Who Says So?: Understanding The Messages That Shape Our Hearts

Heart-breakers can all too easily turn into Spirit-breakers.

Those circumstances that break our hearts contain messages about our worth, our value, and our identity that can also break our spirits. Many have bought into the messages that came through the heartbreak and have had their lives poisoned as a result of believing those messages that also broke their spirits.

During the American Civil War, many soldiers died, not from their wounds, but from the infections that entered through the wounds, poisoned their blood and ultimately took their lives. The same happens when we suffer hurtful messages at the hands of others. Those messages, left unchecked, can slowly poison our souls and cause us to believe terrible things about ourselves. Something that can ultimately cripple potential, relationships, self-image, and in far too many instances even cause people to take their own lives, as they believe there is no hope for them.

The purpose of Who Says So? is two-fold. First, to expose those awful messages that have entered our hearts for what they are- lies. They are lies that speak ever so convincingly that there is something wrong with us, that we are unlovable, broken, fatally flawed and unredeemable. Secondly, the purpose of Who Says So? is to replace those lies with truth. The truth that each of us is magnificently created to rule as a king or queen of this earth. We are loved, we are purpose-filled, we are destined to great things, we are above and not beneath, we are the head and not the tail. Marvelous and fearful undertakings have been wrought in ages past in the council of God and tremendous acts of love and sacrifice have been accomplished to reveal the value we’ve always had, but never dared believe.

Who Says So? was never intended to be a book. It was written for a dear friend who had suffered horrible things. As it was later sent to others who were also suffering from the lying messages they had believed, it began to become clear that this theme is universal. Everyone is deciding on which signals to believe on a daily basis. The whole of life is determined by which messages are accepted.

Many years later, in 2019, it became clear that the book needed to be published to help the many more whom the author may never meet face to face.

Who Says So? reveals the beauty with which each person was created, the war that has been set against them from ages past, and the seemingly ordinary channels of our life experiences through which this war is fought. It then offers the glorious hope of restoration for all who have suffered in this battle and provides the message which is the ultimate antidote for all the hardships endured, and the messages that have come to us as a result.

Jeff Byrd is a leadership trainer, speaker, and coach with the John Maxwell Team. He is the owner of Jeffrey Byrd Coaching and works with Senior Living Communities, Financial Institutions, Property Management Corporations, Church Groups, Medical and Home Health companies, and Disability Advocacy Groups. He joined the John Maxwell Team in 2014 and gained certification out of life-long desire to build others and add value to them. His greatest passion is to connect with individuals and teams in a way that enables them to communicate more effectively, commit to and achieve shared vision more clearly, and identify and build their individual and shared strengths to reach their maximum potential and greatest success and effectiveness together. Jeff is a podcaster with a weekly program called Empowered Living with Jeff Byrd, which airs on iTunes, iHeart Radio, Spotify, Google Play, Youtube, Spreaker, and other stations. Jeff's passion for building others comes from a faith in the high-value God places on each of us, often undermined in our lives, and a confidence that God has placed within each of us seeds of greatness and gifts meant to be developed to bring lasting value to ourselves and others and make this world a better place for us all. Jeff currently sits on the board of the Endependence Center, is the past president of the Virginia Beach Task Force on Aging, a former board member of Ramps Across America, and a former Young Life team leader. Jeff is also the founder of the Byrd Young Leaders School in Punjab, Pakistan, which began in 2014. Jeff is a life-long resident of Norfolk, VA, where he currently resides with his wife Angela, who is an artist. They share a love for birding, photography (Jeff is also a professional photographer), gardening, hiking, travel, and the symphony. Jeff's work pertains to leadership development, personal growth and development, and communication, vision setting, and team building. A few of his curriculum are: - The Power of Stories in Lives of Purpose - Developing the Leader within You 2.0 - How Leaders Create a Motivational Work Environment - Staying Positive in a Challenging World - Developing Servant-leaders within any organization - Becoming a Person of Influence - 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth - Everyone Communicates, Few Connect - Indispensable Qualities of Great Leaders Custom presentations and workshops are available based on individual needs. Jeff can be reached at: 757-647-6167 Jeff@jeffbyrdcoaching.com www.jeffbyrdcoaching.com

Life is a creative adventure! Since being born in the mountains Asheville, North Carolina, Angie has chosen to spend most of her time immersed in nature, kayaking rivers, hiking in National Parks, riding horses in rural Virginia, and drinking in the revitalizing sunshine on Virginia's sandy beaches. Her passion for travel and learning about different cultures also fuel her boundless creativity with a mix of eclectic pursuits from custom jewelry, animal portraits, to large scale art pieces. She communicates the love of God, light, colors, texture, and energy through a myriad of mediums. She teaches others to get lost in the process of creating, which improves overall health and wellness in countless ways.