November 9, 2025 • 52 mins
Five women share how they build ministries, write hard stories, and stay obedient when timing, support, and strategy don’t go as planned. Courage meets clarity as we trade hustle for trust and learn to let God promote what He starts.
• practical lessons on starting, scaling, and structure
• perseverance through fear, delay, and warfare
• hustle versus surrender and Spirit-led timing
• promotion that points to Jesus, not self
• family resistance, boundaries, and forgiveness
• community, collaboration, and activating gifts
• discerning seasonal shifts and assignments
• obedience, purpose, and bearing light
Connect with these ladies & their ministries...
~Amanda Mercer: https://www.hiscollectionapparel.com/
~Kelly Levatino: KellyLevatino.com
~Shelsea Becker: https://linktr.ee/ShelseaLyn
~Cecilia McGaw: https://a.co/d/fW13LHg
~Sandra Lawson: https://sites.google.com/view/sandrallawsonbooks/home?authuser=0
Watch the whole interview
https://youtu.be/npDdaaX5BxM
Cecilia's 1 on 1 interview: https://youtu.be/UoTmKr6vr7g
https://generationstogenerations.com/podcast
ordinarypeoplestories@gmail.com
https://www.facebook.com/ordinarypeoplestory
https://www.instagram.com/ordinarypeopleextraordinary/
X: @storiesextra
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Stories shared by guests may not always be shared views of OPET.
Being a guest does not mean OPET approves of every decision or action in the guests' life.
We all have a story, all of us, share your story. You don't have to have the perfect answer or the perfect life - share what Jesus is doing in your life. This is an easy, real way to witness & share your testimony.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_00 (00:00):
Welcome to Ordinary People Extraordinary Things.
I'm your host, Nancy, and we aredoing something so fun today.
We are doing something that I'venever done.
We have five other ladies onthis podcast, and I can't wait
for you to meet them all.
It is going to be jam-packed, sohold on.
And I can't wait to see wherethis where this goes.
(00:21):
So we are going to start out byhaving every lady tell three
words or phrases about you.
And then we're going to get intosome really amazing things
because these ladies are onfire.
They are in ministry, and I wantto hear what they're doing and
some great things that arehappening.
And also, like, how do you stayfocused?
Or what happens when someone youthink is there for you isn't.
(00:43):
So we're going to get into somegreat things.
So, Shelsey, could you start usout?
Could you give us your name inthree words or phrases?
SPEAKER_04 (00:50):
Yes, absolutely.
I'm Shelsey Becker.
And I actually asked mydaughter, so what three words
would you say would describe me?
And she said, kind.
And so I think that's reallygood.
Um, I'd like to add under therethat I'm kind of quirky.
I don't think she would call mequirky, but I probably what I
would call myself.
And uh creative visionary.
(01:12):
Those would be my three words.
Phrases.
SPEAKER_00 (01:16):
And then what do what do you do as far as your
ministry?
Could you tell us that as well?
SPEAKER_04 (01:21):
Yeah, so I have Lynn Ministries.
Lynn stands for Love YourNeighbor.
It's my middle name.
Shelsey Lynn, it's my daughter'smiddle name, Savannah Lynn and
my mother's middle name, TamaraLynn.
And so it's a legacy of lovingyour neighbor.
And underneath that umbrella, wedo the She Will Conference.
It's a one-day discipleshipconference that travels the
(01:42):
nation.
We also have Girls Week in God'sWay retreats.
We're also building a speakernetwork.
Lots of great things arehappening over here at the Lynn
Ministries, but we're all aboutdiscipleship, getting in the
Word of God, and womenchampioning women.
SPEAKER_00 (01:56):
Amazing, amazing.
Kelly, would you mind goingnext?
SPEAKER_03 (02:01):
Sure.
Uh witty goes with humor, uh,loyal, and um probably more
humble than anybody, exceptmaybe Moses.
Moses wrote that he was morehumble than anybody else, right?
Um so I I probably give him arun for his money.
Amazing.
SPEAKER_00 (02:20):
And what's your ministry?
SPEAKER_03 (02:22):
So I'm independent, and churches hire me to come do
uh women's events mostly.
I uh can do stand-up comedy.
I do clean stand-up comedy.
Um, I can do church comedy, Ican do um bring messages.
My background is uh I have amaster's in biblical studies,
and um I just love to teach andpreach the word, depending on
(02:45):
your denomination.
SPEAKER_00 (02:47):
Yes, yes.
That's a whole nother thing wecould get into.
Maybe not.
SPEAKER_03 (02:51):
That's a whole nother thing we're not gonna go
into too.
SPEAKER_00 (02:55):
Um, Amanda.
SPEAKER_02 (02:58):
Good morning.
Uh okay, so three words.
Um I'm gonna go withadventurous, uh bold, and kind.
Many other people would describeme.
Uh and as far as ministry, soum, I'm the founder of his
collection apparel, which is afaith-based brand, a Chrysler
brand.
(03:18):
Our mission is to reflect thelight and love of God into the
world.
And we currently do that bycreating Chrysenter Apparel and
then hosting community eventswhere we're able to create
revenue, which becomes a streamthat then uh flows back into the
kingdom.
And we um we help to spotlightother ministries and uh
nonprofits be in the hands ofbeing the Jesus.
SPEAKER_00 (03:40):
It's amazing.
Amazing.
Sandra?
SPEAKER_01 (03:44):
Hey, um I'm an author, and uh my author the
book that I actually wrote wasabout my testimony of surviving
um uh childhood abuse.
But I'm doing things out oforder because I'm supposed to
say three things first.
I was like, oh, um I've uhsomebody gave me a word the
other day, so I'll use what Godgave them, which was they called
(04:07):
me valiant, which I thought thatwas really cool.
Um I've also been described asfierce, but a phrase that I want
to throw in there is umsomething that was actually from
Theodore Roosevelt.
And he said, for those who fightfor it, life has a flavor, the
sheltered will never know.
And uh, and so as as far as mytestimony about surviving
(04:30):
narcissistic childhood abuse,that was incredible sadism that
was happening.
Um, I ended up writing mytestimony about it.
And so my hope and my goal isthat individuals would be able
to read, read the novel, readwhat happened, and be able to
understand that that regardlessof what your background is,
there's always hope and thatthat Jesus can do absolutely
(04:51):
anything, regardless of howeveryou started.
And so that's that's the that'swhat I want to be able to to
leave behind with with theseprinted words is proof positive
that Jesus can absolutelyconquer any demon that you're
facing.
SPEAKER_00 (05:06):
Amen.
Cecilia, it's good to have youback.
She was on my podcast.
Uh I don't know how long ago,lose track of time, but we're
excited to have you back.
Can you give three words orphrases for anyone in your
ministry?
SPEAKER_05 (05:22):
So it, I mean, I don't know if anybody else did.
I know Shells did for sure, butI also last night I was like,
three phrases, let me think.
And I'm like, that's too long.
How about three words?
So that I couldn't come up withany.
So I asked my husband, I'm like,what three words?
And I um so I'm gonna tell youthe ones that he told me because
I'm like, yeah, that that's me.
So the first word that he saidfor me was resourceful.
(05:45):
You know, I use everything thatum either I'm gifted with or I'm
entrusted with, um, and I use itto serve others.
So um the other word ispassionate, and that is
something that um yeah, I'vealways been.
I thought it was obsessive, butI'm gonna go with passionate.
Once I have my eye on something,you know, um, I am laser focused
(06:10):
and you know, I I accomplish it,I try to accomplish it.
And now through God's strength,you know, I mean, all things
have been just really cool, thethings he's entrusted me with.
Um, and then he used the worddog it, and I was like, dog it,
I don't even know what thatmeans.
So I so he looked it up for me.
He says it's not what it sounds,and so um it's determined and
(06:34):
persistent, especially in theface of difficulty.
And so I thought, wow, I'mreally dig and dog it.
So I'm dog it.
Um, and it's something that I'vealways been, um, and I believe
that God wired it into mebecause of the environment that
(06:55):
I grew up in.
And so I'm an author.
Um, and I write about my storyabout being smuggled into the
country and living undersomeone's identity for many
years.
And so that word dog reallyresonates with that because um
there were many difficulties,and I didn't realize it then,
(07:16):
but through God's favor, I wasable to overcome that.
Um, and so um, so yeah, and asfar as what I do, well, I'm an
author, I am also a speaker.
Um, I recently started speakingwith um Lynn Ministries for the
She Will Conference, which hasreally been a really exciting
and cool journey to really havefront row seat of what God is
(07:38):
doing in other people's lives.
I also have a ministry calledTestimony Gathering, where we
come together once a month witha big set of women, and it has
just a beautiful rhythm to it.
Um, and we are seeing so muchbreakthrough, and we're seeing
women really remove masks and betheir authentic selves and
embrace that.
(07:58):
And to me, like that's the mostbeautiful thing because that's
what I was freed from, deliveredfrom, right?
Um, and then I also lead inwomen's ministry in my local
church with a bunch of otheramazing women who just come
alongside me and we link shieldstogether, we support each other,
we um keep an eye out for eachother's blind spots, and um we
(08:23):
sharpen our shields together orsharpen our swords together and
polish our shields together.
So it's really cool.
SPEAKER_04 (08:29):
So you know, Cecilia, my grandmother would
say, hot dog it.
SPEAKER_05 (08:33):
Hot dog it.
I I just learned this word lastnight, and I think I've dropped
it like 20 times already.
I'm like, dog it.
SPEAKER_00 (08:44):
Great.
So this will be, I won't call onyou guys probably, just if if
something comes to mind.
But the first question I have iswhat have you learned about
either writing a book, speaking,or beginning your ministry that
you wish you knew before?
SPEAKER_04 (09:00):
I I have an answer.
I wish I had business classes.
That is really what I I wish.
Um, you know, it's cool as itstarted, it started small and
it's grown, and now we're intolike this full-fledged
organization.
And like that operatescompletely different than the
way we first started.
(09:20):
And what used to work no longerworks.
So that would be my thing is Iwish I had some business
knowledge behind that.
Maybe I would have learned somethings quicker had I had that,
right?
I would have implemented adifferent structure earlier, and
so yeah, that would have beencool.
So I've just been praying forstrategy, and God has been
bringing me people who alreadyhave that knowledge, and so
(09:41):
that's super cool.
SPEAKER_05 (09:42):
So for me, I was thinking about that um on my
drive to work this morning, andI'm like, okay, what do I really
wish I would have learned?
And I feel like somebody wouldhave told me early on not to
give up.
Um writing a book has probablywas probably the hardest thing
that I've ever done, andsomething that I never even, it
(10:05):
was even on my radar to do umbecause of my background.
I was, you know, undocumented,therefore I didn't speak the
language.
So I was illiterate for manyyears.
So when the Lord put into myheart about 12 years ago, like
that he wanted me to write, Ithought that was the most
ridiculous thing.
I'm like, I can't even spelllike very well, and I have to
(10:28):
like reproof my reproof read mywords.
And so um, so I started writingand I backed off from it many,
many times because I allowed theenemy to start whispering in my
ear and telling me like that'syou can't do that.
Um, your vocabulary is not bigenough, you know, you you're
(10:49):
having to look up words likeevery other word, and um but so
I stopped and I wish that Iwouldn't have stopped because
perhaps I would be further alongthan I am as far as you know my
writing skills.
However, I'm thankful.
I'm thankful that um that itcame in this timing, and I do
(11:11):
believe in God's timing.
But if somebody could have toldme, don't quit, because when we
are purpose and fashioned forGod's kingdom work and we have
our marching orders, the enemy'sgonna want to come in and he's
gonna want to come and stealthat and tell us how we are
unqualified and tell us how youknow we don't have the skills or
(11:32):
the resources or whatever.
Um, and if we get tripped up onthat, it's gonna make us march
around the mountain a few moretimes before we arrive to the
destination that God is callingus to.
So if I can tell my young self,don't quit, don't listen to the
(11:53):
enemy, and I would have beenmore aware of the spiritual
warfare.
Um, that's what I would tellmyself.
But that's also what I wouldtell anybody else who is feeling
a longing or a burning to startsomething, to write something,
to speak, to share, to start aministry, to start a small
group, to invite a neighbor forcoffee, like that's smallest
step.
(12:13):
Like, don't quit and don't givethe enemy space to whisper in
our ear.
Like, let's learn to dailyremove our spiritual wax.
And as I'm saying this to all ofyou and whoever is listening,
I'm actually kind of repeatingthat to myself this morning
because there are days that arehard, even today.
SPEAKER_02 (12:35):
Yeah.
I'll piggyback on that becauseit it flows into what I was
gonna share, which was um, youknow, what did I not know uh
when I was beginning a ministryor whether it's writing or any
kind of adventure, right, thatyou're going into or starting a
business.
Um, the biggest challenge isyourself.
Like whatever you decide to do,um, you will end up really
(12:59):
having to face parts of yourselfthat you didn't realize you had,
um, that you didn't realize youdidn't have, right?
Like Chelsea was saying, thebusiness background side of it
as hers has grown.
Um, Cecilia, kind of theperseverance, right?
And the fact that the enemy doescome in.
Yeah, like the enemy isabsolutely going to try to stop
(13:20):
you from reaching the potentialof what God has for you.
And the beautiful part of ajourney like this of just saying
yes to God and whatever he hasplaced in your heart to do, is
that it will cause you to lookat the parts of yourself that
you either don't want to, thatyou don't realize you're there.
Um, and then it will put you ina place to where you have a
(13:42):
choice to really make of you'reeither going to push through and
overcome, because the Lord willabsolutely do that for you, or
you shrink away.
And even that is so eye-opening,right?
Like Cecilia was saying, thetimes that she stopped or
paused.
And I relate to that.
I've done the same thing whereI've allowed um, I've allowed
the whisper of the lies to belarger in my mind than the truth
(14:06):
of God's word, and that hasstagnated some time in my life.
But at the same time, lookingback, I don't regret those
moments because now it's it'swhat propels me to, oh no, like
I'm not gonna keep doing that.
I'm not gonna keep making thosedecisions.
Like I am going to do what Ineed to to persevere and ensure
that I'm um getting rid ofanything in here that's
(14:29):
hindering and advancing to thenext level because God will take
me there, but am I gonna chooseto partner with him to do it,
right?
Am I gonna choose to to reallylook at the mirror, look in the
mirror and recognize what may begoing on in me that needs to uh
change or come out throughdeliverance or healing, anything
like that.
SPEAKER_04 (14:51):
Thank you for that.
Scriptures tell us he moves usfrom glory to glory, right?
So that's right.
SPEAKER_02 (14:56):
That's right.
SPEAKER_04 (14:57):
There's always this change that's happening.
SPEAKER_02 (14:59):
Yeah, well, and that can be a yeah, and that can be a
good recognition of if we're notmoving from glory to glory, what
is stopping us?
Like if we look back at, youknow, if you look back at your
life a year ago, if you don'tsee growth over these past 12
months, well, something isstagnating you, something is
hindering you, um, because youshould be moving from glory to
(15:21):
glory.
SPEAKER_01 (15:22):
I wish I had just gone ahead and started and just
started my book sooner.
I had my father told me when Iwas in high school when he was
asking me what I wanted to do,uh, and I would told him I I
knew I knew from I knew from uhbeing in the third grade I
wanted to be a writer.
I knew.
And uh and I when I told himthat, he was like, no one cares
(15:46):
about anything that you have tosay.
And it stuck with me.
And so I didn't I didn't reallywrite anymore at all after that.
And so I didn't start writinguntil I was in my 30s.
And uh, and that was when ittook, it took and like this
random guy that totally washearing from Jesus, and he he
(16:08):
rattled off my entire life inlike two minutes, which is
impressive because it's sevenbooks that I've written.
So I'm like, dang.
So in two minutes he rattled itall off.
And and and I was like, how doyou do that?
And and I was clearly he wasclearly hearing from Jesus.
And then he was like, and I saidall of this to say this is to
you.
(16:29):
You need you you're supposed towrite a book and it's about you.
And uh I I started the followingday.
And uh in the writing process, Ihave to say that uh if if you're
if you're writing to honor Jesusand you're and you're writing
and it's not drawing you closerto Jesus, it's not gonna be
drawing anybody else closer toJesus either.
(16:51):
And so, so when I was writing, Iwas healing.
And so I want to encourageanybody that wants that, that
feels the draw to write theirtestimony, write your testimony.
If you get triggered whileyou're writing it, stop writing,
stop, pray, and ask for healingright then and there.
And by the time you're finishedwith your first draft, you're
gonna have so much healing,you're gonna be a totally
(17:12):
different person at the end ofthat journey.
And then you get to start overand edit.
And if you're still gettingtriggered, there's another layer
that needs to go.
And so I just if I for anybodythat wants to that wants to
write their testimony and share,I would say that would be that
would be something it would havebeen good to know earlier on,
because I probably would havegotten a lot more healing a lot
faster if I went ahead and justgot started.
SPEAKER_05 (17:32):
Amen.
100% agree.
If I could piggyback, just saysomething really quick, Sandra,
is that there is so much powerin um transparency, right?
And when we write that out, yes,it's painful in the moment, but
it does usher in the healing.
And then it it really gives usthe strength to really um go
(17:53):
into those wounds that leavedeep scars that sometimes are a
lifetime to just refill andspeak life into, right?
And so I love that that you saidthat 100% agree.
And it does it happens for thereader too.
I'm sorry, Kelly, I'm excited tohear it.
Yeah.
That's okay.
SPEAKER_03 (18:13):
I was just gonna say, you know, the way I'm
thinking about this question,when I first started, I have a
very formulaic logical brain.
And um I struggled withbalancing, hustling to get
somewhere and waiting on theLord and trying to figure out,
you know, I need to knock ondoors, but I can't kick them
(18:35):
down.
He's the one that orders thesteps.
And so um, you know, I wouldjust hustle, hustle, hustle,
hustle and get nowhere, get noopportunities.
And that would be adiscouragement initially.
Um, but I would say what I wishI knew then was that that was
the Lord guiding and to not viewit as a negative, to view it as
(19:00):
He's leading where He wants younow.
Um, and you have to staysensitive to the Spirit on that.
Um, but you you do have to doyour part.
You can't just sit at home andmagically an opportunity is
gonna appear.
Um, but there is that balance.
And I so I would say don't getstuck in the hustle side of it
(19:22):
so much that you leave God outof it, essentially, um, and just
learning to balance that.
SPEAKER_00 (19:30):
That is so hard.
That is so hard.
And do you have any other ideas,or does anyone else have any
other ideas on on how to dothat, or is it just continually
working and then pausing andpraying and making sure that
you're you're on the rightsteps?
SPEAKER_03 (19:48):
My my story is um well, partly just do the next
thing.
Do the next thing.
God's God sees the wholepicture, he knows where he's
taking you, when he's taking youthere.
You don't.
We don't.
So do the next thing that hebrings.
If he brings a podcast for youto be on, do the next thing, you
know?
Um, because he is ordering thesteps and trust that process.
(20:10):
Um, but at the same time, umwhen my kids were younger, there
weren't, I mean, I was teachinglocal Bible study and whatnot,
but there wasn't an opportunity,and there shouldn't have been an
opportunity to do larger events.
Um and a wise woman told me,prepare.
Use that time to prepare.
(20:31):
You don't know what you'repreparing for, but God does.
Um, so I took time to go toseminary.
Um, I'd been out of college 10years, my kids started school.
As soon as they both startedfull-time school, I went back
and I prepared.
And everybody would ask me, Whyare you in seminary?
And I would say, I don't know.
I don't know.
(20:52):
But it was preparation, and Iwas doing the next thing, and I
use that degree every day of mylife.
Um, so pre preparation and dothe next thing.
SPEAKER_01 (21:02):
I would even say look for uh look for Jesus in
the interruptions.
Uh I've been so busy before,like, especially with the
audiobook and uh of the novel,and just I mean, like when
people would would would call,I'd have to remember that the
whole point of what I'm doing isto promote the gospel and to be
(21:24):
Jesus' hands and feet.
So when an opportunity arrives,you have to see it that way.
It's an opportunity when whenwhen somebody is calling and
they're the either they'rethey're needing prayer and it's
it's uh and I had to learn toput my phone on silent so it
doesn't throw off the wholeaudio, but but like to stop and
it's like, hey, this is whywe're doing what we do.
(21:44):
So in the interruption, whensomeone needs you and you get to
be the hands and feet of Jesus,go and do, because one of the
times I went and did, I ended upmeeting some of the women that
are on this podcast and throughthrough all of it.
And so glory to Jesus for forbeing able to use these
beautiful interruptions.
So if you'll put your agendadown and take up his agenda,
(22:05):
he's gonna take you on paths younever knew were possible.
SPEAKER_02 (22:08):
Right.
SPEAKER_05 (22:10):
I love that Kelly brought that up because I feel
like that's one of the biggeststruggles for me, as not
necessarily on the ministry endwith um with leading women um in
our local church or even withthe testimony gathering
ministry, but rather with thebook, because it it changes and
it takes a shift.
And sometimes it can feel likeself-promotion.
(22:33):
And I'm like, I don't want toself-promote.
Like I did that all of my lifeand it didn't work very well,
didn't work out so well.
So I'm really on God's timing umand on his promoting, right?
But finding that fine balance ishard.
It's hard because you do want tobe proactive.
You do want to, you know, okay,the Lord gave you this gift.
(22:56):
And you I believe, and um theauthors here know, like I
believe that what I wrote hasvalue, and I believe that it
ushers in the spirit of God tocome in and bring freedom and
bring healing.
So I know that it has worth, butbut how do you do that?
Right.
And so I'm learning to kind offinally do that dance.
(23:19):
And I'm I'm a new author.
I just published at thebeginning of this year, and I
really haven't done a whole lot,and somehow it doesn't make
sense to a lot of people thatI'm not doing a lot with it, but
there is this overwhelming pieceinside of me that God's telling
me, I'm your promoter.
I'm the one who gave you this.
(23:40):
I will promote it becausepromoting it promotes my son and
promotes what I have to offer.
And so I'm kind of in thewaiting.
And if I'm being completelyhonest, sometimes it's hard to
just sit here and be still andknow that he is God.
But that's why it's calledfaith, right?
SPEAKER_03 (24:03):
Well, and I would also add to that, um, Cecilia,
that you know, traditionalmethods of promoting when we
think about running Facebook adsand making graphics and come to
our thing, read our book, blah,blah, blah.
The way that we do that matters,right?
So it's those tools aren't badand they're not negative to use.
(24:26):
They can be, but they don't haveto be.
So when we're promotingsomething, it's not come see me
speak.
It's come see what the Lord'sgonna do.
Come see what the Lord is gonnareveal through such and such a
scripture that I happen to bespeaking on.
Doesn't matter that I'm there,right?
So I think there's probably away to even use those
(24:46):
traditional methods um where yougive him the glory even in the
promoting.
SPEAKER_00 (24:53):
Does anyone else have thoughts on on that as far
as promoting and not loving thataspect of it?
SPEAKER_04 (25:01):
I've struggled with that too, as well.
Because if if they don't knowabout you, then they won't come,
right?
If they don't know about theconference, if they don't know
about your book, then they don'tknow to get it.
And so there is this part whereyou do have to do a little bit
out there.
But also, I I like that thisthought process that if God
promotes, God will sustain.
(25:23):
If you self-promote, then youhave to self-sustain.
And that is that's where you'regonna get worn out.
But when God does it and heshows you, and he just like
this, this networking right hereof people, beautiful women to
come in together, that's Godpromoting right here, you know,
and and learning, uh leaninginto it.
He he does it a different way,and also like Kelly said,
(25:44):
they're tools.
We get to choose how we usethem, right?
Um AI is a tool, it's like ahammer.
How do we want to use thehammer?
The hammer can build or thehammer can destroy.
So we get to choose.
Social media doesn't have to bebad, it just depends on how we
use it.
And so I I agree with thosethings.
But yeah, it's it's a it hasbeen a big thing for me too,
(26:06):
just balancing that because Ionce heard God say, if you don't
tell them, they won't know tocome.
And I'm like, Well, you whydon't you just tell them?
You do it.
You you're you're God of theuniverse, you can tell them, you
can put it on their heart.
And so it it's it's a little bitof trusting him to believe that,
okay, I can't put it out hereand trust that he will do
(26:27):
something with it, right?
But it is for his name and hisglory, absolutely.
SPEAKER_02 (26:31):
I think so much of it ties into also um how kind of
like Kelly said, what are wepointing to when we're doing it?
You know, are we pointing toourselves or are we pointing to
him?
Um, like he clearly showed mewith his collection that
everything is his.
Like this is his company, hisbrand, his mission.
And so anytime that um anytimehe has me sharing it, I know
(26:55):
that the intention is to ensurethat I'm pointing to him in the
midst of it.
Like, look what he did, lookwhat he's doing.
Um, because it's it's really notabout us at all, right?
We are just little vessels.
Um, but I do find myself Istruggle with, especially with
the social media aspect of umkind of like Cecilia was saying,
of self-promotion and just eventhis idea of um putting
(27:19):
ourselves in front of camerasand focusing on what we look
like or what we, you know, uhwhat we're wearing and whether
we have makeup on and all ofthis, like I find that sometimes
that can get um distracting andum can take away from what the
real message is.
But as long as we're pointing tohim in the midst of it and then
(27:39):
really going back to some of thestuff they said earlier,
trusting, like seeking him onLord.
What are you calling me to?
Like, are you calling me to be apart of this podcast?
Okay, well, then I'm going to dothat.
Are you telling me to, you know,go to this conference or that
one?
Okay, then I'm going to do that.
And trust that through all theseuh decisions, right, through all
these places that he's takingus, that that is where he is
(28:01):
promoting us.
That is where he is connectingus.
Because he's, I mean, God is thebest networker that you could
ever have.
Right.
Like he will put you where youneed to be as long as we are
asking him, um, you know, like,hey, where am I supposed to go
today?
What am I supposed to do?
Where am I supposed to sharethis?
Um, and he will faithfully makesure that you're in the right
(28:22):
spot.
And whether sometimes evenwithout us asking, he's like,
well, you may not be asking, butI'm gonna get you here one way
or the other.
SPEAKER_00 (28:29):
Have you thought you would have support from family
and friends that you did not?
And then how did how did youdeal with that disappointment?
SPEAKER_01 (28:37):
My family was not very excited about the novel
because it exposed a lot ofstuff that had been brushed
under the rug for years,ignored, and even I was even
told it never happened, eventhough I was in the room while I
was being abused.
So for them to tell me it didn'thappen, it's a lot of
gaslighting.
So they were not excited aboutit and uh actually have done the
(28:59):
opposite of promoting it.
They've been telling people thatit's lies.
Uh, and that got back to me.
And so um uh, but on the otherside of that coin, there has I
have seen the best of humanityshow up in relatives and in
strangers and friends, andpeople contacting me and letting
me know the impact that it's hadon them, seeking out
(29:21):
deliverance, uh, realizing howthings had entered through
through their own trauma.
And that has been that has beenso confirming that that this was
Jesus' idea that that man didhear from from Yahweh that Jesus
has been involved in this entireprocess.
(29:43):
And uh the the disappointment asfar as from my family, from my
from my uh perspective, itactually made sense with
everything else that hadhappened.
So thankfully I had already haduh healing on that end and a lot
of forgiveness on that end whereit's just like It's this is uh
this is the way it's gonna beuntil their healing happens,
(30:04):
until until they have theirencounter with Jesus.
But until then, just to reallyfocus on the positive as far as
what is occurring, the thingspeople are saying that are that
that it where it has made apositive difference and that
they have gotten closer to Jesusbecause of it and they've gotten
liberated because of this.
And it and it's proof positivethat in the book of Revelations,
(30:25):
where it talks about, you know,us overcoming the overcoming
Satan by the blood of the Lamband the word of our testimony,
fact.
SPEAKER_05 (30:32):
It kind of goes along with that very first
question as far as like um whatwould I tell my old self or
somebody who is trying to writea book or starting to write a
book?
After writing the book, I feellike the Lord really gave me
validation and really affirmedwhat he had assigned me to do.
Um, because my my story is sospecific to um is it's so
(31:00):
specific to um a certaindemographic because I was
smuggled in from Mexico and allthe things.
But within the book, I reallydescribe and talk a lot about
the fruit that that created inmy life, you know, the
insecurities, the fear, youknow, all of these um character
(31:21):
defects, if you will, right?
And so having people fromcompletely different walks of
life that are so that couldn'tbe further away from mine, come
and say, wow, your story isreally powerful.
Um, and it's not anything I'veexperienced, but I can identify
(31:42):
with the fruit that youdescribed, and I have felt these
same feelings.
And so for me, it was like theLord saying, You see, I had a
purpose and a plan for this, andI was doing something with it.
And so that has been veryassuring and felt very like a
lot of support for me to hearthe feedback from individuals.
Um, as far as my family goes, myparents have been gone a long
(32:07):
time, so my parents are nolonger around, but I do have
eight other siblings.
Um, nine, but one of them isit's with Jesus already.
And these other eight siblings,we are so far in age from each
other that their perspectivesare very different.
And some of them have acceptedmy perspective as the youngest,
(32:31):
and some of them can't seebeyond their perspective, and
that has been a little hurtful,and that has been hard, but I
come back to the arms of thefather and that assurance that
he's like, this is not for them,this is for the ears that I have
already prepared for.
(32:52):
And so I think just keeping myfocus on my marching orders and
what the Lord has commissionedme to do is really what sustains
um my strength to continue tostand firmly on what the word of
God has already said about me.
And so um in the moment, does itsting a little sometimes when
(33:16):
you have the people that areclosest to you who should be
your biggest cheerleaders and bechampioning you, you know, maybe
not not come alongside you andlove on you the way you need to
be loved?
It stings, um, but it's for amoment, and God is eternal and
his validation is eternal.
And so we have to make a choiceto um to believe that.
SPEAKER_03 (33:41):
I do.
Yeah, I think perspective is abig deal.
Um, so not an author, but as aperformer and as a minister,
like I do events and naivelyassumed that meant that my
friends and family would come tothe events, and a lot of times
(34:01):
they don't.
And um, it's real easy to uhtake that personally and to get
disappointed and focus on that.
Um, but the reality is peopleare busy and people are
self-focused, and so they're notthinking, oh, it'd probably mean
a lot to Kelly if you came tothe event, if I went to the
(34:22):
event.
Like, no, they're thinking abouttheir own grocery lists and
their own lives.
So it's not like a slight and apurposeful thing.
Um, so to just shift that focusfrom I'm so hurt that people
aren't coming that I thoughtwould, to who is here?
Who is here?
God brought these people here,and these are the people that
(34:46):
need to be ministered to by himthrough me in some way, shape,
or form, and celebrate that andfocus on that.
SPEAKER_02 (34:57):
Yeah, I've actually been very surprised by um uh the
people who have come alongsidelike the journey and who have
wanted to be a part of thingsand jumped in.
And I feel like that's actuallybeen one of the really joyful
blessings to see, like, oh wow,like look at these people that
you're bringing, look at, youknow, um, people who want to be
(35:18):
a part of the team, who want tojump in, who want to freely give
and um and take part.
That's really surprised me in abeautiful way to see, like, oh,
this is, you know, you placethis on my heart to start, but
look at how you're now touchingall these other people and and
really even um helping tocultivate kind of a time and
space for that person to operateand maybe a gifting that they
(35:42):
wouldn't be if it weren't for,you know, this kind of platform
or this opportunity.
I think that's been really it'sbeen surprising and and really
uh an unexpected blessing.
SPEAKER_04 (35:53):
Yeah, absolutely super cool to watch that and
watch how God, like you said awhile ago, Amanda, that he's the
networker of people and how hebrings different people in.
And I've heard Cecilia talkabout the the tapestry, he's
weaving this tapestry togetherof all these beautiful people,
and then given that allowance,yes, to grow, to to step into
(36:14):
maybe something new.
You know, uh, we talk aboutsometimes the five-fold ministry
teachers, apostles, prophets,um, evangelists, shepherds.
And um, sometimes in our normaldaily life, we might not realize
that we we are even have thatcalling on our life.
But when we create the space forother people to walk in, that's
(36:34):
super cool to watch.
To step into it, and then togive grace while while the uh
while we're all learning how todo it, you know.
Super cool too, but it is needto watch how God will do that
and intertwine everybody.
Uh I once heard Beth Mooreactually, she said this one
time.
She said, A me calling can onlybe fulfilled in a we context,
(36:58):
and I think that's super great.
Like what God has called me todo, I cannot do on my own.
I cannot.
And um, and it takes all of usto do that, and so it's it is
beautiful, it is it is cool toteach people how God people are
used by God, God's people areused by God, but um as far as
support for myself, my biggestcheerleader was my mom, and my
(37:22):
mom is now in heaven, and Ibelieve she is now part of that
great cloud of witnesses thatshe's still cheering me on, but
man, would it be so cool to beable to pick up the phone and
just talk to her?
That would be amazing.
But uh, I know she's up therecheering me on, and she's saying
what Cecilia said, Don't quit.
(37:44):
I've even asked God if I could,he won't let me get it.
SPEAKER_00 (37:48):
How do you stay focused on what God has called
you to do when things shift orchange or go a different way?
And maybe that's okay, maybe theshift is a good thing.
But how if you have seen ashift, did you take on that
shift or did you let that go?
SPEAKER_03 (38:06):
I think you touched on just in the beginning of that
question, we need to ask whythings are shifting.
Um, why are things not goingwell according to our
perspective?
And there's three possibilities,maybe more.
I thought of three.
Um, one, you're trying to dosomething he didn't ever call
(38:26):
you to in the first place.
Uh, another one is you're tryingto keep doing something that he
called you to earlier, but he'swanted to move you out.
If that part is over, it's timeto move on.
Um, and then uh the third optionis he wants you to stay in the
struggle to develop thecharacter and the integrity and
(38:48):
the Christ-likeness that he hasfor you.
And learning to differentiatewhat that is, it's not easy.
It's not easy.
I wish it was super clear.
It's not.
SPEAKER_00 (38:56):
And it's telling just give us a one, two, three,
right?
SPEAKER_03 (38:59):
Like yeah, exactly.
Um, but just staying in prayerand staying in the word, he will
show it eventually.
Um, I had an opportunityrecently where he was extremely
clear.
I prayed for clarity and he wasextremely clear.
Um, that doesn't always happen.
In fact, it almost never happensfor me.
(39:20):
It takes me a while to figureout what he's saying.
He usually has to tell me threeor four times before I'm like,
oh, I get it now.
Um, but asking why, why is itnot working, I think is very
important.
SPEAKER_02 (39:33):
I would add on to that with um seeking him.
Uh so like I think it's it'svery easy and probably part of
our human nature to to get intolike a system, to get into a oh,
well, I've done this, you know,year one, now I'm gonna do it
year two, year three, year four,year five, and kind of like
creating traditions, right?
Um but like Kelly was saying,just because God called you to
(39:57):
do something one year doesn'tmean that he's telling you to do
it the next year.
Um, like his collection hosts afashion show almost annually at
this point.
Like we're hosting our fifthshow in December.
Um, but after what was it inyear three, um, he was very
clear about the fact that wewere not to do a show that year.
(40:17):
Like instead, he called us tohost a love feast or an agape
meal where we just gather inthis timing-wise, like I didn't
know what was going to be goingon, but it happened to be the
year of COVID.
I was like, oh, no wonder, God,that you are, you know, that you
have shifted things.
Um, but he called us to justgather back, basically gather
the community, bring peopletogether and host this meal.
(40:41):
But, anyways, um, it reminds meof the scripture, and I'm I just
heard this at the conference I'mattending, but it's 2 Timothy
3.5, it says, in the last days,many will have religious forms
and traditions, but will have noexperience of the true power of
God.
And I think that that's such akey part of what we're talking
about.
Of we have to constantly beseeking him for what his will is
(41:05):
in this season, in this day, inthis year.
Um, because that that willshift, right?
That will shift according to hisplans and purposes.
And we have to be willing to getout of the way and say yes to
something different.
Yes to like just because I'velaid this foundation here or
done this in the past doesn'tmean that I need to continue to
(41:26):
operate that way moving forwardbecause God can have something
totally different.
Um, so I would just stress theimportance of really seeking Him
in all things and at all timesto find out is this your will
for this season?
Are we meant to do this?
And then, you know, once youhave that peace or that yes,
absolutely follow it, kind ofwithout question.
SPEAKER_05 (41:46):
I'd like to piggyback on that.
And I think um Sandra saidsomething about um
interruptions, and sometimesit's beyond an interruption,
it's like a complete detour.
Um, and just learning to bemalleable to that.
And I was recently in Matthew um11, 28, where it talks about,
you know, his yoke is easy andhis burden is light, and you
(42:08):
know, they're referring to thoseoxen, right?
And often in that time, they hadlike a very mature oxen that
knew exactly what to do and howto how to plow and how to do the
work, and then the young onethat was learning, and he's and
that's what he's describing islike I'm the one leading, I am
the one like doing the hardwork, but sometimes when I
(42:28):
resist the detour or or theinterruption, you know, I begin
to struggle and and I'm like,why is it so hard?
And I'm it feels like you'reswimming uphill and like the
currents are so strong, and it'slike just come alongside me.
Like if you just walk alongsideme, it's gonna be light because
I'm the one doing the work.
(42:49):
And I think um just being opento to the interruptions and even
the detours that sometimes wedon't want to take.
Um, and I've I've said this, youknow, before is that we will
never lose in an exchange withGod Almighty.
We are always gonna get thebetter end of the stick.
(43:10):
And he's always gonna give usbeauty for ashes, right?
And so again, it always comesback to that trust that also
means faith, you know, believingwithout seeing and operating not
as things are, but as we knowthat the Lord has called them to
be, right?
And so, um, so I'm stilllearning it.
(43:33):
I definitely have not masteredthis, but um, I pray that as I
continue to walk out what he hasme walking out, that I will
learn to feel the yoke when hestarts to shift in another
direction, and that I amconsistently obedient enough to
(43:53):
walk next to him rather thanfight the current.
SPEAKER_02 (43:57):
Cecilia, I want to share with you a friend of mine
um shared this revelation withme on that particular scripture,
and it's always stuck with me ofhis uh his yoke is easy and his
burden is light.
So, yoke, like you're saying,like when you're in the yoke,
like thinking of the kettle,right?
Like it's easy because he's theone pulling it.
But this was the part, therevelatory part.
His burden is light.
(44:18):
So often we interpret that as uhweight, right?
Like, oh, it's it's light, it'seasy, it's it's lightweight.
But she said, no, think of itthis way his burden is light,
like uh like light as in a lightbulb, right?
You're shine.
So our burden is to bear hislight, like to be that lamp,
(44:39):
right on the stand, not hidden,but to actually be the light and
reflect that out.
And oh my gosh, it was like whenI heard it.
It really changes things, right?
It's like, oh my gosh, I alwaysthought of it as this weight,
but to hear, no, our burden,what we are to bear is to be the
light, right?
To reflect him.
SPEAKER_01 (45:01):
That's fantastic.
SPEAKER_02 (45:02):
Susie Freeland.
Susie Freeland Freeland is theone who heard that.
SPEAKER_01 (45:07):
Oh my gosh, that's like the coolest thing about the
light, and that so that wow,that just blows my mind right
now.
That's fantastic.
SPEAKER_02 (45:17):
It did me too.
SPEAKER_04 (45:18):
And every time I share it, I'm like, about the
light, right?
The light is lightweight.
SPEAKER_02 (45:24):
Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_04 (45:26):
Both.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (45:28):
Light travels faster than I think anything else.
I don't know.
Who knows science?
SPEAKER_01 (45:34):
It's a multifaceted revelation for sure.
As far as for for me stayingfocused when I was when I was
writing the book, and it's sodaunting because it's not a
little book.
It uh and I had to write sevenback to back.
I didn't know it was going to beseven.
I thought it was just gonna beone book that it just kept
expanding.
But um, so I had to chop it intoseven parts.
(45:55):
Whenever I was writing and andit's just exhausting because I'm
sitting in the same positionjust I mean, just about every
day.
And I would get I'd startgetting discouraged.
I I would pray and I'd ask forhis perspective, for Jesus'
perspective on the situation,and he would remind me this
isn't about you.
Like, which is interestingbecause the book was about my
(46:17):
testimony, uh, but it's notabout me.
And he was he was speaking, hewas speaking of of the purpose
behind what we're doing.
So when we start feeling dauntedabout whatever it is, the
whatever task that he's putbefore us, it's important for us
to understand that this is goingto set somebody free.
If he is in it, there's going tobe change.
(46:38):
And and when and even with theconcept of light, that's like
that's the only way thatdarkness flees.
Darkness is the absence oflight.
So whenever we add light intothe situation, darkness has to
flee.
And and it's it actually kind ofmakes me think about the cover
of my book, even because it'sJesus gave me that cover and it
(46:59):
was just darkness that I was in,and that light is coming in, and
I'm trying to get to it.
And there's then whatever is inbetween me and that light has to
be taken out.
And even the sword itself haslight.
And so under understanding andholding on to the fact that when
we're when we're slowing down,when we're exhausted, when our
(47:20):
eyes are bloodshot from whateverit is that we're doing, when
we're having to cry throughtyping and reliving and and
going through all of that allover again, there's so much
purpose behind the pain.
And that was that had to havebeen what Jesus was thinking
about when he was marchingtowards that cross.
At any time, he could havecalled legions of angels to save
(47:41):
him, and he just kept goingbecause he knew that there, that
there was going to be so muchpower and so much liberty at the
end of what he was about to do.
And it must have been, it musthave been such a relief to be
able to say it is finished.
SPEAKER_04 (47:55):
That brings me to the answer to the question.
It's a different way of lookingat the word why.
Why am I doing it?
Because it's an assignment.
Because he placed it in my heartso deep that I can't, I get up
in the morning and this is whatI'm going to do.
That I believe that we are toset the captives free.
That's part of the order, right?
(48:17):
That we bring a light to thedarkness, that that's part of
the order.
That there's there's a strongerwhy to do this.
I uh I I don't want any of thisto feel like I have I have built
any of it because I haven't.
And it's not for me.
And if he told me to shut it alldown tomorrow, I'm out.
That's just how it is, becausethis is so much bigger.
(48:38):
It's just like it's whatSandra's saying, it's so much
bigger than what we're doing,you know, the the blocks that we
are building right now.
It's so much bigger than that,it's for others, it's for his
glory, but it's to bringfreedom, you know, and uh it's
Isaiah 61.
I mean, the uh you're thereright now.
(49:00):
That's what it is, and it's tolive like Jesus, to walk like
Jesus, and to forgive likeJesus, and then hope that others
are doing the same for you,right?
That we are in this together,we're all on this journey headed
towards heaven, praise God, likekeep our mind on heaven.
That's our focus, that's wherewe're going, right?
(49:20):
But in the meantime, we have ajob to do, and that's what I see
my life on earth as it's a job,it's something that God has
asked me to do, and he's told meto live, right?
Live this life.
We do that by dying, dying toself, to live is is Christ, but
(49:41):
to live this life out front infront of people to show that he
is good, that he is glorious,that his ways are a better way.
So, why do I do what I do?
Because he's asked me to, and Ilove him.
And this intimate relationship,this love relationship, that God
of the universe would look downand call me by name and speak to
(50:03):
me and then give me anassignment.
That's why I do it.
That's that's what I thinkobedience looks like.
It's not something I have to do,it's something that I want to
do.
SPEAKER_00 (50:14):
Ladies, this has been amazing.
I cannot believe it's been anhour.
This has gone by so fast.
I've loved just the kind ofgoing back and forth, and oh,
that hit me.
And let me tell you what thisit's just been amazing when I
talked to Cecilia about hey,wouldn't it be cool just to get
a lot of women on and just talk?
And she graciously got all ofyou guys together, but it it is
(50:37):
more than than I thought it wasgoing to be.
So God is so good, and you guysare so good to give of your
time.
So thank you.
SPEAKER_05 (50:44):
This has been a room full of wisdom, and I am
completely inspired byeverything that you know,
Sandra, Kelly, Amanda, Shellshas shared.
It has really blessed my heart,and I think it's also brought
just a little bit of light tosome of the things that I
struggle with, and maybe nothaving an answer, but knowing
(51:06):
that we're all in it togetherand we're all part of the
tapestry somehow is soencouraging and continues to
fuel me to say, just keepmarching forward because we're
not in it alone.
We're in it um together, and wehave an amazing leader.
SPEAKER_00 (51:22):
Yeah, I think that was my hope was that I think
that sometimes we can start tobelieve the lie that I'm the
only one who feels like this.
I'm the only one who's had thisstruggle.
And and so it was just soblessing to have this and hear
that no, I feel like that or Ifelt like that, but over here,
and this is what's helped me.
And um, just like we've beentalking about, like showing
(51:42):
light into any kind of darknessof of those lies.
So I appreciate all of you beingon.
And I'm so thankful for all ofour listeners who are listening.
I'm sure you are blessed inmaybe just a million different
ways by this.
But thank you for listening toOrdinary People Extraordinary
Things, where your story is hisglory.
Welcome to Ordinary People Extraordinary Things.
I'm your host, Nancy, and we aredoing something so fun today.
We are doing something that I'venever done.
We have five other ladies onthis podcast, and I can't wait
for you to meet them all.
It is going to be jam-packed, sohold on.
And I can't wait to see wherethis where this goes.
(00:21):
So we are going to start out byhaving every lady tell three
words or phrases about you.
And then we're going to get intosome really amazing things
because these ladies are onfire.
They are in ministry, and I wantto hear what they're doing and
some great things that arehappening.
And also, like, how do you stayfocused?
Or what happens when someone youthink is there for you isn't.
(00:43):
So we're going to get into somegreat things.
So, Shelsey, could you start usout?
Could you give us your name inthree words or phrases?
SPEAKER_04 (00:50):
Yes, absolutely.
I'm Shelsey Becker.
And I actually asked mydaughter, so what three words
would you say would describe me?
And she said, kind.
And so I think that's reallygood.
Um, I'd like to add under therethat I'm kind of quirky.
I don't think she would call mequirky, but I probably what I
would call myself.
And uh creative visionary.
(01:12):
Those would be my three words.
Phrases.
SPEAKER_00 (01:16):
And then what do what do you do as far as your
ministry?
Could you tell us that as well?
SPEAKER_04 (01:21):
Yeah, so I have Lynn Ministries.
Lynn stands for Love YourNeighbor.
It's my middle name.
Shelsey Lynn, it's my daughter'smiddle name, Savannah Lynn and
my mother's middle name, TamaraLynn.
And so it's a legacy of lovingyour neighbor.
And underneath that umbrella, wedo the She Will Conference.
It's a one-day discipleshipconference that travels the
(01:42):
nation.
We also have Girls Week in God'sWay retreats.
We're also building a speakernetwork.
Lots of great things arehappening over here at the Lynn
Ministries, but we're all aboutdiscipleship, getting in the
Word of God, and womenchampioning women.
SPEAKER_00 (01:56):
Amazing, amazing.
Kelly, would you mind goingnext?
SPEAKER_03 (02:01):
Sure.
Uh witty goes with humor, uh,loyal, and um probably more
humble than anybody, exceptmaybe Moses.
Moses wrote that he was morehumble than anybody else, right?
Um so I I probably give him arun for his money.
Amazing.
SPEAKER_00 (02:20):
And what's your ministry?
SPEAKER_03 (02:22):
So I'm independent, and churches hire me to come do
uh women's events mostly.
I uh can do stand-up comedy.
I do clean stand-up comedy.
Um, I can do church comedy, Ican do um bring messages.
My background is uh I have amaster's in biblical studies,
and um I just love to teach andpreach the word, depending on
(02:45):
your denomination.
SPEAKER_00 (02:47):
Yes, yes.
That's a whole nother thing wecould get into.
Maybe not.
SPEAKER_03 (02:51):
That's a whole nother thing we're not gonna go
into too.
SPEAKER_00 (02:55):
Um, Amanda.
SPEAKER_02 (02:58):
Good morning.
Uh okay, so three words.
Um I'm gonna go withadventurous, uh bold, and kind.
Many other people would describeme.
Uh and as far as ministry, soum, I'm the founder of his
collection apparel, which is afaith-based brand, a Chrysler
brand.
(03:18):
Our mission is to reflect thelight and love of God into the
world.
And we currently do that bycreating Chrysenter Apparel and
then hosting community eventswhere we're able to create
revenue, which becomes a streamthat then uh flows back into the
kingdom.
And we um we help to spotlightother ministries and uh
nonprofits be in the hands ofbeing the Jesus.
SPEAKER_00 (03:40):
It's amazing.
Amazing.
Sandra?
SPEAKER_01 (03:44):
Hey, um I'm an author, and uh my author the
book that I actually wrote wasabout my testimony of surviving
um uh childhood abuse.
But I'm doing things out oforder because I'm supposed to
say three things first.
I was like, oh, um I've uhsomebody gave me a word the
other day, so I'll use what Godgave them, which was they called
(04:07):
me valiant, which I thought thatwas really cool.
Um I've also been described asfierce, but a phrase that I want
to throw in there is umsomething that was actually from
Theodore Roosevelt.
And he said, for those who fightfor it, life has a flavor, the
sheltered will never know.
And uh, and so as as far as mytestimony about surviving
(04:30):
narcissistic childhood abuse,that was incredible sadism that
was happening.
Um, I ended up writing mytestimony about it.
And so my hope and my goal isthat individuals would be able
to read, read the novel, readwhat happened, and be able to
understand that that regardlessof what your background is,
there's always hope and thatthat Jesus can do absolutely
(04:51):
anything, regardless of howeveryou started.
And so that's that's the that'swhat I want to be able to to
leave behind with with theseprinted words is proof positive
that Jesus can absolutelyconquer any demon that you're
facing.
SPEAKER_00 (05:06):
Amen.
Cecilia, it's good to have youback.
She was on my podcast.
Uh I don't know how long ago,lose track of time, but we're
excited to have you back.
Can you give three words orphrases for anyone in your
ministry?
SPEAKER_05 (05:22):
So it, I mean, I don't know if anybody else did.
I know Shells did for sure, butI also last night I was like,
three phrases, let me think.
And I'm like, that's too long.
How about three words?
So that I couldn't come up withany.
So I asked my husband, I'm like,what three words?
And I um so I'm gonna tell youthe ones that he told me because
I'm like, yeah, that that's me.
So the first word that he saidfor me was resourceful.
(05:45):
You know, I use everything thatum either I'm gifted with or I'm
entrusted with, um, and I use itto serve others.
So um the other word ispassionate, and that is
something that um yeah, I'vealways been.
I thought it was obsessive, butI'm gonna go with passionate.
Once I have my eye on something,you know, um, I am laser focused
(06:10):
and you know, I I accomplish it,I try to accomplish it.
And now through God's strength,you know, I mean, all things
have been just really cool, thethings he's entrusted me with.
Um, and then he used the worddog it, and I was like, dog it,
I don't even know what thatmeans.
So I so he looked it up for me.
He says it's not what it sounds,and so um it's determined and
(06:34):
persistent, especially in theface of difficulty.
And so I thought, wow, I'mreally dig and dog it.
So I'm dog it.
Um, and it's something that I'vealways been, um, and I believe
that God wired it into mebecause of the environment that
(06:55):
I grew up in.
And so I'm an author.
Um, and I write about my storyabout being smuggled into the
country and living undersomeone's identity for many
years.
And so that word dog reallyresonates with that because um
there were many difficulties,and I didn't realize it then,
(07:16):
but through God's favor, I wasable to overcome that.
Um, and so um, so yeah, and asfar as what I do, well, I'm an
author, I am also a speaker.
Um, I recently started speakingwith um Lynn Ministries for the
She Will Conference, which hasreally been a really exciting
and cool journey to really havefront row seat of what God is
(07:38):
doing in other people's lives.
I also have a ministry calledTestimony Gathering, where we
come together once a month witha big set of women, and it has
just a beautiful rhythm to it.
Um, and we are seeing so muchbreakthrough, and we're seeing
women really remove masks and betheir authentic selves and
embrace that.
(07:58):
And to me, like that's the mostbeautiful thing because that's
what I was freed from, deliveredfrom, right?
Um, and then I also lead inwomen's ministry in my local
church with a bunch of otheramazing women who just come
alongside me and we link shieldstogether, we support each other,
we um keep an eye out for eachother's blind spots, and um we
(08:23):
sharpen our shields together orsharpen our swords together and
polish our shields together.
So it's really cool.
SPEAKER_04 (08:29):
So you know, Cecilia, my grandmother would
say, hot dog it.
SPEAKER_05 (08:33):
Hot dog it.
I I just learned this word lastnight, and I think I've dropped
it like 20 times already.
I'm like, dog it.
SPEAKER_00 (08:44):
Great.
So this will be, I won't call onyou guys probably, just if if
something comes to mind.
But the first question I have iswhat have you learned about
either writing a book, speaking,or beginning your ministry that
you wish you knew before?
SPEAKER_04 (09:00):
I I have an answer.
I wish I had business classes.
That is really what I I wish.
Um, you know, it's cool as itstarted, it started small and
it's grown, and now we're intolike this full-fledged
organization.
And like that operatescompletely different than the
way we first started.
(09:20):
And what used to work no longerworks.
So that would be my thing is Iwish I had some business
knowledge behind that.
Maybe I would have learned somethings quicker had I had that,
right?
I would have implemented adifferent structure earlier, and
so yeah, that would have beencool.
So I've just been praying forstrategy, and God has been
bringing me people who alreadyhave that knowledge, and so
(09:41):
that's super cool.
SPEAKER_05 (09:42):
So for me, I was thinking about that um on my
drive to work this morning, andI'm like, okay, what do I really
wish I would have learned?
And I feel like somebody wouldhave told me early on not to
give up.
Um writing a book has probablywas probably the hardest thing
that I've ever done, andsomething that I never even, it
(10:05):
was even on my radar to do umbecause of my background.
I was, you know, undocumented,therefore I didn't speak the
language.
So I was illiterate for manyyears.
So when the Lord put into myheart about 12 years ago, like
that he wanted me to write, Ithought that was the most
ridiculous thing.
I'm like, I can't even spelllike very well, and I have to
(10:28):
like reproof my reproof read mywords.
And so um, so I started writingand I backed off from it many,
many times because I allowed theenemy to start whispering in my
ear and telling me like that'syou can't do that.
Um, your vocabulary is not bigenough, you know, you you're
(10:49):
having to look up words likeevery other word, and um but so
I stopped and I wish that Iwouldn't have stopped because
perhaps I would be further alongthan I am as far as you know my
writing skills.
However, I'm thankful.
I'm thankful that um that itcame in this timing, and I do
(11:11):
believe in God's timing.
But if somebody could have toldme, don't quit, because when we
are purpose and fashioned forGod's kingdom work and we have
our marching orders, the enemy'sgonna want to come in and he's
gonna want to come and stealthat and tell us how we are
unqualified and tell us how youknow we don't have the skills or
(11:32):
the resources or whatever.
Um, and if we get tripped up onthat, it's gonna make us march
around the mountain a few moretimes before we arrive to the
destination that God is callingus to.
So if I can tell my young self,don't quit, don't listen to the
(11:53):
enemy, and I would have beenmore aware of the spiritual
warfare.
Um, that's what I would tellmyself.
But that's also what I wouldtell anybody else who is feeling
a longing or a burning to startsomething, to write something,
to speak, to share, to start aministry, to start a small
group, to invite a neighbor forcoffee, like that's smallest
step.
(12:13):
Like, don't quit and don't givethe enemy space to whisper in
our ear.
Like, let's learn to dailyremove our spiritual wax.
And as I'm saying this to all ofyou and whoever is listening,
I'm actually kind of repeatingthat to myself this morning
because there are days that arehard, even today.
SPEAKER_02 (12:35):
Yeah.
I'll piggyback on that becauseit it flows into what I was
gonna share, which was um, youknow, what did I not know uh
when I was beginning a ministryor whether it's writing or any
kind of adventure, right, thatyou're going into or starting a
business.
Um, the biggest challenge isyourself.
Like whatever you decide to do,um, you will end up really
(12:59):
having to face parts of yourselfthat you didn't realize you had,
um, that you didn't realize youdidn't have, right?
Like Chelsea was saying, thebusiness background side of it
as hers has grown.
Um, Cecilia, kind of theperseverance, right?
And the fact that the enemy doescome in.
Yeah, like the enemy isabsolutely going to try to stop
(13:20):
you from reaching the potentialof what God has for you.
And the beautiful part of ajourney like this of just saying
yes to God and whatever he hasplaced in your heart to do, is
that it will cause you to lookat the parts of yourself that
you either don't want to, thatyou don't realize you're there.
Um, and then it will put you ina place to where you have a
(13:42):
choice to really make of you'reeither going to push through and
overcome, because the Lord willabsolutely do that for you, or
you shrink away.
And even that is so eye-opening,right?
Like Cecilia was saying, thetimes that she stopped or
paused.
And I relate to that.
I've done the same thing whereI've allowed um, I've allowed
the whisper of the lies to belarger in my mind than the truth
(14:06):
of God's word, and that hasstagnated some time in my life.
But at the same time, lookingback, I don't regret those
moments because now it's it'swhat propels me to, oh no, like
I'm not gonna keep doing that.
I'm not gonna keep making thosedecisions.
Like I am going to do what Ineed to to persevere and ensure
that I'm um getting rid ofanything in here that's
(14:29):
hindering and advancing to thenext level because God will take
me there, but am I gonna chooseto partner with him to do it,
right?
Am I gonna choose to to reallylook at the mirror, look in the
mirror and recognize what may begoing on in me that needs to uh
change or come out throughdeliverance or healing, anything
like that.
SPEAKER_04 (14:51):
Thank you for that.
Scriptures tell us he moves usfrom glory to glory, right?
So that's right.
SPEAKER_02 (14:56):
That's right.
SPEAKER_04 (14:57):
There's always this change that's happening.
SPEAKER_02 (14:59):
Yeah, well, and that can be a yeah, and that can be a
good recognition of if we're notmoving from glory to glory, what
is stopping us?
Like if we look back at, youknow, if you look back at your
life a year ago, if you don'tsee growth over these past 12
months, well, something isstagnating you, something is
hindering you, um, because youshould be moving from glory to
(15:21):
glory.
SPEAKER_01 (15:22):
I wish I had just gone ahead and started and just
started my book sooner.
I had my father told me when Iwas in high school when he was
asking me what I wanted to do,uh, and I would told him I I
knew I knew from I knew from uhbeing in the third grade I
wanted to be a writer.
I knew.
And uh and I when I told himthat, he was like, no one cares
(15:46):
about anything that you have tosay.
And it stuck with me.
And so I didn't I didn't reallywrite anymore at all after that.
And so I didn't start writinguntil I was in my 30s.
And uh, and that was when ittook, it took and like this
random guy that totally washearing from Jesus, and he he
(16:08):
rattled off my entire life inlike two minutes, which is
impressive because it's sevenbooks that I've written.
So I'm like, dang.
So in two minutes he rattled itall off.
And and and I was like, how doyou do that?
And and I was clearly he wasclearly hearing from Jesus.
And then he was like, and I saidall of this to say this is to
you.
(16:29):
You need you you're supposed towrite a book and it's about you.
And uh I I started the followingday.
And uh in the writing process, Ihave to say that uh if if you're
if you're writing to honor Jesusand you're and you're writing
and it's not drawing you closerto Jesus, it's not gonna be
drawing anybody else closer toJesus either.
(16:51):
And so, so when I was writing, Iwas healing.
And so I want to encourageanybody that wants that, that
feels the draw to write theirtestimony, write your testimony.
If you get triggered whileyou're writing it, stop writing,
stop, pray, and ask for healingright then and there.
And by the time you're finishedwith your first draft, you're
gonna have so much healing,you're gonna be a totally
(17:12):
different person at the end ofthat journey.
And then you get to start overand edit.
And if you're still gettingtriggered, there's another layer
that needs to go.
And so I just if I for anybodythat wants to that wants to
write their testimony and share,I would say that would be that
would be something it would havebeen good to know earlier on,
because I probably would havegotten a lot more healing a lot
faster if I went ahead and justgot started.
SPEAKER_05 (17:32):
Amen.
100% agree.
If I could piggyback, just saysomething really quick, Sandra,
is that there is so much powerin um transparency, right?
And when we write that out, yes,it's painful in the moment, but
it does usher in the healing.
And then it it really gives usthe strength to really um go
(17:53):
into those wounds that leavedeep scars that sometimes are a
lifetime to just refill andspeak life into, right?
And so I love that that you saidthat 100% agree.
And it does it happens for thereader too.
I'm sorry, Kelly, I'm excited tohear it.
Yeah.
That's okay.
SPEAKER_03 (18:13):
I was just gonna say, you know, the way I'm
thinking about this question,when I first started, I have a
very formulaic logical brain.
And um I struggled withbalancing, hustling to get
somewhere and waiting on theLord and trying to figure out,
you know, I need to knock ondoors, but I can't kick them
(18:35):
down.
He's the one that orders thesteps.
And so um, you know, I wouldjust hustle, hustle, hustle,
hustle and get nowhere, get noopportunities.
And that would be adiscouragement initially.
Um, but I would say what I wishI knew then was that that was
the Lord guiding and to not viewit as a negative, to view it as
(19:00):
He's leading where He wants younow.
Um, and you have to staysensitive to the Spirit on that.
Um, but you you do have to doyour part.
You can't just sit at home andmagically an opportunity is
gonna appear.
Um, but there is that balance.
And I so I would say don't getstuck in the hustle side of it
(19:22):
so much that you leave God outof it, essentially, um, and just
learning to balance that.
SPEAKER_00 (19:30):
That is so hard.
That is so hard.
And do you have any other ideas,or does anyone else have any
other ideas on on how to dothat, or is it just continually
working and then pausing andpraying and making sure that
you're you're on the rightsteps?
SPEAKER_03 (19:48):
My my story is um well, partly just do the next
thing.
Do the next thing.
God's God sees the wholepicture, he knows where he's
taking you, when he's taking youthere.
You don't.
We don't.
So do the next thing that hebrings.
If he brings a podcast for youto be on, do the next thing, you
know?
Um, because he is ordering thesteps and trust that process.
(20:10):
Um, but at the same time, umwhen my kids were younger, there
weren't, I mean, I was teachinglocal Bible study and whatnot,
but there wasn't an opportunity,and there shouldn't have been an
opportunity to do larger events.
Um and a wise woman told me,prepare.
Use that time to prepare.
(20:31):
You don't know what you'repreparing for, but God does.
Um, so I took time to go toseminary.
Um, I'd been out of college 10years, my kids started school.
As soon as they both startedfull-time school, I went back
and I prepared.
And everybody would ask me, Whyare you in seminary?
And I would say, I don't know.
I don't know.
(20:52):
But it was preparation, and Iwas doing the next thing, and I
use that degree every day of mylife.
Um, so pre preparation and dothe next thing.
SPEAKER_01 (21:02):
I would even say look for uh look for Jesus in
the interruptions.
Uh I've been so busy before,like, especially with the
audiobook and uh of the novel,and just I mean, like when
people would would would call,I'd have to remember that the
whole point of what I'm doing isto promote the gospel and to be
(21:24):
Jesus' hands and feet.
So when an opportunity arrives,you have to see it that way.
It's an opportunity when whenwhen somebody is calling and
they're the either they'rethey're needing prayer and it's
it's uh and I had to learn toput my phone on silent so it
doesn't throw off the wholeaudio, but but like to stop and
it's like, hey, this is whywe're doing what we do.
(21:44):
So in the interruption, whensomeone needs you and you get to
be the hands and feet of Jesus,go and do, because one of the
times I went and did, I ended upmeeting some of the women that
are on this podcast and throughthrough all of it.
And so glory to Jesus for forbeing able to use these
beautiful interruptions.
So if you'll put your agendadown and take up his agenda,
(22:05):
he's gonna take you on paths younever knew were possible.
SPEAKER_02 (22:08):
Right.
SPEAKER_05 (22:10):
I love that Kelly brought that up because I feel
like that's one of the biggeststruggles for me, as not
necessarily on the ministry endwith um with leading women um in
our local church or even withthe testimony gathering
ministry, but rather with thebook, because it it changes and
it takes a shift.
And sometimes it can feel likeself-promotion.
(22:33):
And I'm like, I don't want toself-promote.
Like I did that all of my lifeand it didn't work very well,
didn't work out so well.
So I'm really on God's timing umand on his promoting, right?
But finding that fine balance ishard.
It's hard because you do want tobe proactive.
You do want to, you know, okay,the Lord gave you this gift.
(22:56):
And you I believe, and um theauthors here know, like I
believe that what I wrote hasvalue, and I believe that it
ushers in the spirit of God tocome in and bring freedom and
bring healing.
So I know that it has worth, butbut how do you do that?
Right.
And so I'm learning to kind offinally do that dance.
(23:19):
And I'm I'm a new author.
I just published at thebeginning of this year, and I
really haven't done a whole lot,and somehow it doesn't make
sense to a lot of people thatI'm not doing a lot with it, but
there is this overwhelming pieceinside of me that God's telling
me, I'm your promoter.
I'm the one who gave you this.
(23:40):
I will promote it becausepromoting it promotes my son and
promotes what I have to offer.
And so I'm kind of in thewaiting.
And if I'm being completelyhonest, sometimes it's hard to
just sit here and be still andknow that he is God.
But that's why it's calledfaith, right?
SPEAKER_03 (24:03):
Well, and I would also add to that, um, Cecilia,
that you know, traditionalmethods of promoting when we
think about running Facebook adsand making graphics and come to
our thing, read our book, blah,blah, blah.
The way that we do that matters,right?
So it's those tools aren't badand they're not negative to use.
(24:26):
They can be, but they don't haveto be.
So when we're promotingsomething, it's not come see me
speak.
It's come see what the Lord'sgonna do.
Come see what the Lord is gonnareveal through such and such a
scripture that I happen to bespeaking on.
Doesn't matter that I'm there,right?
So I think there's probably away to even use those
(24:46):
traditional methods um where yougive him the glory even in the
promoting.
SPEAKER_00 (24:53):
Does anyone else have thoughts on on that as far
as promoting and not loving thataspect of it?
SPEAKER_04 (25:01):
I've struggled with that too, as well.
Because if if they don't knowabout you, then they won't come,
right?
If they don't know about theconference, if they don't know
about your book, then they don'tknow to get it.
And so there is this part whereyou do have to do a little bit
out there.
But also, I I like that thisthought process that if God
promotes, God will sustain.
(25:23):
If you self-promote, then youhave to self-sustain.
And that is that's where you'regonna get worn out.
But when God does it and heshows you, and he just like
this, this networking right hereof people, beautiful women to
come in together, that's Godpromoting right here, you know,
and and learning, uh leaninginto it.
He he does it a different way,and also like Kelly said,
(25:44):
they're tools.
We get to choose how we usethem, right?
Um AI is a tool, it's like ahammer.
How do we want to use thehammer?
The hammer can build or thehammer can destroy.
So we get to choose.
Social media doesn't have to bebad, it just depends on how we
use it.
And so I I agree with thosethings.
But yeah, it's it's a it hasbeen a big thing for me too,
(26:06):
just balancing that because Ionce heard God say, if you don't
tell them, they won't know tocome.
And I'm like, Well, you whydon't you just tell them?
You do it.
You you're you're God of theuniverse, you can tell them, you
can put it on their heart.
And so it it's it's a little bitof trusting him to believe that,
okay, I can't put it out hereand trust that he will do
(26:27):
something with it, right?
But it is for his name and hisglory, absolutely.
SPEAKER_02 (26:31):
I think so much of it ties into also um how kind of
like Kelly said, what are wepointing to when we're doing it?
You know, are we pointing toourselves or are we pointing to
him?
Um, like he clearly showed mewith his collection that
everything is his.
Like this is his company, hisbrand, his mission.
And so anytime that um anytimehe has me sharing it, I know
(26:55):
that the intention is to ensurethat I'm pointing to him in the
midst of it.
Like, look what he did, lookwhat he's doing.
Um, because it's it's really notabout us at all, right?
We are just little vessels.
Um, but I do find myself Istruggle with, especially with
the social media aspect of umkind of like Cecilia was saying,
of self-promotion and just eventhis idea of um putting
(27:19):
ourselves in front of camerasand focusing on what we look
like or what we, you know, uhwhat we're wearing and whether
we have makeup on and all ofthis, like I find that sometimes
that can get um distracting andum can take away from what the
real message is.
But as long as we're pointing tohim in the midst of it and then
(27:39):
really going back to some of thestuff they said earlier,
trusting, like seeking him onLord.
What are you calling me to?
Like, are you calling me to be apart of this podcast?
Okay, well, then I'm going to dothat.
Are you telling me to, you know,go to this conference or that
one?
Okay, then I'm going to do that.
And trust that through all theseuh decisions, right, through all
these places that he's takingus, that that is where he is
(28:01):
promoting us.
That is where he is connectingus.
Because he's, I mean, God is thebest networker that you could
ever have.
Right.
Like he will put you where youneed to be as long as we are
asking him, um, you know, like,hey, where am I supposed to go
today?
What am I supposed to do?
Where am I supposed to sharethis?
Um, and he will faithfully makesure that you're in the right
(28:22):
spot.
And whether sometimes evenwithout us asking, he's like,
well, you may not be asking, butI'm gonna get you here one way
or the other.
SPEAKER_00 (28:29):
Have you thought you would have support from family
and friends that you did not?
And then how did how did youdeal with that disappointment?
SPEAKER_01 (28:37):
My family was not very excited about the novel
because it exposed a lot ofstuff that had been brushed
under the rug for years,ignored, and even I was even
told it never happened, eventhough I was in the room while I
was being abused.
So for them to tell me it didn'thappen, it's a lot of
gaslighting.
So they were not excited aboutit and uh actually have done the
(28:59):
opposite of promoting it.
They've been telling people thatit's lies.
Uh, and that got back to me.
And so um uh, but on the otherside of that coin, there has I
have seen the best of humanityshow up in relatives and in
strangers and friends, andpeople contacting me and letting
me know the impact that it's hadon them, seeking out
(29:21):
deliverance, uh, realizing howthings had entered through
through their own trauma.
And that has been that has beenso confirming that that this was
Jesus' idea that that man didhear from from Yahweh that Jesus
has been involved in this entireprocess.
(29:43):
And uh the the disappointment asfar as from my family, from my
from my uh perspective, itactually made sense with
everything else that hadhappened.
So thankfully I had already haduh healing on that end and a lot
of forgiveness on that end whereit's just like It's this is uh
this is the way it's gonna beuntil their healing happens,
(30:04):
until until they have theirencounter with Jesus.
But until then, just to reallyfocus on the positive as far as
what is occurring, the thingspeople are saying that are that
that it where it has made apositive difference and that
they have gotten closer to Jesusbecause of it and they've gotten
liberated because of this.
And it and it's proof positivethat in the book of Revelations,
(30:25):
where it talks about, you know,us overcoming the overcoming
Satan by the blood of the Lamband the word of our testimony,
fact.
SPEAKER_05 (30:32):
It kind of goes along with that very first
question as far as like um whatwould I tell my old self or
somebody who is trying to writea book or starting to write a
book?
After writing the book, I feellike the Lord really gave me
validation and really affirmedwhat he had assigned me to do.
Um, because my my story is sospecific to um is it's so
(31:00):
specific to um a certaindemographic because I was
smuggled in from Mexico and allthe things.
But within the book, I reallydescribe and talk a lot about
the fruit that that created inmy life, you know, the
insecurities, the fear, youknow, all of these um character
(31:21):
defects, if you will, right?
And so having people fromcompletely different walks of
life that are so that couldn'tbe further away from mine, come
and say, wow, your story isreally powerful.
Um, and it's not anything I'veexperienced, but I can identify
(31:42):
with the fruit that youdescribed, and I have felt these
same feelings.
And so for me, it was like theLord saying, You see, I had a
purpose and a plan for this, andI was doing something with it.
And so that has been veryassuring and felt very like a
lot of support for me to hearthe feedback from individuals.
Um, as far as my family goes, myparents have been gone a long
(32:07):
time, so my parents are nolonger around, but I do have
eight other siblings.
Um, nine, but one of them isit's with Jesus already.
And these other eight siblings,we are so far in age from each
other that their perspectivesare very different.
And some of them have acceptedmy perspective as the youngest,
(32:31):
and some of them can't seebeyond their perspective, and
that has been a little hurtful,and that has been hard, but I
come back to the arms of thefather and that assurance that
he's like, this is not for them,this is for the ears that I have
already prepared for.
(32:52):
And so I think just keeping myfocus on my marching orders and
what the Lord has commissionedme to do is really what sustains
um my strength to continue tostand firmly on what the word of
God has already said about me.
And so um in the moment, does itsting a little sometimes when
(33:16):
you have the people that areclosest to you who should be
your biggest cheerleaders and bechampioning you, you know, maybe
not not come alongside you andlove on you the way you need to
be loved?
It stings, um, but it's for amoment, and God is eternal and
his validation is eternal.
And so we have to make a choiceto um to believe that.
SPEAKER_03 (33:41):
I do.
Yeah, I think perspective is abig deal.
Um, so not an author, but as aperformer and as a minister,
like I do events and naivelyassumed that meant that my
friends and family would come tothe events, and a lot of times
(34:01):
they don't.
And um, it's real easy to uhtake that personally and to get
disappointed and focus on that.
Um, but the reality is peopleare busy and people are
self-focused, and so they're notthinking, oh, it'd probably mean
a lot to Kelly if you came tothe event, if I went to the
(34:22):
event.
Like, no, they're thinking abouttheir own grocery lists and
their own lives.
So it's not like a slight and apurposeful thing.
Um, so to just shift that focusfrom I'm so hurt that people
aren't coming that I thoughtwould, to who is here?
Who is here?
God brought these people here,and these are the people that
(34:46):
need to be ministered to by himthrough me in some way, shape,
or form, and celebrate that andfocus on that.
SPEAKER_02 (34:57):
Yeah, I've actually been very surprised by um uh the
people who have come alongsidelike the journey and who have
wanted to be a part of thingsand jumped in.
And I feel like that's actuallybeen one of the really joyful
blessings to see, like, oh wow,like look at these people that
you're bringing, look at, youknow, um, people who want to be
(35:18):
a part of the team, who want tojump in, who want to freely give
and um and take part.
That's really surprised me in abeautiful way to see, like, oh,
this is, you know, you placethis on my heart to start, but
look at how you're now touchingall these other people and and
really even um helping tocultivate kind of a time and
space for that person to operateand maybe a gifting that they
(35:42):
wouldn't be if it weren't for,you know, this kind of platform
or this opportunity.
I think that's been really it'sbeen surprising and and really
uh an unexpected blessing.
SPEAKER_04 (35:53):
Yeah, absolutely super cool to watch that and
watch how God, like you said awhile ago, Amanda, that he's the
networker of people and how hebrings different people in.
And I've heard Cecilia talkabout the the tapestry, he's
weaving this tapestry togetherof all these beautiful people,
and then given that allowance,yes, to grow, to to step into
(36:14):
maybe something new.
You know, uh, we talk aboutsometimes the five-fold ministry
teachers, apostles, prophets,um, evangelists, shepherds.
And um, sometimes in our normaldaily life, we might not realize
that we we are even have thatcalling on our life.
But when we create the space forother people to walk in, that's
(36:34):
super cool to watch.
To step into it, and then togive grace while while the uh
while we're all learning how todo it, you know.
Super cool too, but it is needto watch how God will do that
and intertwine everybody.
Uh I once heard Beth Mooreactually, she said this one
time.
She said, A me calling can onlybe fulfilled in a we context,
(36:58):
and I think that's super great.
Like what God has called me todo, I cannot do on my own.
I cannot.
And um, and it takes all of usto do that, and so it's it is
beautiful, it is it is cool toteach people how God people are
used by God, God's people areused by God, but um as far as
support for myself, my biggestcheerleader was my mom, and my
(37:22):
mom is now in heaven, and Ibelieve she is now part of that
great cloud of witnesses thatshe's still cheering me on, but
man, would it be so cool to beable to pick up the phone and
just talk to her?
That would be amazing.
But uh, I know she's up therecheering me on, and she's saying
what Cecilia said, Don't quit.
(37:44):
I've even asked God if I could,he won't let me get it.
SPEAKER_00 (37:48):
How do you stay focused on what God has called
you to do when things shift orchange or go a different way?
And maybe that's okay, maybe theshift is a good thing.
But how if you have seen ashift, did you take on that
shift or did you let that go?
SPEAKER_03 (38:06):
I think you touched on just in the beginning of that
question, we need to ask whythings are shifting.
Um, why are things not goingwell according to our
perspective?
And there's three possibilities,maybe more.
I thought of three.
Um, one, you're trying to dosomething he didn't ever call
(38:26):
you to in the first place.
Uh, another one is you're tryingto keep doing something that he
called you to earlier, but he'swanted to move you out.
If that part is over, it's timeto move on.
Um, and then uh the third optionis he wants you to stay in the
struggle to develop thecharacter and the integrity and
(38:48):
the Christ-likeness that he hasfor you.
And learning to differentiatewhat that is, it's not easy.
It's not easy.
I wish it was super clear.
It's not.
SPEAKER_00 (38:56):
And it's telling just give us a one, two, three,
right?
SPEAKER_03 (38:59):
Like yeah, exactly.
Um, but just staying in prayerand staying in the word, he will
show it eventually.
Um, I had an opportunityrecently where he was extremely
clear.
I prayed for clarity and he wasextremely clear.
Um, that doesn't always happen.
In fact, it almost never happensfor me.
(39:20):
It takes me a while to figureout what he's saying.
He usually has to tell me threeor four times before I'm like,
oh, I get it now.
Um, but asking why, why is itnot working, I think is very
important.
SPEAKER_02 (39:33):
I would add on to that with um seeking him.
Uh so like I think it's it'svery easy and probably part of
our human nature to to get intolike a system, to get into a oh,
well, I've done this, you know,year one, now I'm gonna do it
year two, year three, year four,year five, and kind of like
creating traditions, right?
Um but like Kelly was saying,just because God called you to
(39:57):
do something one year doesn'tmean that he's telling you to do
it the next year.
Um, like his collection hosts afashion show almost annually at
this point.
Like we're hosting our fifthshow in December.
Um, but after what was it inyear three, um, he was very
clear about the fact that wewere not to do a show that year.
(40:17):
Like instead, he called us tohost a love feast or an agape
meal where we just gather inthis timing-wise, like I didn't
know what was going to be goingon, but it happened to be the
year of COVID.
I was like, oh, no wonder, God,that you are, you know, that you
have shifted things.
Um, but he called us to justgather back, basically gather
the community, bring peopletogether and host this meal.
(40:41):
But, anyways, um, it reminds meof the scripture, and I'm I just
heard this at the conference I'mattending, but it's 2 Timothy
3.5, it says, in the last days,many will have religious forms
and traditions, but will have noexperience of the true power of
God.
And I think that that's such akey part of what we're talking
about.
Of we have to constantly beseeking him for what his will is
(41:05):
in this season, in this day, inthis year.
Um, because that that willshift, right?
That will shift according to hisplans and purposes.
And we have to be willing to getout of the way and say yes to
something different.
Yes to like just because I'velaid this foundation here or
done this in the past doesn'tmean that I need to continue to
(41:26):
operate that way moving forwardbecause God can have something
totally different.
Um, so I would just stress theimportance of really seeking Him
in all things and at all timesto find out is this your will
for this season?
Are we meant to do this?
And then, you know, once youhave that peace or that yes,
absolutely follow it, kind ofwithout question.
SPEAKER_05 (41:46):
I'd like to piggyback on that.
And I think um Sandra saidsomething about um
interruptions, and sometimesit's beyond an interruption,
it's like a complete detour.
Um, and just learning to bemalleable to that.
And I was recently in Matthew um11, 28, where it talks about,
you know, his yoke is easy andhis burden is light, and you
(42:08):
know, they're referring to thoseoxen, right?
And often in that time, they hadlike a very mature oxen that
knew exactly what to do and howto how to plow and how to do the
work, and then the young onethat was learning, and he's and
that's what he's describing islike I'm the one leading, I am
the one like doing the hardwork, but sometimes when I
(42:28):
resist the detour or or theinterruption, you know, I begin
to struggle and and I'm like,why is it so hard?
And I'm it feels like you'reswimming uphill and like the
currents are so strong, and it'slike just come alongside me.
Like if you just walk alongsideme, it's gonna be light because
I'm the one doing the work.
(42:49):
And I think um just being opento to the interruptions and even
the detours that sometimes wedon't want to take.
Um, and I've I've said this, youknow, before is that we will
never lose in an exchange withGod Almighty.
We are always gonna get thebetter end of the stick.
(43:10):
And he's always gonna give usbeauty for ashes, right?
And so again, it always comesback to that trust that also
means faith, you know, believingwithout seeing and operating not
as things are, but as we knowthat the Lord has called them to
be, right?
And so, um, so I'm stilllearning it.
(43:33):
I definitely have not masteredthis, but um, I pray that as I
continue to walk out what he hasme walking out, that I will
learn to feel the yoke when hestarts to shift in another
direction, and that I amconsistently obedient enough to
(43:53):
walk next to him rather thanfight the current.
SPEAKER_02 (43:57):
Cecilia, I want to share with you a friend of mine
um shared this revelation withme on that particular scripture,
and it's always stuck with me ofhis uh his yoke is easy and his
burden is light.
So, yoke, like you're saying,like when you're in the yoke,
like thinking of the kettle,right?
Like it's easy because he's theone pulling it.
But this was the part, therevelatory part.
His burden is light.
(44:18):
So often we interpret that as uhweight, right?
Like, oh, it's it's light, it'seasy, it's it's lightweight.
But she said, no, think of itthis way his burden is light,
like uh like light as in a lightbulb, right?
You're shine.
So our burden is to bear hislight, like to be that lamp,
(44:39):
right on the stand, not hidden,but to actually be the light and
reflect that out.
And oh my gosh, it was like whenI heard it.
It really changes things, right?
It's like, oh my gosh, I alwaysthought of it as this weight,
but to hear, no, our burden,what we are to bear is to be the
light, right?
To reflect him.
SPEAKER_01 (45:01):
That's fantastic.
SPEAKER_02 (45:02):
Susie Freeland.
Susie Freeland Freeland is theone who heard that.
SPEAKER_01 (45:07):
Oh my gosh, that's like the coolest thing about the
light, and that so that wow,that just blows my mind right
now.
That's fantastic.
SPEAKER_02 (45:17):
It did me too.
SPEAKER_04 (45:18):
And every time I share it, I'm like, about the
light, right?
The light is lightweight.
SPEAKER_02 (45:24):
Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_04 (45:26):
Both.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (45:28):
Light travels faster than I think anything else.
I don't know.
Who knows science?
SPEAKER_01 (45:34):
It's a multifaceted revelation for sure.
As far as for for me stayingfocused when I was when I was
writing the book, and it's sodaunting because it's not a
little book.
It uh and I had to write sevenback to back.
I didn't know it was going to beseven.
I thought it was just gonna beone book that it just kept
expanding.
But um, so I had to chop it intoseven parts.
(45:55):
Whenever I was writing and andit's just exhausting because I'm
sitting in the same positionjust I mean, just about every
day.
And I would get I'd startgetting discouraged.
I I would pray and I'd ask forhis perspective, for Jesus'
perspective on the situation,and he would remind me this
isn't about you.
Like, which is interestingbecause the book was about my
(46:17):
testimony, uh, but it's notabout me.
And he was he was speaking, hewas speaking of of the purpose
behind what we're doing.
So when we start feeling dauntedabout whatever it is, the
whatever task that he's putbefore us, it's important for us
to understand that this is goingto set somebody free.
If he is in it, there's going tobe change.
(46:38):
And and when and even with theconcept of light, that's like
that's the only way thatdarkness flees.
Darkness is the absence oflight.
So whenever we add light intothe situation, darkness has to
flee.
And and it's it actually kind ofmakes me think about the cover
of my book, even because it'sJesus gave me that cover and it
(46:59):
was just darkness that I was in,and that light is coming in, and
I'm trying to get to it.
And there's then whatever is inbetween me and that light has to
be taken out.
And even the sword itself haslight.
And so under understanding andholding on to the fact that when
we're when we're slowing down,when we're exhausted, when our
(47:20):
eyes are bloodshot from whateverit is that we're doing, when
we're having to cry throughtyping and reliving and and
going through all of that allover again, there's so much
purpose behind the pain.
And that was that had to havebeen what Jesus was thinking
about when he was marchingtowards that cross.
At any time, he could havecalled legions of angels to save
(47:41):
him, and he just kept goingbecause he knew that there, that
there was going to be so muchpower and so much liberty at the
end of what he was about to do.
And it must have been, it musthave been such a relief to be
able to say it is finished.
SPEAKER_04 (47:55):
That brings me to the answer to the question.
It's a different way of lookingat the word why.
Why am I doing it?
Because it's an assignment.
Because he placed it in my heartso deep that I can't, I get up
in the morning and this is whatI'm going to do.
That I believe that we are toset the captives free.
That's part of the order, right?
(48:17):
That we bring a light to thedarkness, that that's part of
the order.
That there's there's a strongerwhy to do this.
I uh I I don't want any of thisto feel like I have I have built
any of it because I haven't.
And it's not for me.
And if he told me to shut it alldown tomorrow, I'm out.
That's just how it is, becausethis is so much bigger.
(48:38):
It's just like it's whatSandra's saying, it's so much
bigger than what we're doing,you know, the the blocks that we
are building right now.
It's so much bigger than that,it's for others, it's for his
glory, but it's to bringfreedom, you know, and uh it's
Isaiah 61.
I mean, the uh you're thereright now.
(49:00):
That's what it is, and it's tolive like Jesus, to walk like
Jesus, and to forgive likeJesus, and then hope that others
are doing the same for you,right?
That we are in this together,we're all on this journey headed
towards heaven, praise God, likekeep our mind on heaven.
That's our focus, that's wherewe're going, right?
(49:20):
But in the meantime, we have ajob to do, and that's what I see
my life on earth as it's a job,it's something that God has
asked me to do, and he's told meto live, right?
Live this life.
We do that by dying, dying toself, to live is is Christ, but
(49:41):
to live this life out front infront of people to show that he
is good, that he is glorious,that his ways are a better way.
So, why do I do what I do?
Because he's asked me to, and Ilove him.
And this intimate relationship,this love relationship, that God
of the universe would look downand call me by name and speak to
(50:03):
me and then give me anassignment.
That's why I do it.
That's that's what I thinkobedience looks like.
It's not something I have to do,it's something that I want to
do.
SPEAKER_00 (50:14):
Ladies, this has been amazing.
I cannot believe it's been anhour.
This has gone by so fast.
I've loved just the kind ofgoing back and forth, and oh,
that hit me.
And let me tell you what thisit's just been amazing when I
talked to Cecilia about hey,wouldn't it be cool just to get
a lot of women on and just talk?
And she graciously got all ofyou guys together, but it it is
(50:37):
more than than I thought it wasgoing to be.
So God is so good, and you guysare so good to give of your
time.
So thank you.
SPEAKER_05 (50:44):
This has been a room full of wisdom, and I am
completely inspired byeverything that you know,
Sandra, Kelly, Amanda, Shellshas shared.
It has really blessed my heart,and I think it's also brought
just a little bit of light tosome of the things that I
struggle with, and maybe nothaving an answer, but knowing
(51:06):
that we're all in it togetherand we're all part of the
tapestry somehow is soencouraging and continues to
fuel me to say, just keepmarching forward because we're
not in it alone.
We're in it um together, and wehave an amazing leader.
SPEAKER_00 (51:22):
Yeah, I think that was my hope was that I think
that sometimes we can start tobelieve the lie that I'm the
only one who feels like this.
I'm the only one who's had thisstruggle.
And and so it was just soblessing to have this and hear
that no, I feel like that or Ifelt like that, but over here,
and this is what's helped me.
And um, just like we've beentalking about, like showing
(51:42):
light into any kind of darknessof of those lies.
So I appreciate all of you beingon.
And I'm so thankful for all ofour listeners who are listening.
I'm sure you are blessed inmaybe just a million different
ways by this.
But thank you for listening toOrdinary People Extraordinary
Things, where your story is hisglory.
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