God's Got THIS!

faith Dec 15, 2020

God’s Got THIS!

(Press play to listen to this Strong. Confident. His. Podcast or read the blog version below.)

Whatever you’re facing today, God knows the other side, and He’s Got This!

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

Today you will hear a living example of Romans 8:28.

This episode will give you fresh hope, reignite your motivation, and excite your prayer life.

I have a surprise about my guest today, and you’ll never guess what it is!

She went through some serious struggles, but God worked everything for her good. Her faith in the Lord is what brought her through.

And...I’m going to share something that I started doing that has changed my life, and it will change yours. You don’t want to miss it. It’s a game changer!

The Strong. Confident. His. Faith & Fitness Devotional will be out in just weeks. This is a limited edition, so sign up here to get your copy, HERE.

Here are the highlights of our conversation, but I highly recommend listening above.

Danielle is a Jesus girl, wife, and mom of two who was a Corporate businesswoman turned massively successful entrepreneur...and this happened during Covid!

Me:

Like many of us out of college, you had a plan, right, but God! He has done something so much better, tells us about how in the midst of your family having to financially pivot with Covid, you’ve recently taken on a new career and what it's done for your family.

Danielle:

Right out of college, I jumped into management and the business world in corporate America. I worked my way up the ladder and thought I had “made it” when I landed the role I had been working so hard to get to - HR Business Partner. I was on track to finally doing what I “thought” I wanted to do, but then life changed. I became a mom and I wanted more for, not just me, but also for my family. So, I made a huge change and became a stay at home mom. After being a stay at home mom for two years, I realized being an entrepreneur was what I truly wanted to do. And now, I am currently a realtor in the Greater Denver Area and a leader in direct sales.

I am in the top 10% of Colorado within my brokerage firm and a Senior Executive Director within my direct sales company leading a team of almost 400 women.

I never saw myself in direct sales. To be honest, I swore I’d never do it!

In order to embrace this new role, I had to let go of my fear of failure. This was completely new territory for me and a role I hadn’t imagined myself in. I knew I’d need to put myself out there, I’d have to be willing to try something new and push myself well beyond my comfort zone.

But, I had a best friend in the business who was successful one year in and she had paved the way to show me that it was possible. I saw what the business was doing for her and her family, and how it was changing their lives. In talking with my friend and praying about getting into direct sales, the one thing I remember telling her and to this day am still driven by, is bringing this amazing opportunity to other women. If I could be successful at it, and she could, I knew anyone could.

So, when my goal shifted from trying to be successful for ME to wanting to be successful for other women, that fear of failure dissipated.

I prayed about it for a couple weeks and when I finally decided to dive in, I told my friend, “I don’t want this just for me, I want this for all the women who need this opportunity.”

In many days of prayer, I’d realized that if I can change one woman’s life by bringing this opportunity to them, I have succeeded.” This made it so much easier to let go of my fear of failure because it was bigger than me.

Me:

This is so close to my heart. I have to tell a story, When I wrote F.I.T. I knew God had purposed in my heart to write that book, for many reasons:

I knew the emotional pain and the struggle of trying to get healthy, lose weight, and make health a priority, and I wanted to help people find the lasting answer I had.
I knew the fear of not wanting the diseases my father had suffered.
I knew the body idolatry fitness brought and the insatiable need to be leaner, and more fit, and how it was impossible to feel enough.

When I set out to write F.I.T., the first thing I wrote was, "I may be scared, but it's all about the one. Even if this just helps one person, it was worth it."

My amazing husband Billy, said "you’re just like the Starfish thrower."

If you haven’t heard it here it is:

THE TALE OF THE STARFISH

IT ALL STARTED WHEN…

A young girl was walking along a beach upon which thousands of starfish had been washed up during a terrible storm. When she came to each starfish, she would pick it up, and throw it back into the ocean. People watched her with amusement.

She had been doing this for some time when a man approached her and said, “Little girl, why are you doing this? Look at this beach! You can’t save all these starfish. You can’t begin to make a difference!”

The girl seemed crushed, suddenly deflated. But after a few moments, she bent down, picked up another starfish, and hurled it as far as she could into the ocean. Then she looked up at the man and replied,

“Well, I made a difference for that one!”

The old man looked at the girl inquisitively and thought about what she had done and said. Inspired, he joined the little girl in throwing starfish back into the sea. Soon others joined, and all the starfish were saved.

Me:

When we think about the one person who life could be changed, we have Godly motivation.

Luke 15:4 shares...

He leaves 99 sheep in the wilderness and looks for the one that is lost until he finds it, doesn't he?

God cares about and rejoices when one of us is saved, rededicated to Him, and recommits our lives.

Me:

What are some of the things you think that hold us back from going for our goals or having to take on a whole new career?

Danielle:

I think our fears and our comfort zones hold us back. It’s so easy to do what makes us comfortable, warm and fuzzy.

But, when we push beyond our comfort zone, this is where we find success.

We grow and discover new passions, new abilities and excitement.

Getting into real estate and then direct sales were a huge risk and investment that required me to operate well outside of my wheelhouse.

But, I have been able to discover so much more about myself that I never expected. So much life happens outside of our comfort zones and beyond our fears - fear of rejection, fear of failure, etc.

Yes, we grow in God in the unknown...

In your book you said something that has always stuck with me - “we are all failing our way to success.”

No one wakes up one day and has made it. They have to work for it, consistently, and over time. And 9 times out of 10, that work takes place well outside of our comfort zones!

Me:

I wrote a quote that says, "don’t settle for your comfort zone, when God has promised to be your strength," it embodies what you're saying perfectly.

Me:

Were you always fit?

Danielle:

Growing up, I was. I was an athlete, always in sports and always active. But since having children, it’s been more of a battle for me to make it a priority and make the time for my fitness. It is still a work in progress and I am working on making my workouts shorter and more targeted so it feels less daunting and more fulfilling.

Me:

Share a moment you felt STRONG!

Danielle:

A time when I felt strong was when I trained for the 10 Mile Tough Mudder that was taking place in Snowmass, CO.

Two years ago, some friends asked my husband and I to join them in it. One would think the obstacles would turn them off, but it was the running that worried me. We had to run 10 miles up and down the ski resort of Snowmass, CO and I was not a runner nor did I like to do it.

Actually, I hated running. I grew up in sports but they all mostly surrounded a ball (tennis, softball, volleyball, etc). Fast forward to adulthood, it’s much harder to just go play these sports on a regular basis for my work out. But, I really wanted to prove to myself I could do this and I wanted a goal to get fit. So, I started five or so months out with baby steps.

I downloaded a “Couch to 10k” app to help me build up my endurance and stamina. I started on a track and then moved to trails. I did this so I wouldn’t give up and get frustrated with my lack of abilities right out of the gate. And by doing so, I discovered why people do eventually enjoy running. I was able to build up my muscles, my endurance and eventually I experienced the “runner’s high” I’d heard about. When it came time to go up and down the mountain for 10 miles, I felt good and the running was a non-issue.

I was able to enjoy God’s country on the mountain, have fun and accomplish a goal. I felt really good about myself and where I was at. I definitely did feel strong in the race and after it - both physically and mentally.

Me:

Have you ever struggled with confidence? Tell us a story?

Danielle:

Oh absolutely! When I decided to become a realtor and not go back into Corporate America after being a stay at home mom, I wrestled with my confidence a lot.

Would I be successful?

I don’t know what I am doing, how will I figure this out?

I had self-doubt and was walking into unknown territory for me. I shifted from HR and a salary based career to now trying to tackle sales and 100% commissions based.

As I navigated through it, I told myself, “take it one day at a time”. I prayed a lot! I took partners and utilized my mom as a mentor (she is a realtor in Colorado Springs).

And over time, I learned how to do the role well and have been able to have success in it.

But, the biggest piece was leaning on the Lord through it all. I had past experiences in life where I could look back and see through the hard times, God was with me every step of the way, even when I didn’t know it. I treasure those memories to this day and reflect on them continually when my confidence is low or lacking. It helps me so much to get back in the right mindframe.

Me:

What advice would you have for listeners who have failed on fitness plans and fear chasing their dreams?

Danielle:

Don’t give up on yourself.

Incorporate prayer into your plan and be willing to do something you never thought you’d do.

Write down your goals and work backwards with a realistic and manageable plan.

I think too often we are quick to want to go from A to Z overnight but it takes time. So create a plan that has small wins in it to keep going.

Me:

God’s Word calls us to pray with expectancy.

Not just with words that we wonder if God will maybe hopefully hear, but with excited expectation that He hears and responds to our heart’s cry.

When I look back on the things that really meant something, the times when I had a huge dream and prayed with expectancy daily and showed up in the spirit this quote rings true:

"What comes easy won't last. What lasts won't come easy."

Me:

I have to reveal our secret here, friends:

Danielle is my sister in law! I’m SO proud of her and all she’s done this year, so I just had to have her on Strong. Confident. His. to encourage you!

5 Rapid Fire Questions:

Me:

What is your “secret sauce”?

Danielle:

Positive talk and always keeping a positive vision in my mind.

When I want something, I dream of reaching that goal and I dream about what it will look like, what it will feel like, how it will sound, etc. Whatever it is. I work hard to suppress the negative self talk in my head. It isn’t productive. I read once, “would you talk to your friend or your daughter the way you talk to yourself? If not, you shouldn’t be doing it.

Me:

Who inspires you?

Danielle:

My mom. She is the strongest woman I know!

Me:

What is the one thing you do daily?

Danielle:

My husband and I are reading a daily devotional through the UVersion Bible app. We open the daily devotional, read it out loud together, watch the video that goes deeper into the verse of the day and pray together. It’s been very good for keeping me grounded and I think doing something like this with your spouse daily is so good for our marriage. It continues to keep Christ at the center of our marriage.

Me:

What’s your go-to scripture?

Psalm 46:5 - “God is within her, she will not fall. God will help her at break of day.” (NIV)

And recently, this scripture really hit home to me - Isaiah 43:2 - “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.”

This one really stuck with me because in 2020, let’s be honest, it has been a tough year. And in this scripture, God doesn't say if, He says when. He knows we will have tough times but He is always with us and always will be.

Me:

How can listeners find you?

Danielle:

Facebook: Danielle Dolan

Instagram: @dolandanielle

Our Prayer

Dear God,

Many who are listening are suffering from depression over Covid, sadness from isolation, they’ve lost their jobs or let their health go, Father we lift them up in prayer, please comfort them with your presence and show them it isn’t over! You have a perfect plan and purpose for them! Renew their hope, renew their mindset, help them take a step today with outstretched arms toward YOU!

Thank you for giving us the power of Your Holy Spirit. Teach us to pray in expectation knowing that the same power that raised Jesus from the dead lives in us to accomplish even greater things as Jesus promised in John 14:12.

In your name we pray, Amen.

Faith Fuel

Here’s the gamechanger I mentioned in the beginning of the episode, and it comes from – 2 Kings 20:3-11

Do you pray with an expectant heart?

Praying with an expectant heart is POWERFUL!

Here’s our biblical foundation;

One of my very favorite stories in the Bible is of King Hezekiah. He was a great king and an even greater man of God who wanted to serve and honor the Lord in everything he did.

Hezekiah was very sick and at the point of death. Even the prophet Isaiah had told him to prepare because death was imminent. But Hezekiah prayed to the Lord, expecting a miracle. He cried out, “Remember, Lord, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.” Hezekiah’s heart cry was heard by the Lord and He sent a message to Isaiah: “Go back and tell Hezekiah, the ruler of my people, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you.’” Hezekiah was expecting a miracle and that’s just what He received! Let that fill you with hope and it gets better!

The Lord had promised Hezekiah fifteen more years of life, but Hezekiah asked for another miracle to affirm this promise. Here’s the best part: The Lord promised that the shadows on the stairs would move backward ten steps! (Can you imagine? Hezekiah saw God perform another miracle. Hezekiah’s expectations were great. He was willing to pray big prayers in faith knowing that God was able.

Jesus knew the power of prayer. He prayed often and with conviction, knowing His Father heard Him. He went to quiet places to pray and he got up early in the morning to pray. And in the garden, experiencing the greatest stress of His life, Jesus prayed.

Remember the PUSH acronym: Pray Until Something Happen

Like Psalm 5:3 tells us...

In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.

Now you know I’m never going to leave you without asking you to get into action, because nothing happened without it!

Join My Power Up Challenge!

Come tell me and Danielle what spoke to you about this episode on social media. Let us know how we can come into agreement with you in prayer, because God’s got this!

When you do, you’re automatically entered into my Power Up Challenge!

I pick one winner every week, and you’ll either get a coaching call from me, a copy of my best-selling Christian fitness book Faith Inspired Transformation, F.I.T., the F.I.T. Workout Series or some fun Christian swag.