Proverbs 24 - Lisa Williams (God's Radio Girl)

Show intro: 0:03

Welcome to affirming words, where you're encouraged to speak the word renew your mind and transform your life.

Rick Tarrant: 0:11

Well, good morning. Hey there. Hi there. Whoa, there. It's I know you have to look at this now you had a lovely, a lovely visage. And now you have mine say, Ma. Hi, it's Rick Tarrant in Memphis. It is the 24th of February as we record this edition of The affirming words, podcast, and as my guest was just telling me, it's so nice to be with you. And then I started singing a 70 song. So that's kind of the kind of the way I roll but but before I go down this path any further let me introduce you to my guest today. Lisa Williams, formerly of K love, but that's that was then and this is now

Lisa Williams: 0:51

so a long time ago now. But it's still my claim to fame.

Rick Tarrant: 0:54

Isn't your claim to fame?

Lisa Williams: 0:56

Yeah, I mean, in radio circles.

Rick Tarrant: 0:59

I'm still looking for a claim to fame. But you know what I think today might be the day having having you on with me will be my my claim to fame.

Lisa Williams: 1:09

You know, that that ended in me having panic attacks and stepping down. I mean, that ended I worked really, really hard for four years that Caleb and loved being on a national stage. But in the end, I chose the two I had in diapers, you know, wanting to be their mom and, and to get healthy. So the last that was 11, I stepped down. So for the last 11 years, I've been learning how to be healthy and to be healed.

Rick Tarrant: 1:38

Wow. So it was that much pressure being on the the national stage as you said,

Lisa Williams: 1:44

Well, I did have a lot of pressure, but I think it was a lot of it was self induced. Because of the wounds of my childhood and the wounds of my childhood. Maybe when I was around four or five, I made some big decisions, you know, we make big, we don't really have the ability, the world didn't seem safe. And so I just decided I would be a perfect, perfect little girl. I would be a performer I'll make people laugh. And, and just really lived in a kind of a codependent if you're okay, I'm okay lifestyle for all my whole life. And it really fit in Christian radio, because I was really good at making people feel good. I was really good at being good, really good to be imperfect. And I think that when I was on the big stage because of problems in my marriage that were kind of unknown things going on over here. I cracked because I just couldn't carry the weight of life anymore. My my false identity that I created to protect me from this big bad world began to crack. But in that process, over the last 10 years, I found Jesus and my true identity in Christ. And how to shine. Wow, as a as a healed broken little girl.

Rick Tarrant: 2:58

No as you're as you're talking, I'm realizing why even going back 20 plus years ago why? Maybe I resonated with you because I'm now I'm just starting to see some some commonalities that I did not know about our our past or our upbringing. It's like, well, dang, well, darn, things are starting to make sense. So we'll go down this. Before we hop into reading proverbs 24 Today, let me just open in prayer. Father, we just thank you for this time together today on affirming words with my friend Lisa. And those joining us here in the in the Zoom Room. And also Who ever may hear it streaming live or on the podcast later at whatever future date, we just ask God again, that your that you would be the light into our path, and that you would direct our steps and that your word would actually transform our thinking so we could be renewed in our mind. So thank you that we are on this journey and you don't give up on us when we screw up. And that we're we're still on the path still in the game. So Lord, I'm just looking forward to this conversation in Jesus name. Amen.

Lisa Williams: 4:02

Man, thank you. This is so cool. What you do. I love this.

Rick Tarrant: 4:05

What do I do? I'm still trying to figure it out.

Lisa Williams: 4:08

Well, you live word, you get people in the Word. And then you're having honest conversations. vulnerable, honest conversations. And yeah, you're seeking after Christ. I like you. This is good.

Rick Tarrant: 4:21

I think I now have some ad copy. Thank you very much. And that's the weird world. We live in this thing of like you said, I was on with Rob Dempsey a couple of days ago from his from his radio and we were talking about that it's so easy to fall into being a professional presenter of spiritual things. And you can really even even it's a subtle little thing but you can find yourself off track and it's like you're just in performance mode or show mode or something and, and, you know, and things are important. I mean, you know, you like Zig Ziglar used to say if you want to go up make up and dress up you know, get some decent lights and a camera and a microphone. But it's easy in our business for that to become your whole world. Yeah, we're showing now in professional. And now the consultant told me to do that. And I've mastered that. And I've given you know, it's like we it's so easy to get lost. And I, that was part of my story. I, I got lost in that same thing. And I what you were just saying about performance. I'd like to visit that just a little bit more after we read through proverbs 24. Oh, I'm so excited. And I just don't want that to take the backseat and get to the end go. Oh, yeah. Didn't do what we came here

Lisa Williams: 5:31

words. So just so I understand, you've been reading through a proverb like every

Rick Tarrant: 5:36

chapter everyday, this Monday through Friday of this month, we've had frank Reed from Kelty, why was on earlier just the names you might recognize Bill Scott was with us, you know, I first met him down at WCI in Lakeland, and then rob Dempsey comes along with this amazing story of how WCI he played a role in his whole salvation is like Holy mackerel. It's so much fun to, to reconnect, and to find, like you said, the real life stories behind these microphones, you know? Yeah. So that's what we've been doing. And I was thinking if you would read three verses, and I'll read three, and we'll jump back and forth and okay, see how that works. All right, well, the conversation leads us

Lisa Williams: 6:15

Alright, so let's, let's go to God's word. This is Proverbs 24, starting with verse one. Do not envy the wicked do not desire their company, for their hearts plot, violence, and their lips talk about making trouble. By wisdom a house is built and through understanding it is established through knowledge. Its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures.

Rick Tarrant: 6:45

I see the version that I have it's got it broken into different sayings you want to go

Lisa Williams: 6:50

Okay, can I also I also went through for that was the end of saying 21. All right,

Rick Tarrant: 6:55

that was before I saw this that you know, it actually started in the previous chapter, I think with 40, saying so here we are in Proverbs 43, saying number 22 of the wise. The wise prevail through great power, and those who have knowledge muster their strength. Surely you need guidance to wage war and victory is one through many advisors.

Lisa Williams: 7:18

Wisdom is too high for fools in the assembly at the gate, they must not open their mouths.

Rick Tarrant: 7:26

Whoever plots evil will be known as a schemer the schemes of folly are sin and people detest a mocker.

Lisa Williams: 7:35

If you falter in a time of trouble, how small is your strength? rescue those being led away to death. Hold back those staggering towards slaughter. If you say but we know nothing about this. Does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who guards your life No it will he not repay everyone according to what they have done.

Rick Tarrant: 8:04

Eat Honey my son for it is good. honey from the comb is sweet to your taste. know also that wisdom is like honey for you. If you find it, there is a future hope for you and your hope will not be cut off.

Lisa Williams: 8:20

Do not lurk like a thief near the house of the righteous do not plunder their dwelling place. For though the righteous fall seven times. They rise again. But the wicked stumble when calamity strikes.

Rick Tarrant: 8:37

Do not gloat when your enemy fate falls when they stumble. Do not let your heart rejoice, or the Lord will see and disapprove and turn his wrath away from them.

Lisa Williams: 8:49

Do not fret because of evildoers or be envious of the wicked for the evildoer has no future hope and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out.

Rick Tarrant: 9:00

Fear the Lord and the king my son and do not join with rebellious officials. For those two will send sudden destruction on them. And who knows what calamities they can bring?

Lisa Williams: 9:17

You want now I'll read two you read two because there's

Rick Tarrant: 9:20

further sayings of the wise. Yes. Yeah, yeah, yeah, just Well, let's go back and let's go back to the three and three format.

Lisa Williams: 9:28

These also are sayings of the wise to show partiality in judging is not good. Whoever says to the guilty, you are innocent, will be cursed by peoples and denounced by nations. But it will go well with those who convict the guilty and rich blessing Welcome on them.

Rick Tarrant: 9:51

Verse 26, an honest answer is like a kiss on the lips. Put your outdoor work in order and get your fields ready after that builds your house. Do not testify against your neighbor without cause. Would you use your lips to mislead?

Lisa Williams: 10:08

Do not say I'll do to them as they have done to me. I'll pay them back for what they did. I went past the field of a sluggard pass the vineyard of someone who has no sense. Thorns had come up everywhere. The ground was covered with weeds, and the Stonewall was in ruins.

Rick Tarrant: 10:30

I applied my heart to what I observed and learned a lesson from what I saw. A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come on you like a thief in scarcity, like an armed man. This is the word of the Lord.

Lisa Williams: 10:48

Amen. It's so good. I just want to like sometimes I just want to like, like, push it into my body. Like I just want it. It's so good. There's so many things in there that that are part of our lives because we've read this and we've heard it you know,

Rick Tarrant: 11:02

that that last one's a tough one. And I've remembered that probably since I was a 21 year old Christian you know, a little sleep a little slumber a little hands you know, that reminds me of when I was working at WDIA first all African American radio station in America and we had a gospel DJ, brother bless my bones Theo way. And one of the things brother bless my bones would do every single day because he did the 3am to 6am shift, right, so around five in the morning. Good here, brother Wade going. WDIA with Brother Wayne, get up, get up. You know, you ain't got no money, get out of bed. You can't make ends meet by sitting on one of them. Now, that was personality radio, as a young top 40 Guy didn't get but it's like, God, I missed that man. All the DJs back then were cut from that cloth. Rufus Thomas. And, you know all you know, the guy that did funky chicken. I don't know if you're familiar with those Stax Records. But Rufus used to be a DJ there was talk about personality. But yeah, so get up, quit slumber and put their hands to rest.

Lisa Williams: 12:16

There's just a lot of things in here. Um, I mean, there's a bunch of stuff that jumped out at me, but like when it talks about, through understanding a house is established in talks about getting understanding, I just had like a breakthrough in therapy, going back to some wounds in my life. events in your life, that galvanized false identity statements, you know, something happens, and then I believe, I don't matter. And deep inside me, I believe I don't matter. I don't matter. And so then that's a lie. But I live like it's true. I either live like, I don't matter, or I live like I will prove to the world I matter. But when the healing comes. So it's like God showed me a wound in me and an eye and I'm like, Okay, I have knowledge. But I don't have any understanding. Like, there's a wounded me, what are you healing? And why are you showing this to me? Then I was able to work with a therapist go back to that memory. And then the Lord showed up in the memory and reworked the memory. And now I know, I matter, not because you told me not because a sermon, God showed me, I'm valuable. Even though the world the life situations, the things that are done to us will often galvanize the lies of a false identity. That is not true. But we believe like it's true. Until Jesus until Jesus heals us, you know?

Rick Tarrant: 13:43

Yeah. I had a similar experience a few months ago in what we call a heart healing session, where I saw myself as a little boy being, you know, abused by my father. And in the moment the, it was asked, Can you see Jesus in this situation? I was like, No, how could he be? And then? I did. Yeah. And then I saw that his heart was broken. And then I saw that that was not his intention, but that my father's heart that he had been hurt, you know, and that and what would they say hurt people hurt people here to be the recipients of? Yeah,

Lisa Williams: 14:16

thank you for sharing that. That's the I won't forget that. Thank you, that Jesus showed showed you that his heart was also broken. I had a similar experience where Jesus showed up and showed me that I was just, I was in chains. I was in chains. And then he heard him say, I can make a way where there is no way and then he just both busted open a wall and took me out into a spacious place.

Rick Tarrant: 14:41

He'll describe that a little more in detail is that this place?

Lisa Williams: 14:50

It says in Psalm 18 You know, Psalm 18, Psalm 18. You know, it says, it starts with I love you. I love that song. It says, Lord, I love you. You are my strength. And then it talks about how he feels when we're hurt. The Lord is angry and he hurts and he comes down from heaven with fire and smoke. And he grabs in our hands and pulls us out of the deep waters that are overtaking us. And then he takes us out into a spacious place because He loves us. The Lord gave me that Psalm through a friend when I was going through the most horrible time of my life. And I, I lived in that Psalm, I drank that Psalm, I meditated on that song as I attempted to survive my own life. And then now, years later, as I'm doing healing work, you know, with a wonderful Christian therapist, we go back to the genesis of pain for me, a memory where basically was galvanized, I don't matter, I'm not valuable. I don't exist, was the lie. So it's really hard thing that happened. And through through this therapy process, the Lord showed me how I was a little girl down underneath all kinds of chains all by myself. And then he, I, he, I heard, I can make a way where there is no way. And I kind of turned my head and there was the Lord in my memory. I was like, Oh, my Lord is here. And they busted out the wall. And I could smell things I've never smelled before, like flowers I'd never smelled. And there was trees, and there was Valley, like rolling hills. And we were under oak trees and my is like an imagination. But it was in my memory. And I was with the Lord. It was like prayer. I don't know. And yeah, so it was beautiful. I mean, like, life is hard. I'll just say that. That's a given life in this world, you will have trouble. And we are I think we are walking wounded. And that's why people wound like, like you said, hurt people hurt people. And so I'm kind of a seeker of where are the healing places? You know, what is healing look like? How can I be safe and healed? So I don't wound people? Yes, wounded a lot of people in my life because I wasn't healthy. You know? And so how can I be safe and healed with Christ? And then how can I create space for healing? That's what this is, you've created a healing space where we get in the Word and we share our stories. It's good. Wow,

Rick Tarrant: 17:19

I'm just I'm just sitting here. You know, and for audio, dead air is bad, right? When we come from this, number one, ruler, radio, no dead air. But as you say, I just want to sometimes just pause, and I'm so many things sorting through, but I'm kind of, it's like, I'm seeing a great similarity between some of our stories here and how you, you don't know when you're younger, what you're dealing with, I can remember as a 21 year old guy just got saved. And I remember saying this, I don't even know the context, but just saying, Hey, man, you just, you know, who wants to dredge up all that crap. From childhood, you just play the cards you're dealt was kind of my, my son, he just played the cards you're dealt. And that works in your 20s. And you got a lot of resiliency and, and competence. And for me, it was just like, you know, too dumb to know what I couldn't do. So I went ahead and did it anyway, right? But then the way it's like your, you know, your 40s rolled around, and it's like, you know, now you got more responsibilities, and there's a mortgage, and there's kids, and there's tuition, and there's this and there's that and a business and money and debt now owe the IRS and suddenly, it's like the facade begins to crack. Yeah. And then for me, when a business thing happened, it wasn't the facade that cracked it was the whole building just came crumbling down. And all this stuff that I had sort of learned how to shore up, either through my presentation skills, or doing something that got enough accolades to make me feel a little better about myself. For that moment. It just all went to crap. I would say another word, but I'm trying to it's a family oriented show, you know, um, and, and so I so resonate with you, and then I know your crash and burn happened. So I didn't realize at the time that we were both presenters, just kind of making our way in presentation mode. But a lot of well, we have DNA and we have, you know, good genes, we are born with a certain amount of this or that or personality or whatever. But that'll only carry you so far.

Lisa Williams: 19:17

Yeah, well, you know, like people talk about deconstruction, and there's lots of positive thoughts about it, negative thoughts about it, all kinds of people using that word, deconstruction, you know, I've listened a podcast about it and all kinds of stuff, but for me, at least, when I deconstructed the false identity I created to attempt to keep myself safe on the world. I found Jesus. I can't deconstruct him. I constructed things around him to make him what I wanted him to be or what I thought he should be or what everybody told me he was, but when that all my construction, I deconstructed there's the Lord in a in purity and beauty and love and who we are created to be our identity in Christ. Right? I think that's what you said at the very beginning. You're talking about identity. Like I work in Christian radio, I'm a Christian radio coach. So I coach, I got like, 100 different people who are on the radio, and I'm not coming in there right going now you need to be perfect. That's, that's great. No, I'm like, nope, perfectionism is not our goal. Humility and self awareness. I got that from a therapist named Andi. Kolber, who wrote the book, try softer. It's humility and self awareness, right. And then as I was praying about it, because I was just praying for a long time about not wanting to be a narcissist, and just be all about my brand, and I just want vomit. I felt like the Lord showed me lampstands he kept showing me lampstands and CDs, or Nate lampstands while I was praying, and I'd see like the silver lamps and I'm like, okay, I get it. You're telling me not to hide? You're telling me to shine? Yes, then I don't because I wanted to go hide. I was like, I'm gonna live up in the mountains under a yurt for the rest of my day. So I don't sin. I just want to be a narcissist.

Rick Tarrant: 21:08

I tried that for 17 years.

Unknown: 21:10

That's not what you were created to do, Rick Tarrant, you were created to shine. What do you do with a lamp, you put it on a light, a lamp, Sam. So I look at this podcast thing that you're doing right now, this live stream is just the lampstand so that you and I can take a moment and shine. And anyone else who takes all these radio stations that I serve all these amazing radio stations that I serve they're lampstands we don't worship them. It's not like this radio station saved people know it didn't hit the lampstand 100,000

Rick Tarrant: 21:41

watts of salvation.

Lisa Williams: 21:44

You know, we just we just, we just get as healthy as we can as close to Jesus as we can. As honest as we can. As healed as we can. We work out our salvation with fear and trembling. We, we seek the Lord, and then we just shine in our own identity. And then people come to Christ because that's what it says in Matthew five, Let your light so shine before men. They'll see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. So I had kind of a false identity for probably, I don't know, 40 plus years, decades here. Yeah, yeah. I'm just trying to protect myself to be good. But when it cracked the fragrance of Christ is incomparable.

Rick Tarrant: 22:26

Wow. Yeah, you remind me like it like a rose petals getting crushed. That's when the the aroma? Yeah, yeah, it's no fun getting crushed, though. But as you said, the word deconstruction I was deconstructed not of my own will, or my own choosing. But that's what happened was my own deconstruction of my false sense, because, you know, my personality was this or my identity was this. Somebody even gave me the moniker once in church. Hey, radio, Rick. And you know, when things like email came along, that was my very first handle on AOL Radio rick@aol.com. Yeah. So when radio went away, and I remember something that Colin Powell said, or was attributed to him after he passed away recently, saying something to the effect that no matter what you do, don't associate your identity with that position. Because when the position falls or goes away, yeah, you're still you he didn't say quite that way. But that that was what I took from it. And I was so aligned with what I did that when it went down, well, guess what? I'm

Lisa Williams: 23:29

just yeah, you cease to exist because your identity, but it sounds like you had so much pain in your childhood. That you you know, more than I knew childhood. You had to create something to protect yourself like I am. I am this. I am good. I am Rick Tarrant. Right. And so the Lord in His gentleness with us, I keep seeing in my heart, a tulip bulb. You know, lots of times you know, I'm working right now. The thing I'm working on with the Lord the most right now is loving myself. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, all your mind. All you got love others as you love yourself. And so, part of my DNA has always been like, Oh, get over it, Lisa. Like, oh, I wish I'd known back then. God was so dumb back then. Just kind of self hating, like we put on your big girl panties and stop crying. And so what I'm what I'm working on right now is play

Rick Tarrant: 24:24

the cards. What? Play the cards, you're dealt,

Lisa Williams: 24:27

play the cards you're dealt, don't be a whiner. Other people have it worse. Come on. And in that it's like a self hatred. Like, there's no self compassion, you know, at least for me, I'm talking about me, you know, it's like no self compassion. So what I'm really working on right now my word of the year is softer, because instead of try harder, I'm going to try softer, which is the name of the book from Andi. Kolber. So try softer. And then um, but but a tulip bulb, right? Nobody looks at a tulip bulb and says, What are you doing? You look like a rock. Just be a flower for God's sake. Like, what do you? We, we just don't need to despise all those years, Rick? Yeah, even though it's like, Oh, what a waste? You know, that's what a waste. No, God was doing something like the comment that just came in about the pressure on coal, the becomes a diamond. You know, it's like there's a process. And we should not despise the process even though the American people were like, Oh, what a loser? Like, no, that's a son, who's in process, who's going to bloom the most incredible blooms when his time comes? Right?

Rick Tarrant: 25:35

You know, I had a friend sent me a picture of Denzel Washington this morning, and I don't, I don't have it in front of me. But he had three, three little quotes or statements, but it all boiled down to comparison. And what a trap that is, it was like, Hey, you didn't buy your house till 65, you still had an accomplishment, it took you more years than you thought it would to get your degree, you still have a degree, you know, you're just now coming into your own at whatever age it's like, Don't Don't Don't let somebody else's timetable of success, determine, you know, where you belong. And I know that especially in our business, it's real easy to just in life in general, like you said, in Western society, we're all about comparison, and success in this meant the other thing, try softer, I'm gonna, I'm gonna get that book. Yeah,

Lisa Williams: 26:21

it's so good. If this try softer, a fresh approach to move us out of anxiety, stress, and survival mode and into a life of connection and joy. And so it's therapeutic process, but she is saturated in Jesus Christ. So it's like, oh, it's therapeutic process with Jesus. You know, it's like the perfect, it's, it's, I'm reading with friends, I'm reading it really slowly. So in my coaching, I'll just tell you this, I'd love your feedback, you know, in my coaching process, kind of came to terms with, I'm not like, be like me, then you'll be good on the radio, or be like her, or be more like, I feel like when somebody is new, the they do have to emulate because you don't know there's, there's 10 It's like cooking. And being a master chef, there's 10,000 fundamentals, to learn to be on the radio. So at first you emulate another, but then when the time comes, you sprout wings, and you become who you are not. So we all emulate until we're ready to sprout our wings in different parts of life. And so what I kind of see is like a garden, like all these people on the radio, that some of them bloom in the shade. Some of them are like sunflowers that follow the sun, some are smaller, some are like bushes, they're all different, but they're all valuable. So it's kind of my coaching process for me is how do I getting healthy and healed and becoming who you are not trying to be like everyone else, but being who you are. And that all sounds easy, but that's such a process.

Rick Tarrant: 27:56

Well, and another thing that occurs to me, and whether you're on the radio, or whether you're just, you know, working in a courthouse or for a lawyer or taking dictation, or whatever, whatever it is, we do these days, you have to have permission, I think that safe space to especially on the air, you need somebody, a program director or a manager to say, I give you permission to experiment. So you can find who you are on the air. You know, whereas in top 40 radio, my experience was I remember hearing a disc jockey on WL s late at night out of Chicago, you know, going out all over the country. And I heard him tell a joke. And I was kind of involved in you know, it was more of a story with a punch line. And I as a 18 year old right out of high school, tried my hand on the all night show down in Monroe, Louisiana. And oh, it was it was just dreadful. The hotline rang, and it was my program director, he was awake, monitoring what I was doing, and I can quote him verbatim. He said, Shut up, you sound like crap. I'll tell you when you're ready to wrap. So that word right there can kind of shut you down,

Lisa Williams: 29:09

you know, and shift you into I have to be this has to be

Rick Tarrant: 29:13

the more like the morning guy who's just tight and bright or whatever it's like, anyway, so that's just

Lisa Williams: 29:20

like, how the marriage of radio and Jesus for me has been fascinating. Like I just, and I'm imagining most people watching this, if you're watching this, if you don't know Jesus, I hope today is the day. I hope today is the day of your conversion. But there was a there was a moment in Louisiana as a 16 year old girl I just went Jesus are now the Lord of my life and I was converted I was born again. I was saved. I had I went from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light there was like, something happened. And then I'm like, I'll do anything for you, Jesus. I'll go anywhere. I'll go to Haiti is the poorest place take me to the poorest place take me to India. Take me to Calcutta. I was just like, I'll go with do anything for you, Jesus. So when God called me to Christian radio, it was kind of like, okay, wait, what are we doing? You know? So then it became about presentation and polish, and oh, you're good do that more and no, don't do that. And so, you know, you kind of like, it becomes really different than I would say to Jesus, sometimes this is not what I was gonna be doing. But if you take all of that radio, there's fundamentals to being on the radio, like there's fundamentals to cooking or fundamentals to being a clown, or fundamentals to be an accountant. There's all kinds of fundamentals. But I just want to look at it like a land like lampstand, like, I'm just here to shine. And I'll use the fundamentals, I'll start the way I should, I'll end the way I should, I'll talk at the speed, I should, I'll punch the button, which I should, but I really want to shine. And so strategically, on Christian radio, it's a lot of friendship. It's a lot of fun, a lot of joy, just inviting people in and then sharing Christ, and then just welcoming people in sharing Christ. So yeah, less about perfection, more about humility and self awareness. But using the fundamentals in whatever field we're in, so that we have a place at the table, right? I mean, like, if you're a grocery store clerk, then you're doing all the rules of grocery store clerk, but you're shining like a bright light. The whole time. You're a grocery store clerk,

Rick Tarrant: 31:22

and isn't amazing, amazing how some bulbs can shine. And some can be rather dull when you go to the checkout counter. But you know, this whole process that we've been going through is about getting your heart healed and renewing your mind. And I'm sure there's probably a jillion different ways to do it. But the thing that has been kind of settled into affirming words, is that out of Romans 12, where he says, you know, present yourselves to the Lord is as wholly pleasing and acceptable, and be no longer conformed to the thinking of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. And that, therefore this process of not just reading the word, but actually speaking it out loud, getting it into your heart, turning it into an affirmation how, in whatever language you speak, to make it meaningful to you, like, you know, with this virus going around, I say, you know, no disaster shall befall me, no disease come near my tent, that has been my mantra now for for two years, right. And I don't say it just as a mantra, but as Lord, no matter what comes my way, you know, I know this is a promise of yours that I'm going to stand on. And when I was reading in Deuteronomy about the promises that God had for his, his people, Israel, and then reading in First Peter, that, Oh, you know, we are the children of God, you know, we are that holy nation that God was talking about, you know, now completed in Christ. So the promises he gave to them there for you in May, right. So let's stand on him. Not to say we'll never have suffering, not will never have pain, but to continue to believe in the face of whatever is going on. Even if there's a, you know, World War Three breaking out that God is going to be faithful to you and me, in the midst of whatever we have to go through. And we will go like you said, In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart, I have overcome the world. You know, let me walk with you through this through the loss of your spouse or the loss of your business or the loss of, you know, yeah, like you said,

Lisa Williams: 33:14

well said that was really that was really well said I was drinking all that in. That's good.

Rick Tarrant: 33:18

So I want to shift just a little bit because I'm looking at the time and there's so many other you know, we could do this in a private call. But I want to know where in Louisiana. were you when you were 16.

Lisa Williams: 33:28

I was born in Shreveport, Louisiana before

Rick Tarrant: 33:32

it got directly across the state from Monroe, where I got my

Lisa Williams: 33:36

sister was born in Monroe, and my grandmother's buried in Monroe. And so

Rick Tarrant: 33:44

these little crossroads, guys, so just as I was fascinated talking to rob Dempsey, seeing these things that's like,

Lisa Williams: 33:51

Yeah, and so Shreveport where I was born was where I was born and raised, and my parents sent me to their they were poor. My dad was a railroad man and my mom, you know, they didn't have much money, but they chose to send me to a Christian school. So I went to a private Christian school for nine years, and I heard the gospel. And so the Word of God was in me, it was in my head. And then when I got born again, I just knew that I just, Oh, I could just talk all day about what you just talked about, like the Word, the Word, the Word, the Word, the Word. It's alive. It's living in it. It saved my life. The word, though don't you love the word everybody? It saves your life. I mean, I, Psalm 23, Psalm 63, Psalm 27, Psalm 18, Psalm 139, John 17, Mark 11, Romans five, oh my gosh, you know, it's like, it's part of your DNA. It's like if my identity is revealed, it's like you who you are and who God is, is revealed. So if you want to know Him, the ultimate safety is Jesus Christ. You want a place of healing, you look for safety, we cannot heal outside of safety. The ultimate safety comes from Jesus Christ. And I was just telling my kids today. Like if you want to know who he is, you learn who he is from his word. He revealed Himself through His word. It's a word in the Spirit revealed him. But it's all the word is the our anchor. So thank you for saying all that.

Rick Tarrant: 35:22

You know, you and I had talked about once, you know, some months ago, Hey, we should do a podcast or something together. Well, here we go. Maybe this is the format. Like we've got bandwidth and time in our schedule, but still. I love I love. I love working with you. I'm kind of like a morning show. Oh, it is the affirming words of abundance. Morning Show. Okay, did I see that you went to Washington Baptist? My dad out of high school? I did. Was that in Arkadelphia?

Lisa Williams: 35:49

Yes. Do you know it?

Rick Tarrant: 35:50

Oh, my God You're not gonna believe this. So? Yeah, my father built a log cabin. Just on the banks of Lake Degray. Oh, wow. Cato Valley. And yeah, sorry, guys, insider talk, but little little plays outside of Arkadelphia, Arkansas, and he built a log cabin. And he and my stepmother settled there for many years. So during that time, when you were probably going to wash it, I was driving to Arkadelphia and going going off over to Bismarck, Arkansas on the way to hot springs. So Darren, when I saw that on your LinkedIn page last night, I was like, what? How did I not know that? So were you there when the girls appointed Grace were there.

Lisa Williams: 36:33

They were there just before me? Yeah. So I was there. And I was a music major. And yeah, that was nice. I was just there for one year. And then I'm married when I was 18. And then he was in the army. So we went to Germany. And we were in Germany for three years. And then while in Germany, I prayed. I'll just real quick, I'll just tell you my testimony was that I wanted to be a singer. I wanted to be Amy Grant I wanted to be and he and I surrendered that. I wanted that that's what I want. And I surrendered that and he said Christian radio. So then we got stationed at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. And that's how I found Jim McDermott and Casey VO and knocked on the door and 90, and they hired me. So 32 years ago. I've been doing Christian radio for all that time. But I have a story real quick about WC IE. We're in Florida for a while, right? Yeah. Well, when we were in North Carolina, I found out that we were moving to right outside of Lakeland. And I was I was like, Thank you, God. You are you have seen have favor on your daughter. You're moving. I am going to work for WCI II. I know it, I know it. And when we got down there, they had signed off like two weeks prior. And I was so devastated. Because that was a powerhouse in our country like everyone. Everyone nationwide talked about that radio station. It was like this is what modern day Christian radio is going to sound like this is what's happening. And

Rick Tarrant: 38:02

that factored into Jim McDermott's story that he I'm not Jim McDermott, but Rob Dempsey when he was on

Lisa Williams: 38:08

Yeah, no, you met you alluded to that. So that's my little so I lived there actually ended up going to the church where the station used to be I used to drink from the water fountain to go I know the radio people drink from this water.

Rick Tarrant: 38:17

So radio Oh, yeah, the assembly.

Lisa Williams: 38:21

And then um, ended up finding ziada point three. And the Lord let me work there for almost 10 years also in Orlando, but you know, when God puts a calling on your life, whatever that calling is, you don't really get away from it. Yeah, you know, you don't really you can run from it. But they're usually those callings. The Bible says the gifts and callings of God or without repentance. Are revocable. Yes, he gives them to us. So I've always thought, well, I guess I won't do radio. But no, I think I'll be doing it till the day I die.

Rick Tarrant: 38:49

Well, you know, that was over the years of my darkness that kept coming back, you know, Ric gifts in the calling or era vocal. It's like, well, so you still you still got something for me to do. But it was still a mystery. So I think even it looks to me like for you, you're you're definitely in blossoming mode. And I feel like that's, I'm, as I heard, Billy Sprague say years ago, after the loss of his fiancee, and after a year had passed, he said, I interviewed him and he said, Yeah, I'm in a greening period. It's like the branches are greening out again after that long, dark winter. And I kind of see that our tulips are beginning to bloom on the ground for a long, cold dark season.

Lisa Williams: 39:32

Yeah, so yeah, I mean, just for me, I got, I kind of have the passion of a NFL like Super Bowl player. Like I'm ready. Let's play ball. You know, I have a lot of energy inside my existence. So all of it is focused towards, you know, my walk with the Lord, my sons, and then Christian radio, right. And so Christian radio. I'm just honored this Northwestern it was it was started by Billy Graham. As I understand it, Billy Graham started modern day Christian radio. So up at Katie is in the 40s, he gathered a bunch of college students and said, Here's what I want to do. I want to start radio. I want you guys to raise the money. Let's go find the money. So all these college students are working hard. Now this is Lisa version. I think I've got the facts straight, and then signed on. And then Katie is, you know, it's North University of Northwestern St. Paul and am and an FM Faith Radio, the word side, talk side and Katie is and then all the stations across the country. Now there's 14 stations and markets, 14 markets where Northwestern serves, well, they're not like kala love, or even way FM way FM does have some stations. But you know, this is like, the stations are in the town with a morning show middays afternoons a whole staff. So these entities serve these towns all across the upper Midwest. So we have a bunch of air talent. So Jason sharp is a really great leader, smart leader at Northwestern media. He makes lots of good decisions and cares about his people. He was like, I want to bring in a talent coach, because I just want to help. You know, some of the stations could afford a town coach here and there. It's really expensive to her town coach. So then the whole group has a talent coach. So now I have the best job in the whole world I love. That's my job. I love people. I care about them. I see them, I encourage them. And so that's what that's what I do. So I do feel like I'm blooming. Yes, you are. But I also feel like the best days are are yet to come for us. For all of us that the best days are ahead. There may be some more pruning and more seasons of dormancy. But I think there's a lot of fruit coming for for Rick Tarrant

Rick Tarrant: 41:47

and Lisa Williams. Yes, we know that was actually the days that was spoken over me before my life crashed and burned that coming was a season. That wasn't too good. You know, and but but after that would come a season of abundant fruitfulness in every area and walk of life. And the the word was and you've asked yourself, what did you do wrong? And the Lord said, You did nothing wrong. But you had to go through this in order to show others how to drive away the birds. And so I've always pondered that over the years. What are these birds and I think they are from well gloom, despair, agony on me but they are depression and despondency and anger and, you know, the, you know, the depression that comes and like you said, the feelings of worthlessness. Those are the birds that come and you hear this wonderful word. I know the plans I have for you. And then the word sweeps then it goes I mean, the bird comes in, grabs that away let's get let's just snatch that before. It has a you know, an immediately after you know something in life comes and hits you upside the head. And that's one of those birds that just Stole Stole it away. So I've come up, you know, this is one of my ways of driving away those birds of speaking out the word whether it's in the middle of the night when fear comes knocking on your door, but I'm wondering do you have some? Yes, bird drivers that you can you know, when they've come picking on you to to shoo them away?

Lisa Williams: 43:11

Yeah, yes, I do have an answer to that. And I did see the comment that came up. I do want to speak a prayer over everyone before I leave if that's okay. I'm just yesterday, so I'm doing a lot of work about being in my own identity. And my identity, I am pure hearted. I am loved. You know, learning who I am in Christ, the great I Am has given me a little I am identity. I'm just Lisa his daughter. But I'm his daughter. I'm treasured, I'm valuable. And I'm trying to figure out who so I can I just want to shine brightly and bear fruit. So I'm always like trying to get in an understanding. So sometimes I compare myself to other moms, right? So I'm a single mom. And um, the thing I've struggled with in life is boundaries. I struggle with codependency In other words, I, I like giving myself away and helping. I don't even exist, I have no boundaries. I just pour right. In my mind that was like the ultimate Christianity. And through steady and learning and help and crashing. You know, I know I need boundaries, boundaries are healthy boundaries are godly. Okay, what do they look like? How do I navigate them? So I compare myself to other moms who are incredible with boundaries, like they are like, I tell my kids to go to bed at 10 they go to bed at 10 I tell them to get out of bed, they get out of bed. You know, I'm like, Oh, how do you you know cuz I'm just like, and so I shamed myself sometimes that I'm not enough. Or I shamed myself. This is what happened yesterday, two days ago. I had a rough morning trying to get my people to do what I needed them to do so that we were on time and the voice in my head you are an adequate. You are an adequate you You're an inadequate mom. And I kind of agree with it. Like I am inadequate. These poor boys, these poor boys, stop. And I know. And then my kid says something kind of like, you know, here's what dad would do. And I'm like, Oh, great. It lines up with the voice is already saying in my head. Yep, that's right, because I'm inadequate. So I go in my closet over here. And I asked God to help me and give me strength through the morning. And he and I come out of my closet game on, let's get in the car, all these things. But as soon as they're out of the car, I began to weep. And I cry all the way home because I'm, I'm experiencing the truth of my own pain. But then when I got home brother, I stood flat footed, in my living room. And I began to speak God's word. Yes. And I said, I am not inadequate. I'm a daughter of the king. And I was created for such a time as this. And I just spoke the word and spoke, the word just poured out of me. And then when I got to the top of the stairs, it doubled down. I started doing spiritual warfare, like the blood of Jesus, the name of Jesus, thank you, God, for angels in this house. And it just lifted off of me. And I felt exhausted. But I felt so peaceful. Because I can I can say, basically, let's just, we are all inadequate in different areas, we are weak. But when we are weak, then we are strong, because of the Lord. So the Lord met me in prayer, the word of God filled my home, and then I just kind of marched on without all the pain. But life is hard, as I'm saying. So you asked me, you know, I think about the word of God and standing or how the Word of God is. I struggle with comparison sometimes that I'm not enough. But then the Lord meets me. And I wanted to tell you, one story keeps coming to my mind, check the time, we're good. Can I tell you one more story, please? Okay. I have, I know that most of you hopefully have had times of really deep connection with God, like a revival personally. Maybe you go to a cabin, maybe you go to a group of meetings, and you just have this almost like a tangible experience. I hope you've had that or that you will have that if you haven't. I've gone through a season like that, where I'd gone to some friend's house in Missouri. And just it was like a camp meeting of your Pentecostal. You know, what I mean, is like pressing in and worshiping for days, when I came home, I had an experience in my kitchen, where the Lord said something to my heart. And I think it just lines up with what Rick has been talking about. And basically, through all my pain and all my crashing and through the divorce, and through just the pain and the pain and the pain upon pain over six years. He's just like, I got to this point, where the Lord was, I was able to listen, and he said, You are not a tool. You are not something that I use. Here, my daughter, let me love you. And it's like, I could see my whole life. I was like, not worthy. not worthy. Let me work harder. If I work really hard, I'm worthy. Yeah, yeah, don't look at me. I'm just working for you over here. I'm not really worth your time. And it's like he said, Okay, it's time, it's time for you to let down your guard. It's in the spiritual realm. I went like this. And I just put my arms down. And I went, Okay. And so from that day, which was a couple years ago, today, it has been the sea. It's a dip in a different journey. Because I felt like I just kind of live like a tool. I'm what God uses. But nope. You are the one that God loves.

Rick Tarrant: 48:48

Wow. I still resonate with your story. And I'm sure we could spend hours comparing notes at some point. And I look forward to that time. I do hope it'll happen. Sandy Lynn saying in the chat. Oh, Lisa, I certainly can relate through my past with all you have said. But I've got to say Father is doing a mighty work in in through my mind loving life and experiencing His goodness, you know, that's. So I see we're almost at the top of the hour. I haven't opened it up for questions because I just wanted to hear everything you had to had to say this morning. And I appreciate your generosity, but also your vulnerability and because like you say, it's really easy to get on even this little zoom stage or a platform stage and wonder all podcasts, blah, blah, blah. And think, you know, oh, this is not going very smooth. This is not very good. You know, some of the some of the old broadcast coach stuff is whispering in my ear. And it's just kind of like, you know, the Lord said, Just Would you just let go, which is just let go for a second. Anyway, I appreciate you being vulnerable and sharing your story.

Lisa Williams: 49:51

Sure, absolutely. The work that's the work I do is vulnerability work. I do a lot of vulnerability work. I do.

Rick Tarrant: 49:59

Well, I'm a reached out to you for some talent coaching nonetheless. But

Lisa Williams: 50:04

I just wanna, I mean, you're so generous Rick, with your time and your words, I just want to say, you know, Rick, I know that you've walked through a lot of pain. But man, when I look at you right now, I see you emerging and shining. And I just like, who you are and where you are right now. You know, and it's almost like, I don't know, I see someone who's just wants God and wants what God wants. So, I don't know there's something about you that's really refreshing. And broken, but still strong. So it's really cool, what you're doing.

Rick Tarrant: 50:50

That's interesting. I love that. I love that. Thank you, Danny Cosby. He's a shining star. You know, that is one of my favorite songs. That should have been played on Christian radio, you're a shining star, no matter who you are shining bright to see who you can truly be. Earth Wind and Fire Action. They're going. Maurice was a very spiritual man, by the way, and from Memphis, but that's another story for another day. My wife Lisa, you said something that resonated. My wife has said to me from time to time, and now Michelle lien who is in our zoom audience says it, Rick, be a better friend to yourself? Yes. A better friend to yourself. Hey, man,

Lisa Williams: 51:26

oh, my gosh, is so many people had to say to me, Lisa, treat yourself with the same compassion that you would treat someone else in your situation. Because it would be like so me, I was going through something bad. And I would be like, I need to be stronger. I need to be kinder, I need to do more better. They're like, I need to be nice to yourself. Because if anybody else was going through what I was going through, I would just be holding them and saying, Oh, I'm so sorry. But I couldn't say it to myself. Yeah. Oh, but yeah,

Rick Tarrant: 51:56

we need each other. We need a connection. We do that? Well. If Do you have a blessing to speak over our, our tribe and or listeners and and you said there was a prayer in your heart this morning?

Lisa Williams: 52:10

Yeah, well, you know, yes, I just want to be a sister in Christ and speak God's Word over you before I split. And that we all go into the next parts of our day. So Heavenly Father, thank You for this moment in time where we are together in this way. Thank you for Rick facilitating thank you for the internet. Thank you for cameras and microphones. Lord in all things, we glorify you, with every breath that we take, we desire that you would be glorified in the earth. You are our strong tower, and we run into you and we are safe. So from a place of safety, God, we proclaim your goodness. And I just do God, I want to speak over everyone who's in this call. I thank you that the fruit that lies dormant inside each of our existence, comes forth, in the name of Jesus, as we delight in your word, and we meditate in it day and night, that we are trees. We are planted by the rivers of water and we are bearing the fruit of our lives. Thank you for the seasons, sometimes we wouldn't pick the story that you picked for us Father. But in self compassion, we just thank you God that you are working a plan for good and not for evil. You're going to give each of us hope and a future that that is our. And so yeah, I just want to go back to the fruit thing. That Lord, I know all of us are going to die one day, and we would like as much fruit out as possible. No fruit left behind God for this earth, the things you've placed inside of us, Lord, with humility and with self awareness, we approached you and we ask God humbly ask that you would keep us in process so that the fruit of our lives comes forth. In our part God we will put our trust in you we will put our confidence in you we will sit with you. Be with you. We will be still and know that you are God we will meditate in your work day and night will delight in your work. And as we do that, God we trust that you will bear fruit that we could never do by ourselves. So the only you will get all the glory. I now feel so excited. God I feel so excited for Rick, I feel so excited for everyone on this call because I know you are faithful. You hear us when you when we pray and you answer our prayers. So our eyes are on you and I do pray this too that all of us today would hear from you about a certain scripture or chapter that you want us to go and just meditate and be in that chapter. God reveal your word to us today in a very personal way I pray in Jesus name. Amen.

Rick Tarrant: 54:54

Wow, wow. Wow. Well, no fruit left behind a bit. I think I see a new T shirt. affirming words, no fruit left behind. Series,

Lisa Williams: 55:03

no fruit left behind. You know, every time I say that I always go that means pruning and I'm like, I trust you. Amen.

Rick Tarrant: 55:11

I know, no, no, no rotten peaches lying in the sun. So old Elton John. All right. All of this

Lisa Williams: 55:19

you've got to got you got good song references man, you got good song game.

Rick Tarrant: 55:26

Speak the word with this. Just be you. I'm flummoxed. Lisa, speak the word. renew your mind, transform your life.