Joyce Meyer - What's Your Vision?
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Ginger Stache: Well, hi friends, we are so glad you're here. We have been waiting a very long time. So, come on in here, get cozy because we've got a seat for you right here on the couch. This is, "Joyce Meyer's Talk It Out," podcast where Joyce teaches the Word of God in her practical, no-nonsense way, and my friends and I do all of the hard stuff of living it, and we hold nothing back. I'm Ginger Stache, with Jai Williams, and Erin Cluley, three friends who are all in really different stages of life, but we really understand the value of having honest, loving women around you. And sometimes, when we need help, we just ask miss Joyce and she is always there when we need her. Because sometimes you just need to talk about life with your girlfriends, now's the time. Consider yourself one of us and let's talk it out together.
Jai Williams: Yesss.
Ginger Stache: How exciting is this? If you are watching the video podcast, you can see us! Which, you never could before. Well, we are very happy to have the video podcast now, as well as, the as the audio podcast so whatever everybody likes, you can get it just the way you want it. And today, we are talking about having a vision for your life. What is your vision? And I was thinking about this time right now, right? Of pandemic that everybody's kind of in, and it has felt like people have been on hold almost. Jai and...
Erin Cluley: Yeah.
Ginger Stache: Here's a really sad fact. Tim was watching, he so miss sports, he was watching TV the other day and it was cornhole. You know that game you play in your backyard and you toss the bean bags?
Erin Cluley: It's on TV?
Ginger Stache: You can not call that a sport, okay?
Jai Williams: He was watching that?
Ginger Stache: He was watching it!
Erin Cluley: That's so desperate.
Ginger Stache: He's like, "Sh...sh...!"
Jai Williams: He's hit an all time low.
Ginger Stache: So, some people, you know, are very desperate for sports and entertainment. But also, I think everybody feels like, maybe, their progress or the vision that they had for this time of their life has either stopped or slowed down. So, I don't know if you guys have felt that all.
Jai Williams: Well, I haven't, but I know a lot of friends that have because of the pandemic. People were on a good trail of, a lot of my friends were on a good like, track of, you know, weight loss, you know, goals, and business goals, and just, because a lot of people, you know, with 20/20, they had a lot of expectations.
Ginger Stache: Yeah, 20/20 vision.
Jai Williams: 20/20 vision, 20/20 clarity, you know? And so, everybody was having these huge expectations, but then, when the pandemic happened it did put things, for a lot of people, at a screeching halt. But for me, because I entered this year on such a, it was just kinda like shaky ground for me because it was so many things that were going on in my life. But I literally, said, "You know what? I refuse to allow what's going on in my life, dictate how I continue to move".
Ginger Stache: Yeah, good for you.
Jai Williams: And so, this has probably, been one of the scariest years of my life, as far as like, personal things, but the one of the most productive years, in years. Just because, and I'm not saying this to make anyone feel, you know, bad about their progress. But I know for me, there was a determination in me to say like, "You know what? I know I need to stay focused on what I know God promised me, and I have to do my part".
Ginger Stache: Yeah.
Erin Cluley: You've done such a good job too. It's just been cool to watch, not to see you walk through such a terrible circumstance, but to see how you haven't lost sight of that vision. You clung to what God has for you, and you are, I mean, look at you. You're just soaring.
Jai Williams: Yeah, so, for one thing was my weight loss, you know, my weight journey. After I got married and had my daughter, it was just one of those things that you know, after I had a C-section, it's like, you just feel like, "It's all loss now, they've torn my muscles," you know? So, it's all done. You know, so, I kinda gave up. And I went through the postpartum depression. And my daughter, keep in mind, she's 17 years old, and so that was a long time ago, but it doesn't, for my body, and my mindset of what my body went through, the trauma my body went through, through that, it doesn't feel like 17 years. It literally, feels like it just happened, you know? And then, I had to have a hysterectomy a few years ago. So, it's a lot of things that have happened to my body.
Ginger Stache: Your body's been through a lot.
Jai Williams: It's been through a lot but then I said, "You know what? This year I'm gonna do something for myself". And I'm still on my journey, but I've lost 25 pounds and so, well, maybe a little closer to thirty, but I'm really,
Ginger Stache: That's so awesome, congratulations.
Jai Williams: And after we had one of our, "Talk it out," episodes with our friend Michelle, that kinda helped me too. I was already on a journey, but that gave me, it was when she started saying like, "How I approached my weight-loss journey was crashing into the love of Jesus," that was one of the things that really helped me because I was so, you know, on shaky ground with love and what that was. I'm like, I allowed Jesus to love me.
Ginger Stache: Yeah, check out that episode if you want too. You can go back, it's still there. And Michelle was so inspiring, talking about how we take care of ourselves inside and out. And yeah, it's a great one.
Jai Williams: Yeah.
Erin Cluley: I love that cuz we need each other to encourage each other to keep going, or to push us, give that extra little umph to propel you forward. That's cool.
Ginger Stache: Well, in talking about vision today, I think that's a big question for people is: what is vision, you know? Why do I need it? And we're talking about those things that you're talking about, those short-term things and the long-term things. Like, who does God want us to be? And what will our life look like down the road? What do we need to do today to help get there? So, let me start by asking you guys. What did you both want to be when you were little?
Erin Cluley: You wanna know a funny one?
Ginger Stache: Yeah!
Jai Williams: Please.
Erin Cluley: Let me tell you this funny little story. So, my parents watched Joyce, for when I was growing up. So, Joyce Meyer's always been part of our home. And so, I've always loved to talk about like, encourage people and stuff, and kind of always wondered what I would do. So, I told my parents, one day, "I want to be Joyce Meyer when I grow up".
Ginger Stache: Did you really?
Erin Cluley: Oh, I really did.
Ginger Stache: Have you ever told her that?
Erin Cluley: No, so I need to. Isn't that funny? So, I...
Ginger Stache: You gotta tell her.
Erin Cluley: I will. So, I thought maybe, that's what I'm gonna be. "I'm gonna be Joyce Meyer". Nobody can be Joyce Meyer, but that was my goal. So, then, I remember interviewing for my job here, and I said, "I realize I probably can't be Joyce, so I'd like to work for her," so.
Jai Williams: Mission accomplished.
Erin Cluley: I shifted my vision a little bit. But hey, right?
Ginger Stache: Yeah.
Erin Cluley: Wasn't that fun?
Ginger Stache: That's pretty cool.
Erin Cluley: It is.
Ginger Stache: What about you Jai?
Jai Williams: I had different goals.
Erin Cluley: You don't want to be Joyce Meyer?
Jai Williams: Uh, no... I didn't. But that's a good one. Well, starting off, I wanted to be Punky Brewster, but not when I grew up. I didn't have huge aspirations, other than I wanted to wear like, one lime green sock and one hot pink.
Erin Cluley: These are like, really big goals for your life.
Ginger Stache: It's good to have attainable goals.
Erin Cluley: We're so proud.
Jai Williams: And I reached that one, you know? I was like, "I am Punky Brewster. I'm the black Punky Brewster".
Ginger Stache: Check it off.
Jai Williams: Check it off, I did it! And then, another one was, I didn't really want to be her, but I remember seeing tina turner on a chip commercial when I was little.
Ginger Stache: A chip commercial.
Jai Williams: Yeah, and she was like, "Yeah..." And I was like, "I don't really like what she has on but I like what she's doing". So, I kinda wanted to be, I guess I wanted to be a rock-star. You know, like, sing and just be eclectic, so I liked her. I'm not her. Like you're not Joyce, but I'm not Tina Turner, but, and then, one other thing, I've shared this before, one of my biggest aspirations was to be an adult woman in church.
Erin Cluley: Just any adult woman?
Jai Williams: Any adult woman that wore heels and pantyhose.
Erin Cluley: So you could swish.
Jai Williams: So my, yes, so I could make the clickings, it sounded so powerful to me. It was the clicking of the heels, and what I now know, is the swishing of the thighs.
Jai Williams: You know, when the pantyhose rubbed together. I don't aspire to that anymore. I didn't know that the swi...swi...swi sound was literally, their thighs rubbing together.
Erin Cluley: I told Ginger today, just a little while ago, just a side note, my leather leggings sound like that when I walk. So, I said, "I sound like Jai's goals today".
Ginger Stache: She did. She was so pleased with herself.
Jai Williams: Right, it's something kinda powerful about it. But as a kid, that's just how all of the adult ladies sounded. And so, I was like, "I," that's not a huge goal. That's not a lot of good vision, but I was just looking at it like tina turner, punky Brewster, and thighs rubbing together, but hey, I made almost all of 'em happen.
Erin Cluley: We're so proud of you.
Jai Williams: Thank you.
Ginger Stache: Acknowledged.
Jai Williams: How 'bout you G? What did you wanna be?
Ginger Stache: My problem was I wanted to be everything, you know? I wanted to be an astronaut. I think it was because I was such a sci-fi nerd. I wanted to go where no man has gone before, right?
Erin Cluley: I'm not surprised by that.
Ginger Stache: I wanted to be an author. I wanted to be a talk show host. I wanted to be Christiane amanpour, you know, seriously?
Jai Williams: Yeah.
Ginger Stache: Those things, to go out in the field and tell stories. And so, a lot of that is what I've been able to do.
Erin Cluley: You're doing that.
Ginger Stache: Exactly, but I also wanted to be the president, and a lawyer because I love to argue. And so, so, so many things that I wanted to be. But what I love is the things that God puts in us like that. You know, we're not going to be all those things.
Jai Williams: Right.
Ginger Stache: But there's a part of ourselves that is in each one of those things, that he uses for our good, for our vision, for our life. You wanted to be an important part of ministry. And what you saw those women at church being, you know, you saw it as the noises that you heard of the heels and the thighs.
Jai Williams: I thank you for trying to really give me purpose in that vision. Cuz I was sitting here like, "Well, I see how hers makes sense, but, why did I wanna be a grown lady with pantyhose on"? But I did think they were powerful.
Ginger Stache: Yeah, exactly.
Jai Williams: I was like, "These are some strong ladies in the church".
Erin Cluley: Making a difference.
Jai Williams: Yeah, making a difference in church. So, I get it.
Ginger Stache: Yeah, and Erin wanted to inspire people and encourage people, what she saw Joyce doing. And now, you're here being a huge part of it. I love the way God works vision in our lives. It's beautiful the way that comes together. We're gonna get more specific and talk about you, and how you can see a vision for yourself. Because so many people just can't see it, you know? They're like, "I don't know what it is," or, "I don't know how I can accomplish it". So, we're going to talk more about how to reach those goals, but even more than that, how do have hope and a future for a vision that God wants us to have. So, let's start out right now, with Joyce telling us what God says about having that hope and a future, and then, we'll talk about it when we come back.
Joyce Meyer: Hebrews chapter 12, verse 1. "Therefore then, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [who have borne testimony to the truth], let us," and we hear some kind of violent words, "Now let us strip off and throw aside every encumbrance (every unnecessary weight) and that sin which so readily (deftly and cleverly) clings to and entangles us, and let us run," everybody say run, "With patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us". We all have a race to run. It's kind of obvious what mine is. Every race is not a ministry position race, but we all have a race to run. Your race might be right now raising four great, amazing kids. I don't know, your race next week might be getting your house cleaned up and cleaning out the garage. You know, I don't know, but we've all got an assignment from God. And in order to do that assignment, we need to know how to focus. And let me tell you that the devil is an expert at getting people unfocused and getting them, now listen to me, trying to do something about something they can't do anything about. 1 Peter chapter 5, verses 8 and 9. I love the fact that David was anointed to be king 20 years before he wore the crown. What happened during those 20 years? Well, let's see, had a fight with Goliath. Had to hide for years from a wicked king that was trying to kill him every single day of his life. Had to learn how to deal with his enemies. You're not going to wear the crown that God has set aside for you, the crown of victory for running your race, if you don't know how to stand against the enemy. Amen? Okay, 1 Peter chapter 5, verse 8 and 9, some of my favorite scriptures. "Withstand," verse 8, "Be well balanced (temperate, sober of mind): be vigilant, cautious at all times, for that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion roaring [in fierce hunger], seeking someone to seize upon and devour". Everybody say, "It's not gonna be me". "Withstand him: be firm in faith [against his onset, rooted, established, strong, immovable, determined], knowing that the same (identical) sufferings are appointed to your brotherhood (the whole body of Christians) throughout the world". Can I tell you something tonight? You're not the only one going through things. Just because people don't look sad doesn't mean they're not going through anything. Matter of fact, the more mature you get in the Lord, the less you show the strain of what you're going through when you're going through. Actually, the really mature can continue to minister to other people while they're hurting so bad, they feel like they can't stand it. And those people will never even really know what they're going through.
Ginger Stache: So, this is where you think about what God means by a hope and a future. He has a vision for us that even when times are tough, the vision is still there. It's not like we missed it all, it's all done. We can have that kind of a,holding on to that vision. Because Gods not gonna let go, and as long as we don't let go that we can keep moving forward in it, and not feel like a failure. And I think that's what a lot of people, right now, who are talking this out with us are thinking, "I missed it". You know, "I'm already a failure, I already didn't do what I needed to do". And it's never too late.
Jai Williams: That's the hardest time though, I believe, to hold onto things when you feel like you're a failure, when you feel like, because in our minds, when we get like, when Joyce talked about in that last clip just about how it took 20 years for David to get the crown, 20 years.
Ginger Stache: That was the vision, and he had to hold on for 20 years, and then it was still super hard.
Jai Williams: It was so much that went on and so, he could have easily felt like a failure many times in his life span of being anointed to getting the crown. You know what I mean? And so, it's just so many things that happened in between there.
Ginger Stache: Cuz he was a baby when he was anointed for this job.
Jai Williams: Exactly, but that's the thing. Our time is not God's time. And so, that's the part when it's the hardest, for me, and I'm sure some of our friends can relate. It's the hardest for me, when it seems like I've missed it, or when it seems like time has too far spent, or feels like I failed at something, that's the hardest for me to stay firm in my faith. That's when I wanna waiver and wanna just give up and say like, "Well, I guess that wasn't, I guess what I thought that, I guess that was me and not the will of God," so.
Ginger Stache: Tell me what you guys think vision is. How do you define this vision that we're talking about?
Jai Williams: Well, I think of it as hope for, a lot of times I think of it as like, goals, you know?
Erin Cluley: Me too.
Jai Williams: I think of vision as goals, like things that I can see myself accomplishing, or the way that I believe God sees me, or how he's shown me he sees me. Or I also, see vision in being around good friends that I like, I wanna be like. There are things about Erin that I have,I'm like, "Uh, I wanna be like that of her," and I see things in you, Ginger, that I wanna be like that. So, I surround myself with people too, that continue to give me more vision. Of course, when we're around Joyce, I'm like, "Man, phew, what a goal". You know, we always talk about hashtag goals. Like, that's what I think vision is. It's believing beyond where I am,
Ginger Stache: That's good.
Jai Williams: And having hope for me being the best version of myself and that's the version that God created me to be.
Erin Cluley: That's good. Yeah, I think it's that, it's seeing beyond your current circumstances. So, for example, right now, I'm in a tough spot, vision gives me hope to look past that tough spot to see what can,or dream, what can God bring out of this? Today, awful. But what could ten days or a year or ten years look like? And it's having that hope.
Ginger Stache: Yeah.
Erin Cluley: Like Joyce says, "Something good's gonna happen to me today". It actually, may not. But I'm gonna keep hoping that it is, so.
Ginger Stache: And actually, something, probably will, good happen, you know?
Erin Cluley: Yeah, true.
Ginger Stache: Honestly, yeah, even on really hard days. And I get it, there are days that you can't find anything good. But if that is where our mind is, that is where vision is, we will find things. God will bring little winks and encouragements throughout really hard times too. I think of vision also, as promise. It's what God is telling me that he sees in me that I don't see in myself, that is vision. And it's a promise that he will help me get there. Yes, he asked me to do things along the way, but it's not something that is completely on my shoulders because it's a promise of God, and we work together in getting there. But he's the track that I'm walking on, you know? So, without God, I think vision is very, very different. When you talk about the fact that I would like to do this or I have goals to do this, that's all great and people may very well accomplish them. But if they fit into God's word and God's plan for your life, it is a promise and not just something you want to accomplish on your own, and it's entirely different.
Erin Cluley: I think that's a really good point cuz in the world, like, if you have career goals, there's things I'd love to accomplish in my career. So, I can take steps to work towards them to make myself better and those sorts of things. At the same time though, like, I want what God wants for me. So, if this is my goal, I wanted to do this, but he wants something else for me or his timing is different, I'm not going to cut some one out of the way to get there faster, or take different steps to get to my goal, because my goal should be what he wants for me. So, it does look very different, like you're saying.
Ginger Stache: You're right. Don't cheat a little bit along the way, don't cut someone else off, I love that. That's a great way to look at it.
Jai Williams: Yeah, and then also, with what you just said, Ginger, and you too, with God, the difference between when you have just goals, you know, from a worldly perspective vs. When you have God, it's his problem.
Erin Cluley: Ooh, I love that!
Ginger Stache: So true.
Erin Cluley: Just give it to him.
Jai Williams: It's his. There's an ease. There's an ease that I have. I'm in a huge transition in a lot of different ways, you know, right now. And from a worldly perspective, one would you think that, "Girl! What you thinkin'"? You know, like, you don't have any, you know? "What are your other plans". I literally, I'm like, "I don't know". "You're not stressed"?
Ginger Stache: "I really have no idea".
Jai Williams: I don't, I don't have the slightest idea. I have no, you know, you got me. I mean, I have things on paper that I'd like, but nothing's solidified. And I honestly, have an ease about it because I know that it's God's problem and I know that he will take care of me because his word promises that he will do exceedingly, abundantly above everything I can ask, or think. I've already asked it. I've already thought it. So now, I know he's gonna blow my mind. And so, there's an ease and an excitement that comes along, which is opposite of what I've seen my friends, you know, that don't have Jesus, that stress out when things happened. So, I love the fact that, "Hey, it's his problem, so I can have an ease about it," you know?
Erin Cluley: That's so good.
Ginger Stache: Which leads us perfectly into this next clip that we're going to listen to. Yeah, good job, Jai. That if we understand God's word, we have so much to learn about what we can ask of and expect from God. Let's take a listen.
Joyce Meyer: Think about where you're at. What are you expecting God to do for you? "Well, I don't know. I don't know. I hope he does something". That's not hope. That's not really hope. It's really not, and it's certainly not faith. One of the reasons why I encourage people to be full of hope is because I don't think you can have faith if you don't have hope because hope is a positive expectation. And so, a lot of times we say we're believing God while at the same time we've got a negative attitude and a negative confession. "Well, I'm trusting God". Well, smile. And listen, let me tell you something. I know that life is hard and that problems are real. Don't you dare sit there and think that I never go through anything because I do. A lot of times while I'm preaching I'm goin' through things that nobody knows anything about. You think the devil's after you? And let me tell you something. I have to apply these same messages that I'm preaching to you, and it's not always easy for me. But even if it's not easy this is still the answer, and it's still what works in the long run. And unless you've got something that's workin' better, then it would be a really good idea to just pay attention. How many of you, it would just help you a whole lot if you just had a more positive attitude? Now you don't wanna lie in church. That's not cool. How many of you it would help you a whole lot if you just didn't complain quite as much? Yeah, I'm workin' on that, too. God wants to do so much in our life, but you're gonna see some amazing scriptures here in just a minute. Everything is subject to change except God himself. He never changes, but he's always changing things and people, amen? And usually when you think God is doing nothing, that's when he's working, and then suddenly you'll have a breakthrough, and you'll say, "Oh, that was God"! Well, you know what? He was working all along. You know, when you put the fresh-baked pie on the table, the kids might just get happy then when they see the pie, but you've been workin' on it for a long time. You had to go get the ingredients. You had to go make the pie. You had to bake the pie, you know? So God is working in your life even when you feel like that he's not doing anything at all, and one of the things that I encourage people to do, try to in every conference, is always say even when doubt comes against you, when you feel your worst, open your mouth and say out loud, "God is working in my life right now". Ephesians 3:20, you're probably familiar with it. "God is able to do exceedingly, abundantly, above and beyond all that we could ever dare to hope, ask, or think according to his power that worketh in us".
Ginger Stache: What a great scripture. What I love so much is the fact that God knows us so well and his vision for us is completely tailor-made, you know, there's nothing off the rack when it comes to God's vision for us. He is never going to ask me to make a pie and expect anything good to come of it.
Erin Cluley: And we love him for that.
Jai Williams: Thank you, God.
Ginger Stache: It just ain't in there. And so,but he knows the different things, and the gifts, and the talents, and the abilities, but beyond that, he can take our nothing and make something out of it. You know what I mean? It's because it is God. It's because of what you were saying Jai, earlier, that there is nothing outside of the realm of possibility. When we give him everything that we are and we give him what we are not, he can take anything and make something great out of it. And that is his vision for our life.
Erin Cluley: Yeah, that's good.
Ginger Stache: I think that God's purpose for us is very pragmatic. You know, you can read in the word and see his purpose for us, and it's right there in scripture. But his vision for us is very inspirational. It is,it of course, lines up with scripture, but it is very specific for each one of us and what he's put in us. So, we need that pragmatic purpose and we need that inspirational vision to come together and really be encouraged.
Erin Cluley: When I was in,this was probably, it's before I moved here the first time, so, like, ten years ago, I took this class at my old church. And it was all about discovering your purpose in life, and like, what is God's destiny for your life? And so, I pulled it out last night. And it's this giant workbook, and I had to do all this homework in. It was interesting because before we got to the point in the workbook to like, figure out where you think God is leading you, a lot of it was going through like, past stuff that's happened to you, and working through hurt I've experienced, or different circumstances that have made me who I am. And it was interesting to see, I kind of had to work through that before I could see into what God has for my future. And so, we kind of had to go back assess that. And then, it was like, I was a clean slate, and I could see and hear so much more clearly, here's where you're leading me now. And it was so interesting.
Ginger Stache: That's good, yeah.
Erin Cluley: Yeah, but it was also interesting to see how those things have shifted a little bit over time. So, God hasn't changed in me. But some of the things I thought were what I wanted for my future, are not what I want anymore.
Ginger Stache: Yeah, right? I've had so many different jobs or responsibilities at the time, that I did not get, and like, "God, why are you having me do this? This makes no sense at all". But even now, with this role that I have currently, I can see all of the benefits of those different things that God allowed me to be part of, allowed me to learn, allowed me to experience, to bring into this big picture that made no sense at all. And now, it's like, "What?! God, you know what you doing".
Erin Cluley: Yeah, it's true.
Jai Williams: Or you can just look back and see that what you were making all along was a beautiful masterpiece. That was something that, you know, God has given me. Was like, I'm like, "I feel like I'm going everywhere," you know? But then, he,you know, God has just settled me and showed me, it might be a picture here, at the ministry, where it's just like, yarn from one, it's different color yarn. I don't remember where I saw it. But I remember, clear as day, seeing it, where it just looked like a beautiful masterpiece, but I know I felt like I was zigzagging everywhere. You know, and so, one of the things that I love is when Joyce said, "Everything is subject to change, but God".
Ginger Stache: Right.
Jai Williams: Well, I didn't know that initially. Because as a Christian kid growing up, I felt like if I did x, y, and z that, that was God's plan for me. Because I believed, as a young girl and as a young adult, that the things that got placed in my heart from what I thought were the vision for my life, I thought that was God's vision. And so, when those things would happen,or those things wouldn't happen or I would get disappointed, then the whole, you know, "Hope deferred makes the heart sick," I lost vision for awhile because it didn't turn out the way that I thought that God said it was gonna turn out. Well, now that I'm like, Joyce was saying, now, that I'm older, and I'm still growing, but now that I'm older, I know that everything that I think is the plan that God has is not necessarily what God, so, there's a, now, there's a flexibility for me to be flexible with whatever God wants to do, and just be kinda pliable. Set a vision, write it, but then, submit it to the Lord, so that I can be flexible. So, I won't be so disappointed, because when I get disappointed, then I can just be like, "Phft...Well,there's that". That's how it used to be, where I'd just throw it right out the window, you know? But now, I'm focused on God and not focus on the plan, and say like, "I trust you God over what I wrote down". And so, that was a maturity place that I had to get to, so that I can trust God, cuz I didn't. I thought I did, but I didn't.
Ginger Stache: We talk about being in different stages of life. And that is true even with the vision that God has for us, and where we are. Jai, you're at a point now, where he's changing a lot of things in your life, but he's not letting go of it, and his vision for you hasn't changed. He's still taking you to that place, but it looks different than you ever knew it would look.
Jai Williams: The route is different.
Ginger Stache: Right.
Jai Williams: I don't like the route.
Ginger Stache: Right.
Jai Williams: You know, the route stinks, you know? And so,but I know I'm gonna get wherever he wants me to go.
Ginger Stache: You want to get back on the highway.
Jai Williams: Yeah, I just wanna zoom, zoom, zoom! All these stop lights, and detours, and construction, I don't like it.
Ginger Stache: You don't wanna have to get off to see the world's largest chair.
Jai Williams: Yeah, I don't care about the largest chair. I don't even like chairs!
Ginger Stache: Or one of the world's largest wind chimes, you know? You want to get there quickly.
Erin Cluley: Have you been there, is that a place?
Ginger Stache: No, but I've seen the signs. And Erin, for you, you're at a place also where you're focusing on your children being young, and yet, they're still so much vision ahead that God has for you creatively, and in your career, and he's pulling all these beautiful pieces together to show you so many new things. It's really an exciting place to be.
Erin Cluley: It is. I kind of have had to work through this recently because I've always loved to have like, "Here's this big goal I'm working towards". And in the past few years, I guess probably since I've had my kids, it feels more like silence. And i, sometimes, I'll ask God like, "What should I be going towards"? And I'm getting nothing. And so, I was thinking through it and I thought, "Well, maybe, now is the time for me to like, continue on with the goals that I have, but maybe I'm just soaking it in and learning as much as I can, and he's going to show me". But I think a lot of times, and I think some of our friends probably experience this, we put so much pressure on ourselves, especially as Christians, to know what our purpose is, and if you don't know exactly what it is then you probably aren't doing it right. Maybe, we ask God, and we move the way he's calling us to, and then we just listen and learn. You tell me if that's right, I don't know, but.
Ginger Stache: Oh, I think you're absolutely right.
Jai Williams: From the outside, looking in, I think your superwoman, you know?
Erin Cluley: Oh, thanks.
Jai Williams: Like, you're doing a bunch of other things, but it doesn't feel like it because it's outside of the norm that you're used to, you know? But from the outside, looking in, I'm like, "How does she juggle all of this with these two," and your kids are not like, you know, little, quiet kids. Your kids like to play in mud, your kids like to paint your comforters red with fingernail polish.
Jai Williams: You know, it's a lot of things going on.
Erin Cluley: They're just really busy.
Jai Williams: They're very busy but you are still juggling it all. So, it just doesn't look like you thought, probably, but it's still, you're still forward moving. It just might be, it might feel a little slower.
Erin Cluley: And maybe, it's not about me accomplishing the things that I want to, for my vision, I also, wanna raise little kids who grow to know the Lord. That's more important to me than anything, is that I raise two kids that follow Jesus with everything they have in them. And maybe, I mean, that's pretty big, I should focus on that.
Ginger Stache: And that is vision for you, to create a world where they can see God's vision for them. I've got the benefit now, of being able to look back, like I said, and see a lot of those things that didn't make sense and how they're coming together, and being so grateful for times that were really hard and times that I didn't understand, to see how God, it really worked through that for his vision for me. But also, to know that I am far from done. You know, there's still so much that God is putting in my heart that I want to do and I'm really enthusiastic about it, and very, very excited. And I think that whatever stage you're at, God has vision for you. And it's personal vision. It's maybe, something about your spiritual life. It may be something about your goals and your career. It may be something about family, but God's vision covers all of that. So, I love that at every stage in life, God has new and fresh vision for us, guaranteed.
Erin Cluley: That's so good.
Ginger Stache: So, our last clip, we're going to listen as Joyce teaches what God's word says, that we will get out of being able to see the glory of God through all the different things that we're going through, and expecting good things to happen along the way.
Joyce Meyer: Nothing's impossible with God. Nothing is impossible with God. John 11:40 is one of my favorite scriptures. It's when Jesus was about to raise Lazarus from the dead. And in John 11:40, he said: "'only believe, and you will see the glory of God'". How simple is that? "Only believe, and you will see the glory of God". You're gonna believe somethin'. It might as well be for God to help you, amen? All right, raise your level of expectancy. Start expecting more from God than what you ever have before. Right away, somebody says, "Well, what if I get disappointed"? Well, the Bible says that, God says, "In me, you'll never be disappointed or put to shame". Now, let me explain that. Doesn't mean that you're always gonna get everything you want. So, there may be some temporary setbacks, but in the end, you're gonna look back and say, "You know what? God knew what he was doin' all along". I mean, I've had many, many, many hard times in my life, but I certainly cannot stand here tonight and say that I feel 1 ounce of disappointment over serving God these last 40 years of my life, amen? No matter how challenging it is, it's still the best offer that we have, amen? Jeremiah 29:11 says: "'i know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, for good and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome'". Isn't that good? Everybody say, "God's got a good plan for me".
Ginger Stache: God's got a good plan for me. You guys are supposed to say it with me, don't leave me hanging out here.
Erin Cluley: That was really hard.
Ginger Stache: You know one thing I love about you guys, and appreciate so much, is how you have helped me see things in myself and refine my own vision. And I want to encourage everyone, to have those people around you. Like you were saying Jai, that inspire you and encourage you with what God has in you and for you. They can see your talents when you can't see them yourself. They can see those things that maybe, you dismiss, but God may be wanting to do, have a vision team, find those people, have a vision team around you. And I just appreciate you guys for doing that so much with me.
Jai Williams: Well, I appreciate you guys too. You gotta say it real squeaky.
Erin Cluley: It was it's fun because I remember so vividly the three of us sitting around a table a couple years ago talking about that. Jai asks really good questions, like deep into your soul, "What do you see for your life in the next year"? Those kinds of questions. "I don't know"! But having those conversations and talking about things that we want to do and seeing things come to pass, that, at that point, they were just a conversation. We were just talking. But it does, you need to have those people who are going to ask you those questions.
Jai Williams: And also, I was one of those people that was like, I don't really like being around ladies that much, you know?
Erin Cluley: That's so funny.
Ginger Stache: I know, me too.
Jai Williams: You know, it's cuz like, I'm kind of a tomboy and I'm really, shockingly, I'm an introvert. I don't, I fuel,i refuel like, alone. Like, so...
Erin Cluley: I'm sorry. I shouldn't laugh. I know, but look what God has done.
Jai Williams: I know, right? But God has always put me in front of people. But then, that expectation of people being like, "Hah"! They expect me to be this like, crazy, crazy person. But these past few years, like with this relationship and several others, it's just one of those things where the older I get, the more I realize, I need people in my life. Not just because I wanna say I have friends, or friend goals, or best friend goals, or call people, "Besties," you know, like, I'm past that. I need people in my life that can push me when I don't wanna move. And that's what you guys do for me. You guys push me when I don't wanna move. Even to the simplest thing, of like, I'm like, "Guys, I feel like I'm about to do this". I literally, I pray about it, I ask God, and when I text these ladies, I'll,you know, when I text y'all, like, Ginger always has this little way of saying like, "Well, I'm sure you prayed about that. I'm sure you, well, you can just trust what God said". And I'm like, "Well, ya did".
Jai Williams: It's just a good reminder. And Erin's always the type that's like, "Good, good, good, tell me how it ends"! Like, "Tell me what happens". So, it's just one of those things that it's just a boost to remind you of what God told you. And so, I encourage any of our girlfriends listening and some of the guys that sneak on here, just get you some good, you know, get you some good friends, like you said, a vision squad, a vision team that can help push you forward.
Ginger Stache: Yeah, it makes a big difference. And then also, know the scripture, know what God says, who you are, what he has for you, just like Joyce was teaching all of these different things that make such a huge difference. For me, Philippians 4:13, so, I have this little plaque thing, and it's been through so many different versions. Like it used to be on a piece of wood, and then it fell off the piece of wood, and then I had it in a frame, and now I just stick it to my wall, but it just says Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me", and I had this in my dorm room in college, I've had it every place. Every place I've worked, every place I've been. I just pulled it off my wall in my office and, because it just reminds me of the vision that God has before me because I have always known that I have limitations, but big goals. Okay, I've always kind of been driven but I don't have everything I need to make it happen, you know? But with God, I have the strength that I need. And then, the other thing, you know, is just write stuff down. Have a little journal, write down the things that God is telling you along the way. Write down your desires, your hopes, your passions, the things that you care about because God has put those in you for a reason. And I think one of my biggest things is don't do something that you don't love forever. There will be seasons that you're gonna have to do some things that aren't your favorite. But if it is not something that God has just put in your heart that you love, don't do it forever. Work with God for that vision beyond that, and do what you need to do to accomplish that to get there, cuz God wants us to love what we do. That's why he put that passion in us, so don't settle, don't settle.
Jai Williams: Don't settle. Don't be silly, you know, like, don't just say like, "Okay, I just quit everything". But I kinda did that but, I trust, I believe God told me to do what I'm doing right now, and it's: do not move unless you know God's told you to move. And when God tells you to move, gets to steppin' and sista, cuz it's better on the other side. It's like, this faith walk that I'm on right now, it's so very exciting, terrifying, but exciting, you know? Because I know my eyes are fixed on the fact that I know he has a greater plan for me because if his word told me to ask and then he'll do exceedingly, abundantly above that? He'll do above what I ask or think? I'm consistent with my asking, I'm consistent with my praying, and believing, and so, I know he's gonna blow my mind.
Ginger Stache: You did exactly what we're talking about because we sat and talked аbout: what do you want? What do you love doing? What do you see that you could do with all of those different experiences that God has brought you through? And what do you think God might be doing for the future? You did exactly what we're talking about for this vision for you.
Jai Williams: This has been a process. Like, I've been praying over this for quite some time. And even when I was praying, I brought it to my friends too, I'm like, "Guys, do I sound crazy"? You know? And you're like, "No"! And then, Ginger, of course, is like, "You can do this, and this, and this, and this, and this," you know? And so, I just love it, I love it, and I'm super excited. Like, it's not manifested yet. It's not here yet. So, the story is still being written and I'm excited about, you know, this next chapter. It's gonna be fun.
Erin Cluley: Absolutely. I think that's really important too, as just like a practical thing for us all to do, is even every once a year or whenever you feel like is appropriate, make a list of those things and see: "Does this still fit? No, I'm gonna let that one go," so you can kind of like, rule things out and stay focus on the things that are important, and then, let stuff go. Cuz I did that for this, and I thought, "Oh, wait, I still do have things that I want to do, and there's some vision here". I got some. But I think it's so helpful to write it down, it makes a big difference. And then, I truly believe if you pray and ask God like, show me a Bible verse or a scripture that you want me to stand on, that I know it's kind of the direction you have for my life". I know that you've got a bunch. I think it gives, that gives me purpose. So even, if my circumstances look a little bit different, "I know this is what God has called me to do. So, here's how he's doing it in this season. Here's how it's happening in this season, but I know this is who I am, what I'm called to do".
Ginger Stache: Yeah, that's so great. Allow God to interrupt you. Allow God to change your path, but stand firm on the promises. Like, for me, I know without a doubt years, and years, and years ago, that God gave me the verse Philippians, in chapter 1, and it's just that, "Their joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of my being with them". And so, that is vision for me. That whatever he asks me to do that my vision in that is to bring his joy alive in other people's lives. When I know that, that is his calling for me, that opens up so much, so much vision there. And there are scriptures, I promise you, that will come alive in your life because that's what the Word of God does. It is not just words on a page. It is alive and active and will make such a difference in your life. I'm kind of excited about all this because I just want to encourage everyone who's been part of our group with us, take these steps, start writing down the things that you love, the talents that you have, the gifts that you have, the experience that you have, and begin praying for God to show you those scriptures of direction and what God asks you to do. I love this verse, Proverbs 29:18, and it just talks about without hope and without vision the people will perish. You may feel like you're just kind of languishing, right? Without vision. You don't have to stay there. And if we have that vision, get a dream. Allow yourself to dream big and God won't let you down. So, I don't know. I would love to hear what everybody ends up with after we talk about all this and they do it in their own life.
Erin Cluley: I do too. And it is encouraging when you hear other people figuring out like, I'm so encouraged by what you're doing and what God's shown you. I'm like, "Okay, my turn"!
Jai Williams: It's contagious. It's very contagious. And so, one of the things that I made a rule is: everyday, I do something, even if it's the smallest thing, to do my part. You know, even with like, the weight loss journey. I said, "Every good choice, you know, that I make gets me closer to my goal, gets me closer to what I believe God has set as a vision for me for this". And so, I just challenge everybody, one little thing, even if it's not a day yet, maybe it's one thing a week, that you can do to start preparing. Maybe it's you filling out that paper for that llc. Maybe it's, you know, like, it's just a little practical things that you can just start doing. Yeah, and I know we will all wanna hear about that.
Ginger Stache: Well, we also love to equip you and give you the Word of God, and help you to have something practical in your hands that you can study. So, we have a free resource offer for you. It's called, "What do you want out of life"? And it's a free audio download. How perfect is that? If you go to: joycemeyer.Org/talkitout, you can get that free resource. And it's just a great place to start to dig in to what the Word of God says. Let that vision come alive in your life. And we also, want to invite you to get caught up on all of our "Talk it out" episodes, just in case, like, something that we've been talking about. Like you were talking about something that happened in episode quite a while ago with Michelle. Go back there, dig it up, and be inspired.
Erin Cluley: I did it last week. I needed one last week. So, I jumped back a few and relistened. Yeah, so good.
Ginger Stache: Good stuff there. And you can also sign up for email subscription list because it's just a friends list, right? We just want to tell you when episodes are coming up and share some fun behind-the-scenes stuff. And please subscribe to the podcast.
Erin Cluley: Please do.
Ginger Stache: Yeah, so, anyway, we want to just invite, telling you to: please have hope for your future. Please know how much God loves you and how much he has for you. That vision that we're talking about is not just for any of us, it is for you. And hold on to that fiercely because God will hold onto it with you, even through the hard times. We will see you all next time. Thanks for being part of our first video podcast.
Erin Cluley: Thank you.
Ginger Stache: Yeah!
Erin Cluley: It was fun.
Ginger Stache: Alright, we'll be talking to you all later.
Erin Cluley: Bye!