we’re seeing so much shaking in the world—and why righteousness comes before revival
• How yearly “focus words” create a stable prayer foundation
• The scriptures God used to rebuild me over the last five years
• How to receive your own word for the coming year
• A prayer over your healing and your future

In His Service,

Dana

Mentioned in this episode: 🎥 Redeemed Identity After Divorce on YouTube 🌐 www.redeemed-identity.com 📩 Email: Dana@redeemed-identity.com

LINK TREE: https://redeemed-identity.com/links/

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:

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

TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@redeemedidentity

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/redeemedidentityafterdivorce/#

Book Funnel: Who AM I After Divorce: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/4k769kpebf

Amazon:

Healing After Divorce Paperback:

https://a.co/d/8mjG6dp

Healing After Divorce ebook

https://a.co/d/etcpVyR

WHERE CAN YOU FIND THE SHOW:

YOUTUBE:

https://www.youtube.com/@RedeemedIdentityAfterDivorce

If this episode blessed you, please leave a review—it helps other divorced believers find hope, community, and restoration.

Have you ever realized that the pain you carry might be protecting you—but also holding you back? In this episode, Dana dives into how unresolved hurt can become armor, keeping us from fully embracing God’s love and grace. Drawing from personal experiences with judgment, gossip, and navigating post-divorce relationships, Dana shares how the Lord revealed hidden wounds, guided her to Isaiah 50:4-7, and showed her how to replace painful armor with a banner of His love.

Learn practical ways to:

• Recognize where pain has become a defense mechanism in your life.
• Release offense and judgment from others.
• Stand strong in God’s grace and truth, even when others’ words sting.
• Cover yourself and others with God’s love instead of armor.

If you’ve been carrying pain as a shield, this episode is a gentle, powerful reminder that God’s love heals, restores, and transforms.

We are the fragrance of Christ,

Dana

Scriptures Referenced:

• Isaiah 50:4-7
• 2 Timothy 2
• Song of Solomon 2:4
• Psalm 139:23-24
• 1 Peter 4:8

CONTACT US:

WEBSITE: www.redeemed-identity.com

LINK TREE: https://redeemed-identity.com/links/

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:

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

TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@redeemedidentity

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/redeemedidentityafterdivorce/#

BOOKS AND RESOURCES:

Book Funnel: Who AM I After Divorce: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/4k769kpebf

Amazon:

Healing After Divorce Paperback:

https://a.co/d/8mjG6dp

Healing After Divorce ebook

https://a.co/d/etcpVyR

WHERE CAN YOU FIND THE SHOW:

PODCAST:

APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/redeemed-identity-after-divorce-christian-divorce-encouragement/id1752761447

YOUTUBE

https://youtu.be/tqUNjN_olHY