The Uncommon Path
"The Uncommon Path" is a podcast that intimately explores the transformative journeys of individuals, featuring raw and unfiltered testimonies that celebrate the resilience, growth, and shared human experiences, offering listeners a source of inspiration and connection on their own life paths. Join us as we unveil the extraordinary stories that shape who we are.
The Uncommon Path
Monica Burnett - From Casual Churchgoer to Faith-Driven Entrepreneur: Transformative Miracles in Everyday Life
After a transformative youth retreat at 15, Monica Burnett turned her life around, evolving from a casual churchgoer into a passionate Christian, which ignited her extraordinary journey of faith and entrepreneurship. Monica shares her inspiring story with us on this episode of The Uncommon Path, detailing her experiences of young marriage, motherhood, and the hurdles of managing multiple businesses. Her candid reflections on workaholism and the health scares that ensued will resonate deeply with listeners and remind us of the power of divine intervention in overcoming life's challenges.
Monica's faith-led business journey is nothing short of miraculous. Picture this: spontaneous healings during unscripted Facebook live sessions, and an unexpected opportunity to open a store in Crabtree Valley Mall with precisely the funds needed, seemingly out of the blue. Her retail space has since evolved into a spiritual epicenter, hosting worship nights and prayer sessions. Monica's stories of divine encounters and her community's spiritual transformation illustrate the profound impact of faith-driven initiatives in unconventional settings, proving that faith can flourish anywhere, even in a bustling mall.
Listeners will gain insights into building faith-focused communities and the innovative outreach strategies Monica employs. From mall evangelism to designing faith-inspired jewelry, her mission is to help believers embrace their spiritual callings amidst modern life's complexities. Monica concludes our conversation with a powerful prayer for spiritual growth and alignment with God's will, leaving us with an invitation to reflect on our own spiritual journeys and visit Mon Christian Gifts to experience firsthand the remarkable community she has nurtured. Join us for a session brimming with testimonies of faith, obedience, and divine trust, and be inspired by Monica's unwavering commitment to her spiritual path.
Hey everyone. This is Chris. I'm Ryan From the Uncommon Path podcast. The scripture, revelation 12 11 says and they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.
Speaker 2:Our hope is that as you listen, you will be encouraged in the Lord. This podcast was created as an avenue to share people's raw and unfiltered journeys with him. We hope this brings breakthrough and intimacy with Jesus through their testimony of what God is doing through their lives. Today we are joined by Monica Burnett. She owns Mon Christian Gifts right In Crabtree Valley Mall in Raleigh. You are a mom of eight, and that includes two sets of twins. Correct, Holy moly. That had to have been difficult.
Speaker 4:Slightly.
Speaker 2:We had a friend who had twins and she said the first few months were and that was her first baby. So yeah, it was very tough. You are an entrepreneur. Uh, I can't wait to hear more about the kingdom code. Um, I'm sure we'll hear more about that. Um, but you love to help entrepreneurs and you're an entrepreneur yourself. Um, you're from California. How long have you been married?
Speaker 4:15 years, so my older four children are from a previous marriage. I got remarried and had the two sets of twins, so it's like making up for yes so I've been married for 15 years, oh my goodness, wow.
Speaker 2:Well, thank you so much for coming on the podcast. We are super honored for you to be here.
Speaker 1:Thank you.
Speaker 2:I've shared this with you before, but we just want to hear kind of past, present, future. That's a big picture of kind of what we're looking for. I've heard certain miracles from you sharing them with me when we've met previously. So any type of God stories that are included in this journey with your walk with him, we love that. We want to hear more of that. We feel like that builds everyone's faith. And if you feel like we need to camp out at a certain area, kind of in your journey with what you're sharing or what you're telling, then feel free to just camp out there. We loosely have about an hour, but we can make it go longer. There's no rigid structure.
Speaker 2:So, tell us how your journey with the Lord started.
Speaker 4:Yes. So my journey is amazing. I love it so much because it's how God connects the dots. He always comes back to your first yes, and that's basically what happened to me. So I was one of those people who my parents would go to church. You know, Easter and Christmas, you buy the nice dress and then it's like nothing for the rest of the year Christer, christers right. Yes. Christers, something like that.
Speaker 4:And when I was 15, I went to a youth retreat. A friend from school invited me and that's where I gave my life to retreat. A friend from school invited me and that's where I gave my life to Christ. And then that's where everything changed, because I was then the one involved in youth retreats and youth ministry and we saw thousands of young people come to Christ through that movement. How?
Speaker 2:old.
Speaker 4:I was 15., 15., 15., mm-hmm. And then subsequently my parents started getting involved in the church. So it kind of started with me pulling the family in. And I got married very young. I was 20. And I was still in college. So I went to the university in California to get a degree in religious studies.
Speaker 2:Oh, wow.
Speaker 4:Yeah, and so I double majored and I had two babies in the process of finishing that Wow.
Speaker 4:Yes, I was very young and when I finished my goal was to work in youth ministry and I did that for about a year. But quickly I realized that youth need nights and weekends and my babies needed their mom nights and weekends, and so I ended up, I stopped doing that and I started my entrepreneurial career. Just doing everything. You know, entrepreneurs always have an idea. So I had a million and one ideas and I did them all. I taught group piano classes in my garage, I turned it into a music studio. I did so many different things online in person. But through that whole journey of doing these different jobs, I realized that I was using it as a means to not only gain approval from people, but it slowly but surely became my identity and over time I became a workaholic. Wow.
Speaker 4:Yeah, that was what I did, and in my mind it was like, so that my kids can have more, I need to make sure I get to this certain level so that, oh yeah, at that point I'll hire someone to come clean the house and then I can spend more time with them. And, you know, always rationalizing the next move that had to happen. And so, because of the workaholism, I started to get sick, because your body can't with so many children and work cope with that.
Speaker 4:And so by the time I got remarried and had my two sets of twins, my body was hurting.
Speaker 4:It was a lot. It was a lot, and so I ended up actually going through two years. I was driving to a music class that I was going to teach and I thought I was going to have a heart attack. And the hospital was a block away from that episode on the street, and so I drove myself to the ER and I said I'm having a heart attack, do something. And they did all of these tests and they said after a few hours, okay, ma'am, you can go home, nothing's wrong with you. And I was like I don't know about that, but what I felt was pretty severe and they're like no, there's nothing. And from that day on it was every single day. I started having these episodes.
Speaker 2:Like a panic attack, yep Wow.
Speaker 4:For two years, what Two years.
Speaker 4:Every day, and so I was kind of the mover and shaker at the school that I worked. I worked with the parents, I was the. I worked, I worked with the parents, I was the music teacher, I worked in the office, I did all of the things and from that moment on I literally retreated into my home and became a hermit. I just I couldn't speak to anyone. I couldn't even go buy dog food for the dogs. I remember one time going to PetSmart to get a bag of dog food and leaving it in the aisle because I couldn't go to the register to check out. I'm like, what if I have a panic attack when I'm purchasing something.
Speaker 4:It was that extreme. And then, you know, I was trying different ways to manage and cope with all of that. And then, poof, one day it just went away and it was the strangest thing to me it just went away and it never came back. But I'll get back to that point in a second. So I, you know, I initially had started my faith journey like so gung-ho, ready to work for the Lord, spread the gospel, and then I got this little sidetrack, a huge sidetrack, a big distraction in trying to find myself in the things of the world. And then I ended up doing some coaching for women entrepreneurs and one of my clients actually showed me this picture of something that she was creating for a Facebook page and I said, ooh, that looks really nice. I know she didn't do that because I knew her skills.
Speaker 4:And so I looked up the company and it said Sanctuary Girl. And I was like what is that? And so I ended up looking into it and it was at the time it was a multi-level marketing company, but it was Christian based. And I was like whoa, I've never seen anything like that before. I said that's really cool. So I messaged the owner and I'm like I just really I love your idea, I just support it. Just let me know if there's anything you need help with. I just I just want to support. And I also went to the website and I signed up to become a distributor. I'm like, even if I don't do anything, at least I have a little kit and it's fun to do.
Speaker 4:Well, 10 minutes later I get a message from the CEO and she says you know, I'm really sorry. I I get a message from the CEO and she says you know, I'm really sorry, I saw that you purchased a kit, but that order shouldn't have gone through. Our website was shut down. We had 300 initial ambassadors. You shouldn't have had that happen. She said. But I looked over your Facebook page and I see you do coaching and different things. How would you like to work for our HQ team and train our ambassadors on how not to spam Jesus. That's basically the conversation, because you know, sales and Jesus can be a little hard. Mm-hmm.
Speaker 4:And I was like this is amazing. Yes, and that was the open door to come back into that original yes when I was 15. And so through that I started experiencing. So hold on hold on yes.
Speaker 2:Like kind of so dissect that a little bit. Yeah. Explain that a little more.
Speaker 4:Yeah, so I remembered God when I needed him throughout those 27 years. I remembered God when I needed him throughout those 27 years, and it was on an as-need basis let's say our relationship and when I started working for this company, the CEO she was like my big sister, even though I'm a couple years older than her, but she kind of mentored me back into the faith and I started seeing a different kind of faith because she was very strong.
Speaker 4:You know, one of those women who's like fire when they pray. It was just things happening all the time and you could see, oh, that's not a coincidence, that had to be the hand of God. And it was like nonstop with that company, and so I was able to experience a lot of things there and just kind of like, ooh, the light turned back on Like okay.
Speaker 2:Like it, it almost sounds like everything you were doing in your own strength kind of stopped. Yes, and then you were reminded that it isn't about your strength, it's about him.
Speaker 4:Yes.
Speaker 2:Yes, that's so cool.
Speaker 4:Yes and so, um, getting to the podcast part. So one day it was December of 2019. I'm walking in my bedroom and I'm looking for my word of the year, cause that's what entrepreneurs do. Right, you got to have your word of the year to focus.
Speaker 4:And so I'm walking and in my head, I hear the word speak and I was like, what was that? And so I decided to ask the Lord. I was like Lord, what is that? And I heard in my head with my own voice right, not the audible voice of the Lord, but just in my head. It was Monica, you are going to go live every day of 2020 on Facebook and talk about me. And I was like Lord, do you know that I have three jobs? Do you know that I have eight kids? Do you know I have no time to prepare? And do you know that I haven't done this since I was in my 20s? He's like yeah, are you going to do it? And I said I'll try.
Speaker 4:And so, january 1st of 2020, I sat in front of my computer and the Lord did. He gave me the biggest gift he could have given me. I was about to press the live button and all of a sudden, he erased my whole university degree and everything I knew about the Bible out of my head. I was like lucky to know the name Jesus. Everything was gone and I was stunned. I was like what is happening right now? Because I couldn't remember anything. And the Lord said Monica, you learned it from here. I'm pointing to my head, and I'm going to teach it to you from here. I'm pointing to my heart. How did?
Speaker 1:you know, your brain had been like your memory had been wiped.
Speaker 4:Because I had all of these ideas of what I was going to talk about and and it just I could it didn't come you like, couldn't recall I couldn't recall anything gone.
Speaker 4:And that was a lot of money. That university degree was a lot of money, gone, gone. And so I Lord, I see how it is, let's try this one day, let's see what happens. And so I pressed the live button and all of a sudden, all these things start coming into my head to say, and I'm just saying them and saying them. And so it went on and on for 426 days in a row.
Speaker 4:I went past the year where I would sit down, zero preparation, roll out of bed. I even and this is all live on Facebook, so it's there, I mean, people can go and look at it. And sometimes I would be there in my PJs. I mean it was literally like, okay, I'm going to make it there no matter what. And there were days that I would wake up sick and the moment that I would sit in that chair, every symptom would go away and I would be able to do it. And sometimes I would go back to bed being sick. Sometimes I'd be fine for the rest of the day. And so he gave me the biggest gift. It was the gift of obedience. He taught me what it looked like to just trust that he was going to show up. When I made the first move and every live was 30, 45 minutes, zero preparation, and he, just he gave me this by like month, two or three.
Speaker 3:I was like, okay, he is not playing here I'm not just making all of this up, he is serious and he wants something to happen.
Speaker 4:And I remember there being times where some I would say something and I would look up and I would be like wow, lord, that was so harsh, you, you know, it was almost like an out of body experience, like, wow, he was moving. And so for me, that was what really really brought me to a place of faith After that, that time doing the at first it was just lives and I turned it into a podcast. I would just, you know, send it over and um and put it there. I called it faith led business at the time and, uh, I took about a three month hiatus, just a little break, and the Lord one morning woke me up and he said meet me in the closet. I was like, hmm, okay, I'd never done that before. So I walk over to my closet, of course, like 3 am, because that's his favorite time of the day.
Speaker 4:It's so true, yes, and so I'm sitting there and we're praying, or I'm praying, and he's like it's time to go live again. This time we're going to do it from your closet. I was like in the closet, my little little closet with no lighting, and like, yeah, we're going to pray for people. It's like, okay, lord. So I'm there, I start going live from the closet and I start praying with people, and people, will you know, jump on and I have, you know, quite a few testimonies of people just jumping on one lady in particular. Her daughter was sick, a young daughter, maybe eight months. She had a bad fever, she was new to the area and she didn't know where to go for help and she was praying to the Lord. Lord, what do I do? Where to go? She opens her phone and Facebook is on there. So she opens it and my live comes up. Wow.
Speaker 4:And so she asked for prayer for her daughter, and we just watched as I was praying. She was like saying in the comments her fever is going down, her fever is going down, her fever is going down, and now she's drinking. She hasn't been eating or drinking in days. So you could see it live as the Lord was doing things. It was amazing, and so that lasted about 10 months and so I was like, okay, lord, you're working through Facebook Live. This is incredible. This is incredible. But this was all the prep work that I needed to know that he is a faithful God. For the next step, which was then the CEO of Sanctuary Girl decided or she asked us if we wanted to open the franchise of the store, and so we opened up the store at Crabtree Valley Mall.
Speaker 4:But then and the whole thing for that was too, because we didn't have my first of all yeah, I've done business, but retail that's a whole other thing, that's that's like square one. Yeah.
Speaker 4:And so, and then I'm not a shopper, so I had never been to the Crabtree Valley Mall, even though I live 20 minutes away from it, and so it was like zero. I had zero radar for what needed to be done and what was happening. And my husband was like, well, maybe we can get a business loan, we'll see what we do. And then he remembered that he had this one account that he had some money in. He's like I think I have like a thousand two thousand dollars in there. And I just laughed because I'm like you can't even get like a set of shirts for a thousand or two thousand dollars, like are you going to open a whole store.
Speaker 4:And he's like, well, money's money, let me just go see what's there. And he goes in. And so my husband's Caucasian when he looked at the screen in. And so my husband's caucasian, when he looked at the screen, he turned white, like he was white white because the amount in that account was the exact amount to the dollar of what we needed to open the store.
Speaker 4:You're kidding whoa was it like more than he remembered it being, or something oh well, he thought there was like a thousand dollars and, um, what ended up happening was he, he works for cisco and, um, I guess there was some stock that he had bought that there was like nothing, and all of a sudden it just flooded in and but it was to the dollar the exact amount we needed, that was in the account.
Speaker 4:So we knew from that moment that, okay, this is not our store, this is the Lord's store. He wants to do something here. Well, six months after opening the store, the CEOs decided to go in a different direction and go wholesale. So they closed down their other two stores that they had one in Atlanta and one in Detroit and so then we were faced with the option to either continue the store on our own or to close, and we had seen so many things happen in the store within those six months that we're like there's no way we're closing, we'll just rebrand and move on from there. So I'll give you an example of how the Lord just kind of bolstered our faith in the process of starting the store, because from day one, I didn't even know how to use the cash register. It was that fast, it was bananas Like. Oh yeah, let me see how to check you out.
Speaker 4:So I remember we started tithing to our church from what we were getting in the store and we opened in June. In September was our slowest month to date, and I remember being in worship at church and I just hear the Lord say double your tithe. And I was like Lord, we don't even have our tithe from last month, much less double, and so that was making me nervous. I go to Jared, my husband, and I told him I just heard this and I was just cringing because at that point he hadn't seen as much as I had seen, and so I was like there's no way he's going to say yes, right, and he's like I guess we'll double it. So I was like, okay, this, something is happening here.
Speaker 4:Well, that following Wednesday, I'm standing behind the cash register with one of our team members, miriam, and I was like Miriam, the Lord is really stretching our faith this month. He wants us to double our tithe and I was about to say, but we don't have the money. When in walks this guy, he's got headphones on and a little briefcase and he stands right in front of the cash register, he takes his headphones out, he looks me straight in the eye and he says I have to be obedient. I'm here with my tithe. He says I don't go to a church right now, but I've been in your store and I know that the presence of God is here and he told me to give it to you.
Speaker 2:Whoa, oh my gosh.
Speaker 4:And so that's just one of the many, many, many stories where the Lord has been provider. He's been our comfort. There's never been a time. So we took the old app, uh, amazon store, and before that it was the Apple store, and it's a 5,500 square foot store. It's very big and I was like Lord, why do we need such a big space? You know, the inventory we had at the time was just I mean, we might take a thousand square feet of that and he had told us, instructed us, to create a living room in the store. So one third of the back part of the store it looks like a living room. We have couches, we have a little TV, we have coffee, we have, you know. And he said I want people, when they walk in, to feel like they're home because I am home for them.
Speaker 4:And so we did that and that's where most of the miracles and things happen. In the store we put up a prayer wall. Right now we have at least 4,000 prayers requests on there. It's mandatory for our team to pray over those every night and we have people come back like a year later. In fact, this summer we had three people who had been had different situations with babies, so they would come into the store. They had just had a miscarriage and I would pray over them. And now this year they're coming back with their baby.
Speaker 4:And just giving testimonies of marriages, of healings, of, you know, new babies, all of these different things. And so the Lord is responding to those prayer requests. I'll tell you a really cool story, because in the store we started doing different events because we knew that this place he said it was a hub of encounter. He said not everybody would go into the four-wall church, but they'd come to the mall and he wanted to meet them where they're at. So we're praying for people daily. I think we spend more on Kleenex than inventory, honestly, because, literally, there's not a day I'm there that people do not cry because the Lord meets them, and so it's just incredible.
Speaker 4:So we do worship nights on Fridays. Mondays we do prayer, tuesdays we do discipleship class. Wednesdays we have bible study, which we have about 40 people who come from all over the place every week. Um Thursdays, we have another type of discipleship class, and Fridays we have worship nights and this is in a for-profit retail business at the mall that's correct that used to be the apple store yes
Speaker 4:right across from zoomies that right across from zoomies. I love it. That is right. That is right. And um and he said that was on purpose that we took that location. He said, um, that those companies the Amazon and Apple they're visible companies, they're influential companies and they're legacy companies. And he told me but now it's my turn to put my fingerprint in the marketplace and create my legacy. Wow. And so he said, we were strategically placed to overthrow the principality in that region. Wow, and so we are not playing when we are there. That's why we have so many events. But let me tell you how God works. This is one of my favorite stories.
Speaker 4:So we started having worship nights, and our very first one, there was a lady who came and sang. She was part of the group singing, she was very pregnant, and so we had to put a chair for her, like in the middle of the living room area where we do our worships. And she came over after and she says I have to tell you something. 10 years ago I used to work in this store and it used to be Eddie Bauer, and right where your prayer wall is, that whole area was a wall, and so where the living room area is was storage. And she said I was the only Christian that worked here at the time and I would come into the storage area during my breaks and I would pray up a storm.
Speaker 4:I would pray for the space. I would pray for the people. I would pray or pray. I would pray for the space. I would pray for the people. I would pray or pray. Look, 10 years later, that woman is sitting in the same spot worshiping the Lord. You cannot tell me that the seeds planted in prayer do not bear fruit.
Speaker 1:Oh, my goodness, Goodness.
Speaker 2:That is so wild, so wild.
Speaker 4:Goodness, that is so wild, so wild. So you know there are at least 200 000 people who go through crabtree valley mall in a year, um, at least. And you know we're just 5 500 square feet in that whole big place. Yet we know that we are the majority and the Lord brings people in there with such intention and purpose and it's like always a divine encounter. Anybody who walks in is not random. There are people who've come in, who've said I wasn't even coming to this mall. How did I end up in here? I was going to South Point. Yeah, one lady. She had already left the mall and the Lord said turn around and go back. And so she went and she sat in the food court for a while. She was like Lord, what am I doing here? And so she stands up and then she looks over and she sees our store and she comes straight over and it was a divine connection, and so that's just how the Lord does things.
Speaker 2:Another. Oh, go ahead. I was going to ask. You shared a story with me and I have shared it to so many people and I'd love for you to share it if you can. I can't remember all the details, but one woman was in Wilmington, decided, had a bad day, decided to come to the mall in Raleigh, drove, somehow ended up being found your store. And then there was another connection that she had with another woman separately. Yes, Would you mind sharing that story?
Speaker 4:Absolutely. I love it, and this is how God works.
Speaker 2:Yeah, when you shared that story with me, like in her store, because it was the first time we had officially met you shared that story with me and I was like oh what, what was that?
Speaker 4:Yes, yes. So we had a worship night and during the worship night I remembered one of the people because she had come in and she had children, and so we the little boy wanted something for his mom, but he didn't have the money. He's like I only have a dollar, so I just gave it to him so he could give it to his mom, and so that's why I remember that particular family. But the following day, on Saturday, this lady drives over two hours away and she said I drove over here to give you a testimony about what happened in your store last night, and you don't even know that it happened. And she said and I needed to come and tell you this. It was important that you know. So she has friends with two people who were at the worship the night before. But those two people don't know each other.
Speaker 4:One lady was a friend of hers, was actually an exotic dancer, and she came into the store randomly and she felt a tug on her heart from the Lord. She went back home, she messaged this friend and she said you know what? I want to change my ways. Will you disciple me and tell me more about Jesus? That was one. The other one was a lady who was having family issues with her husband and so it was kind of an abusive relationship. She just wanted to get out of the house and she took the kids, threw them in the car and they drove a few hours away to the mall and she said that during that worship all of these people were just prompted to gift her kids different things, money, different items from the store, and she just felt so seen and heard and loved that. She messaged this lady who came to see me the next day and said you know what I feel like the Lord wants my attention. Will you disciple me? I need to know more about this, jesus.
Speaker 1:Oh, my goodness, yes.
Speaker 4:Yes, it's so crazy and so, um. You know, I really feel that when you hold the space for the Lord to work, he will show up.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 4:But you have to be able to hold the space. So, good.
Speaker 4:And yes, in order to do that, though, because I'll tell you, look, we have for now. We've been there for two years and some months, right for now. We've been there for two years and some months, right? Uh, we've been building momentum because of all the events that we have, right? So people are now like, oh yeah, there's a, there's a christian store at the mall, you know that kind of thing.
Speaker 4:In april of this year, the Lord said I need you to shut down all your events. I need you to be still and quiet enough to hear the instructions for the next season where I'm coming in power and glory. So that's so the opposite of what a business does. You're getting momentum. You want more people there, right? We took our events calendar off of our website and I was like Lord, what are we going to do with all the people who are already scheduled? They've already been advertising. I can't just call them and say the Lord canceled you. Well, he didn't respond. So I'm like I guess he's. I didn't know what to do. I guess he's going to take care of it somehow. Well, 13 events in a row called and canceled. You're kidding. We had never had a cancellation in the store 13 events from prayer nights to worship nights to Bible, to everything.
Speaker 4:They just canceled, called and canceled 13 in a row.
Speaker 2:13 in a row.
Speaker 4:And I told the people so he said that, like for worship, that he would only let certain people come in during this season. So from having four a month, we had four events during the whole summer. But those events, oh my, were fire. There was one prophetic worship night that happened, where people they couldn't get past the two rounds without starting to shake or just burst out crying. Wow. It was insane. My husband and I were just looking at each other like what is happening right now?
Speaker 2:this is like just people from different churches, or like where was one event like one church and then the next event was a different church, or oh yeah, all the events are different people and different churches.
Speaker 4:Yeah, our worships are. You never know what flavor of music you're gonna get because, uh, you know, one day you've got gospel, another day is contemporary Christian, another day is, you know, these little old ladies with their guitars. You just don't know what you're going to get. But it's all worship and, yeah, canceled, whoa. So during that time it was incredible because the lord took myself and my team and pruned us like I have never been pruned in my whole life wow, what did that pruning look like?
Speaker 4:tearing down idols, exposing the idols first, then tearing them down, doing the hard work of tearing them down. He went really hard with me on unforgiveness. There were some people that still had a hook in me and he said he couldn't come in power because I was so full of that that he couldn't fill that space. So there were two people that actually and the interesting thing here is that I felt that I was in the right because I didn't do anything wrong in my mind, right, I wasn't the person who right caused this situation and so the lord.
Speaker 4:So I was like. The lord told me call them and ask for forgiveness. And I said, lord, excuse me, call them and ask for forgiveness did you mean, they're gonna call me oh?
Speaker 1:no like. Am I misreading?
Speaker 4:you. So, um, he's like, yeah, call them, call them. And I said, but, lord, shouldn't it be the other way around? He said no. He said you're harboring unforgiveness and that is a sin. Call her wow and I did, and a two-year separation became a reconciliation wow again another person, and that just happened this past sunday oh, wow the lord I was, so you're you're in the pruning hearing. I listening, I'm at the end Like those were, like my last two, I mean I'm sure I have way more right, yeah, sure, sure.
Speaker 4:But like the biggest ones that were causing hindrance. Like I was in church and the Lord is. Like we had communion on Sunday, you know, and he's like you're not putting that in your mouth until you go say you're sorry and I'm like what, excuse me? So here, but I had already experienced the other one, so I stood right up, I was like moving people. I was like excuse me, excuse me, excuse me. I went straight to the person and I said I'm so sorry, I love you. God wants us to be united and not divided. Will you forgive me and we ended up having communion together. Will you forgive me and we ended up having communion together Wow.
Speaker 4:And so this has been the season where he's really been teaching me about what I can do to make sure that he is there, just like last December. I remember I almost went back to my panic attack days because I didn't know what people wanted to buy right, I'm not a shopper. So I was scrolling and scrolling on the computer and the Lord sat me down and he's like Monica, shh quiet, like they're not here for the things. They're here for me, make sure I'm there. And I was like wow, like wow, lord, you're right. So I changed my tactic and instead of being on the computer, I went to my closet and I just stayed there in prayer. And ever since then, it doesn't matter what we put in the store, that's just. That's just how it works, because it's his that's wow so incredible so it's.
Speaker 4:He is very, very, very interested, he's in hot pursuit of his children and so he wants to make sure that the space is sustainable for the holy spirit to abide there. And and I remember just that, having this very big burden on me, it almost felt like a burden to have the stewardship of this place because I was thinking that I needed to make sure it succeeded. And there were some guys who came from Bethel in California to our church and they didn't know me from a can of paint, right.
Speaker 2:But one guy says you go to New Bethel, right.
Speaker 4:I go to now. It's called Bethel City.
Speaker 2:Okay, Bethel City Got you. It's not affiliated with Bethel. No similar, but not affiliated.
Speaker 4:And so they came and one guy says oh, I have a word from, from the lord for you. And I was like, okay, what is it? And he told me the most freeing words I've ever heard. He said the lord says he didn't give you this business to steward. He says you're in the family business and you're his daughter and he's given you the keys.
Speaker 2:Wow.
Speaker 4:And so from that moment on, I knew that it didn't matter what happened, as long as my heart was the heart of a daughter towards him, I could not fail, because my daddy is always going to back me up. So we started off like so nervous about finances because that's a really big space that we have, it's very expensive and we just didn't know if we were going to be able to pay all the bills we paid. You know the rent, our team members know the lights, the you know everything and the mall, because they take a percentage of your sales. Uh, we have not once had to dip into our own money really not once since we opened.
Speaker 4:That's wild, not once I?
Speaker 1:I mean, I'm not a retail, I'm not super knowledgeable about retail, but I know most startup businesses fail in the first 12 months. But even the ones that succeed often burn cash for a year or more until they get on their feet. That's right, and you have been successful and never dipped into savings. Never so you're profitable from the get-go.
Speaker 4:Yep.
Speaker 1:In a way too big for your riches store? Yes, square footage wise? Yes, absolutely.
Speaker 2:And you don't worry about inventory.
Speaker 1:Like a business consultant would never say yeah, let's put a christian gift store where the apple store used to be. That's right like they moved out. They didn't want this anymore, let's.
Speaker 2:You know, it'd go really good here a christian store christian, christian gifts yeah, like that's so, that's so awesome and so now you, now we started getting into the habit.
Speaker 4:At first we would look at our sales for each day and we're like, if it continues like this, we're not going to make it. But then every month we had what we needed, if not more. And so now we just kind of laugh when we see lower sales days because we don't worry, we don't even think about it, it's not even on our radar anymore.
Speaker 1:You're just like, oh, God's going to do something.
Speaker 4:Yeah, we expect now because we've seen enough. We've seen what he can do. We've seen the favor he's given us with the mall. They even called us because at first we didn't ask them if we could do the worship nights and it gets loud because people they bring their drum sets. I mean it's like a whole. It's a whole thing. And you know people in Starbucks because we're right next to Starbucks, you know they can hear the music.
Speaker 1:We've had people come from. Starbucks come into our store and get saved, because they were hearing the music on the other side.
Speaker 4:But the mall last year came to our store and said hey, we would love to partner with you for a worship and prayer night in conjunction with the American Cancer Society. We want to do a fundraiser event and we would love to have a prayer and worship night in your store, the mall. The mall sent out an email and had banners and everything fundraiser event and we would love to have a prayer and worship night in your store, the mall. The mall sent out an email and had banners and everything for people to come to a prayer and worship night and it was fire.
Speaker 1:so I'm telling you and you're, and it's for the can't american cancer society oh my goodness, so you're praying. What was the? Was it like a focus of praying over people with cancer, or was it um, was it?
Speaker 4:one, uh, very well-known pastor in the area. Um, he gave a word and um, and I guess he's an ambassador for the american cancer society, and um, and then we did worship and yeah and yeah, people prayed Wow.
Speaker 2:Yeah, oh, my goodness gracious, that is like favor. Oh absolutely Unbelievable, crazy, like I don't even know what adjective to describe favor. Yeah, it's so wild.
Speaker 4:And that's why we know this is all him. So we're like, okay, lord, we don't have the business plan, but we do have a daily check-in with the Holy Spirit. And so he tells us day by day and I know that he's not giving me the bigger plan yet because he knows that Monica likes to grab something and control it and manipulate it and try to think she knows what God is up to, when she doesn't really know. And so he just keeps me on my toes every day.
Speaker 4:I don't know what's going to happen, but there hasn't been one time I have to honestly say that I've been sitting behind the counter looking at my computer, being stuck for any reason regarding retail things that I'm unaware of, and someone hasn't walked in the door with the answer. Every single time I'm stuck, someone walks in the door. They're either an expert in that field or they've just got the answer. We've had people come in. I've had women've had women come in there like and men, they just start crying at the counter and they're just like, dumping out their wallets and, just like here, take it, you know, get whatever you know, use this money to gift, you know items from your store to whoever you feel prompted to. Wow.
Speaker 4:So you know, we've seen, we've seen so much that, look, if you're going to come at me and tell me that God is not real, you know we're going to be fighting, because I know that, I know that, I know you cannot, you cannot hold me back. So the Lord, actually he said in September I'm coming in power and glory. Wow, look, september 1st, september 1st we were closing the store and I'm having this conversation with a young lady, maybe early, early 20s, and the Lord prompts me to pray for her. So I put my hand on her shoulder and Jared, my husband, was there, but he was in the back in the living room, and all of a sudden she starts shaking and she starts like she's going to fall back. And so I motioned to Jared to come and catch her because she's going to hit the ground. And so he comes over. So as soon as she um hits the ground, she sits up and she starts manifesting.
Speaker 4:Wow, and that young lady had multiple demons, multiple. And so I I went head on, head on, and I'll show you guys the picture, because jared took pictures while it was all happening, and you will be able to see the difference in this young lady who was completely set free from. I mean, it was full on like screaming, she was like punching herself, she was, um, she had the spirit of lust and she's just starts being and and the demons like, but she likes it Like it was a whole thing. It was a whole thing but she was set free, awesome. And then this last weekend we had a special guest speaker come in from Texas and I kid you not you can go look on the video on our social media People were laid out all over the floor. The Holy Spirit was slaying people right and left. Wow.
Speaker 4:Two days we had two worship nights in a row and it was powerful ministry, Powerful ministry.
Speaker 1:So you stripped all the events down to just a few to wait on the instructions, right? Or to get kind of the download of the next season? Yes, and that was related to this power and glory. What else was in that?
Speaker 4:What else came out of this waiting? I love that you asked that. So I was in my closet one morning praying and I hear in my head 2022. I was like, okay, I don't know what that is. I opened my eyes and in my closet I have a little bookshelf, and on the bookshelf my journal from 2022 is sticking straight out. And I don't have like an order for these things. I just, you know, throw things, throw things in. But that particular one was just sticking straight out. So I was like, hmm, let me take a look at that. I look at it and literally every instruction is in there. What?
Speaker 4:Every instruction is in there. I had the Lord and this was before we had opened the store had in prayer and I completely forgot about all of this. He had given me designs for jewelry that were based off of visions that I had had in prayer, that had whole stories and testimony behind it, and I had the drawings there. I had the testimony, had everything he gave me. So the next step is building a community. There was a huge page and it just said build the community, the online community, and so he gave me this one item that we're actually we just put it in the store a couple of days ago and it's an interactive piece of jewelry, it's an interactive bracelet, because the Lord said and so, going back, the Lord wants consistency. We're very, you know, gung-ho when we experience certain things, but we do not have a firm foundation on the day-to-day, and so the Lord was telling me in that journal my kids need to be consistent. And here's the reason why. When we changed the name the Lord to Mon, I did not like that name. Only my husband would call me Mon, so it just felt kind of weird. Now everybody in the world is going to be calling me Mon. It was just strange. The Lord said go deeper. So I looked up the Hebrew and Greek meanings for each letter. So the M is kingship, dominion and wisdom, the O is obedience and his presence, and the N is humility, faithfulness and action. And the O has the. It's kind of like this it has the Hebrew letter Shin, which means El Shaddai, god Almighty. It's also the flame of transformation, so the Holy Spirit grinding something down and birthing something new, and then the line at the bottom of the O is Jesus Christ, our firm foundation, and so it's kind of like a symbol of the Trinity, actually the O part of our logo, the O part of our logo. But he said that this name Mon, with those definitions, we had four mandates. The first was to take the gospel to the nations and I said, well, does that mean we're going to have more stores everywhere? What's going to happen? Until I realized that so many people were coming from around the world because of the airport that's right down the street and on that wall, on our prayer wall, we have all different languages because of that, and so there was that he might do. The other I don't know yet, but the second mandate was to stir up courage in the body of Christ. The third was to build strength in the body and the fourth is to give people the opportunity to experience the power of redemption. And so I asked the Lord I was like Lord, strength and courage, why that we're front facing, we could be community, we could be joy, we could be peace. We could be community, we could be joy, we could be peace, we could be love. And he said because persecution is coming and my children don't know how to stand. And so that's when we started having discipleship classes and these more intense, focused types of opportunities to grow in faith.
Speaker 4:Walk out and put it into action. So that's where this interactive piece of jewelry came to play. And it's basically a bracelet and it has four little beads in it. That has P-R-A-Y, so pray. On the other side, though, it has an image. So under the P it has praying hands. So when you flip it you see the praying hands. Under the R it has a Bible, because it's read your Bible. Under the A is a heart Activate, what you prayed about and what you read. So walk it out in love. And then the Lord said the Y was yield. Yield the outcome to him, and it's also to bear fruit. So expect it. If you're doing all of the other things, expect God to show up and for it to multiply.
Speaker 4:So it has like a little yield sign and this little sprout coming out. So at the beginning of the day you start off with the images on facing up and then as soon as you finish you flip it and by the end of the day it should say pray, if you did the basics, so yeah. So we're going to be building a community around that so that people can, to help them stay consistent and to give their testimonies because, you know they're going to be testimonies when you walk it out.
Speaker 4:There's no way. There can't, there can't be testimonies. So we're going to be building the. That's like the next phase, that's theies. So we're going to be building the. That's like the next phase, that's the next thing that we're going to be doing. So that's kind of one of the bigger things that came out of that season. But I think, mostly, apart from those ideas, which I think are great because they're all God it was the preparing ourselves, because we know that we are going to be doing a lot of prayer for people and it's going to be more like what happened September 1st, where there's deliverance, and if you are not in the right space in your soul to be able to put your feelings and your fears aside, then you can't come against the enemy. But when we're in right standing with God, he has to flee, and so he has prepared our team during this season to stand in authority, which is who we're supposed to be in that space, and just hold ground for him. Wow.
Speaker 1:That makes perfect sense. Yeah, get healthier before you go to battle or you know, strip down to the foundation to support more weight.
Speaker 1:Whatever analogy you want to use, there's. There's definitely. I mean I've experienced that in my life. God will strip away things, you know, uproot a wound or uproot some kind of character issue that I'm having, that I couldn't have proceeded into the next season of my life without getting that healing, or getting or eradicating that sin or that thought pattern or whatever, because that wouldn't have been a fruitful season, you know that's really neat.
Speaker 4:Yeah, and I spoke at a Christian business conference last year and they gave us the question.
Speaker 2:What was it called?
Speaker 4:This was Epic at Work.
Speaker 2:Oh, do you know? Tj Johnson? Yes, okay, sweet yeah, he goes to our church. He's been on the podcast.
Speaker 1:Oh, nice, I've been there. Okay, I've been to Epic.
Speaker 4:Well, Epic at Work comes the third Thursday of every month and does networking at our store.
Speaker 2:No way.
Speaker 4:What Christian businesses come and network right there, you're kidding, yeah.
Speaker 1:That's cool.
Speaker 4:Yeah, yeah. But so I was speaking as part of a panel in that conference and they had given us the questions ahead of time, right? And one of the questions was what is one of the biggest struggles or obstacles that you have in having a Christian business? So I had you know ahead of time, written down all these wonderful things, and I'm sitting there and I'm getting ready to share my nuggets of wisdom when the Lord is like scratch that mom, it's your unbelief. And so I had to sit there shocked for a second. And when he asked the question, that's what I responded my biggest issue, my biggest struggle in business is my unbelief. Wow.
Speaker 4:Wow, yeah. So every day, when I wake up, I ask the Lord. Lord, help my unbelief. Wow, and my whole family has been transformed by this.
Speaker 2:My husband. Yeah, I was going to ask yeah, when we Kids and husband.
Speaker 4:When we started, I was the spiritual head of my home. Now my husband is. Wow started, I was the spiritual head of my home. Now my husband is wow, my children, especially the younger four, are with us more, um, they expect to hear testimonies of miracles. It's a different way to grow up when you're seeing it and you're hearing about it daily.
Speaker 4:So they're like, oh, what happened today in the store? How did God show up today? They expect him to show up because he does, and so now they have a confidence that is unlike anything else, and they are able to now lead in a different way their peers, their generation, because of what they've seen.
Speaker 1:What is their generation? How old are your twins?
Speaker 4:They're 14. And then the younger set is 10.
Speaker 1:And that's like the, particularly the 14 year olds. That's like the mall age. That's like the age that you want to be at the mall and friends are at the mall and you're cruising around or whatever, right, oh yeah, oh yeah, that's awesome.
Speaker 4:Yeah, we have so many. I remember people walking in and just saying, oh, the youth of this generation, they're so lost, they're so lost. And I would come back at them and I'd say, actually, that's not what I'm seeing. Because over the last couple of years I've seen more youth than even adults come into the store and make a beeline straight to that prayer wall and put their prayer requests there. They may not buy anything, but they know where to go, and then they leave, and so they know the source. They know the source and then, once they grasp the encounter of God in their lives, forget it. They are powerful for their generation. They are so powerful. So I'm really excited about the youth, I'm really excited for my kids. And this past weekend, when we had that event at the store, the lady who came in, she was praying over me and she said you know, through your obedience, you're going to see a lot of things, a lot of amazing things, but it's going to be nothing like what they see.
Speaker 4:And she was pointing to my children. She said it's going to be nothing. The Lord is pouring into you so that you can pour it out to them, because they will be the leaders and they will see the heart. They will be part of the heart, but they will be equipped for the heart because that's why he created them to be the leaders.
Speaker 1:Yeah, as a father, I get this sense that the light is getting lighter and the dark is getting darker. Yeah, and I agree with that. There's going to be new levels of miracles and power. Oh yeah, that's really exciting. Our church that Ryan and I go to our youth group is planning a mall outreach. Ooh, I would love to get our youth partnered together with you somehow some way. Scheduling, or just prayer, or yeah, yeah.
Speaker 4:Absolutely.
Speaker 1:We just glean from your experience, too, of like how to go into a space and yeah and be a light and, yeah, move around and oh, the um.
Speaker 4:The mall is kind of interesting. We've had favor. But when it comes to evangelism in the mall, they have the, the security, have their eyes open for what's happening. So there's a very special way to do it, or a specific way, I should say um to do it uh-huh, there's this that works. The other one you catch their attention and then you get your picture on the wall in the security office?
Speaker 1:no way. So. So we're talking the right person, so we're gonna figure out how to go in there and and be a light and, yeah, you know, while following the rules yeah, and let the lord you know yeah, so.
Speaker 4:So basically, and this is how all outreach should be um, it's just participating in what everybody else is participating in.
Speaker 4:It's like you're not going out there like look, let me dump this on you I'm getting in line and I'm buying a I don't know whatever at the food court and while I'm in line I start a conversation oh I love those shoes, where'd you get them? And then people open up and they start telling you their issues. It's inevitable when they feel comfortable, they start telling you your issues and then boom, there's the open door.
Speaker 2:Well, I have a solution for that. It is, I totally. My favorite place to share the gospel or ask if I can pray for people is at bars, because it's so easy. Yeah, you just start talking to them and you start talking about things they enjoy and they. It's crazy how people open up in that atmosphere and how raw they get they. They won't share things with people that they'll share with you at a bar. It's like very interesting. Yeah, things with people that they'll share with you at a bar, it's like very interesting. Yeah, there's been many conversations where I'm like I have had conversations where people are like I've never told anybody this before and I'm like
Speaker 4:oh cool yeah, like you feel safe because because the spirit in them is sensing the spirit in you, yes, and there's a connection and there's a safety. And that's why the whole pruning process is so important, because you want your spirit man to be so out there before your soul and your flesh right, yeah um, that it's just.
Speaker 1:It's like a magnet to people and there's a sense that you're not being judged in a bar if you're sitting there next to another guy. I wonder if that's uh helping you at the store, like there's people that are going to go there and like, well, I'm just at the mall not that that might feel judged or feel, you know, anxious about going into a church.
Speaker 4:Absolutely. I'd say 80% of the people going in there have anxiety about not being worthy, about their sin, and all of that when they're in a church environment, of course of course, and so, yeah, this is the safe place and, yes, we hear all the stories. Yeah. All the stories, we had one girl come in. She had just been raped at work.
Speaker 1:No way.
Speaker 4:Yes, and I had a chance to pray with her, to mentor her, just with her mindset around the whole thing, and she left smiling, she left hopeful, and I didn't even know she came up to the counter to buy something and she just started crying and I was like hey, are you okay, would you like for me to pray with you? She was like sure, and then, finally, you know, as we talked, she opened up about what had happened, but you know so, we meet people in all different circumstances. Wow.
Speaker 2:I. So I met a guy, kind of happenstance and anyway, super cool connection. It was kind of a God story, but anyway he opened up about his story and he was a pastor of a church. He's in Florida and he's like I'm all about churches and malls and he was like their church. It was a God thing where they locked in this incredible opportunity to get this huge space. Um, like I can't remember it was surrounded during the time of COVID, but they were able to get like a much like a much cheaper rate locked in for when the mall started to reopen Like they were still in that building and still in that space, paying the like very, very minimum amount of money.
Speaker 2:And he was like there's nothing like a mall space because, like you said, everybody comes in when they see a worship set, even if they don't believe in God. They're like what's going on? In there, absolutely, and they walk in there and they're like, before you know it, they're like crying. Yeah.
Speaker 2:And it's like it's the most effective, sneaky way to just like absolutely get people in there. And so, yeah, I've honestly, I've honestly thought like man, I would love to see a church in a mall and when I when I heard like everything that you do in your store, I was like it would be so cool if there was a church also in the mall.
Speaker 1:Are you saying that, like building a special building and putting special symbols and using the special cultural language isn't going to bring unbelievers just flooding through our doors? Right, maybe we should go to them and like being where they're at. I mean, it's like I'm thinking paul, like would go preach in the marketplace, in the marketplace. It's right in acts. Right like there's not much more of a marketplace than the mall. Right?
Speaker 4:that's right. That's right. So there may be some of your listeners who are like, ooh, this is a really cool idea. Maybe I should do something similar, and I have a few pieces of advice for those who are maybe wanting to do something like that. Yes, of course.
Speaker 4:Lay it on. So I had a lady call the store maybe about a month and a half ago and she said oh, my husband and I, you know, we've been in, we've had multiple businesses and we're thinking of maybe opening up a Christian store. I love praying for people in another mall close by and so she wanted to know if it was profitable, if it was a good idea, like would it sustain itself, basically. And I said well, let me ask you a question. First, I said praying for people is awesome and your desire to do that. God loves that in your heart. I said is this your idea or is this God's idea? Because your ability to sustain that space is going to depend on that, because the amount of warfare that comes is no joke.
Speaker 1:I was gonna ask you about that. I bet you get some serious stuff going on in both the spirit and in the natural absolutely by being in that space doing what you're doing absolutely.
Speaker 4:I mean we've had witches and warlocks. Just walk in and curse the store. Try to. At least we just go go in and undo whatever they've done.
Speaker 1:But yes yeah and so thanks for blessing me yeah, exactly so.
Speaker 4:Um, it's uh. And so she's like, oh, I hadn, I hadn't gone in that direction. I said you know what I really? My recommendation to you would be to fast and to ask the Lord if this is his idea. If it's his idea go for it. Everything will be provided for you. If it's your idea, get ready to do it in your own strength, and it's going to be extremely frustrating.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that is very wise.
Speaker 4:yes, that could translate to many, many things businesses, ministries, all all kinds of things right because they say right, it doesn't matter if it's a good idea, but if it's not a god idea you won't get heaven's backup on it that's, that's very true.
Speaker 1:That is really good so we are at about an hour, but I had a question, um that. I had two questions you answered one. One was the about the warfare. Um, I want to go back to your Facebook Live obedience thing that you did. Yeah, that was 2020. So that was COVID. Yes, so that was a time where depression is going up, suicide rates going up, people are just freaking out, a lot of people are getting sick, dying. There's like it's a bad year. 2020 is not a great year by most people's accounts, right? So there had to be some fruit and life and things that came out of that. What is one or two that stick out in your mind from that time?
Speaker 4:Yeah, because I always say 2020 was the best year of my life. It's the year. I learned that God is who he says he is. And that changes everything for you once that clicks once you know that.
Speaker 4:You know that you know.
Speaker 4:And so for me, during that time, I think some of the biggest things was one the Lord was showing me that consistency is very important, and so I would get the same people coming every day to be fed every day, to be encouraged every day to, to be reminded, yeah, that what they're doing to press in in faith is not in vain.
Speaker 4:And so that's one of the biggest things has been just because I still keep in touch with all of those people. I would have many people message me directly after those kinds of strangers to me, but they had been following over time and I would have opportunities to pray for them. You know some people getting healed, and so it was very. It was so strange to be in the middle of, like, I'm on this high, on this spiritual high, and everybody else is on a low, but I think it made me so determined to help people get to the same place that I was, and so for me it was motivating, and the more motivated I was, the more people that I could bring along with me in the journey, you're like a breath of fresh air to a lot of people.
Speaker 4:Yes.
Speaker 1:By you having your best year yet, while many people are having their worst. Right. That had to be really, really refreshing, yeah, for those people.
Speaker 4:Yes, just to know that they had someone who would listen, yeah, and would stand in the gap for them, I think was one of the biggest things. Like, who's going to fight for me? I don't know anybody who can pray in a way that will move heaven and hell.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 4:Right, and so that's where they would come in. I just thought of you because I know you can pray and I know that you have a connection and I've seen you just show up every day, no matter what. You know even I used to be a big like have the perfect background and have your makeup done perfect, and you know your hair and all these things. All of that just went to nothing because literally I'm dazed no makeup, my hair's all over the place in my PJs, but the word had to go out and that was my main priority and they saw that, and so there was also kind of like this dismantling that idea or perception that you know somebody who walks in faith has to be like. So you know in their suit and you know with their Bible in their hand.
Speaker 4:No, we're all living this difficult life and we're all going through the same things and we all look the same in the morning and we're just pushing to the next thing, from glory to glory if we choose to the next thing, from glory to glory if we choose to. And so it's just giving people that open invitation to participate in what God has for them, for them walking out their purpose, and their purpose isn't one single thing. It's a moment by moment, season by season thing and the purpose isn't usually. I've learned that my purpose is not even about me. My purpose is Lord. Where do I fill the gap in the kingdom? That's my purpose. So working retail? Definitely not my idea.
Speaker 4:I would never want to do it on my own ever Yet this is the gap right now in the kingdom that needs to be met, and he chose me to do it, so I'll do it. Wow, it's very, very hard, very hard, but there I am because he says oh man, I, okay, I have.
Speaker 2:Oh man, okay, I have a final question for you. And then I feel like, because there is so much favor the Lord's given you with what you steward, I would like for you to pray afterwards and then we'll end. But my question for you is what kind of wisdom or advice would you share if someone is listening to you and saying, gosh, I want to be a steward like that. I want to be, I want to. I want God to trust me with something like he's trusted Monica with.
Speaker 1:Asking for a friend.
Speaker 2:Asking for a friend.
Speaker 4:That's a good question.
Speaker 2:I might or might not write down the answer in the journal later.
Speaker 4:That's actually a really good question, because there was a good portion of time at the beginning of this journey with the store where I didn't feel I was trustworthy and I was like why am I here? Like I'm not worthy to open these doors? I don't't even remember the Bible, like all of the you know, like my whole I'm like everybody walking in here that has anything to do with church knows more than I do. You know I've been in this like catch up process right over the last few years, but it's nothing.
Speaker 1:Wait, did you not get your memory no Back.
Speaker 4:No, that is hilarious.
Speaker 2:No.
Speaker 1:He's like we're doing a new thing Exactly.
Speaker 4:And it was like I'm like Lord, I can't even memorize passages, what is happening here? And he only gave me one that I've been able to memorize, and it's 2 Timothy 1.7. I have not given you a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind. And he said, monica, first of all, if you could just believe that and then walk it out you wouldn't need another scripture for the rest of your life.
Speaker 4:And so the trust part, honestly, I believe, comes through obedience. If he knows that he can trust you with the smallest little thing, then you better believe. Put your seatbelt on for the next bigger and the next bigger and the next bigger. If he can trust me to swallow my pride and go ask someone for forgiveness, then he knows he can trust me to help bring others to forgiveness. Yeah.
Speaker 4:Right. So some of the harder things that our flesh wrestles with, when we're able to spend time abiding in him so that our spirit can overpower and take dominion over our thoughts and our actions and our words, to me that's been the game changer. Prayer, word, fasting, walk, obedience those I think are the four things that I would, um, say are kind of like the staples, the foundation that I stand on, and, uh, and it does move mountains, it does make a difference. And, um, I remember months ago, three people came into the store, at different times and very different kinds of people, and they said to me the Lord says it's time for you to start asking. And I was like, excuse me, and the guy said the Lord says that any door you open, he will meet you there and he wants you to start asking. And I looked at him and I said I am very uncomfortable with that.
Speaker 4:That's not the relationship I have with the Lord. He will usually give me something I obey, whatever he has comes to pass, and we go on to the next step. But I've never been the person like oh Lord, you know, please, I just hear I'm just like you know I'm, I'm about your business, lord, that's it and for him to say then. And then another lady came in and told me the same thing. And another lady came in and told me the same thing. I'm like okay, three times in a day. This is okay. It me the same thing. I'm like okay, three times in a day.
Speaker 2:this is okay, it was the same day, same day.
Speaker 4:And so I'm like okay, lord. I'm hearing you. It took me two months to make my first ask, and it was this Lord. I want my family line to be known as followers of Jesus Christ no matter what that was my first ask Wow. And so, to be trusted, it takes action. There's no way around it. There's, you know, I could give you. There's that story where you know I could give you a million books on how to swim, but until you get in the pool you're not going to figure out how to do it.
Speaker 4:And so it's the same with faith Until you go into the field. He won't know that he can trust you with the plow and the hoe and all of the things to plant the seeds and to reap the harvest.
Speaker 2:Yeah, man, yeah, I love your story because you're 44, right.
Speaker 4:I'm 52.
Speaker 2:52? I thought you said you were 44 on your bio. Oh man Okay.
Speaker 2:You're 52. Yeah, bio, oh man, okay, you're 52 and here you are, coming out of a very fresh new thing. The lord is challenging you on and I I love that about god, that we never do arrive, that he's continuing to iron us and sharpen us. Like it's so good, it's so encouraging to hear people who have been through enough life to have wisdom on their own right. You have eight kids, you've been married twice, you are an entrepreneur, you own a business, but to know that the Lord is still taking you through these places and you're like okay, I have nothing, I don't know how to do this.
Speaker 1:Okay, here, here's, here I am yeah yeah, isn't that encouraging though, that like there's no, like there's always room to grow and improve.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it's like yeah you know what I'm saying. So I think there's always.
Speaker 4:There's always a new challenge, there's always a new adventure with the lord I love that because, uh, I remember I was at a bible study the other day and they were going over the verses around love, Love is, you know all the things. And so we got into little groups and people were talking about their takes on that and they're like, wow, it just seems like you have to strive for these big things. And I'm looking at it and I'm not that and this and that. And the Lord told me when it was my turn to speak. He said well, isn't?
Speaker 4:I said I'm so excited that God, that that description of love is how he sees me and how he created me to be. And there is that open invitation for me to step into all of the facets of love. And so it's not a not what I'm not, it's what I can be and I am If I just see myself in the way that he sees me. And so I think our faith walk is all part of that. It's about reframing our questions. Like Lord, who are you in this moment of turmoil and chaos? Who are you for me, and how do you want me to see this through your eyes and your lens? And then I can never fail and I'm always in victory, because my heart is set on him.
Speaker 2:Monica, thank you for sharing all of this. My pleasure. Will you pray? Yes. I would like for you to pray over the listeners.
Speaker 4:Sure yes, all right, anything in particular, or just go for it.
Speaker 2:No, you go for it.
Speaker 4:Okay, okay, father, god, we just know that you are just so faithful. After this testimony, we know that the enemy is scared, because there's nothing more powerful than to hear what you have done, to hear that your word does not return void, to hear that you are for us and not against us, and that you will indeed provide and meet us at our point of need, at every intersection, at every stop and every step of the journey. Lord, I pray for the narrow, the narrow path. We've been so distracted by the wide roads, lord, and the distractions of the world, and how those desires of the flesh can just lead us to places where you don't want us, even when they seem good. And so, father, I just pray that you would give us the discernment to know when an idea is yours and when it's not, to know what does narrow look like in our lives, to know that there are some things that need to be left behind so that we can walk into the narrow, so that we can be set free. You created us to be free, and so, right now, in the mighty name of Jesus, I just come against every bondage, every faulty belief, every lie that has taken root in your children, lord. Right now, we just cancel it.
Speaker 4:In the mighty name of Jesus, we say that your truth will reign in their minds, in their hearts, in their soul. We call their spirit to arise and take dominion over every lie. You have called us to love. You have called us to live a life in abundance in you. I speak to every dry area. You have called us to live in overflow. You are our living water. You are our living water. I speak to conformity. People are just. It's easy to just be where we are, and you're calling us to move to the next step, lord, to huddle together as believers, as followers of your son, jesus Christ, and to bring into the world not only hope and love and all of the wonderful things that you have. But you've called us to take territory, lord, and so I just call forth your children to rise up and take territory, and that territory could be territory in the air, where our words and our prayers are smashing down the barriers that the enemy has built around minds and hearts, and it's also in the land, so that wherever they step, lord, you would be present.
Speaker 4:I call forth your children to stand in righteousness, to seek and pursue holiness, whatever it takes to know that walking with you is such a gift, is such a gift, and I just pray for those who you've been kind of giving a nudge to do something and they've been hesitant because they haven't felt like they're worthy of it or know enough. Father, I just give them a spiritual nudge that they would, just in obedience to you, Lord, and to what you're calling them to do, because nobody can do it but them. Nobody can do the thing that you're calling them to do, lord, and to what you're calling them to do, because nobody can do it but them. Nobody can do the thing that you're calling them to do, lord, but them, and it's always for their blessing and benefit and the ones that they're called to touch through it. We don't want to miss out, lord, on one more thing, not one more day, not one more second.
Speaker 4:Help us, lord, to surrender our hearts to you, to surrender the things that we thought brought us pleasure and to leave them so that we can know an eternal pleasure with you. Help us, lord, to understand our identity. Help us to stand in a posture of rest in you. We, lord, are the calm in the chaos that is now and that is coming.
Speaker 4:Help us, Lord, to understand what it looks like to abide in you, so that we can stand powerfully against the enemy when he comes and tells us a lie that our lives are a mess, that we are a mess, that our families are falling apart, that we don't have the finances, that our health is doom and gloom. Father, we can stand in you and we stand strong and we stand firm and we stand in power and authority. And so, right now, I just pray and I speak that power and authority for each one of your children to take it, to take it, to walk with it and to execute as you have called them to do. We love you, lord. We love you, and we thank you for just showing us that the basics are important, that consistency is important. You pursue us daily. Have our hearts be willing to pursue you as well. In Jesus' mighty name, amen.
Speaker 2:Thank you, Monica.
Speaker 1:You are very welcome. Thank you, Monica. You are very welcome. Thank you for having me. We'll see you at your store yes, anytime, store is Mon's.
Speaker 4:Mon Christian Gifts. Mon Christian Gifts, second floor, crabtree Valley Mall.
Speaker 1:Next Starbucks yes, all right. Starbucks, yes, alright, thanks you, thank you.
