Episode 118: Radiant Leadership - Leading Through the Messy Middle

In this episode, your host, Brandie Thomas, dives deep into the challenges and opportunities of leading in what's often termed the "messy middle" - that ambiguous, complex space where the path forward isn't always clear. Whether you're managing a team, navigating a project, or steering a company through uncertain times, the messy middle is where true leadership shines. Join us as Brandie shares her uncut, unedited journey through her own "messy middle" in hopes to encourage you as you navigate your leadership journey.

Scriptures sighted in the episode:
1 Thessalonians 4: 11-12
2 Corinthians 12:9-11
Isaiah 43:19

Books sighted in the episode:
Practicing His Presence
Practicing the Way
The Slight Edge

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Transcript

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0:47

Hey friends and purpose partners, welcome to another episode of Rise Your Purpose. I'm your host, Brandy Thomas, and today I'm coming to you solo. I'm going to be doing a like kind of a raw, uncut, unedited version today for this podcast episode on just leadership. And what does leadership look like? What what is the definition of leadership? How do we lead in our current season and our life? And yeah, just kind of diving into. All of that fun stuff, so let's go. Hopefully I can get through this episode without too much coughing. I still have a cough. If you've been following me, I've had this since September of 2023 and it's currently April 24, 2024. So fun times there in the health realm. OK, let's dive into leadership. So again, if you follow me, you know I am one of the coaches for Radiant Leadership Academy inside of the Girl Power Alliance membership platform. I I have three weeks left and my third cohort that I've taught this class. So this is my third round of, of training and coaching this class. And we have about 3 weeks left in my last class, which is a total of 16 weeks. And then I've also, I just completed my third round of going through this class as a student. So in order to even become a coach of this class, you have to go through the radiant leadership economy. Two times before you can teach it, so I've been through it twice. Became certified. Taught three different cohorts and. Started another round myself for my own personal growth back in January and we just finished that this past week. And so just really I feel like God has kind of had me on this journey that since 2022. Of of being introduced Iranian Leadership Academy and going through the certification product. Process and I feel like he's been completely just stripping me and somebody said on my class on Monday when I was doing my share where I'm like, I just feel like I'm in the messy middle. I feel like I'm not the same woman I was back in 2022. My like I'm kind of unsure of how to lead from this play. Like I just feel like I'm in the messy middle and one of my dear friends, Lenny, who's also going through the program with me. She's like, you're multi and you're the multi process. And I'm just like, yeah, that's yeah, God is, I think reconstructing what leadership looks like and. Or yeah, deconstructing and reconstructing. And so multi, and I want to tell you guys the definition of multi. So molten is, you know, typically it's used in for animals. But it can be also hair or feathers. But it basically it says to fall out to make way for new growth. And I just thought, yeah, like God is definitely hurting me. He's stripping things away from my life and. I do believe he's making room for the new. Isaiah is Isaiah 53. Where?It talks about there will be, you know, don't you see I'm doing a new thing. And I'm making a way in the in the way in the wasteland. That is, that's kind of like how I feel these days. So 431918 this is, see, I'm doing a new thing now. It springs up. Do you not perceive it? I'm making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. That has been a viral verse that I've definitely been. Holding on to since 2022, and I do believe like God is, I've been kind of like in a wilderness season, or at least that's what it felt like. And God is like he's doing something new in me. He's birthing something new. And I don't fully see it or understand it yet, but he's definitely stripping away. He's pruning away different things. If you've listened to previous episodes, we've had our renovation this past year of our fixer upper home that we bought last spring. And I literally, I felt like my life in all areas was also being demoed and renovated. While my physical house was going through that so. It's just kind of, it's just been like a crazy year and a half. And so I'm, I'm still trying to, I think process it all and, and understand it all and see the big picture and the vision and God's like just. Take the next straight step, Just let me light your path. My, my, you know, I'm a light into your feet and a light into your path. And so that's kind of all I can do right now in this season, right, is just take the next right step. Keep leaning into God, keep fixing my eyes on Jesus and being obedient, staying in tune and in flow to the Holy Spirit. And as I let God prune me and come into that posture of surrender to receive. Where, you know, my hands are open and I have to just be open and unattached to the outcome as I'm doing the things, as I'm walking in obedience. And not put expectations on what the fruit's going to look like or when it's gonna show up or how it's gonna show up and just keep walking in obedience. And so that kind of brings me back to the topic of today's podcast, which is like leadership. And what does it really look like to be a radiant leader in all areas of your life? And what is it, you know, look like for you specifically? And what is that definition for you? Specifically. I think for me, where I'm coming from is like I have been in leadership roles. I know I'm called to lead. I've always kind of stepped had to step into the leadership role, whether it be in classes, in school or. Just in Group, in Group things, it, it seems like I kind of always had to be that first person to step up and like take the initiative and and then, you know. Creating my own coaching business and doing my own business strategy and and systems management business that I do now and leading Radiant Leadership Academy like leadership is definitely a part of my. My purpose here on earth that God has called me too. Now with that being said, as I'm sitting here and praying to God, like God, what give me your unique definition of leadership because I kind of find myself right now feeling like I don't fit in. Or out of place a little bit. And, and so I'm like unsure of like, how do I in this current season of life, like what does leadership look like? And how do I stand in that confidently and show up as a leader when I'm not even sure? I'm just like, I kind of feel in a place of brokenness or I feel like I'm wandering in the desert right now. Like how do I lead others when I don't even feel like I'm leading myself necessarily effectively because I feel kind of. I felt confused or overwhelmed or like unsure of even my next steps. And so I feel like God's kind of deconstructing the world's expectations on what a leader should look like. And he's reconstructing what is his definition of leadership look like. And it's, you know, we have to go to the Bible for that. And, and it's so funny because First Thessalonians 4. Verses 11 and 12, like these speak so much to me right now in this season. And it is, it's funny because I'm in my past, I've been that person to go and achieve and do things and be kind of in the spotlight or be in the forefront, be the pioneer of things. And I feel like my desires are kind of shifting or being taken away. And it's almost like God's putting me in this like. Cave or this like hidden season? And literally I came across first lesson for verse 11 and I'm like, yeah, this is literally what I want right now. It says make it your ambition to lead a quiet life. You should mind your own business, work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respective outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody. And that is totally where I feel like my life is right now or this season of life. Like we bought this fixer upper on an acre and a half of property. We're out in the country, out of the city. You know, we have amazing neighbors that we're not like upping each other's business. We're close, but not that close. We might see each other on a walk on our like country Rd. that we're on and we'll chit chat there, but we're everybody's kind of like living a quiet life and. You know, sticking to their own business. And I just bought, we just got six chicks, baby chicks, and we're going to be building our chicken tractor, you know, because I'm all about they will come and then I'll build it. So I was like, what is the baby chicks or Tractor Supply Company? So let's go ahead and get them and we can, you know, as they grow, we'll build the chicken tractor for them. So stay tuned for that. You can follow all that on our Victorious Acres Instagram. Anyway, so like, I feel like this is where guns come. I'm like, I'm ready to get my garden going for the year and working with my hands like that. Yeah. Like as we're renovating this home and like fixing it up and just giving it some TLC, that's that's kind of where I feel like my desires are right now, whereas before they were like really heavy into the business world. And I feel like God's calling me back more to. Not to like leave the business world, obviously, because I still, I'm still going to be here doing this podcast and sending out emails and showing up on social media in some sort of capacity. But it there's like a shift happening and where he's calling me kind of more inward. And so I think for me, where like my struggle might be as I literally processing this out loud with you on this podcast episode is where. You know, business was kind of my baby and like now I have a four year old son. And he needs me, I think, even more than he did as a newborn baby because there's nowhere, it's not just about like feeding and changing the diaper and you know, the clothes. It's now I have to pour into him from an emotional and intellectual capacity and lead him and lead him through how do we handle our emotions and how do we handle questions and. How do we learn new things and critically think and so. As he's growing, it is forcing me to lead in new ways and that's kind of shifting my my like capacity and shifting my focus towards. Motherhood being my main mission and. Place of leadership and leading in my home as I am a homemaker and a stay at home mother. And, you know, want to be homesteader? So leaving in my home and then leaving in our finances as we are paying down debt that we accumulated through our fixer upper property and the renovation and, and we know we are stewarding those finances that come through and, and leading in that way and being an example of that. And then it's like, OK, God, I feel like I can, you know, and I think because leading in those areas are so hard. There's not as much left for me, or at least it feels this way to be the same leader that I was from a business capacity in social media. And yeah, so. Like I say, I'm in the messy middle right now figuring this out like, OK, God, like I know you've called me to business. I know you've called me to marketplace ministry and you've called me to be a mother to my son Elijah and a wife and a. Homemaker and. Also I've been sick so I'm like steward trying to steward my health and get my body back to where it was pre last September when I had a virus and and I'm just like. Man. I'm I'm kind of, to be fully honest, like in transparent, I'm just struggling because I feel like, and I think part of it is I have to go to war every day and literally fight the toxic thoughts of the enemy. Who's like, how can you lead other women when you are sick? You're not even healthy. You can't even get up out of bed in the morning some days to work out. And how can you lead other women when you're in debt? How can you lead other women when you're yelling at your son and losing your. You know your mind. And and then go and tell them to have positive thoughts and, and, you know, manage your emotions and, and when you're like, I'm literally contradicting myself and. I feel like God, as I'm like asking these questions, leaning into it, I'm like, God, show me where you are in these areas because there's a lot of lies coming into my atmosphere right now and it's confusing me and it's overwhelming me. And that's I think what they're what the enemy wants to do, right? Like he sees me doing the work. To heal, to overcome these obstacles, to continue to persevere, to continue to long suffer and to continue to like win the race marked out for me or or run the race marked out for me for Kingdom impact. And he sees me taking territory and new ground and he doesn't like it. So of course he's going to come at me with these toxic thoughts and with. Illnesses and different things and obstacles. And then like when I just kind of get quite enough, I hear God's still small voice. Be like Brandy. Stand in your identity, standing your authority. Remember who you are and who you are. Remember that you were created to do greater things than these, and that you may be shaken, but you will not be destroyed. And. You already have the victory, so stand and fight from that place and that knowledge and wisdom and keep leading and keep showing up because your mess is going to be your message and. So it's it, it's like I'm currently I'm just also another transparent moment, like I'm currently looking to find a grief coach counselor to to. I think I have God's been showing me too, like you have unprocessed emotions and wounds and grief that I want to heal and I want to. You know, restore and I want to reconstruct the story around those wounds and. Put my truth and show you where I was in those moments when you felt abandoned, when you fell alone, when you felt like things were just totally broken. And you know, so I feel like that might be why he's he's kind of pulled pulling me back a little bit and like putting me into this kind of hidden season because he's like, I need you to do some heavy, deep work and it's going to be uncomfortable. It's going to be messy and but. You are going to come out of it and you are going to continue to be a radiant leader and it's OK to not have it all together and not be, you know, and to feel weak because guess what? In your weakness, I am strong and you get to. Let me shine up and show up for you. Let me pull up that that strength or that verse where it says. In Second Corinthians 12/9 throughnine through 11, it says, But he said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weakness, so that Christ power may rest on me. That is why for Christ sake I delight in weakness. And insults and hardships and persecutions and difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. And I, I think that's like this is another verse that has just comforted me over the last few months is like, it's OK to be weak. Boast in your weakness, be transparent, be vulnerable, share that, share that you are feeling weak right now. And that you are in persecution and you are suffering hardships and difficulties. Share it and boast in it, because guess what? My grace is sufficient for you, and my power is made perfect in your weakness. Brandy. And listeners like this is speaking to you just as much as it's speaking to myself. That God is going to use my weakness and he's going to turn it into victory. And it's going to shine glory back to him, and there's going to be good things that come out of it so. I'm leaning into that. Right now of just being in the messy middle of. God allowing God to deconstruct what leadership used to look like for me, how I showed up on social media, how I showed up with my family and with myself. And allow him to reconstruct that, which right now looks messy because it's uncomfortable. It's forming new habits that maybe I once had lost or completely new habits. And you know, habits take time to form and continuing to fight and put on that armor and stand in that divine identity and authority. Because the enemy doesn't want me to have those new habits. The enemy doesn't want me to have a positive thoughts and, and renew my thoughts and think on good things and pure things and honorable things. He's gonna continue to come, but guess what I can say flee. I rebuke you. You have no authority here. I'm covered by the blood of Jesus. And repent on the things and ask God to come and remove his legal right that he has over me. Because I know I'm called to do greater things than these. I know I'm called to heal others and that there is going to be God's going to use me to heal people. And that's why I think He's taking me to an even deeper healing. Process to remove things that I haven't been given space to process yet. And fully grieve and truly heal from and he wants to give me that life and give me life to in full and in abundance. And it is messy. It's uncomfortable, it's. Yeah. It's just, it's not, it's kind of like I'm not in like the most fun process right now and so. I just wanted to kind of share that with you and continue to share that journey. Like if you've listened to the last solo episodes of me, you knew I was like on a social media. Social media fast for Lent. And that was actually amazing. And it kind of was like, man, I don't do I even want to go back on social media. What does that look like?And so I'm like, when I show up and I post, it's I'm trying to just come from a place of is this fun for me? Is it forced or is this in flow with the Holy Spirit? I know these the words that I'm supposed to share. And if I don't really have anything to share, then I'm not going to share it. Like if I, I don't want to just show up just to show up. I want to show up with purpose and with meaning and with impact. And is even, and that's like why I'm leaning more into the podcast and the emails and maybe even hopping over to Pinterest and showing up there like looking at different platforms. Outside of Facebook and Instagram that I can, you know, that maybe are going to be more beneficial for me in this season and. You know, surpass my net on the other side of the boat and see what's on that side and. So looking into and leaning into OK God, what does that look like? Where do you want me to show up? And so stay tuned. When I know, you'll know. But I guess the whole point of this podcast is just to like we are called to lead in all areas of our lives. God has given us the Bible for our blueprint, for our principles and strategies on how to do that, how to lead. Yourself lead your, your mind, your thoughts, how you speak about yourself and about others, how you take care of your body in your temple, how you steward the finances and the resources that God has given you, how you take care of the people in your life, the relationships in your life you're and lead in your family and in those relationships. And he gives us a blueprint and he calls us to step up and lead in these areas. And to be disciplined. And so he so it's like, I know, I know the blueprint of how to do it. And but I think he also has to prune away old concepts, old worldly concepts that are not his ways and his practices. And he's teaching me to follow Jesus and truly be his apprentice. And that means right as we give our life to Jesus and we say yes to him, there is a next step. It's not just like, OK, I'm going to say yes and then. To go back to my own life, no, we have to continuously die to our flesh and die to that old life because we and step into our new creation and practice the way of Jesus and be his apprentice and study him and. Literally like one thing that's been really cool is there's a book, there's a couple books, so there's one book called Practicing his Presence and it's written by monks from like hundreds of years ago. And then there's a newer book called Practicing the way and it's, but they both kind of have the same concept of like practicing the way of Jesus. And in the book Practicing the way it Talks about. And I'll, I'll like link that in the show notes, but it talks about how back in Jesus day, like you had, Jesus was the rabbi and the apprentices were chosen by the rabbi and they would literally follow them and they would get the dust of the rabbi on their, their clothes, their bodies, like they were, that's how close they were. They were studying the rabbi and they were walking behind them and. Staying in step with them and literally just learning and soaking up how did they think, how did they interact? How did they eat? How did they pray? How did they do the day-to-day things? And then The Apprentice is practicing and practicing those ways, and then they go out and get sent out to be apostles and messengers. And so when we look at how Jesus led his disciples. They followed him, they watched him, they lived with him, they communed with him. They, you know, rose with him got, they just went on the journeys with him, right? They were, they were in each other's business, right? And then he sent them out two by two. He had to teach them first and then he sent them out to practice what they had learned. And so it's, I feel like that's kind of where I'm at right now. It's like. God is deconstructing these. Old habits and beliefs around leadership and he's reconstructing based on his biblical principles and strategies. And but then I have the the conflict of the flesh and the spirit where it's like, OK, we know. We know like what we're supposed to do, but the spirit is willing and the flesh is weak. And so I'm kind of in that messy middle where like I'm breaking off the things of the flesh and that is hard and it's uncomfortable and it's messy and it doesn't feel good because I'm having to die to my flesh every day. Get out of bed and exercise and nourish my body and. Think good things and talk. You know, replace my. Replace the. The toxic thoughts of my life and replace them with new ones and how I speak, how I behave, and I have to go through a healing process and do that inner healing work and maybe do some deliverance work. Well, stay tuned for that. But God is like literally deconstructing me and reconstructing me right now. And it also pertains to leadership and how do I lead? And you know, society's version of leadership is you have to be on this stage and all the lights are on you. And I think that's kind of like you are a leader behind the scenes and you lead. In your family, you, you have this huge mission field and this huge leadership opportunity with your son and with your husband as your husband stepping into taking over the spiritual leadership role that you have had for the past few years and. You're leading in how you manage your home and how you invite people in and and the hospitality that you get to show them. And you're leading in how are you studying your finances to make good. Why is business decision and why is financial decisions? And so he's like showing me like I am a leader, but it's not going to look the way that the world wants it to look or other people's expectations want it wants you to look. And you know, one of the things I love about the coaching business I have is that I actually lead from the behind. I help other women step into their calling and rise to their purpose by working behind the scenes on their business. So while they're out there doing the things in their field of expertise and their field of favor, I'm operating in my field of favor and building their websites and setting up their funnels and their e-mail marketing, their text messaging, building their websites and all of those things doing kind of the more the mundane, the behind the scenes that is not that's like clicks with me. I love it. It's it brings joy to my life, but it's not necessarily their field of favor or they're like jam, right? Tech is not not for everybody. And so. It it is kind of interesting how God's been pulling me back from literally speaking on stages to hundreds of people. To leaving that, you know, be leaving that quiet life. And that's my ambition. And so I think God is kind of showing me like leadership doesn't have to be in front of flashy lights or on stages. And it's the quiet leadership that really does have the most impact. It's the mundane leadership, it's the, the daily habits of leadership that has the most impact. And so stay with me as I continue to uncover and walk into that and practice that and just being completely honest and transparent. Like it's hard. I'm, I am a battle of flesh versus fear right now where I, it's like, I know what I need to do, but actually doing it is hard and it's uncomfortable and it's messy and it doesn't look good. For example. And then I'm going to wrap up this morning. So I, I'm creating a new habit of working out on Wednesdays and Fridays at home in the mornings, getting up and doing Bible study, the neuro cycle app and like an exercise of sorts. And I was knocked down with another virus fever out for a whole week and it totally threw off. Like I had worked up to 45 minutes of an exercise and now I'm kind of back to. All right, my alarm went off. I didn't get out of bed. I listened to the Bible reading today because I have like the audio version where I can listen to it. I again listen to the neuro cycle thing in bed. And then I did a workout and kind of half in bed and half out. Like so part of it was like you're supposed to be laying down. So then when it got to the stand up part, I got out of bed. But it's like I still did it and it was messy and it didn't look great and it wasn't like 100%. Hardcore. But I'm just like taking those little steps in the right direction and that's kind of where I feel like right now. And, and so again, it's coming back to. Just get into the habit of leading in this small small ways. And there's a book, The Slide Edge by Jeff Olson, which is one of my favorite personal development books. And it's just just doing those simple little things every day that seem to make no difference. But then over time, as you do them over and over and over, they like turn into the compound effect, right? So they just compound over time. And you get that slight edge and you just like work your way up that hill and you finally get to the top of it and so. It's it's kind of, I think where I'm at, I'm like just doing these mundane tasks that don't really feel the greatest. They don't, they're not flashy. They're not, you know, shiny. They're kind of messy and kind of like a deer walking for the first time, like knock, need and all over the place and. Excuse me. And that's just kind of where it is right now. But I know I'm called the leadership and I know like I have everything I need to be the leader God's calling me to be. And I'm kind of just in that messy middle. So this is for you. If you also find yourself in the messy middle and you're just like, I know I'm called to do things and I just have to start someplace. Just start sister, like you are. Created for such a time as this. And there are women in your life that you're anointed to lead and to. And so we have to be good stewards of that. But it doesn't just apply to leadership, I believe doesn't just apply to like leading people. It's also leading ourselves. It's leading our finances, it's leading our minds, our health. And then it's leading the relationships around us and shifting the atmosphere through how we show up. And so I just encourage you, like keep leaning into God, keep fixing your eyes on Jesus. Keep letting him pour into you and you know, getting as close as you can that his desk is is like on your face, like in your mouth. And He will bless you. He is faithful to to finish the work that He's done in you that He started. So keep fixing your eyes on Jesus. Keep showing up in that posture of surrender to receive and taking that next right step. On your journey to leadership and letting God define what success and define what leadership looks like for you versus letting the world and people in your life. Because people are going to tell you, they want you to do things and they're, they want you to show up in a certain way and they're going to put you in a box. And guess what? Our God is not to be boxed. And so, and because we are his children, I don't think we're called to be in a box either because then we can't be in tune and flow with the Holy Spirit. Who's also not one to be boxed up. So my encouragement for you is if you're finding yourself in the messy metal, keep going. Just keep your eyes fixed on Jesus and you're going to find yourself walking on waves in the middle of the storm and you're going to rise above it and you're going to be impacting and leading just because you have faith and you followed Jesus and you took the next right step. So with that, ladies, thank you so much for listening and hanging out with me today. I know this was raw and uncut and unedited, so I hope you enjoyed it. I would love to hear from you. If like you this episode, bless you, like share it on your stories had me in it, you know, write a review because that just helps us get this podcast out to more women. We're going to be doing a series coming up on behind the courses called Behind the courses, and I'm gonna be interviewing the different women who are creating like the courses inside of the Girl Power Alliance membership. Because we not only have our radiant leadership Academy class, but we also have courses that you can take self-paced. And it's just really amazing that I think to meet the women behind these courses. Why are they contributing these courses? You know, for free to go power Alliance and, and just hear from the women who are actually leading in this space as well and showing up and what is their story and where, you know, where are they at in their leadership journey? So stay tuned for that. Behind the Horses series coming up. I hope you enjoyed this podcast and thanks so much for listening.