Oct 24, 2022
Kimberly Hobbs
Welcome to Empowering Lives with Purpose, and I am your host,
Kimberly Hobbs. I am the founder of Women World Leaders. Ladies, we
are so happy that you decided to join us today. And we are in for a
special treat because we have one of our founding leaders here from
Women World Leaders, Kerri Bridges. Welcome, Kerri.
Kerri Bridges
Hi, ladies, glad to be here and share with you all today.
Kimberly Hobbs
We are so happy that you came. So God says every believer has
received gifts, so use them to serve one another as faithful
stewards of the many color tapestries of God's grace. First, Peter
410. Ladies, we believe at women world leaders that each and every
one of us have a special purpose. And we have been given gifts from
the Lord to us for His purpose. And it's our hopes through you
listening today and us sharing stories of other women, that we can
inspire each other, encourage each other to walk out those special
gifts that God has given to us. And we want to encourage you and
empower you to also act upon things that God is moving and sharing
with you to do in your life. So, before we start with a little bit
about Carrie and how God has called her, I want to share with you
about who she is, Kerri Bridges, where do I start? Because you are
an amazing woman of God in so many ways. Kerri is, as I shared a
founding leader of Women, World Leaders. she is one of our
original, I believe we had 12 leaders when we started out and now
we're at like 27. It's amazing what God is doing. Kerri is our
worship leader. If many of you tune into our Facebook Lives every
month, you will hear her singing and playing and worshiping and
leading us. And she's also an editor in our Voice of Truth
magazine. She writes for Voice of Truth as well. And she is also a
songwriter, and a lyric writer. And if you listened from the
beginning and listen to the end, you will hear the Women World
Leaders jingle. That jingle was written and sung by Kerri Bridges.
And we are just so thrilled about that because it really has become
a little jingle in everybody's heart and mind as they listen. It's
so fun. Kerri is married and resides in South Florida with her
family and God has blessed Kerri with six children. And I know she
looks so young, but it is incredible to hear how old some of her
kids are. I'm not going to share that with you. But um, yeah, she
has been gifted with youth. Wow, Kerri, and we just rejoice that
now you are a grandmother. And you have her grandmother for the
first time to baby Ezra who was just born a few weeks ago is a
little preemie. But we are so happy to say that he is doing
healthy. He's well and thriving. And Kerri's daughter Allison gave
birth to a healthy baby boy, just a couple of weeks ago. And Alison
also plays on our worship team. And we are so grateful for this
mother-daughter duo. So, we begin. Again, you are a plethora of
talent, and you are truly a treasure to Women World Leaders. So
maybe I thought that you can give us some insight to how God was
molding and shaping your life even at a young age of eight years
old. And you shared with me a little bit about a gift that you
received when you were eight years old. Can you share about how God
moved at a young age?
Kerri Bridges
Yes. So I come from a very large family. There are 10 of us. And I
think I was around eight years old and my mom bought a Kindle
Oregon for all of the children for the whole family. And it was the
kind where it had the two levels on it. And it came with these
instruction books that had the staff on it with the letter of the
note on it. And I had never even thought about it. But I would just
sit down at this organ every day and just became fascinated with
learning this and started teaching myself how to read the music. I
didn't even realize what I was doing. I was just fascinated by it.
And so next thing I know, as the years went by, I could play the
piano, I had never, I'd never had a lesson at all. But this gift
was definitely something that God ordained to put that within me.
And ultimately, my, my brother, also he later on in life, I started
teaching him how to play and now he is a worship leader in
Richmond, Virginia for a very large church. So yeah,
Kimberly Hobbs
That is so cool how God moves, ladies, so you never know what your
children are going to do and how God is going to move in and
through things by this by your mom, getting that organ. Oh my
goodness, that was just the beginning of what God was doing in your
young life. The Bible says, oh, Lord, you do such wonderful things.
You plan them long ago. And now you have accomplished them. That's
Isaiah 25. One. And we can clearly see how he had this planned long
ago and Kerry's life. And he's accomplished them now in women,
world leaders in how she serves worldwide. It's just mind boggling
when you see God Scripture come to life in your own life. So listen
to this now, at 17 years old, Carrie, you were ready to step out in
faith. And you move to a new place, a new church, youth group. And
all of these things are new in your life. But God began to use you
for His purpose. At that time in your life. Can you talk a little
bit about that?
Kerri Bridges
Yes. So I grew up in a really small church and all of us siblings,
we were all part of the choir, we basically were the choir pretty
much. And so as we I would play little songs here and there at the
church and on the on the piano and sing and then when we moved to a
new place, the youth group there that I got involved with the lead
keyboardist got married, and suddenly they had a void to be filled.
And I don't remember if I offered myself up to play. I can't
imagine myself doing that because I'm shy. But either way, I was
suddenly thrust into a position of the lead keyboardist for this
youth group. And I was singing as well singing backup and leading
songs. And that was the next step that God brought me to in this
life of worship ministry.
Kimberly Hobbs
Oh, my goodness, that is so incredible. The Bible says to commit
everything that you do to the Lord and trust Him and He will help
you, and Kerri, that is what you did, like you didn't feel that you
were...you knew enough yet to step into that role, but you walked
forward in faith, right? You trusted him. And just like the
Scripture says, Trust Him and He will help you. That's Psalm 939.
Five. So ladies, if you are contemplating something that is right
in front of you, God is opening the door in one way or another, but
you're afraid and you're kind of stepping back. This verse says,
Trust Him, and He will help you. And remember, God's Word is true.
He puts it there for us to look at and glean from. So this is
exactly what Carrie did. And before she knew it, she was walking
out what that purpose was for what were what God had intended for
her life. So Carrie, you got married, you started having children.
Oh my goodness, and you didn't stop...you are the mom of six
children that it's like that blows my mind still. But on top of
having six children ladies, she homeschooled every single one of
them all the way all the way till their graduation and that just
blows my mind because I can't imagine that, Kerri, but Kerri you
must be a whiz like in all subjects. My gosh, no wonder you're
editing and writing and singing and writing music and I just
unbelievable. But during this time, Kerri, you cried out to God,
there was something really heavy on your heart at this time. And
there was a miracle that was answered. So can you share with us a
little bit about, about that crying out to God moment?
Kerri Bridges
Yeah, I, at this point, I had been involved in the adult choirs and
worshiping with the adult worship teams. And we had family bands
with my sister and brother in law, my dad was the drummer and my
sister and her husband, they were the lead singers. And so and my
husband even got involved in that at one point. So then we have all
these kids back to back to back and I we chose to homeschool them.
And I, my kids were a little bit old. At this point, my oldest had
wanted to play drums when he was young. So he was around four years
old. And he showed interest in that. So we got to junior set for
him. And he started learning how to play the drums and my dad, who
was a drummer would give him lessons here and there. But here I was
at this point where I had all six of my children, homeschooling
them from high school all the way down to grade school. And it's
overwhelming enough just to teach them the four basic subjects for
school. So I had realized at this poignant moment that I had never
put into them, that knowledge and understanding of music like I
would have wanted to, like my heart had always wanted to. And I had
no idea how I was going to even incorporate that into my schooling
that was already overwhelming. So I cried out to the Lord, I really
did. Because this was genuinely a desire of my heart for my kids to
learn if they had that desire themselves for them to learn music,
so I cried out to the Lord and I prayed helped me figure out how to
incorporate this. And within a couple of months, suddenly, my son
Maddie, he came to me and he's saying, Look what I picked up on the
guitar mom, and he's just kind of picking this phenomenal guitar
lick. And I said, How did you how did you figure that out? My
husband's a guitarist too, and but he had just decided to pick it
up kind of like the same way with me with the piano. And within a
few months, he was playing incredible stuff like you would see
someone after years of playing. He's picking up after months. And
so I saw that this gifting was passed on to him. And then my
daughter, Allison started picking up the guitar and the piano and
singing and writing music. And then my youngest son Jaden, he is 16
now and he started picking up guitar, drums, piano. And at this
point, he is basically a piano prodigy level, he sits down, he
listens to a classical song that he wants to learn. And within 15
to 3030 minutes, he has learned the song, he listens to it, and he
plays it. And so God answered the cry of my heart. In the same way
that I learned, basically, without any lessons God just like
downloaded into them the music. So it was incredible
Kimberly Hobbs
If you have heard Kerri sing and play, it still blows my mind that
she has never had a piano lesson in her life. She can read music,
and she is so gifted in that area. And then God rewarded her by her
prayer and crying out to Him about the burden for her children. She
wanted her children to know and understand and love music and be
able to worship God the way she did. And he did. Ladies, there's a
verse again, this could be on any anything that God puts on your
heart, you know, the desire for your children, the you know, desire
for future of what they're going to do. God says in Second
Chronicles 15, seven, Be strong and courageous, your work will be
rewarded. So hold that promise to that God promises you be strong
and courageous. Do the work. God will reward you and he shared it
he answered that cried to carry and through her children now what's
going on? It's just it's a god phenomenon, you know, because this
family is so gifted in music. So as we continue on now, now God has
led you to women, world leaders. So how did you get here? Kerri,
let's talk about that because you're a founding leader, my dear
Kerri Bridges
Yeah. Well, you and I had met through Sean Loomis, our friend, our
mutual friend who was a worship leader. And he asked us to help him
out with leading worship at the tiki life group that you guys had
held at your house. And next thing I know, I think one of the
meetings, I had gone to the piano, because if there's a piano, my
husband's always saying, let's go to the piano, let's play, let's
sing some worship. And so I was sitting down, you didn't even know
at that point that I can play the piano. And I was just playing and
you came in, and you were, you know, and that I could play the
piano. And then...
Kimberly Hobbs
So beautifully.
Kerri Bridges
Thank you...
Kimberly Hobbs
...and without music.
Kerri Bridges
So then, when you go and God birthed inside of you that the calling
for women, world leaders, you asked me if I would like to be
involved, and I knew that I wanted to be involved, because that was
another thing that I had. We I had moved to Florida several years
back, and my sisters and I are all very close, actually, my all of
us siblings, but my sisters are my best friends. And I missed that
friendship that I had with them close up. And I actually I had
prayed that God would lead me to some women, I don't easily make
friends because I can be so shy. But I prayed that God would lead
me to some women that I could develop the friendships with. And so
when you offered this opportunity to me, I immediately knew the
answer was yes. I don't know if you remember that. That was my
answer. I don't even have to pray about it. Because I already
prayed about it. And this is an answer to that prayer.
Kimberly Hobbs
Right. Do you hear how God works? Ladies, I mean, this is
incredible. So he had already put that desire and curious heart.
And He fulfilled that desire, as again, he put the desire in my
heart to start a group for women, and which turned into in the
vision was huge ladies. God gave me that vision from the beginning
that this would go worldwide. So carry you are just part of that
vision. When he told me to gather leaders Little did I know I'm
gathering so many of them. But God knew what was ahead of us.
Right? He knew was going to come down the right but you stepped out
of your comfort zone. Praise God. Because you are more of an
introvert. And yeah, I am. Yeah. But God's given me the grace for
each step of the way. So Amen. Amen. So let's share a little bit
about what is going on now that women were a leader. So you started
off as we met inside of a home ladies, she was playing the piano,
and we were just doing worship before we would get into our
message. And so she started off there, and then God expanded it so
huge. We were busting out of the home to two days a month, because
we couldn't even contain all the women that were coming. Our
neighborhood couldn't contain the cars that came. And God provided
us a fellowship hall. And so Carrie, we got a keyboard for women,
world leaders, and we became traveling and carry was our worship
leader at the fellowship hall. And then we we were like busting out
of that. And, and so we went from the fellowship hall and COVID
hit. So we had no choice but to go to plan C. And God was already
providing. And we had our traveling keyboard and our our guitars
because Allison at that point had come your daughter to share in
worship on the worship team. And so Mother and daughter piano
guitar, we were all set to go right to Facebook Live and start our
meetings that way. And that's how that began. Yeah. And so you were
serving so faithfully, Carrie, so faithfully. I mean, this woman, I
think, in all of the years, since we've started has only missed one
meeting that I can think of, well now too, because of your daughter
being in the hospital a couple weeks ago giving birth to as but you
are so faithful Kerri, and you have answered the call. Amazing. And
now you're an editor for our magazine for women, world leaders
voice of truth magazine, can you share a little bit about a purpose
creation, which is your column that you write for inside this
magazine?
Kerri Bridges
Yes, so my column is Everything Worship. And my first article that
I wrote was called A Purposed Creation because there's a scripture
verse that says we were created to give God glory. And that was a
sermon that the youth pastor that the same youth group that I was
talking about earlier, that he had given this beautiful message
about, we were created to give God glory. And it was in that moment
that I realized that this is more than music that God had put
inside of me was not about me, it was about God's glory. And so
that birthed in me the desire for taking that gift that God had
given me and using it for his glory in His glory alone. And so the
art, the column is called A Purposed Creation because we were
purposed, created to give God glory. And that's what the column is
about.
Kimberly Hobbs
Oh, Kerri, and it is such a wonderful column. And for those viewers
that are watching on YouTube, Here's a glimpse from one of the
magazines of purpose creation, her column, and it is reaching
around the world because not only are we on YouTube, but God has
given us the ability to be on five different platforms around the
country, we're on. Not only YouTube, but SoundCloud, Spotify,
iTunes, Apple podcast, Libsyn. So 1000s of women are able to listen
to these interviews, not just watch them. And so you can be
walking, you can be out doing things you could be cooking in the
kitchen and listen to these podcasts on any of the platforms. So at
the, at the gym, as Carrie does.
Kerri Bridges
That's where I listen to it.
Kimberly Hobbs
Wow. So there's a verse again, I want to share, it reminds me so
much of you and me, our listeners gleaned from this verse also.
It's First Corinthians 1558. And it says, always work
enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for
the Lord is Ever useless. And carry that is that is so true of you.
You work enthusiastically and everything you do, because you're
following your dream that God put in your heart. I love it. I love
that you are working for him. And now you're encouraging other
women through writing in this article to walk into their calling in
music, and it's inspiring. So ladies, if you're not receiving this
magazine yet voice of truth, please contact us at info at women
world leaders.com, you can email us there. And it just give us your
mailing address if you're here in the United States, and you'll get
your free copy. But if you're outside the country, we give it out
digitally. And again, it's free. So just go to email us at info at
women world leaders.com. So that takes me to the soul healing
Summit. Last year, we put out a soul healing Summit, and Kerri had
been serving the Lord back at home and not only serving in
ministries, but she was writing music and singing music. And she
had this passion to do that. And God provided the perfect
opportunity at our soul healing Summit, which was a sold out event
at Keiser University in Palm Beach, Florida. And Kerri got to debut
her beautiful song that she wrote. And Kerri, can you share a
little bit about that moment in time? Because that went over
amazing. Everybody loved that song.
Kerri Bridges
Yeah. Well, I'm, again, quite shy with these kinds of things. But
you had asked me if I would be willing to do a song that I had
written. And this was a special song to me because it was God gave
it to me at a very low time in my life. And I it was a rare moment
of being alone at home without any of the kids or even my husband
and my mother in law happened to call me that day and she she knew
what was going on in our lives. And she told me put it in a song.
And so I got off the phone. And within 10 minutes that song was
written and done. Oh, that song came.
Kimberly Hobbs
Wow. And I wish we can play it for you ladies but it doesn't
transfer well over zoom which we're recording through right now. So
the great news is, Carrie is now going to start singing the songs
that she's written and the lyrics she's going to start singing them
every month at women world leaders, and we meet for Facebook Live
the first Monday of every month at 7pm. Eastern time. So Monday,
May 3, which will be the same day this podcast is released, will be
the day that Carrie will debut that song for Facebook Live. And
you'll all be able to hear the song that she wrote for the Lord
Jesus Christ from her heart from a place that God spoke to her so
deeply. And I promise you, wait until you hear the song, it will
move you to tears. It is so beautiful. And then Carrie has agreed
and we are so thrilled to start playing some of the music and
worship that she has written. And as well you have your daughter,
right, Carrie that she's going to be doing the same thing. She's an
amazing songwriter as well. Yeah, she'll so she'll be sharing some
in the future off. Yes, Alison bridges, we cannot wait to hear your
music as well, honey. And we just encourage you just keep going and
serving in the way that God has equipped you. So Oh, my goodness,
Carrie, as the Apostle Paul says, I am certain that God will be
done the good work within you will continue his work until it is
finally finished. On the day when Christ returns. That's
Philippians one, six, and ladies for you, God has begun a work in
you and He promises to complete that work. So believe that and
trust it, whatever it is, that is in your heart, just believe and
trust that God will perfect it in you just walk in it and just
start doing it just as Carrie did. She had that enthusiasm and in
desire and dream. And now here she is serving in a worldwide
ministry. All Glory to God and it's so beautiful. So Kerrie, and
close. As you stepped out of that comfort zone, and you walked into
God's calling for your life, can you share with our listeners, just
a word of encouragement that if they're afraid of they're afraid to
move from that place in their life that they are right now or
they're not feeling worthy to be called by the Lord or whatever
could be their their hang up? Can you just encourage them in the
way that you will?
Outstanding word, sister, thank you. Thank you, thank you, Carrie bridges, you are a delight. James four eight says, come close to God and He will come close to you. So ladies, remember that just start drawing close to him. Be in the scriptures, you know, beat put yourself around believers that are going to encourage you and lift you up to follow after God's heart. And before you know it as the closer you get to him, you are going to be walking with him hand in hand. We promise we promise. You thrill me, Lord with all you have done for me. I will sing for joy because of what you have done that Psalm 92 four and we know that Carrie sings her heart out for the Lord because of all he has done in and through her life. And ladies, we want that to be you. We want you to sing your heart out because of all God has done for you. And he'll carry you the rest of the way. So this is exactly what we'd like to do is just encourage you and inspire just as Carrie has done. So, let us all just testify of the wonderful things that God has done in our life, whatever way he has called us to do that. So in closing, again, I want to say thank you to our wonderful guests, Carrie bridges. Don't forget ladies, May 3, which is tonight. 2021. And in case you're listening to this podcast at another time, you can also look up our Facebook live meetings. And you can hear Kerri sharing her song that she wrote, and now, every month following, she'll be sharing music that she wrote, For the Lord her and her daughter, Allison. So we're so excited about that. Ladies, if you're looking for a place to plug in, we invite you to plug into women, world leaders, God is equipping us with women from all over the world who want to help you and walk alongside of you. One way you can do that, ladies is tune into the podcast each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Every Monday, we have these interviews with women from around the world sharing and inspiring you On Wednesdays we have walking in the word with Julie Jenkins where she will teach from the Word of God and I'm telling you she is a powerful teacher and you can just listen and glean truths, as she brings stories from Scripture to life. And then on Friday, we have celebrating God's grace with Lauren dean. And she Lauren has a heart for God and just will encourage you and inspire you with her stories through women, world leaders and through just stories in life. And it's amazing to hear this young woman share from her heart what God is doing. Ladies, we also invite you to go to our website, women world leaders.com where you can share your prayer requests. You can interact and you can pray for others there. And there's all sorts of things for you to plug into. But we want to make sure that you are receiving voice of truth magazine which comes out by monthly and the way that you can get your free copies are to go to info at women world leaders.com with an email and leave us your name, your address and your email address and we will get that out to you. As soon as the next edition comes. God bless you everybody. And remember from his heart to yours. We are women world leaders. All content is copyrighted and cannot be used without expressed written consent.
encouraging, empowering, inspiring each other on this journey of faith
Kerri Bridges
Yes,
Yes, one of my favorite verses is Psalm 37 Four. And it says Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. And when I was a teenager, reading that verse, it leapt out on the page to me that this verse means that God will place inside of you the desires for that which has created you to do for His glory. And God had put that desire in me. And if you have a passion or desire in your heart for something, God has placed that in you to use it for His glory. And then that can look different from one person to another. But we have to believe and step out in faith that God has called us to do this. And it's not about us. And even though I get moments of anxiety that those few seconds before that video starts, I get that moment of anxiety. But that is a tension on me. And I need to I always pray to push that away from me and remember that that it's about God's glory in that mind, because we were created to give God glory in that ourselves. And so I just encourage you to move forward to give God the glory that He is do.