Jan 30, 2023
Leadership begins with being a good listener. Today's guest, Nancy Sabato, is a TV and Podcast show host and producer of "The Call." Through years of God directing her path into communicating with people, Nancy shares great encouragement of stepping into a leadership role in life.
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Kimberly Hobbs
Welcome to Empowering Lives with Purpose. I'm your host, Kimberly
Hobbs. I'm the founder of Women World Leaders. And we are so happy
that you joined with us today to listen in. And I am honored to
welcome our guest today. Nancy Sebato. From the call. Welcome,
Nancy,
Nancy Sabato
Thank you so much for having me on this wonderful program. I'm so
happy to be here to serve all the women that's in your ministry
that are watching right now.
Kimberly Hobbs
Oh thank you, Nancy. Nancy is going to talk today about leadership,
ladies. And we're, I'm really excited. I was actually a guest on
her podcast show where she interviews amazing people from around
the country, famous people. And so I was just honored that you had
asked me and I thought, wow, she must have a story to be able to
interview so many people and guests around the world. And I asked
her if she would be a guest on our show empowering lives with
purpose. And she gladly accepted. So thank you, Nancy.
Nancy Sabato
Wonderful to be here. Thank you so much.
Kimberly Hobbs
Thank you. So ladies, it is our hopes that today and listening that
you can be strengthened and encouraged to walk after the Lord
leadership. Of course, in women were leaders, it's just something
that we are passionate about. So whenever we have the opportunity,
which is today to talk about leadership, and how important it is,
we're going to seize that opportunity and hopefully, just empower
you with it. And that is our hope today. The Bible says every
believer has received grace 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 can be the leaders in so many different
ways in our homes in our communities, and our ministries are so
many ways to be leaders. We're all created with different giftings
because of different talents. So I hope that as you listen in
today, as Nancy and I get to share back and forth that you will
just have something in you that is sparked by the Lord because
that's what we prayed for Nancy and I prayed before we began this
podcast that you would be inspired by something that you hear. So I
want to share a little bit about Nancy before we begin and she's
just as I said pleasant, and I am tickled that we are both kind of
in the same in the same passion of what we do, which is to empower
others to walk after Jesus. Nancy is a TV and podcast show host and
producer of the call with Nancy sabato. For over two years now, the
show is an entertaining and informative program that covers a
variety of topics from addiction and human trafficking, to
salvation and transform lives. Nancy has interviewed a wide range
of guests, including world renowned authors, Christian actors,
Bible teachers and theologians. Her show is designed to help
listeners find answers they need to a transformed life through
seeking Jesus. So Nancy, as we get to dive into leadership today,
and we know that your life has a calling, obviously, because of
what you do and how you are called by God. And you do it so
beautifully, Nancy, but prior to the calling by God, can you share
with us a little bit about your personal story about your past
before TV, and podcasting?
Nancy Sabato
Of course, you know, my mother always told me be a leader, not a
follower. And that stuck with me as a child. So God was just so
merciful to me, because he had this plan of me being a leader. And
that was my passion. And I couldn't help doing it wherever I was.
So if I was going to, you know, it being in a group of people, I
would have to lead. It was just a natural thing for me. And I just
always, you know, wanted to step into that. But God shaped me for
leading others through various roles in work and volunteer work.
He's always looking for someone to step up into that and take
control and I was one of those people. So he, he ended up putting
me in a work position. I was working under someone and I would say
in my pride this is before I knew Jesus, I would say my pride. No,
I can do that job, and I can do it better. But once I stepped into
it, boy, did God have a lot for me to answer because I was just I
couldn't believe some of the things that I had encountered and the
people that I had to lead and the people that I had to supervise.
He gave me so much strength. And he put me through a lot of trials,
a lot of tribulation, a lot of like trying to figure it out. And,
you know, maybe even had someone mentor me because I didn't know
what I was doing. But God was shaping me then. So you know, anybody
out there who is, you know, in a leader, leadership position or
not, you know, that it's, it's, you know, it's, it's, first of all,
it's a lot of work. But the rewards are amazing, the work, the
rewards are awesome. And so then I just want to let everybody know
that people will fail you. It's part of training God has for you.
So like I said, in that work position, I had people that would not
show up, and I would have to, you know, take action. And that was a
hard role to play. But then I came into my church roles, which is
where the love of God really started to work on my heart yet, I was
not born again. And I was taking on a lot of roles in leadership.
And I don't think it was good for me. Because I was overloaded, and
I burned out really quick. And that's what happens in leadership,
it's easy to burn out, because you take on too much. So, but in my
church roles, what I did was, I gathered people together, I God had
given me the ability to, to rally people together, and to talk to
them and beyond their level, because sometimes people are just,
they really just need somebody to listen to them, and not to judge
them. So being a leader, you need to learn how to listen. And you
need to learn how to not just, you know, stop talking, right. And
so, and you also need to lead. And so that's when I fast forward to
a women's ministry. That was amazing, where, once a month, we would
get these women together, and have a breakfast, and a woman from
the church would come in, and she would tell her story. So we
gathered together and fellowship, we had the speaker come up, and
these women loved it. We did it every month. It was a wonderful
experience. I don't know. Kimberly, do you ever do something like
this before?
Kimberly Hobbs
Oh, absolutely. Like I think of my past too, and in the little
things that God had just sprinkled in my life that gave me the
indication that I may step into a leadership role in the future.
But however, you know, it wasn't on my radar whatsoever. So, but
just little things that you're saying, it takes me back to think
about my past. And, you know, here I am in a major leadership role,
you know, but there's a scripture The Bible says, we can make our
plans but the Lord determines our steps that you proverbs 69, nine,
and he definitely years Nancy's mind, but he puts different things
in our path ladies that he is the one that's going to determine our
steps. And we need to keep looking to Him to say, Okay, God, what
does this mean for my future going forward? So yeah, talk more,
Nancy about now, how did God nudge you like, so you had all these
indications about leadership, but you were doing things your way?
Right? Like you were you were not thinking I'm gonna do this for
God. One day, that was the furthest thing from your mind. But you
know, ladies, just like Nancy, God works all things together for
good. Absolutely. Those who love Him and those who are called
according to His purpose. And so, we know God has a calling on your
life, ladies that are listening. God had a call on Nancy's life,
and now she is doing the call, but how did he nudged you like into
serving him? Where was that point?
Nancy Sabato
Okay, so now I'm serving him in this church. And I've taken on a
lot of roles, too many roles, including the women's ministry, which
I loved, and I love the church I was going to, but I took on too
many roles, and I got burned out. And I fled the church. And I
ended up sitting in a balcony and another church, just being under
the teaching of someone who was in full gospel message. And he
talked about the works and how we aren't we don't you know, we
don't use the works to get ourselves into heaven. And I think all
along I was like, I want to please God, I want to please God. I
want to keep taking on these roles. I want to keep leading I want
to keep doing this But doing it almost in vain, cried all the
flesh, the things of the flesh. I wasn't doing the things of the
Lord. I wasn't. It wasn't, it wasn't getting to my heart. As much
as I loved all those ladies, they'll do everything that was going
on. It wasn't getting to my heart. So all right now, I left that
church. But then I also lost a job in the interim, and was got, you
know, had dental work ahead, things were going on. And it was just
a really bad year. But God had a purpose and all that fast forward,
brings me to this woman from the church I left tells me about a
Bible study that's happening locally, and women go to it. Okay,
I'll go I'll try. I'd like to learn more about the Lord. While I
didn't realize it's a Bible Study Fellowship, which is the biggest
Bible, international big Bible study, that women and men all over
the world, they study one book, and it starts in September ends in
May. And everybody is studying at the same time. It's, it's
amazing. So I get there. And enlist Amanda, the teaching of Moses
now, right? So she did, she's the speaker is talking about Moses,
I'm like, I didn't know God was that big, and literally did not
realize that the Lord was working on my heart, and showing me what
he really can do. So I'm doing it now I'm going every week. And of
course, I'm sitting in it, my vainness I'm sitting in, I'm thinking
to myself, you know, what, this group leader, this is good. But you
know, I could do it too. And I could do it. I think I could do it
better. This is my flesh, you know, you well, the leaders are all
awesome. So, fast forward a year and a half later, they call me up,
God calls me up. And you know, I did not hesitate and some people
will be I'll pray for it. I'll pray about that. Let you know, you
know, no, I said, okay, right away, there's no stopping me. So I
go, right, I go right in and I start to train, they, you know, the
following September, I'm, I'm training and, and I'm learning how to
be with these women. And it's a totally different dynamic, where
you are not you are you have to learn not only to be compassionate,
but you have to be understanding, and you cannot, cannot overlook
someone, when if they even if they said something wrong, you can't
overlook them, you can't bypass them, because it breaks their
heart. So many women have broken hearts to begin with, when they're
walking into a women's ministry, anything like that any Bible
study, there's a brokenness that we all have, and we carry, you
know, that we need, we don't need to be like, pushed down any more.
We need people to understand and to be open to us and to hear us.
And so this is where I learned where everybody is important. And,
and it just took me, like many years of like, really listening and
understanding and seeing the heart of a woman during this time. So
that was my, that was my biggest that was my biggest takeaway. And
that's how God really led me all those years, you know, to this,
but, you know, just just to backtrack, just once is that many, many
years ago, I had a dream of of, you know, doing this podcast that I
do that as you do. And that and God stopped that dream. And I often
said, God, you know, I don't know why you stopped me from that
dream. But little did I know, he had a plan. He had a plan to put
God's word in my heart. And he and he had a plan to have me
minister to women, and to to know them and to seek their hearts and
see them. Like that's the thing. I don't see someone when I look at
them physically. I see their heart. Beautiful. I love their heart.
I love them when they walk in. And I know they know I see their
heart because I tell them I know I know your heart today. You know
what's going on with you. And I look at look at women that way.
Kimberly Hobbs
And I love that about you, Nancy and that's that's beautiful and
leadership because they are not going people are not going to
follow you or listen to what you say. Unless they respect you
unless they know that you genuinely care. You can stand up all day
and tomorrow and talk talk talk talk talk and it's gonna go in one
ear and out the other but until you can hear the heart. That's so
important. Nancy and you touched on that is it that they have to
know that you truly care. And so God took you through Bible study,
fellowship, into leadership, he was pouring in His Word into your
life, and you were living it and making it real. And then you had
the opportunity to start to use it for His glory, where you're
taking what you learned, and now you're pouring is a leader into
others. So he was grooming you. And ladies, you may be on that
grooming process where you can look at little things in your past
that may be God's hand was moving you gently along and guiding you
to where you are right now. And you're ready to take that step
forward. Because we all can be leaders, right where we are, it
starts where we are, absolutely. And we just need to have that
heart and compassion for other people. And to know that it's not
all about you getting the limelight, it is about you pouring into
someone else, and them accepting that, you know, you genuinely
care, and then they're going to start to follow you and they're
going to trust you and you build that trust. And that doesn't
happen overnight. So Nancy, so the person that's listening right
now that you are sharing about different things in leadership that
you felt were takeaways to you, before you got into what you do.
And television and podcasting, you said, there were three three
things in leadership that really stuck out in you. Can you share
that with the ladies listening?
Nancy Sabato
Yes, well, there's three characteristics of a good leader, lead
people like Jesus, that with compassion and understanding, it's so
important, because they just like I said, they just want to, they
want to love they want to love on you, you know, and you want to
show them, that you love them, too. And so if you if you listen,
and you understand, and Kimberly was hitting on that, as well, you
know, they're, they're more apt to, to want to trust you and
understand them. And to know when people you know, to win, and to
know when to talk and when to listen. You know, sometimes you I,
you know, during Bible Study Fellowship will have such a lot of
chatter going on, you know, there's just a lot of women, they just
want to talk to some and I want to talk to so but sometimes I have
to like, hunker back, and just let somebody talk. And then you can
get the full picture of what they're trying to say, sometimes you
want to jump in, jump in on what they're saying. But, you know,
sometimes you gotta listen to the full thing of where they're going
with what they're telling you. And so that is another good
characteristic, listen. And then the third would be lead like you
were bringing them to heaven. Because this is such an important
task. We as believers in Jesus Christ, must lead people, as if they
were going to heaven, we need to share Christ with other people.
And when we lead them, we need to constantly tell them, Jesus did
for them at the cross, it was so important. What he did for them at
the cross was a life changer for them when they came to be the
believer that they are. So even people that don't believe that you
need to be the light of Christ in their life. Because if there's
anybody out there that has a family, and there's many of us that
do, that don't believe in Jesus, like we do, and we get, it gets
really tough for us, because we really want them to know Jesus,
like we do. Just be a light in their life and meet them where they
are, it's important to meet them there. Okay, so those are the
three things that I would say. And also that God, you know, if you
if you don't think that you're a leader, you know, God will make it
clear when he calls you up for leadership because like Kimberly
said, there's a lot of people that are leading in their own way, it
doesn't necessarily have to be in some position. It can be, you
know, writing your own home, you know, you know, he calls you up
for leadership, you know, in your heart, that that's the direction
he wants you to go when you feel like he's leading you there. So
like I said, like we were saying, like, there are many ways to lead
first your children train them up in the way they must go, that's
proverbs 22. Six, show them that you can lead them well, through
making decisions, you know, when you're helping them through their
life, the decisions that you help them make our life changers. So
this is something that you that you really want to do you want to
groom them in knowing who Jesus is groom him and making the right
decision. surgeons and point them to the Bible, because that's the
truth. If they want to know truth, go to that page, you know where
it is, look it up, if you can't find it, just Google it, you will
find the thing in your heart that the Holy Spirit wants you to
know, to just to put that on them and to look that passage up.
While so you know what, it could be as simple as being a prayer
partner, leading in that way, call somebody up and say, hey, you
know, how would you like to pray once a week? How about once a
month, you know, you can lead in simple ways. But just you know,
people look for leaders, people want to know that they can go to
you, if they you know, have a problem, that's where you lead as
well. Being good counsel. Right. So um, so those are some of the
things that that I would say to, you know, your audience right out
there.
Kimberly Hobbs
I love that. And I love what you said, that really stood out to me,
Nancy, because we live in a world where everybody is judging one
another. And you said, meet them where they are. That is beautiful.
And I know in women, world leaders, that is one of the things that
we encourage our ladies as leaders, meet the person where they are,
we are all sinners. And prayerfully saved by God's grace, that
you've come to know Jesus as your Savior. But we all had to have
that moment where we come to Jesus as we are right, those sinners,
and so meet that person where they are and know that they may be in
a broken place and, and then listen, like Nancy said, that was
another thing of being a good leader is listening. So don't just
right away, throw all your advice and think you're gonna save the
world because you are just giving them all the right advice, listen
and hear where their heart is at that moment, so that you can offer
the right advice when they trust you. When you meet them where they
are, right. There's it's all entwined together, there is so much
that you have to again, learn and put into place before you jump
out there and just say, I'm going to be the perfect leader. And I'm
going to just stand in front of 1000s and lead, right. So yes, God
has to take us all through those grooming stages. And I love your
advice. And those three helpful hints, Nancy, so God says, commit
everything you do to the Lord, trust Him, and He will help you. So
if this is an area where you want so badly to lead, you want to
lead in your home, because you have unruly kids, you want to lead
outside in your business, wherever it is, if you commit those ways
to the Lord ladies. God's gonna help you he says it in His Word in
Psalm 37, five, just commit those things to the Lord, release the
control, surrender your life to Him, and He you're going to be an
amazing leader, right? Because all of those things are going to
come into your life that he pours in, through the Holy Spirit
leading and guiding you, Nancy, how you now are, you're in
television, you are doing podcasts interviews on the call, you've
written a book, you are now leading with such a voice in this
world. And I love that. And I think that's why you and I connected
so much because we know what it takes to be a leader in this world.
And how can people find you find your book, if they want to reach
out to you?
Nancy Sabato
Well, you can just go to you can go to my website, which is the
call with Nancy sebadoh.com. You can also go on, you know,
Facebook, Instagram, or you can just google google me. And my Yeah,
it's just easy. Just, and my book is day by day grace. And it's a
it's a prayer journaling. And that also is on my website. So it's
wonderful and I'm just happy I'm so happy to be here with you
Kimberly, it's it's wonderful to just be able to sit and talk about
God and talk about how God can you know work in your life and make
you great because everybody out there God has put talents in your
in your soul, whether it's leadership, it whether it's you know,
hospitality, whatever the fruit of the Spirit gives you. Ladies
don't shy back from that because it's so important. So important
that you pray and ask God to lead you to serve him on Earth. We're
here for short time, short time. Make it great. Be that servant to
him. Be that servant.
Kimberly Hobbs
Amen. I love that. I love that you have a prayer journal out
because it starts with prayer. Ladies, that is vital when we He
founded women, world leaders. I have a team of founding leaders
that came on board that saw the vision and said, Yes, I want to be
part of it. Well, the first thing that we did was take it to the
Lord in prayer. Every single part and aspect of this ministry we
put to the Lord in prayer. And they it's not just a one time
prayer, God, help this ministry grow, know, this ministry grew
because of prayer, because of communication constantly, day by day
by day. And so Nancy, this prayer journal, I'm sure is such a
helpful tool, that it takes you through praying because you need to
pray for anything you set out to do remember, commit your plans to
the Lord. Well, if you're committing them to the Lord, you got to
talk to him about that. Okay. So if you're talking to Him through
prayer, then he says that, trust me, and I will help you. Psalm 37.
Five, put it on your refrigerator. Look at that scripture, because
he is he's not gonna leave you floundering. That's wrong. He's
gonna move you in your gifts and talents to whatever it takes to
serve him. Yeah. So is we have to close I'm scripture, ladies.
Jeremiah 2911. I know the plans I have for us as the Lord. And so
many people use the Scripture, but it's so true. God has a plan for
you. And it's the plans I have for you says the Lord plans to
prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you a hope, and a
future. He wants you to have that hope and future but with him, not
doing it on your own, like Nancy set out to do it all on her own.
And she was wanting to be this great leader on her own. But God had
other plans, right, Nancy, and it was so beautiful, how he honed
you in to his word, and groomed you and taught you through these
Bible studies that you went through which is so beautiful. Ladies,
at women were leaders, we do have those tools for you. And we asked
you to be part of it come in deeper with us. There are so many
opportunities for you to serve God and be a leader here with us.
But right where you are through zoom and technology and all the
things that we have, we can be working with you encouraging you,
you might want to write in our in one of our books that we have all
of our books, praise God have gone to number one bestseller. And
there's a reason for that. And you go on a journey. And it's a
journey with some other women and God to put out books that will
change the world through your stories. We also have voice of truth,
we want you to be a voice in this world. That's a magazine and
publication we put out every quarter. It's beautiful, ladies, you
can read it digitally online for free, you can get the printed
version. If you become a monthly donor to women, we're leaders have
any mount it doesn't matter. We'll send you the printed version of
voice of truth. It is gorgeous, 100 pages, no advertising in it, it
is just pure blessing to bless the woman and so many areas of her
life. So, ladies, we want you to be part of women, world leaders.
And again, that's how Nancy and I connected was I was able to share
my story on the call with Nancy Roboto. And I am just thrilled. And
now she's here. And she hopefully dropped a little bit of
encouragement to you about leadership and being a leader. So thank
you again, Nancy, for being on today.
Nancy Sabato
Thank you so much for having me. Ladies, listen, I'm just gonna put
a little plug in, go if you want to do some leadership and here's a
great place to start women, world leaders. How could you go wrong,
you have someone who is going to encourage you as someone who's
going to teach you so you don't have to be afraid. And even if
you're not, you know, not ready for leadership. Maybe there's
something in there that that's perfect for you. This is a great
place to start.
Kimberly Hobbs
Amen. Women world leaders.com Ladies and just go through the
website and see all the areas where you could plug in and and let
leave us your information. We Don't bombard you with stuff all the
time. It's just to let you know when things in the ministry are
happening and how you can plug in and be a part. So ladies, we have
to close Thank you, Nancy. Remember all copyright all content is
copyrighted by women world leaders and cannot be used without
expressed written consent. We thank you for joining us today. God
bless you and have a beautiful day ladies