October 16, 2023 • 24 mins
Debbie McGoldrick, our incredible guest, takes us on a journey of luminosity and faith in this inspiring episode. From the moment she opened her bedroom window, at age 9, to invite her neighbors to hear stories about Jesus, to now serving full-time with Cru City and founding NBS2GO, her dedication to shining the light of Christ is truly remarkable.
We explore the concept of luminosity as not just a measure of energy radiated by a star, but as a metaphor for how we can impact the lives of those around us. Debbie reminds us that we don't have to be perfect or put on a show, but instead, allow God's spirit to flow through us as God leads. Join us as we delve into the importance of staying dependent on God, the power of mentoring and connecting with others, and how we can better engage with our neighbors.
Get ready to be inspired and empowered to shine brightly in your own path.
Try Debbie's gluten-free Monster Cookies:
Monster Cookies (not scary but BIG SIZE)
350° 7-8 minutes (time depends on size of cookies)
Mix together:
½ cup better
1 cup sugar
1 cup & 2 T. brown sugar
3 eggs
2 cups peanut butter (I use chunky)
¼ t. vanilla
¾ t. light corn syrup
4 ½ cups reg. oats
2 t. baking soda
¼ t. salt
1 cup M & M’s (holiday themed)
1 cup Choc. Chips
Cream butter, gradually add sugars
Add eggs, PB, vanilla & corn syrup
Now, enjoy sharing your treats!
SOCIAL MEDIA: @called_toshine Instagram.
Follow us on Instagram and enjoy the community as we spur each other on through inspiration, encouragement, and equipping.
And always you can find resources to help you connect to the people around you at NBS2GO! (nbs2go.com)
— A ministry of NBS2GO: Neighbor Bible Studies to Go and Cru
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Pam McCune (00:01):
Hey, Jesslyn here and Pam, welcome to the
community where we explore howJesus is our light.
Jesslyn Adams (00:08):
And we're here to spur each other on to love God
and others.
Right where we live, we arecalled to shine.
Living in the hill country, Ican see many stars on a clear
night.
Just last week, in fact, Inoticed the little dipper, the
big dipper, and then my eyeswere struck by one star in
particular that just stood out.
It was brighter and even biggerthan the others, and I was
(00:31):
drawn to it.
This is luminosity.
Stars shine brightest fordifferent reasons.
Today we are talking aboutstars shine brightest that are
most luminous, the ones with themost power.
Pam McCune (00:42):
Just as light bulbs have different wattage and give
us dim light or medium light orbright lights, think of stars
as having different wattage andthe highest wattage shines the
brightest.
Lighty is a measure of thetotal amount of energy radiated
by a star per second and inlayman's terms, it gives it the
(01:03):
most power.
Today we're going to explorehow we can shine luminously to
the people in our path.
This is where we don't meanbeing shiny so people will
notice us, where we try to looklike we have it all together and
we only put our successes onsocial media.
What it does mean is having themost power inside of us,
through God's spirit, to shineout luminously to the people
(01:27):
around us.
Jesslyn Adams (01:28):
When we think of someone we know who is loving
others out of an overflow fromher love for God and his love
for her.
We think of our friend, thefounder of NBS2go Neighbor Bible
Studies 2go a Cru ministry,Debbie McGoldrick.
Debbie resides in the Atlantaarea and serves full time with
Cru.
She is married to a proudGeorgia Bulldog, Mark, and they
have two wonderful children andfour grandchildren.
(01:49):
Welcome to Call to
Hey, thank you.
I am so glad to be with y'all.
This is so much fun.
Pam McCune (01:58):
Thanks for joining us and you know it's just
fitting to have you on thepodcast for this specific
episode.
As we talk about luminosity andletting God's spirit and his
power shine out of us, I'mcurious when did spiritual
things become important to you?
Debbie McGoldrick (02:15):
Well, interestingly enough, when I was
nine years old, I invited JesusChrist to come into my life,
and it was days after that.
I asked my dad to take thescreens off my bedroom window
and I pulled up picnic benchesand invited the children in our
neighborhood to hear storiesabout Jesus.
They were children that wouldnever come to our church with us
(02:37):
, and I felt like, from thatmoment, god put a heart to reach
the people around me, within me.
But it wasn't until I wasreally a teenager that I
understood the ministry, theHoly Spirit, and what a
difference it makes to not justinvite Christ to come into your
life but to allow him to livehis amazing life in and through
(02:59):
us.
Jesslyn Adams (03:00):
Wow, Debbie, I love that picture of you as a
child and just opening yourwindow, I'm thinking, oh my
goodness, I probably wasn'tthinking about everybody needing
Jesus right then, but God wasopening your heart to share the
gospel with others.
Debbie McGoldrick (03:13):
You know, that's exactly right.
It was the spirit of God withinme.
I didn't understand that as anine-year-old, but when I look
back I know that it was himnudging and prompting me, as a
child with childlike faith, tothink oh, I could do this.
And it was amazing.
The children that would come,my friends, my peers that would
(03:36):
hear stories about Jesus andrespond to him.
Pam McCune (03:39):
I liked the picture , what he had already taught you
and what he had put in yourheart.
You were just opening thewindow to give it out to others.
Jesslyn Adams (03:47):
Debbie, you mentioned it was the power of
God's spirit working in you.
When did you really discern andgo okay, I need the power of
God's spirit, I can't do this onmy own.
When did you first learn thatand understand that?
Debbie McGoldrick (04:00):
Really, I think it was those early teen
years when you begin in middleschool and high school and it's
like the rubber meets the road.
I grew up in a solid Christianhome, but I was thrust into an
environment where my friendsdidn't love Jesus.
They didn't go to church.
So how was I going to let thelove of Christ uniquely shine
(04:22):
through me?
And I remembered praying HolySpirit, god, would you be light
in me?
To others I didn't try to do it, I just said God, you're gonna
have to just use me how you'vemade me.
You're creative enough to dothat, to make me your light and
your salt.
Among my fellow friends.
(04:42):
I began to see him do that.
He gave me a heart as I learnedhow to share my faith.
I saw friends come to Christand I'd like, oh, what am I
gonna do with these kids thathave come to Christ?
There was no Bible studieswritten for high school students
or at that time, and I began tojust have these new friends
that came to Christ over forslumber parties and in the
(05:03):
morning I would teach them howto have a quiet time.
The Holy Spirit gave me thatidea because I was asking how do
I help them get to know you andit was like this is how I get
to know him, so why not open upmy house Again a creative way to
reach out to those who arecurious and hungry about knowing
God more.
It became such a way of life tome.
(05:25):
I found myself talking to theSpirit of God that lives within
me For guidance, for direction,for counsel, for courage and
strength to stand up for myfaith.
When some of my friends wouldgo by my locker and call me God
girl, they'd kind of make fun ofme and that was hard, but it
was a privilege to be called outfor Jesus.
(05:48):
I didn't do it perfectly, but Iallowed him to flow through me.
Jesslyn Adams (05:52):
I was just thinking.
Debbie.
Part of me wants to back up andthink okay, when I was in my
teenage years, when I thought ofthe Holy Spirit, I honestly I'm
thinking Casper, the friendlyghost.
I'm not tapping into whatyou're tapping into and who the
Spirit is.
You were talking about howGod's Holy Spirit guides you and
leads you, but could youexplain a little bit more of the
(06:14):
role of the Holy Spirit in abeliever's life?
Debbie McGoldrick (06:17):
Well, I know .
When Jesus left this earth hesaid it's to your advantage,
he's telling his best friendsthat I go.
And they're like what are youtalking about?
He said because if I go, thenthe Holy Spirit will come.
You see, when Jesus was withhis disciples, he was physically
with them, but when he left,after he died and rose again, he
(06:37):
said I am sending the Spirit sothat he can be with you 24
seven.
He not only can walk with you,but he can talk through you, he
can live through you, he is oncall at all times.
And that power within.
If you do a study on the Gospelsversus the Book of Acts, you
can tell the difference of beingwith God.
(07:00):
It's almost like renting yourfaith.
They owned it when the HolySpirit came and took residence
in their life.
And what a difference it madewhen they owned their faith and
the Spirit lived his lifethrough them.
Just like renting a house orrenting an apartment, you don't
really care, but when you own it, it's important to you to take
(07:24):
care of it.
You are proud and want peopleto come over and experience that
.
Pam McCune (07:30):
Here's my question for you.
I can't help but think, asyou're talking to these high
school girls about how they canlove God and what that looks
like.
I go back to Jesus calling usto love God and love people.
You were loving people bytelling them to love God and
showing them how.
It seems important that whenJesus brought it up at the two
(07:51):
most important commands thatthere was an order, I picture
the flight attendant saying puton your own oxygen mask first
before you help those around you, because you've got to be able
to breathe.
So what does loving God looklike for you, so that you can
love others out of that overflow?
Debbie McGoldrick (08:10):
It's my favorite thing is loving God,
it's spending time with him,it's being with him, being in
his presence.
And I have learned, the older Iget, that it's less about me
talking and it's more aboutlistening.
God, what do you have to say tome as I read scripture?
That's his word to us.
(08:31):
The Holy Spirit's the teacherand he speaks to us.
But as I pause and listen, Isee through Genesis to
Revelation.
Jesus is speaking, god isspeaking all the time.
It's incredible and I see thetheme of listen intently and
follow intentionally, withoutdelay, discussion or doubt.
(08:54):
It's like all through scriptureIf people delayed their
obedience or discussed it withthemselves or with others, or
doubted oh, that couldn't be God, they missed out on the
blessing.
Several years ago I was justsitting in that posture of
having read the scripture,listening to him, and I was
(09:18):
looking outside and I noticed myhusband's beautiful hydrangeas.
He's the gardener in our house.
I felt the Holy Spirit say gopick those for your neighbor,
now y'all.
It was 7.15 in the morning andit was kind of like now and I
sensed the nudge.
So I got up, I pickedhydrangeas.
All I had was an old ball jar.
(09:39):
I just filled it with water,put the hydrangeas in.
And I said now, and he said yes, so I'm walking a couple doors
down, it's just getting light.
And I thought again it's thisconstant dialogue.
I heard you say this.
But now do I ring the doorbell,do I set it down and leave?
And I sensed him saying justknock.
(10:01):
And my neighbor opened the doorand she almost fell into my arm.
She had been weeping all night.
Something had happened in herfamily that no one else knew
about.
I didn't even know about.
But I told her God nudged me.
I said that's just like God.
And she just kind of drapedaround me and I was able to pray
for her.
She was getting ready for work.
(10:21):
I turned around, it was a twominute conversation.
I almost flew back home becauseI thought, god, I don't want to
miss being in that posture ofloving you and responding to
your nudges.
And I could write a book of allthose nudges.
And I could also write a bookof nudges.
I didn't take.
(10:42):
I wonder why I didn't.
It's because I delayed, Idoubted, or I had a discussion
with myself that that didn't fitmy schedule.
It didn't make sense to me.
Or I'll do it later.
Pam McCune (10:56):
So it sounds like God nudged your heart and you
showed up on her doorstep atjust the right time.
She needed a human to be God'sloving arms and to listen and to
love.
And it sounds like it didn'ttake that long for you to even
be that support for her, because, having the capacity and
stepping out and doing it, itwas taking what you had, that
Mark had grown the flowers andgoing to the neighbor beside you
(11:20):
.
Jesslyn Adams (11:20):
Wow, yes, that's right, debbie, I asked this
because I'm going okay.
You have lived throughdifferent seasons of life and I
love hearing you share examples.
You are deeply connected to Godand spend time with Him.
When you think about differentstages that we are in life
whether it be right out ofcollege or in college new job,
(11:40):
single, married, young kids whatdoes it look like to love God
and just the craziness of lifeand the demands of the culture
out there?
Debbie McGoldrick (11:51):
For me personally, it was really
guarding that time alone withthe Lord, whether it's five
minutes, and I just meditate onone verse.
I put it on a little card andcarried it around with me asking
the Holy Spirit, in this seasonof my life I want to love you
with all my heart.
It says you ask and you'llreceive.
(12:13):
You seek and you'll find.
You'll knock and it will beopen.
If we ask, there's not a cookiecutter answer.
God has made you in your seasonexactly.
He knows where you are, so justask him.
I want to love you more andthen seek him.
It says when you seek him, youwill find him.
(12:33):
He's just saying when you looktowards me, I'm going to look
towards you.
I have learned more about Godsince I've become a grandparent.
When I see my grandchildlooking to me or calling out my
name, I drop everything and Iwant to be in their presence.
In the same way, I believe God,no matter how much time, what
(12:53):
capacity we have, when we turntowards him and want to love him
and just say I love you.
What if you just throughout theday said I love you, God, I
love you, and be pausing and saycan I hear you say that to me
and I bet you'll hear it,because he loves you more than
(13:14):
you love him.
Pam McCune (13:15):
What a beautiful picture.
I really do picture dependence.
I like that.
You said you don't do it allperfectly, but even in the
imperfection you are dependenton the Lord and that's what I
appreciate watching you hearfrom God because you've stopped
and listened and you're in hisword.
You're absorbing it, you'remarinating on it and then you're
(13:38):
acting when he shows you.
I think of dependence that itdoesn't mean us getting more of
the Holy Spirit at any time.
At the moment of believing,we're told in Ephesians that
we're marked in him with a seal,the promised Holy Spirit.
So we actually get the HolySpirit at the moment of belief
that we receive that gift of theSpirit.
(13:58):
I think dependence doesn't meanus getting more of him, but of
actually him getting more of us.
How have you stayed dependenton God?
Feel like you're going to say,you run to the Word and you make
sure that you're in it.
Is that the first step that youwould say?
Debbie McGoldrick (14:13):
Absolutely.
I think the only way you canhear God's voice is if you know
what it sounds like, if you knowwhat the heart of the Father is
, and by being in the Word.
I've been doing something thelast two months that has been
incredible.
I've been listening to John 14through 17, probably a hundred
times.
I have it on my phone when Iwalk, when I'm in the car, when
(14:36):
I'm doing the dishes.
It's like in the olden days,we'd be singing a song on the
radio and the radio would cutout, but we kept singing that
song, not because I sat down tomemorize it, but I just kept
singing it over and over again.
And so as we let God's Wordfill our hearts and minds
whether we read it, whether welisten to it, we recognize God's
(14:59):
voice we will be filled up.
It's like you become aware.
It's like an engine.
Light comes on when you're notwalking with God, when you're
dependent on yourself or whenyou're all wound up in your own
to-do list.
That just happened to meyesterday.
I was on a meeting.
I had a number of things goingon.
I felt the tension risinginside me, and it wasn't until
(15:21):
this morning that I realizedthat I was allowing my to-do
list, all the things coming up,all the decisions I had to make,
all my emails waiting for me.
I'd felt that tension.
You know what it reminded me ofAgain, my husband the gardener.
He was gone on a trip and heassigned me to water all his
plants on the deck.
I go to water the first one andI turn the hose on and no water
(15:45):
comes out.
I go back, the things turned onand I realized it was kinked
around a chair and that watercould not flow because of that
kink.
And this morning I realizedthat I was letting the things on
my to-do list, the decisions Ihad to make, had kinked.
The joy, the power, the rest ofthe Holy Spirit.
(16:10):
And I simply said oh, mygoodness, that red light.
I have been so uptight aboutthese things.
I'd give it to you First.
Peter 5, 7 says casting all yourcares upon me because I care
for you.
That word in the Greek is givea gift, cast give a gift.
(16:30):
He wants it.
As I gave it to him, I began tosing.
I had old hymns that came backto my mind and I began to
worship him.
That kink was gone and the flowof his spirit was back and I
was lifted.
I feel like it's a moment bymoment Walk with the Holy Spirit
.
When he alerts us, all we haveto do is say I can't do this,
(16:55):
you do this.
Jesslyn Adams (16:56):
Man.
Debbie, I can relate to theto-do list when I think about
maybe some hindrances of why Idon't wake up going.
How can I love others?
It's because, as I'm spendingtime loving God in the morning
and spending time with him,there are times where I'm
literally having a note next tome with my to-do list running
along parallel with my Bible.
It's tricky on how to navigatethat and, like you said, I have
(17:20):
to pray and ask God, butsometimes my natural instinct
isn't how can I serve otherstoday?
It's just not the first thingon my mind and God has to put it
on my heart.
But one other thing I'mrealizing with these to-do list
and maybe all of us in differentstages, whether we have kids
under us or not.
We have a busy job, we havesomeone we're helping take care
of.
It's easy to get depleted.
(17:41):
Have you ever felt depleted inloving others and what did you
do about that?
Debbie McGoldrick (17:47):
For me, this is my engine light.
When I hear myself say I oughtand I should and I follow those,
that's when I get under thepile.
That's when I become depletedbecause it's no longer following
the promptings and theteleprompter of the Holy Spirit.
But I'm following my desiresand the shoulds, the
(18:09):
expectations maybe I thinkothers have on me and I have
high expectations for myself.
And sometimes we think once wedo something for somebody, we
need to do it for everybody.
But God may be just saying Iwant you to do this for one
person.
Or we don't do something thatwe are prompted because we think
of all the follow-up thingswe're going to have to do.
(18:30):
For me.
The depletion comes when Irealize that the shoulds and the
oughts are running and rulingand controlling my life.
There's a prayer I've beenpraying lately.
It says God, I pray that I willnot be distracted by my own
desires or sidetracked by my ownexpectations or others, and I
(18:53):
don't want to try to accomplishmy agenda.
It's all about you, lord, and Isurrender to you Beautiful.
Pam McCune (19:00):
Can you share with us some of the stories where God
was shining through you, frominside you to others, and you
actually got to see the resultof how he drew people to himself
?
Debbie McGoldrick (19:13):
Wow, pam, I walk my neighborhood almost
every day and I pray threethings.
I pray that God will keep outall evil and when I see it for
sale sign, I say don't let anyevil move in here.
In fact, would you movesomebody in who knows Christ and
can be salt and light in thisneck of the neighborhood?
(19:34):
Or would you move somebody inwho has a hunger and thirst for
God?
And I have seen that over andover again.
When a new neighbor moves in Ialways have my little monster
cookies in the freezer ready togo and I'll walk up to their
house.
This sweet Indian couple hadmoved in, young couple, and I
brought them my cookies and wehad a conversation and they've
(19:57):
been in our neighborhood foreight years and God has just
developed an unbelievablerelationship.
Early on I found out that thisprecious gal had lost her mother
at age 13.
She was in an arranged marriage, had moved here like months
before I met her.
We have begun an incrediblerelationship where I was even at
(20:18):
the birth of their child.
The Lord said to go and I wentand there was an ice storm and I
couldn't leave.
I was right there, almost likea mother to her, but I know
they're not followers of Jesus.
And it's been nine years, but Icontinue to love, I continue to
pray, I continue to look foropportunities to just love them
(20:41):
and their nine year old,precious, autistic daughter, who
calls me Didi, and that hasjust been precious to me.
I may never see the fruit in mydesire, but I have told her.
I said Kelp, and I can'timagine being in heaven without
you.
So I think it's relational,just being loving, asking
(21:01):
questions, being curious as Ipray and as I see houses for
sale.
It's an easy opportunity.
You see the movie band come inand go.
Ok, I'm going to give them aweek or so and then I'm going to
show up on their doorstep as wetake little steps of faith.
He honors that.
Pam McCune (21:18):
What would you like to share with us about the Holy
Spirit, about your relationshipwith God and loving him and
having such a heritage ofwalking with him over the years?
Debbie McGoldrick (21:27):
Hmm, pam, wow.
The Holy Spirit is my bestfriend.
He's with me all the time I getto partner with the God of this
universe, I get to love him andlove the people around me
uniquely how God has made me.
I like to bake, but you maylike to garden, or you may like
(21:49):
to go to the grocery store andpick up some flowers.
It doesn't matter.
God can use you and who you areand how he's wired you to
express his love and theministry of the Holy Spirit
through you.
Pam McCune (22:03):
Debbie beautifully said in a perfect ending.
I get so excited celebratinghow the nine year old girl that
knew God and that felt thenudging to tell others about the
wonderful relationship she hadwith God and to spread that
light to others God took you onefaith step at a time, to start
(22:26):
neighbor Bible studies, to go,to open up resources and
opportunities, to help peopletake the next right step that
God's calling them to.
God uses who we are, our seasonof life and our giftings to
walk through and our calling.
If you're in relationship withGod through Christ, you have the
Holy Spirit in you to nudge youand to guide you where to step
(22:47):
out.
He's never calls you anddoesn't equip you.
So if he does the calling, hewill do the equipping.
Debbie, thank you for takingthe time to not only mentor
Jesslyn and I, but to come onand mentor our audience as well.
Debbie McGoldrick (23:03):
Absolutely, thank you.
I've loved it, loved it.
Jesslyn Adams (23:08):
I love that anybody is willing to take a
step of faith God can use inwhatever capacity.
We have so much more to exploretogether.
So be sure to subscribe to ourpodcast and if today is inspired
or encouraged you, you can helpothers find us by taking a
moment to give us a review onyour favorite podcast streaming
site or YouTube.
Pam McCune (23:28):
And, as our thanks for joining us here, we invite
you to follow us on Instagram atcalled to shine and find out
how to enter to win a pair ofApple AirPods.
And, as part of our called toshine Instagram community, you
will get encouragement and ideasto help you connect to the
people around you.
Jesslyn Adams (23:47):
And, as always, you can find resources to help
you shine the light of Jesus atnbs2gocom.
In our next episode, starsshine brightest that are the
closest where we explore thecalling of proximity.
Pam McCune (23:59):
Thanks for joining us.
We are called to shine.
Hey, Jesslyn here and Pam, welcome to the
community where we explore howJesus is our light.
Jesslyn Adams (00:08):
And we're here to spur each other on to love God
and others.
Right where we live, we arecalled to shine.
Living in the hill country, Ican see many stars on a clear
night.
Just last week, in fact, Inoticed the little dipper, the
big dipper, and then my eyeswere struck by one star in
particular that just stood out.
It was brighter and even biggerthan the others, and I was
(00:31):
drawn to it.
This is luminosity.
Stars shine brightest fordifferent reasons.
Today we are talking aboutstars shine brightest that are
most luminous, the ones with themost power.
Pam McCune (00:42):
Just as light bulbs have different wattage and give
us dim light or medium light orbright lights, think of stars
as having different wattage andthe highest wattage shines the
brightest.
Lighty is a measure of thetotal amount of energy radiated
by a star per second and inlayman's terms, it gives it the
(01:03):
most power.
Today we're going to explorehow we can shine luminously to
the people in our path.
This is where we don't meanbeing shiny so people will
notice us, where we try to looklike we have it all together and
we only put our successes onsocial media.
What it does mean is having themost power inside of us,
through God's spirit, to shineout luminously to the people
(01:27):
around us.
Jesslyn Adams (01:28):
When we think of someone we know who is loving
others out of an overflow fromher love for God and his love
for her.
We think of our friend, thefounder of NBS2go Neighbor Bible
Studies 2go a Cru ministry,Debbie McGoldrick.
Debbie resides in the Atlantaarea and serves full time with
Cru.
She is married to a proudGeorgia Bulldog, Mark, and they
have two wonderful children andfour grandchildren.
(01:49):
Welcome to Call to
Hey, thank you.
I am so glad to be with y'all.
This is so much fun.
Pam McCune (01:58):
Thanks for joining us and you know it's just
fitting to have you on thepodcast for this specific
episode.
As we talk about luminosity andletting God's spirit and his
power shine out of us, I'mcurious when did spiritual
things become important to you?
Debbie McGoldrick (02:15):
Well, interestingly enough, when I was
nine years old, I invited JesusChrist to come into my life,
and it was days after that.
I asked my dad to take thescreens off my bedroom window
and I pulled up picnic benchesand invited the children in our
neighborhood to hear storiesabout Jesus.
They were children that wouldnever come to our church with us
(02:37):
, and I felt like, from thatmoment, god put a heart to reach
the people around me, within me.
But it wasn't until I wasreally a teenager that I
understood the ministry, theHoly Spirit, and what a
difference it makes to not justinvite Christ to come into your
life but to allow him to livehis amazing life in and through
(02:59):
us.
Jesslyn Adams (03:00):
Wow, Debbie, I love that picture of you as a
child and just opening yourwindow, I'm thinking, oh my
goodness, I probably wasn'tthinking about everybody needing
Jesus right then, but God wasopening your heart to share the
gospel with others.
Debbie McGoldrick (03:13):
You know, that's exactly right.
It was the spirit of God withinme.
I didn't understand that as anine-year-old, but when I look
back I know that it was himnudging and prompting me, as a
child with childlike faith, tothink oh, I could do this.
And it was amazing.
The children that would come,my friends, my peers that would
(03:36):
hear stories about Jesus andrespond to him.
Pam McCune (03:39):
I liked the picture , what he had already taught you
and what he had put in yourheart.
You were just opening thewindow to give it out to others.
Jesslyn Adams (03:47):
Debbie, you mentioned it was the power of
God's spirit working in you.
When did you really discern andgo okay, I need the power of
God's spirit, I can't do this onmy own.
When did you first learn thatand understand that?
Debbie McGoldrick (04:00):
Really, I think it was those early teen
years when you begin in middleschool and high school and it's
like the rubber meets the road.
I grew up in a solid Christianhome, but I was thrust into an
environment where my friendsdidn't love Jesus.
They didn't go to church.
So how was I going to let thelove of Christ uniquely shine
(04:22):
through me?
And I remembered praying HolySpirit, god, would you be light
in me?
To others I didn't try to do it, I just said God, you're gonna
have to just use me how you'vemade me.
You're creative enough to dothat, to make me your light and
your salt.
Among my fellow friends.
(04:42):
I began to see him do that.
He gave me a heart as I learnedhow to share my faith.
I saw friends come to Christand I'd like, oh, what am I
gonna do with these kids thathave come to Christ?
There was no Bible studieswritten for high school students
or at that time, and I began tojust have these new friends
that came to Christ over forslumber parties and in the
(05:03):
morning I would teach them howto have a quiet time.
The Holy Spirit gave me thatidea because I was asking how do
I help them get to know you andit was like this is how I get
to know him, so why not open upmy house Again a creative way to
reach out to those who arecurious and hungry about knowing
God more.
It became such a way of life tome.
(05:25):
I found myself talking to theSpirit of God that lives within
me For guidance, for direction,for counsel, for courage and
strength to stand up for myfaith.
When some of my friends wouldgo by my locker and call me God
girl, they'd kind of make fun ofme and that was hard, but it
was a privilege to be called outfor Jesus.
(05:48):
I didn't do it perfectly, but Iallowed him to flow through me.
Jesslyn Adams (05:52):
I was just thinking.
Debbie.
Part of me wants to back up andthink okay, when I was in my
teenage years, when I thought ofthe Holy Spirit, I honestly I'm
thinking Casper, the friendlyghost.
I'm not tapping into whatyou're tapping into and who the
Spirit is.
You were talking about howGod's Holy Spirit guides you and
leads you, but could youexplain a little bit more of the
(06:14):
role of the Holy Spirit in abeliever's life?
Debbie McGoldrick (06:17):
Well, I know .
When Jesus left this earth hesaid it's to your advantage,
he's telling his best friendsthat I go.
And they're like what are youtalking about?
He said because if I go, thenthe Holy Spirit will come.
You see, when Jesus was withhis disciples, he was physically
with them, but when he left,after he died and rose again, he
(06:37):
said I am sending the Spirit sothat he can be with you 24
seven.
He not only can walk with you,but he can talk through you, he
can live through you, he is oncall at all times.
And that power within.
If you do a study on the Gospelsversus the Book of Acts, you
can tell the difference of beingwith God.
(07:00):
It's almost like renting yourfaith.
They owned it when the HolySpirit came and took residence
in their life.
And what a difference it madewhen they owned their faith and
the Spirit lived his lifethrough them.
Just like renting a house orrenting an apartment, you don't
really care, but when you own it, it's important to you to take
(07:24):
care of it.
You are proud and want peopleto come over and experience that
.
Pam McCune (07:30):
Here's my question for you.
I can't help but think, asyou're talking to these high
school girls about how they canlove God and what that looks
like.
I go back to Jesus calling usto love God and love people.
You were loving people bytelling them to love God and
showing them how.
It seems important that whenJesus brought it up at the two
(07:51):
most important commands thatthere was an order, I picture
the flight attendant saying puton your own oxygen mask first
before you help those around you, because you've got to be able
to breathe.
So what does loving God looklike for you, so that you can
love others out of that overflow?
Debbie McGoldrick (08:10):
It's my favorite thing is loving God,
it's spending time with him,it's being with him, being in
his presence.
And I have learned, the older Iget, that it's less about me
talking and it's more aboutlistening.
God, what do you have to say tome as I read scripture?
That's his word to us.
(08:31):
The Holy Spirit's the teacherand he speaks to us.
But as I pause and listen, Isee through Genesis to
Revelation.
Jesus is speaking, god isspeaking all the time.
It's incredible and I see thetheme of listen intently and
follow intentionally, withoutdelay, discussion or doubt.
(08:54):
It's like all through scriptureIf people delayed their
obedience or discussed it withthemselves or with others, or
doubted oh, that couldn't be God, they missed out on the
blessing.
Several years ago I was justsitting in that posture of
having read the scripture,listening to him, and I was
(09:18):
looking outside and I noticed myhusband's beautiful hydrangeas.
He's the gardener in our house.
I felt the Holy Spirit say gopick those for your neighbor,
now y'all.
It was 7.15 in the morning andit was kind of like now and I
sensed the nudge.
So I got up, I pickedhydrangeas.
All I had was an old ball jar.
(09:39):
I just filled it with water,put the hydrangeas in.
And I said now, and he said yes, so I'm walking a couple doors
down, it's just getting light.
And I thought again it's thisconstant dialogue.
I heard you say this.
But now do I ring the doorbell,do I set it down and leave?
And I sensed him saying justknock.
(10:01):
And my neighbor opened the doorand she almost fell into my arm.
She had been weeping all night.
Something had happened in herfamily that no one else knew
about.
I didn't even know about.
But I told her God nudged me.
I said that's just like God.
And she just kind of drapedaround me and I was able to pray
for her.
She was getting ready for work.
(10:21):
I turned around, it was a twominute conversation.
I almost flew back home becauseI thought, god, I don't want to
miss being in that posture ofloving you and responding to
your nudges.
And I could write a book of allthose nudges.
And I could also write a bookof nudges.
I didn't take.
(10:42):
I wonder why I didn't.
It's because I delayed, Idoubted, or I had a discussion
with myself that that didn't fitmy schedule.
It didn't make sense to me.
Or I'll do it later.
Pam McCune (10:56):
So it sounds like God nudged your heart and you
showed up on her doorstep atjust the right time.
She needed a human to be God'sloving arms and to listen and to
love.
And it sounds like it didn'ttake that long for you to even
be that support for her, because, having the capacity and
stepping out and doing it, itwas taking what you had, that
Mark had grown the flowers andgoing to the neighbor beside you
(11:20):
.
Jesslyn Adams (11:20):
Wow, yes, that's right, debbie, I asked this
because I'm going okay.
You have lived throughdifferent seasons of life and I
love hearing you share examples.
You are deeply connected to Godand spend time with Him.
When you think about differentstages that we are in life
whether it be right out ofcollege or in college new job,
(11:40):
single, married, young kids whatdoes it look like to love God
and just the craziness of lifeand the demands of the culture
out there?
Debbie McGoldrick (11:51):
For me personally, it was really
guarding that time alone withthe Lord, whether it's five
minutes, and I just meditate onone verse.
I put it on a little card andcarried it around with me asking
the Holy Spirit, in this seasonof my life I want to love you
with all my heart.
It says you ask and you'llreceive.
(12:13):
You seek and you'll find.
You'll knock and it will beopen.
If we ask, there's not a cookiecutter answer.
God has made you in your seasonexactly.
He knows where you are, so justask him.
I want to love you more andthen seek him.
It says when you seek him, youwill find him.
(12:33):
He's just saying when you looktowards me, I'm going to look
towards you.
I have learned more about Godsince I've become a grandparent.
When I see my grandchildlooking to me or calling out my
name, I drop everything and Iwant to be in their presence.
In the same way, I believe God,no matter how much time, what
(12:53):
capacity we have, when we turntowards him and want to love him
and just say I love you.
What if you just throughout theday said I love you, God, I
love you, and be pausing and saycan I hear you say that to me
and I bet you'll hear it,because he loves you more than
(13:14):
you love him.
Pam McCune (13:15):
What a beautiful picture.
I really do picture dependence.
I like that.
You said you don't do it allperfectly, but even in the
imperfection you are dependenton the Lord and that's what I
appreciate watching you hearfrom God because you've stopped
and listened and you're in hisword.
You're absorbing it, you'remarinating on it and then you're
(13:38):
acting when he shows you.
I think of dependence that itdoesn't mean us getting more of
the Holy Spirit at any time.
At the moment of believing,we're told in Ephesians that
we're marked in him with a seal,the promised Holy Spirit.
So we actually get the HolySpirit at the moment of belief
that we receive that gift of theSpirit.
(13:58):
I think dependence doesn't meanus getting more of him, but of
actually him getting more of us.
How have you stayed dependenton God?
Feel like you're going to say,you run to the Word and you make
sure that you're in it.
Is that the first step that youwould say?
Debbie McGoldrick (14:13):
Absolutely.
I think the only way you canhear God's voice is if you know
what it sounds like, if you knowwhat the heart of the Father is
, and by being in the Word.
I've been doing something thelast two months that has been
incredible.
I've been listening to John 14through 17, probably a hundred
times.
I have it on my phone when Iwalk, when I'm in the car, when
(14:36):
I'm doing the dishes.
It's like in the olden days,we'd be singing a song on the
radio and the radio would cutout, but we kept singing that
song, not because I sat down tomemorize it, but I just kept
singing it over and over again.
And so as we let God's Wordfill our hearts and minds
whether we read it, whether welisten to it, we recognize God's
(14:59):
voice we will be filled up.
It's like you become aware.
It's like an engine.
Light comes on when you're notwalking with God, when you're
dependent on yourself or whenyou're all wound up in your own
to-do list.
That just happened to meyesterday.
I was on a meeting.
I had a number of things goingon.
I felt the tension risinginside me, and it wasn't until
(15:21):
this morning that I realizedthat I was allowing my to-do
list, all the things coming up,all the decisions I had to make,
all my emails waiting for me.
I'd felt that tension.
You know what it reminded me ofAgain, my husband the gardener.
He was gone on a trip and heassigned me to water all his
plants on the deck.
I go to water the first one andI turn the hose on and no water
(15:45):
comes out.
I go back, the things turned onand I realized it was kinked
around a chair and that watercould not flow because of that
kink.
And this morning I realizedthat I was letting the things on
my to-do list, the decisions Ihad to make, had kinked.
The joy, the power, the rest ofthe Holy Spirit.
(16:10):
And I simply said oh, mygoodness, that red light.
I have been so uptight aboutthese things.
I'd give it to you First.
Peter 5, 7 says casting all yourcares upon me because I care
for you.
That word in the Greek is givea gift, cast give a gift.
(16:30):
He wants it.
As I gave it to him, I began tosing.
I had old hymns that came backto my mind and I began to
worship him.
That kink was gone and the flowof his spirit was back and I
was lifted.
I feel like it's a moment bymoment Walk with the Holy Spirit
.
When he alerts us, all we haveto do is say I can't do this,
(16:55):
you do this.
Jesslyn Adams (16:56):
Man.
Debbie, I can relate to theto-do list when I think about
maybe some hindrances of why Idon't wake up going.
How can I love others?
It's because, as I'm spendingtime loving God in the morning
and spending time with him,there are times where I'm
literally having a note next tome with my to-do list running
along parallel with my Bible.
It's tricky on how to navigatethat and, like you said, I have
(17:20):
to pray and ask God, butsometimes my natural instinct
isn't how can I serve otherstoday?
It's just not the first thingon my mind and God has to put it
on my heart.
But one other thing I'mrealizing with these to-do list
and maybe all of us in differentstages, whether we have kids
under us or not.
We have a busy job, we havesomeone we're helping take care
of.
It's easy to get depleted.
(17:41):
Have you ever felt depleted inloving others and what did you
do about that?
Debbie McGoldrick (17:47):
For me, this is my engine light.
When I hear myself say I oughtand I should and I follow those,
that's when I get under thepile.
That's when I become depletedbecause it's no longer following
the promptings and theteleprompter of the Holy Spirit.
But I'm following my desiresand the shoulds, the
(18:09):
expectations maybe I thinkothers have on me and I have
high expectations for myself.
And sometimes we think once wedo something for somebody, we
need to do it for everybody.
But God may be just saying Iwant you to do this for one
person.
Or we don't do something thatwe are prompted because we think
of all the follow-up thingswe're going to have to do.
(18:30):
For me.
The depletion comes when Irealize that the shoulds and the
oughts are running and rulingand controlling my life.
There's a prayer I've beenpraying lately.
It says God, I pray that I willnot be distracted by my own
desires or sidetracked by my ownexpectations or others, and I
(18:53):
don't want to try to accomplishmy agenda.
It's all about you, lord, and Isurrender to you Beautiful.
Pam McCune (19:00):
Can you share with us some of the stories where God
was shining through you, frominside you to others, and you
actually got to see the resultof how he drew people to himself
?
Debbie McGoldrick (19:13):
Wow, pam, I walk my neighborhood almost
every day and I pray threethings.
I pray that God will keep outall evil and when I see it for
sale sign, I say don't let anyevil move in here.
In fact, would you movesomebody in who knows Christ and
can be salt and light in thisneck of the neighborhood?
(19:34):
Or would you move somebody inwho has a hunger and thirst for
God?
And I have seen that over andover again.
When a new neighbor moves in Ialways have my little monster
cookies in the freezer ready togo and I'll walk up to their
house.
This sweet Indian couple hadmoved in, young couple, and I
brought them my cookies and wehad a conversation and they've
(19:57):
been in our neighborhood foreight years and God has just
developed an unbelievablerelationship.
Early on I found out that thisprecious gal had lost her mother
at age 13.
She was in an arranged marriage, had moved here like months
before I met her.
We have begun an incrediblerelationship where I was even at
(20:18):
the birth of their child.
The Lord said to go and I wentand there was an ice storm and I
couldn't leave.
I was right there, almost likea mother to her, but I know
they're not followers of Jesus.
And it's been nine years, but Icontinue to love, I continue to
pray, I continue to look foropportunities to just love them
(20:41):
and their nine year old,precious, autistic daughter, who
calls me Didi, and that hasjust been precious to me.
I may never see the fruit in mydesire, but I have told her.
I said Kelp, and I can'timagine being in heaven without
you.
So I think it's relational,just being loving, asking
(21:01):
questions, being curious as Ipray and as I see houses for
sale.
It's an easy opportunity.
You see the movie band come inand go.
Ok, I'm going to give them aweek or so and then I'm going to
show up on their doorstep as wetake little steps of faith.
He honors that.
Pam McCune (21:18):
What would you like to share with us about the Holy
Spirit, about your relationshipwith God and loving him and
having such a heritage ofwalking with him over the years?
Debbie McGoldrick (21:27):
Hmm, pam, wow.
The Holy Spirit is my bestfriend.
He's with me all the time I getto partner with the God of this
universe, I get to love him andlove the people around me
uniquely how God has made me.
I like to bake, but you maylike to garden, or you may like
(21:49):
to go to the grocery store andpick up some flowers.
It doesn't matter.
God can use you and who you areand how he's wired you to
express his love and theministry of the Holy Spirit
through you.
Pam McCune (22:03):
Debbie beautifully said in a perfect ending.
I get so excited celebratinghow the nine year old girl that
knew God and that felt thenudging to tell others about the
wonderful relationship she hadwith God and to spread that
light to others God took you onefaith step at a time, to start
(22:26):
neighbor Bible studies, to go,to open up resources and
opportunities, to help peopletake the next right step that
God's calling them to.
God uses who we are, our seasonof life and our giftings to
walk through and our calling.
If you're in relationship withGod through Christ, you have the
Holy Spirit in you to nudge youand to guide you where to step
(22:47):
out.
He's never calls you anddoesn't equip you.
So if he does the calling, hewill do the equipping.
Debbie, thank you for takingthe time to not only mentor
Jesslyn and I, but to come onand mentor our audience as well.
Debbie McGoldrick (23:03):
Absolutely, thank you.
I've loved it, loved it.
Jesslyn Adams (23:08):
I love that anybody is willing to take a
step of faith God can use inwhatever capacity.
We have so much more to exploretogether.
So be sure to subscribe to ourpodcast and if today is inspired
or encouraged you, you can helpothers find us by taking a
moment to give us a review onyour favorite podcast streaming
site or YouTube.
Pam McCune (23:28):
And, as our thanks for joining us here, we invite
you to follow us on Instagram atcalled to shine and find out
how to enter to win a pair ofApple AirPods.
And, as part of our called toshine Instagram community, you
will get encouragement and ideasto help you connect to the
people around you.
Jesslyn Adams (23:47):
And, as always, you can find resources to help
you shine the light of Jesus atnbs2gocom.
In our next episode, starsshine brightest that are the
closest where we explore thecalling of proximity.
Pam McCune (23:59):
Thanks for joining us.
We are called to shine.
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