1 00:00:13,080 --> 00:00:15,320 What's up, guys? My name is Alexis, your host of 2 00:00:15,320 --> 00:00:18,320 Praises in the Pot, and I'm so excited to be here with Rachel 3 00:00:18,320 --> 00:00:20,040 Fowler. We go to church together. 4 00:00:20,040 --> 00:00:21,680 She's on the photography team too. 5 00:00:21,680 --> 00:00:23,800 Oh, we're going to talk a little bit about that too. 6 00:00:23,800 --> 00:00:27,880 I'm not moving past that easily. So we're going to start off in 7 00:00:27,880 --> 00:00:29,440 prayer and then we're going to jump right in. 8 00:00:29,440 --> 00:00:32,759 So here we go Lord Heavenly Father, just thank you for this 9 00:00:32,759 --> 00:00:35,120 beautiful morning. Thank you for this just 10 00:00:35,120 --> 00:00:37,520 beautiful life that you give have given us. 11 00:00:37,520 --> 00:00:40,200 Lord God. Maybe it's not just been the 12 00:00:40,200 --> 00:00:43,520 easiest path to walk. Maybe there have been these 13 00:00:43,520 --> 00:00:47,560 trials and tribulations and valleys, Lord God, but we just 14 00:00:47,560 --> 00:00:50,240 praise you through it all. We see the goodness and 15 00:00:50,240 --> 00:00:53,000 everything that we have went through to bring us to where we 16 00:00:53,000 --> 00:00:55,440 are today. We pray that you just go before 17 00:00:55,440 --> 00:00:57,920 us today and let you open all the doors that need to be open 18 00:00:57,920 --> 00:00:59,640 and shut all the doors that need to be shut. 19 00:00:59,640 --> 00:01:01,640 Lord God, because we want to be in your will. 20 00:01:01,640 --> 00:01:04,959 We want to follow what you have for us because we know that your 21 00:01:04,959 --> 00:01:08,200 plan is far greater than what we could ever imagine for our 22 00:01:08,200 --> 00:01:10,040 lives. Thank you for who you are and 23 00:01:10,040 --> 00:01:12,280 what you've done. Speak to us and through US in 24 00:01:12,280 --> 00:01:15,760 Jesus name I pray, Amen. All right girl. 25 00:01:15,920 --> 00:01:20,920 So I don't know when, like when did you join the photography? 26 00:01:21,440 --> 00:01:22,720 A year ago. Really. 27 00:01:22,720 --> 00:01:24,720 So it's about a year right now. Oh my. 28 00:01:25,560 --> 00:01:27,720 God. It has been such a blessing, and 29 00:01:27,720 --> 00:01:29,240 I'm not just saying that because you're on here. 30 00:01:29,240 --> 00:01:33,240 You have been a blessing. I rave about you all the time. 31 00:01:33,640 --> 00:01:35,480 I make a small heartburn. Oh my gosh. 32 00:01:35,760 --> 00:01:39,720 So when I first started at the church, I went to a conference 33 00:01:39,720 --> 00:01:43,480 and they said this like line and I took it away and it was like, 34 00:01:43,480 --> 00:01:46,080 find the heart to serve and then teach the skill. 35 00:01:46,600 --> 00:01:49,800 Well, I kept praying on that because the photography team was 36 00:01:49,800 --> 00:01:52,920 like just me and Willow basically at that time. 37 00:01:52,960 --> 00:01:54,560 And so I just kept praying about it. 38 00:01:54,560 --> 00:01:56,640 I'm like, Lord, I need some photographers. 39 00:01:56,920 --> 00:01:59,400 And next thing I know, here's Rachel and she's like, girl, I 40 00:01:59,400 --> 00:02:02,080 never touch a camera. I love to take pictures on my 41 00:02:02,080 --> 00:02:05,640 phone. I'm AI do social media, like I 42 00:02:05,640 --> 00:02:08,360 can figure it out. And you really did have that 43 00:02:08,360 --> 00:02:11,160 heart to serve. And you have just blossomed in 44 00:02:11,160 --> 00:02:14,080 photography and done so well. And it's just been so amazing to 45 00:02:14,080 --> 00:02:16,280 get to know you. But I'm super excited to 46 00:02:16,280 --> 00:02:18,960 actually get to know you better today, OK? 47 00:02:19,000 --> 00:02:22,840 I did want to just mention that it was so funny because when we 48 00:02:22,840 --> 00:02:27,240 joined that little card and it like says how you want to serve 49 00:02:27,240 --> 00:02:31,280 and there's boxes to check and I just remember I didn't see it 50 00:02:31,760 --> 00:02:34,880 and I wrote him true Rachel fashion. 51 00:02:34,880 --> 00:02:38,320 I wrote my own little photography box and checked it. 52 00:02:38,320 --> 00:02:42,200 And it was not even a week that Carrie had me connected to you 53 00:02:42,200 --> 00:02:46,560 and you just jumped in and just, you know, poured into me and the 54 00:02:46,560 --> 00:02:50,400 whole team did. And I'm just so thankful because 55 00:02:50,400 --> 00:02:52,760 I have always struggled on where to serve. 56 00:02:53,760 --> 00:02:56,360 And a lot of people, you know, just immediately go to the kids 57 00:02:56,360 --> 00:02:58,040 manager. And I just knew that that has 58 00:02:58,040 --> 00:03:02,720 never been my calling. And so for it not to even be on 59 00:03:02,720 --> 00:03:06,520 the little card and the end, for it happened so quickly and to 60 00:03:06,520 --> 00:03:11,280 feel so loved and so poured into, I was like, wow, we are, 61 00:03:11,440 --> 00:03:14,520 we're here, we're home. And you know, I love how you 62 00:03:14,520 --> 00:03:17,680 said there's you didn't see it on the car because sometimes 63 00:03:17,680 --> 00:03:20,960 like there's these like behind the scenes ministries that 64 00:03:20,960 --> 00:03:24,360 people don't talk about as much, which as Southside as a whole, 65 00:03:24,360 --> 00:03:27,320 we're trying to be more like, hey, there is other things 66 00:03:27,320 --> 00:03:30,640 besides kids and students and greeters like, but you got to 67 00:03:30,640 --> 00:03:32,560 got it. We got to ask a little bit. 68 00:03:32,560 --> 00:03:33,920 And you did that. You're like, I'm gonna shoot my 69 00:03:33,920 --> 00:03:35,280 shot. We'll figure it out. 70 00:03:35,360 --> 00:03:39,760 I saw when we were in service, I saw a girl with a camera walking 71 00:03:39,760 --> 00:03:42,240 around taking pictures and I was like, that's it, I want to do 72 00:03:42,240 --> 00:03:43,600 that. Yes. 73 00:03:44,280 --> 00:03:46,720 All right, so let's talk a little bit about you, your 74 00:03:46,720 --> 00:03:49,040 testimony, your childhood and let's work our way up. 75 00:03:49,040 --> 00:03:50,480 OK? So tell us a little bit about 76 00:03:50,480 --> 00:03:53,680 your early years. Yeah, so when I was a child, I 77 00:03:53,680 --> 00:03:57,760 lived in a home where, you know, all my physical needs were met. 78 00:03:57,880 --> 00:03:59,880 I was clothed. I was fed. 79 00:04:00,400 --> 00:04:04,120 I truly believe that my parents love and loved us. 80 00:04:04,360 --> 00:04:08,560 I have a sister. But growing up, I felt like it 81 00:04:08,560 --> 00:04:13,240 was a home where emotions weren't welcomed, especially 82 00:04:13,600 --> 00:04:18,160 negative emotions. So anytime there was anger or, 83 00:04:18,320 --> 00:04:22,079 you know, anything that didn't, that wasn't a happy emotion, 84 00:04:22,640 --> 00:04:27,200 were typically punished or were left unheard. 85 00:04:28,200 --> 00:04:32,960 And I truly believe that that shaped a lot of the rest of my 86 00:04:32,960 --> 00:04:35,800 life. And so like I said, I truly 87 00:04:35,800 --> 00:04:39,160 believe that they that my parents love and loved us. 88 00:04:39,200 --> 00:04:44,120 And I think that a lot of what happened in their childhood and 89 00:04:44,120 --> 00:04:48,120 the way that they were raised and, you know, they had their 90 00:04:48,120 --> 00:04:49,040 own stuff. Yeah. 91 00:04:49,240 --> 00:04:54,640 And so I think that that truly was brought into the family. 92 00:04:55,760 --> 00:04:57,800 It's. Just those like cycles that just 93 00:04:57,800 --> 00:05:01,480 keep going because at some point like how you were raised is 94 00:05:01,480 --> 00:05:04,520 going to carry into it and then like, but you got to break those 95 00:05:04,520 --> 00:05:05,600 cycles. That's right. 96 00:05:05,600 --> 00:05:08,440 And and I'm not even saying, you know, it was most likely 97 00:05:08,440 --> 00:05:11,800 unintentional. Yeah, just because you know what 98 00:05:11,800 --> 00:05:15,440 you're modelled is what you typically move. 99 00:05:15,440 --> 00:05:17,840 Forward with I have always heard too. 100 00:05:17,840 --> 00:05:22,960 Sorry, I have always heard, you know, like what is it like your 101 00:05:22,960 --> 00:05:25,960 parents are your like internal monologue type thing. 102 00:05:26,360 --> 00:05:29,640 And it's like if you can't, if your parents were raised that 103 00:05:29,640 --> 00:05:33,400 way too, you know, like the same you can't really bring emotions, 104 00:05:33,400 --> 00:05:35,880 the negative things like whatever, that's how they 105 00:05:35,880 --> 00:05:38,040 interpreted life as well. Same with you. 106 00:05:38,040 --> 00:05:41,400 Like eventually you're like, wait, is that a negative core 107 00:05:41,400 --> 00:05:43,880 belief about myself or is that real? 108 00:05:43,880 --> 00:05:47,960 You know, like so it's it's hard to decipher at a young age. 109 00:05:47,960 --> 00:05:51,240 It is. And so like it seemed to me that 110 00:05:51,240 --> 00:05:59,000 it was either very just level or if I saw arguments, the emotions 111 00:05:59,000 --> 00:06:03,720 were really big. So maybe yelling or leaving or, 112 00:06:03,920 --> 00:06:06,920 you know, there's emotions were just outbursts. 113 00:06:07,240 --> 00:06:11,040 And so I felt like it was really hard to be heard. 114 00:06:12,000 --> 00:06:16,720 And so going into my younger years and in the teenage years, 115 00:06:17,040 --> 00:06:25,080 I was very rebellious and I lied and I were places I shouldn't 116 00:06:25,080 --> 00:06:29,360 have been. And I did accept Christ into my 117 00:06:29,360 --> 00:06:31,760 heart when I was younger at church. 118 00:06:31,760 --> 00:06:34,160 We did go to church, I think starting around when I was in 119 00:06:34,160 --> 00:06:39,920 like third grade. And but I didn't really know at 120 00:06:39,920 --> 00:06:43,560 that age what that meant or what that relationship will look 121 00:06:43,560 --> 00:06:45,600 like. And you know, I did participate 122 00:06:46,040 --> 00:06:49,760 in the youth group, but looking back, it was more for the social 123 00:06:50,120 --> 00:06:53,440 part of it. And so like as I became a 124 00:06:53,440 --> 00:06:58,800 teenager, I was just running to anything where I could get that 125 00:06:58,800 --> 00:07:04,040 emotional connection or try to, it wasn't authentic, but 126 00:07:04,480 --> 00:07:08,080 anywhere where I could have that emotional connection that I felt 127 00:07:08,080 --> 00:07:12,120 like I lacked in my home, that's where I was running, whether it 128 00:07:12,120 --> 00:07:16,560 be friends, boyfriends, parties, alcohol, whatever. 129 00:07:16,560 --> 00:07:21,960 And I mean that even went into college and I knew who Jesus was 130 00:07:22,040 --> 00:07:24,800 and I knew that he was my Lord and Savior, but I did not 131 00:07:24,800 --> 00:07:27,240 actively pursue that relationship with him. 132 00:07:27,680 --> 00:07:29,960 And. That and that's very like 133 00:07:30,040 --> 00:07:32,520 common. It's not a good common thing, 134 00:07:32,560 --> 00:07:35,640 you know what I'm saying? But it is very common that we 135 00:07:35,640 --> 00:07:39,120 don't see, like we accept Christ, but we don't know how to 136 00:07:39,120 --> 00:07:42,400 follow him, especially at a young age when our parents 137 00:07:42,400 --> 00:07:46,160 necessarily aren't like those big spiritual leaders right in 138 00:07:46,160 --> 00:07:48,360 the church. I mean, they can be, but like, 139 00:07:48,480 --> 00:07:50,720 we just don't see it at home as much. 140 00:07:51,000 --> 00:07:53,600 And so we don't know how to follow him properly. 141 00:07:53,920 --> 00:07:58,400 And so it takes a while for us to be like, oh, wait, this is 142 00:07:58,400 --> 00:08:02,360 not it, right? You know, so growing up, you're 143 00:08:02,360 --> 00:08:04,280 kind of rebellious, all this stuff. 144 00:08:04,280 --> 00:08:05,600 When do you and your husband meet? 145 00:08:06,080 --> 00:08:09,560 We met so, funny story, we actually went to elementary 146 00:08:09,560 --> 00:08:10,520 school together, no. Way. 147 00:08:11,880 --> 00:08:14,640 And it was at the school that our son now got or went to an 148 00:08:14,640 --> 00:08:15,560 elementary school. Wow. 149 00:08:16,040 --> 00:08:17,560 Yeah. So walk in those halls as a 150 00:08:17,560 --> 00:08:21,480 parent was was pretty neat. But we actually went to the same 151 00:08:21,480 --> 00:08:23,840 elementary school. He was a year older than me. 152 00:08:23,840 --> 00:08:26,040 So we were never like any in the same classes. 153 00:08:26,040 --> 00:08:29,600 And when I left elementary school, I went over to Westfield 154 00:08:29,600 --> 00:08:31,880 and went to private school and he went to Perry Middle and 155 00:08:31,880 --> 00:08:34,919 Perry High. And so I think we kind of knew 156 00:08:34,960 --> 00:08:39,039 of each other, but we never really ran in the same crowd or 157 00:08:39,240 --> 00:08:41,840 you're around each other. So I went off to college and he 158 00:08:41,840 --> 00:08:44,480 went off to college. And when I, I went to Georgia 159 00:08:44,480 --> 00:08:48,080 Southern and when I came back home, I was interning at Robbins 160 00:08:48,080 --> 00:08:50,680 Air Force Base as part of the end of my school. 161 00:08:51,080 --> 00:08:54,240 And my friend and I, we were to Chick-fil-A and Perry. 162 00:08:54,520 --> 00:08:56,920 And there he was sitting with his friend. 163 00:08:57,200 --> 00:09:00,320 And it was like, like I said, we knew of each other. 164 00:09:00,320 --> 00:09:03,520 So we we kind of threw our hand up and. 165 00:09:03,520 --> 00:09:06,200 Good old, Old Town way, small town way. 166 00:09:06,200 --> 00:09:09,680 Just hey. Yeah, and I was, we ordered our 167 00:09:09,680 --> 00:09:13,200 food and I was standing there at the condiment bar, you know, 168 00:09:13,200 --> 00:09:16,000 getting my stuff and I just glanced up and he was looking at 169 00:09:16,000 --> 00:09:17,480 me. And so he was checking me out 170 00:09:17,640 --> 00:09:19,200 for sure. For sure. 171 00:09:19,200 --> 00:09:22,560 Got it. You know, so after that, I think 172 00:09:22,640 --> 00:09:25,920 I Facebook messaged him. It was me. 173 00:09:25,920 --> 00:09:29,280 I was like, OK, because. And it makes sense now because 174 00:09:29,280 --> 00:09:32,600 if you know Mitchell, he is such a just laid back, like reserved, 175 00:09:33,160 --> 00:09:35,560 not, not the, you know, outspoken 1. 176 00:09:35,560 --> 00:09:37,320 So that would be me in the marriage. 177 00:09:37,320 --> 00:09:41,520 So I reached out to him and we ended up going on some dates and 178 00:09:41,840 --> 00:09:45,680 we got married was very fast. I think we got engaged within 179 00:09:46,440 --> 00:09:47,280 nine months. I. 180 00:09:47,280 --> 00:09:50,240 Love these stories, girl. When you know, you know. 181 00:09:50,240 --> 00:09:54,880 Like you are mine. And then we got married. 182 00:09:55,400 --> 00:10:00,400 We started dating I think in like April or May of 2010 and we 183 00:10:00,400 --> 00:10:02,320 were married in November of 2011. 184 00:10:02,320 --> 00:10:05,280 Oh wow. OK so very quick but y'all knew 185 00:10:05,280 --> 00:10:07,880 each other, you know here and there growing up like y'all knew 186 00:10:07,960 --> 00:10:14,360 of each other and so I mean was anything very what did y'all's 187 00:10:14,360 --> 00:10:17,600 walk look like when y'all got a date You started you know, like 188 00:10:17,600 --> 00:10:19,200 you y'all going to church together? 189 00:10:19,200 --> 00:10:22,040 Where y'all following Christ? What I know you knew of Christ. 190 00:10:22,720 --> 00:10:25,600 Well, just right before we get to that, just speaking on like 191 00:10:25,600 --> 00:10:28,520 how quickly that was. And I really just knew because 192 00:10:28,800 --> 00:10:31,160 when I was talking about how rebellious I was and I was 193 00:10:31,160 --> 00:10:34,640 seeking validation and emotional connection and all those wrong 194 00:10:34,640 --> 00:10:38,000 places in college and high school, that was a lot of the 195 00:10:38,000 --> 00:10:45,040 wrong romantic relationships. And so was modeling what I saw 196 00:10:45,280 --> 00:10:49,960 as a child and a lot of big emotions in, in relationships 197 00:10:49,960 --> 00:10:53,560 that we're not healthy. And, and I claim that and I, and 198 00:10:53,560 --> 00:10:57,400 I know that now, but I kind of knew what I didn't want. 199 00:10:57,880 --> 00:11:04,480 Oh and so when I met him and we started dating, what really just 200 00:11:04,480 --> 00:11:10,320 sealed the deal was it was Father's Day and I was going 201 00:11:10,320 --> 00:11:14,920 over to meet his parents for the first time and I was so nervous. 202 00:11:14,920 --> 00:11:19,080 And when I got there he didn't tell me but both sets of his 203 00:11:19,080 --> 00:11:23,320 grandparents were there too. And so I was the whole family. 204 00:11:23,320 --> 00:11:26,760 And I will never forget when I walked in that door, every 205 00:11:26,760 --> 00:11:30,200 single one of them hugged my neck and when they left, they 206 00:11:30,200 --> 00:11:33,040 hugged me again. And I remember thinking, what is 207 00:11:33,040 --> 00:11:36,480 going on? What is like, why are they doing 208 00:11:36,480 --> 00:11:38,840 all this hug? Because as a as a kid, I don't 209 00:11:38,840 --> 00:11:43,080 remember those emotions and those physical emotions being, 210 00:11:43,080 --> 00:11:45,000 you know, being brought to physical. 211 00:11:45,360 --> 00:11:49,640 And so I was like, what is this? Like, I really thought, well, 212 00:11:50,120 --> 00:11:53,520 this is a cult, you know, like that's and how I went on here. 213 00:11:53,520 --> 00:11:57,400 That is how unfamiliar that was to me. 214 00:11:57,760 --> 00:12:01,200 And I was just like, wow. And spending time with his 215 00:12:01,200 --> 00:12:07,280 family just really was like, this is what family can feel 216 00:12:07,280 --> 00:12:10,480 like. This is what home can feel like. 217 00:12:10,760 --> 00:12:16,680 And I could be me, I could have any emotion it under the sun and 218 00:12:16,680 --> 00:12:19,800 his family would listen and love. 219 00:12:20,200 --> 00:12:23,040 And so that's really what so when we started dating, I was 220 00:12:23,040 --> 00:12:25,720 like, I love this. I want more. 221 00:12:26,760 --> 00:12:31,920 And so I started going to church with them and we, we went pretty 222 00:12:31,920 --> 00:12:36,960 much every Sunday and we, we were in a Sunday school class. 223 00:12:36,960 --> 00:12:44,520 And that's really where I started gaining that like where 224 00:12:44,520 --> 00:12:47,680 I wanted more that hunger or more of that. 225 00:12:47,960 --> 00:12:52,120 That's such a beautiful like thing of experience, that type 226 00:12:52,120 --> 00:12:55,840 of love when you've never really experienced it because it does 227 00:12:55,840 --> 00:12:59,320 feel weird, but you're like, wait, other people have lived 228 00:12:59,320 --> 00:13:01,640 like this, like, and I bet you just all mention a whole 229 00:13:01,640 --> 00:13:06,200 different light of just how beautiful his family was, how 230 00:13:06,200 --> 00:13:11,080 welcoming, like it just felt. Just so warm and it felt so 231 00:13:11,080 --> 00:13:16,640 healthy and coming from so much unhealthy as a teenager and a 232 00:13:16,640 --> 00:13:21,600 college kid trying to find that love, it was like, wow. 233 00:13:21,600 --> 00:13:26,920 Like it just really gave me an appreciation and the fact that 234 00:13:26,920 --> 00:13:32,040 we grew up in such different homes and kind of what I could 235 00:13:32,040 --> 00:13:35,640 share with him and that he could learn and what he shared with 236 00:13:35,640 --> 00:13:40,000 me. And it just it, it opened me up 237 00:13:40,280 --> 00:13:43,720 to a whole new world that I really didn't know existed. 238 00:13:43,720 --> 00:13:48,080 Yes, so y'all are you kind of just jump right in, become part 239 00:13:48,080 --> 00:13:49,840 of a family, Y'all get married quick. 240 00:13:50,760 --> 00:13:53,480 So when how long were y'all together before you had Cal? 241 00:13:54,200 --> 00:14:00,040 Not long, we got married in November 2011 and Cal was born 242 00:14:00,040 --> 00:14:03,360 in on January 25th, 2013. Oh, wow. 243 00:14:03,360 --> 00:14:05,800 So yeah, yeah. You know, you know you're not. 244 00:14:05,880 --> 00:14:08,520 You want to start a family. All this y'all are married. 245 00:14:08,960 --> 00:14:11,760 What does those early years look like for you? 246 00:14:11,760 --> 00:14:14,880 Yeah. So when we had Cal, I mean, we 247 00:14:14,880 --> 00:14:17,680 were still involved in church and, and in our Sunday school 248 00:14:17,680 --> 00:14:21,400 class and we took him immediately and he was involved 249 00:14:21,400 --> 00:14:23,880 and, you know, he went right along with us. 250 00:14:23,960 --> 00:14:28,840 And, you know, those, those first years are tough. 251 00:14:29,120 --> 00:14:32,080 You know, I always thought that I would have more children. 252 00:14:32,080 --> 00:14:33,920 I was so hoping you were going to talk about this. 253 00:14:33,920 --> 00:14:36,320 Yes, go ahead. I really was like, I had always, 254 00:14:36,360 --> 00:14:38,400 you know, when you're younger and you're like, I'm going to 255 00:14:38,400 --> 00:14:41,920 have two, 3-4, whatever it may be, like I'd always planned that 256 00:14:41,920 --> 00:14:47,000 I would at least have two. And so when he was born in his 257 00:14:47,000 --> 00:14:50,480 first year, I mean, he was the best kid too, like just such a 258 00:14:50,480 --> 00:14:53,760 good child. Like he, he was just, we just 259 00:14:53,760 --> 00:14:55,360 call him our, our little old man. 260 00:14:55,840 --> 00:14:59,440 And a lot of it, I think was because he when he was younger, 261 00:14:59,440 --> 00:15:01,640 he stayed with Mitchell's grandparents. 262 00:15:01,640 --> 00:15:04,640 Each set of grandparents kept him a couple days out of the 263 00:15:04,640 --> 00:15:07,240 week while we worked. And so he was just, he's by 264 00:15:07,240 --> 00:15:11,520 himself with these older people and his way of life was slow. 265 00:15:11,960 --> 00:15:14,920 And, you know, he just was the most chill kid ever. 266 00:15:14,920 --> 00:15:18,520 And and that, so that wasn't it. It was more so Mitch and I like 267 00:15:18,520 --> 00:15:22,840 we really just don't have a lot of patience and we know that. 268 00:15:22,840 --> 00:15:25,200 About ourselves. That's real, girl, that's real. 269 00:15:25,320 --> 00:15:27,960 We never, we knew that. We knew that we don't thrive 270 00:15:27,960 --> 00:15:31,120 with a lot going on, with a lot of running out the door, with a 271 00:15:31,120 --> 00:15:32,720 lot of trying to get everybody dressed. 272 00:15:32,720 --> 00:15:37,280 And it's just we, we actually sat down and made a list. 273 00:15:37,280 --> 00:15:39,920 We were like, OK, because it was coming time, you know, Cal was 274 00:15:39,920 --> 00:15:41,000 like 4. And I was like, we're going to 275 00:15:41,000 --> 00:15:42,320 do this. We got to do it, right? 276 00:15:42,320 --> 00:15:45,320 We got to do it, Yeah. And the only thing on both of 277 00:15:45,320 --> 00:15:48,600 our lists to have another child was so that Cal would have 278 00:15:48,600 --> 00:15:51,920 somebody. And we just decided that that 279 00:15:51,920 --> 00:15:55,240 alone wasn't enough, wasn't enough to do that. 280 00:15:55,240 --> 00:16:01,960 And we just knew that we wanted the best we could for our 281 00:16:01,960 --> 00:16:04,320 family. And we know that we had to be 282 00:16:04,320 --> 00:16:07,560 healthy for that. And we were, you know, afraid 283 00:16:07,560 --> 00:16:12,520 that if we brought another child in and created an atmosphere 284 00:16:13,000 --> 00:16:17,240 that went healthy because I'm parents are the tone of the 285 00:16:17,240 --> 00:16:20,960 home, you know what I mean? And so we just decided that the 286 00:16:20,960 --> 00:16:24,160 three of us were going to be kicking it and we're thick as 287 00:16:24,160 --> 00:16:28,160 thieves and we just love being around each other. 288 00:16:28,160 --> 00:16:32,360 And that kind of leads me into also like in in my home when I 289 00:16:32,360 --> 00:16:35,920 was a child, the communication was just very much, it's very 290 00:16:35,920 --> 00:16:39,480 authoritarian home. Very much the communication was 291 00:16:39,480 --> 00:16:44,920 from parent to child. And so I just, we knew that we 292 00:16:44,920 --> 00:16:47,280 wanted that open communication style. 293 00:16:47,280 --> 00:16:52,880 And so with him, it's things are just real nice and slow and we 294 00:16:52,880 --> 00:16:55,960 can pour a whole lot of attention into him. 295 00:16:55,960 --> 00:16:58,320 And you know, one of the other reasons and, and they're 296 00:16:58,320 --> 00:17:01,600 different for everybody. So I'm not saying that if you 297 00:17:01,600 --> 00:17:04,640 want 4 have 4:00. If you want to run around, run 298 00:17:04,680 --> 00:17:07,599 around. Now me and my house, we will 299 00:17:07,599 --> 00:17:09,000 not. Yeah. 300 00:17:09,000 --> 00:17:10,359 And say like we, that's what we say. 301 00:17:10,359 --> 00:17:14,400 Like we're always both at Cal's options, you know, and one's not 302 00:17:14,400 --> 00:17:15,880 over here and one's not over here. 303 00:17:15,880 --> 00:17:18,160 And these are just our personal reasons. 304 00:17:18,160 --> 00:17:20,319 And you know, that's I was hoping that you were going to 305 00:17:20,319 --> 00:17:22,000 talk about that is the first day that we went to coffee. 306 00:17:22,000 --> 00:17:23,440 I was like, so are you going to have more kids? 307 00:17:23,800 --> 00:17:26,240 You know, like all this stuff and now I look back and I'm 308 00:17:26,240 --> 00:17:28,079 like, that's not my place to ask them questions. 309 00:17:28,079 --> 00:17:31,560 But you live in Yolari, OK. And so you were like, actually, 310 00:17:31,560 --> 00:17:34,360 no, like we only want one. You kind of talked to me about 311 00:17:34,360 --> 00:17:37,720 it and it was just so fascinating to hear another POV 312 00:17:37,840 --> 00:17:40,720 like because most of the time we do hear like what you said, we 313 00:17:40,720 --> 00:17:42,320 want a big family, want this. We want that. 314 00:17:42,320 --> 00:17:45,280 And just so because I've always thought that I only want one 315 00:17:45,280 --> 00:17:48,480 too, you know, like I'm just like, and people are like, no, 316 00:17:48,480 --> 00:17:50,400 nobody ever really know. They do yet. 317 00:17:51,120 --> 00:17:54,120 So it was just nice to hear like, oh, my feelings are valid 318 00:17:54,120 --> 00:17:55,560 there. Like you can just have one. 319 00:17:55,640 --> 00:17:57,320 And there are still some worries with that. 320 00:17:57,320 --> 00:17:58,720 Yeah. As we get older, you know, if 321 00:17:58,720 --> 00:18:00,600 something were to happen to us, who does he have? 322 00:18:00,600 --> 00:18:04,640 And thankfully, my sister, she has three kids and Mitchell's 323 00:18:04,640 --> 00:18:08,080 brother has 2. So I feel like he will have, you 324 00:18:08,080 --> 00:18:11,640 know, people around him. So that was one of my, my main 325 00:18:11,640 --> 00:18:14,520 concerns. But I think that he'll he'll be 326 00:18:14,520 --> 00:18:16,400 loved and he'll have enough though. 327 00:18:16,920 --> 00:18:21,080 So tell us a little bit about what happened a few years ago. 328 00:18:21,080 --> 00:18:24,720 I know something big pivotal happened, so let's jump into 329 00:18:24,720 --> 00:18:25,440 that. OK? 330 00:18:25,680 --> 00:18:29,520 Yeah. So in I've worked in with the 331 00:18:29,520 --> 00:18:31,960 state of Georgia. Now this year will be 15 years 332 00:18:32,840 --> 00:18:35,200 which. Ain't even possible, Rachel. 333 00:18:35,200 --> 00:18:38,160 Like it's crazy sometimes when you say these numbers, I'm like 334 00:18:38,160 --> 00:18:41,840 hell, hell. I appreciate I was. 24. 335 00:18:42,360 --> 00:18:44,800 I will take it girl, bring it home. 336 00:18:44,960 --> 00:18:49,240 Yes, all the compliment No really really do look like 337 00:18:49,240 --> 00:18:51,800 you're like 24. You we just have these 338 00:18:51,800 --> 00:18:53,440 personalities that are younger too. 339 00:18:53,440 --> 00:18:56,480 So I girl, I don't understand, but go ahead, I'll tell you. 340 00:18:56,760 --> 00:19:00,920 With the state for 15 years. I think it's just so important 341 00:19:00,920 --> 00:19:04,040 to keep that in your spirit and in your soul because it's going 342 00:19:04,040 --> 00:19:06,480 to keep you going. You know, like, I don't ever 343 00:19:06,480 --> 00:19:09,920 want to be where I'm just like, this negative, you know, I want 344 00:19:09,920 --> 00:19:11,720 to be this uplifting person. But, yeah. 345 00:19:11,720 --> 00:19:16,720 So 15 years in the state of Georgia and which is weird 346 00:19:16,720 --> 00:19:23,240 because my my college degree is in child and family development. 347 00:19:23,400 --> 00:19:26,840 OK, I originally went in for nursing and that didn't pan out. 348 00:19:26,920 --> 00:19:29,840 I mean, my neighbor, he got his finger cut and I went to try to 349 00:19:29,840 --> 00:19:31,360 help him and I had to go lie down. 350 00:19:31,960 --> 00:19:35,080 And I'm telling you the next day, I wouldn't take my major 351 00:19:36,680 --> 00:19:40,600 surface, but it's so crazy how God had a hand in that because 352 00:19:40,600 --> 00:19:46,760 considering how I felt growing up and having a degree in child 353 00:19:46,760 --> 00:19:49,680 and family development would later help me with my family. 354 00:19:50,080 --> 00:19:53,960 But anyway, 15 years of the state of Georgia and Mitch was 355 00:19:53,960 --> 00:19:58,840 working in banking. This was about 2021 when it all 356 00:19:58,840 --> 00:20:01,680 kind of came to light. And so Mitchell had been working 357 00:20:01,680 --> 00:20:05,480 in the bank and there were some mistakes that he had made. 358 00:20:06,280 --> 00:20:12,720 That really had some some heavy consequences to them and you 359 00:20:12,720 --> 00:20:16,800 know, we didn't really family wise, we didn't really know what 360 00:20:16,800 --> 00:20:19,520 was going on until. It came, yeah. 361 00:20:20,040 --> 00:20:26,800 And so a lot of shock, a lot of fear and anger, honestly. 362 00:20:27,880 --> 00:20:34,760 And it was just a really difficult situation because it 363 00:20:34,760 --> 00:20:36,920 was one of those times where, like, what in the world? 364 00:20:36,920 --> 00:20:39,160 Like, I feel like I know this person. 365 00:20:39,160 --> 00:20:43,000 You know, this is my purse and why didn't I pick up on 366 00:20:43,000 --> 00:20:47,400 anything? You know, why wouldn't why what 367 00:20:47,400 --> 00:20:50,680 not able to see it? I should have seen it. 368 00:20:51,240 --> 00:20:54,120 And so there was a lot of guilt there, too. 369 00:20:54,120 --> 00:20:58,560 And it was one of those times where, you know, he was going to 370 00:20:58,560 --> 00:21:03,120 have to go away and serve time. And so it was one of those 371 00:21:03,120 --> 00:21:07,040 things where you're just like a crossroads in our marriage. 372 00:21:07,040 --> 00:21:10,880 I mean, it really was, it was like, do we just go our separate 373 00:21:10,880 --> 00:21:14,000 ways? You know, do we hold on and ride 374 00:21:14,000 --> 00:21:17,080 this with with the Lord? You know, and those were some 375 00:21:17,080 --> 00:21:20,520 really hard, tough conversations that we had to have. 376 00:21:20,520 --> 00:21:26,120 And, you know, Cal was young and it was just like, what are we 377 00:21:26,120 --> 00:21:30,720 going to do? And so honestly, we took a not 378 00:21:30,720 --> 00:21:33,360 physically time apart, but we just took some time to 379 00:21:33,360 --> 00:21:37,080 ourselves, you know, really think about it and pray about 380 00:21:37,360 --> 00:21:40,120 what is the next step. And it's one of those things 381 00:21:40,120 --> 00:21:44,040 where somebody tells you, you know, like literally just look 382 00:21:44,040 --> 00:21:47,600 at the next step. Like we can't look, that's good 383 00:21:47,680 --> 00:21:52,000 farther We right now we just have to go day by day, step by 384 00:21:52,000 --> 00:21:56,120 step. And so we came together and we 385 00:21:56,120 --> 00:22:01,120 decided that the thing about me and Mitch is that he has never, 386 00:22:01,400 --> 00:22:07,960 ever made me feel less than. He has never not heard me out, 387 00:22:08,480 --> 00:22:13,400 not understood, not let me be me. 388 00:22:13,920 --> 00:22:18,160 I mean, he has just been so patient and kind and loving and 389 00:22:18,160 --> 00:22:21,280 our that's what our marriage was even before, before this. 390 00:22:21,800 --> 00:22:26,800 And so I was like, you know, Rachel, God has put this man in 391 00:22:26,800 --> 00:22:29,960 your life after all that you went through through your 392 00:22:29,960 --> 00:22:34,000 younger years, this family in your life, you know what I mean? 393 00:22:34,000 --> 00:22:39,480 And just because he's fallen short, you know, that's where I 394 00:22:39,480 --> 00:22:42,760 stand tall. And that's what happens in a 395 00:22:42,760 --> 00:22:46,760 marriage is when somebody falls down, you pick them back up and 396 00:22:46,760 --> 00:22:49,920 you stand when they can't. And that's truly what I felt 397 00:22:49,920 --> 00:22:53,040 like God was telling me to do. And I can't imagine. 398 00:22:53,040 --> 00:22:55,080 I said, we're going, we're going to get through this. 399 00:22:55,360 --> 00:22:58,440 I don't know how. I don't know what it looks like. 400 00:22:59,360 --> 00:23:03,400 We all had just such a beautiful foundation already built. 401 00:23:03,400 --> 00:23:07,240 You know what I'm saying? Like that is where it's so 402 00:23:07,240 --> 00:23:13,360 important to know, yes, y'all go through this terrible, terrible, 403 00:23:13,640 --> 00:23:19,560 awful, traumatic situation, but y'all were built on this like a 404 00:23:19,560 --> 00:23:22,240 strong foundation where you could make it through. 405 00:23:22,760 --> 00:23:25,840 You know, I look back at I'm, I'm very open about it. 406 00:23:25,840 --> 00:23:27,560 Me and my husband, we built our foundation. 407 00:23:27,560 --> 00:23:30,920 Basically I'm partying and drinking and smoking and XYZ and 408 00:23:30,920 --> 00:23:32,840 all this stuff. So when we started going through 409 00:23:32,840 --> 00:23:35,360 it, I mean, we was going to hit the road Jack. 410 00:23:36,000 --> 00:23:40,920 And, but now being on this side of Christ, we are now building 411 00:23:40,920 --> 00:23:44,280 the foundation that we need. So it's just beautiful to see. 412 00:23:44,280 --> 00:23:47,440 Like, you know, This is why it's so important we say find the 413 00:23:47,440 --> 00:23:50,960 person that's equally yoked with you, ride it out with Christ, 414 00:23:50,960 --> 00:23:52,920 run towards him and build that foundation. 415 00:23:52,920 --> 00:23:54,800 Absolutely. And and I'm not going to 416 00:23:54,960 --> 00:23:58,480 sugarcoat it either, in, in this time that this came to light, 417 00:23:58,800 --> 00:24:04,840 Mitch and I, we were always like just I felt like good partners. 418 00:24:04,840 --> 00:24:09,000 You know, we we worked well together and we supported each 419 00:24:09,000 --> 00:24:12,120 other, but we were both also in the world at this time. 420 00:24:12,120 --> 00:24:15,480 Like we had friendships that we were out and we were doing stuff 421 00:24:15,480 --> 00:24:17,760 we weren't supposed to be doing. You know, we would go out and 422 00:24:17,760 --> 00:24:21,920 drink and, you know, we would send Cal over to his 423 00:24:21,920 --> 00:24:25,520 grandparents so that we could go out with friends and go, you 424 00:24:25,520 --> 00:24:29,600 know, not nothing like, you know, but stuff we shouldn't be 425 00:24:29,600 --> 00:24:34,040 doing. And so I also feel like you're 426 00:24:34,040 --> 00:24:38,680 sometimes God, well, you know, you can hit rock bottom because 427 00:24:38,680 --> 00:24:41,720 he's not getting your attention. You know, I can't get their 428 00:24:41,720 --> 00:24:44,440 attention. And we hit rock bottom because 429 00:24:44,440 --> 00:24:47,920 he wants us to know that he's there. 430 00:24:47,920 --> 00:24:50,640 He's that rock at the bottom. You know what I mean? 431 00:24:50,640 --> 00:24:52,520 And that's really what it felt like. 432 00:24:52,840 --> 00:24:56,240 It was like, OK, we were out here doing these worldly things. 433 00:24:56,240 --> 00:24:58,000 We were not doing what we were supposed to be doing. 434 00:24:58,000 --> 00:24:59,280 Yeah. We were sitting in church every 435 00:24:59,280 --> 00:25:03,680 Sunday morning. But on Friday night, we're out 436 00:25:04,320 --> 00:25:06,400 hanging out with friends and drinking and doing stuff we 437 00:25:06,400 --> 00:25:09,400 weren't supposed to be doing. And you know, it was like time 438 00:25:09,400 --> 00:25:12,040 to grow up. You know, you're in your mid 439 00:25:12,040 --> 00:25:14,280 30s. It's time to get your act 440 00:25:14,280 --> 00:25:16,040 together. And if you're not going, if 441 00:25:16,040 --> 00:25:20,120 you're going to sit in church and not hear me out and not look 442 00:25:20,120 --> 00:25:22,720 for me and not seek me, then this is. 443 00:25:23,280 --> 00:25:26,320 Got to get your attention right? So you'll have to spend some 444 00:25:26,320 --> 00:25:27,200 time apart. Yeah. 445 00:25:28,560 --> 00:25:30,400 How? Longwell originally, which is 446 00:25:30,400 --> 00:25:33,960 another, you know, thing where I'm like, OK, God, you point me 447 00:25:33,960 --> 00:25:36,960 in the right path. Like show me, light it up so 448 00:25:37,200 --> 00:25:41,080 bright that I can't miss it. And you know, originally it was 449 00:25:41,080 --> 00:25:44,560 supposed to be 24 months and I mean, I just didn't know what I 450 00:25:44,560 --> 00:25:47,000 was going to do, but it ended up being ten. 451 00:25:47,080 --> 00:25:48,400 Wow. I mean. 452 00:25:49,520 --> 00:25:51,080 Wow. Yeah, yeah. 453 00:25:51,320 --> 00:25:54,120 What does that look like? Because a cow. 454 00:25:54,160 --> 00:25:59,520 How's Cal at this point? So right now he's 13, so I guess 455 00:25:59,520 --> 00:26:02,800 he was what, 9? OK, 8-9 somewhere in there. 456 00:26:02,840 --> 00:26:07,000 I mean, y'all are just a, you know, two parent household, two 457 00:26:07,000 --> 00:26:09,600 parent income, two parent everything. 458 00:26:10,280 --> 00:26:12,760 And now your whole world's been rocked. 459 00:26:12,760 --> 00:26:15,960 We're now you're not a single mom, but you're about to have to 460 00:26:15,960 --> 00:26:18,720 live as a single mom. So tell us about that 10 month 461 00:26:18,720 --> 00:26:19,560 season. Yeah. 462 00:26:19,560 --> 00:26:22,680 So in 2021 when it came out, you know, the way the system works, 463 00:26:22,680 --> 00:26:24,200 it is slow. Yeah. 464 00:26:24,400 --> 00:26:27,240 So Mitch actually didn't leave until 2023. 465 00:26:28,440 --> 00:26:32,280 And that's another thing, you know, when, when God brought 466 00:26:32,280 --> 00:26:37,120 that family in my life and just his family and, and my family, 467 00:26:37,160 --> 00:26:40,160 they, they wrapped their arms around us. 468 00:26:40,160 --> 00:26:43,200 We sat down as a family and we're like, here's what we have 469 00:26:43,200 --> 00:26:46,760 to pay every month. And between his parents, his 470 00:26:46,760 --> 00:26:49,960 grandparents and my parents, they just, they made the 471 00:26:49,960 --> 00:26:52,800 difference. And because that's was a fear, 472 00:26:52,840 --> 00:26:55,400 like, you know, I'm making money, have a good job, but 473 00:26:55,400 --> 00:26:58,120 like, I can't afford this household on my own. 474 00:26:59,160 --> 00:27:02,720 And so we were able to stay where we were at and we wanted 475 00:27:02,720 --> 00:27:08,360 to make sure that Cal's routine was as normal as it possibly 476 00:27:08,360 --> 00:27:13,160 could be. And so when Mitch left, we, we 477 00:27:14,000 --> 00:27:17,120 Cal is honestly the best age I think it could have possibly 478 00:27:17,120 --> 00:27:19,120 happened. And I think that was another 479 00:27:19,120 --> 00:27:22,920 thing, you know, that only God, you know, could have had a hand 480 00:27:22,920 --> 00:27:24,640 in. And the fact that he was 8-9, 481 00:27:24,640 --> 00:27:28,000 whatever it was, is that he was old enough to understand. 482 00:27:28,440 --> 00:27:30,840 So it wasn't like there was a 2 year old running around. 483 00:27:30,960 --> 00:27:32,160 Where's Daddy? Where's Daddy? 484 00:27:32,160 --> 00:27:35,400 You know, and I was constantly having to come up with an 485 00:27:35,400 --> 00:27:38,480 excuse. But he wasn't too old where I 486 00:27:38,480 --> 00:27:41,920 felt like his heart might be hardened, you know what I mean? 487 00:27:41,920 --> 00:27:43,880 Like where he would be angry about it. 488 00:27:44,120 --> 00:27:47,200 He was at this really good age where he still had this really 489 00:27:47,360 --> 00:27:51,240 tender heart and innocence, but still loved. 490 00:27:51,840 --> 00:27:54,400 And so we were able to explain it to him. 491 00:27:54,400 --> 00:27:58,360 And that was tough. I mean, there were tears and a 492 00:27:58,360 --> 00:28:01,120 lot of explaining and a lot of understanding. 493 00:28:01,440 --> 00:28:04,720 And honestly, he's my biggest hero. 494 00:28:05,920 --> 00:28:07,640 That relationship is so beautiful to me. 495 00:28:07,640 --> 00:28:10,280 Thank you. And it's one thing to and that's 496 00:28:10,280 --> 00:28:14,440 another thing that I I was determined after my upbringing 497 00:28:14,680 --> 00:28:16,400 was that it was going to be different. 498 00:28:16,400 --> 00:28:19,880 Yeah, but we had those ten months and. 499 00:28:20,280 --> 00:28:23,360 And looking back now, you know, after you're through it and 500 00:28:23,360 --> 00:28:25,520 you've healed and you've come on the other side. 501 00:28:25,760 --> 00:28:29,120 Looking back now is one thing I told Mitch is that as terrible 502 00:28:29,120 --> 00:28:34,240 as it was, as much as I didn't want it to happen, I will never 503 00:28:35,280 --> 00:28:41,040 be upset that I had 10 months of just one-on-one with him. 504 00:28:41,480 --> 00:28:47,240 And it really allowed us to just grow in each other and, and 505 00:28:47,240 --> 00:28:51,520 experience each other and spend time together and learn about 506 00:28:51,520 --> 00:28:54,760 each other. And, you know, we did good. 507 00:28:54,760 --> 00:28:58,800 I feel like considering, you know, we went to visit Mitch and 508 00:29:00,000 --> 00:29:04,240 he played sports and, you know, we did school when he thrived in 509 00:29:04,240 --> 00:29:08,320 school and he thrived in sports and and he's just my hero 510 00:29:08,320 --> 00:29:11,560 because I feel like a lot of kids could have taken that 511 00:29:11,560 --> 00:29:17,440 situation and just been angry and mad and, you know, kind of 512 00:29:17,440 --> 00:29:22,520 isolate from stuff that they would typically enjoy and he 513 00:29:22,520 --> 00:29:25,280 just killed it. I mean, he just absolutely 514 00:29:25,280 --> 00:29:29,720 rocked it. And that's kind of what I feel 515 00:29:29,720 --> 00:29:34,400 like when I think about Mitch being gone is like there are so 516 00:29:34,400 --> 00:29:42,520 much stuff that God needed to do in US separately that never 517 00:29:42,840 --> 00:29:45,320 would have been done had we continued our routine. 518 00:29:46,040 --> 00:29:47,560 And that was our goal when he left. 519 00:29:47,560 --> 00:29:49,560 It's like, I'm going to go over here, I'm going to do what I 520 00:29:49,560 --> 00:29:52,480 need to do, and I'm going to strengthen and grow my 521 00:29:52,480 --> 00:29:55,400 relationship in Christ. And that's what I was going to 522 00:29:55,400 --> 00:29:57,320 do at home. That's good. 523 00:29:57,560 --> 00:30:00,400 And so that's kind of how we looked at it because there 524 00:30:00,400 --> 00:30:05,520 really was no other way. But I do feel like when, when, 525 00:30:05,520 --> 00:30:09,240 if families go through this, it's one or the other, you know 526 00:30:09,240 --> 00:30:11,200 what I mean? It's easily one or the other. 527 00:30:11,200 --> 00:30:16,000 They're just broken and or we stick it out. 528 00:30:17,120 --> 00:30:24,960 So it's a long 10 months, but he comes home and tell us about 529 00:30:24,960 --> 00:30:27,880 this transition. Because now you've been doing 530 00:30:27,880 --> 00:30:30,320 life. It's just you and Cal, you know, 531 00:30:30,320 --> 00:30:34,520 pretty much just living life. And now he's got to be 532 00:30:34,520 --> 00:30:37,520 integrated back in. So how tell us how difficult 533 00:30:37,520 --> 00:30:40,560 that probably was? Yeah, so right before we get to 534 00:30:40,560 --> 00:30:43,680 that, I did just want to share that, you know, while he was 535 00:30:43,680 --> 00:30:46,840 gone, we had been attending Mitchell's church. 536 00:30:46,840 --> 00:30:50,040 He was at that church since he was a baby. 537 00:30:50,120 --> 00:30:53,000 I mean, he had a long term pastor, you know, we've been 538 00:30:53,000 --> 00:30:56,000 doing that. And so when he left, I found it 539 00:30:56,000 --> 00:31:00,400 really hard to sit in church. I mean, I would just get panic 540 00:31:00,400 --> 00:31:01,760 attacks. I would have to leave. 541 00:31:02,280 --> 00:31:05,240 And I remember feeling so convicted and so guilty about 542 00:31:05,240 --> 00:31:08,840 that. But I, I stayed in the word. 543 00:31:08,840 --> 00:31:12,560 I did my Bible recap. I listened to podcasts. 544 00:31:12,880 --> 00:31:16,640 I felt like I read my Bible. I did it in a way that I could. 545 00:31:16,640 --> 00:31:21,120 And I and I felt like, OK, I need to know that this is 546 00:31:21,120 --> 00:31:23,440 enough, you know, am I doing enough? 547 00:31:24,000 --> 00:31:27,480 And so I was walking one day and I just walked in our cul-de-sac 548 00:31:27,480 --> 00:31:29,920 out in the front of the yard. And I listened, listened to my 549 00:31:29,920 --> 00:31:32,920 pot sermon podcast and I was walking and I just remember 550 00:31:32,920 --> 00:31:37,840 just, it's just crazy. I saw this little flowers and I 551 00:31:37,840 --> 00:31:38,960 still have the picture on my phone. 552 00:31:38,960 --> 00:31:42,240 It's just the littlest flower growing in the crack in the 553 00:31:42,240 --> 00:31:43,960 road. And I just remember, like him 554 00:31:43,960 --> 00:31:46,440 just so clearly speaking to me and just saying, you know, 555 00:31:46,440 --> 00:31:51,200 Rachel Bloom, where I have you planted, you know, and it may 556 00:31:51,200 --> 00:31:54,040 not be where I want to be. It sure wasn't where I wanted to 557 00:31:54,040 --> 00:31:57,160 be. And it wasn't fun and it wasn't 558 00:31:57,160 --> 00:31:59,880 exciting. And it was absolutely the 559 00:31:59,880 --> 00:32:01,400 hardest thing I've ever done in my life. 560 00:32:01,400 --> 00:32:03,400 But he was like, Bloom where I have you. 561 00:32:03,400 --> 00:32:06,920 And if and if that's at home walking and listening to my 562 00:32:06,920 --> 00:32:11,760 word, if it's reading my word in your bedroom when nobody's 563 00:32:11,760 --> 00:32:14,320 looking, if it's, you know, whatever it may be, if it's 564 00:32:14,320 --> 00:32:16,720 listening to music while you're on your way to work or wherever 565 00:32:16,720 --> 00:32:19,320 you're going, like that's. And I feel like that was a sign 566 00:32:19,600 --> 00:32:24,120 that like where I have you in this season, bloom, where I have 567 00:32:24,120 --> 00:32:26,440 you regardless of what's going on around you. 568 00:32:27,760 --> 00:32:29,560 That is so good. I'm so glad you remembered to 569 00:32:29,560 --> 00:32:32,080 say that because I totally was about to skip over it. 570 00:32:32,080 --> 00:32:35,760 Girl, thank the Lord you remembered. 571 00:32:35,760 --> 00:32:41,040 You are so good. OK, so after that I love that 572 00:32:41,040 --> 00:32:44,680 because you're in a very bad season and that is such a good 573 00:32:44,680 --> 00:32:50,200 like visual of like there it might seem crazy around you, but 574 00:32:50,200 --> 00:32:53,440 you can make something beautiful out of this. 575 00:32:53,440 --> 00:32:56,240 And so that's what y'all did. You know that is true. 576 00:32:56,240 --> 00:32:58,880 Y'all made the most of the situation that you are in and 577 00:32:58,880 --> 00:33:03,440 grew to Christ and really learned more about Him and had 578 00:33:03,440 --> 00:33:04,800 that intimate relationship with Him. 579 00:33:04,800 --> 00:33:08,720 While y'all are separated by this time not y'all know what 580 00:33:08,840 --> 00:33:09,480 I'm saying? Y'all know. 581 00:33:09,480 --> 00:33:12,840 I think y'all following along anyway so he comes home. 582 00:33:13,320 --> 00:33:14,480 Tell us about that. Yeah. 583 00:33:14,480 --> 00:33:17,840 And so while we're in the season, you know, you don't see 584 00:33:17,840 --> 00:33:20,360 the light. You can't keep the advance 585 00:33:20,400 --> 00:33:23,920 secret on the other side. And, and one of my biggest fears 586 00:33:23,920 --> 00:33:25,840 and something that I prayed about while Mitch was gone was 587 00:33:25,840 --> 00:33:29,240 like, what is life going to look like, you know, when you get 588 00:33:29,240 --> 00:33:30,520 back? Because when something like this 589 00:33:30,520 --> 00:33:32,480 happened, it's hard to find a job. 590 00:33:32,920 --> 00:33:38,440 It's hard to get back into life and the real world and all of 591 00:33:38,440 --> 00:33:40,400 that. And so I was just like, gosh, 592 00:33:40,400 --> 00:33:43,560 you just don't see it and you're just fearful. 593 00:33:43,920 --> 00:33:47,200 So he comes home and and I actually had been in therapy. 594 00:33:47,200 --> 00:33:51,000 My therapist, Lori Gaylor, if you're out there, shout out if 595 00:33:51,000 --> 00:33:54,360 you need a Christian counselor, I highly recommend Lori Gaylor. 596 00:33:54,360 --> 00:33:59,520 But I have been working with her for years, probably 10 plus 597 00:33:59,520 --> 00:34:01,800 years. And I was meeting with her 598 00:34:01,800 --> 00:34:03,760 because that was a figure. I was like, he's going to come 599 00:34:03,760 --> 00:34:05,760 home and, you know, what do we do? 600 00:34:06,160 --> 00:34:08,440 Yeah. And so she was like, you know, 601 00:34:08,440 --> 00:34:11,320 I've, I've been the authoritative parent to Cal now 602 00:34:11,320 --> 00:34:14,000 for 10 months. And she was like, yeah, she was 603 00:34:14,000 --> 00:34:16,960 telling me, you know, Mitch really needs to focus and come 604 00:34:16,960 --> 00:34:19,840 in and be Cal's friend. Like he needs to be his friend. 605 00:34:19,840 --> 00:34:24,000 You need to continue to be the tell him what to do to be the 606 00:34:24,000 --> 00:34:26,360 parent to the the the authority figure. 607 00:34:26,560 --> 00:34:30,000 And then she said as time goes on, slowly start, you know, 608 00:34:30,000 --> 00:34:34,320 bringing Mitchell back into that role because it we didn't want 609 00:34:34,760 --> 00:34:37,800 how to think here he comes back and all of a sudden he's telling 610 00:34:37,800 --> 00:34:40,560 me what to do. And we didn't want want that. 611 00:34:40,560 --> 00:34:44,760 So that went really well. I'm so glad that I had heard it 612 00:34:44,760 --> 00:34:49,400 to help me with that. And so he came in, he just was 613 00:34:49,400 --> 00:34:52,520 Cal's friend and it worked out really well. 614 00:34:52,520 --> 00:34:55,199 And so another thing that happened was when Mitch came 615 00:34:55,199 --> 00:34:58,880 home, we have a, a family friend at the church that we used to go 616 00:34:58,880 --> 00:35:04,720 to Mitchell's church. And he works in Little Debbie 617 00:35:04,720 --> 00:35:07,040 district distribution in middle Georgia. 618 00:35:07,040 --> 00:35:10,040 And he reached out to Mitch and was like, hey, like I got 619 00:35:10,040 --> 00:35:12,960 something that can get you on feet, like let's get going 620 00:35:12,960 --> 00:35:14,800 because that was kind of one of the requirements. 621 00:35:14,960 --> 00:35:17,800 And so the sooner we did that, the sooner thanks for going to 622 00:35:18,040 --> 00:35:21,080 get moving back to normal. And so even he thought, you 623 00:35:21,080 --> 00:35:23,920 know, I'm going to get this to Mitch, like just to as a 624 00:35:23,920 --> 00:35:26,440 temporary thing. He didn't, you know, think that 625 00:35:26,440 --> 00:35:28,080 Mitchell would want to continue to do that. 626 00:35:28,080 --> 00:35:29,800 And Mitch didn't know either, but he was thankful. 627 00:35:29,800 --> 00:35:33,240 So he started doing that and, and he loved it. 628 00:35:33,360 --> 00:35:36,080 Wow. I mean, we joke all the time. 629 00:35:36,080 --> 00:35:38,240 I'm like, yeah, I don't have this Sunday. 630 00:35:38,240 --> 00:35:40,920 Scary. Yeah, he loves it. 631 00:35:41,040 --> 00:35:43,640 I mean, he just absolutely looks forward to it. 632 00:35:43,640 --> 00:35:46,560 And so he originally he was just kind of helping out, but now he 633 00:35:46,560 --> 00:35:49,560 has his own route in middle Georgia and he he's like, I'm 634 00:35:49,560 --> 00:35:52,920 out and about every day. I'm talking to people. 635 00:35:53,120 --> 00:35:56,320 He was like, I'm active. And he kind of sets his 636 00:35:56,320 --> 00:36:01,040 schedule. I mean, look at golf, I mean 637 00:36:01,040 --> 00:36:03,440 from and even in banking, he he didn't like it. 638 00:36:03,440 --> 00:36:07,520 He sat in the office all day. He complained, You know, he was 639 00:36:07,520 --> 00:36:12,400 just like not for him. And so to go from something like 640 00:36:12,400 --> 00:36:17,200 that and into where he had to go and then back into something 641 00:36:17,200 --> 00:36:21,000 that just. Just yes, because what are the 642 00:36:21,000 --> 00:36:24,400 chances if something were wasn't to happen, would you have left 643 00:36:24,400 --> 00:36:25,760 banking? You know what I'm saying? 644 00:36:26,040 --> 00:36:30,360 Like and unless something like that and now to see like, oh, I 645 00:36:30,360 --> 00:36:34,800 love to go to work. I love to work, you know, just 646 00:36:34,800 --> 00:36:36,360 like. That I'm like what? 647 00:36:37,160 --> 00:36:39,720 I know. Yeah, that's how I feel that 648 00:36:39,720 --> 00:36:41,880 like, I do love to work. I love my job. 649 00:36:41,880 --> 00:36:44,360 I love everything that I do. So I get it. 650 00:36:44,560 --> 00:36:48,120 And then I look back at my other job that I had for six years 651 00:36:48,120 --> 00:36:50,720 before this and I'm like, I hate it going to work. 652 00:36:51,080 --> 00:36:54,080 So I was just crazy how these things happen and God just puts 653 00:36:54,080 --> 00:36:57,240 us in his will. And you know, it's just like 654 00:36:57,680 --> 00:37:01,120 when he said, you know, I know the plans I have for years, you 655 00:37:01,120 --> 00:37:05,960 know, not for prosper, not for harm, for hope and a future. 656 00:37:06,000 --> 00:37:09,720 I truly think about that. And I'm like in the at the time, 657 00:37:10,240 --> 00:37:13,000 I'm like, this is harm. I don't like it. 658 00:37:13,000 --> 00:37:17,040 This feels like harm, but it truly is. 659 00:37:17,240 --> 00:37:19,880 I mean, I heard something on social media other day and it 660 00:37:19,880 --> 00:37:24,080 was like, we want all these good qualities, You know, we ask, you 661 00:37:24,080 --> 00:37:28,560 know, God for faithfulness, gentleness, goodness, kindness, 662 00:37:28,560 --> 00:37:31,240 joy. We want all these things and we 663 00:37:31,240 --> 00:37:35,200 expect him to just wave this want over us, you know? 664 00:37:35,520 --> 00:37:40,680 But truly, 99% of the time we get those qualities through pain 665 00:37:41,480 --> 00:37:46,600 and through crows and valleys. He's refining and you know, 666 00:37:46,600 --> 00:37:51,320 that's he really was like, it felt like harm, but it truly was 667 00:37:51,320 --> 00:37:55,440 for a future for Prosper. You're cooking. 668 00:37:55,880 --> 00:37:57,680 You're. Cooking girl, I feel it in my 669 00:37:57,680 --> 00:38:00,760 heart girl and I have and I just thank you for the opportunity 670 00:38:00,760 --> 00:38:04,520 because I have been like I need to share this because even if 671 00:38:05,480 --> 00:38:09,080 even if Mary's haven't gone is a very specific example Mary, if 672 00:38:09,080 --> 00:38:12,920 you haven't gone through this specific the lessons are the 673 00:38:12,920 --> 00:38:14,760 same. You know what I mean? 674 00:38:15,200 --> 00:38:18,680 And I just feel like it is so hard. 675 00:38:18,680 --> 00:38:23,120 If you are in that valley, if you are in that place where you 676 00:38:23,120 --> 00:38:29,520 cannot see the light, I promise you, hold tight, stand firm, 677 00:38:29,520 --> 00:38:33,720 bloom where you're planted. Because I never could have 678 00:38:33,720 --> 00:38:38,680 imagined that what we have now and where we're at now could 679 00:38:38,680 --> 00:38:40,200 have happened when I was back in that. 680 00:38:40,200 --> 00:38:46,400 Spot go in from that, tell us a little bit or I actually you're 681 00:38:46,400 --> 00:38:49,720 doing a great job because every time I ask she's like, hang on, 682 00:38:49,880 --> 00:38:53,000 I got a I'm not there yet. No. 683 00:38:53,080 --> 00:38:56,080 So if we're ready, tell us how y'all got to Southside, 684 00:38:56,080 --> 00:38:59,840 Kathleen. Yeah, so unfortunately while 685 00:38:59,840 --> 00:39:03,440 Mitchell was gone, his long term pastor passed away. 686 00:39:04,640 --> 00:39:08,360 And even before he did, we were just kind of looking for 687 00:39:08,360 --> 00:39:11,920 something. We weren't all getting fed. 688 00:39:12,440 --> 00:39:16,520 And so when that happened and Mitch came back, I was like, 689 00:39:16,520 --> 00:39:20,280 this is the perfect time for us to kind of see cows, you know, 690 00:39:20,280 --> 00:39:23,520 12-11 at the time. And, you know, we really want to 691 00:39:23,520 --> 00:39:28,560 get him involved and we want somewhere where we just. 692 00:39:28,680 --> 00:39:32,360 Could get a fresh start. And, you know, throughout that 693 00:39:32,360 --> 00:39:35,440 whole incident, you know, it was very public. 694 00:39:36,040 --> 00:39:39,040 And so we were just like, we need somewhere fresh, somewhere 695 00:39:39,040 --> 00:39:43,080 to just start new together. And so honestly, we had started 696 00:39:43,080 --> 00:39:46,040 Southside because we originally thought we were going to go to 697 00:39:46,040 --> 00:39:47,920 Southside Hawkinsville. And we were like, well, let's 698 00:39:47,920 --> 00:39:50,640 just go to Kathleen. Let's get plugged in, start 699 00:39:50,640 --> 00:39:53,640 getting the feel of it. And then when Hawkinsville, 700 00:39:53,640 --> 00:39:55,880 because, you know, we're out in Haynesville, when Hawkinsville 701 00:39:55,880 --> 00:39:58,240 opens, we'll just trance transfer over there. 702 00:39:58,280 --> 00:39:59,880 Yeah. And so that's what we did. 703 00:39:59,880 --> 00:40:02,480 We joined Kathleen and girl. No. 704 00:40:03,120 --> 00:40:05,400 We got involved and we were like, we can't guess where we'll 705 00:40:05,400 --> 00:40:05,800 be. Yeah. 706 00:40:06,000 --> 00:40:08,480 And no, no offense to any other location. 707 00:40:08,480 --> 00:40:12,040 It just God spoke to us there and we just adore Jeremy and 708 00:40:12,040 --> 00:40:14,080 Sharon and the whole everybody there. 709 00:40:14,560 --> 00:40:18,560 They've just been so welcoming. And so that's kind of how that 710 00:40:18,560 --> 00:40:19,360 happened. Yeah. 711 00:40:19,760 --> 00:40:23,360 I love that just because, and there's no ill will or anything 712 00:40:23,360 --> 00:40:28,040 on your old church, but some you have to find your place, your 713 00:40:28,040 --> 00:40:30,840 family, your people that are going to pour into you. 714 00:40:30,920 --> 00:40:35,440 And you know, with Southside Kathleen, I see the fruit of, 715 00:40:35,680 --> 00:40:37,440 you know what Jeremy's doing there. 716 00:40:37,440 --> 00:40:41,120 You know, it's a young crowd, people with kids, the high 717 00:40:41,120 --> 00:40:43,960 school and middle schools growing, and it's just a perfect 718 00:40:43,960 --> 00:40:45,880 place for cow to get plugged in as well. 719 00:40:46,400 --> 00:40:49,960 And so then y'all get there and I think Mitch also serves as 720 00:40:49,960 --> 00:40:52,200 well, right? Yeah, So I don't know which one 721 00:40:52,200 --> 00:40:54,000 it is. I'm not sure if it's a greeter 722 00:40:54,000 --> 00:40:56,400 or a usher, but he's one. I love you both. 723 00:40:57,000 --> 00:40:58,960 At this point, you never know because yeah, I'm serving 724 00:40:58,960 --> 00:41:01,840 photography, He's doing things. So we're kind of just moving 725 00:41:01,840 --> 00:41:05,640 around amongst each other and cow goes sometimes to the middle 726 00:41:05,640 --> 00:41:08,920 school at 11:30. So yeah, he's serving too. 727 00:41:08,920 --> 00:41:12,000 And we're just honestly, this is I'm glad you brought that up 728 00:41:12,000 --> 00:41:15,600 because I wanted to say this, you know, what are we doing now? 729 00:41:16,040 --> 00:41:18,040 Because, you know, God brought us through this. 730 00:41:18,040 --> 00:41:21,600 What are we doing now? And I feel like we, that's what 731 00:41:21,600 --> 00:41:24,200 I wanted to share is I feel like, and you've probably heard 732 00:41:24,200 --> 00:41:27,320 this before, but you know, you're either about to go into a 733 00:41:27,320 --> 00:41:30,480 valley, you're in one, or you're just coming out of 1. 734 00:41:31,000 --> 00:41:34,120 And so I'm a firm believer in, you know, preparation. 735 00:41:34,520 --> 00:41:36,600 You know, we're preparing. I mean, it's not like we're 736 00:41:36,600 --> 00:41:38,320 doomsdayers, like they're just waiting. 737 00:41:38,320 --> 00:41:41,200 But like what I'm saying is strengthening the marriage, 738 00:41:41,360 --> 00:41:45,240 strengthening the family home, strengthening your faith so that 739 00:41:45,840 --> 00:41:49,400 it's not when you know, if it's when it happens that you're the 740 00:41:49,400 --> 00:41:52,280 strongest that you can be and that you're able to put on the 741 00:41:52,280 --> 00:41:55,040 armor of God and you're able to walk straight through it, you 742 00:41:55,040 --> 00:41:58,480 know, and, and that's what he says he's like, when you go 743 00:41:58,480 --> 00:42:00,680 through deep waters, I'll be with you, right? 744 00:42:00,680 --> 00:42:04,880 Not if so, just strengthening and, you know, enjoying it 745 00:42:04,880 --> 00:42:07,560 because we're in, we're in a season of just absolute joy 746 00:42:07,920 --> 00:42:11,800 right now. And I'm so thankful for it, but 747 00:42:11,800 --> 00:42:16,280 just always knowing that it's not not exempt because we went 748 00:42:16,280 --> 00:42:18,520 through 1, you know what I mean? All right, check, we're done. 749 00:42:18,880 --> 00:42:20,240 We got ours. We're good. 750 00:42:20,720 --> 00:42:24,440 Yeah, I know. So we we're doing that and and 751 00:42:24,440 --> 00:42:30,120 that is I just think part of just growing and learning. 752 00:42:30,480 --> 00:42:34,080 And if you haven't been through something like that, you don't 753 00:42:34,480 --> 00:42:40,960 appreciate that season. And so I just think that always 754 00:42:40,960 --> 00:42:44,920 being prepared and just knowing that you're not exempt. 755 00:42:46,000 --> 00:42:49,400 I'm actually working on I'm so, so crazy that you said the whole 756 00:42:49,400 --> 00:42:50,040 season. Thanks. 757 00:42:50,040 --> 00:42:53,720 I haven't heard that in a while and I'm planning this message 758 00:42:53,720 --> 00:42:56,720 right now for event that I'm doing and I'm going to talk 759 00:42:56,720 --> 00:42:59,600 about the going into a season. You're in a season or you're 760 00:42:59,600 --> 00:43:03,280 leaving storm season, whatever. And so you just saying that I'm 761 00:43:03,280 --> 00:43:05,480 like, oh, I'm going to keep going with that. 762 00:43:05,720 --> 00:43:07,320 That was. Called. 763 00:43:07,960 --> 00:43:12,360 OK, so this is a little bit off the rails, but on the rails 764 00:43:12,360 --> 00:43:16,400 because this is about now content creation girl. 765 00:43:16,560 --> 00:43:19,480 Oh, you did not. Never do this. 766 00:43:19,600 --> 00:43:23,080 I did not I didn't I didn't, but OK, not this. 767 00:43:23,240 --> 00:43:26,560 We don't have to talk about like that and as but there are so 768 00:43:26,560 --> 00:43:31,040 many people that want a platform, want a following, want 769 00:43:31,040 --> 00:43:35,520 all these things and you know you you're somebody that I go 770 00:43:35,520 --> 00:43:38,280 to. I'm like, Rachel, what's going 771 00:43:38,400 --> 00:43:39,400 on? Like whatever. 772 00:43:39,760 --> 00:43:42,680 And so just a word maybe of advice. 773 00:43:42,760 --> 00:43:45,240 You have a whole different segment that ends this 774 00:43:45,240 --> 00:43:48,560 typically, but this is for this word of advice for someone that 775 00:43:48,560 --> 00:43:53,880 does want to get into a TikTok shop or, you know, just growing 776 00:43:53,880 --> 00:43:57,320 as an influencer, content creation, whatever that may be. 777 00:43:57,760 --> 00:44:00,560 Tell us a little bit about that because you do very well, right? 778 00:44:00,560 --> 00:44:03,680 Like you do very well, girl. So tell us. 779 00:44:03,680 --> 00:44:06,960 That's for sure. I am. 780 00:44:07,880 --> 00:44:09,400 Let's see. I mean, I guess I've been doing 781 00:44:09,400 --> 00:44:11,440 it for what, a little over a year now. 782 00:44:12,440 --> 00:44:15,360 And honestly, I just fell into my lap. 783 00:44:15,360 --> 00:44:19,040 Like I was like just on TikTok and I was like, oh, maybe I can 784 00:44:19,040 --> 00:44:21,080 do this. And so I just started kind of 785 00:44:21,080 --> 00:44:23,360 engaging and, and doing the thing. 786 00:44:23,360 --> 00:44:26,560 And then I started, you know, got into the TikTok shop and 787 00:44:26,560 --> 00:44:30,440 then, you know, working my way up to getting free everything. 788 00:44:30,440 --> 00:44:33,240 Yeah. And doing a little videos and I 789 00:44:33,240 --> 00:44:36,280 was like, you know what? Like at first I was like, really 790 00:44:36,280 --> 00:44:37,400 like, what are people going to think of? 791 00:44:37,400 --> 00:44:39,400 Yeah. And I like that hits hard. 792 00:44:39,400 --> 00:44:42,280 And I'm not going to say it doesn't because we are human, 793 00:44:42,720 --> 00:44:44,560 you know what I mean? And you're like, Oh my gosh, 794 00:44:44,560 --> 00:44:47,160 what are they going to say? I know what are they saying 795 00:44:47,160 --> 00:44:49,520 about me? But you know, I've just like 796 00:44:49,600 --> 00:44:53,520 prayed about that too, because, you know, to this, that might be 797 00:44:53,520 --> 00:44:56,880 silly to song, you know, TikTok shop or whatever, But like it's, 798 00:44:56,880 --> 00:44:59,640 it's been a real success for me and it's been something that I 799 00:44:59,640 --> 00:45:02,360 pray over and you know, like, give me the strength, give me 800 00:45:02,360 --> 00:45:04,160 the confidence, you know what I mean? 801 00:45:04,160 --> 00:45:06,920 Give me the confidence in this. And so that's kind of like what 802 00:45:06,920 --> 00:45:10,000 I go through with is like, you know, you can do this. 803 00:45:10,040 --> 00:45:14,280 You know, it's a financial blessing to your family. 804 00:45:14,560 --> 00:45:16,920 You know, and I just say do it like it is. 805 00:45:17,000 --> 00:45:20,720 But a lot of people ask me, but you have to be serious about it. 806 00:45:20,800 --> 00:45:24,080 I mean, it is a commitment and it is a consistency. 807 00:45:24,560 --> 00:45:28,600 Like it's not, it's not going to be 123 videos and it's there. 808 00:45:28,640 --> 00:45:30,400 Right, you got them. Get in the war. 809 00:45:30,400 --> 00:45:33,800 Yes, and and there are more flops and there are her and you 810 00:45:33,840 --> 00:45:37,640 probably know yes. And you know, I brought that up 811 00:45:37,640 --> 00:45:41,200 just because ohh, I get the ick about my own video girl. 812 00:45:41,200 --> 00:45:43,560 It's a real thing. And then you see the little like 813 00:45:43,560 --> 00:45:46,800 where it's shared and they'll say like people don't share it. 814 00:45:46,800 --> 00:45:48,440 And I'm like, what you who shared it? 815 00:45:48,640 --> 00:45:53,320 What group chat was that in? You know. 816 00:45:53,320 --> 00:45:56,840 But at the same time, we're trying like for me too. 817 00:45:56,840 --> 00:45:59,240 And I know you use, you know, your platform too. 818 00:45:59,240 --> 00:46:01,120 And I'm using it to share the gospel as well. 819 00:46:01,120 --> 00:46:04,160 Like maybe I am, you know, putting a little clothes or 820 00:46:04,160 --> 00:46:06,520 something on there. But I'm going to use that music. 821 00:46:06,520 --> 00:46:08,400 I'm going to do those songs. I'm going to talk about the 822 00:46:08,400 --> 00:46:10,480 Lord. I'm going to like, there's so 823 00:46:10,480 --> 00:46:13,760 many other avenues than just, I don't want people to think, oh, 824 00:46:13,760 --> 00:46:16,040 she's just trying to, you know, grow like whatever. 825 00:46:16,240 --> 00:46:18,640 Like no, this is part of my ministry as well. 826 00:46:19,200 --> 00:46:23,520 And it's, it's truly a business like you're, it's not just 827 00:46:23,880 --> 00:46:27,280 trying to get people that to like you, you know, or whatever. 828 00:46:27,520 --> 00:46:30,760 I mean, that's nice when it happens, but it's not the reason 829 00:46:30,760 --> 00:46:35,760 for doing any of it. And you know, you never know who 830 00:46:35,760 --> 00:46:39,680 you're hitting that day. And you probably, and most more 831 00:46:39,680 --> 00:46:41,120 times than not, you won't ever know. 832 00:46:41,760 --> 00:46:45,920 But you know, that one person that might say, wow, I needed 833 00:46:45,920 --> 00:46:48,160 that today. You know, it's worth it. 834 00:46:48,600 --> 00:46:50,560 Amen. And it's just, it's been a 835 00:46:50,560 --> 00:46:52,640 blessing. So my, my take away from it is 836 00:46:52,960 --> 00:46:54,240 you got to be serious. Yeah. 837 00:46:54,440 --> 00:46:56,520 You got to really want to do it. You got to put the time and the 838 00:46:56,520 --> 00:46:58,480 effort and the consistency in. That's good. 839 00:46:58,480 --> 00:47:00,400 But it's worth it. Yes, yes. 840 00:47:00,400 --> 00:47:02,640 OK. So now we are going to close the 841 00:47:02,640 --> 00:47:06,560 actual podcast and this is how this the serious side of it. 842 00:47:06,560 --> 00:47:10,320 OK, I asked three questions each time. 843 00:47:10,320 --> 00:47:13,160 OK, one question, maybe you really want to talk about 844 00:47:13,160 --> 00:47:14,640 something. Maybe you're in the car and 845 00:47:14,640 --> 00:47:16,400 you're like me and I really want to talk about this and I haven't 846 00:47:16,400 --> 00:47:17,640 gave you the opportunity to do so. 847 00:47:18,560 --> 00:47:21,960 Two, maybe a word of advice to these women that are walking 848 00:47:21,960 --> 00:47:25,400 through a tough season or three was something that God's 849 00:47:25,400 --> 00:47:28,560 revealed to you more recently that like when I say that, like 850 00:47:28,560 --> 00:47:31,640 the light bulb went off, you know, like so many times we read 851 00:47:31,640 --> 00:47:33,560 a scripture and we're like, OK, yeah, yeah. 852 00:47:33,880 --> 00:47:38,080 Then later on it clicks and you're like, that's what that 853 00:47:38,080 --> 00:47:39,960 means, you know? So how do you want to end this 854 00:47:39,960 --> 00:47:40,920 today? Yeah. 855 00:47:40,920 --> 00:47:44,600 So what was the first one? You wanted to talk about 856 00:47:44,600 --> 00:47:45,960 something that I haven't gave you opportunity. 857 00:47:46,040 --> 00:47:50,200 Yeah, so I wanted to share that my mother-in-law, while this 858 00:47:50,200 --> 00:47:56,920 whole thing happened from, you know, 2021 to goodness, I guess 859 00:47:57,400 --> 00:48:01,400 the whole the yeah, the whole thing while Mitch was gone, she 860 00:48:01,400 --> 00:48:06,200 kept this entire journal of things that happened and the 861 00:48:06,200 --> 00:48:10,320 ways God worked through this. But there was one thing that she 862 00:48:10,320 --> 00:48:12,560 had written down right here on the front that I wanted to share 863 00:48:12,680 --> 00:48:16,120 because it just was so profound. And it just says that life is 864 00:48:16,120 --> 00:48:18,160 not perfect. Is he? 865 00:48:18,320 --> 00:48:21,960 Her handwriting is pretty bad. So my life is not perfect, but 866 00:48:21,960 --> 00:48:25,280 our God is. God doesn't always take us out 867 00:48:25,280 --> 00:48:28,400 of our valleys, but He will always bring us through them. 868 00:48:28,720 --> 00:48:34,040 It's often in the unknown that God shows us the most powerful 869 00:48:34,040 --> 00:48:37,280 revelations about who He is and who we are. 870 00:48:38,120 --> 00:48:40,880 That's good. I love that woman. 871 00:48:40,920 --> 00:48:43,600 Yeah, me too. I know you do 'cause you do talk 872 00:48:43,600 --> 00:48:46,480 so highly about her. And I'm just, you know, there's 873 00:48:46,480 --> 00:48:50,160 so many times that we get, you know, these godsends and to her, 874 00:48:50,160 --> 00:48:52,480 to you, I can see that she is a godsend. 875 00:48:53,200 --> 00:48:55,880 Yes. And so anyway, I think that's 876 00:48:55,880 --> 00:48:57,400 going to close it up. Girl, I think you did 877 00:48:57,400 --> 00:48:59,600 incredible. This is a such a powerful story 878 00:48:59,600 --> 00:49:02,960 and I pray that women take away from this and they're in a tough 879 00:49:02,960 --> 00:49:05,400 time, maybe in their marriage and their life and their career, 880 00:49:05,400 --> 00:49:08,160 whatever that may be. And just know that God's, God's 881 00:49:08,160 --> 00:49:10,560 working God can move, but you got to surrender to him. 882 00:49:10,560 --> 00:49:13,200 That's right. Got to all right guys. 883 00:49:13,200 --> 00:49:15,880 I hope you enjoyed this as much as I have. 884 00:49:16,160 --> 00:49:21,640 Not a like flex or anything or like whatever, but we are 5O1C3 885 00:49:21,640 --> 00:49:23,400 now. So if you feel led to donate in 886 00:49:23,400 --> 00:49:26,440 any way towards this ministry, it will be very appreciative. 887 00:49:26,440 --> 00:49:28,440 Make sure you like, share, comment, whatever that looks 888 00:49:28,440 --> 00:49:30,600 like for you. I hope you enjoyed this as much 889 00:49:30,600 --> 00:49:32,360 as I did. Stay tuned, stay blessed and 890 00:49:32,360 --> 00:49:33,320 we'll see you guys later. Bye.