September 21, 2025 • 38 mins
Sarah-Jane's journey begins in the unexpected transition from England's Sherwood Forest to Australia's Sunshine Coast, a bold move that ultimately led her to a life-changing encounter with Jesus. Growing up in a nominally Christian household but facing trauma and depression in her youth, Sarah-Jane spiraled into unhealthy patterns before making the decision to travel across the world for a fresh start.
What follows is a remarkable story of transformation that illustrates the beautiful contrast in how God works. In one profound moment at church, Sarah-Jane experienced Jesus removing what felt like a heavy, water-soaked World War II trench coat from her shoulders, instantly lifting the burden of her past pain and mistakes. This immediate deliverance stands in stark contrast to another significant spiritual marker in her life: receiving a prophetic word about "widening her tent pegs" from Isaiah 54, a direction she's still unpacking years later.
This duality becomes a powerful reminder for listeners navigating their own faith journeys. In a culture demanding instant results, Sarah-Jane's testimony validates both the immediate miracles and the long, seemingly silent seasons of waiting.
Whether you're experiencing a wilderness season or seeking encouragement in your faith journey, Sarah-Jane's parting wisdom resonates deeply: "It's okay to not have all your ducks in a row... God totally has this, even if it just doesn't feel like it in the moment."
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Episode Transcript
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Nancy Bruscher (00:02):
You found Ordinary People, extraordinary
Things, where we share everydaystories of faith and hope.
Today we get to talk to SarahJane and she comes to us from
Australia.
She has a story of how Godworked instantly in her life,
and then a time when God gaveher a verse, and years later she
is still waiting to see whatthat actually means in her life.
(00:24):
I love the two ways that sheshows God and what that actually
means in her life.
I love the two ways that sheshows God and how he's worked in
her life.
I am so excited my book is outand available on Amazon.
The Legacy Heirloom Journalgives you a place to preserve
your heirlooms, with space forphotos, guided questions and
reflections.
I will have a link in the shownotes.
(00:44):
Now let's get started withSarah Jane.
Welcome to Ordinary People,extraordinary Things.
I'm here with Sarah Jane, thankyou.
Thank you for being on.
Sarah-Jane Meeson (00:54):
Yeah, no worries, it's awesome to be here
today in sunny Australia.
Nancy Bruscher (00:59):
I know you're coming from Australia.
Can you tell us where for usAmericans who don't know that
much about Australia?
Sarah-Jane Meeson (01:09):
So I'm about an hour above Brisbane, in a
place called the Sunshine Coast,which its name does not precede
how it is.
We've had rain for the past twoweeks and it has been
torrential.
We've had cyclones.
It's been crazy, crazy.
So sometimes it's sunshine andother times it's just wet it
makes me want to go there thoughwell, it's warm wet, if that
(01:32):
helps.
It's not cold wet like.
Nancy Bruscher (01:35):
Colorado now is it humid.
Sarah-Jane Meeson (01:38):
Yeah, yeah, we're about 98 humidity at the
minute because of all the rain.
So it is close, it's hot, it'ssticky and I have the aircon
running 24 7 because, if youhaven't guessed, I've also got
quite an English accent mixed inwith Australian.
So I'm used to, I've been usedto hot.
(01:58):
I went back to the UK where itwas nice and cold, and now I'm
back in Australia in a reallyhot place, like hot as in humid
place.
Um, so it's taken a while toadjust, but you know, give me a
year and I might get there now,where in England are you from?
I'm from Sherwood Forest, so Idon't know if you've heard of
(02:19):
Robin Hood the king of thieves,yeah.
So, um, the county's calledNottinghamshire and, um, I live
20 minutes away from Major Oak,which was Robin Hood's tree.
So, um, yeah, I was born inYorkshire, though, so I class
myself as a Yorkshire lass thatgrew up in Nottinghamshire.
There's a distinguished whenyou're Yorkshire, you claim that
(02:41):
you're Yorkshire.
Nancy Bruscher (02:43):
That's so cool.
London, england, has so muchhistory.
I'm a history major so I lovehistory and I actually got to go
to England for four monthsduring college.
I got to live there and I gotto work in the cabinet war rooms
in London oh yeah.
Sarah-Jane Meeson (03:01):
Churchill's war rooms.
Yes, yeah, yeah, yeah, they'reawesome.
Nancy Bruscher (03:06):
I love the war rooms.
I know it's fantastic, liketiny little museum, that's just
amazing.
But uh, I just I have thisendearment to to England because
of all of that yeah, no,london's fantastic.
Sarah-Jane Meeson (03:18):
So I was probably three hours above
London, um, and I had neveractually been to London until I
was in my adult years, like you.
Just you don't go to London asmuch as you might think.
Everyone thinks London, england, but, like the locals, avoid
London.
But as I've gotten older andlove history too, I totally
appreciate London and all allthe history, the Romans coming
(03:43):
in like even far back as that,it's all really cool it is.
Nancy Bruscher (03:47):
Well, it's probably like Colorado, where
there's a lot of people thatlive here and they don't go
skiing.
You know, it's just probablythe same kind of thing, so
Totally yeah.
Well, if people don't know whoyou are, can you give three
words or phrases to describeyourself?
Sarah-Jane Meeson (04:06):
Yeah, I was stunned by this question because
you don't often describeyourself, but I was like, well,
I've got a few friends.
If they were to probably saythree words, it would be loyal,
bubbly and encouraging.
Nancy Bruscher (04:25):
That's good.
Can you give an example ofencouraging?
I feel like we could all usesome encouragement.
What, what makes you good atbeing an encourager?
Sarah-Jane Meeson (04:36):
um, okay, here's an example.
So, um, in my spare time, I do,uh, weight lifting and power
lifting.
I've recently moved up to thesunshine Coast and joined a
powerlifting gym.
I met up with a friend therewho lives on the coast already
and she said, or she made a jokeabout um, that's okay, I'm
gonna smash you in numbers, likeyou know, just making a joke,
(05:00):
and I was like I I said back toher I'm actually not here to
compete with you, I'm here tosupport and encourage you.
Like this is a sport where it'syou are against yourself.
You can be against others ifyou want to, but for me it's to
race against myself.
So please don't feel threatenedthat I'm here.
I'm here to encourage you andsupport you.
(05:20):
I'm not here to make you feelinsecure or to look at your own
numbers and think this isn'tgood enough, like that's not
where we're at.
It's not about the numbers,it's about what do you do that
brings you joy, what makes youfeel strong and how can I
encourage you through thatprocess.
So that's where that kind offundamental and I try and do
(05:41):
that throughout all my life it'snot just in weightlifting, it's
in business.
Nancy came on our podcastbefore um and was sharing her
story and and stuff like that,and I think we're all each given
our own unique journey.
How can I encourage you in thatjourney?
(06:01):
And you were saying that it'snot about the numbers, it's
about God and your relationship,not about your numbers in
business, and I couldn't agreemore.
Like how can I encourage youwith where you're going?
I don't care what money you'remaking like, we're here to
support and encourage you yeah,and I I see that with what you
do with Christian women inbusiness.
Nancy Bruscher (06:21):
right is there.
You're trying to bring womentogether to encourage one
another, not to like go againstone another, and I need that
client, so I'm going to go afterit and then you don't get it.
That's such a minimal mindsetand what I've found is, through
podcasting and getting to meetall these wonderful people, is
(06:42):
how we can encourage one anotherand we can be like hey, you
should talk to this person.
You should really like get ontothis magazine and just like try
to help each other to grow,because it's not this oh, if I
get this podcast invite, thenyou don't.
and oh, it's just so ugly and Ifeel like I haven't seen that
(07:06):
and it's been so neat andencouraging, like you said, to
see that in a business and in aministry.
Sarah-Jane Meeson (07:15):
Yeah yeah yeah, so wait, I'm not perfect,
but that's how I try and livelife.
Sure, you know.
Yeah, let's lift each other up.
Nancy Bruscher (07:27):
Yes.
Well, what is your testimony?
And if someone listeningwonders what that word means,
just how did you come to faith?
How did you learn about Jesus?
Sarah-Jane Meeson (07:37):
Yeah, yeah, so I grew up in the UK and not
in a Christian family at allWell, kind of Christian, but not
we didn't go to church everySunday.
Christianity is kind ofthroughout the whole of the UK.
It's its foundations.
When you look back in historyand I was explaining to you, you
(07:58):
were asking oh, what do I callyou?
You know, do we say Sarah Jane?
And I was like Sarah Jane or SJ, but you can't call me Sarah
because Sarah Jane has a meaning.
So my dad had a meaning for myname, kind of grow up in a
Christian household, but therewas little snippets along the
way that God had put in therewithout me realizing until years
(08:21):
later.
So growing up, I went throughsome things that weren't that
nice, which I know a lot ofwomen have gone through
themselves.
There was some sexual assaultand some just not very nice
things happening and that, as ateenager and in my younger adult
years, kind of led me to quitea rebellious life.
(08:41):
Um, I was trying to find lovein all the wrong places.
I went to a really dark, deepdepression.
Um, I couldn't get death out ofmy mind.
It was just sorry I should havecensored this.
There's some sensory stuffcoming up.
Um, if it triggers, you stop.
So, yeah, it was a really darktime and I was about 19, 20,
(09:05):
when I probably reached the thepit you might call it.
So I was drinking every night,I was sleeping around, it was
just.
I was a mess.
I needed help.
I couldn't get death out of mymind.
I would work myself into theground at the gym, um.
So when it came to nighttime Iwould pass out and not have to
think about all these awfulthoughts.
(09:26):
It was just not a very niceplace.
My mom kind of saw what wasgoing on.
She got me in with the doctorsand we got immediate
psychotherapy and all the thingsto help with the mental health
stuff.
And after about six months ofworking with a psychotherapist
and like really working onmyself, um, I was in a much
(09:46):
better spot, which was amazing.
And we kind of I was about Iwas just coming up to my 21st
birthday.
Um, we both kind of said Ithink it's time for a fresh
start.
And so the UK um, they give youcompensation if bad things
happen to you for victims ofcrime.
So I'd applied for thiscompensation, I'd gotten it and
(10:09):
come into the place with mypsychotherapist.
So you know it's time to starta new chapter, and so we both
talked about it and we bothagreed that it was a really
great time to travel.
I wasn't running away fromeverything.
I was in a really great time totravel.
I wasn't running away fromeverything, I was in a really
good spot.
And so I just looked on the mapand was like where's the
easiest place to work and travel?
And it was Australia.
(10:30):
So, um I, literally a monthlater, I booked my ticket.
I turned 21 in the June.
I bought my ticket um July 31stthis was 2008 and I sold all my
stuff and I hopped on the planeand I came over to the land
down under, which was crazy.
Looking back, I've got no familyhere or anything.
(10:52):
It's just it me, myself and I.
And so the only work I didcadets growing up, army cadets I
don't know if you have that inthe US and it's a great
initiative in the UK to helpyoung people.
So I've done kayaking, I lovethe outdoors, hikes, etc.
So the only work that I couldfind when I got over here as a
traveler on a holiday workingvisa was doing outdoor education
(11:16):
and outdoor guiding and seethat a girl jumped.
We had to share bed like notshare bed, share rooms with
other guides as well.
And we were on this one campand this girl just was like want
to share a room.
I was like sure, and she got inthe top bunk and we just hit it
off.
So, as an outdoor guide, whenyou're in that season of your
life you're like out in the bushfor six days a week.
(11:37):
You come back, you have ashower, you wash your kit and
then you back out again likeit's.
It's a whole lifestyle, youdon't really have a life out of
it.
And so she invited me to comeand stay down at hers to sleep
on the floor and wash my kit anddo all the things before we're
back out again.
And so I met her and herhousemate and I just knew that
(11:58):
they had something that I didn'thave, that I knew I needed to
have, but I didn't know what itwas.
They just had this amazingpiece.
There was just something therethat I just I could see, but I
couldn't get my hands on, Icouldn't quite know how or what
it was.
And then they explained to meone night that they were
Christians and they run a biblestudy and they're having a bible
(12:19):
study that night.
And if I wanted to join in, Icould, but there was no pressure
and I was like, hey, I'm, I'mtraveling, were Christians and
they run a Bible study andthey're having a Bible study
that night.
And if I wanted to join in Icould, but there was no pressure
and I was like, hey, I'm, I'mtraveling, like I'm open to new
things, so I'll come and seewhat it's all about.
And that was when I kind ofsaid a prayer that I was like,
hey, jc, you don't know who I am, but here I am, I'm SJ, it's
(12:39):
nice to meet you.
How naive was I, and that's kindof like kind of where it
started.
So I didn't give my life toJesus there, but that was kind
of the introduction.
And then I just startedjournaling to this guy who I
didn't really know, but I knew Ineeded to start journaling to
him.
And so I went on a wildadventure over the summer of
(12:59):
that year, came back to the, thetown that where I was kind of
basing myself out of, and thosesame two friends got me a room,
another friends at theirchurches.
They were really sweet.
They let me live there while Iwas trying to figure everything
out and, um, they just said, oh,we're gonna go to church one
day and I was like, oh, can Icome?
(13:20):
And they were like, sure.
So I joined them and there wasa few things happening in the
church at the time which wasreally interesting, but it meant
that the pastors had to stepout and they brought some
temporary pastors in and thisparticular guy who came on, his
name was Kevin Myers.
He runs the care force coursesthat are based out of Australia
(13:42):
and he had such an interestingsense of humour that I could
totally relate with.
In the UK our humour is veryslapstick, it's very comic and I
just resonate.
He wasn't from the UK, I justhe had that and so through his
talk I just I was completelyengaged the whole time and at
(14:06):
the end I could feel my heart goin and they did the altar call
and I can only describe as whatfelt like I was wearing in World
War II.
They had them big wool jacketswhen they were in the war, like
trench coats, they literallythem, and it felt like mine was
full of water, it was heavy, andI was just wearing this big
(14:28):
trench coat and Jesus justliterally came behind me and
said I'm going to take thistrench coat off of you now.
And it was all the stuff thathad happened in my past, all of
the yackiness, the gooeyness.
And he says says I'm just goingto take that away.
And so he took it away and he'slike you're new, you're brand
new, like this is a renewal ofyour heart, your soul,
(14:50):
everything.
And so that night I gave myselfand my life to Jesus.
And that was 2009.
And, yeah, it's been a wildadventure ever since then not
like all the way up to Christianwomen in business and then
beyond Christian women inbusiness.
It's just been liketransformation, like after
(15:11):
transformation.
And I'm the kind of person thatwhen I say I'm in, I'm all in,
like I'm not just gonna dip mytoe in, I'm all in, I mean hence
moving to Australia, like, yeah, I'll pack up my suitcase and
move to the other side of theworld, let's do it.
And so, yeah, I've just beenall in and God's been all in,
and it's just been, it's beenamazing, so, yeah, wow, that is
(15:36):
an amazing story.
Nancy Bruscher (15:37):
That's an amazing story.
The thing that just kind ofcame to me was just like this
feel I loved your idea with thetrench coat and the water, and
then him saying like just givethat to me and these like new
clothes, and and I think thatsometimes we think that this
stuff has to happen over a longtime, and sometimes it does, but
(15:59):
sometimes it's immediate, likethat, and that's so beautiful
and it wasn't even like I wasgiven a choice.
Sarah-Jane Meeson (16:06):
He didn't ask.
He's like I'm taking this RightLike there was no question.
There was no doubt.
It was instant.
This is my big heavy trenchcoat.
I'll take it.
It's not yours anymore, yeah.
Nancy Bruscher (16:21):
Do you still?
It seemed like there was a lot,a lot there in when you were
growing up.
Does I'm sure that you stilltalk about it, or you still
think about it, and does itdefine you though?
Does it how?
Sarah-Jane Meeson (16:35):
what happened when I was younger, you
mean?
Nancy Bruscher (16:38):
yeah, those things that you said were really
heavy and icky and yucky and no, not at all.
Sarah-Jane Meeson (16:43):
They don't define me in any way, shape or
form.
There's been times where I'vehad to work through stuff, for
sure.
But no, I always try and usethings as a strength and you
know, no, I'm not going to stayin the victim mentality.
Yeah, that stuff happened to me, but it doesn't mean that's who
I am and it doesn't mean thatmy life stops there, no way.
(17:03):
I use it as a power to be ableto share stories and shift
things and like share the loveof God.
And it doesn't matter whatyou've come from, doesn't matter
what you've been through.
Jesus is there and is there tomeet you where you're at.
I was talking with a friendwho's also in business the other
day and she was sharing.
You know, she went through atime of really plugging her
(17:29):
business and wanting to moveforward and like make stuff
happen and hustling hard.
And then she got really sickwith I forgot what you call it,
but it's the balancing thing inyour ear where, if it goes wrong
, it makes you feel like you'reon a ship all the time and she
couldn't walk and stuff.
And Jesus met her on the couchone day and said you mean just
to me now laid on the couch, notbeing able to do stuff, than
(17:51):
what you did when you werehustling hard in your business,
and I just think that just showswhere God's heart's at.
And we think we have to hustleand like, do all these things
and be all this to other peoplewhere Jesus loves us in our
darkest as well as in the goodstuff.
Nancy Bruscher (18:11):
Right, yes, yes, you said that your name, sarah
Jane, meant something.
What does it mean?
You said your dad gave you thename.
Sarah-Jane Meeson (18:20):
Yeah, I did research a couple of years ago
to see what my name meant.
And so Sarah in itself meansprincess.
And then Jane originates fromJohn and John means grace.
So my name means princess ofgrace and, sorry, my dad gave me
(18:41):
that name.
And when we built ourrelationship back up after a few
years, I said, dad, do you knowwhat my name means?
He's like yeah, I was like didyou give me that on purpose?
He's like of course I did.
I knew exactly what I was doing.
And he prophesied without evenknowing.
He knew what the name meant.
(19:02):
But he didn't know what thename meant, if that makes sense.
And so he prophesied over mylife, knowing that I was going
to meet Jesus, and he didn'tknow that.
And I just think that's sobeautiful.
And then you know, you meetJesus and you're like oh okay,
this is what this life's about.
Like, this is what it's about,this is my inheritance, this is
(19:25):
where I do life from and, likeyou were mentioning in our
podcast, the great commission,this is it.
And how did I get a name ofprincess of grace?
You know, with all theungracious things you go through
and things that happen, andthen you're like, no, yeah,
princess of grace, okay, we'rehere, let's do this.
God.
Like, how do we do this?
(19:45):
How do we live this out?
Nancy Bruscher (19:49):
that's so good.
When did you start christianwomen in business?
And then what I saw on yourwebsite that just really struck
me is you said that you weregiven a word to inspire women,
and if you could share that.
Sarah-Jane Meeson (20:03):
So this is back in 2014, 2015.
I'd gotten into digitalmarketing.
Instagram was kind of new then.
Facebook had been around for awhile.
Online businesses were startingto just poke their heads up.
Online businesses were startingto just poke their heads up um,
this was when instagram wasstill like a square grid of just
(20:24):
pictures, like that was it.
The algorithm was you sawpeople's posts the time that
they posted them and they werein order.
It was like back in the simpletimes, right, like, take me back
to the simple times.
And so I've been doing thedigital stuff, learning about it
and then doing it, and thendecided people started asking me
(20:47):
about it.
So I kind of moved into amentoring role as well.
I was at a conference similar to, um, your story.
Actually, it was a Christianbusiness conference.
There was only a few.
Back then.
We had one and then this otherguy had one in Australia, and so
I went and I was like, god, Ifeel like I need to start
putting you out on social media,and so I was like stood at a
(21:11):
fork in the road do I go downthat path or do I keep it
secular with my marketing?
and I just felt, no, I need tostart putting your word out
there, and so I did.
I changed my marketing, I beganto include God into things, and
this was all very new.
Back then too, this womanpicked up on it in Melbourne.
So I lived in Sydney way at thetime and she lived down in
(21:32):
Melbourne.
She was like, oh my gosh,another Christian woman in
business, like we need to talk,and so we met up on I think it
might have even been Skype backthen.
We met up somehow, we just goton like a heart, like our hearts
just connected instantly.
It was such a God thing.
And we were like where are allthe other Christian women in the
(21:55):
world?
Like where are they all?
And just before then I'd goneinto the kitchen.
I'd had noticed that my husbandthen had written on some
post-it notes and he writtenestuary strengths to inspire
women.
And that was it.
That was the word.
And so when I'd seen that, andthen when Meg's my friend Meg's,
(22:15):
who I'd met on Instagram, kindof said, you know where are all
the other Christian women likehiding out?
where are they?
We we need to find them Becausethere wasn't that many.
There wasn't communities backthen, like this was all new, and
so we went on a hunt.
We couldn't find any.
And I was like, well, I've gotthis post-it note.
We can't find any communitiesout there.
Should we make one?
(22:35):
And so I looked for the domainChristian Women in Business and
it was free.
Nancy Bruscher (22:41):
Dot comau was free we were like, let's do it
and that was it.
Sarah-Jane Meeson (22:45):
So Megs is a graphic designer.
She was like I'll take care ofthe brand inside if you can take
care of the website stuff.
I was like I can totally takecare of the website stuff, no
worries at all.
That was 2016.
2017.
We officially launched yeah,it's just grew from there.
So we knew we needed to start acommunity.
We've got our values, which isencourage, strengthen and unite.
(23:07):
So we want to encourage womenin their day-to-day journey of
running businesses.
We want to strengthen themthrough the word of god and we
want to unite women together aswell.
So that brings in theconferences, the podcast, our
in-person retreats and now ouronline quarterly fight thrive
business reset.
And it's been a wild journey.
(23:27):
We've had women join from allover the world, not just
australia.
Like I said, we started just asa community and then we moved
into a podcast, we created amagazine and things have just
been like a layer and like Ithink that was from you coming
on our podcast before this.
We were talking about that,about trusting that we start off
(23:48):
with the simple and then webuild on top of that in our
businesses and God's just beenbuilding up.
When we were launching, I waslike, oh gosh, I've never done a
launch before, like anin-person launch.
How do this Like what is itthat we need to do?
And I was worrying about it andI just had a woman contacting
me randomly on Facebook saying,oh, I'm thinking about doing
(24:09):
this Christian businessconference.
Would you like to come andlaunch CWIB at the conference?
I was like, yeah, and so God hadeven sorted out the launch.
Like I just literally needed torock up, say my speech, we did
a little wah-ha and then we werelike officially launched.
So God's just been amazing.
It's been a wild journey.
We're such a niche business insuch a niche market and you know
(24:35):
, our podcast has reached somany people I can't even like I
don't even know how.
But yeah, it's been amazing andwe love what we do and we're
nearly at 10 years now, which iscrazy.
Time's gone really fast.
But yeah, it's interesting tosee what God does next.
Nancy Bruscher (24:57):
Yeah, interesting to see what God does
next.
Yeah, can you think of onething in specific that you've
seen God do that?
You were like, yeah, I couldn'thave done that, I couldn't have
figured it out.
I know you said the launch, butis there another thing like
that where you're like, oh mygosh, look at this, what he's
done.
Sarah-Jane Meeson (25:14):
I have this idea and it came out this way,
or some something like that mybiggest thing in this whole
thing this is kind of a reallyroundabout way of answering your
question, but I think thebiggest thing for me is being in
this position.
I'm a facilitator, so I'm thevessel that God's using on us to
(25:38):
facilitate this and to just bethe human on earth to do it,
which means the privilege ofthat is I'm able to create
spaces for the women to connectwith God.
That's essentially what we do,whether it's in our conference,
retreats, podcasts, whatever itis.
(25:59):
We're allowing a space for thewomen just to settle their
hearts and to meet, like meetjesus where they're at, not that
they don't already know jesus,but just in that time.
Let's just stop a minute, likelet's just be still, and it's
within those moments thatallowing the women to have that
space in their life that they'reable to get direction, answers,
(26:22):
whatever it is that they needright now for them in their
journey, where they are at andhearing the things that come out
of opening up that space for meis like seeing God at work and
it's the biggest privilege.
(26:42):
And it's the most unexpected,the most unexpected and I hear
stories years later that did Inot tell you about the SJ?
I'm like tell me about whatthey're like.
Oh well, back in conference,whatever ever like, we did this
thing.
And then I heard from God and Idid this biggest pivot in my
(27:03):
business.
Nancy Bruscher (27:04):
And it's been like blah blah, blah blah.
Sarah-Jane Meeson (27:06):
I've been like what?
No, you did not tell me that.
And it's so amazing to hearyears on from that little bit of
space where, as a leader, youhave different things going on
in your life.
Right, you don't want to sharethem all the time.
You know you might be creatingthis space for women, and then
in the background, you've gotall these different things going
(27:26):
on and you're like God, likeall this crazy stuff's going on
in the background in my life.
I can't be here for these womentoday.
I need you just to show up andto do your thing and to love on
them and all that stuff.
And he does, he does, and it'sin our beautiful messes that
we're going through in life and,as a leader, we let go of the
(27:48):
reins and let God come in andgive him that space of when
amazing things happen and theanointing is just so sweet and
the love that Jesus just poursout on the women like that, for
me, is like it's not theunexpected story, but it's the
(28:08):
I've got nothing, god.
I brought these women here tosee you today do your thing and
then, like I was saying yearsafter, like you're a mess in the
background as a leader going ohmy gosh, god like my feet
underneath are doing this.
And then he's met them, women,in that time, and given them
something so unique.
(28:29):
And then they've run with that.
And then the years later,you're getting oh my gosh, this
happened like this.
And now this has happened.
I'm like, oh my gosh, this isso cool.
Nancy Bruscher (28:39):
This is why we do it.
Oh, that's good.
I think it's a good reminder,too, that we shouldn't try to
have it all together, that weshould be relying completely on
God, and when we get kind of toogood or too comfortable with
what we're doing, we've probablynot asked God, we're probably
(29:01):
just trying to do our own thing,and God's like hey, I'm here,
you need me, I'm gonna you know,and so I think that's a
beautiful reminder yeah, yeah, Imean there's been lots of
different stories of theunexpected, of God showing up
for sure, but I think, like thatreally is for Christian women
(29:22):
in business and what we dothat's the cherry on the top is
those moments for sure that'sgood.
Well, we will for sure link allof this stuff in our show notes.
I want to ask you what is yourfavorite bible verse or story?
Sarah-Jane Meeson (29:38):
yeah.
So I was given this bible versea few years ago a fellow who is
quite influential in myspiritual growth, knowledge of
the bible and all that kind ofstuff.
And we were just chatting oneday and I was like, look, I
don't know what to do with thisdirection.
I'm feeling stuck, blah, blah,blah.
He's like xj, azaya 54.
I was like, okay, he's likeit's time to widen your tent
(30:04):
pegs.
I was like, okay, what doesthat mean?
And so you look at azaya 54 andit's explaining how sarah
abraham's wife hadn't had kidsyet, but god had told her to
start extending her tent pegs.
So the thing hadn't come yet,but she's preparing for it.
Okay, this is amazing.
(30:24):
Sat with it, god.
Where in my life do I need tobe planting these tents?
Like what is it that we need tobe preparing for?
And I never got an answer.
And then we held a retreat ayear after and we did a
prophetic session.
In the retreat, as a group, wewere just spending time and if
we felt god was wanting to sharesomething with that person, we
(30:47):
had paper or however it is thatwe wanted to express what god
was showing.
And so it was my turn and I gotmy piece of paper and I looked
at it and then it was Isaiah 54.
So this completely random womanhad no idea that I'd had this
conversation with my mentor cameup with exactly the same thing.
(31:11):
I was like, oh my gosh, god,what does this mean?
You're sharing it with me and Idon't know what this means.
And then we had another retreat,completely different location,
completely different group ofwomen, and almost exactly the
same thing happened.
Only it was a zire, 55 and 56.
And she said look, you'veextended your tent pegs now,
(31:35):
even though I had no idea what Iwas doing with that, but now
it's about building your tribe.
So like one thing had led on tothe other, with completely
different, random people thatGod had just shared this like
one word, I'm like, okay, we'lljust go with that if I'm not
getting anything back.
And then re-shared it and thenwas like, okay, we must have
(31:57):
reached this now.
So now we, like you've extendedyour tent pegs.
Now it's about building thetribe, which in CDYB, we're all
about building community, and sothat's kind of been a theme for
maybe six, seven years now, andI still don't really 100% know
what I've done, if I've doneanything.
I still haven't had an infiniteanswer of these are the
(32:21):
directions that you need to take, but I'm just going with it.
Okay, we'll keep extending thetent pegs in this part of my,
however, capacity, whatever itis.
So, yeah, wow, watch this space.
Nancy Bruscher (32:37):
Wow, okay.
So first of all, I've neverheard that come in from a
favorite Bible story.
That is so fun.
But what I love about thestories that we've heard from
you today is is that we've heardof something that God did just
right there, right with the likewhen you gave your life to him.
(32:58):
And then I hear, okay, god,what is it?
And there's nothing for a year.
Yeah, and I love that becauseit's real right and it shows us
different aspects of who God isand what our journey is going to
be.
And so thank you for sharingthose two really different
(33:19):
things, because I think thatsometimes, if we don't have this
or we don't have this, maybe wethink we're doing something
wrong, and you've just solovingly showed us that God just
works in so many different waysand it's just really beautiful.
Sarah-Jane Meeson (33:33):
I mean, yeah , you look in the stories of the
Bible, right, we see Job Thingsdidn't happen in a day.
We see Joseph Things didn'thappen in a day for Joseph.
He ended up in prison, hisbrothers rejected him, you know
all these different things.
And then we've got like Isaacwith Abraham, which was instant.
(33:54):
He was about to sacrifice hisson and God was like well, I
think it was an angel, said no,like no.
And then you look at Job, youlook at everything else, moses,
nothing kind of happened now,like sometimes it did, sometimes
it didn't.
And I think, because we're insuch a world of everything needs
to happen now and happenyesterday, buy this now.
(34:16):
Marketing is around us all thetime.
If we're not striving like 110percent, are we even worthy?
And God's like no, no, this isthe word we'll.
We'll just ponder for a littlebit, for a few years, and we'll
see what happens.
That's so good.
Nancy Bruscher (34:36):
What are you grateful for.
Sarah-Jane Meeson (34:38):
To make it to today, like every day, is a
blessing.
What a reef over my head.
I've got food in my tummy, I'mhealthy.
I'm just grateful for that,because when you have that, that
, you can do other things forothers that's good.
Nancy Bruscher (34:54):
What kindness have you shown or what kindness
have you received in the lastweek?
Sarah-Jane Meeson (34:58):
just yesterday.
Uh well, the day before thedriver bell for my alternator on
my car went, which is reallyannoying, and on my way up from
traveling from sydney to thesunshine coast I hit a kangaroo.
So I've had lots of carexpenses.
And yesterday I got a mobilemechanic out and I thought it
(35:21):
was going to be x amount.
And he's like actually there'sgoing to be two belts that need
to be changed and it's going tocost this amount.
And I'm like okay, so this iswhat I have in my bank account,
which was not near what the guyhad quoted me.
He's like oh, I'm like yeah,I'm sorry, this is all I can
give you.
He's like hang on a minute.
Like I just met the guy.
(35:43):
I'd explain that it's a bitbash because the kangaroo, but
everything should be fine behindit.
It's like and I think he justreally felt sorry for me and he
was like hang on a minute.
And so he did his things and hebought it way down to under
what I had in my bank accountand I was like, oh my gosh, I am
(36:04):
so grateful for your kindnesstoday and he worked really hard
and some things didn't go rightin the van, but he got there in
the end and he fixed it and Iwas just like I am so grateful
for your kindness today.
I was like I can't offer youmuch more and it was kind of
warm.
So I went and took him out anice lolly, like a chalk ice
(36:25):
lolly thing that I had.
I'm like I can't offer you much, but here's an ice lolly.
He's like, oh, thank you, Ireally needed that.
I'm like it's okay.
So, yeah, just the unexpectedkindness moment where you're
like, okay, this is actually allI've got, and he's like don't
worry about it, Like let's workwith this.
His kindness from a stranger.
Nancy Bruscher (36:46):
Yes, that is so kind.
Thank you for sharing that Well, I've loved our conversation
today and can't wait to see whatGod's going to do from people
listening to this and howthey're going to relate to your
story.
Thank you for coming on.
Sarah-Jane Meeson (37:03):
Yeah, it's a pleasure.
And if you're stuck in a hardplace or you know things are
just going on in your life, it'sokay.
It's okay to be in a wildernessseason, it's okay to not have
answers, it's okay to not haveall your ducks in a row.
Um, I've never felt like I'veknown where any of my ducks are.
(37:23):
They're out there somewhere.
But take each day at a time.
Take just keep taking steps.
Be grateful for today.
God totally has this, even ifit just doesn't feel like it in
the moment.
Right now, you've got this aswell thank you for that.
Nancy Bruscher (37:40):
On ordinary people, extraordinary things
your story is his glory.
I'm so glad you tuned in today.
We will be back in two weekswith a brand new episode.
I wanted to take a minute tothank you.
Thank you for sharing thesepodcasts.
Thank you for encouraging meand letting me know how they've
impacted you.
Without you, ordinary People,extraordinary Things would not
(38:03):
be possible.
We are so thankful that youcontinue to listen, continue to
watch on YouTube and continuesharing these stories, because
at Ordinary People,extraordinary Things, we truly
believe that your story is Hisglory.
You found Ordinary People, extraordinary
Things, where we share everydaystories of faith and hope.
Today we get to talk to SarahJane and she comes to us from
Australia.
She has a story of how Godworked instantly in her life,
and then a time when God gaveher a verse, and years later she
is still waiting to see whatthat actually means in her life.
(00:24):
I love the two ways that sheshows God and what that actually
means in her life.
I love the two ways that sheshows God and how he's worked in
her life.
I am so excited my book is outand available on Amazon.
The Legacy Heirloom Journalgives you a place to preserve
your heirlooms, with space forphotos, guided questions and
reflections.
I will have a link in the shownotes.
(00:44):
Now let's get started withSarah Jane.
Welcome to Ordinary People,extraordinary Things.
I'm here with Sarah Jane, thankyou.
Thank you for being on.
Sarah-Jane Meeson (00:54):
Yeah, no worries, it's awesome to be here
today in sunny Australia.
Nancy Bruscher (00:59):
I know you're coming from Australia.
Can you tell us where for usAmericans who don't know that
much about Australia?
Sarah-Jane Meeson (01:09):
So I'm about an hour above Brisbane, in a
place called the Sunshine Coast,which its name does not precede
how it is.
We've had rain for the past twoweeks and it has been
torrential.
We've had cyclones.
It's been crazy, crazy.
So sometimes it's sunshine andother times it's just wet it
makes me want to go there thoughwell, it's warm wet, if that
(01:32):
helps.
It's not cold wet like.
Nancy Bruscher (01:35):
Colorado now is it humid.
Sarah-Jane Meeson (01:38):
Yeah, yeah, we're about 98 humidity at the
minute because of all the rain.
So it is close, it's hot, it'ssticky and I have the aircon
running 24 7 because, if youhaven't guessed, I've also got
quite an English accent mixed inwith Australian.
So I'm used to, I've been usedto hot.
(01:58):
I went back to the UK where itwas nice and cold, and now I'm
back in Australia in a reallyhot place, like hot as in humid
place.
Um, so it's taken a while toadjust, but you know, give me a
year and I might get there now,where in England are you from?
I'm from Sherwood Forest, so Idon't know if you've heard of
(02:19):
Robin Hood the king of thieves,yeah.
So, um, the county's calledNottinghamshire and, um, I live
20 minutes away from Major Oak,which was Robin Hood's tree.
So, um, yeah, I was born inYorkshire, though, so I class
myself as a Yorkshire lass thatgrew up in Nottinghamshire.
There's a distinguished whenyou're Yorkshire, you claim that
(02:41):
you're Yorkshire.
Nancy Bruscher (02:43):
That's so cool.
London, england, has so muchhistory.
I'm a history major so I lovehistory and I actually got to go
to England for four monthsduring college.
I got to live there and I gotto work in the cabinet war rooms
in London oh yeah.
Sarah-Jane Meeson (03:01):
Churchill's war rooms.
Yes, yeah, yeah, yeah, they'reawesome.
Nancy Bruscher (03:06):
I love the war rooms.
I know it's fantastic, liketiny little museum, that's just
amazing.
But uh, I just I have thisendearment to to England because
of all of that yeah, no,london's fantastic.
Sarah-Jane Meeson (03:18):
So I was probably three hours above
London, um, and I had neveractually been to London until I
was in my adult years, like you.
Just you don't go to London asmuch as you might think.
Everyone thinks London, england, but, like the locals, avoid
London.
But as I've gotten older andlove history too, I totally
appreciate London and all allthe history, the Romans coming
(03:43):
in like even far back as that,it's all really cool it is.
Nancy Bruscher (03:47):
Well, it's probably like Colorado, where
there's a lot of people thatlive here and they don't go
skiing.
You know, it's just probablythe same kind of thing, so
Totally yeah.
Well, if people don't know whoyou are, can you give three
words or phrases to describeyourself?
Sarah-Jane Meeson (04:06):
Yeah, I was stunned by this question because
you don't often describeyourself, but I was like, well,
I've got a few friends.
If they were to probably saythree words, it would be loyal,
bubbly and encouraging.
Nancy Bruscher (04:25):
That's good.
Can you give an example ofencouraging?
I feel like we could all usesome encouragement.
What, what makes you good atbeing an encourager?
Sarah-Jane Meeson (04:36):
um, okay, here's an example.
So, um, in my spare time, I do,uh, weight lifting and power
lifting.
I've recently moved up to thesunshine Coast and joined a
powerlifting gym.
I met up with a friend therewho lives on the coast already
and she said, or she made a jokeabout um, that's okay, I'm
gonna smash you in numbers, likeyou know, just making a joke,
(05:00):
and I was like I I said back toher I'm actually not here to
compete with you, I'm here tosupport and encourage you.
Like this is a sport where it'syou are against yourself.
You can be against others ifyou want to, but for me it's to
race against myself.
So please don't feel threatenedthat I'm here.
I'm here to encourage you andsupport you.
(05:20):
I'm not here to make you feelinsecure or to look at your own
numbers and think this isn'tgood enough, like that's not
where we're at.
It's not about the numbers,it's about what do you do that
brings you joy, what makes youfeel strong and how can I
encourage you through thatprocess.
So that's where that kind offundamental and I try and do
(05:41):
that throughout all my life it'snot just in weightlifting, it's
in business.
Nancy came on our podcastbefore um and was sharing her
story and and stuff like that,and I think we're all each given
our own unique journey.
How can I encourage you in thatjourney?
(06:01):
And you were saying that it'snot about the numbers, it's
about God and your relationship,not about your numbers in
business, and I couldn't agreemore.
Like how can I encourage youwith where you're going?
I don't care what money you'remaking like, we're here to
support and encourage you yeah,and I I see that with what you
do with Christian women inbusiness.
Nancy Bruscher (06:21):
right is there.
You're trying to bring womentogether to encourage one
another, not to like go againstone another, and I need that
client, so I'm going to go afterit and then you don't get it.
That's such a minimal mindsetand what I've found is, through
podcasting and getting to meetall these wonderful people, is
(06:42):
how we can encourage one anotherand we can be like hey, you
should talk to this person.
You should really like get ontothis magazine and just like try
to help each other to grow,because it's not this oh, if I
get this podcast invite, thenyou don't.
and oh, it's just so ugly and Ifeel like I haven't seen that
(07:06):
and it's been so neat andencouraging, like you said, to
see that in a business and in aministry.
Sarah-Jane Meeson (07:15):
Yeah yeah yeah, so wait, I'm not perfect,
but that's how I try and livelife.
Sure, you know.
Yeah, let's lift each other up.
Nancy Bruscher (07:27):
Yes.
Well, what is your testimony?
And if someone listeningwonders what that word means,
just how did you come to faith?
How did you learn about Jesus?
Sarah-Jane Meeson (07:37):
Yeah, yeah, so I grew up in the UK and not
in a Christian family at allWell, kind of Christian, but not
we didn't go to church everySunday.
Christianity is kind ofthroughout the whole of the UK.
It's its foundations.
When you look back in historyand I was explaining to you, you
(07:58):
were asking oh, what do I callyou?
You know, do we say Sarah Jane?
And I was like Sarah Jane or SJ, but you can't call me Sarah
because Sarah Jane has a meaning.
So my dad had a meaning for myname, kind of grow up in a
Christian household, but therewas little snippets along the
way that God had put in therewithout me realizing until years
(08:21):
later.
So growing up, I went throughsome things that weren't that
nice, which I know a lot ofwomen have gone through
themselves.
There was some sexual assaultand some just not very nice
things happening and that, as ateenager and in my younger adult
years, kind of led me to quitea rebellious life.
(08:41):
Um, I was trying to find lovein all the wrong places.
I went to a really dark, deepdepression.
Um, I couldn't get death out ofmy mind.
It was just sorry I should havecensored this.
There's some sensory stuffcoming up.
Um, if it triggers, you stop.
So, yeah, it was a really darktime and I was about 19, 20,
(09:05):
when I probably reached the thepit you might call it.
So I was drinking every night,I was sleeping around, it was
just.
I was a mess.
I needed help.
I couldn't get death out of mymind.
I would work myself into theground at the gym, um.
So when it came to nighttime Iwould pass out and not have to
think about all these awfulthoughts.
(09:26):
It was just not a very niceplace.
My mom kind of saw what wasgoing on.
She got me in with the doctorsand we got immediate
psychotherapy and all the thingsto help with the mental health
stuff.
And after about six months ofworking with a psychotherapist
and like really working onmyself, um, I was in a much
(09:46):
better spot, which was amazing.
And we kind of I was about Iwas just coming up to my 21st
birthday.
Um, we both kind of said Ithink it's time for a fresh
start.
And so the UK um, they give youcompensation if bad things
happen to you for victims ofcrime.
So I'd applied for thiscompensation, I'd gotten it and
(10:09):
come into the place with mypsychotherapist.
So you know it's time to starta new chapter, and so we both
talked about it and we bothagreed that it was a really
great time to travel.
I wasn't running away fromeverything.
I was in a really great time totravel.
I wasn't running away fromeverything, I was in a really
good spot.
And so I just looked on the mapand was like where's the
easiest place to work and travel?
And it was Australia.
(10:30):
So, um I, literally a monthlater, I booked my ticket.
I turned 21 in the June.
I bought my ticket um July 31stthis was 2008 and I sold all my
stuff and I hopped on the planeand I came over to the land
down under, which was crazy.
Looking back, I've got no familyhere or anything.
(10:52):
It's just it me, myself and I.
And so the only work I didcadets growing up, army cadets I
don't know if you have that inthe US and it's a great
initiative in the UK to helpyoung people.
So I've done kayaking, I lovethe outdoors, hikes, etc.
So the only work that I couldfind when I got over here as a
traveler on a holiday workingvisa was doing outdoor education
(11:16):
and outdoor guiding and seethat a girl jumped.
We had to share bed like notshare bed, share rooms with
other guides as well.
And we were on this one campand this girl just was like want
to share a room.
I was like sure, and she got inthe top bunk and we just hit it
off.
So, as an outdoor guide, whenyou're in that season of your
life you're like out in the bushfor six days a week.
(11:37):
You come back, you have ashower, you wash your kit and
then you back out again likeit's.
It's a whole lifestyle, youdon't really have a life out of
it.
And so she invited me to comeand stay down at hers to sleep
on the floor and wash my kit anddo all the things before we're
back out again.
And so I met her and herhousemate and I just knew that
(11:58):
they had something that I didn'thave, that I knew I needed to
have, but I didn't know what itwas.
They just had this amazingpiece.
There was just something therethat I just I could see, but I
couldn't get my hands on, Icouldn't quite know how or what
it was.
And then they explained to meone night that they were
Christians and they run a biblestudy and they're having a bible
(12:19):
study that night.
And if I wanted to join in, Icould, but there was no pressure
and I was like, hey, I'm, I'mtraveling, were Christians and
they run a Bible study andthey're having a Bible study
that night.
And if I wanted to join in Icould, but there was no pressure
and I was like, hey, I'm, I'mtraveling, like I'm open to new
things, so I'll come and seewhat it's all about.
And that was when I kind ofsaid a prayer that I was like,
hey, jc, you don't know who I am, but here I am, I'm SJ, it's
(12:39):
nice to meet you.
How naive was I, and that's kindof like kind of where it
started.
So I didn't give my life toJesus there, but that was kind
of the introduction.
And then I just startedjournaling to this guy who I
didn't really know, but I knew Ineeded to start journaling to
him.
And so I went on a wildadventure over the summer of
(12:59):
that year, came back to the, thetown that where I was kind of
basing myself out of, and thosesame two friends got me a room,
another friends at theirchurches.
They were really sweet.
They let me live there while Iwas trying to figure everything
out and, um, they just said, oh,we're gonna go to church one
day and I was like, oh, can Icome?
(13:20):
And they were like, sure.
So I joined them and there wasa few things happening in the
church at the time which wasreally interesting, but it meant
that the pastors had to stepout and they brought some
temporary pastors in and thisparticular guy who came on, his
name was Kevin Myers.
He runs the care force coursesthat are based out of Australia
(13:42):
and he had such an interestingsense of humour that I could
totally relate with.
In the UK our humour is veryslapstick, it's very comic and I
just resonate.
He wasn't from the UK, I justhe had that and so through his
talk I just I was completelyengaged the whole time and at
(14:06):
the end I could feel my heart goin and they did the altar call
and I can only describe as whatfelt like I was wearing in World
War II.
They had them big wool jacketswhen they were in the war, like
trench coats, they literallythem, and it felt like mine was
full of water, it was heavy, andI was just wearing this big
(14:28):
trench coat and Jesus justliterally came behind me and
said I'm going to take thistrench coat off of you now.
And it was all the stuff thathad happened in my past, all of
the yackiness, the gooeyness.
And he says says I'm just goingto take that away.
And so he took it away and he'slike you're new, you're brand
new, like this is a renewal ofyour heart, your soul,
(14:50):
everything.
And so that night I gave myselfand my life to Jesus.
And that was 2009.
And, yeah, it's been a wildadventure ever since then not
like all the way up to Christianwomen in business and then
beyond Christian women inbusiness.
It's just been liketransformation, like after
(15:11):
transformation.
And I'm the kind of person thatwhen I say I'm in, I'm all in,
like I'm not just gonna dip mytoe in, I'm all in, I mean hence
moving to Australia, like, yeah, I'll pack up my suitcase and
move to the other side of theworld, let's do it.
And so, yeah, I've just beenall in and God's been all in,
and it's just been, it's beenamazing, so, yeah, wow, that is
(15:36):
an amazing story.
Nancy Bruscher (15:37):
That's an amazing story.
The thing that just kind ofcame to me was just like this
feel I loved your idea with thetrench coat and the water, and
then him saying like just givethat to me and these like new
clothes, and and I think thatsometimes we think that this
stuff has to happen over a longtime, and sometimes it does, but
(15:59):
sometimes it's immediate, likethat, and that's so beautiful
and it wasn't even like I wasgiven a choice.
Sarah-Jane Meeson (16:06):
He didn't ask.
He's like I'm taking this RightLike there was no question.
There was no doubt.
It was instant.
This is my big heavy trenchcoat.
I'll take it.
It's not yours anymore, yeah.
Nancy Bruscher (16:21):
Do you still?
It seemed like there was a lot,a lot there in when you were
growing up.
Does I'm sure that you stilltalk about it, or you still
think about it, and does itdefine you though?
Does it how?
Sarah-Jane Meeson (16:35):
what happened when I was younger, you
mean?
Nancy Bruscher (16:38):
yeah, those things that you said were really
heavy and icky and yucky and no, not at all.
Sarah-Jane Meeson (16:43):
They don't define me in any way, shape or
form.
There's been times where I'vehad to work through stuff, for
sure.
But no, I always try and usethings as a strength and you
know, no, I'm not going to stayin the victim mentality.
Yeah, that stuff happened to me, but it doesn't mean that's who
I am and it doesn't mean thatmy life stops there, no way.
(17:03):
I use it as a power to be ableto share stories and shift
things and like share the loveof God.
And it doesn't matter whatyou've come from, doesn't matter
what you've been through.
Jesus is there and is there tomeet you where you're at.
I was talking with a friendwho's also in business the other
day and she was sharing.
You know, she went through atime of really plugging her
(17:29):
business and wanting to moveforward and like make stuff
happen and hustling hard.
And then she got really sickwith I forgot what you call it,
but it's the balancing thing inyour ear where, if it goes wrong
, it makes you feel like you'reon a ship all the time and she
couldn't walk and stuff.
And Jesus met her on the couchone day and said you mean just
to me now laid on the couch, notbeing able to do stuff, than
(17:51):
what you did when you werehustling hard in your business,
and I just think that just showswhere God's heart's at.
And we think we have to hustleand like, do all these things
and be all this to other peoplewhere Jesus loves us in our
darkest as well as in the goodstuff.
Nancy Bruscher (18:11):
Right, yes, yes, you said that your name, sarah
Jane, meant something.
What does it mean?
You said your dad gave you thename.
Sarah-Jane Meeson (18:20):
Yeah, I did research a couple of years ago
to see what my name meant.
And so Sarah in itself meansprincess.
And then Jane originates fromJohn and John means grace.
So my name means princess ofgrace and, sorry, my dad gave me
(18:41):
that name.
And when we built ourrelationship back up after a few
years, I said, dad, do you knowwhat my name means?
He's like yeah, I was like didyou give me that on purpose?
He's like of course I did.
I knew exactly what I was doing.
And he prophesied without evenknowing.
He knew what the name meant.
(19:02):
But he didn't know what thename meant, if that makes sense.
And so he prophesied over mylife, knowing that I was going
to meet Jesus, and he didn'tknow that.
And I just think that's sobeautiful.
And then you know, you meetJesus and you're like oh okay,
this is what this life's about.
Like, this is what it's about,this is my inheritance, this is
(19:25):
where I do life from and, likeyou were mentioning in our
podcast, the great commission,this is it.
And how did I get a name ofprincess of grace?
You know, with all theungracious things you go through
and things that happen, andthen you're like, no, yeah,
princess of grace, okay, we'rehere, let's do this.
God.
Like, how do we do this?
(19:45):
How do we live this out?
Nancy Bruscher (19:49):
that's so good.
When did you start christianwomen in business?
And then what I saw on yourwebsite that just really struck
me is you said that you weregiven a word to inspire women,
and if you could share that.
Sarah-Jane Meeson (20:03):
So this is back in 2014, 2015.
I'd gotten into digitalmarketing.
Instagram was kind of new then.
Facebook had been around for awhile.
Online businesses were startingto just poke their heads up.
Online businesses were startingto just poke their heads up um,
this was when instagram wasstill like a square grid of just
(20:24):
pictures, like that was it.
The algorithm was you sawpeople's posts the time that
they posted them and they werein order.
It was like back in the simpletimes, right, like, take me back
to the simple times.
And so I've been doing thedigital stuff, learning about it
and then doing it, and thendecided people started asking me
(20:47):
about it.
So I kind of moved into amentoring role as well.
I was at a conference similar to, um, your story.
Actually, it was a Christianbusiness conference.
There was only a few.
Back then.
We had one and then this otherguy had one in Australia, and so
I went and I was like, god, Ifeel like I need to start
putting you out on social media,and so I was like stood at a
(21:11):
fork in the road do I go downthat path or do I keep it
secular with my marketing?
and I just felt, no, I need tostart putting your word out
there, and so I did.
I changed my marketing, I beganto include God into things, and
this was all very new.
Back then too, this womanpicked up on it in Melbourne.
So I lived in Sydney way at thetime and she lived down in
(21:32):
Melbourne.
She was like, oh my gosh,another Christian woman in
business, like we need to talk,and so we met up on I think it
might have even been Skype backthen.
We met up somehow, we just goton like a heart, like our hearts
just connected instantly.
It was such a God thing.
And we were like where are allthe other Christian women in the
(21:55):
world?
Like where are they all?
And just before then I'd goneinto the kitchen.
I'd had noticed that my husbandthen had written on some
post-it notes and he writtenestuary strengths to inspire
women.
And that was it.
That was the word.
And so when I'd seen that, andthen when Meg's my friend Meg's,
(22:15):
who I'd met on Instagram, kindof said, you know where are all
the other Christian women likehiding out?
where are they?
We we need to find them Becausethere wasn't that many.
There wasn't communities backthen, like this was all new, and
so we went on a hunt.
We couldn't find any.
And I was like, well, I've gotthis post-it note.
We can't find any communitiesout there.
Should we make one?
(22:35):
And so I looked for the domainChristian Women in Business and
it was free.
Nancy Bruscher (22:41):
Dot comau was free we were like, let's do it
and that was it.
Sarah-Jane Meeson (22:45):
So Megs is a graphic designer.
She was like I'll take care ofthe brand inside if you can take
care of the website stuff.
I was like I can totally takecare of the website stuff, no
worries at all.
That was 2016.
2017.
We officially launched yeah,it's just grew from there.
So we knew we needed to start acommunity.
We've got our values, which isencourage, strengthen and unite.
(23:07):
So we want to encourage womenin their day-to-day journey of
running businesses.
We want to strengthen themthrough the word of god and we
want to unite women together aswell.
So that brings in theconferences, the podcast, our
in-person retreats and now ouronline quarterly fight thrive
business reset.
And it's been a wild journey.
(23:27):
We've had women join from allover the world, not just
australia.
Like I said, we started just asa community and then we moved
into a podcast, we created amagazine and things have just
been like a layer and like Ithink that was from you coming
on our podcast before this.
We were talking about that,about trusting that we start off
(23:48):
with the simple and then webuild on top of that in our
businesses and God's just beenbuilding up.
When we were launching, I waslike, oh gosh, I've never done a
launch before, like anin-person launch.
How do this Like what is itthat we need to do?
And I was worrying about it andI just had a woman contacting
me randomly on Facebook saying,oh, I'm thinking about doing
(24:09):
this Christian businessconference.
Would you like to come andlaunch CWIB at the conference?
I was like, yeah, and so God hadeven sorted out the launch.
Like I just literally needed torock up, say my speech, we did
a little wah-ha and then we werelike officially launched.
So God's just been amazing.
It's been a wild journey.
We're such a niche business insuch a niche market and you know
(24:35):
, our podcast has reached somany people I can't even like I
don't even know how.
But yeah, it's been amazing andwe love what we do and we're
nearly at 10 years now, which iscrazy.
Time's gone really fast.
But yeah, it's interesting tosee what God does next.
Nancy Bruscher (24:57):
Yeah, interesting to see what God does
next.
Yeah, can you think of onething in specific that you've
seen God do that?
You were like, yeah, I couldn'thave done that, I couldn't have
figured it out.
I know you said the launch, butis there another thing like
that where you're like, oh mygosh, look at this, what he's
done.
Sarah-Jane Meeson (25:14):
I have this idea and it came out this way,
or some something like that mybiggest thing in this whole
thing this is kind of a reallyroundabout way of answering your
question, but I think thebiggest thing for me is being in
this position.
I'm a facilitator, so I'm thevessel that God's using on us to
(25:38):
facilitate this and to just bethe human on earth to do it,
which means the privilege ofthat is I'm able to create
spaces for the women to connectwith God.
That's essentially what we do,whether it's in our conference,
retreats, podcasts, whatever itis.
(25:59):
We're allowing a space for thewomen just to settle their
hearts and to meet, like meetjesus where they're at, not that
they don't already know jesus,but just in that time.
Let's just stop a minute, likelet's just be still, and it's
within those moments thatallowing the women to have that
space in their life that they'reable to get direction, answers,
(26:22):
whatever it is that they needright now for them in their
journey, where they are at andhearing the things that come out
of opening up that space for meis like seeing God at work and
it's the biggest privilege.
(26:42):
And it's the most unexpected,the most unexpected and I hear
stories years later that did Inot tell you about the SJ?
I'm like tell me about whatthey're like.
Oh well, back in conference,whatever ever like, we did this
thing.
And then I heard from God and Idid this biggest pivot in my
(27:03):
business.
Nancy Bruscher (27:04):
And it's been like blah blah, blah blah.
Sarah-Jane Meeson (27:06):
I've been like what?
No, you did not tell me that.
And it's so amazing to hearyears on from that little bit of
space where, as a leader, youhave different things going on
in your life.
Right, you don't want to sharethem all the time.
You know you might be creatingthis space for women, and then
in the background, you've gotall these different things going
(27:26):
on and you're like God, likeall this crazy stuff's going on
in the background in my life.
I can't be here for these womentoday.
I need you just to show up andto do your thing and to love on
them and all that stuff.
And he does, he does, and it'sin our beautiful messes that
we're going through in life and,as a leader, we let go of the
(27:48):
reins and let God come in andgive him that space of when
amazing things happen and theanointing is just so sweet and
the love that Jesus just poursout on the women like that, for
me, is like it's not theunexpected story, but it's the
(28:08):
I've got nothing, god.
I brought these women here tosee you today do your thing and
then, like I was saying yearsafter, like you're a mess in the
background as a leader going ohmy gosh, god like my feet
underneath are doing this.
And then he's met them, women,in that time, and given them
something so unique.
(28:29):
And then they've run with that.
And then the years later,you're getting oh my gosh, this
happened like this.
And now this has happened.
I'm like, oh my gosh, this isso cool.
Nancy Bruscher (28:39):
This is why we do it.
Oh, that's good.
I think it's a good reminder,too, that we shouldn't try to
have it all together, that weshould be relying completely on
God, and when we get kind of toogood or too comfortable with
what we're doing, we've probablynot asked God, we're probably
(29:01):
just trying to do our own thing,and God's like hey, I'm here,
you need me, I'm gonna you know,and so I think that's a
beautiful reminder yeah, yeah, Imean there's been lots of
different stories of theunexpected, of God showing up
for sure, but I think, like thatreally is for Christian women
(29:22):
in business and what we dothat's the cherry on the top is
those moments for sure that'sgood.
Well, we will for sure link allof this stuff in our show notes.
I want to ask you what is yourfavorite bible verse or story?
Sarah-Jane Meeson (29:38):
yeah.
So I was given this bible versea few years ago a fellow who is
quite influential in myspiritual growth, knowledge of
the bible and all that kind ofstuff.
And we were just chatting oneday and I was like, look, I
don't know what to do with thisdirection.
I'm feeling stuck, blah, blah,blah.
He's like xj, azaya 54.
I was like, okay, he's likeit's time to widen your tent
(30:04):
pegs.
I was like, okay, what doesthat mean?
And so you look at azaya 54 andit's explaining how sarah
abraham's wife hadn't had kidsyet, but god had told her to
start extending her tent pegs.
So the thing hadn't come yet,but she's preparing for it.
Okay, this is amazing.
(30:24):
Sat with it, god.
Where in my life do I need tobe planting these tents?
Like what is it that we need tobe preparing for?
And I never got an answer.
And then we held a retreat ayear after and we did a
prophetic session.
In the retreat, as a group, wewere just spending time and if
we felt god was wanting to sharesomething with that person, we
(30:47):
had paper or however it is thatwe wanted to express what god
was showing.
And so it was my turn and I gotmy piece of paper and I looked
at it and then it was Isaiah 54.
So this completely random womanhad no idea that I'd had this
conversation with my mentor cameup with exactly the same thing.
(31:11):
I was like, oh my gosh, god,what does this mean?
You're sharing it with me and Idon't know what this means.
And then we had another retreat,completely different location,
completely different group ofwomen, and almost exactly the
same thing happened.
Only it was a zire, 55 and 56.
And she said look, you'veextended your tent pegs now,
(31:35):
even though I had no idea what Iwas doing with that, but now
it's about building your tribe.
So like one thing had led on tothe other, with completely
different, random people thatGod had just shared this like
one word, I'm like, okay, we'lljust go with that if I'm not
getting anything back.
And then re-shared it and thenwas like, okay, we must have
(31:57):
reached this now.
So now we, like you've extendedyour tent pegs.
Now it's about building thetribe, which in CDYB, we're all
about building community, and sothat's kind of been a theme for
maybe six, seven years now, andI still don't really 100% know
what I've done, if I've doneanything.
I still haven't had an infiniteanswer of these are the
(32:21):
directions that you need to take, but I'm just going with it.
Okay, we'll keep extending thetent pegs in this part of my,
however, capacity, whatever itis.
So, yeah, wow, watch this space.
Nancy Bruscher (32:37):
Wow, okay.
So first of all, I've neverheard that come in from a
favorite Bible story.
That is so fun.
But what I love about thestories that we've heard from
you today is is that we've heardof something that God did just
right there, right with the likewhen you gave your life to him.
(32:58):
And then I hear, okay, god,what is it?
And there's nothing for a year.
Yeah, and I love that becauseit's real right and it shows us
different aspects of who God isand what our journey is going to
be.
And so thank you for sharingthose two really different
(33:19):
things, because I think thatsometimes, if we don't have this
or we don't have this, maybe wethink we're doing something
wrong, and you've just solovingly showed us that God just
works in so many different waysand it's just really beautiful.
Sarah-Jane Meeson (33:33):
I mean, yeah , you look in the stories of the
Bible, right, we see Job Thingsdidn't happen in a day.
We see Joseph Things didn'thappen in a day for Joseph.
He ended up in prison, hisbrothers rejected him, you know
all these different things.
And then we've got like Isaacwith Abraham, which was instant.
(33:54):
He was about to sacrifice hisson and God was like well, I
think it was an angel, said no,like no.
And then you look at Job, youlook at everything else, moses,
nothing kind of happened now,like sometimes it did, sometimes
it didn't.
And I think, because we're insuch a world of everything needs
to happen now and happenyesterday, buy this now.
(34:16):
Marketing is around us all thetime.
If we're not striving like 110percent, are we even worthy?
And God's like no, no, this isthe word we'll.
We'll just ponder for a littlebit, for a few years, and we'll
see what happens.
That's so good.
Nancy Bruscher (34:36):
What are you grateful for.
Sarah-Jane Meeson (34:38):
To make it to today, like every day, is a
blessing.
What a reef over my head.
I've got food in my tummy, I'mhealthy.
I'm just grateful for that,because when you have that, that
, you can do other things forothers that's good.
Nancy Bruscher (34:54):
What kindness have you shown or what kindness
have you received in the lastweek?
Sarah-Jane Meeson (34:58):
just yesterday.
Uh well, the day before thedriver bell for my alternator on
my car went, which is reallyannoying, and on my way up from
traveling from sydney to thesunshine coast I hit a kangaroo.
So I've had lots of carexpenses.
And yesterday I got a mobilemechanic out and I thought it
(35:21):
was going to be x amount.
And he's like actually there'sgoing to be two belts that need
to be changed and it's going tocost this amount.
And I'm like okay, so this iswhat I have in my bank account,
which was not near what the guyhad quoted me.
He's like oh, I'm like yeah,I'm sorry, this is all I can
give you.
He's like hang on a minute.
Like I just met the guy.
(35:43):
I'd explain that it's a bitbash because the kangaroo, but
everything should be fine behindit.
It's like and I think he justreally felt sorry for me and he
was like hang on a minute.
And so he did his things and hebought it way down to under
what I had in my bank accountand I was like, oh my gosh, I am
(36:04):
so grateful for your kindnesstoday and he worked really hard
and some things didn't go rightin the van, but he got there in
the end and he fixed it and Iwas just like I am so grateful
for your kindness today.
I was like I can't offer youmuch more and it was kind of
warm.
So I went and took him out anice lolly, like a chalk ice
(36:25):
lolly thing that I had.
I'm like I can't offer you much, but here's an ice lolly.
He's like, oh, thank you, Ireally needed that.
I'm like it's okay.
So, yeah, just the unexpectedkindness moment where you're
like, okay, this is actually allI've got, and he's like don't
worry about it, Like let's workwith this.
His kindness from a stranger.
Nancy Bruscher (36:46):
Yes, that is so kind.
Thank you for sharing that Well, I've loved our conversation
today and can't wait to see whatGod's going to do from people
listening to this and howthey're going to relate to your
story.
Thank you for coming on.
Sarah-Jane Meeson (37:03):
Yeah, it's a pleasure.
And if you're stuck in a hardplace or you know things are
just going on in your life, it'sokay.
It's okay to be in a wildernessseason, it's okay to not have
answers, it's okay to not haveall your ducks in a row.
Um, I've never felt like I'veknown where any of my ducks are.
(37:23):
They're out there somewhere.
But take each day at a time.
Take just keep taking steps.
Be grateful for today.
God totally has this, even ifit just doesn't feel like it in
the moment.
Right now, you've got this aswell thank you for that.
Nancy Bruscher (37:40):
On ordinary people, extraordinary things
your story is his glory.
I'm so glad you tuned in today.
We will be back in two weekswith a brand new episode.
I wanted to take a minute tothank you.
Thank you for sharing thesepodcasts.
Thank you for encouraging meand letting me know how they've
impacted you.
Without you, ordinary People,extraordinary Things would not
(38:03):
be possible.
We are so thankful that youcontinue to listen, continue to
watch on YouTube and continuesharing these stories, because
at Ordinary People,extraordinary Things, we truly
believe that your story is Hisglory.
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