Hi there. I'm Jill Allen and this is find your fierce, the show designed for women to discover your fierce, unlock and unstoppable mindset. Build unbreakable courage and completely transform how you show up every single day. Each week I will bring ideas, methods and strategies that will inspire you to step into your greatness and live life on purpose. Let's be fit, fierce and unstoppable.
(00:33): Hey there, gang. Welcome to find your fear. So glad you're here. Today's chat. We are kicking off a new series called strength in hard places, and I'm thinking it may be a five or six part series. We're going to just see where this journey takes us, but I'm pretty fired up about it because I have not met a person yet who doesn't feel like they are on a rollercoaster ride filled with all these ups and downs and twists and turns. And then you add in that sudden drop and it's like, whoa, and you're hanging on. And instead of moving forward with peace and purpose, our lives tend to spin out of control. And so we're going to dive into when that chaos and uncertainty threaten us to make us feel helpless and what to do about it. And we're going to flip that script here these next few weeks that our problems do not define us, but they actually refine us.
(01:20): But before going any further, I have to say that, you know, I just love that you're here listening and spending time with us, you know, so honored that I get to be a part of your day. And you're a part of mine. You, you ladies are all so amazing and I have to thank you for your love and support as always. And I appreciate your feedback and your reviews and, and love that you share that this podcast and the set free message with your friends and family. And so if you can keep on doing that, that would be so epic because you are helping this movement as it helps reach more women and it impacts more lives. And that is certainly what life is all about. So thank you again for being with us each week. So let's get started. We are going to work on getting some clarity of the fact that there is power in our problems.
(02:00): Think about that for a moment. Would you decline to live a life? That is problem, and stress-free just ponder that for a second. You don't have to answer very quickly, just, you know, would you declined to live a life? That is problem-free. I want to read this to you. It's called the tea cup story. I love it. I'm just going to read this. There was a couple that used to go to England to shop in the beautiful stores. And they both liked antiques and pottery, especially teacups. This was their 25th wedding anniversary. One day in this beautiful shop, they saw an exquisite tea cup and the asked the clerk, may we see that? We've never seen one quite so lovely as the lady handed it to them. Suddenly the tea cups spoke. You don't understand. It said I have always been a teacup. There was a time when I was red and I was clay.
(02:45): My master took me, enrolled me and patted me over and over. And I yelled out, let me alone. But he only smiled and said, not yet. Then I was placed on the spinning wheel and suddenly spun around and around and around stop it. I'm getting dizzy. I screamed, but the master only nodded and said not yet. Then he put me in the oven. I never felt such heat. I wondered why he wanted to burn me and I yelled and knocked at the door. I could see him through the opening and I could read his lips as he shook his head. Not yet. Finally, the door opened. He put me on a shelf and I began to cool there that's better. I said, and then he brushed and painted me all over the fumes were horrible. I thought I would gag. Stop it, stop it. I cried.
(03:26): He only nodded not yet. Then suddenly he put me back into the oven, not like the first one. This was twice as hot. And I knew I would suffocate. I begged, I pleaded, I screamed. I cried all the time. I could see him through the opening, nodding his head saying not yet that I knew there wasn't any hope. I would never make it. I was ready to give up, but the door opened and he took me out and placed me on a shelf. One hour later, he handed me a mirror and said, look at yourself. And I did. I said, that's not me. That couldn't be me. It's beautiful. I'm beautiful. I want you to remember then he said, I know it hurts to be rolled and padded, but if I had left you alone, you'd have dried up. I know I made you dizzy to spin around on the wheel, but if I had stopped, you would have crumbled.
(04:10): I knew it, her and it was hot and disagreeable in the oven. But if I hadn't put you there, you would have cracked. I know the fumes were bad when I brushed and painted you all over. But if I hadn't done that, you never would have hardened. You would not have held. Now you are a finished product. You are what I had in mind. When I first began with you guys, the author on that is unknown, but in Jeremiah 18 six, it says behold like the clay in the Potter's hand. So are you in my hand, I love it guys. The refiners fire, the heat, the upheavals, the pressures, the challenges, they all bring your true worth and value. That's in deep within to the surface. I mean, let's think about a few transformations, like the clay to the tea cup, coal, to diamonds, the warm to the butterfly, the acorn to the Oak tree guys.
(05:01): There is so much potential in all of us, not just some of us, but in all of us, God uses the intensity of crisis and the force of adversity to rid us of our impurities, that lead, unfortunately, to mediocrity, he's on a mission to turn all of us into this shining light. And the more we overcome, the more value, the more valuable you become, but we have to gain some clarity. Gaining clarity is one of the most powerful things we can do to get past these roadblocks and the obstacles to heal relationships, to fix finances or turn businesses around or increase productivity to get control of our health, or just to move ahead in life. So let's get super clear on where you are now and what you need to do to get to where you want to be. And clarity comes from knowledge and understanding.
(05:52): Both of which is going to require you to take an honest look at your current circumstances and the dynamics that have led to where you find yourself today. Do your current circumstances, where your vision, how can you grow and prevail through adversity, despite all the problems and all the things we have going on. What is competing for your attention? Is it the problems in the world around you or all the notifications from your texts and the Facebook and the Twitter? What is your focus? And let's dive into where you are right now in this moment today. So what do you struggle with on a daily basis? Ask yourself what deflates you? What demotivates you? What discourages you? What disappoints you, derails you, what pain do you want to get rid of? And what lessons do you not want to repeat? What cycle, what vicious cycle keeps coming back around and around.
(06:43): And is there any comparison mode going on in your life? Is it intervening? Is it trying to bust through some of the open doors that you have allowed to continue to stay open? Is there anybody holding you back? Are you holding yourself back? Are you able to make decisions? Are you making wrong ones? Are you indecisive or even failing to make any decisions? So I want you to grab your journal, jot some things down. What's coming to mind for us to gain new clarity. We got to do the work. So let's reflect a little bit more. What roadblocks have you come up with? Who do you need to become? How do you need to be for some tough times to pass? What do you believe about yourself? Do you expect to see yourself overcoming? Do you see victory guys without problems? We would never really change.
(07:30): Do you agree with me on that? Do you ever catch yourself feeling stuck or trapped by situations? Let me tell you, you are not trapped. You are not stuck. That is a lie. That is a lie. You are not trapped to prosper from your problems. I mean, we have to be con Vince that not only you deserve better, but you also have the power to do and be better that you have the power to create change. And we are flipping the script problems, present opportunities. They present defining moments, the experience we gain and, and what we receive when we face our problems versus running. But we have to be able to ask the tough questions. I don't want us getting caught up in, how did I get here? But rather, where do I really want to be? What road must I take? What are my options?
(08:17): What's the best decision I can make based on my options. And then we can own the decision for the change we seek. I look at like problems. They are actually cycle breakers, right? That's like more flipping the script with this is your current view, that problems or the habits and negative habits that beliefs are. They unchangeable that you'll never break through. Let's flip it. If we embrace problems from within or from the power within, rather than from what we actually see, or the external circumstances, the problems can actually be a catalyst for change and it can rupture the cycles. It can break the vicious cycles and it can propel us forward. So let's take a cycle. You, you know, that you continue to be on and let's flip it today. For example, cycles of failure can actually be cycles of success. Here's another flip problems making the ending of one season and a beginning of another, we talked about this in our just free sisterhood.
(09:15): There are weekly calls a few weeks ago. And do you remember the story of the paralyzed man? He was paralyzed for 38 years and he thought he had to wait for this angel to appear to stir the water in the pool of Bethesda. Right? But he met Jesus and Jesus asked, what do you want? You know, basically, do you want to be a victim or do you want to get better? And he wanted to get better. And so there, then he walked, could things be the way they are because you are the way you are. What one thing can you change that can change everything. This is your life. You must own the decision for change. You seek and then harness that power of your will to make it happen. Get with the Lord and get to work. Because there is so much in this life that comes down to mind over matter.
(10:01): We can't change the past and we probably odds are we, we might not be, have the power to change the current, you know, the current circumstance or the present, but what about changing the trajectory of her life and future by viewing our current problematic situations as this transition to a new season, something ending, and then now stepping into a new season, a new you, a new opportunity, new growth, a new you, but we have to release the old in order to embrace the new, how do you, or how will you need to adjust your sales to make that shift? Do you need a little correction guys? I love Jim Roan. If y'all know him, he constantly asks and he asks us to ask, who am I around? What are they doing to me? What are, what do they have me reading saying, have you going, where do they have you going?
(10:50): What, what, and who do they have maybe coming? And the most important question that I love about this series of questions that he encourages us, us to reflect on is, is that okay? Who is your inner circle? What gain do you sound surround yourself with? Are your problems giving you this signal for new associations? Is it a red flag? Do your problems draw you closer to God? How are your problems challenging you to get stronger, to learn, to grow, to develop character. And do you agree that problems present us with empowering choices? We all want to feel empowered, but do you know what problems help us do? They help us create new skills to help us realign with what is truly important. They open up doors for innovation, prosperity success, and what I love the most about what problems can do. They build your story, your message, your testimony.
(11:45): So where are you now? Where do you want to go? What do you need to do to get there? What script in your life needs flipped. Guys. I'm just so glad that you were here. I know this was short and sweet, but I hope it fires you up for today. I do want to let you know that if you have not got your copy of set free, I talk a little bit about my story of overcoming the odds and finding freedom in Christ. So if you're looking to find that peace or the calm in the middle of chaos, if you're looking for your own personal freedom through Jesus, I mean, I know women are looking for a way out and anyone who has this kind of struggle, whether it's physical or emotional or spiritual, this book, and this message that God shared with me is to give you hope and healing. So just head on over to Amazon, check that out and grab your copy heads up on the next episode, we are continuing the series. We're going to be talking about the power of perspective. So come back, be sure to check that out. Thanks so much for joining us today. Please subscribe, share this episode, link on your social media. If you felt encouraged or inspired, as we all know, someone that can benefit. And I would love it. If you would give some feedback and review as well, talk with you next time. [inaudible] the unstoppable
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