1 00:00:08,340 --> 00:00:10,820 What's up guys? My name's Alexis, your host with 2 00:00:10,820 --> 00:00:14,500 praises in the pot, and I am so excited to have Elise Wilson 3 00:00:14,500 --> 00:00:17,020 here with us today. We are going to jump into all 4 00:00:17,020 --> 00:00:19,500 about her, but we're going to start off in prayer and then 5 00:00:19,500 --> 00:00:21,220 we're going to get started. So here we go. 6 00:00:21,700 --> 00:00:23,580 Lord, Heavenly Father, thank you for today. 7 00:00:23,580 --> 00:00:25,180 Thank you for all your many blessings. 8 00:00:25,180 --> 00:00:29,060 Dear God, thank you for this young soul being able to come on 9 00:00:29,060 --> 00:00:32,280 and talk about your goodness and your faithfulness and just be 10 00:00:32,280 --> 00:00:36,800 able to live out your light. Lord God, we just pray that you 11 00:00:36,800 --> 00:00:40,240 speak to us and through us and let this episode glorify you. 12 00:00:40,360 --> 00:00:42,440 In Jesus name I pray. Amen. 13 00:00:43,320 --> 00:00:46,640 Amen. So like I said at the beginning, 14 00:00:46,840 --> 00:00:49,600 this is a young soul. You know, she's got the vibrant 15 00:00:49,600 --> 00:00:54,360 radiating skin right now. She is in high school, but 16 00:00:54,360 --> 00:00:58,120 literally we went to passion camp this past year and she was 17 00:00:58,120 --> 00:01:01,080 in one of my groups and y'all, she is so mature. 18 00:01:01,960 --> 00:01:05,640 She is so spiritually mature that like I was like, girl, I 19 00:01:05,640 --> 00:01:08,280 want you on the podcast. So we're going to do just that. 20 00:01:08,280 --> 00:01:11,360 We're going to talk about you, talk about what all God's 21 00:01:11,360 --> 00:01:15,000 revealed to you and just shine some light, girl. 22 00:01:15,400 --> 00:01:18,560 So start out a little bit about yourself and you know, like how 23 00:01:18,560 --> 00:01:23,120 you grew up and stuff. OK, so I actually grew up like 24 00:01:23,120 --> 00:01:25,600 down the street from the church I went to every Sunday. 25 00:01:25,920 --> 00:01:30,080 So my whole family, my grandparents and I, my parents, 26 00:01:30,080 --> 00:01:33,520 we all went to church and then, you know, we'd eat after and it 27 00:01:33,520 --> 00:01:35,160 was just a big thing we always did. 28 00:01:35,160 --> 00:01:38,880 But up until about 9:00, I went to that church and I don't know 29 00:01:38,880 --> 00:01:42,080 what it was, but I just didn't really like live for God. 30 00:01:42,080 --> 00:01:44,440 I was just, I was young. I don't know what it was, but 31 00:01:44,440 --> 00:01:47,760 like, seeds were planted and watered, but nothing was really, 32 00:01:48,200 --> 00:01:51,960 like happening. I wasn't like, and I identified 33 00:01:51,960 --> 00:01:54,200 as a Christian, but I guess you could say I was lukewarm. 34 00:01:55,200 --> 00:01:59,520 And I was baptized when I was 7. But I just looking back, I just 35 00:01:59,520 --> 00:02:02,840 wasn't living like for God. I didn't have my quiet time. 36 00:02:02,840 --> 00:02:05,480 I wasn't like reading my Bible. I wasn't. 37 00:02:05,480 --> 00:02:07,280 I would pray every night, but I was pretty much it. 38 00:02:07,280 --> 00:02:10,160 Yeah. And then let's see. 39 00:02:11,800 --> 00:02:15,840 So at about nine years old, I moved to mountain country where 40 00:02:15,840 --> 00:02:21,280 I live now, and we stopped going to that church that I used to go 41 00:02:21,280 --> 00:02:22,920 to. We church hopped, but I didn't 42 00:02:22,920 --> 00:02:26,360 really stick with the church. And then I was still praying and 43 00:02:26,360 --> 00:02:31,360 like living, you know, my life. I wasn't still wasn't very on 44 00:02:31,360 --> 00:02:35,200 fire for God at all. And then in 7th grade, so we're, 45 00:02:35,960 --> 00:02:39,720 you know, hopping all the way to 7th grade, Lance Smith was my 46 00:02:39,760 --> 00:02:42,080 science teacher, my science and social studies. 47 00:02:42,080 --> 00:02:45,960 And he invited me to Wednesday night youth at that church I 48 00:02:45,960 --> 00:02:49,160 used to go to. And I told my mom I was like, 49 00:02:49,160 --> 00:02:50,680 can you bring me? And she was like, of course. 50 00:02:50,680 --> 00:02:54,120 So I started going there on Wednesday nights for youth and I 51 00:02:54,160 --> 00:02:58,280 really loved it. And mainly I realized that I 52 00:02:58,280 --> 00:02:59,960 wasn't living the way I was supposed to for God. 53 00:03:00,480 --> 00:03:05,920 And so I was asking Mr. Smith about like, my salvation. 54 00:03:05,920 --> 00:03:08,320 I was really like, unsure about. I was like, am I saved? 55 00:03:08,320 --> 00:03:11,560 Like if I'm honest, I thought baptism was salvation. 56 00:03:12,560 --> 00:03:15,240 You thought once you got in the water and everything, you're 57 00:03:15,240 --> 00:03:18,160 like, I'm good, I'm right with the Lord. 58 00:03:19,840 --> 00:03:22,120 But yes, that's not necessarily true. 59 00:03:22,120 --> 00:03:26,800 So he gave me a book to read about it and it talked about 60 00:03:26,800 --> 00:03:31,040 assurances, salvation, and like, it talked about some stories and 61 00:03:31,720 --> 00:03:35,000 I explained it a little, but it did not help me, if I'm being 62 00:03:35,000 --> 00:03:36,640 honest. And I was still talking to him 63 00:03:36,640 --> 00:03:40,120 about it, and I was reading everything but the Bible about 64 00:03:40,120 --> 00:03:42,040 what it had to say about salvation and so. 65 00:03:42,160 --> 00:03:44,320 One thing that kind of stands out to me when you're talking 66 00:03:44,320 --> 00:03:48,920 about that is you know, you're in 7th grade already seeking and 67 00:03:48,920 --> 00:03:51,400 trying to like figure out where you are. 68 00:03:51,400 --> 00:03:54,760 You know, that's that's big and bold, You know, at a young age, 69 00:03:55,040 --> 00:03:59,320 being able to say, I I know I go to church, I know I've been 70 00:03:59,320 --> 00:04:01,720 baptized, but I'm not living for the Lord. 71 00:04:01,720 --> 00:04:05,480 Where can I find these answers? And even though that people are 72 00:04:05,480 --> 00:04:10,480 giving you like resources, you're realizing like this isn't 73 00:04:10,480 --> 00:04:15,080 even answering me still. But I know that if I do read the 74 00:04:15,080 --> 00:04:17,800 Bible, it will give me the answers that I'm seeking. 75 00:04:17,800 --> 00:04:19,240 But you're still not reading the Bible though. 76 00:04:19,720 --> 00:04:21,600 OK. And that kind of leads to me 77 00:04:21,600 --> 00:04:24,960 being like, big on Bible reading and later on. 78 00:04:24,960 --> 00:04:26,240 But, you know, we'll get to that. 79 00:04:26,240 --> 00:04:32,680 We'll get there. Yeah, but eventually I started 80 00:04:32,680 --> 00:04:35,880 reading certain chapters in Scripture about it. 81 00:04:35,880 --> 00:04:38,080 So like everyone tells you to start reading in the one of the 82 00:04:38,080 --> 00:04:40,680 gospels. So I read 1 of the gospels and I 83 00:04:40,680 --> 00:04:42,800 was like, OK, OK. But like they don't talk about 84 00:04:42,800 --> 00:04:46,200 salvation and then not like a highlight. 85 00:04:46,200 --> 00:04:49,040 And then I started reading some of Paul's letters, specifically 86 00:04:49,040 --> 00:04:52,400 first John four and five were like they were the first 87 00:04:52,400 --> 00:04:54,960 chapters I read. And I was like, Oh my gosh, like 88 00:04:55,320 --> 00:04:56,960 this is starting to make sense now. 89 00:04:56,960 --> 00:04:59,560 Like this is all like I'm piercing the together the pieces 90 00:04:59,560 --> 00:05:02,680 like I knew Jesus died and I knew that he loved me and that 91 00:05:02,680 --> 00:05:04,680 he was God's son and born of a virgin. 92 00:05:04,680 --> 00:05:08,240 I knew all of it. But like in my heart, I didn't 93 00:05:08,240 --> 00:05:10,240 like personally have a relationship. 94 00:05:10,240 --> 00:05:14,880 And so I read those those scriptures and I started reading 95 00:05:14,880 --> 00:05:19,040 like Galatians 2 and let's see Romans 10. 96 00:05:19,040 --> 00:05:22,280 Those are all really good scripture and like passages for 97 00:05:22,280 --> 00:05:25,640 it. And I started like praying and 98 00:05:25,640 --> 00:05:29,000 talking to more people and I didn't feel the need to anymore. 99 00:05:29,000 --> 00:05:34,080 Like I knew like with between me and God that I like was 100 00:05:34,160 --> 00:05:36,760 understanding. Like I had a understanding of 101 00:05:36,760 --> 00:05:38,880 what salvation was between me and him. 102 00:05:39,120 --> 00:05:42,080 So at the beginning, you were seeking people to try to, like, 103 00:05:42,080 --> 00:05:45,520 teach you how to find it. But then once you did find your 104 00:05:45,520 --> 00:05:48,520 salvation and you knew that you had a relationship with Jesus, 105 00:05:48,520 --> 00:05:51,920 you're like, I'm still going to stay around those like minded 106 00:05:51,920 --> 00:05:54,400 people, but now I'm not questioning where I. 107 00:05:54,400 --> 00:05:57,520 Stand I'm going to God about it and all these other people 108 00:05:57,520 --> 00:06:00,640 because they're not going to solve it Yeah, absolutely. 109 00:06:00,720 --> 00:06:04,560 So I was also trying I don't know why I had this idea that my 110 00:06:04,560 --> 00:06:09,360 works had a play in my salvation because James too says that 111 00:06:09,360 --> 00:06:12,000 faith without works is dead and that's true absolutely because 112 00:06:12,000 --> 00:06:16,840 that's what the Bible says. But if it's in relations too, 113 00:06:16,840 --> 00:06:20,600 that if we could earn our salvation by our works, think 114 00:06:20,600 --> 00:06:22,840 Christ died for nothing. Jesus died for nothing. 115 00:06:22,840 --> 00:06:25,520 If we could do, if we could make ourselves righteous enough for 116 00:06:25,640 --> 00:06:29,760 God. And so that was those verses 117 00:06:29,760 --> 00:06:34,160 that are chapters Galatians 2, Romans 10 and 1st John four and 118 00:06:34,160 --> 00:06:37,760 five, literally like they just highlighted everything that I 119 00:06:37,760 --> 00:06:41,240 had questions about. So I knew that my salvation was 120 00:06:41,240 --> 00:06:44,200 not based upon myself, but for what Jesus did for me. 121 00:06:44,560 --> 00:06:48,920 And I knew I knew what salvation was that I just had to believe 122 00:06:48,920 --> 00:06:50,320 it. It wasn't in my works. 123 00:06:50,720 --> 00:06:55,480 And so middle school. Which those works, you know, 124 00:06:55,480 --> 00:06:58,840 like once you are saved, those works are going to come, but 125 00:06:58,840 --> 00:07:02,120 that's just that's from the fruit that you are carrying in 126 00:07:02,120 --> 00:07:05,480 Christ living inside of you. So it's not like we're saying 127 00:07:05,920 --> 00:07:09,400 just when you get saved, like you're don't have to be a good 128 00:07:09,480 --> 00:07:12,600 Yeah, like those will the works come. 129 00:07:12,600 --> 00:07:16,080 But it's not to glorify yourself anymore like how it would be 130 00:07:16,080 --> 00:07:18,520 previously. Like you just want to be a good 131 00:07:18,520 --> 00:07:22,760 person now. Jesus is making you want to live 132 00:07:23,000 --> 00:07:25,640 more like Him. And I like to say that your 133 00:07:25,640 --> 00:07:29,240 salvation may not have much to do with your own works, but 134 00:07:29,240 --> 00:07:32,560 other people's minds. So like, and we talked about 135 00:07:32,560 --> 00:07:37,880 this kind of in the sermon today at church that like your works 136 00:07:37,880 --> 00:07:39,640 can lead other people to salvation. 137 00:07:39,640 --> 00:07:42,120 They can lead them to Jesus without you saying anything. 138 00:07:42,600 --> 00:07:47,040 So I think that's a really big important aspect of your works. 139 00:07:47,280 --> 00:07:53,760 So in middle school summer camp, Rhonda was my small group. 140 00:07:53,760 --> 00:07:57,520 Yeah, yes. And so she that's kind of how I 141 00:07:57,520 --> 00:08:00,320 first knew of use because your testimonies kind of like have to 142 00:08:00,320 --> 00:08:03,480 do with each other. And so I was talking to her and 143 00:08:03,480 --> 00:08:06,240 that was the question I brought up because I was coming out of 144 00:08:06,600 --> 00:08:08,760 knowing or being unsure about salvation. 145 00:08:08,760 --> 00:08:13,160 I knew that I was saved now and I was like, OK, so can someone 146 00:08:13,160 --> 00:08:15,480 help me out? Like I feel like I'm fully saved 147 00:08:15,480 --> 00:08:16,800 now. I've already been baptized. 148 00:08:16,800 --> 00:08:20,960 I need to be rebaptized. And that was on June 22nd is 149 00:08:20,960 --> 00:08:26,520 just the date I put on it 2023 that I decided I'm fully living 150 00:08:26,520 --> 00:08:28,440 for God now there's no turning back. 151 00:08:28,920 --> 00:08:34,520 And so August 20th of 2023 I got baptized by Lynn Smith and then 152 00:08:35,799 --> 00:08:38,360 I guess free baptized. But like I was, I knew what I 153 00:08:38,360 --> 00:08:39,799 was doing the. First time was a dunk. 154 00:08:40,000 --> 00:08:42,960 Yeah, yeah. You got done. 155 00:08:43,240 --> 00:08:45,600 This one was a bad. Yeah, that's funny. 156 00:08:46,160 --> 00:08:49,640 But yes. So then I've really, there was 157 00:08:49,640 --> 00:08:53,480 been no turning back. I've had moments where I wasn't 158 00:08:53,560 --> 00:08:57,040 on fire, forgot I was still not really going into emotions, but 159 00:08:57,040 --> 00:08:59,720 like I didn't have that like, yeah, rigor for God. 160 00:09:00,040 --> 00:09:02,800 And now I'm, I'm just digging deeper. 161 00:09:02,800 --> 00:09:04,640 Like I've had so many answered prayers. 162 00:09:04,640 --> 00:09:07,600 God has put me around a great community of people. 163 00:09:08,120 --> 00:09:10,720 I mean, like pushed in my faith every day. 164 00:09:10,720 --> 00:09:14,920 Like it's been, it's been really unreal what he's done and all 165 00:09:14,920 --> 00:09:17,240 the answered prayers. That's amazing, girl. 166 00:09:17,480 --> 00:09:21,880 You know, and it's so sweet to think like Lance, for instance, 167 00:09:21,880 --> 00:09:24,720 like, you know, he invites you to church and all this stuff and 168 00:09:24,720 --> 00:09:27,560 then he gets, he gets to be the one to baptize you. 169 00:09:27,560 --> 00:09:30,840 Like he's got to watch you spiritually mature all these 170 00:09:30,840 --> 00:09:33,200 years now all the way up until now. 171 00:09:33,200 --> 00:09:35,800 And it's like he got to be a part of that and watch that. 172 00:09:35,800 --> 00:09:37,840 He's known me since I was a baby actually. 173 00:09:37,840 --> 00:09:40,280 Wow. Or his wife, not his mom. 174 00:09:40,920 --> 00:09:44,120 Sorry now. Yes, Mr. Smith's wife used to 175 00:09:44,120 --> 00:09:46,880 give me dance lessons and like, there was one time they had to 176 00:09:46,880 --> 00:09:51,960 babysit me and then, yeah, I've always known him, but yeah. 177 00:09:52,360 --> 00:09:56,120 That is so awesome. And so this is actually, you 178 00:09:56,120 --> 00:10:00,040 know, a little side note, but you know, you live about 45 179 00:10:00,040 --> 00:10:04,480 minutes from here, which is, you know, a good distance to try to 180 00:10:04,480 --> 00:10:08,720 travel to come to church. And so like you said, you went 181 00:10:08,720 --> 00:10:11,320 to churches, you know where you live and y'all were kind of 182 00:10:11,320 --> 00:10:14,080 bouncing around, but like, how did y'all get down here to 183 00:10:14,080 --> 00:10:16,320 Southside? Mr. Smith, like I said, I was 184 00:10:16,320 --> 00:10:20,640 going to Wednesday night with him and his church, and then he 185 00:10:20,640 --> 00:10:24,200 was trying to find a church to be super involved with and he 186 00:10:24,200 --> 00:10:27,040 started going to South Side. And he told me prior that he had 187 00:10:27,040 --> 00:10:29,680 a long list of churches that he was going to go to, like 188 00:10:30,040 --> 00:10:32,280 several, several, like probably dozens. 189 00:10:32,280 --> 00:10:34,160 And South Side was the first one. 190 00:10:34,480 --> 00:10:36,360 And that was the only one they went to. 191 00:10:36,560 --> 00:10:37,880 They went. He knew. 192 00:10:38,640 --> 00:10:40,960 He went one time and he was like, oh, we loved it. 193 00:10:40,960 --> 00:10:44,560 He was hyping it up and 45 minutes, you know, it's a long 194 00:10:44,560 --> 00:10:47,600 drive. And so my parents and I were 195 00:10:47,600 --> 00:10:51,440 talking and we're like, OK, we were going to give some churches 196 00:10:51,440 --> 00:10:53,360 a try. We had two in mind, one right 197 00:10:53,360 --> 00:10:55,040 beside my house and 1:45 minutes. 198 00:10:55,040 --> 00:10:57,320 So I see we're like, OK, we'll go try South side. 199 00:10:57,720 --> 00:11:01,120 And I tried it and I really loved it too, because we had 200 00:11:01,120 --> 00:11:06,800 been for like middle school or wait like prayer nights or a 201 00:11:06,800 --> 00:11:09,400 worship nights, like random things like that, but not for a 202 00:11:09,400 --> 00:11:12,760 Sunday morning service. So we went for a Sunday morning 203 00:11:12,760 --> 00:11:15,480 service and really liked it. And that's how I got plugged in 204 00:11:15,480 --> 00:11:18,520 with ignition because we found out Southside's so big, there's 205 00:11:18,520 --> 00:11:23,960 so many little like. And so I got plugged into like I 206 00:11:23,960 --> 00:11:25,160 guess my age group and everything. 207 00:11:25,480 --> 00:11:27,520 And that's how I started getting to know people. 208 00:11:27,520 --> 00:11:30,680 That's what led to me moving to Hoco is because I just loved the 209 00:11:30,680 --> 00:11:34,160 people up here like I was. There were so many, like it was 210 00:11:34,160 --> 00:11:36,400 just for me. Like I'm not saying where I was 211 00:11:36,640 --> 00:11:39,320 wasn't good, but I'm saying where I am now is what was for 212 00:11:39,320 --> 00:11:41,320 me. Yeah, and I mean anybody. 213 00:11:41,320 --> 00:11:44,360 You can go try out many churches and just because you're not a 214 00:11:44,360 --> 00:11:48,160 good fit or you don't feel like this church understands me or 215 00:11:48,160 --> 00:11:52,600 like I just don't fit in, like go find find your church. 216 00:11:52,600 --> 00:11:54,440 And that's what I tell my friends all the time. 217 00:11:54,440 --> 00:11:56,440 Like, I don't care if you come to South Side. 218 00:11:56,440 --> 00:11:57,720 I would love you to. Yeah. 219 00:11:58,280 --> 00:12:00,880 But you don't have to. Like I just want you to find a 220 00:12:00,880 --> 00:12:04,360 church and get plugged into a community and not just go on 221 00:12:04,360 --> 00:12:07,160 Sundays. Like find people to do life. 222 00:12:07,160 --> 00:12:10,000 With yes, because, and now I see what used to be the people I 223 00:12:10,000 --> 00:12:13,960 only saw on Sundays every like all the time, yes, because we 224 00:12:13,960 --> 00:12:16,640 are sisters in Christ. It's not just about the church 225 00:12:16,640 --> 00:12:19,280 building when it's like the body of Christ that that's like, I 226 00:12:19,280 --> 00:12:20,840 see that is my sister and my brother. 227 00:12:20,840 --> 00:12:23,480 I see them all the time and they're just like my best 228 00:12:23,480 --> 00:12:26,280 friends. Yes, that's good girl. 229 00:12:26,560 --> 00:12:31,680 So when y'all come to Southside you get plugged in and then 230 00:12:31,680 --> 00:12:34,040 that's probably around. What, like 8th grade? 231 00:12:34,040 --> 00:12:36,640 Yes. So that's like, I think it was 232 00:12:36,640 --> 00:12:39,600 about April, May of 8th grade. I remember all this like the 233 00:12:39,600 --> 00:12:41,000 back of my hand. Yeah, girl, you got like a 234 00:12:41,000 --> 00:12:43,920 photographic memory. You can memorize things. 235 00:12:44,320 --> 00:12:49,440 OK, So tell us a little bit about like what your walk is 236 00:12:49,440 --> 00:12:52,960 looking like the next two years since you started and I really 237 00:12:53,080 --> 00:12:57,320 diving deep so. I started going to middle school 238 00:12:57,560 --> 00:13:01,920 ministry about April or May, and then I saw like the 8th grader 239 00:13:01,920 --> 00:13:04,680 retreat thing that they did for whitewater rafting. 240 00:13:04,920 --> 00:13:08,560 I went on it. I met a couple people, Brisa, 241 00:13:08,600 --> 00:13:11,040 that's like where I met her and I'm still really good friends 242 00:13:11,040 --> 00:13:14,360 with her. And then I started meeting 243 00:13:14,360 --> 00:13:17,280 people that way. I heard about the middle school 244 00:13:17,280 --> 00:13:18,480 camp. I went there. 245 00:13:18,600 --> 00:13:22,200 And then that's when I put the date on my salvation and decided 246 00:13:22,200 --> 00:13:27,080 to get rebaptized. I'm still like having my quiet 247 00:13:27,080 --> 00:13:28,640 time. This is also the first time I 248 00:13:28,640 --> 00:13:32,160 had a designated part of the day where I was like, OK, I'm going 249 00:13:32,160 --> 00:13:35,040 to sit down with the door close in my room by myself where it's 250 00:13:35,040 --> 00:13:36,000 quiet. I don't. 251 00:13:36,000 --> 00:13:39,480 And I also, I had was debating whether or not have worship 252 00:13:39,480 --> 00:13:41,600 music on while I was reading my Bible. 253 00:13:41,600 --> 00:13:44,120 But I don't do that anymore because it's your quiet time. 254 00:13:44,120 --> 00:13:46,680 Like you can have your worship time in your quiet time, but 255 00:13:46,680 --> 00:13:49,720 like it's hard to focus that way because it's different things. 256 00:13:50,080 --> 00:13:53,640 So I had just my quiet time with God and I was diving into his 257 00:13:53,640 --> 00:13:57,240 word just really like soaking it all in, praying and like just 258 00:13:57,240 --> 00:13:59,320 being quiet and still and slow with him. 259 00:13:59,320 --> 00:14:01,960 Not like rushing, like reading my daily verse and then going on 260 00:14:01,960 --> 00:14:06,240 with my life. So then I was on fire for God. 261 00:14:06,240 --> 00:14:08,760 I remember that summer, literally it was the easiest 262 00:14:08,760 --> 00:14:11,120 thing for me to be on fire because I had all the time in 263 00:14:11,120 --> 00:14:13,960 the world to read his word to and I wasn't around any bad 264 00:14:13,960 --> 00:14:17,320 influences. I was just really diving into 265 00:14:17,320 --> 00:14:18,520 his word. I was just with God all the 266 00:14:18,520 --> 00:14:21,240 time. And then August school started 267 00:14:21,240 --> 00:14:23,680 back high school. Everyone warns you they're like 268 00:14:23,680 --> 00:14:25,320 high school. You know, you need to watch out 269 00:14:25,320 --> 00:14:28,640 like all these people. That's when the influences and 270 00:14:28,640 --> 00:14:32,000 the temptation comes. And that really never happened 271 00:14:32,000 --> 00:14:34,560 for me. I was so in my just unplugged in 272 00:14:34,560 --> 00:14:39,480 no, really like I didn't. I really haven't had like I've 273 00:14:39,600 --> 00:14:41,960 always been a homebody so I never really went out or did 274 00:14:41,960 --> 00:14:43,840 anything. I went to the football games and 275 00:14:43,840 --> 00:14:45,320 then Waffle House and I went home. 276 00:14:45,320 --> 00:14:49,840 That was pretty much the only time I went out and I never 277 00:14:49,840 --> 00:14:52,880 really I would say I wasn't around the best influences at 278 00:14:52,880 --> 00:14:59,280 times, but God took them away. Like if someone wasn't for me, I 279 00:14:59,280 --> 00:15:01,160 always pray like God your will be done. 280 00:15:01,160 --> 00:15:04,120 If someone saw for me take them away and that would always 281 00:15:04,120 --> 00:15:07,200 happen. Like it just things and I've had 282 00:15:07,200 --> 00:15:10,680 people tell me like God will put people in your life who need to 283 00:15:10,680 --> 00:15:14,320 be and he really has and certain people or for certain people 284 00:15:15,040 --> 00:15:17,080 certain. Seasons certain times. 285 00:15:17,560 --> 00:15:21,760 Reason for everything and so that's in about August nothing 286 00:15:21,760 --> 00:15:24,960 like monumental happened out everyone has like I call them 287 00:15:24,960 --> 00:15:29,880 like mini testimonies about certain things like not that 288 00:15:29,880 --> 00:15:34,600 August it was this past August I had a nominee testimony but I 289 00:15:34,600 --> 00:15:37,680 was still on fire for God still a baby Christian so I didn't 290 00:15:37,680 --> 00:15:42,680 have like a deep understanding of everything but I was all my 291 00:15:42,920 --> 00:15:48,640 media that I was consuming was Christian and so Fast forward to 292 00:15:48,640 --> 00:15:53,360 this past summer I I went to passion camp which I. 293 00:15:53,360 --> 00:15:57,480 Love it was so much fun. Girl, I love fashion camp. 294 00:15:57,480 --> 00:16:01,400 And I think is that when I like started meeting you OK 'cause 295 00:16:01,800 --> 00:16:06,160 you were my small group leader. And then again, summer, I love 296 00:16:06,160 --> 00:16:08,640 long weekends, I love breaks, I love summer. 297 00:16:08,640 --> 00:16:10,880 Anything where I don't have school or anything keeping me 298 00:16:10,880 --> 00:16:14,680 busy because it's so easy to like just dive in the word and 299 00:16:14,680 --> 00:16:18,680 just be with God. And so I did that. 300 00:16:19,000 --> 00:16:20,680 I also, this is when I moved school. 301 00:16:20,680 --> 00:16:23,000 So freshman year I went to Hawkinsville High School. 302 00:16:23,480 --> 00:16:26,680 I'm a sophomore now. I go to Houston County High and 303 00:16:26,960 --> 00:16:29,360 I do think Southside had a big part in that because that's how 304 00:16:29,360 --> 00:16:32,200 I got plugged into anything with Houston County because I live in 305 00:16:32,200 --> 00:16:35,400 Pulaski County. So I, I started meeting all 306 00:16:35,400 --> 00:16:37,440 these people and I clicked with someone for once. 307 00:16:37,440 --> 00:16:40,240 I did like I didn't really have a best friend or anything. 308 00:16:40,240 --> 00:16:43,360 Like I had lots of close friends, but nothing like, you 309 00:16:43,360 --> 00:16:44,680 know, like I said, I was a homebody. 310 00:16:44,680 --> 00:16:46,240 I never went anywhere, did anything. 311 00:16:46,240 --> 00:16:52,080 And so I, yeah, so I got plugged into Housing County High. 312 00:16:52,080 --> 00:16:55,040 Like I said, I went to passion camp over the summer. 313 00:16:55,040 --> 00:16:56,440 That was pretty much the only thing. 314 00:16:56,440 --> 00:16:58,920 I'm just, I never really backslid or anything. 315 00:16:59,280 --> 00:17:02,200 I have had times where I've been more on fire for God than 316 00:17:02,200 --> 00:17:08,599 others, but I've still been like since I've since ignition, since 317 00:17:08,640 --> 00:17:11,960 middle school, I've been steady since and so. 318 00:17:12,599 --> 00:17:14,839 It's so crazy because when I think about it, I'm like, girl, 319 00:17:14,839 --> 00:17:18,880 that's the week that like I'm like, me too, yeah, yeah. 320 00:17:18,920 --> 00:17:22,200 Because when I went to camp, that's when I really fell in 321 00:17:22,200 --> 00:17:24,880 love with ministry. That's when I like really was 322 00:17:24,880 --> 00:17:28,280 like when I go home, I'm a different person. 323 00:17:28,560 --> 00:17:32,920 Like I don't want to. It was just such a amazing week 324 00:17:32,920 --> 00:17:36,480 that we had at ignition camp and it's just so crazy when I think 325 00:17:36,480 --> 00:17:37,800 about it. I'm like, that was a life 326 00:17:37,800 --> 00:17:41,040 changing week for you. That was a life changing week 327 00:17:41,040 --> 00:17:43,640 for me. No matter what age, if you're 328 00:17:43,640 --> 00:17:47,840 going to, you know, anything, it doesn't matter if those messages 329 00:17:47,840 --> 00:17:51,680 were directed to students. God spoke through those speakers 330 00:17:51,680 --> 00:17:54,760 to speak to me too. So, you know, it's just so 331 00:17:54,760 --> 00:17:57,440 crazy. We all interpret messages from 332 00:17:57,440 --> 00:18:00,440 God a different way. And so even though they were 333 00:18:00,440 --> 00:18:03,400 talking about, you know, giving your all at school and being, 334 00:18:03,400 --> 00:18:06,400 you know, a team player and all this stuff, like whatever was 335 00:18:06,400 --> 00:18:08,440 said that we, you know, changed my life too. 336 00:18:08,440 --> 00:18:12,120 So that is just so cool. Camp is such a amazing 337 00:18:12,120 --> 00:18:15,480 experience because you're just taken away from anything that 338 00:18:15,480 --> 00:18:19,720 could be beneficial or not for you and you have nothing but 339 00:18:19,720 --> 00:18:22,240 Jesus influencing you. Like it's nothing but people 340 00:18:22,560 --> 00:18:25,200 that are for God for a whole week. 341 00:18:25,320 --> 00:18:28,880 And then it's kind of sad when you have to come back because 342 00:18:28,880 --> 00:18:33,240 it's like, you can still ignite that fire, but it's a lot harder 343 00:18:33,240 --> 00:18:37,280 because you don't have as many things feeding you Jesus, so. 344 00:18:37,480 --> 00:18:39,600 Well, too, you know, a lot of kids. 345 00:18:39,600 --> 00:18:43,600 I remember that last night at camp, the altars flooded. 346 00:18:43,600 --> 00:18:46,600 Everybody's down basically on their knees and their face and 347 00:18:46,600 --> 00:18:48,240 everybody, you know, praying and everything. 348 00:18:48,640 --> 00:18:51,840 And so a lot of people are on fire at that moment. 349 00:18:51,840 --> 00:18:53,920 You know, we're coming off a hot week. 350 00:18:54,560 --> 00:18:56,680 We're got great messages, everything. 351 00:18:56,680 --> 00:19:00,200 But when you came back, your fire remained, right? 352 00:19:00,200 --> 00:19:04,400 And So what advice would you maybe give some of your peers or 353 00:19:04,400 --> 00:19:08,200 even, you know, my peers, girl, how do you come off of something 354 00:19:08,200 --> 00:19:13,360 like that and remain on fire and not let the IT start dwindling? 355 00:19:13,560 --> 00:19:17,320 So any fire needs fuel. So there's so many different 356 00:19:17,320 --> 00:19:18,960 ways you can feed an actual fire. 357 00:19:18,960 --> 00:19:21,800 You can give it more wood, oxygen, whatever it be. 358 00:19:21,800 --> 00:19:24,240 So if you apply this to your spiritual life, it can be 359 00:19:24,240 --> 00:19:29,200 reading your Bible, praying, and then also with a physical fire, 360 00:19:29,200 --> 00:19:30,600 there's things that can take it out. 361 00:19:30,920 --> 00:19:34,320 So with your spiritual life, there's things that can lead you 362 00:19:34,320 --> 00:19:36,800 into temptation, can lead you astray. 363 00:19:36,800 --> 00:19:40,440 If something's not leading you toward God, it's you're, you're 364 00:19:40,440 --> 00:19:43,320 not really ever idling. You're either toward or moving 365 00:19:43,320 --> 00:19:46,160 away from God. And so if there's anyone in your 366 00:19:46,160 --> 00:19:48,960 life, anything in your life that's not leading you toward 367 00:19:48,960 --> 00:19:51,480 God, just reevaluate. Take that to the secret place. 368 00:19:51,480 --> 00:19:53,880 Take it to God and see what he says about it. 369 00:19:53,880 --> 00:19:57,880 You know, pray that he removes it if it's not from him. 370 00:19:59,120 --> 00:20:02,520 But I would also say reading your Bible is just the biggest, 371 00:20:02,520 --> 00:20:05,360 like, thing I could say. I've heard people say to be 372 00:20:05,360 --> 00:20:08,320 proportionate in the Spirit. So, like, you don't need to just 373 00:20:08,320 --> 00:20:10,640 pray or just worship or just read your Bible. 374 00:20:10,640 --> 00:20:14,120 You need to do them all, like, just as much as you do one or 375 00:20:14,120 --> 00:20:14,960 the other. Yeah. 376 00:20:15,000 --> 00:20:18,120 So it's like if you only hit legs in the gym, you're probably 377 00:20:18,120 --> 00:20:19,480 going to be disproportionate. Yeah. 378 00:20:20,240 --> 00:20:22,680 If you only ever read your Bible, like how are you? 379 00:20:23,840 --> 00:20:26,280 Like what if God wants to speak to you through prayer that 380 00:20:26,280 --> 00:20:29,120 you're missing out on that or maybe and through a worship 381 00:20:29,120 --> 00:20:31,320 song, God can speak in so many different ways. 382 00:20:31,760 --> 00:20:35,320 And so you need to make sure that you're giving God the 383 00:20:35,320 --> 00:20:38,280 opportunity to feed your fire. That's good, girl. 384 00:20:38,280 --> 00:20:40,520 I've never thought about it like that and I've never heard that, 385 00:20:40,520 --> 00:20:43,520 but that does make sense. You know, like, well, one, if 386 00:20:43,520 --> 00:20:46,600 you're only reading your Bible and you're not, you know, like 387 00:20:46,600 --> 00:20:50,880 living it out, that's gonna hinder him being able to speak 388 00:20:50,880 --> 00:20:53,960 to you and everything else. And then also like, you know, if 389 00:20:53,960 --> 00:20:56,600 you're only listening to worship music, let's try to implement 390 00:20:56,600 --> 00:21:00,200 reading the Bible and doing those other things so you can be 391 00:21:00,200 --> 00:21:02,200 more proportional. That's good. 392 00:21:02,600 --> 00:21:06,560 That's good, girl. So, yeah, I mean, that was just 393 00:21:07,280 --> 00:21:10,480 a big thing is like, I hear, you know, a lot of people come back 394 00:21:10,480 --> 00:21:13,760 from woman's conference, you know, student camps, all this 395 00:21:13,760 --> 00:21:15,520 stuff. And they they want to do so 396 00:21:15,520 --> 00:21:17,240 well. But as soon as they hit into the 397 00:21:17,240 --> 00:21:19,720 real world and get back into school and their friend groups 398 00:21:19,720 --> 00:21:21,800 and all this stuff, they start dwindling down. 399 00:21:21,800 --> 00:21:23,880 And you're saying, you know, you're not idling. 400 00:21:24,200 --> 00:21:27,280 And I think a lot of people think maybe I'm just going with 401 00:21:27,280 --> 00:21:29,000 the flow, I'm idling. But no, you're either 402 00:21:29,000 --> 00:21:31,200 backsliding or you're growing closer. 403 00:21:31,680 --> 00:21:35,480 But because life's going to continue to move and it never 404 00:21:35,480 --> 00:21:37,520 stands still. So why would we think that we're 405 00:21:37,520 --> 00:21:40,200 just in a standstill. We're either drifting or we're 406 00:21:40,200 --> 00:21:43,760 growing closer. Yeah, it's like, I think of it 407 00:21:43,760 --> 00:21:45,600 as being in the ocean. Like you think you're just 408 00:21:45,600 --> 00:21:48,120 sitting there, but that current is taking you away. 409 00:21:48,120 --> 00:21:51,160 It's like the enemy is pulling you and you don't notice until 410 00:21:51,160 --> 00:21:53,400 you look around and you're not where you used to be. 411 00:21:53,440 --> 00:21:57,200 Wow, that's a good visual. That's a really good visual. 412 00:21:58,120 --> 00:22:03,160 So you've been really getting plugged in more recently? 413 00:22:03,480 --> 00:22:05,600 I know you signed up to go on a missions trip. 414 00:22:05,640 --> 00:22:07,960 Yes, yes. And when are y'all leaving? 415 00:22:08,160 --> 00:22:11,760 It's May 31st through June 7th I believe. 416 00:22:11,800 --> 00:22:14,680 And where are y'all going? Costa Rica, San Jose is where 417 00:22:14,680 --> 00:22:17,520 we're staying, but we're kind of going to be all over the place. 418 00:22:17,520 --> 00:22:21,120 We plan on one little thing, like we'll feed the homeless, 419 00:22:21,120 --> 00:22:24,240 you know, handout bags. We, our main thing is going to 420 00:22:24,240 --> 00:22:28,200 be Southside ports families that are already there. 421 00:22:28,520 --> 00:22:32,520 So we're going to help them out. There's a construction aspect of 422 00:22:32,520 --> 00:22:35,960 it and obviously evangelistic. We're going to really help out 423 00:22:35,960 --> 00:22:39,520 with the kids and the families that are with that church. 424 00:22:39,560 --> 00:22:42,880 And yeah. Have you ever been on a mission 425 00:22:42,880 --> 00:22:46,160 trip or anything before? OK, so you're really excited. 426 00:22:46,160 --> 00:22:47,600 I mean, girl, I would be so excited. 427 00:22:48,400 --> 00:22:50,480 I'm like, there's just so much going on this summer. 428 00:22:50,480 --> 00:22:52,720 I can't do it, but I would love to. 429 00:22:52,720 --> 00:22:55,440 I think it would be so amazing to go. 430 00:22:55,440 --> 00:23:00,080 Such a answered prayer, so many like it's such a answer, yes, 431 00:23:00,080 --> 00:23:02,120 so. In about two months you are 432 00:23:02,120 --> 00:23:04,480 about to start going on your mission trip and I know it's 433 00:23:04,480 --> 00:23:06,800 going to cost. So what do you what do you know 434 00:23:06,800 --> 00:23:08,480 what the cost is? What is it? 435 00:23:08,480 --> 00:23:10,640 Yeah. So approximately for Costa Rica, 436 00:23:10,920 --> 00:23:14,800 it's 17, $100, but if you don't have a passport, which I didn't, 437 00:23:15,240 --> 00:23:18,400 I had to buy that and then I already put the deposit down. 438 00:23:18,400 --> 00:23:23,320 So it's still about $1500 approximately, but yes. 439 00:23:23,560 --> 00:23:26,200 We're trying to, you're trying to raise money and, you know, 440 00:23:26,200 --> 00:23:28,280 get donations and stuff like that. 441 00:23:28,280 --> 00:23:31,560 I know you posted, you know, on your social media and put your 442 00:23:31,560 --> 00:23:33,720 Venmo. I'm going to also put your Venmo 443 00:23:33,720 --> 00:23:37,480 on this. So maybe if you feel led to, you 444 00:23:37,480 --> 00:23:41,000 know, send a lease and help her travels to Costa Rica, that 445 00:23:41,000 --> 00:23:42,520 would be great, greatly appreciated. 446 00:23:42,760 --> 00:23:46,080 I mean, if you have been listening this far, you already 447 00:23:46,080 --> 00:23:48,480 know this girl is on fire for the Lord. 448 00:23:48,760 --> 00:23:53,320 She wants to do Kingdom work and she radiates that like she 449 00:23:53,320 --> 00:23:57,920 really wants to pour her knowledge and God just into 450 00:23:57,920 --> 00:24:01,520 others, you know, And it shows, girl, it truly shows. 451 00:24:01,520 --> 00:24:03,440 You have been such an inspiration to me. 452 00:24:03,720 --> 00:24:06,960 And I told you this at Passion Camp, the way you can memorize 453 00:24:06,960 --> 00:24:11,560 scripture and truly apply the Scripture to your life, not just 454 00:24:11,640 --> 00:24:15,720 saying what it is, but you're like, no, I read this. 455 00:24:15,960 --> 00:24:18,720 I applied this to my life. This is how I applied it. 456 00:24:18,720 --> 00:24:20,480 And I think that you should do it as well. 457 00:24:20,680 --> 00:24:23,640 We would be at Passion Camp and somebody would bring up 458 00:24:23,640 --> 00:24:28,040 something like about, I don't know, I could pull up my thing 459 00:24:28,040 --> 00:24:30,400 because I would write down at least gave this scripture. 460 00:24:31,520 --> 00:24:35,040 But they would say like they're struggling with like anxiety. 461 00:24:35,040 --> 00:24:38,120 And she would be like, no, he says, cast all your all your 462 00:24:38,120 --> 00:24:41,120 burdens, like she would give it. And she's like, you need to, you 463 00:24:41,120 --> 00:24:45,680 know, sit on this and dwell in that scripture with the Lord so 464 00:24:45,680 --> 00:24:48,200 that you can break free though from that. 465 00:24:48,760 --> 00:24:51,880 And so, and it's not even just about anxiety, like anything. 466 00:24:51,880 --> 00:24:55,800 The girl remembers it all, but you know, we would really love 467 00:24:55,800 --> 00:24:58,920 it if you could try to help support her on this journey. 468 00:24:58,920 --> 00:25:02,160 Even if you could give 5 dollars, $10, anything helps. 469 00:25:03,280 --> 00:25:06,400 I did talk to Elise and we're going to do a featured shirt for 470 00:25:06,400 --> 00:25:09,160 her. It is going to be a springy 471 00:25:09,160 --> 00:25:11,880 shirt. Look at the flowers because we 472 00:25:11,880 --> 00:25:14,960 don't have to worry about her going on this mission trip. 473 00:25:15,000 --> 00:25:17,280 It's, it's going to happen regardless. 474 00:25:17,280 --> 00:25:19,680 God is going to make away. And so we're not going to worry 475 00:25:19,680 --> 00:25:22,120 about that because he sees about the flowers, He sees about the 476 00:25:22,120 --> 00:25:24,560 birds, He sees, He sees about a lease. 477 00:25:25,000 --> 00:25:29,000 And so we are going to launch those shirts probably by the 478 00:25:29,000 --> 00:25:31,600 time this episode is out, no doubt about it. 479 00:25:32,080 --> 00:25:37,280 And so that will be $20 and all the proceeds from that will go 480 00:25:37,280 --> 00:25:40,160 towards a lease. So make sure that you reach out, 481 00:25:40,600 --> 00:25:41,880 Yes. And we're going to get that 482 00:25:41,880 --> 00:25:43,560 shirt. It's going to be real cute too. 483 00:25:43,560 --> 00:25:46,240 And it's got praise on the pot. So that's always, that's always. 484 00:25:46,240 --> 00:25:50,240 Cute. Yeah, So what exactly? 485 00:25:50,240 --> 00:25:53,600 Maybe let's talk about a little bit about maybe what you've been 486 00:25:53,600 --> 00:25:57,120 reading here recently, what you've been studying or what's 487 00:25:57,120 --> 00:25:59,520 got something that he's revealed to you. 488 00:25:59,720 --> 00:26:03,320 OK, so I think God speaks to people in different ways. 489 00:26:03,320 --> 00:26:06,240 Like some people they have dreams and visions. 490 00:26:06,240 --> 00:26:08,840 I wish I was one of those, but I'm not. 491 00:26:09,560 --> 00:26:12,160 Sometimes God speaks to people like audibly. 492 00:26:12,160 --> 00:26:14,680 Some people hear God through scripture. 493 00:26:14,680 --> 00:26:17,360 It's different for everyone and I think we should be open to 494 00:26:17,360 --> 00:26:21,080 that. But God leads me to scripture 495 00:26:21,080 --> 00:26:23,400 all the time. Like if there's usually a common 496 00:26:23,400 --> 00:26:29,600 theme, like for either a church sermon or when I read my Bible 497 00:26:29,640 --> 00:26:34,160 personally, he'll lead me to certain things and I'll they'll 498 00:26:34,160 --> 00:26:36,960 all have a common theme. So sometimes every someone was 499 00:26:36,960 --> 00:26:40,480 that God protects his children a lot and that he would just I 500 00:26:40,480 --> 00:26:42,080 don't have them off the top of my head right now. 501 00:26:42,080 --> 00:26:46,000 They're all written down. But he would lead me to just all 502 00:26:46,000 --> 00:26:49,640 these different things that came together for one common theme. 503 00:26:49,680 --> 00:26:51,840 And then he'll move on to something different. 504 00:26:51,840 --> 00:26:54,520 But he'll walk you through every season you need to hear like, 505 00:26:55,680 --> 00:26:56,880 and then there's little things too. 506 00:26:56,880 --> 00:27:00,200 So yesterday, the daily verse, I just happen to read it because I 507 00:27:00,400 --> 00:27:03,800 usually don't, I'm not big on like just reading one verse and, 508 00:27:03,800 --> 00:27:05,280 you know, calling out your quiet time. 509 00:27:05,640 --> 00:27:08,320 But it was taught. It was actually what he read 510 00:27:08,320 --> 00:27:10,320 today at church. Yeah. 511 00:27:10,320 --> 00:27:12,880 So there's little things like that that I feel like God can 512 00:27:12,880 --> 00:27:14,560 just let you know that he's there with you. 513 00:27:14,920 --> 00:27:18,480 But I heard someone say that when you're praying, it's a 514 00:27:18,480 --> 00:27:20,600 conversation. So like if you talk to someone 515 00:27:20,880 --> 00:27:24,160 and let's just say I was to talk to you and then walk off, that's 516 00:27:24,160 --> 00:27:27,320 not a conversation. So with God, you don't just pray 517 00:27:27,320 --> 00:27:30,400 to him and then walk off. You pray and you let him speak 518 00:27:30,400 --> 00:27:32,000 too. Because if. 519 00:27:32,160 --> 00:27:34,000 And that's been a such a game changer. 520 00:27:34,000 --> 00:27:36,520 Oh my gosh, if someone didn't tell me that, I don't know where 521 00:27:36,520 --> 00:27:40,320 I'd right now because I do believe God can still speak and 522 00:27:41,600 --> 00:27:44,680 I do believe also. I want to touch on that 523 00:27:44,680 --> 00:27:48,360 commentaries, and I call it secondhand. 524 00:27:48,360 --> 00:27:52,240 Jesus is great, but it's not a substitute for your personal. 525 00:27:52,240 --> 00:27:55,280 Type of Jesus. So like in the Old Testament, 526 00:27:55,280 --> 00:27:58,840 people would have to go through someone else to get to God and 527 00:27:58,840 --> 00:28:00,680 Jesus came so we don't have to do that anymore. 528 00:28:00,680 --> 00:28:04,160 So like, instead of going and seeing if God will sweep you and 529 00:28:04,200 --> 00:28:07,400 like maybe through a devotional or this or that, try your Bible. 530 00:28:07,400 --> 00:28:12,040 Because in church today, Oh my gosh, he's really been speaking. 531 00:28:12,360 --> 00:28:18,680 Second Timothy 216, No 316, it said that God's Word is like 532 00:28:18,680 --> 00:28:19,920 breathing. It's alive. 533 00:28:20,520 --> 00:28:23,000 So why wouldn't God speak to you through it? 534 00:28:23,320 --> 00:28:26,000 So if he can speak to you directly, why would he speak to 535 00:28:26,000 --> 00:28:29,040 you through something else? Yeah, through prayer or your 536 00:28:29,040 --> 00:28:31,600 Bible or maybe even worship, He can speak to you. 537 00:28:31,600 --> 00:28:34,800 So don't run to other things before running to Jesus about 538 00:28:34,800 --> 00:28:36,360 it. And I read devotionals, 539 00:28:36,360 --> 00:28:39,800 podcasts, commentators call this time and I love them, but 540 00:28:39,800 --> 00:28:42,800 they're not a substitute. So you need to make sure you're 541 00:28:42,800 --> 00:28:45,360 quiet. Time with God isn't definitely 542 00:28:45,360 --> 00:28:48,920 there. Yeah, when I first started, you 543 00:28:48,920 --> 00:28:51,400 know, really trying to get my quiet time and stuff like that, 544 00:28:51,400 --> 00:28:55,200 I started with this devotion. And as I was reading, I kept 545 00:28:55,200 --> 00:28:58,440 thinking, I'm like, but this is their thoughts to that 546 00:28:58,440 --> 00:29:01,000 scripture. And then I started remembering. 547 00:29:01,000 --> 00:29:03,600 I'm like, we're not remembering, but I started thinking about it 548 00:29:03,600 --> 00:29:06,320 in the sense of, oh, this is second hand. 549 00:29:06,320 --> 00:29:08,920 Like this is telling me what God told them. 550 00:29:09,400 --> 00:29:13,040 And so for a while I put down devotions and I was just reading 551 00:29:13,040 --> 00:29:15,320 my scripture. I've gotten back into devotions, 552 00:29:16,160 --> 00:29:20,760 but at first I thought that God was telling me like you need to 553 00:29:20,760 --> 00:29:25,080 learn how to hear from me on your own without having to hear 554 00:29:25,080 --> 00:29:28,040 it from other people because you're having to learn how to 555 00:29:28,040 --> 00:29:31,960 decipher, you know, his word and how to hear from him and how to 556 00:29:32,240 --> 00:29:35,600 the parables, right? Like the parables are. 557 00:29:35,600 --> 00:29:39,920 So I read this recently. Maybe you can teach me girl. 558 00:29:40,280 --> 00:29:43,600 But you know, he's like for those that have the spiritual 559 00:29:43,600 --> 00:29:47,960 eyes, the spiritual ears, the spiritual heart, you can tell 560 00:29:47,960 --> 00:29:51,880 what he's trying to say in that. But to just a naked ear, a naked 561 00:29:51,880 --> 00:29:54,240 eye, whatever. Like you don't, you don't 562 00:29:54,240 --> 00:29:57,680 understand what he's saying. So you need to learn how to 563 00:29:57,720 --> 00:30:01,240 receive him without just getting that second hand knowledge. 564 00:30:01,600 --> 00:30:05,480 Absolutely. I think that prayer and just 565 00:30:05,600 --> 00:30:08,440 asking God, like you can pray for faith, you can pray for 566 00:30:08,440 --> 00:30:10,720 understanding. I pray when I read that the 567 00:30:10,720 --> 00:30:12,200 word, the Scripture sticks with me. 568 00:30:12,200 --> 00:30:13,560 I think that's why I memorize it. 569 00:30:13,760 --> 00:30:16,360 It's really hard for me to memorize school work and math 570 00:30:16,360 --> 00:30:18,240 formulas. But for Jesus, like whatever 571 00:30:18,240 --> 00:30:20,720 he's telling me it's in, it's always in the back of my head, 572 00:30:20,720 --> 00:30:24,280 like it's always right there. So I don't think it's hard for 573 00:30:24,280 --> 00:30:27,080 anyone, or it might be, but I don't think it's out of God's 574 00:30:27,080 --> 00:30:29,040 will for you not to be close to him. 575 00:30:29,040 --> 00:30:31,120 Like why would he make it hard for you? 576 00:30:31,120 --> 00:30:33,840 Why would he not want you to hear from him like he absolutely 577 00:30:33,840 --> 00:30:36,960 does? And I heard someone say that if 578 00:30:36,960 --> 00:30:39,440 you feel far from God, he's not the one that's moved. 579 00:30:39,920 --> 00:30:43,560 God is still inconstant, and he's the same yesterday, today, 580 00:30:43,560 --> 00:30:46,600 and forever. And if you feel far, keep in 581 00:30:46,600 --> 00:30:48,640 mind that your sin separates you from him. 582 00:30:48,920 --> 00:30:52,800 You the like I said, you're either going forward or you're 583 00:30:52,800 --> 00:30:54,720 going back. So if you're not running toward 584 00:30:54,720 --> 00:30:58,240 him, you're running away. So you need to make sure that Oh 585 00:30:58,240 --> 00:31:00,320 yeah. And God's voice is quiet and 586 00:31:00,320 --> 00:31:02,600 still. So if you have everything else 587 00:31:02,600 --> 00:31:05,400 turned up, you're not going to help hear something quiet. 588 00:31:06,080 --> 00:31:09,720 So like if you're constantly going and like your nervous 589 00:31:09,720 --> 00:31:11,720 system, like you're just always on the flight, you're always 590 00:31:11,720 --> 00:31:14,920 going, you're always rushed, you haven't had your quiet time with 591 00:31:14,920 --> 00:31:18,840 God, then you're not probably going to hear him. 592 00:31:18,840 --> 00:31:20,960 And it's not that he didn't speak, but it's that you didn't 593 00:31:20,960 --> 00:31:24,160 hear him because it's quiet. And that's why I keep talking 594 00:31:24,160 --> 00:31:27,440 about your quiet time because he's still a quiet voice. 595 00:31:27,440 --> 00:31:29,880 That's how you hear something is when it's quiet. 596 00:31:30,320 --> 00:31:34,240 And so, yeah, I think quiet time keeps getting brought up. 597 00:31:34,240 --> 00:31:36,560 For a reason. I mean, yes, definitely. 598 00:31:36,560 --> 00:31:42,720 Because the only the only time that you are able to hear him so 599 00:31:42,720 --> 00:31:47,720 loud is when you're still you running around in the road and 600 00:31:47,720 --> 00:31:53,080 doing all this stuff, you know, like you can't hear him when 601 00:31:53,080 --> 00:31:55,640 you're so distracted by everything else around you. 602 00:31:56,160 --> 00:31:58,440 That is a very good point. And that is why it's called 603 00:31:58,440 --> 00:32:00,200 quiet time. And you even hit on it. 604 00:32:00,200 --> 00:32:03,000 You know, at the beginning where you did used to listen to 605 00:32:03,000 --> 00:32:05,840 worship music as you were doing it, as you were doing your quiet 606 00:32:05,840 --> 00:32:07,360 time. And as that as time went on, you 607 00:32:07,360 --> 00:32:09,200 were like, I don't I can't do that anymore. 608 00:32:09,200 --> 00:32:12,640 And I can't either. I tried to do it but one I'm not 609 00:32:12,640 --> 00:32:14,880 the best reader. Me either I get so. 610 00:32:15,040 --> 00:32:19,080 I get so distracted I'm I'm a slow reader too. 611 00:32:19,080 --> 00:32:23,800 So then like the song comes on and I'm so now I'm distracted 612 00:32:24,080 --> 00:32:25,840 and so that can be a distraction. 613 00:32:25,840 --> 00:32:30,280 So it should be, you know, DND on everything, your phone, your 614 00:32:30,280 --> 00:32:34,640 mind, like totally put everything else out of focus and 615 00:32:34,640 --> 00:32:38,000 focus on your time with him. That is so important. 616 00:32:38,000 --> 00:32:40,760 Yes. So in the Gospels it says to go 617 00:32:40,960 --> 00:32:43,280 into the secret place like you close your door. 618 00:32:43,280 --> 00:32:45,120 It says to close your door, let it be quiet. 619 00:32:45,120 --> 00:32:46,520 That's why we call it the secret place. 620 00:32:46,520 --> 00:32:48,000 The quiet time. It's all the same thing. 621 00:32:48,360 --> 00:32:51,160 It's just a quiet time when you're reading the word and 622 00:32:51,160 --> 00:32:55,280 you're with Jesus, like just welcome Jesus into the space. 623 00:32:55,280 --> 00:32:57,840 Pray, like take everything to God. 624 00:32:57,840 --> 00:33:02,160 And prayer is so important. I don't know why we don't do 625 00:33:02,160 --> 00:33:03,240 this. I used not to do it. 626 00:33:03,240 --> 00:33:06,560 I didn't think about it, but you can take, it's not formal. 627 00:33:06,560 --> 00:33:09,280 It's a conversation. It can be formal like God is 628 00:33:09,840 --> 00:33:13,080 God, like he's who he is. That's incredible. 629 00:33:13,440 --> 00:33:16,920 But you can, you don't have to be so serious about it. 630 00:33:16,920 --> 00:33:20,440 You just need to take everything to Him. 631 00:33:20,440 --> 00:33:23,600 Like if there's anything, if you need more faith, don't be 632 00:33:23,600 --> 00:33:26,600 ashamed to pray about it. I pray for God to reveal things 633 00:33:26,600 --> 00:33:28,800 to me all the time that he's trying to teach me. 634 00:33:28,800 --> 00:33:32,160 Like just pray for his will all the time, for whatever he wants 635 00:33:32,160 --> 00:33:35,440 to say to you, any of it. Like he will speak to you last. 636 00:33:35,440 --> 00:33:38,000 Week we had Elevate at the church, which is a middle school 637 00:33:38,000 --> 00:33:40,840 and high school event for our students, and we had Gerard 638 00:33:41,120 --> 00:33:44,880 Gunter come and he is the founder of like his ministry. 639 00:33:45,160 --> 00:33:47,640 And it's about right starters, right? 640 00:33:47,920 --> 00:33:51,720 And so he's telling us, you know, peaceful riots, God riots, 641 00:33:51,720 --> 00:33:54,960 like let's stop that nonsense of doing everything else for the 642 00:33:54,960 --> 00:33:58,080 world, worldly riots, and let's riot for the Lord. 643 00:33:58,360 --> 00:34:00,440 And so that was so good. One of the things that he was 644 00:34:00,440 --> 00:34:03,320 trying to get us to do is take it back into whatever 645 00:34:03,320 --> 00:34:06,840 environment we come from. So what is some ways that you go 646 00:34:06,840 --> 00:34:10,159 out and spread the gospel or maybe share with your friends or 647 00:34:10,159 --> 00:34:12,120 be that light? What's some stuff that you do? 648 00:34:12,280 --> 00:34:14,960 I think letting your actions speak for you. 649 00:34:14,960 --> 00:34:19,320 So we talk about evangelizing all the time as Christians. 650 00:34:19,639 --> 00:34:22,320 That's how we get other people to know the love of God. 651 00:34:22,679 --> 00:34:26,000 But how are like your words don't always have to speak for 652 00:34:26,000 --> 00:34:27,880 you. Your actions speak louder than 653 00:34:27,880 --> 00:34:32,159 your words and you don't have to boast about being kind or 654 00:34:32,159 --> 00:34:35,000 reading your Bible because you're boasting about it. 655 00:34:35,000 --> 00:34:37,280 You need to make sure that's coming from the right spot in 656 00:34:37,280 --> 00:34:40,320 your heart. So specifically James to like I 657 00:34:40,320 --> 00:34:45,520 was saying earlier, faith that works is that and how your 658 00:34:45,520 --> 00:34:48,560 salvation isn't necessarily like your works don't have as much to 659 00:34:48,560 --> 00:34:51,719 do with it, but you do lead other people to Christ that way. 660 00:34:51,719 --> 00:34:56,199 So first Peter 31 and talks about how wives specifically can 661 00:34:56,199 --> 00:35:00,360 lead their husbands to Christ through their actions and not 662 00:35:00,360 --> 00:35:02,600 with their words. We can do that too, not 663 00:35:02,600 --> 00:35:06,960 necessarily to specifically your husbands or this is applicable 664 00:35:06,960 --> 00:35:11,320 for boys too, but just your actions and bringing it up. 665 00:35:11,320 --> 00:35:15,320 Like if find common ground maybe that you can just bring it up. 666 00:35:15,320 --> 00:35:17,720 You know, it doesn't have to be like dead silent and you just 667 00:35:17,760 --> 00:35:20,840 talk to someone and be like, hey, so do you know Jesus and 668 00:35:20,920 --> 00:35:23,680 you should become a Christian? It doesn't have to be like that, 669 00:35:23,680 --> 00:35:28,280 and I don't necessarily think it should be, but just letting your 670 00:35:28,280 --> 00:35:31,120 actions speak for you is just the biggest thing and it's kind 671 00:35:31,120 --> 00:35:33,880 of self-explanatory. You just need to make sure that 672 00:35:33,880 --> 00:35:36,720 you're living the same life through and through. 673 00:35:37,040 --> 00:35:39,160 Imposter syndrome is real, but you need to make sure that 674 00:35:39,160 --> 00:35:42,400 you're living walking the walk, not talking the talk. 675 00:35:43,080 --> 00:35:44,640 That's a big one I hear a lot of. 676 00:35:45,080 --> 00:35:48,840 I see a lot of people post stuff about Jesus and then they are 677 00:35:48,840 --> 00:35:52,120 not living that out at all. And that's dangerous for you and 678 00:35:52,120 --> 00:35:55,480 for others because that's just less Luke warm. 679 00:35:56,520 --> 00:35:58,880 And that is not a good place to be at all. 680 00:35:58,880 --> 00:36:01,080 It's better to be an unbeliever than to be Luke warm. 681 00:36:01,200 --> 00:36:02,760 Absolutely. You've already heard the good 682 00:36:02,760 --> 00:36:07,960 news and you've rejected it so. Yes, and you know, like when we 683 00:36:07,960 --> 00:36:11,600 are posting that stuff and we are trying to, you know, be bold 684 00:36:11,600 --> 00:36:15,440 on social media about Christ, but when we're not living like 685 00:36:15,440 --> 00:36:19,360 that off of social media, that's a dangerous game because now 686 00:36:19,360 --> 00:36:22,440 people think, well, oh, like I can do that too. 687 00:36:22,440 --> 00:36:24,920 Like all I got to do is post this, this and this, go to 688 00:36:24,920 --> 00:36:28,440 church and I'm good. And that's far from it. 689 00:36:28,440 --> 00:36:32,400 Like the more that we walk with Christ, the longer we walk with 690 00:36:32,400 --> 00:36:34,920 him, we should be becoming more like him. 691 00:36:34,920 --> 00:36:38,320 We should be trying to be better each and every day. 692 00:36:38,720 --> 00:36:42,280 And so when we show people that that's OK, that's given a false. 693 00:36:42,800 --> 00:36:46,680 Reality. False reality and and completely 694 00:36:47,520 --> 00:36:49,800 not what Jesus is calling us to do. 695 00:36:50,320 --> 00:36:54,000 And so that's like the, you know, don't conform to the world 696 00:36:54,640 --> 00:36:56,800 and don't, do you know that scripture off the top of your 697 00:36:56,800 --> 00:36:59,120 head. Do not conform to the patterns 698 00:36:59,120 --> 00:37:01,240 of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of 699 00:37:01,240 --> 00:37:02,520 your mind. Romans 12/2. 700 00:37:02,760 --> 00:37:05,560 Periodically you are so good girl. 701 00:37:06,080 --> 00:37:10,080 I'm about to just pull out and we're skip now the quiz Yeah 702 00:37:10,240 --> 00:37:12,240 yes, but like don't conform to the world. 703 00:37:12,240 --> 00:37:14,320 We're we are called to be set apart. 704 00:37:14,320 --> 00:37:18,040 We're called to be set, you know, on a whole different 705 00:37:18,280 --> 00:37:21,480 platform than everyone else. Like we need to be living higher 706 00:37:21,480 --> 00:37:24,560 and being called higher each and every day instead of just being 707 00:37:25,240 --> 00:37:28,920 content right here. We need to be living it out and 708 00:37:28,920 --> 00:37:31,800 showing people, look, if you give your life to Christ, it's 709 00:37:31,800 --> 00:37:34,160 not easy, you know? But he said it's going to be 710 00:37:34,160 --> 00:37:36,160 worth it. And this is how we can get 711 00:37:36,160 --> 00:37:37,480 there. Yeah. 712 00:37:37,480 --> 00:37:41,400 So it also says that if you think you're going to cause 713 00:37:41,400 --> 00:37:43,720 another brother or sister to stumble, then don't do it. 714 00:37:43,720 --> 00:37:45,880 And that's in reference to sin and temptation. 715 00:37:45,880 --> 00:37:49,120 So if you think that what you're posting is going to lead someone 716 00:37:49,120 --> 00:37:52,760 to fall, then don't do it. So Romans 14 kind of talks about 717 00:37:52,760 --> 00:37:57,960 this, that while something may not be a sin, you for other 718 00:37:57,960 --> 00:37:59,720 people that might lead them into sin. 719 00:37:59,720 --> 00:38:00,920 So you don't need to do it at all. 720 00:38:01,040 --> 00:38:04,120 So like drinking, for example, it it said that some people can 721 00:38:04,120 --> 00:38:06,840 drink wine and sieve and not get drunk and it's OK, but some 722 00:38:06,840 --> 00:38:08,480 people don't have the self-control for that. 723 00:38:08,480 --> 00:38:11,280 So you don't need to lead, you don't need to do that in front 724 00:38:11,280 --> 00:38:12,600 of them. You need to keep it between you 725 00:38:12,600 --> 00:38:15,240 and God. And it also says, I believe in 726 00:38:15,240 --> 00:38:18,640 Second Corinthians somewhere that not everything, everything 727 00:38:18,640 --> 00:38:22,280 is like per everything you can do, but not all of it is 728 00:38:22,280 --> 00:38:24,600 permissible. So you need to be careful. 729 00:38:24,600 --> 00:38:27,120 Like, I mean, you have free will, you can do whatever you 730 00:38:27,120 --> 00:38:30,320 want, but it's not everything. You have to give an account for 731 00:38:30,320 --> 00:38:32,200 God. And that's also, I read this the 732 00:38:32,200 --> 00:38:36,280 other day in Ecclesiastes 11. I believe that and actually said 733 00:38:36,280 --> 00:38:39,840 in while you're young, the title was to remember your creator 734 00:38:39,840 --> 00:38:42,720 while you're young. But you can live your life happy 735 00:38:42,720 --> 00:38:44,920 and everything and do all these great things, but just keep in 736 00:38:44,920 --> 00:38:47,280 mind you're going to have to stand before God on judgment. 737 00:38:47,520 --> 00:38:51,840 So you know, yeah, take that as you will, but if you're living 738 00:38:51,840 --> 00:38:53,560 in sin, it's not going to be a good judgment. 739 00:38:53,560 --> 00:38:55,360 Cut off what's ever going to cause you to sin. 740 00:38:55,360 --> 00:39:00,400 Yes, like don't even allow it a space of your mind, don't sit on 741 00:39:00,400 --> 00:39:02,120 it. And honestly, like if you are 742 00:39:02,120 --> 00:39:06,240 having like those temptations or anything like that speaking, you 743 00:39:06,240 --> 00:39:10,440 know, tell someone about it so that they can help you, you 744 00:39:10,440 --> 00:39:14,840 know, let that not keep you in captivity, like truly break 745 00:39:14,840 --> 00:39:17,240 those change. Because when the longer it sits 746 00:39:17,240 --> 00:39:20,320 and it just marinates in your mind, basically it grows and 747 00:39:20,320 --> 00:39:23,120 grows and grows until finally you're going to fall. 748 00:39:23,320 --> 00:39:25,680 You cannot let it keep you captive like that. 749 00:39:26,160 --> 00:39:29,760 Yeah, there's a verse in Philippians 4 I believe it says 750 00:39:29,760 --> 00:39:34,800 to whatever is true, noble, right, pure, praiseworthy, 751 00:39:34,800 --> 00:39:37,040 excellent to think about such things. 752 00:39:37,320 --> 00:39:40,120 So don't like there's so many good things to think about. 753 00:39:40,120 --> 00:39:43,000 There's so much media to consume that's good. 754 00:39:43,280 --> 00:39:47,720 So whatever you open up any open door could be listening to 755 00:39:47,720 --> 00:39:52,480 certain music, listening to just being around the wrong crowd, 756 00:39:53,440 --> 00:39:57,080 you know, just be careful. You know people I feel like take 757 00:39:57,080 --> 00:39:59,520 it out of context with Jesus being. 758 00:40:00,200 --> 00:40:02,640 Friendly with sinners and sitting at the center's table 759 00:40:02,640 --> 00:40:06,240 and things like that. Because he was, he wasn't doing 760 00:40:06,240 --> 00:40:09,040 what they were doing. He was spreading the good news. 761 00:40:09,360 --> 00:40:12,280 So make sure you're not just hanging out with people. 762 00:40:12,280 --> 00:40:14,280 You're doing what God has called you to do. 763 00:40:14,440 --> 00:40:16,480 Yeah, that's good. And I think we're going to end 764 00:40:16,480 --> 00:40:18,560 on that note. Girl, that was really good. 765 00:40:19,360 --> 00:40:22,400 I hope that y'all got some great takeaways from this. 766 00:40:22,400 --> 00:40:25,680 I hope she has inspired you because, you know, we live in a 767 00:40:25,680 --> 00:40:31,240 world right now where we are a lot of people are OK being 768 00:40:31,240 --> 00:40:35,680 lukewarm. And they, they are like, I go to 769 00:40:35,680 --> 00:40:37,960 church. I, you know, maybe I'm in a 770 00:40:37,960 --> 00:40:40,880 Bible study, but that's as far as it goes. 771 00:40:41,160 --> 00:40:45,880 And I think it's so awesome to see someone your age like being 772 00:40:45,880 --> 00:40:51,520 so bold and inspiring. You're adults in your life, you 773 00:40:51,520 --> 00:40:54,920 know, and just being able to be that light because I know when 774 00:40:54,920 --> 00:40:58,160 you go to school, you're the light that is in the hallway and 775 00:40:58,160 --> 00:41:01,720 you're trying to really spread the gospel and do Kingdom work. 776 00:41:01,720 --> 00:41:05,360 And it shows, girl. And I am going to pray for your 777 00:41:05,360 --> 00:41:08,000 mission trip. I am going to be praying for 778 00:41:08,000 --> 00:41:09,600 that. And I just pray that we can 779 00:41:09,600 --> 00:41:13,000 raise some money for you to make that, you know, a little less 780 00:41:13,000 --> 00:41:15,760 stressful, you know, because I know, you know, you want to make 781 00:41:15,760 --> 00:41:18,240 sure that everything's taken care of and hopefully we can get 782 00:41:18,240 --> 00:41:22,440 some of that taken care of. So, yeah, guys, I, I love this. 783 00:41:22,440 --> 00:41:25,040 This is this is what it's all about, you know, growing 784 00:41:25,320 --> 00:41:28,680 generations, younger generations, older generations, 785 00:41:28,680 --> 00:41:32,720 just getting it all to one common purpose of living for 786 00:41:32,720 --> 00:41:35,200 Jesus. All right, guys. 787 00:41:35,200 --> 00:41:38,200 So stay tuned. Stay blessed and we'll see you 788 00:41:38,200 --> 00:41:39,720 guys next week. Bye.