Episode 017 Big Dreams, Faith, and her book Chart a Course with Jessica Carey

Background -married 14 years, mother of 2 (boy and a girl that are both competitive gymnasts)
Midwest girl but went to NY for acting

Author of Chart a Course
Takeaways: She wants readers to be inspired and empowered to take that next step in their dream journey, in their faith journey with God. For those who are already on the journey, to have practical tools to keep going.
Anytime God calls you to a big dream there’s gonna be some resistance to it.
Just keep going! You are going to get there.

Imagery of God being the captain of our ship. The idea came from Color Conference that she attends every year. “You can have all the wind in your sails that you want but if you don’t chart a course you will never arrive. The theme revolved around the propulsion of the Holy Spirit AND the intentional plan.” The “chart a course” phrase stuck in her head.

Seafaring takes courage but the promise of where you may go makes you want to give it a try.

Lynn’s Granddaddy was a commercial fisherman that loved astronomy. He spent many a night studying the stars.

When you feel overwhelmed, remember that you have a plan, direction, and the Holy Spirit guiding you. It’s not just water all around you. But at times it can be scary though!

When the storms come, sailors had to wait until sunrise to redirect them and tell them where they are. Similarly, Christ (the Son) needs to rise in our lives and show us where we are and give us direction.

Jessica’s journey starts in acting because she loved storytelling. However, it was very circumstantial. She had to learn that others’ opinions of her do not matter as much as her opinion of herself. That realization gave her the courage to keep going. Despite her overall success, she was miserable on the inside feeling hurt, depressed, and anxiety-ridden. 

A Spirit-filled friend approached her and asked her frankly if she wanted to keep doing things her way or try it God’s way. She was raised Catholic and did not find the Spirit-filled life she was looking for. She was going through the motions but the authentic relationship wasn’t there.

She went to L.A. in search of fame but met her husband in the next month (a Spirit-filled man of Faith), and started going to Oasis Church. Jessica gave her life fully to God in LA. She realized this was the passionate, Spirit-filled life she had been looking for.

She notes that we all hear the Holy Spirit in different ways.

Out of her marriage relationship, God gives redeeming moments that healed old wounds. She no longer has to carry around that baggage.

To the Mama who feels stuck or in an unfulfilling stage: 
Give yourself permission to dream. Write it out. Say to yourself, “I am worth 30 min of uninterrupted quiet time.”

Prompts/questions for going deeper can be found at her website: www.jessicacarey.co
-5 questions to get you dreaming
-When God’s dream is bigger than your bank account
-Making faith statements: With God I could…

Faith precedes provision.

She described herself as a very calculated person that needed financial security, but at the time not realizing that God calls us to obedience even when we do not see. He will give us all that we need, but we have to first go.

The biggest example that Lynn recalls where “Faith precedes provision” was on a mission trip to the Dominican Republic in 2007. We crossed over to Haiti where a woman with no food was obedient to God in starting a fire. She had no food but God had brought us there to give her rice. She had nothing but she prayed. God told her to start a fire so she did. She started a fire and waited. Then God provided.

Are we getting the soil ready for the seed that God wants to plant? Believe for it, get ready for it, and don’t be surprised when He provides it!

Jessica talks about her journey with tithing and how God provided the amount they needed when they refused to withhold their tithe even though they didn’t have the money in their budget.

Malachi 3:10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. “Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.

Lynn was able to pay off $26000 college debt in 9 months while still tithing regularly. Tempted to withhold the tithe to pay off the debt quicker and then pay the tithe without having to pay as much interest. God said No, pay the tithe! God orchestrated so many other blessings in that time that grew my faith and showed His provision that I otherwise would have missed, thinking I could ‘do it all on my own.’ Plus, how can you pay interest back to God?

Jessica loves the passage “Jesus help me in my unbelief.” Asking God to stretch you in your faith. Mark 9:24

Mentorship - “building a crew to get you through.” Find a church full of people that you like being around. Don’t find a church you can endure, find one you enjoy. You can also be mentored from afar.
Be invitational. Don’t have an expectation that people are going to miraculously show up on your doorstep and be a part of your journey. You can pray for that, but invite people in. Start to manifest groups within your own home where you can pinpoint those mentors, people you can go to that are easy to talk to and have fruit in their life.

Vision boards - What is my intention behind this desire? Are there goals I hope to accomplish as a result of this desire? Before she always thought ‘goals need to be structured, practical, pragmatic, and S.M.A.R.T.’ Recently she thought, “God, You breathe life on this. What should I think? What should I put in front of me?”
She chose images of NY times best seller, female speakers that she looks up to (amazing pillars of faith), phrases/images of a lighthouse (willing to stand out there in the night and say this is the way home) and stare in the face of the storm.

Vision boards where you put an image to a dream help to change your attitude and your outcomes. Having them in front of you consistently helps you return to the dream when you get distracted.

When you dare to dream big there’s “Imposter syndrome.” Defeating the doubt in your mind that you aren’t good enough, no one cares what you have to say, no one will believe you, your message isn’t worth saying, all the time you’re putting in that is very selfish of you because you could spend your time elsewhere.

2nd to that is comparison to others. God reminded Jess that not every woman is going to relate to your specific voice. The women that I’ve appointed to hear your message are going to definitely relate to your voice. Every person has an audience or a community that God has appointed them to engage with. God knows who your tribe is. 

This episode it good for Lynn’s soul!~ a God appointment for sure :) 

Hillsong Leadership College
She signed up to start the process to ensure that the way she was interpreting God’s Word was theologically sound and safe. Making sure her study methods and tools were being used properly. She found so much more. That knowledge was there but she found out how to disciple other people well. How to grow as a disciple of Christ personally and how to help others around me seek and find relationship with Jesus as well.

Making disciples - walking alongside people, being intentional in relationship, being genuine. To become a good disciple means that I become a good disciple of who Jesus is. Align ourselves well with Christ-like behaviors. Sometimes that involves conviction and asking if a behavior is really serving you? 

Formats of discipleship can vary from 1:1, to small groups, and even globally as an author.

Scripture that empowers other women and help them to chart their course: 
Perseverance verses. 2 favorites:
Galatians 6:9 Let us not become weary in doing good. For at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 
James 1:12 blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

Check out her website to kick start your brain.
Website: www.jessicacarey.co
Facebook: @jessicacarey.co
Instagram: @jess_careyaz