Listen to Martha Avila with Heartbeat of Miami, Lori DeVillez with Trotter House and Jacob Barr consider thoughts surrounding God’s Heart and God’s Strategic Plans.
Summary
This is Jacob Barr from the Pro-Life Team Podcast. In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Lori DeVillez, Founder and Executive Director of Trotter House, and Martha Avila, President and Co-founder of Heartbeat of Miami. We discussed various aspects of their pro-life journey, sharing insights and experiences that are shaping the pro-life movement.
Lori shared her word for the year: courage. She emphasized the significance of this word in the context of preparing for the post-Roe world, highlighting how Trotter House has expanded its services in anticipation. She recounted the story of Lilia Trotter, whose life inspired the renaming of her organization. Lori stressed the importance of family in God’s plan and how their services, including men’s programs and abortion recovery, are transforming communities.
Martha talked about her word for the year: double portion. She shared her journey in expanding Heartbeat of Miami, including the opening of a fifth clinic. Martha detailed the challenges they’ve faced, from threats and vandalism to opposition at their gala event. Despite these obstacles, she spoke of the unity and strength within her team and the affirmation of God’s protection and provision in their work.
Both Lori and Martha emphasized the power of prayer and the importance of walking in faith, love, obedience, and wisdom. They discussed the significance of encouragement in the pro-life movement, reflecting on personal stories and the impact they’ve had on individuals and families. Lori’s perspective on flowing with God’s guidance – faith, love, obedience, and wisdom – was particularly inspiring.
In conclusion, this episode was a testament to the resilience, faith, and dedication of those in the pro-life movement. Lori and Martha’s experiences and insights offered encouragement and a deeper understanding of the challenges and triumphs in this vital work.
Reflecting on this enlightening conversation, relevant hashtags include: #ProLifeCourage, #FaithInAction, #CommunityTransformation, #AbortionRecovery, #FamilyRestoration, #DoublePortionBlessing, #EncouragementInAction, #PrayerPower, #HeartbeatOfMiami, #TrotterHouse, #GodsGuidance, #ProLifeUnity, #SpiritualResilience, #ChristianLeadership.
Transcript
The transcript was automatically generated and may contain errors.
Lori DeVillez :
Well, welcome to the pro-life Team Podcast. This I’m Lori DeVillez, Founder and Executive Director of Trotter House and I get the honor to get to share with you today with Martha in Miami-Dade County and Jacob our wonderful friend Jacob with I Rapture. And I’m excited that we get to share with you today the wonderful love of Jesus and all he has in store for you. And we pray, we will encourage you. And in whatever walk you’re in, wherever you’re serving, that you know that you’re not alone, that Jesus is there, and we’re here to love and lift you up. I look forward to sharing with you today. Thank you for being with us.
Jacob Barr :
So Lori and Martha, I’m excited to have you on the pro-life Team podcast. Lori, would you introduce yourself and then we’ll have Martha go next as if you’re talking to a small group of Tracy clinic leadership people.
Lori DeVillez :
Ok, my name is Lori DeVillez and I’m the Founder and Executive Director of Trotter House. We are what we are calling ourselves at this time the tagline is we are a pregnancy and family Resource Center awesome.
Jacob Barr :
And Martha, would you? Yeah, introduce yourself for those who may not know you quite yet.
Martha Avila :
Sure my name is Martha Avila. When I’m the President and Co founder at Heartbeat, OK and the pregnancy health medical clinic in the Miami-Dade County area, which is we cover pretty much all of South Florida. And we’ve been doing this and we opened our work to the first clinic in 2007 and now to the glory of God, we have 4 clinics and trying to open our fifth one in the hosted area, which is a very needy area and in our community, we are located in the neediest table with the Miami-Dade talent fee awesome.
Jacob Barr :
So laurie, what’s something that’s been on your heart lately or recently in the pro-life world like once one of the things that you’ve been, you know, hearing from God or thinking quite a bit about.
Lori DeVillez :
Well, this year I don’t know about if everybody does this, but I usually ask out for a word for the year. My word was Curry. And it’s interesting in so many situations how that word has come up. But this has been a significant year for our work. We had been have been preparing for the overturn of Roe and living in the post Roe world for a good last three to five years, every month when we meet as our coalition, the attorneys would say get ready they kept saying get ready, expand your services, be prepared, your work’s going to change those kind of things. And so we started really looking at what do we do, how do we prepare, what does it look like? And for that, it takes courage, because things change, and change can always can sometimes be uncomfortable and fear tries to rise up. But in the process of preparing, we changed our name. We were Austin Pregnancy Resource Center. We now are Trotter House, named after Lilia Trotter, who was a famous missionary of the eighteen hundreds who gave her life, left all of her wealth, all of her career, and went to a very impoverished area in Algeria from she left England to go to Algeria to serve women and children and to take the gospel message of Jesus Christ, the foundation of hope and love. And when she arrived, women were treated so poorly they couldn’t even come inside to eat they had to eat on the sidewalk. And she said no that must change if she like to build a culture of life or God had called her by sharing the name of Jesus and that whole world changed so that not only could women come inside to eat, they could own the restaurant. And when I heard her story and we contacted her family, they blessed us to use her name i want people to know the legacy behind the name we chose because I think it’s very significant that God would bring that to us when we were seeking to be positioned in a new day. Our programs are enlarging. We have offered of course the pregnancy testing and sonogram, the life skills boutique, but now we’re enlarging to GED training and testing men’s program the men’s program has taken off, The abortion recovery has taken off. So a lot of post row and in our boutique, we’ve added another boutique, our home goods boutique, because many of our clients now we’re helping set up in housing and we’re working with other programs in the community. And when they graduate those different in home programs, they get a housing help and that’s either apartment or a house and from there they have nothing so we get to set them up with all the furnishings of a new house and bless that home and bless the family with what God has done and redeeming that family back together. Many of these our clients who are helping have had their children removed from Child Protection Service. They’re getting reunited with their children and our communities are transforming. So I love the work that you’re doing there in Florida as well because I know you’re transforming families and family is the heart of God. And I believe we’ve got to speak the family, not just we do want to save that baby, but that baby’s not making that choice we’ve got to reach the woman and the dad and the family to restore our communities back to that.
Martha Avila :
Absolutely and i totally I am in agreement because for example here in Miami-Dade County especially well I’m sure in other states in other cities as well but the fathers that want no responsibility for that child. No financial responsibility or even any type of connection with that child and are we are always trying to end that because you know and we say it as it is you know deadbeat that we cannot be that and it’s really interesting how when you get them involved because they have to be involved regardless. You know I always encourage the mom to do whatever they can for the father to be responsible but this is a two way thing it wasn’t just her that had the baby and because often times mom say no I don’t want anything to do with him he didn’t want the baby to begin with. Well no you’re doing it for the child. The child who the father. And so we bring the father in and even though they may not be married or they might not get married, you know it’s just beautiful to see how the father does get involved with that child and we are, we work with a mom and a baby and the dad up to a year after that baby is born.
Lori DeVillez :
Yeah, it’s so important i think of one young man that’s in our men’s program now. He met with his mentor and the mentor he’s actually ended up sharing at our banquet so his story opened it here but he watched the video about a father, right how to be a dad, How to love your children. And John, our mentor, wasn’t sure if he was really paying attention, but they went through the homework on the Bright Horses course and he got all the homework right so John asked him, you know what do you think about this class and he said, honestly, I have been in the foster care system for 14 years and no one i had no one to show me how to be a dad. I had no one to show me how to be a responsible man and with us mentoring him and he wants to be, he’s got four children, the oldest is five. He wants to love his family, right and what do you know, we’ve had a wedding, they have now gotten married. They have a budget they have a plan he’s now got a job working at Lowe’s in the pros department and he’s on the right road. He’s he now he sees it but that just that little bit of help that we could offer in one little 30 minute class changed his whole family and the work that we do is so important for that reason we pray with them we share Jesus with them and he shared on the video at our banquet that he hadn’t even thought about church he used to go but then he’s been away for many years that he said and I want to go back to church and these people they pray for us. They care for us and they see that in US. And it’s so important because without the Holy Spirit of moving our lives and in the work that we’re doing everywhere we go and impacting our community, it’s all about what God is doing and moving on the hearts of the people. The people are looking, Bruce. They’re looking for a foundation. There’s so much anger in the world, so much uncertainty in the world. Now is our time to shine that light evermore, to be able to draw them to where that foundation is. amen. And we, you know, this year, before Rome was overturned, our Citra and Austin, you know, had gotten that fake, what do you call news that came out in May And all the attacks that came and God used, He can use anything that the enemy intends for evil or to intimidate us or to get us off track or whatever it is he intends to do, God will use for good as we cling to him he’s been really, that’s where that courage comes in because we’ve got to hold on so tightly to him because he knows what’s ahead his thoughts are not our thoughts and his ways are not our ways. And if we’ll just hold on to him, he’s got to transform everything around us to draw the truth and might back into our community. So I love that.
Jacob Barr :
So, Martha, what? What was the word that you had were given for this year?
Martha Avila :
Well, I usually get one word, but I got 2 words and it’s interesting that happened because the word was double portion and you know, I’m I’ve been considering the whole retiring and you know, I’ve been trying to build up the next person that is going to you know take over.
Lori DeVillez :
I’ll be 60.
Martha Avila :
Seven in January and so I was like thinking about that been praying about all that and then the Lord just gave me an opportunity to open the fifth clinic and i wasn’t sure whether that was going to be in my watch, even though I had been. We had been praying about it as a board and as a team since before the Pandemic back in 2019 and we for sure we’re you know we’re going to do it in 2012 and then of course our life dramatically changed all over and that wasn’t a reality And then I said OK Lord and it’s going to be it’s not going to be on my watch. You know and it’s funny i mean the at least we know that the plants are there and Lord you know you’re it’s going to be in your time. And then this happened where a very generous person one of our donors said you know Martha I want to give you the month for the whole state i mean that here for the whole state clinic. And so to me that was like, i can tell you that I was just in awe. And then I had, it’s amazing because I had been praying for God, you know, for a word and this Sunday at church we had a special, a special person come in and here she came up to me and she said, little Martha, you’ve been praying for a word and the word is going to be two words and it’s double portion and oh, wow. And she said, but interesting, this lady doesn’t really know what I was praying for and she’s a, she’s a beautiful missionary in India. And she said, and Martha, the Lord is going to renew you for that double portion. And I said, OK, God, that the retirement has to.
Lori DeVillez :
Be put on hold.
Martha Avila :
And that was well, Jay feels me well and I mean I have like a lot of energy and a lot thank you Lord. He’s kept me healthy. But I tell you that i was just so humbled that God would send someone to possess kid he that word that I’ve been that I had been trained for and it has a confirmation that it is on his watch not on my watch. You know my wife really matter it’s his watch and there is some calls that it’s very dear to my heart because of the people that come from other countries that are there and a lot of girls are used for sexual trafficking in that area. And my husband and I had the blessing of adopting one of our moms back in 2013 And you know who came to this country from Honduras and she was running away from a racist and when she got here, she they found that she was 8 weeks pregnant and that baby is my granddaughter that we so much love you know she’s daughter. My husband and I, we had been empty nested for a long time all my kids are grown up and here we are with a teenager and a baby. But it has been one of our biggest blessings ever. So that area always was very dear to my heart because of the people from Honduras and Mexico and Guatemala and El Salvador that are there and these young girls are being used like that and so that you the desires of my heart and his heat you know saw that I could still do it in my in his lot such then I am thrilled about that but you know it’s been challenging to save the lead but you know John is or who’s my mentor and who’s Co founder of heartbeat of Miami. He always said, you know it’s hard because it’s supposed to be and it is it’s supposed to be hard. No one said it was something easy so i’m just waiting for that double portion of energy and of whatever the Lord wants to hand me over us a double portion thank you, Jesus, because I’m my arms are open for him, for that.
Jacob Barr :
Wow so that’s really exciting about the you know, the word, you know how God is using. Well, someone else to give you that. Yeah to give you those words and how that impacts your. Yeah, the direction of this journey. But I’ve got a word in my wallet that I was given eight years ago I think at Alliance for Life in Missouri at the conference and I’ve kept it in there this whole time it’s the word learn and it. Yeah, they essentially handed out the papers different people. And for a long time I didn’t quite know, you know, how God was going to use it but over the years it’s really, I don’t know i feel like there’s a lot to learn when it comes to the pro-life world of different niches in different areas. And it’s not always as simple as someone might think there’s a lot of areas to consider and to explore and to figure out so. But yeah, I’ve leaned on that word, keeping it in my wallet for a long time. So, Martha, what’s something that’s been on your heart recently and what you know when it comes to the pro-life world, That’s something that’s been driving you in recent days?
Martha Avila :
Well, here in Florida, well we, I don’t know if you were aware that we were attacked fiercely when the when the news came out of the leak of Roe versus Wade and we were threatened over the phone, the FBI got involved things that we’re not. I mean we’ve been protested before and we’ve had you know people say things and do things especially during election years and stuff but in this particular case it was more like threats over the phone and the FBI and getting I had we had to be involved. You know like the supervisors and myself and an active shooters training from the I mean things that we would have never thought back when we first opened our doors you know that something like that would happen and then on the 3rd of July after the decision was announced on the 3rd of July of that week after we were vandalized and all of that brings a lot of intimidation a lot of, you know, I mean I can’t even begin to tell you the things that crossed my mind and then we you know of course again all the news people got involved and you wonder OK, Lord, i do believe that everything works out for good because you love us and Lord, you know we have been called to your purpose but how is this going to work out. So then the gala come, and then they go and they crash our gala after even having security, and I mean it was like one thing after the other, you know and I, you know, interesting enough through everything that happened.
Lori DeVillez :
I can tell you.
Martha Avila :
That my team and I and my board are stronger and more united than ever and you know one of my concern and of course the word against fear not. The Lord can’t get telling you that because it’s inevitable to be concerned and to be. I mean we live in a Miami-Dade county is a is a you know it’s a hard community and you know it’s very liberal very. I mean it’s a hard community And to us it was like Lord, you know my teen you know, like these girls have husbands and have children and I can just imagine their concern as my husband and my children were very concerned about you know my safety and the clinic safety and the safety of the moms and but that same day that it was a little like a kiss from heaven, that same day that we had all the.
Lori DeVillez :
It was the day after.
Martha Avila :
The fourth of July weekend and on the fourth of july my, you know some of my team members went and painted the painted everything they sent the security cameras, all of that right. So on Tuesday morning we opened our doors and when I was arriving at work and every meals was there, I mean it was like you’re having this is like a Monday and a Tuesday morning for us because we see a lot of women obviously and if a day is closed, I mean that day is going to be like a double amount of women and Lord what are we going to do these women how are they going to walk in here police officers detected. Would you believe that day at the Hialeah clinic we saw twenty women and sixteen of them were at risk of abortion i mean pretty much abortion determined and to God’s glory 15 of them chose life for their baby and one was still undecided but what I say that to say this, I mean even when that happened, Jake, you know that i was still, I’m telling you that I was like taking to see everything, all the commotions deployed and these women walked in like if like for whatever reason, God made all that invisible to them and they still walked in and they still, you know, chose life for their baby. And that’s what me was like, Lord, you’ve got this. So you’ve got this no matter what. So when the whole thing of the crashing of the gala our gala was in september when all of that took, you know, we realized that even then, even then, the Lord protected us and you know, the donors, the people that guests were like in shock that had happened. But no one left, no one took off. You know, they were so concerned about us and I didn’t even know how I got up there to deliver my message. But the Lord helped me do that and again got showing us that you know that he’s crafted he’s got this and so it’ll think these are strange very strange for us right now and it often ties it up Gatly and totally understood but God called us, and God will equip us and empower us and protect us and provide for us to take the next step. And you know, of course the whole thing was scary, but he, you know, he’s the 1 that does. He’s the one that we just show up. We just report for duty there and that thing and I’m telling you it’s like you know my face keeps growing and it keeps growing and after 15 years I am definitely not the same person that I was 15 years ago when he called me to do this. And I’m just looking forward to the next stretch and to the next grow growing pains and yeah it can hurt but you’re thank you that you’re in and that we’re not alone. None of us are. None of us that have been called to this. I don’t know.
Jacob Barr :
I guess so Lori or Martha, what question would you have for each other or what you know what would you ask each other as part of just, you know, exploring each other’s story?
Martha Avila :
Well, i just.
Lori DeVillez :
Want to say thank you to Martha. I remember the day when we prayed for Miami with Bob Fouse. There was no center in a 50 mile radius i believe at that time I was six top family. And I’m just so grateful you’re there because we prayed for that and to hear your heart and to hear the work that God is doing. I really, I would just like to say that the power of prayer and I truly believe God is answering more quickly, more adamantly as we pray. For years we have paid, prayed to have our building paid off at Austin. It’s been our only debt and our largest debt And it happened this month that the gory God one donor wired four hundred forty two thousand dollars to pay our building off. And I just stand in awe that if we were, because I remember the day just a few years ago when we were blessed with a hundred thousand dollar gift and I remember just being in awe and I remember God speaking to my heart saying you’re thinking too small. I really think as we lean into him, as you’re talking about of knowing his heart, of joining him and his work, there’s far greater things. The scripture tells us we would do even greater things. And I believe he wants to do that through us and he’s equipping us to do it. And like you said, these are exciting times they can be challenging times, but in those challenges, it’s when we grow and it’s also when change happens and we move back toward all that God has for us and I’m excited about where we are and about all that God has for us. I make it far greater than we could ever dream. As Ephesians three twenty one tells us, more than we could ask or imagine is what he wants to bless us with so I’ll be praying for you Martha, and that Miami-Dade area because he’s got to position there for that double portion to move and bless his people and save lives. And I just thank you for the obedience and answer the call and say.
Martha Avila :
Yes, Amen thank you Lori and I am so grateful for those that prayed us in I remember back in 2000 and six 2007 I’m sorry, in like around April or something like that in 2007 when we were walking to the heartbeat international conference and I remember we were walking with John Deanie and I and I remember people just stopping stopping us and John introducing us and people were saying we pray for you, we.
Lori DeVillez :
Pray for Yeah.
Martha Avila :
And for you to say yes, we pray for you to after the call and that’s so hard to me to know that someone brought me in to the most.
Lori DeVillez :
Hard work, I’ve ever.
Martha Avila :
Done in my life completely. And then what I have ever done before and I am so grateful to God that He gave me the courage to you know not look back on what I left but to do what I’m doing now to and to be able to have experience so much so many miracles I mean miracles Some people think that miracles is growing a leg but you know we have the same miracles are what we see on a baby day the story so I’m grateful that you pray for me and for your back. He is prayers and if you have anything to share with me that I may learn you know that I would so much appreciate it because you have the experience and wisdom and I would love to any ideas that you that you have that you would share with me I it would be great.
Lori DeVillez :
Yes, absolutely. That’s what it’s all about that’s why I love Heartbeat International and all the other groups that come together and pull us all together to work together to link arms, to be the body of Christ around this world, standing for life. So absolutely anything I never you know, I can share we’re going to lift each other’s arms up as we move forward, victorious in this work to see a new day of valuing life once again.
Martha Avila :
Definitely amen. I treasure that and I’m very grateful to Jake because Jacob has been there since the day I met jacob has been so just in tune with what we do i always treasure that he bringing different people together he’s only done that i always, I always say that Jacob is like a bridge you know he kind of like puts it together because in that work they put that together you know we might be able to do this and we need each other.
Lori DeVillez :
We need each other’s.
Martha Avila :
Experience we need each other’s testimony you know to be able to continue this is a long haul yeah this is a tough fight so there can be no decision in the full life movement you know we all have it’s all the same mission it’s the same God. But you know we all have a different flavor to it because we’re worse for I mean Miami-Dade Colony might not work in Alabama but you know the real print is there and the foundation there we just build on it And so i thank you Jake for always being there. I mean I call Jake a lot how he has such a kind heart that he’s always willing to you know just give whatever it is that he has for us. And I appreciate you Jake. Your stuff is amazing and you know i will never ever it will both out in history how you pull that virtual gala together. When I think of it know what and the world that’s going to do and how you made that happen and we were still able to make money all the wayward i can’t even imagine how you did that and I just, I will be forever grateful oh.
Lori DeVillez :
Yeah, the scripture i think of is Psalm one thirty three one how good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity. It’s like precious oil poured on the head. When you think of his anointing and the oil of joy and life that he gives, that’s what it is when we’re in unity, we have a coalition in Austin called the Austin Area Life Affirming Coalition, and every month when we come together, I let them know God is pleased. When we are in unity, when we work together, when we live one another up, when we’re there for each other, just like you were saying jacob is a great example of that because he’s always been looking for lifting up what God is doing and his children so i am in agreement with you, Martha, for lifting Jacob up and giving thanks.
Martha Avila :
Amen for him and his family and his staff and that everything that you have stole, Jacob Dundord will multiply it and because he always does that, we never He. We never can now give him never. So I thank you for your giving heart thank.
Jacob Barr :
You so, yeah, so I look at you. I often think of how you reflect God’s heart and then Lori, when I look at you, I often think of how you reflect God’s strategic wisdom. And so I think those are like the parts of the body that you sort of represent in some ways. And then like Citro Paula do, I think I might be mirroring after I think she looks i think of her as like the veins that connect different organs together or different groups. And so, Oh yeah, I would definitely enjoy aspiring to being a bridge, like a vein that would definitely be something I would find joy in being found as like a bridge or a vein. And so, Laurie, I remember at the last talk you gave, I think it might have been at the smaller gathering for International Ed Services, ATI or Advanced Training Institute. And I think you were talking about the playoff of the word courage because you’re talking about building up the culture of life by being encouraging to others and how you played off the word encourage, which tied into your word of the year, I guess Inka for courage.
Martha Avila :
Yeah, can.
Jacob Barr :
You can you speak a little bit more about that you know how encouragement and how that ties in with the word courage and how that, how that, how that promotes the culture of life.
Lori DeVillez :
Yes i think that the encouragement anywhere we go, if you’re going to the grocery store, if you’re like last night I was flying home from Dallas and the gal sitting next to me just was miserable and I just started praying for her and the next thing I know, she starts talking with me and I start encouraging her, listening to the challenges in her life and before you know it, the whole situation changed. And so I think it takes furry to reach out to encourage sometimes like last night it did for me a little bit. But when we do, i just believe that’s when we’re walking out that love that First Corinthians talks about and I love. For me, I don’t know about y’all, but I don’t like to fail. I know I do and I don’t like it when I do. But when we have the promise in scripture that if that love never fails, if we can hold on to that, if we can, you know, almost living out the fruits of the Spirit, right and one of those fruits is self-control and believe me, not too long ago I had a challenge and the guy was lying to me and he was being ugly and rude and all these things and I looked to him and I let him know i said, you know, what you have done is downright dirty. But I want you to know I’m going to choose to be kind in this situation and I’m going to choose self-control but I will do the right thing in this situation. You know, it’s not always where we just have to let everything happen. We can draw a line and have boundaries, healthy boundaries, But when you do that, it speaks to people because in our world, if it doesn’t go right or things happen, we can. I’m seeing a lot of people go off on things right and get angry and, you know, try to bring that situation back into control. But if we walk in the fruits of the Spirit, that love and joy and peace and patience and kindness and goodness and gentleness and faithfulness of self-control all of those the fruits of the Spirit and believe me, it’s a constant everyday, you know, laying down and lifting those up.
Martha Avila :
It will.
Lori DeVillez :
Speak to the world and when we.
Martha Avila :
Do it.
Lori DeVillez :
Brings that encouragement, because that encouragement draws people.
Martha Avila :
What?
Lori DeVillez :
Because when I get asked a lot, what is it in you that you can do those things well, I’m so glad you asked. It’s because of the.
Martha Avila :
Love of Jesus.
Lori DeVillez :
And what he’s done for me that then I can turn around and do for others, which is really the New Testament commandment, right we’d first love the Lord our God with all of our heart, soul and mind and strength. And second, we love all those around us. And when he when Jesus broke that down into a very simple commandment for us, I think if we really. And that’s where my word flow comes in at, you know, when situations that get difficult and I would just say long time, I would always say, well, I’m just going to flow i’m going to flow and finally I ask.
Martha Avila :
The Lord what does?
Lori DeVillez :
Flow mean Why am I always flowing what is this? And the Lord really broke it down for me f means that I’m going to walk in faith. That means I don’t know what it is. I may not be comfortable with it. But Hebrews eleven one tells us that we when we walk in faith we have that hope even of things we can’t see we have that hope. So walking in faith. And L is for love. Again 1st Corinthians 13. If I stay in that love as First Corinthians 13 explains it, then I’m assured not to fail all and obedience and sometimes that that’s really difficult like Martha was talking about being obedient to be in those situations that aren’t comfortable, that are very difficult. But he’s there with us. We have the examples in the Bible where he was there in the midst of the fire he was there and he’s there with us. And then W is for wisdom. I don’t want to know what I think or can see. I want God’s wisdom. I want the wisdom of God in every situation so that I flow with him because he can see the heart of people that I can’t see. He could see the heart of that gal sitting next to me on the plane i couldn’t see. I didn’t know what she was walking through. I just know by her body language I could tell she was miserable. But by the end of that flight, she had hope. Because I didn’t give her hope, but Jesus gave her hope, and I’m just the mouthpiece that he uses to draw others to him and that’s what I think if, as we can really shift our focus to that in this new day, there’s so much more that God desires for us and for the people around us, and it will look totally different if we all just lay it down and let him move and work to encourage others, we’ll see a lot of change happen.
Martha Avila :
That’s beautiful, Lori. That’s beautiful thank you. Thank you for sharing your heart like that.
Lori DeVillez :
Absolutely and good to get to share with you today i appreciate it.
Jacob Barr :
Well, it’s been a pleasure having both of you on here today to talk and yeah and share and encourage those who are listening. And so yeah, I just want to say thank you for being on here and for being willing and authentic and open and for doing. Yeah, so much for your communities and for, yeah, by working at serving Jesus and such A loving way. Thank you.
Lori DeVillez :
Absolutely thank you Jacob for helping get the word.
Martha Avila :
And to encourage each other, because when I listen to the podcast, Jake, I mean, it’s always encouraging. It really is so I appreciate that these podcasts are not scripted.
Lori DeVillez :
The ideas presented may not be the official.
Martha Avila :
Position of the speakers, the related organizations, or the sponsors. These podcasts are free form dialogues that may include brainstorming and trying on ideas to see how they fit. Thank you.
Lori DeVillez :
For listening to our stories.
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