SOLID START
Focusing on life from God's perspective.
SOLID START
Finding Purpose in Life's Experiences
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In this episode, we explore how life’s experiences, both challenging and uplifting, can shape our faith and purpose. Greg is joined by a Candice Collins, Merrell Bros, HR Benefits Manager. Drawing from personal stories and biblical insight, they share how to find meaning in your struggles, support others through shared experiences, and walk confidently in your journey.
Well, good morning, everyone, and welcome to another episode of Solid Start, a podcast designed to help get your week off to a solid start by focusing on life from God's perspective. I'm Greg Reed, life coach at Merrill Bros in Kokomoa, Indiana, joined by Candace Collins today. Candace is the HR Benefits Manager here at Merrill. So Candace, welcome.
SPEAKER_00Thanks for having me. Great to have you. Great to be here.
SPEAKER_01Brian's out running around somewhere, probably hanging out on the beach and uh kicking sand, you know, in people's faces or whatever. So uh such a slacker. There we go.
SPEAKER_00I thought he liked to hike the beach, though.
SPEAKER_01What's that?
SPEAKER_00I thought he was a hiker, not a beach guy.
SPEAKER_01That's right. He is a hiker. So thanks so much for uh joining me this week. And I in particular wanted to zero in on the last letter of our acronym Shape. So we looked at S H A P so far. So S, we talked about our strengths. H is our heart, kind of those things that we're passionate about. We spent some time talking about attitude and how important that is. Uh last week was personality, and that's when we brought Marcus in to uh do this. And so today and next week, we'll be looking at this thing called experiences and how God uses the experiences of our lives to make a difference. So thanks so much for uh saying yes to uh being a part of this. So you just recently tell us a little bit about your recent experience out in New York. You were a part of the leadership team for the way. So tell us what the way is and what that experience was like.
SPEAKER_00So the way is just a three-day experience where you can unplug from the world around you and just focus on your time there, present with the Lord and with other fellow believers. It's just a wonderful opportunity for anybody that's been through it.
SPEAKER_01Yes, it is. Yeah, it's great. And so that how many this is our third weekend out in New York because we have lots of other locations around the world even.
SPEAKER_00Yep, they're a newer community.
SPEAKER_01They're a newer one. Okay.
SPEAKER_00So yeah. So um being a part of them from the ground up is really special to see how they're just gonna grow and flourish. And before you know it, you'll be saying the way New York number 45.
SPEAKER_01Exactly. So it starts on a Thursday night and it goes through Sunday at lunch-ish time. Or early evening. Early evening. Okay. Okay.
SPEAKER_00There were talkers in New York, so it went a little bit longer.
SPEAKER_01And tell me uh how what was your experience like? You said something about the people that were there and all that. That was very exciting to me. Say something about that part of the experience.
SPEAKER_00So it was just a wonderful community of of believers, and they were just there ready to love the Lord, ready to love on others, those of us serving as well as the community that was going through the way experience, just their hearts were open and they were just ready for the Lord to move however he needed to. And it was just so positive and uplifting. It was just a really sweet community.
SPEAKER_01How many guests then were a part of that weekend?
SPEAKER_00There was 30 women this weekend. So great. It was wonderful, wonderful.
SPEAKER_01That has to be. I've only gone through as a participant, uh, obviously with guys, and it was a great great experience as well up in Goshen, Indiana, the land of Goshen.
SPEAKER_00We had some Goshen people come to Florida as well to help serve. So yeah.
SPEAKER_01So was there like one highlight? Uh we'll get to uh what you talked about. Was there one highlight for you that you thought, hey, that kind of stood out to me? That was like the best part of the weekend.
SPEAKER_00Oh, it's all the best. I mean, uh every every day you say the best is yet to come. So it it was just all amazing.
SPEAKER_01So good. So tell us a little bit about what you talked about and uh what your part was, particularly in the weekend, other than serving as many people as possible.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, absolutely. So um I gave a talk and you know, talking about experience, someone who didn't come to know Christ until later in life. I've had a lot of experiences that I can share. And it was just a, yeah, I laugh too, trust me. Um it was just a wonderful opportunity to to let others that maybe struggling with things know, hey, like we've had these experiences well. You're not alone in this. And, you know, it's seeing the Lord work through those experiences and how he takes everything for his good. There used to be times when I was concerned about having so many testimonies, but then as I've grown in my faith, I I find it a privilege to be able to share. It just shows how much more God works as well when you have those experiences to share and and say, look at how it is now.
SPEAKER_01So how has God used some of your past experiences, maybe even some painful ones, to shape you into the kind of amazing person that you are today? Because God has made you an amazing person. Let's just say that.
SPEAKER_00Thank you. Thank you. Those experiences don't define you. Yeah. Yeah. You you were made beautifully, wonderfully in his image, and those experiences do not define who you are.
SPEAKER_01So what did you try to communicate as you left the message? And as you said, hey, here's my you know, as in preaching, I always try to find, hey, what's my take home? What's what do I want people to go away with saying, you know, here's the sentence, here's the idea, here's the big idea. Was there a big idea from your weekend? I mean from your your speech.
SPEAKER_00Jesus is the way, right? Okay. Like that's the big takeaway for everybody. But um in my particular talk, it was just that no matter what path you choose, no matter what road you go down, and that's the wrong choice that you he'll always welcome you with open arms. He's always there waiting. Thank goodness, because every day his mercies are new, and I need them every day. Every day.
SPEAKER_01Me too. You know, thinking about experiences. Um the uh passage in 2 Corinthians chapter 1, where Paul's writing to this church and he says this praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion, and the God of all comfort. Then here's the part that I think fits well for this thing of experience. He says, Who comforts us in all of our troubles so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. And so just that idea of how God was able to come into your life and to redeem those experiences that were painful, but now you have the privilege to be able to go on the way weekends and to have conversations with people every day in this whole HR world that you live in. And those experiences are never wasted.
SPEAKER_00Never.
SPEAKER_01I always remember telling my congregation, God's never going to waste an experience, whether it's a great experience, a positive one, or you just say that was one of the most difficult experiences of my life. I always know that God's going to use those for our good and his glory. And then that passage in Second Corinthians, Paul's just really clear that the God who comforts us in all of our troubles, He does that so that we can comfort those. So the reason I know what it's like to walk through cancer and how to help others walk through that is because my dad went through that three times. And so I get what that's like. Yeah, absolutely. I get what it's like to have a son who's sick for nine months and we didn't know if he was going to live or die. And so I know what that's like. I'm not I'm not glad he had to go through that, but I am glad that we learned so much as parents as we walked with him through that. I'm sure that was a part of what uh you talked about over the your your uh talk was just the fact that all those things God took you through now, he's able to redeem those and use those for his glory.
SPEAKER_00Well, and it's knowing that God didn't put me through it, he got me through it. Yes, he did. And just shifting that perspective, you know, finding the joy and when those troubles come your way, right?
SPEAKER_01Say that again, just so that we can maybe take that home. Somebody's listening that and you're in a difficult spot right now. I want you to hear what Candace just said.
SPEAKER_00God doesn't put you through it, he gets you through it.
SPEAKER_01And he'll in 2 Corinthians later on, he talks about he provides a way out. Absolutely. Well, I guess that's 1 Corinthians 10 13. He'll do something that helps you to navigate your way through that experience. Absolutely.
SPEAKER_00Because again, he wastes nothing.
SPEAKER_01That's right. That's right.
SPEAKER_00Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Well, I'm so glad that you get to be a part of this team. So glad that uh you're a part of our benefits. And you've not been here that long, right?
SPEAKER_00Nope. Um, going into my seventh month. Seventh month. Time flies.
SPEAKER_01When you're having fun. When you're having fun. So say a word about uh the what we're looking for. We've got a lot of uh openings and opportunities. So say just a word about that. If somebody's listening to this, maybe they maybe you're listening to this and you know somebody, somebody in your family. Hear what Kansas has to say about what kind of opportunities are available through Merrill Bros.
SPEAKER_00A little bit of everything right now as a growing company. We've got um about 18 open positions right now. Anything from finance to belt press operators to fabrication guys, a little bit of everything. We also have the wonderful employee referral program right now. That's up to a thousand dollars. No. So 90 days. 90 days is what they need to complete. So yeah, definitely.
SPEAKER_01Um I've talked to two guys so far, so I'm counting my money already. There you go. Well, you might not want to do that. Okay. There you go.
SPEAKER_00But yeah, definitely. Um we've got they're all on our website. They can look there to see the specifics that we've got.
SPEAKER_01Where would they, and if they wanted to find out either how they could get have somebody pray for them or if they're looking for a position or know somebody's looking for a position, where do they go?
SPEAKER_00Merrillbrose.com.
SPEAKER_01Merrillbrose.com.
SPEAKER_00There's a careers link there, there's a prayer link there. It's all on our on our company website.
SPEAKER_01Okay, so they can get it all there.
SPEAKER_00Yep, absolutely.
SPEAKER_01Well, I think it would be great just as we wrap up the podcast for you to pray for people that are going through some really difficult experiences right now. Absolutely. Um, because you've been through some of those, and you know what that's like now to be on this side. And also for some of the new opportunities that are available. This morning we had a benefits person that came in, and I just thought, those are some amazing benefits that come, not just the money part, but here all these health benefits and HR things and employee assistance kinds of uh resources that it was just made me proud to think, man, look what look what people get to be a part of. So that was exciting.
SPEAKER_00It is definitely.
SPEAKER_01And then tomorrow is primary elections in a lot of states. I don't know if it's in every state. I want to pray for that. So I'll have you lead us off praying for just this whole thing of experiences that God will use these experiences in the lives of other people so that we get to come alongside of them with the comfort we ourselves have received. So let's pray.
SPEAKER_00All right, Lord, we just come to you grateful. We thank you for being the God that you are. We thank you for being present when we need you most. Lord, we just thank you for an employer that allows us to pray like we do for each other. Lord, I just lift up anybody right now that's just going through something. I just pray that that they'll be able to see you through those moments, that they'll know that that you were present, Lord. I pray that you'll be able to shift their perspective and they will see that that you were the one who was getting them through it, not putting them through it, Lord. I just pray that they'll be bold enough to share those experiences with others so they know that they're not alone when it comes to their struggles, Lord. I pray that they'll also be willing to reach out when they need to speak to somebody or just get that extra support, Lord. I pray that others will listen and will offer that support that they need as well. Lord, I pray for all of our new hires. I pray that their coming to Merrill Brothers was a blessing for them and for us. And I just pray that you'll be present in all their experiences here, Lord. I pray that they will see that we're a company that truly values each and every individual and what they bring to the team. Lord, I pray for those employees that you've not brought to us yet that that will find them. I pray that they'll be the right fit for the right position, Lord. And I just thank you so much for all the amazing things that you're doing right now within Merrill Brothers, Lord. And I thank you for bringing me here and allowing me to just grow and learn in ways that I couldn't even wrap my head around before, Lord. So I just, I thank you again for your mercies being new every day. I thank you for loving each and every one of us specifically through everything that we go through, Lord. So Lord, I just I love you and we thank you.
SPEAKER_01Father, we are so grateful for Candace and our HR team and all the ways that they try to do everything possible to help the people that are part of this company to recognize benefits, to take advantage of those, to be able to be served well by all the resources that are available here. And so thanks for these past seven months for bringing her to our team and pray that uh you'll just continue to expand our vision and expand our reach around this country as we hire more and more people. And we're grateful for uh this uh May the fourth, grateful for the fact that we live in a country where there's freedom to vote and there's freedom to be a part of uh nominating people for offices that may be local as well as offices that go to uh all the way to the president of the United States. And so we pray for the primary elections tomorrow as candidates are looking for opportunities to serve, and we just pray for wisdom and direction as we vote. I pray for people that are elected to represent us well and to serve you well. We look forward to what you're going to do to continue to shape us and mold us as a country in order that we can be the kind of people that you've called us to be, and we can be the kind of nation that represents you well, and that we can be salt and light throughout this world. So thanks for the freedoms that are ours because of living in the United States of America. We're grateful for those that are listening to this podcast. Pray that uh those that are struggling might come to know you in a personal way in order to know that the God who comforts us in all of our troubles uses that comfort to allow us to comfort the others who are in any trouble. And so we just give you thanks for this day. Thanks for the week that's ahead. Thank you for the opportunity to be a part of this amazing company. It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
SPEAKER_00Amen.
SPEAKER_01Well, Candace, again, thank you so much for uh being a part of the podcast and pray you'll have a great uh day, a great week, you too, and uh continue to stay on a great path. So we're excited about that. So take care. And those of you that are listening, let us know if we can help you in any way. Merrowbrose.com. There's a prayer tab, and you can um give us your prayer request there, and also you can have someone go to that uh Merrillbros.com and it's the career careers link and gets you a chance to uh say, hey, here's somebody I think would be a great fit for our companies. Lord bless you and have a great week, everyone. See you next week.