Tess Scott, Black Sheep turned Daughter, Resilience in Life and Leadership Episode 050

Stephanie has a fun and hilarious, but honest conversation with Tess Scott. Living through multiple divorces, breast cancer, and menopause, Tess shares her story of God's grace and amazing love.

Tess Scott, former black sheep turned “Jesus Girl” is mom of 8 boys and spunky “Grami with a heart above the i” to a whole slew of adorable grandkids. She began the Listen Sister- Encouragement for Women ministry in 2020 where you can find her blog posts at tessscott.com and her Listen, Sister pages on Facebook and Instagram. She continues to live her life of hilariously awkward moments in Sarnia Ontario to the ongoing embarrassment of her family.

Everyone has resilience, but what does that mean and how to we use it in life and leadership? Join Stephanie Olson, expert in resiliency and trauma, every week as she talks to other experts living lives of resilience. Stephanie also shares her own stories of addictions, disordered eating, domestic and sexual violence, abandonment, and trauma; and shares the everyday struggles and joys of everyday life. As a wife, mom, and CEO she gives commentaries, and, sometimes a few rants, to shed light on what makes a person resilient. So, if you have experienced adversity in life in any way, and you want to learn how to better lead your family, your workplace, and, well, your life, this podcast is for you!

https://stephanieolson.com

INSPIRE your team to LEAD WITH SUCCESS and MOTIVATE others with Stephanie bringing 20+ years of speaking experience. If you need to EMPOWER, ENGAGE, and EDUCATE your people-Book Stephanie as your speaker today!

https://www.stephanieolson.com/ask-stephanie-to-speak

Everyone has resilience, but what does that mean, and how do we use it in life and leadership? Join Stephanie Olson, an expert in resiliency and trauma, every week as she talks to other experts living lives of resilience. Stephanie also shares her own stories of addictions, disordered eating, domestic and sexual violence, abandonment, and trauma, and shares the everyday struggles and joys of everyday life. As a wife, mom, and CEO she gives commentaries and, sometimes, a few rants to shed light on what makes a person resilient. So, if you have experienced adversity in life in any way and want to learn how to better lead your family, your workplace, and, well, your life, this podcast is for you!

https://stephanieolson.com

Transcript

Tess Scott: 0:00

Thank you for listening. Please share with anyone you think will benefit from this podcast. Hello and welcome to resilience in life and leadership and I am here to introduce to you test Scott test Scott former Black Sheep turn Jesus girl is Mom of eight boys and spunky Graeme with a heart above the eye to a whole slew of adorable grandkids. She began to listen sister encouragement for women ministry in 2020, where you can find her blog posts at test scott.com and her listen sister pages on Facebook and Instagram, she continues to live her life of hilariously awkward moments in cineraria, Ontario, to the ongoing embarrassment of her family, which is what it's all about. Welcome to us. Hello, and welcome to resilience in life and leadership. I am here with test Scott and I am so excited to talk to you because you are doing some pretty cool things. You you're an author and and I was telling tests earlier. I love her name because I personally have a test my one of my daughters so great, great name. What's your middle name? Lynn? Okay, her middle name is Grace. So that's not really but Okay, so tell us how. Tell us about your journey and how you got to where you are. Yeah, thanks for having me on. I'm always excited to share my story. And my story is like, I was kind of a black sheep. You know, my life. If you look back, I've been married a few times made tons of bad decisions. And you know, it's a freak show. I call it a freak show. I have I have relate to that, actually, unfortunately. But yeah, that's because you have children too. So I have eight boys, eight sons, a blended, blended family. And I'm, I'm blessed. And they're all grown up now. Except I have one at home still. Who's 18? And you know, I'm not pushing him out the door. But look at my hands. Yeah, right. You're not? Who you know. Yeah, he's going to college next year. So that's, that's cool. And grandkids and the whole life. But it's awesome. Yeah, it's awesome in full of experiences. And by the time you're, you know, my age or age, you have lots of stories. But I felt like so how can I say this? In 2012, my husband, my current husband, at that time, Rick, came to me and said that he was leaving, you know, he didn't love me anymore. And he was in he was out. And I mean, it had been overtime. It wasn't like I was still surprised and shocked and devastated. You know, there's always things leading up to it. And I mean, I begged God that he wouldn't leave like I spent every day I'm not exaggerating, every day with my face in the green shag carpet of my bedroom. And, and yet, God allowed it to happen. He left and it was terrible and awful. And all those things really bad. And for the kids too, was awful. I mean, I didn't want to be on my own. Again, again, not the first time I didn't want to shame because there's some shame with that, especially like, I'm an Elizabeth Taylor. But this was my third divorce. Yeah, so I'm not a fan, anyway, at all. But I learned a lot. And I grew a lot through that time. And I grew close to God, and I grew in life as a person. And I really needed that. Like now it's easy to easier to look back and say, I'm actually thankful for that time. Because of what I like how I grew and how much closer to God I became. And it wouldn't have happened otherwise. Right? I mean, that's all I had. I needed that to breathe. Like I was like, moment to moment. Some days, it was awful. You know, I grew. It's never through the wonderful times in life that we grow. It's through those times, where God sometimes strips everything away from us. And we have to rely only on him. Yeah, that's exactly it. Now, I don't ever want it to happen again. No, no. Good to anybody else. Right. So, but I can be thankful for that now. So then five years later, well, three years after our permanent divorce. We got back together and started dating. Wow. And at the end of the year got married. Oh my goodness. Yeah, like remarried. So that's like a miracle. absolute miracle. And I'm very thankful for all of it. Like every day, I'm thankful. Oh, wow. Three weeks after our marriage on September 9 Three weeks after I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry. I really like talking to God, right? Really? Like my gosh, you and I I'd like to say Merson. Thank you for my husband back now this What? No, I'm sorry. You're joking, right? Yeah, God, and I thought like, this is the worst timing in the world. I thought, however, okay, stick with me. Because what I've learned is that we're always learning in life, hopefully. And what I learned through this time was that allowed my husband to take care of me, to show me that he loved me to show my kids that he loved me. Wow, was amazing to me. And had that timing been different if I would have got sick the year before. And he would have come and said, You know what, I want to come back. I'm going to take care of you, I would have been, ah, ain't gonna happen, buddy. Right, I wouldn't have trusted him. And so I can say, that was the best timing, and I'm good now. I'm healthy. Now. It's been six years. And it's good, good. Yeah, I'm so thankful. But I am thankful for the timing. And we don't always even get the chance in our life to see that to see why things happen. So that's a gift really, to be able to see, like, yeah, that was the best timing for that. And all the things that, that, that we learned through that and how it really cemented us together. That's beautiful. Yeah, it was difficult. Like it was, it was really hard. It was hard in ways. Like because I was so defenseless, I had no control. You know, I had to have a mastectomy. So you know, and all like the whole, I think the mental part of it is the worst, right? Like, well, when you married me, you didn't know that I was going to be missing parts of my body. Or my hair. I lost my hair. I had chemo, you know. So those things were there was a battle all the time. But the battle is where you grow. That is so true. You grow through that. So we got through that. And then a few years later, I guess a year ago now, it's only a year ago, I can't believe this. Oh, um, I was feeling like God want me to share my story of life because it's a freak show, right? From raising eight boys, the marriages that and all the little things. It's not even just the whole, like biography of life, but it's like the little daily things even Right, right. But so I said no, because I don't want to write and so yeah, you're gonna win that battle? Yeah. Okay. Thank God, because that's how I yeah, I think I said, I think there's other people that are much better to do this than me, because I have a high school education. And I mean, instead of going to college or university, I had a baby, and so on and so on. Didn't Moses say some similar things to God? I think not. Not about the baby, but no, and Joshua. Right. But I just didn't feel and who would listen to test God Oh, my word like hot mess Express over here. But anyway, time, you know, time you hear it. You think God saying that? And then you go to church, and the pastor says it, then you're listening to the radio station, and the song is like, you know, tests listen to God. And you're like, okay, okay, okay. Okay, I'll do it, you know? So? Yeah, so then I thought, Okay, I'll start writing. So I started just writing little stories and blogging, and my husband's like, I think he wants you to read a book, or to write a book, I really think you have to write a book. And so I'm like, okay, and, you know, so I kind of got a vision, like, I'm gonna write a book, I'm gonna not got a vision, but I mean, the idea that I'm gonna write a book and, and speak to women, encourage them, right, just encourage women, like, just, you know, we can do this. And, and then this is what happened, I was getting ready for work. And I'm looking in the mirror, putting my makeup on, or whatever, I was working at a college in an admin position. And my smile was like, kind of crooked. And my eyes were kind of blurry. And I'm like, this looks weird. Like, it's like this, right? Like, you know, I don't know what's going on. So I went to work because, you know, they need me. And so when my boss came, we're women, we just do what we're supposed to do, right? And what has to open the doors. So I went in, and my boss came in, and he said, What's wrong with your face? No one wants to hear that. No. So I went to the hospital anyway, I drove myself I stopped at home to get a book in case you know, my eyes weren't blurry and, and then went to the hospital. And it wasn't a stroke, you know, make a long story short, but it was a TIA, which is like a little warning stroke, but there's no permanent side effects damage, or yeah, thank you damage of that. So I was in the hospital three days. And I was really upset because I felt like, God, you're asking me, I think you're asking me to share my story, too, right to speak, and I can't see and I can't and my words were all horrible. I can't talk right. And I can't talk. My words are all garbled and it was scary. And so when I got home after those three days, I said, Well, that was like a false alarm. And my husband said, but what if it's not a false alarm? What if it's a real alarm? because we all only have this is my husband. We all only have so many days. How are you spending your days? How are we spending our days? I think you need to quit your job and do this. And I'm like, we don't have that kind of money. Wow. So he's gonna work longer. Like you might have to work until he's on 100 or something, whatever, whatever, whatever it takes. And yeah, so yes, it's one of those numbers we don't know yet. So then I went into work the next day and said to my boss, I'm going to quit, I'm going to retire. And he's like, Oh, you're thinking to retiring this year? And I said, Yeah, and a couple weeks, so Oh, my God. Yeah, I'm sure that wasn't happy news. But no, or Yes. Oh, yeah. So it was just like using I want to use my life and all those things. I want it to be for something. Right. And so I so I stopped my job. I was done. April 1 of last year. I wrote a book proposal. I sent it in, I got a book contract with Barnes and Noble or with them. I'm can't even say it with Morgan, James Publishing. And it's not me. I'm not a writer. Yeah. Like, I wasn't a writer. I don't know what I'm doing. I'm not an educated person. But God gave me this right. It gave me a story. And and I think I just do it one day at a time. What are we going to do today? Okay, today, I'm going to do a podcast. I don't know, what am I going to do tomorrow? Like, you know, next weekend, I'm going to speak to some women and, and whatever it is, I don't know what it is like, I'm, it's the good thing about being me, is that I realize it zero tests. 100 God, so there's not a lot of pressure on me. Yes. You know, I absolutely. First of all, you're hilarious. And I could I, this has just now my day just started. But this has made my day. So much fun already. So. But you know, it's so interesting, because I think when we know really what we have the ability to accomplish, which is why God chose all of those people that just aren't gonna cut it right, then then he can show off. He can do the thing. And that's what I love that that is so cool. Okay, go ahead. Yeah, I forgot where I was. Oh, that is well, you're you're doing it because God is saying, Yeah, it's me. Yeah. I mean, it's me. Wow. It's on him. So so yeah. And the other thing is, like, if I'm speaking at a ladies event, and I'm walking up the steps to the stage, and I fall on my head, and my skirt goes up, it's just all part of it is thought, right. Like I'm the person who does the most embarrassing awkward things. And there's a reason for it, then I write a story about it. And then I write a book. So you know, I always say if something like that, hey, it's a good story. That's all I got. Right. So to get to let's talk about your book a little bit. Tell us tell us about the book. It's called. Listen, sister Finding Hope in the freak show of life. Yeah, yeah. That's so fantastic. So you show you a picture of

Stephanie Olson: 13:12

it. Yes. Oh, I love I love that. You're.

Tess Scott: 13:16

Yes, that's me. Is there a boot on? You right there? Boots? Yeah. Yeah, pink boots. Yeah. Okay. I love that face down in the because we've all felt like that what woman has not felt like their face down on the in the, on the hill in the mud? Like, I mean, I have physically been there. And also, lots of other times I have been metaphorically been there. Yeah. And so the book is about everything from like, stories of being a kid, I was raised on a farm in the middle of nowhere, you know, with three brothers and little things that happened and what I learned through it some stories of raising the boys raising eight boys of being divorced stories of their some of breast cancer and what happened, you know, just kind of my struggle with it. I think there's about 95 stories, and more than almost all of them are funny, because that's just my style. Like, I think that's what allows me to be vulnerable. And to deliver hard truth is because I can put a funny spin on it.

Stephanie Olson: 14:20

Well, and so in my, in my real world, in my real life, I run a nonprofit and we do prevention, education on human trafficking, social media, safety and health relationships. And we we talk to kiddos and one of the things that makes us unique is that aside from the engagement that we bring, we bring a lot of humor into the conversation. And people are like, well, how can you laugh about human trafficking? Well, certainly we're not laughing about that. That is right. And we always say we take our topic very seriously, but we don't take Got ourselves very seriously. And that really is the key. Because when people have humor attached to the things that they're trying to learn, they retain so much better. And yeah, so it's it's everything. It really is. Yeah. Oh my gosh, I love it. And don't you hate it when your husband is right. I say they just come to you with wisdom and you're like, Oh, yes, but great people. Awesome. Okay, so would you say I mean, God's obviously got you on this journey where it really is a journey of of trusting Him every day. Can you talk about that trust piece?

Tess Scott: 15:54

Yeah, yeah, it's still hard even though you know, I could stand up in front of hundreds of women and say, trust God. Yeah. You know, I know, I shared a little thing, like a Facebook Live or something a few weeks ago, because, you know, Rick had said to me, Fear not. I'm like, Fear not? Like I know to fear not. Yeah. Yeah, I've heard it before. Shut up.

Stephanie Olson: 16:23

Here this one with the husband. Yeah.

Tess Scott: 16:25

Like, I know, because I tell other people that, but we have to be reminded about it over and over and over. You know, and one of the things I think about, you know, if you're reading back in the Bible of stories that you read, like or heard, since you were maybe a little girl with a flannel grafts and all that. I read about, like, the children of Israel, right. So you know, Moses takes them across the Red Sea got parts of water there on the dry sand and all this stuff. And then later, they forget, and they in, they screw up over and over and over and over. Like, so we're all going to do it all the time. Right? Exactly. Yeah. But one of the things that, that kind of sticks out to me is after they crossed over the water, he had them build this big monument, right, like this big stone monument so that they'll remember what God did. Right? Right. And like, I would like to build something in my backyard, but my husband's not really a big stone monument in the backyard kind of guy, you know, so I want to do other things in my life so that I remember what truth is. Remember what God did, whether it's like a picture, like our wedding picture, or, or even sometimes it's just like a verse or a saying, usually a verse on a card and put it somewhere where you see it all the time, like, above your kitchen sink, where you're peeling potatoes or above your, your coach where you're folding your laundry, or wherever it is like so that you see it and get that truth in your head all the time. All the time. All the time. It's so important. I just love that. I love that. That's good. I'm so okay. So I'm just I'm engrossed in this conversation, because I personally needed to hear this today. Cool, how that shows up. And when, when he's doing something in your life, and then he brings, you know, test Scott into it and just speaks truth. I think that is so amazing. So tell me a little bit about what that because I think there's a lot of people who don't understand that the leading of the Holy Spirit, like you said, you made the comment, you know, and we'll see what I do today. Because I may, you know, go speak, I may write or whatever, that that God does have a plan for your life. And sometimes he wants you to step out into that plan without knowing what that next step is going to be. And I I just, I think that's hard for people to understand sometimes. Yeah, it is hard to understand. And so what I started doing a while ago is in the morning, just asking God for opportunity. Can you just open my eyes? Because how many things do I not see that are going on around me? Can you just open my eyes to one thing today, one person that I can speak to somebody I can help, like, just show me one thing. And so I want to tell you a little story. This is this is something that happened when I was working at the college, this woman who was a cleaner, so I didn't know her well, but I knew her name. So she came to me and she looked upset and and she's like, Tess, can I ask you a question? So like, Yeah, sure. And she said, when you got cancer, were you scared? Yeah. Like I was petrified. Of course, I was scared, you know? And she said, Well, I think I might have cancer. I'm going To get the results, you know, this week, what did you do when you were scared? Okay, there's an opportunity. So I said, Well, when I'm scared, I prayed because I have a relationship with Jesus, I can talk to him anytime. And I just prayed and asked in, you know him to give me peace. And she said, Okay, and then she walked away. So I thought, Oh, good. I'm such a good person. So Oh, yay, tears way to go. So then I felt really, in my spirit, really. I know, it was short lived, it was like five seconds. In my spirit really short lived. I felt, I mean, in my spirit, I felt like, you have to go pray with her. Like you have to. But very, like, really quickly, I thought, oh, no, I'm not gonna do that. So how about this? How about this, as I'm negotiating with the creator of the world? How about you bring her back into my office, so I can shut the door. And then I will privately pray with her. Because I'll do that.

Stephanie Olson: 20:58

So all the conditions,

Tess Scott: 20:59

all the conditions, and God did not bring her back into my office, she did not come back into my office. And the day went by and the day went by, and it's like, time I have to leave. She's still there. She worked a different shift. And I thought, Oh, my goodness, I know, I have to pray with her. Like, it's just this feeling like it's like, it's knocking on your door constantly. And you know it, you have to do it, there's not going to be peace until you do it. So I go and look for her in the building, hoping that she went home or something to be honest, because like, I really don't want to do it. And I find her and this is where she is I this is where she is. She's upstairs. And she is in the lunch room. And it's this it's the central room in the building and three walls are glass.

Stephanie Olson: 21:43

Of course, yeah, of course. Because so you can have anonymity.

Tess Scott: 21:49

You are going to obey me and you are going to obey me now. So I went in, and I went up to her. And I said, Can I pray with you hoping that she's gonna say no, of course. And she said, Sure, and start crying. So I put my arms around her and prayed with her. And and I'm not saying that because like, I'm anybody because I didn't want to okay, like, hear me when I say I do not always listen, but so anyway, I prayed with her. And I went home, and I went into work the next day. I never saw. She wasn't there. I never saw her. And I don't know what happened to her. And I don't know where last name, right, so, so fast forward, oh, man, six months, at least later, and a man comes into my office and he says, Are you test Scott? Yes. I'm Rachel's husband. I said, oh, like, is she okay? And he goes, Well, she wants to talk to you. She's in the car. So I went out. Honestly, Stephanie, this woman I would not have known was her she's bald because she had chemo she lost at like 100 pounds. She was like, just, like a shadow of the person that she was. And, and she was crying. And you know, so I talked to her. And then I, after that visited her, the hospice got to pray with her more and, and she passed away. But I would have, like not saying anything good about me. But if I hadn't prayed with her, look at the blessing, I would have missed to right, right to be involved in that. And when you take that step, even though you're scared to do it, like to be honest, I was scared. I didn't want to do that. Yeah. Like, I'm not a preacher, woman. I don't. I'm like, I'm just God, I fall down the stairs. I don't like this. But I'm so thankful that I did. Because like, it blessed her and it blessed me to do it. Right. Exactly. Right. So it's just listening and then doing it. Like, just forget the fear, just do it scared.

Stephanie Olson: 23:48

And you never know what it is that God is going to do in that moment. And sometimes you may never find out. Right? And that is the I've had two experiences where we're just going to talk all day. So this is what's good. I hope you have nothing. That yeah, so okay. But I had one experience where I remember I was driving home and it was freezing. And there was this little boy on the side of the road on his bicycle, like he was driving, riding to school, but he had no gloves and he kept you know, lowing on his hands and and I was in traffic. So it was rush hour. I was headed to work. He was headed to school. And there were it was a two lane road and there were cars everywhere. And God so clearly said I want you to stop and give him your gloves. And I said that is the most inconvenient thing you've ever asked me to do. I you know back into I can't I can't do it. And we had this back and forth I said stopping Give them your gloves. And do you know what? I said? No. And I did not do it. Yeah. And if you've ever had a Holy Spirit spankin that is one of those things where like, yes, like, Okay, what could have happened? If I would have been obedient in that moment? Yeah, it could have happened. And so that has always been in the back of my mind. Every time God asked me to do something, now, that's completely uncomfortable, which most of the time, right? Yeah, I was in a Starbucks. And there were these two women talking. And I remember and God was like, I want you to go over there. And tell them that I love them. And I can see that you can see me in them. And I was like, No, I can't. I mean, I don't know if they care to Yes, I want you to well, so now I've got this little boy without gloves. And yes, my mind. So I walked up to both of them. And I said, you know, I just want to tell you that Jesus loves you. And I can see him radiating from each of you. They both did that. I did. And they both burst into tears. Thank you, we Sony and that's all I know. Like, I don't know, their memory. I don't know. That's okay. I walked away. And I was like, okay, that's what a CD ends does, you know? Yeah, that's so awesome. And just being willing to look like a complete idiot. Because who knows? God might ask you to do something that is not a huge, you know, like, Okay, that was amazing. It could be so amazing. But yeah,

Tess Scott: 26:45

yeah, that's right. And really, I mean, if we think about it, what do we care if we look dumb on Earth? Yeah, that's not our home. That's not our job every day. So yeah, I hold on to that. Right. That's right. That's right. Be type A in that. Yeah. Oh, gosh, that is so good. What any other just words of wisdom that you would have to share to the listeners. So kind of the thing that I always say to women, and I've kind of said, you know, said this earlier is fill your mind with truth. Because the things that you're thinking, control your emotions, and then your emotions, you know, lead to your actions, and then your actions lead to good or bad things, consequences that are happening, right. But it starts back to what you're thinking. And you're keeping that truth in your mind, fill your head with truth, fill your head with truth, just just keeping that in there. ruminating around, because we don't even think about what we're thinking. No, I think like, there's no, there's never quiet in our lives. In the world, in our society right now. Like, there's always things going on. There's always like, your phone is beeping, and there's music playing. And there's people talking and there's, at least in my world, and I don't even have little kids running around anymore. But there's hardly ever quiet time to analyze what you're thinking, and why am I thinking that? And is that actually true? Compare that to truth? Why am I saying, Oh test? You're so dumb, I'm actually not done, you know, or, or whatever it is, whatever the things are struggling, like, like, I can get into like, Oh, why would anyone listen to you? You've been such a failure in life, or you're always this or all those things, but they're not truth. Right? Right. But if I don't take that time to step back, and kind of think about what I'm thinking, and whether it's really true or not, then that can like, it's like breeding like rabbits in there. You know. So, I take intentionally, I take intentionally take time in the morning, to have that slot of time, whatever it is, when my kids were little, it was sometimes five minutes. And sometimes you have to lock yourself in the bathroom to get it I understand and, and have quiet and have like solitude and also to fill your head with truth. Like even if you can only even if you can only read one verse.

Stephanie Olson: 29:17

I love that and it and I think what's really important is that it can look different all the time. Yeah, that we don't need to get legalistic about it. Oh, no. Every time every chapter in our life is going to look different. And so the the time we spend in solitude, the time we spend with the Lord, that's going to look different every single day. And yeah, I and we don't we purposely and I sometimes I had a friend say to me, why do you always have stuff in the background? Like I'll it's not even I mean, sometimes it's a podcast. Sometimes it's whatever, I don't even watch he'd be a whole lot, but there's always something. And I had to really think about that. And like, I don't know, what am I? What am I shutting out that I need to really hear? You know, and I'll spend time with the Lord just time with him. But even then I'm just I'm usually talking. What do you need to tell me? God? Yeah, how can I receive that? Yeah, yeah. Yeah.

Tess Scott: 30:24

Because he doesn't use a bullhorn. Right? He doesn't Snapchat. Um, I'd love to receive an email or a text, but I

Stephanie Olson: 30:34

didn't really receive a postcard once from

Tess Scott: 30:38

from God Himself. Oh, yeah, it was. I was my husband wanted to have another baby long story. I won't go into detail. And I was like, Nope, we're not gonna have another baby. And I said, I'll pray about it. The next day. I got a postcard in the mail thinking about having another baby. I'm like, okay, hilarious. Oh, that's, yeah, we it's my boy. Yeah. So here's like, Okay, I'm gonna. So I had, yes, a lot of problems keeping babies. So I had my first I had a miscarriage my first baby and I had to deliver the baby. Then I had my daughter uneventful pregnancy, we thought were good. And then I had three more miscarriages, so and then I had another daughter. And I thought, That's it. I don't want to do this again. And so we're done. And my husband was very respectful and didn't want to say anything. But he had been praying about having another one. And I can't remember how the conversation began. But yes, so we had this postcard. And then and I, of course, didn't tell him about you didn't. Then we were at a funeral, believe it or not, and my daughters were with me. Now my two daughters, I've got this, you know, dark skin, dark hair. My husband's much got the recessive genes. And my oldest daughter is born redhead bear skin, which I was not expecting. Because I've got, you know, I've got lac in me. And so I was expecting her to look a little more brown. And then my second daughter was born with blond hair and fair skin. I thought, What is this recessive thing going on? Yeah. But we're at a funeral. And this woman said, Where did you get the two kids with red hair and blonde hair and I was like, recessive genes. And she said, your next baby, this is after the postcard. Your next baby, your boy is going to look just like you. And I'm like it. My mom was furious because she knew we were struggling. We had struggled. And I was like, Okay, God, seriously, this is getting ridiculous. My problem was, the lining wouldn't sustain a pregnancy. Okay. Go to the doctor. I said, all right. Listen, I said, I would pray about let's go to the doctor, if the doctor says that my lining is where it needs to be, which I knew it would not be because I never was. Okay, we'll take that bad bet. Right? Then we'll have we'll, we'll think about it. And if it's not, we'll keep praying. So go to the doctor. And she said, Wow, your lining has never been thicker, and you're ovulating. So we have a little boy, and not so little anymore. He's taller than me. But he is my mini me. He was born with jet black hair. And now it's brown and curly. And he Oh my goodness. Just. I mean, he is I think about like, what if I wouldn't have had him? He's just like, one of the lights of my life. Ah, yeah, that so I can get a postcard from God. Yeah, I love that. That's a great story. And the woman at the funeral has she met your son? No.

Stephanie Olson: 34:10

I don't even know who she was.

Tess Scott: 34:13

I shall hear this.

Stephanie Olson: 34:14

Yeah. You're listening. Thank you, right.

Tess Scott: 34:19

I love that. That's a great story. Yeah. So

Stephanie Olson: 34:22

anyway, so never never assume you know what your plans are? Because God, but the those the whole cliche, man makes plans. God laughs

Tess Scott: 34:35

Yeah, exactly. Yeah, that's awesome. Okay, final question, because I really could talk to you forever. Maybe I'll just start a podcast with you. Show that we do. Yeah, that'd be fun. Yeah. Okay, so final question. What does resilience mean to you? Hmm, resilience, like bouncing back from Some tough things. Right? I would think, yeah. I don't know. I think that for me, I would say, not giving up even when, you know, even when you get down and think, well, it always goes this way. You know, it always goes that way. You can be really beaten down by that, like the kind of hard on yourself about it. But God has a plan, right? And you and I are proof of that. Like, there's better things than we could have ever. There's better things than I could have ever imagined. There is no way. If you ever said to me more than one year ago, a day that you're gonna write a book. And now it's like, it's, you know, God can use whatever it is like don't give up sister, whatever it is in your life that has happened. You know, it's not the end. You're still alive. You're still breathing today. There's more things

Stephanie Olson: 35:56

and don't give away. Nothing. Yes, nothing.

Tess Scott: 36:00

Nothing.

Stephanie Olson: 36:01

Don't give up. That's so good. Okay, tell us how can people find you?

Tess Scott: 36:06

Well, you can I have a website test. scott.com three S's in the middle there. Test guide.com. My book is out. It's out in ebook right now. It'll be the paperback is being launched in June of 2022. And it's called listen sister, finding hope in the freak show of life. And you can find it anywhere books are sold Barnes and Noble Kohl's, indigo, Amazon, all the places I saw on walmart.com You see your name on a book on walmart.com. And like,

Stephanie Olson: 36:35

wow, that is so amazing. To me, right? That's so

Tess Scott: 36:39

nuts. And it's fun. Everybody would I think everybody would like it. Honestly, it's just short little stories. Like, one minute, two minutes, you can lock yourself in the bathroom. The kids are banging on the door. You just got to read this little bit. It's gonna cheer me up and, and give me some truth today. I'm on Facebook and Instagram as listen sister encouragement. And love it. Yeah, yeah, message. You know, pray for you. Whatever it is. Oh, well, trust you have made my day. It is early in the morning. But I'm going to call this I'm done. After bed. This is good. Well, good, better. So yeah. My work here is done. Yes. Right. Yes, you are just a breath of fresh air. And I just love to talking to you. And I want to keep in touch for sure. Because this was so much fun. And I love that you turned your freak show into something that can really benefit other people's freak show. So that's, that's fantastic. So thank you for being a part of the show. No, thanks for having me on. It's so fun. Absolutely. And thank you for listening to resilience in life and leadership. We'll see you next time. Thank you for listening. Please share with anyone you think will benefit from this podcast.