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…” Something Big is Coming:A Chance Encounter:It’s Time to Go: A 30-Day Whirlwind:Temporary Discomfort:A New Beginning: 4 lessons learned from the process: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.” God use Satan kill deliverance oppressiondefying people in powerwhat you allow to livenot put you at riskkill flourishAction 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.” needlogical sensemultiply What to dothe most gloryAction 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.

Guiding Scripture: Genesis 29:16-17 - “Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel had a lovely figure and was beautiful.” victimsdeceitunhappy in their marriage bitter rivalsmanipulation a heavy priceGod heard—and honoredAction Step: Has there ever been a time when you felt unloved or unappreciated by others? Or, have you ever received favoritism that you didn’t earn? How did that situation make you feel? Were you tempted to believe that everything would be better if your situation was different? Did you try to change things on your own, or did you submit your concerns to God? How might you handle things differently if you find yourself in a similar situation in the future?

Guiding Scripture: Romans 10:15 - “And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’” God is sending youuniquenessauthenticthe need is greatthe Holy Spirit will help youAction Step: Ask yourself honestly if you are embracing your testimony and looking for ways to share it with others. If so, how can you apply the principles in today’s episode to be even more effective? If you’re not sharing it, what can you do differently to get more comfortable with doing so? Ask the Holy Spirit for boldness to help you with this process.

Guiding Scripture: Genesis 16:13 - “She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: ‘You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen[a] the One who sees me.’” victim of circumstanceshurt disobediencewhen he lied about Sarah being his sister instead of his wifesaw cared our brokennessHis glorious purposesAction Step: Consider the moments in your life when you’ve felt like an outsider. Did you ever feel like God didn’t know about your struggles, or even worse—didn’t care about them? Take some time in prayer today to talk with God about those moments and ask Him to heal you from that pain. Also, consider getting Christian-based counseling to help you process that rejection in a healthy way.

Guiding Scripture: Revelation 12:11 - “They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.” Share your story.Write your story.Declare your story.Christian-based therapy or counseling healthy communityboundaries God is prompting youKey Point: Action Step: Take at least 30 minutes to spend quiet time with God, and ask Him what testimony He has given you that you can share with the world. If you see the signs listed above in your own life and feel comfortable, begin moving forward with sharing your story, following the leading of the Holy Spirit.

Guiding Scripture: “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:41-42) As women, we usually do a lot of juggling in our households. Many of us have to manage working, cooking, cleaning, and taking care of children and other family members. With so much that is expected of us, deep rest can often feel like something that’s always just out of our reach. But what if it’s possible to live in a constant state of resting in God? And even better, what if I told you that God designed you to live this way? physicalmentalemotionalspiritualR.E.S.T.: “Remain Everyday Steady and Trusting”boundariesA warning:different develop graduallyintentional Action Step: In which areas of your life have you been lacking rest? If you had to pick one area of your life that could benefit most from rest, what would it be? Set aside time to pray and ask God to show you how to rest in Him.

Charlie “Tremendous” Jones, a well-known leader in the personal and professional development industry, famously said, “You will be the same person in five years as you are today except for the people you meet and the books you read." Most of the time, you choose who those people are, but sometimes God chooses for you. How to know that God is changing your social circle: uncomfortable Conflict criticizing meet new people“reintroduced”What to do once you realize God is changing your social circle: Identify Acknowledge Embrace What not to do: Fight the changeIsolate yourselfCut off peopleKey Point: There’s a difference between following God and acting out of your own bitterness, unforgiveness, or immaturity. If your social circle changes every year, you are the problem. Action Step: Get out a sheet of paper and divide it into 3 columns. In the first column, list the top 5-10 people in your life right now. In the second column, write a few words that describe the positive traits each of these people brings to your life. In the third column, write the positive things that you contribute to their lives. How do Columns 2 and 3 compare? Do they feel balanced? Are you happy with who is on your list? If not, what are some changes you could make today to improve things?

We all say we want to live our lives with purpose, bringing glory to God and expanding His kingdom on the earth. And yet, Jesus tells us over and over again throughout Scripture that the life of a Christian isn’t an easy one. Here are 5 things that pursuing purpose can cost you. Are you ready to pay the price? popularitycomfortrelationshipsresourcesyour lifecloser to GodprotectionprosperitypeaceAction Step: Take some quiet time to meditate on how you may (or may not) be pursuing your God-given purpose. Which areas have you devoted to God? Which areas do you still need to submit to Him? Spend 30 minutes brainstorming, and then ask God to help you fully surrender to His purpose for your life.

Guiding Scripture: Psalm 27:13-14 - “I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” (NLT) always build up our faithmake us matureour motives can be revealedGod can get more gloryAnticipate Be Celebrate Action Step: What is one area where you are waiting on God to break through or bring change in your life?