[00:00:00] Wendi: Hey sis, welcome to Beyond the Military Podcast, where faith led military women overcome burnout and create more balance. Just imagine having enough time to focus on your faith family, and have more fun while also serving as a woman leader. In this podcast, you’ll walk away with the tools to help you navigate the busy life of a military woman, organize your mind, overcome overwhelm, create a prioritization playbook, and a balance blueprint for integrating faith, family, and career.

[00:00:28] Wendi: Yeses in that order. Hi, I’m Wendi Wray , woman of God wife, mama of two army veteran and certified life coach, and I’m here to help you create a life of meaning outside of the military, a life of laughter, joy, and intentional free time. If you are ready to overcome burnout and create balance as a faith led military woman, sis, this podcast is for you.

[00:00:50] Wendi: So loosen up your laces and grab your coffee because it’s time to step into freedom and peace.

[00:00:55] Wendi: Hello ladies. And welcome to episode 175. [00:01:00] So today I want to keep this episode short, sweet, and to the point, that’s my goal here. And I also want to share with you what’s going on over here on my life and religious share that we’re all human. I don’t care what your profession is, what you’ve been through.

[00:01:17] Wendi: What, you know, your resume looks like how old you are. It doesn’t matter. We’re all humans. We’re all creatures of God. We’re all here on this broken world and we’re all going to have problems. We’re all going to have setbacks and we’re all going to have. Things that happen in our lives are going to be circumstances that we cannot control. There’s going to be things that we can not understand.

[00:01:40] Wendi: And that is exactly what I’m going through right now. I am emotionally exhausted. I am. At a point where I’m just feeling as if there’s so many things happening in this season, in this period. And I feel like I have no control and that is completely okay. Especially as a [00:02:00] believer, we’re always wanting to feel as if.

[00:02:05] Wendi: Our or this entitlement of her life, this feeling of entitlement. That our lives should be better than our life should be a lot smoother and that we shouldn’t have as many challenges or obstacles because we will leave. And we’re faithful. And we’re obedient and we’re doing the right things. Like our mind wants to go there.

[00:02:23] Wendi: But I want to offer you today, especially if you’re a new believer. If you’re kind of like me still. Learning this foundation of not only. Belief into what I can’t see and what I can control, but also continuing to build on that foundation of belief. Not only in God’s word, but also building that relationship closer to him.

[00:02:44] Wendi: And so for me that this past week has been challenging. It’s been overwhelming. It’s been, like I said earlier, mentally and emotionally exhausting. And it’s okay. I am human. I am not perfect. No one is [00:03:00] perfect. I’m not here to say that. You know, there’s there isn’t that things that I can’t take responsibility on for what’s happening in this moment or how I am feeling I am. And this is why I wanted to record this episode because.

[00:03:13] Wendi: Everything could be going well, you’re doing things the right way, or at least you think you’re doing things correctly. Think you’re doing things. According to. You know, your, your, um, your foundation of belief, right? Like you believe these are the right things you, that you need to be doing. And, um, everything that you had planned is going well until something happens until life hits you until honestly the enemy creeps in. And here’s the thing, here’s what I want to offer.

[00:03:40] Wendi: I want to offer that we are going to, especially as, as you’re getting closer to God, you’re going to get distracted. They’re going to be things and obstacles and challenges that are going to come across. That are going to want to distract you from. The relationship that you have with God, from your faith. [00:04:00]

[00:04:00] Wendi: And so I’m here to remind you and encourage you. That’s really my hope for this episode to encourage you. That you are not alone, that God will never forsake you. And you will never go through this alone, no matter how hard it seems, no matter how emotionally hard it seems you will get through this.

[00:04:19] Wendi: You will continue to push when you put God first, when you seek him. When you coat to him with your troubles, when you go to him for the solution. You cope to him with your problem because he is the solution. He is the hope. And so I want to remind you today that he is source of hope. And so. As I was going through this, I, um, I always take them home and whenever life happens. Right. And anything happens when ever, um, when last year.

[00:04:50] Wendi: I went through it, losing my little sister and there were other issues that were coming up. And even before then, there’s always been some family. Um, Issues. I don’t know with my own [00:05:00] personal family, but within my family in Florida, there’s just other things that are happening. Simultaneous and your life, right? Like that’s just life.

[00:05:08] Wendi: And so in that dimension work, not to mention, you know, the kids and all these other things that are happening. There are so many things that we have to continue to think about and keep in mind about. And so there’s always something going on. And you have goals, right? You’re like, okay, I’m doing this. I’m going hard and I’m getting it done. And I’m going in the right direction with this one thing. I’ll thank you Lord for being here. And you know, you praise him and everything’s going well. And then something happens. An unwanted challenge happens.

[00:05:39] Wendi: And unwanted. Um, Distraction. It’s also what I like to call it, because it is this one thing that is distracting you from that moment. And again, Nothing. Um, that you can’t overcome.

[00:05:53] Wendi: And so when that happens, the immediate thing is to, at least for me, is to break down. I break [00:06:00] down and I am not ashamed or even embarrassed to say that because that’s just who I am. I’m an emotional human being. It’s crying is like my number one thing. And I just immediately break down. Now. I don’t like to do this in front of my kids. I don’t like to do this and really in front of the people that I love, I literally just go into my little cocoon and I just break down.

[00:06:20] Wendi: It could be early in the morning. It could be late at night. But I do it. And that helps me one. Release this human nature that I know. That one that I’m human, right? It helps me remind myself that, listen, you are human. You are not this. You know, powerful human being that needs to avoid the emotion, the negative emotion is there.

[00:06:45] Wendi: And so that’s what I do, but then I immediately. At least in the last couple of, couple of years now I immediately go into prayer and I’m like, okay, Lord, help me guide me. This is not where I want to be, but I know that [00:07:00] this is where I am now. Just guide me through this process, guiding me through what I need to do. What is there for me to.

[00:07:07] Wendi: Get out of this, what’s the opportunity. How do I move along without completely showing that. And so another thing that I do. After I break down, go into prayer, submit everything to God and just say, you know what? This is not mine. This is something that I’m going to just let go. And that’s hard for me.

[00:07:28] Wendi: And that may be hard for you too, because if you’re anything like me, I want to be in control. I want to be able to say, this is what I’m doing, and this is what I’m going to do next. No one takes control of me. That’s just my mentality, my brain. How I’m feeling how I was raised. What was really instilled in me and that’s completely okay. God is working through all of that with me now.

[00:07:51] Wendi: And even before, like this is the work that I’ve been really doing, not only through prayer, but also having these conversations with other women of [00:08:00] faith, with other believers that are helping me through things with mentors. And so I did that. And then after that, I called one of my friends. She’s one of my best friends. That is a.

[00:08:12] Wendi: Christ follower. A believer she’s. Grounded in the word. And I told her what’s happening. And she immediately said, do you know what. Listen. It’s okay. It’s okay. That you’re feeling this way. It’s okay. That you are feeling a Q1. I want to just take a moment. She’s like, go ahead, do whatever you need to do.

[00:08:33] Wendi: CRI, whatever you need to do to just release. This emotion, this feeling that you’re having right now. And I’m like, yes, thank you. I needed that reminder. Because at one point I was holding it in. And she knew that and she’s like, just let it go. And I did. And then the next thing she said, she’s like, I’m gonna share a verse with you. And this is the verse I’m going to share with you now.

[00:08:54] Wendi: And I want you to know that. You can not allow the enemy. [00:09:00] To come into your space right now. And. Allow him for you to stop doing what you’re meant to be doing. You need to focus on God. You need to focus on his word and you need to focus on progress. You need to keep moving. You need to focus on. What’s important here.

[00:09:22] Wendi: And when she said that it literally just. Opened up my mind on okay. I I know exactly what I needed to do. I know exactly what I need to do. And it was a matter of me understanding one, the versa she sent me in to. Really understanding that I have no control, right? Like really practicing. Letting go of this control of this agenda that I have of this plant.

[00:09:47] Wendi: Of this expectation of how my life should be. It was just a reminder of me to let go and practice what I. Ultimately want, and that is to submit to God, to allow him to [00:10:00] do his work. Through me through this situation, through this circumstance. And so the versa shared which again, I. Highly recommend that you meditate on this, on these verses.

[00:10:12] Wendi: Because when I tell you that it’s just a reminder and when you read it a different time, it just brings up something else. And so it’s an Isaiah 43 verse one. And two. But now. First says the Lord. He who created you? Oh, Jacob. He who formed you? O Israel fear? Not for, I have redeemed. You I’ve called you by name. You are mine.

[00:10:35] Wendi: When you pass through the waters, I’ll be with you and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you. When you walk through fire, you shall not be burned. And the flame shall not consume you. And when I first read them. The first thing, this, that ultimately was the last. Um, verse. Really the last kind of like sentence. When you walk through fire, you shall not be burned and the flame shall not consume you. [00:11:00]

[00:11:00] Wendi: And it really just allowed me to. Understand that, whatever this fire. Is whatever, you know, th this fire that I’m in now. I will not be burned because I have God, he’s my creator. The flame will not consume me. Because he has redeemed me. I am going to stay focused on him. I am not going to stay focused on my problem. I’m not going to stay focused on the circumstance. I’m going to stay focused on him.

[00:11:28] Wendi: Because he is. The only one. That is in control. Not say in not the enemy. Not my mind. He’s in control. Not other people he’s in control. So I will submit to him. I will. Give him all my problems. And I will continue to be faithful and I will continue to be patient. And I will continue to practice.

[00:11:53] Wendi: This control sense of control that I think I have. And I’m going to continue to stay. [00:12:00] With the source of all hope and that’s him. He is the only one. That can be there for me at any time. He is the only one I need. He is the only one that is going to be there during these moments that understands what I’m going through emotionally, mentally.

[00:12:21] Wendi: Physically. There’s no other way. He is the only way. Jesus is the only way to him.

[00:12:31] Wendi: And so today I hope that whatever you’re going through. You may not be going through anything, but maybe a family member, a friend. Somebody is going through something we’re all living this life. Whatever it may be. I want you to stay focused on God. I want you to stay focused on Christ.

[00:12:50] Wendi: Because he is the only one that can help you.

[00:12:55] Wendi: To focus on one who he is continuing to focus on who [00:13:00] he is, what he can do. For you. And how he’s going to position you in this moment, how he is going to not only bring you out of this in a way that you never imagined. Who’s going to be with you through this fire. Through this river through whatever you’re going through through this valley.

[00:13:22] Wendi: You are only going to get through this to the other side. Keeping him first, keeping your mind on his word, meditating on his word, keeping focused that he is the source of all hope.

[00:13:40] Wendi: Which, let me share with you another verse, Psalm 43. Verse five. Hope in God for, I shall again, praise him the help of my countenance and my God. He is the only one.

[00:13:57] Wendi: That can give you hope. So I [00:14:00] offer you today. To focus continually on who you are.

[00:14:07] Wendi: Meaning on who you are in Christ. And focusing on who he is.

[00:14:13] Wendi: Take any negative thought captive that is telling you, giving you all these expectations, giving you all these, you know, lies and. You know, you should have. You know, all of these Kurdish at a waters and all of these things that are not going to serve you. Take those captive. And focus on who God is, what he can do for you.

[00:14:35] Wendi: And focus on who you are as his child. Because.

[00:14:40] Wendi: You you being a Christian or you being a believer, doesn’t make you not have these. Issues or problems or circumstances. Whatever it may be for you. Maybe it has to do money, maybe the relationship. Maybe it’s just, you know, you feel lost, you feel as if [00:15:00] there’s nothing else that you could do. I’m here to tell you that there is there’s hope and there’s hope in God and there’s faith that you can continue to build by St. Closer to him.

[00:15:11] Wendi: Listen, when you come out of this and I am just sold for right now. Like I, there’s nothing that’s going to distract me. The enemy can’t distract me because I’m just so focused on God’s word. I am so focused on what I need to do. On playing my part on doing what I need to do. Not losing focus and getting overwhelmed and thinking about all what’s going to happen and how am I going to do this and how am I going to get through this? And no.

[00:15:36] Wendi: That’s not what I’m doing. I am not being consumed. By the things that I cannot control, I am not being consumed or overwhelmed. By the things that already are in the past. I am fully in this moment. I’m taking it day by day. And I know that I’m going to get through this. Maybe not the way I want to, maybe not the way.

[00:15:56] Wendi: I expected it to. But trust and [00:16:00] believe. That I’m keeping God first. And then that I am allowing him. To just help me through this. That’s all that I’m asking for. I need. Wisdom. I need direction. I need strength. All of that every single morning. I praise him. And I thank him for being in this, in this situation.

[00:16:21] Wendi: And I actually just talked about this in a couple episodes. Before this one and I’ll link it to the show notes. But continue to praise them, even when you’re in this moment. Continue to praise them, even when it’s challenging. And so today I want to offer you to stay connected to the source of a hope.

[00:16:37] Wendi: To stay connected to the only one that’s going to continue to guide you, give you wisdom and continue to strengthen you. All right, ladies. I hope that this episode of blessed you. And that you continue to stay encouraged and that you continue to move forward. And not be distracted, not allow the enemy to take away your gift, your talents, your skills.

[00:16:56] Wendi: And who you are because you are a child of God. [00:17:00] All right. Have a beautiful rest of your week. Talk to you soon. Bye hey lady. If this podcast helped you, challenge you or inspired you in some way, please leave me a written review for the show on Apple Podcast and share it with another military sister. Helping you integrate balance, prioritization and growth in your relationship with God is my ultimate calling. I’m so blessed that you are here, and please join us in the faith led military women community on Facebook at bit.ly/beyondthemilitarygrp

[00:17:30] Wendi: again, it is bit.ly/beyondthemilitarygrp all right. Talk to you soon. Bye.