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Episode 43: Insignificant Choices Lead to Significant Changes | Dyslexia Specialist

• Stephanie L. Jones, Giving Gal • Episode 43

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0:00 | 1:10:27

There have been moments in Joellyn’s life where she felt a strong pull to do something seemingly insignificant, which led to unexpected, significant outcomes in her life.

Joellyn Hartley, Dyslexia Specialist, joins me to talk about our only God connection and her only God story, with a big focus on dyslexia.

Her “insignificant” choice to attend a meeting led to a special only God connection with myself.

Her "insignificant" choice to go to a garage sale led to helping Joellyn’s son succeed in school by getting him diagnosed with dyslexia and Joellyn becoming a Dyslexia Advocate. 

Dyslexia Warning Signs:

https://joellynhartley.com/dyslexia/dyslexia-warning-signs

International Dyslexia Association:

https://dyslexiaida.org/screening-for-dyslexia/dyslexia-screener-for-adults/


Let's Connect!

Instagram: @only.God.stories

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GivingGal 

YouTube: Stephanie L. Jones

Website: https://shineforwardcreative.com/ 

SPEAKER_00

Hey friends, it's Stephanie here with the Only God Podcast, sharing stories. Only God could write. And I'm here today with my dear friend Joelyn Hartley. Hey, Joelyn. Hi, Stephanie. How are you? Good.

SPEAKER_02

How are you doing? Not bad at all. I get to see you, so that's always a good day.

SPEAKER_00

I know, I know. So I always start with uh my guest uh asking them to share our only god connection. Uh, how did we meet? You know, what's our story? Because I I love our story.

SPEAKER_02

I was getting that was getting ready to come out of my mouth. But it is such a cool story, and I love our story. Um, so yeah, so we met, um, it was at a turning point in my life. I'm gonna give my age away here, but uh, I was getting ready to turn 40. And, you know, it's that midway, uh maybe hopefully not midway, but hopefully there's a little more, but but in your mind, you're thinking, you know, I'm at this halfway point. And I just I had a good life, a really, really good life. Um, but I just didn't feel like I was fulfilling my purpose. I felt like there was a bigger purpose that God had put me on this earth for, and I just wasn't living it. Um, but I was a single mom, and so trying to figure out your purpose in a busy life, being a single mom is a little bit challenging.

SPEAKER_00

That was your purpose at the time, right?

SPEAKER_02

That was my purpose, yeah. Absolutely. Yes. I had this human I was uh trying to raise. And so um I had joined a mom's group, but I hadn't joined it um because like I was wanting to meet other people or anything like that. It was there was uh the leader of this group, her and I kept connecting um just over and over and over again. And there was something I just had this pull towards this person. And she, you know, kept saying, you ought to join, you ought to join. And so finally I thought, you know what, I'm just I'm gonna join. It's it's a Facebook group. It's not like I've got time to go to a meeting, I can join, no pressure, you know, whatsoever. And I wanted to support her in some kind of a way. And was that Melissa Hanley? It was Melissa Hanley, yes. And so um, so I joined the Facebook group, and as you know, Melissa, I mean, she's just such a wonderful, kind person. And so um I started, you know, looking at the Facebook post and things. Um, and it wasn't that I didn't want to go to a meeting, it was just once again, it was time to take time off work and out of my life to go to a meeting that would be at like 10 o'clock in the morning, just really didn't fit my schedule. Right. So, anyway, um, I just kept having this pull towards her and this group, and so they had just released their new like fall schedule of speakers and events that they had, and so you know, I was on that Facebook group and was looking through it, and there was one that just like jumped off the page and grabbed a hold of me. And the title of it, and I can still remember it, was um pursuing your dreams in a busy life. And I was like, I mean, it was speaking to me, and so with that, I had never been to the organization that Melissa had started was called Mom to Mom. I had never been to a meeting ever. And that one I rearranged my entire schedule so that I could go to that. And you were the speaker of that. Yes, I was. And we when we got there, um, I mean, of course, everybody was very welcoming at the group. I was really glad um that I had gone for more reasons than one, but you um had a a thing we had to do dream boards. So you had us listing out, you know, like just throw whatever, whatever is on your heart, you know, just throw it out there. And so I had done my, you know, little dream board, and I had they I still have that to this day, as a matter of fact.

SPEAKER_00

So many women do. It's amazing. Like that was uh, yeah, probably a decade ago. Like so many women like have those, and uh yeah, so it it's kind of cool to hear.

SPEAKER_02

Absolutely, yeah. Well, I'm 52 now, so 12 or 12 years ago. I still have it, and it's neat to pull it out every once in a while because I've fulfilled some of those and I've been able to be like, oh, look at that. And you don't think about it unless you document it and go back. A lot of times it just happens and you don't really acknowledge it too much. So it is kind of nice to go back and look at that and be like, hey, I have checked some of these off. I still have more to go, but right, um, but there's some. So anyway, we did this dream board. Um, but when you were up speaking, I swear it felt like there was no one else in the room other than you and I. I just felt like we had this draw, this connection. I just felt everything you were saying, like I was just shaking my head, like, oh my gosh, I agree. And so yeah, just just the fact that I even showed up to that meeting, but it was that that talk out of this whole list, you know, line, and they had a lot of good speakers, but yeah, that was the one I was like, I don't know, something's telling me I've got to go. I just had this poll. And then you and I uh connected and you helped me to find my purpose in life and to hone in um on that. And the main thing that you did teach me was to take the time to just quiet my mind. I mean, just in this busy life um that I've had, trying to find those times to quiet it down. And then the other thing that you were great with was holding me accountable that you would, you know, okay, what's your deadline? You'd let me set it, but what's your deadline on this? And we're gonna check back in on that. And that was tremendous for me because I really I needed that because there's you've, you know, you've got so much, and we all have so much going on, but you know, you've got so much going on, and to be intentional and to take that time to stop and be like, okay, what is this? And then that to know, okay, I gotta report in. Because if you don't have that accountability, then you've got all this stuff to do, and you're just doing it. You're just, you know, you got to get through it, and so you don't take that time because you feel like, well, this isn't necessarily need, which it a lot of times really is a need, but you play it off as, okay, this stuff has like these are fires that have to be put out. This is something I'd like to do, but having that accountability um was great for me. So you and I, we um that's how we initially met was that. And that was just one of those pools. And then from that, this is cool too, it's one of those like chain reaction things, but out of that, um, I ended up several years later going back to that same mom-to-mom group, and I gave a talk, I was the speaker, and my talk was how insignificant choices lead to significant changes, and how when you have those like those nudges that you can't explain, and in your head, it makes zero spirit moment so ever. Yes. And it's like when you get those, oh, you so need to pay attention to them because you're thinking, This this is so insignificant. This would make like, why am why am I feeling pulled to go to this meeting? I don't have time to go to this meeting, and it'll be great to go and socialize, but I've got you know a pile this high of things I need to get done. This doesn't make sense, and you think it just is so inconsequential, but then you when you look back on it and then you see this trail, and you're like, that is an absolute life-changing moment.

SPEAKER_00

You and I have always talked about, like, even writing a book about just how like even if you just look at our stories of the bouncing back and forth of like following that pull, following that nudge, um, is like you're so right. And I think the devil just constantly quips in our head all these excuses. And it's just like, even like we were talking about before we got on here, it's either we trust God or we don't. And if we believe that it's the Holy Spirit pulling us, calling us to, it's like, okay, God, I know I got a lot of other things to do, but I don't think you're calling me to go to this meeting to show up. I don't know why. And I always say sometimes we may never even know why. Like maybe we have a conversation with somebody that impacts them. I want to scroll back too, though, and I don't know if you remember this, but you stood up and shared like with the group, and you like it took courage for you to do that. And um, do you remember that? And do you want to? Oh, yeah. I was gonna say, do you want to talk about that a little bit?

SPEAKER_02

My dream board, so I still see it. Yeah. So I uh yeah, I just put in these tiny little letters, you know, I had on there, I'm trying to think of some of the things that are on that dream board. Um definitely some things like with my son. There were some projects around the house I wanted to get done that were, you know, pretty big, big ones to tackle. And then in the so those were all written in normal size letters. And uh down at the bottom corner written like tiny. I thought I don't even if someone like looks over, I don't want them to even be able to see this. Um, but I wrote down there, write a book was what, and uh I think speaking is on there as well. But I had wrote it like tiny, and I thought I don't want anybody to even see that. Was something I had not shared with a soul. I mean, not my best friends, not my mom. I mean, no one knew that I had this like inkling in me. Um, so anyway, I'd written that down in the corner, and then I thought, you know, no harm, no foul. I gotta nobody's gonna know me in this little Stephanie says I want everybody to share this. And then I'm like, oh, I can't. And I thought, well, you know what? Nobody knows that this is on here, that I just I'll share everything else that's on here. I don't need to share that one. But then you said something that resonated with me, and you said, until you speak it, like it brings life to it when you speak it. And I thought, you know, if I ever really want, like I need to have the courage to get up and to speak this. And so I did. Like I said, there wasn't a soul I hadn't ever told anybody that that was even weighing on me. Um, but I I did and I shared it with that group, and um, you know, I found that there were lots of women there who were sharing personal things, yeah, and I thought if they can do it, why can I not, you know, share this? And if it doesn't go anywhere, it doesn't go anywhere. Like, you know, that's okay.

SPEAKER_00

It's always such a beautiful moment. And the reason I do have women do that, and I will say is I always tell people, hey, you don't have to do like if you're so uncomfortable, but it's it does take courage. And I feel like in our Christian faith, is we have to have courage in a lot of different areas, and I think so many times is we just want to be comfortable, and comfortable is how the devil uses us to not do what God is calling us to do, and that also goes into, I think, like people pleasing, or what is people gonna think of my idea if I stand up and speak this, you know, and we have to get past that to go, okay, it doesn't matter what people think. Like, maybe God's calling me to write this book or to be a speaker, or I still remember there were women who wanted to start a garden and can. There was, you know, like there were those types of things. They were just all different things. And that woman just stood up and and shared these things. And then if you look at a group like that, which I love as a speaker, is I know they're meeting once a month or whatever. So then you create this accountability that as you're showing up, other women can say, Hey, hey, how's it coming in, right? Exactly. And, you know, if it's not the right time, then share that also. Like, hey, I don't need accountability for this right now, or I'm working on something else, or I've got other things going on. But if you are gonna be working on that, it's great to have those other women, you know, going back to now you and I worked as uh in the beginning as coach and and client, and then we became friends. And um, I always use you as like if Joellen can go after her goals and do the things, like none of my other clients have excuses because I do feel like so many times we use time as an excuse. I just don't have time. It's very like flippant, but we haven't done an analysis to see like, is that really true or is that the lie I'm telling myself? And you're actually somebody I'm like, I had a client where it wasn't like her excuse. She literally had no time, and yet you still, even if it was five minutes, yeah, you were like, I'm gonna do five minutes. So I want to pivot to um you sharing. I mean, obviously, that's an amazing only God story of how we met and how God uh connected us and we started working, and it was through that series of like while we were still working together, something happened in your life. And so it's I mean, absolutely you're amazing in Only God's story. So it is amazing. I want you to share that.

SPEAKER_02

One thing I did want to piggyback on real quick was another thing that you would help me with just on that time. If there's anybody watching that needs help with that, you would have me set a goal. Um, whether it's like when I was writing, like, um, what do you think you can possibly? And some days it was like I it may only be five minutes, right? Um, but you would say, let's chunk it down. And if it's five minutes, that's five minutes closer to that goal. And that was really helpful to me because you know, you would see this, you know, or think about like I want to write a book, and then you're like, Oh, there's no way I could write a book, I don't have time, and this and that. But if you find, and everybody is different, you know, maybe somebody else could find an hour a day or you know, a week or whatever, but just chunking that down into small bites, um, and then you would, you'd look back and you're like, I got a paragraph done, or you know, whatever. But it was at least it to me, it felt rewarding um and felt like I was working towards that purpose was even if it was just five minutes a day, that at least it's something. Um so, like I said, if if there are people out there who don't have time, because we all don't have time, but it's just trying to to be purposeful and taking like something.

SPEAKER_00

Purposeful with your time, exactly, exactly. I love it.

SPEAKER_02

Um, and then our uh the yeah cool God story was just one of those, once again, one of those things that I thought was so insignificant, but was just pulling on me that I just couldn't deny it. And it was a life-changing course uh for me. So it was still during this time frame. You and I, you know, we were working together and working on this, you know, book and stuff. And um, my son was not at this point in time, he would have been in second grade. Um, and so he was really struggling in school, really, really struggling. I had had numerous parent-teacher conferences, we had talked, he was having all these different, you know, pullouts for reading and was not making any progress whatsoever. And anyway, I um had asked, I started volunteering in his classroom. Once again, I didn't have time, but you know, he was growing up, he's my only child. He was growing up at the speed of light, and I thought I just want to find time ways to spend more time with him. So if I can volunteer in the classroom, help his teacher, I get to see him. Like this is just a win-win. And once again, one of those insignificant things that you think, you know, I'm doing this for me, but then you realize there's a bigger picture as you look back. That was a turning point for me because his teacher um let me work one-on-one with the kids. So I was taking them out into the hallway and we would go through, they had sight word lists, and we would go through these sight words. And my son, there was like, I don't know, a packet of like six pages in here. We hadn't made it off of the first page. So there were three columns on each page. We had not made it off that first page, and we had practiced and practiced and practiced. And by me volunteering in that classroom, when I took um kids out and two of the students in his classroom were learning, they were Spanish students and they were learning to speak the English language, and they were way past page one. And that I didn't have a comparison because it was my child, but that gave me that comparison to go to his teachers and be like, okay, I, you know, knew there was a problem, but I didn't realize how severe of a problem this was. And then um, and as I was volunteering, they let me um grade papers, and that was another one that spelling test papers on Friday. So I got to grade those. And that was another one that once again I thought it was so insignificant. Um I started grading those and I realized my son and there were two other students that were the only ones who were flipping B's and D's on these spelling tests. Now that was that put dyslexia on my radar. I didn't know really anything about dyslexia, right? Um, but I thought that they saw things backward. And so when I saw him flipping these in the majority of the classroom, was not that put dyslexia on my radar. So I started kind of doing, you know, Google research on it. And I talked to his teacher, and she said, you know, I don't know. He may be dyslexic, but if he is, um he can't be identified till fifth grade. And I was thinking then, I thought he's not gonna make it to fifth grade. No way. He was struggling so bad. But that was what you know, what I was told. I don't know any different. So uh during this time, there was um an event the PTO was putting on. And so I volunteered once again, selfishly, to spend a little bit more time with him. Um, and at this booth, and this is one of those like oh my god, I'm like tearing up just thinking about it because I think of like just how bad works. It is crazy, it is crazy. So um when when I and I had never done a PTO event before, and so I get teamed up. It was me and one other mother there. We were at this one booth working it, and I'd never met her before, and she we got to talking, and she had only one child, and it was a boy, and ironically, the same name as my son. And so we're like, oh my gosh, this is crazy! Like, this was meant to be for us to work together. And I thought that was the connection. And so, anyway, we were, you know, talking and things, and um she said, I know this is weird, I know you don't know me, um, but I'm getting ready to have a garage sale. And my son has there's a bunch of sweatshirts with his name on the back of it. Who better? And her son was a year older than mine, and so she was like, Who better, you know, to you know, why you stop by, see if there's anything you could use. And I'm not a big garage sale person, and it wasn't like my son needed any additional clothes or anything, but there was, I can't even explain to you this poll that I had that for some reason I needed to go. And I thought, honestly, at first, that maybe this woman and I were just meant to be friends and that we maybe it was to get the boys together, you know. Right, all these things. Um, so I went to this garage sale and she let me come like preview things beforehand because she was like, you know, the garage sale really isn't till Saturday, but why don't you, you know, run by? So I did and went down her basement. And while I was there, I just kept having this poll to ask her how her son is doing in school. And once again, I just met this lady. I don't know her from Adam, and but something, and so I, you know, I thought, well, I'm gonna get all she can tell me is it's none of your business, I guess. And so no harm, no foul. So I just asked her, I said, hey, you know, I'm just curious, like, how is your son doing at school? And in our school system, her son was in third grade. Third grade, you go to a different building. So, like third, fourth, fifth is in a different building. I was petrified for my son to go to this building because in third grade, you're no longer learning to read, you're reading to learn. And I had heard all of these stories about how third grade is so tough. And back then we had the I read test where if they didn't pass it, they didn't pass the class. So I have all of these like fears. And so I just said, How is your how's your son doing like at school and in that new building? And she says, Well, my son's dyslexic. And so and I was I didn't hear another word after that. Was like, wait a minute, your son's at third grade. There's no way he could be dyslexic because he can't be identified till fifth grade. And she was the one who told me that that is so not true. She was dyslexic, and she said, I know the warning signs because I'm dyslexic. So when I started seeing them and my son early, I went to the school and they were telling me the same thing that they told me that she was being hypersensitive, is what they told her. Of course. Yes. And so, anyway, she said, I knew enough um about it. I went and had him privately tested, and he is dyslexic, so he's getting help. And so I told her, you know, what the teacher had said. And she said, you know, Joel and teachers, they don't know, which I just assumed.

SPEAKER_00

They weren't trained in dyslexia and what to look for, and yeah. So it's like nothing to the teachers because they weren't, you know, they go to school and they are, hey, this is what you need to know, and that isn't on there, right? Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

Absolutely. So she was the one who debunked that myth for me. And so she said, if you really do think your son is dyslexic, she said, ironically, um, there is a speaker about dyslexia. Um, it was gonna be like that next week, and it was in a town near us. So she was like, You ought to just go and see, and you know, they could at least help you, you know, if nothing else. So anyway, I went to that and they put up the warning signs for dyslexia. My son had everyone, like he was the poster child for dyslexia, yet nobody nobody knew it. And so, anyway, I had him privately tested and we found out he was severely dyslexic. Um, so then that with me, I got to thinking, I thought, like, how many kids are like him who who maybe don't have a parent who could go volunteer and who has no idea or who believes that you have to wait till fifth grade to get him identified. So I once we got him identified, I went back to the school and I just said, you know, here, we now we know, take this information and help him. And they said they were gonna keep doing what they were doing. And I said he, I told them in that meeting, I said it's a definition of insanity that you're trying to do the same thing over and over again, expecting a different result. We're not gonna get a different result. You've got to do something different. And they said, we don't, this is what we have. We don't know any different. They didn't know how to help dyslexics. I thought once I knew and had him identified, it'd be like taking him to the doctor, like, okay, now give him some medicine, like you know, help me. And it wasn't. We had we had the diagnosis, but we didn't have help.

SPEAKER_00

And so I was gonna say that's where we kind of like things shifted. Things shifted in what we were focused on, what we were working on. And I want to say, like, Joel was running her own business, like you already had your own business, and you yeah, you came to me kind of with what you thought may have been a crazy idea. Um, so do you want to kind of like pivot to that next of like this crazy idea and like kind of how God, you know, worked in your life, right? At that moment.

unknown

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_00

Or around that time.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, it was. So um, so after, like I said, I wanted him to get this help, and school wasn't wasn't really, they didn't know how to help him. So, anyway, um, he had books at his reading level were like baby books in his mind. Like I would read to him all the time, and you know, he was reading these exciting grade level books, you know, like Diary of Wimpy Kid and things like that, like these exciting stories that and so whenever he would get something at his grade level, like it was like baby books. So, anyway, that was what um I had set out trying, I wanted to write a book, and then I thought, you know what, why not pivot and let's write a book that maybe um he you know could understand that kind of had an exciting storyline to it. Right. And so, anyway, that was what, and you were helping me to write that. And um, anyway, I did send it off. It has not been published, and I always say yes. I still want to publish what I say yet on that. Um, I've kind of put it off to the wayside, but I will have to say one thing, and maybe that was its purpose. Right. Is that it got my son excited about reading and about this story, and like he was a big help to me.

SPEAKER_00

And we was gonna say is he was helping you too. It wasn't just you working on it, it was working collaboratively on something that he struggled with. And so now it was like, oh, wait, reading can be fun. I can figure this out. And then I can't remember um to when you started to really think about like, okay, if I can't get help at the school, how do I go get trained? And how do maybe I can help other kids? Yeah. Do you want to share with like so now not only have you you know that he has a diagnosis, you know what's wrong, you've you know, written a book together, but you are like a woman on a mission. Correct.

SPEAKER_02

So I started um to get him help since school wasn't going to help him. I started once again, I'm just turning to the internet, and there's so much information on like you just don't even know which way to turn. I'm there's so much information, and one thing will tell you this, another thing I'll tell you that. And it was just uh overwhelming and confusing. Um, but one thing I kept finding was that he needed this specific tutoring, is what he needed. So that was where I started. I was like, if everything, this is the one commonality that I can find that he needs this specific type of tutoring. Um, so I started looking, and this is really before um like Zoom meetings, and like Zoom wasn't even around with this stuff yet. Um, so this is before um, you know, like you really had like what we're doing today. Um was it definitely, I'm sure it was around, but wasn't nearly as possible. It was around.

SPEAKER_00

I worked for that company that was like really the first one. But yeah, what like you said is it wasn't prevalent, and it really was only like if you were using it, it was distance learning in rural America. That you know, maybe some schools had it, hospitals were starting, but individuals didn't have access to use it and for yeah, like small businesses and I couldn't find tutors that could do it online.

SPEAKER_02

I mean, like I said, that was kind of that wasn't a thing yet. Um, so the nearest tutor to me was uh about an hour away, and he needed it three to four times a week. And once again, back to busy running my own company, a single mom. I mean, it just uh and he, you know, had after-school activities that he was in, and it was like, how in the world am I going to make this work? And then I found a program that was for people who I mean, it was designed for homeschooling, was what it was designed for. And so anyway, I was like, what the heck? Let's just dream this. I'm not a teacher, healthcare is my background, and so be careful what we speak, you know.

SPEAKER_00

I mean, early honestly the things that we say, I'm not this, I'm not this, I'm not this. And I always felt like that's when we have to rely upon God because it's like, well, we aren't these things. And God says it doesn't matter. If I called you, I'm gonna equip you and just take the next step. And I I want the listener to hear that is there was a lot that you never knew on this journey, and it just took you of like not getting overwhelmed with um, I don't know how to write a book, or I don't know, I'm not a teacher. It was like, okay, I'm just gonna take the next step. And so I want the listener is as you hear the rest of Joel and story of like what does that look like, that next step. So go for it. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

So so back to, like I said, I'm not a teacher. Uh, and so I found this, like I said, it was designed for um homeschooling, but it had great reviews, and so I mean, it it was a cost investment, it was a time investment, but I didn't know what else to do, and I felt pulled to that. And everything, like I said, just reading it um about this program, I'm like, gosh, you know, this, I think this is what we need. So I ordered and I thought, well, we'll give this a whirl. And so I I did, I studied on, you know, how I was to, you know, work with my son, and I did that. And we were early on into the program, and I was like, oh my goodness gracious, like this is making a difference. Like this really is something. I mean, this it was it was unbelievable. Um, and then when we started getting into like the the real meat of it, I realized and I thought, why isn't everybody taught this way? Like I was learning stuff. Right. And I'm dyslexic. And I'm like, this makes sense. I mean, for me, like spelling words, I just memori, and I had I don't know if my memory is quite as good as the way it used to be, but I used to, you know, my memory was phenomenal, and spelling came very easy. I'd want a spelling bee in grade school. I mean, I could memorize very easily. Spelling was never taught to me because it was just here's your spelling words for this week, go and memorize and back, take a spelling test, and move on. And that worked for me, but it does not work for them for a lot of kids. And with dyslexia, uh, they say one in five. I mean, is the most prevalent learning disability out there. So that's what I was gonna ask you.

SPEAKER_00

I thought it was around 20% of the classroom, or think about your friends. It's like yeah, 20% of people are walking around, and and I would think the majority don't know they have it or have not been diagnosed.

SPEAKER_02

Correct. Absolutely. Um so once uh I started getting into this, I'm like, this is crazy to me that this isn't taught to because everybody could, like I said, I was learning stuff. Yes. Um, so it just didn't, it it was crazy to me that it just wasn't being taught. And I thought, you know what? I've I've got this investment. I'm helping my son. I'm seeing how much it is helping him. And I thought, you know what, maybe there's other kids that I could help. So that was when I'm talking to you. Hey, got an idea. I don't know how in the world this is gonna work. But anyway, yeah, that ended up, um, you know, I I went to Chicago and I took a graduate course. And ironically, from the same person whose program I was using, it was that was who had done this uh um training that I had done. So anyway, I went up there and I got trained to be a dyslexia specialist. And I just thought, you know, even if I can help one other child, that that is going to be worth it. I knew my son was gonna get the help that he needed. I was definitely gonna see to that. But I thought, you know, what about all these other kids that are like what you said, who um, you know, if I hadn't had that pull and that tug and to to go to that garage sale and to ask the question, uh, I never would have known. And I can't even, I can't even fathom where we would be. I mean, he was so frustrated with school at second grade. Um, and and I'm happy to report that my son he just graduated. And I know exciting high school. Yeah. From high school on, I had no involvement. I mean, he was on his own, he made the honor roll. I mean, he he's going to college.

SPEAKER_01

Life-changing.

SPEAKER_02

Life-changing, absolutely life-changing.

SPEAKER_00

And so uh for him and me, I mean, I uh and his teachers and everybody around him, like they're no longer having to struggle with this kid. And I mean, like, think of the helplessness from a teacher, like they don't know what they don't know as it related to working with him. And so that had to be frustrating because, you know, as a second grader, he's frustrated. And and they've got a bunch of other kiddos to like so um absolutely. And this is a, you know, you said something just reminded me, and uh, it's like uh I do wonder this, uh, it'll be a question for God, you know, when you get to heaven, is like, okay, it it if you wouldn't have showed up there, would it I'd have made another, you know, like, or do we miss opportunities or does or are there certain times where God's like, okay, I'm gonna show you this like three times, and then you're like, okay, I've I've missed that bow, or I don't know. So I just always think it, I always wonder that of like, okay, if you didn't do this, is it gonna come back around? So so you end up starting your own consulting company. Correct. Um, in addition to, so I want the listener, viewer to know is Joelyn is still working her full-time business that she owns, and then she starts this side uh dyslexia consulting company, and you are tutoring kids, you start to do training, and you also start to be an advocate for legislative changes, um, which again is I I want you to talk a little bit about that because this is the power to the listener of this is the power when you take one step. You you can never guess or you can never predict how God is going to use you. And I'm going to assume when you started going, you know what, I'm gonna take this little homeschool course and it's gonna help my son, that you're gonna be testifying. So, do you want to talk a little bit about that? Yeah, I remember sitting that picture behind me is me.

SPEAKER_02

Oh my crying. Yes, yes, I remember, yes, you had it, yeah, it was one of those moments. Uh, but that picture behind me is me at the podium at the State House in Indiana. Um, so we had there was a grassroots movement of parents who had uh gotten together that just said we need we need some laws to you know force schools to screen these kids and find these dyslexics, um, or at least ones that we don't even have to diagnose them. Let's just find ones who maybe have some potential to struggle with reading, whether it's dyslexia or not. But but those who are dyslexic, we know that there's no other alternative. My son was a prime example of this, that that if they don't that if they don't get help, they're gonna stay on that same path. But like I said, for someone who's not a teacher, to be able to get him to read, and like I said, he's he's a proficient reader. Um, but that there needs to be a difference. They need to be taught differently. And one thing I do want to say about dyslexics is they are incredibly smart and gifted. Um, but it's you know, our we are wired for speech, but we are not wired for reading. Reading is a man-made, you know, print that was invented by man. Um, it's it's not something that comes naturally. So our brains have learned to adapt in our left hemisphere. Dyslexics, the right hemisphere is larger. Um, and it's not a defect. As a matter of fact, it's something, it's a strength. Um, I am I am not right brain dominant, so I have no creative ability whatsoever. Um, but they have this creative genius to them. They just struggle with reading because that hemisphere, the right just takes over, and then it's like, well, I this isn't something to draw or to be musically inclined with. I don't know what to do with this. Um, so you have to, and and that's what with dyslexia, any type of intervention that is appropriate taps into that right side and uses those strengths to help them. You're you're trying to teach them to um you they're very logical thinkers. So, like back to spelling. I know you're like dyslexia is a reading thing, um, but spelling is usually the hallmark sign poor spelling um for dyslexia. Um, so if you can teach them, they're very logical thinkers. We do have some patterns to the English language. So if you can teach them spelling rule and teach it in um an imaginative way, like whether it's with pictures or a story or something, teach them that one rule and then they can apply it. But they're very, very, very logical um thinkers. So anyway, my son is living proof that you just have to do it differently. And so this grassroots movement of parents came about um who was like, look, you know, we want some laws. These schools don't know, these teachers need training, these teachers want training and want to know. I my son's um third grade teacher would have been. Uh, she came to me like in tears and was like, I never knew. I feel like I I messed up with him. And I was like, no, you didn't know. You didn't know. So anyway, this movement came about, and then um there was a bill that got drafted. And um anyway, that bill needed some momentum, and so it was going um in front of the house, and they were saying if there was anybody who you know wanted to share their story and you know it it could sway the lawmakers and get this, we need this help. It was it wasn't looking great on the bull side, and so they're like, people can come. And so that was another one of those. Did I ever think I was gonna rearrange my day to go to the state house to speak? Um, and that was a little intimidating, but I I felt that pull that I needed to. And when I got up to that podium to share the stories that I had, um, it just I don't know, it just came out very naturally. I just felt um and you guys got legislative passed.

SPEAKER_00

Yes, right? Yeah, yeah. The legislative got passed.

SPEAKER_02

And it got passed, and yes.

SPEAKER_00

And you talk about the stories. There's one that always stuck to me, and I can only remember a little bit, so hopefully you'll know what I'm talking about. Is I think it was a guy that was a janitor.

unknown

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_02

So that was actually, yes. So this is how how far we have come. Um, it was actually my uncle is who this was. So when I was still like, is he dyslexic? And the woman at the garage saddle told me about the speaker. When I went there and they put up all the warning signs up on the screen, my son had every single one. There was one that he didn't have, or I didn't think that he had. Um, and that was a family history of dyslexia. Right. And so um I told his dad, I'm like, who in your family has dyslexia? Because it's not my family, it's gotta be your family. He was saying the same thing. It's I I don't know anybody's dyslexic. And so, and this so dyslexia is hereditary, and so that is the one thing you have to, it is a gene that they have. Actually, there's three different chromosomes that depends on the severity level. So my poor son has all three chromosomes with it. But anyway, this has to be there, and so this speaker had said, if you don't have any, you know, identified dyslexics, go and look for the dyslexics who maybe really struggled in school but didn't make sense. They were very intelligent, but really struggled in school. Um, those who I see you nodding your head. Those who those who um, you know, hated reading. Like if you gave them anything to read, it would take them forever to get through it, or they'd have to read it two or three times in order to understand it. Um, those who are gonna go get um a birthday card and just sign their name, they're not gonna write anything out. Um, start looking for those. And anyway, when I started looking for those, I was like, I think that there are a couple of those in my family. And so I went to my mom and was telling her, I was like, you know, um, we need to find this dyslexia in my family. His dad's saying it's not in his, and I there's a couple that I'm thinking that might be dyslexic. And my mom says, Well, my brother Jack was dyslexic. And I'm like, Yeah, he never knew this. Now he he, I was very, very, I never knew him. Um but of course, you know, I knew my mom had a brother named Jack. Um, but it's not like at family reunions you're talking about Uncle Jack's dyslexia. I mean, it was never discussed in my family. We I mean, clearly my mom and her siblings knew, but it wasn't like my generation knew anything about it. And it wasn't like they knew it was hereditary that they should tell family members anything. But anyway, when I said that word, my mom knew it. And so I said, How in the world was he identified? Um, my mom graduated, uh, well, I better not tell, but it was a long time ago.

SPEAKER_00

We know your age, so you know, add add a couple of decades on.

SPEAKER_02

So this was way back in the day. And I said, How in the world was he identified with dyslexia? When my son now, like, it's like a dirty word, and and uh they don't know what to do with him. And so she had said that he um went to the military, and the military used to do testing, and so he was identified in the military. But what is sad is back that up before the military, before he knew he was dyslexic, they went to a very, very small private Catholic school. And anyway, he could not read at all. Um, and so mom said that um one of the nuns had brought my grandmother in for a parent-teacher conference and said that he is unteachable and that we don't know what to do. Like we've tried everything, we are out of options, but he is unteachable. And so, what we're gonna do, we want to help him. Um, so what we are gonna do is we're gonna teach him some life skills, and those life skills are gonna involve him um going around and job shadowing with the janitor and helping the janitor during school days. Now, can you imagine? So he's pulled out of the classroom and then he is with the janitor. So all of his, and it's a small school. Yes, and so that's what that's what he did until he was able to drop out of school. He he Did that and just barely I mean he flunked out. He I mean they just would pass him from grade to grade. He never passed a grade, they just pushed him to the next one. Um, but yeah, told my grandmother he was unteachable and gave him life skills and he had to go and work with the janitor during school days. That's what he did during school. And when he was old enough, he dropped out and then he joined the military, and then the military tested him, found out he was dyslexic, but he never got now. He went on to he started his own um business, and that's typically a lot of times entrepreneurs like some of the biggest entrepreneurs or most successful.

SPEAKER_00

Uh do you do you know some of the most successful people who are dyslexic and entrepreneurs?

SPEAKER_02

Tons, tons and tons. Yeah, you want to name a couple of things. Jay Leno is one. Um oh um from Apple, uh Jobs. Steve Jobs, yes, he is dyslexic. Um Steven Spielberg from like the Goonies and Jaws and um I think he did Shaw Shank Redemption too.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, yes, Henry Winkler from Stephanie L. Jones. Yes. I know. I want to talk about that. Um I do want to make uh before we kind of jump into like our only what I feel like is the only God, how God used you, is um isn't there something like if you look at the kids who do drop out of school and even those in prison, they have a higher rate of dyslexia, right?

SPEAKER_02

So our I'd have to look, I haven't looked at it in a while. Um, but the juvenile detention centers, they have a statistic. Um, and back and I assume that it's still this, and I don't know, you know, if it's a little bit higher or a little bit lower, but it's got to be tracking right around there. That in the juvenile detention centers, 80% of them in there struggle with reading. Now I'm just throwing out a guess there that probably most of those are unidentified dyslexics because there's three paths a dyslexic will take um when they are unidentified. And so one is they become the class clown, um, and they will, you know, try to do everything to divert attention from them. So that's one path. The other is they internalize it, and a lot of girls do this um of you know, I'm not good enough or I'm I'm not smart enough. Um so they internalize it, and a lot of that unfortunately leads to teenage pregnancy because they have this low self-esteem about themselves. Um, and so they will turn to the first person that gives them attention or the first thing that they can cling to. Um, and so a lot of girls internalize that. And then the third pathway is they become like a bully. And mom had said that my uncle had luckily he ended up in the military that changed his life, but he was a bully. She said if anybody even looked at him funny or made fun of him for his reading, he'd go beat him up. Um but that was funny, but it's like that was.

SPEAKER_00

Right, yeah, but it's like, yeah, that was his like out, like you said, is there are those Claire Distinct's path, and that was his outlet.

SPEAKER_02

That was his path, yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah. Um, so you mentioned that I am dyslexic, and um, and I know I just tear, you've said certain things, and I just tear up. Here I am, 49 years old, and it still is um, yeah, just one of those things that make me cry now. I know I'll I'll share a little bit of my story because it involves Joel and so I'm working on my first book, The Gratitude Challenge, and it took me, you know, it was a struggle and a half, and it was terrible, and I can't write very well, and I'm terrible with grammar or yeah, grammar and all the rules and spelling and just disaster. And but at this time, I'm now working with Joellen, uh, and um I'm six months out from that book being published, so I'm kind of like finally at the end. And you know, I always say, praise the Lord for good editors, is they can take, you know, like, and I am, I'm creative, I'm a storyteller, I can get on the stage and I can speak very well and tell story, and and that is a gifting that God has given me. Um, and so I had working with you as you're going through all your training and talking about your son, is I'm just picking up bits and pieces. But I think one of the biggest things is what you said earlier, is really the only thing that I kind of knew about dyslexia was the flipping. Right. And I didn't flip my letters, I had never flipped my letters, and so there was never even any thought as you talked about things of like, oh, that's me. Well, I was listening to a uh podcast of um Bryce Howard and yeah, Marie Forlio. And Bryce Howard starts talking about, and I think she's mentioning like directions, and she starts going over this list, and I'm listening to her, and this isn't flipping letters, it's everything else. And I'm I'm literally going through the list going, that's me. I do that, that's me. And so I called Joel and or text you, yeah, and I'm like, I think I'm dyslexic.

SPEAKER_02

And do you remember your first response to me? Yeah, I was asking you a few questions about it, and I said, you know, just from your strengths alone, that I think that you could be dyslexic. Yeah, I didn't know about your struggle through school. I mean, that wasn't something that we had talked about or anything like that. Yeah, um, but I knew from your strengths, you definitely showed um strengths, and sometimes even those strengths that you can pick out dyslexics from it. I know I knew that you had, yeah, those strengths, but then when you started talking, so I started asking you um about it.

SPEAKER_00

I think you sent me a link, like with a quiz or something. I may have that. And I did that on type on online quiz and failed miserably. And then I think we ended up having lunch and you had me do some writing.

SPEAKER_02

And then you looked at my writing, and um, we never went through the your official, but I remember you looking at my writing, and it was like, yeah, you are yes, yes, and because anything I had ever seen you had done, you know, had been put through, you know, grammarly or you know, spell checker or something. So um, you know, in a short little text, it would be hard to pick up. But yeah, when I had you, when you uh presented those writing samples, um, and that's usually like said the telltale that you can certainly see that. And with dyslexia on the flipping of letters, just in case anybody is watching. So dyslexia is a language processing disability. It's really not, I mean, it impacts reading, right? But it's not a reading disability, it's a language processing. Like I said, it goes to the right side because they're right brain dominant. Um, and so there's this delay of a signal of getting information to the left, and a lot of times it gets mixed up when it gets to the left side. Um, so if a child goes through the proper uh tutoring and they learn in a logical manner, then what that does is it kind of strengthens those signals going across. They talk a little bit better because it's logical, it makes a little bit more sense instead of just randomly throwing, you know, all this around there. Yeah. Um and dyslexia, the reason why they flip B's and D's, of course, I thought, and I tell this in a talk that I give, but where I learned about dyslexia was the Cosby show. And they had the the son on there, they had an episode where he I had never heard the word dyslexia before. Yeah, but it just resonated when as a kid, you know, something different like that would stand out. But that's how they presented it was that he was having this vision. I remember he kept rubbing his eyes because you know he was seeing these letters weird. That has nothing to do with vision. And the reason why they do flip letters and usually B's and D's or P's and Q's because they're really similar. Um, but the reason they do that, they struggle with directionality. So, like when you were talking about direction sequences, um that those are really, really challenging. And it's not, like I said, just left and right. I mean, it can be up, down, north, southeast, north.

SPEAKER_00

North, southeast, west. I'm like, no, give me a tar. I I have to laugh because you know, the year I was a police officer and going through my field training is I did great on all my field training except directions in driving, you know, because we would be somewhere and my field training officer would say, Hey, you know, we need to go to Munster. And I was like, I don't even know where I'm at. Like, I, you know, like I would constantly um I knew like road signs, but I could not get there. And this was before, I mean, we didn't have GPS or anything. And I was always turned, or I mean, there was just never a time where I knew, which is not a good thing to be when you're a police officer, it's like, uh, and I, but at that time, I did not know I was dyslexic. So it was a very frustrating because I'm being held to this, and it was like he was frustrated with me. I was frustrated with myself, and I'm like, I don't know what, you know. But one thing for, you know, when you talked about um the different types, is um I am blessed. I think that I am a perseverer, and I'll never forget is um, you know, I obviously went through all of high school or all of school. Um, and I always I wrote in my book, The Gratitude Challenge, I have a chapter, I'm grateful for dyslexia. And I write in there, it's like knowing you have a back pain, but nobody talks about back pain. So you think that is normal. And I I think that's how I was in school. I mean, I can remember you don't know what to verbalize because nobody talks about it. And so then you just start to tell this story in your head of like, well, I mean, I teared up when you were like, you know, you're I'm stupid, there's something wrong with me, but nobody's talking about it. And so you just keep telling your stories. And I mean, I can just, if somebody's listening, like things that I would do. I mean, if we had to read out loud in class, I mean, my hands would be sweating, I would be sweating, I would be counting the kids of like what sentence am I gonna have to read? You know, where am I at? How to um I can remember even at like church and youth group, you know, when you'd have to read a chapter in the Bible. And the Bible is like the worst for dyslexic because you've got all these crazy names, city names. And I remember just being like, okay, what name? And then I'm trying to repeat, and how am I gonna get it out and what am I gonna say? But I remember you told me is um like I just I am someone that have built detours, you know. Like I've probably built thousands of detours in my mind, um, and I do have that drive and perseverance. Yes. And I tell people like, I cannot tell time on a clock. Um directionality. Every time, yeah, directionality. So every time the detour that I've built of telling time is I have to stop and think of is it the small hand is at the hour and the big hand is at the minute. So I can still, I'm 49, cannot look at a clock without my detour and telling myself that. Um, even left and right. So I said, I was grateful when I got married. And we would, I would always laugh, like when I went to the chiropractic, and he would say, Lay on your right side, know your other right side. And we would laugh about it, but until I knew I was dyslexic. So then when I got married, it was like, okay, I now left and right. I will think, where's my wedding ring? It's on the left. This is my left. And so that just really resonated with me because I'm like, oh my gosh, I have all these detours that have helped me um adapt. And I do have that. My strength is I have chosen now, um, even I mean, I've written 10 books and I've chosen to focus on, I am a visionary. I can see, you know, around corners, um, you know, trends coming, those sorts of things. Um, storytelling, like I said from a speech. So I do have a lot of strengths and choose to focus on that. But I think, you know, until you're diagnosed or know what it is, is you focus on the negative because that's the thing that's causing you the biggest struggle. So I know I said a lot about my personal journey um and how I feel like it's only God that God connected us and use you persevering and you taking those steps for then me to be able to um go, oh my gosh, like I'm dyslexic and now I can kind of let all these things go. So any like comments around that?

SPEAKER_02

Um, yes. I once again, I think that it is just God and you think, and I love that we did this today, just because it's been good for me. Once again, I don't think that we we're always looking ahead, and I think to stop and look back and think of just, I mean, it is it is amazing just how how just these little things and how it's just led and think of all the people, you know, like with your books that you've written and you've written about dyslexia and and just this talk. Hopefully somebody will see this and maybe it'll resonate, you know, with them.

SPEAKER_00

Um, on the and that is my prayer, and that's why I wanted to have you come on because 20% of the population is dyslexic. And um, you know, I have Joel and in the back of several of my books, like just talking about dyslexia because I wanted to do that because I feel like Joel and you helped me so much and you helped me with the mental stuff. Like, you know, like I said, is I still I can still tear up just talking or thinking about it. And I it was always my goal of like, yeah, if one mom read my book and got to the end and was like, oh my gosh, like I think this is my child, you know, we've now worked together to provide that resource. But it's also the reading reason like my books are the Giving Challenge and the Gratitude Challenge, is they are short stories because I can remember the only books that I could read and get through were Chicken Soup for the Soul. And it was because they were short stories, and they were stories, and so it kept me enough engaged and I didn't have to remember a lot, you know, and it was like, okay, I can I you then you feel successful. You're like, oh, I read a story, and then you can read the next one. And so I kind of passed that along in my books, and I've had so many people say is I am not a reader or I don't read well or I can't read fast, but I can read your books, and I feel like you know, God has used used that. Um anything else as we wrap up, kind of you know, just what we've talked about, or anything else?

SPEAKER_02

One thing that just you talking, and once again, this just kind of weighed on my heart, so I just want to throw it out there that I had um it was an adult who I had worked with. She'd come to me and I, you know, did the testing and things on her. And so always at the end, I want to give tools of you know how they can help. And one, like you were saying, just getting that identification um is extremely helpful because it does, it just changes your mindset. I've had parents in the past who have said, um, you know, I don't want my child to be labeled, that like a label is a bad thing. Right. And I've used this analogy and I think it's something that um it's something we can all visualize and somewhat relate to. And I've just I challenge them when they say that, and I would say, if your child was sick, you take him to the doctor, and what would be the first thing that you would say is, tell me what's wrong. I want a diagnosis. You want to find out what is wrong. And let's say that it's diabetes, because that's something a lot of people can understand. You would want that label for them because that is something that now either people know about, like, oh, well, they're diabetic. We can't have sugar. If they go to a birthday party, the child can say, I'm diabetic, I can't have birthday cake, and it explains why they can't have birthday cake and why everybody else is. And um, it will help you. You can do research on diabetes. How can I help them? And if it's somebody who doesn't know what diabetes is, like I said, you can look and you can learn, but until you get that and know what it is, you really can't help them. Right. Um, but it helps the child to have that label, it helps the parent, it helps the doctor, it helps the teachers, it helps the school. So don't be afraid of a label for one. And I will tell you, dyslexia is not a bad label. They struggle to read, but there are so many strengths. That's why I tell kids when I first start with them that listen, I am gonna teach you how to read, but you cannot teach me how to be creative and have all those gifts. Those things come to you that like you can't teach me those. Like that comes to you. I can teach you to read, and you're gonna be unstoppable at that point. Um, but back to wait, can I pause on that?

SPEAKER_00

Of just with the label, it is why I talk about it. And it is why, you know, if I go and talk to a school or if I read to a group of kids, is I share that because having for me that diagnosis in that label, I mean, I'm gonna, you know, cry right now is it was a huge weight lifted off of me. I mean, I went into college and I had to take remedial English. I barely made it. I mean, it was like barely made it through college. And I can remember thinking, I would study 20 hours for a test, and my friends were studying two or three hours, and I'm thinking, what is wrong with me? I mean, I tell a story in my book, and I got you know, permission from my friend is, you know, he was my study partner, and I think I got a D on the test and he got an A or whatever. And I remember my professor like acting like you didn't study. And I was like, no, like talk to this guy. We studied together, we put a lot of time and effort. And if I would have had that label and that diagnosis, then maybe I could have got help. Maybe there were other tools that I could have gotten in college to help me. And so to that parent who's out there that doesn't want that label, it was the greatest gift for me to be able to have that. Now I will say, and this is what I also tell kids, is it is not an excuse. And I'm almost grateful that I didn't have that label because I do think I'm one of the people who it did build perseverance and determination. And I have a lot of these skills that I think maybe I got because I didn't have the label and I didn't use it as like I guess an excuse of well, I can't do this because I'm dyslexic. And so if you're a parent whose child does have that label, is don't let them use it as an excuse because they can do anything and sometimes better than what other kids be able to do. Yep, but it is so, anyways, uh is that right? Like for me to say that. Absolutely, absolutely.

SPEAKER_02

And if if a child comes like uh like with my son, if he would have a book report that would be due. For him to try like he could verbally tell you, you know, about the book and summarize it. Um, but for him to try to get those thoughts and get them down on paper, that was very, very challenging. So you I would talk to his teachers and I'd be like, Can he do a video? You know, like he can, you're getting the same result. Like, did does he understand? That's what we're trying to find out. Yeah. So there's other ways to do things. So back to that, don't let him use it as an excuse. But if there is something that really is challenging and they're shutting down, find another way. And that's one thing dyslexics are very strong about, and that is one of your amazing strengths, is you're an out-of-the-box thinker. And you're like, if this is what my goal is and what I want, you will find a way. It might not be the traditional way, but you will find a way. Oh, I think I'm crazy. Like you're doing. That is your strength. And most dyslexics have that, that they you can they might go in a weird or what we think is weird, it's probably super logical. Um, but they're gonna go maybe around and definitely not take the traditional route. But the end product, you know, is going to be the same, and most of the time it's gonna be tremendous, it's gonna be way better than what anybody could have imagined.

SPEAKER_00

It's interesting you say that. And I wanna, if if you're listening to this and you're in corporate America or you've got employees who maybe you think they have this, is I had a lot of good bosses, and this was maybe even before I knew is I would tell that, you know, maybe they'd come to me with something big or some big change we're gonna make, or hey, we're thinking about this. Because I would always say, Yeah, this is probably before I knew I had dyslexia, maybe, maybe, um, or right in the middle, is I would say, give me time. I was like, if you give me time, I will figure this out. Um, but if I was forced to make quick decisions, it was not gonna go well. But like you said, is the end result always was way better than if they would have forced me to do a quick, you know, and and so I I always love to talk about it. Uh, you know, if I'm in leadership or talk to leaders about your dyslexics, they are gonna be your best people on the team, but you are gonna have to adapt certain things um for them. But if you do, yeah. So, anyways, I just when you said that I thought about that because it's like I cannot solve a problem quick, but I will be able to solve it. Yes, yes.

SPEAKER_02

So, anyways, back to your lady, but on on we just keep going back and forth, but um as you know, my boyfriend of the last seven years, he is. Dyslexic as well, and that is one thing with him. Um, like if there's something like I was wanting to do some stuff to the house, and I just could not figure out we were gonna add this patio, and uh so anyway, I had asked him, I was like, What do you think? And he was like, Let me think on it, and but that's how he is, he does he just needs to think on it. And if you give him that time and you come back, you're like, Oh wow. But I just had you know, it was gonna come out and be a you know, like square box. And he was like, This needs to be rounded, and you need this, that and it turned out beautiful. But that's just wine example off the top of my head, but right. Um, but yeah, he can come up with um if you give him time, and it is uh he has a lot of I if he watches this, I'll probably not regret this, but a lot of great ideas, but you do need to give him time. And then the adult, back to what I was saying. Yeah, let's wrap up this to help her. Um, she was telling me that um I think it was her sister, was in this book club and was telling her, you know, you need to be in this book club. And she was like, socially, I really wanted to join it. My sister's doing it, but there was no back to what you were saying, like it would take me forever to read a book. There was no way I would get it done in the time that this book club needed. Yeah and you know, I they're not gonna call on them to, you know, read certain things, but she said, I've I just felt like I could never join it because I couldn't keep up the pace. And so I told her, and I said, you know, this is something that I think you need to do anyway, but definitely could apply to a book. I said, get it on audio.

unknown

Right.

SPEAKER_02

And she told me, Well, that's cheating. And I said, Who? Who says it's cheating? Right, the stories we tell ourselves, right? So on that, I told her, I said, So are you telling me that any blind person that listens to audio that they're cheating? And she was like, Well, no, they can't help it. And I said, Dyslexia is the same thing. And I said, You might not be blind, but it it is gonna take you longer to get through that.

SPEAKER_00

If you read a fiction book, it'll take me a decade to read a fiction book.

SPEAKER_02

And be painful, it wouldn't even be as enjoyable. So that's why I told her, I was like, start taking things in on audio. Like we have, luckily, we are in a technology society that we have books on audio. And so I said, you know, anything that you can take in through your ears, take it in because you can understand it and you're getting the information. That's what it is, is getting the information. Um, you know, that's why Braille was invented. I mean, they've got that, but someone who's blind, they have to take it in through audio. So don't ever think that that's cheating, it's finding ways. Um, we all detours nowadays. There's a different thing. Nowadays we're using AI, and that's not cheating. Cheating, it's just it's an efficient way to do things sometimes. So, with that, that you know, audiobooks, it's not cheating, it's an efficient way to get the information that you need.

SPEAKER_00

So, I mean, you think about the podcast is everybody listens to podcasts, you know, and I feel like um, yeah, I mean, we have all these different ways, and God created us all differently. And um, at the end of the day, it is God's given us strengths. But I'll wrap up on this is even though dyslexic, as a dyslexic, I can look at my weaknesses, but that's where I have to rely upon God for certain things. And I say, that's how I got my first book done. That's how I've gotten 10 books done. That's how I do everything. And it really is like, okay, Lord, I know you are calling me to do this. And it is difficult and it is hard. Um, but in our weaknesses, that's how we rely upon God. And then it goes back to, you know, this podcast is then at the end of the day, it's only God that gets the credit for what we do and what he has called us to do. So, Joel and thank you so much for sharing me your only God story with us. And um, yeah, thank you for joining us today. Hey friends, thank you for joining me today on the Only God podcast. I hope today's story encouraged your faith and reminded you that God is still writing our stories each and every day. If you were inspired by this episode, please share, subscribe, and tell a friend. And to stay connected with me and find out about all my resources and events to go to shinyforwardcreative.com. Have a fabulous day.