December 31, 2024 • 46 mins
On this year-end edition of Coffee Chat, discover how a shift in perspective can turn uncertainty into a beacon of hope. Through personal stories of divine provision and unexpected blessings, we explore the power of faith during life's turbulent times. It's about seeing the light in the darkest moments and embracing the present with trust in God's timing. Whether it's a surprise financial gift or the quiet comfort of a daily prayer, these stories remind us that focusing on today can illuminate the path forward, scattering fears of past regrets and future anxieties.
As the longest nights of winter set the stage for renewal, we reflect on the courage and mercy that guide us through life's challenges. Embracing the cozy elements of the season, we find inspiration in the story of Christ's birth. We anticipate new beginnings and celebrate the gifts and lessons from the past year. So, as the year draws to a close, cherish the moments with loved ones and join us in welcoming a joyful New Year filled with hope and mindfulness. Happy 2025 from Amber & Lisa!
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):
The content of this meeting is being sent to a third
party, if you should know.
Okay, good morning everyone,and welcome to the Christmas
edition of Leading Hearts.
Oh my gosh, you've had one toomany Christmas editions.
That is non-alcoholic eggnog,nice disclaimer to share.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
I'm just still going with coffee and half and half.
Well, good morning and welcometo Coffee Chat.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
Nice disclaimer to share.
I'm just still going withcoffee and half and half.
Well, good morning and welcometo Coffee Chat with Amber and
Lisa, or Eggnog Chat, as I ampartaking in.
This is three days untilChristmas.
Speaker 2 (00:42):
Okay, wait, I think it's fitting that we count.
So Christmas Eve is Tuesday, isthat right?
Yes, yes, so today's Saturday,sunday, monday, tuesday,
technically, we have threesleeps, right?
Yes, no, we have four sleepsbefore Christmas day.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
Wow, wow.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
That is incredible because it feels like it would
be terrible if Christmas Daywasn't until Thursday, and I
just totally startled everyonethat they were not on target
right.
Oh my goodness.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
Oh, good night it is.
For some reason it doesn't feelquite like Christmas.
I mean, we have been goingthrough some stuff.
I've been in a constructionzone with my house, which is
exciting too, because in thatconstruction zone a new office
and a new podcast studio iscoming.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
I'm sorry over here you get the corner of my dining
room.
That's what you get.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
Right now I'm in the corner of my dining room, but it
is exciting to see progress.
The little elves will beworking overtime after Christmas
because all my office furniturearrived.
You know those end of year taxdeductions.
Speaker 2 (02:04):
You know those end of year tax deductions.
We've been tossing picturesback and forth of office
furniture to make sure we getthe right blend.
Speaker 1 (02:11):
Yes, and we did tone one of them.
I was picking orange and Lisa'slike why don't you choose this
camel color, which actuallyturned out to be really, really
nice?
We're doing mid-century modern,it's my favorite.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
Add a little cozy to mid-century modern, and that is
me, to my soul.
So it excites me to see whatyou have here.
Speaker 1 (02:37):
I'm excited to do that and excited to see
everything come together.
My back hurts a little bitbecause we've been moving 150,
200-pound boxes and I'm olderthan I would like to be.
Does everything hurt more whenyou turn 50?
Speaker 2 (02:51):
Why would you ask me that question, Amber?
I'm 25.
Why would you ask me that?
Speaker 1 (02:58):
Well, if anybody's not here, does everything hurt
more when you turn 50?
Because it just seems like Isprained my ankle easier, you
know.
Everything just hurts a littlebit more and I'm like, okay, I
need to chill back.
We did get an appliance, dollyyeah Investment, and that has
(03:21):
been great to have, but it hasbeen a time because both of us
Lisa and I have been sick.
Lisa is just kidding over, Imean, I am.
So if I sound a little, stuffy.
Speaker 2 (03:33):
I apologize.
If I turn off the volume, it'sbecause I'm having a coughing
fit, you know, yeah, so tell usthe cocktail of what you've been
dealing with?
Speaker 1 (03:42):
What?
Speaker 2 (03:42):
I've been dealing with oh, it's such a joyful
pre-Christmas cocktail.
I have had bronchitis and asinus infection.
I believe my beloved sweetgrandbaby shared some sort of
virus with me several weeks backand it just stewed and stewed
and stewed for a while.
Thus the sinus infection.
Then it went into bronchitisand then, on top of that, my
(04:05):
husband tested positive forCOVID and I thought maybe I
should test and yes, the vid hitthe household.
Needless to say, things tend tolinger longer with me.
We are doing antibiotics,steroids, some prescription
cough medicine that come inthese nice little capsules so
(04:26):
you don't have to taste thenasty stuff.
So it's been really pleasant.
Speaker 1 (04:31):
And didn't Randy have walking pneumonia too?
My daughter had walkingpneumonia.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
Randy walked around with it for so long and then
finally went in the last timefor a checkup and they said
COVID, oh, my goodness, it'sbeen so fun here.
And grand babies have beeninfected.
They've all gone through thevid.
So we are all going to be sohappy because we're all just
(04:56):
starting to feel better and likewe are coming to life again.
You know we talk about.
I know you posted on your wall.
Is it okay to not decorate thisyear?
I just can't.
I am a Christmas cheer girly tomy core.
I have to blame allgrandparents, grandmothers and
great aunties and parents.
(05:18):
Aunties, they did this to me.
I come by it Honestly if I wereto tell you how magical my
childhood was concerningChristmas.
Growing up, I was veryfortunate, and so for me,
Christmas isn't Christmaswithout the Christmas stuff up.
Yes, I like it aroundThanksgiving and I like it till
(05:43):
way after the new year, becausemy birthday is on January 8th.
I like it up, I like the lightsup.
So we are really late right now.
My husband made a joke about it.
But Christmas is in boxes.
That whole thing from Grinch.
It says you know Christmas,maybe it doesn't come in boxes?
Well, yes, it does.
Speaker 1 (06:01):
It comes from my garage from the attic in boxes.
Well, yes, it does, it comesfrom my garage from the attic
and right now the Christmasboxes have thrown up all over
the family room and I get tocome over and experience the
Christmas boxing joy.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
You do, because I will be in process tomorrow.
Still, I promise.
On top of that, my daughtershave been telling me for the
longest time get you one ofthose ruggables, those wash rugs
.
And one day, miraculously,there was someone on Marketplace
selling a brand new nine by 12foot ruggable and it was the
perfect colors that I needed andthey only wanted like $75 for
(06:41):
it and that was a big chunk forme.
But considering I'd seen peopletrying to sell eight by tens
for like a hundred, I was like,oh, that's a good thing.
And I had a little bit of moneytucked away from my superstar,
my superstar payment check.
I hang on to as long as I can.
And I bought this ruggableright.
(07:01):
So it's been in my living roomand we needed to wash it because
I also have a great thing puppyand sin of all sins.
This past week, when we're allsick and struggling and in and
out, he decided that maybe therug was a good place and I'm not
(07:22):
going to say any more.
I'll leave that to yourimagination.
But so right now, behind me inthe other room is the Christmas
box is throwing up.
Wow, in front of me is this 12foot rug that is propped up on
all my dining room chairs with afan at one end and a fan at the
other that's been blowing allnight.
My house smells collectively ofclean laundry and Christmas
(07:45):
tree, because I also got ablessed Christmas tree.
Yesterday my daughter went outand got the Christmas tree.
She got it for a rock bottomprice of $14.
Tell me that isn't a Christmasmiracle.
Little Christopher, beautifullyshaped, not dry at all,
beautiful short needles.
God loves me.
(08:05):
So, yeah, this is the chaosthat is post three-week sickness
late on Christmas.
Do I think we're going to pullit off?
Yes, yes, might it be a littleless than normal Again.
Yes, but it's going to be good,I promise.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
Christmas is coming.
Yeah, you know one of myfriends from high school.
I remember her parents went outthe night of Christmas Eve and
always got their tree and thatwas like something they did.
Like they got their tree, theydecorated it that night and that
was the big tradition and Idon't know if very many people
(08:47):
do that anymore.
I mean a lot of people likedecorate the day after
Thanksgiving or the first day ofNovember and keep it up.
I wonder about all these peoplewith these really extravagant
light displays, like when dothey start putting those up?
Speaker 2 (09:03):
Well, I know you have to kind of hit the pre-cold
weather weather to do it outside, and I know a lot of people
just hire companies to do it.
That's not the way we do it.
My husband would be hanging,you know, hanging from a ladder
outside.
I would be praying inside God,please don't let him fall.
(09:23):
Not that type of Christmasinteraction do we need.
But we don't have lightsoutside or anything.
It's going to be fine.
I kept saying this Christmas isvery different.
Not that we ever are able to doexorbitant thing with gifts,
but this year is tighter thanmost years and I found myself
(09:44):
doing a lot of knitting,knitting, slash, crocheting.
Right now my hands are somewhatnormal size but they have been
so swollen because these littlefingers have been working.
Speaker 1 (09:56):
Is it harder to?
Speaker 2 (09:56):
knit.
Now what are you trying to sayit is.
What is harder is that I thinkmy arthritis has advanced a bit
and so that has made it a littledifficult.
And I will tell you alsoanother secret.
You know I love all thingscrafting.
I love things, I like to makethings and give things.
(10:18):
It's my favorite thing andalways has been.
Since I was a kid and the pastI'd say almost two years with
our book baby, I haven't knitteda single thing, except my
oldest twin granddaughtersstarted kindergarten this year.
I just was being reallysentimental and I saw this
(10:41):
little thing to make, theselittle crocheted hearts, and I
thought you know what I'm goingto make?
My grandbaby's little crochetedhearts, and I had some also
starting preschool.
So I crocheted these littlehearts, little puffy hearts, and
told them to put it in theirlittle toolbox for school or in
their backpack that they wouldhave Nani's heart with them
(11:02):
while they were at school.
They'll probably forget it,probably already have, but to me
it was a sentimental momentthat is the only thing that I
have created until I started toget ready for Christmas and said
I think this year you have tomake some things.
So I haven't done it, I've beenso busy.
I mean, if we were to sit andtell people how life had been
(11:24):
lifing, which we have sharedbits and pieces both of us have,
as we're getting ready withthis book and with the journal,
I think sometimes people are inawe when they really start to
take stock in what they've beenthrough in the past few months,
and that's kind of what we wantto talk about a little bit today
, kind of a year end, kind oflook back.
(11:45):
But sometimes we don't reallyrealize what we've walked
through.
We haven't taken stock of howgood God has been in the midst
of all of that chaotic up anddown, how he sustained us.
Because we're still here, I canstill tell you that he's good
(12:09):
and it has been less thanperfect.
One year ago exactly probablyright about today my mom, who
had lived with us for theprevious almost five years we
had to take her to the hospitaland she after that went into a
long-term care skilled nursingfacility.
We thought we'd bring her homeand we've had to come to the
(12:31):
realization that she's probablynot going to come home ever, and
I mean there have been a lot oftransitional changes that we
just didn't see coming, if thatmakes sense.
So in all of that, the chaos,the insanity, god is still good
and he has been with us everystep.
I truly do believe that.
(12:53):
And he hasn't been taken offguard by any of the stuff.
I find a great sense of hopeand peace recognizing that he is
not taken off guard as wesometimes are.
It settles my heart knowingthat he's very aware and right
(13:14):
there with us.
Speaker 1 (13:15):
So, yeah, what a crazy segue to the conversation,
going to talk about the giftsof wisdom, the things that we've
walked through, the gift thathas actually been a gift that
has bloomed in us over the pastyear, and I think the real where
(13:35):
you see God show up in thosevery trying moments, are the
gifts because, even though thesituation that you walk through
may not be taken away, there arepeople, there are things that
just happen that I think youhave to be open, your eyes have
(13:56):
to be open to you, have to beaware of this.
Is God knocking on my door,saying knocking on my door,
saying I'm still here and I'mhere to miraculously turn this
around?
You know, I honestly we've hadvery slim, slim moments where
(14:18):
we're like, okay, we're down tounder $20 in our bank account,
right, you've had all thosemoments.
Oh, how about?
Unto, zero dollars Into?
Speaker 2 (14:22):
the zero dollars.
Every week it happens.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
It happens and I was worried and everything.
And you know it's not that youdon't have those moments for a
prolonged period, but we're justat the right time.
God brought a gift of money inthat I wasn't expecting that was
just enough to cover a bill.
And it's in those hard timesthat I wasn't expecting that was
just enough to cover a bill.
(14:46):
And it's in those hard timesthat I see God show up and it's
like that hand to mouth manna.
You know that manna provision.
It was like God gave theIsraelites just what they needed
for the day and they couldn'tstore it up for the moment, and
I think that's why sometimes Goddoes those things, because he
wants those miraculous things toshow up.
(15:07):
He wants us to know that he isright, there, interacting and
doing things we could not do inour own power.
Speaker 2 (15:15):
And I kind of look at it this way too.
I know that there are peoplewho God does provide and he does
give us exactly what we needfor the moment.
I look at all the people thathave been such a blessing to our
lives, to our families, theirfriendship, their love, how they
know just what to do at theright time to just help reignite
(15:36):
that spirit of hope that is inus and sometimes needs to be
shaken a little bit.
I'm so grateful for thosepeople in those situations.
And yet I find myself sayingover and over again really all
we need is what we need fortoday, one day at a time, one
moment at a time, and sometimesthat is exactly how it comes,
(15:58):
but it should not surprise us.
You know the word says that.
You know he makes sure that thesparrows are taken care of.
He feeds them, he clothes thelilies, he takes care of them.
How much more is he going totake care of us?
And it may not be what societywould deem as substantial.
(16:25):
It may come in moments thateven the world would think
that's not on time.
How can you have a God thing?
But I believe that he does dothings right on time.
And the lack that we think wehave.
You know what?
We wake up the next day.
We wake up the next day.
Speaker 1 (16:39):
I've had moments yeah , how we look at it, I've had
moments where I was just reallythirsty and sitting in the car
and really wanting a McDonald'siced tea and finding exactly a
dollar.
I know the prices have gone upyes, they have, it's like $1.30
something.
And I found that prices havegone up yes, they have, it's
(17:00):
like $1.30 something.
And I found that in myfloorboard.
And what you think is, you know, some people would call that
coincidence.
I call that God knocking on mydoor.
And here, there you go.
I'm going to provide you adrink because I know that you
want this at the moment and thatit would be.
(17:20):
You know, and it's those littlethings.
Sometimes you praise God for aparking space at the grocery
store.
Speaker 2 (17:28):
Sometimes you don't I just say God knew I needed to
put in a few extra steps thatday.
Speaker 1 (17:34):
Yes, he's trying to get you to get in the exercise
that you need.
But it is.
I think that is.
I heard this quote once If youlive in the past, you live with
regret.
If you live in the future, youlive with anxiety.
But if you really switch thenarrative of to us knowing that
(18:00):
God is with us, and we canswitch that narrative to say we
look at the past and we see theprovision, and we look at the
future and know we will beprovided for.
And that is because we can beso and I talked about this in
the new Leading Hearts magazinethat just came out be so, and I
(18:20):
talked about this in the newLeading Hearts magazine that
just came out.
You know, I had this kind ofdread coming over the year and I
just was feeling just reallydown about how things are in the
world.
Just everything seems likechaos and everything seems like
I don't know.
It's like shadowed and and youknow, and of course, uncertainty
(18:40):
, and you know people, we don'tknow how things are going to
turn out and things seem to beramping up every day.
And it's not that God.
God kind of told us this, right, he tells us that in this world
you'll have many troubles, butit was like I was praying and it
was like, god spoke to myspirit.
In these times where you feelthis darkness, you have the
(19:03):
ability to be a great light.
Right, and I think that thatwas one of the gifts that God
gave me is a switching ofperception that allows me to see
potential in dark times, rightexactly, and this is the other
(19:26):
thing that comes with thatrecognition.
Speaker 2 (19:28):
Yes, we can view what's happening in the world
right now as very dark anddifficult and as if maybe some
hope is lost.
But we are all very differentand we discussed this as well.
Not everybody feels that wayabout the state of the world
right now.
Not everybody feels like we arebrinking on the edge of no hope
(19:51):
.
There are people that don't seethe way we do.
They have a different filterthey see through or they have a
different life experience thatwe do.
They have a different filterthey see through or they have a
different life experience thatwe do.
And I think so much of what wego through is also dependent
upon how we view life, god, hisprovision, how we view so much
(20:16):
of our experience, our humanexperience.
And the reality is that Goduses all of it.
He uses all of our experienceand we have to remember that.
We have to remember the balanceof that.
When things seem reallyhopeless and dark and hard, he
(20:38):
is present.
That doesn't mean the hard goesaway.
It doesn't mean miraculously,all of a sudden, life is
rainbows and unicorns andsparkles.
Speaker 1 (20:50):
Yes, make your own rainbows and unicorns and
sparkles.
Speaker 2 (20:53):
It is how he sustains us from moment to moment.
Like I said, he gives me what Ineed for each day.
What I thought I neededyesterday for today may have not
panned out, but guess what?
I'm still here.
I'm still here and I believe heis good.
I believe there are good people.
I may not always bump up againstthem in everyday situation, but
(21:17):
you know what?
My hope is not in those people,my hope is not in our
government.
My hope is not in my job, myhusband's job.
My hope is in God, my provider,and I believe that more firmly
to my core than I have ever felt.
And let me tell you life belife and hard.
(21:39):
For about three and a half,four years, and until you, life
like that and we've talked aboutthat too.
Not everybody has life slammingup against them every other
moment.
Some of us have a reprieve.
There are seasons of noreprieve, but it's still good.
(22:00):
He can still sustain us and bewith us and I believe he can
restore our hope in thosedifficult moments.
Sometimes he uses people,sometimes he doesn't, sometimes
it's just him and a still smallvoice.
Right, okay?
Speaker 1 (22:14):
That's really okay.
You know, I think that thechallenge that I get in and I
think I'm not alone in this isthe weariness of pushing through
hard times, the weariness ofthe day.
And, as I said, I have to flipthe switch, I have to flip the
narrative or I will get caughtin my weariness.
(22:36):
I will get caught in that, or Iwill get caught in my weariness
.
I will get caught in that, andI don't think there is nothing
of sin in just being, oh God, Idon't know how this is going to
work out and I just I'm justreally discouraged right now
because I think God is okay with, I mean honestly, God is okay
with us being truthful, Rightexactly he is and especially for
(22:59):
someone.
Speaker 2 (22:59):
I know that so many people, especially at this time
of year the winter is hard forsome people, but I know you've
battled and you've been veryopen about your walk with
depression and how hard that hasbeen and you know you're right.
It's funny.
You said there has to be.
(23:20):
I have to flip the switch.
I heard a quote this week andit's so funny.
This is the quote.
It's funny and when I put backto my notes, which I just wrote
our intro for and copied andpasted into Facebook when we
went on it's funny it openedright to this one.
I didn't have to go back andlook for it.
Speaker 1 (23:36):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (23:37):
It says there has to be some kind of shift, a shift
from.
These are the things that arehappening to me, to you know
what.
These are the things I havechoices about.
Speaker 1 (23:49):
Good stuff.
Speaker 2 (23:51):
It wasn't a spiritual person saying it, but when it
happened I was like you know, itcan be a flip of a switch, it
can be a shift.
You've said you have to makethat shift, that flip, and I do
think that that is part of it.
I ask God daily to show mewhere he is in all of it, and
(24:15):
sometimes it is the mostsimplest of things, simplest of
things, and you know what.
I'll take it.
I'll take it every time becauseyou know what.
I'm still here to witness thosesimple things.
I'm not unaware of them.
When I ask, I get them.
I'm not saying that's been allmy life.
(24:36):
There have been moments whereyou know you do cry out God,
where are you, when are you inthis?
I see no part of this that canbe from you.
And it's in those moments whereI do believe the shift has to
happen.
You have to really go into thatmode of prayer and faith in him
.
He's done it before.
I know he'll do it again.
(24:57):
He did it in these ways before.
I know he'll do it again.
He did it in these ways beforeand I didn't see a way out.
But there was and there arethings we may take with us to
the grave, that we're not surehow they're going to work out.
Should Jesus come back and takeus all away?
There are things that we willstill see unanswered.
Does that make God not good?
(25:18):
No, yeah.
Speaker 1 (25:20):
You know a lot of people at the beginning of the
year they have this word thatthey feel like or they pray, or
whatever that God gives them forthe year.
Lisa, have you thought aboutthat?
Have you thought or had a worddrop in your heart?
Speaker 2 (25:36):
It's so funny.
I feel like life is so chaotic.
My life is so chaotic with.
Please don't misunderstand mylife is full in beautiful ways.
I have got so many beautifulchildren, I have son-in-laws, I
have grandbabies, I have myparents still with me and I have
brothers and sister-in-laws andnieces and nephews, and life is
full even when you can't touchbase with all of them.
(25:56):
So for me, I find myselfgetting to this point of the
year not even thinking aboutwhat my word is, and then I
jumped into January one oh no, Ineed a word, I need a word.
And then I have to stop and gowait a minute.
Who said I needed a ding dangword.
Why?
Speaker 1 (26:16):
Why do we put all?
Speaker 2 (26:17):
this weight on people like me?
One word or one word.
You know what?
God's not an either, or God,isn't that what I say all the
time?
Yeah, he's an and in both, andyou know what.
God's going to give me a wholebunch of words.
Speaker 1 (26:30):
And he has a bunch of words.
Speaker 2 (26:32):
And I'm going to be okay.
He has a bunch of words,there's a lot of pressure for
the word Between two covers hehas a lot of words, but it is.
It's a lot of pressure.
What is my word, what is myfocus supposed to be this year?
Once again, I think I have togo back many times to a daily
(26:53):
reliance upon God and what hetells me what he shows me, what
I find out I need that I didn'trealize.
what I find out he provides,that is new expectations, and
for me it never comes down to aword.
Do you have a word already?
Speaker 1 (27:13):
You know, there was actually a few words that I Do.
Speaker 2 (27:18):
we want to know the word.
Speaker 1 (27:18):
There was actually a few words that I and I.
God is a God of many words andfor some reason there's two
words of mercy and courage.
Yeah, those two things.
And the courage is moreintimidating than the mercy,
(27:38):
because usually when you get aword, you get tested.
In that I mean like, how manytimes you know?
And I'm not saying that that wasjust one word, but I just felt
like, okay, courage, what doesthat look like?
It probably means I'm going tobe facing things that I'm going
to have to be, and we all arefacing things that we're going
(27:59):
to have to have God step in andbuild courage in us, not only
walking in our call, but in oureveryday life.
And I think courage is allconnected with reliance on who
God is and who he has called usto be and how he's called us to
(28:20):
walk that out.
We all face moments where it'sscary and I think that that's
why you know, be of good courage, be of good courage.
He's with you.
Be of good courage, he enablesyou.
Be of good courage, he's goingto move you forward.
(28:42):
Whatever may come, he is there.
And I think that being of goodcourage requires looking back
and seeing what you've walkedthrough the gifts that you would
have rather re-gifted as we'vetalked about, as we're talking
about the gifts that you wouldhave rather re-gifted that end
(29:04):
up building something in you,and I think that that's what God
calls us to when he works outour faith.
We'd rather not exercise, youknow.
I'd rather just sit back anddrink some eggnog.
Well, there's that, and thething about it is working out
requires as much rest as itrequires movement.
(29:26):
You know we have to rest thosemuscles and we have to rely that
when we're not working, god isworking something out in our DNA
to enable us to move strongerforward.
If we would just work out 24hours a day, that would not help
us.
So he knows that we need rest.
He knows we need to sit back,look at Christmas lights, enjoy
(29:50):
family and enjoy the smallthings and look for him to show
up.
You know, that's the thing Ithink that that's always moved
me forward is sometimes in thesmallest thing I can hear God
whispering and knocking.
I'm here.
Speaker 2 (30:08):
I'm here.
Speaker 1 (30:09):
Sometimes it's just when certain birds show up.
Sometimes it's just looking atmy Christmas lights strung
around the room.
God is here, his light is here,his presence is here.
It's not the lights, it is theawareness that there are
sparkles of goodness in my daythat I need to unpack.
Speaker 2 (30:29):
I need to unwrap, and mindfully turning that into
let's unwrap these things Right,you know, and it comes in that
moment, and part of why I amsuch a Christmas girly I've
always been.
I know not everybody is.
I recognize that I've alwaysbeen a fan of winter.
I mean winter where we're uponthe solstice, the winter
(30:51):
solstice no, I'm not pagan folks, it's just the longest minutes
of darkness that comes to us inwinter.
It comes to us in winter thelongest night it feels like, and
for us here in the Midwest it'susually very cold, all apparent
life as far as leaves on treeshave fallen and everything seems
(31:13):
to be falling into this dark,cold slumber.
And I think about thescriptures that talk about
Christ coming as a light.
It just makes it even moresignificant for me as a Christ
follower, as someone who, inspite of how I can't make sense
of how a virgin would conceiveother than a miraculous
(31:36):
happening and how one tiny babycan come to bring such light
into the world.
I look at this time of winterand I think part of why I've
always loved it is because I'vealways found something very
special about the candlelightthat we don't have to put out
(31:57):
quite so early in the summertime, or the twinkle lights that are
so small but beautiful.
The cozy sweaters, the mittensand the scarves, the boots, the
blankets I find those things tobe blankets.
(32:18):
I find those things to bewarmth emotionally for me, and
I've always looked more towardsthose things than how many
minutes of sunlight we're losingevery day as we get to this
point.
And I recognize it's just a verydifferent way of thinking.
We all have differentpersonalities.
Once again, we see thingsdifferently.
But I mean, I look at thosesparks of light and warmth, the
(32:38):
sound of a fireplace.
I look at those things and theymake me cozy, right Cozy, and
they help remind me that thelight of the world came.
We have long lay the world.
We have all of these picturesgiven to us of this tiny light
(33:01):
that came through a very darktime and that stirs up hope in
my heart.
And so I encourage people.
You know, when people say theystruggle with the darkness and
they struggle with the cold, Ioften say you need a good candle
, let's get warm to drink.
I know it doesn't fixeverything, but for a moment,
(33:21):
maybe, just linger with thetwinkle for a minute and let God
use it.
I believe he does.
And I know I'm not making lightof people dealing with clinical
depression.
Believe me, I'm not making lifeof people dealing with clinical
depression.
Believe me, I'm not.
I'm just saying that for me itresounds with my spirit this
time of year to see hope comingin the form of a tiny baby and
(33:44):
you have to lean into that, evenif it's not the easiest of
holidays.
Speaker 1 (33:50):
And I wrote you know, even in winter things are
happening underground that wedon't see.
And even in rest, god ispreparing for new blooms.
Right, he is resting the ground, they're coming.
You know, farm girl, whathappens when we don't rest our
ground, right, when we don'trest our ground.
Speaker 2 (34:11):
we do not produce beautiful crops when we don't
rotate the ground.
We do not produce beautifulcrops.
When we don't rotate the ground, we do not produce beautiful
crops.
Let God take us in and out ofthose seasons of what appears to
be darkness and maybe lessattractive to us, to rest place
in my heart, in my spirit and asmuch as, yes, presents are nice
(34:37):
and having the parties and theactivities.
I really like the quiet of thistime of year too.
Sometimes you have to fight tofind it.
You really do you have to fightfor that sometimes.
Speaker 1 (34:51):
Yeah, and I think when you're talking about the
cozy, it just reminds me of warmhugs, the warm hugs when we
wrap up in the father's lovethat is.
You know, it is so that we'reall running everywhere In winter
(35:16):
just cozying up with a blankethot cocoa, hot tea.
There's just something ofslowing down that is so
beautiful in the season, justwith a bunch of lights.
But I have my lights and I havemy little ornaments and my
gnomes out, because everythingelse is a total wreck.
(35:37):
But we just enjoy knowing thatin this season there's something
to celebrate and every day is areason to celebrate goodness,
and sometimes we have to unpackthe goodness from the gifts we'd
rather re-gift.
Speaker 2 (35:57):
And there's some gifts we should not re-gift.
We need to dispose of them inthe trash receptacle, where they
belong, and not worry about itanymore.
Okay, let's throw that one out.
That one definitely is notgoing anywhere else.
That's it Exactly.
You know that gift exchange.
You know you can stealsomebody's gift, yeah.
Speaker 1 (36:19):
Person, it's dead.
Yeah, those things need to die.
Those needs to.
You know, the funny thing islike when we were unpacking we
were kind of throwing out.
We had a 40 yard dumpster, wewere throwing out everything and
it was amazing to see all thegifts that have gone into boxes.
Speaker 2 (36:30):
Right and you never saw the light of day.
They were never worn, they werenever displayed, and rightfully
so.
Exactly.
Speaker 1 (36:40):
But it's funny and you have a chuckle about
thinking about it, and I thinkthis is a time where we like to
reflect and we should bereflecting on the goodnesses of
God, those lights in the middleof darkness that have brought
such beauty into our lives.
Speaker 2 (36:56):
Right, and you know there are practical things, and
when I think about this, I wantto also talk about this.
There are practical things thatwe could do to help bring
ourselves out of that darkhumbug place, and we all know
what things bring us joy.
For me, I had not picked up aneedle to do any crafting for
(37:18):
almost.
Do you know how much joy it hasfelt?
Yes, my hands have been swollen, but how much joy I've felt
actually doing something that Ilove.
What are the things you love?
What are the things that sparkjoy?
To coin a phrase, what are thethings that can bring you to
(37:38):
some moments of joy?
Find them.
Find them.
Ask the people that you lovethe most to help you utilize
them.
Do what is necessary to try tomake sure that you walk into a
better place.
I know it doesn't fixeverything, but I do believe.
Turn to a friend.
(37:59):
If you are someone that isgoing through a very difficult,
dark time right now, pleasereach out to us.
I would love to pray with you.
We all walk through difficultmoments.
I think the lie that we embracein those difficult moments is
that nobody's going to want towalk through with us.
Why would we want someone elseto have to walk through that
(38:21):
dark place with us?
Nobody else is going to want totake that on.
Those are lies and you need toknow that.
The body is here and, yes,maybe you've been hurt by the
body, maybe the body has notbeen kind to you and I'm talking
about the church in general butnot everybody is the person
that hurt you or the situationthat harmed you.
(38:42):
Keep in mind that Jesus isstill.
He's still walking among us.
He is still here to ignite inour hearts his passions, his
love.
So reach out, let somebody praywith you.
Speaker 1 (38:56):
Why don't you pray?
Why don't we close?
Because we're getting to theextended time period, we're
getting into coffee chat, theextended edition, which we have
done that a few times Exactly.
Speaker 2 (39:11):
Heavenly Father, I just thank you for this day and
for this moment, whatever it isholding.
I know what it holds for mepersonally.
I know the things that areknocking on my mind, trying to
distract me, trying to weigh medown, trying to make me feel
like maybe there is no spark ofjoy or light in this life right
(39:35):
now.
And I just ask you, father, forthose that might be struggling
in this moment, I ask you rightnow to just let them feel your
presence, let their heart sensethat you are here with them in
this tiny little moment, nomatter what is happening.
Father, god, I ask that youwould just enter the room, so to
(39:58):
speak.
We know you're always present,that's what we're told.
You're always present, but wedon't always feel that presence.
So, god, I ask you, please letus feel, turn the the volume up
on our ability to feel peace andjoy at this time of year.
I ask that you help us to drawstrength from you and from those
(40:22):
that you place around us.
That will allow us to borrowsome strength For those that are
sick in body.
I ask that you would touch them, that you would bring healing
to them, to those that feel likethey're alone, that there may
not them, that you would bringhealing to them.
To those that feel like they'realone, that there may not be
someone that they care and lovewith them during this holiday
season, I ask that you fill upthat space, that you fill it up
(40:44):
with your presence.
Let it be noticeable, god, thatthey're not walking through
these days alone.
For those that maybe feel likethey don't have the provision
that they would like to have todo the things they want to do
this Christmas, god, just keeptuning their heart and their
mind to you and to your goodness, to once again peace and joy.
(41:10):
And those things that are nottangible you can't buy them on a
shelf, you can't put them in abeautifully packaged box.
Those are things that have tocome divinely from you.
God, I thank you.
I thank you for this podcast.
I thank you for the ladies thatfaithfully join us every week.
(41:31):
I thank you for the goodnessthat you have given us in this
past year and I give you glory,god, for what I know you're
doing right now, but most of all, just for the simple fact that
you were willing to come intothis dark and dreary place and
(41:52):
bring light in the form of yourson Jesus.
In your name, I pray Amen.
Speaker 1 (41:58):
Well, you guys, we are anticipating some Christmas
joy in about an hour, when ourChiefs take on the Texans, the
holly jolly men in red, can youbelieve that?
Speaker 2 (42:12):
Amber is sitting there in a Chiefs sweatshirt.
Yeah, a transformation ishappening.
It is a transformation.
Speaker 1 (42:19):
I think I've unwrapped the gift of the Chiefs
, you know.
Speaker 2 (42:23):
I'm so glad you finally came out of darkness
into life.
Chiefs Kingdom is where it's at.
I do want to tell people thatwe are on the brink of some
changes ourselves.
We'll give you lots of newinformation about that, but this
year has held a few interestingthings for us concerning the
book and the publishing world,and I want you guys to know that
(42:46):
we are making decisions and webelieve that there is goodness
coming, and we're so excited toshare that with you.
There is goodness coming andwe're so excited to share that
with you.
Speaker 1 (42:56):
January is coming If you don't have a word.
Speaker 2 (42:57):
Believe me, life is not going to end if you don't
get one.
Speaker 1 (43:01):
Yeah, no, you have many words.
Speaker 2 (43:03):
I would encourage you to enjoy this holiday season
and just allow your focus to gofrom, once again, those gifts
that we don't want to takeforward with us, those things
that we do, and how might Godutilize them in the coming new
year?
Speaker 1 (43:21):
So true, so true.
And I also want to remind youguys, we are up on all podcast
platforms.
Please join us, please like,subscribe, share.
We have all this goodnesscoming.
And we also are up on YouTube.
Oh, my goodness, I was countingthe other day.
We have over 50 videos andfunny antics so you can go watch
(43:43):
Coffee Chat and Review.
I know you're going to want tospend your holidays watching
binge watching Coffee Chat withAmber and Lisa, that's what you
want to do folks washing coffee,chat with Amber and Lisa.
That's what you want to do,folks.
Well, merry Christmas and wewill see you in the new year,
(44:06):
and we're so excited, you guystake care and have a great time
with family and friends.
Merry Christmas, merryChristmas.
The content of this meeting is being sent to a third
party, if you should know.
Okay, good morning everyone,and welcome to the Christmas
edition of Leading Hearts.
Oh my gosh, you've had one toomany Christmas editions.
That is non-alcoholic eggnog,nice disclaimer to share.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
I'm just still going with coffee and half and half.
Well, good morning and welcometo Coffee Chat.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
Nice disclaimer to share.
I'm just still going withcoffee and half and half.
Well, good morning and welcometo Coffee Chat with Amber and
Lisa, or Eggnog Chat, as I ampartaking in.
This is three days untilChristmas.
Speaker 2 (00:42):
Okay, wait, I think it's fitting that we count.
So Christmas Eve is Tuesday, isthat right?
Yes, yes, so today's Saturday,sunday, monday, tuesday,
technically, we have threesleeps, right?
Yes, no, we have four sleepsbefore Christmas day.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
Wow, wow.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
That is incredible because it feels like it would
be terrible if Christmas Daywasn't until Thursday, and I
just totally startled everyonethat they were not on target
right.
Oh my goodness.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
Oh, good night it is.
For some reason it doesn't feelquite like Christmas.
I mean, we have been goingthrough some stuff.
I've been in a constructionzone with my house, which is
exciting too, because in thatconstruction zone a new office
and a new podcast studio iscoming.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
I'm sorry over here you get the corner of my dining
room.
That's what you get.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
Right now I'm in the corner of my dining room, but it
is exciting to see progress.
The little elves will beworking overtime after Christmas
because all my office furniturearrived.
You know those end of year taxdeductions.
Speaker 2 (02:04):
You know those end of year tax deductions.
We've been tossing picturesback and forth of office
furniture to make sure we getthe right blend.
Speaker 1 (02:11):
Yes, and we did tone one of them.
I was picking orange and Lisa'slike why don't you choose this
camel color, which actuallyturned out to be really, really
nice?
We're doing mid-century modern,it's my favorite.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
Add a little cozy to mid-century modern, and that is
me, to my soul.
So it excites me to see whatyou have here.
Speaker 1 (02:37):
I'm excited to do that and excited to see
everything come together.
My back hurts a little bitbecause we've been moving 150,
200-pound boxes and I'm olderthan I would like to be.
Does everything hurt more whenyou turn 50?
Speaker 2 (02:51):
Why would you ask me that question, Amber?
I'm 25.
Why would you ask me that?
Speaker 1 (02:58):
Well, if anybody's not here, does everything hurt
more when you turn 50?
Because it just seems like Isprained my ankle easier, you
know.
Everything just hurts a littlebit more and I'm like, okay, I
need to chill back.
We did get an appliance, dollyyeah Investment, and that has
(03:21):
been great to have, but it hasbeen a time because both of us
Lisa and I have been sick.
Lisa is just kidding over, Imean, I am.
So if I sound a little, stuffy.
Speaker 2 (03:33):
I apologize.
If I turn off the volume, it'sbecause I'm having a coughing
fit, you know, yeah, so tell usthe cocktail of what you've been
dealing with?
Speaker 1 (03:42):
What?
Speaker 2 (03:42):
I've been dealing with oh, it's such a joyful
pre-Christmas cocktail.
I have had bronchitis and asinus infection.
I believe my beloved sweetgrandbaby shared some sort of
virus with me several weeks backand it just stewed and stewed
and stewed for a while.
Thus the sinus infection.
Then it went into bronchitisand then, on top of that, my
(04:05):
husband tested positive forCOVID and I thought maybe I
should test and yes, the vid hitthe household.
Needless to say, things tend tolinger longer with me.
We are doing antibiotics,steroids, some prescription
cough medicine that come inthese nice little capsules so
(04:26):
you don't have to taste thenasty stuff.
So it's been really pleasant.
Speaker 1 (04:31):
And didn't Randy have walking pneumonia too?
My daughter had walkingpneumonia.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
Randy walked around with it for so long and then
finally went in the last timefor a checkup and they said
COVID, oh, my goodness, it'sbeen so fun here.
And grand babies have beeninfected.
They've all gone through thevid.
So we are all going to be sohappy because we're all just
(04:56):
starting to feel better and likewe are coming to life again.
You know we talk about.
I know you posted on your wall.
Is it okay to not decorate thisyear?
I just can't.
I am a Christmas cheer girly tomy core.
I have to blame allgrandparents, grandmothers and
great aunties and parents.
(05:18):
Aunties, they did this to me.
I come by it Honestly if I wereto tell you how magical my
childhood was concerningChristmas.
Growing up, I was veryfortunate, and so for me,
Christmas isn't Christmaswithout the Christmas stuff up.
Yes, I like it aroundThanksgiving and I like it till
(05:43):
way after the new year, becausemy birthday is on January 8th.
I like it up, I like the lightsup.
So we are really late right now.
My husband made a joke about it.
But Christmas is in boxes.
That whole thing from Grinch.
It says you know Christmas,maybe it doesn't come in boxes?
Well, yes, it does.
Speaker 1 (06:01):
It comes from my garage from the attic in boxes.
Well, yes, it does, it comesfrom my garage from the attic
and right now the Christmasboxes have thrown up all over
the family room and I get tocome over and experience the
Christmas boxing joy.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
You do, because I will be in process tomorrow.
Still, I promise.
On top of that, my daughtershave been telling me for the
longest time get you one ofthose ruggables, those wash rugs
.
And one day, miraculously,there was someone on Marketplace
selling a brand new nine by 12foot ruggable and it was the
perfect colors that I needed andthey only wanted like $75 for
(06:41):
it and that was a big chunk forme.
But considering I'd seen peopletrying to sell eight by tens
for like a hundred, I was like,oh, that's a good thing.
And I had a little bit of moneytucked away from my superstar,
my superstar payment check.
I hang on to as long as I can.
And I bought this ruggableright.
(07:01):
So it's been in my living roomand we needed to wash it because
I also have a great thing puppyand sin of all sins.
This past week, when we're allsick and struggling and in and
out, he decided that maybe therug was a good place and I'm not
(07:22):
going to say any more.
I'll leave that to yourimagination.
But so right now, behind me inthe other room is the Christmas
box is throwing up.
Wow, in front of me is this 12foot rug that is propped up on
all my dining room chairs with afan at one end and a fan at the
other that's been blowing allnight.
My house smells collectively ofclean laundry and Christmas
(07:45):
tree, because I also got ablessed Christmas tree.
Yesterday my daughter went outand got the Christmas tree.
She got it for a rock bottomprice of $14.
Tell me that isn't a Christmasmiracle.
Little Christopher, beautifullyshaped, not dry at all,
beautiful short needles.
God loves me.
(08:05):
So, yeah, this is the chaosthat is post three-week sickness
late on Christmas.
Do I think we're going to pullit off?
Yes, yes, might it be a littleless than normal Again.
Yes, but it's going to be good,I promise.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
Christmas is coming.
Yeah, you know one of myfriends from high school.
I remember her parents went outthe night of Christmas Eve and
always got their tree and thatwas like something they did.
Like they got their tree, theydecorated it that night and that
was the big tradition and Idon't know if very many people
(08:47):
do that anymore.
I mean a lot of people likedecorate the day after
Thanksgiving or the first day ofNovember and keep it up.
I wonder about all these peoplewith these really extravagant
light displays, like when dothey start putting those up?
Speaker 2 (09:03):
Well, I know you have to kind of hit the pre-cold
weather weather to do it outside, and I know a lot of people
just hire companies to do it.
That's not the way we do it.
My husband would be hanging,you know, hanging from a ladder
outside.
I would be praying inside God,please don't let him fall.
(09:23):
Not that type of Christmasinteraction do we need.
But we don't have lightsoutside or anything.
It's going to be fine.
I kept saying this Christmas isvery different.
Not that we ever are able to doexorbitant thing with gifts,
but this year is tighter thanmost years and I found myself
(09:44):
doing a lot of knitting,knitting, slash, crocheting.
Right now my hands are somewhatnormal size but they have been
so swollen because these littlefingers have been working.
Speaker 1 (09:56):
Is it harder to?
Speaker 2 (09:56):
knit.
Now what are you trying to sayit is.
What is harder is that I thinkmy arthritis has advanced a bit
and so that has made it a littledifficult.
And I will tell you alsoanother secret.
You know I love all thingscrafting.
I love things, I like to makethings and give things.
(10:18):
It's my favorite thing andalways has been.
Since I was a kid and the pastI'd say almost two years with
our book baby, I haven't knitteda single thing, except my
oldest twin granddaughtersstarted kindergarten this year.
I just was being reallysentimental and I saw this
(10:41):
little thing to make, theselittle crocheted hearts, and I
thought you know what I'm goingto make?
My grandbaby's little crochetedhearts, and I had some also
starting preschool.
So I crocheted these littlehearts, little puffy hearts, and
told them to put it in theirlittle toolbox for school or in
their backpack that they wouldhave Nani's heart with them
(11:02):
while they were at school.
They'll probably forget it,probably already have, but to me
it was a sentimental momentthat is the only thing that I
have created until I started toget ready for Christmas and said
I think this year you have tomake some things.
So I haven't done it, I've beenso busy.
I mean, if we were to sit andtell people how life had been
(11:24):
lifing, which we have sharedbits and pieces both of us have,
as we're getting ready withthis book and with the journal,
I think sometimes people are inawe when they really start to
take stock in what they've beenthrough in the past few months,
and that's kind of what we wantto talk about a little bit today
, kind of a year end, kind oflook back.
(11:45):
But sometimes we don't reallyrealize what we've walked
through.
We haven't taken stock of howgood God has been in the midst
of all of that chaotic up anddown, how he sustained us.
Because we're still here, I canstill tell you that he's good
(12:09):
and it has been less thanperfect.
One year ago exactly probablyright about today my mom, who
had lived with us for theprevious almost five years we
had to take her to the hospitaland she after that went into a
long-term care skilled nursingfacility.
We thought we'd bring her homeand we've had to come to the
(12:31):
realization that she's probablynot going to come home ever, and
I mean there have been a lot oftransitional changes that we
just didn't see coming, if thatmakes sense.
So in all of that, the chaos,the insanity, god is still good
and he has been with us everystep.
I truly do believe that.
(12:53):
And he hasn't been taken offguard by any of the stuff.
I find a great sense of hopeand peace recognizing that he is
not taken off guard as wesometimes are.
It settles my heart knowingthat he's very aware and right
(13:14):
there with us.
Speaker 1 (13:15):
So, yeah, what a crazy segue to the conversation,
going to talk about the giftsof wisdom, the things that we've
walked through, the gift thathas actually been a gift that
has bloomed in us over the pastyear, and I think the real where
(13:35):
you see God show up in thosevery trying moments, are the
gifts because, even though thesituation that you walk through
may not be taken away, there arepeople, there are things that
just happen that I think youhave to be open, your eyes have
(13:56):
to be open to you, have to beaware of this.
Is God knocking on my door,saying knocking on my door,
saying I'm still here and I'mhere to miraculously turn this
around?
You know, I honestly we've hadvery slim, slim moments where
(14:18):
we're like, okay, we're down tounder $20 in our bank account,
right, you've had all thosemoments.
Oh, how about?
Unto, zero dollars Into?
Speaker 2 (14:22):
the zero dollars.
Every week it happens.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
It happens and I was worried and everything.
And you know it's not that youdon't have those moments for a
prolonged period, but we're justat the right time.
God brought a gift of money inthat I wasn't expecting that was
just enough to cover a bill.
And it's in those hard timesthat I wasn't expecting that was
just enough to cover a bill.
(14:46):
And it's in those hard timesthat I see God show up and it's
like that hand to mouth manna.
You know that manna provision.
It was like God gave theIsraelites just what they needed
for the day and they couldn'tstore it up for the moment, and
I think that's why sometimes Goddoes those things, because he
wants those miraculous things toshow up.
(15:07):
He wants us to know that he isright, there, interacting and
doing things we could not do inour own power.
Speaker 2 (15:15):
And I kind of look at it this way too.
I know that there are peoplewho God does provide and he does
give us exactly what we needfor the moment.
I look at all the people thathave been such a blessing to our
lives, to our families, theirfriendship, their love, how they
know just what to do at theright time to just help reignite
(15:36):
that spirit of hope that is inus and sometimes needs to be
shaken a little bit.
I'm so grateful for thosepeople in those situations.
And yet I find myself sayingover and over again really all
we need is what we need fortoday, one day at a time, one
moment at a time, and sometimesthat is exactly how it comes,
(15:58):
but it should not surprise us.
You know the word says that.
You know he makes sure that thesparrows are taken care of.
He feeds them, he clothes thelilies, he takes care of them.
How much more is he going totake care of us?
And it may not be what societywould deem as substantial.
(16:25):
It may come in moments thateven the world would think
that's not on time.
How can you have a God thing?
But I believe that he does dothings right on time.
And the lack that we think wehave.
You know what?
We wake up the next day.
We wake up the next day.
Speaker 1 (16:39):
I've had moments yeah , how we look at it, I've had
moments where I was just reallythirsty and sitting in the car
and really wanting a McDonald'siced tea and finding exactly a
dollar.
I know the prices have gone upyes, they have, it's like $1.30
something.
And I found that prices havegone up yes, they have, it's
(17:00):
like $1.30 something.
And I found that in myfloorboard.
And what you think is, you know, some people would call that
coincidence.
I call that God knocking on mydoor.
And here, there you go.
I'm going to provide you adrink because I know that you
want this at the moment and thatit would be.
(17:20):
You know, and it's those littlethings.
Sometimes you praise God for aparking space at the grocery
store.
Speaker 2 (17:28):
Sometimes you don't I just say God knew I needed to
put in a few extra steps thatday.
Speaker 1 (17:34):
Yes, he's trying to get you to get in the exercise
that you need.
But it is.
I think that is.
I heard this quote once If youlive in the past, you live with
regret.
If you live in the future, youlive with anxiety.
But if you really switch thenarrative of to us knowing that
(18:00):
God is with us, and we canswitch that narrative to say we
look at the past and we see theprovision, and we look at the
future and know we will beprovided for.
And that is because we can beso and I talked about this in
the new Leading Hearts magazinethat just came out be so, and I
(18:20):
talked about this in the newLeading Hearts magazine that
just came out.
You know, I had this kind ofdread coming over the year and I
just was feeling just reallydown about how things are in the
world.
Just everything seems likechaos and everything seems like
I don't know.
It's like shadowed and and youknow, and of course, uncertainty
(18:40):
, and you know people, we don'tknow how things are going to
turn out and things seem to beramping up every day.
And it's not that God.
God kind of told us this, right, he tells us that in this world
you'll have many troubles, butit was like I was praying and it
was like, god spoke to myspirit.
In these times where you feelthis darkness, you have the
(19:03):
ability to be a great light.
Right, and I think that thatwas one of the gifts that God
gave me is a switching ofperception that allows me to see
potential in dark times, rightexactly, and this is the other
(19:26):
thing that comes with thatrecognition.
Speaker 2 (19:28):
Yes, we can view what's happening in the world
right now as very dark anddifficult and as if maybe some
hope is lost.
But we are all very differentand we discussed this as well.
Not everybody feels that wayabout the state of the world
right now.
Not everybody feels like we arebrinking on the edge of no hope
(19:51):
.
There are people that don't seethe way we do.
They have a different filterthey see through or they have a
different life experience thatwe do.
They have a different filterthey see through or they have a
different life experience thatwe do.
And I think so much of what wego through is also dependent
upon how we view life, god, hisprovision, how we view so much
(20:16):
of our experience, our humanexperience.
And the reality is that Goduses all of it.
He uses all of our experienceand we have to remember that.
We have to remember the balanceof that.
When things seem reallyhopeless and dark and hard, he
(20:38):
is present.
That doesn't mean the hard goesaway.
It doesn't mean miraculously,all of a sudden, life is
rainbows and unicorns andsparkles.
Speaker 1 (20:50):
Yes, make your own rainbows and unicorns and
sparkles.
Speaker 2 (20:53):
It is how he sustains us from moment to moment.
Like I said, he gives me what Ineed for each day.
What I thought I neededyesterday for today may have not
panned out, but guess what?
I'm still here.
I'm still here and I believe heis good.
I believe there are good people.
I may not always bump up againstthem in everyday situation, but
(21:17):
you know what?
My hope is not in those people,my hope is not in our
government.
My hope is not in my job, myhusband's job.
My hope is in God, my provider,and I believe that more firmly
to my core than I have ever felt.
And let me tell you life belife and hard.
(21:39):
For about three and a half,four years, and until you, life
like that and we've talked aboutthat too.
Not everybody has life slammingup against them every other
moment.
Some of us have a reprieve.
There are seasons of noreprieve, but it's still good.
(22:00):
He can still sustain us and bewith us and I believe he can
restore our hope in thosedifficult moments.
Sometimes he uses people,sometimes he doesn't, sometimes
it's just him and a still smallvoice.
Right, okay?
Speaker 1 (22:14):
That's really okay.
You know, I think that thechallenge that I get in and I
think I'm not alone in this isthe weariness of pushing through
hard times, the weariness ofthe day.
And, as I said, I have to flipthe switch, I have to flip the
narrative or I will get caughtin my weariness.
(22:36):
I will get caught in that, or Iwill get caught in my weariness
.
I will get caught in that, andI don't think there is nothing
of sin in just being, oh God, Idon't know how this is going to
work out and I just I'm justreally discouraged right now
because I think God is okay with, I mean honestly, God is okay
with us being truthful, Rightexactly he is and especially for
(22:59):
someone.
Speaker 2 (22:59):
I know that so many people, especially at this time
of year the winter is hard forsome people, but I know you've
battled and you've been veryopen about your walk with
depression and how hard that hasbeen and you know you're right.
It's funny.
You said there has to be.
(23:20):
I have to flip the switch.
I heard a quote this week andit's so funny.
This is the quote.
It's funny and when I put backto my notes, which I just wrote
our intro for and copied andpasted into Facebook when we
went on it's funny it openedright to this one.
I didn't have to go back andlook for it.
Speaker 1 (23:36):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (23:37):
It says there has to be some kind of shift, a shift
from.
These are the things that arehappening to me, to you know
what.
These are the things I havechoices about.
Speaker 1 (23:49):
Good stuff.
Speaker 2 (23:51):
It wasn't a spiritual person saying it, but when it
happened I was like you know, itcan be a flip of a switch, it
can be a shift.
You've said you have to makethat shift, that flip, and I do
think that that is part of it.
I ask God daily to show mewhere he is in all of it, and
(24:15):
sometimes it is the mostsimplest of things, simplest of
things, and you know what.
I'll take it.
I'll take it every time becauseyou know what.
I'm still here to witness thosesimple things.
I'm not unaware of them.
When I ask, I get them.
I'm not saying that's been allmy life.
(24:36):
There have been moments whereyou know you do cry out God,
where are you, when are you inthis?
I see no part of this that canbe from you.
And it's in those moments whereI do believe the shift has to
happen.
You have to really go into thatmode of prayer and faith in him
.
He's done it before.
I know he'll do it again.
(24:57):
He did it in these ways before.
I know he'll do it again.
He did it in these ways beforeand I didn't see a way out.
But there was and there arethings we may take with us to
the grave, that we're not surehow they're going to work out.
Should Jesus come back and takeus all away?
There are things that we willstill see unanswered.
Does that make God not good?
(25:18):
No, yeah.
Speaker 1 (25:20):
You know a lot of people at the beginning of the
year they have this word thatthey feel like or they pray, or
whatever that God gives them forthe year.
Lisa, have you thought aboutthat?
Have you thought or had a worddrop in your heart?
Speaker 2 (25:36):
It's so funny.
I feel like life is so chaotic.
My life is so chaotic with.
Please don't misunderstand mylife is full in beautiful ways.
I have got so many beautifulchildren, I have son-in-laws, I
have grandbabies, I have myparents still with me and I have
brothers and sister-in-laws andnieces and nephews, and life is
full even when you can't touchbase with all of them.
(25:56):
So for me, I find myselfgetting to this point of the
year not even thinking aboutwhat my word is, and then I
jumped into January one oh no, Ineed a word, I need a word.
And then I have to stop and gowait a minute.
Who said I needed a ding dangword.
Why?
Speaker 1 (26:16):
Why do we put all?
Speaker 2 (26:17):
this weight on people like me?
One word or one word.
You know what?
God's not an either, or God,isn't that what I say all the
time?
Yeah, he's an and in both, andyou know what.
God's going to give me a wholebunch of words.
Speaker 1 (26:30):
And he has a bunch of words.
Speaker 2 (26:32):
And I'm going to be okay.
He has a bunch of words,there's a lot of pressure for
the word Between two covers hehas a lot of words, but it is.
It's a lot of pressure.
What is my word, what is myfocus supposed to be this year?
Once again, I think I have togo back many times to a daily
(26:53):
reliance upon God and what hetells me what he shows me, what
I find out I need that I didn'trealize.
what I find out he provides,that is new expectations, and
for me it never comes down to aword.
Do you have a word already?
Speaker 1 (27:13):
You know, there was actually a few words that I Do.
Speaker 2 (27:18):
we want to know the word.
Speaker 1 (27:18):
There was actually a few words that I and I.
God is a God of many words andfor some reason there's two
words of mercy and courage.
Yeah, those two things.
And the courage is moreintimidating than the mercy,
(27:38):
because usually when you get aword, you get tested.
In that I mean like, how manytimes you know?
And I'm not saying that that wasjust one word, but I just felt
like, okay, courage, what doesthat look like?
It probably means I'm going tobe facing things that I'm going
to have to be, and we all arefacing things that we're going
(27:59):
to have to have God step in andbuild courage in us, not only
walking in our call, but in oureveryday life.
And I think courage is allconnected with reliance on who
God is and who he has called usto be and how he's called us to
(28:20):
walk that out.
We all face moments where it'sscary and I think that that's
why you know, be of good courage, be of good courage.
He's with you.
Be of good courage, he enablesyou.
Be of good courage, he's goingto move you forward.
(28:42):
Whatever may come, he is there.
And I think that being of goodcourage requires looking back
and seeing what you've walkedthrough the gifts that you would
have rather re-gifted as we'vetalked about, as we're talking
about the gifts that you wouldhave rather re-gifted that end
(29:04):
up building something in you,and I think that that's what God
calls us to when he works outour faith.
We'd rather not exercise, youknow.
I'd rather just sit back anddrink some eggnog.
Well, there's that, and thething about it is working out
requires as much rest as itrequires movement.
(29:26):
You know we have to rest thosemuscles and we have to rely that
when we're not working, god isworking something out in our DNA
to enable us to move strongerforward.
If we would just work out 24hours a day, that would not help
us.
So he knows that we need rest.
He knows we need to sit back,look at Christmas lights, enjoy
(29:50):
family and enjoy the smallthings and look for him to show
up.
You know, that's the thing Ithink that that's always moved
me forward is sometimes in thesmallest thing I can hear God
whispering and knocking.
I'm here.
Speaker 2 (30:08):
I'm here.
Speaker 1 (30:09):
Sometimes it's just when certain birds show up.
Sometimes it's just looking atmy Christmas lights strung
around the room.
God is here, his light is here,his presence is here.
It's not the lights, it is theawareness that there are
sparkles of goodness in my daythat I need to unpack.
Speaker 2 (30:29):
I need to unwrap, and mindfully turning that into
let's unwrap these things Right,you know, and it comes in that
moment, and part of why I amsuch a Christmas girly I've
always been.
I know not everybody is.
I recognize that I've alwaysbeen a fan of winter.
I mean winter where we're uponthe solstice, the winter
(30:51):
solstice no, I'm not pagan folks, it's just the longest minutes
of darkness that comes to us inwinter.
It comes to us in winter thelongest night it feels like, and
for us here in the Midwest it'susually very cold, all apparent
life as far as leaves on treeshave fallen and everything seems
(31:13):
to be falling into this dark,cold slumber.
And I think about thescriptures that talk about
Christ coming as a light.
It just makes it even moresignificant for me as a Christ
follower, as someone who, inspite of how I can't make sense
of how a virgin would conceiveother than a miraculous
(31:36):
happening and how one tiny babycan come to bring such light
into the world.
I look at this time of winterand I think part of why I've
always loved it is because I'vealways found something very
special about the candlelightthat we don't have to put out
(31:57):
quite so early in the summertime, or the twinkle lights that are
so small but beautiful.
The cozy sweaters, the mittensand the scarves, the boots, the
blankets I find those things tobe blankets.
(32:18):
I find those things to bewarmth emotionally for me, and
I've always looked more towardsthose things than how many
minutes of sunlight we're losingevery day as we get to this
point.
And I recognize it's just a verydifferent way of thinking.
We all have differentpersonalities.
Once again, we see thingsdifferently.
But I mean, I look at thosesparks of light and warmth, the
(32:38):
sound of a fireplace.
I look at those things and theymake me cozy, right Cozy, and
they help remind me that thelight of the world came.
We have long lay the world.
We have all of these picturesgiven to us of this tiny light
(33:01):
that came through a very darktime and that stirs up hope in
my heart.
And so I encourage people.
You know, when people say theystruggle with the darkness and
they struggle with the cold, Ioften say you need a good candle
, let's get warm to drink.
I know it doesn't fixeverything, but for a moment,
(33:21):
maybe, just linger with thetwinkle for a minute and let God
use it.
I believe he does.
And I know I'm not making lightof people dealing with clinical
depression.
Believe me, I'm not making lifeof people dealing with clinical
depression.
Believe me, I'm not.
I'm just saying that for me itresounds with my spirit this
time of year to see hope comingin the form of a tiny baby and
(33:44):
you have to lean into that, evenif it's not the easiest of
holidays.
Speaker 1 (33:50):
And I wrote you know, even in winter things are
happening underground that wedon't see.
And even in rest, god ispreparing for new blooms.
Right, he is resting the ground, they're coming.
You know, farm girl, whathappens when we don't rest our
ground, right, when we don'trest our ground.
Speaker 2 (34:11):
we do not produce beautiful crops when we don't
rotate the ground.
We do not produce beautifulcrops.
When we don't rotate the ground, we do not produce beautiful
crops.
Let God take us in and out ofthose seasons of what appears to
be darkness and maybe lessattractive to us, to rest place
in my heart, in my spirit and asmuch as, yes, presents are nice
(34:37):
and having the parties and theactivities.
I really like the quiet of thistime of year too.
Sometimes you have to fight tofind it.
You really do you have to fightfor that sometimes.
Speaker 1 (34:51):
Yeah, and I think when you're talking about the
cozy, it just reminds me of warmhugs, the warm hugs when we
wrap up in the father's lovethat is.
You know, it is so that we'reall running everywhere In winter
(35:16):
just cozying up with a blankethot cocoa, hot tea.
There's just something ofslowing down that is so
beautiful in the season, justwith a bunch of lights.
But I have my lights and I havemy little ornaments and my
gnomes out, because everythingelse is a total wreck.
(35:37):
But we just enjoy knowing thatin this season there's something
to celebrate and every day is areason to celebrate goodness,
and sometimes we have to unpackthe goodness from the gifts we'd
rather re-gift.
Speaker 2 (35:57):
And there's some gifts we should not re-gift.
We need to dispose of them inthe trash receptacle, where they
belong, and not worry about itanymore.
Okay, let's throw that one out.
That one definitely is notgoing anywhere else.
That's it Exactly.
You know that gift exchange.
You know you can stealsomebody's gift, yeah.
Speaker 1 (36:19):
Person, it's dead.
Yeah, those things need to die.
Those needs to.
You know, the funny thing islike when we were unpacking we
were kind of throwing out.
We had a 40 yard dumpster, wewere throwing out everything and
it was amazing to see all thegifts that have gone into boxes.
Speaker 2 (36:30):
Right and you never saw the light of day.
They were never worn, they werenever displayed, and rightfully
so.
Exactly.
Speaker 1 (36:40):
But it's funny and you have a chuckle about
thinking about it, and I thinkthis is a time where we like to
reflect and we should bereflecting on the goodnesses of
God, those lights in the middleof darkness that have brought
such beauty into our lives.
Speaker 2 (36:56):
Right, and you know there are practical things, and
when I think about this, I wantto also talk about this.
There are practical things thatwe could do to help bring
ourselves out of that darkhumbug place, and we all know
what things bring us joy.
For me, I had not picked up aneedle to do any crafting for
(37:18):
almost.
Do you know how much joy it hasfelt?
Yes, my hands have been swollen, but how much joy I've felt
actually doing something that Ilove.
What are the things you love?
What are the things that sparkjoy?
To coin a phrase, what are thethings that can bring you to
(37:38):
some moments of joy?
Find them.
Find them.
Ask the people that you lovethe most to help you utilize
them.
Do what is necessary to try tomake sure that you walk into a
better place.
I know it doesn't fixeverything, but I do believe.
Turn to a friend.
(37:59):
If you are someone that isgoing through a very difficult,
dark time right now, pleasereach out to us.
I would love to pray with you.
We all walk through difficultmoments.
I think the lie that we embracein those difficult moments is
that nobody's going to want towalk through with us.
Why would we want someone elseto have to walk through that
(38:21):
dark place with us?
Nobody else is going to want totake that on.
Those are lies and you need toknow that.
The body is here and, yes,maybe you've been hurt by the
body, maybe the body has notbeen kind to you and I'm talking
about the church in general butnot everybody is the person
that hurt you or the situationthat harmed you.
(38:42):
Keep in mind that Jesus isstill.
He's still walking among us.
He is still here to ignite inour hearts his passions, his
love.
So reach out, let somebody praywith you.
Speaker 1 (38:56):
Why don't you pray?
Why don't we close?
Because we're getting to theextended time period, we're
getting into coffee chat, theextended edition, which we have
done that a few times Exactly.
Speaker 2 (39:11):
Heavenly Father, I just thank you for this day and
for this moment, whatever it isholding.
I know what it holds for mepersonally.
I know the things that areknocking on my mind, trying to
distract me, trying to weigh medown, trying to make me feel
like maybe there is no spark ofjoy or light in this life right
(39:35):
now.
And I just ask you, father, forthose that might be struggling
in this moment, I ask you rightnow to just let them feel your
presence, let their heart sensethat you are here with them in
this tiny little moment, nomatter what is happening.
Father, god, I ask that youwould just enter the room, so to
(39:58):
speak.
We know you're always present,that's what we're told.
You're always present, but wedon't always feel that presence.
So, god, I ask you, please letus feel, turn the the volume up
on our ability to feel peace andjoy at this time of year.
I ask that you help us to drawstrength from you and from those
(40:22):
that you place around us.
That will allow us to borrowsome strength For those that are
sick in body.
I ask that you would touch them, that you would bring healing
to them, to those that feel likethey're alone, that there may
not them, that you would bringhealing to them.
To those that feel like they'realone, that there may not be
someone that they care and lovewith them during this holiday
season, I ask that you fill upthat space, that you fill it up
(40:44):
with your presence.
Let it be noticeable, god, thatthey're not walking through
these days alone.
For those that maybe feel likethey don't have the provision
that they would like to have todo the things they want to do
this Christmas, god, just keeptuning their heart and their
mind to you and to your goodness, to once again peace and joy.
(41:10):
And those things that are nottangible you can't buy them on a
shelf, you can't put them in abeautifully packaged box.
Those are things that have tocome divinely from you.
God, I thank you.
I thank you for this podcast.
I thank you for the ladies thatfaithfully join us every week.
(41:31):
I thank you for the goodnessthat you have given us in this
past year and I give you glory,god, for what I know you're
doing right now, but most of all, just for the simple fact that
you were willing to come intothis dark and dreary place and
(41:52):
bring light in the form of yourson Jesus.
In your name, I pray Amen.
Speaker 1 (41:58):
Well, you guys, we are anticipating some Christmas
joy in about an hour, when ourChiefs take on the Texans, the
holly jolly men in red, can youbelieve that?
Speaker 2 (42:12):
Amber is sitting there in a Chiefs sweatshirt.
Yeah, a transformation ishappening.
It is a transformation.
Speaker 1 (42:19):
I think I've unwrapped the gift of the Chiefs
, you know.
Speaker 2 (42:23):
I'm so glad you finally came out of darkness
into life.
Chiefs Kingdom is where it's at.
I do want to tell people thatwe are on the brink of some
changes ourselves.
We'll give you lots of newinformation about that, but this
year has held a few interestingthings for us concerning the
book and the publishing world,and I want you guys to know that
(42:46):
we are making decisions and webelieve that there is goodness
coming, and we're so excited toshare that with you.
There is goodness coming andwe're so excited to share that
with you.
Speaker 1 (42:56):
January is coming If you don't have a word.
Speaker 2 (42:57):
Believe me, life is not going to end if you don't
get one.
Speaker 1 (43:01):
Yeah, no, you have many words.
Speaker 2 (43:03):
I would encourage you to enjoy this holiday season
and just allow your focus to gofrom, once again, those gifts
that we don't want to takeforward with us, those things
that we do, and how might Godutilize them in the coming new
year?
Speaker 1 (43:21):
So true, so true.
And I also want to remind youguys, we are up on all podcast
platforms.
Please join us, please like,subscribe, share.
We have all this goodnesscoming.
And we also are up on YouTube.
Oh, my goodness, I was countingthe other day.
We have over 50 videos andfunny antics so you can go watch
(43:43):
Coffee Chat and Review.
I know you're going to want tospend your holidays watching
binge watching Coffee Chat withAmber and Lisa, that's what you
want to do folks washing coffee,chat with Amber and Lisa.
That's what you want to do,folks.
Well, merry Christmas and wewill see you in the new year,
(44:06):
and we're so excited, you guystake care and have a great time
with family and friends.
Merry Christmas, merryChristmas.
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