From School Halls to Church Walls: Finding Purpose Through Service

Principal Edwina Thompson shares her journey as the first African-American principal of Lane Tech College Prep and reveals how loving people through leadership has become her core purpose. She discusses balancing her roles as school administrator, pastor's wife, mother, and friend through intentional presence and spiritual grounding.

• Servant leadership means pausing to consider others before yourself, ensuring people feel seen and valued
• Being purposeful with your time requires daily shifting of priorities based on who needs your attention most
• Early morning quiet time (3:30-4:00 AM) provides essential spiritual nourishment before facing the day's demands
• True friendship involves active listening, helping others see themselves clearly, and considering long-term impacts
• Life's greatest lesson: "God has never failed me" - finding calm in chaos through faith
• When facing challenges, "draw in" to your spiritual center rather than reacting to the chaos around you

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Until next time, continue to press into your purpose!

Transcript

Speaker 1 0:28

Hello and welcome to today's episode of Pressed Into Purpose. I'm your host, valeria Wright. Let's meet today's guest. Edwina Thompson is a 20-year educator whose passion for children, education and educators is closely matched by her love for her community and family. She is a wife to Captain Pastor Sean Thompson, mother to three children, aaron Myra and Sean II, and the very proud alumna principal of Lang Tech College Prep. Principal Thompson serves as the proud principal of Lang Tech College Prep, home of 4,600 students and more than 400 staff members. This selective and diverse high school consistently ranks in the top five schools in Illinois and serves the largest student body under one roof in the nation. Principal Thompson made history as the first African-American principal and alumna appointed to her position in 2021. Her post-secondary accolades include a bachelor's degree in English secondary education, minor in computer information systems from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, a master's degree in educational administration from Concordia University in Riverford, in Educational Administration from Concordia University in Riverford, national Board Certification as an English Educator and several continuing education courses and trainings that undergird her knowledge as a lifelong educator. Edwina Thompson is a highly skilled, passionate and results-oriented instructional servant leader who believes in providing optimal and equitable education experiences for staff and student. Her dedication to student and staff success fuels her desire to serve as the collaborative leader of Lane Tech and is a direct result of her love for the advancement of people. This same love is amplified through her volunteer service as a youth leader, director, women's ministry leader, instructor and first lady in her local church, shiloh Missionary Baptist Church of Chicago. Please join me in welcoming Principal First Lady Elwina Thompson.

Speaker 1 2:40

Welcome to the podcast. Thank you for having me. I am so glad that you are here today. I am excited to talk to you and to hear more about your journey.

Speaker 1 2:50

But I just want to start out by saying I have known you for years and we met in high school as the illustrious Blaine Tech and even then you were a leader. You came in the door as a freshman and you were in charge. We didn't know what you were in charge of, but you were in charge, honey. You were in charge Like you walked around, like you own the place, and I love that. And so it was so natural when you became the principal, it was so natural to see you. You know, step up and step up and take that position, and myself and everybody else that I know I don't know anybody who isn't proud of you and who isn't excited about this part of your journey. But I just want to start off by saying you wear many hats. We heard wife, mother, uh, first lady, principal, uh, and the list goes on out. Of all of those things, what do you believe is your purpose? Like in in life, what do you believe is your purpose?

Speaker 2 4:08

I believe that loving people is my purpose, and doing so through leadership, doing so with kindness, doing so with forgiveness and with always putting keeping others in mind. Okay, I when it in the bio when it talks about being a servant leader. You know, some people think of servants from a place of weakness, and for me, it's a privilege to get to serve others, to see them come into their own, whether or not that's at home, at school, at church. It's very important to me that people are walking away feeling like they have accomplished something, feeling like they can be a better version of themselves, no matter who that is. And God, uniquely, has designed it so that I typically forgive easily, I am able to move forward very easily, okay, and I do believe that that's just part of the design and part of my purpose on this earth to help others. But in helping others, I believe that also helps and strengthens me for the next step, the next journey.

Speaker 1 5:24

Gotcha, a servant leader. We hear that a lot in the church world. Yes, servant leader, and I would like to know what servant leader looks like in your life. Like, I know that you lead the school, you, you, you lead the school, you lead um as first lady in the church. You, you, you know you are uh, even uh, leading your children at home. And so what does servant leadership look like? Just uh, whether it's a day in the life or just different nuggets, what does that look like for you?

Speaker 2 6:08

Oftentimes it looks like really pausing and considering others before yourself, and I do believe that we live in a world where you are taught that you need to think about yourself. When are you going to put yourself first? Then you need to think about yourself. When are you going to put yourself first? And often I don't do that, not for any accolades or awards, but just because I'm always trying to see people, trying to see the heart of what they need and trying to see how I can assist them. You know, you're, you know.

Speaker 2 6:40

You always hear about the analogy of putting on your own mask on an airplane it's going down from your own oxygen mask in helping everyone out. Yes, yes, I have not mastered that, ok, ok, I have not, but I also. I also feel like that's part of that purpose that I was speaking of, because people do oftentimes need help. It doesn't make you their savior, but it just means that God may have equipped you with something to help them along their journey. And so, like in a school setting, it means that every kid, no matter what they've done, no matter how they've left the situation, how they've messed up, I always need them to know that I am here to help them, to serve them, what's going to help you get what you need? And that is vital to me, even staff members For me, when you're in a position where you have to manage a large environment, such as what I get the privilege of managing, if you don't put others first, you will quickly get lost in the position and I think that you'll burn out too fast, because when it becomes all about you and if everything revolves around you, then how are the people allowed to flourish, like I can go into my office and take a meeting.

Speaker 2 8:00

The school is still running, right, right, you know, but it's running because there are adults who are out there taking care of children. There are children who are helping to take care of children, and I believe that part of that is because of the modeling of being kind and being empathetic to others, being respectful of others. Those are part of our core beliefs in our school building. But I also believe that, as a servant leader, you really have to consider the other person, even when it might feel like you're making the sacrifice, and oftentimes you are. And oftentimes you are making the sacrifice, you're sacrificing your thoughts, not saying what you really want to say oftentimes, okay, okay. So you have to watch your mouth. That's not just at work, that's at church, that's church. Watch your mouth, you have to watch your mouth. Yeah, you know. But not only do you have to watch, you know, watch your mouth. You also have to consider the long lasting effects that your actions are going to have on others.

Speaker 2 9:04

You know I think about my role as a pastor's wife. You know I love on the people often. I'm always listening. Let's take pictures, let's do this, let's you know, try to give them hugs. How are you doing? How did it go? Yeah, and for me it matters because I want them to know that I see them as a human being. I see your life matters. It's not just, did you?

Speaker 1 9:31

show up for church today.

Speaker 2 9:32

Did you sing in the fire? You know your life matters, what's going on with you as a person, because if you're okay, then you can give your time, you can serve in other capacities, but if you're not okay, how are you going to be in the position to help others?

The Heart of Servant Leadership

Speaker 1 9:45

You know, I love that, as you were talking about the, about just serving and putting others before yourself and making sure that people are other people are OK, and I believe a part of that also is making sure that people feel seen. Believe a part of that also is making sure that people feel seen. Um, and it it brought up a story, uh, or an encounter that I had at a church I won't mention the name of the church sure, um, I went to a church once and it was a large for a large conference and got it laid on my heart. This is years ago. Um, got laid on my heart to go to this conference. I ended up going by myself. It was out of town and I was there and the atmosphere was just, it was, it was, it was loving, it was, it was, you know, the spirit of God was there, the service was powerful and impactful and there was like services in the morning, services in the evening and so in between the services, you know I was meeting new people and I'll never forget I was in the hallway and the worship leader walked past me and I was like hi, and the worship leader never even acknowledged my presence, like just walked past me as if I had said nothing. I was like, wow, really. I mean, you were just leading such powerful worship and you're walking and acting like people. Other people don't even exist and I was a new worship leader at that time and I could have taken it and been hurt. You know and I'm not going to say I wasn't, but I didn't stay in the hurt place. I went to. I then shifted and said okay, god, you allowed that to happen to me for a reason. So after that I said, moving forward, I don't ever want anybody to feel the way I felt when he walked past me and didn't even acknowledge my presence. So I made it my business from then.

Speaker 1 11:56

From that time to now, when I am, wherever I am whether it's church, whether it's work, whether it's, you know, extracurricular activities when I walk in the room, I am greeting everybody and loving on everybody, because it's important that people feel seen. And so I love that. That you talk about putting people first and making sure that they know that their life matters first and making sure that they know that their life matters. Yes, um, because, if? Because when people know that their life matters, they, and that somebody else cares, it makes a difference in how they care for themselves. I agree, and so when you, when it comes to being a first lady, let's stick in that vein um, what do you feel is your most vital asset as a first lady? Um, as you, yeah, just like, what is your most? What is your vital, most vital asset as a first lady?

Speaker 2 13:01

I shared this a little bit earlier, you know, before we started, but I am extroverted. My husband is an introvert, extrovert and so I am able to connect with anybody, yeah, and so I feel like that, the ability for me to be able to connect with the people and and have conversations with them jump in, like if they're fixing tablecloths and I'm going to grab tablecloths too. You know, yeah, which is a minister ministry of helps, to average, yes, you know which is the ministry of helps too. Yes, yeah, and that is that's how I operate. You need me to. You need me to stand up and hold this book. You need me to teach a Bible class. You need me to pray, you need to, whatever, wherever I'm needed and being flexible enough and knowing that it goes back to how are you serving others?

Speaker 2 13:54

Right, these people are coming to a space to get what they need from God, but my husband is God's representative in that moment, right, but I am also an extension of him, absolutely, and it is very important that what I say, what I do, how I respond, even if I've been hurt, even if you know, and I'm grateful, we just have such wonderful people, but and I'm not naive that people that there aren't people who are in the same kinds of positions that do experience that kind of hurt. I have not seen that yet, oh praise God. But I am. But I feel like, as an extension of him, it is my job to to, to look to see to, you know, to catch certain things or to remind him of things that he may not have remembered. He's leading Right, he's the shepherd.

Speaker 2 14:50

Sometimes, when they're so caught up in, you know, in their time with the Lord, or, you know, just trying to meet that spiritual need, that sometimes they don't see other things. And so I feel like in my role as a wife, as a helpmate that transfers into my position and as his wife, as wife of the pastor, so I do a lot of connecting with them, hugging on them, loving on them, you know, loving on them, yeah, you know, speaking positive to them and just and just being present. Yeah, it's very important that I'm present for them, it is very important that I'm present.

Speaker 1 15:27

So how do you do that? How do you do this? This is the. This is the question of the hour. No-transcript.

Speaker 2 16:00

I. I do feel like there are levels to the presence. Okay, if that makes sense. So whoever's in front of me or what I'm, whatever I'm dealing with at the time, that's what gets the most of my attention. So if you were to look at it on a continuum of a 100 percent, this section might need 50 percent of that presence right now, and this piece might only need five and two and one and and I. And that's a daily shifting. Ok, that's OK, it's not a. That's a daily shifting. Okay, that's okay, it's not a. It's a daily shifting, and it it requires intention. When I'm at work, I try to be at work easily, but if something is going on that requires my attention outside of work, if I need to step away for a few minutes, uh, to grab a call or something like that, I have to determine the magnitude of that call, like, is this something that can be handled when I'm done, because technically I'm never done?

Speaker 1 17:04

The principal you're 24. I'm never done.

Speaker 2 17:06

If I get a call at 10 o'clock at night saying student A is X, y and Z, I have to respond Wow, if I, when I see it, yeah. But integrity means if I see it at 10 o'clock at night, then I saw it at 10 o'clock at night. I'm not going to say I didn't see it until the next day, right, right and so. But when I'm there so when I'm at church, I'm at church, and if there's something that we're planning, an event or something like that for church, there's time that I allot for that Very intentionally. Our son is 11.

Speaker 2 17:42

It is very important that he also gets time, so I'm very intentional in my car. Now, when I first became a principal, I was still working. Once I would pick him up from school. I would still work while he's in the car to make up the time. And now my rule is, if I need to answer a call or something like that, once I know that I'm picking him up, I will limit that time so that he can have my time and then, if he goes to sleep in the car, then I might resume what I'm doing. But if he's awake, he's getting that attention because I need to know how his day was yes, and that time is very important, yeah, but but there's only one. You Right, correct? And so when he is getting the time on a Saturday because of his games, then I can't be in my email checking it, right, so my job doesn't get me at that time.

Speaker 2 18:35

Gotcha email checking it right. So my job doesn't get me at that time gotcha, but it's a daily balance and nobody gets all of me all the time right, right.

Speaker 1 18:43

So when do you take time for so that?

Speaker 2 18:51

I plan to be much more intentional about that in 2025. That is what I, that is what I will say about that. I believe you should.

Balancing Multiple Roles Intentionally

Speaker 1 19:01

Because everyone that gives and gives, and gives and serves, and serves and serves, at some point you have to be replanted. Yes, so that you, so that your, your pots don't run dry. That is right, you know you, you, you have to refill and refuel, and I know that, you know you can do that along the way. But sometimes you just have to unplug, that's right.

Speaker 2 19:23

And I honestly, over this break, when we traveled to go see our daughters and my dad, I spent a lot of time. I was present with them. Good, I was extremely present with them. What they needed, you know cooking for them, laughing with them, taking them to the show, to the mall, like whatever I could actually do, just being present in the moment with them. And but in the the tough part about when you are, you are a giver. Oftentimes you don't realize how much you've given until you're depleted.

Speaker 1 20:01

Yes, yes.

Speaker 2 20:03

And then, even when you're depleted, You're still giving.

Speaker 2 20:06

You're still giving, and so I'm an early riser. Okay, I wake up between 3.30 am and 4 and four o'clock. Wow, what time do you go to bed daily? Well, there was a time in my life where I could go to bed by eight o'clock and my husband will still use it. He was like you, you will probably sleep by eight. I'm like I haven't seen eight o'clock sleeps. It's so long, but, um, but it all depends.

Speaker 2 20:38

Sometimes it's 9, 30, sometimes it's 10 o'clock, but I am typically up very early and so that allows me to spend time with God. Okay, um, but I am also at one point I would utilize that time to catch up on after I spent my time with the Lord, to catch up on like emails and stuff like that before I would start my day. Well, the last, maybe two weeks before break, I said I'm going to use that time for my own morning routine or exercising, et cetera, because I was trying to fit in exercise in the evening. So I was getting a couple of days in here and there, but not the way that I wanted to. So I have eliminated the morning check. Very good, and and really, and just focusing in on whatever I need to do spiritually. Everything that relates to my own replenishment is what I do in the morning so that I can get my mind like my mind has to be focused and purposed and it, just it makes a difference in your day.

Speaker 1 21:48

I don't think we realize. Well, we didn't grow up with electronics, that's right, you know in our hands all the time. Up with electronics, that's right, you know in our hands all the time. So now that we're, you know, older and we have like it's, you have to be very intentional not to pick up the phone first thing in the morning you do like, because I've found the same thing. If I pick up the phone, then I start scrolling. Either I'm scrolling, wasting time on social media, or I'm scrolling through emails and I haven't even had a moment to set myself. That's right, get in, get you, you wake up, you know, get some peace, you know what I'm saying. Like you haven't even had a moment to breathe and you're inundated with all these things. And so when we put those devices down and we just focus on ourselves and God, that's right it it really does shift how the rest of your day happens.

Speaker 2 22:51

It does and when, when the spirit speaks to me, it's quiet.

Speaker 1 22:57

Mm-hmm.

Speaker 2 22:59

You know, it isn't some loud, thunderous boom. Right, you don't just like do this. It's very subtle Mm-hmm, and I hear it and I know I'm like got it.

Speaker 1 23:11

Yeah.

Speaker 2 23:12

You can't get that when you are inundated with the cares of this world.

Speaker 1 23:20

That is true.

Speaker 2 23:21

You just can't, because those things require time, because you're not only are you taking in the information, you're processing it, and then you're thinking about the long term effects of it, especially in my, in my kind of position, where I'm like the news is saying this about contract negotiations and you're just, you're ingesting all of that. What is this going to mean? And then, but what that ends up doing is that evokes fear. Yeah, right, yeah. And so, instead of feeding your spirit man because God doesn't give us the spirit of fear yeah, you need to feed your spirit with the word. And so that's what you have to do. And so how do you do that? How do you block out, how do you eliminate the fear? You feed it. You feed your spirit man with what God's word says. But that's intentionality, yeah, and it's. That can be hard, but I know that everybody else is asleep at 3.30 in the morning.

Making Time for Self-Replenishment

Speaker 1 24:14

Listen, everybody else is asleep. It's amazing to me how I can, if I get up so typically on a good day I'm up at like between 5.30 and 6. And the stillness of the morning is just not the same at seven or eight or not, because the traffic is moving, the and you know, and uh, the hustle and bustle, like your, your neighbors are moving, the cars are starting, but that early in the morning it's typically really not only quiet in the house but it's quiet outside. That's right. And so things are just still and you can really, like you said, on and on, not just reading but hearing. That's right. Because if we, how, how do we know where to go if we can't hear? That's right, and not just hear our voice, hear the voice of God and be able to know the difference. The only way we know the difference is if we are studying his word. That's right, because he's never going to say anything contrary to his word. That's right. So, like this, this is good to be able to, to sit, no matter how early it is, and some people I know some people do it late in the evening and that works for them, but it's still quiet between the hours of like 11 pm and like 5 am it is super quiet, it is, and sometimes God will wake me up at three or four o'clock in the morning. I'm like Lord, now, you know, I got to wake up, and a few hours I just can I just get, and it's like, okay, I got to wake up in a few hours, I just can I just get, and it's like, ok, I get up Now. I don't always do it, but when I do I'm nourished, that's right. And you get that instruction or that thing that you've been praying for, that thing, that that instruction you've been waiting for, and you're like, wow, I'm so glad I got up. Or we don't know what the day holds, but God does and pretend. So you get in that word, you're studying that word, you're spending time with him and he'll download just what you need when you encounter that person at 1030 or just even in passing. But, like you said, you're replenished and you have something to give.

Speaker 1 26:39

I love that today's episode is brought to you by destiny film and media. Go to destinyfam1.com for all your media needs. Destiny, film and media, your destiny through film and media. We talked about Edwina the. We talked about Edwina the principal. We talked about Edwina the first lady. We even talked a little bit about Edwina, the wife and the mother. Let's talk about Edwina the friend. How are you purposeful with your friendships?

Speaker 2 27:16

That's a great question. So a lot of people call me friend and but I recognize it. There are a few deep personal friendships that I have. Yeah, and I noticed that for those deep personal friendships. Those are people that I'm not talking to them every single day, but they know me.

Speaker 1 27:45

Yeah.

Speaker 2 27:46

Very well, very, very intimately, and so with those friends I also just try to be present. I do a lot of listening in my friendships. I laugh, I'm like maybe I should have been a therapist.

Speaker 1 28:00

I know right, Listen, trust me.

Speaker 2 28:04

Sometimes I feel the same way I do a lot of listening in my friendships, try to make them laugh. I really love laughing. I do. My husband is a prankster, he's a jokester, and so I'm always laughing. I do. I have a husband is a prank, he's a jokester, and so I'm always laughing at something crazy that he's doing. But I like laughing. But I also have a smart mouth and my friends who know me well, they're like I can't believe you just said that, but I try to.

Speaker 2 28:35

I feel as if I that's probably the one area where I need to be stronger by making, by contacting more, by reaching out more. There are some people that I love deeply, like if they call me right now and said I'm on the side of the road, can you come? I would show up. And I don't talk to them maybe, but three times a year. I understand, but part of that is I feel like part of that is me. I just get so caught up into all the other things that I have to do and I do feel like sometimes my friends are on the back burner. I've never been a going out person, like everybody knows. You know I'm not gonna be in the clubs, I'm not gonna listen, you know I'm not going to be in the clubs, I'm not going to listen. You know that's just not going to happen. They're not going to catch me out at the local bar, it's just not. And so, yeah, a lot of things that people just like enjoy doing and hanging out Like I'm just not going to be at that.

Speaker 1 29:27

Yeah.

Speaker 2 29:28

But I feel like that's something. That's something that I have to be better at. Okay, but I am, but I do a lot of listening, like, if you need me, I'm, I'm going to listen, yeah, and I'm going to share with you what I believe God is saying about it and and really try to get you to think about how you feel about it, because I feel like it's being a part. Being a good friend means helping someone to see themselves. Yeah, not just seeing what you see, but helping them to see themselves and how is this going to affect their lives beyond just the moment? Yeah, I am very much so a person that thinks beyond the moment. I've always been that way. Yeah, what is this going to do two years from now? Yes, how will this affect the six months from now? I'm very, very cautious about those kinds of things, but I try to really have some of my friends to really think about that. I have people who are very protective of me too. They're very protective of me.

Speaker 1 30:30

Oh, I know, I know some of them.

Speaker 2 30:32

And so I have to, and so I try to make sure that I'm intentional about how I give to them, how I'm thinking about them, how I am just saying I love you, you know, or you're a great person. It's very easy, you know, with considering some of person. It's very easy, you know, with considering some of the positions that I have, that people are very much so like oh, we're so, we're proud of you, we're glad you're doing this, we're glad you're doing that. But I have to make sure and I'm and I feel like I've done better with it within the last year of just telling other people how proud I am of them yeah like that's what's what being a good friend is, like people.

Speaker 2 31:08

You just get so used to people saying those things. Yeah, I want to give some of that back, not just in service Right, but in words of affirmation. That's important, it's very important.

Speaker 1 31:19

It's very important. I love that. I love that, okay, okay. So if you had to sum up life thus far because we have a whole lot more life to live, god willing, at least another 45, 50 years at least we won't give away ages, but we'll just say that, give away ages, but we'll just say that, um, but if, if you had to sum up your life's journey thus far, the challenges, the triumphs, what would you what? What lesson or lessons have you learned from life thus far?

Speaker 2 32:04

I had to sum it up. I had to sum it up one thing whenever I have any kind of like conflict or something that feels like it's going to be impossible, the first thing that pops into my head is and Wina, god has taken care of you all of your life. He has never not taken care of me, ever. I remember being nine years old and, without saying too much, I just remember being nine and I remember going into the room and closing the door and crying and praying and talking to Jesus.

Speaker 1 32:49

Yeah.

Speaker 2 32:50

And saying I don't know how I'm going. This hurts. I don't know what to do. I don't know. And just hearing him speak very clearly to me I love you, You're going to be fine.

Speaker 1 33:03

Yeah.

Speaker 2 33:03

And he has never failed me.

Speaker 1 33:05

Hallelujah, ever You're going to be fine, yeah, and he has never failed me Hallelujah Ever.

Speaker 2 33:08

And so when I think about, like the life lessons that I've learned and you know what do I walk away with? I know that God will never fail me. Yeah, and because I know that I trust him, even when it looks bleak, even when it doesn't feel good, Even when the chatter is going on, I've learned to draw in.

Speaker 1 33:31

Okay.

Speaker 2 33:34

And I don't have to say the words to others around me, but when I feel the chaos happening, I immediately draw in and that's my hiding place, that's my safe space. Yeah, it's going in and finding him and talking to him through my heart and just saying God, you hear it, but don't allow these words, don't allow these words to influence my actions. Allow my actions and my words to be pleasing to you. Give me wisdom in this situation, because it doesn't feel good right now, but I know it's for a purpose Right. And when people are not believers, it's very hard for them to understand that stance. That is true, and so I. It's true, I don't. When I'm in that secular space, I don't get on that kind of soapbox. Yeah, yeah.

Speaker 2 34:24

It doesn't mean that people don't know that. That's how I am Correct. God gives me a sense of calm. Often here people say how are you calm in this? Why aren't you like mad? Why aren't you warm enough? I'm like I don't have to be.

Purposeful Friendships and Listening

Speaker 2 34:36

Exactly, I don't have to be because I'm not fighting the battle anymore, and I and I, and so, when I think about the fact that, that God has never failed me, he has always protected me, yeah, has always kept me, has always, you know, uh, made a way for me, yeah, where doors just open yeah and when they didn't open, I said, oh, that wasn't God. Then, yeah, it wasn't for me.

Speaker 2 35:02

Yeah, and I know it, and and being confident, yeah and that you know, when you read Jeremiah 29, I was thinking. I was like that's, that's my scripture. You know that? Just knowing that there are plans for me, yes, plans that were designed for me before I entered this world.

Speaker 1 35:24

That's right.

Speaker 2 35:25

God knew my story. He knew the story I had before. He knows the story is to come. Yes, and he's given me just what I need in order to, in order to live that out. Yeah, and there's enough grace there, there's enough mercy there to see me through. Yes, and therefore those are my, those are my, that's what I've learned. No matter what comes highs, lows, triumphs, disappointments doesn't matter, because, no matter what, his mercies are new every morning, every morning, every morning, and I get, and I get to experience it, and I'm grateful for that. And I don't take I don't take any of the things that you read on that bio. I don't take any of that for granted. You read on that bio. I don't take any of that for granted. Being a mom there are people who want to be moms and they aren't moms. Being a wife there are people who want to be married, who are not married. Being a pastor's wife there are some people who want to be a pastor's wife.

Speaker 1 36:19

They don't know what it really means, but they want to be it. I would rather not, but I praise God for those of you who are standing there allowing God to use you in that space.

Speaker 2 36:30

But it's true, right. There are people who want to be educators, people who want to go to school, people who want to have people who love them. Yes, unconditionally, you know, and for me, I know that I don't take it for granted. I don't believe it's because I've been so wonderful. I believe it's because God has graced me with that.

Speaker 1 36:50

He has graced you for it.

Speaker 2 36:52

And since he's graced me with it, he gives me what I need to operate in it. Yes, and if he ever decided that that was it, I would have to go with that's it. Yeah, because if there's no grace there for it, right, then I can't be effective in it and then I'm not doing as well. Yes, you know. Yes, as well as that, we prosper as our soul prosper absolutely, and so when you're, when you're not prospering, yeah, anymore, and if every the things that you are touching are no longer prospering, you really have to pause and say, okay, god, and what's the next move? Right, are you in this? Where are you leading me? And it really take moments to reflect yeah, that's good, that's good, that's good.

Speaker 1 37:38

I, I love all of that. Listen, I'm sitting here being minister to my sap AP. I just listen. I, I love that. At the foundation of it all, you are always, you are always taken back to your faith because there is for for the people of faith. There is no other way, none, there is no other way, none. There is no other foundation, there is no other rock, there is no other shelter than the father none, none. He, he is with us, he is with us, he is for us and he has given us everything we need to do what he has called us to do. And so I am, I am listen, we could talk on and all, but I'm, I'm go, I'm go.

Speaker 1 38:38

Let us wrap it here, because I want those words to resonate with people, that when I want those words to resonate with people, that when, whenever you're going through trials or tribulations or challenges, or even the highs of life, when chaos is all around, go in because Holy Spirit lives on the inside. That's right, and he and God has given us everything that we need to be successful, if we only take time to recognize when he's speaking, recognize when he is shifting us and recognize when we are in purpose, and so I like to ask people is there anything you'd like to ask me before we, before we end? Yeah, anything you want to ask me?

Speaker 2 39:34

So, since you're talking about being pressed into purpose, what do you think pressed you into this purpose?

Speaker 1 39:44

Well, I know, in 2020, in the middle of the pandemic, I was, my husband and I were separated and I was in my apartment sitting on the couch and I was just like God, like there's got to be more than this, there's got to be more than this, there's got to be more than this, and I had gotten to a place of surrender. That's a that's a very long story, but I got into the place of surrender and I said, god, what would you have me to do? And I just heard, like pressed into purpose, and I was like, okay, well, what is that? And, um, I heard podcasts and I was like god, it's a million people out here doing podcasts. I'm not. Nobody wants to hear my voice. That that's what I said. I was like nobody needs to, like I will just be another voice in the midst of all the others, like I don't have anything special to say. Who am I to tell God anything? First of all? Uh, especially what you know, like, if he, if he's giving you something, then we're always praying for witty ideas and inventions, and so when God gave it to me, I had to finally submit. So it has taken me like I started recording episodes, like just because I didn't like. I also didn't like the sound of my voice, and so I had to get used to hearing myself talk.

Speaker 1 41:23

But the very long, the very long story short is, I heard God say start a podcast, preston's Purpose. I didn't want to do it. I fought him on it. I started and I said it to the side and did and well, we're now in 2025, so in 2024 I picked it back up because he just wouldn't let it go. Yeah, and I was like fine, if we still talking about this in 2024, from 2020, obviously this is something that you really want me to do, so I will do it, just show me how. And when I tell you, when I said I'll do it, show me how. He, god, showed me.

Speaker 1 42:09

Everything was here in my hands, wow, including a husband that is a that does production, mm-hmm, like because we're back together now, that's right, all is well. But everything was in my hands, yeah, and all I needed was my voice, and all he wanted me to do was have conversations like we're having now, which is what I do all the time. So I was pressed to get out of my comfort zone and be obedient to this call. So it's definitely different, but as I sit here, I know that I'm right in the center of God's will and I would not I would rather not be in any other place besides the center of God's will, and I haven't felt this way in a very long time. So that's how I know.

Life Lessons: God Never Fails

Speaker 1 43:05

That's how I was pressed into this. God gave it to me. I didn't want to do it, I fought him. He didn't let it go, because you know that's how he is If he wants you to do something, he wants you to do it, and I love that he didn't give it to anybody else, because sometimes we feel like, well, I've waited so long, maybe I've missed the moment, but sometimes we have to go through the process and then we get right where we're supposed to be, at the appointed time, and so I feel like now is the appointed time for this to come forth, and I just want to say thank you for being a part of my journey in Preston to Purpose, and sharing your journey not only with me but with the listeners, because it's everybody's.

Speaker 1 43:52

Life has purpose, whether they realize it or not, but how we journey in that purpose is different. It looks different for everyone. So I just appreciate you sharing your story. I appreciate you spending this time with me. I appreciate and I just want to say thank you for being who you are in the earth, because and accepting all that God has graced you to do, because I thank you for not fighting I guess that's the, that's what that's the, and maybe you have fought some, but I thank you for accepting what God has graced you to do because it yields great impact in the earth, and so thank you for your time today, thank you for your yes and yeah, thank you for coming to sit on Preston's breakfast. I appreciate it.

Speaker 2 44:44

Thank you for your yes. Your yes is inspirational. I have had my own conversations with the Lord. Some of the very same things that you said you know. You don't need another series, you don't need another. You know some of the same things, but that's very just. Hearing you talk about that just makes me reflect on something I was just talking with my sister about recently, and so I appreciate you sharing that, which is further confirmation. Um, but I I do because it's sometimes it's hard to say yes, but you never know. You never know how your yes is going to influence someone else's yes absolutely.

Speaker 1 45:30

And so, and that's what I've learned, the our yes is not just for us, that's right. It's rarely for just for us, it's rare. It's really for the people and for the purpose. Because, like, like we, like we both said, we're here for a reason. From the before we even got here, god had a purpose and a plan for us, yeah, and so when we, when we say yes and submit to him, everything is going to line up, everything is going to work just the way it should, and all the people that we're supposed to impact in our sphere of influence will be impacted, and then they will go and impact others, agreed, and it's, it's the ripple in the water. That's right, you know. So, yeah, all because of a yes, all because of a yes. Well, thank you, thank you. Of a yes, well, thank you, thank you, thank you and thank you all for listening.

Speaker 1 46:32

This has been another wonderful episode of Pressing to Purpose with Edwina Thompson, and I am so glad that we were able to chat today. Me too, thank you, thank you. Today's episode is brought to you by Destiny Film and Media. Go to destinyfam1.com for all your media needs. Destiny, film and media, your destiny through film and media. Thank you.