WELCOME HEART: Living a Legacy Life

Ep 201 A Legacy of Living Seen by God and That’s What Counts with Whitney Akin

Whitney Akin felt overlooked,and that her life didn't matter and she didn't have any purpose in the grand scheme of things. Insecure and shy, she hid in the back of any group gathering so that she wouldn't make a mistake and bring even more perceived criticism onto her heart and life. Finally God reminded her who she was and more importantly who He was: beloved by God, created for his purpose and mission. Her mission now is to let everyone know that they count, that our worth isn't based on our big splash in society or our numbers on social media. Listen today to hear what it means to live seen by God and how you can make that a lifestyle vs only a moment. 
Her book, OVERLOOKED: Finding Your Worth When You Feel All Alone is a gem and you may need to get one for yourself and one for a friend who is feeling the same way. Good news: A Giveaway for your first copy! Leave a comment below to be entered to win.
Some gems from today's conversation:
God gives us all the approval that we need, we just need to remember that.
God's name, El Roi, means he is the God who sees so he can't help but see us—we are never overlooked.
We like to measure our worth based on how many more eyes are on us, but its the Father's eyes that matter.
There's a difference between knowing that God loves me and experiencing it for myself in my grief and doubt.
Feeling like  was unseen translated into severe, self-consuming insecurity so that wanted to hide in any social situation.
If I hid inside myself there was less of a chance of being hurt.
I want my children to live seen, but also take it a step further to help others feel seen by God.
Being seen is a moment, living seen is a lifestyle. 
Whitney Akin is a wife and mother of three young ones, author and speaker. You can find her here.

Ep 200 A Legacy of 80 Years of a Life Well-Lived—Bless-able with Hyatt Moore, Christian, Artist

Hyatt Moore and his wife Anne came to Jesus late, in their later 20's and they've never stopped serving God all these many years. Hyatt, in his third career—when you're just about to ready to celebrate your 80th birthday, you have time for at least 3 careers—describes himself as a Christian who is an artist.
Father of 5 and grandfather of 17, Hyatt wants his legacy to be something that goes on through his kids long after he dies, and he's very intentional about modeling his faith and pouring into his kids and grandkids. First career: Art Director of Surfer Magazine, Dana Pt, CA; second career: Missionary with Wycliffe Bible Translators for 32 years (Director for 5 of those years); Full-time painter (currently painting for many organizations, including donating many each year, and on commission.) See his commission gallery here. 
We talk about art and creativity and the talents that God gives all his children. Hyatt says he's a two-talent guy, and God has definitely doubled those. I'm thinking he has five to ten, but then I'm his sister and his biggest fan.
Some gems:
Creativity is basically problem-solving.
God and his mercies are new every morning; I get ideas, solutions, creativity every morning.
After running from God and then found by Him, I wanted to live my life to serve others the way I had been helped.
Be humble, but step up to your gifting and you'll get more yet. 
I want to live a "bless-able" life—I can prevent God's blessings by how I live.
God said, "Be holy for I am holy" which implies it's possible for us but only with his help, Spirit and fullness. 
 
Hyatt's portrait painted by a friend and student, Pil
See his art at hyattmoore.com
View his blog here and join his mailing list here. 
Hear his testimony on YouTube here.
Hyatt's signature piece is The Last Supper with Twelve Tribes - hear that story HERE.
One of the paintings Hyatt created for fellow-artist, Joni Eackenson Tada:
 
He's known for his large canvases as in Heroes of the Faith:
 

Ep 199 A Legacy of Honesty and Compassion Through Journaling with Jennifer Dukes Lee

With her latest book, Stuff I'd Only Tell God, A Guided Journal of Courageous Honesty, Obsessive Truth-Telling and Beautifully Ruthless Self-Discovery, Jennifer Dukes Lee gives us what we may didn't know we needed: a self-guided tour of ourselves--and it's only as accurate as we are honest.
On this episode of WELCOME HEART: Living a Legacy Life, host Sue Donaldson talks to guest Jennifer Dukes Lee about her legacy journey. Jennifer shares her story about creating legacy Bibles for her daughters and the importance of leaving a lasting impact on loved ones. In addition, the episode delves into the power of journaling and how it can help build a deeper relationship with God, the value of asking and answering questions to form meaningful connections with others, exploring both the good and the bad memories in our life, and cultivating self-compassion through journaling. Join us as we explore these meaningful topics that can help us all live a more purposeful and intentional life.
What you'll learn from tuning in today:
1. The importance of journaling as a way to become more intimate and honest with God, and to see where He has been in your life, ultimately leading to a deeper relationship.
2. Ways to embrace your unique self and be reminded of God's humor.
3. The concept of exploring both the "holes" and "gardens" in your life and how this can balance things out and allow you to see the beauty in both.
4. How to think about your relationship with money and how it influences your life.
5. The value of cultivating self-compassion by reflecting on past experiences and gaining admiration for your younger self.
Some Jen Gems:
1. "We have a generation of people who have grown up without a legacy of faith, so it's up to us to create that legacy now."
2. "Legacy is about making a lasting impact. It's the things that will outlast us when we're gone."
3. "When you lean into discomfort, you find a deeper level of meaning, purpose, and significance in your life."
4. "When we're honest and vulnerable about what we're experiencing, other people find a way to connect and realize they're not alone."
5. "Legacy is not about perfection, it's about authenticity. It's about being true to who God created us to be."
 
Learn how to create a Bible journal for someone you love: HERE
 

Ep 198 A Legacy of Stewarding Good Health with Grace and Good Sense with Robin Rhine McDonald

Welcome Robin Rhine McDonald of MadeWell.com today as we discuss what may be your favorite topic (or not!)—our physical health. Robin is a faith-based holistic health coach who loves Jesus and has a passion for helping people live their best life physically, all for heaven's sake. I ask Robin some tough questions today—maybe I was feeling a little defensive as I do love my sugar—but she answered everything beautifully. You will learn and be encouraged, no matter where you are on the health spectrum. 
Robin learned her good habits because she needed to, and she learned how food and fitness work together to help us live the way God designed. We talk weight loss, bad and good habits, and why God cares about us stewarding our bodies well. 
Some gems from Robin:
1. "I think the turning point for me was watching my grandparents' health deteriorate. They dealt with all the common chronic diseases, and I began to see that if we don't make intentional choices, we are going to end up the same way."
 
2. "It's about going back to the garden and the way that God intended for us to live, before there were processed foods and convenience was the norm."
 
3. "We don't have to be perfect, but we do need to be intentional and aware of the choices we're making. It's never too late to start making healthier choices."
 
4. "Grace is not just about covering our mistakes, it's fuel for transformation. It's about acknowledging that we're not perfect, but that God is at work in us.
 
"5. "Our culture promotes convenience and a sedentary lifestyle, but it's important to remember that small changes can make a big impact on our health."
 
 
How to connect with Robin and access her great resources:
Podcast: visiondrivenhealth.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robin_rhinemcd/
Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/RobinRhineMcD
5 Day Sugar Fast Devotional: https://www.madewellhealth.com/sugarfast
Greens & Grace Experience: https://visiondrivenhealth.com/greensexperience
How to prioritize your health masterclass: madewellhealth.com/prioritize
Robin McDonald is a health advocate who believes that small changes in lifestyle can have a big impact on health. She knows that many chronic diseases are preventable through healthy choices and that our cultural norms make it difficult for people to know where to begin. Robin encourages people to take hold of God's grace and start making positive changes in their lives. She emphasizes that there is no shame in past choices and that hope for healing is available to everyone.
 
TRANSCRIPTION OF OUR CONVERSATION - ENJOY!
Good morning. Today we are talking to my first health coach. I don't know. I'm not sure I can do this today, Robin, because I went to Taco Bell for lunch. But this is Robin Ryan McDonald, and she describes herself as a faith based, holistic health coach, and we're going to dig into that a little bit. Robin, I know you'll be excited to talk about what that actually means. We'll break it down. Robin, first, tell us a little bit about where you live, your family, and then what does that exactly mean?
Robin McDonald [00:01:13]:
Yes. So I live in Oceanside, California. I'm a mama of two boys. I've got a three and a half year old and a ten month old.
Sue Donaldson [00:01:21]:
Whoa.
Robin McDonald [00:01:22]:
I know. And I'm married to the man of my dreams. So a holistic, faith based health coach. So at the end of the day, it really means that we are coming into alignment with what God has called us to already. We've been given this life. We have a vision, we have a purpose, we have a calling like you talk about all the time. We have this legacy. And so my big thing is, what does it look like to steward our bodies and to partner with God in creating the vitality that we need to carry that out?
Sue Donaldson [00:01:56]:
Say it again. What does it look like to steward our bodies? For those who don't know, the Christiane steward. What do you mean by that?
Robin McDonald [00:02:03]:
Thank you for asking. So stewarding means that you are taking care of you're tending to something. So if someone lends something to you that actually belongs to them, you want to make sure you take really good care of it. Right. And so our bodies, at the end of the day, belong to God, and so we want to make sure we take really good care of them again in order to do what he's called us to do.
Sue Donaldson [00:02:28]:
Yeah, it's always for a higher purpose. It's not so that we look good, though. I like to look good in order to fill out or fulfill our purpose that God has given us. I'm wondering for the person who has an ongoing disease that makes them maybe they can't even get out of bed. What's that called where you just don't have any strength?
Robin McDonald [00:02:55]:
There's a couple of different diseases.
Sue Donaldson [00:02:58]:
If they're listening to this today, they go, wait, is this my design to stay in bed all day? What would you say to someone like that?
Robin McDonald [00:03:04]:
It's a good question. Bringing the heavy questions out. I like it. So first thing I'll say is I don't believe that that was God's intention or design. The problem is we live in a fallen, broken world, and unfortunately, there is disease, there is pain. And even Jesus himself said we would not face this world without trouble. There would be challenges. And unfortunately for some of us, that is physical.
Sue Donaldson [00:03:27]:
Right.
Robin McDonald [00:03:28]:
With that said, there is almost always something we can do to either minimize the either propensity we have towards disease or even our current state. Right now, the United States, we are struggling. Most adults are either obese or experiencing not just one, but two to three chronic diseases. And a lot of that is actually lifestyle induced. So there are the people who unfortunately have these oftentimes diseases that they got maybe since birth, but most people only have a propensity to disease. And it was the choices that we've made that led to the outcome we have. And for some people, maybe they hear that and they're like, oh, man, I did this to myself. And maybe they would be inclined to feel guilty or shame. And I would say there doesn't need to be any shame in it because unfortunately, our culture has informed us that fast food and convenience and sedentary lifestyle, all those things are the norm. And so most of us wouldn't even know where to begin to make different changes. And when we become aware of where we're at and the hope that's available to us for the healing that can come from starting now, no matter where you're at, to make those simple changes, that's when we can take hold of God's grace and actually create a different outcome and trajectory for us moving forward.
Sue Donaldson [00:04:52]:
Okay, now that is a mouthful and a paragraph full. And I love all those different sentences. Taking care of yourself for God's kingdom. Also taking hold of his grace and also starting where you are. I think for people who are chronic dieters, especially, feel like I've tried them all, none work. So I'm just going to go buy another donut. A friend of mine, she does like to walk a lot more than I do, but she calls it taking care of her temple because our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. And I thought, okay, spiritualize, everything grace. Her name is even grace. But it's true. We take care of our temples when we are stewarding our bodies. Well, how did you get started in health coaching and what do you love about it?
Robin McDonald [00:05:36]:
Great question. So for me, I actually grew up eating terribly.
Sue Donaldson [00:05:40]:
Paul talks about why is that your mother? You're going to blame your mother? Watch it. I have adult children.
Robin McDonald [00:05:47]:
I always say bless my precious mama. She didn't know. I didn't know. None of us knew. We were just living. The American Standard Diet, also known or the Standard American Diet, also known as Sad. Right? Sad.
Sue Donaldson [00:05:59]:
What's it stand for? Standard American diet.
Robin McDonald [00:06:03]:
It's just sad.
Sue Donaldson [00:06:05]:
White sugar, white bread, all the things.
Robin McDonald [00:06:07]:
I like shaken bake this, fried this, pasta that. Hamburger Helper. If it wasn't in a box or something we could throw in the microwave or something we could get in a drive through. I personally wasn't eating it. I was the pickiest eater. Paul writes about how he was the foremost in his sin, and I'm like, I was the foremost with my eating. Like, I did not like vegetables. A lot of my childhood friends who know what I do now think it's hilarious because they knew how piggy they remember.
Sue Donaldson [00:06:35]:
Yeah, my mother always served two vegetables at every meal, so that was good. And she was from the Midwest, but we lived in California, so we had good vegetables. You know, the Midwest, you think they would have better vegetables, but no, it's the frozen vegetables, I think, that are healthier than the canned, of course.
Robin McDonald [00:06:50]:
Oh, yeah.
Sue Donaldson [00:06:51]:
And then she always had a salad. But I'm not saying we grew up, and also we couldn't afford to go out, and I think going out, especially the fast food in McDonald's, was like to eat. Well, they were pretty cheap when they started, but it was kind of a treat to do fast food. So I think I grew up fairly healthy. But you didn't. So what switched it?
Robin McDonald [00:07:14]:
That's awesome that you had that. And I think that's one of the things I tell people, too, is if you could just cook your own food, even if maybe it's not the standard, healthy, whatever, that's a game changer in and of itself. But for me, it didn't catch my attention until college. I ended up getting a full face of acne and gaining the freshman 15, which turned into the college 20. And then, like we talked about earlier, we want to look good. I wasn't feeling so good in how I look, and so I started to do some more research and exploration. And it was funny because I was trying to find the right topical regimen for my face. And a friend of mine said, you know, what shows up on your face is actually part from what you eat. And I thought that was the dumbest thing. I was like, why would what I eat have anything to do with my face? That goes in my stomach.
Sue Donaldson [00:08:02]:
But I remember people saying, well, I can't have chocolate because of my acne.
Robin McDonald [00:08:08]:
It is absolutely related. I didn't know at the time, obviously, and it wasn't until I did change my diet, and at the time, I was I was eating out a lot. I was getting a lot of and I was on a college budget as well. Sure. And so I ended up realizing by changing my diet, I cleared my acne, I lost the weight. But what really shifted in having a passion for this was when I started to see the health of my grandparents deteriorate. So I have all the chronic diseases represented in my grandparents heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, Alzheimer's, cancer, dementia. And I have one grandparent left. Unfortunately, two grandpas passed away from dementia, alzheimer's. One grandma passed away from heart failure. She also had diabetes and arthritis. My last standing grandma has she's a cancer survivor. She has diabetes and arthritis and all of these.
Sue Donaldson [00:09:07]:
Yeah, diabetes is such a bad thing. My husband's an internist, and so he's very conscious of getting his patients to lose weight. Because diabetes is so hurtful to your body, you don't stay alive longer. I'm pretty sure.
Robin McDonald [00:09:21]:
Absolutely. And unfortunately, diabetes is often the precursor to heart disease. So when you see someone who ends up with heart disease, stroke, heart attack, it often started with diabetes, which even before that was a result of excessive blood sugar spikes, which comes from eating a lot of processed, high carb, refined foods.
Sue Donaldson [00:09:44]:
I'm going to ask you another hard question.
Robin McDonald [00:09:46]:
I'm ready.
Sue Donaldson [00:09:47]:
My husband is naturally slender. Thankfully, all three of my daughters got those genes, but we feel like it's unfair to those who are naturally DNA disposed to having. One of my roommates, her father died very young and he was a jogger. And when I mentioned that to my husband later, when I met him, he said, oh, well, it's DNA. And so how much of it is DNA? Where people go, well, it's not fair. He can have three beers a night and he doesn't get a beer belly and he doesn't work out, and he just climbed Mount Everest. So I know that's whining, but I bet you hear it.
Robin McDonald [00:10:31]:
Absolutely. And even to some extent with me, I'm 6ft tall, and so even when I was at my heaviest and I show my before and after photos, they're like, you don't look like you were that heavy. And I'm like, well, it just kind of distributes really well.
Sue Donaldson [00:10:48]:
Yeah, I wear big sweaters myself.
Robin McDonald [00:10:51]:
There you go. And your question, there's two different aspects to it. So one, just based on what we know through research, is 80% of what actually comes about with disease is lifestyle. Only 20% is genetics.
Sue Donaldson [00:11:11]:
How do you know that for sure? That's a big statement.
Robin McDonald [00:11:15]:
Yeah, absolutely. So if you want to delve further into it, you look into the study of epigenetics. So this is the study that looks or the study of your genes and gene expression. So what we've come to find is that you're given a certain set of genes from your parents, obviously, but based on what you do, your environment, even your mental health, what you eat, your water, all these different factors cause those genes to either express to turn on or to turn off.
Sue Donaldson [00:11:43]:
Oh, wow. And can you kill them off early on so that they never get turned back on?
Robin McDonald [00:11:48]:
I'm not entirely sure about that. What I do know is that the more we implement those healthy habits, the better chance we have to keep the negative ones off right.
Sue Donaldson [00:11:58]:
And did you study health in college then?
Robin McDonald [00:12:00]:
I actually didn't. So undergrad was business, grad school was seminary, and I ended up doing a specific nutrition certification through integrative health after I graduated, once I started to see the health deteriorate with my grandparents. And after coming from seminary, where we're being equipped to execute the Bible and to understand theology and to equip the saints and doing what God's called them to do. And I'm seeing these precious saints getting taken out of the game early and being hindered by disease, and I'm like even professors and peers, there were two pastors in my denomination who passed away.
Sue Donaldson [00:12:39]:
In their fifty s and sixty s oh, my goodness.
Robin McDonald [00:12:41]:
From these degenerative diseases. And so God really put on my heart of like, okay, this is a problem. If the bodies that comprise the body of Christ are unable to do what they're called to do, to actually be the hands and feet of Jesus, we're in trouble.
Sue Donaldson [00:12:58]:
How much as believers, do we need to focus on the physical? You've sort of answered the question, but I think that might come to mind for those who are more like too heavenly minded to be any earthly good. But God calls us to set our minds on things above. He doesn't say to set our bodies on things above. So how would you answer that?
Robin McDonald [00:13:19]:
I think the best answer to almost any question we have regarding our walk with God is what can we see from Jesus in his life? So Jesus had three years of public ministry. He was alive for 33, but he only had three years of public ministry. When you read the Gospels, I believe the number is I'm not going to give the percentage, but I would say at least a third of the Gospel is referring to physical healing. So if physical health didn't matter, then the Son of God was wasting his time. And I don't think he was, but.
Sue Donaldson [00:13:55]:
I think people would argue, sure, yeah, late, I'm ready. I taught high school, so I love it.
Robin McDonald [00:14:04]:
I love it.
Sue Donaldson [00:14:05]:
Has nothing to do with anything. I think they might argue that the reason there were physical healings is because people were looking for an outward sign fair of a Messiah. But you take it to a different aspect. I'm not arguing with you, but I think that's a very interesting thing. That's how you come about, I think you've already answered it. Is that God wants us to live for Him in the best way possible and to live longer. May or may not be in the cards. I mean, Tim Keller just passed away very young because of pancreatic cancer, who knows whose fault that was or is there a fault? Who knows? I don't think people are talking about that right now. They're just feeling the loss.
Robin McDonald [00:14:47]:
Right.
Sue Donaldson [00:14:47]:
And my brother is almost 80 and I'm not ready for him to weigh he's got a lot more going on, but he's sick right now, so it makes me worried in a spiritual way, of course, but I've given him to the Lord, but I just don't want him to. But 80 is long for some and I told you, I'm 71 and I'm not ready to conquer over, but I'm ready to see Jesus. But if he wants me to be healthier, maybe I need to hire you.
Robin McDonald [00:15:17]:
Hey, I'm here. I'm ready. Would you have an application process?
Sue Donaldson [00:15:21]:
I just don't want to give up sugar. That's my problem. I'm a good baker.
Robin McDonald [00:15:26]:
Hey, me too.
Sue Donaldson [00:15:28]:
You are? Yes, but I'm not going to argue with you. I'm sure you are. You include in your description the phrase weight loss. There's a lot to be said about this because of body image, and my daughter's a therapist and she has to deal with especially girls or women who we go into deep depression because of body image issues. Maybe it's not even a bad body image, but it's how they view themselves. Depression, even suicide. What are your thoughts on that? I think it's a weight loss.
Robin McDonald [00:16:02]:
Yes. So it's obviously a word that can be fleshed out a lot. When you think of weight loss, when you ask someone, what's your main health goal? And they say, I want to lose 20 pounds. If you cut off someone's leg, that's going to drop for some people, close to 20 pounds. But that's not really what we're looking for, right?
Sue Donaldson [00:16:20]:
No.
Robin McDonald [00:16:21]:
And so what people really want is they want fat loss and what they even want more than that is to look a certain way. And oftentimes, at least for myself, I care a lot about building muscle. There's a lot of research that shows that one of the number one things you can do to reduce all risk of disease and mortality is to build muscle and oftentimes to create maybe the aesthetic that people are looking for. They don't realize that sometimes that could mean gaining weight.
Sue Donaldson [00:16:51]:
Yeah, muscle muscles make you cause gain weight. Yeah, I've heard that before too.
Robin McDonald [00:16:56]:
And so something we talk a couple of different things we talk about with my clients. One, a big foundation of the program is grounding ourselves in our identity, in Christ and knowing that the pursuit of health, even the pursuit of weight loss, isn't about trying to attain an acceptance for our body or trying to reach a certain aesthetic goal. Again, we all want to look and we want to feel confident, but I think what we often don't realize is that's a decision that we make for ourselves that comes from receiving God's perspective of us, that comes from believing what's true and identifying the lies that are there. And oftentimes the lie is, I'm not attractive or beautiful unless I weigh X amount.
Sue Donaldson [00:17:36]:
Okay.
Robin McDonald [00:17:36]:
And things like that. But then, of course, from the actual health standpoint, we want to say, okay, and some people, they're actually health at a heavier weight. We want to look at their blood work, you want to look at their physical capacity. You want to look at those other factors. Or even two, if someone's more muscular, and then they have maybe some fat on top of that, and it looks like they're heavier, but their body composition isn't health. So there's a lot that goes into what it means to lose weight and what it means to be healthy. And in terms of body size, what that looks like.
Sue Donaldson [00:18:05]:
Okay, what is your favorite? Maybe you don't have one. Do you have a favorite popular weight loss or fitness program? I'm thinking of noom calibrate weight Watchers. Do you have one or you don't even want to mention it?
Robin McDonald [00:18:23]:
I don't. I'm a big proponent of creating a lifestyle, and I think that's one of the biggest hurdles for people in creating something that lasts. 90% of people who lose a significant portion of weight gain it back within five years.
Sue Donaldson [00:18:46]:
Oh, totally.
Robin McDonald [00:18:47]:
And a big part of that is because we try the next thing. We try the next diet, we try the next app or whatnot? And we miss that. It's not a question of hitting your next goal. It's a question of, am I creating habits that serve a lifestyle like we talked about, enabling me to do what God's called me to do? And so we do a lot of reframing and perspective shifting with my clients to where, yes, we support them in losing the weight. Yes, we support them in improving their blood work and increasing their energy. But we want to come down to, are we creating a lifestyle that's in alignment with who you are in Jesus?
Sue Donaldson [00:19:26]:
I'm writing this down, no problem, because I've joined a couple of these things and I've lost, like, five pounds, but I don't like the food. Sometimes I don't like the food. So I think, well, this is not going to last. So I quit. That wasn't those two. But there was something else. I can't remember the name of it. I thought, oh, my gosh, I don't even like it. And I'm a foodie, and I know you can eat well and deliciously healthy, and sometimes I do. So am I creating habits that are in alignment with say that again with.
Robin McDonald [00:19:57]:
Who Jesus has called me to be and what he's called me to do.
Sue Donaldson [00:20:02]:
Do you think that there's a prejudice against fat people, even in Christian circles?
Robin McDonald [00:20:08]:
It's a good question. I think it's one of those things where it's something to discern with each individual heart. I'm not entirely sure. I guess I don't have a strong opinion on that question. I think there's a misconception about people who are heavy, the assumption that they're that way because they're lazy or because they end up that way. And I don't think that's the case because like I said, our culture one, we've got a culture that has severely misinformed us on what health actually is. The governmental guidelines are junk and actually perpetuate obesity and the onset of disease. And then on top of that, oftentimes what parents consumed and their lack of health when they have their kids, they increase the propensity of obesity and whatnot. And one last thing I'll say about that. Most people who come to work with me are undereating, even though they're overweight.
Sue Donaldson [00:21:06]:
Isn't that interesting?
Robin McDonald [00:21:07]:
They're trying so hard to lose weight and they care so much about trying to be healthy and they're actually not able to lose the weight because their body is starving and holding onto the weight to survive. And I have to do a lot of mental reworking for them to be comfortable with increasing their intake so that we can get their body nourished and help improve their metabolism to get to a place where they can actually lose the weight.
Sue Donaldson [00:21:34]:
It sounds like it's a big educational process, education plus building good habits. Can you summarize what you mean by the phrase grace based sustainable process that's on your website?
Robin McDonald [00:21:47]:
Yes.
Sue Donaldson [00:21:47]:
Let me say it again. Grace based sustainable, which we all want to be sustained in any process if we're going to work that hard, if we're going to spend money to be coaching or to change a habit, whether or not we go with you or anything. And also fresh food costs more. Sometimes the poorest section of the population is difficult. And so of course I know we were each given $100 by our church during COVID to go pass it around to people.
Robin McDonald [00:22:19]:
That's cool.
Sue Donaldson [00:22:20]:
Yeah, I think my husband used it to help someone who needed dental work. And my daughter and I went around and we bought some sleeping bags on sale and passed them out to homeless people. But we actually went to McDonald's to get $10 gift certificates because they could get more food. It would fill their belly longer, but of course it wasn't healthy. So I'm a bad girl. But they got fed. They were happy to get them. Of course I'm sure. So what do you say for someone I can't afford to eat?
Robin McDonald [00:22:49]:
Well, what I will say is it does take some intentionality to craft a meal plan and a grocery list that actually can fit within a certain budget. And I will say I'm very excited. I'm going to be having a gal on my podcast who is like the budget master and that's like her whole thing is you can eat healthy and budget for this much. So I'm excited to have her as a resource. But with that said, what is not able to occur in finances for purchasing food will have to be made up in time to plan accordingly.
Sue Donaldson [00:23:27]:
Yeah, it's so true because well, I grew up with mom parents, who we didn't go out to eat much, and where I live here, we didn't go out to eat much just because I have that. I'm a granddaughter of the Depression. But I also find that the food tastes better if you make it at home, but it does take more time. And because I didn't have to work full time after my children were born, I have the time and energy to do it. But when I started working part time, I thought, well, no wonder people want to order pizza. You're so tired after work. So you have to plan in advance. And I usually plan my menus two weeks in advance, and then if I change my mind, at least I usually put a little, like, if I don't feel like eating this a little list. Because intentionality helps, actually, in so many good things. What is the main key to good health?
Robin McDonald [00:24:15]:
The big, broad question.
Sue Donaldson [00:24:17]:
I know, but you wrote on this, you say being healthy doesn't have to be hard. Really? How so?
Robin McDonald [00:24:23]:
Okay, so being healthy doesn't have to be hard. What is the main key to being healthy? The main key, so I think, is being vision driven. And that vision comes from, again, our identity in Christ and knowing who we are in Him. Because whether it's from me or something you Google, there are always going to be recipes, meal plans, diets programs, et cetera. But the question is if it's going to last, it comes down to are you being driven by the One who made you and the One who's called you to living that life of purpose?
Sue Donaldson [00:25:06]:
Doesn't everything always come down to that.
Robin McDonald [00:25:08]:
At the end of the day? Yeah, they joke about that being the answer in Sunday school. Jesus, it's like but yeah, that is.
Sue Donaldson [00:25:14]:
Ultimately that's the answer. And, you know, my podcast is about legacy, and I can tell what your legacy is, and I appreciate your you're so articulate. How old are you? Can I ask how old you are?
Robin McDonald [00:25:27]:
Yeah, I don't mind. I'm 32.
Sue Donaldson [00:25:30]:
Here we go. And mother of two, active and a great and 6ft tall and has this great business, but it's not just a business for you. I can see that. It's a passion. So how would you answer this question? What do you want your legacy to be for those who know and love you?
Robin McDonald [00:25:46]:
So the biggest legacy that I want to pass down is that we would be led by Jesus in all areas of life and prioritizing what matters most, and that's being vision driven in relationships, in career, in health, everything. And obviously one of my primary areas of focus is health. And I really believe that it's to the enemy's delight that we consider health as something separate from our pursuit of Jesus and our ultimate legacy.
Sue Donaldson [00:26:22]:
Totally. I was told in college that spirituality isn't a slice of the pie, it's the whole pie. And our health is one of those slices. And of course I like to eat and make pie, but I always remember that because I think people, like, in your neighborhood, they see you drive out to go to church on a Sunday morning and they think, wow, they're the religious people and they consider it a slice of your life. And unless they actually know you and get to know you, they think, well, that's just not for me. But if they get to know you, hopefully they will know that it's not just a slice of our week.
Robin McDonald [00:27:03]:
Amen.
Sue Donaldson [00:27:03]:
During the other six days that Jesus rules our life. And I can say that it's not always the case for me, but that is my long term goal as well. How are you busy doing it right now, passing on this lexi?
Robin McDonald [00:27:17]:
It's been a huge game changer since I've become a mom. I think it's added a lot more depth to that question and what it looks like, and it's also, in some ways, made it more challenging. And so for me, I'm very intentional do my very best to spend time in prayer and in the Word. And even prayer has taken a different avenue. Every time I breastfeed, I'm like, I'm just sitting here, I'm going to pray. Every time I put down my babies, I pray over them and just finding those mundane areas where I can invite God, acknowledge Him with me. Even just this morning I put on my Instagram story how when I was at the gym, I was thanking Jesus that I was feeling stronger. I'm ten months postpartum and I was like, how cool, God, that you created our bodies this way to heal and get stronger and recover, especially for us as women to have that opportunity and privilege. So for me, that's a huge part is how do I integrate Jesus into the mundane? And at the end of the day, a habit that I've recently started implementing is I call it the God count up. And so I write down at least three things that God did through my day that I would count as a win, that I get to give Him glory for, and then I write down three things as intentions for the next day. And that practice has helped me just in reflecting on my day, helped me acknowledge God, help me acknowledge what there is to celebrate, and then also set my focus for the next day and just helps me be so much more intentional with, again, what matters most to me and grounding myself in Jesus.
Sue Donaldson [00:28:46]:
So every day you remember what your three things are for your focus?
Robin McDonald [00:28:51]:
Not always, actually, I tried to.
Sue Donaldson [00:28:53]:
How can you do that with two small children? Good for you. I read recently that we should just tell God every day how much we adore Him and. Has really revolutionized I can't really say that revolutionized my prayer life because it's been since Friday, but since Friday I have felt closer to God in adoring Him.
Robin McDonald [00:29:14]:
Amen.
Sue Donaldson [00:29:14]:
Even when things were not going to the way I wanted it to go. You know how things happen and you're disappointed in people or in yourself, and then you go, Well, I just adore you. It makes such a difference. And that really brings God and his grace into the mundane, because life is mundane. As Charles Windall said, the trouble with life is that it's so daily and yet God says, I love. I think it's Psalm 92. It's my parentheses, it's my parentheses verse. It says, I proclaim your love in the morning and your faithfulness by night. So in the morning you have the love, in a night you have the faithfulness. And because I was an English teacher, it's a parentheses and then we're in the middle adoring him. What obstacles did you have to overcome or challenges to meet to leave this legacy or you're in the process.
Robin McDonald [00:30:05]:
I know, yes, of course, always in the process. The two biggest things, one is I would consider myself kind of more of like a type, a achiever kind of person. And I've fallen into the trying to do for God versus with God. And that's a big thing I am trying to be so mindful of and to continue to bring before him and to bring to his feet. Because while doing things for God, it's not a bad thing. But I I want the fullness of what I'm created for. And I know that that's that intimate relationship with him and I know that the way that I'm going to have the greatest impact and to ultimately do what he's laid on my heart to do is going to come from being in him. I'm doing it with him, from him versus if it's just for him, then it's out of my own perspective and my own strength. So that's the first thing. The second thing is being mindful of when again, being an achiever type is being aware of when shame tries to creep in. And that's why I actually emphasize so much about grace in the program, because I have so much experience of working through that shame and taking hold of God's grace. And acknowledging grace is something that not just that which covers our sins or our mistakes, but also the substance by which we are fueled into transformation. We use the phrase like, oh, it's by God's grace and it is that we can be transformed and experience a different trajectory.
Sue Donaldson [00:31:35]:
Give me an example, good example from.
Robin McDonald [00:31:40]:
I think it was a week and a half or so ago, I was trying to handle this very stressful situation with my husband. He was out of town on the phone, I have a baby screaming, I have my three year old whining and my whole self is just like and I ended up yelling. I went into the garage, I did a yelled outside, came back in, and I just was, like, so worked up. And it was ironic because I had just prayed a prayer a couple of days before of, like, God, reveal the areas of me that I need to work, maybe even slightly from a place of pride, of, like, I don't know what I need to work on. Reveal to me. And then it's like, two days later, boom. Like, okay, Jesus, I see that. And that would be one of those moments where I'm like, oh, my gosh, I can't believe I reacted that way. What's wrong with me? That's not the example I want to set for my kids. And that's where the shame would try to creep in. But I guess fortunately, unfortunately, I've walked this path so many times, and I'm like, okay, hold on. We're going down the road of shame. What's true is I made a mistake. I'm not perfect. I get to work on taking hold of God's grace in those moments where I'm super stressed, recognizing, like, this isn't life or death. How can I be the thermometer instead of or the barometer instead of the thermometer with my kids? Right? I set the tone, and so I was able, after, of course, being upset with myself and experiencing a bit of the shame, to take hold of what's actually true and take hold of God's grace. And since then, it's been better. Am I never going to have a moment like that? No, but I can say that God's doing that little bit of work continually in me in that way.
Sue Donaldson [00:33:23]:
Great. How do you embody God's welcoming heart?
Robin McDonald [00:33:28]:
I love that question. And I actually just went to a conference this past weekend, and it was not a Christian conference. It was a business conference. And it was a group of people who have a huge desire to make a big impact. And the language that they used was, like, the universe or living a life of surrender the cosmos and the energy.
Sue Donaldson [00:33:50]:
That you bring to the table, the.
Robin McDonald [00:33:52]:
Energy, all those things. And they even had stories of, like, I don't know, something in me told me to do this, and my heart was just, like, bursting because I'm like, It's Jesus. It is Jesus. All of that is found in Jesus. And obviously, I can't just interrupt them or scream like, Jesus. Usually it's not super effective, but what I did do, they create a lot of space for sharing in that environment. And this is what I try to do in my life in general, is to be really authentic and to not feel like I have to hide or change language when I'm talking about what's authentic for me. So when they asked what my goals were for the year, I said, I want to be in 100% partnership with God in my business and my family. And when they asked me, what are the big wins you have from the last year? I said, my husband and I did a pastoral internship together at our church, and we led a small group together and we have weekly date nights and we're going to go on a vision retreat together. Like, I'm prioritizing my marriage and God and we're serving together. So it's like I wasn't preaching to them, I was sharing authentically. Right. And even too, they asked the question of, what are you going to bring to this event? And I said, if anybody is questioning at all about their worth and value and feeling like this business is the way that they're proving themselves, I would love to speak life into you. And I got to have a couple of those conversations.
Sue Donaldson [00:35:08]:
Did they come to you?
Robin McDonald [00:35:12]:
Yeah.
Sue Donaldson [00:35:12]:
Was your point that they would find it, that it wasn't enough?
Robin McDonald [00:35:17]:
Can you rephrase that?
Sue Donaldson [00:35:19]:
You said, if there's anyone here who's finding their worth in their business, I thought that's what you said and you were going to say, well, you're going to eventually come to the end of that because God is the one who gives you worth. Okay.
Robin McDonald [00:35:34]:
Yes, a lot of them are, and they share it's a pretty vulnerable group, which is really cool. And I think what sets the stage for me to also share vulnerably and even for them to be more receptive, but they'll say things like, oh, yeah, my mom didn't believe in me. And so I'm proving to her now I'm making this much, or things like that. And I just want to be like, oh, precious person, you're enough as you are. And what you're creating here is an overflow from your worth and your value. And then at the end of the day, again, back to Jesus. But being able to just speak life and encouragement is certainly something that really lights me up wonderful.
Sue Donaldson [00:36:12]:
So how could people find you?
Robin McDonald [00:36:15]:
I am on all the social media platform. Actually, I'm not, I'm not on TikTok, believe it or not, as as a millennial, I'm not on TikTok, but you can find me on Instagram or Facebook. I also do have my own podcast I just launched. It's called the Vision Driven Health Podcast. And so those are the three best places you can find me or hear more from me.
Sue Donaldson [00:36:33]:
Okay. And we'll put the links in show notes and you have a couple of resources. Would you explain them? And then we're going to offer them free to my listeners.
Robin McDonald [00:36:41]:
Perfect. So the first one is called the Five Day Sugar fast devotional. This one was a labor of love with me and my team. We get into what fasting is from a physical standpoint, what it is from a spiritual standpoint. And then we each wrote one of those or we took turns writing those different devotionals in there. And it guides you through a really cool process of fasting sugar and ultimately receiving more of God in your life and learning to partner with Him in your health, too. Something physical. So that's a great option. Second one. In the same vein, the Greens and Grace challenge. It is a five day experience where you will have access to five different recordings from myself on what it means to be vision driven, grace fueled, and then some very practical trainings on how to deal with sugar and blood sugar, how to form habits that last and break ones that aren't serving you, and those different topics. So that and it also has recipes. Both of these actually have recipes in there based on the topic of them. And lastly, for those of you who maybe are hearing all of this and say, I don't have time for any of this, I have the how to Prioritize Your Health Amidst the Chaos without Any Added Stress Master class.
Sue Donaldson [00:38:01]:
How long is that?
Robin McDonald [00:38:02]:
It's 2 hours. So, ironically, so it's something that you can break up over a few days or a week and kind of get little chunks of it as you go, but it also has a few different resources built into it, how to make a schedule. It's also got recipes. Quick, easy recipes. All of them. All my recipes that I give people, I try to make quick, easy, and tasty.
Sue Donaldson [00:38:23]:
I love that. Quick, easy, and tasty. Me too. I always give a gift to my podcast guests. My listeners don't know this, but I send you simple favorite recipes from sue, and you can just throw them all out when I send them to you.
Robin McDonald [00:38:40]:
So funny.
Sue Donaldson [00:38:41]:
You're going to say, oh, dear, she needs me.
Robin McDonald [00:38:44]:
I'm going to look at them.
Sue Donaldson [00:38:46]:
Thank you so much for being with us today, and you have been a delight, and God bless you. Until next time, think about your legacy, the one God has called you to live all for heaven's sake. I would love to speak at your next Christian Women's event, see my keynotes and retreat series as well as the show notes from today's broadcast@welcomeheart.com. Thanks for coming. You're always welcome here. You don't think so?

Ep 197 A Legacy of Rest and Overflow with Sue Donaldson

The most important question about our road trip with God is this:
How in the world can I stay on this trip?
The answer is this: “You can’t. Not by yourself. You need God completely.”
And the only way to remember that is to spend time with Him—whether it’s in the car, in the shower, in your favorite chair, or on a walk. don’t expect to do the Christian life by yourself. It’s sure to fail, period.
You’re heard the expression "We need someone with skin on."  Our children, our families, our friends need God, but they need God with “skin on” and each of us needs to be Jesus to someone else; we need to be God’s HUG to one another.
However, before we can do that properly, we must first be experiencing God’s HUG for ourselves. In other words, before we can water others, we must make sure our bucket is full. I need constant refilling. We could do a whole study on what causes holes in our buckets.
Someone said, “Ministry is spillage.”
Helping others is a by-product of seeking God and finding our rest in Him. In other words, we don’t seek to help others first  - but that happens when we seek God.
Remember to take those Rest Stops:
Women are tired, period. We do too much, often, for too many people, with too little money, cooperation or sleep.
I need to figure out one of 3 things: do I delegate this job? Do I do things that energize me? Or, do I dump something?
Don’t expect to do the Christian life by yourself. It’s sure to fail, period.
Before we can water others, we must make sure our bucket is full.
When we are so full up of God ourselves, our ministry of love and exhortation and healing for others is simply the natural outcome.
The more we come to Him for rest, the more we understand how He Himself is our rest.
We come to Him because others are depending on us to be their rest as they travel on their journey.
One thing that I thought would be fun if we had the time is for each of us to share stories that began with the line: “I was so tired once that I . . .”  
Share in comments - would love to hear your "tired" stories, unless you're too tired, of course. 
 
 

Ep 196 A Legacy of Singing God’s Gospel Kindness with Country Singer/Songwriter Laurel Taylor

Country singer/songwriter, Laurel Taylor knows who she is. It took a comment from Jlo on American Idol to make her realize that she didn't know who she was at one point. She needed to go back home and to her Gospel roots, and recognize that she belonged to God, He had given her these gifts, and she would live her life for his kingdom and glory. 
Laurel, 29, knew from age 15 she wanted to sing, and she began writing songs in earnest at 17. But then went off the rails for a time, separating herself from friends, family, and God. At a crossroads (literally), after having lost it all, she chose God—seriously and for herself, this time—not just because she was raised in the faith. And she hasn't looked back. 
Some gems from today's conversation:
When you preach something, it comes across differently than when you sing it.
People still saw me as the person in my past. And for me to move forward, I had to sing about it.
I'm always looking for an opportunity to talk about the Lord.
I communicate a melody that they can't get out of their head.  That's my goal.
I want to be known as a believer that loves Jesus with all their heart, and would go to the ends just to help someone, no matter what, and I always want to put myself last.  I just want to be seen different. I don't want to be categorized as she's a church girl.
I know that I'm nothing without the Lord. And I'm nothing without his lyrics, his melodies, you know, he can literally mess my voice up as soon as I open my mouth.
I embody God's welcoming heart by giving Him the reins, every time.
 
About Laurel by Laurel:
HERE IS WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW…
I LOVE JESUS WITH ALL MY HEART
I LOVE WRITING SONGS ABOUT FREEDOM, HEALING , AND RESTORATION
I AM FROM ALABAMA , SO I SAY “ROLL TIDE”
I AM A DOG MOM OF 2
I LIKE SMILEY FACES
I WOULD LOVE TO PRAY FOR YOU
She writes the music first, and then adds the lyrics, God-breathed, she says. And I believe it. 
Follow Laurel on instagram @laureltaylorofficial and you can hear her music on any of your listening platforms. Some of my favorite songs are: Song of Freedom, Healed, and her latest hit song, Old House. 
Hear a preview here.
Bio:
LAUREL TAYLOR IS AN ARTIST AND SINGER/SONGWRITER IN NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE.  ORIGINALLY FROM ALABAMA, SHE MADE HER MOVE TO MUSIC CITY TEN YEARS AGO, RIGHT AFTER TURNING EIGHTEEN.  FROM THE AMERICAN IDOL STAGE, TO TOOTSIES ON BROADWAY, TO THE LOCAL CHURCH LEADING WORSHIP, HER VOICE AND SOUND SPEAKS TO EVERY CROWD.  LAUREL CARRIES AN EXCELLENT STAGE PRESENCE AND LIVE SHOW PERFORMANCE EVERYWHERE SHE GOES.  SHE HAS A RAW COUNTRY SOUND, MINISTRY MINDSET, AND HER OWN UNIQUE STYLE.  LAUREL USES HER LIFE STORIES TO SPEAK TO PEOPLE THRU HER MUSIC AND INTENTIONALLY WRITES FOR EVERYONE THAT LISTENS.
 
Something new—a transcription of our conversation for those who'd rather read it or read along while listening. 
 
Sue Donaldson [00:00:01]:
Good morning. Did you know that the most important thing about you is that God loves you? He loved you to the cross and back. And part of his great love is that he gives you a life that matters. You never have to wonder, do I matter? Do I count? You are number one in God's book and he gives you opportunities every day to live a life beyond yourself.
Sue Donaldson [00:00:25]:
I like to call it a legacy life. This is Sue Donaldson. As you listen today, ask God, show me how to spend today investing in people and your word. Because both last forever. There's no better way to live. Hello. Good morning. Today I have a very special guest. Well, I guess they're all special because in God's sides they are. But this is a fun one. I have never interviewed a country western singer songwriter. And today we have beautiful Laurel Taylor with us. Laurel, tell us a little bit where you live and where you're from and then we're going to get into some really great questions.
Laurel Taylor [00:01:11]:
Yeah, thanks for having me. I'm originally from Montgomery, Alabama, but I live in Nashville. I've lived in Nashville, Tennessee for over eleven years. Eleven years, exact, actually. And it has been quite a journey. I started in the country world thinking I was going to be the next Gretchen Wilson. And then I slowly have learned that even in that time I wanted what I wanted. And God has really taken me down a journey. Even when I wasn't holding on to his hand, I wasn't looking for his voice, I wasn't listening for his voice. I did American Idol and that took me to pop genre and then I gave my life to Christ in 2015 and I decided that this is the journey I'm going to go on. So I'm back in the roots of country, little bit of pop, little bit of rap, whatever the listening to here. But I love the Lord with all my heart.
Sue Donaldson [00:02:14]:
How old were you when you knew you wanted to sing as a performer?
Laurel Taylor [00:02:20]:
Probably 15 or 16 years old was when I started traveling to Nashville.
Sue Donaldson [00:02:25]:
Wow. And did you have parental support?
Laurel Taylor [00:02:29]:
Absolutely I did. It was very different for my dad. He is an engineer mindset. So it's A to B, B to C and music is like, okay, let's do A, but then let's skip to Z. And my mom, she loves to sing. She grew up in the choir singing. So, yeah, that was kind of my background. But they were absolutely supportive and put me in piano lessons, guitar, all that.
Sue Donaldson [00:02:57]:
And what came first, the singing or the writing of the songs?
Laurel Taylor [00:03:01]:
The singing. I didn't start writing until I went to Nashville around like 17. I had a producer tell me, he said, you have to have the full package. It's the writing, the singing and the performing. It so playing. And so I challenged myself and I went home, and I started writing everything I could think of.
Sue Donaldson [00:03:27]:
Wow. So you went and talked to a producer at 17, and then you went back home and then you came back.
Laurel Taylor [00:03:33]:
I did, yeah. So when I moved to Nashville at 18, I already knew where I was going to live, what I was going to do. It wasn't like, I'm just going to walk the streets and find my way. I had it sent at about 17. I went to Quad Studios. That is one of the first places Taylor Swift actually went. And he told me very specifically, he said, you got to do all three, and your parents can't be your biggest fans. You've got to actually build.
Sue Donaldson [00:04:01]:
I was like, real fan.
Laurel Taylor [00:04:02]:
He was super honest at 18. I knew I was going to live in Green Hills. I knew that I was going to play Tootsie's downtown Broadway. I knew my mom was happy about that, and I knew that what wasn't she happy about?
Sue Donaldson [00:04:16]:
I missed that part.
Laurel Taylor [00:04:18]:
Playing on Broadway, playing the strip with all the bars, and it's just not a good atmosphere.
Sue Donaldson [00:04:24]:
But that's not Nashville. So you were going to Broadway first?
Laurel Taylor [00:04:27]:
No, Nashville.
Sue Donaldson [00:04:30]:
I was thinking Broadway, new York. I was just in Nashville.
Laurel Taylor [00:04:34]:
That's funny. People do say that, but it's like music grow, if you want to say that instead. But it's just a bunch of restaurants, of chains, of everybody playing music everywhere you look. And I've learned a lot being down there.
Sue Donaldson [00:04:48]:
And do you just walk in and say, I'm a singer. Will you pay me or what?
Laurel Taylor [00:04:54]:
So you have auditions depending on where you're going, but tootsies and like, honky tonks, all those, those have one main guy. And what they do is they basically just interview you and on stage on the moment, like in the moment. And the band fires off of the song. And for me, they fired off some Loretta Lynn song. I did not know.
Sue Donaldson [00:05:18]:
Okay.
Laurel Taylor [00:05:18]:
And I embarrassed myself, basically embarrassed myself. And he said, Taylor I mean, he called me Taylor. You got a good voice, but you got to go home and learn, like, the legendary stuff. And so I did. I learned everything from Johnny Cash to Loretta Land, Tammy Wanette, like any song pat you claim think of, I was going to learn it. And so I came back.
Sue Donaldson [00:05:43]:
I mean, that is a huge library.
Laurel Taylor [00:05:46]:
Oh, it's huge. You have to know, even when you're playing the Strip, you need to know, like, people's favorites.
Sue Donaldson [00:05:53]:
You want to know people's favorites because they're going to call them out.
Laurel Taylor [00:05:56]:
Absolutely. And if you don't know it, you better fake it and figure it out.
Sue Donaldson [00:06:00]:
And do it better than the way you did when you auditioned.
Laurel Taylor [00:06:03]:
That's right.
Sue Donaldson [00:06:03]:
So when did you know you were ready to go back?
Laurel Taylor [00:06:08]:
I really believe it was because a place opened up for me to live.
Sue Donaldson [00:06:13]:
To live or to perform?
Laurel Taylor [00:06:15]:
Yeah. So I lived in a pool house behind a beautiful big house in Green Hills. I just chilled in their pool house, and it was perfect for me, what I needed, and I knew that I was set up writing. I met the greatest legendary writer, and he taught me so much about writing and just telling stories because he's a writer of old Red. That's all right there. He'll tell you? No, but God had his hand on me even when I wasn't living in his will, and I think that's super crazy.
Sue Donaldson [00:06:53]:
I would think that your parents would be a little worried just because I have adult children. That one just moved to New York, one is moving to Chicago, one lives in La. So I feel like I'm represented in all the major cities, but you kind of want, like, Lord, now, don't forget they're yours. I gave them to you when they were born, and please protect them because it's crazy and wild out there. So I appreciate your parents. Not that they had to allow you, but kind of because our kids went off to college, and that could be just as dangerous as going off to live in a pool house somewhere. And so it really doesn't really matter where you live. You just need to be under the blood and protected by Jesus.
Laurel Taylor [00:07:31]:
That's right.
Sue Donaldson [00:07:31]:
So tell me your spiritual journey, then.
Laurel Taylor [00:07:34]:
Yeah, so I grew up on the foundation of Jesus. And gosh, I was there every time the doors are open in church. But me, too, I didn't have it for myself. I couldn't live out my salvation through my parents. And when I got to Nashville, I really saw a big city, lots of opportunities that I've never had, decisions I have to make that are on my own now. I can't just call mom and say, Should I do this? They taught me, raised me up, and I should be able to do it. And I really started off I say I started off well, but I still didn't have it when it came to Jesus. I didn't have that love that I know that I never really encountered the love of Jesus the way I did later. So I wasn't very serious. I knew I love Jesus, okay, I'm moving on, kind of thing, but I don't need Him. I'm going to put Him on a shelf. And so I started out with a publishing deal and writing every single day and just really focused on that and then playing super late nights. And those late nights turned into staying after and starting to drink and starting to do all these different things that I've never experienced. And I wasn't a very sheltered kid, but it was very much like, this is what you do, and this is how you do it, and you don't go outside those lines. And when you're in a big city and you've never experienced that, you're on your own, and you got to find your way through your journey. And my parents were holding on so tight, they would come see me every two weeks. Wow, that was fun. But I just found myself lying a lot. I found myself living a double life. I found myself being one way and then when I go home, I'd be exactly what they wanted and I had to figure out my identity and who God says I am. And so after American Idol, actually, this is the whole journey. When J. Lo told me on national television, she said, we're going to cut you because you don't even know who you are yet.
Sue Donaldson [00:09:46]:
Wow.
Laurel Taylor [00:09:47]:
Yeah.
Sue Donaldson [00:09:47]:
Did you start crying?
Laurel Taylor [00:09:49]:
I don't really remember. I'm not a huge crier, but I was just like, what? At the time I was super cocky about it and like, what are you talking about? But now I look at it and I'm like, she was so right.
Sue Donaldson [00:10:00]:
I wonder how she knew that. Have you ever told her that what it meant to you?
Laurel Taylor [00:10:06]:
No, god was just speaking through her. And so in 2015 of January, I gave my life to Christ. I said, you know what he gave me? The peace to walk away from the city, walk away from.
Sue Donaldson [00:10:20]:
Was it the American Idol thing that changed it or something else?
Laurel Taylor [00:10:24]:
It was kind of both. It was walking that journey and then everything just kind of fell apart. Like I couldn't describe it. I had no choice but to give up. I was losing tours left and right. I was losing opportunities left and right. My booking agent dropped me. I wasn't getting the yeses anymore. I was getting more no's shut doors. And I couldn't afford to live. I couldn't afford to live there.
Sue Donaldson [00:10:55]:
What was causing those besides the Lord? The Lord allowing it?
Laurel Taylor [00:11:00]:
Yeah. I think my choices I think me choosing this over this or even just poor decision making, not showing up on time or I was so high I couldn't go to a radio interview. Like all these different things and I was just dropping left and right. And I was the person that was like, ain't nothing going to happen to me. I'm good. I got it covered. And then one day I lost everything and my family, my friends no longer were my friends. And my family loved me from afar because of the lifestyle I was living and the choices I was making. They had to love me from afar because they were done speaking into me and just gave me to the Lord. So it had to be a work that only God could do and that's what kind of happened. That's where I am today is because of him intervening and going after me.
Sue Donaldson [00:12:04]:
Did he speak to you?
Laurel Taylor [00:12:06]:
Did Jesus speak to me? Absolutely. I was on the side of the road in the interstate where you can split and go to Alabama or you can go around the circle to Nashville, Gamut, you go to Huntsville. And I was in the middle of the media, and I pulled over, and God said, you're done. You have used every bit of my abilities that I like. I gave you these abilities, these gifts, and these talents. You're done. Go home and go make your family right. And in my time, even then, I didn't think I was coming back. But he said, my time, I will bring you back. But at that point, I saw no hope. I was like, I'm not going to Nashville ever again. And he brought me back how soon after? Probably six years.
Sue Donaldson [00:13:07]:
Wow. That's a long wait.
Laurel Taylor [00:13:09]:
Yeah. About it might have been seven years. Yeah, perfect number. I went on a journey. I was with a group called People in Songs, and they traveled and led, worship, and it taught me how to pray. It taught me how to go to bat for people. It taught me how to be in the Lord's presence, which was hard for me, hours soaking in his presence, and I was like, what is this? And it just trained me how to love and how to serve. And so many wonderful artists came through, and it was kind of a label ministry, and it just taught me a lot, and so it equipped me to where I am today as my own artist.
Sue Donaldson [00:13:57]:
Wow.
Laurel Taylor [00:13:57]:
That was the journey.
Sue Donaldson [00:13:59]:
Well, seven years is not a short time when you're in the middle of it.
Laurel Taylor [00:14:03]:
No. It feels like you're like, hey, what are we doing? Like, I'm ready to go back.
Sue Donaldson [00:14:09]:
A quick question. When you're American Idol, people will want to know this when they're listening. How far did you go?
Laurel Taylor [00:14:15]:
Top 40. So Hollywood has Monday through Friday, and basically I got cut on that Friday right before the top 24 was live. So it was cool. I stayed a while, and I enjoyed it. It was very cutthroat, but God had a different plan.
Sue Donaldson [00:14:33]:
Are you in touch with any of those people that you worked, that you sang with?
Laurel Taylor [00:14:38]:
Yeah, they'll comment on my instagram things.
Sue Donaldson [00:14:43]:
But we live very different lives. Very different, yeah. What is your songwriting process? You read a verse or does God nudge you or you see someone in pain or is there a line from poetry or what?
Laurel Taylor [00:15:00]:
Yeah, most of the time it's melody. First melody, and I put lyrics to it, but sometimes it is definitely God breathed. Like, I have a song called Healed.
Sue Donaldson [00:15:13]:
I love that song. I listened to it yesterday and I sent it to several people, by the way. Yeah.
Laurel Taylor [00:15:18]:
If I could just touch him, his garment, I'd be healed. And I went to that scripture and I was like, whoa, this is so cool. Like healing is right here. You just have to want it. And so that's how I with that song is I had that line. So then I added the melody, and then from there, the bridge just poured out of me. That was so cool.
Sue Donaldson [00:15:41]:
Don't you know that's when the Lord that's when the Lord is oh, yeah.
Laurel Taylor [00:15:46]:
You could feel it.
Sue Donaldson [00:15:50]:
And tell us about the latest this Old House. That's the one I've heard the most.
Laurel Taylor [00:15:54]:
Old House. Old House was definitely inspired by just my journey, my testimony, and how I continued to live in the past and I couldn't move forward. People still saw me as the past, too. And for me to move forward, I had to sing about it. I had to literally say, I don't go cut that grass anymore. I don't go check that mail anymore. I don't open those doors anymore, and I'm walking out of my old house. And it's a beautiful thing. You just don't know how much strength you actually have to walk out.
Sue Donaldson [00:16:33]:
And you don't actually mention God in the song. Correct. So I think it's such a great crossover song because so many men and women are stuck in their past for perhaps some good reason. But I like to say there's that organization called MoveOn.com, and not that you want to minimize a person's pain. Never minimize a person's pain. It's up to them and God to work things out. But we can get so stuck, as you've experienced, that we're no earthly good and we need to be heavenly good while we're here, because we're not here that long, let me tell you. I can tell you that at 71 that we're not here that much longer. So we want to make the most of it. And I can't if I'm always licking my wounds or if I'm stuck in shame, I like to say that shame is from the pit, and we are not pit people. Laurel, I want you to remember that because your journey and your challenges are not over. Right? Yeah. How old are you, can I ask?
Laurel Taylor [00:17:33]:
29.
Sue Donaldson [00:17:33]:
Oh, my gosh. You have come a long ways for 29, my dear. God has great things in store. How does singing and songwriting help you spread the gospel, grace and message of Jesus Christ?
Laurel Taylor [00:17:48]:
Yeah, I mean, I've always said that when you preach something, it comes across different as when you sing it. And that's what I've experienced in my journey. Even like I told you earlier, writing with the veterans, you sing it and it's a little more believable and it's not so offensive and it's not so slap in the face. And so I try to communicate in the best way, like you said, a crossover. I don't want to deliberately say, like, writing a song about your mom or dad, you don't want to put their name in there because then that person can't like, oh, well, my mom's not named this. I'm not going to listen to the song.
Sue Donaldson [00:18:28]:
Yeah.
Laurel Taylor [00:18:28]:
I try to relate in every possible way I can to the listener, and I communicate a melody that they can't get out of their head.
Sue Donaldson [00:18:37]:
That's my goal. Wow.
Laurel Taylor [00:18:42]:
Yeah.
Sue Donaldson [00:18:43]:
I'm writing this down. So communicate a melody that they can't get out of their head. Isn't that every songwriter's goal? Because they want you thinking about yes. My brother is a songwriter, so I can't wait for him to hear this. I also have him on my podcast, so I'll send that to you. But he's not famous like you, but he is wonderful like you. And he'll put already he'll put new music to words that were written by somebody else.
Laurel Taylor [00:19:12]:
Yeah.
Sue Donaldson [00:19:13]:
And he's such a great guitar guitarist. It's so great okay. Communicating that they can't get out of their head, which is really what God, he doesn't want to be out of our head. So if you can communicate who Jesus is through a song, in a beautiful song there's something about music, at least for me, it touches my heart and makes me cry. I cry more now that I'm older, but even when I was younger, to belt out a Broadway tune. I mean, let me tell you, there's certain songs you just don't want to sing because you don't feel like crying. But they do get to your hearts, right?
Laurel Taylor [00:19:44]:
Yeah.
Sue Donaldson [00:19:45]:
Are there any particular instances when you knew God and let's say in the last since you've come back to Nashville? How many years has that been?
Laurel Taylor [00:19:54]:
Two.
Sue Donaldson [00:19:55]:
In the last two years, let's say, where you knew God was working through your singing or your songwriting in a secular situation?
Laurel Taylor [00:20:07]:
Yeah. Oh, my gosh.
Sue Donaldson [00:20:09]:
Tell us one.
Laurel Taylor [00:20:10]:
So I was on this podcast. It was a podcastradio in Nashville, and they play everything from everything except for anything that's positive. Truly.
Sue Donaldson [00:20:28]:
Okay.
Laurel Taylor [00:20:28]:
I don't even care.
Sue Donaldson [00:20:30]:
They hear that I'm going to take your picture. How did they happen to have you host? You your agent.
Laurel Taylor [00:20:40]:
Yes.
Sue Donaldson [00:20:40]:
But they knew in advance that you were a Christian.
Laurel Taylor [00:20:43]:
Yes. And they said yes because of the sound of the music. The genre is what they were going for. I show up, and it was very stressful inside. I don't show it.
Sue Donaldson [00:21:03]:
I hope you don't feel stressful right now.
Laurel Taylor [00:21:05]:
No.
Sue Donaldson [00:21:06]:
Take it.
Laurel Taylor [00:21:07]:
Not even a little bit.
Sue Donaldson [00:21:08]:
Me neither.
Laurel Taylor [00:21:09]:
But he basically the host. He said, Tell us about your song. And I was like, Well, I'm always looking for opportunities to talk about the Lord in the coolest way I can, the most simple way. And I was like, well, you know, the song is called Sound of Freedom. And there's freedom there's freedom that we need there's a victory there's a cry. I was just going and I was like, there's hope. And he was like, you're a very positive person. Yeah. And I said and it's all because of Jesus. And I didn't realize I said that. And they kind of like did they bleep it out? No, they just kind of push past it and was like, okay, so tell us about your music. And I was like, it's very positive. It's very influential and encouraging. Like, I want to bring a good message. And they were nice, but I'll never do that again because they told me, they said, My gosh, you're so positive. It's like, can you be negative? Like, they were kind of like pushing back. Yeah, pushing back.
Sue Donaldson [00:22:17]:
And were they mocking you?
Laurel Taylor [00:22:19]:
Maybe.
Sue Donaldson [00:22:20]:
Yeah, but see, that but, Laurel, that's okay because Jesus was mocked.
Laurel Taylor [00:22:25]:
Yeah.
Sue Donaldson [00:22:25]:
So you're in good company, but you will know whether or not you should do it again.
Laurel Taylor [00:22:29]:
And I know for a fact never again.
Sue Donaldson [00:22:31]:
Okay.
Laurel Taylor [00:22:32]:
That I was there to be a light.
Sue Donaldson [00:22:35]:
Yeah.
Laurel Taylor [00:22:36]:
That's all.
Sue Donaldson [00:22:37]:
Yeah, well, and that already was broadcast. Was it broadcast live? It was live, but you don't know. We don't know because you sowed seeds that day. Jesus sowed seeds through you, who was listening, who still hasn't forgotten it.
Laurel Taylor [00:22:52]:
Right?
Sue Donaldson [00:22:53]:
And I even mean the interview earth because they put on a good show. But when they are alone, if they are honest, they are honest with their emptiness. And that goes for anyone listening here today. That when we are alone and we're honest with our emptiness. That's when we throw ourselves on Jesus breast. And we all need to do that. It doesn't matter how long we've known Him. Are there singular challenges or temptations in a performer's life that, let's say, someone like me, a high school English teacher, wouldn't face?
Laurel Taylor [00:23:29]:
I think a lot as musicians and artists that take a platform, it's an ego thing, it's a pride thing. I think we all go through pride, but it's a very different, like, look at me, I deserve this, and I have to die to that all the time. I know that I'm nothing without the Lord, and I'm nothing without his lyrics, his melodies. He could literally mess my voice up as soon as I open my mouth. And so it's not in my own strength, it's in his. And it can be very hard and very challenging. Especially the bigger the venue, the bigger the experience, the bigger I mean, you want to stay grounded. You don't want it to get in your head. And especially the people that treat me like, oh, my gosh. And it's like if you knew who I was on a daily basis, I'm just chilling.
Sue Donaldson [00:24:30]:
I remember once when we were looking for a new worship pastor in our church, and I was in the choir at the time, and I just said, the main attribute needs to be humility, because the man or woman is going to be on the platform, literally on the platform above others. And we do that so we can see them, right. But it can go to our heads. I'm a speaker, so it can go to my head. And so it's so ridiculous if you think about it. But it's a temptation that a lot of celebrity Christians have, and you just want to pray for them like I want to pray for our pastoral staff and that they will remember that God has given them any talents or leadership skills that they have. And that's exactly what you just said. And what helps you stay intimate with Jesus?
Laurel Taylor [00:25:20]:
Yeah. One is I set aside time my own self before or after the show, and I go into a space by myself. That's one thing I do that I like to be removed from the crowd. Another thing I like to do is I am not a person that likes to feed myself musically with trash just because it's a good melody or as it could be like no. I really try to keep it hopeful and restoring and feeling my soul. I do travel, leading worship all over, so I am fed by several churches, several pastors, several communities that I trust and I love, and then just prayer talking to him like he's your best friend and not really complicating it, over complicating it. And with my manager, we have this thing that don't ever forget. I want to help set up my booth. I want to help set up I want to carry my guitar, those kinds of things. Like don't let it get to your head. You're just there.
Sue Donaldson [00:26:39]:
Did you say agent?
Laurel Taylor [00:26:41]:
Yeah.
Sue Donaldson [00:26:42]:
Is your agent a believer?
Laurel Taylor [00:26:44]:
Yes, 100%.
Sue Donaldson [00:26:46]:
That makes a difference, I'm sure.
Laurel Taylor [00:26:48]:
It's so much like minded. It's so easier.
Sue Donaldson [00:26:51]:
Yeah. Where do you think God is leading you in your career and ministry?
Laurel Taylor [00:26:58]:
I think he's taking me a crossover. I think he's taking me secular music. It's scary because that's where I started and I really screwed up. And so for Him to take me there again, it's like he trusts me. And I know that I can hear it. I can hear it even in how I talk about it. I'm so trusted by God and I believe he trusts me with what he's given me. And I know that I'm going to do it the right way. Yes, I will fail, but I know that God is there with me and he's going to help me through every situation and I don't have to figure it out.
Sue Donaldson [00:27:37]:
And if not, your mother will call you. Yeah. And remind you. As you know, my podcast is about living a legacy life, and normally I don't well, I do. I have interviewed people your age because when you think of someone older, that's when you think of legacy. But I think we don't wait until we die, Laurel, to leave a good legacy. So what we do daily is what counts. So what legacy do you want to be known for now? For those who know and love you?
Laurel Taylor [00:28:03]:
Honestly, I've thought about this and thought about this, and I just want to be kind. I want them to literally say, because I'm really big into the church, is like super hurtful right now and it's sad. I want to be known as a believer that loves Jesus with all their heart and would go to the ends just to help that person no matter what. And I always want to put myself last and I don't know, I just want to be seen different. I don't want to be categorized as she's a church girl because you can't relate to all those people that don't go to church or have never heard about you. And I found myself in a lot of those situations and they're like, you're just different. I don't feel like you're judging me and I'm like, why would I judge you? All I can do is love you.
Sue Donaldson [00:29:08]:
I don't know if you've read Oswald Chambers My Utmost verse Highest, but one thing he says is that we lead the aroma of Christ when we've left the room. And that's what I want because I love the whole idea of people seeing Jesus through me without me having to say it. But we still need to say it when it's time like you did on that radio station. Doesn't mean you have to go there again so that they go, oh, there's something different. I go, well, it's not me. What you're sensing is the Holy Spirit. That might be too weird for them at the time, but yes, it is through our kindness, the scripture, Jesus said, they'll know your Christians by our love. And yet that is not what the church is known for right now. But they do throw the baby out with about bathwater. I do think at times too, it's like, oh, don't make that an excuse to stay home and watch it online. Right. And how do you go about making sure that people know that you are kind?
Laurel Taylor [00:30:05]:
I walk in it even before I get to venues or things even on the sides. I want to pray for people. I want to pray for the ones that host me. I want to pray for the staff, the volunteers, all those things. I pray for those opportunities because those are the relationships and those are the things that people are going to remember. They're not going to say she did a great 45 minutes show. No, she told me about this and prayed for me on the side. If I ever get to a place where I'm not doing that, then I have not fulfilled what God's called me to do.
Sue Donaldson [00:30:41]:
Amen. So great. And what challenges, well, you've already mentioned some, but or obstacles have you faced in order to leave this kind of legacy of kindness and love?
Laurel Taylor [00:30:55]:
I would say it's because I wasn't kind before living for the Lord. I was making fun of Christians. I was doing everything that the opposite. And to be able to love people well, it's because I know how to love myself well and I know where I can remember where I was at the time and how I want to be told that exact truth in however I needed to hear it. And so it's like I put myself in that position every single time I'm. Talking to someone that needs to hear it.
Sue Donaldson [00:31:34]:
That's so good. Some people think, oh, I can't really say that I love myself. Well, but you said it with such calmness. I know that that's based in the fact that when I'm secure in who I am with Jesus, I don't think about myself at all. And that's one thing that CS. Lewis said. It's not like you think less of yourself, you just don't think of yourself at all. And we don't need to laurel because Jesus already showed how much he loved us. So there's no really reason. It doesn't mean I don't go get a pedicure. I do like some self care, but as far as I think a lot of people hurting other people, even in the church, is because they are not secure in how much Jesus loves them. So our job in this security is to continue to reassure them even though they may annoy us. Like, I get annoyed with those kind of people, but I thought, well, what they need more is not my irritation. They need assurance that God loves them just as they are. So my favorite question, how does your life embody God's welcoming heart?
Laurel Taylor [00:32:32]:
I've really been thinking about this. Okay. So I just want to make sure I got it right. Ask it one more time, because how.
Sue Donaldson [00:32:41]:
Does your life embody God's? Welcome.
Laurel Taylor [00:32:45]:
Yes. So I get put into a lot of situations where Jesus is not exactly welcome. And I believe that it says, wherever we walk is kingdom ground. We take on it. That kingdom ground. And so when I'm sent somewhere, I believe that is the open door to give God the glory. And it's really hard, well, obviously through my gift, but honestly, this is going to sound like, really dumb, but it's through. Like, when I open my mouth, when I speak, sometimes it's by my actions, and I don't say anything. It's just how the Holy Spirit guides me in the moment. Not everybody's going to listen, and not everybody's just going to not listen, so it's how they need to hear it. But I always give God the reins when I'm somewhere, always. Even when I'm scared, even when I don't want to, even when I know he's about to embarrass me. I just have to. Because we submit to God, we're not accountable to others.
Sue Donaldson [00:34:15]:
We don't live for the approval of man. And yet even Christians, well, with all social media, it's so easy to get caught up with that. Gosh, Laura, I want to pray for you right now. I rarely do that on air, but you're young and you are mature beyond your years in Christ and you know who you are, and so Satan is kind of mad about that. And I hope you have a team around you, a prayer team. I have, like, 42 women who pray for me. Some men when I go speak, and they feel part of my team and I'm not a celebrity, but I don't want to ever speak without them knowing that I'm about ready to get up on a platform as we talked about before, because I could really mess up. And I don't mean mess up like I do a poor job, though, that could happen. I mess up that God would not get the glory. That's what's messing up.
Laurel Taylor [00:35:11]:
So let's pray.
Sue Donaldson [00:35:13]:
Father, I just want to ask again, your covering over wonderful Laurel Taylor. Thank you for the gifts you've given her. Thank you that she's confident in them. Thank you that you are opening up opportunities to cross over, because that's what Jesus did when he came to Earth. He crossed over in the real sense of the word. And it's not going to always be easy, as she knows. I pray, Lord, that you'll raise up friends and family who will take it as their duty and delight to support her and that she'll never feel alone. Lord, thank you for these opportunities and I know I'll hear more about her in the future because of what you're going to do through and in her life, Lord. Just bless her in every way that she wants to be blessed in ways that she doesn't even know. In Jesus name, amen.
Laurel Taylor [00:36:00]:
Amen.
Sue Donaldson [00:36:01]:
Thank you so much, Laura. You're great. How can people find you and where can they listen to your music?
Laurel Taylor [00:36:08]:
Yeah, you can find all my music on all platforms. Apple Music spotify amazon Music You can please follow me on Instagram, Laureltaler official, and then you can check out my website, laureltalermusic.com.
Sue Donaldson [00:36:22]:
Okay, thank you so much. It's been a delight.
Laurel Taylor [00:36:24]:
Thanks.
Sue Donaldson [00:36:25]:
Until next time, think about your legacy, the one God has called you to live all, for heaven's sake. I would love to speak at your next Christian Women's event, see my keynotes and retreat series as well as the show notes from today's broadcast@welcomeheart.com. Thanks for coming. You're always welcome here.
 

Ep 195 A Legacy of Courage and Entrepreneurship with Ruthie Gray, Authentic Marketing Coach

Ruthie Gray from Authentic Online Marketing and the Authentic Online Marketing Podcast shares her story of how God has led her the "second half of life"—something we are either in or heading towards. Ruthie's passion is to help women "grow up", try new things--even when it's terrifying—and help Christian women entrepreneurs succeed for the sake of the Kingdom of God. She's a wife of 35 years, mother of 4, grandmother, caregiver for the last 13 years and loves her Lord and the community she coaches and encourages. She acknowledges we can't grow and move forward without helping each other along the way. Listen and be encouraged - and take some time to dream and explore: What's next for your life?
Some Ruthie gems:
I love looking at Scripture as a whole and read the Bible through each year, starting the day with coffee and the Word.
If you don't try new things you won't find out what you're best at, what gives you joy, what serves others and what's your superpower.
You deserve to take some time to dream and explore what your next season will hold.
Every time I try a new thing, I become apprehensive and fearful, but I don't want my fears to hold me back.
I want my legacy to be one of courage and wisdom because I've walked with God.
Are you starting a new business and want to connect authentically with your online people and grow your audience? Find out how Ruthie can help HERE.
You can get to know Ruthie better and what she offers on her podcast: Authentic Online Marketing Podcast.
 
Let us know in comments what dreams you are exploring. God loves you and you are not done yet. 

Ep 194 Is Your Cup of Joy Full? Is That Even Possible? Joy, Part I

The writer Maree Dee has two grown children with mental illness. When I interviewed her on my podcast she said, “It’s possible to experience joy and pain at the same time.” (Episode 75) How? Because she trusts God, no matter what.
We never know what’s ahead of us each and every day, do we?
We ask God each morning,
“Lord, please give me wisdom and strength to face my day – and grace for those who need to know your joy and peace.”
 
There’s a world of hurt out there and we need to be so filled with God’s Spirit that we are able to not only remain full when we come under attack, but we need to be so filled, that when jostled and banged around, that the grace and joy of Jesus spills out.
Our benediction at Grace Church is Romans 15:13 – we say it as a congregation at the closing of the service –“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
 
We need to be giving this benediction to ourselves every day –maybe before our husbands get home or the kids or before we go into work:
“Dear God of hope, please fill me with all joy and peace in believing – that I will abound and overflow with hope by Your power.”
What helps you keep your cup full of joy? Share in comments and we will all be filled up a little better.
Points to Ponder:
Joy is the deep, quiet undercurrent that has its source in the eternal river of God Himself and His peace. That kind of joy can even underlie grief.
We keep our cup full by recalling we are not alone.
Your night of weeping may have been more like nights of weeping – I’ve smeared mascara on my sheets more than once. There’s got to be a country Western song by the name of What Do I Do With the Mascara On My Sheets?
Weeping may endure, but there’s hope for the morning. (Psalm 30:5) 
Our maturity, our fruit-bearing, our witness for the Gospel—our JOY— is not dependent on another person or event or group of circumstances—like the perfect family reunion or holiday gathering. It is dependent on our own personal response to God and His Word. 
 

Ep 193 A Legacy of Fighting Anxiety and Fear with Christy Boulware

Christy Boulware, author of Nervous Breakthrough: Finding Freedom from Fear and Anxiety in a World that Feeds It, learned from experience that living life on overdrive meant she was headed for distruction. On a family vacation one summer, she experienced her first panic attack and she didn't know what was happening to her. When her dr said, Christy, your body is telling you something's got to change and you need to get to the root of it."
That began a process of recognizing she was living in fear and anxiety and the only way to change was to surrender to God. Surrender and give up her way of doing things, her timing of how things were to get done, and even changing a successful career to help others find freedom from their fears. 
Leave a comment on blog or social media to be entered into giveaway of her book: Nervous Breakthrough: Finding Freedom from Fear and Anxiety in a World that Feeds It
 
Some gems:
Just because you have fear, it doesn't mean you don't have faith.
We can experience negative emotions; it's what we do with them that leads us to greater peace and less fear.
Our body provides what I call "smoke alarms" that something needs to change and it's to our peril that we ignore them.
We underestimate how much understanding God's love connects to our level of fear and anxiety.
We overcome the snowballing effect of anxiety when we check our thoughts with truth at the top of the hill before it gets too big for us to control.
I was stuck in self-reliance and addicted to success so I didn't need what God had to offer.
Christy Boulware was stuck in self-reliance and addicted to success so she didn't need what God had to offer. Until her body told her a different story. 
Debilitated by days and weeks of panic attacks, Christy learned that the only way to change and fight her fears and anxieties was through getting to the root of them, and that took surrender.
As a result of her work of faith to get her from fear and panic to using her experiences for the kingdom, Christy began the non-profit: Fearless Unite. See christyboulware.com for additional sources that help us when we are afraid and to keep our minds and hearts on the truth of God’s Word.
 

Ep 192 A Legacy of Radical Radiance in the Every Day with Rebecca George

Rebecca George, podcaster, author and speaker is passionate about helping women find and live out their God-given purpose, all for heaven's sake. She wants to "leave a person better than she found them" which can be shown in the every day actions of love, action and encouragement. Rebecca's brand new book, Do the Thing: Gospel-Centered Goals, Gumption, and Grace for the Go-getter Girl helps the reader examine her joys, gifts, and heart-posture before her Creator-God and moves her into a life of purpose and surrender. 
She will be giving a copy away this week so be sure to comment on Blog or on Social Media to be entered. 
Rebecca's theme verse is Psalm 34:5--—
Those who look to him are radiant;    their faces are never covered with shame.
We light up our world from looking to Jesus. Hear Rebecca every Tuesday on her podcast, Radical Radiance and follow her on instagram @rebeccageorgeauthor. She offers a free journal SHINE BRIGHT on her website. Sign up here.
Some gems:
What gifts we have from God can translate into how we love others in our every day.
God's at work all the time. How many opportunities do I miss to partner in His work by living unaware?
The outcome is God's; the obedience is ours.
To be available to God is to ask: How can I best love, serve and encourage anyone He brings into our lives on a daily basis?
Are we turning to God's truth when faced with fear, doubt or insecurity?