Under Heaven Podcast: Janet Woods - Fearfully and Wonderfully Made

Under Heaven Podcast Host, Trish, introduces author and servant of God, Janet Woods. Born with Arthrogryposis, Janet grew up defying expectations and embracing the truth of Psalm 139 (fearfully and wonderfully made). 

Through the grace of God, Janet achieved dreams many thought impossible. Now a retired educator, Janet continues to teach on an individual basis and Bible Study as well as dedicated church choir member. 

As author of 'Deskmate to Helpmeet', she continues to reach out with her personal testimony to encourage others and glorify God. Janet's voice is warm, her faith is steady, and her story is a reminder that God can take any beginning and turn it into a beautiful journey.

Janet:  janetwoods79@yahoo.com                                                                                Book:  Deskmate to Helpmeet available on Amazon, Walmart and more

Trish:  patricia@lookingup24.org

Inspiration, Overcoming Challenges, Living with Disability, Resilience, Author Janet Woods, Faith-based Life Stories

Under Heaven Podcast, Faith, Trish Hodges, Testimony, Christian Women, Encouragement, Testimony

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:03

Welcome to Underheaven, the podcast where we glorify God and celebrate the beautiful stories of women whose lives have been transformed by his goodness and grace. I'm your host, Trish, and each week we share real conversations about faith, hope, and purpose. This is a place for encouragement and truth, where every story matters and every listener is welcome. No matter where you are in your journey, let's grow together under heaven. Welcome to Under Heaven Podcast. I'm your host, Trish, and today we're going to talk with an amazing woman. Her name is Janet Woods. And you may have heard of her because she has written a book called Destiny to Help Me. I'll try to say that three times in a row. And she um has told her story in there and the goodness of God of His of his strength for her, of his purpose for her life, and his goodness for her everyday life. Janet is a grandmother, mother, and she has been a teacher for over 30 years. Is it Janet? 30 years? Yeah. She has imparted into people for decades. And I'm so proud of you, Janet. Come on in and say hello to the viewers today.

SPEAKER_00 1:34

I want to thank you so much for having me and just sharing with our mutual love for our Lord Jesus Christ. And that is why we're here. That is why we talk. That is why we live is to honor and glorify Him. So I'm excited about glorifying Him with what He's done for me.

SPEAKER_01 1:58

Amen. And I know the women out there will be blessed and encouraged to hear your story. Would you start us out with the beginning? Um, you were born with a congenital defect. Can you tell us what it that is and how it has affected your life?

SPEAKER_00 2:18

Okay, I sure will. And that is called arthrogrupposis, which is just a word. It's a word that supposedly describes what a person like me with very little use of my hands and arms, no muscles in my arms, a dislocated hip, which I've had set twice when I was a baby. I'm glad I don't remember those things. I was uh ready to walk with my walker when I was in the hospital uh at 18 months at two years old, but I never walked a step on my own till I was three. And guess what we did that night? We called grandma and grandpa, sis, and everybody else to come and see me walk. That was an experience that I didn't know was going to change everything, but not to be cumbered down with a walker, but to be able to live as normally as I could. And you know, normal has a lot of different shapes. So this is my normal, and I'm thankful for it.

SPEAKER_01 3:29

That's right. And when did you first realize? Um, I mean, it's amazing you were able to walk at the age of three without help. And when was it that you realized that God's hand was on Janet's life?

SPEAKER_00 3:47

I would say I whispered prayers into my doll's ears as I went along the couch. I lined them up to teach them, teach them songs, teach them Bible verses, and so on. But I remember a time when I was sharing about my Lord with a classmate, and he rejected all that I would say. And I remember when I hung up the phone, and this was probably when I was maybe 12, 13, and I realized what the Lord has always said, all will not believe, all will not grasp this glorious message that we have. And I cried my heart out that day, and I remember just telling my mom, I I guess I'm not a good witness, I don't know what to say, I don't know what else to convince, but then I learned that it's the Holy Spirit's drawing, and all we need to do is plant and water, and God will do the rest. And you know, I got a letter from that person's mother when he passed away. I mean, this was back in 2000-ish, I think, and she said you meant so much to George, and he loved his time of talking with you. So I don't know if in his final days if he asked Christ or not into his heart, but that was one of those times when I felt like the Lord showed me, don't put your muscle into it. You don't have any muscles, girl. Just trust my muscle, you know, trust my muscle. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 5:44

Wonderful. That is awesome. And and you um you like the scripture where you are fearfully and wonderfully naive. And how how did that affect you as a young, was it you a young person at that time, or were you already uh um adult?

SPEAKER_00 6:05

When you realized Psalm 119, I guess I have known it for many, many years, but it is the verse that we use quite often with Right to Life. And I've been a member and a secretary and a treasurer for Right to Life uh since my 30s, and it is their verse that we are fearfully and wonderfully made in that womb, in that womb. So I have to recognize that though my arms were twisted and lacked muscles, and though my hip was dislocated and my legs were turned inside and backwards, I was fearfully and wonderfully made. He had a reason, he had a purpose, and when you think of that, it it calms you, it gives you the most joyous life. I had a joyous life, even even limping along, I had a joyous life.

SPEAKER_01 7:10

It's how wonderful. And you know, and and I don't know if I mentioned this, but Janet and I did go to high school together, and that was my my pre-Christ days, yes. But I remember Janet from when we would have uh uh I'm thinking of lunch hour, you know, you have the the A, B, and C lunches, and I remember lunches, and you were always so sweet, you always smiled and you spoke so kindly, so I can verify that you have had that joy of the Lord for as long as I've known you. So that is just wonderful.

SPEAKER_00 7:52

You know, I loved that. I love the cookies that we had at that school, Riley High School. I would go in the cafeteria not worrying about eating anything except the cookies. I remember that walking around with them in my in my little fingers, just stopping at different tables, talking to people, because I couldn't carry a tray and I didn't want to totally impose on someone else to try to carry two trays. So I kind of just chatted and went around with my cookies, and I really had a great time in high school. I remember it so well.

SPEAKER_01 8:31

Such a blessing, and that's what God calls us to do to just share his love, share his love with others. Yeah, and in then you went from high school into college, and you met somebody very special when you were in college.

SPEAKER_00 8:50

I met my husband John at a some type of uh October 30th was the day we met at a little party down at the student center, and we walked and talked, and he is a marvelous storyteller. So he had me mesmerized, and later on that week he took me for a drive in his Shazam, which was his Maverick grabber, and we stopped at Burger King again. He began with the stories of his life, and uh he said he went back to his dorm and said, That's the gal I I need to get to know. But I the same, I thought he is so full of stories, he has had an interesting life, and I want to hear more about it. And plus, and I think I wrote this in my book, he had a zeal for our Lord a zeal that I had not heard from some of my high school guys. So this was my freshman year, and I was so glad to meet someone that had a zeal for our Lord.

SPEAKER_01 10:08

And your your book that you wrote was the deskmate to help me. So what how did the deskmate come in there?

SPEAKER_00 10:18

Well, I he walked in late to our New Testament class, which is the moment that I met him. I I had I met him that day, and then I had seen him at that party the night before or the day before. I can't remember now. But he said, Should I sit on your left or right? The class had already started, the professor was up there, so I turned to him and I said, Shh, sit, sit on either side. He said, But I didn't want to bump elbows with you. And he said that I turned around and said, I don't use my hand, I I write with my mouth. And that was the intriguing deskmate moment that he sat down beside me and saw me write with my he said, can I see? I said, not now. Shh. There I was in my teacher mode already, and I wasn't even a teacher, but no, it it was a it was just so wonderful just to meet him. And and we have been married for gonna be 50 years this coming summer, and it blesses my heart to know in that God sent me this wonderful person to share my life with.

SPEAKER_01 11:35

Wow, and I I read in your book that that almost didn't even happen. Well, the somebody was trying to get into that plan that God had for you. I guess so.

SPEAKER_00 11:48

And you know, well, you know, we're both very headstrong and stubborn, and so he had his ways of dealing with things, dealing with insurmountable things that I thought were insurmountable. Oh no, we can handle this. Oh, we can handle that, and so I was telling him one night that because of my disability, I'd never let it stop me before, but here it was, coming up like a stone in front of me. Because of my disability, John, you're going to have to help me dress, you're gonna have to be cooking. I can't drive. You know, it's gonna be lots. Maybe you should back away now. And he did not like that too much. He uh he said, Your friends don't know who I am. If they're encouraging you to not date me, well, they don't know. They don't know my strength, they don't know what I've been through, and they don't know our Lord. I guess they don't know our Lord like we do, because we can make it, and here we are making it.

SPEAKER_01 13:02

Oh, how wonderful it is, and John is a wonderful person as well, and the love of God exudes out of him as well as you so when we've got God in the middle, when we have God as our our um focus, we can we can do those things because we can use society.

SPEAKER_00 13:23

And he's been doing them faithfully, and you know, we even decided that if we were having an argument in any way, and we decided this 30, 40, 50 years ago, 40 years ago, anyway, that if we were having an argument that it would not impede him getting me ready for work or school or whatever it was that we had to do, we would lay it aside until we had a different time to discuss it. But that's just a funny that's on the side of all that we come to handle as we live our lives. And you women out there that may hear this, you're handling things, tasks that you're pursuing, and sometimes it seems mundane, and sometimes it seems very grave, but whatever it is, our God is in the mix, if you will allow him to be, just allow him to be. And I had this thought, if you'd let me. I was thinking that a mother makes a peanut butter jelly sandwich for the 1800th time and puts it in the lunchbox to nourish her child, and she sends her child to school, and he's got to do his fish report today. He needs to be nourished, and when he gets up there, he tells all about fish and their gills and their swim patterns and so on, and at the end he says, God made the fish. And I thought to myself, she nourished him so that he could go handle his fish report. And God took out of his mouth that God made the fish, which was a witness to his teacher, to his classmates. We don't know where our tasks are going. So I just thought of that this morning when I was praying. We don't know. Do your task and do it faithfully, and God will God will handle it, God will take care of it and make it extend. My ministry is called, I should say, our ministry is called Extended Arm Ministry. We're being the arm of God stretched out that others can feel it and know it and be strengthened by it.

SPEAKER_01 15:52

And you guys have traveled all over with your books. Now, John also is an author, and I have read, and he is an excellent storyteller because his book is one that you know I would start it, and next thing I know, I'm like way far into the book because it's just so he is able to grab the attention of the reader and the things that God did for his life as well. And now you and and John travel and talk about your books and sell your books.

SPEAKER_00 16:26

And we travel uh to do festivals, which are usually outdoor, but in the winter sometimes we have indoor ones, and they're called craft festivals. And we got into it because John's sister is a vendor, a food vendor at these festivals. And so we we took a chance. Let's try to set up a table, just like uh others that sell their craft, it has to be a handmade craft or handwritten craft, something like that. And uh we enjoyed it so much because we both love to visit and talk with people, and people come by. We we've got a prayer bowl that we sit in the middle of our table, we collect the prayers, and you know the prayers that God uh has up in heaven are those that have been collected from the saints. So we think about that when these people lay their prayer request in our bowl, and some of them don't want to sign their name. We say, That's fine, God knows who you are. So, besides selling our books, we get to share with people their needs, their problems, their discouraging times. And sometimes they're out just to have fun, to look for a piece of jewelry or to taste an elephant ear or something like that at these festivals. They're a lot of fun. If you've ever been to a festival, they're a lot of fun, but we've put it out as our ministry, and we've been to Alabama and Jacksonville and Chattanooga, Chicago. We've been to many places sharing what God's done. And you know, I I read in David Jeremiah's book that our testimony to share is indeed and foremost our salvation message, our our salvation experience. But following that is our anticipation of heaven. We need to get a grasp on what he did for us and what is going to be that outcome. And then there's all those years in between that we need to get a grasp and realize those are testimonies too. So we'll never run out of testimonies and things to share with people. And and I thought about that. David Jeremiah is right. Your testimony to share lasts your lifetime.

SPEAKER_01 19:02

Wow, that is so true. I know I've you know, I've always thought it's never too late to you know to honor the Lord and give a testimony, but you're right, our whole life is a testimony. Yes. Oh, that is good. So good. And now, as we talked, okay, we talked about you graduating from from college, which was amazing because you got to walk up across the stage and the amazing, and then you got married, you found a person who God created just for you who would care for you, and then you were able to have a child, and you wrote this book, you taught what surprises you most that God allowed you to do.

SPEAKER_00 19:57

Well, I met one of my college classmates several years ago, and she told me that she had been retired seven years early because she was very ill with cancer. And I turned around and told her that I was seven years late because it took me seven years to get a job. And I saw from that moment that the what God had purposed in my life to be a teacher could not be swayed on the front end and it could not sway her on the back end. She was also a teacher. But she did her 23 years first, and I did my 30 years after. But God showed me that moment when I was talking to her that he has the timetable. If we really give our timetable to the Lord, and I mean all people, all women who are dealing with many things, give your timetable to the Lord. Let him orchestrate because he knows what's best. And he knew the struggle that I had for seven years trying to get a job. I couldn't get a job because of my disability, but of course, school systems may not say that to you. There are reasons that they offer. You know the job is suited just for you. You hear all about the job and then they turn you down. But I did realize from talking with my friend Karen, that woman, that God's timetable was right for me. And even though I let my certification lapse after seven years and I had to start again, not with college, but But I had to start with the beginning teacher program and all that kind of stuff. But you know what? The beginning teacher program was offered where I was teaching at a private school. I was going to be teaching at a private school. And it was the only school in the state that was accredited. Only private school that was accredited there, God brought it right to me where I could do my beginning teacher program right there. I mean who could orchestrate but our Lord? You know, He just does. He will do it in our lives if we will wait for it. Wait for it.

SPEAKER_01 22:42

And that's a real hard thing for some of us to say. It is. It is very hard. Wait on the Lord because it is perfect timing and perfect plan. Spots our our thoughts. That's just amazing. Well, I know we could talk forever and ever, and we might do a second uh interview, but I need to wrap this up today. And I want to ask you, you have gone through life with such richness. What would you say, or what do you say, to a woman that comes to you and her life is not what she expected it to be, and she's about ready to say, What use is it? How would you minister to her, Janet?

SPEAKER_00 23:36

Wow. I would minister to her just as you do your children. I would first say God knows you inside and out. He knows you're coming and you're going. He is on your left and he is on your right. He is above you, behind you. Christ all around you. If you uh need his guidance, which you evidently do if you're struggling, as you say, you must seek him with all of your heart. And he will turn every dark day into something that is profitable. And I didn't say it'll be shiny, I didn't say it'll be sunny, but he will turn your dark days into days that can glorify him. So if you're not a Christian yet, I can't offer you any of these things. But if you know Christ and if you will seek him, I guarantee it. I lay my life on his testimony that he loves you more than you'll ever know. And let's get down to business and see what's what's holding you up. Can I help in any way? I might say. Can I help you in any way?

SPEAKER_01 25:01

Such wisdom. Thank you, Janet. That is so perfect. And now, if there's anyone out there that would like to contact you, they might be in that position. Or, you know, they they have seen another part of your testimony and it's drawn them. How can they reach you?

SPEAKER_00 25:22

Well, my email is janetwoods79 at yahoo.com. And you can reach me through uh Miss Trish. If you know her, you can get my number from her. And any way that you can reach me, my book is on Amazon, Deskmate to Help Meet. My husband's book is on Amazon, Island Boy. If you have epilepsy in your background and are interested, his book is about his life with epilepsy and how God overcame. So you have those resources at Amazon.com. And I would welcome anyone who wants to contact us.

SPEAKER_01 26:16

Okay. And I saw this morning that it's also your books on Walmart and um good reads. So your book is Books a Million.

SPEAKER_00 26:27

Yes, books a million.

SPEAKER_01 26:28

Books a million.

SPEAKER_00 26:29

I forgot. I forgot about that one.

SPEAKER_01 26:31

Oh, I encourage you for you to go out, grab a book, and contact Janet. Let her know what you think and let her know if you want to draw close to Jesus. So thank you, Janet. This has been an awesome opportunity, and I'm so happy that we were able to get this interview today. And um, I also want to thank our listeners. And I know that you were um, I know you were blessed because every part of Janet's life talks about the goodness of God, and there's no way we can talk about the goodness of God without being blessed. So amen. So as we go on, I'm going to ask you to share this story with someone who could be blessed as well. And um contact Jen. Grab her book, grab John's book. And John writes under a different name. Michael, is it? Yes.

SPEAKER_00 27:32

J Michael, the letter J, J. Michael Woods.

unknown 27:36

J.

SPEAKER_00 27:36

Michael Woods is it? And he has a picture of himself on the cover with the fish. So you'll recognize Island Boy.

SPEAKER_01 27:45

That's right. Absolutely. Well, we thank you for your testimony, and I thank you for joining us today. And until next time, remember to speak life, choose hope, and always know that you are loved. Bye-bye. And thank you, Janet. Bye-bye to you too, my dear.

SPEAKER_00 28:07

Thank you.

SPEAKER_01 28:11

Welcome to Under Heaven, the podcast where we glorify God and celebrate the beautiful stories of women whose lives have been transformed by his goodness and grace. I'm your host, Trish, and each week we share real conversations about faith, hope, and purpose. This is a place for encouragement and truth, where every story matters and every listener is welcome. No matter where you are in your journey, let's grow together under heaven.