1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:04,080 Speaker 1: Life Audio. 2 00:00:05,680 --> 00:00:08,560 Speaker 2: Welcome to the Love Offering Podcast. I'm your host, Rachel Adams, 3 00:00:08,640 --> 00:00:11,379 Speaker 2: author of Everyday Prayers for Love, Learning to Love God, Others, 4 00:00:11,480 --> 00:00:15,180 Speaker 2: and Even Yourself. Each week we dive into meaningful conversations 5 00:00:15,220 --> 00:00:17,300 Speaker 2: about how to live out the greatest commandment, loving God 6 00:00:17,320 --> 00:00:19,260 Speaker 2: with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and 7 00:00:19,300 --> 00:00:23,550 Speaker 2: loving our neighbors as ourselves. Whether through inspiring stories, practical wisdom, 8 00:00:23,630 --> 00:00:25,950 Speaker 2: or biblical truth, my hope is to encourage you to 9 00:00:26,110 --> 00:00:29,020 Speaker 2: love boldly, live faithfully, and reflect God's love in your 10 00:00:29,080 --> 00:00:32,279 Speaker 2: everyday life. Today, I'm honored to welcome Paige Allen to 11 00:00:32,320 --> 00:00:35,720 Speaker 2: the show. Paige is a wife, mother, pastor, speaker, podcast host, 12 00:00:35,920 --> 00:00:38,839 Speaker 2: and author. She serves as an executive pastor at a 13 00:00:38,880 --> 00:00:42,080 Speaker 2: multi-site church in Texas and holds a Master's of Divinity 14 00:00:42,140 --> 00:00:45,580 Speaker 2: from the King's University. In her newest Bible study, Matriarch, 15 00:00:45,940 --> 00:00:49,320 Speaker 2: Paige explores the lives of Sarah, Rebecca, Leah, and Rachel 16 00:00:49,380 --> 00:00:51,860 Speaker 2: and the vital roles they played in God's unfolding story. 17 00:00:52,300 --> 00:00:55,890 Speaker 2: Through biblical scholarship, personal stories, and practical teaching, she helps 18 00:00:55,950 --> 00:00:59,930 Speaker 2: us to see what these women still teach us about fear, faith, waiting, 19 00:01:00,020 --> 00:01:04,929 Speaker 2: and having the courage to live out our God-given callings. Well, hello, Paige, 20 00:01:05,050 --> 00:01:07,650 Speaker 2: and welcome to the Love Offering Podcast. I'm so happy 21 00:01:07,670 --> 00:01:08,030 Speaker 2: to have you. 22 00:01:08,050 --> 00:01:08,990 Speaker 1: Hi, Rachel. 23 00:01:09,130 --> 00:01:10,210 Speaker 3: I'm so excited to be here. 24 00:01:10,230 --> 00:01:13,140 Speaker 2: So I told you before we hit record, I always 25 00:01:13,180 --> 00:01:15,560 Speaker 2: love a good Bible study. I've been doing them for 26 00:01:15,920 --> 00:01:17,560 Speaker 2: many years. In fact, the other day, and this is 27 00:01:17,580 --> 00:01:20,259 Speaker 2: not touting myself, this is touting all of you Bible 28 00:01:20,300 --> 00:01:24,270 Speaker 2: teachers that have just blessed me so much over the years. 29 00:01:24,450 --> 00:01:28,619 Speaker 2: I think I have completed almost 100 Bible studies from 30 00:01:28,680 --> 00:01:32,600 Speaker 2: the very first Beth Moore back in middle school, high school, 31 00:01:32,720 --> 00:01:34,740 Speaker 2: and then just with my women of my church. 32 00:01:34,819 --> 00:01:36,500 Speaker 3: We do two or three or four a year. 33 00:01:37,040 --> 00:01:39,800 Speaker 2: And so I'm just so blessed by women like you 34 00:01:39,860 --> 00:01:42,460 Speaker 2: that will take the time to write these Bible studies 35 00:01:42,520 --> 00:01:44,200 Speaker 2: and do the work for us so that we can 36 00:01:44,220 --> 00:01:47,030 Speaker 2: then just get closer to the Lord. And yours specifically, 37 00:01:47,170 --> 00:01:48,950 Speaker 2: as soon as I saw it, I'm like, I love 38 00:01:49,110 --> 00:01:52,210 Speaker 2: this I'm so excited about the release of it and 39 00:01:52,250 --> 00:01:54,550 Speaker 2: excited to talk with you today. But before we get 40 00:01:54,670 --> 00:01:57,690 Speaker 2: into all of that, I would like to just hear 41 00:01:57,770 --> 00:02:01,490 Speaker 2: about your own story of the matriarchs in your own life. 42 00:02:01,570 --> 00:02:04,880 Speaker 2: And then you're a mother of two daughters in high school. 43 00:02:04,920 --> 00:02:06,900 Speaker 2: So just tell us a little bit about the women 44 00:02:06,960 --> 00:02:07,540 Speaker 2: in your own life. 45 00:02:07,720 --> 00:02:08,300 Speaker 1: Absolutely. 46 00:02:08,320 --> 00:02:10,600 Speaker 3: Well, first of all, I am so impressed that you've 47 00:02:10,620 --> 00:02:11,580 Speaker 3: done 100 Bible. 48 00:02:11,340 --> 00:02:11,919 Speaker 1: Studies, Rachel. 49 00:02:11,940 --> 00:02:13,400 Speaker 3: That's amazing. I just have to say that. 50 00:02:13,419 --> 00:02:16,679 Speaker 1: That's amazing. I have not I have not done that many, 51 00:02:16,720 --> 00:02:19,820 Speaker 1: but I too, I too love a good Bible study. 52 00:02:20,720 --> 00:02:24,460 Speaker 1: You're right. I am a mom of two girls and 53 00:02:24,720 --> 00:02:27,100 Speaker 1: I live in Lubbock, Texas, which a lot of people 54 00:02:27,150 --> 00:02:29,560 Speaker 1: don't even know where that is, but it's kind of 55 00:02:29,850 --> 00:02:33,850 Speaker 1: in the panhandle kind of desert area of Texas. And 56 00:02:34,070 --> 00:02:36,290 Speaker 1: I love, I get to serve on a church staff. 57 00:02:37,330 --> 00:02:39,850 Speaker 1: And when it comes to the matrix in my own life, 58 00:02:40,210 --> 00:02:43,609 Speaker 1: I think of my mom and my grandmothers, first of all. 59 00:02:44,790 --> 00:02:48,880 Speaker 1: I'm so blessed. I have a grandmother who did not 60 00:02:48,980 --> 00:02:52,340 Speaker 1: know Jesus until after she'd had all of her children. 61 00:02:52,720 --> 00:02:55,739 Speaker 1: And her husband actually passed away when she was just 62 00:02:55,740 --> 00:02:58,980 Speaker 1: 32 years old with four kids. And they were farmers. 63 00:02:59,600 --> 00:03:02,500 Speaker 1: And so she had to farm all of this land 64 00:03:02,590 --> 00:03:06,550 Speaker 1: by herself, raising these kids. And she came to know Jesus. 65 00:03:07,530 --> 00:03:09,480 Speaker 1: at that time as her Lord and Savior, and it 66 00:03:09,880 --> 00:03:15,380 Speaker 1: absolutely revolutionized their life. And so I think about her, 67 00:03:15,520 --> 00:03:18,680 Speaker 1: I think about my mom, and I just think about 68 00:03:18,720 --> 00:03:21,160 Speaker 1: women who have been willing to say yes to the Lord, 69 00:03:22,180 --> 00:03:26,600 Speaker 1: doing hard things, you know, walking into new territories. 70 00:03:27,100 --> 00:03:30,040 Speaker 3: That's who I think about when I think about matriarchs. 71 00:03:30,300 --> 00:03:30,500 Speaker 1: Yeah. 72 00:03:30,990 --> 00:03:33,890 Speaker 2: Well, I would say my great mothers and my mother 73 00:03:33,930 --> 00:03:35,870 Speaker 2: and all those things, too. And then there's all those 74 00:03:35,910 --> 00:03:38,130 Speaker 2: women just in the church and in our communities, so 75 00:03:38,180 --> 00:03:41,260 Speaker 2: many women that have played such an important role in 76 00:03:41,320 --> 00:03:44,200 Speaker 2: our lives. So I cannot wait to continue today's conversation 77 00:03:44,240 --> 00:03:45,620 Speaker 2: with you. But we're going to take a brief break 78 00:03:45,640 --> 00:03:47,370 Speaker 2: to hear a word from today's sponsor. And when we 79 00:03:47,410 --> 00:03:49,910 Speaker 2: come back, we will explore what the matriarchs teach us 80 00:03:49,950 --> 00:03:52,370 Speaker 2: about God's promises and our place in His story. 81 00:03:55,460 --> 00:03:55,960 Speaker 3: Welcome back. 82 00:03:56,020 --> 00:03:59,140 Speaker 2: I'm talking with Paige Allen about her Bible study, Matriarchs. 83 00:03:59,200 --> 00:04:02,710 Speaker 2: And so your study focuses on Sarah, Rebecca, Leah, and Rachel. 84 00:04:02,750 --> 00:04:04,990 Speaker 2: So what first drew you to these four women, and 85 00:04:05,150 --> 00:04:07,610 Speaker 2: why do you believe their stories are especially important for 86 00:04:07,650 --> 00:04:10,500 Speaker 2: women today? And I'll preface, we'll dive into each of 87 00:04:10,530 --> 00:04:11,660 Speaker 2: those women in just a moment. 88 00:04:11,740 --> 00:04:12,160 Speaker 3: That's great. 89 00:04:12,200 --> 00:04:15,440 Speaker 1: Yeah. So I was reading through the Bible. I did 90 00:04:15,780 --> 00:04:17,420 Speaker 1: the Bible recap, I think it was back in 24. 91 00:04:17,400 --> 00:04:20,620 Speaker 1: And And so it was early in the year. I 92 00:04:20,660 --> 00:04:24,120 Speaker 1: was reading in Genesis. And then later, actually, in Exodus, 93 00:04:24,279 --> 00:04:26,900 Speaker 1: God is talking to Moses at the burning bush. And 94 00:04:26,940 --> 00:04:29,540 Speaker 1: God calls Himself the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 95 00:04:29,720 --> 00:04:31,200 Speaker 1: A lot of us are familiar with that. He calls 96 00:04:31,240 --> 00:04:33,880 Speaker 1: Himself that, and then people refer to Him as that. 97 00:04:34,540 --> 00:04:36,200 Speaker 1: And I don't know why. I think I'd been studying 98 00:04:36,220 --> 00:04:39,280 Speaker 1: a little bit about names of God, and I hadn't 99 00:04:39,320 --> 00:04:41,460 Speaker 1: really done any type of deep study on that, but 100 00:04:41,500 --> 00:04:45,979 Speaker 1: it just caught me. And it caught my attention. So 101 00:04:46,000 --> 00:04:52,110 Speaker 1: I started studying it a How beautiful that God wants 102 00:04:52,170 --> 00:04:54,669 Speaker 1: to be connected to us so much that He calls 103 00:04:54,730 --> 00:04:58,880 Speaker 1: Himself the God of these fathers of our faith. And 104 00:04:59,060 --> 00:05:00,880 Speaker 1: as I studied, I realized it means that God is 105 00:05:00,920 --> 00:05:06,080 Speaker 1: a God of covenant, of promise, of generations. And yet, 106 00:05:06,540 --> 00:05:09,140 Speaker 1: you can't have generations without some women in the mix, too. 107 00:05:09,820 --> 00:05:11,930 Speaker 1: And so I just kind of felt like this invitation 108 00:05:11,950 --> 00:05:14,390 Speaker 1: from the Lord of like, yeah, I'm the God of Abraham, Isaac, 109 00:05:14,410 --> 00:05:17,330 Speaker 1: and Jacob, but I was also the God of Sarah, Rebekah. 110 00:05:17,880 --> 00:05:19,140 Speaker 3: Rachel, and Leah. 111 00:05:19,190 --> 00:05:22,350 Speaker 1: So that's kind of what got my mind going into 112 00:05:22,370 --> 00:05:22,710 Speaker 1: it that way. 113 00:05:22,730 --> 00:05:25,010 Speaker 3: And so I just went back to Genesis and started 114 00:05:25,190 --> 00:05:26,650 Speaker 3: reading their stories again. 115 00:05:27,750 --> 00:05:30,979 Speaker 1: And I realized, although I'm a pastor's kid, so I 116 00:05:31,000 --> 00:05:33,600 Speaker 1: grew up in church. I've heard their stories a lot. 117 00:05:34,360 --> 00:05:36,919 Speaker 1: I usually would just kind of, I don't know, read 118 00:05:36,940 --> 00:05:39,779 Speaker 1: through them quickly, pass over them. I didn't really see 119 00:05:39,900 --> 00:05:42,580 Speaker 1: how they apply to my life. But as I was 120 00:05:42,620 --> 00:05:46,270 Speaker 1: studying them, I realized, oh my goodness, They were given 121 00:05:46,290 --> 00:05:49,940 Speaker 1: this invitation from the Lord to partner with Him to 122 00:05:50,040 --> 00:05:53,279 Speaker 1: birth not just a kid, but to birth an actual 123 00:05:53,360 --> 00:05:57,200 Speaker 1: entire nation, a people group that one day would lead 124 00:05:57,240 --> 00:06:01,450 Speaker 1: towards the Savior of the earth. So I just started realizing, wow, 125 00:06:01,570 --> 00:06:06,030 Speaker 1: how beautiful of the Lord to invite these women to 126 00:06:06,370 --> 00:06:09,529 Speaker 1: walk with Him and to partner with Him to birth something. 127 00:06:09,610 --> 00:06:11,210 Speaker 1: And I just felt like it was this picture of 128 00:06:11,610 --> 00:06:14,110 Speaker 1: what He does with us today as well, that We 129 00:06:14,150 --> 00:06:16,630 Speaker 1: are all called to birth things into the earth, whether 130 00:06:16,670 --> 00:06:19,250 Speaker 1: it's children or for some people, I think it's a 131 00:06:19,570 --> 00:06:23,710 Speaker 1: ministry idea or a creative endeavor and maybe a business. 132 00:06:24,150 --> 00:06:25,770 Speaker 1: And so there's a lot of things that we can 133 00:06:25,790 --> 00:06:29,270 Speaker 1: learn from them because they had some high highs. These 134 00:06:29,330 --> 00:06:33,600 Speaker 1: were also four really messy women. So I think they 135 00:06:33,620 --> 00:06:35,700 Speaker 1: teach us a lot about what. 136 00:06:35,500 --> 00:06:39,340 Speaker 3: Not to do as we're walking with the Lord. Yeah, absolutely. 137 00:06:39,440 --> 00:06:41,099 Speaker 2: Okay, so I do want to walk through each of 138 00:06:41,180 --> 00:06:44,849 Speaker 2: them briefly. So let's start with Sarah. So Sarah received 139 00:06:44,910 --> 00:06:48,589 Speaker 2: an extraordinary promise from God, yet she also struggled with fear, doubt, impatience, 140 00:06:48,750 --> 00:06:50,850 Speaker 2: and waiting. So what can her story teach us about 141 00:06:50,870 --> 00:06:54,970 Speaker 2: trusting God when His promises seem delayed? She has a 142 00:06:55,010 --> 00:06:56,210 Speaker 2: lot to teach us. 143 00:06:56,670 --> 00:07:00,320 Speaker 1: Probably the thing I would highlight right now is, you know, 144 00:07:01,420 --> 00:07:04,360 Speaker 1: most of us know the story about that she decides 145 00:07:04,480 --> 00:07:08,400 Speaker 1: to suggest that her husband Abraham take her servant Hagar 146 00:07:08,480 --> 00:07:11,660 Speaker 1: to be his wife. that she's not seeing the promise 147 00:07:11,720 --> 00:07:15,420 Speaker 1: come to fruition. She's not able to get pregnant. And 148 00:07:15,580 --> 00:07:17,780 Speaker 1: so she's like, okay, I'm just going to take matters 149 00:07:17,820 --> 00:07:19,620 Speaker 1: into my own hands. Like I said, I've read their 150 00:07:19,640 --> 00:07:21,870 Speaker 1: stories before and I always just kind of brushed over them. 151 00:07:21,990 --> 00:07:25,070 Speaker 1: And this one, especially because I honestly, Rachel was like, 152 00:07:25,450 --> 00:07:28,750 Speaker 1: I have no intention of suggesting that my husband takes, 153 00:07:28,970 --> 00:07:29,890 Speaker 1: you know, a sister wife. 154 00:07:30,010 --> 00:07:32,030 Speaker 3: So what am I going to learn from this? 155 00:07:32,330 --> 00:07:37,330 Speaker 1: You know, But as I was studying it, what I realized, 156 00:07:37,450 --> 00:07:41,050 Speaker 1: I thought this was so interesting, this whole process of 157 00:07:41,250 --> 00:07:45,470 Speaker 1: giving their husband their servant and that servant actually becoming 158 00:07:45,510 --> 00:07:48,600 Speaker 1: a wife and their child becoming not the child of 159 00:07:48,630 --> 00:07:51,100 Speaker 1: the servant, but the child of the woman, it is 160 00:07:51,340 --> 00:07:54,560 Speaker 1: actually found in the Code of Hammurabi, which is, I 161 00:07:54,560 --> 00:07:56,880 Speaker 1: don't know if you remember way back when in school, 162 00:07:56,920 --> 00:08:00,040 Speaker 1: like if you ever studied that, that was from like Mesopotamia, 163 00:08:00,240 --> 00:08:03,920 Speaker 1: which was what was in kind of the great culture 164 00:08:04,320 --> 00:08:07,000 Speaker 1: of the time of Abraham and Sarah. And so as 165 00:08:07,060 --> 00:08:11,160 Speaker 1: I started studying it, I found where scholars said that 166 00:08:11,700 --> 00:08:15,850 Speaker 1: most people in that time said Mesopotamia was the place 167 00:08:16,060 --> 00:08:19,910 Speaker 1: of wisdom and Egypt, which was the second great power 168 00:08:19,950 --> 00:08:22,890 Speaker 1: of that time, was the place of power. And as 169 00:08:22,950 --> 00:08:25,770 Speaker 1: I was studying it, I realized how interesting. She took 170 00:08:25,810 --> 00:08:30,970 Speaker 1: an idea from Mesopotamia and a servant who was Egyptian. 171 00:08:31,790 --> 00:08:34,830 Speaker 1: And she, in her own mind, said, okay, God is 172 00:08:34,870 --> 00:08:36,770 Speaker 1: not giving me what I want. So I'm going to 173 00:08:36,809 --> 00:08:38,910 Speaker 1: look at the, I'm going to call them the tools 174 00:08:38,970 --> 00:08:41,910 Speaker 1: of her time. And I'm going to go to the 175 00:08:41,950 --> 00:08:44,320 Speaker 1: wisdom of the world and the power of the world 176 00:08:44,360 --> 00:08:46,140 Speaker 1: to try to get what I want. And as I 177 00:08:46,160 --> 00:08:47,520 Speaker 1: was studying that, I just felt like the Lord said, 178 00:08:47,660 --> 00:08:50,059 Speaker 1: that's the lesson for you today. Because there are so 179 00:08:50,080 --> 00:08:52,079 Speaker 1: many times that I feel like the Lord says, hey, 180 00:08:52,160 --> 00:08:53,880 Speaker 1: I want you to believe for this thing. I want 181 00:08:53,900 --> 00:08:58,270 Speaker 1: you to trust me, you know, with this dream, or 182 00:08:58,370 --> 00:09:00,250 Speaker 1: I want you to trust me that I am working 183 00:09:00,309 --> 00:09:03,370 Speaker 1: in your kid's life in my timing, and yet when 184 00:09:03,410 --> 00:09:05,770 Speaker 1: I don't see everything come to fruition in the time 185 00:09:05,830 --> 00:09:08,630 Speaker 1: I want, I am very tempted sometimes to go find 186 00:09:08,970 --> 00:09:12,459 Speaker 1: the tools of my times, you know, and try to 187 00:09:12,559 --> 00:09:15,100 Speaker 1: implement those to try to speed up God's process. So 188 00:09:15,540 --> 00:09:18,600 Speaker 1: I think Sarah very much teaches us that we need 189 00:09:18,620 --> 00:09:21,600 Speaker 1: to wait on God, that His timing is perfect, His 190 00:09:21,760 --> 00:09:24,570 Speaker 1: ways are perfect, and sometimes we can make a real 191 00:09:24,610 --> 00:09:28,590 Speaker 1: mess if we try to use our own things or 192 00:09:28,630 --> 00:09:30,750 Speaker 1: the things of the world to speed up His process. 193 00:09:30,950 --> 00:09:33,809 Speaker 2: Oh, absolutely. Okay, so talk to us about Rebecca. So 194 00:09:33,850 --> 00:09:37,230 Speaker 2: Rebecca demonstrated remarkable faith when she left everything familiar to 195 00:09:37,270 --> 00:09:39,929 Speaker 2: follow God into an unknown future. But we also see 196 00:09:39,980 --> 00:09:43,239 Speaker 2: her later try to control the outcome as well. So 197 00:09:43,620 --> 00:09:47,040 Speaker 2: what can we learn from both her courage and her mistakes? 198 00:09:47,400 --> 00:09:49,780 Speaker 3: Think, oh man, there's so much we can learn from Rebecca. 199 00:09:49,980 --> 00:09:52,840 Speaker 1: On a positive side with Rebecca, I think she teaches 200 00:09:52,920 --> 00:09:56,490 Speaker 1: us how beautiful it looks to Go to God when 201 00:09:56,530 --> 00:09:59,589 Speaker 1: you don't know. There's the whole story of the twins. 202 00:10:00,110 --> 00:10:03,790 Speaker 1: um wrestling in her womb and it literally scripture says 203 00:10:03,990 --> 00:10:06,890 Speaker 1: she went to the lord and she says why is 204 00:10:06,929 --> 00:10:09,339 Speaker 1: this happening to me which i love that's such a 205 00:10:09,460 --> 00:10:14,020 Speaker 1: real prayer of like you know god why is this 206 00:10:14,059 --> 00:10:18,120 Speaker 1: happening to me that the lord doesn't um reprimand her. 207 00:10:18,260 --> 00:10:20,780 Speaker 1: He's so glad she's coming to him with this honest 208 00:10:20,820 --> 00:10:24,160 Speaker 1: question and he gives her revelation. So I think a 209 00:10:24,179 --> 00:10:26,699 Speaker 1: really beautiful, positive thing we learned from her is, oh, 210 00:10:27,780 --> 00:10:30,870 Speaker 1: we can run to God when we're unsure of what's 211 00:10:30,900 --> 00:10:34,930 Speaker 1: happening or when we, I think as most women, we 212 00:10:34,970 --> 00:10:37,809 Speaker 1: do feel a weight sometimes of, we maybe don't have 213 00:10:37,910 --> 00:10:40,209 Speaker 1: actual physical twins, but we have a lot on our plate. 214 00:10:40,470 --> 00:10:43,410 Speaker 1: And so sometimes there's this wrestling within of like, how 215 00:10:43,429 --> 00:10:47,560 Speaker 1: do I prioritize, you know, I've got family. 216 00:10:47,679 --> 00:10:48,420 Speaker 3: I've got work. 217 00:10:48,540 --> 00:10:52,400 Speaker 1: I've got my responsibilities to my parents. Maybe they're aging. 218 00:10:53,100 --> 00:10:55,780 Speaker 1: I think most women, we can relate to that wrestling. 219 00:10:56,040 --> 00:10:59,460 Speaker 1: And she really shows us what it looks like to 220 00:10:59,500 --> 00:11:01,760 Speaker 1: run to the Lord and how the Lord then gives 221 00:11:01,780 --> 00:11:05,949 Speaker 1: her real revelation about what's going on. Now, negatively, I 222 00:11:05,950 --> 00:11:11,050 Speaker 1: think Rebecca teaches us something about I call it the 223 00:11:11,130 --> 00:11:14,650 Speaker 1: difference between mothering and manipulating. And I think that this 224 00:11:14,770 --> 00:11:18,530 Speaker 1: is a real fine line for women. And I'm not 225 00:11:18,570 --> 00:11:20,530 Speaker 1: just talking about manipulating your children. And when I'm talking 226 00:11:20,550 --> 00:11:23,400 Speaker 1: about mothering, I think we lead like mothers. And it's 227 00:11:23,700 --> 00:11:27,400 Speaker 1: really tempting. Sometimes we don't even realize we're doing it 228 00:11:27,580 --> 00:11:31,840 Speaker 1: to start manipulating a situation, which manipulation always means we 229 00:11:31,880 --> 00:11:36,010 Speaker 1: are trying to coerce or fix a situation so that 230 00:11:36,030 --> 00:11:40,059 Speaker 1: it benefits us. And we see her do that with 231 00:11:40,120 --> 00:11:47,120 Speaker 1: the story where she manipulates her husband, Isaac, and the son, Esau, 232 00:11:47,179 --> 00:11:51,400 Speaker 1: so that Jacob, her son, can get Esau's blessing. So 233 00:11:51,420 --> 00:11:54,330 Speaker 1: there's some lessons there for sure about how to guard 234 00:11:54,380 --> 00:11:57,809 Speaker 1: ourselves so that we mother, but we don't manipulate. 235 00:11:58,270 --> 00:11:58,870 Speaker 2: Well, that's good. 236 00:11:59,190 --> 00:11:59,630 Speaker 3: Okay. 237 00:12:00,210 --> 00:12:03,510 Speaker 2: Leah and Rachel. So they're sisters and there's a whole 238 00:12:03,590 --> 00:12:07,670 Speaker 2: lot of... dynamic, the family dynamic going on here. So 239 00:12:07,710 --> 00:12:09,990 Speaker 2: I hate to couple them because I know you've separated them, 240 00:12:10,050 --> 00:12:12,790 Speaker 2: but it's like you can't talk about one without the other, right? 241 00:12:12,990 --> 00:12:13,890 Speaker 3: You really can't. 242 00:12:14,290 --> 00:12:16,510 Speaker 1: And I really, I do, even when I talk about 243 00:12:16,530 --> 00:12:20,390 Speaker 1: them separately, I'm talking about them together, really. And so, 244 00:12:20,570 --> 00:12:22,540 Speaker 1: you know, I think, well, I will. 245 00:12:22,390 --> 00:12:23,380 Speaker 3: Separate them just a little bit. 246 00:12:23,550 --> 00:12:28,339 Speaker 1: Leah and Rachel both, they teach us some things about comparison. 247 00:12:28,520 --> 00:12:32,679 Speaker 1: And I think We can always talk about comparison as women, right? 248 00:12:32,820 --> 00:12:36,120 Speaker 1: I just think it is in our human nature to compare. 249 00:12:36,200 --> 00:12:41,599 Speaker 1: We compare when we're on our screens. We compare to moms. 250 00:12:41,220 --> 00:12:45,530 Speaker 3: In our kids' classes, our neighbor, just, you know. 251 00:12:46,450 --> 00:12:49,689 Speaker 1: So you're right. Leah and Rachel have a wild story. 252 00:12:50,270 --> 00:12:55,000 Speaker 1: They're sisters, and then they become sister-wives. And they both 253 00:12:55,120 --> 00:13:00,140 Speaker 1: face incredible rejection in that whole process of them becoming 254 00:13:01,280 --> 00:13:04,640 Speaker 1: both simultaneously wives to this one man. And not only 255 00:13:04,660 --> 00:13:06,830 Speaker 1: do they compare their lives to each other, but they 256 00:13:06,850 --> 00:13:10,010 Speaker 1: begin to compete with one another. And what's so interesting 257 00:13:10,270 --> 00:13:14,890 Speaker 1: is they both have something that's pretty amazing. Rachel has 258 00:13:15,010 --> 00:13:18,839 Speaker 1: so much love of the husband, Jacob. I mean, he 259 00:13:19,020 --> 00:13:21,719 Speaker 1: ultimately ends up working for 14 years for her hand 260 00:13:21,780 --> 00:13:25,410 Speaker 1: in marriage. I mean, he's crazy about her. But she 261 00:13:25,570 --> 00:13:28,390 Speaker 1: has her eyes on what Leah has, which is that 262 00:13:28,429 --> 00:13:31,190 Speaker 1: God opened Leah's womb and Leah begins to have children. 263 00:13:31,250 --> 00:13:33,700 Speaker 1: So she's not content with what she has. She wants 264 00:13:33,760 --> 00:13:37,520 Speaker 1: what Leah has. Leah, same thing. She has something beautiful. 265 00:13:37,720 --> 00:13:41,400 Speaker 1: The Lord opens her womb. She becomes very fertile, has 266 00:13:41,460 --> 00:13:46,510 Speaker 1: these children. But her first three children, literally their names 267 00:13:46,770 --> 00:13:49,610 Speaker 1: all basically mean that she's miserable. 268 00:13:49,850 --> 00:13:53,230 Speaker 3: And she is trying so hard to get. 269 00:13:53,440 --> 00:13:57,120 Speaker 1: What her sister has, which is the love of Jacob. 270 00:13:57,460 --> 00:14:00,120 Speaker 1: And so I think there's something that Leah teaches us 271 00:14:00,260 --> 00:14:03,449 Speaker 1: as we begin to really study her life. When she 272 00:14:03,490 --> 00:14:07,690 Speaker 1: has her fourth son, Judah, something shifts. His name is 273 00:14:07,770 --> 00:14:11,190 Speaker 1: actually an indication that she moves from this place of, 274 00:14:11,570 --> 00:14:14,370 Speaker 1: woe is me, maybe my husband will finally love me 275 00:14:14,429 --> 00:14:17,480 Speaker 1: if I can do all these right things, to she finally, 276 00:14:17,740 --> 00:14:20,560 Speaker 1: with her fourth son, names Judah, which means I will 277 00:14:20,600 --> 00:14:24,950 Speaker 1: praise the Lord. And scripture literally says she has Judah 278 00:14:25,210 --> 00:14:29,310 Speaker 1: and she lifts her eyes to the Lord. So I 279 00:14:29,370 --> 00:14:32,130 Speaker 1: think when it comes to comparison, Leah teaches us that 280 00:14:32,310 --> 00:14:35,650 Speaker 1: something actually shifts when she moves her eyes from what 281 00:14:36,250 --> 00:14:40,050 Speaker 1: Rachel has to real contentment with what the Lord has 282 00:14:40,090 --> 00:14:43,530 Speaker 1: given her. And it says after she has Judah, she 283 00:14:43,630 --> 00:14:47,200 Speaker 1: stopped having children. Now we know she actually has kids 284 00:14:47,260 --> 00:14:50,470 Speaker 1: later on again. So We're not exactly sure why she 285 00:14:50,490 --> 00:14:53,230 Speaker 1: stops having children. My take on it is I really 286 00:14:53,250 --> 00:14:55,370 Speaker 1: felt like it's a picture of like she just, she's 287 00:14:55,670 --> 00:14:57,950 Speaker 1: finally at peace because her eyes are on the Lord 288 00:14:57,990 --> 00:15:01,150 Speaker 1: rather than this other woman. And so she stops hustling. 289 00:15:01,690 --> 00:15:06,770 Speaker 1: She stops trying to prove herself. And I think there, Rachel, 290 00:15:06,790 --> 00:15:09,050 Speaker 1: there's so many women in our world who need to 291 00:15:09,110 --> 00:15:13,550 Speaker 1: know that they can stop trying, you know, running on 292 00:15:13,570 --> 00:15:16,670 Speaker 1: this hamster wheel, trying to prove themselves. But they're never 293 00:15:16,710 --> 00:15:19,510 Speaker 1: going to get to that place until they really lift 294 00:15:19,530 --> 00:15:22,300 Speaker 1: their eyes to the Lord and find contentment in Him 295 00:15:22,400 --> 00:15:27,580 Speaker 1: and what He's doing. So with Rachel, the Lord showed 296 00:15:27,600 --> 00:15:29,500 Speaker 1: me several things about her, but probably one of them 297 00:15:29,620 --> 00:15:31,880 Speaker 1: is a little bit similar with Leah. 298 00:15:32,060 --> 00:15:35,370 Speaker 3: It also has to do with where she's focused. 299 00:15:36,910 --> 00:15:39,870 Speaker 1: But I feel like with Rachel, because she was so 300 00:15:39,970 --> 00:15:44,070 Speaker 1: secure in the love of her husband and It actually 301 00:15:44,670 --> 00:15:48,550 Speaker 1: morphed at some point. She goes to her husband, Jacob, 302 00:15:48,610 --> 00:15:50,850 Speaker 1: and she says, give me children or I will die. 303 00:15:51,510 --> 00:15:55,320 Speaker 1: And her flaw, so to speak, the thing I think 304 00:15:55,340 --> 00:15:58,160 Speaker 1: we can learn from her is that she kind of 305 00:15:58,320 --> 00:16:03,220 Speaker 1: turns her dependency from the Lord to her husband. And 306 00:16:03,980 --> 00:16:07,870 Speaker 1: he literally says, do you think I'm God? And I 307 00:16:07,880 --> 00:16:10,290 Speaker 1: think that there's a real lesson for us in that, 308 00:16:10,370 --> 00:16:14,450 Speaker 1: you know? Especially when things are going well in our 309 00:16:14,530 --> 00:16:17,410 Speaker 1: life or when we find security in a certain person 310 00:16:17,490 --> 00:16:21,650 Speaker 1: or a place, we really have to guard against recognizing 311 00:16:21,690 --> 00:16:24,350 Speaker 1: that that's a blessing from God, but we are not 312 00:16:24,490 --> 00:16:29,150 Speaker 1: meant to put our hope or our security or look 313 00:16:29,230 --> 00:16:33,210 Speaker 1: to that person or that thing as our source because 314 00:16:33,250 --> 00:16:36,190 Speaker 1: that will always leave us disappointed. 315 00:16:37,410 --> 00:16:38,970 Speaker 3: So that was a real takeaway point. 316 00:16:39,270 --> 00:16:44,080 Speaker 1: From Rachel of, you know, being really. 317 00:16:43,840 --> 00:16:48,000 Speaker 3: Cautious that let's receive love from other people, but let's 318 00:16:48,040 --> 00:16:51,540 Speaker 3: not misinterpret that and make them our source when only 319 00:16:51,580 --> 00:16:52,560 Speaker 3: God can be our source. 320 00:16:52,900 --> 00:16:55,760 Speaker 2: So many good lessons and hard lessons. And I love 321 00:16:55,800 --> 00:16:59,010 Speaker 2: that you don't just sanitize the stories of these women 322 00:16:59,030 --> 00:17:02,010 Speaker 2: that we see, the scheming, the despairing, the doubting, and 323 00:17:02,070 --> 00:17:03,990 Speaker 2: the fact that they all made mistakes. And I think 324 00:17:04,030 --> 00:17:06,429 Speaker 2: it's just really important for us to see their humanity 325 00:17:06,570 --> 00:17:10,530 Speaker 2: alongside their faith. And I can't wait to continue today's conversation, 326 00:17:10,570 --> 00:17:12,410 Speaker 2: but we're going to take another brief break to hear 327 00:17:12,450 --> 00:17:14,030 Speaker 2: a word from our sponsor. And when we come back, 328 00:17:14,050 --> 00:17:17,490 Speaker 2: we'll talk about identifying, nurturing, and courageously living out our 329 00:17:17,510 --> 00:17:18,590 Speaker 2: God-given callings. 330 00:17:22,680 --> 00:17:23,240 Speaker 1: Welcome back. 331 00:17:23,300 --> 00:17:26,740 Speaker 2: I'm talking with Paige Allen about her Bible study, Matriarchs. 332 00:17:26,800 --> 00:17:28,679 Speaker 2: And so you wrote this study for the woman who 333 00:17:28,720 --> 00:17:31,250 Speaker 2: senses a calling that she hasn't yet acted on, maybe 334 00:17:31,270 --> 00:17:35,000 Speaker 2: a business, a ministry, family, legacy or a dream that 335 00:17:35,040 --> 00:17:38,720 Speaker 2: she keeps setting aside. So how can she discern whether 336 00:17:38,740 --> 00:17:40,620 Speaker 2: that desire is truly from God? 337 00:17:42,420 --> 00:17:46,350 Speaker 3: That's a great question. I think, first of all, we 338 00:17:47,830 --> 00:17:48,790 Speaker 3: should slow down. 339 00:17:50,470 --> 00:17:54,230 Speaker 1: And really get quiet and try to discern the voice 340 00:17:54,450 --> 00:17:57,770 Speaker 1: of God. I think God loves to give us ideas. 341 00:17:57,850 --> 00:18:00,470 Speaker 1: I think He loves to give us dreams, especially if 342 00:18:00,550 --> 00:18:03,950 Speaker 1: it's this idea or dream that you just can't shake. 343 00:18:04,170 --> 00:18:08,100 Speaker 1: It's something that you're always thinking about, even if you're 344 00:18:08,130 --> 00:18:10,980 Speaker 1: not thinking about it. And I think that once you 345 00:18:11,000 --> 00:18:13,040 Speaker 1: kind of wrestle with it a little bit with the Lord, 346 00:18:13,080 --> 00:18:14,960 Speaker 1: then a beautiful thing to do is to take it 347 00:18:15,000 --> 00:18:17,700 Speaker 1: to two or three trusted people that you know also 348 00:18:17,740 --> 00:18:21,600 Speaker 1: hear from the Lord, that you know, know scripture and 349 00:18:21,660 --> 00:18:24,179 Speaker 1: know you. Because let me tell you, if this is 350 00:18:24,220 --> 00:18:26,160 Speaker 1: something you're actually going to step out on, you need 351 00:18:26,200 --> 00:18:28,699 Speaker 1: some people in your life that are going to be 352 00:18:28,920 --> 00:18:33,490 Speaker 1: cheering for you and supporting you and And sometimes holding 353 00:18:33,510 --> 00:18:36,650 Speaker 1: you accountable to following through with all the things that 354 00:18:36,730 --> 00:18:37,870 Speaker 1: God is calling you to do. 355 00:18:37,970 --> 00:18:41,890 Speaker 3: So I think that that is really a big. 356 00:18:41,710 --> 00:18:43,830 Speaker 1: Part of it, how you discern that that's what the. 357 00:18:43,790 --> 00:18:44,510 Speaker 3: Lord is doing. 358 00:18:45,630 --> 00:18:49,060 Speaker 2: Fear can also keep us stuck from taking the next step. 359 00:18:49,180 --> 00:18:50,740 Speaker 3: So while impatience. 360 00:18:50,260 --> 00:18:54,160 Speaker 2: Can tempt us to move ahead of God. So how 361 00:18:54,180 --> 00:18:56,800 Speaker 2: do we hold courage and surrender together as we pursue 362 00:18:56,859 --> 00:18:57,220 Speaker 2: a calling? 363 00:18:58,880 --> 00:19:03,159 Speaker 1: You know... I really think in some regards they can 364 00:19:03,180 --> 00:19:07,510 Speaker 1: be the same thing because it takes courage to surrender 365 00:19:07,609 --> 00:19:10,950 Speaker 1: things to the Lord. And so I actually think like 366 00:19:10,990 --> 00:19:13,120 Speaker 1: the courage to take a step is its own kind 367 00:19:13,140 --> 00:19:17,169 Speaker 1: of form of surrender. It's saying, I'm going to trust you, Lord. 368 00:19:17,470 --> 00:19:21,070 Speaker 1: I'm going to take a step into the unknown. Even 369 00:19:21,730 --> 00:19:23,710 Speaker 1: if you have an idea of what's coming ahead, there's 370 00:19:23,810 --> 00:19:26,950 Speaker 1: still a level of surrender when you're not in control 371 00:19:27,290 --> 00:19:30,530 Speaker 1: and you're trusting the Lord with your whole heart. So 372 00:19:30,750 --> 00:19:34,850 Speaker 1: I think, too, some lessons that we learn from our 373 00:19:34,910 --> 00:19:40,209 Speaker 1: matriarchs is that the Lord, He walks with us. 374 00:19:40,910 --> 00:19:41,979 Speaker 3: And it's really. 375 00:19:43,780 --> 00:19:47,090 Speaker 1: Sometimes we get ahead of ourselves because we're like, okay, 376 00:19:47,230 --> 00:19:48,530 Speaker 1: I just got to do this in my own strength. 377 00:19:48,850 --> 00:19:51,109 Speaker 1: But it really is— its own kind of courage to say, 378 00:19:51,150 --> 00:19:53,120 Speaker 1: you know what? I am not going to run ahead. 379 00:19:53,910 --> 00:19:56,060 Speaker 1: I'm going to trust God's timing. I'm going to hold 380 00:19:56,140 --> 00:19:59,280 Speaker 1: tightly to His hand. And I'm just going to take 381 00:19:59,320 --> 00:20:01,820 Speaker 1: this kind of one step at a time. And then 382 00:20:02,020 --> 00:20:05,199 Speaker 1: I think, honestly, each step, I already said this, is 383 00:20:05,340 --> 00:20:10,200 Speaker 1: its own kind of surrender, of surrendering our time. surrendering 384 00:20:10,260 --> 00:20:12,210 Speaker 1: the way we would like for something to go, and 385 00:20:13,390 --> 00:20:17,230 Speaker 1: just trusting, and just trusting that because He's the one 386 00:20:17,270 --> 00:20:19,550 Speaker 1: who gave you the idea in the first place, that 387 00:20:19,650 --> 00:20:21,399 Speaker 1: He will walk you all the way through it. 388 00:20:21,619 --> 00:20:24,200 Speaker 2: You know, each of the stories that you told, it 389 00:20:24,580 --> 00:20:28,200 Speaker 2: is a pairing of honest stories with audacious faith and 390 00:20:28,280 --> 00:20:31,360 Speaker 2: the hard-won failure story. So I would love to hear 391 00:20:31,460 --> 00:20:34,640 Speaker 2: maybe from your own life. Would you share a time 392 00:20:34,680 --> 00:20:37,620 Speaker 2: when God used either your faith or your failure to 393 00:20:37,720 --> 00:20:39,460 Speaker 2: clarify your calling, or maybe both? 394 00:20:39,680 --> 00:20:40,740 Speaker 3: Absolutely, I will. 395 00:20:40,850 --> 00:20:43,790 Speaker 1: So I am a pastor, and I've been a pastor 396 00:20:43,830 --> 00:20:45,810 Speaker 1: on the same church staff for over 20 years. And 397 00:20:45,950 --> 00:20:49,050 Speaker 1: one of the first roles that I got to have 398 00:20:49,109 --> 00:20:51,830 Speaker 1: on my church staff was I got to work in 399 00:20:51,850 --> 00:20:55,840 Speaker 1: a college ministry. And I was probably, I don't know, 400 00:20:55,900 --> 00:20:58,770 Speaker 1: I want to say like 26 years. So I was 401 00:20:58,790 --> 00:21:04,050 Speaker 1: so excited, and I was ready to just be the 402 00:21:04,130 --> 00:21:06,470 Speaker 1: best college minister there possibly. 403 00:21:06,010 --> 00:21:06,650 Speaker 3: Could be, you know? 404 00:21:06,990 --> 00:21:10,649 Speaker 1: And I had the opportunity to go speak at a 405 00:21:10,670 --> 00:21:14,670 Speaker 1: retreat for college-age young women, and I connected really beautifully 406 00:21:14,710 --> 00:21:17,450 Speaker 1: with this one young woman. And she asked me if 407 00:21:17,550 --> 00:21:21,330 Speaker 1: we could start meeting weekly. And we disagreed on a 408 00:21:21,490 --> 00:21:23,030 Speaker 1: couple of things theologically. 409 00:21:23,109 --> 00:21:24,610 Speaker 3: And so she really wanted to talk about that. 410 00:21:24,790 --> 00:21:26,710 Speaker 1: So for a couple of months, we would meet every 411 00:21:26,750 --> 00:21:28,840 Speaker 1: single week. I still remember we'd meet at a Starbucks. 412 00:21:28,859 --> 00:21:31,420 Speaker 1: We would open our Bibles. She would ask me a question. 413 00:21:31,440 --> 00:21:34,800 Speaker 1: I would respond. And we would flip back through Scripture. 414 00:21:34,859 --> 00:21:37,959 Speaker 1: And I've got to tell you, Rachel, I felt like 415 00:21:38,020 --> 00:21:41,179 Speaker 1: I was killing it. I was doing so good. I 416 00:21:41,200 --> 00:21:44,520 Speaker 1: was changing her mind, you know. I was like, look 417 00:21:44,560 --> 00:21:44,900 Speaker 1: at me. 418 00:21:44,920 --> 00:21:46,870 Speaker 3: I'm like, I'm doing this thing. 419 00:21:47,730 --> 00:21:49,109 Speaker 1: And then one day I got a text message from 420 00:21:49,150 --> 00:21:52,330 Speaker 1: her and she said, I'm done with this. I'm done. 421 00:21:52,350 --> 00:21:56,330 Speaker 1: I'm done with our meetings. And I was shocked because 422 00:21:56,369 --> 00:21:58,930 Speaker 1: it was going so well. And so I said, hey, 423 00:22:00,190 --> 00:22:02,879 Speaker 1: I don't understand. Just come to my office today sometime. 424 00:22:02,940 --> 00:22:04,040 Speaker 1: I just want to, I want to find out what's 425 00:22:04,060 --> 00:22:06,619 Speaker 1: going on. And so she showed up to my office 426 00:22:07,600 --> 00:22:10,440 Speaker 1: and she literally, I'll never forget this. She like plopped 427 00:22:10,480 --> 00:22:13,570 Speaker 1: down on the chair across from my desk. She folded 428 00:22:13,609 --> 00:22:15,850 Speaker 1: her arms, and she looked at me, and she said, well, 429 00:22:15,890 --> 00:22:18,129 Speaker 1: I know that, like, you really like talking about the Bible, 430 00:22:18,210 --> 00:22:20,970 Speaker 1: so let me put this in Bible terms. She was like, 431 00:22:20,990 --> 00:22:23,210 Speaker 1: are you familiar with the scripture in 1 Corinthians 13 432 00:22:23,210 --> 00:22:27,389 Speaker 1: that says, though I speak with the tongues of angels, 433 00:22:27,430 --> 00:22:30,340 Speaker 1: but I have not love, I'm nothing but a clanging 434 00:22:30,380 --> 00:22:34,040 Speaker 1: gong and a cymbal? And I was like, yes, I'm 435 00:22:34,060 --> 00:22:36,780 Speaker 1: familiar with it. And she looked at me, and she said, well, 436 00:22:36,980 --> 00:22:42,560 Speaker 1: you're a gong in my life. Oh. I think it's 437 00:22:42,580 --> 00:22:45,360 Speaker 1: the only time I've had like a scriptural like, you know, 438 00:22:45,400 --> 00:22:47,620 Speaker 1: like a scriptural diss or something. I don't know. So 439 00:22:48,160 --> 00:22:53,230 Speaker 1: I was like, I'm sorry, what? And she looked at 440 00:22:53,250 --> 00:22:56,170 Speaker 1: me and she said, you have like all the answers, 441 00:22:56,510 --> 00:22:58,490 Speaker 1: but I don't think you love me. So I'm done 442 00:22:58,510 --> 00:23:04,260 Speaker 1: with this. And I think my first response was, I 443 00:23:04,380 --> 00:23:08,659 Speaker 1: do love you. But thankfully, like the Lord just kind 444 00:23:08,720 --> 00:23:12,119 Speaker 1: of stopped me and I said, okay, I am so sorry. 445 00:23:12,380 --> 00:23:15,820 Speaker 1: I'm so sorry you feel that way. I think I 446 00:23:15,840 --> 00:23:17,760 Speaker 1: need a little bit of time to process what you're saying. 447 00:23:18,119 --> 00:23:21,340 Speaker 1: So we talked about, would you give me a couple 448 00:23:21,359 --> 00:23:23,300 Speaker 1: of days? And then could we meet just maybe one 449 00:23:23,320 --> 00:23:25,620 Speaker 1: more time? So she agreed, she left. And I remember 450 00:23:25,640 --> 00:23:27,210 Speaker 1: I was in my office, I shut the door and 451 00:23:28,609 --> 00:23:30,830 Speaker 1: I started pacing my office. And of course, at first 452 00:23:30,890 --> 00:23:33,490 Speaker 1: I'm like, Lord, I don't know what she means. Of 453 00:23:33,550 --> 00:23:35,670 Speaker 1: course I love her. Like I'm just, you know, I'm 454 00:23:36,250 --> 00:23:39,680 Speaker 1: being a minister. I'm doing all this stuff. And once 455 00:23:39,720 --> 00:23:45,050 Speaker 1: I kind of got all that out, I basically came 456 00:23:45,090 --> 00:23:47,130 Speaker 1: to a place of surrender. And I said, okay, God, 457 00:23:48,050 --> 00:23:50,510 Speaker 1: am I a gong? Is that what I sound like? 458 00:23:51,070 --> 00:23:53,800 Speaker 1: And I really felt like the Lord said, yeah, you are. 459 00:23:54,330 --> 00:23:58,389 Speaker 1: Because you're seeing her as a project. You're seeing her 460 00:23:58,490 --> 00:24:01,730 Speaker 1: as someone that you're trying to get to believe the 461 00:24:01,770 --> 00:24:03,990 Speaker 1: way you believe. And that's actually not what I've called 462 00:24:04,010 --> 00:24:06,810 Speaker 1: you to do. I've called you to love her. And so... 463 00:24:09,010 --> 00:24:14,530 Speaker 1: I had this holy moment with the Lord that absolutely 464 00:24:14,609 --> 00:24:19,150 Speaker 1: changed my life and changed the way I approached ministry 465 00:24:19,170 --> 00:24:21,700 Speaker 1: from that day forward. And I really felt like he said, 466 00:24:21,720 --> 00:24:24,200 Speaker 1: you know what, Paige, you're only 26. You have a 467 00:24:24,240 --> 00:24:26,520 Speaker 1: lot of years ahead of you that you're going to 468 00:24:26,540 --> 00:24:29,100 Speaker 1: get to pour into people's lives. And here's the thing. 469 00:24:29,720 --> 00:24:32,970 Speaker 1: I've called you to love them and walk with them 470 00:24:33,330 --> 00:24:36,950 Speaker 1: and point them to me. I'm the one who brings change. 471 00:24:37,880 --> 00:24:40,130 Speaker 1: You don't need to change anybody. You just love them 472 00:24:40,230 --> 00:24:43,310 Speaker 1: and point them to me. And so I reached out 473 00:24:43,510 --> 00:24:47,550 Speaker 1: to that young woman and I said, hey, let's keep meeting, 474 00:24:47,570 --> 00:24:50,430 Speaker 1: but maybe we can meet totally differently. And at that 475 00:24:50,510 --> 00:24:52,359 Speaker 1: time in my life, I used to be a runner. 476 00:24:52,660 --> 00:24:56,060 Speaker 1: And she said, she goes, well, can I run with you? 477 00:24:56,400 --> 00:24:56,860 Speaker 3: And so we. 478 00:24:56,940 --> 00:24:59,780 Speaker 1: Actually completely changed the way we were doing things. And 479 00:25:00,200 --> 00:25:02,959 Speaker 1: instead of meeting with our Bibles and doing the study, 480 00:25:03,420 --> 00:25:05,810 Speaker 1: we started meeting at six in the morning and running together. 481 00:25:06,400 --> 00:25:09,899 Speaker 1: and training for a race together. And as I was 482 00:25:09,960 --> 00:25:11,860 Speaker 1: writing this book, that was one of the first stories 483 00:25:11,880 --> 00:25:12,600 Speaker 1: that came to my mind. 484 00:25:12,640 --> 00:25:14,159 Speaker 3: The Lord just was like, you know what, Paige? 485 00:25:15,770 --> 00:25:18,530 Speaker 1: In essence, I was wanting to be a matriarch in 486 00:25:18,570 --> 00:25:21,850 Speaker 1: her life. I was wanting to be someone who I 487 00:25:21,890 --> 00:25:25,070 Speaker 1: was saying yes to God, and therefore I was impacting generations. 488 00:25:25,430 --> 00:25:27,570 Speaker 1: But I was trying to do it in my own strength. 489 00:25:27,790 --> 00:25:31,990 Speaker 1: I was trying to create an outcome. And once I 490 00:25:32,050 --> 00:25:35,020 Speaker 1: finally realized, okay, I actually can't do this in my 491 00:25:35,080 --> 00:25:37,480 Speaker 1: own strength. Instead, what it means to be a matriarch 492 00:25:37,650 --> 00:25:40,270 Speaker 1: is to just stay in step with Jesus, to love 493 00:25:40,350 --> 00:25:43,469 Speaker 1: people well, to obey him when he asks us to 494 00:25:43,490 --> 00:25:46,969 Speaker 1: do something bold, but also to be humble enough to 495 00:25:47,250 --> 00:25:51,520 Speaker 1: change the way we mother, so to speak, so that 496 00:25:51,859 --> 00:25:54,859 Speaker 1: we point people to him rather than ourselves. So I 497 00:25:54,880 --> 00:25:57,659 Speaker 1: think that's That's the first story that is my own 498 00:25:57,680 --> 00:25:58,720 Speaker 1: story that comes to my mind. 499 00:25:58,859 --> 00:26:01,220 Speaker 2: What a good story. And that hits home for me too, 500 00:26:01,420 --> 00:26:03,770 Speaker 2: that truly we just need to love people and be 501 00:26:03,810 --> 00:26:06,310 Speaker 2: present with them and God will do the rest. Thank 502 00:26:06,330 --> 00:26:08,929 Speaker 2: you for sharing that. You know, I think just for 503 00:26:08,970 --> 00:26:11,649 Speaker 2: each woman listening, I'm sure there's been something that has 504 00:26:11,690 --> 00:26:14,330 Speaker 2: just pricked her heart. But for the woman who feels 505 00:26:14,490 --> 00:26:17,610 Speaker 2: as though she's waited too long, missed her opportunity or 506 00:26:17,810 --> 00:26:21,560 Speaker 2: disqualified herself through past mistakes, what encouragement would you offer her? 507 00:26:21,780 --> 00:26:23,820 Speaker 1: I would just say it's never too late. What I 508 00:26:23,900 --> 00:26:27,610 Speaker 1: love about God is, is he loves to work with 509 00:26:27,770 --> 00:26:32,330 Speaker 1: and through the most unlikely, the messiest of people. All 510 00:26:32,369 --> 00:26:35,189 Speaker 1: he asks for is for us to just come to 511 00:26:35,230 --> 00:26:39,520 Speaker 1: him and say, Lord, I say yes. I just want 512 00:26:39,540 --> 00:26:41,740 Speaker 1: to hear what you want me to do, and I'll 513 00:26:41,780 --> 00:26:44,080 Speaker 1: say yes and get in alignment with what you're doing. Yeah. 514 00:26:44,490 --> 00:26:47,730 Speaker 2: Well, your story was so good about love, but this 515 00:26:47,790 --> 00:26:49,860 Speaker 2: season I've been asking all of my guests, is there 516 00:26:49,880 --> 00:26:52,560 Speaker 2: a biblical concept of love that you think applies to 517 00:26:52,600 --> 00:26:55,020 Speaker 2: this topic? So is there something else that maybe comes 518 00:26:55,080 --> 00:26:55,400 Speaker 2: to mind? 519 00:26:55,460 --> 00:26:58,359 Speaker 1: Well, I mean, I think that story does kind of 520 00:26:58,380 --> 00:27:05,050 Speaker 1: exemplify it. The other thing I think that comes to 521 00:27:05,090 --> 00:27:07,530 Speaker 1: my mind when it comes to our Genesis matriarchs is 522 00:27:07,590 --> 00:27:10,109 Speaker 1: that each of them, they're now kind of heroes of 523 00:27:10,130 --> 00:27:12,960 Speaker 1: the faith, but at the time, they were just living 524 00:27:13,000 --> 00:27:16,340 Speaker 1: their life to the best of their ability and loving 525 00:27:17,080 --> 00:27:20,119 Speaker 1: the people in front of them. And, and I just, 526 00:27:20,520 --> 00:27:22,760 Speaker 1: I just kind of feel like, you know, we don't 527 00:27:22,820 --> 00:27:26,620 Speaker 1: even realize how far reaching the love of Christ, but 528 00:27:26,660 --> 00:27:29,600 Speaker 1: also then that love flowing through us goes. And so 529 00:27:29,800 --> 00:27:33,119 Speaker 1: just staying connected to him and receiving his love so 530 00:27:33,140 --> 00:27:35,669 Speaker 1: that it overflows in our, from our life and to 531 00:27:35,690 --> 00:27:38,950 Speaker 1: the lives of others. We may not know until heaven, 532 00:27:39,230 --> 00:27:43,020 Speaker 1: but I believe it has, has, profound impact and power. 533 00:27:43,040 --> 00:27:45,879 Speaker 2: Yeah, I believe that too. Well, so Paige, tell us 534 00:27:45,920 --> 00:27:47,750 Speaker 2: something you are loving right now. 535 00:27:50,710 --> 00:27:55,990 Speaker 1: I wish I had something really exciting and fabulous right now. 536 00:27:57,750 --> 00:28:01,619 Speaker 1: I am going to say right now I am in 537 00:28:01,640 --> 00:28:06,300 Speaker 1: the mountains of New Mexico and I just love flavored 538 00:28:06,320 --> 00:28:07,139 Speaker 1: sparkling water. 539 00:28:07,260 --> 00:28:09,100 Speaker 3: That's not even exciting, Rachel. 540 00:28:09,160 --> 00:28:12,300 Speaker 1: I should have thought better, but like I have had 541 00:28:12,340 --> 00:28:14,580 Speaker 1: like four in the last 24 hours. 542 00:28:14,640 --> 00:28:16,960 Speaker 3: I need to stop. But it's so refreshing to me 543 00:28:17,020 --> 00:28:17,940 Speaker 3: right now. So that's what I'm loving. 544 00:28:18,119 --> 00:28:21,260 Speaker 2: Okay. So tell us the brand and the flavor of it. 545 00:28:21,600 --> 00:28:24,160 Speaker 1: So I actually, I like Waterloo. It's probably the brand 546 00:28:24,180 --> 00:28:27,620 Speaker 1: that I like the best. And I really like Peach. 547 00:28:28,180 --> 00:28:29,960 Speaker 1: It's probably my favorite. But I also like Lime. 548 00:28:29,980 --> 00:28:33,520 Speaker 3: I like Lime. I'm a Lime girl. Yeah. I'm a 549 00:28:33,540 --> 00:28:34,480 Speaker 3: fan of Sparkly Water. 550 00:28:34,500 --> 00:28:34,840 Speaker 1: That is. 551 00:28:34,859 --> 00:28:35,720 Speaker 2: That's a good answer. 552 00:28:35,880 --> 00:28:37,240 Speaker 1: It is a good answer. Okay. Yeah. 553 00:28:37,260 --> 00:28:38,940 Speaker 3: It doesn't feel exciting, but it's true. 554 00:28:38,960 --> 00:28:41,340 Speaker 1: It's true. It's true. It's true. 555 00:28:41,380 --> 00:28:42,260 Speaker 3: It's the simple things. 556 00:28:42,880 --> 00:28:45,340 Speaker 2: Well, Paige, I know I want to stay connected with you. 557 00:28:45,360 --> 00:28:47,240 Speaker 2: I'm sure listeners are going to want to. So tell 558 00:28:47,300 --> 00:28:48,580 Speaker 2: us how we can best do that and get a 559 00:28:48,600 --> 00:28:49,720 Speaker 2: copy of your new Bible study. 560 00:28:50,000 --> 00:28:53,700 Speaker 1: Absolutely. Okay. Well, you can find me. I'm on Instagram 561 00:28:53,820 --> 00:28:56,800 Speaker 1: at Paige Allen, Texas. I do have Texas in there 562 00:28:57,260 --> 00:29:00,680 Speaker 1: or on my website, which is just PaigeAllen.net. And then 563 00:29:00,720 --> 00:29:03,040 Speaker 1: my book is available everywhere, Books for Soul. You can 564 00:29:03,080 --> 00:29:08,300 Speaker 1: find it on Amazon or Barnes & Noble, Christianbook.com, anything 565 00:29:08,340 --> 00:29:08,620 Speaker 1: like that. 566 00:29:08,660 --> 00:29:09,560 Speaker 3: It's called Matriarchs. 567 00:29:09,880 --> 00:29:10,080 Speaker 1: Okay. 568 00:29:10,120 --> 00:29:12,590 Speaker 2: Well, we will include all of those links in the 569 00:29:12,620 --> 00:29:14,240 Speaker 2: show notes. But would you just do us the honor 570 00:29:14,310 --> 00:29:15,770 Speaker 2: of praying for us as we close today? 571 00:29:16,030 --> 00:29:16,830 Speaker 3: I would love to. 572 00:29:17,850 --> 00:29:22,130 Speaker 1: Father, I just thank you so much that you are 573 00:29:22,150 --> 00:29:25,830 Speaker 1: a God of generations. And you are a God who 574 00:29:25,870 --> 00:29:29,250 Speaker 1: loves to partner with your daughters. And so, Lord, I 575 00:29:29,270 --> 00:29:33,000 Speaker 1: just pray for every person listening today. I pray that 576 00:29:33,040 --> 00:29:35,180 Speaker 1: today would be a day that they can find a 577 00:29:35,220 --> 00:29:38,650 Speaker 1: few minutes to quiet the noise and to hear your voice. 578 00:29:39,010 --> 00:29:42,190 Speaker 1: What are you asking of me? of us today? And God, 579 00:29:42,270 --> 00:29:43,950 Speaker 1: I just pray that each of us would come to 580 00:29:43,990 --> 00:29:46,910 Speaker 1: a place where we would say yes, that we would 581 00:29:47,250 --> 00:29:50,959 Speaker 1: say yes to the next step, yes to the next choice, 582 00:29:51,280 --> 00:29:53,200 Speaker 1: even yes to the next thing that we need to 583 00:29:53,700 --> 00:29:56,209 Speaker 1: surrender to you. God, I thank you that you are 584 00:29:56,250 --> 00:29:58,690 Speaker 1: a faithful God and we can trust you with our 585 00:29:58,910 --> 00:30:01,910 Speaker 1: whole hearts and with our whole lives. And God, lastly, 586 00:30:01,990 --> 00:30:05,190 Speaker 1: I just speak a blessing over everyone listening today. I 587 00:30:05,800 --> 00:30:10,260 Speaker 1: pray that they would be people who impact future generations 588 00:30:10,500 --> 00:30:13,900 Speaker 1: because they would be people who get their focus fully 589 00:30:14,000 --> 00:30:17,400 Speaker 1: locked on you. And we point people to you so 590 00:30:17,420 --> 00:30:20,810 Speaker 1: that more may know just how good you are. In Jesus' 591 00:30:20,830 --> 00:30:22,210 Speaker 1: name we pray. Amen. 592 00:30:22,570 --> 00:30:26,270 Speaker 2: Amen. Paige, thank you. Today's episode has been especially meaningful 593 00:30:26,310 --> 00:30:29,130 Speaker 2: to me, and I just appreciate your heart and you 594 00:30:29,170 --> 00:30:31,390 Speaker 2: encouraging us today that we can all be a matriarch 595 00:30:31,430 --> 00:30:33,170 Speaker 2: in some way. So thank you for your time. 596 00:30:33,370 --> 00:30:33,810 Speaker 1: Thank you. 597 00:30:33,930 --> 00:30:36,970 Speaker 2: Thank you so much for listening to the Love Offering Podcast. 598 00:30:37,020 --> 00:30:39,460 Speaker 2: I hope today's conversation reminded you that you are not 599 00:30:39,500 --> 00:30:42,440 Speaker 2: a secondary character in God's story. Like the matriarchs, you 600 00:30:42,460 --> 00:30:45,780 Speaker 2: may experience fear, uncertainty, disappointment, and failure, but God can 601 00:30:45,820 --> 00:30:49,740 Speaker 2: still work through your imperfect faithfulness to accomplish His purposes. 602 00:30:50,160 --> 00:30:52,780 Speaker 2: You can trust His promises, Wait for His timing and 603 00:30:52,800 --> 00:30:55,740 Speaker 2: courageously step into the calling He has placed before you. 604 00:30:56,320 --> 00:30:58,500 Speaker 2: If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a 605 00:30:58,540 --> 00:31:00,380 Speaker 2: friend and leave a review. It helps others find the 606 00:31:00,420 --> 00:31:03,160 Speaker 2: show and spreads the message of love even further. To 607 00:31:03,200 --> 00:31:06,300 Speaker 2: connect with me, visit me on my website at rachelkadams.com, 608 00:31:06,320 --> 00:31:08,760 Speaker 2: where you can download the Love Always devotional, a free 609 00:31:08,820 --> 00:31:11,700 Speaker 2: resource to help you realize how beloved you already are. 610 00:31:12,260 --> 00:31:14,960 Speaker 2: Be sure to check out Matriarchs by Paige Allen and 611 00:31:15,010 --> 00:31:19,670 Speaker 2: the accompanying video teaching at pageallen.net. A special thank you 612 00:31:19,690 --> 00:31:22,610 Speaker 2: to Life Audio for supporting this podcast and making it possible. 613 00:31:22,950 --> 00:31:26,870 Speaker 2: To find more great podcasts, visit lifeaudio.com. Until next time, 614 00:31:26,970 --> 00:31:29,430 Speaker 2: let's make our lives an offering of love.