Purpose Without Apology

When I first launched Purpose Without Apology on September 23, 2019, I had no idea what to expect. All I knew was that God was moving me to share my faith with the world in a new way, so I took a step of faith and was obedient to His call. Over the past two and a half years, the Lord has used this podcast to grow me, challenge me, and lead me to places and people that I probably never would have encountered otherwise. It’s been quite a journey to say the least. As we close out our 5th season of the podcast, I wanted to take a moment to look back and celebrate what God has done.

Guiding Scripture: Deuteronomy 12:5 - “But you are to seek the place the Lord your God will choose from among all your tribes to put his Name there for his dwelling. To that place you must go…”

• All throughout this season, I’ve been talking about the importance of telling your story, and I’ve been giving other people the chance to share theirs right here on the podcast. In this episode, I’m going to “walk the talk” and share my own testimony of how God performed a miracle and blessed my family with a brand-new home. I’m also sharing 4 lessons from my story that can radically change your life. This isn’t about bragging; it’s about giving God glory for what He’s done. 
• Something Big is Coming: In May 2020, the Lord told me in prayer that we were going to buy a home soon and to think about what I wanted. In April, I felt a strong desire for my husband and I to take steps to improve our credit, and I purchased a course to do that.
• A Chance Encounter: That summer, my husband and I ran into a friend of mine at a local park who was a real estate agent. We hadn’t seen her in years. We casually mentioned that we were interested in buying “sometime over the next year or so.”
• It’s Time to Go: At the end of October, the property manager at the house we rented emailed us to ask if we wanted to purchase the property. When we declined, he informed us that the owner intended to sell and that we would need to vacate the property within the next 30 days.
• A 30-Day Whirlwind: We reconnected with our real estate agent friend, and with her help, we were able to find a new build, find an apartment to live in while the house was being built, and move within 30 days. We moved the weekend after Thanksgiving.
• Temporary Discomfort: We chose to move into an apartment that was much smaller than the home we’d rented, and lived there for 7 months while our kids were in virtual school and we worked from home. It definitely stretched us as a family!
• A New Beginning: In the summer of 2021, we closed on our home, got the keys, and moved again for the 2nd time in a year. We had a small housewarming ceremony in October of that year, and it was a deeply emotional moment. God. Is. Good.
• 4 lessons learned from the process:
  1. God’s plans really are better than ours (1 Corinthians 2:9). His “not right now” often means a better “yes” later.
  2. God gives grace for the doors that He opens.
  3. When God opens a door for you, it’s often not just for you.
  4. God’s timing may not be comfortable, but it’s perfect.

Action Step: When was the last time God has opened a miracle door for you, either big or small? Have you told anyone about it? Think back to Season 5, Episode 85 (“The Power of Telling Your Story”), and consider how that testimony might encourage someone else. Then, pray and ask the Holy Spirit to give you opportunities to share it.

This season on Purpose Without Apology, I’m featuring a segment called “Behind the Book,” where I interview Christian authors about their writing process and how they found the courage to write their stories. This week's guest is a phenomenal woman of God named Petra Pindar, and she is the author of not one, but two incredible books called #FaithGoals and Hey, Pretty! 

Petra Pindar is a speaker, author, faith influencer and native of Gainesville, Florida. She also graduated from the University of Florida with a BA in English and earned her Juris Doctorate from the Levin College of Law. However, her passion is the call that God has placed on her heart to encourage women of all ages to seek Christ in their everyday connections and interactions. To fulfill this calling she founded the nonprofit Petra Pindar, Inc. She enjoys being married to her "once in a lifetime", Robert, and Mama to her 3 miracles; Jackson, Sterling and Everly.

There are some people you meet, and when you’re around them, you’re automatically strengthened and pushed into another level of faith and love for God. Petra Pindar is one of those people. She is a powerful example of what can happen when we fully invite God into every aspect of our lives, including our writing process. I’m grateful to welcome her onto the podcast today.

Disclaimer: Lisa Gant is not a medical expert and the content of this episode is meant for informational purposes only. It should not be used to make a diagnosis and is no substitute for professional medical advice, diagnoses, or treatment. If you or someone you know is showing signs of addiction, please seek professional help from a trusted medical expert.

Trigger Warning: Non-graphic descriptions of infant death

Guiding Scripture: Exodus 1:17 - “The midwives, however, feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do; they let the boys live.”

• When most Christians think about the Book of Exodus in the Bible, they focus on the story of Moses and how God used him to miraculously deliver of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. However, Moses wasn’t the only person God used to deliver His people. Two Hebrew women named Shiphrah and Puah became instruments of God’s saving power as well, and their story is also worth telling. Today, we’re learning about the unique way that Shiphrah and Puah saved their people before Moses was even born.
• Just as God loves to use our small beginnings, Satan tries to kill our beginnings while they are still small.
  1. Exodus 1:8-10 - “Then a new king, to whom Joseph meant nothing, came to power in Egypt. ‘Look,” he said to his people, ‘the Israelites have become far too numerous for us. Come, we must deal shrewdly with them or they will become even more numerous and, if war breaks out, will join our enemies, fight against us and leave the country.’”
• As a result, great deliverance is often connected to great oppression.
  1. Exodus 1:11-14 details the pain and suffering the Egyptians caused the Israelites and how it was directly tied to their increasing numbers.
  2. Matthew 1:16 tells us that King Herod caused a similar tragedy in Jerusalem after Jesus was born because he was afraid that Jesus would grow up and take his throne.
• Sometimes obeying God means defying people in power.
  1. In Exodus 1:15-16, we learn that Pharaoh specifically instructed Shiphrah and Puah to kill any Hebrew boys that were born, but to let the girls live.
  2. The Bible tells us to respect God-ordained authority (Romans 13:1-2). However, obedience to God is our first priority. If the Holy Spirit directs us to stand for God, we must do so (see Season 4, Episode 77).
• Sometimes your legacy as a believer is tied to what you kill. Other times, it’s tied to what you allow to live. 
  1. Now, this is not a reference to people. You might kill toxic mindsets or generational curses, for example, while allowing the dreams God has given you for your future to live.
• Obeying God can put you at risk.
  1. Exodus 1:19 - “The midwives answered Pharaoh, “Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women; they are vigorous and give birth before the midwives arrive.”
• God can take the very thing that the enemy tries to kill and cause it to flourish.
  1. Exodus 1:20-21 - “So God was kind to the midwives and the people increased and became even more numerous. And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families of their own.”

Action Step: In Episode 92, we talked about the importance of small beginnings. Is there anything in your life that the enemy is trying to “kill” while it’s still small? Ask God to help you identify things that you’re tempted to give up on and then strengthen you enough to allow them to live. 

Guiding Scripture: Zechariah 4:10 - “Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel’s hand.”

• We live in a world that doesn’t really value small things. In general, we pay more attention to people who have massive bank accounts, huge houses, and a lot of material things. We flock to influencers who have amassed a large following. Here in America, we even like our food portion sizes to be bigger. However, God doesn’t operate that way. In His kingdom, the last becomes first, the weak are made strong, and the biggest miracles come from small beginnings. Today, you’ll learn how to identify your own small beginning and embrace it as a critical part of your story.
• Small beginnings start with a need.
  1. John 6:5 - “When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, ‘Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?’”
  2. John 6:7 - “Philip answered him, ‘It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!’”
  3. Note: Your need must be something that’s out of your control. If you repeatedly refuse to create and stick to a budget, for example, you don’t need a financial miracle from God; you need discipline.
• Small beginnings don’t make logical sense.
  1. John 6:8-9 - “Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, ‘Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?’”
• Small beginnings multiply with God’s blessing.
  1. John 6:13 - “So they gathered them [the leftover pieces] and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.”
• What to do with your small beginning:
  1. Be still and get instructions from God. (John 6:10)
  2. Use what you have. (John 6:8-9)
  3. Put what you have in God’s hands. (John 6:11)
  4. Don’t let anything go to waste. (John 6:12-13)
• God prefers small beginnings because they bring the most glory to Him.
  1. John 6:14 - “After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, ‘Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.’”

Action Step: Based on what you’ve learned in this episode, identify at least one area in your life that looks like a “small beginning.” How can you honor God in that area now as you wait for Him to move? Ask Him for instructions about how to best steward what He has given you.