Mrs. PIE
Welcome to ' Mrs. PIE' We are savoring life with inspiring conversations and teachings. I'm Shelley Jeffcoat, your guide in this journey of faith, innovation and inspiration.
Join me as we dive into faith-based teachings and exclusive interviews with global business leaders and entrepreneurs. My commitment to blending spiritual insight with leadership wisdom shapes every episode.
In our PIE (Proud. Inspired. Empowered) Podcasts, we explore a vibrant mix of lifestyle, business insights, spiritual growth, and engaging product discussions.
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Shelley Jeffcoat, CEO & Founder of LCM Group and Grace and Grit Media, is a dynamic Business and International Christian Woman Speaker, Author of the 'What’s My P.I.E' book series, and the engaging host of the 'Mrs PIE' podcast series.
Discover more at Grace and Grit Media, LCM Group, and Parade Deck Live TV.
Mrs. PIE
Finding Joy Amidst Chaos: Embracing Faith and Perseverance Through Life's Challenges
Can happiness truly transcend the chaos of everyday life, even during tumultuous times like elections? We explore this intriguing idea, sharing personal reflections on how joy and gratitude can be rooted in the awe-inspiring ways we witness God’s work in our lives. By celebrating the remarkable achievements of our prayer ministry, "Come Out of the Wilderness," and the "Three Praying Sisters," who've positively impacted over 400 people this year, we emphasize the power of perseverance and staying true to our callings. Whether it’s career milestones or simple pleasures like a good YouTube video, we urge listeners to pause and appreciate life's blessings.
Audrey’s inspiring journey of rediscovering her dreams after life's disappointments offers a roadmap for renewing hope and vision. Dr. Tracy shares her insights on vision boards and the importance of leaving room for divine intervention in our plans. As December 11th approaches, we invite you to join us in celebrating our collective achievements and reflect on running life's race with endurance as per Hebrews 12:1-2. By setting aside past mistakes and focusing on the positive influences, we aim to run our race with clarity and purpose, buoyed by a supportive community.
Our conversation extends an invitation to embody the fruits of the Holy Spirit, like love, joy, peace, and self-control, and join a supportive community dedicated to prayer for those affected by substance abuse. We offer free prayer phone line sessions and a welcoming Facebook group, "Come Out of the Wilderness." As we navigate life's challenges, we seek moments of joy, divine protection, and favor, encouraging others with our faith and joy amidst difficult times, always trusting in God’s unwavering grace.
Come join us at our virtual events monthly. Visit our website to learn more.
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Speaker 2:That was an abrupt start. I wasn't ready for it. I was caught up in the promo video for this month. Good morning and happy Thursday y'all. It is another. Come out of the wilderness, y'all. We are in the month of November and before I get started, I'm going to try to do a better job.
Speaker 2:Good morning, faithful Dr Tracy. Good morning, good morning y'all. Good morning, she says. I thank God for his goodness and mercy. Yes, so you know what? Before I jump in here, I'm a little hopped up on black coffee this morning. But you might be asking why am I so happy? And I'll tell you why I'm so happy.
Speaker 2:So, obviously, if we're in the US, we just went through the elections, all the things, and there are folks that are still really including me we're still stricken on what had happened. But my joy, the joy that you're seeing, has nothing to do with the election, has nothing to do with this government, has nothing to do with man, woman, boy or girl, has nothing to do with that. The joy that you're seeing with me this morning as we're entering into this focus is watching God move through my life in such an incredible way, and I want to share that with you. I want y'all for us to still be encouraged. Everything that we started we are going to finish. I don't really care anymore about what people think about Black women. That's literally where I'm at. I absolutely refuse to take my foot off the gas when it comes to what I've been called to do. So, whether it's you've been called to be a mom, a teacher, a lead, a project manager, an analyst, an accountant, whatever it is that you started this year and you were focused in doing, that's what we're going. We're going to keep doing that. We're going to focus on all of the things that we can control in our lives, and all these things are going to work out in our favor because we are blessed, we are touched, we are marked Right. That is my whole attitude. I know that there is no evil coming near my tent, not because I say so, but because what the Lord says Okay. So I'm not going to go into fear. I'm going to stay focused. So we are kicking off this month of November.
Speaker 2:This series is called Run. Good morning, oh my gosh, enrique. Good morning y'all. So this November, this is called Run, and we're going to renew our focus. I want to share some things that I think is going to be really maybe inspiring or encouraging to y'all that we can take away. And then, obviously, we're going to go into scripture. If you hear additional noise, it's because I do this, live here in Georgia and the trash guys are coming. It is what. It is All right. So there's a couple of things I want to share with you, and I think this is going to bless all of us.
Speaker 2:I was. You know, this is a month in November and whether you're in business or not, maybe you're on the job, maybe you don't have a role right now, maybe you're a stay at home, mom or dad, or whatever your situation is. Just this morning, before I came on here this is part of why I was so happy y'all is. I just took a pause. I just took a moment to just appreciate all the things that have happened through this little prayer ministry, come out of the wilderness, right. And I sat here and I was like, oh my gosh, we're kicking off the month of November. This is a new series. We've done 11 series this year. Every month there has been a new series. Not only has there been a new teaching series every month y'all can go back and watch the videos but there has also been additional teaching and prayer series every Monday and every Tuesday of this month On top of that. Not only has that happened, but we have a prayer line. It's called Three Praying Sisters and I just got some of the reports that y'all we have and by we I mean the Three Praying Sisters, tracy and Carol and Sharon okay, through our ministry they have reached over 400 people this year. So I am so and I'm just sitting back sometimes again, with all the things that are happening in our lives, you got to take a pause and just see where you are and just appreciate where you are. So maybe you're in business and you got that deal in February and you're still building on that deal. Maybe you got a new job and you're still learning the job, but praise God for that job. Maybe you got that health report. Listen, some of us have gone through tragedy and we didn't know how we were going to come out of that, but we're still healing. But thank God that we're still on a journey of healing. Y'all we are still here.
Speaker 2:I look around, just maybe small things to y'all, but big things to me. Like y'all, I am addicted to YouTube, cleaning videos and shopping videos. That's how I de-stress. I know it don't make any sense, but I'm even thanking the Lord that I have access to technology, where I still live in a country where I can access technology and watch those things. You know I read a new book last week. You know I could afford the book. You know all of these things that we've done.
Speaker 2:So I want y'all to just take a pause and just thank God for what you have. And even you know I spent time with spending time with my, my daughter, and having a different relationship. You know watching my husband flourish at work. Um, you know watching my family bloom and grow despite everything. We just got to take a pause, right? So before we can run, you know we got sometimes you got to take a pause and just look, evaluate all of good things that's really truly happening for us. We have a tendency to see the negative and the bad before we see the good, so I just want to pause and just thank you, lord, for all the good things that's happening. I thank you for this community y'all.
Speaker 2:So last night we Well, last night we had a session called SOAR Refresh SOAR, remember. Soar is our theme for this year. S-o-a-r. I might need that other cup of black coffee, but the SOAR Refresh, and we had some women come on and they talked about some of the things. I'm going to drop, some of the things that I picked up from them. So we're talking about where we were in our goals and our journey for this year and I want to share some of the things that they shared. You can go back and watch the replay. It is really, really fruitful, y'all, for real, for real.
Speaker 2:But the first thing that we did was we had to center ourselves and just appreciate where we are. Everyone isn't in the same place spiritually, emotionally or physically okay, are? Everyone isn't in the same place spiritually, emotionally or physically Okay. So that's the first thing we did is that we set our intentions for the day. The same way, now as we're going to run in November, we got to set our intentions for the month of November. What we want and I promise you I'm going to get the scripture, but I got to get this out first because this is so good so some of the things that I picked up that I want y'all to hopefully hold onto is the first thing.
Speaker 2:If I call your name and you were there if I miss your name, but don't be mad at me, but the first thing that came up was protecting your peace and learning the lesson that we have to take care of ourselves. So if you're going to run this race, you're going to finish out the goals Again, whatever it is that you started at the beginning of the year. That's what we're trying to focus. If you fell off track, it's okay, we're going to pick that thing up and refocus Again, renew our focus. But the first thing was protecting our peace and understanding that we can't solve everybody's problems. Moms and dads, especially moms and dads of adult children we can't solve everyone's problems, right. So we're going to renew our focus to the things that we need to do, not what they need to do. What we need to do. That was one thing. The second thing that came up was physically, making sure that we're taking care of our body and exercising, and one of the ladies shared something that she does call 40 times 40, which is 40 days, a mile a day on the treadmill. So I'm just sharing this. Maybe this is something that may be renewing your focus on your physical needs and just making some time to exercise.
Speaker 2:We talked about starting to dream again. Audrey's on this call and she shared that. You know she's just starting to dream again and she shared that. You know she's just starting to dream again. Some of us have lost that. We don't want to really dream of our future in a different way, because some of us have been burned y'all. Some of us are disappointed, have been through the things we didn't get the jobs we want, the projects we want, you know, the business we want but just again, renewing that, you know it's okay to dream again, so that was good.
Speaker 2:Something that Dr Tracy shared was she shared her vision board and she reminded us to leave room for God Because, again, we have a lot of us that we have all these incredible goals, all these things. You know those resolutions back in January and then half of us forgot about it, right, but we still have to leave room for God to do his thing. And so if you just pause before you go through this next month and just take stock of where you are, there are so many good things. Audrey talked about a quarterly detox that she does with her body and all the things. So those things I just wanted to share really quickly and then in December 11th, we're going to regroup and celebrate our wins together. So all that information is on the graceandgripmediacom site. It's free y'all. So come on in and we're going to celebrate together what we did.
Speaker 2:Now I'm going to get into the scripture for today, I'm going to share my screen and then I think I think this is going to help. No, I don't think I know it's going to help all of us. So this is the ESV, a Shelley version Hebrews 12, 1 through 2. And remember, we're talking about run. So this is kind of our foundational scripture for this month of November, and it is color coded so I can kind of break it down for all of us.
Speaker 2:So thank you, lord, that you'll give us wisdom and understanding as we hear your word and you help us to apply it individually to our lives. Amen, lord, let there be a confirmation for somebody this morning. So the word says, therefore, since we're surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and sin which clings so closely and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who, for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of God. Now I'm going to try to break this down for us in a different way. Thank you Lord, this down for us in a different way, thank you, lord. So the first part is when I was in this scripture again, when I read the word, I'm chewing the word. I'm understanding the word, you know, and the Lord, he's showing me what this means in a practical way for me. So I hope this is going to help you in the same way.
Speaker 2:The first thing is when we're surrounded by a great cloud of witness. So now, remember, we're focusing on, we're renewing our focus for the month of November. When we talk about the great cloud of witnesses, now, technically, spiritually or biblically, I will say, theologians will tell you that the great cloud of witnesses usually refers to the cloud of witnesses that are in heaven, heavenly places, but in our case, in a practical, relatable term, we're going to talk about the cloud of witnesses that the Lord is putting in your life, people around you, and the fact is that we are surrounded by people who are watching what we do. Some of them are supportive and some of them aren't, but we really are surrounded by a cloud of witnesses. So it says, since we're surrounded by a cloud of witnesses. He was also showing and speaking to me that the cloud of witnesses are your children, your spouses, the people in your life, people who have been aligned to you for this season right, people who are looking to you for inspiration and encouragement. Most of the people that are in our prayer ministry are people who are leaders. They're leaders in business, they're leaders in ministry, they're leaders in their job, they're business owners, but they're still folks that are individual contributors. But they carry a lot of influence and they make a lot of impact. So you have this cloud of witnesses that's watching what you're doing.
Speaker 2:So, since we're surrounded by them, it says lay aside every weight in sin. So remember the things that we messed up, our mistakes, the things that we didn't follow through on all of those things. We're going to set those aside. Every time we do a prayer on Monday and Tuesday, we start with confession. Why do we do that? Because we're laying aside every weight and sin, because it disrupts or distracts our communion, if you will, our worship with God. So we lay aside every weight and sin through our confession and we do that from a heart posture that's yielded and submitted to Jesus right. Otherwise, you're going to grab, you're going to drag the carcass of what didn't work and who said what and who won what right You're going to you know, and how my manager did and all the things that went wrong. You'll end up dragging that carcass. It becomes a weight and you'll start calculating your sin, their sin, our sin. You know you don't want to do that. So, again, we're running this race together, right, but with the Lord's help. So, a cloud of witness, we thank you, lord, that you're. You know we have people that are watching us run this race y'all, and we're laying aside every weight and every sin, it says, which clings so closely, because a lot of times we make these mistakes and we allow them, we hold on to them for many, many years. We gotta, we're gonna let that go because we have to renew our focus.
Speaker 2:Now the third part, where it talks about running with endurance. Now, endurance remember I touched on some of the things we talked about last night was our physical, that we have to take care of our bodies, our bodies, right. So running with endurance, it's not just a spiritual run. Endurance requires discipline, right, it requires accountability. So running with endurance this month means that you've got to have discipline this month, right, whatever it is that you have on your plate.
Speaker 2:So I have you know, y'all know I have my diary. I guess you call it I never know how to pronounce this right, so don't come for me, I think it's Smythson or Smithson whatever, but it's a diary that I use and every week when I start out, every Monday morning, after Monday morning prayer, when I'm filled up, that's when I go in and I write out the week and I write out the intentions and the goals for the week. That's when I go in and I write out the week and I write out the intentions and the goals for the week. So before I start creating what it is I'm going to do for November, my November goals, I'm aligning it with prayer, right, so I would have prayed, I've gone through worship, and then I sit down and for the week, I kind of write, I write down my every meeting that I have and then I write down the goals for the week. Why am I doing that?
Speaker 2:Well, first of all, I know that if I'm going to run this race, I'm going to need the endurance. That endurance is going to come through me being continuously filled up with his word. I need spiritual endurance in the same way I need physical endurance, right? So I'm always doing that, and that setting the goals for the week and setting the intention for the week means that you got to sometimes write it down. You know how we always talk about make a vision, write it down, make it plain. Make it plain, write it down someplace Maybe your thing is using a phone app or whatever but the point is that endurance, you're going to need to have some kind of discipline, discipline in what you eat, even discipline in who you speak to. This month, y'all, we are not wasting our words on fools, do you hear me? Do not waste your words on fools. Don't try to argue your way out through November. Focus on what it is that you need to do, right. Focus on what you got to do.
Speaker 2:Now the next thing, the next fourth point, is the race that is set before us. The race that is set before us. So this means that, again, we are renewing our focus, but we're focusing on what's ahead, where we're going. So we got to let go of the things that didn't work. It's the race that's set before us. If you're a runner, if you're looking ahead, you're looking forward. Right, that's the visual right. And if you're running this race with endurance and discipline, it means that you're focused on where you're going. The moment you stop and look behind as a runner, you lost, right? Or people are going to run by you, right? So focus on the race that is set before you. So some of you set the race because you had goals, you had resolutions. Some of you have changed the race because you had to pivot, because things have changed. That's okay. Either way, in this month of November, we're going to focus on the race that's set before us. Focus on what we need to do for the rest of this month.
Speaker 2:And the last point it says looking to Jesus. This is again so important. That's why we're on here praying. So I'm gonna stop sharing my screen. That's why we're on here, y'all, because there is absolutely nothing that we can do. I'll speak for myself. There is absolutely nothing that I can do outside of the power of the Holy Spirit. It don't work for me. And I don't mean religion, I mean relationship. I mean a relationship.
Speaker 2:When you have a relationship with the Holy Spirit, it is very hard, y'all, to get whipped up and caught up in some of the crazy that's happening, because what Jesus wants for us is not what the world wants for us. Jesus is not building an earthly kingdom. It's not a theocracy Okay, it's, that's not it. So, for those of y'all who, I just want to remind you that we've got to keep our eyes focused on what Jesus says to you about you and your life. What does he want you to do? So looking to Jesus means that you're going to have to keep your focus.
Speaker 2:Now here's something I want to share. This I heard on um. I heard it, I know, I've heard it on one of the social media streets and I don't know the pastor that said this, but this, I thought, was so good and a good reminder as we're renewing our focus in November. And something that this pastor shared was that a lot of us have been caught up in the five-fold ministry. You've been caught up in worshiping your pastor, your bishops, your popes. We've been caught up in those things and we have neglected the fruits of the spirit. And the way that you will know, the way that you will know someone is filled with the Holy Spirit is by the fruits. And do you know what the fruits of the spirit is? It's not gossip, it's not fear, it's not worry. The fruits of the spirit. Spirit is not gossip, it's not fear, it's not worry. It goes down the whole list of love, joy, peace and self-control.
Speaker 2:When you see someone who has self-control, it doesn't mean they're going to be the loudest in the room. So don't try to be the loudest in the room this month. Try to be the one that has self-control. Self-control means that you're focused, right. So I want you to think about Lord. I want to demonstrate the fruits of the Holy Spirit this month, and one of them is self-control. So help me, lord, to stay focused and give me self-control so I can finish out whatever it is, fill in the blank, whatever he has told you to do that's what you're going to focus on and then block out the noise. Block out the noise, all right, so that we can be victorious. We can run, y'all, we can run, we can run, we can do this. So I just love this. So you know, I hope this encourages y'all again.
Speaker 2:I told you I woke up with so much joy because I took for a moment. Yesterday was rough. Yesterday was rough because I was not feeling well. Anyway, I had a migraine because, quite frankly, I had done too many Excel spreadsheets on the job and my eyes were terrible and I was in pain. I had a migraine yesterday. But this morning I woke up and I was so filled with joy because I paused for a moment, like Audrey tells us, just pause for a moment and I just realized all the things that the Lord has done for me. So I have no worry about what's coming or who's in office, or who said what, or what my boss did, or what my colleagues said or what my husband and my child know. I'm talking to somebody. I have no worries about any of those things, because I've already seen the glory of God in my life and because I know without a shadow of a doubt how do I know? Because I'm a living witness to what he is doing, because I'm experiencing God.
Speaker 2:I'm not just telling you stuff because I read it in a book. I'm not just telling you stuff because I read it in a book. I'm definitely not telling you something because I watched somebody else's video, because you know that's not my thing. I am telling you, as a true witness, that God is still good, that he is still in control of all of it and no matter what is going on around you. I want you to renew your focus and focus on him. Focus on him, focus on him, focus on him.
Speaker 2:All right, so, lord, I thank you, lord, for kicking off this great month of November. I'm excited for what you're going to do. Lord, give us the strength to run this race. Give us the encouragement, lord, send us the cloud of witnesses in the form of the people that you've placed around us. We ask for God, that you'll bless us so that we'll be encouraging other people, inspiring other people to run this race.
Speaker 2:Lord, for those who are just spiritually, emotionally and even physically tired right now, I ask that you will give them a fresh oil this morning, that you wake them up, oh God, and, even if it's just a seed of joy, bring something back to their minds to remember them, to find joy in these small moments. Maybe the small moments is just watching a funny movie, or spending time with our children, or listening to the laughter of our children. Maybe the small moments is just being able to afford a new book. Maybe the small moments is just being able to afford a new book. Maybe the small moments is going to, you know, accomplish that.
Speaker 2:Whatever the small moments are, lord, god, even bring those back to us so that we can seek that and every single interaction that we make. Lord God, I ask that you will glorify yourself through us, so that we carry the fruits of the spirit, so that it doesn't matter who we come in contact with, lord God, we will be your fruit. They will see us and see your mercy and your goodness and your grace that you'll build us up. And for those, lord God, who just need a moment to pause and breathe, lord God, and just reflect, lord God, and come out of Lord, I ask that you would just not even allow us to fall into any depression or dark places, because you have set us all up to win. We are still your favorite, you are still our Abba, you are still our Father and no matter what the season is, you still have given us your supreme favor. Favor still surrounds us as a shield, divine protection still surrounds us as a shield. We are still called by your name and our horn will be lifted to glorify you. So I thank you, god, for every person under the sound of my voice that, no matter where they go today or who they speak to, they will be the blessing and that they will be filled with joy, the kind of joy that makes no sense, the kind of joy that other people will see them and can't understand why they are happy, even in these times where God, even in these times when we're watching people die or suffer, like why can they be happy right now? It's because we have your joy, we have your fruit in us. So we thank you, god. Thank you, lord, for everything. Thank you for this month that we're running this thing out. Thank you, lord, for everything. Amen for this month that we're running this thing out. Thank you, lord, for everything. Amen.
Speaker 2:Y'all, don't forget to love or like or share, if you could, the video. I have to do a better job of asking that Guess what? This month we're going to run the race. We're doing this thing. I am ready to go all right. And then, in the month of December, our theme is hope. And then, in the month of December, our theme is hope. I love this so much. I am already excited about the year 2025, about what we're going to do when we come out of the wilderness, the lives we're going to touch y'all.
Speaker 2:I feel like I need like two weeks to just pause, to just think about all the things that God has done, and I want to just encourage y'all to just pause and think and just reflect on all the things that he has done. When you're renewing your focus right, pause and think about all the things that he's done. Just be thankful for a moment. You're not going to believe in the things that you've gone through. So, lord, I thank you, lord, I bless you.
Speaker 2:Y'all, have a great Thursday. I will be back here on Thursday yes, next week. But you're also welcome to join our prayer phone line this afternoon one o'clock and seven o'clock Again, we're praying for those who are either suffering from substance abuse or maybe you're someone who is caring for someone who's got substance abuse or you just want to come join us to pray and help us support those who are suffering from substance abuse. It's free. It's a phone line y'all Don't need, please don't. There's no seed needed. Just come with a heart to pray. And then, mondays and Tuesdays again, you're more than welcome to join the Facebook group. Come Out of the Wilderness, and then I'll be back also on Saturday morning with another teaching. So we're doing this. Y'all have an amazing Thursday. Make sure you take care of yourself. I love y'all, but Jesus loves you more. See you later.