Faith, Motherhood, and Building A Legacy w/ special guest Jaime Cross

Okay. Have you ever known someone who just seems to have it all together and you're like, what did they do? Have they ever struggled? I don't know. Especially when you're talking about motherhood, when you're talking about career, marriage, all the things. So I have a special guest with me today, a very dear friend, Jamie Cross. And she's actually the founder of the Alchemy Code. So she understands entrepreneurship, she understands being a business owner, she understands being a leader, but she also understands being the importance of being a mom and how to really show up. So get ready to get inspired because Jamie's going to be with us today on the Hannah Keeley Show. Jamie, I'm so excited to talk with you today. This is going to be awesome.

Thank you so much for having me, Hannah. So I've been so excited to talk to you.

Oh, my goodness. So for. For everyone, you. You got to hear this. Okay, so Jamie is the picture of success, and I wanted her to come on to talk about basically how to create a business, how to create success, and balance it all with being a mother. And we started talking right before this, and it's like, wow, you know, such similarities. What God is doing in her life, in my life. And I believe in your life, if you're listening and watching right now, God is moving in your life in a certain way and you're sensing that he's ready to do something new, you're sensing that he's calling you maybe into a new season. So I want, I want you to really plug in, like, focus as much as you can. I know your mom, but focus as much as you can in this time together, because I think, I think you're gonna get a lot of revelation. So, Jamie, first of all, I want, I want everyone to know your backstory. Like, how did you stumble into being an entrepreneur? How did you decide to start your own business? Was it just like one day you just got inspired or what happened?

Yes. Okay. Well, thank you for that question. It's funny because I believe that every woman has an. An entrepreneurial driver within her. You know, we can look throughout all of scripture and see Proverbs 31, and especially in our faith driven societies. I think that has not necessarily been paid attention to. We haven't, we haven't really inspired that or encouraged that in women until maybe most recently. But I was in a season, it was 2010. My husband and I have been married since 03. And so I was in corporate banking and in mortgage, and he was a teacher, art teacher, history teacher, Wrestling coach. And, and we were really, for five years we, we could not get pregnant. And so finally when we found out we were going to be parents after five years of being married, I knew I couldn't, I didn't want to be in the corporate world anymore. I wanted to come home and be a full time mom. And it meant giving up a salary, it meant thinking, okay, well we can't live in this house. We're going to have to go down to one car. And I think for us like that was the, the greatest priority was we want to raise our kids. And at the time we were really starting to be mentored by a church and a pastor who is in Africa. So it was kind of through distance, like reading his books and mentored, you know, listening to his sermons. And he pastors the largest church in the world. And at the time it was, all of his messages were talking about biblical principles for wealth and for success. And who is this pastor?

I just have to know.

Yes, David Oyedepo.

Oh, Yedapo. I knew you were talking about Oyedepo.

Okay.

Yeah.

So Winners Chapel in Nigeria, we've been since, you know, years ago we were actually ordained under his ministry as pastors. So but at the time in this season, we were doing some other like we had all these projects, but we were building our faith to know that God did not create us to fail or to struggle. And that when you step into the covenant, which is not name it and claim it, it's not, you know, every promise of God is yes and amen. It's every promise of God is if then, and then it's yes and amen. So this idea of spiritual responsibility was really taking root deep in our inner man God, what's our part to play?

Things are just coming alive in your spirit.

Yes. Specifically for prosperity and getting out of the financial rut. And so in this season, two and a half years into full time motherhood, literally it was the perfect storm week of utility companies calling. I have to pack up my two little babies and sit in this room at the utility company to go try to get help, you know, assistance. And I'm surrounded by people who are obviously addicted, who are obviously like not living their best life. And I just thought this is not my life. And I went to the, you know, I'm going to the grocery store that same week and my debit cards getting declined. And just it was pile of, it was layer upon layer and pile upon pile of, like, how much pain do you really have to go through before you're willing to do something and make the change. I think so many of us change often is catalyzed through pain. And so I was at the time, this is why it's so important, too, to be mentored and to be renewing your mind to the truth. Because I recognize that this was not my lot and this was not our lot in life, that we need to do something different. And so Nathan came home one night. He's a very quiet, inner in, you know, introspective man. He's not your go talk to everybody type of person. We call him the silent sniper. Actually came home with a 25 gift card one night and said, I'm gonna go down to the ice cream shop and try to sell this gift card for half of what it's worth so that we could have some gas money this week. And when he came home that night and said, I, I couldn't sell it, like, nobody wanted to buy it to me, that was kind of like the straw of like, we can't even get $12 for gas. Like, what are we even doing with our life?

Yeah.

I went to bed that night just balling my eyes out and. And cried out to the Lord and just. And I've told this story a thousand times, and I still cry when I tell it. I just said, God, show me a billion dollar idea so that I can change the world and leave a legacy for my family. And I know that, you know, we. So many people pray, prayers, and. And they maybe do it from their voice box and instead of from, like, the depths of their inner man. I think about Hannah in the Bible, when she longed for a child and finally God heard her cry. And I just believe that, like, I was so desperate and only looking to the Lord that I just know he heard my cry. So we went to church on Sunday. Our pastor in the middle of his message. I was recently telling this story actually to a businessman. And he was like, this is really strange. I've never heard a story like that before. This is really odd that a person would do that. I'm like, I know, right? But our pastor stopped his sermon in the middle of his message and said, hey, this has never happened to me before, but the Lord just spoke to my heart and said that there's a stay at home mom here who he wants to give a billion dollar idea to, so get ready for it. And so I just knew that was.

You knew that you knew that you knew. It's like, game on.

Yes. And cry was like, lord, whatever you give me, I'll Be faithful with it and whatever you tell me to do, I'll do it. And that was what I had understood about the covenant was like, lord, I know you're not going to write me a check and mailbox, money me some solutions here. The, the solution is going to come through a divine idea, through a divine connection, through, you know, maybe whatever the case may be. Like, we have to open our spirits and open our, the eyes of our understanding to say like, Lord, what is the solution going to be? And I'm not tied. So I knew I, I was anticipating at that point, like, okay, God's going to give me billion dollar idea. So it wasn't too long after that. And you're getting the, more like the in depth version. I haven't actually told the story like this before. You're getting a lot more detail.

Good, good.

I just. So I was prepared and I was ready and I had a dream and I saw myself pouring oils. I still, 14 years later, remember every detail of that dream. And it was like a blueprint. Woke up and told my husband, I'm going to start a, a soap company, a skincare company. And, and I had a background as a farm girl. And I remember my mom used to drop us off, my brother and I off at the library because she was a single mom and she had to go to work. And so she would drop us off at the library for like eight hours a day, multiple times a week for years. And the very first book I ever pulled off the shelf, I remember the first time she dropped us off and it was a body shop book and it had all these recipes for herbs and things that you could make, like skincare at home. And I was so enthralled and fascinated and I told my friends, I'm going to be an herb biologist when I grow up. My friend who I used to tell that to actually works for me now. She's one of them. I love it. So, so this idea that was the beginning and I could tell more story, but yeah, that's, that's where it all began.

Wow. Wow. And you notice something I want to pull out of that is you prayed for a billion dollar idea, not a billion dollars.

Yeah.

You know, I, I think that's understanding who God is, that we are made in the spirit of the Creator. We are creative. And the very thing that Satan was cast out of heaven for is what we already have. He wanted that power of creation.

Yes.

And so every time, like we're always creating and we have to think, what am I currently creating right now am I creating what will, what will bless this world or what will hurt this world? And every time we're operating in fear, it's like now we're, we're allowing the enemy to use the very power that we have to create for his kingdom. Or we can learn to, to live in alignment with God because sin is just missing the mark. We can learn to stay in the mark and we can learn to live in this covenant.

Right?

And now, now we are creating not just for our blessing, but to bless this world. We are supposed to be channels of that. And I love that you prayed for a billion dollar idea, because that is the heart of. I want to create something, to create legacy out to change lives.

Yes.

And God's all over that.

Yes. Amen. Amen.

That's so powerful.

And that really is just the beginning and something I've been sharing a lot. I was asked a question a couple weeks ago about, you know, what do you do as a believer? Because there's a lot of believers right now who feel like they're, they're struggling, they're losing hope, and like, the idea is just the beginning. And a lot of believers have the covenant out of order.

So.

So, you know, our job is to get the idea, and then we have to engage body, spirit, soul to reach success. Too many people are just praying or they're, you know, they're asking God and then they're not doing the work. Or, you know, the Bible says that once you've done everything, you can stand. And I'm like, a lot of people are standing and they haven't, they haven't.

Done everything they can. Having done all, like, I, like, I always think like, all right, have you done all. You've done all like, or have you been scrolling and have you been like, just, just sitting in your belief? Or like, what has God put before you as the next step or the first step? You haven't done all yet.

Exactly. And we have to engage our mind of like, you've got to think through the obstacle and you have to think through the solution. And we partner with the Holy Spirit in that. So he gives you divine revelation. And there, whenever we, God, he says, even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. But he says he will lead you beside still water. So his job is to lead us through the path, and the path is a peaceful path. Everything around us is the valley of the shadow of death. But we are to be led by still waters. Right? So. And he restores and his path. When you're following God, there is peace and there is progress. And so whenever, you know, when we think about this wall, and I've hit many walls, and I'm like, lord, am I missing it? Am I just not thinking about this correctly? Like, for instance, sometimes we can commit to the wrong thing and then be on the wrong path, and then we end up having toil and striving, and so we have to be discerning. But I was reading a book about six months ago is a book called Extreme Ownership. I'm not sure if you've read it.

Yeah, yeah.

Great book. And I was.

Wasn't it written by, like, a Navy seal?

Yeah, yeah, Willink. Yeah, he. But he talks in the very first chapter of his book because Nathan and I were in a season, especially this last year, of knowing our. Our son was nearly killed in an accident a year ago, and we sat in a hospital room for six days, and it caused us to think about our life differently and to have a paradigm shift of, Lord, are we even doing. Are we doing the things? Are we in the right path here? Like, what are we really? You can. So easy to get caught up in the, like, grind and dedication and commitment and. And enduring and all the things. And then got the scriptures to back it up, you know, but then it's like, wait, is it really supposed to be this hard? Is it really supposed to have this much? And so we. We shifted. And I remember still staying committed to the thing that I knew we were supposed to be shifting over into something different. And I was reading this book by Jocko, this extreme ownership book, and one of the things he talks about is obviously extreme ownership is critical in any area of life. Parents, marriage, business, whatever. We need to own. Own the process, own our mistakes. But he said, oftentimes pride will keep you in the wrong thing if you don't open your eyes to the fact that, like, you're maybe not owning the right thing or you're not doing. So at that point, it was a shift for me of, oh, my goodness, I actually think that I need to pivot here. And Nathan and I, at that point, we were getting prophetic words from friends who were like, hey, I haven't talked to you in years. But I just felt like the Lord wanted me to reach out and tell you, like, it's time to cast your net on the other side of the boat. And we're like, okay, Lord, so, you know, I skipped 14 years there in the story, but. But the idea is that we engage mind, you know, apply the work. He said he will bless the work of your hands. We have to do something. We have. We have the mind of Christ. We need to be thinking through the obstacles. For me, like, in the beginning days, I had to start researching herbal chemistry and formulation and. And then I had to study business. And not like in a book, but I had to understand how to build a healthy company and have profit. And I did that through the school of hard knocks, you know, and talking to people who were years ahead of me in the game and being mentored and. And we have to engage our inner man and follow that path of peace. And so, you know, I think. I think a lot of believers also have accepted poverty and struggle as sort of some badge of honor or, like, that's. I actually got a lot of hate from part of our community when I started to pursue more and greater things. As if, like, talking about wealth was so unholy. But I'm like, I look at Solomon and David in the Bible and Abraham.

And Abraham and Isaac, and, like, let's just go down. All the patriarchs. Right? Right.

Yeah.

I mean, and Jesus wasn't poor.

He was not poor. Like, they were casting lots for his garment.

I know. And he hired a treasurer. Like, what ministry needs a treasure if you're broke?

Right. And it was obviously appealing because somebody tried to steal. You know, somebody was stealing from them.

Yeah. And they didn't notice. Like, if you have, like, $10 and someone steals from you, you're gonna note. You're like, wait a minute, I had $8. Now you're gonna notice.

So, yeah, we can quote all the. Oh, he owns a cattle on the thousand hills, and he owns the hills on the. But I'm like, but do you really believe that what God did for Abraham, and this is part of our early, like, revelation, was that God is not a keeper of secrets. What he did for one, he will do for another. And there's no secret to it. He says, here's. Now the mysteries are the things that he shares with his inner circle. But that comes through relationship. And. And that's. That's like a totally different conversation.

The abiding, though. But, like, here's the thing. We will. People will misquote and say, well, his ways are higher than ours, and who can know the mind of God? But there's a comma there. The very next thing says, we can know the mind of God because we have access through the Son. So it's like, wait a minute. Don't stop there. Yes, his ways are higher, and, yes, they're mysterious. But he's like, come and know this.

Yeah.

So that you can operate like me in this world. Man is the connector between the heaven and the earth. Like man is the connecting point. And if we can't let that power of God flow through us to create his kingdom on earth as is in heaven, there's been some indoctrination that is, I believe is demonic. To keep you small.

Yes, you said it. Say it louder. For the back.

For the people in the back.

I agree 100%. I. And that is to me part of the downfall. Like when society is looking to the government to meet needs and when the society is looking for the handouts and when the body of Christ is in need, that to me is it because God is not. He's a need meter. And so we as believers too, that was one of the big shifts for Nathan and I were like, we want to be people who meet needs, not people who have needs. Right.

Right.

The most needy people. And I know firsthand, having served communities of women who are faith driven women, the neediest, some of the most toxic needy people are in the body. But I say that not out of. I say it because I love the body of Christ and I love.

You're saying it because it's true.

And I know what God wants to do. And we have to take responsibility and own the fact that like, okay, we as a collective body are not where we need to be and we need to make changes. And it's nobody else's responsibility to. To fix the thing for you or to do the thing for you. We. God wants to give you your breakthrough.

Yeah.

But we have.

The bride of Christ is.

She's.

She's sick, she's impoverished, she is. She's weak.

And.

And he wants to come back for a bride who is operating in her highest power.

Yes.

And ready. Ready for this wedding. And some people who are listening are like, what, what wedding? What's. What are you talking about? The bride. Okay. The bride of Christ is the church. It is the people. Not the church, the building or the organization. St. People. Because he abides in us. So it's the people of God who. And I believe what he's doing right now. Hold on. He. It's a remnant. It's a remnant. He. Because so many people have been indoctrinated in the kingdom.

Yeah.

To believe a very twisted version of the gospel. And it's the remnant who really seek him and. And know the word and live out the word, who he is calling to now change the body and Heal the body.

Yes, a hundred percent. And the crazy thing is we can see, you know, Satan can't. He can only mimic what God is doing. And we can see the spirituality of the earth. Like people are turning to spiritual things more than ever. They are. I mean, it's obviously like, you know, the satanic world is alive and well, but when you have good people who are not necessarily Christ followers, but they're tapped into the spirit and they're tapped into these principles and they're doing it through, you know, alternative ways, they're not doing it through the covenant. I'm like, if the world can do it, how come we can't do it 10 times better?

Right?

100 times better.

And like, we should be manifesting on steroids. We should be like, hundred. Because we had the blood of Jesus backing us up. And manifestation is just what faith looks like. Yes, that's it. They don't even know, like these people who are, you know, manifesting by the power of the universe. They don't even know that this is the power that God established from the beginning of time. That's why it's called universe One, one word. Like even when you say universe, you're saying Jesus because in the beginning was the Word and the Word was with him, the Word was Him. So everything points to Jesus and they don't even know. So why are we like poo pooing the whole new age community when God's like, no, no, the power should be at work in you.

Right?

And expand the kingdom.

Amen.

Whatever we refuse to, to leverage in the earthly realm, the enemy will make sure that he's leveraging it.

Yes, Amen. Amen, girl. Agree. I know it's getting hot up in here.

It is, it is. But what? So, so let's talk to that person who, you know, who is a mom. And we could go all day, first of all. So, so, you know, we'll wrap this up. So let's talk to that person who is a mom and maybe is, you know, has been indoctrinated. Maybe they're, they came from a family that was very, maybe legalistic or very impoverished or very like, you know, this is what the pastor says and this is what granny says. And, and not really knowing the word and how to work the word. So how does, how do you come out of that and learn to really be able to step into a life of abundance? Not just, and it's not just physical. Like, physical is just a. The financial abundance is an extension of what is already happening in your spirit.

Amen.

So how does someone, if they're listening to you, they're like, oh my gosh, it could happen to Jamie. Could it happen to me too? What would you say to her? What would you say to that, Mom?

Yes. Well, there is no, again, there's no respecter person. And it's not something that. And I used to believe this way, success is meant for some, but not for others. Or you have to be a certain type of person. Like, I wasn't a, A student, you know, I wasn't the one passing grades with flying colors. Or it has everything to do with your humility and your willingness to apply the covenant. And so we have a spiritual responsibility to break the chains and to change the legacy. To say, okay, whatever it is that they did or my family did, or all the people who are telling me or that I've learned from, we have to shift and go in a totally different direction. And it starts with repentance. And you talked a little bit about that off, you know, off record. The idea of God go to go before the Lord and repent for, for accepting these, these non biblical ideas and ideals and like, and be willing to do the work. And once you apply them, I tell you, you can have transformation very in divine speed again. That's where the Bible says to hearken diligently to the voice of the Lord and do all. If you do. If you hearken diligently and you do all, I've commanded you then. And then there's a whole list of blessings that come from that. And so we have to hear. And honestly, if we're talking financial, if we're talking entrepreneurial, a lot of people are praying and waiting for God to do something. And, and I was already like, even as, as I was waiting for this idea, it wasn't like, okay, God, I'm just gonna sit around. It was like, no, you know, there's a thousand ideas out there. There's. What are you gifted at? What are you talented at? What are you. What do you long for? The dream in your heart, like, that's a reflection. That's like a God is projecting his vision for your life into your spirit and that dream. That's why you get emotional when you see movies about it or when you hear somebody else doing it, you're like, I know I could do that. I know I could be doing that same thing. Like, that's the Lord. Those dreams that most women especially are setting aside because they think, oh, it's not the timing, or I should wait until the kids are older or wait till the kids are younger or wait till the kids are born or graduated or home or in school. There's all these reasons to wait, but that's my other encouragement to women is you can incorporate your family. I was pregnant and nursing five boys through this entire 14 years of growing a business. And for the first 10 years, Nathan was working full time and I had to figure it out. I didn't have help, but my number one goal was how fast can I hire help in the home? How fast can I have a second set of hands here to help me with the kids so that I can do a podcast or I can do the business and write, do all the things. And then just getting aligned with your, your spouse too, is so important. Nathan and I were having lots of conversations for years because every penny we were making from farmers markets or from, you know, we were getting these little shops in Colorado were buying from us, all of that. My house was filled with shea butter and lavender essential oil. Like, we didn't have money for trips and new cars and things that all of our friends were. So we kind of, we started to separate ourselves too from our circle because we knew that in order for us to grow, we had to let go of anything that was. And people were like, if they were celebrating our direction, we were, we were like, come along with us, you know, but some people won't celebrate you and that's okay, but bring your kids into it. All of my, My oldest now is 16. He was nursing when I had the idea. And he is there. They all work, you know, they come to the shop, they build boxes, they put labels on product, and they've been a part of it from the beginning. And that's too like, I've this idea that the family is supposed to be this nuclear family is a, is not a God given idea. God is a generational God. And the families of old used to stay together in villages and they would build upon each other. And I'm like, my goal is to build something so powerful that our kids want to be a part of it and that they have a place and a belonging in their adulthood. And they're already like being trained up not necessarily to do our business, but just to be prepared at a young age to step in. But my encouragement to women is that God has an answer. And I think too, we have this messed up idea around. Like, I mean, if I had waited for my husband to be the quote, provider, we would have been still waiting. And so, you know, the Bible says that Jesus came to set Us free. And husbands are to love their wives as Christ loved the church. And so husbands, set your wives free. If she has an idea and a vision, be her biggest cheerleader. That's what my husband was for me. Even when he couldn't, like, even though when his. The money he was making from school, like, was all going into labels, you know.

Yeah, yeah.

Farmer's markets, fees and.

Right.

We agreed together that we were going to pay the price because there's no prize without a price. And so we. We knew together that entrepreneurship was the answer for our family, and we knew it was going to take time and we were willing to sow. And so. And so without reaping a harvest for years. Yeah, we worked really hard for that. And if I could go back, I would probably change a lot of things. But.

The break, I don't think you. I don't know if you would have. Because you would go back as who you are now and who you are now as a result of who you were then.

Right. And that's another thing, is the hardship and the journey and all the things that you go through as you're building. Where a lot of people quit, they. They think, oh, it's not working. It must not be God's will for my life. I'm like, no, the work is the work. The work is actually 90% of the. The result because it's doing something on the inside of you so that you can handle the life that God has called you to.

Right. Right. Because all work has profit. It's either working for you and it's showing up in your bank account or it's working in you.

Yes.

Molding you into the person who God wants you to be. So either way, there's profit.

Yes.

And. And we are just very much, I believe, a society that has to have instant gratification. And I talk with these coaches sometimes. They're like, I've been doing this for three months and I've only made X amount. I'm like, I. I did it for five years before I saw anything.

Yes.

My bottom line. Like what? Like, yes. It's got to be something of substance if we're going to represent the kingdom of God.

Yes.

He doesn't. Like, it's not a Chia Pet anointing. We don't. We're not going to, like, plant seeds and see a Afro the next day in our chia Pet like this. We're building oak trees. We're, like, planting acorns and. And if it's going to be sturdy and established, and create generational wealth and generational internal wealth.

Yes.

It's going to be a minute and we have to just be okay with that.

Yes. Well, and I think this is where the mothers and the fathers, we lack, we lack mentorship, especially in the kingdom. Now there's a lot of people in the quote, kingdom that will sell you something. And I'm not saying there's anything wrong with that because I'm eventually going to be having like mentorship programs that are for profit. But we need mothers and fathers who are doing the thing to be pulling the younger ones by the hand and saying, no, don't quit now, don't stop now. You have like do the thing and to build the, the message and, and you're doing that Hannah and everything that you're doing, you're. We need more of the Hannahs of the world who are pastors and mentors and not just in the four walls of the church, but they're doing it through entrepreneurship, you know.

Yeah. Because it's the. God's concerned about the body, spirit and the soul. Like the spirit, you can have a born again spirit and that third of you is perfect.

Yes.

But you still have a body and you have a soul. Your soul, your mind, your will, your emotions. That's where the work is done.

Yes.

And if you're not ready to align that, that born against spirit with the soul, like that's, that's where we have all the problems.

Yeah.

It's just working with their mind so, so we can get out of our fear brain and start to become more, you know, adopt the mind of Christ. And as soon as we get that, it's like things unlock. And so I think, you know, what, what, Someone's coming away. I think people are coming away with inspiration and direction. And so what is if you could just leave a mom with one little bit of advice. I mean, this has all been so amazing, but just one little bit of advice that she can sit with right now.

What would that be that she doesn't have? Not only does she not have to stay where she is, but that God would want her to build that legacy. Legacy, wealth, generational wealth and prosperity in every area. So prosperity is not a bad word. Wealth, being rich, those things are all. God doesn't have a problem with it. As a matter of fact, God has given you the grace to apply yourself and he wants to pull you up out of where you are and take you into a new place of high ground. But you just have to be willing to do the work. And so if you're willing and you stay humble and relying upon him and you get smart about it, you'll be there in no time.

I love it. Jamie, how can people find more about you?

Yeah. I think the best way really is just through the her effect. Yeah. That's every. You can find everything from the business to what we're working on for all the things.

Cool. And we will definitely supply those links, so make sure you check that out. Jamie, thank you. I know that people are so blessed by this. I know that moms are going to be more empowered to go after that dream that God has put in them and be blessed like crazy. Thank you so much. Thanks, Hannah.