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Interview with Betty Southard

Hello, Musers Who Matter,

Our special guest today is speaker and author, Betty Southard.

MaryAnn:
Hello, Betty! Welcome to Musings That Matter! I am delighted to have you with us today.

Betty:
Thank you, MaryAnn, it is a privilege to have this opportunity to share my life and passion with your readers.

MaryAnn:
Betty, please tell us a little about yourself.

Betty:
Fred & I have been married for 50 years, but I must state that I got married very young. We met in Portland, Oregon at Youth for Christ, where we were both very involved. Fred sang in the choir and I participated on the Bible Quiz teams, and in our local school club. We are the parents of 3 adult daughters, all married and serving the Lord. We also have 7 grandchildren. I have been involved in ministry, teaching Bible Studies and serving on the teaching staff of CLASS (Christian Leaders Authors Speakers Seminars) since 1984. I received my MA in Theology from Fuller Seminary in 1985. I love to travel, entertain, decorate and read.

MaryAnn:
When did you discern God's call on your life to speak and write for Him? Was it a one-time event or a gradual revelation?

Betty:
From early childhood I knew that I wanted to make a difference for the Lord. I always attended every seminar, retreat, etc. possible. I remember watching speakers that I admired and whose messages impacted my life and desired to do just that myself. So the longing began very early, but the progression to becoming a speaker and then a writer has been an ongoing development of Spiritual growth.

MaryAnn:
Betty, you serve as Minister of Caring for Dr. Robert Schuller's Hour of Power Ministry. Please tell us about this wonderful ministry and how your writing and speaking talents impact it.

Betty:
Because of my theological degree, I was asked to answer letters that were received by the Hour of Power ministry that included either theological or psychological questions. I was able to answer these from my own home, using resources to be sure that my answers were orthodox, and not just my opinion. I found this to be an incredibly challenging opportunity to share Christ with many people who would never darken the doors of a local church. Many had been hurt in the past by “Christians” or “Religion.” Some were in the midst of very difficult life situations. Being able to share with these men and women gave me plenty of insight into the hurts and needs in the world. It also made me very aware of the fantastic outreach and ministry that the Hour of Power has. I believe that it both helped my speaking and writing, as well as allowed me to use the lessons I learned as a speaker and writer to help others.

MaryAnn
You've written three books: The Grandmother Book (1993), Come As You Are: How Your Personality Shapes Your Relationship with God(1999), and The Mentor Quest: Practical Ways to Find the Guidance You Need (March 2002). Would you tell us a little about each of these books and how you came to write them?

Betty:
My first book, The Grandmother Book, came about as my prayer partner, Jan Stoop, and I began to have grandchildren. There is nothing more frightening then watching your children, with whom you made so many mistakes, raising those precious, perfect, little grandchildren of yours……….and repeating those same mistakes! We discovered that many of our friends were facing challenges in grandparenting that previous generations had not faced. There were no books out there that dealt with those challenges, nor were there any that gave guidance on how to enjoy the pleasures that come with grandparenting. We drew on our experiences and the experiences of many others to compile a book that deals with both the pleasures and pressures of grandparenting.

Come As You Are grew out of my own personal frustration of seeing so many other people struggle with how to have a devotional time that was meaningful, regular and guilt free. We are often presented with the “ideal” which means that we would read a passage of Scripture daily, always finding some “word” which would speak to our situation, spend an allotted time in prayer, covering the world as well as our family concerns, journal our insights (if we are really spiritual) and do this on a daily basis. How many people do you know that realistically live up to this ideal? How often do we have time to fit all that in on a daily basis without falling asleep with exhaustion…….or finding our minds drifting off to our “to do” list?

I believe that God wants to meet with us regularly, but I also believe that God created each and every one of us unique and individual. Therefore he doesn’t put us in a one-size-fits-all box when it comes to communing with him. So my aim in writing this book was to help others discover how they can personally grow closer to God, and also to accept the different spiritual styles of others. I based this on understanding our different personalities, and we interviewed hundreds of men and women to discover their methods. There is something for everyone in this book.

My third book, The Mentor Quest, grew out of my puzzling over the question so often asked: "Betty, will you mentor me?" I had never had a personal mentor, yet as I reviewed my life I realized I had been mentored 100’s of times by many different people and methods. I saw a hunger for mentors, yet I found a real reluctance in people to step up and be willing to mentor others. So I decided to share my experience that we are surrounded by mentors. It is our responsibility to develop what I call “mentoring eyes” to identify the resources that surround us. There is mentoring potential in sermons, conferences, radio and TV ministries, books and the people who surround us. We are not limited to personal mentors, in the here and now, we can greatly benefit from the wisdom of fellow believers from long ago and far away. Some of my greatest mentors have been through the writings of people like Catherine Marshall, Corrie Ten Boom, Richard Foster, and many saints long passed on.

MaryAnn:
Betty, you wear many hats. Would you give us some tips on how you balance your life?

Betty:
This is something on which I have had to work! I discovered many years ago that it felt more fulfilling to be out there “ministering” to others, rather than being at home where I wasn’t “appreciated” with my children. The Lord had to get my attention and make me realize that if I wasn’t the mom and wife he intended that any ministry I did was worthless. So, with discipline and prayer, for a time I dropped out of “ministry” and began to be the best wife and mom I could be. So the key is priority, and the way to discover what is top priority is to take time to listen to the Lord, read His word, pray and also listen to what your body tells you.

MaryAnn:
What do you see as the greatest need in the Body of Christ today? How can writers and speakers help meet that need?

Betty:
Holiness. First by searching our own lives and asking God to show us where we are missing the mark. Then by being obedient to what God asks us to do. When our personal lives are in order, our speaking and writing will be blessed by God and the readers and hearers will sense the difference between someone telling them how to live and showing them by their own life.

MaryAnn:
You are the proud mother of three daughters and the proud grandmother of seven grandchildren. Have your children and grandchildren inspired your speaking and writing and, if so, how?

Betty:
So many of the lessons I have learned in life have come about from my personal experiences (and mistakes) in parenting. My greatest desire in life is that our children and grandchildren would know, love and serve the Lord. That desire has prompted many personal life lessons, which are then passed on in my speaking and writing.

MaryAnn:
You are a staff member of CLASS (Christian Leaders and Speakers Services). Please tell us a little about what you do in this capacity.

Betty:
I absolutely love teaching the CLASSeminar! It is an opportunity to train men and women in the art of communication both verbal and written. I participate in the teaching sessions, lead a small group, and serve as the mentor/coordinator for the staff. It has been a thrill over the past 25 years to see how God has used CLASS to teach and train so many who are truly impacting the world for Jesus Christ.

MaryAnn:
Betty, you and your husband love to travel. Do you have one trip that stands out in your memory? If so, what trip and why?

Betty:
Absolutely, actually, there are 2 trips that have been very special to me. The first one was a 5 week trip around the world visiting missions with our pastor and his wife in 1973. On that trip I met 3 women who greatly impacted my life and mentored me, even though our meetings were fairly brief. The first was Lillian Dickson, whose work in Taiwan is amazing. I followed her work until her death and still support Mustard Seed, the ministry she founded. I discovered through her, and also observing many other missions, that it is usually women who get out there and get the work done……without all the fuss and fanfare. The second was Mother Theresa, we were able to visit all her projects and then have a brief time of personal interaction and prayer. I learned from her how much one can accomplish if you keep your focus on the Lord and depend on him for results. The third was Mary Lamb, a Chinese missionary to Calcutta, who against impossible odds had built churches and schools that ministered to the poorest of the poor, and did it with virtually no outside support. These women have continued to mentor me through their writings, work and example.

The second trip was the trip we took this past January with our 3 daughters and their husbands to Australia & New Zealand. This was a dream we had saved and worked for in order to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary. We had a wonderful time cruising and sharing for 2 weeks. Our middle daughter had lived and worked in Australia and met her husband there. He is from New Zealand. It was an opportunity for her sisters and their spouses to see where they had worked and met, and for us to share a time of family love and appreciation. It was a dream come true, and we all had a wonderful time.

MaryAnn:
You have walked with the Lord for many years and have, undoubtedly, learned much about Him through spending time with Him, through personal study, and through the influence of other Christians who have served as mentors in your life. How important is a mentor in one's spiritual growth? How can one know when he is ready to serve as a mentor in the life of another Christian?

Betty:
While I have never had one special personal mentor, I have been mentored by so many wonderful people through the years. I truly believe that most of our learning comes through mentoring of one type or another. I also believe that we need to look outside of the box to find the mentors we need. (Read my book, The Mentor Quest). Being ready to serve is a willingness to listen to God and the other person and an ability to distinguish between our thoughts as to what another should do, and what God may be asking them to do.

MaryAnn:
Betty, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to share your heart with us today. We are deeply grateful and thank God for you!

Betty:
I have enjoyed and been challenged by your questions and pray that this interchange will be a blessing to others, also.

MaryAnn:
I encourage all of you to visit Betty's website at www.BettySouthard.com. You may also contact Betty at BettySCA@aol.com If youre looking for a dynamic speaker, Betty is available. Having heard her speak, I can vouch that you and your organization will be greatly blessed.
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Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.

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