1 00:00:08,257 --> 00:00:09,457 Speaker 1: Life audio. 2 00:00:11,137 --> 00:00:14,537 Speaker 2: Find inspiration as close as your phone. Download the Jesus 3 00:00:14,576 --> 00:00:16,697 Speaker 2: Calling app and get started today for free. 4 00:00:17,097 --> 00:00:19,337 Speaker 3: Look for the Jesus Calling app in both the Apple 5 00:00:19,497 --> 00:00:31,697 Speaker 3: and Google Play stores. Hi, Welcome to Jesus Listen Stories 6 00:00:31,737 --> 00:00:35,497 Speaker 3: of Prayer. I'm Susie McIntyre Eaton Today, I'm going to 7 00:00:35,617 --> 00:00:39,376 Speaker 3: talk to Heather Thompson Day, who is a best selling 8 00:00:39,457 --> 00:00:44,497 Speaker 3: writer and speaker. She's an awesome writer and a beautiful woman, 9 00:00:45,097 --> 00:00:49,496 Speaker 3: a child of God, a wife and mom. Very busy, 10 00:00:49,777 --> 00:00:52,656 Speaker 3: so sit back and relax. Let's go and listen to 11 00:00:52,777 --> 00:00:58,457 Speaker 3: Heather Day Thompson and her story. Heather, I am. I'm 12 00:00:58,537 --> 00:01:01,297 Speaker 3: so glad I get to talk to you again, actually 13 00:01:01,577 --> 00:01:06,937 Speaker 3: because I've started reading your book. But I totally recommend 14 00:01:06,977 --> 00:01:11,737 Speaker 3: this book because it just talks about where we all 15 00:01:11,817 --> 00:01:15,257 Speaker 3: are today and where we go through, what we go 16 00:01:15,337 --> 00:01:19,857 Speaker 3: through each day. And we think that first of all, 17 00:01:20,217 --> 00:01:25,097 Speaker 3: we're not going to go through any hard times, and 18 00:01:25,217 --> 00:01:29,777 Speaker 3: yet if we don't expect life to be hard, we're 19 00:01:29,817 --> 00:01:33,537 Speaker 3: going to have a hard time. We should expect hard 20 00:01:33,617 --> 00:01:38,217 Speaker 3: times and very much enjoy the easy or good times. 21 00:01:38,417 --> 00:01:43,177 Speaker 2: Yes, and I still have to remind myself. Literally, I 22 00:01:43,217 --> 00:01:45,697 Speaker 2: just at an event last weekend I had to say, 23 00:01:45,977 --> 00:01:50,497 Speaker 2: His strength is made perfect in my weakness. This actually 24 00:01:50,657 --> 00:01:53,457 Speaker 2: allows God to bless me in a way with his 25 00:01:53,577 --> 00:01:58,337 Speaker 2: strength rather than my own, which should be even greater 26 00:01:58,457 --> 00:02:00,577 Speaker 2: than anything I could accomplish in my own strength. So 27 00:02:00,617 --> 00:02:04,377 Speaker 2: why am I resisting circumstances or situations in which I'm 28 00:02:04,377 --> 00:02:04,937 Speaker 2: not enough? 29 00:02:05,777 --> 00:02:06,017 Speaker 3: Right? 30 00:02:06,337 --> 00:02:09,337 Speaker 2: Those actually allow me to step into a God who 31 00:02:09,417 --> 00:02:12,297 Speaker 2: can fill those gaps. And so I'm still mentally having 32 00:02:12,377 --> 00:02:13,776 Speaker 2: these conversations with myself. 33 00:02:14,377 --> 00:02:18,857 Speaker 3: Learning to work in your passion and know that there's 34 00:02:18,937 --> 00:02:22,537 Speaker 3: going to be pain in that passion. As you say 35 00:02:22,737 --> 00:02:28,417 Speaker 3: in your book, Explain that to me. How does that work? 36 00:02:28,937 --> 00:02:31,937 Speaker 2: Yeah? So the word passion, And again this is I'm 37 00:02:31,937 --> 00:02:34,857 Speaker 2: a communication person, so I always say, define the term 38 00:02:35,457 --> 00:02:38,217 Speaker 2: what I think a lot of times we say words, 39 00:02:38,817 --> 00:02:41,857 Speaker 2: and we rarely stop to ask what does that word 40 00:02:41,977 --> 00:02:46,057 Speaker 2: even mean? Right? And so we will say, or at 41 00:02:46,137 --> 00:02:49,497 Speaker 2: least I have said, I'm doing this because I'm passionate 42 00:02:49,537 --> 00:02:53,977 Speaker 2: about it. But then the second the pain starts, or 43 00:02:54,017 --> 00:02:57,257 Speaker 2: the suffering starts, or the discomfort starts, or there's no 44 00:02:57,417 --> 00:03:00,937 Speaker 2: resources or accolades or open doors, I say, was I wrong? 45 00:03:01,337 --> 00:03:01,657 Speaker 3: God? 46 00:03:02,137 --> 00:03:03,657 Speaker 2: Was I not supposed to be doing this? Was I 47 00:03:03,697 --> 00:03:07,537 Speaker 2: not supposed to be here. The word passion means to suffer. 48 00:03:08,657 --> 00:03:11,777 Speaker 2: So passion is not what we do because of affirmation, 49 00:03:11,897 --> 00:03:14,617 Speaker 2: accolades and open doors. Passion is what we can't stop 50 00:03:14,697 --> 00:03:17,737 Speaker 2: doing despite not having any of those things. And so 51 00:03:17,897 --> 00:03:23,897 Speaker 2: for me, once that language was made correct in my 52 00:03:23,977 --> 00:03:27,177 Speaker 2: own mind, I was able to say, oh, like, this 53 00:03:27,257 --> 00:03:31,497 Speaker 2: doesn't mean I'm wrong because things are difficult. This is 54 00:03:31,657 --> 00:03:33,457 Speaker 2: just what it This is actually the. 55 00:03:33,457 --> 00:03:36,857 Speaker 3: Work, all right. You learned this a lot from your dad, 56 00:03:36,897 --> 00:03:37,297 Speaker 3: didn't you. 57 00:03:37,857 --> 00:03:40,577 Speaker 2: Yeah, so my dad was in Broadway and that's all 58 00:03:40,617 --> 00:03:45,377 Speaker 2: he wanted to do. But my dad is because of 59 00:03:45,537 --> 00:03:47,697 Speaker 2: and it maybe is like the show business background in 60 00:03:47,777 --> 00:03:49,897 Speaker 2: him that he then took with him into ministry, that 61 00:03:50,057 --> 00:03:54,217 Speaker 2: sense that rejection is just part of the deal. It 62 00:03:54,257 --> 00:03:57,577 Speaker 2: doesn't mean that anything's wrong. It's just sometimes you sink 63 00:03:57,577 --> 00:04:00,537 Speaker 2: and sometimes you swim. That's just part of being in 64 00:04:00,577 --> 00:04:04,497 Speaker 2: the water, right, And so I watched him live that way. 65 00:04:04,897 --> 00:04:07,897 Speaker 2: But then when I, I, you know, found myself sinking 66 00:04:08,497 --> 00:04:11,617 Speaker 2: or as I say in the book, drowning, I definitely 67 00:04:11,617 --> 00:04:15,297 Speaker 2: started to question, oh, my goodness, was am I supposed 68 00:04:15,337 --> 00:04:15,777 Speaker 2: to be here? 69 00:04:16,257 --> 00:04:19,736 Speaker 3: You were in swimming lessons, and because you say navigating 70 00:04:19,777 --> 00:04:23,416 Speaker 3: the waves of fear and failure. You were in swimming lessons, 71 00:04:23,457 --> 00:04:27,616 Speaker 3: you failed when you teared up and you got in 72 00:04:27,616 --> 00:04:30,416 Speaker 3: that front seat. What did he say to you? Just 73 00:04:30,537 --> 00:04:35,376 Speaker 3: keep swimming, keep swimming, keep he new he knew what 74 00:04:35,496 --> 00:04:37,817 Speaker 3: a great mentor he was for you. 75 00:04:38,337 --> 00:04:41,296 Speaker 2: Yeah, but I would also say God wants you to 76 00:04:41,376 --> 00:04:46,137 Speaker 2: know who you are too, and I did not. I 77 00:04:46,176 --> 00:04:49,296 Speaker 2: did not know who I was if my circumstances weren't 78 00:04:49,337 --> 00:04:53,416 Speaker 2: there to confirm it. I knew who I was when 79 00:04:53,697 --> 00:04:56,856 Speaker 2: there was When you know books are selling, yes, but 80 00:04:57,017 --> 00:05:00,577 Speaker 2: am I still a writer? If books aren't selling? Who 81 00:05:00,616 --> 00:05:04,296 Speaker 2: am I now? If there's not the people there clapping 82 00:05:04,376 --> 00:05:07,256 Speaker 2: to receive me. That was what I went on a 83 00:05:07,337 --> 00:05:12,616 Speaker 2: journey to figure out. What I came to in that 84 00:05:13,017 --> 00:05:20,296 Speaker 2: season of my life was our stories are not the circumstances. 85 00:05:20,816 --> 00:05:23,657 Speaker 2: But I have since come to believe that we are 86 00:05:23,736 --> 00:05:28,577 Speaker 2: the story how we respond. Heaven is watching us respond 87 00:05:29,217 --> 00:05:35,616 Speaker 2: to various challenging, difficult, heartbreaking circumstances and somehow remain faithful. 88 00:05:35,897 --> 00:05:39,056 Speaker 2: It wasn't until things were stripped away that I was 89 00:05:39,097 --> 00:05:40,736 Speaker 2: able to see most clearly. 90 00:05:41,296 --> 00:05:43,537 Speaker 3: Your Daddy used to just go down to the basement. 91 00:05:43,616 --> 00:05:48,016 Speaker 3: You talked about how you watched his feet go past 92 00:05:48,457 --> 00:05:53,537 Speaker 3: and go to the basement and pray. And you said 93 00:05:54,097 --> 00:05:57,176 Speaker 3: hope had been slowly killing him. Can you tell me 94 00:05:57,217 --> 00:05:58,496 Speaker 3: what that means to you. 95 00:05:59,056 --> 00:06:04,736 Speaker 2: I think when we really believe, sometimes it can become painful. 96 00:06:05,697 --> 00:06:07,257 Speaker 3: To carry what. 97 00:06:07,337 --> 00:06:11,217 Speaker 2: I know in my spirit or in my soul with 98 00:06:11,337 --> 00:06:16,777 Speaker 2: the reality of what I'm seeing, and that gap can 99 00:06:16,816 --> 00:06:21,016 Speaker 2: become a really dark and painful place. But I think 100 00:06:21,056 --> 00:06:24,616 Speaker 2: what helps us is to know other people who have 101 00:06:24,657 --> 00:06:30,416 Speaker 2: stood in that same gap m and hear their story. Yes, 102 00:06:30,416 --> 00:06:32,497 Speaker 2: and no, I'm not the only person. 103 00:06:32,816 --> 00:06:37,777 Speaker 3: You talked about being numb. It's a lack of emotions. 104 00:06:39,017 --> 00:06:41,176 Speaker 3: I don't know about you, but I see people walking 105 00:06:41,176 --> 00:06:42,736 Speaker 3: around numb. They're empty. 106 00:06:42,897 --> 00:06:48,457 Speaker 2: Yes, being numb feels better than feeling pain and so 107 00:06:48,657 --> 00:06:51,136 Speaker 2: and here's and this isn't me, this is Brene Brown. 108 00:06:51,257 --> 00:06:55,777 Speaker 2: She says, we can't selectively numb the human brain. You 109 00:06:55,856 --> 00:06:59,017 Speaker 2: can't just numb the bad stuff. You can't just say, 110 00:06:59,296 --> 00:07:04,296 Speaker 2: here's the affair, or here's the addiction, or here's the abuse. 111 00:07:05,376 --> 00:07:09,617 Speaker 2: I want to numb this part. All that happens in 112 00:07:09,657 --> 00:07:12,737 Speaker 2: your brain is the emotional control process around Your brain 113 00:07:12,816 --> 00:07:16,417 Speaker 2: just goes numb. It just shuts down. So Brene Brown says, 114 00:07:16,497 --> 00:07:22,896 Speaker 2: to numb pain is to numb joy. To numb criticism 115 00:07:23,457 --> 00:07:27,136 Speaker 2: is to numb compliments. We just don't feel anything, and 116 00:07:27,137 --> 00:07:28,777 Speaker 2: then we go through life and we're like, I don't 117 00:07:28,816 --> 00:07:33,777 Speaker 2: I just it's fine, Everything's just okay, you know. But 118 00:07:34,337 --> 00:07:37,617 Speaker 2: I would invite people. I think this is life like 119 00:07:37,697 --> 00:07:42,456 Speaker 2: to live and to fail and to win and to 120 00:07:42,577 --> 00:07:47,297 Speaker 2: fail ten more times. That's life to just I think God, 121 00:07:47,857 --> 00:07:53,257 Speaker 2: I just believe he delights in our attempts, even if 122 00:07:53,257 --> 00:07:57,016 Speaker 2: they end in failure. God is delighting in us trying 123 00:07:57,057 --> 00:07:59,136 Speaker 2: to just fully engage and live our lives. And I 124 00:07:59,177 --> 00:08:02,777 Speaker 2: think that actually is success, to just be fully engaged. 125 00:08:03,457 --> 00:08:06,137 Speaker 2: I lived a lot of my life feeling like God 126 00:08:06,137 --> 00:08:08,497 Speaker 2: had given me one talent, and I see people with 127 00:08:08,577 --> 00:08:10,977 Speaker 2: ten and with five, and I'm like, well, then I'm 128 00:08:10,977 --> 00:08:12,857 Speaker 2: not going to Maybe when you give me more, I'll 129 00:08:12,897 --> 00:08:14,697 Speaker 2: do something. And He's like, so you're just going to 130 00:08:14,777 --> 00:08:20,417 Speaker 2: bury it. Go do something with what God has given you. 131 00:08:20,417 --> 00:08:24,217 Speaker 2: You try right, and in doing so, you are engaged 132 00:08:24,377 --> 00:08:27,097 Speaker 2: in Kingdom work. You're engaged in your own life. And 133 00:08:27,177 --> 00:08:29,697 Speaker 2: I think he applauds that we. 134 00:08:29,737 --> 00:08:36,297 Speaker 3: Always close our program with a Jesus listens and it's 135 00:08:36,377 --> 00:08:39,417 Speaker 3: January third. It's a prayer, So if you would pray 136 00:08:39,457 --> 00:08:44,057 Speaker 3: with me, I would really, really really appreciate it. Compassionate Lord, 137 00:08:44,697 --> 00:08:47,177 Speaker 3: you tell me in your word, I have loved you 138 00:08:47,217 --> 00:08:52,457 Speaker 3: with an everlasting love. I have drawn you with loving kindness. 139 00:08:53,217 --> 00:08:55,977 Speaker 3: This means that you knew me and loved me before 140 00:08:56,017 --> 00:08:59,617 Speaker 3: time began. Yet for years I swim around in a 141 00:08:59,657 --> 00:09:05,337 Speaker 3: sea of meaning lessness, learning and searching for love, hoping 142 00:09:05,377 --> 00:09:09,337 Speaker 3: for hope. All that time, you were pursuing me, ready 143 00:09:09,377 --> 00:09:14,297 Speaker 3: to embrace me in your compassionate arms. You infused meaning 144 00:09:14,337 --> 00:09:17,737 Speaker 3: into my mind and harmony into my heart. I want 145 00:09:17,777 --> 00:09:21,377 Speaker 3: to join you in singing your song. Please use my 146 00:09:21,537 --> 00:09:25,057 Speaker 3: voice in whatever way you will as you call people 147 00:09:25,097 --> 00:09:29,337 Speaker 3: out of darkness into your marvelous light in your brilliant 148 00:09:29,417 --> 00:09:34,217 Speaker 3: name Jesus. Amen, We're so glad you joined us today 149 00:09:34,497 --> 00:09:37,977 Speaker 3: for Jesus listening stories of prayer in our conversation with 150 00:09:38,097 --> 00:09:42,497 Speaker 3: Heather Thompson day, what a wonderful story. We'll be back 151 00:09:42,537 --> 00:09:47,817 Speaker 3: next time with another episode and at another time. But 152 00:09:48,057 --> 00:09:53,937 Speaker 3: until then, remember Jesus hears you, he loves you, and 153 00:09:53,977 --> 00:09:57,577 Speaker 3: He's for you all the way. God bless you. I'm 154 00:09:57,617 --> 00:10:00,777 Speaker 3: Susie McIntyre eaton and we'll see you next time. 155 00:10:08,297 --> 00:10:11,137 Speaker 1: Be sure to follow us on social media and on 156 00:10:11,217 --> 00:10:14,137 Speaker 1: the Jesus Calling Podcast on Apple or wherever you get 157 00:10:14,177 --> 00:10:16,697 Speaker 1: your podcasts so that you can keep up with our 158 00:10:16,697 --> 00:10:20,017 Speaker 1: weekly audio episodes in special monthly series like this one. 159 00:10:20,497 --> 00:10:23,017 Speaker 1: And be sure to subscribe to the Jesus Calling channel 160 00:10:23,097 --> 00:10:26,617 Speaker 1: on YouTube, where you'll find the video version of this interview. 161 00:10:26,977 --> 00:10:27,817 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening.