November 5, 2024 • 31 mins
On the surface, Beth Rooney's career transition from the medical device industry to the nonprofit sector might seem like a leap, but her inspiring narrative reveals a path defined by passion and purpose. Teaming up with Rod Meyer, Beth began her journey with C4One as a volunteer, eventually embracing a full-time role as the Administrative Director. Our conversation with Beth offers a profound look at the struggles and triumphs of leaving behind the corporate world for a life dedicated to meaningful work. Her story is a testament to the power of faith and vision in overcoming financial uncertainties and making a real impact in the community.
Reflecting on a personal milestone, our guest shares the pivotal decision made on February 2, 2019—her 41st birthday—to abstain from alcohol for 90 days. This choice marked the beginning of a significant transformation. Grappling with dissatisfaction and seeking deeper fulfillment, Beth's journey became an exploration of vulnerability and spiritual renewal. Her candid revelations about emotional dependency and finding comfort in faith offer a compelling narrative of personal refinement and discovering strength through letting go.
As the story unfolds, listeners will encounter a powerful tale of healing and newfound faith. Over two years, life changes propelled Beth into a period of isolation that ultimately catalyzed a spiritual awakening. Embracing new relationships and a vibrant connection with faith, she emerged from the crucible of personal challenges with a renewed sense of purpose. Celebrating her recent engagement, Beth's journey highlights the transformative power of surrendering to a higher plan and the joy of contributing meaningfully to her community.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:03):
This is the Leaders on Fire podcast.
On this show, we'll be invitingguests in to talk about
crucible moments in their livesand unpack how it developed
character and perseverance andhow they emerged as leaders on
fire.
We hope that this podcast is anencouragement and an
inspiration to you.
Today, we have the privilegeand opportunity to invite
(00:27):
C4One's Administrative Director,beth Rooney, onto the show.
I can assure you you're notgoing to want to miss this one.
She's got an amazing story totell that will inspire all of us
.
So let's dig in, let's lightthe fire and see what she has to
say today.
Beth, welcome to the Leaders onFire podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
Thank you, I'm happy to be here.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
How are you doing today?
Speaker 2 (00:51):
I'm good.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
Are you?
Yeah, really good.
Awesome.
We're going to heat things uptoday and we're going to learn a
little bit about you, and we'realso going to learn about maybe
a crucible moment or cruciblemoments in your life that you're
going to share and we're allgoing to walk away as better
leaders because of your story.
So I'm super pumped about that.
I hope so, hey no no pressure,no pressure, all right.
(01:14):
So who is Beth Rooney?
Tell us a little bit aboutyourself.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
Well, I suppose there's a lot but gosh, I've
lived in this area my whole life.
When it comes to business, I'vebeen in the medical device
industry for most of my careerand just recently came to C4One
as the administrative director,and it was quite a journey
getting there, but I know thisis where God wants me to be
(01:45):
right now and I'm happy to behere and I get to work with you.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
Awesome.
Yeah yeah, we're co-workers,isn't that awesome?
Speaker 2 (01:52):
Yep, I love it.
We're going to conquer theworld.
I think so.
I think so.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
Oh man, okay, so we've lit the fire.
How about we fan the flame alittle bit and tell us how you
got involved with C4One?
I'm assuming there's some sortof transition that took place
because you've been in themarketplace for most of your
career, doing a variety ofthings, and now you're serving
with a nonprofit.
How did that happen?
Speaker 2 (02:18):
Well, I was working with Rod Meyer in the business
world I think you know Rodco-chair of C4One, and as I was
working with him as hisexecutive assistant, I had the
opportunity to volunteer forC4One in a kind of
(02:38):
administrative role and helpingthem with just meeting minutes,
board meetings, organizingthings like that.
And over the course of threeyears I just started to feel
this pull to be doing somethingmore purposeful, more meaningful
, and it led me to come to C4Onefull time.
(02:59):
So what kind of adjustment.
Speaker 1 (03:01):
Was that for you?
Speaker 2 (03:02):
A pretty big adjustment but awesome at the
same time.
I absolutely love it.
I love being in the nonprofitworld.
I love just the connectionsthat I get to make with people.
I love just doing somethingevery day that feels like I'm
making a true impact.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
What was the hardest thing about that transition?
Was there anything hard aboutit, or was it all just amazing?
Speaker 2 (03:26):
Well, I mean, you know, nonprofit world is a
little bit different financially, so I had to put a lot of just
faith forward and know that Godis our provider and he's going
to provide and he's doing awonderful job at it so far
Awesome.
Yeah, but you know it's alittle scary taking taking that
(03:50):
leap of faith and going intosomething that is different than
what I've done the rest of mylife.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
But For sure.
Well, and something that isdeveloping, like we're creating
and we're we're we'reenvisioning and pioneering the
future of what we think C4.1 canlook like.
So it's a totally differentthing than being in the grind
and you know maintaining andlike supporting the team and an
existing organization.
So not only did you step outwith, maybe, some financial
(04:18):
concerns and you had to trustGod for provision there, but you
also are part of something thatyou're part of planning the
future for.
So it's totally different.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
Absolutely, and every day is something new, and I
believe that God has really goodplans for C4.1.
And I'm just when I came toC4.1 in December of 2023, I
thought that it was just goingto be me as the you know.
2023, I thought that it wasjust going to be me as the you
know sole employee of theorganization, and short time
(04:48):
after you got to join us and Iam so very thankful for that
that we get to work together andthat I'm not doing this alone,
and we wouldn't be doing most ofthe things that we're doing
right now if it wasn't for you.
So I'm just thankful for yourleadership and the things that
you bring to the table and thevision that you know that you've
received from God, for all ofthis, and I think it's awesome.
Speaker 1 (05:09):
Thank you, yeah, it is fun.
Okay, are you feeling warmed up?
Speaker 2 (05:13):
I think so.
Speaker 1 (05:15):
We actually turned the thermostat off on here.
If you didn't notice, it isprobably 82 to 83.
So we intentionally wanted towarm it up.
Hopefully you won't be sweatingtoo much, but we do want to
crank up the heat also as ametaphor, and enter into the
crucible and have you share atime in your life that was
stretching, challenging, thatcrucible moment or season or
(05:36):
circumstance, whatever it is foryou that shaped who you are
today.
And you know, oftentimes whenwe get through the crucible
we're able to look back andwhile it was maybe really really
painful or hard or difficultduring the time, we can look
back and be thankful that weactually had that.
I'm assuming that's the case foryou is that this crucible
moment that you're going toshare is something that you can
(05:58):
reflect on and have a positiveoutlook or growth mindset on,
and how it helped refine yourcharacter and that you emerge as
a leader on fire.
You may also be in a crucibleright now too, and if you are,
it's fine to share that as well,because I think there's a lot
of ways to encourage ourlisteners, both in having gone
through and emerged with a greatnew perspective, and also to
(06:19):
encourage those who maybe are inone right now, so feel free to
share whatever's on your heart.
You're in one right now, sofeel free to share whatever's on
your heart.
Speaker 2 (06:30):
I have something on my heart and it's something that
has been on my heart for a longtime to share, and I knew that
it would come out in some wayshape or form, you know,
communicating to a largeraudience.
I just didn't know it was goingto be sitting here with you,
but I think I just didn't knowit was going to be sitting here
(06:54):
with you.
But I think not.
I think I know I'm going to bevery vulnerable today and yeah,
so beware, hopefully I don't saytoo much or I don't say too
little, but I have somethingthat is worth sharing and I know
that it's not.
I know I want it to besomething that brings glory to
God.
It's not about me, it's notanything that I have done.
This is all God's work and whathe took me through.
Speaker 1 (07:18):
Okay, so let's get into the crucible.
It's hot in here, it is hot inhere.
Share with us what God did.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
First of all, as I was thinking about this this
week and what I wanted to share,I knew that I was going to be
vulnerable and I came acrossCorinthians 12, 9 in the Passion
Version, and this gave me somecomfort.
But he answered me.
My grace is always more thanenough for you, and my power
finds its full expressionthrough your weakness.
(07:48):
So I will celebrate my weakness, for when I am weak I sense
more deeply the mighty power ofChrist living in me, which is
kind of what I just said.
I want this to all be bringingglory to God and not shining a
light on me.
But first I want to start witha quote from Joyce Meyer Go for
(08:08):
it.
Speaker 1 (08:08):
You love it, bring it out.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
It's something I heard recently that I feel like
I can apply to what I'm going toshare, and sometimes the
greatest adventure you'll everlive is to let go of something.
Okay, so my crucible startedFebruary 2nd 2019, which was my
41st birthday.
I was born on Groundhog's Day.
I was sitting at home alonedrinking wine after being out
(08:37):
with my girlfriends andcelebrating and having cocktails
.
It was a Saturday.
We had done like a Saturday funday and I made that decision.
I made a decision that nightthat I was going to give up
alcohol for 90 days, just 90days.
It had been part of my life fora really long time and I just
(08:57):
wanted to see what my life wouldbe like without it.
I didn't know would be likewithout it.
I didn't know.
But what I do know now is thatI needed to let go of a
lifestyle that I was living fora really long time.
So at this point in my life, Iwouldn't even have called myself
(09:18):
a lukewarm Christian, probablymore of like a cold Christian.
Probably more of like a coldChristian.
I prayed, I had accepted Christ.
I didn't really know Jesus andat this point in time, I had
just been recently divorced.
(09:40):
After five years.
I was living a really smalllife.
I didn't have a lot of ambition.
I wasn't really serving anybodybut myself.
I was from outside.
I think people saw that I had agood job.
I was, you know, responsible.
I was going to work every dayand living pretty normally, I
(10:04):
feel like for who I was spendingtime with.
But I had been feeling this urge, something that just kept
telling me I want to be helpingpeople, something that just kept
telling me I want to be helpingpeople.
I want to be helping people,and I felt it for probably a
(10:25):
good three years and I didn'tknow what it was.
How am I going to help people?
Who am I?
What am I to do anything?
And I now know that that wasprobably God's voice.
Not probably it was.
That was God speaking to me,but I heard it over and over.
So I want to clarify what mydrinking looked like.
It looked like happy hour withcoworkers.
(10:46):
It looked like day drinkingwith my girlfriends, family time
with wine, but mostly it lookedlike me sitting at home with a
glass of wine on my couch.
I never considered myself analcoholic or even that I had a
problem.
It was really normal in thecircles that I was in so I never
really questioned it.
(11:07):
But I think deep in my heart Iwas like something doesn't feel
right, like this isn't good.
You know, it wasn't aboutpartying for me.
I was realizing that, it wasabout comfort and I don't think
I had a physical addiction toalcohol.
(11:27):
I think I had an emotionaladdiction.
Speaker 1 (11:29):
You feel like it was a dependency, like something
that you looked forward to.
You're dependent on to copeemotionally or whatever right.
Speaker 2 (11:35):
Yep, but I knew that it was holding me back.
My brain was foggy, I wasn'tfeeling 100% all of the time,
and I was experiencing anxiety,and so I know I wasn't the best
version of myself.
So I thought this was justgoing to be like another
personal goal of mine.
Like I can do this 90 days, I'mgoing to stop drinking and then
I'll just continue doing allthe things that I normally do.
(11:56):
And that is not what happenedat all.
A huge transformation began tounfold.
Physically, I started workingout more and taking better care
of myself, so that was a goodthing.
Mentally, I had so much moreclarity and I started having
(12:17):
this creative energy that Inever realized before.
Emotionally, I started feelingthings that I'd never felt
before, and it was that was thehard part, and I really started
(12:40):
to go down a path, and I'll getto that.
But spiritually, I started tolearn who Jesus was and my faith
really began to open up.
And relationally, myrelationships changed
drastically, and so that wasreally difficult.
So two of the difficult thingsfor me in that process were
(13:00):
emotionally and relationally.
Something I heard have you everheard of Pastor Jerry Flowers
Jr?
He's a pastor out of Houston,texas.
I love him.
He's pretty cool.
I think I've played somethingfor you from him before, but I
saw something or I heard him saysomething he said before God
ever next levels you.
He separates you and heseparates us for three reasons
One, to give you the toolsnecessary for your destiny.
(13:22):
Two, to clearly know his voicewhen you're surrounded by too
many voices, it's difficult todetermine which is his.
And then three, to make usunrecognizable to the people who
only knew us by our wounds.
So I needed each one of thosethings.
And again you said at thebeginning of this like when you
(13:44):
look back you can see it all.
I didn't know what was happeningin my life.
I thought I just was like Igave up alcohol and all of a
sudden all these things startedflooding my life.
I mean, I wasn't the sameperson.
In a very short time period Irealized I had a lot of
emotional healing to do so.
There was a time I was probablya couple of weeks into my goal
(14:05):
of not drinking and I felt thisfeeling where I was like I just
wanted to, like I was havinglike an emotional moment from
something specific that happenedin my life and I just felt like
I just wanted to go to mykitchen and grab a bottle of
wine and I was like what is that?
Like, why did?
Why am I doing that?
(14:25):
And I realized I need toidentify what this is.
Why, like, why?
Was that my first like urge orsense of what to do, you know?
And so I went to, I immediatelycalled my therapist and I was
like I need to come talk to you.
We have some things to figureout.
And so that started a reallyintense journey for me, breaking
(14:46):
down all of these emotions andlike why am I?
You know, what am I feeling?
Why am I feeling this?
And I began to realize that Ihad a lot to work through and I
had been suppressing my feelingsfor a very long time 33 years
to be exact and I realized thatit all stemmed from my childhood
(15:09):
and I had some pretty deepwounds from my childhood.
When I was eight years old, mymom left me and my four siblings
and my dad and um, at thatpoint my life changed.
Obviously that was probably myfirst crucible.
Speaker 1 (15:28):
I just didn't realize it.
Speaker 2 (15:30):
And, um, I began mothering my little
four-year-old sister and no onetold me to, I just naturally
started doing it and I think,just through all that trauma I'm
not going to go into all thedetails of that, but you can
imagine that was a reallydifficult thing, not just for me
but my family and my dad andprobably my mom as well.
(15:52):
But it bled into my adult lifeand it led me to be insecure.
It led me to look to others tomake me happy and when they
didn't, then it crushed me and Iknew that if I drank I didn't
(16:13):
have to feel those things andwhich is funny, because if
anyone has ever drank, they knowthat your emotions are
heightened when you're, when youdrink.
But so, anyhow, I began tounderstand who I was and work
through those things.
I'm kind of fast forwarding alittle bit and and I started
(16:34):
healing and I started realizinglike my life is looking a lot
different.
You know my friends had changed.
I mean my relationships andsome of my family had changed.
I was doing a lot more.
I had a lot more free time andmental space, and even to the
point of fast forward like acouple of years after.
(16:55):
Oh so I decided after this 90days, I'm gonna keep going like.
Speaker 1 (17:03):
This is too there's too much good stuff happening
right now, or stuff that I knowthat I need to figure out.
Um had you at that point, yetum recognize that you were
replacing um alcohol with jesus,like had that connection been
made yet?
So no, not, not quite at thatpoint, uh, not at that 90 day,
point Um so you were, but youwere experiencing other benefits
(17:25):
, like just the physical health,mental clarity, all these other
things yeah, okay, yep, and umthen, um.
Speaker 2 (17:34):
Then what happened is Rod Meyer came into my life and
I have known Rod forever.
I worked with Rod at one of hisbusiness opportunities back in
gosh I don't even remember 2006,I think and so I'd had the
opportunity to work with himbefore and got to work with him
again and just spending timewith him and seeing how he
(18:03):
walked and how much he lovedJesus, and I got to learn who
Jesus truly was by being at workevery day with Rod Meyer.
Speaker 1 (18:15):
That's powerful.
Speaker 2 (18:16):
It is.
It is and it was like a slowprocess, but but also like
instant.
You know what I mean.
Like as soon as I started justreally talking with him about
things whether it's business orpersonal or whatever I was like
I need this, I need this and yousaw the consistency of his
character right.
Speaker 1 (18:37):
Like day in and day out for a period of time, didn't
you?
Yeah, it's been a long time.
Speaker 2 (18:41):
I have a funny story about that actually.
So when I first started workingas the executive assistant to
the leadership team at thatcompany I think it was because
Rod told somebody to I gotinvited to our prayer team and I
(19:03):
was like, of course, thatsounds fun.
Like what do we do?
We get together, we sit at atable and we talk about what we
need to pray about and we writethem down and then we go home
and pray about it, right?
No, so I realized as quicklythat when I sat down in this
room, I'm like we are about topray, I have to pray out loud.
This was quite a few years agoand I was like what did I get
(19:28):
myself into?
I don't know if I've everprayed out loud before.
Speaker 1 (19:33):
You must have not sat in a prayer meeting then, yet
at that point.
Speaker 2 (19:35):
No, no, no, no no, and I was like I'm not getting
out of this, I can't quit prayerteam, I have to be here.
And all I could think was Godput me in this.
God put me in this.
I know he did because there'sno way out.
He wants me to be in here for areason and I can look back now,
because now I like lead prayer.
(19:56):
You know, I pray out loud allthe time.
We pray out loud together allthe time at meetings and it's
just funny the way that.
I mean I never would have putmyself in that situation but I
was stuck in it.
It's kind of funny.
I look back now because Rodsaid one day you're probably
going to be praying in front ofa crowd.
I'm like no, I'm not, there isno way.
(20:17):
In front of a crowd.
I'm like, no, I'm not, there isno way.
But I think, kind of to sum thatup, without going into what the
actual result of all of that is, is that God needed me to let
go of that one thing and as soonas I did, my life started
(20:38):
changing so drastically, youknow, and and it's just gotten
better and better.
The interesting thing is, acouple years after I had, after
my birthday, that that moment Iwas like I think I want to see
if I can have a glass of wineBecause, like I said, I never
felt like I was some.
(20:59):
You know, I don't identifymyself as an alcoholic, like I
wasn't an alcoholic.
I was literally using it justto suppress my emotions and
people have all different, alldifferent definitions and you
know, but I did.
I had a glass of wine and I waslike, huh, I can do that if I
want to, you know, and it wasbecause I had gone through all
(21:23):
of that junk I don't need itanymore, you know.
But it was kind of interestingand kind of cool to see like I
could have a glass if I want to.
Speaker 1 (21:32):
And it didn't have a hook into you.
Speaker 2 (21:33):
Yeah, it didn't yeah.
Speaker 1 (21:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (21:36):
Wow, that's pretty powerful.
Speaker 1 (21:40):
So going back to like the moment you decided to give
up alcohol for 90 days, what wasthat like?
Were you in the crucible?
So I mean, you just gonethrough divorce?
Were you kind of down onyourself and like you were you
know, like you said, you'resitting at home having wine by
yourself.
Was there something?
The light bulb that went offthat said something needs to
change?
(22:00):
I mean, were you in the peat ofthe moment there which created
the decision to make the change?
Speaker 2 (22:09):
I mean you would think that would have been my
crucible, like I was in a reallybad spot, but honestly it was
after I gave up the alcohol andjust all that I went through.
Speaker 1 (22:20):
I mean I Like the first 90 days period, or like
the first month, or Two years.
Two years Okay.
Speaker 2 (22:25):
It was two years of just my life radically
transforming, like friends thatI spent all my time with, all of
a sudden, I wasn't spendingtime with them anymore.
You know, it started to, westarted to drift apart or my
priorities started to change butI mean interesting things Even.
You know, I would say to peopleoh, I'm not drinking.
(22:46):
And they would say what's wrong?
What's wrong with you?
Some people had a really hardtime with it and it just I felt
alone.
I felt like I just had all ofthis, just internal, all these
internal things going on and Iwanted to spend a lot of time
alone.
You know, when I was talkingabout God separating us, you
(23:10):
know I felt separated extremely.
I was alone.
I wanted to be alone.
But it was like in thosemoments where I was like I went
through a time period forprobably a year where it was
like I can't get enough books.
I want to read, and read, andread, and I want to read through
the Bible and I want to readthese devotions and and we laugh
(23:34):
about this but and I was like,give me a Joyce Meyer book, I
need another Joyce Meyer book,but I just couldn't get enough
information.
Speaker 1 (23:46):
And I just wanted to learn who God was and I learned,
like, how much he loved me.
Well, man, thank you forsharing all of that and being so
vulnerable with that story.
It's really impactful.
And you know, as we look back,you know you can see that you
said you were in the cruciblefor about two years and the
thing I love about this idea ofthe crucible is that you know a
silversmith knows that thesilver is ready to come out when
he can see his reflection.
And, similarly, when we're inthose crucible moments, god's
(24:10):
refining us, he's purifying us,he's melting away the impurities
, the things that are holding usback from living.
All in for him, all in for him.
So after a few years, you beganto reflect God's image and you
started to emerge from thecrucible and come out refined.
So talk about that.
Speaker 2 (24:30):
Like I said, I think as I was going through it, I
still didn't realize what I wasgoing through.
It was when I had theopportunity to look back that I
saw all that God did and, um,I'm going to quote pastor Jerry
Flowers Jr Again and this hasstuck with me so good, like when
I saw, when I heard him saythis, I was like yes, this is it
.
He said there's something inthe inside of you that hell
(24:56):
never wants you to give birth to.
You have a chain breaking,anointing, and if you think
about it, it's been after youyour whole life.
And the definition that God gaveme insecurity is designed to
get you to downplay what Godwants you to display and when
you believe the lies ofinsecurity, it's Satan's down
payment that you won't givebirth.
And I can look back, like Isaid now, and see everything
(25:20):
that it was all in God's hands.
Like he needed me to wake upand I needed to set that thing
down right.
He needed me to move into whathe had for me, and the last five
years of my life have been themost purposeful and joyful years
that I have ever had.
I mean, 40s are good 40s aregood.
(25:43):
You're just barely in there, sono, but I actually have a list
of things, because there's somany things that I want to say
that came from this.
Speaker 1 (25:50):
Let's hear it.
Speaker 2 (25:52):
I have built beautiful new friendships with
people that know me and love meexactly the way that I am.
God blessed me with a beautifulrelationship, the most
beautiful one I've ever had, andI don't know if you noticed,
but recently engaged a couple ofdays ago.
Speaker 1 (26:11):
Oh man, congratulations, that's, huge.
Speaker 2 (26:13):
You didn't notice what the ring is huge or the
news is huge.
Speaker 1 (26:16):
The news is huge.
The ring's not bad either, yeah.
Speaker 2 (26:20):
So something that I have just been waiting a long
time, for that's amazing.
Yeah, I have become on fire forthe Lord.
I prioritize him in my life.
I now know his voice.
I know who I am in Christ.
I know that I am a daughter ofthe highest King.
I know that I am loved.
I have stepped into things thatI know that I am a daughter of
the highest king.
I know that I am loved.
I have stepped into things thatI know are God's plan for me
(26:43):
and I'm helping people, which iswhat I heard God saying to me
all that time, like I need to behelping people, and I made a
list of all the ways that I'mdoing that.
And this isn't a way again toshine light on me.
This is what God did.
You know I became an executiveassistant to a leadership team
at the company I was working forhelping people.
(27:05):
I started volunteering in ourcommunity.
I started volunteering at ourchurch at the Info Center.
I serve as a baptism shepherdat church.
I led a women's Bible study atwork.
I became the ambassador for ourlocal shelter through my church
for fellowship missions and nowI get to work for a Christian
(27:26):
nonprofit helping unite, inspire, develop and deploy missional
leaders and influencers, andI've just been given the
opportunity to teach a Christianhealth program with the women
at church.
None of those things would haveever happened if I would have
stayed where I was Zero chance,zero chance, not one of those,
(27:47):
not even close to it.
And that is that's God.
He radically transformed mylife and that one thing I just
had to let go of.
And if I go back up to what I,what I said in the beginning, um
, the quote sometimes thegreatest adventure you'll ever
live is to let go of something.
And it was just that one thingI had to let go of.
Speaker 1 (28:09):
So it triggered all of this other stuff.
Speaker 2 (28:11):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (28:11):
It's amazing, you know, and I think of well,
really, the, the verse that'skind of the backbone for the
lo-fi platform and leaders onfire is Ephesians 2.10, and that
you were created a masterpiece.
So in that moment, when youwere in this lifestyle, you know
that was drinking and thedifferent things you had going
on.
Maybe you didn't have theclarity, you were trapped and
(28:33):
you talked about the enemybasically had you immobilized
right where he wanted you andyou didn't really quite grasp
that.
No, beth, you're God'smasterpiece.
He's created good works for youto do, but the thing is we
can't see those until we putJesus at the center.
And so in this particular case,alcohol was a thing kind of
(28:55):
life evolved around.
You know it's something youlook forward to.
Speaker 2 (28:58):
It's how you coped.
Speaker 1 (29:01):
It's whatever.
Whatever the case was and overtime Jesus became the focus.
Then you understand youridentity as a masterpiece
baggage and all Everythingthat's been part of your story
up to this point has positionedyou perfectly to help and to
serve and to do the things thatyou love to do and to do the
works that God prepared inadvance for you to do.
(29:21):
Like it's so amazing and I hopethat's an encouragement to
those listening that you knowI'd say there's probably far
more people that have areexperiencing currently what you
experienced then than there arepeople living on fire for Jesus.
Like that's probably the normof people who are just slightly
and so subtly immobilized withthe things of the world that
(29:44):
everybody else is doing thatmost of your friends were like,
hey, what's the big deal?
And the enemy loved that and hehad you immobilized and you
could still be there.
But thank God for this crucibletime and this period that he
refined and melted away thoseimpurities and put Jesus at the
center.
And now you've re-blossomed andre-emerged as a leader on fire
having impact in this periodthat he refined and melted away
(30:05):
those impurities and put Jesusat the center.
And now you've re-blossomed andre-emerged as a leader on fire
having impact.
And, yeah, it is exciting tojoin you with, just joining this
with you, and to be able tolook back and be so thankful for
all that God brought youthrough, even though, like you,
definitely probably wouldn'twant to go through all that
again, you know what I mean.
But it's also part of your story, and so that masterpiece that
he's created includes all ofthat stuff, and now you're able
to live on fire for Jesus andyou've got a brilliant smile and
(30:28):
a joy about you and a big oldring on your finger.
So that's awesome.
Speaker 2 (30:32):
And I feel like a brand new person.
I truly do.
It's crazy to be able to lookback and see just how different
my life is.
I don't recognize that personanymore, so well.
Speaker 1 (30:43):
Thank you so much for being on the leaders on fire
podcast and for sharing yourstory, um hoping and trusting
that it will be impactful tomany who listen.
So thank you for for sharing.
Speaker 2 (30:54):
Thank you for having me.
Speaker 1 (30:59):
Thank you for listening to today's episode.
Perhaps it has prompted apainful memory or challenged you
to reflect on times you were inthe crucible.
Some of you may be in acrucible now, but be encouraged.
Maybe, just maybe, god is usingthis to refine your character
so that you emerge as a leaderon fire.
(31:20):
If today's episode was anencouragement to you, share it
with others who may also findencouragement in the Leaders on
Fire podcast.
So let's go into the world sentout as leaders on fire Until
next time, thank you.
This is the Leaders on Fire podcast.
On this show, we'll be invitingguests in to talk about
crucible moments in their livesand unpack how it developed
character and perseverance andhow they emerged as leaders on
fire.
We hope that this podcast is anencouragement and an
inspiration to you.
Today, we have the privilegeand opportunity to invite
(00:27):
C4One's Administrative Director,beth Rooney, onto the show.
I can assure you you're notgoing to want to miss this one.
She's got an amazing story totell that will inspire all of us
.
So let's dig in, let's lightthe fire and see what she has to
say today.
Beth, welcome to the Leaders onFire podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
Thank you, I'm happy to be here.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
How are you doing today?
Speaker 2 (00:51):
I'm good.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
Are you?
Yeah, really good.
Awesome.
We're going to heat things uptoday and we're going to learn a
little bit about you, and we'realso going to learn about maybe
a crucible moment or cruciblemoments in your life that you're
going to share and we're allgoing to walk away as better
leaders because of your story.
So I'm super pumped about that.
I hope so, hey no no pressure,no pressure, all right.
(01:14):
So who is Beth Rooney?
Tell us a little bit aboutyourself.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
Well, I suppose there's a lot but gosh, I've
lived in this area my whole life.
When it comes to business, I'vebeen in the medical device
industry for most of my careerand just recently came to C4One
as the administrative director,and it was quite a journey
getting there, but I know thisis where God wants me to be
(01:45):
right now and I'm happy to behere and I get to work with you.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
Awesome.
Yeah yeah, we're co-workers,isn't that awesome?
Speaker 2 (01:52):
Yep, I love it.
We're going to conquer theworld.
I think so.
I think so.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
Oh man, okay, so we've lit the fire.
How about we fan the flame alittle bit and tell us how you
got involved with C4One?
I'm assuming there's some sortof transition that took place
because you've been in themarketplace for most of your
career, doing a variety ofthings, and now you're serving
with a nonprofit.
How did that happen?
Speaker 2 (02:18):
Well, I was working with Rod Meyer in the business
world I think you know Rodco-chair of C4One, and as I was
working with him as hisexecutive assistant, I had the
opportunity to volunteer forC4One in a kind of
(02:38):
administrative role and helpingthem with just meeting minutes,
board meetings, organizingthings like that.
And over the course of threeyears I just started to feel
this pull to be doing somethingmore purposeful, more meaningful
, and it led me to come to C4Onefull time.
(02:59):
So what kind of adjustment.
Speaker 1 (03:01):
Was that for you?
Speaker 2 (03:02):
A pretty big adjustment but awesome at the
same time.
I absolutely love it.
I love being in the nonprofitworld.
I love just the connectionsthat I get to make with people.
I love just doing somethingevery day that feels like I'm
making a true impact.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
What was the hardest thing about that transition?
Was there anything hard aboutit, or was it all just amazing?
Speaker 2 (03:26):
Well, I mean, you know, nonprofit world is a
little bit different financially, so I had to put a lot of just
faith forward and know that Godis our provider and he's going
to provide and he's doing awonderful job at it so far
Awesome.
Yeah, but you know it's alittle scary taking taking that
(03:50):
leap of faith and going intosomething that is different than
what I've done the rest of mylife.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
But For sure.
Well, and something that isdeveloping, like we're creating
and we're we're we'reenvisioning and pioneering the
future of what we think C4.1 canlook like.
So it's a totally differentthing than being in the grind
and you know maintaining andlike supporting the team and an
existing organization.
So not only did you step outwith, maybe, some financial
(04:18):
concerns and you had to trustGod for provision there, but you
also are part of something thatyou're part of planning the
future for.
So it's totally different.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
Absolutely, and every day is something new, and I
believe that God has really goodplans for C4.1.
And I'm just when I came toC4.1 in December of 2023, I
thought that it was just goingto be me as the you know.
2023, I thought that it wasjust going to be me as the you
know sole employee of theorganization, and short time
(04:48):
after you got to join us and Iam so very thankful for that
that we get to work together andthat I'm not doing this alone,
and we wouldn't be doing most ofthe things that we're doing
right now if it wasn't for you.
So I'm just thankful for yourleadership and the things that
you bring to the table and thevision that you know that you've
received from God, for all ofthis, and I think it's awesome.
Speaker 1 (05:09):
Thank you, yeah, it is fun.
Okay, are you feeling warmed up?
Speaker 2 (05:13):
I think so.
Speaker 1 (05:15):
We actually turned the thermostat off on here.
If you didn't notice, it isprobably 82 to 83.
So we intentionally wanted towarm it up.
Hopefully you won't be sweatingtoo much, but we do want to
crank up the heat also as ametaphor, and enter into the
crucible and have you share atime in your life that was
stretching, challenging, thatcrucible moment or season or
(05:36):
circumstance, whatever it is foryou that shaped who you are
today.
And you know, oftentimes whenwe get through the crucible
we're able to look back andwhile it was maybe really really
painful or hard or difficultduring the time, we can look
back and be thankful that weactually had that.
I'm assuming that's the case foryou is that this crucible
moment that you're going toshare is something that you can
(05:58):
reflect on and have a positiveoutlook or growth mindset on,
and how it helped refine yourcharacter and that you emerge as
a leader on fire.
You may also be in a crucibleright now too, and if you are,
it's fine to share that as well,because I think there's a lot
of ways to encourage ourlisteners, both in having gone
through and emerged with a greatnew perspective, and also to
(06:19):
encourage those who maybe are inone right now, so feel free to
share whatever's on your heart.
You're in one right now, sofeel free to share whatever's on
your heart.
Speaker 2 (06:30):
I have something on my heart and it's something that
has been on my heart for a longtime to share, and I knew that
it would come out in some wayshape or form, you know,
communicating to a largeraudience.
I just didn't know it was goingto be sitting here with you,
but I think I just didn't knowit was going to be sitting here
(06:54):
with you.
But I think not.
I think I know I'm going to bevery vulnerable today and yeah,
so beware, hopefully I don't saytoo much or I don't say too
little, but I have somethingthat is worth sharing and I know
that it's not.
I know I want it to besomething that brings glory to
God.
It's not about me, it's notanything that I have done.
This is all God's work and whathe took me through.
Speaker 1 (07:18):
Okay, so let's get into the crucible.
It's hot in here, it is hot inhere.
Share with us what God did.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
First of all, as I was thinking about this this
week and what I wanted to share,I knew that I was going to be
vulnerable and I came acrossCorinthians 12, 9 in the Passion
Version, and this gave me somecomfort.
But he answered me.
My grace is always more thanenough for you, and my power
finds its full expressionthrough your weakness.
(07:48):
So I will celebrate my weakness, for when I am weak I sense
more deeply the mighty power ofChrist living in me, which is
kind of what I just said.
I want this to all be bringingglory to God and not shining a
light on me.
But first I want to start witha quote from Joyce Meyer Go for
(08:08):
it.
Speaker 1 (08:08):
You love it, bring it out.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
It's something I heard recently that I feel like
I can apply to what I'm going toshare, and sometimes the
greatest adventure you'll everlive is to let go of something.
Okay, so my crucible startedFebruary 2nd 2019, which was my
41st birthday.
I was born on Groundhog's Day.
I was sitting at home alonedrinking wine after being out
(08:37):
with my girlfriends andcelebrating and having cocktails
.
It was a Saturday.
We had done like a Saturday funday and I made that decision.
I made a decision that nightthat I was going to give up
alcohol for 90 days, just 90days.
It had been part of my life fora really long time and I just
(08:57):
wanted to see what my life wouldbe like without it.
I didn't know would be likewithout it.
I didn't know.
But what I do know now is thatI needed to let go of a
lifestyle that I was living fora really long time.
So at this point in my life, Iwouldn't even have called myself
(09:18):
a lukewarm Christian, probablymore of like a cold Christian.
Probably more of like a coldChristian.
I prayed, I had accepted Christ.
I didn't really know Jesus andat this point in time, I had
just been recently divorced.
(09:40):
After five years.
I was living a really smalllife.
I didn't have a lot of ambition.
I wasn't really serving anybodybut myself.
I was from outside.
I think people saw that I had agood job.
I was, you know, responsible.
I was going to work every dayand living pretty normally, I
(10:04):
feel like for who I was spendingtime with.
But I had been feeling this urge, something that just kept
telling me I want to be helpingpeople, something that just kept
telling me I want to be helpingpeople.
I want to be helping people,and I felt it for probably a
(10:25):
good three years and I didn'tknow what it was.
How am I going to help people?
Who am I?
What am I to do anything?
And I now know that that wasprobably God's voice.
Not probably it was.
That was God speaking to me,but I heard it over and over.
So I want to clarify what mydrinking looked like.
It looked like happy hour withcoworkers.
(10:46):
It looked like day drinkingwith my girlfriends, family time
with wine, but mostly it lookedlike me sitting at home with a
glass of wine on my couch.
I never considered myself analcoholic or even that I had a
problem.
It was really normal in thecircles that I was in so I never
really questioned it.
(11:07):
But I think deep in my heart Iwas like something doesn't feel
right, like this isn't good.
You know, it wasn't aboutpartying for me.
I was realizing that, it wasabout comfort and I don't think
I had a physical addiction toalcohol.
(11:27):
I think I had an emotionaladdiction.
Speaker 1 (11:29):
You feel like it was a dependency, like something
that you looked forward to.
You're dependent on to copeemotionally or whatever right.
Speaker 2 (11:35):
Yep, but I knew that it was holding me back.
My brain was foggy, I wasn'tfeeling 100% all of the time,
and I was experiencing anxiety,and so I know I wasn't the best
version of myself.
So I thought this was justgoing to be like another
personal goal of mine.
Like I can do this 90 days, I'mgoing to stop drinking and then
I'll just continue doing allthe things that I normally do.
(11:56):
And that is not what happenedat all.
A huge transformation began tounfold.
Physically, I started workingout more and taking better care
of myself, so that was a goodthing.
Mentally, I had so much moreclarity and I started having
(12:17):
this creative energy that Inever realized before.
Emotionally, I started feelingthings that I'd never felt
before, and it was that was thehard part, and I really started
(12:40):
to go down a path, and I'll getto that.
But spiritually, I started tolearn who Jesus was and my faith
really began to open up.
And relationally, myrelationships changed
drastically, and so that wasreally difficult.
So two of the difficult thingsfor me in that process were
(13:00):
emotionally and relationally.
Something I heard have you everheard of Pastor Jerry Flowers
Jr?
He's a pastor out of Houston,texas.
I love him.
He's pretty cool.
I think I've played somethingfor you from him before, but I
saw something or I heard him saysomething he said before God
ever next levels you.
He separates you and heseparates us for three reasons
One, to give you the toolsnecessary for your destiny.
(13:22):
Two, to clearly know his voicewhen you're surrounded by too
many voices, it's difficult todetermine which is his.
And then three, to make usunrecognizable to the people who
only knew us by our wounds.
So I needed each one of thosethings.
And again you said at thebeginning of this like when you
(13:44):
look back you can see it all.
I didn't know what was happeningin my life.
I thought I just was like Igave up alcohol and all of a
sudden all these things startedflooding my life.
I mean, I wasn't the sameperson.
In a very short time period Irealized I had a lot of
emotional healing to do so.
There was a time I was probablya couple of weeks into my goal
(14:05):
of not drinking and I felt thisfeeling where I was like I just
wanted to, like I was havinglike an emotional moment from
something specific that happenedin my life and I just felt like
I just wanted to go to mykitchen and grab a bottle of
wine and I was like what is that?
Like, why did?
Why am I doing that?
(14:25):
And I realized I need toidentify what this is.
Why, like, why?
Was that my first like urge orsense of what to do, you know?
And so I went to, I immediatelycalled my therapist and I was
like I need to come talk to you.
We have some things to figureout.
And so that started a reallyintense journey for me, breaking
(14:46):
down all of these emotions andlike why am I?
You know, what am I feeling?
Why am I feeling this?
And I began to realize that Ihad a lot to work through and I
had been suppressing my feelingsfor a very long time 33 years
to be exact and I realized thatit all stemmed from my childhood
(15:09):
and I had some pretty deepwounds from my childhood.
When I was eight years old, mymom left me and my four siblings
and my dad and um, at thatpoint my life changed.
Obviously that was probably myfirst crucible.
Speaker 1 (15:28):
I just didn't realize it.
Speaker 2 (15:30):
And, um, I began mothering my little
four-year-old sister and no onetold me to, I just naturally
started doing it and I think,just through all that trauma I'm
not going to go into all thedetails of that, but you can
imagine that was a reallydifficult thing, not just for me
but my family and my dad andprobably my mom as well.
(15:52):
But it bled into my adult lifeand it led me to be insecure.
It led me to look to others tomake me happy and when they
didn't, then it crushed me and Iknew that if I drank I didn't
(16:13):
have to feel those things andwhich is funny, because if
anyone has ever drank, they knowthat your emotions are
heightened when you're, when youdrink.
But so, anyhow, I began tounderstand who I was and work
through those things.
I'm kind of fast forwarding alittle bit and and I started
(16:34):
healing and I started realizinglike my life is looking a lot
different.
You know my friends had changed.
I mean my relationships andsome of my family had changed.
I was doing a lot more.
I had a lot more free time andmental space, and even to the
point of fast forward like acouple of years after.
(16:55):
Oh so I decided after this 90days, I'm gonna keep going like.
Speaker 1 (17:03):
This is too there's too much good stuff happening
right now, or stuff that I knowthat I need to figure out.
Um had you at that point, yetum recognize that you were
replacing um alcohol with jesus,like had that connection been
made yet?
So no, not, not quite at thatpoint, uh, not at that 90 day,
point Um so you were, but youwere experiencing other benefits
(17:25):
, like just the physical health,mental clarity, all these other
things yeah, okay, yep, and umthen, um.
Speaker 2 (17:34):
Then what happened is Rod Meyer came into my life and
I have known Rod forever.
I worked with Rod at one of hisbusiness opportunities back in
gosh I don't even remember 2006,I think and so I'd had the
opportunity to work with himbefore and got to work with him
again and just spending timewith him and seeing how he
(18:03):
walked and how much he lovedJesus, and I got to learn who
Jesus truly was by being at workevery day with Rod Meyer.
Speaker 1 (18:15):
That's powerful.
Speaker 2 (18:16):
It is.
It is and it was like a slowprocess, but but also like
instant.
You know what I mean.
Like as soon as I started justreally talking with him about
things whether it's business orpersonal or whatever I was like
I need this, I need this and yousaw the consistency of his
character right.
Speaker 1 (18:37):
Like day in and day out for a period of time, didn't
you?
Yeah, it's been a long time.
Speaker 2 (18:41):
I have a funny story about that actually.
So when I first started workingas the executive assistant to
the leadership team at thatcompany I think it was because
Rod told somebody to I gotinvited to our prayer team and I
(19:03):
was like, of course, thatsounds fun.
Like what do we do?
We get together, we sit at atable and we talk about what we
need to pray about and we writethem down and then we go home
and pray about it, right?
No, so I realized as quicklythat when I sat down in this
room, I'm like we are about topray, I have to pray out loud.
This was quite a few years agoand I was like what did I get
(19:28):
myself into?
I don't know if I've everprayed out loud before.
Speaker 1 (19:33):
You must have not sat in a prayer meeting then, yet
at that point.
Speaker 2 (19:35):
No, no, no, no no, and I was like I'm not getting
out of this, I can't quit prayerteam, I have to be here.
And all I could think was Godput me in this.
God put me in this.
I know he did because there'sno way out.
He wants me to be in here for areason and I can look back now,
because now I like lead prayer.
(19:56):
You know, I pray out loud allthe time.
We pray out loud together allthe time at meetings and it's
just funny the way that.
I mean I never would have putmyself in that situation but I
was stuck in it.
It's kind of funny.
I look back now because Rodsaid one day you're probably
going to be praying in front ofa crowd.
I'm like no, I'm not, there isno way.
(20:17):
In front of a crowd.
I'm like, no, I'm not, there isno way.
But I think, kind of to sum thatup, without going into what the
actual result of all of that is, is that God needed me to let
go of that one thing and as soonas I did, my life started
(20:38):
changing so drastically, youknow, and and it's just gotten
better and better.
The interesting thing is, acouple years after I had, after
my birthday, that that moment Iwas like I think I want to see
if I can have a glass of wineBecause, like I said, I never
felt like I was some.
(20:59):
You know, I don't identifymyself as an alcoholic, like I
wasn't an alcoholic.
I was literally using it justto suppress my emotions and
people have all different, alldifferent definitions and you
know, but I did.
I had a glass of wine and I waslike, huh, I can do that if I
want to, you know, and it wasbecause I had gone through all
(21:23):
of that junk I don't need itanymore, you know.
But it was kind of interestingand kind of cool to see like I
could have a glass if I want to.
Speaker 1 (21:32):
And it didn't have a hook into you.
Speaker 2 (21:33):
Yeah, it didn't yeah.
Speaker 1 (21:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (21:36):
Wow, that's pretty powerful.
Speaker 1 (21:40):
So going back to like the moment you decided to give
up alcohol for 90 days, what wasthat like?
Were you in the crucible?
So I mean, you just gonethrough divorce?
Were you kind of down onyourself and like you were you
know, like you said, you'resitting at home having wine by
yourself.
Was there something?
The light bulb that went offthat said something needs to
change?
(22:00):
I mean, were you in the peat ofthe moment there which created
the decision to make the change?
Speaker 2 (22:09):
I mean you would think that would have been my
crucible, like I was in a reallybad spot, but honestly it was
after I gave up the alcohol andjust all that I went through.
Speaker 1 (22:20):
I mean I Like the first 90 days period, or like
the first month, or Two years.
Two years Okay.
Speaker 2 (22:25):
It was two years of just my life radically
transforming, like friends thatI spent all my time with, all of
a sudden, I wasn't spendingtime with them anymore.
You know, it started to, westarted to drift apart or my
priorities started to change butI mean interesting things Even.
You know, I would say to peopleoh, I'm not drinking.
(22:46):
And they would say what's wrong?
What's wrong with you?
Some people had a really hardtime with it and it just I felt
alone.
I felt like I just had all ofthis, just internal, all these
internal things going on and Iwanted to spend a lot of time
alone.
You know, when I was talkingabout God separating us, you
(23:10):
know I felt separated extremely.
I was alone.
I wanted to be alone.
But it was like in thosemoments where I was like I went
through a time period forprobably a year where it was
like I can't get enough books.
I want to read, and read, andread, and I want to read through
the Bible and I want to readthese devotions and and we laugh
(23:34):
about this but and I was like,give me a Joyce Meyer book, I
need another Joyce Meyer book,but I just couldn't get enough
information.
Speaker 1 (23:46):
And I just wanted to learn who God was and I learned,
like, how much he loved me.
Well, man, thank you forsharing all of that and being so
vulnerable with that story.
It's really impactful.
And you know, as we look back,you know you can see that you
said you were in the cruciblefor about two years and the
thing I love about this idea ofthe crucible is that you know a
silversmith knows that thesilver is ready to come out when
he can see his reflection.
And, similarly, when we're inthose crucible moments, god's
(24:10):
refining us, he's purifying us,he's melting away the impurities
, the things that are holding usback from living.
All in for him, all in for him.
So after a few years, you beganto reflect God's image and you
started to emerge from thecrucible and come out refined.
So talk about that.
Speaker 2 (24:30):
Like I said, I think as I was going through it, I
still didn't realize what I wasgoing through.
It was when I had theopportunity to look back that I
saw all that God did and, um,I'm going to quote pastor Jerry
Flowers Jr Again and this hasstuck with me so good, like when
I saw, when I heard him saythis, I was like yes, this is it
.
He said there's something inthe inside of you that hell
(24:56):
never wants you to give birth to.
You have a chain breaking,anointing, and if you think
about it, it's been after youyour whole life.
And the definition that God gaveme insecurity is designed to
get you to downplay what Godwants you to display and when
you believe the lies ofinsecurity, it's Satan's down
payment that you won't givebirth.
And I can look back, like Isaid now, and see everything
(25:20):
that it was all in God's hands.
Like he needed me to wake upand I needed to set that thing
down right.
He needed me to move into whathe had for me, and the last five
years of my life have been themost purposeful and joyful years
that I have ever had.
I mean, 40s are good 40s aregood.
(25:43):
You're just barely in there, sono, but I actually have a list
of things, because there's somany things that I want to say
that came from this.
Speaker 1 (25:50):
Let's hear it.
Speaker 2 (25:52):
I have built beautiful new friendships with
people that know me and love meexactly the way that I am.
God blessed me with a beautifulrelationship, the most
beautiful one I've ever had, andI don't know if you noticed,
but recently engaged a couple ofdays ago.
Speaker 1 (26:11):
Oh man, congratulations, that's, huge.
Speaker 2 (26:13):
You didn't notice what the ring is huge or the
news is huge.
Speaker 1 (26:16):
The news is huge.
The ring's not bad either, yeah.
Speaker 2 (26:20):
So something that I have just been waiting a long
time, for that's amazing.
Yeah, I have become on fire forthe Lord.
I prioritize him in my life.
I now know his voice.
I know who I am in Christ.
I know that I am a daughter ofthe highest King.
I know that I am loved.
I have stepped into things thatI know that I am a daughter of
the highest king.
I know that I am loved.
I have stepped into things thatI know are God's plan for me
(26:43):
and I'm helping people, which iswhat I heard God saying to me
all that time, like I need to behelping people, and I made a
list of all the ways that I'mdoing that.
And this isn't a way again toshine light on me.
This is what God did.
You know I became an executiveassistant to a leadership team
at the company I was working forhelping people.
(27:05):
I started volunteering in ourcommunity.
I started volunteering at ourchurch at the Info Center.
I serve as a baptism shepherdat church.
I led a women's Bible study atwork.
I became the ambassador for ourlocal shelter through my church
for fellowship missions and nowI get to work for a Christian
(27:26):
nonprofit helping unite, inspire, develop and deploy missional
leaders and influencers, andI've just been given the
opportunity to teach a Christianhealth program with the women
at church.
None of those things would haveever happened if I would have
stayed where I was Zero chance,zero chance, not one of those,
(27:47):
not even close to it.
And that is that's God.
He radically transformed mylife and that one thing I just
had to let go of.
And if I go back up to what I,what I said in the beginning, um
, the quote sometimes thegreatest adventure you'll ever
live is to let go of something.
And it was just that one thingI had to let go of.
Speaker 1 (28:09):
So it triggered all of this other stuff.
Speaker 2 (28:11):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (28:11):
It's amazing, you know, and I think of well,
really, the, the verse that'skind of the backbone for the
lo-fi platform and leaders onfire is Ephesians 2.10, and that
you were created a masterpiece.
So in that moment, when youwere in this lifestyle, you know
that was drinking and thedifferent things you had going
on.
Maybe you didn't have theclarity, you were trapped and
(28:33):
you talked about the enemybasically had you immobilized
right where he wanted you andyou didn't really quite grasp
that.
No, beth, you're God'smasterpiece.
He's created good works for youto do, but the thing is we
can't see those until we putJesus at the center.
And so in this particular case,alcohol was a thing kind of
(28:55):
life evolved around.
You know it's something youlook forward to.
Speaker 2 (28:58):
It's how you coped.
Speaker 1 (29:01):
It's whatever.
Whatever the case was and overtime Jesus became the focus.
Then you understand youridentity as a masterpiece
baggage and all Everythingthat's been part of your story
up to this point has positionedyou perfectly to help and to
serve and to do the things thatyou love to do and to do the
works that God prepared inadvance for you to do.
(29:21):
Like it's so amazing and I hopethat's an encouragement to
those listening that you knowI'd say there's probably far
more people that have areexperiencing currently what you
experienced then than there arepeople living on fire for Jesus.
Like that's probably the normof people who are just slightly
and so subtly immobilized withthe things of the world that
(29:44):
everybody else is doing thatmost of your friends were like,
hey, what's the big deal?
And the enemy loved that and hehad you immobilized and you
could still be there.
But thank God for this crucibletime and this period that he
refined and melted away thoseimpurities and put Jesus at the
center.
And now you've re-blossomed andre-emerged as a leader on fire
having impact in this periodthat he refined and melted away
(30:05):
those impurities and put Jesusat the center.
And now you've re-blossomed andre-emerged as a leader on fire
having impact.
And, yeah, it is exciting tojoin you with, just joining this
with you, and to be able tolook back and be so thankful for
all that God brought youthrough, even though, like you,
definitely probably wouldn'twant to go through all that
again, you know what I mean.
But it's also part of your story, and so that masterpiece that
he's created includes all ofthat stuff, and now you're able
to live on fire for Jesus andyou've got a brilliant smile and
(30:28):
a joy about you and a big oldring on your finger.
So that's awesome.
Speaker 2 (30:32):
And I feel like a brand new person.
I truly do.
It's crazy to be able to lookback and see just how different
my life is.
I don't recognize that personanymore, so well.
Speaker 1 (30:43):
Thank you so much for being on the leaders on fire
podcast and for sharing yourstory, um hoping and trusting
that it will be impactful tomany who listen.
So thank you for for sharing.
Speaker 2 (30:54):
Thank you for having me.
Speaker 1 (30:59):
Thank you for listening to today's episode.
Perhaps it has prompted apainful memory or challenged you
to reflect on times you were inthe crucible.
Some of you may be in acrucible now, but be encouraged.
Maybe, just maybe, god is usingthis to refine your character
so that you emerge as a leaderon fire.
(31:20):
If today's episode was anencouragement to you, share it
with others who may also findencouragement in the Leaders on
Fire podcast.
So let's go into the world sentout as leaders on fire Until
next time, thank you.
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