Releasing Your Inner Roar: Kendra D Carroll's Journey to 'Step into Your Calling'

Ever felt like you're standing at the edge of your dreams, unsure of how to leap into your true calling? This episode brings you the remarkable story of Kendra D Carroll, a homeschooling mom and ranch owner, as she launches her new book, "Step into Your Calling." Her story promises to be a lighthouse for anyone navigating the waters of their own purpose and faith journey.  She shares her revelations about how journaling and songwriting were the unsuspecting precursors to her authorship.

As we unravel the intricacies of the writing and publishing odyssey, she lets you in on the behind-the-scenes  moments that shape a writer's path.  Empowerment takes center stage as we explore what it means for women to amplify their voice in spaces where it's often stifled, highlighting initiatives like Ministry Makers and God's Yes Girls that encourage women to rise into their multifaceted callings and identities.

If you're passionate about the intersection of creativity and faith, tune in for a discussion centered on unleashing the inner roar rather than just finding your voice.

Kendra's contact info:
Website - www.kendradeecarroll.com (Here's where you can seek and offer support to Jesus sisters or do some shopping)
Book - Step Into Your Calling 

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:16

Hello and welcome to the Hope Unlocked podcast. I'm your host, kristen Kurtz, and I'm also the founder of New Wings Coaching, where I empower and unlock women to soar in their calling and roar with their voices. If you're curious to learn more about how coaching can help you unlock your potential, be sure to explore the show notes for ways to connect with me further. Get ready to dive in as we uncover empowering keys and insights in this episode. So tune in and let's unlock hope together.

Speaker 2: 0:47

Welcome to the Hope Unlocked podcast. I'm Kristen Kurtz, your host. I pray this episode is like holy IV of hope for your soul. Please help me welcome my friend Kendra D Carroll. She has a very exciting announcement for you today, but I am going to start by just having her share a little bit about herself, and then I want to share something that has just been birthed yesterday, the birth announcement. We'll just call it the birth announcement and I'll be reading a little bit about that after she shares a little bit about herself.

Speaker 3: 1:19

Hey guys, like I said, I'm Kendra DeCarol. I love working with homeschool moms, stay-at-home moms, homesteading moms, creative moms, all the people who are just trying to be mom but also use their gifts and talents and love on others. I'm a homeschool mom of four. We have a 16-acre ranch where we have all the things pigs, animals, chickens, goats and lots of horses. So, um yeah, and my family rodeos and tours and it's fun.

Speaker 2: 1:51

You have a lot of amazing things going on in your life. I love it, so tell us what is. What is the name of your new baby?

Speaker 3: 1:58

Oh yeah, it's a new baby, it's called. Step into your calling about overcoming your fears and doubts to do what God has asked you to do or called you to do.

Speaker 2: 2:09

And this is Kendra's first book, baby. How long did it take the baby to come to this world?

Speaker 3: 2:17

the full fruition. Um, it was one of those things that's hard because, you know, some people probably sit down to write a book and maybe they take a long time edifying the book. I was one of those that the book just poured out within 10 weeks, that I only spent a day a week going through it, sharing it, editing it and then re-talking about it to make sure that my voice really hit what the book was. And I had a bunch of friends go through and edit it and I did not know it was going to be a book until it got finished. I thought I was just practicing to write a book and then God was like, no, this is the book. And I was like, oh, okay. So then I found a publisher, probably six months in because I feel like I started writing it in February, if I took the 10 weeks, and I did that on purpose, slowly, um, then then the publisher we found in August and, um, they knew it was pretty complete.

Speaker 3: 3:13

I did decide to add some backstories, um, in it. Uh, once I realized it was supposed to be a full book, um, for each chapter. So there was a little bit of addition that happened, but there was like 14 edits, a theology test, like lots and lots of things. Plus, I think that I inspired other people that were in the small publishing company to finish their books. They had not started because the book is like do what God asked you to do, and so I think, as people were reading it and helping, they were like, oh, I'm supposed to finish my book, I'm supposed to do what I was asked to do, and so they kind of got thrown ahead of me, um, which threw me on a really long path, um, where we thought that, like max, it was going to be a two year release. This took almost all four years.

Speaker 2: 3:58

Wow, I love it, I love, I love the steadfastness and then the fact that there was like an inadvertent helping others step in their calling throughout the process, as they're getting to read it and be impacted even before the book came out.

Speaker 3: 4:13

That's so beautiful that's actually probably one of the most encouraging parts kristin is. God had allowed so many people like this. This was my coaching tool as well, and, um, and I know the power in this book. I know that God does it. And had he not kept me in it that way? And seeing the fruits of other success in it, and and how much he was speaking that this isn't just me, this wasn't my ideas. This is him and this was his words and this was his guiding. It was just, you know, using me as a vessel, right that we always want to be, and so getting to see that that was the truth behind the book really helped me wait for it.

Speaker 2: 4:59

Well, I want to read the birth announcement. I'm just calling it a birth announcement If you guys are catching what I'm saying. This is actually the back of the book and it's beautiful. Just everything about Kendra and the way that, just even how we met. We can talk a little bit about that. We both really have a heart to help women in their calling and taking those steps in. So the back of the book says the name of the book again is Step Into your Calling.

Speaker 2: 5:24

Have you heard it said that God has gifts and purpose for you? Do you wonder how to activate that purpose in your life? Are you ready to embrace your calling but find fears and the unknowns blocking your path? This book is a discovery journey about understanding how to take steps toward what God is calling you to do. It helps you live through faith, believing in your God-given dreams. It stops the enemy's voice whispering fears and doubts to say you can't, so that God's voice is louder to proclaim I called you and I made you so you can Amen.

Speaker 2: 5:59

Kendra takes every voice of fear and doubt and smacks it with some real life experience to reclaim God's purpose in your life. This book is a reminder of what God can do when you give him your yes. Throughout the book, you will overcome and conquer fears and doubts, gain biblical confirmation through scriptures, gain confidence and guidance through self-reflection prompts, receive clarity on your gifts and to do what you're called to do. Learn to build a roadmap of your next steps, learn the true heart of discipleship and allowing the Lord to lead your steps. Girl, how does like? How does that even impact you, as I'm reading it back to you, like I mean, like you said, it's Holy Ghost Writer that partnered with you to write this book, right?

Speaker 3: 6:45

Right, not just even like when you're like, yeah, yeah, that's what I mean. There's times when I was reading the book for the last, like overseeing that, I'm like, oh yeah, he made me say that. That's good yeah.

Speaker 2: 6:58

Right, and you know that, like I haven't released a book yet, I know I have book babies in me, it's just not time yet. But, um, if you're you know, even when we do posts or when we're doing Facebook lives or whatever we're doing, that we know that Holy Spirit is prompting us to to do that thing. And you go back and you look at it and you're like I could not have written it that well. You know what I mean.

Speaker 3: 7:20

Right. No, there's things that I shared with you guys yesterday, that there's stuff that I was like I know I didn't know what that meant to the fullest, that I know it now and yet he still had me write that four years ago.

Speaker 2: 7:33

So if you look back on, like on your life, did you, did you ever dream or anticipate having a book be published?

Speaker 3: 7:42

Yeah, so that's all in chapter two. Um, you, I, I'm, I did not, I did not want to write a book. Um, I think I shared that yesterday too, that it's this is my yes, that I would have said no and if I and I like, I'm very clear in the book that if I can do this, you can do your yes, because I did not want to do this. And it's not that what my friend said. I spent three days arguing with God, which, like maybe you guys are like, I spent 30 years arguing with God about your yes, and it doesn't matter how long you spent arguing with God about your yes, the it doesn't matter how long you've been arguing with God about your yes. The truth is that we all sit there and go through it, and part of it is that we don't want it to be our own idea. And even when he's nudging, you're still asking why, and that's okay. That's the God that we serve. We're allowed to ask why, and so I had to. And for me to gain confidence and perspective in godly ways that I'm just stirring in my own head, I do have to have a sounding board, which is part of the reason why we believe in coaching, right, kristen?

Speaker 3: 8:53

And so I called my friend and I was like I'm not, like I barely scraped by with a, b in English, like I don't speak with periods when I talk, I just talk all over the place. I was like, why is God making me write a book? And she's like well, god doesn't ever throw anything from nowhere. You've done something in your life that's added up to this. And, sure enough, as I thought back, he showed me different things of why he was calling me to be an author and where I had already exercised it.

Speaker 3: 9:29

And it was simple as journaling the Bible for myself. That he's like you don't think I've been processing you to be a writer your whole life? How far back have you started doing that and sharing that and using these gifts? And it was like all the way back to fifth grade that I really started leaning into that. And then I used that as a tool, especially like eighth grade and up, of needing to process when I was in trouble, um, when I didn't like the way something worked out in my family. Um, just like I took everything to God and wrote about it. And he was like why did you not see this the way that?

Speaker 2: 10:08

that it is Do you feel like um? Some people when they hear writer, it's um, it just sounds like maybe too much, or there's some kind of connotation to it that they just can't attach themselves to in some way.

Speaker 3: 10:25

I don't know. I thought that for me, it was that being an author was going to be a lonely road, and it was also like do I like? I think what you're asking is also like do you want a title of like hi, I'm an author. It's a very not thing that I was hoping to say. Like I said, and it's been something that's like okay, how do I umbrella all the things I want to be? Because I really had wished that God had made me and I can't say that I wasn't. I was a songwriter first, but I really wanted to have that song on the radio and be like official in that before I did the next, and it wasn't the way that it came about and so I'll see. Now he's flashing back like is that really true, kendra?

Speaker 2: 11:15

what you just had.

Speaker 3: 11:17

A little revelation there yeah, I did like wait a second. Wait a second. I can't speak that fully, um, but I think that there's lots of just different titles and it's not like what's our first title? Kristen, daughter of God, and then servant. And so it's not about being the writer, it's not about these titles of authors, it's not about. It's just about doing the thing when it's the thing season, you know.

Speaker 2: 11:42

I think for me, like personally, when I hear being a writer and author, it just seems like a really and this is kind of my way of looking at it it just seems like a really arduous process. It seems, you know, I don't, I don't, I know, you know, but I, I love doing just very spontaneous posts. I love just spontaneous Facebook lives. I love, I love all the spontaneity.

Speaker 3: 12:03

Okay, now I get more what you're saying.

Speaker 2: 12:05

The idea is actually sitting down to like process and write and make it look tight and pretty. I'm just wondering, like, if you can kind of speak to maybe that woman out there that's like oh yeah, I can never do that. Like I, I, I can write in my journal, I can have things that are secret, but how do I even start?

Speaker 3: 12:29

Okay, so, um, yes, that was me. I was like I get up and go outside and feed animals and I'm running around and I don't sit still and I don't want to sit still, and why can't I write that? I mean, that was basically my argument. Why can't I just write a three minute song? I know how impactful songs are, god. Why do I have to write a book that?

Speaker 1: 12:49

was part of my arguments.

Speaker 3: 12:51

Um, so what did I do is it still was just like you know when you're inspired, you know when you have something to say and God has hit your heart with it. And if you leave intentional time, we say and we see how God meets us in that grace and in that moment and in that gift. Right, if you're going to sit down and you're going to be like, okay, lord, I'm listening and I'm ready, and you set down like the first parts of your day, you give them your first fruits and you just see what comes out. You can, you can set it on a time limit if you really are that busy, but I will tell you that once Holy Spirit's kind of intervened, that's actually the harder part. And why some people who are like, oh, I had that idea a long time ago, but now I'm 55 or like I'm later in life, and I'm like, dude, I wish I would have started back then. I mean, I wish I would have waited, because there really is all this time to do more. Right? I think that for me as a young person, I wanted to achieve so many different dreams that God put on my heart and like, luckily he, he wanted to walk some of those out with me, but some of them, um, I, I was like the movie that we were talking about of unsung hero, like where you can lose sight of, like is your family really with you in this, or are you just doing this and then looking back and how do you keep them together? And it's, um, been something with my just, and it's not like I'm an overachiever type of way. I just get overly excited about things, I guess, and and and I brought my family in all of it. I really did.

Speaker 3: 14:32

The book was probably the hardest part of not like. This was the first time of not doing something directly with my family. Like one day I woke up and just made a parade one time, but my kids like pumping at the signs and we're in the parade and we're walking. You know, like I involved them. The kids are, like just now, feeling like they get to talk about the book, they can tell people that it exists now, you know, and feeling a little more like okay, now we can do something with this.

Speaker 3: 15:00

But for the four years of this they've not, they've not. They've been in a position where they've just kind of like what are you doing on your phone? Why are you sitting in your room and crying with God today, and so it's one of those things that like, yeah, I understand you might not want to sit down and do that and God's going to have to release the right timing. Sometimes it is like you're going to be a better person when it's done, because you went through the healing and edifying of writing what God has asked you to write and maybe that's going to take some time out and away from your family. But if you are a good person of scheduling or being able to like, okay, thank you for letting me get out that way.

Speaker 3: 15:41

Now it's time to get on for the rest of the day with God and you can make those separations or just be intentional about it. I think that's something you and I talk a lot about. Kristen is being intentional intentional with our time, intentional with our yes, intentional to know when we've given too much in an area, and so it can be an hour a day, it could be 15 minutes at the end of the day to close out your day with God. It can be whatever to just do little pieces at a time and see what God wants to say.

Speaker 2: 16:15

I imagine you have more books than you.

Speaker 3: 16:22

I'm going to take that slowly. God has really said let this one grow up and let the lessons happen.

Speaker 2: 16:27

Yeah, but it's, it's, it's there. It's interesting because, um, last week you were, you know, you were talking about um timing and I interviewed um a gal, sharon, and she published her first book when she was 80. She's working on her third book right now and she's 82. I'm like it's never too late. So I think that if you're listening and you're in your 60s, you're in your 70s and you're like, oh, I know God was calling me to do that like 30 years ago and I missed my yes. Well, you potentially weren't listening and didn't step into it at that time, but it's never too late. Like, take, take that step, like we're talking about here, step into your calling. Like what would you say to that Kendra?

Speaker 3: 17:16

what is your main listener? Or is it mainly our age?

Speaker 2: 17:27

I have no idea girl, it's women, and I get I hear from all age groups like it's it goes from this decade to that decade, um, but it's really reaching out to the women who you know hope, who need that dose of hope. And currently this season is launching pioneers, so like, obviously you're a pioneer and you're launching this book, um, so this season is really I'm wanting to reach out to the women who have that thing in them that might be crazy, that maybe doesn't make sense to other people, um, and sharing stories like what you're doing, that gives these women hope so that they can step into their calling right.

Speaker 2: 18:12

And and move with him, rather than, you know, just listening to what the world is saying.

Speaker 3: 18:18

Right, yeah. And and I think I think the simple answer is ask God, is it for right now? Because, no matter what your age is, there's some people who need to start and they're 18. And there's some people who need to start and they're 30. And there's some people who need to start and they just had a brand new kid and they're going how do you want me to double this up, god? And you're having to learn what a double blessing looks like.

Speaker 3: 18:44

And then some people are, have, have gotten into older years and going oh yeah, I forgot that that happened. Is it too late, god? And then God is going to answer you and he might even still you might be 80. And he was like actually, I want you to still wait five more years. And then you're going to write that Like, can you imagine that he might say that because that's what he did in promises to the older people in the Bible, right? And so you just don't know how, when, where or why he's asking and that timing of what he has for it. But I will say that to practice writing the book, like maybe it's not something to submit right now, maybe it's not something to chase wholeheartedly right now, maybe it's not something to submit right now, maybe it's not something to chase wholeheartedly right now, but to practice writing with God, to stay in those journaling moments, to practice getting quiet enough to hear him intentionally. I think that that's the most important part, and the rest is going to fall when you know it.

Speaker 2: 19:38

Would you hit a little bit more on that, like getting quiet with God, like what does that look like?

Speaker 3: 19:43

Yeah, I was. I was thinking about doing this too as a as one of my reels of just um, if you think about it, guys, what is? What is the Psalms? The Psalms are David's journaling heart and, um, that was something I took on for actually a 10 year project.

Speaker 3: 20:01

I journaled the entire Psalms, and what I mean by that is I read, I read a chapter, I let a verse stand out to me, and if I didn't have a verse stand out to me, I'd read that chapter again the next day and say Lord, what is speaking to me in this passage? What do you want to amplify to me? And then I'd take that passage and I'd write about something that happened that week, or what is God saying, or just a lesson I've learned in the past. From why is this highlighted to me?

Speaker 3: 20:33

And then if, even if it went to a place that was frustrated, I did what the Psalms do, at the end David could go off and be like where are you, god? This isn't working out. Blah, blah, blah and just go off. But at the end he goes you know what? I don't know, but I do know that you're still God and I still love you and you are still forever faithful and he reminds himself who. God. Empty my heart with God on all things is what? Putting yourself before him and putting your heart in his hands and putting your way in his hands and just letting your ear and pencil kind of talk about like it feels, like it comes from the back of your brain? Don't overthink what god is saying to you.

Speaker 2: 21:26

just open and give and stay in that secret place do you, as you're going through the psalms, do you remember anyone in particular that really like hit you hard, that you had some huge breakthroughs and revelation as you were writing, because I, I know like kind of like for you when I'm writing. I just kind of let the pen do its thing. It's very interesting and I'm like what just happened, do you?

Speaker 3: 21:52

remember one by chance. Well, I mean, I refer to a couple of them in the book, because I was getting towards the end of the Psalms while I was writing the book and, honestly, there is one of like somewhere close to the 139s in the search my ways and search my heart right and see if there's any anxious way in me and I was like, why am I stressing over this book? And I know, see, I'm not going to know which Bible verse it is or which chapter it is, because it's only somewhere around that, or in 139 also, and it says Basically, it's when God has, like, answered Job In the same type of way Of just like. Did I not make the depths of the sea? Did I not do this? Did I not say that? Then why are you still questioning when you've asked the door to open and I opened one for you and you sat there going Is that right? That was the one that really does look like.

Speaker 2: 22:48

Yeah, okay, I'll do what you asked Amen, I love that process that you went through too. It kind of reminds me back in the day I think it was called soap, like scripture observation. Um, I can't remember. Did you ever do?

Speaker 3: 23:06

application. I think that was what it was.

Speaker 2: 23:11

But I love how you just would kind of sit with it and allow him to reveal to you, because even I would imagine, like for you, like for me, when I go back into the word. I might've read it a year ago. And then it's just like it's so. It's so fresh, it's like it's like fresh bread out of the oven. It always tastes different, it always like it's just like it's so, it's so fresh, it's like it's like fresh bread out of the oven. It always tastes different, it always like it's the same, but yet it. It so applies to the.

Speaker 3: 23:35

Now if that makes sense.

Speaker 2: 23:37

That's my no it's like it's fresh. It's fresh bread out of the oven people.

Speaker 3: 23:43

yeah, no, that's why I was like when you first asked that I was like Kristen. It's literally every single one of them. If I picked it up and started going back through it, I would thank myself for writing it because I needed to hear it again. I know one of them was even talking about how, like, we can't rely on what we want, like when we're like Lord, I want this, I want this, I want this because we're so moody and we change our mind, you know, and it was like like the day I read that I need to remember that that's probably why I'm not getting it, because I'm not going to even want it tomorrow you know, yeah Well, like as you were going through this writing process, you said you were working like with a publisher.

Speaker 2: 24:23

How did you like, how did you even know like kind of the next steps to do? You feel like God just kind of brought you people along your path, because I can imagine as even for myself, never having written a book before, never having published a book before that there are some. Obviously there's some processes to get from A to Z. Um, what did that look like for you?

Speaker 3: 24:45

Yeah, that's the first thing I would say is that everybody's road looks different. That's another thing that's cool about. Step Into your Calling is that's again one of the things I talk about is like, how do you gain confidence and see which way God's going and how do you observe that so literally? As I'm writing this and writing what God's wanting me to do next, I'm also playing it out while I wrote this book, which is why it's so raw, real and play by play. And so I was developing the coaching business at the same time that I was that I was writing this and I was really actually struggling with the word coach, which I think you and I have maybe talked about, and I was listening well, what even is the difference between a coach and a mentor and what do I really want to be in this? And I had done like all this searching. I like listened to this guy for like four hours one time. That was supposed to be like this big prophetic voice and give really good business insight and all this stuff. That was like promised to you, right and I swear to you Right and I swear to you. There were like two lines that had some good meat when I gave up four hours and then I went to wash dishes and I put on this other podcast and like, literally two minutes in the podcast it was like, do you want to know what the difference between coaching and mentoring is? And I was like Lord, do you know how much time I wasted looking for this answer? And I used that before I answered this about publishing, because it literally came the same way. I was looking at all the other people.

Speaker 3: 26:21

Instagram is really fun in a way of like. It connects you to a lot of like-minded people. So right away as I'm coming off as an author or asking people for their author stories, it's connecting me to more and more Christian authors who are small Christian authors and I just I went back channeled and I asked every single one what was the way you did this? What did you like about it? What'd you not like about it? Because when I was speaking to the high schoolers about following their passions and dreams which this again back started from that's, one of the tips I gave them was like find people who were doing it. Make sure you know what they like and don't like about it so you can really edify your own journey, learn from them and see, is this even the way I want to go with it? Right, because there is 9 million different ways to get there. So I asked all the people, all the different things, found some really cool inspiration and other stories.

Speaker 3: 27:19

And amongst doing that because because Instagram hooks you to other people, you know there was this girl I was following who was also um into rodeo and was a youth pastor with her husband and I. I was running the horse youth program and so we were connected in that way. And then something happened that she said something about a book and I was like, wait a second, that's not even like on your front page, you're also an author. She goes oh, not even am I just an author, I'm actually a coach with this publishing company. Let's talk. And so God just literally opened the door into my face with somebody I didn't even know I was following that had the open door.

Speaker 2: 27:55

So good and doesn't it go back to like a big key there, like I would just say, is connections Right?

Speaker 3: 28:04

Yeah, don't just sit there isolated. Go meet the people. Go meet your Jesus sisters. Go talk to people about what they're doing, why they're doing it. Let them share God with you and how God's showing up in their journey, and then watch what God does in your own.

Speaker 2: 28:20

And you know, like even some of these gals that you're reaching out to, you know they may not have a key or an answer or what have you, but their story probably helps bring fuel to you continuing to go on right.

Speaker 3: 28:35

Or at least it was like okay, I don't think God wants me to go that way, because there were people who had to build up 10,000 followers first and they're like you can't be looked at until you do this, and I'm like I don't think that's the way God wants me to go. I know I can do that and I actually so. At first I did, I was like, okay, that's what I'm going to do. I made some wrong choices, let me tell you. Um, so I just started. I did a Facebook. No, no, I got a new Facebook under my name because I was running under my horse program name, and so I renamed under Kendra D Carroll.

Speaker 3: 29:12

As an author, I have like a million different Facebooks, which is a problem right now. But as soon as I did that, there were old people who had found me, and new people and prophetic people, and there was like a really good amount of people. But then there was also this Muslim community who found me, and then, all of a sudden, I had 800 guy requests a day and I had to go through. I spent three days cleaning out bad people that were connecting me to other bad people on the internet. So that's why I'm like do not just go become a Facebook frenzy and just accept everything because that was the wrong way and it was a very big waste of time.

Speaker 3: 30:03

You know, looking back, three days is not a waste of time but at the same time, just sit there and just delete people off of your thing and try to reset your algorithm to find the people who are you're going to care about and love was just not worth it. And that's when I went okay, I'm not going the 10,000 way. What other way do you want me to go? God? And uh. And then, yeah, let it happen.

Speaker 2: 30:27

Well, and that even reminds me of something that's been really highlighted for myself and I know for you too, like multiplication. So like, what can God do with your yes, even though you don't have what the world would say you need 10,000.

Speaker 3: 30:47

Yeah, for me it was like I know there's a couple of things. Um, first is, I know the power of a one conversation, like the book publishing deal I got was because one person that I was following had one conversation with me which opened a bigger door right and I and I really one person that I was following had one conversation with me which opened a bigger door Right and I and I really say that that's a part of Esther's story. She only had her uncle and God she was talking to and and then one message to the King. She had a whole, a whole nation praying for her. So we need big prayer warriors and people do need to know what's going on of our community, but they're one-on-one conversations that are going to be the most impactful to make something change or something open up Right, and so that I keep forefront, that I keep forefront.

Speaker 3: 31:46

But the Lord has spoken like loaves and fish over me since early twenties, maybe even in my teens, that I've had that like be prepared for exposure, be prepared for something more, be prepared for the 5,000. And I've never known, always, what that means. I mean my podcast now has like 7,000 downloads and I feel like it's the most silent thing in the world. I only put things up like once a month. I I just share my own thoughts there.

Speaker 3: 32:19

I I'm like, if that's what God meant by you're going to touch 5,000 and one person here, there's one episode and they got one thing from it. Right, if we know we're doing it for one, then we just keep trusting that one to go and multiply and I talk a little bit about multiplication in my book too, of like, if I tell one that one person's so inspired by an ounce of the story, just one line of the story, and they tell 10 that one line, now 10 more people are inspired by one. If you 10 times 10 times 10. And you start multiplying that out, now you're talking 100,000 people are inspired by one story.

Speaker 2: 33:00

Yeah, and that's it's. It's so. I know, I know, you know my heart on that too is like for the one, because what he was showing me years ago was one times one in the world is just one. Like it's just. It stops at one right in math. Math tells us one times one is one, but in the kingdom it's one times one is exponential. Like we don't even see the back end of so many things. Right, I think I was sharing with you guys the other day of like the apple seed. You know we plant one apple seed. It grows up to a tree. It has how many apples that it produces. Each apple produces how many seeds that can then go produce how many more trees. It's just, I feel like that's.

Speaker 3: 33:43

I know you say this all the time and I really want to actually speak back to you and something that you do and what I was really just hearing God say over this, and it was like well, you know why one in one is still dying is because the only way that this is watered is the mouth, that we have to open our mouth.

Speaker 3: 34:00

If you do not share what you know why God is speaking to you, if you cannot open your mouth and speak life, then the life cannot grow abundantly. And that is Kristen's calling, guys, is open your mouth, and I know, like each of us, it's just get louder and get bolder and get braver. And I felt like God was saying those words over me while I was writing this book the entire time. Those seeds cannot be watered without you opening your mouth. That is how I we just said, like that one person tells 10 people cause they're so on fire. It's on fire for God moments of getting excited about something he's doing in your life, seeing him and praising him for what he's doing and letting that spread like a wildfire.

Speaker 2: 34:48

Amen, yeah, and like even using my mouth when you were saying I mean, girl, I've been like on a journey, even the fact that I'm doing this podcast. You know it was an idea they gave me three years ago and it launched last March and you know, I just want to encourage any of you who are listening both of us, like Kendra, has a podcast. You can share what's the name of your podcast If you want to tell them.

Speaker 3: 35:19

I just want to bring Kendra D Carol with ministry makers, god's guest girls, so me, and because we support all the girls, so ministry makers, god's guest girls. Kendra D Carroll with my God's yes Girls.

Speaker 2: 35:34

So I mean, just even as she was talking about using your mouth, right, maybe some of you are called to start a podcast. Maybe some of you are called to you know, I was just talking about you know, having an audio book. Maybe you first launch an audio book, about you know having an audio book. Maybe you first launch an audio book.

Speaker 2: 35:50

I don't know how that works, but using your voice because as we speak, it releases others and you know, I've been on a journey of getting unlocked from feeling like Moses. You know it's been a generational thing of voice feeling locked up and as as we take those steps to say yes, my one of my yeses was doing a podcast and I was like Lord, you've got the wrong one, like you know what I'm saying. So, as I stepped into that part of my calling, I've just seen, um, just so much breakthrough, even in my own life, and I know that there's more and I'm getting louder with my roar and helping others roar as well. But what does that look like for you? Have you, have you ever been challenged with your voice? Has there ever been moments where you feel?

Speaker 3: 36:41

like I do share this in the book too, because I um chapter four is about getting bold guys and um, I actually had to look back because I was like, I have felt like I've always been, I've always been a very loud voice, I've been a natural protector. I'm the oldest of five, um, so to just kind of step up and be like, no, that's wrong, or, you know, just standing in the gaps for others is something I was just born passionately about. But, that being said, there is that time in like fifth grade, where you start realizing people are going to stand back up against you and being the loud voice is not the popular one, it's not going to get you popular and it's not going to get you loved when you're out there speaking truth and calling things out and trying to help people turn towards God, it's not going to be the more popular way. And so there was a time of really accepting that, fine, I'll just have my three friends and probably shut down and got a little quieter, you know, and protected my voice a little bit, and it didn't mean that I shut down and got a little quieter, you know, and and protected my voice a little bit, and it didn't mean that I shut down completely, because it's that age group where, like, there's this clicky group of friends and they kick somebody out. Like every day somebody is the new bad guy, you know, or the new kicked out guy, and so I would always take that person into my small group and then the next day they make up with the big group, right.

Speaker 3: 38:12

So I just was that in-between person that was like had to learn I don't know, god just must've used it for so long to let people come and become a little more rounded of letting things wash, but also like know when I could speak and when I shouldn't, and then also when to not care anymore. And it's been a growing process, but one I have never, ever shied down from, which was really crazy. Was really crazy when, um, when, when recently, like last year, when I cause I've, I've, I've grown up in my hometown. So there was also this like having a lot of love over me, for the people who had been around me and just didn't realize how much that love covering gives you a confidence to be you. And so part of my move to Missouri was learning even more as a grownup how people who don't know who you are are going to be like? Why are you being loud? Why do you have a voice? Why do you think that you, as a woman, get to say anything about God? Like I had not experienced that.

Speaker 3: 39:28

Like did I still grow up with with churches who believe that women shouldn't speak? We did, but like, like not. I mean I was a kid being raised up and so even in a church that they didn't let women be leaders, I almost I was, because they let children be leaders because of the birth and Timothy of like. Do not stop them because they're young.

Speaker 3: 39:52

So I became kind of this really young powerhouse that then all of a sudden I got married and things kind of there was a suppression over it and I couldn't understand it and, um, it put a lot of frustration on me and that's kind of my second book. By the way, it might have accidentally opened a can here I'm trying to wrap it up because I know we need to, but going to Missouri and finding out that there's still this really big giant, a mountain, that, like you and I know that as women, we have to shout to this mountain to get out of the way for other women because it is trying to stop a woman's voice and I was not fully aware of that until I made that journey and know that I had to make that journey and hit that um, that stronghold, so that I could understand why people are having a hard time and that this is a stronghold and a mountain, that, and a giant that we are going to take down and need to take down together.

Speaker 2: 40:58

And I love, I mean I love what you said. Like we've we've each had to experience, you know, we've each experienced, obviously, different aspects of our voices, right, and there's some crossover with both of us, but we've had to experience it so we can, like, truly know the depth of what women are going through so that we can then speak to it, you know, and and speak over them and help release their voices, right, um, tell, I want to, I want you to tell us a little bit more. Also, I mean, obviously, happy book birthday. It's hard to say happy book, I said it yesterday, but again, we want to just celebrate with you because I love, um, just celebrating what women have done, especially when it's not easy.

Speaker 2: 41:46

You know, like I know, that this was not an easy thing for you, right. What are you also doing on the backend with, when you have a lot of you're like the Proverbs, 31 women, like all these, like we, a lot of us have a lot of different things that we're doing. So could you speak to kind of what you've been building on the backend, that it does intertwine with the book as well? Could you share a little bit about that?

Speaker 3: 42:13

Okay, I again. I'm afraid you went on a rabbit hole I did, but I do want to speak something that you're saying that I think I felt like women kind of get suppressed in this area. Also, it's okay to be a multifacet woman. It's okay to have multiple things and multiple things that you're into and multiple ways. Some people are made for one thing and being very focused and that's who they are, and some people are different and God definitely made me different. I need multiple things to enjoy and to love my family and to love everybody's gifts in different types of ways. And it's probably what also makes me so unique and this book unique, because it is not one focused, it is whole focused it literally.

Speaker 3: 43:06

If you are that mom who's adopted and you're like this is my calling right now, you you can find something out of this book, um, and know that it can nurture your heart right where you're at and gain confidence and confirmation and grace and love over that calling and not feel like where's my more right? But then there's other people who's like but I love sewing and then reselling that and then making some jewelry and then reselling that and then making some cookies and having a neighborhood party and running the, the kids um drama class, and you know, like and you're an aunt and one of my favorite things to say, like, don't put a period where God put a comment. And so what do we have on the backside is, um, the book feeds into what God had me create called Ministry Makers, which is really that coaching, birthing, midwifing center where we pull you in to develop some of those gifts and talents that you maybe let grow quiet and you need a secret place and you need the encouragement to rebirth them, because you've let either the enemy or somebody's negative voice stop you or you just haven't had the confidence to step up and do it and have somebody speaking over it and showing you what they see God saying and doing in you and through you. And so Ministry Makers God's yes, girls is this group that holds a birthing room. And then, on the outside of that, for people who do have their things, we have what's called the hub, which is Holy spirit, unites businesses and that's where we just get to shout out and support each other as Jesus sisters and what God's called us and our products and the things that we have and um, yeah.

Speaker 3: 44:50

And then, like we had started in the podcast and and I have just motivational speaking kind of everywhere and even and I don't know if you know this, kristen, but with my son graduating, we are gonna pull back into some family and I've been asking God, like what can I do again to show the book kind of on the outside of the heart of, like, how do you use your family and pour from your talents as a family into your community? And, um, my older teens, I'm really hoping we're going to be, uh, training horses again and and you've seen how, like, I'll start a fire and share prophetic or life lessons and and a lot comes when I'm doing horses and so I'm excited about that journey again too.

Speaker 2: 45:41

I love that for you and I love that for your family. You know it's it's it's so beautiful that you can, all you know, come together and I do like, yeah, the messages that you, those like in the moment, messages that you receive with a fire, with the horses, like people need to hear those stories and it's just another expansion of what you're called to do right, absolutely, and you can do all the ands.

Speaker 3: 46:10

Yes, we're encouraging all the and people out there. If you're an and person, definitely come follow me, because you're going to not feel crazy.

Speaker 2: 46:19

Oh well, is there a favorite chapter in the book that you might just be willing? Do you have the book right there with you?

Speaker 3: 46:26

I don't and I don't need it. I do, I've coached on it enough, but you do know it's 1137.

Speaker 2: 46:32

Yes, I've got a few more minutes and then we'll wrap up.

Speaker 3: 46:34

Okay, I just want to make sure we're going to hold mamas accountable, because we do get carried away in our thing. Yeah, actually, just with that note, you know, every chapter has its place and, quickly, two chapters that make me cry are chapter four and chapter seven, and just about where God moves in them and that that's boldness and leadership, and they're just some of my favorite things to talk about. But, on the note that I want to end you guys with is chapter six is actually detailing out the Proverbs 31, woman, and if I got to pick anything, I actually sat with God at one point and said if I, if I got to hone this down to one thing, what's the one thing I would want him to say? I, I, I grant you permission to teach this and teach this only, and it was how to be creative, and. And so chapter six is create with your creator.

Speaker 3: 47:28

And I think that when we stop being creative and and I think women tear themselves down about not being creative, and so I really take that chapter to be like I don't care, if you love organizing, that is a form of creation you need to re-see the way that you see this and re-speak life, because God is your creator and if he made us in his own image, then we are reflecting that in some way and it is called beautiful. And so to really just embrace creativity and women who are birthing things to life in the physical and in the natural, and seeing that as a form of worship when we create with Him, even if it's just to paint for the day, and enjoy it with your, with your two-year-old, you know, if it's sewing something and being proud of it, like God is proud that you're proud, he's proud that he gave you these gifts. See, I think it must have happened. Um, I just I love that part.

Speaker 2: 48:35

Well, thank you for sharing that part. I know that there's there's so much more in all the pages. I ordered the book yesterday. I can't wait to read it.

Speaker 3: 48:42

You guys are going to just blow up with this book. You're going to be like, oh my gosh, where's this been?

Speaker 2: 48:48

And it's. It's so in alignment with what? Yeah, it's just there's a reason he connected us to, because we, we do have some very similar hearts for women, and it's so beautiful. So is there anything else that you would want to say? I always say I do this for the one. If you can imagine the one woman who's listening today, what would you want to say to her today?

Speaker 3: 49:12

I think I think we're just ending that part of like, remember that you're created and loved. You know and loved for the things that you love. I think that we simply forget that, like I have, I've used, I've loved that I have literally used that as a turning point for somebody who had never heard about God. Have I shared that story already, kristen? So there was this kid who was interested in one of the girls that was in my horseback riding program and she was trying to find out if he was a Christian. So I was like I'll just flat out ask him because that's who I am. And I was like, and I think I asked what do you think about God? And his response was like I really don't know that much about God and I'm not sure if I believe in him. And I said well, what do you love? And he said I love baseball. And I said what if the God who made you loves that you love baseball? And he said I think I would love to know that God, that that gave me this talent and this love. And so that's my simplicity back to you is that God made you to love things.

Speaker 3: 50:22

It's not wrong to love what you love. If you love cooking for your family, if you love creating something or you love painting or you love music or you love talking or you love laughing on friends, like God loves that. You love what you love talking. Or you love loving on friends like God loves that you love what you love. You love gardening, you love flowers. These are the things he created in the world for us. He created the world for us to embrace us, to love us, and anytime we stop to admire that partake in it and love it, it's God loving us and I just hope they just like take that in as like a blanket around them and just love that he loves them right where they are so good.

Speaker 2: 51:05

I can just see that right now like it's like 11, 11, blanket. What would you be open to praying over? Um these gals who are listening to the podcast?

Speaker 3: 51:15

I'm already a Holy Spirit touched, letting all my little, little watering drops out. Dear Lord, oh, the love over them and the love that you have for each of us, the words that you gave me in this book to just literally let women's hearts leap in that love, to say God has gifts and purpose, and so much love for me I cannot contain it anymore and I'm going to shout it to the world, but from the rooftops I proclaim song, lord, that they may, just like the husband that you are to them, shout out the window and raise from the limo of what you're taking them on, lord, and say I'm in love with God and the whole world needs to know it. That they might stand, surrendered, chains, broken arms up, shouting God loves me and I want the world to know it. That's what this is about to lift back up our gifts, lord, to give them to you and say I know who you made me to be and the enemy can't stop me now because I'm too excited about it.

Speaker 3: 52:32

Lord, let our hearts get back, excited about who you created us to be, that we walk fully, wholly and wonderfully in it because of who you made us and who you called us, and your abundant love flow out of us Because we're just so excited for who you are, god, because you are a good and mighty God, and we cannot shut up our praise Because you are a good and mighty God and we cannot shut up our praise. Let us just re-release that voice and that excitement and the praise and the honor and the glory of who you are. Let hearts be on fire, let candles be burning. Let them find their Jesus sisters that help them feel so ignited to be who they are, surround them with the people that they need that the fires burn bright, lord. We've seen and said revival for so long and it starts right in the heart, right in the heart, right in the secret place, and we know it Touch them, touch their life and relight it To be fully burning in your name.

Speaker 2: 53:46

Thank you, my friends. Oh, my god, there you go. Well, I will. Um, I'm like just feel all the peace right now, girl. Um, I'm sure that the listeners do as well. Um, I just love you. Thank you for being a brave voice that sets others free. I'm going to close with our anchoring verse over the podcast. It's made the god of hope fill you with all joy and peace and believing, so that by the power of the holy spirit, you may abound in hope, and that's Romans 15, 13. I will link Kendra's book in the comment or in the show notes. I will link her contact information. I'll link some Facebook groups. We'll link all the things for you to be able to touch base with Kendra. Get her book, go, review the book, share the book, like. Like we said one times, one is exponential and so many of you need this book in your life. So go get it, go get it go get it all right.

Speaker 2: 54:46

Thanks, kendra. I'll be back with another episode next week. Bye, thank you.