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What happens when God calls you beyond comfort, beyond fear, and into something far bigger than yourself?
In this powerful conversation, Jen sits down with Meredith Murray to talk about surrender, courage, mentorship, and the life-changing impact of simply showing up for others.
Meredith shares her deeply personal journey through profound loss, caregiving, breast cancer, and unexpected transition — and how those seasons refined her faith and awakened a greater calling. What began as a quiet life of serving behind the scenes became a global mission to empower vulnerable children through Allies in Youth Development, now impacting more than 27,000 children across 92 countries through mentorship, education, and humanitarian aid.
Together, Jen and Meredith explore:
- Why “playing small” keeps so many women from fully stepping into their calling
- What surrender to God actually looks like in everyday life
- How faith grows through trust, discomfort, and obedience
- The transformational power of mentorship and human connection
- Stories from orphan villages in Africa that will move your heart deeply
- Why empowered people empower people
This episode is both deeply emotional and profoundly inspiring — a reminder that God often works through ordinary women willing to say yes one faithful step at a time.
Connect with Jen:
https://www.jenportercoach.com/
Connect with Jen:
https://www.jenportercoach.com/
Connect with Allies in Youth Development:
https://alliesyouth.org/
linktr.ee/EmpoweredLifePod
https://www.facebook.com/alliesyouth
Check out Meredith's podcast:
Empowered Life Podcast- YouTube
https://alliesyouth.org/
linktr.ee/EmpoweredLifePod
https://www.facebook.com/alliesyouth
Check out Meredith's podcast:
Empowered Life Podcast- YouTube
youtube.com/@empoweredlifepodcast?si=OPjAPlIU-hN2qJca
Creators and Guests
Host
What is Lioness Women: Rooted in Christ?
Welcome to Lioness Women, a space for faith-fueled women to connect with their purpose and amplify their voices. These Lioness Conversations highlight purpose-driven women who share how their faith in Christ shapes their leadership, courage, and calling. 🦁
Hosted by Jen Porter, leadership and empowerment coach, this podcast shines a light on women who are leading with wisdom, strength, and grace — in boardrooms, businesses, ministries, and movements around the world.
Through raw, inspiring conversations, we explore how women of faith are building legacies, overcoming fear, and transforming their industries with bold vision and unshakable belief. If you’re ready to rise higher, lead with purpose, and stay rooted in Christ — this is your community.
Faith-Based Leadership | Christian Women | Women of Faith | Christian Podcast for Women | Kingdom Leadership | Spiritual Growth | Eternal Impact
Jen Porter - Leadership Coach (00:00)
Hey friends, welcome to the show, Lioness Women Rooted in Christ. I'm your host, Jen Porter, leadership and career coach for ambitious and heart-centered women who want to put God at the center of everything that we do. This is a space for women who know we've been given only one life, and we want to live it fully, courageously, and with deep intention. This is a place where strength is shared and where courage is found.
If you're a woman of faith, you're in the right place. And even if you're not, I want to invite you to stay. Because in every conversation, there is wisdom to take hold of, clarity to lean into, and courage for the life you're living and the woman you're becoming. You are welcome here. Today's guest is Meredith Murray, community engagement and podcast host at Allies in Youth Development, a global nonprofit serving more than 27,000.
orphans and vulnerable children across 92 countries through mentoring, education, and humanitarian aid. For more than 25 years, Meredith has poured into people through education, church, and community leadership, and supporting survivors of human trafficking on their journey toward healing and restoration. Meredith brings warmth, wisdom, and a deep heart for empowering others. Meredith, welcome to the show.
Meredith Murray (01:24)
it is such an honor, Jen. I'm so happy to be here and love what you're doing. Yeah.
Jen Porter - Leadership Coach (01:30)
Thank you so much. We have a
kind of a shared heart. when you describe the work that you're doing and why you're doing it and what you think you're called for and kind of the thing, even the things that hold us back, that hold you back. Like so much of that resonated with me. So I'm so glad we got connected. Can't wait to have this conversation. So thank you for being here.
Meredith Murray (01:45)
Same.
Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, I remember when I came across, you know, the Lioness podcast and all that you're doing, I thought this is a woman that I need to connect with and yeah, definitely feel an alignment between us. So
Jen Porter - Leadership Coach (01:50)
So
Amazing. So tell us first about Allies in Youth Development. What is this organization and what are they focused on?
Meredith Murray (02:10)
Yeah, absolutely. So Allies and Youth Development is all about walking with vulnerable children, orphans and vulnerable youth around the world. And we do that through a mentoring program. It started about 15 years ago when our founders took a missions trip to Russia and and in that really their eyes were opened to the orphan crisis and the reality of
The orphan situation is that in many areas around the world, orphans age out of their systems at the age of 15. And, you know, the orphanages and the centers they've been at have really just been about meeting basic needs, you know, food and shelter, but not really about empowering them and it equipping them to live full independent lives. And so unfortunately, the life expectancy in many areas around the world of an orphan is 30.
due to substance abuse trafficking and suicide. And so it broke their hearts and they thought we have to do something. And here we're in the United States, and what can we do? And there's only so much impact you can have doing mission trips a couple times a year. You know, how can we empower the local community to do something about this? And so that's really where the Allies Mentoring Program was was birthed and it started and
in universities with college students in the countries going in and mentoring the kids and just developing life skills with them and and building relationships and pouring into them and and it started there in Russia and now we're in ninety-two countries all around the world. We have 27,000 kids that are being mentored every month and and I think the beauty of it is that
It's in country leaders that we're equipping. And you know, these are people that know the language, they know the need, they're personally invested. And you know, so we just get to equip them and champion them and and they're the ones that are really making the impact. So yeah, that's what we do.
Jen Porter - Leadership Coach (04:09)
That's pretty significant growth in fifteen years. Ninety-two countries. How how is the organization sort of handling that that that level of growth?
Meredith Murray (04:11)
It really is. Yeah.
Yeah. You know, it has been I would say it's all God, honestly. I mean, his favor, I mean his call to care for the orphans is clear and that's what we're doing. And so, all of our growth has been word of mouth. It's been you know, different orphanages seeing the impact that these mentors are having in there with their children and saying, Hey, how can we be a part of that? And you know, and then
Jen Porter - Leadership Coach (04:27)
Yeah.
Meredith Murray (04:44)
you know, leaders who know other leaders who are passionate about the same, coming to us saying, Hey, we want to do this, what can we do? And so it's just spread like wildfire. I just got back from Africa and in in that continent alone, the growth that we've seen is tremendous. And it's because our allies leader in that area, she's a missionary, so she knows
many other missionary families. And so it's just like this network of people who are passionate and who are committed to the cause has really been the way that we've been able to grow. The need is there, the impact is there. And so it's it's been an organic growth really, but pretty tremendous.
Jen Porter - Leadership Coach (05:28)
Well, I want to hear more about some of the stories and impact, but first, how did you get connected with allies?
Meredith Murray (05:31)
Yeah.
You know, it's I feel like when I look back in my path, it's it's sometimes it feels random, but we know that nothing is random and that everything is, you know, God ordained. And I, you know, I started out in education. I was a teacher for ten years. then I moved into from there I moved into real estate. I love the community, I love
Jen Porter - Leadership Coach (05:41)
Just
Meredith Murray (05:55)
working with people and I I love houses and I thought, this will be, you know, a great combination of all of that. And I really approached real estate as as like a ministry and just like pouring into my clients. And I did that for about eight or so years. And then I went through a season of just, you know, fire. And it was just like one thing after another after another. And and that's a refining time, you know, when we we experience things like that.
Jen Porter - Leadership Coach (06:21)
What do you mean by fire?
Meredith Murray (06:24)
it was just, you know, it was it's funny. It was actually around twenty twenty, which, you know, everyone kinda the the world was falling apart during COVID. but we, you know, we had a child that was going through some really difficult times during that time and that was kind of the first you know, real difficult season as a as a mom watching your kid struggle and hurt and and having to kind of pull the family together and and be there for her and
we did that. That was a couple year battle that we struggled during that. And in the middle of that my my father became terminally ill and I sat by his bedside and, you know, walked with him through that. month after that my my stepfather passed away unexpectedly. then these were the two men who had really just raised me and both dying within a a month of each other and then, you know, happen to
really walk with my mom through her grief. And a month after that I was diagnosed with breast cancer. And it was just like this season of of of loss. But what's so cool about that season, which is very ironic to say, was just the refining work, you know, that that the Lord did in and through me during that time. And and because I was in real estate, I was able to
Jen Porter - Leadership Coach (07:26)
My goodness.
Meredith Murray (07:43)
control my own schedule. I was able to be available for the people that needed me, which was such a gift that I could, you know, just scale back my work or or ask for other people to kind of help me out. So I could be available for my family, my dad, and then ultimately for my own recovery and through my cancer journey. And it was about a year after, you know, I f I was cancer free and
Jen Porter - Leadership Coach (07:53)
Yeah.
Yeah.
Meredith Murray (08:08)
I had scaled back real estate so much that it really felt as if the Lord was saying, you know what, this was a season. This real estate was such a gift, but it was not my forever. It was for that season. And I have something else for you. And I had always been called or felt a call into ministry of some capacity, didn't really know what that would look like. and and you know, I said that.
Real estate was was a ministry for me and it and it was. It was actually a lady that I did Bible study with when I was in this season of like trying to figure out what what I was supposed to do, what was my calling. And and and I told her, I really feel this call into ministry of some capacity. And she said, Well, Meredith, I I was a hairdresser for thirty something years, and that was my ministry. And and she's like, I prayed that God would bring me who he wanted me to pour into and and they would come and we would talk about life and I would just
pour into them as I'm doing their hair. And that was ministry. And it was just like this aha moment that ministry doesn't have to be in the church. It can be in anything we do, that we're all called in that in that way. And so that's how I approached real estate. But here I'm in this new season. It's like, okay, I still feel this calling, but what is it? And and that's when the Lord led me to working with a nonprofit that that works with
survivors of human trafficking. And that I think, you know, was really just the perfect place for me at the time. I think my dad's, I'm sorry, I'm giving you the really long answer to your question, but you know, watching my dad and the way he lived his life, he was all about pouring into people. He walked with people during their darkest, hardest seasons. He was a 30 plus year
Jen Porter - Leadership Coach (09:42)
Yeah, yeah.
Meredith Murray (09:55)
sober from drugs and alcohol. And and so he would walk along people in their healing and their restoration journey and helping them find sobriety. And so, you know, at the end of his life, just all of these people would come in the room and just say, you know, I'm alive because of you. I still have a relationship with my wife because of you. And just thanking him for walking with them through their darkest season. And it was just like, wow, like,
This is what it's all about. This is what you know, anything I've gone through, it's not just for me. It's to be poured out to help somebody else, to walk with other people. And so being able to work in a nonprofit that that serves those who've been trafficked was just I felt exactly what I was called to do was to walk with people and and I was able to do that.
in in other ways too, you know, through my cancer journey, walking with people who who got that diagnosis and in dealing with teens that are struggling. I I I experienced that with my child. So I got to walk with other moms who were going through that as well. And so I kind of feel like yeah, God just gave me this laser focus in that that's your purpose. That's your calling is to is to walk alongside people, to empower people.
And and so that's what I was able to do at that nonprofit. Unfortunately that job, they did some restructuring and and part of that was layoffs and part of that was my role. And so it's like, okay, Lord, what's next? And and that's when I was doing some speaking at my church and and allies came to me and said, you know, we are really looking for someone who can help us spread awareness of the work that we're doing. and
we see the a podcast as being the way to do that, to tell the stories and to share these these testimonies of empowerment and the things that that we're seeing around the world. And would you would you do a podcast? And I'm like, okay, Lord, yes. You know, like I I I feel like I wanna live just this surrendered life where, you know, we don't always have the plan and we don't always know what it's gonna look like. But just just saying yes and
and being willing to go where he leads. So that's that's what led me here. It was very much aligned with the idea of walking with people because that's what Allies does is that we are sending mentors into the most darkest vulnerable places of children's lives to walk with them, to pour into them. And so it is, it is my heart is my passion and getting to see it.
Jen Porter - Leadership Coach (12:25)
Mm-hmm.
Meredith Murray (12:32)
getting to go to, you know, Africa and other places where I'm w I'm witnessing the power of walking alongside people, of you know, calling out the gold in them. And it's what my dad did and it's what our allies mentors are doing. So I definitely feel like that's what I'm called to do.
Jen Porter - Leadership Coach (12:47)
Yeah.
So I know the May trip was really big for you. Where did you go?
Meredith Murray (12:55)
Yeah, so I actually just got back I don't know, maybe a week or so ago. The jet lag is still kind of zooming in my head a bit. But yeah, we we started off in South Africa and then we spent a good amount of time in Zambia and Zimbabwe. we were able to go to probably about seven or eight of our allies mentoring programs and visit with I would say at least a thousand kids that we we
spent time with. It was the most incredible experience. Not just the kids who are amazing and but really it's the mentors getting to see those that are boots on the ground doing the work. Like that that was our our biggest hope in going on this trip is to just, you know, champion them and cheer them on and thank them for the work they're doing. And so yeah, we were there for about eleven or so days. ⁓
Jen Porter - Leadership Coach (13:48)
Mm-hmm.
Meredith Murray (13:49)
And I'm still yeah, just still processing everything that the Lord allowed me to see and do while I was there.
Jen Porter - Leadership Coach (13:55)
Was that your first time to Africa? Okay. And what was the what's what's the model? So are all these kids coming together to partner with their mentors, or is this more like one-on-one?
Meredith Murray (13:56)
It was, yeah. Mm-hmm.
Yeah. So it is it the model is it whether we're going into an orphanage or like a community center, the kids are all together. and so it's it's not one on one. There's typically I would say maybe ten or so and it it varies from program to program, but ten or so leaders and volunteers that are there and
You know, they are the same ones that come every month. That's very important that they build that consistency. These kids have lost so much. And trust is something that takes time to be earned when when they have lost so much. And so by having the same volunteers and and leaders show up every month is key in building that trust. And then there's always a lesson and it varies from
area to area based on what the needs are. So, you know, one of the lessons might be something as basic as clean water and how to know if it's clean or not and what are different ways that you can do to make it cleaner so it's safer or hygiene. You know, sometimes it's basic things like learning how to brush your teeth. but then it it goes beyond that. And, you know, one of the cool lessons that we got to be a part of was where they
talked about different professions. And so, you know, a lot of these kids, when you ask them like, what do you want to be when you grow up? You know, they don't know how to answer that question because they don't they don't know what opportunities are there. They only know the very small things they've seen. You know, one one story was a little girl was asked that and she thought for a minute, what do I want to be? And she ended up saying, I wanna be a pilot because it she remembered seeing a plane and she thought.
There's gotta be a job somewhere that does that. So that's what I wanna be, because she hadn't really ever been exposed to to other professions. And so what the Allies program will do is they'll teach all the different types and bring people into the community to talk about engineering, talk about nursing, talk about vets, talk about being a doctor and a pastor and and then let them dream and and imagine what's in their heart, you know. So
Another one that was really cool was the hero inside of me and just talking about like true heroes have qualities that come from within, you know, patience and love and kindness and and and so really just teaching them those basic character building skills that that's what makes you a hero. That's what makes you strong. So yeah, that's
So that's the model is really just a large group, but then lots of opportunity to break into small group as they do the lessons.
Jen Porter - Leadership Coach (16:42)
And what kind of impact are you seeing in this mentorship work?
Meredith Murray (16:45)
I mean, what I can tell you is the joy that I saw on these kids' faces. Honestly, you know, which is hard to even wrap your brain around because some of the areas we went into they weren't even in the city. These were very isolated, remote villages in Africa where it's hard to imagine that people still live the the way that they live. There's no electricity, there's no running water. they are living in in mud huts with, you know
mud walls and thatched roofing and bathing in the river with the crocodiles. And I mean, it I saw this with my own eyes. I saw women getting buckets of water, carrying them on their heads with their babies. I mean and and you know you think about how much our children in in our country has and then you see these children in
And how little they have. And yet when the mentors showed up, when the bus of allies mentors showed up, they literally came running and screaming and the joy and and it wasn't anything beyond just the relationship that these people bring. A couple of the mentors told us that every month they come, the kids start running down the street, seeing that they're coming.
Jen Porter - Leadership Coach (17:46)
Yeah.
Meredith Murray (18:01)
And that is impact. You know, that is where you know, okay, this is working. And our hope is that these kids feel seen and loved and set free. And the set free part is is the life skills that we're teaching, you know, that that is that is their key, is that we want to empower them with life skills. And when we can, empower them with the gospel and areas when we can share about Jesus. And and so just seeing the joy in their face tells me the impact.
It really does. And then we've had, I mean, it's been fifteen years since the program started. We've even had lots of kids who have graduated through the program who have come back and now are mentors themselves. ⁓ and so that's the ripple effect too of of seeing like, Hey, this impacted me and I wanna now give back in the same way.
Jen Porter - Leadership Coach (18:39)
Yeah.
So how are these mentors how far away are they from these villages? Cause if they're going to school, they're probably more in cities.
Meredith Murray (18:56)
Yeah, I mean some of them honestly might live within twenty or thirty minutes of where the program is, but there have been times, especially like in in Peru and in Peru specifically, there are again very remote villages in the high in the Andes Mountains that our Allies mentors are going to and it's not easy. I mean there are some of them are two hour bus rides to get there. that's part of what Allies does though is provides the transportation and
And whatever it is that they need to get there. We d we don't want there to be a barrier. so we try to remove all the barriers. And and I think just knowing that there are people that care that much that are willing to sacrifice that much to go that far, speaks volumes.
Jen Porter - Leadership Coach (19:39)
Mm-hmm. And let's talk about how people can get involved because they're, you know, they might be feeling like, I I would love to support this work. You know, I know your model is people in country serving and mentoring. So it's not like you're looking for a ton of volunteers to go and mentor in these countries, but how can people support this work and get involved and maybe understand more about what's happening on the ground?
Meredith Murray (19:45)
Yeah. Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah, that's a great question. And there's so many different ways. you know, we're in the Dallas Fort Worth area. So if anyone is in this area, then we actually have a warehouse here where we pack and ship humanitarian aid to the orphanages that we served to the that's clothes, shoes, school supplies, hygiene items. So you can come here and serve and pack boxes. you could
Jen Porter - Leadership Coach (20:21)
And what kinds of things are those?
Meredith Murray (20:31)
Help us restock by supplying shoes and hygiene items and school supplies. There's Amazon wish lists. A lot of churches and different organizations will do drives for us to help us in the restocking, which is a great way to serve. we have a prayer team where you can join our prayer team to get monthly or weekly.
emails about different prayer needs that we have around the world. We have a sponsorship program where you actually connect with one individual child. It's it's $50 a month, but you'll receive letters and updates and and and that money just goes directly to help fund and support the program. But it it also allows you to get that personal connection with I actually have two kids now, one in
Peru and another one that I got to actually meet in Africa when I was there. And yeah, that was a pretty cool experience. Gotta hug him and tell him all about our family. And he's into soccer and I brought him a soccer ball and played soccer with him. And so yeah, there and then there's even opportunities to to go with us. You know, we have these trips that we plan several a year. so that's another way people can get involved and to go with
Jen Porter - Leadership Coach (21:21)
my gosh.
And what would
that experience be like for somebody?
Meredith Murray (21:47)
Yeah, so we call them adventure trips, allies adventure trips. and it's really just this immersive experience for people where they get immersed in the culture and then immersed in the allies programs. So we're gonna show you all the different programs, show you know, show you the the work that we're doing, take you to the to the orphanages and g and let you
interact with the kids and with the the mentors and to really just encourage them. But then we also mix in a lot of adventure in that too. So like in Africa we went on safaris and we went to Victoria Falls and in Peru we went to Machu Picchu. And you know, so much of those experiences are actually woven into the community. I mean it's it's so much of what their culture is based on too. So it's just
this immersive experience where you get to see boots on the ground, what's happening with allies and what's happening in these areas. So that's another really cool way to get involved. And then I would say anyone who, you know, financially supports us, I think is is great. But I would say, you know, we love financial support, but I would say if if you do that to also then get involved in some way. Like, you know, there's so many different ways where you
Jen Porter - Leadership Coach (22:54)
Yeah.
Meredith Murray (23:01)
We want to show our supporters what's happening. We don't want it to feel disconnected where you don't know what it is that your contributions are going to. So you know, we're constantly sharing the stories and highlighting the work we're doing so that way you you see it's not just to check your writing, you know, it it really is truly empowering mentors to do the the the impactful work.
Jen Porter - Leadership Coach (23:27)
You know, I can imagine people listening to this and thinking, wow, I wonder if this would be really good for my family or for my church or my Bible study, my small group, you know, some these like small communities that could be life-changing experiences that open our eyes to what's happening in other parts of the world that are, I mean, truly transformative. So are you able to take
Meredith Murray (23:33)
Mm, yeah, yeah, mhm.
Jen Porter - Leadership Coach (23:54)
specific groups or do they have to plug into something already happening?
Meredith Murray (23:55)
Yes.
No, like that reminds me of when we were in Africa, several members of a local church here went with us because that church actually sponsored an orphanage. So the whole church decided we want to not just sponsor one kid, we want to sponsor this orphanage and kind of take them on and provide the mentorship, provide
the resources they need and develop the relationships. So our church developed a relationship with this entire orphanage. And so the pastor and his wife and and their daughter and one of the elders in the church went on this trip with us. So that way they could go and meet them in person and meet the pastor. And and so that is a huge way that I think churches are able to really not just give, but like connect.
Jen Porter - Leadership Coach (24:45)
Yeah.
Meredith Murray (24:46)
and and s and
Jen Porter - Leadership Coach (24:47)
Mm-hmm.
Meredith Murray (24:48)
it takes I think serving and missions to a whole nother level when you when you have that relationship you know built in. so that's how churches can. And then as far as families go, you know, our family when we sponsored these two kids, it was something we did as a family. You know, we sat down, we got to know the kids' story. You know, we wrote to them and
Jen Porter - Leadership Coach (24:54)
Yeah.
Meredith Murray (25:09)
you know, send pictures of us as a family. And so it's definitely a way as a family to engage with with allies and with another child.
Jen Porter - Leadership Coach (25:17)
You know, reminds me just how we're connected. We're all connected around the world. We're all part of this kingdom ⁓ that God has formed. And we can get in our bubble and forget that we're and especially our culture is very independent and isolated, right? In in the way that we operate. And so when when we reach out and see what's happening in other parts of the world, we realize that we are all part of the body of Christ. And to have that deeper connection, I think causes something to come alive in us.
Meredith Murray (25:20)
Yeah. Yes.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah. Yeah.
Yeah.
Jen Porter - Leadership Coach (25:46)
That we can't get if we just stay in our little bubble.
Meredith Murray (25:49)
That's so true. Yeah. And we also I think sometimes don't get out of the bubble because we don't think that what we have to give is significant or that it's gonna really make that big of a difference. You know, how is my fifty dollars a month gonna really do much or whatever it is? And so we minimize it and and we end up not doing anything because we don't think it's enough and
That is not true. I think, you know, God is the God of multiplication, right? And He takes whatever it is we give and He expands it. And and we see that. If we'll just be willing to kind of push past that lie and step into whatever it is, as small as it may feel, the impact is huge when we give it to God and when we do it for Him.
Jen Porter - Leadership Coach (26:19)
Yeah.
So true. And it changes something inside of us. Like the act of giving, no matter how much it is, there is something that we need in order to get outside of ourselves. And for for God to, you know, like one of the things we talked about was taking one step at a time and seeing what God does. One faithful step at a time. And so that's what you've done. I mean, one of the things that really struck me when you first reached out.
Meredith Murray (26:38)
Mm-hmm.
Yeah, yeah, mm hmm.
Mm.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Jen Porter - Leadership Coach (27:05)
Was you wrote that you you were you were accustomed to staying small and not really being in in the light, that you were maybe more hidden in the way that you operated and that there was some discomfort in what God was calling you to. Can you talk about that? What kind of how you've changed over the years?
Meredith Murray (27:08)
Mm.
Yeah. Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah, for sure. Yeah, I I think it was about probably fifteen so or years ago. It was a a while back, when I really started feeling like I had mentioned before, just this stirring for God to b use me in some way and I I didn't know what that was or what that looked like. And and so I actually started writing and and just writing what the Lord had on my heart, but I would never share it. It was really just
something I kept private. And a friend of mine, I I ended up sharing one of them with her. And she kind of just really opened my eyes to like, why are you not sharing these things? And and I had to really just sit back and reflect on that. And I and I think at the time I felt like, I I don't want the light on me. I don't want it to be about me. I want it to be about God and I don't want to elevate myself and
And what I realized in that that I I had this aversion to I don't want to be prideful. I don't want to have ego behind it. But it was inadvertently prideful of me to do that because I was still just thinking about myself and and that that wasn't honoring God. she actually shared with me a a poem in that moment that I would love to share with you and your audience because it
Jen Porter - Leadership Coach (28:41)
Yeah, please do.
Meredith Murray (28:43)
really spoke straight to to my heart and it's the name of the poem is Our Deepest Fear by Marian Williamson. And it says, Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God.
Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightening about shrinking so that other people won't feel unsure around you. You were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us, it is in everyone. So as we let our own light shine, we consciously give other people permission to do the same. We are liberated from our own fear and our presence automatically liberates others.
and I just loved that. So many parts of that spoke to me. The there's nothing enlightening about shrinking part was was really huge and about about being made small. And and I think that that it was in that moment that I was like, okay, I'm just gonna take myself totally out of this. And if God gives me something, I'm gonna share it. And it's not about me. and in if he uses it.
To glorify him and to help someone else, then it's all about him. but I think it's something that I think a lot of people maybe struggle with, and in that we do limit the power that's within us and the the light and the strength that's within us, and we hold back for different reasons. And so yeah, I've been trying, it I'm on this journey of not.
And and it's not easy. I mean, I think it's still something that I struggle with, but yeah, just every day saying, Okay, Lord, you know, what's the next right thing? And I'm gonna do that and give it to you and be used by you.
Jen Porter - Leadership Coach (30:44)
Think I think some people could look at the job that you hold, and your job is probably a dream job for some people. And and what I wanna highlight is you didn't seek it out. It's it's not like you had this strategic plan of how you would position yourself and gain experience to be ready for something like this. You really allowed God.
Meredith Murray (30:56)
Mm.
Mm-hmm.
Jen Porter - Leadership Coach (31:09)
to guide your path. And, you know, I'm imagining that it wasn't like, yes, finally, you know, it was probably more like, boy, like, you know, a little bit of fear and trepidation about stepping into something like this, which is so visible too. And so what was that like for you? Meaning like what kind of fears came up for you that you had to overcome?
Meredith Murray (31:19)
Yeah.
Yeah. Yeah.
Yeah. Gosh, a lot. And and you're exactly right that when I look at the life that I live today, I I did not plan it. This was not my doing. and and it really just came from this place of surrender and being willing to be uncomfortable, I think, is is a huge is a huge part of it. so the fear of what I'm currently doing, I mean, first of all, I had no
international global experience. I mean, I knew that a big part of this job was to travel globally to capture the stories to share. And I'm just from Texas and I've lived here my whole life and just, you know, I've been to Mexico, but I don't you know, but so that was bigger than anything I had ever done. I'd never done a podcast before. I I didn't know the first thing about
about podcasting and what that looks like. And you know, so there was a lot of fear and insecurity that came in that. But I think what I've learned is just how faithful God is. And that when when He provides opportunities like this that feel too big, He always takes care of the details. Like He shows up. And it's because
I know that if this thing is gonna work, it's gonna be from him because I it's bigger than me and I can't do it on my own. And so Lord, if this is what you're calling me to, then you're gonna have to do it. And and my answer is yes, but okay, now I need you to, you know, step in and do, you know, fill the gaps where I fall short 'cause there's so many of And and living a life in that way has never failed me. It really hasn't.
Jen Porter - Leadership Coach (32:56)
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
Meredith Murray (33:19)
you know, and I think that what we're doing, it should scare us a little bit. It should, you know, be bigger than us because that's when we have to rely on God, you know? and so I that's where I wanna be. I don't wanna just be comfortable. I want you know, I say that now, but then when I am uncomfortable, I don't want to be uncomfortable. Like nobody wants it. You know, but I do want, at the end of the day to know that I I
Jen Porter - Leadership Coach (33:40)
Of course not.
Meredith Murray (33:47)
I was a good steward of what he gave me, you know, whether it was my time or my experience or, you know, whatever it was that he gave me that I used it for his glory. And and so in that it does mean pushing past fear, you know, and and being willing to be uncomfortable.
Jen Porter - Leadership Coach (34:02)
Yeah.
What does surrender look like? look practically speaking, what kind of don't know, how how do you surrender? What does that look like for you?
Meredith Murray (34:17)
Mm, that's a good question.
You know, I think
A lot of it is just, and I I might have already said this, but it it's really just doing the next right thing. And that's kind of a life motto that I've adopted. when we think of surrender, sometimes it just feels too much, too heavy, too big. And then that that can overwhelm us. But I can I can surrender, I can lay one thing at your feet, like one small thing.
And and so if I can just do that one thing then and do it in faith and with obedience, then then he'll show me what the next thing is. And so it doesn't have to be this rip the band-aid off like you know, crazy surrender, but it can be a small step of obedience. And and to me that has allowed me to
Jen Porter - Leadership Coach (34:50)
Yeah.
Yeah.
Meredith Murray (35:09)
to go places and to walk into places that I never would have imagined possible because I'm just doing it in little manageable steps, you know, rather than like all in. But I actually had a guest on the show the other day and she was talking about the word surrender and how and I'm gonna botch this a little bit, but I think in the Hebrew the word actually means shield and that that
Jen Porter - Leadership Coach (35:17)
Yeah. That's good.
That's fair.
Meredith Murray (35:35)
when we surrender is when we get his shield because now we are under his authority in in his leading. and so there's just this level of protection that comes when we are willing to like release it and and step in. But it doesn't feel that way. It feels vulnerable. It feels unprotected when we surrender. But
Jen Porter - Leadership Coach (35:56)
Definitely. Mm-hmm.
Meredith Murray (36:00)
But you know, in God's economy, it's the upside down, right? And that when we surrender we actually have a shield of protection.
Jen Porter - Leadership Coach (36:03)
Yeah.
Yeah, connecting Shield to surrender is very different. yeah, I mean, none of us want to naturally let go of control. I've I've learned a couple of things. Number one, this isn't biblical. I but but I so I'm sort of testing this theory, but this is what I've landed on is that there is no one worthy of our surrender apart from God. No one else is worthy of us surrendering ourselves to them because he is the only one who is faithful.
Meredith Murray (36:11)
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
Mm. Mm. Mm. Yeah.
Yes.
Jen Porter - Leadership Coach (36:37)
and and trustworthy.
And so that he he is the one that we can trust with everything. And I love what you said about laying one thing down at a time. Just like putting our toe in a water of trust and surrender and just seeing and watching what God does. There was a a friend of mine, a guest on the podcast, Barb Hollis, who said that trust with God is it's like a relationship.
Meredith Murray (36:44)
Yes. Never let us down. Mm-hmm.
Yeah. Yep.
Yeah.
Jen Porter - Leadership Coach (37:05)
It takes time and it takes faithfulness over time. So you know, God proving himself to us over and over and over years, that's when we that the faith in us is so strong because like I know because he's done it for me so many times he's gonna he's gonna be there for me. I can trust him. And often my prayer when I am feeling insecure or uncertain.
Meredith Murray (37:24)
Yeah. Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
Jen Porter - Leadership Coach (37:33)
Or resistant to what God may be inviting me into is I just simply say, I trust you, Lord. I trust you, Lord. It's a declaration to my own soul and to my heart that He He actually does hold my life in His hands and He is worthy of all of my trust. And it's a practice too, right? Saying it out loud. I trust you, Lord, in this. I trust you with my family. I trust you with my work. I trust you with the big things and the small things.
Meredith Murray (37:39)
Yeah.
Mm-hmm. Yeah.
Yeah, which is so so true because it's not always a feeling, right? You don't necessarily feel this trust and this sense of peace, but that doesn't mean that it's not real. Our feelings can actually lie to us quite a bit. And so claiming I trust you, even though I don't feel that sense of trust. I'm still yeah, is so powerful.
Jen Porter - Leadership Coach (38:04)
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
I'm still shaking.
Meredith Murray (38:25)
But if we sit back and we wait for the feeling, we might be waiting for a long time, you know.
Jen Porter - Leadership Coach (38:25)
Yeah.
And that's probably where many of us can get stuck. Yeah, is waiting until everything lines up to step out and courage, but that's actually not courage, you know, it doesn't take faith to do that. So tell us about the podcast. What is the name of it and what are you focused on in your episodes?
Meredith Murray (38:34)
Hundred percent. Yeah.
Mm-hmm. Right. Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah. So it's called the Empowered Life Podcast. And really the the vision behind the podcast is to just tell stories of people living an empowered life. some of those are allies people and some are just people in the community who are have courageous stories of faith and and are using their life to empower the lives of other people. So we we talk about
mentorship. We talk about generosity. We talk about restoration and really this idea of empowered people, empower people. And and so it's been really cool to have just this platform for people to come on and tell their God stories. I have a woman coming on the show tomorrow, actually she's an author that she had a f a family of five. She had three kids.
And her brother and sister in law passed away and left their five children to her. And so overnight she went from a family of five to a family of ten. and just the journey of of what the Lord brought her through and and how she stepped in, how she said yes, the highs, the lows, the the impact and and so
You know, people like her to come on and tell her story because, you know, I think stories change us, and they're not just for us. You know, whatever it is that you've endured, what this woman has endured, it's not just for her. Her story has the power to impact and transform someone else's life. And maybe someone else isn't gonna, you know, adopt five kids, but there's something, there's some nugget of truth that
that she can share that's gonna inspire and encourage someone else. And so that's the vision of the podcast and and to also tell of the impact of that Allies is having and and to, you know, there's so much parallel between, you know, the guests that I have and their stories and what God's doing. I think that's been one of the coolest parts of the podcast is seeing the common thread that is running throughout people's stories that, you know, that there's so
Jen Porter - Leadership Coach (40:56)
Yeah.
Meredith Murray (41:00)
There's so much that we have in common when it comes to to what God is doing and and his faithfulness. And so, you know, when I hear someone's story and and then I get to tell about what God is doing through allies and and really just at the end of the day, we hope that the the stories inspire our listeners to get in the game, you know, and to see that there's something within them that isn't just for them and that it is to empower someone else and
Jen Porter - Leadership Coach (41:20)
Mm-hmm.
Meredith Murray (41:27)
Maybe that's through serving and and getting involved in allies, or maybe it's something in their own family or in their own community. But whatever it is, there's there's something that that God is calling us to. And so that's that's kind of the vision behind the show.
Jen Porter - Leadership Coach (41:42)
Beautiful, beautiful.
You know, I'm I call myself an empowerment coach sometimes, leadership coach, career coach, empowerment coach. And Tamara Turner was on the podcast and she's a dear friend from childhood. And we talked a lot about empowerment and what that means. And you know, power can be so abused. And so some people struggle with even embodying the power that we have. And so she talked about holy power. And I just loved that, the holy power that comes from Christ.
Meredith Murray (42:06)
Mm. Yes.
Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Jen Porter - Leadership Coach (42:10)
that's in us to share with the world for good, for good things that are part of his kingdom. So
I love that that's the name of your podcast. Well, thank you so much for being with me today and sharing your story. Thank you for overcoming the fear that has come up in you over the years to get to this place of really serving in these ways that are probably bigger than you imagined in your life.
Meredith Murray (42:20)
Yeah, yeah.
Mm.
Jen Porter - Leadership Coach (42:36)
And then how can people find your organization in the podcast?
Meredith Murray (42:40)
Yeah. So for allies, you go to allies youth dot org. and everything that we've talked about as far as sponsorship or trips or ways to give, that's all on the website. for the podcast, we're on YouTube, Apple Spotify, and it's just the Empowered Life podcast. and yeah, I can send you links too. I don't know if you can put it in the show notes, but people can
Jen Porter - Leadership Coach (43:01)
I will.
Meredith Murray (43:03)
can find us there on social media as well on Facebook and Instagram and all the places.
Jen Porter - Leadership Coach (43:07)
Okay, absolutely.
Well, thanks for all you're doing. It's so great to spend some time with you, Meredith. And that until the next episode, the lioness in me sees the lioness in you.
Meredith Murray (43:12)
Yeah, each.