1 00:00:02,800 --> 00:00:09,520 Speaker 1: Life Audio. 2 00:00:12,039 --> 00:00:15,000 Speaker 2: This is Donna Jones and you are listening to That's 3 00:00:15,360 --> 00:00:17,880 Speaker 2: just what I needed. Hey, friend, If you've ever been 4 00:00:17,920 --> 00:00:20,720 Speaker 2: in a conversation where you've walked away thinking, Wow, that 5 00:00:20,880 --> 00:00:23,400 Speaker 2: was just what I needed, you know how life giving 6 00:00:23,400 --> 00:00:24,840 Speaker 2: that can be, Well, that's. 7 00:00:24,680 --> 00:00:26,120 Speaker 1: What this podcast is all about. 8 00:00:26,360 --> 00:00:29,240 Speaker 2: We're women who want to know, love, and follow God 9 00:00:29,400 --> 00:00:32,199 Speaker 2: in our real lives, but sometimes wonder just how to 10 00:00:32,240 --> 00:00:34,960 Speaker 2: do it. So each week we'll talk about what following 11 00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:37,400 Speaker 2: God looks like in the midst of daily demands and 12 00:00:37,640 --> 00:00:41,640 Speaker 2: crazy cultural chaos. Because this isn't just what we need, 13 00:00:41,840 --> 00:00:46,760 Speaker 2: it's actually exactly what we need. Hey, hey, my friend, 14 00:00:46,760 --> 00:00:50,440 Speaker 2: and welcome to the podcast. We are in a three 15 00:00:50,479 --> 00:00:55,560 Speaker 2: week series talking about what God is doing in your life, 16 00:00:55,720 --> 00:00:58,560 Speaker 2: how to determine God's will, how to make decisions, how 17 00:00:58,600 --> 00:01:02,080 Speaker 2: to get the big picture of what God might be 18 00:01:02,160 --> 00:01:05,240 Speaker 2: doing in your life right now now. This all started 19 00:01:05,400 --> 00:01:08,480 Speaker 2: a couple of episodes ago. If you haven't listened to that, 20 00:01:08,520 --> 00:01:10,120 Speaker 2: you might want to go back. That's kind of like 21 00:01:10,160 --> 00:01:13,600 Speaker 2: the big umbrella picture of what God is doing in 22 00:01:13,640 --> 00:01:17,039 Speaker 2: your life. And then last week's episode we kind of 23 00:01:17,160 --> 00:01:21,240 Speaker 2: zoomed in on how to determine God's will, how to 24 00:01:21,280 --> 00:01:24,520 Speaker 2: make decisions in line with God's will. And then this 25 00:01:24,600 --> 00:01:30,520 Speaker 2: week we are continuing that exploration with my guest, Laurie 26 00:01:30,600 --> 00:01:33,000 Speaker 2: Pulich Short. Now, let me tell you a little bit 27 00:01:33,040 --> 00:01:36,760 Speaker 2: about Laurie. You are going to love her. She is 28 00:01:36,880 --> 00:01:41,360 Speaker 2: a multibook author, she is a national speaker. She's spoken 29 00:01:41,400 --> 00:01:46,040 Speaker 2: to over half a million people, and she is absolutely delightful. 30 00:01:46,160 --> 00:01:48,720 Speaker 2: She's written this brand new book, and she's going to 31 00:01:48,800 --> 00:01:52,760 Speaker 2: help you and me figure out what God has done 32 00:01:52,800 --> 00:01:55,920 Speaker 2: in the past, what God is doing in the present, 33 00:01:56,320 --> 00:01:58,800 Speaker 2: so that we can trust God with our future. 34 00:01:58,960 --> 00:01:59,680 Speaker 1: So help me. 35 00:01:59,720 --> 00:02:04,160 Speaker 2: Welcome my new friend, Lorie Short. 36 00:02:04,880 --> 00:02:06,640 Speaker 1: Well, Laurie, welcome to the podcast. 37 00:02:07,080 --> 00:02:09,680 Speaker 3: Thank you so much, Donna, thanks for having me. 38 00:02:10,040 --> 00:02:12,440 Speaker 2: Okay, so before we hit record, I just have to 39 00:02:12,480 --> 00:02:16,800 Speaker 2: tell my listening friends, Laurie and I have so much 40 00:02:16,800 --> 00:02:20,240 Speaker 2: in common. We have never met until this moment, but 41 00:02:20,440 --> 00:02:23,519 Speaker 2: our stories are so parallel and we have so many 42 00:02:23,639 --> 00:02:26,480 Speaker 2: mutual friends. It goes all the way back to our 43 00:02:26,560 --> 00:02:31,079 Speaker 2: days at UCLA. We both went to UCLA together, I mean, 44 00:02:31,160 --> 00:02:33,560 Speaker 2: just crew lived on the same street and the whole thing, 45 00:02:33,639 --> 00:02:36,880 Speaker 2: I mean it was It's just crazy. So Laurie, I'm 46 00:02:36,919 --> 00:02:39,320 Speaker 2: just super excited to get to know you, and also 47 00:02:39,440 --> 00:02:40,519 Speaker 2: just to introduce. 48 00:02:40,160 --> 00:02:44,080 Speaker 1: You to our listening friends here. Oh thanks, Dona, I 49 00:02:44,160 --> 00:02:44,680 Speaker 1: know it is. 50 00:02:44,760 --> 00:02:48,240 Speaker 3: It's so wonderful when you cross connect again and realize 51 00:02:48,280 --> 00:02:49,400 Speaker 3: you have all this history. 52 00:02:49,480 --> 00:02:52,240 Speaker 1: It's awesome. I know, I know. 53 00:02:52,600 --> 00:02:56,200 Speaker 2: I was excited to have you on the podcast because 54 00:02:56,240 --> 00:02:58,560 Speaker 2: of this great new book that you came out with 55 00:02:58,840 --> 00:03:01,639 Speaker 2: and a little back story, one of our Bible City 56 00:03:01,720 --> 00:03:05,800 Speaker 2: leaders at my church actually gave me Laurie's book and 57 00:03:05,880 --> 00:03:08,600 Speaker 2: said she would be amazing to have on your podcast. 58 00:03:08,680 --> 00:03:10,200 Speaker 1: So here we are, Laurie. 59 00:03:10,400 --> 00:03:14,440 Speaker 2: So tell us the name of your book and what 60 00:03:14,560 --> 00:03:15,840 Speaker 2: even motivated you to write it. 61 00:03:16,280 --> 00:03:20,080 Speaker 3: Well, it's called Tracking God in Your Life, and it's 62 00:03:20,480 --> 00:03:24,919 Speaker 3: really a book that helps you, the reader, dive into 63 00:03:24,960 --> 00:03:28,600 Speaker 3: your own story. And it's not just a bunch of questions. 64 00:03:28,720 --> 00:03:33,280 Speaker 3: It's Bible stories, passages, stories from people that I know 65 00:03:34,160 --> 00:03:37,800 Speaker 3: that kind of help you in your own story see 66 00:03:37,840 --> 00:03:41,040 Speaker 3: God these eight different ways, And that's really what it is. 67 00:03:41,080 --> 00:03:48,040 Speaker 3: It's eight very normal, natural life experiencing ways that we 68 00:03:48,240 --> 00:03:52,440 Speaker 3: see this invisible God in our life, threading together stories 69 00:03:52,440 --> 00:03:55,320 Speaker 3: that we didn't even know while we were living them, 70 00:03:55,520 --> 00:03:58,360 Speaker 3: and then looking back, I always say, He's the God 71 00:03:58,360 --> 00:04:01,920 Speaker 3: of the rear view mayor. And so when you see 72 00:04:02,000 --> 00:04:05,680 Speaker 3: how He wove things together and that some things you 73 00:04:05,720 --> 00:04:07,880 Speaker 3: thought were about one thing turned out to be about 74 00:04:07,960 --> 00:04:11,840 Speaker 3: something else, or bringing a relationship into your life, or 75 00:04:11,880 --> 00:04:15,160 Speaker 3: making a connection that was important later on. When you 76 00:04:15,280 --> 00:04:18,480 Speaker 3: see the details of what God has done in your story, 77 00:04:19,120 --> 00:04:23,240 Speaker 3: it helps you so much in living your faith because 78 00:04:23,279 --> 00:04:26,039 Speaker 3: there are so many seasons where we do not see 79 00:04:26,120 --> 00:04:28,200 Speaker 3: what God is doing, and in fact it looks like 80 00:04:28,240 --> 00:04:31,800 Speaker 3: he's doing nothing. It looks like he's ignoring us. Sometimes 81 00:04:31,880 --> 00:04:34,600 Speaker 3: it looks like he's allowing things that we don't understand. 82 00:04:35,360 --> 00:04:38,000 Speaker 3: And so I think that practice of looking back. The 83 00:04:38,080 --> 00:04:41,640 Speaker 3: reason that the word remember is repeated so many times 84 00:04:41,680 --> 00:04:44,719 Speaker 3: in scripture is that God says, looked back to see 85 00:04:45,480 --> 00:04:48,919 Speaker 3: how I am involved in your story, even when you 86 00:04:49,040 --> 00:04:52,640 Speaker 3: don't see it. So this book is really important to 87 00:04:52,680 --> 00:04:55,520 Speaker 3: me because it really is the reader's book. It's a 88 00:04:55,640 --> 00:05:00,760 Speaker 3: chance for you to write down, jot down, talk about 89 00:05:00,800 --> 00:05:04,559 Speaker 3: whatever you're comfortable with, the stories of your life where 90 00:05:04,680 --> 00:05:07,560 Speaker 3: God has been at work that you maybe didn't even 91 00:05:07,600 --> 00:05:10,120 Speaker 3: notice at the time. But through this book you'll be 92 00:05:10,160 --> 00:05:10,800 Speaker 3: able to see. 93 00:05:11,240 --> 00:05:15,120 Speaker 2: I love that because so often we don't pause to 94 00:05:15,160 --> 00:05:19,039 Speaker 2: look back, so we don't remember what God has done. 95 00:05:19,120 --> 00:05:22,440 Speaker 2: And then as you put it then in the presence, 96 00:05:22,480 --> 00:05:24,640 Speaker 2: sometimes you're like, Okay, God, what in the world are 97 00:05:24,640 --> 00:05:25,000 Speaker 2: you doing? 98 00:05:25,279 --> 00:05:27,920 Speaker 1: And where are you? I feel like my prayers are 99 00:05:27,920 --> 00:05:30,800 Speaker 1: balancing us the ceiling. Are you involved in this? 100 00:05:31,000 --> 00:05:34,320 Speaker 2: You know, those questions that maybe we might not articulate 101 00:05:34,920 --> 00:05:36,400 Speaker 2: to other people, but we. 102 00:05:36,440 --> 00:05:37,560 Speaker 1: Think them in our mind. 103 00:05:37,920 --> 00:05:40,279 Speaker 2: And then one of the things I think is so 104 00:05:40,400 --> 00:05:43,600 Speaker 2: great about kind of looking back. It gives you perspective 105 00:05:43,680 --> 00:05:47,120 Speaker 2: on the present. But then as you say, it gives 106 00:05:47,160 --> 00:05:49,960 Speaker 2: you hope for the future, or it enables you to 107 00:05:50,040 --> 00:05:50,719 Speaker 2: trust God. 108 00:05:50,839 --> 00:05:52,440 Speaker 1: This is how you put it, to. 109 00:05:52,480 --> 00:05:56,159 Speaker 2: Trust God with your future, And oh my goodness, Laurie, 110 00:05:56,320 --> 00:05:58,800 Speaker 2: I feel like personally that is where I am at 111 00:05:58,880 --> 00:06:01,839 Speaker 2: right now. I'm like, okay, hey, I keep the word 112 00:06:02,000 --> 00:06:05,320 Speaker 2: trust trust trust trust is just a lord is just 113 00:06:05,680 --> 00:06:10,400 Speaker 2: that's the download for twenty twenty six. But you can't 114 00:06:10,400 --> 00:06:12,680 Speaker 2: trust somebody that you don't feel is trustworthy. 115 00:06:13,000 --> 00:06:16,039 Speaker 3: So that's where you have to look back, yes, because 116 00:06:16,080 --> 00:06:18,960 Speaker 3: if you're looking at your present circumstances, it might look 117 00:06:19,040 --> 00:06:22,280 Speaker 3: like he's not trustworthy. And sometimes we have to look 118 00:06:22,320 --> 00:06:24,480 Speaker 3: back to be able to see. And that's why one 119 00:06:24,520 --> 00:06:27,040 Speaker 3: of the most important sections of the book is in 120 00:06:27,080 --> 00:06:30,719 Speaker 3: each chapter I have a moving forward section where it 121 00:06:31,080 --> 00:06:35,520 Speaker 3: invites you to do that practice where you've seen God 122 00:06:36,400 --> 00:06:40,640 Speaker 3: in real time, so that you know what to look for, 123 00:06:40,800 --> 00:06:43,880 Speaker 3: you know when to wait. You know maybe that you're 124 00:06:43,920 --> 00:06:46,880 Speaker 3: looking so hard in one direction and wanting him to 125 00:06:46,920 --> 00:06:50,159 Speaker 3: answer this, that you're missing something over here that's really 126 00:06:50,200 --> 00:06:54,360 Speaker 3: important in your life. That so many of our circumstances 127 00:06:54,880 --> 00:06:57,280 Speaker 3: aren't about the circumstances themselves. 128 00:06:57,320 --> 00:06:58,040 Speaker 1: They're about what. 129 00:06:58,160 --> 00:07:00,720 Speaker 3: Is going to happen if you open in your eyes 130 00:07:00,760 --> 00:07:03,760 Speaker 3: and you're aware of what's happening. But I think we 131 00:07:03,800 --> 00:07:07,280 Speaker 3: get so overfocused on the way we want to see 132 00:07:07,320 --> 00:07:10,160 Speaker 3: God work, the way we want him to answer our prayers. 133 00:07:10,680 --> 00:07:12,400 Speaker 3: And I don't know about you, Donna, but the longer 134 00:07:12,440 --> 00:07:16,720 Speaker 3: I live, the longer I see that God has answered prayers, 135 00:07:16,760 --> 00:07:20,600 Speaker 3: but so differently than I prayed them, in different packages 136 00:07:20,680 --> 00:07:24,560 Speaker 3: than I prayed them, and always for a purpose, because 137 00:07:24,880 --> 00:07:27,520 Speaker 3: it's not just about us. This life is about the 138 00:07:27,560 --> 00:07:30,840 Speaker 3: way we are touching other people, the way God is 139 00:07:30,960 --> 00:07:35,720 Speaker 3: using our stories in other people's lives, and so everything 140 00:07:35,800 --> 00:07:37,640 Speaker 3: that you go through. 141 00:07:37,600 --> 00:07:38,600 Speaker 1: Is for a purpose. 142 00:07:38,680 --> 00:07:41,480 Speaker 3: As much as we don't love going through the things 143 00:07:41,600 --> 00:07:44,160 Speaker 3: that we have to go through, but we really see 144 00:07:44,160 --> 00:07:46,200 Speaker 3: that looking back that is so good. 145 00:07:46,200 --> 00:07:49,120 Speaker 2: Okay, so you talk about eight ways, so let's just 146 00:07:49,240 --> 00:07:51,920 Speaker 2: dive into those, Like, what's one of the ways that 147 00:07:51,960 --> 00:07:54,040 Speaker 2: we can look back in order to go forward. 148 00:07:54,480 --> 00:07:58,040 Speaker 3: I begin the book by just some exercises of how 149 00:07:58,040 --> 00:08:00,880 Speaker 3: to hear God. I invite the reader to think about 150 00:08:00,960 --> 00:08:03,480 Speaker 3: how they've actually heard God in their life, or been 151 00:08:03,520 --> 00:08:07,080 Speaker 3: aware that He might be speaking or moving, or maybe 152 00:08:07,160 --> 00:08:08,840 Speaker 3: you've been sitting in a sermon and all of a 153 00:08:08,840 --> 00:08:11,400 Speaker 3: sudden the volume gets turned up and you're like, ooh, 154 00:08:11,480 --> 00:08:14,000 Speaker 3: that feels like it was for me. I know why 155 00:08:14,040 --> 00:08:16,920 Speaker 3: I'm here today, I know why I read that today, 156 00:08:16,960 --> 00:08:19,880 Speaker 3: I know why I saw that. Whatever that might be. 157 00:08:20,400 --> 00:08:23,120 Speaker 3: It sort of opens up your senses that first chapter. 158 00:08:23,160 --> 00:08:26,040 Speaker 3: But then we dive right in to open and closed 159 00:08:26,040 --> 00:08:30,320 Speaker 3: doors and timing and coincidences. And for instance, with open 160 00:08:30,360 --> 00:08:32,520 Speaker 3: and closed doors, we all know that God is in 161 00:08:32,559 --> 00:08:33,320 Speaker 3: the open doors. 162 00:08:33,559 --> 00:08:35,120 Speaker 1: You know, it's like he has in my prayer. 163 00:08:35,240 --> 00:08:38,040 Speaker 3: Yay, you open the door that I wanted, But we 164 00:08:38,160 --> 00:08:42,480 Speaker 3: don't often see that before that, there was very likely 165 00:08:42,520 --> 00:08:46,480 Speaker 3: a closed door that led you to the place of 166 00:08:46,520 --> 00:08:49,920 Speaker 3: this open door. That God is in the whole story 167 00:08:50,160 --> 00:08:55,480 Speaker 3: so he's working and moving and positioning us to get 168 00:08:55,559 --> 00:08:58,040 Speaker 3: us where we're going. And I think we really see 169 00:08:58,040 --> 00:09:00,480 Speaker 3: that in the life of Joseph in the Old Time Estimate, 170 00:09:00,960 --> 00:09:02,920 Speaker 3: because we see so much of his story. 171 00:09:02,920 --> 00:09:03,959 Speaker 1: I think so many. 172 00:09:03,880 --> 00:09:07,840 Speaker 3: Other times we just see the short, little stories and 173 00:09:07,880 --> 00:09:10,400 Speaker 3: we go, Wow, that person's life, but they had a 174 00:09:10,440 --> 00:09:14,520 Speaker 3: whole life that we're not reading about. And in Joseph's situation, 175 00:09:15,040 --> 00:09:18,720 Speaker 3: we do read about his whole life, and you really 176 00:09:18,800 --> 00:09:21,240 Speaker 3: see in that story that at any given moment, if 177 00:09:21,280 --> 00:09:23,640 Speaker 3: you were to stop that story, you never would have 178 00:09:23,679 --> 00:09:26,560 Speaker 3: imagined what was going to happen next. And I don't 179 00:09:26,600 --> 00:09:29,360 Speaker 3: know about you, but that's definitely true for me. I'm 180 00:09:29,520 --> 00:09:32,920 Speaker 3: currently serving in Santa Barbara at a church, but the 181 00:09:32,960 --> 00:09:35,520 Speaker 3: only reason that I'm here is because I went through 182 00:09:35,520 --> 00:09:39,360 Speaker 3: a broken engagement, a very public broken engagement that happened 183 00:09:39,440 --> 00:09:42,040 Speaker 3: late in life. I was already forty two, so you 184 00:09:42,040 --> 00:09:45,040 Speaker 3: can imagine the excitement in my household. My mom was 185 00:09:45,080 --> 00:09:47,559 Speaker 3: so excited to give the showers, and we had our 186 00:09:47,600 --> 00:09:51,760 Speaker 3: bridesmaids dresses, wedding dress, and then my fiance got deployed 187 00:09:51,960 --> 00:09:54,360 Speaker 3: only a couple of months before the wedding. He was 188 00:09:54,400 --> 00:09:58,280 Speaker 3: a marine reservist, and so in the course of his deployment, 189 00:09:58,400 --> 00:10:01,439 Speaker 3: his ex wife, who had left him, actually was communicating 190 00:10:01,480 --> 00:10:04,120 Speaker 3: with him, and so when he came home, we broke 191 00:10:04,200 --> 00:10:07,440 Speaker 3: up and he remarried his ex wife, which I want 192 00:10:07,440 --> 00:10:10,080 Speaker 3: to be clear to say, is an amazing God story. 193 00:10:10,320 --> 00:10:13,800 Speaker 3: It's just that I didn't love my part God's story, 194 00:10:13,880 --> 00:10:16,640 Speaker 3: and I really felt, more than anything because it was 195 00:10:16,679 --> 00:10:20,120 Speaker 3: such a great story. I felt forgotten by God during 196 00:10:20,160 --> 00:10:23,680 Speaker 3: that season. But it was in that season four months 197 00:10:23,720 --> 00:10:25,920 Speaker 3: later that I got a call from Santa Barbara, from 198 00:10:26,000 --> 00:10:28,559 Speaker 3: a guy named John Ireland who had planted a church, 199 00:10:28,679 --> 00:10:31,440 Speaker 3: and he was calling to congratulate me, which, of course 200 00:10:31,480 --> 00:10:33,120 Speaker 3: I said, well, I didn't get married, and he said, well, 201 00:10:33,120 --> 00:10:34,920 Speaker 3: that's not why i'm calling. We were praying about this 202 00:10:34,960 --> 00:10:38,240 Speaker 3: new position and your name came up. And so again 203 00:10:38,320 --> 00:10:40,880 Speaker 3: I wasn't looking for a job. But you know, we 204 00:10:40,960 --> 00:10:43,680 Speaker 3: have to pay attention to those open doors, even if 205 00:10:43,760 --> 00:10:47,320 Speaker 3: they're strange and not the ones we're looking for, because 206 00:10:48,080 --> 00:10:50,480 Speaker 3: one door can lead to another door that might lead 207 00:10:50,559 --> 00:10:53,240 Speaker 3: to the door that you want. And that was true 208 00:10:53,280 --> 00:10:56,280 Speaker 3: in my case in the least likely place, Donna, because 209 00:10:56,280 --> 00:10:59,120 Speaker 3: if you know anything about Santa Barbara, there aren't very 210 00:10:59,160 --> 00:11:02,400 Speaker 3: many single peaces. It's at Barbara, So people were like, 211 00:11:02,440 --> 00:11:04,680 Speaker 3: why are you going there? I felt like, Ruth, you 212 00:11:04,720 --> 00:11:06,640 Speaker 3: know you'll never get married. 213 00:11:06,280 --> 00:11:07,040 Speaker 1: If you go there. 214 00:11:07,200 --> 00:11:09,480 Speaker 3: Anna, I was like, well, this is where God's calling me, 215 00:11:09,600 --> 00:11:13,000 Speaker 3: and lo and behold. When I got married at forty nine, 216 00:11:13,200 --> 00:11:16,040 Speaker 3: which of course is every girl's dream, I married a 217 00:11:16,080 --> 00:11:20,200 Speaker 3: guy that was beyond anybody's wildest dreams and he had 218 00:11:20,240 --> 00:11:23,959 Speaker 3: a six year old son, and I became his step mom, 219 00:11:24,120 --> 00:11:26,319 Speaker 3: and his mom ended up moving out of the country, 220 00:11:26,440 --> 00:11:29,000 Speaker 3: so I really got a chance to do some mothering 221 00:11:29,320 --> 00:11:32,520 Speaker 3: and just the story kept going in ways that you 222 00:11:32,720 --> 00:11:34,640 Speaker 3: cannot believe. But I won't give it away because you 223 00:11:34,679 --> 00:11:38,200 Speaker 3: can read some of that in the book. But really, 224 00:11:38,280 --> 00:11:40,920 Speaker 3: this book is inviting you to find those places. 225 00:11:41,000 --> 00:11:41,200 Speaker 1: You know. 226 00:11:41,240 --> 00:11:44,160 Speaker 3: The door closed on my engagement. I thought life was over. 227 00:11:44,720 --> 00:11:46,920 Speaker 3: But what I always say to people, it's kind of 228 00:11:46,960 --> 00:11:49,960 Speaker 3: my signature line. If you wake up the next morning 229 00:11:50,040 --> 00:11:53,080 Speaker 3: and you're still breathing, God's not through with your story. 230 00:11:53,440 --> 00:11:57,880 Speaker 2: Okay, I actually underlined that in your book. That's so 231 00:11:58,080 --> 00:11:59,840 Speaker 2: crazy that that's your signature line. 232 00:12:00,080 --> 00:12:02,000 Speaker 1: It's true, it's true, we all know it. 233 00:12:02,080 --> 00:12:05,319 Speaker 3: But I think we feel in those seasons like life 234 00:12:05,360 --> 00:12:09,320 Speaker 3: is over because there is something that's over, something a dream, 235 00:12:09,720 --> 00:12:13,640 Speaker 3: a hope, a prayer. But if we're still here, God 236 00:12:13,720 --> 00:12:18,040 Speaker 3: isn't through, and he has something in mind. And for me, 237 00:12:18,280 --> 00:12:20,360 Speaker 3: it didn't take shape of a guy, you know, on 238 00:12:20,400 --> 00:12:23,360 Speaker 3: a white horse coming in. It was a job opportunity, 239 00:12:23,440 --> 00:12:25,440 Speaker 3: but it allowed me to move, and I was so 240 00:12:25,600 --> 00:12:28,359 Speaker 3: distraught at the time that even that was so refreshing 241 00:12:28,440 --> 00:12:30,559 Speaker 3: for me to have a new life, a new church, 242 00:12:30,880 --> 00:12:34,520 Speaker 3: and then lo and behold a family. But the timing 243 00:12:34,559 --> 00:12:38,239 Speaker 3: and coincidences aspect, that's another thing. You know, you realize 244 00:12:38,280 --> 00:12:42,640 Speaker 3: that God is at work in a different timeline than 245 00:12:42,760 --> 00:12:45,320 Speaker 3: we want him to a lot of times. But when 246 00:12:45,360 --> 00:12:49,160 Speaker 3: we look back, we can see that everything happened just 247 00:12:49,440 --> 00:12:52,920 Speaker 3: as it should because of what happened after that. And 248 00:12:52,960 --> 00:12:54,880 Speaker 3: I think we see that in Joseph, you know, I 249 00:12:54,920 --> 00:12:57,880 Speaker 3: mean on his way to leadership, he ended up a 250 00:12:57,920 --> 00:13:01,560 Speaker 3: slave and then in prison. I mean, who could ever say, like, yeah, 251 00:13:01,920 --> 00:13:04,040 Speaker 3: that would be the course I would think a leader 252 00:13:04,080 --> 00:13:07,120 Speaker 3: would take. I mean maybe Nelson Mandela obviously. But it's 253 00:13:07,360 --> 00:13:10,800 Speaker 3: very very unusual the way God works in our lives. 254 00:13:10,840 --> 00:13:13,960 Speaker 3: And you might be in your darkest moment just before 255 00:13:14,160 --> 00:13:18,880 Speaker 3: something incredible is about to happen. We never know, and 256 00:13:18,960 --> 00:13:22,160 Speaker 3: we can live in that holy anticipation, and that's what 257 00:13:22,240 --> 00:13:24,679 Speaker 3: the book really allows you to do. So it moves 258 00:13:24,679 --> 00:13:27,520 Speaker 3: on from there. I talk about suffering. I talk about 259 00:13:27,840 --> 00:13:29,079 Speaker 3: mirrors and cliffs. 260 00:13:29,520 --> 00:13:32,320 Speaker 1: Okay, this is so good, Laurie. I love that. 261 00:13:32,480 --> 00:13:34,960 Speaker 2: And one of the things I just tuckled when you 262 00:13:35,000 --> 00:13:37,280 Speaker 2: said is it was a great God story, but I 263 00:13:37,280 --> 00:13:38,600 Speaker 2: didn't like my part in. 264 00:13:38,559 --> 00:13:40,800 Speaker 1: The story, and I think you know all of us 265 00:13:40,880 --> 00:13:41,719 Speaker 1: can relate to that. 266 00:13:41,920 --> 00:13:44,960 Speaker 2: But I love how then you have kind of taken 267 00:13:45,040 --> 00:13:47,920 Speaker 2: us through a case hearing God's voice, working through the circumstances. 268 00:13:48,040 --> 00:13:49,280 Speaker 1: We're going to take a quick. 269 00:13:49,120 --> 00:13:53,840 Speaker 2: Break because I know there is so many more nuggets 270 00:13:53,840 --> 00:13:55,960 Speaker 2: that you have and I don't want to to miss 271 00:13:56,000 --> 00:13:57,760 Speaker 2: a single one. So we're going to take a quick break, 272 00:13:57,760 --> 00:13:59,679 Speaker 2: and when we come back, you're going to share with 273 00:13:59,760 --> 00:14:02,120 Speaker 2: us kind of the rest of the way that we 274 00:14:02,160 --> 00:14:05,080 Speaker 2: can remember that week experience God in our present, and 275 00:14:05,080 --> 00:14:10,520 Speaker 2: that we can really trust Him with our future. Okay, So, Lorie, 276 00:14:11,120 --> 00:14:13,600 Speaker 2: you have already given us a couple of nuggets, but 277 00:14:13,920 --> 00:14:17,240 Speaker 2: walk us through a few more of these principles. 278 00:14:17,720 --> 00:14:20,240 Speaker 3: Well, I move on in the book and talk about 279 00:14:20,520 --> 00:14:24,000 Speaker 3: risk in two forms, mirrors and cliffs. You know, the 280 00:14:24,120 --> 00:14:27,040 Speaker 3: risk of looking inward at maybe something we don't want 281 00:14:27,080 --> 00:14:31,320 Speaker 3: to see, and also the risk of doing something we 282 00:14:31,360 --> 00:14:35,280 Speaker 3: don't feel capable of doing. And both of those places, 283 00:14:35,320 --> 00:14:38,800 Speaker 3: God meets us in a profound way because he longs 284 00:14:38,800 --> 00:14:40,960 Speaker 3: for us to be free. That's really the theme of 285 00:14:41,000 --> 00:14:43,680 Speaker 3: that chapter is that He's out for our freedom. But 286 00:14:43,760 --> 00:14:48,240 Speaker 3: that's probably the most vulnerable chapter because I share some 287 00:14:48,360 --> 00:14:51,960 Speaker 3: vulnerable stories in my life and talk about some people 288 00:14:51,960 --> 00:14:56,480 Speaker 3: in scripture and how God lovingly takes us to the 289 00:14:56,520 --> 00:14:59,120 Speaker 3: place where we might do something that we do not 290 00:14:59,320 --> 00:15:03,080 Speaker 3: feel like we can do, and when we do, we 291 00:15:03,200 --> 00:15:06,320 Speaker 3: experience God differently. And I really believe that in my 292 00:15:06,360 --> 00:15:08,560 Speaker 3: own life, and I know that's true for others. 293 00:15:08,920 --> 00:15:11,160 Speaker 2: I want to pause you right there because I don't 294 00:15:11,160 --> 00:15:13,840 Speaker 2: want anybody to miss this, because I feel like this 295 00:15:13,960 --> 00:15:17,320 Speaker 2: is really important. When we think of risk, I think 296 00:15:17,360 --> 00:15:20,320 Speaker 2: most of us normally think of doing something that takes 297 00:15:20,400 --> 00:15:23,120 Speaker 2: us out of our comfort zone, right, so something outward. 298 00:15:23,320 --> 00:15:26,360 Speaker 2: I don't think many of us think of a mirror 299 00:15:26,880 --> 00:15:30,960 Speaker 2: that that's a risk of like looking at ourselves and 300 00:15:31,480 --> 00:15:34,920 Speaker 2: what might God want to be showing me in order 301 00:15:34,960 --> 00:15:38,520 Speaker 2: to free me right, But that's risk. And Laurie, one 302 00:15:38,560 --> 00:15:41,440 Speaker 2: of the things I've really been thinking about in the 303 00:15:41,560 --> 00:15:44,800 Speaker 2: last few months is, especially in the American Church, we 304 00:15:44,920 --> 00:15:50,800 Speaker 2: are addicted to comfort, comfortable Christianity. Don't make it messy, 305 00:15:50,840 --> 00:15:53,840 Speaker 2: don't make it complicated, don't make it hard, don't make 306 00:15:53,880 --> 00:15:58,320 Speaker 2: it risky. I just want comfortable Christianity. And the more 307 00:15:58,360 --> 00:16:00,240 Speaker 2: I think about this, the more I realize it's like, 308 00:16:00,760 --> 00:16:05,520 Speaker 2: comfortable Christianity is not christ Christianity. 309 00:16:05,840 --> 00:16:08,040 Speaker 1: It's not And I think we kind of need to 310 00:16:08,280 --> 00:16:09,400 Speaker 1: have a wake up call. 311 00:16:09,720 --> 00:16:12,960 Speaker 2: And to your point, the risk of like just looking 312 00:16:13,040 --> 00:16:16,440 Speaker 2: inward and then stepping outward. Can you talk to us 313 00:16:16,480 --> 00:16:19,720 Speaker 2: a little bit more about that? Also, when you take 314 00:16:19,720 --> 00:16:23,520 Speaker 2: a risk, it's scary, right, and it's uncomfortable. That's the point, 315 00:16:23,640 --> 00:16:26,520 Speaker 2: it's uncomfortable. So just talk to us a little bit 316 00:16:26,560 --> 00:16:29,760 Speaker 2: more about that. Well, I think it's a vulnerable place. 317 00:16:30,000 --> 00:16:33,440 Speaker 2: I give the illustration of my mom, who when she 318 00:16:34,200 --> 00:16:37,960 Speaker 2: decided to go to rehab it was such a profound 319 00:16:38,080 --> 00:16:41,720 Speaker 2: decision for her. I think honestly what kept her from 320 00:16:41,760 --> 00:16:44,920 Speaker 2: it is what will people think I can't do this. 321 00:16:45,560 --> 00:16:46,600 Speaker 1: I'm not like that. 322 00:16:46,920 --> 00:16:49,880 Speaker 3: All the things we all feel about whatever it is 323 00:16:49,920 --> 00:16:53,720 Speaker 3: we struggle with. And it was such a powerful example 324 00:16:53,840 --> 00:16:57,440 Speaker 3: to me how God not only took her through that, 325 00:16:58,240 --> 00:17:01,560 Speaker 3: but it impacted our family. She went back to school, 326 00:17:01,840 --> 00:17:04,920 Speaker 3: she finished her bachelor's, got her master's, and ended up 327 00:17:05,359 --> 00:17:09,240 Speaker 3: a therapist specializing in drug and alcohol abuse and families. 328 00:17:09,400 --> 00:17:13,399 Speaker 3: And God used her in the very place that was 329 00:17:13,680 --> 00:17:18,280 Speaker 3: the most humiliating place. And I know for myself, I 330 00:17:18,400 --> 00:17:22,120 Speaker 3: remember waking up after my broken engagement going, I am 331 00:17:22,280 --> 00:17:26,439 Speaker 3: so humiliated over anything else because so many people knew, 332 00:17:26,760 --> 00:17:30,200 Speaker 3: and there is this feeling like what will people say, 333 00:17:30,440 --> 00:17:31,520 Speaker 3: what will people think? 334 00:17:31,720 --> 00:17:32,840 Speaker 1: Oh, I'm such a fool. 335 00:17:33,080 --> 00:17:36,680 Speaker 3: I also talk vulnerably about my issue of control, which 336 00:17:36,680 --> 00:17:39,600 Speaker 3: my mom lovingly started explaining to me that as a 337 00:17:39,640 --> 00:17:43,360 Speaker 3: firstborn child in this situation, that is a very common 338 00:17:43,640 --> 00:17:46,080 Speaker 3: thing that you are going to struggle with, but it 339 00:17:46,119 --> 00:17:51,160 Speaker 3: can impact relationships. Either whether you struggle with control or codependency, 340 00:17:51,200 --> 00:17:54,960 Speaker 3: those things impact your relationships. And I have to say 341 00:17:54,960 --> 00:17:59,000 Speaker 3: that probably other people know the thing about you, even 342 00:17:59,040 --> 00:18:01,439 Speaker 3: if you haven't seen it in your own self, if 343 00:18:01,480 --> 00:18:03,760 Speaker 3: you're in community at all, And that's what's so healing 344 00:18:03,800 --> 00:18:07,960 Speaker 3: about community. But the great thing that we know, those 345 00:18:07,960 --> 00:18:12,000 Speaker 3: of us who have great friends and marriages, that we 346 00:18:12,440 --> 00:18:15,760 Speaker 3: seeing those things and having someone love us through those 347 00:18:15,800 --> 00:18:19,600 Speaker 3: things is such a gift and it really does free 348 00:18:19,680 --> 00:18:23,399 Speaker 3: us to become self aware and to face some of 349 00:18:23,440 --> 00:18:26,280 Speaker 3: those things that God wants to work with us in 350 00:18:26,320 --> 00:18:29,960 Speaker 3: that struggle, whatever it is. And that's really how we 351 00:18:30,040 --> 00:18:33,280 Speaker 3: know him intimately, I think. And so, yeah, you're right, 352 00:18:33,400 --> 00:18:35,399 Speaker 3: a lot of us think of that risk. Like I 353 00:18:35,480 --> 00:18:37,840 Speaker 3: talked about, you know, being afraid of speaking, or my 354 00:18:37,920 --> 00:18:40,399 Speaker 3: fear of speaking. A lot of us think in terms 355 00:18:40,400 --> 00:18:43,359 Speaker 3: of that as a risk, and that part is a risk, 356 00:18:43,480 --> 00:18:47,760 Speaker 3: but there's also that risk that's the vulnerable piece. And gosh, 357 00:18:47,800 --> 00:18:50,439 Speaker 3: we see that, and David, we see And anyway, I 358 00:18:50,480 --> 00:18:53,040 Speaker 3: talk about some different ways in the Bible that we 359 00:18:53,080 --> 00:18:56,000 Speaker 3: see these things, and then I move on to pain, 360 00:18:56,160 --> 00:18:58,919 Speaker 3: you know, the just to your point, we always are 361 00:18:58,960 --> 00:19:01,960 Speaker 3: praying pain away. Of course, we're praying the pain away. 362 00:19:02,119 --> 00:19:03,560 Speaker 1: I pray it away all the time. 363 00:19:03,720 --> 00:19:06,639 Speaker 3: I don't go give me pain, Lord, But we realize 364 00:19:06,720 --> 00:19:09,680 Speaker 3: that God uses us in that place of pain. I mean, 365 00:19:09,760 --> 00:19:12,280 Speaker 3: part of the reason I shared my testimony, even though 366 00:19:12,320 --> 00:19:15,280 Speaker 3: it happened so long ago with you is because I 367 00:19:15,320 --> 00:19:17,400 Speaker 3: know that that's the piece of my story that makes 368 00:19:17,440 --> 00:19:21,000 Speaker 3: me relatable to other people. People talk to me about 369 00:19:21,240 --> 00:19:24,359 Speaker 3: prolonged singleness. People talk to me about step parenting. People 370 00:19:24,400 --> 00:19:26,440 Speaker 3: talk to me about the things I did not pray 371 00:19:26,520 --> 00:19:30,960 Speaker 3: for in my life, but God allowed them so that 372 00:19:31,240 --> 00:19:35,200 Speaker 3: he could use them powerfully in my life. And that 373 00:19:35,400 --> 00:19:38,639 Speaker 3: is what He's doing with everybody. And so I invite 374 00:19:38,680 --> 00:19:42,000 Speaker 3: you to find those places, the thorns I call them, 375 00:19:42,040 --> 00:19:45,440 Speaker 3: in our flesh, and maybe some different perspectives on pain 376 00:19:45,560 --> 00:19:46,400 Speaker 3: in that chapter. 377 00:19:46,760 --> 00:19:49,119 Speaker 2: You know what I love about that too, is that 378 00:19:49,200 --> 00:19:52,560 Speaker 2: gives you a feeling of purpose because Okay, this pain 379 00:19:52,640 --> 00:19:55,800 Speaker 2: is not wasted. There's purpose in this pain, and purpose 380 00:19:55,840 --> 00:19:58,879 Speaker 2: for me because I have to depend upon the Lord, 381 00:19:59,240 --> 00:20:02,760 Speaker 2: and purpose for us people because then, gosh, I'm relatable. 382 00:20:02,920 --> 00:20:05,080 Speaker 2: I can be a source of comfort to them or 383 00:20:05,119 --> 00:20:08,760 Speaker 2: wisdom to them. And so I love that. That's so beautiful. 384 00:20:09,320 --> 00:20:12,679 Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean again, it's the gift nobody wants, but 385 00:20:12,880 --> 00:20:16,040 Speaker 3: it is in retrospect, the gift that God uses the 386 00:20:16,080 --> 00:20:18,720 Speaker 3: most in our lives. And so it's sort of this 387 00:20:18,920 --> 00:20:23,040 Speaker 3: willingness to bear It makes you the most like Jesus 388 00:20:23,240 --> 00:20:26,560 Speaker 3: in your life because He was willing to bear so 389 00:20:26,680 --> 00:20:29,680 Speaker 3: much pain on our behalf. And then the next chapter 390 00:20:30,000 --> 00:20:32,560 Speaker 3: is the one that I think people really relate to, 391 00:20:32,600 --> 00:20:35,600 Speaker 3: which is when the script gets flipped. You know, how 392 00:20:35,640 --> 00:20:37,959 Speaker 3: many of us are living the life we thought we were. 393 00:20:38,800 --> 00:20:39,679 Speaker 1: That's my question. 394 00:20:39,920 --> 00:20:42,159 Speaker 3: If anybody is, please contact me. 395 00:20:42,200 --> 00:20:44,159 Speaker 1: I'd love to hear it. You would be the first. 396 00:20:44,359 --> 00:20:45,280 Speaker 1: You would be the first. 397 00:20:46,760 --> 00:20:50,800 Speaker 3: Exactly we present God with our plans and I Lord 398 00:20:50,880 --> 00:20:53,480 Speaker 3: knows what he does with them. But in retrospect and 399 00:20:53,560 --> 00:20:57,159 Speaker 3: again we look back on the times when our path 400 00:20:57,320 --> 00:20:59,840 Speaker 3: was diverted. I give an illustration about being in a 401 00:21:00,040 --> 00:21:02,520 Speaker 3: plane and when the pilot announced he was going to 402 00:21:02,600 --> 00:21:05,520 Speaker 3: land in Phoenix to just get some more fuel because 403 00:21:05,520 --> 00:21:08,159 Speaker 3: we couldn't make it to Alay. I remember I was 404 00:21:08,240 --> 00:21:10,240 Speaker 3: just holding on him my I was like, no, we're 405 00:21:10,280 --> 00:21:13,480 Speaker 3: not We're not landing in Phoenix, you know. And I'm like, boy, 406 00:21:13,520 --> 00:21:16,600 Speaker 3: we feel that so often in our lives. Phoenix has 407 00:21:16,600 --> 00:21:20,040 Speaker 3: become my symbol of when God goes, you know what, 408 00:21:20,280 --> 00:21:22,080 Speaker 3: we're going this way and I go, oh, no, no, 409 00:21:22,240 --> 00:21:23,320 Speaker 3: We're not going to Phoenix. 410 00:21:23,359 --> 00:21:24,600 Speaker 1: I don't want to go to Phoenix. 411 00:21:24,840 --> 00:21:29,880 Speaker 3: But God has something for us in every little detail. 412 00:21:30,040 --> 00:21:33,040 Speaker 3: That's what I've noticed, and I've seen that true with 413 00:21:33,119 --> 00:21:36,800 Speaker 3: other people. And I love telling other people's stories and 414 00:21:36,880 --> 00:21:40,720 Speaker 3: even places in scripture where these things have happened, so 415 00:21:40,800 --> 00:21:43,919 Speaker 3: that the reader will be able to see, oh yeah, 416 00:21:43,960 --> 00:21:46,960 Speaker 3: and hopefully be jarred in their own story about how 417 00:21:47,000 --> 00:21:49,320 Speaker 3: God has worked that way in theirs. And then we 418 00:21:49,440 --> 00:21:51,720 Speaker 3: end with the thirty thousand foot view, which we were 419 00:21:51,760 --> 00:21:54,840 Speaker 3: talking about before the podcast, which is so important to 420 00:21:54,920 --> 00:21:58,320 Speaker 3: get that big view of your life. And what I 421 00:21:58,359 --> 00:22:01,120 Speaker 3: love about this chapter is I get all the readers 422 00:22:01,200 --> 00:22:04,280 Speaker 3: a stone pile on one of the pages. And that's 423 00:22:04,400 --> 00:22:07,440 Speaker 3: what the Israelites did when God worked in their midst. 424 00:22:07,520 --> 00:22:10,320 Speaker 3: They made a stone altar. And I always love to 425 00:22:10,440 --> 00:22:14,439 Speaker 3: picture the other Israelites walking by these stone piles and 426 00:22:14,600 --> 00:22:18,119 Speaker 3: thinking to themselves, God must have met somebody in that place. 427 00:22:18,440 --> 00:22:22,800 Speaker 3: And so the stone pile is our chance. I invite 428 00:22:22,800 --> 00:22:25,679 Speaker 3: the reader to take one thing from each chapter and 429 00:22:25,840 --> 00:22:28,879 Speaker 3: just write that word or phrase or whatever, so that 430 00:22:28,960 --> 00:22:31,280 Speaker 3: they'll have one page in the book to look at 431 00:22:31,440 --> 00:22:34,520 Speaker 3: when they need to have their stone pile. Like I know, 432 00:22:34,680 --> 00:22:37,640 Speaker 3: God has worked in my life, and I think it's 433 00:22:37,680 --> 00:22:40,800 Speaker 3: so important for us to have that because there are 434 00:22:40,840 --> 00:22:43,200 Speaker 3: so many seasons where we don't see what He's doing. 435 00:22:44,000 --> 00:22:46,720 Speaker 3: So I really pray that this book will get into 436 00:22:46,760 --> 00:22:49,720 Speaker 3: the hands of people who need a boost in their 437 00:22:49,800 --> 00:22:52,639 Speaker 3: faith or in their trust to know that God is 438 00:22:52,680 --> 00:22:55,000 Speaker 3: at work in their lives even when they can't see it. 439 00:22:55,600 --> 00:22:57,800 Speaker 1: That is so good. It's such a hope Field book. 440 00:22:57,920 --> 00:22:59,679 Speaker 2: And one of the things I love that you just 441 00:22:59,720 --> 00:23:04,159 Speaker 2: kind of mentioned is that it's not just reading, but 442 00:23:04,200 --> 00:23:07,800 Speaker 2: it's interactive. There is just so much great content where 443 00:23:07,800 --> 00:23:10,560 Speaker 2: you're reading, but then you pause and you answer questions 444 00:23:10,560 --> 00:23:13,040 Speaker 2: about your own life. So it's almost like Marie, you're 445 00:23:13,119 --> 00:23:16,280 Speaker 2: the girlfriend that's like, Okay, let me grab your hand 446 00:23:16,600 --> 00:23:20,479 Speaker 2: and let me just help you for less than twenty bucks, 447 00:23:21,560 --> 00:23:24,320 Speaker 2: let me help you kind of look back on your 448 00:23:24,359 --> 00:23:26,879 Speaker 2: life so that you can see God in your presence, 449 00:23:26,920 --> 00:23:29,159 Speaker 2: so that you can trust God with your future. And 450 00:23:29,200 --> 00:23:32,920 Speaker 2: it's very personal, which is most books aren't this personal, 451 00:23:32,960 --> 00:23:35,160 Speaker 2: but this is a really and when I say personal, 452 00:23:35,320 --> 00:23:37,280 Speaker 2: you share personal stories. But what I mean is for 453 00:23:37,359 --> 00:23:41,560 Speaker 2: the reader it's very personal and not overwhelming, not overwhelming 454 00:23:41,720 --> 00:23:42,040 Speaker 2: at all. 455 00:23:42,720 --> 00:23:44,399 Speaker 3: No, this is a great book to do in a 456 00:23:44,440 --> 00:23:47,160 Speaker 3: small group because you will get to know each other 457 00:23:47,320 --> 00:23:50,359 Speaker 3: in a much deeper way. And even if you allow 458 00:23:50,440 --> 00:23:52,040 Speaker 3: the group, you don't have to share everything that you 459 00:23:52,080 --> 00:23:54,479 Speaker 3: wrote in the book. Of course, and I have a 460 00:23:54,520 --> 00:23:57,199 Speaker 3: study that goes with it on right now media, But 461 00:23:57,480 --> 00:24:00,520 Speaker 3: just inviting you to share out loud with each other 462 00:24:00,880 --> 00:24:05,280 Speaker 3: creates an intimacy, a spiritual intimacy in small groups that 463 00:24:05,760 --> 00:24:08,000 Speaker 3: a lot of people are telling me this was like 464 00:24:08,320 --> 00:24:10,880 Speaker 3: incredible for me and my friend, me and my spouse, 465 00:24:11,119 --> 00:24:13,879 Speaker 3: me and my small group to do together. But I 466 00:24:14,080 --> 00:24:18,000 Speaker 3: definitely lead you through, and I also encourage you that 467 00:24:18,080 --> 00:24:20,960 Speaker 3: you do not have to write in every space sometimes 468 00:24:21,000 --> 00:24:22,879 Speaker 3: you know, those of us who are older boomers, you know, 469 00:24:23,000 --> 00:24:24,919 Speaker 3: I'm a rule follower. I got to write something in 470 00:24:24,920 --> 00:24:28,440 Speaker 3: that and that's this book is yours. And what I'm 471 00:24:28,440 --> 00:24:31,520 Speaker 3: doing is trying to jar your thinking and your memory 472 00:24:31,560 --> 00:24:35,719 Speaker 3: and your process your real relationship with God, not the 473 00:24:35,760 --> 00:24:38,000 Speaker 3: one that you feel like you have to put on 474 00:24:38,160 --> 00:24:41,680 Speaker 3: sometimes really what's happening with you and God, the honest 475 00:24:42,119 --> 00:24:47,160 Speaker 3: parts of yourself and God. And so you can write 476 00:24:47,200 --> 00:24:49,320 Speaker 3: as much or as little as you want as you're 477 00:24:49,359 --> 00:24:52,120 Speaker 3: going through the book. And I do hope people feel 478 00:24:52,160 --> 00:24:54,800 Speaker 3: that way that I'm taking them by the hand because 479 00:24:54,920 --> 00:24:58,399 Speaker 3: I tried to share enough of my vulnerability so that 480 00:24:58,480 --> 00:25:00,879 Speaker 3: the reader would be moved to all so do the same. 481 00:25:01,480 --> 00:25:03,320 Speaker 2: And one of the things I love about this too, 482 00:25:03,680 --> 00:25:07,880 Speaker 2: is because in our fast paced society, we don't often 483 00:25:08,560 --> 00:25:12,360 Speaker 2: take time to think to process right, and this kind 484 00:25:12,359 --> 00:25:14,440 Speaker 2: of allows you a space to do that. But then 485 00:25:14,480 --> 00:25:17,320 Speaker 2: when you think back and you see God working, it 486 00:25:17,400 --> 00:25:20,040 Speaker 2: increases your faith first of all, but then it also 487 00:25:20,200 --> 00:25:23,359 Speaker 2: allows you to be able to articulate your story and 488 00:25:23,400 --> 00:25:26,840 Speaker 2: what I'm thinking specifically about this right now. Laurie is 489 00:25:26,960 --> 00:25:28,959 Speaker 2: years ago I had the scoull in my Bible study. 490 00:25:29,040 --> 00:25:33,359 Speaker 2: And she had a middle school age son and during 491 00:25:33,480 --> 00:25:34,600 Speaker 2: childhood he was like. 492 00:25:34,600 --> 00:25:36,720 Speaker 1: Yeah, I want to go to church. You know, it's great. 493 00:25:36,800 --> 00:25:38,879 Speaker 2: And then even sixth grade middle school is great. We 494 00:25:38,920 --> 00:25:40,639 Speaker 2: got to eighth grade, it was like, I don't know 495 00:25:40,680 --> 00:25:42,919 Speaker 2: if that's cool. I don't know if like and so 496 00:25:43,119 --> 00:25:46,439 Speaker 2: she was asking and she was first generation Christian and. 497 00:25:46,560 --> 00:25:48,640 Speaker 1: It was like, I don't know how should I deal 498 00:25:48,680 --> 00:25:48,919 Speaker 1: with this? 499 00:25:49,000 --> 00:25:51,000 Speaker 2: You know? And one of the things, I don't know 500 00:25:51,320 --> 00:25:53,440 Speaker 2: why the Lord gave me this. But I asked her, 501 00:25:53,520 --> 00:25:56,240 Speaker 2: I said, you know, you did not become a Christian 502 00:25:56,320 --> 00:25:59,000 Speaker 2: until you were an adult. Does he know your story? 503 00:25:59,320 --> 00:26:03,119 Speaker 2: And she goes, no, he doesn't, And I said, why don't. 504 00:26:03,280 --> 00:26:06,879 Speaker 2: Instead of lecturing him about why it's important to go 505 00:26:06,920 --> 00:26:11,600 Speaker 2: to church, why don't you try just telling him like, hey, 506 00:26:12,119 --> 00:26:13,280 Speaker 2: this is why it's important to me. 507 00:26:13,440 --> 00:26:14,960 Speaker 1: Let me tell you what was going on in my. 508 00:26:14,960 --> 00:26:19,400 Speaker 2: Life before I met Jesus, and then like what led 509 00:26:19,480 --> 00:26:23,200 Speaker 2: me to that, Like why I even explored it, why 510 00:26:23,240 --> 00:26:26,480 Speaker 2: I felt like gosh, this is the answer, and why 511 00:26:26,560 --> 00:26:28,800 Speaker 2: I so much like it's just so important to me 512 00:26:29,000 --> 00:26:31,760 Speaker 2: because it was. It changed my life, and I want 513 00:26:31,800 --> 00:26:34,560 Speaker 2: that for you. And I think even just thinking through that, 514 00:26:34,680 --> 00:26:38,040 Speaker 2: maybe even some listeners right now, their kids don't know 515 00:26:38,080 --> 00:26:41,080 Speaker 2: their story, and it's like, tell your kids, maybe your 516 00:26:41,119 --> 00:26:44,840 Speaker 2: spouse doesn't even know your story, tell them, because not 517 00:26:44,920 --> 00:26:49,560 Speaker 2: only does that reaffirm your faith, but then it could 518 00:26:49,600 --> 00:26:51,520 Speaker 2: really be the catalyst for their faith. 519 00:26:52,240 --> 00:26:55,720 Speaker 3: Absolutely, I'm so happy you said that, because that is 520 00:26:55,800 --> 00:26:58,600 Speaker 3: one of the things I tell people all the time. 521 00:26:58,760 --> 00:27:02,760 Speaker 3: Your children need your stories. They don't need you to 522 00:27:03,520 --> 00:27:08,359 Speaker 3: evangelize as much as how Jesus been working in your life. 523 00:27:08,400 --> 00:27:11,880 Speaker 3: What was your process? What were your problems coming to him? 524 00:27:12,000 --> 00:27:15,359 Speaker 3: Or how did God show himself to you? The experience 525 00:27:15,440 --> 00:27:18,240 Speaker 3: of story, I mean, I think we've honestly we've seen 526 00:27:18,320 --> 00:27:22,080 Speaker 3: this with that phenomenal book, theo of Golden Yes. 527 00:27:22,040 --> 00:27:24,960 Speaker 1: Oh my gosh, that's so good, so good. 528 00:27:25,040 --> 00:27:28,000 Speaker 3: I love everything about it, But it's a Christian book 529 00:27:28,040 --> 00:27:30,960 Speaker 3: without being a Christian book, if that makes sense. It's 530 00:27:31,040 --> 00:27:34,400 Speaker 3: about story and kindness. The Gospel's in it. I mean, 531 00:27:34,440 --> 00:27:37,760 Speaker 3: you know what's driving so many of them, but it's 532 00:27:37,880 --> 00:27:42,520 Speaker 3: this hidden force and I feel like people's stories are 533 00:27:42,560 --> 00:27:46,320 Speaker 3: what people need right now, and so I'm hoping that 534 00:27:46,440 --> 00:27:49,960 Speaker 3: this book will help you find your story and tell 535 00:27:50,040 --> 00:27:51,880 Speaker 3: your story to the people that need it. 536 00:27:52,160 --> 00:27:53,600 Speaker 1: I love it. Well, Laurie. 537 00:27:53,760 --> 00:27:55,600 Speaker 2: Tell us where we can get a coffee of your 538 00:27:55,600 --> 00:27:58,080 Speaker 2: book and where we can connect with you. 539 00:27:58,640 --> 00:28:01,840 Speaker 3: Obviously, Amazon is the place that everybody mostly goes, but 540 00:28:01,880 --> 00:28:04,439 Speaker 3: you can find it at any of the outlets that 541 00:28:04,560 --> 00:28:08,240 Speaker 3: you normally shot at. But Amazon's probably the best price, 542 00:28:08,480 --> 00:28:12,160 Speaker 3: and you can connect with me primarily. I am on 543 00:28:12,280 --> 00:28:16,440 Speaker 3: Instagram lorip short, and a little bit on Facebook too, 544 00:28:16,800 --> 00:28:20,600 Speaker 3: but social media is not you know, It's like I 545 00:28:20,600 --> 00:28:22,760 Speaker 3: have a love hate relationship with it a little bit, 546 00:28:22,840 --> 00:28:26,320 Speaker 3: but I know that it's how people find out about things, 547 00:28:26,400 --> 00:28:27,800 Speaker 3: and that's why it's important. 548 00:28:27,960 --> 00:28:29,439 Speaker 1: You know, we need to use it. 549 00:28:29,480 --> 00:28:32,280 Speaker 3: But I also have a website loriishort dot com in 550 00:28:32,359 --> 00:28:34,960 Speaker 3: a mailing list, so I would love you to think 551 00:28:35,000 --> 00:28:38,400 Speaker 3: about that. If that's of interest to you great. We 552 00:28:38,480 --> 00:28:41,680 Speaker 3: will put all that information in the show notes. Well, Lourie, 553 00:28:41,760 --> 00:28:44,720 Speaker 3: thank you so much for being on the podcast. Thank 554 00:28:44,760 --> 00:28:47,880 Speaker 3: you for being my new friend and for sharing all 555 00:28:47,920 --> 00:28:51,560 Speaker 3: of your wisdom. It has just been an absolute joy. Well, 556 00:28:51,680 --> 00:28:54,200 Speaker 3: thank you so much, don I really appreciate it. 557 00:28:55,520 --> 00:28:57,760 Speaker 2: Well, wasn't it a great conversation? I felt like I 558 00:28:57,840 --> 00:29:01,280 Speaker 2: was talking with a friend and speaking of friends. If 559 00:29:01,320 --> 00:29:04,560 Speaker 2: we don't already follow each other on social media, let's 560 00:29:04,560 --> 00:29:05,200 Speaker 2: do that today. 561 00:29:05,240 --> 00:29:06,280 Speaker 1: You'll find me at Donna A. 562 00:29:06,480 --> 00:29:09,480 Speaker 2: Jones on Instagram, Donna Jones, speaker and author on Facebook. 563 00:29:09,560 --> 00:29:11,920 Speaker 1: Jump over to my website, Donna Jones dot org. 564 00:29:12,160 --> 00:29:15,640 Speaker 2: You will find lots of free resources and don't forget 565 00:29:15,680 --> 00:29:19,200 Speaker 2: to hit subscribe so you don't miss a single episode. 566 00:29:19,240 --> 00:29:21,600 Speaker 2: And as always, my friend, I can't wait to see 567 00:29:21,600 --> 00:29:24,040 Speaker 2: you next time, for that's just what I needed.