February 28, 2025 • 51 mins
Have you ever felt it's too late to pursue your dreams? In this episode, we sit down with Denise Payne, a vibrant career counselor who reminds us that it's never too late! Denise founded Career Crossroads Counseling at the age of 50, combining her faith with her expertise to help others find their calling. Join us as we explore how divine guidance can lead to fulfilling careers and uncover practical insights into overcoming common blockers like self-doubt and fear.
Denise shares powerful stories of her own career transition after homeschooling for two decades, demonstrating the incredible potential we all have at any age. With an emphasis on intercession, we discuss how prayer and faith can empower individuals facing pivotal career choices. Denise offers practical strategies for recognizing personal strengths and interests, all while encouraging listeners to embrace the seasons of their lives fully.
Through engaging conversation, you'll discover that your past experiences, even those that feel like failures, can become stepping stones to your future success. So whether you're feeling stuck at a crossroads or simply seeking guidance on your career journey, this episode is filled with hope, inspiration, and actionable advice.
Connect with Denise Payne:
📧 Email: denisepayne.ccc@gmail.com
📞 Call: 800-709-5730
📷 Instagram: @careercrossroadscounseling
👍 Facebook: Career Crossroads Counseling
🌐 Website: www.careercrossroadscounseling.com
Don’t miss out on Denise's insights! Listen, share, and leave a review to let us know how this episode has resonated with you. Explore more and gain valuable resources by checking out the show notes linked in the episode description!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
My name is Nicole Cater, your host, founder and
servant leader of GracevilleCommunity.
I want to thank you for tuningin to Graceville Community
Podcast.
This is a safe space, a placein which we just share stories
of how God has touchedindividuals' lives all across
the world and how they are nowimpacting the kingdom of God.
(00:21):
Thank you for tuning in.
Blessings to you, helloGraceville community.
I am so excited once again tobe in connection with you.
Welcome to our podcast.
If you are listening, if youare viewing, we give you a shout
out, a hello from myself andthe Graceville community team.
(00:43):
We're so excited for you to beconnected with us today for
another day of just hearingabout how God is moving.
He is moving, yes, y'all, hestill speaks, he still moves and
I am so, so, so excited for theconversation we will have today
.
As always, I don't want to takemuch of your time.
I want to get right to itbecause, y'all, once again, we
(01:07):
have another guest that I'msuper excited for, what she's
going to bring and theconversation we have today.
So I'm going to dive right in.
Let me tell you a little bitabout our guests.
So today we have a Miss DenisePayne.
Denise owns Career CrossroadsCounseling and she offers career
(01:29):
counseling services throughZoom.
She offers it globally, allover the nation and, of course,
in Canada.
She's helped launch folks fromages 14 to 66 into their calling
, destiny, ministry and careerover the past three and a half
years.
She has a master's of sciencein counseling psychology and in
(01:52):
the past has done individual,couples and group counseling.
So all of it, y'all all of it,as well as advising and career
counseling, currently her areaof expertise is career
counseling and the stronginterest inventory which she
does utilize with her clients,and so she has a whole journey
(02:14):
and a story to tell, even abouthow she started her own business
at age 50, never too late, guys, age 50.
And she took a 20 year hiatusfrom her career in order to stay
at home and homeschool her twodaughters.
So y'all know we're going tohave great conversations,
because you know I'm thathomeschooling mama and I'm in
the thick of it.
(02:34):
Okay, so all that's been said.
Hello, denise, hi, hi, how areyou doing?
I am great, I'm so excited forour conversation today.
I'm looking to learn, engageand learn.
So I'm happy, happy to have youon.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
Sounds good, I am happy to be here.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
Yes, okay.
So I know like there's thingsthat jumped out for our
listeners, I'm sure, when I wasreading just a little bit about
your bio.
So first thing is so youdecided to start a business at
50.
Please do tell what led to thatchoice.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
Yep, it's something I never thought would come out of
my mouth.
To be really honest, I took a20 year hiatus to homeschool my
daughters.
It is no joke to homeschool.
I did it out of obedience, um.
And then I became an emptynester and I realized I had a
lot of things I could have done.
I could have done advising.
(03:36):
I could have gone totraditional um job route and I
actually had fasted and I prayedand sought the Lord and, um, he
kind of just downloaded thisformula that I work with my
clients and I was writing itdown and then he said and it's
going to be your own business.
And I was like what?
I was very, very shocked atthat idea and that thought One
(03:59):
of the reasons why I think hedid that.
My husband's business is veryflexible and so at that point I
had a child in California, achild in Montana, and I just
wanted to be able to, like,visit them and maintain
connection.
And so this whole careercounseling over zoom and the
formula that he gave me, it washonestly, I call it a divine
download.
It was not my idea, um, but Igot really excited about it and
(04:22):
I will say, three and a halfyears later.
I'm not burned out and I loveit, so he has the best ideas way
better at the Bible and seethat there are seasons.
Speaker 1 (04:31):
First of all, we can look outside and see that God
created seasons, and so I lovehow you leaned into a new season
.
I think that's something thatwe'll just pause and talk about
(04:54):
as we even get started today, ofjust how sometimes we try and
hold on to one season when it'slike no, we're moving, Like
we're going from summer to thenext season, we need to move to
the next season and I think,because of comfortability, we
can find ourselves holding on tothat.
And so in the midst of havingto make this change, like what
(05:16):
was one of the things I meanfirst of all, you know you got
this divine download but what'sone of the things that was even
like blockers in the aspect ofstarting this business and
making this change intosomething that probably was had
some uncomfortable phases to it.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
For sure.
Yeah, I think several blockerswere.
I was not in the workforce for20 years so I actually I got
re-certified as a career coachso I could do career counseling
with just my master's.
I've chosen not to get licensedbecause my license are sure
(05:52):
hours, honestly, and I don'tmean this in a morbid way, but
I've got licensed 28, 29 yearsago.
My supervisors have probablypassed away at that point,
because they were kind of olderat that stage and I, you know, I
had no way of even tracking myhours.
So I said, god, what can I dowithout getting a license?
And I can do career counseling.
But I actually got certified asa career coach because there
were careers that are no longerin existence, that when I did
(06:13):
this before you know, 28, 29, 30years ago they're they're new
careers.
There's a whole the wholetechnology thing.
Like that's all new.
I would do paper and pencilwith with students and clients
years ago and and like workbooksand things.
So I think for me that wasintimidating as far as, like you
know, just even the socialmedia aspect of advertising your
(06:35):
business, those things were notin existence, like we did not
have iPhones three years ago.
Yeah, and I think just being youknow, being relevant to I I
work with teenagers a lot and sotrying to be relevant to them
as well, I'm a really good teamplayer.
I am very like I will serve you, like any other job.
(06:56):
I'm like I love having a bossand you tell me what to do and I
will serve you.
And that was intimidating tosay, oh Denise, like you got to
be your own boss and I am a selfstarter, that I have integrity,
like when I say I'm going to dosomething, I will try my
darndest to do it, but I'm waymore comfortable being told what
to do.
So obviously just kind of likelacking that confidence of maybe
(07:21):
between partnering with theLord.
You know, we know what's bestfor our business, just the Lord,
yeah.
So those are a couple of thingsfor me that were blockers when
starting.
Speaker 1 (07:31):
Yes, I mean, I can just imagine.
So in my world we do a lot ofweb design, social media.
We do lots of web design andsocial media for nonprofits and
for churches, and one of thethings that happens is, I mean,
even just in social media, Ihave to consistently take
classes and courses and I'm like, oh, there's a new thing out,
(07:52):
there's a new way to do thisreal, there's a new way to do
this type of video, and so it'sa constant learning phase, which
sometimes does make it veryuncomfortable, like what is this
now?
Right?
And so I just, first of all,kudos to you for stepping into
that and going back and gettingthe education to help you, along
(08:12):
with the God divine download.
I think one of the things that'simportant in that is, you know,
so many times I think, asbelievers, we can hear from God
and we will hear an instruction,right, and so we may hear like,
hey, this is what to do, thisis like you said, like this is
the business and this is howit's going to go, but we can
(08:35):
miss out on some of the toolsthat he's provided in this
earthly realm for us to advancein that.
Right, and don't get me wrong,there are miraculous times,
right?
That is just like here it is andyou go with it, but I think
that there is truly some powerbacking behind getting the
education and partnering thatwith the spiritual thing so that
(08:57):
you can have God's success init.
Yeah, I imagine being in careercounseling.
That's something that youprobably speak to and engage
with with those that you workwith.
Uh-huh.
Speaker 2 (09:09):
For sure.
Yeah and um, and honestly,going back, like just talking
about my age, I just want toencourage the listeners out
there that are post 50, um,going back to school, menopause
is no joke and foggy brain isreal and I was like what I used
to memorize things so quicklywhen I was an undergrad in grad
(09:30):
school.
It was a very humbling process.
But I also think oftentimeswhen the Lord promotes us, he
has him a humbling season aswell.
That's coexisting.
So he's like I'm gonna makeyour platform more public than
you've ever been and I'm goingto humble you more than you've
ever been.
Speaker 1 (09:48):
Yeah, which I feel like is so necessary.
Right, because it's easy whenyou have a platform, it's easy
to take in the praises.
Right, because often on theplatform that's what comes, and
so it's easy to take in thataspect of like look at what I've
done versus look at what I'mable to do, partnered with him.
(10:09):
Amen, and that humility, Ithink helps bring that in a
coinciding space, right.
Speaker 2 (10:15):
Yes, the two can coexist.
Confidence and humility canactually coexist together.
Yeah, and I heard this greatdefinition of humility once,
that humility is not thinkingless of yourself, it's thinking
of yourself less often and soit's not being so self-focused
and it's just getting your focusback on the Lord and you can be
confident and keep your focuson the Lord because you know
(10:37):
where it comes from.
Speaker 1 (10:38):
So yeah, it actually makes me think and I'm like
pulling up the scripture becauseour listeners know like I have
all this stuff in my head andI'll start saying this verse and
I'm like, oh, don't ask mewhere the verse is, so I'm going
to pull it up.
But there is a biblical versethat we often hear which I'm
going to pull up for us yes,romans 12 and three right, do
(11:03):
not think of yourself morehighly than you ought to, but
rather think of yourself assober judgment, in accordance
with the faith God hasdistributed to each of you.
The very first thing thatalways stands out to me, or that
has stood out to me throughsome teachings of that, is don't
think of yourself more highly.
So that means that there is aconcept of how we should think
of ourselves and an appropriatelevel in which we should.
(11:27):
I actually had this conversationin our previous podcast.
We were talking about receivingand accepting compliments, right
, and that goes into an aspectof we are his creation.
He spoke very highly of us andwhen we downplay his creation,
we're actually downplaying ourheavenly father, we're
(11:47):
downplaying the creator, and soI love how that verse says like
don't think of yourself toohighly, meaning that there is a
measure that we should have andI think that lends into, I mean,
just the aspect of we canobviously talk about like
self-confidence through thatright, because we could
obviously talk about likeself-confidence through that
right, um, and being confidencein our identity, not necessarily
(12:08):
in what we do, yes, and myimmediate thought of just even
in that I have had thetransition of going from like
corporate, having all thiseducation, and thinking like not
only do I have education, but Ihave these student loans, and
now I'm like you want me tohomeschool these kids and very
similar to you.
(12:28):
It was not my desire.
I did not start this off sayingI want to be the stay at home
wife and mom that homeschools,right, and so there's like a
shift there.
And then there's this shiftwhere you hit the season where
it's like, okay, this season isup, now I want to take you here.
So one of the questions I wantto ask is because, as I just
(12:50):
thought about identity and howwe can often get our identities
tied into a role, versus likeour identity vertically with him
.
What are some tips that youwould give our listeners of just
being mindful of, even in yourcareers, in your careers, in
your spaces of where youridentity is tied to.
Speaker 2 (13:10):
Yeah, I mean, I think some of it is discovering the
uniqueness of who God createdyou to be and owning that for
sure.
And the scripture love othersas you love yourself, and one
inversion says as well as youlove yourself.
And um, and one inversion says,as well as you love yourself.
And so I think it gets wonky ifwe love others too much and
we're not focusing on lovingourselves.
(13:31):
And then it gets wonky if welove ourselves too much and
we're not focusing on lovingothers.
So I think you know, when youhave that balance, um, that
definitely um is is a way tomake sure that you're in the
proper identity space, so tospeak.
And then also, god really didcreate us so uniquely.
(13:53):
And when I work with my clients,I mean we discover together,
you know, a lot of the uniquedestiny, calling hobbies, things
like that.
There's things we've come upwith within session that like
are so out of the box, things ofwhat they can do career wise.
But a lot of that gets back toone of the things I do is I look
up their names.
I actually have this baby namebook, prophetic baby name book,
(14:16):
and I look up their namesbecause I think God gives us
clues, even like I was born tonon-Christian parents but they
named me Denise, and that meanswise, discerner, and so when I
was in grad school and havingsome tough days, I was like I
have wisdom, I have discernment,you know, and I think sometimes
that can be a clue as to, like,your calling and destiny.
And so God, I think, throughoutour lives he's always putting
(14:39):
little, you know, kisses, or Godwinks as far as like this is
who I created you to be, this ishow you're uniquely made.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
Yes, I love that.
So I often refer to names.
You know, when we named ourchildren, we knew that names had
an important meaning, so but Ialso those that know me know
that all of my kids start withthe I name and my husband has an
I name.
Why I'm Nicole with the N name?
Speaker 2 (15:04):
Hey, with the I name and my husband has an I name.
Speaker 1 (15:06):
Why I'm Nicole with the N name hey look you have an
I in your second letter, secondletter is I.
But even as I look at my nameright, my name means victory for
the people, and God has reallygiven me a heart that literally
love God, love people, is what Ilive by, right.
And so you know, over time itactually helped me understand to
(15:28):
your point of what path theLord was taking me on, um, how
he uniquely created me to walkthis path and be able to walk
the path of people.
We know sometimes people canhurt, right, um.
And so when you love peoplehard, you also have to be able
to carry boundaries, and I haveto learn that that's a key part
in even in the calling of myname, right.
(15:50):
And so we in our home believeheavily in the names and believe
that when you speak that name,you're consistently speaking
that over that individual.
And so I laugh because mydaughter's name is Ivory, laugh
because my daughter's name isIvory.
And when I named her I was onthis track of, like everybody
(16:16):
had I letters, names,everybody's names had five
letters, and so I was searchingand it came up and it said, like
you know, the white tusk of anelephant, like hard on the
outside but soft on the insideand I was, oh sure, it's not
nothing bad, let's go with it,right.
And now I look and I'm likethat really does describe her
like she is a very solid younglady.
(16:38):
She is, I mean, can exteriorwise you like.
Yes, she has it all togetherand yet she is the most tender
hearted, like the most hugs, themost embracing of, like touch,
and I'm like this truly is adescription of what this name
means.
Yet even in that, she loves toworship and she has a gift
(17:06):
inside of her that I definitelylisten.
I sing in the shower and I'mnot taking it beyond there, like
I will sing amongst many othersworshiping right and in my
private quarters.
Yeah, um, but she loves to doit.
She leads key kids worship atour church.
She's always just singing andsinging worship songs.
(17:26):
And at one point the lord toldme like look at her name again.
And I remember going back andlooking and seeing ivory and I'm
reading through and I'm like,yep, I know this it's, you know,
like your teeth, it's hard onthe outside, there's softness on
the inside, and he reallystarted showing me like the
beauty of the softness on theinside and what all it can
(17:48):
create.
But then he took me to a placewhich I never understood that
ivory comes from the tusk ofelephants and that elephants,
when they would go into thesebattles for praise, elephants,
would lead the way, lead themwith the praise and worship.
And so it was like an eyeopener of like Lord, you did
(18:13):
have a plan with this day.
I love it With this tenderheart.
Like you have a plan, you havea destiny which I know.
Our scripture tells us that.
I know the living word saysthat.
Speaker 2 (18:24):
Yeah, and also elephants.
They actually kind of trumpet,it's like they herald, you know,
even with their trunks, and soshe kind of heralds and ushers
in the presence.
And yes, yeah, my two girls areworship leaders as well, as is
my husband, but I am the frontrow intercessor.
Speaker 1 (18:43):
Right, yes.
Speaker 2 (18:43):
Everyone else is so thankful.
Speaker 1 (18:48):
Oh yeah, look, I'm right there with you.
I'm like I will be behind this,I will teach, I will intercede,
I will set up tables.
I will set up things like Iwant to up tables.
I will set up things like, ohyes, I love it.
Okay, so, as we just continueto talk this through, I mean,
(19:10):
you made the transition, decidedto do this new business.
You're impacting lives all over.
How do you feel like you havethe ability to just talk Jesus
with those that are coming forcareer space?
Speaker 2 (19:27):
Well, I do advertise myself as a Christian career
counselor, so 90% of my clientsare Christian.
I will take, I will see anyone,but I will say I love.
I actually by design chose tocall it a faith-based or
Christian career counselingbecause when I was at CU Boulder
and Portland Community College,I was not allowed to even
(19:50):
breathe anything having to dowith the Lord and so I was just
interceding.
But now I'm like I have freedom.
So, yeah, so I pray beforehand,I pray in the seat of my
clients.
I actually ask the Lord for aword for them.
Like I said, I look up theirbaby names and I actually write
(20:11):
those out and then at thebeginning of the session I
actually do right before I meetwith them, I do a worship song
and I kind of war over them andthen at the beginning of the
session we pray at the beginningand at the end.
And actually one client justrecently she just broke down in
the middle.
She was a teenager.
She broke down in the middle ofthe session and I said we're
(20:32):
stopping, we're praying rightnow and we just stopped
everything and we just prayed.
For sometimes there's a lot ofemotion that goes along with
career change or exploration.
I've met with clients thatthey've gotten fired.
Their self-esteem is like youknow.
I've met with teenagers thatdon't believe they can do
anything.
They they've been told thatyou're not going to match
(20:54):
anything.
You're just.
You know, you're going to justhave a menial job at a gas
station.
Not that that's a bad thing ifthat's what God calls you to do.
But you know, like I feel, Ifeel part of my job is to
empower.
I don't I don't want tohandhold, I don't want to tell
them what to do.
I want to give them the tools,cheerleading, champion them and
(21:15):
then they can kind of take allthe information and, you know,
hopefully also some propheticthings from the Lord and go
explore on their own.
Speaker 1 (21:25):
So yes, I love that.
I mean, that is a key componentthat I know many would not
consider, with the aspect oflike walking people through
transition, which is really whatit is right there in the face
of transition.
Speaker 2 (21:38):
They're at a crossroads, exactly.
I just connected a crossroads,exactly.
Speaker 1 (21:42):
I just connected it.
Yes, I did there Lookcrossroads.
Yes, absolutely, I love that.
And so, man?
Okay.
So intercession I do want to notpresume, because I trust and
believe that all individuals arewelcome to Graceville community
(22:02):
and to our podcast.
So I do want to explain thepower of intercession to our
listeners.
Intercession is essentially theability to pray on behalf of
someone else, asking God tointervene to be help to them.
It is what we would consider asacrificial act, because you are
(22:24):
warring in the spirit realm onbehalf of that person.
The Bible actually tells usthat Christ sits at the right
hand of the father andintercedes on our behalf, and so
it is a powerful tool.
What a great space that we canbe in, that we can enter into
the throne gates and go beforeour heavenly father on behalf of
(22:48):
someone else.
It's one of the most powerfulacts of love I believe that
exists, that you can do, nomatter where you are, for
someone else.
And so I can imagine I mean I'mjust thinking if I connected
with you in a state oftransition and I'm like I'm
clueless in the sense of whereto go next, trying to connect
(23:10):
with career and have thatintercession power present.
Man I imagine there has had tohave been testimonies and just
miracles that have come througheven in the last three and a
half years of you doing this.
So I mean, if at Liberty, Iwould love if you could just
share an example of just waysthat you've seen.
Speaker 2 (23:31):
God just answer yeah, yeah, I have seen fruit, which
is like why I do it.
You know, if it's not fruitful,I am moving on, unless he tells
me not to.
Yeah, there's been some reallyneat things.
One of the things that happenedwith one of my clients.
So what I do at the end of thesession is we come up with five
(23:54):
doable goals for them to dowithin the month after we meet
and I just sent a little emailchecking in how did your goals
go?
Sometimes the goals areshadowing, like a veterinarian,
or interviewing their cousinwho's a firefighter.
I had a client who got hired onthe spot from their goal.
So they interviewed someone ina career area of interest and
(24:17):
that person in just theminterviewing the boss, got hired
.
Yeah, and it worked out reallywell.
And I've had other clients.
They've started that dreambusiness.
I've had clients that.
It's very interesting becausesometimes they'll get that dream
job right away.
Sometimes it's in six months,sometimes it's in a year.
(24:38):
So you know, and they'll,they'll get back to me and I
continue to intercede for themand I tell them once, a client,
always a client.
As far as intercession, youknow, I I mean, I can't continue
to for free you know like me.
Yeah, I'm like you know, but Ido for me.
It's like I am on your team,I'm on your side, I am available
(25:00):
to be a resource for you acrossthe board.
So, yeah, yes, yes.
Speaker 1 (25:05):
Oh, I absolutely love that and I intercede on your
behalf.
I know that there is eternalrewards being stocked up for you
, but I also pray that theseearthly rewards are coming your
way, because it truly is a wayof impacting other people's
lives, and I mean again justthat's.
One of the greatest forms oflove that we can extend to one
another is the power ofintercession.
(25:28):
I mean, there's no greater,greater way than to intercede
and pray on their behalf.
Yeah, even at times when wecannot, you know, financially
assist or, you know, cannotprovide in a certain way, one
thing we can always do is prayand intercede.
That does not negate, that doesnot negate the opportunity of
(25:49):
God speaks to you to plant intosomeone or to give into some
aspect.
But one thing you can always do, no matter where you are and
where they are, is go before theheavenly father on behalf,
their behalf.
Amen, amen, yes, hey, let's takea quick break to tell you about
grace-filled communitygrace-filled community is an
(26:14):
organization that focuses on theprimary principles of the
Church of Acts, centered aroundbuilding communities that impact
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We do this through three coreextensions.
One, graceville Church Network,where we empower churches and
nonprofits for God's success andgrowth.
(26:34):
We offer tailored growthstrategies rooted in biblical
principles that will help youexpand your reach and impact
your communities.
Just like the early church, wefocus not on attendance and
numbers, but on discipleship,providing leadership teachings
and trainings to today'sministry leaders.
Our second extension is Projectof the Grace Field, where we
(26:59):
provide biblical counseling,mentorship, workshops and events
that are dedicated toencouraging individuals to live
a life filled with grace andpurpose, rooted in the
understanding that all havefallen short and are a working
project.
Let us help the individuals inyour community grow as they walk
(27:22):
with God and experience thefullness of his love.
Our third extension is thegrace-filled business.
Grace-filled business is hereto help small faith-based
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his kingdom through marketplaceministry and financing his
(27:43):
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We do this through our 15 yearsof experience of virtual
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and consulting.
Welcome back.
Oh, my goodness, okay.
So what are some practical tipsthat you would actually give
our listeners to identify likeGod-given destiny?
(28:06):
I know we talked about thenames, but what are some other
tips when they're consideringlike a career or calling, or
their destiny?
Speaker 2 (28:12):
Right, yeah, so I'm just going to share a little bit
about.
I asked my clients at thebeginning of each session five
questions, and I'm going toshare those for free for your
listeners.
Let's go get your notebook.
So I do ask, and again I feltlike these were kind of God just
(28:32):
laid these out.
So it's one of the formulasthat I do.
But so I do ask the traditionalquestion what makes you feel
alive and happy to be on theplanet?
And this doesn't have to becareer, this can be when I go
water skiing, this can be whenI'm with my grandchildren.
I mean it.
Just that that is definitelyindication, because God created
(28:53):
you to actually have abundantlife, and he comes to kill,
still destroy, Satan comes todestroy.
But God wants us to haveabundance Doesn't necessarily
mean we're all rich, it justmeans abundance in every area.
And you could be abundantliving in a hut in Africa, being
a missionary, if that's whatGod's, you know, called you to
do.
And so, um, one indicator iswhat, what makes me feel alive
(29:17):
and exhilarated?
And another question I ask is atage eight-ish, which is when we
kind of transition fromconcrete to abstract thinking
what types of hobby sports didyou engage in and even imaginary
play.
So I had someone I worked withthat she was always playing
store and she was always thecashier and on her strong
(29:40):
interest, inventory results, andthat's one clue you can take an
assessment that, like you know,accountant or whatever you know
, is kind of one of the top ones.
So that's an indication of didyou?
I have some clients that arelike I always like stopped the
bad guy, I always, you know,rescued.
I'm like, well, police officerand, you know, firefighter and
(30:01):
EMT all showed up really high onyour interest.
So I do.
I asked that.
And then I asked what have youalways been told that you're
good at throughout your lifetime?
Cause sometimes, you know, Imean it was 66 and counting, I
would love to meet with evenolder, because I think we never
retire and sometimes there'sministries that pop out of this,
hobbies and things.
(30:22):
And so I asked that what haveyou always been told you're good
at?
Because God builds patternswith us and you can see a thread
throughout your lifetime andthere's stuff that if you were
good when you were four, believeit or not, it can be translated
to when you're 34.
And then another thing I ask iswhere are you currently serving
, and so in your church, yourhome, I have a lot of clients
(30:45):
who are like well, I'm just, I'mthe counselor to all my friends
you know, and I'm like and sojust kind of getting a clue to
like where did you naturallyfeel led to volunteer to serve?
And then the last thing I asked,which is very unique I've never
met a career counselor whoasked this but what are your
current night dreams anddaydreams?
(31:06):
Because I believe it's biblicalthat God speaks to us through
dreams Not always, sometimesit's pizza or your processing
Right, but I do believe that,especially when we make that
appointment, I'm like okay, god,you're like game on, you're
going to be speaking to them.
I've been really praying thatlike they'll get confirmation.
And so many times we're like ohmy gosh, denise, I can't
(31:27):
believe you're asking me thisbecause yesterday, blah, blah,
blah.
But getting back to the dreams,there can be a huge indication.
Like one client, she was a highschooler, she was debating on
where to go to school to pursuesome degrees and she kept
hearing about water and ocean.
And I'm like and she waslandlocked at the time I'm like
honey, I think you're supposedto go to a school near ocean and
(31:49):
water.
It was just kept reoccurring.
Sometimes they'll havechildhood dreams, because some
people, like I, don't dreamanymore, and which is fine.
I think we do dream.
We don't always remember, youknow, but they'll have a
childhood dream where again thatreoccurring.
I dreamt that I rescued myfamily, my mom, my and and.
Again, that's just another clue.
(32:10):
And then I asked what are yourdaydreams Like when you're bored
?
Besides your to-do list, youknow what do you find yourself
dreaming about?
And, and one of these thingswas really cool, a client I had.
He came up very high on allthings finance, like finance,
cpa, stockbroker, day trader,like all these things.
(32:31):
And then art.
And I was like and I said thisis very interesting because four
out of five are very much makesense, but the art one did not
belong in that mix.
And he said, you know, he saidI used to do art, um, as a way
to process and to like, exploremy feelings, and, um, to vent.
(32:53):
And he, um, he said he had notpicked up his pencil or brushes
in 10 years and he felt like theLord was calling him back into
the hobby of art.
And his, he was actually aboutto interview for a job.
He got the job, it was hisdream job, but he and our
session was mostly likeconfirmation, right, that he was
(33:15):
doing what he was supposed tobe doing, but but the art piece
he goes, I'm going to you know.
Basically, I said I thinkyou're going to need this to
pick up your pencils and yourbrushes to help relieve the
stress that you're going to getwith this job.
So yeah, and then one otherthing I wanted to say, kind of
(33:35):
along that too, with my, myclients, when stuff pops up, I
had a 66 year old, very frail,tiny, petite woman who came up,
the number one police officer,and she's like I don't want to
be a police officer.
And I said I don't want you tobe.
I mean, she's like this fraillittle.
But I actually knew her becauseI coach, I can see people, I
know which is the differencebetween being a counselor as
(33:55):
well.
And I knew her and I said Iknow that you're a police
officer in the spirit realm.
I said you hold watchdog prayergroups, you pray over your
County, your city, families,your nation.
And I said I think the Lord isjust like keep doing that, keep
doing that.
And so sometimes it's notliteral what pops up, sometimes
it's God just saying you knownot again, under the where are
(34:17):
you currently serving?
And she was just massivelyorganizing all of these
intercession prayer groups.
And I think you know, I thinkthe Lord was highlighting that
and still on that.
Speaker 1 (34:25):
So yes, yes, oh, my goodness, I absolutely love that
, especially because, forsomeone like me, I am top tier,
number one verbal processor.
Like I need to start talking itout.
Often I will talk it out and belike, oh, it just hit me.
Speaker 2 (34:42):
Right, and there's the solution.
Speaker 1 (34:46):
But I love that aspect of being able to sit with
someone and I mean first of allthe questions you asked,
especially, like you said, thatlast one.
I've done a lot of, been in alot of workshops, a lot of
conferences where I hear thesecareer counselors.
I've set and even did aspectsof career counseling with
(35:07):
college students, and so to hearthat be a portion of it it just
makes me think of the reasonwhy dreams were even created,
and I think biblically, likedreams were a way that God
communicated with his people.
It was often a way that hewould reveal, like preparation,
like as in warnings.
(35:27):
We know that prophets woulddream warnings before a
misfortune, right.
We also see where there wasmessage dreams, right, these
were known as oracles and thesedreams often included like
direct instructions or divineassistance, and so we see that
with Gideon, like he had dreamsof confirmation, and so I mean
(35:51):
just the aspect of you askingthat and leaning someone in to
have that conversation with you,me verbal processor, about like
those dreams and looking back,even at childhood, those that
have listened to us before andif not, this is your first time
I'm going to give you mypersonal definition of grace and
(36:13):
grace in my personal Now thisis my personal definition is
understanding that theindividual you're interacting
with has had past lifeexperiences that have shaped the
response that you see today.
And so when we look at peoplethrough those eyes, we no longer
are focusing on just the actthat they're giving to us, but
(36:36):
we are recognizing that theresponses we are receiving is
connected to some pastexperience, whether that's a
negative one or a positive one.
But our job is to lend grace,because it's not us that they're
doing to act to.
It is from the past experiencesthat is shaping what we're
(36:58):
seeing today, so good.
And so when I think of that andthink of how even grace plays a
part in looking for a career ina season of transition, I know
that many times, matter of fact,I just prayed with the lady
yesterday who was working a jobwas for sure, like this was the
(37:18):
job God gave me and she'd beenthere for a year and right at
the anniversary of the year shewas laid off, off, and so she
just felt like I didn't hearright or, you know, something
happened, like I did somethingwrong, and my number one thing
was first one, lend yourselfgrace, right.
I think so often we could jumpto, like it was me, and in this
(37:41):
case she was laid off, so notfired, so not that there was
warnings, and you like there isa.
You know we do haveconsequences, but that was not
her case, right?
So one lend yourself grace andthen also understand that
there's grace for a season thatthe Lord you truly may have
heard from the Lord and Iwatched I think it was a pastor
(38:04):
Jonathan Evans had talked aboutwhat we hear from God and we're
like, yes, we heard from God,like I'm going to make this move
, and then we get into thatspace and it's not like happy,
go lucky, like we're not doingall the dances, balloons are not
, the confetti is over, andwe're like this is not what I
thought it was going to be, thisdoesn't feel good, I'm not so
excited in it, and so forth.
(38:29):
That doesn't remove that it wasa place that was intended for
you, it was God's instructions.
But so often we look at theexternal circumstances and want
to say like, oh, that wasn't Godright when God gave her grace
to be there for a season.
Speaker 2 (38:41):
And so.
Speaker 1 (38:42):
I can imagine, as you're doing this career
counseling, you're also justwalking them through, probably
even some childhood wounds thatare being carried out as they're
in this phase of transition,cause we know that that's
typically when those things maycome up, when there's
challenging times.
Yes, yeah.
Speaker 2 (39:01):
And sometimes I mean wounds from bosses or, you know,
like authority.
I mean, it's just the gamut ofand and the person who actually
kind of broke down the sessionwas actually from a dream and
they they never processed reallypainful dream that triggered
something, and so that's when Iwas like we are shutting
everything down.
(39:22):
Like is way more important thatyou feel seen, heard, loved and
we picked up where we left offand we ended on time, which was
great.
You know I have to honorpeople's time.
I'm like, okay, god, like I,you know I set aside everything
to honor, like this space, andhonor her in this space, and so,
yeah, but I love what I loveall.
(39:43):
I love your definition of graceand I love what you said about
all of that of just what peopleare projecting, presenting and
and that's fantastic.
And I think sometimes, likeyou're, whoever you're praying
with yesterday, sometimes Godwill have that job just as a
stepping stone, you know, and itreally wasn't the end game and
it wasn't the 30 year climb ofthe corporate ladder job, it was
(40:06):
actually a stepping stone forwhat he has next.
And, honestly, sometimes whenI'm in session, I remember one
session I was like God well, acouple of different ones, but
one I was like God just keepshighlighting worship dance and
like they were wanting a jobsomewhere else and dance did pop
up or performing arts popped up, but they were just kind of
pushing like nope, I want thisor this.
(40:27):
I said pop up or performingarts popped up, but they were
just kind of pushing like nope,I want this one, this is it.
Okay, I'm just being honest.
It's like worship dances righthere, I just like and like.
So three months later therethey texted Denise was right and
I'm.
I'm actually like beinginterviewed for professional
worship dance position, gettingpaid and all of that, you know,
and yeah, and they were.
They're kind of kicking andscreaming, though, and sometimes
(40:47):
you'll get that where the Lordis like come on, come on.
And another gentleman he hewanted to be a worship pastor at
a church and he kept kind ofsettling for more traditional
jobs and and there were severalthings, you know, assignments he
had as far as his goals andthings, but every door was
(41:08):
blocked and then he just gothired and I was like you know,
you kept knocking on those doorsand I pray, I say Lord, shut
those doors that are notsupposed to be shut open.
Those are supposed to be open.
Sometimes I'm like your thingsays real estate agent, I think
that's for when you're retired,or you know like.
(41:29):
Sometimes it's like you weresaying, okay, god, let's go, and
like I love how you talkedabout the seasons too and um,
one of the best metaphors I'veheard is you know, you can't use
the harvesting um apparatus oruh tools when you're planting,
like that would be ridiculous ifyou use something to pull up
something off tools when you'replanting, like that would be
(41:49):
ridiculous if you use somethingto pull up something off the
ground when you're trying toplant, and so what worked in
that past season doesn'tnecessarily work in this current
season.
Speaker 1 (41:57):
Yes, yes, that's so good.
Oh, that's such a good analogy.
That is really good.
Okay, well, talk about honoringtime.
I looked at the time and I'mlike what happened?
I feel like I know ourlisteners are probably like
Nicole.
You say that every episodeCause that's what I feel, like
we're in such a goodconversation, and especially
(42:17):
whenever you're talking aboutthe goodness of God and
testimonies of how he has showedup Well, he's ever present, but
how we have seen him show up Isay show up and show off.
Yes, exactly I'm like time goesby.
You know, I definitely am thatperson that was kicking and
screaming.
(42:37):
I even in this aspect ofGraceville community and
definitely in this podcast,kicking and screaming and not be
hearing right Somebody else.
Maybe I'm supposed to helpsomebody else launch this right
For them.
Speaker 2 (42:52):
Yeah, I'll intercede and they go do it.
Speaker 1 (42:57):
Yeah, exactly, I'm like, back them up and then you
know there's so manyconfirmation after confirmation
to where you almost get in thisplace, where you're, like you
recognize, like I, either I'mgoing to make this decision,
this choice to be disobedient,or I'm going to make this choice
(43:17):
to humble myself and all theaspects I think of Moses right,
all the excuses that he had, andthen into obedience.
And so, before we go I know wetalked about man a great deal
over just transition One of thethings I want to ask you is we
(43:39):
probably have some solopreneurson here listening or viewing.
What were some tips that youhave for our solopreneurs?
Speaker 2 (43:47):
Yeah, I'll do those really quickly.
I want to honor your time too.
So, first of all, you don'tsolopreneur is actually a
misconception.
You're not alone and you don'tneed to go through it alone, so
surround yourself.
First of all, join someFacebook groups.
I have I joined Christian womenentrepreneur groups, christian
women coaching groups, um,things like that, and I set up
(44:11):
coffee chats with people andwe've just connected, even if it
doesn't lead to any clients oranything, you know, just to have
like-minded people, um, thatthey're praying for you, they're
in your corner.
I also have what I call a littlemastermind groups.
I have three friends that we'reall in the counseling field.
One lives in Illinois, onelives here and quarterly we get
(44:31):
together and we discuss eachother's goals.
So we all have goals for eachmonth of that quarter and then
we hold each other accountableto that.
And so, just to.
So, when I'm having like, oh, Isaid I was going to get six
blogs on my thing, and but Iknow I'm like they're going to
ask me, you know, um, and soyeah, just definitely to do that
.
And then I also have people, um, who have committed to
(44:52):
interceding for me in theirsession, um, and that I can take
prayer requests.
I do not, you know I keepthings confidential but I can
take prayer requests and say,hey, you know I'm anticipating,
you know this is going to be atough one or can you pray for
someone, so, or someone wasinterviewing and again, I won't
use names, I'll keep everythingconfidential but I think, like
you, you actually have to createyour own community, and so just
to go after that in thoseaspects has been really
(45:15):
beneficial for me.
Speaker 1 (45:17):
Oh man, so you just hit a keyword to me.
I mean, obviously, greeceville,community, but community is
such a core foundation.
I believe in just having God'ssuccess in all areas, like he
created us for community.
We were not meant to do thisall together, alone, and so I
absolutely value those tips thatyou lend to solopreneurs.
(45:39):
That's so true.
You're not in it alone.
You don't have to be alone.
I'm imagining, I'm trying toremember how do we even first
connect?
I'm like I'm pretty sure itprobably was a Facebook group,
because similar I'm on theFacebook groups and I have built
some wonderful relationshipswith people globally because of
the ability to step into spacesof community for like-minded
(46:02):
believers.
So, yes, yeah, for sure,awesome, well, denise.
Believers.
So, yes, yeah, for sure,awesome, well, denise, I
definitely enjoyed our timetoday, such great conversation
and, to be quite frank, I'm likeI know I'm asking for the
listeners, but I'm also askingfor myself, because, as you were
(46:24):
talking about some of the tipsfor understanding destiny and
career, I'm like I have threeteenagers in this moment.
I've been trying to figure outwhat is coming next.
So please tell myself and thelisteners how we stay connected
with you, how we could tap intoactually your resource.
If we have someone that we wantto refer my three teenagers to
you, how do we do it?
Speaker 2 (46:43):
I can look up their names.
Yes, middle names too.
I look up middle names too.
That's key.
Speaker 1 (46:50):
Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (46:52):
Yeah, you know I have a website it's
careercrossroadscounselingcom.
That explains most thoroughlymy offerings.
I do have a Facebook page withthe same name, Instagram account
with the same name, but if youreally just you could actually
go on my website and you cansend.
(47:13):
I just got a form from someonetoday.
They just do a submission form.
I'm interested and, yeah, Iwould love to work with your
teenagers.
I love to work with yourlisteners or anyone that they
might know, happy to do it.
My pricing is actually halfprice because I've chosen not to
get licensed.
So, um, and I prepay for thetest, and I charge $75 for a 90
(47:33):
minute session and I prepay forthe test, so the test is a $40
value.
So it's really kind of like 35bucks to meet with me.
So awesome.
Speaker 1 (47:41):
Try to make it affordable yeah, I'm like that's
a steal of a deal to me.
I love it.
Speaker 2 (47:47):
I was going to say I my, my business is a nonprofit
and I know you said you workwith nonprofits, so I've chosen
to do a non, make it a nonprofitfor a variety of reasons.
Speaker 1 (47:57):
So, yeah, Awesome.
Well, I mean, we're going todefinitely have to have a
separate conversation, becauseI'm thinking of even the
churches and the nonprofits thatI work with, and often we do
these aspects of like again,community right and building
community and connecting themwith career spaces and so forth.
So I'm like, when we endpodcast Denise, we will continue
(48:18):
.
Listeners, I'm sorry you're notgoing to catch that part, but
do know that in the show notesall the details for connecting
with Denise will be present.
I encourage you to pleaseconnect with her if you find
yourself that you're in a spaceof transition or believe that
her resources can be valuable toyou, and especially if you know
(48:38):
someone as well, like me, thatcan benefit.
Please check out the show notes.
Denise, I want to thank youagain for joining us today.
Thank you for lending your timeto our community.
Speaker 2 (48:50):
Thank you so much for having me, nicole.
It was really truly honestly, apleasure to meet you and chat
with you for the past hour.
Speaker 1 (48:57):
Yes, absolutely Well.
Listeners, viewers, as always.
I want to thank you for tuningin today.
We have the same message thatwe have for you every week If
you're not connected tocommunity, please feel free to
visit us atgracevillecommunitycom and we'll
be happy to find a communityfor you.
(49:19):
We have partners globally thatwe trust and value to be
like-minded believers that cananswer questions, encourage you,
uplift you and be a part ofyour story and your journey with
Christ.
So, gracefieldcommunitycomOtherwise everyone please have a
wonderful rest of your day,night, week, weekend.
(49:43):
Whenever you are tuning in andlistening to this, we will be
interceding for you, ourlisteners.
Thanks again, denise, you'rewelcome.
Bye.
Thank you for tuning in totoday's episode of Graceville
Community Podcast.
We would like to invite you tovisit gracevillecommunitycom.
(50:07):
Graceville Community is allabout doing church the way
Church of Acts did, using fivemain principles that we see in
the book of Acts Sharingresources, as believers pooled
their possessions and resourcesto support those in need, as we
see in Acts 2.44.
(50:27):
Through hospitality the earlyChristians practice hospitality
by opening their homes to others, as we see in Acts 2 and 46.
By financial aid the church inAntioch sent financial aid to
believers in Judea during a timeof famine, as described in Acts
(50:49):
11 and 29.
Prayer and encouragement theysupported each other through
prayer and encouragement, as wesee in Acts 4 and 24.
And finally, spiritual guidancethe apostles and elders
provided spiritual guidance andteaching to help strengthen and
build the community, as we seein Acts 15 30.
(51:13):
I would like to encourage you.
If any of those areas are areasin which you are in need or can
contribute, please reach out toGraceville Community.
We are working together acrossthe world with ministries and
individuals alike, to help bringback the Church of Acts.
My name is Nicole Cater, your host, founder and
servant leader of GracevilleCommunity.
I want to thank you for tuningin to Graceville Community
Podcast.
This is a safe space, a placein which we just share stories
of how God has touchedindividuals' lives all across
the world and how they are nowimpacting the kingdom of God.
(00:21):
Thank you for tuning in.
Blessings to you, helloGraceville community.
I am so excited once again tobe in connection with you.
Welcome to our podcast.
If you are listening, if youare viewing, we give you a shout
out, a hello from myself andthe Graceville community team.
(00:43):
We're so excited for you to beconnected with us today for
another day of just hearingabout how God is moving.
He is moving, yes, y'all, hestill speaks, he still moves and
I am so, so, so excited for theconversation we will have today
.
As always, I don't want to takemuch of your time.
I want to get right to itbecause, y'all, once again, we
(01:07):
have another guest that I'msuper excited for, what she's
going to bring and theconversation we have today.
So I'm going to dive right in.
Let me tell you a little bitabout our guests.
So today we have a Miss DenisePayne.
Denise owns Career CrossroadsCounseling and she offers career
(01:29):
counseling services throughZoom.
She offers it globally, allover the nation and, of course,
in Canada.
She's helped launch folks fromages 14 to 66 into their calling
, destiny, ministry and careerover the past three and a half
years.
She has a master's of sciencein counseling psychology and in
(01:52):
the past has done individual,couples and group counseling.
So all of it, y'all all of it,as well as advising and career
counseling, currently her areaof expertise is career
counseling and the stronginterest inventory which she
does utilize with her clients,and so she has a whole journey
(02:14):
and a story to tell, even abouthow she started her own business
at age 50, never too late, guys, age 50.
And she took a 20 year hiatusfrom her career in order to stay
at home and homeschool her twodaughters.
So y'all know we're going tohave great conversations,
because you know I'm thathomeschooling mama and I'm in
the thick of it.
(02:34):
Okay, so all that's been said.
Hello, denise, hi, hi, how areyou doing?
I am great, I'm so excited forour conversation today.
I'm looking to learn, engageand learn.
So I'm happy, happy to have youon.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
Sounds good, I am happy to be here.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
Yes, okay.
So I know like there's thingsthat jumped out for our
listeners, I'm sure, when I wasreading just a little bit about
your bio.
So first thing is so youdecided to start a business at
50.
Please do tell what led to thatchoice.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
Yep, it's something I never thought would come out of
my mouth.
To be really honest, I took a20 year hiatus to homeschool my
daughters.
It is no joke to homeschool.
I did it out of obedience, um.
And then I became an emptynester and I realized I had a
lot of things I could have done.
I could have done advising.
(03:36):
I could have gone totraditional um job route and I
actually had fasted and I prayedand sought the Lord and, um, he
kind of just downloaded thisformula that I work with my
clients and I was writing itdown and then he said and it's
going to be your own business.
And I was like what?
I was very, very shocked atthat idea and that thought One
(03:59):
of the reasons why I think hedid that.
My husband's business is veryflexible and so at that point I
had a child in California, achild in Montana, and I just
wanted to be able to, like,visit them and maintain
connection.
And so this whole careercounseling over zoom and the
formula that he gave me, it washonestly, I call it a divine
download.
It was not my idea, um, but Igot really excited about it and
(04:22):
I will say, three and a halfyears later.
I'm not burned out and I loveit, so he has the best ideas way
better at the Bible and seethat there are seasons.
Speaker 1 (04:31):
First of all, we can look outside and see that God
created seasons, and so I lovehow you leaned into a new season
.
I think that's something thatwe'll just pause and talk about
(04:54):
as we even get started today, ofjust how sometimes we try and
hold on to one season when it'slike no, we're moving, Like
we're going from summer to thenext season, we need to move to
the next season and I think,because of comfortability, we
can find ourselves holding on tothat.
And so in the midst of havingto make this change, like what
(05:16):
was one of the things I meanfirst of all, you know you got
this divine download but what'sone of the things that was even
like blockers in the aspect ofstarting this business and
making this change intosomething that probably was had
some uncomfortable phases to it.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
For sure.
Yeah, I think several blockerswere.
I was not in the workforce for20 years so I actually I got
re-certified as a career coachso I could do career counseling
with just my master's.
I've chosen not to get licensedbecause my license are sure
(05:52):
hours, honestly, and I don'tmean this in a morbid way, but
I've got licensed 28, 29 yearsago.
My supervisors have probablypassed away at that point,
because they were kind of olderat that stage and I, you know, I
had no way of even tracking myhours.
So I said, god, what can I dowithout getting a license?
And I can do career counseling.
But I actually got certified asa career coach because there
were careers that are no longerin existence, that when I did
(06:13):
this before you know, 28, 29, 30years ago they're they're new
careers.
There's a whole the wholetechnology thing.
Like that's all new.
I would do paper and pencilwith with students and clients
years ago and and like workbooksand things.
So I think for me that wasintimidating as far as, like you
know, just even the socialmedia aspect of advertising your
(06:35):
business, those things were notin existence, like we did not
have iPhones three years ago.
Yeah, and I think just being youknow, being relevant to I I
work with teenagers a lot and sotrying to be relevant to them
as well, I'm a really good teamplayer.
I am very like I will serve you, like any other job.
(06:56):
I'm like I love having a bossand you tell me what to do and I
will serve you.
And that was intimidating tosay, oh Denise, like you got to
be your own boss and I am a selfstarter, that I have integrity,
like when I say I'm going to dosomething, I will try my
darndest to do it, but I'm waymore comfortable being told what
to do.
So obviously just kind of likelacking that confidence of maybe
(07:21):
between partnering with theLord.
You know, we know what's bestfor our business, just the Lord,
yeah.
So those are a couple of thingsfor me that were blockers when
starting.
Speaker 1 (07:31):
Yes, I mean, I can just imagine.
So in my world we do a lot ofweb design, social media.
We do lots of web design andsocial media for nonprofits and
for churches, and one of thethings that happens is, I mean,
even just in social media, Ihave to consistently take
classes and courses and I'm like, oh, there's a new thing out,
(07:52):
there's a new way to do thisreal, there's a new way to do
this type of video, and so it'sa constant learning phase, which
sometimes does make it veryuncomfortable, like what is this
now?
Right?
And so I just, first of all,kudos to you for stepping into
that and going back and gettingthe education to help you, along
(08:12):
with the God divine download.
I think one of the things that'simportant in that is, you know,
so many times I think, asbelievers, we can hear from God
and we will hear an instruction,right, and so we may hear like,
hey, this is what to do, thisis like you said, like this is
the business and this is howit's going to go, but we can
(08:35):
miss out on some of the toolsthat he's provided in this
earthly realm for us to advancein that.
Right, and don't get me wrong,there are miraculous times,
right?
That is just like here it is andyou go with it, but I think
that there is truly some powerbacking behind getting the
education and partnering thatwith the spiritual thing so that
(08:57):
you can have God's success init.
Yeah, I imagine being in careercounseling.
That's something that youprobably speak to and engage
with with those that you workwith.
Uh-huh.
Speaker 2 (09:09):
For sure.
Yeah and um, and honestly,going back, like just talking
about my age, I just want toencourage the listeners out
there that are post 50, um,going back to school, menopause
is no joke and foggy brain isreal and I was like what I used
to memorize things so quicklywhen I was an undergrad in grad
(09:30):
school.
It was a very humbling process.
But I also think oftentimeswhen the Lord promotes us, he
has him a humbling season aswell.
That's coexisting.
So he's like I'm gonna makeyour platform more public than
you've ever been and I'm goingto humble you more than you've
ever been.
Speaker 1 (09:48):
Yeah, which I feel like is so necessary.
Right, because it's easy whenyou have a platform, it's easy
to take in the praises.
Right, because often on theplatform that's what comes, and
so it's easy to take in thataspect of like look at what I've
done versus look at what I'mable to do, partnered with him.
(10:09):
Amen, and that humility, Ithink helps bring that in a
coinciding space, right.
Speaker 2 (10:15):
Yes, the two can coexist.
Confidence and humility canactually coexist together.
Yeah, and I heard this greatdefinition of humility once,
that humility is not thinkingless of yourself, it's thinking
of yourself less often and soit's not being so self-focused
and it's just getting your focusback on the Lord and you can be
confident and keep your focuson the Lord because you know
(10:37):
where it comes from.
Speaker 1 (10:38):
So yeah, it actually makes me think and I'm like
pulling up the scripture becauseour listeners know like I have
all this stuff in my head andI'll start saying this verse and
I'm like, oh, don't ask mewhere the verse is, so I'm going
to pull it up.
But there is a biblical versethat we often hear which I'm
going to pull up for us yes,romans 12 and three right, do
(11:03):
not think of yourself morehighly than you ought to, but
rather think of yourself assober judgment, in accordance
with the faith God hasdistributed to each of you.
The very first thing thatalways stands out to me, or that
has stood out to me throughsome teachings of that, is don't
think of yourself more highly.
So that means that there is aconcept of how we should think
of ourselves and an appropriatelevel in which we should.
(11:27):
I actually had this conversationin our previous podcast.
We were talking about receivingand accepting compliments, right
, and that goes into an aspectof we are his creation.
He spoke very highly of us andwhen we downplay his creation,
we're actually downplaying ourheavenly father, we're
(11:47):
downplaying the creator, and soI love how that verse says like
don't think of yourself toohighly, meaning that there is a
measure that we should have andI think that lends into, I mean,
just the aspect of we canobviously talk about like
self-confidence through thatright, because we could
obviously talk about likeself-confidence through that
right, um, and being confidencein our identity, not necessarily
(12:08):
in what we do, yes, and myimmediate thought of just even
in that I have had thetransition of going from like
corporate, having all thiseducation, and thinking like not
only do I have education, but Ihave these student loans, and
now I'm like you want me tohomeschool these kids and very
similar to you.
(12:28):
It was not my desire.
I did not start this off sayingI want to be the stay at home
wife and mom that homeschools,right, and so there's like a
shift there.
And then there's this shiftwhere you hit the season where
it's like, okay, this season isup, now I want to take you here.
So one of the questions I wantto ask is because, as I just
(12:50):
thought about identity and howwe can often get our identities
tied into a role, versus likeour identity vertically with him
.
What are some tips that youwould give our listeners of just
being mindful of, even in yourcareers, in your careers, in
your spaces of where youridentity is tied to.
Speaker 2 (13:10):
Yeah, I mean, I think some of it is discovering the
uniqueness of who God createdyou to be and owning that for
sure.
And the scripture love othersas you love yourself, and one
inversion says as well as youlove yourself.
And um, and one inversion says,as well as you love yourself.
And so I think it gets wonky ifwe love others too much and
we're not focusing on lovingourselves.
(13:31):
And then it gets wonky if welove ourselves too much and
we're not focusing on lovingothers.
So I think you know, when youhave that balance, um, that
definitely um is is a way tomake sure that you're in the
proper identity space, so tospeak.
And then also, god really didcreate us so uniquely.
(13:53):
And when I work with my clients,I mean we discover together,
you know, a lot of the uniquedestiny, calling hobbies, things
like that.
There's things we've come upwith within session that like
are so out of the box, things ofwhat they can do career wise.
But a lot of that gets back toone of the things I do is I look
up their names.
I actually have this baby namebook, prophetic baby name book,
(14:16):
and I look up their namesbecause I think God gives us
clues, even like I was born tonon-Christian parents but they
named me Denise, and that meanswise, discerner, and so when I
was in grad school and havingsome tough days, I was like I
have wisdom, I have discernment,you know, and I think sometimes
that can be a clue as to, like,your calling and destiny.
And so God, I think, throughoutour lives he's always putting
(14:39):
little, you know, kisses, or Godwinks as far as like this is
who I created you to be, this ishow you're uniquely made.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
Yes, I love that.
So I often refer to names.
You know, when we named ourchildren, we knew that names had
an important meaning, so but Ialso those that know me know
that all of my kids start withthe I name and my husband has an
I name.
Why I'm Nicole with the N name?
Speaker 2 (15:04):
Hey, with the I name and my husband has an I name.
Speaker 1 (15:06):
Why I'm Nicole with the N name hey look you have an
I in your second letter, secondletter is I.
But even as I look at my nameright, my name means victory for
the people, and God has reallygiven me a heart that literally
love God, love people, is what Ilive by, right.
And so you know, over time itactually helped me understand to
(15:28):
your point of what path theLord was taking me on, um, how
he uniquely created me to walkthis path and be able to walk
the path of people.
We know sometimes people canhurt, right, um.
And so when you love peoplehard, you also have to be able
to carry boundaries, and I haveto learn that that's a key part
in even in the calling of myname, right.
(15:50):
And so we in our home believeheavily in the names and believe
that when you speak that name,you're consistently speaking
that over that individual.
And so I laugh because mydaughter's name is Ivory, laugh
because my daughter's name isIvory.
And when I named her I was onthis track of, like everybody
(16:16):
had I letters, names,everybody's names had five
letters, and so I was searchingand it came up and it said, like
you know, the white tusk of anelephant, like hard on the
outside but soft on the insideand I was, oh sure, it's not
nothing bad, let's go with it,right.
And now I look and I'm likethat really does describe her
like she is a very solid younglady.
(16:38):
She is, I mean, can exteriorwise you like.
Yes, she has it all togetherand yet she is the most tender
hearted, like the most hugs, themost embracing of, like touch,
and I'm like this truly is adescription of what this name
means.
Yet even in that, she loves toworship and she has a gift
(17:06):
inside of her that I definitelylisten.
I sing in the shower and I'mnot taking it beyond there, like
I will sing amongst many othersworshiping right and in my
private quarters.
Yeah, um, but she loves to doit.
She leads key kids worship atour church.
She's always just singing andsinging worship songs.
(17:26):
And at one point the lord toldme like look at her name again.
And I remember going back andlooking and seeing ivory and I'm
reading through and I'm like,yep, I know this it's, you know,
like your teeth, it's hard onthe outside, there's softness on
the inside, and he reallystarted showing me like the
beauty of the softness on theinside and what all it can
(17:48):
create.
But then he took me to a placewhich I never understood that
ivory comes from the tusk ofelephants and that elephants,
when they would go into thesebattles for praise, elephants,
would lead the way, lead themwith the praise and worship.
And so it was like an eyeopener of like Lord, you did
(18:13):
have a plan with this day.
I love it With this tenderheart.
Like you have a plan, you havea destiny which I know.
Our scripture tells us that.
I know the living word saysthat.
Speaker 2 (18:24):
Yeah, and also elephants.
They actually kind of trumpet,it's like they herald, you know,
even with their trunks, and soshe kind of heralds and ushers
in the presence.
And yes, yeah, my two girls areworship leaders as well, as is
my husband, but I am the frontrow intercessor.
Speaker 1 (18:43):
Right, yes.
Speaker 2 (18:43):
Everyone else is so thankful.
Speaker 1 (18:48):
Oh yeah, look, I'm right there with you.
I'm like I will be behind this,I will teach, I will intercede,
I will set up tables.
I will set up things like Iwant to up tables.
I will set up things like, ohyes, I love it.
Okay, so, as we just continueto talk this through, I mean,
(19:10):
you made the transition, decidedto do this new business.
You're impacting lives all over.
How do you feel like you havethe ability to just talk Jesus
with those that are coming forcareer space?
Speaker 2 (19:27):
Well, I do advertise myself as a Christian career
counselor, so 90% of my clientsare Christian.
I will take, I will see anyone,but I will say I love.
I actually by design chose tocall it a faith-based or
Christian career counselingbecause when I was at CU Boulder
and Portland Community College,I was not allowed to even
(19:50):
breathe anything having to dowith the Lord and so I was just
interceding.
But now I'm like I have freedom.
So, yeah, so I pray beforehand,I pray in the seat of my
clients.
I actually ask the Lord for aword for them.
Like I said, I look up theirbaby names and I actually write
(20:11):
those out and then at thebeginning of the session I
actually do right before I meetwith them, I do a worship song
and I kind of war over them andthen at the beginning of the
session we pray at the beginningand at the end.
And actually one client justrecently she just broke down in
the middle.
She was a teenager.
She broke down in the middle ofthe session and I said we're
(20:32):
stopping, we're praying rightnow and we just stopped
everything and we just prayed.
For sometimes there's a lot ofemotion that goes along with
career change or exploration.
I've met with clients thatthey've gotten fired.
Their self-esteem is like youknow.
I've met with teenagers thatdon't believe they can do
anything.
They they've been told thatyou're not going to match
(20:54):
anything.
You're just.
You know, you're going to justhave a menial job at a gas
station.
Not that that's a bad thing ifthat's what God calls you to do.
But you know, like I feel, Ifeel part of my job is to
empower.
I don't I don't want tohandhold, I don't want to tell
them what to do.
I want to give them the tools,cheerleading, champion them and
(21:15):
then they can kind of take allthe information and, you know,
hopefully also some propheticthings from the Lord and go
explore on their own.
Speaker 1 (21:25):
So yes, I love that.
I mean, that is a key componentthat I know many would not
consider, with the aspect oflike walking people through
transition, which is really whatit is right there in the face
of transition.
Speaker 2 (21:38):
They're at a crossroads, exactly.
I just connected a crossroads,exactly.
Speaker 1 (21:42):
I just connected it.
Yes, I did there Lookcrossroads.
Yes, absolutely, I love that.
And so, man?
Okay.
So intercession I do want to notpresume, because I trust and
believe that all individuals arewelcome to Graceville community
(22:02):
and to our podcast.
So I do want to explain thepower of intercession to our
listeners.
Intercession is essentially theability to pray on behalf of
someone else, asking God tointervene to be help to them.
It is what we would consider asacrificial act, because you are
(22:24):
warring in the spirit realm onbehalf of that person.
The Bible actually tells usthat Christ sits at the right
hand of the father andintercedes on our behalf, and so
it is a powerful tool.
What a great space that we canbe in, that we can enter into
the throne gates and go beforeour heavenly father on behalf of
(22:48):
someone else.
It's one of the most powerfulacts of love I believe that
exists, that you can do, nomatter where you are, for
someone else.
And so I can imagine I mean I'mjust thinking if I connected
with you in a state oftransition and I'm like I'm
clueless in the sense of whereto go next, trying to connect
(23:10):
with career and have thatintercession power present.
Man I imagine there has had tohave been testimonies and just
miracles that have come througheven in the last three and a
half years of you doing this.
So I mean, if at Liberty, Iwould love if you could just
share an example of just waysthat you've seen.
Speaker 2 (23:31):
God just answer yeah, yeah, I have seen fruit, which
is like why I do it.
You know, if it's not fruitful,I am moving on, unless he tells
me not to.
Yeah, there's been some reallyneat things.
One of the things that happenedwith one of my clients.
So what I do at the end of thesession is we come up with five
(23:54):
doable goals for them to dowithin the month after we meet
and I just sent a little emailchecking in how did your goals
go?
Sometimes the goals areshadowing, like a veterinarian,
or interviewing their cousinwho's a firefighter.
I had a client who got hired onthe spot from their goal.
So they interviewed someone ina career area of interest and
(24:17):
that person in just theminterviewing the boss, got hired
.
Yeah, and it worked out reallywell.
And I've had other clients.
They've started that dreambusiness.
I've had clients that.
It's very interesting becausesometimes they'll get that dream
job right away.
Sometimes it's in six months,sometimes it's in a year.
(24:38):
So you know, and they'll,they'll get back to me and I
continue to intercede for themand I tell them once, a client,
always a client.
As far as intercession, youknow, I I mean, I can't continue
to for free you know like me.
Yeah, I'm like you know, but Ido for me.
It's like I am on your team,I'm on your side, I am available
(25:00):
to be a resource for you acrossthe board.
So, yeah, yes, yes.
Speaker 1 (25:05):
Oh, I absolutely love that and I intercede on your
behalf.
I know that there is eternalrewards being stocked up for you
, but I also pray that theseearthly rewards are coming your
way, because it truly is a wayof impacting other people's
lives, and I mean again justthat's.
One of the greatest forms oflove that we can extend to one
another is the power ofintercession.
(25:28):
I mean, there's no greater,greater way than to intercede
and pray on their behalf.
Yeah, even at times when wecannot, you know, financially
assist or, you know, cannotprovide in a certain way, one
thing we can always do is prayand intercede.
That does not negate, that doesnot negate the opportunity of
(25:49):
God speaks to you to plant intosomeone or to give into some
aspect.
But one thing you can always do, no matter where you are and
where they are, is go before theheavenly father on behalf,
their behalf.
Amen, amen, yes, hey, let's takea quick break to tell you about
grace-filled communitygrace-filled community is an
(26:14):
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We do this through three coreextensions.
One, graceville Church Network,where we empower churches and
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(26:34):
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Just like the early church, wefocus not on attendance and
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Our second extension is Projectof the Grace Field, where we
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provide biblical counseling,mentorship, workshops and events
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Let us help the individuals inyour community grow as they walk
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Welcome back.
Oh, my goodness, okay.
So what are some practical tipsthat you would actually give
our listeners to identify likeGod-given destiny?
(28:06):
I know we talked about thenames, but what are some other
tips when they're consideringlike a career or calling, or
their destiny?
Speaker 2 (28:12):
Right, yeah, so I'm just going to share a little bit
about.
I asked my clients at thebeginning of each session five
questions, and I'm going toshare those for free for your
listeners.
Let's go get your notebook.
So I do ask, and again I feltlike these were kind of God just
(28:32):
laid these out.
So it's one of the formulasthat I do.
But so I do ask the traditionalquestion what makes you feel
alive and happy to be on theplanet?
And this doesn't have to becareer, this can be when I go
water skiing, this can be whenI'm with my grandchildren.
I mean it.
Just that that is definitelyindication, because God created
(28:53):
you to actually have abundantlife, and he comes to kill,
still destroy, Satan comes todestroy.
But God wants us to haveabundance Doesn't necessarily
mean we're all rich, it justmeans abundance in every area.
And you could be abundantliving in a hut in Africa, being
a missionary, if that's whatGod's, you know, called you to
do.
And so, um, one indicator iswhat, what makes me feel alive
(29:17):
and exhilarated?
And another question I ask is atage eight-ish, which is when we
kind of transition fromconcrete to abstract thinking
what types of hobby sports didyou engage in and even imaginary
play.
So I had someone I worked withthat she was always playing
store and she was always thecashier and on her strong
(29:40):
interest, inventory results, andthat's one clue you can take an
assessment that, like you know,accountant or whatever you know
, is kind of one of the top ones.
So that's an indication of didyou?
I have some clients that arelike I always like stopped the
bad guy, I always, you know,rescued.
I'm like, well, police officerand, you know, firefighter and
(30:01):
EMT all showed up really high onyour interest.
So I do.
I asked that.
And then I asked what have youalways been told that you're
good at throughout your lifetime?
Cause sometimes, you know, Imean it was 66 and counting, I
would love to meet with evenolder, because I think we never
retire and sometimes there'sministries that pop out of this,
hobbies and things.
(30:22):
And so I asked that what haveyou always been told you're good
at?
Because God builds patternswith us and you can see a thread
throughout your lifetime andthere's stuff that if you were
good when you were four, believeit or not, it can be translated
to when you're 34.
And then another thing I ask iswhere are you currently serving
, and so in your church, yourhome, I have a lot of clients
(30:45):
who are like well, I'm just, I'mthe counselor to all my friends
you know, and I'm like and sojust kind of getting a clue to
like where did you naturallyfeel led to volunteer to serve?
And then the last thing I asked,which is very unique I've never
met a career counselor whoasked this but what are your
current night dreams anddaydreams?
(31:06):
Because I believe it's biblicalthat God speaks to us through
dreams Not always, sometimesit's pizza or your processing
Right, but I do believe that,especially when we make that
appointment, I'm like okay, god,you're like game on, you're
going to be speaking to them.
I've been really praying thatlike they'll get confirmation.
And so many times we're like ohmy gosh, denise, I can't
(31:27):
believe you're asking me thisbecause yesterday, blah, blah,
blah.
But getting back to the dreams,there can be a huge indication.
Like one client, she was a highschooler, she was debating on
where to go to school to pursuesome degrees and she kept
hearing about water and ocean.
And I'm like and she waslandlocked at the time I'm like
honey, I think you're supposedto go to a school near ocean and
(31:49):
water.
It was just kept reoccurring.
Sometimes they'll havechildhood dreams, because some
people, like I, don't dreamanymore, and which is fine.
I think we do dream.
We don't always remember, youknow, but they'll have a
childhood dream where again thatreoccurring.
I dreamt that I rescued myfamily, my mom, my and and.
Again, that's just another clue.
(32:10):
And then I asked what are yourdaydreams Like when you're bored
?
Besides your to-do list, youknow what do you find yourself
dreaming about?
And, and one of these thingswas really cool, a client I had.
He came up very high on allthings finance, like finance,
cpa, stockbroker, day trader,like all these things.
(32:31):
And then art.
And I was like and I said thisis very interesting because four
out of five are very much makesense, but the art one did not
belong in that mix.
And he said, you know, he saidI used to do art, um, as a way
to process and to like, exploremy feelings, and, um, to vent.
(32:53):
And he, um, he said he had notpicked up his pencil or brushes
in 10 years and he felt like theLord was calling him back into
the hobby of art.
And his, he was actually aboutto interview for a job.
He got the job, it was hisdream job, but he and our
session was mostly likeconfirmation, right, that he was
(33:15):
doing what he was supposed tobe doing, but but the art piece
he goes, I'm going to you know.
Basically, I said I thinkyou're going to need this to
pick up your pencils and yourbrushes to help relieve the
stress that you're going to getwith this job.
So yeah, and then one otherthing I wanted to say, kind of
(33:35):
along that too, with my, myclients, when stuff pops up, I
had a 66 year old, very frail,tiny, petite woman who came up,
the number one police officer,and she's like I don't want to
be a police officer.
And I said I don't want you tobe.
I mean, she's like this fraillittle.
But I actually knew her becauseI coach, I can see people, I
know which is the differencebetween being a counselor as
(33:55):
well.
And I knew her and I said Iknow that you're a police
officer in the spirit realm.
I said you hold watchdog prayergroups, you pray over your
County, your city, families,your nation.
And I said I think the Lord isjust like keep doing that, keep
doing that.
And so sometimes it's notliteral what pops up, sometimes
it's God just saying you knownot again, under the where are
(34:17):
you currently serving?
And she was just massivelyorganizing all of these
intercession prayer groups.
And I think you know, I thinkthe Lord was highlighting that
and still on that.
Speaker 1 (34:25):
So yes, yes, oh, my goodness, I absolutely love that
, especially because, forsomeone like me, I am top tier,
number one verbal processor.
Like I need to start talking itout.
Often I will talk it out and belike, oh, it just hit me.
Speaker 2 (34:42):
Right, and there's the solution.
Speaker 1 (34:46):
But I love that aspect of being able to sit with
someone and I mean first of allthe questions you asked,
especially, like you said, thatlast one.
I've done a lot of, been in alot of workshops, a lot of
conferences where I hear thesecareer counselors.
I've set and even did aspectsof career counseling with
(35:07):
college students, and so to hearthat be a portion of it it just
makes me think of the reasonwhy dreams were even created,
and I think biblically, likedreams were a way that God
communicated with his people.
It was often a way that hewould reveal, like preparation,
like as in warnings.
(35:27):
We know that prophets woulddream warnings before a
misfortune, right.
We also see where there wasmessage dreams, right, these
were known as oracles and thesedreams often included like
direct instructions or divineassistance, and so we see that
with Gideon, like he had dreamsof confirmation, and so I mean
(35:51):
just the aspect of you askingthat and leaning someone in to
have that conversation with you,me verbal processor, about like
those dreams and looking back,even at childhood, those that
have listened to us before andif not, this is your first time
I'm going to give you mypersonal definition of grace and
(36:13):
grace in my personal Now thisis my personal definition is
understanding that theindividual you're interacting
with has had past lifeexperiences that have shaped the
response that you see today.
And so when we look at peoplethrough those eyes, we no longer
are focusing on just the actthat they're giving to us, but
(36:36):
we are recognizing that theresponses we are receiving is
connected to some pastexperience, whether that's a
negative one or a positive one.
But our job is to lend grace,because it's not us that they're
doing to act to.
It is from the past experiencesthat is shaping what we're
(36:58):
seeing today, so good.
And so when I think of that andthink of how even grace plays a
part in looking for a career ina season of transition, I know
that many times, matter of fact,I just prayed with the lady
yesterday who was working a jobwas for sure, like this was the
(37:18):
job God gave me and she'd beenthere for a year and right at
the anniversary of the year shewas laid off, off, and so she
just felt like I didn't hearright or, you know, something
happened, like I did somethingwrong, and my number one thing
was first one, lend yourselfgrace, right.
I think so often we could jumpto, like it was me, and in this
(37:41):
case she was laid off, so notfired, so not that there was
warnings, and you like there isa.
You know we do haveconsequences, but that was not
her case, right?
So one lend yourself grace andthen also understand that
there's grace for a season thatthe Lord you truly may have
heard from the Lord and Iwatched I think it was a pastor
(38:04):
Jonathan Evans had talked aboutwhat we hear from God and we're
like, yes, we heard from God,like I'm going to make this move
, and then we get into thatspace and it's not like happy,
go lucky, like we're not doingall the dances, balloons are not
, the confetti is over, andwe're like this is not what I
thought it was going to be, thisdoesn't feel good, I'm not so
excited in it, and so forth.
(38:29):
That doesn't remove that it wasa place that was intended for
you, it was God's instructions.
But so often we look at theexternal circumstances and want
to say like, oh, that wasn't Godright when God gave her grace
to be there for a season.
Speaker 2 (38:41):
And so.
Speaker 1 (38:42):
I can imagine, as you're doing this career
counseling, you're also justwalking them through, probably
even some childhood wounds thatare being carried out as they're
in this phase of transition,cause we know that that's
typically when those things maycome up, when there's
challenging times.
Yes, yeah.
Speaker 2 (39:01):
And sometimes I mean wounds from bosses or, you know,
like authority.
I mean, it's just the gamut ofand and the person who actually
kind of broke down the sessionwas actually from a dream and
they they never processed reallypainful dream that triggered
something, and so that's when Iwas like we are shutting
everything down.
(39:22):
Like is way more important thatyou feel seen, heard, loved and
we picked up where we left offand we ended on time, which was
great.
You know I have to honorpeople's time.
I'm like, okay, god, like I,you know I set aside everything
to honor, like this space, andhonor her in this space, and so,
yeah, but I love what I loveall.
(39:43):
I love your definition of graceand I love what you said about
all of that of just what peopleare projecting, presenting and
and that's fantastic.
And I think sometimes, likeyou're, whoever you're praying
with yesterday, sometimes Godwill have that job just as a
stepping stone, you know, and itreally wasn't the end game and
it wasn't the 30 year climb ofthe corporate ladder job, it was
(40:06):
actually a stepping stone forwhat he has next.
And, honestly, sometimes whenI'm in session, I remember one
session I was like God well, acouple of different ones, but
one I was like God just keepshighlighting worship dance and
like they were wanting a jobsomewhere else and dance did pop
up or performing arts popped up, but they were just kind of
pushing like nope, I want thisor this.
(40:27):
I said pop up or performingarts popped up, but they were
just kind of pushing like nope,I want this one, this is it.
Okay, I'm just being honest.
It's like worship dances righthere, I just like and like.
So three months later therethey texted Denise was right and
I'm.
I'm actually like beinginterviewed for professional
worship dance position, gettingpaid and all of that, you know,
and yeah, and they were.
They're kind of kicking andscreaming, though, and sometimes
(40:47):
you'll get that where the Lordis like come on, come on.
And another gentleman he hewanted to be a worship pastor at
a church and he kept kind ofsettling for more traditional
jobs and and there were severalthings, you know, assignments he
had as far as his goals andthings, but every door was
(41:08):
blocked and then he just gothired and I was like you know,
you kept knocking on those doorsand I pray, I say Lord, shut
those doors that are notsupposed to be shut open.
Those are supposed to be open.
Sometimes I'm like your thingsays real estate agent, I think
that's for when you're retired,or you know like.
(41:29):
Sometimes it's like you weresaying, okay, god, let's go, and
like I love how you talkedabout the seasons too and um,
one of the best metaphors I'veheard is you know, you can't use
the harvesting um apparatus oruh tools when you're planting,
like that would be ridiculous ifyou use something to pull up
something off tools when you'replanting, like that would be
(41:49):
ridiculous if you use somethingto pull up something off the
ground when you're trying toplant, and so what worked in
that past season doesn'tnecessarily work in this current
season.
Speaker 1 (41:57):
Yes, yes, that's so good.
Oh, that's such a good analogy.
That is really good.
Okay, well, talk about honoringtime.
I looked at the time and I'mlike what happened?
I feel like I know ourlisteners are probably like
Nicole.
You say that every episodeCause that's what I feel, like
we're in such a goodconversation, and especially
(42:17):
whenever you're talking aboutthe goodness of God and
testimonies of how he has showedup Well, he's ever present, but
how we have seen him show up Isay show up and show off.
Yes, exactly I'm like time goesby.
You know, I definitely am thatperson that was kicking and
screaming.
(42:37):
I even in this aspect ofGraceville community and
definitely in this podcast,kicking and screaming and not be
hearing right Somebody else.
Maybe I'm supposed to helpsomebody else launch this right
For them.
Speaker 2 (42:52):
Yeah, I'll intercede and they go do it.
Speaker 1 (42:57):
Yeah, exactly, I'm like, back them up and then you
know there's so manyconfirmation after confirmation
to where you almost get in thisplace, where you're, like you
recognize, like I, either I'mgoing to make this decision,
this choice to be disobedient,or I'm going to make this choice
(43:17):
to humble myself and all theaspects I think of Moses right,
all the excuses that he had, andthen into obedience.
And so, before we go I know wetalked about man a great deal
over just transition One of thethings I want to ask you is we
(43:39):
probably have some solopreneurson here listening or viewing.
What were some tips that youhave for our solopreneurs?
Speaker 2 (43:47):
Yeah, I'll do those really quickly.
I want to honor your time too.
So, first of all, you don'tsolopreneur is actually a
misconception.
You're not alone and you don'tneed to go through it alone, so
surround yourself.
First of all, join someFacebook groups.
I have I joined Christian womenentrepreneur groups, christian
women coaching groups, um,things like that, and I set up
(44:11):
coffee chats with people andwe've just connected, even if it
doesn't lead to any clients oranything, you know, just to have
like-minded people, um, thatthey're praying for you, they're
in your corner.
I also have what I call a littlemastermind groups.
I have three friends that we'reall in the counseling field.
One lives in Illinois, onelives here and quarterly we get
(44:31):
together and we discuss eachother's goals.
So we all have goals for eachmonth of that quarter and then
we hold each other accountableto that.
And so, just to.
So, when I'm having like, oh, Isaid I was going to get six
blogs on my thing, and but Iknow I'm like they're going to
ask me, you know, um, and soyeah, just definitely to do that
.
And then I also have people, um, who have committed to
(44:52):
interceding for me in theirsession, um, and that I can take
prayer requests.
I do not, you know I keepthings confidential but I can
take prayer requests and say,hey, you know I'm anticipating,
you know this is going to be atough one or can you pray for
someone, so, or someone wasinterviewing and again, I won't
use names, I'll keep everythingconfidential but I think, like
you, you actually have to createyour own community, and so just
to go after that in thoseaspects has been really
(45:15):
beneficial for me.
Speaker 1 (45:17):
Oh man, so you just hit a keyword to me.
I mean, obviously, greeceville,community, but community is
such a core foundation.
I believe in just having God'ssuccess in all areas, like he
created us for community.
We were not meant to do thisall together, alone, and so I
absolutely value those tips thatyou lend to solopreneurs.
(45:39):
That's so true.
You're not in it alone.
You don't have to be alone.
I'm imagining, I'm trying toremember how do we even first
connect?
I'm like I'm pretty sure itprobably was a Facebook group,
because similar I'm on theFacebook groups and I have built
some wonderful relationshipswith people globally because of
the ability to step into spacesof community for like-minded
(46:02):
believers.
So, yes, yeah, for sure,awesome, well, denise.
Believers.
So, yes, yeah, for sure,awesome, well, denise, I
definitely enjoyed our timetoday, such great conversation
and, to be quite frank, I'm likeI know I'm asking for the
listeners, but I'm also askingfor myself, because, as you were
(46:24):
talking about some of the tipsfor understanding destiny and
career, I'm like I have threeteenagers in this moment.
I've been trying to figure outwhat is coming next.
So please tell myself and thelisteners how we stay connected
with you, how we could tap intoactually your resource.
If we have someone that we wantto refer my three teenagers to
you, how do we do it?
Speaker 2 (46:43):
I can look up their names.
Yes, middle names too.
I look up middle names too.
That's key.
Speaker 1 (46:50):
Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (46:52):
Yeah, you know I have a website it's
careercrossroadscounselingcom.
That explains most thoroughlymy offerings.
I do have a Facebook page withthe same name, Instagram account
with the same name, but if youreally just you could actually
go on my website and you cansend.
(47:13):
I just got a form from someonetoday.
They just do a submission form.
I'm interested and, yeah, Iwould love to work with your
teenagers.
I love to work with yourlisteners or anyone that they
might know, happy to do it.
My pricing is actually halfprice because I've chosen not to
get licensed.
So, um, and I prepay for thetest, and I charge $75 for a 90
(47:33):
minute session and I prepay forthe test, so the test is a $40
value.
So it's really kind of like 35bucks to meet with me.
So awesome.
Speaker 1 (47:41):
Try to make it affordable yeah, I'm like that's
a steal of a deal to me.
I love it.
Speaker 2 (47:47):
I was going to say I my, my business is a nonprofit
and I know you said you workwith nonprofits, so I've chosen
to do a non, make it a nonprofitfor a variety of reasons.
Speaker 1 (47:57):
So, yeah, Awesome.
Well, I mean, we're going todefinitely have to have a
separate conversation, becauseI'm thinking of even the
churches and the nonprofits thatI work with, and often we do
these aspects of like again,community right and building
community and connecting themwith career spaces and so forth.
So I'm like, when we endpodcast Denise, we will continue
(48:18):
.
Listeners, I'm sorry you're notgoing to catch that part, but
do know that in the show notesall the details for connecting
with Denise will be present.
I encourage you to pleaseconnect with her if you find
yourself that you're in a spaceof transition or believe that
her resources can be valuable toyou, and especially if you know
(48:38):
someone as well, like me, thatcan benefit.
Please check out the show notes.
Denise, I want to thank youagain for joining us today.
Thank you for lending your timeto our community.
Speaker 2 (48:50):
Thank you so much for having me, nicole.
It was really truly honestly, apleasure to meet you and chat
with you for the past hour.
Speaker 1 (48:57):
Yes, absolutely Well.
Listeners, viewers, as always.
I want to thank you for tuningin today.
We have the same message thatwe have for you every week If
you're not connected tocommunity, please feel free to
visit us atgracevillecommunitycom and we'll
be happy to find a communityfor you.
(49:19):
We have partners globally thatwe trust and value to be
like-minded believers that cananswer questions, encourage you,
uplift you and be a part ofyour story and your journey with
Christ.
So, gracefieldcommunitycomOtherwise everyone please have a
wonderful rest of your day,night, week, weekend.
(49:43):
Whenever you are tuning in andlistening to this, we will be
interceding for you, ourlisteners.
Thanks again, denise, you'rewelcome.
Bye.
Thank you for tuning in totoday's episode of Graceville
Community Podcast.
We would like to invite you tovisit gracevillecommunitycom.
(50:07):
Graceville Community is allabout doing church the way
Church of Acts did, using fivemain principles that we see in
the book of Acts Sharingresources, as believers pooled
their possessions and resourcesto support those in need, as we
see in Acts 2.44.
(50:27):
Through hospitality the earlyChristians practice hospitality
by opening their homes to others, as we see in Acts 2 and 46.
By financial aid the church inAntioch sent financial aid to
believers in Judea during a timeof famine, as described in Acts
(50:49):
11 and 29.
Prayer and encouragement theysupported each other through
prayer and encouragement, as wesee in Acts 4 and 24.
And finally, spiritual guidancethe apostles and elders
provided spiritual guidance andteaching to help strengthen and
build the community, as we seein Acts 15 30.
(51:13):
I would like to encourage you.
If any of those areas are areasin which you are in need or can
contribute, please reach out toGraceville Community.
We are working together acrossthe world with ministries and
individuals alike, to help bringback the Church of Acts.
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