Melinda Torrison: Faith at Work Matters

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Hey friends, welcome to the Her God Story podcast

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where every episode brings a powerful story to

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inspire and strengthen your walk with the Lord.

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I'm your host, Jodie Chiricosta, ministry leader

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at Somebody Cares America International, author

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and fellow traveler on this incredible journey

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of faith. Let me ask you something. Have you

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ever wrestled with the idea of calling? Maybe

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you've assumed that real ministry only happens

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in a pulpit or on a mission trip. Or maybe you've

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questioned whether your everyday job in an office,

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a boardroom, or behind the scenes can truly make

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a difference. If so, you are not alone. For years,

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many Christians believed that full -time ministry

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was reserved for pastors or missionaries. But

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scripture paints a different picture. The Apostle

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Paul reminds us in Colossians 3, 23, whatever

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you do, work at it with all your heart, as working

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for the Lord, not for human masters. God's call

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doesn't stop at the church doors. It permeates

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every part of life, including the workplace.

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Whether you're managing a team, serving customers,

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raising children, teaching in a school, caring

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for patients in a medical facility, or building

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a business, God is present. And He's using you

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right where you are. That belief is at the heart

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of our Somebody Cares mission. We've seen God

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move powerfully through business leaders, teachers,

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first responders, and even cashiers who simply

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said yes to being a light in this world. That's

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why we also support marketplace leaders through

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prayer, encouragement, and practical partnership

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because we know the harvest is plentiful and

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the labors are not just behind pulpits. We're

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at desks, job sites, and city chambers shining

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the light of Christ. And because we believe in

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caring both spiritually and practically, we established

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the Somebody Cares Widow and Orphan Fund to meet

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urgent needs in times of crisis. Whether it's

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a grieving spouse struggling with funeral costs

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or children facing an uncertain future, your

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support helps us provide tangible expressions

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of God's love at their most vulnerable moments.

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In today's episode, you'll hear from someone

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who lives this out with integrity and boldness.

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My friend Melinda Torrison is president and COO

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at Meter Staffing in Houston, Texas, a thriving

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business with a heart for people. But beyond

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the professional success, Melinda is a woman

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who deeply loves Jesus and has learned how to

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bring His presence into board meetings, crisis

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response, and everyday decision -making. You'll

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hear how God is using her not in spite of being

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a business, but because of it. Through tornadoes,

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tech crashes, and the pandemic, Melinda's faith

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has anchored her. She's helped create a company

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culture that prioritizes prayer, compassion,

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and generosity, all while equipping thousands

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of people with meaningful employment. So whether

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you're leading a company, clocking in on the

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front lines or somewhere in between, this episode

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will stir your faith and challenge your perspective.

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Ministry isn't just for the platform, it's for

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the marketplace too. Grab your journal or settle

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in with your coffee and let Melinda's story remind

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you that wherever God has placed you, he has

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purpose for you there. Welcome Melinda. Thank

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you Jody. I'm so excited to be here and just

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being able to have conversation and yeah just

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looking forward to it. So thank you for the invitation.

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leading a business through crisis is something

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that Melinda has a lot of experience at, and

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we're going to hear how God prepared her for

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that. You grew up, of course, knowing the Lord

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and made that decision, but your teen years were

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a little bit shaky because, unfortunately, your

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parents ended up going through a divorce when

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you were in high school. How did that affect

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you in your faith? I think it was a shock to

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hear that my parents were actually going to separate

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and go their separate ways and actually divorce.

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So I think You know, of course, now looking back,

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I can see all the good things that have come

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from that, believe it or not. But, you know,

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looking back, I think that's what created in

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me, and I probably had it even before then, just

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an identity crisis of who am I? Where am I going?

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What does this mean? And I think it set me on

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just a journey to really find who I was. Unfortunately,

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I, you know, I take full responsibility, just

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made crazy, you know, crazy decisions, but really

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when I look back, it was truly, I look now at

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the importance of just our identity in Christ

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and really knowing that we know who we are in

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spite of anything that might go on in our lives

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and around us that we cannot be shaken because

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we know that we know who we are at the end of

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the day. And you kind of had a second come to

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Jesus moment, really, didn't you? When, you know,

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you had made some decisions. I mean, many of

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us who are in our young teenage and young adult

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years make rash decisions and do foolish things.

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But God is so gracious and merciful. He knows

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our hearts really. want to follow after him and

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so he intervenes. And how did he do that for

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you? I remember, you know, at that particular

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point in time, I had gone off to college. I actually

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went to Stephen F. Austin University. I was there

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for a whole hot minute, like a semester, because

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I didn't do well. And of course, you know, my

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parents are like, You got to figure this thing

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out, Melinda, before we spend a lot of money

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on a college education. So I actually came back

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to Pasadena. At that particular time, I started

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working for Metter Staffing and was going to,

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gosh, I was going to San Jacinto College at night.

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And it was like yesterday. I can remember being

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in the driveway and just had a moment of... Just

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this encounter, you know that sometimes you hear

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from people just like you felt like God was in

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like the front seat with you You know he and

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Jesus and the Holy Spirit and just talking to

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me saying Melinda Which path are you going? There's

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two paths that you can take One of them will

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lead to life. The other one will not be so great

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Which I knew that I knew like that path was either

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going to lead to death or to jail like it would

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be something really bad and so that was an encounter

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that literally changed the direction and the

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path that I was going where you know my dad has

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always taught me it you know your life is determined

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by the people that you surround yourself with

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the voices that you listen to so at that moment

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in time I knew like I probably need to change

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direction with you know the people that I'm hanging

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out with so I literally just gave up everything,

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that whole group of friends, just the lifestyle

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that I was leading completely changed. And then,

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of course, set me on the course to eventually

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go to Southwest Texas State University, which

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is now, of course, named Texas State University.

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So that completely changed the direction and

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the path that I was going to go down. One of

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the reasons why I chose the college that I went

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to was I have to go somewhere where nobody knows

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me. Um, because I didn't want a reputation to

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follow me. I wanted like a clean slate, new beginning.

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So that was a really, uh, big deal as well. So

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went to college, you know, I laughed now because

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my high school friends are like, you joined a

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sorority. That would be the last thing that I

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would have done. But really, I mean, I look at,

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I think the hand of God was really on me saying,

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you need to join a sorority. and ultimately knowing

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that these were the people I was going to connect

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with and still good friends with, you know, until

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now. And so joined a sorority, you know, was

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a business major and truly just became immensely

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involved with not just the sorority that I was

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in, but also just within the Greek system. You

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know, in Southwest Texas University, I was able

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to participate in Rush, you know, which is a

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huge, huge event, you know, that goes on in the

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fall and the spring semesters. But I look back

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now and realize that's really when I was called

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into leadership. Just people come into me, hey,

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Melinda, we want you to be, we think you should

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be president of the sorority or we think you

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should, you know, oversee the Rush program this

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next year and never had any inkling or any. really

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longing or desire to be in leadership. I'm a

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really good follower. I'm super obedient and

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uber responsible. Like just give me a task and

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I'm going to do it with excellence into the fullest

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and complete it. But you know I look back and

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college was really the beginning of being called

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into leadership. God uses all sorts of things

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to help form the identity he has for us. Your

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leadership role was really the first step in

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preparing you for something bigger in more ways

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than one. And after college, you even became

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a sorority consultant. fun job, a hard job, and

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you really don't make a lot of money doing that.

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But such good training for the future. So after

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your year as a consultant, what did you do? I

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actually came back to Texas. Never had any intention

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of really wanting to come back to Texas. Never

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wanted to come back to Pasadena, Texas. Never

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really wanted to go to work for Metter Staffing.

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My dad approached me and said, hey, I think you'd

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be really good at this job. You don't have to

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do it forever, but why don't you come on board

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and maybe see if this is something for you. And

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so the job was actually one that entailed traveling.

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And it's the company that was part of Metter

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Staffing Services where we would actually help

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other permanent placement agencies or staffing

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companies get into the temporary help business.

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So that's how I started my 35 years now career

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here at Metter Staffing. I'll go try it out and

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see if this is fun. You wanted to start a family

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and God who really knows us intimately better

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than he knows ourselves. That's what I like to

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say. God knows me better than I know myself because

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I think I want to do one thing but God knows

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what creates joy in me because he put it in me.

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So in the family process trying to trying to

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start a family, God had something really unique

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in store for you. Share about that. Well, I am

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definitely a control freak, and I think I know

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everything, you know, and how it needs to be

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planned out. And so, of course, we got married

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and it was like, OK, I think I probably want

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to have a baby in the summer, you know, be pregnant

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in the winter. So it's like my whole timing was

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like all planned out. And of course, it didn't

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work out that way. You know, started. going to

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various doctors and trying to figure out, okay,

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what's going on here? I always tell everybody,

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Jodi, everybody has their own unique and individual

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story and their path to parenthood. And so for

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Rick and I, it was just really unique. I remember

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being in the lobby of a doctor's office and we

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had gotten another test back. I think we knew

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at that point in time, okay, we've got to make

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a decision. Like, do you start really going down

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the path of trying to conceive a child or adoption?

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And it was just, it was just really weird. I

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remember we looked at each other and it really

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wasn't even this long in -depth emotional conversation.

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It was very matter of fact. We looked at each

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other and both of us said, we're supposed to

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start the pathway to adoption. That everybody

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has their own unique story and how God has uniquely

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designed them and crafted them. For me, I just

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wanted to be a mom. And for me personally, it

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wasn't about being pregnant or conceiving a child.

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And so, and he, I don't know when he did it,

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but he did, he just healed me emotionally. So

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I never went through just agonizing emotions

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or trauma. He just started the path towards adoption.

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Melinda, so you're now a mom and you're continuing

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to work at meter staffing where you were gradually

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earning more and more responsibility when Rick

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felt called to seminary so he could go into ministry

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and that required an out -of -state move which

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at the time you were in a job that you couldn't

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you know, that was in the office. So it probably

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meant having to resign from your job at a time

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when you were going to be the sole breadwinner.

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So what did you do? So that led to a conversation

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with my dad. You know, we're moving to Wilmore,

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Kentucky. At that point in time, our son was

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two years old. We had yet to adopt our daughter.

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And, you know, the first thing my dad said was,

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well, what kind of job are you going to get when

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you go there? And I was like, new job? Like,

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what? I can't stay working and doing my job here.

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And he said, I don't know how that's going to

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work, Melinda, because you manage a lot of people.

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You're responsible for so much. And so I went

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back to the table. I prepared a proposal and

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I said, OK. I said, here's my proposal of how

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I can make this work. Let's give it 90 days.

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If it doesn't work out, then. You can let me

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go. I'll resign and I'll go find another job

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in Lexington, Kentucky. So I was very determined

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and very strong willed to figure out how to do

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this. And my claim to fame here at the company

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is I was the first remote commute, you know,

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type of virtual employee. So we moved to Kentucky

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and I was on dial -up internet. I mean, oh my

00:14:06.549 --> 00:14:09.539
gosh. I look back and I'm like, I thought that

00:14:09.539 --> 00:14:12.320
was the best technology ever you know but you

00:14:12.320 --> 00:14:14.659
know looking back now it's like wow that was

00:14:14.659 --> 00:14:18.039
so ancient but that's when the dial -up internet

00:14:18.039 --> 00:14:20.940
had just you know come into play so it did allow

00:14:20.940 --> 00:14:23.940
you to work you know virtually or remotely and

00:14:23.940 --> 00:14:27.120
I did commit to for two and a half years I came

00:14:27.120 --> 00:14:30.899
back to you know Houston every month and would

00:14:30.899 --> 00:14:34.879
spend a full week. in the office. And then after

00:14:34.879 --> 00:14:38.360
two and a half years, Rick graduated from seminary

00:14:38.360 --> 00:14:42.080
and we ended up coming back here. So that two

00:14:42.080 --> 00:14:44.639
and a half years, that season really prepared

00:14:44.639 --> 00:14:49.519
you personally and your company for the days

00:14:49.519 --> 00:14:51.799
ahead in, boy, a whole bunch of different ways.

00:14:52.700 --> 00:14:55.820
Share a few of them from your personal side as

00:14:55.820 --> 00:14:58.039
well as from the business side. Okay, that was

00:14:58.039 --> 00:15:01.860
like 98 to 2000. And I think how it prepared

00:15:01.860 --> 00:15:06.519
our company, I think it really set the path for

00:15:06.519 --> 00:15:10.820
opportunities for other employees. might have

00:15:10.820 --> 00:15:14.080
the same type of experience. After I went to

00:15:14.080 --> 00:15:19.779
Kentucky and came back to Texas, there were multiple

00:15:19.779 --> 00:15:23.860
people who, for some reason, be it their spouse

00:15:23.860 --> 00:15:28.799
was relocated, had to move to different areas

00:15:28.799 --> 00:15:33.000
of the country. their roles that they had here

00:15:33.000 --> 00:15:37.159
at the time allowed them to work virtually. So

00:15:37.159 --> 00:15:40.080
it really did open the door for others to do

00:15:40.080 --> 00:15:43.860
what I did. It definitely prepared us for COVID

00:15:43.860 --> 00:15:49.440
way in advance where you can have people go remote,

00:15:49.480 --> 00:15:52.720
work virtual, and still be able to get the work

00:15:52.720 --> 00:15:55.679
done that needs to be done. I think it opened

00:15:55.679 --> 00:15:58.980
the door for our company to be, and I would definitely

00:15:58.980 --> 00:16:02.279
say this, I think my dad is definitely a visionary.

00:16:02.820 --> 00:16:05.620
God has equipped him to build things, to create

00:16:05.620 --> 00:16:10.460
things, and to become really supernaturally just

00:16:10.460 --> 00:16:13.779
innovative with how to do things. And so I think

00:16:13.779 --> 00:16:15.960
that's what our company has become known for,

00:16:16.080 --> 00:16:19.519
is just innovation and to be pioneers and forward

00:16:19.519 --> 00:16:24.039
thinkers. It's just one of those markers of how

00:16:24.039 --> 00:16:28.799
we could continue to be just next level and pioneers

00:16:28.799 --> 00:16:31.860
at what we do and doing things before anybody

00:16:31.860 --> 00:16:35.460
else does them. And you also really grew in the

00:16:35.460 --> 00:16:37.539
Lord during that time. Yeah, he knew he had to

00:16:37.539 --> 00:16:39.960
do a major work in me. Like he was like, Oh,

00:16:39.960 --> 00:16:42.120
Melinda, we still got to work on Melinda. And

00:16:42.120 --> 00:16:46.139
so he just really partnered me with an amazing

00:16:46.139 --> 00:16:50.879
group of women who were also in Wilmer, Kentucky.

00:16:51.610 --> 00:16:55.009
because of their spouses who, believe it or not,

00:16:55.110 --> 00:16:57.330
they were all in the marketplace. So they were

00:16:57.330 --> 00:16:59.990
all working for these Fortune 500 companies,

00:17:00.490 --> 00:17:03.309
felt called into ministry, and at that point

00:17:03.309 --> 00:17:07.720
in time... marketplace ministry wasn't a thing.

00:17:08.200 --> 00:17:10.039
And it was, well, if you're going to be a ministry,

00:17:10.180 --> 00:17:13.480
you have to be a pastor and be behind a pulpit.

00:17:13.720 --> 00:17:16.880
And so they literally uprooted their families

00:17:16.880 --> 00:17:20.579
in a major way and came to seminary. And Rick

00:17:20.579 --> 00:17:24.660
and I hosted a small group. And so I was just

00:17:24.660 --> 00:17:27.440
able to connect with so many amazing women and

00:17:27.440 --> 00:17:31.519
a couple of women in particular that really took

00:17:31.519 --> 00:17:35.150
me under their wing and Taught me things that

00:17:35.150 --> 00:17:39.230
I'd never heard about it was a really sweet time

00:17:39.230 --> 00:17:43.490
for me personally That and I look back Jodie

00:17:43.490 --> 00:17:48.150
at those years While I thought my husband was

00:17:48.150 --> 00:17:51.009
going to seminary. It was just about him I really

00:17:51.009 --> 00:17:54.930
look back now and it was about me to To equip

00:17:54.930 --> 00:17:57.609
me for the things that I had to go through in

00:17:57.609 --> 00:18:02.109
the last I mean 20, you know 25 years that if

00:18:02.109 --> 00:18:05.630
I would have not been at seminary and been connected

00:18:05.630 --> 00:18:08.630
with the people I was connected with, my story

00:18:08.630 --> 00:18:11.450
would be completely different. Yeah, so you really

00:18:11.450 --> 00:18:15.170
learned so much there. You had always had conversations

00:18:15.170 --> 00:18:18.849
with the Lord, but now it was really a whole

00:18:18.849 --> 00:18:22.329
lot deeper and you saw God moving in new ways

00:18:22.329 --> 00:18:28.250
and knew the power of God in a much more experiential

00:18:28.250 --> 00:18:31.750
way, not just what you would hear or read. but

00:18:31.750 --> 00:18:34.869
you had experienced some of that which is which

00:18:34.869 --> 00:18:38.130
is transformative. So finally Rick graduates

00:18:38.130 --> 00:18:42.890
from seminary and it was you know getting ordained

00:18:42.890 --> 00:18:46.049
and what happened? Yeah a lot happened those

00:18:46.049 --> 00:18:49.150
last few months while we were in seminary and

00:18:49.150 --> 00:18:52.029
at the end of our journey in seminary the Lord

00:18:52.029 --> 00:18:54.230
was like Rick I think you're supposed to start

00:18:54.230 --> 00:18:57.900
a church. I was like Okay, here we go. Something

00:18:57.900 --> 00:18:59.819
else very unique and different. What does that

00:18:59.819 --> 00:19:03.059
look like? And so we did feel called to come

00:19:03.059 --> 00:19:07.180
back to Texas. When we moved back here, we ended

00:19:07.180 --> 00:19:11.619
up putting our roots down in Pearland. Of course,

00:19:11.980 --> 00:19:15.400
I, you know, came back into the office, you know,

00:19:15.700 --> 00:19:18.869
working full time. still with matter staffing,

00:19:20.009 --> 00:19:23.230
and Rick started preparing, you know, his roadmap

00:19:23.230 --> 00:19:26.849
for starting the church, which was called The

00:19:26.849 --> 00:19:32.130
River. So God had Rick really full -time in rotational

00:19:32.130 --> 00:19:36.589
ministry while he had you in marketplace ministry,

00:19:37.210 --> 00:19:41.170
which was a new concept really even. My role

00:19:41.170 --> 00:19:46.779
here at the company was pretty significant, you

00:19:46.779 --> 00:19:51.240
know, a lot of responsibility. You know, I was

00:19:51.240 --> 00:19:54.440
doing marketplace ministry per se. You know,

00:19:54.440 --> 00:19:57.680
we had started a career group here at the company.

00:19:59.000 --> 00:20:01.640
But I really, you know, I look back, Jody, and

00:20:01.640 --> 00:20:04.960
I'm so thankful for Rick, who had incredible

00:20:04.960 --> 00:20:10.140
flexibility. We were both in it together. And

00:20:10.140 --> 00:20:14.569
he really took the lion's share of the responsibility,

00:20:14.710 --> 00:20:18.250
especially with our with our son and when he

00:20:18.250 --> 00:20:20.349
was going through his challenges. But I do look

00:20:20.349 --> 00:20:23.529
back and I think it goes back to even me being

00:20:23.529 --> 00:20:27.609
able to go to Kentucky is that our company had

00:20:27.609 --> 00:20:31.109
just a revelation of the importance of family

00:20:31.109 --> 00:20:36.410
and especially moms and dads as well. but a heart

00:20:36.410 --> 00:20:40.750
for the family and I did have a lot of flexibility

00:20:40.750 --> 00:20:44.890
to you know at one point in time I was responsible

00:20:44.890 --> 00:20:48.730
for picking our son up at school and he was going

00:20:48.730 --> 00:20:52.230
to a school way across town and and I was had

00:20:52.230 --> 00:20:54.470
the flexibility to do that because then I could

00:20:54.470 --> 00:20:58.769
go you know home and work remote. So in 2014,

00:20:59.430 --> 00:21:02.970
you actually became the president and COO of

00:21:02.970 --> 00:21:05.670
Meter Staffing, a large company with thousands

00:21:05.670 --> 00:21:08.150
of people relying on it for full employment.

00:21:08.329 --> 00:21:10.930
I mean, that's a lot of responsibility. How did

00:21:10.930 --> 00:21:13.170
you come to embrace that? Because, you know,

00:21:13.730 --> 00:21:15.789
early on, you said you had no desire to be a

00:21:15.789 --> 00:21:18.170
leader, and now you're leading a company with

00:21:18.170 --> 00:21:20.799
thousands of employees. You know, I probably

00:21:20.799 --> 00:21:23.700
didn't do it that well. You know, I look back

00:21:23.700 --> 00:21:26.900
and of course, you know, my dad is still very

00:21:26.900 --> 00:21:29.859
involved in the company, especially at that point

00:21:29.859 --> 00:21:32.500
in time. And, you know, both of us together,

00:21:32.720 --> 00:21:35.160
I think, you know, we can admit, oh, we really

00:21:35.160 --> 00:21:37.920
could have done a much better job of that, of

00:21:37.920 --> 00:21:42.500
just a transition. Of course, you know, he's

00:21:42.500 --> 00:21:45.200
so funny. You know, he promoted himself to CEO

00:21:45.200 --> 00:21:48.339
and then I was promoted to president. And like

00:21:48.339 --> 00:21:52.640
I said, he was still very involved. With the

00:21:52.640 --> 00:21:55.539
company, we're both very similar in a lot of

00:21:55.539 --> 00:21:58.500
ways, but very different as well. Of course,

00:21:58.579 --> 00:22:00.880
you know, the main differences, he's male, I'm

00:22:00.880 --> 00:22:03.539
female, you know, different generations, you

00:22:03.539 --> 00:22:06.160
know, different ages. And so, you know, when

00:22:06.160 --> 00:22:08.539
I first became president, you know, Jodi, it's

00:22:08.539 --> 00:22:13.519
so funny, I think back. I don't think I really

00:22:13.519 --> 00:22:16.319
accepted the role, to be honest with you. I think

00:22:16.319 --> 00:22:21.500
I still looked at, well, you know, he's kind

00:22:21.500 --> 00:22:25.480
of still in charge. He's the CEO. And I probably

00:22:25.480 --> 00:22:30.140
advocated, you know, responsibility or leadership,

00:22:30.480 --> 00:22:34.940
knowing that I was called to do more, but maybe

00:22:34.940 --> 00:22:38.660
a little fearful of, okay, if I'm really in charge,

00:22:39.579 --> 00:22:42.900
everything kind of rises and falls with me. But

00:22:42.900 --> 00:22:46.880
it's interesting in 2016 is when everything pivoted

00:22:46.880 --> 00:22:51.119
and changed. We had a It was the first one of

00:22:51.119 --> 00:22:54.640
the the first unit major crisis in the past five

00:22:54.640 --> 00:22:57.880
six years with our company and we had a massive

00:22:57.880 --> 00:23:02.440
computer crash and It's when I looked at my dad

00:23:02.440 --> 00:23:06.200
for the first time and he said Melinda You've

00:23:06.200 --> 00:23:09.559
got to take the company through this He said

00:23:09.559 --> 00:23:13.839
you've got to be in charge and I said is it because

00:23:13.839 --> 00:23:16.779
you really don't know what to do and he said

00:23:18.029 --> 00:23:20.609
Kinda and he said, I think you know better than

00:23:20.609 --> 00:23:24.509
me. And so that's really the moment when everything

00:23:24.509 --> 00:23:29.690
changed and he said oh And it was like he kind

00:23:29.690 --> 00:23:33.210
of it's weird kind of talking this out Because

00:23:33.210 --> 00:23:35.450
I'm having revelation as we're sitting here even

00:23:35.450 --> 00:23:40.529
talking. It's when he kind of turned and submitted

00:23:40.529 --> 00:23:45.009
to my leadership which is so weird because again,

00:23:45.009 --> 00:23:51.549
it's it's my dad, you know, it's my boss. But

00:23:51.549 --> 00:23:55.210
that's when really everything turned. And then,

00:23:55.210 --> 00:23:57.970
you know, then our company went through just

00:23:57.970 --> 00:24:01.089
various crisis situations leading up to the global

00:24:01.089 --> 00:24:04.710
pandemic. And the mantle really you accepted.

00:24:05.009 --> 00:24:07.930
Yeah. So I just embraced it with, you know, my

00:24:07.930 --> 00:24:11.130
motto. I definitely learned during the pandemic

00:24:11.130 --> 00:24:15.890
is just just do it afraid. You know, we all have,

00:24:16.269 --> 00:24:19.470
even though, you know, I know who I am in Christ,

00:24:19.589 --> 00:24:22.349
I know who he's called me to be, there's still,

00:24:22.349 --> 00:24:25.710
you know, those little voices in your head, those

00:24:25.710 --> 00:24:28.369
weird insecurities that are like, can you really

00:24:28.369 --> 00:24:31.529
do it? And I would just shut the voices and just

00:24:31.529 --> 00:24:35.230
do it afraid. Just do it. Somebody has to do

00:24:35.230 --> 00:24:38.750
it. And Melinda, you're called to do it. So and

00:24:38.750 --> 00:24:43.849
doing it. doing it, I knew that God was with

00:24:43.849 --> 00:24:47.990
me. Like my faith was just unmovable and unshakable

00:24:47.990 --> 00:24:50.609
because of all the miracles and things he's already

00:24:50.609 --> 00:24:54.529
done. And so I just continue to look back at

00:24:54.529 --> 00:24:59.809
those stories and those just memories and just

00:24:59.809 --> 00:25:02.230
went out and did it. Just share one of those

00:25:02.230 --> 00:25:05.789
miracle things that you look back on and draw

00:25:05.789 --> 00:25:08.279
strength from. Wow. there's like there's so many

00:25:08.279 --> 00:25:11.220
I mean even like the tornado this week it's just

00:25:11.220 --> 00:25:16.180
um there's so many miracles the one I think about

00:25:16.180 --> 00:25:19.519
it was probably the computer crash the miracle

00:25:19.519 --> 00:25:22.859
of literally like when I say computer crash it

00:25:22.859 --> 00:25:27.400
was like all of our all of our file servers um

00:25:27.400 --> 00:25:29.339
you know back at that time we had a whole lot

00:25:29.339 --> 00:25:32.759
of servers you know that stored all of our data

00:25:32.759 --> 00:25:36.720
all of our information we had backup tapes All

00:25:36.720 --> 00:25:40.660
of those things were literally destroyed. And

00:25:40.660 --> 00:25:45.039
so there was a moment in time, like a few days

00:25:45.039 --> 00:25:48.980
where it was like, we have no data. Okay. We

00:25:48.980 --> 00:25:52.519
run payroll on a weekly basis for thousands of

00:25:52.519 --> 00:25:56.339
employees. Okay. We have. Like at that moment

00:25:56.339 --> 00:25:59.180
in time, you thought everything is gone. The

00:25:59.180 --> 00:26:02.309
software company that we worked with. and we

00:26:02.309 --> 00:26:05.069
were oh my gosh we were actually about to do

00:26:05.069 --> 00:26:07.490
a huge computer conversion so we were leaving

00:26:07.490 --> 00:26:10.750
our existing software company you know our applicant

00:26:10.750 --> 00:26:13.750
tracking system and going to a new company we

00:26:13.750 --> 00:26:18.009
called one of the gentlemen at that particular

00:26:18.009 --> 00:26:20.990
company that we were about to leave oh my god

00:26:20.990 --> 00:26:25.390
he had so much grace and mercy on him he actually

00:26:25.390 --> 00:26:29.140
we're like we're praying that you're gonna be

00:26:29.140 --> 00:26:32.420
able to restore this. And he was able to restore

00:26:32.420 --> 00:26:36.440
our data up to, it was, okay, so that was 2016.

00:26:36.660 --> 00:26:41.559
He restored data through 2014 where we only had

00:26:41.559 --> 00:26:45.359
to rebuild 18 months of data. So that was a miracle.

00:26:45.619 --> 00:26:49.599
The next miracle was in four days, we were able

00:26:49.599 --> 00:26:54.380
to manually enter, enough data where we were

00:26:54.380 --> 00:26:57.299
able to run a payroll and nobody in the outside

00:26:57.299 --> 00:26:59.720
world ever knew what was going on internally

00:26:59.720 --> 00:27:03.519
at Metter Staffing. That almost makes me want

00:27:03.519 --> 00:27:06.500
to start crying because it was just, it's those

00:27:06.500 --> 00:27:09.140
types of things that you're just like, that's

00:27:09.140 --> 00:27:11.680
just the goodness of God and definitely His hand

00:27:11.680 --> 00:27:15.380
and just miracle upon miracle that have really

00:27:15.380 --> 00:27:19.019
saved us time and time again. It's pretty miraculous.

00:27:20.119 --> 00:27:22.359
Gosh, yeah, I could go on and on for days about

00:27:22.359 --> 00:27:25.880
this. I truly believe and I think even Billy

00:27:25.880 --> 00:27:30.259
Graham might have said in years past that the

00:27:30.259 --> 00:27:32.819
marketplace is where the greatest transformation

00:27:32.819 --> 00:27:36.519
is going to happen and where the greatest numbers

00:27:36.519 --> 00:27:39.079
of people being saved is actually going to happen.

00:27:39.799 --> 00:27:42.660
And so, you know, in 35 years, I've been able

00:27:42.660 --> 00:27:46.990
to see. Just lives changed, you know, not just

00:27:46.990 --> 00:27:49.910
people coming, you know to the knowledge of who

00:27:49.910 --> 00:27:54.750
Jesus is but I think in the marketplace is one

00:27:54.750 --> 00:27:57.769
of the say actually one of the safest places

00:27:57.769 --> 00:28:02.730
Believe it or not where? People are very vulnerable

00:28:02.730 --> 00:28:04.970
and transparent and when they are going through

00:28:04.970 --> 00:28:08.380
really hard times It's the place where they're

00:28:08.380 --> 00:28:11.839
going to be open and share. And I cannot begin

00:28:11.839 --> 00:28:15.000
to count the number of people who have, and these

00:28:15.000 --> 00:28:18.660
are non -believers, who know what I believe.

00:28:18.680 --> 00:28:21.359
And we are very forthright here at our company.

00:28:21.420 --> 00:28:24.539
It's all over our website. It's in our core values.

00:28:24.940 --> 00:28:28.900
People know what we believe. But the number of

00:28:28.900 --> 00:28:30.720
people that have come to me personally, Melinda,

00:28:30.740 --> 00:28:34.329
can you pray for me? I just think that opens

00:28:34.329 --> 00:28:37.210
so many doors of opportunities for business.

00:28:37.809 --> 00:28:39.430
I also, you know, I'm thinking about somebody

00:28:39.430 --> 00:28:42.769
cares right now just in a in a disaster crisis

00:28:42.769 --> 00:28:46.390
situation. God wants to bless his people and

00:28:46.390 --> 00:28:51.269
God uses resources such as financial prosperity.

00:28:51.670 --> 00:28:55.150
And so I look at meta staffing having been a

00:28:55.150 --> 00:29:00.420
great steward of money. And so even this afternoon,

00:29:00.619 --> 00:29:02.640
it's on my to do list after I get off with you.

00:29:02.819 --> 00:29:06.640
It's I have a list of all of the organizations

00:29:06.640 --> 00:29:08.759
that Matter Staffing is going to be donating

00:29:08.759 --> 00:29:13.240
to because of the tornado. So I look at. The

00:29:13.240 --> 00:29:18.000
marketplace, oh my, I can't imagine being in

00:29:18.000 --> 00:29:21.940
any other arena or sphere of influence, but the

00:29:21.940 --> 00:29:25.099
marketplace is where Jesus can so shine brightly.

00:29:25.440 --> 00:29:27.700
I was actually chairman of the board for the

00:29:27.700 --> 00:29:30.819
Pasadena Chamber of the Year 2020 of all years,

00:29:30.819 --> 00:29:34.720
and that's where I really saw the marketplace

00:29:34.720 --> 00:29:39.279
minister to people and to be, you know, virtually

00:29:39.279 --> 00:29:44.319
on so many meetings with with government officials,

00:29:44.839 --> 00:29:49.519
with educators, with local businesses, and just

00:29:49.519 --> 00:29:53.180
to share the gospel of Jesus in a non -threatening

00:29:53.180 --> 00:29:58.339
way, but just really a special, special thing.

00:29:59.640 --> 00:30:02.559
Like I said, I can't imagine being anywhere else

00:30:02.559 --> 00:30:07.460
except in the marketplace and just the stories

00:30:07.460 --> 00:30:11.680
of being able to share the gospel and just bless

00:30:11.680 --> 00:30:14.450
people. So Melinda, you know, most of us can

00:30:14.450 --> 00:30:17.029
believe that God looks after us personally and

00:30:17.029 --> 00:30:20.730
equips us personally to do His will. And of course,

00:30:20.890 --> 00:30:24.529
we can see God's hand working in our church,

00:30:25.029 --> 00:30:28.089
but many probably don't think, you know, don't

00:30:28.089 --> 00:30:30.769
think about how God might also look after and

00:30:30.769 --> 00:30:33.369
equip companies and organizations. So what are

00:30:33.369 --> 00:30:36.670
your thoughts on that? I definitely learned just

00:30:36.670 --> 00:30:40.710
for every... time you say yes you have to say

00:30:40.710 --> 00:30:44.849
no to something else or else you'll just be worn

00:30:44.849 --> 00:30:48.809
out you won't like what you do anymore and that's

00:30:48.809 --> 00:30:51.990
where I think God is so instrumental and what

00:30:51.990 --> 00:30:55.289
I've done throughout my career especially the

00:30:55.289 --> 00:30:59.049
last 10 years is God you really have to show

00:30:59.049 --> 00:31:03.349
me where do you need me um what do I say yes

00:31:03.349 --> 00:31:07.119
to and what do I say no to And so he's been so

00:31:07.119 --> 00:31:10.700
faithful in doing that. Just everything that

00:31:10.700 --> 00:31:14.000
I do, even, you know, especially the chairman

00:31:14.000 --> 00:31:17.180
role of the chamber, because I really didn't

00:31:17.180 --> 00:31:19.619
want to do it. I was like, I don't want to do

00:31:19.619 --> 00:31:21.720
this. Like my dad did all that stuff. I don't

00:31:21.720 --> 00:31:23.440
want to, I don't want to keep doing all the things

00:31:23.440 --> 00:31:25.940
that he did and what are the intentions. And

00:31:25.940 --> 00:31:30.559
so really praying about, Lord, do I accept this

00:31:30.559 --> 00:31:34.700
role? He's just, the way he speaks to me is so

00:31:34.700 --> 00:31:39.200
just very kind of matter of fact, yes. But I

00:31:39.200 --> 00:31:42.559
really don't want to do it. I understand. I don't

00:31:42.559 --> 00:31:45.720
think I can do it. But I'm God, Melinda, and

00:31:45.720 --> 00:31:48.039
you're not. And so that's just how he talks to

00:31:48.039 --> 00:31:52.460
me. And so a lot of prayer about things I'm personally

00:31:52.460 --> 00:31:55.839
involved with, you know, outside of the company.

00:31:57.479 --> 00:31:59.920
huge decisions, even small decisions, you know,

00:31:59.940 --> 00:32:02.140
that we make in the company. For example, yesterday

00:32:02.140 --> 00:32:05.940
I was in my car and I was like, Lauren, it's

00:32:05.940 --> 00:32:08.740
a really busy day, but do I need to go to the

00:32:08.740 --> 00:32:11.519
Deer Park office and see the team? I mean, it

00:32:11.519 --> 00:32:15.640
was like an immediate, I just knew, yes. drive

00:32:15.640 --> 00:32:18.200
over there, they need to see you, you need to

00:32:18.200 --> 00:32:20.960
see them. So it's even those, what we deem as

00:32:20.960 --> 00:32:24.880
like small and significant decisions. It really

00:32:24.880 --> 00:32:28.099
is just leaning on him and asking him in prayer,

00:32:28.920 --> 00:32:32.000
what do I do? Because there's many times running

00:32:32.000 --> 00:32:35.099
a company, everybody thinks you know what to

00:32:35.099 --> 00:32:37.559
do, but you don't. And it's like, just give me

00:32:37.559 --> 00:32:40.500
enough wisdom for the next 24 hours. And that's

00:32:40.500 --> 00:32:43.019
really what he did, especially during the year

00:32:43.019 --> 00:32:46.390
of COVID, because it was It was hard in the beginning

00:32:46.390 --> 00:32:48.630
and it was, you didn't know what to do hour by

00:32:48.630 --> 00:32:52.329
hour. And I just, Lord, just give me enough wisdom

00:32:52.329 --> 00:32:55.690
and insight for the next 24 hours. That's interesting.

00:32:55.789 --> 00:32:59.730
You say how people are more readily likely to

00:32:59.730 --> 00:33:01.950
open up with, you know, with their colleagues

00:33:01.950 --> 00:33:05.670
at work. But you think, you know, you spend 40

00:33:05.670 --> 00:33:08.470
plus hours a week with those colleagues, probably

00:33:08.470 --> 00:33:10.869
more time than you spend with almost anybody

00:33:10.869 --> 00:33:14.940
else. So they really do become your close allies,

00:33:14.960 --> 00:33:21.000
hopefully. When a business can create a culture

00:33:21.000 --> 00:33:26.480
of caring and openness as believers would, it

00:33:26.480 --> 00:33:29.599
really does lay the groundwork for some honest

00:33:29.599 --> 00:33:33.480
conversations that can speak truth into people's

00:33:33.480 --> 00:33:35.650
lives. That's right. Where are we going today?

00:33:36.170 --> 00:33:37.789
So how does your faith, and you've talked about

00:33:37.789 --> 00:33:39.730
this a little bit, but I'm just going to get

00:33:39.730 --> 00:33:41.569
at it from one little different direction, how

00:33:41.569 --> 00:33:45.190
does your faith in God impact and inform your

00:33:45.190 --> 00:33:47.410
personal and your professional decisions and

00:33:47.410 --> 00:33:48.990
your involvements? I mean, because you're involved,

00:33:49.069 --> 00:33:51.049
you were involved in the chamber, but I know

00:33:51.049 --> 00:33:53.950
you have to be selective with how busy you are.

00:33:54.230 --> 00:33:57.920
Gosh. you know my another key truth I actually

00:33:57.920 --> 00:33:59.880
I look at I have this little thing that sits

00:33:59.880 --> 00:34:02.880
over here it's our company's core values and

00:34:02.880 --> 00:34:05.839
it's Belinda's core values and you know I have

00:34:05.839 --> 00:34:08.019
a life statement then I have three core values

00:34:08.019 --> 00:34:10.760
and you know what are my truths I'm looking at

00:34:10.760 --> 00:34:14.699
it's number three it's what God says is true

00:34:14.699 --> 00:34:17.780
for me and it's just it's God's words it's his

00:34:17.780 --> 00:34:21.289
promises it's what he says has to be true for

00:34:21.289 --> 00:34:24.250
me because he's not a liar. Everything that he

00:34:24.250 --> 00:34:29.409
says is, it's true. And so that's really what

00:34:29.409 --> 00:34:32.789
I, just what I live by. Boy, that's a faith walk

00:34:32.789 --> 00:34:34.630
and that's what God wants us to be like. But

00:34:34.630 --> 00:34:38.110
you know, it's also, I've begun to think of obedience

00:34:38.110 --> 00:34:40.909
to God as just walking with God. You know, when

00:34:40.909 --> 00:34:43.530
we think of obedience, it's like, oh, you know,

00:34:43.670 --> 00:34:47.030
I've got to obey. But really, It's just walking

00:34:47.030 --> 00:34:49.730
with God. It's seeing Him move this way or seeing

00:34:49.730 --> 00:34:52.170
Him move that way and keeping in step with Him.

00:34:52.449 --> 00:34:55.429
And He doesn't show us too far in advance. So

00:34:55.429 --> 00:34:58.929
it is that daily walk. God, where are we going

00:34:58.929 --> 00:35:02.610
today? Today, one of the catchphrases is, live

00:35:02.610 --> 00:35:06.130
your truth. But we can't live our truth because

00:35:06.130 --> 00:35:08.869
we don't know truth outside of God's truth. That

00:35:08.869 --> 00:35:11.849
is so powerful. So read it again. Read that key

00:35:11.849 --> 00:35:14.789
statement again. What God says is true for me.

00:35:15.800 --> 00:35:18.460
Yeah. So powerful. What God says is true for

00:35:18.460 --> 00:35:21.400
me. It has to be true for us. And, you know,

00:35:21.780 --> 00:35:24.639
I see truth. When I was in graduate school, one

00:35:24.639 --> 00:35:27.980
of the first professors I had, Terry Lindvall,

00:35:28.360 --> 00:35:32.159
he said, all truth is God's truth, no matter

00:35:32.159 --> 00:35:35.679
where it's found. And Satan will try to claim

00:35:35.679 --> 00:35:39.389
truth. in some places. But if it's truth, it

00:35:39.389 --> 00:35:41.849
is from God because He is the author of truth.

00:35:41.929 --> 00:35:44.769
And He is true. Yeah, He is. Well, I love to

00:35:44.769 --> 00:35:47.590
ask my guests what women or women of the Bible

00:35:47.590 --> 00:35:50.389
have inspired or encouraged or taught you something

00:35:50.389 --> 00:35:53.210
in your life. What about you, Melinda? Is there

00:35:53.210 --> 00:35:55.289
someone who comes to mind? The first one that

00:35:55.289 --> 00:35:58.030
I think about, of course, is Deborah, which,

00:35:58.090 --> 00:36:01.070
you know, was a judge for Israel. And I just,

00:36:01.070 --> 00:36:03.090
you know, I think about her and what I love about

00:36:03.090 --> 00:36:06.929
her the most is her success was all based on

00:36:06.929 --> 00:36:14.710
her faith in God, her wisdom, her ability to

00:36:14.710 --> 00:36:18.010
honor, to come alongside, you know, to bring

00:36:18.010 --> 00:36:23.650
alongside a man, to go into battle, her courage,

00:36:24.110 --> 00:36:27.250
her do it afraid, you know, type of mentality,

00:36:28.170 --> 00:36:32.510
just her courage to go into battle. and just

00:36:32.510 --> 00:36:36.849
a leader of leaders. And so she always just stands

00:36:36.849 --> 00:36:41.550
out for me as somebody just so amazing and inspiring.

00:36:42.170 --> 00:36:44.610
You know, Melinda's story is such a beautiful

00:36:44.610 --> 00:36:46.730
reminder that ministry isn't limited to pulpits

00:36:46.730 --> 00:36:49.489
or platforms. It's woven into boardrooms, break

00:36:49.489 --> 00:36:52.469
rooms, and every hallway where God's people walk

00:36:52.469 --> 00:36:55.469
by faith. You don't have to separate your faith

00:36:55.469 --> 00:36:58.829
from your work. In fact, it's often in the pressure

00:36:58.829 --> 00:37:02.480
of deadlines, in difficult decisions, or in quiet

00:37:02.480 --> 00:37:06.320
acts of integrity that God shines most brightly

00:37:06.320 --> 00:37:10.340
through us. As Colossians 3 .23 says, whatever

00:37:10.340 --> 00:37:12.880
you do, work at it with all your heart as working

00:37:12.880 --> 00:37:17.019
for the Lord. And Proverbs 3 .6 reminds us, in

00:37:17.019 --> 00:37:20.840
all your ways, acknowledge him, and he will direct

00:37:20.840 --> 00:37:24.000
your path. You may not feel like your job is

00:37:24.000 --> 00:37:26.599
particularly spiritual, but if you invite the

00:37:26.599 --> 00:37:31.449
Lord into it, it becomes sacred ground. Melinda,

00:37:31.449 --> 00:37:34.010
thank you for sharing how God has used you, not

00:37:34.010 --> 00:37:36.389
just to lead a company, but to shepherd hearts,

00:37:36.570 --> 00:37:38.590
speak truth, and bring hope through the everyday

00:37:38.590 --> 00:37:41.829
work of staffing and leadership. Your obedience

00:37:41.829 --> 00:37:44.090
has created ripple effects for God's kingdom.

00:37:45.309 --> 00:37:47.130
Now, would you take a moment and pray for our

00:37:47.130 --> 00:37:50.420
listening friends? Lord, we just thank you so

00:37:50.420 --> 00:37:54.860
much, Father. Thank you so much for Jodi, Lord,

00:37:54.860 --> 00:37:57.019
and the conversations, the podcasts that she's

00:37:57.019 --> 00:38:00.099
put together, Father. We pray her message go

00:38:00.099 --> 00:38:02.539
into the ends of the earth, Father God. We pray

00:38:02.539 --> 00:38:06.440
for each woman who is listening and those who

00:38:06.440 --> 00:38:09.860
will listen in the future, Father. We pray just

00:38:09.860 --> 00:38:12.420
courage and wisdom and discernment over them,

00:38:12.480 --> 00:38:15.639
Father, where they are fearful, Lord. Just provide

00:38:15.639 --> 00:38:18.920
unbelievable courage and to do it Father God.

00:38:19.400 --> 00:38:22.420
We pray the blood of Jesus over each of them,

00:38:22.599 --> 00:38:25.420
Father, over their decisions, over the things

00:38:25.420 --> 00:38:27.900
that they say yes to, Father God, that you would

00:38:27.900 --> 00:38:31.199
equip, empower, that you would guide them every

00:38:31.199 --> 00:38:33.500
step, Father. We pray over their prayer life,

00:38:33.500 --> 00:38:37.639
Lord, that they would come to you with unbelievable

00:38:37.639 --> 00:38:41.519
faith, Father God. And Lord, we just thank you

00:38:41.519 --> 00:38:43.719
for what we are able to do in the marketplace.

00:38:44.260 --> 00:38:47.219
Father, would you bless their marriages, Father?

00:38:47.119 --> 00:38:50.559
us those who are mother's father. And we thank

00:38:50.559 --> 00:38:52.940
you for what you're doing across the earth, Lord.

00:38:53.199 --> 00:38:57.500
Thank you in the name of Jesus. Amen. And friend,

00:38:57.539 --> 00:38:59.820
as we close, I want to speak this blessing over

00:38:59.820 --> 00:39:02.639
you adapted from Ephesians 1 17 through 19 and

00:39:02.639 --> 00:39:06.280
Colossians 1 10 through 11. May the God of our

00:39:06.280 --> 00:39:08.599
Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious father, give

00:39:08.599 --> 00:39:10.760
you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you

00:39:10.760 --> 00:39:13.889
may grow in your knowledge of him. May you walk

00:39:13.889 --> 00:39:16.510
worthy of the Lord, pleasing him in every way,

00:39:16.789 --> 00:39:19.690
bearing fruit in every good work. And may you

00:39:19.690 --> 00:39:22.449
be strengthened with all power according to his

00:39:22.449 --> 00:39:25.070
glorious might, so that you may fulfill your

00:39:25.070 --> 00:39:30.070
calling with endurance, patience, and joy. He's

00:39:30.070 --> 00:39:32.510
placed you exactly where you are for such a time

00:39:32.510 --> 00:39:35.670
as this, not just to make a living, but to make

00:39:35.670 --> 00:39:39.150
a difference. To go deeper, be sure to visit

00:39:39.150 --> 00:39:41.960
hergodstory .org. You'll find today's show notes,

00:39:42.139 --> 00:39:44.519
the scriptures we mentioned, and a free six -week

00:39:44.519 --> 00:39:46.579
devotional on Women of the Bible to encourage

00:39:46.579 --> 00:39:49.420
you in your own journey of faith. And if Melinda's

00:39:49.420 --> 00:39:51.800
story encouraged you, please share it with others.

00:39:52.480 --> 00:39:54.420
Also, would you consider joining us in the work

00:39:54.420 --> 00:39:56.079
of supporting widows and orphans through our

00:39:56.079 --> 00:39:58.699
Widow and Orphan Fund? Just click on Help Now

00:39:58.699 --> 00:40:02.639
on hergodstory .org. Every gift makes a real

00:40:02.639 --> 00:40:06.199
impact. If you need prayer, we're here for you.

00:40:06.539 --> 00:40:09.639
Call or text our 24 -7 prayer and text line.

00:40:09.769 --> 00:40:15.690
at 855 -459 -CARE or email prayer at somebodycares

00:40:15.690 --> 00:40:20.150
.org. Until next time, walk boldly in the grace

00:40:20.150 --> 00:40:23.210
and purpose God has placed within you and never

00:40:23.210 --> 00:40:27.869
forget, your work matters to God. He's with you

00:40:27.869 --> 00:40:30.530
in every meeting, every decision, and every challenge.

00:40:30.989 --> 00:40:33.809
And remember, He is still writing your story.

00:40:33.920 --> 00:40:36.480
Her God Story is a ministry of Somebody Cares

00:40:36.480 --> 00:40:39.360
America and International. To find out more about

00:40:39.360 --> 00:40:41.739
or support the ministry, go to somebodycares

00:40:41.739 --> 00:40:42.480
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