What Is God's Will? with Missy Eversole

Hey there, beautiful souls! 🌟 Ready for a heart-to-heart that'll stir your spirit? Join us for an incredibly uplifting episode with the wonderful Missy Eversol. We're diving deep into the beauty of finding purpose and the power of sharing your spiritual journey. 🙏💫

🎧 In this episode:
- Missy opens up about her transformation from a regular churchgoer to a fervent follower of Christ. It's a story of liberation, joy, and aligning with God's will that's bound to inspire.
- We get real about prayer – it's not just a private solace but a force that shifts from personal desires to lifting others up. Plus, a look at how prayer helped me anchor my life in rough seas.
- We talk about the big leap of sharing our faith and the personal narratives that come with it. From my hesitations to a profound Mother's Day epiphany, it's a journey you won't want to miss.
- And finally, we touch on the small acts of faith that enrich our lives, inspired by a grandmother's prayerful legacy. It's an invitation to live a life illuminated by faith and embrace every opportunity to testify and transform.

📖 Chapters:
(0:00:17) - Discovering God's Will and Salvation
(0:17:01) - Power of Prayer and Faithfulness
(0:21:45) - Stepping Out in Faith and Sharing
(0:35:38) - Embracing Opportunities to Testify and Transform

📚 Missy's enriching books and podcast await you to continue this vital conversation, so don't forget to check them out!

✨ Don't let this be just another listen. Let it be the spark that ignites your own daring steps in faith. Who knows? This could be the moment everything changes for you.

Connect with Missy Eversol:

✔Website - www.missyeversole.com

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Transcript

00:17 - Ruth Hovsepian (Host)
Welcome to Out of the Darkness with Ruth Hovsepian, and today my guest is Missy Eversol. She is an author, podcaster and a speaker, and she is living proof that, after being nudged by the Lord incessantly to further his kingdom, he will give you boldness, courage and fearlessness needed to accomplish his will. And we are going to be talking what the Lord's will is for you and for me, and how to accomplish his will. Now many people wonder what God's will is for their lives. They question their purpose and God's plan for them. 

00:52
But his will is about more than earthly purpose. God wants us to shape us into holy things who experience immense joy and freedom as we navigate a sinful, fallen world. And everything about God's will is to set us apart from sin and into holiness. But above all else, before we get into our conversation, I really want you to know that God's foremost will for all of us is to be saved from sin and to know the gospel and to set off this. I'm going to leave you guys with this verse to think about as we talk. 1 Timothy, chapter 2, verses 3 and 4, says For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God, our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. And I'll come, missy. 

01:49 - Missy Eversole (Guest)
Hey Ruth, it's so great to be here Well. 

01:51 - Ruth Hovsepian (Host)
I'm glad you're here and when I read your testimony I thought, yes, we really must talk about you know, where are we first of all in our walk with the Lord, and how are we sometimes not sometimes oftentimes deceiving ourselves, thinking that we are? We are children of God, we're in His will? 

02:17
you know all of these labels that we put within the church context, and I loved how you said that you even married a Christian man a church going man, a new filler for most of my life, and, yes, that is something that I think we see and sometimes not acknowledge in our lives. So tell me a little bit how that change came upon. So let's go back to that point where you realize that, okay, I'm just kind of filling in the seat. I'm not really where I should be in my walk with the Lord. 

03:04 - Missy Eversole (Guest)
Right and, as you mentioned, I did marry a Christ follower. He had been going to this, grew up in this church, like literally from infancy to the time we were married. He had been going there for numerous years. I grew up Catholic, so when we got married I decided to go to church with him, just to go. I was that that pew filler. I was just. I didn't want to talk to anyone, I didn't want to communicate with anyone. I honestly thought they were Bible thumpers. I don't need criticism in my life. However, even though my husband was going to this church, we certainly were not living a life of what we do now. So it all started for me. 

03:52
My father in mother-in-law also attended this little country church and they had a like a wiener roast in October, and I was pregnant with our oldest son, who is now 22. And the minister's wife came up to me Her name is Karen and she said hey, I know you're from Indianapolis. I used to live in Indianapolis. Women of faith conference is coming to Indianapolis. We are taking a group. I would love for you to go. And I did the canned response oh, I have to think about it. And she said Okay, I'll call you, while we weren't even home yet when we were walking in the door she had called and I wasn't going to go. I didn't need a Bible thumper on my head. I was no, I'm not doing it. And my husband said I think you need to go to this. And I said I think you're wrong. He goes, no, he goes, you really need to go. And that caused a little strife that night because I was not ready. I knew how these people were so nice, don't get me wrong, very nice and welcoming. I just I just had that wallop for some reason and I ended up going and you know, that women of faith conference just absolutely changed my life. I meant Jesus and those women that were around me. 

05:25
There were 10 of us that went. Those women that around me were there to guide me with the questions that I had. My friend Connie, you know I had questions about, okay, who was Jesus, because growing up a Catholic was and I went to Catholic school. I didn't have a relationship with Jesus. I knew the Gospels, some of the Gospels. I honestly reflected back, I didn't know much more else about it. 

05:58
And so, you know, my friend Connie said let's get a Bible. Actually it was the first thing that I bought at Women of Faith was a Bible, an IV Bible, and I remember Karen and Karen is my dear dear, one of my closest friends now, so we raised kids together where you know. But I remember having that Women of Faith Bible in my hand and it's purple and it had purple lettering and it was just. I treasure it to this day. I don't remember her saying you don't have a Bible and I said no, I don't. And she just had tears. She just saw how, just how, christ took a hold of me there and from that day on, from getting back to Women of Faith to, I was baptized in this little country church and then I've just taken off from there. Have I had hills and valleys and has my fire for Christ been, you know, almost extinguished? Yes, too many times to count, and that's not part of my journey to and how the Lord is using me now at this stage in my life. 

07:11 - Ruth Hovsepian (Host)
It's interesting because I call myself, you know, one of those that just warmed up a church pew, and it shows where we come from when we say pews. Right, because most churches today don't have pews, but I grew up in a church with a pew and I grew up in the middle of the city but it was like a small country church because the numbers got smaller as the years went on. But I come from a family where they were all believers. My grandparents had leadership roles. I had pastors, lay pastors, in my family. Everyone was involved in the church in some form in multiple different churches and I, you know, around the age of 12, saw the movie left behind and was so scared that I, at that time, made a commitment to the Lord and got baptized subsequently at 15 or 16 years old. 

08:15
But I never walked the walk of my faith. I was walking the faith of my parents and my family around me. And there's such a big difference, right? Because you know, I carried the Bible, I did what I had to do, I could teach, I was involved, I went into Bible college for a year, I did it all, but I never had a personal relationship with the Lord it that. And I was, you know, in my you know, late 40s, 50 years old, when I really realized, I realized that, yes, without the Lord I'm dying, because I was, I was an addict in different, in different areas of my life. But what a difference, because the day that that relationship between me and Jesus, my heavenly Father, became personal, wow, what a change that was. 

09:25
You know, you said a couple of things that you know I've thought about in the past and I've spoken on in the past. And I'm a mama that prays for her children and you know I, I love my children. They were raised in a very difficult time when they were young. I'm a single mom. I was divorced when they were really young and I had my own demons at them in the past. Literally, I was fighting demons in the past and it breaks my heart now and and to see them at different, all in different places in their, in their life. It's. It's difficult, right? Because you know, I've come to understand that if the man of the house speaks I'm. I follow that scripture where the man is the head of the house. 

10:23
If the man of the house is a Bible believing, born again believer, he has a lot of say and has a lot of influence over the people in his life in the family, in the home, and I have seen in the past where if the head of the, if the man, the head of the house, is a believer and comes to church, the chances of the rest of the family attending are greater than if it is the woman of the house. 

10:56
And I've seen heartbreak, even in my family's life where the woman has prayed for my great grandmother was one of those. He prayed all her life for her husband and it was only in his you know old age did he change, and when he did, what a change. But she prayed and there's a difference in that right, because I think it's just our makeup. You know, a woman will, and I've seen it even with young people. I don't know about you, but I've seen it with young people If the young man is a follower I mean, this is a whole other conversation because I say that if you're, if the person is an, I have to be. 

11:42
No, I'm not going to be careful, I'm going to say what I believe. If the man or the young woman is deep in her or his relationship with the Lord, they will not date an unbeliever. I've said it. Okay, that's what it is. If they're lukewarm, they have the tendency to have that attraction for someone who is not a believer. Therefore, they get into a relationship and I've seen it in my own family where that believer starts to go from lukewarm to cold because the support is not there. 

12:22 - Missy Eversole (Guest)
Right, right, yeah, if you look at it, especially in the Old Testament. I mean, look at Solomon. You know King Solomon, he was the wisest of them all and he, at the beginning of his reign, he followed God and his commandments and his laws. Well then he started marrying a canonites and all the you know various ammonites and you know, allowed them to build their idols to their gods, and that was his, that was his downfall, and so I agree with that. I also agree wholeheartedly praying over your children, no matter what age they are. 

13:03
When I started really getting serious about my Christ journey, following Christ, it was, you know, I had a meltdown in the parking lot At that time. My boys were in middle school and it was just like I need some. I was what I was doing. It was conforming to the world and not transforming in Christ. And I remember I was like I've got to start praying, I've got to start reading my Bible, I've got to do all this for my benefit, but also for my family's benefit. And I remember one morning I felt prompted to get up and pray and I'm like what do I pray for? Why is prayer so hard? And I just remember that Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit was spring to me. If you're not praying for your children, who is Amen? 

13:53
I was like so, no matter what age, and I know my grandma, when she was, you know, 85, 90 years, she was praying for my dad. My dad was not a believer and he was the one that did not go to the church with us, did not go to Mass with us. I mean, it was so when I, in my mom's eyes, I essentially turned my back on the Catholic faith and became a Protestant, also like severed our relationship that we had together, which was already pretty much unraveled to begin with. So it cost me my family when I became a Christfeller and I I felt bad for that, but I needed to do what first of all I needed to do and I needed Jesus. 

14:40
And if I lost sounds harsh, but that was up until my mom passed away 15 years ago. It'll be 16 years of Cirrhosis of the liver. I mean, she had an alcohol, she was an alcoholic. So I grew up in an environment of alcohol and my brother was a drug addict. My dad was an alcoholic. I mean, it was just it was Jesus or following that path, and I chose Jesus out, yeah, and it's. 

15:16 - Ruth Hovsepian (Host)
it is difficult and I know that and I I'm very bold in saying this, that excuse me that I stand here today because of generational prayer. Now, my family was not aware of what I was going through, but they were praying for me because they knew something was off in my life. I was going to church but they didn't nail my double life that I was leading. 

15:41
My grandma was praying always for her grandchildren and then her great grandchildren. And my parents have been praying. You know, every day they have at a time of prayer and scripture reading, and I believe that that's what it was. And now in turn, yeah, I'm very passionate about praying over our children, intercessory prayer and I pray for my children because you know they're older words are not? They've heard it all you know, and I think prayer is the only way. That is. 

16:23
This is what I can offer to my children is praying over them daily and praying for my children in love and and and just praying on them. You know I don't. There's no more to say about that, right, it's that prayer, the prayer of a parent is on their knees, saying Lord, hear my cry. 

16:49 - Missy Eversole (Guest)
And sometimes that's all the words that you can get out. Lord hear my cry, lord help me, yes, and that that is fine. They I always thought they had to be. I love listening to other women pray they're you know eloquent in their words. I always in my mind I thought oh, I have to have this big talk and that that's great. If you know any of your listeners do that, that is wonderful, but that's not me. 

17:18 - Ruth Hovsepian (Host)
I stutter and I stumble. It's not me either. 

17:21 - Missy Eversole (Guest)
So there's times when, when I just say Lord help me, or Lord get me through this day, or Lord give me patience and I say that daily, it seems, you know, just just focus on him and talk to him like we are talking right now, exactly. Jesus is our Lord, is our best friend. Talk to him in a conversation. 

17:43 - Ruth Hovsepian (Host)
And as we we commit to our prayer life, right? I think that you know, as I said when we first started, that you know God, for his foremost will for us is to be saved. Then it's what happens after we are saved, right? What is his will for us? Well, to grow in him, right? 

18:03
And and and prayer. I believe prayer is what, what helped me overcome my addictions, because I was. I overcame my addictions in secret. There was no support, no, none of that. So it was through prayer and you know, my prayers at the beginning really were just cries and tears of you know, trying to get through that day and I know that as I have prayed and as my prayer turned from prayers for me, an intercessory prayer, and that is when, also, my eyes went off of me and my problems and started to focus on what the Lord was doing, and I've become more grateful for what I have. 

19:02
And I don't know why, I am surprised and I become like a child and I become giddy, but it's such an awesome thing. I want everyone to experience this. 

19:17 - Missy Eversole (Guest)
Right, and that's part of living a bold faith life. I mean, we are called to be the light for Christ. It says that in Matthew, and we need to know the Bible. We need to tell others about Jesus Because he is the truth with a capital T. This world desperately needs to hear the truth and that's just kind of been on my heart a lot this last few years, right. 

19:49 - Ruth Hovsepian (Host)
Yeah, I agree with you. You know going through the experience of growing in our own journey. Well, let me talk about myself and then you tell me your experience with it. But as my journey progressed, as I got closer to the Lord and I dedicated more, I gave more of myself to him, the desire to minister to others grew with it. But it is overwhelming and sometimes it brings tears to my eyes for a couple of reasons. Now I know we cannot look back and redo things, but sometimes as I pray, faces, flashed, names come to mind and I say, lord, I've lost so many opportunities to share this amazing second chance that I've had with others and I ask the Lord for an opportunity to almost like a redo with some people in my life, and that's where I am in my ministry. 

21:09
What is my ministry, martin De Ruth, about? It's about telling others about the Lord, about this gift, about hope. That's what I want, you know, and this is my the message. But we all arrived to it in a different way. What was like? How did you realize this is what the Lord wants you to do? 

21:38 - Missy Eversole (Guest)
Wow, that was. I think it all started in 2018. And I was at a point in my life. I've always been a writer, I have a journalism degree, I worked for a book publishing company and then got married, focused on raising our sons, and I just felt this. It kept coming to my mind okay, how can I share Jesus? How can I tell others about? I just felt like I needed to do something. What can I do, lord? And this was after my meltdown in the parking lot. I was like Lord, what do I do? 

22:16
And it was on my mind every time you know, share what you write about me. And I was like no, just no, no, that's between me and you. And the overwhelming share, start a blog there. And I was like no, he made me very strong, willed, so he knows that, going in, going in, you know. So that's why I say he loves, you know, he shoves the ones that he loves. Because I was just like I can't share what you've done in my life. That's between me and you. What are people going to think? It was always coming back. What are people going to think? But yet again, I wanted to share the word. It was just. You know, I was just in this conundrum and it was Mother's Day weekend in 2018. And I woke up and immediately that thought came to mind it's time to start sharing how I have worked in your life. Start a blog, start writing about it. 

23:15
Back then, blogs were like you know. You started a blog and you know I was just like. I was in a foul mood and I remember I came down from my quiet time. We were going to go camping that weekend and I came down from my quiet time and as I was praying about it praying and reading the Bible chapter I was in it just like, okay, you got to share your writing. 

23:42
And I was like, lord, I don't even know where we get. So I stopped what I was doing, looked up Christian Writers conferences and I was like, well, I think there was one, but at the time I worked at a school and it was. It was I couldn't take off and didn't want to take off. I could take off and I didn't want to, and so I went back to my reading and just became so just, I've never had that feeling before. And then I finally put it down and I went to reading. I was reading in a book study and I was reading that and this woman that I was reading talked about the she Speaks conference. It's like what is the. 

24:20
She Speaks conference. So I stopped what I was doing, google it and it's in July and I was like I have no excuse, I don't, I don't. So I was just like, ok, no, I was just angry. I know that sounds funny now, but I was angry that he was calling me to do this and he wanted me to give in to his will for me. And I remember we were, we got everyone in the car and we were heading down to the camper and my son, oldest son, he was 15, 16 at the time and he's like Mom, why are you in such a foul mood? 

24:59
I was yeah, I was just in a foul mood and my son said ask me, mom, why are you such a cranky mood? I mean, this is Mother's Day weekend. You should be. And I said I feel like I know the Lord is telling me to step out in faith and write and share my writing. And he said, mom, if the Lord is telling you to share your writing, why are you disobeying him? And I want Lord, you're now turning my children against me. He's got them on my side. So that just led to. I'm like fine, ok, I'll do this. And I don't know what the end result is. I don't know if it's a book, but I will start sharing about you. And the more I shared about him on my blog and my website and on social media, the more I became more comfortable with it. And I think I hate to say this, but I know it's the truth it's the fear of what people would perceive of me. 

25:59 - Ruth Hovsepian (Host)
Yeah, I agree with you. 

26:03 - Missy Eversole (Guest)
And I should not be like that. I'm called to. Like Grant said my son, you were called to do this, you need to obey. So I was like, ok, let's do this, lord. And it just kind of evolved over time. But I'm learning that through my writing and my speaking and my podcast, that if the opportunity is there and, like you said, we can't go back on those opportunities but if the opportunity is there for a smile and how are you today? Hey, then you work in that conversation and you work your faith into that conversation, whether you got 30 seconds or a minute or whatever. Somebody asks, how are you doing it? And I'm like, hey, I am blessed today. Lord is blessed to be today with you know. So it's little stuff like that. Overcoming your fear, it's stepping out in faith is what it is and that's hard. It is. You don't know what is on the other side of that, but he does and we have to trust him and I think it comes to trust. It really has to come down to trust. 

27:12 - Ruth Hovsepian (Host)
You know, this past Sunday had, I guess, pastor in and he said something that really shook me to the core because he said we all need to have a five minute testimony. 

27:28 - Missy Eversole (Guest)
And I thought what is? 

27:29 - Ruth Hovsepian (Host)
he talking about. I mean, I know the. You know the elevator pitch. I know that I've been in business my whole life. I know about that. Never thought about that Elevator. You know the elevator pitch as my testimony. And he said all those times you meet someone anywhere parking lot, grocery store, whatever it is do you have your five minute or less testimony so that if somebody says to you, hey, how are you doing, what do you do? Or whatever, rather than talking about nonsensical things, here is your opportunity to tell the person about the miracle in your life. And I thought, wow, I've been convicted. You know now what I need to do. And I have no excuse the next time someone you know outside says to me hey, how are you doing, what's up, what's new? This is what I have to do because that may be my only opportunity. It may be that person was put in front of me by the Lord just to hear two words from me that may make them think and plant a seed. And I agree with you. I agree with you. 

28:43
Very hesitant about talking about my story because it had been a secret for so long. I did. How do I tell people? People will be shocked. How will people. Look at me. You know here I am. You know I'm a recovering addict from alcohol and sex and pornography. What will people say? How can I have any kind of ministry? Look at who I was. And I think that was not. I think I know that it was Satan, right you know, discouraging me from taking that step. And I have to say COVID was a disaster for the world, but for me what it did was I had. I had been booked to speak at three different events that year, the year that COVID hit, and everyone canceled, and I had been planning to speak on prayer at each one of these events and retreats. And I had these notes and I thought what am I going to do? Why don't I put them into like a little journal or notebook? I had no idea about publishing and writing any of these things. 

30:01
And I went to my sister, who is, you know, she is an author and she's a you know, she's an award winning writer. And I said to her can you just help me put this together? The next time I speak I can give out my notes or something. The Lord has a reason for everything. And through her, she encouraged me and said you know, ruth, I think this could be a book. Let me send it to my agent. And that was the beginning of my first book and I haven't looked back. But that's what it is right Stepping out in faith. What is God's will for each of us? Well, we said you know, come to the Lord, be saved. And then each one of us, according to our experience, our abilities and what the Lord wants from us. That changes a little bit, but we all have the same great commission, right? Right, great commission of going out and telling the world. When someone asks me, you know I don't know what the Lord's will is. Yes, you do. The Bible says it Go and spread the good news. 

31:19 - Missy Eversole (Guest)
Yes, right, that's right, and I would like to add to that. It doesn't matter, appearance is a really big thing. People feel like we have to be completely put together and look like we, you know, are all there, and I have found the times when I share about Jesus and the gospel are the times when I look the worst. It was been a couple of months ago. I went into a Walmart. I had a sinus infection. I mean I Walmart opened at eight. I was there at eight, oh one. I was in a baggy sweatshirt, threw my hair back, I think I even had a hat on. I was gestured, I was just and for. I grabbed the medicine that I needed and for some reason which I I know the Lord had me do this and I also did not have any medicine in me or coffee. Instead of going to the self-checkout, I went out. I went to a cashier and this the minute I set the medicine down on the conveyor belt, I heard the Holy Spirit say you are going to share Jesus right now and I went Lord, do you see me? You know I had tissues. I was like I can barely speak and now you want me? And he said yes, and I was like, okay, what's the opportunity? 

32:44
And we were, we were talking and then she shared that her son was in jail with drug charges and I said I'm really sorry to hear that. I said I, I grew up in a family with drugs and alcohol. I said my brother had his demons and I said, unfortunately he passed away. I said, but the one thing that got me through the death of my mom and my brother and my dad was Jesus and that was my end. 

33:12
And I, we talked and no one came up behind us no one. I kept waiting for somebody to come up, like, okay, but no, it was clear that I was meant to be there at that time and share about Jesus. And I walked out to my car afterwards in tears because I thought how many times have I given up the opportunity to talk to somebody about Jesus? When I was prompted to? Because I looked like, you know, I wasn't put together and the seeds planted. You know we plant the seed, god cultivates it and that's something that we need to remember. So if she remembers me as the one that came through with congestion and hair all over the place, but she remembers Jesus, then that's worth it. 

34:11 - Ruth Hovsepian (Host)
And really that is what we're here for right To do his will, you know, as just as a sort of an ending to you know, like the cherry on top as we give over ourselves, over to the Lord and bring testimony to others. It is such a blessing to us Because really it is because, look, you gave a testimony to this woman and I am sure that that also had its effect on you, and that's what I feel as well. You know, it is just I can't explain what it is it's just an amazing blessing to be able to share with someone this amazing opportunity for them, and I liken it to. 

35:06
you know, you find a great restaurant. You tell everyone in your circle about it. Why are we not this excited about? What is our forever Right? Right, and I'm putting myself in this, I'm not pointing any fingers, this is about me, you know. I find out. Oh, a healthy option for whatever. And I'm telling everyone. Why am I not so ready to tell everyone else? So I'm speaking to myself as well when I say this. But really we need to take every opportunity. I agree with you there. I'm gonna say that we just have to be ready, and my grandma, a long time ago, had said to me that every morning when she prayed, she would say Lord, put me in a position to be able to testify to someone, to give someone an opportunity, and it's just an amazing practice, you know to say to the Lord I'm ready. 

36:05
Lord, you know, you know, baggy greasy dirty hair put me in that humble meat right. 

36:13
It's a humbling note. It is humbling. It is what it is. Missy, I wanna thank you for this. I know we can just go on and talk about all the amazing things that God has done in our lives to as you said. I loved what you said is not conforming to the world, but transforming into who the Lord wants us to be. Missy, I really wanna thank you for this and anyone who is listening or watching today. If you wanna know more about Missy, please check out the show notes. You can contact her and find out. She's got her books and a podcast. Please do that and thank you, missy, again for this. God bless you. 

36:54 - Missy Eversole (Guest)
Thank you so much, Ruth. It's been a joy chatting with you. Www sob exatamente.