Have you ever stood at the crossroads of wisdom and folly, wondering which path to take? Join me, Lorayne Michaels, as we embark on a heartfelt exploration of this very choice, delving into the teachings of Proverbs from our church's study. In a world that often celebrates quick fixes and instant gratification, I'll share why the pursuit of wisdom is more akin to the careful tending of a garden – it requires patience, dedication, and a willingness to grow. We'll tackle the tough questions about how to foster wisdom in our lives and the subtle ways folly can weave its deceptive web. Through personal anecdotes and a sincere call for self-reflection, this episode is crafted to spark that inner dialogue about the values guiding your life's journey and the importance of nurturing them each day.
As we navigate the terrains of ambition and surrender, I open up about my own aspirations to become an international speaker and the profound role of divine grace in realizing our dreams. The beauty of relinquishing control and allowing a higher authority to lead our paths is not just a lesson; it's an experience I share with candid vulnerability. Whether your ambitions are set on the stars or closer to home, I invite you to join me in considering how aligning your goals with divine guidance might just be the key to unlocking doors you never knew existed. Each step we take together is one of inspiration, encouraging one another to embrace a wisdom that surpasses our own understanding and to trust in the greater plan laid out for us.
Have you ever stood at the crossroads of wisdom and folly, wondering which path to take? Join me, Lorayne Michaels, as we embark on a heartfelt exploration of this very choice, delving into the teachings of Proverbs from our church's study. In a world that often celebrates quick fixes and instant gratification, I'll share why the pursuit of wisdom is more akin to the careful tending of a garden – it requires patience, dedication, and a willingness to grow. We'll tackle the tough questions about how to foster wisdom in our lives and the subtle ways folly can weave its deceptive web. Through personal anecdotes and a sincere call for self-reflection, this episode is crafted to spark that inner dialogue about the values guiding your life's journey and the importance of nurturing them each day.
As we navigate the terrains of ambition and surrender, I open up about my own aspirations to become an international speaker and the profound role of divine grace in realizing our dreams. The beauty of relinquishing control and allowing a higher authority to lead our paths is not just a lesson; it's an experience I share with candid vulnerability. Whether your ambitions are set on the stars or closer to home, I invite you to join me in considering how aligning your goals with divine guidance might just be the key to unlocking doors you never knew existed. Each step we take together is one of inspiration, encouraging one another to embrace a wisdom that surpasses our own understanding and to trust in the greater plan laid out for us.
Welcome to the Bite Size podcast. I'm your host, lorraine Michaels, former EMT and nursing assistant, now business owner and wild entrepreneur. I walked away from over 15 years in medicine to pursue my passion and my God-given talents. Now I get the honor of helping other women discover their passions and purpose. If you're feeling stuck in life, unsure where to go or what to do, welcome. If you're exactly where you want to be great, you're welcome here too. If you have faced any kind of hardship or setback, you have found a safe place here. In other words, no matter who you are or what you've been through or what you're going through, this is the space for you. On the Bite Size podcast, we'll discuss life, business and faith. There's something for everyone. So grab a cup of coffee and something to take notes with, because there will definitely be things you won't want to forget. Welcome back to the Bite Size podcast. I'm your joyful host, lorraine Michaels, and today's episode I wanted to do a quick one for you. It's a solo, and right now in church we are doing a study on the book of Proverbs, and it's so fitting because January has 31 days in it and Proverbs the book of Proverbs has 31 chapters in it, so we've been going through each day on our own we're supposed to be reading, whatever date, it is that proverb that correlates with it.
Speaker 1:
Yesterday we were talking about wisdom and folly, and it really was convicting to me because as I was listening and I was self-reflecting and trying to really dive deep within and ask myself am I pursuing wisdom or otherwise? And so for some of you might not know what folly means. I would like to break that down a little bit so we know what wisdom is. And it's pursuing knowledge and truth. And sometimes we've heard the saying you're wise beyond your years. So just because someone has wisdom does not necessarily mean that they are old, because some people are younger and they have wisdom. Some people are older and they're very smart, but they lack wisdom. And so there's a difference there. Whereas folly, I am coming to realize that it's foolishness, wickedness, selfish. Just really living for yourself and choosing a way that not necessarily would be the right way. It's not necessarily a wrong way, but it's not the way in which you should go.
Speaker 1:
It wouldn't be a wise decision. An example we were talking about last night in our small group was I don't want to constantly be thinking well, is God going to chastise me or be disappointed in me Is every decision about? Is this wise or unwise? What about playing and having fun? Having fun with your kids? Absolutely. That is something that is encouraged and that's wise. We're supposed to love on our children and encourage our children and play with our children, but there's wisdom in playing with your children and getting them to bed at a decent hour, or playing with your children and it's midnight and they have to get up at 6 o'clock in the morning in order to go to school. One decision would be wise and the other wouldn't be. And so, as I was listening in church, I was writing down some things and I want to share them with you and I hope to encourage you to think about this for yourself, and you don't even have to be a Christian or a churchgoer, but I just want you to do some self-reflecting and think about these things.
Speaker 1:
Something that was said was, if you don't pursue wisdom, you will unintentionally fall victim to folly. So, just like in a marriage, if you're not actively pursuing your spouse and cultivating a healthy relationship with your spouse, you're going to fall victim into complacency and the next thing you're going to wake up and you guys have quote unquote fallen out of love because you haven't taken the time to nurture that relationship, date your spouse, do the things that you love and enjoy together. Because you're not pursuing it, it's going to fall victim to falling apart. So if we're not pursuing wisdom, if we're not actively seeking the right thing to do, or if you're a believer, a Christ follower, if you're not in the word, if you're not pursuing what God has called you to do, you're going to fall victim to folly. And I've seen that I'm raising my hand.
Speaker 1:
I have fallen victim to that because I have gotten so busy with business, my business and speaking and coaching and teaching and doing podcasts, where sometimes there will be days, if not weeks I don't know that I've gone weeks, but there will definitely have been days where I have not been consistently getting up and reading the Bible first thing in the morning, where I have not been getting up and consistently getting in the word and journaling and getting into my devotion. And I see the lack of fulfillment in my life. I see the lack in my friendships, in my marriage, in my parenting. I see where I'm quick tempered and I don't have grace. I see where I come home and I'm complaining about my shift at the hospital, and it's because I'm not feeling myself with the Holy Spirit.
Speaker 1:
First, I'm not pursuing wisdom and I'm falling into the trap of the world. So my two questions for you is what is wisdom to you? When you hear the word wisdom, what do you think of? Who do you think of? Do you think of someone, an older person who is so wise? Do you think of a younger person? What does wisdom mean to you? And second, the second question is how do you intentionally pursue wisdom? What are you doing to intentionally pursue wisdom? For me, it's getting in the word, making sure that I get up and I get on my knees and I pray and I read my Bible and I do my devotional and I'm engaging with the women in my small group. I'm pursuing wisdom. I'm talking to other people that I think that are wiser than me, so that I can learn from them.
Speaker 1:
Another thing that I was writing down is a folly desires to lure you away from wisdom, and wisdom helps us to resist the lust of folly. So in the book of Proverbs there is we talk about wisdom, lady wisdom and lady folly, and both of them are pursuing you. This is for everyone, I don't care who you are, if you are alive and breathing in on earth. Those two are actively pursuing you every day Wisdom and folly. Wisdom is going to lead you in a path of love and kindness and giving down a path of fulfillment, whereas lust is or, excuse me, folly is going to lead you down a path of destruction. It's filled with lust and greed and self-satisfaction, immediate gratification, doing things that please you in the moment and have no regard for what is going to happen long term, or maybe with other people. And at the crossroads of every decision, there's wisdom and there's folly.
Speaker 1:
At the crossroads of every decision, you have a choice, friend, and you could either choose to walk in wisdom and choose the path that might be more difficult, or you can choose the path of least resistance. You can choose the path of immediate gratification or self gratification. What is it? What are you choosing and what do you have in mind when you come to these crossroads? My two questions I have for you regarding that what voice do you hear more clearly? Do you hear the voice that, if you were to be honest, is temptation, leading you down a path that you should not be going? The second question is have you heard the voice of wisdom but you chose folly.
Speaker 1:
I could tell you very clearly and this is going to be pretty vulnerable but in my first marriage I cheated on my husband and I can vividly remember the time that it happened and I knew what I should not be doing. And I came to a crossroads and I had the choice to leave where I was at and to go home to my husband or to stay, and ended up not making the right decision to stay and fulfill my immediate desire, and I chose the wrong decision. I came to a crossroads and I did not choose wisdom, I chose the wrong thing and that is something that I have to live with for the rest of my life. I've asked for forgiveness. I've asked for forgiveness from him, but obviously that marriage ended, but that was because I made the wrong decision. I chose folly and not wisdom. I chose a wicked way.
Speaker 1:
So can we agree that folly is everywhere, that folly is easy to see in the rearview mirror, that folly, the wrong decision, is easy to see in someone else's life? But can we get real with ourself? And can we get real and really ask ourself where is it in our own life that we see where we are not pursuing wisdom, we're pursuing our own desire, something I would like to remind you of or let you know. Maybe you haven't heard, but wisdom is available to you, and so is folly. But wisdom what that looks like? It prepares, it works, it gives, it's intentional, it shares, and it's good for you and it's good for others, whereas folly is the complete opposite of all of that. It's selfish, it's lustful, prideful anger lacks self-control and it's lazy, and it's so easy to fall into that. I will be the first to admit it. I am not perfect. I'm just sharing this with you because I felt convicted when I was listening to these things and I really wanted to share this with you.
Speaker 1:
So, is what you are pursuing out of your own will, your own control, your own desire? If so, friend, I want to challenge you to seek wisdom, to really ask yourself is what you're pursuing, is how you're living every day? Is it for yourself? Is it to please yourself? Are you making a way for yourself? Are you forcing the things that you are wanting to do? I know it's January and we all have goals. Believe me, I do too.
Speaker 1:
But I had to get honest with myself and I really sat and journaled, and I prayed for God to reveal to me the areas in which I need to let go of self-control Me wanting to control it, not self-control, but let go of the control and let God take the wheel, because ultimately he is the one that is going to provide, whether it's my business, my husband's business, whatever it is. He knows the desires of our heart, and the desire of my heart is to be an international speaker, is to travel all over the world and speak and teach and encourage you guys to step into your God-given gifts and talents and to pursue your dreams and passions. But I can't do that on my own. I'm only going to get to the level of success that I desire through the grace of God and through pursuing wisdom. So, friends, I hope that this episode helped you. I hope this episode encourages you and it's not condemning. I was convicted, yes, but I hope that it encourages you and maybe shines a light on something that needs to change, or encourages you to keep pursuing the desires of your heart and keep walking tandemly with God so that he can give you the desires of your heart, so that he can lead you down the path that you need to go to and that you're not making that path. You're not blazing that own trail, but God is going before you and opening the doors for you.
Speaker 1:
If this episode has helped you in any way, please let me know, share it, tag me, post it, tell me that you listened to it, and also please share it with someone and remember you were divinely created for a divine purpose and there was no mistake in you. Hey, it's Lorraine. As you know, it's my joy and passion to teach and encourage others through this podcast, but my heart is actually at live events. Currently, I'm available for booking, so if you're organizing a live event, I'd love to share my story. Your audience will walk away with tangible tools on how to overcome limiting beliefs, break down obstacles and discover their gifts, talents and abilities in order to live a life that God created them to live. It's not the size of the audience that's important. It's the connection and impact that I will bring. For more information, email me at Lorraine at theboldbeginningscom.