1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:04,480 Speaker 1: Welcome one and all to the Professional Homegirl Podcast. Before 2 00:00:04,480 --> 00:00:06,720 Speaker 1: we begin today's episode, we want to remind you that 3 00:00:06,760 --> 00:00:09,440 Speaker 1: the views and opinions expressed on this podcast are those 4 00:00:09,440 --> 00:00:12,240 Speaker 1: of the hosts and guests and are intended for educational 5 00:00:12,360 --> 00:00:16,000 Speaker 1: and entertaining purposes. In this safe space, no question is 6 00:00:16,040 --> 00:00:19,320 Speaker 1: off limits because you never know how someone's storyline can 7 00:00:19,360 --> 00:00:22,599 Speaker 1: be your lifeline. The Professional Homegirl Podcast is here to 8 00:00:22,600 --> 00:00:26,280 Speaker 1: celebrate the diverse voices, stories and experiences of women of color, 9 00:00:26,440 --> 00:00:30,240 Speaker 1: providing a platform for authentic and empowering conversations. There will 10 00:00:30,280 --> 00:00:33,640 Speaker 1: be some key king, some tears, but most importantly a 11 00:00:33,720 --> 00:00:37,879 Speaker 1: reminder that tough times don't last, but professional Homegirls do 12 00:00:38,680 --> 00:00:48,280 Speaker 1: enjoy the show. 13 00:00:48,520 --> 00:00:51,920 Speaker 2: Hey guys, welcome back to this week's episode of the 14 00:00:52,000 --> 00:00:56,040 Speaker 2: Professional Homegirl Podcast. Ishi Girl Ebina and I am super 15 00:00:56,040 --> 00:01:00,520 Speaker 2: excited for you all to hear this week's episode. Now today, Warriors, 16 00:01:01,040 --> 00:01:05,280 Speaker 2: we are diving into a deeply personal and transformative journey 17 00:01:05,280 --> 00:01:08,959 Speaker 2: with my guests, who shares her remarkable story of becoming 18 00:01:09,040 --> 00:01:14,160 Speaker 2: a Christian. We discuss the challenges she faced during this journey, 19 00:01:14,400 --> 00:01:17,320 Speaker 2: the moments of clarity that guided her, and how she 20 00:01:17,400 --> 00:01:20,720 Speaker 2: learned how to hear God's voice. We also discuss the 21 00:01:20,840 --> 00:01:24,679 Speaker 2: essential role of community in her spiritual journey. Whether you're 22 00:01:24,760 --> 00:01:28,720 Speaker 2: navigating your own faith or just curious about others' experiences. 23 00:01:29,160 --> 00:01:33,520 Speaker 2: This episode promises to offer both inspiration and insight. So 24 00:01:33,640 --> 00:01:37,880 Speaker 2: get ready because I am a Christian. Part one starts now, 25 00:01:38,560 --> 00:01:41,360 Speaker 2: all right, to my guests, how you doing? How you feeling? 26 00:01:43,240 --> 00:01:44,280 Speaker 3: I'm doing good? 27 00:01:44,440 --> 00:01:46,679 Speaker 4: Since thank you so much for having me. How are 28 00:01:46,720 --> 00:01:47,720 Speaker 4: you you know? 29 00:01:47,920 --> 00:01:48,680 Speaker 3: I am good? 30 00:01:48,920 --> 00:01:51,440 Speaker 2: Y'all off the record, my guests just pray for us 31 00:01:51,440 --> 00:01:54,600 Speaker 2: to have a beautiful conversation. So I am feeling charged 32 00:01:54,720 --> 00:01:58,320 Speaker 2: up for this conversation. I'm so happy to have you here. 33 00:01:59,320 --> 00:02:01,560 Speaker 3: I am the true really honored that you would have me, 34 00:02:01,680 --> 00:02:02,480 Speaker 3: so thank you. 35 00:02:02,920 --> 00:02:05,240 Speaker 2: Yes, So let's tell the audience how we met. So 36 00:02:05,320 --> 00:02:08,240 Speaker 2: I told the professional homegirls that I went to a retreat. 37 00:02:08,919 --> 00:02:11,400 Speaker 2: Shout out to Tash. It was based out of Seattle. 38 00:02:12,560 --> 00:02:14,120 Speaker 2: I wouldn't say, would you say it was a Christian 39 00:02:14,160 --> 00:02:16,920 Speaker 2: retreat or a content creator Slash? 40 00:02:17,160 --> 00:02:19,359 Speaker 4: It was a content creator retreat. But yeah, I think 41 00:02:19,360 --> 00:02:23,280 Speaker 4: there was a very intentional emphasis on just spurring one 42 00:02:23,280 --> 00:02:24,720 Speaker 4: another on in christ for. 43 00:02:24,639 --> 00:02:28,880 Speaker 2: Sure, right, And so what my guess the funny thing is, 44 00:02:28,919 --> 00:02:30,680 Speaker 2: so I think I shared this with you, and I'll 45 00:02:30,680 --> 00:02:33,280 Speaker 2: definitely share this with my professional homegirls. But I've been 46 00:02:33,320 --> 00:02:37,280 Speaker 2: praying to like meet women who are really engulfed when 47 00:02:37,280 --> 00:02:38,840 Speaker 2: it comes to the Bible, like there's no the word, 48 00:02:38,880 --> 00:02:40,560 Speaker 2: because I want to be able to know the word, like, 49 00:02:40,760 --> 00:02:42,000 Speaker 2: you know, so I could be able to tell niggas 50 00:02:42,040 --> 00:02:47,560 Speaker 2: off using the word right right. And so I say 51 00:02:47,560 --> 00:02:49,680 Speaker 2: all that to say, we didn't really have a lot 52 00:02:49,680 --> 00:02:52,880 Speaker 2: of interactions at the retreat because you know, one thing 53 00:02:52,880 --> 00:02:54,640 Speaker 2: about my guest, y'all, she can throw it down. She 54 00:02:54,760 --> 00:02:57,640 Speaker 2: was cooking her ass off, okay, And we would have 55 00:02:57,639 --> 00:02:59,640 Speaker 2: a little conversations here and there, but we didn't really 56 00:02:59,639 --> 00:03:02,600 Speaker 2: connect until the end of the retreat and we pretty 57 00:03:02,639 --> 00:03:05,600 Speaker 2: much had Bible study and I was sharing with the 58 00:03:05,680 --> 00:03:07,880 Speaker 2: ladies of you know, certain things that we're going to 59 00:03:07,960 --> 00:03:11,680 Speaker 2: talk about with the within our conversation today. And I 60 00:03:11,680 --> 00:03:13,720 Speaker 2: don't know what it was about you, like it was you. 61 00:03:14,120 --> 00:03:16,560 Speaker 2: I mean it was pretty much all of the ladies, 62 00:03:16,600 --> 00:03:19,320 Speaker 2: because everybody had their different respectives, but it was just 63 00:03:19,360 --> 00:03:22,280 Speaker 2: something about you that really had I took a liking to. 64 00:03:23,520 --> 00:03:27,600 Speaker 4: What would Yeah, yeah, I think that the Lord really 65 00:03:27,639 --> 00:03:29,400 Speaker 4: connected us that night, for sure. 66 00:03:29,760 --> 00:03:33,920 Speaker 2: Yeah sure, right, Yeah, So I'm super excited to have 67 00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:37,320 Speaker 2: you on. I've been telling everybody about you, and I've 68 00:03:37,320 --> 00:03:40,640 Speaker 2: been telling everybody in the Professional Homegirl Chat, which will 69 00:03:40,680 --> 00:03:42,600 Speaker 2: be joinings soon and if anybody else want to task 70 00:03:43,640 --> 00:03:47,880 Speaker 2: PHG podcast, but it's an exclusive chat just for Professional Homegirls, 71 00:03:47,920 --> 00:03:50,160 Speaker 2: and I've been telling telling them about you, and they 72 00:03:50,200 --> 00:03:53,200 Speaker 2: also had some questions. So I'm super appreciative of this 73 00:03:53,280 --> 00:03:56,360 Speaker 2: time that we spent because it is eleven o'clock my time. 74 00:03:56,440 --> 00:03:59,000 Speaker 3: Yah, I know you're the goat for that. Thank you 75 00:03:59,120 --> 00:03:59,680 Speaker 3: so much. 76 00:04:00,560 --> 00:04:03,360 Speaker 2: Yes, So, can you tell me a bit about your 77 00:04:03,440 --> 00:04:05,280 Speaker 2: family background and where you grew up at. 78 00:04:06,320 --> 00:04:06,600 Speaker 5: Yeah. 79 00:04:06,680 --> 00:04:11,320 Speaker 4: So I grew up in southern California. I am one 80 00:04:11,360 --> 00:04:15,440 Speaker 4: of seven kids, the second oldest, but i'm the oldest daughter, 81 00:04:15,480 --> 00:04:17,600 Speaker 4: so you know, I'm basically the oldest, the. 82 00:04:17,560 --> 00:04:18,320 Speaker 2: Mama the group. 83 00:04:18,880 --> 00:04:23,960 Speaker 4: Yes, I grew up pretty back and forth between family members. 84 00:04:24,080 --> 00:04:24,719 Speaker 3: My parents. 85 00:04:24,800 --> 00:04:27,080 Speaker 4: My mom, she went to prison when I was very young, 86 00:04:27,520 --> 00:04:29,360 Speaker 4: six years old with a life sentence. 87 00:04:30,200 --> 00:04:31,240 Speaker 3: I moved in oh wow. 88 00:04:32,760 --> 00:04:35,840 Speaker 4: Yeah. Yeah, And I moved in with my dad and 89 00:04:35,839 --> 00:04:38,520 Speaker 4: my stepmom when I was like nine ten, and I 90 00:04:38,520 --> 00:04:39,839 Speaker 4: had a really good life with them. 91 00:04:39,920 --> 00:04:40,720 Speaker 3: I moved out at. 92 00:04:40,600 --> 00:04:45,040 Speaker 4: Eighteen, got married at twenty and I've just been lived 93 00:04:45,080 --> 00:04:46,279 Speaker 4: my best life ever since. 94 00:04:47,800 --> 00:04:51,000 Speaker 2: You know what, we might be jumping ahead, but did 95 00:04:51,000 --> 00:04:52,000 Speaker 2: your mom pass away? 96 00:04:52,880 --> 00:04:56,679 Speaker 3: No? My mother in law? Oh okay, yeah. 97 00:04:56,960 --> 00:04:58,760 Speaker 2: That's when I saw that. I was like, wait a minute, 98 00:04:58,760 --> 00:05:00,320 Speaker 2: I'm like, I didn't get that part story. 99 00:05:00,600 --> 00:05:03,400 Speaker 4: No, no, no, my mother in law. Okay, my condolence 100 00:05:03,520 --> 00:05:05,159 Speaker 4: is okay, thank you so much. 101 00:05:05,640 --> 00:05:06,520 Speaker 3: Yeah. 102 00:05:06,560 --> 00:05:09,120 Speaker 2: So, what were some of your earliest memories related to 103 00:05:09,200 --> 00:05:10,880 Speaker 2: faith or just religion? 104 00:05:11,960 --> 00:05:15,120 Speaker 4: Yeah? So, you know, I didn't grow up like in 105 00:05:15,320 --> 00:05:21,600 Speaker 4: church or anything when I was younger. My so, my 106 00:05:21,640 --> 00:05:25,520 Speaker 4: mom is Mexican, so my Aulos so my grandpa my 107 00:05:25,520 --> 00:05:28,560 Speaker 4: mom's side, he was Catholic, and I remember the Rosaries 108 00:05:28,640 --> 00:05:31,760 Speaker 4: and you know, the going to Mass every now and then. 109 00:05:32,160 --> 00:05:35,159 Speaker 4: And then my my grandma on my dad's side, she 110 00:05:35,279 --> 00:05:37,600 Speaker 4: you know, a black Southern woman, so when we went 111 00:05:37,640 --> 00:05:41,200 Speaker 4: to church with her, it was very Pentecostal, but we didn't. 112 00:05:41,520 --> 00:05:46,040 Speaker 4: We weren't like church heavy churchgoers. So I think religion 113 00:05:46,080 --> 00:05:49,480 Speaker 4: confused me growing up. I had never like read the 114 00:05:49,480 --> 00:05:56,840 Speaker 4: Bible for myself or anything like that. I know, and 115 00:05:56,880 --> 00:05:59,880 Speaker 4: you know, my family they believe in God, like I said, 116 00:06:00,080 --> 00:06:02,400 Speaker 4: to church here and there, but I didn't grow up 117 00:06:02,480 --> 00:06:05,760 Speaker 4: in that. When I turned seventeen, I went to this 118 00:06:05,880 --> 00:06:08,200 Speaker 4: church event with a friend of mine whose mom was 119 00:06:08,240 --> 00:06:10,960 Speaker 4: like really like pushing us to go to this event, 120 00:06:11,000 --> 00:06:13,000 Speaker 4: and I got a prophetic word for the first time, 121 00:06:13,320 --> 00:06:16,160 Speaker 4: and I really wrecked me as a like fresh seventeen 122 00:06:16,200 --> 00:06:18,880 Speaker 4: year old girl. And so a couple of nights later, 123 00:06:19,279 --> 00:06:22,520 Speaker 4: after just being plagued with her words, do you mind 124 00:06:22,760 --> 00:06:23,320 Speaker 4: how she said? 125 00:06:23,760 --> 00:06:24,880 Speaker 3: Yeah? Of course, yeah. 126 00:06:24,880 --> 00:06:27,600 Speaker 4: So when I was, like I said, I was young, 127 00:06:27,600 --> 00:06:29,200 Speaker 4: I was seventeen. I didn't grow up in church. I 128 00:06:29,240 --> 00:06:30,920 Speaker 4: go to church with my friend. It's like a very 129 00:06:31,000 --> 00:06:33,920 Speaker 4: white church. I'm very not white, so it was really 130 00:06:33,920 --> 00:06:37,120 Speaker 4: weird for me. And then it's like white lady. She's 131 00:06:37,120 --> 00:06:39,039 Speaker 4: just staring me down the whole time. So she comes 132 00:06:39,120 --> 00:06:40,800 Speaker 4: up to me one you know, when you're an only 133 00:06:40,839 --> 00:06:43,919 Speaker 4: black person in a in a room, you feel some 134 00:06:44,040 --> 00:06:46,440 Speaker 4: type of way it's be alone. She's just like you 135 00:06:46,480 --> 00:06:48,760 Speaker 4: feel me. So I was really nervous, like why she's 136 00:06:48,760 --> 00:06:51,160 Speaker 4: staring at me like every day of this event, and 137 00:06:51,240 --> 00:06:53,240 Speaker 4: so she came up to me and she just basically 138 00:06:53,720 --> 00:06:56,000 Speaker 4: told me that God had given her a vision when 139 00:06:57,480 --> 00:06:59,560 Speaker 4: she first saw me, and it was of a white 140 00:06:59,680 --> 00:07:02,919 Speaker 4: rose being clenched by his hand, and she had been 141 00:07:03,000 --> 00:07:05,080 Speaker 4: praying all weekend because it was a three day conference 142 00:07:05,120 --> 00:07:09,680 Speaker 4: of what that meant. And God had showed her that 143 00:07:09,880 --> 00:07:12,280 Speaker 4: he set me apart from a young age, and he 144 00:07:12,320 --> 00:07:16,119 Speaker 4: had kept me pure despite what I had been through, 145 00:07:16,200 --> 00:07:19,880 Speaker 4: despite what my family is like, despite my environment that 146 00:07:19,920 --> 00:07:21,880 Speaker 4: I grew up in, and that he needed me to 147 00:07:21,920 --> 00:07:25,840 Speaker 4: remain pure of heart, not necessarily like just sexually, but 148 00:07:25,880 --> 00:07:30,080 Speaker 4: pure of heart so that he could elevate me to 149 00:07:30,120 --> 00:07:31,840 Speaker 4: where he wanted me to be, and that was to 150 00:07:31,880 --> 00:07:35,040 Speaker 4: be a voice that would speak to generations of women, 151 00:07:35,080 --> 00:07:37,920 Speaker 4: penetrating their heart with his word. And if I would 152 00:07:37,920 --> 00:07:40,600 Speaker 4: only say yes to him, he would use my voice 153 00:07:40,600 --> 00:07:43,840 Speaker 4: to change the hearts of generations of women. And she 154 00:07:43,960 --> 00:07:46,400 Speaker 4: told me my name, that she learned my name that 155 00:07:46,440 --> 00:07:49,000 Speaker 4: final night of the conference, and that it meant consecrated 156 00:07:49,040 --> 00:07:51,920 Speaker 4: to God, and that my parents didn't know, but they 157 00:07:51,960 --> 00:07:55,280 Speaker 4: had been speaking my calling over me all along, and 158 00:07:55,880 --> 00:07:58,080 Speaker 4: that just shook me, you know, because what it was 159 00:07:58,200 --> 00:08:03,760 Speaker 4: from I never heard the story. 160 00:08:04,240 --> 00:08:09,200 Speaker 3: Yes, it makes me tremble even still. Yeah. 161 00:08:09,320 --> 00:08:10,600 Speaker 4: So I gave my life to the Lord in my 162 00:08:10,640 --> 00:08:13,560 Speaker 4: bedroom a few nights later, at seventeen, and I promise you, 163 00:08:13,640 --> 00:08:18,640 Speaker 4: I was never the same whatever. Yeah, and what was 164 00:08:18,680 --> 00:08:21,920 Speaker 4: your mom in jail for? So, my mom went to 165 00:08:21,960 --> 00:08:25,240 Speaker 4: prison with a first degree murder charge, and. 166 00:08:25,520 --> 00:08:27,440 Speaker 3: Your mom was a robbery chied. 167 00:08:28,200 --> 00:08:30,680 Speaker 4: She she actually had an l wop sentence of a 168 00:08:30,720 --> 00:08:33,679 Speaker 4: life without the possibility of parole. But after years of 169 00:08:33,960 --> 00:08:36,680 Speaker 4: US petitioning the governor of California because she didn't commit 170 00:08:36,720 --> 00:08:41,319 Speaker 4: the murder, she was present. It was basically a robbery 171 00:08:41,400 --> 00:08:45,199 Speaker 4: with a group of people gone wrong, and she got 172 00:08:45,320 --> 00:08:47,520 Speaker 4: her sentence got commuted. So my mom has been home 173 00:08:47,559 --> 00:08:53,480 Speaker 4: from prison for five years now. So five years yeah, yeah, yeah, 174 00:08:53,520 --> 00:08:56,200 Speaker 4: oh yeah, like we're I feel like we're still getting 175 00:08:56,200 --> 00:08:57,280 Speaker 4: to know each other, you know. 176 00:08:57,720 --> 00:09:00,360 Speaker 2: So, and how has that been like, especially with you 177 00:09:00,960 --> 00:09:01,880 Speaker 2: heavy in your faith. 178 00:09:02,880 --> 00:09:05,959 Speaker 4: Yeah, well, it's been a journey. It's been a journey. 179 00:09:07,040 --> 00:09:10,000 Speaker 4: I love my mom so much and I see so 180 00:09:10,160 --> 00:09:12,360 Speaker 4: much of me in her. But you know, I did 181 00:09:12,400 --> 00:09:16,760 Speaker 4: have a little bit of animosity towards her because yeah, 182 00:09:16,960 --> 00:09:20,080 Speaker 4: for many reasons obviously, but then also it felt like 183 00:09:20,080 --> 00:09:21,160 Speaker 4: we were polar opposites. 184 00:09:21,280 --> 00:09:21,439 Speaker 1: Right. 185 00:09:21,760 --> 00:09:23,760 Speaker 4: My mom is a gangster, Like she's a little tiny 186 00:09:23,800 --> 00:09:29,120 Speaker 4: Latino woman, but she's she's a g okay, And I 187 00:09:29,160 --> 00:09:31,480 Speaker 4: could you met me, since I could be no further 188 00:09:31,559 --> 00:09:36,400 Speaker 4: from that. And so when as we were getting to 189 00:09:36,400 --> 00:09:38,439 Speaker 4: know each other and I was just really, honestly the 190 00:09:38,480 --> 00:09:40,760 Speaker 4: word was disappointed and like, oh, this is my mom. 191 00:09:40,920 --> 00:09:42,320 Speaker 3: Like I felt like that for a season. 192 00:09:42,720 --> 00:09:44,680 Speaker 4: And one day my husband told me, you know, you 193 00:09:44,720 --> 00:09:46,920 Speaker 4: could be everything that you hate about her, because you're 194 00:09:47,000 --> 00:09:49,400 Speaker 4: just like her. But the only difference is you know God. 195 00:09:49,840 --> 00:09:52,640 Speaker 4: And so he filtered all of those things through his lens, 196 00:09:52,720 --> 00:09:55,240 Speaker 4: and you use them to bless the world. And maybe 197 00:09:55,280 --> 00:09:57,280 Speaker 4: all she needs is God and she will bless the 198 00:09:57,280 --> 00:09:59,199 Speaker 4: world too. And I will say that my mom is 199 00:09:59,240 --> 00:10:01,800 Speaker 4: now blessing the world after she has really started walking 200 00:10:01,800 --> 00:10:04,679 Speaker 4: with the Lord, and she's using her voice to advocate 201 00:10:04,760 --> 00:10:10,200 Speaker 4: for women in prison, for unjust and corrupt things that 202 00:10:10,280 --> 00:10:15,000 Speaker 4: happen behind bars, for the children of the women in prison. 203 00:10:15,040 --> 00:10:17,800 Speaker 4: And my mom gave birth to my youngest brother in prison, 204 00:10:18,280 --> 00:10:20,679 Speaker 4: so she's had a world of experience. She experienced so 205 00:10:20,760 --> 00:10:25,000 Speaker 4: much sexual assault from prison guards. 206 00:10:23,800 --> 00:10:24,880 Speaker 3: Just so much, you know. 207 00:10:24,960 --> 00:10:27,960 Speaker 4: And so now I see her traveling the world using 208 00:10:27,960 --> 00:10:30,520 Speaker 4: her voice, speaking up for the rights of these inmates 209 00:10:30,520 --> 00:10:33,360 Speaker 4: and their families. And it's a beautiful thing. God is 210 00:10:33,440 --> 00:10:34,480 Speaker 4: very kind. O. 211 00:10:34,760 --> 00:10:37,120 Speaker 2: Wow, God bless your mom, man, because I can. 212 00:10:37,040 --> 00:10:39,280 Speaker 3: Only massing it. 213 00:10:39,320 --> 00:10:42,000 Speaker 4: I told her about you today actually, so I was like, 214 00:10:42,080 --> 00:10:44,240 Speaker 4: I wanna send you her podcast. I was just like, 215 00:10:44,320 --> 00:10:46,880 Speaker 4: you would love her, like she's so dope, and so 216 00:10:47,000 --> 00:10:50,040 Speaker 4: I sent her your podcast, so she's gonna be binging it. 217 00:10:50,559 --> 00:10:51,840 Speaker 3: So tell mommy to come on. 218 00:10:51,760 --> 00:11:04,240 Speaker 2: Over here, like, yes, like we love that. Now, looking back, 219 00:11:04,720 --> 00:11:07,160 Speaker 2: how do you feel your upbring and shape your current 220 00:11:07,240 --> 00:11:09,120 Speaker 2: views on religion and spirituality. 221 00:11:09,960 --> 00:11:14,079 Speaker 4: Yeah, I think that there was always a deep acknowledgment 222 00:11:14,160 --> 00:11:16,800 Speaker 4: for the goodness of God in my family, even though 223 00:11:16,840 --> 00:11:19,200 Speaker 4: we didn't grow up in church or I didn't see, 224 00:11:19,360 --> 00:11:22,000 Speaker 4: you know, my parents really reading the Bible. There was 225 00:11:22,000 --> 00:11:25,040 Speaker 4: never a time when God was not accredited for every 226 00:11:25,080 --> 00:11:27,840 Speaker 4: good thing. And there was a time when I was 227 00:11:27,840 --> 00:11:31,160 Speaker 4: a teenager when I was like, I feel like agnostic 228 00:11:31,440 --> 00:11:34,320 Speaker 4: or atheism makes more sense because this just feels weird, 229 00:11:35,160 --> 00:11:37,240 Speaker 4: and so I was kind of headed more down that track, 230 00:11:37,480 --> 00:11:40,440 Speaker 4: and I just remember my step mom just acknowledging like, 231 00:11:41,080 --> 00:11:44,360 Speaker 4: if not God, then none of this. And I think 232 00:11:44,440 --> 00:11:47,240 Speaker 4: that even though we didn't grow up in the church 233 00:11:47,400 --> 00:11:51,240 Speaker 4: or in the word, just that deep reverence for the 234 00:11:51,240 --> 00:11:55,880 Speaker 4: reality that God is good has really helped me cling 235 00:11:55,920 --> 00:11:58,640 Speaker 4: to him as just that a good father. I also 236 00:11:58,679 --> 00:12:01,200 Speaker 4: really love my own father, and it's helped me to 237 00:12:01,679 --> 00:12:05,199 Speaker 4: because I feel comfort and security in him. It definitely 238 00:12:05,200 --> 00:12:08,040 Speaker 4: helped me to feel comfort and security as acknowledging God 239 00:12:08,080 --> 00:12:12,160 Speaker 4: as a father. And so I I think when I 240 00:12:12,160 --> 00:12:16,000 Speaker 4: if everybody knew, like what my story, my family story was, 241 00:12:16,400 --> 00:12:19,520 Speaker 4: and they saw who I was, what I have with 242 00:12:19,600 --> 00:12:24,520 Speaker 4: my marriage and my family, they would utter praises to 243 00:12:24,559 --> 00:12:26,840 Speaker 4: God just like I do on a daily basis, you know. 244 00:12:27,559 --> 00:12:30,840 Speaker 2: And so yeah, listen, y'all, this is a kept woman. 245 00:12:32,640 --> 00:12:37,160 Speaker 3: I am. I am. I'm so grateful, you been married 246 00:12:37,160 --> 00:12:38,640 Speaker 3: for twelve years. 247 00:12:38,640 --> 00:12:41,440 Speaker 2: Twelve years, beautiful family, just a little baby, thank you. 248 00:12:42,720 --> 00:12:44,720 Speaker 3: I know, gosh, they're everywhere. 249 00:12:46,080 --> 00:12:48,839 Speaker 2: Oh you know that was gonna be my next question. 250 00:12:48,880 --> 00:12:51,439 Speaker 2: Did you have any questions or doubts about your religion? 251 00:12:51,480 --> 00:12:53,200 Speaker 2: Because of a lot of things that she was exposed 252 00:12:53,240 --> 00:12:58,199 Speaker 2: to growing up, I would say, you would have never 253 00:12:58,240 --> 00:13:01,080 Speaker 2: thought that you would be atheist or agnosty. 254 00:13:01,200 --> 00:13:01,720 Speaker 3: Yeah. 255 00:13:02,080 --> 00:13:05,439 Speaker 4: Yeah, I think that I didn't have a firm foundation 256 00:13:06,040 --> 00:13:09,600 Speaker 4: anything growing up as far as believing in God, other than, 257 00:13:09,679 --> 00:13:12,439 Speaker 4: like I said, the minimal introductions I had to him 258 00:13:12,440 --> 00:13:17,120 Speaker 4: through really discussion, I would say that once I came 259 00:13:17,160 --> 00:13:20,320 Speaker 4: to know Jesus, like since when I tell you, I 260 00:13:20,360 --> 00:13:23,839 Speaker 4: asked God into my heart that night, literally like in 261 00:13:23,880 --> 00:13:26,280 Speaker 4: my bedroom, and I have been in love with him 262 00:13:26,280 --> 00:13:29,920 Speaker 4: ever since. I got a Bible for the first time. 263 00:13:29,960 --> 00:13:32,000 Speaker 4: I had never had my own Bible, and I got 264 00:13:32,000 --> 00:13:33,520 Speaker 4: a Bible, I got my hands on the Bible. I 265 00:13:33,559 --> 00:13:35,640 Speaker 4: just started reading. It didn't even make no sense to me, 266 00:13:35,679 --> 00:13:38,560 Speaker 4: but I loved it, like I was just so just 267 00:13:38,679 --> 00:13:43,319 Speaker 4: obsessed with the person of Jesus Christ. And I would say, 268 00:13:43,440 --> 00:13:47,840 Speaker 4: since then, I have never doubted God. Now I have 269 00:13:48,040 --> 00:13:51,400 Speaker 4: had seasons in my faith where I'm frustrated with God, 270 00:13:52,600 --> 00:13:54,920 Speaker 4: where I almost even am angry at God. 271 00:13:55,520 --> 00:13:59,000 Speaker 2: I'd you feel me I has to step to him 272 00:13:59,000 --> 00:14:01,319 Speaker 2: as a woman baby, Yes, like. 273 00:14:01,400 --> 00:14:04,040 Speaker 3: Just I like, sometimes I be shook. You know. 274 00:14:04,640 --> 00:14:07,880 Speaker 4: I heard this quote from this woman and she said, 275 00:14:07,880 --> 00:14:10,200 Speaker 4: to be angry with God is to be doubly close, 276 00:14:10,520 --> 00:14:12,680 Speaker 4: because you cannot be angry with something you do not 277 00:14:12,760 --> 00:14:15,840 Speaker 4: believe in. And so I kind of took that. And 278 00:14:15,880 --> 00:14:18,800 Speaker 4: when I have those moments where I feel doubts or 279 00:14:18,840 --> 00:14:22,560 Speaker 4: anger or frustration, I ask myself, says, why why are 280 00:14:22,560 --> 00:14:24,520 Speaker 4: you angry with God? Is it because you lack faith, 281 00:14:24,760 --> 00:14:26,880 Speaker 4: and I realize it's actually because I have a lot 282 00:14:26,920 --> 00:14:28,960 Speaker 4: of faith in what God is capable of. 283 00:14:29,280 --> 00:14:31,200 Speaker 3: And if I feel like he's not doing what I 284 00:14:31,320 --> 00:14:32,520 Speaker 3: think he's capable. 285 00:14:32,240 --> 00:14:35,600 Speaker 2: Of, especially when you want him to do it, Yes, and. 286 00:14:35,720 --> 00:14:39,640 Speaker 4: I feel the frustration, but I can't help but acknowledge 287 00:14:39,920 --> 00:14:42,160 Speaker 4: the same way that I don't know what the temperature 288 00:14:42,200 --> 00:14:44,400 Speaker 4: will be two weeks from now is the same way 289 00:14:44,480 --> 00:14:46,320 Speaker 4: I cannot fathom. 290 00:14:45,800 --> 00:14:48,680 Speaker 3: The vast reality of life. 291 00:14:48,640 --> 00:14:52,200 Speaker 4: In all the complexities, and that's humbling, you know. And 292 00:14:52,240 --> 00:14:56,040 Speaker 4: so yeah, I would say that in those times of frustration, 293 00:14:56,600 --> 00:14:59,120 Speaker 4: might close my Bible for a little while, you know, 294 00:15:00,080 --> 00:15:03,000 Speaker 4: be like, ah, try rush off off, you know, like 295 00:15:03,280 --> 00:15:05,320 Speaker 4: put on some drap music, like I don't want to 296 00:15:05,320 --> 00:15:05,920 Speaker 4: hear none of that. 297 00:15:06,880 --> 00:15:10,520 Speaker 3: But God never leaves me. He never leaves me. 298 00:15:19,760 --> 00:15:21,440 Speaker 2: Do you mind sharing one of those times when you 299 00:15:21,480 --> 00:15:23,720 Speaker 2: was first grade? Because I know for me, one of 300 00:15:23,760 --> 00:15:26,280 Speaker 2: the times where I was just so angry with God 301 00:15:26,440 --> 00:15:28,680 Speaker 2: is when my grandmother passed away, and that was the 302 00:15:28,720 --> 00:15:31,600 Speaker 2: only person that I felt like, or not even felt 303 00:15:31,680 --> 00:15:34,680 Speaker 2: I knew that loved me unconditionally, and I just could 304 00:15:34,760 --> 00:15:39,560 Speaker 2: not understand why it felt like I was in this 305 00:15:39,640 --> 00:15:42,920 Speaker 2: world by myself. So it took me a long time 306 00:15:42,960 --> 00:15:44,640 Speaker 2: for me to get back on track with him because 307 00:15:44,680 --> 00:15:46,840 Speaker 2: I was so I was very angry. 308 00:15:47,560 --> 00:15:50,760 Speaker 4: Yeah, man, I well, I'm so sorry about the loss 309 00:15:50,800 --> 00:15:52,880 Speaker 4: of your grandmother. I remember talking about her to Retreat 310 00:15:52,880 --> 00:15:56,960 Speaker 4: and she sounds incredible and clearly she has given us 311 00:15:57,000 --> 00:15:59,920 Speaker 4: an incredible woman in this world. So yes, yes, thank 312 00:16:00,240 --> 00:16:03,640 Speaker 4: you God for Granny. Okay, yeah, I would say a 313 00:16:03,680 --> 00:16:08,040 Speaker 4: similar experience. My mother in law passed away on New 314 00:16:08,120 --> 00:16:12,640 Speaker 4: Year's Eve of this last year less so decem. Yeah, 315 00:16:12,680 --> 00:16:16,960 Speaker 4: twenty twenty three. So that was really hard for me 316 00:16:17,240 --> 00:16:19,880 Speaker 4: for many reasons. I've known my mother in law since 317 00:16:19,880 --> 00:16:21,520 Speaker 4: I was fourteen years old, so she's been in my 318 00:16:21,560 --> 00:16:24,440 Speaker 4: life around more than my own mother. That birth me, right, 319 00:16:26,000 --> 00:16:30,160 Speaker 4: and so my husband and I we sewed into her 320 00:16:30,200 --> 00:16:32,320 Speaker 4: a lot, and I think when she died, she's only 321 00:16:32,320 --> 00:16:35,720 Speaker 4: fifty three years old, and we really just were taken aback, 322 00:16:35,760 --> 00:16:38,720 Speaker 4: like we didn't see that coming. When she died, I 323 00:16:38,760 --> 00:16:43,120 Speaker 4: remember being so angry because the only way I could 324 00:16:43,160 --> 00:16:45,760 Speaker 4: describe it is like you're reading a really good book, right, 325 00:16:46,400 --> 00:16:48,800 Speaker 4: and it's like a dot dot dot you turn the page. 326 00:16:48,800 --> 00:16:49,680 Speaker 3: You cannot wait to. 327 00:16:49,640 --> 00:16:52,760 Speaker 4: Know, like what happens to the next chapter, that every 328 00:16:52,880 --> 00:16:57,920 Speaker 4: other page is blank. Yeah, And I like holding that 329 00:16:58,000 --> 00:17:01,480 Speaker 4: book and like slamming it against the desk, like why God, 330 00:17:01,560 --> 00:17:04,040 Speaker 4: Like that was not supposed to be how the story ended. 331 00:17:04,920 --> 00:17:08,280 Speaker 4: I would have like, if you knew the dynamics of 332 00:17:08,280 --> 00:17:11,919 Speaker 4: the relationship, I have just sowed so much tears and 333 00:17:12,000 --> 00:17:15,159 Speaker 4: prayer into the life of my mother in law. So 334 00:17:16,080 --> 00:17:18,760 Speaker 4: when that happened, being so angry that it felt like 335 00:17:18,840 --> 00:17:22,320 Speaker 4: God forgot, like he forgot us, that we actually needed 336 00:17:22,359 --> 00:17:24,399 Speaker 4: him to fill in those pages with a beautiful ending, 337 00:17:24,960 --> 00:17:28,120 Speaker 4: and he didn't. But then I remember talking to her children, 338 00:17:28,320 --> 00:17:32,440 Speaker 4: you know, my husband, his siblings, and they said, how 339 00:17:32,520 --> 00:17:35,600 Speaker 4: can we not be grateful that for someone who struggled 340 00:17:35,680 --> 00:17:38,280 Speaker 4: so much with the pains of this world, we know 341 00:17:38,440 --> 00:17:42,359 Speaker 4: that she is eternally resting. And I was reminded in 342 00:17:42,400 --> 00:17:45,160 Speaker 4: that moment, as her own children, who were also grieving her, 343 00:17:45,760 --> 00:17:48,879 Speaker 4: saw the hand of God in releasing her from the 344 00:17:48,920 --> 00:17:52,320 Speaker 4: pain of this world, that I am actually not the author, 345 00:17:53,240 --> 00:17:56,840 Speaker 4: and I don't know how to write a beautiful ending 346 00:17:57,119 --> 00:18:00,120 Speaker 4: more beautiful than he, you know. And I know that 347 00:18:00,240 --> 00:18:02,320 Speaker 4: because I would have never chose this life that I lived. 348 00:18:02,760 --> 00:18:05,640 Speaker 4: I had a whole different picture from my life's right, 349 00:18:06,320 --> 00:18:08,080 Speaker 4: or what you want to say is I wanted to 350 00:18:08,160 --> 00:18:10,800 Speaker 4: be single. I didn't want no kids. I wanted to 351 00:18:10,880 --> 00:18:13,000 Speaker 4: be in fashion and live my best sex in the 352 00:18:13,040 --> 00:18:17,080 Speaker 4: city by coastal LA and New York life. Okay, that's 353 00:18:17,119 --> 00:18:19,440 Speaker 4: what I thought my life would be. I'm like, I'm 354 00:18:19,520 --> 00:18:21,640 Speaker 4: figuring it out. I'm going to fit them. I got 355 00:18:21,640 --> 00:18:25,280 Speaker 4: accepted into fashions, going in LA. I'm about to finesse 356 00:18:25,320 --> 00:18:29,280 Speaker 4: my way into a basketball players. Come on, like that 357 00:18:29,520 --> 00:18:32,680 Speaker 4: was my vibe, you know. And then I got married young. 358 00:18:32,720 --> 00:18:35,160 Speaker 4: I'm at Jesus, I got married young. I have a 359 00:18:35,200 --> 00:18:39,600 Speaker 4: grip of kids. And when I tell you that this 360 00:18:40,200 --> 00:18:42,440 Speaker 4: life I live is better than I could have ever 361 00:18:42,560 --> 00:18:45,760 Speaker 4: dreamt of, I'm reminded in those moments where I'm angry 362 00:18:45,760 --> 00:18:48,080 Speaker 4: with God about something that I'm just not a better 363 00:18:48,119 --> 00:18:49,040 Speaker 4: author than he is. 364 00:18:49,960 --> 00:18:52,240 Speaker 3: And so that's what really pulls me out of that. 365 00:18:52,359 --> 00:18:54,720 Speaker 2: You know, do you ever want about the what ifs? 366 00:18:55,720 --> 00:18:58,120 Speaker 2: About the life thought you would. 367 00:18:57,960 --> 00:18:59,240 Speaker 3: Have had that I thought I would No. 368 00:18:59,560 --> 00:19:03,439 Speaker 4: Actually, so I've had so many opportunities to like do 369 00:19:03,520 --> 00:19:08,040 Speaker 4: big things in fashion, like style someone. I've styled people 370 00:19:08,040 --> 00:19:09,879 Speaker 4: for red carpets and things like that I have the 371 00:19:09,880 --> 00:19:13,040 Speaker 4: opportunity to go to be there too, when I tell you, 372 00:19:13,080 --> 00:19:14,920 Speaker 4: since I just want to be with my babies. 373 00:19:14,960 --> 00:19:16,440 Speaker 3: I just want to be stuck up under my man, 374 00:19:16,560 --> 00:19:17,240 Speaker 3: my man, my man. 375 00:19:17,560 --> 00:19:20,879 Speaker 4: Yes, those opportunities never left me even though I have 376 00:19:20,960 --> 00:19:23,160 Speaker 4: because I'm a firm believer that like being a wife 377 00:19:23,200 --> 00:19:25,879 Speaker 4: and being a mother is not my identity. Like I 378 00:19:25,920 --> 00:19:28,959 Speaker 4: am the person, the woman first, and then I am 379 00:19:29,000 --> 00:19:32,720 Speaker 4: those things after, right, And so I could still have 380 00:19:32,800 --> 00:19:34,959 Speaker 4: took those opportunities and pursued those things. 381 00:19:35,520 --> 00:19:39,160 Speaker 3: But I really love this little life. I think I 382 00:19:39,320 --> 00:19:40,560 Speaker 3: like this little license. 383 00:19:40,640 --> 00:19:45,320 Speaker 4: Yes, you know, and so God is just He just knows, 384 00:19:45,400 --> 00:19:46,520 Speaker 4: He just knows, you know. 385 00:19:48,000 --> 00:19:50,400 Speaker 2: So what are some practical ways that you stay connected 386 00:19:50,440 --> 00:19:52,199 Speaker 2: to God throughout your everyday life? 387 00:19:53,200 --> 00:19:53,440 Speaker 3: Yeah? 388 00:19:53,480 --> 00:19:57,199 Speaker 4: So okay, I have a sandwich method. So by that 389 00:19:57,359 --> 00:19:59,560 Speaker 4: I mean I start my day with God. I live 390 00:19:59,640 --> 00:20:02,840 Speaker 4: my life, and you know, you have the bread right 391 00:20:03,560 --> 00:20:06,000 Speaker 4: the bottom layer. That's like in the morning I rise, 392 00:20:06,040 --> 00:20:08,359 Speaker 4: I keep my Bible on my headboard, since when I 393 00:20:08,359 --> 00:20:10,520 Speaker 4: wake up, I literally go like this and I just 394 00:20:10,600 --> 00:20:12,960 Speaker 4: rest it on my chest until I have like the 395 00:20:13,040 --> 00:20:16,359 Speaker 4: awakeness to open it. Sometimes I read a whole book 396 00:20:16,440 --> 00:20:19,439 Speaker 4: in the Bible like all of Romans or all of 397 00:20:19,720 --> 00:20:23,520 Speaker 4: First Corinthians. Sometimes I read six lines because that's all 398 00:20:23,520 --> 00:20:26,280 Speaker 4: I got to give. And then I get on my knees, 399 00:20:26,320 --> 00:20:30,040 Speaker 4: I pray. I believe like positioning myself down like that 400 00:20:30,440 --> 00:20:32,960 Speaker 4: to start my day to pray to God. It gives 401 00:20:32,960 --> 00:20:36,960 Speaker 4: me a very humble perspective for the day. And then 402 00:20:37,000 --> 00:20:38,639 Speaker 4: you know, you have the layers of the sandwich. 403 00:20:38,640 --> 00:20:39,080 Speaker 3: You got the. 404 00:20:39,119 --> 00:20:43,200 Speaker 4: Mayo, you got there, you got the meat, you got people, God, 405 00:20:43,280 --> 00:20:45,240 Speaker 4: you know, yes, you feel me. Some of that is 406 00:20:46,760 --> 00:20:50,840 Speaker 4: work and marriage and motherhood and relationships. And then every 407 00:20:50,920 --> 00:20:52,560 Speaker 4: now and then I add a little suz like I 408 00:20:52,640 --> 00:20:55,119 Speaker 4: like salt and pepper on my sandwich to me, like 409 00:20:55,160 --> 00:20:56,160 Speaker 4: you put that in the middle. 410 00:20:56,160 --> 00:20:58,399 Speaker 3: And that's the worship that I listened to throughout the day. 411 00:20:58,640 --> 00:21:00,880 Speaker 4: That's the podcast that I listen into throughout the day, 412 00:21:00,960 --> 00:21:03,719 Speaker 4: or the good conversations with a mentor, and then you 413 00:21:03,800 --> 00:21:06,320 Speaker 4: have all the craziness of the day and you talk 414 00:21:06,359 --> 00:21:08,240 Speaker 4: it with that final layer. And so I end my 415 00:21:08,320 --> 00:21:11,120 Speaker 4: day with the Lord as well, worship in the shower, 416 00:21:11,600 --> 00:21:14,040 Speaker 4: prayer on my knees, a good conversation with my man, 417 00:21:14,119 --> 00:21:15,560 Speaker 4: my man, my man, about what God is. 418 00:21:15,480 --> 00:21:18,400 Speaker 3: Doing in our lives and sleep in peace. And I 419 00:21:18,440 --> 00:21:20,960 Speaker 3: think that just keeps me. It just keeps me. 420 00:21:21,760 --> 00:21:23,800 Speaker 2: I will say the one thing that I start doing 421 00:21:23,840 --> 00:21:26,639 Speaker 2: because like I love to read, right, so I wanted 422 00:21:26,680 --> 00:21:29,320 Speaker 2: to start reading the Bible from beginning to end. But 423 00:21:29,480 --> 00:21:31,040 Speaker 2: sometimes I'd be like, come on, God, like what are 424 00:21:31,040 --> 00:21:34,480 Speaker 2: these words mean? Like come on, no, for real, I'm 425 00:21:34,560 --> 00:21:39,080 Speaker 2: like girl, Right, So I downloaded the Bible app and 426 00:21:40,520 --> 00:21:42,440 Speaker 2: one thing I noticed is when I'm trying. 427 00:21:42,240 --> 00:21:43,600 Speaker 3: To read, I get sleepy. 428 00:21:44,040 --> 00:21:46,040 Speaker 2: So I'm like, come on, now, the spirit of sleep 429 00:21:46,080 --> 00:21:48,360 Speaker 2: is trying to take over me and I'm trying to show. 430 00:21:48,880 --> 00:21:50,840 Speaker 2: So what I do in the morning time now is 431 00:21:51,440 --> 00:21:54,119 Speaker 2: I listen to the Bible as I'm getting ready, and 432 00:21:54,560 --> 00:21:56,159 Speaker 2: even if I'm not, because I'm like most of I 433 00:21:56,280 --> 00:21:57,960 Speaker 2: trying to get ready, like just to know that I 434 00:21:58,000 --> 00:22:01,399 Speaker 2: have it in my background, it really does do something 435 00:22:01,400 --> 00:22:05,560 Speaker 2: to me and assess my day. Yeah, the Bible says 436 00:22:05,640 --> 00:22:08,880 Speaker 2: like the Word of God is living, in active, breathing, 437 00:22:08,920 --> 00:22:12,360 Speaker 2: sharper than any double edged sword. Like, so just surrounding 438 00:22:12,400 --> 00:22:15,080 Speaker 2: yourself in an environment of the Word. 439 00:22:15,400 --> 00:22:18,399 Speaker 4: It really is effective. Sis, So I think that's brilliant. 440 00:22:18,440 --> 00:22:20,119 Speaker 4: My husband often will put the Bible in that night 441 00:22:20,160 --> 00:22:23,320 Speaker 4: as we're falling asleep, and I have a lot of 442 00:22:23,680 --> 00:22:27,840 Speaker 4: like anxiety in my sleep. I've always struggled with that 443 00:22:27,840 --> 00:22:28,720 Speaker 4: since I was a kid. 444 00:22:29,280 --> 00:22:31,000 Speaker 3: And where did you put from? 445 00:22:31,440 --> 00:22:37,040 Speaker 4: I think just the experiences from childhood, the unknowns, the change, 446 00:22:37,240 --> 00:22:42,240 Speaker 4: the traumas, the you know, like I sometimes wouldn't sleep 447 00:22:42,280 --> 00:22:44,560 Speaker 4: as a child, as a teenager, and even as an adult. 448 00:22:45,040 --> 00:22:48,960 Speaker 4: And so my husband says he started doing that, I noticed, like, oh, 449 00:22:49,040 --> 00:22:50,879 Speaker 4: I'd be real calm in my sleep. 450 00:22:50,920 --> 00:22:51,280 Speaker 3: It does. 451 00:22:51,480 --> 00:22:53,600 Speaker 4: It reminds me like the Word of God. Just it 452 00:22:53,760 --> 00:22:56,359 Speaker 4: just it's living and breathing, just like it says, you know. 453 00:22:56,680 --> 00:22:59,320 Speaker 2: Lit be skipping the work and ship on the train like. 454 00:23:01,160 --> 00:23:03,840 Speaker 3: You're good. There we go. Yeah. 455 00:23:05,040 --> 00:23:07,480 Speaker 2: Now is there a Bible story that has a profound 456 00:23:07,520 --> 00:23:08,199 Speaker 2: impact on you? 457 00:23:09,560 --> 00:23:14,720 Speaker 4: Oh gosh, where do I even begin? There's right now. 458 00:23:14,800 --> 00:23:20,800 Speaker 4: I'm really loving this story from Kings. It's Elijah the prophet. 459 00:23:20,960 --> 00:23:22,720 Speaker 4: He was scared, you know, he was running for his 460 00:23:23,040 --> 00:23:26,720 Speaker 4: life because Jezebel was having all the prophets. 461 00:23:26,200 --> 00:23:30,040 Speaker 3: Of God killed. And he was like, you know, he 462 00:23:30,160 --> 00:23:31,040 Speaker 3: said what he said. 463 00:23:31,119 --> 00:23:33,200 Speaker 4: She liked what he says, so she's like kill them all, 464 00:23:34,000 --> 00:23:36,679 Speaker 4: and he's running for his life, you know, he's in 465 00:23:36,720 --> 00:23:39,200 Speaker 4: this moment in the cave and he's like in despair, 466 00:23:39,880 --> 00:23:45,359 Speaker 4: and God sends like a raven to feed him, brings 467 00:23:45,440 --> 00:23:48,439 Speaker 4: him meat and bread, and he just makes this water 468 00:23:48,560 --> 00:23:51,240 Speaker 4: come out of nowhere to sustain him. And then he 469 00:23:51,320 --> 00:23:54,560 Speaker 4: says to him, go here and this woman will feed you. 470 00:23:54,640 --> 00:23:57,520 Speaker 4: So he goes and there's this single she's a single mom, 471 00:23:58,080 --> 00:24:01,399 Speaker 4: and he's like, woman, please give me, give me that bread. 472 00:24:01,440 --> 00:24:04,080 Speaker 4: And she's like, this is all I have left. I'm 473 00:24:04,320 --> 00:24:07,880 Speaker 4: eating this in this famine, me and my son as 474 00:24:07,920 --> 00:24:09,880 Speaker 4: our last meal, and then we're gonna go and die 475 00:24:10,000 --> 00:24:12,879 Speaker 4: because we have nothing more. And he's like, if you 476 00:24:13,240 --> 00:24:15,760 Speaker 4: do what the Lord has said and you feed me, 477 00:24:16,160 --> 00:24:18,919 Speaker 4: I promise you that the jar of flour will never 478 00:24:19,080 --> 00:24:21,480 Speaker 4: run out and the oil will never run dry. 479 00:24:21,880 --> 00:24:23,200 Speaker 3: And it says so she fed him. 480 00:24:23,640 --> 00:24:27,000 Speaker 4: The story goes on to say that the jar never 481 00:24:27,080 --> 00:24:29,399 Speaker 4: ran out, her oil never ran dry, her flour never 482 00:24:29,480 --> 00:24:33,280 Speaker 4: ran empty. A little bit later, her son dies and 483 00:24:33,320 --> 00:24:36,000 Speaker 4: she's like, are you for real? Like, be so for real? 484 00:24:36,640 --> 00:24:38,400 Speaker 4: I listen to you. You want to give me bread 485 00:24:38,440 --> 00:24:40,520 Speaker 4: and oil but no sun to feed it to, like, 486 00:24:40,640 --> 00:24:44,639 Speaker 4: why have you condemned me? And he reminds her what 487 00:24:44,760 --> 00:24:47,159 Speaker 4: God has done for you, then he will he can 488 00:24:47,240 --> 00:24:50,320 Speaker 4: do that for you again, and he lays on her son. 489 00:24:50,520 --> 00:24:52,800 Speaker 4: Her son comes back to life, and she's like, now 490 00:24:52,840 --> 00:24:56,760 Speaker 4: I know, now I know, And I often think about 491 00:24:56,800 --> 00:25:00,679 Speaker 4: that in my season, says of this is it my 492 00:25:00,720 --> 00:25:03,080 Speaker 4: seasons of scarcity? You know, when you grow up in 493 00:25:03,240 --> 00:25:08,000 Speaker 4: poverty and you don't know what is my well I 494 00:25:08,040 --> 00:25:10,960 Speaker 4: ever see my mom again. You don't know like what 495 00:25:12,000 --> 00:25:13,640 Speaker 4: life is going to look like from one day to 496 00:25:13,680 --> 00:25:16,640 Speaker 4: the next as a child, right, yeah, literally grow up 497 00:25:16,760 --> 00:25:21,640 Speaker 4: in survival, in scarcity mode, and so even it's all 498 00:25:21,680 --> 00:25:24,159 Speaker 4: you know. And so no matter how abundant of a 499 00:25:24,240 --> 00:25:27,480 Speaker 4: life my husband and I have built, I wrestle with scarcity. 500 00:25:27,920 --> 00:25:31,200 Speaker 4: When I read that story, I'm reminded that the struggle 501 00:25:32,080 --> 00:25:35,080 Speaker 4: and the temptation to operate out of scarcity comes from 502 00:25:35,119 --> 00:25:38,480 Speaker 4: this belief that God will actually allow the oil jar 503 00:25:38,640 --> 00:25:41,200 Speaker 4: to run dry in my life. But just like Elijah 504 00:25:41,240 --> 00:25:43,399 Speaker 4: told her, like, listen to the word of God, and 505 00:25:43,480 --> 00:25:46,600 Speaker 4: he will never let the oil run dry, and the 506 00:25:46,680 --> 00:25:49,440 Speaker 4: jar of flower will never run out. And so I'm 507 00:25:49,520 --> 00:25:53,760 Speaker 4: constantly reminding myself of that interaction between this woman and Elijah, 508 00:25:54,000 --> 00:25:57,440 Speaker 4: so much so that even when she experienced death. God 509 00:25:57,520 --> 00:26:00,080 Speaker 4: still did that thing for her, resurrected her son, and 510 00:26:00,480 --> 00:26:03,560 Speaker 4: she said, now I know when I ask myself, I've 511 00:26:03,600 --> 00:26:06,160 Speaker 4: had many now I know moments. So for me, there 512 00:26:06,200 --> 00:26:07,880 Speaker 4: is no going back because now I know. 513 00:26:08,440 --> 00:26:12,000 Speaker 2: You know yo that I'm telling you that is so 514 00:26:12,119 --> 00:26:15,280 Speaker 2: on point because in the group chat, one of the 515 00:26:15,359 --> 00:26:19,520 Speaker 2: ladies she shared just she asks people. She asked us 516 00:26:19,520 --> 00:26:23,000 Speaker 2: for some advice on like how do we navigate the unknown? 517 00:26:23,560 --> 00:26:26,040 Speaker 2: And for me, I feel like I've always been in 518 00:26:26,080 --> 00:26:28,720 Speaker 2: survivor mode. I feel like I'm just not starting to 519 00:26:28,720 --> 00:26:31,040 Speaker 2: be able to like come out the warden and just 520 00:26:31,080 --> 00:26:33,920 Speaker 2: be like you know what I'm saying, Like this really 521 00:26:33,960 --> 00:26:36,840 Speaker 2: catch my breath. So the fact that you even shared 522 00:26:36,840 --> 00:26:40,160 Speaker 2: that story was just right on time, because wow, that 523 00:26:40,160 --> 00:26:41,120 Speaker 2: that's man. 524 00:26:41,320 --> 00:26:41,960 Speaker 3: Praise God. 525 00:26:42,160 --> 00:26:48,520 Speaker 6: Yeah, but God, he know he'd be now seriously, because 526 00:26:48,560 --> 00:26:50,160 Speaker 6: I think that a lot of us come from certain 527 00:26:50,160 --> 00:26:52,720 Speaker 6: neighborhoods and we're just trying to make it and you 528 00:26:52,760 --> 00:26:55,200 Speaker 6: don't want to take yeah, you don't want to think 529 00:26:55,200 --> 00:26:57,600 Speaker 6: I'm a scar As mindset, but it's like that's all you. 530 00:26:57,560 --> 00:27:01,480 Speaker 4: Know, Yeah, yeah, it when you know what the foundation 531 00:27:01,600 --> 00:27:04,520 Speaker 4: of your life is scarcity, it's almost like we know 532 00:27:04,640 --> 00:27:06,920 Speaker 4: one thing for sure, Right, if you have a garden, 533 00:27:07,320 --> 00:27:11,479 Speaker 4: the foundation, whatever the foundation is, is what is going 534 00:27:11,560 --> 00:27:14,639 Speaker 4: to reflect what it produces. So if the foundation is 535 00:27:14,840 --> 00:27:17,760 Speaker 4: bad and raggedy, you're not getting a good harvest. If 536 00:27:17,800 --> 00:27:21,399 Speaker 4: the foundation is rich and decaded, you're gonna get a 537 00:27:21,400 --> 00:27:22,240 Speaker 4: beautiful harvest. 538 00:27:22,600 --> 00:27:23,160 Speaker 3: And so the. 539 00:27:23,119 --> 00:27:26,040 Speaker 4: Foundation of our lives, if it's scarcity, and if it's trauma, 540 00:27:26,080 --> 00:27:28,640 Speaker 4: if it's hardship, everything that you do is. 541 00:27:28,600 --> 00:27:29,440 Speaker 3: Going to come from that. 542 00:27:29,760 --> 00:27:32,080 Speaker 4: So what that story reminds me of is I have 543 00:27:32,160 --> 00:27:36,560 Speaker 4: to plow the foundation and reset it with the fact 544 00:27:36,600 --> 00:27:40,320 Speaker 4: that now I do know because if not God. You know, 545 00:27:40,440 --> 00:27:44,160 Speaker 4: my mom, she was a young teenage girl with who 546 00:27:44,240 --> 00:27:47,879 Speaker 4: already had my older brother. She was at the abortion 547 00:27:47,960 --> 00:27:50,880 Speaker 4: clinic when I was in her womb, but she swears 548 00:27:50,920 --> 00:27:54,359 Speaker 4: that God told her, you know, that she was to 549 00:27:54,400 --> 00:27:57,960 Speaker 4: preserve my life. If not God, right, So now I 550 00:27:58,000 --> 00:28:01,880 Speaker 4: know that's a Now I know, Mom. No matter what 551 00:28:01,960 --> 00:28:03,800 Speaker 4: was going on as my parents try to navigate life 552 00:28:03,800 --> 00:28:05,360 Speaker 4: and get their lives together, I was protected. 553 00:28:05,400 --> 00:28:06,320 Speaker 3: I was kept, I was fed. 554 00:28:06,359 --> 00:28:08,680 Speaker 4: I was in a loving home, whether it be my grandmother, 555 00:28:08,920 --> 00:28:10,800 Speaker 4: my auntie, and my uncle, I was loved. 556 00:28:10,800 --> 00:28:12,680 Speaker 3: I was kept. Now I know right. 557 00:28:13,800 --> 00:28:15,920 Speaker 4: I have so many stories like that says I'm giving 558 00:28:15,960 --> 00:28:20,080 Speaker 4: birth to my third child, it's time, Like it's my time, 559 00:28:20,359 --> 00:28:23,160 Speaker 4: I'm bleeding out. I just in my heart, I was like, okay, 560 00:28:23,200 --> 00:28:26,879 Speaker 4: I'm dying this day. And I remember the doctors cutting 561 00:28:26,880 --> 00:28:29,160 Speaker 4: me open in that hallway, trying to save me, trying 562 00:28:29,160 --> 00:28:32,119 Speaker 4: to save my baby. And here I am. Now I know, 563 00:28:32,680 --> 00:28:36,640 Speaker 4: you know, And so I have so many moments like that. 564 00:28:36,200 --> 00:28:40,000 Speaker 4: That is now the foundation on which the things that 565 00:28:40,040 --> 00:28:43,760 Speaker 4: come from me sprout forth from is this idea that Okay, 566 00:28:44,160 --> 00:28:46,560 Speaker 4: I hear you God, and now I know that you 567 00:28:46,600 --> 00:28:47,680 Speaker 4: are good. Yo. 568 00:28:47,880 --> 00:28:50,600 Speaker 2: You know I was thinking about I was thinking about 569 00:28:50,640 --> 00:28:53,080 Speaker 2: some things with my childhood whatever, and when I was 570 00:28:53,080 --> 00:28:55,440 Speaker 2: preparing for this conversation, I was like, yo, God has 571 00:28:55,480 --> 00:28:58,520 Speaker 2: always been with me because I remember being a kid 572 00:28:58,640 --> 00:29:01,400 Speaker 2: and I just remember like just in some crazy ass 573 00:29:01,400 --> 00:29:06,120 Speaker 2: situation as a child, and like thinking, looking back now, 574 00:29:06,240 --> 00:29:09,200 Speaker 2: nothing ever happened to me. And I used to really 575 00:29:09,200 --> 00:29:11,000 Speaker 2: be like not to get emotional, but I would just 576 00:29:11,040 --> 00:29:13,600 Speaker 2: be like, damn, like God was really with me my 577 00:29:13,960 --> 00:29:15,000 Speaker 2: entire life. 578 00:29:15,080 --> 00:29:22,000 Speaker 4: Broy literally woo yeah. I Like we always hear everybody 579 00:29:22,080 --> 00:29:26,200 Speaker 4: quote you know, Jeremiah, Like when I knew you and 580 00:29:26,280 --> 00:29:29,280 Speaker 4: your mother's womb, you know, And I think, like that 581 00:29:29,440 --> 00:29:31,400 Speaker 4: is so real since I was in the shower one 582 00:29:31,480 --> 00:29:34,200 Speaker 4: night not that long ago, and I was just washing 583 00:29:34,360 --> 00:29:38,720 Speaker 4: lufah in body scrubbing, and I was like weeping out 584 00:29:38,720 --> 00:29:41,840 Speaker 4: of nowhere, like just what you said I have there 585 00:29:41,840 --> 00:29:46,840 Speaker 4: has been so much opportunity my life to end just 586 00:29:46,880 --> 00:29:48,120 Speaker 4: really messed me up. 587 00:29:48,400 --> 00:29:49,320 Speaker 3: And here I am. 588 00:29:49,840 --> 00:29:53,760 Speaker 4: Like that song of Reckless Lover, it says, before you 589 00:29:53,840 --> 00:29:56,160 Speaker 4: spoke the word, you were singing over me, like you 590 00:29:56,200 --> 00:29:58,800 Speaker 4: have been so so good to me, Like before I 591 00:29:58,920 --> 00:30:04,479 Speaker 4: entered this world, God was already singing over me, like yeah, 592 00:30:05,400 --> 00:30:08,160 Speaker 4: that in this moment in twenty twenty four year voice 593 00:30:08,240 --> 00:30:10,720 Speaker 4: was going to be used on something that would one 594 00:30:10,800 --> 00:30:13,600 Speaker 4: day be called the Internet, to penetrate the hearts of 595 00:30:13,600 --> 00:30:16,960 Speaker 4: those who listen. God knew, so he kept you. He preserved, 596 00:30:17,000 --> 00:30:18,560 Speaker 4: you don't. 597 00:30:18,400 --> 00:30:30,080 Speaker 5: Start crying, don't start to stop, like slow down, no, no, no, 598 00:30:30,080 --> 00:30:32,280 Speaker 5: but I'll just side no, you're I'm telling you, you 599 00:30:32,320 --> 00:30:33,080 Speaker 5: are so right. 600 00:30:33,120 --> 00:30:35,240 Speaker 2: Like one of the stories I'm going to share is 601 00:30:35,280 --> 00:30:37,680 Speaker 2: that when I was a kid. Everybody knows my mother 602 00:30:37,720 --> 00:30:40,760 Speaker 2: was an alcoholic and she got so drunk she passed 603 00:30:40,760 --> 00:30:43,800 Speaker 2: out and she forgot to come pick me up from school, 604 00:30:44,200 --> 00:30:46,920 Speaker 2: and I was literally at school till like late at night, 605 00:30:47,520 --> 00:30:51,080 Speaker 2: just sitting there, and I'm just thinking to myself, like wow, 606 00:30:51,240 --> 00:30:54,000 Speaker 2: like there could have been so many opportunities that something 607 00:30:54,000 --> 00:30:54,840 Speaker 2: could have happened to me. 608 00:30:55,560 --> 00:30:55,800 Speaker 3: Yeah. 609 00:30:56,280 --> 00:30:59,600 Speaker 4: Yeah, and look at God, Look at God. I preserved 610 00:30:59,600 --> 00:31:01,000 Speaker 4: you for this very moment. 611 00:31:01,120 --> 00:31:01,320 Speaker 3: Yeah. 612 00:31:01,480 --> 00:31:05,200 Speaker 4: People always quote in Esther when Mordecai says to her, 613 00:31:05,680 --> 00:31:08,240 Speaker 4: perhaps you were born for such a time as this, 614 00:31:08,880 --> 00:31:11,680 Speaker 4: and like, yes, like you were born for such a 615 00:31:11,720 --> 00:31:14,480 Speaker 4: time as this. You were protected waiting for your mother 616 00:31:14,520 --> 00:31:16,200 Speaker 4: outside of that school for such a time as this. 617 00:31:16,640 --> 00:31:18,960 Speaker 4: You know, you were preserved from all the traumas and 618 00:31:19,040 --> 00:31:21,560 Speaker 4: all the generational things. Because I'm sitting here talking to you. 619 00:31:21,560 --> 00:31:25,240 Speaker 4: You're not an alcoholic, that's generational. You were preserved. You 620 00:31:25,320 --> 00:31:28,040 Speaker 4: were kept for such a time as this. God doesn't 621 00:31:28,040 --> 00:31:30,640 Speaker 4: waste anything, sis, and look at your life. It is 622 00:31:30,680 --> 00:31:34,320 Speaker 4: not wasted. It is not wasted. Yeah, thank you. 623 00:31:34,560 --> 00:31:37,080 Speaker 2: So, what is your advice when it comes to approaching, 624 00:31:38,360 --> 00:31:41,000 Speaker 2: understanding and reading the Bible, Because I do feel like 625 00:31:41,840 --> 00:31:44,040 Speaker 2: that is one of the things that people have a 626 00:31:44,080 --> 00:31:47,080 Speaker 2: hard time when it comes to understanding and getting closer 627 00:31:47,120 --> 00:31:47,520 Speaker 2: to God. 628 00:31:48,400 --> 00:31:52,040 Speaker 4: Absolutely Okay, So when you said that earlier, like sometimes 629 00:31:52,000 --> 00:31:53,360 Speaker 4: you'd be reading the Bible and you'd be like, what 630 00:31:53,440 --> 00:31:54,080 Speaker 4: are these words? 631 00:31:54,160 --> 00:31:54,480 Speaker 3: Girl? 632 00:31:54,600 --> 00:31:56,360 Speaker 4: When I tell you, sometimes I'd be in the Old 633 00:31:56,360 --> 00:32:01,760 Speaker 4: Testament and I'm like, God, you know. 634 00:32:01,800 --> 00:32:02,480 Speaker 3: What's so crazy? 635 00:32:02,720 --> 00:32:04,160 Speaker 2: It'd be the best sleep too. 636 00:32:04,720 --> 00:32:07,240 Speaker 3: You feel me like, okay, God, you was credile of 637 00:32:07,320 --> 00:32:08,720 Speaker 3: me with this, all right. 638 00:32:09,440 --> 00:32:12,560 Speaker 4: I think everybody should start reading the Bible and the Gospels, 639 00:32:12,600 --> 00:32:16,840 Speaker 4: which is where we're introduced to Jesus, and we know 640 00:32:17,080 --> 00:32:21,440 Speaker 4: that Jesus is the redemption, right, he is the mediator 641 00:32:21,480 --> 00:32:24,560 Speaker 4: between God and man. And so I think when we 642 00:32:24,720 --> 00:32:29,120 Speaker 4: start understanding the character and the person of Jesus, we 643 00:32:29,200 --> 00:32:31,800 Speaker 4: start to understand God more. And so when we go 644 00:32:31,880 --> 00:32:33,760 Speaker 4: back to the Old Testament, when we're reading some of 645 00:32:33,800 --> 00:32:36,600 Speaker 4: those things that do seem a little bit more complex 646 00:32:36,720 --> 00:32:39,200 Speaker 4: or deep or boring, like we're seeing it through the 647 00:32:39,280 --> 00:32:42,800 Speaker 4: lens of the resurrected Savior. Right. I also think that 648 00:32:42,920 --> 00:32:46,080 Speaker 4: getting a version of the Bible that you can understand 649 00:32:46,400 --> 00:32:49,600 Speaker 4: and getting a commentary a commentary is literally like you 650 00:32:49,640 --> 00:32:52,000 Speaker 4: know how they'd be like have those books like Fashion 651 00:32:52,040 --> 00:32:53,520 Speaker 4: for Dummies or Driving for dumb. 652 00:32:54,160 --> 00:32:55,720 Speaker 3: A commentary feels like that to me. 653 00:32:55,800 --> 00:32:58,800 Speaker 4: It's literally I recommend doctor Tony Evans because he is 654 00:32:58,840 --> 00:33:01,200 Speaker 4: the first black person to ever read a commentary and 655 00:33:01,240 --> 00:33:05,880 Speaker 4: we celebrate that. Yeah, getting that commentary you feel me. 656 00:33:06,000 --> 00:33:07,080 Speaker 3: Yes, we're here for it. 657 00:33:08,040 --> 00:33:11,560 Speaker 4: Getting a commentary and letting that like using that, utilizing 658 00:33:11,560 --> 00:33:13,840 Speaker 4: that as a resource. But entering the word praying when 659 00:33:13,880 --> 00:33:15,960 Speaker 4: I enter the word sys till this day, Like I said, 660 00:33:15,960 --> 00:33:18,840 Speaker 4: I've been reading the Bible since I was seventeen, and 661 00:33:19,120 --> 00:33:22,160 Speaker 4: every time before I open the word, I ask God, 662 00:33:22,320 --> 00:33:25,760 Speaker 4: help me to know you more in these scriptures because 663 00:33:25,800 --> 00:33:28,960 Speaker 4: I believe that you are hearing the word and whatever 664 00:33:29,000 --> 00:33:31,320 Speaker 4: that means. Sometimes since I'd be stuck on two verses 665 00:33:31,680 --> 00:33:35,400 Speaker 4: for days and that's okay, take your time with it 666 00:33:35,760 --> 00:33:39,080 Speaker 4: and super important. I know I talked about this at 667 00:33:39,120 --> 00:33:42,680 Speaker 4: the retreat, but we were made for community. Get in 668 00:33:42,680 --> 00:33:46,320 Speaker 4: a community where you can dialogue, where you can ask 669 00:33:46,440 --> 00:33:50,320 Speaker 4: hard questions. Some things in the Bible are hard to digest. Yes, 670 00:33:50,840 --> 00:33:53,280 Speaker 4: get in a community where you can ask hard questions, 671 00:33:53,280 --> 00:33:56,480 Speaker 4: where you can pick the brain, where you can ask 672 00:33:56,520 --> 00:33:59,560 Speaker 4: for deeper understanding, ask for prayer so that you can 673 00:33:59,680 --> 00:34:03,240 Speaker 4: get that revelation from the Holy Spirit that is so important. 674 00:34:03,280 --> 00:34:07,000 Speaker 3: Like uh, Ecclesiastes, for she says. 675 00:34:09,200 --> 00:34:14,319 Speaker 5: No Bible out, I'm gonna go ahead. 676 00:34:14,480 --> 00:34:18,399 Speaker 4: Ecclesiastes, for it says that we are better together. Two 677 00:34:18,480 --> 00:34:20,719 Speaker 4: are better than one, for if one the other is 678 00:34:20,760 --> 00:34:22,799 Speaker 4: there to pick him up. And it says, woe to 679 00:34:22,920 --> 00:34:25,839 Speaker 4: the man the woman who stands alone, for if they fall, 680 00:34:25,920 --> 00:34:28,319 Speaker 4: who is there to pick them up? And it says, 681 00:34:28,320 --> 00:34:30,200 Speaker 4: but a three strand cord is even better than this. 682 00:34:30,360 --> 00:34:35,680 Speaker 4: You know you got you got a man, his homeboy, 683 00:34:35,880 --> 00:34:39,600 Speaker 4: the Holy Spirit. You got ebene her homegirl, the Holy Spirit. 684 00:34:39,680 --> 00:34:42,719 Speaker 4: A three strand court is better even still. And so 685 00:34:43,280 --> 00:34:46,000 Speaker 4: get in community. We were made for community. Walk through 686 00:34:46,000 --> 00:34:49,399 Speaker 4: this thing, this book with somebody. You have the Holy 687 00:34:49,440 --> 00:34:52,080 Speaker 4: Spirit living in you. He will give you revelation. And 688 00:34:52,200 --> 00:34:55,319 Speaker 4: take your time. I can't stand when there's these like 689 00:34:55,560 --> 00:34:57,959 Speaker 4: get through the Bible in four months Bible plans and 690 00:34:58,200 --> 00:35:01,799 Speaker 4: stuff like that, Like why what's the point. Like if 691 00:35:02,120 --> 00:35:04,959 Speaker 4: if I started reading the Bible today and I only 692 00:35:04,960 --> 00:35:06,319 Speaker 4: had three months to live and I didn't know it, 693 00:35:06,680 --> 00:35:07,360 Speaker 4: that was enough. 694 00:35:07,600 --> 00:35:08,040 Speaker 3: That was enough. 695 00:35:08,080 --> 00:35:10,239 Speaker 4: God gave me enough time in His word. And so 696 00:35:10,400 --> 00:35:13,480 Speaker 4: take your time with it, getting community. Enter it prayerfully 697 00:35:14,719 --> 00:35:16,480 Speaker 4: and God will reveal it to you. 698 00:35:16,800 --> 00:35:19,840 Speaker 2: He will listen y'all. We was having our Bible study. 699 00:35:20,280 --> 00:35:24,720 Speaker 2: It got a little spicy because I was asking some questions. 700 00:35:24,760 --> 00:35:25,959 Speaker 2: I was in podcast mode. 701 00:35:26,440 --> 00:35:27,440 Speaker 3: I was going deep with it. 702 00:35:28,120 --> 00:35:28,600 Speaker 5: I love it. 703 00:35:28,840 --> 00:35:31,840 Speaker 2: Listen, and there was some differences of opinions because we 704 00:35:31,880 --> 00:35:35,200 Speaker 2: have some different denominations in there. But I will say 705 00:35:35,280 --> 00:35:39,000 Speaker 2: that it was very enlightening because I was raised Baptist. 706 00:35:39,160 --> 00:35:41,640 Speaker 2: So when I was in the room with you and 707 00:35:41,680 --> 00:35:44,040 Speaker 2: the other ladies and just to hear it was a 708 00:35:44,040 --> 00:35:48,080 Speaker 2: healthy like conversation. It wasn't like all jokes aside. But 709 00:35:48,400 --> 00:35:50,080 Speaker 2: I do agree with you, like you need to get 710 00:35:50,120 --> 00:35:52,960 Speaker 2: into community and you need to ask those hard questions. 711 00:35:53,000 --> 00:35:55,040 Speaker 2: But I also think it's important to ask those questions 712 00:35:55,040 --> 00:35:58,440 Speaker 2: to the people who can provide clarity. And a lot 713 00:35:58,480 --> 00:36:00,800 Speaker 2: of people be making you even more confused than you 714 00:36:00,880 --> 00:36:01,239 Speaker 2: need to be. 715 00:36:01,960 --> 00:36:05,600 Speaker 4: Yeah, And one thing I would say when you are 716 00:36:05,719 --> 00:36:08,880 Speaker 4: asking questions of people, like you did such an excellent 717 00:36:08,960 --> 00:36:12,880 Speaker 4: job that night of just asking questions because as yeah, 718 00:36:12,920 --> 00:36:15,239 Speaker 4: and you know, you know what it's like. It was 719 00:36:15,280 --> 00:36:18,760 Speaker 4: so cool because you weren't hesitant, You didn't like care 720 00:36:18,880 --> 00:36:21,520 Speaker 4: if people were overly religious or people had different no nominations. 721 00:36:21,520 --> 00:36:23,080 Speaker 3: You were just asking the questions. 722 00:36:23,560 --> 00:36:26,200 Speaker 4: One thing that I really value about that night is 723 00:36:26,239 --> 00:36:30,360 Speaker 4: that it's easy to listen to people's opinions, right, but 724 00:36:30,480 --> 00:36:32,680 Speaker 4: opinions really mean nothing. And a lot of times people 725 00:36:32,680 --> 00:36:35,200 Speaker 4: will share their opinion of the Word of God. I 726 00:36:35,400 --> 00:36:38,759 Speaker 4: always say, if somebody is not giving you a direct scripture, 727 00:36:39,160 --> 00:36:42,120 Speaker 4: if somebody is not like Bible in hand walking you 728 00:36:42,200 --> 00:36:45,479 Speaker 4: through this thing, then they're just giving you their opinion. Yeah, 729 00:36:45,480 --> 00:36:48,799 Speaker 4: and so find someone who knows their word and will 730 00:36:48,840 --> 00:36:53,240 Speaker 4: walk with you through that. And then there's this part 731 00:36:53,320 --> 00:36:57,439 Speaker 4: in I believe in Acts, maybe Corinthians, but where Paul 732 00:36:57,520 --> 00:36:59,480 Speaker 4: he preaches and Paul he wrote like two thirds of 733 00:36:59,480 --> 00:37:02,440 Speaker 4: the New Testament. It like he's that guy, right, But 734 00:37:02,480 --> 00:37:04,640 Speaker 4: there's this part where he's preaching to this group of people. 735 00:37:04,719 --> 00:37:07,479 Speaker 4: They were the Bareans, and it said they went home 736 00:37:07,600 --> 00:37:10,840 Speaker 4: daily examining the scriptures to make sure that his words 737 00:37:10,840 --> 00:37:14,279 Speaker 4: were true. Be a Barean, go and make sure that 738 00:37:14,320 --> 00:37:16,839 Speaker 4: when somebody's telling you something, you get in that word 739 00:37:16,920 --> 00:37:19,480 Speaker 4: yourself and you examine it and make sure that those 740 00:37:19,520 --> 00:37:22,799 Speaker 4: words are true, and the Holy Spirit in you will 741 00:37:23,520 --> 00:37:25,040 Speaker 4: it will reveal those things. 742 00:37:25,400 --> 00:37:29,480 Speaker 2: Listen, you had your bible, Bible was closed, but she 743 00:37:29,640 --> 00:37:31,319 Speaker 2: was spending stuff and some of the other girls, Like 744 00:37:31,320 --> 00:37:33,560 Speaker 2: the other girls definitely were very fluent in the Bible. 745 00:37:33,880 --> 00:37:36,279 Speaker 2: I would think that if I'm being honest, like, I 746 00:37:36,520 --> 00:37:38,000 Speaker 2: know who God is and I know who my savor 747 00:37:38,120 --> 00:37:40,680 Speaker 2: Jesus Christ is, but I'm not I wasn't as fluent 748 00:37:40,719 --> 00:37:44,120 Speaker 2: as you all was in the Bible. But yeah, I 749 00:37:44,200 --> 00:37:46,440 Speaker 2: definitely agree with you, like, and I was definitely like 750 00:37:47,000 --> 00:37:50,400 Speaker 2: asking questions. And I also say that I'm a tough cookie, 751 00:37:50,480 --> 00:37:52,120 Speaker 2: so like, I knew the role that I was in, 752 00:37:52,400 --> 00:37:55,080 Speaker 2: but I also wanted to challenge and have a challenge 753 00:37:55,080 --> 00:37:57,200 Speaker 2: and dialogue with everyone because I know that there were 754 00:37:57,200 --> 00:37:59,080 Speaker 2: different denominations in the room. And I thought it was 755 00:37:59,160 --> 00:38:01,319 Speaker 2: I thought it was really good for. 756 00:38:01,280 --> 00:38:03,800 Speaker 4: Sure too, it was it was some of us for 757 00:38:03,960 --> 00:38:07,640 Speaker 4: literally talking through that conversation until the sun came up. 758 00:38:08,320 --> 00:38:11,000 Speaker 4: And so yeah, it was beautiful and I love that, 759 00:38:11,040 --> 00:38:13,960 Speaker 4: and I love that you asked those questions. You were 760 00:38:14,040 --> 00:38:16,960 Speaker 4: in podcast mode, and I noticed that. I was like, oh, 761 00:38:17,000 --> 00:38:18,600 Speaker 4: she on her stuff, right. 762 00:38:20,239 --> 00:38:22,239 Speaker 2: Because it start I think it started off with just 763 00:38:22,320 --> 00:38:24,239 Speaker 2: me and you. I don't know, I. 764 00:38:24,200 --> 00:38:26,360 Speaker 3: Don't even know how we got to that point. 765 00:38:26,560 --> 00:38:28,480 Speaker 4: We was really just having a good night eating some 766 00:38:28,520 --> 00:38:29,759 Speaker 4: pizza and some wigs. 767 00:38:29,400 --> 00:38:34,600 Speaker 2: And right right right, we were You're right, we were 768 00:38:35,400 --> 00:38:36,560 Speaker 2: all of a sudden, it was church. 769 00:38:37,200 --> 00:38:41,200 Speaker 3: It was church room, right right. 770 00:38:47,200 --> 00:38:49,160 Speaker 2: So what did your advice when it comes to prayer 771 00:38:49,200 --> 00:38:51,600 Speaker 2: and how did your prayer change over time? Because I 772 00:38:51,640 --> 00:38:53,399 Speaker 2: think a lot of people struggle with that as well. 773 00:38:54,080 --> 00:39:01,080 Speaker 4: Yeah, yeah, So prayer is to me the greatest privilege 774 00:39:01,120 --> 00:39:04,720 Speaker 4: that God has given us because we can commune with Him. 775 00:39:05,080 --> 00:39:07,680 Speaker 4: I think in different seasons my prayer life looks different. 776 00:39:08,040 --> 00:39:09,759 Speaker 4: But one thing that I try to really focus on 777 00:39:09,960 --> 00:39:12,440 Speaker 4: is not making prayer just a moment to ask. 778 00:39:12,239 --> 00:39:13,919 Speaker 3: God for everything. Right. 779 00:39:14,440 --> 00:39:22,800 Speaker 4: So in Philippians Paul says, I think Philippians three, Paul says, 780 00:39:24,120 --> 00:39:26,560 Speaker 4: thank God for what he has already done, ask God 781 00:39:26,600 --> 00:39:30,040 Speaker 4: for what you need, and then you will have the 782 00:39:31,320 --> 00:39:33,120 Speaker 4: peace that surpasses all understanding. 783 00:39:33,520 --> 00:39:34,439 Speaker 3: And so it says, by. 784 00:39:36,120 --> 00:39:39,839 Speaker 4: Do everything by prayer and supplication, right as thank God 785 00:39:39,880 --> 00:39:41,479 Speaker 4: for what He's done, ask God for what you need, 786 00:39:41,800 --> 00:39:42,720 Speaker 4: he will give you peace. 787 00:39:42,800 --> 00:39:45,120 Speaker 3: And so I kind of use that recipe of like. 788 00:39:45,600 --> 00:39:47,920 Speaker 4: I want to spend a lot of time thanking God 789 00:39:48,040 --> 00:39:50,440 Speaker 4: for what He has done for me, so that in 790 00:39:50,480 --> 00:39:53,759 Speaker 4: prayer and worship just a dialogue in communication. And then 791 00:39:53,800 --> 00:39:55,920 Speaker 4: I do have needs, and I'm gonna trust God with 792 00:39:56,000 --> 00:40:01,400 Speaker 4: those things and then praying for some. So I always 793 00:40:01,440 --> 00:40:03,720 Speaker 4: want to make sure that if I'm praying for something 794 00:40:03,719 --> 00:40:06,560 Speaker 4: for myself, I have lifted up ten prayers to God 795 00:40:06,680 --> 00:40:10,600 Speaker 4: on behalf of my sisters, my brothers, my family in Christ, 796 00:40:11,680 --> 00:40:16,960 Speaker 4: the world, the nation, whatever, so that my whole attachment 797 00:40:17,000 --> 00:40:20,919 Speaker 4: to prayer isn't me centered, but centered on who God 798 00:40:21,040 --> 00:40:23,120 Speaker 4: is as this great, big God. I believe that God 799 00:40:23,200 --> 00:40:25,520 Speaker 4: is a way maker and a miracle worker. But every 800 00:40:25,560 --> 00:40:27,359 Speaker 4: time I go into prayer, I do also go into 801 00:40:27,360 --> 00:40:29,799 Speaker 4: prayer knowing that He is also a sovereign and he 802 00:40:29,880 --> 00:40:33,040 Speaker 4: does know what's best. And so, Lord, after I ask 803 00:40:33,080 --> 00:40:35,600 Speaker 4: for something, this is my request to you, but I 804 00:40:35,719 --> 00:40:39,160 Speaker 4: do trust your will and if I don't like the outcome, 805 00:40:39,200 --> 00:40:42,719 Speaker 4: will you help me to get through it? And so, yeah, 806 00:40:42,760 --> 00:40:45,279 Speaker 4: I think that prayer is communication with God. 807 00:40:45,440 --> 00:40:48,279 Speaker 3: I am. My husband is my best friend. Right. We 808 00:40:48,320 --> 00:40:49,640 Speaker 3: communicate about everything. 809 00:40:50,239 --> 00:40:52,640 Speaker 4: We have hard conversations, we have good conversations, we have 810 00:40:52,680 --> 00:40:56,640 Speaker 4: funny conversations, we have depressing conversations, we have annoying conversation. 811 00:40:56,680 --> 00:40:57,800 Speaker 3: We communicate about everything. 812 00:40:58,120 --> 00:41:01,080 Speaker 4: I take that same principle to God, since I could 813 00:41:01,080 --> 00:41:04,360 Speaker 4: be driving and be like, Lord, I just don't like 814 00:41:04,880 --> 00:41:10,080 Speaker 4: understand why you made mosquitos. But one day, like I'd 815 00:41:10,080 --> 00:41:12,520 Speaker 4: just be talking all roaches, you know, like what did 816 00:41:12,560 --> 00:41:13,359 Speaker 4: they do for us? 817 00:41:13,400 --> 00:41:13,520 Speaker 3: Like? 818 00:41:14,080 --> 00:41:17,799 Speaker 4: Or sometimes I'd be like driving in on my mind. 819 00:41:18,000 --> 00:41:20,120 Speaker 4: You may come to mind and I'm just praying over 820 00:41:20,200 --> 00:41:23,040 Speaker 4: you and just thanking God for you for that I 821 00:41:23,080 --> 00:41:25,080 Speaker 4: saw you post on Instagram today and that there's breath 822 00:41:25,120 --> 00:41:28,000 Speaker 4: in your lungs and that He will give you exceedingly 823 00:41:28,040 --> 00:41:30,600 Speaker 4: abundantly above what you can ask or think, you know. 824 00:41:30,760 --> 00:41:34,960 Speaker 4: So to me, prayer is just constant dialogue with somebody 825 00:41:35,000 --> 00:41:38,239 Speaker 4: that you deem as you would your best friend, you know. 826 00:41:39,880 --> 00:41:40,000 Speaker 3: Yo. 827 00:41:40,080 --> 00:41:41,959 Speaker 2: I'll be praying for myself and then I start praying 828 00:41:42,000 --> 00:41:43,960 Speaker 2: for people and they're like all right, God, amen, Oh 829 00:41:43,960 --> 00:41:45,359 Speaker 2: wait wait, and I also want to. 830 00:41:45,280 --> 00:41:49,200 Speaker 3: Go literally I'd be like, wait, let me bread this background. 831 00:41:49,520 --> 00:41:53,160 Speaker 3: Oh and like yes. 832 00:41:53,560 --> 00:41:56,640 Speaker 4: And I have moments where prayer is casual, like casual conversation. 833 00:41:56,920 --> 00:41:59,919 Speaker 4: I have moments when prayer is reverent and I try 834 00:41:59,920 --> 00:42:01,239 Speaker 4: to but like I said, I try to start my 835 00:42:01,320 --> 00:42:03,880 Speaker 4: day and end my day praying on my knees because 836 00:42:03,920 --> 00:42:06,160 Speaker 4: I want to revere God. I want to like bound 837 00:42:06,200 --> 00:42:09,600 Speaker 4: down to him, as a physical act of I just 838 00:42:09,719 --> 00:42:12,359 Speaker 4: trust you. You are the Lord of my life. As 839 00:42:12,400 --> 00:42:14,359 Speaker 4: I begin this day and as I end this day, 840 00:42:14,920 --> 00:42:17,480 Speaker 4: and throughout the day, it's casual. There may be a 841 00:42:17,520 --> 00:42:19,879 Speaker 4: moment where we just lay in hands, you know. There 842 00:42:19,920 --> 00:42:21,520 Speaker 4: may be a moment where I'm just in the kitchen 843 00:42:21,520 --> 00:42:24,040 Speaker 4: cookie and I'm just talking to God. There may be 844 00:42:24,080 --> 00:42:25,640 Speaker 4: a moment where I'm just thinking Him and I end 845 00:42:25,640 --> 00:42:26,520 Speaker 4: out in full praise. 846 00:42:27,080 --> 00:42:28,320 Speaker 3: And so it is. 847 00:42:28,600 --> 00:42:35,479 Speaker 4: It's levels to this, but it's just communication with the Lord. 848 00:42:35,520 --> 00:42:36,279 Speaker 3: That's how I see it. 849 00:42:36,320 --> 00:42:36,520 Speaker 4: You know. 850 00:42:45,480 --> 00:42:47,440 Speaker 2: Is it hard for you to balance your faith with 851 00:42:47,520 --> 00:42:50,360 Speaker 2: other aspects of your identity, especially when it comes to 852 00:42:50,440 --> 00:42:56,520 Speaker 2: your personal interest No, I didn't think so. But has 853 00:42:56,520 --> 00:42:56,960 Speaker 2: it ever been? 854 00:42:57,200 --> 00:42:57,359 Speaker 3: Yeah? 855 00:42:57,880 --> 00:43:01,520 Speaker 4: Absolutely, you know I wanted so not know, it's not 856 00:43:01,760 --> 00:43:04,000 Speaker 4: hard as much as it is not. 857 00:43:07,000 --> 00:43:08,280 Speaker 3: Okay, there's this verse. 858 00:43:10,800 --> 00:43:17,440 Speaker 4: Yet, Okay if Philippians for Paul talks about not that 859 00:43:17,480 --> 00:43:20,560 Speaker 4: I have already attained these things, but I press on 860 00:43:20,600 --> 00:43:23,640 Speaker 4: towards the prize. I run this race not as somebody 861 00:43:23,960 --> 00:43:26,759 Speaker 4: beating against the air, but with the goal in mind. Right, 862 00:43:27,280 --> 00:43:31,240 Speaker 4: And so when I think about what my personal interests 863 00:43:31,280 --> 00:43:34,120 Speaker 4: are filtered through the Holy Spirit, I think about this 864 00:43:34,200 --> 00:43:36,280 Speaker 4: constant running of the race, and so it's not hard 865 00:43:36,320 --> 00:43:40,920 Speaker 4: as much as it is a working you know. So 866 00:43:41,000 --> 00:43:46,200 Speaker 4: I get there, I have what I say, umpteenth conviction. 867 00:43:46,480 --> 00:43:49,160 Speaker 4: Some things that are just so casual and cool for 868 00:43:49,239 --> 00:43:52,440 Speaker 4: other believers, the Holy Spirit in me just does not 869 00:43:52,600 --> 00:43:54,919 Speaker 4: release me to those things like what and that could 870 00:43:55,440 --> 00:43:58,080 Speaker 4: a music that I love, like I'm a music girl. 871 00:43:58,120 --> 00:43:59,520 Speaker 3: I grove a very musical family. 872 00:44:00,040 --> 00:44:02,840 Speaker 4: And there is so many moments where I'm listening to 873 00:44:02,920 --> 00:44:04,680 Speaker 4: like some of my faiths, and I'm just like, this 874 00:44:04,760 --> 00:44:08,880 Speaker 4: is not what my spirit is desiring, and so I 875 00:44:08,960 --> 00:44:14,480 Speaker 4: put on worship or a podcast. There's drinking, Like I 876 00:44:14,719 --> 00:44:16,759 Speaker 4: love to have a glass of wine, but when I'm 877 00:44:16,800 --> 00:44:19,279 Speaker 4: in certain setting, certain environments, I think there is this 878 00:44:19,360 --> 00:44:22,400 Speaker 4: discernment in me that's like I can't, I can't do 879 00:44:22,480 --> 00:44:24,440 Speaker 4: this right now. In this moment, I realized later, oh, 880 00:44:24,440 --> 00:44:27,120 Speaker 4: there was somebody who struggle with alcoholism in the room 881 00:44:27,200 --> 00:44:29,640 Speaker 4: listening to that Holy Spirit in me. So that's why 882 00:44:29,640 --> 00:44:32,319 Speaker 4: I say it's a constant wrestling of like there are 883 00:44:32,400 --> 00:44:35,239 Speaker 4: things that I am in this world right so there 884 00:44:35,239 --> 00:44:38,440 Speaker 4: are things that appeal to my flesh that the spirit 885 00:44:38,480 --> 00:44:40,759 Speaker 4: in me don't really mess with like that, and so 886 00:44:40,800 --> 00:44:43,920 Speaker 4: it's just who's going to win the battle. And I 887 00:44:43,960 --> 00:44:46,360 Speaker 4: spend so much time in the word sis, I spend 888 00:44:46,400 --> 00:44:48,480 Speaker 4: so much time in prayer and a community so that 889 00:44:48,560 --> 00:44:51,560 Speaker 4: my spirit can win the battle. Because I am no 890 00:44:51,719 --> 00:44:55,560 Speaker 4: better than anybody else. I am no different than anybody else. 891 00:44:55,600 --> 00:44:59,280 Speaker 4: I have the desires, the passions, all of those things. 892 00:44:59,760 --> 00:45:04,400 Speaker 4: But but that is why I attach myself to spiritual 893 00:45:04,480 --> 00:45:09,239 Speaker 4: things so that when that wrestling happens, I'm surrendered. 894 00:45:09,520 --> 00:45:12,239 Speaker 2: You know, what does God's voice sound like to you? 895 00:45:13,320 --> 00:45:15,440 Speaker 3: Ooh? So this has been a hard one for me 896 00:45:15,560 --> 00:45:16,759 Speaker 3: since the moment I got saved. 897 00:45:16,800 --> 00:45:18,520 Speaker 4: You know, people be like God said, God told me, 898 00:45:18,560 --> 00:45:22,840 Speaker 4: God said right, I would say in my relationship with 899 00:45:22,880 --> 00:45:25,600 Speaker 4: God that has never happened to me where I feel like, oh, 900 00:45:25,600 --> 00:45:28,800 Speaker 4: God said, Oh, God told me. I would say that 901 00:45:29,320 --> 00:45:35,719 Speaker 4: it is a deep, almost like longing or even grievance 902 00:45:35,880 --> 00:45:39,879 Speaker 4: in my soul that I feel when I know that 903 00:45:39,920 --> 00:45:43,799 Speaker 4: God is in or is not in something. And so 904 00:45:44,480 --> 00:45:48,239 Speaker 4: for me lately, I have been getting a lot of 905 00:45:48,280 --> 00:45:51,440 Speaker 4: prophetic words, and I think because I've been in this 906 00:45:51,560 --> 00:45:56,520 Speaker 4: season of exhaustion, like I just don't know what God 907 00:45:56,560 --> 00:45:59,880 Speaker 4: wants from me or for me, that it is kindness. 908 00:46:00,040 --> 00:46:04,080 Speaker 4: He is sending prophetic people to speak into my life. 909 00:46:04,360 --> 00:46:07,520 Speaker 4: Sometimes that will be that I'm just wrestling with something 910 00:46:07,560 --> 00:46:09,680 Speaker 4: in prayer and I open the Word and it was 911 00:46:09,840 --> 00:46:14,040 Speaker 4: so clearly a response to what I've been wrestling with, 912 00:46:14,440 --> 00:46:18,480 Speaker 4: and that was God's voice. Sometimes it will be like 913 00:46:18,680 --> 00:46:21,960 Speaker 4: my body will physically feel ill when I am not 914 00:46:22,200 --> 00:46:25,719 Speaker 4: operating in what I know that God is calling me 915 00:46:25,760 --> 00:46:28,319 Speaker 4: to and to me, those are all ways that I 916 00:46:28,360 --> 00:46:31,240 Speaker 4: hear God. So it's not plain, okay. In the Old Testament, 917 00:46:31,480 --> 00:46:33,799 Speaker 4: there was a moment where a hand wrote on the wall. 918 00:46:33,800 --> 00:46:35,160 Speaker 4: It was just a hand out of nowhere. It says, 919 00:46:35,239 --> 00:46:38,319 Speaker 4: these people chilling living their life, a hand writes on 920 00:46:38,360 --> 00:46:41,040 Speaker 4: the wall what God wanted them to know. That don't 921 00:46:41,080 --> 00:46:44,239 Speaker 4: happen no more, okay, because I ain't never seen it. 922 00:46:44,640 --> 00:46:47,520 Speaker 3: So I'm like, Laura, where is the hand except here? 923 00:46:48,239 --> 00:46:51,000 Speaker 4: But those are the ways that He speaks to me, 924 00:46:51,040 --> 00:46:53,600 Speaker 4: and so I just try to really heed to those things. 925 00:46:53,719 --> 00:46:53,920 Speaker 3: You know. 926 00:46:54,480 --> 00:46:58,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, I feel like when I hear God's voice, I 927 00:46:58,120 --> 00:46:59,840 Speaker 2: don't know it's something that's intent. 928 00:47:00,040 --> 00:47:03,640 Speaker 3: It's like, yes, it's like shit, it shakes you up. 929 00:47:03,840 --> 00:47:09,759 Speaker 2: Yeah, Like yeah, it's very like like I hear him 930 00:47:09,800 --> 00:47:11,480 Speaker 2: clearly and I'd be like, all right, all right, all right, 931 00:47:11,520 --> 00:47:11,960 Speaker 2: you got it. 932 00:47:12,719 --> 00:47:15,000 Speaker 4: Yeah, Like I have this moment right where I was 933 00:47:15,080 --> 00:47:18,000 Speaker 4: doing like a lot of really cool things in styling, 934 00:47:18,640 --> 00:47:21,279 Speaker 4: and I love fashion, and so I had all these 935 00:47:21,320 --> 00:47:24,400 Speaker 4: big styling moments, and for some reason it was not 936 00:47:24,440 --> 00:47:26,320 Speaker 4: bringing me the joy that I thought it would bring. 937 00:47:26,800 --> 00:47:29,240 Speaker 4: And I was frustrated because I had worked in ministry 938 00:47:29,280 --> 00:47:31,839 Speaker 4: mostly my whole adult life, and I was like, I'm 939 00:47:31,920 --> 00:47:34,560 Speaker 4: kind of bumped out, like I'm trying to make my money. 940 00:47:34,480 --> 00:47:38,640 Speaker 3: Okay, and do what is fun to me. So I 941 00:47:38,680 --> 00:47:39,480 Speaker 3: wasn't having it. 942 00:47:39,520 --> 00:47:42,040 Speaker 4: Wasn't it wasn't being like fun like I thought it was. 943 00:47:42,600 --> 00:47:45,040 Speaker 4: So I'm wrestling, I'm struggling, God, what is this? 944 00:47:45,080 --> 00:47:45,680 Speaker 3: What is this feeling? 945 00:47:45,760 --> 00:47:48,680 Speaker 4: And I feel like I heard these words like if 946 00:47:48,719 --> 00:47:50,320 Speaker 4: not this, then what I feel like. I heard the 947 00:47:50,360 --> 00:47:52,759 Speaker 4: words wash the feet of women, and I was like, 948 00:47:52,760 --> 00:47:55,640 Speaker 4: what in the world, Like that is very boring, Like 949 00:47:56,080 --> 00:47:58,399 Speaker 4: I've been doing ministre. No, I'm good. 950 00:47:58,480 --> 00:48:00,479 Speaker 3: Let me dress people and get paid big money. 951 00:48:00,480 --> 00:48:05,040 Speaker 4: Okay, girl, when I tell you, I just somebody on 952 00:48:05,080 --> 00:48:07,879 Speaker 4: Instagram DM me they had a dream about me. When 953 00:48:08,480 --> 00:48:10,560 Speaker 4: one of the lady who bought my house, one of 954 00:48:10,560 --> 00:48:13,439 Speaker 4: my houses she's a very strong, profetic gifting. God gave 955 00:48:13,440 --> 00:48:15,560 Speaker 4: her a vision for me at a conference, this guy 956 00:48:15,560 --> 00:48:17,719 Speaker 4: walks up to me. God gave me a wordview all 957 00:48:17,800 --> 00:48:20,120 Speaker 4: of the words pertain to those words that I heard, 958 00:48:20,360 --> 00:48:23,239 Speaker 4: watch the feet of women. I was like, oh, so 959 00:48:23,360 --> 00:48:25,440 Speaker 4: that was what the voice of God sounded like, this 960 00:48:25,680 --> 00:48:29,319 Speaker 4: small voice in my mind that was so strong that 961 00:48:29,360 --> 00:48:31,560 Speaker 4: I knew it wasn't my own thought, because why would 962 00:48:31,600 --> 00:48:32,200 Speaker 4: I give up. 963 00:48:32,120 --> 00:48:34,120 Speaker 3: Money right to serve women? 964 00:48:34,440 --> 00:48:36,000 Speaker 6: Like right? 965 00:48:37,400 --> 00:48:38,239 Speaker 3: And it was God. 966 00:48:38,320 --> 00:48:40,799 Speaker 4: And so then it helped me to realize that it 967 00:48:40,920 --> 00:48:44,800 Speaker 4: is actually sometimes just a small but like you said, 968 00:48:45,560 --> 00:48:49,480 Speaker 4: powerful like I feel it deeply voice. And so now 969 00:48:49,480 --> 00:48:52,200 Speaker 4: I try to be more intentional about hating to that, 970 00:48:52,600 --> 00:48:54,600 Speaker 4: especially when I know that that was. 971 00:48:54,560 --> 00:48:57,280 Speaker 3: Not for me. That's not what I want you feel 972 00:48:57,280 --> 00:48:58,359 Speaker 3: me like, But. 973 00:48:58,320 --> 00:49:01,520 Speaker 2: I also feel like I also feel like God's voice 974 00:49:01,600 --> 00:49:08,000 Speaker 2: is repetitive because irritatingly. Yes, like I can't tell you 975 00:49:08,120 --> 00:49:10,840 Speaker 2: how many times, like I mean, I've been very open 976 00:49:10,880 --> 00:49:14,879 Speaker 2: about like you know, these past couple of weeks, it's 977 00:49:14,880 --> 00:49:17,160 Speaker 2: been kind of rough for me. It just just constantly 978 00:49:17,320 --> 00:49:21,680 Speaker 2: non stop going like grinding, hustling, like I was really battling, 979 00:49:21,760 --> 00:49:23,040 Speaker 2: like damn, like I don't want to feel like an 980 00:49:23,120 --> 00:49:25,640 Speaker 2: ningrade because I'm standing in the blessings that I pray for. 981 00:49:26,360 --> 00:49:29,000 Speaker 2: But then I'm also ain't no spring chicken, and like I'm. 982 00:49:29,000 --> 00:49:29,640 Speaker 3: Feeling it. 983 00:49:31,560 --> 00:49:34,040 Speaker 2: Like I need a nap, you know, girl, I need 984 00:49:34,080 --> 00:49:38,560 Speaker 2: a long nap, right. But I will say that every 985 00:49:38,680 --> 00:49:41,359 Speaker 2: time when I had moments over like I'm just like 986 00:49:41,560 --> 00:49:45,680 Speaker 2: I can't no more. God always sends a message to 987 00:49:45,800 --> 00:49:51,200 Speaker 2: somebody and it be so random. Wow, it just like it. 988 00:49:51,400 --> 00:49:51,560 Speaker 3: Yo. 989 00:49:51,960 --> 00:49:53,840 Speaker 2: It was one time this girl sent me a message 990 00:49:53,840 --> 00:49:56,000 Speaker 2: and I literally started crying and then I actually had 991 00:49:56,040 --> 00:49:58,480 Speaker 2: a conversation with her and I started crying out of 992 00:49:58,480 --> 00:50:00,719 Speaker 2: nowhere and she was like, what's going or and I 993 00:50:00,840 --> 00:50:04,399 Speaker 2: told her and she started crying. I'm like, girl, I said, God, 994 00:50:04,480 --> 00:50:07,640 Speaker 2: really use you to tell me to keep going because 995 00:50:07,840 --> 00:50:10,799 Speaker 2: I was about throwing a towel, like I was that exhausted. 996 00:50:11,560 --> 00:50:14,719 Speaker 4: Yeah yeah, no, that's so good. And I think that, 997 00:50:14,800 --> 00:50:17,680 Speaker 4: like I said, God is kind and so sometimes we're 998 00:50:17,680 --> 00:50:20,080 Speaker 4: not getting the message, like we're not hearing him. But 999 00:50:20,120 --> 00:50:23,319 Speaker 4: so Will said, you feel me like random, Like I said, 1000 00:50:23,320 --> 00:50:26,080 Speaker 4: it's random person on Instagram, somebody that I used to 1001 00:50:26,120 --> 00:50:28,319 Speaker 4: live in a different state with. So like all these 1002 00:50:28,400 --> 00:50:30,520 Speaker 4: random encounters, and I'm like, okay. 1003 00:50:30,320 --> 00:50:30,920 Speaker 3: I hear you. 1004 00:50:31,280 --> 00:50:34,480 Speaker 4: Yeah, let up, let up, Okay, I hear you. 1005 00:50:35,080 --> 00:50:37,400 Speaker 2: Is it important for you to fellowship with other Christians 1006 00:50:37,680 --> 00:50:38,800 Speaker 2: while you're on this journey? 1007 00:50:39,360 --> 00:50:44,760 Speaker 4: Oh my gosh, absolutely, let me tell you, says, I 1008 00:50:44,800 --> 00:50:49,280 Speaker 4: strongly believe that the fellowship of believers is a mercy 1009 00:50:49,360 --> 00:50:49,920 Speaker 4: from God. 1010 00:50:52,320 --> 00:50:53,440 Speaker 3: Iron sharpens iron. 1011 00:50:53,719 --> 00:50:53,919 Speaker 6: Right. 1012 00:50:54,320 --> 00:50:57,239 Speaker 4: Proverb tells us we two are better than one. Right 1013 00:50:57,680 --> 00:51:02,759 Speaker 4: what Ecclesiastes tells us again in Proverbs It says that 1014 00:51:04,160 --> 00:51:07,920 Speaker 4: like a friend stands closer than your brother, right, Like 1015 00:51:08,400 --> 00:51:12,960 Speaker 4: the people that I know in Christ in the faith have. 1016 00:51:13,200 --> 00:51:14,320 Speaker 3: Held me, have kept me. 1017 00:51:14,719 --> 00:51:19,680 Speaker 4: There is this moment in Exodus where Moses is called 1018 00:51:19,680 --> 00:51:23,759 Speaker 4: to the hilltop and he's basically supposed to keep watch 1019 00:51:23,800 --> 00:51:26,839 Speaker 4: the Israelites. When he drops his arms, they know it's 1020 00:51:26,880 --> 00:51:28,360 Speaker 4: safe for them to move forward in battle. 1021 00:51:28,880 --> 00:51:29,880 Speaker 3: So he goes up there. 1022 00:51:30,040 --> 00:51:34,120 Speaker 4: And because he understood the concept of community, because remember 1023 00:51:34,239 --> 00:51:36,960 Speaker 4: Moses had that speech impediment, so when God called him 1024 00:51:36,960 --> 00:51:40,400 Speaker 4: to speak to Pharaoh, God let him take his brother 1025 00:51:40,920 --> 00:51:43,120 Speaker 4: have communos so that his brother. 1026 00:51:42,880 --> 00:51:43,759 Speaker 3: Could speak for him. 1027 00:51:44,080 --> 00:51:46,759 Speaker 4: So he had already understands, Oh, I need people to 1028 00:51:46,840 --> 00:51:48,400 Speaker 4: do this thing that God has called me to. 1029 00:51:48,880 --> 00:51:50,520 Speaker 3: So he goes into the mountain. He takes Air and 1030 00:51:50,600 --> 00:51:52,600 Speaker 3: his brother, and he takes her his homeboy. 1031 00:51:52,840 --> 00:51:56,160 Speaker 4: Yeah, he gets up there holding his arms up. It 1032 00:51:56,200 --> 00:51:58,480 Speaker 4: said that he grew weary, so that they put a 1033 00:51:58,560 --> 00:52:00,719 Speaker 4: rock under him and he sat. But then it said 1034 00:52:00,719 --> 00:52:03,239 Speaker 4: that his arms began to drop. If his arms would 1035 00:52:03,239 --> 00:52:05,600 Speaker 4: have dropped, the Israelites would have thought, Okay, his arms 1036 00:52:05,600 --> 00:52:07,040 Speaker 4: are down, it's safe, let's go into battle. 1037 00:52:07,080 --> 00:52:09,280 Speaker 3: They would have been overcome. They would have been destroyed. 1038 00:52:09,520 --> 00:52:09,680 Speaker 1: Right. 1039 00:52:10,120 --> 00:52:11,280 Speaker 3: But because of. 1040 00:52:11,480 --> 00:52:15,920 Speaker 4: His understanding of community, Aaron and her came on him 1041 00:52:16,280 --> 00:52:19,279 Speaker 4: on either side and they held his arms up. They 1042 00:52:19,560 --> 00:52:22,880 Speaker 4: helped him complete the task that God set before him. 1043 00:52:23,280 --> 00:52:25,600 Speaker 4: He never They didn't take the task from him, They 1044 00:52:25,680 --> 00:52:27,920 Speaker 4: helped him. I think about all of my life in 1045 00:52:28,000 --> 00:52:30,920 Speaker 4: Christ through that story. Who was going to hold my 1046 00:52:31,040 --> 00:52:33,520 Speaker 4: arms up when they grow weary? Who will place the 1047 00:52:33,600 --> 00:52:35,839 Speaker 4: rock under me so that if I fall, I don't 1048 00:52:35,880 --> 00:52:39,279 Speaker 4: hit the ground hard. You know, that is why it 1049 00:52:39,360 --> 00:52:42,920 Speaker 4: is important to be communal and to do community with 1050 00:52:43,000 --> 00:52:47,279 Speaker 4: other believers so that your arms never fall and you 1051 00:52:47,280 --> 00:52:48,600 Speaker 4: don't lead the people into ruin. 1052 00:52:48,960 --> 00:52:53,120 Speaker 2: You know, have you had meaningful interactions with other people 1053 00:52:53,160 --> 00:52:54,919 Speaker 2: from different faiths? 1054 00:52:55,440 --> 00:52:55,720 Speaker 3: Yeah? 1055 00:52:55,880 --> 00:52:59,680 Speaker 4: I think I am very I love people like I 1056 00:52:59,719 --> 00:53:04,400 Speaker 4: think that I get that everyone is God's unique creation, 1057 00:53:05,320 --> 00:53:09,360 Speaker 4: and so I don't like filter my relationships through people 1058 00:53:09,400 --> 00:53:13,920 Speaker 4: having the same beliefs as me, having the same understandings 1059 00:53:13,960 --> 00:53:16,799 Speaker 4: as me, And so I think I learned from other 1060 00:53:16,840 --> 00:53:20,440 Speaker 4: people all the time. I learned from their kindness. I 1061 00:53:20,520 --> 00:53:24,520 Speaker 4: learned from their ability to give, their ability to love, 1062 00:53:24,680 --> 00:53:26,719 Speaker 4: their ability to teach their you know. 1063 00:53:27,120 --> 00:53:29,880 Speaker 3: And so I have had beautiful relationships with people who 1064 00:53:29,880 --> 00:53:31,440 Speaker 3: don't believe like me. For sure. 1065 00:53:32,120 --> 00:53:34,320 Speaker 2: Now, one of the things I actually doing our Bible 1066 00:53:34,320 --> 00:53:36,760 Speaker 2: study when we first met during a retreat, was about 1067 00:53:36,760 --> 00:53:39,800 Speaker 2: all the different denominations because we did have a different 1068 00:53:39,800 --> 00:53:43,560 Speaker 2: denomination within you then that girl talk or Bible study. 1069 00:53:43,840 --> 00:53:47,000 Speaker 2: So if all these denominations are reading from the same Bible, 1070 00:53:47,080 --> 00:53:49,920 Speaker 2: why do you think it's necessary for to be different denominations? 1071 00:53:50,120 --> 00:53:51,960 Speaker 2: Why can't there just be one? 1072 00:53:52,200 --> 00:53:55,759 Speaker 4: Yeah, So that that has always really confused me. Like 1073 00:53:55,840 --> 00:53:57,840 Speaker 4: I remember being really young in my faith and being like, 1074 00:53:57,960 --> 00:53:59,880 Speaker 4: first of all, this is so confusing because y'all all 1075 00:54:00,160 --> 00:54:02,520 Speaker 4: the same book and y'all all do different things. You 1076 00:54:02,520 --> 00:54:05,120 Speaker 4: feel me like, this is wild. So one thing that 1077 00:54:05,200 --> 00:54:07,400 Speaker 4: I have learned in my own reading of the Scripture 1078 00:54:07,880 --> 00:54:11,239 Speaker 4: is that one we are all human, right, so we 1079 00:54:11,280 --> 00:54:14,840 Speaker 4: are always battling with our own understanding, with our own ideas, 1080 00:54:14,840 --> 00:54:17,680 Speaker 4: with our own concepts. Oftentimes people will read the Word 1081 00:54:17,760 --> 00:54:19,920 Speaker 4: and they'll look for themselves and it not God, and 1082 00:54:20,000 --> 00:54:21,080 Speaker 4: so they'll interpret it. 1083 00:54:21,160 --> 00:54:23,080 Speaker 3: What does this mean to me? For me? By me? 1084 00:54:23,520 --> 00:54:29,200 Speaker 4: We create sometimes whole denominations based off of that. Paul 1085 00:54:29,239 --> 00:54:33,319 Speaker 4: says in Corinthians that we see as but through in 1086 00:54:33,360 --> 00:54:37,920 Speaker 4: a foggy mirror, and we will not see clearly until 1087 00:54:38,040 --> 00:54:41,480 Speaker 4: He who is perfect comes right. And so I don't 1088 00:54:41,640 --> 00:54:45,000 Speaker 4: discredit other as you learned that night, I'm very open 1089 00:54:45,040 --> 00:54:47,520 Speaker 4: to listen to anybody who. 1090 00:54:50,719 --> 00:54:54,600 Speaker 2: I was watching, because that was way other fellow Christians 1091 00:54:54,680 --> 00:54:55,279 Speaker 2: know who she is. 1092 00:54:55,360 --> 00:54:55,640 Speaker 6: Baby. 1093 00:54:55,719 --> 00:54:58,640 Speaker 3: I was like, calm damn girl, you feel me? So, yeah, 1094 00:54:58,760 --> 00:54:59,640 Speaker 3: that is not me right. 1095 00:54:59,680 --> 00:55:01,960 Speaker 4: Why that is not me is because I'll never be 1096 00:55:02,920 --> 00:55:05,680 Speaker 4: arrogant to think that I know it all and they 1097 00:55:05,760 --> 00:55:09,280 Speaker 4: do that. I will always be open to the Lord 1098 00:55:09,360 --> 00:55:12,480 Speaker 4: using somebody else. And if it doesn't sit right with me, 1099 00:55:12,560 --> 00:55:14,680 Speaker 4: like some things that were said that night, I didn't 1100 00:55:14,719 --> 00:55:18,080 Speaker 4: agree with that because that's not what the spirit in 1101 00:55:18,120 --> 00:55:20,560 Speaker 4: me is like resonating with in the Word. But one 1102 00:55:20,560 --> 00:55:23,720 Speaker 4: thing I cling to is Paul literally said, we see 1103 00:55:23,719 --> 00:55:26,480 Speaker 4: but in a foggy mirror. Y'all don't know it all either. 1104 00:55:26,880 --> 00:55:28,680 Speaker 2: Yeah, okay, So. 1105 00:55:29,000 --> 00:55:32,200 Speaker 4: What I try to base it off of sis love God, 1106 00:55:32,640 --> 00:55:35,000 Speaker 4: love people, hate the evil in this world. 1107 00:55:35,440 --> 00:55:37,360 Speaker 3: And if what you are. 1108 00:55:37,320 --> 00:55:40,080 Speaker 4: Arguing about doesn't have anything to do with that, it's 1109 00:55:40,160 --> 00:55:41,160 Speaker 4: just wasting your breath. 1110 00:55:41,440 --> 00:55:42,200 Speaker 3: Yeah, you know. 1111 00:55:42,440 --> 00:55:44,160 Speaker 4: And so that's kind of how I see it, Like, 1112 00:55:44,560 --> 00:55:48,400 Speaker 4: does your understanding or does your denomination lead you to 1113 00:55:48,480 --> 00:55:52,160 Speaker 4: loving God and loving his creation and pursuing justice in 1114 00:55:52,239 --> 00:55:56,560 Speaker 4: this world. If it does be whatever denomination. 1115 00:55:56,120 --> 00:55:58,080 Speaker 2: You want, Listen, we know and alost, we got the 1116 00:55:58,080 --> 00:55:59,320 Speaker 2: same goal, that's all that matters. 1117 00:55:59,520 --> 00:56:01,560 Speaker 3: You feel me right exactly? 1118 00:56:02,000 --> 00:56:02,160 Speaker 1: Now? 1119 00:56:02,200 --> 00:56:04,800 Speaker 2: What are your thoughts when some people think that certain 1120 00:56:04,840 --> 00:56:06,320 Speaker 2: denominations are cults? 1121 00:56:06,840 --> 00:56:07,760 Speaker 3: That's so interesting. 1122 00:56:07,760 --> 00:56:10,360 Speaker 4: So I recently have been like trying to do some 1123 00:56:10,480 --> 00:56:16,120 Speaker 4: study on that on like some cultish behaviors and denominations. 1124 00:56:16,360 --> 00:56:18,400 Speaker 3: I think that it. 1125 00:56:18,160 --> 00:56:21,640 Speaker 4: We kind of like live in a time where it's 1126 00:56:21,680 --> 00:56:25,319 Speaker 4: so quick to label someone or something, right, So I 1127 00:56:25,400 --> 00:56:28,520 Speaker 4: just was really like, yeah, I would really caution people 1128 00:56:28,560 --> 00:56:31,360 Speaker 4: to be careful when you're trying to put a label 1129 00:56:31,440 --> 00:56:36,360 Speaker 4: on someone some denomination. There are I think some denominations 1130 00:56:36,400 --> 00:56:39,480 Speaker 4: that have very cultish behaviors, you know, I do I 1131 00:56:39,520 --> 00:56:40,000 Speaker 4: see that. 1132 00:56:40,360 --> 00:56:42,160 Speaker 2: But I'm not going to be spicy and actually wish 1133 00:56:42,160 --> 00:56:42,399 Speaker 2: you one. 1134 00:56:45,160 --> 00:56:51,400 Speaker 3: The spirit is the spirits tell me. Even still, even. 1135 00:56:51,239 --> 00:56:54,640 Speaker 4: Still, I'm I would be quick to say that I 1136 00:56:54,760 --> 00:56:56,920 Speaker 4: don't I one thing I do know is that I 1137 00:56:56,920 --> 00:56:57,920 Speaker 4: don't know that much. 1138 00:56:58,680 --> 00:57:01,640 Speaker 3: Said to Gud. 1139 00:57:01,760 --> 00:57:05,000 Speaker 4: But now she don't know that much because I'm like, 1140 00:57:05,160 --> 00:57:07,839 Speaker 4: I could be really quick to filter some of my 1141 00:57:07,960 --> 00:57:11,040 Speaker 4: thoughts through my own experiences right or through my own 1142 00:57:11,120 --> 00:57:13,359 Speaker 4: hurts or my own pains. So one thing I will 1143 00:57:13,360 --> 00:57:16,040 Speaker 4: say is that if a denomination is leading you do 1144 00:57:16,120 --> 00:57:20,640 Speaker 4: some crazy stuff up, leave your family, leave your household, uh, 1145 00:57:21,000 --> 00:57:24,240 Speaker 4: give them all your stuff. Uh, Like what happened with 1146 00:57:24,320 --> 00:57:26,440 Speaker 4: Jim Jones. You remember that nip not dipset, but the 1147 00:57:26,440 --> 00:57:29,040 Speaker 4: other man who took all the people to the island drink. 1148 00:57:30,160 --> 00:57:30,840 Speaker 3: It's a cult. 1149 00:57:30,960 --> 00:57:33,080 Speaker 4: If they asking you to go to an island, it's 1150 00:57:33,080 --> 00:57:35,520 Speaker 4: a cult. If they're asking you to cut off your family, 1151 00:57:35,560 --> 00:57:38,720 Speaker 4: your relatives, it's a cult. Like let's be so for 1152 00:57:39,040 --> 00:57:41,360 Speaker 4: you feel me, like be so far. Like there's some 1153 00:57:41,440 --> 00:57:46,160 Speaker 4: things that like a sis. You just you got eyes open, Okay, 1154 00:57:47,120 --> 00:57:47,920 Speaker 4: So I don't know. 1155 00:57:48,080 --> 00:57:50,000 Speaker 3: I think some of these things are getting a little 1156 00:57:50,000 --> 00:57:55,240 Speaker 3: scary out here, you know, Yeah, I agree, you feel me. 1157 00:57:56,360 --> 00:57:59,960 Speaker 2: This concludes part one of this week's episode. Stay till 1158 00:58:00,280 --> 00:58:03,840 Speaker 2: for part two, dropping next week, same time, same place. 1159 00:58:04,200 --> 00:58:06,800 Speaker 2: If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, or if 1160 00:58:06,840 --> 00:58:08,760 Speaker 2: you just want to say hey girl, hey, please make 1161 00:58:08,800 --> 00:58:13,080 Speaker 2: sure to email me at Hello at thepgpodcast dot com. 1162 00:58:13,080 --> 00:58:16,280 Speaker 2: Make sure you follow us on YouTube and TikTok at 1163 00:58:16,280 --> 00:58:20,720 Speaker 2: the Professional Homegirl and on ig at the PG podcast. 1164 00:58:21,280 --> 00:58:32,480 Speaker 2: Until next time, Prayer Warriors later. The Professional Homegirl podcast 1165 00:58:32,560 --> 00:58:35,480 Speaker 2: is the production of the Black Effect Podcast Network. For 1166 00:58:35,560 --> 00:58:39,960 Speaker 2: more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, 1167 00:58:40,040 --> 00:58:42,360 Speaker 2: or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. Don't forget 1168 00:58:42,400 --> 00:58:45,360 Speaker 2: to subscribe and rate the show, and you can connect 1169 00:58:45,360 --> 00:58:48,200 Speaker 2: with me on social media at the PG podcast