July 12, 2023 • 34 mins
Imagine going through a divorce after being married for 33 years. How can one find hope and purpose in that heartache? Andrea Tomassi, who has lived this reality, joins Amber and Lisa to share her profound journey of resilience and strength. Through her story, you'll discover how to navigate life's unexpected curve balls and the importance of staying focused on God, even when grief doesn't have a timeline. Andi's insights on obedience and drawing closer to God in the wake of divorce are truly inspiring. She shares the beauty of having conversations with God and the power of obedience to His will. She encourages us that God can use our pain to serve and show people who Jesus is.
Thank you for taking the time to like, subscribe, share, and comment. Visit leadingladies.life to find out more. Also, follow @leadingladieslife on social. Amber & Lisa are authors of the multi-award-winning book, Leading Ladies: Discover Your God-Grown Strategy for Success, which dives into the power of community and empowering women of faith to rise up and make a difference, using our gifts and faith to shine brightly in the world. Watch the Facebook Live edition on our YouTube Channel @coffeechatladies .
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Good morning everyone .
We're excited to be with youfor another hot copy chat I just
have outside, but I have coldhere in my cup because it's been
around 102 degrees in Missouriand that is not a fun place to
be.
(00:20):
We have our amazing guest, andyTamasi.
I call her Andy, so I'm goingto just call you Andy, is that
okay?
Yes, please do.
We've had an amazingconversation today because we
started our conversation withdogs.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
They did it trade in dogs that we all own and it
seems right Doodles rule in thismeeting right now, so our
number Doodles rule, right here.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
I think I'm going to have to get a Doodle just to be
in the trend of Doodles.
Probably, I think duringDoodles have been the ultimate
dog accessory I've seen at thepark.
I'm wondering if Doodles willoversell the Labrador Retrievers
.
Labradoodles maybe.
They sure are sweet.
(01:09):
Yes.
So, andy, thank you for beingwith us today.
We're talking about animportant topic, andy, having
been in ministry and walkingthrough a divorce in the middle
of it and having everything feellike it stopped, and trying to
(01:29):
rebuild from a very significantgrieving process, so I just
really thank you for being heretoday and being willing to be
vulnerable in this conversation,because it's a tough
conversation to have.
Speaker 2 (01:43):
For those of you that have already started to read
the book, it seems like it'slike part of the ongoing
messages.
What do you do with yourselfwhen life happens Unexpected
things, things maybe we sawcoming down the road but still
kept believing and hoping itwouldn't quite upset the apple
cart of our life?
How do we somehow pivot and putourselves back on the road of
(02:09):
doing what we know we'resupposed to do for God, as well
as those things that give uslife and re-energize us and give
us meaning and hope?
So today we wanted to talkabout that.
Andrea is a grandmother youcan't tell that by looking at
her.
She has seven grand babies.
She has me beat I'm going tohave to get over here as if that
(02:33):
has anything to do with me andshe also has done some
award-winning writing in a bookwith her cousin, cynthia
Kavanaugh the Live Bold book.
And, andy, I know that's when Imet you.
I met you when we were at aconference mutually, amber and I
, you, cynthia, some otherladies and I remember meeting
(02:54):
you there and all the excitementthat was around that project.
But life obviously, as we justmentioned, took a turn for you
after the Live Bold book waslaunched and you guys were
walking through that process.
Can you tell us a little bitabout how life took that turn?
Yeah, I think it's always goingto be something painful to talk
(03:16):
about this side of heaven.
I was married for 33 years.
I met my husband when I was 18.
It was a very high and a verylow.
Walking the same path whereyou're so excited and this
vision has come to fruition andwriting with Cynthia is just.
She's a great person anyway,but being my blood and my cousin
(03:37):
, an honor of our grandmotherand my mom, and just where our
family came from, is just anhonor to write with her.
Sometimes God puts these thingsin our path that we have no
control over, and he constantly.
Even today two years out ofthis August will be two years
out of my divorce he'sconstantly showing me his up
(03:59):
here, just like when we take oureyes off of him, we start to.
I can start to spiral and godownhill super quickly.
So during that time it wassuper important to me to one
give myself permission to grieveand I can just tell you, ladies
, this right now don't letanybody tell you there's a time.
Leave it on, because there'snot an.
(04:20):
Everybody's different and it'sokay and you have to give
yourself grace.
There's so many times I wouldsit and say I should be further
along in the process for a lotof people, when they divorce and
see them on Facebook, havethese divorce parties where they
have this celebration withtheir friends, and it just
wasn't like that for me.
(04:40):
It was a grieving.
This is not something that Iwanted.
This was not something I wantedfor my life, for my children,
for my grandchildren.
I wanted a godly legacy for ourfamily, but fortunately it
didn't turn out that way.
I can still give them my godlylegacy.
I don't have to be married todo that.
So I just want to throw thatout there, that we still have a
(05:01):
huge impact on our grandchildrenand our children, even as
adults, through this process.
I want to ask the question whenyou're in the middle of that,
that where your heart is justbroken and you're trying to put
one foot in front of the otherand, like you said, grief
doesn't have a timeline.
Grief comes and goes as itwants and a lot of times we have
(05:24):
no control over that what wereyou able to do to keep the focus
, like you said, eyes up here,especially when you were fresh
coming from that separation anddivorce, because you said you're
two years out.
That's a long time of walkingthrough that process.
What did you do?
(05:44):
What things did God do to bringyou through that?
I say that I'm two years out,but in all actuality it's a
little less than one year out,maybe close to 10, 11 months.
And I say that because we didtry to reconcile after our
divorce.
I don't know if in my mind, Ineeded to have a finality of it,
(06:05):
but I saw changes in him thatchecked off all the boxes for me
and you got to understand in mymind.
I've been praying for this tohappen for nine years, almost 10
years, just so.
Finally, when it did happen,I'm like, oh my gosh, god,
answer my prayers, this is it.
And when I walk into it, itturned out exactly how our
(06:26):
diverse ended and my heart waseven broken more than the first
time.
But I struggled with that for awhile and I said to God but why
would you have me walk backinto something if you knew it
was never like?
Why would you awaken?
That Let up again in my heart.
And you know what he told me.
He said because you never askedme to go back you just right
(06:49):
and and full throttle back intosomething that I removed you
from for your own protection,and you ran back, never asked me
, and that was a big eye Openingthing for me, which I am caring
now it's been almost a year.
So in this last year of my lifeI am very into Boom to Something
(07:12):
I think we have to ask God forthese big things.
Should I buy a house?
And it's not.
It's in every little tinyThings that we do will mean
Clued him in those, and sothat's the lesson that I have
learned in this last year ofJust because as good doesn't
mean it's from God, just becausesomebody made the changes and
(07:34):
it looks great on the outside.
God knows everybody's heart,god knows his heart, god knows
my heart, god knows your heart.
Yeah, it was a tough lesson tolearn and a painful lesson to
learn, but I am so grateful thatI learned that lesson because
that, moving forward, it'seasier to see red flags.
If I ever start dating again,if I ever got ever brings
(07:56):
anybody else back into my life,I'm gonna have that discernment
to say let's just, let's have achat right now, before we ever
go out for coffee or we ever doanything like you need to tell
me because I don't want to putone Extra foot in front of the
other if this is not a road thatyou want me to go down, so he's
gonna be in every singleDecision like that one before,
(08:17):
because I just my heart can't doit.
That again, as I think aboutthis and while I don't want to
make this an expose on Divorce,but I do want to ask the
question, in the church weobviously Seem to put a stigma
on that.
We seem to Walk around withthis mindset that it's something
(08:42):
we don't want and of courseit's not God's best for us.
So when it happens to us, whenwe end up walking through that,
the enemy of course wants tocome and Make us feel like we
are nothing, we are unqualified,we are not covered by God's
grace any longer, we don't haveanything to offer.
(09:02):
How does that work when youknow you're called, know there's
still something out there foryou to do?
How do you pivot and turnyourself from all those voices
in your head that the enemy justplays those tapes over and over
again and you battle?
How do you fight against thosethoughts?
(09:23):
I think for me there's a Deeprespect and love for myself
today that even a year ago Idon't think I had.
I think I was getting close,but I think the first year
started it and this last yearfinished it, because when you
have that deep love and respectfor yourself, number one, you
(09:48):
are able to set healthyboundaries right, because we are
supposed to guard your heartand let me tell you, I had no
idea how to set it around Bardmy heart, which is, I think,
that's why I was hurt so deeply.
However, I Remember a few yearsago when Cynthia and I spoke at
a conference for Rosalinda backin Virginia and it was five
(10:10):
years ago, because I remember atthat time we were in a great
place and I'm speaking from thestage talking about God can save
your marriage and you just needto just trust him and wait on
this timing.
God's in the middle of it, kindof thing.
And as soon as I got divorced,it's funny how Satan pop up,
that talk into my head and saidwhat are you gonna do now?
(10:32):
You just Spent all these womenabout.
What are you going to do whenyou go back?
And now you have to tell themyou're divorced, like they're
going to think you're a fraud.
Yeah, I think because of thelove that I have for myself.
Immediately, not even 30 secondswent by and I heard in my deep
(10:53):
spirit God speak to me and sayAndrea, five years ago you were
only able to speak to 50 percentof those women who marriages
were saved Because we all know50 percent and in divorce.
Now, when you go back, you canspeak to all of them.
You're going to be able torelate to 100 percent of them.
You can speak in the beginningabout because when it was good
(11:16):
and God did redeem during thattime I'm not going to take away
from the great thing that Goddid do because he did, but we
all have free will to change.
That In the second season is no, it didn't work out, but we can
still walk in grace and Godstill has a plan and he still
has a story and he still has apurpose.
And I feel like it would be agreat talk because you've
(11:38):
experienced each of them, theheartbreak and the interleash,
well.
Speaker 1 (11:44):
You can also speak to the idea as evaluating is this
a healthy situation to go backto?
That's a great place to be.
I know that women like you andLisa Tochurst, who's been
through these situations and nowwe're seeing the vulnerability
(12:04):
of women like you, come throughand really be honest, that's a
life-changing ministry becauseit is something that God repairs
circumstances.
He repairs us, but he doesn'tnecessarily let the
circumstances that were brokencontinue on.
Speaker 2 (12:24):
He takes those situations and he walks with us
through them.
We're not alone, the child of.
God and he redeems those momentsso that we can utilize the
worst of our pain, the worst ofour brokenness, to bring him
glory, and somehow he continuesto heal us in those processes.
(12:45):
Oh, 100%.
And you know what else, lisa,I've realized since that, in
this last year, when I it's notthat I question, but I don't
want to use that, because Ithink you should ever question,
because he always wants his bestfor us, even if it doesn't feel
like it.
But my question for God wasthat, again, when he brought me
(13:06):
back into that, why did he bringme there?
It's because I didn't do my duediligence as, going to my
father, asking him he clearlyremoved me from something and I
went back number one and numbertwo.
I felt like God pressed upon myheart where I'm taking you.
He can't go.
(13:26):
And that could be anyrelationship, a friend, exactly,
it could be anything that youknow.
I think God brings people intoyour life for seasons.
It doesn't mean they're goingto be there forever.
I think that they play apurpose in our life for a season
, just as we do, but to continueon our journey.
They're going to take the exitand they're not meant to stay on
(13:49):
the freeway and go further thanthat, and it's a painful
process because you marrysomeone and you think forever
and ever.
Or you have a flung friend or afriend that you've known for a
couple of years and God's justsaying this is toxic.
You don't see it now, andrea,but it will stop you from the
plans that I have for your life.
And, honestly, I was telling afriend the other day.
(14:10):
I said God could have come inand redeemed my marriage, my
family, reconciled it all Kidscoming over, spending the night,
jumping in the bed, beaming inpapa there, just enjoying,
embracing that life that Iwanted.
He could have done that and Icould have written another book
or had an impact on his kingdom.
(14:30):
However, the way I played in myhead is, I feel, like God said
yes, I could have done that, butwhat you can do over here, if I
take it away and don't give itto you, is far greater than if I
would have answered your prayer.
And, honestly, our families,our children, our grandkids and
(14:51):
all the things we have in thisworld are just extra.
What we're here for is to serveand what we're here for is to
be his hands and feet and whatwe're here for is to show people
who Jesus is.
And if he thinks that takingthat away is going to have a
greater impact, then honestly Ifeel like I have to take one for
(15:12):
the team.
That's not whether I want to doit or not.
Of course I want to do it, butwhether it hurts or not, or
whether I agree with it or not,it reminds me of a pin that I
wrote in my journal.
Speaker 1 (15:24):
This is, and I put a picture with it of a woman
carrying a baby away from aburning trailer.
This is how things are youlooking back towards.
That would consume you if youwouldn't move away from them.
Speaker 2 (15:47):
That's so good, Amber .
Yeah, and you don't see it atthe time we don't see, because
you think fighting for yourmarriage and not giving up and
honoring your vow is a goodthing, but I think there's a
time when God also says enough,no more.
This is my daughter and I havebig plans for her, and if she
(16:10):
continues to go down that road,she's not going to be, as I'm
sure there are a lot of peoplethat will argue with a statement
I'm sure there would be butthis is what works for me and
this is what I feel that God hasspoke over my life.
It may not be the same foreverybody, but this is how I
navigate it, as God's not goingto take away something like that
(16:33):
or not reconcile something,unless he has something bigger
or greater for me.
I think it's important for usall to keep in perspective that
God speaks to each of usindividually, for us, for us in
our circumstance, and I dobelieve that God allows us to
sometimes reframe the deepestheartaches and broken spaces so
(16:59):
that we can move through themand function through them, and I
believe that is part of hishealing process.
I know I've personally been inexperiences where he gave me a
way to reframe, to get throughthat moment, and then a little
bit further down the road,reframed again.
I feel like it's part of ourwalk into healing and growth,
leaning on him.
When children are young, wedon't describe to them what the
(17:23):
actual act of sex is becausethey're not going to comprehend,
they're not in a space tounderstand it.
They have to get through to acertain space before we can give
them.
No, it's not just the storyAgain, this and that, and I'm
using it, I'm using the scenario.
But even for us in our walk, Ifeel like sometimes we have to
(17:43):
move from space to space andsometimes our healing can only
take us to this point so that wecan actually dwell in that
healing spot to move us down theroad to another reframe where
we can get a little deeper intothat healing.
So I feel like we need to getperspective.
For anyone that's listening,charles Stanley was my greatest.
(18:05):
He has spoken so much truthover my life over the last 10
years and one thing that hementioned in a sermon one time
was everybody thinks closenessto God is a feeling, it's just
something that we feel I feelclose to, but it's not.
Closeness to God has everythingto do with obedience.
It has everything to do withobedience.
(18:27):
In one of the chapters ofCynthia in my book Live Bold, it
talks about a mom.
Two scenarios A mom comes homefrom work and she gives strict
order to her kids or rules herkids no play station, no friends
over.
Get your homework done, do yourchores.
She comes home and it's thecomplete opposite House is a
master's popcorn everywhere,dogs running all around, friends
(18:49):
are over, their homework's notdone and she's upset and there's
looking to be a littleriff-raff in the house for the
evening.
Next scenario is she comes home, kids did their homework,
everything's done, house isclean.
They may have picked a coupleroses, helped put them on the
table, started dinner and she'sgosh, they listen.
We're going to sit down in that, chics.
We're going to have a greatevening.
Let's talk work.
(19:10):
I feel like God is the same way.
It's not that he, his love,doesn't change for us, but I
feel like there are times whenwe aren't obedient, like
disappointment oh, I told youdon't do this and it's the
closeness that we don't give itwhen we do obey.
He's yes, andy, yes, yes.
That's the closeness that youfeel At least I feel when I know
(19:33):
that I did something that Imaybe didn't want to do or that
was painful.
I always say you asked me a fewquestions back.
What do I say to myself?
To get out of that and to moveforward, take the next step.
And what I have always said tomyself is you can't go with what
you feel, you have to go withwhat you know.
(19:56):
So let's say there's Eagle Road, which I live off of, and let's
say there's 10 mile, a coupleof miles down, and it's like
your feelings are on one, butwhat you know to be true is two,
two exits up.
And if you just keep drivingand keep going with what you
know, which is what God says andwhat the Bible says your
(20:19):
feelings will eventually getthere.
Even if you're going five milesan hour, 20 miles an hour,
sometimes you go 80 miles, youwill eventually get there,
because the truth is what westand on.
And so when my mind starts tospiral and my feelings start
getting out of control and Ijust say to myself, okay, this
is, I'm feeling this right nowand I embrace it and I deal with
(20:40):
it and I don't stuff it down,but I say I'm not going to feel
like this forever.
And it doesn't change what Godsays about being with.
Speaker 1 (20:47):
the truth is what you said about coming home.
I think the mother's hearteventually inevitably shows
gratitude for people doing whatthey say.
To make God grateful by doingwhat you're saying you're going
to do.
He's looking for you, made thiseasy for me.
You made this easy for me andyou made it easy for you Because
(21:11):
I think God, he's going to makethings easier if we would just
Listen, be obedient and be okayif things are a bit
uncomfortable and they don't getan immediate fix.
Speaker 2 (21:27):
Andrea, I want to talk a little bit about your
contribution to leading ladies.
Congratulations, by the way,you guys I am just an awkward
guy doing with that book.
I'm so proud of you both.
It's beautiful.
We're very excited, but we'realso realizing that we didn't
get their honor on ladies likeyou contributed.
You all were just willing, everysingle one from the very first
(21:50):
page to the last page, were verywilling to contribute something
real and valuable that womencan pick up and read and apply
to their own lives, where theyare, and your story of coming
back, walking through, pursuinggetting in there, being
tenacious, fighting throughthese moments of life is a story
that we wanted women to hear,and so if we could introduce
(22:11):
women to you and the strengththat you can give them, having
gone through a process that hasgrown you and helped God to use
you more, we wanted to do that.
You contributed a letter inthat.
For those that don't know, thebook is split up, of course, by
chapters, but we also haveletters that are like in between
every three to four chapters.
They're a little shorter, butthey are full of powerful words.
(22:35):
The letter that Andycontributed is called a letter
to the sisters who have beentorn down in purpose, and I'm
going to quote just a few linesfrom this.
It says after heartachefollowing a divorce and
reconciliation that never came,he is birthing a fresh vision in
me, just as I am un-pursaican.
This is his word to you Hisglory rebuilds his temple.
(22:57):
You can be assured he has notfinished with you, so come into
agreement with this plan again,knowing he is faithful.
Your father is calling youforward, sister.
Come out of the stronghold andwalk confidently, knowing he
designed you with purpose.
You have a rich legacy andinheritance as a daughter of the
king.
(23:17):
And then I like this line.
You just say fine, sister, yeah, wrong and courageous.
Grow your influence today soyou can build a lasting legacy
for tomorrow.
I want to thank you forcontributing those words and
there's more to the letter inhere for anyone that picks it up
and reads it.
But I also want to make surepeople know that they can learn
(23:40):
more about you.
You can go to ourleadingladieslabsite and you'll
see Andy's picture there as oneof our leading ladies.
You can click her link and itwill take you to ways to contact
her, learn more about her, andwe want to make sure that you
recognize that Andy's storycould be life-giving for you, so
(24:01):
we want you to reach out to her.
Also, look at the Liv Bold bookthat she wrote with her cousin
Cynthia.
I will ask one final questionfor you, and I know we touched
on it earlier.
But if Andy today, the wholeunforeseen Andy, could look back
and speak to Liv Bold, andy,after this conversation, of just
(24:24):
reliving these moments, what doyou think you would say to her
Is there any way you couldprepare her?
Is there any way you would wantto?
What would you want to say toher if you could say one thing?
Oh gosh, you know the thing.
That the two words that come tomy mind.
My cousin, cynthia, said to methe day that we decided that we
(24:47):
were going to publish a book.
We actually signed the contractto publish, and she lives in
Washington and I was inCalifornia at the time.
We were editing, sending thingsback and forth, and I remember
her saying to me hold on, thisis going to be a wild ride.
I feel like God's going to dosomething that like hold on.
(25:08):
And I think I would tell her tojust hold on.
Cindy telling me to hold on wasa metaphor, I think, for
something exciting like a rollercoaster.
Hold on, it's going to.
And I think I would tell herhold on because an earthquake is
coming and go, stand underneathyour way or something.
(25:28):
Just hold on.
You're not going to die, you'renot going to fall apart, you're
going to get through this.
Just hold on, because a wave iscoming and you're going to ride
it, even though you don't knowhow to serve, but you're not
going to drown?
Yeah, it's not true.
So beautiful.
And I thank you so much forjoining us this morning.
I know you have an appointmentyou have to get to, so we're
(25:49):
going to send you a message.
Yeah, and I want to thank youfor just being transparent and
sharing this story with us.
I have someone very dear to mein my life right now walking
through what you've walkedthrough and what you've said
today.
I know it's hard to betransparent sometimes, but I am
so grateful that you have been,and I'm praying for everyone
(26:11):
that gets a chance to listen tothis that might be going through
this or know somebody who'sgone through this, that this
message today, although it isvery compact and short, will
give them hope and help themwalk through this journey, for
themselves.
Speaker 1 (26:26):
And I want to just add to that Whoever is watching
this know that God is ready toreignite you in purpose, even
though you may not feel like it.
Speaker 2 (26:40):
Amen.
Speaker 1 (26:40):
Because you have to realign what you're feeling
right in this moment to God'struth, and he wants to push you
to something.
Don't put shutters up on lifeand stay in that stronghold.
So have a conversation with Godand be willing to listen.
(27:01):
Be willing to listen to whathe's actually saying in that
moment, because you're not meantto stay in the dark place.
He wants to reignite you andalso want to say you can connect
with Andy on her Facebook pageand she has some encouragement
there.
I love the encouragement thatyou put out one pin at a time
(27:26):
and it's amazing.
So thank you for doing that.
Speaker 2 (27:29):
Of course.
I just wanted to mention toothat sorry about my regular page
.
Then I also have an author page, but something that I started
nine years ago when we walkedthrough our first separation.
For a year we were separated,but almost 10 years ago now and
then I created these burst cardsbecause I just wanted to carry
around some truth in my pursewith me when I needed it and
(27:51):
when my youngest the other twowere older and they were out of
the house by then, but myyoungest was in junior high at
the time and we would just gothrough the cards like this and
whatever.
When we landed on was our burstfor the day and I said I want
you to think about it and thenwe pick you up.
We'll talk about how God usedthis.
It was just something going tobe something for me and it is
(28:11):
grown into now a Facebook groupcalled burst of the week and I
go in there and I think there's200 and we're going to say 250
verses now on the burst card andpeople just say number 43 or
number 23 or number whatever andthey'll just say quick picker
or whatever it is and I postthat and what I love about how
(28:35):
God works is they're like.
God has been showing me thisfor oh again you got it.
Speaker 1 (28:42):
God has been showing me this for weeks.
Speaker 2 (28:46):
No, and I said it has nothing to do with me, I'm just
being the vessel or God is justusing me.
And one thing, last thing I'mgoing to throw out before I go
is this that, like I said, youdon't have to be on this big
stage or even write a book tohave a ministry, Right, yeah,
it's something simple, asyesterday I went out and had
(29:09):
lunch with a friend.
We just poured into each other.
I had another friend the otherday saying hey, I know you're
walking through a hard time.
My father currently is fightingfor his life.
He has lung cancer and we'redealing with that as a family.
But she just said to me how isyour walk with God going?
You're experiencing all thisgrief.
(29:30):
Find those kind of women thatget in the pit with you and
stand in the gap.
The ministry that you can do islike sending me a text message,
having lunch with a friend doingthe burst of the week taking
kids to church to pick it up.
If their parents don't takethem, pick them up.
It doesn't have to be everySunday, but how about one Sunday
(29:51):
a month taking to church?
These are ways that we canstill have a ministry right.
And even if it's just for aseason, why God is having me
still mourn.
This is my season, this is theway I minister Now.
It doesn't need to be from astage or form.
You still have as much impact.
And it's to challenge you notonly find those women, but be
(30:12):
those women.
Yes, and when you haveopportunity in life, do just
what you talked about earlierGet your eyes up, look out.
And about trying to be thatwoman for someone else.
Right, yeah, thank you.
Thank you, I love you, ladies somuch and I hope to see you guys
soon and I'm so incrediblyproud of you and I just I pray
(30:35):
blessings over your book andyour lives.
They go in the right hands withthe women that need them and
that you would.
It would continue to just makean influence.
Speaker 1 (30:44):
Yes, Thank you, andy, for blessing us today and
blessing all the women who willlisten to this podcast, so I
appreciate that.
Take care and give that littlepuppy a big, huge hug from us.
Speaker 2 (30:59):
We want to stay with you for just a few more minutes
here as Andy leaves the room,but we have an event coming up
in the Kansas City area on July,the 15th, from 5.30pm to 7.30pm
.
It's at a coffee house calledAhadu.
We're calling it our leadingladies caffeinated book tour.
(31:19):
We've joked at the beginningand said we want to do something
different.
Yes, book signings are fun.
I'm sure they're exciting, butthey're not our style, and so
we're throwing this little eventand asking you to join us.
We're going to have some of ourleading lady contributors there
.
Amber's going to drive up fromSpringfield.
(31:40):
She's going to come up north afew hours.
Amber and me got Ahadu coffeein Lee Summit, missouri.
We're going to let our ladiesshare a little bit, those that
will be participating.
I'm going to read off who'scoming.
Let's see.
We have myself and Amber.
We have Veronica Clay, one ofour chapter contributors.
We have Jennifer Miller,another chapter contributor.
(32:02):
We have Mikaela Weaver, oursongwriter, who did our song to
promote reading ladies as well,as her lyrics are printed inside
the book.
They're really meaningful.
And we have a special guest, aleading lady within our local
community, aajali Avila.
She is an amazing educator andshe is going to share with us
(32:24):
about her own community andleading within it.
We have an NC, a hostess, withthe mostess, nina Hampton, and
so we just ask that you join uson that.
Speaker 1 (32:35):
Yeah, amber, are you excited?
Yes, I am excited.
So anybody who will be up inthe Kansas City area Lee Summit,
you know what, come as you are,we're not going to be fancy.
Come in your messy buns.
Come in your pajamas, if youwant to, we are.
We're pretty damn at night.
I'm hoping you're.
Do we want to get ladies fromyouth group and pile them into
(32:58):
your car?
Speaker 2 (32:59):
Yeah, Bring them and have coffee available.
Maybe you've got a friend,maybe in the women's ministries
department at your church orsomething like that.
We'd love for you to be able tobring a friend.
And we're going to be casual,we're going to have music, we're
going to have the ladies talk,we'll have a little panel
discussion towards the end andAhadu will be selling coffee and
(33:23):
all of this wonderful coffeedrinks.
Speaker 1 (33:25):
So come drink it and we're going to have a few little
goodies to give away to ourladies, the ways I know I know,
and if you have a book already,please bring it.
Speaker 2 (33:38):
I would love for you to get to have our contributors
sign their chapter.
We'll have some books availabletoo that's the plan, but so
many of already purchased inthis area.
If you haven't bring them withyou, we'll sign them.
We just want to celebrate, sojoin us.
Speaker 1 (33:53):
Take care, guys, we will see you soon.
Good morning everyone .
We're excited to be with youfor another hot copy chat I just
have outside, but I have coldhere in my cup because it's been
around 102 degrees in Missouriand that is not a fun place to
be.
(00:20):
We have our amazing guest, andyTamasi.
I call her Andy, so I'm goingto just call you Andy, is that
okay?
Yes, please do.
We've had an amazingconversation today because we
started our conversation withdogs.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
They did it trade in dogs that we all own and it
seems right Doodles rule in thismeeting right now, so our
number Doodles rule, right here.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
I think I'm going to have to get a Doodle just to be
in the trend of Doodles.
Probably, I think duringDoodles have been the ultimate
dog accessory I've seen at thepark.
I'm wondering if Doodles willoversell the Labrador Retrievers
.
Labradoodles maybe.
They sure are sweet.
(01:09):
Yes.
So, andy, thank you for beingwith us today.
We're talking about animportant topic, andy, having
been in ministry and walkingthrough a divorce in the middle
of it and having everything feellike it stopped, and trying to
(01:29):
rebuild from a very significantgrieving process, so I just
really thank you for being heretoday and being willing to be
vulnerable in this conversation,because it's a tough
conversation to have.
Speaker 2 (01:43):
For those of you that have already started to read
the book, it seems like it'slike part of the ongoing
messages.
What do you do with yourselfwhen life happens Unexpected
things, things maybe we sawcoming down the road but still
kept believing and hoping itwouldn't quite upset the apple
cart of our life?
How do we somehow pivot and putourselves back on the road of
(02:09):
doing what we know we'resupposed to do for God, as well
as those things that give uslife and re-energize us and give
us meaning and hope?
So today we wanted to talkabout that.
Andrea is a grandmother youcan't tell that by looking at
her.
She has seven grand babies.
She has me beat I'm going tohave to get over here as if that
(02:33):
has anything to do with me andshe also has done some
award-winning writing in a bookwith her cousin, cynthia
Kavanaugh the Live Bold book.
And, andy, I know that's when Imet you.
I met you when we were at aconference mutually, amber and I
, you, cynthia, some otherladies and I remember meeting
(02:54):
you there and all the excitementthat was around that project.
But life obviously, as we justmentioned, took a turn for you
after the Live Bold book waslaunched and you guys were
walking through that process.
Can you tell us a little bitabout how life took that turn?
Yeah, I think it's always goingto be something painful to talk
(03:16):
about this side of heaven.
I was married for 33 years.
I met my husband when I was 18.
It was a very high and a verylow.
Walking the same path whereyou're so excited and this
vision has come to fruition andwriting with Cynthia is just.
She's a great person anyway,but being my blood and my cousin
(03:37):
, an honor of our grandmotherand my mom, and just where our
family came from, is just anhonor to write with her.
Sometimes God puts these thingsin our path that we have no
control over, and he constantly.
Even today two years out ofthis August will be two years
out of my divorce he'sconstantly showing me his up
(03:59):
here, just like when we take oureyes off of him, we start to.
I can start to spiral and godownhill super quickly.
So during that time it wassuper important to me to one
give myself permission to grieveand I can just tell you, ladies
, this right now don't letanybody tell you there's a time.
Leave it on, because there'snot an.
(04:20):
Everybody's different and it'sokay and you have to give
yourself grace.
There's so many times I wouldsit and say I should be further
along in the process for a lotof people, when they divorce and
see them on Facebook, havethese divorce parties where they
have this celebration withtheir friends, and it just
wasn't like that for me.
(04:40):
It was a grieving.
This is not something that Iwanted.
This was not something I wantedfor my life, for my children,
for my grandchildren.
I wanted a godly legacy for ourfamily, but fortunately it
didn't turn out that way.
I can still give them my godlylegacy.
I don't have to be married todo that.
So I just want to throw thatout there, that we still have a
(05:01):
huge impact on our grandchildrenand our children, even as
adults, through this process.
I want to ask the question whenyou're in the middle of that,
that where your heart is justbroken and you're trying to put
one foot in front of the otherand, like you said, grief
doesn't have a timeline.
Grief comes and goes as itwants and a lot of times we have
(05:24):
no control over that what wereyou able to do to keep the focus
, like you said, eyes up here,especially when you were fresh
coming from that separation anddivorce, because you said you're
two years out.
That's a long time of walkingthrough that process.
What did you do?
(05:44):
What things did God do to bringyou through that?
I say that I'm two years out,but in all actuality it's a
little less than one year out,maybe close to 10, 11 months.
And I say that because we didtry to reconcile after our
divorce.
I don't know if in my mind, Ineeded to have a finality of it,
(06:05):
but I saw changes in him thatchecked off all the boxes for me
and you got to understand in mymind.
I've been praying for this tohappen for nine years, almost 10
years, just so.
Finally, when it did happen,I'm like, oh my gosh, god,
answer my prayers, this is it.
And when I walk into it, itturned out exactly how our
(06:26):
diverse ended and my heart waseven broken more than the first
time.
But I struggled with that for awhile and I said to God but why
would you have me walk backinto something if you knew it
was never like?
Why would you awaken?
That Let up again in my heart.
And you know what he told me.
He said because you never askedme to go back you just right
(06:49):
and and full throttle back intosomething that I removed you
from for your own protection,and you ran back, never asked me
, and that was a big eye Openingthing for me, which I am caring
now it's been almost a year.
So in this last year of my lifeI am very into Boom to Something
(07:12):
I think we have to ask God forthese big things.
Should I buy a house?
And it's not.
It's in every little tinyThings that we do will mean
Clued him in those, and sothat's the lesson that I have
learned in this last year ofJust because as good doesn't
mean it's from God, just becausesomebody made the changes and
(07:34):
it looks great on the outside.
God knows everybody's heart,god knows his heart, god knows
my heart, god knows your heart.
Yeah, it was a tough lesson tolearn and a painful lesson to
learn, but I am so grateful thatI learned that lesson because
that, moving forward, it'seasier to see red flags.
If I ever start dating again,if I ever got ever brings
(07:56):
anybody else back into my life,I'm gonna have that discernment
to say let's just, let's have achat right now, before we ever
go out for coffee or we ever doanything like you need to tell
me because I don't want to putone Extra foot in front of the
other if this is not a road thatyou want me to go down, so he's
gonna be in every singleDecision like that one before,
(08:17):
because I just my heart can't doit.
That again, as I think aboutthis and while I don't want to
make this an expose on Divorce,but I do want to ask the
question, in the church weobviously Seem to put a stigma
on that.
We seem to Walk around withthis mindset that it's something
(08:42):
we don't want and of courseit's not God's best for us.
So when it happens to us, whenwe end up walking through that,
the enemy of course wants tocome and Make us feel like we
are nothing, we are unqualified,we are not covered by God's
grace any longer, we don't haveanything to offer.
(09:02):
How does that work when youknow you're called, know there's
still something out there foryou to do?
How do you pivot and turnyourself from all those voices
in your head that the enemy justplays those tapes over and over
again and you battle?
How do you fight against thosethoughts?
(09:23):
I think for me there's a Deeprespect and love for myself
today that even a year ago Idon't think I had.
I think I was getting close,but I think the first year
started it and this last yearfinished it, because when you
have that deep love and respectfor yourself, number one, you
(09:48):
are able to set healthyboundaries right, because we are
supposed to guard your heartand let me tell you, I had no
idea how to set it around Bardmy heart, which is, I think,
that's why I was hurt so deeply.
However, I Remember a few yearsago when Cynthia and I spoke at
a conference for Rosalinda backin Virginia and it was five
(10:10):
years ago, because I remember atthat time we were in a great
place and I'm speaking from thestage talking about God can save
your marriage and you just needto just trust him and wait on
this timing.
God's in the middle of it, kindof thing.
And as soon as I got divorced,it's funny how Satan pop up,
that talk into my head and saidwhat are you gonna do now?
(10:32):
You just Spent all these womenabout.
What are you going to do whenyou go back?
And now you have to tell themyou're divorced, like they're
going to think you're a fraud.
Yeah, I think because of thelove that I have for myself.
Immediately, not even 30 secondswent by and I heard in my deep
(10:53):
spirit God speak to me and sayAndrea, five years ago you were
only able to speak to 50 percentof those women who marriages
were saved Because we all know50 percent and in divorce.
Now, when you go back, you canspeak to all of them.
You're going to be able torelate to 100 percent of them.
You can speak in the beginningabout because when it was good
(11:16):
and God did redeem during thattime I'm not going to take away
from the great thing that Goddid do because he did, but we
all have free will to change.
That In the second season is no, it didn't work out, but we can
still walk in grace and Godstill has a plan and he still
has a story and he still has apurpose.
And I feel like it would be agreat talk because you've
(11:38):
experienced each of them, theheartbreak and the interleash,
well.
Speaker 1 (11:44):
You can also speak to the idea as evaluating is this
a healthy situation to go backto?
That's a great place to be.
I know that women like you andLisa Tochurst, who's been
through these situations and nowwe're seeing the vulnerability
(12:04):
of women like you, come throughand really be honest, that's a
life-changing ministry becauseit is something that God repairs
circumstances.
He repairs us, but he doesn'tnecessarily let the
circumstances that were brokencontinue on.
Speaker 2 (12:24):
He takes those situations and he walks with us
through them.
We're not alone, the child of.
God and he redeems those momentsso that we can utilize the
worst of our pain, the worst ofour brokenness, to bring him
glory, and somehow he continuesto heal us in those processes.
(12:45):
Oh, 100%.
And you know what else, lisa,I've realized since that, in
this last year, when I it's notthat I question, but I don't
want to use that, because Ithink you should ever question,
because he always wants his bestfor us, even if it doesn't feel
like it.
But my question for God wasthat, again, when he brought me
(13:06):
back into that, why did he bringme there?
It's because I didn't do my duediligence as, going to my
father, asking him he clearlyremoved me from something and I
went back number one and numbertwo.
I felt like God pressed upon myheart where I'm taking you.
He can't go.
(13:26):
And that could be anyrelationship, a friend, exactly,
it could be anything that youknow.
I think God brings people intoyour life for seasons.
It doesn't mean they're goingto be there forever.
I think that they play apurpose in our life for a season
, just as we do, but to continueon our journey.
They're going to take the exitand they're not meant to stay on
(13:49):
the freeway and go further thanthat, and it's a painful
process because you marrysomeone and you think forever
and ever.
Or you have a flung friend or afriend that you've known for a
couple of years and God's justsaying this is toxic.
You don't see it now, andrea,but it will stop you from the
plans that I have for your life.
And, honestly, I was telling afriend the other day.
(14:10):
I said God could have come inand redeemed my marriage, my
family, reconciled it all Kidscoming over, spending the night,
jumping in the bed, beaming inpapa there, just enjoying,
embracing that life that Iwanted.
He could have done that and Icould have written another book
or had an impact on his kingdom.
(14:30):
However, the way I played in myhead is, I feel, like God said
yes, I could have done that, butwhat you can do over here, if I
take it away and don't give itto you, is far greater than if I
would have answered your prayer.
And, honestly, our families,our children, our grandkids and
(14:51):
all the things we have in thisworld are just extra.
What we're here for is to serveand what we're here for is to
be his hands and feet and whatwe're here for is to show people
who Jesus is.
And if he thinks that takingthat away is going to have a
greater impact, then honestly Ifeel like I have to take one for
(15:12):
the team.
That's not whether I want to doit or not.
Of course I want to do it, butwhether it hurts or not, or
whether I agree with it or not,it reminds me of a pin that I
wrote in my journal.
Speaker 1 (15:24):
This is, and I put a picture with it of a woman
carrying a baby away from aburning trailer.
This is how things are youlooking back towards.
That would consume you if youwouldn't move away from them.
Speaker 2 (15:47):
That's so good, Amber .
Yeah, and you don't see it atthe time we don't see, because
you think fighting for yourmarriage and not giving up and
honoring your vow is a goodthing, but I think there's a
time when God also says enough,no more.
This is my daughter and I havebig plans for her, and if she
(16:10):
continues to go down that road,she's not going to be, as I'm
sure there are a lot of peoplethat will argue with a statement
I'm sure there would be butthis is what works for me and
this is what I feel that God hasspoke over my life.
It may not be the same foreverybody, but this is how I
navigate it, as God's not goingto take away something like that
(16:33):
or not reconcile something,unless he has something bigger
or greater for me.
I think it's important for usall to keep in perspective that
God speaks to each of usindividually, for us, for us in
our circumstance, and I dobelieve that God allows us to
sometimes reframe the deepestheartaches and broken spaces so
(16:59):
that we can move through themand function through them, and I
believe that is part of hishealing process.
I know I've personally been inexperiences where he gave me a
way to reframe, to get throughthat moment, and then a little
bit further down the road,reframed again.
I feel like it's part of ourwalk into healing and growth,
leaning on him.
When children are young, wedon't describe to them what the
(17:23):
actual act of sex is becausethey're not going to comprehend,
they're not in a space tounderstand it.
They have to get through to acertain space before we can give
them.
No, it's not just the storyAgain, this and that, and I'm
using it, I'm using the scenario.
But even for us in our walk, Ifeel like sometimes we have to
(17:43):
move from space to space andsometimes our healing can only
take us to this point so that wecan actually dwell in that
healing spot to move us down theroad to another reframe where
we can get a little deeper intothat healing.
So I feel like we need to getperspective.
For anyone that's listening,charles Stanley was my greatest.
(18:05):
He has spoken so much truthover my life over the last 10
years and one thing that hementioned in a sermon one time
was everybody thinks closenessto God is a feeling, it's just
something that we feel I feelclose to, but it's not.
Closeness to God has everythingto do with obedience.
It has everything to do withobedience.
(18:27):
In one of the chapters ofCynthia in my book Live Bold, it
talks about a mom.
Two scenarios A mom comes homefrom work and she gives strict
order to her kids or rules herkids no play station, no friends
over.
Get your homework done, do yourchores.
She comes home and it's thecomplete opposite House is a
master's popcorn everywhere,dogs running all around, friends
(18:49):
are over, their homework's notdone and she's upset and there's
looking to be a littleriff-raff in the house for the
evening.
Next scenario is she comes home, kids did their homework,
everything's done, house isclean.
They may have picked a coupleroses, helped put them on the
table, started dinner and she'sgosh, they listen.
We're going to sit down in that, chics.
We're going to have a greatevening.
Let's talk work.
(19:10):
I feel like God is the same way.
It's not that he, his love,doesn't change for us, but I
feel like there are times whenwe aren't obedient, like
disappointment oh, I told youdon't do this and it's the
closeness that we don't give itwhen we do obey.
He's yes, andy, yes, yes.
That's the closeness that youfeel At least I feel when I know
(19:33):
that I did something that Imaybe didn't want to do or that
was painful.
I always say you asked me a fewquestions back.
What do I say to myself?
To get out of that and to moveforward, take the next step.
And what I have always said tomyself is you can't go with what
you feel, you have to go withwhat you know.
(19:56):
So let's say there's Eagle Road, which I live off of, and let's
say there's 10 mile, a coupleof miles down, and it's like
your feelings are on one, butwhat you know to be true is two,
two exits up.
And if you just keep drivingand keep going with what you
know, which is what God says andwhat the Bible says your
(20:19):
feelings will eventually getthere.
Even if you're going five milesan hour, 20 miles an hour,
sometimes you go 80 miles, youwill eventually get there,
because the truth is what westand on.
And so when my mind starts tospiral and my feelings start
getting out of control and Ijust say to myself, okay, this
is, I'm feeling this right nowand I embrace it and I deal with
(20:40):
it and I don't stuff it down,but I say I'm not going to feel
like this forever.
And it doesn't change what Godsays about being with.
Speaker 1 (20:47):
the truth is what you said about coming home.
I think the mother's hearteventually inevitably shows
gratitude for people doing whatthey say.
To make God grateful by doingwhat you're saying you're going
to do.
He's looking for you, made thiseasy for me.
You made this easy for me andyou made it easy for you Because
(21:11):
I think God, he's going to makethings easier if we would just
Listen, be obedient and be okayif things are a bit
uncomfortable and they don't getan immediate fix.
Speaker 2 (21:27):
Andrea, I want to talk a little bit about your
contribution to leading ladies.
Congratulations, by the way,you guys I am just an awkward
guy doing with that book.
I'm so proud of you both.
It's beautiful.
We're very excited, but we'realso realizing that we didn't
get their honor on ladies likeyou contributed.
You all were just willing, everysingle one from the very first
(21:50):
page to the last page, were verywilling to contribute something
real and valuable that womencan pick up and read and apply
to their own lives, where theyare, and your story of coming
back, walking through, pursuinggetting in there, being
tenacious, fighting throughthese moments of life is a story
that we wanted women to hear,and so if we could introduce
(22:11):
women to you and the strengththat you can give them, having
gone through a process that hasgrown you and helped God to use
you more, we wanted to do that.
You contributed a letter inthat.
For those that don't know, thebook is split up, of course, by
chapters, but we also haveletters that are like in between
every three to four chapters.
They're a little shorter, butthey are full of powerful words.
(22:35):
The letter that Andycontributed is called a letter
to the sisters who have beentorn down in purpose, and I'm
going to quote just a few linesfrom this.
It says after heartachefollowing a divorce and
reconciliation that never came,he is birthing a fresh vision in
me, just as I am un-pursaican.
This is his word to you Hisglory rebuilds his temple.
(22:57):
You can be assured he has notfinished with you, so come into
agreement with this plan again,knowing he is faithful.
Your father is calling youforward, sister.
Come out of the stronghold andwalk confidently, knowing he
designed you with purpose.
You have a rich legacy andinheritance as a daughter of the
king.
(23:17):
And then I like this line.
You just say fine, sister, yeah, wrong and courageous.
Grow your influence today soyou can build a lasting legacy
for tomorrow.
I want to thank you forcontributing those words and
there's more to the letter inhere for anyone that picks it up
and reads it.
But I also want to make surepeople know that they can learn
(23:40):
more about you.
You can go to ourleadingladieslabsite and you'll
see Andy's picture there as oneof our leading ladies.
You can click her link and itwill take you to ways to contact
her, learn more about her, andwe want to make sure that you
recognize that Andy's storycould be life-giving for you, so
(24:01):
we want you to reach out to her.
Also, look at the Liv Bold bookthat she wrote with her cousin
Cynthia.
I will ask one final questionfor you, and I know we touched
on it earlier.
But if Andy today, the wholeunforeseen Andy, could look back
and speak to Liv Bold, andy,after this conversation, of just
(24:24):
reliving these moments, what doyou think you would say to her
Is there any way you couldprepare her?
Is there any way you would wantto?
What would you want to say toher if you could say one thing?
Oh gosh, you know the thing.
That the two words that come tomy mind.
My cousin, cynthia, said to methe day that we decided that we
(24:47):
were going to publish a book.
We actually signed the contractto publish, and she lives in
Washington and I was inCalifornia at the time.
We were editing, sending thingsback and forth, and I remember
her saying to me hold on, thisis going to be a wild ride.
I feel like God's going to dosomething that like hold on.
(25:08):
And I think I would tell her tojust hold on.
Cindy telling me to hold on wasa metaphor, I think, for
something exciting like a rollercoaster.
Hold on, it's going to.
And I think I would tell herhold on because an earthquake is
coming and go, stand underneathyour way or something.
(25:28):
Just hold on.
You're not going to die, you'renot going to fall apart, you're
going to get through this.
Just hold on, because a wave iscoming and you're going to ride
it, even though you don't knowhow to serve, but you're not
going to drown?
Yeah, it's not true.
So beautiful.
And I thank you so much forjoining us this morning.
I know you have an appointmentyou have to get to, so we're
(25:49):
going to send you a message.
Yeah, and I want to thank youfor just being transparent and
sharing this story with us.
I have someone very dear to mein my life right now walking
through what you've walkedthrough and what you've said
today.
I know it's hard to betransparent sometimes, but I am
so grateful that you have been,and I'm praying for everyone
(26:11):
that gets a chance to listen tothis that might be going through
this or know somebody who'sgone through this, that this
message today, although it isvery compact and short, will
give them hope and help themwalk through this journey, for
themselves.
Speaker 1 (26:26):
And I want to just add to that Whoever is watching
this know that God is ready toreignite you in purpose, even
though you may not feel like it.
Speaker 2 (26:40):
Amen.
Speaker 1 (26:40):
Because you have to realign what you're feeling
right in this moment to God'struth, and he wants to push you
to something.
Don't put shutters up on lifeand stay in that stronghold.
So have a conversation with Godand be willing to listen.
(27:01):
Be willing to listen to whathe's actually saying in that
moment, because you're not meantto stay in the dark place.
He wants to reignite you andalso want to say you can connect
with Andy on her Facebook pageand she has some encouragement
there.
I love the encouragement thatyou put out one pin at a time
(27:26):
and it's amazing.
So thank you for doing that.
Speaker 2 (27:29):
Of course.
I just wanted to mention toothat sorry about my regular page
.
Then I also have an author page, but something that I started
nine years ago when we walkedthrough our first separation.
For a year we were separated,but almost 10 years ago now and
then I created these burst cardsbecause I just wanted to carry
around some truth in my pursewith me when I needed it and
(27:51):
when my youngest the other twowere older and they were out of
the house by then, but myyoungest was in junior high at
the time and we would just gothrough the cards like this and
whatever.
When we landed on was our burstfor the day and I said I want
you to think about it and thenwe pick you up.
We'll talk about how God usedthis.
It was just something going tobe something for me and it is
(28:11):
grown into now a Facebook groupcalled burst of the week and I
go in there and I think there's200 and we're going to say 250
verses now on the burst card andpeople just say number 43 or
number 23 or number whatever andthey'll just say quick picker
or whatever it is and I postthat and what I love about how
(28:35):
God works is they're like.
God has been showing me thisfor oh again you got it.
Speaker 1 (28:42):
God has been showing me this for weeks.
Speaker 2 (28:46):
No, and I said it has nothing to do with me, I'm just
being the vessel or God is justusing me.
And one thing, last thing I'mgoing to throw out before I go
is this that, like I said, youdon't have to be on this big
stage or even write a book tohave a ministry, Right, yeah,
it's something simple, asyesterday I went out and had
(29:09):
lunch with a friend.
We just poured into each other.
I had another friend the otherday saying hey, I know you're
walking through a hard time.
My father currently is fightingfor his life.
He has lung cancer and we'redealing with that as a family.
But she just said to me how isyour walk with God going?
You're experiencing all thisgrief.
(29:30):
Find those kind of women thatget in the pit with you and
stand in the gap.
The ministry that you can do islike sending me a text message,
having lunch with a friend doingthe burst of the week taking
kids to church to pick it up.
If their parents don't takethem, pick them up.
It doesn't have to be everySunday, but how about one Sunday
(29:51):
a month taking to church?
These are ways that we canstill have a ministry right.
And even if it's just for aseason, why God is having me
still mourn.
This is my season, this is theway I minister Now.
It doesn't need to be from astage or form.
You still have as much impact.
And it's to challenge you notonly find those women, but be
(30:12):
those women.
Yes, and when you haveopportunity in life, do just
what you talked about earlierGet your eyes up, look out.
And about trying to be thatwoman for someone else.
Right, yeah, thank you.
Thank you, I love you, ladies somuch and I hope to see you guys
soon and I'm so incrediblyproud of you and I just I pray
(30:35):
blessings over your book andyour lives.
They go in the right hands withthe women that need them and
that you would.
It would continue to just makean influence.
Speaker 1 (30:44):
Yes, Thank you, andy, for blessing us today and
blessing all the women who willlisten to this podcast, so I
appreciate that.
Take care and give that littlepuppy a big, huge hug from us.
Speaker 2 (30:59):
We want to stay with you for just a few more minutes
here as Andy leaves the room,but we have an event coming up
in the Kansas City area on July,the 15th, from 5.30pm to 7.30pm
.
It's at a coffee house calledAhadu.
We're calling it our leadingladies caffeinated book tour.
(31:19):
We've joked at the beginningand said we want to do something
different.
Yes, book signings are fun.
I'm sure they're exciting, butthey're not our style, and so
we're throwing this little eventand asking you to join us.
We're going to have some of ourleading lady contributors there
.
Amber's going to drive up fromSpringfield.
(31:40):
She's going to come up north afew hours.
Amber and me got Ahadu coffeein Lee Summit, missouri.
We're going to let our ladiesshare a little bit, those that
will be participating.
I'm going to read off who'scoming.
Let's see.
We have myself and Amber.
We have Veronica Clay, one ofour chapter contributors.
We have Jennifer Miller,another chapter contributor.
(32:02):
We have Mikaela Weaver, oursongwriter, who did our song to
promote reading ladies as well,as her lyrics are printed inside
the book.
They're really meaningful.
And we have a special guest, aleading lady within our local
community, aajali Avila.
She is an amazing educator andshe is going to share with us
(32:24):
about her own community andleading within it.
We have an NC, a hostess, withthe mostess, nina Hampton, and
so we just ask that you join uson that.
Speaker 1 (32:35):
Yeah, amber, are you excited?
Yes, I am excited.
So anybody who will be up inthe Kansas City area Lee Summit,
you know what, come as you are,we're not going to be fancy.
Come in your messy buns.
Come in your pajamas, if youwant to, we are.
We're pretty damn at night.
I'm hoping you're.
Do we want to get ladies fromyouth group and pile them into
(32:58):
your car?
Speaker 2 (32:59):
Yeah, Bring them and have coffee available.
Maybe you've got a friend,maybe in the women's ministries
department at your church orsomething like that.
We'd love for you to be able tobring a friend.
And we're going to be casual,we're going to have music, we're
going to have the ladies talk,we'll have a little panel
discussion towards the end andAhadu will be selling coffee and
(33:23):
all of this wonderful coffeedrinks.
Speaker 1 (33:25):
So come drink it and we're going to have a few little
goodies to give away to ourladies, the ways I know I know,
and if you have a book already,please bring it.
Speaker 2 (33:38):
I would love for you to get to have our contributors
sign their chapter.
We'll have some books availabletoo that's the plan, but so
many of already purchased inthis area.
If you haven't bring them withyou, we'll sign them.
We just want to celebrate, sojoin us.
Speaker 1 (33:53):
Take care, guys, we will see you soon.
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