Woman Evolve with Sarah Jakes Roberts - God Can Meet You Here | Mind Your Business Edition

Episode Date: October 9, 2026

What’s up, Delegation? Our girl SJR is minding y’alls business from start to finish! But not before letting you into hers. And can you believe we’re less than two weeks away from going on tour?! This timely Q&A episode is for the woman ready to rediscover who she is, trust what’s worth fighting for, move beyond shame with grace, and regain her footing when life feels lonely. If you’ve got a question you want her to weigh in on, hit our line at [phone] for a chance to have it answered on a future podcast episode. We got the hookup! See what our ad partners got for you. Find your next fall favorites at Quince. Download the Quince app for app-exclusive offers, or visit https://quince.com/evolve. Get 20% off your first order with code EVOLVE at https://myalloy.com. Go to https://shopify.com/evolve to start your free trial before Black Friday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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I am so grateful that we are finally in the month of tour. The Rogue Route Tour is finally here. And I am so looking forward to being in the seven cities that we're going to be in. I am, man, it's so interesting because whenever we do a tour, usually like, God gives me a word. And that word is the word that I share in the seven cities that we're going to, or however many cities we're going to be. but this feels so different because every city has a different demand, a different need, and a different sensitivity that I believe God's given me. And so I'm excited for, am I excited for how rogue God is going to be on the road with us?

I feel like the Holy Spirit is just going to take over, have complete control in every city. Each city is going to have a unique expression, a unique offering. And I'm just looking forward to like riding the wave of the Holy Spirit. just doing whatever comes. So I'm looking forward to it. Now, the plan A, the type A in me is, you know, I have feelings about it. I have feelings. But, you know, we are planning loosely what the cities are going to be like.

And so I'm excited. It's October's filing here. If you don't have your ticket, I don't know what you're waiting on. We are going to be in Detroit, Chicago, St. Louis, Memphis, Birmingham, Nashville, and San Antonio. Did I forget Detroit, Chicago, St. Louis, Memphis, Birmingham. Nashville and San Antonio. I named them all. And if you can get to a city, you should be there. We've got a different lineup in each city because, like I said, I believe God gave me a different focus and a different need for each city. And so I'm looking forward to seeing what God's going to do.

I've been doing college visits. My daughter, McKenzie, is a senior this year in high school. Let me tell you, we went to Spellman and Howard. And I posted this picture of us on campus while we were waiting for our tour to begin. And it's like a corner of the building. It's primarily her and I. When I tell you the Spellman women knew immediately, they were like, I could spot that brick anywhere. And it just makes me wonder,

what are they doing to you all as Spellman? Are they making y'all face them bricks every day? Like, do y'all have to get up in the morning and go look at them bricks before you make it to glass? How did y'all know by them bricks that my daughter now were at Spelman? That is really a thing that had me perplexed. And she had great visits at both campuses, and she fell in love completely with one of them. And I'm going to leave it at that.

It's her story and her testimony. It's hell. But I will tell you that seeing her come alive on campus and really enjoying herself, I told one of my friends, I don't know if my heart is bursting in joy or breaking into pieces, because that is my girl and the idea of packing her up and taking her to school. And as excited, like, I'm so happy for her. She's brilliant. She's smart. She's outgoing.

She's passionate. She's a hard worker. She's resilient. Like, there are so many things that make me so confident about who she's going to be in the world. And there are so many things that I am going, like, oh, that's my girl. So, you know, also, like, I had her at 21. So 14, 21, 28, all my kids, I had them seven years apart.

And even though I didn't have her as a teenager, it feels like we've grown up together in so many ways because I just was a shell of a version of myself. And I always say that like my son saved my life because if it weren't for him, I would have had so many, like having a child as a teenager is a risky behavior. However, had he not been in my life, I would have taken so many chances with my life just because I didn't, I didn't, I didn't, value who I was. And so I always say that my son saved my life and my daughter gave me a reason to live. And we grew up like some of the choices I made about relationships, about womanhood and what I wanted to model for her. She just inspired me. Like she was born inspiring me. And I am going to be sick. That is my girl. And I asked her and said, you know, I feel like even though I didn't have you as a teenager, I feel like I had you as a teen mom because I grew up so much in your life.

I was like, do you feel like you were raised? She goes, really? And I was like, yeah. I was like, do you feel like you were raised by a teen mom? She's like, no, I feel like I was raised by my best friend. Which, like, I'm not one of your little friends. Put some respect on my name, you know. You all pray for me because I'm going to have feelings. It's going to be me and Ella. Me and Ella are going to be, me and Ella already stick together close.

Like, we be stuck, like, white on rice. That's my girly swirly. And I was one of the featured guests at Unswerely. scripted tour with Tasha Cobbs Leonard in Dallas. And Tasha's so like just going, it's called unscripted. So Tasha's like completely going with the flow. And I'm like telling her, I'm like, hey, I'm going to just stand off to the side. When you need me, you let me know. And I'll just come in. And she was like, well, we just kind of flow. So it's like if you feel something, hop in. There's this one part that I think that like, you know, would be really powerful. But ultimately, I just want you to like be flexible to the Holy Spirit.

and I was like, okay, cool, well, when the Holy Spirit makes me flex, I'll just do it. And she's like, we all come out together. And I was like, yeah, but all of you all can sing and I can't sing so I shouldn't come out because you guys are going to, you know what I mean? And I'm going to be like, mm-hmm. And she's like, girl, come on, you just sit on the couch. And so here I am. And Ella's like, I want to go with you, can I go with you?

And she's like, yeah, sure. So here's me and Ella at Tasha's concert, going with the flow of the Holy Spirit, just waiting, worshiping. We were like the most background dancing. Our dance ministry was birth. Our worship ministry was birth. And Ella's like holding my hand basically throughout the entire concert, except for like when I'm lifting my hands to worship.

And then immediately, immediately when the elbow began to be and she grabs my hand. And so, yes, you know, me and Ella stick together. That's my little rider on this. It's going to be me and her. I'm on my way to be an empty nester. That girl is 38. She is me.

I'm that girl. It's 38. And, you know, I'm preparing. I'm preparing for the nest to be empty. Y'all know I love an outfit that looks like I put in a whole lot more effort than I actually did. Give me something that feels good, something that fits well and makes me look put together without me standing in the closet all day talking about, hmm, what am I about to wear? That's one of the reasons I like quince. They have those elevated everyday pieces that you can throw on, build around, and keep moving.

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So they've really taken that same idea of well-designed quality basics and brought it into the home too. One of the things I picked up there was a 100% mulberry silk pillowcase and baby, listen, I am in love. It's one of those little upgrade that makes your everyday routine feel a little more luxurious without you having to completely redo your whole life or your bedroom. I love when I can find something that feels elevated, feels good, and still makes sense for everyday living. Find your next fall favorites at Quince for app exclusive offers or go to quince.com. Get free shipping on your order and 365 day returns. Now available in Canada and the UK too. And when Quince asks where you heard about them, let them know where it was, the Woman Evolve podcast. It's the best way to support the show.

so you know, you have minded my business. This episode is fully a mind your business episode. You all have been flooding the inbox with your questions, and I have an opportunity to answer them. If you want to send me a mind your business question, you want to know my take on what's happening in your world. You can send it to 214-790-881. Again, that's 214-790-881.

And let me mind your business. We got four questions today. Let's get into them. Hey, S. They are. I've wanted to call a couple of times, but I have this burden question that I can't let go of. But it's been like a year since I kind of went rogue on my own. I made the big step and moved away. Home, got out of the environment for a little bit, and then God brought me back to the environment. And throughout that process, I learned so much. and even really like just so my life on a whole 180s turnaround. So in order to remain obedient, like I'm back in the environment, but I know I'm not supposed to operate the way I was operating in the environment.

And right now, I'm just kind of having some uncertainty. And I guess the question is how do I balance gratitude for where I am and what I've learned and the journey that God is taking me on with expectation of whatever is next because I know I've had to get good at, like, letting go of my idea of certain outcomes and being comfortable, being uncomfortable in order to remain obedient, but there's still

some uncertainty about what God is actually doing on the other side. So, like, with that uncertainty, what does expectation actually look like without, you know, holding on so tight to my own idea of what should be happening. It's kind of like the first question. And then my second question would be, like, when you're making changes and trying to grow in business and you're experiencing, like, some resistance, like, how do you know whether that resistance is redirection or it's healthy opposition for growth?

Or kind of like my two questions. But hopefully those make sense. I'm very, very, very thankful for you. Your life, not only like your messages in the podcast, but your life in general has really been a classroom for me in this time. So I just thank you for continuing to show up and offer all that you do to women involved. Appreciate you.

My absolute pleasure to share what I'm learning about God, what I am discovering in myself, the areas where I need to grow, the areas where I have grown, to be able to share those with you all, it really is a privilege. And I'm just grateful that it's found a home in your life and in your journey. I know exactly what this feels like. I know what it's like to move away from a place to grow, evolve, and change, and then come back into that place and know that, like, I'm different than I was before. and how do I introduce that into this space also while, you know, not coming off like completely different even though I've changed.

So the first thing I would say is you get to be who you are with the people you are around with explanation. Like I want to, you don't have to, sometimes we're like, I'm just going to show up and be different. And you can do that. But for the people who are called to be a part of your life and call it to be a part of your journey, there's nothing wrong with being a tutor that shows them who you are now when they are used to a version of you who no longer exist. And a lot of times we assume that people don't have the capacity to embrace who we have become because it's so different than who we were. and we make decisions for them as opposed to introducing ourselves to them

and allowing whatever happens naturally to define what the relationship has the potential to become. And so if there are certain ways that you once engage, certain ways that you once laughed, hung out, chilled, whatever, to be able to say, hey, doing that made me feel X, Y, and Z, or I got tired of the hangover. I'm using this broadly grow. I don't know your life, you know,

but like I don't I used to talk that way too but then I started feeling bad about the person who was on the other end even if they couldn't hear it or I started it started making me insecure about what people were saying about me when I wasn't in the room so I'm trying to change my language like that's no shade to you but if you notice I'm not engaging if you notice I'm not showing up in the way that I used to

this is why and so I think offering those people explanation is introduction and they may say like girl I'm off that you to you too you too you too rich for my blue You know what I mean? You got a little seddy on you. Like they get to make whatever claims they're going to make as a result of it. But at least you offer this space where you could be authentic and to help them to understand how you have evolved.

And when it comes to the uncertainty of that, so like I'm back in this new city or I'm back, I'm back, I'm new in a familiar place. And what does it look like for me to reorient my expectations and to show up even though I'm uncertain? Service, service, service, service. My answer to that is service. So when I'm thinking about Peter and John, and I just preached a message about this, and it's called the cost of being first. It's kind of about this scene.

But, you know, Peter, Simon, Simon, Peter doesn't show up in the way that he anticipates in his relationship with Jesus. It's different. It's new. And he's experiencing disappointment. Jesus comes back. After Jesus is resurrected, Jesus comes in.

gets Peter and he tells Peter, do you still love me feed my sheep? And so if we imagine what it's like to be Peter in that moment, Peter has made a mistake. He is in a familiar environment, but he's different. And he's trying to go back to what he used to do, but that doesn't quite fit anymore. But he can't really step into who he is either. And so Jesus comes and Jesus doesn't tell him, well, this is who you are. You know what I mean? It's okay for you to think the way you wants thought and to have the courage that you once thought or, you know, you should be ashamed. And so you should play it small. Jesus doesn't say any of that. He doesn't speak to who he is at all. He says, feed my sheep. He doesn't address his mistake. He doesn't address, you know, this identity

shifting. He just says, do you love me, feed my sheep? He kind of boils it down to here's the bottom thing that matters is you partnering with me to do something in the earth. And so I would challenge you in seasons where you can't forecast, where you can't put your faith on this, like our faith is a down payment for this next version of who I am. And I'm moving towards the book and I'm going to build, when you don't know what to plan, plan to serve. And when you begin to plan to serve, it changes how you view the world. You're looking at the world as like, how can I be a solution? How can I be a bomb? How can I be a help? How can I be a support to what is immediately around me? And you may have to go out of your way.

to find opportunities to serve. But that's okay. Like find the nonprofits, find the community events, find the churches, and just be okay with serving for now. And I have found that from a place of serving, that God begins to reveal to us,

areas where our insights, our gifts, our strategies, our talents can help to build a larger picture. And so while you're waiting for the next move from God, be a word from God, be a reflection. of God. Okay, let me talk to my business owners for a second and also the person who has had the business idea sitting in the notes app for way too long. You know, I'm always telling y'all that having the idea is one thing, but actually building the systems that allow the idea to grow,

that's a whole different conversation. And I know that firsthand because WomonEvolve shop runs on Shopify. When you're building a brand, especially one that has people shopping from different places and at different times, you need something on the back end that can actually keep up with what you're creating. And Shopify gives businesses the tools to build their store, manage what they're selling, and meet customers wherever they're shopping. They have pre-built website themes and an AI site builder so you can create a professional looking store without needing to know how to code. And through the Shopify mobile app, you can manage things like inventory, customer support, and payments even when you're out and on the go. And y'all already know what season

we're walking into. The holidays are coming. Black Friday is coming. And people are already getting ready to start shopping. So if you've been waiting for the perfect moment to finally get that idea out of your head and into the world, this may be your sign to stop waiting and start building. Launching before Black Friday means you can take advantage of the extra online traffic. If you're ready to launch your business before Black Friday, go to Shopify.com slash evolve to start your free trial. That's Shopify.com slash evolve. Go to Shopify.com slash evolve today to hear your first. And what's the last thing you asked me?

I was blabbering. So redirection and, oh, girl. I think two things can be true, baby. I think that the things that God uses to grow us can also be what, oh, so good. The things that God uses to grow us, the enemy can also pervert to make it seem like the things that are meant to deter us. And so, you know, in scripture, Joseph talks about his brothers, throwing him into a pit and he looks at his brothers and he says, you meant it for evil, but God meant it for good. And so this idea that I can experience something that feels evil and God still use it for good, I think you have to

hold those two truths together. When I think about, if you listen to the Woman Evolve podcast, you already know, I think I'm going to give you guys a little insider information, but you guys know what the conference thing and, you know, everything we've navigated with refunds and restructuring the business and me feeling like, okay, you know, I was playing it too close to the vest, but I don't want to charge what it charges to put on the conference. Like, but is this the enemy because the God moves at the conference? And, you know, I've battled these questions myself firsthand. Like, there's the business aspect of it, the spiritual aspect of it. And I really do think that it is okay for you to say, I need a minute to rebrand.

build. I need a minute to reassess. I need a minute to take inventory of what's actually possible for me. And in the process of taking that time, there are lessons to be learned. I do not believe at this time that I'm going to have the WOMEvolved Conference in 2028. I need a minute to reassess. I had the injury. We navigate the refunds, the contracts. It grew. And, you know, It went from 2,300 people to 40,000 people in one conference year. We had a year off because of women that are at least, but then that very next year, 40,000 women. And that growth felt like an overwhelming blessing. And there were financial implications on the back end that did not feel like a blessing.

And I feel like we've just been in this cycle ever since of trying to keep up. and I don't want to continue that cycle. I need a minute. You know, Lord, you allowed me to have this experience. And that's the other thing is like, if you can find the lesson and everything, because if God is causing all things to work together for our good, our mission as business owners cannot be,

how do I avoid every mistake? It's got to be how do I make sure I don't miss any lessons? Because I'm going to make mistakes. This is my first time doing some of these things. This is my first time ever stepping out on faith, creating, strategizing, being in charge of people leading teams and budgets, I'm going to make mistakes. I don't know everything. So the question then becomes, how do I make sure I don't miss any lessons? And so I don't want to get in that cycle because I feel like there are lessons that

I need to really allow to become a part of my philosophies and my decision making. And if I keep on going in this cycle, literally won't evolve. It just, I won't be, it won't be able to exist. I won't, I won't have the resources in order to make it happen. And so I feel like I have some lessons that I need to pick up along the way. And so asking what are the lessons in this that are meant to develop me as a leader and so that I can build differently, better, more securely in the future may require you to feel like I'm moving ahead sometimes. I'm going backwards.

I'm moving ahead sometimes going backwards. And that's okay because our businesses are not meant to bolster our reputations. or to strengthen our arrogance or pride, it's meant to establish the kingdom of heaven. And the Lord is using fragile materials in that establishment. And if we aren't careful, sensitive, intentional, we will end up building our houses out of sand without even realizing it. But if we're called to build on the rock, you know, rock has to be honed. It has to be, it goes through a process of being perfected so that it can fit more beautiful. more perfectly. So I hope that answers your question. This episode of Woman Evolve is brought to you

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Head to MyAloid.com and use the code Evolve and tell them all about your symptoms, and you'll get a fully customized treatment plan and unlimited messaging with your doctors. Plus, you'll get 20% off your first order today. Head to M-Y-A-L-O-Y dot com and use code Evolve to get 20% off your first order. This code is valid on products only. I think that it's okay to say that I feel like I'm in a season of warfare. I feel like I'm in a season of opposition and I don't know what to do. And Lord, show me who you are in this season.

show me who I am, show me how to respond. Honor what you're feeling if I'm tired, defeated, disappointed, frustrated, ashamed, honor what you're feeling so that the Lord can meet you in that place. But even warfare is used for God's good. And it all depends on our ability to, that our faith won't fail, to not let our faith fail. My faith is in God. Even when I no longer have faith in my path, even if I no longer have faith in the idea, even if I no longer have faith in myself, because my faith is in God, that means I believe that even the areas where I failed, God's going to use for my good. And so I'm repositioning my faith back to God so that God can show me how to navigate the opposition. Okay, I love you. Thank you for trusting me. And I'm so proud of you

for growing, for leaning in. Keep going, girl. Keep going. Keep going. I'm going keep going. I'm going keep going and we're going to keep learning and we're going to look back and we're going to say wow Lord it is my testimony that you've been faithful in season and out of season. Okay let's get into the next question. Hi, Ms. Sarah, Jakes Roberts, this is Shamira. I'm calling because recently I've been going through a lot and I feel all alone. you know, I feel like I'm losing faith, which I hate that feeling because I know that I believe in God, but I don't know what's happening to me right now.

My thoughts are crazy. They feel, it just feels like I'm going crazy in my thoughts, and I don't know how to stop them, you know? And just a little bit of background, it's like two years ago I gave my life to Jesus, and I was on fire for God, and there was just some past things that showed back up in my life that I went back to, that I wasn't strong enough to say no to, and it kind of dug myself a hole. And, you know, a year later, I'm pregnant now, and not married, not with a father or anything, So that's another thing that I'm dealing with. And, you know, it's just, it's just been hard mentally.

And I just, I need help. I need prayer. I need something or someone. But it feels like I have no one right now. So, yes, that's all. Thank you. Hey, you. Oh, guys, I can, man, I can feel your heartbreaking.

even in your message. And it sounds like you're a little disappointed in yourself when I heard you say it's something that I wasn't strong enough. That's language. You know, that feels like condemning yourself for your weakness. And it's hard to heal, forgive, and love yourself and be ashamed of yourself at the same time. because the very parts of you that you're going to need to embrace, there's a part of you that can feel a little resentful that you were in the situation in the first place.

This is what I want you to understand. You said that a couple of years ago you were on fire for Jesus, gave your life to Jesus, was on fire for God. And then some things came up that you feel like kind of took some of that momentum away. I want you to know that part of your walk with Jesus is that it's literally going to be a walk. Even when I think about the Peter, the Simon Simon Peter example that I just mentioned, this is a man who was on fire for Jesus, quite literally would do anything for him. And then I was preaching once in that I said that three days and did three years of walking with Jesus for the disciples.

Like they walked with him for three years, saw power, signs, and miracles firsthand. Like they're not reading it. No one was preaching to them about it. they saw it firsthand and in three days all of that was shaking. How much more so can that happen to us if we are human just like they are human? And so I don't want you to penalize yourself. Jesus knew that Peter was going to fail and then still said when you have returned to me to come back and strengthen your brethren. I think it's important that you know that though you may be upset, frustrated, disappointed that you got off track, that you're getting off track did not

surprised Jesus. It didn't surprise God. He understood that you were going to have those moments where you were on fire for God and then that you would be in a moment like this where something happened where you found yourself tempted, triggered, hurting, whatever, and made some choices that didn't reflect that fire, but the fire is still there. The fire may be buried underneath some of your shame and may be buried against some of those regrets and may be buried underneath some of that pain, but the fire is still there. And when we are alone and isolated, the voice of shame, the voice of fear can become even more magnified. And so I want to thank you for opening your heart and opening me up to this season of your life and letting me in. I want you to know that you are still so loved that it was never about your

work. It was never about your behavior. That that's not why Jesus got on the cross. The Bible tells us that while we were yet sinners, he got on the cross for us. So you were never going to perform. your way into being worthy of relationship with Jesus. You were already deemed worthy, already deemed beautiful, already deemed whole and worth dying for long before you made the decision to even come to Jesus. So the question then becomes, how do I navigate this disappointment that I experienced? How do I navigate showing up as this version of myself that makes me uncomfortable? And I think it comes down to examining what took place, like what happened? And you say I wasn't strong enough. Like, is there something that the Lord wants to build on the inside of you? Is there

an experience that you have? Some counseling and therapy that can accompany the work that you're doing on the spiritual side where, you know, maybe you do have a temptation to be seen, to be loved because you were overlooked in some way or you were abandoned in some way. And so you went through a rejection and disappointment and you went back to your old coping mechanisms in order to avoid those feelings. Our relationship with Jesus is strengthened when we understand ourselves even more because we pray with more intentionality. We ask the Holy Spirit to meet us more intimately. And if you don't have intimacy with yourself, but you have a relationship with Jesus, you're going to become religious and not experience transformation. But transformation takes place

because I'm daring to experience intimacy within myself, where I'm not just looking at my highlight real, but I'm looking at those areas of deficiency. I'm looking at those areas of inadequacy where I have a proclivity to make choices and to act out of my integrity or out of my character or from a place of hurt and from a place of rejection. And I want to have control. I want to have better self-control in those areas. And I want to teach this baby that I'm bringing into the world how to have a different tool in her toolkit. You didn't have tools. You just didn't have tools. And you can be upset with yourself for the choices you made. But if you looked at the toolkit that you had in building your life, you didn't have the kind of tools to build the

kind of life that you're now vilifying yourself or not building. But God can always add to your toolkit. When you get to a place where you realize, Lord, I need to build with something different. I'm tired of building with achievement. I'm tired of building with my body, with my looks. I'm tired of building with my pride, with my anger, with my ego. I need more tools. And when you get to a place where you're like, I want my tools to be righteousness. I want my tools to be kindness and love and self-control. Then the Holy Spirit has a work to do in your life. And so if you can get to a place where you can forgive yourself for not having the kind of tools that help you to build the life that you're proud of. If you can forgive yourself, if you can no longer hold yourself hostage for what you didn't

have, you can create space and opportunity for God to bring those things into your life. And so I want to encourage you to get involved with community. Perhaps there's a local church. Perhaps there's group therapy sessions that you can experience. Single mother groups that you can get plugged into where you can around women who are in similar situations as yourself, and yet they are still determined to make better choices. I heard the word intervention as you were speaking. You just need an intervention. And so you may not feel like you have the support that you need, that you may be facing these things on your own. But I want to encourage you that there have been women who have had similar experiences who are making the choice to do things differently. And you can get around them.

And women who have survived, follow them on social media. You're plugged into my voice and my message, there are so many other women who have had experiences that have felt difficult and challenging. And I just want to encourage you to bring mentors into your life free Google the memoirs, the books, so that you feel less alone and keep your heart open to the ways that God can bring community into your life. Lord, you knew that she would be here, that she would be having this experience, God, where she had thoughts and questions and fears and shame and anxiety and hope. Thank you, Jesus, for allowing her hope to survive at all.

We know that she has hope because she reached out. Oh, God, and I just ask that you would continue to protect her hope, that you would continue to give her strength and wisdom to expand that hope, God. Please, Lord, I ask that you would allow your spirit to meet her in the area of her pain and the area of her insecurity. and that you would allow your presence to rest, God. Oh, you're not anxious. You're not worried.

You already know the path that she's going to take. You already have a plan in mind. May your rest become her rest. May your peace become her peace. And from that place of peace where she is anxious for nothing, God, I ask that you would bring tools, wisdom, friends, community, that she would realize that she has a village that you have curated to not just help her raise this baby, but to raise her up in the things of God.

And I ask God that as she leans into compassion, that she would experience your love, your healing, your restoration, help her to forgive herself, God, because you've already forgiven her. And I thank you that she's going to be a routebreaker for herself and for her child. In Jesus' name, amen. Thank you for trusting me, for sharing this. this with me. I'm going to make sure that we get this answer to you as soon as possible, even before this episode is released. And I just want you to be open to the many ways that God can protect you, heal, restore, and the paths that are available to you as you seek to do the same for your

unborn child, because there are options available to you that the Lord will reveal. you align your heart with his. And the first place that you have to align your heart with his is as it relates to who you are. And as you receive that as truth, God's going to give you wisdom. Okay, next question. Hey, love. I'm not going to just love my name or anything, but I'm 24 years old. I just want to call in for like some quick advice because I feel like a lot of people my age are probably struggling with finding their identity.

and seeking their own relationship through Christ by themselves. Currently, I am living by myself, providing for myself, and I kind of lost all my friends in my relationship. And I'm at the point where, like, it's just me, and there's a lot of stillness around and a lot of thoughts going on daily where I have to make decisions that really do affect my future. And I understand it, but I'm just at the point where I'm really trying to find a way to hear from God. Like, I grew up in a church.

I always had a relationship with God, but I didn't have my own personal relationship, I feel like. And I'm trying to figure out where to begin. and the crazy thing about it is like right now to provide for myself I'm currently a dancer aka midnight ballerina and like I want to say I feel a lot of conviction necessarily about the work at first but it's like after doing it months on end it just kind of is like I don't like what I'm doing, but it pays the bill. I'm at the point where I'm seeking God and still making earthly mistakes. Yeah, I just want to know, like, when you were my age and you were messing up and stuff,

like, how did you get to the point where you could really, no matter what you have going on, find your own relationship with God and seek him and drown out the outside noise. and really hear what he won't me to do with my future. Because I'm open and willing to listen. I'm just one of those people. It's like if it's not going to, if I feel like not working, it's really hard for me to like go all the way in and apply myself, but I know what's right.

You know what I mean? I might have to do another voice, you know, but, and regroup my thoughts. But if you understand what I'm saying, let me hear this woman. Thank you. Hey, Queen. Thank you for sending your question. I feel like I understood what you're saying. You want something real.

It's like I want a relationship with God. Here's where I am in my life. And it sounds like you just feel unfulfilled and that you feel like a relationship with God is the place that you want to start to discover fulfillment, whether it's in your career path or your life in general. Like you just sound like you're hungry for something and you're starting with God. And I think that's a great place to be.

But then it's like I want it to be real. Like I don't want it to just be for play. When I was your age, I grew up in church too. But you're 24. When I was 24, I was two baby daddies in. I was a single mother. I was living at my parents' house and I was smoking a lot of weed. A lot of weed.

Amen. The chime. The chime is chiming in. Okay? I think I got sick of myself. And I waitress at a strip club. I didn't dance. I don't think that I ever felt like I could dance because of my stretch marks.

And I started seeing the queens out there with a stretch march. And I was like, well, you know. So we have similarities, is why I'm saying that. I feel like I got to a place where I just got tired of myself and of the life that I was living. And I didn't necessarily know what I wanted to do, but I just felt like I could do better than that. And as it relates to my relationship with God, I started putting myself in a position where I would encounter who God is. And so my willingness to go out of my way to find his way, I would have encounters with God. And when I had an encounter with God, I became hungry for more.

And so it sounds like you're trying to build an appetite for the things of God. And when you're trying to build an appetite for the things of God, you have to be willing to go out of your way to do it. And so, you know, try different churches, right? Where do I experience? What makes me feel the presence of God? Try to listen in the different terms, different worship songs. I will say that, like, I do believe it is possible for you to have encounter with God and encounter with God outside of just going to church.

It can be a little bit more challenging. But when I look at people, there are certain people whose faith was highlighted in Scripture. A lot of times those people's faith was highlighted because they went out of their way for an encounter. And so I would ask you, what would it look like for you to go out of your way to have an encounter with God? I would ask you as it relates to building your relationship with God to have a why. A lot of times people want to build a relationship with God, but I don't know why. I want you to begin to ask yourself, why do I want to have a relationship with God? What is it that I want to know about God?

Why do I think a relationship with God is going to impact me, change me? I want you to begin to get down to your why, because your why is going to motivate and fuel the way that you show up in those quest for an encounter. So even when you're opening your Bible and you're looking to have an encounter with God through scripture, if you understand your why, sight because I want to understand his power. I want to understand his goodness. I want to understand, like, is he really good? What questions do I have? We want to build a relationship with God. What questions do you have? Are you really good? Are you really faithful? Are you really kind? Why do bad things happen? Like, start looking for answers to your questions. And a lot of times that can happen through sermons, through scriptures, through your prayer time. And so when I'm reading the Bible, I'm asking myself,

like, God, who are you? Like, who are you really? And what does it say to me the way that you show up in certain experiences? I don't know if you've ever met people and it's like, oh my gosh, they are so generous to me. Like, oh my gosh, you're so nice to me. Oh, my gosh, you're so nice to me. And then you see them out with someone else. And it's like, oh, my gosh, you're so nice to them. Oh, wait, you're just nice to everybody. When we look at scripture, it's our way of like discovering who God is. And it's like, okay, wait, you were faithful to them. You were patient with them. You were kind with them.

Like, oh my gosh, you'll be faithful and patient and kind to me because you have a history of doing that. And so it sounds good to say, like, I want to build a relationship with God. I want to get close to God. But I think to really pinpoint where you want to experience God's closeness, what you want to know about God helps to define our pursuit in a way that gives us more intentionality when tapping into the things of God.

And so I would challenge you to ask those questions. You mentioned your midnight ballerina. I just told you a little bit of my resume. I just want you to know that God meets each of us where we are, that God's not waiting for you to change who you are, change where you are before he engages with you, that the Lord can meet you right where you are. He never leaves us right where we are.

And I don't mean just about your profession. I mean in your heart posture. And as the Lord begins to engage with your heart, heal your heart, put his desires in your heart. Your path and journey may change as well. There may be some sacrifices you're willing to make, some shifts that you make organically because of that relationship that you have with him.

But I just want to encourage you that the Lord's not waiting on you to change you before he meets you, that he can meet you and then change you. So thank you for trust to me. Okay, at this point I think it's the devil don't want me to call you. I don't know, but the phone keeps disconnecting. Maybe I'm talking too much and your machine is limited. But to try to make it short, I am, my life is a lot.

I'm drowning. I am drowning and I don't know how to get back to the surface. I have no life jacket and I'm alone. I'm nervous. I'm scared and I'm tired. And I just want to quit because I can't continue to live like this. It's just so much that's, it's so much in there. and I tried therapy and while my therapist is a good person to talk to it, it seems like

I broke my share amount of shovels trying to dig in there and dig it out and get this snowball off of me, but it's not working. And I don't know. I don't know what to do, but, no, I don't know what to do, but something brought me to your YouTube channel something brought me to this phone number

to call and render my cry for help to mind my own business but I need help because obviously I haven't been doing a good job

of minding my business so there's that I don't know what I'm supposed to do after this but I don't know it felt

it felt good to at least call and say that little bit So for that, I thank you. But I will definitely bookmark you and continue. And I thank you for listening to this message, for the multiple ones I had to leave.

Thank you. I don't, I'm really sorry that you feel like you're drowning and that you don't have a life jacket. And I feel the weight of that, even as you're speaking, the pain of that. You didn't go into a lot of details about what happened to make you have those experiences. So I'm not exactly sure the best way to maybe connect you with tools and resources. You said you tried therapy. It's a good person.

but it sounds like you've seen a lot and that you've been through a lot and that you're tired. And I know that a lot of people can relate to that. I do think that I can't say that I have answers for what you're facing, but you saying that you felt better and just leaving the voicemail and talking about it lets me know that there's some power in releasing it and finding spaces where you can let it out. The same way that you left that voicemail, sometimes leaving or writing, they're like stream of conscious writings where you just write anything that comes to your mind and you just write it, write it, write, write it, write it out. And in the process, it could be like they're making me write something comes in mind.

This feels very stupid, like literally just whatever comes to mind because it helps to implement. you out and to empty out your mind and to empty out your brain. And sometimes when you experience thing after thing after thing, it can be very difficult for you to even understand what's going on with you because there's just like so many things that I don't even know where to start. And so for you to be able to see it on paper can sometimes help. I think that as it relates to just like mental health and our spiritual health and journey, that, you know, that, you know, there's a certain place that we have to be in in order for therapy and counseling to really be effective. And I think it has to be more than I want to be better. It has to be like, I want to

figure out where I am and how I got here. And there's such intense vulnerability required for that because it sounds like you've experienced some trauma. So I'm thinking particularly with trauma therapy. and EDMR is a form of therapy that helps us to understand how trauma may be showing up in our body. And so because we don't always have the language or just caring it in our bodies. And so I think that being in a position where you realize if I'm going to do therapy, like it's probably not going to be a quick fix and it's going to be probably painful in some ways to open the door to some things that I have closed or blocked out. and I'm ready for that because I realize that the only way that I that is my life jacket,

you're drowning and you're not to build a life jacket in the water. And building a life jacket in the water does require work and tools and help from other people. I preached a message a little while ago about Adam and Eve, the man and the woman technically at the time, eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. and how in God's plan that there were certain things we were never supposed to know and that when they ate from that tree

it opened their eyes to a knowledge that God didn't want us to have and when I looked at that Hebrew word evil to examine all of the things that that word meant and I don't remember the name of the message I have to look it up I want to look it up for you

my answer is probably going to be just as as random as yours is, but, well, not random, but maybe a little disjointed. Let me see, let me see. I want you, I want to find that. It's called Now That You Know. And in the message, now that you know, there's a graphic on there, and it'll show you all of the things that God didn't want us to know. It sounds like you know some things that God never wanted you know.

The reason why I want you to know that is because when you, you have started walking out some of the evils or experiencing some of the evils that are connected with humanity and existence, you can start to wonder like, God, why? Where were you in the midst of this? How could you? I would encourage you to listen to that message because God, there are certain things God never us to know. And now that we know them, God can be in them with us and God can give us perspective and peace and comfort and transformation from those things that we know that we were never meant to know. And so I would encourage you to take a look at that message so that you can experience the nearness of God. There's a scripture that talks about God being close to the brokenhearted.

And in the message, I say part of the reason why God is close to the brokenhearted is because the broken heart, it broke his heart to some of the things that we experience, whether it's death, betrayal, abuse. And so I'd start there. I would begin to ask yourself, like, what are some of the ways that you're coping? You know, how are you surviving these seasons? What has become your God? What has become the place where you worship? Is it silence? Is it keeping people out?

Is it an addiction of some sort? Is it working? Like, what is the thing that has become your coping mechanism? Because that is the thing that has become what you go to for healing, even if it's just temporary healing. And what would it look like for you to lay those things down and to acknowledge the pain? And then our experiences teaches things. And so the other thing that I would ask is like, what have these experiences taught me? What have these experiences made my truth that I can't count on people, that I'm this, that I'm that?

like what truths have these experiences brought to me and do these truths align with God and who I know God to be. Do I know enough about God to know whether or not this should be my truth? And I do believe that there is hope. I know that there's hope for your situation. I know that there's hope for who you are on the inside to be restored. And I also know that it's going to come with some vulnerability and some perhaps discomfort. But I believe that who you are going to be on the other side of this work, of this surrender, is going to be empowering to not just yourself, but to other women who find themselves in similar situations.

whatever it is you're facing as unique as it is, there's probably a person somewhere who can relate to it in some way. And if you can find whether, once again, you didn't go in details. But I'm thinking about some of the things that I know have become challenging for people to navigate traumas, abuses, addictions, abandonment, rejection, whatever it is that it is, there are usually groups that exist.

to help support people who've had those experiences. And if you can get in community, the same way that just speaking it out loud helped you to feel a little bit better, sometimes knowing that you're not the only one can help as well. And to be connected with people who have had those experiences and came out on the other side can help as well. But I am going to pray with you now.

Because God, there are some things that we experience in this life. life that seems so unfair that make us feel so small and so shattered and so helpless and then we wake up each day trying to hold it all together for everyone. God, the woman who called in today, it sounds like she needs you, that she needs to know some of the things that I've learned about you, that you can be a healer, that you can be a comfort, that you can be a peace, that you can be a divine strategy, that you know how to turn the light on in dark seasons. So, God, I'm praying for flickers of light, God, to begin bombarding her space, for flickers of light, God, to begin finding a way to her in this dark season. God, oh, God, I rebuke

right now the spirit, the spirit, not the emotion, but the spirit of, you know, of, you know, defeat the spirit of disengaging God, where the enemy would dare torment her. God, I just ask right now that you would, I plead the blood of Jesus over her. And I ask right now that you would intervene, that you would raise up a standard that even now that she would begin to feel your presence, God. And as she experiences your presence where the enemy has planted thoughts, where the enemy has planted seeds, where the enemy is planted discord, God, I pray right now that you would begin to uproot them right now in the name of Jesus and that she would experience the power of

the Holy Spirit to pull her out of dark seasons. God, let it happen first in her heart and her mind and her spirit that the Holy Spirit would begin to make her hungry and to long for encounters with you that break the yoke, God. And I thank you for an anointing that's on the inside of her that all hell has broken loose around her because of the anointing on the inside of her, God. I thank you for a fresh outpouring of that anointing and that it would break every yoke that is connected to this season of her life, God. I thank you that where she's had a difficult history, that you have a fulfilling promise and future and destiny for her God. And I thank you that she can begin to trust you again, God.

restore the trust, God, where experiences have broken trust or disappointment has pulled her away from you. God, I ask that you would begin to restore that trust on the inside of her. And as she seeks you, God, I pray that you would meet her in undeniable ways, that it would be undeniable that you hear her voice, God. And I thank you that you will call people to her to steward what you've placed on the inside of her, God. And I just ask that you would dispatch angels, God. angels to minister to her in the area of her deepest wounds, angels to heal her, angels to guide her, angels, Lord, to prop her up in seasons where things are beyond challenging, God. And I thank you for the right voices, for the right therapist, for the right groups, for the right mentors, God,

to show her that they know what it's like to be down in a ditch, to be down in the lowest season of their lives, and yet to still have you pull them up, God. And I thank you that in community and in connection that she will, experience an outpouring of your love and a flow of your peace and your power. And for any woman who needs this prayer, God, may meet her in the area of her greatest need. Find her and perhaps her darkest day, God, and let it be a flicker. And then may that flicker just turn into an infernal God. May it light a path to her next. In Jesus' name, amen. I'm going to keep praying for you and loving on you.

and sending you joy and peace and light and strength, no matter where you are. This has been the Mind Your Business episode of the Woman Evolve podcast. I just want, I know I've prayed a few times throughout this podcast, so I just want to leave you with a thought. Take seriously your opportunity to interact with people. You may be the only glimpse of God they see, and a season where they don't see anything but darkness at all. And I know everyone's carrying their own burdens

and you need someone to be a glimpse of God yourself. I understand that, but just take seriously. You never know what people are facing. And if God has allowed you to interact with them on any level, perhaps you're the light that they've been praying for. So take that seriously. I love you guys. I'm going to keep on praying, keep on believing.

And if there's anything that you heard today and you feel like, hey, I've got perspective or wisdom that I can offer, drop it in the comments on our social media, leave it on the YouTube page. We'll be scouring and searching so that we can continue to get as much wisdom, knowledge, and understanding to the women who called in this week. Okay, I love you guys. I'll see you next week.