Milk and Honey with Lemon Price™ | Become the Ultimate Proverbs 31 woman through Leadership Development

From Marketplace to Ministry: Ray Higdon's Faith-Driven Journey | #144

• Lemon Price • Season 4 • Episode 144

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In this compelling episode of the 'Milk and Honey with Lemon' podcast, host Lemon Price engages with Ray Higdon to explore the intersection of business success and spiritual fulfillment.

The discussion includes Ray's transformative journey toward faith, insights on leadership development, and financial freedom. Listeners will hear powerful testimonies of overcoming challenges, embracing God's calling, and integrating faith into public and professional life.

Topics range from addressing skepticism, leveraging excellence in business to attract others to faith, and navigating personal identity in Christ. Additionally, the episode emphasizes the importance of love, connection, and recognizing opportunities to share one's faith, enriched by inspiring personal stories and practical advice.

Special highlights include discussions on debt-free strategies, prayer, and upcoming events with notable Christian speakers.

00:00 Welcome to Milk and Honey with Lemon

01:02 Introducing Ray Higdon

04:05 Ray's Journey to Faith

09:32 The Power of Obedience and Influence

17:00 Personal Reflections and Impact

19:46 Faith Over Fear: A Journey of Identity

20:37 Breaking Free from Self-Judgment

22:52 Event Details and Exciting Speakers

25:49 The Power of Meditation and Intention

30:02 Stories of Transformation and Love

35:15 Final Thoughts and Encouragement

Come to Faith Over Fear 



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Speaker 1:

Hey, I'm Lemon. I am just like you, sister friend, about stepping into that overflow that God has for us by becoming those ultimate Proverbs 31 women. Hey, I'm Lemon. I am just like you, sister friend. I knew God had something more in store for me, but I couldn't see a way out of the laundry piles and, frankly, I resented that Proverbs 31 woman. How was I going to live up to the hype? That is until I found out how to really step into becoming this Proverbs 31 woman through leadership development. In this podcast you're going to find financial freedom, leadership, growth and motivation so you'll be able to do all the things God has called you to do with ease and really step into that land of milk and honey. Welcome back to the Milk and Honey podcast. I'm your host, lemon Price, and today I'm really excited because I have my new friend, ray Higdon here. We actually met in San Diego only a week ago.

Speaker 1:

I can't believe that it's only been a week that we were in San Diego together, and so before I read his bio actually I don't even know Ray I have such a funny story. I don't know if you know this, but you actually came in 10 minutes before I was supposed to speak at that conference and Michelle had already prepped me and was like the comp plan.

Speaker 1:

Training is one of the most important trainings of a conference like this, and so she has no pressure at all. And then you walk in and I text her. You were sitting right next to her and I was like I'm actually going to pass out, and of course, she told me I was going to be great and you're fine. And I was like you're right, it will be great. And so, anyway, you guys probably know Ray. I'm going to read some of his bio, but you probably already know who he is. He's the CEO of the Higdon Group. Since 2017, he has helped sales teams generate over 300,000 new customers. That's a lot of new people, over 70,000 new reps. He's been on every major stage with people like Tony Robbins, les Brown, bob Proctor, gary Vaynerchuk the list goes on.

Speaker 1:

He has an incredible podcast where there's over 10 million downloads, which is amazing and you're prepping for what I would say is probably one of your biggest events of the year right now. Right, yeah, it's our annual event.

Speaker 2:

It'll be the most important event we've ever done, for sure.

Speaker 1:

I am so excited. So just thank you for being here and hanging out with me. I'm pretty excited about it and I was super nervous. I texted Michelle and I was like this is it I'm going to pass away right now in the back of the room.

Speaker 2:

So I just want to thank you for being so kind and gracious. You did, you did great and also, I didn't know the name of the podcast. I love that the Milk and Honey podcast. I love it. It's fantastic, thank you.

Speaker 1:

You know what's so funny? I actually have a funny story about this. Of course, my name's Lemon, and so this comes to me at 3 am with God, and we argued about this podcast extensively because I had one in 2018 when I got divorced from my first husband, and it was a train wreck the whole thing. It was so bad. Nobody listened to it. It was very bad.

Speaker 1:

God woke me up at 3 am and was like you're going to podcast again? I said absolutely not, I'm not doing that again the first time it was so bad and I won't do that again. Of course, god was like yes, you are, and you're going to call it Milk and Honey. I'm like, okay, now it sounds like a food thing. Every time I say milk and honey with lemon, I'm like this sounds like such a food thing or like a sweet grandma, old lady podcast, even though I love like my sweet grandmas. But God definitely has done some amazing things with it and I've had podcast experts be like you should really change it. I'm like we can't change it. This is what God said it had to be.

Speaker 2:

It's subtle and it's great. I love it.

Speaker 1:

Thank you, Thank you so much. So that verse you know about God promising us abundance and being in this land of milk and honey, and I'm like that's really where I focus. I want to focus on leadership development, and so that's where I think the abundance is. It's when you're fully in your calling, and I kind of think that's where you're at right now. You're fully in your calling. Something you said when you spoke at our event last week is that you were pretty successful in business. I mean, most people know your name and yet you were like I reached this point where it wasn't fulfilling necessarily anymore. Can you kind of talk a little bit about that?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, you know I had hit a lot of the goals and milestones and different things. You know I, you know I'd made, you know, tens of millions of dollars, building 5,000 company, bestselling books, you know, great family like really all around, had all the things that I, you know, thought would fulfill me, make me happy, and all that stuff. And I just I knew something was missing and I knew that more of the same wasn't the answer. Right, just keep scaling and growing. And you know, I knew something was missing and I knew that more of the same wasn't the answer. Right, just keep scaling and growing. And you know, I knew that there was something else, but I didn't know what it was and so I thought maybe it was healing. You know, I grew up in a very abusive home and so I thought, well, maybe there's just parts of me that need to heal, maybe that's the, maybe that's the journey inward. And I go at this journey inward and you know I do a lot of different therapy, hypnosis. I do two years of meditation, one to three hours a day, and so I tame the body, and all of those things were helpful. I won't say that they weren't, you know, I know a lot of. It's popular for Christians to bash all that stuff or yoga or whatever else, and it's helpful to me, you know. But what? But they weren't it. That wasn't the answer, and in November of 2022, almost two years ago my wife had spoken at an event in Nashville this women's event and she came home and she said, hey, there's someone I want you to meet and I'm like, okay, and so he lives in Miami, I live in Naples, florida.

Speaker 2:

We get on a Zoom call and the first words out of his mouth are I see a big vision for you in God. I'm like, oh, okay, you know, because I didn't grow up in the church, I didn't know one verse. I don't know what this guy's talking about. Is he trying to raise money? What's he doing here? And we talk for an hour and nothing he says makes sense, but feels true, and I'm a little weirded out about it because I don't know what to do with this.

Speaker 2:

And then the next day, my wife and I go to a networking function the very next day in Naples and I run into this guy that I'd met before and I didn't remember his name or anything. And as soon as he saw me, he says I see a big vision for you in God. I'm like, okay, that's weird. You know, it's verbatim what the other guy said. They don't know each other.

Speaker 2:

One's in Miami, one's in Naples, and he's we need to pray and he started praying over me and we're in the middle of this networking function. Like everyone was seated, we were standing, he's 6'4" former corrections officer, marine Corps, and he's just you got to choose God. It's just a really wild experience and I feel like it went on forever. I feel like it was like 10 minutes, 20 minutes, I don't know how long it was, but it seemed like forever. I started weeping, I started shaking, I don't know. I don't know half of, I don't know 90% of what he said, I don't know what's going on, but I feel very much moved and when we come out of the prayer huddle or whatever it's called, I'm kind of embarrassed because you know, I know a lot of people in the room and I look around and no one saw anything, which is supernaturally impossible. I mean, we were literally in the middle of the room with 200 people seated, we were standing. I could have hit him. I could have just flung my arms around and hit him in the face and no one saw anything, none of the waiters or waitresses passing right by us Very strange. And so now I'm really convicted and I wrestle with it for a couple of weeks, I'm not really sure what to do, and then I invite the original guy over, he brings a guy from church and both my wife and I give our life to Christ, and the next day is when it got real and I did experience.

Speaker 2:

I don't always share this part, but I did experience a pretty wild thing with my son around spiritual warfare night one. But the next day, when I woke up, as soon as my feet hit the floor, something was different. And I'm looking at my hands, I'm looking at the sunrise, I'm different, and I don't know anything. I don't know a new heart born again. I don't know any of that, any of the scripture at all, but I just know I'm different because I knew my body. And so I just I felt a very powerful nudge to pray and I don't know how to pray. So I just I got on my knees and I'm just like God, tell me what to do, I'll be obedient, and I get, go live. I'm like, oh, I don't want to do that. You know, I've been a public speaker for 20 years, you know I've never said the word God from stage or on a video or anything. And so I wrestle with it a little bit and then eventually I go live and you know that video just takes off like crazy.

Speaker 2:

I had over 200 direct messages from people. It's like they were in cahoots. They sent me a message saying I've been woken up in the middle of the night to pray for you, but none of them had ever told me that. And so that really started the journey of this obsession with having a relationship with God and scripture, and it's led to a lot of different adventures and different things he's nudged me to do, and I've been mainly obedient, pretty obedient, and that's just been a wild ride. And so I found what was missing. I didn't know what it was, but I found it and that is having a relationship with our Heavenly Father through Jesus Christ.

Speaker 1:

I love this story because I think there's a lot of parts we can actually discuss. There's people praying for you that you didn't know about, and the obedience of those people, and then the obedience of the two different people to tell you, I see a big vision for you and God. If they hadn't been obedient to what God told them to do, your story might be completely different.

Speaker 1:

And then you've been mainly obedient, as you said. So then you do this live and people are talking about it and just having a completely different conversation, and I love that. You know. Very next day you're like okay, this is this is what God, you know, this is it, what do I need to do? And he tells you to go live, even though you've been a public speaker and you've done all these things and people know you, and so I gave you this platform. Now you get to go talk about me, which I think is really beautiful, because I think people struggle to be a believer and to have influence, or be a believer and have a business, and I would love to hear your perspective on this, because God has given you a platform to share the things he's done in your life and currently doing in your life.

Speaker 2:

Yeah. So I immediately. You know, I'm just the way I'm wired. You know the way that he wired me. I didn't do this, I didn't learn this.

Speaker 2:

But one I'm very relentless in that, you know, I either want to be an absolute expert at something or I don't want to have anything to do with it, like I want nothing to do with it. I don't dabble, I don't dabble at all. So I'm either like I'm all in to it, like people are weirded out by how obsessed I am, or I don't want anything to do with it. And, and you know, my first week I have a Hebrew mentor, an Aramaic mentor. I'm in the Bible every day and and so I'm like, man, are you calling me to be a pastor? Do you want me to be in ministry? And so I just start sharing what I'm learning and he's, you know, just opening me up to learn so many things. And it's just awesome.

Speaker 2:

Three months in, I'm in Costa Mesa, california, and they had hired me before I came to Christ, although they're a Christian organization and so they asked me. They're like hey, are you okay sharing your testimony? On Sunday? I'm like, yeah, absolutely. And then on Saturday, one of them came up and said, hey, I look forward to your sermon. I'm like sermon. And then another one said hey, let me know if you need help with altar call. I'm like altar call, like I've never even seen one because I didn't respond. Mine was outside the church. I've never even seen an altar call. I don't know what you're talking about. And so I'm like man, am I supposed to do this? And so, prayed about it. I feel like God's telling me to do it. And so that Saturday I Googled how to do altar call and got some tips and advice. And then the next day I talk about church hurt, I talk about father wounds, and do the altar call and 20 people come up on stage and accept Christ. And it was just such a magical experience, it was just so good. I mean people with Wiccan symbols and piercings and pink hair, I mean it was kind of a wild bunch, but it felt so good and I knew I want more of that.

Speaker 2:

Now, for the last almost two years, I've had different levels of being faith forward, but very faith forward. And you know, multiple times I mean even in a dream I got for me to focus on the marketplace, not ministry, but I was just so in love. I'm so in love with scripture and I'm so in love with him and everyone needs to know, and why shouldn't I tell them? And so what has happened over these last two years is he's allowed me that season of being extreme, extremely faith forward. I mean scripture in every video, like you know, and he's helped me understand. You know scripture at a. You know some people say an accelerated. You know pace and um.

Speaker 2:

But what I've learned over the last few years is that for most people, if they're very faith forward, they're not bringing anyone to Christ. And the reason for that is the two primary reasons that people stay away from the church, or what they call religion or anything about Jesus, is either church hurt or father wounds. Either they've been judged, shamed or treated, treated poorly or abused or traumatized or lied to or stolen from somebody in the church. So they drew the conclusion oh, that's how God's people are. Or father wounds, and they project how they feel about their biological father onto their heavenly father. And I know I did. I thought God was mean and caring, I'd never be good enough, he'd never be proud of me, because that's how I felt about my dad, my biological dad, and so that's not true. But if you, your heavenly father, isn't like that, but if you lead with, you know what others see as religion Jesus, the cross faith you are repelling those people. You're not bringing them, you're repelling them.

Speaker 2:

So what I've learned is that most people that are as faith forward as I've been, they don't expand the kingdom, they just repel people. And, yeah, you get around people that agree with you and there is benefit to that. You know a fellowship and breaking bread and you know and singing psalms to each other and everything, but you're not expanding the kingdom. Which is the great commission, not the great suggestion. It was to make disciples all over the world right and to talk about the gospel all over the world. And so there's either that scenario of very faith forward don't bring many to Christ or you're all business and you punch the clock on Sunday. You also don't bring anyone to Christ.

Speaker 2:

And so what I realize is he's allowed me to experience these last two years to get my mind around it of what it looks like, because what I'm actually called to do, and my main marching order at our event coming up here in 10 days, is to teach people how to be absolute industry titans, to be so excellent at what they do in the marketplace, that they attract large amounts of people to them and they grow their influence, but they also have systems, processes and procedures in place to introduce people to their faith.

Speaker 2:

And one person that does this very well, and God just put us together. The entire last year I've worked with him, I've observed him, he was a part of our mentorship program and him and I trained my clients, and that's John Maxwell. So John Maxwell will run a three-day event I forget what he calls it, I can't remember the name, but he'll do a three-day event. You won't hear him say Jesus or God the entire time, but then at the end of day three, he'll say hey guys, some of you would like to know my personal beliefs and hear about my faith. If you would like, come tomorrow morning I'll share it with you.

Speaker 2:

Well, everyone comes and he brings hundreds of people to Christ, and so that's someone who does it well, and I believe God is calling me to teach that more to teach people how to be absolutely excellent in their industry, whatever that is, and also to bring people to Christ. If we're super faith forward, we're going to repel people before we have a chance to connect with them, and so I'm actually what you'll see, you know, is you'll see me still use scripture because I can't, that's you know, I would. Just that's part of me now you know. So I'll still use scripture in my trainings and things, but be more marketplace focused, but I'll always have some kind of options for people to learn more about my faith.

Speaker 1:

I love that and again, there's so much that we can unpack with what you just said. I honestly I have to tell you this first, because you talked about it in our conference and I haven't told anybody. I wrote it down in my notes and I haven't told anybody this. I don't even think I've told my husband yet. And I was sitting there with Ferris and she was like, oh, I can tell you just had a breakthrough and she said do you want to tell me? And I was like, not yet it for a minute. You're talking about projecting how you feel about your biological father onto.

Speaker 2:

God and.

Speaker 1:

I was like, for the first time anybody's ever said that to me, and I wrote it down and I was like, oh my gosh. I immediately recalled this moment. When I was in the eighth grade, my parents had me at 19. And you're going to get a quick story of my life here, sorry. So they had me at 19.

Speaker 1:

My father worked at my middle school, but he worked the night shift as a janitor, so nobody ever actually saw him at school. I never really saw him at school. We didn't really have a relationship. And I remember for my birthday in the eighth grade, he handed me a box of condoms in the school, like in the middle of the school hallway, and he said I didn't want you, I begged your mother for an abortion, please don't make the same mistake that I did. And that was like the last real interaction that we had.

Speaker 1:

And so when you said that, I was like, oh my gosh, I've been striving so hard my whole life to prove that I was supposed to be here and that I have value. And so when you said it I'm not going to get emotional because it's only nine, something in the morning, because I will but I was like, oh, this is so freeing. I feel like this huge weight just got lifted, and so I really do think that's the benefit of what you're like. I don't know, I've just I personally experienced the benefit of your faith and your relationship and your experience and how it's already transformed me, and I've been a believer for 11 years now and nobody's spoken to me the way that you did at that event.

Speaker 1:

So I just need you to know that you're already having a very big impact on people. But I also love that you're teaching people to be good at what they do. It was insanely good. It's something Michelle says all the time she's your life should be so attractive that people are asking what are you doing you? Should be so good at what you're doing, that they're asking you about it, and then you get to tell people about Jesus. That's right.

Speaker 2:

I just think that's so smart, because everybody I'm around they're like Jesus first and you know it's like I'm not putting Jesus first but, I, like I'm not putting Jesus first, but I also like I'm not putting Jesus first, but I also am going to repel a lot of people who don't want what I'm doing.

Speaker 1:

They're not going to listen to what I'm doing because Jesus is first, and so I love that you're kind of shifting this, and so obviously then your event that's coming up is different, I mean probably, than any event you've done. This is only the second time you've done this, or is this the first one?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, so we had ran an annual event every year for 10 years. Last year we changed the name to Faith Over Fear and last year I mean, I'm one year in and I still hadn't discovered my identity with Christ and I didn't really know. I was obedient. So if he told me to do something, I did it, but I didn't know. I just didn't know my identity and I didn't know his nature. See, his nature is to always grow us and to help us become. That's his nature. So it's all. He's always working and he's always working on us to grow us into that more powerful version of ourselves and weed out all the fears and things like that. And it is our second time doing Faith Over Fear Live. It's just very different. You know this last year he's really grown me, helped me understand my identity.

Speaker 2:

My identity used to be like, I think, most people what have I done? What am I doing? What have I accomplished? And no matter the answer, it was never good enough. There's always something I didn't do or something I should have done or I could have done better, and so literally every day for most of my life, I would beat myself up. I would find some reason either I ate a cupcake or I, you know, didn't work, or I should have done better at that sale or whatever.

Speaker 2:

And so he helped me to break off that identity from me. In fact, in prayer since coming to Christ, there's been some areas of my life that have just flourished and been amazing and other areas that have been tough. And I remember in prayer I was asking man, why does this keep happening? Like I'm being obedient, I'm doing whatever you tell me to do, like why is this? Why do I keep struggling in this one area? And I got I had to keep breaking you so you would keep searching and find the need to love yourself. I was like, ooh, so I didn't really get that.

Speaker 2:

At first I was well, well, how do I do that, you know? And what I realized is he gave me my identity, and my identity is I'm a bold, loving, authentic man of God. That's who I am. I may happen to do things, I may happen to have things or accomplish things or whatever, but that's who I am, regardless of all that stuff. And so that was very freeing. That's the day I stopped beating myself up every single day and that's the day I started learning to walk in the new creation. You know, 2 Corinthians 5.17 says those of you who are with Christ, you are a new creation. The old has passed away, the old is gone, and so that was really the first time I started walking in that new creation, making different choices, breaking patterns and programs, and it just was so freeing. And so it'll be a very different. Although last year's event was excellent, it'll be a great a very different event this year.

Speaker 1:

for sure, I just love what you're doing with this event because I know a lot of the people that are speaking in this event and it excited me to see the people speaking at this event.

Speaker 2:

And that's what you're doing you're bringing in these titans and so I'm excited to come down to orlando for this event, and so I'd love to just, yeah, have you tell them a little bit about what you're planning to do where they can get tickets, because I know there's still virtual tickets.

Speaker 1:

I don't know if you have ones in person still or not.

Speaker 2:

We have some. We have some in-person tickets available. Still, it's in Orlando. It starts October 31st to November 3rd, so it starts on Halloween and then ends right before election. So it's perfect time. People need it and it's really the best of the best in business and the best of the best in faith.

Speaker 2:

For example, one of our speakers is Pastor Baker out of Ohio. He did a 14-part series on finances and over 25% of his congregation became debt-free. Whoa, where do you hear that? Like nowhere, right. And so we have, you know, just amazing, we have, you know, my one of, actually multiple of my mentors are speaking there. One of them is Graham Cook. Graham's, one of the most you know. My one of, actually multiple of my mentors are speaking there. One of them is Graham Cook. Graham's, one of the most recognized name in Christian faith and he's going to be talking about empowering business leaders. I just did an interview with him that was unbelievable.

Speaker 2:

His whole thing is to have a deeper relationship with God and to learn instead of just praying willy nilly and praying like it is a shotgun approach.

Speaker 2:

Learn God's will first, then pray for that will to be done, which is actually, you know, the Lord's prayer right, your will, as on earth, as it is in heaven, and so he completely changed the game for me in prayer and in my relationship with God. But we have just business juggernauts. I mean we have, you know, people making millions and millions of relationship with God, but we have just business juggernauts. I mean we have people making millions and millions of dollars a year. So you're going to learn the social media strategies. For example, one of my friends, cap Chatfield, he's got 1.3 million subscribers on YouTube. He hit over a million subscribers in six months by doing Jesus interviews and he shares exactly how he did that, how you can grow your YouTube channel, and so we have the best of faith and relationship with God, as well as the skills and tactics that people want to hear too about growing their business. And we do have virtual tickets available, extremely affordable, and you can learn more. You can see all the speakers and everything at faithoverfearlivecom.

Speaker 1:

I love this. I'm going to link to it because my friends, you should go and, of course, my husband's we need to go and I'm like I'm going to try to go because it's really not that far. And of course, Bobby, he was like just come and hang out with me, and we love Bobby.

Speaker 1:

I'm just kind of obsessed with what you're doing and I think something you said in the beginning and I have to send you this podcast because I think you'll like it, it's called the Deep End with Taylor Welch Something you said in the beginning. You're like, I went on this journey where I was meditating and doing all these things, and I think Christians are afraid of those things, and I know we were just talking business, but I would love for you to kind of talk about that, because I think Christians are deeply afraid of it, even though meditation and things like that they're biblical concepts, and so I would love for you to kind of dissect that a little bit for us.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I mean, you know, and there's differences, right, you know, like Eastern meditation is more about emptying yourself, you know. So it's, you know it's different, right In the context. But you know, if you look at, I think too many people are living in an Old Testament covenant way than the New Testament. So Old Testament was all about role and doing Do this, don't do that, right, we weren't covered by the blood. New Testament is all about being. So it's not just hey, don't commit adultery, don't even lust. Hey, don't murder, don't even think bad thoughts. And so the New Testament, with the new covenant, it is about being. Who are you being? So you can successfully meditate and keep your eyes fixed on God, and it be very powerful. Now I'm not saying that, hey, that's what you should be doing, like, maybe you shouldn't. If you have a racing mind and your mind is just chattering away, definitely ask God for help and ask for guidance and he may guide you to some types of meditation or something like that. I'm not saying it's mandatory, right, but it's really intention. So, for example, when I studied under Dr Joe Dispenza and that was my meditation journey and Dr Joe does a lot of scientific research and he's very good at what he does. I've heard him say he believes in God. I don't know to what extent that means, but think about this. I would do his meditations, but every time before meditation I set an intention to get closer with God. That was before I came to God. Why was my intention? I want a closer connection with God, but I didn't know God. You know, and so it's interesting. You know, and I could argue to say that it worked. You know, I got closer to God, and so it's something that it's much less about doing than it is about being like.

Speaker 2:

Some people are so up in arms at Halloween. Halloween is terrible. You're going to burn in hell if you wear a mask. You know, and it's what's your intention. Is your intention to honor Satan? Okay, then you know that's not the best idea. That's not very smart. Is your intention to you know, connect with other people and have a good time? God isn't going to strike you down for that. That's silly, that's very silly, and so it's much more about who are you being.

Speaker 2:

Are you being judgmental and shameful, even though the Bible tells you not to, or are you being of love, because the Apostle Paul says 1 Corinthians 13, that you can have all the prophetic gifts in the world, but you're not of love, it's a waste. It's a complete waste. You're like a clanging cymbal and you know, and you and that it amounts to nothing. And so you can be the most versed person on planet earth, but if you're not of love and you're more of judgment, bitterness, division, then all of that's for nothing. You wasted your time and so it's all about you. Know, lord, help me to grow in your nature. Help me have more of your nature in me. Give me that heart of Christ that I so crave. For how do I love on others?

Speaker 2:

And a guy that I think does a good job of this, a guy named Darren Wilson. Darren Wilson, he did the movies Father of Lights, I think, finger of God, holy Ghost, he did a whole bunch of them and, at the end of the day, they're really all about love. Like they literally go to a Satanist convention and they're outside the Satanist convention and they're asking people hey, can we pray for you? And there's a guy with horns, you know, with upside down crosses, and they're like hey, brother, can we pray for you? And they're praying for these people and they're weeping. Some of them are coming to Christ. That's love.

Speaker 2:

Now, what would most Christians do? They'd be there saying you're going to burn now, all right, we aren't about judgment, we are about love. Love is what people are craving, even when they strap on those horns and whatever else. They're actually craving connection and love, and we have a deep, driving desire to have a connection with our Heavenly Father, but we mislabel it. We think it's something else. So we try to find God in everything but God. But when you approach with love, you have the possibility of creating new opportunities, and that's what we're to be.

Speaker 1:

I just love this and I just love this conversation. I don't know if I told you this when I was in person Maybe I did, but my husband's an ex-pagan too, and so it was people being nice to him, people showing him love and kindness, and he's got an old pagan tattoo Super interesting. People are always asking him are you going to cover it up? It's kind of a reminder of where he was, and so he was looking for a relationship with God and I think that's what he wanted.

Speaker 1:

And his conversion story is really fascinating because his dad was on his deathbed, it was Christmas Eve, hospice, the whole kit and caboodle, and he prayed and he asked God, if you're real, just let him get through Christmas. And it was the morning of the 26th that his dad had passed away and he was like, okay, you know, I got to spend Christmas with my dad and that's how he came to Christ, because God revealed himself to him. But it really was Christians not being judgmental and I mean he was in a. He was really angry at God, you know, like burning crosses on the church lawn type of a person.

Speaker 2:

Wow, so that that kind of person you know, this is the, you know when Jesus was talking to the Pharisee and the Pharisee was like why are you letting this prostitute wash your feet? And it's well, the person who's been forgiven more is usually more grateful, and so it's just very powerful when you see that kind of thing. You know, I, you know, I just love it. I think that's amazing.

Speaker 1:

I do too, and I think my husband is so interesting, right, His faith is so strong. He's listen, God's got my sick. But it's interesting how man I feel like we could do a whole episode on this it all started when he found out he was adopted and then, you know, he was so angry at God and so he had all these wounds and he rejected God for it. And then he got to have this healing moment, kind of with his dad and. God at the exact same time.

Speaker 2:

Have you had him on your podcast?

Speaker 1:

Yeah, we've definitely talked about having him on here and it's really cool just to see the way that God works and how he's going to take you through these things and then put people in your life who are going to love you enough to bring you to Christ to actually have a conversation with you. My husband's really good at this because he's been in such dark places, and so our old neighbors, which, thank God, you know we've moved, and that's a whole other story.

Speaker 1:

I did a whole podcast episode on it and they were not in the greatest of place. They're regulars at our county jail. Everybody kind of knows them for a variety of reasons. And so the parents, they got clean, they're sober, they started attending church but their son who?

Speaker 1:

was in their 20s was still you know not making the world's best choices, and so my husband made it a point to constantly go out and talk to him. The world's best choices. And so my husband made it a point to constantly go out and talk to him. You know, let's, you know, let's sit and have a conversation, let me grab you a soda, whatever it is right. He's like constantly with this kid.

Speaker 1:

I'm like that's really interesting because you know, there's a lot there's a lot happening in that household and he was my husband's like, constantly trying to intervene and speak life into him and I was like this kind of freaks me out a little bit. And then there's just this one night. I mean he was coming down from something and angry outside and my husband said I need to go talk to him.

Speaker 1:

And I was like, oh, that scares me a little bit Because of the place he was in, and so my husband's outside they're chatting and I can see him from the window. So so my husband's outside they're chatting and you know I can see him from the window, so I know everything's okay. And he accepted Christ that night. That's what they were out there having a conversation about and it was really cool to see, to see him start to change his life.

Speaker 1:

You know, he's sober now. He's last we knew, I mean that was only six weeks ago, he was still sober. He, you know, in three months over and just completely changing his life around because my husband was willing to meet him where he was at and understand him.

Speaker 2:

Wow, beautiful when you, when you understand that every soul is valuable to God, regardless of what they've done, right, it may not be valuable to society or most people, but every soul is valuable, you know, to god like it's really powerful I think it's so beautiful and that god will use all of our experiences so we can go reach people.

Speaker 1:

There's no way I could have reached him, because I didn't have anything in common with him and so I couldn't relate, but my husband could and that's biblical, you know.

Speaker 2:

Judges 312 says god allowed some of the israelites to experience war so that they could teach those but my husband could, and that's biblical. Judges 3.1.2 says God allowed some of the Israelites to experience war so that they could teach those who had not been through war, and so he actually the things that we what was meant for evil, god uses for good. So what we've gone through was actually equipping us to go help other people with what they go through, and a lot of times you'll find similarities. So the person that lost a child will be able to consult someone who lost a child, whereas someone who hasn't may not, and so I just think that's really powerful. You should definitely have him on for sure.

Speaker 1:

Okay, I will text him and tell him he has to come on and actually share his story and not just talk about working together and so, and I think I just love that's what you're doing right together. And so, and I think I just love that's what you're doing right. God's using you in this capacity and you get to teach people to be radically good at what they're doing, but then also go out and be the church, without the religion necessarily, and really focus on relationship and to anybody listening. If you wanted to give them a final piece of advice, they're like I don't know how to merge the two, or I'm really scared to put my faith out there or anything of that capacity.

Speaker 1:

What would you leave?

Speaker 2:

them with. Yeah, I would just. You know one prayer I started very early on. I still, to this day, I say it every day and you know, yesterday God blessed me. I brought maybe four or five people to Christ yesterday and I say this prayer every morning and that is I forgive anyone who's wronged me. I'm available today. Please send me someone, tell me what to say. And you know I pray that every morning and you know I'll just find people in my life and a lot of times they don't. They may not know they're looking for Christ, but we get into a conversation all of a sudden they're accepting Christ. And you know the other last Wednesday, you know I send anyone that I'm connected to on Facebook. I do something, maybe strange to most, but I send every morning.

Speaker 2:

I send an audio birthday message to anyone that it's their birthday, and so I'll say you know, hey, lemon Lemon, just wanna say happy birthday. God bless you. If there's anything I can pray for you about or help you with, let me know, and I hope you have a great day. It's eight seconds, nine seconds, very simple. And last Wednesday this lady responded and she said hey, you've made me cry because in the last two years I've lost my entire family and no one has noticed me on my birthday except you. So, thank you, thank you, thank you. And I prayed about her and I'm like, lord, is she? Is she with you? No, is she ready to be with you? Yes, okay, and so I sent her an audio message. I'm like, hey, this prayer changed my life. I think that this would really help you when you have, sometimes, when you have no one to turn to you, turn to him and that's your best option. And so she accepted Christ. And that was from a birthday message, you know.

Speaker 2:

So you, just you look for opportunity. And it's very easy to be busy, you know, and just be busy in your business and follow up and sales and marketing and learning and all that stuff, but do that stuff, but just look for opportunities. Lord, open my eyes, Let me be aware of opportunities, and you will. And that's, of all the things that I do, that's the most rewarding right. And so there's, just, boy, I got a hunger for it very early on, three months in, I got that hunger and then I went and I brought my mom to Christ, my dad to Christ, my ex-wife to Christ, my brother-in-law, my 25-year-old son and I just, you know, I've converted almost the whole family, but not all. I'm still working on it. I'm staying in step with the Spirit. So I'm just praying and waiting for the opportunity.

Speaker 2:

And so, yeah, you want to learn to look for that opportunity and tell God you're available, and that's a dangerous prayer, you know. If you tell him you're available, be and that's a dangerous prayer. You know, if you tell him you're available, be available. You know, and you know that's not just, you know empty words. If you tell him you're available, be available.

Speaker 1:

Oh, I love that advice. I always tell people be careful what you pray for you know, be careful what you pray for. If you are like God, I trust you and it's your will, then you have to be trusted. I always laugh when people are like I'm going to pray for patience.

Speaker 1:

I'm like are you sure? Are you sure you want to do that? More power to you. And Ray, I just want to thank you for this. This was really incredible. I love hearing your story. I love hearing the mission that God has you on. I took a lot of notes and I just want to thank you for being here. I want to thank you for being so faith-forward but also being so excellent in what you do, that you get to have these conversations with people, and I just deeply appreciate the way that you're stewarding the things that God has already given you.

Speaker 2:

Yes, thank you so much. I appreciate that.

Speaker 1:

Hey friend, what a joy it has been to share today's journey with you. If you found a spark of inspiration or a nugget of wisdom that resonated, would you bless someone else by sharing this episode with them? It could be the encouragement they need to step into their purpose and calling. Also, if you could spare a moment to leave a review, it would mean the world to me. I really appreciate your feedback and it really helps our community grow. Remember, Remember. The road to discovering God's call for you isn't one you have to walk alone. So join me again next Monday for another episode where we'll continue to explore the depths of leadership and the heights of our heavenly calling. Until then, keep seeking, keep growing and keep trusting in his plan. God bless you and I'll catch you on the flip side. Bye, friend.

People on this episode

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Lemon Price

Host
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Ray Higdon

Guest

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