Positioned to Prosper with Erica Pyle

#173// "Kinda Crunchy" is a lifestyle born out of collective burnout, Sister.

Negotiating the Standard of God is never a good idea. Not even when we find ourselves overwhelmed and thinking, "There must be an easier way to do this!" In fact, that's the worst place to start to have a compromise in your spirit. We need to know how to identify the voice of the enemy when he comes with the questions that lead us into letting down our godly standards. This includes the standard we hold as we steward the health -- spirit, soul and body -- God has given to us.

I won't argue you on the fact that the health and wellness space has been absolutely overrun by a spirit of perfectionism in the last generation or two. By the beginning of 2020, we were experiencing a worldly standard being set around how to steward health that had nothing to do with trusting or glorifying God, and everything to do with "keeping up with the Joneses" (or whichever influencer you followed and most related to over on social media). And I'm talking about faith-based health and wellness educators and influencers, too!

Stewarding health became an exhausting and overwhelming feat. And as a collective, it seems many of us decided to quietly compromise on the standard of how to care for the gift of health God had given us as we took to writing some "simpler" standards of our own:

• "You don't have to be that strict about clean eating. It's all too much. Just do the best you can."
• "It's so expensive to eat unprocessed, whole foods. Just do the best you can."
• "And isn't it so overwhelming to try to figure this all out at the same time? Balance, Sister. Just do the best you can."

And with that, "Do the Best You Can" became the new standard. "Kinda Crunchy." Even in Christian circles. In fact, I heard it the MOST from Christian influencers. Somehow we had become convinced that "being too hard on ourselves" was worse than the difficulty of upholding a Biblical standard. Not that the standard we were holding previously was Biblical, mind you. But instead of determining to find the real Biblical Standard and making that our guide and our goal, we just decided to "Do the Best You Can." Honestly, I believe we took an unauthorized break. To me, that's what "Kinda Crunchy" has come to mean.

On this episode of The Positioned to Prosper Podcast we're chatting about the five main reasons I see for why we began to settle for this "kinda crunchy" and "just do the best you can" standard when it comes to stewarding our health, and then I'm sharing a simple Reset Roadmap you can follow to Biblically steward your health and wellness without overwhelm and burnout. Sound good? If so, I want you to -- Grab your Bible, your journal and a pen, and . . . Let's Go!

LISTEN WITH THE SHOW NOTES: Head over to ericapyle.com/173 to grab the show notes which include the scriptures mentioned in the episode as well as links to resources and tools to help you apply the session to your life this week!

WANT A ROADMAP TO HELP STEWARD YOUR HEALTH WELL WITHOUT OVERWHELM? I've got you! I put together a free resource to help you start the journey of stewarding your health well in all areas. Just head over to ericapyle.com/starthere, and you'll receive a link to a Guide that will lead you in setting up good habits and removing toxic products from your home over the course of the next 12 months. So good, right? Go grab the link to this powerful resource here.

#172// This is a topic that has the potential to redraw relational lines in an instant.

Have you ever lost an "IRL" friend as a result of posting something "provocative" on social media that referenced religion or politics? If you lived through 2020 and had any views that tracked with medical freedom or disagreeing with "the government," and posted about them, I bet you did. My husband and I lost a few, I can tell you that.

But does the risk of agitating certain relationships justify staying silent on certain matters God has told you to make a sound about? Here's the thing . . .

What you make a sound about -- even the sound you make on social media -- should really be driven by only one thing: Has God given you the grace and the permission to say that thing to the people He's called you to serve?

On this episode of the Positioned to Prosper podcast we're dismantling the lie that says you should *never* post about religion or politics in your business or ministry feeds. We're getting down to what the Bible actually has to say about what we should speak up about and what we shouldn't. If you're ready to know the simple way to know if you should be posting about these provocative topics on your social media feeds, go ahead and: Grab your Bible, your journal and a pen, and . . . Let's Go!

p.s. -- I recorded this episode as a livestream on my Facebook page. If you'd like to experience the video version of this episode, click here to watch!

LISTEN WITH THE SHOW NOTES: Head over to ericapyle.com/172 to grab the show notes which include the scriptures mentioned in the episode as well as links to resources and tools to help you apply the session to your life this week!

THE FOUR QUESTIONS YOU CAN ASK GOD TO KNOW IF YOU SHOULD BE SPEAKING ON A THING? If you really want to know if you should be making a particular sound on your social media feeds, asking these Four Questions can be a great way to help you get clear on what God would have you say! Grab your copy of this free Prayer Template by heading to ericapyle.com/4questions. You'll receive a link to a template that lays out the four questions that we should be asking God in every situation and circumstance; questions that will position you for impact in your life as you endeavor to see it and say it as God does. So good, right? Go grab the link to this powerful resource here.

#171// Waiting on God rarely requires you to stay still.

In fact, truly waiting on Him will always produce movement. Don't believe me? Read Isaiah 40:31. It says when we wait on God we will . . . MOVE! We'll rise up, we'll run, we'll walk. And we'll do all of it while not getting overwhelmed or burned out. Amazing, right?

The key to waiting on God *the right way* and in seeing Him move on your behalf lies in the true definition of the word WAIT. On this episode of the Positioned to Prosper podcast we're unpacking what it really means to wait on the Lord and how this simple perspective shift can bring alignment and acceleration like you've never experienced before. If you've been *waiting* for Him to move and have felt like the answer is taking "forever," this may just be the message you've been waiting for (see what I did there? *wink*). Grab your Bible, your journal and a pen, and . . . Let's Go!

LISTEN WITH THE SHOW NOTES: Head over to ericapyle.com/171 to grab the show notes which include the scriptures mentioned in the episode as well as links to resources and tools to help you apply the session to your life this week!

THE FOUR QUESTIONS YOU CAN ASK GOD WHILE ACTIVELY WAITING ON HIM: Part of truly waiting on God is to be in a *real* conversation with Him. One way to do this is to make your prayer time with Him conversational. Asking these Four Questions can be a great way to get into that conversational rhythm! Grab your copy of this free Prayer Template by heading to ericapyle.com/4questions. You'll receive a link to a template that lays out the four questions that we should be asking God in every situation and circumstance; questions that will position you for greater clarity and breakthrough in your life as you endeavor to wait on God powerfully. So good, right? Go grab the link to this powerful resource here.

#170// As we step into a new Hebraic calendar year (5785) . . . 

On this episode of the Positioned to Prosper podcast I'm bringing you a message I shared at my home church, REVIVE Church of Tampa, around a word for the new year 5785 -- BEHOLD Immediately Now! The Hebrew new year begins with Rosh Hashanah, which was celebrated from October 2nd through 4th of this year. The Lord had been speaking to me about BEHOLD for the entirety of September, so when He began to speak to me on September 22nd about beholding, I wasn't surprised. But it was the *Immediately Now* part that arrested me. He showed me five Biblical steps to BEHOLD Immediately Now. Would you like to see the acceleration He wants to bring to this new year? Are you ready to embrace the lifestyle that will keep you in lock step with what God wants to do in the earth *Immediately Now*? If so, Grab your Bible, your journal and a pen, and . . . Let's Go!

LISTEN WITH THE SHOW NOTES: Head over to ericapyle.com/170 to grab the show notes which include the scriptures mentioned in the episode as well as links to resources and tools to help you apply the session to your life this week!

LET'S GET THE WORD OUT! Hey, would you do me a favor and leave a review on whatever podcast platform you're listening on? I'd love to have your feedback on how you've been experiencing this podcast . . . and it helps new listeners to know that this is a good place for them. Your words matter so be sure to share them. Can't wait to see what you have to say! And if you know someone who you think would benefit from this podcast, be sure to share the link with them. Thanks, Friend!

#169// One of the questions I get asked the most by ambitious, Jesus girls looking to launch into something new is, "So, how do I get my husband on board with this?"

As a multi-passionate woman who wants to do #allthethings while being mindful of my marriage and family, it can feel a little tricky at times to keep everything in balance. This is especially true when I feel the Lord nudging me to start something new with Him that will require me to carve out some time, energy and effort from somewhere else to apply to the new thing. This is generally where it becomes apparent that I'll need to be having a conversation with the hubs. You been there?

Even if your husband is super supportive of everything you dream up to do, he's likely still going to have questions and even possibly some concerns when it comes to your shifting time, energy and effort around. You're going to have to have a conversation, right? Wouldn't it be good to know how to conduct a conversation like this in such a way that it's very easy for your husband to hop on board and maybe even help with the transition you're suggesting?

On this episode of the Positioned to Prosper podcast, I'm sharing four simple yet powerful tips for how to approach a conversation like this with your husband that'll produce less friction and more agreement. Sound like something that could help? If so, Grab your Bible, your journal and a pen, and . . . Let's Go!

LISTEN WITH THE SHOW NOTES: Head over to ericapyle.com/169 to grab the show notes which include the scriptures mentioned in the episode as well as links to resources and tools to help you apply the session to your life this week!

WHAT'S POSSIBLE WHEN YOU SEE YOUR HUSBAND AS GOD SEES HIM? Do you need a little help aligning your heart to the heart of God for your husband? Would daily prayer prompts for your husband be helpful? Grab this free resource I created to help you! You can access the 7 Days of Prayer for Your Husband by heading to ericapyle.com/HusbandPrayer. You'll receive a link to a worksheet that'll help you get into a daily habit to support and encourage your husband by keeping him lifted in prayer. So good, right? Go grab the link to this powerful resource here.

#168// "Boundaries" has been a buzz word for decades, but we haven't talked enough about what I believe is the most important step in setting boundaries . . . the right place to START.

For the last few decades, *boundaries* have been a real hot topic, especially in Christian circles. What's wild to me is how many "Christian Influencers," pastors and teachers are showing up on social media and posting unbiblical advice around boundaries. It's shocking!

As followers of Christ, filled with His Spirit, when we post or speak publicly, we MUST fact check ourselves. This means running everything we say and post through the filter of the Word of God. This is our Standard, and if we're teaching anything that departs from this Standard, we're edging into Ezekiel 13 territory (go read it when you have a minute and the fear of the Lord will set you straight, promise!).

Jesus said in John 5 that He only did and said what He saw the Father doing and saying. And He constantly addressed things with straight-up Scripture. Consider His showdown with the devil in the desert, yeah? This Standard is now our Standard, in Christ Jesus. So, when it comes to talking about and teaching around boundaries, it's no different for us.

Popular psychology may highlight the setting of boundaries externally between us and others as the place to start, but I see something different when I read the Bible. It's clear, over and over in Scripture, God calls us to set boundaries within ourselves first.

Setting boundaries within ourselves before we start to build and set them externally will change the nature of how we set boundaries with others, and will make those boundaries we do set more effective and less emotionally and mentally overwhelming as we hold and maintain them. Who doesn't want more of that?!

On this episode of the Positioned to Prosper podcast, I'm going to show you the 3 different types of personal boundaries you need to set within yourself first that will enable you to set more effective, less overwhelming boundaries with others over the long haul. Do you know you need this clarification around Biblical boundaries? Are you ready to reduce the friction in boundary setting with others? Grab your Bible, your journal and a pen, and . . . Let's Go!

LISTEN WITH THE SHOW NOTES: Head over to ericapyle.com/168 to grab the show notes which include the scriptures mentioned in the episode as well as links to resources and tools to help you apply the session to your life this week!

A PRACTICAL WAY TO START SETTING THOSE PERSONAL BOUNDARIES Are you ready to take dominion over your daily cadence as a way to start setting those personal boundaries in the practical? Sis, a block schedule that sets your general daily flow is a wonderful way to get into the rhythm. Grab this free resource I created to help you! You can access the Block Schedule Template by heading to ericapyle.com/DailyFlow. You'll receive a link to a worksheet that'll help you set up your ideal week within a block schedule layout, alongside supportive scripture to encourage you. So good, right? Go grab the link to this powerful resource here.

#167// It's a sign the enemy's been in your fields when you're not seeing the fruit come forth in its due time.

Let me ask you . . .

Are you letting the enemy into your fields? Are you somehow participating in the destruction he's come to deliver? If I can be direct -- Do you think you could be playing a part in aborting your own breakthrough?

None of us wants to think that we would knowingly and/or willingly be cutting off our own fruit before it's time, but when you allow yourself to get disappointed a few times, and then allow that disappointment to harden into deep despair or bitterness, you can find yourself in a cycle that automatically opens the gate. Now the foxes are in the field, ready to spoil your harvest!

But you weren't made for constant defeat and a cycle of loss, my friend. You are more than a conqueror in Christ Jesus. You were made for breakthrough! It's time to break the cycle and see the fruit, fully formed and harvested, delivered to your table. It's time to celebrate as we bring in the sheaves with shouts of joy! (Psalm 126)

On this episode of the Positioned to Prosper podcast, we're talking about how it actually happens that we find ourselves participating in blocking our own breakthrough. But don't think the delays you've experienced will go wasted! I'll be sharing three different upgrades God gives us as we learn how to stop partnering with the enemy in this blocking the blessing madness. You ready? Grab your Bible, your journal and a pen, and . . . Let's Go!

LISTEN WITH THE SHOW NOTES: Head over to ericapyle.com/167 to grab the show notes which include the scriptures mentioned in the episode as well as links to resources and tools to help you apply the session to your life this week!

RESOURCES TO HELP YOU STAY CONNECTED!
LISTEN TO EPISODE 41 -- How to Trust God Even When People You're Connected to Keep Making Mistakes. This is the previous episode I mentioned today.

LET'S CONNECT ON SOCIAL! Follow me on Facebook for live encouragement on Thursdays at Noon ET and on Instagram where I hang out daily and love to chat via DMs. Let's keep the conversation going!

#166// God provides at a point. A certain place. Do you know where that is?

Seventeen years ago, the Lord highlighted 3 John 2 in the NKJV to me, and I've never been the same. It launched my first ministry -- The Positioned to Prosper Personal Finance Course -- and caught me up into a heavenly understanding of true prosperity and how God really provides.

The starting point for me was to truly understand Biblical prosperity. Real prosperity. Not the kind of prosperity you hear haters on social media screaming about when they see a pastor in a private jet or enjoying a beautiful home and an abundant bank account. But the real thing that envelops not only financial wealth, but also health and relationships and mindset and purpose. True Prosperity is a "full being" experience in the Lord.

Once I could see what real prosperity looked like from the perspective of God (Ephesians 2:6-7! It's such a gift), we then moved into me understanding HOW to get positioned for this sort of provision. In our New Testament, other-side-of-the-cross reality we live in, getting positioned to prosper consists of just two things beyond belief in Jesus. Do you know what they are?

On this episode of the Positioned to Prosper podcast, I'm going to share the two things you need to be doing to get positioned to prosper so you'll be at the exact right place at the exact right time with the right heart, ready to receive His provision. I'm also going to tell you what the true POWER of this positioning can really be in the life of a believer. Are you ready for this? I'm so excited to share out of my own 17-year journey with Biblical prosperity. Go grab your Bible, your journal and a pen, and . . . Let's Go!

LISTEN WITH THE SHOW NOTES: Head over to ericapyle.com/166 to grab the show notes which include the scriptures mentioned in the episode as well as links to resources and tools to help you apply the session to your life this week!

#165// It's Not Enough to Have a Vision.

I know, I KNOW! I'm the girl who's always telling you how VITAL it is to have a Word from the Lord. To have the revelation and the download written down so you KNOW where you're headed (you go where you're looking, Sis!). I mean, we quote Habakkuk 2 around here a LOT! But still, I'm here to tell you that having the vision, though important, is NOT enough.

Neither is effort. Doing lots of "busy things" in the hopes it'll produce is just going to wear you out. Overwhelm lies in wait for you down this road, my friend. No, what you need is a *winning strategy,* preferably from the Lord, that aligns with HIs word and promise over your life. And that's not just my opinion. You know we're going to look at the Good Book . . . 

When we look at people like Gideon, Joshua, Joseph (Mary's eventual husband) and Moses, we find God gave them more than just a vision or a revelation to get them where they needed to go. He also gave them each a strategy that contained three very specific components. And I want you to know, when God gives YOU a winning strategy to build the vision He's called you into, that strategy will likely have these three components in it, too.

On this episode of the Positioned to Prosper podcast, I'm sharing those very specific, three components that tend to show up inside every winning God-strategy we're given. If you're looking to build something big and beautiful to the glory of God in this season, you're going to need a winning strategy with these three things built in. If you're ready to learn what they are, and how to implement them with excellence in this season, grab your Bible, your journal and a pen, and . . . Let's Go!

LISTEN WITH THE SHOW NOTES: Head over to ericapyle.com/165 to grab the show notes which include the scriptures mentioned in the episode as well as links to resources and tools to help you apply the session to your life this week!

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#164// Disappointment has driven me to try to quit my purpose and assignment no less than four times in the last six years. Don't be like me, Sis. The relief you think quitting will bring just isn't there. Not even a little bit.

I'm getting super vulnerable on this episode because, if it's possible, I want to save you from making the same mistakes I've made, and from going around the proverbial mountain any more times than God deems absolutely necessary. Want to know what my "Goliath" has been over these last few years?

This thought, born out of disappointment and fear: THIS. ISN'T. WORKING.

From the time I was born until I left the marketplace at age 34, I lived what felt like a spectacularly favored life. Everything worked out for me. Everything. And I'm not just saying that. I actually had a girl tell me once that she spend a couple months mad at me because things seemed to always work out for me so well and with ease. All I could say at the time was, I guess favor ain't fair. 

But it wasn't that my life was easy. I faced significant challenges growing up -- relationally, with self-esteem, health-wise, financially. But as I faced each challenge, the solutions and the resources I needed seemed within my grasp. I had a rhythm of consistent breakthrough and victory going. #ThankYouJesus

But then I left my job. I was at the height of my career success, and had I stayed on, I would have only continued to grow and soar. But I felt the Lord directing me to hang up my tax accounting hat to move into mothering and ministry, so I obeyed. The price tag for that obedience was steep (I share about that in the episode), but I trusted God because He'd always come through for me (and quickly) up until then.

This one step of obedience launched me into a sixteen year season of wilderness living where it has felt, many times, like the favored life I once had was just a dream. And that's when "Goliath" started showing up for me. That thought that started out so small -- "this doesn't seem to be working." -- has grown over the years into a full-sized giant, with a full and thunderously loud voice, shouting with intimidation -- THIS. ISN'T. WORKING!

What do you do when it's taking such a long time to see the GOOD things God has promised you come to pass? How do you wake up and step into your day -- day after day -- when everyday feels just like the last one -- an eternal groundhog day -- and you're just not seeing the breakthrough, even a little bit? How do you get to the place where you can truly believe:

It's going to work this time!

On this episode of the Positioned to Prosper podcast, I'm sharing my sixteen year journey of silence, disappointments and failures, and five powerful lessons I learned, as I've endeavored to see it (finally!) work this time. There is one particularly powerful revelation I'm sharing that is sure to shift your experience as you set your heart on the truth and knowledge found in the goodness, the grace and the faithfulness of God. Do you need this one, my friend? Go grab your Bible, your journal and a pen, and . . . Let's Go!

LISTEN WITH THE SHOW NOTES: Head over to ericapyle.com/164 to grab the show notes which include the scriptures mentioned in the episode as well as links to resources and tools to help you apply the session to your life this week!

READY TO GET CLARITY AROUND THE VISION GOD GAVE YOU & A STRATEGY TO GET YOU MOVING AGAIN? Join me for the FREE Vision Builders Masterclass: a 60-minute, workshop-style session that'll get you unstuck & moving with purpose again in the direction of your dreams. Let's get laser-focused on your God-given vision, bust through any mindset roadblocks, and create a personalized plan to get you mov