1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:10,480 Speaker 1: Life Audio. So fasting isn't just setting down something temporary 2 00:00:10,539 --> 00:00:12,690 Speaker 1: and ordinary so you can feast on the one who 3 00:00:12,750 --> 00:00:15,850 Speaker 1: is eternal and extraordinary. It is setting down what doesn't 4 00:00:15,910 --> 00:00:19,669 Speaker 1: work so the one who does work can help you 5 00:00:19,950 --> 00:00:22,610 Speaker 1: lift your chin and lift your eyes and lift your 6 00:00:22,650 --> 00:00:25,980 Speaker 1: attention and therefore grow your affection for him. 7 00:00:27,560 --> 00:00:30,620 Speaker 2: Welcome to Love Life Sober. I'm your host and your coach, 8 00:00:30,840 --> 00:00:33,780 Speaker 2: Christy Osborne. This podcast is for the woman who loves 9 00:00:33,840 --> 00:00:36,790 Speaker 2: Jesus or is longing to reconnect with him and who 10 00:00:36,830 --> 00:00:39,890 Speaker 2: knows deep down that alcohol is no longer serving her. 11 00:00:40,290 --> 00:00:43,050 Speaker 2: Here we talk honestly with grace and truth about how 12 00:00:43,090 --> 00:00:47,590 Speaker 2: stepping away from alcohol opens the door to the love, joy, peace, 13 00:00:47,700 --> 00:00:51,180 Speaker 2: and connection you've been searching for. Because babe, those things 14 00:00:51,220 --> 00:00:53,300 Speaker 2: were never meant to be found in a bottle of wine. 15 00:00:53,600 --> 00:00:57,870 Speaker 2: They're found in Jesus. Through scripture, coaching, and neuroscience, I'll 16 00:00:57,910 --> 00:01:00,440 Speaker 2: help you make sense of your habits, your nervous system, 17 00:01:00,810 --> 00:01:03,620 Speaker 2: and what you're really craving so that freedom feels not 18 00:01:03,680 --> 00:01:07,620 Speaker 2: only possible, but sustainable. You don't have to do this alone, babe. 19 00:01:07,959 --> 00:01:08,580 Speaker 1: Let's dive in. 20 00:01:12,740 --> 00:01:15,970 Speaker 2: What do you reach for when life gets hard? When 21 00:01:15,980 --> 00:01:19,590 Speaker 2: you're overwhelmed, when you're anxious, when you're lonely, when you're exhausted, 22 00:01:20,150 --> 00:01:21,930 Speaker 2: when you want to just shut off your brain at 23 00:01:21,970 --> 00:01:23,910 Speaker 2: the end of the day. For a lot of us, 24 00:01:24,030 --> 00:01:28,500 Speaker 2: that thing has been alcohol. But maybe it's also been sugar, scrolling, Netflix, 25 00:01:28,560 --> 00:01:32,010 Speaker 2: or shopping, or whatever your particular thing is. But what 26 00:01:32,050 --> 00:01:34,850 Speaker 2: happens when we take that thing away? That is exactly 27 00:01:34,870 --> 00:01:37,210 Speaker 2: what I'm going to talk to my dear friend Wendy 28 00:01:37,270 --> 00:01:40,890 Speaker 2: Speak about today. Wendy is the best-selling author of The 29 00:01:40,910 --> 00:01:44,530 Speaker 2: 40-Day Sugar Fast, The 40-Day Social Media Fast, and The 30 00:01:44,550 --> 00:01:47,500 Speaker 2: 40-Day Feast. Today, we're also going to be talking about 31 00:01:47,540 --> 00:01:51,300 Speaker 2: her new book, A Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving, 30 32 00:01:51,300 --> 00:01:55,210 Speaker 2: Days of Rejoicing in God's Goodness. She also happened to 33 00:01:55,250 --> 00:01:58,090 Speaker 2: write the foreword to my book, Love Life Sober. And 34 00:01:58,170 --> 00:02:01,530 Speaker 2: so I just absolutely adore her. One of the things 35 00:02:01,630 --> 00:02:04,930 Speaker 2: Wendy says in this conversation that I absolutely love is 36 00:02:04,970 --> 00:02:09,410 Speaker 2: that fasting isn't simply about setting something down. It's about asking, 37 00:02:09,910 --> 00:02:13,270 Speaker 2: what have I been turning to instead of God? Because 38 00:02:13,290 --> 00:02:16,090 Speaker 2: when we remove the thing we've been using to comfort ourselves, 39 00:02:16,250 --> 00:02:19,340 Speaker 2: we're left with the feelings that are underneath it. And 40 00:02:19,400 --> 00:02:23,150 Speaker 2: that can be really uncomfortable. I always say in the 41 00:02:23,190 --> 00:02:25,790 Speaker 2: community that sometimes we have to just learn how to 42 00:02:25,870 --> 00:02:28,109 Speaker 2: sit in the suck. We have to learn how to 43 00:02:28,210 --> 00:02:31,960 Speaker 2: experience the hard thing without immediately trying to change the 44 00:02:32,000 --> 00:02:36,260 Speaker 2: way we feel. Wendy gives us this beautiful invitation. Instead 45 00:02:36,300 --> 00:02:39,340 Speaker 2: of taking what hurts to something that can numb us temporarily, 46 00:02:39,900 --> 00:02:42,240 Speaker 2: what if we brought what hurts to the one who 47 00:02:42,260 --> 00:02:45,960 Speaker 2: can actually sit in it with us? That's where fasting 48 00:02:46,000 --> 00:02:50,540 Speaker 2: becomes about so much more than willpower. It becomes about intimacy. 49 00:02:51,070 --> 00:02:53,730 Speaker 2: I think this conversation is going to be especially powerful 50 00:02:54,050 --> 00:02:56,560 Speaker 2: for those of you who know that alcohol has become 51 00:02:56,570 --> 00:03:00,260 Speaker 2: the one thing that you turn to when life gets hard. 52 00:03:00,880 --> 00:03:03,940 Speaker 2: Because if you're listening to this and thinking, okay, Christy, 53 00:03:04,020 --> 00:03:06,240 Speaker 2: I know I'm using alcohol to numb. I know it's 54 00:03:06,280 --> 00:03:08,960 Speaker 2: not helping me anymore, but I have no idea how 55 00:03:08,980 --> 00:03:11,600 Speaker 2: to stop reaching for it. I want to invite you 56 00:03:11,639 --> 00:03:14,910 Speaker 2: to do this with us. On October 5th, we are 57 00:03:14,990 --> 00:03:19,620 Speaker 2: beginning our next Love Life Sober 40-Day Fast. For 40 days, 58 00:03:19,680 --> 00:03:23,130 Speaker 2: we're going to set down alcohol together. Not forever, not 59 00:03:23,150 --> 00:03:25,370 Speaker 2: with any sort of scary label, and not because you 60 00:03:25,389 --> 00:03:27,590 Speaker 2: need to figure out the rest of your life today. 61 00:03:28,030 --> 00:03:31,350 Speaker 2: It's just 40 days. 40 days to get curious about 62 00:03:31,370 --> 00:03:34,840 Speaker 2: what alcohol is actually doing in your life. 40 days 63 00:03:34,910 --> 00:03:38,220 Speaker 2: to wake up clear-headed. 40 days to learn how to 64 00:03:38,340 --> 00:03:41,500 Speaker 2: feel the hard things instead of numbing them. And 40 65 00:03:41,500 --> 00:03:44,100 Speaker 2: days to make room to hear God and discover what 66 00:03:44,200 --> 00:03:46,840 Speaker 2: might be waiting for you on the other side. You 67 00:03:46,870 --> 00:03:50,400 Speaker 2: won't be doing this alone. You have four live coaching 68 00:03:50,460 --> 00:03:54,390 Speaker 2: calls every single week, an incredible community of women and 69 00:03:54,450 --> 00:03:58,070 Speaker 2: fast captains walking right alongside you, and a team of 70 00:03:58,170 --> 00:04:01,870 Speaker 2: coaches to support you through the hard times. So listen 71 00:04:01,910 --> 00:04:05,070 Speaker 2: to my conversation with Wendy speak this week, fasting, numbing, 72 00:04:05,170 --> 00:04:07,559 Speaker 2: and bringing the hard things to God. And if something 73 00:04:07,700 --> 00:04:09,660 Speaker 2: in you is saying, I think it's time for me 74 00:04:09,700 --> 00:04:12,880 Speaker 2: to try this too, then come join the Oktoberfest. We 75 00:04:12,940 --> 00:04:17,320 Speaker 2: start October 5th. I would absolutely love to walk these 76 00:04:17,320 --> 00:04:21,290 Speaker 2: 40 days with you. Okay, my friend, here is this 77 00:04:21,370 --> 00:04:25,770 Speaker 2: week's conversation. Hello, my beautiful friend. Welcome to the podcast. 78 00:04:26,230 --> 00:04:28,150 Speaker 1: Thank you. It's been a while since you and I 79 00:04:28,210 --> 00:04:31,130 Speaker 1: sat down face-to-face, so this is special. I mean, face-to-face 80 00:04:31,230 --> 00:04:32,090 Speaker 1: over a screen. 81 00:04:32,510 --> 00:04:33,890 Speaker 2: One day, I hope that we can do it not 82 00:04:33,950 --> 00:04:36,020 Speaker 2: over a screen because I would just love to have 83 00:04:36,080 --> 00:04:38,839 Speaker 2: lunch with you. So I am so excited to be 84 00:04:38,920 --> 00:04:42,240 Speaker 2: chatting with my friend, Wendy Speak. If you have been 85 00:04:42,279 --> 00:04:44,640 Speaker 2: in the Love Life So reverse for a minute, you 86 00:04:44,880 --> 00:04:49,560 Speaker 2: already know her. She wrote the beautiful foreword to the 87 00:04:49,600 --> 00:04:54,659 Speaker 2: Love Life Sober 40-Day Fast, and she has so many 88 00:04:54,700 --> 00:04:57,300 Speaker 2: incredible resources and books that you've heard of and a 89 00:04:57,400 --> 00:05:00,820 Speaker 2: new one coming out, which we're going to talk about. Wendy, 90 00:05:00,940 --> 00:05:04,980 Speaker 2: you wrote, to kick it all off, a book about parenting, 91 00:05:05,020 --> 00:05:08,520 Speaker 2: but then you kind of became well-known for the 40-Day 92 00:05:08,640 --> 00:05:09,520 Speaker 2: Sugar Fast. 93 00:05:10,120 --> 00:05:13,469 Speaker 1: Yes, and this story really does flow like one into 94 00:05:13,490 --> 00:05:15,940 Speaker 1: the next. Well, I guess it started when my kids 95 00:05:15,960 --> 00:05:18,990 Speaker 1: started taking naps, right? Like when I had babies and 96 00:05:19,170 --> 00:05:22,010 Speaker 1: I would spend that nap time as many young moms did. 97 00:05:22,029 --> 00:05:25,610 Speaker 1: And I was already a creative person working as an 98 00:05:25,710 --> 00:05:28,150 Speaker 1: actress before I had children. So I would just sit 99 00:05:28,180 --> 00:05:30,920 Speaker 1: down and I would write. And during that era, 20 100 00:05:30,920 --> 00:05:33,300 Speaker 1: years ago, when all that started, it was kind of 101 00:05:33,339 --> 00:05:37,279 Speaker 1: that height of blogging. So I was writing during that time. 102 00:05:37,420 --> 00:05:40,480 Speaker 1: And then my own personal blog, I was invited to 103 00:05:40,520 --> 00:05:43,210 Speaker 1: be on, you know, a guest author on some of 104 00:05:43,250 --> 00:05:48,960 Speaker 1: the larger blogs. So that's the pre-book writing. But because 105 00:05:49,020 --> 00:05:52,890 Speaker 1: I had three young boys, I was invited to write 106 00:05:53,010 --> 00:05:57,250 Speaker 1: for a parenting blog. And in the midst of all 107 00:05:57,290 --> 00:06:00,970 Speaker 1: of that, it became apparent that so many moms were 108 00:06:01,010 --> 00:06:06,400 Speaker 1: struggling with mommy anger, just overwhelm, explosive, reactive parenting. They said, 109 00:06:06,440 --> 00:06:10,480 Speaker 1: would anybody in the group be willing to lead a 110 00:06:10,900 --> 00:06:14,469 Speaker 1: private Facebook group for those moms? And it was actually 111 00:06:14,630 --> 00:06:18,990 Speaker 1: Amber Leah, one of my writing partners, who said, I'll 112 00:06:19,029 --> 00:06:21,560 Speaker 1: do it. I come from an environment that was like that. 113 00:06:21,830 --> 00:06:24,580 Speaker 1: And I've worked really hard to not give in to 114 00:06:24,640 --> 00:06:28,800 Speaker 1: those reactive parenting styles. And so she started. And within 115 00:06:28,839 --> 00:06:30,760 Speaker 1: the first couple of weeks, there were tens of thousands 116 00:06:30,800 --> 00:06:35,080 Speaker 1: of people. Because it's common if that just isn't what 117 00:06:35,100 --> 00:06:38,960 Speaker 1: someone needs to hear right now. And she said, I 118 00:06:39,000 --> 00:06:40,780 Speaker 1: need help. And I said, well, I did not come 119 00:06:40,839 --> 00:06:43,440 Speaker 1: from that home environment. And then I had my third 120 00:06:43,500 --> 00:06:46,960 Speaker 1: child and it was like something just broke in me, 121 00:06:47,020 --> 00:06:52,080 Speaker 1: my ability to stay calm and kind and consistent and Christ-like. 122 00:06:52,900 --> 00:06:56,060 Speaker 1: I just, I was so overwhelmed. So what we did 123 00:06:56,080 --> 00:06:58,279 Speaker 1: in that Facebook group was just deal with one, what 124 00:06:58,300 --> 00:07:00,359 Speaker 1: we called them trigger at a time. What are the 125 00:07:00,480 --> 00:07:04,320 Speaker 1: common things that are happening in your home, bedtime, screen time, 126 00:07:04,420 --> 00:07:08,440 Speaker 1: dinner time, all the time? And so in the process 127 00:07:08,480 --> 00:07:12,140 Speaker 1: of responding to those specific triggers- we put together a 128 00:07:12,180 --> 00:07:17,100 Speaker 1: resource that became a book called Triggers, Exchanging Parents' Angry 129 00:07:17,160 --> 00:07:21,470 Speaker 1: Reactions for Gentle Biblical Responses. So that's really where it started. 130 00:07:21,850 --> 00:07:23,990 Speaker 1: But it was in that same group that one day 131 00:07:24,050 --> 00:07:26,830 Speaker 1: I said very off the cuff, what would happen if 132 00:07:26,870 --> 00:07:30,470 Speaker 1: we set down sugar for 40 days? Yeah. Again, would 133 00:07:30,510 --> 00:07:35,960 Speaker 1: we be calmer, kinder, more consistent, maybe more Christ-like because 134 00:07:35,980 --> 00:07:38,520 Speaker 1: we're not all jacked up on what we're ingesting, right? 135 00:07:39,150 --> 00:07:41,590 Speaker 1: We're not having a sugar high followed by a crash 136 00:07:41,630 --> 00:07:46,000 Speaker 1: in the afternoon and then no patience to deal with 137 00:07:46,080 --> 00:07:49,780 Speaker 1: our own children and their highs and lows. Yeah. So 138 00:07:49,860 --> 00:07:53,790 Speaker 1: I really thought of it from the beginning, at the beginning, 139 00:07:54,090 --> 00:08:00,070 Speaker 1: as a physical detox. And what we learned in a group... was, 140 00:08:00,290 --> 00:08:02,550 Speaker 1: oh no, I called it a fast. And that's exactly 141 00:08:02,610 --> 00:08:05,050 Speaker 1: what it is because what we did, and this is 142 00:08:05,090 --> 00:08:08,230 Speaker 1: the segue, I guess, into your and my conversation over 143 00:08:08,270 --> 00:08:13,070 Speaker 1: these last years is, what am I turning to to cope? 144 00:08:13,150 --> 00:08:16,580 Speaker 1: What am I turning to to get through my challenges 145 00:08:17,180 --> 00:08:19,640 Speaker 1: that is actually doing more harm than good? Because that's 146 00:08:19,680 --> 00:08:20,640 Speaker 1: not its purpose. 147 00:08:21,200 --> 00:08:21,460 Speaker 2: Right. 148 00:08:22,040 --> 00:08:24,100 Speaker 1: When God says, come to me when you're weary and 149 00:08:24,140 --> 00:08:26,460 Speaker 1: heavy laden, whether it's in your parenting or in your 150 00:08:26,480 --> 00:08:29,200 Speaker 1: business or in your marriage or just in life. In 151 00:08:29,240 --> 00:08:32,080 Speaker 1: this life, you will have many troubles, but it doesn't say, 152 00:08:32,420 --> 00:08:34,760 Speaker 1: but go to the bottle and go to your pantry 153 00:08:34,880 --> 00:08:38,040 Speaker 1: and go to your freezer and go to Starbucks. So 154 00:08:38,090 --> 00:08:40,709 Speaker 1: what we learned was when we stop going from sugar 155 00:08:40,750 --> 00:08:43,290 Speaker 1: high to sugar high to get us through our difficult 156 00:08:43,309 --> 00:08:45,630 Speaker 1: days and we start going to the most high, that's 157 00:08:45,670 --> 00:08:49,229 Speaker 1: what a fast is. We are setting down what isn't working, 158 00:08:49,270 --> 00:08:53,309 Speaker 1: what is temporary and ordinary and giving our full attention 159 00:08:53,370 --> 00:08:56,110 Speaker 1: to the one who is eternal and extraordinary and who 160 00:08:56,130 --> 00:09:00,850 Speaker 1: can actually be our stronghold and not become a stronghold 161 00:09:01,090 --> 00:09:01,670 Speaker 1: in our lives. 162 00:09:02,150 --> 00:09:06,329 Speaker 2: Yes, that's so true and so good. And I think 163 00:09:06,370 --> 00:09:08,730 Speaker 2: it's so important. I was going to, I don't want 164 00:09:08,750 --> 00:09:10,929 Speaker 2: to kind of like fast forward to the feast, but 165 00:09:10,950 --> 00:09:13,689 Speaker 2: like bring it in here because what's so beautiful about 166 00:09:13,730 --> 00:09:16,850 Speaker 2: your work is that you don't just focus obviously on 167 00:09:16,890 --> 00:09:18,670 Speaker 2: giving something up, but the thing that you. 168 00:09:18,590 --> 00:09:19,910 Speaker 1: Should turn to instead. 169 00:09:19,929 --> 00:09:23,219 Speaker 2: And I love the way that the books are just 170 00:09:23,250 --> 00:09:27,500 Speaker 2: a natural segue into not coping with something that is 171 00:09:27,520 --> 00:09:32,470 Speaker 2: a counterfeit comfort, but focusing on the true source of 172 00:09:32,750 --> 00:09:34,510 Speaker 2: all of the fruit of the Spirit that is going 173 00:09:34,590 --> 00:09:38,329 Speaker 2: to sustain us. You've been doing this work for a 174 00:09:38,370 --> 00:09:44,050 Speaker 2: little while now. What have you learned about fasting? What's 175 00:09:44,340 --> 00:09:45,560 Speaker 2: new and surprising to you? 176 00:09:46,080 --> 00:09:48,260 Speaker 1: You know, I think that so much of the Christian 177 00:09:48,540 --> 00:09:52,140 Speaker 1: faith isn't... Once you've been walking with Christ for a while, 178 00:09:52,700 --> 00:09:56,929 Speaker 1: it's not... Typically, sometimes it is. It's not typically new 179 00:09:56,970 --> 00:10:01,900 Speaker 1: and surprising. It's depth and surprise. It's like, oh, there 180 00:10:01,940 --> 00:10:06,440 Speaker 1: was more. There was more relationship. That is, I mean, 181 00:10:06,600 --> 00:10:10,569 Speaker 1: you know me, so you know, I love the testimonies 182 00:10:10,630 --> 00:10:14,050 Speaker 1: of people who were far from Christ, opposed to Christ, 183 00:10:14,710 --> 00:10:17,130 Speaker 1: searching out the world and all the world had to 184 00:10:17,290 --> 00:10:21,070 Speaker 1: offer to saying, wow, nothing else worked. I'm ready to 185 00:10:21,130 --> 00:10:24,470 Speaker 1: try the sugar fast because I'm obviously a sugar addict 186 00:10:24,650 --> 00:10:27,170 Speaker 1: and addicted to so many things. So what do I need? 187 00:10:27,210 --> 00:10:30,230 Speaker 1: A Bible. And then during those 40 days, they absolutely 188 00:10:30,290 --> 00:10:33,330 Speaker 1: surrender their lives to Christ. I do love that. But 189 00:10:33,350 --> 00:10:38,330 Speaker 1: the testimonies that I hear so often are, I was 190 00:10:38,390 --> 00:10:41,510 Speaker 1: raised by a pastor. I married a pastor. I lead 191 00:10:41,590 --> 00:10:47,420 Speaker 1: women's studies. I had no idea that the depth of 192 00:10:47,460 --> 00:10:52,760 Speaker 1: the intimacy of the person and relationship and word of God. 193 00:10:52,820 --> 00:10:56,210 Speaker 1: I had no idea it was this living and active 194 00:10:56,250 --> 00:10:59,570 Speaker 1: that the relationship with the Holy Spirit was this near 195 00:10:59,770 --> 00:11:02,470 Speaker 1: and available to me. And I just, oh my word, 196 00:11:02,510 --> 00:11:04,860 Speaker 1: I love him so much. And I think that that 197 00:11:05,120 --> 00:11:11,220 Speaker 1: is how most of the sanctification and growth process happens 198 00:11:11,300 --> 00:11:14,439 Speaker 1: for Christians is a, oh my word, it's so much 199 00:11:14,559 --> 00:11:18,130 Speaker 1: deeper and wider and higher and more marvelous than I 200 00:11:18,170 --> 00:11:20,290 Speaker 1: had thought. And that, so what have I learned about 201 00:11:20,330 --> 00:11:24,870 Speaker 1: fasting is fasting is the doorway through which intimacy happens 202 00:11:25,290 --> 00:11:33,640 Speaker 1: because intimacy happens when that person or that thing, that 203 00:11:33,679 --> 00:11:38,640 Speaker 1: relationship has our attention. and our affection. And if you 204 00:11:38,700 --> 00:11:40,940 Speaker 1: are taking, if your attention to get you through your 205 00:11:40,980 --> 00:11:44,530 Speaker 1: days is on what you're consuming, whether what you're drinking, 206 00:11:44,570 --> 00:11:47,090 Speaker 1: what you're eating, what you're scrolling, what you're watching, what 207 00:11:47,110 --> 00:11:50,950 Speaker 1: you're streaming, what you're buying, what you're consuming. Even if 208 00:11:51,030 --> 00:11:53,110 Speaker 1: on Sundays you go to church and for five minutes 209 00:11:53,170 --> 00:11:56,670 Speaker 1: each morning you're doing your Devo, there's more attention and 210 00:11:56,740 --> 00:11:59,960 Speaker 1: therefore more affection on the things of this world and 211 00:12:00,000 --> 00:12:02,020 Speaker 1: not the things of Christ. And so when we fast 212 00:12:02,059 --> 00:12:05,179 Speaker 1: and we say, hey, that thing I'm really, really turning to, 213 00:12:05,760 --> 00:12:08,870 Speaker 1: I'm going to set it down and start with 40 days. 214 00:12:09,710 --> 00:12:13,530 Speaker 1: My hope, my prayer in my own personal experience has 215 00:12:13,610 --> 00:12:16,740 Speaker 1: been your mind is going to be blown with the 216 00:12:16,770 --> 00:12:20,840 Speaker 1: person and the power and the intimacy of the one 217 00:12:20,880 --> 00:12:24,360 Speaker 1: you give your full attention to and your affection for 218 00:12:24,380 --> 00:12:27,210 Speaker 1: him will grow. And that's the ahas. Oh, that was 219 00:12:27,250 --> 00:12:29,829 Speaker 1: so much more. There was so much more that I 220 00:12:29,870 --> 00:12:33,960 Speaker 1: was numb to. I didn't know. And then it's just 221 00:12:34,040 --> 00:12:36,719 Speaker 1: layer after layer of repentance. I mean, if I were to, 222 00:12:36,740 --> 00:12:39,260 Speaker 1: I've been thinking, man, I'd love to write a book 223 00:12:39,360 --> 00:12:42,180 Speaker 1: on repentance, but who's going to buy it? Like nobody 224 00:12:42,200 --> 00:12:44,939 Speaker 1: really wants a book on repentance. You need a different name. 225 00:12:44,960 --> 00:12:48,750 Speaker 1: I know. And that's what Sugarfast has been. It's a 226 00:12:48,929 --> 00:12:52,910 Speaker 1: backdoor approach to the intimacy and person of Christ. Because 227 00:12:52,950 --> 00:12:56,589 Speaker 1: if I said, hey, let's really ingest more of Jesus, 228 00:12:56,830 --> 00:12:59,510 Speaker 1: it would be like, okay, we'd buy that book. But 229 00:12:59,530 --> 00:13:02,200 Speaker 1: if you say, hey, we need to stop eating and 230 00:13:02,240 --> 00:13:07,660 Speaker 1: drinking all the things that aren't healthy for us physically, spiritually, relationally, 231 00:13:08,720 --> 00:13:11,660 Speaker 1: everyone's like, I know I got problems. Oh my word, 232 00:13:12,570 --> 00:13:15,130 Speaker 1: I want to be hungry for Jesus. Then it's a 233 00:13:15,170 --> 00:13:18,790 Speaker 1: backdoor approach. But to me, the whole message has been 234 00:13:18,830 --> 00:13:22,689 Speaker 1: about repentance. It's the kindness of God that says, hey, 235 00:13:22,750 --> 00:13:24,730 Speaker 1: that thing you're turning to, that's not good for you. 236 00:13:25,309 --> 00:13:28,219 Speaker 1: I've got better. I've got more. And what you're really 237 00:13:28,270 --> 00:13:29,920 Speaker 1: looking for, I've got that. 238 00:13:30,460 --> 00:13:33,540 Speaker 2: I think when you're talking about opening the door to 239 00:13:33,600 --> 00:13:37,350 Speaker 2: like true intimacy and the depth that is available to 240 00:13:37,400 --> 00:13:40,960 Speaker 2: you there, that is something that of course, like any 241 00:13:41,020 --> 00:13:43,840 Speaker 2: coping mechanism, sugar scrolling, whatever it is, but I feel 242 00:13:43,860 --> 00:13:47,880 Speaker 2: like alcohol is a very specific culprit in that. I mean, 243 00:13:47,990 --> 00:13:51,750 Speaker 2: I couldn't do anything hungover, nothing, right? And now going 244 00:13:52,030 --> 00:13:55,270 Speaker 2: the levels of my relationship with Jesus is totally and completely, 245 00:13:55,730 --> 00:13:59,730 Speaker 2: completely different. But I just remember, I couldn't even open 246 00:13:59,750 --> 00:14:02,230 Speaker 2: my Bible. I couldn't even make it to church on 247 00:14:02,309 --> 00:14:05,620 Speaker 2: Sunday because I was so foggy, you know? So, I mean, 248 00:14:05,640 --> 00:14:07,920 Speaker 2: there was this much zero depth. 249 00:14:08,000 --> 00:14:10,530 Speaker 1: We're told over and over in God's word to be 250 00:14:10,710 --> 00:14:14,170 Speaker 1: sober minded, right? To be clear thinking. And it's hard 251 00:14:14,210 --> 00:14:16,410 Speaker 1: to be sober if you're not sober, right? You can't 252 00:14:16,450 --> 00:14:19,310 Speaker 1: be sober minded if you're actually not sober. But there 253 00:14:19,370 --> 00:14:22,390 Speaker 1: are so many things that can leave us foggy. I mean, 254 00:14:22,410 --> 00:14:25,260 Speaker 1: you've heard it called the sugar fog, right? Or the 255 00:14:25,300 --> 00:14:29,320 Speaker 1: sugar flu. And we just, we get lethargic. We get lazy. 256 00:14:29,700 --> 00:14:33,740 Speaker 1: Our coping mechanisms really do hijack us, sideswipe us, sucker 257 00:14:33,780 --> 00:14:37,780 Speaker 1: punch us. We thought they were helping until we see 258 00:14:37,860 --> 00:14:40,800 Speaker 1: how much they were hurting. Sugar, of course, and alcohol. 259 00:14:40,820 --> 00:14:43,230 Speaker 1: You can oftentimes look at your body and go, oh, 260 00:14:43,490 --> 00:14:45,770 Speaker 1: this is doing damage to me. You can look at 261 00:14:45,810 --> 00:14:49,450 Speaker 1: your relationships even and say, oh, This isn't helping relationships. 262 00:14:50,030 --> 00:14:52,170 Speaker 1: So the follow-up to that, I mean, it went triggers 263 00:14:52,230 --> 00:14:54,150 Speaker 1: and then it went sugar fast. And then I said, 264 00:14:54,170 --> 00:14:57,130 Speaker 1: so what else? Because God never asked us for our sugar. 265 00:14:57,150 --> 00:15:01,130 Speaker 1: He really didn't even ask us for our alcohol. It's 266 00:15:01,200 --> 00:15:03,520 Speaker 1: getting in the way of intimacy. So he says, so 267 00:15:03,560 --> 00:15:06,240 Speaker 1: what else is there? And I say in the sugar fast, 268 00:15:06,260 --> 00:15:08,710 Speaker 1: and I've said to you before, Sugar was just like 269 00:15:08,830 --> 00:15:11,989 Speaker 1: the back door. And we invited him into our lives again. 270 00:15:12,030 --> 00:15:13,870 Speaker 1: He came through the sugar door. He took a look 271 00:15:13,910 --> 00:15:16,230 Speaker 1: around and he said, okay, thanks for the sugar. But 272 00:15:16,270 --> 00:15:19,109 Speaker 1: what I really want is everything. I want you. I 273 00:15:19,130 --> 00:15:21,570 Speaker 1: want a living sacrifice, not a sugar sacrifice, not an 274 00:15:21,690 --> 00:15:26,150 Speaker 1: alcohol sacrifice. I want you. And so I said in 275 00:15:26,210 --> 00:15:29,550 Speaker 1: our community, what else is there? What else are you 276 00:15:29,630 --> 00:15:32,090 Speaker 1: turning to in lieu of turning to him to get 277 00:15:32,110 --> 00:15:37,290 Speaker 1: you through your days? And in mass, it was my phone. 278 00:15:38,220 --> 00:15:40,970 Speaker 1: It's my devices. And I love that, that we call 279 00:15:40,990 --> 00:15:44,530 Speaker 1: them our devices because they're divisive. They are dividing us 280 00:15:44,930 --> 00:15:47,810 Speaker 1: from intimacy with Christ. They are dividing us from that 281 00:15:47,830 --> 00:15:51,190 Speaker 1: time in the word. And then I said to my 282 00:15:51,590 --> 00:15:55,650 Speaker 1: ministry assistant, Jen, I said, okay, Jen, one more book. 283 00:15:55,710 --> 00:15:57,510 Speaker 1: If I had one more book in me, what would 284 00:15:57,530 --> 00:15:59,860 Speaker 1: it be? What do you want me to write for 285 00:15:59,920 --> 00:16:04,200 Speaker 1: you and for our community? And she said, Wendy, when 286 00:16:04,320 --> 00:16:08,790 Speaker 1: we are fasting, we are feasting on God's word. You've 287 00:16:08,870 --> 00:16:11,109 Speaker 1: used that language and we're actually doing it because you're 288 00:16:11,170 --> 00:16:16,080 Speaker 1: feeding us. Can you teach us to feed ourselves so 289 00:16:16,100 --> 00:16:18,739 Speaker 1: that when our fasting days are through, our feasting days 290 00:16:18,760 --> 00:16:21,080 Speaker 1: don't come to an end? And so I followed it 291 00:16:21,220 --> 00:16:25,840 Speaker 1: up with the 40-day feast. And it really is 40 292 00:16:25,840 --> 00:16:30,550 Speaker 1: days of not only why we should ingest God's word, 293 00:16:30,670 --> 00:16:34,430 Speaker 1: why it's good, why it's satisfying, why it's sweet, but 294 00:16:34,470 --> 00:16:38,490 Speaker 1: some of the how-to, how do we do it. And 295 00:16:38,540 --> 00:16:41,830 Speaker 1: so that was the last book I wrote until this month. 296 00:16:42,110 --> 00:16:45,730 Speaker 1: And so just in the process of releasing this. And again, 297 00:16:45,750 --> 00:16:49,510 Speaker 1: it's just amazing how God has me on a journey. 298 00:16:49,970 --> 00:16:53,290 Speaker 1: And I just happened to be recording it and writing 299 00:16:53,330 --> 00:16:56,450 Speaker 1: it down and publishing it. That is just one lesson 300 00:16:56,850 --> 00:16:58,190 Speaker 1: that's building upon another. 301 00:16:58,210 --> 00:17:02,350 Speaker 2: Yeah, so, so good. We'll be back right after a 302 00:17:02,410 --> 00:17:04,929 Speaker 2: quick word from our sponsors. just going to pause us 303 00:17:04,970 --> 00:17:09,710 Speaker 2: for one second to remind you that the October Love 304 00:17:09,750 --> 00:17:13,010 Speaker 2: Life Sober 40-Day Fast is right around the corner. We 305 00:17:13,050 --> 00:17:16,290 Speaker 2: officially kick off on October 5th. And if you've been 306 00:17:16,330 --> 00:17:18,879 Speaker 2: listening to this podcast for a while or reading your 307 00:17:18,910 --> 00:17:21,899 Speaker 2: copy of Love Life Sober and watching from the sidelines 308 00:17:21,980 --> 00:17:24,199 Speaker 2: and thinking, I know I need to do something, but 309 00:17:24,220 --> 00:17:25,340 Speaker 2: I have no idea. 310 00:17:25,140 --> 00:17:25,680 Speaker 1: Where to start. 311 00:17:26,140 --> 00:17:30,399 Speaker 2: That is exactly why I created this coached 40-Day Fast. 312 00:17:31,119 --> 00:17:33,430 Speaker 2: I'm not asking you to decide on forever. I'm I'm 313 00:17:33,470 --> 00:17:37,170 Speaker 2: just asking you to give yourself 40 days. 40 days 314 00:17:37,190 --> 00:17:40,149 Speaker 2: to get really curious about the role alcohol is playing 315 00:17:40,210 --> 00:17:43,140 Speaker 2: in your life. 40 days to experience what it feels 316 00:17:43,180 --> 00:17:45,619 Speaker 2: like to wake up without regret or anxiety about the 317 00:17:45,660 --> 00:17:49,020 Speaker 2: night before. 40 days to notice your sleep, your energy, 318 00:17:49,060 --> 00:17:51,979 Speaker 2: your relationships, your thoughts, and maybe even your relationship with 319 00:17:52,000 --> 00:17:55,780 Speaker 2: God when alcohol is no longer taking up so much space. 320 00:17:56,510 --> 00:17:58,650 Speaker 1: And you are absolutely not doing this alone. 321 00:17:59,090 --> 00:18:02,020 Speaker 2: We'll be walking together through my bestselling book, Love Life Sober, 322 00:18:02,080 --> 00:18:05,220 Speaker 2: day by day, and you'll have access to four live 323 00:18:05,300 --> 00:18:08,460 Speaker 2: coaching calls every single week with me and my incredible 324 00:18:08,500 --> 00:18:11,740 Speaker 2: team of coaches, Reena, Maureen, and Susan. And if you 325 00:18:11,800 --> 00:18:14,180 Speaker 2: can't make those coaching calls live, we're going to record 326 00:18:14,220 --> 00:18:17,590 Speaker 2: them for you and pop them in your private community space. 327 00:18:18,050 --> 00:18:21,550 Speaker 2: You'll have access to that completely private space inside the 328 00:18:21,590 --> 00:18:24,750 Speaker 2: Love Life Sober community filled with other women, doing these 329 00:18:24,750 --> 00:18:28,590 Speaker 2: 40 days right alongside you women who get it women 330 00:18:28,630 --> 00:18:31,410 Speaker 2: you can be completely honest with women who are going 331 00:18:31,430 --> 00:18:34,100 Speaker 2: to celebrate the wins with you and remind you why 332 00:18:34,160 --> 00:18:37,460 Speaker 2: you started on the harder days and the community piece 333 00:18:37,520 --> 00:18:40,240 Speaker 2: of this is so important because so many of us 334 00:18:40,280 --> 00:18:43,090 Speaker 2: have tried to do this quietly and by ourselves You 335 00:18:43,130 --> 00:18:45,550 Speaker 2: don't have to do that anymore. 40 days is long 336 00:18:45,609 --> 00:18:48,970 Speaker 2: enough to experience real change, but short enough to feel possible. 337 00:18:49,330 --> 00:18:51,629 Speaker 2: If there is even a tiny voice inside you saying, 338 00:18:51,880 --> 00:18:54,639 Speaker 2: maybe this is my time, maybe you should listen to her. 339 00:18:55,100 --> 00:18:58,939 Speaker 2: The Love Life Sober 40-Day Alcohol Fast begins October 5th, 340 00:18:59,380 --> 00:19:02,100 Speaker 2: and I would absolutely love to meet you and walk 341 00:19:02,140 --> 00:19:04,310 Speaker 2: these 40 days with you. Head to the link in 342 00:19:04,330 --> 00:19:06,550 Speaker 2: the show notes to get all the details. I cannot 343 00:19:06,590 --> 00:19:07,909 Speaker 2: wait to see what God is going to do in 344 00:19:07,950 --> 00:19:10,930 Speaker 2: these 40 days. Okay, let's get back to today's conversation. 345 00:19:11,460 --> 00:19:13,220 Speaker 2: Before we get into the new book, because I think 346 00:19:13,260 --> 00:19:16,550 Speaker 2: when we're talking about fasting from something, there is often 347 00:19:16,590 --> 00:19:19,989 Speaker 2: that learning to sit in the discomfort, especially, I mean, 348 00:19:20,010 --> 00:19:22,470 Speaker 2: with all of the things, sugar, alcohol, scrolling, all of 349 00:19:22,490 --> 00:19:26,590 Speaker 2: the things, they're sitting in that discomfort. And you're not 350 00:19:26,710 --> 00:19:29,850 Speaker 2: even sure if that like intimacy is possible for you 351 00:19:29,930 --> 00:19:34,480 Speaker 2: on the other side, because the discomfort feels so incredibly overwhelming. 352 00:19:35,000 --> 00:19:38,179 Speaker 2: And you wonder maybe if this is like, even possible 353 00:19:38,240 --> 00:19:40,230 Speaker 2: for you? Like, what would you say to that gal 354 00:19:40,250 --> 00:19:42,830 Speaker 2: who's like, Wendy, I hear you, but I'm sitting in 355 00:19:42,869 --> 00:19:44,730 Speaker 2: the suck, as we say in the community. 356 00:19:45,270 --> 00:19:49,040 Speaker 1: Sitting in the sack. That's great. First of all, it's 357 00:19:49,100 --> 00:19:52,919 Speaker 1: not possible. Like it's just not possible in our flesh. 358 00:19:53,320 --> 00:19:58,379 Speaker 1: Our flesh wants them. Our flesh wants relief. Yes. So 359 00:19:58,400 --> 00:20:02,990 Speaker 1: what's not possible naturally is possible supernaturally. And there is 360 00:20:03,070 --> 00:20:07,510 Speaker 1: something supernatural about fasting. And so is it possible to 361 00:20:07,550 --> 00:20:11,570 Speaker 1: fast in your flesh? Well, that's a diet or that's 362 00:20:11,590 --> 00:20:15,870 Speaker 1: a detox. Is it possible to experience real and lasting 363 00:20:15,990 --> 00:20:20,320 Speaker 1: transformation when you're sitting in the sack? Well, some people do, 364 00:20:20,440 --> 00:20:24,229 Speaker 1: I guess, right? Some people... break free. But even when 365 00:20:24,260 --> 00:20:26,340 Speaker 1: you're looking to the 12 steps, I mean, it's so 366 00:20:26,540 --> 00:20:31,580 Speaker 1: rooted in the help of a supernatural, not a natural power. 367 00:20:32,240 --> 00:20:38,340 Speaker 1: And so even non-Christians have found natural nature, my ability, 368 00:20:38,460 --> 00:20:42,170 Speaker 1: my flesh can't get it done. Supernatural is what I need. 369 00:20:42,730 --> 00:20:46,469 Speaker 1: And so just to affirm, you're not alone. You don't suck. 370 00:20:46,750 --> 00:20:51,470 Speaker 1: It sucks. It's hard for everyone. So fasting isn't just 371 00:20:51,570 --> 00:20:56,020 Speaker 1: setting down something temporary and ordinary so you can feast 372 00:20:56,080 --> 00:20:58,280 Speaker 1: on the one who is eternal and extraordinary. It is 373 00:20:58,640 --> 00:21:01,639 Speaker 1: setting down what doesn't work so the one who does 374 00:21:01,740 --> 00:21:05,460 Speaker 1: work can help you lift your chin and lift your 375 00:21:05,680 --> 00:21:09,419 Speaker 1: eyes and lift your attention and therefore grow your affection 376 00:21:09,500 --> 00:21:13,900 Speaker 1: for him. Whether it's sugar and you just, you feel 377 00:21:14,060 --> 00:21:17,619 Speaker 1: sick and you are going to, or it's alcohol and 378 00:21:17,640 --> 00:21:19,879 Speaker 1: you feel sick And you're going to, and you might 379 00:21:19,940 --> 00:21:24,760 Speaker 1: even need to go somewhere to help through that initial 380 00:21:24,820 --> 00:21:31,270 Speaker 1: stage because you're so sick physically. It is possible. You know, 381 00:21:31,530 --> 00:21:35,690 Speaker 1: so many people even tattoo it on their bodies. With Christ, 382 00:21:35,750 --> 00:21:38,600 Speaker 1: all things are possible. And this is, that is what 383 00:21:38,619 --> 00:21:42,659 Speaker 1: fasting is. This isn't just a in your strength. If 384 00:21:42,700 --> 00:21:46,500 Speaker 1: you don't intend to do this, it won't ever happen. 385 00:21:46,920 --> 00:21:50,240 Speaker 1: You have to really, really want it, willing to say, hey, God, 386 00:21:50,260 --> 00:21:53,340 Speaker 1: this is going to hurt. But I believe that you 387 00:21:53,619 --> 00:21:58,060 Speaker 1: are Emmanuel, God with me, that you came before me, 388 00:21:58,100 --> 00:22:01,810 Speaker 1: that you felt the full spectrum of human pain, which 389 00:22:01,910 --> 00:22:05,270 Speaker 1: is hard to imagine. And I don't need to bypass 390 00:22:05,930 --> 00:22:08,590 Speaker 1: any of this. I can sit in the discomfort. I 391 00:22:08,630 --> 00:22:10,910 Speaker 1: can sit in the illness. I can I can sit 392 00:22:10,950 --> 00:22:14,590 Speaker 1: in the trembling and the pain of it with you 393 00:22:14,650 --> 00:22:17,210 Speaker 1: because you are a man of sorrows who has been 394 00:22:17,250 --> 00:22:20,490 Speaker 1: acquainted with grief. And I don't need to sit in shame. 395 00:22:20,510 --> 00:22:23,450 Speaker 1: I just need to take hold of you because with you, 396 00:22:23,510 --> 00:22:24,150 Speaker 1: it's possible. 397 00:22:24,530 --> 00:22:28,920 Speaker 2: Which is why resources like yours, and I mean, I 398 00:22:28,960 --> 00:22:33,040 Speaker 2: will say mine humbly, are so important because the world 399 00:22:33,119 --> 00:22:35,520 Speaker 2: is screaming at us that we can do all of 400 00:22:35,560 --> 00:22:38,899 Speaker 2: this on our own, right? Pull yourself up by your bootstraps. 401 00:22:39,690 --> 00:22:44,909 Speaker 2: get stronger, dig into willpower. It's just baloney. 402 00:22:45,790 --> 00:22:48,790 Speaker 1: Baloney. How often do we get to say that's baloney? 403 00:22:48,850 --> 00:22:52,130 Speaker 2: That is just baloney. I call my daughter baloney sandwich 404 00:22:52,190 --> 00:22:56,570 Speaker 2: because she's full of baloney most days. And she got 405 00:22:56,590 --> 00:22:58,510 Speaker 2: that nickname when she was little and she's 16 and 406 00:22:58,550 --> 00:23:00,270 Speaker 2: she probably hates it now, but that's okay. 407 00:23:00,830 --> 00:23:01,929 Speaker 1: That's funny. I like it. 408 00:23:02,450 --> 00:23:05,530 Speaker 2: So I'm actually really curious because I feel like I 409 00:23:05,550 --> 00:23:09,690 Speaker 2: get the question, like, what if I fail or... Let's 410 00:23:09,730 --> 00:23:12,530 Speaker 2: say you go a stretch of a few days, you know, 411 00:23:12,550 --> 00:23:14,620 Speaker 2: a week or 10 days, and then you have alcohol 412 00:23:14,630 --> 00:23:18,520 Speaker 2: and you're like, I failed, right? And I have to 413 00:23:18,580 --> 00:23:22,100 Speaker 2: start over, which is, again, I feel like such worldly 414 00:23:22,400 --> 00:23:26,260 Speaker 2: ideas and concept when we think of sanctification as a 415 00:23:26,300 --> 00:23:27,320 Speaker 2: lifetime journey. 416 00:23:27,960 --> 00:23:31,020 Speaker 1: First of all, lamentations. I mean, God's mercies are new 417 00:23:31,619 --> 00:23:34,719 Speaker 1: every morning. You're not going to out sin his grace. 418 00:23:35,100 --> 00:23:37,100 Speaker 1: You're just not going to. You're not going to out 419 00:23:37,220 --> 00:23:41,020 Speaker 1: fail his mercies. You're not going to hit that day 420 00:23:41,060 --> 00:23:45,760 Speaker 1: where he's like, and I'm out. Now, he might say, 421 00:23:46,119 --> 00:23:49,679 Speaker 1: if we just keep doing it, there's a passage in 422 00:23:49,720 --> 00:23:54,350 Speaker 1: the Bible about sexual immorality. And we're told he gave 423 00:23:54,420 --> 00:23:58,990 Speaker 1: them over to their lusts. Like he's like, I'm wooing you. 424 00:23:59,090 --> 00:24:01,850 Speaker 1: I'm the hound of heaven. I'm here for you. I've 425 00:24:01,890 --> 00:24:05,590 Speaker 1: got help. I'm living. I'm active. I'm powerful. I'm with me. 426 00:24:05,650 --> 00:24:09,180 Speaker 1: This is possible. You don't want it. So he gives 427 00:24:09,240 --> 00:24:12,030 Speaker 1: them over. And I don't think that's so much a, 428 00:24:12,230 --> 00:24:15,250 Speaker 1: and now you can't have me. It's a, you really, 429 00:24:15,330 --> 00:24:19,369 Speaker 1: really want this? You really want this? Well, then you're 430 00:24:19,390 --> 00:24:21,869 Speaker 1: going to have to feel the weight of the consequences 431 00:24:22,050 --> 00:24:26,940 Speaker 1: of this. And even that is the kindness of God 432 00:24:27,600 --> 00:24:30,300 Speaker 1: that leads us ultimately or has the power to lead 433 00:24:30,359 --> 00:24:33,680 Speaker 1: us ultimately to repentance. And repentance is just a turning 434 00:24:33,740 --> 00:24:35,639 Speaker 1: around and coming to him, the one who wanted us 435 00:24:35,680 --> 00:24:38,240 Speaker 1: to come to him from the start. So there's that, 436 00:24:38,260 --> 00:24:40,480 Speaker 1: like mercies of God are new every morning. 437 00:24:41,070 --> 00:24:41,460 Speaker 2: Yeah. 438 00:24:41,619 --> 00:24:43,650 Speaker 1: But a day might come where he's like, hey, you 439 00:24:43,730 --> 00:24:47,949 Speaker 1: are rejecting my new morning mercies. Give that a try. 440 00:24:48,330 --> 00:24:53,310 Speaker 1: And he steps back, not leaving, not forsaking, but saying, 441 00:24:53,369 --> 00:24:56,389 Speaker 1: if that's really what you want, this is free will. 442 00:24:56,750 --> 00:25:00,980 Speaker 1: And I've learned raising and now launching young adults, not 443 00:25:01,020 --> 00:25:04,990 Speaker 1: just kiddos and not just the early teen years, I'm realizing, 444 00:25:05,010 --> 00:25:10,560 Speaker 1: oh my word, I understand now the dignity of free will. 445 00:25:10,910 --> 00:25:14,900 Speaker 1: Like God says, I want you to honor and obey me. 446 00:25:15,220 --> 00:25:17,360 Speaker 1: And I want my children to honor and obey God. 447 00:25:17,780 --> 00:25:22,979 Speaker 1: He gave them the dignity of autonomy to choose him 448 00:25:23,040 --> 00:25:25,550 Speaker 1: or reject him. And he's given that to us as well. 449 00:25:25,960 --> 00:25:29,130 Speaker 1: And so it's actually a very respectful, hey, do you 450 00:25:29,270 --> 00:25:33,030 Speaker 1: want that thing that's doing damage to you? more than 451 00:25:33,330 --> 00:25:36,389 Speaker 1: you want me. I've given you the free will to 452 00:25:36,430 --> 00:25:40,570 Speaker 1: choose that, but I'm here. I just think there's so 453 00:25:40,770 --> 00:25:44,150 Speaker 1: much for us to learn about the kindness and grace 454 00:25:44,210 --> 00:25:47,669 Speaker 1: and invitation of Christ when we feel like, man, I 455 00:25:47,790 --> 00:25:50,550 Speaker 1: screwed up again. You're not going to out sin God. 456 00:25:50,990 --> 00:25:54,570 Speaker 1: You can't out sin his grace. It's possible that my pastor, 457 00:25:55,030 --> 00:25:57,760 Speaker 1: Matt Chandler, said that. You can't out sin his grace. 458 00:25:58,150 --> 00:26:00,960 Speaker 1: You can't out sin his mercy. You just can't do it. 459 00:26:01,540 --> 00:26:04,060 Speaker 1: Try as you might. And then the other thought that 460 00:26:04,119 --> 00:26:06,860 Speaker 1: I had was, what if you go seven days without alcohol? 461 00:26:07,200 --> 00:26:10,000 Speaker 1: I'm reminded of the verse and I sang it into memory. 462 00:26:10,500 --> 00:26:13,840 Speaker 1: Better is one day in your courts than thousands elsewhere. 463 00:26:14,440 --> 00:26:20,780 Speaker 1: If you experienced a sobriety, not just physical alcohol sobriety, 464 00:26:20,840 --> 00:26:24,320 Speaker 1: but like a mental clarity that, God, you have more 465 00:26:24,359 --> 00:26:27,700 Speaker 1: for me. You are the more for me. And you 466 00:26:28,090 --> 00:26:32,760 Speaker 1: experienced the more. in his courts and his presence for 467 00:26:32,800 --> 00:26:37,119 Speaker 1: a few days, better is that than a thousand in 468 00:26:37,160 --> 00:26:40,680 Speaker 1: the bottle. And so I would just like to celebrate 469 00:26:40,720 --> 00:26:44,169 Speaker 1: with you. You got that time with him. And I 470 00:26:44,290 --> 00:26:47,310 Speaker 1: pray specifically that you want more of it. And it 471 00:26:47,430 --> 00:26:51,090 Speaker 1: is that, well, in the 40-day feast, we use a 472 00:26:51,170 --> 00:26:53,690 Speaker 1: lot the scripture, taste and see that the Lord is good. 473 00:26:54,010 --> 00:26:56,210 Speaker 1: If you have tasted and seen for just a couple 474 00:26:56,250 --> 00:26:58,369 Speaker 1: of days, the goodness of God and the land of 475 00:26:58,410 --> 00:27:03,070 Speaker 1: the living, And you've awakened a hunger for more of that. 476 00:27:03,420 --> 00:27:06,790 Speaker 1: But in your flesh, in your natural woman, in your 477 00:27:06,830 --> 00:27:09,629 Speaker 1: natural man, you just can't do it. But you've got 478 00:27:09,670 --> 00:27:13,070 Speaker 1: the hunger now. Isn't that worth celebrating? I mean, I 479 00:27:13,250 --> 00:27:14,570 Speaker 1: celebrate that with you. 480 00:27:14,990 --> 00:27:19,640 Speaker 2: Yes, 100%. I always say don't stop the clock, right? 481 00:27:19,680 --> 00:27:23,300 Speaker 2: If you're counting just... start from wherever day you were 482 00:27:23,359 --> 00:27:27,020 Speaker 2: and keep going like you would never ever I don't 483 00:27:27,040 --> 00:27:28,540 Speaker 2: run a marathon I don't run marathons I don't run 484 00:27:28,820 --> 00:27:32,260 Speaker 2: but I would never if I would think right collapse 485 00:27:32,320 --> 00:27:34,719 Speaker 2: on a marathon and go back right you just wouldn't 486 00:27:34,940 --> 00:27:38,870 Speaker 2: right right and this is a lifetime a lifetime journey 487 00:27:38,930 --> 00:27:41,710 Speaker 2: it's not just a surprise it's not just a 40-day 488 00:27:41,750 --> 00:27:45,290 Speaker 2: fast right it's a lifetime. 489 00:27:45,330 --> 00:27:46,830 Speaker 1: Well, and I think so much of you've got to 490 00:27:46,869 --> 00:27:48,770 Speaker 1: get the same emails that I get is I made 491 00:27:48,790 --> 00:27:51,310 Speaker 1: it today, you know, 12. And so should I start 492 00:27:51,350 --> 00:27:53,770 Speaker 1: at the beginning of the book again? It's what they want, right? 493 00:27:54,650 --> 00:27:57,190 Speaker 1: Just keep going. You're right. Let's not go to the 494 00:27:57,230 --> 00:28:01,310 Speaker 1: starting line, even if you're starting over. And that's the 495 00:28:01,350 --> 00:28:04,810 Speaker 1: sanctifying life with Christ. Like he doesn't take us back 496 00:28:04,930 --> 00:28:07,770 Speaker 1: to our Sunday school class. Now he might take us 497 00:28:07,830 --> 00:28:10,449 Speaker 1: back to the milk. He might take us back to 498 00:28:10,470 --> 00:28:13,950 Speaker 1: the simplicity of the gospel, but we don't start over 499 00:28:14,410 --> 00:28:18,669 Speaker 1: in our life with him. Actually, in that umpteenth time 500 00:28:18,730 --> 00:28:23,179 Speaker 1: that he picks us, the maturity actually starts coming. It 501 00:28:23,240 --> 00:28:25,510 Speaker 1: wasn't the first time of it. I mean, that might 502 00:28:25,530 --> 00:28:28,570 Speaker 1: have been the thing that made us right before the 503 00:28:28,609 --> 00:28:32,700 Speaker 1: Father and have access to his presence in heaven forever. 504 00:28:33,359 --> 00:28:37,180 Speaker 1: But experiencing the abundant life of his presence here and now, 505 00:28:37,380 --> 00:28:40,020 Speaker 1: it sometimes is that 17th day where we fail. And 506 00:28:40,060 --> 00:28:42,200 Speaker 1: he's like, and now I want you to know the 507 00:28:42,220 --> 00:28:44,160 Speaker 1: power of my resurrection. Yes. 508 00:28:44,720 --> 00:28:47,220 Speaker 2: Think about how many times you go back to a 509 00:28:47,270 --> 00:28:50,870 Speaker 2: verse and it completely means something different because of what 510 00:28:50,890 --> 00:28:51,590 Speaker 2: you've walked through. 511 00:28:52,230 --> 00:28:54,660 Speaker 1: Yeah, I get it. Yes, it's an aha, but it's 512 00:28:54,780 --> 00:29:01,000 Speaker 1: also just this depth of, oh, aha. Like, aha makes 513 00:29:01,080 --> 00:29:04,320 Speaker 1: it sound like it's an intellectual, but drop your voice, 514 00:29:04,480 --> 00:29:07,960 Speaker 1: like drop it into your belly and go, aha. You know, 515 00:29:08,040 --> 00:29:11,100 Speaker 1: it's just a different, it's a lived lesson, not just 516 00:29:11,140 --> 00:29:12,620 Speaker 1: a learned message. 517 00:29:13,260 --> 00:29:16,010 Speaker 2: Yeah. I heard someone say it, call it cellular knowing. 518 00:29:16,290 --> 00:29:18,540 Speaker 2: And I thought that was So good. It's like you 519 00:29:18,600 --> 00:29:21,680 Speaker 2: know it in your soul, in your bones, in your cells, 520 00:29:21,960 --> 00:29:23,320 Speaker 2: like that it is true. 521 00:29:23,340 --> 00:29:26,870 Speaker 1: Yes. I've been using that lately, this idea of my 522 00:29:26,940 --> 00:29:29,650 Speaker 1: cells know. Yeah, it is a cellular knowing. I like that. 523 00:29:30,110 --> 00:29:33,970 Speaker 2: We'll be back right after a quick word from our sponsors. Okay, 524 00:29:34,090 --> 00:29:35,610 Speaker 2: tell us about your. 525 00:29:35,470 --> 00:29:39,450 Speaker 1: Brand new book. I'm so excited. Well, it's funny. I 526 00:29:39,550 --> 00:29:42,950 Speaker 1: am excited. to finally be launching it, but it was 527 00:29:43,010 --> 00:29:45,090 Speaker 1: not a joy to write. I mean, and if you 528 00:29:45,150 --> 00:29:48,280 Speaker 1: look at my track record of triggers, like let's talk 529 00:29:48,320 --> 00:29:52,300 Speaker 1: about mommy anger. Who wants to be that person? Not me. 530 00:29:52,860 --> 00:29:55,000 Speaker 1: I'd like to say, hey, do what I do. And 531 00:29:55,040 --> 00:29:58,800 Speaker 1: you too can be, you know, healthy, wealthy and Have 532 00:29:58,820 --> 00:30:00,660 Speaker 1: the joy of the Lord at all times. And your 533 00:30:00,700 --> 00:30:03,480 Speaker 1: kids will all grow to love and know the Lord 534 00:30:03,680 --> 00:30:06,610 Speaker 1: and desire to have a healthy relationship with you. Very 535 00:30:06,660 --> 00:30:08,770 Speaker 1: few of us are that person. And honestly, if we were, 536 00:30:08,890 --> 00:30:11,690 Speaker 1: who would want to read that book? Right. Not me. 537 00:30:11,890 --> 00:30:14,130 Speaker 1: I mean, maybe before I had the child, I would 538 00:30:14,170 --> 00:30:18,730 Speaker 1: pick up that book. But then life. So I've written 539 00:30:18,770 --> 00:30:21,410 Speaker 1: a book on mommy anger. I've written a book on addiction, 540 00:30:21,470 --> 00:30:25,400 Speaker 1: for goodness sakes. And this book was harder. It is 541 00:30:25,420 --> 00:30:29,080 Speaker 1: the hardest book I've ever written. Because really at its core, 542 00:30:29,240 --> 00:30:32,050 Speaker 1: it is about how do I persevere in praising God 543 00:30:32,090 --> 00:30:35,130 Speaker 1: when I'm barely persevering in life? So the book is 544 00:30:35,190 --> 00:30:39,650 Speaker 1: called A Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving. And instead of 545 00:30:39,650 --> 00:30:42,870 Speaker 1: 40 days, it's 30 days of rejoicing in God's goodness. 546 00:30:43,250 --> 00:30:44,830 Speaker 1: And how do we do that? How do we tell 547 00:30:44,890 --> 00:30:47,730 Speaker 1: God that he's good when life feels, well, not good? 548 00:30:47,790 --> 00:30:50,210 Speaker 1: You know, it feels awful. That's the season I was 549 00:30:50,470 --> 00:30:53,310 Speaker 1: in when I was writing this book. I was not 550 00:30:53,470 --> 00:30:56,890 Speaker 1: persevering in life well. I didn't give up my faith. 551 00:30:57,610 --> 00:31:03,070 Speaker 1: the object of my faith, Christ. I just, how could 552 00:31:03,290 --> 00:31:06,560 Speaker 1: I tell him he was good when the whole life 553 00:31:06,640 --> 00:31:11,260 Speaker 1: was falling apart? So I pushed back the writing of 554 00:31:11,300 --> 00:31:14,940 Speaker 1: this book for about three years. The editing was hard. 555 00:31:15,440 --> 00:31:18,960 Speaker 1: The launching was hard. The living, the learning, all of 556 00:31:19,060 --> 00:31:23,450 Speaker 1: it was so difficult. It's definitely the most raw I've 557 00:31:23,490 --> 00:31:27,070 Speaker 1: been in a book, but man, it is in our weakness. 558 00:31:27,890 --> 00:31:30,970 Speaker 1: that his strength is made manifest in our lives and 559 00:31:31,010 --> 00:31:36,570 Speaker 1: hopefully manifest in the writing of this book. However, my hope, 560 00:31:36,630 --> 00:31:40,330 Speaker 1: and I really worked hard with the editorial team at W, 561 00:31:41,090 --> 00:31:43,170 Speaker 1: my hope is that this is a book that will 562 00:31:43,210 --> 00:31:47,620 Speaker 1: resonate with people that are just, you know, distracted by 563 00:31:47,640 --> 00:31:50,080 Speaker 1: their many things and struggling to bless the name of 564 00:31:50,100 --> 00:31:53,060 Speaker 1: the Lord and continue rejoicing in his goodness because they're 565 00:31:53,080 --> 00:31:56,660 Speaker 1: just distracted by the goodness of God. But really at 566 00:31:56,740 --> 00:32:03,000 Speaker 1: its core, It is a fight, a radical fight to 567 00:32:03,280 --> 00:32:05,700 Speaker 1: rejoice in God's goodness when life doesn't feel good. 568 00:32:06,680 --> 00:32:09,070 Speaker 2: Oh my gosh, I cannot wait to read it. When 569 00:32:09,090 --> 00:32:09,680 Speaker 2: does it come out? 570 00:32:10,050 --> 00:32:13,370 Speaker 1: September 1st. So by the time we release this, but 571 00:32:13,430 --> 00:32:16,410 Speaker 1: it'll be available in all the places. And there's a 572 00:32:16,450 --> 00:32:20,670 Speaker 1: chapter that I think is really pertinent to this conversation. 573 00:32:21,250 --> 00:32:26,020 Speaker 1: And it's called Spiritual Bypass, A Warning. That is that 574 00:32:26,780 --> 00:32:32,740 Speaker 1: our tendency... oftentimes as Christians is to put a Bible 575 00:32:32,800 --> 00:32:36,060 Speaker 1: verse around it, wrap it up like a tourniquet and 576 00:32:36,140 --> 00:32:41,090 Speaker 1: go on, you know, still dripping blood instead of really 577 00:32:41,140 --> 00:32:45,670 Speaker 1: addressing the core wound and sitting with the Lord. So 578 00:32:45,730 --> 00:32:47,310 Speaker 1: I say, let's not do that. I mean, we're not 579 00:32:47,370 --> 00:32:50,350 Speaker 1: rejoicing in God's goodness. God is good all the time. 580 00:32:50,410 --> 00:32:53,250 Speaker 1: All the time. God is good. It's true. And we want, 581 00:32:53,470 --> 00:32:56,140 Speaker 1: we want to live from that place. but we don't 582 00:32:56,180 --> 00:32:59,540 Speaker 1: want to live from that place as a way to 583 00:32:59,580 --> 00:33:02,860 Speaker 1: deny the reality of how hard it is. And I 584 00:33:02,900 --> 00:33:07,330 Speaker 1: think often of Jesus taking the time to weep. And 585 00:33:08,270 --> 00:33:11,670 Speaker 1: that famous shortest verse of the Bible is Jesus wept. 586 00:33:12,650 --> 00:33:19,070 Speaker 1: And I'm astounded, Christy, that he did that right before 587 00:33:19,110 --> 00:33:22,110 Speaker 1: performing the miracle of his friend's resurrection. Like, why did 588 00:33:22,470 --> 00:33:26,340 Speaker 1: he take the time To experience the depth of his 589 00:33:26,440 --> 00:33:31,660 Speaker 1: sorrow over Lazarus dying. Why would he weep with his friends? 590 00:33:32,220 --> 00:33:34,360 Speaker 1: He knew he was about to say, hey, Lazarus, come 591 00:33:34,440 --> 00:33:37,820 Speaker 1: on out. Yeah. Then he wept in the garden before 592 00:33:37,880 --> 00:33:41,580 Speaker 1: his own sacrificial death, knowing that three days later he 593 00:33:41,620 --> 00:33:43,840 Speaker 1: was going to rise again. Why take the time to 594 00:33:43,860 --> 00:33:48,180 Speaker 1: sit in the pain of it? Because he was identifying 595 00:33:48,540 --> 00:33:50,580 Speaker 1: with us in the pain of ours. And yet what 596 00:33:50,620 --> 00:33:53,260 Speaker 1: do we do? One, we bypass it with all the pretties. 597 00:33:54,010 --> 00:33:56,709 Speaker 1: And all the Bible verses, you know, God works all 598 00:33:56,730 --> 00:33:58,540 Speaker 1: things together for good for those who love him and 599 00:33:58,580 --> 00:34:02,560 Speaker 1: are called according to his purposes. Yes, it's true. He does. 600 00:34:03,520 --> 00:34:07,880 Speaker 1: But in the process, there's so much pain. There's so 601 00:34:07,960 --> 00:34:12,880 Speaker 1: much pain. So that's a warning. But also the warning 602 00:34:13,080 --> 00:34:18,439 Speaker 1: for us is let's not take that pain to something else, 603 00:34:18,880 --> 00:34:22,100 Speaker 1: whether it's drinking, what we're watching, what we're consuming in 604 00:34:22,219 --> 00:34:27,180 Speaker 1: any way. Let's bring what is bad to the one 605 00:34:27,320 --> 00:34:30,400 Speaker 1: who is good. And he will sit in the bad 606 00:34:30,500 --> 00:34:34,020 Speaker 1: with us. He will not leave us. He will not 607 00:34:34,060 --> 00:34:38,900 Speaker 1: forsake us. He will redeem us and all of our suffering. 608 00:34:39,480 --> 00:34:43,779 Speaker 1: And he experienced it all first. He is good. So 609 00:34:43,820 --> 00:34:46,700 Speaker 1: let us rejoice in the goodness of God when life 610 00:34:46,760 --> 00:34:49,630 Speaker 1: doesn't feel good. And it's going to feel like a sacrifice. 611 00:34:49,710 --> 00:34:52,640 Speaker 1: It is a sacrifice of praise at times. It's a 612 00:34:52,719 --> 00:34:57,660 Speaker 1: sacrifice of Thanksgiving. To me, it's just, it's the message 613 00:34:57,700 --> 00:35:00,219 Speaker 1: I had to live. And I think, I think we 614 00:35:00,280 --> 00:35:04,620 Speaker 1: all do at various seasons to various degrees. So yeah, 615 00:35:04,640 --> 00:35:06,220 Speaker 1: I hope it's a blessing to the readers. 616 00:35:06,960 --> 00:35:08,620 Speaker 2: Oh my gosh, it's going to be such a blessing. 617 00:35:08,800 --> 00:35:10,610 Speaker 2: I was just thinking of a dear lady in our 618 00:35:10,650 --> 00:35:15,510 Speaker 2: community who has been wrestling with alcohol and is now 619 00:35:16,190 --> 00:35:19,230 Speaker 2: in the stages of tasting the goodness and freedom of 620 00:35:19,310 --> 00:35:22,640 Speaker 2: being without it. And she was on I could cry. 621 00:35:22,860 --> 00:35:24,980 Speaker 2: She was on a call last week and she just said, 622 00:35:25,400 --> 00:35:29,020 Speaker 2: and she's been through the ringer with some family things. 623 00:35:29,100 --> 00:35:33,899 Speaker 2: And she said, I can thank God for the trials now. 624 00:35:34,640 --> 00:35:37,710 Speaker 2: And she went into the community after and she said, 625 00:35:37,730 --> 00:35:41,090 Speaker 2: I can't believe that I just said that. I never 626 00:35:41,170 --> 00:35:43,990 Speaker 2: in a million years ever said that. thought I would 627 00:35:44,050 --> 00:35:47,020 Speaker 2: be able to say that out loud. And so I 628 00:35:47,739 --> 00:35:50,980 Speaker 2: am so excited for this book. I know it's going 629 00:35:51,020 --> 00:35:54,180 Speaker 2: to encourage so many. We will definitely do it as 630 00:35:54,239 --> 00:35:57,779 Speaker 2: a book club in our community because I want to 631 00:35:57,820 --> 00:35:58,070 Speaker 2: do it. 632 00:35:58,540 --> 00:36:01,140 Speaker 1: So we're doing it. I love that. I think it's 633 00:36:01,180 --> 00:36:04,970 Speaker 1: chapter 24 is actually called Rejoicing in Trials and learning 634 00:36:05,030 --> 00:36:06,730 Speaker 1: to do that. I mean, it is a level of 635 00:36:06,770 --> 00:36:11,390 Speaker 1: the sanctification process that we just we can't get our 636 00:36:11,430 --> 00:36:15,610 Speaker 1: minds how how how how why and then to get 637 00:36:15,630 --> 00:36:17,739 Speaker 1: to the point that we're not just rejoicing in them 638 00:36:18,239 --> 00:36:21,740 Speaker 1: and this is mind-blowing we rejoice and thank god for them. 639 00:36:22,000 --> 00:36:25,620 Speaker 2: Right like yeah i might not even be there yet 640 00:36:25,980 --> 00:36:27,250 Speaker 2: i might not even be there. 641 00:36:27,110 --> 00:36:31,500 Speaker 1: Yet to say thank you yes For the mud and 642 00:36:31,520 --> 00:36:33,540 Speaker 1: the muck and the mire. Right. Because it was there 643 00:36:33,580 --> 00:36:36,520 Speaker 1: that I experienced your lifting. It was there I experienced 644 00:36:36,540 --> 00:36:39,279 Speaker 1: your cleansing. It was there I experienced your grace. So 645 00:36:39,320 --> 00:36:42,600 Speaker 1: thank you for the trial that grew me to completion 646 00:36:42,640 --> 00:36:46,640 Speaker 1: and maturity in you. Consider it all joy. Thank you 647 00:36:46,800 --> 00:36:50,300 Speaker 1: for that. Yes. What a journey we're on. And I 648 00:36:50,480 --> 00:36:52,460 Speaker 1: love that I'm on this journey with you, Christy. Oh, 649 00:36:52,620 --> 00:36:56,530 Speaker 1: my gosh. Likewise. You've invited so many into this. Yeah, 650 00:36:56,790 --> 00:36:59,810 Speaker 1: the coming to faith, the growing in faith, the working 651 00:36:59,890 --> 00:37:02,350 Speaker 1: out our faith process with us. 652 00:37:02,670 --> 00:37:05,049 Speaker 2: I love you so much. Can you say the name 653 00:37:05,090 --> 00:37:06,670 Speaker 2: of the new book one more time and we will 654 00:37:06,710 --> 00:37:07,690 Speaker 2: put it in the show notes? 655 00:37:08,650 --> 00:37:11,049 Speaker 1: You believe it? This is my first copy. A sacrifice 656 00:37:11,230 --> 00:37:17,450 Speaker 1: of praise and thanksgiving. I think it's pretty beautiful. Christian 657 00:37:17,630 --> 00:37:24,030 Speaker 1: is the parent publisher. 30 days of rejoicing in God's goodness. Yeah. Yeah. Well, 658 00:37:24,150 --> 00:37:27,129 Speaker 1: God bless you all. Thank you for having me here. 659 00:37:27,390 --> 00:37:30,790 Speaker 1: I always love time with you and your community. Oh, likewise. 660 00:37:30,830 --> 00:37:33,969 Speaker 2: Thank you, my sweet friend. All right, ladies, we will 661 00:37:34,010 --> 00:37:37,549 Speaker 2: see you next week. Thank you for listening. Thank you 662 00:37:37,570 --> 00:37:39,680 Speaker 2: for spending this time with me on Love Live Sober. 663 00:37:40,160 --> 00:37:43,219 Speaker 2: If today's conversation stirred something in your heart, don't rush 664 00:37:43,280 --> 00:37:43,739 Speaker 2: past it. 665 00:37:43,960 --> 00:37:44,640 Speaker 1: Take it to prayer. 666 00:37:45,160 --> 00:37:48,350 Speaker 2: If you're feeling ready for deeper connection and support, I'd 667 00:37:48,469 --> 00:37:50,850 Speaker 2: love to invite you into the Love Life Sober community, 668 00:37:51,150 --> 00:37:55,910 Speaker 2: a grace-filled, shame-free space where real connection grows and lasting 669 00:37:55,969 --> 00:37:58,469 Speaker 2: change takes root. You can find the link to join 670 00:37:58,530 --> 00:38:02,230 Speaker 2: us in the show notes. Love Life Sober is part 671 00:38:02,270 --> 00:38:06,230 Speaker 2: of the Life Audio Podcast Network, where faith-centered podcasts help 672 00:38:06,270 --> 00:38:08,670 Speaker 2: you grow deeper in your walk with Christ. You can 673 00:38:08,710 --> 00:38:13,660 Speaker 2: find more faith-centered podcasts at lifeaudio.com. Until next time, be 674 00:38:14,030 --> 00:38:18,009 Speaker 2: gentle with yourself, stay curious, and trust God's promises. He 675 00:38:18,090 --> 00:38:19,259 Speaker 2: has freedom waiting for you.