1 00:00:05,960 --> 00:00:08,080 S1: I have a question for you. Does the gospel make 2 00:00:08,080 --> 00:00:11,119 S1: a difference in the way you make dinner? Does it 3 00:00:11,119 --> 00:00:13,480 S1: make a difference in the way you decorate your home, 4 00:00:13,480 --> 00:00:16,960 S1: speak to your children, drive to work. Care for your 5 00:00:16,960 --> 00:00:21,640 S1: pets is a beautiful, meaningful life, something you work hard 6 00:00:21,640 --> 00:00:26,800 S1: to achieve, something you strive to attain. Or is it 7 00:00:26,800 --> 00:00:29,480 S1: found right where you are? And what do you do 8 00:00:29,480 --> 00:00:32,640 S1: with those expectations of how life was supposed to be? 9 00:00:33,320 --> 00:00:35,120 S1: What if things haven't turned out the way you thought 10 00:00:35,120 --> 00:00:38,480 S1: they should? Today at the Radio Backyard fence, another conversation 11 00:00:38,479 --> 00:00:43,360 S1: with our correspondent to a grace laced life. Ruth Jo Simons. 12 00:00:43,760 --> 00:00:45,599 S1: When I heard a few months ago that she had 13 00:00:45,600 --> 00:00:48,280 S1: a new project releasing here at the start of August, 14 00:00:48,280 --> 00:00:51,519 S1: I said yes, and I don't care if she's writing 15 00:00:51,520 --> 00:00:53,680 S1: a phone book. I want to talk with her because 16 00:00:53,680 --> 00:00:56,440 S1: Ruth takes us to some of those places of the 17 00:00:56,440 --> 00:00:58,120 S1: heart that are hard to find. In the middle of 18 00:00:58,120 --> 00:01:02,440 S1: all the busyness of our day. All of the rancor 19 00:01:02,720 --> 00:01:07,639 S1: and anger. So slow down with us today, because this 20 00:01:07,640 --> 00:01:11,200 S1: moment matters. It's the title of our featured resource at 21 00:01:11,200 --> 00:01:14,880 S1: Chris Bayberry live.org. Welcome to the program from the heart 22 00:01:14,880 --> 00:01:18,959 S1: to the heart for the heart online. Chris Fabry live.org. 23 00:01:19,760 --> 00:01:22,640 S1: Helping out behind the scenes. Ryan McConaughey doing all things technical. 24 00:01:22,640 --> 00:01:26,120 S1: Trish is our producer. Lisa is also helping. And Joshua, 25 00:01:26,120 --> 00:01:29,919 S1: answer your calls. And let's begin with a prayer request. 26 00:01:29,920 --> 00:01:33,200 S1: Actually two one from our friends in Spokane. I saw 27 00:01:33,200 --> 00:01:36,200 S1: over the weekend that there are wildfires there and authorities 28 00:01:36,200 --> 00:01:40,280 S1: are trying to control them. Even as we speak. So 29 00:01:40,319 --> 00:01:44,400 S1: many of our listeners in Spokane are affected. Moody aviation 30 00:01:44,400 --> 00:01:47,480 S1: and those who work with Moody Aviation are watching this 31 00:01:47,480 --> 00:01:52,000 S1: very closely. And I saw one report that said 6000 32 00:01:52,000 --> 00:01:56,000 S1: people have been forced from their homes. Hundreds of buildings 33 00:01:56,000 --> 00:02:00,190 S1: have burned. So would you remember those people in Spokane, 34 00:02:00,230 --> 00:02:03,990 S1: Washington today? And I haven't mentioned this on the program yet, 35 00:02:03,990 --> 00:02:06,990 S1: I don't think, but author and speaker Colleen Chow passed 36 00:02:06,990 --> 00:02:12,990 S1: away last Monday. Revive Our Hearts has a wonderful tribute 37 00:02:12,990 --> 00:02:16,510 S1: on their program today. And they've released a new film 38 00:02:16,870 --> 00:02:19,350 S1: about Colleen's life. I'm actually going to play a little 39 00:02:19,350 --> 00:02:21,750 S1: clip of that here in a couple of minutes, but 40 00:02:22,150 --> 00:02:25,470 S1: we're going to honor her tomorrow on the program. Be 41 00:02:25,470 --> 00:02:29,109 S1: praying for Eddie, her husband, her son, Jeremy, and all 42 00:02:29,110 --> 00:02:33,389 S1: of the family, extended family as they walk through this valley. 43 00:02:33,389 --> 00:02:36,870 S1: So there's two prayer requests as we start. And can 44 00:02:36,870 --> 00:02:39,430 S1: I say a thank you? This is the gratitude portion. 45 00:02:39,430 --> 00:02:42,510 S1: Thank you for those who supported us in July. Usually 46 00:02:42,510 --> 00:02:44,950 S1: in the summer months, it's a little slower as far 47 00:02:44,950 --> 00:02:49,270 S1: as support, but boy howdy, you responded in July. So 48 00:02:49,270 --> 00:02:52,430 S1: I want to pause here and say thank you. I 49 00:02:52,510 --> 00:02:54,950 S1: am always on the hunt for resources we can send. 50 00:02:54,950 --> 00:02:58,030 S1: That will be life giving And one of the continual 51 00:02:58,030 --> 00:03:00,390 S1: struggles that I have heard in the last few years 52 00:03:00,389 --> 00:03:03,669 S1: is the heart cry of parents of adult children. Many 53 00:03:03,669 --> 00:03:06,230 S1: parents have been kind of cut, cut out or pushed 54 00:03:06,230 --> 00:03:11,150 S1: aside from an adult child's life. There's some fracture in 55 00:03:11,150 --> 00:03:14,430 S1: the relationship and you wonder, is there any hope? Doctor 56 00:03:14,430 --> 00:03:17,549 S1: Kathy Cooke has heard the same thing at her seminars. 57 00:03:17,950 --> 00:03:21,030 S1: So she's written a practical guide for parents to, as 58 00:03:21,030 --> 00:03:25,470 S1: the title says, resolve conflict and find peace and hope 59 00:03:25,470 --> 00:03:28,790 S1: with adult children. This is our thank you this month. 60 00:03:29,150 --> 00:03:31,510 S1: And if this is where you are in your relationship 61 00:03:31,510 --> 00:03:34,990 S1: with an adult child or your children, or perhaps you know, 62 00:03:34,990 --> 00:03:38,110 S1: somebody who's really hurting because of this, I'd love to 63 00:03:38,110 --> 00:03:40,750 S1: send you a copy. Call or click through the numbers eight, 64 00:03:40,790 --> 00:03:47,030 S1: 6695 Fabbri. Or you can go to Chris Fabry live.org. 65 00:03:47,270 --> 00:03:50,310 S1: Let me send you the new cookbook with recipes for 66 00:03:50,310 --> 00:03:54,710 S1: restored relationships. I just came up with that. Coach is 67 00:03:54,710 --> 00:04:02,110 S1: Cathy's last name. Call (866) 953-2279 or go to Chris Fabry 68 00:04:02,470 --> 00:04:05,430 S1: dot ORG. And thanks for your support. That allows us 69 00:04:05,430 --> 00:04:09,750 S1: to have conversations with people like Ruth Jo Simmons, who 70 00:04:09,750 --> 00:04:11,990 S1: is a Wall Street Journal best selling and award winning 71 00:04:11,990 --> 00:04:16,110 S1: author of several books and Bible studies, including Home is 72 00:04:16,110 --> 00:04:20,589 S1: Right Where You Are Beholding and Becoming Truth Filled and 73 00:04:20,589 --> 00:04:26,190 S1: Now and Not Yet. She's an artist, entrepreneur, podcaster, speaker 74 00:04:26,430 --> 00:04:31,710 S1: through her site at Great Lakes grace.com. She shares her 75 00:04:31,710 --> 00:04:35,790 S1: journey of God's grace intersecting daily life with word and art. 76 00:04:36,070 --> 00:04:39,110 S1: She and her husband, Troy, are the parents of six boys. 77 00:04:39,470 --> 00:04:42,270 S1: For the last 18 years, she has been working on 78 00:04:42,270 --> 00:04:47,310 S1: a project that takes these daily reflections, the everyday Grace snapshots, 79 00:04:47,830 --> 00:04:50,469 S1: and she's put them in a beautiful book titled This 80 00:04:50,470 --> 00:04:56,060 S1: Moment Matters 100 Ways to Cultivate a grace laced life. 81 00:04:56,100 --> 00:04:58,420 S1: I said it right that time. Hey, Ruth. Welcome back. 82 00:04:58,460 --> 00:04:59,500 S1: How are you doing today? 83 00:05:00,620 --> 00:05:02,539 S2: Oh, it's so good to be here. Thanks for having 84 00:05:02,540 --> 00:05:03,260 S2: me on, Chris. 85 00:05:03,860 --> 00:05:06,700 S1: It's interesting. You started 18 years ago because that's when 86 00:05:06,700 --> 00:05:10,900 S1: this program started. And when in 2008, when we when 87 00:05:10,900 --> 00:05:15,020 S1: we started having these conversations, the program is different today 88 00:05:15,020 --> 00:05:17,820 S1: than it was back then. My vision for it, and, 89 00:05:17,860 --> 00:05:23,340 S1: you know, in May of 2008 has changed to today, 90 00:05:23,500 --> 00:05:28,260 S1: August 3rd, 2026. Did your vision for what you wanted 91 00:05:28,260 --> 00:05:30,820 S1: to communicate change in 18 years? 92 00:05:32,260 --> 00:05:34,580 S2: Well, you know, it's interesting. I don't think the message 93 00:05:34,580 --> 00:05:37,260 S2: is very different, but the format and the way I'm 94 00:05:37,260 --> 00:05:40,820 S2: doing it has changed significantly. You know, I say that 95 00:05:40,820 --> 00:05:43,300 S2: I've been working on this project for 18 years because 96 00:05:43,460 --> 00:05:47,659 S2: I started blogging then on a little blog called Grace lace.com, 97 00:05:47,700 --> 00:05:50,580 S2: and I smushed two words together, Grace and lace. And 98 00:05:50,580 --> 00:05:53,260 S2: I thought, I'm going to find out how God's grace 99 00:05:53,260 --> 00:05:56,820 S2: laces weaves through our daily lives. Because my life wasn't 100 00:05:56,820 --> 00:06:00,460 S2: really looking spectacular, fabulous, I was. I was kind of 101 00:06:00,500 --> 00:06:04,180 S2: picking up Cheerios and stepping on Legos and kind of 102 00:06:04,220 --> 00:06:06,740 S2: doing ministry and little margins of my life, but I 103 00:06:06,740 --> 00:06:10,500 S2: wasn't doing spectacular things overseas like I imagined I would 104 00:06:10,500 --> 00:06:13,580 S2: do while I was in seminary, or I wasn't starting 105 00:06:13,580 --> 00:06:16,980 S2: a nonprofit or running a large ministry. I was just 106 00:06:16,980 --> 00:06:20,180 S2: doing very normal, everyday things. And I was like, I 107 00:06:20,180 --> 00:06:23,020 S2: should surely the gospel matters in my everyday life. And 108 00:06:23,060 --> 00:06:26,260 S2: so I started collecting. Well, more than collecting, I was 109 00:06:26,260 --> 00:06:29,740 S2: observing how God's grace intersects daily life in a way 110 00:06:29,740 --> 00:06:32,980 S2: that is meaningful and changes the way I do. Very normal, 111 00:06:32,980 --> 00:06:36,140 S2: daily things. And I chronicled a lot of that through 112 00:06:36,140 --> 00:06:40,219 S2: my blog, Grace laced, which really now has turned into 113 00:06:40,420 --> 00:06:43,099 S2: my art brand and publishing and other things that I've done. 114 00:06:43,100 --> 00:06:47,700 S2: But I, I've collected these ideas over 18 years because 115 00:06:48,660 --> 00:06:51,820 S2: over the, the past 18 years, I've gotten to do 116 00:06:51,820 --> 00:06:54,980 S2: other things like raise these six children or run a 117 00:06:54,980 --> 00:06:59,299 S2: business or do ministry. But ultimately, the heart stayed the same. 118 00:06:59,620 --> 00:07:02,900 S2: How does God's grace intersect our daily lives? How does 119 00:07:02,900 --> 00:07:06,779 S2: it lace through the mundane of every day and and 120 00:07:06,820 --> 00:07:10,700 S2: find us faithful, stewarding the moments of our lives? 121 00:07:11,180 --> 00:07:14,340 S1: Well. And our listeners are going to remember the medical 122 00:07:14,340 --> 00:07:17,940 S1: situation that your son was in and all of the 123 00:07:17,940 --> 00:07:20,700 S1: questions and you came on and you talked about that. 124 00:07:21,020 --> 00:07:25,100 S1: If you going into that, have this mind, okay, wait 125 00:07:25,100 --> 00:07:28,100 S1: a minute. There is grace in the middle of this, 126 00:07:28,100 --> 00:07:30,060 S1: even though I'm freaking out here and I don't know 127 00:07:30,060 --> 00:07:32,260 S1: what's going to happen. And you know, all those questions, 128 00:07:32,540 --> 00:07:35,420 S1: if you've got that imprinted on your mind, it kind 129 00:07:35,460 --> 00:07:38,140 S1: of opens you up to say, okay, God, what do 130 00:07:38,140 --> 00:07:41,700 S1: you have for me in the middle of, of my fear? Right? 131 00:07:42,900 --> 00:07:45,820 S2: Absolutely. And I think it's one of those things where 132 00:07:45,820 --> 00:07:51,090 S2: we can't underestimate how much Um, we are training ourselves. 133 00:07:51,090 --> 00:07:54,650 S2: We're discipling ourselves in the everyday moments of our lives 134 00:07:54,650 --> 00:07:58,130 S2: for the unexpected, for those times where the trials come 135 00:07:58,130 --> 00:08:01,370 S2: and the fears come, the anxious thoughts come. Well, that's 136 00:08:01,370 --> 00:08:04,970 S2: not the moment you decide suddenly that God is trustworthy 137 00:08:04,970 --> 00:08:09,010 S2: or that you, you know, you absolutely can drop to 138 00:08:09,010 --> 00:08:11,090 S2: your knees and pray in that moment. I'm not saying 139 00:08:11,090 --> 00:08:14,050 S2: you shouldn't. Of course you should. But I mean, in 140 00:08:14,050 --> 00:08:17,170 S2: our everyday lives, when things seem kind of bland and boring, 141 00:08:17,210 --> 00:08:21,810 S2: that's a perfect time to cultivate rhythms in our everyday lives, 142 00:08:21,850 --> 00:08:26,050 S2: to cultivate even practices, or even ways to see and 143 00:08:26,050 --> 00:08:29,090 S2: observe how God is working so that you've trained your 144 00:08:29,090 --> 00:08:31,650 S2: eyes and your heart to notice even when things aren't 145 00:08:31,650 --> 00:08:32,329 S2: going your way. 146 00:08:32,730 --> 00:08:37,730 S1: So this moment matters is a choice that you make 147 00:08:37,770 --> 00:08:40,689 S1: and you keep making, no matter what is going on. 148 00:08:41,130 --> 00:08:44,850 S1: This is a beautiful book. It's a it's one of 149 00:08:44,850 --> 00:08:47,689 S1: those coffee table books. It even has the, uh, what 150 00:08:47,690 --> 00:08:50,690 S1: do you call that thing? That's the the ribbon that's 151 00:08:50,690 --> 00:08:52,650 S1: in the middle of it where you keep your place. 152 00:08:53,809 --> 00:08:56,730 S2: Yes, yes. Well, because I assume no one's going to 153 00:08:56,730 --> 00:09:00,050 S2: sit down and read all 100. It's the subtitle is 154 00:09:00,050 --> 00:09:03,809 S2: 100 Ways to Cultivate a Grace Laced Life. And this 155 00:09:03,809 --> 00:09:05,450 S2: is not one of those books you're just going to 156 00:09:05,450 --> 00:09:08,250 S2: sit down and read. It's really different than anything I've 157 00:09:08,250 --> 00:09:10,050 S2: worked on. Chris, you've been so kind to have me 158 00:09:10,050 --> 00:09:12,930 S2: on so many times, and I just would say this 159 00:09:12,929 --> 00:09:14,809 S2: is kind of like a once in a lifetime project 160 00:09:14,809 --> 00:09:17,410 S2: for me, and that there's never been a book that 161 00:09:17,410 --> 00:09:22,050 S2: documents really personal practices in my family or photos from 162 00:09:22,050 --> 00:09:25,450 S2: my home. But this is really me taking everything that 163 00:09:25,450 --> 00:09:29,210 S2: I've grown and spiritually, and then sharing on a practical 164 00:09:29,210 --> 00:09:33,170 S2: level what it looks like in my home with my people, 165 00:09:33,210 --> 00:09:35,330 S2: taking care of myself. What does it look like to 166 00:09:35,330 --> 00:09:38,050 S2: be creative? You know, all these little things that we 167 00:09:38,050 --> 00:09:41,130 S2: all do, but sometimes don't realize can be infused with 168 00:09:41,130 --> 00:09:41,730 S2: the gospel. 169 00:09:42,170 --> 00:09:45,770 S1: I, uh, part of me feels like, oh, if this 170 00:09:45,770 --> 00:09:48,480 S1: had only come out around Mother's Day. Then I would. 171 00:09:48,960 --> 00:09:51,160 S1: But maybe next Mother's Day. You get it for next 172 00:09:51,160 --> 00:09:54,360 S1: Mother's Day. Uh, it is our featured resource. If you 173 00:09:54,360 --> 00:09:57,680 S1: go to Chris Fabry live.org and scroll down, you'll see 174 00:09:57,720 --> 00:10:01,920 S1: or click through today's information. You will see Ruth Jo Simons. 175 00:10:02,360 --> 00:10:06,760 S1: This moment Matters 100 Ways to Cultivate a grace laced Life. 176 00:10:06,800 --> 00:10:08,760 S1: We're going to take a break. I want to come back. 177 00:10:08,920 --> 00:10:12,280 S1: I was listening to a new film that was created 178 00:10:12,280 --> 00:10:15,319 S1: by Revive Our Hearts, and there is a ten second 179 00:10:15,360 --> 00:10:19,280 S1: little clip of something that Colleen Chow said that I 180 00:10:19,280 --> 00:10:22,720 S1: think goes right along with our conversation today. You'll hear that. 181 00:10:23,000 --> 00:10:26,640 S1: And there's more from Ruth straight ahead on Moody Radio. 182 00:10:37,080 --> 00:10:40,040 S1: This is Chris Fabry live on Moody Radio. I really 183 00:10:40,040 --> 00:10:43,240 S1: like talking with Ruth Jo Simons. She has written a 184 00:10:43,240 --> 00:10:48,000 S1: new book and it she said. This project of a lifetime, 185 00:10:48,000 --> 00:10:50,360 S1: because the thing is really heavy and it's got these 186 00:10:50,360 --> 00:10:54,720 S1: full page pictures of behind the scenes of what she 187 00:10:54,720 --> 00:10:58,080 S1: has done through the years with her own family. It's 188 00:10:58,080 --> 00:11:02,320 S1: titled This Moment Matters 100 Ways to Cultivate a Grace 189 00:11:02,360 --> 00:11:06,160 S1: Laced Life. And there's so many, I guess. Tricia, you know, 190 00:11:06,200 --> 00:11:10,200 S1: what was your favorite chapter in here? And she said, 191 00:11:10,200 --> 00:11:13,280 S1: it's the midday liturgy, and we'll get to that here 192 00:11:13,280 --> 00:11:18,520 S1: in a minute. There's another use your bookshelf to tell 193 00:11:18,520 --> 00:11:23,120 S1: a story. So there's just really practical, creative ways. But 194 00:11:23,120 --> 00:11:28,160 S1: number 16 says number your days from Psalm 90, verse 12, 195 00:11:28,400 --> 00:11:31,480 S1: teach us to number our days. And in the King 196 00:11:31,480 --> 00:11:34,479 S1: James it's a right. Teach us to number our days, 197 00:11:34,760 --> 00:11:39,480 S1: that we may get a heart of wisdom. And I 198 00:11:39,520 --> 00:11:43,560 S1: read that and I thought, well, that's what Colleen Chow, 199 00:11:43,720 --> 00:11:46,160 S1: she passed away a week ago. We've talked with her 200 00:11:46,160 --> 00:11:49,679 S1: the last four years about her journey with cancer and 201 00:11:49,679 --> 00:11:52,840 S1: the struggles, the ups, the downs, the valley of the shadow. 202 00:11:53,360 --> 00:11:56,880 S1: And I watched this film from Revive Our Hearts. Today. 203 00:11:56,880 --> 00:12:02,040 S1: We have a link to it@kris.org. If you do anything today, uh, 204 00:12:02,040 --> 00:12:07,600 S1: look at, uh, at Ruth's book, but also bookmark this film. 205 00:12:07,640 --> 00:12:12,080 S1: It's about 30 minutes long. It's called In the Hands 206 00:12:12,080 --> 00:12:17,000 S1: of a Fiercely Tender God. But Colleen mentions that verse, 207 00:12:17,000 --> 00:12:20,560 S1: Psalm 90, verse 12, and then she says this. 208 00:12:25,600 --> 00:12:30,880 S3: There has never been more of an acute sense that 209 00:12:30,880 --> 00:12:34,560 S3: each not just day is precious, but each moment is 210 00:12:34,559 --> 00:12:39,120 S3: so precious and so fleeting and almost fragile in a 211 00:12:39,120 --> 00:12:39,679 S3: new way. 212 00:12:40,920 --> 00:12:43,190 S1: Now that is coming from the voice of someone who 213 00:12:43,190 --> 00:12:46,790 S1: has stared death in the face and now is home. 214 00:12:47,030 --> 00:12:51,790 S1: In her journey. But when I heard that Ruth, it just. 215 00:12:51,830 --> 00:12:55,630 S1: It made it come alive. That this moment is is 216 00:12:55,630 --> 00:12:58,390 S1: a holy thing. This, this conversation that we get to 217 00:12:58,390 --> 00:13:01,630 S1: have right now is a is a wonderful thing that 218 00:13:01,630 --> 00:13:04,429 S1: we can stop. But you have to slow down in 219 00:13:04,429 --> 00:13:06,150 S1: order to embrace it. Right? 220 00:13:06,790 --> 00:13:10,190 S2: Absolutely. You know, it's, it's so beautiful to hear her 221 00:13:10,230 --> 00:13:13,990 S2: say those words because she has something that so many 222 00:13:13,990 --> 00:13:18,590 S2: of us don't realize or feel in, in that urgency, 223 00:13:18,590 --> 00:13:21,990 S2: because we're not we're not facing death. We're not experiencing that. 224 00:13:21,990 --> 00:13:26,190 S2: But she understands the preciousness of every breath she gets 225 00:13:26,190 --> 00:13:29,110 S2: to take. And I think when we read Psalm 90, 226 00:13:29,150 --> 00:13:32,630 S2: verse 12, and and we're thinking through this idea of 227 00:13:32,630 --> 00:13:35,949 S2: numbering our days, it really is this idea of being 228 00:13:35,990 --> 00:13:38,790 S2: aware that you're not promised the next one, you're not 229 00:13:38,790 --> 00:13:42,230 S2: promised the next moment. So rather than, you know, trying 230 00:13:42,230 --> 00:13:46,870 S2: to optimize every moment for maximum productivity. How do we 231 00:13:46,870 --> 00:13:50,710 S2: choose to be present in every moment so that whatever 232 00:13:50,750 --> 00:13:54,030 S2: we're nimble, we're ready to respond to whatever God calls 233 00:13:54,030 --> 00:13:56,750 S2: us to, whether it's to slow down and linger longer 234 00:13:56,750 --> 00:13:59,310 S2: in a conversation that we're having around the kitchen table, 235 00:13:59,309 --> 00:14:02,150 S2: not being so scheduled that we have to move on 236 00:14:02,150 --> 00:14:04,790 S2: to the next thing, or to choose to rest and 237 00:14:04,790 --> 00:14:07,390 S2: have a rhythm where there's built in times where things 238 00:14:07,390 --> 00:14:10,950 S2: are slower. So you can make and you can make 239 00:14:10,990 --> 00:14:16,990 S2: the moments and the, the days, um, experienceable reverses just 240 00:14:17,030 --> 00:14:19,630 S2: kind of survival, like just surviving those days, but to 241 00:14:19,670 --> 00:14:22,150 S2: actually experience them moment by moment. 242 00:14:22,790 --> 00:14:25,470 S1: See, I have to have somebody like you tell me how, 243 00:14:25,750 --> 00:14:28,430 S1: tell me how important this is. And my wife did 244 00:14:28,430 --> 00:14:30,350 S1: that the other day. She said she was at the 245 00:14:30,350 --> 00:14:33,550 S1: gym and she was going to do one thing, and 246 00:14:33,550 --> 00:14:35,710 S1: she said no to it. And so she had a 247 00:14:35,710 --> 00:14:38,710 S1: little margin in her life. And she walked by a 248 00:14:38,750 --> 00:14:41,750 S1: room where there was a ten year old girl, the 249 00:14:41,750 --> 00:14:44,150 S1: daughter of one of the other people at the gym, 250 00:14:44,550 --> 00:14:46,470 S1: and she thought, oh, I just think I'll go in 251 00:14:46,470 --> 00:14:50,390 S1: here and sit down and talk. And with Chloe. And 252 00:14:50,550 --> 00:14:54,070 S1: she asked Chloe about her, you know, her swimming and 253 00:14:54,070 --> 00:14:55,790 S1: and Chloe had been over to the house and so 254 00:14:55,790 --> 00:14:57,910 S1: she knows we have animals in the backyard. And she 255 00:14:57,910 --> 00:15:00,430 S1: was asking about one or another and one had died 256 00:15:00,430 --> 00:15:02,870 S1: and she was all, she was upset about that. And, 257 00:15:02,910 --> 00:15:05,910 S1: you know, all this stuff. And my wife said with 258 00:15:05,910 --> 00:15:08,310 S1: tears in her eyes, she said, I would have miss 259 00:15:08,310 --> 00:15:12,510 S1: that if I had scheduled myself, you know, all the 260 00:15:12,510 --> 00:15:14,550 S1: way up and done everything that I thought it was 261 00:15:14,550 --> 00:15:18,430 S1: important to do. I would have missed that conversation with 262 00:15:18,430 --> 00:15:23,550 S1: Chloe and and she said, I know that Chloe's dad, uh, 263 00:15:24,230 --> 00:15:27,550 S1: could he. He passed by as they were talking and 264 00:15:27,550 --> 00:15:29,590 S1: because he was ready to go and then he left. 265 00:15:29,590 --> 00:15:32,070 S1: He just he just took off and waited, you know, 266 00:15:32,310 --> 00:15:36,550 S1: so he knew he knew what was going on there. And, 267 00:15:36,550 --> 00:15:39,140 S1: and it's, it's in the middle of those times, in 268 00:15:39,140 --> 00:15:42,140 S1: the middle of those moments that a lot of life 269 00:15:42,140 --> 00:15:44,220 S1: can happen if we let it. Right? 270 00:15:44,620 --> 00:15:47,340 S2: Absolutely. And, you know, I think one of the things 271 00:15:47,380 --> 00:15:50,980 S2: that I'm just assuming that maybe somebody is listening and going, oh, 272 00:15:51,020 --> 00:15:53,540 S2: now I have to figure out how to create all 273 00:15:53,540 --> 00:15:56,500 S2: this space to really, you know, I'm barely making it. 274 00:15:56,540 --> 00:15:59,780 S2: How can I make, you know, every moment super precious. And. 275 00:15:59,820 --> 00:16:01,820 S2: And I think I would just say this is not 276 00:16:01,820 --> 00:16:04,300 S2: a practice that's adding more to your to do list. 277 00:16:04,340 --> 00:16:06,500 S2: Like you don't have to go and make every moment 278 00:16:06,500 --> 00:16:09,140 S2: really special. I think a lot of times us moms, 279 00:16:09,140 --> 00:16:11,740 S2: we start thinking, oh, in order to make every moment special, 280 00:16:11,740 --> 00:16:13,860 S2: I have to like be on the lookout, had to 281 00:16:13,980 --> 00:16:17,260 S2: make a Pinterest moment happen or how to maximize everything. 282 00:16:17,460 --> 00:16:20,460 S2: I think how it works is actually that rather than 283 00:16:20,500 --> 00:16:24,780 S2: do what comes naturally, which is overscheduling or always filling 284 00:16:24,780 --> 00:16:28,220 S2: every moment up with scrolling and tapping and and doing 285 00:16:28,260 --> 00:16:33,180 S2: and and answering more calls, my multitasking that we actually 286 00:16:33,220 --> 00:16:35,620 S2: schedule for nothing. I like to say it this way. 287 00:16:35,660 --> 00:16:38,020 S2: Like I'm always like, why don't we just create some 288 00:16:38,020 --> 00:16:40,860 S2: days in the calendar where there's a blank there and 289 00:16:40,860 --> 00:16:43,060 S2: we're going to leave it that way. We're scheduled for nothing. 290 00:16:43,060 --> 00:16:46,700 S2: So that there were purposely creating margin. And sometimes in 291 00:16:46,700 --> 00:16:49,740 S2: our home that looks like, you know, doing the dishes 292 00:16:49,740 --> 00:16:53,740 S2: or prepping dinner, not having an agenda. And the conversations 293 00:16:53,740 --> 00:16:57,020 S2: rise up when you aren't rushing off to the next thing. 294 00:16:57,100 --> 00:17:00,460 S2: I think some of those practices are so, um, they're 295 00:17:00,460 --> 00:17:03,140 S2: not as difficult as we think. We just sometimes need 296 00:17:03,140 --> 00:17:06,100 S2: the reminder. And I'm hoping that, you know, with a 297 00:17:06,100 --> 00:17:08,260 S2: beautiful book like this, maybe it'll just stay out on 298 00:17:08,260 --> 00:17:10,619 S2: your kitchen table or your coffee table. And if you 299 00:17:10,619 --> 00:17:14,260 S2: just look down, you'll remember, oh, yeah, this, the meaningful 300 00:17:14,260 --> 00:17:17,820 S2: conversation is what's going to really matter today. I can 301 00:17:17,820 --> 00:17:21,220 S2: maybe not finish folding that laundry and finish this conversation. 302 00:17:21,220 --> 00:17:23,220 S2: And I think sometimes we just need a little reminder 303 00:17:23,220 --> 00:17:28,180 S2: and a little permission that the Lord isn't just pleased 304 00:17:28,300 --> 00:17:31,340 S2: when we go and do these wonderful big ministry things 305 00:17:31,340 --> 00:17:35,139 S2: for him. But when we're actually really present in stewarding 306 00:17:35,140 --> 00:17:38,260 S2: the small, everyday moments he brings into our lives as well. 307 00:17:38,740 --> 00:17:41,540 S1: Isn't that what you know when you read the Gospels? 308 00:17:41,940 --> 00:17:45,100 S1: It's all over the place. You know Jesus is thirsty 309 00:17:45,140 --> 00:17:48,619 S1: and he's alone at the well. And who's coming up here? 310 00:17:48,980 --> 00:17:51,580 S1: He doesn't. You know, I got to maximize my time 311 00:17:51,580 --> 00:17:54,060 S1: with her, and I've got it. No, he's having a 312 00:17:54,060 --> 00:17:59,300 S1: relationship with her, and he sees the real need of 313 00:17:59,300 --> 00:18:03,340 S1: her heart and her life, and he enters in. That's 314 00:18:03,340 --> 00:18:04,460 S1: what you're talking about. 315 00:18:05,140 --> 00:18:09,820 S2: And it's always intersecting really ordinary moments, right? It's like, 316 00:18:10,380 --> 00:18:13,860 S2: this is a it's a moment of thirst. There's somebody 317 00:18:13,859 --> 00:18:16,459 S2: drawing water. Somebody is thirsty, you know, like he is 318 00:18:16,460 --> 00:18:20,780 S2: literally just having an exchange that changes her life while 319 00:18:20,780 --> 00:18:24,140 S2: she's doing a normal chore or when, you know, I 320 00:18:24,180 --> 00:18:29,660 S2: just think of so many miraculous, miraculous things happening during 321 00:18:29,900 --> 00:18:33,900 S2: very ordinary moments when no one expects anything extraordinary. And 322 00:18:33,900 --> 00:18:36,129 S2: I think it's one of those reminders of what I 323 00:18:36,130 --> 00:18:38,250 S2: was thinking about was the loaves and the fish too, 324 00:18:38,290 --> 00:18:41,090 S2: you know. Um, we've been my husband's been preaching out 325 00:18:41,090 --> 00:18:43,090 S2: of John. And so some of these stories are a 326 00:18:43,090 --> 00:18:45,450 S2: little fresh on my mind, but and I'm just thinking 327 00:18:45,450 --> 00:18:49,690 S2: about how Jesus was always so good at stepping right 328 00:18:49,690 --> 00:18:55,970 S2: into ordinary needs, ordinary feelings and experiences, and bringing in 329 00:18:56,010 --> 00:18:59,810 S2: the gospel lens, the lens of redemption and eternity, and 330 00:18:59,810 --> 00:19:03,490 S2: how life is so much more than filling your tummy 331 00:19:03,490 --> 00:19:06,890 S2: with some bread, or just getting the next drink of water. 332 00:19:06,890 --> 00:19:09,609 S2: And that's what he offered her at the the woman 333 00:19:09,609 --> 00:19:12,090 S2: at the well. And so yeah, that's a great example 334 00:19:12,090 --> 00:19:15,490 S2: of how the Lord really does meet us right in 335 00:19:15,490 --> 00:19:17,970 S2: the ordinary places, the ones that maybe we want to 336 00:19:17,970 --> 00:19:21,010 S2: skip altogether. But those are the moments in which we 337 00:19:21,530 --> 00:19:25,129 S2: have an opportunity to see the gospel change, even our 338 00:19:25,130 --> 00:19:27,210 S2: perspective about that ordinary moment. 339 00:19:27,530 --> 00:19:29,970 S1: I think we all want to do great things for God. 340 00:19:30,010 --> 00:19:32,330 S1: You know, God, let me do something great for you. 341 00:19:32,330 --> 00:19:35,010 S1: That'll that'll reach a lot of people and will do 342 00:19:35,010 --> 00:19:37,330 S1: a lot of things. And we're going to do this. 343 00:19:37,369 --> 00:19:40,729 S1: And here's my goal and this is the outcome and 344 00:19:40,730 --> 00:19:43,410 S1: all that. And maybe the greatest thing that I can 345 00:19:43,410 --> 00:19:48,729 S1: do for God today is to be quiet for a 346 00:19:48,730 --> 00:19:52,730 S1: little bit, to be less anxious about the next thing 347 00:19:52,770 --> 00:19:55,889 S1: you know, even listening to you talk in my head, 348 00:19:55,890 --> 00:19:59,770 S1: I can, uh, figure out, okay, what's my next question? 349 00:19:59,770 --> 00:20:01,730 S1: What am I going to ask? And I miss what 350 00:20:01,730 --> 00:20:05,850 S1: you're saying. I miss the vision that you're casting with 351 00:20:05,850 --> 00:20:08,970 S1: this book for our souls is like, the greatest thing 352 00:20:08,970 --> 00:20:10,650 S1: that I might be able to do for God is 353 00:20:10,650 --> 00:20:13,929 S1: to be quiet and listen to my kids talk today 354 00:20:14,410 --> 00:20:17,090 S1: and hear a little bit more of the neighbor who's, 355 00:20:17,130 --> 00:20:21,570 S1: who's sharing their heart. If you even know your neighbor's name, 356 00:20:21,570 --> 00:20:24,129 S1: and maybe that's the start, you know who they are. 357 00:20:24,530 --> 00:20:26,369 S1: Isn't that what you're trying to foster? 358 00:20:27,250 --> 00:20:31,929 S2: Right. I think it's having, cultivating. I like the word cultivating. 359 00:20:31,930 --> 00:20:34,570 S2: I think that's why I was so eager to include 360 00:20:34,570 --> 00:20:37,290 S2: it in the subtitle here A Hundred Ways to Cultivate 361 00:20:37,330 --> 00:20:40,170 S2: a Grace Laced Life, because this is not for the 362 00:20:40,170 --> 00:20:43,730 S2: A listers here. This is not for the the Pinterest, 363 00:20:44,050 --> 00:20:49,489 S2: you know, winning homemakers or family folks who know how 364 00:20:49,490 --> 00:20:53,010 S2: to run their homes spectacularly. If you come over to 365 00:20:53,050 --> 00:20:55,330 S2: my house right now, my pantry is a mess. There's 366 00:20:55,330 --> 00:20:57,810 S2: something sticky in the fridge and there's stuff all over 367 00:20:57,810 --> 00:21:00,530 S2: the floor. It's not that this is for some picture 368 00:21:00,570 --> 00:21:05,369 S2: perfect home or somebody who's in boxes perfectly organized. This 369 00:21:05,369 --> 00:21:09,090 S2: is for the person who says, I can squander my 370 00:21:09,090 --> 00:21:13,970 S2: moments so easily, worrying about things being, you know, distracted 371 00:21:13,970 --> 00:21:18,010 S2: on my phone, giving my children half of my attention. 372 00:21:18,250 --> 00:21:21,090 S2: I can be so focused on the wrong things. And 373 00:21:21,090 --> 00:21:23,810 S2: yet I know I've been given. We've all been given 374 00:21:23,810 --> 00:21:26,770 S2: 24 hours a day and hopefully we're sleeping, you know, 375 00:21:26,810 --> 00:21:28,850 S2: 7 to 8 of those hours. But the rest of 376 00:21:28,850 --> 00:21:31,200 S2: the time we get to choose how we are going 377 00:21:31,240 --> 00:21:34,640 S2: to steward those moments. And so cultivating eyes to see 378 00:21:34,640 --> 00:21:37,560 S2: how God is working, who he's put in our lives, 379 00:21:37,560 --> 00:21:40,439 S2: what resources we actually have right in front of us, 380 00:21:40,760 --> 00:21:42,920 S2: where can we start? Right where we are with what 381 00:21:42,920 --> 00:21:47,840 S2: we have and use what we already have to cultivate 382 00:21:47,880 --> 00:21:52,120 S2: a life that is ready for ministry, ready for honoring him, 383 00:21:52,119 --> 00:21:57,760 S2: ready for hospitality, generosity, relationship. Those things don't happen automatically. 384 00:21:57,760 --> 00:22:01,000 S2: And it's okay if I'm speaking to somebody who's listening 385 00:22:01,000 --> 00:22:04,399 S2: on your drive and going, uh, I'm so behind. I 386 00:22:04,400 --> 00:22:07,359 S2: haven't done any of those things. I would just say, friend, I, 387 00:22:07,520 --> 00:22:10,440 S2: I'm a work in progress in this. Absolutely. You know, 388 00:22:10,480 --> 00:22:13,200 S2: I'm thinking about even this issue of numbering our days. 389 00:22:13,480 --> 00:22:17,479 S2: I definitely waste many moments. I somehow, I don't know, 390 00:22:17,480 --> 00:22:19,840 S2: my thumb finds where to tap and before I know it, 391 00:22:19,840 --> 00:22:22,960 S2: I'm watching some dumb videos on social media that don't 392 00:22:23,000 --> 00:22:26,840 S2: add anything to my life. And I understand how important 393 00:22:26,840 --> 00:22:29,720 S2: those moments are. So this is not a book written 394 00:22:29,720 --> 00:22:32,120 S2: by somebody who's got it all together. This is me saying, 395 00:22:32,480 --> 00:22:35,320 S2: over the last two decades, I've seen what a difference 396 00:22:35,320 --> 00:22:38,440 S2: it makes in my home and in my soul, in 397 00:22:38,480 --> 00:22:42,120 S2: my creativity, in my relationships. If I just start with 398 00:22:42,119 --> 00:22:44,479 S2: small things. So there's 100 ways here, and you can 399 00:22:44,480 --> 00:22:45,600 S2: start with just one of them. 400 00:22:45,920 --> 00:22:49,159 S1: So it's not about getting it right then and getting 401 00:22:49,160 --> 00:22:53,000 S1: everything right. It's, it's about first you have to see it. 402 00:22:53,000 --> 00:22:56,720 S1: And I mentioned Colleen Chow a little bit ago. She 403 00:22:56,720 --> 00:22:59,400 S1: said in that video, it was either a video or 404 00:22:59,760 --> 00:23:03,359 S1: an interview that I heard. She talked about the messy 405 00:23:03,400 --> 00:23:08,359 S1: path and the gnarly process that she has been through. 406 00:23:08,359 --> 00:23:10,960 S1: And that's exactly what this is. I grew up on 407 00:23:10,960 --> 00:23:15,360 S1: a farm, and so it was the manure that you 408 00:23:15,359 --> 00:23:19,160 S1: didn't want, but it was the where the manure was 409 00:23:19,200 --> 00:23:22,920 S1: is where the most growth was. And that was a, 410 00:23:23,080 --> 00:23:27,120 S1: it was a difficult lesson to learn. But then when 411 00:23:27,240 --> 00:23:30,280 S1: you when you encounter that, when you encounter something in 412 00:23:30,280 --> 00:23:32,760 S1: your life that you feel like, I do not want 413 00:23:32,800 --> 00:23:35,400 S1: to go through this. This is this is just not 414 00:23:35,720 --> 00:23:40,160 S1: it stinks. Um, it's right there that God may be 415 00:23:40,160 --> 00:23:44,880 S1: creating something, doing something inside you that he can't do 416 00:23:44,920 --> 00:23:47,080 S1: in any other way. Do you agree with that? 417 00:23:47,960 --> 00:23:51,320 S2: Absolutely. I mean, I think about all the times that 418 00:23:51,320 --> 00:23:55,000 S2: I've said, can we just skip this particular circumstance, including 419 00:23:55,000 --> 00:23:57,320 S2: the one you asked me about, you know, two years 420 00:23:57,320 --> 00:24:00,760 S2: ago with my son being in this traumatic mountain biking 421 00:24:00,800 --> 00:24:03,920 S2: accident that, um, I don't know if I even told you, Chris, 422 00:24:03,920 --> 00:24:07,359 S2: that he actually had a second surgery this spring because 423 00:24:07,359 --> 00:24:10,880 S2: we had another scare and his, um, his screws were 424 00:24:10,880 --> 00:24:13,960 S2: loose in his spine and they were breaching his spinal canal. 425 00:24:13,960 --> 00:24:15,800 S2: And that's not how it's supposed to go. And so 426 00:24:15,800 --> 00:24:18,080 S2: we actually had another surgery and he had to have 427 00:24:18,080 --> 00:24:21,960 S2: all the screws removed. Again, it was another circumstance where 428 00:24:21,960 --> 00:24:25,640 S2: I was like, this is not the way I wanted 429 00:24:25,640 --> 00:24:28,270 S2: this to go. And yet I think when you start 430 00:24:28,270 --> 00:24:33,550 S2: cultivating eyes to see and and the the faith and 431 00:24:33,550 --> 00:24:38,470 S2: the ability to trust the Lord in your unwanted circumstances 432 00:24:38,470 --> 00:24:41,070 S2: and in the, the moments and the days and the 433 00:24:41,070 --> 00:24:43,909 S2: mundane that feels like, oh, can we just skip this, 434 00:24:44,070 --> 00:24:47,310 S2: this circumstance really could just could we be over with this? 435 00:24:47,310 --> 00:24:49,230 S2: Let me get on to the good stuff. Like we 436 00:24:49,230 --> 00:24:53,430 S2: think that way. And yet it's in those, you know, 437 00:24:53,470 --> 00:24:57,430 S2: those pastures where we're kind of like, this is just 438 00:24:57,470 --> 00:25:00,230 S2: the soil is like, ah, this is not, this doesn't 439 00:25:00,270 --> 00:25:01,669 S2: smell the way I want it to be. This is 440 00:25:01,670 --> 00:25:04,790 S2: not the way I want to land here. But yet 441 00:25:04,830 --> 00:25:09,310 S2: he is doing something and enriching the very ground where 442 00:25:09,910 --> 00:25:12,070 S2: kind of not wanting to step on at that time. 443 00:25:12,109 --> 00:25:17,950 S2: And so I just really am aware that just like 444 00:25:17,990 --> 00:25:21,950 S2: as you've been sharing about Colleen, I think those very 445 00:25:22,270 --> 00:25:27,710 S2: whether it's ordinary or spectacularly difficult. Whatever circumstance we're in, 446 00:25:28,270 --> 00:25:31,310 S2: we can stop right where we are and say, Lord, 447 00:25:31,350 --> 00:25:34,390 S2: you are at work. I get to steward what you've 448 00:25:34,390 --> 00:25:36,670 S2: been given. You've given me right where I am. 449 00:25:37,390 --> 00:25:40,550 S1: And maybe that is exactly where you are right now, 450 00:25:40,550 --> 00:25:44,030 S1: in the middle of this moment that matters. Ruth Jo 451 00:25:44,030 --> 00:25:46,670 S1: Simons is our guest today. Find out more about her 452 00:25:46,670 --> 00:26:03,070 S1: and our featured resource at Chris Fabry live.org. What if 453 00:26:03,070 --> 00:26:06,070 S1: there's anybody listening right now who is in the middle 454 00:26:06,070 --> 00:26:10,590 S1: of something in your life and you are struggling to 455 00:26:10,590 --> 00:26:14,470 S1: see the grace of God right here, right now, or 456 00:26:14,470 --> 00:26:18,190 S1: you've been through something in the past. And looking back, 457 00:26:18,510 --> 00:26:21,790 S1: I think it's often easier to see it in the 458 00:26:21,790 --> 00:26:25,780 S1: rear view mirror that God was there, that he was in, 459 00:26:26,220 --> 00:26:29,700 S1: in that moment with you? Is there something rolling around 460 00:26:29,700 --> 00:26:32,740 S1: your soul today? I'd like for you to like for 461 00:26:32,740 --> 00:26:44,899 S1: you to share with us at (877) 548-3675. The number is (877) 548-3675. 462 00:26:44,940 --> 00:26:48,820 S1: What moment are you in that maybe you can see 463 00:26:48,859 --> 00:26:51,380 S1: God's grace in the middle of this or you're having 464 00:26:51,380 --> 00:26:57,540 S1: a hard time. Eight. 775483675. Ruth Jo Simons has written 465 00:26:57,540 --> 00:27:02,980 S1: this Moment matters 100 ways to Cultivate a Grace laced Life. 466 00:27:03,380 --> 00:27:05,859 S1: And for those who are just joining us, we use 467 00:27:05,859 --> 00:27:10,420 S1: that those two words together. What is a grace laced life? Ruth? 468 00:27:11,859 --> 00:27:15,580 S2: I think of it as a life where the gospel 469 00:27:15,580 --> 00:27:19,260 S2: doesn't just matter on Sundays at church. It matters every 470 00:27:19,260 --> 00:27:23,419 S2: moment of every day as it laces through as we 471 00:27:23,820 --> 00:27:27,420 S2: apply it, as we see how making dinner and washing 472 00:27:27,420 --> 00:27:29,980 S2: dishes and brushing our teeth and going to bed at 473 00:27:29,980 --> 00:27:33,340 S2: a reasonable time all have to do with acknowledging that 474 00:27:33,340 --> 00:27:36,300 S2: God is God and we're not, and that he's redeemed 475 00:27:36,300 --> 00:27:40,300 S2: us for something more than just surviving our every day. Yeah. 476 00:27:40,660 --> 00:27:45,180 S1: And it's these little tips and, and things that you 477 00:27:45,180 --> 00:27:47,540 S1: do around the house. And let me give a few 478 00:27:47,580 --> 00:27:50,980 S1: here so that people can understand what you're doing. Number 479 00:27:50,980 --> 00:27:56,820 S1: 72 is use your bookshelf to tell a story. So 480 00:27:56,820 --> 00:27:59,740 S1: this is, and you've got a picture of your bookshelf 481 00:27:59,740 --> 00:28:04,340 S1: and there's books there and then art work that's there. 482 00:28:04,859 --> 00:28:07,659 S1: How can you use your bookshelf to tell a story? 483 00:28:08,820 --> 00:28:11,540 S2: Well, well, first of all, I love that we're trying 484 00:28:11,540 --> 00:28:14,820 S2: to describe something super visual. It's it's hard to imagine 485 00:28:14,859 --> 00:28:19,020 S2: what we're describing here, but really, these hundred ways are 486 00:28:19,020 --> 00:28:24,659 S2: not just um, theoretical or, you know, kind of devotional thoughts. 487 00:28:24,660 --> 00:28:27,660 S2: They're actually really practical, everyday things. That's why we have 488 00:28:27,660 --> 00:28:31,340 S2: everything from, you know, maybe how you style your bookshelf 489 00:28:31,340 --> 00:28:35,580 S2: to a recipe that I always have ready for unexpected guests, 490 00:28:35,580 --> 00:28:38,700 S2: or how I set up a quiet time corner so 491 00:28:38,700 --> 00:28:41,660 S2: that I'm just ready to meet with the Lord every day. 492 00:28:41,820 --> 00:28:45,620 S2: Those little things might seem trite and almost not spiritual. 493 00:28:45,660 --> 00:28:48,620 S2: It's like, are we really talking about styling a bookshelf 494 00:28:49,060 --> 00:28:50,980 S2: to to honor the Lord? What does that have to 495 00:28:50,980 --> 00:28:54,060 S2: do with anything you might ask? And the reason why 496 00:28:54,060 --> 00:28:57,300 S2: I brought that up is because I really believe when 497 00:28:57,300 --> 00:29:00,660 S2: somebody walks into your home and they, you know, you 498 00:29:00,700 --> 00:29:02,780 S2: serve up a cup of tea or a cup of coffee, 499 00:29:02,820 --> 00:29:07,140 S2: and they have an opportunity to know what's on your heart, 500 00:29:07,300 --> 00:29:11,700 S2: what makes you come alive, what causes you to trust 501 00:29:11,700 --> 00:29:15,020 S2: the Lord, and even the way you put things on 502 00:29:15,020 --> 00:29:18,300 S2: your bookshelf. Tell a story of where your heart's at, 503 00:29:18,380 --> 00:29:22,170 S2: what causes you to have hope? I think about how 504 00:29:22,210 --> 00:29:27,210 S2: sometimes we just either decorate or we just use, you know, 505 00:29:27,250 --> 00:29:30,330 S2: either it's form or function, but we don't really realize 506 00:29:30,330 --> 00:29:34,850 S2: that the gospel transforms our whole person down to the 507 00:29:34,850 --> 00:29:38,570 S2: way we invite somebody into our home, the way we 508 00:29:38,570 --> 00:29:42,170 S2: might put something on display. And so it's not me 509 00:29:42,170 --> 00:29:46,770 S2: over spiritualizing decorating a bookshelf. It's me reminding us that 510 00:29:46,770 --> 00:29:50,210 S2: even an opportunity like that, it's not about buying new things, 511 00:29:50,410 --> 00:29:53,650 S2: but it's about saying, hey, if I slow down and 512 00:29:53,650 --> 00:29:57,690 S2: refreshen up this bookshelf, somebody standing here may have an 513 00:29:57,690 --> 00:30:00,690 S2: opportunity to ask me a question about Jesus or ask 514 00:30:00,690 --> 00:30:03,170 S2: me a question about what I think about this, that, 515 00:30:03,170 --> 00:30:06,610 S2: and the other based on what they see on a bookshelf. 516 00:30:06,610 --> 00:30:09,770 S2: And you might just look at your bookshelves and and 517 00:30:09,770 --> 00:30:12,970 S2: ask yourself, is this a hospitable way to cause somebody 518 00:30:12,970 --> 00:30:19,690 S2: to engage in a life? Um, changing meaningful conversation with 519 00:30:19,690 --> 00:30:22,050 S2: me based on what they see on my bookshelf. 520 00:30:22,450 --> 00:30:25,370 S1: When I look at your bookshelf, there's just this feeling 521 00:30:25,370 --> 00:30:29,330 S1: of tranquility. There's a feeling of calm that I get 522 00:30:29,370 --> 00:30:32,530 S1: because in the middle it says, let all that you 523 00:30:32,530 --> 00:30:36,490 S1: do be done in love. And then there are some, 524 00:30:36,530 --> 00:30:39,690 S1: it looks like deer antlers on top of three books 525 00:30:39,690 --> 00:30:41,969 S1: on the left. Where did you get those deer antlers? 526 00:30:42,850 --> 00:30:45,970 S2: You know, my in-laws lived in the mountains at one 527 00:30:45,970 --> 00:30:49,490 S2: point about ten years ago, and they just had a 528 00:30:49,530 --> 00:30:51,810 S2: lot of sheddings on their property. So there's a story 529 00:30:51,810 --> 00:30:52,729 S2: with that as well. 530 00:30:53,130 --> 00:30:57,130 S1: Yes. So you learn a little bit about you through 531 00:30:57,170 --> 00:31:01,450 S1: looking at a bookshelf. Okay. So on number 65 is 532 00:31:01,810 --> 00:31:05,930 S1: with thanks to Jordan Peterson, make your bed. How is 533 00:31:05,970 --> 00:31:11,730 S1: making making your bed part of this whole this moment matters? 534 00:31:12,450 --> 00:31:17,850 S2: This is the most ordinary, basic, Um, rhythm in my life, 535 00:31:17,850 --> 00:31:20,490 S2: but it makes all the difference. My husband and I 536 00:31:20,530 --> 00:31:23,370 S2: get up every day and we always make the bed. 537 00:31:23,370 --> 00:31:26,450 S2: It doesn't matter if the rest of the room is 538 00:31:26,770 --> 00:31:29,530 S2: trashed or if the laundry is everywhere, or we've got 539 00:31:29,530 --> 00:31:33,010 S2: suitcases to unpack. If we make the bed, it's. It 540 00:31:33,010 --> 00:31:35,810 S2: just starts the day, right? It. I mean, on a 541 00:31:35,810 --> 00:31:38,450 S2: practical level, it means that you have a surface. Now 542 00:31:38,570 --> 00:31:40,930 S2: to fold laundry. It means that if you have a 543 00:31:40,930 --> 00:31:43,050 S2: child who's crying, you have a place to sit and 544 00:31:43,050 --> 00:31:46,370 S2: have a calm conversation. And in some weird way, it 545 00:31:46,370 --> 00:31:49,130 S2: almost feels like you've already won. You just start the day. 546 00:31:49,170 --> 00:31:51,530 S2: I kind of feel this way about getting dressed for 547 00:31:51,530 --> 00:31:54,570 S2: the day and making your bed. It's like something so 548 00:31:54,570 --> 00:31:56,930 S2: simple that you can do to kind of alter the 549 00:31:56,930 --> 00:31:58,690 S2: course of the rest of your day. It makes you 550 00:31:58,690 --> 00:32:01,930 S2: realize like, okay, I accomplished one thing. Like, I can 551 00:32:01,930 --> 00:32:04,850 S2: do hard things. I made my bed. Like we're starting 552 00:32:04,850 --> 00:32:08,690 S2: off right. So it's so basic and so simple, but 553 00:32:08,730 --> 00:32:11,170 S2: kind of funny how easy it is to skip over 554 00:32:11,170 --> 00:32:13,810 S2: that and go, oh, it won't matter. Oh, it doesn't really, 555 00:32:13,850 --> 00:32:16,640 S2: you know. But the truth is, you don't realize how 556 00:32:16,680 --> 00:32:19,680 S2: much your eyes even need to settle on something that 557 00:32:19,680 --> 00:32:22,880 S2: is calm and still. Even if you're running around the 558 00:32:22,880 --> 00:32:26,120 S2: house vacuuming and cleaning up, or or if you're busily 559 00:32:26,120 --> 00:32:29,240 S2: packing for a trip, you need one surface that is 560 00:32:29,240 --> 00:32:31,760 S2: cleared off and you could apply this to a kitchen 561 00:32:31,760 --> 00:32:35,240 S2: counter or whatnot. Anything where you just need a surface 562 00:32:35,240 --> 00:32:38,000 S2: of calm. And for me, every day, it's making my bed. 563 00:32:38,440 --> 00:32:41,600 S1: We have done so many clutter programs here, and there's 564 00:32:41,800 --> 00:32:45,520 S1: a chapter in here on, on tips about that. And I'm, 565 00:32:45,800 --> 00:32:48,880 S1: I'm looking at my desk. I have the opportunity to 566 00:32:48,920 --> 00:32:51,880 S1: work at the same place, to be on the program 567 00:32:51,880 --> 00:32:54,120 S1: at the same place where I do my work all day. 568 00:32:54,440 --> 00:32:57,640 S1: And it's like, it's clear over here exactly what you 569 00:32:57,680 --> 00:33:00,200 S1: were just talking about. And then over there, it's like 570 00:33:00,240 --> 00:33:03,400 S1: the storm has hit. What do you say about the 571 00:33:03,400 --> 00:33:05,240 S1: clutter that invades. 572 00:33:06,000 --> 00:33:10,200 S2: Man? I mean, I am not Martha Stewart. I am 573 00:33:10,200 --> 00:33:13,760 S2: not a declutter expert. I am just a woman who 574 00:33:13,760 --> 00:33:17,479 S2: is juggling a lot of different, um, wearing lots of hats, 575 00:33:17,520 --> 00:33:20,800 S2: juggling a lot of roles. And my desk also tells 576 00:33:20,800 --> 00:33:22,320 S2: a story of a lot of things going on in 577 00:33:22,320 --> 00:33:24,160 S2: my life as well. But I think a lot of 578 00:33:24,160 --> 00:33:27,560 S2: times what we realize is that the overwhelm we feel 579 00:33:28,000 --> 00:33:32,239 S2: sometimes ends up being, um, mirrored by the clutter in 580 00:33:32,240 --> 00:33:35,800 S2: our lives. A cluttered desk, a cluttered home sometimes is 581 00:33:35,800 --> 00:33:38,840 S2: indicative of even just clutter in our spirit. Like when 582 00:33:38,840 --> 00:33:41,719 S2: we feel overwhelmed and we don't know where to start, 583 00:33:41,720 --> 00:33:45,360 S2: and we feel like everything's too much and overwhelming and 584 00:33:45,360 --> 00:33:47,600 S2: we're behind already. Those are some of the words that 585 00:33:47,600 --> 00:33:49,840 S2: kind of pop up in my mind about my life 586 00:33:50,120 --> 00:33:52,400 S2: when there are stacks and stacks and stacks. And so 587 00:33:52,400 --> 00:33:56,760 S2: I think it's, it's changing the mindset to recognize that 588 00:33:57,240 --> 00:34:00,560 S2: unless you're a really special human being, you probably aren't 589 00:34:00,560 --> 00:34:03,040 S2: somebody who's keeping your house perfectly clean all the time. 590 00:34:03,360 --> 00:34:06,600 S2: You're probably just somebody who needs to start with one 591 00:34:06,600 --> 00:34:10,040 S2: stack and do one little thing every day. Because once 592 00:34:10,040 --> 00:34:13,080 S2: you've done that, you go, okay, Actually, that's not too bad. 593 00:34:13,080 --> 00:34:15,800 S2: We can do the next thing. And also making room 594 00:34:15,800 --> 00:34:18,640 S2: to say there are going to be seasons and days 595 00:34:18,640 --> 00:34:21,040 S2: of the week where we just pile it on and 596 00:34:21,040 --> 00:34:25,040 S2: everything gets a little chaotic. And yet choosing to recognize 597 00:34:25,040 --> 00:34:27,680 S2: when things get a little overwhelming and realize, like, if 598 00:34:27,680 --> 00:34:30,359 S2: I just do a little bit every day, I won't 599 00:34:30,360 --> 00:34:32,480 S2: let it get to the point where I feel this overwhelmed. 600 00:34:32,760 --> 00:34:36,319 S1: Yeah, I think it for me, it's fear. There's a 601 00:34:36,320 --> 00:34:39,280 S1: lot of fear in my clutter because I'm worried that 602 00:34:39,520 --> 00:34:42,200 S1: if I throw that away, then I might need it 603 00:34:42,200 --> 00:34:46,080 S1: and it'll be in the landfill, you know, or this. 604 00:34:46,120 --> 00:34:47,959 S1: And I have a couple of books over here. It's like, 605 00:34:47,960 --> 00:34:49,960 S1: I need to, I need to look at those books 606 00:34:49,960 --> 00:34:52,279 S1: before I put them on the shelf. Because if I don't, 607 00:34:52,400 --> 00:34:56,799 S1: you know, and so there's just this driving fear of 608 00:34:56,840 --> 00:34:59,600 S1: I'm going to miss out or I'm going to forget that, 609 00:34:59,640 --> 00:35:01,000 S1: you know, and. 610 00:35:01,040 --> 00:35:01,359 S2: You know. 611 00:35:01,400 --> 00:35:03,080 S1: That will control you, won't it? 612 00:35:03,680 --> 00:35:05,960 S2: 100%. And you know, Chris, one of the things I 613 00:35:05,960 --> 00:35:08,799 S2: love about all of our conversations over the years, years 614 00:35:08,840 --> 00:35:11,109 S2: is that I always know that you love getting to 615 00:35:11,110 --> 00:35:13,190 S2: the heart of things like this is my favorite thing 616 00:35:13,190 --> 00:35:15,430 S2: about talking to you, because we can be talking about 617 00:35:15,430 --> 00:35:17,469 S2: making our beds or decluttering. I knew this was a 618 00:35:17,469 --> 00:35:20,390 S2: different kind of book, but the I don't know if 619 00:35:20,390 --> 00:35:22,790 S2: you noticed that at the beginning. I actually start with 620 00:35:22,790 --> 00:35:25,990 S2: a section called Looking to Jesus, because it doesn't matter 621 00:35:26,110 --> 00:35:29,350 S2: what we put on the table for a beautiful dinner, 622 00:35:29,350 --> 00:35:32,989 S2: or how we're hospitable, or how we style our bookshelves, 623 00:35:32,989 --> 00:35:35,550 S2: or take care of our people. If we don't start 624 00:35:35,550 --> 00:35:39,549 S2: with a posture where we're trusting God, where we're trusting 625 00:35:39,550 --> 00:35:43,150 S2: him for our worth and our value and our identity, 626 00:35:43,350 --> 00:35:45,990 S2: then all those other things are just more things to do. 627 00:35:46,150 --> 00:35:48,790 S2: And so I love that you brought up that even 628 00:35:48,790 --> 00:35:53,150 S2: clutter can reflect maybe some of our FOMO or our fear, 629 00:35:53,150 --> 00:35:55,990 S2: or even some of our anxieties about what will somebody 630 00:35:55,989 --> 00:35:57,750 S2: think of me if I throw that away? Or do 631 00:35:57,750 --> 00:35:59,870 S2: I need to prep more with this thing? What if 632 00:35:59,870 --> 00:36:01,790 S2: I need to keep this for all time so that 633 00:36:01,790 --> 00:36:04,070 S2: I can this, that, and the other? Or maybe even 634 00:36:04,110 --> 00:36:08,150 S2: the ways we see ourselves feel incomplete unless we have 635 00:36:08,150 --> 00:36:10,870 S2: certain things around us. And so I think all of 636 00:36:10,870 --> 00:36:14,590 S2: those things start with even looking to Jesus and saying, Lord, 637 00:36:15,030 --> 00:36:17,750 S2: I have a wrong assessment of what brings value in 638 00:36:17,750 --> 00:36:20,270 S2: my life. I so easily have a wrong idea of 639 00:36:20,270 --> 00:36:24,150 S2: my own identity. Help me look to you and come 640 00:36:24,150 --> 00:36:26,910 S2: back to the truth of what the gospel says about 641 00:36:26,910 --> 00:36:29,990 S2: me and who you are, and why I don't have 642 00:36:29,989 --> 00:36:33,029 S2: to do more or get things right to be right 643 00:36:33,030 --> 00:36:38,069 S2: with you. That posture enables us to then, yeah, get 644 00:36:38,070 --> 00:36:40,350 S2: up and make our beds to the glory of God, 645 00:36:40,350 --> 00:36:42,989 S2: not just so that we can be efficient. It's a 646 00:36:42,989 --> 00:36:46,069 S2: posture that helps us pay attention and the conversations that 647 00:36:46,070 --> 00:36:48,750 S2: we're in. Not so that people just like us more, 648 00:36:48,950 --> 00:36:52,390 S2: but because God is worthy of us giving attention to 649 00:36:52,390 --> 00:36:55,230 S2: the people he puts in our lives, or it causes 650 00:36:55,230 --> 00:36:58,790 S2: us to make some time for creativity and get out 651 00:36:58,790 --> 00:37:02,070 S2: those watercolors, not just so that you can feel fulfilled 652 00:37:02,230 --> 00:37:05,430 S2: and have a hobby, but because God wired you and 653 00:37:05,430 --> 00:37:07,430 S2: made you a certain way. And if you have a 654 00:37:07,550 --> 00:37:10,030 S2: creative bone in your body that you want to like, 655 00:37:10,070 --> 00:37:13,629 S2: work out and try, then you should be faithful in 656 00:37:13,670 --> 00:37:15,790 S2: using the gifts he's given you. Do you see how 657 00:37:15,790 --> 00:37:19,669 S2: each of these things might seem unspiritual until you realize, hey, 658 00:37:19,750 --> 00:37:23,629 S2: if I start with leaning into doing all things unto 659 00:37:23,630 --> 00:37:26,109 S2: the Lord, whether we. What Paul says, whether we eat 660 00:37:26,110 --> 00:37:28,310 S2: or drink, whatever we do, do it to the glory 661 00:37:28,310 --> 00:37:32,070 S2: of God. It changes every moment from there on out. 662 00:37:32,630 --> 00:37:36,669 S1: So it is less curating your own life so that 663 00:37:36,670 --> 00:37:40,790 S1: it appears one way and living it fully, which is 664 00:37:40,790 --> 00:37:43,430 S1: where the abundant life comes from. In the middle of 665 00:37:43,430 --> 00:37:45,950 S1: the struggle and the mess and everything that we're going through. 666 00:37:45,989 --> 00:37:50,390 S1: Ruth Jo Simons has written This Moment Matters, our featured 667 00:37:50,390 --> 00:37:55,470 S1: resource at the website. Chris Fabry live.org. Chris Fabry live.org. 668 00:38:05,790 --> 00:38:09,819 S1: Our remaining moments with Joe Simons. This Moment Matters is 669 00:38:09,820 --> 00:38:15,540 S1: our featured resource, 100 Ways to Cultivate a Grace Laced Life. 670 00:38:15,700 --> 00:38:19,339 S1: If you know Ruth's work, you've probably already pre-ordered this. 671 00:38:19,380 --> 00:38:21,580 S1: If this is the first time you're hearing, go to 672 00:38:21,620 --> 00:38:25,259 S1: the website. Chris Fabry live.org. Scroll down. We've got a 673 00:38:25,260 --> 00:38:26,980 S1: link to it right there. I want to talk with 674 00:38:26,980 --> 00:38:29,580 S1: Raj in Oklahoma. Raj, why did you call today? 675 00:38:30,900 --> 00:38:34,540 S4: Well, um, you have a great program. One of my 676 00:38:34,580 --> 00:38:39,460 S4: problems is that I tend to overthink everything. In other words, 677 00:38:39,460 --> 00:38:43,459 S4: I'm always looking for the worst case scenario. What if 678 00:38:43,460 --> 00:38:46,420 S4: this happens? What if this doesn't happen? What if, what if, 679 00:38:46,460 --> 00:38:49,940 S4: what if, what if itis, you know? And so what 680 00:38:49,940 --> 00:38:53,859 S4: I have to do is get grounded and understand sort 681 00:38:53,860 --> 00:38:58,140 S4: of some basic concepts. Once I understand that, for example, 682 00:38:58,140 --> 00:39:03,100 S4: the definition of faith assurance in something hoped for confidence 683 00:39:03,100 --> 00:39:06,380 S4: that it will happen, Then I tend to be a 684 00:39:06,380 --> 00:39:09,860 S4: little bit more grounded because, I mean, life is just 685 00:39:09,860 --> 00:39:13,580 S4: full of rupture and repair. That's basically what all the 686 00:39:13,580 --> 00:39:17,860 S4: life is rupture and repair. So I'm trying to struggle 687 00:39:18,100 --> 00:39:22,100 S4: on the repair part, but I think it just helps 688 00:39:22,100 --> 00:39:27,340 S4: to know my body is just looking for threats and dangers. 689 00:39:27,380 --> 00:39:30,620 S4: And that's really what our bodies are designed to do. 690 00:39:30,900 --> 00:39:33,740 S1: I feel the same way. Ross. I feel like catastrophizing. 691 00:39:33,780 --> 00:39:35,779 S1: You know, it's like, oh, well, this could happen and 692 00:39:35,780 --> 00:39:38,140 S1: that could happen. And I don't and I don't get 693 00:39:38,140 --> 00:39:42,380 S1: out of bed. You know, you get paralyzed by that. So, Ruth, 694 00:39:42,380 --> 00:39:44,020 S1: what do you say to Raj and me? 695 00:39:44,660 --> 00:39:47,660 S2: You know, I love Raj, that you are. Sounds like 696 00:39:47,700 --> 00:39:50,820 S2: you've really wrestled with this and have learned some good 697 00:39:50,980 --> 00:39:54,260 S2: ways to address it. And I think about how that's 698 00:39:54,260 --> 00:39:58,860 S2: exactly what it is to have cultivated some practices. Like, 699 00:39:58,900 --> 00:40:01,419 S2: you know, probably you've already tried something like this. But 700 00:40:01,420 --> 00:40:03,770 S2: for me, when I start doing that, when I start 701 00:40:03,770 --> 00:40:06,890 S2: catastrophizing and when I start worrying, I really have to 702 00:40:06,930 --> 00:40:09,689 S2: slow down. And whether you call them breath prayers or 703 00:40:09,730 --> 00:40:12,290 S2: preaching truth to yourself, but I really have to stop 704 00:40:12,290 --> 00:40:14,529 S2: and go, okay, what do I know to be the truth? 705 00:40:14,530 --> 00:40:17,330 S2: How do I take Scripture, truth of God's Word? And 706 00:40:17,330 --> 00:40:20,049 S2: I take a deep breath and I rehearse it. I 707 00:40:20,050 --> 00:40:23,089 S2: think about it. I speak it out loud, and then 708 00:40:23,090 --> 00:40:26,250 S2: I just breathe out and say, Lord, you can take 709 00:40:26,250 --> 00:40:29,570 S2: all these worries because I can't control them. But you're 710 00:40:29,570 --> 00:40:32,290 S2: still sovereign. You're still good. This is why sometimes I 711 00:40:32,330 --> 00:40:34,770 S2: write about the attributes of God. Because when I am 712 00:40:34,770 --> 00:40:37,969 S2: busy rehearsing the truth about who God is and how 713 00:40:37,969 --> 00:40:43,529 S2: sovereign he is, I can't actually worry and praise God 714 00:40:43,530 --> 00:40:45,890 S2: at the same time. Like I can't actively sit there 715 00:40:45,890 --> 00:40:48,490 S2: worrying and thinking about everything that's going to go wrong 716 00:40:48,690 --> 00:40:50,810 S2: while I'm praising him at the same time. And so 717 00:40:50,810 --> 00:40:53,370 S2: cultivating a practice where you're like, okay, the alarm bells 718 00:40:53,370 --> 00:40:55,370 S2: are going off. I'm starting to do that thing where 719 00:40:55,370 --> 00:40:58,689 S2: I spiral, but then having something that you can turn 720 00:40:58,690 --> 00:41:00,450 S2: to and say, I'm going to go to these scriptures 721 00:41:00,450 --> 00:41:02,410 S2: and remind myself what is true. 722 00:41:03,570 --> 00:41:09,770 S1: I think that's why Trisha said the midday liturgy meant 723 00:41:09,770 --> 00:41:12,250 S1: so much to her. Because I said, what's your favorite chapter? 724 00:41:12,250 --> 00:41:16,730 S1: She said, number eight, the midday liturgy. Could you read that? 725 00:41:16,730 --> 00:41:19,410 S1: Pray that for us here and maybe it would help 726 00:41:19,450 --> 00:41:20,290 S1: Raj and me. 727 00:41:20,930 --> 00:41:24,330 S2: Yeah, let me turn to that. Father, I pause here 728 00:41:24,330 --> 00:41:26,450 S2: in the middle of my day, when I'm tempted to 729 00:41:26,489 --> 00:41:30,730 S2: feel behind or unmotivated or anxious about all that's left 730 00:41:30,730 --> 00:41:34,370 S2: to do. I confess and acknowledge right now that this 731 00:41:34,370 --> 00:41:38,730 S2: day isn't ultimately a success because of my productivity or 732 00:41:38,770 --> 00:41:42,450 S2: a failure because I'm not as far as along as 733 00:41:42,450 --> 00:41:46,210 S2: I hope to be. Instead, I remembered that you call 734 00:41:46,250 --> 00:41:49,890 S2: me to be faithful right where I am. So help 735 00:41:49,890 --> 00:41:53,050 S2: me to do the most with what I already have 736 00:41:53,290 --> 00:41:56,570 S2: and with the time I've been given. And today, right now, 737 00:41:56,570 --> 00:41:59,410 S2: in the middle of the day before the sun goes down, 738 00:41:59,890 --> 00:42:04,410 S2: let me work diligently to you, for you, and because 739 00:42:04,410 --> 00:42:08,250 S2: you're worthy of my everyday faithfulness. Amen. 740 00:42:09,010 --> 00:42:12,090 S1: Amen. Raj, thanks for your call today. Let me get 741 00:42:12,090 --> 00:42:14,930 S1: Carrie Ann in before our the end of the program. 742 00:42:14,930 --> 00:42:16,410 S1: Carrie Ann, what did you want to say? 743 00:42:17,810 --> 00:42:23,010 S5: Hi. Oh, goodness. I'm trying not to wallow up here. Hi, Chris. Hi, Ruth. 744 00:42:23,050 --> 00:42:26,169 S5: It's great to hear you. Um, I love Moody, and 745 00:42:26,170 --> 00:42:29,490 S5: I listen very often. And I just happened to catch 746 00:42:29,489 --> 00:42:33,450 S5: you asking the question. Are, you know about being a Christian? 747 00:42:33,450 --> 00:42:36,609 S5: Are you being kind to your pets? Are you, you know, 748 00:42:36,650 --> 00:42:39,810 S5: and the different questions and I quickly sometimes I can 749 00:42:39,850 --> 00:42:42,770 S5: be hard on myself. And I quickly was like, no, 750 00:42:42,810 --> 00:42:46,090 S5: but I'm doing better. And you know, no. And, and 751 00:42:46,090 --> 00:42:49,489 S5: it reminded me of, of a time, um, I've been 752 00:42:49,489 --> 00:42:52,009 S5: a Christian quite a long time. And, and, you know, 753 00:42:52,050 --> 00:42:54,010 S5: we were to go back to our first love and 754 00:42:54,050 --> 00:42:56,689 S5: I keep trying to do that. I feel like it 755 00:42:56,690 --> 00:43:00,040 S5: used to be a lot I was doing, the answer 756 00:43:00,040 --> 00:43:02,640 S5: would have been yes to all those questions a long 757 00:43:02,640 --> 00:43:06,080 S5: time ago, and I don't really know what has happened 758 00:43:06,080 --> 00:43:09,000 S5: to change it, but I speak with the Lord about it. 759 00:43:09,000 --> 00:43:13,320 S5: And and, and again, I, I can beat myself up 760 00:43:13,320 --> 00:43:16,800 S5: and which is not a good thing. And, um, and 761 00:43:16,800 --> 00:43:20,160 S5: funny enough, the Holy Spirit has led me to do 762 00:43:20,480 --> 00:43:23,800 S5: quite a few of the things that Ruth has mentioned. 763 00:43:23,800 --> 00:43:28,040 S5: For example, I have, um, enjoy the small things, enjoy 764 00:43:28,040 --> 00:43:31,000 S5: the little things. It's, it's on my buffet, right in 765 00:43:31,000 --> 00:43:34,880 S5: my living room where everyone can see. And funny enough, 766 00:43:34,880 --> 00:43:38,359 S5: I would my grown up daughter, I said, listen, as 767 00:43:38,360 --> 00:43:40,760 S5: long as you make the bed, half of the room is. 768 00:43:40,920 --> 00:43:43,200 S5: It's just so funny because half the room is done 769 00:43:43,200 --> 00:43:46,000 S5: and true. If the rest is a mess. But the 770 00:43:46,000 --> 00:43:49,319 S5: bed is made and. And that's a thing that I do. Um, 771 00:43:49,320 --> 00:43:54,520 S5: I practice going to the Word of God first before anything. 772 00:43:54,560 --> 00:43:56,320 S5: Of course, sometimes I have to go to the restroom, 773 00:43:56,320 --> 00:44:00,360 S5: but prior to, you know, before coffee, before anything, making 774 00:44:00,360 --> 00:44:04,560 S5: God first. And I really was in a I was 775 00:44:04,560 --> 00:44:08,200 S5: having a hard time with certain things like being grouchy and, 776 00:44:08,200 --> 00:44:11,640 S5: or I'm asking the Holy Spirit to help me with 777 00:44:11,640 --> 00:44:15,560 S5: gentleness and with kindness and, and, and, you know, and 778 00:44:15,600 --> 00:44:18,359 S5: I see the animals and they're aggravating me. And I'm like, 779 00:44:18,600 --> 00:44:21,000 S5: all right, but, you know, God bless you in charge. 780 00:44:21,000 --> 00:44:23,359 S2: So you're not alone, I carry it. 781 00:44:23,440 --> 00:44:25,080 S6: I want to go back to the what you said. 782 00:44:25,120 --> 00:44:28,680 S1: At the beginning, though, about beating yourself up. And it's like, 783 00:44:28,719 --> 00:44:31,879 S1: I think the enemy really Ruth really loves it when 784 00:44:31,880 --> 00:44:35,319 S1: we do that, because you cannot thank God. You cannot 785 00:44:35,320 --> 00:44:39,320 S1: be grace filled if you're constantly beating yourself up. 786 00:44:40,080 --> 00:44:42,040 S2: You know, and Carrie and I'm listening to you and 787 00:44:42,040 --> 00:44:43,600 S2: I'm going, I just want to give you a big 788 00:44:43,600 --> 00:44:46,240 S2: hug and say, you know what, sister? You are not alone. 789 00:44:46,239 --> 00:44:49,720 S2: Because if we were all honest, we would say, yes, 790 00:44:49,719 --> 00:44:53,880 S2: this is the Christian life is not this perfect trajectory 791 00:44:53,880 --> 00:44:57,160 S2: of like, I'm always going upwards. It is a roller 792 00:44:57,160 --> 00:44:59,319 S2: coaster of ups and downs and going, why do I 793 00:44:59,320 --> 00:45:01,160 S2: feel like I was doing so well and now I'm 794 00:45:01,160 --> 00:45:03,359 S2: really struggling and. But one of the things I just 795 00:45:03,360 --> 00:45:05,719 S2: wanted to say as I was listening to you is 796 00:45:05,719 --> 00:45:10,319 S2: that I think at this season, wherever you are right now, 797 00:45:10,320 --> 00:45:12,600 S2: where you're kind of wrestling with beating yourself up and 798 00:45:12,600 --> 00:45:15,239 S2: feeling a little like shameful about like, why do I 799 00:45:15,239 --> 00:45:17,120 S2: feel like I'm trying so hard, but I still feel 800 00:45:17,120 --> 00:45:19,880 S2: like I'm not doing good enough. This is a perfect 801 00:45:19,880 --> 00:45:22,680 S2: time to go back to the basics of the gospel. 802 00:45:22,840 --> 00:45:26,359 S2: Maybe even go to Ephesians two and remember who it 803 00:45:26,360 --> 00:45:29,359 S2: is that Jesus says you are, that you're adopted, that 804 00:45:29,360 --> 00:45:31,719 S2: you are loved, that you are chosen, that you are 805 00:45:31,719 --> 00:45:36,440 S2: made free, that you are. You are a new creation. Right. 806 00:45:36,440 --> 00:45:39,480 S2: Paul writes, and this is where it's not just rehearsing 807 00:45:39,520 --> 00:45:42,360 S2: truths to feel good about yourself, but to remind yourself 808 00:45:42,360 --> 00:45:44,800 S2: that whether you make your bed or you speak kindly 809 00:45:44,800 --> 00:45:46,520 S2: to your kids, those are not the things that are 810 00:45:46,520 --> 00:45:49,319 S2: going to save you. Those are the outworkings of a 811 00:45:49,320 --> 00:45:52,960 S2: life redeemed in Christ. And as a daughter of the King, 812 00:45:53,120 --> 00:45:54,960 S2: he wants more than anything for you to sit at 813 00:45:55,070 --> 00:45:57,710 S2: his feet, to trust him, to love him. He doesn't 814 00:45:57,710 --> 00:45:59,589 S2: need you to make the bed. He needs you to 815 00:45:59,630 --> 00:46:01,950 S2: just be in his presence. And I want you to 816 00:46:01,950 --> 00:46:04,230 S2: just remember that if you don't hear anything else today, 817 00:46:04,230 --> 00:46:08,910 S2: just know that there's not one grace filled life situation 818 00:46:08,910 --> 00:46:11,510 S2: that you could do more perfectly to earn his favor. 819 00:46:11,510 --> 00:46:12,550 S2: He just wants you. 820 00:46:13,030 --> 00:46:16,149 S1: Yes. And it's a gift to see that you're beating 821 00:46:16,150 --> 00:46:19,590 S1: yourself up, that you realize that it's like, well, the 822 00:46:19,590 --> 00:46:23,750 S1: spirit is working on you. And I'm so glad you called. Ruth. 823 00:46:23,750 --> 00:46:25,830 S1: I'm so glad we had you on about this. We 824 00:46:25,830 --> 00:46:30,189 S1: just scratched the surface. Barely. This moment matters. 100 ways 825 00:46:30,190 --> 00:46:34,310 S1: to Cultivate a grace laced Life. It's our featured resource 826 00:46:34,550 --> 00:46:40,110 S1: at Chris Fabry live.org. Chris Fabriclive dot ORG. A tribute 827 00:46:40,110 --> 00:46:44,190 S1: to Colleen Chow tomorrow right here on the program. That's 828 00:46:44,190 --> 00:46:48,470 S1: a production of Moody Radio, a Ministry of Moody Bible Institute.