1 00:00:10,300 --> 00:00:12,620 What's up guys? My name is Alexis, your host of 2 00:00:12,620 --> 00:00:16,820 Praises in the Pod, and I am so excited to be back in the studio 3 00:00:16,820 --> 00:00:19,300 by myself. The past few times I've just 4 00:00:19,300 --> 00:00:22,540 kind of like talked about what's going on with Praises and what 5 00:00:22,540 --> 00:00:25,140 all is just going on kind of my life. 6 00:00:25,140 --> 00:00:28,860 But now we're actually going to be talking about the fruit of 7 00:00:28,860 --> 00:00:32,460 the Holy Spirit and what that looks like and some real life 8 00:00:32,460 --> 00:00:33,920 things that have happened into my life. 9 00:00:33,920 --> 00:00:36,720 So I am going to start off in prayer and then I'm going to 10 00:00:36,720 --> 00:00:37,800 jump right in. So here we go. 11 00:00:38,360 --> 00:00:40,760 Lord Heavenly Father, thank you for today. 12 00:00:40,760 --> 00:00:44,720 Thank you for all the blessings that you just continuously give 13 00:00:44,720 --> 00:00:47,720 in our lives. Lord God, you have just been so, 14 00:00:47,720 --> 00:00:52,120 so good and I'm just so thankful to know you. 15 00:00:52,480 --> 00:00:56,040 I pray that you always speak to me, you always speak through me, 16 00:00:56,040 --> 00:00:58,600 and just let this podcast glorify you. 17 00:00:58,880 --> 00:01:01,320 In Jesus name I pray. Amen. 18 00:01:02,280 --> 00:01:05,400 Amen. OK, so let's run it back a 19 00:01:05,400 --> 00:01:13,320 little bit to earlier in the week I got a notification about 20 00:01:13,320 --> 00:01:18,720 my screen time. Oh, that will humble you. 21 00:01:19,040 --> 00:01:21,360 OK, that will be that will humble you. 22 00:01:21,840 --> 00:01:26,440 So I get it every Sunday and I got it during church this week 23 00:01:26,440 --> 00:01:30,920 and usually it's about 6 hours. Oh my gosh, that's like the 24 00:01:30,920 --> 00:01:38,240 average OK, it was like over 8 1/2 for last week and that sat 25 00:01:38,240 --> 00:01:41,840 me down. OK, that sat me down. 26 00:01:43,160 --> 00:01:48,280 I just was instantly convicted. I'm like, I only spend, you 27 00:01:48,280 --> 00:01:52,880 know, 30 minutes or less talking to God and reading his word, but 28 00:01:52,880 --> 00:01:57,120 I sat on my phone for over 8 hours a day. 29 00:01:58,120 --> 00:02:00,760 And so that just really got me. OK. 30 00:02:00,760 --> 00:02:04,440 So I was like, I'm going to fast from social media throughout the 31 00:02:04,440 --> 00:02:07,160 week this week and it's let me tell you, it's really hard. 32 00:02:07,560 --> 00:02:14,920 I guess I didn't realize, like, the severity of how bad I was, 33 00:02:14,920 --> 00:02:18,480 like, in the chokehold of social media. 34 00:02:18,800 --> 00:02:24,080 Now, listen, I'm a social media like person, OK? 35 00:02:24,080 --> 00:02:29,240 So like, I run social media for our church and accounts and 36 00:02:29,240 --> 00:02:32,680 like, praises in the pod and just all this stuff, right. 37 00:02:32,680 --> 00:02:36,600 So, like, it's really hard to be unplugged when you're a social 38 00:02:36,600 --> 00:02:40,400 media like manager. Yeah. 39 00:02:40,600 --> 00:02:44,160 Oh, well, it's going to have like, it doesn't matter at that 40 00:02:44,160 --> 00:02:46,480 point. Like I was getting on to like 41 00:02:46,480 --> 00:02:50,800 schedule on Meta. OK, So like I would get on my 42 00:02:50,800 --> 00:02:56,760 desktop and go to the accounts and schedule for the week, but 43 00:02:56,760 --> 00:02:59,960 like I'm not getting on my phone or anything like that. 44 00:03:00,000 --> 00:03:05,120 And so that has just been such a great like experience this week. 45 00:03:05,120 --> 00:03:09,760 OK, It's been hard, but it's been great because I have been 46 00:03:09,760 --> 00:03:12,560 spending more time with God. I have been reading my Bible 47 00:03:12,560 --> 00:03:16,520 more. I have just been looking for 48 00:03:16,520 --> 00:03:22,120 opportunities to see God. That is so big, OK, Because I do 49 00:03:22,120 --> 00:03:25,000 talk about this all the time when I go to the Potter's house. 50 00:03:25,000 --> 00:03:29,200 Like just, it's just God's presence is everywhere there. 51 00:03:29,200 --> 00:03:31,600 And it's just so easy to see the miracles. 52 00:03:32,000 --> 00:03:36,640 And as I think about that, it's because they're unplugged, 53 00:03:37,040 --> 00:03:38,880 right? They're not on social media, 54 00:03:38,880 --> 00:03:43,880 they're not doing any type of like texting, calling, being on 55 00:03:43,880 --> 00:03:47,280 the phone, nothing. So it's so much easier to see 56 00:03:47,280 --> 00:03:49,520 God when you don't have those distractions. 57 00:03:50,000 --> 00:03:54,360 And I have really seen that this week, like even at home, right? 58 00:03:54,360 --> 00:03:59,480 Like somewhere that I'm always on my phone and always just 59 00:03:59,480 --> 00:04:05,640 scrolling and just just not mentally looking for God, I 60 00:04:05,640 --> 00:04:08,200 guess. Like just in my most vulnerable 61 00:04:08,200 --> 00:04:09,880 state. And that's probably the worst 62 00:04:09,880 --> 00:04:13,200 because you would think I would see God so much more in my home. 63 00:04:13,200 --> 00:04:15,720 But most of the time I'm just on my phone or in my own little 64 00:04:15,720 --> 00:04:17,959 world, right? Unless I'm doing quiet time. 65 00:04:19,120 --> 00:04:22,560 Anyway, just been seeing him move in a mighty way, OK? 66 00:04:22,560 --> 00:04:25,760 Like just been seeing him constantly over and over again 67 00:04:25,760 --> 00:04:31,000 this week, just reminding me of the little things, letting me 68 00:04:31,000 --> 00:04:34,200 spend more time with my husband that is actually intentional 69 00:04:34,200 --> 00:04:37,120 instead of us just being in the room at the same time on our 70 00:04:37,120 --> 00:04:39,960 phones. A few months back, you probably 71 00:04:39,960 --> 00:04:44,200 remember I did an episode and it was a beautiful answered prayer 72 00:04:44,200 --> 00:04:48,160 and it was all about my husband coming to know Jesus and his 73 00:04:48,160 --> 00:04:52,160 salvation. And just a chapter that I had 74 00:04:52,160 --> 00:04:58,280 been so desperately praying for for the past two years and being 75 00:04:58,280 --> 00:05:05,600 able to watch him move in Greg's life and reveal himself to Greg 76 00:05:05,600 --> 00:05:10,240 and just be able to see the fruit that come from his true 77 00:05:10,240 --> 00:05:13,560 salvation. It is just so, so beautiful. 78 00:05:15,000 --> 00:05:23,800 There has been a heart change in him that I have watched just 79 00:05:23,800 --> 00:05:28,160 grow. OK, so he has been talking about 80 00:05:28,160 --> 00:05:31,440 homeless people more recently and how it's heavy on his heart 81 00:05:31,800 --> 00:05:36,640 and how, you know, like, he just is out, like, almost searching 82 00:05:36,640 --> 00:05:39,960 for them because he wants to talk to them and just like, give 83 00:05:39,960 --> 00:05:43,120 them money or whatever. And he told me the other day 84 00:05:43,120 --> 00:05:47,920 that one man walked up to him at the gas station and he asked for 85 00:05:47,920 --> 00:05:49,560 money. And Greg was like, I normally 86 00:05:49,560 --> 00:05:52,320 wouldn't do this, but like, I'm saved now. 87 00:05:52,640 --> 00:05:56,720 And just kind of like went into his testimony when he told me 88 00:05:56,720 --> 00:06:02,640 that I lost it because it was something that I never would 89 00:06:02,640 --> 00:06:06,160 have dreamed of for my husband. Like every single time when I 90 00:06:06,160 --> 00:06:09,760 was in that season of just begging God, like, please get 91 00:06:09,760 --> 00:06:11,720 Greg's attention, please, please, please. 92 00:06:12,200 --> 00:06:16,240 I never once would have thought that Greg would have been out 93 00:06:16,240 --> 00:06:19,360 sharing his testimony with people and just like openly 94 00:06:19,360 --> 00:06:23,080 doing it all, like just on the spot, right? 95 00:06:23,720 --> 00:06:27,880 And when he told me that I just, I, I really did lose it. 96 00:06:28,920 --> 00:06:33,760 So Fast forward the next day, me and my mom are talking and it 97 00:06:33,760 --> 00:06:37,520 was like nothing to even do with Greg and the homeless people and 98 00:06:37,520 --> 00:06:39,880 talking with them and giving this guy money or anything like 99 00:06:39,880 --> 00:06:41,280 that. But she was just saying like how 100 00:06:41,280 --> 00:06:43,600 we're not doing blessing bags at our church this year. 101 00:06:44,160 --> 00:06:48,080 And that conversation was just like kind of like out there 102 00:06:48,080 --> 00:06:50,960 because we weren't really talking about a whole lot. 103 00:06:51,640 --> 00:06:54,000 And so like, I don't even know why she said that. 104 00:06:54,000 --> 00:06:56,000 I think it was because we were talking about like Saturday. 105 00:06:56,000 --> 00:06:57,640 And I was like, when's it starting or something? 106 00:06:57,640 --> 00:07:00,560 She was just saying like, it's not, we're not doing it this 107 00:07:00,560 --> 00:07:04,920 year. And so I came home that night 108 00:07:05,360 --> 00:07:10,760 and remind remind you, I'm fasting from social media. 109 00:07:10,760 --> 00:07:15,960 So I am like a little bored. And all of a sudden Greg starts 110 00:07:15,960 --> 00:07:18,200 talking about how he was driving around looking for homeless 111 00:07:18,200 --> 00:07:22,920 people that day and it clicks. It instantly clicked. 112 00:07:22,920 --> 00:07:26,320 I was like, Greg, we're going to the store right now. 113 00:07:26,320 --> 00:07:27,800 We're going to put bags together. 114 00:07:28,160 --> 00:07:30,720 And every time you see homeless people now, you can give them 115 00:07:30,720 --> 00:07:33,560 bags. So we go to the store, we get 116 00:07:33,560 --> 00:07:35,520 snacks and stuff. I'm thinking we're only putting 117 00:07:35,520 --> 00:07:39,160 snacks in these bags. No, Greg's like we're getting 118 00:07:39,160 --> 00:07:44,160 underwear, socks, deodorant, toothpaste, all of the 119 00:07:44,160 --> 00:07:47,840 necessities that someone would need just to feel clean and feel 120 00:07:47,840 --> 00:07:50,040 good about themselves. Like let's do that. 121 00:07:51,520 --> 00:07:58,600 And so that was the moment that I truly saw the heart change. 122 00:07:58,960 --> 00:08:04,640 That was the moment that I was like, man, you really are living 123 00:08:04,640 --> 00:08:13,120 inside. Like Jesus literally sent, like 124 00:08:13,120 --> 00:08:19,520 the Holy Spirit is truly living inside of him and is changing 125 00:08:19,520 --> 00:08:24,600 and stirring in his heart and just making him have that, that 126 00:08:24,600 --> 00:08:30,160 fruit, have that fruit that what you should be doing when you 127 00:08:30,160 --> 00:08:34,200 come to know Christ and you're living faithfully for him and 128 00:08:34,200 --> 00:08:36,799 you have surrendered your life and you've laid it down. 129 00:08:37,080 --> 00:08:40,799 This is what it's about being more Christ like. 130 00:08:40,799 --> 00:08:42,640 What would Christ do in these situations? 131 00:08:42,640 --> 00:08:46,680 He would be going out of his way to give people things to talk to 132 00:08:46,680 --> 00:08:49,080 them, to tell his story, to tell things. 133 00:08:49,640 --> 00:08:52,880 That's what Greg's doing. Hit the fruit. 134 00:08:52,880 --> 00:08:56,280 Is there just being able to witness that. 135 00:08:56,280 --> 00:08:59,760 And then the next day at or even I think it might have been that 136 00:08:59,760 --> 00:09:04,560 day, the same day at work, me and my coworker, we're talking 137 00:09:04,560 --> 00:09:07,040 and you know, we kind of were talking about the same thing 138 00:09:07,040 --> 00:09:11,360 about how when people say that prayer and how fruit should come 139 00:09:11,360 --> 00:09:15,320 from that prayer, not just I believe that Jesus died on the 140 00:09:15,320 --> 00:09:17,600 cross for my sins and rose three days later. 141 00:09:17,600 --> 00:09:20,840 I'm a Sinner and I confess that he is Lord. 142 00:09:21,200 --> 00:09:27,520 It's more of here I am, here I am, Lord, use me. 143 00:09:28,000 --> 00:09:31,560 Let me be your vessel. Let me be more Christ like 144 00:09:31,600 --> 00:09:34,640 leading, guide my steps, be my line leader. 145 00:09:35,040 --> 00:09:38,560 That is what it looks like to truly follow Christ. 146 00:09:38,560 --> 00:09:41,920 You will have those changes and you won't even know where these 147 00:09:41,920 --> 00:09:46,240 changes are coming from. You will have no earthly idea 148 00:09:46,640 --> 00:09:49,720 because it's not earthly, it's heavenly. 149 00:09:50,000 --> 00:09:56,000 These thoughts and feelings and just the way that you're moving 150 00:09:56,000 --> 00:09:59,080 in life, it's not you anymore, you're dead. 151 00:09:59,320 --> 00:10:03,560 Your life is gone. This is truly just for Jesus and 152 00:10:03,560 --> 00:10:08,800 His glory and what all He can do in your life if you let Him 153 00:10:08,800 --> 00:10:12,120 move. And so that has just had me 154 00:10:12,120 --> 00:10:16,200 thinking about the Holy Spirit a lot this week, right? 155 00:10:16,200 --> 00:10:20,120 Just him truly dwelling inside of us. 156 00:10:20,120 --> 00:10:24,040 And we were even talking about this last night at CR of just 157 00:10:24,880 --> 00:10:29,480 this isn't my body, this isn't my life, this is Jesus's, this 158 00:10:29,480 --> 00:10:33,000 is the Holy Spirit's temple. And I have abused it. 159 00:10:33,120 --> 00:10:35,080 I have abused it all these years. 160 00:10:35,400 --> 00:10:42,040 And I now am in the best shape I've ever been. 161 00:10:42,040 --> 00:10:46,560 The best life that I've ever dreamt of myself, all because of 162 00:10:46,560 --> 00:10:51,160 the Holy Spirit like this, is Him leading and guiding me. 163 00:10:51,560 --> 00:10:54,520 Typically when I fast, it is food. 164 00:10:55,040 --> 00:10:58,880 I'll do a three day fast from food and I'll just turn my 165 00:10:58,880 --> 00:11:02,560 attention solely to the Lord and I'm not eating, I'm only 166 00:11:02,560 --> 00:11:06,120 drinking water. Like I'm just using this time to 167 00:11:06,440 --> 00:11:11,360 deny my flesh and take control over my flesh and say that this 168 00:11:11,400 --> 00:11:13,640 is for you. OK, so this looked a little 169 00:11:13,640 --> 00:11:17,400 different this this week, right? Because I've never fasted from 170 00:11:17,400 --> 00:11:19,360 social media. I never even thought that this 171 00:11:19,360 --> 00:11:24,200 was a serious thing, but because of that I've been able to see 172 00:11:24,320 --> 00:11:27,480 all of the goodness, all of the God winks, all of the things in 173 00:11:27,480 --> 00:11:32,000 between. And with Greg, that was just one 174 00:11:32,000 --> 00:11:36,320 of them. I got 2 calls this week to share 175 00:11:36,320 --> 00:11:42,440 my testimony and it's just been incredible that the week that I 176 00:11:42,440 --> 00:11:49,160 fast, the week that I deny my flesh of something, God, you 177 00:11:49,160 --> 00:11:52,840 know, sends people that want to hear my story, that want me to 178 00:11:52,840 --> 00:11:56,000 share to their congregation and stuff like that. 179 00:11:56,000 --> 00:11:58,520 And it's just so it's like really, really cool to 180 00:11:58,520 --> 00:12:02,560 experience that. And it was 2 this week like 181 00:12:02,560 --> 00:12:04,800 asking me to come speak in August and September. 182 00:12:05,280 --> 00:12:10,000 And so that has also got the ball rolling of thinking about 183 00:12:11,320 --> 00:12:15,000 what my new testimony looks like, because when I gave my 184 00:12:15,000 --> 00:12:18,600 testimony a few months back, I was in a completely different 185 00:12:18,600 --> 00:12:23,840 chapter. While I was completely full 186 00:12:23,840 --> 00:12:31,600 force into full time ministry, loved my life, was completely 187 00:12:31,600 --> 00:12:35,440 and utterly in love with Jesus and the life that he had given 188 00:12:35,440 --> 00:12:42,120 me, I also was struggling very very bad. 189 00:12:45,440 --> 00:12:53,160 I was basically almost at the break of divorce. 190 00:12:53,720 --> 00:12:57,760 Me and my husband were not doing well at all. 191 00:12:57,760 --> 00:13:01,400 We were on completely 2 ends of the spectrum where I'm full 192 00:13:01,400 --> 00:13:05,920 force light and he's still living in the darkness and not 193 00:13:05,920 --> 00:13:12,080 accepting of Jesus and not receiving of my light at all. 194 00:13:13,800 --> 00:13:19,680 And so I was just in a really bad spot while I was on a 195 00:13:19,680 --> 00:13:22,920 spiritual high. I was on a spiritual like 196 00:13:22,920 --> 00:13:26,280 mountaintop because of all the things that God was doing my 197 00:13:26,280 --> 00:13:28,120 life. There was still a chapter that I 198 00:13:28,120 --> 00:13:31,360 was in complete and utter confusion. 199 00:13:31,480 --> 00:13:39,400 I was in a just a state of how am I living my life so 200 00:13:39,840 --> 00:13:43,360 faithfully to the Lord? And then I can't even get it 201 00:13:43,360 --> 00:13:46,640 right at home. I can't even, you know, bring my 202 00:13:46,640 --> 00:13:50,840 husband to the Lord. I can't even make him understand 203 00:13:50,840 --> 00:13:55,320 what I'm talking about. And so when I was just thinking 204 00:13:55,320 --> 00:13:58,040 about going to give my testimony, I'm like, wow, I 205 00:13:58,040 --> 00:14:03,360 really have to rewrite my testimony from February because 206 00:14:03,480 --> 00:14:06,840 I'm in a new season. I'm in a new chapter, babe. 207 00:14:06,840 --> 00:14:11,120 I'm in a new life. This has sent me so far in 208 00:14:11,120 --> 00:14:16,200 another parallel. Like, I know that is not what 209 00:14:16,200 --> 00:14:19,400 I'm in, but it feels like it. Like I feel like I'm in a whole 210 00:14:19,400 --> 00:14:23,320 different earth. My home feels lighter, OK? 211 00:14:23,600 --> 00:14:27,760 My home feels brighter. I love spending time with my 212 00:14:27,760 --> 00:14:30,200 husband. We literally put this together 213 00:14:30,200 --> 00:14:32,280 today. And when I tell you we didn't 214 00:14:32,280 --> 00:14:37,000 argue one time, just just as calm, cool and collected, OK, we 215 00:14:37,000 --> 00:14:39,840 ain't never done that before. We do not do projects together. 216 00:14:39,840 --> 00:14:44,000 Well, OK, we have two different, completely different 217 00:14:44,000 --> 00:14:46,160 personalities. I have like that. 218 00:14:46,160 --> 00:14:48,400 I'm not reading instructions type of thing. 219 00:14:48,720 --> 00:14:54,040 If I have a few bolts and screws leftover at the end, it'll be 220 00:14:54,040 --> 00:14:55,680 all right. Greg. 221 00:14:55,680 --> 00:14:59,200 He's going to read every single line of every single page and 222 00:14:59,200 --> 00:15:00,640 make sure that we do it correctly. 223 00:15:00,640 --> 00:15:03,280 He even put these stabilizer little things in there, and I'm 224 00:15:03,280 --> 00:15:05,440 like, for what? OK. 225 00:15:05,800 --> 00:15:11,440 But anyway, we did it. And that was another testament 226 00:15:11,480 --> 00:15:15,000 of how far we have come and how the Holy Spirit is just living 227 00:15:15,000 --> 00:15:20,080 inside of us now and we're able to do these projects together 228 00:15:20,080 --> 00:15:21,800 instead of just fighting about it. 229 00:15:22,120 --> 00:15:27,040 Because every other time we have ever tried to put something 230 00:15:27,040 --> 00:15:31,640 together, I end up storming out of the room, I end up leaving, I 231 00:15:31,640 --> 00:15:34,320 end up doing something completely different. 232 00:15:34,320 --> 00:15:36,240 And just like we're just going back and forth. 233 00:15:36,520 --> 00:15:42,720 So it's just so amazing to see the changes in just 3 1/2 months 234 00:15:42,720 --> 00:15:47,120 in our marriage versus what I ever would have dreamed of him 235 00:15:47,120 --> 00:15:50,560 coming to Christ. Like I knew it would be good, 236 00:15:51,360 --> 00:15:53,000 but I didn't know it was going to be this good. 237 00:15:54,080 --> 00:15:56,600 You couldn't have told me. You couldn't have convinced me. 238 00:15:56,600 --> 00:16:01,280 You couldn't have said nothing. I was I just thought that it 239 00:16:01,280 --> 00:16:03,480 would just been like a normal kind of marriage. 240 00:16:03,480 --> 00:16:06,040 But now I'm starting to see like he is my best friend. 241 00:16:06,120 --> 00:16:07,840 He is somebody that I can find in. 242 00:16:07,840 --> 00:16:13,320 We talk about so much more now. It is so beautiful. 243 00:16:14,000 --> 00:16:16,800 I go to say all of that for two reasons. 244 00:16:16,920 --> 00:16:20,800 One, maybe you're that person that has said that prayer 245 00:16:20,800 --> 00:16:22,520 before, but the fruit never came. 246 00:16:23,000 --> 00:16:27,680 And then I would ask you to do a self reflection to take a 247 00:16:27,680 --> 00:16:32,640 moment, pause and say, have I truly surrendered my life? 248 00:16:32,960 --> 00:16:36,680 Have I truly given my life to Jesus? 249 00:16:36,840 --> 00:16:42,360 Have I recognized that He is the Lord and Savior of my life and 250 00:16:42,360 --> 00:16:47,240 that I'm willing to make changes and allow Him to move in my life 251 00:16:47,440 --> 00:16:52,120 so that those fruit will come? That is one thing that I would 252 00:16:52,120 --> 00:16:55,800 ask you to think about because when you truly do start 253 00:16:55,800 --> 00:16:58,480 following Jesus, you don't control those things. 254 00:16:58,480 --> 00:17:00,200 They just start coming naturally. 255 00:17:00,480 --> 00:17:05,079 They just start just happening and you don't even know. 256 00:17:05,079 --> 00:17:08,880 You start have you start having a urge to do things. 257 00:17:08,880 --> 00:17:11,640 You start having a pull towards things. 258 00:17:11,960 --> 00:17:16,680 Like Greg with the homeless men, like he's having a gravitational 259 00:17:16,680 --> 00:17:19,480 pull. He can't, he can't control it. 260 00:17:19,720 --> 00:17:24,040 He's just going, he's talking, he's seeing people, he's doing 261 00:17:24,040 --> 00:17:26,720 things, but he has that heart behind it. 262 00:17:26,720 --> 00:17:29,480 He has that pool where he's wanting to do that. 263 00:17:29,800 --> 00:17:32,760 So I'm not saying you're going to up and start this ministry, 264 00:17:32,760 --> 00:17:37,080 but you are going to be called and pulled to serve somewhere or 265 00:17:37,080 --> 00:17:42,080 do something with your testimony or do something with your life, 266 00:17:42,360 --> 00:17:44,840 not just necessarily attend church. 267 00:17:44,880 --> 00:17:47,960 OK, so you attending church on a Sunday. 268 00:17:48,760 --> 00:17:53,040 We are called to serve. We are called to have a 269 00:17:53,040 --> 00:17:55,720 ministry. When I say you don't have to 270 00:17:55,720 --> 00:17:58,480 just start a ministry, like don't think of it as like 271 00:17:58,480 --> 00:18:02,520 praises in the pod or sisters of faith or something like that. 272 00:18:02,760 --> 00:18:04,440 Wherever you are is your ministry. 273 00:18:04,440 --> 00:18:06,800 You can tell people what God's done in your life. 274 00:18:06,800 --> 00:18:10,080 You can wear the shirt to start the conversation and want 275 00:18:10,080 --> 00:18:12,400 someone ask you, oh what? What's that shirt like? 276 00:18:12,400 --> 00:18:15,640 You can tell them we're just simple things like that. 277 00:18:16,080 --> 00:18:19,440 You will want to do those things naturally when you are truly 278 00:18:19,440 --> 00:18:22,560 surrendered and you truly are following him. 279 00:18:24,080 --> 00:18:30,320 The second maybe group of people that I wanted to talk to about 280 00:18:30,320 --> 00:18:34,200 this would be those wives that are struggling. 281 00:18:38,240 --> 00:18:42,840 Hang in there. Hang in there girl, it's hard. 282 00:18:43,200 --> 00:18:45,760 It is. It's truly, truly hard. 283 00:18:47,240 --> 00:18:52,320 I never would ever wish that on my worst enemy. 284 00:18:53,080 --> 00:18:57,880 That's not even a biblical thing, but like even BC before I 285 00:18:57,880 --> 00:19:01,360 came to Christ, I would have never wished that on someone to 286 00:19:01,360 --> 00:19:03,320 be unequally yoked in a marriage. 287 00:19:03,920 --> 00:19:08,640 It is one of the hardest things that I have ever experienced. 288 00:19:08,640 --> 00:19:12,280 And I mean, I've been going over my testimony and just things in 289 00:19:12,280 --> 00:19:15,200 my childhood and my life and just I'm like, those were hard 290 00:19:15,200 --> 00:19:17,600 things. But that those things don't even 291 00:19:17,600 --> 00:19:20,720 touch what I've went through the past two years. 292 00:19:21,480 --> 00:19:25,960 But to say that it has gotten me to where I am today. 293 00:19:26,040 --> 00:19:31,720 It has given me a whole new testimony of His goodness and 294 00:19:31,720 --> 00:19:34,960 His faithfulness because He brought my marriage out of the 295 00:19:34,960 --> 00:19:38,760 pits of hell. He can do it for you, but I just 296 00:19:38,760 --> 00:19:43,880 would tell you to keep praying. Have people in your circle, 297 00:19:44,120 --> 00:19:47,840 prayer warriors, praying on your behalf and interceding for you 298 00:19:47,840 --> 00:19:54,640 and your husband. I had people in my life that 299 00:19:54,640 --> 00:19:58,240 constantly were praying. Deborah from Potter's house, if 300 00:19:58,240 --> 00:20:00,920 you're listening, she prayed all the time. 301 00:20:00,920 --> 00:20:05,720 She'd send me scriptures and send me devotions and just spoke 302 00:20:05,720 --> 00:20:10,240 to my spirit so many times and like stuff like that keeps you 303 00:20:10,240 --> 00:20:13,640 going. So being around like minded 304 00:20:13,640 --> 00:20:17,640 people. Your girlfriends that are going 305 00:20:17,640 --> 00:20:21,040 to be praying for you and pulling you through that, that's 306 00:20:21,040 --> 00:20:23,640 going to make a difference. And when you don't see the light 307 00:20:23,640 --> 00:20:27,440 at the end of the tunnel, just know me neither. 308 00:20:28,120 --> 00:20:32,480 I never I never once saw the light at the end of the tunnel. 309 00:20:32,760 --> 00:20:38,880 I remember one day I was on the way to work and the song A New 310 00:20:38,880 --> 00:20:42,960 Thing Coming by Elevation Worship came on and I started 311 00:20:42,960 --> 00:20:45,600 bawling, crying. This was probably almost a year 312 00:20:45,600 --> 00:20:48,280 ago. I started bawling, crying and I 313 00:20:48,280 --> 00:20:50,440 told my mom. I was like, I just, I just feel 314 00:20:50,440 --> 00:20:53,080 like a new thing's coming. I think I'm walking into a new 315 00:20:53,080 --> 00:20:56,480 chapter with Greg. I think he's about to get saved. 316 00:20:56,480 --> 00:20:58,160 Like I just feel it. I just feel it. 317 00:20:58,520 --> 00:21:03,000 It was another year. And even when he did get saved, 318 00:21:03,320 --> 00:21:06,720 it was never something that I saw coming. 319 00:21:07,080 --> 00:21:11,760 I serve a God of suddenly he suddenly changed my life. 320 00:21:11,760 --> 00:21:16,120 It wasn't something that I like was like, oh, I think it's about 321 00:21:16,120 --> 00:21:18,480 to come. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. 322 00:21:18,640 --> 00:21:20,640 I think Greg's about to open up his Bible. 323 00:21:20,640 --> 00:21:22,360 Like, I see it coming. I know it is. 324 00:21:22,560 --> 00:21:26,720 No, it was suddenly, suddenly he gave his life to Christ. 325 00:21:26,720 --> 00:21:32,920 And just one night, our lives changed completely, Completely. 326 00:21:34,040 --> 00:21:36,520 Greg had to get to the bottom of his self. 327 00:21:36,520 --> 00:21:39,560 He had to find Christ on his own. 328 00:21:40,080 --> 00:21:42,880 So just keep praying. Keep praying for your husband. 329 00:21:42,880 --> 00:21:47,360 Keep praying that God will move in his life. 330 00:21:47,400 --> 00:21:51,680 And one thing that my mom always did tell me in those two years 331 00:21:51,680 --> 00:21:56,160 was Alexis, just pray that God gets his attention somehow, 332 00:21:56,160 --> 00:22:01,240 someway. But pray for your heart to be 333 00:22:01,240 --> 00:22:04,560 prepared, whatever that some way and somehow is. 334 00:22:05,840 --> 00:22:10,960 And definitely didn't pray for that enough. 335 00:22:10,960 --> 00:22:15,120 Because when we were in the hospital that week, it was it 336 00:22:15,120 --> 00:22:17,640 was hard. It was so hard. 337 00:22:18,360 --> 00:22:22,360 I was like, he could die right now. 338 00:22:23,120 --> 00:22:26,560 God, why are you doing this? But I can't continue to see the 339 00:22:26,560 --> 00:22:28,640 light. The first night we're in the 340 00:22:28,640 --> 00:22:32,600 hospital, he found a little baby Jesus and he still has that 341 00:22:32,600 --> 00:22:34,480 little baby Jesus on his night stand. 342 00:22:35,040 --> 00:22:39,800 And just from the moment we walked into the hospital, Jesus 343 00:22:39,800 --> 00:22:41,760 was there. His presence was known. 344 00:22:41,760 --> 00:22:45,120 We were praying for days prior to going to the hospital. 345 00:22:45,400 --> 00:22:49,200 I mean, I grabbed him the day before we went to the hospital. 346 00:22:49,200 --> 00:22:52,680 I knew how bad he was sick. And I grabbed his hands and I 347 00:22:52,680 --> 00:22:54,560 said get on your knees. We're praying. 348 00:22:54,560 --> 00:22:59,840 And I, that was the first time. Like I was like, I don't care if 349 00:22:59,840 --> 00:23:04,320 you hate me, if your knees hurt, how bad sick you are, you're 350 00:23:04,320 --> 00:23:06,000 getting down. And we're praying. 351 00:23:06,200 --> 00:23:13,000 We're praying, OK, all to say, keep going, sister. 352 00:23:13,320 --> 00:23:16,600 You are saying you are loved. God is going to move. 353 00:23:16,960 --> 00:23:20,320 He can perform miracles suddenly. 354 00:23:20,600 --> 00:23:26,600 So just remember that just because the darkness seems like 355 00:23:26,600 --> 00:23:32,400 it's just consuming you, the light can cut on just like that. 356 00:23:33,360 --> 00:23:35,120 Just like that, your life can change. 357 00:23:35,440 --> 00:23:38,280 So tonight me and Greg got in the car and we were driving. 358 00:23:38,280 --> 00:23:41,240 We had to run somewhere. And I was like, all right, I got 359 00:23:41,240 --> 00:23:42,760 to do my episode when we get back. 360 00:23:43,160 --> 00:23:45,720 But this will give me time to work on my testimony while we're 361 00:23:45,720 --> 00:23:49,440 just riding. And so as I was going over it 362 00:23:50,360 --> 00:23:55,600 like I'm taking parts of my past testimony, which is still my 363 00:23:55,600 --> 00:23:58,880 testimony, all of it, but now I'm having to condense it into 364 00:23:58,880 --> 00:24:01,080 25 minutes. It was 25 minutes to begin with. 365 00:24:01,080 --> 00:24:04,640 So now I have to take out stuff to add in the new chapter. 366 00:24:06,200 --> 00:24:12,160 And so I was working on that. And I'm telling y'all, God just 367 00:24:12,160 --> 00:24:17,840 started playing these songs that just brought me to tears as I'm 368 00:24:17,840 --> 00:24:23,240 typing this one part were worthy of it all comes on and I just 369 00:24:23,240 --> 00:24:27,640 instantly start crying and then the next song comes and I just 370 00:24:27,640 --> 00:24:29,680 start crying some more. Like it was just like 371 00:24:29,680 --> 00:24:33,080 back-to-back to back and I just like I was flooded with all 372 00:24:33,080 --> 00:24:38,640 these emotions of gratitude and thankfulness. 373 00:24:38,640 --> 00:24:46,480 And just just to be able to be looking at my testimony of what 374 00:24:47,040 --> 00:24:53,400 I have come from because of him and what I have went through all 375 00:24:53,400 --> 00:24:57,360 to get me to where I am today. And that all the changes and the 376 00:24:57,360 --> 00:25:01,400 many blessings and the answered prayers and the unanswered 377 00:25:01,400 --> 00:25:04,360 prayers that I thought I desperately wanted and all of 378 00:25:04,360 --> 00:25:05,800 it. Like it's just sitting right 379 00:25:05,800 --> 00:25:08,440 there and I'm reading it. And I just kept thinking like 380 00:25:08,440 --> 00:25:11,520 you are worthy of it all through all of that. 381 00:25:11,520 --> 00:25:14,360 You were worthy of every single bit of it. 382 00:25:14,400 --> 00:25:18,000 Like you are worthy of everything and I thank you Lord 383 00:25:18,000 --> 00:25:24,560 God, y'all, he is so good. If you have not surrendered your 384 00:25:24,560 --> 00:25:29,920 life, I beg you to do so. I beg you. 385 00:25:29,920 --> 00:25:34,800 I promise you, if you are listening to this podcast 386 00:25:34,800 --> 00:25:39,400 because you just want to know what I talk about or you're 387 00:25:39,400 --> 00:25:42,800 tuning in for the very first time because your friend sent it 388 00:25:42,800 --> 00:25:49,720 to you and said give it a try. This is the best life I could 389 00:25:49,880 --> 00:25:53,200 have ever dreamed of. This is more than I could have 390 00:25:53,200 --> 00:26:00,560 ever imagined. I promise you, there is nothing 391 00:26:00,560 --> 00:26:03,880 better in life. You may be having fun with some 392 00:26:03,880 --> 00:26:07,800 friends and going out and you know, doing all this and doing 393 00:26:07,800 --> 00:26:09,680 all that and you can't give up this. 394 00:26:10,160 --> 00:26:12,840 Just surrender. Just surrender. 395 00:26:13,000 --> 00:26:16,440 But there's nothing that I can say or do that can convince you 396 00:26:16,440 --> 00:26:18,480 to do that until you're ready to do that. 397 00:26:18,480 --> 00:26:24,160 But just know that if you are questioning it, if you need 398 00:26:24,160 --> 00:26:27,400 someone to talk to, please reach out to me. 399 00:26:27,400 --> 00:26:30,920 I would love to talk. I would love to lead you the 400 00:26:30,920 --> 00:26:33,520 best way I know how. And that's just to turn you to 401 00:26:33,520 --> 00:26:35,280 Christ. That's that's all I'm going to 402 00:26:35,280 --> 00:26:37,080 do is I'm going to show you how to meet Christ. 403 00:26:37,080 --> 00:26:39,840 I'm going to introduce you to him and it's going to be the 404 00:26:39,840 --> 00:26:43,680 best decision you ever made. The Holy Spirit's been moving 405 00:26:43,680 --> 00:26:49,200 y'all, when you take out those distractions and you give it all 406 00:26:49,200 --> 00:26:53,080 to him and you're like, just lead and guide me and speak to 407 00:26:53,080 --> 00:26:54,760 me. Lord, speak now. 408 00:26:54,760 --> 00:26:59,400 Your servant's listening when you do stuff like that, you'll 409 00:26:59,400 --> 00:27:01,960 see him and you'll feel him in a whole different way. 410 00:27:02,440 --> 00:27:05,000 So I, I encourage you to take a step. 411 00:27:05,240 --> 00:27:08,240 Take a step further. Maybe you just been coming to 412 00:27:08,240 --> 00:27:10,520 church. Maybe this week you want to join 413 00:27:10,520 --> 00:27:12,560 a life group or go to a Bible study. 414 00:27:12,560 --> 00:27:15,240 Do something different. Maybe you say yes to serving on 415 00:27:15,240 --> 00:27:17,520 a team. Maybe you text that friend to 416 00:27:17,520 --> 00:27:21,280 get coffee and just go talk about what God's revealing to 417 00:27:21,280 --> 00:27:24,080 you or maybe the convictions that you've had through this 418 00:27:24,080 --> 00:27:26,000 testimony. Talk to someone about it. 419 00:27:26,640 --> 00:27:29,440 Talk to me about it. Just just move in another 420 00:27:29,440 --> 00:27:32,280 direction. Because remember, if we're 421 00:27:32,280 --> 00:27:36,040 staying still in our faith, we're going to backslide. 422 00:27:36,600 --> 00:27:39,880 You can't just stay still. We're on a moving path. 423 00:27:40,120 --> 00:27:43,240 So you're either moving towards Jesus or you're moving away from 424 00:27:43,240 --> 00:27:46,880 him. But we can't idol guys. 425 00:27:46,880 --> 00:27:48,720 I think I'm going to end it there today. 426 00:27:48,720 --> 00:27:51,440 This has just been such, this has probably been my favorite 427 00:27:51,440 --> 00:27:53,880 episode by myself. I'm not even exaggerating. 428 00:27:53,880 --> 00:27:55,560 This has been such a good episode. 429 00:27:55,920 --> 00:27:59,600 I hope, I hope you think so. Anyway, make sure that y'all are 430 00:27:59,600 --> 00:28:03,120 liked and subscribed to the channels on whatever platform 431 00:28:03,120 --> 00:28:07,480 you're listening to, Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcast. 432 00:28:07,760 --> 00:28:10,760 Please make sure you're doing that like and follow our 433 00:28:10,760 --> 00:28:14,800 Instagram and Facebook account. You are so loved, you are so 434 00:28:14,800 --> 00:28:18,800 appreciated and we're just getting bigger, better and 435 00:28:18,800 --> 00:28:21,080 closer to Jesus with one another. 436 00:28:21,640 --> 00:28:24,280 Stay tuned, stay blessed and we'll see you guys later. 437 00:28:24,560 --> 00:28:25,040 Bye.