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.
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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.
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Mrs. PIE
Perseverance and Gratitude: Reflecting on Faith and Finishing the Year Strong
Reflecting on perseverance at 53, this Thanksgiving contrasts cherished moments with my daughter Isabella against past solitude, deepening my gratitude for loved ones. Inspired by 2 Timothy 4:7-8, we explore fighting the good fight, finishing the race, and keeping the faith. Whether ending your year or day, join us in valuing completion and treasuring our journeys.
We don't walk our path of faith and perseverance alone. Like gardeners nurturing seeds, our lives require dedication and community. I share tales of growth and divine support, emphasizing the importance of rest to avoid burnout and finding strength in faith. As Thanksgiving highlights challenges and gratitude, we focus on hope and determination to finish the year strong, supported by the promise of the "crown of righteousness" and our community.
Come join us at our virtual events monthly. Visit our website to learn more.
no-transcript. So Good morning y'all. We're in the final sprint. We are in the final sprint. We are in the last episode of the November series, car Run, and I am tired. I am tired y'all. Good morning everybody who's watching. Thank you for waking up with me early on this Thanksgiving morning. We are so grateful. Good morning, faithful Dr Tracy, and happy Thanksgiving y'all. Thank you so much.
Speaker 1:For those of y'all who are especially waking up on Thanksgiving morning, I'm actually getting ready to head out to see family here shortly. And what was I going to tell you? Perseverance and endurance. Let's go Listen. Let me tell you something I have today is Thursday probably had since Monday, since Monday y'all, maybe a total of about seven or eight hours of sleep. I am literally operating on endurance and coffee.
Speaker 1:And what was so strange? Like yesterday? So yesterday I celebrated my birthday. I am 53. Thank you God for 53.
Speaker 1:And what was so cool about yesterday was I had the opportunity to spend the day with my favorite person in the entire whole world. That's my daughter Isabella. And what was so cool about it is for me, listen, when I was in my 20s and 30s, before I got married, I spent. This is going to sound really sad and I'm not just saying this to get anybody to have feelings but I spent my birthdays and my holidays by myself. Okay, I'm, for real, operating on fumes, but I spent those holidays and birthdays by myself. Some of it was personal choice, some of it was not my choice, but it is what it is Okay. And but what it did, what it did teach me, is that my perspective is a little bit different in how I celebrate certain things. Now I am that person who I do honor people more than I honor myself. I give people more than I give myself. I know, I know, I know I am learning to do better at that, but what it taught me yesterday was really treasuring the moments, y'all the moments that we have on this here earth, and being really careful and mindful and intentional with our time.
Speaker 1:So, even though I was having not that much sleep, I was still getting what I needed done. I know that's God's grace, um, even like this morning, y'all. So I woke up around three, three, 16, I believe, this morning. I've been up since then, but I woke up and you know I was like laying in my bed thinking about how good God is and just praying, you know, just thanking him and running, you know, not running like worry through my mind, not thinking about what I didn't get to do this month, not thinking about the, you know, the wrongs and the ills of the world. I wasn't doing any of that, I was just thinking, just reflecting on how much he's blessed me, how much he's taken care of me, and I hope that that encourages you as well.
Speaker 1:So we're talking about finishing strong, and maybe finishing strong is happening for you this month, maybe it's happening for you, maybe your finish is going to happen at the end of the year. But I really want to encourage us. We do have a scripture, but I just wanted to share. Just take a pause, y'all, because I am purely relying on the Lord to pull me across the finish line. You know, and he's going to put people in. You know, in your life, in your daily life, he's going to close doors that you don't need to be opening right this minute, so that you can focus and finish what you start. That's something I say people all the time. Again, you might have 12 ideas, but you've got to finish one. Finish what you start.
Speaker 1:So the scripture that we're in today is 2 Timothy 4, verses 8 through 7. And here I'm going to just read it out really quickly. And it says I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. That's three things. First of all, you got to fight the good fight. Second thing is, you got to actually finish the faith and finish the race, excuse me. And the last part is I kept the faith, so fighting the good fight. I'm going to break this down a little bit for you. I'm going to try not to share my screen because this scripture is only two verses and so we don't need to. We don't need to do that, but we know.
Speaker 1:Thank you, lord, first of all for allowing us to come before you on this amazing Thanksgiving morning. We are grateful for your presence, we're grateful for the day. I thank you for all of us who have the opportunity to, to share and celebrate this day with other folks and other people, whether it's friends or friends of family or whoever you, even colleagues and coworkers. Lord, we thank you for this day that you've given us an opportunity to just be grateful, grateful for each other, grateful for our lives, grateful for what you've pulled us out of your grace and your mercy, grateful for the meals and the hands that prepare it today. But I'm also grateful, lord, even as I shared before that I went through many seasons where I was just by myself, celebrating these days. So, for those who are alone today, that they don't feel lonely, that they know that they're not alone and that even today, lord God, as we're celebrating Thanksgiving and many people have many people around them, I also want to lift up those who are by themselves today so that they don't feel alone. So, even with those folks, lord God, that maybe you'll send them a knock at the door or a phone call or a text, or maybe they'll even come across this prayer and they'll just be encouraged to know that, though you might be physically alone, spiritually the Lord is still with you and that you have sent help and we encourage them, lord God. So I thank you, lord, for that that there is no spirit of depression or loneliness over those who are in this day today, this day of Thanksgiving. Amen. It's really important, y'all, because, again, we're not all having the same day.
Speaker 1:So back to the word where it says I have fought the good fight and so just taking a pause, like I said, even though I was, quite frankly, seat deprived is that I was using that opportunity to really reflect on the fight, on all of the fights, that not that I've won, but the Lord has won for me. I'm watching him work things through people, work things out through people. I'm watching him teach me how to respond to the fights in my life differently and I'm just so grateful at that. So I have fought the good fight. Comma, I have finished the race. This is why, again, I want y'all to be encouraged Finish what you start.
Speaker 1:So something that I started this a couple of years ago and I just kind of was like I don't have time for that anymore, which was wrong. But like just this morning, I just put up a vlog. I haven't vlogged in a long time and I was vlogging just to share my thoughts for whoever would hear it, y'all for real. But this morning I was like share my thoughts for whoever would hear it, y'all for real. But this morning I was like, why not? I don't want you to come on and hear me, whether you're watching the Monday, tuesdays, or you're coming on Thursday or you meet me in person. I'm a real person and this journey, this Christian journey, this walk is a real walk for me and I'm not doing it by myself. God has blessed me with women like Dr Tracy, you see, on here faithfully every Thursday. We have a whole couple of hundred people in a prayer ministry. We have people that call the frail. We have the things right.
Speaker 1:But I'm not doing this by myself and so I just want to do a better job of showing you another side of me. So you know that I'm not perfect, because I know you're not perfect and I know I'm not perfect. But I just want to do that to show you a different side, because I think what happens is that people start to look at biblical teachers, or you might look at your pastors, and we see churches do this now, where they're trying to make the pastors be more like you, even though a lot of them are millionaires or billionaires. But the purpose behind that is that people want we learn from each other, we relate to each other, and I don't want to lose that. I never want people to come on and just hear me teach you something or hear me share a word or something like that, and then you walk away thinking that you don't have access to the same grace I do or that I'm living a totally different life. You know what I mean. I don't want that.
Speaker 1:So I'm going to try to just do, once a week, just a quick vlog. You know I don't edit nothing, so don't look for no fancy music or anything like that y'all I'm not the editing girl, but just to come on and share something else that's going on. You know what I mean. Amen, amen Tracy's saying I know that. You know that. I know that. Perfect, I'm committed to finish strong, exactly so, even in that, y'all, the way that we finish the race means something, and sometimes it's just being able and I'm going to put up the scripture one more time so we see what I'm talking about. I know it's blocking my face. It's all right.
Speaker 1:When we're talking about fighting the good fight and finishing the race and keeping the faith, y'all that again, that also means that as you're part of the fight, even if it's like the Lord is giving you an assignment, the Holy Spirit is going to come along and show you different perspectives and show you different ways to finish out the fight. Sometimes we have to pivot in the way that we we're doing these things right as we're learning and growing together. So finishing the race maybe the way you started 2024 isn't the way you're ending it, but you know what I thank God for that. You know I'm not ending again. I want to encourage y'all I don't, you know, don't fall into that trap of disappointment that it's not what I thought it would be and blah, blah, blah, because, listen, there are some things that that we needed to do that some of did not get answered in the way we hoped, because the Lord knew we weren't ready for what we were asking for. So even that's a blessing. So that's what I mean about the, you know, being that perspective. And when you change your perspective based on when the Lord starts showing you, you know different. You know different ways to think and see, you know talk. You know we about Lord, give me eyes to see, ears to hear as he's speaking to you and showing you things. This is kind of what happens. You start to understand things in such a totally different way, you start to see your situations differently and you're able to finish stronger. You finish the race stronger because your perspective and the way you respond to the challenges that come along that way is just totally different. So that's the first.
Speaker 1:That's verse 7. Now verse 8, when it talks about henceforth. Henceforth. It says there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me, but also to those, to all who, excuse me, to all who have loved his appearing. So now, when we think about this, again, another disencouragement, what's laid out for me, like at the end, like my end game, y'all, my end game is when I get to heaven to hear the Lord say that, hey, well done, shelly. That's the end game. So you know, when I think about you know that award, like what I'm looking for is that I'm looking for Jesus to say you know, you did well.
Speaker 1:I did well with what he gave me. I planted the seeds he gave me, I watered them, which means I took care of them. So some of y'all, again, your Lord gives you ideas. He gave you the seeds to plant it. Your seed might've been your job, your children, your health, whatever. He gave you these seeds, right. But in the same way, where you plant stuff, right, you don't just put the seed under the ground. Now seeds die because they have to bloom into something else. But you have to maintain it, you have to do something, you have to water. You have to.
Speaker 1:Sometimes the plant is pruned, like you might get an idea and that idea goes through a process and it gets pruned right. It becomes something totally different, like when I started two years ago, just praying on Facebook for 10 minutes y'all. I didn't, there was no way, I didn't expect this platform. But the Lord took what I had and he pruned it and he molded it. But I went.
Speaker 1:I had to go through that purification, that shifting and that shaping, and I had to go through that process as well. What did it do is strengthen my faith, because I realized really quickly that if I'm going to finish the race, I can't do it by myself. Then God starts to put, and when I say God like nowadays, I have to make sure I say Jesus, because people have so many gods. Okay, but he starts to send me divine help. He starts to send me these ideas and even in my lowest of times, when I'm out of energy, he gives me what I need so I can get over the next the hump right, the next thing, the next challenge. He shows me opportunities, he opens the door.
Speaker 1:And why am I telling you this? I want you to be encouraged to finish the race, to finish strong. If you feel like I'm at the end now and I'm petering out, I'm tired y'all yes, it's true, we're all tired I want you to make sure that you get your rest, get rested so you don't burn out. Okay, and again, you know this is like for me. You know, the best thing about this race and finishing strong is that I'm encouraged because I'm watching other people do this, right. I'm not doing this by myself. I'm watching other people do this right. I'm not doing this by myself. I'm looking. Thank you, lord, for surrounding me with people who are also going through these times and seasons in their lives, right, so that, hey, if I'm going through this process, I know a couple other people who are too, and we're encouraging each other.
Speaker 1:Now, if you're one of those people who you're finishing strong, right, you're on track and you're doing this thing, please, please, stop and encourage somebody else, right? This isn't the kind of race where you know you run. I don't run track, you know. I'm blessed to know people who do, but I don't, okay, but you know, when you're running the race, when you're in a real competition, you don't have time to stop and help the person next to you. But, truthfully, we're not competing in that way. We don't have to compete for his grace, his glory, his mercy or his blessings. I don't have to compete with anybody else, right? So the kind of race we're talking about is the kind of race that, yes, while we are going and we're finishing strong, we still can stop and help somebody else along the way.
Speaker 1:Somebody is watching you finish strong this month. Someone's watching you not lose hope this month. Someone's watching you fall down and get up, you dust off your knees. They saw you crying right, but they see you finishing strong. They see you moving, you pick up, you stand up, you brush off your knees, you wipe the tears, y'all and they see you putting one foot in front of the other.
Speaker 1:What you might think is a failure is a blessing to somebody else. There is always somebody watching your life as a testimony, because we call ourselves Christians. So people want to see how we operate. They want to see God work in our lives. So I want to encourage you, those of you all who are. You know, maybe you fell and you know you feel like, oh no, I'm off track. You are still in his right time. You are still operating in the right time, you're still in the right place, you're still on track. He still got you. So I want to encourage you to finish strong and even if it's not, you know, the end of November comes Saturday then you still can push through and finish strong at the end of this year. We still have time. So I hope that I encourage you. Coming from someone who's on very, very little sleep, but I am still finishing strong y'all. I still feel so good about everything that the Lord has shown me about my life, about your life, about where we're going, about what we should do.
Speaker 1:Today, again, I want you to be encouraged, as it's Thanksgiving. If you're seated around the table with other people, yes, just take a moment to be grateful, but please, especially for the prayer warriors, pray for people who don't have what you have, pray for people who don't have a table to be seated at, pray for the homeless, pray for the broken, pray for those folks. Right, you know, really honestly, do that y'all. Again, we go, we have the food, you know, we finish the meal, we close the night and we move on. My heart today is truly, you know, it's truly going to just be focused, my heart and my prayer and all of those and all of my thoughts today are going towards the folks who are alone.
Speaker 1:Today, this month of November, was the month, y'all, that we were going to pray on our phone line, again, exactly, tracy, pray for those who are grieving loss, not just physical, like loss of family and friends, but also people who have lost jobs, lost assignment, you know, people of health loss, health issues, and again, as we, again, I just I'm not trying to sound like a downer here, but I also I just want to meet, like level set and for real, with y'all. You know I don't, I'm not one for like just telling you something because it makes you feel good. That's not, that's not. I wasn't built for that I'm. I meant to tell you what's on his heart. I meant to tell you what's on the Lord Jesus, what's on his heart, what he shows me, that's what I tell you, right? So, as we're being thankful and grateful to him today, I want us to think about the folks who don't got it.
Speaker 1:Okay, and if you're in a position to help your neighbor or bring a plate over, or just check on a family member you haven't heard from in a while, or a friend you haven't heard from in a while. You know, please make that. Let today be the day, and if today isn't the day for you, maybe it's tomorrow, right, amen? Yes, tracy is sharing that. You know, we've been praying for people recovering from addiction. We've been praying for those family members. Some of those folks we've been praying and covering y'all are gonna be alone today. So, as you're at your table with your family, can I please just ask that you also lift up the people who are recovering, those who are alone, those who are grieving and also just thanking God for what we have.
Speaker 1:So, lord, we just thank you for this amazing Thursday. It's a special one, yes, because it is the day of Thanksgiving. We're so grateful to you for everything that you have already done. But, lord, I pray now for those who don't have access to what we're going to enjoy today, whether it's fellowship or companionship. Lord God, those who don't know you, those who are suffering and have some amount of grief, I pray today that you will give them comfort While we are leaning on you and thanking you and just blessing you, and you know all of the food, the great food, and the companionship. I pray that our homes are filled with laughter and joy, that there's peace, lord God, that there's no contention and no competition.
Speaker 1:Lord, I pray for those who started out the month of November and they're looking to finish this month strong. Lord, god, lord, would you encourage them to put one foot in front of the other, those who have fallen off, those who are Lord, who started out the year and they thought they would have been in a different place by now, in the end of this month, and they haven't met that. Lord, god, lord, I pray that you will encourage their soul so they don't fall into the trap of believing that you're not blessing, that you're not here. I pray over everyone who is in a situation today. Lord God, to help somebody else, that they will bless them. Lord God, I thank you for your grateful. You're grateful. He just said I'm grateful to you too. Thank you, lord. Lord, I'm sorry y'all.
Speaker 1:Sometimes I'm praying and I'm literally I'm in a two-way conversation and I thank you, lord. You know what's really awesome about this. Thank you, lord. Thank you. What's really awesome about this relationship? Yes, ricky, yeah, praying for those who will wake up today without a meal.
Speaker 1:What's really cool about the relationship, especially with the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit is a person, not just spirit. Okay, you have to experience him. He's a whole person, he's my best friend. Okay? Is that when the Lord starts speaking back to you and you realize that you're in it together and I love that. I love that I have to just absorb and I try not to miss those moments when it shows up, when, as I'm sitting here, saying, lord, I'm grateful to you, and he's like I'm grateful for you and I love you, lord, for that, and for those of y'all who don't have that kind of, that's why you need a relationship, right, I'm in a whole relationship with the Holy Spirit. I just I hope that that will bless you as well, that you'll hear from him and that little nod that he tells you in your heart that, hey, I love you. You know, sometimes when the Lord just says I love you, I'm proud of you, you're good, you know I love you, my child, like I prayed this season, I pray for that, that today that you will experience his love for you and you'll hear it audibly from him. So that's what we have for today Thanksgiving, y'all have an amazing day, enjoy your food and, like I said, if you can bless other people, please do that. Today is.
Speaker 1:We're not going to have the phone line today. We're going to give our three praying sisters a chance to be with their families today. Okay, so they have. Listen, y'all, I'm trying to get the records together, but they have. The three praying sisters have reached hundreds of people since we launched this phone line earlier this year Hundreds of people. So please stop telling me you can't do nothing if the Lord tells you to do something. This is a whole free prayer phone line. If he put a seed in you, they watered that seed and that seed is harvested. Hundreds of people have called in on this phone line, right? Sometimes people call and they say nothing, and that's all right. So they're going to take a break today. They'll come back next Thursday.
Speaker 1:Y'all go ahead and enjoy your food. We also pray for traveling. Mercies For those of y'all who are traveling, that you'll be blessed to and from your destinations. Y'all show up with smiles on your face today because God is good. You will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. We are highly favored and we are blessed. All right, I love y'all. Jesus loves you more. Please enjoy the rest of your Thanksgiving day and I will be back next week. Bye.