1 00:00:02,630 --> 00:00:08,430 Speaker 1: Life Audio. Okay, I've got to know, are you overly influenced? 2 00:00:09,110 --> 00:00:12,760 Speaker 1: So this morning, I had seen something on Instagram, so 3 00:00:12,780 --> 00:00:15,880 Speaker 1: I decided to hang from my fingertips for about six 4 00:00:15,920 --> 00:00:19,060 Speaker 1: seconds because that's all the longer I can make it. 5 00:00:19,540 --> 00:00:22,540 Speaker 1: But that's supposed to wake up my cartilage, and no 6 00:00:22,579 --> 00:00:26,220 Speaker 1: one wants sleepy cartilage at my age, apparently. And then 7 00:00:26,239 --> 00:00:28,730 Speaker 1: I was scrolling and I ordered a dress from a 8 00:00:28,770 --> 00:00:31,590 Speaker 1: store I've never shopped at, but I saw a woman 9 00:00:31,640 --> 00:00:34,489 Speaker 1: try it on, like literally she was wearing undergarments and 10 00:00:34,510 --> 00:00:36,970 Speaker 1: then she put it on on Instagram and it looks 11 00:00:36,990 --> 00:00:39,150 Speaker 1: really good on her and she's about my size and 12 00:00:39,229 --> 00:00:42,970 Speaker 1: shape or at least that's how it looks. So I 13 00:00:43,050 --> 00:00:45,790 Speaker 1: ordered it. Maybe it'll look good on me too. Then 14 00:00:45,810 --> 00:00:50,190 Speaker 1: I prepared a new special coffee. Also something I ordered 15 00:00:50,570 --> 00:00:54,200 Speaker 1: from a real ad. It's mushroom coffee. I don't like 16 00:00:54,260 --> 00:00:57,920 Speaker 1: mushrooms necessarily, but this promises to be calming. I could 17 00:00:58,000 --> 00:01:00,970 Speaker 1: use more calm. And the woman in the reel said, 18 00:01:01,210 --> 00:01:05,150 Speaker 1: this coffee will make me a better person. It tasted good, 19 00:01:05,390 --> 00:01:08,950 Speaker 1: but I'm afraid that's where it ends. And now I'm 20 00:01:08,970 --> 00:01:12,029 Speaker 1: sitting at my desk recording this podcast with my feet 21 00:01:12,910 --> 00:01:17,390 Speaker 1: on my shake plate, excuse me, vibration plate used to 22 00:01:17,440 --> 00:01:22,360 Speaker 1: detoxify my lymphatic system. What's so funny is is that 23 00:01:22,500 --> 00:01:25,080 Speaker 1: in my writer's group recently, a friend had a memoir 24 00:01:25,280 --> 00:01:29,190 Speaker 1: and she had included a memory of her parents standing 25 00:01:29,470 --> 00:01:32,810 Speaker 1: on shake plates, which would have been the vibration plate 26 00:01:32,830 --> 00:01:36,350 Speaker 1: equivalent in the 70s or 80s. And as I read it, 27 00:01:36,490 --> 00:01:39,050 Speaker 1: I immediately felt like, oh my word, I've been conned. 28 00:01:39,569 --> 00:01:42,670 Speaker 1: They just repurposed it and sold it to me for 29 00:01:42,709 --> 00:01:48,050 Speaker 1: lymphatic drainage. I am a sucker for the influencers. Are you? 30 00:01:48,680 --> 00:01:51,660 Speaker 1: If so, you're in the right place. Welcome to a 31 00:01:51,700 --> 00:01:54,440 Speaker 1: brand new series on the Compare To Podcast. I'm Heather Creekmore, 32 00:01:54,480 --> 00:01:57,720 Speaker 1: your host, and this series is called Over the Influence. 33 00:01:57,880 --> 00:01:59,320 Speaker 1: And over the next few weeks, we're going to be 34 00:01:59,360 --> 00:02:03,140 Speaker 1: taking a hard, honest, and maybe kind of hilarious look 35 00:02:03,420 --> 00:02:07,260 Speaker 1: at who's actually steering the ship of our lives. As 36 00:02:07,320 --> 00:02:11,040 Speaker 1: Christian women, we know all that God and Jesus answers, right? 37 00:02:11,460 --> 00:02:14,590 Speaker 1: God leads me. His Holy Spirit inside of me directs me. 38 00:02:14,910 --> 00:02:19,870 Speaker 1: But goodness, friends, We've got so many other things influencing us. 39 00:02:20,630 --> 00:02:25,290 Speaker 1: And these other voices, these other influences, they are loud 40 00:02:25,310 --> 00:02:28,900 Speaker 1: and convincing. So that's what we're going to be looking 41 00:02:29,060 --> 00:02:30,980 Speaker 1: at over the next couple of weeks. I'm so glad 42 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:33,480 Speaker 1: you're here for it. Let's get to today's episode. Before 43 00:02:33,500 --> 00:02:36,140 Speaker 1: we do, I want to invite you to two things. First, 44 00:02:36,220 --> 00:02:41,400 Speaker 1: go check out my website. improvebodyimage.com. You can sign up 45 00:02:41,460 --> 00:02:42,860 Speaker 1: to connect with us there, but you can find out 46 00:02:42,880 --> 00:02:45,560 Speaker 1: about my free Bible studies on YouVersion. You can find 47 00:02:45,600 --> 00:02:48,380 Speaker 1: out all about my books. You can find our library 48 00:02:48,400 --> 00:02:52,280 Speaker 1: of more than 500 podcast episodes and search for content 49 00:02:52,520 --> 00:02:55,139 Speaker 1: that you're specifically looking for there. I invite you to 50 00:02:55,180 --> 00:02:58,400 Speaker 1: go to improvedbodyimage.com and find everything there. Also, if this 51 00:02:58,440 --> 00:03:01,100 Speaker 1: episode blesses you, I would be so encouraged if you 52 00:03:01,120 --> 00:03:04,500 Speaker 1: would consider leaving a review wherever you listen to podcasts. 53 00:03:04,580 --> 00:03:09,480 Speaker 1: That helps the algorithm show this episode and this podcast 54 00:03:09,520 --> 00:03:18,570 Speaker 1: to other Christian women. Now let's get to today's episode. Okay, 55 00:03:18,590 --> 00:03:21,930 Speaker 1: so here's the big thing. Like more than anything in 56 00:03:21,970 --> 00:03:24,869 Speaker 1: this day and age when we have access to so 57 00:03:25,030 --> 00:03:29,830 Speaker 1: much information and research, we sort of like to think 58 00:03:29,870 --> 00:03:34,900 Speaker 1: of ourselves as independent thinkers, free agents, captains of our 59 00:03:34,980 --> 00:03:39,860 Speaker 1: own destiny. But let's be real for a second. How 60 00:03:39,900 --> 00:03:42,400 Speaker 1: many times have you bought something because an influencer held 61 00:03:42,420 --> 00:03:45,220 Speaker 1: it up and said, guys, this changed my life and 62 00:03:45,240 --> 00:03:48,890 Speaker 1: you believed them? despite the fact that they say that 63 00:03:49,050 --> 00:03:53,770 Speaker 1: about literally everything they're paid to promote. Or maybe you've 64 00:03:53,810 --> 00:03:57,280 Speaker 1: changed your opinion on a restaurant because of a star rating, 65 00:03:57,720 --> 00:03:59,820 Speaker 1: not your own taste buds. I've got a story about 66 00:03:59,860 --> 00:04:03,370 Speaker 1: that in just a minute. Or maybe you felt insecure 67 00:04:03,510 --> 00:04:05,940 Speaker 1: about a part of your body that And maybe you 68 00:04:06,030 --> 00:04:10,130 Speaker 1: never thought about that part of your body until the 69 00:04:10,290 --> 00:04:14,010 Speaker 1: algorithm decided to show you 40 other people who have 70 00:04:14,050 --> 00:04:16,550 Speaker 1: ways to fix that body part or who are able 71 00:04:16,589 --> 00:04:20,090 Speaker 1: to explain why that body part should look one way 72 00:04:20,210 --> 00:04:21,890 Speaker 1: and not the other way. And now all you can 73 00:04:21,930 --> 00:04:24,070 Speaker 1: think about is that body part and whether or not 74 00:04:24,110 --> 00:04:26,750 Speaker 1: you need to buy the device or the cream or 75 00:04:26,850 --> 00:04:31,150 Speaker 1: whatever it is to fix it. Or how about this one? 76 00:04:32,850 --> 00:04:37,110 Speaker 1: Have you made a parenting decision? and then watched a 77 00:04:37,170 --> 00:04:40,830 Speaker 1: reel on how parenting your child like that will lead 78 00:04:40,950 --> 00:04:45,570 Speaker 1: to ultimate demise. Maybe you've made career decisions that way, 79 00:04:45,790 --> 00:04:50,190 Speaker 1: even a faith decision, based on what looked good or 80 00:04:50,270 --> 00:04:54,930 Speaker 1: sounded confident, or got a ton of likes on whatever 81 00:04:55,029 --> 00:04:59,060 Speaker 1: social media you're watching. Friends, we are swimming. Okay, no, 82 00:04:59,070 --> 00:05:01,890 Speaker 1: maybe it's more accurate to say we are marinating in 83 00:05:02,589 --> 00:05:07,870 Speaker 1: influence all day, every day, from the second we wake 84 00:05:07,950 --> 00:05:10,610 Speaker 1: up and check our phones to the moment we fall 85 00:05:10,650 --> 00:05:15,050 Speaker 1: asleep or some of us scrolling or watching something. And 86 00:05:15,290 --> 00:05:20,930 Speaker 1: all day long, someone or something is shouting. It's subtle, 87 00:05:21,210 --> 00:05:24,730 Speaker 1: but I'd say it's shouting. Here's who you should be. 88 00:05:25,529 --> 00:05:31,750 Speaker 1: Here's what you should want. Here's what matters. here's what 89 00:05:31,790 --> 00:05:35,710 Speaker 1: will make you valuable. Here's what will make you lovable. 90 00:05:36,810 --> 00:05:40,510 Speaker 1: And most of the time, we don't even notice that 91 00:05:40,529 --> 00:05:45,200 Speaker 1: it's happening because friends, this has just become our normal. 92 00:05:45,800 --> 00:05:48,160 Speaker 1: Now let's have some fun with this because honestly, the 93 00:05:48,200 --> 00:05:51,919 Speaker 1: ways we get influenced are a little ridiculous when you 94 00:05:51,960 --> 00:05:55,200 Speaker 1: say them out loud. I don't know, maybe you've rearranged 95 00:05:55,230 --> 00:05:59,990 Speaker 1: your entire living room because that 30 second video told 96 00:06:00,029 --> 00:06:02,790 Speaker 1: you how you should do it. And now you're not 97 00:06:02,850 --> 00:06:05,370 Speaker 1: sure if the couch placement actually works in your space, 98 00:06:05,790 --> 00:06:10,560 Speaker 1: but it's supposed to be better. Or maybe you've pretended 99 00:06:10,580 --> 00:06:16,279 Speaker 1: to like a beverage or a movie or a workout 100 00:06:16,360 --> 00:06:19,580 Speaker 1: style because quote unquote, everyone said it was good. And 101 00:06:20,320 --> 00:06:23,060 Speaker 1: you didn't want to be the one person who didn't 102 00:06:23,240 --> 00:06:27,170 Speaker 1: get it. Or maybe you started using a slang word. 103 00:06:28,029 --> 00:06:31,130 Speaker 1: you don't even understand because you've heard it enough times 104 00:06:31,190 --> 00:06:33,830 Speaker 1: that it started to feel like it should be a 105 00:06:33,870 --> 00:06:38,239 Speaker 1: normal part of your vocabulary too. Or maybe you've bought 106 00:06:38,339 --> 00:06:41,640 Speaker 1: the it water bottle. I only know that there is 107 00:06:41,660 --> 00:06:44,760 Speaker 1: an it water bottle because I have a teenage daughter 108 00:06:45,339 --> 00:06:50,540 Speaker 1: who rejected her Stanley and moved to her Awala, which 109 00:06:50,760 --> 00:06:54,820 Speaker 1: I guess was the it bottle of 2025. And Although 110 00:06:54,839 --> 00:06:58,220 Speaker 1: I don't know, I'm hearing that HydroJug is going to 111 00:06:58,760 --> 00:07:02,970 Speaker 1: make a comeback. At some point we were into Yetis. 112 00:07:03,050 --> 00:07:06,410 Speaker 1: I live in Austin, go Yeti. But it's silly. We 113 00:07:07,250 --> 00:07:10,830 Speaker 1: have to keep up with having the right container. to 114 00:07:10,930 --> 00:07:13,250 Speaker 1: hold our water as we carry it around. And it's 115 00:07:13,270 --> 00:07:16,330 Speaker 1: not just water bottles, of course, it's the bag, the 116 00:07:16,530 --> 00:07:20,600 Speaker 1: it bag. I mean, that's funny too, right? Lululemon came 117 00:07:20,740 --> 00:07:25,120 Speaker 1: out with the everywhere belt bag, which essentially was a 118 00:07:25,720 --> 00:07:29,200 Speaker 1: fanny pack, which 10 years ago we would have said, no, 119 00:07:29,260 --> 00:07:32,940 Speaker 1: I'll never carry that. And suddenly everyone has one. The 120 00:07:32,960 --> 00:07:37,220 Speaker 1: it planner, the it style of jeans, How many of 121 00:07:37,240 --> 00:07:40,520 Speaker 1: these things have you bought? Not because you necessarily needed them, 122 00:07:41,530 --> 00:07:46,930 Speaker 1: but because somewhere deep down you believed owning that thing 123 00:07:46,950 --> 00:07:52,150 Speaker 1: would make you that kind of person. It would help 124 00:07:52,920 --> 00:07:57,990 Speaker 1: your identity or your value or your status. Oh, goodness. Yes. 125 00:07:58,470 --> 00:08:00,800 Speaker 1: I mean, here's the punchline, friend. None of these things 126 00:08:00,880 --> 00:08:04,400 Speaker 1: are evil. You can go buy whatever kind of water 127 00:08:04,460 --> 00:08:09,239 Speaker 1: bottle you want. Rearranging your furniture isn't a moral failure. 128 00:08:09,580 --> 00:08:13,510 Speaker 1: But I simply want us to stop and consider why. Now, 129 00:08:14,160 --> 00:08:16,780 Speaker 1: here's a funny story. I was traveling to visit my 130 00:08:16,840 --> 00:08:19,660 Speaker 1: daughter at college this weekend, and I had the opportunity 131 00:08:19,700 --> 00:08:22,410 Speaker 1: to stay in a friend's guest home. And she was 132 00:08:22,450 --> 00:08:25,270 Speaker 1: so sweet and so thoughtful that she had a stocked 133 00:08:25,330 --> 00:08:30,740 Speaker 1: fridge and snacks waiting for us. But here's what was amazing, 134 00:08:31,140 --> 00:08:33,839 Speaker 1: but also freaked me out a little bit as I've 135 00:08:33,860 --> 00:08:37,720 Speaker 1: been thinking about this topic. There are lots of different 136 00:08:37,740 --> 00:08:40,580 Speaker 1: brands at grocery stores, right? Lots of different items. Maybe 137 00:08:40,600 --> 00:08:45,059 Speaker 1: you could say an infinite number of items. But somehow, 138 00:08:45,840 --> 00:08:50,280 Speaker 1: without consulting me or anyone that knows me, she had 139 00:08:50,360 --> 00:08:55,449 Speaker 1: chosen all the same items and brands. to stock that 140 00:08:55,510 --> 00:08:59,090 Speaker 1: fridge with and stock that snack bowl with that I 141 00:08:59,210 --> 00:09:02,530 Speaker 1: normally buy. Now, until recently, we lived in the same 142 00:09:02,570 --> 00:09:04,490 Speaker 1: town and we were part of the same community, but 143 00:09:04,530 --> 00:09:08,569 Speaker 1: it occurred to me the only possible way we could 144 00:09:08,590 --> 00:09:12,790 Speaker 1: have ended up with the same preferences in all of 145 00:09:12,850 --> 00:09:16,720 Speaker 1: these foods and all of these brands is because somewhere 146 00:09:16,960 --> 00:09:21,040 Speaker 1: in our community, in our worlds, we've picked up the 147 00:09:21,160 --> 00:09:24,179 Speaker 1: same messages that these are the right things to eat. 148 00:09:24,740 --> 00:09:28,020 Speaker 1: and the right brands to buy. I mean, she and 149 00:09:28,040 --> 00:09:31,260 Speaker 1: I had never had a discussion about my preference for 150 00:09:31,380 --> 00:09:37,270 Speaker 1: Chobani or Kerrygold, but somehow, some way, we were both 151 00:09:37,390 --> 00:09:43,110 Speaker 1: influenced into choosing these same items. And here's what I 152 00:09:43,290 --> 00:09:47,690 Speaker 1: think is so important for us to notice. We are 153 00:09:47,850 --> 00:09:51,790 Speaker 1: constantly being shaped by voices, and we didn't choose these 154 00:09:51,850 --> 00:09:57,350 Speaker 1: voices because but we rarely examine what they are and 155 00:09:57,470 --> 00:10:00,080 Speaker 1: how they're instructing us. We'll talk more about this right 156 00:10:00,120 --> 00:10:04,840 Speaker 1: after this quick break. So here's the big question under 157 00:10:04,980 --> 00:10:10,280 Speaker 1: all the funny stuff. If you're being influenced that easily 158 00:10:10,820 --> 00:10:13,590 Speaker 1: by a 30 second video, oh goodness, I don't even 159 00:10:13,630 --> 00:10:18,010 Speaker 1: need 30 seconds. Let's just be honest, a 10 second video. 160 00:10:19,200 --> 00:10:23,740 Speaker 1: What else is shaping us that we haven't even noticed? 161 00:10:24,860 --> 00:10:28,230 Speaker 1: What's shaping our sense of worth, our definition of success, 162 00:10:28,370 --> 00:10:33,430 Speaker 1: our parenting style, our politics, our theology, our relationships, our 163 00:10:33,470 --> 00:10:39,270 Speaker 1: pace of life, our anxiety, comparison, ambition? Somebody or something 164 00:10:40,110 --> 00:10:45,460 Speaker 1: is speaking into all of these areas. And the question 165 00:10:45,679 --> 00:10:50,190 Speaker 1: isn't whether or not we are influenced. Everybody is influenced 166 00:10:50,250 --> 00:10:56,290 Speaker 1: by something. The real question is, who or what is 167 00:10:56,360 --> 00:11:01,240 Speaker 1: the loudest voice in my life right now today? Is 168 00:11:01,300 --> 00:11:05,020 Speaker 1: the loudest voice my friends? Is the loudest voice culture? 169 00:11:05,120 --> 00:11:10,680 Speaker 1: Is the loudest voice TikTok? Is it comparison that's driving me? 170 00:11:11,220 --> 00:11:14,040 Speaker 1: Is it my upbringing? Is it FOMO, fear of missing out? 171 00:11:14,500 --> 00:11:17,449 Speaker 1: Is it my need for approval? Is it just the 172 00:11:17,750 --> 00:11:25,170 Speaker 1: algorithm that is driving me to a certain outcome? What 173 00:11:25,250 --> 00:11:30,380 Speaker 1: is it? Who is that someone? What is that something? 174 00:11:30,400 --> 00:11:36,100 Speaker 1: And is it the right voice to guide my life? 175 00:11:37,380 --> 00:11:45,340 Speaker 1: Or is the right voice something or someone steadier than 176 00:11:45,380 --> 00:11:48,459 Speaker 1: all of that. So here's the invitation over the next 177 00:11:48,520 --> 00:11:51,380 Speaker 1: few weeks during this Over the Influence series. We're going 178 00:11:51,400 --> 00:11:53,000 Speaker 1: to pull back the curtain on all of us. We're 179 00:11:53,020 --> 00:11:54,900 Speaker 1: going to laugh at ourselves a lot because honestly, some 180 00:11:54,920 --> 00:11:58,300 Speaker 1: of the ways we are swayed are downright silly. But 181 00:11:58,330 --> 00:12:02,470 Speaker 1: we're also going to get honest about something deeper. Are 182 00:12:02,510 --> 00:12:08,890 Speaker 1: we living influenced lives or are we living spirit-led lives? 183 00:12:09,740 --> 00:12:11,900 Speaker 1: And the reason why I titled this series like I did, 184 00:12:12,200 --> 00:12:16,250 Speaker 1: Over the Influence, is friends, I think to live for Jesus, 185 00:12:17,030 --> 00:12:21,370 Speaker 1: we have to be over the influence. That doesn't mean 186 00:12:21,429 --> 00:12:24,670 Speaker 1: I'm not going to do any online shopping anymore, but 187 00:12:24,710 --> 00:12:27,360 Speaker 1: it does mean I am going to be led by 188 00:12:27,390 --> 00:12:31,920 Speaker 1: the Holy Spirit in my decisions more so than I 189 00:12:32,100 --> 00:12:36,959 Speaker 1: am influenced by marketers and voices in this world, a 190 00:12:37,140 --> 00:12:41,280 Speaker 1: lot of which are maybe even contradict the voice of 191 00:12:41,300 --> 00:12:44,809 Speaker 1: the Holy Spirit. There are two very different ways we 192 00:12:44,830 --> 00:12:50,270 Speaker 1: can move through daily life. An influenced life is reactive. 193 00:12:51,010 --> 00:12:55,240 Speaker 1: It follows trends. It chases approval. It's constantly recalibrating based 194 00:12:55,290 --> 00:12:57,880 Speaker 1: on outside noise. It's constantly saying, am I carrying the 195 00:12:57,900 --> 00:13:00,680 Speaker 1: right bag? Am I carrying the right water bottle? Am 196 00:13:00,760 --> 00:13:05,300 Speaker 1: I wearing the right thing? It's focused on me and 197 00:13:05,360 --> 00:13:10,270 Speaker 1: my ability to fit in. But a spirit-led life listens 198 00:13:10,390 --> 00:13:13,890 Speaker 1: for one voice above all the others. And it lets 199 00:13:14,050 --> 00:13:17,240 Speaker 1: that voice set the direction, the pace, and the priorities. 200 00:13:17,860 --> 00:13:20,880 Speaker 1: And a spirit-led life actually gives me the freedom to 201 00:13:21,880 --> 00:13:25,980 Speaker 1: take my mind off myself. Now, I'm not talking about neglect. 202 00:13:26,280 --> 00:13:28,920 Speaker 1: What I'm referring to is this concept that Tim Keller 203 00:13:29,020 --> 00:13:35,040 Speaker 1: called self-forgetfulness. right? And it's really the only antidote to 204 00:13:35,059 --> 00:13:38,900 Speaker 1: a life that's spent trying to keep up, a life 205 00:13:38,940 --> 00:13:43,120 Speaker 1: that's spent caught in comparison, body image issues that keep 206 00:13:43,200 --> 00:13:48,510 Speaker 1: us uber focused on ourselves. The concept is to not 207 00:13:48,809 --> 00:13:51,890 Speaker 1: think less of ourselves, but to think of ourselves less. 208 00:13:53,170 --> 00:13:55,870 Speaker 1: but boy, we can't do that when we're influenced with 209 00:13:56,070 --> 00:13:59,110 Speaker 1: all these different ways to think of ourselves more and 210 00:13:59,270 --> 00:14:03,000 Speaker 1: all these different variables that we're supposed to get right 211 00:14:03,820 --> 00:14:08,859 Speaker 1: in order to be the right kind of person according 212 00:14:09,040 --> 00:14:14,950 Speaker 1: to culture standards or our circle standards or Instagram standards, right? 213 00:14:15,809 --> 00:14:22,830 Speaker 1: But as Christians, We're supposed to live Spirit-led. In our lives, 214 00:14:22,910 --> 00:14:26,450 Speaker 1: we're supposed to be listening for the Holy Spirit to 215 00:14:26,490 --> 00:14:29,460 Speaker 1: set the direction, the pace, the priorities. And we know 216 00:14:29,500 --> 00:14:32,860 Speaker 1: this is how we're supposed to live because Scripture tells 217 00:14:32,920 --> 00:14:35,040 Speaker 1: us that. Let's just look at a couple here quickly. 218 00:14:35,100 --> 00:14:37,060 Speaker 1: You can look these up later. I encourage you to 219 00:14:37,120 --> 00:14:40,260 Speaker 1: do so. Romans 8.14 talks about those who are led 220 00:14:40,300 --> 00:14:43,570 Speaker 1: by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 221 00:14:44,180 --> 00:14:46,620 Speaker 1: The concept here is if we're a sheep, we're supposed 222 00:14:46,640 --> 00:14:50,860 Speaker 1: to be following the shepherd, right? We're not great sheep 223 00:14:50,960 --> 00:14:53,500 Speaker 1: if we're not listening to the voice of the shepherd 224 00:14:53,570 --> 00:14:56,210 Speaker 1: and going where the shepherd tells us to go. And 225 00:14:57,050 --> 00:15:00,690 Speaker 1: so God recognizes his children by those who are listening 226 00:15:00,710 --> 00:15:05,630 Speaker 1: to the direction from the spirit. Galatians 5.16, so I say, 227 00:15:05,710 --> 00:15:08,130 Speaker 1: walk by the spirit and you will not gratify the 228 00:15:08,170 --> 00:15:12,540 Speaker 1: desires of the flesh. Walking by the Spirit is protective 229 00:15:12,560 --> 00:15:16,030 Speaker 1: in terms of keeping us from sin. As we listen 230 00:15:16,070 --> 00:15:19,670 Speaker 1: to the Holy Spirit's direction, it keeps us from making 231 00:15:20,490 --> 00:15:25,610 Speaker 1: really bad decisions that will ultimately hurt us. Galatians 5.25, 232 00:15:25,610 --> 00:15:27,890 Speaker 1: since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in 233 00:15:28,050 --> 00:15:31,710 Speaker 1: step with the Spirit. Oh, that one's kind of interesting, right? 234 00:15:32,170 --> 00:15:33,770 Speaker 1: Because I feel like I'm trying to keep in step 235 00:15:33,790 --> 00:15:38,210 Speaker 1: with Instagram influencers. Keeping in step with the spirit should 236 00:15:38,250 --> 00:15:42,070 Speaker 1: be our goal as Christian women. John 16, 13, when he, 237 00:15:42,130 --> 00:15:45,010 Speaker 1: the spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into 238 00:15:45,110 --> 00:15:48,170 Speaker 1: all truth. Oh goodness. We're going to talk later in 239 00:15:48,220 --> 00:15:51,680 Speaker 1: the series about the difference between wisdom and knowledge and 240 00:15:51,840 --> 00:15:54,580 Speaker 1: all the different kinds of truth that is presented to us, right? 241 00:15:55,040 --> 00:15:58,780 Speaker 1: But God's truth is the only capital T truth. And 242 00:15:58,800 --> 00:16:00,979 Speaker 1: we have to listen to the spirit if we ever 243 00:16:01,060 --> 00:16:05,000 Speaker 1: want to know real truth, right? We don't have a 244 00:16:05,040 --> 00:16:09,260 Speaker 1: chance of finding it anywhere else. And while marketers can 245 00:16:09,300 --> 00:16:13,050 Speaker 1: be obnoxious and relentless about trying to get our attention, 246 00:16:13,070 --> 00:16:18,630 Speaker 1: the Holy Spirit uses a still, small voice. This concept 247 00:16:18,650 --> 00:16:21,270 Speaker 1: comes from 1 Kings 9, 11 to 13, and that's 248 00:16:21,310 --> 00:16:24,130 Speaker 1: where Elijah was waiting for God to speak to him. 249 00:16:24,170 --> 00:16:28,370 Speaker 1: And there was like wind and fire and earthquake. And 250 00:16:28,410 --> 00:16:30,670 Speaker 1: Elijah thought maybe God's voice was in each of those. 251 00:16:31,410 --> 00:16:33,930 Speaker 1: But God's voice, when he finally spoke, it was a 252 00:16:34,050 --> 00:16:37,690 Speaker 1: gentle whisper. But boy, it's hard to listen for a 253 00:16:37,770 --> 00:16:42,650 Speaker 1: gentle whisper in this super noisy world, isn't it? And 254 00:16:42,670 --> 00:16:46,540 Speaker 1: that's why I'm doing this podcast series. So here's your homework, okay? 255 00:16:47,020 --> 00:16:48,840 Speaker 1: Here's what I want you to sit with this week. 256 00:16:49,340 --> 00:16:51,320 Speaker 1: I want you to ask yourself, who is the guiding 257 00:16:51,420 --> 00:16:54,590 Speaker 1: voice in my life? Okay, not who you'd like it 258 00:16:54,660 --> 00:16:58,180 Speaker 1: to be. Okay, I want you to get honest. It's 259 00:16:58,220 --> 00:17:01,140 Speaker 1: not who it should be theoretically. Again, we're all really 260 00:17:01,160 --> 00:17:03,900 Speaker 1: good at giving the God and Jesus answers very quickly. 261 00:17:04,720 --> 00:17:08,869 Speaker 1: But I want you to dig deep and look at 262 00:17:09,510 --> 00:17:13,609 Speaker 1: if you tracked your decisions, your scrolling, your spending, your 263 00:17:14,570 --> 00:17:21,190 Speaker 1: self-talk in this past week, who's driving the car? What 264 00:17:21,350 --> 00:17:25,710 Speaker 1: or who is influencing you the most? All I'm asking 265 00:17:25,790 --> 00:17:27,990 Speaker 1: is for you to notice. Take some time this week 266 00:17:28,790 --> 00:17:32,530 Speaker 1: and just observe. Why am I wearing what I'm wearing? 267 00:17:33,410 --> 00:17:37,150 Speaker 1: Why am I watching the shows I'm watching? Why am 268 00:17:37,170 --> 00:17:40,619 Speaker 1: I drinking or eating what I'm drinking or eating? Is 269 00:17:41,540 --> 00:17:44,720 Speaker 1: it because these are my preferences or is it because 270 00:17:44,820 --> 00:17:48,300 Speaker 1: I've been told this is what I should be doing? 271 00:17:48,320 --> 00:17:52,560 Speaker 1: Is it because someone... suggested it and I took it 272 00:17:52,640 --> 00:17:55,000 Speaker 1: as more than just a suggestion. I took it as 273 00:17:55,500 --> 00:17:58,679 Speaker 1: perhaps something I needed to do to be cool or 274 00:17:58,700 --> 00:18:01,990 Speaker 1: fit in. Okay. Here's another funny story. I went to 275 00:18:02,010 --> 00:18:04,649 Speaker 1: a restaurant recently and I thought it was amazing. It's 276 00:18:04,690 --> 00:18:06,250 Speaker 1: super close to my house. And so it was kind 277 00:18:06,290 --> 00:18:08,449 Speaker 1: of odd that no one had recommended it to me before. 278 00:18:09,050 --> 00:18:12,120 Speaker 1: It's in a small strip mall location. So I kind 279 00:18:12,140 --> 00:18:14,169 Speaker 1: of wrote it off to maybe others don't know about it. 280 00:18:14,700 --> 00:18:17,280 Speaker 1: But then when I told a few people about my 281 00:18:17,420 --> 00:18:23,240 Speaker 1: wonderful dinner there, they looked surprised. They didn't feel that 282 00:18:23,340 --> 00:18:25,629 Speaker 1: same way about the restaurant. Now, okay, maybe it was 283 00:18:25,690 --> 00:18:28,490 Speaker 1: under new management. Maybe they hadn't been there in a while. 284 00:18:28,510 --> 00:18:31,410 Speaker 1: I mean, there's all kinds of external reasons for this. 285 00:18:32,090 --> 00:18:36,220 Speaker 1: But honestly, their response made me question my feelings about 286 00:18:36,260 --> 00:18:39,260 Speaker 1: the restaurant too. Maybe it actually wasn't that good. Or 287 00:18:39,280 --> 00:18:41,940 Speaker 1: maybe I was just really hungry that day and, you know, 288 00:18:42,060 --> 00:18:46,439 Speaker 1: my taste buds were off. I mean, how silly is it? 289 00:18:47,450 --> 00:18:49,159 Speaker 1: But I kind of thought, well, maybe it's just not 290 00:18:49,200 --> 00:18:51,580 Speaker 1: a cool place to go. Like, well, you know, maybe 291 00:18:51,619 --> 00:18:54,240 Speaker 1: people don't like to go to restaurants and little strip 292 00:18:54,260 --> 00:18:57,540 Speaker 1: malls and maybe all the cool people go downtown and 293 00:18:57,580 --> 00:19:00,520 Speaker 1: that's where the good restaurants are. And maybe liking this 294 00:19:00,619 --> 00:19:05,570 Speaker 1: restaurant revealed to others how tragically uncool I am. Maybe 295 00:19:05,609 --> 00:19:07,970 Speaker 1: I shouldn't like this restaurant after all. I mean, it's 296 00:19:08,050 --> 00:19:11,129 Speaker 1: totally ridiculous, right? It zaps me right back to the 297 00:19:11,170 --> 00:19:14,750 Speaker 1: seventh grade in so many ways. Yet I'm sharing because 298 00:19:14,810 --> 00:19:18,369 Speaker 1: I wonder, have you done this too? Maybe you determined 299 00:19:18,430 --> 00:19:20,209 Speaker 1: that you loved a new pair of shoes and you 300 00:19:20,250 --> 00:19:24,730 Speaker 1: wore them and people noticed, but they didn't necessarily compliment them. 301 00:19:24,750 --> 00:19:28,890 Speaker 1: And suddenly your feelings about those new shoes you loved 302 00:19:29,470 --> 00:19:32,810 Speaker 1: changed very quickly. I mean, these are fairly mundane examples, 303 00:19:33,320 --> 00:19:35,850 Speaker 1: but what I hope you can see is that trying 304 00:19:35,890 --> 00:19:40,580 Speaker 1: to keep up with the ways our influences change can be, first, 305 00:19:40,760 --> 00:19:46,109 Speaker 1: very expensive, right? But frustrating. We not only lose the 306 00:19:46,160 --> 00:19:48,590 Speaker 1: opportunity to hear from the Holy Spirit, but we can 307 00:19:48,750 --> 00:19:53,090 Speaker 1: also lose who he uniquely made us to be because 308 00:19:53,130 --> 00:19:57,450 Speaker 1: we feel this pressure to conform, to be like everyone else, 309 00:19:57,600 --> 00:20:00,520 Speaker 1: to fit in. And I don't know, maybe you've heard 310 00:20:00,560 --> 00:20:05,460 Speaker 1: a Bible verse or two about conforming to the world, right? 311 00:20:06,119 --> 00:20:08,560 Speaker 1: It's okay. We don't have to do it because everyone 312 00:20:08,600 --> 00:20:11,980 Speaker 1: else is doing it. In fact, God's desire is for 313 00:20:12,020 --> 00:20:16,540 Speaker 1: us to be transformed, not conformed. Well, that's all for 314 00:20:16,580 --> 00:20:19,939 Speaker 1: this episode. This first one in our series over the influence. 315 00:20:19,980 --> 00:20:23,770 Speaker 1: Next time, we're going to dig into where this all starts, 316 00:20:23,810 --> 00:20:26,990 Speaker 1: like how influence sneaks in before we're even old enough 317 00:20:27,010 --> 00:20:30,510 Speaker 1: to notice it and why awareness is the first step 318 00:20:30,850 --> 00:20:33,050 Speaker 1: toward freedom. And we're going to talk more about what 319 00:20:33,090 --> 00:20:35,390 Speaker 1: it really means to be spirit led. What does that 320 00:20:35,430 --> 00:20:39,210 Speaker 1: look like? And how is that different from being influenced? 321 00:20:39,840 --> 00:20:44,030 Speaker 1: Until then, remember your homework, pay attention to what's influencing 322 00:20:44,070 --> 00:20:49,030 Speaker 1: you today, the ads, the opinions, the voices, just notice them, 323 00:20:49,470 --> 00:20:51,070 Speaker 1: and we'll talk about what to do with all that 324 00:20:51,109 --> 00:20:54,070 Speaker 1: awareness next time. Hey, thanks for listening today. I hope 325 00:20:54,090 --> 00:20:57,619 Speaker 1: something today has helped you stop comparing and start living. Bye-bye. 326 00:20:58,480 --> 00:21:00,139 Speaker 1: The Compared to Podcast is proud to be part of 327 00:21:00,180 --> 00:21:03,480 Speaker 1: the Life Audio Podcast Network. For more great Christian podcasts, 328 00:21:03,560 --> 00:21:05,439 Speaker 1: go to lifeaudio.com.