1 00:00:00,800 --> 00:00:04,000 Speaker 1: You're listening to the Tutor Dixon Podcast in the Clay 2 00:00:04,040 --> 00:00:10,720 Speaker 1: and Book Podcast Network. Hello, and welcome to the Tutor 3 00:00:10,760 --> 00:00:14,920 Speaker 1: Dixon Podcast. I'm Tutor Dixon, and today we're talking love 4 00:00:15,720 --> 00:00:17,799 Speaker 1: love stories of the Bible, actually, which I know that 5 00:00:17,840 --> 00:00:20,360 Speaker 1: seems a little steamy for the Bible, so I thought 6 00:00:20,400 --> 00:00:22,760 Speaker 1: I'd have to bring in an expert for this subject. 7 00:00:23,120 --> 00:00:25,919 Speaker 1: Shannon Bream is the anchor of Fox News Sunday and 8 00:00:26,000 --> 00:00:29,160 Speaker 1: the author of the Love Stories of the Bible. Speak. 9 00:00:29,760 --> 00:00:31,920 Speaker 1: Thank you for joining me today. Shann and we were 10 00:00:31,960 --> 00:00:34,440 Speaker 1: just talking about how this can be intimidating, so I 11 00:00:34,479 --> 00:00:37,600 Speaker 1: needed an expert. Well, I don't know if I am one, tutor. 12 00:00:37,640 --> 00:00:39,880 Speaker 1: Thank you for having me, but I did dig into 13 00:00:39,920 --> 00:00:42,760 Speaker 1: a lot of experts and put together what we know 14 00:00:42,880 --> 00:00:45,520 Speaker 1: from the Bible itself, but from their thoughts too about 15 00:00:45,520 --> 00:00:47,480 Speaker 1: some of these stories. I got to tell you something 16 00:00:47,479 --> 00:00:49,360 Speaker 1: like Song of Solomon, if you grew up in church 17 00:00:49,400 --> 00:00:51,120 Speaker 1: or know anything about the Bible, was the one like 18 00:00:51,200 --> 00:00:52,919 Speaker 1: we weren't allowed to read it in Sunday School. It's 19 00:00:52,960 --> 00:00:55,720 Speaker 1: very steamy. There's a lot back and forth between this 20 00:00:55,880 --> 00:00:58,360 Speaker 1: man and this woman that obviously have an attraction to 21 00:00:58,360 --> 00:01:00,480 Speaker 1: each other and want to be together. But I feel 22 00:01:00,480 --> 00:01:02,200 Speaker 1: like that's in the Bible for a reason, Like, you know, 23 00:01:02,240 --> 00:01:05,199 Speaker 1: God invented us, he created us, He knows what our 24 00:01:05,240 --> 00:01:08,280 Speaker 1: bodies and our minds want and this longing for connection. 25 00:01:09,120 --> 00:01:11,240 Speaker 1: But there are also deep friendships in the Bible. There 26 00:01:11,240 --> 00:01:15,160 Speaker 1: are also messy friendships and romance stories in the Bible, 27 00:01:15,240 --> 00:01:17,160 Speaker 1: and I think all of that is very helpful to 28 00:01:17,200 --> 00:01:19,920 Speaker 1: dig into because I think of myself like we're all flawed, 29 00:01:20,040 --> 00:01:22,319 Speaker 1: and so are the people in the Bible, and I 30 00:01:22,319 --> 00:01:25,200 Speaker 1: find it comforting that we can learn from them. So 31 00:01:25,319 --> 00:01:28,400 Speaker 1: I think one of the things that I always learn 32 00:01:28,520 --> 00:01:32,000 Speaker 1: when I'm always experienced, when I'm in the Word, is 33 00:01:32,120 --> 00:01:35,639 Speaker 1: that you see different things no matter when you're reading. 34 00:01:35,680 --> 00:01:39,080 Speaker 1: If you're reading the same thing years later, you see 35 00:01:39,280 --> 00:01:41,040 Speaker 1: different parts of the Bible. It speaks to you in 36 00:01:41,040 --> 00:01:43,160 Speaker 1: different ways. So tell me a little bit about the 37 00:01:43,240 --> 00:01:45,919 Speaker 1: journey on this, because I'm sure you saw a bunch 38 00:01:45,920 --> 00:01:48,440 Speaker 1: of things that you had never seen before. Yeah, And 39 00:01:48,560 --> 00:01:50,680 Speaker 1: each time that I dig into the Bible and try 40 00:01:50,680 --> 00:01:53,800 Speaker 1: to learn something new and write about these, I definitely 41 00:01:53,880 --> 00:01:56,160 Speaker 1: learned something new. Because as a kid, I grew up 42 00:01:56,160 --> 00:01:58,560 Speaker 1: going to Sunday school and a religious school, so I've 43 00:01:58,600 --> 00:02:01,040 Speaker 1: heard these stories Adam and Eve and even you know 44 00:02:01,160 --> 00:02:04,240 Speaker 1: Ruth and Boaz and Jonathan and David. They're amazing friendship 45 00:02:04,280 --> 00:02:06,280 Speaker 1: that they had. So I heard about all those But 46 00:02:06,360 --> 00:02:07,720 Speaker 1: to go back, I feel like I have a different 47 00:02:07,720 --> 00:02:10,480 Speaker 1: appreciation as an adult who's walked through some of these things. 48 00:02:10,520 --> 00:02:13,960 Speaker 1: You know, difficult relationships and you know, hurting someone they 49 00:02:14,000 --> 00:02:16,160 Speaker 1: hurt you, how you work through that. And I just 50 00:02:16,280 --> 00:02:19,000 Speaker 1: learned a lot more too, about the reminders of God's love, 51 00:02:19,040 --> 00:02:21,880 Speaker 1: how it's unconditional. He's not waiting for us to jump 52 00:02:21,880 --> 00:02:24,120 Speaker 1: through any hoops there. You know, we can't earn it, 53 00:02:24,240 --> 00:02:28,120 Speaker 1: we can't you know, lose it. So I always just 54 00:02:28,160 --> 00:02:30,360 Speaker 1: have a rebirth kind of my faith. And I do 55 00:02:30,440 --> 00:02:33,200 Speaker 1: see stories in a different way, including you know, Adam 56 00:02:33,240 --> 00:02:35,320 Speaker 1: and Eve, David and Bashiba, all the ones that you 57 00:02:35,400 --> 00:02:37,080 Speaker 1: learn about as a kid. I think you get different 58 00:02:37,160 --> 00:02:41,240 Speaker 1: nuance as an adult. Well, there's love stories also in 59 00:02:41,320 --> 00:02:43,880 Speaker 1: there that are not what we think of, I mean, 60 00:02:44,160 --> 00:02:47,240 Speaker 1: loving children. God's a love story. God loves you in 61 00:02:47,280 --> 00:02:50,840 Speaker 1: different ways, and there's complexities to that. And I think 62 00:02:50,919 --> 00:02:54,760 Speaker 1: sometimes people feel like they turn away from God when 63 00:02:54,800 --> 00:02:57,480 Speaker 1: they feel as though they've been punished by God, or 64 00:02:57,680 --> 00:03:01,280 Speaker 1: they are looked down upon by the Religio community. But 65 00:03:01,320 --> 00:03:05,560 Speaker 1: there's a there is a punishment, but that's also love, right, 66 00:03:05,680 --> 00:03:07,800 Speaker 1: I mean, because you think about if you have children, 67 00:03:08,080 --> 00:03:09,960 Speaker 1: you discipline them just because you want them to have 68 00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:13,440 Speaker 1: boundaries and be successful adults and you know, find out 69 00:03:13,480 --> 00:03:16,000 Speaker 1: how to manage their emotions and everything else in life. 70 00:03:16,120 --> 00:03:18,480 Speaker 1: I think about the New Testament. I'm so struck by 71 00:03:18,560 --> 00:03:21,040 Speaker 1: Jesus and when he encounters this woman who's been caught 72 00:03:21,040 --> 00:03:22,880 Speaker 1: in adultery, and all these men just want a stone 73 00:03:22,960 --> 00:03:25,799 Speaker 1: or you know, they're all about vengeance and judgment and 74 00:03:25,880 --> 00:03:28,399 Speaker 1: let's get this over with. When he says to them, wisely, 75 00:03:28,840 --> 00:03:32,000 Speaker 1: he who's without sin, cast the first stone, and one 76 00:03:32,120 --> 00:03:34,200 Speaker 1: by one they drop their stones and they walk away 77 00:03:34,240 --> 00:03:36,080 Speaker 1: till it's just Jesus and the woman, and he says 78 00:03:36,120 --> 00:03:38,920 Speaker 1: to her, you know, where are your condemners And she's 79 00:03:38,920 --> 00:03:41,520 Speaker 1: like they're gone, and he's like, I don't condemn you either, 80 00:03:41,680 --> 00:03:43,640 Speaker 1: like go away from your sin. I'm going to speak 81 00:03:43,640 --> 00:03:46,040 Speaker 1: truth to that, but like I don't condemn you as 82 00:03:46,080 --> 00:03:47,760 Speaker 1: a person. We see that with the woman at the 83 00:03:47,760 --> 00:03:50,080 Speaker 1: well and the tax collector, Like he went to all 84 00:03:50,120 --> 00:03:53,920 Speaker 1: these people that were outcasts of society and spoke truth 85 00:03:53,960 --> 00:03:56,440 Speaker 1: to them, but you know, just really was there to 86 00:03:56,480 --> 00:03:59,360 Speaker 1: redeem them and wrap them in his love and in 87 00:03:59,400 --> 00:04:01,800 Speaker 1: his accept dins and I think that's a beautiful thing. 88 00:04:02,000 --> 00:04:05,920 Speaker 1: And David and Bathshiba their story is I mean, that's 89 00:04:05,920 --> 00:04:08,720 Speaker 1: one of the most complicated ones, but also something that 90 00:04:08,760 --> 00:04:11,360 Speaker 1: we see play out time and time again in life. 91 00:04:11,400 --> 00:04:14,440 Speaker 1: And so really, when you talk about the Bible, people 92 00:04:14,480 --> 00:04:17,200 Speaker 1: always say there's a story for everyone. There's a warning, 93 00:04:17,320 --> 00:04:20,240 Speaker 1: there's a message, there's an explanation, it's all in there. 94 00:04:20,720 --> 00:04:24,640 Speaker 1: But how do people reconcile the story of David and 95 00:04:24,760 --> 00:04:28,920 Speaker 1: Bathshiba because some people have been in all different parts 96 00:04:28,960 --> 00:04:32,320 Speaker 1: of that story and felt like that didn't end as 97 00:04:32,320 --> 00:04:34,720 Speaker 1: well for them as it did for David and Bathshiba. 98 00:04:34,839 --> 00:04:36,920 Speaker 1: You know. Yeah, so you know, so people know a 99 00:04:36,960 --> 00:04:38,800 Speaker 1: little bit of background a story. You know, David his 100 00:04:38,880 --> 00:04:41,039 Speaker 1: men were off at war, and for whatever reason, he 101 00:04:41,080 --> 00:04:43,200 Speaker 1: had stayed home. He had not led them into battle. 102 00:04:43,240 --> 00:04:45,400 Speaker 1: So he's walking around one night on the top of 103 00:04:45,440 --> 00:04:47,880 Speaker 1: the palace and he sees Bathshiba. And you know, the 104 00:04:47,920 --> 00:04:49,400 Speaker 1: telling of the story that I heard a lot as 105 00:04:49,400 --> 00:04:51,760 Speaker 1: a youngster was that she was sort of this seductress 106 00:04:51,760 --> 00:04:53,880 Speaker 1: and she knew he was watching. There's nothing in the 107 00:04:53,920 --> 00:04:56,800 Speaker 1: scripture that says anything about that. In fact, he was 108 00:04:56,839 --> 00:04:59,239 Speaker 1: the one that was scheming. He found out she was married, 109 00:04:59,240 --> 00:05:01,800 Speaker 1: he knew exactly who her husband was, and he came 110 00:05:01,880 --> 00:05:04,000 Speaker 1: up this whole plan to take her to the palace. 111 00:05:04,440 --> 00:05:06,960 Speaker 1: Whether she was ever a willing participant or not on 112 00:05:07,000 --> 00:05:09,040 Speaker 1: the front end, we don't know. But she became pregnant 113 00:05:09,080 --> 00:05:11,159 Speaker 1: and so then he has to scheme to get rid 114 00:05:11,200 --> 00:05:13,080 Speaker 1: of her husband. First, he brings him home from battle, 115 00:05:13,120 --> 00:05:14,560 Speaker 1: tries to get him to sleep with his wife so 116 00:05:14,600 --> 00:05:17,600 Speaker 1: he could pass it off as his child, the husband's child, 117 00:05:17,920 --> 00:05:19,960 Speaker 1: and the man has such great honor, He's like, no, no, no, 118 00:05:20,000 --> 00:05:21,440 Speaker 1: while the men are fighting, I'm not going to go 119 00:05:21,440 --> 00:05:24,080 Speaker 1: into be with my wife. So then David eventually lines 120 00:05:24,160 --> 00:05:27,000 Speaker 1: up a situation that gets that man killed. And so 121 00:05:27,080 --> 00:05:30,200 Speaker 1: there's great judgment and trauma that comes from that because 122 00:05:30,279 --> 00:05:33,960 Speaker 1: David and Bathsheba do get married, but their child doesn't survive. 123 00:05:34,160 --> 00:05:37,599 Speaker 1: It is a very painful time. But what I love 124 00:05:37,600 --> 00:05:40,039 Speaker 1: about that story is that we see David describes as 125 00:05:40,080 --> 00:05:41,960 Speaker 1: a man after God's own heart, So to know that 126 00:05:41,960 --> 00:05:44,200 Speaker 1: you can mess up that badly and he didn't stay 127 00:05:44,240 --> 00:05:46,720 Speaker 1: there he went, and if you read Psalm fifty one, 128 00:05:46,760 --> 00:05:49,279 Speaker 1: I love it. It's a beautiful place where he's begging 129 00:05:49,320 --> 00:05:52,320 Speaker 1: for forgiveness and pouring out what he's done wrong. He 130 00:05:52,360 --> 00:05:54,240 Speaker 1: doesn't brush it under the carpet and say I made 131 00:05:54,240 --> 00:05:57,159 Speaker 1: that mistake, let's move on like He takes responsibility for 132 00:05:57,240 --> 00:06:00,200 Speaker 1: everything that happened and begs God to make him right 133 00:06:00,320 --> 00:06:03,400 Speaker 1: in a sight, which God gladly does. So if somebody 134 00:06:03,400 --> 00:06:05,440 Speaker 1: can mess up that much and still be called someone 135 00:06:05,480 --> 00:06:08,039 Speaker 1: after God's own hearts, then I feel like there's hope 136 00:06:08,080 --> 00:06:11,479 Speaker 1: for all of us. I think it's really telling because 137 00:06:11,560 --> 00:06:17,880 Speaker 1: it shows you that that parent child relationship is even 138 00:06:17,960 --> 00:06:20,440 Speaker 1: stronger when it comes to God the father and you 139 00:06:20,600 --> 00:06:23,919 Speaker 1: the child, because you're really right when you talk about 140 00:06:23,920 --> 00:06:27,320 Speaker 1: the fact that you can really mess up, but there's 141 00:06:27,320 --> 00:06:30,919 Speaker 1: redemption you can. He's always welcoming you home, And I 142 00:06:30,960 --> 00:06:34,560 Speaker 1: think that's so often the case with our children, and 143 00:06:34,640 --> 00:06:37,480 Speaker 1: we go through struggles, we see our children mess up, 144 00:06:37,520 --> 00:06:40,400 Speaker 1: we see our children make huge mistakes, and yet we 145 00:06:40,480 --> 00:06:43,120 Speaker 1: always are trying to welcome them home and help them 146 00:06:43,160 --> 00:06:45,920 Speaker 1: through that. For the most part, that's how the family 147 00:06:46,000 --> 00:06:48,880 Speaker 1: unit works, and I think it sometimes is hard even 148 00:06:48,960 --> 00:06:51,599 Speaker 1: for the parent, and God is such a great model 149 00:06:51,720 --> 00:06:55,880 Speaker 1: for that. He is because you know, we can, as 150 00:06:55,880 --> 00:06:58,160 Speaker 1: we see in the Old Testament, was the Israelites who 151 00:06:58,200 --> 00:07:00,720 Speaker 1: often were breaking his heart and going away and then 152 00:07:00,760 --> 00:07:03,039 Speaker 1: coming back in this psycho begging him for help and 153 00:07:03,080 --> 00:07:05,800 Speaker 1: forgiveness and coming back, and you know, he continued to 154 00:07:05,839 --> 00:07:08,120 Speaker 1: forgive them. And you know, there's this story in the 155 00:07:08,160 --> 00:07:10,520 Speaker 1: Old Testament that I include in the book, and it's 156 00:07:10,520 --> 00:07:13,440 Speaker 1: a difficult one. It's Homer the prophet, or excuse me, 157 00:07:13,520 --> 00:07:16,560 Speaker 1: Josea the prophet and Gomer who was his wife that 158 00:07:16,600 --> 00:07:18,760 Speaker 1: he married, that God told him go marry this woman. 159 00:07:18,840 --> 00:07:21,280 Speaker 1: Now she was a woman of ill repute. Whether that 160 00:07:21,280 --> 00:07:23,480 Speaker 1: meant she just had sort of a history or whether 161 00:07:23,480 --> 00:07:26,440 Speaker 1: she was actually some type of prostitute, I don't know. 162 00:07:26,520 --> 00:07:29,000 Speaker 1: I mean, scholars differ on that. But he told him 163 00:07:29,280 --> 00:07:31,520 Speaker 1: to marry her. So Joseah did that, and then she 164 00:07:31,640 --> 00:07:34,520 Speaker 1: ends up being unfaithful and running away from him, and 165 00:07:34,640 --> 00:07:36,680 Speaker 1: God is using it as a picture like we all 166 00:07:36,720 --> 00:07:39,600 Speaker 1: want to be Josea in the picture, but sometimes we're Gomer. 167 00:07:39,680 --> 00:07:42,320 Speaker 1: I mean, we're the person who is running away. But 168 00:07:42,480 --> 00:07:44,640 Speaker 1: in that story, as difficult as it is to read, 169 00:07:45,080 --> 00:07:48,160 Speaker 1: the end of it is redemption, buying us back, paying 170 00:07:48,160 --> 00:07:51,880 Speaker 1: the price. I mean, Joseah went and got her out 171 00:07:51,920 --> 00:07:54,160 Speaker 1: of her debts and her slavery and brought her home. 172 00:07:54,400 --> 00:07:56,280 Speaker 1: And God didn't say just bring her home and then 173 00:07:56,440 --> 00:07:59,360 Speaker 1: you're done. I mean he said love her, and she 174 00:07:59,480 --> 00:08:01,000 Speaker 1: and he said that I'm gonna love you. This is 175 00:08:01,040 --> 00:08:03,800 Speaker 1: a real marriage. And I think God does that for us, 176 00:08:03,880 --> 00:08:06,880 Speaker 1: that when we're unfaithful and we get off track, He's 177 00:08:06,920 --> 00:08:09,280 Speaker 1: always going to be in the position of redeeming and 178 00:08:09,320 --> 00:08:12,600 Speaker 1: sacrificing and giving and paying our debts to bring us back. 179 00:08:12,920 --> 00:08:16,240 Speaker 1: So you also have the story of Shadreck Meshack and 180 00:08:16,320 --> 00:08:21,440 Speaker 1: Abednego in there and the king Nebuchadnezzar are saying, you know, 181 00:08:21,480 --> 00:08:23,720 Speaker 1: I'm gonna put you into the fire. You have to 182 00:08:23,760 --> 00:08:27,440 Speaker 1: eat certain foods, you have to obey me. And they're 183 00:08:27,480 --> 00:08:33,319 Speaker 1: always loyal to God. They are they are willingly going 184 00:08:33,360 --> 00:08:37,360 Speaker 1: to sacrifice themselves because they are so faithful that they 185 00:08:37,440 --> 00:08:41,480 Speaker 1: know whatever they face, that God is going to take 186 00:08:41,520 --> 00:08:44,040 Speaker 1: care of them. But I think that you have to 187 00:08:44,080 --> 00:08:47,959 Speaker 1: remember looking at the story, they really don't know what 188 00:08:48,000 --> 00:08:50,840 Speaker 1: they're going to face. But this is the ultimate faith, 189 00:08:51,000 --> 00:08:53,080 Speaker 1: is it not. Yeah, you make such a good point, 190 00:08:53,120 --> 00:08:55,720 Speaker 1: because these were Hebrew young men that were taken away 191 00:08:55,920 --> 00:08:58,640 Speaker 1: to babbyl On to be in this kingdom for King Nebuchadezzar, 192 00:08:58,679 --> 00:09:01,480 Speaker 1: and listen, he saw them as young men who were smart, 193 00:09:01,600 --> 00:09:03,880 Speaker 1: and they were physically strong, and he wanted to put 194 00:09:03,920 --> 00:09:05,839 Speaker 1: them into service, and so they went through a lot 195 00:09:05,880 --> 00:09:08,240 Speaker 1: of trials and training. But he was trying to also 196 00:09:08,320 --> 00:09:10,800 Speaker 1: strip them of their Hebrew heritage, I mean, their language, 197 00:09:10,840 --> 00:09:13,880 Speaker 1: their foods, all the things they gave them a cultural identity. 198 00:09:14,160 --> 00:09:16,640 Speaker 1: But they were never going to abandon God, and they 199 00:09:16,679 --> 00:09:18,720 Speaker 1: wouldn't eat the food that the king put before them, 200 00:09:18,760 --> 00:09:20,920 Speaker 1: even though it was really good, because you know, and 201 00:09:21,040 --> 00:09:22,560 Speaker 1: there are hearts and minds, they knew that it had 202 00:09:22,600 --> 00:09:24,679 Speaker 1: been offered to these false gods that they didn't ever 203 00:09:24,679 --> 00:09:27,160 Speaker 1: want a part of, and God was still faithful that, 204 00:09:27,240 --> 00:09:29,640 Speaker 1: you know, they were eating vegetables and water while these 205 00:09:29,679 --> 00:09:33,480 Speaker 1: other trainees are getting the best food of you know, 206 00:09:33,520 --> 00:09:35,840 Speaker 1: everything that's been offered, the meats and the grains and 207 00:09:35,880 --> 00:09:38,200 Speaker 1: the wine. And at the end of this test where 208 00:09:38,200 --> 00:09:41,040 Speaker 1: they said, just let us do things our way, they 209 00:09:41,080 --> 00:09:44,839 Speaker 1: turned out to be more fit, better looking, healthier, more 210 00:09:44,920 --> 00:09:47,559 Speaker 1: ready to go into service with the diet that they 211 00:09:47,600 --> 00:09:50,360 Speaker 1: felt had been faithful to God, and so they reached 212 00:09:50,440 --> 00:09:53,400 Speaker 1: much more serious problems. As you mentioned the fiery furnace. 213 00:09:53,440 --> 00:09:55,880 Speaker 1: At one point Nubuchandezzar had said, up this giant idol 214 00:09:55,920 --> 00:09:57,640 Speaker 1: and was like, whoever it doesn't bound out to this, 215 00:09:58,160 --> 00:10:00,439 Speaker 1: you could pay with your life. And so he finds 216 00:10:00,440 --> 00:10:03,199 Speaker 1: out that they haven't. They get called in, and I 217 00:10:03,240 --> 00:10:05,280 Speaker 1: love what they say because it gets to your point. 218 00:10:05,679 --> 00:10:08,480 Speaker 1: They say, we know our God is powerful enough to 219 00:10:08,520 --> 00:10:12,000 Speaker 1: save us, but even if he doesn't, we will never 220 00:10:12,040 --> 00:10:14,600 Speaker 1: bow down to these false gods and abandon our religion 221 00:10:14,679 --> 00:10:17,280 Speaker 1: and our heavenly Father. And so he throws them into 222 00:10:17,320 --> 00:10:19,559 Speaker 1: that furnace. It's heated up so hot that the men 223 00:10:19,600 --> 00:10:22,559 Speaker 1: who threw them in actually die. And then they come 224 00:10:22,600 --> 00:10:24,360 Speaker 1: out without a hair singed on their head. They don't 225 00:10:24,400 --> 00:10:27,839 Speaker 1: smell like smoking. Nebuchadnazar has to acknowledge your God is 226 00:10:27,880 --> 00:10:31,760 Speaker 1: the real deal. Yeah, I mean, I think that these 227 00:10:31,800 --> 00:10:34,640 Speaker 1: are the stories that get us through right, whenever you 228 00:10:34,720 --> 00:10:38,160 Speaker 1: go through a tragedy. And have often said that I 229 00:10:38,200 --> 00:10:42,000 Speaker 1: don't know how people that don't have faith get through things. 230 00:10:42,040 --> 00:10:44,840 Speaker 1: I mean, having gone through cancer, that was really that 231 00:10:44,960 --> 00:10:48,720 Speaker 1: was my rock, was to go through that with faith, 232 00:10:48,760 --> 00:10:52,680 Speaker 1: with the Word, with God by my side, losing my dad, 233 00:10:52,920 --> 00:10:55,720 Speaker 1: going through even the campaign. All of these things that 234 00:10:55,760 --> 00:11:00,280 Speaker 1: you do, you do this with faith. But sometimes faith 235 00:11:00,400 --> 00:11:04,760 Speaker 1: is overwhelming for people. Sometimes it's hard to either a 236 00:11:04,760 --> 00:11:07,960 Speaker 1: admit that you are not familiar with the Bible or 237 00:11:08,120 --> 00:11:10,760 Speaker 1: be step into a place where you can learn about 238 00:11:10,760 --> 00:11:14,160 Speaker 1: the Bible without feeling like, oh, I'm going to be judged. 239 00:11:14,200 --> 00:11:16,079 Speaker 1: I don't know as much as that these people when 240 00:11:16,120 --> 00:11:18,080 Speaker 1: you join a group, when you join a Bible study, 241 00:11:18,320 --> 00:11:20,640 Speaker 1: So a book like this kind of gives you that 242 00:11:20,880 --> 00:11:24,720 Speaker 1: peek in without the guilt, right, Yeah, I hope. So 243 00:11:25,000 --> 00:11:26,960 Speaker 1: that's my great hope is that listen, I'm not the 244 00:11:26,960 --> 00:11:29,200 Speaker 1: author of these stories. I'm just sharing them and giving 245 00:11:29,240 --> 00:11:31,760 Speaker 1: a little modern day context. But these are God's stories 246 00:11:31,760 --> 00:11:34,040 Speaker 1: and the Bible. That I hope maybe somebody who's like, 247 00:11:34,040 --> 00:11:35,920 Speaker 1: oh boy, I don't even know where to start. What's 248 00:11:35,920 --> 00:11:38,040 Speaker 1: the Old Testament, what's the New Testament? How does this 249 00:11:38,080 --> 00:11:39,960 Speaker 1: all work? That if they'll pick up a book like 250 00:11:40,000 --> 00:11:42,440 Speaker 1: Love Stories and the Bible Speak, they can read stories 251 00:11:42,440 --> 00:11:44,240 Speaker 1: that they can relate to. I mean, the Bible is 252 00:11:44,320 --> 00:11:48,440 Speaker 1: full of things that happen today in fertility, widowhood, financial rule, 253 00:11:48,480 --> 00:11:50,960 Speaker 1: and illness, the loss of a child. I mean, all 254 00:11:51,000 --> 00:11:53,560 Speaker 1: of those things are in the Bible. So I hope 255 00:11:53,559 --> 00:11:56,120 Speaker 1: that people will feel like, Okay, this is something that's 256 00:11:56,480 --> 00:11:58,680 Speaker 1: a little bit easier for me to understand, and maybe 257 00:11:58,760 --> 00:12:01,079 Speaker 1: from that they're thinking, I want to learn more about 258 00:12:01,080 --> 00:12:03,720 Speaker 1: these stories or other sections of the Bible. So I'm 259 00:12:03,760 --> 00:12:06,360 Speaker 1: hoping it will inspire and kind of pique the interest 260 00:12:06,440 --> 00:12:08,400 Speaker 1: for them to look at these stories in a new way, 261 00:12:08,400 --> 00:12:10,640 Speaker 1: if they already knew them, and if they don't, to 262 00:12:10,720 --> 00:12:13,200 Speaker 1: say I want to know more. So this is the 263 00:12:13,320 --> 00:12:16,839 Speaker 1: third book, this is your third installment. You had women, 264 00:12:16,920 --> 00:12:19,959 Speaker 1: you had mothers and daughters, You've shared all of these 265 00:12:20,040 --> 00:12:23,000 Speaker 1: different relationships. What has been the feedback from the first 266 00:12:23,000 --> 00:12:25,280 Speaker 1: two that you've received. You know what's so funny. I 267 00:12:25,280 --> 00:12:27,280 Speaker 1: think when the first one came out, it was kind 268 00:12:27,280 --> 00:12:29,319 Speaker 1: of in the process of COVID and people were very 269 00:12:29,400 --> 00:12:33,240 Speaker 1: separated and anxious, and I think this felt hopeful to them. 270 00:12:33,280 --> 00:12:35,440 Speaker 1: I mean, we had no idea the response was going 271 00:12:35,440 --> 00:12:37,880 Speaker 1: to be what it was to these books that people 272 00:12:37,920 --> 00:12:40,600 Speaker 1: feel like, Okay, maybe I have a new lease on 273 00:12:40,679 --> 00:12:42,920 Speaker 1: life with some of these stories. I've heard people do 274 00:12:42,960 --> 00:12:45,240 Speaker 1: them in book clubs, whether that's a religious study, a 275 00:12:45,280 --> 00:12:48,840 Speaker 1: Bible study at church, or if it's just in their neighborhood, 276 00:12:49,120 --> 00:12:50,840 Speaker 1: they've done this with family or friends. I had a 277 00:12:50,840 --> 00:12:53,199 Speaker 1: guy who stopped me two three weeks ago in church 278 00:12:53,320 --> 00:12:55,120 Speaker 1: to say, I just want to let you know my 279 00:12:55,240 --> 00:12:57,640 Speaker 1: men's group decided to do women in the Bible speak. 280 00:12:58,360 --> 00:13:01,000 Speaker 1: I know. He said, to do it as kind of 281 00:13:01,040 --> 00:13:03,160 Speaker 1: a way to honor our moms and our wives and 282 00:13:03,200 --> 00:13:05,000 Speaker 1: our daughters, to learn a little bit more about the 283 00:13:05,040 --> 00:13:07,760 Speaker 1: perspective of these women and these important stories in the Bible. 284 00:13:08,160 --> 00:13:11,559 Speaker 1: I didn't even know what to say. It was like, hallelujah, 285 00:13:11,600 --> 00:13:14,160 Speaker 1: that's great. I love that anybody would study these books. 286 00:13:14,200 --> 00:13:17,079 Speaker 1: There for anyone and everyone, wherever you are in a 287 00:13:17,120 --> 00:13:20,600 Speaker 1: faith journey or no faith, male, female, young, old. I 288 00:13:20,640 --> 00:13:22,760 Speaker 1: hope that there's something in there for everybody. How do 289 00:13:22,800 --> 00:13:27,520 Speaker 1: you find that this? I mean, going through this, you're 290 00:13:27,559 --> 00:13:31,280 Speaker 1: also at the same time reporting really tough news. So 291 00:13:31,360 --> 00:13:35,280 Speaker 1: how does this keep you balanced? Because even this last 292 00:13:35,320 --> 00:13:38,800 Speaker 1: story that we've heard coming out of Nashville with the 293 00:13:39,120 --> 00:13:43,320 Speaker 1: six people that died with the three kids, they're nine 294 00:13:43,400 --> 00:13:47,120 Speaker 1: years old. These are really hard stories to report on. 295 00:13:47,160 --> 00:13:49,720 Speaker 1: They're really hard stories to talk about. It makes gets 296 00:13:49,760 --> 00:13:52,560 Speaker 1: me emotional just at the thought of this, you know, 297 00:13:52,679 --> 00:13:55,760 Speaker 1: being a mom myself and having two nine year olds 298 00:13:55,760 --> 00:14:00,520 Speaker 1: in my house, these are really hard things to apprehend. 299 00:14:00,520 --> 00:14:04,200 Speaker 1: They're really hard things for kids, especially to comprehend, but 300 00:14:04,280 --> 00:14:07,600 Speaker 1: as adults, it just doesn't make sense right, And so 301 00:14:07,640 --> 00:14:10,960 Speaker 1: we turned to the Bible. How do you find that 302 00:14:11,920 --> 00:14:14,800 Speaker 1: writing these books has helped you in being able to 303 00:14:15,200 --> 00:14:17,800 Speaker 1: report and connect with people? You know what? It does 304 00:14:17,880 --> 00:14:22,040 Speaker 1: remind me of God's goodness through really terrible circumstances that 305 00:14:22,200 --> 00:14:24,880 Speaker 1: people have questions. I don't understand the waiting, I don't 306 00:14:24,920 --> 00:14:27,240 Speaker 1: understand the disaster. I don't understand the why of this. 307 00:14:27,760 --> 00:14:29,560 Speaker 1: We're human beings and that is going to happen. This 308 00:14:29,600 --> 00:14:32,280 Speaker 1: world is full of evil, it has fallen, and it 309 00:14:32,400 --> 00:14:35,440 Speaker 1: is broken. And I'm just reminded through each of these 310 00:14:35,440 --> 00:14:38,680 Speaker 1: books that God is working through stories. God is not 311 00:14:38,800 --> 00:14:42,160 Speaker 1: unaware of suffering, and he has a plan. It is 312 00:14:42,360 --> 00:14:44,440 Speaker 1: very difficult for us when we are sitting in dark 313 00:14:44,560 --> 00:14:46,800 Speaker 1: valleys and I don't know about you and going through cancer. 314 00:14:46,840 --> 00:14:49,200 Speaker 1: I know I've had physical problems and my husband is 315 00:14:49,240 --> 00:14:51,000 Speaker 1: a brain tumor survivor. I mean, like, there are tough 316 00:14:51,040 --> 00:14:53,440 Speaker 1: places you go in life sudden death of a loved one, 317 00:14:54,640 --> 00:14:56,800 Speaker 1: and in the middle of that, you wouldn't choose it, 318 00:14:56,840 --> 00:14:58,640 Speaker 1: but I would say after the fact, and I was 319 00:14:58,680 --> 00:15:00,880 Speaker 1: talking to a friend about this today. That's where my 320 00:15:00,920 --> 00:15:04,680 Speaker 1: greatest spiritual maturity has happened. The Christ is sometimes that 321 00:15:04,720 --> 00:15:06,200 Speaker 1: I felt to God is when I've been in the 322 00:15:06,240 --> 00:15:10,120 Speaker 1: most emotional or physical pain, and He's faithful to be 323 00:15:10,240 --> 00:15:12,280 Speaker 1: there through those things. And so each of these books 324 00:15:12,280 --> 00:15:15,480 Speaker 1: reminds me of these stories and that our suffering is 325 00:15:15,560 --> 00:15:19,360 Speaker 1: not hidden from Christ. In fact, Christ walked here among us, 326 00:15:19,360 --> 00:15:20,880 Speaker 1: and we know that we're told that we have a 327 00:15:20,920 --> 00:15:22,960 Speaker 1: high priest in Him that suffered in every way that 328 00:15:23,000 --> 00:15:26,480 Speaker 1: we do. He was tempted, He certainly suffered physical and 329 00:15:26,560 --> 00:15:29,880 Speaker 1: emotional pain. So I'm just encouraged by that by these 330 00:15:29,880 --> 00:15:33,320 Speaker 1: books that even in our worst places, God's there. Let's 331 00:15:33,320 --> 00:15:35,840 Speaker 1: take a quick commercial break. We'll continue next on the 332 00:15:35,920 --> 00:15:43,400 Speaker 1: Tutor Dixon podcast. I started Bible study, a really heavy 333 00:15:43,480 --> 00:15:46,000 Speaker 1: duty Bible study in two thousand and nine. So my 334 00:15:46,120 --> 00:15:48,760 Speaker 1: daughter was just six months old when I started this, 335 00:15:48,880 --> 00:15:51,000 Speaker 1: and I really had not I was that person. And 336 00:15:51,040 --> 00:15:54,560 Speaker 1: maybe that's why I ask you about people who are intimidated, 337 00:15:54,600 --> 00:15:56,800 Speaker 1: because I had been a Christian my whole life. But 338 00:15:56,840 --> 00:16:00,400 Speaker 1: what did that mean if I hadn't really dive deep 339 00:16:00,440 --> 00:16:03,680 Speaker 1: into the Bible, right? And so I had a friend say, oh, 340 00:16:03,720 --> 00:16:05,880 Speaker 1: you should go to this Bible study. And the first 341 00:16:05,960 --> 00:16:08,640 Speaker 1: day I went, she the woman was like, this is 342 00:16:08,920 --> 00:16:11,240 Speaker 1: homework every night, and then we have three hours every 343 00:16:11,280 --> 00:16:13,320 Speaker 1: Wednesday that we meet and we have lecture and then 344 00:16:13,320 --> 00:16:15,640 Speaker 1: we talk about our you know, what we've learned. And 345 00:16:15,880 --> 00:16:18,560 Speaker 1: you're going to end up at finding out that certain 346 00:16:18,600 --> 00:16:21,200 Speaker 1: friends weren't friends, and your life will change and you'll 347 00:16:21,240 --> 00:16:24,600 Speaker 1: face adversity and all these things. And honestly, I walked 348 00:16:24,600 --> 00:16:29,360 Speaker 1: away thinking this sounds awful, terrified of this, you know. 349 00:16:30,120 --> 00:16:34,480 Speaker 1: And I went, but I came home my husband was like, well, 350 00:16:34,480 --> 00:16:36,320 Speaker 1: so what did you think of Bible Study? And I said, 351 00:16:36,360 --> 00:16:38,040 Speaker 1: I mean, now I'm committed to it. I feel like 352 00:16:38,120 --> 00:16:40,120 Speaker 1: I have to go, but I'm sort of terrified of it. 353 00:16:40,600 --> 00:16:44,880 Speaker 1: But it really was going through that. And I was 354 00:16:45,160 --> 00:16:47,640 Speaker 1: in that Bible study for seven years. And during that time, 355 00:16:47,800 --> 00:16:50,400 Speaker 1: I did go through cancer, we lost a baby during 356 00:16:50,440 --> 00:16:54,160 Speaker 1: that time, went through having twins, which was it's you know, 357 00:16:54,280 --> 00:16:58,080 Speaker 1: a tougher pregnancy, all of those things, and it was 358 00:16:58,240 --> 00:17:02,320 Speaker 1: such an amazing difference to have that faith journey alongside 359 00:17:02,360 --> 00:17:04,560 Speaker 1: me at the same time, and just knowing that God 360 00:17:04,680 --> 00:17:07,800 Speaker 1: was there and knowing all of these stories, the stories 361 00:17:07,800 --> 00:17:11,199 Speaker 1: that you are sharing in this book are some of 362 00:17:11,200 --> 00:17:14,399 Speaker 1: the best ones to make you feel like you're not alone. 363 00:17:14,560 --> 00:17:18,720 Speaker 1: Like God knows this, He created this, He understands the chaos, 364 00:17:18,760 --> 00:17:21,320 Speaker 1: and there is a plan in the chaos, because a 365 00:17:21,400 --> 00:17:23,560 Speaker 1: lot of times when you're facing things like you said, 366 00:17:23,800 --> 00:17:26,679 Speaker 1: your husband had a brain tumor and going through cancer 367 00:17:26,680 --> 00:17:29,520 Speaker 1: and myself, you don't you don't know. I mean, you 368 00:17:29,520 --> 00:17:33,080 Speaker 1: can't see the future, but there's a piece. And I 369 00:17:33,119 --> 00:17:36,320 Speaker 1: remember after going through all of that, we were in 370 00:17:36,320 --> 00:17:39,040 Speaker 1: a Bible study at school or at church with our 371 00:17:39,080 --> 00:17:41,359 Speaker 1: small group, and one of the women in my small 372 00:17:41,359 --> 00:17:44,399 Speaker 1: group at the time that one of the conversations in 373 00:17:44,440 --> 00:17:46,679 Speaker 1: this book that we were talking about was You're going 374 00:17:46,720 --> 00:17:49,480 Speaker 1: to face things and it's going to grow you in 375 00:17:49,520 --> 00:17:51,640 Speaker 1: your faith. Your faith is going to get so much 376 00:17:51,680 --> 00:17:56,680 Speaker 1: deeper once you go through tragedy. And I remember, like 377 00:17:56,720 --> 00:17:59,160 Speaker 1: the wall went up immediately, and she said, I don't 378 00:17:59,200 --> 00:18:01,040 Speaker 1: I think my faith is steep enough. I don't want 379 00:18:01,040 --> 00:18:02,880 Speaker 1: to go through I'll be good here on the mountaintop. 380 00:18:02,920 --> 00:18:07,040 Speaker 1: This is good. I'll learn up here right right, And honestly, 381 00:18:07,240 --> 00:18:11,720 Speaker 1: I think that that path. People are imperfect, the world 382 00:18:11,840 --> 00:18:14,840 Speaker 1: is imperfect. We're all on a journey, and that path 383 00:18:15,800 --> 00:18:19,560 Speaker 1: grows you in a way that you can interact with 384 00:18:19,600 --> 00:18:23,680 Speaker 1: people differently, you can help people differently. I mean, how 385 00:18:23,720 --> 00:18:27,800 Speaker 1: have you found that that has impacted you? Because I 386 00:18:27,840 --> 00:18:30,760 Speaker 1: am one of those people that was really fearful at first, 387 00:18:30,800 --> 00:18:32,880 Speaker 1: and I think that maybe this book would have helped 388 00:18:32,880 --> 00:18:36,800 Speaker 1: me get there. Yeah. Yeah, nobody wants to choose suffering. 389 00:18:36,920 --> 00:18:39,960 Speaker 1: Nobody likes the idea that it's going to go through that. 390 00:18:40,080 --> 00:18:42,560 Speaker 1: I mean, it is life. When you're younger, maybe it 391 00:18:42,600 --> 00:18:44,800 Speaker 1: hasn't hit you yet, it's a little bit easier to 392 00:18:44,840 --> 00:18:48,240 Speaker 1: be Pollyanna about things. But once you've lived a little 393 00:18:48,240 --> 00:18:50,879 Speaker 1: bit of life and suffered some loss and been hurt, 394 00:18:50,960 --> 00:18:53,520 Speaker 1: You've hurt others, you've lost someone you love, whatever it is, 395 00:18:54,359 --> 00:18:58,040 Speaker 1: suffering is a very real thing. But what I find 396 00:18:58,240 --> 00:19:01,280 Speaker 1: is that in this book is mentioned your Bible City group. 397 00:19:01,280 --> 00:19:03,119 Speaker 1: I was thinking about this is that when you do 398 00:19:03,240 --> 00:19:06,000 Speaker 1: life together, like I cover friendships in this book along 399 00:19:06,040 --> 00:19:09,440 Speaker 1: with the romantic I was reminded of how those friendship 400 00:19:09,480 --> 00:19:11,879 Speaker 1: bonds can in many cases, be stronger than family or 401 00:19:12,040 --> 00:19:14,359 Speaker 1: than blood, because you know, it's kind of friends are 402 00:19:14,440 --> 00:19:17,600 Speaker 1: chosen family in some way, they holess accountable, but they 403 00:19:17,600 --> 00:19:20,000 Speaker 1: will be there and our deepest, darkest valleys. I read 404 00:19:20,040 --> 00:19:23,199 Speaker 1: about Job and his friends in this book too, that 405 00:19:23,320 --> 00:19:25,840 Speaker 1: when they showed up, Joe was in such a mess. 406 00:19:25,920 --> 00:19:29,400 Speaker 1: They themselves were mourning and sobbing as they approached him. 407 00:19:29,480 --> 00:19:31,919 Speaker 1: When they saw him, they were so overwhelmed. But when 408 00:19:31,960 --> 00:19:34,160 Speaker 1: they got there, they just sat there for seven days. 409 00:19:34,200 --> 00:19:37,320 Speaker 1: Nobody said anything. And sometimes that's what we need, is 410 00:19:37,359 --> 00:19:41,959 Speaker 1: the presence of other friends and believers to help us, 411 00:19:42,040 --> 00:19:44,440 Speaker 1: not to have all the answers, but just to show up. 412 00:19:45,040 --> 00:19:48,159 Speaker 1: And I think the beauty of these friendships in the 413 00:19:48,160 --> 00:19:51,600 Speaker 1: Bible has reminded me that community is so important, and 414 00:19:51,680 --> 00:19:53,240 Speaker 1: it's been ripped apart in a lot of ways for 415 00:19:53,280 --> 00:19:56,000 Speaker 1: a lot of people. During COVID felt very isolated. I 416 00:19:56,000 --> 00:19:58,040 Speaker 1: was guilty of going online church. I loved it. I 417 00:19:58,080 --> 00:20:01,000 Speaker 1: could be in my robe, it was awesome, but I 418 00:20:01,080 --> 00:20:03,880 Speaker 1: really missed that connection of being with people. And I'm 419 00:20:03,920 --> 00:20:07,000 Speaker 1: sure that your Bible study was a great place of 420 00:20:07,080 --> 00:20:09,160 Speaker 1: security and a hope for you as you walk through 421 00:20:09,200 --> 00:20:12,879 Speaker 1: all of those things. I mean even being a young mom. 422 00:20:13,080 --> 00:20:17,040 Speaker 1: I think that's something that you always think. When I 423 00:20:17,080 --> 00:20:19,240 Speaker 1: was a kid, I remember looking at moms and thinking 424 00:20:19,280 --> 00:20:21,199 Speaker 1: they know everything because they're a mom, you know. And 425 00:20:21,240 --> 00:20:24,000 Speaker 1: then you become a mom and you're like, wow, this 426 00:20:24,119 --> 00:20:28,080 Speaker 1: is hard, and there's no handbook, you know. So your 427 00:20:28,080 --> 00:20:31,840 Speaker 1: best handbook is the Bible, and then you have friends 428 00:20:32,000 --> 00:20:36,040 Speaker 1: around you, and so going through that. But all of 429 00:20:36,080 --> 00:20:39,800 Speaker 1: the journeys that you see in the Bible, the Ruth 430 00:20:39,960 --> 00:20:43,280 Speaker 1: and Naomi bond, while was always one that really struck 431 00:20:43,320 --> 00:20:47,760 Speaker 1: me because here's a woman who that was her family, 432 00:20:47,800 --> 00:20:50,520 Speaker 1: but it was her chosen family, right. She married into 433 00:20:50,560 --> 00:20:53,560 Speaker 1: that family, and so that Ruth was her mother in 434 00:20:53,640 --> 00:20:56,920 Speaker 1: law and Naomi was her mother in law. And there 435 00:20:56,920 --> 00:21:00,840 Speaker 1: were times when you see in that relationship that Naomi 436 00:21:01,000 --> 00:21:04,240 Speaker 1: became pretty crabby. Right. She was probably hard to be around. 437 00:21:04,320 --> 00:21:06,879 Speaker 1: She'd lost all of her sons, she'd lost her husband, 438 00:21:07,160 --> 00:21:10,040 Speaker 1: and yet Ruth stays with her and look at the reward. 439 00:21:11,400 --> 00:21:13,800 Speaker 1: That's such a great story. I love that story. And 440 00:21:13,840 --> 00:21:16,160 Speaker 1: so I and the mothers and daughters of the Bible speak. 441 00:21:16,200 --> 00:21:19,760 Speaker 1: I did have Ruth and Naomi as chosen mother and daughter. 442 00:21:19,800 --> 00:21:21,840 Speaker 1: You're the daughter in law, but the fact that that 443 00:21:21,960 --> 00:21:23,919 Speaker 1: Ruth was so selfless when she could have gone and 444 00:21:23,920 --> 00:21:26,760 Speaker 1: started her own family, but decided, I'm staying with Naomi. 445 00:21:27,160 --> 00:21:29,320 Speaker 1: They were in poverty. I mean, these were women who 446 00:21:29,320 --> 00:21:32,680 Speaker 1: didn't have protectors, they didn't have providers. But in her humility, 447 00:21:32,720 --> 00:21:35,200 Speaker 1: Ruth goes with Naomi. They go home to Naomi's homeland. 448 00:21:35,200 --> 00:21:38,080 Speaker 1: So Ruth's now an outsider, and she's reduced to just 449 00:21:38,160 --> 00:21:40,880 Speaker 1: going in the fields and gleaning after the professionals had 450 00:21:40,920 --> 00:21:44,119 Speaker 1: come through and harvested whatever there was, and she happens 451 00:21:44,160 --> 00:21:46,280 Speaker 1: to be I don't think there are any coincidences with 452 00:21:46,359 --> 00:21:49,399 Speaker 1: God gleaning in the field of Boas, who was the 453 00:21:49,480 --> 00:21:53,480 Speaker 1: successful man who saw her great character, and he applauds 454 00:21:53,520 --> 00:21:57,320 Speaker 1: her for her humility and her honor and her nobility 455 00:21:57,320 --> 00:22:00,160 Speaker 1: and serving her mother in law. They end up getting 456 00:22:00,160 --> 00:22:03,359 Speaker 1: married and through them, the lineage of Christ comes to be. 457 00:22:03,520 --> 00:22:06,760 Speaker 1: So Ruth, this outsider, gets a second chance that love, 458 00:22:06,840 --> 00:22:09,840 Speaker 1: this widowed woman, and Naomi has great joy, and this 459 00:22:09,960 --> 00:22:12,320 Speaker 1: grandson that is born, and the people of the village 460 00:22:12,359 --> 00:22:14,920 Speaker 1: who were saying, this daughter of yours is worth more 461 00:22:14,920 --> 00:22:17,240 Speaker 1: than seven sons to you, which in that day the 462 00:22:17,359 --> 00:22:19,280 Speaker 1: sons were the thing. They're going to carry on your ning. 463 00:22:19,359 --> 00:22:21,920 Speaker 1: But there were such beauty in Ruth and Boaz coming 464 00:22:21,960 --> 00:22:24,600 Speaker 1: together and having this baby that then winds up in 465 00:22:24,600 --> 00:22:27,399 Speaker 1: the line of Christ. And there's a lot of lesson 466 00:22:27,600 --> 00:22:32,359 Speaker 1: in the mentions in the Bible too, because Ruth wasn't alone, 467 00:22:32,600 --> 00:22:35,560 Speaker 1: she had a sister in law. That sister in law leaves, 468 00:22:35,720 --> 00:22:38,760 Speaker 1: so we don't hear anything more about her, but we 469 00:22:38,960 --> 00:22:42,320 Speaker 1: know that there was a reason she left. She felt 470 00:22:42,400 --> 00:22:44,520 Speaker 1: that she was going to be able to have a 471 00:22:44,520 --> 00:22:47,760 Speaker 1: better life not sticking around. She could see, she could 472 00:22:47,800 --> 00:22:51,359 Speaker 1: foresee enough that being with Naomi was not going to 473 00:22:51,400 --> 00:22:53,920 Speaker 1: be a good sentence for them because they were in poverty. 474 00:22:54,840 --> 00:22:59,480 Speaker 1: What does that say about the lesson of staying Because 475 00:22:59,680 --> 00:23:02,359 Speaker 1: you see Ruth stick with her and like you said, 476 00:23:02,960 --> 00:23:05,880 Speaker 1: they're poor. There's no she doesn't see that she will 477 00:23:05,920 --> 00:23:07,840 Speaker 1: be with Boas she doesn't see that she will get 478 00:23:07,880 --> 00:23:10,840 Speaker 1: this praise. She there's a time when they say that 479 00:23:11,320 --> 00:23:15,879 Speaker 1: Naomi becomes very bitter and she stays, it's such a 480 00:23:16,000 --> 00:23:19,160 Speaker 1: hard thing to stay when you think, gosh, this could 481 00:23:19,200 --> 00:23:21,639 Speaker 1: be the rest of my life. But the lesson in 482 00:23:21,680 --> 00:23:26,320 Speaker 1: the people that disappear is huge too. It is and 483 00:23:26,640 --> 00:23:29,120 Speaker 1: even though we wouldn't blame her. This was a woman 484 00:23:29,119 --> 00:23:31,840 Speaker 1: who in that day to go and start another family 485 00:23:31,840 --> 00:23:34,240 Speaker 1: with another young husband would have made sense. I mean 486 00:23:34,240 --> 00:23:36,119 Speaker 1: what didn't make sense is what Ruth did, which was 487 00:23:36,200 --> 00:23:39,560 Speaker 1: so selfless to go with Naomi into this poverty. But 488 00:23:39,680 --> 00:23:42,800 Speaker 1: sometimes you miss the biggest blessings. And I know sometimes 489 00:23:42,800 --> 00:23:44,760 Speaker 1: friend I was talking to today about being in suffering 490 00:23:44,760 --> 00:23:46,840 Speaker 1: and she's like, I have to fight myself not to 491 00:23:46,920 --> 00:23:48,720 Speaker 1: pray like, Lord, please get me out of this, Please 492 00:23:48,800 --> 00:23:50,400 Speaker 1: let this be over. And when you're in a lot 493 00:23:50,400 --> 00:23:53,080 Speaker 1: of pain, that's going to be your prayer sometimes. But 494 00:23:53,200 --> 00:23:54,959 Speaker 1: she said, you know, help me to walk through it. 495 00:23:55,000 --> 00:23:56,520 Speaker 1: That's the prayer I'm trying to get to, is to 496 00:23:56,560 --> 00:23:59,000 Speaker 1: help me walk through it. I think about difficult times 497 00:23:59,000 --> 00:24:00,520 Speaker 1: in my marriage, and I'm like, if you've been married 498 00:24:00,560 --> 00:24:02,680 Speaker 1: for five minutes, you need a counselor like, you're gonna 499 00:24:02,760 --> 00:24:05,560 Speaker 1: you're gonna no matter how well intentioned you both are, 500 00:24:05,680 --> 00:24:07,840 Speaker 1: as you know, if you're both Christians or whatever faith 501 00:24:07,840 --> 00:24:10,040 Speaker 1: you share or whatever you put as the glue to 502 00:24:10,080 --> 00:24:13,200 Speaker 1: your relationship, you're gonna have difficulties. And I think about 503 00:24:13,200 --> 00:24:15,440 Speaker 1: a particularly rough time that my husband and I had, 504 00:24:15,800 --> 00:24:18,119 Speaker 1: and we were reminiscing about it on a cardship not 505 00:24:18,160 --> 00:24:20,000 Speaker 1: long ago, like we wouldn't want to go through that again, 506 00:24:20,440 --> 00:24:23,040 Speaker 1: but we're like, oh, my goodness, all this richness and 507 00:24:23,200 --> 00:24:26,879 Speaker 1: blessing on the other side of this because we both 508 00:24:27,000 --> 00:24:29,840 Speaker 1: somehow found the strength to stay and fight and figure 509 00:24:29,880 --> 00:24:33,040 Speaker 1: this thing out. And I think that's the same lesson 510 00:24:33,240 --> 00:24:36,600 Speaker 1: with Ruth pledging to Naomi. I mean, it was a 511 00:24:36,640 --> 00:24:39,240 Speaker 1: moral obligation, not a legal one, but she felt like 512 00:24:39,359 --> 00:24:42,040 Speaker 1: to stay and to fight for their safety and fight 513 00:24:42,080 --> 00:24:44,320 Speaker 1: for this relationship and try to get them through this 514 00:24:44,359 --> 00:24:47,719 Speaker 1: difficult time. I think there's great reward in doing that. 515 00:24:47,800 --> 00:24:50,920 Speaker 1: And sometimes we miss the blessing when we're discouraged and 516 00:24:51,000 --> 00:24:54,280 Speaker 1: it's hard to hang on. And maybe that's why the 517 00:24:54,280 --> 00:24:59,400 Speaker 1: Bible is intimidating, because the stories that we create are 518 00:25:00,080 --> 00:25:03,159 Speaker 1: my friend calls it movie love. Oh you think you 519 00:25:03,240 --> 00:25:05,760 Speaker 1: have movie love, and then you know you never see 520 00:25:05,800 --> 00:25:08,520 Speaker 1: what happens after the movie is over, and then movie 521 00:25:08,520 --> 00:25:11,720 Speaker 1: love stops because love is not perfect. And the Bible 522 00:25:12,080 --> 00:25:15,080 Speaker 1: is that awkward place where it shows you what the 523 00:25:15,200 --> 00:25:19,680 Speaker 1: imperfect is and how how much disaster can come of it. 524 00:25:19,880 --> 00:25:22,119 Speaker 1: But there are lessons to be learned, and so if 525 00:25:22,160 --> 00:25:25,240 Speaker 1: you can get past that intimidation of going through and 526 00:25:25,760 --> 00:25:28,240 Speaker 1: seeing yourself, and I think that that can be hard 527 00:25:28,280 --> 00:25:30,200 Speaker 1: to when you read the Bible and you're like, oh, 528 00:25:30,440 --> 00:25:33,880 Speaker 1: that's me. Yeah, I feel a little conviction there right right, 529 00:25:34,359 --> 00:25:37,040 Speaker 1: That's when you know, like it's really penetrating your heart. 530 00:25:37,080 --> 00:25:39,280 Speaker 1: I mean when I pray in the morning and I 531 00:25:39,359 --> 00:25:41,960 Speaker 1: sit down to read in journal, which helps me. A 532 00:25:42,000 --> 00:25:43,240 Speaker 1: lot of times I have praise and we're shop of 533 00:25:43,280 --> 00:25:45,199 Speaker 1: music on in the morning, just trying to know what 534 00:25:45,240 --> 00:25:47,040 Speaker 1: we're walking into in the world every day, but to 535 00:25:47,200 --> 00:25:48,920 Speaker 1: kind of set those foundations. But a lot of times 536 00:25:48,920 --> 00:25:52,119 Speaker 1: I'll pray, like, at least make me willing to fight 537 00:25:52,320 --> 00:25:54,960 Speaker 1: some of these sins or temptations that come in my 538 00:25:55,160 --> 00:25:58,480 Speaker 1: heart and my mind. It's not just you know, help 539 00:25:58,520 --> 00:26:00,400 Speaker 1: me do this and solve that or whatever, like make 540 00:26:00,480 --> 00:26:04,720 Speaker 1: me willing to actually feel the conviction, accept it, see 541 00:26:04,760 --> 00:26:06,920 Speaker 1: where I can get better, and then shelby how to 542 00:26:06,960 --> 00:26:11,240 Speaker 1: do that. And that is hard in the world of media. 543 00:26:11,400 --> 00:26:14,040 Speaker 1: It's hard in the world of politics. I mean, I 544 00:26:14,080 --> 00:26:18,560 Speaker 1: think that was what was the most challenging, is that 545 00:26:18,640 --> 00:26:22,639 Speaker 1: you stick with the convictions when you are running for office, 546 00:26:23,080 --> 00:26:27,280 Speaker 1: you are able to hold to what you believe is 547 00:26:27,400 --> 00:26:29,840 Speaker 1: right because there's so many I remember when I first 548 00:26:29,840 --> 00:26:32,440 Speaker 1: started running, and I really had I don't even know 549 00:26:32,440 --> 00:26:34,520 Speaker 1: if I had announced it might have just been the beginning. 550 00:26:34,760 --> 00:26:36,600 Speaker 1: I was talking to people about it. In one of 551 00:26:36,640 --> 00:26:39,120 Speaker 1: our legislators. As I walked out of his office, he said, 552 00:26:39,160 --> 00:26:42,840 Speaker 1: don't let it seduce you, and I thought, oh, gross, 553 00:26:42,920 --> 00:26:47,560 Speaker 1: what kind of a comment is, you know? And then 554 00:26:47,600 --> 00:26:50,879 Speaker 1: as I got further along and I started to see 555 00:26:50,960 --> 00:26:53,639 Speaker 1: some of the things that were happening in government, and 556 00:26:53,680 --> 00:26:56,760 Speaker 1: I was like, oh man, it really can it really 557 00:26:57,240 --> 00:27:00,440 Speaker 1: There are people who get taken away by these things, 558 00:27:00,480 --> 00:27:05,200 Speaker 1: and you can very easily be convinced to give up 559 00:27:05,320 --> 00:27:07,960 Speaker 1: what is important to you because there's so much pressure 560 00:27:08,040 --> 00:27:10,280 Speaker 1: to say no, be on this side, be on that side, 561 00:27:10,280 --> 00:27:12,639 Speaker 1: You'll you'll get this if you do that. You know, 562 00:27:12,960 --> 00:27:15,919 Speaker 1: give and people are picking away at your soul. And 563 00:27:15,960 --> 00:27:19,679 Speaker 1: I assume that the media is somewhat similar. So I 564 00:27:19,760 --> 00:27:23,240 Speaker 1: think that it's just so amazing to have someone like you, 565 00:27:23,359 --> 00:27:27,040 Speaker 1: who is in that environment all the time, be focused 566 00:27:27,080 --> 00:27:30,000 Speaker 1: on making sure people can read about this. I felt 567 00:27:30,000 --> 00:27:32,440 Speaker 1: really blessed in so so many ways on all those 568 00:27:32,480 --> 00:27:34,760 Speaker 1: different fronts, but the fact that Fox came to me 569 00:27:34,840 --> 00:27:37,280 Speaker 1: with this idea, you know, three years ago or so 570 00:27:37,320 --> 00:27:39,320 Speaker 1: to say like, hey, would you want to write about 571 00:27:39,359 --> 00:27:41,520 Speaker 1: something in this space about women in religion? And now 572 00:27:41,520 --> 00:27:44,240 Speaker 1: it's morphed into love stories where the guys get in 573 00:27:44,280 --> 00:27:47,199 Speaker 1: on it too. I just feel really grateful to be 574 00:27:47,240 --> 00:27:50,240 Speaker 1: in a place that you recognizes our viewers or people 575 00:27:50,280 --> 00:27:53,640 Speaker 1: of faith, that most Americans identify as having a faith 576 00:27:53,680 --> 00:27:56,480 Speaker 1: and believing in God, and that rather than mock or 577 00:27:56,520 --> 00:28:00,800 Speaker 1: belittle them, we should you reach out to the encourage them, 578 00:28:00,800 --> 00:28:02,840 Speaker 1: saying like, listen, there's a lot of work to do 579 00:28:02,920 --> 00:28:05,520 Speaker 1: in this world. Christ calls us to be servants. He says, 580 00:28:05,520 --> 00:28:07,600 Speaker 1: the first will be last, the last will be first. 581 00:28:08,000 --> 00:28:10,920 Speaker 1: So everything that Jesus talked about was radical in those days, 582 00:28:10,920 --> 00:28:13,480 Speaker 1: but it really is now too, because it's against everything 583 00:28:13,480 --> 00:28:16,639 Speaker 1: to tell the world tells us about looking out for ourselves, 584 00:28:16,640 --> 00:28:19,000 Speaker 1: being about ourselves, doing what's right in our own eyes. 585 00:28:19,080 --> 00:28:20,800 Speaker 1: And so, like you said, I mean to stick to 586 00:28:20,840 --> 00:28:22,639 Speaker 1: your convictions. And I think there are a lot of 587 00:28:22,640 --> 00:28:26,119 Speaker 1: amazing people who come to Washington, and they have great intentions, 588 00:28:26,119 --> 00:28:28,440 Speaker 1: and some of them are really steady and they really 589 00:28:28,480 --> 00:28:31,480 Speaker 1: hold on, but others do get, as you said, seduced 590 00:28:32,119 --> 00:28:34,359 Speaker 1: by the power and the fact that, well, I've got 591 00:28:34,400 --> 00:28:35,920 Speaker 1: to make this little compromise here, but it's going to 592 00:28:36,000 --> 00:28:37,600 Speaker 1: lead me to a greater platform where I can do 593 00:28:37,680 --> 00:28:40,200 Speaker 1: more good over here. So we all have to be 594 00:28:40,440 --> 00:28:42,960 Speaker 1: judging our motives, and I pray about that the Lord 595 00:28:43,040 --> 00:28:46,560 Speaker 1: helped me to honestly see my motives in every situation. Well, 596 00:28:46,640 --> 00:28:49,520 Speaker 1: and I think that it's important that we are able 597 00:28:49,560 --> 00:28:52,200 Speaker 1: to talk about this, that you were able to write this, 598 00:28:52,360 --> 00:28:55,440 Speaker 1: because it brings people back. You never know when you're 599 00:28:55,440 --> 00:28:58,800 Speaker 1: talking about something, when you're sharing a testimony a faith 600 00:28:58,840 --> 00:29:02,240 Speaker 1: experience with other people, that they get convicted, or that 601 00:29:02,440 --> 00:29:05,640 Speaker 1: they say, wow, there are no coincidences. Wow, God was 602 00:29:05,680 --> 00:29:07,680 Speaker 1: really there for me, or God really has a plan 603 00:29:07,760 --> 00:29:11,120 Speaker 1: for me, or I need to check myself and get 604 00:29:11,160 --> 00:29:14,920 Speaker 1: back into the word of God, or focus refocus my priorities. 605 00:29:14,960 --> 00:29:18,800 Speaker 1: Because it's really hard in certain cases to be a 606 00:29:18,840 --> 00:29:21,800 Speaker 1: servant leader. We have so many leaders out there right now, 607 00:29:22,040 --> 00:29:24,840 Speaker 1: and it's easy to put yourself ahead of God. And 608 00:29:25,240 --> 00:29:28,280 Speaker 1: books like this bring people back. And I just hope 609 00:29:28,320 --> 00:29:31,640 Speaker 1: that we were able to share some light, some of 610 00:29:31,720 --> 00:29:34,400 Speaker 1: God's light with people today and that they will go 611 00:29:34,480 --> 00:29:36,880 Speaker 1: out and get the book. The book is called The 612 00:29:37,000 --> 00:29:40,680 Speaker 1: Love Stories of the Bible speak. Where can they get it? Anywhere? 613 00:29:40,680 --> 00:29:43,240 Speaker 1: If you like Amazon, if you like Barnes and Noble Books, 614 00:29:43,240 --> 00:29:46,680 Speaker 1: a million, Foxnews books dot Com will point in the 615 00:29:46,760 --> 00:29:49,720 Speaker 1: right direction. It should be anywhere and everywhere awesome, and 616 00:29:49,800 --> 00:29:52,320 Speaker 1: you can, of course watch Shannon bring them on Fox 617 00:29:52,360 --> 00:29:54,480 Speaker 1: News and Fox News Sunday. Just so you know we 618 00:29:54,640 --> 00:29:57,960 Speaker 1: love it. I mean, I love that you're such a 619 00:29:58,000 --> 00:30:03,280 Speaker 1: shining example of a strong female role model for kids, 620 00:30:03,520 --> 00:30:07,920 Speaker 1: for women, for men. Honestly, when I was running, one 621 00:30:07,960 --> 00:30:10,880 Speaker 1: of the hardest things was that people struggled with the 622 00:30:10,920 --> 00:30:13,160 Speaker 1: fact that I had kids, struggled with the fact that 623 00:30:13,200 --> 00:30:15,400 Speaker 1: I was running, struggled with the fact that I was 624 00:30:15,440 --> 00:30:18,120 Speaker 1: a woman. And I love that you go out and 625 00:30:18,160 --> 00:30:20,560 Speaker 1: do the Sunday show. It's so meaningful to me and 626 00:30:20,600 --> 00:30:23,280 Speaker 1: we love watching you. So everyone else please make sure 627 00:30:23,360 --> 00:30:25,960 Speaker 1: you watch her because you are a very special lady. 628 00:30:26,080 --> 00:30:28,120 Speaker 1: Thank you so much. I hope you know people see 629 00:30:28,160 --> 00:30:30,560 Speaker 1: my heavenly Father above anything else, and I'm just grateful 630 00:30:30,560 --> 00:30:33,680 Speaker 1: for the opportunity than absolutely well. Thank you so much 631 00:30:33,720 --> 00:30:36,200 Speaker 1: for joining me today, and thank you all for joining 632 00:30:36,280 --> 00:30:39,640 Speaker 1: us on the Tutor Dixon podcast. For this episode and others, 633 00:30:39,640 --> 00:30:42,880 Speaker 1: go to Tutor Dixon podcast dot com. You can subscribe 634 00:30:42,960 --> 00:30:45,640 Speaker 1: right there and join me next time on the Tutor 635 00:30:45,680 --> 00:30:47,880 Speaker 1: Dixon Podcast. Thanks everyone, have a great day.