Faith & Purpose

Speaker 5: Welcome everyone
to Faith and Purpose podcast.

Each episode of this podcast contains the
personal testimony of an ordinary person

transformed by an extraordinary God.

My name is Kaylin and I'm
here to introduce this podcast

for my friend Jesse Duke.

Jesse is a husband, father, author,
life recovery guide, lay counselor,

and small group leader, but his
most important role is disciple.

As a disciple of Jesus.

Jesse created this podcast to help other
believers tell their faith stories.

We'll be hearing the personal
testimonies of all sorts of people

who have one thing in common,
Jesus has transformed their lives.

Jesus used parables because he created
us to learn best through story.

And as we listen to how God has worked
in others lives, we find encouragement

and inspiration for our own faith walk.

Whether you are already a believer or
just a curious seeker, we believe that

as you listen to these stories, you will
be encouraged on your own faith journey.

We are sure that God can speak to you
through one of these episodes and that you

will see that our Heavenly Father truly
works all things together for our good.

When we simply love and trust him.

If you are currently going through a
trial, we believe that you will come

to see that your troubles, heartbreaks,
and failures are not gravestones, but

stepping stones into new life in Christ.

Here's Jesse with today's guest.

MacBook Air Microphone-1: Welcome
everyone to faith and purpose podcast.

I'm Jesse Duke.

And today I'm very excited to have my
friend Gigi Butler here to tell her story.

How are you doing today?

GG.

Speaker 2: Doing really good.

Thanks for having me.

MacBook Air Microphone-2: Well, I've
been waiting for this day for a long

time, and we're finally getting together.

And I know you have a lot to share.

So just start at the beginning.

Tell us your story.

Speaker 2: well, I was born in Oklahoma
and I was born in a blizzard, which

kind of makes sense for my age.

Tire life going forward.

And then we were, I was raised in
California in a little desert town.

Cause my dad got a job
as a LA County fireman.

And so we were raised in the high desert
on a farm and my dad was a fireman, but

he was also an amazing entrepreneur.

he had the gift of faith.

And so he was always trying different
businesses and different jobs.

and he failed at lots of them.

But What it taught me at a very early
age is that it was okay to fail.

And even if you failed,
you got your butt kicked.

God was always with you.

He always had your back and your
family was there to pick you up.

So growing up, I saw this.

I never knew that people would be afraid
to do something because I just did it.

I was also gifted.

I believe that God gives us
certain gifts when we're born.

And, he gave me the gift of faith and
tenacity, the gift of mercy and patience.

I'm still waiting on,
but we can't have it all.

so, Faith and tenacity is just
definitely ingrained in my whole system.

And that's how I've survived and thrived.

so when I, at seven, I decided I wanted to
be a country music singer, songwriter and

moved to Nashville and sitting at dinner,
I announced Hey, I just heard that latest

Dolly Parton song, and that's amazing.

And I'm moving to Nashville.

And they were like, Okay, we're who, you
know, because no one really in the family

other than my grandpa played guitar.

So we weren't raised musical.

but being the type of people that they
are with trying things and not being

afraid, they were just like, okay.

Wait a

Speaker: minute, you said
you were seven years old?

Seven.

Speaker 2: Okay.

Yeah, seven.

Seven, I knew what I wanted and that
That was my identity and we'll get to,

having your identity not in something
and in someone, which is God, which

that I always had God, but that
didn't come into play until recently.

So I, at seven, said, okay,
that's what I'm going to do.

So at seven, I started singing
professionally, taking lessons and

really working towards that goal.

And then at 15, I decided to
start a cleaning business,

Gigi's Cleaning Company.

And so that was just going to
be my job that gave me freedom.

And then age 15, I also started a band.

And then at age 17, I started traveling,
across different parts of California

and singing and, still going to
school, but school was never my thing.

I had way too much energy and.

I never fit in the school box.

And I think a lot of entrepreneurs
don't fit in the school box of how

school is taught us to sit there,
be still, think inside a box.

And my mind has always
been outside of box.

So I've never, I felt school
to me personally was torture.

I hated it because I couldn't
learn the way that they taught me.

wanted to teach me.

Speaker 4: And

Speaker 2: I never, I was
a total rebel on that.

So I always had the
plan of, I hate school.

I'm leaving.

I'm going to Nashville.

So as soon as I graduated, I
thank God I graduated high school.

I went to college and it was
like, this is not for me.

So I moved to Canada and I
traveled all across Canada and

I sang in a band in Canada.

And then I came back home and.

Six months later, I moved to
Nashville and I had 500 to my name.

here comes the gift of faith, 500
to my name, knew no one, didn't have

a place to live, didn't have a job,
but I knew that God would provide.

And my theory is, if he could provide
for the unbelieving Israelites or the

doubters, the Israelites and move those
millions of people and cross that red sea,

What could he do for me, just going to
a different state, and trying something?

So, that's where the gift of
faith came, and it was shown

the first time in my walk.

And it's shown many other
times, other than after that.

So I got to Nashville,
and worked at Red Lobster.

For a little bit and then
met lots of stars there.

I met, Wynonna Judd, Naomi Judd, Tanya
Tucker, Joe Diffie, George Jones.

I waited on him.

Uh, Steven Curtis
Chapman, Brooks and Dunn.

I mean, name it.

They all went to red
lobster, which go figure.

But 20 something years ago
down in Franklin, there was

not a lot of places to eat.

And so they would all
come, come there and.

So I learned a lot about, how
the music went and I formed a

band there and started singing at
writer's nights and meeting people.

And I started Gigi's Cleaning
Company again during the day.

And so that kind of kept me going and
I just worked very hard at singing and

I went to Vanderbilt and studied voice.

And I just really.

focused on my vocal
ability and I sacrificed.

Everything, including parts of my soul for
the music industry and in the grace of God

and knowing what I know now and how good
God is, I think that he knew that I wasn't

going to be able to become the person I
needed to be if I was going to be famous.

So he didn't let me and I'm glad,
but at that point I wasn't glad.

And it took me a long time.

I I think the epiphany I had was I
was singing down at Tootsie's and I'd

sang parts of the world and written
songs and whenever did backup vocals,

did everything, but never fully.

Made it, you know, or really got
that record deal like a Shania

Twain or, you know, all the people
in those time, Wynonna Judds.

And so it came to the point
to where there was a new era

coming in to the music industry.

I was nearing 30.

I was almost 30.

I think I was 28, almost 29 at the time.

I had just sang at Tootsie's, the
famous bar, downtown Nashville, and

got my butt pinched that night and was.

sexually harassed once again,
and, you know, propping up all my

stoned or drunk dudes on the stage
along with all the other people

in the crowd and made 30 bucks.

After I paid everyone and I had
an opportunity to get a music

deal with the people that owned
them, Tootsies at the time.

And I turned them down for
reasons that probably not this

podcast, but it's in my book.

And.

So the next day my brother had
said, you really need to think

about maybe doing something else.

And I'm like, this is my life.

I don't have anything else.

all I do is clean toilets and
then I'm going to be a singer.

I've got the talent.

I've got the passion.

It's all I ever wanted since I was 16.

What am I going to do?

And so that was processing.

And then I started cleaning for a
new family that just came into town.

And they had a daughter.

She was 15 years old and
full of musical talent.

And her, they had 2
million to push her dream.

And came into town and literally
said, make my daughter a star.

Because she had the talent, no doubt.

And one day I was cleaning
her house, her parents house.

And I was cleaning her toilet.

And this was just a few
days after I'd done it.

Talk to my brother and I was mulling
over, what I do with my life.

I'm a loser.

If I quit, that's my whole identity.

And, I was cleaning a toilet, her
toilet, little kid, 15 year old.

And she came in her bedroom
and she started playing.

practicing guitar and singing on her bed.

And I was cleaning her toilet
and I looked over at her and I

said, did you write that song?

And she's yeah, it's going
to be on my first album.

And during the six months that I'd
been cleaning for them, I had seen

these famous songwriters coming in,
The ones that I could have never even

imagined meeting, let alone they're
coming in a house that I'm cleaning the

house, but they're still writing with
this kid and I'm like, what the heck?

And the song she wrote that
day was teardrops on my guitar.

And that was Taylor Swift.

And so I'm thinking myself, she's like,
yeah, it's going to be my first album.

And I packed my cleaning supplies in
my truck that night and I drove home

and I was like, If this kid who's 15,
I'm, she's half my age almost, and she

has millions to support, she is writing
with these big, I'm cleaning her toilet.

That was my epiphany that day.

And that's when I knew I
had to find a new dream.

And it wasn't like, Oh, a celebration.

I'm finding a new dream.

It was a death because I
had had my entire life.

wrapped up in this is
what I was going to do.

Here comes the tenacious part, right?

I'm never giving up, never
give up, never give up.

But sometimes God has
something different for you.

And I'm so like my way tenacious,
you know, blinders on that.

He was going to use all of that,
that the stage presence and the,

all of that tenacity and all of
that creativity, but he was just

going to do it in a different way.

I had no idea what that was going to be.

So I took a few years to really heal
about being, what am I going to do?

I'm a loser.

I've spent my whole life.

I'm just going to clean toilets really.

And two, my attitude changing.

And I got into a lot of, listening to
tapes and reading books on how to better

myself and how to, you know, listening
to Joyce Meyer and people like that, and.

Slowly, but surely my attitude of
why me turned into well, why not me

if I'm just going to be a cleaner?

Okay, God, I feel like there's
something else for my life.

But if this is all you want for me
Okay, and I finally got to a part

where I was okay With just all right.

God, I had sacrificed some things.

I'd done made some decisions.

I shouldn't have I didn't walk your
path Okay, what do you have for me?

I'm open.

And that's when normally when
you're open to God's leading and

you let him be the mold while
you're the clay, he's manhandling

you and throwing you in the fire.

It's not comfortable.

But then you're like, okay,
I give God, you know, uncle.

That's when it usually God is
ready to, thrust you into something

Speaker 3: new.

Speaker 2: And thrusting into something
new, you have to also be open to that.

Speaker: It sounds like You went
through like a grieving process.

I did.

you saw your dream had died and you
went through mourning and I can imagine

this whole process that you finally
got to the point where you completely

surrendered whatever he wanted.

Yeah.

I

Speaker 2: went through a
definite identity crisis.

Speaker: Yeah.

Speaker 2: who am I?

Speaker 3: Yeah.

What

Speaker 2: am I?

What am I?

And at that point, still, I wasn't
fully grounded in the Lord, right?

because I think that takes
a, I think that takes a whole

lifetime to really learn that.

Speaker 4: Yeah.

Speaker 2: But God being as faithful as he
is, he chases after us and he pursues us.

And then he smacks us and
puts us on a different path

Speaker 4: and says, you

Speaker 2: know, this is, I
don't really want you over here.

You better move it over here.

Speaker: Now, I'm going to show my
ignorance, and everybody out there

might laugh at me, but did you say
that 15 year old was Taylor Swift?

Speaker 2: Yes.

Speaker: Okay.

Speaker 2: It was Taylor Swift.

Speaker: Correct.

Because I don't know.

You don't know who Taylor Swift is?

I know who she is.

Oh.

I've heard her name, but
I've never listened to

her

music, and I don't live in that world, so

Speaker 2: I think you're okay
to not live in that world.

That's a whole other story.

but she has become, you know, the world's
most famous music star on the planet,

and she has sacrificed lots to get there.

So I think everyone in the
world knows who Taylor Swift is.

I knew her at 15 and then, consequently
when I got in the cupcake business,

she bought thousands of cupcakes
from me, which is hilarious.

And she doesn't even know it was me.

so yes, it was Taylor Swift.

Speaker: Okay, well I thought I caught
that and I was trying to make sure.

so after God changed your course, Right.

Where did it take you next?

Speaker 2: Well, I expanded my
cleaning business and I got to the

point where I really, you know, I
had girls that were working for me

and I really, Was enjoying my life.

I was dating.

I was trying to figure out, you
know, I was now almost 30 and then

one day I was cleaning September
was Labor Day, September, 2007.

I was cleaning a client's bathroom.

Go figure.

All my epiphanies happened near a toilet.

And, my brother called me, my other
brother called me, and he was in New

York City, and he had stood in line
at a cupcake shop for two hours.

And he's like, you should open
a cupcake shop in Nashville.

And I was like, what?

He's like, your cupcakes
are better than theirs.

And he was in Central Park eating
a red velvet cupcake at the time.

And I was like, what?

What?

I gotta go.

Like, okay.

He's like, No, think about it.

you're a better baker than these people.

You could do this.

And I got off the phone with him
and I looked in the mirror and

I had my pink O Cedar gloves on.

And I'm like, Why not?

Why not me?

And so I was like, I could do that.

I've already failed miserably at the
thing I thought was, that was it.

So, why not?

Why not a new dream?

And so I went to four banks and
they all laughed in my face.

They're like cupcakes because at that
point cupcakes wasn't a big deal.

No one had a standalone cupcake shop

Speaker 3: Mm hmm.

Speaker 2: And so I'm like, yeah,
this is gonna work and I you know,

I've been in business since I was
15 So like 17 years at that time

and I was like, this is gonna work.

this is it I have this feeling and
they're like no and I said, but

I have a little bit of savings.

I have great credit I've been in
business, but none of them would give

me any And I went home that night
and I'm like, God, if you really

want me to do this, What do I do?

What, how do I do this?

And I just thought, you know what?

I'm going to take out
money in my credit cards.

So I took out a hundred thousand dollars
credit card debt, and I called my

credit cards like American Express and
Discover and Bank of America credit card.

And I said, Hey, instead of 22%, would
you, if I took out 50, 000 or 35,

000, would you get it down to 11%?

And they're like, yeah, we'll do that.

So I negotiated with the
credit card companies.

So it wasn't as high as a 22%,
but I, it was still a huge risk.

So I took a hundred thousand dollars.

So there is once again,
that gift of faith, right.

And stepping out.

And I thought, well, if I'm going
to fail and I'm going to be in debt

for a hundred thousand dollars,
All clean for the rest of my life.

I'm still going to be cleaning anyway.

So what if, so I, at that point
became the person that said, why not?

Not what if I don't want to live
with the regret of what if I refuse.

So even if I get my butt
kicked and I'm in debt and I'm

embarrassed and whatever it is.

I would rather be that than sit
on my porch when I'm 90 and say,

what if I would have done it?

Why didn't I do it?

I was young then.

Why?

I'm never gonna be that person.

So hence, got my butt kicked, lost
tons of money, gotten sued, blah blah

blah blah blah blah, but I can still
say I'm still the why not person.

So that's, that will always be me.

I will be 90 and be the why not person.

Speaker: Wow.

not many people are like that.

And we all live

Speaker 2: our lives in quiet desperation.

Correct.

Very safe, very afraid.

And so there I was.

100, 000 in debt, still cleaning,
working on my parents would help me

with the, help me grind the floor.

And I picked out the
paint and I, worked on it.

And February 21st,
2000, I opened my doors.

I had 33 left to my name.

33 is a very interesting number
for me, because I had made 33.

It was 33.

at Tootsies that night, right?

33 was what was in my bank account
the day I opened my store, one

store, and crowds just came.

And I, it all of a sudden, this
one store with walking on faith

and stepping out turned into 124
stores in 24 states in five years.

And in two years.

I was grossing 33 million,

Speaker: 33,

Speaker 2: go figure.

33, 33, 33.

So it has been a very wild
ride and I made decisions while

building this huge snowball of
a monster of bringing people on.

I shouldn't have brought
on trusting people.

I shouldn't trusted.

not getting the right lawyers.

And then having a child, raising
her all on my own while this was

happening, it has been a very wild ride.

And I decided to sell it in 2016.

And then Boom, I sold it, then lots
of things has happened since 2016.

and then 2020 comes a long ride.

And I don't have a job.

I don't have an identity.

I don't, I mean, like, what
am I going to do with myself?

It's just like, now what?

so that's where trying to put your
identity into something that you

think is gonna make you great.

So I was a singer.

then I was nothing.

Then I was the cupcake queen
that sold 150 million cupcakes

across the country, right?

On Undercover Boss, going around the
world, signing cupcakes, signing books,

putting a book out, being on the Today
Show, you know, all of this stuff, right?

So I'm this cupcake queen.

To then nothing, So then what are ya?

where's my identity again?

So then why you go?

When you have that huge high that you
think, oh one day I think I'm in for

more, and then God gives you the more,
and maybe you were ready at that time,

but then, It's now, not that again.

So, who the heck am I?

Speaker: well let me ask you a question.

I don't, I didn't ever
live in cupcake world.

what was the name of your store?

Gigi's Cupcakes.

Now, is that the name of the
store all over the country?

Yes.

Yeah.

It was

Speaker 2: franchised.

I did franchise.

I'm so sorry I

Speaker: missed out.

I was a low carb guy.

Speaker 2: You know what?

You get to enjoy some of my
goodies now, you and Becky.

Speaker: I do.

I gave up low carb for cupcakes.

No, that's really awesome.

So yeah, I really like this
theme of the identity, um,

because I can relate to that.

Right.

So, God was with you
throughout all of this.

what was your spiritual life like during
all this, during the cupcake boom?

Speaker 2: Well, I had to cling to him.

And my creativity shifted from when
I was, would be writing songs to,

oh my gosh, I could write music.

this cupcake could have this on
it and this and then i'll put this

color and i'll name it this and So
my creativity has always been there.

It was singing and writing then it went
to Designing cupcakes and designing

the stores and designing the colors and
designing the boxes, which is a form

of creativity That god always wants us
to continually recreate Because we are

supposed to create as humans keep creating
keep creating never stand still You

Speaker: Always create.

That's the exciting part.

Right.

We feel close to the
creator when we're creating.

Right.

I love

Speaker 2: that.

Yeah, we feel close to the creator
because he's the ultimate creator.

Yeah.

Right.

So, my creativity just shifted and then
when I sold the company and I started all

of the nightmare of that whole debacle,
then I started writing the first book.

So then my creativity shifted
again and I started writing.

Right.

And so then the first book
came out and then COVID hit

and the whole world stopped.

Everything stopped.

And I decided, you know what I really
always wanted to do was open a pie shop.

So I'd always wanted like to own a
French farmhouse country pie shop that,

you know, that was always my dream.

I always, pies were really my
signature thing even before I did the

cupcakes, which most people don't know.

So pies are my love language.

So I was like, you know
what, I'm going to do this.

I've got a little bit of my
savings left after the sale and

all that happened with that.

And so I started creating this pie shop.

Like what would I be calling it?

What do I do?

Here's the color where it's the theme.

And I put everything I had
into this pie shop during 2020.

And then I was getting going.

I opened in October of 2020.

And that holiday went great.

And then remember Omnicron.

Biden scared the whole world
to death with stinking Omicron.

So then people stopped coming in.

And then I'm like, I have a very expensive
rent, which was 8, 700 a month, by

the way, that's a lot of pies to bake.

And the people where I was, they
wouldn't let me have like a drive

thru or a, you know, pull up
and take, you know, casseroles.

Cause I did shepherd's
pie and chicken pot pies.

Casseroles and like a take and
bake type of situation too.

And many pies, pie bars and big pies.

And then it became like, how
am I going to pay my rent?

If everyone's scared to death
to come in it was nightmare.

So that completely put me out of
business and I lost everything.

And I had to close up my
shop, sell my dream house.

that I had built, and I
thought, who the heck am I?

I've lost everything.

Still fighting another lawsuit.

And I thought, who am I?

I've lost, now again, everything?

Which a lot of people
were feeling that way.

If you were in small business in 2020,

Speaker 3: you

Speaker 2: felt the heat.

Only people that, made money out of that
time was, if you're into pharmaceuticals,

but we won't get into that.

or big, big pharma.

so the small business really suffered.

So there I was sitting there going, wait
a minute, my other dream didn't work out.

I just got my butt kicked.

I lost hundreds of thousands
and thousands of dollars.

I have to now sell my home.

Where am I gonna, what
the heck am I gonna do?

So, I sold my home and I said,
if I'm going to sell my dream

home, I'm moving to the beach.

So, I found Fernadina.

I always thought I would move to
Florida and, but I'd go down to the

panhandle and I was going to, you know,
not be an old maid, be a mermaid haha.

I have a jeep and just when I
retired and Kindle went to college,

you know, but it came about 10
years earlier than I thought.

Speaker 3: Yeah.

Speaker 2: So I just took a huge
step, knew no one here, didn't have

a job, Didn't have a place to live.

I was just going to come find a
place and just venture out and

just journey to something else.

And everyone thought I was crazy.

You didn't know anyone you're crazy.

And even my daughter's father
took me to court to try to sue me.

Did not leave the state.

That was the, another lawsuit.

And.

I was like, no, I'm led here.

And they're like, but
you don't know anyone.

And I'm like, but that doesn't matter.

I didn't know anyone
when I went to Nashville.

So I could, be a pilgrim again
and just recreate myself.

So I came to Fernandina Without a job.

No one knew who I was here because
I never had stores over here.

And no one had any expectations
of who I should be here.

Right?

I just came here with my child,
bought a little house, I was trying

to lay low and just recreated
myself again and started writing.

I, two books, I'm almost
finished with both of them.

Started podcasting again and I
started, guess what I started doing?

Cleaning houses.

Cleaning

Speaker: houses.

Speaker 2: So who knows
what you're going to do.

And I just started baking for a
little coffee shop here on the island.

And I would come in and
they'd say, Oh, Gigi's here.

And I was like, yeah, I am here.

And they didn't know who I was.

They just thought I was some
grandma Gigi that baked these.

Why are your baked goods so magical?

Well, I had bakeries.

They don't know any of
that, but it's okay.

Speaker 3: Yeah,

Speaker 2: because I have
found out that my identity

doesn't come through what I do.

Speaker 3: My

Speaker 2: identity
comes through who's I am.

And that's God's broken, bent, you
know, I just am, I am not the perfect

person, but I know, and I've had a
very broken, very, very hard road.

But God is so good and he's so faithful.

In our brokenness, he
can make us beautiful.

Speaker: You know, most people, can't
really be as bold as you are to just

go for your dreams over and over in
the face of all these obstacles and,

and raising a child and a divorce
and moving to a new place where

you don't have to know anybody.

that's very challenging, but

You seem to know your identity, your
true identity, because that seems

to be what's getting you through.

Other people would just crumble
because they don't have that.

Speaker 2: Well, yeah, when I speak, you
know, cause I did a lot of public speaking

across the country and most people ask
me, they ask me, how do I fight the fear?

I'm so afraid.

I nine times out of 10, when I get a Q
and a, they're like, how can you be bold?

How did you do it?

Why did you do it?

Why do you just change it up?

And I just, know that no matter what,
and it hasn't been a golden ticket.

Yes, the cupcakes was very successful, but
was it at the end when I lost everything

and I was the target for so many
people to sue me, you know what I mean?

So was it a golden ticket or did
I just get more beaten up, and

then losing everything and getting
embarrassed with the whole pie

shop, but I can honestly say.

I'm never gonna have to worry about
the what if with the pie shop.

I got my butt kicked.

I did it.

I don't want to do it again,
but I don't have to lay in bed

at night and go, why didn't I?

Why wasn't I brave enough?

Most people, they are so afraid.

And I tell them, and I'm writing a
The book about this is you have to

look at fear like an obstacle, like
a rock that's standing in your way.

it's something that you
either have to blow up, go

through, climb over, go around.

Or you're just stuck.

So it has, it's like a mountain.

Okay.

I got to climb this mountain of fear.

How am I going to tactically do it?

And another example that I use
when I speak is, the Indiana Jones.

It's not the temple of Dune.

I think it's the, I can't remember,
but he's going through this cavern

and he's in, you know, with this
big, the ball chasing him, right?

That whole.

I think it's Temple of Doom.

I can't remember, but it's one of them.

And he comes to a drop off, and it's like
he cannot see the drop off, but where he

needs to go, his cavern is over there, and
he can see the hole where he needs to go.

Speaker 3: But

Speaker 2: there's a huge chasm
between him and where he has to go.

But then he remembers, in his map of his
riddles, You gotta take the first step.

You gotta step out.

And so he takes his big breath,
and he goes, Oh God, I'm

gonna drive, die to my death.

But he steps out.

And when he steps out, then the
path, there's one walking step.

Then he steps out again,
and there's another step.

And then he steps and his path
illuminates, but he had to first

step out for his path to become
clear where he needs to be.

But most people can never step
out of that cave to go to where

they need to go because they are
too afraid to take the first step.

And people say, what if I'm wrong?

What if I, you know what?

You're going to know pretty
quick when you're wrong, you're

going to get your butt kicked.

But what will you learn?

Did I lose everything?

Yeah, I did.

Did I get my butt kicked?

Did I get tortured?

did I get dragged through the mud?

Yes, I did.

But am I a better person because of it?

Yes, I am.

I am.

And you know what?

Had I never, I'd always
wanted to be married.

I've always wanted to find the
guy, the one, the love of my life.

And that's always been a goal
of mine, but I've been so busy

building companies and having a
child by myself and doing all that.

that I didn't have time to focus.

But when I left Nashville, I knew
my soulmate was not in Nashville.

And I knew that if I made this
big journey across the country,

that I would find the guy for me.

And I did.

And had I not got out of my comfort zone
of Nashville and gone to a different place

to where there's a different, you know,
just a completely different mindset here.

I would not have found The guy for me.

So if I lost everything materialistically,
but fine and had a huge home,

but was lonely in that huge home
because I didn't have my soulmate.

Speaker 3: I had

Speaker 2: Kendall, of course, she's
my number one soulmate in the world.

But if I lost everything, but I gained so
much more here, and maybe it's not money.

But it's just peace, it's knowing
of self, it's creating again, and

it's finding the love of my life.

I would do it over.

And I'll keep creating.

And who knows what God
has in store for me.

I don't know.

But God does.

Speaker: I think what we see sometimes
from our human perspective, this

is my experience, what I see as
complete failure, total failure,

that's the only word I can think
of, is God's success because he's

got me right where he wants me.

Right.

Totally dependent on him.

Speaker 3: Correct.

Speaker: Emotionally.

Absolutely.

Physically, financially.

Relationally, everything.

In every way, total, rock bottom
is where he wants us to be.

That's right.

And as we continue to succeed,
I think, staying there and

staying humble is the trick.

You know, just as we go.

Go to the next thing.

Speaker 2: Yeah.

I think that you've hit what the
secret of life is, but what most

people are too afraid to do is be
completely reliant on the Lord,

Speaker 3: and

Speaker 2: we have to get at
our lowest till we find Him.

Speaker 3: Really,

Speaker 2: most people really find Him.

Because if we're safe and we're, oh, we've
got a nice house, we've got our, and we

don't Will we ever really, truly find Him

Speaker 3: where

Speaker 2: He really wants us?

And what he really wants
is dependent on him.

Speaker 3: Yeah.

Speaker 2: Fully.

And every day I have to depend on him.

Because I'm more of a,
I'm gonna do it, person.

Which are, you know, the best thing
about us usually are our worst things.

Our best thing that we could ever be
about us are usually our worst traits too.

Because in him.

That's our weakness too.

So we have to rely on him.

He gives us great traits, but he also,
they could be damaging if we use them

the wrong way and we don't rely on him.

So in him, we're perfect.

Speaker: Yeah.

Well, I think God is, happy
when we use those traits.

it's like the, talent, right?

So you had this tenacity, you had
this faith, the gift tenacity.

You used it, and I think that
pleases God, even though you

may have gone a little too far.

Speaker 2: Right.

Right.

I think it does please God.

I think he wants us to step out.

Speaker: Yeah.

Yeah.

Speaker 2: And use what he has given us.

Speaker: Yeah, that's beautiful.

Yeah.

Speaker 2: Yeah, God is good.

Yeah.

Speaker: So Tell us about your book.

Speaker 2: So I'm almost finished.

I've got two more recipes.

I'm writing a book called
Full Belly Open Heart.

Speaker 4: And

Speaker 2: it's a 31 day devotional
with a recipe for it at the end

of the so we talk about Rocky Road
Pie, let's just say for instance.

And I give them the recipe on
how to make this amazing pie.

Rocky Road Pie, and then I talk
about the rocky roads in life, and

then I pair it with biblical verses.

And so that's almost done, which
I'm hoping to do as a more of a TV

show or a given 15 type of thing.

. So I'm trying to think about doing it
electronic, you know, more of a digital.

Although it could be a hard copy.

And then I've also, I'm in
the process of writing a book.

I'm blogging for a company in Nashville
called the Heartland, heartlandjournal.

com.

So I do a weekly blog.

I blog every Monday and do a
recipe for them, which I've loved.

And it's, Really been rewarding for
me and I could give you the yeah, the

links and stuff for people to find me
there, but I've I'm also writing a book

called This takes the cake and it's
called it's about what to do when faith's

been shaken and cakes been taken Right.

So it's all about from 2012, how through
everything, all of my cake has been,

taken and how God has been so faithful,
even through all those shaking cake

taken times and what you can learn from
losing everything, but also gaining.

so much more in the long run.

So it's called this takes the
cake and then it has a cake recipe

at the end of every chapter.

Speaker: Oh, I love it.

That's gonna be so i'm

Speaker 2: excited.

Yeah, it's more of a it's a continuation
from the first book the secret

ingredient success In business and life.

And that came out in 2019.

Speaker 3: Yeah.

Speaker 2: And then, the second book
will be called This Takes the Cake.

Speaker: I want to put
a link on to your blog.

Okay.

Website.

Your current book.

Okay.

We won't have one for the future.

Not

Speaker 2: yet.

Not yet.

But yes, I'll give you all of those links.

Okay.

Speaker: That's awesome.

That's exciting.

I really love the whole idea.

Speaker 2: Me too.

Speaker: Especially when you include cake.

Speaker 2: Right, yeah.

Well, it'll be an interesting,
it'll be interesting.

People will be like, what happened?

And then what happened?

So it's been real hard to write because
I have to go through the emotions

again, but it's almost finished.

I'm finishing the devotional
one first and then blogging.

And then at the first of the year, I'm
going to really finish the second one.

Speaker 3: So we'll

Speaker 2: see what happens.

I don't know if I'm going to self
publish yet, or we've been talking

about maybe doing a movie about it.

Both books as a life story.

I'm not sure what God has for me, but
I'm just open again and willing to just

let him take it where he wants it to go.

Speaker: That's awesome.

that's what I do.

Just trust the Lord.

That's right.

Step on out.

Speaker 2: Yeah.

Step on out.

Speaker: And I love that, that
image of the, the Raiders of the

Lost Ark where he has to step out.

The step is not there until he steps out.

Speaker 2: Right.

Step isn't there until he steps out,
but he had to do it to get across.

Speaker: Right.

Speaker 2: Or else he's stuck.

Speaker 3: Yeah.

Speaker 2: And so that's what, I guess
that's the best visual I could come

up with when, what I tell people, when
people are asking me, why am I so stuck?

What do I do when I'm stuck?

Well, here's your visual.

Step out.

Step out of the boat.

Speaker: Yeah.

I had a poster many years ago that
had it, it was a little kitty cat just

hanging on by his claws to a branch
and it's like he's about ready to fall.

And there's a caption under it
that said, faith isn't faith until

it's all you're hanging on to.

Speaker 2: That's right.

I like that.

Faith isn't faith until it's
all you're hanging on to.

Speaker: Yeah.

Speaker 2: I love that.

Speaker: Well, it sounds like your whole
life has been one adventure in faith and,

I hope that people who hear this are gonna
pick up on that spirit of that, life is

too short to not to be timid and to not
trust God and not go for your dreams.

Speaker 2: when he says he gave
us a spirit of tenacity and

power, not a fear, he meant it.

But most people don't think
he meant that when he said it.

No, I didn't give you a spirit of fear.

I gave you a spirit of tenacity
and of power and of faith.

Speaker 3: Yeah.

Speaker 2: So if you don't use it,
once again, like the gifts, right?

If you're too afraid to use the power
that's invested in you, then shame on you.

Speaker: Yeah.

Speaker 2: It's just sitting there.

You're just stuck in a little trench.

Speaker: Well, we go back to the, uh.

The parable of the talents, you know,
the guy, that buried the talent,

the Lord wasn't pleased with him.

Speaker 2: No, it wasn't pleased with him.

And I think I also, another visual
is, I read this somewhere, a guy

died, went to heaven and he saw
huge storehouses all in heaven.

And he's like, what are those for?

And one of the saints said, Oh,
those are all the dreams for people

that never asked and never believed.

Speaker 3: They're

Speaker 2: just sitting
here because God has them.

The storehouses are full.

He says that too.

Right.

And my storehouses are full.

You just have to exercise your
faith and you have to believe it.

And they don't.

Yeah.

And I don't, I can't
wrap my head around it.

Yeah.

Why don't you?

You're gonna die.

Just do it.

Just do it.

what are you waiting for?

Yeah.

And sometimes I'm afraid too.

I actually, I don't like change.

Isn't that funny?

You would think that, I, change
scares me, but it also thrills me.

Speaker 3: Yeah.

Speaker 2: So I get, I'm my best when I'm
under pressure and Oh, I gotta do this.

So that's when I'm at my best.

Speaker: Yeah.

Yeah.

that's true.

Definitely your personality.

Definitely.

Speaker 2: Yes, it is.

Fortunately or unfortunately, yes, it is.

Speaker: Well, thank you
so much for doing this.

I really know it's going to
bless a lot of people out there.

Speaker 2: If they want to
reach out to me, I'm on the

socials of official Gigi Butler.

GIGI Butler on all my socials or, my
website is gigi butler.com or I am

blogging it on the heartland journal.com.

Speaker: Now, if they go to
gigi butler.com, is there

a link to the Heartland?

Yes, there is.

Speaker 2: And then they can
leave a message there or they

can, um, hit me up on my socials.

Instagram's more my thing.

I'm not much Facebook, but.

Instagram.

Speaker: If you want, I can
put links on the, this podcast.

Perfect.

That'll be great.

All right.

Well, would you mind
praying for the listeners?

Sure.

Speaker 2: Well, thank
you for having me today.

Dear Lord, thank you for today.

Thank you for the power
that you give us, Lord.

Thank you for enabling us
to use that power, Lord.

And when I, before we started this
podcast, that the seeds we plant, Lord,

we don't even know, but you water God.

So if we're just supposed to be the seed
planters, And thank you for watering

all of the seeds that we put out, and
you're the one that harvests them, Lord.

Thank you for the listeners, Lord,
and I just pray that you will talk

to someone today and just get in
their heart, knowing that they were

afraid to step out, and maybe this
is the day that they will, Lord.

That you're speaking.

To them from this podcast
that they need to be brave in

you and trust in Jesus name.

Amen

Speaker: Amen

Speaker 6: We hope you've
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In case you haven't noticed, there
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It may encourage them to tell their story.

That person may even be you.

Our only criteria is
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Most Christians don't share their
faith because they mistakenly think

their story is not interesting enough,
or that it's self centered to talk

about themselves, or that they are not
competent to explain the gospel correctly.

But none of that is relevant.

If Jesus has changed your
life, you have a story to tell.

All of our stories are completely unique.

No one has a story like yours, and you
may be the only one who can reach someone

else through telling your experience.

So don't be intimidated.

A story is just that, a true account
of your own experience, and no one

can disagree with your experience.

When we tell what Jesus has done in
our lives, we are being obedient to his

command to go into all the world and
preach the gospel to every creature.

It's not about theology, and it's not
about how interesting or special you are.

It's all about Jesus.

So when you're ready to tell how Jesus
has impacted your life, you can let Jesse

know at his ministry website, jesseduke.

net.

There you can download guidelines
that will make it easy to

prepare to tell your story.

Thank you for listening today and Shalom.