Episode Transcript
[00:00:01] Speaker A: Hey, friend. Welcome to Perspectives into Practice, a place where life's stories meet practical wisdom. Together, we'll explore how faith filled perspectives can transform the way we live, love, and grow.
So grab a seat, settle in, and join us on this journey to turn inspiration into action.
Let's dive in.
Hey, friend. Welcome back to Perspectives into Practice. I am really excited for today's conversation because it's one that will truly leave you inspired. We're talking about resilience, obedience, and how sometimes when everything in the physical says stop, God is saying keep going. Today's guest is my new friend, Lauren. And when a sudden health crisis struck at a time as her dream is gaining this traction, she had every reason to pause, but she chose to press forward with God's voice guiding her. So this conversation is for anyone who's ever felt like where circumstances were closing in, but God's faith is calling you to rise. Welcome, Lauren.
[00:01:12] Speaker B: Wow, what an introduction. Thank you so much for having me.
[00:01:18] Speaker A: Absolutely. I'm so glad that you're here.
So before we dive in, I love a good, fun fact, and the fun fact that I have for you is that you used to be a model in high school, but now you prefer to be behind the camera, right?
[00:01:32] Speaker B: Yes. At this point, food is just too good, so.
[00:01:37] Speaker A: No.
[00:01:38] Speaker B: And I appreciate the beauty in front of me. So there it is.
[00:01:42] Speaker A: I love it.
You know, I feel like it's easier when we're behind the camera. We can, we can focus our attention on there. And, you know, it's such a great metaphor for, you know, God sometimes is moving us from the spotlight to the strategy room, and. And I feel like that's what he's done for you. So how did you get into modeling in high school? How did that happen? Yes.
[00:02:04] Speaker B: Well, that was a perfect connection to exactly what it was.
I love it.
So in high school, we know how teenage girls are.
It was a time I was in public in high school, and girls were just being mean girls. And I just needed to find an outlet to, you know, really showcase myself and my personality, find, you know, the beauty within myself.
And it was fantastic, you know, getting that validation from other people as well. Because let's face it, at 14, 15, and 16 years old, you need that, right? So it just was an amazing way for me to, you know, start to find myself as a young woman.
[00:02:57] Speaker A: Yeah. Oh, that's beautiful. That's beautiful. Let's take a step back when you have an unexpected shift. I know that your story takes you through a season where you were tested in your Strength slowed your steps, but strengthened your faith. And so can you take us back to that. And what happened with your health? And how did that begin to just completely change your world?
[00:03:20] Speaker B: I found myself one day doing my usual activities, going about things as normal, and then the very next day, boom, found myself feeling as though, okay, I really need to go to the hospital, because I can't go to the grocery store like I planned to do.
[00:03:41] Speaker A: Goodness.
[00:03:42] Speaker B: And got there. They had no idea what was going on. I had no idea what was going on. And I couldn't voice it for myself. I literally could not speak. I couldn't walk. I couldn't speak. Like I said day before, absolutely normal, nothing going on. And then next day, not being able to speak or be able to walk. Wow. So found myself in that position right when I'm gearing up to open up my. My micro school, open up my business.
And it was the weirdest thing to me to work mentally. I'm still thinking about logos and posting online and trying to design and all of that kind of stuff. And people are looking at me like, lauren, you're sitting here in a hospital bed, like, what are you doing?
But I still, you know, had it in me to just keep going. And I remember sitting there and in the hospital, posting on Facebook like nothing, you know, was going on, because I was able to physically do that, but I could not physically lift my arms, I could not lift my legs. I couldn't do regular tasks on my own, but I was able to use my fingers. I could text, I could type. So that really was the thing that kept me, you know, going and kept me encouraged and just having the faith, thanking the Lord that I had my family there with me, you know, surrounding me in prayer and for myself, having my own faith and my own drive, because if I did not have those things, I probably would not be sitting here talking to you right now.
But it was a time.
It definitely was a time.
[00:05:36] Speaker A: Wow. So in those early days when your speech and mobility were impacted, what were your thoughts of fear that you might have been wrestling with?
[00:05:44] Speaker B: That I was not going to be able to get back to normal, period.
I started doing physical therapy, and the first day that I went, you know, of course I was not. At least I was able to stand up, you know, and had my mother there to help me, but I was not able to walk. So the physical therapist, you know, put the president out there, hey, you know, we're going to do all that we can do, but, you know, don't expect to, you know, have Things to go back to normal, you know, it may not happen. And in my mind, I'm like, there's. There's no way. Like, I have too much to do. I have my family. I have business. There's.
God has plans for me, so I have to get back to normal, or at least the closest to it, you know, that I could get.
[00:06:36] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:06:36] Speaker B: So I did not take, you know, the word of man. I took the word of God, and I had that in my spirit, and it just continued in that. And now I'm in my car, and now I'm able to drive. I'm walking around and climbing stairs and all kinds of things.
And then, as you can hear, you know, I'm able to speak.
[00:06:58] Speaker A: Yeah. Wow, that's amazing. And, you know, it's so good that even though you didn't have a physical voice, you still could use your voice online and continue through faith, believing that the Lord did not do this to you, did not put you into this place, but also is helping or is helping to. To lift you up and say, I know that you trust me. Do you trust me? Right. Because sometimes he allows us to go through things to go. I know you say you do, but do you actually.
I mean, I hate that that had to go to go through, you know, for you, but I know that I personally, I've gone through a lot of really hard things, and I'm like, lord, we already. We've been here before, but obviously I didn't learn well the first time. But I'm thankful that he loves me enough to test me in those ways, because, you know, like, Job, he. He didn't do anything wrong, yet he allowed things to happen to him and he won the tests, which is just beautiful.
So where did you feel God's presence most clearly during that difficult situation and season?
[00:08:11] Speaker B: That's an interesting question and one that really makes me reflect on that time.
Definitely in those early days, I would say those first four months for sure were pivotal, because by the time we got to April, it's, you know, hey, well, are you going to continue on, you know, just doing what you're doing with, you know, go into speech therapy, going to physical therapy, taking all of these different medications, and I'm like, I'm too young for this.
I'm too young to have a medicine bag where we can't do.
So.
[00:08:55] Speaker A: Yeah. Yeah. Well, you got things to do.
[00:08:57] Speaker B: Like, I have things to do.
So I. I got to a point in April where I really heard God speaking to me and saying, I know that you're in this space. I know you're not where you want to be, but you've got to trust me through this season.
And that's exactly what I did. Because everything and everyone around me was, stop, stop, stop. You've got to do something else other than building up this business that you've, you know, put all of your time and effort into. For the last.
I've been in education since 2005, but, you know, for the last year of, you know, building this thing up, this vision of yours, and it just wasn't acceptable to me to, you know, just put it away and go and quote, unquote, just go and get a job. No, I can't just go and get a job. At this point, I really had to sit down, you know, with myself and deal and say, yes, I understand that I have to take the time to heal physically and also take the time to heal and reflect spiritually as well and emotionally does. It definitely took a toll, you know, on all of those areas to where, you know, my daughter seeing me in that way was. It was frightening. It was scary.
And, you know, as a mom, I was, you know, alarmed, like, am I going to be stuck in this, you know, state forever?
You know, what. What am I going to do, you know, with her care? Because at certain points throughout those first four months or so, she was really taking care of me or helping, you know, to take care of me. So.
[00:10:46] Speaker A: How old is she?
[00:10:47] Speaker B: She is now going on 15 this month.
[00:10:52] Speaker A: Oh, my goodness.
[00:10:54] Speaker B: A high schooler. Oh, my gosh. Ninth grade.
[00:10:59] Speaker A: Oh, my goodness.
[00:11:00] Speaker B: Say it a couple of times to believe it.
[00:11:05] Speaker A: Oh, my goodness. As you were in that moment of realizing that God's writing a different story from you and it's different from what any of the doctors expected and apparently what, you know, those around you did, were there any scriptures that came to mind or any promises that you just held on to so tightly?
[00:11:25] Speaker B: Oh, the sunset. Free is free indeed. And I'm, as I say it, I'm trying to fight back the tears and the emotion of that because it's so powerful and saying it's so powerful and truly believing that. That this is not a permanent situation.
No matter what it is that you're going through, if it's the financial health or anything else for that matter, that whatever you know, season that you're in, it's not a state of permanency you're able to fight through, you're able to move through this, but only through Christ Jesus who strengthens us. So that part as well I can do all things through Christ, which strengthens me. So those two verses in particular really, you know, kept me. Kept me going, kept me in the right head space, heart space, and. And spiritual space as well. And I will also add there is a contemporary gospel song.
Part of the lyrics are, it's not over, it's not finished, it's not ending. It's only your beginning when God is in it. And that song stayed in rotation and continues to stay in rotation for me.
[00:12:49] Speaker A: Yeah. You know, and when God gives us a promise, he is not one to break it. And it's our chance to believe that promise and to stand fast on it. And that sounds like what you were able to do, and I love that. If we were to fast forward to, I guess it's this past August, because that's when school starts. So you're prepping your staff and launching this school.
What did life look like then from. From where you started at New Year's?
[00:13:18] Speaker B: Complete world here is. So around about mid August is when I had pre planning for staff.
So all summer long, I guess, keeping the timeline going from May until August, it's prepping, you know, for the beginning of the school year. I had our students to begin right after Labor Day, like the northerners do. Even though we're down here in Florida. I like the northern schedule. The students started in September and staff started in August. Yeah, that summertime stretch was. That was the big test of, okay, put your big girl pants on because it's not going to get any easier from here.
[00:14:05] Speaker A: Yeah. Yeah. Did you worry that you might. I don't know if relapse is the right word, but, like, go back because you were stressing your body to a point that it had not been used to.
[00:14:16] Speaker B: Yes, that was on my mind since April.
Yeah, that. That April time frame was, like I said, was really pivotal. But, yeah, since that point, really thinking about what things are going to look like once all of the heavy lifting and all of that strain and toll really starts kicking in, am I going to be able to handle it? And if I did not keep myself in prayer, if I did not keep my faith way to the rafters, it wouldn't have happened. I would not have launched. I would be sitting here still looking for a job on. Indeed. And still trying to figure it out.
And I know that I could clearly see that. That it was necessary to continue to stick with the plan that God had in place. Even if things appear one way in the physical, there was a completely different reality in the spiritual. And I'm still continuing to deal with that.
There's been a couple of occasions since April where it felt like, oh, my gosh, is this getting ready to happen to the extreme again?
So there have been a couple of flares, but I understand, you know, what certain triggers are. I understand how to, you know, deal, you know, on the physical side not to panic. Get in my prayer closet immediately, no matter where that is at the moment, always. And, you know, get. Just kick things into gear where they need to be cross, you know, the gamut. And that really has been the difference maker in an absolute emergency. And this was just a little flare up and, you know, keep going. Everything's all good.
[00:16:10] Speaker A: Yeah. Are there new rhythms or perspectives that you've carried into this year from this growing faith, from this health episode?
[00:16:19] Speaker B: I would say that my perspective is definitely more self.
Don't know if I should say self centered, but I guess that's the verbiage I'm going to go with. Yeah, it really is centered on self. There we go. That sounds better. Centered on self to where I'm, you know, really keeping a focus on my own relationship with the Lord, my own walk, my own journey, versus the way I've been before. I'm such a giving type of person with my time, with my energy and my thoughts to where I'm putting myself on the back burner for everything and everyone else around me. And this experience has taught me, well, you can always do that, because if you do, you may end up in a situation where it's to your detriment.
And then everyone's looking at you like, well, you shouldn't have put all of that on your plate. Or, well, you shouldn't have done. Kind of like when you see people run through the red light and then they get hit and then the person behind them says, oh, well, no one told you to go through the light, even though they were sitting there honking or on your bumper the whole time. So kind of a similar type of a scenario like that. It's just been. It's been a time like. Like I've said, it has been a time in terms of, you know, really connecting on a level outside of this physical level. And now that I've really honed in and hunkered down on this spiritual plane, I'm not looking, you know, at the physical. At this point, I'm really centered in on my spiritual walk.
[00:18:08] Speaker A: I love that. And you know, you can't. I know you know this, but you can't pour from an empty cup. And I love that you're saying that it is. You are a more self. Not self centered. What do we. What did you say? Centered.
[00:18:21] Speaker B: What is the word on censored on self.
[00:18:24] Speaker A: Centered on self. Yes. Yes. So it's not a selfish thing, but sometimes we do have to be selfish and take care of us so that we can take care of others.
But also focusing everything you have on Christ first as the foundation before continuing with. With the rest. And that is, that is a beautiful perspective to continue to carry and to practice throughout the rest of your life and to share with others. So on that note, what is some practical advice that you would give someone who might be stuck between what the world says is realistic and what God is calling them to believe?
[00:19:05] Speaker B: I will share a little bit. Not to go, you know, too much into the business and the school and all of that, but just sharing this story to give a little perspective.
So at the very first day of pre planning for my staff, I opened up our first day in prayer. And I don't have a quote unquote Christian school, but my school does have a name to where you should know what's going on, you know, behind the scenes and what the. The foundation is on.
So I've opened up with prayer. I set the precedent of where I'm coming from, what my vision is for this year, and make sure that I'm walking the walk and not just talking the talk, as they say.
And that has really helped to guide me through this first year of opening because it has gotten rid of people who were not in alignment with the vision, people who were going behind me and trying to break down what the Lord has built.
And if it weren't for my strength and having my eye on the prize of what he has set forth for me, it would be an absolute, complete mess going on.
[00:20:31] Speaker A: Yes, yes.
[00:20:33] Speaker B: But it was, it was important just in closing of this to say that to put out there from the very beginning, this is what I'm standing on. I'm standing on my faith. This is what I expect. And if you can't get with it, then you're gonna have to get off the train, I guess.
[00:20:51] Speaker A: See you later.
[00:20:52] Speaker B: But this train is gonna keep on going down the track.
[00:20:55] Speaker A: I love that, Lauren. This has been such a great reminder that God's plan isn't stopped by circumstances. And I have a final question for you, and it's one that I ask all of my guests, and that is what is one perspective that you would encourage listeners to apply today?
[00:21:12] Speaker B: Oh, I love that. Stay open to receiving the word of God.
In different ways than you expect them to come.
That has been essential for me.
[00:21:27] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:21:28] Speaker B: It's not always the church sermon. It's not always the churchy friend that you have. It may come, you know, in different formats. It may not even be a person that God is speaking to you through. It may be a situation. It may be a thing.
So just being open to receiving this word and receiving his insight and also making sure that you're applying the lessons or applying what it is that is being delivered to you, not just taking it and saying, well, okay, thanks, but I'm just going to keep on doing things my way and see what happens.
[00:22:07] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah, exactly. Yeah. It doesn't work. It doesn't work that well. But you're right. You have to apply whether you it. You go to a church and you hear a sermon or someone tells you something, or if they give you a gift and they say, here's a gift. If they give you makeup and you go, thank you so much for this makeup, but you don't put it on. What was the point of the gift?
Right. You didn't get to use it. That doesn't make sense. But, yeah. Oh, my goodness, that's beautiful. Well, friend, I hope that you are walking away from this conversation as encouraged and fired up as I am. Lauren's story reminds us that obedience to God's voice always leads somewhere holy, even when the path looks uncertain. So please follow and share this episode with a friend who needs to hear it, that it's not over until God says so. And if you're listening right now and you're thinking, I've walked through something like this and I have a story to share where God has showed up and everything looked uncertain. I want to personally invite you to share it here in Perspectives into Practice. We believe that your perspective has power, and when you share it, it can be the exact encouragement that someone needs to hear. So if you feel that nudge, don't ignore it. Head to the link in the show notes. Reach out to me directly. I would love to have you on the podcast. And remember, even small shifts into perspective lead to big changes. Now go put those perspectives into practice. Talk to you next time.
