1 00:00:09,700 --> 00:00:12,180 What's up guys? My name's Alexis, your host with 2 00:00:12,180 --> 00:00:15,500 praises in the pod, and I am so excited to have Dana Reese here 3 00:00:15,500 --> 00:00:17,260 today. We are going to be talking about 4 00:00:17,260 --> 00:00:20,780 her testimony and what her life looks like today and how her and 5 00:00:20,780 --> 00:00:22,380 her husband kind of make it a priority. 6 00:00:22,380 --> 00:00:25,780 Not kind of make it a priority. They do make church a priority. 7 00:00:26,060 --> 00:00:28,020 And so we're going to jump into that, but we're going to start 8 00:00:28,020 --> 00:00:29,140 off in prayer. So here we go. 9 00:00:29,720 --> 00:00:31,680 Lord, Heavenly Father, thank you for today. 10 00:00:31,680 --> 00:00:33,160 Thank you for all your many blessings. 11 00:00:33,160 --> 00:00:36,120 Dear God, thank you for allowing me and Dana to come on here and 12 00:00:36,120 --> 00:00:38,480 talk about your goodness and your faithfulness and what all 13 00:00:38,480 --> 00:00:41,400 you've done in our lives. We just pray that you speak to 14 00:00:41,400 --> 00:00:44,320 us and through us and let this podcast glorify you. 15 00:00:44,440 --> 00:00:48,080 In Jesus name I pray, Amen, Amen, Amen. 16 00:00:48,080 --> 00:00:52,000 Girl, this is so fun. I'm so excited that you wanted 17 00:00:52,000 --> 00:00:54,600 to come on and talk, and this is going to be great. 18 00:00:55,080 --> 00:00:56,480 A little nervous. Yeah, nervous. 19 00:00:56,480 --> 00:00:58,120 It's fine. It's fine. 20 00:00:58,360 --> 00:01:00,760 Like I said, I mean, it's just a conversation that's being 21 00:01:00,760 --> 00:01:03,640 recorded, so that's a little something, but it's going to be 22 00:01:03,640 --> 00:01:06,000 great. When I was thinking about you 23 00:01:06,000 --> 00:01:09,040 coming on, I'm like, Oh my gosh, what a full circle moment. 24 00:01:09,400 --> 00:01:13,040 Like from high school where we played softball together and 25 00:01:13,040 --> 00:01:16,720 like we weren't really friends. Like we knew of each other, but 26 00:01:16,720 --> 00:01:19,840 like we didn't like we didn't hang out or anything like that. 27 00:01:19,840 --> 00:01:22,600 So like it's just a full circle moment to now go to church 28 00:01:22,600 --> 00:01:25,960 together, see each other every Sunday, like your girls growing 29 00:01:25,960 --> 00:01:27,440 up in the church and everything else. 30 00:01:27,440 --> 00:01:29,360 It's just amazing. I'll. 31 00:01:29,360 --> 00:01:34,320 Say it has been a beautiful like journey to watch because I was 32 00:01:34,320 --> 00:01:37,960 very much like third party what looking in on your life, your 33 00:01:37,960 --> 00:01:41,800 mom's life and seeing that true like life change has been 34 00:01:41,800 --> 00:01:43,560 beautiful. I know I'm very proud of both of 35 00:01:43,560 --> 00:01:44,800 you all. Thank you, girl. 36 00:01:44,800 --> 00:01:47,640 That is so sweet. Yes, Well, let's talk a little 37 00:01:47,640 --> 00:01:49,720 bit about you. Like maybe tell us a little bit 38 00:01:49,960 --> 00:01:52,920 about how you're raised, maybe your upbringing, whatever you're 39 00:01:52,920 --> 00:01:55,080 comfortable sharing. Just let's talk about it a 40 00:01:55,080 --> 00:01:55,760 little bit. Yeah. 41 00:01:55,840 --> 00:02:01,920 So big credit to my mom. She is absolutely the faith base 42 00:02:01,920 --> 00:02:06,160 in the household I grew up in. We went to church every Sunday, 43 00:02:06,240 --> 00:02:10,520 Sunday night, Wednesday night. It was a priority for her to 44 00:02:10,520 --> 00:02:15,160 make sure I was there. My dad, he, he came to church 45 00:02:15,320 --> 00:02:19,040 sometimes more of a Easter, Christmas kind of Christian, but 46 00:02:19,440 --> 00:02:22,720 he was there. He always supported us go in and 47 00:02:23,000 --> 00:02:25,800 was not a hindrance to our our faith. 48 00:02:25,800 --> 00:02:30,880 So I'll say that about my dad. But huge credit to my mom. 49 00:02:30,880 --> 00:02:36,520 We were in church all the time. I was saved baptized when I was 50 00:02:36,520 --> 00:02:42,960 7-8 in Awana. And I'll say since then, my 51 00:02:42,960 --> 00:02:47,840 faith has been more of a journey than an overnight lifetime that 52 00:02:47,840 --> 00:02:52,360 a lot of people experience. It's, you know, through crazy 53 00:02:52,360 --> 00:02:56,280 awkward middle school to not really fitting in in high 54 00:02:56,280 --> 00:03:02,600 school, not having a place in, in trying to replace God with 55 00:03:03,760 --> 00:03:05,400 other people's opinions. Yeah. 56 00:03:06,120 --> 00:03:12,000 To going to college. And I was raised very sheltered. 57 00:03:12,200 --> 00:03:16,800 And then I went to GA and Athens is not sheltered in any way, 58 00:03:16,800 --> 00:03:17,720 shape or form. Yeah. 59 00:03:18,040 --> 00:03:22,360 And definitely had, I would say like a three-year gap in my 60 00:03:22,920 --> 00:03:26,920 walk. Yeah, changed a lot about who I 61 00:03:26,920 --> 00:03:28,440 was and what was important to me. 62 00:03:28,600 --> 00:03:33,000 And then had a roommate who also grew up very similar. 63 00:03:33,360 --> 00:03:35,480 And she like, you know what, we need to get plugged in. 64 00:03:35,480 --> 00:03:40,080 We need to have a small group. We need to to start making our 65 00:03:40,080 --> 00:03:45,120 faith important. I was like, OK, yeah, I'd 100% 66 00:03:45,120 --> 00:03:46,080 agree. We need to do that. 67 00:03:46,880 --> 00:03:52,080 So we started a small group with the local church in Athens and 68 00:03:53,320 --> 00:03:57,200 it it started becoming more important and I was around other 69 00:03:57,200 --> 00:04:03,280 college students that had a similar walk there. 70 00:04:03,560 --> 00:04:06,560 We've always known Jesus. We've always loved Jesus, but 71 00:04:06,920 --> 00:04:09,120 we've we feel the distance right now. 72 00:04:09,360 --> 00:04:14,040 And and hearing their testimonies helped learn, helped 73 00:04:14,040 --> 00:04:20,519 me learn really what it looks like to walk in your faith, what 74 00:04:20,519 --> 00:04:25,920 it looks like to have your faith be a part of you every day, all 75 00:04:25,920 --> 00:04:29,320 day, and not just Sundays. Yeah, or Sunday night. 76 00:04:29,320 --> 00:04:32,400 Or Wednesday night. It sounds like once y'all got 77 00:04:32,400 --> 00:04:36,200 there, like y'all were so your group that you were with was all 78 00:04:36,200 --> 00:04:39,040 like super plugged in at home and stuff like that. 79 00:04:39,040 --> 00:04:41,680 But then when you got out of that comfort zone of being like 80 00:04:41,680 --> 00:04:44,400 under your parents kind of umbrella, it's like y'all are 81 00:04:44,400 --> 00:04:47,680 having to learn your own faith. What that looks like. 82 00:04:47,680 --> 00:04:50,320 Not just being, you know, even though you did have your own 83 00:04:50,320 --> 00:04:52,640 faith and everything, but now you're having to truly learn 84 00:04:52,640 --> 00:04:55,440 like, oh, even though my parents aren't here to tell me, you know 85 00:04:55,440 --> 00:04:57,120 this, I've had to learn it myself. 86 00:04:57,720 --> 00:05:03,600 Yeah, it was what is my faith? What are my like? 87 00:05:03,680 --> 00:05:05,680 What hard lines am I going to draw? 88 00:05:06,200 --> 00:05:10,600 Not what society says, not what this person says or, you know, 89 00:05:10,800 --> 00:05:12,400 but really, what does the Bible say? 90 00:05:12,400 --> 00:05:17,160 What what do I want my life to be modeled after? 91 00:05:17,480 --> 00:05:20,000 Because. And I kind of breezed through 92 00:05:20,000 --> 00:05:24,640 it, but I have always been a really big people pleaser where 93 00:05:25,040 --> 00:05:27,320 and I think that's true for a lot of people that are high 94 00:05:27,320 --> 00:05:30,640 performers, whether it be academically or athletically 95 00:05:30,640 --> 00:05:36,800 that you tend to like crave that reassurance from someone, 96 00:05:37,480 --> 00:05:40,600 whether it be coach, other people, your parents. 97 00:05:40,640 --> 00:05:48,880 And so I have always been put myself and what I thought second 98 00:05:49,320 --> 00:05:55,360 and tried to blend in with whoever or whatever was accepted 99 00:05:55,360 --> 00:05:58,040 at the moment. Yeah, trying to be a chameleon. 100 00:05:58,200 --> 00:06:02,240 I was just trying to. Ironically, ironically in work 101 00:06:02,240 --> 00:06:07,040 now, I have taken some of the personality tests and like Myers 102 00:06:07,040 --> 00:06:08,960 Briggs has like 4 different things. 103 00:06:08,960 --> 00:06:10,120 You're either this way or that way. 104 00:06:10,120 --> 00:06:13,800 OK, is it is? It the disc or is it the color? 105 00:06:14,040 --> 00:06:19,960 Not, I don't know, OK, it's like introvert, extrovert, feeling or 106 00:06:19,960 --> 00:06:22,400 sensing things like that. Basically the same thing. 107 00:06:22,520 --> 00:06:25,440 But every single time I've taken it, I've gotten a different 108 00:06:25,720 --> 00:06:27,000 thing. Oh wow. 109 00:06:27,000 --> 00:06:30,080 And how you rate. I'm right in the middle where I 110 00:06:30,080 --> 00:06:32,000 could be one or the other on both. 111 00:06:32,080 --> 00:06:34,880 And so it depends on the day, it depends on what's been going on 112 00:06:34,880 --> 00:06:37,200 in my life. It depends on who I'm around. 113 00:06:37,200 --> 00:06:41,920 Wow as to which way I lean. And there's another one that was 114 00:06:42,160 --> 00:06:46,560 like 4 different boxes and you're typically you're not in 115 00:06:46,560 --> 00:06:49,720 the middle of any of them. You're skewed one way or the 116 00:06:49,720 --> 00:06:52,360 other. And I made like a perfect 117 00:06:52,360 --> 00:06:54,880 square. And they the term for that was 118 00:06:54,880 --> 00:06:56,040 chameleon. Oh wow. 119 00:06:56,160 --> 00:07:00,600 So it's I guess in a professional setting it might be 120 00:07:00,600 --> 00:07:04,920 a positive now, but in a knowing who you are and what's important 121 00:07:04,920 --> 00:07:07,360 to you way it's really difficult. 122 00:07:07,640 --> 00:07:10,360 I'm big on personalities too, like I do the colors of the 123 00:07:10,360 --> 00:07:15,320 disc, which I really you should try that one, like try that, but 124 00:07:15,840 --> 00:07:20,920 I'm big on those and like it's I'm big about learning how to 125 00:07:20,920 --> 00:07:23,680 interact with other people. So like once I know what color 126 00:07:23,680 --> 00:07:26,960 you are, like I know how to handle you like or not handle, 127 00:07:26,960 --> 00:07:28,640 but you know what I'm saying? Like I know how to have 128 00:07:28,640 --> 00:07:31,160 conversations. Like if you're a yellow or a 129 00:07:31,160 --> 00:07:34,320 performer, entertainer type person, I know we're going to 130 00:07:34,320 --> 00:07:37,120 have a quite a few details. You're going to tell me every 131 00:07:37,120 --> 00:07:41,480 detail possible, you know, joke around or like red people, which 132 00:07:41,480 --> 00:07:43,720 is my color. Like I'm a dominant person. 133 00:07:43,920 --> 00:07:47,400 I don't want details, you know, like I, I want the nitty gritty 134 00:07:47,600 --> 00:07:50,160 of it and just be like, okay, thank you and then we'll go 135 00:07:50,160 --> 00:07:53,360 about it. But I, I can do both because I'm 136 00:07:53,360 --> 00:07:56,240 both too. So, but for the most part like 137 00:07:56,240 --> 00:07:58,720 that stuff that I like to know about people like what the 138 00:07:58,720 --> 00:08:02,040 personality is, but for you, you're like, which one do I need 139 00:08:02,040 --> 00:08:02,760 to be in this? But. 140 00:08:03,880 --> 00:08:08,280 And it's kind of, I don't ever want to wear it's like a badge 141 00:08:08,280 --> 00:08:11,080 of honor, like, oh, I'm a people pleaser because it's actually a 142 00:08:11,080 --> 00:08:14,920 really negative thing. And it can be very toxic 143 00:08:15,000 --> 00:08:17,640 depending on who you're around. And that's where the whole 144 00:08:17,640 --> 00:08:20,480 saying of like, make sure you're close people or people that are 145 00:08:20,480 --> 00:08:23,880 making you better because it can get that. 146 00:08:24,120 --> 00:08:27,680 And those, that three-year gap in college is a perfect example 147 00:08:27,680 --> 00:08:29,360 of where I was not around people. 148 00:08:29,360 --> 00:08:34,360 They were pushing me closer to God, closer to my faith and who 149 00:08:34,360 --> 00:08:38,559 I wanted to be, you know, and how I wanted to act so. 150 00:08:38,760 --> 00:08:42,120 Yeah. Did you just more learn like in 151 00:08:42,120 --> 00:08:45,320 your older years that you were people, please, or you kind of 152 00:08:45,320 --> 00:08:49,040 always know that? I'd say I've always known that, 153 00:08:49,040 --> 00:08:52,240 especially like if we got in a super details of like 154 00:08:52,240 --> 00:08:57,520 relationships that I've had in the past, those you can see 155 00:08:57,520 --> 00:09:01,760 clear as a liar. I would do anything to make sure 156 00:09:01,960 --> 00:09:07,320 that boyfriend wanted me to still be in a relationship with 157 00:09:07,320 --> 00:09:12,000 them. And so it rotten was on the 158 00:09:12,000 --> 00:09:15,920 wall, like you knew you knew I was a people laser from a young 159 00:09:15,920 --> 00:09:18,880 age. And now I I hit a point in 160 00:09:18,880 --> 00:09:22,520 college, like I said, where I started doing small group and I 161 00:09:22,520 --> 00:09:28,400 started trying to make my faith. I, I guess I'll say like mature 162 00:09:29,480 --> 00:09:32,920 and, and be more of an adult in my faith. 163 00:09:33,200 --> 00:09:40,080 And with that, I, I hit a really low point and ended up actually 164 00:09:40,080 --> 00:09:44,400 seeing a counselor and she's like, you know, you, the biggest 165 00:09:44,400 --> 00:09:47,080 thing you need to do is set boundaries. 166 00:09:47,600 --> 00:09:50,080 I don't think you know what the word no is. 167 00:09:50,800 --> 00:09:54,920 And I still to this, especially around people I really care 168 00:09:54,920 --> 00:09:59,720 about, like family or close friends, it is hard for me to 169 00:09:59,720 --> 00:10:04,120 put my priorities above what I think they want me to do. 170 00:10:05,320 --> 00:10:09,880 And and say no in a kind, loving way, but say no to whatever it 171 00:10:09,880 --> 00:10:16,200 is that I know they want me to do so that I make sure my big 172 00:10:16,200 --> 00:10:19,680 rocks, my big priorities are still the number one thing. 173 00:10:19,720 --> 00:10:22,880 Yeah. So speaking about relationships 174 00:10:22,880 --> 00:10:24,920 and stuff like that, you and her husband's been together quite a 175 00:10:24,920 --> 00:10:28,080 while, you and Cody. So like, how long have y'all 176 00:10:28,080 --> 00:10:29,840 been together? How did that start? 177 00:10:30,280 --> 00:10:33,600 Tell us a little bit about that. OK, so Cody, best person in the 178 00:10:33,600 --> 00:10:35,280 entire world. I love him. 179 00:10:35,880 --> 00:10:39,360 You know, I I can't even say I can't put a number to it. 180 00:10:39,360 --> 00:10:47,800 We just, I'd need him every single day, but our we've been 181 00:10:47,800 --> 00:10:51,960 married for almost no 6 1/2 years. 182 00:10:51,960 --> 00:10:53,200 Six hours. Yeah. 183 00:10:54,840 --> 00:10:59,480 November of 2018. Yeah, so, but before we got 184 00:10:59,480 --> 00:11:03,640 married, we had only so we dated for like 6 months, got engaged 185 00:11:03,640 --> 00:11:04,880 and we're engaged for like 9 months. 186 00:11:05,440 --> 00:11:08,400 We knew, but that's because we had known each other since 187 00:11:08,400 --> 00:11:09,000 Middle. School. 188 00:11:09,080 --> 00:11:11,400 I was about to say like, haven't y'all known each other a long 189 00:11:11,400 --> 00:11:11,760 time? Y'all? 190 00:11:11,760 --> 00:11:13,360 So y'all never dated through middle school? 191 00:11:13,360 --> 00:11:15,920 High school, nothing. We actually dated each other's 192 00:11:15,920 --> 00:11:19,080 friends. We were all in the same friend 193 00:11:19,080 --> 00:11:21,280 group. Like we have pictures where we 194 00:11:21,280 --> 00:11:24,200 went to prom in the same group together to like the senior 195 00:11:24,200 --> 00:11:26,840 dance, whatever in the same same group. 196 00:11:27,200 --> 00:11:29,240 We grew up very, very close friends. 197 00:11:29,240 --> 00:11:31,400 And actually, I don't know if you remember her, but Hannah 198 00:11:31,400 --> 00:11:35,280 Coles, she was one of my very good friends, also one of his 199 00:11:35,280 --> 00:11:40,640 very good friends and he got saved at her dad's church. 200 00:11:41,600 --> 00:11:45,440 They were involved in youth group together and she played a 201 00:11:45,440 --> 00:11:48,120 part in actually really helping him know the Lord. 202 00:11:48,600 --> 00:11:52,600 And Pastor Paul at Friendship Baptist actually is who married 203 00:11:52,600 --> 00:11:54,440 us. That's so sweet of Hannah's dad 204 00:11:54,440 --> 00:11:57,840 so. So I mean So what happened y'all 205 00:11:57,840 --> 00:12:04,400 just he slid in your DMS or? So like I said, I had a blast in 206 00:12:04,400 --> 00:12:06,120 Athens. So I took five years to 207 00:12:06,120 --> 00:12:08,800 graduate, not 4. And it'd be like that sometimes, 208 00:12:08,800 --> 00:12:10,360 so it's OK. It does. 209 00:12:10,640 --> 00:12:14,360 He graduated in four. He was a good person and was 210 00:12:14,360 --> 00:12:17,280 back at home and had been home for a year. 211 00:12:17,360 --> 00:12:20,920 And Hannah and I, cuz she did a program where she got her 212 00:12:20,920 --> 00:12:23,560 master's at the same time. So it took her five years. 213 00:12:23,840 --> 00:12:26,920 She and I both ended up back in Warner Robins at the same time. 214 00:12:26,920 --> 00:12:29,360 Or like, hey, we need to get some friends together. 215 00:12:29,360 --> 00:12:32,960 Let's all like meet up, let's hang out, let's see, let's 216 00:12:32,960 --> 00:12:36,440 reconnect since we've been away from each other for five years, 217 00:12:36,920 --> 00:12:40,480 you know? So ironically, we met up at 218 00:12:40,480 --> 00:12:45,720 Sonic like we all did in high school and just hung out and 219 00:12:45,720 --> 00:12:48,160 Cody showed up. And I was like, that is not 220 00:12:48,720 --> 00:12:51,360 Cody. The girl, this girl and Cody 221 00:12:51,360 --> 00:12:55,840 this is grown Cody because he. Was tall skinny string bean? 222 00:12:56,080 --> 00:13:00,040 Yeah, in high school and when I saw him for the first time, you 223 00:13:00,040 --> 00:13:05,440 know, after college, he was in his powerlifting stage of life 224 00:13:05,480 --> 00:13:09,680 and he was, I mean, big, huge Jack bulked up guy. 225 00:13:09,680 --> 00:13:12,280 And I was like, that is not Cody Rees. 226 00:13:12,280 --> 00:13:15,160 That is, I'm going to need to talk to him about what he's been 227 00:13:15,160 --> 00:13:19,160 doing in his. Because he he got jacked there 228 00:13:19,160 --> 00:13:21,280 for a while. Like you could tell like that 229 00:13:21,280 --> 00:13:23,320 was all the man was doing before working out. 230 00:13:24,680 --> 00:13:30,160 That he and he was teaching and coaching and so he was at 231 00:13:30,160 --> 00:13:35,640 veterans high school all day long do it in a gym teaching, 232 00:13:35,800 --> 00:13:37,960 coaching, which. Is funny because one of the 233 00:13:37,960 --> 00:13:42,200 girls that I hang out with now, like she's younger than us or 234 00:13:42,200 --> 00:13:45,120 whatever, but she was like saw y'all at church and she was 235 00:13:45,120 --> 00:13:46,480 like, Oh my gosh, I think that's Coach Reese. 236 00:13:46,480 --> 00:13:49,640 And I'm like, Oh my gosh, what do you mean? 237 00:13:49,720 --> 00:13:52,120 What do you mean? Like coach, like he coached you. 238 00:13:52,120 --> 00:13:55,720 And she's like, yes, I'm like, we're the same way, but yeah. 239 00:13:55,800 --> 00:13:57,000 We're out all the time. We'd be like. 240 00:13:57,000 --> 00:13:58,880 Where's Coach Reese this? Coach, I'm like. 241 00:13:59,640 --> 00:14:02,040 Yes, sometimes I forget, like, you know, we're all in 242 00:14:02,040 --> 00:14:04,720 professional settings now and I'm like, oh, we're the 243 00:14:04,720 --> 00:14:07,400 grown-ups, you know, like, Dang, that's scary. 244 00:14:07,400 --> 00:14:10,920 Where did time go? Yeah, so when y'all start 245 00:14:10,920 --> 00:14:13,560 dating, y'all, you know, rekindle your friendship, all 246 00:14:13,560 --> 00:14:16,640 that and then you're like, well. We knew, yeah, we knew. 247 00:14:16,640 --> 00:14:21,680 We knew that we were. We knew each other's friends. 248 00:14:21,760 --> 00:14:25,760 We knew we were good people. We knew how we interacted. 249 00:14:25,760 --> 00:14:31,640 And we're just had good hearts. Like there wasn't a whole lot 250 00:14:31,640 --> 00:14:33,560 that I had to learn new about him. 251 00:14:33,680 --> 00:14:37,240 The only thing we had to learn was how well we worked together. 252 00:14:37,640 --> 00:14:40,240 And if I mean you have to have that level of chemistry too, 253 00:14:40,240 --> 00:14:43,080 like to obviously get married to see body. 254 00:14:43,160 --> 00:14:46,400 Within a year, basically, Yes, exactly. 255 00:14:46,880 --> 00:14:50,200 But I will say, you know, some people, oh, that's too fast. 256 00:14:50,680 --> 00:14:55,600 But my mom was going through a breast cancer battle at that 257 00:14:55,600 --> 00:14:58,600 time. And we actually were moving 258 00:14:58,600 --> 00:15:03,520 Cody's dad into a nursing home because he had a frontal 259 00:15:03,520 --> 00:15:06,920 temporal lobe dementia. And it was just really hard to 260 00:15:06,920 --> 00:15:11,520 keep him at home anymore. So we were both going through 261 00:15:13,480 --> 00:15:17,520 really big, deep things in our lives, and I think you learn a 262 00:15:17,520 --> 00:15:20,440 lot about people in those difficult moments. 263 00:15:20,440 --> 00:15:24,520 So some relationships never have to go through stuff like that, 264 00:15:24,720 --> 00:15:29,160 but I think when you do go through them, you either know or 265 00:15:29,160 --> 00:15:31,480 you don't know if that's the right person. 266 00:15:31,760 --> 00:15:35,880 Well, I also think that this it opens up a different view of 267 00:15:35,880 --> 00:15:39,920 life too, because you're both experiencing losing possibly, 268 00:15:40,280 --> 00:15:42,960 you know, someone that's so close to you and you see how 269 00:15:42,960 --> 00:15:45,080 much that you care for one another and you're like, I don't 270 00:15:45,080 --> 00:15:49,000 want to really wait, you know, like I know that you're special 271 00:15:49,000 --> 00:15:50,440 to me. I know that I love you and want 272 00:15:50,440 --> 00:15:53,240 to spend my life with you. Why are we waiting and putting 273 00:15:53,240 --> 00:15:54,720 it off? You know, because you are both 274 00:15:54,720 --> 00:16:00,360 in that season of no, we see how important and valuable time is 275 00:16:00,480 --> 00:16:02,480 so. Another thing I'll say to like, 276 00:16:02,480 --> 00:16:05,400 we were only engaged for nine months, but that was the longest 277 00:16:05,400 --> 00:16:09,120 nine months ever, Sure. And I was also, I'm not a big 278 00:16:09,120 --> 00:16:12,360 party planner, not a big like that stuff just doesn't matter 279 00:16:12,640 --> 00:16:15,800 super much to me. And so by the time we were like 280 00:16:15,800 --> 00:16:19,480 in the long, like about to get married like a couple months 281 00:16:19,480 --> 00:16:21,480 before then I was like, let's just stop. 282 00:16:21,600 --> 00:16:24,680 Let's elope, really. Let's did y'all No. 283 00:16:24,680 --> 00:16:28,000 OK, girl, I was like hell. But I was, I was over. 284 00:16:28,040 --> 00:16:31,400 I was so stressed from like wedding planning stuff and 285 00:16:31,400 --> 00:16:33,400 everything that I was like, I don't even want to do this. 286 00:16:33,400 --> 00:16:38,360 Are we throwing a party like let's go elope this is about me 287 00:16:38,360 --> 00:16:42,160 and you and the Lord like but didn't do it though. 288 00:16:42,320 --> 00:16:44,720 Thought about it, we. Didn't know it, thought about 289 00:16:44,760 --> 00:16:47,920 it. So y'all get married and then 290 00:16:47,920 --> 00:16:50,480 you have children pretty pretty soon. 291 00:16:50,480 --> 00:16:55,040 So, and this really plays into our, our faith. 292 00:16:55,040 --> 00:17:00,680 So our first year of marriage was a difficult one. 293 00:17:01,720 --> 00:17:05,400 We ended up actually losing his dad in our first year of 294 00:17:05,400 --> 00:17:08,800 marriage. And there's, there's a lot of 295 00:17:08,800 --> 00:17:13,280 stuff going on, but we were in church every Sunday, but we were 296 00:17:13,280 --> 00:17:17,200 not serving yet. And you know, Pastor Matt does 297 00:17:17,200 --> 00:17:21,920 those serve day Sundays. And I would start every time 298 00:17:21,920 --> 00:17:25,240 he'd, you know, I'd feel a little like nudge, like, oh, you 299 00:17:25,240 --> 00:17:27,800 need to, you need to be plugged in, you need to do things. 300 00:17:28,280 --> 00:17:31,240 And I'm not really sure the exact timing of it. 301 00:17:31,240 --> 00:17:36,400 I know it was summer time frame, but I was like, I'm going to do 302 00:17:36,400 --> 00:17:37,600 this. I'm going to start working in 303 00:17:37,600 --> 00:17:40,240 the church nursery. Oh wow, so y'all started or you 304 00:17:40,240 --> 00:17:43,960 started before you had kids? Before, I didn't know that, Yes. 305 00:17:44,040 --> 00:17:47,600 And so I was in the baby room, I was getting to see and I knew we 306 00:17:47,600 --> 00:17:50,800 were going to want to start having kids soon. 307 00:17:51,240 --> 00:17:55,800 So I was in the baby room loving on, you know, little infants, 308 00:17:55,800 --> 00:17:57,720 changing diapers, all that kind of stuff. 309 00:17:59,000 --> 00:18:02,680 And that's when we decided that we were going to start trying to 310 00:18:02,680 --> 00:18:12,840 have a baby and it didn't work. It was a year and we still have 311 00:18:12,840 --> 00:18:14,400 not gotten pregnant. Oh wow. 312 00:18:14,400 --> 00:18:20,480 And I made appointments to try to figure out like get testing 313 00:18:20,480 --> 00:18:22,240 done to see like what was going on. 314 00:18:22,680 --> 00:18:25,520 And, and through that whole year, too, is when Cody started 315 00:18:25,520 --> 00:18:28,480 serving, he was like, no, I feel the need to get plugged in too. 316 00:18:28,640 --> 00:18:30,040 But he started serving at church. 317 00:18:30,200 --> 00:18:33,440 And so we were both there every Sunday in the kids ministry, you 318 00:18:33,440 --> 00:18:37,040 know, and I think it was preparing us to be parents. 319 00:18:38,280 --> 00:18:43,120 But so you're in, we start going to try to get tested to see if 320 00:18:43,120 --> 00:18:46,440 there's anything wrong like why are we not getting pregnant? 321 00:18:47,080 --> 00:18:52,120 And literally I went in to get like an ultrasound done and 322 00:18:52,120 --> 00:18:54,840 they're like you're. Pregnant. 323 00:18:54,840 --> 00:18:56,920 Oh my gosh. Wow. 324 00:18:56,920 --> 00:18:59,800 Yeah, yeah. I'd taken a test the night 325 00:18:59,800 --> 00:19:03,400 before and it was like so faint. I was like, yeah, this, this 326 00:19:03,640 --> 00:19:06,400 isn't. So this is really just to start 327 00:19:06,400 --> 00:19:09,760 the process of finding out like why y'all hadn't conceived yet. 328 00:19:09,920 --> 00:19:12,240 Right. And so I show up and they're 329 00:19:12,240 --> 00:19:14,560 like no, you're pregnant. JK you. 330 00:19:15,160 --> 00:19:17,000 This is a whole different type of appointment now. 331 00:19:17,560 --> 00:19:19,520 So Cody was was he with you? No. 332 00:19:19,520 --> 00:19:22,080 Oh my God. So did you like call? 333 00:19:22,080 --> 00:19:24,240 Or like, was it? So I had kind of gotten excited 334 00:19:24,240 --> 00:19:26,880 with him the night before at like that really faint test was 335 00:19:26,880 --> 00:19:28,680 like, I don't really know. Yeah, I don't know. 336 00:19:28,680 --> 00:19:31,400 I'm not getting hope yet, you know. 337 00:19:31,880 --> 00:19:33,520 So after I left that appointment, I was. 338 00:19:33,520 --> 00:19:35,400 Like babe, we're pregnant. Like. 339 00:19:36,120 --> 00:19:38,720 It was positive. And so he did. 340 00:19:38,720 --> 00:19:43,040 He recently start serving. It was it was pretty like 341 00:19:43,040 --> 00:19:48,640 recent, but right before we had like conceived, started 342 00:19:48,640 --> 00:19:53,520 conceiving. So then through it was probably 343 00:19:53,520 --> 00:19:55,120 summer time frame. So I was probably two or three 344 00:19:55,120 --> 00:19:58,520 months pregnant when we decided to start small group. 345 00:19:58,840 --> 00:20:04,200 Okay, it was right before that like August push to get your 346 00:20:04,200 --> 00:20:08,240 life groups and do life with. Other believers and you know, 347 00:20:08,240 --> 00:20:12,400 that push that we do at church. So we're like, yes, we, we need 348 00:20:12,400 --> 00:20:14,240 to do this. We're going to be parents. 349 00:20:14,280 --> 00:20:17,040 We're we need people that have done this before. 350 00:20:17,040 --> 00:20:18,960 Yeah, what they're doing, it can help us. 351 00:20:19,520 --> 00:20:24,240 So we went to it was like an event where they had a whole 352 00:20:24,240 --> 00:20:30,200 table full of I was like the life group fair kinda, yeah, but 353 00:20:30,200 --> 00:20:33,160 there was like 13 couples. Oh, wow, there, that's big. 354 00:20:33,240 --> 00:20:38,280 And nobody volunteered to host. Nobody volunteered to be the 355 00:20:38,280 --> 00:20:41,480 leader. And so there was a he's, he's 356 00:20:41,480 --> 00:20:44,320 not on staff anymore, but there's an older pastor that was 357 00:20:44,320 --> 00:20:45,640 like, OK, I'm going to get you all set up. 358 00:20:46,240 --> 00:20:50,080 I'll be your leader for two weeks 3 and then I'm going to 359 00:20:50,080 --> 00:20:52,720 turn it over to some of y'all. And now we're going to take the 360 00:20:52,720 --> 00:20:55,560 lead on this. And we're like, huh, mm hmm. 361 00:20:56,600 --> 00:20:58,880 And it's a problem with our generation. 362 00:20:59,840 --> 00:21:01,760 We want to be fed. Yeah. 363 00:21:01,960 --> 00:21:07,480 But there's not a whole lot of taking the lead and feeding. 364 00:21:07,600 --> 00:21:12,680 Yeah, others, absolutely. So after the second or third 365 00:21:12,680 --> 00:21:16,760 week of going to the small group with the pastor, he chose 2 366 00:21:16,760 --> 00:21:23,720 couples, Codina and then Kelsey and Tyler to Co lead this group 367 00:21:24,000 --> 00:21:28,320 and we're like OK we didn't really get much say so in it but 368 00:21:28,320 --> 00:21:34,720 it was like I guess we agreed that was about as much like we 369 00:21:34,720 --> 00:21:36,720 will take this leap of faith and go for it. 370 00:21:37,080 --> 00:21:39,640 Well that I mean sometimes you got to be pushed out of your 371 00:21:39,640 --> 00:21:43,800 comfort zone for sure and like y'all both come off like y'all 372 00:21:43,800 --> 00:21:47,920 like to lead, you know like to be honest, like you know, you're 373 00:21:47,920 --> 00:21:50,280 good leaders like especially during softball and stuff like 374 00:21:50,280 --> 00:21:52,880 that when we were younger, you're also a leader then. 375 00:21:52,880 --> 00:21:56,440 So now even though you didn't necessarily want to, like he saw 376 00:21:56,440 --> 00:21:59,520 that and you was like you know what y'all are great here you go 377 00:21:59,520 --> 00:22:02,000 there. You go and I'll tell you, small 378 00:22:02,000 --> 00:22:05,080 group has been the wildest ride really because like I said, we 379 00:22:05,080 --> 00:22:09,240 have like 13 or 14 couples to begin with and then throughout 380 00:22:09,560 --> 00:22:12,640 ups and downs for the years we got down to two couples at one 381 00:22:12,640 --> 00:22:13,160 point. You. 382 00:22:13,280 --> 00:22:16,000 You, Kelsey and Tyler. Kelsey and Tyler, actually, 383 00:22:16,000 --> 00:22:18,760 they're law enforcement. She's a GBI agent and got 384 00:22:18,760 --> 00:22:21,720 reassigned to a different post. So she moved. 385 00:22:21,720 --> 00:22:25,920 They moved and we had some couples that got divorced. 386 00:22:26,480 --> 00:22:31,120 We had some couples that while we were all getting pregnant and 387 00:22:31,120 --> 00:22:33,640 having babies, they were going through infertility and we're 388 00:22:33,640 --> 00:22:35,720 like, this is really hard. Yeah. 389 00:22:35,720 --> 00:22:40,280 And like kind of backed off from small group for a while. 390 00:22:40,600 --> 00:22:43,720 We had a couple that went through deployment and so just. 391 00:22:44,040 --> 00:22:47,400 A spectrum of things. But I'll say more than anything, 392 00:22:47,400 --> 00:22:54,360 we learned how much it's, you choose it. 393 00:22:54,440 --> 00:22:56,680 Yeah. And and I'm knock on our 394 00:22:56,680 --> 00:22:59,640 generation a lot because like we're we will ghost people. 395 00:22:59,920 --> 00:23:03,600 We will be wishy washy. We'll commit to something and 396 00:23:03,600 --> 00:23:06,480 then 5 minutes before it happens, we're like, I'm not 397 00:23:06,480 --> 00:23:08,600 coming. You know, I got something else 398 00:23:08,600 --> 00:23:13,280 going on or whatever. And so it has been really hard 399 00:23:13,280 --> 00:23:17,560 to be a leader. But we won't, we want to be. 400 00:23:17,960 --> 00:23:22,240 We are now like 4 years into this and we're like, we this is 401 00:23:22,240 --> 00:23:24,560 where we want to be. We want to be small group 402 00:23:24,560 --> 00:23:31,680 leaders, but we're still looking for more people to come to, more 403 00:23:31,680 --> 00:23:35,640 people to be involved because the bigger the group, the better 404 00:23:35,640 --> 00:23:39,080 that the community or people that can be there for you. 405 00:23:39,120 --> 00:23:42,200 And I think you learn a lot from the different perspectives in a 406 00:23:42,200 --> 00:23:43,160 room. Absolutely. 407 00:23:43,160 --> 00:23:46,560 And if it's just an echo Chamber of us all saying the same things 408 00:23:46,560 --> 00:23:48,680 every week, it you're not growing. 409 00:23:48,720 --> 00:23:52,720 Yeah, aren't growing, so shout out if there's any young couples 410 00:23:53,120 --> 00:23:55,520 that want a small group. Come on, they're looking. 411 00:23:56,320 --> 00:24:01,280 So nursery in the mornings, Sunday night you're doing life 412 00:24:01,280 --> 00:24:03,560 grapes and then you're at church every Sunday. 413 00:24:03,800 --> 00:24:06,200 But at this time, y'all do have two kids. 414 00:24:06,280 --> 00:24:09,000 Yes, we have two now. And actually, this is a very 415 00:24:09,000 --> 00:24:12,080 cool fun fact. Dana and Cody did not learn the 416 00:24:12,080 --> 00:24:14,040 gender of your first baby. We did not. 417 00:24:14,240 --> 00:24:17,760 Until they had the baby, I followed along with that journey 418 00:24:17,760 --> 00:24:19,520 and I'm like, what are y'all having? 419 00:24:20,400 --> 00:24:23,160 And I'm was convinced it was going to be a boy. 420 00:24:23,160 --> 00:24:24,840 Really. I knew in my heart, because I 421 00:24:24,880 --> 00:24:27,520 have little boy cousins, that I've grown up and I knew I was 422 00:24:27,520 --> 00:24:30,280 going to be a boy mom like. I threw and. 423 00:24:30,280 --> 00:24:34,520 Through yes, I still am in shock that when the doctor held her up 424 00:24:34,680 --> 00:24:36,640 and it was a girl like he didn't even say it's a girl. 425 00:24:36,640 --> 00:24:38,120 He just held her up and I was looking. 426 00:24:38,120 --> 00:24:39,880 I'm like, that's. A girl that's a girl. 427 00:24:40,520 --> 00:24:42,880 So what? Let's just derail for just a 428 00:24:42,880 --> 00:24:45,080 minute. What made y'all do that girl? 429 00:24:45,080 --> 00:24:47,120 Because I feel like that is so hard. 430 00:24:47,960 --> 00:24:52,600 I don't really know. Maybe we had gotten inspired, 431 00:24:52,600 --> 00:24:55,800 influenced by some other people that had done it, but it was 432 00:24:55,800 --> 00:24:59,840 more their like third or fourth child that they were finding, 433 00:24:59,840 --> 00:25:02,120 not finding the gender out on. And we're like, well, why don't 434 00:25:02,120 --> 00:25:04,360 we do it for our first? We don't have anything yet. 435 00:25:04,360 --> 00:25:06,960 We don't have all pink, we don't have all blue. 436 00:25:07,240 --> 00:25:11,960 Let's do a, you know, really gender neutral room and be 437 00:25:11,960 --> 00:25:14,560 surprised. Like what could that is? 438 00:25:14,560 --> 00:25:17,640 An ultimate surprise. For real it was and how I. 439 00:25:17,920 --> 00:25:21,760 I'm the worst with surprises like you cannot surprise me. 440 00:25:22,120 --> 00:25:23,800 I knew when Cody was going to propose. 441 00:25:24,200 --> 00:25:25,520 Oh. Not. 442 00:25:26,160 --> 00:25:28,160 You knew the. Time of the day too. 443 00:25:28,160 --> 00:25:30,280 Or you knew it was around. I knew it was coming. 444 00:25:30,280 --> 00:25:35,960 And then, like that evening, I didn't know right then, but as 445 00:25:35,960 --> 00:25:38,160 we were, like driving to get there, I was like, oh, yeah, 446 00:25:38,240 --> 00:25:39,560 yeah, I know. This is it. 447 00:25:39,720 --> 00:25:43,040 Yeah, yeah. But wow, so I'm really bad at. 448 00:25:43,040 --> 00:25:44,080 Surprises. So I was like, when? 449 00:25:44,080 --> 00:25:47,200 When else are we going to get a surprise like and we had names 450 00:25:47,200 --> 00:25:49,840 picked out and we had little take home from the hospital 451 00:25:49,840 --> 00:25:52,080 outfits that were monogrammed for both names. 452 00:25:52,440 --> 00:25:54,040 So that is. So sweet. 453 00:25:54,120 --> 00:25:56,640 So what color was the room? Like yellow or something like 454 00:25:56,640 --> 00:25:58,240 green? It was a. 455 00:25:59,960 --> 00:26:04,600 White and green, OK, like forest greenery kind of things, and 456 00:26:04,600 --> 00:26:07,240 some Navy blue. So we were like, we can make it 457 00:26:07,240 --> 00:26:10,480 even more blue. Or we could add pops of. 458 00:26:10,480 --> 00:26:13,480 Pink like, yeah, like peachy pink like that. 459 00:26:14,200 --> 00:26:15,040 So. Fun. 460 00:26:15,280 --> 00:26:16,800 So fun. Such an inspiration. 461 00:26:16,800 --> 00:26:20,720 Will I do that? No, but but it sounds cool. 462 00:26:21,880 --> 00:26:23,040 I don't know. It was a joy. 463 00:26:23,120 --> 00:26:27,040 Yeah, it was. It was very fun and I would 464 00:26:27,040 --> 00:26:29,360 recommend it. Yeah, but I'll. 465 00:26:29,360 --> 00:26:34,200 Pray about it, girl. OK, so we'll jump back you. 466 00:26:34,240 --> 00:26:37,760 I feel like it might have been your second, but your first 467 00:26:37,760 --> 00:26:40,320 though, or I can't remember, you can clarify. 468 00:26:40,600 --> 00:26:43,680 But like girl, you had the baby and that next Sunday you're at 469 00:26:43,680 --> 00:26:45,800 church. Like both. 470 00:26:45,800 --> 00:26:50,240 Or was it Ella was born? On a Friday and we did not get 471 00:26:50,240 --> 00:26:53,680 home until Saturday. And so I, and at the time we 472 00:26:53,680 --> 00:26:56,040 were Luna, make it still going to Southside. 473 00:26:56,040 --> 00:26:58,520 But we're living in Macon. So I think that first Sunday we 474 00:26:58,520 --> 00:27:01,080 stayed at home. OK, little shame, little shame. 475 00:27:01,240 --> 00:27:03,200 That's horrible. But the. 476 00:27:03,200 --> 00:27:06,520 Next week we were there, we were there and nursery will start 477 00:27:06,520 --> 00:27:10,720 taking babies at six weeks. So for the first six weeks the 478 00:27:10,800 --> 00:27:12,680 infant would go to church with us. 479 00:27:13,480 --> 00:27:17,520 With Gracie, she was born on the Thursday and we went home on 480 00:27:17,520 --> 00:27:20,120 Friday and everything was fine and smooth and we were living at 481 00:27:20,120 --> 00:27:23,400 Warner Robins. And so to come Sunday there was 482 00:27:23,640 --> 00:27:27,880 we just got up and got up and because I. 483 00:27:27,880 --> 00:27:30,880 Was like, I remember, I couldn't remember with your oldest, but I 484 00:27:30,880 --> 00:27:33,560 remember with Gracie, I was almost positive that you were 485 00:27:33,560 --> 00:27:35,680 there. She was brand new. 486 00:27:36,000 --> 00:27:40,840 And I'm like, oh, my four days. That is that's priorities. 487 00:27:41,240 --> 00:27:43,960 That is priorities because a lot of people, you know, they'll be 488 00:27:43,960 --> 00:27:46,840 like no new mom. We're tired. 489 00:27:46,840 --> 00:27:49,280 We're still adjusting, but you're like, no, my strength 490 00:27:49,280 --> 00:27:51,600 comes from the Lord and I'm going to church. 491 00:27:51,760 --> 00:27:55,000 So tell us a little bit about that and what, you know, even 492 00:27:55,000 --> 00:27:58,000 though I know it probably still is a struggle, like let's not 493 00:27:58,000 --> 00:28:00,680 take away from that. Like probably getting two kids 494 00:28:00,680 --> 00:28:04,240 up under the age of what, 22, under 2, two under three. 495 00:28:04,480 --> 00:28:08,720 Yeah, I'm sure this is hard. So let's talk a little bit about 496 00:28:08,720 --> 00:28:11,000 that and like just dive into that. 497 00:28:11,480 --> 00:28:13,360 So I'm sure you've. Seen the analogy or maybe like 498 00:28:13,360 --> 00:28:18,280 the the video clip, but if you put the sand, if you put sand 499 00:28:18,360 --> 00:28:22,360 into a jar 1st and then pebbles and you go to put in big rocks 500 00:28:22,360 --> 00:28:23,640 on top, they're not going to fit. 501 00:28:23,640 --> 00:28:26,000 There's not enough room to put rocks in on top. 502 00:28:26,400 --> 00:28:30,320 But if you put the big rocks into a jar 1st and then you put 503 00:28:30,320 --> 00:28:32,680 pebbles in shake it around a little bit and you put sand on 504 00:28:32,680 --> 00:28:36,720 top, magically it fits. There's enough room for 505 00:28:36,720 --> 00:28:39,440 everything. And it's, it's a metaphor for 506 00:28:39,440 --> 00:28:44,680 your life where if you put the big rocks in first, your faith, 507 00:28:45,120 --> 00:28:48,440 Jesus, going to church, your relationship, your marriage, 508 00:28:48,440 --> 00:28:53,120 your children, all those big rock things, and then you fill 509 00:28:53,120 --> 00:28:56,520 around it with little pebbles like your job, the 510 00:28:56,520 --> 00:28:59,280 extracurricular things that you make important in life, you 511 00:28:59,280 --> 00:29:01,480 know, grocery shopping. Yeah. 512 00:29:01,720 --> 00:29:03,680 All those. Things make sure, you know, we 513 00:29:03,680 --> 00:29:07,640 have a roof over our head and and we're fed and then you can 514 00:29:07,640 --> 00:29:11,320 put in the sand on top of that, you know, making sure you go to 515 00:29:11,320 --> 00:29:15,160 the fair or the cherry blossom festival or the making time for 516 00:29:15,160 --> 00:29:19,320 all these other things. Somehow it all fits and you're 517 00:29:19,320 --> 00:29:22,920 able to do it all if you get your priorities right. 518 00:29:23,520 --> 00:29:27,920 And for us, it was, it was a non negotiable that we were going to 519 00:29:27,920 --> 00:29:31,280 be there on Sunday mornings at 9:00 for the first service. 520 00:29:31,520 --> 00:29:35,320 And then it grew to we were going to stay for the second 521 00:29:35,320 --> 00:29:36,680 service and we were going to serve. 522 00:29:37,240 --> 00:29:40,080 And there was never a moment, even when kids came into the 523 00:29:40,280 --> 00:29:42,840 like picture that we were not going to serve, then we were 524 00:29:42,840 --> 00:29:45,480 going to step down. That was not not going to 525 00:29:45,480 --> 00:29:48,160 happen. And with small group, because we 526 00:29:48,160 --> 00:29:51,720 had small group before we had kids, we weren't going to then 527 00:29:51,800 --> 00:29:54,000 abandoned small group because we now have kids. 528 00:29:54,000 --> 00:29:58,480 We chose Sunday nights because there is childcare it that is 529 00:29:58,480 --> 00:30:01,600 one of the few times in the week that you can meet on campus. 530 00:30:01,600 --> 00:30:05,240 There's space for you to have a room and there's childcare for 531 00:30:05,240 --> 00:30:09,960 every age from six weeks old to 18 to in high school. 532 00:30:10,240 --> 00:30:13,160 The whole spectrum of kids are there on Sunday nights. 533 00:30:14,160 --> 00:30:17,680 So any group, any people that join our group, they would have 534 00:30:17,680 --> 00:30:21,200 childcare. So we just Sundays are hard, 535 00:30:22,080 --> 00:30:24,560 even though it's the best day of the week, they're hard. 536 00:30:24,920 --> 00:30:28,920 But it was never something that we had to learn to do. 537 00:30:29,760 --> 00:30:36,520 We just did it because we started doing it from beginning 538 00:30:36,520 --> 00:30:40,200 and then each time a new kid or a new thing added on to it, we 539 00:30:40,200 --> 00:30:44,840 just adapted. And I remember distinctly 540 00:30:44,840 --> 00:30:48,760 growing up playing softball, tribal ball specifically, that 541 00:30:49,440 --> 00:30:54,440 there was this girl from I think Eastman and her face is really 542 00:30:54,440 --> 00:30:57,200 important to her, but also to her parents. 543 00:30:57,440 --> 00:31:00,960 And we would play 2 day tournaments all the time in 544 00:31:01,040 --> 00:31:04,720 Atlanta. She would go home Saturday night 545 00:31:04,800 --> 00:31:06,840 no matter what time we finished the game. 546 00:31:06,840 --> 00:31:10,000 We could be playing it till 2:00 in the morning, which we did. 547 00:31:10,000 --> 00:31:12,320 Sometimes they would go home that night. 548 00:31:12,520 --> 00:31:17,280 They would go to church at their home church in person and then 549 00:31:17,280 --> 00:31:19,840 would load up and they'd come and they would get there in time 550 00:31:19,840 --> 00:31:21,160 for us to play championship game. 551 00:31:21,160 --> 00:31:23,880 Wow or whatever where we were at Sunday afternoon. 552 00:31:24,040 --> 00:31:27,400 Yeah, but we knew we were going to be down a player Sunday 553 00:31:27,400 --> 00:31:31,200 morning. And I think it was difficult 554 00:31:31,200 --> 00:31:33,680 sometimes because she was our third baseman and our cleanup 555 00:31:33,680 --> 00:31:35,280 hitter. And, you know, she really 556 00:31:35,280 --> 00:31:37,000 mattered to the, you know, what they said. 557 00:31:37,000 --> 00:31:41,000 Sorry, exactly. And it was one of those things 558 00:31:41,000 --> 00:31:46,000 of like, I saw her faith and it was an inspiration. 559 00:31:46,520 --> 00:31:50,320 And I hope I can do that. I hope how we raise the girls 560 00:31:50,320 --> 00:31:53,840 can do that, where people see us and see that it's a priority. 561 00:31:53,880 --> 00:31:56,880 And they're like, wow, that is the faith I want to have. 562 00:31:57,520 --> 00:32:01,200 Where just because it's a rainy Sunday, I'm not going to just 563 00:32:01,200 --> 00:32:03,360 turn it on and watch it from YouTube that week. 564 00:32:03,800 --> 00:32:07,280 You know, like, you got a raincoat and an umbrella, like, 565 00:32:07,280 --> 00:32:10,320 put on your your rain boots and you show up. 566 00:32:10,360 --> 00:32:11,760 Yeah. And it's really. 567 00:32:11,760 --> 00:32:16,360 Hard to to do that if it's an option. 568 00:32:16,760 --> 00:32:18,160 It's really hard to be strong in it. 569 00:32:18,200 --> 00:32:22,160 If it's an option, if it's a priority, there's not a 570 00:32:22,160 --> 00:32:24,240 question. You're just going to go one of 571 00:32:24,240 --> 00:32:28,360 the things, I think. Of when I think of that is if 572 00:32:28,360 --> 00:32:32,480 it's an option to you, it'll be like non existent to your kids 573 00:32:32,920 --> 00:32:35,560 and but for y'all like you're showing them right off the RIP, 574 00:32:35,560 --> 00:32:40,160 like no, this is a priority. And so they learn when they grow 575 00:32:40,160 --> 00:32:41,800 up. Hey, this is a priority. 576 00:32:41,800 --> 00:32:45,560 And it also shows your girls like, hey, like I need a husband 577 00:32:45,560 --> 00:32:48,720 that's also going to make these things a priority because my dad 578 00:32:48,840 --> 00:32:51,480 also made sure that this was a priority in our family. 579 00:32:51,760 --> 00:32:55,160 And you know, like if we do show it's an option like, oh, we're 580 00:32:55,160 --> 00:32:57,920 kind of just feeling a little slight headache or something. 581 00:32:57,920 --> 00:33:02,880 You know, kids pick up on that and they're like, oh, we didn't 582 00:33:02,880 --> 00:33:05,160 go last week or so, you know, something like that. 583 00:33:05,360 --> 00:33:07,920 But then you're talking about the rocks and the pebbles and 584 00:33:07,920 --> 00:33:11,160 thinking of like, it just works, right? 585 00:33:11,160 --> 00:33:13,560 We don't know how to explain it. It's kind of like tithing, 586 00:33:13,760 --> 00:33:15,880 right? So like we give money, but you 587 00:33:15,880 --> 00:33:18,280 don't even realize that it's really ever gone because God 588 00:33:18,280 --> 00:33:20,240 blesses you because you tithe, right? 589 00:33:20,560 --> 00:33:23,600 And just with our time, we need to think of it in the same 590 00:33:23,600 --> 00:33:27,200 aspect of that, like if we give the Lord our time, whether that 591 00:33:27,200 --> 00:33:33,000 be our quiet time in the morning or quiet time anytime really, or 592 00:33:33,520 --> 00:33:36,320 going to church and going to celebrate, going to small group, 593 00:33:36,320 --> 00:33:39,680 going to all this stuff, he's going to reward more time. 594 00:33:39,680 --> 00:33:41,600 Like, you're not going to be able to explain how you have 595 00:33:41,600 --> 00:33:46,000 this extra hour, but like you, you get your stuff done, you 596 00:33:46,120 --> 00:33:50,200 know, in Sundays. A lot of times are the craziest 597 00:33:50,200 --> 00:33:53,680 days because you're not only doing church all day long. 598 00:33:53,680 --> 00:33:56,640 And then we go home, we do naps and, and lunch and then we come 599 00:33:56,640 --> 00:34:00,080 right on about. But we, we are all getting ready 600 00:34:00,080 --> 00:34:03,120 for school and work the next week and, you know, whatever the 601 00:34:03,120 --> 00:34:07,160 kids have going on. And it, it does, it seems like 602 00:34:07,600 --> 00:34:09,800 it just happens. And there's times where we're 603 00:34:09,800 --> 00:34:12,800 tired and we're stressed and, you know, but it just works out. 604 00:34:14,040 --> 00:34:18,960 With the girls, like, is it hard with the girls like, are they 605 00:34:18,960 --> 00:34:22,120 just know now? Like they're like they someday 606 00:34:22,159 --> 00:34:24,040 they. Didn't ever any know any 607 00:34:24,080 --> 00:34:28,560 different and honestly Ella will call us out if we miss 608 00:34:28,560 --> 00:34:29,679 something. Oh wow. 609 00:34:29,679 --> 00:34:33,760 Like, for example, tomorrow we're not having small group 610 00:34:33,760 --> 00:34:37,199 because Iwana's closed for spring break and we told her 611 00:34:37,199 --> 00:34:39,040 we're not going to church tomorrow night and she well, 612 00:34:39,040 --> 00:34:41,480 why? We can have church at home. 613 00:34:42,360 --> 00:34:44,159 So she's like, no, we can go here, right? 614 00:34:44,239 --> 00:34:48,320 Or. Like she is become friends with 615 00:34:48,520 --> 00:34:52,239 her leaders in her yellow class on Sunday morning. 616 00:34:52,239 --> 00:34:55,239 All she'd be like, what do you mean I can't see Miss Caitlin 617 00:34:55,239 --> 00:34:57,600 and Miss Taylor. They sit in the hallway. 618 00:34:57,600 --> 00:35:00,000 Every Sunday together and it's just the cutest thing. 619 00:35:00,000 --> 00:35:03,360 You can tell they have a true bond, like it is so sweet and 620 00:35:03,360 --> 00:35:05,560 then. Sunday nights, one of the 621 00:35:05,560 --> 00:35:07,400 sweetest men that serves our church. 622 00:35:07,400 --> 00:35:10,920 His name's Mr. Charlie and they get so they could be having the 623 00:35:10,920 --> 00:35:14,600 worst afternoon tantrums and I'm like, all right, we got to get 624 00:35:14,600 --> 00:35:15,680 ready. We're going to church, we're 625 00:35:15,680 --> 00:35:19,320 going to see Mr. Charlie. And they just get so excited 626 00:35:19,320 --> 00:35:22,840 like that's they know that that they're going to be loved on 627 00:35:22,840 --> 00:35:25,160 that they're going to be taken care of and get lots of free 628 00:35:25,160 --> 00:35:29,320 snacks like you know, we it is it is. 629 00:35:29,360 --> 00:35:31,040 You had me at snacks. Yeah. 630 00:35:31,640 --> 00:35:36,720 But I'll say too, we talked a lot about church and how church 631 00:35:36,720 --> 00:35:40,160 is a priority and being at church and serving is a 632 00:35:40,160 --> 00:35:44,160 priority. I'll say also, though, that it's 633 00:35:44,160 --> 00:35:45,360 at home. Hey, ma'am. 634 00:35:45,720 --> 00:35:49,840 It's at home. It is saying prayers, it is 635 00:35:49,920 --> 00:35:55,320 reading your Bible. It is talking about Jesus and, 636 00:35:57,040 --> 00:36:01,520 and, and I've started to try to talk about Jesus in like the 10 637 00:36:01,520 --> 00:36:06,080 commandments and things like that when I'm disciplining so 638 00:36:06,080 --> 00:36:10,120 that it's not just hey, mommy's telling you no, But like the 639 00:36:10,120 --> 00:36:16,360 Lord says to obey your parents. The Lord says that you need to 640 00:36:16,360 --> 00:36:22,520 speak kind words, like also don't hit people like please, 641 00:36:22,880 --> 00:36:25,600 please. But Gracie's not quite there yet 642 00:36:25,600 --> 00:36:27,920 because she's not talking really well. 643 00:36:27,960 --> 00:36:33,360 But Ella, I mean, she will ask, and she's asked me to pull out 644 00:36:33,360 --> 00:36:36,080 my Bible and show me where it says that and like, read the 645 00:36:36,080 --> 00:36:38,840 section. And I think the fact that she 646 00:36:38,840 --> 00:36:45,120 sees our Bibles out, she'll see us read them, that we make time 647 00:36:45,120 --> 00:36:50,000 to do devotionals or whatever, that that makes an impact. 648 00:36:50,560 --> 00:36:55,000 And I think that's something I did not necessarily have growing 649 00:36:55,000 --> 00:36:58,600 up where, yes, we made the church go into church really 650 00:36:58,600 --> 00:37:01,720 important. But I think my mom's face was 651 00:37:01,720 --> 00:37:06,960 more personal where it was after I went to bed, after I was, you 652 00:37:06,960 --> 00:37:11,640 know, not around where she got her personal relation with 653 00:37:11,640 --> 00:37:14,920 Jesus, which that's great. Her relationship was strong, but 654 00:37:14,920 --> 00:37:18,400 I didn't necessarily see it. So I didn't know how to mimic 655 00:37:18,400 --> 00:37:23,880 it. And so I am learning still every 656 00:37:23,880 --> 00:37:30,160 single day to how to show that relationship with Jesus to the 657 00:37:30,160 --> 00:37:31,600 girls. That's good, girl. 658 00:37:32,000 --> 00:37:33,800 And that's. One thing that I was talking 659 00:37:33,800 --> 00:37:36,680 about with someone more recently is having the Bible actually 660 00:37:36,680 --> 00:37:41,320 open reading from a hard copy copy of a physical Bible, right? 661 00:37:41,320 --> 00:37:45,840 Like there, there's just so much power in that for others to see 662 00:37:45,840 --> 00:37:47,760 that too. Because like, yes, we have the 663 00:37:47,760 --> 00:37:50,280 Bible app on our phone, you know, like we have you version. 664 00:37:50,480 --> 00:37:51,960 If you don't have it, we highly recommend. 665 00:37:52,120 --> 00:37:54,680 This is not a sponsor. It should be. 666 00:37:54,960 --> 00:37:58,920 It should be Please no but. Like it is something that, you 667 00:37:58,920 --> 00:38:03,360 know, be on your phone. But like even before my husband 668 00:38:03,360 --> 00:38:06,080 came to know Christ, like there was there was many of times like 669 00:38:06,080 --> 00:38:09,080 I'm laying in bed and I'm scrolling on my phone on the 670 00:38:09,080 --> 00:38:11,600 Bible app reading. But does he see that? 671 00:38:11,600 --> 00:38:15,280 No, he thinks I'm on TikTok or, you know, Instagram scrolling 672 00:38:15,480 --> 00:38:17,760 and I'm like, well, no, I'm actually reading, you know, and 673 00:38:17,760 --> 00:38:19,560 he's having full on conversations. 674 00:38:19,560 --> 00:38:24,200 I'm like, I'm reading, you know, but then like once I started 675 00:38:24,200 --> 00:38:29,120 like realizing that I'm not really showing him like what it 676 00:38:29,120 --> 00:38:33,800 looks like to really jump into the word, that's when things 677 00:38:33,800 --> 00:38:36,640 started to begin to change. And now he wants to read from 678 00:38:36,640 --> 00:38:39,040 the physical Bible too. Like he just found out about the 679 00:38:39,040 --> 00:38:40,560 You Version app and all this stuff. 680 00:38:40,560 --> 00:38:42,760 So like we're reading together and all this. 681 00:38:42,760 --> 00:38:45,680 So it's just like being in a physical Bible. 682 00:38:45,800 --> 00:38:49,720 Kids notice that too, you know, and that shows them where to go 683 00:38:49,720 --> 00:38:51,840 to find the truth. I think that and. 684 00:38:51,840 --> 00:38:56,640 Also in this day and age of screens, like I'm not a no 685 00:38:56,640 --> 00:38:58,800 screen mom. I probably should be, but I'm 686 00:38:58,880 --> 00:39:02,920 not. But we make choices on what we 687 00:39:02,920 --> 00:39:06,400 do, watch and like. Not knocking on Miss Rachel. 688 00:39:06,400 --> 00:39:10,240 I'm not going to do that, but there are alternatives. 689 00:39:10,440 --> 00:39:15,440 There is there's a Miss Amy on a show called Holy Sprouts and 690 00:39:15,440 --> 00:39:20,760 there's a Jingle Jackie and they have Christian based like 691 00:39:20,760 --> 00:39:26,920 they'll do little Bible stories. They'll but also incorporate the 692 00:39:26,920 --> 00:39:30,440 the nursery things, nursery rhymes or teaching your ABC's or 693 00:39:30,440 --> 00:39:33,440 counting. And I'm like, those are little 694 00:39:33,440 --> 00:39:38,720 changes that you can make where they see that that's important 695 00:39:39,040 --> 00:39:42,240 or what you listen to when you're cooking breakfast in the 696 00:39:42,240 --> 00:39:46,280 morning and we're all around like I'll turn on Caleb or, and 697 00:39:46,960 --> 00:39:50,760 or some other like Christian playlist and Elle will go, can I 698 00:39:50,760 --> 00:39:52,760 listen to Jesus music this morning? 699 00:39:53,040 --> 00:39:58,280 You know, or she'll. One of Cody and his dad's 700 00:39:58,280 --> 00:40:00,960 favorite songs, Grown up, was Should Have Been a Cowboy by 701 00:40:00,960 --> 00:40:05,040 Toby Keith and so it it. Goes back and forth with Ella of 702 00:40:05,040 --> 00:40:08,360 Can I listen to cowboy or can I listen to Jesus? 703 00:40:08,360 --> 00:40:10,000 Music depends on the mood it. Does. 704 00:40:10,080 --> 00:40:11,880 Yes it does. That is so sweet. 705 00:40:11,880 --> 00:40:14,840 But that is so true. I mean, kids pick up on things 706 00:40:14,840 --> 00:40:16,560 and that's how they learn. That's how they grow. 707 00:40:16,560 --> 00:40:18,680 That's all they know. That's all they know. 708 00:40:18,680 --> 00:40:20,840 You know, I think we're going to go ahead and start to close. 709 00:40:20,840 --> 00:40:23,800 So maybe if you want to leave the listeners with maybe one 710 00:40:23,800 --> 00:40:27,280 piece of advice, maybe something you didn't hit, or maybe just 711 00:40:27,280 --> 00:40:30,120 something overall that you know God's placing on your heart to 712 00:40:30,120 --> 00:40:32,440 say what, what would you want to leave someone with? 713 00:40:33,960 --> 00:40:39,240 I would really say that live, you go through changes. 714 00:40:39,280 --> 00:40:44,440 There's UPS, there's downs, there's your faith changes. 715 00:40:44,440 --> 00:40:50,000 You go through journeys where you are strong and where you 716 00:40:50,000 --> 00:40:53,600 were weak. And in Hebrews, it talks about 717 00:40:55,240 --> 00:40:57,840 God is the same yesterday, today, and forevermore. 718 00:40:58,120 --> 00:41:01,960 So even in your weakest moments or your strongest, God is the 719 00:41:01,960 --> 00:41:04,200 same. And there's nothing you can do 720 00:41:04,200 --> 00:41:07,600 to change God. But God can change you every 721 00:41:07,600 --> 00:41:10,560 single day, absolutely. That is good girl. 722 00:41:10,560 --> 00:41:13,720 I love that love. All right guys. 723 00:41:13,720 --> 00:41:16,240 Well, I hope you enjoyed this as much as we have. 724 00:41:16,240 --> 00:41:18,080 This has been absolutely incredible. 725 00:41:18,080 --> 00:41:20,880 We just pray that you take something away from this and 726 00:41:20,880 --> 00:41:24,520 apply it to your life. Grow closer to Jesus, grow that 727 00:41:24,520 --> 00:41:27,720 relationship hitting church, get involved, get plugged in, serve 728 00:41:27,840 --> 00:41:30,120 we got say yes coming up, say yes. 729 00:41:31,400 --> 00:41:32,840 All right, guys. Well, stay tuned. 730 00:41:32,840 --> 00:41:34,560 Stay blessed and we'll see you guys next week.