Is God Using Hard Times to Refine You or Are You Letting Fear Hold You Back? Episode #19

Hey friend, 

Have you ever wondered why you keep going through hard times? 

Why you’re hustling, praying, and doing all the “right” things, yet still feel stuck?

 Why it seems like everyone else is walking in abundance while you’re left wondering if God even hears you?

If that sounds familiar, this episode is for you.

This week, I experienced a moment that took me back to one of the hardest seasons of my life—the fire that burned down our milking parlor seven years ago. It was a moment that could have broken me, but instead, it refined me. And friend, I want to help you see how your trials are refining you too.

Before we dive in, let me ask you:

🔥 Is your belief in God stronger than your fears and anxieties?
🔥 Whose power are you relying on—God’s or your own?
🔥 How do you speak to yourself? Are your words filled with truth and faith, or fear and doubt?

In Episode #19, I’ll take you through my journey of faith, sharing how I went from being a lukewarm, striving, overwhelmed Christian mompreneur to someone who fully trusts God’s timing and provision. You’ll learn:

✔️ How to break free from limiting skunk thoughts that keep you stuck.
✔️ How to replace lies with God’s truth and scripture.
✔️ Why your hardships are preparing you for a greater harvest.
✔️ How to stop hustling in your own strength and start trusting God to lead your business and life.

✨ Ready to take action?
At the end of this episode, I’ll walk you through three powerful journal prompts to help you shift from fear to faith and start hearing God clearly in your life. Plus, if my story resonated with you, I invite you to:

📖 Grab my book, "Becoming an Unstoppable Woman in Faith," to read the full story of how God transformed my faith just in time for my husband’s two liver transplants. Grab your copy here  on Amazon today!

💡 Click here to Check out 24 hour Sneak Peek to Kingdom Alliance, the online mentorship community where I discovered my true identity in Christ and learned how to build my business with faith instead of hustle. 

Schedule an Encouragement Chat with me at ginnyhatfield.com 

Friend, God is refining you for something greater. Trust Him. Lean into Him. And step into the abundant harvest He already has planned for you.

Until next time Friend —keep harvesting without the hustle! 🎙️✨

🎯 Schedule Your "Encouragement Chat" with me HERE

🎯Get your sneak peek inside the most powerful network marketing business for Christian Network Marketing Women here!

🎯Find me on Facebook or Insta

🎯Email me at ginnyhatfield87@gmail.com

Transcript

Episode #19, Is God Using Hard Times to Refine You or Are you Letting Fear Hold You Back?

**Hey Friend, Welcome back to Harvest Without the Hustle!

It’s been an eventful week here on the farm. One of our employees’ vehicle caught fire and nearly set our milking parlor—the building where we milk our cows—on fire. Thankfully, other workers spotted the smoke and flames in time to pull the vehicle away before the fire could spread. And by God’s grace, there was no wind that night.

The timing of this incident hit me hard because this week marks the 7th anniversary of our milking parlor fire. It brought back a flood of memories—and, if I’m honest, some fears too.

But here’s the difference, friend: Seven years ago, I would have let those fears consume me. Instead, I chose to praise God for His protection and provision. Because I believe in His promises. That fire seven years ago wasn’t just a disaster—it was the moment that began my refinement walk with God, shaping me into who I am today.

Before we dive into today’s episode, where I’ll share the story of how that fire changed my life and deepened my faith, I want to leave you with a few lessons I’ve learned. Lessons that can help you in both your life and your network marketing business.

But first, let me ask you a few questions—questions that might stir something deep within you.

🔥 Is your belief in God stronger than your fears and anxieties?
🔥 Whose power are you relying on to overcome life’s challenges—God’s or your own?

🔥 How do you talk to yourself? Is your inner dialogue lifting you up or tearing you down?

If these questions strike a chord, you’re not alone. Did you know the average person has about 60,000 thoughts per day? And here’s the hard truth—75% of them are negative, and 95% are repetitive.

No wonder, by the end of the day, you feel more discouraged, stuck, and drained instead of empowered, encouraged, and equipped for the purpose God designed you for. And let’s be real—when that discouragement sets in, it’s easier to grab the remote, turn on Netflix or Hallmark, and escape into someone else’s dream life instead of stepping into your own.

And so the cycle begins… Hustling. Striving. Trying to do it all on your own. Pushing harder. Ignoring your family. Forgetting to have fun. Wearing that fake smile while feeling more empty inside.

And you start to wonder… Why isn’t God blessing me? I’m working so hard, I’m praying, but nothing is changing. Why is everyone else in my business seeing breakthroughs, but I’m still stuck?

Friend, if that’s how you feel, this episode is for you. Let’s talk about how to break this cycle and step into the blessings God already has waiting for you.

Friend, 

In this episode, we’re diving deep into the questions that have been weighing on your heart—those thoughts that leave you feeling frustrated, anxious, and doubting who you are and where God is in your life.

You’ll learn how to break free from those exhausting, stinking skunk thoughts—those limiting beliefs that keep you stuck. I’ll show you how to speak truth (God’s Word) into those negative, deep-rooted thought patterns so that you can fill your mind with His promises. 

Because, friend, God sees you as His perfect, chosen daughter. And those hard times? They aren’t meant to break you—they are meant to grow you so that you can handle the harvest He has planned for you.

But before we dive in, let me introduce myself...

Hi, I’m Ginny Hatfield, a former empty, frustrated, and stuck-in-limiting-beliefs Christian mompreneur who had no idea how to break free from the prison of my own mind. I didn’t know how to shift from fear to faith or how to walk in the mindset of Christ. But when I finally surrendered, God revealed that He already had my harvest prepared—I just needed to step into it.

Now, as the host of Harvest Without the Hustle, I help empty-nester Christian mompreneurs like you ditch burnout, align their businesses with faith, and start harvesting the blessings God has already prepared for them. As a farm wife, mom, grandma, and Kingdom-driven entrepreneur, my mission is to encourage, empower, and equip you with faith-based strategies to help you grow personally and professionally.

Whether you’re looking to shift your mindset, manage your time better, steward your finances wisely, or create income streams that align with your calling—I’m here to walk alongside you.

So, friend, grab your favorite beverage, a journal, or your phone’s notes app—especially if your hands are busy like mine usually are when I’m listening to podcasts while milking my cows!

Ok, friend, Let’s dive in into Episode 19, Is God using Hard times to refine you or Are you letting fear hold you back? And explore how God is using your tough times to refine you. 

 Together, we’ll uncover how choosing faith over fear can lead you out of struggle and into the abundant harvest.  He has already planned out for you. 

So, friend, why does God allow us to go through hard times?

This was the very question I asked my pastor after our milking parlor burned down. I couldn’t understand why God would allow such hardship—why we had to fight with the insurance company, battle with the bank just to rebuild, and struggle to keep our farm going. My pastor simply told me, “I don’t know.”

But here’s what I’ve learned, friend—God uses trials, like fire, to refine us, build our faith, and teach us to trust Him more deeply.

Before the fire, I was a lukewarm Christian. And if there’s anything Jesus hates, it’s lukewarm faith. The Bible even says it makes Him want to spit us out (Revelation 3:16).

I was the definition of a Sunday morning Christian mama. I made sure my kids were in church, I helped with the youth group, and my husband and I attended Bible studies when we could fit them in. But the truth? The farm was our first priority—not God. I never spent real time with 

Him. I never studied His Word. I was in survival mode—going through the motions with a fake smile.

Heck friend, We didn’t even pray together over meals because we were always eating in shifts between farm chores and kids' activities. And I only prayed when I needed something—I never praised Him first.

From the outside looking in, my life seemed perfect. I had great kids, a loving husband, a beautiful farm, and I was making money from my online business. But the truth? I was lost. I didn’t know how to steward my money wisely, I wasn’t honoring God with it, and worst of all—I didn’t even know who God was to me.

But everything changed the morning after the fire.

The Turning Point: Do You Know Who God Is?

I didn’t know who God was to me or who I was to Him. I had no identity in Him.

That all changed the morning after the fire. I was following my youngest son through deep snow to the neighbor’s farm, where we had moved our cows. The blizzard from the day before had left the roads treacherous, and I was terrified to drive. I had always avoided winter driving—even choosing to work at the school because bad weather meant I wouldn’t have to go in. But that morning, I had no choice. My husband had already left, so I had to drive myself.

Following my son’s tire tracks, I gripped the wheel, white-knuckled, knowing this was a 30-minute drive instead of my usual 10. With my coffee in hand, I turned on the Christian radio station. That’s when I heard the sermon title:

“Do you know who God is?”

Without thinking, I said out loud, “No, God, I don’t know who You are.”

At the time, I only knew the God my grandma talked about—the angry God who threw lightning bolts at you when you messed up. The God who punished, not the God who loved.  But Jesus was fun! 

I had no idea how deeply He loved His daughters.

Let me share a story, friend, about why I was once scared of God and convinced He didn’t love me.

One Sunday at church, I was sitting next to my grandma when I spotted a shiny quarter on the floor. I quickly picked it up, tucked it into my pocket, and started dreaming about all the candy I could buy—back then, a quarter could get you Tootsie Rolls or gumballs. In my mind, I could already taste that chewy chocolate caramel Tootsie Roll.

Just then, my grandma leaned over and whispered, “I better see you put that quarter in the offering plate when it comes around. If you don’t, God will strike you dead with a lightning bolt for stealing from Him.”

At that exact moment, a loud clap of thunder shook the church.

You better believe I dropped that quarter in the offering plate when it came around.

By the time we stepped outside, the storm had passed, and a rainbow stretched across the sky.

Let me ask you, friend—who is God to you? Do you see Him as a loving Father, someone you can run to and rest in? Or, like me, do you picture Him as a distant judge, ready to punish you the moment you make a mistake?

Friend, That moment, in my car, was when my journey of faith truly began. It was when God started refining me, breaking off skunk thoughts—limiting beliefs and generational chains that had kept me from stepping into the purpose He had created me for.

Friend, have you ever wondered what your purpose is? 

Have you felt like you were meant for more than just being a wife, a mom, or working a job that doesn’t bring you joy? 

Have you ever thought, I love my network marketing company, but why am I always hustling and never harvesting the abundance I see others have?

At that point, I had been in several network marketing companies. While I loved the products, what truly filled my heart was the community—the friendships with other women who shared the journey. It became my escape, my happy place. 

Instead of spending time with God, I poured myself into leadership training, yet I could never truly see myself as a leader.

I was also working as a cook at the local school, but I hated the lack of freedom. I longed for time and financial flexibility—to be present with my family and make precious memories. But instead of slowing down, I pushed harder. I worked longer. I hustled more. And in the process, I pushed my family aside.

Friend, like I shared with you before, Looking from the outside in, it looked like I had it all—a successful business, a beautiful farm, a picture-perfect life. But inside? I was exhausted, empty, and miserable.

That’s when God began transforming me—from fear to faith. He showed me that the way I talked to myself was holding me back from the calling He had placed on my heart.

I realized that God had planted the dream of entrepreneurship in me long before I even recognized it. Looking back, I saw how He had wired me for business. Even as a young girl in 4-H, I was always the top fundraiser. That fire was inside me? He had placed it there.

And friend, He placed that same fire in you.

Think back to when you first discovered network marketing. Do you remember the excitement of realizing you could get paid for sharing something you love? That you could help change someone’s health or financial situation simply by telling your story?

That’s when God planted the marketplace ministry in your heart.

He knows that many of His daughters have been hurt by the church, wounded by man-made rules. So sometimes, He uses business as a way to draw them back to Him.

But for years, I believed a lie—that I could never be a leader. That I wasn’t enough. That God wouldn’t pick a simple farm wife and mom to do something big for His Kingdom.

I told myself I was broke—blind to the riches He had already placed in my life. I overlooked the God-fearing women He had surrounded me 

with, the mentors who had poured into me and reminded me I was made for more.

My wake-up call came after the fire. That morning, I realized I had spent so much time blaming God for everything going wrong that I never even took the time to know Him.

Friend, if you’re like me—angry at God, overwhelmed by life, struggling in your business, feeling hopeless—I want to share something with you.

Stop. Give it all to Him.

Tell Him: “God, I don’t know who You are. I don’t even know who I am in You. But I want to know.”

And He will meet you there. He will relight the spark of hope inside you. He will show you who you are to Him—and who He is to you.

As you surrender, He will begin revealing His character, His promises, and how He is working in your life.

Matthew 11:28 tells us that when we hand over our burdens, He partners with us. He does the heavy lifting while He rebuilds us in His image.

But that doesn’t mean we sit back and do nothing.

As I learned in the weeks following the fire, surrender isn’t about inaction—it’s about trusting God enough to follow His lead.

And friend, that’s where the real transformation begins.

Your Refinement Process Starts Now

That moment, friend—when I heard that title to the sermon, Do You Even Know Who God Is? That was the beginning of my faith journey.

That was when God started refining me, breaking off the limiting beliefs that had been passed down through generations.

And if you’ve ever asked yourself:
✔ What is my purpose?
✔ Was I created for more than just being a wife, mom, and employee?
✔ Why am I constantly hustling but never harvesting the abundance I see others walking in?

Then, friend, you are right where God wants you.

Because when you stop striving and start trusting, everything changes.

The Power of Trusting God’s Timing

After the fire, we faced trial after trial. The insurance company tried to lowball us. The bank shut off our lines of credit. We were told to quit farming and get town jobs.

But I refused to believe that was God’s plan.

For the first time in my life, I stepped into my God-given authority. I read through our insurance policy, spoke up, and took action. I told our insurance agent what the insurance adjuster was trying to pull over on us.  He went to battle for us. Within 48 hours, not only did we receive the full insurance payout, but the president of the company himself sat at our kitchen table apologizing for how we were treated.

That was the day I realized: God will move mountains when you trust Him enough to stand in faith.

Friend, your words matter.

✔ Are you speaking words of faith or fear?
✔ Are you walking in your strength or God’s?
✔ Are you trusting in His timing or trying to force your own?

Although, Friend, I had to learn—over and over again—that when you let go and let God, He multiplies what you place in His hands.

Friend, Remember, God loves you—even through your mistakes and stubbornness. He loves you so much that He sent His only Son to die on the cross for your sins, giving you the gift of a relationship with Him here on Earth and for eternity in Heaven. You just have to reach out and seek him, and find your relationship-identity in Him. 

Friend, as we wrap up this episode, here are three powerful takeaways I want you to write down and journal through.

1️⃣ God refines us through trials.

Hardships are not punishment; they are preparation. God uses trials to mold and strengthen us, but often, we rush through them without recognizing His purpose.

Journal Prompt:

• What hardships has God already brought me through?
• What lessons or unexpected blessings have come from those difficult seasons?
• How has my faith grown through those trials?

Take a moment to reflect—your hardest seasons may have been the very place God was shaping you for something greater.

2️⃣ Shift from fear to faith.

The enemy loves to plant lies in your mind—limiting beliefs or what i like to call skunk thoughts that keep you stuck, doubting, and striving. 

But, friend, those lies lose their power when you replace them with God’s truth.

Journal Prompt:

• What lies am I believing about myself, my business, or my purpose? Write them down.
• Now, find Scripture that speaks truth against those lies. (Example: If you believe "I'm not enough," replace it with 
• Philippians 4:13 - "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.")
• Who in my life is speaking words of fear, doubt, or discouragement over me?
•  How can I create space from those influences and surround myself with people who build me up in truth?

Friend, you have authority over the words you accept—choose to speak life over yourself today and choose to surround yourself with those that speak life and truth over you also. 

3️⃣ Trust God’s provision and timing.

Are you truly trusting God to provide for you, or are you still trying to control everything on your own? When we hustle in our own strength, we often miss the very provision God has already put in place.

Journal Prompt:

• Am I fully trusting God to provide for me? If not, what is holding me back?
• In what areas of my life am I striving instead of surrendering?
• What would change in my life if I truly let go and allowed God to lead?

Spend time with God. Sit in stillness. Ask Him to speak—and then listen. The more you quiet the noise of striving, the more clearly you will hear His direction for your life.

Friend, stop striving. Stop hustling. Surrender, and let God take the lead.

Friend, If you’d like to read my full story about how God led me through the fire and transformed my faith just in time for my husband's two liver transplant surgeries in the summer of 2022, check out the anthology Becoming an Unstoppable Woman in Faith. In this book, I share how my faith was tested and strengthened in ways I never expected. Click here to Grab your copy on Amazon today! 

If this message resonated with you, friend, I invite you to check out my favorite resource—Kingdom Alliance, an online mentorship community designed to help empty-nester Christian mompreneurs like you discover your identity in God and hear Him clearly. 

This community has been life-changing for me, providing daily encouragement, prayer, and faith-based resources to grow my business in alignment with His purpose. Check out  Kingdom Alliance today and start building your business with clarity, faith, and an abundant harvest—without the hustle!

By Scheduling  an Encouragement Chat with me at ginnyhatfield.com or clicking and checking out the 24-hour sneak peek in the show notes.

Friend, God loves you. He’s waiting for you to trust Him.

Until next time—keep harvesting without the hustle!