Redeemed Conversations with A.R. Ledgister
Redeemed Conversations with A.R. Ledgister
🤝 Embracing Weakness: God's Power Perfected in Our Dreams 💪
🌟 This episode delves into the transformative power of embracing our weaknesses and fears. We explore how these seemingly limiting factors can, in fact, become powerful catalysts for pursuing our dreams and fulfilling our God-given callings. Through an in-depth examination of biblical principles and practical examples, we uncover how God's strength is magnified in our areas of vulnerability. 💪
🙏 We discuss how acknowledging our weaknesses can lead to greater reliance on God's power, fostering spiritual growth and enabling us to step boldly into our purpose. By reframing our perspective on fear and inadequacy, we learn to see them not as obstacles, but as opportunities for God's grace to shine through us. This shift in mindset empowers us to pursue our dreams with renewed confidence and faith. 🌈
🚀 Join us as we unpack this paradoxical truth: that it is often through our weaknesses that God's strength is most perfectly displayed, propelling us towards the fulfillment of our deepest aspirations and divine calling. 🙌
#EmbracingWeakness 💖 #GodsStrength 💪 #DreamPursuit 🌠 #FaithOverFear 🛡️ #DivineCalling 📯 #SpiritualGrowth 🌱 #OvercomingObstacles 🏔️ #GodsPower ⚡ #ReframingPerspectives 🔄 #BiblicalWisdom 📖
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so, um, it's another wonderful opportunity for me to be able to talk with you, um, on redeemed conversations. This is your boy. I am so excited. When I say I'm excited, I'm super excited because there is, um, an opportunity that I'm walking in right now with Redeemed Conversations. That scares me. I don't necessarily know all the right things, wrong things. I feel like I know all the wrong things, none of the right things to do.
Speaker 1:But today's title was just it's called the Dream Sealed, signed, sealed, delivered, just do it already. You know and that comes from a thought process that I have had to continue to push towards myself over the past few weeks, even moving into this new studio space how we've been really working on upgrading things and doing things better and trying to really understand what does it really mean to still be able to walk something out, even though you just might be looking at yourself and asking why, from a place of fear, from a place of insecurities, from a place of just, all in all, just feeling completely inadequate? You know, one of the things that I've continued to push when it comes to dreaming, when it comes to walking in a dream, it's really making sure that you understand what God says about you, what God says about you. Last week I had Bernard on here and Bernard and I were talking about how God at times can shape your dream for you to be able to walk in it in such a way that even surpasses what your understanding of it was and what you even thought about it being, and I really like that. I think that's one of the things that, as we go through this wonderful place of confirming the dream in your heart, pulling the dream in your heart, um, there are a few things that before you can see signs, sealed, delivered, that you got to talk through, and that's what I want to talk about tonight. I want to talk about what that looks like tonight. So, ultimately, um, I'm, I'm, I'm.
Speaker 1:I'm using Second Corinthians 12, which is Paul's letter to Corinth, as my basis. Now, when I say my basis, I love Paul. I just think Paul is one of the great apostles, not for all the things that he's done, but his heart towards what he's done, his humility towards it. But not just his humility, but his power. He had a fanatical zeal. The Bible says that talked about how he was able to really push what God called him to be in the way that he does it and in this particular scripture it was an amazing thing that spoke to my heart, and I think a lot of people use this a lot. But I just want to kind of read it for reference, and this is Second Corinthians, 12 and nine.
Speaker 1:My personal favorite part would be but he said to me my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships and persecutions, in difficulties, in difficulties, for when I am weak, then I am strong. Now, that's the part that the just do it already came right. Just do it already right. So it says if we're going to have a dream, if we're going to walk through something, even as we have to meet God on the way there, something, even as we have to meet God on the way there, go ahead and move, move.
Speaker 1:And when I say move, often when people think about moving that you don't really understand that sometimes you're going to have to move. Um, when you have your weaknesses in the forefront of your mind, you're going to have to move. When, when you don't really understand how to move past your weaknesses, in the forefront of your mind You're going to have to move. When you don't really understand how to move past your weaknesses, but you know you have to do steps. And when we say weaknesses, I love to communicate, I love to try to make sure I break things down to a certain degree, to make sure it's super simple. So some examples of weaknesses sin, fear, immaturity, ignorance, inadequacies, your thoughts of your inadequacies.
Speaker 1:One of the things that we talked about last week with Bernard was self-pity and how, when we have our self-pity moments, they are pities that say woe is me. Well, I am not capable and I'm not able. But the thing about that was so great, which is why I continue to talk about the. My grace is sufficient, right, my grace, my covering, my laying of the grace, to allow you to know that your inadequacies will allow you to still be able to move along. And often that's the hard part many of us have to deal with. Many of us have to deal with. Many of us don't understand that, when it comes to dealing with the grace that God gives us, it is an opportunity for us to not walk in just our strength, but to walk in his strength.
Speaker 1:And here's the thing, though Often my weaknesses they would have humbled me and at times they did humble me. Even in the humbling of the weaknesses, sometimes I would let the humbling take me too far. Now, when I say take me too far, I mean literally take me too far and to where, when it was supposed to not just humble me but empower me, I stayed too long in the self-pity place that often humility would take us. Now, often I'm probably going to get reamed about that. Oh, you're speaking against humility. No, I'm not. I'm not speaking against humility. What I'm speaking against is the hiding place that many of us sit in when it comes to humility. We sit and say I just want to be humble, I don't want to boast and boast myself up, but, the truth be told, there might be some self-encouragement you need to do for yourself. There's some self-encouragement that you have to tell yourself to say you know what? I just need to move and walk on with the things that I have been called to do, on with the things that I have been called to do. I just got to go ahead and do it. Now, here's the thing.
Speaker 1:It's often a thing where fear hinders us. And when fear hinders us, we then have to think of why we're afraid, and often the things that we're afraid are the things we have to be humbled from. Okay, let me break it down for you. What are, what are some of the, the fears and the inadequacies that stop us? You know? Uh, the fear of failure, the fear of the unknown? Uh, the fear of not being good enough. Uh, the fear of criticism. Or Now, that was mine, that's well, technically, all four of these are mine, but that's one of my main ones the fear of criticism and rejection. Because, listen, when you have to be delivered from pleasing people, thinking about critique and criticism and rejection is a place of trepidation for you.
Speaker 1:Now, be that as it may, should any of us really get to the place that we have to jump and get to that, that, that place of actually saying you know what. I have to overcome this so that I can get to what God has called me to do. I have to acknowledge that. You know, there was a time in my life that I had to acknowledge that I wanted to please people, and in pleasing people, I was afraid that I would be rejected by people. I don't look like this person, I don't. I don't sing like this person, I don't talk or preach or or speak or take like these kind of people. And I had to overcome that because there was a place of paralyzing you know, I think there's a saying that says the paralysis of analysis, and I've said that before on the podcast to where I thought so much about everything, to where I worried so much about other things and people and really, truth be told, none of it was going to come true. Still, none of it's come true. But yet I have moved along and pushed along to do it, just do it already.
Speaker 1:And that was something that God gave to me earlier today, because we were sitting around and we were doing our best to kind of pull together some things even more in the studio. We were doing our best to kind of pull together some things even more in the studio. Jada was helping me pull together some of the apps that we want to try to use for the, for the broadcast, and for the for the podcast, and in doing it all, she's in the other office and I'm sitting in here and I'm like OK, just choose something already, like something already, go ahead and just choose, just do it already. And I was like you know what Bit, let's do it. And would you believe in the matter of an hour? What's about an hour, jada? About an hour, an hour of us working on it and taking care of it. She in the room giggling and having a good time, and I'm in the room like, yes, I love this app. Now ask me how long I've been sitting waiting on trying to figure out what thing to buy. Ask me how long I plagued Jada. I was like Jada, which one? I walked up to all these templates and wouldn't do it until I just decided to just do it. And when I did it, when we did it because we're a team I love it. I love it. I'm even using it on my app right now. Shout out to Notion. You guys are great. I'm going to tag you all in here, but keeping it going.
Speaker 1:So once I chose and here's the thing I chose it. And once I chose it, I began to build upon even more of the things that I understood for God for me to do, for what God had had me to do for even tonight, and one of the things that it helped me to do was focus on the promises of God. You know, when you, when you begin to just do it and walk through something, often you don't really have time to be worried about if this is the right or the wrong thing, because your self-analyzation is going to be the thing that will lead to your paralyzation or to your paralyzing. Hopefully they make that word up, jada. You know, keep me right, it ain't a word, is it? It could be, it sounds good. Anyway, it's all right, but you have to do your best to walk through and actually just do it. And when you do it, there are a few things that you have to keep focused on. One of them I already said you have to acknowledge the fear and know that it can paralyze you. And then, next thing, of course, focusing on God's promises and his faithfulness.
Speaker 1:See, I could talk about faithfulness of God all day, but one of the main things I would say is that, as we stepped out to do this in Redeemed Conversations, we stepped out to even get the new space. And when we got the new space, money came along and things happened and we were so happy. And even right now, some things could be, some things might stop. And does that mean the studio has to go away. No, we signed 12 monthly, so we got to go, got to keep going, um, and even to keep going, uh, we have to continue to move along in the dream, even when some things can get a little shaky and rocky, and that's the thing y'all, um Moving into here, going towards things. Those are all just steps that I periodically did.
Speaker 1:Again, we've been doing this Redeemed Conversations for four seasons now, and it's grown, it's grown, it's grown. And I had to even grow up and grow and as I did that, there came a particular time where I had to realize that, hey, you know what? There needs to be more that you walk in, so that you can encourage people to walk in more, even if it gets a little scary, even if it gets a little shaky, and things are a little shaky right now. But I trust in God's faithfulness, because God brought me through so many things in my life. God brought us through so many things in my family's life. So this one thing or these other things, those things can happen, but yet God will still deliver.
Speaker 1:And I said about one taking, taking small steps, and one of the notes that I have on here was talking about being able to do 1% at a time, and that comes from Atomic Habits, james Clear, great, great, great, great, great, great, great great book. I had the privilege of hearing him speak at a John Maxwell conference where I was certified, and it was an amazing opportunity to hear the author talk from the place of passion, where he said all he would do was do small little steps of 1% and that 1% would allow me, would allow him to do and again, consistency in that 1% would allow him to be able to move to next steps, leaps and bounds. And listen y'all to do that in conquering your fears. Next way that we try to overcome our fears is surrounding yourself with supportive people. Now, this is tricky because when I say supportive, I'm not talking about familiar, about familiar. When I say surround yourself with supportive people, I mean surround yourself with people that support where you're going, not where they're comfortable or where you've been.
Speaker 1:Now, we have had countless conversations about dealing with people that are only okay with working and working beside you when they're comfortable with being who you used to be. This comes from a place of parents. This comes from a place of children. This comes from a place of besties who was besties in high school, in college, and now you done grown up and got married and those same besties either got to love the new you or you got to move on. Those are things that you got to realize and when you really get to the nitty gritty of understanding what a supportive person is, a supportive person not only supports you from where you're going, but they do their best to understand where you're going, because I can't support you if I don't know where you're going.
Speaker 1:One of the things that Jada did with me was talk with me about what she wanted to do, and I talked with her about what I wanted to do and we had a clear understanding. I wish I could turn the camera around so y'all know who Jada is. She's gonna be out here in a minute, but you understand what. The clear understanding of where we're going and so that there was clear direction on what it is we're trying to accomplish. And by golly, there's been two, three weeks now and I don't want her going nowhere because her support doesn't make me comfortable. It makes me uncomfortable to get to the place of growth and I love it.
Speaker 1:Who have you had around you that understands where you're going and then supports you on where you're going. Now, when I say support, when somebody has to support you, sometimes that is not patting you on your back. Supporting you sometimes is clapping you up and letting you know that you didn't do right, letting you know that you got to do better, letting you know that if you are wanting to be who you said you are going to be, you got to go ahead and move better. How many people got folk around you who tell you to be better and you don't get mad at them? Because it takes maturity for somebody to tell me I got to be better and it takes maturity for me to say I'm not going to get mad when you told me that I need to do better.
Speaker 1:Just ponder on that for a second. How much do you really take for granted the time we have with people, the time you have with people or the time people have with you? You see, there comes a point where, if you're really going to get to where you want to be, there comes a point where, if you're really going to get to where you want to be, if you're really going to get to who you want to be, if you're really going to get to who you've seen you can be. You got to find supportive people in every area of those things. One of the things that I have grown to understand is I have several different categories in my life and each one of those categories require a person to support me. If that's something that goes with with with ministry, if that's something to go with finances and one of the ones that I'm working on now is going through a place of with fitness and getting better on that and that's the thing.
Speaker 1:Remember, god's power is made perfect in our weakness. God's power is made perfect in our weakness. God's power is made perfect in our weakness. God's power is made perfect in our weakness. See, beloved, one of the things that you'll realize that, whatever it takes for you to be able to show God to be perfect, god to be strong, god to be the strongest in your life, that's going to come from your place of weakness, and the thing that you really have to wrap your mind around is that one. You have to expose your weaknesses. You got to be OK with exposing them, and then, when you expose them, you got to be okay with moving past them Because, believe it or not, when you take the time to realize how much they can slow you down. You get to the place of being upset with yourself one but two, having to ask for forgiveness in that aspect because, like it says in 2 Corinthians 12 and 9, it's being perfect. God's power is made perfect in my weakness, so I need weaknesses for God to show perfect in me. God can't clean up somebody who's perfect.
Speaker 1:So with your weaknesses, y'all, comes an opportunity for you to work in chorus with God on your growth. Your fears, your fears and, like we said, signs sit undelivered. Our dreams, our dreams, are around the corner. Should we leave off of the block of comfort? Should we leave off of the block that says I can handle right here, but over there I don't know. You can if you just do it already. If you just do it already Now, you know how we like to end the night. One of the things that we'll realize is is that often you're going to have to do some abiding, because things have to move and things will progress.
Speaker 1:But, as I always point us back to standing in a place of prayer, and being in a place of prayer allows us to get a bit more of our energy back. So before we pray, I want to make sure you know that deciding to do it won't come without its levels of a bit of fear. But if you allow fear to allow God to help you, and you allow fear to allow God's power to be made perfect in you and just do it already, it will give you a a badge of honor that many people can't. So let's pray real quick, father. I thank you, father, more than anything, god, we thank you for the opportunity to be able to speak against the things, god, that we hold on to, that we've created, whether God be in our low thinking God, whether it be God in a worry thinking God, whether it be Lord in any of the aspects, god, that you didn't really create, but God we put up so that we wouldn't have to move God.
Speaker 1:But tonight, god, we thank you, god, for the liberation. We thank you, god, that our weaknesses, our fears, our inadequacies, god, now become our stepping stones towards the future of doing what you are called to do, what we are called to do. And as we work through it, god, we understand and know, god, that you are made perfect in our imperfections, god. You are made perfect in the heart, god, that we at times question. So, god, as we question that heart as we have time, god, to sit and talk through that heart.
Speaker 1:God, I pray that for those watching God, that you'll give them the opportunity to see you strong, even before they see themselves strong. Strong and God, that we can see ourselves strong, so that, god, we can move. So, god, stand up in us, walk in us so that, god, as we continue to conquer fear, to conquer inadequacy, to conquer the comparison and seal our dream to be Lord, reaffirm the call in our hearts, lord, the things, god, that you've changed in our hearts About our call and our dream, god, reaffirm it in us, lord, and we'll forever give you the glory and the honor and the praise Because you do it, Because you've called us to this place of conquering the dream, lord. So, dad, we thank you, we pray, god, that you'll spread your blood over our dreams, over the dreams, god, that you've given us and the calls that you've given us. I hope, god, this is an opportunity of those to just feel a little bit better, to feel a little bit stronger and to feel a little bit wiser in all the things that they do, all the things that we do. We're so thankful for you, father, we're honored for you, lord, and we'll give you the glory, the honor and the praise in everything we do, and it's in your son, jesus, the Christ name we do pray, amen, family.
Speaker 1:So again, we are here every night, I'm sorry. Every Friday night we'll do our best to do as much. Internal conversations that are a little challenging with dreams and hopes, but I wanted to do a little bit more on relationships and what that looks like, and God touched my heart in regards to having supportive people around you. So the next few weeks, we're going to be talking about what that looks like the good and the bad, the ugly and the beautiful, but we're going to be doing some of that. So, listen, join me here every Friday night. I'll do my best to be here every Friday night. We're going to try to be here every Friday night, right, jada? She's going to keep me accountable. Do my best, but other than that, I love you. I'm so thankful and honored that you took the time to even listen and watch, and I'll do my best to make sure that we give you even better content. We love you, honor, you Listen. That's all I got for you. Have an amazing night. Catch you next week, peace.
