{"id":338152,"date":"2025-12-10T20:43:12","date_gmt":"2025-12-10T20:43:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/peraltafinancing.com\/uncategorized\/overcoming-your-difficult-story-and-finding-healing-through-surrender-with-mary-demuth\/"},"modified":"2025-12-10T20:43:12","modified_gmt":"2025-12-10T20:43:12","slug":"overcoming-your-difficult-story-and-finding-healing-through-surrender-with-mary-demuth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=338152","title":{"rendered":"Overcoming Your Difficult Story and Finding Healing Through Surrender with Mary DeMuth"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>\t\t\t\t<!--powerpress_player--><\/p>\n<p><meta itemprop=\"name\" content=\"Overcoming Your Difficult Story and Finding Healing Through Surrender with Mary DeMuth\"\/><meta itemprop=\"uploadDate\" content=\"2025-12-09T22:56:28-05:00\"\/><meta itemprop=\"encodingFormat\" content=\"audio\/mpeg\"\/><meta itemprop=\"description\" content=\"&#10;We have a powerful new episode to share with you! This week, Doris Swift welcomes the incredible Mary DeMuth\u2014author of over 50 books, literary agent, artist, podcaster, and global speaker\u2014who shares her story and wisdom on finding freedom, healing, ...\"\/><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/fiercecallingpodcast\/content.blubrry.com\/fiercecallingpodcast\/Mary_DeMuth_219.mp3\"\/><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/player.blubrry.com\/?media_url=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.blubrry.com%2Ffiercecallingpodcast%2Fcontent.blubrry.com%2Ffiercecallingpodcast%2FMary_DeMuth_219.mp3&amp;podcast_link=https%3A%2F%2Fdorisswift.com%2F2025%2F12%2F09%2Fovercoming-your-difficult-story-and-finding-healing-through-surrender-with-mary-demuth%2F#mode-Light&amp;border-000000&amp;progress-000000\" scrolling=\"no\" width=\"100%\" height=\"165\" frameborder=\"0\" id=\"blubrryplayer-1\" class=\"blubrryplayer\" title=\"Blubrry Podcast Player\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p class=\"powerpress_links powerpress_links_mp3\" style=\"margin-bottom: 1px !important;\">Podcast: <a href=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/fiercecallingpodcast\/content.blubrry.com\/fiercecallingpodcast\/Mary_DeMuth_219.mp3\" class=\"powerpress_link_pinw\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Play in new window\" onclick=\"return powerpress_pinw('https:\/\/dorisswift.com\/?powerpress_pinw=42835-podcast');\" rel=\"nofollow\">Play in new window<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/fiercecallingpodcast\/content.blubrry.com\/fiercecallingpodcast\/Mary_DeMuth_219.mp3\" class=\"powerpress_link_d\" title=\"Download\" rel=\"nofollow\" download=\"Mary_DeMuth_219.mp3\">Download<\/a> () | <a href=\"#\" class=\"powerpress_link_e\" title=\"Embed\" onclick=\"return powerpress_show_embed('42835-podcast');\" rel=\"nofollow\">Embed<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"powerpress_links powerpress_subscribe_links\">Subscribe:  | <a href=\"https:\/\/dorisswift.com\/subscribe-to-podcast\/\" class=\"powerpress_link_subscribe powerpress_link_subscribe_more\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"More\" rel=\"nofollow\">More<\/a><\/p>\n<p>We have a powerful new episode to share with you! This week, Doris Swift welcomes the incredible Mary DeMuth\u2014author of over 50 books, literary agent, artist, podcaster, and global speaker\u2014who shares her story and wisdom on finding freedom, healing, and joy through surrender.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s what you\u2019ll find in this inspiring conversation:<\/p>\n<p>\u2728 <strong>The Freedom of Surrender<\/strong> Mary opens up about her latest devotional, <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Freedom-Surrender-Devotions-Joyful-Christ\/dp\/1514011344\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Freedom of Surrender: 40 Devotions for a Joyful Life in Christ<\/a><\/em>. She shares how her journey with art, Lent, and letting go of daily struggles became a lifeline and ministry for others. Her artwork (featured throughout the book!) makes this devotional extra special.<\/p>\n<p>\ud83c\udf31 <strong>Healing from Church Hurt and Trauma<\/strong> Mary connects deeply with listeners struggling with church hurt, grief, or past trauma. With practical encouragement, she reminds us that \u201can untold story never heals,\u201d and offers her gentle approach to lament, processing pain with God, and finding safe spaces for healing.<\/p>\n<p>\ud83e\udd1d <strong>Community &amp; Connection<\/strong> Both Doris Swift and Mary DeMuth highlight how genuine community can be the remedy for pain received in broken relationships. For those feeling lonely or unseen, Mary shares hope and a prayer that God will bring needed friendships into your life.<\/p>\n<p>\u270d\ufe0f <strong>For Writers and Creatives<\/strong> Are you a writer or aspiring author? Mary gives a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to be represented by a literary agent and her journey writing across genres. If you\u2019re interested in publishing, she offers a three-legged-stool framework: platform, writing ability, and unique ideas.<\/p>\n<p>\ud83c\udfa8 <strong>Bonus! Free Art for Your Soul<\/strong> Mary is generously offering free downloadable lock-screens featuring her original art from <em>The Freedom of Surrender<\/em>. Sign up for her email list at marydemuth.com\/surrender to receive yours and find encouragement in your inbox.<\/p>\n<p>\ud83c\udfa7 <strong>Don\u2019t Miss Out<\/strong> Whether you\u2019re seeking healing, longing for joy, looking for creative inspiration, or simply needing to feel less alone, this episode will encourage your heart. And if you haven\u2019t yet, check out Mary\u2019s \u201cPray Every Day\u201d podcast for daily scripture and prayer!<\/p>\n<p>\u25b6\ufe0f [Listen to the episode now] (insert your episode link here) \ud83d\uddbc\ufe0f <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/marydemuth.com\/surrender\">Grab your free art lock screens here<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Let us know what touched your heart most\u2014we love to hear from you! Stay tuned for more faith-filled encouragement, and remember: your story matters and you are never alone.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">We\u2019re talking about this amazing book and more!<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dorisswift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/9781514011348_p0_v1_s600x595.jpg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"425\" height=\"595\" data-attachment-id=\"42836\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/dorisswift.com\/2025\/12\/09\/overcoming-your-difficult-story-and-finding-healing-through-surrender-with-mary-demuth\/9781514011348_p0_v1_s600x595\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dorisswift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/9781514011348_p0_v1_s600x595.jpg?fit=425%2C595&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"425,595\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"9781514011348_p0_v1_s600x595\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dorisswift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/9781514011348_p0_v1_s600x595.jpg?fit=214%2C300&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dorisswift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/9781514011348_p0_v1_s600x595.jpg?fit=425%2C595&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dorisswift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/9781514011348_p0_v1_s600x595.jpg?resize=425%2C595&amp;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-42836\" style=\"aspect-ratio:0.714305158568123;width:261px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dorisswift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/9781514011348_p0_v1_s600x595.jpg?w=425&amp;ssl=1 425w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dorisswift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/9781514011348_p0_v1_s600x595.jpg?resize=214%2C300&amp;ssl=1 214w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 425px) 100vw, 425px\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Connect with Mary!<\/h2>\n<p>Mary loves Jesus.\u00a0And really that\u2019s the most important thing about her. It\u2019s not writing or speaking or praying or mommying or any other -ing you can find. She flat out loves Him. Why? Because<strong>\u00a0he has utterly, truly, completely re-storied her.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>She has three adult children, and she\u2019s been married to Patrick for 33 years now. Mary<strong>\u00a0counts those relationships as the most important people in her life.<\/strong>\u00a0In the mid 2000s, their family helped plant a church in Southern France\u2013a difficult, but amazing experience.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>In her spare (ha!) time, she loves to cook, run, garden, decorate, paint,\u00a0and do interior design. You can find all her artwork\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/mary-demuth-art.myshopify.com\/\">here.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>She\u2019s been writing for 30+ years\u2013half of them in obscurity. She mentored many writers during that time, and continues to do so through the\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.rcwg.blogspot.com\/\">Rockwall Christian Writers Group\u00a0<\/a>and some of\u00a0her\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.etsy.com\/shop\/writerhelp\/\">\u00a0instructional books<\/a>.\u00a0<strong>Since then\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/search\/ref=as_li_qf_sp_sr_il_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=wwwrelevantpr-20&amp;keywords=mary%20demuth&amp;index=aps&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=xm2&amp;linkId=576aba876bb6ff788599520da175abdb\">she has written over 52 books<\/a>, translated into five languages.<\/strong>\u00a0You can see a listing of all her books on\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/amzn.to\/1KOByX8\">Amazon<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.barnesandnoble.com\/s\/mary+demuth?_requestid=168940\">Barnes and Noble<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.christianbook.com\/Christian\/Books\/easy_find?Ntt=Mary+DeMuth&amp;N=0&amp;Ntk=keywords&amp;action=Search&amp;Ne=0&amp;event=ESRCG&amp;nav_search=1&amp;cms=1\">CBD<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.lifeway.com\/Keyword\/mary+demuth\">Lifeway<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/parable.com\/search?keywords=mary+demuth\">Parable<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Mary pioneered a literary agency in 2022,<a href=\"http:\/\/marydemuthliterary.com\/\">\u00a0Mary DeMuth Literary<\/a>, where she shepherds writers toward traditional publishing.<\/p>\n<p>She currently lives in North Texas, serves in<a href=\"https:\/\/redeemerrockwall.org\/\">\u00a0<\/a>her local church alongside her husband, and she\u2019s had the privilege of speaking around the world in places like\u00a0<strong>Johannesburg, Monaco, Geneva, Munich, Port-au-Prince, Nice, and Florence.<\/strong>\u00a0Although her past story is difficult, her current story leaks adventure.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Not only has Mary been restored and restoried, but she longs to see the same for you.<\/strong>\u00a0You no longer have to live haunted. I believe your new story starts today. Carl Bard wrote, \u201cThough no one can go back and make a brand-new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand-new ending.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Paul reminds us of this important truth: \u201cThis means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person.\u00a0<strong>The old life is gone; a new life has begun!<\/strong>\u201d (2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT).\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>Living in retrospect is a bad idea.<\/strong>\u00a0It\u2019s time to heal, be set free, and find the new story God has for you. Mary has experienced God turning her storm into a story, moving her from a bitter story into a bigger one.\u00a0<em>Won\u2019t you join her on the adventure?<\/em><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Threatens to Steal Your Joy?<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/dorisswift.com\/book\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1511\" height=\"1601\" data-attachment-id=\"41725\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/dorisswift.com\/2023\/10\/03\/the-power-of-scripture-inspired-prayer-with-brooke-mcglothlin-of-million-praying-moms\/img_8449-2\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dorisswift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/IMG_8449.jpg?fit=1511%2C1601&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1511,1601\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"IMG_8449\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dorisswift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/IMG_8449.jpg?fit=283%2C300&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dorisswift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/IMG_8449.jpg?fit=644%2C682&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dorisswift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/IMG_8449.jpg?resize=644%2C682&amp;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-41725\" style=\"width:402px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dorisswift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/IMG_8449.jpg?w=1511&amp;ssl=1 1511w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dorisswift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/IMG_8449.jpg?resize=283%2C300&amp;ssl=1 283w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dorisswift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/IMG_8449.jpg?resize=644%2C682&amp;ssl=1 644w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dorisswift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/IMG_8449.jpg?resize=768%2C814&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dorisswift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/IMG_8449.jpg?resize=1450%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 1450w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dorisswift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/IMG_8449.jpg?resize=610%2C646&amp;ssl=1 610w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dorisswift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/IMG_8449.jpg?resize=1080%2C1144&amp;ssl=1 1080w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dorisswift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/IMG_8449.jpg?resize=1280%2C1356&amp;ssl=1 1280w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dorisswift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/IMG_8449.jpg?resize=980%2C1038&amp;ssl=1 980w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dorisswift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/IMG_8449.jpg?resize=480%2C509&amp;ssl=1 480w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n<p>Check out Surrender the Joy Stealers: Rediscover the Jesus Joy in You 6-week Bible study rooted in John 15. You can find more info at\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/dorisswift.com\/book\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https:\/\/dorisswift.com\/book\/<\/a><\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Surrender-Joy-Stealers-Rediscover-Jesus\/dp\/1649499248\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"41954\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/dorisswift.com\/2024\/06\/04\/detoured-and-disrupted-finding-gods-peace-in-our-unexpected-journeys-with-jen-babakhan\/now-available-100-x-100-px-instagram-post-square\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dorisswift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Now-Available-100-%C3%97-100-px-Instagram-Post-Square.png?fit=1080%2C1080&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1080,1080\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Now-Available-100-\u00d7-100-px-Instagram-Post-Square\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dorisswift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Now-Available-100-%C3%97-100-px-Instagram-Post-Square.png?fit=300%2C300&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dorisswift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Now-Available-100-%C3%97-100-px-Instagram-Post-Square.png?fit=644%2C644&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dorisswift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Now-Available-100-%C3%97-100-px-Instagram-Post-Square.png?resize=644%2C644&amp;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-41954\" style=\"width:437px;height:auto\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Let\u2019s Stay Connected!<\/h2>\n<p>Find my free resources including Fear Fighting Bible Verses, Simple Tips for Sharing Your Faith, Surrender the Joy Stealers,\u00a0<em>Step Out of Your Doubt and Into Your Calling ebook<\/em>, and more on my dorisswift.com\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/dorisswift.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">homepage<\/a>!<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Love Fierce Calling?<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Did you know that following, rating, and leaving a review over at<\/strong>\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.podchaser.com\/podcasts\/fierce-calling-940415?utm_source=podcaster&amp;utm_medium=feedcta&amp;utm_campaign=DorisSwift\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Podchaser<\/a>\u00a0<strong>or Apple Podcasts helps others discover the show too<\/strong>? I would so appreciate it, friend!<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Need a Speaker for Your Next Women\u2019s Event? Now Booking for 2026!<\/h2>\n<p>Check out my\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/dorisswift.com\/speaking\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">speaking page,<\/a>\u00a0grab my flyer, and let\u2019s talk about me speaking at your next women\u2019s event\u2026<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dorisswift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/IMG_9742-2.jpg?ssl=1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"554\" data-attachment-id=\"41703\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/dorisswift.com\/2023\/09\/05\/living-fiercely-lessons-on-mentoring-ministering-and-embracing-a-life-without-regrets-with-rhonda-stoppe\/img_9742-2\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dorisswift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/IMG_9742-2.jpg?fit=640%2C554&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"640,554\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"IMG_9742-2\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dorisswift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/IMG_9742-2.jpg?fit=300%2C260&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dorisswift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/IMG_9742-2.jpg?fit=640%2C554&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dorisswift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/IMG_9742-2.jpg?resize=640%2C554&amp;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-41703\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dorisswift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/IMG_9742-2.jpg?w=640&amp;ssl=1 640w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dorisswift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/IMG_9742-2.jpg?resize=300%2C260&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dorisswift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/IMG_9742-2.jpg?resize=610%2C528&amp;ssl=1 610w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dorisswift.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/IMG_9742-2.jpg?resize=480%2C416&amp;ssl=1 480w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Thanks for Listening!<\/h2>\n<p>I hope this episode encouraged, inspired, and challenged you to cultivate community, live and walk in the value, purpose, and worth God gave you, and take action where your passion, compassion, and conviction intersect.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re looking for a speaker for your next women\u2019s conference, retreat, luncheon, or workshop, reach out and connect with me on my speaker page at\u00a0<em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.womenspeakers.com\/florida\/edgewater\/speaker\/doris-swift\">https:\/\/www.womenspeakers.com\/florida\/edgewater\/speaker\/doris-swift<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s have a chat about your next event!<\/p>\n<p>Stay tuned for more amazing content and remember to check the show notes for all the links mentioned.<\/p>\n<p>Thank you for being a part of our community. We are grateful for your continued support and encourage you to embrace the unique gifts that make you magnificently you.<\/p>\n<p>I hope you\u2019ll join me next time when I talk with another guest who is taking action where her passion, compassion, and conviction intersect \u2026<\/p>\n<p>Until then friend, have a blessed week, and I\u2019ll talk to you soon.<\/p>\n<p>With love and joy,<\/p>\n<p>Doris<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Transcript<\/h2>\n<p>Doris [00:01:51]:<br \/>What is threatening to steal your joy? What is it that feels so heavy right now that you could barely stand? God has a plan. And his plan is to surrender it. Surrender it to him. It might be a prodigal, it might be a relationship, a marriage, something with your job. So many things. We have so many amazing blessings, but there are so many things in our life that threaten to steal our joy. I\u2019m Doris Swift, author of the award winning six week Bible study, Surrender the Joy. Rediscover the Jesus joy in you.<\/p>\n<p>Doris Swift [00:02:31]:<br \/>And it helps women rediscover the overflowing, ever present Jesus joy within. Using personal and biblical stories I share, how you can identify your joy stealers, Surrender them to God, Reawaken the joy within and share the joy with others. You can do it on your own or with a group. Check it out, friends. Surrender the joy stealers. Rediscover the Jesus joy in you. It\u2019s available on all the online retailers. It\u2019s time to take your joy back.<\/p>\n<p>Doris Swift [00:03:05]:<br \/>Welcome back to the show. Today I am very excited to welcome my friend, Mary DeMuth. She is an amazing woman of God and she has written over 50 books and she\u2019s been a writer for over 30 years and those books have been translated into like seven different languages, so that\u2019s pretty powerful. And through her podcast Pray Every Day, and her speaking events around the globe, she seeks to help people hear, heal from past trauma, and live restoried lives as followers of Jesus. She\u2019s also a mentor for writers and she developed Mary demeth literary in 2022. And she\u2019s also an artist, a magnificent artist that God has really gifted her. I have purchased many of her different, you know, her calendars and cards and things like that. Very beautiful.<\/p>\n<p>Doris Swift [00:03:55]:<br \/>And her inspiration comes from seasons of Lent spent prayerfully and she creates these small scale art pieces based on scripture. So you\u2019ll see scripture throughout the art and it\u2019s kind of really like all part of the art, which is really cool. It\u2019s not just like a scripture at the bottom or at the top. It\u2019s like in the art itself. So that is really, really wonderful. And she currently lives in Texas with her family and she is here to talk about her newest book, which I\u2019m excited to hear more about, which is the freedom of surrender. 40 devotions for a Joyful life in Christ. Welcome to the show, Mary.<\/p>\n<p>Doris Swift [00:04:34]:<br \/>It\u2019s great to have you.<\/p>\n<p>Mary DeMuth [00:04:35]:<br \/>Well, that was just the nicest introduction ever and it is so good to be here today.<\/p>\n<p>Doris Swift [00:04:39]:<br \/>Oh, well, thank you so much. And that introduction in no way Covers all the things that. All the things. Mary demuth, you know, lots of layers there over the years. You\u2019ve been in ministry for so long, and before we started recording, I was just talking about how I think I started kind of following your ministry way back, maybe before 2010. And so, because I think the first book I purchased of yours was then Places, which was your memoir. And that was really powerful book and testimony, and you continue to help others. And through, you know, since then, you\u2019ve also experienced so many different things that you have had to come to surrender.<\/p>\n<p>Doris Swift [00:05:22]:<br \/>And we just need to hear more about that. So as I ask all my guests how you\u2019re taking action, where your passion, compassion, and conviction intersect, what would you say to that, Mary? And how does this new book kind of intersect with all of that?<\/p>\n<p>Mary DeMuth [00:05:39]:<br \/>It\u2019s a terrific question. So I am really passionate about helping people overcome a difficult story. And that story doesn\u2019t have to be childhood. It could be like last year, and. And so my heart is just to walk into those spaces. So I write books and I speak, and I create little pieces of art based on healing and how God can heal us and how he loves to change us and bring us from glory to glory. And we have that potential of healing every day, which sometimes, to be honest, I. I don\u2019t embrace it.<\/p>\n<p>Mary DeMuth [00:06:13]:<br \/>I wish I did more. But I do love that he has done so much healing in my own life, and I find it an extreme joy to be a part of else\u2019s healing journey as well.<\/p>\n<p>Doris Swift [00:06:23]:<br \/>Yeah, that\u2019s really beautiful. And it is definitely a special calling to want to help people to heal, because there\u2019s so many things that people go through, and grief is something that people go through, and it\u2019s something that it doesn\u2019t necessarily mean they lost a loved one. It could be something else. You know, loss of a church family, loss of a job. I know you\u2019ve been through a lot of those things, and you actually had. You and your husband had a church in France, right? Can you tell us a little bit about that? That\u2019s kind of interesting.<\/p>\n<p>Mary DeMuth [00:06:59]:<br \/>Yes. So we were church planters in the south of France for almost three years, and it was a very difficult experience. The food was great, so that was lovely, and the weather was lovely, but it was just a hard experience. Anytime you plant a church, no matter where you\u2019re planting it geographically, you\u2019re going to run into some pretty extreme opposition, because church planting is one of the most known ways for people to meet Jesus, oddly enough. And so there\u2019s going to be some Pushback when you try to do that. So we did that for a couple years, and then we came back home and we were in a large church for a long period of time. And about two years ago, we had to walk away from that church. We had been there for 23 years.<\/p>\n<p>Mary DeMuth [00:07:46]:<br \/>And so one of those surrenders, as you kind of mentioned earlier, was surrendering having to leave what we considered our home. And that was hard. That was really hard. One of the hardest things that I\u2019ve gone through in the past several years. So if you\u2019re out there listening and you have had to leave a church or you\u2019ve gone through some church hurt, I. I have a lot of empathy for you because it\u2019s not a normal pain and it takes a long time to get over.<\/p>\n<p>Doris Swift [00:08:15]:<br \/>Yeah, thanks for that encouragement and for sharing that, because there are a lot of people, and I\u2019m sure some of our listeners have experienced that at one time or another. And just to, like, have been a part of that church family for so long, it\u2019s almost like it feels like it becomes part of your DNA or something. And, you know, trying to separate from that and just move forward is. Yeah, it takes a lot of healing and just full surrender, like you said.<\/p>\n<p>Mary DeMuth [00:08:48]:<br \/>So.<\/p>\n<p>Doris Swift [00:08:49]:<br \/>Yeah, that is so important. So what inspired you to write this particular devotional? And if you have it right there, because I\u2019m waiting for my copies and it\u2019s beautiful. Lovely book right there. And so how. What. How did the Lord inspire you to write that? And it has your beautiful artwork in it too.<\/p>\n<p>Mary DeMuth [00:09:12]:<br \/>That\u2019s fun thing about it is it not only did I do the COVID but every piece of artwork inside is my original artwork as well. So it\u2019s a full color, a hardback, nice size. It\u2019s actually smaller than most book sizes, so it\u2019s easy to carry around. How it came about was I have been painting for Lent for About the past 10 years or so, and I did that because I saw a commercial artist friend of mine do that, and I thought that that was a lot better than giving up chocolate for Lent. So I\u2019ve always been a doodler. I\u2019ve always been a, um. I have good handwriting and all of that. So I started doing that.<\/p>\n<p>Mary DeMuth [00:09:50]:<br \/>My first drawings were not very good, as in anything that we\u2019re trying for the first time. And my first paintings were very amateur, and they still aren\u2019t. I\u2019m not a commercial artist, so I\u2019m. I know I lack a lot, but so I did that for a while where I would just. Whatever I was going through that Year, I would go back through my journal and pull out the scriptures that God taught me things from. So one year it was about church hurts. So I had all my church hurts scriptures, and I illustrated those scriptures. But one year, it was the Lord saying to me, I want you to surrender every day and trust me every day for me to tell you something, to surrender, and then I want you to paint it.<\/p>\n<p>Mary DeMuth [00:10:29]:<br \/>I was like, okay, this should be fun. So I did that. And then after I did that, my agent thought this would be an interesting book. And as well, as we were already in a conversation with InterVarsity, and they agreed. And so that\u2019s how this book came about. I had. Interestingly, I was trying to learn how to digitally paint at the time. So when I did it for Lent, I digitally painted using my iPad and procreate.<\/p>\n<p>Mary DeMuth [00:11:02]:<br \/>But when we signed the contract, I asked them if they would prefer a digital piece or a physical piece. And so I repainted with a physical paintbrush, 40 paintings. Some of them ended up being different than what I had initially conceived. And so that\u2019s how it all came about.<\/p>\n<p>Doris Swift [00:11:18]:<br \/>Yeah, that\u2019s really beautiful, too, because it\u2019s color. And sometimes I think publishers don\u2019t usually put, like, color pictures into books. Is that what you found to Mary as a literary agent?<\/p>\n<p>Mary DeMuth [00:11:33]:<br \/>It\u2019s expensive, so of course they don\u2019t. Yes. I\u2019m humbled.<\/p>\n<p>Doris Swift [00:11:39]:<br \/>Yeah. Because I know some people who have art in their book, but it\u2019s. It\u2019s black and white, so. So I think that\u2019s really great. And that it was something where each day. So sometimes we think, okay, we\u2019re going to give up something for Lent. You know, what. What will that be? And it doesn\u2019t have to be chocolate, which is very exciting.<\/p>\n<p>Doris Swift [00:12:00]:<br \/>I guess sometimes we don\u2019t want to do that. But. But having something every day to surrender and then expressing it in art, that. That is really something where you\u2019re bringing your readers into that with you, which is really something that will not only encourage them, but also challenge them to do the same things. And, you know, you don\u2019t have to be a great artist. You can. You can doodle something or you can actually express it in different ways, like maybe write it out like a. Like in journaling or something like that.<\/p>\n<p>Doris Swift [00:12:35]:<br \/>So I think that the whole key is the surrender and that it\u2019s something different every day because that. Yeah, you know, that\u2019s really cool because sometimes we feel like there\u2019s one thing that tends to trip us up or something. You know, we want to surrender. Like, maybe we\u2019ve been praying for something forever, and we\u2019re waiting and waiting and waiting. And that\u2019s the thing where we finally, when we surrender it, we can get that peace. But what is it, what is it like to surrender something different every day, day? What was that like for you, that experience for yourself?<\/p>\n<p>Mary DeMuth [00:13:10]:<br \/>Well, I will say that I got a really lovely review recently from a friend of mine, and she put it up on Amazon. I was really grateful. But she also sent me an email and she said, I didn\u2019t realize how much I was bound up. She said, I didn\u2019t realize how much I had to surrender and how anxious I was. And that\u2019s kind of how it was for me as well, where there were so many areas of my life that I was tightly holding onto control and to be able just to kind of open my hands and say, okay, I am going to surrender that difficult relationship that I\u2019ve been praying for for 10 years, and I\u2019m going to trust God that you\u2019re big enough to carry it. Recently, I was teaching a class on healing from the past, and this woman in the class had this really beautiful illustration, and she said, I play catch with Jesus and she takes a physical ball, and when there\u2019s something really bothering her, she just kind of throws it into the air. And watching it go away from her like that, and in, in essence, giving it to the Lord is a reminder not to take it back. And it\u2019s a reminder that God is big enough to catch it.<\/p>\n<p>Mary DeMuth [00:14:21]:<br \/>And I think that\u2019s kind of the heart behind the book.<\/p>\n<p>Doris Swift [00:14:26]:<br \/>Yeah, well, that\u2019s great. You know how you explained how she did that, where she threw a ball? Because, you know, sometimes you hear people kind of pretend they have a backpack of rocks on their back or different other things, but actually, because in that way, you\u2019re probably just more visualizing just dropping it to the ground, but in this way, she\u2019s throwing it to, you know, to him. So that\u2019s really, really a great visual, too, that we can. We can think about when we want to surrender something and not take it back. So it\u2019s kind of like not necessari. Like you\u2019re playing tennis because that\u2019s a volley or however you call that, or volleyball. Yeah, you don\u2019t want to take it back.<\/p>\n<p>Mary DeMuth [00:15:06]:<br \/>No pickleball here.<\/p>\n<p>Doris Swift [00:15:07]:<br \/>No pickleball. But. But, you know, that was kind of the heart behind the Bible study that I wrote too, because it\u2019s called Surrender the Joy Stealers Rediscover the Jesus joy in you because it stemmed from women\u2019s event Where I spoke and I had women write down what was threatening to steal their joy that day. Because ultimately our joy really can\u2019t be stolen or lost. You know, we tend to say that, but it can\u2019t be. But what is it like? So reve. And identifying it is so important to name it, to put a name to it. And then the second week is respond.<\/p>\n<p>Doris Swift [00:15:41]:<br \/>And how do we respond? We respond through surrender. So you doing these different classes about surrender and what is it you said, like, past trauma, moving through that. Yeah. What does that look like? Because I know you\u2019ve experienced a lot in your life and you share that in your memoir places and in other. In other ways and other times you\u2019ve spoken. So what does that look like when you\u2019re trying to help someone with that?<\/p>\n<p>Mary DeMuth [00:16:11]:<br \/>Yeah, I think part of it is going first. And I\u2019m sure that when you\u2019re speaking, you\u2019re doing the same thing. You\u2019re. You\u2019re sharing your story so that someone feels safe and secure enough to share their own and creating the kind of safe environment where they can. I often will tell audiences that an untold story will never heal. You have to get it out. You have to tell someone, and it\u2019s better if you tell it to a safe person. Person.<\/p>\n<p>Mary DeMuth [00:16:34]:<br \/>So then I have to kind of back up a little bit and teach about what is a safe person. And. And because I definitely have told my story to unsafe people, and that was a bit disastrous. So when I\u2019m teaching on healing, that\u2019s kind of the. The first thing that I talk about in terms of the surrendering aspect. One of the things that I do with audiences, and I\u2019m going to actually be doing it next week to an audience, is teaching them how to lament and taking them through a lament system Psalm. And how do you name, like you mentioned, name that joy stealer or name that grief, and how do you tell God that grief? And how do you wrestle through it? And how do you come through on the other end praising him, even though it\u2019s still a situation that\u2019s ongoing? And so I walk them through that process, and it has been a really beautiful thing to watch people be set free. And I think a lot of times we just stuff our grief and our pain, and this is a really lovely tool to learn how to surrender it.<\/p>\n<p>Doris Swift [00:17:35]:<br \/>Yeah, that is so true. Stuffing grief and pain. So is this something you do in person at various times throughout the year? Do you have any. Any resources on your site that help with that?<\/p>\n<p>Mary DeMuth [00:17:49]:<br \/>Yeah, this. These were in person at my church. And so that is really lovely to be able to have a place to teach again. Network. We found a new church, so that\u2019s the end of that story. So that\u2019s lovely. But I also will teach that around the nation, around the world, in different ways when people come and ask me to speak. In fact, I\u2019m teaching soon in Philadelphia, and then I\u2019m on my way to Malawi in Central Africa in a couple weeks to be talking about trauma and healing.<\/p>\n<p>Mary DeMuth [00:18:16]:<br \/>So I\u2019m doing it all over the place.<\/p>\n<p>Doris Swift [00:18:18]:<br \/>Yeah. Wow. That is like, you know, where. How Jesus tells us, you know, to go to the ends of the earth. And you. That is a fierce calling, Mary. You are.<\/p>\n<p>Mary DeMuth [00:18:27]:<br \/>Yes.<\/p>\n<p>Doris Swift [00:18:28]:<br \/>You are doing that.<\/p>\n<p>Mary DeMuth [00:18:29]:<br \/>Fierce callings.<\/p>\n<p>Doris Swift [00:18:30]:<br \/>Tell you what. That is a fierce calling. And. And also when you were talking earlier and you said that an untold story can\u2019t heal, or how did you word that again?<\/p>\n<p>Mary DeMuth [00:18:40]:<br \/>Yeah. An untold story never heals. Yeah. It just stays inside of you.<\/p>\n<p>Doris Swift [00:18:44]:<br \/>Yeah.<\/p>\n<p>Mary DeMuth [00:18:44]:<br \/>So you need to get it out.<\/p>\n<p>Doris Swift [00:18:45]:<br \/>Yeah.<\/p>\n<p>Mary DeMuth [00:18:46]:<br \/>It\u2019s just so important that I think we\u2019re afraid to. Or we\u2019ve been in Christian spaces so long that we\u2019ve heard. Well, we don\u2019t talk about that here. And we just have to be careful because the more we\u2019re silent, the more everyone is silent, the more we go first, the more people have permission to go ahead and tell their story.<\/p>\n<p>Doris Swift [00:19:06]:<br \/>Yeah. Yeah. That\u2019s so true that there\u2019s a stigma surrounding some of the things that women might not feel comfortable sharing. Like in that event where I spoke and I had them write in on little slips of paper, it was all anonymous, so they could write anything they wanted, you know, without fear of judgment or fear that, oh, someone\u2019s not going to, you know, like me anymore. You know, sometimes women will feel like that, like they. They can\u2019t say it out loud because then people won\u2019t want to be around them anymore or won\u2019t like them anymore or we\u2019ll judge them, you know, and so I think it\u2019s so great that you teach about who are the safe people, where are the safe spaces? And really, our churches, some have come a long way, but there\u2019s still a lot to do, a lot of work to do in that area. Right, Mary, how does that work when you. When you help churches in that area, too?<\/p>\n<p>Mary DeMuth [00:20:03]:<br \/>Yeah, I think it\u2019s a. It\u2019s a learning curve, for sure. And I am. I\u2019m heartened. I\u2019m seeing a lot more ministry leaders being. Becoming more informed about the pain in the pews and also how the leadership can kind of make it worse. So it\u2019s. It\u2019s fun to see that growth, but sometimes I get discouraged, too, because there is still.<\/p>\n<p>Mary DeMuth [00:20:28]:<br \/>I live in the south, so I\u2019m not from the South. You might tell by my voice I\u2019m not a Southerner. But that was one of the hardest things for me to get used to. And I\u2019m. I. I don\u2019t think I\u2019ll ever get used to it. This idea of this kind of all is, well facade, and we\u2019re supposed to keep up appearances. As a Northwest girl, I came from the land of grunge.<\/p>\n<p>Mary DeMuth [00:20:46]:<br \/>There are no appearances that we keep. And so the land of grun. It. So it\u2019s weird to me to be in these systems where everyone\u2019s like, everything\u2019s perfect. Everything\u2019s fine. I\u2019m like, no, it\u2019s not. And why can\u2019t we just talk about it?<\/p>\n<p>Doris Swift [00:21:01]:<br \/>Yeah. Yeah. Because it\u2019s like, really a false gospel. Like, that\u2019s not really what the world. World, you know, I mean, the word says it\u2019s like, what the world would say, or when we have to act like we\u2019re holding it all together because if we don\u2019t, it means, well, you haven\u2019t prayed enough or you don\u2019t have enough faith or, you know, that kind of thing. But that. That kind of combats the true peace that we can experience when we really live it out and live our true life and share what\u2019s really happening. Because how many times do people ask, you know, how are you? I\u2019m fine.<\/p>\n<p>Doris Swift [00:21:38]:<br \/>Everything\u2019s fine. It\u2019s like. But then you have those around you who get to know you and can get close to you that know when something isn\u2019t okay. And so, you know, that\u2019s important to have community and relationships. Can you speak a little bit into that, Mary?<\/p>\n<p>Mary DeMuth [00:22:00]:<br \/>Exactly. Well said. Yes. I. We don\u2019t grow in isolation. We only grow in community. And I. It\u2019s unfortunate because most of our wounds are communal wounds.<\/p>\n<p>Mary DeMuth [00:22:11]:<br \/>And what wounds usually is what heals us. So if we\u2019re wound, wounded relationally, God often requires a relational cure, which means we have to jump back in. And that\u2019s why it\u2019s important to talk about safe places, because we can be wounded in bad community, but God will call us into good community to heal. Now, sometimes, you know, now that I\u2019m in this church hurt space and talking to a lot of people in that space, sometimes it takes some time to get to that place where you can trust again because you\u2019ve been so violated. And I. I just hold space for that. Because I. I understand it.<\/p>\n<p>Mary DeMuth [00:22:46]:<br \/>One thing that you can do in that instance, when you feel like there\u2019s no one you can trust, and especially Christian leaders, then you can tell the Lord everything that you\u2019re hurting and what you\u2019re going through. And if you don\u2019t, if you\u2019re not a writer, you can say it into your phone or you can say it out loud at your bedside with your. You know, when you get on your knees before him and say, I\u2019m mad, those people hurt me. I don\u2019t understand why your church would do that to me. You could have rescued. Rescued me and you didn\u2019t. I mean, the Lord has these amazingly strong shoulders. He already knows your pain, but he wants to experience it alongside you in relationship.<\/p>\n<p>Mary DeMuth [00:23:26]:<br \/>And so when you don\u2019t talk about it to him, which is the first step, you are going to have a hard time working through that pain. So you can go to him first and he is safe.<\/p>\n<p>Doris Swift [00:23:36]:<br \/>Yeah. So important. Wow, that is such a great reminder, because sometimes we tend to forget to go to him first for things.<\/p>\n<p>Mary DeMuth [00:23:44]:<br \/>Things.<\/p>\n<p>Doris Swift [00:23:44]:<br \/>You know, sometimes that\u2019s just what we do. Like, you know, we run to. We call somebody on the phone or whatever. And so just being honest with God, because really, I think too, in a lot of churches and maybe how some people were raised, they feel like, well, I need to be in awe. I need to have a fear of God. I need to reverence Him. But yet we see David talking like that in the Psalms, you know, to God, having honest conversations. So I think it\u2019s really great that you brought that out and encouraged someone listening today, that God can handle, you know, what we want to talk with him about, right, Mary? Like, he could take it.<\/p>\n<p>Mary DeMuth [00:24:25]:<br \/>He already knows it. So it\u2019s a matter, like I said, a matter of relationship. Just like, if you know that something\u2019s wrong with your child, you already know the whole. All the details of it. And so you don\u2019t want them to come to you so you can find out about it. You already know. You want them to come to you so they can process it with you. And then that is a building of relationship.<\/p>\n<p>Mary DeMuth [00:24:45]:<br \/>And that\u2019s how the Lord feels, I would imagine.<\/p>\n<p>Doris Swift [00:24:46]:<br \/>Yeah, I think that\u2019s golden right there where you talked about it, like, processing it kind of. Because even sometimes for us, we\u2019re called to, like, a ministry of just listening, like a ministry of presence, just being there. And someone can just talk something out. And we\u2019re not. We\u2019re not wanting to try to help people kind of go in circles and not Move forward in what, you know, their pain is, or continue to, like, rehash things over and over, but. But being able to help them, because all the, you know, solutions they need are in God\u2019s word. And so for you to have that heart, because you\u2019ve been through that, because you\u2019ve experienced that as a child, you know, abuse as a child, and, you know, and now this other loss that you\u2019ve experienced with church hurt, which is more common than we\u2019d like to think. Really?<\/p>\n<p>Mary DeMuth [00:25:37]:<br \/>Yes.<\/p>\n<p>Doris Swift [00:25:38]:<br \/>So, yeah. So before we get into, like, some other things, I wanted to kind of talk with you about regarding your, you know, your. Your publishing life. What would you say to someone hurting right now who maybe experienced something in their past as a child, maybe some type of abuse or abandonment, or even experiencing that right now, and they\u2019re wondering, God, where are you? What would you say to encourage someone.<\/p>\n<p>Mary DeMuth [00:26:04]:<br \/>Mary, as I mentioned before, you know, processing that with him, processing it with someone who\u2019s trusted and safe, and then maybe doing a little exercise. And that is the I was, I am, I will exercise. So, for instance, I could say, when I look back on my childhood, I was abandoned. And then I could say, but today I am seen, known and loved by Jesus. And then the I will be. I will be an agent of noticing for those people in the world that feel unseen. And so there\u2019s this way of just kind of working through what you were, what God is doing today in your heart, and what he is healing. And then that\u2019s going to enable you to do ministry in the future.<\/p>\n<p>Doris Swift [00:26:52]:<br \/>Yeah, well, that\u2019s beautiful. And it. And it gives someone some steps to take, to take some kind of action, which, you know, in the beginning of the show, I always say, you know, I know what, what you\u2019re going to share is going to encourage, inspire, and challenge someone listening. Because we do want to take action where our passion, compassion, and conviction intersect and walk in our purpose and calling. But we also need to walk forward as a healthy disciple. And it doesn\u2019t mean we\u2019re going to be perfect or completely healed. You know what? Because God can use us in the midst of our pain, but having those very easy and simple things that are not complicated, you know, to be able to do that and use His Word, you know, as truth. And speaking of His Word, your podcast, pray every day, that\u2019s been going on for a long, long time.<\/p>\n<p>Doris Swift [00:27:43]:<br \/>I mean, it\u2019s been such a powerful thing for your listeners, me included, because you read through the Bible. I think you\u2019re like in Jeremiah now or something. In. So you\u2019re reading through the Bible so we can listen to the Bible in your wonderful voice, which probably sounds familiar to a lot of listeners who are listening, and they have that pray every day. But if you don\u2019t subscribe to that podcast, please do. It\u2019s fantastic. And you. So you read the Bible, and then you.<\/p>\n<p>Doris Swift [00:28:14]:<br \/>You say, can I pray for you?<\/p>\n<p>Mary DeMuth [00:28:19]:<br \/>Yeah. And I\u2019m doing it spontaneously, so I\u2019m not doing any research beforehand. I\u2019m letting the scripture, as I read it hit me in that moment. And then I pray for you according to what I just read, which can be problematic sometimes, especially when you\u2019re pronouncing 800 biblical names and you\u2019re like, what am I going to pray for? About 800 biblical names that I can\u2019t pronounce. But the Lord always gives me something to pray for. And it is a joy to be able to pray for my audience. And it\u2019s been going on about seven years now, and we\u2019re at 6 million listens. And so that\u2019s really exciting to me.<\/p>\n<p>Doris Swift [00:28:52]:<br \/>Yeah. Wow. It just goes to show with that many listens how people are hungry for the Word, but also hungry for prayer. You know, Pray every day. You know, and it\u2019s something where it\u2019s not long, so you can listen to it on the way to work or on the way to pick up your kids or in the line when you\u2019re waiting for your kids or with your kids in the car. Car. Captive audience. You know, I was excited.<\/p>\n<p>Doris Swift [00:29:18]:<br \/>Oh, golly. I don\u2019t remember how many years back, but it\u2019s been a while, because four of my grand. Four of my six grandkids, I was taking care of them while my daughter and son in love were out of town. And so I\u2019m riding them to school in the morning, and I want to say they maybe were in high school or junior high. Can\u2019t remember. They\u2019re graduate. All graduated now. But it was.<\/p>\n<p>Doris Swift [00:29:39]:<br \/>It was your show, so. And I would listen to it on the way, taking them to school. And one particular morning was exciting for me because I had. Because you. You allow people to support the show, you know, and then you talk about that at the end in various shows. So that was one of the days that I was sponsoring the show. And so it was, like, so funny. They heard my name and it was like, what? But it wasn\u2019t about me.<\/p>\n<p>Doris Swift [00:30:04]:<br \/>It was about. It was about prayer. It was about the scripture that you were reading, you know, going into them, and it\u2019s like, hide God\u2019s word in our Heart so we won\u2019t sin against you, you know. And so how powerful. And they do, you know, they did go to a Christian school so they, they were in the word at school too. But that was just like very powerful, impactful. I just want to share that. That was so cute with them.<\/p>\n<p>Doris Swift [00:30:24]:<br \/>They really so cool. They enjoyed that so much. So pray every day. Check that out also as being an author, because I asked one of my friends who also loves you very much and she wanted to know, Tara, what is, what is it like to write in different genres? Like is that challenging for you or how has that been?<\/p>\n<p>Mary DeMuth [00:30:46]:<br \/>It\u2019s, it\u2019s more of a look inside my chaotic brain. So someone asked me recently, how do you come up with your ideas? And I was like, that is not my problem. I have to beat off ideas with a stick. So it\u2019s part of how I\u2019m made to do things in different genres in different ways. I\u2019m also a novelist, so and I started my writing journey it primarily as a novelist. So it\u2019s just how my head operates. In fact, I just handed in a book this week and I pinged my agent. I said, we need another contract.<\/p>\n<p>Mary DeMuth [00:31:18]:<br \/>I need to write another book. So I\u2019m ready to start writing another one if I can get a contract. So that\u2019s how it\u2019s working.<\/p>\n<p>Doris Swift [00:31:25]:<br \/>And I mean, your agent doesn\u2019t love that, right?<\/p>\n<p>Mary DeMuth [00:31:27]:<br \/>I mean, yeah, I\u2019m sure she, she\u2019s like, oh no, I\u2019ve got to shop another project.<\/p>\n<p>Doris Swift [00:31:32]:<br \/>She likes it for sure and she\u2019s going to know already. It\u2019s, it\u2019s quality, you know, it\u2019s like, yay, Mary has another book. But it\u2019s kind of a journey. And it\u2019s also cool to think about the fact being that you\u2019re a literary agent, but you have a literary agent too. So you have someone pouring into you as you\u2019re pouring into others. So that\u2019s pretty special. And so when you like, say someone wants to find out, like what does it take to be represented or what do you look for when you are maybe looking to represent an author? What does that look like? Mary?<\/p>\n<p>Mary DeMuth [00:32:08]:<br \/>Yeah, so it\u2019s pretty basic. It\u2019s a three pronged stool. So one prong is the frustrating one for all authors. That\u2019s the platform prong. You know, the one leg is the platform leg, the other leg is your writing ability and the last leg is the uniqueness and like just the surprisingness of your idea. And so publishers are looking for at least a hundred thousand followers across all platforms. Most people don\u2019t have that. And so as a literary agent, some of my authors are lower on that scale, but the other two are high.<\/p>\n<p>Mary DeMuth [00:32:43]:<br \/>And so if those two are high, I can take a risk. Of course I love getting someone with good platform or who has sold books before and has good numbers. It\u2019s, it\u2019s a, I don\u2019t necessarily think platform is as important as publishers think it is, but I sell to publishers. So if they\u2019re convinced of it, then there\u2019s nothing I can, my hands are tied. So I have to look at those numbers. So those are the three things that you have to look for.<\/p>\n<p>Doris Swift [00:33:13]:<br \/>Yeah. Well, thank you. And that\u2019s easy to remember, a three legged stool or whatever. And so it is important, I mean, because it\u2019s a business too and publishers want to know that you\u2019re books will, you know, be viable in the, in, in the publishing world and in the market, you know, and people will actually want to buy your book because it costs a lot of money to publish a book. It takes a long time too. So. So as far as like sales, if you had someone that had book sales in the, in the past, what would be like maybe kind of an average number that you look for?<\/p>\n<p>Mary DeMuth [00:33:47]:<br \/>It\u2019s not necessarily an average number, it\u2019s whether they have come close to earning their advance back. So usually a publisher will advance based on how many copies they think will sell. So if they give you a $10,000 advance, they think that you\u2019ll move 10,000 copies. And if you only move 2,000, then that\u2019s a problem. However, if you got a $2,000 advance and you move 2,000 copies, well, you\u2019ve earned out your advance. So that looks better. So the number doesn\u2019t matter as much as how many copies you are able to move in reference to your advance.<\/p>\n<p>Doris Swift [00:34:20]:<br \/>Ah, that\u2019s great. That\u2019s great that you shared that. And I\u2019m sure someone listening will, you know, take that in and, and just kind of. It\u2019s. Sometimes publishing can be a little bit like gray and kind of murky. So make you bring in clarity and that\u2019s what you do. So you shepherd your, you mentor, shepherd your writers. And I\u2019m sure there\u2019s times where maybe they present something to you and you say, well, this is good, but.<\/p>\n<p>Doris Swift [00:34:49]:<br \/>And then you are able to pull something out of their proposal or whatever that\u2019s more unique. Right? Have you, have you loved doing that?<\/p>\n<p>Mary DeMuth [00:34:58]:<br \/>Yeah, I love doing that. And it\u2019s usually it starts with a conversation before they. I would hate for someone to do a whole proposal before we shopped it and there, there\u2019s some fundamentally wrong things with it or it could have been tweaked a better way. So we, I prefer that we have a conversation before and we talk through. The number one thing that we talk through is felt need. What is going to make the person be in a Barnes and Noble, see your cover and say, oh my gosh, I have to have that book. That is my need. I am hurting.<\/p>\n<p>Mary DeMuth [00:35:29]:<br \/>And this, this is of course in, in non fiction, in fiction it\u2019s is it a good story? But in non fiction, is, does it. Is it something that\u2019s going to grab a reader? Is it going to wow them? Is it going to make them want to buy it? Because it is a business and you have to sell product. So that\u2019s part of it.<\/p>\n<p>Doris Swift [00:35:43]:<br \/>Yeah. And as a writer, I mean, you, you want your message that you feel that God has given you to reach as many hands as possible. And you know, so that\u2019s important too. So if we look, it\u2019s all perspective, you know, people can be like, oh, that platform thing, because, you know, it can really be frustrating for, for authors, you know, writers and authors and thinking of it in the perspective of, hey, I will. More people will get to be free of something or, you know, be encouraged by this or, you know, or have more, you know, have a, have a quality book that they can give as gifts and maybe do as a group together, you know, that kind of thing. So that\u2019s really important. In the beginning, years ago, there used to be the thought that as far as platform goes, it wasn\u2019t as critical with fiction as it is in non fiction. Is that still true, Mary? Do you find that too?<\/p>\n<p>Mary DeMuth [00:36:38]:<br \/>Yes, it\u2019s still true. And it\u2019s all about readership and can you reach your reader. And usually people who read fiction, once they like an author, they just stick with them. So it\u2019s a matter of gathering first and that, that can take some time. And so there is a need for platform there, but it\u2019s just not as robust as the other.<\/p>\n<p>Doris Swift [00:36:55]:<br \/>Great. Okay. Well, thank you for, for that answer because I had wondered about that too. And I know some, some people who are in, you know, doing writing and that because you have to also like hone your craft. So you can\u2019t just say, I want to write this book. So you have to like follow, go to conferences and learn things, become maybe in a membership or something with, you know, writers that, that do that. Have a critique group. Right? That would be important.<\/p>\n<p>Mary DeMuth [00:37:25]:<br \/>Yes.<\/p>\n<p>Doris Swift [00:37:26]:<br \/>Yeah. Well, great. Well, this has been so exciting having you on the Show. I\u2019ve been looking forward to this for a long time, and I just want to know or give you an opportunity if there\u2019s something on your heart that God is wanting you to share with someone listening right now, something maybe we hadn\u2019t talked about yet that you would like to bring up, what would that be?<\/p>\n<p>Mary DeMuth [00:37:49]:<br \/>You know, the thing is, in today\u2019s climate and the world of social media, I think many of us feel lonely and alone. And so I just simply want to say, you\u2019re not alone. And there are many people in this world who love Jesus and who want to be connected to you. And if. If you\u2019re feeling lonely and brokenhearted about that, my prayer is that the Lord would open up a friendship for you, because nobody can do this life on our own. We need each other.<\/p>\n<p>Doris Swift [00:38:20]:<br \/>Yeah, that\u2019s so beautiful and so important. An important reminder, because when we\u2019re hurting, we tend to isolate, and that\u2019s not. Not healthy. I mean, you know, we can go a lot, be alone with the Lord, but then he created us for community, so. So that\u2019s so important. And. And yeah, I just want to mention too, when you. When you\u2019re kind of feeling alone or like you\u2019re feeling not seen, like, join Mary\u2019s email list.<\/p>\n<p>Doris Swift [00:38:44]:<br \/>Because when you send your email messages out or your Thursday or whatever, you know you\u2019re sending out. And I. Okay, so I know that when we have these different mail services, it plugs in names and stuff, but it does feel personal when you say, doris, can I pray for you? And I really feel like you\u2019re saying that. And because I listen to your show, I know how your voice is, so I can hear you saying it. So it\u2019s just personal and it\u2019s encouraging. So if you could share, how can the listener connect with you and find all the things we talked about?<\/p>\n<p>Mary DeMuth [00:39:20]:<br \/>So you can find me@marydemuth.com you\u2019ll find everything there. If you\u2019re looking for literary agency, it\u2019s Mary DeMuth Literary.com to hop onto my list. I have a free offer for people that\u2019s related to the Surrender book. So they can go to marydemuth.com surrender and they\u2019ll receive 10 free. No, I think it\u2019s 12. 12 free lock screens based on the art from the book for your phone. So you have my art on your phone for free. And then you\u2019ll also get that Thursday email where I will pray for you by name.<\/p>\n<p>Mary DeMuth [00:39:51]:<br \/>And that\u2019s been really fun to do for many, many years now.<\/p>\n<p>Doris Swift [00:39:55]:<br \/>Yeah, it is so encouraging. And do you still have it? Is it an Etsy shop that you have still where you.<\/p>\n<p>Mary DeMuth [00:40:01]:<br \/>I do. You can find. Find that@marydemuth.com art.<\/p>\n<p>Doris Swift [00:40:05]:<br \/>Very good. Yeah. And her art is so beautiful and colorful, which is really very fun to look at, too, but also powerful because the scripture is right there. And it\u2019s great for gifts, too. I mean, give them as gifts. Sometimes you just need like something you want to hand somebody or whatever, you know, and so have those on hand, so. Well, thank you so much for being on the show. It\u2019s been a pleasure and I hope to have you back on sometime.<\/p>\n<p>Mary DeMuth [00:40:29]:<br \/>I would love it. Thank you so much. You asked great questions and I pray your audience is often encouraged, which I think they probably are. So for sure they are. So thank you for all that you do.<\/p>\n<p>Doris Swift [00:40:40]:<br \/>Thank you, Mary. I appreciate the that so much. And friends, thank you for listening today. And I hope you\u2019ll join me next time when I talk with another guest who is taking action where their passion, compassion and conviction intersect. Until then, friends, have a blessed week and I\u2019ll talk to you<\/p>\n<div class=\"sharedaddy sd-block sd-like jetpack-likes-widget-wrapper jetpack-likes-widget-unloaded\" id=\"like-post-wrapper-97674914-42835-6939db5f47e62\" data-src=\"https:\/\/widgets.wp.com\/likes\/?ver=15.3.1#blog_id=97674914&amp;post_id=42835&amp;origin=dorisswift.com&amp;obj_id=97674914-42835-6939db5f47e62\" data-name=\"like-post-frame-97674914-42835-6939db5f47e62\" data-title=\"Like or Reblog\">\n<h3 class=\"sd-title\">Like this:<\/h3>\n<p><span class=\"button\"><span>Like<\/span><\/span> <span class=\"loading\">Loading&#8230;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"sd-text-color\"\/><a class=\"sd-link-color\"\/><\/div>\n<p><h3 class=\"jp-relatedposts-headline\"><em>Related<\/em><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"et_bloom_bottom_trigger\"\/>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Podcast: Play in new window | Download () | Embed Subscribe: | More We have a powerful new episode to share with you! This week, Doris Swift welcomes the incredible Mary DeMuth\u2014author of over 50 books, literary agent, artist, podcaster, and global speaker\u2014who shares her story and wisdom on finding freedom, healing, and joy through [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":338153,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[135634,100,162759,114225,162760,162761,97458,112119,99132,162762,12228,162763,162764,162765,101277,99036,98236,124276,162766,110641,106402],"tags":[162767,15689,4438,9903,5239,14484,3972,9297],"dealstore":[],"offerexpiration":[],"class_list":["post-338152","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-advent","category-art","category-art-therapy","category-church-hurt","category-church-planters","category-communal-wounds","category-community","category-fierce-calling-podcast","category-france","category-freedom-of-surrender","category-healing","category-literary-agent","category-mary-demuth","category-pray-every-day","category-prayer","category-publishing","category-relationships","category-surrender","category-traditional-publishing","category-trauma","category-trust","tag-demuth","tag-difficult","tag-finding","tag-healing","tag-mary","tag-overcoming","tag-story","tag-surrender"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Overcoming Your Difficult Story and Finding Healing Through Surrender with Mary DeMuth - Som2ny Network<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=338152\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Overcoming Your Difficult Story and Finding Healing Through Surrender with Mary DeMuth - Som2ny Network\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Podcast: Play in new window | Download () | Embed Subscribe: | More We have a powerful new episode to share with you! 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