Hello , I'm Kristen Kurtz . I am the host of Hope Unlocked Podcast and the founder of New Inks Coaching , and I have somebody here who I would love to introduce to you , who's going to be collaborating with me today on something that is very spontaneous in some ways and beautiful that we have met from across the ocean within the last couple of weeks . So you take over the mic for a moment and tell us who you are .
Speaker 2Hi everyone . My name is Cindy Nicholson and I'm from the Embracing Grace podcast , and it is such an absolute pleasure to be here with you today . I am so blessed that God's brought us together . Kristen and I'd actually love us to share and I mean you can do the sharing on it of how we've met , because I think it's quite special .
Speaker 1Yes , so just to give a little background , I have been really just Lord . How do I cut through the noise to help find , you know , women that I'm to connect with ? Because I'm a connector . I love connecting with people and learning more about people , but I also have been looking for maybe new clients for my coaching business . Well , through LinkedIn , and I don't even remember how we connected . I think I probably just maybe saw you and I was like , oh , she's a Christian and she's on LinkedIn and , honestly , you guys , I was like , oh , my goodness , linkedin is really stale , and I think I said that to you .
Speaker 2Yeah , you said it's really quiet over here .
Speaker 1I was like , yeah , it's pretty quiet over here . I also haven't really been , you know , active on LinkedIn for a long time , but was it just last week that we got on a Zoom , or was it two weeks ago ? I guess about two weeks ago , yeah , and I was like , oh my gosh , we both , you know , host podcasts , we both coach , we both have , you know , very similar parts for women and what the work is telling us to do .
Speaker 1But all in all that to say like our connection was very quick and I'm just so excited for what she has to share today , because I love her heart for the Lord first and foremost , but also for the ways that she's pouring out to women .
Speaker 2So , yeah , I just loved it . So we had scheduled a first 20 minute meeting , sorry , and we spoke for like two and a half hours and then again on Friday evening it may have been last week sometimes , because I think we spoke earlier in the week and then again on Friday evening we had scheduled like a half an hour meeting and spoke again for like two and a half hours . It's just , I just feel that it was so special how God connected our hearts and just the message that he has got to share and yeah , we obviously share God's heart for women and I love that . I love that how he could bring us together from a random , very random connection on LinkedIn , a random God connection .
Speaker 1Yeah , but he knows , you know , he knows , and I feel like and that's where you know , maybe this is for somebody where you know you might feel like , oh , I don't know if I have anything to offer to somebody and oh , I'm maybe not good enough , and but if you're being led to connect with somebody , do it Like if you're sending a friend request on Facebook or but be like interested in them . It's not just about I feel like I have to share this . Okay , go ahead . So I was sent a friend request from somebody on Facebook last week and I , you know , I check over people's profiles to make sure they're legit and it's not somebody that's going to , you know , be kind of odd , that's the best way to put it .
Speaker 1And immediately , whenever I , you know , I accept a friend request and I don't always remember to do this but a lot of times I'll just say , hey , like what ? What led you to reach out and tell me more about you ? Well , immediately I get a message I am a coach who helps other coaches make $10,000 in a month and I said , hey , that's awesome , tell me more about you . Yeah , and I think I kind of threw her off a little bit and I said how would you approach somebody if , if I was in the grocery store and I just said , hey , I would love to hear more about you .
Speaker 2And I .
Speaker 1I just always love to hear more about the person , not necessarily what they do , but who they be . So who do you be ?
Speaker 2Yeah , who do I be ?
Speaker 1Yeah .
Speaker 2Oh , wow . I'm going to start all by saying that I'm a daughter of the king and you know what ? I just started revealing that to me in ways that I cannot imagine . And it's my heart to really share with women who they are in Christ and on the same journey . It's it's been my heart for so long , but God's really just revealing all of this to me now . I find that the timing of it is so beautiful and we are daughters of the king , but God's also created us to be moms , and I'm a mom , I'm a Y .
Speaker 2I am , as you know , a podcaster very , very new to podcasting . I'm a coach and I coach with God . I'm a co-creator coach , so we bring I bring God into our sessions . But I'm also just a daughter who wants to learn more about her father and who's just wanting to grow deeper in my relationship with him , and that's who I am .
Speaker 2I often describe it , as you know , christianity is not something I do , it is who I am . So , if you are and it's interesting because I'm on a group and somebody messaged today and they said I'm actually surprised that we're together , because I am a staunch atheist and I actually don't want to talk about God and whatever . And I said you know what . We've been put in this group together for this training that I'm doing and I've got lots of unsafe friends but we have a mutual respect for each other where I don't force my view on them , they don't force their view on me .
Speaker 2But Christianity is not something I do , it is who I am . So if I speak , you're going to hear about God and if you're not comfortable with that , I totally respect that , you know . You know happy to go our separate ways if that's what you want . But that is who I am is that cannot change . I can't change who I am because it is who God made me to be and I think that's such an important part of who we are as we need to go back to the word and go back to what God said we are . Yeah .
Speaker 1It's beautiful yeah .
Speaker 2Yeah .
Speaker 1So how did you come to this place ? Have you always , always ? How did you come to be , how did you come to be a daughter ? I mean , obviously he's our father and created us . But , like , when did that turning point happen for you ? Was there something specific that caught your attention ? Or did he like , did you have an encounter Like , what did that look like for you ?
Speaker 2You know what I always . I like to describe myself that I've lived my life . My life has been lived in compartments because there's so many things that have happened throughout my life . But I do sometimes also feel that I was born saved . The reason for that is because I grew up in a Christian home . That is , jesus is all I've ever known . I don't know anything differently and I'm so blessed to have had that . I'm blessed to have had grandparents who served the Lord . I'm blessed for a grandmother who lived with us and while she was washing the washing by hand , she would be singing .
Speaker 2You know worship songs and at the time you don't think about it . You know , you just hear this old lady singing . Now I can , I look back and I go . Why didn't I spend more time with her , cleaning all of this heart for God from her ? But it's something I can relate to now and I've always been involved in church in some shape or form . You know I have walked away from God , I have sinned , I've fallen and I'm by no means perfect .
Speaker 2But I think the last couple of years some of my friends went through really difficult times in the sense of the one lost her husband and I , and at the same time , another friend of ours , son , was diagnosed with cancer brain cancer and the another friend of mine passed away two months later . It was just , and I had stopped my business to support them and to pray with them and to to walk that road with them . And through that journey even though their journey is not my journey , I always have to try and remind myself of that but I was part of that journey and because of that , because I was walking with them , god started dealing with my heart and God started showing me where he wanted me to go , even though it wasn't clear at all . I had received two prophecies at that time when the one friend , my one friend's husband , passed away at around that same time . And then , towards the end of the year , and I actually messaged the pastor and I said this was the last year , it was the year before . I messaged him and said I don't want this , this is not what I want right now and I don't see it . And , like Lord , I just want my blog back and I just that's what I want , that's my heart .
Speaker 2And I went through a wilderness of just Lord . What am I meant to do ? I'm grateful that I've never I've sinned , but I've never walked away from God . I'm grateful that he's always loved me and I've always known that . But since last year it's just like I've stepped in because I made a decision . I made a decision that , lord , I am now not compromising anymore . I am tired of playing the small . I want what you want from me .
Speaker 2And that decision looked everything in my life . It looked everything on its head . It's as if my prayer life went to a different level . My spiritual just walked with him . My intimacy went to a different level . Door started opening . Even this podcast was born . Connections , like you you know , is things that have been born out of this relationship that I've had with God . So God's just taken me on a new journey . I mean , even this podcast , the Embracing Grace podcast , was born out of just this walk with him and just my faithfulness towards him . And something God said to me this morning as I was praying is it's more than a decision . You know I've been talking a lot about that is , the attitude of our heart starts with the decision that we have to make to follow him and to walk with him . But God said to me that it's more than a decision , it's a commitment .
Speaker 1Wow , and that's like fresh off the press this morning . Absolutely so what does that mean to you ? Like , when you heard that , like , what does it look like for you going forward ?
Speaker 2I mean , what is a commitment ? A commitment is something that we stick to , no matter what , right . If we have a deadline at work , for example , come what may , you made a commitment that you're going to reach that deadline . You're going to finish whatever you need to for the client and it's going to be on time within budget . Whatever the case may be , you're going to get it done because you've committed to doing , to doing that . And that's what God is saying is we might go through very difficult seasons , yeah , but if you're committed to staying with him , he's going to take you through .
Speaker 1Yeah , is there something that he was like really highlighting to you about being committed to in this season ?
Speaker 2Not really , I think it's just I've been talking about , you know , to myself and to God , so much about identity and who we are , and I feel that God's saying that if we want to understand our identity , we have to make a commitment to that decision that we make to follow him , Because it's easy for us to make this decision to follow him . And then when things happen you know , not even bad things , bad things don't need to happen . Sometimes the great things happen . Sometimes we go on holiday and we come back and we've you know , we're not in the habit of spending time with him anymore and we've lost that . You know it's like exercising If you've given up for a little while , it's really difficult to get back in . But God's saying it's a commitment .
Speaker 1Yeah .
Speaker 2What is this scripture ? Commit your ways , and he can make your ways alone , and he will direct your path .
Speaker 1Yes , well , it's ,
and it even reminds me of kind of going a little bit deeper of you know Proverbs 3-5-6 , which you can make your plans , but the Lord determines your steps .
Speaker 1And absolutely we can be really committed to our plans right , the New Year's resolutions , and we're going to write it all down and we're going to do all these things .
Speaker 1But if we're not committed to his plans and we become too committed to our own plans , I don't know about you , but I think and I've walked this out before like that's where disappointment can set in , some hope deferred can set in , because you're so laser focused on your own plans , like you're so committed to those plans You're not willing to divert and follow what he is calling you to do , which could be a complete pivot in that yeah , I like to say like on a turn of the dime . I've had a lot of those , especially the last few years . I don't know about you If you've had any of these quick pivot like I kept hearing recently . Like be quick to move and go yeah , and that can go both ways . Be quick to release something that's not for this season , but also be quick when he's calling you to step into something , even if it looks crazy to commit , commit to it .
Speaker 2Yeah .
Speaker 1Right yeah .
Speaker 2How do you think women can ? I mean , we obviously both have a heart for women how do you think women can use that and how do you relate it to God in an instruction from God ? How do you walk it out ?
Speaker 1How do you walk it out ? Well , it's first being in the word , like we have to be in the word , and for me personally , like a lot of times , I'm doing like a Bible reading plan right now it's called the Bible Recap and it walks you through the Bible in a year and I like to have that structure personally . But what I've noticed is his word is alive , it's active , and I'll read something in the morning and then something happens in the day that connects me back to that word that I read earlier and he , like he speaks to me out when I leave my house . He speaks to me through music , he speaks to me through meeting other people and I think that's a huge . I'm just going to say that's a huge . Part of it , too , is the connections that he's surrounded me with .
Speaker 1I think one of the tactics of the enemy is to isolate us , but we need people . At least for me , this is what I need . I need people in my corner that are going to remind me of what I like to say the but God said not the but what if ? Yes , because when we're following Lord and his plans for our lives to help bring freedom to other women or men or whoever you're called to . It might look kind of crazy , kind of like leaving a job , yeah , to be free to fully walk out something and be willing to release . You know , stable , safe income . Ask me how I know Does it ? Is it comfortable ?
Speaker 2Not really , yeah we both done that .
Speaker 1Yeah , it's , it's . It's very uncomfortable . And one thing that you shared with me recently was a teaching About because I've often said like I'm never going back to Egypt . There's a teaching that you know . Maybe we can even link in the comments . Do you want to just share a little bit about that ? I feel like it's kind of not a little bit , because we both have we do , we have some very similar journeys . Although I didn't grow up in church , I did not grow up in a Christian home Like my who I be is like I'm rescued from the pit of despair . But would you be willing to just share a little bit about this teaching , because I haven't listened to all of it yet .
Speaker 2I'm on part one , yeah yeah , it is such a beautiful , beautiful teaching . It's called Sparrows and Lily's and it's by Joseph Wilson and we'll definitely link it in the description and it really is . And it's so interesting because I'm writing a message about Exodus three at the moment , on God calling Moses , so it's interesting that you brought it up because that's it's sort of linked , isn't it ? You know what it's all about ? Our kingdom mind mindset around finances . That's the main topic that he speaks about . But he has got such a beautiful message about our identity in Christ , who we are , sons and daughters of God , and he gives the most . And I don't want to give it away , but he gives the most beautiful examples of how you can , how we we tend to see ourselves and how we should be seeing ourselves . So I'm not going to give the detail away because it's I really do think people should go and listen to it from the start to the end . But he does speak about . He does speak about leaving Egypt and leaving the mindset behind , because that's that's what we carry Right .
Speaker 2If you think about Mary and Martha , it's not as much . We often relate . Try and relate to the person . I'm a Martha because I'm so busy . I'm a Mary because I prefer to sit at Jesus' feet . But it's not that it's a mindset . It's a mindset of I'm choosing to make that decision and the commitment to spend time in God's presence rather than keeping myself busy with doing other things . So , instead of us looking and a lot of the things in the Bible is that it's not as much the physical relation that we have to this person , it's the mental and the spiritual aspect of what we should be getting from and gaining from the message that God's trying to share , right ? So , yes , we'll definitely add the link into the description . And I am so wanting and I hope Joseph is listening , because I'm wanting to reach out to him to say you need to come on the podcast .
Speaker 1Thank gosh , I had a vision of you having him on your podcast . You're just believing for that for sure , amen . You know , one of the things that really clicked with me in what he shared that I can share that isn't going to like give everything away was you know how Peter was fishing , you know , and wasn't really catching anything . And then Jesus comes along and he's like cast your net to the other side . And I love that . I love that cast to the other side because I feel like I can be very counterculture and just very different . So I'm always like I'm going to cast the net to the other side .
Speaker 1So when he did that and he followed his directions , he caught a lot of fish and it was a lot of provision in that time . And then , right after that , jesus says drop it all and follow me . And he did . He did it Like he was just so quick to follow him . And yet if we look at Peter and his you know walk as a disciple , he was one who he would kind of go back and forth a little bit , right , I love you .
Speaker 2I was known for that .
Speaker 1But when there was you know how do you say , you know kind of a confrontation of like do you ?
Speaker 1know he wasn't like actually say that . So I feel like at times , you know , I can relate to Peter . He was very like you know . And then when it comes to you know certain things coming my path or you know , yes , I will , I will cast my net to the other side , and then sometimes things come along our way , especially when it comes to finances and provisions since leaving Egypt . That it has been a test . It truly feels like it's been a test . So , yeah , I just want to thank you for introducing me to that teaching . I think it'll last forever . I just encourage you to listen to it . We'll put it into the show notes . But what does that look like for you ? Like , how long ago did you leave your Egypt ? So I was your Egypt .
Speaker 2Wow . I mean , I've worked in the corporate world . Back in South Africa , I worked for a magazine . I was the general manager of a magazine and I absolutely loved it . I do believe , you know what , everywhere where I've worked , where I've been , I believe that I've learned something . Oh yeah , and that was always my prayer when I've hated it . I'm like Lord , what do I need to learn so that I can move on from here ? But there were times when I was also like , oh , I'm loving this Lord , I'm learning so much and I'm so grateful because I know at some point I'm going to be able to use this .
Speaker 2So the last position I had I worked for an international nonprofit organization and was lovely worked from home , the salary was really great and things were going really well and I was in a temporary position at first , but then was promoted to a permanent role and it just was not me . The role itself was just wasn't who I was and things were just . I felt like things were just not going well . And there came a time when I said and I had already been praying I've always gone back to doing my own thing . That's who I am , I'm not made to work for anybody else . I was like , lord , what do you need me to do ? And then one day I was sitting and praying . It was early in the morning and it was a massive storm outside and I could see my neighbor's tree , which they've now cut down . But my neighbor's tree was just swaying in the wind and I sat there looking outside and I said , lord , I am so ready to step out of the boat . And immediately , as the words left my mouth , I heard and when you do , don't look at the wind , the waves and the storm , or the rain and the storm . And I was like , okay , and that was November or October 2020 . And I finished up . My last day was the first of December .
Speaker 2So you must know , trying to go into December with no income and I had a really good income , which was when you lose that as a family . But I knew that God had called me and my husband is so gracious and so kind and he's just supportive of whatever I do , which is really amazing , and I love him for that . But it's been tough . You know , it's not just being tough financially . It's tough when people and even friends you feel ridiculed by them because they don't understand . You know , in the sense of oh so you're getting paid for what you do , kind of thing , like no .
Speaker 2But you know what I'm thinking , lord . I am building up heavenly riches in heaven because all I'm doing is sowing seed and all I'm trying to do is be faithful to what God's called me to do , and I think that I have shown myself diligent in that sense of just walking the road , regardless of how tough it was and how difficult it's been , because God's taken me through a training ground where he has . He has been the one that's built me up and he's the one that's carried me through and he is the one who sustained me through all of the difficult seasons that we've gone through as a family . So I'm just going to keep on chatting because Kristen's jumped off again , unfortunately , I think the internet's a bit unstable , but that's okay . I'm sure she's going to be back soon . And , yes , you know what ? I'm just showing himself faithful to everything that I've gone through , and I'm seeing the blessing of all of what God's done . Now I'm so glad that you're back . It's really awkward talking to myself .
Speaker 1I've been taken away a couple of times . This must be really important . It's about ready to be released , absolutely .
Speaker 2Please air bags open Lord Thank you .
Speaker 2Amen , Thank you , Thank you , Lord . So I've just been sharing God's faithfulness , even when other people have not understood and
I felt really not judged Judged is maybe the wrong word but sort of people have gone , whatever , she's going on about her thing again , her blog and whatever . And I'm just like you know what , Lord , I'm going to put my head down and I'm just going to stay faithful and I'm just going to do what I'm told to do , even if I earn no income whatsoever . I'm going to be faithful and he's carried us through . And since listening to that sparrows and lilies , I feel like my mindset just shifted another gear . And when I was chatting to some friends recently you know they were talking about their work and how difficult it is and I just thought to myself you know what ? I might not be getting in a stable income , but I am so living my purpose , I am walking in everything that God has for me and wants for me , and that is such a blessing . But it takes commitment , it takes a decision and it takes some commitment .
Speaker 1Yes , and it's like an unraveling too , truly , it's like stepping into that surrender of what you thought maybe you'd be doing with your life . Yeah , absolutely Like for me .
Speaker 1I don't know about you , but I just had this hearts cry for years of there's more , there's more , and I would find myself in the bathroom with worship music and he would , he would pour into me in those times , I mean the love of the father . Through those times of I mean , I felt like I was being literally crushed . I didn't know how much longer I could do it and I didn't see a way out . Honestly , I didn't see a way out because , um , you know , we were very reliant on my income and the benefits and you know , my husband wasn't there yet . He wasn't , he wasn't okay with my wild . Okay , I need to go , you know it's like . But I knew that my husband needed to be okay with it and I couldn't just run away . You know what I mean . Yeah , I knew that my time was coming . I didn't know the way it would come .
Speaker 1But , yeah , I knew that there was going to be a purpose , like for you . I knew that I had to hang on longer , that there was a reason that I was here , because we all have a purpose where we are , wherever we go , there he is , and that that workplace that I was at needed Jesus in massive ways . But yeah , it's been . It's been quite an unwinding process . I think for the first , even the first year , I was like wait , I don't have to get up and like go to the office . I mean , seriously , I was still dealing with the Sunday . Oh no , it's Sunday . I have to work tomorrow . Like I don't know if you dealt with that at all .
Speaker 2Oh yeah , absolutely .
Speaker 1How long did it take you to unwind from that ? Oh no , not too long .
Speaker 2I got . I got busy instantly in what I wanted to do , because I already had division . God had already planted in my heart what he wanted to do and I had already been researching it . So I felt as soon as God said go . I went yeah . So I got excited about getting up every day .
Speaker 1Oh , I love it . Yeah , so I put into kind of a place of rest for that first year to like just settle after . It was like a war for me personally and I think I shared a little bit about that on one of my podcast episodes being freed from Egypt literally and delivered so so what is like what's ? What are you up to these days ? Then I know you're a coach and you had a blog and you have a blog , so what are you up to now ?
Speaker 2I am about to launch and I spoke to you about this the other day , about to launch the Embracing Grace Together Mastermind . I am going to be rethinking that name because I'm not really sure I want to do the Mastermind . I'm still thinking and I might open it up to whoever joins and that is really all about co-creating our
year with Jesus , as with God at the home and as with God as the CEO of our businesses or our family life or just our lives , and saying Lord , you are in complete control . And in the same way that Jesus prayed and said I don't do any , even prayed , he was saying I don't do anything except the Father , show me or tell me . That's all I do , that's what I want .
Speaker 2So I am launching it soon . It is going to be , hopefully , a group of women who will come together , support each other , pray for one another . We'll have God encounters and just spend time with the Holy Spirit , hearing from God how he wants to lead us throughout this year . And it's just going to be a support of community and a loving community where we can be real with each other , where the other woman , like the two of us , we just get each other . I think when we say stuff , we go exactly . I know what you mean . Yes , that's what I want , that's my heart , and so it'll be a group coaching , because I will be doing some coaching and I will be sharing some messages and that's what I'm busy putting together at the moment . So that'll be launching in February and yeah , so that's sort of on the radar at the moment . And I love what you said earlier . When you were talking about Peter , you said that he was just following Jesus' direction , and that's exactly what we need to do is follow his direction .
Speaker 1Yeah , even if it looks crazy , and everybody around you , what are you doing ? Yeah , and that's I think that's the hardest part If you , you know one of the things I was going to mention . You know , as we are , you know you said , within the last year you've really been like , embracing your identity and who he created you to be and like who he is , and you know some . I'm just I want to give grace to those of you who maybe aren't there yet , like I have heard even some clients that I've worked with , or women that I've talked to , her like in their 60s and they're like and now I get it .
Speaker 2Yeah .
Speaker 1And now I get it . So there's a , you know , there's a process .
Speaker 2I'm 46 . And I honestly I feel like I only get it now Me too .
Speaker 1I really do .
Speaker 2There you go . I didn't know that and I honestly do feel that . I feel like I've lived my life , a full life , as a saved child of God . I mean , I gave my life to like , knowingly , like you know , remember around the age of 13 , I was on a school camp or a scripture union camp when I gave my life to Christ . But I feel like I've known Christ my whole life and I grew up maybe more in my 20s , because it was when I came back from the States that I went to a very word based church and I'm so grateful that I had that foundation from my 20s onwards .
Speaker 2But it's only within the last couple of years that I it sort of takes , you know , and even more now in the last couple of months . So I am nowhere near where I need to be or where I would love to be . It's a journey you know what , and we fail . There are days that I totally get it wrong , but I get up and I just go . You know what , lord , you've loved me , you chose me and you redeemed me and you've called me and I am yours . Isaiah 43 says that he calls you by your name and it says you are mine and I just , I just hang on to that . I'm like Lord , I am yours . So if I fail today , it's okay . Yeah , it's okay . Grace , god doesn't expect us . It's embracing grace , and the reason I call it embracing and not embrace grace is that it's a continuous thing . We constantly have to embrace him every single day , in the same way that he's mercies on you every day . Yeah , so we have to embrace grace every single day .
Speaker 1Yeah , I actually created . I think I created a t-shirt years ago with that word on there . That's fun . Yeah , I love and you know a mentor that I worked with years ago that has something called well , it's kingdom driven entrepreneur . Her name is Shay Bynes and she talks a lot about the pace of grace . Yeah , I just love that . You know , it's a slowing down .
Speaker 2And .
Speaker 1I think a lot of times , at least for me , when I was working full time and having , you know , had kids and trying to have a business and you know all the things , there wasn't a lot of time to embrace the embracing piece .
Speaker 1It was just I'm in survival mode , yeah , like for real , not even kidding , but I still could embrace , like there was just this again I think it's the Mary and the Martha and like I was kind of that right , it's like okay , I can go sit in the bathroom stall at work and I can get out of the building and go for a walk .
Speaker 1So maybe I don't know if maybe this is for somebody today . So if you're in like a season of where you're , you know , mom or you've got a lot going on , I think for me , like one of my biggest things that I impart in women when I'm coaching them is that you need to rest to be able to soar , so to be able to find those pockets wherever you are , like if you're in the workplace , to get up and go for a walk , go pray , like if it's two minutes , like just make sure that you are leaning in and listening to him , because it's really easy to get kind of pulled away and back from him . If you are just constantly nose down working , yeah , and that's where you can get . Just I don't know . That's for me , at least that's what I dealt with a lot was I don't even know who I am Like , I'm not supposed to be doing this , but why am I ? You know what I mean .
Speaker 2So , but being able to really have a focus of being able to rest , whether it's at home or in the workplace , if you're raising babies , kids , yeah , I think sometimes our lives are so incredibly busy and when you've got kids I mean the amount of emails we get from school and I've only got one child at home it's just like I don't even know what parents do when they've got more kids in separate schools and they're getting the same amount of email from everybody . It's like how are you supposed to cope with all of this ? That it is like we spoke before . It is a decision and I did a message the other day about spending time with God and how we do need to prioritize God . We have to prioritise our day around God , not God around our day , because I have found that when I spend time with God , I get all the stuff done that I need to get done .
Speaker 2When I wake up late and have not gotten up early , and not that everybody is a morning person I'm not a morning person at all , also not a night owl at all .
Speaker 2I need to go to bed early and I like to sleep late , but I don't .
Speaker 2God wakes me up early and I try to get up when he wakes me up , but when God wakes me up and I say I'm going to spend time with God later , my day takes over Because I just keep on prioritising things , that I'm just going to be doing this and it takes half an hour and I just need to quickly do this and it takes two hours and then it's time to do the school run and then pretty much the day is over after that and we have to prioritise God first and then those extra two minutes the five minutes in the car and the two minutes in the shower and the two minutes in the bathroom stall those are extras where God's going to just refill your tank .
Speaker 2The time that we spend with God is when our breakthrough is going to come . That time of when we've set the time aside intentionally is when healing is going to come . When your answers are going to come and that's when he reveals your identity is during those intimate times with him , because if we're only spending the two minutes , that's not enough time for a breakthrough . That's us calling out to God saying help me , I'm drowning .
Speaker 1I remember it was years ago that I hung on to this . It was probably about 10 years ago that I did
kind of shift what my day looked like . And I remember I think it might have been Lisa Turchurst she's an author and she had just a very quick , simple word . It was word before world and I was like , oh , that's a whole concept that I would read at night , or I would read , you know , whenever it was , and now it's just an automatic . It's like eating breakfast . I love to have breakfast , but I don't eat breakfast until I eat the word . And , honestly , some days if I'm traveling , if I'm sharing a room with somebody in a hotel , my time might be less than it is home .
Speaker 1And that's okay , but it's like first things first , right .
Speaker 2Yeah , that is so true . It is so true . It's about the attitude that we , that our hearts , have . If our hearts are God first , then things fall around , that it'll just fall into place . Yeah .
Speaker 1How have you seen , do you have like an example of that , maybe in a recent example , testimony that you could share with us and be able to work with him , co-create with him and feeling just an ease about something that maybe wouldn't be easy , if that makes sense .
Speaker 2Oh , absolutely . I mean this podcast . I am so not a technical person at all . I can figure things out because I really love Google , who is my best friend . Google and YouTube are my best friends when it comes to anything technical .
Speaker 2And I was again a God encounter , a God meeting with somebody on LinkedIn who I was introduced to by somebody else who I'd also just met . I was on the school with this guy . It was so beautiful , actually , because he lives in the same town where we used to live in South Africa , so I could relate to where he was , where he went to university , because I used to go there and you know we knew the same place . I said it was really incredible being able to speak to him and I had tried to start a podcast before and I had had one interview with somebody . Everybody else said yes , but nobody had the time . You know , it was like always , everybody was with me and again , it was just the timing of it . You know , obviously God had laid it on my heart and I probably just ran with it , which is what I do . I don't wait . If God says something , I'll just do it . And when I was on this call with this guy , I mean remember we had just literally we were talking for the first time and on the call I said you know what God's laid it on my heart to do a podcast . I've been putting it off . Will you be my first guest ?
Speaker 2And that same week I think we met the Monday and I think the Thursday . We were going to record all the following Tuesday , whatever . And we recorded it and I was like Lord , now what ? I have got no clue what to do . How do I put this on YouTube ? How do you put this on Spotify ? I've got no idea .
Speaker 2And first I tried my own thing . I was like trying to figure it out by myself and eventually I was like Lord , I don't know what I'm doing . This is not working . How do I get this uploaded ? And it's like God dropped a name of a program called CapCut into my heart that a friend's son , who's like 14 years old or something 13 years old , uses for his YouTube . Like months ago he had mentioned this . And it's like God just put that in my heart . Capcut uploaded and suddenly everything works . It downloads whatever I need and even uploading it to YouTube and all of that it just came together . Everything I needed to do , like the intro and the outro and all those technical stuff just came together . In one day I managed to set up everything . So it's those . I mean , those are practical things . Right , we don't think God is interested in the practical things , but he is . He is in the detail and I ask God I'm like you need to help me with the practical stuff as well , because I'm not necessarily good at all of that .
Speaker 1Right , yeah , it's incredible , he is so good . A similar testimony to getting mine up too . I was like I don't know what I'm doing . He's like , and it's kind of like I feel like if I could just imagine sitting with him , he's kind of like good , yeah , this is good . Yeah , well done , good starting place , yeah . So if you don't like , if you're being led to do something that is like so outside of your wheelhouse , like he's going to show you , but then like as she's showing here is that there's going to be people that come around to help you with . The word we're going to talk about is rise up , because this was a rising up moment for you . Right , absolutely .
Speaker 2Yeah , it absolutely was , and it's just again about being obedient to what God says . You know , there's something that's happening . A lot is I have got so many messages that God's wanted me to record and I've not been able to keep up because there are so many and then suddenly they'll dry up . You know , like the ideas will drive up and I'm like Lord , what's happening ? Why is it so quiet ? And then it's like , yeah , you haven't done that last one I told you about . And you know what ?
Speaker 2Oftentimes God gives us an instruction instead of an answer . So when we're asking God for our purpose , if you're stuck in I mean , this is maybe for somebody as well you're stuck in a job that you don't enjoy and you're asking God what your purpose is , if God's given you an instruction rather than an answer , he's waiting for you to do it , because the blessing is waiting for you on the other side . Yeah , amen , we just need to be obedient to what God's asked us to do , and I mean we were talking about what's in your hand . That's something that you mentioned right in the beginning is I shared with you that I was doing a teaching on Exodus three .
Speaker 2I was busy writing it . You know that Moses was leading the flock of sheep to the mountain of Korab , which is the mountain of God . So , when you think about it , he was just leading sheep For him , that's something he was doing every single day , that was his job , that was his life . He was doing it for his father-in-law , jethro , and that he was just living his life . What he didn't see was that his destiny was to lead God's flock out of Egypt , and we need to remember that . We are called . Where we are , where you're found now , is your training ground .
Speaker 1Yeah , absolutely .
Speaker 2And God's placed you there , especially if it's something that you've prayed for , if you've prayed and believed for those jobs that you're in , that's your training ground . If God's opened the door for you to get in there , and it's been two , three years and you haven't been promoted , or whatever , there's something that you need to learn . We just need to open up our hearts , because Moses was just going about his day doing what is always done , but he didn't realize that his destiny was locked up within his daily routine . I don't know if you can speak to that . I mean , how has that been true for you in your life ?
Speaker 1Yeah , I mean I look back at the path that I've been on and although it was really challenging , moving a lot but I look back and I go . I'm a connector in my DNA . I love meeting new people . But back then it was more challenging because there was so much transition and so much letting go , letting go of people because of the moving . But I see now that it prepared Every season that we walk through is preparation and because I was put in different places or different workplaces , being a waitress , not finishing up , not finishing college .
Speaker 1I was going to go to school to be a nurse and there was a crossroads that happened when I got pregnant with my son , who was a miracle ,
and I was like , either I stay here , I go . And I just felt like he was like this is not for you . I'm like , but wait . So being quick to just recognize all of these little breadcrumbs along the way and knowing that honestly , I feel like I've been a coach , slash counselor like my whole life . Yeah , Truly , I learned how to the technicals of coaching . You know , seven years ago through school that I went through , but you know , to be able to just flow and who I am similar to you has come with me personally getting fully unlocked , yeah , the cage , and that was , in some ways , the Egypt that I put myself in my own Egypt . The limitations of mindsets and hanging on to things in the past that were like trauma . You know all these different things that you know we can really . Unfortunately , you know some it's the enemy sometimes that can try to block you and keep you locked up . But we can also do that just with our ourselves , absolutely . So I look back and I can see the progression . You can see how God was with me every step of the way . I mean he rescued and saved me from addiction when I was 25 .
Speaker 1I look back and I'm honestly like I shouldn't be here . Yeah , for me . It reminds me that that's why I'm very passionate about women living out there calling , and their purpose , because he has us here for a reason . All of us , everybody . Even if it looks messy , there's a purpose behind it . Ask me how I know , how do you know so many stories I could share , so I won't go down those roads . But yeah , I mean just hang on to him . That's like can say like he is , he is the perfecter , he will bring things to fruition . But we have to be willing to say yes . I was reminded of you know the store . I think I did share this with you when we chatted before like when we're invited into something from the Lord , like we can either like stand outside of the store and there's , like this little pad .
Speaker 2Like yeah .
Speaker 1So when we like we have to actually take the step for the doors to open , they're open , yeah , inside there's like there's an expansiveness , but if we stay back and we don't take that step that he's calling us to in fear , whatever it is , that's trying to keep us held back , like we are going to miss out and then the people on the other side of that are going to miss out on . You know , whatever it is that you're called to do , because even for you doing the podcast , for me starting a podcast it was I've had somebody even say like wow , I never would have imagined you doing this , you know , and I feel like that gives others hope . You know , that's part of why my podcast is called Hope Unlocked , because there has been a lot of women that I've come across over the years that have found themselves in hopelessness or they don't feel like there's any hope for them to do something beyond what they're already doing , right .
Speaker 2So anyways , I don't know if that answers your question , but .
Speaker 2No , it absolutely does . And I want to add to something that you said . You know , the enemy sometimes is the one that can't succeed there , but sometimes we're the ones that hold onto it . Yeah , we're the ones that actually he just does the planting , he just like leaves that thought in your mind . Yeah , but we are the ones that hang onto it and then repeat it over and over and over again . And the only way to undo that is actually by speaking the word over that situation . I mean , god says it so many times do not fear , do not fear , do not worry , do not worry . It's hundreds of times throughout . The Bible is like do not worry . And we are the ones that need to let go of that . And it's such a bold step to be able to do that .
Speaker 1Yeah .
Speaker 2It does take boldness to be able to say Lord , I am choosing to do that , I am choosing you , no , but the freedom and the love , the unconditional love that's waiting for you on the other side is just nothing that this world can ever compare to .
Speaker 1No , nothing .
Speaker 2Ever , ever , and the peace that you will feel because then there is no more striving to be this person . You know , sometimes we're , when we're moms , we're trying to be the best that we can be and we're falling apart because things are not going our way and it's too much and we're feeling lonely . And you know it's all the only people we're ever talking to , other kids and you know everybody else is working or busy and you just feel so alone . But when you're walking out , you're being a mom with God . There is such a freedom in that , because you're not striving to be somebody , you're not striving to go . I mean , I know , for me that was really hot . Being a mom has been one of the hardest things for me because I am so used to working . I've always found my identity in work , in what I do and what I produce , whereas God just changed that around and I'm like , because I'm his daughter , now it doesn't matter what I'm doing and I can be a good mom and try to be the best mom I can be because of who he is and because of what he's planted in my heart .
Speaker 2The other thing that you were saying is , like you know , we each have a calling and we each have a purpose . God's already planted that in us . I mean Psalm 139 , verse 16 , if I'm not mistaken says that he wrote . He wrote your days were written about before you were even thought of or formed , before you were born . God thought about you , and how vast are the thoughts that God has about you . I mean , how precious is that that God sitting and thinking about you , for you listening . God's thinking about you . He's thinking about the plans and the purposes he has for you . And he has , he loves you so incredibly much that if you would just surrender and I know it is so hard to lift up your hands and say Lord , all of you and none of me , I just want what you want for me . Let me walk out the plans and the purposes that you've written about in your book about me . It can be so hard , but it can be so easy to say yes , if we just choose to say yes .
Speaker 1Yeah , it's such a simple answer . Yeah , yeah , but yet not . Sometimes , yeah , right In our finite thinking , like it's like it's mind blowing to me that he's literally thinking of the one of you , of me , of the whole world and all of the people that come before us and will go after us . It's like absolutely Mind blowing . So well , anything else that I just always , at least , for on my podcast , I always love to just ask is there anything that you are just sensing for if you see , like , one woman in front of you , what else would you love to just impart over her and if you would be open to praying over her today ?
Speaker 2You know what something and if you go and read Isaiah 43 , that's really been the passage that God's laid on my heart Is that you are loved , you are chosen and that you're redeemed . You know that when life hasn't loved you , when people have discarded you , when you felt that nobody loves you , nobody cares , nobody hears you I think that's such a big thing for women is that we don't always feel heard . I want you to know that God hears you and God's hearing your prayer , and the very fact that you're listening to this or watching this today is because God wanted you to listen to this today . He loves you so much that he sent his son to die for you on the cross , and the beauty of it is that Jesus was raised from the death for you . He's risen because he wants to set you free and he wants you to be part of his family . He wants you to be his daughter . He's chosen you .
Speaker 2Sometimes we feel that life hasn't chosen us . When you're at school , you're always the last one picked or your friends are going out and they haven't thought about you to invite you along . I want you to know that God's chosen you because he knew you before you were born and he's redeemed you , he's brought you back , and grace costs something . It cost Jesus his life , it cost him separation from the Father , but he did it anyway because he's called you and you are his . So I think if I could just remind everybody of that , that you are loved , you are chosen and you're redeemed that's really what's on my heart . What about you ? Do you have anything on your heart to share ?
Speaker 1I think we talked a lot about identity and he just really wants you to know that he created you . You have a lot of people that are trying to mold your identity , but he is the one who created you and he has the best for you . Like , if you are waiting on something , it's coming . Just hold on a little longer . I keep hearing that Just hold on a little longer .
Speaker 1There is so much good coming for you and for your generations . And if you are like me , like who is a breaker in the family , you might be taking some hits and I just really encourage you to come around other women . Do not allow the enemy to isolate you . Whether it's reaching out to Cindy , reach out to me . We have a heart to help women . It's a fire for me . I don't know about you , cindy , Thank you , but it's kind of like the coal to the diamond . There's rough things that might have happened to you , but you are being reshaped into this diamond he has created you to be . When is your name ?
Speaker 2Amen , but he's so faithful , so faithful . Yeah , thank you so much .
Speaker 1Wow .
Speaker 2Thank you so much . What a privilege it is to be able to just share God's love with you and with your listeners and my listeners , and just pray that God will bless you and increase you and just draw you closer to his heart each and every day Me too .
Speaker 1Thank you for being on . It's like a mutual . How do we close ?
Speaker 2Yeah , I've got no idea In my podcast .
Speaker 1it's really cool to be able to do something different here and collaborate , because that's what it's about .
Speaker 2Absolutely . Thank you for doing it again .
Speaker 1Thank you for allowing listeners and I'll be back next week for another episode . How about you , cindy ? When are you ?
Speaker 2Yeah , I've got another one lined up for you , and something that we spoke about is a lady who got her which is something that they call A-levels or metric , so her last year of high school diploma , if you want to call it that at 40 and got a degree when she was in the 60s . So I want you to know that it is not over until God says it's over .
Speaker 1Yeah , it's never over Absolutely , so that's coming up soon . Sounds good . Well , thank you . Thank you . Bye listeners , have a great day . Bye .