Hope Mangiafico (00:01)
So we just wrapped up an episode all about pivoting, and Nikki, you shared an outro, and you shared in the outro that we kind of like five year plans, but God only really gives us the next step. And that got me thinking about the pivot that you and I are both in for the realm that you're in.
People are usually in it for a very long time. And for me, everyone I have currently been interacting with are like 30 plus years. And I think it would be a really interesting conversation to talk about that a little bit because you and I are a little quirky in that you d you did do a career for a very long time, which you could speak on. But since you left that.
It's just kind of like a little bit of beep bop wherever the Lord leads us. And I mean I'm the same way too. And it's very interesting going back into an area where people really don't pivot.
Nikki Humphrey (01:05)
Mm-hmm.
Hope Mangiafico (01:06)
Especially when it comes to quote unquote career, income, whatever you wanna call it. Nobody pivots in the realm I have entered. And very few people pivot in the area that you're at right now too.
Nikki Humphrey (01:19)
And this pivot is crazy because when I left teaching
eight eight, nine years ago? I never wanted to go back. I was so disheartened by it. I mean my heart was broken. I'm just like, if we're not helping kids, like what are we doing? Like what are we doing here? I was just so
Hope Mangiafico (01:28)
Yeah.
Nikki Humphrey (01:41)
I just was so like sick going into work every day. It was just like it was not a healthy environment for me at all. So like stepping back into it, I pivoted out because of burnout, exhaustion, feeling heartbroken,
Hope Mangiafico (01:46)
Yeah.
Nikki Humphrey (01:57)
like disenfranchised by the whole educational system. But it's so like you said, like we dabbled in a lot of things. We were called the different things and purposes, but it left me equipped.
to pivot back into the educational space and serve a whole different population of girls where I see a strong need right now.
So it's same calling as I was leaving the teacher, but I'm called back into the place that I left.
And it's interesting to see how I pivoted out, pivoted back in. Like you said, Hope, some people have been there forever. Like we're we're 30 plus plus.
And I'm not sure some of those people should be there anymore. Like I'm not saying they're bad people or what they're doing is not working out great for the people that they serve.
But I'm not sure that's where God wants them.
Hope Mangiafico (02:59)
girl, say it louder because I feel that
Nikki Humphrey (03:03)
Yeah, you know, it's just like we've talked about this in episodes of the past. Like you can do something really well. God will use it, but that's not the place where you're supposed to be. And so
Hope Mangiafico (03:14)
Yes.
Nikki Humphrey (03:15)
that's what I'm saying. I'm not knocking these people professionally or anything, but I'm like, I think they're called something different.
Hope Mangiafico (03:24)
Hundred percent. I know exactly what you mean.
Man, and that's where like culture, society, whatever has like a tight grip on certain people because what else do you do? Right? You found a career.
Nikki Humphrey (03:39)
And it's like, God shut the teaching door for me and opened it back up, but I'm s I'm equipped, like my armor's been leveled up, which we've talked about in to go back into the environment and serve at a whole different level
Hope Mangiafico (03:51)
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Nikki Humphrey (03:51)
than I was even capable of before.
Hope Mangiafico (03:54)
Yeah.
Nikki Humphrey (03:55)
So if it's for you, it'll come back.
Hope Mangiafico (03:58)
Amen. Yeah, it goes back to the the pivot acronym of having open hands instead of opposing and keeping your hands gripped on what you already have. Like that is probably one of the greatest detriment to mankind is we're so afraid to release what we have.
And I think I've said this before on episodes of just like how powerful fear is. You know, is that saying that like fear is the opposite of faith and or fear is misplaced faith, which is probably a better way to say it. And so when we feel stuck and maybe we feel like we're not as close to the Lord as we want to, we should pause and think like, Well, is it actually because I have so much fear operating in my life?
And a lot of times that's the case. Every person, Nikki, that I have seen in my heart of heart, like love the people, as you're saying, but I just felt like they were not where they were supposed to be anymore. Either they it would come out of their mouth somehow or another that they were just afraid. Like what would they do if
Nikki Humphrey (05:04)
Right, my security is gone.
Hope Mangiafico (05:08)
Yes. I've been doing this for thirty years. Think of my pension and my four one K and retirement retirement's right around the corner. That's a good one.
That's culture talking.
And I have a lot of gratitude many times that that's not a world I'm familiar with, but I also try to remind myself that since I'm not in their shoes, I don't understand it. But at the end of the day, fear is fear is fear is fear. And one of my weakest points was always saying, like, I'm the only one. No one understands me. And the Lord really showed me like no hope. Everyone has the same.
feelings, emotions, all of that that they walk through with different faces. So we have to practice empathy while also like Nicky saying being arnor armored up in an in an area in which you're called, you have to encourage, push however the father leads you, to help propel people out of that stuckness that they're in, usually propelled by fear.
Nikki has history of overcoming all kinds of fear, as do I, or different that's how you armor up, really, is overcoming things that then the father will circle you back to then help other people with. so you're you're able to be empathetic and be armored up. Cause yeah, if you don't majority of the time, Nikki, it makes me think about what you shared about your story, if you if the father didn't bring you out, even if you weren't like really close to him at that time, if if you never left
He can open new doors, but I do think there becomes a limitation on how much growth and armored up you can get in the same environment. 'Cause it's like you need different battlefields.
Nikki Humphrey (06:55)
Right. And the cost benefit to my health would have been
Hope Mangiafico (07:00)
Mm, that's right.
Nikki Humphrey (07:02)
My mental, physical, emotional health would have just
Hope Mangiafico (07:05)
Mm.
Nikki Humphrey (07:05)
been tanked.
Hope Mangiafico (07:07)
Mm. Power of a pause. A lot of us end up pausing because of those exact reasons.
Doing the panic instead of the the pausing will cause you to pivot eventually.
Nikki Humphrey (07:20)
It will.
Hope Mangiafico (07:21)
Man, but it's something to always look forward to and as we said in the episode and specifically in the outro, you mentioned it too, like how scary it can be. Remember, scary does not mean God's not in it.
Nikki Humphrey (07:36)
We can never evolve if we just stay steady. We
Hope Mangiafico (07:42)
Yeah.
Nikki Humphrey (07:42)
need to go through the highs and low of life to fulfill our purpose in God's kingdom.
Hope Mangiafico (07:49)
Amen.