This interview with, Peggy, first appeared January 14. I wanted to revisit it today. I hope you are inspired by Peggy's words today. Maybe you will not only get to know her a little better and visit her sites, but maybe you will be touched by her words and filled with encouragement today. I have heard from many who stop by. They say, "This is just what I needed today." May this be just what you need today. If so, I know Peggy would love to hear from you.
Welcome back to Lets Chat Friday friends. I pray your week is going wonderful. I also pray your week has been filled with the promises of our Lord and Savior. Struggle is hard. It seems we are hard-pressed on every side. We are looking for a way out. But what if we stopped looking for a way out and stood in the presence of the Lord? I find in my struggles right now I am missing out on all God has for me because I can't see past my poor pitiful self. Do you find yourself there also?
My guest today is Peggy Reeves. She is a speaker, worship leader, life coach and writer. She is reaching for all God has for her and she is living in faith. She is empowering women to live to our potential that Christ has already given us. We sell ourselves short. We settle and we don't have to. We can be all we are to be mistakes and all. God is molding us through all that touches our life. Everything is important and He will use everything to bring us into the woman of God He is calling us to be.
When you look at Peggy you see a beauty that begins deep within her heart. She wants to share her passions and learn with us as we walk together. I am so excited she is here to share with us. On this day as I am preparing our chat things are really hard as trial after trial hit. As I sat reading Peggy's words the Holy Spirit just washed over me His peace. His grace touches us all. We just have to surrender all. My friends I pray you walk away today with a new hope and refreshed in the love of Christ.
(Robin) Please tell us a little about yourself
(Peggy) I just celebrated my 30th anniversary!!! I got married when I was just a child. LOL I have been blessed with an amazing husband. We have embraced a journey continue and I hope and pray we can share another 30 or more. I also have two beautiful children; a daughter that’s 26 and just married a year, and a son that’s 20. I live in Franklin, TN a big beautiful historic town right outside of Nashville. I love to share God’s truth through song, through speaking and teaching, and through coaching. There is nothing sweeter than to get to use my gifts and see His Truth penetrate through the hearts of His children.
I claim to be eclectic because I have dabbled in many creative adventures. I love decorating, graphic design, painting, creating art…anything that stirs my creativity and gives me the opportunity to express what I love.
(Robin) I would love for you to share your testimony
(Peggy) I can truly say that I have been blessed. From the time I was born I was shown the love of Jesus and was encouraged to develop a love for Him. Although, it wasn’t until I turned 14 that I saw the truth of my sin and realized I needed a personal relationship with Him. My Dad had just retired from the Air Force. He took a position as music director/associate pastor at Providence Baptist church in Opelika, AL,—a huge change for me and my 4 brothers but a good one.
The church had a dynamic youth group and it was because of the love and grace of the young people that I realized I was missing something. Every Monday night we had Bible study and the young people would lay out on the floor before God in prayer. The Holy Spirit was so powerful as they honestly poured out their hearts to Him. It was during one of these prayer times that I realized I wanted what they had. My dad was there, he asked me what was wrong and I shared with him what I was feeling. During that time he lead me to Christ. It was soon after that God began to open the doors for me to minister in song and I began my journey in ministry. My testimony is not finished God has and continues to work in and through me. I have had my share of ups and downs and even times of darkness but God has always been actively working in my life. He has never failed me!!! His grace continues to redeem me and His love continues to embrace me.
(Robin) In your journey as a woman what has been the most challenging?
(Peggy) The biggest challenge for me has been overcoming the inner struggle with self—accepting who I am weaknesses and strengths, and battling the negative thoughts about self. This challenge affected who I was as a wife, a mother, and a woman of God. It is a struggle that many women deal with and it can be very crippling. It put me in a pit of depression. I thank God for His healing both emotionally and spiritually. Through God I have learned how to overcome this through taking action and replacing satan’s lies with the powerful promises of God’s Word. “and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” John 8:32 It has been a major challenge but I am thankful that because of my struggle I am able to encourage others and help them find freedom is this area.
(Robin) What has been the most challenging aspect of being a mother and the most rewarding?
(Peggy) WOW! I love being a mother. I can’t really say that I’ve ever thought of it as being a challenge just a part of the journey. I guess the biggest lesson was in letting go…to not hold to tight…realizing I can’t always fix things, I can’t always control the circumstances, and I can’t always control the outcome. But, I can trust, pray, and believe that God is working in their lives and HE HAS THEM! He loves them more then I do and knows what’s best for them.
The greatest reward in parenting besides getting to love and cuddle them when they were young is watching them discover who they are in Christ. It is getting to see them develop in to strong young Christian adults and begin to lay a foundation for their own marriages and families.
(Robin) I believe a mistake is only a mistake is we cannot walk away with a greater wisdom. Has there been a time in your life where struggle occurred from a poor decision and if so, how did you overcome?
(Peggy) LOL! I might be the Queen of mistakes. Honestly, I have made my share of mistake and still do. They are the day-to-day battles of reacting instead of being proactive in doing the right thing. I am also hard on myself so probably one of the biggest lessons is to NOT to punish myself but instead to pull my big girl panties up, learn from the mistake and move on. This is not an automatic response for me so I have to work at it.
Sadly to say, one of the most haunting mistakes I’ve ever made was about 20 years ago. I was making a trip south to visit my mom who was recovering from surgery. I was resisted the trip….just did not want to go. I felt like my life was being interrupted…selfish at best. Anyway, as I was in the car making my way south, God kept prompting me to stop by and visit my youngest brother and I didn’t. Later that week He died of an aneurysm. I missed out on seeing my brother for the last time because I resisted what God was trying to do. Only God knew the significance of that trip and that being with my Mom at that time would be the perfect place for what was to happen.
That was a huge turning point in my life—to stop resisting his leading and to start trusting His voice. To trust that inner voice—the voice of the Holy Spirit. To trust that God knows the bigger picture…He knows what tomorrow holds. I still don’t always get it right but it is the foundation for my ministry of Embracing Life. Embrace the now…trust that God is working for our good. Trust that His ways are higher. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:9
(Robin) How do you define success?
(Peggy) There are so many great definitions for success and at the same time there can be a negative stigma attached to the word. I define success as embracing the journey of becoming and fulfilling all God has created for you to be and to do. “Success is discovered in the journey not at the point of destination.” I think we confuse success as arriving at a certain place in life. Yet, when I have a successful day it is because I have embraced where I am at this point in life. I have embraced the good things and the bad. I have made the best of what God has given me. One of the greatest examples of this is the Apostle Paul and when He was in prison. He didn’t let his circumstances define him instead He made the best of it and used His time to write most of the New Testament. To me that is success. When you can make the most of where you are with what God has given you.
(Robin) Looking back, what advice would you give to yourself at the age of eighteen to prepare you for life ahead? (Peggy) What I said earlier about success and to always be teachable. The moment we think we can’t learn something from someone else or from God that’s when we get into trouble. I am always reminding myself, and telling my kids to be teachable. Never think you know more or know it all. There is always something you can learn. Never put up a wall of pride that makes you feel like you have to have it all together.
(Robin) With a new year beginning, what do you hope to accomplish this year?
(Peggy) Action! It is a year of putting action to the things God has been telling me to do—a year of taking bold steps of faith. As my dear friend Elaine told me, “Peggy, it’s time to quite shuffling papers and start doing.” LOL! She just confirmed what God had already been speaking to me about. Don’t just dream it…do it!!! I have some dreams that I have been putting off—finding excuses NOT to do them. It’s time!!!
(Robin) What encouraging words would you give to someone encountering loss?
(Peggy) I am SO SORRY. Loss is difficult, weather it be the loss of a loved one, the loss of a friendship, the loss of a child that has strayed away, or the loss of a dream. We all encounter loss and for each of us the hurt is unique and very present. One of the best things I did after going through a tragic death of a loved and I still practice today (especially through difficult times) is I started a prayer journal. After the loss, I just poured out my heart to God. Sometimes I would sit on the floor by my bead in the middle of the night and just write all my thoughts down—ALL my thoughts—I wouldn’t hold anything back. If I was angry I told God. It’s amazing what happens, during the process of pouring your heart out to God your bitterness, your anxiety, your anger, and your hurt turn to heart of gratitude to Jesus and peace overcomes you. After, I was able to go back to sleep and rest in Him. Matt. 11:28-29 says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and You will find rest for your souls.”
(Robin) My pastor says, "If the Lord has done something for you the least you can do is say so." Dear friend, what is the Lord doing in your life?
(Peggy) To truly BELIEVE! It is our lack of belief that often keeps us from enjoying the promises of God. Rick Warren says, “The greatest tragedy this year would be for you to stand at the edge of your destiny, but to be afraid to enter into all that God has planned for you.” He said this in reference to the passage of scripture, “We see, then, that they were not able to enter the land, because they did not believe.” Hebrews 3:19 (TEV) Miracle after miracle God took care of the Israelites needs and prepared the way for them to enter the Promised Land and yet at the most crucial time…the time of receiving they still did not believe. They missed out on the blessing of enjoying the Promise Land.
I don’t want to miss out on God’s blessings—His promises because I don’t believe—because I don’t believe I can do it…that God can do it. I don’t want fear or anything else to get in the way. I want to BELIEVE!
(Robin) What empowering advice would you give to someone facing adversity?
(Peggy) One of my favorite verses is “Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what was promised.” Hebrews 10:35-36 I love this verse because often times when things get tough we condemn ourselves...we quite…we lose perspective and we lose sight of what we are called to do. This verse reminds me of three things:
Be clear about what you are called to do.
Be confident that through the power of the Holy Spirit you can do it.
Be consistent and stick with it.
(Robin) In your legacy what do you hope to leave behind?
(Peggy) GRACE. I could make a list of all these great things that I would like to pass on to my family…my friends…the women I’ve had the privilege to share life with but sadly I will probably fail my expectations and theirs. That doesn’t mean that I don’t strive to be all God desires and ask of me but I know greater than anything I can achieve is to leave a legacy of GRACE. Extending to each of them the same grace that I am grateful for everyday. That GRACE of Jesus Christ—the grace that He gave his life for.
My ministry is to encourage women to embrace life’s journey with purpose and passion—to embrace all of who God created them to be. I want that for everyone, but even more I want them to know God’s saving grace. I want them to know what it means to experience God’s forgiveness and love. I want them to know what it means to come to Jesus just as you are (sin, failures, anger, hatred, bitterness, regrets…all of it) and be received with open arms of grace.
Peggy, thank you for stopping by the Nest. You have blessed me and set before me new challenges to live without doubt. To trust and just embrace all God has for me. I don't want to miss out any longer. I want to stand before Him one day knowing I have received all He prepared for me. Blessings to you sweet friend.
