Teri Black: Faith-Fueled Ventures and Fresh Starts

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Hey friends, welcome to the Her God Story podcast

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where you will always hear a story to encourage

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and inspire you in your walk with the Lord. I

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am so glad you tuned in. I'm your host, Jodie

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Chiricosta, ministry leader at Somebody Cares

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America and international author and traveler

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on this incredible journey with Jesus. Psalm

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one, one of my favorite Psalms, reminds us that

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blessed are those who delight in the law of the

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Lord and who meditate on his law day and night.

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They are like trees planted by streams of water,

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which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf

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does not wither. Whatever they do, prospers.

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What a beautiful picture of life God intends

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for us. Rooted in his word, nourished by his

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presence, strengthened through fellowship with

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his people. And when we are rooted in him, that

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life naturally overflows to others. One of the

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ways we do that here at Somebody Cares is through

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our Widow and Orphan Fund. God's word reminds

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us often that his special concern is for widows

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and orphans. And this fund allows us to come

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alongside them in very tangible ways. Together

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as we unite in Christ, we can be part of helping

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meet real needs around the world and letting

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those who are hurting know they're not alone

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in this season of their lives. Like trees, we

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all go through seasons. In the spring and summer

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we may be flourishing, fruitful, green, full

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of life, but then fall and winter come, seasons

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that can feel really barren, painful, even lonely.

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Yet every season is temporary, and God uses each

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one to deepen our roots, strengthen our faith,

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and prepare us for even greater fruitfulness

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in the days ahead. My guest, Terry Black, has

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experienced these seasons firsthand, married

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to Dawn for over 35 years, with four adult children

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and three grandchildren, she has seen the faithfulness

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of God in every stage of life. Terri is the founder

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and president of Real Life Adventure Tours. She

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co -hosted a program on Cornerstone TV for several

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years, and she's an entrepreneur who has launched

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multiple ventures. Through it all, Terri has

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discovered the power of meditating on God's Word,

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worshiping Him, and staying connected to the

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body of Christ. And as she stepped out in obedience,

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she's seen God prosper the work of her hands.

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I can't wait for you to hear her story. Terri,

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welcome to the show. Thank you, Jodi. Good to

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see you and talk with you as well. Thank you

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for having me. Yeah, well, we're so glad we could

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get together today. So let's start at the beginning,

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Terri. Before we talk about the different seasons

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of your life, would you share a little about

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your background and... How you came to commit

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your life to following Jesus? Oh, I'd love to.

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I grew up in a Christian home. But at some point

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when I was a teenager, I realized I needed to

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make my own commitment to the Lord. And so I

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was at a church service and there was young people

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singing. And that's at that point, I remember

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I was 14 years old, that I made my own commitment.

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not only for Jesus as my Savior, but to make

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him the Lord of my life. And that really made

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a path. for me. I chose a different path at that

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point in my life and I got involved in youth

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group and young life and and all of that stuff

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to help me grow just being in a good fellowship.

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When I was in high school, graduating from high

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school, I went to a festival. They used to have

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these Christian festivals and I'm from Pennsylvania

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and so we went to this one called Jesus 78 and

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it was an overnight camping out kind of festival

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and they had different musicians and speakers

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and at that particular Festival there was Nancy

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honey tree and on Saturday night There was Keith

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green who has now since graduated. He's with

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the Lord He was singing and Pat Robertson was

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speaking that night and they both talked about

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the baptism and the Holy Spirit And I really

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wasn't that familiar with it other than I did

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see my parents they got baptized in the Holy

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Spirit and they were on fire for the Lord. They

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were really involved in the Charismatic Renewal

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Movement. Well, guess what? I decided that I

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wanted that baptism in the Holy Spirit. And so

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I received that baptism and they said, okay,

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make sure you get... immersed in water the next

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day. So I went forward, I went into this pond,

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and I was immersed or baptized in water to sort

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of seal the deal, you know? So that was a real

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life changer for me. Yeah, I remember doing something

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similar, going to Fishnet, which was a Virginia

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festival several times, and they were You know,

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they marked our lives, didn't they, those experiences?

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Oh, yes, they really do. I remember vividly,

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you know, they said, stand up, you know, don't

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raise your hand, stand up. And people all around

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you were standing up that Saturday night saying,

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yes, I want what's next for you, Lord, I want

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all of you. Give me that baptism of the Holy

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Spirit, you know. So that was really a life changer

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for me, for sure, you know, so. Yeah. Well, as

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a young adult, God began directing your steps

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and he directed you in some unexpected ways.

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So where did he lead you? During that time period,

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I was really committed to just serving God. But

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you know, I didn't know how, you know, I had

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no idea what to do. And I never really got these

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like lightning bolts like ta -da, this is what

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I want you to do, Terry. But I would start my

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mornings and just say, Lord, what is it that

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you want me to do? And sure enough, It would

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be, he would guide me. I would have to make sure

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I heard him, you know? And so that was something

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that I really would try to listen and obey what

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he did. Not obey what he did, but obey what he

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asked me to do. And as a young adult, I knew

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that I needed to read his word, you know? So

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I was involved in Bible studies and I... was

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trusting him to direct my steps. I had no idea

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what I wanted to do in college, but I thought

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at some point that I would try being a social

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worker. So I graduated from college and I started

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working as a social worker in child welfare and

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that wasn't for me. After a bit, I realized with

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rose -colored glasses that I was coming in to

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change the world, and I couldn't change the world

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at all. And I even had on my caseload three generations

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of families, you know, the grandmother, the mother,

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and the daughter. And I thought, wow, I'm not

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really making any change. And so I asked the

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Lord what I could do. My parents told me at the

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time about CBN University. It had just started,

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and it was a graduate school program. And I thought,

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oh. Okay, prayed about it and I decided to go

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there. I went there. to get my master's in business

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administration because my thought was I'll get

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my MBA and I'll come back to PA and I will start

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my own practice. So I went there. I was the first

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woman there as well as the first woman graduate.

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So that was giving me a little bit of my experience

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in the program. But while I was there, I had

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to work full time. So I got a job in housing.

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There was no on -campus housing. And so I had

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to work in housing. And I also planned student

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activities as well. So those were some of the

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dimensions. And the fellowship at CBN, now called

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Regent University, was amazing. You know, I had

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treasured friends there, and that's where I met

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my husband. And I really grew in the Lord during

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my time at Regent at CBN. I met my husband, and

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incidentally, he was also at Jesus 78, too. He

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swears we met, but I have no idea. Thousands

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of people are there. Could have been. I don't

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know. after my time at CBN, Dawn and I got married

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and we decided we wanted to be involved in ministry

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to serve in whatever capacity the Lord would

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direct us. And so for the next 30 some years,

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that was what our mission was. And we've had

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the opportunity to work in a variety of different

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ministries. We have our own ministry. We just

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had to just. operating in the doors that God

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would open. Yeah. So after you and Don got married,

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you pretty soon after that started a family and

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really much of the next decade or two for you

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was raising and homeschooling your children.

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But even in that busy season, God had some special

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assignments for you. So what did that look like

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for you? You know, we have four children and

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Don's position, he had was working at first an

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inspiration network and then in touch ministries

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that he traveled quite a bit and so I was homeschooling

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and one of the things I noticed in our homeschooling

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we would go one day a week to hybrid school and

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so with the blessing of Veritas. We opened up

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a Veritas hybrid in my own community and I was

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just really thrilled that I was able to be part

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of the beginning stages of it and it was a blessing

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to them and also a blessing to me because it

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can be a challenge to homeschool. four children

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at the same time, and so that was something I

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was really privileged to be a part of, and I

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just thank God for that opportunity. And on occasion,

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because Dawn worked with Dr. Charles Stanley,

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there were opportunities in which we did meetings

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and so I was able to come on board and help out

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with some meeting plannings and things like that

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and and it was you know he is such a he was such

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a great Bible teacher and I just felt really

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honored to be a part of that ministry and to

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learn and grow under his leadership too. Another

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thing that I did was I was not really happy with

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how I looked. You know, my body, I had five pregnancies,

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I had a miscarriage, I had all these kind of

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things with my body, and I decided that I needed

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to take investment in myself. So I, with the

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Lord's help, I joined Weight Watchers, I joined

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the Y, and I decided to do something really crazy,

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and that was to do a triathlon. and there was

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a time as a women's triathlon, I do not have

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a speck of athletic ability in my body. But I

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was like, I'm going to do something that just

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is totally out of the ordinary for me. And so

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I pursued that. It took me a few years, I would

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say, to get it. down, you know, and I had my

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sister -in -law join me, which we just were great

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at encouraging one another. You know, when we

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were down in the dumps, we would pray for one

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another and we were really able to motivate.

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And the Lord reminded me through it all that

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guess what? He loves me as I am. There's a scripture

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in the Song of Solomon, one of my favorites,

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that talks about my darling you are all together

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beautiful I see no flaw in you so even though

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I saw flaws in myself he didn't and that was

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just like okay it's all right that I am in a

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period of transition in my body because God accepts

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me as I am but at the same time he was motivating

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and I was being motivated I can do all things

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through Christ who strengthens me to complete

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that goal well guess what I did do it and Karen

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my sister -in -law and I we did it together and

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we were not caring about our time we just wanted

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to finish and so thank God through his He really

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empowered us to finish the race. And so that

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was something that I know he was cheering us

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on for. That is an amazing accomplishment. I

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have thought from time to time in my life about

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doing a triathlon, but I never went to it. I

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never did it. So I'm very proud of you. Thank

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you. Thank you. That's just one of those things

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I'm like, I can't believe I did that. I, you

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know, we plotted along and we finished it. Isn't

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that what it's about? It's finishing the race.

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It is. Looking straight ahead and taking it off

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all encumbrances and just going forward on what

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God calls us to do. Yeah, and you know, it's

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interesting that God called you to do that because

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people think, oh, God only calls us to do ministry

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things, but God calls us to be healthy in body,

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mind, and spirit. And so there are seasons where

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he says, I want you to focus on your health.

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This is so that you can be more effective in

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the days ahead, more fruitful in the days ahead.

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Absolutely. I agree with that, Jodi, because

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he wants... We're our whole person, you know,

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the temple, the Holy Spirit, and that's physically

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and emotionally and spiritually. He wants all

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of us. And so, you know, my body just wasn't

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I wasn't really happy with it. And I knew that

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I wasn't doing things pleasing to him. Does that

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make sense? I needed to get some discipline in

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my life. Yeah. Self control. It's the fruit of

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the spirit. Oh my gosh. Tell me about it. That's

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a tough one. It's still a struggle, honestly,

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but I know that once you but go through a benchmark

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like that, you know that you can do something

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like that again because his presence is with

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you and he sort of like propels you to keep moving

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forward, you know? So that's really, I'm really

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blessed. God is such a blessing. He is. Well,

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by the time you finished your triathlon, you

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actually had moved to Tennessee and your kids

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were getting older. They weren't really needing

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you as much. And really that can be a That can

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be a time of a hard transition for women. So

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how did you navigate that period in your life

00:14:47.440 --> 00:14:50.480
and what did God teach you? Oh, thank you, Jody.

00:14:50.600 --> 00:14:54.379
You know, that is a tough time, you know, because

00:14:54.379 --> 00:14:56.919
my children didn't need me as much. You know,

00:14:57.080 --> 00:15:00.559
we had two in college. And when we moved to Tennessee,

00:15:00.919 --> 00:15:03.500
we decided to stop homeschooling and put them

00:15:03.500 --> 00:15:06.580
in public school. And I was new in the area.

00:15:06.580 --> 00:15:10.120
I really didn't know anybody. And so I felt lost,

00:15:10.200 --> 00:15:15.610
like you had said. And I just... didn't feel

00:15:15.610 --> 00:15:19.649
connected with myself and I sometimes got a little

00:15:19.649 --> 00:15:23.110
down on the dumps and and We we were involved

00:15:23.110 --> 00:15:26.750
in church and I went to a Bible study But I needed

00:15:26.750 --> 00:15:30.009
to have some type of a connection and during

00:15:30.009 --> 00:15:34.110
that time You know the Lord reminded me that

00:15:34.110 --> 00:15:37.129
it was okay to be by myself You know that was

00:15:37.129 --> 00:15:40.230
the first time for me that I didn't have children

00:15:40.230 --> 00:15:44.779
with me That I was by myself and honestly, that's

00:15:44.779 --> 00:15:49.059
a learning a learning experience because I was

00:15:49.059 --> 00:15:52.539
you know, I tend to be pretty social and and

00:15:52.539 --> 00:15:56.600
I Found that it was a something new was to be

00:15:56.600 --> 00:15:59.539
by myself But I really wasn't because God was

00:15:59.539 --> 00:16:03.480
my companion. You know, he was my friend and

00:16:03.480 --> 00:16:07.720
I learned something new in that season in life

00:16:07.720 --> 00:16:12.769
about friendship with God and that it was okay

00:16:12.769 --> 00:16:17.649
to enjoy being alone. And I just really, I just

00:16:17.649 --> 00:16:21.169
was really grateful for that season. And in that

00:16:21.169 --> 00:16:26.389
season, he reminded me about a thing in Atlanta

00:16:26.389 --> 00:16:28.830
that we lived there called a prom dress swapping

00:16:28.830 --> 00:16:32.490
shop. And my girls went to that and he said,

00:16:32.750 --> 00:16:35.070
we needed, he told me, you need to start one

00:16:35.070 --> 00:16:37.450
here in Tennessee. And I was like, Lauren, I

00:16:37.450 --> 00:16:40.960
have no idea what to do. I'm not even a shopper.

00:16:41.320 --> 00:16:45.620
I have no clue. And you know what? I said, okay,

00:16:45.840 --> 00:16:48.840
God, I'm going to obey you because that's what

00:16:48.840 --> 00:16:52.039
you call me to do. I don't understand it, but

00:16:52.039 --> 00:16:55.580
I'm going to obey you. And so he would enable

00:16:55.580 --> 00:17:01.360
me each day to do something That was for this

00:17:01.360 --> 00:17:03.759
love that it was called Love the Dress, a prom

00:17:03.759 --> 00:17:07.519
dress swapping shop. And lo and behold, he gave

00:17:07.519 --> 00:17:10.420
me a plan. I went to different high schools who

00:17:10.420 --> 00:17:13.980
were so receptive to the idea because girls only

00:17:13.980 --> 00:17:17.380
wear prom dresses usually one time a year. And

00:17:17.380 --> 00:17:21.160
so what a great opportunity for this swap to

00:17:21.160 --> 00:17:24.319
happen. And so the first year. We had it at our

00:17:24.319 --> 00:17:27.720
church. We had 80 girls. The second year, we

00:17:27.720 --> 00:17:31.319
had 200. And then the third year, we had to move

00:17:31.319 --> 00:17:34.480
to the local community college. And I was able

00:17:34.480 --> 00:17:37.960
to see God's hand through it all. And I didn't

00:17:37.960 --> 00:17:41.500
know how it was going to end up. But I know that

00:17:41.500 --> 00:17:44.619
he told me to do it. And I just had to obey him

00:17:44.619 --> 00:17:48.380
and trust him in all the consequences. Also,

00:17:48.400 --> 00:17:51.180
while I was there, believe it or not, I wanted

00:17:51.180 --> 00:17:54.559
to start a business and so I started a Lego business

00:17:54.559 --> 00:17:57.480
and it was a part of a bigger company called

00:17:57.480 --> 00:18:00.880
Snapology and we would go around with computers

00:18:00.880 --> 00:18:04.960
and Legos and we would do creative builds and

00:18:04.960 --> 00:18:07.859
make robotic builds and I had the opportunity

00:18:07.859 --> 00:18:11.220
with God's blessing to go to schools, we did

00:18:11.220 --> 00:18:14.539
church camps, we did vacation Bible schools and

00:18:14.539 --> 00:18:18.440
within the church setting I created these Bible

00:18:18.440 --> 00:18:21.619
builds. You know, we did superheroes of the faith

00:18:21.619 --> 00:18:25.500
and things like that. And so again, again, I

00:18:25.500 --> 00:18:28.220
wasn't too sure sometimes what I was doing, but

00:18:28.220 --> 00:18:32.640
God would honor my obedience. And he always equipped

00:18:32.640 --> 00:18:37.529
me when I said yes. Maybe not to the whole nth

00:18:37.529 --> 00:18:39.289
degree, but I always knew what the next step

00:18:39.289 --> 00:18:42.049
was. Does that make sense? Oh, yeah, and you

00:18:42.049 --> 00:18:44.930
know I I love the fact that God has you has had

00:18:44.930 --> 00:18:47.109
you do so many different things in your life

00:18:47.109 --> 00:18:50.289
because I think a lot of us think you know I'm

00:18:50.289 --> 00:18:52.349
in one thing and I'm gonna do this thing for

00:18:52.349 --> 00:18:54.390
the rest of my life because that's what God's

00:18:54.390 --> 00:18:56.930
called me to do and that might be the case for

00:18:56.930 --> 00:19:00.369
some people that might be the case but for many

00:19:00.369 --> 00:19:03.410
of us I look at, boy, I look at my past careers

00:19:03.410 --> 00:19:06.650
and different things God had me do. And only

00:19:06.650 --> 00:19:08.710
God could have orchestrated all the various things

00:19:08.710 --> 00:19:12.730
I've done because I was willing to make myself

00:19:12.730 --> 00:19:16.049
available to him. That's right. That's right.

00:19:16.250 --> 00:19:21.349
You know, Jodi, you have had a variety of so

00:19:21.349 --> 00:19:24.069
many different types of career choices. But I

00:19:24.069 --> 00:19:26.410
bet if you look back on them, you see how they

00:19:26.410 --> 00:19:29.730
have built one on top of the other, one on top

00:19:29.730 --> 00:19:33.329
of the other. God doesn't use anything we do

00:19:33.329 --> 00:19:38.069
in vain. Oh, absolutely. It's like a big puzzle,

00:19:38.069 --> 00:19:41.250
and we have all different kinds of pieces, and

00:19:41.250 --> 00:19:43.750
sometimes we don't know how they fit together,

00:19:43.970 --> 00:19:47.210
but thank God he sure does. Yeah, absolutely.

00:19:47.390 --> 00:19:49.289
They all build on one another, even though you

00:19:49.289 --> 00:19:52.690
think, wow, that was a different switch, but

00:19:52.690 --> 00:19:57.289
every skill, every connection God uses in our

00:19:57.289 --> 00:20:02.920
future. He sure does. And so I always encourage

00:20:02.920 --> 00:20:05.960
that we've moved different places, you know,

00:20:06.000 --> 00:20:08.279
like right now we've moved, we're in a different

00:20:08.279 --> 00:20:11.839
state right now, but he has always maybe opened

00:20:11.839 --> 00:20:14.359
a different door for me. Like I might be in a

00:20:14.359 --> 00:20:17.319
different season. Right now, we don't have children

00:20:17.319 --> 00:20:20.099
with us. So I'm in a different season than I

00:20:20.099 --> 00:20:23.039
was years ago. You know, when I had little ones,

00:20:23.160 --> 00:20:25.440
I was in a certain season, teenagers, you know,

00:20:25.579 --> 00:20:27.220
how we all just go through different seasons

00:20:27.220 --> 00:20:31.099
and God, I just feel like there's a door. I'm

00:20:31.099 --> 00:20:33.680
going to open it and I'm just going to walk through

00:20:33.680 --> 00:20:37.960
it and trust him to continue to equip and show

00:20:37.960 --> 00:20:41.109
me what's next. Yeah, so part of your season

00:20:41.109 --> 00:20:44.130
was in Philadelphia where Don served at cornerstone

00:20:44.130 --> 00:20:46.789
TV And you had more freedom in your schedule

00:20:46.789 --> 00:20:48.930
by then because your kids really had been moving

00:20:48.930 --> 00:20:52.009
on in life And you were able to re -engage in

00:20:52.009 --> 00:20:55.789
ministry. So how did God? Prompt you to step

00:20:55.789 --> 00:20:57.710
out while you were there and and what things

00:20:57.710 --> 00:20:59.250
did he birth in you? Because he birthed some

00:20:59.250 --> 00:21:01.569
new things in that that's been that season too.

00:21:01.910 --> 00:21:07.980
I know he sure did We were part of a television

00:21:07.980 --> 00:21:12.599
network in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. And in that

00:21:12.599 --> 00:21:16.579
network, Dawn and I were able to co -host a couple

00:21:16.579 --> 00:21:20.539
of television programs. And in that, we had the

00:21:20.539 --> 00:21:24.740
great opportunity to interview a lot of amazing

00:21:24.740 --> 00:21:29.319
Christian leaders. And in that, we were able

00:21:29.319 --> 00:21:33.529
to interview some wonderful women leaders. And

00:21:33.529 --> 00:21:37.210
so in talking with women and working with women,

00:21:37.549 --> 00:21:41.150
the Lord just prompted me to start a television

00:21:41.150 --> 00:21:44.250
program. We did it once a year, but it was called

00:21:44.250 --> 00:21:47.569
the Woman of Valor. And we would promote throughout

00:21:47.569 --> 00:21:52.009
the community for women to... nominate other

00:21:52.009 --> 00:21:55.450
women and to nominate them based on their character

00:21:55.450 --> 00:21:59.309
and what made them stand out not so much that

00:21:59.309 --> 00:22:02.650
they might be a VP or president or whatever but

00:22:02.650 --> 00:22:06.309
what did they represent what kind of character

00:22:06.309 --> 00:22:09.529
their strength their courage and it was just

00:22:09.529 --> 00:22:13.170
a favorite of the network so many women would

00:22:13.170 --> 00:22:16.009
come on the program and we would have tears and

00:22:16.009 --> 00:22:19.250
joy and it was just a lot of fun that we did

00:22:19.250 --> 00:22:22.819
so I just really felt honored to do that. And

00:22:22.819 --> 00:22:26.920
the woman of valor, it was named because one

00:22:26.920 --> 00:22:29.400
of my favorite characters in the Bible is Ruth.

00:22:30.250 --> 00:22:33.769
I just love Ruth and you know that Ruth is the

00:22:33.769 --> 00:22:37.910
only woman in the Bible who is called the woman

00:22:37.910 --> 00:22:42.369
of valor and She is called the woman of valor

00:22:42.369 --> 00:22:45.369
not for all that she did it was because who she

00:22:45.369 --> 00:22:48.549
was You know, we know how her story ends, right?

00:22:48.829 --> 00:22:52.009
But she sure didn't you know, she was a widow.

00:22:52.009 --> 00:22:55.390
She was a foreigner She was a caregiver. She

00:22:55.390 --> 00:22:59.460
had to be a provider and she went willingly With

00:22:59.460 --> 00:23:02.319
Naomi not knowing how it was going to turn out

00:23:02.319 --> 00:23:04.660
She didn't know she was going to get remarried

00:23:04.660 --> 00:23:08.940
and have a baby and be the grandmother of David

00:23:08.940 --> 00:23:11.299
and in the light of Jesus She didn't know any

00:23:11.299 --> 00:23:16.059
of that story all she knew was to obey God and

00:23:16.059 --> 00:23:20.220
so I just I just love I love that she is considered

00:23:20.220 --> 00:23:25.079
woman of valor and interesting Boaz called her

00:23:25.079 --> 00:23:29.190
woman of valor a virtuous woman even before he

00:23:29.190 --> 00:23:32.470
was married to her. Isn't that cool? Based on

00:23:32.470 --> 00:23:35.190
how she was in the community and how she loved

00:23:35.190 --> 00:23:37.329
and extended her courage and strength. Anyhow,

00:23:37.789 --> 00:23:44.849
I could go on, but I just love her. So Woman

00:23:44.849 --> 00:23:47.069
of Valor was one of the things you did, but there

00:23:47.069 --> 00:23:48.789
was another thing you started when you were in

00:23:48.789 --> 00:23:52.890
Pittsburgh. That's right. We also, I started

00:23:52.890 --> 00:23:57.299
a Christian Bus trip business at the time it

00:23:57.299 --> 00:24:01.119
was more than just bus trip We also did trips

00:24:01.119 --> 00:24:04.000
to Israel and things like that But later on I

00:24:04.000 --> 00:24:07.519
just focused on having a Christian bus tour company

00:24:07.519 --> 00:24:12.779
and it was just focused on Really? I don't think

00:24:12.779 --> 00:24:15.859
Christians sometimes think we can have fun and

00:24:15.859 --> 00:24:21.589
to enjoy each other and to embrace new adventures.

00:24:22.529 --> 00:24:25.609
And so real life Christian, real life tours,

00:24:26.250 --> 00:24:30.130
wait, I got it all mixed up. Real life adventure

00:24:30.130 --> 00:24:37.230
tours is all about Christians enjoying adventures,

00:24:38.190 --> 00:24:42.690
exploring God given opportunities, having Christian

00:24:42.690 --> 00:24:47.630
fellowship. And I try to do it budget friendly.

00:24:48.029 --> 00:24:52.130
That's what I try to do. So that's really it's

00:24:52.130 --> 00:24:54.630
just my prayer when travel friends get on the

00:24:54.630 --> 00:24:58.109
bus By the time they get on to the time they

00:24:58.109 --> 00:25:04.150
get off that they are able to in enjoy God Celebrate

00:25:04.150 --> 00:25:06.250
these new adventures that they have they made

00:25:06.250 --> 00:25:09.230
new friends and they experienced some sweet community

00:25:09.230 --> 00:25:12.650
fellowship. That's my prayer Yeah, so you started

00:25:12.650 --> 00:25:14.829
that while you were in Pittsburgh and and it's

00:25:14.829 --> 00:25:16.589
still flourishing today. You're still doing it

00:25:16.589 --> 00:25:19.670
now I know we still are. As a matter of fact,

00:25:19.809 --> 00:25:22.569
our next trip is we're going on a train ride

00:25:22.569 --> 00:25:25.150
and we're going to see the fall leaves. I think

00:25:25.150 --> 00:25:27.809
that'll be a lot of fun. Isn't that God's creation?

00:25:28.549 --> 00:25:31.750
Yeah. It's going to be fun. Well, you know, Terry,

00:25:31.750 --> 00:25:33.970
we've talked about some of the spring and summer

00:25:33.970 --> 00:25:36.509
seasons in our life with times of growth and

00:25:36.509 --> 00:25:39.170
excitement and fruitfulness. But you've also

00:25:39.170 --> 00:25:40.930
faced some of those fall and winter seasons,

00:25:41.150 --> 00:25:43.819
times that were challenging and pruning. What

00:25:43.819 --> 00:25:45.700
were some of those difficult experiences and

00:25:45.700 --> 00:25:49.720
how did you meet God in those? Well you know

00:25:49.720 --> 00:25:54.740
that is so right having winter seasons and difficult.

00:25:55.140 --> 00:25:58.420
As you know we were talking about that we were

00:25:58.420 --> 00:26:02.359
dedicated to being involved in ministries throughout

00:26:02.359 --> 00:26:04.720
our lives and we have been involved in so many

00:26:04.720 --> 00:26:08.619
different ministries over the past 35 to 40 years

00:26:08.619 --> 00:26:13.180
and sometimes There have been painful transitions,

00:26:13.500 --> 00:26:17.339
very painful. And even though ministries are

00:26:17.339 --> 00:26:20.579
created to serve and glorify God, the people

00:26:20.579 --> 00:26:23.740
who work in them are like us. They're a work

00:26:23.740 --> 00:26:27.400
in progress and they can be quite harsh at times.

00:26:28.319 --> 00:26:32.359
God taught me that my relationship with Him was

00:26:32.359 --> 00:26:35.440
separate from my experiences in Christian ministry.

00:26:36.420 --> 00:26:40.579
I had to look to Him to be my vindicator. not

00:26:40.579 --> 00:26:44.019
for people to make things right and You know,

00:26:44.140 --> 00:26:47.700
he also had to remind me that forgiveness is

00:26:47.700 --> 00:26:51.819
essential in our walk with the Lord Even when

00:26:51.819 --> 00:26:55.319
I call this the rule of second offense. Let me

00:26:55.319 --> 00:26:59.339
tell you a little bit about that, you know When

00:26:59.339 --> 00:27:02.220
you hurt or somebody has hurt like somebody I

00:27:02.220 --> 00:27:07.420
love like my husband or my children and know

00:27:07.420 --> 00:27:10.059
that they're hurt well guess what I hurt for

00:27:10.059 --> 00:27:15.160
them you know and I if they can't forgive that

00:27:15.160 --> 00:27:17.500
this person that hurt them well I sure can't

00:27:17.500 --> 00:27:20.619
if it I can't forgive them either even though

00:27:20.619 --> 00:27:24.339
I wasn't offended I was a second offended and

00:27:24.339 --> 00:27:26.839
even though they may have been able to forgive

00:27:26.839 --> 00:27:31.920
them sometimes I found it harder to forgive you

00:27:31.920 --> 00:27:36.480
know because I did. It was just harder. But the

00:27:36.480 --> 00:27:41.799
Lord calls us to forgive. And it was in a prayer

00:27:41.799 --> 00:27:47.400
time I had that I was praying and the Lord brought

00:27:47.400 --> 00:27:51.450
someone to mind that had... hurt my husband or

00:27:51.450 --> 00:27:54.789
hurt my children. And I did not think kind thoughts

00:27:54.789 --> 00:27:58.150
of them. And the Lord brought to me first Corinthians

00:27:58.150 --> 00:28:02.670
13, five, where it says, love does not keep a

00:28:02.670 --> 00:28:06.289
record of any wrong. Oh my gosh. I was like,

00:28:06.410 --> 00:28:10.410
boy, I kept a lot of wrongs in their life and

00:28:10.410 --> 00:28:14.380
it affected me. because it was a block in my

00:28:14.380 --> 00:28:18.000
fellowship with Jesus. And so I was convicted

00:28:18.000 --> 00:28:21.920
about holding past offenses against others and

00:28:21.920 --> 00:28:25.500
I had to choose to forgive. Now, it's not a one

00:28:25.500 --> 00:28:28.539
and done thing. But it's a process. It has been

00:28:28.539 --> 00:28:31.519
a process. Honestly, it depends on the offense

00:28:31.519 --> 00:28:35.799
and on the person, you know, who hurt who and

00:28:35.799 --> 00:28:38.039
if they hurt me, if they hurt my loved ones.

00:28:38.519 --> 00:28:41.859
But I have to make that choice because I don't

00:28:41.859 --> 00:28:44.119
want any kind of breach between me and the Lord.

00:28:44.779 --> 00:28:48.240
Unforgiveness only affects me. It doesn't affect

00:28:48.240 --> 00:28:51.440
the other people at all. And so that was something

00:28:51.440 --> 00:28:56.630
I learned. And then. Another hard thing for me

00:28:56.630 --> 00:29:01.630
was I felt called, I felt God leading me to join

00:29:01.630 --> 00:29:05.309
a ministry in another state. I had the confirmations,

00:29:05.470 --> 00:29:07.990
I had the council, and I had people were saying,

00:29:08.130 --> 00:29:12.430
yes, you should go. So I went ahead and Dawn

00:29:12.430 --> 00:29:15.210
was going to join me later. Well, guess what?

00:29:15.529 --> 00:29:19.049
That position did not last very long. And I moved

00:29:19.049 --> 00:29:24.670
back home to Dawn and I was humiliated. For a

00:29:24.670 --> 00:29:27.630
season I struggled with depression and I struggled

00:29:27.630 --> 00:29:31.410
in my faith. I couldn't figure out why and what

00:29:31.410 --> 00:29:35.690
happened. How did I fail? But through therapy,

00:29:37.549 --> 00:29:41.890
through Bible study, giving to myself time to

00:29:41.890 --> 00:29:45.829
heal, I learned how God really ministered to

00:29:45.829 --> 00:29:49.609
me through Psalm 23. You know, I learned that

00:29:49.609 --> 00:29:53.430
from when I was a child, but it became life -line,

00:29:53.769 --> 00:29:59.630
life -giving to me. Regardless of my circumstances,

00:30:00.509 --> 00:30:03.789
I knew that He would always be my shepherd and

00:30:03.789 --> 00:30:08.690
I would not be anyone. And I also knew that His

00:30:08.690 --> 00:30:11.829
goodness and mercy would follow me all the days

00:30:11.829 --> 00:30:16.509
of my life, despite flaws, despite mistakes.

00:30:17.150 --> 00:30:20.990
That had nothing to do with his love and his

00:30:20.990 --> 00:30:24.630
affirmation in who I was. I was grateful for

00:30:24.630 --> 00:30:27.650
fellowship when we returned, when I returned.

00:30:28.109 --> 00:30:30.890
Friends who surrounded me and welcomed me back

00:30:30.890 --> 00:30:35.029
and they prayed and loved me. You know, I realized

00:30:35.029 --> 00:30:40.029
that it didn't matter what happened in the past.

00:30:40.390 --> 00:30:44.190
What mattered was that God asked me to obey Him.

00:30:44.450 --> 00:30:49.460
And I did. I obeyed him and I left the consequences

00:30:49.460 --> 00:30:53.279
to him. Now, that's a tough season. It was tough

00:30:53.279 --> 00:30:55.539
for me to walk through, trusting God through

00:30:55.539 --> 00:31:00.119
doubt and some depression. But you know, I experienced

00:31:00.119 --> 00:31:05.039
his affirmation in obeying his call and believing

00:31:05.039 --> 00:31:07.900
that his love would see me through. Those are

00:31:07.900 --> 00:31:10.440
hard things when we're dealing with that in our

00:31:10.440 --> 00:31:13.539
work life but yeah you had some personal challenges

00:31:13.539 --> 00:31:16.019
as well in your family life and that really touches

00:31:16.019 --> 00:31:19.500
even more deeply. So would you share about some

00:31:19.500 --> 00:31:21.980
of those experiences and how God used them to

00:31:21.980 --> 00:31:24.140
build your strength and your faith? You know

00:31:24.140 --> 00:31:26.299
I think I mentioned at the beginning of our time

00:31:26.299 --> 00:31:29.339
together that my parents were really dedicated

00:31:29.339 --> 00:31:34.039
Christians, and they were really examples to

00:31:34.039 --> 00:31:37.940
me in my teenage years and my young adult life.

00:31:38.359 --> 00:31:41.559
Well, after 43 years of marriage, my parents

00:31:41.559 --> 00:31:46.079
divorced. And, you know, that came out of the

00:31:46.079 --> 00:31:49.500
blue for me and our family. And because of this,

00:31:49.619 --> 00:31:53.319
my dad and I had a major falling out. He was

00:31:53.319 --> 00:31:57.619
making different choices, and that was tough.

00:31:57.960 --> 00:32:00.920
Well, I knew as an adult, I was a mother and

00:32:00.920 --> 00:32:03.519
I had some children, four children looking to

00:32:03.519 --> 00:32:08.420
me as to how to navigate this. I needed to be

00:32:08.420 --> 00:32:11.319
a leader and navigate my family's relationship

00:32:11.319 --> 00:32:14.740
with this divorce. It rocked my faith, honestly,

00:32:15.319 --> 00:32:17.720
because my parents were Christians and they were

00:32:17.720 --> 00:32:19.779
examples in the Christian community and they

00:32:19.779 --> 00:32:22.160
were getting a divorce. You know, how did I deal

00:32:22.160 --> 00:32:26.269
with that? Well some practical things I had to

00:32:26.269 --> 00:32:31.269
curb my tongue I had to be sure not to say Negative

00:32:31.269 --> 00:32:34.009
talk about either of them around my children

00:32:34.009 --> 00:32:36.809
and really about any other person You know that

00:32:36.809 --> 00:32:39.990
would be gossip and I shouldn't do that and I

00:32:39.990 --> 00:32:43.130
was to pray for them individually and it was

00:32:43.130 --> 00:32:45.750
really important for me to maintain a relationship

00:32:45.750 --> 00:32:50.250
with each of them and This was a time for loving

00:32:50.250 --> 00:32:54.720
them, but not loving their choices And that was

00:32:54.720 --> 00:32:59.799
a really learning, learning, learning, a learning

00:32:59.799 --> 00:33:03.279
curve for me, but I had to do it for the sake

00:33:03.279 --> 00:33:06.220
of my children and for our family. So that was

00:33:06.220 --> 00:33:08.500
something God really showed me. Yeah, that's

00:33:08.500 --> 00:33:10.380
hard. I mean, that's hard when, you know, the

00:33:10.380 --> 00:33:15.339
bedrock of who you had an example in your faith

00:33:15.339 --> 00:33:17.940
really stumbles. I mean, it can be our parents,

00:33:18.140 --> 00:33:21.809
it can be, you know. some pastor, it can be anybody

00:33:21.809 --> 00:33:26.170
who we look to as our example in the faith. We

00:33:26.170 --> 00:33:28.150
have to put our faith and hope in Jesus, not

00:33:28.150 --> 00:33:31.369
in people. That's right. That's so true, Jody.

00:33:31.549 --> 00:33:34.829
You know, time and time again, I think we find

00:33:34.829 --> 00:33:37.950
ourselves looking to others and we don't look

00:33:37.950 --> 00:33:41.269
to Jesus. You really hit the nail on the head

00:33:41.269 --> 00:33:44.960
that it's so easy to put... You know, that's

00:33:44.960 --> 00:33:46.839
why having your own commitment with the Lord

00:33:46.839 --> 00:33:49.519
is so important and not on your family or your

00:33:49.519 --> 00:33:53.299
parents, because, you know, like we talked about,

00:33:53.319 --> 00:33:56.619
people are our work in progress, you know, and

00:33:56.619 --> 00:33:59.160
we can't really look to them to be our savior.

00:33:59.259 --> 00:34:01.559
We have to really look to Jesus, definitely.

00:34:02.559 --> 00:34:06.960
So, and that was moving on to another type of

00:34:06.960 --> 00:34:10.820
winter season for me is my husband had a really

00:34:10.820 --> 00:34:14.460
major health crisis and during that time I became

00:34:14.460 --> 00:34:18.639
his caregiver and also his recovery took a lot

00:34:18.639 --> 00:34:25.199
longer than we both expected. You know it's it's

00:34:25.199 --> 00:34:28.679
really quite a challenge to be a caregiver at

00:34:28.679 --> 00:34:33.519
times, you know, and I really applaud all caregivers

00:34:33.519 --> 00:34:36.599
out there. You know, mine was for a season, but

00:34:36.599 --> 00:34:39.980
there are those that do it as a choice for a

00:34:39.980 --> 00:34:43.619
livelihood. And also they have long term care

00:34:43.619 --> 00:34:48.820
and I that you really rely on what I had God

00:34:48.820 --> 00:34:56.039
show me was grace. He gave me much grace and

00:34:56.300 --> 00:34:59.780
reminded me that it was just for a season, maybe

00:34:59.780 --> 00:35:03.239
a winter season, that it wasn't going to be forever.

00:35:03.900 --> 00:35:06.920
And the moments of grace were just that. They

00:35:06.920 --> 00:35:11.239
were just moments. But that was good. I really

00:35:11.239 --> 00:35:14.980
relied on these grace moments. I went for walks.

00:35:15.820 --> 00:35:18.320
That was so helpful for me to be able to clear

00:35:18.320 --> 00:35:21.840
my head and pray and listen to worship music.

00:35:22.809 --> 00:35:26.210
I have studied the Bible. All of those were really

00:35:26.210 --> 00:35:30.510
helpful to keep my mind in the right frame, you

00:35:30.510 --> 00:35:34.510
know? That's really important from asking God

00:35:34.510 --> 00:35:36.969
what you're going to do every day or how am I

00:35:36.969 --> 00:35:39.670
going to get through this day? Get that right

00:35:39.670 --> 00:35:43.010
perspective and God will really direct you because

00:35:43.010 --> 00:35:45.969
I realized that guess what? He wants to be with

00:35:45.969 --> 00:35:50.539
me. He wants me to ask him. And so here I am

00:35:50.539 --> 00:35:54.960
today. We just moved, as I said, to another state.

00:35:55.139 --> 00:35:59.380
And so now my current season is that I'm a Gigi.

00:35:59.519 --> 00:36:03.579
I'm a grandmother to three wonderful grandchildren.

00:36:03.699 --> 00:36:06.920
And I'm a mom to four adult children, two son

00:36:06.920 --> 00:36:10.320
-in -laws, and getting acclimated to a new area.

00:36:11.119 --> 00:36:14.400
I love being a Gigi and being a part of their

00:36:14.400 --> 00:36:17.380
lives. Now for my adult children, guess what?

00:36:17.519 --> 00:36:21.239
I pray for them more than ever. I don't know

00:36:21.239 --> 00:36:26.059
about you, but I pray. Oh my gosh, I need for

00:36:26.059 --> 00:36:29.300
them to make wise decisions in their lives, you

00:36:29.300 --> 00:36:33.139
know? So that's really where I am. I'm in a spring

00:36:33.139 --> 00:36:35.719
season, I think now. I'm in the midst of planting

00:36:35.719 --> 00:36:39.699
a lot of seeds. Yeah, that's exciting. Well,

00:36:39.820 --> 00:36:42.139
you know, in our earlier conversation, you mentioned

00:36:42.440 --> 00:36:44.920
that at times you really felt like you lost connection

00:36:44.920 --> 00:36:48.679
with yourself. What did that mean? What do you

00:36:48.679 --> 00:36:51.460
mean by that? And really how has God restored

00:36:51.460 --> 00:36:54.099
and reshaped your identity in those seasons when

00:36:54.099 --> 00:36:56.000
you kind of didn't even know who you were anymore?

00:36:56.780 --> 00:37:00.119
You're right. There were times in my life I didn't

00:37:00.119 --> 00:37:03.480
and I sometimes would lose that connection with

00:37:03.480 --> 00:37:09.400
myself because I was focusing on what I was and

00:37:09.400 --> 00:37:12.909
not on who I am. if there's a distinction. You

00:37:12.909 --> 00:37:16.010
know, I looked at my circumstances for my direction

00:37:16.010 --> 00:37:20.309
and I didn't always trust God to daily direct

00:37:20.309 --> 00:37:23.929
my steps. He's always been faithful. He's going

00:37:23.929 --> 00:37:27.190
to be faithful. But I would put in doubt thinking,

00:37:27.809 --> 00:37:31.570
but you know, what about this? And I don't know

00:37:31.570 --> 00:37:35.579
what to do. And I realized that if I would just

00:37:35.579 --> 00:37:39.239
obey him and continue to trust him, that's where

00:37:39.239 --> 00:37:42.119
peace comes in. And he's not going to abandon

00:37:42.119 --> 00:37:46.659
me. And I just need to learn, I keep learning

00:37:46.659 --> 00:37:50.989
this, to leave all the outcomes to him. I just

00:37:50.989 --> 00:37:53.989
need to obey him and trust him for the outcomes.

00:37:54.869 --> 00:37:59.230
And he has been so gracious in reminding me that

00:37:59.230 --> 00:38:01.809
he is with us. And I just shared this little

00:38:01.809 --> 00:38:06.429
story in that one time I was bit by a cat and

00:38:06.429 --> 00:38:11.010
it was in my bone and I got a disease and I had

00:38:11.010 --> 00:38:14.510
to have surgery. And so while we were waiting

00:38:14.510 --> 00:38:18.340
to be admitted, This man comes up to me in the

00:38:18.340 --> 00:38:19.960
waiting room and he says, I'm going to take you

00:38:19.960 --> 00:38:23.519
to your room. And so I follow him, Don, and I

00:38:23.519 --> 00:38:25.900
follow him up to the room and he turns and he

00:38:25.900 --> 00:38:28.760
shuts the door. And he comes to me and he says,

00:38:29.260 --> 00:38:33.579
God sent me to tell you that he will be with

00:38:33.579 --> 00:38:38.059
you and everything will be okay. And I was shocked

00:38:38.059 --> 00:38:42.840
because I had no idea. what was going to be happening

00:38:42.840 --> 00:38:46.000
I just knew I had a little cat bite and you know

00:38:46.000 --> 00:38:48.920
I was like okay well you know what that proved

00:38:48.920 --> 00:38:52.420
to be true I'm so glad that he shared that and

00:38:52.420 --> 00:38:56.159
I was equipped to go forward for the next challenge

00:38:56.159 --> 00:38:59.639
that I was going through you know and it was

00:38:59.639 --> 00:39:03.360
just so cool that he sent this angel to remind

00:39:03.360 --> 00:39:07.900
me that he's in control of this situation as

00:39:07.900 --> 00:39:12.260
well as every situation. And that sometimes I

00:39:12.260 --> 00:39:16.579
think I forget and maybe we all forget that our

00:39:16.579 --> 00:39:20.159
relationship is two way. As much as I want to

00:39:20.159 --> 00:39:23.500
be with God, he wants to be with me more. He

00:39:23.500 --> 00:39:27.019
likes to hang out with me. And just meditating

00:39:27.019 --> 00:39:31.000
on that, that gives me a sense of peace, sense

00:39:31.000 --> 00:39:34.760
of affirmation. And I feel so connected. He wants

00:39:34.760 --> 00:39:38.750
to be with us. That's so cool. That is cool.

00:39:39.050 --> 00:39:42.630
And you say that that man was an angel. That's

00:39:42.630 --> 00:39:44.650
because, like, you looked for him afterward and

00:39:44.650 --> 00:39:46.929
nobody knew who he was, right? You're right,

00:39:47.070 --> 00:39:49.789
Jody. I forgot to mention that. Yes, after the

00:39:49.789 --> 00:39:52.170
surgery, I had to have a pick line and I had

00:39:52.170 --> 00:39:55.449
to have things done to me. I wanted to find him

00:39:55.449 --> 00:39:58.510
and say, thank you. I didn't know what I was

00:39:58.510 --> 00:40:01.309
going to have done. I was sort of naive about

00:40:01.309 --> 00:40:04.059
the whole procedure. They were like, who is this

00:40:04.059 --> 00:40:05.860
man? We don't know who you're talking about.

00:40:06.199 --> 00:40:08.960
So that's why I felt like, wow, God, you sent

00:40:08.960 --> 00:40:12.139
an angel. Thank you, Lord. That's really great.

00:40:12.960 --> 00:40:15.639
Yeah. Well, Terri, looking back over all your

00:40:15.639 --> 00:40:18.440
different seasons, is there another key truth

00:40:18.440 --> 00:40:20.300
or encouragement that you want to share with

00:40:20.300 --> 00:40:23.539
our listeners today? Well, one thing is we talked

00:40:23.539 --> 00:40:27.340
about from Psalm 1 that you know, we have seasons

00:40:27.340 --> 00:40:29.639
in our lives. I think we have to realize that.

00:40:29.639 --> 00:40:31.639
That we're going to have spring, summer, winter,

00:40:31.780 --> 00:40:34.440
and fall, and that's okay. And that sometimes

00:40:34.440 --> 00:40:37.409
the desert is... the best place to be because

00:40:37.409 --> 00:40:39.329
we might be the closest to him when we're in

00:40:39.329 --> 00:40:42.010
the winter, you know. So that's something I wanted

00:40:42.010 --> 00:40:46.929
to tell y 'all and that I wanted to remind them

00:40:46.929 --> 00:40:51.829
that he wants to tell us what to do. He is not

00:40:51.829 --> 00:40:55.130
going to say, okay, if you pray so many minutes

00:40:55.130 --> 00:40:57.530
and if you read so many scriptures, I'll tell

00:40:57.530 --> 00:41:00.969
you what. No, he wants you just to ask and he

00:41:00.969 --> 00:41:05.059
is going to tell you because He wants to hang

00:41:05.059 --> 00:41:07.320
out with us. He wants to be in this two -way

00:41:07.320 --> 00:41:10.539
relationship. And he may be asking you to call

00:41:10.539 --> 00:41:13.719
a friend or write a letter or start a business,

00:41:13.780 --> 00:41:18.360
but he wants to talk to us. And I want to encourage

00:41:18.360 --> 00:41:22.119
you all to obey him and leave all the consequences

00:41:22.119 --> 00:41:26.199
to him because he truly is in charge. And that

00:41:26.199 --> 00:41:30.400
you know that who we are in Christ, that's who

00:41:30.400 --> 00:41:34.610
we are. It's not on what we do. It's who we are

00:41:34.610 --> 00:41:38.190
and that's what our identity and our love is

00:41:38.190 --> 00:41:42.170
wrapped up on. He loves us and we love him and

00:41:42.170 --> 00:41:47.030
he doesn't see any failures. He sees us as, what

00:41:47.030 --> 00:41:50.230
does it say in Song of Solomon, all together

00:41:50.230 --> 00:41:55.349
beautiful. I see no flaw in you. That's beautiful.

00:41:56.309 --> 00:41:59.849
I love that. And, you know, as you were talking,

00:41:59.909 --> 00:42:02.150
I was thinking of the scripture. I don't even

00:42:02.150 --> 00:42:03.690
remember where it is in the New Testament. It

00:42:03.690 --> 00:42:06.690
says, if any man lacks wisdom, let him ask of

00:42:06.690 --> 00:42:10.409
God who gives generously and without reproach.

00:42:11.070 --> 00:42:15.110
So he's just waiting. He's saying, hey, I'm here.

00:42:15.250 --> 00:42:17.590
I'm ready to talk. I'm ready to give you my wisdom.

00:42:18.130 --> 00:42:20.769
I'm not going to hold back on you. I'm going

00:42:20.769 --> 00:42:22.969
to be generous in it. And, you know, I'm not

00:42:22.969 --> 00:42:25.630
going to get mad at you for it. There's no reproach

00:42:25.630 --> 00:42:28.659
here. You just come to me. It's always for our

00:42:28.659 --> 00:42:32.940
good. You know, it's not going to be like a smack

00:42:32.940 --> 00:42:35.900
of our hand or whatever, but it's for our good

00:42:35.900 --> 00:42:39.400
because he wants to use us to spread good, you

00:42:39.400 --> 00:42:43.400
know, to love on others. So it's a win -win.

00:42:44.719 --> 00:42:47.360
It is. You know, there's a scripture that I ponder

00:42:47.360 --> 00:42:50.659
and the Lord showed it to me in scripture, I

00:42:50.659 --> 00:42:53.480
don't know, a few years ago. It's in the Psalms

00:42:53.480 --> 00:42:57.630
and it says, Lord, you are good. everything you

00:42:57.630 --> 00:43:03.150
do is good and I mean I I know the Lord is good

00:43:03.150 --> 00:43:04.949
there's a you know there's a lot of people that

00:43:04.949 --> 00:43:08.750
question it took me a while to I mean I had a

00:43:08.750 --> 00:43:12.210
good father I have good parents but still you

00:43:12.210 --> 00:43:14.909
kind of think God's sitting up there going well

00:43:14.909 --> 00:43:19.070
you sin today so you're gonna get what you get

00:43:19.070 --> 00:43:23.730
yeah and you know yes there are consequences

00:43:23.730 --> 00:43:27.199
for our sin but God is good. He's not up there

00:43:27.199 --> 00:43:28.960
looking to zap us. He's not up there looking

00:43:28.960 --> 00:43:32.380
to punish us. He's saying, come, come, come to

00:43:32.380 --> 00:43:35.219
me. I've got good for you. I've got good for

00:43:35.219 --> 00:43:38.360
your life. He sure does, Jodie. That's beautiful

00:43:38.360 --> 00:43:42.440
scripture because we, I don't know, sometimes

00:43:42.440 --> 00:43:45.880
we just don't think. He wants our good, you know,

00:43:45.980 --> 00:43:49.199
like he said I think that we are feeling that

00:43:49.199 --> 00:43:52.699
we're gonna fail and he is gonna say ha ha ha

00:43:52.699 --> 00:43:56.780
I told you but you know even even when we mess

00:43:56.780 --> 00:44:01.199
up he never says ha ha ha No, it's just part

00:44:01.199 --> 00:44:05.960
of the journey. I'm just thankful that if we

00:44:05.960 --> 00:44:09.260
obey him And we just have to keep on focusing

00:44:09.260 --> 00:44:12.199
on his goodness, you know, and his faithfulness.

00:44:12.480 --> 00:44:15.760
He will never, ever, ever, that's one thing.

00:44:15.760 --> 00:44:18.739
He won't abandon us. So I think that's really...

00:44:18.780 --> 00:44:21.500
powerful too that's really great scripture that

00:44:21.500 --> 00:44:24.820
you shared yeah yeah it's it's it comes back

00:44:24.820 --> 00:44:27.440
to me often uh when i'm talking to people when

00:44:27.440 --> 00:44:29.480
i'm thinking about you know different things

00:44:29.480 --> 00:44:31.199
that he's good and everything he does is good

00:44:31.199 --> 00:44:34.039
everything he does is good yeah we live in a

00:44:34.039 --> 00:44:36.280
fallen world we live in a fallen world certainly

00:44:36.280 --> 00:44:41.659
so bad things happen but god is good he is and

00:44:41.659 --> 00:44:45.760
we don't have to understand right but we can't

00:44:45.690 --> 00:44:49.510
accept the fact that he is good, and that he

00:44:49.510 --> 00:44:53.510
loves us, and our circumstances change, but that

00:44:53.510 --> 00:44:58.530
doesn't change. That's the hard part, is to navigate

00:44:58.530 --> 00:45:02.090
through circumstances, and believing in his goodness.

00:45:03.299 --> 00:45:06.059
Well Terry, you talked a little about Ruth earlier

00:45:06.059 --> 00:45:08.900
and you know I always ask my guests if there's

00:45:08.900 --> 00:45:11.519
a woman of the Bible who's inspired or encouraged

00:45:11.519 --> 00:45:13.619
or taught you something. So you want to talk

00:45:13.619 --> 00:45:15.199
more about Ruth or is there another woman you

00:45:15.199 --> 00:45:17.539
want to share about? There's so many great women

00:45:17.539 --> 00:45:22.619
of the Bible. You know like somebody asked me

00:45:22.619 --> 00:45:26.440
once, when you go to heaven who are some of the

00:45:26.440 --> 00:45:29.340
Bible heroes that you want to meet or talk with?

00:45:29.880 --> 00:45:33.119
And one of the women I wanted to talk to was

00:45:33.119 --> 00:45:36.519
Priscilla, you know, the Quillen Priscilla because

00:45:36.519 --> 00:45:39.820
she was an entrepreneur, you know, they had a

00:45:39.820 --> 00:45:42.260
job making business and she was one of the first

00:45:42.260 --> 00:45:44.940
converts and they led a church. So she was quite

00:45:44.940 --> 00:45:50.300
the woman leader, wasn't she? And, and, and she

00:45:50.300 --> 00:45:54.039
was, she was, my goodness, that is a fast paced

00:45:54.039 --> 00:45:57.889
book of the Bible. She saw so many. things happen

00:45:57.889 --> 00:46:01.670
in her lifetime. So I, I, you know, if I was

00:46:01.670 --> 00:46:04.670
to pick somebody to meet, I know there's a gamut

00:46:04.670 --> 00:46:06.409
of people, but I would like to be able to sit

00:46:06.409 --> 00:46:08.710
down and talk to her in heaven, maybe have some

00:46:08.710 --> 00:46:11.929
tea, something like that. But overall, Ruth is

00:46:11.929 --> 00:46:15.170
my very favorite. I just think, you know, we

00:46:15.170 --> 00:46:19.690
are all women of valor, just like she was. Absolutely.

00:46:19.909 --> 00:46:23.420
Amen. Amen. Well, thank you, Terry, for sharing

00:46:23.420 --> 00:46:27.179
your story. You know, it reminds all of us that

00:46:27.179 --> 00:46:31.800
our lives, they move in seasons. I think of Ecclesiastes

00:46:31.800 --> 00:46:34.099
three, which says there's a time for everything

00:46:34.099 --> 00:46:36.840
and a season for every activity under heaven.

00:46:37.619 --> 00:46:40.800
Some seasons are full of joy, fruitfulness. Others

00:46:40.800 --> 00:46:43.760
stretch us through loss and pruning and waiting.

00:46:44.659 --> 00:46:47.420
Yet, In every season, God is faithful. In every

00:46:47.420 --> 00:46:50.599
season, God is good. And He uses each of those

00:46:50.599 --> 00:46:52.900
seasons to shape us and prepare us for what's

00:46:52.900 --> 00:46:55.699
ahead. Friend, maybe you're in a fruitful season

00:46:55.699 --> 00:46:59.260
right now. Hallelujah. Enjoy it. Maybe you're

00:46:59.260 --> 00:47:01.820
walking through the time when things are hard

00:47:01.820 --> 00:47:04.420
and uncertain. But wherever you find yourself,

00:47:04.579 --> 00:47:08.019
be encouraged because seasons change. But God's

00:47:08.019 --> 00:47:10.940
goodness never does. He's with you, strengthening

00:47:10.940 --> 00:47:14.059
you, causing your life to bear fruit in His perfect

00:47:14.059 --> 00:47:17.650
time. And as we stay rooted and grounded in Him,

00:47:18.250 --> 00:47:21.070
we get to extend our love to others. So I want

00:47:21.070 --> 00:47:23.909
to remind you of our Widow and Orphan Fund. If

00:47:23.909 --> 00:47:26.989
God calls you to be a part of that, just check

00:47:26.989 --> 00:47:29.150
it out at hergodstory .org and click on Help

00:47:29.150 --> 00:47:32.269
Now. But Terry, before we close, would you take

00:47:32.269 --> 00:47:34.670
a moment to pray for our listening friends? I

00:47:34.670 --> 00:47:38.530
would love to. Thank you for this wonderful opportunity.

00:47:39.090 --> 00:47:45.849
Let's pray. Dear Heavenly Father, thank you so

00:47:45.849 --> 00:47:50.610
much for each and every person listening to our

00:47:50.610 --> 00:47:54.590
time together. Thank you for your direction.

00:47:54.969 --> 00:47:58.309
Thank you for your love. Holy Spirit, we invite

00:47:58.309 --> 00:48:01.630
your presence. And Father God, we come to you

00:48:01.630 --> 00:48:04.829
now. And Father, as those who are seeking you

00:48:04.829 --> 00:48:08.969
whatever season they are in, we know God that

00:48:08.969 --> 00:48:13.010
you will answer them. as they ask you what's

00:48:13.010 --> 00:48:16.070
next. I pray God that you will undergird them

00:48:16.070 --> 00:48:19.909
with courage and strength to obey you. I thank

00:48:19.909 --> 00:48:22.849
you God that you will continue to infill us with

00:48:22.849 --> 00:48:26.030
your presence, that we will go forward and be

00:48:26.030 --> 00:48:29.429
the woman of valor like Ruth that you have called

00:48:29.429 --> 00:48:32.969
us each to be. Father God, I thank you so much

00:48:32.969 --> 00:48:35.869
for this opportunity that we can come to serve

00:48:35.869 --> 00:48:38.909
you and we are not finished yet, that we are

00:48:38.909 --> 00:48:41.670
going to continue to finish. the race before

00:48:41.670 --> 00:48:44.409
us. We thank you God that you will continue to

00:48:44.409 --> 00:48:49.030
equip us. each step that we take and father for

00:48:49.030 --> 00:48:53.050
those who are just not sure of who you are in

00:48:53.050 --> 00:48:55.690
their lives father we just lift these sisters

00:48:55.690 --> 00:48:58.269
up and i just pray father god that they would

00:48:58.269 --> 00:49:01.610
sense your presence as we pray i pray god that

00:49:01.610 --> 00:49:04.769
they would know that you love them and that your

00:49:04.769 --> 00:49:08.469
love is unfailing and lord god that they can

00:49:08.469 --> 00:49:11.130
trust in your presence that they can receive

00:49:11.130 --> 00:49:14.590
your peace and it is life -changing thank you

00:49:14.590 --> 00:49:17.659
god that We each have a purpose and a plan and

00:49:17.659 --> 00:49:21.380
that we can continue to rely on your mercy and

00:49:21.380 --> 00:49:24.500
your faithfulness and your goodness in our lives.

00:49:24.739 --> 00:49:27.679
And we commit this time to you. We pray a special

00:49:27.679 --> 00:49:31.300
blessing on Jodi and Father on this podcast.

00:49:31.619 --> 00:49:34.380
We ask God that you will continue to expand her

00:49:34.380 --> 00:49:37.900
borders. I pray God for prosperity for this ministry.

00:49:38.340 --> 00:49:41.480
Lord God, we just thank you for her obedience

00:49:41.480 --> 00:49:45.039
to serving you. We give you all the praise and

00:49:45.039 --> 00:49:49.320
glory in Jesus, your precious name. Amen. Amen.

00:49:50.280 --> 00:49:53.579
Well, friend, don't forget, you can visit hergodstory

00:49:53.579 --> 00:49:57.119
.org for today's show notes and all the scriptures

00:49:57.119 --> 00:49:59.860
we talked about. But before we end, I also want

00:49:59.860 --> 00:50:02.099
to speak a blessing over you that's adapted from

00:50:02.099 --> 00:50:06.280
Jeremiah 17 verses seven through eight. May you

00:50:06.280 --> 00:50:09.059
be blessed as you put your trust in the Lord

00:50:09.059 --> 00:50:12.940
and place your confidence fully in him. May your

00:50:12.940 --> 00:50:15.159
life be like a tree planted by streams of living

00:50:15.159 --> 00:50:18.980
water, with roots that go deep and strong. When

00:50:18.980 --> 00:50:22.760
seasons of heat or trial come, may you not fear,

00:50:23.059 --> 00:50:26.139
but remain steadfast in flourishing. May your

00:50:26.139 --> 00:50:28.840
leaves always stay green with life, your heart

00:50:28.840 --> 00:50:31.260
at rest without worry, even in times of drought.

00:50:32.019 --> 00:50:34.639
And may your life never cease to bear fruit,

00:50:34.820 --> 00:50:37.639
fruit that endures, blesses others, and glorifies

00:50:37.639 --> 00:50:41.780
God. If you need prayer, please reach out. You're

00:50:41.780 --> 00:50:44.780
not alone. You can call or text our 24 -7 prayer

00:50:44.780 --> 00:50:49.099
line at 855 -459 -CARE or email us at anytime

00:50:49.099 --> 00:50:52.019
at prayer at somebodycares .org. We're here for

00:50:52.019 --> 00:50:54.820
you. If this is your first time listening, check

00:50:54.820 --> 00:50:57.699
out some of our other inspiring episodes. Until

00:50:57.699 --> 00:51:00.699
next time, keep trusting God because He is still

00:51:00.699 --> 00:51:03.699
writing your story. Her God Story is a ministry

00:51:03.699 --> 00:51:05.900
of Somebody Cares America and International.

00:51:06.340 --> 00:51:08.539
To find out more about or support the ministry,

00:51:08.780 --> 00:51:10.460
go to somebodycares .org.