Christian Woman Leadership Podcast with Esther Littlefield & Holly Cain

Are there obstacles that are holding you back from pursuing your purpose or the calling or dream you have sensed God has placed on your heart? The good news is that these obstacles do not have to stop you.

As Christian women, it's easy for obstacles to get in the way of the purpose or calling God has for our lives. These obstacles can seem very REAL, but oftentimes they are mostly fake… in other words, they are often the excuses or lies we tell ourselves that keep us from moving forward.

In this episode, I'm going to share 5 obstacles that might keep you from pursuing your purpose. Along with each obstacle, I'm going to share what I believe is true and how the obstacle does not have to prevent you from stepping forward.

For the full show notes for this episode, visit estherlittlefield.com/episode93.

Get on the waitlist for the Confident Leader Catalyst: http://confidentleadercatalyst.com

Key Points Discussed:

• Obstacle #1: The timing isn't right to step into this purpose [6:54]
• Obstacle #2: I don't have enough support from family/friends [9:28]
• Obstacle #3: I don't have the funds to pursue my dreams [14:13]
• Obstacle #4: If I'm confident or pursue my dreams, it might intimidate others [19:12]
• Obstacle #5: It's selfish to pursue a dream or calling - shouldn't I just be content where I am? [23:06]
• How do You Know What God is Calling You to Do? [28:37]
• How to Step Out of Your Comfort Zone and Into Your Calling [31:42]

Get on the waitlist for the Confident Leader Catalyst: http://confidentleadercatalyst.com

Episode Mentioned:

• Purpose Series (Episodes 9-13)
• Episode 83 & Episode 84 with Tembi Secrist
• Episode 36
• Episode 88 with Kelsy Schmidt
• Episode 41 with Christa Hutchins
• Episode 60 with Kadi Cole
• Blog Post about staying

Connect with Esther and Holly:

• Esther's Website
• Holly's Website
• Instagram
• Facebook Group
• Facebook Page

This episode was originally published on estherlittlefield.com/episode93.

How can you share about your faith boldly with prospective clients, co-workers, and even strangers? And what is the key to making decisions in business and life?

In the final Business Series episode, Holly and I talk with Shar Biggers about her business journey and her passion for evangelism. She shares some of her key lessons she's learned in the process of starting and running her businesses, including how she has learned to make decisions and move forward.

In addition, we dive deep into the issue of sharing the Gospel in your business or workplace settings, including discussing why so many Christians remain silent about their faith. Shar provides practical tips for sharing your faith and how to prepare yourself to do so.

We wrap up our discussion with Shar's advice for new business owners and some of her favorite resources for ongoing growth as a business owner.

Key Points Discussed:

• Life and leadership right now [3:37]
• Shar's business journey [7:50]
• Leadership lessons Shar has learned in business [15:33]
• • Good is good enough - letting go of perfectionism
  • Be obedient to God's voice
• Why Christians are silent in the workplace [19:20]
  • It's not common to talk about faith in the workplace
• • Risk of losing your job
  • Fear of rejection
  • Christians who are not in the word and are not equipped to share the Gospel
• Practical tips on how to share the Gospel [27:25]
• • Wisdom and discernment
  • Look for opportunities
  • Start conversations - doesn't have to be specifically about faith
  • Make sure there's time for a conversation
  • Shar prefers 1:1 interaction
  • Learn, learn, learn!
• Advice for someone starting a business [39:00]
• Leaders are Learners [45:16]
• • TheFutur YouTube Channel
  • How I Built This Podcast
  • Starter Story Podcast

Key Quotes from the Episode:

• "So many leadership journeys, businesses, and ministries start because someone sees a gap." - Holly Cain
• "When God tells you to do something, it's for a reason--it's bigger than yourself."
• "Business matters--I love business. Nothing else matters more than a person's soul."
• "People are afraid. But our silence causes more persecution."
• "Become a student of humans and how humans react."
• "Prepare yourself in prayer. Begin to concern yourself with the things God is concerned with… He is going to bring the people."

Connect with Shar Biggers

• Website
• Instagram

Shar is offering 10% off for any branding services or consulting. Just mention this podcast when you contact her.

Shar Biggers is an award-winning visual designer and founder of We Are Provoke. She's also a preacher of the gospel and a youth leader who is called to evangelism in the marketplace. She is most known for her work with Amazon and for helping the up-and-comers in the world build iconically designed brands; providing them access to an aesthetic that would typically be out of reach. This is especially true for women-led businesses. Shar's overall goal is to reach souls through the marketplace, as well as spread the gospel by funding the kingdom through creative business or entertainment ventures.

Episode Sponsor: Morningstar Media Services

At Morningstar, it's my goal to help Christian business owners like you grow an audience and make an impact without compromising your faith or values.

If you already have a podcast, or if you are thinking about starting one, I want to give you my free Podcast Workflow Checklist. This is the process I use each week to keep my own podcast on track (without missing a single week since we started) AND it's what I've used with my clients as well.

Text the word PODCAST to (917) 905-8801 and you'll get the workflow checklist sent to you! Or, click here to sign up.

Connect with Esther and Holly:

• Esther's Website
• Holly's Website
• Instagram
• Facebook Group
• Facebook Page

This episode was originally published on estherlittlefield.com/episode92.

Every Christian business owner and leader makes mistakes--it's inevitable and part of the learning process. But there are some mistakes that you can and should avoid if at all possible.

In this episode of our Business Series, Holly and I are discussing 6 different mistakes that Christian Business owners and leaders should avoid. Some of these mistakes are things that we've learned the hard way, and others are ones that we've seen people doing and want to avoid ourselves.

While we are talking mostly about business, these mistakes can apply to leaders of any kind. Be sure to listen to the end so that you can hear our "Take Action" section and make some changes based on what we share.

For the full show notes for this episode, visit estherlittlefield.com/episode91.

To get my free Podcast Workflow Checklist, text the word PODCAST to (917) 905-8801. Or, click here to sign up.

Key Points Discussed:

• 6 Mistakes Christian Business Owners Make
  • Making it all about YOU [3:50]
  • Neglecting your finances [8:20]
  • Becoming Prideful [17:10]
    • What's the difference between confidence and pride?
  • No strategy [23:00]
  • Chasing Numbers [28:53]
  • Giving Up Too Soon [35:00]
• Take Action [42:00]

Key Quotes from the Episode:

"Confidence is a quiet resting in the truth of God and who He is and who He has made me to be." - Esther Littlefield

"I don't think that working to grow your business or an audience is wrong in and of itself. But it's when the numbers become an idol or a distraction from doing the work that God has asked you to do that it is a problem." - Esther Littlefield

"Just because God has called you to something does not mean it's going to be easy." - Holly Cain

"One of the enemy's strongest weapons is isolation." - Holly Cain

Links Mentioned:

• Beth Moore's Instagram Post
• Episode 90 with Valerie Woerner
• Episode 85 about Creating a Strategic Plan
• Episode 89 about Growing Your Business or Audience

Episode Sponsor: Morningstar Media Services

At Morningstar, it's my goal to help Christian business owners like you grow an audience and make an impact without compromising your faith or values.

If you already have a podcast, or if you are thinking about starting one, I want to give you my free Podcast Workflow Checklist. This is the process I use each week to keep my own podcast on track (without missing a single week since we started) AND it's what I've used with my clients as well.

Text the word PODCAST to (917) 905-8801 and you'll get the workflow checklist sent to you! Or, click here to sign up.

Connect with Esther and Holly:

• Esther's Website
• Holly's Website
• Instagram
• Facebook Group
• Facebook Page

This episode was originally published on estherlittlefield.com/episode91.

What does it look like to do things differently as a Christian business owner? And how can you make decisions in your business and life that are both purposeful and prayerful?

In this episode of our Business Series, I'm chatting with Valerie Woerner of Val Marie Paper about how she's chosen to operate her business differently and go against some of the traditional business advice and practices.

We dive into the lessons she has learned in her business and leadership journey, including how she did not really consider herself a leader and instead "fell into" leadership roles. We also dig into some of the key values and principles she operates her business and life by and how these help her to keep things running smoothly.

Val has offered to give away one of her beautiful prayer journals to one listener of the podcast. Head over to my Instagram page to enter by March 16, 2020.

Key Points Discussed:

• Valerie's Leadership journey [4:00]
• Val's definition of leadership [7:30]
• How Val Marie Paper began [9:00]
• When Val decided to do things differently in her business [13:40]
• The values Valerie operates her business by [22:00]
• Leadership lessons that Val has learned through her business [27:50]
• Principles Valerie operates her life by [35:00]
• • Prayer
  • Margin
  • Routines
• Advice for a younger leader [46:40]
• Leaders are Learners [48:40]

Key Quotes from the Episode:

• "It really takes a lot of work to be intentional, but it's always worth it."
• "We do not want to put out products that aren't super purposeful."
• "We're helping people focus on what we think will help transform their life the most."
• "Leadership is a skill to learn."
• "Do not forget that the power you have to do anything is through the Lord."
• "The hard part about margin is that, most of the time, everything you want to keep is really good stuff."
• "You should be spending more time learning about how to study the Bible so that you can be a better teacher, not so that everybody knows you're a better teacher."

Other Resources Mentioned:

• Principles Valerie operates her life by
• Humility by Andrew Murray

Connect with Valerie Woerner:

• Website
• Instagram
• Facebook
• Free Prayer Audit for Business

Valerie Woerner is the owner of Val Marie Paper and author of Grumpy Mom Takes a Holiday, Fresh Start for Moms and The Finishing School. Her mission is to create practical tools, including her original 6-month prompted prayer journal, and content that equips women to cut through the noise of everyday life and find fullness in the presence of the Lord. She lives in South Louisiana with her husband Tyler and two girls, Vivi and Vana.

Episode Sponsor: Morningstar Media Services

At Morningstar, it's my goal to help Christian business owners like you grow an audience and make an impact without compromising your faith or values.

If you already have a podcast, or if you are thinking about starting one, I want to give you my free Podcast Workflow Checklist. This is the process I use each week to keep my own podcast on track (without missing a single week since we started) AND it's what I've used with my clients as well.

Text the word PODCAST to (917) 905-8801 and you'll get the workflow checklist sent to you! Or, click here to sign up.

Connect with Esther and Holly:

• Esther's Website
• Holly's Website
• Instagram
• Facebook Group
• Facebook Page

This episode was originally published on estherlittlefield.com/episode90.

Are you a business owner or content creator who wants to expand your audience online? Don't believe the lie that there is a magical formula or a secret key that will explode your business. What is important, though, is to build a strong foundation.

In this first episode of our Business Series, I'm sharing with you the 3 essential elements to growing your business or audience online. These elements will help you create a foundation for success and help you stop spending time on things that are less important.

This will not be an episode about growing your brick & mortar business, as that's not something I have experience with. But, if you want to have an online presence of any kind, take a listen.

For the full show notes for this episode, visit estherlittlefield.com/episode89.

To get my free Podcast Workflow Checklist, text the word PODCAST to (917) 905-8801. Or, click here to sign up.

Key Points Discussed:

• My Business Backstory and Why a Foundation Matters
• The 3 Foundational Elements to Growing Your Business Online
• • Essential 1: A Website
  • Essential 2: An Email List
  • Essential 3: Content
• What if you don't know where to start?

Grab my free "Renew Your Mind" guide full of scriptures and replacement thoughts for all of those self-doubts and feelings you might have about yourself.

Key Quotes from the Episode:

"Every single person that you see who has built any kind of following or platform or influence… has done it over a period of several years, and they have put in a lot of time and energy that you didn't see."

"Start simple, get fancy later." - Amy Porterfield

Episode Sponsor: Morningstar Media Services

At Morningstar, it's my goal to help Christian business owners like you grow an audience and make an impact without compromising your faith or values.

If you already have a podcast, or if you are thinking about starting one, I want to give you my free Podcast Workflow Checklist. This is the process I use each week to keep my own podcast on track (without missing a single week since we started) AND it's what I've used with my clients as well.

Text the word PODCAST to (917) 905-8801 and you'll get the workflow checklist sent to you! Or, click here to sign up.

Connect with Esther and Holly:

• Esther's Website
• Holly's Website
• Instagram
• Facebook Group
• Facebook Page

This episode was originally published on estherlittlefield.com/episode89.

Maybe you've considered simplifying your life, but you're just not sure where to start. It might be as easy as asking one key question. But the journey isn't always a straight path.

In this episode of our Simplify Series, Holly and I are chatting with my friend Kelsy Schmidt. Kelsy is a wife, mom, and former corporate employee turned business owner. A few years ago, she and her husband asked one key question, and this question took them on a journey they could not have anticipated.

Support the Podcast

Key Points Discussed:

• Kelsy's Life & Leadership Now [3:30]
• Leadership Journey [5:00]
• Kelsy's Simplifying Journey
• • How things began [8:20]
  • One key question [12:00]
  • Purchasing their first RV [14:30]
  • The first thing they gave up [17:00]
  • Second thing they gave up: security of her corporate job [18:30]
  • Third thing they gave up: the closeness of to family [21:00]
  • Moving to Georgia [25:40]

• Lessons learned on the simplifying journey [27:00]
• • Learning to let go of things and make room for God [28:00]
  • Letting go of the approval of family members [29:30]
  • Simplifying can be messy and the need for trust [32:17]
• Practical ways to simplify [34:00]
• • What you put into your mind [37:00]
  • What you put into your body [40:00]
  • What you spend your money on [42:00]
  • Time & scheduling commitments [43:10]
• Kelsy's habits & routines [45:16]
• • Ideal week
• Kelsy's advice to a newer leader [47:40]
• Leaders are Learners [49:50]
• • Reading the Gospels
  • Soaking worship music

Key Quotes from the Episode:

"What would we change now if we only had 2 years left to make an impact?" - Kelsy Schmidt

"We have to be willing to take these steps without knowing the outcome at the end." - Kelsy Schmidt

"We knew we needed a change when there was no more room for God to act in our lives." - Kelsy Schmidt

"We needed to first give the things up to allow God to fill them back up. He can't fill a space that's occupied." - Kelsy Schmidt

"You cannot expect loved ones to understand especially when you cannot predict the outcome of your decisions." - Kelsy Schmidt

"The journey of simplifying is really a journey of trusting God." - Esther Littlefield

"When I'm ingesting the right things--God's word, meditating on his word, memorizing his word--it always leads to freedom, rather than to the slavery of the shoulds." - Holly Cain

"It's okay to say 'no', and there are kind ways to say 'no', and you still love the person when you say 'no'." - Kelsy Schmidt

Connect with Kelsy Schmidt:

• Website - Grab Kelsy's Free Guide: Our Top 10 Simple Business Automations to Jumpstart Your 2020
• LinkedIn
• Get 30% off strategy sessions and intensives booked and paid through 5/31/2020 - Coupon code: LEAD-30-OFF

Kelsy Schmidt is the founder of Innowik, an operations services firm that helps business leaders through streamlining systems, data analytics, and operations strategy. She left corporate and ventured into the online business space in 2018, and founded her company shortly thereafter. She has been in operations roles for over 15 years, gaining experiences in project management, system implementations, business process automation, accounting and reporting, and supervising teams.

From Kansas and now based out of Georgia, Kelsy is also a full-time RV'er who enjoys nature and exploring the US with her husband, three-year-old son, and pup. She sees her business as a vessel, and is passionate about helping people simplify their lives and businesses, and thus, living life more freely and purposefully. This simplification process (and lots of faith) is what led her and her family to implement their own big life changes over the last few years.

Links & Resources:

• For more on time blocking and using an Ideal Week, check out episode 33 where I talk about Google Calendar

Connect with Esther and Holly:

• Esther's Website
• Holly's Website
• Instagram
• Facebook Group
• Facebook Page

This episode was originally published on estherlittlefield.com/episode88.

Is it okay for Christians to focus on self-care? And if so, how can Christian leaders simplify their self-care to make it practical and doable?

Self-care often gets a bad rap in Christian circles, but I believe it's not only okay but also wise for Christian leaders to invest in their self-care. Because when we do not, we are more prone to the risks of burnout, compassion fatigue, and becoming overworked.

In this episode of our Simplify Series, I'm sharing with you why self-care, when viewed in the right way, is okay for Christians. Plus I'm giving you 3 steps to simplify your self-care as a Christian leader.

Support the Podcast

Key Points Discussed:

• What Self-Care is and is not, and Why it's Okay for Christians
• 3 Steps to simplify your self-care
• • Shift your Mindset about Self-Care
  • Determine what Self-Care Means to You
  • Make a Plan to Incorporate Self-Care Regularly
• Take Action

Get my free Personal Wellness Worksheet at

Connect with Esther and Holly:

• Esther's Website
• Holly's Website
• Instagram
• Facebook Group
• Facebook Page

• Support the Podcast

This episode was originally published on estherlittlefield.com/episode87.

Sometimes simplifying your life happens by choice; other times, life circumstances force you to find a new way of living. And it's when you let go of the illusion of control that you can truly understand what it means to trust God completely.

In this episode of the Simplify Series I chat with my friend Elissa Joy Watts about her leadership journey and her experience with learning to simplify. But her journey isn't one marked by a moment of deciding to declutter for the sake of aesthetics. Instead, she shares how circumstances in her life and health forced her to learn the value of living a simpler life.

Key Points Discussed:

• Elissa's Background & Leadership Journey [4:00]
• Simplifying journey [7:57]
  • Physical belongings [34:00]
  • Social calendar [35:25]
  • Culture shock
• • Car accident caused her to re-evaluate her goals and values [11:15]
  • Dealing with imposter syndrome [14:05]
  • Identity implosion [18:23]
  • The story of 2 days [22:10]
  • Yoga mat moment [25:00]
  • Stillness is an invitation [30:00]
  • The practical ways Elissa simplified her life
  • The value of walking [38:50]
  • Returning home [40:00]
• Faith's role in Elissa's journey [44:00]
• • Letting go of the illusion of control [48:00]
  • Being okay with stillness and void [51:21]
• Why Elissa is taking a year off social media [53:00]
• • Legacy [56:00]
• Leaders are Learners [1:00:00]
  • Minimalistbaker.com
• • Rediscovering what a hidden life is
  • Discernment by Henri Nouwen*
  • Saving money - batch cooking, nesting, and preparing for baby #4
• Final encouragement from Elissa [1:03:10]

Key Quotes from the Episode:

"Stillness is an invitation; it's not a void that needs filling." - Elissa Joy Watts

"You think you need certainty, or you think you need the plan, but what you really need is just God's peace and His presence." - Elissa Joy Watts

"There's great peace that comes with knowing I don't have to strive, my identity is in Christ, and I am beloved before I even do a thing or have a thing or wear a title." - Elissa Joy Watts

"For some people, simplifying their possessions looks like a really beautiful design spread, and they think that's going to make them happy, but that's not the truth." - Elissa Joy Watts

"Every single day we have an opportunity to invest in ourselves, in the lives of others, our communities, and how those minutes and hours and days and weeks form our lives--it's really an important thing to consider." - Elissa Joy Watts

"Where is my trust, and who is it in? Is it in my stuff and in my accomplishments, or is it in the creator of this whole universe?" - Esther Littlefield

"If you can get to a place of clarity, and intention, and action before it's too late, do it." - Elissa Joy Watts

Other Resources Mentioned:

• Esther's blog post - Freedom Journey: Free From the Fear of Crying
• Elissa's post - Befriending Inconvenience

Connect with Elissa Joy Watts:

A formal introduction would neatly state that Elissa Joy Watts is the Managing Editor for Simplify Magazine, a quarterly digital publication for mindful modern families, founded by Joshua Becker and Brian Gardner. She'd rather introduce herself as an analog-favoring work in progress and leave you with a word of encouragement. You can simplify your life and still be a leader before you end up unconscious and face down on the floor.

Since leaving her corporate job and suffering a frightening seizure as a new mother in a foreign country, Elissa has learned the importance of paring down and taking one day at a time. Raising kids in a tiny Scottish apartment taught her that less is always more; living out of suitcases for 13 months straight after returning to Canada confirmed it. Lesson: If you ask Jesus to be your story's undeniable hero, expect the unexpected and hold on tight.

When she's not channeling the power of lipstick and dry shampoo as a freelancer and mother of four, she's unwinding with her feet up in Hamilton, Ontario. You won't find her on social media this year but feel free to reach out to [email protected]. Better yet, send a postcard or swing by for a drink. Coffee, tea, or gin—you choose.

• Email Elissa: [email protected]
• Simplify Magazine
• Elissa's website

Connect with Esther and Holly:

• Esther's Website
• Holly's Website
• Instagram
• Facebook Group
• Facebook Page

*Affiliate link, which means if you choose to make a purchase via one of the links, we will receive a commission at no extra cost to you. This helps to support the costs of running the podcast and blog.

This episode was originally published on estherlittlefield.com/episode86.

Often as ministry leaders, business owners, or in our regular work or home life, we have big goals. We can see the vision of where we want to go. But we sometimes get sidetracked and end up spending a lot of time on things that aren't actually moving us closer to that goal.

In this first episode of our Simplify Series, Holly and I are discussing the idea of simplifying with strategy. Specifically, we are sharing some basic steps to creating a strategic plan for your business or ministry.

"When you create a plan for doing something, it actually helps you to simplify your life, your business, and your time." - Esther

Note: Holly and I are not experts in strategic planning, but we do have some experience in this area. We are keeping this episode simple because we want it to be actionable for anyone, even if you have no project management or strategic planning experience.

Why do we need a strategic plan?

There are 4 benefits to creating a strategic plan for your business or ministry:

• Time savings: When you have a strategy and a plan, you're less likely to waste time on things that don't matter.
• Focus: You're more likely to focus on the things that have the highest return on investment, as Tembi Secrist shared in episode 83.
• Clarity: It makes it easier for everyone to know what you are doing, where you are going, and how they should spend their time.
• Stewardship: we can be better stewards of the resources God has given us when we implement a strategic plan.

A Simple Framework to Create a Strategic Plan:

I'm going way back to my years as a social worker to help us through this concept of creating a strategic plan.

That might seem strange, because social work is not usually associated with strategic planning. But as a caseworker working with kids in foster care as well as kids with behavioral challenges, I had to write treatment plans. These plans were essentially the guide that we used to show what we were providing for services with the kids and how we were supporting them towards making improvements in their situations.

The framework below is based on the plans that I used to write as a social worker. We're keeping it basic, but you can do some research and find lots more resources to get into more details on strategic planning if you wish.

We will walk through the basic steps of creating a strategic plan, and during this process, Holly will share from a specific example of a project we worked on at our church.

Step 1: Identify the overall vision

In episode 26, we talked about the idea of creating a vision for the future. It's important to get down on paper what the vision or end goal for your ministry or business is. This step may also include creating a summary of what the strengths and weaknesses are within the organization.

Step 2: Identify 2-3 goals that will help move you towards the vision

In this step, you'll want to ask: What are the projects or goals that are going to help that vision actually come to fruition? Ideally these are things that will be more specific than the general vision.

"Most of the time, whether individually or as a business or ministry, we are more effective when we focus on less things and focus on finishing them." - Esther

Step 3: For each goal, identify 2-3 objectives needed to accomplish each goal

You can see we are getting more granular as we go through the process. These could be the daily habits that you need to put into place in order to accomplish a goal. Or they could be smaller mini-goals.

Step 4: Determine who is responsible for each of the items on your plan

Without this, your plan is doomed! If there is not clarity around who is doing what, then there's no way the plan will be accomplished. Or, it is very likely that things will be missed or time will be wasted.

"If there is not clarity around who is doing what, then there's no way the plan will be accomplished."

Part of determining who will do what is knowing where each person's greatest contribution lies, as we discussed earlier. Another piece of this is making sure that you are open to delegating and getting team participation as discussed in episode 42.

Step 5: Identify the timeframe

Make sure you know the timeframe for the project or plan you are working towards. You may also want to create smaller time frames for the objectives or smaller goals from step 3.

It's also possible that you decide to do your project or goal in phases, so this can be outlined within the strategic plan. If your project has 3 phases, you may end up creating a plan for each phase.

90 days is typically a good timeframe for plans, but you can choose the amount of time that works well for your particular situation.

Step 6: Evaluate and update the plan

You may not hit your targets or unexpected changes may have come up during the plan. It's important to evaluate where you are at before your target date arrives, and then update the plan as needed.

Questions to ask for this step:

• Did you accomplish the goals and/or objectives you set out to do? If so, yay! If not, you may want to add them back into the new plan.
• Are there new goals you want to accomplish? Great, get them down onto paper for the next plan you are creating.

A few caveats to creating a strategic plan:

• Sometimes there is pushback and resistance to creating a plan. This is normal.
• Keep in mind that a creative person or visionary may want or needs some flexibility to make adaptations or changes along the way.
• For someone who is more structured, you may need to realize not everything is going to work exactly according to your plan, and you still need to allow for changes or pivots.
• Remember that capacity is an important factor in your strategic plan.

"It's important to remember that things are going to pop up that you weren't expecting… pushback from others, resistance, and getting yourself on task is difficult at times." - Holly

We hope this conversation has helped you to see that creating a strategic plan does not have to be complicated. And having a plan can actually help simplify your ministry or business life.

Take Action:

Take the time to sit down and create your plan! Choose one area of your life and work through these steps for your plan.

Do you need individualized help with creating your strategic plan? If so, you can contact me or Holly:

• I specialize in working with business owners and can offer Strategic Mapping™ for business owners. Contact me by emailing hello at estherlittlefield.com.
• Holly specializes in working with churches and ministries and she will soon be certified and able to offer Strategic Mapping™ as well. Contact Holly by emailing cain810 at gmail.com.

Connect with Esther and Holly:

• Esther's Website
• Holly's Website
• Instagram
• Facebook Group
• Facebook Page

This episode was originally published on estherlittlefield.com/episode85.

How can you multiply your impact far beyond what you could imagine? And how do you overcome fear when what God is asking you to do seems impossible?

In this episode, Holly and I conclude our conversation with Tembi Secrist about her incredible 14-month journey through Southeast Asia and Africa. She shares with us about the additional lessons she learned on her trip, including how God showed her that her impact could be multiplied through the power of community and the truth about overcoming fear.

Did you miss Part 1 of our conversation with Tembi? Go back and listen before you dive into this episode.

Key Points Discussed:

• Leadership lessons Tembi learned during her 14 month trip
• • You are the product of you and your people [2:30]
  • • The work is not going to be accomplished just by you. Your impact can be multiplied by the power of the people you know.
    • Sometimes you have to ask. [7:56]
    • Don't be discouraged if people don't say yes right away. [9:25]
  • Listen for God's voice, obey it, and don't be afraid [13:38]
  • • Take it one step at a time [16:11]
    • Once you step out, it's easier to keep going [21:30]
    • It will be uncomfortable in the moment [24:00]
• Tembi's family and friends' reaction to her decision to go on this trip [26:15]
• • The importance of trusting God even when things don't make sense [28:30]
• Advice for a woman who senses God is calling her to something big [31:28]
• • Family is your God's call - He won't call you to something that would disrupt your marriage or your children
  • Be creative with what "something big" looks like [33:15]
• What's next for Tembi [34:30]
• • Writing about her trip
  • Interested in making connections between using your professional expertise and what's needed overseas
• Leaders are Learners [39:00]
• • If you don't stretch, you won't grow.
  • Enjoy the adventure.
  • Read management books:
  • • The Four Disciplines of Execution*
• Connecting with Tembi
• • Links for connecting with Tembi are below
  • She is available to speak and share about her experiences. She resides in the Seattle, WA area.

Key Quotes from the Episode:

"It's not just you. It's who you know and who else God wants to involve in what He is doing."

"You don't realize until the end what God has brought you through."

"Only you understand the nuances of your situation."

"It's easy to find excuses because things are scary."

"If you don't stretch, you won't grow."

Connect with Tembi Secrist:

September Secrist is a management consultant, writer, and speaker, based in Seattle, Washington. She recently returned from a 14-month solo trip through 22 countries in SE Asia and Africa, volunteering her professional expertise with 45 NGOs and mission-based projects.

Previously, September was the Director of Global Healthcare Initiatives with the U.S. Commercial Service, the export promotion agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce. She led a global team of 200 responsible for national and international events, education, and healthcare sales. She was with the agency for 16 years, and served details as the Deputy National Director and Advisor for Congressional Outreach.

She served as Board Chair and advisory member of the Center for International Business Education and Research at the University of Washington and has done volunteer service projects in Mexico, Russia, Poland, Haiti, Armenia, Turkey, and Greece.

September received her Bachelor of Arts from Northwest University in Business Administration and her Master of Arts from the Naval War College in National Security and Strategic Studies.

• Blog
• Facebook
• LinkedIn

*Affiliate link - If you choose to make a purchase via one of the links, we will receive a commission at no extra cost to you. This helps to support the costs of running the podcast and blog.

Connect with Esther and Holly:

• Esther's Website
• Holly's Website
• Instagram
• Facebook Group
• Facebook Page

This episode was originally published on estherlittlefield.com/episode84.