January 19, 2024 • 61 mins
When life throws curveballs, how does one hold their family together with grace and resilience? This is the very fabric of our latest conversation with Jackie Dighans, a mother to an incredible brood of ten and a guiding light as a covenant life coach. Together, we traverse her personal odyssey from the intimate space of homeschooling to the broader stages of public education, unearthing the indispensable role of spirituality in shaping a cohesive and loving family dynamic.
Navigating the intricacies of growth and identity, our dialogue delves into the art of intentional parenting, striking a balance between guidance and autonomy as our children wade through their formative years. We lay bare the poignant struggles and victories that come with fostering open communication, sharing life's wisdom, and making informed choices. It's a shared journey, both humbling and enriching, that underscores the evolution of self-awareness and the courage to admit that as parents, we too are students of life's unpredictable curriculum.
The episode culminates with a stirring reflection on the metamorphosis wrought by life's trials. We delve into personal stories of tribulation, discussing how these moments of despair can be alchemized into joyous triumphs of faith and gratitude. Join us as we chart a path through the complexities of modern life, embracing growth and a positive perspective that transforms every challenge into a stepping stone towards a more fulfilled existence. Jackie and I invite you to witness the everyday miracles that reaffirm our belief in a purpose-driven life, brimming with love and possibility.
Please visit us at: http://retreattopeace.com to find out more about the shows you love to listen to, the upcoming retreats we have planned and your favorite merchandise to help support those in need. Also, send us your testimonial of how the show or Catherine has helped you. We would love to share your story on the air.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
Thank you for being here with me and welcome back.
My name is Catherine Daniels.
I love to empower people withspiritual healing and wellness.
The best thing about retreat topeace is the gift of inner
peace, greater love and joyDuring these times of changes
and uncertainty in the world.
Nothing is permanent except oursouls, and that's why we need
(01:20):
to come together as we travelthrough one another's countries,
creating a bridge, removing allthe labels, and as we come
together as one people findingour home in one world.
This is why the signature talktoday is so important.
Today I am super excited towelcome my guest, jackie Diggins
(01:41):
.
Hi, jackie, hi, glad to be here.
Thank you so much for beinghere today.
I'm very excited to have thisopportunity to share space with
you and interview you, and myworld audience has no idea who
Jackie is, so I'm just going tohave you take a moment and share
(02:02):
a little bit about who you are.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
Okay, great Thanks for having me again, catherine,
I appreciate it.
Anyway, so I'm Jackie Diggins,I live in rural Montana, I've
been married for 30 years, have10 children and, yes, they're
all mine and ours, and there'sno twins.
(02:27):
We had one at a time, for, yeah, for 20 years I was either
pregnant or nursing, so, anyway,I also homeschooled my children
for almost 20 years, and thenthe Lord told me to put the kids
in school.
So that's what I did.
I followed his leading and atthat same time I went to two
(02:52):
years of Bible school and thenbecame a covenant life coach.
And so I'm a coach and anauthor.
Covenant life coach just meansI'm a faith based life coach,
and then I'm a offer authorworking on my third book.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
So yeah, that is absolutely amazing and beautiful
, and as you're telling theaudience that you've had 10
children, I literally could justfeel my body react.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
Because I can't.
Speaker 1 (03:29):
I can't even imagine my beautiful babies.
I mean, I, my body justphysically couldn't handle
having more than three and youknow I was very blessed to have
three, but I have.
As a woman, I've had to endurea lot, so I'm just like I honor
you.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
Well, I'm amazed at what God did.
I didn't start out wanting tohave a large family.
I was an overwhelmed mom ofthree kids when God called us to
have a large family and I myhusband and I said yes.
We actually said we'd take oneat a time, and that's exactly
how God did it.
(04:11):
And one thing that's amazingtoo, is they were all natural
births and there was no bigproblems having any of them.
You know, so I'm thankful I seeGod's hand and grace on that.
Yeah, you know, in my life thatway.
Speaker 1 (04:32):
So that is beautiful, and it sounds like they're all
healthy and everything is verygood for them, which is amazing.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
Yes, I'm very thankful.
Speaker 1 (04:44):
Yeah, you were definitely blessed.
So what are the one of thereasons that I thought it'd be
really important to have you onthe show for my audience is as a
mom, especially with the, youknow, the group that you have.
I mean, there's so many momsthat are listening to the show
(05:06):
and I feel like sometimes justhaving one child or just having,
you know, a couple of children,with the environment that we're
living in and the things thatare happening in the uncertainty
I mean, do you have any advicethat can help some of these
mothers with chaos anduncertainty and confusion and
(05:28):
just how to be that strong rolemodel for them?
Speaker 2 (05:34):
Well, I know, for me it started with me knowing who I
am, and and what I mean by thatis, I know I'm a child of God.
I know who I am in Christ.
As far as I'm protected, I'malready loved, like I come from
a place of being loved, becauseGod, in the word, tells us that
(05:58):
we're His beloved right, and soI start from that place.
So then, as I, as I've learnedover the years you know this has
all been a journey for me butthat I don't have my children
don't have to act a certain wayor be a certain way in order for
me to be okay, right.
(06:19):
So I I know, as even as afamily, that we're loved, we're
protected.
And so, as I've sent mychildren out into the public
school system after, you know,like I said, I was homeschooling
for several years I know thatthey're where they need to be,
(06:41):
like they're more safe therethan at home now, because God
said that's where they need tobe, and I know His place for
them is best.
And so if we, as parents and asmoms, can realize that we, we
can actually live in, like theword tells us, in that safe
(07:06):
place, in that refuge in Christright In Psalm 91, it talks
about it, it being our, himbeing our fortress.
Well, when I look that up, afortress is a heavily protected
building or impenetrablebuilding.
(07:28):
So that's the place I live as amom.
No sharp edges, you know, cancome to me.
I believe it comes through Hislove and softens as it comes to
me, and then I get to decidewith God how I take care of the
(07:48):
things that come into my lifeand even into my children's
lives, like I don't have toreact to everything.
I can respond from a place oflove, because that's so, because
that's so yeah, it's sobeautiful that you're able to
articulate that in such a way.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
And I wonder, with raising all of your children,
what was it that was like thefoundational message for them,
to give them that sense ofstrong self-esteem, of knowing
who they are?
So is it the same message, ordid you give them a different
(08:29):
message?
Because you had said knowingwho you were was really
important?
So how did that translate overto the children?
Speaker 2 (08:40):
Well, I think you know and I they're all still
growing in that, you know, but Ithink when I can walk that out
before them and and I speak tothem from that place, and so we
even had our 17 year olddaughter, who's a senior this
(09:04):
year, last spring she had totake a stress test in class,
right, and she went through andit was numbers like 75 was high,
stress zero was low.
And after she was done she wasasking her friends like what,
what number were you?
(09:24):
Or you know, they were justhaving a conversation, while
some of the friends were like 65and 52 or whatever.
Well, they were like Alina,what were you?
And she said I was six.
And I think that just that, justthat, that peace and that the
(09:46):
way I walk in life, just likeflows over to them in a sense.
I know they have a choicewhether they receive it, but
that is how I deal with my kidsand how I speak with them.
Like I ask them you gottaremember who you are.
And just sharing, because whenI guess, when we as moms know it
(10:13):
and live it, then that's whatwe teach, almost just with our
life Does that make sense.
Speaker 1 (10:22):
It does, it does, and I feel that this world is just
a very confusing place, even foradults right now.
I mean we see a lot of sufferingin the aspect of not really
knowing where to turn or how todeal with different situations.
(10:45):
And since I've started Retreatto Peace and the show, we have
seen so many events unfold infront of us that perhaps we
would have never witnessedduring our lifetime before.
But it has put people in aspace of fear and then they're
(11:08):
operating out of that fearresponse.
So I'm just wondering what doyou teach your children about
the fear, like what to do withfear?
Speaker 2 (11:21):
Well, I think of the verse that talks about he has
not given us a spirit of fear,but a spirit of power, love and
a sound mind.
And it also talks about do notbe anxious about anything.
And sometimes, like for me, Ilived that or I knew that verse
(11:45):
for a long time, but when Istarted applying it and going
okay, the word says do not fear.
That's actually a command, it'sactually something that God's
saying do this.
And so that means that it'ssomething we can stop being
anxious.
We can actually decide we'renot going to be anxious, we're
(12:08):
going to be anxious.
And so that's what I walk mykids through.
Some things like being curious,like, so what is causing this
fear?
What I ask them questions aboutwhat have they been thinking
about?
Because often what we'reletting our minds set on can
(12:31):
then create the fear that comesfrom that.
And so I get curious with them.
Like, what have you beenthinking about?
What's going on?
And we have a conversation andme, being a coach, I will.
At first, when I became one,they were like mom, don't talk
(12:51):
to me, whatever.
But I said you know what?
You get me all of me.
I'm a mom, I'm a coach, I'm allthe things and so just letting
them know like I'll talk to themabout how I work through things
, so just trying to relate tothem from a real spot and
(13:12):
sharing the word with them andgetting curious.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
I think right now, with so many children in schools
that are being bombarded withthese outside forces, it's
difficult for parents to reallyknow what to do.
I know of several families thatstruggle with this and one of
(13:40):
the things that they talk aboutis their child is going to
school and they're being askedwhat do they identify?
As we're hearing a lot of thisnon-gender agenda out in the
world right now, and when Ithink of that, it does break my
(14:06):
heart for these young kids thatare being exposed to this at
such a young age, because it'screating a lot of confusion, and
I think there's people thathave more exposure to this than
other people.
Depending on your circumstancesof where you live and the
(14:27):
lifestyle you know.
A lot of different things areat play here, but in a time such
as this, where all of thisconfusion is happening, what
would be a piece of advice thatyou could give to parents that
could help them, help theirchildren, when they're being
(14:49):
exposed to these really heavytopics?
Speaker 2 (14:54):
I guess yeah, well, what we do in our home is we
just have real conversations.
It might be in the kitchenbefore school and all seven kids
are there you know, or it willbe.
I remember one time where wewere getting ready to go on a
trip and something was broughtup and we just talked about it
(15:17):
right there.
We didn't think we had to waitfor the right time or you know,
because otherwise sometimes wedon't get to the conversations
if we wait right.
So it's almost like doing thething that God's bringing up
right then.
I've also had several times andthis is a shout out to if you
(15:38):
don't know the Lord, it's hugein working with our kids too,
because I've woken up severaldifferent times.
Mostly, we have our kids puttheir phones out on the counter
at night and plug them in andthat's they stay there.
Well, there were a couple oftimes where the Holy Spirit woke
(15:58):
me up in the night and I walkedinto a son's room and they had
their phone and you know, and itwas funny because it was like
how did you know?
And I'm like the Holy Spirittells spirits, you know about
things that we need to know, andso I think it's just living out
(16:22):
and not being afraid to talkabout the things right when it's
spread up, if it's in the carafter school and the kid brings
up something, or don't be afraidto just talk about it right
there, even if they're like, no,I don't need you know, even if
it seems like they're notlistening, because at certain
ages I can kind of be like butthey're still hearing, you know,
(16:46):
they're still hearing it, evenif they're acting like they're
not.
And we try to have at leastonce a week, but we're starting
to do it more.
It's just time with our kidsaround the word.
I actually we're walking themthrough a book that I wrote and
because there's perspective andmindsets in that book, book and
(17:09):
verses that have helped me livein a peaceful spot and have
growth in my life spiritually,and so we're just trying to be
very intentional about trainingand teaching and talking about
things.
Speaker 1 (17:26):
I love that word intentional, because that
describes in essence what weneed to do as far as listening
to what is being messaged to us,and often people think that
something is just a coincidenceor maybe they're getting a
(17:51):
message, but they just disregardit because they're not seeing
it as a true message for them orfor them to use and they just
dismiss it.
But getting back to what youwere just saying about your
children and just beingintentional and having space
with them and being present withthem, acknowledging them and
(18:16):
talking through these things,even if they feel like it's
insignificant Sometimes, it'snot so insignificant because
right now I've heard recently Idon't know exactly where the
survey was taken, but I've heardrecently that there's a lot of
young adults who went,especially overseas, where they
(18:44):
had the opportunity to switchgenders without having any kind
of parental consent and justwent down this road and as young
adults, they are now very angryand upset that they went
through that, because it's a lotof permanent changes to the
(19:10):
body and now they're trying toreverse those changes.
So these are some very realthings and I know when I was
growing up and going throughschool, this was never part of
my journey or my equation and Ican't even imagine.
But one of the things that Ialways thought about was how
(19:36):
important it was to message tomy own children do not make any
permanent decisions until thatfrontal lobe in your brain has
closed, because your brain isn'tfully developed until you're 25
years old and often you're notin full awareness, even if you
(20:02):
think you are, you're not infull awareness of who you are or
who you're becoming.
And how many times can you takea trip down memory lane?
And right now, if the audiencethought about where they were
when they were 10 years old, or13 years old, 19 years old, 25
(20:24):
years old, 25 years old, you'reall in different spaces and time
.
But when you were 10 years oldyou were pretty confident that
you had everything, you kneweverything, and when you were 13
even more so.
But by the time you were 19 yourecognized I didn't really know
a whole lot at 10 years old.
(20:44):
I get a lot of growing to do.
And then at 25, you recognizeat 19 there was a lot of
self-awareness that you hadn'tgone through yet and and
discovery that you hadn't gonethrough yet.
So I think, as you were sayingintentional, that that word is
just really profound and Parentsreally have to be intentional
(21:09):
right now.
Speaker 2 (21:10):
Yes, yeah, more than they ever have, maybe before
just having those conversations,saying the words that God puts
on your heart for your kids evenyou know Telling them what
you're seeing in the world.
(21:31):
You know Telling them yourthoughts about what's going on
or you know it's, it's been newfor all of us.
You know, in a lot of ways, andI tell my kids that I haven't
walked through this before.
You know the different thingsthat our family has walked
through with the last coupleyears and and how Profound is
(21:56):
that statement?
Speaker 1 (21:58):
I haven't done this before, I haven't walked through
this before.
This is new for me too.
I Mean that that carries a lotof weight and and that's one of
the things that has really shownitself as far as the recent
years that it's it's kids, it'sadults, it's everybody.
(22:20):
And when we look at what'shappened to the world and how
everything you know was shutdown and then Things start to
open back up but it was withcontingencies.
I mean, there's been a lot ofeconomic hardship, with people
losing jobs and the changes anda lot of changes with people
(22:43):
losing family members.
There's so many things thathave happened and there's not a
human on the face of the planetthat hasn't been affected by it.
Right which is very jarring whenyou think about it.
It's very jarring, but I think,getting back to what you said
(23:04):
in the very beginning, justknowing who you are, where you
belong, is so Powerful becauseit takes you out of that space
of fear and you know it reallyis going to be okay in the end.
And when you counsel people,I'm sure you have people come to
(23:33):
you that question a lot of, alot of things because maybe they
didn't have a strong Supportsystem and guiding them on a
pathway to know that thislifetime right now is Fractional
(23:58):
and there's a big, bigger Thingout there, right, mm-hmm.
So how, how do you have thoseconversations with people that
question that mm-hmm?
Speaker 2 (24:14):
Yeah, well, my thought is, has it been working
the way you've been trying to doit?
You know, sometimes we walkthrough life and just Do it the
same way, but it it just isn'treally working.
And so what if, changingsomething, you know what is
(24:40):
making a shift in yourperspective or what you're
thinking about that what?
What if that changes everythingyou know and starts you on a
new path?
And you know, I could, you know, just share a story about that
with, when my husband and I werein a struggle at one season in
(25:05):
our Life and I was asking theLord you know, sometimes you can
ask but not really listen forthe answer.
So I think for a short time Iwas just what do I do?
You know, I'm kind of notreally stopping them to listen
and finally I was like what do Ido here?
And the answer I heard was packyour bags.
(25:29):
And I was like, and I had 10children at the time they the
youngest one was new baby or Imight have been just pregnant
with her still bit and I thought, really.
But I looked back to some of theOld Testament People and, like
(25:51):
Abraham, god asked him tosacrifice his son.
Well, I, religiously or naturalmind.
We would be like what?
God would not ask you to dothat.
But what if it's just the steplike for me I couldn't create
(26:12):
the drama around it just thestep of packing my bag.
I wasn't wanting to leave myhusband, as you know, or leave
my kids or whatever.
I was wanting to shift somethingin our family and actually that
that shifted it.
Because when my husband gothome that day he said what are
(26:33):
you doing?
I said I can't live this wayanymore and I thought maybe I'd
go to a hotel for a couplenights.
You know, sometimes you justneed to create a little space
just to get clear clarity.
But he said, no, I'll go.
So he left for a few daysinstead of me and it created a
(26:54):
shift enough to change what washappening in our relationship.
It didn't fix it right off thebat, but it got us on a road for
change.
So what if we'll be willing todo that, that uncomfortable
thing or that new thing thatmight create the shift you know,
(27:17):
when the other things reallyaren't working that might create
that shift to get the changethat we're actually desiring.
Speaker 1 (27:28):
That is powerful, very powerful, because a lot of
people they're just on a trainand they're just doing the same
thing over and over and over.
So powerful because, if youthink about it, it's like what
if you stopped it?
Just stopped it and maybe gotoff the train and looked around
(27:51):
and then decided what you'regonna do and get back on and try
, you know, going a differentdirection or what have you.
And I think there's so muchtruth in that, just taking pause
and just getting clear andknowing what works and what
doesn't work.
And often people ask me youknow, do you believe there's a
(28:15):
God?
And with every cell in my bodyyes, there, there is.
I know that, with every cell inmy body, and even for me,
during childbirth I actually hada crossing over experience and
have come back and with everycell in my body.
(28:37):
I know, I know and you know, I,I know the immense amount of
love that is on the other sidefor us and you know, I know that
.
So I always, I'm always, youknow, in my day-to-day, always
talking about that with peopleevery chance I have.
(28:59):
I talk about it with peoplebecause you just never know, you
just never know, and I alwaysfind it fascinating that people
that are very strong and vibrantpeople feel that energy and
they want that, but they don'tknow how to get it.
And it's available for everyhuman.
(29:19):
They just have to.
They just have to surrender.
And when you, when yousurrender, you have your palms
up and your hands are open andyou're literally saying I'm
ready to receive and take thatin, and it's available.
(29:39):
You just have to surrender toit, but it's, but it's there.
So I offer that to anyone who'slistening that may not know what
that feels like.
Give it a try, might besurprised.
I don't feel that any of myexperiences are coincidental.
(30:03):
I do feel that everything hashappened for a purpose and a
reason and it always impressesme on a day-to-day basis, the
miracles that happen, thatunfold in front of us on a daily
basis, and people miss thosemiracles because they dismiss
(30:28):
them or they make excuses forthem or they don't recognize
them because they have blinderson, and I just anyone listening
that just isn't really sure.
I, I offer the gift to you toopen yourself and allow that to
(30:48):
flow and know that you're herefor a reason, your life is
purposeful and it's beautifuland there's so much available to
you far greater than you everknew, but you agree what you're
thought and the verse that'scoming up to me is taste and see
(31:10):
that I am good that's from thePsalms and just take a step
toward God.
Speaker 2 (31:17):
You know, just just try it.
He's kind of saying try me out,you'll taste and see.
My goodness, if we look for it,if we're desiring it, if we'll
just take a step toward he'sright there, you know, and he's.
He's with open arms of love.
Speaker 1 (31:36):
Like you said earlier , there's so much love for us so
much love, so much love, and Ifeel like it's on my heart right
now to share that.
When I was young, I had so manyexperiences where I questioned
a lot of what love was, becauseI didn't have an upbringing that
(32:01):
demonstrated a lot of love,because there was a lot of abuse
and there was a lot thathappened to me as a little girl
that made me question things.
But the thing that I did knowintuitively and to my core is
when I was five years old and Ihad this guardian angel present
herself to me, I knew that thatwas love, that felt so loving
(32:25):
and it was just so beautiful.
And as I started to go downinto young adulthood, the thing
that really came crashing downon me like a ton of bricks was
that I was looking for love inthe wrong places, like love was
(32:47):
the essence of God.
You know it, but it was alwaysthere.
For me, it was always there.
But I think when we're, you knowwe're in a place where we don't
understand it fully we do, welook in different places and
we're trying to figure it out,we really don't understand it.
But when you do understand itthat way, it's like this huge
(33:09):
weight comes off of you becauseyou're no longer feeling like
you're not loved or you're notfeeling like you need to seek
love from another person.
You know, I think a lot ofwomen do that.
They they seek love out inanother person and that, I think
(33:31):
, is just part of the primal DNAof women and how we're wired.
Because we need community, weneed to be together so we
survive, because the man, theycan go rogue and go solo and,
you know, go out and hunt thebeast down and bring it back to
(33:51):
the women to prepare for thefamily.
We don't have that in us.
We're just we're not wired likethat.
So I think for us it'ssomething that we have to be
mindful of and also be carefulof at the same time.
Speaker 2 (34:07):
I mean, I'm sure you could attest to that yeah, yeah,
and just I think remembering,concerning love too, is just
that nothing separates us fromlove, from his love.
And so when we're walkingthrough things, what if we
remember that, that verse, thatthought, just that this is not
(34:30):
separating me from his love?
Whatever is happening, you know, whatever circumstances going
on, it doesn't matter theseverity of it.
The word tells us nothingseparates no famine, no distress
, no nakedness, no, nothing.
So if we would believe that andjust stay in that place of
(34:53):
being loved, right, and thefather is love, even when hard
things are going on, you know?
Because he also tells us thathe's working all things, all
things again out for good, youknow?
So what if we just believe theword that way and and rested in
(35:15):
that when things come up, no,this does not take me out of his
life, you know he's workingthis out, whatever it is.
Speaker 1 (35:27):
It's beautiful because a lot of times I will
journal and I've said this to myaudience over and over through
the years to actually journaland just take five minutes or 10
minutes, 15 minutes, whateverit is that's on your heart, that
feels right for you, and justwrite everything out and you
(35:51):
don't have to sit in it, it'sjust allow it to flow and allow
it to come through.
And because I have so manypeople that are in my walk, I
have a lot of people reachingout to me asking me for prayer
requests and to pray over people, and I actually have a prayer
(36:16):
journal where I write all ofthese prayers out for people.
Because it's just too much forme to keep it all to myself, I
have to write it out.
And it's always astounding tome that when I look through my
prayer journal and I see howthese prayers are answered, it's
(36:39):
always amazing to me becauseit's so beautifully orchestrated
and not in the way that wewould ever think it would
manifest.
And a lot of times when peopleare going through difficult
things, one of the first thingsthey'll do is they'll drop to
their knees and the first thingout of their mouth why me, god,
(37:02):
why you know the why, the whycomes out of their mouth and
often I think why not you?
Why not you Like, why not you?
Jackie, when was there a timethat you I know you talked about
, you know your husband a momentago but when was there a time
(37:27):
that you were like why, you know, was there something in
adolescence that brought you toGod and your faith and the way
that it is, or what brought youto this deep understanding in
this relationship you have?
Speaker 2 (37:42):
Yeah, well, I've had a few things, you know, early on
parents divorced, then dad waskilled in a car accident, sister
passed away when I was like 28and leaving a few kids of her
own, and then her husband passedfor years after that.
So I've walked through a lot ofthings and you know just, I
(38:07):
guess, walking through all thosethings, I realize I get to live
, you know, and there's apurpose for me here and I want
to do my best job.
And what, if you know one versethat has really come up for me
and it's, it's what my book is,that's the main verse of it.
(38:28):
There's lots of verses in itand stuff, but the main verse is
from James one and it talksabout consider it pure joy, my
brothers, whenever you facetrials.
So God really brought that book, that verse, up to me going
okay, help, you're telling me toface trials.
I was in a walk of obeying theword and doing it, you know,
(38:51):
believing it.
So he's saying we're supposedto consider it.
Why, why, why could we Like mydad being killed?
I'm supposed to consider thatjoy.
I'm supposed to consider whenmy husband and I were having a
struggle, joy.
And I realize it's only becausewe know this is part of the
(39:12):
rest of the verse knowing thatthe testing of our faith will
produce something in us.
It says patience there.
But what if we let it?
We get to decide, I guess, whatwe let it produce.
We can either go growth right,patience, all the fruits of the
spirit, love, joy, peace,patience, kindness, goodness,
(39:36):
faithfulness, gentleness, orself control, or we can let it
spiral, let these trials spiralus down into resentment,
bitterness, depression.
You know all the negativethings that can come.
And but if we, what?
If we choose growth in thetrials?
And the word says it'll make usmature and complete, lacking
(40:00):
nothing if we choose growth.
So my motto has been I don'tknow, several years ago, I don't
know 10 years ago, maybe more.
I don't want to go through thesame thing, the same way again,
meaning I know the trials willcome.
We're not exempt, none of usare exempt from them.
(40:22):
But what if I'm stronger thenext time?
What if it's not as painful?
Because I've grown, you know,because I've chosen to get
closer to God, to understand theword more and what he's doing,
and I've seen that the trialshave worked, been for me, you
(40:45):
know, for my growth, for ourfamily, to move us to the next
place, you know and so.
So what if we, when we'reasking the why it's for us, what
if we can just shift and go?
Okay, this is happening for me.
(41:06):
I'm supposed to choose joy here, and it doesn't mean you like
it, it doesn't mean it's fun,you know, it's nothing like that
.
But what if our focus is morelike how can I grow through this
?
That'll change everything theway we walk through it.
Speaker 1 (41:26):
I so agree with that.
And change is constant.
I mean, we all know this.
It's a constant thing that weexperience throughout life.
And when I look at my my ownlife and other people's lives
that have been throughextenuating circumstances, when
(41:46):
you have the ability to look atit as a gift and understand this
wouldn't have happened withoutthat and this has produced a
positive thing for me because ofthat, even though that may have
been really bad.
I mean, you know, I've had somany really bad quote unquote
(42:10):
situations, but with all of them, a lot of those were when I was
a little girl.
I had no control over them andpeople would say you know, I
feel so bad that you wentthrough those experiences.
And I would say, honestly, I'mglad I had that opportunity to
have that, that experience,because had I not, I would not
(42:32):
have the ability to havecompassion or empathy or
understanding of how to helpother people navigate through
those spaces.
And recently I was listening toa woman who is in Scotland and
she was talking about how herand her husband they had a baby
(42:57):
and the baby had cancer and diedat 18 months, and how
devastated she was from thatexperience and in the deep grief
of losing a child and anymother who's experienced this
knows that pain and the depth ofthat pain that they feel.
(43:22):
That experience she said itdidn't change for her until her
and her husband adopted a baby.
When they adopted the baby,they never thought that they
could have the ability to love achild the way that they did
(43:44):
that baby and they were ingratitude because the experience
of losing their child, itdeepened the level of
appreciation for this baby thatthey adopted.
And it's just.
(44:05):
It's just so profound when youcan take something and turn it
inside out and have the abilityto see the gift in it, because
life is always happening for us.
He's always operating ahead ofus, downstream, and knows our
journey and if we can be mindfulthat we are safe within his
(44:32):
journey and if we are mindful ofhis steps and what we're
supposed to do, like it's justprofound.
And the fact that you canarticulate that in a book is
amazing as well, because I thinka lot of people don't have the
(44:52):
ability to see that fully andthey get stuck.
There's somebody in theaudience right now who's stuck.
They're stuck in 2020 andthey're angry, they're in
depression, they're grieving.
They are asking why me, why notyou?
Because there's an amazingopportunity ahead that's
(45:18):
unfolding.
You just have to get out ofyour own way right.
Look for the light, Look forthe silver lining, Look for the
good, because there's somethinggood.
Even if it feels so heavy,there's something good.
Speaker 2 (45:37):
Yeah, there is, and I think of when you said the word
heavy is we get to decide whatwe carry through life.
And I know I knew the thingsthat happened to me.
I didn't want those things todefine me.
I knew that they would create aspace where I could help other
(45:58):
people, right.
And so, like the word talksabout, after I became a coach, I
found these verses goingthrough my mind and I had to
stop and go.
What are you saying to me herewith this?
You know like, and it was thatI was going to help people throw
off the weights and the sinthat are entangling them so that
(46:22):
they can run their race andforget the past, so they can
reach the high call of God.
So sometimes we have to set thebaggage down.
You know, set that past down,put it aside, babel.
I always try to have my clientslike we get them to a spot
(46:44):
where they can smile and wave atthe past like it's settled, it
happened, it's there, but it'snot something they have to keep
reaching back to in a negativeway, because that holds us back.
But if we can, just slowly,what am I holding on to here?
And has it been 20 years?
(47:04):
Has it been two years, has it?
You know?
Is it time now to put that downand look ahead?
You know, reach toward the highcall of God.
Run your race.
You know, go toward the purposethat God has for you.
Speaker 1 (47:24):
I think a lot of times people can't see what is
ahead, so they just feel like Ihave to stay in the same place.
You know, they lose the abilityto know who they are and the
inner strength that they have,that they're wired with
organically and naturally andthat space of self-awareness and
(47:52):
just being within that space isso strong.
But unless you've been avoidingit, like a lot of people have,
they've been avoiding it withvices, television technology,
whatever it may be.
Maybe they're just running fromthemselves, you know, with work
or whatever it may be.
(48:13):
I think for those people it'shard for them to get back
centered within themselves andbe authentic and be in a space
of clarity of where am I rightnow, who am I right now?
And often just pulling up.
(48:33):
There have been other points intime in your life where you have
stumbled and fallen, but you'vegotten back up.
And the best way I can explainthis to anybody listening is
when you were a child learningto walk, how many times did you
(48:54):
fall down?
And, without any fear orreservation, you got back up and
you tried again, and you triedagain and then, before you knew
it, you were walking and then,before you knew it, you started
to go faster and now you'rerunning.
So you've done hard thingsbefore.
(49:15):
Even if you don't fullyremember what that felt like, it
still was something youaccomplished and something that
you did.
So I'm reminding all ofeveryone listening, this isn't
your first rodeo.
It's just showing updifferently, that's all.
Speaker 2 (49:39):
Yeah, totally.
And my thought is to getcurious with yourself why am I
here?
What am I holding onto?
What's bothering me?
Just get quiet and just startwriting some things down, asking
God, asking yourself what'sgoing on, why am I stuck?
(50:00):
And there are people that canhelp too.
But another thing is that whenyou come into Christ, when a
person comes into Christ, hesays all things are new in
Christ, that the old is passedaway, all things are new.
(50:22):
And so what if you haven'taccepted Christ before, or if
you already have and you haven'tbeen walking in that newness?
What if you start that now?
Just start from a new place.
And from that new place, lookat, okay, what needs to go here,
(50:44):
Like what am I holding onto?
What's keeping me stuck?
What's the area of strugglethat I just need to change my
perspective of?
Or roll it over to God, Like hesays cast all your cares on me,
for I care for you.
You know just.
Those were just some thoughtsthat came for me and they're
(51:07):
beautiful thoughts.
Speaker 1 (51:10):
They're so authentic and right in the moment, spot on
as far as what we could haveheard in this moment.
So I thank you for that andmany people for myself.
I had a upbringing that if youhad any kind of relationship
(51:32):
with God or a higher power orwhatever it looks like for you,
that you were actually a weakperson.
That was the message that I wasgiven as a little girl and when
I look back I think, well, ofcourse, my guardian angel
showing up when I'm five yearsold, because I had to feel and
see and know that that messagingwas not correct.
(51:55):
Right, that was not correctmessaging.
But there's a lot of peoplethat are in a space where they
were messaged a similar message.
You know that you're weak ifyou have this relationship.
And it's profound to me becausethere's a lot of labels and a
(52:20):
lot of philosophy arounddifferent things.
When we think about God,relationship with God and how it
should be or shouldn't be, andthere's a lot of conversation
about it, and when I think onthat in today's environment,
(52:40):
it's very profound to me that weare in a spiritual warfare and
our soul is the commodity.
That's what is being foughtafter, the discernment that we
need to have in this moment intime of understanding if it's of
God or if it's of man, if it'sgood, if it's evil, all of these
(53:03):
things.
I think now we're being testedmore than ever, more than ever,
as far as where we stand, andare we in a space where we're in
the light or in the darkness?
What are your thoughts aroundsome of that?
Speaker 2 (53:25):
Yeah, well, I was even saying in our home the
other night it's time for us todecide who we serve.
And, as for me and my house, weserve the Lord, and I just
spoke that out.
But it's true, it's likethere's no longer a middle
ground there, there's no longera gray area.
(53:47):
It's either we're gods and weknow we are, and we're rising up
as people of God, in strengthand authority, in power and
wisdom from Him, or we're on theother side.
Either we're in the kingdom oflight or darkness.
There's not an in between.
(54:09):
And so, yeah, it's time todecide.
And look at what sometimes wethink, like you were saying
about, it's weak to have God orwhatever.
But what?
Look at what?
The world is doing.
(54:29):
The easy thing they're reactingto things.
They're wallowing down indepression, they're being
discouraged.
Well, the opposite of that isbeing like trusting the word,
being positive in times ofturmoil or struggle.
We have a choice how we reactand how we respond to what's
(54:53):
happening.
So what if, instead ofresponding negatively, assuming
everything's going wrong or it'snot gonna work out, what if we
believe it's going to work outand look at the positive, like
we were talking before, ratherthan assuming the negative.
(55:13):
Either way, it's faith.
It's faith in one or the otherright.
Speaker 1 (55:18):
So true, so true, and it's profound to me that in
this moment in time there reallyis no fence sitting.
You do have to be on one sideor the other, and what's coming
to me right now is that we dohave to be very mindful of what
(55:39):
it is that we're allowing as faras our thoughts, what we're
feeding our minds and theinformation we're putting into
our bodies, the information ofwhat we're also speaking to
other people as well.
But what are we feeding ourbodies?
(56:01):
Is this good, healthy food, oris it things that are going to
create disease and illness forus?
I mean, we only get one shot tolive this beautiful life and we
do have a responsibility tomake sure we're in discernment
of doing the right thing forourselves.
(56:22):
But honoring ourselves and partof that is honoring that we're
protecting our soul self,because our soul is energy and
that doesn't die, that alwayswill be, and it's just really
really important more than everthat we're taking care of
(56:43):
ourselves in a positive,reinforcing way.
Speaker 2 (56:49):
Yeah, what we're listening to, what we're putting
in physically, like you weresaying, yeah, it matters.
And with all the social mediaand all of the devices that are
right in our hands, it's soimportant to check ourselves.
And we have days when we don'thave them set up just randomly,
(57:12):
as we feel that all the phonesare down today.
You know just and occasionallyI check my kids' phones Now I'm
one that I don't have theparental control on them, and I
was actually talking to thefamily about this recently.
I was just saying I don't dothat because I believe the Lord
(57:38):
will show me if I need to lookon any phones or whatever.
And I want you to learn now toI'm not gonna always be there
checking.
I don't wanna check six orseven phones, you know that's
not.
I want to teach and train youand work through any bugs.
(57:58):
Now you know as far astemptations, and so that's kind
of where we're at with that typeof thing too.
But yeah, it's just soimportant to watch what we're
putting in our minds.
Speaker 1 (58:14):
Definitely so, Jackie .
I do have one last question toask you.
And if I were to come acrossyour earth, angel feather on the
ground what would your messageto the world be?
Speaker 2 (58:29):
My message would be that we have a choice how we
respond to the things that comeinto our lives.
It doesn't matter what it is.
I think of it as storms.
The trials are like stormsthey're all different severities
, they're all different lengthsof time, some shorts along, some
(58:50):
really hard, and do more damageor feel like they could, and
others less.
But we have a choice how wewalk through the things that
come into our lives.
And so why not choose growth,like we were talking earlier?
Why not choose growth?
Why not choose the positiveroad, even the road less
(59:11):
traveled right now?
You know, a lot of times weright away go to oh, this is not
working out already.
But just choose growth andchoose the positive road.
Speaker 1 (59:25):
That's very beautiful and I couldn't agree more.
So thank you so so much forbeing with us today.
And you're just a beautifulbody of energy, love and light
and you can just feel it asyou're talking and it's just
really beautiful.
So I know my audience is goingto appreciate that, but I'm
(59:47):
filled with gratitude thatyou're here today and I just
appreciate it so much.
So thank you.
Speaker 2 (59:52):
Yeah, well, thank you for having me on.
It's been amazing talking withyou.
I feel the same.
We just had a great connectionthere and it was a good chat.
Speaker 1 (01:00:03):
So thank you, you're very welcome and for my audience
again, this is CatherineDaniels, with Retreat to Peace,
reminding you to live yourauthentic life with peace and
have a great week.
We'll see you next time.
Thank you for being here with me and welcome back.
My name is Catherine Daniels.
I love to empower people withspiritual healing and wellness.
The best thing about retreat topeace is the gift of inner
peace, greater love and joyDuring these times of changes
and uncertainty in the world.
Nothing is permanent except oursouls, and that's why we need
(01:20):
to come together as we travelthrough one another's countries,
creating a bridge, removing allthe labels, and as we come
together as one people findingour home in one world.
This is why the signature talktoday is so important.
Today I am super excited towelcome my guest, jackie Diggins
(01:41):
.
Hi, jackie, hi, glad to be here.
Thank you so much for beinghere today.
I'm very excited to have thisopportunity to share space with
you and interview you, and myworld audience has no idea who
Jackie is, so I'm just going tohave you take a moment and share
(02:02):
a little bit about who you are.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
Okay, great Thanks for having me again, catherine,
I appreciate it.
Anyway, so I'm Jackie Diggins,I live in rural Montana, I've
been married for 30 years, have10 children and, yes, they're
all mine and ours, and there'sno twins.
(02:27):
We had one at a time, for, yeah, for 20 years I was either
pregnant or nursing, so, anyway,I also homeschooled my children
for almost 20 years, and thenthe Lord told me to put the kids
in school.
So that's what I did.
I followed his leading and atthat same time I went to two
(02:52):
years of Bible school and thenbecame a covenant life coach.
And so I'm a coach and anauthor.
Covenant life coach just meansI'm a faith based life coach,
and then I'm a offer authorworking on my third book.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
So yeah, that is absolutely amazing and beautiful
, and as you're telling theaudience that you've had 10
children, I literally could justfeel my body react.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
Because I can't.
Speaker 1 (03:29):
I can't even imagine my beautiful babies.
I mean, I, my body justphysically couldn't handle
having more than three and youknow I was very blessed to have
three, but I have.
As a woman, I've had to endurea lot, so I'm just like I honor
you.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
Well, I'm amazed at what God did.
I didn't start out wanting tohave a large family.
I was an overwhelmed mom ofthree kids when God called us to
have a large family and I myhusband and I said yes.
We actually said we'd take oneat a time, and that's exactly
how God did it.
(04:11):
And one thing that's amazingtoo, is they were all natural
births and there was no bigproblems having any of them.
You know, so I'm thankful I seeGod's hand and grace on that.
Yeah, you know, in my life thatway.
Speaker 1 (04:32):
So that is beautiful, and it sounds like they're all
healthy and everything is verygood for them, which is amazing.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
Yes, I'm very thankful.
Speaker 1 (04:44):
Yeah, you were definitely blessed.
So what are the one of thereasons that I thought it'd be
really important to have you onthe show for my audience is as a
mom, especially with the, youknow, the group that you have.
I mean, there's so many momsthat are listening to the show
(05:06):
and I feel like sometimes justhaving one child or just having,
you know, a couple of children,with the environment that we're
living in and the things thatare happening in the uncertainty
I mean, do you have any advicethat can help some of these
mothers with chaos anduncertainty and confusion and
(05:28):
just how to be that strong rolemodel for them?
Speaker 2 (05:34):
Well, I know, for me it started with me knowing who I
am, and and what I mean by thatis, I know I'm a child of God.
I know who I am in Christ.
As far as I'm protected, I'malready loved, like I come from
a place of being loved, becauseGod, in the word, tells us that
(05:58):
we're His beloved right, and soI start from that place.
So then, as I, as I've learnedover the years you know this has
all been a journey for me butthat I don't have my children
don't have to act a certain wayor be a certain way in order for
me to be okay, right.
(06:19):
So I I know, as even as afamily, that we're loved, we're
protected.
And so, as I've sent mychildren out into the public
school system after, you know,like I said, I was homeschooling
for several years I know thatthey're where they need to be,
(06:41):
like they're more safe therethan at home now, because God
said that's where they need tobe, and I know His place for
them is best.
And so if we, as parents and asmoms, can realize that we, we
can actually live in, like theword tells us, in that safe
(07:06):
place, in that refuge in Christright In Psalm 91, it talks
about it, it being our, himbeing our fortress.
Well, when I look that up, afortress is a heavily protected
building or impenetrablebuilding.
(07:28):
So that's the place I live as amom.
No sharp edges, you know, cancome to me.
I believe it comes through Hislove and softens as it comes to
me, and then I get to decidewith God how I take care of the
(07:48):
things that come into my lifeand even into my children's
lives, like I don't have toreact to everything.
I can respond from a place oflove, because that's so, because
that's so yeah, it's sobeautiful that you're able to
articulate that in such a way.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
And I wonder, with raising all of your children,
what was it that was like thefoundational message for them,
to give them that sense ofstrong self-esteem, of knowing
who they are?
So is it the same message, ordid you give them a different
(08:29):
message?
Because you had said knowingwho you were was really
important?
So how did that translate overto the children?
Speaker 2 (08:40):
Well, I think you know and I they're all still
growing in that, you know, but Ithink when I can walk that out
before them and and I speak tothem from that place, and so we
even had our 17 year olddaughter, who's a senior this
(09:04):
year, last spring she had totake a stress test in class,
right, and she went through andit was numbers like 75 was high,
stress zero was low.
And after she was done she wasasking her friends like what,
what number were you?
(09:24):
Or you know, they were justhaving a conversation, while
some of the friends were like 65and 52 or whatever.
Well, they were like Alina,what were you?
And she said I was six.
And I think that just that, justthat, that peace and that the
(09:46):
way I walk in life, just likeflows over to them in a sense.
I know they have a choicewhether they receive it, but
that is how I deal with my kidsand how I speak with them.
Like I ask them you gottaremember who you are.
And just sharing, because whenI guess, when we as moms know it
(10:13):
and live it, then that's whatwe teach, almost just with our
life Does that make sense.
Speaker 1 (10:22):
It does, it does, and I feel that this world is just
a very confusing place, even foradults right now.
I mean we see a lot of sufferingin the aspect of not really
knowing where to turn or how todeal with different situations.
(10:45):
And since I've started Retreatto Peace and the show, we have
seen so many events unfold infront of us that perhaps we
would have never witnessedduring our lifetime before.
But it has put people in aspace of fear and then they're
(11:08):
operating out of that fearresponse.
So I'm just wondering what doyou teach your children about
the fear, like what to do withfear?
Speaker 2 (11:21):
Well, I think of the verse that talks about he has
not given us a spirit of fear,but a spirit of power, love and
a sound mind.
And it also talks about do notbe anxious about anything.
And sometimes, like for me, Ilived that or I knew that verse
(11:45):
for a long time, but when Istarted applying it and going
okay, the word says do not fear.
That's actually a command, it'sactually something that God's
saying do this.
And so that means that it'ssomething we can stop being
anxious.
We can actually decide we'renot going to be anxious, we're
(12:08):
going to be anxious.
And so that's what I walk mykids through.
Some things like being curious,like, so what is causing this
fear?
What I ask them questions aboutwhat have they been thinking
about?
Because often what we'reletting our minds set on can
(12:31):
then create the fear that comesfrom that.
And so I get curious with them.
Like, what have you beenthinking about?
What's going on?
And we have a conversation andme, being a coach, I will.
At first, when I became one,they were like mom, don't talk
(12:51):
to me, whatever.
But I said you know what?
You get me all of me.
I'm a mom, I'm a coach, I'm allthe things and so just letting
them know like I'll talk to themabout how I work through things
, so just trying to relate tothem from a real spot and
(13:12):
sharing the word with them andgetting curious.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
I think right now, with so many children in schools
that are being bombarded withthese outside forces, it's
difficult for parents to reallyknow what to do.
I know of several families thatstruggle with this and one of
(13:40):
the things that they talk aboutis their child is going to
school and they're being askedwhat do they identify?
As we're hearing a lot of thisnon-gender agenda out in the
world right now, and when Ithink of that, it does break my
(14:06):
heart for these young kids thatare being exposed to this at
such a young age, because it'screating a lot of confusion, and
I think there's people thathave more exposure to this than
other people.
Depending on your circumstancesof where you live and the
(14:27):
lifestyle you know.
A lot of different things areat play here, but in a time such
as this, where all of thisconfusion is happening, what
would be a piece of advice thatyou could give to parents that
could help them, help theirchildren, when they're being
(14:49):
exposed to these really heavytopics?
Speaker 2 (14:54):
I guess yeah, well, what we do in our home is we
just have real conversations.
It might be in the kitchenbefore school and all seven kids
are there you know, or it willbe.
I remember one time where wewere getting ready to go on a
trip and something was broughtup and we just talked about it
(15:17):
right there.
We didn't think we had to waitfor the right time or you know,
because otherwise sometimes wedon't get to the conversations
if we wait right.
So it's almost like doing thething that God's bringing up
right then.
I've also had several times andthis is a shout out to if you
(15:38):
don't know the Lord, it's hugein working with our kids too,
because I've woken up severaldifferent times.
Mostly, we have our kids puttheir phones out on the counter
at night and plug them in andthat's they stay there.
Well, there were a couple oftimes where the Holy Spirit woke
(15:58):
me up in the night and I walkedinto a son's room and they had
their phone and you know, and itwas funny because it was like
how did you know?
And I'm like the Holy Spirittells spirits, you know about
things that we need to know, andso I think it's just living out
(16:22):
and not being afraid to talkabout the things right when it's
spread up, if it's in the carafter school and the kid brings
up something, or don't be afraidto just talk about it right
there, even if they're like, no,I don't need you know, even if
it seems like they're notlistening, because at certain
ages I can kind of be like butthey're still hearing, you know,
(16:46):
they're still hearing it, evenif they're acting like they're
not.
And we try to have at leastonce a week, but we're starting
to do it more.
It's just time with our kidsaround the word.
I actually we're walking themthrough a book that I wrote and
because there's perspective andmindsets in that book, book and
(17:09):
verses that have helped me livein a peaceful spot and have
growth in my life spiritually,and so we're just trying to be
very intentional about trainingand teaching and talking about
things.
Speaker 1 (17:26):
I love that word intentional, because that
describes in essence what weneed to do as far as listening
to what is being messaged to us,and often people think that
something is just a coincidenceor maybe they're getting a
(17:51):
message, but they just disregardit because they're not seeing
it as a true message for them orfor them to use and they just
dismiss it.
But getting back to what youwere just saying about your
children and just beingintentional and having space
with them and being present withthem, acknowledging them and
(18:16):
talking through these things,even if they feel like it's
insignificant Sometimes, it'snot so insignificant because
right now I've heard recently Idon't know exactly where the
survey was taken, but I've heardrecently that there's a lot of
young adults who went,especially overseas, where they
(18:44):
had the opportunity to switchgenders without having any kind
of parental consent and justwent down this road and as young
adults, they are now very angryand upset that they went
through that, because it's a lotof permanent changes to the
(19:10):
body and now they're trying toreverse those changes.
So these are some very realthings and I know when I was
growing up and going throughschool, this was never part of
my journey or my equation and Ican't even imagine.
But one of the things that Ialways thought about was how
(19:36):
important it was to message tomy own children do not make any
permanent decisions until thatfrontal lobe in your brain has
closed, because your brain isn'tfully developed until you're 25
years old and often you're notin full awareness, even if you
(20:02):
think you are, you're not infull awareness of who you are or
who you're becoming.
And how many times can you takea trip down memory lane?
And right now, if the audiencethought about where they were
when they were 10 years old, or13 years old, 19 years old, 25
(20:24):
years old, 25 years old, you'reall in different spaces and time
.
But when you were 10 years oldyou were pretty confident that
you had everything, you kneweverything, and when you were 13
even more so.
But by the time you were 19 yourecognized I didn't really know
a whole lot at 10 years old.
(20:44):
I get a lot of growing to do.
And then at 25, you recognizeat 19 there was a lot of
self-awareness that you hadn'tgone through yet and and
discovery that you hadn't gonethrough yet.
So I think, as you were sayingintentional, that that word is
just really profound and Parentsreally have to be intentional
(21:09):
right now.
Speaker 2 (21:10):
Yes, yeah, more than they ever have, maybe before
just having those conversations,saying the words that God puts
on your heart for your kids evenyou know Telling them what
you're seeing in the world.
(21:31):
You know Telling them yourthoughts about what's going on
or you know it's, it's been newfor all of us.
You know, in a lot of ways, andI tell my kids that I haven't
walked through this before.
You know the different thingsthat our family has walked
through with the last coupleyears and and how Profound is
(21:56):
that statement?
Speaker 1 (21:58):
I haven't done this before, I haven't walked through
this before.
This is new for me too.
I Mean that that carries a lotof weight and and that's one of
the things that has really shownitself as far as the recent
years that it's it's kids, it'sadults, it's everybody.
(22:20):
And when we look at what'shappened to the world and how
everything you know was shutdown and then Things start to
open back up but it was withcontingencies.
I mean, there's been a lot ofeconomic hardship, with people
losing jobs and the changes anda lot of changes with people
(22:43):
losing family members.
There's so many things thathave happened and there's not a
human on the face of the planetthat hasn't been affected by it.
Right which is very jarring whenyou think about it.
It's very jarring, but I think,getting back to what you said
(23:04):
in the very beginning, justknowing who you are, where you
belong, is so Powerful becauseit takes you out of that space
of fear and you know it reallyis going to be okay in the end.
And when you counsel people,I'm sure you have people come to
(23:33):
you that question a lot of, alot of things because maybe they
didn't have a strong Supportsystem and guiding them on a
pathway to know that thislifetime right now is Fractional
(23:58):
and there's a big, bigger Thingout there, right, mm-hmm.
So how, how do you have thoseconversations with people that
question that mm-hmm?
Speaker 2 (24:14):
Yeah, well, my thought is, has it been working
the way you've been trying to doit?
You know, sometimes we walkthrough life and just Do it the
same way, but it it just isn'treally working.
And so what if, changingsomething, you know what is
(24:40):
making a shift in yourperspective or what you're
thinking about that what?
What if that changes everythingyou know and starts you on a
new path?
And you know, I could, you know, just share a story about that
with, when my husband and I werein a struggle at one season in
(25:05):
our Life and I was asking theLord you know, sometimes you can
ask but not really listen forthe answer.
So I think for a short time Iwas just what do I do?
You know, I'm kind of notreally stopping them to listen
and finally I was like what do Ido here?
And the answer I heard was packyour bags.
(25:29):
And I was like, and I had 10children at the time they the
youngest one was new baby or Imight have been just pregnant
with her still bit and I thought, really.
But I looked back to some of theOld Testament People and, like
(25:51):
Abraham, god asked him tosacrifice his son.
Well, I, religiously or naturalmind.
We would be like what?
God would not ask you to dothat.
But what if it's just the steplike for me I couldn't create
(26:12):
the drama around it just thestep of packing my bag.
I wasn't wanting to leave myhusband, as you know, or leave
my kids or whatever.
I was wanting to shift somethingin our family and actually that
that shifted it.
Because when my husband gothome that day he said what are
(26:33):
you doing?
I said I can't live this wayanymore and I thought maybe I'd
go to a hotel for a couplenights.
You know, sometimes you justneed to create a little space
just to get clear clarity.
But he said, no, I'll go.
So he left for a few daysinstead of me and it created a
(26:54):
shift enough to change what washappening in our relationship.
It didn't fix it right off thebat, but it got us on a road for
change.
So what if we'll be willing todo that, that uncomfortable
thing or that new thing thatmight create the shift you know,
(27:17):
when the other things reallyaren't working that might create
that shift to get the changethat we're actually desiring.
Speaker 1 (27:28):
That is powerful, very powerful, because a lot of
people they're just on a trainand they're just doing the same
thing over and over and over.
So powerful because, if youthink about it, it's like what
if you stopped it?
Just stopped it and maybe gotoff the train and looked around
(27:51):
and then decided what you'regonna do and get back on and try
, you know, going a differentdirection or what have you.
And I think there's so muchtruth in that, just taking pause
and just getting clear andknowing what works and what
doesn't work.
And often people ask me youknow, do you believe there's a
(28:15):
God?
And with every cell in my bodyyes, there, there is.
I know that, with every cell inmy body, and even for me,
during childbirth I actually hada crossing over experience and
have come back and with everycell in my body.
(28:37):
I know, I know and you know, I,I know the immense amount of
love that is on the other sidefor us and you know, I know that
.
So I always, I'm always, youknow, in my day-to-day, always
talking about that with peopleevery chance I have.
(28:59):
I talk about it with peoplebecause you just never know, you
just never know, and I alwaysfind it fascinating that people
that are very strong and vibrantpeople feel that energy and
they want that, but they don'tknow how to get it.
And it's available for everyhuman.
(29:19):
They just have to.
They just have to surrender.
And when you, when yousurrender, you have your palms
up and your hands are open andyou're literally saying I'm
ready to receive and take thatin, and it's available.
(29:39):
You just have to surrender toit, but it's, but it's there.
So I offer that to anyone who'slistening that may not know what
that feels like.
Give it a try, might besurprised.
I don't feel that any of myexperiences are coincidental.
(30:03):
I do feel that everything hashappened for a purpose and a
reason and it always impressesme on a day-to-day basis, the
miracles that happen, thatunfold in front of us on a daily
basis, and people miss thosemiracles because they dismiss
(30:28):
them or they make excuses forthem or they don't recognize
them because they have blinderson, and I just anyone listening
that just isn't really sure.
I, I offer the gift to you toopen yourself and allow that to
(30:48):
flow and know that you're herefor a reason, your life is
purposeful and it's beautifuland there's so much available to
you far greater than you everknew, but you agree what you're
thought and the verse that'scoming up to me is taste and see
(31:10):
that I am good that's from thePsalms and just take a step
toward God.
Speaker 2 (31:17):
You know, just just try it.
He's kind of saying try me out,you'll taste and see.
My goodness, if we look for it,if we're desiring it, if we'll
just take a step toward he'sright there, you know, and he's.
He's with open arms of love.
Speaker 1 (31:36):
Like you said earlier , there's so much love for us so
much love, so much love, and Ifeel like it's on my heart right
now to share that.
When I was young, I had so manyexperiences where I questioned
a lot of what love was, becauseI didn't have an upbringing that
(32:01):
demonstrated a lot of love,because there was a lot of abuse
and there was a lot thathappened to me as a little girl
that made me question things.
But the thing that I did knowintuitively and to my core is
when I was five years old and Ihad this guardian angel present
herself to me, I knew that thatwas love, that felt so loving
(32:25):
and it was just so beautiful.
And as I started to go downinto young adulthood, the thing
that really came crashing downon me like a ton of bricks was
that I was looking for love inthe wrong places, like love was
(32:47):
the essence of God.
You know it, but it was alwaysthere.
For me, it was always there.
But I think when we're, you knowwe're in a place where we don't
understand it fully we do, welook in different places and
we're trying to figure it out,we really don't understand it.
But when you do understand itthat way, it's like this huge
(33:09):
weight comes off of you becauseyou're no longer feeling like
you're not loved or you're notfeeling like you need to seek
love from another person.
You know, I think a lot ofwomen do that.
They they seek love out inanother person and that, I think
(33:31):
, is just part of the primal DNAof women and how we're wired.
Because we need community, weneed to be together so we
survive, because the man, theycan go rogue and go solo and,
you know, go out and hunt thebeast down and bring it back to
(33:51):
the women to prepare for thefamily.
We don't have that in us.
We're just we're not wired likethat.
So I think for us it'ssomething that we have to be
mindful of and also be carefulof at the same time.
Speaker 2 (34:07):
I mean, I'm sure you could attest to that yeah, yeah,
and just I think remembering,concerning love too, is just
that nothing separates us fromlove, from his love.
And so when we're walkingthrough things, what if we
remember that, that verse, thatthought, just that this is not
(34:30):
separating me from his love?
Whatever is happening, you know, whatever circumstances going
on, it doesn't matter theseverity of it.
The word tells us nothingseparates no famine, no distress
, no nakedness, no, nothing.
So if we would believe that andjust stay in that place of
(34:53):
being loved, right, and thefather is love, even when hard
things are going on, you know?
Because he also tells us thathe's working all things, all
things again out for good, youknow?
So what if we just believe theword that way and and rested in
(35:15):
that when things come up, no,this does not take me out of his
life, you know he's workingthis out, whatever it is.
Speaker 1 (35:27):
It's beautiful because a lot of times I will
journal and I've said this to myaudience over and over through
the years to actually journaland just take five minutes or 10
minutes, 15 minutes, whateverit is that's on your heart, that
feels right for you, and justwrite everything out and you
(35:51):
don't have to sit in it, it'sjust allow it to flow and allow
it to come through.
And because I have so manypeople that are in my walk, I
have a lot of people reachingout to me asking me for prayer
requests and to pray over people, and I actually have a prayer
(36:16):
journal where I write all ofthese prayers out for people.
Because it's just too much forme to keep it all to myself, I
have to write it out.
And it's always astounding tome that when I look through my
prayer journal and I see howthese prayers are answered, it's
(36:39):
always amazing to me becauseit's so beautifully orchestrated
and not in the way that wewould ever think it would
manifest.
And a lot of times when peopleare going through difficult
things, one of the first thingsthey'll do is they'll drop to
their knees and the first thingout of their mouth why me, god,
(37:02):
why you know the why, the whycomes out of their mouth and
often I think why not you?
Why not you Like, why not you?
Jackie, when was there a timethat you I know you talked about
, you know your husband a momentago but when was there a time
(37:27):
that you were like why, you know, was there something in
adolescence that brought you toGod and your faith and the way
that it is, or what brought youto this deep understanding in
this relationship you have?
Speaker 2 (37:42):
Yeah, well, I've had a few things, you know, early on
parents divorced, then dad waskilled in a car accident, sister
passed away when I was like 28and leaving a few kids of her
own, and then her husband passedfor years after that.
So I've walked through a lot ofthings and you know just, I
(38:07):
guess, walking through all thosethings, I realize I get to live
, you know, and there's apurpose for me here and I want
to do my best job.
And what, if you know one versethat has really come up for me
and it's, it's what my book is,that's the main verse of it.
(38:28):
There's lots of verses in itand stuff, but the main verse is
from James one and it talksabout consider it pure joy, my
brothers, whenever you facetrials.
So God really brought that book, that verse, up to me going
okay, help, you're telling me toface trials.
I was in a walk of obeying theword and doing it, you know,
(38:51):
believing it.
So he's saying we're supposedto consider it.
Why, why, why could we Like mydad being killed?
I'm supposed to consider thatjoy.
I'm supposed to consider whenmy husband and I were having a
struggle, joy.
And I realize it's only becausewe know this is part of the
(39:12):
rest of the verse knowing thatthe testing of our faith will
produce something in us.
It says patience there.
But what if we let it?
We get to decide, I guess, whatwe let it produce.
We can either go growth right,patience, all the fruits of the
spirit, love, joy, peace,patience, kindness, goodness,
(39:36):
faithfulness, gentleness, orself control, or we can let it
spiral, let these trials spiralus down into resentment,
bitterness, depression.
You know all the negativethings that can come.
And but if we, what?
If we choose growth in thetrials?
And the word says it'll make usmature and complete, lacking
(40:00):
nothing if we choose growth.
So my motto has been I don'tknow, several years ago, I don't
know 10 years ago, maybe more.
I don't want to go through thesame thing, the same way again,
meaning I know the trials willcome.
We're not exempt, none of usare exempt from them.
(40:22):
But what if I'm stronger thenext time?
What if it's not as painful?
Because I've grown, you know,because I've chosen to get
closer to God, to understand theword more and what he's doing,
and I've seen that the trialshave worked, been for me, you
(40:45):
know, for my growth, for ourfamily, to move us to the next
place, you know and so.
So what if we, when we'reasking the why it's for us, what
if we can just shift and go?
Okay, this is happening for me.
(41:06):
I'm supposed to choose joy here, and it doesn't mean you like
it, it doesn't mean it's fun,you know, it's nothing like that
.
But what if our focus is morelike how can I grow through this
?
That'll change everything theway we walk through it.
Speaker 1 (41:26):
I so agree with that.
And change is constant.
I mean, we all know this.
It's a constant thing that weexperience throughout life.
And when I look at my my ownlife and other people's lives
that have been throughextenuating circumstances, when
(41:46):
you have the ability to look atit as a gift and understand this
wouldn't have happened withoutthat and this has produced a
positive thing for me because ofthat, even though that may have
been really bad.
I mean, you know, I've had somany really bad quote unquote
(42:10):
situations, but with all of them, a lot of those were when I was
a little girl.
I had no control over them andpeople would say you know, I
feel so bad that you wentthrough those experiences.
And I would say, honestly, I'mglad I had that opportunity to
have that, that experience,because had I not, I would not
(42:32):
have the ability to havecompassion or empathy or
understanding of how to helpother people navigate through
those spaces.
And recently I was listening toa woman who is in Scotland and
she was talking about how herand her husband they had a baby
(42:57):
and the baby had cancer and diedat 18 months, and how
devastated she was from thatexperience and in the deep grief
of losing a child and anymother who's experienced this
knows that pain and the depth ofthat pain that they feel.
(43:22):
That experience she said itdidn't change for her until her
and her husband adopted a baby.
When they adopted the baby,they never thought that they
could have the ability to love achild the way that they did
(43:44):
that baby and they were ingratitude because the experience
of losing their child, itdeepened the level of
appreciation for this baby thatthey adopted.
And it's just.
(44:05):
It's just so profound when youcan take something and turn it
inside out and have the abilityto see the gift in it, because
life is always happening for us.
He's always operating ahead ofus, downstream, and knows our
journey and if we can be mindfulthat we are safe within his
(44:32):
journey and if we are mindful ofhis steps and what we're
supposed to do, like it's justprofound.
And the fact that you canarticulate that in a book is
amazing as well, because I thinka lot of people don't have the
(44:52):
ability to see that fully andthey get stuck.
There's somebody in theaudience right now who's stuck.
They're stuck in 2020 andthey're angry, they're in
depression, they're grieving.
They are asking why me, why notyou?
Because there's an amazingopportunity ahead that's
(45:18):
unfolding.
You just have to get out ofyour own way right.
Look for the light, Look forthe silver lining, Look for the
good, because there's somethinggood.
Even if it feels so heavy,there's something good.
Speaker 2 (45:37):
Yeah, there is, and I think of when you said the word
heavy is we get to decide whatwe carry through life.
And I know I knew the thingsthat happened to me.
I didn't want those things todefine me.
I knew that they would create aspace where I could help other
(45:58):
people, right.
And so, like the word talksabout, after I became a coach, I
found these verses goingthrough my mind and I had to
stop and go.
What are you saying to me herewith this?
You know like, and it was thatI was going to help people throw
off the weights and the sinthat are entangling them so that
(46:22):
they can run their race andforget the past, so they can
reach the high call of God.
So sometimes we have to set thebaggage down.
You know, set that past down,put it aside, babel.
I always try to have my clientslike we get them to a spot
(46:44):
where they can smile and wave atthe past like it's settled, it
happened, it's there, but it'snot something they have to keep
reaching back to in a negativeway, because that holds us back.
But if we can, just slowly,what am I holding on to here?
And has it been 20 years?
(47:04):
Has it been two years, has it?
You know?
Is it time now to put that downand look ahead?
You know, reach toward the highcall of God.
Run your race.
You know, go toward the purposethat God has for you.
Speaker 1 (47:24):
I think a lot of times people can't see what is
ahead, so they just feel like Ihave to stay in the same place.
You know, they lose the abilityto know who they are and the
inner strength that they have,that they're wired with
organically and naturally andthat space of self-awareness and
(47:52):
just being within that space isso strong.
But unless you've been avoidingit, like a lot of people have,
they've been avoiding it withvices, television technology,
whatever it may be.
Maybe they're just running fromthemselves, you know, with work
or whatever it may be.
(48:13):
I think for those people it'shard for them to get back
centered within themselves andbe authentic and be in a space
of clarity of where am I rightnow, who am I right now?
And often just pulling up.
(48:33):
There have been other points intime in your life where you have
stumbled and fallen, but you'vegotten back up.
And the best way I can explainthis to anybody listening is
when you were a child learningto walk, how many times did you
(48:54):
fall down?
And, without any fear orreservation, you got back up and
you tried again, and you triedagain and then, before you knew
it, you were walking and then,before you knew it, you started
to go faster and now you'rerunning.
So you've done hard thingsbefore.
(49:15):
Even if you don't fullyremember what that felt like, it
still was something youaccomplished and something that
you did.
So I'm reminding all ofeveryone listening, this isn't
your first rodeo.
It's just showing updifferently, that's all.
Speaker 2 (49:39):
Yeah, totally.
And my thought is to getcurious with yourself why am I
here?
What am I holding onto?
What's bothering me?
Just get quiet and just startwriting some things down, asking
God, asking yourself what'sgoing on, why am I stuck?
(50:00):
And there are people that canhelp too.
But another thing is that whenyou come into Christ, when a
person comes into Christ, hesays all things are new in
Christ, that the old is passedaway, all things are new.
(50:22):
And so what if you haven'taccepted Christ before, or if
you already have and you haven'tbeen walking in that newness?
What if you start that now?
Just start from a new place.
And from that new place, lookat, okay, what needs to go here,
(50:44):
Like what am I holding onto?
What's keeping me stuck?
What's the area of strugglethat I just need to change my
perspective of?
Or roll it over to God, Like hesays cast all your cares on me,
for I care for you.
You know just.
Those were just some thoughtsthat came for me and they're
(51:07):
beautiful thoughts.
Speaker 1 (51:10):
They're so authentic and right in the moment, spot on
as far as what we could haveheard in this moment.
So I thank you for that andmany people for myself.
I had a upbringing that if youhad any kind of relationship
(51:32):
with God or a higher power orwhatever it looks like for you,
that you were actually a weakperson.
That was the message that I wasgiven as a little girl and when
I look back I think, well, ofcourse, my guardian angel
showing up when I'm five yearsold, because I had to feel and
see and know that that messagingwas not correct.
(51:55):
Right, that was not correctmessaging.
But there's a lot of peoplethat are in a space where they
were messaged a similar message.
You know that you're weak ifyou have this relationship.
And it's profound to me becausethere's a lot of labels and a
(52:20):
lot of philosophy arounddifferent things.
When we think about God,relationship with God and how it
should be or shouldn't be, andthere's a lot of conversation
about it, and when I think onthat in today's environment,
(52:40):
it's very profound to me that weare in a spiritual warfare and
our soul is the commodity.
That's what is being foughtafter, the discernment that we
need to have in this moment intime of understanding if it's of
God or if it's of man, if it'sgood, if it's evil, all of these
(53:03):
things.
I think now we're being testedmore than ever, more than ever,
as far as where we stand, andare we in a space where we're in
the light or in the darkness?
What are your thoughts aroundsome of that?
Speaker 2 (53:25):
Yeah, well, I was even saying in our home the
other night it's time for us todecide who we serve.
And, as for me and my house, weserve the Lord, and I just
spoke that out.
But it's true, it's likethere's no longer a middle
ground there, there's no longera gray area.
(53:47):
It's either we're gods and weknow we are, and we're rising up
as people of God, in strengthand authority, in power and
wisdom from Him, or we're on theother side.
Either we're in the kingdom oflight or darkness.
There's not an in between.
(54:09):
And so, yeah, it's time todecide.
And look at what sometimes wethink, like you were saying
about, it's weak to have God orwhatever.
But what?
Look at what?
The world is doing.
(54:29):
The easy thing they're reactingto things.
They're wallowing down indepression, they're being
discouraged.
Well, the opposite of that isbeing like trusting the word,
being positive in times ofturmoil or struggle.
We have a choice how we reactand how we respond to what's
(54:53):
happening.
So what if, instead ofresponding negatively, assuming
everything's going wrong or it'snot gonna work out, what if we
believe it's going to work outand look at the positive, like
we were talking before, ratherthan assuming the negative.
(55:13):
Either way, it's faith.
It's faith in one or the otherright.
Speaker 1 (55:18):
So true, so true, and it's profound to me that in
this moment in time there reallyis no fence sitting.
You do have to be on one sideor the other, and what's coming
to me right now is that we dohave to be very mindful of what
(55:39):
it is that we're allowing as faras our thoughts, what we're
feeding our minds and theinformation we're putting into
our bodies, the information ofwhat we're also speaking to
other people as well.
But what are we feeding ourbodies?
(56:01):
Is this good, healthy food, oris it things that are going to
create disease and illness forus?
I mean, we only get one shot tolive this beautiful life and we
do have a responsibility tomake sure we're in discernment
of doing the right thing forourselves.
(56:22):
But honoring ourselves and partof that is honoring that we're
protecting our soul self,because our soul is energy and
that doesn't die, that alwayswill be, and it's just really
really important more than everthat we're taking care of
(56:43):
ourselves in a positive,reinforcing way.
Speaker 2 (56:49):
Yeah, what we're listening to, what we're putting
in physically, like you weresaying, yeah, it matters.
And with all the social mediaand all of the devices that are
right in our hands, it's soimportant to check ourselves.
And we have days when we don'thave them set up just randomly,
(57:12):
as we feel that all the phonesare down today.
You know just and occasionallyI check my kids' phones Now I'm
one that I don't have theparental control on them, and I
was actually talking to thefamily about this recently.
I was just saying I don't dothat because I believe the Lord
(57:38):
will show me if I need to lookon any phones or whatever.
And I want you to learn now toI'm not gonna always be there
checking.
I don't wanna check six orseven phones, you know that's
not.
I want to teach and train youand work through any bugs.
(57:58):
Now you know as far astemptations, and so that's kind
of where we're at with that typeof thing too.
But yeah, it's just soimportant to watch what we're
putting in our minds.
Speaker 1 (58:14):
Definitely so, Jackie .
I do have one last question toask you.
And if I were to come acrossyour earth, angel feather on the
ground what would your messageto the world be?
Speaker 2 (58:29):
My message would be that we have a choice how we
respond to the things that comeinto our lives.
It doesn't matter what it is.
I think of it as storms.
The trials are like stormsthey're all different severities
, they're all different lengthsof time, some shorts along, some
(58:50):
really hard, and do more damageor feel like they could, and
others less.
But we have a choice how wewalk through the things that
come into our lives.
And so why not choose growth,like we were talking earlier?
Why not choose growth?
Why not choose the positiveroad, even the road less
(59:11):
traveled right now?
You know, a lot of times weright away go to oh, this is not
working out already.
But just choose growth andchoose the positive road.
Speaker 1 (59:25):
That's very beautiful and I couldn't agree more.
So thank you so so much forbeing with us today.
And you're just a beautifulbody of energy, love and light
and you can just feel it asyou're talking and it's just
really beautiful.
So I know my audience is goingto appreciate that, but I'm
(59:47):
filled with gratitude thatyou're here today and I just
appreciate it so much.
So thank you.
Speaker 2 (59:52):
Yeah, well, thank you for having me on.
It's been amazing talking withyou.
I feel the same.
We just had a great connectionthere and it was a good chat.
Speaker 1 (01:00:03):
So thank you, you're very welcome and for my audience
again, this is CatherineDaniels, with Retreat to Peace,
reminding you to live yourauthentic life with peace and
have a great week.
We'll see you next time.
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