August 28, 2025 • 37 mins
In this episode of Yahweh’s Money, we’re getting candid about something that affects all of us: comparison. Shay Cook welcomes powerhouse entrepreneur and coach Dr. Johnetta Thurston for a soul-stirring conversation about identity, finances, and faith in the age of the algorithm.
Shay and Dr. Johnetta open up about the silent weight of social pressure, how spiritual alignment helps resist financial distraction, and what true contentment looks like in a world obsessed with more.
If you’ve ever scrolled through social media and felt like you’re behind—or wondered why your blessings feel delayed—this episode will remind you that God’s timing is never late, and your path is yours alone.
Here’s what you’ll walk away with:
- Why comparison is the enemy of stewardship—and how to break free from it.
- The hidden financial and emotional cost of “keeping up.”
- Biblical truths about success, obedience, and God’s timing.
- Real talk on solopreneurship, burnout, and defining your own version of success.
- How contentment and legacy are more powerful than luxury.
Featured Scripture:
- Galatians 6:4-5 – “Each one should test their own actions... without comparing themselves to someone else.”
- Proverbs 22:7 – “The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender.”
- Philippians 4:6 – “Be anxious for nothing…”
- Luke 14:28 – “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost…”
Action Step:
Audit your digital space this week.
- Unfollow or mute three accounts that spark comparison or discontent.
- Then follow three accounts that nourish your faith, finances, and well-being.
Final Word:
Comparison can bankrupt your peace. But when you stay rooted in your purpose and focused on your own lane, God can do the work of multiplying your seed in due season. Trust His timeline. Your breakthrough doesn’t need a filter—it needs faith.
Connect with Dr. Johnetta here:
Website: https://www.jdamanagementandconsulting.com/
💸⛪🕍📿💵
Our podcast is proudly sponsored by Crusaders for Change, LLC (C4C) and hosted by our CEO and Founder, Mrs. Shay Cook. At C4C, we provide customized corporate financial wellness programs for businesses, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations. Our services are tailored to create happier, healthier, and more productive work environments. We also empower individuals and couples to overcome debt, improve their credit, boost savings, and more. Ready to learn more about how C4C can impact your life? Contact us today at https://www.crusaders4change.org/!
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Music by: Lamonte Silver - Owner of essentialmusicclub.com | Previously by ROA - roa-music.com
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (00:02):
It was really interesting because I was
looking for someone to help mewith my books, my accounting and
bookkeeping, and there was agirl in my particular group.
That was really good.
But you know what I think Ihesitated to get her because I
was embarrassed becauseeverybody else had these big
(00:22):
revenues and I said you know, ifI open this up, she's going to
see that my revenue.
But I'm saying that's acomparison.
Shay Cook (00:30):
Oh, and that's why I'm shaking my head because I've
been there, done that.
I understand completely whatyou're talking about.
Ever felt those awkward vibeswhen religion and money come up?
You're not alone.
Welcome to Yahweh's Money, thepodcast where we tackle the
crossroads of faith and finance.
I'm Shay Cook, an AccreditedFinancial Counselor and the CEO
(00:51):
and Founder of Crusaders forChange, LLC.
Join us on our journey as wediscuss topics like tithing,
saving and conquering debtthrough religious perspectives.
Let's get started.
Hey everyone.
Welcome back to another episodeof Yahweh's Money.
Today, we're going to talk aboutthe true cost of comparison,
(01:11):
social media status andstewardship.
So, as we may know, socialmedia can inspire us, but it can
also trap us in cycles of envy,overspending and discontent.
Today we're exploring howcomparison culture impacts our
finances and our relationshipwith God.
I know it's impacted mine.
I can't wait to get into itwith my guests.
But before we go there, let'stalk about our main scripture
(01:34):
today Galatians 6, 4 through 5,which states each one should
test their own action.
Then they can take pride inthemselves alone, without
comparing themselves to someoneelse, for each one should carry
their own load.
So this verse reminds us thatGod calls us to stay focused on
our own lane, our unique path ofstewardship and purpose, not
(01:57):
someone else's highlight reel.
Oh my God, that's good, becausesometimes I get stuck on those
stories and stuff on socialmedia.
I am so excited today to have DrJohnetta Thurston.
She is the CEO of JDAManagement, but she is so much
more.
She is a woman of Christ.
She is a mother, a grandmother,a wife, a friend, a sister, an
(02:20):
aunt and, I'm sure, a niece.
She's just everything.
She's amazing.
We met during Central MarylandChamber years ago Shout out to
the Central Maryland Chamber.
We were in BCN Group, businessConnection Networks, and since
then she has just been theamazing friend and I'm so glad
to have her on here.
Hey, dr Johnnetta.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (02:40):
Hi, hi, thank you.
I am honored to be here withyou because you are doing
amazing things in the area offinance and I love the fact that
it has that spiritual hookup,that spiritual connection.
Shay Cook (02:57):
Oh.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (02:57):
I love that.
Shay Cook (02:59):
Well, tell us some more about you.
Dr Johnetta, I know I gave justa little spill and we'll share
your bio on our website, but Iwant to hear more about you Well
you know what?
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (03:08):
I'm just a little country girl,
originally from North Carolina,but I moved to this area over 40
years ago with my husband, whowas an employee of NSA his
entire career, so I've been inthis area for quite some time.
But my background is I went toschool at UNC, chapel Hill, and
(03:30):
then I got another degree at theUniversity of Maryland and then
I got my doctorate at RegentUniversity in Virginia Beach and
that, which was an experiencein itself, because actually my
daughter and I we did ourdoctorate together.
It was really, really excitingwhat my company does.
(03:50):
We have four different areasthat we concentrate in.
The first one is we doperformance coaching for
individuals and teams.
Love, love, love doing that.
The second thing, we do humanresources, we do project
management and we do trainingand development.
(04:11):
My motto is that we help yousolve your people, project and
performance issues.
So any of those areas and wehelp small businesses and we've
helped a lot of large businesses, even some of the federal
agencies, so it's been reallypretty exciting and she's an
(04:35):
amazing trainer y'all.
Shay Cook (04:35):
She's done some HR and different kind of trainings
through the chamber.
I've seen her in action.
She is amazing, an amazingfacilitator.
She's so humble but everybodyaround here knows her Okay, so
she is a superstar.
I mean just the love that yousee when somebody sees Jonetta
is just amazing.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (04:49):
Oh, thank you so much.
I love people and I think thatit may perhaps come through.
It does, and I have like youand I heard you say it during
the introduction I struggledwith comparison, but it's going
to be really interesting, as wetalk, to see how we got out of
it.
Yeah, now Exactly.
Shay Cook (05:11):
I love that and you have your daughter and have them
shout out to your daughter andyour granddaughter.
I mean two beautiful souls thatare just you know, loving on
you, and they're amazing, ThankGod.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (05:21):
Thank God , they really inspire me.
They really do Thank God.
Thank God for them.
They really inspire me.
Shay Cook (05:26):
They really do All right.
So now we're going to get intoour rapid fire questions.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (05:32):
Take your seat.
Let the wisdom inherit.
Shay Cook (05:37):
Hit the rapid fire questions.
Say what's on your spirit.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (05:43):
Take your seat.
Let the wisdom inherit.
Hit the rapid fire.
Questions Say what's on yourspirit.
Shay Cook (05:57):
So we got three quick questions Just going to fire at
you.
Just come at me with the answerand then we'll get into the
main discussion.
So you ready, I'm ready.
What's your first memory ofstruggling with comparison?
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (06:09):
My first memory think about it may have
been in school and I don't eventhink it came from me.
I think it came from others.
When they start comparing youto other peer leaders, other
band members, other this andthat.
Shay Cook (06:22):
And I think that that's my first memory.
I think I had a similar one.
I was in band and yeah, it wasalways that comparison of
whatever Are you the best?
You know?
I played the clarinet, I was inbasketball, oh you did.
I didn't know that I was involleyball.
That's actually, I think, wasthe main one always, because I
just thought I was the ish whenI was playing volleyball.
I was always being compared tosomebody and I'm like I'm two
(06:45):
feet taller than this person andthey got the awards and all of
that.
So to me that was a struggle,not people not seeing my
potential, in my opinion,because they were looking at
somebody else and comparing meto them.
So that's good, all right.
What's one myth about successthat social media tends to
promote?
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (07:02):
I think social media tends to promote
that what you see and what youhear is real and that is a fact.
You know it's almost.
If you see it on social mediayou can believe it.
That's not true.
I was talking to someone real,real quick and they were talking
about oh, so-and-so was goingto this place and they're
(07:23):
traveling, and have you seenthis?
And the child was in her housedown the street.
Oh man, so I'm just saying butsociety makes you feel like
you've got to do something forother people to accept you.
Shay Cook (07:38):
Instead of just being a good human?
How about we try to do thatfirst?
We don't have to be promotingall of the success and stuff,
and if you want to, that's yourthing.
And I'm not trying to judgeanybody, but I know.
For me it's about the integrity, the credit, the values of who
you are.
That matters more than any trip, any shoes, any clothes,
whatever that you're out therepromoting.
Dr. Johnetta Thursto (07:58):
Absolutely .
It doesn't matter what youdrive, it doesn't matter where
you live, who are you touchingwho?
It doesn't matter what youdrive, it doesn't matter where
you live, who are you touching,who are you helping, but you
know what you have to describeand know and define what success
(08:19):
looks like for you, because ifyou see others winning online,
First of all, I do somethingthat I think everybody should do
, and that is take social mediabreaks.
Yes, get into the scripture,read, and one thing that is
(08:40):
powerful is surround yourselfwith your tribe.
Let those people that believein you build you up up, hold you
up, because that's reallythat's the only people you have,
people that care and love you,care about you and love you.
Shay Cook (09:00):
Yeah, so that's, that's what I do, and I would
say I would add to that tribe.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (09:02):
I agree with the positive tribe, not
them negative people.
Shay Cook (09:03):
The negative, nancy's negative.
You know people that you knowyou want to be around, a
positive group of tribe.
Tribe that's going to push youforward, motivate you, encourage
you, be there when times ofneed, and not the ones that are
begging and trying to abuse youand taking advantage of you.
We don't need those people inour lives.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (09:21):
And you also have to realize that
there's some people that are inyour life for a season they
might be in there for a reason,a season or a reason and even
your family members.
You have to be able to separatethem and know in your spirit
(09:42):
what your purpose is, whatyou're called to do, and you
have to keep that focus.
I always tell people know whatyour why is, Know your why and
stay laser focused.
Shay Cook (09:56):
Yep, know your why and know your worth.
And that's not divided byfinances either.
That's not defined by.
That's your worth.
God gave us all something.
He gave us one talent, fivetalents, whatever, but use those
wisely.
So, and yeah, I know your why,I know your worth because I know
a lot of people out here justhave such low self-esteem in
this comparison mode.
(10:16):
So, we're getting into the maindiscussion, but thank you for
the rapid fire questions.
That was amazing.
You're already giving us someinsight.
I love it.
All right, let's get into themain discussion.
So how comparison impactsfinancial decisions?
So you know, I see people onthe social media.
I see the most out there isthis get rich quick schemes, or
(10:37):
thinking somebody one day wokeup and they were on a yacht.
When you hear the stories ofthe big people that got these
yachts, they worked 20, 30, 40,50 years before they owned a
yacht.
But these youngins be like oh,I want that, I want that, I want
that.
It takes time.
So you know, this comparisoncan make people overspend and
just go through this keeping upwith mentality.
I always say this on thispodcast people try to keep up
with the Carters, with theKardashians, with the Joneses
(11:00):
everybody instead of trying tokeep up with yourself the
Joneses, everybody instead oftrying to keep up with yourself
Absolutely.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (11:11):
And you know, it's really interesting
that you would say that, becausethe first leadership conference
that I did that my companysponsored, I looked for people
that could be real, that couldbe transparent, that were
successful, but I did not wantthem to get up and go straight
to the success.
I want the people in theaudience to hear what was that
(11:32):
journey like, exactly Because Ihad gone to a conference right
before my conference and thislady got up and she just all
boasted about what she had andher life and this, that and the
other.
And then another speaker got upand she told of her almost
(11:52):
losing her house.
She told of how she had, as asingle mom, she had gone through
that.
She had a powerful testimonyand she had a very successful
company.
But she wanted people to knowthat this is not.
You wake up one day and it'sovernight and you're there and I
went straight, I made a beelineto her and I said you have got
(12:15):
to speak at a conference.
That I'm doing because I wantpeople to know that it takes
time blood, sweat and tears.
That's what they think aboutbusiness owners.
We think that every businessowner is living large and
they're driving this and they'reliving there.
I know the first year that Imade very little money and I was
(12:38):
talking to my business coachand I was really depressed about
it and he stopped me and hesaid Jonetta, he said the
average business owner at thattime.
That's what I ain't going totell you how many years ago.
He said the average businessowner makes about $44,000.
(12:58):
They are usually solopreneurs,but the image that I had, like
most people until you get intoit, is that everybody that says
they're a business owner wasliving large and that's not true
.
Shay Cook (13:13):
That is amazing and you're right and it's a journey
that we need to appreciate.
And some people might have aJob moment, right.
Sometimes you might get all theway to the top and you might
have to take you all the wayback down because you know you
get a little too big for yourbritches, as the old people used
to say, right, and it's likeGod, like uh-uh, and I learned
from my experience and myjourney that when I do and my
(13:36):
ego starts to get too big, whenI start to get a little cocky, a
little this, and that, god behe goes.
Like you didn't do this, I didthis.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (13:44):
Wait a minute, that's what he does,
don't he he?
Shay Cook (13:46):
be like uh-uh, so I'm going to take you down.
You're going to be sitting hereand you're like, well, I ain't
making more money and all this.
He's like you were justmanaging this.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (13:56):
I had a friend that I knew she was
really a business owner.
She was rising really reallyquick.
She got her business organized,she went and got her MBE and
she went to her first.
What did you call it?
The pre-thing?
When you go to the first, whereeverybody's coming together and
listening to the client to seewhat they want, Do you have
(14:16):
questions that?
Shay Cook (14:17):
Oh, okay, you mean like the prime, where they come
together.
Yeah, they all get together.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (14:21):
Well, she was just, you know, just
getting started and what you doat those pre-bid, pre-bid
conferences you sign, you signyour name, put your business
name down, and all of that.
Well, a prime won this hugecontract.
It was one of the first inMaryland where the prime won the
(14:45):
Obamacare to help set that up,and all of that.
And they went down the list andthey picked her name.
Wow, they talked to her and shesaid I would love to do this, I
would love to do this.
You know, this is exciting, butI don't have any money.
I'm just getting started.
These people gave her somethinglike two or three million.
(15:06):
Oh my God, they covered it forher.
Wow, I mean, she was off andrunning.
Now, that does not happen to me, no, but other people thought,
oh, since it happened to her,this is how.
Shay Cook (15:20):
Oh yeah, that's a one in a million kind of situation.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (15:24):
You know, she went, she was like a
skyrocket.
She took off, but a few yearslater she had to close her
office, get rid of all herfurniture, because you have to
be able to manage that.
I mean, I'm not saying that,you know, but it happens.
Shay Cook (15:43):
Some people are too.
They grow too fast.
Shout out to Dr Candace Pruitt.
As you know, sbdc.
She was like you got to levelout your growing, you got to.
You got to level out yourgrowing, you got to.
You got to grow steadily.
Because sometimes people growso fast and we're talking about
another subject, but it stillcomes back to that Growing so
fast that we're comparingourselves to like an Amazon or
Google.
But those pieces even Facebookand all these big companies they
(16:03):
took a long time to grow.
Jeff Bezos, I mean.
People know the story.
It took 20 years to get towhere he is.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (16:10):
But you know what that goes back to
people comparing, thinking thatthis is the path.
That is not everybody's path.
Shay Cook (16:20):
And that's why people have this emotion.
There's an emotional cost tothis comparison right, the
anxiety, the burnout, the shame.
I know I deal with all of them,especially anxiety and burnout,
because I think it started withme, with the business.
It started probably back in myIVP days.
Shout out to Will.
Holmes.
But it was like you know thismillionaire mentality, let's get
these millions, let's get thesemillions.
And I'm like, wait a minute,I'm steadily growing.
(16:42):
God is keeping me steady, I'mstill open.
I should be grateful for that.
Why am I trying to chase thesemillions?
But after that course again, itwas great.
You know, I love the GoldmanSachs more.
I'm sorry, I'm comparing myselfto all these other business
owners that have made all thesemillions and I'm feeling anxiety
.
I'm feeling bad.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (16:59):
You do, you do, why am I?
Shay Cook (17:00):
feeling like this.
But guys like I have a plan foryou not them.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (17:12):
And you know what my thing is is human.
That's part of what we all feel, and when people say they don't
feel that, at some point intime I kind of look at them
side-eyed, because just abouteverybody goes through that and
you go through this.
You know what was me?
Why not me?
How is this?
But their journey is not yourjourney, Exactly.
Shay Cook (17:29):
Exactly that is so good.
Have you personally dealt withany of the anxiety or the
burnout or the shame?
Oh my.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (17:35):
God.
Yes, it's really interesting.
I know that I don't know howyou respond to it.
Before I got a handle on how todeal with it, I turned into a
workaholic.
Shay Cook (17:47):
Yep, that's where I'm at right now.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (17:49):
Yeah, I turned into a workaholic and I
was whoa, just working day andnight and, um, you know, and I
think that you uh was aware thatI was over, uh, the general
manager, that was over theWalter Reed contract, and I
remember working because theyhad had four or five project
(18:11):
managers before me, none of themhad been successful, and people
were saying don't go down there, they eat project managers for
dinner.
You might not want to do this,but it was an opportunity that I
didn't.
You know, I prayed about.
I really wanted to try it.
Thank God, we were successfuland the senior vice president
that I reported to at that timecalled me one morning.
(18:34):
She said why are you sendingemails at two and three o'clock
in the morning?
She said I just got an emailfrom you at like 2.30 or
something this morning and at6.30, you're at work.
Oh, my God.
She said there's no way yourested.
Shay Cook (18:55):
Yeah, there's no way.
And back then you couldn'tschedule anything back then.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (18:59):
So, yeah, I mean yeah, wow, wow, yeah,
sonata, you weren't getting to,you were working really hard,
yes, and then, when theaccolades started coming and you
know I was working with thejoint chiefs of staffs at the
pentagon and these people like,oh my god, you are doing an
amazing job.
No one else has done this.
(19:19):
We we won a hundred percent ofour rebids and all of that.
But the thing is, why was Iworking so hard?
Shay Cook (19:28):
Yeah.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (19:29):
Because I really almost burnt myself out.
But thank God I had mentors andI had coaches that said you
can't stay at this level, youcan't stay at this level.
My first vacation was for abouta month.
I went to South Africa.
Wow, I went to South Africa andI had trained my staff.
(19:50):
I did not get one phone call.
Oh, that's what I'm talkingabout.
But you know, it paid off, butat what cost.
Shay Cook (19:58):
Yeah, exactly, you had to learn the hard way and a
lot of us do.
I know I'm stubborn.
I have to learn the hard way.
I'm still a workaholic andright now I've been dealing with
a lot of anxiety because ofpersonal stuff, but also
professional.
Being in this amazing GoldmanSachs program 10K business,
10,000 small businesses program,which, thanks to Johnnetta,
who's been trying to get me inthis program forever.
She's a graduate and she's beentelling me about it.
(20:20):
It's amazing.
So, wrapping that up, but beingin that program, it's like the
anxiety has been high and theonly thing that helps me because
, you know, even in thoseprograms I'm looking at this
business making this money, theydoing this, they got this many
employees.
They didn't you know.
So it's always that comparison.
But it's really God and theword, his word, his comfort, his
(20:40):
meditating on him and his wordis the only thing getting me
through this, the only thinggetting me through this and I
can identify with that.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (20:47):
And you know what, when I was in the
program, it was reallyinteresting because I was
looking for someone to help mewith my books, my accounting and
bookkeeping and there was agirl in my particular group.
That was really good.
But you know what?
I think I hesitated to get herbecause I was embarrassed
(21:07):
because everybody else had thesebig revenues and I said, you
know, if I open this up, she'sgoing to see that my revenue.
But I'm saying that's acomparison.
Shay Cook (21:17):
Oh, and that's why I'm shaking my head, because
I've been there, done that.
I understand completely whatyou're talking about.
I did not want to share mynumbers in that class.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (21:26):
Yeah.
Shay Cook (21:28):
But it's funny because I think I don't know if
you guys did the same exercisewhere they put the board up and
you're writing down where you'reat right now and your numbers
and where you want to be.
And I'm looking at some peopleand some people are way lower
and some people are way higherand I was like what is wrong?
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (21:42):
with me, they all over the place, and you
know the thing about it.
When I told one of the guys Idon't want to call his name, but
he was one of the guys that Iinterviewed with when I got into
the Goldman Sachs program andhe was kind of a little
discouraging when I told himwhere I wanted to go and he said
that looks like it's like 800percent.
(22:05):
You want to go there.
I said, well, I think I can doit.
After I came out of thatprogram, girl, it was like
blockbuster.
Wow.
I made crazy, crazy, crazymoney Wow.
And when I did.
I could not wait, because hewas there when we did our
presentations oh, okay, becausehe could see where I was.
(22:28):
So afterwards I don't knowwhether it was where we had to
circle back around.
You have to keep up with yournumbers, and so, and when he
literally called me and he said,I cannot believe it, you did
Exactly.
So the comparison can also workin your favor, if you let it.
Shay Cook (22:50):
Yeah, it could be a boost in your spirit and also in
dream big, don't stop dreaming.
During one of our office hoursyesterday for one of the modules
I don't know if you had Dr SamDeal and Morgan, he's a guy and
he taught our projections orwhatever.
He taught one of the modules.
They kept on saying beconservative, be conservative.
And I was like, okay, but I waslike you know, at one time I
(23:10):
was always like I remembertelling Dr Candice Pruitt again
during one of our sessions, likeI'm going to triple our revenue
for the business, and it neverhappened, and so it hasn't
happened yet, I should say.
And so I was very, you know, Iwas just discouraged, I was very
discouraged.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (23:23):
I'm like I'm like I'm just going to stop
(23:45):
putting that down.
And he said again yesterday.
He said you know what you need.
A dream you need, becausethat's what entrepreneurs do, we
dream and we need to don't stopsee that when you're not
hitting that, they're like uh,you know, and if you listen to
them, you will.
God's timing and you might seeeverybody else getting, but it's
not your season.
(24:12):
Your season is coming.
There's a scripture that talksabout in due season we will reap
.
I call that my fifth season.
That's my due season, becauseif I don't think, I will reap
Amen, and that's a principle.
I don't care, I will reap Amenand that's a principle.
I don't care if you're aChristian, if you're not a
(24:33):
Christian, whatever your belief,that is a principle that works.
Shay Cook (24:38):
It really does.
That you reap what you sow, youreap what you sow Exactly.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (24:43):
And that sowing and reaping when you reap
, that's your due season.
Oh girl, don't get me started,girl, I mean you preaching?
Shay Cook (24:50):
because we were just talking the other day at my team
meeting, we was like one of myexecutive administrative
assistants shout out to Aileaand she was like you know, we're
just planting roses out here.
I'm like, yeah, you know what?
God has given us the seed.
And if he gives us the seed,and as long as we give it, he's
going to give it the sunshine.
As long as we put them in,sometimes it's going to be some
manure, it's going to be someish.
In that day You're going to belike, oh, it smells, but the
(25:11):
manure is just as pertinent asthe fertilizer, as the water, as
the love, as the talking tothat plant, whatever it needs to
grow.
But God gave us the seed andhe's going to make sure we have
all the resources.
And for you to just say that ournext point was how comparison
can distort God's timing.
You're so right, right, youjust said it.
(25:32):
We've been moving along justamazing.
This comparison can distort.
You're like I want it now.
I want it now.
I want it now.
God's like you ain't ready forit now.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (25:45):
You're not ready, if I know what we
talk about, the talents in thescriptures.
And what do you do with thelittle bit that he gives you?
Do you had it under a bushel?
You don't make it multiply, youdon't do anything with it.
Then you get upset when youdon't reap anything, exactly.
Shay Cook (26:05):
He couldn't trust you with the little bit Exactly.
Why would he give you more?
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (26:10):
And he's not going to.
Yeah, he's not.
I look at my pastor, pastorDavid Anderson, over at
Bridgeway Community, and I don'tknow I can't remember now 10
million.
I don't know what the cost ofall of our stuff is at church,
but he paid off a 30-yearmortgage in 15 years, oh wow.
(26:30):
And even less for ourArisestown campus.
But the man is such a goodsteward the staff and the people
that he brought in to helpmanage the money and they're
very transparent, very open.
We meet every year to say we'reall, everything is gone.
(26:51):
I love that and you can't helpbut give to a ministry because
they are, I guess, stewardshipis something that we have to be
mindful of too.
Shay Cook (27:02):
Yeah, we do.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (27:03):
We do, and he's just such a good
steward, that's good, yeah.
Shay Cook (27:08):
And you know, in churches like that, we need more
of those right, where peopleare good stewards, they're
paying off these mortgages andthey're helping their
communities and doing God's workand spreading the gospel, which
is a call from God, right?
So, yeah, reframing success,defining his purpose, not
platforms right, let's look atwhat success really looks like.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (27:29):
That's important and, like I said
earlier in our conversation, youhave to define what success
looks like for you.
To define what success lookslike for you, Because my success
may be very different from yoursuccess and what we're looking
for.
I remember I heard this yearsago and it makes so much sense
(27:51):
and I think it came from Alicein Wonderland that says you
don't know where you're going.
Any road will take you there.
Any road will take you there,but when you define success and
the Lord truly will order yoursteps.
He will.
Some days you may get up andsay, okay, god, I don't know
what I'm doing, he will sendsomebody, or you will read
(28:15):
something, or you will hearsomething.
Some type of interaction willnudge you in that right
direction, because you'vealready defined success.
When I started my business, mysuccess might have been to live
in this size house or to do thisor to be able to do that, but
(28:38):
as I matured and got older, thatshifted to something that had
more substance and more meaning,not just to me when I was
writing everything.
When I was in Goldman Sachs, itwas important for me to have a
legacy.
Scripture says that we shouldleave an inheritance to our
(29:00):
children and our children'schildren.
Exactly, and then it became notall about me, exactly, exactly,
gave you greater purpose.
Shay Cook (29:09):
Yeah, yeah, I love that.
That's beautiful.
Yeah, I just wrote my extrastrategy yesterday and I was
like I'm not trying to sell thisand do all this, I'm trying to
keep this in my family and havea legacy.
And you're right, and that'sexactly the same thing, and I
mean it was a beautiful how itcame to be.
Like God is putting it alltogether, you know, and the last
thing I would say about this isyou know it's it's power and
(29:30):
contentment, and focusing onyour, your people, not somebody
else's not Beyonce, not KimKardashian, not Jeff Bezos, not
any, whoever you idolize, oprahWinfrey, whoever it's your given
assignment.
That's what you should befocused on.
(29:50):
As you're scrolling through thesocials and you're seeing this
person doing this and doing thatand doing this, and you're
feeling a certain way and,believe me, I'm not immune to
that.
I, too, deal with that as well.
Like John Ed was saying earlier, you got to take a break from
social, because that'll driveyou crazy.
You seeing all these peopledoing all these great things,
and I mean I think I'd rathersee the good stuff instead of
the bad stuff, because I knowpeople sometimes post about that
(30:13):
too.
But regardless, you know, I'mfocused on what God has given me
to do, and that is to be aChristian, to be a mother, a
wife, a daughter, a sister and abusiness owner of Crusaders for
Change, helping people spreadin the gospel in any way we can,
through helping people withfinances.
So that is my God-givenassignment.
I can't be Jonetta and Jonettacan't be me.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (30:35):
And you know what?
I tell people that theysometimes they don't want to
step away, but they need to.
My daughter got off of socialmedia last year.
She's been over a year.
Oh wow, she got off of Facebook, tiktok, instagram, all that
(30:57):
stuff, because because it wasmentally waiting, and she said,
you know, I mean I didn't tellher this.
She came to that conclusionherself and she was a much
happier person because she got achance to concentrate on who.
Shay Cook (31:15):
Awesome, I love that.
And the last thing also I wouldsay a lot of people spend more
money because they own social.
They say 40 percent ofmillennials say social media
makes them spend more than theycan afford, and that source is
CNBC.
And it's true.
Not only are we comparingourselves, that we're trying to
keep up with them, and thenwe're trying to buy all this
stuff, and then we have all thisstuff at home that we can't
(31:37):
afford and all this credit carddebt and no savings and no
investments and no legacy and noinheritance.
So, with all that said, I meanyou know it is.
You got to watch out guys.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (31:49):
It's really funny because you can see
comparison in small things.
I had one of my neighbors cameto me and she said who does your
grass?
I'm like the grass cuttingpeople, you know.
And I said I said we havereally had a challenge with our
(32:11):
grass.
We couldn't get it to grow.
We couldn't get it to grow onlybecause we really wanted a
really nice yard.
And all she said, well, youryard is beautiful.
And another neighbor was upsetbecause they were like well, we
planted this kind of grass anddid you do this?
I said, girl, I don't know whatyou planted and I don't know
(32:32):
what they planted for me, butI'm saying who compares what
type of?
Shay Cook (32:37):
grass.
Yeah, people do, people do.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (32:39):
But I'm saying the comparison on so many
different levels.
Shay Cook (32:45):
I don't even care.
Yeah, you don't, but the nextperson does.
So I mean I'm probably on theother side, so I go down there.
I'll be like Nate, my husband,why our grass don't look like
our neighbor's at the end.
So I'm the same as yourneighbor.
I'll be like well, what's thatgrass?
That grass look good.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (33:04):
You know, I was telling her.
I said, honey, my interest andfocus is so not on the grass.
Yeah, exactly, exactly, butthat curb appeal is important,
but I understand what you'resaying it is.
It helps you.
Shay Cook (33:14):
Everybody has their different priorities.
And you're right, because Iremember growing up and family
members comparing cars and Iremember my parents bought a
Cougar.
You remember the Cougars backin the 80s and somebody in my
neighborhood across the streetwe were living in Fort
Richardson in Alaska they boughta Cougar, like my parents, and
then my parents had to go.
They got a little red line orsomething so they could
differentiate it from it.
(33:34):
I was like it was always that.
So my mom and dad would buy uscereal.
Then we would go over ourneighbor's house and they had
the same cereal.
It was like this back and forthand I saw it as like what are
we doing right now?
And I don't have time for that?
Back when I was younger I did.
I'd be like, oh, that's nice,let me go get that.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (33:54):
Now I do what I want to do.
I don, I went to an event andyou were actually at that event
and they had the cutest littlething on their shelf and the
shelf only had the name of theirwi-fi and the password.
I was like, oh my god, that isso cute.
Where did you get it?
(34:14):
Yeah, I'm like, yeah, I wascomparing because I didn't have
it so I wanted to get it.
It so I went and it's okay.
But when it goes, I rememberwhen one of the houses that me
oh my God, this house is biggerthan ours and I'm looking at him
(34:43):
thinking this boy is so small.
Who's been talking?
Who's putting in him that he'scomparing the size of our home?
Who cares?
Shay Cook (34:56):
How much love is in it.
That's what matters.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (34:59):
You can have this beautiful home and
it's all held inside.
Shay Cook (35:05):
Amen, amen, that's so true.
Well, that was amazing, drJohnnetta Thurston.
She is full of knowledge, andso tell us what's your final
thoughts and where can peoplefollow you to learn more about
you, your business andeverything you do?
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (35:19):
You know what I'm going to tell you.
I don't do a lot of the socialmedia.
Shay Cook (35:23):
That's fine.
You got a website, though.
What's your website?
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (35:25):
I do have a website and I do.
I do have Instagram, I have allthese other things.
Is there a little thing withthe at sign in front?
Shay Cook (35:32):
Yeah.
I think, like at get Jada, atget Jada, yeah, j-a-d-a.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (35:37):
For all of them, our website is
wwwgetjadacom, and even if youput in JDA, management and
Consulting it will redirect you.
Shay Cook (35:48):
It sure does.
Yep and yeah, any finalthoughts on this episode, you
know what.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (35:53):
Keep up what you're doing.
This is amazing because whenyou are burdened with debt and
your finances are out of whack,you are out of whack and you
cannot be the best that you canbe.
You cannot do all the things,even what God wants you to do,
(36:14):
amen.
So keep giving out theknowledge, keep giving out the
all that you're doing, and knowthat you're going to be blessed
for this, because it's helping aton of success.
Shay Cook (36:25):
Thank you, dr Jonetta .
You are amazing.
I would say everybody.
To call to action for today isdo a social media audit this
week.
Unfollow or mute any accountsthat stir up discontent.
(36:46):
For real, though, right.
Follow three accounts thatinspire you towards stewardship,
faith and financial wisdom andanything that's going to help
you up, you lift you spirituallyand your soul, your money, your
mind, body and your family.
And just thank you again forjoining us.
Have a wonderful day.
A big thank you for listeningto this episode.
(37:07):
We hope you found today's chatabout the intersection of
religion and money insightful.
We would love to hear yourfeedback.
Hit that subscribe button orfollow the podcast and please
feel free to leave us a reviewFor the latest Yahweh's Money
content.
Visit us at crusaders4changeorgor find us anywhere you listen
(37:28):
to podcasts.
Until next time, stayfinancially fit and spiritually
inspired and remember it'salways better Yahweh's way.
It was really interesting because I was
looking for someone to help mewith my books, my accounting and
bookkeeping, and there was agirl in my particular group.
That was really good.
But you know what I think Ihesitated to get her because I
was embarrassed becauseeverybody else had these big
(00:22):
revenues and I said you know, ifI open this up, she's going to
see that my revenue.
But I'm saying that's acomparison.
Shay Cook (00:30):
Oh, and that's why I'm shaking my head because I've
been there, done that.
I understand completely whatyou're talking about.
Ever felt those awkward vibeswhen religion and money come up?
You're not alone.
Welcome to Yahweh's Money, thepodcast where we tackle the
crossroads of faith and finance.
I'm Shay Cook, an AccreditedFinancial Counselor and the CEO
(00:51):
and Founder of Crusaders forChange, LLC.
Join us on our journey as wediscuss topics like tithing,
saving and conquering debtthrough religious perspectives.
Let's get started.
Hey everyone.
Welcome back to another episodeof Yahweh's Money.
Today, we're going to talk aboutthe true cost of comparison,
(01:11):
social media status andstewardship.
So, as we may know, socialmedia can inspire us, but it can
also trap us in cycles of envy,overspending and discontent.
Today we're exploring howcomparison culture impacts our
finances and our relationshipwith God.
I know it's impacted mine.
I can't wait to get into itwith my guests.
But before we go there, let'stalk about our main scripture
(01:34):
today Galatians 6, 4 through 5,which states each one should
test their own action.
Then they can take pride inthemselves alone, without
comparing themselves to someoneelse, for each one should carry
their own load.
So this verse reminds us thatGod calls us to stay focused on
our own lane, our unique path ofstewardship and purpose, not
(01:57):
someone else's highlight reel.
Oh my God, that's good, becausesometimes I get stuck on those
stories and stuff on socialmedia.
I am so excited today to have DrJohnetta Thurston.
She is the CEO of JDAManagement, but she is so much
more.
She is a woman of Christ.
She is a mother, a grandmother,a wife, a friend, a sister, an
(02:20):
aunt and, I'm sure, a niece.
She's just everything.
She's amazing.
We met during Central MarylandChamber years ago Shout out to
the Central Maryland Chamber.
We were in BCN Group, businessConnection Networks, and since
then she has just been theamazing friend and I'm so glad
to have her on here.
Hey, dr Johnnetta.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (02:40):
Hi, hi, thank you.
I am honored to be here withyou because you are doing
amazing things in the area offinance and I love the fact that
it has that spiritual hookup,that spiritual connection.
Shay Cook (02:57):
Oh.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (02:57):
I love that.
Shay Cook (02:59):
Well, tell us some more about you.
Dr Johnetta, I know I gave justa little spill and we'll share
your bio on our website, but Iwant to hear more about you Well
you know what?
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (03:08):
I'm just a little country girl,
originally from North Carolina,but I moved to this area over 40
years ago with my husband, whowas an employee of NSA his
entire career, so I've been inthis area for quite some time.
But my background is I went toschool at UNC, chapel Hill, and
(03:30):
then I got another degree at theUniversity of Maryland and then
I got my doctorate at RegentUniversity in Virginia Beach and
that, which was an experiencein itself, because actually my
daughter and I we did ourdoctorate together.
It was really, really excitingwhat my company does.
(03:50):
We have four different areasthat we concentrate in.
The first one is we doperformance coaching for
individuals and teams.
Love, love, love doing that.
The second thing, we do humanresources, we do project
management and we do trainingand development.
(04:11):
My motto is that we help yousolve your people, project and
performance issues.
So any of those areas and wehelp small businesses and we've
helped a lot of large businesses, even some of the federal
agencies, so it's been reallypretty exciting and she's an
(04:35):
amazing trainer y'all.
Shay Cook (04:35):
She's done some HR and different kind of trainings
through the chamber.
I've seen her in action.
She is amazing, an amazingfacilitator.
She's so humble but everybodyaround here knows her Okay, so
she is a superstar.
I mean just the love that yousee when somebody sees Jonetta
is just amazing.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (04:49):
Oh, thank you so much.
I love people and I think thatit may perhaps come through.
It does, and I have like youand I heard you say it during
the introduction I struggledwith comparison, but it's going
to be really interesting, as wetalk, to see how we got out of
it.
Yeah, now Exactly.
Shay Cook (05:11):
I love that and you have your daughter and have them
shout out to your daughter andyour granddaughter.
I mean two beautiful souls thatare just you know, loving on
you, and they're amazing, ThankGod.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (05:21):
Thank God , they really inspire me.
They really do Thank God.
Thank God for them.
They really inspire me.
Shay Cook (05:26):
They really do All right.
So now we're going to get intoour rapid fire questions.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (05:32):
Take your seat.
Let the wisdom inherit.
Shay Cook (05:37):
Hit the rapid fire questions.
Say what's on your spirit.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (05:43):
Take your seat.
Let the wisdom inherit.
Hit the rapid fire.
Questions Say what's on yourspirit.
Shay Cook (05:57):
So we got three quick questions Just going to fire at
you.
Just come at me with the answerand then we'll get into the
main discussion.
So you ready, I'm ready.
What's your first memory ofstruggling with comparison?
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (06:09):
My first memory think about it may have
been in school and I don't eventhink it came from me.
I think it came from others.
When they start comparing youto other peer leaders, other
band members, other this andthat.
Shay Cook (06:22):
And I think that that's my first memory.
I think I had a similar one.
I was in band and yeah, it wasalways that comparison of
whatever Are you the best?
You know?
I played the clarinet, I was inbasketball, oh you did.
I didn't know that I was involleyball.
That's actually, I think, wasthe main one always, because I
just thought I was the ish whenI was playing volleyball.
I was always being compared tosomebody and I'm like I'm two
(06:45):
feet taller than this person andthey got the awards and all of
that.
So to me that was a struggle,not people not seeing my
potential, in my opinion,because they were looking at
somebody else and comparing meto them.
So that's good, all right.
What's one myth about successthat social media tends to
promote?
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (07:02):
I think social media tends to promote
that what you see and what youhear is real and that is a fact.
You know it's almost.
If you see it on social mediayou can believe it.
That's not true.
I was talking to someone real,real quick and they were talking
about oh, so-and-so was goingto this place and they're
(07:23):
traveling, and have you seenthis?
And the child was in her housedown the street.
Oh man, so I'm just saying butsociety makes you feel like
you've got to do something forother people to accept you.
Shay Cook (07:38):
Instead of just being a good human?
How about we try to do thatfirst?
We don't have to be promotingall of the success and stuff,
and if you want to, that's yourthing.
And I'm not trying to judgeanybody, but I know.
For me it's about the integrity, the credit, the values of who
you are.
That matters more than any trip, any shoes, any clothes,
whatever that you're out therepromoting.
Dr. Johnetta Thursto (07:58):
Absolutely .
It doesn't matter what youdrive, it doesn't matter where
you live, who are you touchingwho?
It doesn't matter what youdrive, it doesn't matter where
you live, who are you touching,who are you helping, but you
know what you have to describeand know and define what success
(08:19):
looks like for you, because ifyou see others winning online,
First of all, I do somethingthat I think everybody should do
, and that is take social mediabreaks.
Yes, get into the scripture,read, and one thing that is
(08:40):
powerful is surround yourselfwith your tribe.
Let those people that believein you build you up up, hold you
up, because that's reallythat's the only people you have,
people that care and love you,care about you and love you.
Shay Cook (09:00):
Yeah, so that's, that's what I do, and I would
say I would add to that tribe.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (09:02):
I agree with the positive tribe, not
them negative people.
Shay Cook (09:03):
The negative, nancy's negative.
You know people that you knowyou want to be around, a
positive group of tribe.
Tribe that's going to push youforward, motivate you, encourage
you, be there when times ofneed, and not the ones that are
begging and trying to abuse youand taking advantage of you.
We don't need those people inour lives.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (09:21):
And you also have to realize that
there's some people that are inyour life for a season they
might be in there for a reason,a season or a reason and even
your family members.
You have to be able to separatethem and know in your spirit
(09:42):
what your purpose is, whatyou're called to do, and you
have to keep that focus.
I always tell people know whatyour why is, Know your why and
stay laser focused.
Shay Cook (09:56):
Yep, know your why and know your worth.
And that's not divided byfinances either.
That's not defined by.
That's your worth.
God gave us all something.
He gave us one talent, fivetalents, whatever, but use those
wisely.
So, and yeah, I know your why,I know your worth because I know
a lot of people out here justhave such low self-esteem in
this comparison mode.
(10:16):
So, we're getting into the maindiscussion, but thank you for
the rapid fire questions.
That was amazing.
You're already giving us someinsight.
I love it.
All right, let's get into themain discussion.
So how comparison impactsfinancial decisions?
So you know, I see people onthe social media.
I see the most out there isthis get rich quick schemes, or
(10:37):
thinking somebody one day wokeup and they were on a yacht.
When you hear the stories ofthe big people that got these
yachts, they worked 20, 30, 40,50 years before they owned a
yacht.
But these youngins be like oh,I want that, I want that, I want
that.
It takes time.
So you know, this comparisoncan make people overspend and
just go through this keeping upwith mentality.
I always say this on thispodcast people try to keep up
with the Carters, with theKardashians, with the Joneses
(11:00):
everybody instead of trying tokeep up with yourself the
Joneses, everybody instead oftrying to keep up with yourself
Absolutely.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (11:11):
And you know, it's really interesting
that you would say that, becausethe first leadership conference
that I did that my companysponsored, I looked for people
that could be real, that couldbe transparent, that were
successful, but I did not wantthem to get up and go straight
to the success.
I want the people in theaudience to hear what was that
(11:32):
journey like, exactly Because Ihad gone to a conference right
before my conference and thislady got up and she just all
boasted about what she had andher life and this, that and the
other.
And then another speaker got upand she told of her almost
(11:52):
losing her house.
She told of how she had, as asingle mom, she had gone through
that.
She had a powerful testimonyand she had a very successful
company.
But she wanted people to knowthat this is not.
You wake up one day and it'sovernight and you're there and I
went straight, I made a beelineto her and I said you have got
(12:15):
to speak at a conference.
That I'm doing because I wantpeople to know that it takes
time blood, sweat and tears.
That's what they think aboutbusiness owners.
We think that every businessowner is living large and
they're driving this and they'reliving there.
I know the first year that Imade very little money and I was
(12:38):
talking to my business coachand I was really depressed about
it and he stopped me and hesaid Jonetta, he said the
average business owner at thattime.
That's what I ain't going totell you how many years ago.
He said the average businessowner makes about $44,000.
(12:58):
They are usually solopreneurs,but the image that I had, like
most people until you get intoit, is that everybody that says
they're a business owner wasliving large and that's not true
.
Shay Cook (13:13):
That is amazing and you're right and it's a journey
that we need to appreciate.
And some people might have aJob moment, right.
Sometimes you might get all theway to the top and you might
have to take you all the wayback down because you know you
get a little too big for yourbritches, as the old people used
to say, right, and it's likeGod, like uh-uh, and I learned
from my experience and myjourney that when I do and my
(13:36):
ego starts to get too big, whenI start to get a little cocky, a
little this, and that, god behe goes.
Like you didn't do this, I didthis.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (13:44):
Wait a minute, that's what he does,
don't he he?
Shay Cook (13:46):
be like uh-uh, so I'm going to take you down.
You're going to be sitting hereand you're like, well, I ain't
making more money and all this.
He's like you were justmanaging this.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (13:56):
I had a friend that I knew she was
really a business owner.
She was rising really reallyquick.
She got her business organized,she went and got her MBE and
she went to her first.
What did you call it?
The pre-thing?
When you go to the first, whereeverybody's coming together and
listening to the client to seewhat they want, Do you have
(14:16):
questions that?
Shay Cook (14:17):
Oh, okay, you mean like the prime, where they come
together.
Yeah, they all get together.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (14:21):
Well, she was just, you know, just
getting started and what you doat those pre-bid, pre-bid
conferences you sign, you signyour name, put your business
name down, and all of that.
Well, a prime won this hugecontract.
It was one of the first inMaryland where the prime won the
(14:45):
Obamacare to help set that up,and all of that.
And they went down the list andthey picked her name.
Wow, they talked to her and shesaid I would love to do this, I
would love to do this.
You know, this is exciting, butI don't have any money.
I'm just getting started.
These people gave her somethinglike two or three million.
(15:06):
Oh my God, they covered it forher.
Wow, I mean, she was off andrunning.
Now, that does not happen to me, no, but other people thought,
oh, since it happened to her,this is how.
Shay Cook (15:20):
Oh yeah, that's a one in a million kind of situation.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (15:24):
You know, she went, she was like a
skyrocket.
She took off, but a few yearslater she had to close her
office, get rid of all herfurniture, because you have to
be able to manage that.
I mean, I'm not saying that,you know, but it happens.
Shay Cook (15:43):
Some people are too.
They grow too fast.
Shout out to Dr Candace Pruitt.
As you know, sbdc.
She was like you got to levelout your growing, you got to.
You got to level out yourgrowing, you got to.
You got to grow steadily.
Because sometimes people growso fast and we're talking about
another subject, but it stillcomes back to that Growing so
fast that we're comparingourselves to like an Amazon or
Google.
But those pieces even Facebookand all these big companies they
(16:03):
took a long time to grow.
Jeff Bezos, I mean.
People know the story.
It took 20 years to get towhere he is.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (16:10):
But you know what that goes back to
people comparing, thinking thatthis is the path.
That is not everybody's path.
Shay Cook (16:20):
And that's why people have this emotion.
There's an emotional cost tothis comparison right, the
anxiety, the burnout, the shame.
I know I deal with all of them,especially anxiety and burnout,
because I think it started withme, with the business.
It started probably back in myIVP days.
Shout out to Will.
Holmes.
But it was like you know thismillionaire mentality, let's get
these millions, let's get thesemillions.
And I'm like, wait a minute,I'm steadily growing.
(16:42):
God is keeping me steady, I'mstill open.
I should be grateful for that.
Why am I trying to chase thesemillions?
But after that course again, itwas great.
You know, I love the GoldmanSachs more.
I'm sorry, I'm comparing myselfto all these other business
owners that have made all thesemillions and I'm feeling anxiety
.
I'm feeling bad.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (16:59):
You do, you do, why am I?
Shay Cook (17:00):
feeling like this.
But guys like I have a plan foryou not them.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (17:12):
And you know what my thing is is human.
That's part of what we all feel, and when people say they don't
feel that, at some point intime I kind of look at them
side-eyed, because just abouteverybody goes through that and
you go through this.
You know what was me?
Why not me?
How is this?
But their journey is not yourjourney, Exactly.
Shay Cook (17:29):
Exactly that is so good.
Have you personally dealt withany of the anxiety or the
burnout or the shame?
Oh my.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (17:35):
God.
Yes, it's really interesting.
I know that I don't know howyou respond to it.
Before I got a handle on how todeal with it, I turned into a
workaholic.
Shay Cook (17:47):
Yep, that's where I'm at right now.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (17:49):
Yeah, I turned into a workaholic and I
was whoa, just working day andnight and, um, you know, and I
think that you uh was aware thatI was over, uh, the general
manager, that was over theWalter Reed contract, and I
remember working because theyhad had four or five project
(18:11):
managers before me, none of themhad been successful, and people
were saying don't go down there, they eat project managers for
dinner.
You might not want to do this,but it was an opportunity that I
didn't.
You know, I prayed about.
I really wanted to try it.
Thank God, we were successfuland the senior vice president
that I reported to at that timecalled me one morning.
(18:34):
She said why are you sendingemails at two and three o'clock
in the morning?
She said I just got an emailfrom you at like 2.30 or
something this morning and at6.30, you're at work.
Oh, my God.
She said there's no way yourested.
Shay Cook (18:55):
Yeah, there's no way.
And back then you couldn'tschedule anything back then.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (18:59):
So, yeah, I mean yeah, wow, wow, yeah,
sonata, you weren't getting to,you were working really hard,
yes, and then, when theaccolades started coming and you
know I was working with thejoint chiefs of staffs at the
pentagon and these people like,oh my god, you are doing an
amazing job.
No one else has done this.
(19:19):
We we won a hundred percent ofour rebids and all of that.
But the thing is, why was Iworking so hard?
Shay Cook (19:28):
Yeah.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (19:29):
Because I really almost burnt myself out.
But thank God I had mentors andI had coaches that said you
can't stay at this level, youcan't stay at this level.
My first vacation was for abouta month.
I went to South Africa.
Wow, I went to South Africa andI had trained my staff.
(19:50):
I did not get one phone call.
Oh, that's what I'm talkingabout.
But you know, it paid off, butat what cost.
Shay Cook (19:58):
Yeah, exactly, you had to learn the hard way and a
lot of us do.
I know I'm stubborn.
I have to learn the hard way.
I'm still a workaholic andright now I've been dealing with
a lot of anxiety because ofpersonal stuff, but also
professional.
Being in this amazing GoldmanSachs program 10K business,
10,000 small businesses program,which, thanks to Johnnetta,
who's been trying to get me inthis program forever.
She's a graduate and she's beentelling me about it.
(20:20):
It's amazing.
So, wrapping that up, but beingin that program, it's like the
anxiety has been high and theonly thing that helps me because
, you know, even in thoseprograms I'm looking at this
business making this money, theydoing this, they got this many
employees.
They didn't you know.
So it's always that comparison.
But it's really God and theword, his word, his comfort, his
(20:40):
meditating on him and his wordis the only thing getting me
through this, the only thinggetting me through this and I
can identify with that.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (20:47):
And you know what, when I was in the
program, it was reallyinteresting because I was
looking for someone to help mewith my books, my accounting and
bookkeeping and there was agirl in my particular group.
That was really good.
But you know what?
I think I hesitated to get herbecause I was embarrassed
(21:07):
because everybody else had thesebig revenues and I said, you
know, if I open this up, she'sgoing to see that my revenue.
But I'm saying that's acomparison.
Shay Cook (21:17):
Oh, and that's why I'm shaking my head, because
I've been there, done that.
I understand completely whatyou're talking about.
I did not want to share mynumbers in that class.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (21:26):
Yeah.
Shay Cook (21:28):
But it's funny because I think I don't know if
you guys did the same exercisewhere they put the board up and
you're writing down where you'reat right now and your numbers
and where you want to be.
And I'm looking at some peopleand some people are way lower
and some people are way higherand I was like what is wrong?
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (21:42):
with me, they all over the place, and you
know the thing about it.
When I told one of the guys Idon't want to call his name, but
he was one of the guys that Iinterviewed with when I got into
the Goldman Sachs program andhe was kind of a little
discouraging when I told himwhere I wanted to go and he said
that looks like it's like 800percent.
(22:05):
You want to go there.
I said, well, I think I can doit.
After I came out of thatprogram, girl, it was like
blockbuster.
Wow.
I made crazy, crazy, crazymoney Wow.
And when I did.
I could not wait, because hewas there when we did our
presentations oh, okay, becausehe could see where I was.
(22:28):
So afterwards I don't knowwhether it was where we had to
circle back around.
You have to keep up with yournumbers, and so, and when he
literally called me and he said,I cannot believe it, you did
Exactly.
So the comparison can also workin your favor, if you let it.
Shay Cook (22:50):
Yeah, it could be a boost in your spirit and also in
dream big, don't stop dreaming.
During one of our office hoursyesterday for one of the modules
I don't know if you had Dr SamDeal and Morgan, he's a guy and
he taught our projections orwhatever.
He taught one of the modules.
They kept on saying beconservative, be conservative.
And I was like, okay, but I waslike you know, at one time I
(23:10):
was always like I remembertelling Dr Candice Pruitt again
during one of our sessions, likeI'm going to triple our revenue
for the business, and it neverhappened, and so it hasn't
happened yet, I should say.
And so I was very, you know, Iwas just discouraged, I was very
discouraged.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (23:23):
I'm like I'm like I'm just going to stop
(23:45):
putting that down.
And he said again yesterday.
He said you know what you need.
A dream you need, becausethat's what entrepreneurs do, we
dream and we need to don't stopsee that when you're not
hitting that, they're like uh,you know, and if you listen to
them, you will.
God's timing and you might seeeverybody else getting, but it's
not your season.
(24:12):
Your season is coming.
There's a scripture that talksabout in due season we will reap
.
I call that my fifth season.
That's my due season, becauseif I don't think, I will reap
Amen, and that's a principle.
I don't care, I will reap Amenand that's a principle.
I don't care if you're aChristian, if you're not a
(24:33):
Christian, whatever your belief,that is a principle that works.
Shay Cook (24:38):
It really does.
That you reap what you sow, youreap what you sow Exactly.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (24:43):
And that sowing and reaping when you reap
, that's your due season.
Oh girl, don't get me started,girl, I mean you preaching?
Shay Cook (24:50):
because we were just talking the other day at my team
meeting, we was like one of myexecutive administrative
assistants shout out to Aileaand she was like you know, we're
just planting roses out here.
I'm like, yeah, you know what?
God has given us the seed.
And if he gives us the seed,and as long as we give it, he's
going to give it the sunshine.
As long as we put them in,sometimes it's going to be some
manure, it's going to be someish.
In that day You're going to belike, oh, it smells, but the
(25:11):
manure is just as pertinent asthe fertilizer, as the water, as
the love, as the talking tothat plant, whatever it needs to
grow.
But God gave us the seed andhe's going to make sure we have
all the resources.
And for you to just say that ournext point was how comparison
can distort God's timing.
You're so right, right, youjust said it.
(25:32):
We've been moving along justamazing.
This comparison can distort.
You're like I want it now.
I want it now.
I want it now.
God's like you ain't ready forit now.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (25:45):
You're not ready, if I know what we
talk about, the talents in thescriptures.
And what do you do with thelittle bit that he gives you?
Do you had it under a bushel?
You don't make it multiply, youdon't do anything with it.
Then you get upset when youdon't reap anything, exactly.
Shay Cook (26:05):
He couldn't trust you with the little bit Exactly.
Why would he give you more?
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (26:10):
And he's not going to.
Yeah, he's not.
I look at my pastor, pastorDavid Anderson, over at
Bridgeway Community, and I don'tknow I can't remember now 10
million.
I don't know what the cost ofall of our stuff is at church,
but he paid off a 30-yearmortgage in 15 years, oh wow.
(26:30):
And even less for ourArisestown campus.
But the man is such a goodsteward the staff and the people
that he brought in to helpmanage the money and they're
very transparent, very open.
We meet every year to say we'reall, everything is gone.
(26:51):
I love that and you can't helpbut give to a ministry because
they are, I guess, stewardshipis something that we have to be
mindful of too.
Shay Cook (27:02):
Yeah, we do.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (27:03):
We do, and he's just such a good
steward, that's good, yeah.
Shay Cook (27:08):
And you know, in churches like that, we need more
of those right, where peopleare good stewards, they're
paying off these mortgages andthey're helping their
communities and doing God's workand spreading the gospel, which
is a call from God, right?
So, yeah, reframing success,defining his purpose, not
platforms right, let's look atwhat success really looks like.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (27:29):
That's important and, like I said
earlier in our conversation, youhave to define what success
looks like for you.
To define what success lookslike for you, Because my success
may be very different from yoursuccess and what we're looking
for.
I remember I heard this yearsago and it makes so much sense
(27:51):
and I think it came from Alicein Wonderland that says you
don't know where you're going.
Any road will take you there.
Any road will take you there,but when you define success and
the Lord truly will order yoursteps.
He will.
Some days you may get up andsay, okay, god, I don't know
what I'm doing, he will sendsomebody, or you will read
(28:15):
something, or you will hearsomething.
Some type of interaction willnudge you in that right
direction, because you'vealready defined success.
When I started my business, mysuccess might have been to live
in this size house or to do thisor to be able to do that, but
(28:38):
as I matured and got older, thatshifted to something that had
more substance and more meaning,not just to me when I was
writing everything.
When I was in Goldman Sachs, itwas important for me to have a
legacy.
Scripture says that we shouldleave an inheritance to our
(29:00):
children and our children'schildren.
Exactly, and then it became notall about me, exactly, exactly,
gave you greater purpose.
Shay Cook (29:09):
Yeah, yeah, I love that.
That's beautiful.
Yeah, I just wrote my extrastrategy yesterday and I was
like I'm not trying to sell thisand do all this, I'm trying to
keep this in my family and havea legacy.
And you're right, and that'sexactly the same thing, and I
mean it was a beautiful how itcame to be.
Like God is putting it alltogether, you know, and the last
thing I would say about this isyou know it's it's power and
(29:30):
contentment, and focusing onyour, your people, not somebody
else's not Beyonce, not KimKardashian, not Jeff Bezos, not
any, whoever you idolize, oprahWinfrey, whoever it's your given
assignment.
That's what you should befocused on.
(29:50):
As you're scrolling through thesocials and you're seeing this
person doing this and doing thatand doing this, and you're
feeling a certain way and,believe me, I'm not immune to
that.
I, too, deal with that as well.
Like John Ed was saying earlier, you got to take a break from
social, because that'll driveyou crazy.
You seeing all these peopledoing all these great things,
and I mean I think I'd rathersee the good stuff instead of
the bad stuff, because I knowpeople sometimes post about that
(30:13):
too.
But regardless, you know, I'mfocused on what God has given me
to do, and that is to be aChristian, to be a mother, a
wife, a daughter, a sister and abusiness owner of Crusaders for
Change, helping people spreadin the gospel in any way we can,
through helping people withfinances.
So that is my God-givenassignment.
I can't be Jonetta and Jonettacan't be me.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (30:35):
And you know what?
I tell people that theysometimes they don't want to
step away, but they need to.
My daughter got off of socialmedia last year.
She's been over a year.
Oh wow, she got off of Facebook, tiktok, instagram, all that
(30:57):
stuff, because because it wasmentally waiting, and she said,
you know, I mean I didn't tellher this.
She came to that conclusionherself and she was a much
happier person because she got achance to concentrate on who.
Shay Cook (31:15):
Awesome, I love that.
And the last thing also I wouldsay a lot of people spend more
money because they own social.
They say 40 percent ofmillennials say social media
makes them spend more than theycan afford, and that source is
CNBC.
And it's true.
Not only are we comparingourselves, that we're trying to
keep up with them, and thenwe're trying to buy all this
stuff, and then we have all thisstuff at home that we can't
(31:37):
afford and all this credit carddebt and no savings and no
investments and no legacy and noinheritance.
So, with all that said, I meanyou know it is.
You got to watch out guys.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (31:49):
It's really funny because you can see
comparison in small things.
I had one of my neighbors cameto me and she said who does your
grass?
I'm like the grass cuttingpeople, you know.
And I said I said we havereally had a challenge with our
(32:11):
grass.
We couldn't get it to grow.
We couldn't get it to grow onlybecause we really wanted a
really nice yard.
And all she said, well, youryard is beautiful.
And another neighbor was upsetbecause they were like well, we
planted this kind of grass anddid you do this?
I said, girl, I don't know whatyou planted and I don't know
(32:32):
what they planted for me, butI'm saying who compares what
type of?
Shay Cook (32:37):
grass.
Yeah, people do, people do.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (32:39):
But I'm saying the comparison on so many
different levels.
Shay Cook (32:45):
I don't even care.
Yeah, you don't, but the nextperson does.
So I mean I'm probably on theother side, so I go down there.
I'll be like Nate, my husband,why our grass don't look like
our neighbor's at the end.
So I'm the same as yourneighbor.
I'll be like well, what's thatgrass?
That grass look good.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (33:04):
You know, I was telling her.
I said, honey, my interest andfocus is so not on the grass.
Yeah, exactly, exactly, butthat curb appeal is important,
but I understand what you'resaying it is.
It helps you.
Shay Cook (33:14):
Everybody has their different priorities.
And you're right, because Iremember growing up and family
members comparing cars and Iremember my parents bought a
Cougar.
You remember the Cougars backin the 80s and somebody in my
neighborhood across the streetwe were living in Fort
Richardson in Alaska they boughta Cougar, like my parents, and
then my parents had to go.
They got a little red line orsomething so they could
differentiate it from it.
(33:34):
I was like it was always that.
So my mom and dad would buy uscereal.
Then we would go over ourneighbor's house and they had
the same cereal.
It was like this back and forthand I saw it as like what are
we doing right now?
And I don't have time for that?
Back when I was younger I did.
I'd be like, oh, that's nice,let me go get that.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (33:54):
Now I do what I want to do.
I don, I went to an event andyou were actually at that event
and they had the cutest littlething on their shelf and the
shelf only had the name of theirwi-fi and the password.
I was like, oh my god, that isso cute.
Where did you get it?
(34:14):
Yeah, I'm like, yeah, I wascomparing because I didn't have
it so I wanted to get it.
It so I went and it's okay.
But when it goes, I rememberwhen one of the houses that me
oh my God, this house is biggerthan ours and I'm looking at him
(34:43):
thinking this boy is so small.
Who's been talking?
Who's putting in him that he'scomparing the size of our home?
Who cares?
Shay Cook (34:56):
How much love is in it.
That's what matters.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (34:59):
You can have this beautiful home and
it's all held inside.
Shay Cook (35:05):
Amen, amen, that's so true.
Well, that was amazing, drJohnnetta Thurston.
She is full of knowledge, andso tell us what's your final
thoughts and where can peoplefollow you to learn more about
you, your business andeverything you do?
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (35:19):
You know what I'm going to tell you.
I don't do a lot of the socialmedia.
Shay Cook (35:23):
That's fine.
You got a website, though.
What's your website?
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (35:25):
I do have a website and I do.
I do have Instagram, I have allthese other things.
Is there a little thing withthe at sign in front?
Shay Cook (35:32):
Yeah.
I think, like at get Jada, atget Jada, yeah, j-a-d-a.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (35:37):
For all of them, our website is
wwwgetjadacom, and even if youput in JDA, management and
Consulting it will redirect you.
Shay Cook (35:48):
It sure does.
Yep and yeah, any finalthoughts on this episode, you
know what.
Dr. Johnetta Thurston (35:53):
Keep up what you're doing.
This is amazing because whenyou are burdened with debt and
your finances are out of whack,you are out of whack and you
cannot be the best that you canbe.
You cannot do all the things,even what God wants you to do,
(36:14):
amen.
So keep giving out theknowledge, keep giving out the
all that you're doing, and knowthat you're going to be blessed
for this, because it's helping aton of success.
Shay Cook (36:25):
Thank you, dr Jonetta .
You are amazing.
I would say everybody.
To call to action for today isdo a social media audit this
week.
Unfollow or mute any accountsthat stir up discontent.
(36:46):
For real, though, right.
Follow three accounts thatinspire you towards stewardship,
faith and financial wisdom andanything that's going to help
you up, you lift you spirituallyand your soul, your money, your
mind, body and your family.
And just thank you again forjoining us.
Have a wonderful day.
A big thank you for listeningto this episode.
(37:07):
We hope you found today's chatabout the intersection of
religion and money insightful.
We would love to hear yourfeedback.
Hit that subscribe button orfollow the podcast and please
feel free to leave us a reviewFor the latest Yahweh's Money
content.
Visit us at crusaders4changeorgor find us anywhere you listen
(37:28):
to podcasts.
Until next time, stayfinancially fit and spiritually
inspired and remember it'salways better Yahweh's way.
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