Today marks two years of this podcast and I cannot be more excited, more thankful, or more grateful that God has placed this calling on my heart. The amount of growth, peace, patience, and just everything that I've grown through in these past two years have been insane. I'm just beyond grateful and thankful for all of you guys that have listened to this podcast, for the people that have reached out and told me that I have helped them or touched them in some way, and for God and the Holy Spirit guiding me through every aspect of this. So today I wanted to give you guys 10 lessons that I've learned during these past two years of this journey with this podcast.
First I did want to say a quick prayer... Lord, I pray that you lift up every single person reading this right now. Please open up our eyes to see the truth, know the truth, discern the truth, and live by the truth. Lord, I can't thank you enough for every single thing that you've done throughout these past two years and throughout every aspect of my life. I am beyond grateful and thankful for you for placing this calling on my heart and for giving me these people to instruct and show them the truth through you. I'm just beyond grateful for everything that you've done Lord. I love you with every ounce of my being. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Here are the 10 lessons that I've learned throughout these 2 years of podcasting:
1. None of this would be possible without God
God placed this calling on my heart for this podcast. If you've been keeping up with me through these past two years, or if you've listened to my episode on how I started this podcast, you'll know that God placed this calling on my heart. He has been guiding me every step of the way. There have been times where I had no idea what I was going to talk about or what I was going to do, and the Holy Spirit always guided me and always still guides me, shows me the truth, and helps me to know exactly what to say and how to make an impact in your life. If it wasn't for God, I would definitely not have started this podcast. I wouldn't have even known the first thing to do with podcasting. He is the reason for all of it and without Him, I wouldn't be here today. I'm just so grateful and thankful that God placed this calling on my heart and that I've been able to stay faithful and obedient to the calling that he's placed on my heart.
2. Consistency is so important
Even throughout all of the chaos that has been going on throughout these past two years and all of the times where I really just didn't even feel like talking at all, just being consistent, showing up, letting the Holy Spirit guide me, and just growing through all of the things with you guys, while still giving you guys tangible tips, doing these Bible studies, and trying to help you guys see the truth of God's words and discern that truth, has really helped me. As I grow and I'm consistent, this podcast grows and the more impact I'm able to make, the more people I'm able to help with teaching them about Jesus Christ, spreading the gospel, teaching them about the Bible, and all of that. So if you've thought about doing podcasting, you're a podcaster, or even if you're doing YouTube or any other thing where you're teaching people about Jesus Christ or you're giving any type of service at all, it's very important to be consistent. Even in the times where you may not feel like it, even in the times where you just want to shut out from the world and you really don't feel like showing up, show up anyway. God will give you the strength. He will help you get through it and grow through it. As you grow, you'll also be able to make an impact on other people's lives.
3. Impact is more important than downloads
Making an impact in just one person's life is more important than 10,000 downloads for me. Whenever I first started podcasting, I was led by God to do it. I had that calling on my heart and I was trying to let the Holy Spirit guide me, but I also started getting caught up in the logistics of everything. I was an entrepreneur and I had just gotten caught up in how many likes and followers I had on social media platforms and different things like that, so whenever I started this podcast I was just thinking of how many downloads I can get and ways to get more downloads. As the time went on and the more I was letting the Holy Spirit guide me and just getting messages from people telling me that I've impacted their life in any way, that has truly been so much more rewarding for me than any number amount of downloads. So it just started shifting for me shortly after starting the podcast. Within months I really didn't care about the number of downloads that I had, but more of how I can make an impact in other people's lives, just letting the Holy Spirit guide me and giving me those words, and knowing and trusting in God that if I'm being faithful and obedient to him, that the people that are meant to listen to this podcast and the people that are meant to get something from this will.
4. It's okay to be unapologetically me
I love coming on here and telling you guys my story and giving you guys tangible tips to help along your journey based on things that I've gone through on my journey. I know that as long as I'm being myself and I'm letting the Holy Spirit guide me, that the people that are meant to listen will find me. I don't have to pretend to be anyone else. I can just be my silly self that doesn't have everything together. I know that God will put the right people in my life. The people that are meant to get something from what I've been teaching in the Bible studies, the tangible tips, and all of that, the people that are meant to hear it will hear it. I don't have to try to be anyone but myself. The most important thing is just being unapologetically me, letting the Holy Spirit guide me, and never changing who I am or what I believe because of the opinions of others.
5. Nothing is perfect
Whenever I first started this podcast, I tried so hard to make sure all of my episodes were "perfect." I was trying to get all the best podcast equipment, making sure that my sound was just right, my editing was just right, and all of this stuff. Throughout these past two years, I've just learned that nothing is perfect. I just have to show up and try my best, no matter what circumstances I'm going through. There have been times where I've recorded without a microphone. There have been times where there's a lot going on where I'm at in the background, so you hear background noise. Some of my best episodes are without a microphone or with background noise. So nothing is perfect, and that's something to really just think about if you are considering doing podcasting or if you're a podcaster. It's never going to be perfect. Just show up, try your best, always lean on God and ask Him for direction, and if you don't know what to say He will guide you, and that's all there is to it.
6. As I change and evolve, the content on this podcast evolves with me
So when I first started doing this podcast I had a lot of different content than I do now. I actually had business tips cause I was doing network marketing and I was an entrepreneur online. So I had business tips, mental health. and still faith-based, but as I have changed and evolved, my content has also. I started doing Bible studies and now we've gone through the books of Jeremiah, John, and we're on the book of Acts. The more that I study the Bible, I have a relationship with Christ, He's changing my heart, and He's evolving me, my content also evolves. The more that I learn I come on here and I show you guys what I've learned and I tell you guys my story. As I grow, this content is also growing.
This is something to think of if you're considering podcasting or if you're a podcaster, the content that you start off with may not be how it's going to end up. You may not know exactly what to talk about or you feel like the content you're putting out there isn't exactly what you want. Just continue to have a close relationship with Christ and cultivate that relationship every single day. Study the Bible, pray to him, and he will guide you, and as you change and evolve, your content will also change and evolve. The people that are meant to hear the content that you're putting out, God will put that content in front of them and they will hear it.
7. You have to show up and serve
When I first started podcasting I had no idea how to even record. I had no idea how to do anything with a podcast. I just knew that God had placed it on my heart to do it, so I just picked up my phone and started recording my first episode. Then I bought a microphone and all of that. But I had been listening to a podcaster, her name is Stephanie Gass. She's amazing if you want to go check her out. I knew with her that she was providing tips and she was doing all these things, so I did know that you had to serve, but just everything with podcasting was so brand new to me. The most important thing is helping others with whatever your content is. It may not be the same as mine with Bible study, spiritual development, and all of that. Showing up, serving others, helping them, and giving those tangible tips is so important. That's one thing that Jesus always shows and teaches us throughout the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, we have to show up and serve and love others.
8. You have to pay attention to the needs of your audience
So for me, my audience (or my avatar) is the truth-seeking Christian woman that wants to know more about the Bible, the truth of God's words, and that doesn't want to be conformed by this world. She constantly wants to seek to have a close relationship with Christ. She may be lost and not know where to start, where to even begin studying her Bible, where to begin with having a relationship with Christ, and I'm here to provide all of that. So most of my content is with Bible study, spiritual development, and how to have a close relationship with Christ. God is the reason for this podcast, and throughout the whole podcast, it's all about God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. I know that is what my audience is looking for. So if you are starting a podcast or you're thinking about starting a podcast and your audience is different, just make sure you're paying attention to your audience and what they want. You can ask them what they want to see for the next episode or anything like that, but just make sure you're paying attention to that.
9. Never give up my integrity for a payout
I have had several opportunities to make quite a bit of money with this podcast. I've had people reach out to me with large audiences, people wanting to come on my show, and just different things like that. I have said no to all of them just because they weren't in alignment with what I'm doing here. I have come so far and I've grown so much in my relationship with Christ and just knowing the calling that God has placed in my heart. I'm not going to give up my integrity at all or get out of the alignment that God has placed me in just for money. This is something that is so important to really think of and remember if you're starting a podcast or you're a podcaster, there may be opportunities for you to make money with this, but make sure that it's in alignment with what you're doing. Talk about it with God, pray about it, and make sure it feels good. Make sure it's something that really sits well in your soul, and if it doesn't just move on. The money is not worth it. Money will come and go, but God is forever, and having a relationship with Him is so important. If I never make a dollar off of this podcast, but I help even just one person with this podcast, then it's worth it for me.
10. Prayer is a crucial part of this podcasting journey
I actually think I put that exact same thing as the last lesson that I learned when I did my seven lessons that I've learned with one year of podcasting. I wanted to intentionally start these lessons with God and end them with God. Throughout this whole journey of podcasting, I've constantly had to pray. I've had to seek guidance from God of what Bible studies to teach you guys, and just all throughout the episodes. Even sometimes when I am recording an episode and I don't know what to say, I get choked up, and I start letting fear and anxiety creep in, I just pray to God. He always helps me through it and gives me the exact words to say, and it's insane, I have constantly had to just keep that close relationship with Christ and pray constantly throughout this whole journey. There's no way that I would have gotten two years of podcasting down if it wasn't for constantly just seeking a relationship with Christ, praying, and asking the Holy Spirit to guide me, I have Holy Spirit moments all the time while I'm recording, when I'm studying the Bible, and when I'm praying and it's amazing and it's insane. I know that I'm doing exactly what God wants me to do, and I just have to continually ask him for that guidance to make sure that I'm staying in the right direction and I'm not veering off.
So those are my 10 lessons that I've learned through this two years of podcasting. Again, I just want to thank you guys so much for each one of you that have listened to my episodes. Maybe this is the first episode you're ever listening to, or maybe you've been here the whole two years, or you've been here six months, or however long. I thank you guys from the bottom of my heart for coming here and listening to these episodes. I truly hope that I've helped you in any way by helping you with Bible study, spiritual development, or anything like that. I truly hope that I've made even just a small impact in your life with this podcast. Because that's the whole reason why I'm doing this, to help others, to make an impact in your life, to help you learn about Jesus Christ, have spiritual development, and all of that.
I love you guys so much.
Never forget to choose faith over fear.
-Lorena Camille (Faith Fuels My Fire)
p.s. If you'd rather listen to Faith-based, spiritual growth, mindset, and mental health tips, then check out my podcast. There I will share my personal experiences, stories I've never told before, and bring you along with this hot mess life of mine. New episodes every week.
For weekly Bible Studies, tune in every week to my podcast. Every week I go over a new chapter/s of the Book of Acts.
You can also follow me on Instagram (_lorenacamille_) I'll be posting frequently and doing daily stories.
For past Bible Studies on the books of Jeremiah & John, join our Facebook Community
Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.
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