1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:03,520 Speaker 1: Life Audio. 2 00:00:05,640 --> 00:00:08,440 Speaker 2: Welcome to the Love Offering Podcast. I'm your host, Rachel Adams, 3 00:00:08,480 --> 00:00:11,120 Speaker 2: author of Everyday Prayers for Love, Learning to Love God, others, 4 00:00:11,160 --> 00:00:14,520 Speaker 2: and even yourself. Each week we dive into meaningful conversations 5 00:00:14,560 --> 00:00:16,880 Speaker 2: about how to live out the greatest commandment, living God 6 00:00:16,880 --> 00:00:18,799 Speaker 2: with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength, and 7 00:00:18,840 --> 00:00:23,040 Speaker 2: loving our neighbors as ourselves, Whether through inspiring stories, practical wisdom, 8 00:00:23,120 --> 00:00:25,119 Speaker 2: or a biblical truth. My hope is to encourage you 9 00:00:25,160 --> 00:00:28,440 Speaker 2: to love boldly, live faithfully, and reflect God's love in 10 00:00:28,480 --> 00:00:31,800 Speaker 2: your everyday life. Today, I'm honored to welcome Kirby Kelly 11 00:00:31,840 --> 00:00:34,680 Speaker 2: to the show. Kirby is a speaker, author, podcast host, 12 00:00:34,760 --> 00:00:37,440 Speaker 2: and content creator who has spent more than a decade 13 00:00:37,600 --> 00:00:41,080 Speaker 2: using digital platforms to equip, encourage, and engage a global 14 00:00:41,080 --> 00:00:44,479 Speaker 2: audience with the truth of the Gospel. With formal training 15 00:00:44,479 --> 00:00:47,519 Speaker 2: in biblical studies and theology, Kirby has a unique ability 16 00:00:47,520 --> 00:00:51,360 Speaker 2: to bring depth without heaviness and hope without cliches. Through 17 00:00:51,360 --> 00:00:54,840 Speaker 2: her podcast Bought and Beloved and her presence on platforms 18 00:00:54,840 --> 00:00:56,360 Speaker 2: like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. 19 00:00:56,360 --> 00:00:57,360 Speaker 1: She helps people. 20 00:00:57,120 --> 00:00:59,400 Speaker 2: Grow in their love for God and their understanding of 21 00:00:59,480 --> 00:01:02,320 Speaker 2: His word. Kirby is the author of You Can Be 22 00:01:02,400 --> 00:01:05,160 Speaker 2: Free in her newest book, The Fabric of Hope. In 23 00:01:05,200 --> 00:01:08,039 Speaker 2: this powerful new release, Kirby explores how God is weaving 24 00:01:08,040 --> 00:01:11,360 Speaker 2: redemption into our lives even before our pain is resolved. 25 00:01:11,640 --> 00:01:14,280 Speaker 2: Through on a storytelling and biblical truth, she reminds us 26 00:01:14,319 --> 00:01:17,240 Speaker 2: that hopelessness is not a place God avoids, It's often 27 00:01:17,280 --> 00:01:20,200 Speaker 2: the very place he meets us. Her message is especially 28 00:01:20,240 --> 00:01:23,440 Speaker 2: meaningful for those walking through grief, burn out, anxiety, or 29 00:01:23,480 --> 00:01:26,600 Speaker 2: seasons when faith feels difficult to hold on to. Well. 30 00:01:26,640 --> 00:01:30,280 Speaker 2: Hello Kirby, and welcome to The Love Offering Podcast. I'm 31 00:01:30,319 --> 00:01:31,120 Speaker 2: so happy to have you. 32 00:01:31,280 --> 00:01:32,360 Speaker 1: Thank you for having me. 33 00:01:32,440 --> 00:01:34,520 Speaker 3: I'm so excited for our conversation today. 34 00:01:34,680 --> 00:01:35,200 Speaker 1: Yeah, me too. 35 00:01:35,240 --> 00:01:37,240 Speaker 2: I was telling you before we hit record that I 36 00:01:37,280 --> 00:01:39,360 Speaker 2: feel very kindred to you because you have the Bought 37 00:01:39,360 --> 00:01:42,280 Speaker 2: and Beloved podcast. So I feel like this idea of 38 00:01:42,400 --> 00:01:45,240 Speaker 2: love is kind of our mo So tell me kind 39 00:01:45,240 --> 00:01:47,560 Speaker 2: of about the beginning of your story with that podcast 40 00:01:47,600 --> 00:01:48,840 Speaker 2: and your heart behind that. 41 00:01:49,240 --> 00:01:49,559 Speaker 1: Yeah. 42 00:01:49,600 --> 00:01:52,960 Speaker 3: So I started that podcast back in twenty nineteen, like 43 00:01:53,080 --> 00:01:56,320 Speaker 3: February twenty nineteen, which is crazy because I'm like, it 44 00:01:56,360 --> 00:01:58,360 Speaker 3: feels like it was yesterday, but that was also what 45 00:01:58,600 --> 00:02:02,080 Speaker 3: like seven years ago, which is crazy like creeping up 46 00:02:02,080 --> 00:02:05,040 Speaker 3: on a decade in a few years. But basically, with 47 00:02:05,120 --> 00:02:08,080 Speaker 3: that podcast, I was in college. I was still in 48 00:02:08,120 --> 00:02:12,640 Speaker 3: my undergrad program at DBU majoring in communications, minoring in 49 00:02:12,680 --> 00:02:16,679 Speaker 3: Biblical studies at that point, and it wasn't there wasn't 50 00:02:16,760 --> 00:02:17,639 Speaker 3: a ton. 51 00:02:17,560 --> 00:02:19,280 Speaker 1: Of people podcasting at that point. 52 00:02:19,360 --> 00:02:21,240 Speaker 3: I think that's when it was like starting to kind 53 00:02:21,280 --> 00:02:23,600 Speaker 3: of get a little bit more popular. Now I feel 54 00:02:23,680 --> 00:02:26,760 Speaker 3: like everybody and their mom has a podcast. But I 55 00:02:26,840 --> 00:02:28,880 Speaker 3: felt like the Lord put it on my heart that 56 00:02:28,919 --> 00:02:31,320 Speaker 3: he was saying, hey, I want you to start a podcast, 57 00:02:31,800 --> 00:02:34,400 Speaker 3: and I remember just having this conversation with him of like, 58 00:02:34,560 --> 00:02:37,000 Speaker 3: I don't even know where to begin with that, Like 59 00:02:37,040 --> 00:02:40,840 Speaker 3: I'm a student, I'm in school. I'm just trying to 60 00:02:40,840 --> 00:02:43,280 Speaker 3: be faithful with everything else that You've called me to do. 61 00:02:43,560 --> 00:02:45,840 Speaker 3: And so I prayed about it, and about a week later, 62 00:02:46,000 --> 00:02:48,360 Speaker 3: a network reached out to me and they were like, hey, 63 00:02:48,600 --> 00:02:51,000 Speaker 3: nine out of our ten executives brought up your name 64 00:02:51,080 --> 00:02:53,079 Speaker 3: and we want to help you start your podcast and 65 00:02:53,120 --> 00:02:55,519 Speaker 3: like train you in that. And I told them, hey, 66 00:02:55,680 --> 00:02:57,400 Speaker 3: I don't even need to pray about this, because I 67 00:02:57,400 --> 00:03:00,560 Speaker 3: already prayed about this last week. And then a week later, 68 00:03:00,600 --> 00:03:03,280 Speaker 3: I put out my first episode and I've been doing 69 00:03:03,360 --> 00:03:05,760 Speaker 3: it ever since. But the name even to just tie 70 00:03:05,800 --> 00:03:08,440 Speaker 3: it back to what you said, bought and beloved. The 71 00:03:08,480 --> 00:03:10,960 Speaker 3: reason why I chose that name out of all the 72 00:03:11,000 --> 00:03:13,520 Speaker 3: ones that I was considering is because I feel like 73 00:03:13,560 --> 00:03:15,960 Speaker 3: that just encapsulates the heart of the gospel, that we 74 00:03:16,040 --> 00:03:18,520 Speaker 3: are bought by the blood of Christ and we are 75 00:03:18,560 --> 00:03:21,680 Speaker 3: His beloved. And I think that those are two really 76 00:03:21,919 --> 00:03:27,040 Speaker 3: solidifying identity statements not only about us, but our relationship 77 00:03:27,120 --> 00:03:30,320 Speaker 3: with God. And so I'm hoping that whenever people tune 78 00:03:30,360 --> 00:03:33,639 Speaker 3: into the podcast, that they're not only equipped with the truth, 79 00:03:33,760 --> 00:03:36,680 Speaker 3: but that they feel like they are being ushered into 80 00:03:37,080 --> 00:03:42,000 Speaker 3: a relationship, a real deep relationship with Jesus through theology 81 00:03:42,200 --> 00:03:44,119 Speaker 3: and through just intimacy with him. 82 00:03:44,320 --> 00:03:47,160 Speaker 2: So yeah, yeah, just amazing what God can do in 83 00:03:47,200 --> 00:03:49,680 Speaker 2: all the different conversations we can have. And so I'd 84 00:03:49,720 --> 00:03:54,720 Speaker 2: love to hear before that, when did you first connect 85 00:03:55,120 --> 00:03:58,040 Speaker 2: and realize God's love for you and believe in Him 86 00:03:58,080 --> 00:03:58,960 Speaker 2: as your Lord and savior. 87 00:03:59,120 --> 00:04:04,000 Speaker 3: Man, That's a good question. So for me, the actual connection, 88 00:04:04,240 --> 00:04:06,640 Speaker 3: like the moment that it all clicked for me was 89 00:04:06,680 --> 00:04:08,800 Speaker 3: when I was fourteen years old and I was at 90 00:04:08,920 --> 00:04:12,000 Speaker 3: a Christian summer camp. I'm Christian now, but growing up 91 00:04:12,040 --> 00:04:15,160 Speaker 3: it was very like nominal Catholic in my family, where 92 00:04:15,200 --> 00:04:17,320 Speaker 3: it was like you just went to Mass. You know, 93 00:04:17,360 --> 00:04:19,840 Speaker 3: you got baptized as a baby, You're good to go. 94 00:04:20,040 --> 00:04:22,400 Speaker 3: And that's kind of like the depth of my understanding 95 00:04:22,400 --> 00:04:24,760 Speaker 3: of who God was, who Jesus was. I didn't even 96 00:04:24,800 --> 00:04:26,680 Speaker 3: really have a theology of the Holy Spirit, if I'm 97 00:04:26,720 --> 00:04:29,360 Speaker 3: being honest. As a child, none of that really existed 98 00:04:29,400 --> 00:04:31,960 Speaker 3: for me. But growing up I went through a lot 99 00:04:32,040 --> 00:04:33,520 Speaker 3: of stuff, and I'm sure a lot of people have 100 00:04:33,600 --> 00:04:35,919 Speaker 3: gone through a lot of things, but for me, my 101 00:04:36,080 --> 00:04:39,920 Speaker 3: parents both dealt with addiction. My dad ended up passing 102 00:04:40,000 --> 00:04:43,000 Speaker 3: away from his alcoholism when I was ten years old, 103 00:04:43,360 --> 00:04:47,200 Speaker 3: and I think through my parents struggling with addiction, especially 104 00:04:47,200 --> 00:04:50,159 Speaker 3: my dad in my youth, my parents getting divorced because 105 00:04:50,200 --> 00:04:54,279 Speaker 3: of that, moving across states, ending up going to a 106 00:04:54,279 --> 00:04:56,240 Speaker 3: school where I just felt like I didn't fit in. 107 00:04:56,360 --> 00:04:59,919 Speaker 3: I was bullied, I was suicidal, I was self harmed. 108 00:05:00,360 --> 00:05:03,200 Speaker 3: I I didn't even know that I was worthy of 109 00:05:03,279 --> 00:05:06,840 Speaker 3: love at that point, and let alone that this so 110 00:05:07,000 --> 00:05:10,680 Speaker 3: called good and loving God loved me like I couldn't 111 00:05:10,680 --> 00:05:13,039 Speaker 3: remedy the fact that He would allow me and my 112 00:05:13,120 --> 00:05:15,480 Speaker 3: family and my loved ones to go through all of 113 00:05:15,480 --> 00:05:18,720 Speaker 3: these things for any reason at all. And so I 114 00:05:18,760 --> 00:05:22,120 Speaker 3: really struggled with the idea of God loving me. If anything, 115 00:05:22,200 --> 00:05:24,599 Speaker 3: I thought that I had to work and earn love 116 00:05:24,839 --> 00:05:27,520 Speaker 3: in many ways. But when I was fourteen, I went 117 00:05:27,560 --> 00:05:29,919 Speaker 3: to a Christian summer camp, and it was one that 118 00:05:29,960 --> 00:05:32,320 Speaker 3: I had attended for a couple of years, but that 119 00:05:32,400 --> 00:05:35,560 Speaker 3: summer in particular was different because I think just the 120 00:05:35,600 --> 00:05:38,400 Speaker 3: school year before then, when I was in the thick 121 00:05:38,400 --> 00:05:42,000 Speaker 3: of struggling with depressions of harm, suicidal thoughts, really just 122 00:05:42,080 --> 00:05:43,840 Speaker 3: being at this place where I was like, I am 123 00:05:43,880 --> 00:05:48,120 Speaker 3: just so unworthy of love and undeserving of life. Coming 124 00:05:48,440 --> 00:05:51,240 Speaker 3: back to that camp, being in the presence of God, 125 00:05:51,400 --> 00:05:55,120 Speaker 3: studying his word, and just being in an environment where 126 00:05:55,520 --> 00:05:59,000 Speaker 3: where we were just having these open and honest conversations 127 00:05:59,040 --> 00:06:02,960 Speaker 3: about real life and also a real God, it clicked 128 00:06:03,000 --> 00:06:05,360 Speaker 3: for me that there is so much more to this 129 00:06:05,440 --> 00:06:08,920 Speaker 3: life than everything that I've known. And so, in an 130 00:06:08,960 --> 00:06:13,360 Speaker 3: honest heart cried just during a random Wednesday night worship session, 131 00:06:13,720 --> 00:06:16,920 Speaker 3: I just asked God, or told God, I'm tired of this. 132 00:06:17,000 --> 00:06:19,400 Speaker 3: I'm tired of the life that I'm living and I 133 00:06:19,440 --> 00:06:21,159 Speaker 3: only feel joyful when I'm here. 134 00:06:21,520 --> 00:06:22,360 Speaker 1: And to make a long. 135 00:06:22,240 --> 00:06:26,160 Speaker 3: Story short, I felt like the presence of God in 136 00:06:26,240 --> 00:06:28,680 Speaker 3: such a tangible way. Like the only word I can 137 00:06:28,839 --> 00:06:31,960 Speaker 3: use to describe it is that it was euphoric, Like 138 00:06:32,000 --> 00:06:34,720 Speaker 3: it was unlike it was the most real experience I've 139 00:06:34,760 --> 00:06:37,680 Speaker 3: ever had in my life, and I felt his presence. 140 00:06:37,680 --> 00:06:40,080 Speaker 3: And in that moment, he began ministering to me, and 141 00:06:40,160 --> 00:06:42,560 Speaker 3: something that he said to me was, I'm your perfect 142 00:06:42,600 --> 00:06:46,680 Speaker 3: and present father in heaven who loves you. And I'll 143 00:06:46,720 --> 00:06:49,200 Speaker 3: never forget those words. Like he said that to me, 144 00:06:49,320 --> 00:06:53,560 Speaker 3: like to my spirit, not audibly, and it just changed 145 00:06:53,600 --> 00:06:55,960 Speaker 3: everything for me, of like, I have a perfect and 146 00:06:56,040 --> 00:07:00,359 Speaker 3: present Father in heaven who actually sees me and loves 147 00:07:00,400 --> 00:07:03,760 Speaker 3: me and has something so much better for me than 148 00:07:03,800 --> 00:07:07,039 Speaker 3: what I've settled for and what I've known. And so 149 00:07:07,200 --> 00:07:09,760 Speaker 3: I decided in that moment, I'm going to give my 150 00:07:09,800 --> 00:07:11,800 Speaker 3: life to you, Lord, and I want to live my 151 00:07:11,880 --> 00:07:13,880 Speaker 3: life for you, because the life I've been living hasn't 152 00:07:13,920 --> 00:07:17,120 Speaker 3: been life at all. It's been death, truly, and so 153 00:07:17,640 --> 00:07:21,240 Speaker 3: receiving the love of Christ, the love of a father, 154 00:07:21,800 --> 00:07:25,160 Speaker 3: and that moment completely changed my life and loving him 155 00:07:25,360 --> 00:07:27,440 Speaker 3: completely changed the course of my life. 156 00:07:27,960 --> 00:07:31,320 Speaker 2: It does, it changes everything. Well, I can't wait to 157 00:07:31,440 --> 00:07:33,720 Speaker 2: continue today's conversation, but we're going to take a brief 158 00:07:33,760 --> 00:07:36,080 Speaker 2: break to hear a word from today's sponsor, and when 159 00:07:36,120 --> 00:07:39,160 Speaker 2: we come back, we'll talk more about Kirby's book, The 160 00:07:39,200 --> 00:07:40,239 Speaker 2: Fabric of Hope. 161 00:07:40,320 --> 00:07:41,000 Speaker 1: Welcome back. 162 00:07:41,040 --> 00:07:43,920 Speaker 2: We are talking with Kirby Kelly about her new book, 163 00:07:44,000 --> 00:07:47,120 Speaker 2: The Fabric of Hope. So, from that moment that you 164 00:07:47,240 --> 00:07:50,360 Speaker 2: had at fourteen, that church camp, it sounds like it 165 00:07:50,520 --> 00:07:53,160 Speaker 2: sparked hope in you. How have you kind of seen 166 00:07:53,360 --> 00:07:57,920 Speaker 2: this thread of hope throughout your life from fourteen until now. 167 00:07:58,160 --> 00:07:58,480 Speaker 1: Yeah. 168 00:07:58,640 --> 00:08:01,480 Speaker 3: Well, so in the book, I detail a lot of 169 00:08:01,520 --> 00:08:03,680 Speaker 3: my life, a lot of what I've gone through, and 170 00:08:03,720 --> 00:08:07,480 Speaker 3: I shared some of it with everyone today. But when 171 00:08:07,520 --> 00:08:10,440 Speaker 3: I got saved when I was fourteen, right after that, 172 00:08:10,800 --> 00:08:13,760 Speaker 3: just after that, and I'm like, Okay, God is working 173 00:08:13,840 --> 00:08:17,280 Speaker 3: and the enemy sees that he's definitely striking and setting 174 00:08:17,360 --> 00:08:20,320 Speaker 3: up some traps and attacks. And for me, that looked 175 00:08:20,320 --> 00:08:24,720 Speaker 3: like my mom relapsing, relapsing with her addiction. And I 176 00:08:24,800 --> 00:08:30,320 Speaker 3: remember navigating that season of my life and it being 177 00:08:30,400 --> 00:08:33,839 Speaker 3: so different because I actually had hope in Christ. I mean, 178 00:08:33,960 --> 00:08:36,920 Speaker 3: Before then, I didn't have hope in anything, like, not 179 00:08:37,040 --> 00:08:39,880 Speaker 3: in God, not in myself, not in other people. 180 00:08:39,880 --> 00:08:42,120 Speaker 1: I felt like I was completely. 181 00:08:41,520 --> 00:08:46,119 Speaker 3: Let down by everything and everyone. I was just aimlessly 182 00:08:46,200 --> 00:08:48,960 Speaker 3: wandering to the point where I was like, Okay, I 183 00:08:49,080 --> 00:08:50,840 Speaker 3: just there's no point to anything. 184 00:08:51,040 --> 00:08:52,160 Speaker 1: Then I encounter. 185 00:08:51,960 --> 00:08:56,560 Speaker 3: Christ, and that completely pivots my worldview. It completely pivots 186 00:08:56,800 --> 00:09:00,000 Speaker 3: how I relate to other people, how I view myself, 187 00:09:00,280 --> 00:09:04,680 Speaker 3: how I viewed my suffering and being a new Christian 188 00:09:05,000 --> 00:09:09,160 Speaker 3: navigating high school, let alone a home life that was 189 00:09:09,200 --> 00:09:13,319 Speaker 3: completely chaotic and broken. My only hope was Jesus because 190 00:09:13,360 --> 00:09:16,400 Speaker 3: he was the only constant. And I'm thankful that I 191 00:09:16,440 --> 00:09:19,000 Speaker 3: started going to church right after I got saved. My 192 00:09:19,040 --> 00:09:21,200 Speaker 3: friend invited me to youth group with her, and I 193 00:09:21,200 --> 00:09:24,760 Speaker 3: got plugged in, and I was beginning to get equipped 194 00:09:24,800 --> 00:09:28,000 Speaker 3: with understanding the Word of God because for me, I 195 00:09:28,040 --> 00:09:31,200 Speaker 3: love theology. I love it so much. I love studying 196 00:09:31,200 --> 00:09:33,760 Speaker 3: the Word because I believe that when we have an 197 00:09:33,800 --> 00:09:36,839 Speaker 3: informed theology, we have an informed love for God and 198 00:09:37,000 --> 00:09:40,280 Speaker 3: actual understanding of who He is and not just what 199 00:09:40,360 --> 00:09:43,560 Speaker 3: media says, not just maybe what one person told us 200 00:09:43,600 --> 00:09:47,560 Speaker 3: about him, and so learning about who he was actually 201 00:09:47,920 --> 00:09:51,679 Speaker 3: fueled and fanned the flame of my hope that, oh, 202 00:09:51,760 --> 00:09:55,199 Speaker 3: I can't trust in God even when my circumstances aren't 203 00:09:55,200 --> 00:09:57,920 Speaker 3: working out in the way that I expected. I can 204 00:09:58,000 --> 00:10:01,400 Speaker 3: still believe that He is good even when my situation 205 00:10:01,920 --> 00:10:05,320 Speaker 3: would maybe convey otherwise. And so I had to really 206 00:10:05,400 --> 00:10:08,720 Speaker 3: learn how to remedy the reality of what I was 207 00:10:08,800 --> 00:10:12,840 Speaker 3: going through, but also the reality of who God was 208 00:10:12,960 --> 00:10:15,920 Speaker 3: and what he could do in the middle of what 209 00:10:16,000 --> 00:10:17,959 Speaker 3: I was going through. Because I think for a lot 210 00:10:18,000 --> 00:10:21,120 Speaker 3: of people when it comes to hope, we look at 211 00:10:21,160 --> 00:10:24,000 Speaker 3: hope as this thing of when things are going good, 212 00:10:24,440 --> 00:10:27,000 Speaker 3: then I can hope. But how many of us know 213 00:10:27,040 --> 00:10:29,280 Speaker 3: that we need hope when things are going bad like 214 00:10:29,320 --> 00:10:31,360 Speaker 3: we're when we're in the thick of it, when we're 215 00:10:31,400 --> 00:10:33,560 Speaker 3: in the gutter of life, when we're in the middle 216 00:10:33,600 --> 00:10:36,400 Speaker 3: of the storm and the winds and the waves are 217 00:10:36,760 --> 00:10:39,960 Speaker 3: shaking and crashing against our house. That's why it's so 218 00:10:40,000 --> 00:10:43,679 Speaker 3: important that we know who our God is, because not 219 00:10:43,720 --> 00:10:46,839 Speaker 3: only see our rock and our firm foundation. I love 220 00:10:46,840 --> 00:10:50,320 Speaker 3: what Romans fifteen thirteen says and identifies him as the 221 00:10:50,320 --> 00:10:53,120 Speaker 3: God of hope, and that as we put our trust 222 00:10:53,200 --> 00:10:56,000 Speaker 3: in him from that place, from that place of trust, 223 00:10:56,000 --> 00:11:00,120 Speaker 3: in knowing who he is, we can actually be overflowing 224 00:11:00,120 --> 00:11:02,080 Speaker 3: with hope from the power of the Holy Spirit, that 225 00:11:02,120 --> 00:11:06,080 Speaker 3: we can actually have an abundance of joy and peace 226 00:11:06,160 --> 00:11:09,559 Speaker 3: when it doesn't make sense because we are putting our 227 00:11:09,679 --> 00:11:13,000 Speaker 3: confident expectation. That's what biblical hope is. It's not this 228 00:11:13,160 --> 00:11:15,480 Speaker 3: wishful thinking like I hope I get a good parking spot, 229 00:11:15,559 --> 00:11:17,440 Speaker 3: or I hope I win the lottery. I mean, I 230 00:11:17,480 --> 00:11:21,319 Speaker 3: hope for both, but like, that's wishful thinking. But biblical 231 00:11:21,360 --> 00:11:25,560 Speaker 3: hope is rooted in this confident expectation of the faithfulness 232 00:11:25,559 --> 00:11:29,239 Speaker 3: of God, how he's faithful to his character, his personhood, 233 00:11:29,480 --> 00:11:33,439 Speaker 3: how he's faithful to his promises, his patterns, his presence 234 00:11:33,480 --> 00:11:36,160 Speaker 3: in our life. And the more I pressed into that 235 00:11:36,480 --> 00:11:39,880 Speaker 3: of actually hoping in what is true, in who is 236 00:11:40,000 --> 00:11:44,720 Speaker 3: true Jesus, it changed how I navigated every situation, whether 237 00:11:44,760 --> 00:11:48,640 Speaker 3: it was addiction with my mom, whether it was just 238 00:11:49,080 --> 00:11:52,400 Speaker 3: hard friend group situations I don't know, backstabbing or slandering 239 00:11:52,480 --> 00:11:57,160 Speaker 3: or whatever relationships when when men let me down or 240 00:11:57,520 --> 00:11:59,800 Speaker 3: cross boundaries that I never wanted them to, and I 241 00:11:59,800 --> 00:12:02,800 Speaker 3: had to figure out, you know, God, why did I 242 00:12:02,840 --> 00:12:04,560 Speaker 3: go through these things? Why did you allow me to 243 00:12:04,559 --> 00:12:07,840 Speaker 3: go through these these seasons and situations of suffering. Why 244 00:12:07,840 --> 00:12:11,240 Speaker 3: did you allow me to go through a broken world? Right? 245 00:12:11,360 --> 00:12:14,360 Speaker 3: The simple world we live in, But having hope in 246 00:12:14,440 --> 00:12:19,040 Speaker 3: Him changes everything. And we need to begin to identify 247 00:12:19,080 --> 00:12:21,480 Speaker 3: maybe where we have misplaced hope in our own life. 248 00:12:21,800 --> 00:12:23,240 Speaker 3: If we're going to get to that place where we 249 00:12:23,280 --> 00:12:26,360 Speaker 3: can hope in Him in every season and situation. 250 00:12:26,800 --> 00:12:31,440 Speaker 2: Have people come around you to infuse hope into you. 251 00:12:31,440 --> 00:12:34,679 Speaker 2: You know, I imagine in your journey there's been community 252 00:12:34,720 --> 00:12:38,040 Speaker 2: that has supported this idea of hope in you. 253 00:12:38,600 --> 00:12:42,800 Speaker 3: Absolutely. For one my youth pastor growing up, the name 254 00:12:42,840 --> 00:12:45,959 Speaker 3: is Jared and his wife is Ali, and they're incredible. 255 00:12:46,000 --> 00:12:48,840 Speaker 3: They're like my second mom and dad. Both of my 256 00:12:48,920 --> 00:12:51,040 Speaker 3: parents have passed away. My mom passed away back in 257 00:12:51,080 --> 00:12:53,760 Speaker 3: twenty twenty three, but even when my mom was alive, 258 00:12:54,320 --> 00:12:59,600 Speaker 3: they really stepped up in many ways for me, especially spiritually, 259 00:12:59,720 --> 00:13:04,040 Speaker 3: just helping me navigate the nuanced situation of being a 260 00:13:04,080 --> 00:13:07,920 Speaker 3: teenager who was living in home, living at home situation 261 00:13:08,000 --> 00:13:10,480 Speaker 3: that was completely out of my control, but as a 262 00:13:10,559 --> 00:13:15,960 Speaker 3: Christian navigating that and I think they discipled me very 263 00:13:16,040 --> 00:13:20,640 Speaker 3: well in knowing how to read scripture, knowing how to 264 00:13:20,720 --> 00:13:24,839 Speaker 3: pursue the Lord wholeheartedly, and I'm so thankful for that, 265 00:13:25,040 --> 00:13:28,040 Speaker 3: especially having been a teenager. I don't know how many 266 00:13:28,040 --> 00:13:32,480 Speaker 3: teenagers really have somebody out there who is pouring into 267 00:13:32,520 --> 00:13:34,640 Speaker 3: them the way that they poured into me. And I 268 00:13:34,720 --> 00:13:37,520 Speaker 3: really feel that burden to equip other people in that 269 00:13:37,559 --> 00:13:40,600 Speaker 3: same way, where I might not be able to come 270 00:13:40,600 --> 00:13:43,280 Speaker 3: over to your house and mentor you one on one 271 00:13:43,360 --> 00:13:45,000 Speaker 3: like that, or discipled to you one on one. But 272 00:13:45,440 --> 00:13:47,000 Speaker 3: I mean, that's the heart of this book is that 273 00:13:47,360 --> 00:13:50,200 Speaker 3: people like them came alongside me when I was going 274 00:13:50,240 --> 00:13:53,560 Speaker 3: through the middle of the mess where it was like 275 00:13:53,760 --> 00:13:57,200 Speaker 3: perpetual and I had no idea when that season would 276 00:13:57,200 --> 00:14:00,880 Speaker 3: wrap up or end, if ever, and they infused me 277 00:14:01,000 --> 00:14:03,000 Speaker 3: with that hope, the hope of the Gospel, the hope 278 00:14:03,040 --> 00:14:06,880 Speaker 3: of who God was, the consistency of his character versus 279 00:14:07,120 --> 00:14:09,960 Speaker 3: just my circumstance, which is ever changing. We live in 280 00:14:09,960 --> 00:14:13,040 Speaker 3: a finite and fleeting world. So they were a huge 281 00:14:13,080 --> 00:14:15,360 Speaker 3: part of that. In my life in college, it was 282 00:14:15,440 --> 00:14:19,280 Speaker 3: my roommates, and I'm thankful that I lucked out like 283 00:14:19,320 --> 00:14:22,120 Speaker 3: I literally won the roommate lottery, because these are like 284 00:14:22,160 --> 00:14:25,080 Speaker 3: my sisters for a life. Not everybody has that story 285 00:14:25,200 --> 00:14:27,240 Speaker 3: if they go to college, sometimes they have that roommate 286 00:14:27,240 --> 00:14:30,320 Speaker 3: where it's like, you know what, God deliver me from this. 287 00:14:30,800 --> 00:14:32,240 Speaker 1: But I'm so thankful. 288 00:14:32,000 --> 00:14:34,400 Speaker 3: That God, in his kindness, allowed me to have roommates 289 00:14:34,440 --> 00:14:36,560 Speaker 3: that were so supportive of me as I was going 290 00:14:36,600 --> 00:14:41,760 Speaker 3: through seasons of anxiety, situations of deep shame, when I 291 00:14:41,880 --> 00:14:44,760 Speaker 3: was struggling even with habitual sin. That's what my first 292 00:14:44,760 --> 00:14:47,520 Speaker 3: book is about, that they surrounded me and gave me 293 00:14:47,640 --> 00:14:51,440 Speaker 3: hope for my freedom, gave me hope for my deliverance 294 00:14:51,520 --> 00:14:55,840 Speaker 3: by tethering me and tying my vision back to keeping 295 00:14:55,880 --> 00:14:59,320 Speaker 3: my eyes on God and not my own power and strength, 296 00:14:59,440 --> 00:15:03,760 Speaker 3: not my situation or season, but the God who's consistent 297 00:15:03,920 --> 00:15:07,520 Speaker 3: through it all and gets us through these things. And 298 00:15:07,560 --> 00:15:10,680 Speaker 3: even now as an adult, like I'm expecting my first 299 00:15:10,680 --> 00:15:13,880 Speaker 3: baby and I'm grieving my mom while becoming a mom, 300 00:15:13,880 --> 00:15:16,840 Speaker 3: and there's so much nuance even to that situation. But 301 00:15:16,880 --> 00:15:19,640 Speaker 3: my husband has been someone who has been like my 302 00:15:19,960 --> 00:15:23,880 Speaker 3: hope cheerleader. The book is dedicated to him because he 303 00:15:23,960 --> 00:15:27,400 Speaker 3: has just been someone in my life who is consistent 304 00:15:27,560 --> 00:15:32,880 Speaker 3: with having this genuine gratitude for God in everything, in 305 00:15:32,960 --> 00:15:36,239 Speaker 3: every season where I can sometimes fall into like complaining 306 00:15:36,320 --> 00:15:39,040 Speaker 3: and like woe is me and just sounding like some 307 00:15:39,160 --> 00:15:41,680 Speaker 3: of these weeping prophets where it's like God, where have 308 00:15:41,760 --> 00:15:42,600 Speaker 3: you been? Right? 309 00:15:42,840 --> 00:15:43,480 Speaker 1: Where are you? 310 00:15:43,960 --> 00:15:47,080 Speaker 3: He's been someone who has reminded me like, but he's 311 00:15:47,160 --> 00:15:50,760 Speaker 3: here and he's good, and let's actually look for God 312 00:15:50,840 --> 00:15:52,760 Speaker 3: in the middle of this place. So he's been a 313 00:15:52,760 --> 00:15:55,280 Speaker 3: big person in this season of my life who has 314 00:15:55,320 --> 00:15:57,920 Speaker 3: helped me to cling on to hope. And not just 315 00:15:57,960 --> 00:15:59,760 Speaker 3: for the sake of being a good Christian or that's 316 00:15:59,800 --> 00:16:03,240 Speaker 3: what I good Christian should do, but genuinely we get 317 00:16:03,280 --> 00:16:06,360 Speaker 3: to have real, tangible hope because of the God we know, 318 00:16:07,000 --> 00:16:08,320 Speaker 3: love and serve. 319 00:16:08,640 --> 00:16:12,240 Speaker 2: Yeah, once we understand and have this hope that you've 320 00:16:12,240 --> 00:16:15,520 Speaker 2: been talking about, how do we pass that on? I mean, 321 00:16:15,560 --> 00:16:19,160 Speaker 2: I feel like the world is in desperate need of hope. 322 00:16:19,200 --> 00:16:22,560 Speaker 2: Like this message is so timeless and timely at the 323 00:16:22,600 --> 00:16:23,080 Speaker 2: same time. 324 00:16:23,160 --> 00:16:24,920 Speaker 1: So how do we pass on the hope that we 325 00:16:25,000 --> 00:16:25,600 Speaker 1: found in Christ. 326 00:16:25,880 --> 00:16:28,000 Speaker 3: Well, I appreciate you saying that about the book and 327 00:16:28,040 --> 00:16:30,240 Speaker 3: the message of the book, because I agree nothing is 328 00:16:30,280 --> 00:16:33,360 Speaker 3: new under the sun. We are going to need hope today, tomorrow, 329 00:16:33,720 --> 00:16:38,480 Speaker 3: forevermore until you know, everything is redeemed right. But I 330 00:16:38,520 --> 00:16:41,400 Speaker 3: think for us when it comes to like being that 331 00:16:41,640 --> 00:16:44,880 Speaker 3: light in other people's lives, it's to boldly live out 332 00:16:44,920 --> 00:16:47,320 Speaker 3: the truth of the Gospel. And also I think to 333 00:16:47,400 --> 00:16:51,120 Speaker 3: be vulnerable and transparent about what we're going through. I 334 00:16:51,120 --> 00:16:54,200 Speaker 3: think a temptation that a lot of Christians can face. 335 00:16:54,520 --> 00:16:57,960 Speaker 3: And this isn't true for everybody or every Christian community, 336 00:16:58,240 --> 00:17:00,920 Speaker 3: but I know maybe even like in so in culture 337 00:17:00,920 --> 00:17:03,360 Speaker 3: because I'm a Texas girl, I know you're a Kentucky girl, 338 00:17:03,600 --> 00:17:05,800 Speaker 3: but like maybe this is true over there too, where 339 00:17:05,800 --> 00:17:10,040 Speaker 3: it's like sometimes church can be this performance in a 340 00:17:10,040 --> 00:17:12,640 Speaker 3: way where it's almost like the Christian country club, where 341 00:17:12,680 --> 00:17:14,560 Speaker 3: it's like everybody comes and it's like God is good 342 00:17:14,560 --> 00:17:16,280 Speaker 3: all the time and all the time, God is good, 343 00:17:16,960 --> 00:17:19,560 Speaker 3: and it's like, you know that's great and all, but 344 00:17:20,320 --> 00:17:23,359 Speaker 3: like you and your husband are having marital issues, or 345 00:17:23,800 --> 00:17:26,919 Speaker 3: your kid is a prodigal son and that you had 346 00:17:26,920 --> 00:17:29,280 Speaker 3: to bail them out of jail again, or you know 347 00:17:29,520 --> 00:17:32,359 Speaker 3: someone that you're really close with it got the diagnosis, 348 00:17:32,359 --> 00:17:35,040 Speaker 3: and it doesn't seem like it's turning around, and you're 349 00:17:35,080 --> 00:17:38,280 Speaker 3: really doubting and questioning if God is good and if 350 00:17:38,320 --> 00:17:41,360 Speaker 3: he's not just hearing your prayers but flat out ignoring 351 00:17:41,400 --> 00:17:43,879 Speaker 3: them like these are real things that we wrestle with 352 00:17:43,920 --> 00:17:48,000 Speaker 3: as Christians. And for me, I've been honest about my 353 00:17:48,160 --> 00:17:51,280 Speaker 3: journey and I just I feel that call to be 354 00:17:51,480 --> 00:17:55,119 Speaker 3: vulnerable about what I'm going through. But in that I 355 00:17:55,160 --> 00:17:58,159 Speaker 3: also have this hope in who I know to be 356 00:17:58,320 --> 00:18:00,560 Speaker 3: true and what I know to be true even in 357 00:18:00,600 --> 00:18:03,240 Speaker 3: the middle of what I'm going through. And I think 358 00:18:03,359 --> 00:18:07,880 Speaker 3: that vulnerability and transparency of yes, this is my season, 359 00:18:08,080 --> 00:18:11,359 Speaker 3: Yes this is my situation. I'm also it also leaves 360 00:18:11,400 --> 00:18:13,840 Speaker 3: room to be like, but this is also my God, 361 00:18:14,040 --> 00:18:17,200 Speaker 3: and I get to testify about that and people listen 362 00:18:17,280 --> 00:18:21,960 Speaker 3: to that because people relate to that and what I've noticed, 363 00:18:22,080 --> 00:18:24,600 Speaker 3: at least in my own life or this season of 364 00:18:24,640 --> 00:18:27,000 Speaker 3: life that I'm in, Like I said, with grief with 365 00:18:27,040 --> 00:18:28,760 Speaker 3: my mom and all those things. 366 00:18:28,480 --> 00:18:31,000 Speaker 1: I've been very very vulnerable about that online. 367 00:18:31,320 --> 00:18:33,879 Speaker 3: I'm just sharing every emotion that I've felt through it 368 00:18:33,960 --> 00:18:38,439 Speaker 3: all is that even as I've grieved and lamented, and 369 00:18:38,480 --> 00:18:41,160 Speaker 3: as I've studied the laments in the Bible, they always 370 00:18:41,280 --> 00:18:43,320 Speaker 3: end with the high note of hope. And I think 371 00:18:43,520 --> 00:18:47,000 Speaker 3: we can be transparent that like, this sucks, this situation 372 00:18:47,160 --> 00:18:49,000 Speaker 3: sucks that I'm going through, and I hate it, and 373 00:18:49,000 --> 00:18:50,879 Speaker 3: I wish I didn't have to go through it. But 374 00:18:50,960 --> 00:18:53,080 Speaker 3: then there's that high end of hope, that high end 375 00:18:53,080 --> 00:18:55,399 Speaker 3: note of hope of But like, God is good and 376 00:18:55,440 --> 00:18:57,639 Speaker 3: he's always been good, and he's been faithful then and 377 00:18:57,680 --> 00:19:00,800 Speaker 3: he's faithful now, And I think that just helps other 378 00:19:00,840 --> 00:19:04,240 Speaker 3: people to see and reframe in their own life. Wait, 379 00:19:04,320 --> 00:19:08,080 Speaker 3: God can actually do something here. He can begin redeeming 380 00:19:08,160 --> 00:19:11,359 Speaker 3: things now. He can begin working in my life and 381 00:19:11,400 --> 00:19:14,919 Speaker 3: infusing hope and joy and peace and faith in this 382 00:19:15,040 --> 00:19:17,320 Speaker 3: place right now. So I think for other people, if 383 00:19:17,359 --> 00:19:19,760 Speaker 3: you want to be a beacon of hope, yes, declare 384 00:19:19,800 --> 00:19:24,200 Speaker 3: the truth, but maybe also lead with vulnerability of why 385 00:19:24,280 --> 00:19:27,520 Speaker 3: you believe that to be true, because it's often it 386 00:19:27,560 --> 00:19:30,320 Speaker 3: often comes out of our own suffering and our own 387 00:19:30,400 --> 00:19:35,000 Speaker 3: seasons of searching for the Lord and his hand weaving 388 00:19:35,240 --> 00:19:37,520 Speaker 3: redemption into the places in our own life. 389 00:19:37,560 --> 00:19:40,240 Speaker 1: And that inspires other people. Yeah, yeah, it does. 390 00:19:40,280 --> 00:19:42,520 Speaker 2: And it just reminds me, as you're talking, we really 391 00:19:42,520 --> 00:19:44,960 Speaker 2: can hold joy and sorrow at the same time. 392 00:19:45,119 --> 00:19:46,800 Speaker 1: Totally. Yeah. 393 00:19:46,840 --> 00:19:49,320 Speaker 2: Well, I can't wait to continue today's conversation, but we're 394 00:19:49,320 --> 00:19:51,240 Speaker 2: going to take another brief break to hear a word 395 00:19:51,240 --> 00:19:53,600 Speaker 2: from today's sponsor, and when we come back, we will 396 00:19:53,640 --> 00:19:56,320 Speaker 2: talk more about suffering joy and how God forms us 397 00:19:56,320 --> 00:19:59,160 Speaker 2: through the seasons. We would never choose welcome back. I'm 398 00:19:59,160 --> 00:20:02,720 Speaker 2: talking with k Kelly about her book The Fabric of Hope, 399 00:20:03,040 --> 00:20:06,119 Speaker 2: and so Kirby, I'm just especially mindful today of the 400 00:20:06,400 --> 00:20:11,040 Speaker 2: person listening that is feeling especially hopeless. How would you 401 00:20:11,160 --> 00:20:12,520 Speaker 2: encourage him or her today? 402 00:20:12,960 --> 00:20:15,520 Speaker 3: I would say that what you're going through and everything 403 00:20:15,560 --> 00:20:19,520 Speaker 3: you're feeling is completely valid. I think that another temptation 404 00:20:19,600 --> 00:20:21,800 Speaker 3: that we have, along with slapping on the God is 405 00:20:21,840 --> 00:20:24,720 Speaker 3: good sticker or band aid, I should say, over our 406 00:20:24,840 --> 00:20:28,600 Speaker 3: open and gushing wounds of what we're going through, it's 407 00:20:28,640 --> 00:20:33,040 Speaker 3: also fake fine, just like fake that everything's fine, everything's okay. 408 00:20:33,280 --> 00:20:36,040 Speaker 3: I'm not allowed to question, I'm not allowed to wrestle 409 00:20:36,080 --> 00:20:39,000 Speaker 3: with these doubts. I'm not allowed to be mad at God. 410 00:20:39,280 --> 00:20:43,080 Speaker 3: I'm not like we feel like we limit ourselves from 411 00:20:43,440 --> 00:20:48,600 Speaker 3: actually feeling and asking and wrestling with what we're going 412 00:20:48,680 --> 00:20:51,880 Speaker 3: through because I think that there's this misconception that if 413 00:20:51,880 --> 00:20:54,920 Speaker 3: we do that, then A we're either a bad Christian 414 00:20:55,000 --> 00:20:57,119 Speaker 3: and God's going to be mad at us, or B 415 00:20:57,640 --> 00:21:00,159 Speaker 3: We're gonna end up completely abandoning the faith as a whole. 416 00:21:00,160 --> 00:21:01,560 Speaker 3: And I don't want that because I don't want to 417 00:21:01,600 --> 00:21:02,000 Speaker 3: go to hell. 418 00:21:02,160 --> 00:21:03,199 Speaker 1: But I want to encourage the. 419 00:21:03,160 --> 00:21:06,760 Speaker 3: Person today who feels hopeless to actually begin there by 420 00:21:06,840 --> 00:21:10,959 Speaker 3: identifying what you're feeling and what you're going through, and 421 00:21:11,040 --> 00:21:15,640 Speaker 3: to remember that we serve a God who stepped down 422 00:21:15,680 --> 00:21:18,560 Speaker 3: from the throne of Heaven himself through the person of Christ, 423 00:21:18,720 --> 00:21:22,000 Speaker 3: being fully man and fully God, and did not limit 424 00:21:22,160 --> 00:21:26,480 Speaker 3: himself from enduring suffering. And what that means is that 425 00:21:26,840 --> 00:21:29,600 Speaker 3: he gets it more than anyone. Like I know that 426 00:21:29,680 --> 00:21:33,040 Speaker 3: we can't joke about, like Jesus wept right the shortest 427 00:21:33,040 --> 00:21:35,080 Speaker 3: Bible verse and everyone has it memorized. It's like, do 428 00:21:35,119 --> 00:21:37,680 Speaker 3: you have a Bible verse memorized? Yeah, Jesus wept right 429 00:21:37,720 --> 00:21:41,120 Speaker 3: from Luke. But it's like, when we really think about that, 430 00:21:41,200 --> 00:21:46,719 Speaker 3: like Jesus lost close friends, Jesus was also abandoned and 431 00:21:46,800 --> 00:21:50,399 Speaker 3: betrayed by his people, I mean, goodness, gracious, He was 432 00:21:50,680 --> 00:21:55,800 Speaker 3: nearly whipped and beaten to death, mocked, scorned and crucified, 433 00:21:56,040 --> 00:21:58,520 Speaker 3: killed in front of his own mother and his friends 434 00:21:58,560 --> 00:22:02,000 Speaker 3: and family. Like Jesus, God himself is the only one 435 00:22:02,000 --> 00:22:05,800 Speaker 3: who can truly empathize the most with what we're going through, 436 00:22:06,080 --> 00:22:09,040 Speaker 3: and I think that should be a sobering reminder of 437 00:22:09,200 --> 00:22:11,679 Speaker 3: we can really go to him with everything that we 438 00:22:11,760 --> 00:22:13,880 Speaker 3: are feeling, and he might be wondering, how on earth 439 00:22:13,920 --> 00:22:16,520 Speaker 3: does this relate to hope? Because this is sad, Yeah 440 00:22:16,520 --> 00:22:19,960 Speaker 3: it is. The hope is the cross is that three 441 00:22:20,080 --> 00:22:24,160 Speaker 3: days later Jesus rose again and he testified of this. 442 00:22:24,480 --> 00:22:26,600 Speaker 3: And I think even in our own situations, I'm not 443 00:22:26,640 --> 00:22:28,600 Speaker 3: going to say that He's going to resurrect the thing 444 00:22:28,640 --> 00:22:32,120 Speaker 3: that died in your life, or that every wrong that 445 00:22:32,240 --> 00:22:35,160 Speaker 3: happened to you is going to be made right exactly 446 00:22:35,160 --> 00:22:37,919 Speaker 3: how you expect or on your timeline. What I do 447 00:22:38,080 --> 00:22:41,919 Speaker 3: know is that Jesus is a redeemer. And that's my 448 00:22:42,000 --> 00:22:44,720 Speaker 3: favorite favorite characteristic of God, is that he is a 449 00:22:44,760 --> 00:22:47,639 Speaker 3: redeemer of all things. And so if you are in 450 00:22:47,680 --> 00:22:50,640 Speaker 3: the middle of that place today, bring him your tears, 451 00:22:50,960 --> 00:22:54,359 Speaker 3: bring him your questions, bring him your real doubts, bring 452 00:22:54,440 --> 00:22:59,919 Speaker 3: him your anger, bring him everything, but also bring it 453 00:23:00,320 --> 00:23:03,080 Speaker 3: knowing this truth in mind that when we place it 454 00:23:03,119 --> 00:23:06,400 Speaker 3: in the hands of Him, he is faithful to redeem. 455 00:23:06,720 --> 00:23:08,400 Speaker 3: I don't know what that will look like. I don't 456 00:23:08,400 --> 00:23:10,240 Speaker 3: know when that'll look like, I don't know with who 457 00:23:10,280 --> 00:23:12,680 Speaker 3: that might look like, or with who without am I 458 00:23:12,760 --> 00:23:14,760 Speaker 3: look like? But what I know is that time and 459 00:23:14,800 --> 00:23:19,159 Speaker 3: time again, the overarching meta narrative of the Bible, the 460 00:23:19,240 --> 00:23:21,840 Speaker 3: big s story that we see from Genesis to Revelation, 461 00:23:22,520 --> 00:23:26,040 Speaker 3: is that it ends with this redemption and restoration. And 462 00:23:26,080 --> 00:23:29,879 Speaker 3: when we zoom in even closer to the smaller stories 463 00:23:30,000 --> 00:23:33,199 Speaker 3: throughout the whole Bible, like getting into each book of 464 00:23:33,280 --> 00:23:37,800 Speaker 3: Scripture again, there are moments in time where God's people 465 00:23:37,840 --> 00:23:41,160 Speaker 3: are going through it where it's like, where are you? God? 466 00:23:41,200 --> 00:23:45,080 Speaker 3: Have you abandoned us? But they continued to reach out 467 00:23:45,080 --> 00:23:48,359 Speaker 3: to God, to even ask those questions to God, to 468 00:23:48,440 --> 00:23:52,800 Speaker 3: continue to pursue God, and in inviting him in, they 469 00:23:52,840 --> 00:23:56,120 Speaker 3: were able to see through yielding to him and obeying 470 00:23:56,200 --> 00:23:59,240 Speaker 3: him and trusting him that he was able to bring 471 00:23:59,359 --> 00:24:04,240 Speaker 3: redemption and restoration to so many of their stories and circumstances. 472 00:24:04,280 --> 00:24:07,200 Speaker 3: I think of Joseph, I think of Job, I think 473 00:24:07,240 --> 00:24:10,240 Speaker 3: of Paul, I think of Jesus. Like just to name 474 00:24:10,359 --> 00:24:14,359 Speaker 3: four people whose stories like these were real people where 475 00:24:14,440 --> 00:24:18,280 Speaker 3: real things were happening. But Hope had the final word. 476 00:24:18,640 --> 00:24:21,119 Speaker 3: Because God has the final word. He is the author 477 00:24:21,440 --> 00:24:25,520 Speaker 3: and finisher of our faith. So the hope today is 478 00:24:25,560 --> 00:24:27,840 Speaker 3: that we can meet Him in the raw and real 479 00:24:27,880 --> 00:24:30,520 Speaker 3: moments of what we are going through. But we need 480 00:24:30,560 --> 00:24:34,040 Speaker 3: to go to him with it and continue to pursue him, 481 00:24:34,080 --> 00:24:36,720 Speaker 3: because in the middle of that place, he will meet 482 00:24:36,800 --> 00:24:40,960 Speaker 3: us with his hand of redemption, his hand of restoration, 483 00:24:41,160 --> 00:24:43,960 Speaker 3: his needle and thread of silver lining in the midst 484 00:24:44,040 --> 00:24:46,480 Speaker 3: of our sable clouds. So that's what I would say 485 00:24:46,520 --> 00:24:48,760 Speaker 3: to the person who's in the middle of that place today, 486 00:24:49,080 --> 00:24:51,600 Speaker 3: that it might look different and the timing might not 487 00:24:51,680 --> 00:24:55,159 Speaker 3: be your timeline, but God has always been faithful to 488 00:24:55,440 --> 00:24:59,960 Speaker 3: do that. So why would he change now, the unchanging God, 489 00:25:00,000 --> 00:25:02,120 Speaker 3: Why would he change now for your circumstance. 490 00:25:02,400 --> 00:25:04,480 Speaker 1: I don't think you would me either. 491 00:25:04,840 --> 00:25:08,159 Speaker 2: I've been studying the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew one 492 00:25:08,400 --> 00:25:12,280 Speaker 2: and the Five Women Tomorrow rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba, and Mary, 493 00:25:12,400 --> 00:25:15,320 Speaker 2: and as I've been studying each of their stories, they 494 00:25:15,320 --> 00:25:19,119 Speaker 2: are all so messy, and yet they're all within the 495 00:25:19,160 --> 00:25:21,919 Speaker 2: genealogy of Jesus. And if they had only known that 496 00:25:21,920 --> 00:25:23,840 Speaker 2: that was going to be part of their story, and 497 00:25:23,880 --> 00:25:27,399 Speaker 2: it just gives me so much hopeful expectation that regardless 498 00:25:27,440 --> 00:25:29,600 Speaker 2: of the mess that's going on in my life. We 499 00:25:29,760 --> 00:25:32,560 Speaker 2: never know how God is using it to shape eternity, 500 00:25:32,880 --> 00:25:34,760 Speaker 2: and it's just so beautiful to think we are part 501 00:25:34,760 --> 00:25:38,119 Speaker 2: of that story too. And this episode is actually going 502 00:25:38,200 --> 00:25:41,160 Speaker 2: to release right before Easter, and you were talking about 503 00:25:41,200 --> 00:25:44,200 Speaker 2: the hope of the Cross and what he has done 504 00:25:44,240 --> 00:25:46,600 Speaker 2: for us, and I just think how beautiful the timing 505 00:25:46,720 --> 00:25:48,919 Speaker 2: even of this release of this message. And I'm so 506 00:25:49,000 --> 00:25:52,679 Speaker 2: thankful for that and for everything that you've communicated you today. 507 00:25:52,720 --> 00:25:56,919 Speaker 2: I know you've infused my heart with hope already. And 508 00:25:57,000 --> 00:25:59,439 Speaker 2: so this season, I have been asking all of my 509 00:25:59,480 --> 00:26:02,480 Speaker 2: guests if they is a biblical concept of love that 510 00:26:02,640 --> 00:26:04,200 Speaker 2: you think applies to this topic. 511 00:26:04,359 --> 00:26:07,639 Speaker 3: Yeah, I kind of already alluded to it, but redemption. 512 00:26:07,960 --> 00:26:09,720 Speaker 3: And I think it's one of those things where it's like, 513 00:26:09,840 --> 00:26:12,320 Speaker 3: how do you love redemption? Going hand in hand, It's like, well, 514 00:26:12,359 --> 00:26:13,920 Speaker 3: God loves us, so he redeems us. 515 00:26:14,080 --> 00:26:14,320 Speaker 1: Yes. 516 00:26:14,760 --> 00:26:17,000 Speaker 3: But I think even like if we were to zoom 517 00:26:17,000 --> 00:26:19,919 Speaker 3: out a little and then zoom back into Scripture, I 518 00:26:19,920 --> 00:26:22,440 Speaker 3: think of like the story of Ruth or the Book 519 00:26:22,480 --> 00:26:24,640 Speaker 3: of Ruth, where it's like you have Ruth and Boaz 520 00:26:24,680 --> 00:26:26,800 Speaker 3: and it's like us girlies, you know, we could be like, 521 00:26:26,840 --> 00:26:28,840 Speaker 3: oh my gosh, like you gotta find your Boas and 522 00:26:28,920 --> 00:26:31,440 Speaker 3: like that's the only thing we take away from it. 523 00:26:31,680 --> 00:26:35,400 Speaker 3: But there's so much to that story even of who 524 00:26:35,480 --> 00:26:39,480 Speaker 3: Boaz was. Like when we look culturally, his role in 525 00:26:39,560 --> 00:26:42,680 Speaker 3: the family of Naomi is that he was the redeemer 526 00:26:42,880 --> 00:26:45,760 Speaker 3: of the family, and so the fact that Naomi and 527 00:26:46,240 --> 00:26:49,800 Speaker 3: Ruth went to him, there was this redemption that happened, 528 00:26:50,119 --> 00:26:52,639 Speaker 3: like not even in the in the cultural level, but 529 00:26:52,680 --> 00:26:55,520 Speaker 3: like there was there's this spiritual redemption that we see 530 00:26:55,800 --> 00:26:59,119 Speaker 3: in both Ruth's life and Naomi's life where it's like 531 00:26:59,400 --> 00:27:01,639 Speaker 3: Ruth starts out with like losing her husband and losing 532 00:27:01,640 --> 00:27:05,359 Speaker 3: her sons, and Naomi loses her husband and loses her sons, 533 00:27:05,600 --> 00:27:08,200 Speaker 3: and she's like, you know, call me bitter, like God 534 00:27:08,240 --> 00:27:11,600 Speaker 3: has abandoned me. I am empty, like I hate what's 535 00:27:11,640 --> 00:27:13,680 Speaker 3: going on here. But the story ends with her being 536 00:27:13,880 --> 00:27:18,800 Speaker 3: full of God's redemption through Ruth and Boaz and holding 537 00:27:18,840 --> 00:27:20,800 Speaker 3: a new baby. And it's like we see this full 538 00:27:20,840 --> 00:27:26,760 Speaker 3: circle redemption through the marriage between Boaz and Ruth and 539 00:27:26,800 --> 00:27:31,080 Speaker 3: this relationship. And that's just like the condensed version of 540 00:27:31,160 --> 00:27:33,480 Speaker 3: what we see with that. But I think about that 541 00:27:33,520 --> 00:27:36,520 Speaker 3: in the context of scripture, of like Jesus is also 542 00:27:36,680 --> 00:27:39,160 Speaker 3: our redeemer, that there are seasons that we go through 543 00:27:39,200 --> 00:27:41,800 Speaker 3: where there has been great loss, where there has been 544 00:27:42,119 --> 00:27:44,879 Speaker 3: great famine, where there has been great desolation, where there 545 00:27:44,920 --> 00:27:47,920 Speaker 3: has been great whatever. Those of us who are in 546 00:27:48,119 --> 00:27:51,399 Speaker 3: Christ too are his bride, and he is our bride groom. 547 00:27:51,800 --> 00:27:55,680 Speaker 3: He has redeemed us out of so many things, not 548 00:27:55,720 --> 00:27:59,440 Speaker 3: only our sin and our shame, but he also wants 549 00:27:59,440 --> 00:28:02,720 Speaker 3: to bring redemdemption to the suffering and the sorrow, like 550 00:28:03,080 --> 00:28:07,199 Speaker 3: the bitterness, the weeping, the anguish. I love the promise 551 00:28:07,240 --> 00:28:11,679 Speaker 3: of revelation that he wipes away every tear. And this 552 00:28:11,840 --> 00:28:15,040 Speaker 3: is the suffering servant who does that right, the one 553 00:28:15,080 --> 00:28:17,480 Speaker 3: who was well acquainted with grief. He is the one 554 00:28:17,480 --> 00:28:20,760 Speaker 3: who wipes our tears away. And I just think redemption 555 00:28:20,960 --> 00:28:23,720 Speaker 3: is one of the biggest pictures of love that we 556 00:28:23,800 --> 00:28:26,560 Speaker 3: see in the Bible, because the redemption of Christ came 557 00:28:26,600 --> 00:28:30,040 Speaker 3: with great sacrifice, and how our husband's called to love 558 00:28:30,080 --> 00:28:34,560 Speaker 3: their wives with this sacrificial love. And so I would 559 00:28:34,560 --> 00:28:37,480 Speaker 3: say that redemption is probably one of my favorite aspects 560 00:28:37,600 --> 00:28:40,760 Speaker 3: or elements of the Bible or of who God is, 561 00:28:40,880 --> 00:28:43,360 Speaker 3: where we see his love the greatest because it's not 562 00:28:43,520 --> 00:28:46,680 Speaker 3: just this act of buying something back and redeeming it, 563 00:28:47,240 --> 00:28:50,800 Speaker 3: but there's so much freedom and fullness and restoration that 564 00:28:50,840 --> 00:28:53,440 Speaker 3: comes with the redemption of God in our life that 565 00:28:53,600 --> 00:28:57,800 Speaker 3: is just ultimate proof of his unconditional love for us. 566 00:28:58,000 --> 00:29:00,320 Speaker 2: Well, it is clear that you love the Lord and 567 00:29:00,360 --> 00:29:03,880 Speaker 2: you love his word, yes and yes, So tell us 568 00:29:03,880 --> 00:29:05,760 Speaker 2: something else that you are living. 569 00:29:06,120 --> 00:29:09,600 Speaker 3: Oh my gosh, Well this season of life really, like 570 00:29:09,640 --> 00:29:13,240 Speaker 3: I said, I'm I'm expecting my first baby. My book 571 00:29:13,280 --> 00:29:16,520 Speaker 3: comes out April seventh, My baby comes out maybe April 572 00:29:16,520 --> 00:29:17,280 Speaker 3: twenty sixth. 573 00:29:17,400 --> 00:29:20,880 Speaker 2: Woh goodness, April's going to be a three month it is. 574 00:29:20,960 --> 00:29:23,360 Speaker 3: It's gonna be a full month. And I'm I'm loving it. 575 00:29:23,440 --> 00:29:26,160 Speaker 3: Even with like how busy everything is and how full 576 00:29:26,240 --> 00:29:30,280 Speaker 3: my schedule is, and how you know, pinful my sciatica 577 00:29:30,400 --> 00:29:32,840 Speaker 3: is and all the things that come with pregnancy that 578 00:29:32,880 --> 00:29:35,760 Speaker 3: I was not prepared for. I've been loving every minute 579 00:29:35,800 --> 00:29:38,560 Speaker 3: of it because to tie back to redemption and love. 580 00:29:38,960 --> 00:29:42,520 Speaker 3: I feel like this baby girl has just been the 581 00:29:42,640 --> 00:29:46,160 Speaker 3: perfect picture. I say that she's my pink bow on 582 00:29:46,280 --> 00:29:49,400 Speaker 3: top of like a beautiful season. I've just seen God's 583 00:29:49,440 --> 00:29:53,680 Speaker 3: redemption where I was just in the darkest coldest winter 584 00:29:54,120 --> 00:29:56,640 Speaker 3: for a long time after my mom died and he 585 00:29:56,680 --> 00:29:59,440 Speaker 3: gave me this word of I'm bringing you into your spring. 586 00:30:00,000 --> 00:30:01,840 Speaker 3: A few months later, I find out I'm pregnant with 587 00:30:01,880 --> 00:30:04,840 Speaker 3: a spring baby. I have a spring book release. It's like, 588 00:30:05,160 --> 00:30:09,040 Speaker 3: I'm just loving this season because I had hope then 589 00:30:09,360 --> 00:30:10,800 Speaker 3: when I was in the middle of what I was 590 00:30:10,840 --> 00:30:14,600 Speaker 3: going through. But I but I still have hope now 591 00:30:14,840 --> 00:30:17,360 Speaker 3: seeing how he's been able to tie up those loose 592 00:30:17,520 --> 00:30:21,240 Speaker 3: ends into beautiful bows that I never expected. 593 00:30:21,480 --> 00:30:22,560 Speaker 1: And that's the beauty is that. 594 00:30:22,640 --> 00:30:24,800 Speaker 3: Wow, God, you did something I didn't expect and it's 595 00:30:24,920 --> 00:30:27,160 Speaker 3: way better than anything I could have ever expected. 596 00:30:27,360 --> 00:30:30,840 Speaker 1: So I'm loving that. Mmmmmmm, that's beautiful. Kirby. Well, so 597 00:30:31,120 --> 00:30:33,320 Speaker 1: will you put bows on your little girl? Like here? 598 00:30:34,880 --> 00:30:36,960 Speaker 1: Big al bows? Oh yeah, we're. 599 00:30:36,800 --> 00:30:38,920 Speaker 3: In the South, so even if I do, even if 600 00:30:38,960 --> 00:30:41,280 Speaker 3: I don't, somebody will, somebody will. 601 00:30:42,800 --> 00:30:44,880 Speaker 2: Well, I know I want to stay connected with you. 602 00:30:44,960 --> 00:30:46,760 Speaker 2: I'm sure listeners are going to want to used to 603 00:30:46,800 --> 00:30:49,040 Speaker 2: tell us how we can get a copy of every book, 604 00:30:49,040 --> 00:30:52,240 Speaker 2: listen to your podcast and just connect with you totally. 605 00:30:52,600 --> 00:30:54,920 Speaker 3: Well as far as like social media and stuff goes, 606 00:30:55,040 --> 00:30:57,520 Speaker 3: you can check me out. My podcast is called Bought 607 00:30:57,560 --> 00:31:01,320 Speaker 3: and Beloved and we're on the same which is really cool, 608 00:31:01,520 --> 00:31:03,960 Speaker 3: so you'll be able to find us through the same 609 00:31:04,000 --> 00:31:07,200 Speaker 3: network if you're listening to her podcast, and I upload 610 00:31:07,240 --> 00:31:10,600 Speaker 3: every week on there. I also post on my Instagram 611 00:31:10,720 --> 00:31:13,680 Speaker 3: and my YouTube and sometimes my TikTok, which is Kirby 612 00:31:13,800 --> 00:31:15,720 Speaker 3: is a Boss. I made it when I was thirteen 613 00:31:16,040 --> 00:31:18,480 Speaker 3: and I'm probably gonna die with it like that. So 614 00:31:18,680 --> 00:31:21,360 Speaker 3: Kirby is a Boss is my socials. I upload on 615 00:31:21,440 --> 00:31:23,600 Speaker 3: there all the time. And then lastly, if you do 616 00:31:23,680 --> 00:31:25,760 Speaker 3: want to check out my book, you can still pre 617 00:31:26,000 --> 00:31:29,080 Speaker 3: order it by the time this episode airs, and with 618 00:31:29,200 --> 00:31:31,400 Speaker 3: pre orders, there's a bunch of cool freebies. 619 00:31:31,680 --> 00:31:34,920 Speaker 1: If you go to fabric of hoopebook dot. 620 00:31:34,640 --> 00:31:38,160 Speaker 3: Com, it'll link it to everywhere that the book is sold, 621 00:31:38,280 --> 00:31:42,800 Speaker 3: like Amazon, Burns and Noble Christianbook dot Com everywhere, Faith Gateway, everywhere. 622 00:31:43,360 --> 00:31:45,800 Speaker 3: But if you do order it and you just scroll 623 00:31:45,840 --> 00:31:48,800 Speaker 3: on that page, you can enter in your order information 624 00:31:48,960 --> 00:31:52,040 Speaker 3: and you'll get like a free video devotional teaching series. 625 00:31:52,080 --> 00:31:54,840 Speaker 3: You'll get a free Bible journaling prayer guide. You'll be 626 00:31:54,880 --> 00:31:57,400 Speaker 3: able to read the first few chapters before you even 627 00:31:57,480 --> 00:32:00,000 Speaker 3: get the books. So I want people to take advantage 628 00:32:00,120 --> 00:32:03,360 Speaker 3: of those freebies because I love free stuff. So just 629 00:32:03,480 --> 00:32:06,400 Speaker 3: visit fabric of hoopebook dot com or you can just 630 00:32:06,440 --> 00:32:09,120 Speaker 3: look up Fabric of Hope and you can get the 631 00:32:09,120 --> 00:32:10,200 Speaker 3: book wherever it's sold. 632 00:32:10,360 --> 00:32:12,480 Speaker 2: Well, I love free stuff too, so we're going to 633 00:32:12,520 --> 00:32:14,440 Speaker 2: include all of that in the show notes. 634 00:32:14,480 --> 00:32:15,040 Speaker 1: But cool. 635 00:32:15,160 --> 00:32:15,760 Speaker 3: I'm Kirby. 636 00:32:15,840 --> 00:32:17,600 Speaker 1: Thank you. Would you just do us the honor of 637 00:32:17,640 --> 00:32:18,760 Speaker 1: praying for us as we close? 638 00:32:18,920 --> 00:32:22,000 Speaker 3: Absolutely, Lord, I just want to thank you for today. 639 00:32:22,200 --> 00:32:24,840 Speaker 3: I want to thank you for this episode, and I 640 00:32:24,880 --> 00:32:27,920 Speaker 3: want to thank you for every single person who has 641 00:32:28,000 --> 00:32:30,280 Speaker 3: decided to tune in, and I pray that they are 642 00:32:30,320 --> 00:32:34,200 Speaker 3: walking away a little more hopeful, not just hopeful of well, 643 00:32:34,240 --> 00:32:36,840 Speaker 3: maybe things will get better and maybe this and maybe that, 644 00:32:37,440 --> 00:32:41,600 Speaker 3: but that they would have true confident expectation in who 645 00:32:41,840 --> 00:32:49,520 Speaker 3: you are, not just their circumstance, not themselves, not other people, places, things, systems, politics, nations, whatever, 646 00:32:50,080 --> 00:32:52,080 Speaker 3: but God, that we would step back and put our 647 00:32:52,240 --> 00:32:55,640 Speaker 3: full hope in you, that you are in control, that 648 00:32:55,760 --> 00:32:59,080 Speaker 3: you are good, that you redeem, that you have a 649 00:32:59,280 --> 00:33:02,960 Speaker 3: perfect plan for our lives and for what we have 650 00:33:03,080 --> 00:33:05,960 Speaker 3: gone through, that you can really stitch it back together 651 00:33:06,400 --> 00:33:11,320 Speaker 3: to be something good and worthy and beautiful. I pray 652 00:33:11,360 --> 00:33:14,160 Speaker 3: that they would have that hope and that confidence today 653 00:33:14,480 --> 00:33:17,040 Speaker 3: and that they would just take one step closer to you, 654 00:33:17,480 --> 00:33:20,360 Speaker 3: whether that is having hope in you, or whether that's 655 00:33:20,400 --> 00:33:24,240 Speaker 3: even just bringing their tears and questions before you, that 656 00:33:24,320 --> 00:33:27,120 Speaker 3: you would just meet them and comfort them and infuse 657 00:33:27,520 --> 00:33:30,400 Speaker 3: confidence and hope within them as they pursue you in 658 00:33:30,480 --> 00:33:32,720 Speaker 3: the middle of their mess or even with the past 659 00:33:32,840 --> 00:33:36,000 Speaker 3: seasons that still need to be dealt with God. And 660 00:33:36,040 --> 00:33:40,480 Speaker 3: I pray this all in Jesus' name. Amen, Amen, Well Kirby, 661 00:33:40,520 --> 00:33:42,800 Speaker 3: Today you have helped me fall more in love with Christ, 662 00:33:43,160 --> 00:33:46,160 Speaker 3: and so just thank you for being here today and 663 00:33:46,880 --> 00:33:49,720 Speaker 3: infusing us with more hope. Appreciate your time today, Thank 664 00:33:49,720 --> 00:33:52,160 Speaker 3: you for having me. Thank you so much for listening 665 00:33:52,200 --> 00:33:55,120 Speaker 3: to the Love Offering podcast. I hope today's conversation encouraged 666 00:33:55,160 --> 00:33:57,240 Speaker 3: and inspired you to love God, love others, and even 667 00:33:57,320 --> 00:34:00,000 Speaker 3: love yourself a little more. If you enjoyed this episode, 668 00:34:00,160 --> 00:34:01,640 Speaker 3: please share it with a friend and leave a review. 669 00:34:01,680 --> 00:34:03,800 Speaker 3: It helps others find the show and spreads the message 670 00:34:03,840 --> 00:34:06,480 Speaker 3: of love even further. To connect with me, visit me 671 00:34:06,520 --> 00:34:09,120 Speaker 3: on my website at Rachelkadams dot com. Why are there 672 00:34:09,239 --> 00:34:11,640 Speaker 3: be sure to download The Love Offering Calendar, a free 673 00:34:11,680 --> 00:34:14,640 Speaker 3: resource filled with simple daily ways to love those around you. 674 00:34:15,120 --> 00:34:17,520 Speaker 2: Don't forget to pick up a copy of Kirby Kelly's book, 675 00:34:17,600 --> 00:34:20,680 Speaker 2: The Fabric of Hope, a powerful reminder that even when 676 00:34:20,800 --> 00:34:24,279 Speaker 2: life feels unraveling, God is still faithfully weaving redemption into 677 00:34:24,320 --> 00:34:27,040 Speaker 2: every thread of our story. A special thank you to 678 00:34:27,160 --> 00:34:29,960 Speaker 2: Life Audio for supporting this podcast and making it possible. 679 00:34:30,160 --> 00:34:33,080 Speaker 2: To find more great podcast visitlifeaudio dot com. 680 00:34:33,239 --> 00:34:34,640 Speaker 1: Thanks again for joining us today. 681 00:34:34,800 --> 00:34:38,400 Speaker 2: Until next time, let's make our lives an offering of love.