S4 Episode #24- Leah Darrow
THE ONE WITH LEAH DARROW
Leah Darrow is an international author, coach, and speaker. Leah is a wife and mother to six children here on earth, and one child in Heaven. Leah is the founder of Lux Ministries and her new Catholic Personal Development program, Power Made Perfect. She is living proof that God heals our brokenness and overwhelms us with His love.
Leah is a former America's Next Top Model contestant and she saw first-hand the emptiness that the world can offer. She lived it for years. But in 2005, during the middle of a photoshoot, she heard the Lord tell her, “I made you for more.” After that, she literally picked up her things and left her old life behind.
As Leah spoken to, mentored, and worked with women over the next 14 years, she realized they were searching for more. They wanted to grow and succeed in their personal and spiritual lives, but were often left unsure of where to turn. So they’d look to self-help gurus and various personal development programs. But all of these resources were missing one MAJOR thing: Christ.
Power Made Perfect is a personal development program that helps women take responsibility for their lives. They learn how to respond instead of react, cancel bad habits and create better and more virtuous habits, build healthy routines, and understand WHY they behave the way they do, all while keeping Christ at the center.
LISTEN
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The path that Leah was on in her late teens and early 20s felt like it was taking her further and further away from The Lord. Yet, through it all, The Lord never abandoned her. He was always right there with her, waiting for her to come back to Him.
Leah was in the middle of a photoshoot, and she had a radical encounter with God and she heard 5 words on her heart: “I made you for more.”
Her life looked so wonderful from the world’s perspective. Her photo was on a billboard in TimeSquare, but she is struggling with depression and suicidal thoughts. In that moment during the photoshoot, Leah decided to walk away from that life forever.
There is more to your life than what you had planned. Sometimes the plans we make are not the best that God has for us. Leah took a chance, believing that God was right– she is made for more.
You are made for more.
SHAME + COMPARISON
The goal of shame is to destroy our identity. The enemy wants us to listen to the voice of shame because if we listen to it long enough, it will begin to distort our identity as “Beloved Children of God”.
Shame also roots us deeply in comparison. Comparison is the first step in self-rejection. This is dangerous because it rejects the sacred voice of God calling us His beloved.
If we look at the stories in the Bible, each “great” person was a sinner who struggled and fell short. Yet, they were still used by God and they were never too far gone.
Shame tries to isolate us and pull us away from the community of The Lord. Shame makes sin special. Yet God’s voice reminds you that YOU are special.
“The devil will always call you by your sin, but The Lord calls you by your name.”
After walking away from modeling, Leah took 3 years to heal and spend time in “spiritual rehab”.
The most beautiful gift of God’s grace is His mercy and forgiveness towards us!
POWER MADE PERFECT
This is Leah’s Christ-Centered Personal Development program.
2 Corinthians 12:9 – “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”
The beautiful thing about this is that we can bring all of our weaknesses and imperfections, and Christ makes us new!
IDENTITY IN CHRIST + CHARACTER OF GOD
We are Beloved. God loves you fully and completely.
God is our Father.
The way that we understand love can form our meaning of the word beloved. There is often a lot of rehabilitation and restoration that sometimes needs to happen around these words.
God the Father speaks to us in such a personal way. Even if you did not have a great earthly father, The Lord can show you what a good Father is. That He is trustworthy, that He is taking care of you. Lean into Him and He will transform your understanding of the meaning of a Father.
QUESTIONING YOUR PATH
Christ has walked this path before you, and He is walking it with you now.
Mary Magdalene at the crucifixion was at the foot of the cross. Everyone knew her history and her past, and we can only imagine the gossip that surrounded her, but she still stayed with Jesus. Even when things were tough and people said terrible things, she never wavered from keeping her eyes on Jesus.
Whenever we are questioning the path we’re on, lean into The Lord and find rest in Him.
Give God your “yes” and don’t be scared… or just do it scared! The more that you get comfortable walking with fear, the more that you’ll start listening to the Holy Spirit.
God has an amazing plan for your life! If you are still breathing, then God is not done with you. It is not your business or your “doing” that the Lord desires– he just desires YOU. You are the good work that The Lord is doing! You are the beautiful good work that the potter is forming. Keep moving with Him!
PARENTING
Being able to moderate when our children take in at a young age is very important.
It’s so important to create spaces free from distraction in order to help them hone in on how to listen to the voice of God in their heart. So many voices in the world are trying to get at our children.
We need this as adults too! Block out the noise and carve out time with The Lord so we can remain rooted in our true identity and remember who we are in Him.
FINAL THOUGHT
There is always hope. Hope is the signature virtue of the Chirstian. We have hope even when times are tough. Hang on to the hope of Christ.
WATCH
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The Collected Podcast is produced by Jes Biondo and edited by Jacob Early. Cover art designed by Ben Biondo.