This podcast episode was actually created in December 2012 for my old Christian Women’s site, Women of Influence.

However, though the domain name has now been sold, this audio from the podcast was popular and so I decided to keep this episode as well as episode #1 of the old podcast, just so you know who I am, and to lay the foundation of what The Influential Woman is about.

In this episode, I share my story.

​LISTEN TO THE SHOW

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This episode was recorded on 12/12/12, which for many was a significant day because apparently the world was supposed to end 9 days later. But here I am, updating these notes. 🙂

But back then, I decided to make 12/12//12 a significant day anyway and decided I was going to be using more of my voice to create content – by way of podcasting and video blogging.

My husband often tells me, “you like the sound of your own voice,” and whilst I know he doesn’t say it in a malicious way, I know he means, I like to talk … and I do!

I find it easier to express myself when I speak, especially when having a two-way conversation, and after lamenting to God one day about how it’s so easy for someone like Mariah Carey to just be given a song to sing and she sings it, God challenged me about why I wasn’t using my voice.

But for me I was thinking “I run a blog” and so if you run a blog, people expect you to write, but I realised that I didn’t have to write to make an impact. I do have the gift of the gab and therefore I should be making more use of that gift.

Are You Using Your Gift?

I challenge you in this episode to consider what you’re doing with the gift God has given you.

I had decided back then on 12/12/12, that I was going to start a movement and what I was and have been since and still am passionate about, is helping the solopreneur get their message out into the world and their presence felt without needing a big marketing team or a big marketing budget.

Just take a look at my site and notice its simplicity. I’ve gone past the days of bells and whistles. In future, I may pay someone to spruce my site up more, but too many women are so focused on image that they just don’t get the job done!

Let’s make 2019 a year of focusing on priorities and those things that matter. Evaluate what matters and defer those things that can be done in the future.

I believe we were created for entrepreneurship

I also believe that God needs more leaders but leaders have turned into followers, and for those of us whom God has called to preach the Gospel, we’re still believing that ministry is platform preaching.

It really is time for us to be released from that mentality and realise that there is no spiritual/secular divide as far as God is concerned. What I’m doing now is ministry work because I’m a truth teller and we’re supposed to display truth in everything we do.

Okay… Let’s now move to my story.

As you listen to my story, remember … you are not your story and whatever your past, do not let your story define you.

In brief, I talk about the murder of my Grandmother with whom I was raised, the abuse as a teen that I thought had put an end to all of my dreams, and then the operation that I thought would put an end to me ever becoming a mother… but God!!

The book where my story is published, Refined by Fire, Defining Moments of Phenomenal Women, can obtain it on Amazon by clicking this link.

Over the years, God has had to do some work on me to stop me living in the past or thinking I’m not worthy.

And I remember one day as I was putting together a blueprint for my story, I asked God what He wanted people to know because I didn’t feel it necessary to go into detail about the abuse and the murder of my Grandmother etc, and I heard God say this…

I want you to speak to them about the recording they keep playing over and over again about themselves, and I want you to tell them that that is not their story … That they don’t have to live with what happened in their past, but they are to see themselves as I see them…”

In other words, stop playing that recording of what happened in your past. Stop telling yourself that you’re not worthy, stop saying “it’s because this has happened to me that I’m now like this…”

God sees us through the lens of Jesus Christ and if we think that God sees us any other way, it’s self righteousness. So for all of you who’ve only ever been told that it’s Jesus who’s going to send you to hell, let me share a part of the Gospel that you’ve clearly never heard…

Jesus came to clear up your mess. To heal you body, soul and spirit, so you don’t have to live with dirt that has been thrown on you in your past. To make you look like someone who’s pure and clean – had never been abused – to stop the nightmares caused by the tragedies and make you feel like a million dollar woman.

That part isn’t in the podcast, but I felt it absolutely necessary to say it here, and to apologise to those of you who have been served a Gospel that is devoid of God’s Grace and love.

Remember…

If no-one else approves of you, God approves of you…

Now you have a choice as to whether you’re going to live in your yesterday’s story, or you’re going to make your story match the story that God designed for you.

My recommendation is that you find out what God wants for you, you live that life that Christ died to give you, and you live that life without carrying the burdens of yesterday. Drop them off! And you decide that as of today you’re going to live an abundant life.

If you would like to subscribe to my podcast so you’re notified when I publish new episodes, head on over to iTunes and subscribe there.

Blessings and remember to Keep The Dream Alive!

Trish