Giving Your Best Life
Join Stephanie Jones aka Giving Gal, as she chats about “Giving Your Best Life"! In each episode, she shares intentional ways to give to yourself and others, how giving and gratitude changes your life and ways to go after living your big dreams and accomplishing goals.
Giving Your Best Life
Episode 124: Living the "Only God" Mindset
Have you ever experienced one of those moments where something incredible happens and all you can say is "Only God could have done this"? These divine interventions—both dramatic and subtle—reveal a profound truth about living beyond our limitations.
Stephanie unpacks her phrase of the year, "Only God," exploring how this perspective transforms everything from career setbacks to everyday encounters. Drawing from Paul's words in Corinthians about coming "in weakness and in fear and with much trembling," she reveals how acknowledging our limitations actually opens doors to our greatest impact.
Through personal stories—from publishing nine books despite dyslexia to seeing a cardinal at exactly the right moment—Stephanie demonstrates how reframing our achievements as God's work through us creates a life of wonder and gratitude. This approach proves especially powerful during challenging times, as when her job loss last April led to unexpected opportunities in speaking, mentoring, and publishing.
The episode offers a refreshing counterpoint to our culture's self-reliance messaging. When we recognize that our most meaningful work happens beyond our natural capabilities, we develop the courage to attempt God-sized tasks. Those spontaneous nudges to check on a friend, that book that speaks directly to your current struggle, those "coincidences" that feel too perfect—all become recognized as divine appointments when viewed through this lens.
Ready to shift your perspective and discover what might be possible if you embraced the "Only God" mindset? This episode might be exactly the message you need right now—and that's no coincidence.
To register for the Giving Your Best Life "Rest and Renewal" Retreat before March 28th, visit givingyourbestlife.com/retreat.
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Hey friends, it's Stephanie here with episode number 124 of Giving your Best Life podcast and I'm grateful to be back with you today. Before I dive into the lesson, and what the Lord has laid on my heart to talk to you about is I want to, depending on when you're listening to this, if you are listening to this before March 28th on, or before March 28th, you have time to register for my Giving your Best Life Rest and Renewal Retreat. You can go to givingyourbestlifecom backslash retreat for all the details, the agenda, the speaker, the praise and worship. But it will be from Friday evening, april 4th, to Sunday around noon on April 6th. Everything's inclusive in the cost. You get two night accommodations, five meals, snacks, drinks, coffee, bar, the speakers. But one of the most important things is, I think, as women that's most of my audience. Sorry, men, if you're listening to this, it's a women's only event. But as women we cater to everybody else, we make plans for everybody else. We rarely take time to do something just for ourselves.
Speaker 1:If you've listened to this podcast, you know I often do solo retreats. I go away by myself just so I can get rest, and it's nothing against my husband. I love my husband, but my idea of, you know, going to a coffee shop and spending hours in there writing and strolling down the street and you know, kind of doing some of that stuff is he's. That would bore him to death. And so it's like I'm just going to go have a little retreat by myself, with all that to say is even, and I've done conferences also. I mean I usually do writer's retreats. I've done other conferences, but what I have found is usually they are packed schedules. You know breakfast is at eight o'clock. You know most sessions start at like eight, eight, 30. And then I'm just like women are here, they're tired and we've just packed everything in for, you know, two, three days, and then you go back home to your life, and so I wanted to do something different. I really felt like God was calling me to do something different and to have a weekend that wasn't about full. You know it was. Hey, the days are going to start at 10 o'clock. Um, it's just going to be a couple of speakers each day. There's going to be big gaps to roam on the 160 acres of where the retreat's at, and so, yeah, I just I want it to be very different and I want women to leave the retreat to say I am refreshed, I feel rested, I feel renewed and now I can step back into my life and live out what God is calling me to do serve my community, serve my family, serve my church, serve the people at my work fill in the blank. So, anyways, I really, if you're at all thinking about it, send me a message and I just really challenge you, especially if the only reason that you're not doing it is maybe it feels a bit uncomfortable, step into that. That's where we see change, that's where we see growth. So I just wanted to discuss that really quick before I got into the topic.
Speaker 1:So the topic is the word of the year. For me, this year, it's a phrase of the year. I know, stephanie, it's March 2025. Like I should have had this conversation back in December, january. I did not, and it's what I feel like I need to talk about today, and so I want to start with a couple of scriptures before I dive in. Actually, no, I take that back.
Speaker 1:I want to share with you what my word phrase is, and it is only God Over. These have all been amazing words. They've really changed, helped me, change my mindset. For me, the word of the year, phrase of the year, whatever that you want to call it is, for me has been about changing my mindset, doing things differently how I normally do, something to help me grow, to help me stretch, to help me focus, help me strip away fears and doubts. There's a lot of things that that word should do shine. I've had that in the past. I also want to make sure that my word aligns to what the word of God says and then also the calling that God has on my life. So when only God. I just found myself over and over and over again saying only God, when people would comment on something I'm doing or whatever, it just kept coming up and I thought, oh my gosh, that's what I want my word or phrase of the year to be, and I want to read a couple of scriptures to you.
Speaker 1:I want to read a couple of scriptures to you, and one might be taken a bit out of context, but I'm not using it in the context of the Bible. I'm just using it as, like this is how I think of my word of the year, if that makes sense. So if we go to 1 Corinthians 1.31, it says therefore, as the scriptures say, if you want to boast, boast only about the Lord, and I like that, like only God. And so I look at this in my context of writing books. Right now I'm working on a fiction book series which is almost like I'm done writing, not going through the editing process, and, honestly, like the only response to me writing fiction is only God. I cannot boast it is anything of me, any of my knowledge, any of my education, any of my creativity. It is only God. And I want to boast like, oh my gosh, look what God has done. And so that's kind of the context of when I think about that verse is like, if there's something that and this is in air quotes like I have done, it's like, no, this is how God is using me and the only reason I'm able to do this is only God.
Speaker 1:Now I'm going to switch versions of the Bible and go to a different version, and that first verse was read sorry, was not prepared. It's the Reflection Holy Bible, new Living Translation. Now, I really like this other translation. It's the Abide Bible and it is N-E-T. I don't know what that means, sorry. Oh, new English Translation. Okay, there you go. And so I want to stay in 1 Corinthians and go to chapter 2.
Speaker 1:Now remember, this is Paul, and he says when I came to you, brothers and sisters, I did not come with superior eloquence or wisdom as I proclaim the testimony of God, for I decided to be concerned about nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I like that, like I'm only concerned only Jesus and I was with you in weakness and in fear and with much trembling, and that's how I feel often, almost everything I'm doing, everything I'm working on. You know, I started talking about the retreat at the beginning because, like, if it wasn't for God, I would have much fear in putting on a three-day retreat and some of the things that go into. That may not necessarily be my strength, but let me continue on of what Paul says. My conversation and my preaching were not with persuasive words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the spirit and of power. The other translation talks about the Holy Spirit, so that your faith would not be based on human wisdom but on the power of God, only God. So what I love about this is Paul saying hey, I'm doing this, I'm trembling, I'm scared, I'm weak, I don't know what I'm doing here, but only God, you know, through the Holy Spirit, I am able to do what the Lord has called me to do, and that's really how I want to live my life and how I challenge you to be living your life. That, as you're working, whatever it is, is that you're clinging to God as your source of strength, not what the world says and not clinging on to worldly things, but clinging on to God. So I've got a couple of examples of this.
Speaker 1:Besides I know I talked about the retreat the other kind of perspective I have is, like some of the things that I do, the only reason I'm doing them is only God. Like God has called me to do it. If somebody else would have asked me to do it, I would not do this on my own, and so I think that's kind of an awesome place to be in life. And not that I'm perfect. I miss opportunities all the time. I'm not obedient all the time, but if I look at things like the retreat or the fiction book series, it's like I would not do that on my own, but because God called me. That's the only reason I am doing this, and so, like only God, only God is the one that could call me into doing this. Only God, only God is the one that could call me into doing this and I would do it. The other thing, too, is I want none of this. I think I don't think I know is when we are doing those only God things, so only the things that God is calling us to do, then none of it is about me. I can take zero credit for anything, and even if I look at the stories in the fiction or the speakers that are coming to speak at the retreat, like it is only God, the praise and worship like they popped up on my Instagram, like only God can make those things happen, that is not of me.
Speaker 1:I also think, if I look at, like my fiction book series of some of the little stories that the characters or things that they live through are loosely based off of not the whole book, the whole book has nothing to do with my life, but every once in a while there'll be something that happens to a character and I have based that off of. You know, something comical, something tragic, something fill in the blank that has happened in my life and what has been cool as I'm writing the book and when that like memory surfaces or something that I even thought forgot about. But it surfaces and it's like, oh my gosh, this would be a great thing to add to this character or whatever fill in the blank is. I can look back and go, oh okay, only God was able to use that thing that at the time was terrible, or I hated it or whatever I went through is going to use it now to add this layer to this character in the book. And so I think, looking at our life sometimes, as we're going through things, if you're listening to this and you're going through a hard time in life, and if you've listened to this, as I've been struggling with the health challenge for years and I'm on the other side of it and I say only God, that is the only way. I'm on the other side of it I feel like a walking miracle and he is the ultimate healer and I, for the most part, am healed. But we can look back on those tough times, those struggles, those bad times, and then we get to a point in our life is maybe we're helping somebody, maybe we're mentoring somebody, maybe we're walking alongside somebody who has went through what we went through, and we're able to look back on that hard and difficult time and go, okay, only God, only God would use something like this for good. Um, and we know that because the Bible talks about that. Um, I talked about healing.
Speaker 1:You know, even today, I was back out running a little bit and I was just like going around the yard and, um, actually, what sent me out there was I was just in a bad, crappy mood. I was having a woe is me moment and I was feeling sorry for myself. And it was sunny out and we can do two things when we're feeling sorry for ourselves, or when we're just having a down moment, or something that breaks our heart or whatever. And I could continue to sit here in my house by myself and do nothing and that's not productive. And I just decided you know what, I'm going to go out for a walk and a run. And when I stepped out the back door, I saw a cardinal. And I can't remember if I've talked about this before, but over in my life I really wish I would have documented all the times I've seen little cardinals, just when I don't know, I was struggling, or maybe I thought of something that I should do, but I wasn't for sure, and then I see a cardinal and I don't know. I just feel like it's a little confirmation from God.
Speaker 1:And so today, as I walk out of the house, boom, there's a cardinal straight in front In my line of sight. There are three different doors. I could walk out of my house and I happen to choose this particular door. When I walked out, I happened to look to my left instead of my right. You know, like right at eye level you get what I'm saying.
Speaker 1:Like these things happen and this is where also gratitude comes in and us practicing gratitude is to not only say like only God could do that and God gets the credit for all these little miracles that happen in our life or big miracles that happen in our life, but it's a time to acknowledge also and be grateful and thank God and not just be kind of a taker of these things that he has given us. In the goodness. It's like oh, thank you, thank you, god, for bringing me through this hard time, but also in the good times. You know, thank you for when I walked out the door that there was that little cardinal. Thank you that I it was sunny today. Thank you that you know I had the ability to be in my backyard. I have a backyard. You know that I can run and walk in and you know I have enough strength and energy right now to do 30 minutes Like just all these things, that it's a great way to practice gratitude and to thank God and to be recognizing all the gifts that we get.
Speaker 1:Um, another just example, because if you're going through a hard time and maybe maybe you've lost a job, maybe you're a small business owner and you lost a contract or something didn't renew, or maybe you interviewed for a job and you didn't get it, um, you know, I I think a lot of times is those are, it's only God. God's protecting you. God's got something better. Um, maybe you weren't ready for the opportunity, but I think back a year ago you know, april is I got laid off from my job. Um, and that could have been devastating. And I look at, it's only because of God that I was able to get an email saying that I got laid off and go. Okay, god, what do you have for me? You took me out of this and what do you have for me, and over the past year, is being able to work for myself and mentor young women, to coach women as they navigate life, as they navigate burnout as they, you know, working to grow their small businesses, the speaking opportunities that I've got, the books I've been able to write Like if I would have stayed in the job that I was at is I wouldn't have been able to do these things.
Speaker 1:And so, even when these things that seem like they're bad especially around like our jobs or our businesses is go okay, god, you know what's. How am I going to react? And, and for me, I think the only way I was able to have a good reaction is only by the grace of God and the relationship that I have with him and the faith and trust that everything was going to work out. And you know, god closed that door on my life and I want to walk in in faith to what he has for me. I also think about. I also think about I think these are little things, but they're not insignificant and to recognize these things and going back to that gratitude that we have when these things happen.
Speaker 1:So have you ever had a time when you've picked up a book and when you're reading it, you're like, oh my gosh, I'm reading this at the right time? That seems to happen to me more often and not, and I want to say. You know, when that happens, it's like only God, only God could. Out of the hundreds of books that I have in my office, I happen to pull one off you know the bookshelf. Or I go to the library or whatever. Or I go buy a book and it's like oh, this was the perfect timing for this book, the message that I needed. Or what about the times when you have a friend that pops into your mind and you feel that nudge of like, maybe I should call them, maybe I should send a text, a note of encouragement, or check on them, and you get that response back of thank you so much. You don't know how much I needed this.
Speaker 1:To me, that is only God, you know, that is the Holy Spirit nudging you and you have to be obedient in following that nudge, not getting inside your head, especially if it's something, somebody you haven't talked to in a while or even picking up the phone, we might go oh well, what if they're busy? What if they're working? All these negative what ifs? But what a gift that is to the receiver and that person on the other side. I know if I've experienced that, but I think at the end of the day, it's our obedience, it's a gift, and we can say, oh, only God could know what somebody needs, and then nudge the right person and then that person follows up, you know, to give that gift and to check in on somebody I also think about.
Speaker 1:You know, this past year is I've published nine books over the course of the last I don't know seven years, but I've had the opportunity to publish, I think, around six other people's books and number one, if you know my story, I'm a dyslexic, I hate writing, or I did hate writing. I love it now, but it is only by God that I am an author. But it's only by God that now I have a publishing company and I'm publishing other people's books. And so I want you to think about what you're doing in your life. And is it something that, hey, you're good at and it just relies upon your own strength and you really don't need God to do what you're doing? Or is there something that God is calling you to do that is so out of your comfort zone, so is going to stretch you?
Speaker 1:So you say I have no idea what I'm doing, but God does and he's going to put the right people? I'm going to have to study. I'm going to have to work at this, I'm going to have to, but God is calling me into this and that's where I really think that God wants us, because then, our reliance, you know, every day my reliance has to be a hundred percent on God, because if it wasn't, I mean everything would just implode because I have no idea what I'm doing, which circles back to how I start my day, and that is in the word of God, in praying, in reading and letting him guide my steps. And how many times have you heard people say oh, I've opened up the Bible and the scripture, you know, was exactly what I needed, and so that's the foundation that we need to have and how we need to start our days and who we need to be conversing with throughout the day.
Speaker 1:So, anyways, I've chatted a bit longer than what I expected today, but I just wanted to give you all these different examples of and feel free, I mean, you know, I would love for you to use this if you don't have a word of the year, or something that you're focused on is to take my word, you know, and to use it and to think about how are you doing things that you know when people ask you how are you doing that, you're able to say only God.
Speaker 1:And you know when you look outside and you see the cardinal, you're reminded that that's only God. Or the connections that people you know have come in your life or that happens, and you're able to just say only God. So, anyways, I hope this has given you some encouragement, it gives you some idea and, friends, I want to just wrap up again reminding you of the Giving your Best Life Rest and Renewal Retreat. It is only by God that I am doing this retreat. I would love to see you there and again. Givingyourbestlifecom backslash retreat and the whole conversation today was just another way that you can get to giving your best life.