Higher Leading with Jay Meyer

The first Higher Leading podcast of 2024 is all about setting yourself up to be a better version of yourself this year than you were last year. God gave us all the ability to imagine ourselves as something more, and He also gave us the capacity to design our lives in any manner that we want. Yet, many of us are simply living by default and spending lots of mental and emotional energy longing for something different. If you find yourself experiencing that there-has-got-to-be-something-more feeling, then this ChalkTalk is for you. Join me as I walk you through how to set up some B.I.G. goals for the new year. 

Relevant Scripture:
John 10:10

I was recently asked a question that encouraged me to think deeper about why I publish this podcast. The very first thing that came to mind was that I want to share the leadership lessons I’ve learned (sometimes the hard way!) on my life’s journey. A less obvious goal, perhaps, is that I’d like to inspire young leaders to be good stewards of their God-given gifts, to find the purpose that drives them, and to give more to the world than they take.

As we close out 2023 and prepare for new year, there is no better time to reflect about the kind of leader you want to be in 2024. I hope listening to this episode is thought-provoking!

On this episode, I want you to meet one of the most focused and purpose-driven people I have ever met. Kris Horlacher is the Executive Director of Shoes 4 the Shoeless, a non-profit she founded that provides new, properly fitting gym shoes and socks to children in need. Kris’s journey from R.N. to Executive Director of this very efficient and effective non-profit is a true testament to following God’s call and having faith that He will guide and provide. Learn with me as Kris shares how she and her team -- only 3 staff and 500+ volunteers! -- are easing both the physical and emotional suffering of kids in poverty by gifting dignity and hope in a shoebox.

 www.shoes4theshoeless.com

The tables have turned Higher Leading friends, and this week’s ChalkTalk with Jay is an interview… with me!  Earlier this month, I was honored to be a guest on my friend Curt Tucker’s podcast, The Champion Life.  Curt's podcast takes a deep dive into what he has defined as his 5 key pillars of Faith, Fitness, Family, Finances and Fun, and how upping your game in these areas can help you start living life like a champion. Listen to hear a little more about my personal story, as well as my thoughts on what it takes to be the champion God intended you to be. 

One of the most compelling cultures in the world of business today is that of Chick-fil-A, and I can’t tell you how excited I’ve been to publish this episode featuring one of the fast-food giant’s former directors. Dan Reep is a dear friend from my college basketball days at Ohio Northern University, and on this episode, he provides an insider’s look at Chick-fil-A’s remarkable way of doing business. I struggled to write a summary for this episode because there are SO MANY incredibly good nuggets of wisdom shared and discussed. You’ll just have to listen to hear them all! You won’t regret the time, and you might just learn a little something to put to work in your own life or business from the man behind the milkshake. 

Chances are you have seen or heard the Serenity Prayer somewhere and sometime in your life. It goes like this... "God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."

There is no such thing as a trouble-free life, so learning to accept and live life on life's terms is the fastest route to peace. That sounds simple, but we all know it's not easy, so today I'm sharing how I practice putting the Serenity Prayer to work.  And you guessed it, He is at the center of it all. Learn how staying tethered to God's vine (John 15:5) can bring you serenity on today's ChalkTalk. 

As a young college student working at a youth detention center, Alisha Murray was moved by an encounter with a 10-year-old boy who was caught stealing food.  It was in that moment that Alisha started to hear God calling her heart to help youth who struggled to have their very basic needs met. Now, as CEO of Daybreak Dayton, Alisha is living out her purpose by leading the region’s only emergency shelter and enrichment services agency for homeless youth.  By intentionally recruiting and hiring a staff with a heart for Daybreak’s mission, Alisha is following God’s perfect example and changing lives in the process. 

The month of September is quickly winding down and so is National Recovery Month. This is my last of 3 episodes dedicated solely to the subject of recovery, and today, Elaine Bonner (Director of Philanthropy) and Chris Adams (Co-Founder) from the Emerge Recovery and Trade Initiative have joined me to share their story of faithfully following God’s lead, as they support men and women in recovery, as well as emancipated youth (those aging out of foster care). At Emerge, FAITH is highest on the value list, but it’s followed closely behind by a belief in second chances and a commitment to effecting lasting change in our community and beyond. 

For more information on Emerge and the incredible work they are doing, please visit https://www.emergerecoverytrade.com/.

This is the second episode of my series dedicated to National Recovery Month, and today I’m talking to Jessica Zwayer, the Executive Director of Joshua Recovery Ministries. This faith-based organization offers housing for men, women and most notably, pregnant women and new mothers, who are 30-days sober and in need of a residential environment that will support them in their continuing recovery journey. As a former gambling addict, Jessica has the unique ability to personally relate to the isolation of addiction and the challenge of lasting recovery, and she feels it a true God-calling to help others build the skills and a community that will ensure lasting freedom from addiction. Jessica playfully calls it her personal mission to build a “Jesus Empire”, one person at a time, and I have no doubt that this Higher Leader is well on her way to achieving just that. 

For more information on Joshua Recovery Ministries, visit www.joshualife.org.  

September is National Recovery Month, and for those of you who know my story, you can understand why the month holds special meaning for me. I’m dedicating all three episodes of Higher Leading this month -- yes, there’s a bonus episode! -- to the recovery community by highlighting some Higher Leaders and their organizations who are doing incredible work to make recovery possible.

My first guest is Tom Thompson, founder, former CEO and current Chairman of the Board of The Refuge Ohio, a faith-based, non-profit addiction recovery ministry. Listen as Tom and I discuss how The Refuge has grown from a vision on the interstate to a program that has helped more than 3000 men find hope, love and freedom from addiction. Tom’s belief that recovery is rooted in relationships weaves through our entire conversation, and I left this interview feeling inspired to have a relationship with God that rules not only my head, but also my heart.

If you are struggling with addiction or want to learn more about The Refuge, please visit www.therefugeohio.org. The program is free.