Misfit To Purpose And The Fog

Announcer 0:01

It's time now to get the hell out of your life. A weekly broadcast with real people, sharing real struggles, and offering real hope. Today's show will encourage, inspire, and empower you to face life's challenges with a bold confidence and renewed hope now.

Ron Meyers 0:21

Hello, my friends. Welcome to Get the Hell Out of Your Life. I'm your host, Ron Myers, and today's show, Misfit to Purpose. Rudolph has always been one of my favorite Christmas stories. His bright red nose made him different, and the other reindeer rejected him for it. But when the fog rolled in, the very thing that made Rudolph feel like a misfit became the gift that helped guide Santa Slay. Then there was the island of misfit toys, a place for toys that felt unwanted because they didn't seem to belong. Growing up, I often felt like one of those misfits. I carried a question in my heart. Why am I here? Why was I born? Then when I was around 12, I heard the quiet voice of God speak to my heart. Ronnie, I have a plan for you. I couldn't see the plan, but God could see what I couldn't. Maybe you have been asking the same question. Why am I here? Sometimes our search for purpose becomes the beginning of our search for God. That brings me to Christmas City. But today's program isn't an advertisement for a gift show. Christmas City is an example of what an idea, an inspiration, and a dream can become when someone is willing to take that first step. And I believe you have a Christmas City inside of you. Yours may be a book waiting to be written, a song to be sung, a business waiting to be started, a relationship waiting to be restored. Maybe your dream is simply to live a peaceful, joyful, and purposeful life. I'm sharing my story because small beginnings matter. Setbacks don't have to become endings. And God can guide us through people, closed doors, storms, and unexpected opportunities. Ephesians 2 10 tells us that we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works that He prepared for us beforehand. Think about that, my friend. You are not an accident, you are not a mistake, you are not a misfit toy. You are God's workmanship created on purpose for a purpose. So let me tell you how one small idea became Christmas City and invite you to begin thinking about this question. What is the Christmas City inside of you? The

A Small Market Becomes Christmas City

Ron Meyers 2:44

Christmas market began at the Rice Pavilion in Gulfport in 1983. Now, I had no idea that small market would one day become the Christmas City Gift Show. The show had not even enjoyed a very successful year. I was under tremendous financial pressure. I started wondering whether event promotion had been a mistake. And that Christmas, I remember I was a single dad with two kids, and I had to sell my piano so I could buy a few Christmas presents for my children. When you're trying to build something and money is tight, a dream can begin to feel less like an opportunity and more like a burden. You start to question yourself. Am I wasting my time? Should I quit? Maybe I'm not even capable of doing this. I was standing in the fog, unable to see very far ahead. But one of my exhibitors at the Christmas market said something that changed the direction of my life. Ron, you're outgrowing this pavilion. Have you ever thought about moving your Christmas event into the Colosseum? Now here I had been thinking about quitting. And this friend of mine, this exhibitor, was talking about expanding. Isn't that how life works sometimes? You're staring at the problem in front of you while someone else can see a possibility beyond it. You know, God often brings people into our lives who can see something we cannot see. They may speak a word of encouragement, offer an idea, open a door, or remind us of the dream we were about to abandon. That exhibitor probably had no idea how important those words would become, but the suggestion stayed with me. I began to realize that it took as much time to do a small event as a larger one. The difference was the risk in the initial investment. I would continue producing the smaller events that brought in money and use them to help promote the larger events. And if that didn't work, I told myself I might have to go find what people call a real job. I wasn't ready to put away the dream. I didn't know exactly how it would turn out. I knew one thing. I would take one more step. That may be all God is asking from you today. Not to understand the entire plan, but to take the next faithful step. The first Coliseum event was held on November 10th, 1984. It was called the Christmas Arts and Crafts Fair. I also had to adjust my expectations. At the Rice Pavilion, this was really important to me. See, I had been able to sell beer and concessions. I mean, I sold the hot dogs, the beer, the Cokes, the sausages, but I couldn't do that at the Coliseum. And I remember wondering whether I could even make money without it. That may seem like a strange question now, but at the time it was a real business concern. I had to discover whether the event could succeed on the strength of the Christmas City shopping experience itself. Well, the first Coliseum event had 130 booths. I remember walking through the Coliseum hearing the Christmas music and watching families enjoy themselves. And I kept hearing shoppers say, Wow, this is nice. For the first time, I had created a family event that could stand on its own. It wasn't built around everything I had done before. It had its own identity, atmosphere, and heart. It brought people together through shopping family, and the feeling of Christmas was around the corner. I was starting to have fun. I was living my dreams. I was still learning, and I was learning to trust God. Maybe you understand that feeling. You want God to guide you, but then sometimes you want Him to hand you the complete plan in advance. You want to know where the money will come from, who will help, and what could go wrong, and exactly how everything will turn out. But friends, I found out that trusting God, everything begins to fall into place because God does have a perfect plan for your life. Ephesians 2, 10 tells us we are God's workmanship. Our purpose doesn't begin with proving our worth, who we already are in Christ. The good we do flows from the life He is shaping within us.

Expansion, Community, And Creative Risk

Ron Meyers 7:19

Well, a few years later, another challenge forced me to think differently. I learned another promoter was planning the Christmas craft show two weeks before my Christmas city. Well, I was worried. I was threatened. I might lose an event that I had worked so hard to build. But then I realized I can't let fear make a decision for me. I have to trust God. But then I remembered about a church program that I had attended that had a little city on its stage with little wooden cottages, artificial snow, and I told myself, it's time for me to build a Christmas city. So I started thinking outside the box, and Christmas City, USA debuted in the Coliseum in 1988. And I remember hiring a local artist, Gary Stover, and I shared the vision with him. And friends, it was beautiful. I was the mayor of Christmas City, a city with no politics, only Christmas spirit. Gary helped turn ordinary materials into something that made people stop and smile. I watched the arena change into a holiday village under the Colosseum lights. It amazed me that something we had imagined was now standing in front of us. That is one of the beautiful things about a dream, my friend. First, it only exists in your heart. Then you share it with someone, and then that person adds their gifts to it. You begin working together, and eventually other people are walking through something that once existed only in your imagination. Well, today Gary is no longer with us, but I am so grateful that God placed him in my path. You know, Christmas City was never only my work. It took people who brought their ideas, abilities, energy, and care. The exhibitors caught the spirit. They would decorate their booths. Staff and helpers handled the work visitors never saw. Shoppers came and made the experience complete. A tradition may have one person's name attached to it, but it takes a community to keep it alive. That's another lesson I want to share with you today. Your dream may begin in your heart, but that doesn't mean you are supposed to accomplish it alone. God may have already prepared people who will help you. And somewhere, someday, someone else may need the gift God placed in you to help bring their dream to life. Christmas City eventually grew beyond Biloxi. I took the show to New Orleans. The Superdome. Wow. The first few years we were in the upstairs meeting rooms. And then the third year, we rented half of the floor of the Superdome. Friends, that is so cool to even think about this day. A few weeks ago, I attended a New Orleans Saints football game. And I looked down on the floor and I told my friend with me, I said, see that 50 yard line? We had our Christmas city from the 50 yard line to the entrance on Poydra Street. And I told him, I remember standing on that floor, looking up into the superdome and thinking, Wow, this is pretty cool. Friends, that's the power of an idea. From the imagination to reality, turning it over to God and discovering his plan. I really was living my dreams, someone with no college education, just a dream, a wish, and I trusted God to lead me. I also took the show to Mobile, Alabama for several years, Pensacola for one year in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. The size of the show mattered, but what the growth made possible mattered more. It gave exhibitors places to present their work, grow their business, meet customers, support their families. It gave shoppers and families a place to spend time together and make memories. See, that is the domino effect of a dream. You take one step, and that step creates an opportunity for someone else. Their opportunity affects another family. That family touches more lives, and the effect continues moving far beyond what you can see or measure. I

Success Cannot Replace Identity

Ron Meyers 11:42

wish I could tell you that as the show grew, I always made wise choices and trusted God completely, but I didn't. I made mistakes. There were seasons when I focused more on what I wanted than what God wanted for me. I could feel the pull of my conscience and push inside. I wanted God's help, but I also wanted to remain in control. You see, I was still searching for purpose, but I didn't always understand that success would never answer the deepest question in my heart. You can have a successful career, financial security, recognition, and everything you once believe would make you happy and still feel that something is missing. Perhaps what is missing is not another achievement. Perhaps it's God. You know, John 10 10 tells us that Jesus came so that we could have life and have it abundantly. For years I defined success by what I could build, earn, improve. But abundant life is not something we earn by performing well enough for God. It's life with Jesus, a life grounded in his love, forgiveness, presence, and grace. Achievements can be wonderful, but they make a poor substitute for identity. A career can provide income, but it cannot provide the security of knowing you are fully known and loved by God. I had asked, God, why was I born? And over time I began to understand that the answer was not simply to build Christmas City. Christmas City was one of the expressions of the gifts God had placed in me. My deeper purpose was found in knowing Christ, allowing his life to work through mine, to encourage people, tell stories, create opportunities, and give hope to those who felt as though they didn't belong. Christmas City was part of the story. Jesus was the meaning behind it. Well then

Katrina, Loss, And God As Refuge

Ron Meyers 13:45

we all remember Hurricane Katrina, right? Well, Katrina changed the Gulf Coast and the lives of countless people. My family, we had eight feet of water and lost almost everything in it. The Coliseum was under renovation and for one year there was no Christmas city. That was a painful interruption in a tradition I loved. But it also reminded me that a show is not the most important thing. People are. In the aftermath, I worked at a Christian radio station and helped organize relief efforts. People came from all over with food, tools, supplies, campers, and helping hands. God sent people into the middle of our storm. Psalm 91 describes God as our refuge and shelter. That doesn't mean faithful people will never face trouble. I have faced plenty of trouble. I know what it is to lose everything. To me, Psalm 91 means God is our shelter, and in the middle of the storm, he can be near even when we don't feel him. He can be working even when we can't see him. Sometimes we only recognize his presence when we look back and realize he carried us through a chapter we never thought we could survive. Katrina taught me that we cannot control every storm that enters our lives, but we can decide how we respond, whom we help, whether we accept help, and whether we allow loss to convince us that our story is over. Perseverance doesn't mean pretending that nothing hurts, it means allowing yourself to grieve, to receiving the help that God sends, and eventually finding the courage to take another step. Jeremiah 29, 11 speaks about God's plans for hope in the future. Those words were originally given to people living through a long and painful season. They were not promised an immediate escape from every difficulty. They were reminded that their hardship was not the end of their story. And friend, your hardship is not the end of your story either. The door that closed, the plan that failed, the person you lost, or the storm that changed everything does not place you beyond the reach of God. He can be present even when you can't see him. There were seasons when I was not faithful, not surrendered, and not listening too well. But the Bible tells this when I was faithless, he remained faithful. Today, when people walk into Christmas City, they see hundreds of booths, decorations, music, Santa, families, and a building filled with holiday energy. But behind every booth and every display is a person. These are vendors who took a risk on their own ideas. There are artists and craftspeople using their gifts. There are staff members and helpers who make the show possible. There are families who return year after year, and people who have made the event part of their Christmas story. A shopper purchases something from a small business. That purchase helps the business owner provide for a family. That business grows and creates opportunities for other people. A child visits Santa and carries the memory into adulthood. Years later, that child may return with children or grandchildren.

The Ripple Effect Of One Dream

Ron Meyers 17:16

One idea, my friend, begins creating ripples. I can't tell you exactly how many people Christmas City has touched, but I know the effects of a dream can travel far beyond anything the dreamer can count. One dream can touch thousands, and through the people affected, perhaps millions. That's why your life matters. A teacher may never know how one encouraging sentence can change a student's future. A lawyer may use knowledge to defend someone who feels powerless. A student may make a choice today that leads to an opportunity years from now. A parent may plant faith, courage, and love in a child who will eventually share those gifts with another generation. A volunteer, neighbor, nurse, cashier, mechanic, business owner, or friend can influence lives in ways no spreadsheet will ever record. And friend, your purpose is not limited to your profession. It can be expressed through the way you treat people, the gifts you share, the courage you pass along, and the love you offer when nobody is keeping score. Romans 15, 13 calls God the God of hope, the one who fills us with joy and peace as we trust him. Our hope does not rest on having everything figured out. It rests on God's faithfulness. I spent years asking why I was born. God did not give me the whole answer in one moment. He revealed pieces of it through people, work, family, mistakes, faith, storms, and dreams I was willing to pursue. Now

One Next Step Toward Your Dream

Ron Meyers 19:10

I want to turn the question to you. What's your Christmas citty? Is it a book, a song, a business, a ministry, a healing, an education, a restored relationship, or a peaceful and purposeful life? What dream have you postponed because you feel unqualified, different, or afraid? What idea keeps returning to you? What gift have you dismissed because it doesn't look like someone else's gift? The bright red nose that made Rudolph feel like a misfit became the light that guided others through the fog. Maybe the part of your story you have tried to hide will someday help another person find their way. Maybe your struggle will deepen your compassion. Maybe the unusual gift you have questioned is exactly what somebody else needs. And maybe the dream that looks too small today will create a domino effect that reaches people you will never meet. You don't need to know the entire plan. You only need enough faith to take the next step. Write the dream down. Pray about it. Make the phone call. Ask for advice. Take the class. Begin the first page. Apologize to the person. Apply for the opportunity. Set the date. Just do something. Do one thing that moves you from dreaming toward doing. Never quitting doesn't mean you never change direction. The Christmas market moved from the rice pavilion to the Coliseum. Competition pushed us towards a new creative vision. Katrina stopped the show for a year, but it did not erase the dream. Sometimes courage means pressing forward. Sometimes it means changing the plan. Sometimes it means receiving help. And sometimes it means releasing one version of the dream so God can lead you toward another. And don't allow fear to make every decision for you. But while you pursue your dream, don't become so focused on the destination that you miss the life God has already given you. Stop and smell the roses. Notice the people beside you. Be grateful for the moment you're living. Make room for joy while the picture is still being painted. The world is a canvas. Life will not always hand you the colors you expected. Sometimes the paint will run. Sometimes part of the picture will need to be changed. Sometimes you'll wonder whether anything beautiful can come from what you see. But God, He is still at work. John 10 10 reminds us. That Jesus gives us life. Ephesians 2.10 reminds us that we are God's workmanship. Psalm 91 reminds us that God is our refuge. Jeremiah 29, 11 reminds us that hardship is not the end of our story. And Romans 15, 13 reminds us that God is the God of hope. You, my friend, are deeply loved, fully forgiven, and complete in Christ. Your value doesn't depend on the size of your dream or the applause of other people. So dream, but don't make the dream your identity. Work, but don't make achievement your source of worth. Keep moving, but don't forget to enjoy the people and blessings God has already placed along the road. Your purpose may still be hidden in the fog, but you are never hidden from God. Now I'm going to take a short break, but when I return, I want to bring this story back to Rudolph, the island of misfit toys, and the question I carried for years. God,

Break And Christmas City Gift Show

Ron Meyers 23:06

why am I here? Stay with me. I'll be right back.

Announcer 23:09

You're listening to Get the Hell Out of Your Life with your host, Ron Myers. Real stories, real struggles, and real hope.

SPEAKER_03 23:18

From crafts to trees to sides.

SPEAKER_02 23:49

Join us November 13th through the 15th for the Ron Myers Christmas City Gift Show. At the Mississippi Coast Coliseum in Biloxi, shop over 300 booths filled with gifts, fashions, food, decor, and holiday surprises. Make your plans now. Visit Christmas City Gift Show.com for a complete vendor listing and money-saving coupons.

SPEAKER_03 24:09

Shop the magic, find the joy at Ron Meyer's Christmas City.

SPEAKER_02 24:18

Ron will be back in a moment to wrap up today's conversation. We want to encourage you today with God's promise to you. It comes from the book of Jeremiah, chapter 29, verse 11. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and the future. That's God's promise to you. When you choose to commit your plans and future to Him. Now, back to Ron.

Rudolph Revisited And Final Encouragement

Ron Meyers 24:51

Now today I've shared the story of Christmas City, but this episode has never really been about a gift show. Christmas City is simply my example of what can happen when an idea is nurtured, when other people bring their gifts, when setbacks become lessons, and when someone keeps taking the next step. Now the question belongs to you. In Rudolph's story, the bright red nose that made him feel like a misfit became the light that guided Santa's sleigh through the fog. Growing up in Iowa, I felt like I was one of those misfit toys. I spent years asking God why was I here? I didn't discover the answer all at once. God guided me through one step, one person, one setback, and one opportunity at a time. A small Christmas market became the Christmas City Gift Show. And the journey taught me that God can use the gifts we have overlooked, the experiences we thought had disqualified us, and the dreams we almost abandoned. Maybe you feel as though you don't fit. Maybe you're in a foggy season and can't see what comes next. The fog may hide the next step from you, but it can never hide you from God. He is with you, he is for you, he is not against you. He sees what you cannot see, and he can guide you one step at a time. So if you are standing in the fog today, let the bright light of Jesus guide you on the path to peace, purpose, and remember, on this journey, stop and smell the roses. God has such a beautiful life. Enjoy each and every day as a gift from God. I will be back next week with another episode of Get the Hell Out of Your Life available wherever you listen to podcasts. And if I get the pleasure to meet you at this year's Christmas City gift show, November 13th through the 15th, I hope you will be as blessed as I will to meet one of the listeners of this show. God bless each and every one of you. And remember, when you give your heart to Jesus, not only do you get the hell out of your life, but you have the bright light of Jesus to show you the way to your purpose and destiny. See you next week.

Announcer 27:31

Today's show was produced by Ron Myers Ministries, a listener-supported ministry. For a copy of today's broadcast, please visit our website, thepromoter.org. And would you prayerfully consider making a tax deductible donation so that we may continue to share stories of God's amazing grace with the world? And join us next week for another broadcast of Get the Hell Out of Your Life Real people, sharing real struggles, and offering real hope.