Why Building Streams Of Income Is Spiritual | The Glory Hour

Can you really define what a CEO is? >> Yes, absolutely. A CEO is for that woman who [music] has doubted her voice, who has felt like, you know, she has so much inside of her, but [music] she doesn't doesn't know how to get it out there. So, a CEO is that woman who has found alignment with God. In all of that struggle, she has rose above it. And she has found alignment and rhythm with heaven and with God. And she understands that she can nurture her family and she can be successful. She can have passion in her marriage [music] and she can still be strong. Hey, Glory family. I want you to sit and ponder on this phrase just for a moment. Lead boldly, love deeply, and leave a legacy. That's the heart behind the CEO movement created and founded by Karen Shhatline. Karen is an international evangelist, author, public speaker, entrepreneur, wife, mother, and Gigi grandmother who is on a mission to encourage, empower, and equip women to lead from all walks of life. Karen, it is an absolute joy to have you on the Glory Hour today. >> It is my honor to be here. I've been so looking forward to spending this time with you and just getting to share and awaken and empower women. So, thank you for having me on. >> Oh, you're so welcome. And I've been looking forward to this time, too, because you have written and created a incredible devotional, the CEO Movement about becoming a CEO. We're going to dive into all of that. And before I we dive into it, I know a lot of people from the Cornerstone Television Network family are familiar with you because you're a big part of our family. You and your husband Pat and all the work that you do for the kingdom of God. So, it is an honor to see you again. >> Thank you so much. And you know, we have been traveling like crazy. So, when I got the invitation, I was just like, "Okay, I've got to clear my schedules because I want to be able to be on this show and just uh just spend time with you." So, thank you again. >> A that really means a lot, Carrot. So, thank you for making space and room in your schedule just to be with us here on the Glory Hour. It truly truly means a lot. And so without further ado, want to like get into this because I know you have so much that is inside of you. So much that God has done in your life and the way that he's led you and he's guided you in all facets and arenas of every sphere of like what you've been called to do. So can you just share a little bit about how God birthed this in your spirit and put the CEO movement into your heart? >> Absolutely. Well, it really did start several years ago. uh my husband and I were a part of a business that we you know made it to the top of the company you know were on the leadership team and all throughout our uh teams that we had a part with us I noticed there was a lot of women who were struggling to find a place a seat at the table they were struggling to find you know step into their calling they felt insignificant they felt like their voice didn't matter they felt like they weren't educated enough or they were a little too much or [laughter] you know so they were just looking for answers and looking for a community of women that wouldn't compete with them but would actually link arms with them to help them rise higher. So I actually it was about five years ago I just started a community within our business for those women and I realized something really important. It's hard for women to find real relationships and it's hard for them to find relationships with women who uh women are just so competitive and so people don't realize that but they're so competitive and they feel like they can't rise without pushing someone else down and so or missing their moment. So I just started training and mentoring women on how we can win together. And so and out of that just over the years about a year year and a half ago I just started writing devotions and sharing those with women. And out of it one morning I just woke up and I the Holy Spirit just spoke to me and said, "Karen, this is a book and this is a book that needs to be in the hand of every single woman." And that's just kind of how I walked into the kitchen and I looked at my husband and probably getting ready for another trip and I just said, "I just need to tell you something." I said, "I've just finished a book." [laughter] And he was like, "What? I didn't even know you were writing a book." And I said, "Well, it just kind of accidentally happened, but I'm ready to get it out there to the world." >> Well, it's so beautiful. Thank you for your obedience because I was able to go through it in the devotional of becoming a CEO and it just dropped so much illumination light wisdom of certain the tension that I've been you know experiencing in my own life you know as a lot of women there's a lot of different roles a lot of different hats that we wear and something that you said Karen that is so so true the competition that we experience with women that is so sad so I was just really grateful to read and to dive in and just what it did in my spirit and my heart and so can you really define what a CEO is. >> Yes, absolutely. A CEO is for that woman who has doubted her voice, who has felt like, you know, she has so much inside of her, but she doesn't doesn't know how to get it out there. So, a CEO is that woman who has found alignment with God. In all of that struggle, she has rose above it and she has found alignment and rhythm with heaven and with God. And she understands that she can nurture her family and she can be successful. She can have passion in her marriage and she can still be strong and she can be fully present and also have peace and purpose in her life. And that's it's not something that just happens. It's not something that you arrive at because it's a constant uh intentional life that you have to live. And that's where a lot of women I think uh they miss what being a CEO is is because they have this concept that it's either I've arrived or I don't know what I'm doing. And it's a constant every single morning walking with intention, not perfection. Uh I found that my pursuit of perfection in my life left me empty, longing, disappointed and all of those things. But when I realized that God never demanded perfection, only pursuit of him. And so when we are living our life in constant pursuit of him, intentionally becoming, growing every single day, don't stop being a a learner. Don't stop being someone who is chasing after becoming more, you know, but not in competition with someone else. So, the only person I'm in competition with is the woman I see in the mirror every single morning because I want to be at least 1% better than I was yesterday. And so, and I'm not competing with every anyone. I'm wanting to train my daughter to understand that God has placed more than one gift inside of her, more than one talent, more than one ability. She has the ability to literally find her identity in Christ and leave a legacy that will outlive her for generations. >> Oh, I love this so much, Karen. It's so so good. And that quote from your book, it says, "Let go of the pressure to perform and lean into the divine truth of who you are." are. I just love that point of leaning into the divine truth of who Christ is and that's where we find our identity. That's where we find our soulless. That's where we find our peace. And you know, Karen, as you're just sharing this, can you just take us a little bit into your story of how you arrived at this point and just realized like this is who God is calling me to be? >> Absolutely. Uh all grow the time I was growing up, I felt called into business. Um, but I loved God with all my heart and I knew at some point I was also called into ministry. And so I pursued business and then when I met my husband, he was of course in full-time ministry and we got married and went into full-time ministry. But there's so many preconceived ideas out there. um whether it's told to you, whether you're taught that or whether you just think it, you know, toxic mindsets of your own. There's this preconceived idea that if you are in business, then you're not in ministry. And if you're in ministry, you don't pursue business. That they don't go hand inand. But my husband and I actually do teachings on how we are called to be both priest and king. that we are called to uh lead our family to the altar for encounters with God, but we're also called to leave an inheritance, a legacy that outlives us. So, when we got married, I put all the business on hold. I just kind of gave that side of myself up because I thought that's what God wanted from me. And then as I grew and as we were in ministry, I travel, I speak alongside my husband, we've pastored churches, we've youth pastored, we're evangelists, full-time evangelists and authors. But there was always that longing, something I knew God had placed inside of me. And you know, my husband and I about I think it was probably 11 years ago awakened to we had an encounter on the beach where God spoke to my husband about being both priest and king. and we uh went into business and exploded that business and uh several businesses since, all while still serving God, never letting our foot off the gas in ministry. And it awakened something inside of me that I felt like was missing all of those years. It was like a missing puzzle piece that I gave up. Like, you know, you put a puzzle together and there's always that one piece you can't find and it's like under the table or something, you know? And I thought that's how I always felt like there was this little piece that was missing inside of me that and when we stepped into min or business it was like the puzzle was complete and it just exploded. And then I found that not only am I called to minister the gospel and the love of God but I'm also called to awaken women to becoming more which is a ministry in itself. And so that's when I just started mentoring women and you know helping them walk through that and getting rid of those toxic mindsets. And you know in a world right now where there's all this uh you know discrepancy over women whether women should be doing this or women should be doing that. I say you do whatever God calls you to do. And if he's called you to do it, he's equipped you for it. And there will be a u an avenue for you to get there. I love that so so much because I think you know Karen there's this like uh tension um just even when you were like sharing about your story with you and your husband of like you yes you're in full-time ministry you're evangelist you're speaking you're writing books but there was this place of marketplace of business that was deep inside your heart and I loved how you said it was like the missing puzzle p piece and you felt so complete and I think I have conversations with my girlfriends it's the same thing of you know feeling sometimes I don't I don't know it's like the Christian culture kind of puts us in this place of like I have to do one or the other, but there's room for it all. There's room for I don't say even both, but like whatever God is calling you to. And I just love how you know your example, your life is an example of that of just living for God and just going where he's calling you to go and stepping out into the deep. And I love you guys had an encounter on the beach. [laughter] >> Yes. >> Well, and that's just it. We were actually on the beach and uh God just began speaking to my husband first number one about taking his health back and then and we both did at that point. We both got healthy. Uh he lost 72 pounds. I lost close to 30 pounds and started realizing that our bodies are a temple. And if God has called us to run a race, then he's called us to run it strong. And so I think, you know, that's one thing in the body of Christ that I think we miss a lot of times is that, you know, we take care of everybody else, but we don't really take care of ourselves and, you know, we put ourselves last. So, we took back our health and then God showed him that he didn't call us to die for the church because he already died for the church. And so, we could we don't have to live in a constant state of scarcity and lack all the time. we can go out and create streams of income. And you know, I remember one time we were traveling, we were flying and we were so exhausted. We had been backtoback events. This was before we did uh business and we were so exhausted and we were on the plane just sitting there and my husband leaned over to me and he said God spoke to him and said, you know, we constantly, you know, pray in ministry for a benefactor for our ministry. someone ought to come along, you know, and just, you know, sew into this ministry. And he was praying, God, send us a benefactor so we won't have to work, you know, so hard. And God literally spoke to him and said, I'm trying to make you the benefactor. I'm trying to make you the one that is going to fuel this mission that I've given you. And in that moment, you know, God brought businesses, you know, to us and, you know, we've started several businesses and come to find out, you know, we realized that if all you do is ministry and you never get out there among the people, among, you know, business, among, you know, the people that are out there, ministry can make you weird, you know? I mean, it can just make you where your own little bubble where you can't even relate to people. all you talk is Christianes talk and all you do is you know all of these different things when God has called us to minister to everyone we come in contact with whether you're on a plane whether you're at the grocery store whether you're at the gym working out you are a mobile upper room and we put ourselves in this little box and we say well we're ministers so that just means we are tied to just the four walls of the church and that's just not the case we are called to go out into the world, but we're also called to raise up and leave a legacy for the next generation, an inheritance for the next generation. And so, and to, you know, to go out there and minister to those that are creating jobs, who are, you know, doing all of these different things. So, I think for so long I had such a distorted view of what real ministry was and I feel like God's awakened us to the fact that we're called for so much more than what we have settled for. >> Karen, I'm over here going like, "Amen. Hallelujah. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes." because this is literally what I've been I guess I've been feeling and you know I talked in my quiet time to God and just also to my friends as well is that very thing like I love how you were just very transparent and real that you know sometimes it's like yes ministry is a very it's a beautiful thing but if you're honest say you're stuck inside that bubble for so long you become weird you speak Christian ease and you don't even relate to the people like you we're supposed to be out in the world you know what I mean to being salt and light and we just turn people off because we're just so out of touch of what's happening and what's going on. And I just love what you're you're saying and it just is beckoning us to like, you know, go to God and to like seek him um and to see where he's calling us and lead us to go. There's two like quotes that you had that were like nuggets um that I really feel this is like your life is embodies this and this is where it comes from is you said you don't wait for doors you build your own was such a good point and also I love you say that true capacity doesn't come from how much you do it comes from how closely you walk with God >> right right and that statement about you don't wait for doors you build them it came from because I felt bike for so many years. I didn't fit at any table. I just there was not a table that I felt like I fit at. I didn't fit at the just the mom table. I didn't fit at just minister table. I didn't fit at, you know, the business table. And there was so much competition in all those realms. And you know, I just I came to the point where I said, if I can't find a table to sit at, then I'm just going to pick up a hammer and some wood and I'm going to build my own going to build my own table. And I'm just going to invite every woman I know to come sit at that table with me to let them know there's a place here. There's an invitation for you here. You don't have to fit into a certain box to fit at this table. We're welcoming your giftings. We're welcoming your your talents. for welcoming, you know, that, you know, place in you for you to come so that we can glean all we can from each other but duplicate no one because we are called to be who God called us to be. But there's things that I can learn from you. There's things I can learn from the woman at Walmart. There's things I can learn from the pediatrician. There's things I can learn from all these women who are in all these different walks of life. I don't want to become her, but I want to learn from her life. and I want to learn the things that she's walked through and the things that she's overcome. And then I want to share the things I've walked through and the things I've overcome so people can learn from me. And so, you know, that's what the true Titus to, you know, uh, command is for us to train up the next generation. It's not just talking about in, you know, purity and, you know, homemaking and, you know, all of those things. It's so we can glean from each other and grow into who God's called us to be in every area of our life. >> Oh, this is Karen. I'm just like, I'm sitting in this. I'm sitting in this. This is so so good because, you know, I I feel the similar that it's like in my own world, and my own life is that, you know, I didn't feel like comfortable at certain tables. Like I didn't I didn't fit in, especially with the Christian like models like like I don't fit into this. I have, you know, different experiences sometime. And I love how you said you, you know, God like really put it into your heart as like I'm just going to build a table, but I'm going to invite other women to come and sit there of all different walks of life. Doesn't matter Walmart or if they, you know, their pediatrician like we can all lean and glean from each other. And that is such an important thing. And the other thing that I know you mentioned in your devotional becoming a CEO is that these modernday Lydia that was really powerful. Can you dive into that of like what God's calling us in this season? Absolutely. Because I think about women like her and I talk about different women and I've got a part two to that book that's coming and then another book for women in the second phase of life. But uh I love talking about Lydia because so many people, you know, and I'll just say it, you know, there's people that say women shouldn't preach, women shouldn't, you know, all this stuff. Well, that's not what the Bible says. And you know, the Bible uses women all the time because Lydia, I mean, she was a dealer in purple cloth, the most expensive material there was in her day. She dealt with highlevel, high income, high influence people all the time, and she invited them into her home. What I love about her, it fascinates me is because when she encountered Jesus, when she had her conversion moment, Jesus did not ask her to give up her business once she met him. He actually used her business and she opened her home and she operated in excellence. She operated, you know, in selling necessities to people. She served. She did all of those things. But God didn't abandon ask her to abandon who she was in that business realm just because she was entering into that ministry realm. And you know what I love is that she actually started one of the first house churches in Philippi. I mean she was like she was literally a pastor pastoring these people that were coming into her home. She was very, you know, abundant and giving and supporting and all of those things. And we are called to be modernday Lydia. We can create a stream of income. Actually, we do a teaching on we actually should have four streams of income. There were four streams in the garden. There was water going out in every direction. God's calling us to have at least four streams of income. And we should be because I mean we learn during different things like COVID and the world shuts down and all that. You need to be uh having different streams so that when one dries up you've got this other over here. So we actually teach people that you need to be pursuing different things. My husband and I have several different businesses and you know at different times we focus on one more than the other but we are called to be Lydia's that will all always be creating wealth so that we can fund the kingdom. I think when we are given our business one thing that we need to understand in business is that our business is not our own. It belongs to God. God gave it to us and we are only stewards of what he has given us. Just like we are stewards in our marriage, we are stewards of the children that God gives us. We are to steward them well. We are stewards in ministry and over the lives of people. And just the same as we are in those areas, we are stewards of the financial responsibility of businesses. We're stewards of the people who work with us, our partners in business. We're stewards of the finances that come in to that business. And we are stewards in that whatever business we are doing it should be making kingdom impact. If you are dealing in oil and gas you know we live in Texas so I mean there's a lot of oil and gas. If you're in oil and gas whatever you're doing in that business should be advancing the kingdom and you should be giving and advancing the kingdom with that. You should be stewarding and leading your employees and your uh partners in your businesses. you know whether you are working in food service that is a steward you are stewarding that and you should be having kingdom impact in some way and so that's what I think we can take away from Lydia is that I think we need to stop apologizing for walking in excellence stop apologizing for growing wealth stop apologizing for being strong and walking in a place of authority and abundance. And so I think that that is very important. >> Yeah. I I love this of like it's so important for us to like um walking in our authority, understanding God has given us creativity, understanding that he's giving us different desires and dreams and gifts that, you know, we can go out into the world and to be make a kingdom impact. And I love what you brought up about the four streams, having at least four streams. This is something um in my family when I was raised that's what I was taught about having different streams of income. Um I came from my father was an is was an entrepreneur. He had his own business. Um so like I grew up under that and then I have an uncle. He's out in California and he inspires me. I mean this I mean I'm half Jamaican too Karen so it's like a joke that Jamaicans have like multiple jobs [laughter] but like but he has multi I mean he's he's a teacher. He has a tutoring center. there's these different things where he has these multiple streams and I think it's so important that we grab hold of it and also you know um it's a it's a kingdom con it's a kingdom concept but also you look at what's transpiring in our world and in our economy like you mentioned how you and your husband had to pivot and you know focus on different things and making streams when you we have things that are hitting our economy like the pandemic and even things that we see going on now and with AI I mean these it's God there's so many things in his word that he instructs us points us to he's like, "Hey, this is wisdom because I don't want you to be behind or fall behind and you know, he doesn't want us to be without." So, I I just love that so much of like pointing us in that direction. >> Yeah. Because even during, you know, the pandemic, you know, because we were full-time evangelists and so we traveled and spoke and that's how we lived. And so when we were because we did have businesses when the world shut down our calendar was filled for two years like just two years out and in one day in one afternoon completely gone because no one was traveling no one was you know every the doors were shut to everything but we still had a business and that because of that we never skipped a beat. And so, you know, I think, you know, God wants to awaken you to dreams. And I think sometimes people think, well, I don't know what to do in business. I don't know where to. But I believe God is a creative God. He created the universe. He breathed life into man. He created life. And out of that, I think when he created us, he created us to be creative. >> Yeah. >> And so, and usually I tell women all the time when I'm mentoring them, I'm like, "What do you enjoy? What is it that you're good at? You might be good at decorating. Well, have you ever thought of going into, you know, something to do with that? You might be good at, you know, um, you know, cooking. Have you ever thought about, you know, creating something out of that? There's always something. There's every person has gifts. Every person has abilities. It's just maybe we haven't cultivated them yet. And so there's always whe your hobbies are usually something that could turn into a business. I love uh decorating. I love, you know, all things that my husband and I flipped luxury homes for a while because we just love doing it. He loved working with his hands during the pandemic. We actually flipped houses because we love that sort of thing. And I found that I had a an ability to, you know, furnish and to stage houses and and then I found out I loved uh refurbishing antique furniture. And so I, you know, have a thing where I do furniture and people are like, "How do you even have time to do that?" That is more like a like a escape for me because it's just I enjoy it. And then I flip reclaimed, you know, reclaimed treasures and, you know, help people, you know, give them another home. And so I think when we look at that, women need to understand there are things that you're doing on a daily basis that you could actually create a stream of income. And you know, no idea is too small. And you know, and I think that's what I talk about in the book. I take women all the way from identity to spiritual growth to vision and dreams and leadership and growing internal, you know, theirelves all the way to leaving a legacy. So, the goal wasn't just to have a fun little devotion. Like, I tell women all the time when I encourage them to get the book, I say, "Now, this isn't a feel-good coffee table book." I said, "You're gonna probably get mad at me at some point in the book. you know, you're going to be think that I'm pushing you or I'm, you know, something. But this is a book to challenge you, to cause you to start thinking bigger, to start to think and not just about money. This isn't about money. This is about impact. And it's, you know, you are called to make impact in the world, impact on people's lives. And so I want women to first find their identity in Christ as a daughter of God because everything else flows out of that. I tell uh women all the time I cannot uh separate my success from my uh faith because it is because of my faith that I am successful. And the minute I lay that down, walk away from integrity, walk away from the daily encounters, that's the moment I'm going to lose myself. And so I have to intentionally be pursuing God, listening for the whisper, pursuing uh my family, nurturing my kids, my grandkids. Like you said, I'm a Gigi. I don't want to be called grandma. That sounds old. So I'm a GI. And so, but I also am passionately in love with my husband and we nurture that relationship. And so I think if we will prioritize the things that need to be prioritized in the season that we're in, God will bless the next season when the door opens. >> Oh, I love that. I love that so much because there's like these as I'm looking through my notes, I because even what Karen was saying with the devotional stretching you, oh y'all, I got stretched like I it was like I didn't know I needed it and the moment it was pricking me and stretching me, but it was also giving revelation. And I do want to say this as you mentioned about like um how you like designing because I did notice I was like, "Oh, I could tell you have an interior design touch." And so when you were talking about flipping homes and staging, I can totally see that based off of your your background. And one thing um that that really hit my heart and my spirit that it >> and um because I've just been walking through a transition season where God is birthing things in me. I have like writing things down, things I'm pursuing is this thing of stretching between roles and responsibility. I didn't realize like I um when I was going through your devotional becoming a CEO, it hit me like last night. This is like fresh off the press my spirit that I was like, "Oh my gosh, I'm being stretched." And I thought I was trying to fit in this place or that place, but what you were sharing about the stretching really impacted me and understanding even the flow of the stretching that I don't have to put myself in a box. It's just God is giving me greater capacity, but it's through that time of his presence and what he wants me to do. >> Absolutely. And I think sometimes we're also afraid to let go of things that worked yesterday. And you know, or things that made us feel like we were doing what we were supposed to do yesterday. One of my favorite statements is I am learning to love the sound of my feet walking away from those things that no longer serve my purpose >> and my future. And that was difficult for me because I am a creature of habit. I like routine. I like for everything to fit neatly into its little place. And you know I don't like change. And you know I had to change my mindset on that because there were some things it doesn't mean they were bad. It just meant they don't fit this season anymore. And if you have to let go, let go. If you have to start over, start over. You know, we always say is that everyone deserves a chapter 2 in their life. And you know, everyone deserves to be able to step into a new season. And we have to stop comparing our chapter 1 in this part of our life to someone else's chapter 20. You know, it took them perseverance. It took determination. It took them contending every day and putting in the action steps to become who they are. And we can't just all of a sudden say, "Well, I want to be where they're at without walking through the things that they walk through to get there." But what I can do is if I'm in a chapter 20 of my life, I can share with other women some of the pitfalls and some of the things they can avoid to get there a little bit quicker. And so, you know, the things that I had to learn through mistakes, through, you know, all the different things. But all along that journey, I think it's understanding what's important in the season you're in. Uh, for example, our family, my husband and I, many years ago, right after we got married, we decided that we would have a 10-year rule. And so what that 10year rule means is 10 years from now, how will the decisions we're making on this particular subject affect our marriage, our children, and everything else in our life. And for an example of that would be I remember one time I was supposed to go speak at a conference in North Carolina and it had been scheduled for a very long time. Abby, our daughter, uh she's grown now, but she was playing, she was cheering for parkball. And so they were going to have their little ceremony where, you know, you walk out on the field and the dad gives a flower, you know, and all this stuff. Just little ceremony. And it was scheduled for the week after I was getting back. Well, they moved it because of some different things. And it fell on the very day that I was supposed to speak in North Carolina. And I looked at my husband, I said, "The 10-year rule." >> 10 years from now, that event will not even remember that I wasn't there. They'll get another speaker. They will have a powerful move of God. I'm sure lives will be changed. People will be saved, delivered, set free, but they won't remember that I wasn't there. But 10 years from now, Abby will remember that I wasn't there. And that's what the difference is. And so I re called on cancelled. They weren't happy. They did find another speaker that they had a powerful move of God. But that one moment on that field where the parents walked their children out and handed them a rose to my little five-year-old daughter. She may not even remember that day, but it would have left a lasting impression on her if I had not been there. And so I think in our businesses as women, in our marriages, with our children, in ministry, in all the different things that we do in life, it's about leaning in and discerning what impact is going to be the greatest in this moment and deciding to pursue that. And so, you know, it might not always be the most popular decision. And it might not always make everyone happy because the two most offensive words in the English language are yes and no. Someone's always going to be upset with you whether you say yes or whether you say no. >> You know, Ken, I just love your 10-year role because I think oftent times, you know, we will put so many things ahead of what's really important, but just thinking about, okay, every decision I make, what what's the impact going to be? And I just love that so much of how you laid down that speak engagement because it wasn't about that. It was about being there for your daughter is being there for Abby. And it reminds me of a point that you bring in your devotional about divine systems and building what last of just you have created this divine system in your the framework of your life and your relationships with your marriage and your family and all that you do that it just is reflective of God and it's just is about impact and leaving that legacy for your family. Well, and that's the whole goal, you know, and and nobody's perfect. We're not perfect, you know, but these are things over the years that we have learned. My husband and I will be married uh 36 years in September, and we've tried to keep that role. We didn't always have to celebrate our anniversaries on the anniversary or our birthdays on the birthdays or any of those things, but it's about being intentional about making time for those things. And you know, we've always said, you know, even in our marriage, you know, we are each other's biggest cheerleader. People sometimes don't know uh how we do it because we preach together, we do business together, we write books together, and we just really like each other. You know, we really we have, you know, we are passionately in love with each other. And over the years of raising our kids, you know, we've learned through different things, you know, we've learned how to rebuild the altar in our home. We wrote the book Rebuilding the Altar, you know, when our son was being recruited for college, you know, football, and he was being exposed to a whole lot of things that he didn't get exposed to at home. And we really went to war and battle for him. Nate actually talks about that. That's part of his testimony. And you know, so it's not about being a perfect family. It's not about having perfection in your life. It's not about doing everything right all the time. It's about understanding and listening for the whisper. That's what Pat and I uh always do is we listen for the whisper. Even, you know, for decisions, you know, even when we were flipping houses, we would listen for the whisper on which house to buy or when it was time to to sell it or, you know, different things like that. And I think, you know, the more time you spend with God, the more you understand and hear his voice. Even way back, like I've been uh eight a little over eight years ago, God radically and supernaturally healed me of leukemia and I heard his voice before I was even diagnosed and he I was standing at the kitchen sink and God literally spoke to my spirit and said, "You're about to walk through a difficult and uncertain season, but do you trust me?" And that is the key is do you trust him? And we went on that one-year journey. And I think that was part of even leading to writing this book in a way. I went on a one-year journey of doing nothing but leaning in and trusting God. I continued to travel. I continued to do things, you know, all those different things. And then when I went to Brazil to speak at a conference, God radically healed me on the platform at this event. And I could go on and on about that story, but it was just such a supernatural moment. God healed me and spoke to me on stage, spoke to Pat all the way in uh another state in the United States and that the storm was over. But it's because every day laying our lives on the altar. Every day praying, you know, Psalm uh five, every morning you'll hear me at it again. Every morning I'll lay the pieces of my life on your altar, Lord, and I'll wait for the fire to send because there are broken pieces in each one of us. There is brokenness in every single one of us. And it's not about being perfect. It's about recognizing the brokenness and being willing to lay it at the foot of the altar and wait for the fire of God to descend and to turn it into the most beautiful mosaic that his glory can shine through for the world to see. And so, you know, it's a journey of becoming. I that's why I'm sharing that every season of your life every I I told my kids years ago because I am a creature of habit and I don't like change. I wanted them to embrace change. So I used to tell them anytime we moved, anytime you know plans got disrupted, I'd say hey you know what life's a great big adventure with God. Embrace every part of the journey because the journey is part of the destination and what you learn in this season and how you walk out of one season determines how you walk into the next season. And so I want women when God healed me. I realized something. I want this one life that I get to count. I want to make impact. I want to make a difference. I want to leave a legacy. It's not about me when I'm dead and gone. I don't want anybody say, "Well, Karen wrote this book or she did that." No. I want to hear God say, "Well done." Because you led people to the feet of Jesus and you awakened them to all they were called to be so that they could die with nothing left in them. I want to die with nothing left inside of me, having done all that God has called me to do. Karen, [sighs and gasps] that is just so I just am so grateful that you shared your supernatural story of healing and just all that God has like done in your life and doing your life and that how at the end of the day, it's not about the books. It's not about how many places you've gone. You just are bringing people right to the feet of Jesus. Like that is your heart cry is that they would encounter the altar, the same altar that you've created for him. That women and men and families would have that as well. so that the generations would be transformed forever. Can you just take a moment um as we're wrapping up our time together just to pray for that woman who's just been listening. Uh just pray for her heart and for her to walk into her divine calling and all that God has called her to be as a CEO. >> Absolutely. Father, I just pray right now for every woman out there, every woman and every man that's out there that is listening to this program that maybe pick up this book that has been doubting their voice, that has been doubting their purpose, that have felt like they weren't enough or that they couldn't accomplish anything. Father, I pray that right now, wherever they are right now, that you would meet them right where they're at. that you would speak to them, that you would call them by name, that you would let them know that they are valued, they have purpose, you have a calling on their life, and that you want to use them for greater impact. I pray that right now for the woman who feels that maybe she's at home with her babies, that that is a calling, that that is purpose, that she is raising the next generation of empowered warriors for you. If it's a woman that's sitting in an office maybe during her break time and she feels guilty because she has a a passion to pursue business. Father, I pray that you give her a rhythm in her life where she can be fully present at home and she can still fulfill the gifts and the callings. Nurture her marriage, nurture her children, but also nurture the giftings you've placed inside of her. And I pray that each one of them have an encounter with you where you touch their hearts and bring them to the place of freedom, forgiveness, and pursuit of you in Jesus' name. In Jesus name. >> Amen. Amen. And if you just prayed that prayer with us, you can give us a call at our prayer line that you always know is available here at Cornerstone Intelligent Network at 8886654483. We have a compassionate prayer partner that will stand with you and believe with you because we know that you are called to great things, mighty things, and God is stirring those things in your heart for this season and for this time. You've been called for such a time as this. And Karen, for such a time as this, that you are so amazing. Thank you for your journey, for your story, for your wisdom, and just what you poured out out of love uh today. It's it's truly touched my heart and I know that it's touched so many others and I just encourage all of you to support Karen and her ministry and also the CEO movement. So you can go to chemovement.com um and there's all the resources and ways that you can get connected and be part of the community and the table of women that are gathering together to empower and encourage each other through the love of Jesus. Karen, it was such a joy, such an absolute joy to be with you today. >> Thank you for having me. It was my pleasure and my honor.