1 00:00:01,590 --> 00:00:04,620 Speaker 1: Welcome to Hope for the Journey, the podcast for women 2 00:00:04,700 --> 00:00:08,880 Speaker 1: over 40 who are ready to rise, rebuild, and reclaim 3 00:00:08,900 --> 00:00:13,020 Speaker 1: their story. I'm your host, Monica, and each week you'll 4 00:00:13,060 --> 00:00:17,670 Speaker 1: hear real, raw, comeback stories from women who have walked 5 00:00:17,710 --> 00:00:20,650 Speaker 1: through the fire and found purpose on the other side. 6 00:00:21,390 --> 00:00:25,910 Speaker 1: If you're navigating change, chasing a dream, or simply searching 7 00:00:25,970 --> 00:00:29,340 Speaker 1: for your next step, you're not alone. This is your 8 00:00:29,440 --> 00:00:34,040 Speaker 1: place for courage, community, and the reminder that it's never 9 00:00:34,100 --> 00:00:40,919 Speaker 1: too late to rewrite the ending. Today on Hope for 10 00:00:40,940 --> 00:00:43,599 Speaker 1: the Journey, we are going to talk about how fear 11 00:00:43,830 --> 00:00:46,710 Speaker 1: doesn't have to have the final word in your life. 12 00:00:47,229 --> 00:00:49,170 Speaker 1: I'll be back in just a moment right after a 13 00:00:49,210 --> 00:00:54,060 Speaker 1: word from our sponsors. Okay, Monica Schmelter here, and this 14 00:00:54,120 --> 00:00:57,990 Speaker 1: is Hope for the Journey, the podcast for women over 40. 15 00:00:57,990 --> 00:01:00,850 Speaker 1: And today I have a really special guest. You know, 16 00:01:00,870 --> 00:01:04,340 Speaker 1: I've told you before, I love a good comeback story. 17 00:01:04,900 --> 00:01:07,640 Speaker 1: And boy, does Jenna Schutt have that kind of story. 18 00:01:08,060 --> 00:01:10,740 Speaker 1: She has overcome with God's help and the help of 19 00:01:11,140 --> 00:01:16,649 Speaker 1: her husband and mom, to really overcome some insurmountable situations. Jenna, 20 00:01:16,690 --> 00:01:18,000 Speaker 1: welcome to Hope for the Journey. 21 00:01:18,250 --> 00:01:20,199 Speaker 2: Thank you so much for having me. I'm blessed to 22 00:01:20,240 --> 00:01:20,560 Speaker 2: be here. 23 00:01:20,900 --> 00:01:22,720 Speaker 1: Well, I'm glad to talk with you. You know, as 24 00:01:22,760 --> 00:01:24,920 Speaker 1: I said, I love a good comeback story. And you 25 00:01:25,420 --> 00:01:28,560 Speaker 1: are a person, you have really had to firsthand learn 26 00:01:28,959 --> 00:01:31,800 Speaker 1: to fight the good fight of the faith. Tell me 27 00:01:31,840 --> 00:01:34,340 Speaker 1: a little bit about your story and the diagnosis eight 28 00:01:34,400 --> 00:01:34,980 Speaker 1: years ago. 29 00:01:35,480 --> 00:01:37,560 Speaker 3: Yes. So I was 30 years old. 30 00:01:37,800 --> 00:01:39,700 Speaker 2: So that would be eight years ago now that I 31 00:01:39,740 --> 00:01:43,070 Speaker 2: was diagnosed with a very rare, incurable bone marrow disease. 32 00:01:43,670 --> 00:01:45,510 Speaker 3: At the time, I was a cardiac nurse. 33 00:01:45,550 --> 00:01:48,330 Speaker 2: So I was very used to taking care of people, 34 00:01:48,510 --> 00:01:52,130 Speaker 2: being the caregiver. And my children, which I have two boys, 35 00:01:52,450 --> 00:01:55,530 Speaker 2: were both in diapers when I got diagnosed. So to 36 00:01:56,070 --> 00:02:00,190 Speaker 2: have that perspective shift to go from nurse to patient 37 00:02:00,690 --> 00:02:03,870 Speaker 2: was very eye opening, but also very humbling. 38 00:02:03,890 --> 00:02:04,550 Speaker 3: Yeah. 39 00:02:04,970 --> 00:02:07,750 Speaker 1: And I would think that you had to, I mean, 40 00:02:07,790 --> 00:02:11,230 Speaker 1: at least at first, have a lot of fear and 41 00:02:11,410 --> 00:02:16,030 Speaker 1: concern about your two children that are in diapers. And 42 00:02:16,050 --> 00:02:19,490 Speaker 1: you have a husband, like you have responsibilities, you're homeschooling, 43 00:02:19,530 --> 00:02:23,590 Speaker 1: you're doing all the things. And to get an incurable 44 00:02:23,669 --> 00:02:27,050 Speaker 1: disease diagnosis, you had to go through quite a bit, 45 00:02:27,169 --> 00:02:28,350 Speaker 1: I would think emotionally. 46 00:02:29,210 --> 00:02:31,370 Speaker 2: It was very up and down for a while. I 47 00:02:31,430 --> 00:02:34,310 Speaker 2: think that when we think about healing, we want it 48 00:02:34,350 --> 00:02:36,230 Speaker 2: to be very linear. We want it just to go 49 00:02:36,330 --> 00:02:38,750 Speaker 2: straight up. But most of the time, it's very hills 50 00:02:38,810 --> 00:02:41,240 Speaker 2: and valleys. So I would have times where I was like, yeah, 51 00:02:41,250 --> 00:02:45,380 Speaker 2: I'm doing great. I'm doing this thing. And then I 52 00:02:45,419 --> 00:02:48,300 Speaker 2: would have times where I was very much, why did 53 00:02:48,340 --> 00:02:49,020 Speaker 2: this happen? 54 00:02:49,260 --> 00:02:50,520 Speaker 3: What did I do wrong? 55 00:02:50,580 --> 00:02:54,440 Speaker 2: Was there something that I wasn't saying correctly or doing correctly? 56 00:02:54,560 --> 00:02:57,299 Speaker 2: Or I had grown up in the faith. And I 57 00:02:57,460 --> 00:03:00,500 Speaker 2: really learned in that time there's such a big difference 58 00:03:00,560 --> 00:03:04,120 Speaker 2: between knowledge faith and knowing the verses and going to 59 00:03:04,160 --> 00:03:07,030 Speaker 2: church and knowing all the things and when the hard 60 00:03:07,060 --> 00:03:11,010 Speaker 2: things come, practice faith. So that big difference and that 61 00:03:11,090 --> 00:03:13,950 Speaker 2: line that you have to step over from one to 62 00:03:13,970 --> 00:03:16,550 Speaker 2: the other to actually get it to do what it 63 00:03:16,690 --> 00:03:18,550 Speaker 2: is designed to do. Yes, it's. 64 00:03:19,130 --> 00:03:22,180 Speaker 1: I call it like when the pressure is on, we 65 00:03:22,300 --> 00:03:25,280 Speaker 1: find out what is really inside of us, right? If 66 00:03:25,320 --> 00:03:27,579 Speaker 1: the foundation is the word of God, if it's a 67 00:03:27,680 --> 00:03:31,660 Speaker 1: surface thing where we just know the word. Life falls apart. 68 00:03:32,200 --> 00:03:35,000 Speaker 1: But if it's really in us, and the good news is, 69 00:03:35,410 --> 00:03:38,470 Speaker 1: as you're sharing with us today, we can train ourselves 70 00:03:38,710 --> 00:03:43,030 Speaker 1: to really have our go-to be God's word rather than 71 00:03:43,150 --> 00:03:47,050 Speaker 1: our fear. And yet, your faith allows you to, and 72 00:03:47,090 --> 00:03:50,710 Speaker 1: so does mine, admit that I'm afraid. So let's talk 73 00:03:50,750 --> 00:03:54,240 Speaker 1: about the acknowledge part. Once you got this diagnosis, you 74 00:03:54,280 --> 00:03:58,880 Speaker 1: had to be scared, frightened, concerned, right? And painful, I 75 00:03:58,940 --> 00:04:01,020 Speaker 1: would think physically as well. You had to be in 76 00:04:01,040 --> 00:04:04,400 Speaker 1: a lot of pain. How did you get to be 77 00:04:04,440 --> 00:04:09,590 Speaker 1: at a place where you could be grateful and retrain 78 00:04:09,620 --> 00:04:11,110 Speaker 1: your brain? How did you do that? 79 00:04:12,310 --> 00:04:15,350 Speaker 2: One thing I think is very important is that two 80 00:04:15,410 --> 00:04:18,089 Speaker 2: things can be true at the same time. So you 81 00:04:18,190 --> 00:04:22,310 Speaker 2: can be incredibly grateful to be alive and still be 82 00:04:22,350 --> 00:04:24,900 Speaker 2: in a lot of pain. Or you can still be 83 00:04:25,220 --> 00:04:28,230 Speaker 2: not happy with where you're at, but grateful for the 84 00:04:28,910 --> 00:04:31,849 Speaker 2: life that you've already had. Or with me, I was 85 00:04:31,890 --> 00:04:34,909 Speaker 2: thrown into menopause at 35 years old and was told, 86 00:04:35,350 --> 00:04:36,590 Speaker 2: you're not going to have any more children. 87 00:04:36,610 --> 00:04:40,339 Speaker 3: This is it. You're done. And I had always had 88 00:04:40,360 --> 00:04:41,240 Speaker 3: that thought of. 89 00:04:41,240 --> 00:04:44,480 Speaker 2: Being a mom. And I am a mom of two children. 90 00:04:44,560 --> 00:04:47,800 Speaker 2: And I love my children. And that's very true. And 91 00:04:47,820 --> 00:04:50,000 Speaker 2: I'm very grateful that I have them. But I still 92 00:04:50,100 --> 00:04:51,620 Speaker 2: grieve what I won't have. 93 00:04:52,190 --> 00:04:52,990 Speaker 3: And I still. 94 00:04:52,790 --> 00:04:56,979 Speaker 2: Grieve that motherhood that I thought would look like. Because 95 00:04:57,100 --> 00:05:00,159 Speaker 2: when my kids were babies and I was diagnosed, all 96 00:05:00,200 --> 00:05:04,380 Speaker 2: of a sudden, this vision and this thought of what 97 00:05:04,500 --> 00:05:07,479 Speaker 2: I would look like as a mom was completely gone, 98 00:05:07,740 --> 00:05:10,820 Speaker 2: just dissolved in a second. It was like there was 99 00:05:10,860 --> 00:05:13,170 Speaker 2: a line in the sand of before and after, and 100 00:05:13,310 --> 00:05:15,770 Speaker 2: I was pushed across it without permission. 101 00:05:16,630 --> 00:05:17,380 Speaker 3: And here I am. 102 00:05:17,970 --> 00:05:21,890 Speaker 2: And so when you go through things like that, and 103 00:05:21,940 --> 00:05:23,800 Speaker 2: it doesn't have to be a medical thing. 104 00:05:23,860 --> 00:05:26,180 Speaker 3: It could be financial. It could be relationship. It could 105 00:05:26,200 --> 00:05:26,800 Speaker 3: be anything. 106 00:05:26,860 --> 00:05:30,220 Speaker 2: Fear doesn't need a diagnosis. It just needs uncertainty. It 107 00:05:30,260 --> 00:05:33,990 Speaker 2: just needs a what-if question to start running ahead. And 108 00:05:34,370 --> 00:05:38,529 Speaker 2: I could acknowledge that this is painful. I don't want 109 00:05:38,550 --> 00:05:41,130 Speaker 2: to be in this situation. I don't want to be 110 00:05:41,370 --> 00:05:45,710 Speaker 2: with this diagnosis. But I don't have to stay in that. 111 00:05:45,990 --> 00:05:47,820 Speaker 2: I don't want to be here. And I don't have 112 00:05:47,860 --> 00:05:51,660 Speaker 2: to stay in the grieving portion, even though I'm still grateful. 113 00:05:51,779 --> 00:05:55,100 Speaker 2: So I talk a lot about acknowledge it, know where 114 00:05:55,120 --> 00:05:58,500 Speaker 2: you're at, but don't stay where you're at. And that 115 00:05:58,620 --> 00:06:02,030 Speaker 2: faith isn't going to deny that reality that you are in, 116 00:06:02,390 --> 00:06:03,850 Speaker 2: but it is going to show you how you're going 117 00:06:03,890 --> 00:06:05,310 Speaker 2: to walk out that reality. 118 00:06:06,260 --> 00:06:06,830 Speaker 3: That you are in. 119 00:06:06,860 --> 00:06:08,719 Speaker 2: And I've been there for eight years. I've been walking 120 00:06:08,740 --> 00:06:10,719 Speaker 2: this out for eight years. And I can tell you 121 00:06:10,779 --> 00:06:13,980 Speaker 2: that it is a practice. It is practice faith. And 122 00:06:14,020 --> 00:06:17,580 Speaker 2: it doesn't just a lot of times fall on you 123 00:06:17,640 --> 00:06:18,820 Speaker 2: like an apple from a tree. 124 00:06:19,480 --> 00:06:21,310 Speaker 1: Right. Because I think sometimes we think that we're going 125 00:06:21,320 --> 00:06:25,210 Speaker 1: to say a prayer and that right when we say amen, 126 00:06:25,290 --> 00:06:27,790 Speaker 1: that we're going to feel some huge change or something's 127 00:06:27,830 --> 00:06:30,870 Speaker 1: going to happen and praise God for those times it does. 128 00:06:30,890 --> 00:06:36,050 Speaker 1: But It mostly doesn't. It's usually through a process. And 129 00:06:36,089 --> 00:06:39,409 Speaker 1: I've always reminded myself, like when God created the heavens 130 00:06:39,450 --> 00:06:41,490 Speaker 1: and the earth, when he did all that, he did 131 00:06:41,529 --> 00:06:44,620 Speaker 1: it over seven days. It was a process. He could 132 00:06:44,660 --> 00:06:48,720 Speaker 1: have spoke everything in to existence with one word. Yet 133 00:06:48,860 --> 00:06:52,630 Speaker 1: he taught us. the process and when you he does 134 00:06:52,670 --> 00:06:55,240 Speaker 1: that in believers lives all of the time so yes 135 00:06:55,279 --> 00:06:57,920 Speaker 1: we want the healing now but like you've been going 136 00:06:57,960 --> 00:07:01,180 Speaker 1: through this for eight years and so you had to 137 00:07:01,360 --> 00:07:05,180 Speaker 1: personally find a way to have the joy of the 138 00:07:05,240 --> 00:07:09,320 Speaker 1: lord and that the strength of the lord to rely 139 00:07:09,490 --> 00:07:11,790 Speaker 1: on how did you how did you build that spiritual 140 00:07:11,870 --> 00:07:13,510 Speaker 1: muscle I think. 141 00:07:13,330 --> 00:07:16,010 Speaker 2: I was training it before I even knew what it was. 142 00:07:16,550 --> 00:07:18,710 Speaker 2: And so now I call it the joy reflex because 143 00:07:18,750 --> 00:07:22,410 Speaker 2: I want to make joy, faith, and peace my reflex. 144 00:07:22,450 --> 00:07:24,610 Speaker 2: I want it to be my thing that I just 145 00:07:24,710 --> 00:07:27,140 Speaker 2: go to without thinking about it. But when you're in 146 00:07:27,180 --> 00:07:29,630 Speaker 2: the middle of things, you don't have some fun name 147 00:07:29,690 --> 00:07:31,720 Speaker 2: for it. You just know what you're doing. And what 148 00:07:31,760 --> 00:07:34,739 Speaker 2: I was really doing was I was, every time something 149 00:07:34,760 --> 00:07:36,940 Speaker 2: would come up, I would acknowledge what it was that 150 00:07:36,980 --> 00:07:39,000 Speaker 2: I was in. I would recognize the heart that I 151 00:07:39,040 --> 00:07:41,920 Speaker 2: was in. And then I would figure out what it 152 00:07:42,000 --> 00:07:44,320 Speaker 2: was that I could use out of God's. 153 00:07:44,080 --> 00:07:46,120 Speaker 3: Word to anchor myself in that hard. 154 00:07:46,600 --> 00:07:50,040 Speaker 2: Because even though I had this diagnosis eight years ago, 155 00:07:50,680 --> 00:07:53,400 Speaker 2: I still had all of these different complications and all 156 00:07:53,420 --> 00:07:57,040 Speaker 2: of these different battles. And it wasn't just, you know, 157 00:07:57,080 --> 00:07:59,080 Speaker 2: when you go through a war, it's not just one 158 00:07:59,140 --> 00:08:02,440 Speaker 2: big thing. It's a bunch of small battles that get 159 00:08:02,520 --> 00:08:05,260 Speaker 2: to that end point. And so there were times when 160 00:08:05,360 --> 00:08:07,490 Speaker 2: there would be one thing that I would need to 161 00:08:07,560 --> 00:08:10,340 Speaker 2: anchor myself in. And then the next day, it would 162 00:08:10,360 --> 00:08:13,000 Speaker 2: be something different because it would be another challenge that 163 00:08:13,020 --> 00:08:15,920 Speaker 2: would come up. And I think that's the wonderful thing 164 00:08:16,000 --> 00:08:18,580 Speaker 2: about God's word is He has something in there for 165 00:08:18,720 --> 00:08:22,960 Speaker 2: everybody and everyone's situation. He has things there for financial, 166 00:08:23,050 --> 00:08:27,560 Speaker 2: for relationships, or just for fear and anxiety in general, 167 00:08:27,880 --> 00:08:32,510 Speaker 2: because He knows the battle of the mind. He knows that. 168 00:08:33,030 --> 00:08:35,170 Speaker 2: And He has those verses there for us. So I'd 169 00:08:35,190 --> 00:08:38,199 Speaker 2: always say, recognize what you're in. the hard that you're in, 170 00:08:38,240 --> 00:08:42,100 Speaker 2: but then find God's word to anchor yourself where he 171 00:08:42,200 --> 00:08:44,710 Speaker 2: can keep you in faith, peace, and joy. Yes. 172 00:08:45,070 --> 00:08:48,190 Speaker 1: And I love, Jenna, that you're sharing that it really 173 00:08:48,429 --> 00:08:51,000 Speaker 1: is a process and that there are ups and downs 174 00:08:51,179 --> 00:08:54,720 Speaker 1: and that all of us, two different things can be true. 175 00:08:55,190 --> 00:08:58,980 Speaker 1: We can be grateful and we can be grieving. And 176 00:08:59,020 --> 00:09:02,920 Speaker 1: that's a part of faith that I think we need 177 00:09:02,940 --> 00:09:06,660 Speaker 1: to talk more about and help people understand it's not 178 00:09:06,880 --> 00:09:09,360 Speaker 1: one or the other. You can be grateful for every 179 00:09:09,500 --> 00:09:12,680 Speaker 1: good thing God has done. And yet, like you shared, 180 00:09:12,780 --> 00:09:15,880 Speaker 1: grieve the children that you might have had, had you 181 00:09:15,940 --> 00:09:19,920 Speaker 1: not had this diagnosis and be thrown into menopause at 182 00:09:19,970 --> 00:09:23,829 Speaker 1: just 35 years old. Like that's a lot to handle. 183 00:09:24,309 --> 00:09:28,630 Speaker 1: Yet you did, anchoring yourself in the Lord, declaring His scriptures. 184 00:09:28,970 --> 00:09:30,530 Speaker 1: We've got to take a break in a minute, but 185 00:09:30,790 --> 00:09:33,290 Speaker 1: share one more thing with us. Maybe there's a woman 186 00:09:33,410 --> 00:09:37,010 Speaker 1: that's listening to this podcast, and it might not be 187 00:09:37,030 --> 00:09:40,800 Speaker 1: a diagnosis. It might be a divorce. It could be bankruptcy. 188 00:09:41,780 --> 00:09:44,440 Speaker 1: Where would you recommend that she start? Let's just say 189 00:09:44,520 --> 00:09:48,760 Speaker 1: she's angry and resentful and afraid. What would you say? 190 00:09:49,340 --> 00:09:50,959 Speaker 2: The thing that I would say is go get a 191 00:09:51,000 --> 00:09:54,100 Speaker 2: notebook and write down what it is that you're going 192 00:09:54,140 --> 00:09:57,990 Speaker 2: through right now and write down what fear is trying 193 00:09:58,050 --> 00:10:01,260 Speaker 2: to tell you about what it is. So maybe like 194 00:10:01,340 --> 00:10:03,620 Speaker 2: for me, it would be, what if my children grow 195 00:10:03,679 --> 00:10:06,440 Speaker 2: up without me? What if they don't remember me? And 196 00:10:06,520 --> 00:10:08,910 Speaker 2: I would write down those what. You can write down 197 00:10:09,190 --> 00:10:11,850 Speaker 2: what if. And then I want you to write down 198 00:10:11,910 --> 00:10:14,610 Speaker 2: what God's word says about it. And then I want 199 00:10:14,650 --> 00:10:17,510 Speaker 2: you to circle what God's word says. And what does 200 00:10:17,550 --> 00:10:20,429 Speaker 2: God's word say that we should think about? In Philippians, 201 00:10:20,510 --> 00:10:22,589 Speaker 2: it tells us. And one of the first things it 202 00:10:22,650 --> 00:10:26,850 Speaker 2: says is, what is true? So write down what is 203 00:10:26,980 --> 00:10:31,100 Speaker 2: true about that moment. Because a lot of times, what 204 00:10:31,200 --> 00:10:34,600 Speaker 2: if questions are future things that haven't happened yet. But 205 00:10:34,620 --> 00:10:36,900 Speaker 2: we can write down what's true. And I could write 206 00:10:36,960 --> 00:10:40,089 Speaker 2: down that question of, what if I don't make it 207 00:10:40,150 --> 00:10:42,710 Speaker 2: out of this and my children don't remember me? And 208 00:10:42,750 --> 00:10:45,130 Speaker 2: I can cross that out. But underneath it, I could 209 00:10:45,150 --> 00:10:48,120 Speaker 2: write what is true, which is that I am alive. 210 00:10:48,340 --> 00:10:50,640 Speaker 2: I am their mother, and God is faithful. 211 00:10:52,200 --> 00:10:55,860 Speaker 1: And you know that when you just said that, even 212 00:10:55,940 --> 00:10:59,380 Speaker 1: for any mom to think, right, that my kids are 213 00:10:59,460 --> 00:11:01,420 Speaker 1: so young, and if I don't make it, they won't 214 00:11:01,500 --> 00:11:05,790 Speaker 1: remember me. I cannot even imagine how bad that was 215 00:11:05,890 --> 00:11:08,830 Speaker 1: for you, but that you were able to bring yourself 216 00:11:09,010 --> 00:11:12,459 Speaker 1: back to the point of saying, I'm alive today. I 217 00:11:12,500 --> 00:11:15,709 Speaker 1: have these children today. That is true, right? We don't 218 00:11:15,790 --> 00:11:19,230 Speaker 1: know the future. God shows it to us one step 219 00:11:19,390 --> 00:11:23,170 Speaker 1: at a time. We typically, maybe just me, but I 220 00:11:23,210 --> 00:11:27,570 Speaker 1: doubt it. We typically want all of it right now. God, 221 00:11:27,610 --> 00:11:30,079 Speaker 1: give me the download. How's this journey going to go? 222 00:11:30,360 --> 00:11:32,819 Speaker 1: I would think with you, okay, so I have this diagnosis, 223 00:11:32,840 --> 00:11:34,160 Speaker 1: but God, I just want to know how you're going 224 00:11:34,179 --> 00:11:36,620 Speaker 1: to handle all of this. I want to know about 225 00:11:36,660 --> 00:11:39,820 Speaker 1: my kids. And yet, Jenna, he took you through the 226 00:11:39,920 --> 00:11:43,200 Speaker 1: process of, one thing at a time and you had 227 00:11:43,260 --> 00:11:46,680 Speaker 1: many different battles. So I want all of you that 228 00:11:46,720 --> 00:11:48,800 Speaker 1: are listening to stay with us. We're going to take 229 00:11:48,840 --> 00:11:50,740 Speaker 1: a break for a word from our sponsors, and then 230 00:11:50,780 --> 00:11:56,020 Speaker 1: I'll be back with Jenna so we can further this conversation. Okay. 231 00:11:56,040 --> 00:11:58,990 Speaker 1: Glad that you guys are here today. We are talking 232 00:11:59,020 --> 00:12:03,750 Speaker 1: about building spiritual muscle in the hardest times of life. 233 00:12:04,370 --> 00:12:07,490 Speaker 1: And Jenna shoot is my guest and she's sharing her story. 234 00:12:08,090 --> 00:12:10,449 Speaker 1: of a diagnosis that she got eight years ago for 235 00:12:10,470 --> 00:12:14,360 Speaker 1: an incurable disease. And we're talking about her fears and 236 00:12:14,860 --> 00:12:19,120 Speaker 1: how really the Lord showed her through this process, how 237 00:12:19,160 --> 00:12:23,240 Speaker 1: to keep real joy, not just the choose joy platitude, 238 00:12:23,540 --> 00:12:26,420 Speaker 1: but how to get to real joy to walk it 239 00:12:26,580 --> 00:12:29,100 Speaker 1: out when we go through these trials. And Jenna, what 240 00:12:29,120 --> 00:12:33,140 Speaker 1: would you say, you know, we choose joy. It's a 241 00:12:33,160 --> 00:12:36,140 Speaker 1: bumper sticker. People like it. But when you get an 242 00:12:36,200 --> 00:12:40,560 Speaker 1: incurable disease diagnosis, I don't know that you can just, bam, 243 00:12:40,880 --> 00:12:44,620 Speaker 1: choose joy. What are you talking about in the joy reflex? 244 00:12:44,660 --> 00:12:45,420 Speaker 1: What does that mean? 245 00:12:46,200 --> 00:12:48,750 Speaker 2: I move a lot away from choose joy and I 246 00:12:48,800 --> 00:12:52,090 Speaker 2: go towards train joy. And I like to, you know, 247 00:12:52,110 --> 00:12:54,650 Speaker 2: Jesus taught in parables a lot. So he would use 248 00:12:54,750 --> 00:12:58,429 Speaker 2: natural things for spiritual principles because that's how people can understand. 249 00:12:58,510 --> 00:13:00,350 Speaker 3: So I talk a lot about an athlete. 250 00:13:00,929 --> 00:13:04,160 Speaker 2: And when you look at an athlete, they probably weren't 251 00:13:05,280 --> 00:13:08,130 Speaker 2: They weren't the MVP when they first started. They had 252 00:13:08,150 --> 00:13:10,390 Speaker 2: to train. And how did they train? They practiced it 253 00:13:10,550 --> 00:13:13,810 Speaker 2: over and over and over again every single day. And 254 00:13:13,970 --> 00:13:15,970 Speaker 2: even when they got good at it, and even if 255 00:13:16,010 --> 00:13:19,040 Speaker 2: they were the MVP, they don't just stop training because 256 00:13:19,080 --> 00:13:22,480 Speaker 2: they're good. They continue to train to maintain that. And 257 00:13:22,580 --> 00:13:25,520 Speaker 2: I think if we look at spiritual principles much the 258 00:13:25,559 --> 00:13:28,329 Speaker 2: same way, and we can say, OK, I am starting 259 00:13:28,490 --> 00:13:31,050 Speaker 2: at maybe you're at day one, which is where I was. 260 00:13:31,590 --> 00:13:32,470 Speaker 3: I'm at day one. 261 00:13:32,929 --> 00:13:35,450 Speaker 2: I don't have a single thing about faith, peace, or 262 00:13:35,490 --> 00:13:38,140 Speaker 2: joy trained right now. But all you have to do 263 00:13:38,240 --> 00:13:40,440 Speaker 2: is go pick up the ball, pick. 264 00:13:40,360 --> 00:13:41,020 Speaker 3: Up the weight. 265 00:13:41,420 --> 00:13:44,140 Speaker 2: And if you went into a gym, you wouldn't probably 266 00:13:44,300 --> 00:13:46,780 Speaker 2: automatically go to the 100-pound weight and try to lift it. 267 00:13:46,820 --> 00:13:48,700 Speaker 2: I mean, you could try. Am I laying on your foot? 268 00:13:48,800 --> 00:13:51,250 Speaker 2: I wouldn't feel very good. But you would probably do 269 00:13:51,650 --> 00:13:54,189 Speaker 2: what you could handle. And for me, sometimes, it was 270 00:13:54,230 --> 00:13:56,190 Speaker 2: a can of soup. That's how much I could lift. 271 00:13:56,330 --> 00:13:58,050 Speaker 2: And I have had to start over with a can 272 00:13:58,090 --> 00:14:01,469 Speaker 2: of soup so many times. But I knew with repetition— 273 00:14:02,020 --> 00:14:05,300 Speaker 2: just in the natural muscles of the body, the more 274 00:14:05,400 --> 00:14:09,500 Speaker 2: you train them, the more consistent you are, the better 275 00:14:09,600 --> 00:14:11,900 Speaker 2: and stronger you get. And I believe the same thing 276 00:14:11,950 --> 00:14:15,690 Speaker 2: with faith. The more consistent you are at anchoring yourself 277 00:14:15,750 --> 00:14:18,989 Speaker 2: in God's Word, at doing what His Word says, which 278 00:14:19,270 --> 00:14:22,250 Speaker 2: it tells you in Philippians 4 exactly what you're supposed 279 00:14:22,270 --> 00:14:24,690 Speaker 2: to think about. And if you follow. 280 00:14:24,350 --> 00:14:29,250 Speaker 3: That as a checklist of, is this true? Is this honorable? 281 00:14:29,430 --> 00:14:31,880 Speaker 3: Is this a good report? And if it's not, Kick 282 00:14:31,920 --> 00:14:32,160 Speaker 3: it out. 283 00:14:33,460 --> 00:14:36,720 Speaker 1: And that's kind of like, I've run that through a 284 00:14:37,080 --> 00:14:40,920 Speaker 1: lot because that's the way that I can fight unwanted 285 00:14:41,000 --> 00:14:44,280 Speaker 1: thoughts because thoughts come to all of us. And the 286 00:14:44,320 --> 00:14:46,580 Speaker 1: Bible says it is our job, right, to take those 287 00:14:46,640 --> 00:14:50,000 Speaker 1: thoughts captive. And it also says faith comes by hearing 288 00:14:50,110 --> 00:14:53,530 Speaker 1: and hearing by the word of God. So I like 289 00:14:53,570 --> 00:14:56,090 Speaker 1: to just sometimes just read the Bible out loud because 290 00:14:56,130 --> 00:14:59,170 Speaker 1: my mind can't be going at the same time. Is 291 00:14:59,210 --> 00:15:01,210 Speaker 1: that something that you've done, speak the word out? 292 00:15:01,580 --> 00:15:02,860 Speaker 3: Yes, 100%. 293 00:15:02,860 --> 00:15:05,880 Speaker 2: It's something that I learned in nursing school, actually, when 294 00:15:05,900 --> 00:15:09,950 Speaker 2: they were telling us how to remember things the best 295 00:15:10,030 --> 00:15:12,590 Speaker 2: and how to really lock it in your brain. They said, 296 00:15:12,750 --> 00:15:16,510 Speaker 2: don't just read it. Read it out loud. Listen to 297 00:15:16,550 --> 00:15:18,870 Speaker 2: yourself reading it. And if you think about the way 298 00:15:18,930 --> 00:15:22,970 Speaker 2: our senses work, if you are touching your Bible, you're 299 00:15:23,130 --> 00:15:26,610 Speaker 2: touching the Word, you are reading it with your eyes, 300 00:15:26,690 --> 00:15:29,150 Speaker 2: you are speaking it with your mouth, and you're hearing 301 00:15:29,190 --> 00:15:32,220 Speaker 2: it with your ears, you are getting almost every single 302 00:15:32,400 --> 00:15:38,320 Speaker 2: sense activated to remember that thing. And so in that way, 303 00:15:38,680 --> 00:15:42,330 Speaker 2: you are training your brain to remember that. And the 304 00:15:42,370 --> 00:15:44,630 Speaker 2: more you go back to those same verses, if you've 305 00:15:44,650 --> 00:15:47,030 Speaker 2: got one or two or three, which is what I recommend, 306 00:15:47,150 --> 00:15:49,810 Speaker 2: don't go get 100. Get one or two or three 307 00:15:49,850 --> 00:15:53,080 Speaker 2: that you can remember. And if you do that time 308 00:15:53,140 --> 00:15:56,540 Speaker 2: and time again, it will become so ingrained in you 309 00:15:56,600 --> 00:16:00,080 Speaker 2: like a new pathway in your brain that that is 310 00:16:00,140 --> 00:16:03,450 Speaker 2: what you will respond with when fear tries to hit. 311 00:16:03,590 --> 00:16:06,930 Speaker 2: And just like you were saying, we don't always get 312 00:16:07,010 --> 00:16:09,590 Speaker 2: to choose the first thought that comes to our brain. 313 00:16:09,710 --> 00:16:12,410 Speaker 2: In fact, most of the time we don't because it's 314 00:16:12,430 --> 00:16:16,050 Speaker 2: an instinctive. fight or flight response that just comes. I'm 315 00:16:16,110 --> 00:16:19,230 Speaker 2: afraid something might happen. And so our brain is just 316 00:16:19,250 --> 00:16:22,220 Speaker 2: going to start running to the worst case scenario. That's 317 00:16:22,240 --> 00:16:24,340 Speaker 2: just the way a lot of our brains are. But 318 00:16:24,460 --> 00:16:28,200 Speaker 2: if we start consistently training, we can create those new 319 00:16:28,300 --> 00:16:31,950 Speaker 2: pathways that our brains can follow when fear tries to come. 320 00:16:32,350 --> 00:16:35,620 Speaker 1: And that's a part of the Book of Romans. renew 321 00:16:35,670 --> 00:16:38,560 Speaker 1: your mind. I also think as we're talking about these 322 00:16:38,920 --> 00:16:41,680 Speaker 1: action things that we have to do, you know, you 323 00:16:41,740 --> 00:16:45,359 Speaker 1: can look at when Paul said, fight the good fight 324 00:16:45,540 --> 00:16:48,420 Speaker 1: of the faith. So the Bible tells us, right, that 325 00:16:48,480 --> 00:16:51,520 Speaker 1: there is a fight. And to fight the good fight, 326 00:16:51,580 --> 00:16:53,780 Speaker 1: not a bad fight, but the good fight of the faith, 327 00:16:53,860 --> 00:16:56,420 Speaker 1: to keep our faith, to grow in our faith. I 328 00:16:56,480 --> 00:16:59,440 Speaker 1: look at, you know, the breastplate of righteousness, the armor 329 00:16:59,480 --> 00:17:02,610 Speaker 1: of God. That is all, those are all action items. 330 00:17:02,620 --> 00:17:05,770 Speaker 1: Those are the things that are our part to do. And, 331 00:17:05,970 --> 00:17:07,990 Speaker 1: you know, I always like to say we do everything 332 00:17:08,030 --> 00:17:11,270 Speaker 1: we can in the natural. and then leave the supernatural 333 00:17:11,310 --> 00:17:13,730 Speaker 1: to God. We can't do that anyway, but it is 334 00:17:13,810 --> 00:17:16,250 Speaker 1: our job to do everything that we can in the natural. 335 00:17:16,430 --> 00:17:18,530 Speaker 3: Yes, 100%. I agree with that. 336 00:17:18,650 --> 00:17:20,790 Speaker 2: I think in the faith world, a lot of times 337 00:17:20,850 --> 00:17:22,810 Speaker 2: we don't want to say the hard thing. We don't 338 00:17:22,830 --> 00:17:26,490 Speaker 2: want to say the diagnosis or the bank account number 339 00:17:26,650 --> 00:17:31,090 Speaker 2: or the relationship status because saying it is somehow going 340 00:17:31,150 --> 00:17:34,619 Speaker 2: to predict the future. But I agree that we shouldn't 341 00:17:34,720 --> 00:17:37,010 Speaker 2: stay there. You don't have to stay in the hard 342 00:17:37,480 --> 00:17:40,050 Speaker 2: or keep your mind on the hard, but we can 343 00:17:40,150 --> 00:17:42,830 Speaker 2: say what's going on. So just like when I was 344 00:17:42,869 --> 00:17:44,929 Speaker 2: saying to write it down and then cross it out, 345 00:17:45,010 --> 00:17:47,570 Speaker 2: but then write what God's word says, you need to 346 00:17:47,650 --> 00:17:49,770 Speaker 2: see where you're at to know what God's word says 347 00:17:49,850 --> 00:17:50,210 Speaker 2: about it. 348 00:17:50,510 --> 00:17:51,929 Speaker 3: You need to see where you're at. 349 00:17:51,810 --> 00:17:54,750 Speaker 2: To know where you're going, because if you have that 350 00:17:54,850 --> 00:17:57,200 Speaker 2: lamp when God's word is a lamp into your feet, 351 00:17:57,260 --> 00:17:59,300 Speaker 2: but you have a blindfold on, how are you going 352 00:17:59,320 --> 00:18:00,020 Speaker 2: to know where to go? 353 00:18:00,240 --> 00:18:00,440 Speaker 3: Yeah. 354 00:18:00,580 --> 00:18:02,530 Speaker 1: And you know, when the Bible says, right, if you're sick, 355 00:18:03,070 --> 00:18:05,330 Speaker 1: call for the elders of the church and have them pray. 356 00:18:05,770 --> 00:18:08,390 Speaker 1: So you have to admit that you're sick in order 357 00:18:08,450 --> 00:18:11,690 Speaker 1: to go get the prayer. So what we're talking about 358 00:18:11,730 --> 00:18:14,010 Speaker 1: is we don't park there. We don't stay there. We 359 00:18:14,050 --> 00:18:17,320 Speaker 1: don't frame up our life with the diagnosis and just 360 00:18:17,380 --> 00:18:19,260 Speaker 1: become the diagnosis. 361 00:18:19,300 --> 00:18:20,060 Speaker 3: That's not us. 362 00:18:20,140 --> 00:18:24,530 Speaker 1: It's a diagnosis. And so, but we acknowledge that and recognize, Jenna, 363 00:18:24,570 --> 00:18:32,010 Speaker 1: sometimes I find just an acknowledging grief, just an acknowledging disappointment, heartbreak, 364 00:18:32,030 --> 00:18:35,410 Speaker 1: the things that happen. And then the Lord will come 365 00:18:35,510 --> 00:18:37,969 Speaker 1: close as I seek him. Like I just acknowledge, you know, 366 00:18:38,230 --> 00:18:40,859 Speaker 1: I didn't want this. It's not really what I planned 367 00:18:40,900 --> 00:18:44,120 Speaker 1: or prayed. But God, I accept this as your will 368 00:18:44,560 --> 00:18:47,619 Speaker 1: because you've allowed it for whatever reason. And then he 369 00:18:47,660 --> 00:18:50,960 Speaker 1: can comfort me and lead me. And that's a way 370 00:18:51,119 --> 00:18:54,270 Speaker 1: to grow in the Lord and to be able to 371 00:18:54,410 --> 00:18:56,530 Speaker 1: fight the good fight of the faith by not taking 372 00:18:56,590 --> 00:18:59,200 Speaker 1: these things on and just letting them overwhelm us because 373 00:18:59,260 --> 00:19:03,300 Speaker 1: you could have really been overwhelmed. Because not only are 374 00:19:03,340 --> 00:19:05,480 Speaker 1: you a wife and a mom, you had been a 375 00:19:05,520 --> 00:19:08,580 Speaker 1: cardiac nurse. And so you knew a lot of the 376 00:19:08,640 --> 00:19:11,690 Speaker 1: medical things. So that had to be extra scary for you, 377 00:19:11,790 --> 00:19:12,149 Speaker 1: was it? 378 00:19:12,890 --> 00:19:16,430 Speaker 2: It definitely was a double-edged sword. So I would know 379 00:19:16,470 --> 00:19:18,449 Speaker 2: enough to be an advocate for myself, but I would 380 00:19:18,490 --> 00:19:21,560 Speaker 2: also know all the complications and all of the side 381 00:19:21,600 --> 00:19:24,300 Speaker 2: effects that could happen, all of the worst case scenarios 382 00:19:24,320 --> 00:19:27,180 Speaker 2: that I had seen. I had taken care of patients 383 00:19:27,660 --> 00:19:31,119 Speaker 2: who did not end well on the other side of chemo. 384 00:19:31,320 --> 00:19:33,240 Speaker 2: I had taken care of them at end of life. 385 00:19:33,460 --> 00:19:35,310 Speaker 2: I had taken care of them and been there in 386 00:19:35,350 --> 00:19:37,870 Speaker 2: the room when they had passed, when their families were 387 00:19:37,910 --> 00:19:40,330 Speaker 2: with them when they had passed. And I could see 388 00:19:40,390 --> 00:19:43,810 Speaker 2: those families and I could see those patients in my 389 00:19:43,890 --> 00:19:46,429 Speaker 2: mind when I would think about the things that were 390 00:19:46,470 --> 00:19:47,570 Speaker 2: going on in my own life. 391 00:19:47,690 --> 00:19:49,970 Speaker 3: And if I stayed there, it would be. 392 00:19:50,060 --> 00:19:53,840 Speaker 2: Very easy to be discouraged, to be depressed, to be upset, 393 00:19:54,320 --> 00:19:57,270 Speaker 2: to be frustrated. And there were times where I was, 394 00:19:57,420 --> 00:19:59,990 Speaker 2: and I'm not going to deny the fact that this 395 00:20:00,050 --> 00:20:02,570 Speaker 2: was hard. And there was a lot of hard, hard, 396 00:20:02,609 --> 00:20:04,590 Speaker 2: hard moments. But I love what you just said a 397 00:20:04,630 --> 00:20:07,250 Speaker 2: few minutes ago, and that is, but God. And I 398 00:20:07,330 --> 00:20:09,710 Speaker 2: think we have to look at our but God moment 399 00:20:10,430 --> 00:20:13,070 Speaker 2: And everyone is going to have one. Everyone has a 400 00:20:13,109 --> 00:20:15,430 Speaker 2: but God moment, no matter what it is that you're 401 00:20:15,470 --> 00:20:19,310 Speaker 2: going through. And there are times where you look at 402 00:20:19,430 --> 00:20:23,359 Speaker 2: your reality and you can say, I was diagnosed with X, Y, 403 00:20:23,430 --> 00:20:27,150 Speaker 2: and Z, but God says X, Y, and Z. Or 404 00:20:27,510 --> 00:20:30,280 Speaker 2: I went through a divorce, which I haven't personally, but 405 00:20:30,340 --> 00:20:30,790 Speaker 2: I know. 406 00:20:30,670 --> 00:20:31,490 Speaker 3: People who have. 407 00:20:31,520 --> 00:20:34,800 Speaker 2: And you can say, this person went through a divorce, 408 00:20:35,140 --> 00:20:38,619 Speaker 2: but God redeemed it in this way. Or I'm having 409 00:20:38,680 --> 00:20:42,400 Speaker 2: a financial crisis, but God. And what is your but 410 00:20:42,510 --> 00:20:45,510 Speaker 2: God moment? What is that that you're going to stand 411 00:20:45,630 --> 00:20:49,290 Speaker 2: on and say, but God is faithful? But God did 412 00:20:49,350 --> 00:20:52,910 Speaker 2: not give me a spirit of fear. But God has 413 00:20:52,970 --> 00:20:57,810 Speaker 2: an abundant supply for me. But God can restore what 414 00:20:57,850 --> 00:21:00,390 Speaker 2: the locust has eaten. Those are all verses that you 415 00:21:00,430 --> 00:21:02,490 Speaker 2: can use in any situation. 416 00:21:02,510 --> 00:21:02,970 Speaker 3: Yeah. 417 00:21:03,390 --> 00:21:06,140 Speaker 1: And that's why God gives us his word. Because he 418 00:21:06,240 --> 00:21:09,520 Speaker 1: knows that life in a fallen, broken world is hard. 419 00:21:10,020 --> 00:21:13,530 Speaker 1: And that bad things happen, right, to Christians and to 420 00:21:13,570 --> 00:21:16,830 Speaker 1: people that aren't Christians yet. These are things. And so 421 00:21:17,109 --> 00:21:21,590 Speaker 1: what we do is we train our brain. We train ourselves, 422 00:21:21,650 --> 00:21:23,929 Speaker 1: fighting the good fight of the faith, to say, okay, 423 00:21:24,369 --> 00:21:28,129 Speaker 1: when these things happen, I'm going to rely on the Lord. 424 00:21:28,250 --> 00:21:32,189 Speaker 1: I'm training myself now. to choose faith, to go to 425 00:21:32,210 --> 00:21:34,810 Speaker 1: the faith instead of, oh, my gosh, what am I 426 00:21:34,850 --> 00:21:37,010 Speaker 1: going to do? So we lay it all out before 427 00:21:37,050 --> 00:21:39,669 Speaker 1: the Lord. We do that acknowledging. We do the grief, 428 00:21:39,730 --> 00:21:42,990 Speaker 1: maybe the crying. I've done plenty of that. Same. Plenty 429 00:21:43,040 --> 00:21:45,360 Speaker 1: of that. And, you know, it's not fair and why 430 00:21:45,440 --> 00:21:48,260 Speaker 1: and all of these things. Did I do something wrong? 431 00:21:48,640 --> 00:21:52,900 Speaker 1: I've processed through all of those things probably in every 432 00:21:52,980 --> 00:21:56,280 Speaker 1: major crisis that I've gone through. But God, you know, 433 00:21:56,320 --> 00:21:59,280 Speaker 1: he brings me through. I can go back to notes 434 00:21:59,400 --> 00:22:02,840 Speaker 1: in a journal. Sometimes I just write down some things 435 00:22:02,859 --> 00:22:04,990 Speaker 1: that he's done for me. And I remind myself if 436 00:22:05,030 --> 00:22:07,450 Speaker 1: he came through that time, he's going to come through 437 00:22:07,490 --> 00:22:10,490 Speaker 1: this time. And I may not know how, but that's 438 00:22:10,530 --> 00:22:11,250 Speaker 1: not my job. 439 00:22:11,530 --> 00:22:12,350 Speaker 3: Yep, that's right. 440 00:22:12,830 --> 00:22:16,090 Speaker 1: That's him. He's going to show me. What else would 441 00:22:16,130 --> 00:22:19,840 Speaker 1: you like to share maybe with us? a woman who 442 00:22:20,540 --> 00:22:25,340 Speaker 1: really feels at the end of the rope and doesn't 443 00:22:25,359 --> 00:22:27,500 Speaker 1: want to admit it because they've got a circle of 444 00:22:27,580 --> 00:22:30,840 Speaker 1: church friends around them and it's not okay? How do 445 00:22:30,880 --> 00:22:32,260 Speaker 1: you deal with that, Jenna? 446 00:22:33,780 --> 00:22:36,159 Speaker 2: One thing that I would say is a lot of 447 00:22:36,200 --> 00:22:38,880 Speaker 2: people sometimes will look at what we're saying to do 448 00:22:38,960 --> 00:22:41,090 Speaker 2: and they'll say, well, that's just name it and claim it, 449 00:22:41,140 --> 00:22:43,869 Speaker 2: or that is just this X, Y, and Z. And 450 00:22:43,970 --> 00:22:48,150 Speaker 2: I always like to talk about The greatest example that 451 00:22:48,250 --> 00:22:51,379 Speaker 2: all Christians have that our measuring stick is up against 452 00:22:51,560 --> 00:22:54,800 Speaker 2: is Jesus, is Jesus himself. And if we look at 453 00:22:54,840 --> 00:22:57,540 Speaker 2: the example that he has when he was in the 454 00:22:57,580 --> 00:23:00,739 Speaker 2: wilderness and Satan came to him and kept tempting him 455 00:23:00,780 --> 00:23:03,359 Speaker 2: and kept telling him the situation that he was in 456 00:23:03,580 --> 00:23:08,200 Speaker 2: and basically showing him how dire it was. 457 00:23:08,330 --> 00:23:11,770 Speaker 3: You're hungry. You are this. You are that. You are this. 458 00:23:11,850 --> 00:23:14,180 Speaker 2: This is what I can give you. This is what X, Y, 459 00:23:14,230 --> 00:23:18,340 Speaker 2: and Z. And what did Jesus do every single time? 460 00:23:19,000 --> 00:23:23,159 Speaker 2: But the word says, but the word says, but the 461 00:23:23,200 --> 00:23:28,139 Speaker 2: word says. He was doing but God every single time. 462 00:23:28,940 --> 00:23:33,359 Speaker 2: And he had different situations that the Satan kept coming 463 00:23:33,600 --> 00:23:36,000 Speaker 2: to him about this and this and this and this. 464 00:23:36,420 --> 00:23:40,080 Speaker 2: And so if you are there and you are thinking, 465 00:23:40,100 --> 00:23:42,380 Speaker 2: I don't know what to do. I don't know what 466 00:23:42,420 --> 00:23:45,540 Speaker 2: to say. I don't want to admit that something is 467 00:23:45,600 --> 00:23:48,260 Speaker 2: going on. I don't want people to look at me differently. 468 00:23:48,480 --> 00:23:50,500 Speaker 2: I don't want people to look at me less than 469 00:23:50,560 --> 00:23:52,619 Speaker 2: or feel like I can't hold it or I can't 470 00:23:52,720 --> 00:23:56,150 Speaker 2: carry it or I'm not good enough to do this anymore. 471 00:23:57,369 --> 00:23:59,430 Speaker 2: Then we just need to look at Jesus. 472 00:24:00,109 --> 00:24:02,869 Speaker 3: Jesus is our measuring stick. And we can say, well, 473 00:24:03,230 --> 00:24:05,070 Speaker 3: what did he do? He said, but God. 474 00:24:05,470 --> 00:24:07,730 Speaker 2: And he anchored himself in the word. And I think 475 00:24:07,840 --> 00:24:11,160 Speaker 2: many times as women, we want to look at ourselves differently. 476 00:24:11,840 --> 00:24:14,540 Speaker 2: and base our identity on what we can do, on 477 00:24:14,560 --> 00:24:17,500 Speaker 2: what we can produce, on what we can give, on 478 00:24:17,700 --> 00:24:20,859 Speaker 2: the things that we hold. And I had to learn 479 00:24:20,980 --> 00:24:24,100 Speaker 2: in some of the deepest hearts that I wasn't any 480 00:24:24,200 --> 00:24:27,080 Speaker 2: less of a mother because I needed help. I wasn't 481 00:24:27,180 --> 00:24:29,379 Speaker 2: any less of a mother. I wasn't any less of 482 00:24:29,440 --> 00:24:33,310 Speaker 2: a woman, any less of anything because I wasn't able 483 00:24:33,369 --> 00:24:35,990 Speaker 2: to do everything I had been able to do before, 484 00:24:36,430 --> 00:24:39,550 Speaker 2: that my value wasn't tied to what I could do, 485 00:24:39,570 --> 00:24:44,520 Speaker 2: but God loved me before I could do anything. God 486 00:24:44,619 --> 00:24:47,090 Speaker 2: loved me in the womb. God loved me before I 487 00:24:47,590 --> 00:24:50,470 Speaker 2: was able to produce anything. And he loves me still. 488 00:24:50,490 --> 00:24:54,090 Speaker 1: And he always will. He's always going to love all 489 00:24:54,130 --> 00:24:57,030 Speaker 1: of us. When you look at yourself today, Jenna, like 490 00:24:57,070 --> 00:24:59,510 Speaker 1: I know that you're writing a book, you're doing speaking, 491 00:24:59,530 --> 00:25:04,129 Speaker 1: this podcast, you know, you're doing TV, all of these things, 492 00:25:04,170 --> 00:25:07,640 Speaker 1: sharing your story. Would you have ever imagined that eight 493 00:25:07,700 --> 00:25:09,080 Speaker 1: years ago in the hard times? 494 00:25:09,820 --> 00:25:10,100 Speaker 3: No. 495 00:25:11,340 --> 00:25:14,270 Speaker 2: No, I often say that I... You know, I was 496 00:25:14,310 --> 00:25:17,910 Speaker 2: just in survival mode. I was not doing anything other 497 00:25:17,950 --> 00:25:21,270 Speaker 2: than surviving. I didn't even start writing the book, which 498 00:25:21,330 --> 00:25:26,130 Speaker 2: is still being published until a year post-transplant. I didn't 499 00:25:26,230 --> 00:25:29,330 Speaker 2: even start doing anything about that. You know, you'll see 500 00:25:29,390 --> 00:25:33,719 Speaker 2: people on social media that are making their career out 501 00:25:33,800 --> 00:25:37,280 Speaker 2: of their cancer journey. They're filming themselves and they're doing 502 00:25:37,300 --> 00:25:39,740 Speaker 2: all these things. And that's their journey. And that's fine. 503 00:25:39,820 --> 00:25:43,370 Speaker 2: That's what they want to do. That's Nope, nothing against them, 504 00:25:43,460 --> 00:25:44,390 Speaker 2: but I wasn't there. 505 00:25:44,410 --> 00:25:45,950 Speaker 3: I was just surviving. 506 00:25:46,190 --> 00:25:48,110 Speaker 2: I was just trying to take care of my children 507 00:25:48,670 --> 00:25:51,190 Speaker 2: and live and. 508 00:25:50,369 --> 00:25:52,110 Speaker 3: Be able to do what I could do. 509 00:25:52,130 --> 00:25:55,010 Speaker 2: Because there were moments where I had to use a cane. 510 00:25:55,430 --> 00:25:57,810 Speaker 2: There was moments where I fell down the concrete stairs. 511 00:25:58,130 --> 00:26:00,250 Speaker 2: There was moments I could barely get up out of bed. 512 00:26:00,369 --> 00:26:02,710 Speaker 2: I could barely get off the couch. And I still 513 00:26:02,730 --> 00:26:06,790 Speaker 2: had to show up. And I wasn't thinking of anything 514 00:26:06,830 --> 00:26:10,409 Speaker 2: that I would be doing now. But my desire is 515 00:26:10,470 --> 00:26:13,630 Speaker 2: not that someone would hear my story and say, that's 516 00:26:13,670 --> 00:26:17,350 Speaker 2: great for her, or hear my story and say, wow, 517 00:26:17,430 --> 00:26:21,310 Speaker 2: that's something really hard that she went through. I want 518 00:26:21,410 --> 00:26:24,590 Speaker 2: people to hear my story only as evidence of what 519 00:26:24,650 --> 00:26:27,790 Speaker 2: God can do in their lives. And only as an 520 00:26:27,869 --> 00:26:32,190 Speaker 2: empowerment that you can train yourself. If I can do 521 00:26:32,250 --> 00:26:34,310 Speaker 2: it in the hardest of my hearts, if I can 522 00:26:34,369 --> 00:26:37,230 Speaker 2: do it in the lowest of my lows, you can 523 00:26:37,290 --> 00:26:39,590 Speaker 2: do it where you're at now. You are not too 524 00:26:39,730 --> 00:26:43,680 Speaker 2: far gone. You are not in too hard of a circumstance. 525 00:26:44,080 --> 00:26:46,760 Speaker 2: You are not at too low of a point for 526 00:26:46,820 --> 00:26:48,240 Speaker 2: God to hold you there. 527 00:26:48,260 --> 00:26:52,020 Speaker 1: One of the things that I love about what you're saying, 528 00:26:52,040 --> 00:26:56,040 Speaker 1: that you're never too far gone. It's not too late. 529 00:26:56,600 --> 00:26:59,370 Speaker 1: you know, to take on God's word and to declare 530 00:26:59,450 --> 00:27:01,889 Speaker 1: it and to anchor yourself in it, that is something 531 00:27:01,950 --> 00:27:05,669 Speaker 1: we can all do. If we're sick, if we've been rejected, 532 00:27:06,030 --> 00:27:09,330 Speaker 1: if we're going through an unwanted divorce, a bankruptcy, we 533 00:27:09,369 --> 00:27:12,630 Speaker 1: can all do that. It doesn't cost any money. We 534 00:27:12,690 --> 00:27:15,359 Speaker 1: can do that. We can start there and we can 535 00:27:15,400 --> 00:27:19,280 Speaker 1: start building that spiritual muscle. And what I hear you 536 00:27:19,340 --> 00:27:21,500 Speaker 1: saying is that that's what you really want for the 537 00:27:21,560 --> 00:27:24,760 Speaker 1: women listening to hear your story and to say, hey, 538 00:27:25,970 --> 00:27:28,300 Speaker 1: It's not too late. Yes. I can get back up. 539 00:27:28,619 --> 00:27:32,320 Speaker 1: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. 540 00:27:32,800 --> 00:27:35,080 Speaker 1: And to really fight that good fight of the faith, 541 00:27:35,200 --> 00:27:39,210 Speaker 1: to fight back and declare the goodness of God in 542 00:27:39,250 --> 00:27:41,750 Speaker 1: the land of the living and let him grow us 543 00:27:42,010 --> 00:27:44,730 Speaker 1: up and mature us. I would also imagine, Jenna, that 544 00:27:44,790 --> 00:27:48,550 Speaker 1: you've grown spiritually strong. so much over the last eight years. 545 00:27:48,590 --> 00:27:49,810 Speaker 1: Would you say that? 546 00:27:49,850 --> 00:27:50,840 Speaker 3: Oh, 100%. 547 00:27:50,840 --> 00:27:54,020 Speaker 2: If you had known me, even as a teenager, I 548 00:27:54,100 --> 00:27:57,840 Speaker 2: dealt with fear and anxiety to such an extreme that 549 00:27:57,980 --> 00:27:59,940 Speaker 2: I would not even want to leave my house sometimes. 550 00:28:00,200 --> 00:28:04,840 Speaker 2: I mean, it was just pounding and pounding and pounding 551 00:28:04,940 --> 00:28:07,420 Speaker 2: at me and so much pressure. And I felt like 552 00:28:07,480 --> 00:28:11,239 Speaker 2: I just lived under this horrible weight of And did 553 00:28:11,280 --> 00:28:13,540 Speaker 2: I still do things? Yeah, I still made myself do things. 554 00:28:13,600 --> 00:28:16,090 Speaker 2: But it was hard and it wasn't easy. And I 555 00:28:16,140 --> 00:28:19,710 Speaker 2: had dealt with fear and anxiety for a very, very 556 00:28:19,770 --> 00:28:22,450 Speaker 2: long time, even into adulthood. And then when I got 557 00:28:22,490 --> 00:28:26,250 Speaker 2: the diagnosis and all of these things. And to say that, oh, 558 00:28:26,310 --> 00:28:28,449 Speaker 2: she just does that because she's in the faith or 559 00:28:28,510 --> 00:28:31,149 Speaker 2: because she grew up as a pastor's kid. No, I 560 00:28:31,190 --> 00:28:34,450 Speaker 2: grew up under the faith. I basically attended church services 561 00:28:34,530 --> 00:28:37,270 Speaker 2: in the womb. And I still had troubles. And I 562 00:28:37,369 --> 00:28:39,750 Speaker 2: still dealt with fear. And I still dealt with anxiety. 563 00:28:39,790 --> 00:28:41,730 Speaker 2: And I still felt like I couldn't get a hold 564 00:28:41,810 --> 00:28:42,070 Speaker 2: of it. 565 00:28:42,590 --> 00:28:43,770 Speaker 3: And I couldn't grab it. 566 00:28:43,930 --> 00:28:46,790 Speaker 2: And I would tell my husband, I feel like there's 567 00:28:46,830 --> 00:28:49,350 Speaker 2: this switch turned on inside of me that I can't 568 00:28:49,530 --> 00:28:52,690 Speaker 2: shut off. And I don't know what to do. And 569 00:28:52,850 --> 00:28:56,410 Speaker 2: that is where a lot of this started was that 570 00:28:56,490 --> 00:29:00,030 Speaker 2: instruction to just get in the Word. Play the teachings 571 00:29:00,470 --> 00:29:03,710 Speaker 2: when you're just resting. Listen to worship music. 572 00:29:04,130 --> 00:29:06,990 Speaker 3: Get in. into His Word and read a Bible verse 573 00:29:07,090 --> 00:29:10,030 Speaker 3: out loud. Just get in His Word. Just start. Just 574 00:29:10,130 --> 00:29:10,480 Speaker 3: do it. 575 00:29:10,850 --> 00:29:14,830 Speaker 2: Wherever you are, whatever baseline you have, we all have 576 00:29:14,870 --> 00:29:17,950 Speaker 2: to start somewhere, and we all have to start over 577 00:29:18,290 --> 00:29:19,450 Speaker 2: probably more than once. 578 00:29:19,570 --> 00:29:20,250 Speaker 3: I know I have. 579 00:29:20,850 --> 00:29:21,490 Speaker 1: All the time. 580 00:29:21,710 --> 00:29:21,950 Speaker 3: Yes. 581 00:29:22,150 --> 00:29:25,900 Speaker 1: All the time. And I think so many— Women, as 582 00:29:25,940 --> 00:29:28,290 Speaker 1: you look at social media and all the different things, 583 00:29:28,330 --> 00:29:31,850 Speaker 1: we think everybody else has gotten there. And that's not true. 584 00:29:32,350 --> 00:29:36,270 Speaker 1: We all, most of us, fight fear and anxiety. It 585 00:29:36,350 --> 00:29:38,970 Speaker 1: may be at different levels. You know, most of us 586 00:29:39,050 --> 00:29:42,920 Speaker 1: get rejected. betrayals. These are things that happen in life 587 00:29:42,960 --> 00:29:46,060 Speaker 1: in a fallen world. And what we're saying today is 588 00:29:46,100 --> 00:29:48,950 Speaker 1: that you can get back up. You can start over. 589 00:29:49,430 --> 00:29:53,630 Speaker 1: Even if you've allowed your thoughts to take over, you 590 00:29:53,690 --> 00:29:55,850 Speaker 1: can still get back up in Jesus name and start 591 00:29:55,890 --> 00:30:00,460 Speaker 1: declaring his word and Retrain that brain and get that 592 00:30:00,540 --> 00:30:02,610 Speaker 1: spiritual muscle going again. But...