Episode 29: Let God Define You with Michelle Medlock Adams

In this episode, Stephanie L. Jones interviews Michelle Medlock Adams about her ‘only God’ story. Michelle shares some incredible stories of God showing up and using her for His glory. From a mysterious encounter confirming God’s calling on her life, to an inexplicably crazy ticket incident with her daughter, to writing about the Hoosiers 2025 football season - after hearing this episode, you’ll be saying, “only God!”

Michelle Medlock Adams: https://michellemedlockadams.com/

Instagram: @Giving_Gal

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GivingGal 

YouTube: Shine Forward Creative

Website: https://shineforwardcreative.com/ 

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:11

Hey friends, welcome to the Only God Podcast, where we share stories only God can write. I'm your host, Stephanie L. Jones, and each episode we'll dive into powerful testimonies, have great conversations, and encouragement that remind us when the impossible happens, it's only God. Let's get started. Hey friends, it's Stephanie here with another episode of the Only God podcast. And I'm here with my uh friend Michelle Medlock Adams. Hello, friend. Hey there, thanks for having me. I'm excited. I'm excited. And um I just want to tell my audience that this might are like it might be a little bit different today looking, uh, just because I was having tackle technical difficulties. And um so we are going to plug along because we really feel like this was what I the Lord called us to do today. So uh thank you, Michelle. Um, I would love for you to start and then maybe I'll fill in the blanks of like our only God um connection and how we met.

SPEAKER_01 1:29

So what I was thinking about this, so one of my best friends in the whole world since we met at a God Connection kind of thing at writers' conference many years ago, like 10 years ago now, is Bethany Jett. And you knew Bethany before I knew, well, before you and I met. Yes, before we met. I guess we probably connected through Bethany. I was teaching at a writer's conference in Taylor University because I often am an adjunct professor there. And so they asked me to teach at a conference, and then you came up and introduced yourself to me. And I remember because I always want to want up Bethany, we like to have this funny like thing we do back and forth. I remember taking a selfie and send it to her and being like, I got to hang out with Stephanie and you didn't kind of a thing, like nanny nanny, yeah. And uh that I remember that, but I also remember um you just being that person over the years that it's just like the Holy Spirit is so in tune with you because I'll be having something going on, like kind of major that I don't really talk about. And you'll you'll text me, hey, I was just praying for you this morning. I'm like, oh my gosh, it's it's like it's just I mean, it's happened like probably five times. So I just also wanted to say thank you because you are like you've got the hookup, man. It's like every time I just it's just so it's so cool to know that God has prayer warriors for us all over and how in tune you've been concerning me. I just it has meant a lot to me over the years. I don't know if I've ever told you that, but it's always amazing to me. So thank you.

SPEAKER_00 2:52

Oh, well, thank you. It's only God, and I think like it's so cool to go back to that point in time of like sometimes I always feel like, you know, and God has connected us to do other things together and we've worked together on projects, but also I always feel like, you know, it's only God that connects us to go, Michelle's gonna be meeting a prayer warrior on this day, but it's also of us being obedient, of when the Lord lays somebody on our heart, not to just shut it down. And I know it'd be so easy to for me, I mean, just being very honest for the listener, for me to get in my head to go, oh, Michelle's this big author and she's got a big following and written, you know, sold millions of books. We can get, we can let the devil kind of get in our head and go, no, like Michelle is a sister in Christ, and I really feel like the Lord's laid her on my heart. I'm gonna reach out, I'm gonna pray for her. And we once we build up that muscle, I feel like I've built up that muscle for you now, you know. So it's like, okay, it's okay to reach out, let her know that you're doing for her. Um, so thank you for that. And then I just want to share too, like our only God connection of that day when we met, I can remember I came to you because I feel like the Lord had given me an idea for a children's book series, and I didn't know what to do with it, but I trusted your opinion and I really prayed about it. And I really was like, uh, because how many children's books have you written now? Where are you at? Do you even know?

SPEAKER_01 4:27

You know, I I total I have 128 books, and I think maybe like 80 some of those are children's. The rest are for women. So I'm in the 80s. I'm not I've I'm not exactly sure. I think somewhere around there.

SPEAKER_00 4:38

Okay, so I wanted my audience to hear that. So, you know, you've written a lot of children's books, and so I just I prayed because it was like, okay, God, if this isn't a good idea, or if this isn't, you know, like I you don't know what you don't know sometimes. You feel like, okay, maybe the Lord's laying this on my heart, maybe not. And so I just really was like, if Michelle thinks this is a bad idea, and and I knew you would give me like your honest opinion, also, like your expert honest opinion, and that's not what you did. You you said yes, this is a good idea. And I followed you, I think it was like the next year to write to publish. Yes. Um, because that's what you had recommended for me of like, hey, take my writer's course that I do at conferences just for children's books. So um I just want to share that because I think the Lord really put us together, but also it's like doing the work and um yeah, you leading on that calling. So I will stop there about another.

SPEAKER_01 5:40

And your books are wonderful. I love your children's books. So I don't have any small part in those. I would get on be like, this is so good. I fell in love with the characters, they're so great.

SPEAKER_00 5:48

So good. And Michelle has edited all of them, also. So it's been such a privilege. God has worked there. Um now I always tell, you know, my uh whoever I'm interviewing is, you know, share your only God story, uh, whatever you feel like the Lord is laying on your heart today. I know you have so many, but uh well, I'll let you share and then uh I'll hop in and ask questions.

SPEAKER_01 6:13

So I was thinking about this because I have probably three in my life that are one, you know, where there are those those earmarks, those things in your faith walk where it completely changed a course of your life. And of the three, probably this one is the one that is especially talking about my career, we talk a little bit about writing, that makes the most sense to share. So I'm gonna share about okay. I'll just I'll just start sharing it. This is this has meant so much to me. So when I was kind of early in my career, I was a writer. That's what I did. I mean, I had a journalism degree from IU at the University of Go Hoosers, right? And I um I did books for adults. I did like devotionals, things for women. That's where I felt God had me at that point in my career. And I had written a book for women, and it was called Little Lessons from a Big God. And it was a like a daily devotional kind of a thing, like 52 weeks. And I mean, it was my first like published book. It was a big deal. I was so excited. So I got asked to be on this TV program, LSC Network, and it was in northern Indiana. Drove up there with my husband, and we made like a little weekend of it. And I was on with this guy named Scott, he was a pastor from Arizona, big church in Arizona, though I didn't know it. And he had a book for dads. And so we did this fun banter back and forth about moms and dads, and you know, not you never know how interviews gonna go, but it was really, really good. It was like just perfect chemistry. That even the little small studio audience, they were laughing, it was engaging, and I thought, okay, this is going well. I mean, I was so nervous in my first TV interview since college. So I after it was over with, it came up to me and he was like, Oh my gosh, it was so fun. I'm like, I know, and I was so nervous, like that was great. And so I got a book for Jeff from him for dads, and I gave him one for his wife, for mom's, I made this whole thing. And then he said, This is what he said to me, I think my wife would love you. You're so fun. Um, and she's over the women's ministry at our church. Why don't you come and speak to our church? And I was like, Oh, um, sure. Thank you so much. He gave me his card. I had setting, I had absolutely no intention of ever contacting this man. I speaking in front of people was like, no, that's a never for me. And I would always say, My sister's the speaker, I'm not the speaker. You know, I like being behind the screen. It was way, way out of my comfort zone to do this TV interview in the beginning anyway. Um, but it was a small studio audience, and it was spelled okay. This one was so funny. In college, I was a journalism major and I had to go and to an extra summer session because I transferred from a smaller Christian university to IU. And I ended up having enough credits to have a minor in speech communication, which I hated. Every time I had to speak, I almost threw up. Like it was just stupid, but I was so driven by academics. I'm like, well, one more class. If I don't throw up, I can get a minor and I'll just do it. Like you can see how throwing these little signs, but I was too clueless to know. So we drive down to Atlanta the very next day because I'm going to the it was called back then IC areas international Christian Retail Show. And so I had a I had a book there. So this was my first book for women that I had, my first book for children, what was gonna be down there, right? So I was gonna be signing. So it was like a big weekend for me. This was like a sorry, I was like, oh my gosh, this sorry. So we drive down, and on the way down, I'm telling Jeff what Pastor Scott had said, and he and Def's my husband is this we we were hassle sweethearts, like he knows me better than anybody. And and I'm going on and on about like I would never do that. I can't believe, wow, God's just so amazing, asked asked me to do that, but I would never do that. And and I'll uh what I think I'll do is I think I'll just tell my sister about Scott and I'll connect the two of them. She'd be amazing. I'll go and be her armor bearer, I'll carry her Bible, you know, I'll go, but I'm not gonna speak. Maybe I can like do a book signing or something. And uh Def's Def's was very quiet. This is a long drive to Atlanta. And then he says, Are you sure you're supposed to do that? Maybe you're supposed to step out and and speak. And I was like, uh, stay in your lane, buddy. Like, you know, you handle your career, I'll handle mine. That is never gonna happen. And he was like, Okay, I just think you should pray about it first. Wise, wise word from my husband. Actually, this is so and so bad. I was actually mad at him for saying that. I was like, whatever, like handle your CPA career, I'll do mine. So we we had that discussion and we talked about a little bit more before we went to bed that night in the hotel room. And the next day was my signing. So I got on my signing, and I'm there's a huge line. This was kind of like such an ego thing for writers because anytime you give away free books, people get in line. They're like, oh, free book. So you know, you're you feel like this is so great. People have my book, they just want a free book. It's so exciting. Right. There's a very long line, and I'm just signing and signing and signing and signing, and um, we ran out of books, which is so great. But I noticed, definitely, in the corner of the booth, because this was at the guidepost booth. I noticed in the corner of the booth there was a woman there, and she never got in line, but she'd been there the whole time. And I thought, well, how sad that she's waited here all this time and never got a book. And so I thought maybe I'd met her at a conference or you know, maybe she was from my home camp. I didn't know, but I didn't want to snub her. So as soon as I was done, I walked over and I said to her, Hey, I noticed you didn't get in line. I am so, so sorry that you didn't get a book, but I keep a stash, like a secret stash in my garage at home. I'd be happy to mail you if you just give me your address. And, you know, like I because I thought I was looking for her name tag to see if I knew I didn't name her. And she very sternly looked in my face, kind of like like a not a normal reaction. And this was really weird. She put her hands on my face, which ew, like, I don't know those, you know what I mean? Like that was odd or yeah, together, like, ew, anyway. And so she puts her hands on my face, and I was, and but I I didn't, I didn't like jump back. I just kind of stood there. And then she said, did that's amazing. She said, Did God tell you that you're not a speaker? And I I mean, I was so I almost couldn't find words, which is you know, I'm always talking. I said, No, ma'am. And he said, She said, Well, then let God define you. Don't just say that you're not a speaker. You let God define you. And then she just walked off. I never saw this woman again. It was this angel of God. I don't know. I don't, you know, I don't know. All I know is she had no idea the conversation I'd had with Pastor Scott the day before, or the conversation where I was kind of ugly with my husband all the way down to Atlanta, or the kind of the recounting of that the night before in the hotel room, uh, that I was gonna call my sister as soon as this whole thing was over and and connect her with Pastor Scott. And it was one of those things where, okay, it's like God was like, I've been trying to get this message to you, just in case. This is the exclamation point. I want you to speak. And so I um I did call Pastor Scott and I told him I would come and I would do it afraid, basically. Just do it afraid. So I think, you know, obedience always precedes the blessing in the Bible. And that's exactly what happened. I I had no idea, Stephanie. This was like one of the biggest churches in North America. They're televised. And when we get there and it's like its own city, I mean, it the where I'm gonna be speaking, not only did I have me speak to the women's um group, then I spoke to the main church. That whole, I mean, it was there were like 15,000 people there. I mean, nothing like throwing me in the deep end of the water, Lord. Thanks so much. You know, you'd like that maybe a small buddy Bible study group to your first one. That'd be maybe a little bit better. I don't know. Throw you in the deep end, Michelle. But it changed everything because then I just said to the Lord, I mean, he helped me so much. You know, I don't even it went well. I don't even remember what I said. I know what I know what I talked about, but I remember that I told the Lord that night in a hotel room out in Arizona, I have no idea why you've opened this door. I am so afraid. I can't imagine this is something that you would call me to do since I'm so nervous about it. But if this is really you, which obviously it is, or I would not be here, then I'm gonna ask you to bless this. I'm gonna ask you to fill my mouth with your words. And if this is something you want to be a part of my life, then help me not throw up. I literally prayed, help me not to get sick in the green room because I would be really, really horrified over that. And I didn't throw up and it went really well. And you know what I found is that one of the greatest joys of my life is getting to share the gospel, not just through written word, but because your books open doors for you. I'm able to speak all over internationally, even. And it's just, I would never, I would never, if you would have told me in high school that this would be my life, I would have been like, you're crazy, and that's never gonna happen. And yet God said, not God, only God. That's he opened the door. I was kind of, I mean, he kind of took me screaming and dragged me through the door, but I did go through the door, and and it's it's completely changed my career because I had I had no intention ever of speaking in front of groups. I just thought that my role was to be behind the screen in the pages of your book. And I was totally happy with that. Didn't want to be the center of attention, hated that, didn't want to do it. I, you know, is it which is interesting because I'm a very outgoing person, but I never felt qualified to do something that important. Cheerleading, yeah, oh yeah, like I like in front of the crowd, tell me all that stuff. But to do something, handle God's word and to be in front of people and to speak to them about something that's so holy and so important to me that my whole life has been built on. I just never felt like I was worthy. And here's the thing, none of us are worthy, but God calls you and equips you, and that's what he did with me. And so every time I have another speaking engagement, I'm just like, all right, God, let's get this. I'm excited, like I'm just excited now, which is so has to be God because I still like who I am, I know who I am. I would be like, yeah, no, it's not gonna happen. So yeah, that that was one of those only God moments where I don't know if it was angelic and kind of, but I never saw that lady again, and the whole thing was weird, but it didn't feel scary because at first I was like, Do I need to call security? Like, why is this woman like stalking me? Like, why does she she didn't want to book? Like, why is she here? It was so God. So that's that's probably one of those pinnacle moments in my career that I can go, only God.

SPEAKER_00 15:44

That's one of my favorite stories. And I, you know, one of the things that I love about the story was you noticed her and you took action even then. And I feel like so many times as we do get that tugging on our hearts, kind of like I was talking about like the prayer, like the Lord will put you on my heart, and and and we see something that it's like we can talk ourselves out of the like. Did you ever think about like not going up to that woman or anything? Just because it seems so out of like, okay, everybody, it would have been easy for you to pack up and kind of go to your next thing or whatever. Like to take, I feel like that was a step of courage and obedience for you. Maybe you didn't even know it.

SPEAKER_01 16:30

I don't think I did because one-on-one, I'm pretty good with people, like you know, yeah, I always have been. Like that, I'm very personal and I and I love people. My daughter Ali says you would talk to a fence post for hours. I'm like, yes, like I just I loved, I love to hear people's stories, I love to talk with people. So one-on-one, I'm not nervous, but it was very odd. The whole situation was odd. And so, and she was a big gal. She was like six foot. She was, you know, I'm like a five, three on a good day if I poofed my hair. So I just remember her being like kind of an ominous figure in the corner. So I I I didn't, I wasn't afraid to talk to her. I was nervous, I would embarrass myself because I didn't know who she was. So that could have been a stopper for me because you know, if you don't have a name tag on her, what if I'm supposed to know this lady? What if I'd met her at a previous conference or something, or she's from my hometown, I how embarrassing I don't know who she is. Like, I was nervous, I would embarrass myself by not knowing her or her feelings. Those were things that would have stunned me. And honestly, you know, the devil will use those, he'll push those buttons to make you not step out and fake many times. I think that that's the beauty of getting older now that I'm in my 50s is I'm kind of like, I don't I they say you lose your filter and that's not a good thing, but you also lose those inhibitions to just kind of be like, you know, I'm putting myself out there. If you don't like me, I don't really care, but this is what God wants me to do. Like I just that whole being worried about what people think, I don't know when I it's not that you don't, but not like it used to kind of try to control my life. I just don't care so much anymore. I'm just um if you don't like me, I'm sorry. But or if I I'm just gonna do what God told me to do and I'm gonna love you, even if you don't love me. So I just I didn't always have that, may have been in there, but I was always so nervous I was gonna offend somebody or or embarrass myself, right? Um, yeah, I embarrass myself all the time. I just don't care as much now.

SPEAKER_00 18:17

Well, and I think too, is it is a growing of your faith. Yes. You have had so many times where you have stepped out in faith and you're like, okay, Lord, this seems crazy, or I know this is, and then you show up, and then it's like the Lord blessed that, or the Lord opened a door for you. And so I do think as we get older, it's like maybe it's not that we don't care what people think, it's like we care more about what God thinks. That's exactly it. That's perfect, yes. You know, and then it's like, okay, God's I'm gonna make a fool of myself, but God's gonna use this anyways, or whatever happened.

SPEAKER_01 18:53

So um okay, I have to tell one more thing because this is not like a cool thing, but this this just happened. We were um in New York City for Fashion Week. So Allie and I, my daughter Alison, my youngest, I have two daughters. Ali's my youngest, and she's this little influencer, she's doing great things, and I don't I love following. So amazing. I mean, she's close like bougie on a budget kind of thing. Target and Walmart and lots of different companies. Well, runway seven, which is this kind of a cool place to go in your during Fashion Week, they have lots and lots of design designer shows. And she got invited, which was a huge thing, right? Like she was like, I can't believe we're always getting invited. You know, like I didn't know what that is, but I'm so excited for you. You know, I'm her plus one. So I'm just there to like to take the pictures, do the video for her for content, and just before like we're praying before everything. And so we get in line, it's this ginormous line, like it goes around the block at Sony Hall, Sony Music Hall. And she had her little um her little it's on her phone. I guess they sent her an email, they had her confirmation number and stuff because they only invite so many and they're there's only room for so many people inside the music halls. And I had her plus one when well, I'm old school, I print everything out. She was so embarrassed, like, why don't you just put it up on your phone like every other normal person in America? I'm like, because what's my phone dies? Like I'm never, right? Like I've got a backup, yeah, backup plan. That's also being over 50. So I've got I printed out right there in my hand. I'm like, I just no one's gonna see that I've got it hidden right here in my coat. We're good. And so I had it. We get in line, and um, we've got to go to the 1230 show and then the 530 show. There were two shows. So the 1230 show. Great, amazing. We're back in line for a 530 show. Well, there's a second confirmation number, right? Like there is. There's and I didn't print that one out. Here's why I was in New York and I had a printer. I only had the 1230 show printed out. That's the only one I had. I'd have a printer. And so Allie had it up on her phone. We get back in line because we know they were teen then, right? Like we're like, we're up on this, right? And there's this big scary security guard who was kind of rude the first time, and like we're back in line. And I'm telling you, I'm like, Allie, call it up in your phone. She goes, Mom, I can't find it. I'm like, what do you mean you can't find it? She's like, I can't find it. Like, it's not on here. I'm like, I saw you. It was 5 30. I saw it on your thing. Like, I look, we get to go to this show too. And this was the one she really wanted to go to. She's like, it's not on here. I'm like, I know you have it. So some guy behind us hears us talking, and he's like, Hey, you don't have passes. And like, I'm a photojournalist. I have one like one more photo pass I could get, I could at least get your daughter in. I'm like, awesome. Like, you just do that. So I was like, Allie, you're just gonna go with him. He was such a we're we still keep him catching this guy. He's such a good friend. So anyway, we get him right, we're starting there and we're all stressed out. The guy, the big security scary guy is coming down and looking at everybody's passes to let him in, which we didn't do a team. We already have been through it. He gets to us, and he and I was I smile, he didn't smile back. I'm like, hey, we're gonna go for he's like not even smiling, not even looking at me. And and Ali, Ali starts to go through the whole thing. I can't find my thing, and he's like, You can't line then. And I, Stephanie, this is the craziest thing. I still had the little wide thing I had all day that had the 12 30 on there. When I opened it up to show him, it said 5 30. Now I know people will be like, now come on, I'm telling you, God Almighty had had to change the day, the time on there because I used. The same watered up thing earlier did 1230 show. But all of a sudden, the one thing I printed out that was watered up and embarrassing her said 530 on it. Allie and I both were like, Wait, what? And he goes, Yeah, go ahead, go ahead write right on and took us right on the line. We were both like, Oh my gosh, the even the guy behind it is so God to witness to him. So, because I got to tell him the story after the show, like, do you know what God did for us? He was like, That was crazy. So we it was just one of those things where if you weren't there, you'd be like, now, Michelle, I am telling you, that's one of those only God things we got into that show because I printed out something that said 1230, that all of a sudden now said 530. How does that even happen? I mean, I know God's printed the Red Sea and turned water, I know all those things, but for me, that was a party of the Red Sea moment because my daughter got to experience it. She's like, okay, that was God. I'm like, yeah, thank, oh my gosh. So there are those little only God moments throughout life that we just have to take time to praise him for, whether it's getting you in a passion show or changing the the course of your professional life. You just have to take time to go, man, God, you're in control this day. And whatever you've got for me, I'm in. And those kinds of things happen. And it's just, it's like he throws you a bone once in a while to remind you, hey, I'm still this sovereign God that could do really cool things.

SPEAKER_00 23:06

Well, and I love that you like I like that you shared that because, and then you shared like parting the Red Sea because we think God is so small. Like, I feel like we constantly forget how big our God is. He can do anything, He can part anything, He can open that door, He can, and it's like we're we're like here praying like this little big, and God's like, quit freaking out. Like, if I want you to be in there, I will make a way. I have before. And I don't know, that's just one thing that the Lord's really been pressing on me lately. Is like, I am so much bigger than what you can even comprehend. Like me changing a time on a piece of paper is nothing. I mean, that's exactly right.

SPEAKER_01 23:54

Like we could trust him for way bigger things, but at that moment, that was the most ginormous thing that could have happened. And I love that we were able to witness to this photojournalist. Like I said, we still keep in touch. And it's just amazing because I guess I always know God is able. But here's the thing that trips people up. We're always wondering, I know you can, but I don't know if you want to. Like I know you can, or you will for Stephanie, or you will for you know, Joyce Meyer, but I don't know if you will for me. Once you realize that God loves you like he loves Jesus, and that he not only has the capability to do so, he wants to do that for you. Then you can receive those blessings and those miracles that can happen. It's if it's not working, it's not because God's not working, it's because you're not receiving. And so it's like it's just being so open and having that that faith to be like, I know God, if you want this to happen, you can make a way where there seems to be no way, just like that song says. And he did. So I just I he we just are such a cool, amazing guy. I just I love it when he kind of shows off a little bit like that.

SPEAKER_00 24:52

Yeah, it's like that reminder of not only for you and for your daughter, but then like you said, like the what yeah, the stranger. And he's like, I need to get to this guy, which it reminds me, you just said something. Um, and it reminded me of, and hopefully this won't embarrass you because I feel like it was an only God thing where we were like, Okay, God, you're in control. We don't have to control the situation, is when I invited you to speak to my conference last year. And um so maybe tell say a little bit about like you said yes, and then what happened and what you were feeling because I I just want to tear up even thinking about everything that God did. I'll comment on one thing, but I want you to kind of start it and then I will I'll kind of go from there. I was totally excited when you asked me.

SPEAKER_01 25:45

I was like, yes, I'm so I'm so in this. Like I just couldn't wait to do it because I love you and I love what you were doing and I love the theme, the whole thing. I was like, Yes, I'm in. So I also, as I said earlier, I'm an adjunct professor at Taylor. And I don't I do it like every other semester, it seems like that's kind of how it's been over the years. And so we they choose the dates. It's a Saturday, and I go four Saturdays in the semester, and I go from like 8 30 to like 4 30 or 5, depending on the day for four Saturdays. That's how the kids get full credit for a semester of of writing for children, so writing for children course that I teach just for college kids at Taylor. Oh my gosh. So the dates have been selected that like even before you asked me. Like they do it, so because they had to put it in the itinerary and they send all that out. Well, I didn't have any, I didn't ever accept any other speaking engagements. I just had those in my calendar. It was the same day as your conference, which I was like, even when I figured out I was like, it's not a problem. See, I I'll I'll do the I usually do the final on that day. I can probably get out there early enough. And if if nothing else happens, I can I can get to your conference. Like as long as everything and the stars align, I'll just have to drive like a maniac, but I can make it. And that's what I remember. I called me, I was like, I cannot believe what an unprofessional. It was in my planner, I'd been in there for years. I mean, like literally like a year ahead, they planned these things. I'm like, I did not even see that because I knew I hadn't expected anything else for that for that for that month. Um, yeah. So then that's when I called you with fear interpretation. I'm like, don't hate me. I'm gonna do my best to get there. I'm just gonna try really hard. Like, I think I can make it. Maybe you can put me later in the program, and then you can take it from there.

SPEAKER_00 27:20

Yeah. So I would have said, like, old Stephanie, you know, we were talking earlier about how God grows our faith and how it's like the more things we go through. And I would feel like old Stephanie would have freaked out because it was pretty close. Like it was, I mean, probably within weeks to you know, this conference and everything. And it was just like I felt a calm piece, and it was like, it's okay. The Lord has somebody else, the Lord has somebody else. I don't know who it is, but the Lord has somebody else. And it was like, Michelle, it's okay. And I think I remember even, I mean, I can remember you texting me, being like, okay, I can try to get here if I leave it this time. And I was just like, I felt like God even saying, like, no, like it, this is a no, she is not supposed to be here. And it was like, okay, Lord. And then I even reached out to somebody else, um, and they said they could come. And then it was like their pride, I don't know, it's just like, no, and I just kept praying. And then the Lord laid our mutual friend, Whitney Ward, on my heart, and she, and what's crazy about that is like looking back, she should have been one of my first thoughts. Like, you were one of my first thoughts, but it was like, no, she wasn't, and then it was like the Lord surfaced her. I reached out, she was available, she's like, I can do it. And then she comes that weekend, and I can't even remember if I told you this, is like she ends up bringing her mom, right? And then we find out like her mom, it's like a weekend for her because it was all about rest and renewal. And she had spent, you know, all these years of just caring for Whitney. Yeah, I don't know, it was just like this. I got to see it unfold. And even afterwards, like Whitney's mom wrote me this letter, and it was like, but God, this is what it looks like when we just trust when somebody steps out instead of freaking out and trying to control it, and we can make this work, we can make this work. Lord says, No, wait, I already knew this was gonna happen. I have already walked ahead, and I just felt like maybe God blinded or took it off your schedule for you to say then almost like, are you girls gonna trust me or are you not? Yes, yeah. I think we could easily, you and I, the way our personalities are, we would have made it work.

SPEAKER_01 29:53

Oh, yeah. Like I was I was gonna break all speed laws, and I would just go pray the whole way there and pray there was good weather and just get there. Even I mean, it was gonna be insanity, but I was like, I can make this happen. I've gonna I can get the crazier things. Um, but yeah, but isn't that great? And even Whitney had reached out to me and said, Thank you for not coming. I was like, Okay. She was basically like, like that was such an ordained thing for both of them for for her and speaking and what God's doing in her ministry, and also for her mom. It was just, and I I've known Whitney, she was she's an Asbarian, right? Yes, so I'm Asbury too. That's where I transferred to IU from. We have these connections. And when I when Del Didway first introduced me to Whitney, um, he's like, Yeah, she loves you because you're an Asbury person. I'm like, What? So it, I mean, I've we've I've always kind of like felt like she, I was like a little motherhinder a little bit because I was like, I'm not an Asbury girl, and just then she wanted to write, and then I I've been able to mentor her a little bit, like she's with her books, and I'm just saying, like, for me, the fact that that all worked out for them was like just a double blessing for me. I was like, what could have been a really bad thing? Yeah, a really awful black mark turned out to be a great thing. So I'm just so grateful for God and his and his wisdom and in and in your graciousness. You could have been ugly about it. You were so kind. I mean, the whole thing was just God and and and it and it was exactly as it should have been. It was exactly as it should have been. So you're right, sometimes we just have to get out of the way to stay out of the way, God, and and that it, I don't think you you get them. Like even being older, like that's still one of those things. So I'm like, let me help you. I was like, I don't, I don't really need your help. I've actually got this, Michelle. Let me help you. Yeah, I know.

SPEAKER_00 31:39

You stay where you're at, yes. I think you and I even talked about like what a beautiful opportunity because I feel like the Lord's really put like college-age women on my heart and to be ministering to them. And it's like, oh, if I could have learned this when I was your age, like, oh, kind of like you said, is like on the speaking and everything. It's like, okay, Lord, I've now figured this out. Um, pivoting a bit, you mentioned miracles, and I I haven't talked to you about this, so I am excited. You are writing a book about the IU football team, uh, national championship, uh, IU football team. So I would love for you, if you want to share a little bit about like that. I feel like that's an only God story, how you got to do that, what you're working on, and whatever you want to share.

SPEAKER_01 32:33

Thank you. Yes, so I, of course, I've been an IU fan since I was born. My parents always had tickets for all the games, you know. Um, even and mostly basketball because we were a basketball school, right? Like I said, that's what I always liked.

SPEAKER_00 32:45

I was saying I was a basketball fan since I was a kid and didn't even care about football until I married my husband. And then I was like, I'm a Michigan fan because I use football.

SPEAKER_01 32:55

It was always no good. I know. We were the losingest college football program in America. Like, try like have be excited about that. Like, literally, in when I was in college at IU, we you get student tickets for both the basketball and football games. We didn't even use our football lines, like we all were all fighting over the ones for for students for basketball. For the football, we just tailgate the whole time. We just stayed out in the parking lot, listen to good John Mellancan music back then. He was Johnny Cooper. And we would just like, you know, we would just grill things. Like that's what we did. No, we didn't because nobody wanted to go in and see you beat time and time again. Right. So no one goes, I you, oh yeah, football school. Never baseball, yes, soccer, yeah. Basketball, absolutely football. It's always been sad, embarrassing, terrible. And I hated that. Like we've had some bright lights throughout, but never a very bright light. They never consistent light, ever. So this, the last couple of years have just been so exciting to see. And Coach Sig is just amazing. Of course, I've been into it. Of course, I've been just like loving every minute. But I had written a book with with Del Didway, actually, called Um The Heart of the Hoosier. I'm looking at it. And it's a book about all these amazing basketball moments throughout IU history, which we could write 25 volumes on that. Right, exactly. And I thought when we did that, we were like, maybe we should do football with him. Then he laughed because he's an Ohio State man. I'm like, shut up, shut y up, Edel. Like he just was mocking me, right? And so uh we laughed about that then. So that book did well. And we did we enjoyed writing that together. And I did it with him because he's a sports writer, I'm a sports writer. I actually brought him into the business. He reached out through LinkedIn and he was like, I'm a sports writer, I want to do some inspirational writing. Can we talk? And I was like, I mean, I guess I got on a Zoom call, told him all the things I tell people who want to get into business, made him go to a conference like I did. You go to this conference, I'll reach out with people. And and so, you know, 30 books later, I think he's got like a million devotionals on sports. Um, we're still, you know, we're friends. Okay, so when I you won the national championship, I mean, oh my gosh, I couldn't believe it. Every the whole season was just filled with all these miracles, like all these, and and our Fernando Mendoza is one of the greatest. He's used this platform for God, Charlie Becker, too, just always talking about giving glory to God and gratitude for and for being on this platform and that they wouldn't be there without God. Like it's always God, every interview they start like that, every single one. Yes, there are others too, but those two especially. I just loved it. And I kept telling my sister, who's my like my prayer warrior, my older sister kept going, This this story's writing itself. It's like a Cinderella story, it's writing itself. And she said, You need to write the book. I'm like, I know. So um, anyway, I as soon as it was over, God dropped the title in my heart. Like I knew, like the minute the confetti is falling, God's like, Yeah, you're doing this book, and here's the title. I'm not kidding. It was like that. I was like, I believe it. I believe it with you. I'm like, okay, I got it. So it's it's faith in football, 30 devotions from IU storybook season. That's it. It's coming out through abundance books. It'll be out this fall, which is why I'm on this crazy deadline because in order to get out by football season. Um, I'm not sleeping or showering much.

SPEAKER_00 35:52

It's just like I'm so grateful you said yes because I thought, I don't know if she's gonna say yes, but I'm gonna throw it out there a little bit.

SPEAKER_01 36:00

Listen, it's so fun. I'm so glad to relive how cool God is. So this is cool to do. But yeah, I'm in the middle of a crazy deadline. It has been so much fun. I just recently got permission from my publisher to ask um other IU fans if they would like to contribute their stories because there's so many stories, people taking their 85-year-old mom to games, and you know, somebody who's been an IU fan since they were born, who's now like 100 finally got to see IU international championship. Like it's there's and people are loving it. So it's one of those things that this year had so many high moments, just amazing. I'm I'm thrilled to be a part of it. So yeah, this book is even though it's the deadline is not fun. This book is the most fun book ever to write. It's not like for kids, it's for adults, but I'm telling you, a lot of little middle school boys are gonna like this too.

SPEAKER_00 36:44

So oh yeah, and are you getting right? Are you getting to interview any of the players or what I haven't even because of the tight deadline?

SPEAKER_01 36:51

Yeah, I just I didn't even try. I might be able to get endorsement from somebody. I'm working on that, but um, I'm really just what I'm doing is exactly what I did with the the Heart of a Hoosier book that was from the IU basketball team, taking amazing moments from this season that are already like the devotions are already there. Like, come on. But that's like everybody wrote it, you just need to put it on paper. It's just like anybody could do this book. I'm so glad God chose me. I mean, to think about it. Look, what about what about just the final game? So many crazy things that happened. So yeah, um, I'm just thrilled to be part of it.

SPEAKER_00 37:23

Well, I I wanted you to share that. Thank you. Because I wanted to hear, and I was, it's so interesting because probably about mid-season, I thought there's a book, and Michelle's probably gonna do something with it. Like, I just but on it, I don't want to say I didn't want to jinx it because I don't believe in that. But it was like, I didn't want to reach out or say, you know how it is, it's like, okay, let's just if you're scorched fans, you're like, we're just gonna let this go and let it ride.

SPEAKER_01 37:52

But several people throughout this season, like when I would make a post about IU, because I always had something to say after the game, because I can't help myself because I'm excited. I'm like a 50 million cream and creeps in groups, like I just am cream creeps in go IU groups, and they would say, This is a great, you need to write this book. I mean, I probably had 15 people say that. I was like, the thing is, is I wasn't sure. I didn't I didn't think IU press would do it because I wanted to put the faith aspect in, right? Right. And it's a that's a collegiate university press, and they couldn't they couldn't say yes to that. We had to be very careful about heart of Hoosier. Like it was like a devotional without the prayer and scripture. I wanted to pray in scripture in this one because it's such a faith story. And um, and I didn't do proposal, you know, in publishing always had a proposal with a couple samples and all that. I literally wrote an email to abundance books and said, This is what I want to do, this is why I want to do it. Will you do it with me? And they were like, We'll send you a contract. That never happens, you know that.

SPEAKER_00 38:43

Oh my god. Oh my god. What people don't know is if you're not in the industry, like even that, let's say that got through, it's like six months to a year of people looking through it at doing this, going to that is only God of like, no, this is like sent the email Wednesday morning.

SPEAKER_01 39:07

I get the email. Yeah, we're in. Amazing. You just yeah, it's yeah, God is amazing. So you only come in.

SPEAKER_00 39:15

Well, on that end, um, I just want to say, is there anything else that we didn't talk about or anything that you would like to share before we wrap up?

SPEAKER_01 39:24

I think just to leave your listeners with, just to know that God is no respecter of persons, he's only a respecter of faith. So if you believe big, he will do big. I my favorite passage, I have several, but I love Ephesians 3, 14 through 21. And if you'll read that, and I like the passion translation actually, but it basically says he's gonna accomplish more than your greatest desires, your biggest imaginations. I mean, I have some big requests, some great imaginations, and some pretty lofty dreams. And God's gonna outdo them all. That's what the scripture said. I didn't make that up. Are you kidding me? And you know what? He has, he has, he continues to surprise me. So that only God, I love the theme of your podcast. Only God is so true. And there's little only God moments and big only God moments. Be on the lookout for all of them and give him praise every time.

SPEAKER_00 40:11

I love that. Well, thank you so much, Michelle. Uh, I've enjoyed our friendship and our conversation today on the Only God Podcast, sharing stories only God could write. Hey friends, thank you for joining me today on the Only God Podcast. I hope today's story encouraged your faith and reminded you that God is still writing our stories each and every day. If you were inspired by this episode, please share, subscribe, and tell a friend. And to stay connected with me and find out about all my books and resources and events, go to shineforwardcreative.com. Have a fabulous day.