Discerning the Voice of God: When God Speaks Through Others | Ep 30

How do you know when God is speaking?

Can He use an unexpected conversation... a stranger's prayer... or even a season of waiting to reveal His direction?

In this deeply personal community conversation, Heather Brigstock shares the remarkable story of surrendering a dream she and her husband had held onto for years. After unexpectedly selling the lakefront property where they had planned to build their forever home, Heather found herself grieving the loss of a vision she believed God had given her.

Then, just two days later, something extraordinary happened.

A couple she had never met walked into South Water Manor, and during an impromptu prayer, the husband spoke words that could only have come from the Lord - offering encouragement, confirmation, and hope in a way that forever changed Heather's perspective.

Together, Tiffany Windsor and Heather explore how God often speaks through Scripture, prayer, faithful believers, and even life's unexpected pauses. They discuss why seasons that feel still are often seasons where God is growing deep roots beneath the surface, preparing us for what comes next.

If you've ever wondered whether God is speaking, questioned His timing, or found yourself waiting for the next step, this conversation is a beautiful reminder that His plans are always unfolding—even when we can't yet see them.

In this episode you'll discover:

• How to discern God's voice through Scripture, prayer, and wise counsel
• Why seasons of waiting are often seasons of preparation
• Learning to trust God's leading when your plans suddenly change
• The importance of encouragement from other believers
• Finding peace when God asks you to walk a different path

Real Women. Real Stories. Real Faith.

You can find all our episode information at https://inhiscircle.substack.com/ and join us on Instagram and Facebook. No matter where you find us, please like, follow and subscribe! 

Transcript

Tiffany 0:00

Welcome to In His Circle, where women gather to share life stories, discover authentic community, and grow in faith. I'm your host, Tiffany Windsor. My guest today is Heather Brigstock, owner of Southwater Manor in Gallatin, Tennessee. In Heather's own words, her goal at Southwater Manor is to create a place where community happens, where folks feel valued, hope is shared, and relationships can flourish. We're recording today in the upstairs lounge at the Manor. Hi, Heather.

Heather 0:35

Hi, Tiffany. I'm so glad to be back.

Tiffany 0:38

We're so delighted to be able to record the podcast here at Southwater Manor. I know you have something on your mind today. What do you want to talk about?

Heather 0:47

I have to tell you what happened this weekend because it was it was irregular. And again, maybe it's too personal to tell, but I I don't feel like it is. I've shared it with a couple of people, people that are not even super close to me. And I've been inspired by how the Lord has used it. So last week we were talking a little bit about some different things. And I think maybe off the podcast, we talked about our land selling. Jeff and I had purchased a lake lot three years ago, a beautiful lake lot. We'd always said that we would never sell our home unless we could get a lake lot. And the Lord told both of us that we needed to put our house on the market. It was a couple of years after we started the business here. The timing was right. They were having a mass exodus out west. People were moving to Tennessee in droves. And so we were able to put our house on the market and sell it really, really quickly. And the Lord did a miracle for us. He allowed us to buy this beautiful lake lot about six miles from here. And it was undeveloped yet, didn't have a dock or anything, but they were going to build a dock. And it was, it was just a really beautiful space. And it was our dream. So we moved our family out of our 3,000-some square foot house and put our things into storage and moved everybody into a 1,400 square foot townhouse. So there's five of us, big kids, not little kids, big kids. And um it was, it was fantastic. The Lord was kind and we left it, but we left everything in boxes because we truly believed that we would start building in six months. Well, we just finished four years in our townhouse. And I would say that the Lord obviously went before us because he knew that the business was growing and we were able to take a lot of the capital from the house and not only buy the land, but invest in our business. And our business is intentionally missional, community-driven. So it was the right decision for the right time. And we always had this vision of what that lake house would look like. I we have house plans and all those things. So anyway, we ended up a couple years ago putting the lake lot on the market, trying to free up some capital, took it back off. Like that's a bad idea. And then last November, uh, I told Jeff, let's just put the lake lot on the market. If I don't go out there, I won't miss it and we'll sell it, we'll buy a house. Time had gone by. It just seemed a little bit futile at the time. There's a lot of building projects going on here, needed to be closer to the property. And so we put the lake lot on the market last November and then took it off again in April. Spring comes to the lake. Those are my fish, my birds, my water. And so we took it off the market. And we were both convinced that we would build out there. Got the lake lot house plans out again. The boat dock was already in. And we just believed that the Lord was moving us out that direction. And then last week, uh, we got a phone call from the lady who had been our listing agent. And she said, Would you still entertain offers? And Jeff said, Well, you know, everything's for sale. So we had a gentleman give us a verbal offer of almost our asking price, which our asking price was high because we still want to sell it, almost our asking price, the cash offer and a quick close. And Jeff and I looked at each other and just thought, wow, the property is not even on the market. And both of us had, I guess, separately been thinking maybe it would be the right thing. So we accepted the offer, impulsive or not. We accepted the offer. We both believed that the Lord had brought that up. And by the time we had recorded the podcast last week, I had signed the paperwork and the deal was done. And so on Saturday, Saturdays are always interesting. Our business is a coffee shop business and a retail business. So a lot of times we have perennial customers, but on Saturday, we'll get people that are out of town guests, people coming in with family. So we had a couple come in Saturday morning that I'd never seen before, and they shopped for a little bit, then had some breakfast and came over to my side. And I was getting her some skincare products and we were checking out. She was talking, she had a really unique accent. I said, Well where are you from? And she said, Well, I'm born in France, lived some in Portugal. We were out in California and we've been in Tennessee for a few weeks, but we're heading back to France to do ministry over there. And I said, That's fantastic. And her husband had been looking around the shop and he had turned around and said, We're supposed to be disciple makers and um missionaries wherever we are. I said, I absolutely believe that. We're called to be missionaries. And Matthew 28, it says, as you are going, essentially, as you are going, make disciples, whether you're at the grocery store, at the bank, in your business, or abroad. And I was pointing to my son's t-shirt, Clayton, he's 18. He has a t-shirt brand called Never Alone, um, based on Matthew 28. And the t-shirts were hanging in the shop. I said, Never alone, that's what my son's t-shirts are, because with the Holy Spirit and the Lord, we're never alone. And the gentleman came over and he said, Is that your son in the coffee shop? And I said, It is. I mean, he looked at me with this crazy look, Tiffany, and he said, The Lord is working in your son's life. And the way that he said it, he hadn't met Clayton before. He talked to him for a few minutes over there. But for him to come over and say that, because the Lord is working in Clayton's life right now, without revealing a whole lot, the Lord is doing great things in Clayton's life. And we're praying for him, and the Lord is moving in special ways. And I looked at him, I said, He is. I said, The Lord has called Clayton to do great things. And he said, The Lord is with Clayton. And he right there, he started praying. And he prayed, it wasn't loud, but it was firm. And it wasn't, when I say this, it just wasn't like a touchy-feely prayer. He wasn't doing anything strange. He started praying for Clayton and he prayed for the Lord to fill him and to protect him. He prayed for the things that shouldn't be in Clayton to be removed. And he said things that as a mom, I would know, but really nobody else would know. And it was so personal. And then he prayed for, he prayed for Clayton's wife. He said, Lord, send a young woman for Clayton. He said, send her sooner than later. I can still hear him. And Clayton's so funny. He's always said he doesn't want to get married before 25 because his frontal lobe isn't formed, which I appreciate as a young man. So for him to say that and to pray specifically for his wife. And then he stopped and he looked at me and he just waited. And then he started praying for our business. And he said, God, I pray for provision, for bountiful provision for your business. And Tiffany, you understand what it takes to build a small business in the stretch. We're doing a building project. And it just feels like we're at a pause for some reason right now. And Jeff and I have looked, we don't know why we're at a pause. And this man doesn't even know we're doing a building project. And he said, and for the parts of the business that are on pause right now, that are stopped, he said, God, go the other direction. He said, God is going to go another way, a way that you haven't even perceived. And he's praying these things and he's quoting scripture in all of this. It's not just things that he's making up. He's quoting the word of God. And then he looks at me and he says, and you've been surprised this week. And this is two days after we've sold our land. And I'm looking at him like, how in the world does this man know that I've been surprised? And he stopped and he looks at me and he said, God loves you. God really loves you. And he is going before you and he has a place for you. And for a woman who identifies with her nest, we love the home. I have three kids, and one's married, one's going to be having a nest and having a place to call home is such a big deal. And I felt like it was so personal. So I'm telling you, I'm not a super emotional person, but my glasses are fogged by this time. I am pouring down a sweat. There are other customers in my shop with their hands in the air, like something was happening. And the man he goes through all this, and the last thing he says is a verse that's extremely personal to me. He says, In all thy ways, acknowledge the Lord and he will direct your paths. And it was just, it was so powerful. And I know the Lord was speaking to me. And this morning I had a lady, we were talking about this, a Catholic lady come in this morning, and she is my friend. She was asking, How do I discern the voice of God? In my mind, I'm like, how can we not? The difference, I would say the difference, and I don't know her walk, but when the Holy Spirit lives inside of you, you have the voice of truth. The Bible says Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. All truth is God's truth. When you have the God of truth living inside of you and you're seeking his voice by reading his word, listening to his spirit, listening to his voice, the Bible says, My sheep, hear my voice. It may seem crazy and the path may seem hard and it may seem insurmountable, but God is big and He will He will tell us what we're supposed to do. Wow. I know that's a lot.

Tiffany 9:49

I recall the day that I heard that you had been living in your townhouse for four years and you had not unpacked boxes and you had not put pictures on the wall. No. And it comes back to me so clearly right now. And to watch you tell this story, you are such a giver. When I come in and I watch you doing your work at the manor, you're such a giver. And to see your vulnerability and your honesty in telling the story and seeing tears come to your eyes, what an incredible moment for you to have this gentleman come in and speak to you, have the Lord speak to you through him, and that you are open to it because you are so used to giving. And you are surrounded with people who love to give to you. And I feel sometimes that you're not as comfortable receiving. And in that moment, you received. You received the word. You're always receiving the word, but oh my goodness, to hear what he had to say to you that was such speaking in truth. What an incredible story.

Heather 11:05

It was so powerful. I would say it was life-changing. But there have been a couple of times in my life, specifically with not, I would say all through our life, but most recently with the manor and with what God has called us to do here, where the Lord has sent people to encourage us along the way. And this was definitely one of those things. I hope that I remember it. I want to write it down and remember because it was very personal. I feel like the Lord was talking just to me.

Tiffany 11:34

Well, now we've memorialized in today in today's podcast. So thank you so much for sharing that story. And you could see me writing notes here. The other thing I loved about you talking because when I sat down before we pressed the record button, I asked you how you were doing because I know that it was a vulnerable moment for you when you were signing the documents last week. And I asked you if you were okay. And you just said you needed to grieve a little bit. But now I understand what you were grieving for today because you talked about it. You said, as a woman, we have the home and we make the nest. And that had been your vision for building the home and the nest. I know that the Lord has that home for you.

Heather 12:19

Yeah.

Tiffany 12:20

And I don't believe anything can be taken away from us that is not filled back up. And I know you know that too. Yes. But in the moment I I saw what that meant to you. And I'm so glad you shared this today. And that I could grab my pen and take these notes because just like the gentleman you were talking to, God is going to go in a different direction. We were talking about the pause. You were talking about a pause going on. And I think a lot of people are feeling that right now. And so it's even more important to discern the voice of God. Yes. Because in talking with other people, I'm hearing that from so many people right now that it's like, why is there this pause? What's happening? Why does it feel like things are not moving along?

Heather 13:07

I love that. Tomorrow in my Bible reading, I was reading, I'm in Numbers in the Old Testament. And today I was reading about Reuben and Gad and half tribe of Manasseh staying on the other side of the Jordan. And I was looking ahead to see what tomorrow was. And the whole chapter of tomorrow is a recording of the travels of the children of Israel for 40 years. And it's long. And I'm already thinking about it because I'm going to read it. I'm going to read it every time. And I'm going to count tomorrow how many stops they make. Because here's the reality of it. When the cloud, and the cloud is picked for the Holy Spirit, the cloud and fire leading the children of Israel. And sometimes the cloud moved. Sometimes the cloud stopped. And the Bible, it's interesting because sometimes it would stop for a day or a night, because sometimes the children of Israel would pick up, the fire would move at night. Sometimes it would sit for one or two years. And so I think it's the same with us. And you've seen this in your life. I've seen it in mine, that sometimes the Lord pauses us. But just like anything else, Tiffany, and you understand this, so much uh happens below the surface. I remember Jeff used to preach about this because he taught about it in biology a long time ago. He taught about the radical, and a seed gets planted in the ground. And the radical is this part of the seed that's this root that goes way down deep into the ground. Before it ever bursts forth through the ground upward, it goes way down deep in the ground. And you can't see it. And nobody really knows it's there. It's not even pretty. But without it, that plant is absolutely not going to be able to make it. And so a lot of times the pause is the radical going down. God calls us to trust him in the pause and in the and in the growth. I mean, the part that we can see and the part that we can't. And if we can only trust him in the part that we can't, then it's not worth it. Like God's a God of the visible and the invisible. He's a God of the good and the bad, the valley and the and the mountaintop. And if I'm only able to trust him in part of it, but it is hard. So we do what David says. We encourage ourselves in the Lord. We feed our minds with the good, the clean, the pure, and the holy. We make sure that we're meditating on the word of God and we seek his face. The Bible says, seek my face. Draw nigh to me, and I'll draw nigh unto you, even in even in the pause, especially in the pause, because God hasn't moved. He's still there. So draw close, seek him and crave that relationship, hunger and thirst, like the Bible says, hunger and thirst after righteousness, as a deer pants for water, pant after the holiness and the righteousness of God. And he promises. It's a promise of God that he will sustain and fill you. So we can rest in that.

Tiffany 15:43

Thank you so much for sharing this story today. Thank you. And before we go, I want to leave our listeners with this. Maybe today you heard something that encouraged you. Maybe you have more questions than answers. If you're curious about God, keep leaning in. Open a Bible, whisper a simple prayer. Ask him to reveal himself to you.