Blessings in Disguise: When God’s Plan Doesn’t Look Like What You Expected

This week, I’m joined by Whitney as we unpack the reality of blessings in disguise—the kind that don’t feel like blessings when you’re in them.

We talk about the seasons that feel confusing, uncomfortable, and even heavy… and how those are often the exact moments God is doing His deepest work in us. From releasing control and redefining identity, to learning how to trust God when nothing looks the way you expected—this conversation is raw, honest, and faith-filled.

If you’ve ever questioned a season you were in or wondered how something hard could actually be working for you, this episode will shift your perspective.

Because sometimes what feels like a setback… is actually God setting you up for something greater.

If you’d like to connect with Whitney, join her community, or explore working together, you can find her on social media. Links are here:

IG: @OpswithWhit

Website: www.justwhit.com

Community: https://msha.ke/themillennialpm/

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:00

Computer.

SPEAKER_00 0:02

Hey friends, welcome back to Holy Not Harmless. This is a podcast for bold faith and real conversations. Okay. This is your call to rise, right? To stop playing small, stop numbing out, and stop putting off what God has already placed on your heart. We talk about the real stuff here, the stretching, the resistance, and the moments where your obedience is going to cost you your comfort. Okay. Because stepping into alignment is not cute. It's not easy, right? But it's powerful, it's freeing, and it's how you become the woman you know you were called to be. So if you're here, you're in the right place. If you want to grow and you want to grow for God, I am so excited to be here with you guys on yet another episode. I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter weekend with their family. And um, this is going to be a very exciting episode for you guys because I have invited a really good friend of mine. Her name is Whitney McCoy, and she is going to be joining me today for the topic. But first, I just want to introduce her. She's a mom, she is a woman of business, and she has her another podcast as well. And she is a woman of Christ, of course, right? And so she's going to be joining me and talking about our topic. But first, I just want to let her come in and just introduce herself. Winnie, if you would please bless us with your presence and share a little bit about who you are, what you do, and what brings you here today.

SPEAKER_01 1:35

First of all, Alicia, thank you for having me on the podcast. I know we were on a call um about was it about a month ago, maybe? Time is moving so far. I think it was two. Was it two? Oh my gosh, that's ridiculous. Oh my gosh. Whoo, time is moving fast. So um, yeah, I think that's where we went ahead and was like, yeah, we got we gotta get together, we gotta get together. So thank you for having me on the podcast. Um, thank you for your patience. Okay. Um, so as she said, I am Whitney, and I don't even know where to start, but I'm gonna keep it short and sweet because I can go on and on. But um, most people call me Wit. Um, so I'm a business clarity coach, and what I do is I specialize in something new. I specialize in service operations and project management for entrepreneurs. Um, I have over 10 years, which I didn't even realize it was over 10 years of project management experience in the corporate world, working in spaces like legal, healthcare, telecommunications, uh technology. I'm sure I'm leaving some out. Um, did I say credit unions? Um, um from like marketing, um, a marketing project manager, just all the things. So I have a ton of experience, and also I have two Christian communities. Okay. I know that sounds like a lot, and it is, but trust me, just listen, the Lord does things, okay? And so um, the mommy franchise is my first baby, and the Lord gifted me that community back in, I want to say, was it 2021 maybe or 2022? I'm not even sure. Um, we started off as a book club. We were supposed to read the coldest winter ever, and the Lord turned that around, okay? And we read the Bible. So that's one community the Lord has called me to hire, and now I have the courageous Christian homegirl community, and that is for all Christian women. Um, I knew he was gonna expand my territory, I just wasn't sure of when. I didn't expect it to be so soon, but he did. Um, so and all of this is housed under my main brand, which is me, which is just wit. Okay. I know it's a lot. I know you're probably like, girl, how you do all this stuff? But listen, I'm not a project manager for no reason, okay? Um I'm just saying, so yes, I'm a mom, I am a wife, I'm a stepmom too. So I have a five-year-old, we have a 16-year-old. This house is chaotic. That's all I can say. A teenager and a five-year-old is crazy. Um, and yeah, and I'm I'm a lover of fitness and travel. So that was my short but sweet introduction. Oh, and I do have a podcast. So listen, so I actually, this is actually my third podcast that I have. So the first podcast was um, it's actually called Just for Moms, which I no longer produce. Um, it's called Just for Moms, and it literally was a podcast just for moms and talking about um just my mom experience as a Christian woman and just all the things. So it was just for moms, because I feel like as moms, sometimes we don't have a space. And then I also have the millennial project manager, which eh, I really didn't know what to do with that. So those two are kind of shelved, but most recently I went ahead and launched um conversations with the courageous Christian Home Girl, which is doing phenomenal. Like I am loving it, okay. But that's probably because I have a podcast coach now, so it's like I'm actually learning things um instead of just winging it. So yeah, that's me in a nutshell.

SPEAKER_00 5:21

Wow, girl, thank you so much. And honestly, yes, I have listened to Whitney's podcast. It is amazing. And I'm gonna drop all of her information in the show notes for you guys so you guys can connect, maybe one day work with her, whatever. This is the point of me bringing on different women on this podcast and platform so that we can really lift each other up and spread out our gifts to the world. Like Whitney said, she is a isn't a project manager for no reason, right? That's what God designed her to do, right? He meant designed her to steward and manage, and she's doing that, and that's the all that's how she's able to do all these things. And so it just shows you what's possible. It doesn't have to be in a way of burning out, like you can do a lot of things through Christ without burning out when you are working in alignment with his plan and with your gifts, right? It doesn't have to be super crazy. She's and I know you can't see her, but she's glowing, she's smiling, you know, she's no, there's no burnout insight. Okay. And so I thank you so much for sharing that. I think you have so much to give, and I'm super excited just to hear your side of this because you know, just a couple weeks ago, we were coming together for our little virtual chat, and we're like, what are we gonna talk about? And the way that this comment, this um topic came to us was like so crazy. It just was like we were talking about other stuff, and then Whitney started telling me a story, and then I was like, That's it, that's it. Like it was the it's the perfect podcast theme, you know, and it's really for every woman because I know we all have those moments when we're just we've been praying, right? We want clarity, we want that breakthrough, like so bad, or the just God's give us that next step. And then sometimes, a lot of times, I feel like as I'm growing more and more and becoming more aware and closer to God, I realize probably a lot of times it shows up, but it's not what I pictured, so I can't even recognize it, or I don't fully appreciate it, or it's not what I pictured, so I don't even know that it's really a blessing, so I don't even give it a chance to bless me. Is that right to anybody? Yeah, that's that's good.

SPEAKER_02 7:31

That's good.

SPEAKER_00 7:32

Yeah, sometimes it's like inconvenient, it's cause you to be uncomfortable, right? You don't, you don't want it like when you ask for patience from God, you know, you're gonna get tested. You know, it's not always He's just gonna hand you some patience in your heart, okay? It stretches you more than it reassures you, and you know, now you kind of get stuck in this tension of, is this really God or is this not what I asked for? Okay. Some of us are waiting on God and we're hesitating on what he's already given, given us because it just didn't come packaged the way that we expected. And I love this verse um from 1 Corinthians 1 27, and it says, God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise. God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong, right? And what he means by that, when he was chose, he was intentional, uh, he was selecting foolish things. So what he means by that is like things that look logical, things that look unqualified or insufficient. You know, it could be a bank account, it could be your skill set, it can be where you're the the environment that you're in, right? The opportunity that just doesn't make sense, or that path that just feels a little beneath you, like you, you know, I've I've done too much. I'm not going, I'm not going back there. I'm not going more than McDonald's.

SPEAKER_01 8:52

No, for real.

SPEAKER_00 8:53

And the beginning, you know, that it just looks too small, right? Maybe it's calling you to start over. And he said he's gonna intentionally use those things to shame the wise, right? Because he wants to dismantle our human pride and our self-reliance, right? Because that's when we start relying on our flesh and we start getting into that hustle mentality of we gotta make this happen. And we are on our way to burnout and all the things that God doesn't want for us, right? He's gonna bypass what looks impressive, impressive to elevate, you know, what's gonna require your dependence on him. And he'll often answer your prayers in a way that forces you to rely on him, not your comfort or your own credentials or your own control. And so we got to keep that close to our heart and and on our minds when you're going through times like this, right? And um, Whitney, I want to invite you in and to just share some of yours, like what's your what's the number one like a verse or maybe a story um that comes from scripture that really reminds you of this principle?

SPEAKER_01 10:04

Um, so I actually would like to tell you a story. Okay. Well, you've heard the story. I love it. But before before we get into the story, um, it was funny because I was thinking about um how I asked for patience, right? And every time I ask for patience, I'm like, gosh dang it. Like, and here comes that five-year-old. I'm trying to tell you. And on Tuesday, like I I was just like, I asked for patience, and every bone nerve in my body, oh, I did not pass the test, okay? But I will say the enemy thought he had me because I actually had to teach Bible study on Tuesday. Tuesday was very chaotic. Okay, and I'm like, the enemy thought he had me because he was like, Oh, she's stressed out, she not gonna want to teach. I had already rescheduled Bible study because I was a part of a summit, and so it was kind of one of those things, and I was like, Lord, just help me, right? I thought Bible study was at seven, it was actually at six. Luckily, I looked like in my mind, but I had been telling everybody six, but in my mind it was just seven o'clock. And so I had taken a nap because my day was chaotic. So I got up and I think it was like five, five o'clock, and I was like, okay, I got time. And and think, love the Holy Spirit because I was like, let me check something. I told my husband, I said, Bible study is at six. He was like, Oh wow. He was like, I really have to take the little one with me, you know. And I was like, Yeah, and so I was like, I need to do better. So on Bible study, I was just very transparent, like I did not exhibit the fruit of the spirit, you know. And the crazy thing is the enemy thinks he can like hold you down or whatever. After that, um, one of my friends actually texted me and was like, girl, I'm experiencing what you're experiencing, and it just lets people know like you're not alone, but the enemy was gonna try to eat me up with that, you know. But the enemy didn't. So today we had to do the same exact thing that we did on Tuesday, and my child started off. And instead of me getting frustrated and yelling, you know what I began to do? I began to pray. He didn't want to brush his teeth, I began to pray, I began to speak in tongues. Okay, my head was on that little boy's head, and I told the Lord, I said, You have to come through. I was like, You said if I have the faith of a mustard seed, I was like, I have faith that this boy is going to brush his teeth. We are going to get through this day, this doctor's appointment. I was like, and I am going to tell the world, and I am. I'm gonna get on YouTube and I'm gonna tell the world how I prayed over my child instead of yelling at him, fussing and fighting with him to brush his teeth. And he brushed his teeth, okay? And he brought and he wanted to do it, so I let him do it. I mean, I was just like, Thank you, Lord, because Tuesday was a hot mess, and I was like, I can't, I can't do that again. So it's like when we talk about prayer and when we talk about asking God for things, this is what the blessings look like. My kid is a special needs kid, okay? And a lot of times it's very tough in the mornings, afternoons, evenings, don't matter what day. But it's like when I ask the Lord for patience, He gave me Liam. He gave me He gave me Liam, but that's okay because I am learning, yeah, you know, and I'm like constantly praying, Lord, keep me, keep us, keep me in the right headspace. So I wanted to, because I said I was gonna tell the world, so y'all are hearing it as well, okay. Um, but the real story that I want to get into, okay. Uh last year I had actually been, well, I'm always praying for this, but I really last year I was really praying. Like I felt like I was drowning, like financially, and you know, I'm like, Lord, like I need a break. I was like, we need a break. Like it's it's like every time I got paid, you might as well have said I didn't get paid. Or it was just it was constantly just some things or something going on, and I'm like, I need a break. I need a break. I'm like, Lord, I need provision. I need, you know. So I want to say it was in October. Um I feel like was it October? I feel like I it wasn't the summertime, I will tell you that. Um, let's just say Q4, because I can't remember, child. So Q4. Look, listen, I'm gonna give you a quarter though. I can tell you the quarter. I might not be able to tell you the month and a day, but I can tell you the quarter. Um, and I only know that because I had to get my kid dressed, okay? That's only he, I think he had on a coat. So Q4 2025. Um, I'm washing dishes, I'm getting ready to, and as a matter of fact, I was doing a 90-day fast, okay? A 90-day fast where I couldn't eat, I think after six o'clock, and we couldn't have any sweets, and then we had three 24-hour water fasts during that time.

SPEAKER_02 15:48

Wow.

SPEAKER_01 15:49

So I was fasting and I'm washing dishes because I'm getting ready to make me a sandwich or something. Like, I don't know, I was getting ready to make me some food, right? And because I'm and it was like five-ish, like around that time. And so I get a phone call from my stepdaughter, and I'm like, okay, why is she calling me? Like, she'll never be calling, she'll text, you know, but you know, teenagers, they just she'll text. And so she's calling. So I'm like, hey, and so she's like, We just got into a car accident. So I immediately freeze, and I'm like, okay. I'm like, are you okay? So she's like, Yeah. And so when she said that, I said, Oh my God. I said, Why is she calling me and not her dad? So I said, Is your dad okay? She said, Yes. Instant relief comes over me because I'm like, if she's calling me and not her dad, where is he? What is going on? So I said, Okay, where are you? So she's like, I don't know. And so she dropped her location to me. Thank God for iPhones. She dropped her location to me. And um, she said, I don't know where we're at. So I'm like, I'm trying to calm her down. And so I'm like, well, do you know what happened? And so she's like, Well, no, I think he was tired, he probably fell asleep now. My husband is so prideful, yeah. And I be looking at him like, you know, you sleepy, you know what I'm saying? He's like, I ain't sleepy. Like this man could be sitting up on the couch. I'm like, I wasn't asleep. I recorded him one day. I'm like, you were snoring, sir.

SPEAKER_00 17:28

Like, you're not gonna give me this time.

SPEAKER_01 17:31

Like, yeah, he was like, Well, I don't know, I didn't realize I was asleep. So that's the first thing. So I'm like, okay, Liam, we have to go and get sissy, you know. So he's like, why? Because he's like fully comfortable, you know. He like, Wow, I'm watching cartoons. So I'm trying not to panic because she, I don't want my stepdaughter to hear the panic in my voice because I don't know what I'm like driving up to, first of all. So when she sent me her location, they were less than um less, like maybe like 10, 10 minutes from the house, or fairly close, yeah um, to the house or whatever. So I got there, I saw them, and it was dark outside. So that's how I'm like, it was this was Q4 because it was dark outside. Um, and so I pull up, and so my husband didn't know I was coming. So he sees me and he's like, hey, and he's like, Oh, you know, I'm not gonna say her name because oh, you know, your stepdaughter must have called you. And so I was like, Yeah. And so he's like, I didn't even know. So I'm like, well, what's going on, you know? And I'm looking at the truck and I'm like, don't look bad, you know. So I'm like asking him what happened. So he begins to tell me, like, there was a car, so he was the third car. Yeah. There was a car in the front that I guess like I can't remember if they stopped or they like made a turn, like, you know, really quickly. And the car in the middle stopped, but didn't go. Like once the car made the turn, like it just like the guy just stopped. And so my husband saw, like, you know, saw that he, it was kind of like one of those, like it was very abrupt, like quickly. Yeah. So my husband tried to turn off, um, which caused him to have damage on the driver's side, because there was no damage on the passenger side, because like yeah, he he turned off, but he didn't turn off like soon enough. Thank God he did turn off because if he didn't, it probably would have been worse. Like the car was like, or the truck was drivable. And so, um, so yeah, so he turned off and I, you know, spoke to the guy, whatever, like, hey, how you doing? You know, blah, blah, blah, and talking to the police and um all the things. And so they were like, Yeah, the car is drivable. Um, he was like, I could drive, excuse me, I can drive, but because the airbags were deployed, cannot drive. Yes. So I'm not gonna get into the other part of the story. Um, because I don't, I don't, I'm gonna just stop right there and okay for legal reasons.

unknown 20:10

Right there.

SPEAKER_01 20:11

But I said I like to say, um, the car made it to the front of our home. And I was like, I called my mom and told her what happened or whatever. And she's like, they're gonna total the car out. And so I was like, I hope not. We're both like, we hope not, because it's drivable, you know. So um, in case y'all wondering, yes, they totaled the car out. So I remember, again, I told y'all financially, it was like a lot going on. So I pay, I paid the car note. Um, because my car is paid off, but his isn't. Well, now it is, but I was paying his car note. And so I was like, oh my God. I was like, I have to pay your car note late this month. He had gap insurance, and so all I could think about was if I pay the car note late, that means that he potentially didn't have the gap insurance. So I said, Lord have mercy. His car was gonna be paid off in like two or three years. So I'm like, I think two years, as a matter of fact. So I'm like, we're gonna have to pay a car note, and we're not gonna have a car. This is what I'm thinking. And so, like, peace fell over me and I said, babe, he said what? I said, I didn't give you the money for the car note, like we had to wait. And so he was like, Oh, I paid it. What? I said you paid it. He was like, Yeah, whenever you tell me you have to pay it later, I always pay it. He was like, I just take the money back. We can give it to me, which is like a couple days. Yeah. I said you paid it. I said, like, I Could have fail. Yes. Like you paid it. Like, I was like, okay. I said, so you paid the car, nope. So he said, yeah. And he was like, um, he was like, so don't worry about it, like the gap insurance or whatever, whatever. So I said, okay. Um, so we have a paid-off car. And he said, Well, I told him, I said, well, let's not worry about getting another car right now. I said, Because we both work from home right now. The kid, the little kid takes the bus. The big kid just have to drive for the school. Like, and it was a blessing that Liam got on the bus because we didn't sign him up for the bus. The school year started, and they were just like, He's on the bus. So I was like, okay, like, sure. Not even knowing this is how God sets things up. Wow. Not even knowing that we were gonna need him on the bus because this thing was happening. Okay. So cars paid off. Um to date, right now, we're still using one car, and he, you know, I had to talk him out of it a little bit. And this is the thing. I prayed and asked for financial relief. Yes. I prayed and asked for God to take the pressure off. I was like, we're drowning. Yeah. Not drowning to the point of like something bad is gonna happen, but it's stressful when payday comes around. Cause I'm like, I know what I have to do, right? And so I laughed and he even told me, like, you're just so calm about this. I said, Because I pray for this. And he like looks at me kind of crazy, like, you pray for me to have a car accident, like, like, no, because here's the thing people like when I I tell my mom and everything, and they're like, Oh my gosh, is everybody okay? And I said, Yeah, God didn't, he, he, the car is not okay. My family walked away from that. Yeah, you know, what what is the scripture? The weapons may form, but they will not prosper. Yes, like it could have been worse, it wasn't his fault. Yeah, like all of the things, but it's like I prayed for this, and so he's just like looking at me like, girl, like is you cool? Like, I'm like, yeah, because oftentimes when we pray for some things, that blessing doesn't look like what you thought. Yeah, we've had financial, um, at least me. I've been able to sleep at night. Not that I wasn't, but you know what I'm saying? Like it's not as stressful. But something actually happened the other day. This is how I knew when he talked about this. The other day, he I think I was out, and um, like I call him like I do all the time on the way home. You need anything? He's like, no, he's like, um, but guess what? So I'm like, what? He said, I got a check in the mail. I said, what? He said, for overpayment on the car. I said, overpayment? He said, yeah. So he had so he had like a little bit of a balance and he didn't want to go through gap because it was so small that he was like, I'm gonna just pay it. Um, I said, okay, cool. So I told him, I'm like, you got that insurance, you pay. He's like, no, I'm gonna just pay it again. He just was like, I just I'm just gonna pay it. And God returned that money right to him. God returned that money when I tell you, Wow, I'm like, what? But I'm like, God, what are you doing? And that same day, my mom, my mom also got a financial blessing. Wow. For almost the exact same amount of money. Whoa. When we pray for things, sometimes the blessing does not look like what we think. For some reason, even when we, you know, pray and like God speak to me. We think it's like a big voice, you know, boom, like uh. And it's rarely that, right? So that is just one instance of how God provided, how he blessed, and we didn't expect to not have a car. It's been a blessing to me because he fills up the gas tank. Okay, I don't know if you know gas prices are high. He fills up the gas tank, and you know, it's like it's such a blessing. I had not gone, like I was going to the gas station, you know. Yeah, we gotta like shuffle and do some things, but my mom is very close. So, in the event that we need, you know, something we can, you know, rely on her for the most part. But I'm like, okay, it's it's been a while and I'm not pressed. And he's like, Well, is it your car? I said, No, it's this is our car. I was and I got it like the bedazzled steering wheel. So I know he feels a type of way, but I'm like, take it off if you want to. And yes, my my truck is much smaller. Um, so I have a um RDX, like an accurate RDX RDX. He had a pilot, so size-wise, you know. But hey, we rocking and rolling in it, you know what I'm saying? I'm like, I'm just like, wow. I mean, when you ask God for something, I'm even I'm gonna let you chime in because something else happened um in January, and it didn't look like what we thought it was going to be. But this is why obedience is so important.

SPEAKER_00 27:50

So if you want to, if you want to chime in, I just want to wow, thank you for sharing that. And you know, one thing that I noticed about you is that we can all learn is like that you're very honest with God, you know, and you don't mind confessing if it's a hard time, what you need and what you know he can provide. Like when you said, I need, I know you can do this, you said that is the type of language that helps us move forward. Just like in the Bible, it says, you know, the the difference between life and death is in the power of the tongue. That is what God means when we are speaking power over our our life. Whitney could have said so many different things in that moment that wouldn't have really served her and wouldn't have heaven doesn't respond to victim language, it just doesn't, right? You gotta understand God is holy, you know, He is He is the Alpha, He is the Omega, He is not going to respond to you talking bad about yourself, about His own creation, right? About what He already told you that you are or that you are not. So I love that you are able to be like that. And I would love if you can just share like it, maybe how were you always like that? Did something um happen in your life, or is there something that you do to just be so so strong in that, you know?

SPEAKER_01 29:19

Child, no, I was not always like, and I was telling him that I was like maybe even six six months before this happened, or even a year ago, I would have been in a full panic, okay? Fully panicked, but I don't, it's no coincidence that I was fasting, it's no coincidence that I was just in this season, um, and I've been getting closer to the Lord and learning to obey quickly and learning to lean on him and to trust him. Um, no, I just I I wasn't, I'm gonna be honest. And I mean, some days are harder than the other because I'm telling you, this little five-year-old child, I'm like, Lord, like I'm not asking for patience anymore. I'm not at all. Can we just have asked for patience? I just I'm trying to figure it out. I I tell God, hey, we we we co-parenting, right? Where you at? You know where you at? But I think um you brought up something, and it's the honesty and the transparency. And I'm literally like, I'm I'm actually in a season right now that is really difficult for me mentally, emotionally. Like me showing up every day is crazy because I'm like, how am I still showing up? How am I still gonna work? Right. But I remember being in a shower and I told the Lord, this is back in February, and I told the Lord, I'm tired, I can't do this anymore. I was like, I don't know what needs to be done, but I give it to you. I was like, I literally have nothing left. And after I got out of the shower, I felt different. I felt very peaceful. I felt, I just felt different. February was such a difficult month, and I just felt good after that. Um, but it is really just leaning into the scripture, and I don't know everything, of course. Like I just really started reading my Bible like a year or two ago, like really reading it. And I'm not talking about just the like I read the daily word, but I'm like really getting into my my Bible. But what has really helped me is if I don't know something, if I'm like, Lord, I'm feeling this way, I'm gonna go right to the Bible and type it in, like I need help with this, or I'm gonna Google what is the scripture for this, like whatever it is. But and I have scriptures all over my wall um in my office so that I can see them um and recite them and you know, just different things. But I think just being honest with God has really helped me. And I know that when he answers, because he he answers my prayers, okay? Yeah, but I think that he's showing me that he can answer prayers and it not look like what I thought, because I think growing up or in this culture, we see wealth as an answer prayer, and we see the money, we see the platforms, right? Rarely do we see the answer prayer of patience, of wisdom, of you know, any of the fruits of the spirit. We don't see or people may not see my situation as the answer prayer, they may be like, Well, girl, you one car down.

SPEAKER_00 32:36

Let's yes, yes, I don't know what you've been talking about and what you've been asking and praying about.

SPEAKER_01 32:41

Yes, like we never know. So whenever somebody says, like, oh, I have a small blessing, no, baby, it's a big blessing. Everything that God is blessing you with is big. There is nothing that is too big or too small or whatever for God. Literally, I told y'all this story about brushing teeth. Yeah, I can go to God with everything. My kid, we first of all, we was on we was on deadline child. We had to get up out of here. I needed him to brush his teeth. I could have very well had gone full on black mama, okay? Full on. I was like, I did that Tuesday, and what did it do? Nothing. The little boy knew he was in trouble, and he went to sleep in the car, but it left me feeling horrible. And I was like, I don't want that to be my kid's story, like having to unlearn or whatever. So I was like, Let me take it to God, and we can take anything to God, and we can be honest. He's not surprised. First of all, he already knows what we're coming to him with, right? You could literally be like, Lord, I need my edges to grow back. Yeah, and he might send you somebody with some oil. It's just like we have to get out of the habit of thinking these blessings only come in forms of finance, like like money, like checks in the mail. Like, yes, that is a blessing. But I think we're just like conditioned to see blessings as these like huge things, right? And so, um, as you were talking, I actually had pulled up, um, I want to pull up a scripture in Exodus, and so um Exodus 16 and 15. So the Israelites were puzzled when they saw it. What is it they asked each other? They had no idea what it was, and so basically God had sent um, was it the manna? He had sent bread from heaven, and and Israel complained, right? Because it wasn't what they imagined provision should look like. Yeah, it didn't match the picture in their heads, which is much like us. Yeah, when I say a financial blessing, I imagine I'm I'm gonna be honest because I can be honest, right? I imagine he was gonna send me a check in the mail for like 50k. He was going to erase my debt. He was going, you know, a glitch was gonna happen in the system. I just equated it to money, like, oh, I'm gonna get this big fat raise. I never did I imagine that it was gonna be like we're one, like he took a bill away. He took a bill away. Yeah, why is that not a blessing? That's that's an extra couple.

SPEAKER_00 35:16

He gave it back though. I love that the fact that you said that that happened the next day when your husband got the insurance because it just showed like your obedience in that moment to being showing gratitude and and acting like how God wants you to act in those moments, not afraid, peaceful, strong, holding your family up because at the end of the day, we know our energy it does overflow into our whole family. If we're worried, if we're anxious, everyone is gonna feel that. You were like a rock in your faith in that moment. And he said, Boom, I'm gonna send it right back to you. Like, I think even that even shows me like, wow, how many times do we get like a little, maybe a little blessing that is gonna roll over into many more? But God wants to see if we're ready, but sometimes we're not ready. Like it reminds me of the um Ephesians 3.20. It says, now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine. So it's gonna be beyond your request, it can be on your ability to even picture it. Like Whitney, could you have ever if ever have thought this is the way God gonna bless me? Heck you know, like what? I I didn't, I didn't, I didn't know exactly because it's according to his power, right? It's not your effort, but his work in you, and not only did it show you a blessing, but look at the work, like you can nothing feels better than seeing yourself grow and see situations that used to have power over you fall away, like that. Is true freedom. We think, like you said again, freedom is being able to do what we want, have all the money. No, freedom is being able to walk be who you are without worrying about what other people think. Freedom is not letting situations here on earth or people have control over you because they ultimately really don't. That is the true freedom that your soul needs, right? The other freedoms is is more physical things, right? So I love that. I love that.

SPEAKER_01 37:21

So good, and yeah, we don't, we just truly, I think because we can't, first of all, God does things and we don't understand why. And some things we're just never gonna understand why. But I always tell people when you pray for something, don't expect the blessing to look like what you think it's gonna look like, because it's not going to ever look like what you think, unless the Lord tells you, like, hey, I'm about to get you on lottery numbers, you know, like or you know, whatever it is, but so rarely is it whatever we think it's going to look like. And then when God blesses you with it, you're like, oh man, like you're looking back, but he can do more than we can imagine. It's far beyond, like, yeah, it sucks that we don't have, you know, two vehicles now. And we, you know, I I mean, I still can get up and go, but kind of not. Like, my husband has to pick up the teenager from school at a certain time. So it's like now we have to, you know, put our schedules around that. Or, yeah, I can't really go to my nighttime workout class because how am I gonna get there? You know, like I mean, I can walk, but I'm like, this weather's so up and down. Like the day I want to go, it's probably gonna be snowing, you know, or whatever it is, but it's just one of those things. But also, I feel like, and it's crazy because here's the thing my husband drove anyway, like we rarely drove my vehicle. So it's like we were technically always in one vehicle anyway, unless I had to go somewhere or whatever, um, like going out with my friends or something, but we were always in one vehicle anyway. So it's kind of like I looked at it like, well, we were already there, you know, it's just now, yeah, like we're really there, you know. Um, and I'm sure it was an adjustment um for the little one. And it was so funny because he's like, Mommy, is daddy's car broke? And so I was like, Well, yeah. And so he's like, Oh no, does daddy have to walk home? You know? And I'm like, no, he doesn't have to walk home. So for a little while he kept asking, like, is it broken? It's no, he was like, Is this car sick? And I'm like, Yes, it's sick, you know. And so the teenager was definitely an adjustment for her because now she's she in the backseat, she's closer to her brother than in the pilot, you know, where she can yeah, like they're close, and she's like, Don't touch my cup, and then he, you know, five-year-old irritating the 16-year-old. So, you know, adjustments for them, um, for sure, and just having to just be strategic about what we do, but also the blessing in in that is it forces my husband and I.

SPEAKER_00 40:00

You guys can be together, have more time together in the car, and you know, there's so many things, and you don't know what's to come yet, still, right? Exactly. Exactly. Usually what we think is is the end, that's usually right where it could be the beginning for you, like in so many stories, you know, right when you think it's all over, can't get, you know, that's when he comes with a new thing and turns ashes into stuff into gold, you know, some magnificent stuff. Yes, yes. I'm excited to see, you know, um what's in store for you just over the next few months because you know, I love just the way that you approach this. Is it's something that I um admire, and I would love if we could, you know, send our listeners if you on with like something tangible, how they can move forward, how can they, how can we see our blessings more clearly, and how can we, you know, have that peace. And I think a big piece part of what you said was, yeah, let's be honest, but let's just say, right, we're in the moment of of some things. What's what would be a few ways that you can give to help people move forward?

SPEAKER_01 41:11

Um dang, girl, that's good. That's good. I for sure. Honesty, I think God loves when we're honest with him. Um, and it's honesty takes you a long way because it's like, God, I'm tired, God, I'm hurt, God, I'm disappointed. Like and ask, right? And ask.

SPEAKER_00 41:30

What? Oh, it's too too small, I don't feel right. There's so much going on in the world. How does this little blessing? Like you said, brush helping my child brush his teeth, but because you asked, you received, right?

SPEAKER_01 41:46

That's the script, asking you shall receive. Like, I think the the blueprint is in the scripture. Like, if you don't know something, literally ask. Listen, let me tell y'all something. Do not let people shame you into thinking that AI is wrong. It's it's this or that. If you don't know something, you can literally ask. Like, there's a Bible like chat GPT thing, and you can say, I'm feeling anxious today. Like, point me to a scripture. I don't know all the scriptures for anxiety, I don't know all the scriptures for depression or I'm having a hard time. I literally um did a Bible plan and it it was talking about um the Bible plan for women having like a hard time or something like that. I did that Bible plan, it was so good. I went and bought the book on Amazon, and it's like 180 devotionals. And you asked for something. I'm gonna say this because this just came to me. Open up your Bible, open up your Bible. You never know how the Lord is going to speak to you. Um, open up your Bible, it's there. God is going to speak to you and pray. And it doesn't have to be like you four hours, you on your knees. It's a simple God help me. He honors that, yeah, he honors that more than you babbling. Yeah, he honors you saying, Lord, help me. Yeah, even I don't know what I need, but I need something right now. I need something right now, and look, so I only you know, only you know, because sometimes we can't get it out, right? Sometimes we just so many things that we so many, yeah, so many. I literally was like, Oh my god, like the Lord is gonna be like, Girl, you back again? Yes, yes, yes, and it's okay. Um, as you said that, so this scripture in 2 Kings, which is probably a good scripture to tie into all of this, but 2 Kings 5 and 13, it says, Look, I'm talking about 2 Kings, and I ain't even got it um pulled up. I don't even know if this is right, 5 and 13. Let me see. Um, but his officers tried to reason with him and said, Sir, if the prophet had told you to do something very difficult, would you have done it? So you should um certainly obey him when He says simply go um and wash and be cured. So I think his name is Naaman, okay? Was powerful. He had a real problem and God had the answer, right? I had a real Whitney. I I don't know how powerful I am, but with me, okay. I had a real problem and God had the answer, right? But the instruction felt too simple. How often? How often your obedience? I actually I'm gonna tell y'all the story that's gonna tie it into this. So there's a friend of mine, and she didn't, she never asked me for money or anything, right? But I was talking to her, and the instruction was simple. She was saying the things that she needed. I heard the Lord say $35. Send her $35. But the instruction felt too simple, too ordinary to benefit what I thought she deserved. $35. Like, I'm again, it's something about me being at the sink washing dishes. $35. I'm like, you sure? Like that ain't, you know, $35 ain't really going far. And then so um the scripture basically says, like, Naaman almost walked away from his own healing because the blessing didn't match his expectation. I almost didn't send her the $35 because I thought prideful Whitney thought it wasn't enough. Yeah. I sent her the money. I said, okay, Laura, I'm just sending $35 because this is weird. Sometimes it's about our obedience and our trust. Okay. Sent the money to her. She said, Oh my gosh, thank you so much. This is gonna help me get this, that, and the third. I said, Yeah, you know. Tell me why I got that money right back. It's $35 now. Wow. I had to do jury duty, and I was like, Oh, I gotta do jury duty. But let me tell you how gracious the Lord is. The jury duty place, the courthouse was 15 minutes away from my house. Okay, I looked at that as hey, this time for Whitney to do some work, like my business work, not corporate work. Okay, I didn't even get called. They listen, I was so into my work, they were calling me and I was like, Oh, I'm coming. Like people had left, okay. I was there until lunch. So what four hours, and I got paid this $35. Wow, we just have to be obedient. God has the answer, but we don't we don't trust because we feel like, oh, this is too beneath me. Just like you said, like, oh, going back to work at McDonald's or whatever. Like, oh, like this is beneath me, but we never know the blessing in it, and sometimes it's about our obedience. So open up moral of the story, y'all. Open up your Bible. Yeah, the Lord has the answer to whatever you're going through. Trust me, nothing surprises him. I don't care what it is, if it's doubt, if it's fear, if it's I need to, okay. I ain't gonna I ain't gonna do what I do on my podcast. I'm gonna keep it cute over here. Um, because I was about to say something. If you uh I'm I'm I'm gonna make it cute. Yeah, I'm making cute because I'm I'm a guest. I want to be invited back. Um, if it's uh if you in a situation ship, okay, that's good, that's good. Whatever it is, the Lord can bring you out of it.

SPEAKER_00 47:25

Not I mean the Bible is full of prostitutes and things, so it's full of everything and everybody from every he knows his children, okay.

SPEAKER_01 47:37

He knows his children, he's waiting for you.

SPEAKER_00 47:39

Open up your Bible, yes, and when he gives you the answer, use it. Like you said, it could be something so ordinary, you could be like, God, I don't know. I'm really scared, scared about this, but I feel like I'm ready to make this big change and change my life. He says, Do it, yeah, simply, and you think you you don't want to do it, right? Because a lot of the times we try to make it seem like it's confusing when really it's plain, we just don't want to do it, right? Because it requires something from us as well, right? Requires a little bit of something, and so you got to know that too. Don't don't let your your mind play tricks on you and try to disguise like your fear in you know, being confused or you're not sure because I don't think ever God is waiting on us, right? I mean, yes, we are trying to wait on God, but you know, we got to stop asking, waiting for everything to kind of like feel right, yeah, and start asking God to help us recognize what's already aligned for us, right? And how things are. And so I really appreciate you being on this show, Whitney. You had dropped so much gold here today. Um, this is by far one of my most favorite episodes, and I appreciate you being my very first guest. Oh, thank you. Yes, I'm excited where this can go and the women that it will touch. I know God is gonna um bless this podcast and take it where it needs to go. And if you guys have any prayers, wints, comments, please feel free to text me on our prayer line. You can find it in the show notes. And like I said in the beginning, I'm gonna drop all Whitney's information so you can go ahead and check out her podcast. If you liked her style, it's very fun, very down to earth. And honestly, for all Christians at any time in your walk, it's very relatable. And that's what I love about it. And it's nice, it's not too long, it's something you can listen to on your little short commute to work and get a little, you know, daily bread drop. So, um, and you can also find her on socials, you know. Maybe you have a project that you want her to mash um work with. She's a great Christian entrepreneur, and um, you know, we want to support each other and help lift each other up. And so with that, I'm gonna close in prayer. And um, yeah, all right. So, God, I want to say thank you that you do not answer us based on our comfort, but on your purpose. Give us eyes to see what you've already placed in front of us and break our attachment to how we thought it should look. Teach us to trust you beyond our understanding and give us the courage to move, not when it feels easy, but when we know it's you. Help us to stop delaying what you've already confirmed in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. And the final word I'm gonna say if it doesn't look what you like, what you expected, you know, that could be the exact sign that it's from God. So keep what we said in the forefront of your mind today because he's not just trying to give you something, he's trying to transform you into someone. Many will come and be converted, but very few will be transformed. And we, if you're here, you know that you're here to be transformed by God and really let him mold you into the woman that he made you to be. And so, with that, I hope everyone has a blessed week. Thank you for being here, and we will see you on the next episode. Bye, Whitney. Bye.