September 15, 2025 • 21 mins
It’s a Single Mom Thing, Not the Thing That Stops Her
Have you ever had a dream so big it scared you? That’s your HBAG — your Hairy Big Audacious Goal. And mama, being a single mom isn’t the stop sign to that dream. It’s your launchpad.
In this episode of It’s a Single Mom Thing, Sherry flips the script on excuses and equips you with practical strategies and faith-filled encouragement to help you chase your God-sized goals without burning out.
You’ll discover:
💡 Why being a single mom is not a limitation but a strength
🔥 How to set excuses aside while keeping your dreams alive
❤️ Why YOU are worth the investment — and how your growth blesses your kids
🙌 How to move from Fear Factor to the Faith Factor
✨ Simple questions to reflect on and dream again
Mama, you are capable, called, and more than enough. And those baby steps you take? They still move mountains. 🌄
🎧 Listen now and be reminded: It’s a Single Mom Thing, not the thing that stops you.
👉 shepherdsvillage.com/podcast
or your favorite podcast streaming platform.
It's a Single Mom Thing, Not the Single Thing That Stops You!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to it's a Single Mom Thing, the show for
single moms by single moms.
This is Sherri, your host, andI am happy you are here today.
Remember it's a single momthing and not the single thing
that stops you.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
What up, ladies?
Welcome back to another episodeof it's a Single Mom Thing.
So today I want to talk to youabout something a little hairy
Not your legs, maybe aboutsomething a little hairy not
your legs, maybe even somethinga little scary, and that's your
H-bag.
Yep, you heard me right.
That's your hairy, big,audacious goal.
You know, the one, that dreamthat's been sitting in the back
(00:37):
of your mind, tugging at yourheart, the one that feels a
little too big, a little toobold, maybe even a little too
impossible.
And let's be real as singlemoms, we are masters at putting
our own dreams on the backburner.
We'll chase down everybodyelse's goals Our kids', sports,
their schooling, their futurebut when it comes to our own, we
(01:01):
whisper not now, no, not me,not with everything I've got
going on in my plate.
No, no, no, now's not the time.
Sister, that's a trap.
You see, we start thinking Ican't because I'm a single mom.
But ladies, listen, hear me outand hear me loud and clear.
Being a single mom is not youheard me not the thing that
(01:25):
stops you.
It's a single mom thing, andthat means you've already got
grit, resilience anddetermination baked right into
you.
Think about it.
You've already survived thingsyou didn't think you could.
You've stretched dollars,managed schedules, carried loads
bigger than you thoughtpossible and, on top of all that
(01:46):
, you loved your kids throughthe hardest of days.
And guess what?
That same strength, that samecourage, that same what I like
to call never give up spirit.
It's the very thing you need togo after, that big, hairy,
audacious goal H-bag.
So today I want to help youflip that script.
(02:08):
Instead of seeing singlemotherhood as your limitation,
oh no, we are going to make itour launching pad Because,
ladies, you are worth theinvestment and the return isn't
just success, it is blessingsbeyond your belief.
Excuses versus dreams.
Now let's talk about the tug ofwar we all face with excuses
(02:33):
versus dreams.
See, excuses are sneaky.
They sound reasonable and evennoble, sometimes, like I don't
have time because my kids needme, or I don't have money
because I'm putting it all intotheir household, or the big one,
oh, I'll just wait until thingscalm down.
(02:54):
Well, let me give you a holyhold up for a second, please.
But let me ask you this whenhas life ever truly calmed down?
Exactly, if I had waited untilthe right time to have my son, I
would have never had him, andhe's one of the biggest
blessings of my life.
Sometimes I have found thethings we think we need to wait
(03:17):
for are the very thing God hasalready prepared us for and for
me.
Let me just tell you this way Ihave to keep this in forefront
of my mind all the time.
I may not be a single momanymore, but I am still single
and I still have dreams andgoals.
I could easily let the quoteunquote single thing become a
(03:40):
repeated excuse, but you knowwhat that does?
It keeps me stuck in the mud.
It keeps me from growing andmaybe even from becoming the
woman God is shaping me to beCurves and all I can relate to
not having a spouse to push youforward, to catch you when you
fall or to encourage you to justkeep swimming.
(04:02):
But here's the truth my dreamsare still for me, even if I
don't have a quote unquote weand the same is true for you,
girl you see excuses.
They keep us safe, but theyalso keep us stuck.
They shrink our world until allthat's left is survival mode.
(04:24):
And survival mode is not whereGod designed you to live Now.
That bears repeating.
Okay, listen, survival is notwhere God designed you to live.
Now let's flip this.
Okay, dreams what do they do?
They expand your world.
Dreams make room for growth,for possibility, for joy.
(04:44):
Dreams, girls, listen.
Shows your kids what faith andaction looks like when they see
you daring to go after somethingbigger than yourself.
You're not just teaching themto dream, you are teaching them
to believe, to believe somethingbigger beyond themselves.
And here's some more truth.
(05:05):
You're not disqualified becauseyou're a single mom.
You're not behind, you're nottoo late.
You, my sister, are right ontime and your dream is still
alive.
So today, I want you to make adecision to set aside the
excuses, but listen, not yourdreams.
(05:26):
Okay, put the I can't becauseI'm a single mom.
Lie in the trash where itbelongs and pick up the truth.
And that is because I am asingle mom.
I already know how to fight,how to persevere and how to rise
.
Oh, that gets two snaps and acircle.
Yes, girl, yes, you see,excuses shrink you, but dreams,
(05:50):
they expand you.
So which one are you going tolet win?
Worth the investment?
All right, now, now that wehave talked about setting
excuses aside, let's talk aboutwhy you're worth the investment.
Here's the thing We'll spendmoney and energy on our kids
without even thinking twice.
Am I right?
Sports gear, you'll figure itout.
(06:13):
Birthday parties, field trips,braces, you'll move heaven and
earth to make it happen, becauseyou believe your kids are worth
it.
And, girl, they are.
But somewhere along the way westop believing that we are worth
it too.
And not only do we stopbelieving it, we stop investing
(06:34):
in ourselves.
We convince ourselves withthings like it's selfish to
spend money on me.
It is just so irresponsible totake time for me.
My job is just to pour intothem.
It's not my time, but, ladies,listen, hear me out.
When you invest in yourself,you're not taken away from your
(06:55):
kids.
Now let me say that again.
When you invest in yourself,you're not taken away from your
kids.
You're multiplying what theyreceive.
You are their foundation.
And if the foundation crumbles,what happens to the house?
But listen, when you take aclass, pursue that degree, build
(07:15):
that business or even take aday for rest, girl, you are
showing your kids that mamadoesn't just survive, no, she
grows.
And your growth gives thempermission to grow too, even in
the hard and the hurried ofsingle mom life.
And let me bring this home okay,I know this one personally
(07:38):
because, listen, there were many, I repeat many of times that I
convinced myself I couldn't goafter certain dreams because of
the cost.
Not just the money cost, butthe time, the risk, the energy.
But you know what?
Then I realized, when I holdback from becoming all God
created me to be, I'm not justshortchanging myself, I am
(08:02):
shortchanging my family too.
Listen, that's not what Iwanted for my son.
I didn't want to shortchangehim, I wanted to make deposit
into his future.
The truth, ladies you are worththe time, you are worth the
energy, you are worth theinvestment and the return.
It's blessings beyond yourbelief, not just for you, but
(08:25):
for your children and even theirchildren.
So the next time that littlevoice whispers you don't have
the resources for this, I wantyou to say back oh no, I am the
resource, I am the example and Iam worth the investment.
Be gone.
Thought Strategies for your HBag.
(08:47):
So let's get a little practical.
Okay, you've got this dream,this big, hairy, audacious goal,
but how do you actually goafter it without burning out or
giving up?
So let's break it down intosome steps that you can start
tracking on today.
Step one dream big without anapology.
(09:08):
Write your dream down, put iton paper, say it out loud, pray
it out to God.
Don't shrink your dream to fityour circumstances, okay, no,
don't do that.
Let your faith instead, expandyour circumstances to fit your
dream.
Big dreams, honor a big God.
And don't just tuck that dreamaway into a journal where no one
(09:33):
else sees it.
Write it I triple dog, dare youin hot pink lipstick on your
mirror so it stares you downevery morning.
Stick it on your steering wheelso it drives you forward every
time you get into the car.
Let that dream become sovisible you can't ignore it, and
neither can your excuses.
(09:55):
Step two fail proof.
And this is what I like to call.
You heard me say it earlier thenever give up.
So here's the truth.
Failure, girls, it isn't final,it's feedback.
I love that one.
Okay, now listen, when you hita wall, don't just stop, just
pivot.
Ask what can I learn?
How can I adjust Pivot?
(10:16):
How can I learn?
How can I adjust Pivot, pivot,pivot.
Every setback, girls, is a setup for your comeback.
Keep a little notebook or evena note in your phone called
quote unquote lessons from thefall, every time something
doesn't go as planned, and itwill jot it down.
(10:36):
That way, your failuresactually become your fuel.
Step three pace yourself.
Now listen, this is a marathon,not a sprint.
The fastest way, girls listento kill a dream is burnout.
Break your goal into smallerpieces.
What I'm going to recommendThink about 90-day chunks, or
(10:59):
even one baby step a day,because you remember, you've
heard me say this in otherpodcasts baby steps make big
dreams, and so I'm going to keepit real with you.
I had to live this one outrecently.
I am studying for my 63 hourpre-licensed course for real
estate and I got listen over 385note cards full of terms I have
(11:24):
to learn.
If I tried to tackle them allat once, I would drown.
So here's what I did I dividedthose note cards and put each in
a pile in its own.
And then listen, I put it inits own color coded Ziploc bag,
one color for each day of theweek.
Then each day, I would onlylisten, only review the stack in
(11:48):
that bag, just that day's color, just that pile.
Now, by the end of the week, Ihad worked through all of them
without burning out.
That's what pacing yourselflooks like Breaking the
overwhelming into doable.
You don't climb a mountain inone leap.
You know that you do it step bystep.
(12:10):
It step by step, color by color, card by card.
Step four build your dream team.
Okay, listen, don't do it alone.
You need, ladies, at least oneperson who will hold you
accountable, cheer you on andremind you why you started.
That could be a friend, amentor, a coach or even a prayer
(12:33):
partner.
What I have found is thataccountability is the oxygen
that keeps your dream alive.
I've seen this again in my ownlife.
When I started down that realestate path I'm going to go
there again I had a friend whocame alongside me and said I'll
mentor you, I'll keep youthrough this.
And honestly, I don't know whatI would have done if I hadn't
had them to give me the courageto keep going without that
(12:57):
accountability.
Sometimes, just knowingsomeone's watching, encouraging
and reminding you of your why isthe difference between quitting
and pressing on?
So try this Send a weekly dreamcheck.
That's what I call it.
It's a dream check text.
Let's say, every Friday,message your person with one
(13:18):
thing you did that week to movetoward your goal and one thing
you plan to do next week.
Ladies, you will be amazed howmuch momentum comes from simply
knowing someone is rooting foryou.
Step five encouragement on therepeat Speak life over your
dream.
Every day Post-it notes, wearand post them everywhere you
(13:42):
will see them your mirror, yourfridge, your car.
Write things like I am capable,I am consistent and I am called
.
And here's what I've learned.
Sometimes I need to hear my ownvoice and remind me of the
truth.
So I'll even record myself onthose little voice apps on your
phone and saying something likean affirmation or a scripture
(14:03):
and play it back when I'mdriving or getting ready in the
morning.
Because, listen, if I don'tfill my mind with encouragement,
it is way too easy fordiscouragement to take over and
sink a sister.
So, listen, if the lies getloud and they will you've got to
get louder with the truth,god's truth and your own voice,
(14:27):
speaking life over your future.
And can I just say this None ofthese steps require perfection.
All they require is just alittle persistence.
The point isn't to get it allright and I have to remember
that too it's to keep moving,one step at a time, with God
(14:49):
leading the way.
The faith factor.
Now, ladies, I can give you allthe strategies in the world,
but without faith you'll stillrun out of steam.
Because here's the truth Goingafter a hairy, big, audacious
goal isn't just about willpower,listen, it is about God power.
(15:09):
Do you remember that old show,fear Factor, Some of you?
Well, you might be a little tooyoung, but it was all about
facing these wild, crazy andover-the-top challenges to see
who could overcome their fears.
And let's be honest, we've allgot our own fear factor going on
, don't we?
The doubts, the what-ifs, thevoice that says we can't.
(15:30):
But here's the difference Veryfew people tap into the faith
factor, and that's the factorthat changes everything In
Galatians 6, 9, it says this Letus not grow weary in doing good
, for at the proper time we willreap a harvest if we do not
give up.
(15:51):
That means your H-bag isn't justabout hustle, it is about a
harvest.
That means your H bag isn'tjust about hustle, it is about a
harvest.
Your consistency, your faith,your willingness to keep showing
up, that's what positions youfor God's blessings.
And here's what I love Faithdoesn't erase the hard stuff.
Faith empowers you through it.
(16:12):
Prayer isn't just a lifelineyou grab when you're sinking.
Oh no, it's a launchpad.
It's where you and Godstrategize together.
It's where he reminds youdaughter, I put that dream in
your heart and I'm not done withit.
And don't miss this.
You don't have to pray alone.
Enlist people who can pray foryou.
(16:33):
Listen, I got me a friend groupchat where we don't just laugh
together, we live it together.
We pray each other through thehard times, especially when we
share the specific details tolift up to our Father.
And let me tell you this thereis power in knowing someone else
is storming heaven's gates onyour behalf.
(16:54):
And in fact, I could pray foryou.
Just use the Send Sheria textfeature in the podcast
description and then let her rip.
It comes right to my inbox.
And don't forget, we also haveyou know this girl a 24-7 prayer
line at 855-822-PRAY.
I said that wrong, 855-822-pray.
(17:16):
You're not walking this journeyalone.
Listen, I've had to lean intothis myself.
There were nights I feltdrained, unsure if I could keep
pressing forward, and in thosemoments it wasn't my grit that
carried me.
On the contrary, it was God'sgrace.
Sometimes my prayer was nothingmore than Lord, give me just
(17:38):
enough strength for today.
And he always did so.
Don't think you have to do thisall on your own.
You may not have a spouse topush you forward, but you have a
Savior who walks beside you,and he's more than enough.
Ladies, that dream in yourheart, it's not random, it's not
an accident, and it'sdefinitely not too big for God.
(18:00):
If he planted it, he willprovide for it.
Your job, though, is to takethe next step.
His job is to turn those stepsinto a story that blesses you
beyond your belief.
So I've got some questions foryou to ponder before we wrap
this up.
Okay, I don't want to just giveyou strategies and stories.
(18:21):
I want to give you space tothink, to breathe, maybe even to
dream again, so let me leaveyou with a few simple questions.
Not a long list, okay.
Not homework, just a gentleprompt that you can carry in
your heart today.
Not homework, just a gentleprompt that you can carry in
your heart today.
So, number one what dream and Iwant you to say this to
yourself what dream have I setaside that God may be asking me
(18:49):
to pick up?
Two, what small step could Itake this week towards that
dream?
And then three, who could Iinvite to pray with me,
encourage me or hold meaccountable.
That's it Three questions,nothing more.
But if you'll let them sit withyou while folding laundry,
driving to work or tucking yourkids into bed, they just might
(19:10):
spark the courage to take yournext step.
Because sometimes I have foundthe road to your hairy, big,
audacious goal doesn't startwith doing.
It starts with daring Daring toask, daring to believe and
daring to dream again.
So as I close, ladies, here'sthe truth I want you to carry
(19:32):
with you today.
Being a single mom is not thething that stops you.
We have discussed that.
It is the thing that proves youcan.
Your H-bag, your hairy, big,audacious goal, is not too big,
not too bold and not tooimpossible when you put your
faith into action.
We all live with fear.
That's our fear factor, but noteveryone lives with faith.
(19:56):
And it's the faith factor thatmakes the difference.
It's what turns survival intosuccess, setbacks into comebacks
and dreams into a harvest.
So let me ask you one last timewhat's the next baby step you're
willing to take towards thatbig, god-sized dream?
Don't wait for the perfectmoment and certainly don't let
(20:17):
excuses keep you stuck.
Take your step, ladies, becausebaby steps still move mountains
.
And remember it's a single momthing and not the single thing
that stops you.
So, before I sign off, I alsowant to give a special shout out
to our Gala Platinum sponsor.
It is that time of year, thatis how we fundraise and raise
(20:38):
the money to do things like this.
Talk with you, and I want tothank Crown Automotive Charities
and the Hawkins FamilyFoundation.
Thank you so much for helpingus to continue to support single
moms and their kids as theyface their future with
confidence.
We couldn't do this without you.
So, ladies, until next time,keep dreaming, keep stepping and
(21:01):
keep believing.
Your H-Bag is waiting.
Have a wonderful week andremember it's a single mom thing
, not the single thing thatstops you.
Speaker 1 (21:11):
Thanks for listening to it's a Single Mom Thing.
I hope you enjoyed our timetogether.
If you have more questions onhow to have a relationship with
Jesus or need prayer, visit usat wwwshepherdsvillagecom.
Backslash prayer.
For more information andresources, check out our show
notes.
Welcome to it's a Single Mom Thing, the show for
single moms by single moms.
This is Sherri, your host, andI am happy you are here today.
Remember it's a single momthing and not the single thing
that stops you.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
What up, ladies?
Welcome back to another episodeof it's a Single Mom Thing.
So today I want to talk to youabout something a little hairy
Not your legs, maybe aboutsomething a little hairy not
your legs, maybe even somethinga little scary, and that's your
H-bag.
Yep, you heard me right.
That's your hairy, big,audacious goal.
You know, the one, that dreamthat's been sitting in the back
(00:37):
of your mind, tugging at yourheart, the one that feels a
little too big, a little toobold, maybe even a little too
impossible.
And let's be real as singlemoms, we are masters at putting
our own dreams on the backburner.
We'll chase down everybodyelse's goals Our kids', sports,
their schooling, their futurebut when it comes to our own, we
(01:01):
whisper not now, no, not me,not with everything I've got
going on in my plate.
No, no, no, now's not the time.
Sister, that's a trap.
You see, we start thinking Ican't because I'm a single mom.
But ladies, listen, hear me outand hear me loud and clear.
Being a single mom is not youheard me not the thing that
(01:25):
stops you.
It's a single mom thing, andthat means you've already got
grit, resilience anddetermination baked right into
you.
Think about it.
You've already survived thingsyou didn't think you could.
You've stretched dollars,managed schedules, carried loads
bigger than you thoughtpossible and, on top of all that
(01:46):
, you loved your kids throughthe hardest of days.
And guess what?
That same strength, that samecourage, that same what I like
to call never give up spirit.
It's the very thing you need togo after, that big, hairy,
audacious goal H-bag.
So today I want to help youflip that script.
(02:08):
Instead of seeing singlemotherhood as your limitation,
oh no, we are going to make itour launching pad Because,
ladies, you are worth theinvestment and the return isn't
just success, it is blessingsbeyond your belief.
Excuses versus dreams.
Now let's talk about the tug ofwar we all face with excuses
(02:33):
versus dreams.
See, excuses are sneaky.
They sound reasonable and evennoble, sometimes, like I don't
have time because my kids needme, or I don't have money
because I'm putting it all intotheir household, or the big one,
oh, I'll just wait until thingscalm down.
(02:54):
Well, let me give you a holyhold up for a second, please.
But let me ask you this whenhas life ever truly calmed down?
Exactly, if I had waited untilthe right time to have my son, I
would have never had him, andhe's one of the biggest
blessings of my life.
Sometimes I have found thethings we think we need to wait
(03:17):
for are the very thing God hasalready prepared us for and for
me.
Let me just tell you this way Ihave to keep this in forefront
of my mind all the time.
I may not be a single momanymore, but I am still single
and I still have dreams andgoals.
I could easily let the quoteunquote single thing become a
(03:40):
repeated excuse, but you knowwhat that does?
It keeps me stuck in the mud.
It keeps me from growing andmaybe even from becoming the
woman God is shaping me to beCurves and all I can relate to
not having a spouse to push youforward, to catch you when you
fall or to encourage you to justkeep swimming.
(04:02):
But here's the truth my dreamsare still for me, even if I
don't have a quote unquote weand the same is true for you,
girl you see excuses.
They keep us safe, but theyalso keep us stuck.
They shrink our world until allthat's left is survival mode.
(04:24):
And survival mode is not whereGod designed you to live Now.
That bears repeating.
Okay, listen, survival is notwhere God designed you to live.
Now let's flip this.
Okay, dreams what do they do?
They expand your world.
Dreams make room for growth,for possibility, for joy.
(04:44):
Dreams, girls, listen.
Shows your kids what faith andaction looks like when they see
you daring to go after somethingbigger than yourself.
You're not just teaching themto dream, you are teaching them
to believe, to believe somethingbigger beyond themselves.
And here's some more truth.
(05:05):
You're not disqualified becauseyou're a single mom.
You're not behind, you're nottoo late.
You, my sister, are right ontime and your dream is still
alive.
So today, I want you to make adecision to set aside the
excuses, but listen, not yourdreams.
(05:26):
Okay, put the I can't becauseI'm a single mom.
Lie in the trash where itbelongs and pick up the truth.
And that is because I am asingle mom.
I already know how to fight,how to persevere and how to rise
.
Oh, that gets two snaps and acircle.
Yes, girl, yes, you see,excuses shrink you, but dreams,
(05:50):
they expand you.
So which one are you going tolet win?
Worth the investment?
All right, now, now that wehave talked about setting
excuses aside, let's talk aboutwhy you're worth the investment.
Here's the thing We'll spendmoney and energy on our kids
without even thinking twice.
Am I right?
Sports gear, you'll figure itout.
(06:13):
Birthday parties, field trips,braces, you'll move heaven and
earth to make it happen, becauseyou believe your kids are worth
it.
And, girl, they are.
But somewhere along the way westop believing that we are worth
it too.
And not only do we stopbelieving it, we stop investing
(06:34):
in ourselves.
We convince ourselves withthings like it's selfish to
spend money on me.
It is just so irresponsible totake time for me.
My job is just to pour intothem.
It's not my time, but, ladies,listen, hear me out.
When you invest in yourself,you're not taken away from your
(06:55):
kids.
Now let me say that again.
When you invest in yourself,you're not taken away from your
kids.
You're multiplying what theyreceive.
You are their foundation.
And if the foundation crumbles,what happens to the house?
But listen, when you take aclass, pursue that degree, build
(07:15):
that business or even take aday for rest, girl, you are
showing your kids that mamadoesn't just survive, no, she
grows.
And your growth gives thempermission to grow too, even in
the hard and the hurried ofsingle mom life.
And let me bring this home okay,I know this one personally
(07:38):
because, listen, there were many, I repeat many of times that I
convinced myself I couldn't goafter certain dreams because of
the cost.
Not just the money cost, butthe time, the risk, the energy.
But you know what?
Then I realized, when I holdback from becoming all God
created me to be, I'm not justshortchanging myself, I am
(08:02):
shortchanging my family too.
Listen, that's not what Iwanted for my son.
I didn't want to shortchangehim, I wanted to make deposit
into his future.
The truth, ladies you are worththe time, you are worth the
energy, you are worth theinvestment and the return.
It's blessings beyond yourbelief, not just for you, but
(08:25):
for your children and even theirchildren.
So the next time that littlevoice whispers you don't have
the resources for this, I wantyou to say back oh no, I am the
resource, I am the example and Iam worth the investment.
Be gone.
Thought Strategies for your HBag.
(08:47):
So let's get a little practical.
Okay, you've got this dream,this big, hairy, audacious goal,
but how do you actually goafter it without burning out or
giving up?
So let's break it down intosome steps that you can start
tracking on today.
Step one dream big without anapology.
(09:08):
Write your dream down, put iton paper, say it out loud, pray
it out to God.
Don't shrink your dream to fityour circumstances, okay, no,
don't do that.
Let your faith instead, expandyour circumstances to fit your
dream.
Big dreams, honor a big God.
And don't just tuck that dreamaway into a journal where no one
(09:33):
else sees it.
Write it I triple dog, dare youin hot pink lipstick on your
mirror so it stares you downevery morning.
Stick it on your steering wheelso it drives you forward every
time you get into the car.
Let that dream become sovisible you can't ignore it, and
neither can your excuses.
(09:55):
Step two fail proof.
And this is what I like to call.
You heard me say it earlier thenever give up.
So here's the truth.
Failure, girls, it isn't final,it's feedback.
I love that one.
Okay, now listen, when you hita wall, don't just stop, just
pivot.
Ask what can I learn?
How can I adjust Pivot?
(10:16):
How can I learn?
How can I adjust Pivot, pivot,pivot.
Every setback, girls, is a setup for your comeback.
Keep a little notebook or evena note in your phone called
quote unquote lessons from thefall, every time something
doesn't go as planned, and itwill jot it down.
(10:36):
That way, your failuresactually become your fuel.
Step three pace yourself.
Now listen, this is a marathon,not a sprint.
The fastest way, girls listento kill a dream is burnout.
Break your goal into smallerpieces.
What I'm going to recommendThink about 90-day chunks, or
(10:59):
even one baby step a day,because you remember, you've
heard me say this in otherpodcasts baby steps make big
dreams, and so I'm going to keepit real with you.
I had to live this one outrecently.
I am studying for my 63 hourpre-licensed course for real
estate and I got listen over 385note cards full of terms I have
(11:24):
to learn.
If I tried to tackle them allat once, I would drown.
So here's what I did I dividedthose note cards and put each in
a pile in its own.
And then listen, I put it inits own color coded Ziploc bag,
one color for each day of theweek.
Then each day, I would onlylisten, only review the stack in
(11:48):
that bag, just that day's color, just that pile.
Now, by the end of the week, Ihad worked through all of them
without burning out.
That's what pacing yourselflooks like Breaking the
overwhelming into doable.
You don't climb a mountain inone leap.
You know that you do it step bystep.
(12:10):
It step by step, color by color, card by card.
Step four build your dream team.
Okay, listen, don't do it alone.
You need, ladies, at least oneperson who will hold you
accountable, cheer you on andremind you why you started.
That could be a friend, amentor, a coach or even a prayer
(12:33):
partner.
What I have found is thataccountability is the oxygen
that keeps your dream alive.
I've seen this again in my ownlife.
When I started down that realestate path I'm going to go
there again I had a friend whocame alongside me and said I'll
mentor you, I'll keep youthrough this.
And honestly, I don't know whatI would have done if I hadn't
had them to give me the courageto keep going without that
(12:57):
accountability.
Sometimes, just knowingsomeone's watching, encouraging
and reminding you of your why isthe difference between quitting
and pressing on?
So try this Send a weekly dreamcheck.
That's what I call it.
It's a dream check text.
Let's say, every Friday,message your person with one
(13:18):
thing you did that week to movetoward your goal and one thing
you plan to do next week.
Ladies, you will be amazed howmuch momentum comes from simply
knowing someone is rooting foryou.
Step five encouragement on therepeat Speak life over your
dream.
Every day Post-it notes, wearand post them everywhere you
(13:42):
will see them your mirror, yourfridge, your car.
Write things like I am capable,I am consistent and I am called
.
And here's what I've learned.
Sometimes I need to hear my ownvoice and remind me of the
truth.
So I'll even record myself onthose little voice apps on your
phone and saying something likean affirmation or a scripture
(14:03):
and play it back when I'mdriving or getting ready in the
morning.
Because, listen, if I don'tfill my mind with encouragement,
it is way too easy fordiscouragement to take over and
sink a sister.
So, listen, if the lies getloud and they will you've got to
get louder with the truth,god's truth and your own voice,
(14:27):
speaking life over your future.
And can I just say this None ofthese steps require perfection.
All they require is just alittle persistence.
The point isn't to get it allright and I have to remember
that too it's to keep moving,one step at a time, with God
(14:49):
leading the way.
The faith factor.
Now, ladies, I can give you allthe strategies in the world,
but without faith you'll stillrun out of steam.
Because here's the truth Goingafter a hairy, big, audacious
goal isn't just about willpower,listen, it is about God power.
(15:09):
Do you remember that old show,fear Factor, Some of you?
Well, you might be a little tooyoung, but it was all about
facing these wild, crazy andover-the-top challenges to see
who could overcome their fears.
And let's be honest, we've allgot our own fear factor going on
, don't we?
The doubts, the what-ifs, thevoice that says we can't.
(15:30):
But here's the difference Veryfew people tap into the faith
factor, and that's the factorthat changes everything In
Galatians 6, 9, it says this Letus not grow weary in doing good
, for at the proper time we willreap a harvest if we do not
give up.
(15:51):
That means your H-bag isn't justabout hustle, it is about a
harvest.
That means your H bag isn'tjust about hustle, it is about a
harvest.
Your consistency, your faith,your willingness to keep showing
up, that's what positions youfor God's blessings.
And here's what I love Faithdoesn't erase the hard stuff.
Faith empowers you through it.
(16:12):
Prayer isn't just a lifelineyou grab when you're sinking.
Oh no, it's a launchpad.
It's where you and Godstrategize together.
It's where he reminds youdaughter, I put that dream in
your heart and I'm not done withit.
And don't miss this.
You don't have to pray alone.
Enlist people who can pray foryou.
(16:33):
Listen, I got me a friend groupchat where we don't just laugh
together, we live it together.
We pray each other through thehard times, especially when we
share the specific details tolift up to our Father.
And let me tell you this thereis power in knowing someone else
is storming heaven's gates onyour behalf.
(16:54):
And in fact, I could pray foryou.
Just use the Send Sheria textfeature in the podcast
description and then let her rip.
It comes right to my inbox.
And don't forget, we also haveyou know this girl a 24-7 prayer
line at 855-822-PRAY.
I said that wrong, 855-822-pray.
(17:16):
You're not walking this journeyalone.
Listen, I've had to lean intothis myself.
There were nights I feltdrained, unsure if I could keep
pressing forward, and in thosemoments it wasn't my grit that
carried me.
On the contrary, it was God'sgrace.
Sometimes my prayer was nothingmore than Lord, give me just
(17:38):
enough strength for today.
And he always did so.
Don't think you have to do thisall on your own.
You may not have a spouse topush you forward, but you have a
Savior who walks beside you,and he's more than enough.
Ladies, that dream in yourheart, it's not random, it's not
an accident, and it'sdefinitely not too big for God.
(18:00):
If he planted it, he willprovide for it.
Your job, though, is to takethe next step.
His job is to turn those stepsinto a story that blesses you
beyond your belief.
So I've got some questions foryou to ponder before we wrap
this up.
Okay, I don't want to just giveyou strategies and stories.
(18:21):
I want to give you space tothink, to breathe, maybe even to
dream again, so let me leaveyou with a few simple questions.
Not a long list, okay.
Not homework, just a gentleprompt that you can carry in
your heart today.
Not homework, just a gentleprompt that you can carry in
your heart today.
So, number one what dream and Iwant you to say this to
yourself what dream have I setaside that God may be asking me
(18:49):
to pick up?
Two, what small step could Itake this week towards that
dream?
And then three, who could Iinvite to pray with me,
encourage me or hold meaccountable.
That's it Three questions,nothing more.
But if you'll let them sit withyou while folding laundry,
driving to work or tucking yourkids into bed, they just might
(19:10):
spark the courage to take yournext step.
Because sometimes I have foundthe road to your hairy, big,
audacious goal doesn't startwith doing.
It starts with daring Daring toask, daring to believe and
daring to dream again.
So as I close, ladies, here'sthe truth I want you to carry
(19:32):
with you today.
Being a single mom is not thething that stops you.
We have discussed that.
It is the thing that proves youcan.
Your H-bag, your hairy, big,audacious goal, is not too big,
not too bold and not tooimpossible when you put your
faith into action.
We all live with fear.
That's our fear factor, but noteveryone lives with faith.
(19:56):
And it's the faith factor thatmakes the difference.
It's what turns survival intosuccess, setbacks into comebacks
and dreams into a harvest.
So let me ask you one last timewhat's the next baby step you're
willing to take towards thatbig, god-sized dream?
Don't wait for the perfectmoment and certainly don't let
(20:17):
excuses keep you stuck.
Take your step, ladies, becausebaby steps still move mountains
.
And remember it's a single momthing and not the single thing
that stops you.
So, before I sign off, I alsowant to give a special shout out
to our Gala Platinum sponsor.
It is that time of year, thatis how we fundraise and raise
(20:38):
the money to do things like this.
Talk with you, and I want tothank Crown Automotive Charities
and the Hawkins FamilyFoundation.
Thank you so much for helpingus to continue to support single
moms and their kids as theyface their future with
confidence.
We couldn't do this without you.
So, ladies, until next time,keep dreaming, keep stepping and
(21:01):
keep believing.
Your H-Bag is waiting.
Have a wonderful week andremember it's a single mom thing
, not the single thing thatstops you.
Speaker 1 (21:11):
Thanks for listening to it's a Single Mom Thing.
I hope you enjoyed our timetogether.
If you have more questions onhow to have a relationship with
Jesus or need prayer, visit usat wwwshepherdsvillagecom.
Backslash prayer.
For more information andresources, check out our show
notes.
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