Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: What's up, you guys? Michael with the Proper form podcast. Really excited for this next episode with Sarah Birkbeck. She is the founder of Refresh Women and is an amazing event and community where she gathers with other women to help come alongside of them to find their calling, to become more awakened and fortified in the mission and the kingdom impact that God wants them to make. They do some amazing events throughout the years and also something called the Dream Lab. Hear more about her story, the heartbeat of why she we came and started the Refresh Women and just the impact they're making.
What's up, you guys? Michael with the Proper form podcast, here are six Sarah Birkbeck. I said that, right?
[00:00:59] Speaker B: You got it.
[00:00:59] Speaker A: Yes. Okay. Most people don't really. Yeah, it's like bur back Burbeck. Okay, well, cool. I'm glad I got it right. Thank you so much. Proud of you and really excited for this episode. There's some cool things. We've already had some fun conversations before this and I'm really excited just personally because I don't know a ton about your personal story and just what you do and the heart you have for what you do. Um, so, Sarah Birkbeck, you are the founder and the founder. Correct. Of Refresh Women.
[00:01:29] Speaker B: You got it.
[00:01:30] Speaker A: Could you enlighten us, share a little bit about it and don't go too much in depth because as I shared with you a bit before, I want to tee us up for some questions I've got for you for sure.
[00:01:40] Speaker B: So Refresh, I mean, started about 12, 13 years ago.
[00:01:43] Speaker A: Okay. Here in Texas.
[00:01:44] Speaker B: Here in Texas. We were living in McKin. We're actually in the same house that we were in back. This is when we were having our ch. Starting to have our kids. So Asher was born. So, yeah, he's 13 now.
And it was just a. It came out of my own need. I was just looking for community. I'd left my job. I was in a really high capacity job. And so I was looking around at the moms groups that I was joining and I'm like, okay, we are all made for more. Like there is something inside of me that was burning for ministry or for just the gifts and the things that were in my life that I knew were a little bit untapped. So I had that burning for myself. But I could also see it in the people around me that there was just some gifts and some things in their life that they had just kind of put on the back burner or let go dormant. And so that's really where it was birthed from. And I just started with a few girls in my home, and the Lord gave me the vision and the idea, and so I ran with it.
[00:02:44] Speaker A: Dang. So it kind of started almost like another 2.0 of a mom group. Was it more kind of Christian centered? Was it a Bible study? Was it just a weekly monthly gathering?
[00:02:55] Speaker B: Yeah. I mean, I think at the time, I wasn't exactly sure what I was doing, honestly. And even when I got the idea, I thought, I'm going to gather people in my home. I even kind of went to a gal that already had a leadership team and I thought, maybe this is just for those people or. So it took me a while to actually figure out what I was even doing. Yeah. And. And then I. I did. I just gathered my friends, some neighbors, and then a couple friends that I knew. I didn't really know a ton of people in McKin at the time. And. And then we just got started from there.
[00:03:28] Speaker A: Wow. And so started in so 12 years ago. Do some math. Around 2012. Is that right?
[00:03:35] Speaker B: Yeah, you got it.
[00:03:36] Speaker A: Dang.
[00:03:36] Speaker B: Okay.
[00:03:37] Speaker A: And then as that group continued to grow, what. What was the next vision that you saw of like, okay, this is next steps?
[00:03:43] Speaker B: Yeah. Well, back when this started, when I kind of first invited people to my house, I knew that the Lord had kind of. He had given me a word. And so I did have a vision. I was not sure how this was going to play out, how it's going to look, but I had gotten the word refresh and I thought that was pretty cool. When I first heard the word, I was thinking, that's really cute. I can make this like a spa vibe. I mean, I'm really good with hosting and aesthetics and speaking or being the leader was never in my mindset. That for me felt too daunting. But I'm like, I can open my home and create some spa vibes or something. But as I kind of sat with the word and as I sat with the idea that I felt like Lord was stirring, I read the definition. That was one of the first things I did. And when I read the definition and it was to enliven, stimulate, fortify, and I read the word to revive, that's when the Lord really spoke to my heart about this. Not just being a gathering for. For gals, but this being a place where Christian women could come together and that the Lord was going to revive dreams and visions on their lives that had gone dormant. So that's where we kicked off. And I'm just like, again, I don't think I'm. I don't know how to lead something. I don't have any friends. I mean, I invited five people to my house because it's all I knew. And I'm getting. I'm so nervous and I'm trying. I'm just getting everybody together. I'm like, the Lord told me.
[00:05:14] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:05:14] Speaker B: That he's gonna revive the dormant dreams in our life and we'll just see what happens. I don't know. So that's. I mean, that's how it started.
[00:05:24] Speaker A: It's funny with God's humor on how we wanna just kind of start something. We're like, man, just like, just keep it right here in this comfortable circle. And then you actually dive in. He's like, no, I've got more.
[00:05:36] Speaker B: Yeah, well. And I think that's the key was you asked kind of how it got rolling after that. I mean, after that first one, I remember laying on my couch thinking, I will never do that again. I mean, it just felt so vulnerable to open my home, to invite people over and to share something that was deep in my heart, like a vision in my heart. That's really vulnerable. It's really hard to do.
Yeah. Some time went by and then I got stirred to do it again. And so as I went is really. As the Lord started working out so much in me and my own insecurity, my own self doubt and. But it was saying yes and continuing to do it. So we kind of met in my house once a quarter and then it would double. And then before you knew it, we had. My living room was full because so and so told so and so. And her friend told her friend. And I didn't really want anybody to know because I didn't want more people. Like I'm. I was already nervous with five people, let alone 20, so that's really how it got kicked off.
[00:06:33] Speaker A: That's so cool. Yeah, that's super sweet. I want to ask. I got to dive into a little bit of Yalls wonderful content and just the imagery, the coloring. Want to dive into a little bit that more especially as we talk about some big events that you guys have coming up here in 2025. But in one of your podcasts you mentioned. I think it was the episode. I don't remember the episode number. And your quitting is not an option podcast. Just that those words drawed me in. Yeah. You begin to describe Refesh. You mentioned it. You've shared a little bit. You had and still do, of course, have a heart. Not. Not just for women to Understand the calling of their lives. But, but to walk into it, I loved. Like, those are. It almost seems like something where I'm still, I understand I'm not moving. But then it, the idea of, of walking into it creates this action. Could you elaborate more on just what that meant for you? I think you kind of did a little bit now on like starting with just five and then bigger. But how have you shared that vision with other women to walk into, like, their callings as moms, as leaders?
[00:07:37] Speaker B: Yeah, I think, I think it's easy for us, especially as women, to kind of take a backseat, make excuses or have dreams, but then it kind of stops there. And so this is really where the heart and the vision of refresh came about. As I kind of started going and seeing what was happening, I realized that dreams without goals or dreaming without doing is just gonna die in your head.
[00:08:07] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:08:07] Speaker B: And it's gonna go with you. And so if I never step out, if I never stepped out and said, hey, I'm gonna have these five girls, it's gonna look really terrible because I don't even know how to talk in front of anybody. If I never said yes to that, we wouldn't be where we are today, which now we're reaching like thousands in, in multiple countries. So had I never said yes then in that small, really scary, really insecure moment, we would have never gotten to where we are here. So that's kind of where all of this was birthed from. Is then I started recognizing so many women around me who were carrying these dreams and ideas and visions in their heart, but it was kind of just stopping there. It was staying there. And so our heart behind everything we began to do wasn't just to challenge you to dream again or challenge you to ask the Lord, what are those things in your heart? But then to give them the boldness and help equip women to actually say yes and step out. And I think it's easy for us to say, like, well, I'm just a dreamer or I'm just, you know, I have a lot of friends even like, well, I'm just really task driven. So I'm like, great at like crushing today and the to do list for today and I gotta get my kitchen cleaned and all that. But I, I view it as. And it's like, oh, okay, need each other. Right? The dreamers and the doers need each other. But I really view it as, as, as Christians, as women, men and women of God. We actually need to be both. We need to be willing to be Willing to dream, but also be willing to do. And one of my friends put it this way about it's like kind of like a balloon and a string and the balloons like the idea of this dream, it's kind of up there and it would just go by itself. And without a string, it's not really tethered to anything and it'll just kind of flo and never happen. And then the string is really like the goals or the doing or what tethers it to the ground.
And a balloon will just kind of float off if not connected to a string. But a string on its own is really just useless. And so. But together, this is how we build the kingdom of God. And I think that's where my heart became so stirred to see women specifically not just dream, not just realize that God has put something in your heart, but also say yes and step into it.
[00:10:35] Speaker A: Yep. I'm sure you guys have seen and you shared like stepping into that boldness and of course as people, men, women, but specifically here with the women that you're impacting and getting connected with. What are some of those, like rebuttals, self doubting, like beliefs that they have or whatever. Excuses or just limitations of like. Well, I, you know, this is me. I'm. I'm this in our household or my husband is, does all these things and I can like, how do you help them overcome that and find just worth and joy and passion.
[00:11:11] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:11:12] Speaker A: In their strengths?
[00:11:13] Speaker B: Well, I mean, we got a lot of that even on our team. Yeah, I mean when our team gets together, I got a lot of it myself. You know, when our team gets together to go. We just went and recorded a new season of the podcast we batch recorded and we all went to go. And it's like in the group text before we're going, everyone's kind of just like freaking out before we go because. And then we get together and we're all, we all like unpack kind of like what's going on in our lives and what we're feeling, what's happening and how we're doing, going on this, these episodes and stuff. And what comes out is that most of us feel like not enough.
[00:11:48] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:11:49] Speaker B: I mean we're not like vocational speakers. Like none of us are doing this on a daily basis or anything like that. This is just kind of the, the outflow of what we feel God's calling us to do. And so we're doing it. But so just feeling like you're showing up not enough or feeling like you don't have it all together and everything's not perfect or we're all in these seasons. Like, I mean, I've been in like toddler season for forever and it's, it's really hard to jump between the everyday life of a, a mom with a lot of young kids and then move into a space where you're ministering and pouring out. But what the Lord has taught us over this is that as we come together and like, even as we came together with our insecurities and our self doubts and I don't know if I have enough to say or, you know, one of the gals on the team was like, well, I'm not a theologian and what if, what if I don't know enough about the Bible to really share? But it's, it's the fruit of our lives and it's the fruit of our intimate time with the Lord that actually just overflows. And then what we learn as we do this, which is what I've learned from 12 years ago, is that as you pour, this is. It's like the wellsprings open and it's not you anymore, it's the Lord through you. And so that. But it requires you to go, it requires you to say yes, and it requires you to start pouring. So that's really the, the challenge to our women is to say you might feel all these things like you might feel so insecure about, but you need to start pouring now and see what the Lord does.
[00:13:34] Speaker A: That's good for sure. That's awesome. I did see too, as I looked through some of your website.
You guys have why refresh? And I read into it more and it says by definition, you touched on this a little bit. Refresh means to enliven, stimulate, awaken, fortify. I don't know why, but I like that word.
[00:13:51] Speaker B: Yeah, freshen, because it's more manly.
Everything is so girly. I'm sorry, I'm really talking to the women too.
[00:13:58] Speaker A: Yeah, no, it's fine. Energize and revive. Each refresh, facet or gather is designed to create opportunity. Everything has a purpose that it seems like you guys are doing to create opportunity for connection to the Lord that in turn awakens more inside of you to be used to further his kingdom. You share more on just some of those other heartbeats and even maybe enlighten us on some of the events that you guys are doing on just fortifying more of that community and connection. Yeah, and, and then how that kind of just organically like goes out after you guys make touches and impacts yeah.
[00:14:36] Speaker B: Our tagline is awaken dreams, activate leaders.
And the. And kind of the process that we've seen, which is simply the process of that the Lord's done in my own life and in the life of the gals on the team, is that all of a sudden, you wake up to realize, there's gifts on my life, there's vision that I hold. There's dreams in my heart. No matter what season you're in, even in older years, I feel like women are coming and realizing for the first time, oh, man, there's something that I'm carrying that the Lord is asking me to surrender so that he can use it to build his kingdom. And so that's kind of the first part is this just like, realizing that you carry something that is beyond you. And then the second part of that moves into. Okay, so now that you're aware that you are a part of what God's doing on this earth, and he's inviting you into this now, we want to challenge you to dream with Him. And really, a lot of that is just. And that's. So we have an event at the beginning of the year, and that's really. It's our biggest event. And that's really where it's like, man, we're just gonna be there in the presence of the Lord, and it's just gonna. Everything we do is really to help stir up just this encounter with you and him so that you do see what you're carrying on your life. And so that's kind of the first part. And then we send you into a course called Dream Lab. And so that's where we're saying, hey, now that you're, like, very aware that you're carrying all these gifts and these things that the Lord has placed in your life and vision, and we want dream with Him. And so we walk you through a process of what that looks like and how to partner with him in your dreaming and in your visionary life. And then from there, we saw that's kind of all we were doing for a long time, for many years, was just like, yeah, having this big event and then doing a dream lab. And then we realized that women were coming back year after year, the same ones coming back year after year with the. The dreams still written in their journal. And, like, that's where it ended and it stopped. And so we were like, and we have to help them step into what they wrote down. And so that's how we've kind of rounded out the rest of what we do, which is activate. So we're gonna try to equip and help you take the first step. It's kind of like the balloon and the string. Like, let's get some goals attached to some of the things God's put in your heart. Whether that's writing a book or adopting a child or opening your home for your neighbors or whatever it is. Let's help you put practical steps so you do have something to do tomorrow towards that, and then it ends with that. We just want to empower women to go back to where they live and to lead. So not necessarily this being about everybody wanting to be on a platform or a podcast, but going back to the people that you influence in your communities and spheres and schools and to lead where you live. And so that's kind of our final goal with the whole ministry.
[00:17:46] Speaker A: Awesome.
[00:17:46] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:17:47] Speaker A: That is so cool. Well, I know my wife is coming to wait.
[00:17:52] Speaker B: She's in for a treat. I tell you what. Yeah.
[00:17:54] Speaker A: So the event, I mean, spout. Shout it out, but it is, it is sold out. So.
[00:17:59] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:17:59] Speaker A: That's awesome. And you can try next year in 2026. Yeah, but it's at the. Around the beginning of the year. It's towards the end of February, 2025.
[00:18:07] Speaker B: End of. Yeah, sometime this year, end of January, early February. We always do it at the beginning of the year because it's a great time to, to dream and just reconnect the Lord. What is your plans for me? What is your purposes for me? We do have Dream Lab. We do the workshop on the Saturday. So we have the big event Thursday night, all day Friday. And then on Saturday we do a workshop style event called Dream Lab. That is, there's still seats available for that. So if anybody wants to come.
[00:18:31] Speaker A: Yeah. And I actually asked Sophie if she was doing Dream. I think she said no, but I think I'm going to tell her that she needs to do it.
[00:18:37] Speaker B: Oh my gosh. You should sit in the back too, because you just like excited, explode with ideas. You are, you are ready. You're a dreamer by nature. I can tell. I like that.
[00:18:44] Speaker A: Yeah, no, she, I don't think she'd want me in that room. Respectfully, like, just.
[00:18:49] Speaker B: You guys are both. I, I have really admired that about. Both of you are dreamers and doers. Like, I mean, obviously we're sitting in this space because of the dreams that God has placed in your heart. But you also said yes and you open your garage and you did the thing, you know, and so. But I think if we can cultivate more of that. Yes, I Mean, I watched this commercial. I was writing content for this Dream Lab that we created, which I'm like, am I just making this up in my brain? You know, you. A lot of stuff that the Lord does through your life is because of the experiences you have with him. So then that's, like, the overflow of how ministry comes about. I believe in. In your life. And so I'm creating this content for this Dream Lab thing that we're like. I don't even know what I'm saying. And, of course, I've got four kids and a British husband, so the house is like, just. When I create content, it's typically just in the midst of the chaos. So I think we were watching soccer. Likely something.
[00:19:48] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:19:48] Speaker B: Anyways, a commercial comes on, and I'm so distracted watching the commercial. I don't know why, but it was a USPS commercial that comes on the screen, and it's all of these boxes, and it was showing, like, tech devices that were being shipped out by usps. Like, they're actually not that great, by the way. But the commercial was showing that they are getting it there on time.
[00:20:08] Speaker A: They did a good job.
[00:20:09] Speaker B: Even I don't know if they do. So this. It's showing all these boxes going out, and then this line comes across the screen, and it says, the visionaries of this world are busy creating your future. And when I heard that line as I'm sitting there creating this Dream Lab, I thought to myself, man, if us as Christian men and women, as the men and women of God, if we are not the ones with vision, that's creating the future for my children, for my children's children, then. Then what am I do? Like, I can't sit around.
[00:20:45] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:20:45] Speaker B: And wait for the world to create the future for my kids.
[00:20:50] Speaker A: Yep. That's in. You put that in the. The Dream Lab, right?
[00:20:54] Speaker B: That's great. That's like the opening of Dream Lab. Yeah. So that was. That was when I knew. I'm like, okay, this is what we got to do.
[00:21:02] Speaker A: Yeah, man, that's so true. And we could probably go off on a massive tangent of just our world and the light that we need to continue to, like, just vomit into our schools and our children. And just like, we. We just did an interview with a kind of hybrid school here in McKinney that we're looking at putting the boys in Jeremiah to start kindergarten.
[00:21:22] Speaker B: Okay.
[00:21:22] Speaker A: And, yeah, really aligning. Like, what does this look like? What do we want for our children? And the impact that we want to make, but we also want made on them through the people that are influencing them and spending time with them outside of us. Yeah, it's a lot for sure.
[00:21:38] Speaker B: That's.
[00:21:38] Speaker A: But, man, that's cool. I. For real, I'm gonna have Sophie do the dream life.
[00:21:42] Speaker B: Okay.
[00:21:42] Speaker A: She has. So for sure. Yeah.
[00:21:44] Speaker B: That's good.
[00:21:45] Speaker A: Some of the other things on your website I wanted to touch on. I'm gonna kind of tee you up. Is.
You have. I thought this was. This was cool. Who is Refresh Woman? You state things. You guys, refresh. State things like, passionate about the Lord knowing her role in his kingdom, linking arms with others, stepping into the dreams the Lord has placed on their hearts. That's obviously a massive heartbeat of what you guys do, as I'm sure these are things in way. In a way define the hope and vision for women that encounter and are a part of Refresh. But could you share some more in depth on just the heart and the vision and the prayer you have over them? And just some women might see that and be like, man, that's not me. That's for me. I'm not that. I can't be that. But really, you're like. You're trying to call them to be the opposite. Like, come on.
[00:22:31] Speaker B: I actually love that you brought that up, because when I read that, it really struck me. I was like, dang, we really do lay it out there. Yeah, but. And I'm like, it's an ambitious avatar. Is. I mean, really, it's like, what we're saying. We're speaking to that woman, essentially. But I think the heart behind that specifically is that our. And this has taken a long time to be okay to say this, because in my heart, for a long time, I felt like we needed to blanket for everyone. And, yeah. In an effort to make sure that no one was left out ever.
But our events are so intimate. And even this larger event that we do once a year, we've. We've pulled back, and we have 150 seats, essentially, and we're there again next year, and we. We sell out pretty quickly. And so.
But what we know. So. And then another event we do during the year. I mean, maybe 30 people can come. And so we just have more intimate events. And so we want to get the woman in the room who's ready.
[00:23:38] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:23:38] Speaker B: Who's ready to say yes and willing to step out.
[00:23:41] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:23:41] Speaker B: And so I think that's kind of the heart behind some of those things. And I would hate for anyone to disqualify themselves by listening, but, man, the Lord had given us just A vision about simplifying everything we do and really taking. We had so many. We were doing so much stuff. I mean, just crazy amounts of stuff and just trying to accommodate the masses in every possible way we could. And we had this. It was actually my mentor who encouraged me to do this of just taking all the ingredients we had. We had so much great stuff. But just to simmer it down, to get to the most potent form of what you are called to do through, through this ministry. And so if we only have 150 seats, we decided to stop praying for more, but to pray for the right people and that new people would come the following year or the right people the next year would come and so that we could really activate ones that have come and, and if they are ready to step out and they are ready to say yes, they will be activating. It won't be like just maybe an everyday conference where you're coming, you're listening, you're going home. And it's like, that was cool. My life's changed. But not much happens. Like, we really, we're spending a lot of money on these events and we're not charging a ton. And so our. We really need there to be action behind the women that come.
[00:25:07] Speaker A: Yeah. And I think that's right. And you know, in a sense justifiable, if that's a word.
And it's as a, as dreamers and doers and even as a business owner myself. And like you want to create impact and you want to touch people's lives and it can really hurt your feelings sometimes when someone doesn't think that they're the right fit or that you're not good for them or. But really it's like, man, I think of maybe the analogy of like holding someone's hand or God holding our hand and they can only lead us so far. And so we have to be able to make that, that jump or that, that time frame and lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink. And I actually really appreciate and liked that you guys have that on the website. If anything, that's not stating to any women of what they're not, but a higher elevation of what God sees them to be.
[00:25:59] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:26:00] Speaker A: And that they can be. Yeah. And so.
[00:26:03] Speaker B: Yeah, well, I think that's a lie too. Especially for an entrepreneur. I would think of just like numbers will.
And this is what I had to really combat a couple years ago is that the numbers were equating to the impact. And if I wasn't my husband's A businessman. So scale is a word that we use in our house all the time. And so if I wasn't scaling in numbers, I wasn't growing the ministry and stewarding it in the way that I should.
[00:26:35] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:26:36] Speaker B: And what. When I did this whole reduction thing, I really felt like the Lord was like, it. It isn't about the numbers. It's about the impact of the individual.
[00:26:46] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:26:46] Speaker B: And not having. And I don't say this about the individual, but just. It was all more about quality versus quantity and everyone's quality people. But it's just. I. It's like, I just sense that the Lord is going to bring those that he wants in the room.
[00:27:04] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:27:04] Speaker B: And if they're willing to say yes and step in, then they're gonna walk out and go back to their communities and lead and do the things that God has set out for this ministry to encourage them to do.
[00:27:16] Speaker A: Totally.
[00:27:17] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:27:17] Speaker A: Yeah. And I think that's. That is awesome. That's very good. And even as entrepreneurs, I'm sure James can add on it, too. The more you just dive into it, the more you just, like, start to pull back the layers and the other fluff and just, like, get to the nitty gritty of what you're really good at, what you really have that passion and that touch and impact for, and do that really well.
[00:27:38] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:27:38] Speaker A: It's hard to do that within a world that is so noisy and so overstimulating, where you feel like scale is what equals growth and success.
[00:27:47] Speaker B: Right.
[00:27:48] Speaker A: You know, a pat on the wall.
[00:27:49] Speaker B: And it is hard to not get your feelings hurt when you're like, oh, you're not coming, because it's not for you. Okay.
[00:27:55] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:27:55] Speaker B: But it's not for you because this is not your season right now. Or, you know, like, it is hard to work past that in your own flesh of. Of staying the course of knowing. No, this is for a very specific group of people, and I'm okay with that.
[00:28:09] Speaker A: That's great. Well, and as you guys have grown, refreshed women, and as we kind of start to just turn towards our conclusion, how have you seen it just impact the way you love your kids and your husband and you be a mom? Because you do so much outpouring to all these women and to, you know, just the event and the vibe that you guys are bringing to life, but you also got to go home and be a mom, and you got to go pick up your kids in a little bit.
I know we're close. We're good.
[00:28:37] Speaker B: We're doing good.
[00:28:38] Speaker A: But yeah, like, how has that impacted and also just added joy and the household.
[00:28:44] Speaker B: I also love that you asked this question because it's been like the challenge of my life and the last 12 years. And two years ago, I was actually on the floor of your gym.
[00:28:57] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:28:58] Speaker B: And all the gals were around me. This is back when we were working out. There's four of us working out at the same time. And I just had like a full on breakdown because I. I don't know, Someone must ask me something. I was just going through a really hard season and I wanted out. And that's kind of somewhere around probably where that podcast episode came from about quitting is not an option.
And I just, I. I want it to be done. And all over these 12 years, the off ramps just keep coming of, like, it would be so easy to not. It would be so easy to just pack it up, like, to not do this event.
[00:29:39] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:29:39] Speaker B: Why kill myself? I mean, no one's paying me, right? Like, no one's waking up in the morning like Sarah, by the way, this is what you got to do today other than the Lord. Like, that's like, really it. And so I got to a place where I got really burnt out because I. I started relying so much on myself and I was so. I was on the floor in your gym, sitting there in a circle, crying my eyes out and just saying, all I want to do is go home and like, be with my kids. Like, that feels like. That feels like a badge of honor, actually. Like, if I could hang this up and just full time pour everything into my kids, I feel like that would make me actually feel better about myself.
But, man, the Lord had other plans. And all along the way, since Asher was born and he's my first of four, the Lord has continued to guide me through and give me more vision, but also to help me learn the pace. And this has been a long road of figuring that out because I have at times almost neglected the family life because I'm too stressed out about this next event coming up. And I'm like, so wrapped and so in that. And so over these 12 years, the Lord has really taught me, along the way as I've gone, how to keep the pace with Him. And now it's become less of a. Oh, I'm taking away time from them because I've got a big event coming. And it's more of a, we're in this together, and the kids are learning that life is not all about them, and they get to take on a view of what it looks like to make a kingdom impact. And even with James's businesses, this isn't just for ministry. This is with him, too. And he's an entrepreneur, and he has his hands in multiple things, and so he brings them on with them. He brings them into the nights that are a little bit more stressful than other nights. And we've decided to do this together, and we've decided to help the kids understand that this is also a part of their calling and their legacy. And they can see that, you know, it's not. The world isn't going to revolve around you, and that's probably a really good lesson for them to learn along the way. And so I just. I think pace has been a new thing that the Lord is teaching me and not to feel like I've got dreams that are a lot bigger than even where I am right now. There's just a lot still untapped in my life that I can see and that I sense the Lord has put in my life.
And not all of that's unfolding at a rapid pace. And so that used to really bother me, and now I've kind of come to this awareness and just a piece about what's for me will not pass me, and that the Lord is walking with me in this. And so those dreams that he's put in my life aren't it. My kids aren't slowing that down, you know, and I'm okay in this season with things the way they are, because, hey, there's gonna be another season where if something takes off the way I think it would in my head, then maybe I'd be at a different place and my kids will be older and. And so I'm just learning to. To be settled where I'm at.
[00:33:11] Speaker A: That's so cool. That's. That I got. I love hearing that. Yeah. I mean, it's so. It's ironic that we were up here and we're putting together the last touching pieces of our update on this podcast studio. And really, I think the past three nights, I've. We've had the boys up here every night, and rather than like, no, you go there, like, going back to what you said, inviting them in, having them be a part of it. They're in here with my tools, helping me put these tables together and drill. And then they took my hammer, the rubber hammer, and we're just beating boxes to death and made a massive mess. But just going back to that piece of what you said, that the world doesn't wobble around them, that's okay. But God has a calling for our lives as their parents, to nurture and care for them, but also to make a bigger impact outside of them.
[00:33:58] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:33:58] Speaker A: And that God's going to call them in different ways too. That might align with the legacy that he's called us to, but might call them elsewhere.
[00:34:05] Speaker B: That's right.
[00:34:06] Speaker A: And yeah, that's just. That's really cool. And that's. That's been hard to wrestle with too, is I've got young kids, as you do, and just trying to juggle all of that.
[00:34:15] Speaker B: And it's. They just take so much from you.
[00:34:18] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:34:19] Speaker B: There's so much emotional capacity is like poured into these kids. And so how do you have anything left? But I think if the Lord is calling you to do something in your season with small children, then there's a grace to. To do what you're supposed to do. My problem is, is I'm like a girl on a Titanic with like a. Or who wants to. I'm like ready to forge forward faster on my own. And that's where. That's where it gets tricky and things kind of go arise because I'm trying to do it by myself.
[00:34:54] Speaker A: Yes, definitely, man. I think this is a great place for us to kind of conclude and. And get on to some of our parent hats that we got to go put on with our kiddos. Yeah. And Jeremiah's gonna be out of kindergarten here soon too. Pre. Pre K. But lastly, where can we find you? Where can we find Refresh Women social media's website? All of that?
[00:35:15] Speaker B: Yes.
Refresh women.org is our website. You can get all the information on our upcoming events. Sign up for Dream Lab. It's like probably next week at this point.
And then you can follow me at Sarah Helena Birkbeck and then you can follow Refresh at Refresh Women. So we would love to have you. And don't be intimidated by our avatar.
[00:35:39] Speaker A: Yeah, no, it's great. It's awesome. Well, thank you again so much for coming on and sharing more of your heart. Your story. The impact that you guys are making through Refresh. I'm excited to just see the impact that it's going to have on my wife and for her to go and escape the kiddos and me for, you know, a few days during that event. But then also just to see the ripple that it makes on the women in the community and Yalls community. So it's really, really cool. And maybe we got to talk to James about refreshment.
[00:36:06] Speaker B: I know they always do that. Didn't he's like, yeah, no, you know.
[00:36:10] Speaker A: I could see him saying that. But awesome. Thank you so much for being here, and thank you guys for listening to the Proper form podcast.
