WEBVTT 00:00:01.000 --> 00:00:05.000 Hey guys and welcome back to the salt not sweetener 00:00:05.000 --> 00:00:09.220 podcast. I'm your host Danielle Townsend and 00:00:09.220 --> 00:00:14.759 today's episode is About how singleness is actually 00:00:14.759 --> 00:00:18.079 a gift from God and I know it doesn't always 00:00:18.079 --> 00:00:21.050 feel like it And you may have already heard people 00:00:21.050 --> 00:00:23.429 tell you this before. You may be scrolling social 00:00:23.429 --> 00:00:25.350 media and see other people say this and you want 00:00:25.350 --> 00:00:27.910 to roll your eyes and say, yeah, yeah, whatever. 00:00:28.010 --> 00:00:29.870 I'm waiting on the marriage. I'm waiting on the 00:00:29.870 --> 00:00:31.250 spouse. I'm waiting on the husband. I'm waiting 00:00:31.250 --> 00:00:33.729 on the wife. I want kids. When is it going to 00:00:33.729 --> 00:00:37.350 happen? It doesn't feel like a blessing. I'm 00:00:37.350 --> 00:00:39.289 going to share with y 'all today how the Lord 00:00:39.289 --> 00:00:42.310 has really revealed to me singleness is a gift 00:00:42.310 --> 00:00:44.130 and a blessing and hopes that this helps you 00:00:44.130 --> 00:00:47.390 in your walk and that this changes your perspective. 00:00:47.960 --> 00:00:51.640 just a little way I'm gonna give y 'all a little 00:00:51.640 --> 00:00:56.939 bit of background okay of my dating to quickly 00:00:56.939 --> 00:01:01.200 summarize this I I have been single for years 00:01:01.200 --> 00:01:06.579 years it has been many years I'm 26 now my last 00:01:06.579 --> 00:01:09.659 like long -term serious relationship was when 00:01:09.659 --> 00:01:13.900 I ended when I was like 18 And sure, I had the 00:01:13.900 --> 00:01:16.379 situationships, I had the talking stages, but 00:01:16.379 --> 00:01:18.140 the situationships are when you do everything 00:01:18.140 --> 00:01:19.959 like a couple does, you basically act like a 00:01:19.959 --> 00:01:21.480 couple, but you don't have that couple label. 00:01:21.920 --> 00:01:24.000 And the second the couple conversation comes 00:01:24.000 --> 00:01:27.019 up, one of the parties say, this isn't what I'm 00:01:27.019 --> 00:01:33.060 looking for. Just to summarize it, I have been 00:01:33.060 --> 00:01:35.799 single for a long time. That doesn't mean I hadn't 00:01:35.799 --> 00:01:38.299 gone out on dates. I had romantic experiences. 00:01:39.709 --> 00:01:42.290 You know when I got immersed unfortunately when 00:01:42.290 --> 00:01:46.730 I was in my college days and my teenage days 00:01:46.730 --> 00:01:48.590 I've shared with you all in previous podcast 00:01:48.590 --> 00:01:51.709 episodes. I fell into hookup culture I fell into 00:01:51.709 --> 00:01:54.609 the quick validation instant gratification lifestyle. 00:01:54.750 --> 00:01:58.090 I wasn't living for Christ when I was a teenager 00:01:58.090 --> 00:02:00.409 and a young adult I was living for myself. I 00:02:00.409 --> 00:02:03.230 was living for the world, but you know now I'm 00:02:03.230 --> 00:02:05.310 someone I've been single for years I've been 00:02:05.310 --> 00:02:08.599 practicing abstinence for years now waiting until 00:02:08.599 --> 00:02:13.599 marriage, re -waiting until marriage. And I'm 00:02:13.599 --> 00:02:16.939 not gonna say it's always been easy. I have gone 00:02:16.939 --> 00:02:19.080 through periods in my life, especially y 'all, 00:02:19.099 --> 00:02:21.979 when I first surrendered my life to Christ, being 00:02:21.979 --> 00:02:25.280 married and having kids was actually very low 00:02:25.280 --> 00:02:28.099 down on my priority list. When I gave my life 00:02:28.099 --> 00:02:31.539 to Christ, I remember just being so enthralled 00:02:31.539 --> 00:02:37.090 with the idea of serving God. Like when I gave 00:02:37.090 --> 00:02:42.509 my life to Christ, I was so enamored with Christ 00:02:42.509 --> 00:02:45.849 It was like I just had such a desire to serve 00:02:45.849 --> 00:02:48.189 and to live a life pleasing for the Lord But 00:02:48.189 --> 00:02:50.250 that's where my mind was at was I was waking 00:02:50.250 --> 00:02:52.349 up. What do you want me to do today? Lord? What 00:02:52.349 --> 00:02:53.849 do we need to work on because I knew the Lord 00:02:53.849 --> 00:02:56.069 was pruning me I know who is sanctifying me. 00:02:56.090 --> 00:02:58.050 It's like what do we have to do today? What are 00:02:58.050 --> 00:02:59.930 you gonna heal in me today? What do you need 00:02:59.930 --> 00:03:02.569 me to do? I was focused on my relationship with 00:03:02.569 --> 00:03:06.530 the Lord and becoming You know, I was a new creation. 00:03:06.729 --> 00:03:09.030 I was delivering. The Lord had gotten me out 00:03:09.030 --> 00:03:10.750 of Egypt, but it was time for him to get the 00:03:10.750 --> 00:03:13.229 Egypt out of me. There were still habits that 00:03:13.229 --> 00:03:16.030 he had to break down in me. There was still pruning 00:03:16.030 --> 00:03:21.009 that needed to be done. Like, I understood that 00:03:21.009 --> 00:03:24.349 I wasn't in the space to steward over. God had 00:03:24.349 --> 00:03:27.210 made a lot of promises to me. And there is still 00:03:27.210 --> 00:03:29.389 some promises I'm waiting on him to deliver on. 00:03:30.060 --> 00:03:33.280 I recognized that God made those promises, but 00:03:33.280 --> 00:03:36.719 I was not yet the person I needed to be to steward 00:03:36.719 --> 00:03:39.639 over those promises. And now was the time for 00:03:39.639 --> 00:03:42.120 me to go through a period of God making me into 00:03:42.120 --> 00:03:45.800 who He needed me to be to steward over His blessings 00:03:45.800 --> 00:03:50.080 well. So relationships really weren't a thing. 00:03:50.419 --> 00:03:52.159 They weren't a big deal. When I gave my life 00:03:52.159 --> 00:03:57.000 to Christ, having a husband, dating, I really... 00:03:57.409 --> 00:03:59.449 That would be a cool thing for the future, but 00:03:59.449 --> 00:04:02.370 that wasn't my main concern. I wanted to be rooted 00:04:02.370 --> 00:04:04.909 in the Lord I was going through so much spiritual 00:04:04.909 --> 00:04:07.909 warfare I was just still learning how to stay 00:04:07.909 --> 00:04:11.030 on my feet and Continuing to go back to the Lord. 00:04:11.229 --> 00:04:13.569 I was focused on my relationship the Lord I had 00:04:13.569 --> 00:04:15.449 to make sure that I had a firm foundation in 00:04:15.449 --> 00:04:17.709 Christ I had to make sure shoot I was rooted 00:04:17.709 --> 00:04:21.029 in the Lord and Honestly, a relationship would 00:04:21.029 --> 00:04:23.579 have been a distraction glory be to God I know 00:04:23.579 --> 00:04:25.660 this isn't everybody's situations. I'm really 00:04:25.660 --> 00:04:27.560 grateful I wasn't a mom at this time. I'm not 00:04:27.560 --> 00:04:30.660 a mom yet, still. But I'm really grateful that 00:04:30.660 --> 00:04:33.699 when I was going through my rebirth and giving 00:04:33.699 --> 00:04:36.339 my life to Christ, I wasn't distracted by kids 00:04:36.339 --> 00:04:40.980 or by a husband. And kids are a blessing. Marriage 00:04:40.980 --> 00:04:45.600 is a blessing. It is also a gift from God. But 00:04:45.600 --> 00:04:51.139 at that time, they would have been things pulling 00:04:51.139 --> 00:04:53.939 my attention away from the Lord. So I'm grateful 00:04:53.939 --> 00:04:57.420 that I was able and in a position to just focus 00:04:57.420 --> 00:05:01.139 on the Lord. And honestly, as I progressed in 00:05:01.139 --> 00:05:06.560 my relationship with Christ, God started to give 00:05:06.560 --> 00:05:09.620 me new desires in my heart. I had never before 00:05:09.620 --> 00:05:12.389 desired to be a mom. As a kid, as a teenager, 00:05:12.490 --> 00:05:14.110 as a young adult, I didn't want to be a mom. 00:05:14.529 --> 00:05:16.370 I never had any craving with that. I never had 00:05:16.370 --> 00:05:18.470 any desire with that. I was focused on me, my 00:05:18.470 --> 00:05:20.990 selfish ambitions, me, myself, and I. And all 00:05:20.990 --> 00:05:23.870 of a sudden, I started having desires of, I want 00:05:23.870 --> 00:05:26.189 to be a mom one day. I want to have kids, and 00:05:26.189 --> 00:05:29.649 I want to bring them up in a way that is pleasing 00:05:29.649 --> 00:05:32.680 to the Lord. I want them to love the Lord. Want 00:05:32.680 --> 00:05:35.120 to break generational patterns in my family by 00:05:35.120 --> 00:05:38.779 raising my kids in love in Christ like love I 00:05:38.779 --> 00:05:41.720 want to break off generational patterns so that 00:05:41.720 --> 00:05:46.279 way they don't affect my children And I started 00:05:46.279 --> 00:05:49.019 thinking I want to be I started having desires 00:05:49.019 --> 00:05:52.189 to be married one day And I stopped seeing marriage 00:05:52.189 --> 00:05:54.870 as a way to serve myself, but started seeing 00:05:54.870 --> 00:05:57.129 marriage as a way to serve the Lord. You know, 00:05:57.170 --> 00:05:58.990 for the longest time I looked at marriage as, 00:05:59.230 --> 00:06:01.230 how can it benefit me? How can it make me feel 00:06:01.230 --> 00:06:03.230 better? I looked for partners of how does this 00:06:03.230 --> 00:06:05.689 help me? And all of a sudden I started seeing 00:06:05.689 --> 00:06:07.649 marriage. The more I was in God's word and gained 00:06:07.649 --> 00:06:10.769 to know God, and he was bringing up these desires 00:06:10.769 --> 00:06:13.389 in my heart, I started seeing marriage as two 00:06:13.389 --> 00:06:17.660 people who are individually Focused on Christ 00:06:17.660 --> 00:06:19.879 two people who are already focused on the relationship 00:06:19.879 --> 00:06:22.160 to the Lord pursuing righteousness pursuing seeking 00:06:22.160 --> 00:06:27.279 first the kingdom of heaven Rooted in the Lord 00:06:27.279 --> 00:06:31.480 in their calling in their purpose who come together 00:06:31.480 --> 00:06:36.180 to pursue Christ together Pursuing Christ never 00:06:36.180 --> 00:06:40.220 stops. They're encouraging together They're ministering 00:06:40.220 --> 00:06:43.180 together and that is the vision that God gave 00:06:43.180 --> 00:06:45.459 me for marriage one day as someone to minister 00:06:45.459 --> 00:06:48.389 with Someone to encourage me and someone for 00:06:48.389 --> 00:06:50.870 me to encourage on my walk with Christ Someone 00:06:50.870 --> 00:06:53.569 to lead me and guide me someone for me to help 00:06:53.569 --> 00:06:58.990 some for me to be a help me to And the more the 00:06:58.990 --> 00:07:02.490 Lord placed these desires in me the more They 00:07:02.490 --> 00:07:05.050 started taking up the focus of my mind before 00:07:05.050 --> 00:07:07.110 you know it y 'all I started praying to God was 00:07:07.110 --> 00:07:09.689 like God when is the husband gonna come? It's 00:07:09.689 --> 00:07:11.970 today the day like am I gonna be married today? 00:07:11.970 --> 00:07:14.819 I'm waiting on you God I'm not going out and 00:07:14.819 --> 00:07:17.279 trying to seek it out myself, but when's it coming? 00:07:18.220 --> 00:07:23.800 And when you're focusing on that, in my experience, 00:07:24.139 --> 00:07:26.379 there's a lack that starts to come up that shouldn't 00:07:26.379 --> 00:07:30.240 be there. God had done so many wonderful, amazing 00:07:30.240 --> 00:07:32.480 things in my life, but I started focusing on 00:07:32.480 --> 00:07:34.879 what wasn't there. I started focusing on the 00:07:34.879 --> 00:07:37.360 husband isn't here, which means the kids aren't 00:07:37.360 --> 00:07:40.769 here, which means... you know, these other things. 00:07:40.829 --> 00:07:42.910 I start thinking, God, will it be a lot easier 00:07:42.910 --> 00:07:45.750 if I had a husband to encourage me and all these 00:07:45.750 --> 00:07:49.089 things? And I wasn't seeing the blessing in the 00:07:49.089 --> 00:07:51.269 single season. Instead, I was seeing it as a 00:07:51.269 --> 00:07:53.980 lack. Or seeing it as a drought and the lord 00:07:53.980 --> 00:07:57.660 has recently really flipped my perspective And 00:07:57.660 --> 00:08:00.079 he led me to some scripture this morning and 00:08:00.079 --> 00:08:02.680 I want to read this to y 'all It is first corinthians 00:08:02.680 --> 00:08:06.220 chapter 7 in verse 32. It says I want you to 00:08:06.220 --> 00:08:09.560 be without concerns The unmarried man is concerned 00:08:09.560 --> 00:08:12.259 about the things of the lord how he may please 00:08:12.259 --> 00:08:14.699 the lord But the married man is concerned about 00:08:14.699 --> 00:08:17.319 the things of the world how he may please his 00:08:17.319 --> 00:08:20.800 wife and his interests are divided the unmarried 00:08:20.800 --> 00:08:24.670 woman or virgin is concerned about the things 00:08:24.670 --> 00:08:28.269 of the lord so that she may be holy both in body 00:08:28.269 --> 00:08:31.069 and in spirit but the married woman is concerned 00:08:31.069 --> 00:08:33.429 about the things of the world how she may please 00:08:33.429 --> 00:08:36.070 her husband i am saying this for your own benefit 00:08:36.070 --> 00:08:38.409 not to put a restraint on you but to promote 00:08:38.409 --> 00:08:41.149 what is proper so that you may be devoted to 00:08:41.149 --> 00:08:43.370 the lord without distraction and the lord really 00:08:43.370 --> 00:08:47.840 revealed to me that although Children are a blessing 00:08:47.840 --> 00:08:50.460 and a gift from God. Although marriage is a blessing 00:08:50.460 --> 00:08:55.100 and a gift from God If received too early, it 00:08:55.100 --> 00:09:00.960 is a distraction from your walk with Christ and 00:09:00.960 --> 00:09:03.220 He really reminded me he's like do you really 00:09:03.220 --> 00:09:07.220 think six months ago? You would have been able 00:09:07.220 --> 00:09:09.519 to focus on the things I was calling you to focus 00:09:09.519 --> 00:09:12.220 on step into things is calling you step into 00:09:12.220 --> 00:09:16.190 and be a wife and focus on your husband's needs 00:09:16.190 --> 00:09:20.750 and focus on everything with him. On top of that, 00:09:20.970 --> 00:09:24.970 raising children, taking care of the kids. Once 00:09:24.970 --> 00:09:27.769 you're married, it's not just about you and what 00:09:27.769 --> 00:09:31.389 you want. It's not just about you. You're taking 00:09:31.389 --> 00:09:34.529 other people into account. There are other people's 00:09:34.529 --> 00:09:36.769 lives. There are conversations. When you're married 00:09:36.769 --> 00:09:40.429 and you're making these big life decisions, you 00:09:40.429 --> 00:09:45.179 make it together. The Lord revealed to me right 00:09:45.179 --> 00:09:47.200 now, the only person you have to consult is me. 00:09:47.279 --> 00:09:49.440 The only person I have to consult with is God. 00:09:50.039 --> 00:09:52.860 When I'm married, I'm gonna be informing my husband. 00:09:52.940 --> 00:09:55.759 I'm gonna be consulting with my husband. When 00:09:55.759 --> 00:09:58.080 I have kids, I'm gonna be having to plan accordingly 00:09:58.080 --> 00:10:00.559 for my children. I'm gonna be having to take 00:10:00.559 --> 00:10:02.980 them into account. The Lord revealed to me how 00:10:02.980 --> 00:10:06.559 great of a blessing it is that right now, I only 00:10:06.559 --> 00:10:10.399 have to worry about being God's girl. My only 00:10:10.399 --> 00:10:13.710 worry is being God's child. and doing what he 00:10:13.710 --> 00:10:18.190 has called me to do and obeying him. Like y 'all 00:10:18.190 --> 00:10:21.190 today, I got to, I went to church and after church 00:10:21.190 --> 00:10:24.409 I came home, I did a workout. I got to decide 00:10:24.409 --> 00:10:26.970 what I wanted to eat for lunch and cook that. 00:10:27.210 --> 00:10:29.330 I went out and bought a couple books and some 00:10:29.330 --> 00:10:31.610 new shirts for work. And I came home and just 00:10:31.610 --> 00:10:34.049 started doing a Bible study, scripture reading 00:10:34.049 --> 00:10:36.409 and reading one of the new books I had and just 00:10:36.409 --> 00:10:40.360 praying and hanging out. I just saw how much 00:10:40.360 --> 00:10:44.539 of a blessing it is to be able to do this in 00:10:44.539 --> 00:10:48.320 this moment Because I believe that there is gonna 00:10:48.320 --> 00:10:50.799 be one day in my life when when I'm driving to 00:10:50.799 --> 00:10:52.259 church in the morning It's no longer gonna be 00:10:52.259 --> 00:10:54.240 just me driving to church. It's gonna be my husband 00:10:54.240 --> 00:10:59.259 in the car with me and God willing kids and I'll 00:10:59.259 --> 00:11:02.600 be playing out the day of You know kids ministry 00:11:02.600 --> 00:11:05.080 with them and taking them there and after we 00:11:05.080 --> 00:11:06.840 go to church It's not about me coming home and 00:11:06.840 --> 00:11:08.320 cooking whatever I want to cook and do whatever 00:11:08.320 --> 00:11:10.740 I want to do and just Willy -nilly in the day. 00:11:10.759 --> 00:11:12.360 I'm gonna be having to take what other people 00:11:12.360 --> 00:11:14.720 are wanting to eat into account I'm gonna be 00:11:14.720 --> 00:11:16.659 having to take what other people need done what 00:11:16.659 --> 00:11:18.539 my kids need for school will get them ready do 00:11:18.539 --> 00:11:19.940 all those things take that into account what 00:11:19.940 --> 00:11:24.399 my husband wants to do You know what? If he's 00:11:24.399 --> 00:11:26.340 ministering and involved in something or doing 00:11:26.340 --> 00:11:28.179 something else, my day is no longer just going 00:11:28.179 --> 00:11:29.899 to be, okay, God called me to do this. I'm going 00:11:29.899 --> 00:11:32.019 to drop this and go over here and go do this 00:11:32.019 --> 00:11:34.980 and go do that thing. I'm going to be having 00:11:34.980 --> 00:11:41.759 to worry about worldly things more. Kids cost 00:11:41.759 --> 00:11:43.879 money. You're going to be having to budget out 00:11:43.879 --> 00:11:46.340 more things. A wedding costs money. You're going 00:11:46.340 --> 00:11:49.580 to be having to budget that out more. Like I 00:11:49.580 --> 00:11:51.379 said, when you're married, you're making decisions 00:11:51.379 --> 00:11:54.360 with that person together. Right now, I'm making 00:11:54.360 --> 00:11:57.580 decisions just with the Lord. And there is a 00:11:57.580 --> 00:12:00.340 blessing that right now, because I've shared 00:12:00.340 --> 00:12:02.299 with you all many times before, although I was 00:12:02.299 --> 00:12:03.720 raised from the church, I didn't give my life 00:12:03.720 --> 00:12:06.919 to Christ until a little over a year ago. And 00:12:06.919 --> 00:12:10.919 I can't imagine, like, the Lord has had to rewire 00:12:10.919 --> 00:12:13.580 my brain so much. He has had to tear down so 00:12:13.580 --> 00:12:17.389 many old habits. He has had to bring up so many 00:12:17.389 --> 00:12:19.389 new things. I have had to go through so much 00:12:19.389 --> 00:12:22.730 pruning. Like, I'm literally a new person compared 00:12:22.730 --> 00:12:25.549 to who I was before. And the thought of trying 00:12:25.549 --> 00:12:27.850 to do that while being married and having kids, 00:12:27.990 --> 00:12:30.789 like having other people relying on me, having 00:12:30.789 --> 00:12:35.370 other people to console, all of these things... 00:12:35.370 --> 00:12:39.370 It's so many more moving pieces that I can't 00:12:39.370 --> 00:12:42.909 imagine taking all of those other things into 00:12:42.909 --> 00:12:49.490 account. And that was the revelation. I don't 00:12:49.490 --> 00:12:51.429 think this episode is going to be too long, guys. 00:12:51.529 --> 00:12:53.149 I think this is going to be a shorter episode. 00:12:53.610 --> 00:12:56.690 That is the revelation that the Lord gave to 00:12:56.690 --> 00:13:00.049 me today, is it is a blessing that you have been 00:13:00.049 --> 00:13:02.309 doing this in your single period, in your single 00:13:02.309 --> 00:13:04.309 season. I can't tell you how many times I was 00:13:04.309 --> 00:13:05.730 looking up to God and being like, God, it would 00:13:05.730 --> 00:13:08.029 be really helpful if I had a husband right now, 00:13:08.210 --> 00:13:11.120 if I had a partner to help me. Navigate this 00:13:11.120 --> 00:13:13.240 and help me do all these things and all of this 00:13:13.240 --> 00:13:15.159 and Lord has revealed me if I had a partner I 00:13:15.159 --> 00:13:16.360 would have been going to the partner instead 00:13:16.360 --> 00:13:21.399 of God This whole year of giving my life to Christ 00:13:21.399 --> 00:13:23.919 and learning to rely on him and trust in him 00:13:23.919 --> 00:13:26.440 I needed to be learning to go to him and not 00:13:26.440 --> 00:13:29.700 going to other people To rely on him for the 00:13:29.700 --> 00:13:31.519 strength to rely on him for the encouragement 00:13:31.519 --> 00:13:34.779 like this was God building the firm foundation 00:13:37.000 --> 00:13:40.000 If I, knowing the habits I had in the past of 00:13:40.000 --> 00:13:42.179 relying on other people for emotional support 00:13:42.179 --> 00:13:45.639 and comfort and all of these things, if I would 00:13:45.639 --> 00:13:48.419 have had already a partner available like that, 00:13:48.419 --> 00:13:50.779 I may have chosen to go to them instead of God. 00:13:51.539 --> 00:13:56.720 And I might not be who I am today, at the stage 00:13:56.720 --> 00:14:00.240 in my faith that I'm in today. So glory be to 00:14:00.240 --> 00:14:02.840 God, he's kept me single for as long as he has. 00:14:04.159 --> 00:14:07.120 If it would have been more helpful, for me to 00:14:07.120 --> 00:14:10.840 do this as a wife that door would have opened 00:14:10.840 --> 00:14:15.100 if it was necessary for me to be a mom right 00:14:15.100 --> 00:14:19.379 now that door would be opened so since the lord 00:14:19.379 --> 00:14:23.399 has yet to open that door he has me right where 00:14:23.399 --> 00:14:26.879 he wants me and i'm right where i need to be 00:14:26.879 --> 00:14:29.919 for him to do the next step in my life whatever 00:14:29.919 --> 00:14:33.539 that looks like and whoever you are today that's 00:14:33.539 --> 00:14:35.419 listening to us that's in your single season 00:14:35.419 --> 00:14:38.159 I pray that this encourages you to that right 00:14:38.159 --> 00:14:41.679 now all your main responsibility and of course 00:14:41.679 --> 00:14:44.399 you have work to show up to you have these other 00:14:44.399 --> 00:14:47.379 things but right now the person that you answer 00:14:47.379 --> 00:14:51.440 to is God right now the person that you have 00:14:51.440 --> 00:14:54.679 to consult is God right now you're able to be 00:14:54.679 --> 00:14:57.970 concerned more with just godly things who God 00:14:57.970 --> 00:14:59.750 is calling you to be what God is calling you 00:14:59.750 --> 00:15:02.210 to do how can you serve him today how can you 00:15:02.210 --> 00:15:08.070 obey him today and yes there is blessing in being 00:15:08.070 --> 00:15:10.649 a mother or a father there is blessing in being 00:15:10.649 --> 00:15:13.210 a husband or a wife there is blessing in that 00:15:13.210 --> 00:15:16.610 but there is also blessing in just having this 00:15:16.610 --> 00:15:20.909 one -on -one time with the Lord undistracted 00:15:20.909 --> 00:15:24.649 unimpeded because when those things do come into 00:15:24.649 --> 00:15:28.080 your life You're gonna have to expand more, right? 00:15:28.279 --> 00:15:30.779 You're gonna have to be rooted in the Lord, serving 00:15:30.779 --> 00:15:33.679 the Lord while also taking these other people 00:15:33.679 --> 00:15:37.379 into account, loving these other people, working 00:15:37.379 --> 00:15:39.500 with these other people. And that is gonna be 00:15:39.500 --> 00:15:43.620 a blessing one day. But since that is not yet 00:15:43.620 --> 00:15:46.440 where you're at, trust that God has you where 00:15:46.440 --> 00:15:52.720 you need to be. And pray that He reveals to you, 00:15:52.840 --> 00:15:55.659 What you are needing to see during the season 00:15:55.659 --> 00:15:58.580 what you are needing to work on during the season 00:15:58.580 --> 00:16:02.460 What is he trying to show you? What is he trying 00:16:02.460 --> 00:16:07.179 to reveal to you? Are you in the sanctification 00:16:07.179 --> 00:16:09.000 process? Are you in a process right now? Where 00:16:09.000 --> 00:16:12.620 God is making you who you need to be in order 00:16:12.620 --> 00:16:14.899 to be a good spouse or a good partner I've shared 00:16:14.899 --> 00:16:17.500 in the previous a couple episodes back. That 00:16:17.500 --> 00:16:20.799 was the love episode is what was titled I used 00:16:20.799 --> 00:16:22.679 to think I was loving people correctly. I used 00:16:22.679 --> 00:16:24.779 to think I was loving people well. But once I 00:16:24.779 --> 00:16:27.279 started knowing Christ -like love and different 00:16:27.279 --> 00:16:29.539 ways to share it, I started seeing how actually 00:16:29.539 --> 00:16:33.320 unhealthy and worldly my love was in the past. 00:16:33.779 --> 00:16:36.500 How much of... I used to think I am not the problem. 00:16:36.559 --> 00:16:38.259 Everyone else was the problem. I was able to 00:16:38.259 --> 00:16:40.799 see lots of areas where actually I was problematic. 00:16:41.900 --> 00:16:44.240 And I wouldn't have been a good wife in these 00:16:44.240 --> 00:16:48.639 areas. This wouldn't have added to a Christ -like 00:16:48.639 --> 00:16:52.299 relationship. And in the past year, since I've 00:16:52.299 --> 00:16:54.899 given my life to Christ, and I've been in His 00:16:54.899 --> 00:16:57.659 Word, a lot of these things have been shifted. 00:16:58.159 --> 00:17:00.279 And I'm not saying I'm perfect now, but even 00:17:00.279 --> 00:17:02.379 where I'm at now, I'm like, wow, I think I'd 00:17:02.379 --> 00:17:04.619 be a much better wife today than I would have 00:17:04.619 --> 00:17:07.920 been a year ago, let alone two years ago. And 00:17:07.920 --> 00:17:13.079 two years ago, I would have said I'm ready. Didn't 00:17:13.079 --> 00:17:15.880 even see how many things God needed to break 00:17:15.880 --> 00:17:18.619 off and shift until he broke them off and shifted 00:17:18.619 --> 00:17:23.880 them So trust that if you are in the season now 00:17:23.880 --> 00:17:29.059 God has already planned for it and God has a 00:17:29.059 --> 00:17:31.759 reason and remember that he can use all things 00:17:31.759 --> 00:17:36.180 for your good and I again want to reinforce this 00:17:36.180 --> 00:17:40.710 y 'all that Children are a gift and a blessing. 00:17:41.089 --> 00:17:43.650 A spouse is a gift and a blessing, but singleness 00:17:43.650 --> 00:17:48.029 is also a gift and a blessing. There are different 00:17:48.029 --> 00:17:51.269 times and different seasons for each. And right 00:17:51.269 --> 00:17:55.950 now, if God has appointed you to the single season, 00:17:56.589 --> 00:18:01.089 use that season. He has you in it because he 00:18:01.089 --> 00:18:06.069 can use it. Ask him to reveal to you what you 00:18:06.069 --> 00:18:09.710 need to do what you need to see how he can use 00:18:09.710 --> 00:18:14.930 it and he will blow your mind with just how much 00:18:15.150 --> 00:18:17.269 He can do with it. God's ways are above our ways, 00:18:17.329 --> 00:18:19.630 and I cannot tell y 'all how many times I have 00:18:19.630 --> 00:18:21.630 been in a situation, in a scenario, where, like, 00:18:21.630 --> 00:18:24.150 there's no way God can use this. If He can, I 00:18:24.150 --> 00:18:26.609 can only see, like, this one thing. And then 00:18:26.609 --> 00:18:29.190 He ends up pulling, like, ten things out of it, 00:18:29.349 --> 00:18:32.349 and I'm like, what? Like, where did that come 00:18:32.349 --> 00:18:34.950 from? And then I find out it affected, like, 00:18:35.109 --> 00:18:37.369 ten other people, and I wasn't even thinking 00:18:37.369 --> 00:18:40.809 about other people. And it's just amazing the 00:18:40.809 --> 00:18:44.559 way that God can interconnect things. And how 00:18:44.559 --> 00:18:47.960 he can use one scenario one situation to bring 00:18:47.960 --> 00:18:51.799 about like 10 different lessons 20 different 00:18:51.799 --> 00:18:57.920 healings impact like 50 people It's crazy Just 00:18:57.920 --> 00:19:02.039 how much he can do So instead of looking at the 00:19:02.039 --> 00:19:04.140 season you're in right now from the space of 00:19:04.140 --> 00:19:08.579 lack and a space of pain and a space of yearning 00:19:08.579 --> 00:19:14.259 Look at it as a space of learning a space of 00:19:14.259 --> 00:19:16.160 abundance because although you don't have the 00:19:16.160 --> 00:19:18.460 spouse although you don't have the kids you have 00:19:18.460 --> 00:19:22.400 God and I want to tell you this today this is 00:19:22.400 --> 00:19:25.579 the time to turn more to the Lord not away from 00:19:25.579 --> 00:19:30.099 the Lord and I know hearing this you might be 00:19:30.099 --> 00:19:33.200 like well yeah duh I'm supposed to turn to the 00:19:33.200 --> 00:19:34.940 Lord like why would I turn away from the Lord 00:19:34.940 --> 00:19:38.000 it can be tempting it can be tempting to turn 00:19:38.000 --> 00:19:40.259 away from the Lord recently I had an experience 00:19:40.259 --> 00:19:42.930 y 'all where I felt like I was doing really good 00:19:42.930 --> 00:19:44.829 just focusing on my relationship to the Lord 00:19:44.829 --> 00:19:49.109 and not focusing on external relationships and 00:19:49.109 --> 00:19:50.569 everything like that and just letting things 00:19:50.569 --> 00:19:53.890 play out in their timing and I felt convicted 00:19:53.890 --> 00:19:56.109 that I was focusing too much on relationships 00:19:56.109 --> 00:19:58.089 and that I was kind of seeking out a partner 00:19:58.089 --> 00:20:01.289 too much I felt convicted on that and in that 00:20:01.289 --> 00:20:04.309 conviction I knew in that moment I was like it's 00:20:04.309 --> 00:20:06.869 time to if I'm really feeling convicted about 00:20:06.869 --> 00:20:10.730 this repent and take it to the Lord and pray 00:20:10.730 --> 00:20:15.009 about it but there was a little voice that was 00:20:15.009 --> 00:20:22.329 like don't repent don't like it there was a condemnation 00:20:22.329 --> 00:20:25.569 stirring a creep in because i know that condemnation 00:20:25.569 --> 00:20:28.470 doesn't come from god that when when you repent 00:20:28.470 --> 00:20:30.750 and you ask for forgiveness you are forgiven 00:20:30.750 --> 00:20:34.849 you're washed of that sin you're cleansed of 00:20:34.849 --> 00:20:37.910 that but there was a voice that started getting 00:20:37.910 --> 00:20:42.089 louder and louder that that was just telling 00:20:42.089 --> 00:20:46.009 me you sinned and You're you're taking control 00:20:46.009 --> 00:20:49.369 away from God and you you don't deserve a husband 00:20:49.369 --> 00:20:52.849 and you don't deserve You don't deserve You know 00:20:52.849 --> 00:20:54.809 your spouse one day you don't deserve it started 00:20:54.809 --> 00:20:57.289 going into you don't deserve a platform and you 00:20:57.289 --> 00:20:59.009 don't deserve this and you don't deserve that 00:20:59.009 --> 00:21:03.109 like How can you be preaching the gospel? But 00:21:03.109 --> 00:21:06.869 you're over here and there was like this overwhelming 00:21:06.869 --> 00:21:09.349 condemnation and I remember I started crying 00:21:09.349 --> 00:21:11.230 and I started like praying to God where I was 00:21:11.230 --> 00:21:13.690 like God I don't deserve anything good and I 00:21:13.690 --> 00:21:15.910 was like God I don't deserve the platform I have 00:21:15.910 --> 00:21:19.069 I don't deserve the podcast I don't deserve a 00:21:19.069 --> 00:21:23.029 husband I don't deserve to speak in your name 00:21:23.029 --> 00:21:25.869 I don't deserve and there was like this overwhelming 00:21:25.869 --> 00:21:27.829 I started to entertain that voice and I started 00:21:27.829 --> 00:21:30.329 saying out loud like I'm unworthy and I'm undeserving 00:21:30.329 --> 00:21:38.579 and There was a pause for a moment When and I 00:21:38.579 --> 00:21:40.299 started praying to God I was like God I need 00:21:40.299 --> 00:21:42.880 to repent. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry I sinned. 00:21:42.940 --> 00:21:45.779 I'm so sorry I strayed. I'm so sorry I went away 00:21:45.779 --> 00:21:47.980 like I don't deserve any of the good things you 00:21:47.980 --> 00:21:53.240 did in my life yet you did them anyway and There 00:21:53.240 --> 00:21:55.380 was another pause for a minute and I truly felt 00:21:55.380 --> 00:21:58.839 the Lord speak to me like No, you don't you don't 00:21:58.839 --> 00:22:02.130 deserve any of these good things And I'm not 00:22:02.130 --> 00:22:04.789 giving you these good things because you deserve 00:22:04.789 --> 00:22:07.609 them I'm giving them to you because I'm merciful 00:22:07.609 --> 00:22:10.829 and I love you and there was like this overwhelming 00:22:10.829 --> 00:22:14.009 feeling of like love and as I started crying 00:22:14.009 --> 00:22:16.690 and I started asking Lord for forgiveness There 00:22:16.690 --> 00:22:19.029 is an overwhelming peace that overcame me There 00:22:19.029 --> 00:22:21.089 is a peace that surpassed all understanding and 00:22:21.089 --> 00:22:23.690 I felt the love of God and there is an instant 00:22:23.690 --> 00:22:26.950 like relief and this feeling of condemnation 00:22:26.950 --> 00:22:30.670 Left my body. It was like this where I just knew 00:22:31.019 --> 00:22:34.220 I was like, God isn't angry at me. God isn't 00:22:34.220 --> 00:22:36.220 mad at me. And that's not saying that sin is 00:22:36.220 --> 00:22:39.000 okay, but I was like, he's not about to strip 00:22:39.000 --> 00:22:43.099 away everything because I feel convicted, because 00:22:43.099 --> 00:22:46.039 I've been prioritizing a relationship over him, 00:22:46.339 --> 00:22:49.799 because I did this thing. I'm coming back to 00:22:49.799 --> 00:22:52.880 him right now in this moment. And he's accepting 00:22:52.880 --> 00:22:59.400 me. And that was a moment, you know, Christ. 00:23:00.299 --> 00:23:02.759 had victory over the lies of the enemy the lies 00:23:02.759 --> 00:23:05.099 of the enemy were trying to keep me from repenting 00:23:05.099 --> 00:23:06.799 and They were trying to keep me to turn from 00:23:06.799 --> 00:23:08.880 the Lord because in that time I didn't want to 00:23:08.880 --> 00:23:10.880 repent I didn't want to pray I didn't want to 00:23:10.880 --> 00:23:13.339 open up my Bible because I felt so dirty and 00:23:13.339 --> 00:23:17.640 so unworthy and so unclean That like I was even 00:23:17.640 --> 00:23:19.460 starting to believe like I don't deserve to go 00:23:19.460 --> 00:23:21.660 before the Lord. I don't deserve to be forgiven 00:23:21.660 --> 00:23:24.059 I don't deserve prayer. I might as well just 00:23:24.059 --> 00:23:28.930 sit here and like wallow in this uncleanliness 00:23:28.930 --> 00:23:32.890 and simple dirtiness and this feeling of condemnation 00:23:32.890 --> 00:23:37.789 and just cry and let it fester but glory be to 00:23:37.789 --> 00:23:41.690 God I took it to the Lord instead you know it's 00:23:41.690 --> 00:23:43.329 not always in your mind where you say I'm gonna 00:23:43.329 --> 00:23:46.410 turn from God ha ha ha it's moments like that 00:23:46.410 --> 00:23:48.630 where you start all of a sudden believing the 00:23:48.630 --> 00:23:52.539 condemnation and the lies of the enemy that causes 00:23:52.539 --> 00:23:54.180 you to turn away from the Lord in that moment 00:23:54.180 --> 00:23:56.539 I wasn't turning away from I wasn't tempted to 00:23:56.539 --> 00:23:59.119 turn away from the Lord out of anger of like 00:23:59.119 --> 00:24:01.019 how dare you not give me my spouse word it was 00:24:01.019 --> 00:24:03.940 actually out of shame where it was like oh my 00:24:03.940 --> 00:24:08.019 gosh I have been spending so much of my time 00:24:08.019 --> 00:24:11.339 focusing on you and you know I got distracted 00:24:11.339 --> 00:24:14.660 and I turned away and I sinned you know because 00:24:14.660 --> 00:24:17.299 I committed in my eyes I committed the sin of 00:24:17.299 --> 00:24:20.640 idolatry I started idolizing a husband I started 00:24:20.640 --> 00:24:26.500 idolizing a relationship. Idolatry was the sin 00:24:26.500 --> 00:24:30.599 here in the situation. And I felt such condemnation 00:24:30.599 --> 00:24:33.160 because I was like, here I am telling other people 00:24:33.160 --> 00:24:35.119 to keep their eyes on the Lord and focus on the 00:24:35.119 --> 00:24:37.779 Lord, but I'm falling into that temptation. I'm 00:24:37.779 --> 00:24:40.759 unworthy, I'm undeserving. And it spiraled from 00:24:40.759 --> 00:24:44.150 there. And you know the Lord took me through 00:24:44.150 --> 00:24:46.789 later on scripture reading and prayer timing. 00:24:46.829 --> 00:24:48.470 You know, I came out the other side recognizing 00:24:48.470 --> 00:24:51.549 the Lord doesn't call me to be perfect. He calls 00:24:51.549 --> 00:24:53.809 me to be more like him. He calls me to be more 00:24:53.809 --> 00:24:56.950 Christ -like. And I've been doing my best to 00:24:56.950 --> 00:24:58.690 be more Christ -like. Every day I've been trying 00:24:58.690 --> 00:25:01.670 to wake up and seeing how can I be more like 00:25:01.670 --> 00:25:04.630 God. And the fact that I repented, the fact I 00:25:04.630 --> 00:25:06.670 took it to the Lord, the fact I felt conviction 00:25:06.670 --> 00:25:09.470 shows that God is present in my life and in my 00:25:09.470 --> 00:25:13.220 spirit. that the Holy Spirit is with me convicting 00:25:13.220 --> 00:25:16.559 me and revealing things to me and I truly felt 00:25:16.559 --> 00:25:18.440 the Lord revealed me that he was well pleased 00:25:18.440 --> 00:25:21.440 with me and that he he didn't call me to this 00:25:21.440 --> 00:25:23.519 position or give me the platform because I'm 00:25:23.519 --> 00:25:25.940 perfect or because I'm deserving because I'm 00:25:25.940 --> 00:25:30.680 never going to take a foot out of place those 00:25:30.680 --> 00:25:35.259 weren't the conditions If they were I would have 00:25:35.259 --> 00:25:37.779 already lost it a long time ago. No one would 00:25:37.779 --> 00:25:42.680 be able to keep platforms or positions The important 00:25:42.680 --> 00:25:45.779 thing here was that I turned to the Lord in my 00:25:45.779 --> 00:25:51.200 time of upset and sorrow and I am wanting to 00:25:51.200 --> 00:25:54.259 Reveal this to you guys today. I'm not you know, 00:25:54.259 --> 00:25:56.200 I try to be thoughtful of when I share these 00:25:56.200 --> 00:25:59.619 experiences But I want you guys to hear today 00:25:59.619 --> 00:26:04.230 that like this person effective I have. Singleness 00:26:04.230 --> 00:26:06.329 being a blessing. It wasn't just I woke up with 00:26:06.329 --> 00:26:07.829 it, and I just always viewed it like that, and 00:26:07.829 --> 00:26:09.630 I read it one time in scripture and believed 00:26:09.630 --> 00:26:12.569 it and moved on from there. No, it's been a wrestle 00:26:12.569 --> 00:26:15.369 for me. It's been a war for me, and I think sometimes 00:26:15.369 --> 00:26:17.769 when we hear other Christian creators talking 00:26:17.769 --> 00:26:20.210 about it when we see short videos or short sermons 00:26:20.210 --> 00:26:22.210 or podcast episodes when they're just spitting 00:26:22.210 --> 00:26:24.750 knowledge, which is very knowledgeable, it's 00:26:24.750 --> 00:26:26.490 easier for us to look and be like, wow, they 00:26:26.490 --> 00:26:27.930 have it all figured out. They have it all worked 00:26:27.930 --> 00:26:31.029 out. They must not ever struggle. there's actually 00:26:31.029 --> 00:26:34.190 a podcast I was watching earlier where they were 00:26:34.190 --> 00:26:37.369 just speaking with so much wisdom and they were 00:26:37.369 --> 00:26:40.809 married couple speaking and it was like wow they 00:26:40.809 --> 00:26:43.650 must never at first my brain went to like wow 00:26:43.650 --> 00:26:46.529 they must think I'm crazy for dealing with what 00:26:46.529 --> 00:26:48.869 I'm dealing with and all these things and I know 00:26:48.869 --> 00:26:53.910 that's not true but I want to be vulnerable with 00:26:53.910 --> 00:26:56.390 you guys in this moment that you can see that 00:26:56.390 --> 00:27:01.630 like Getting to that understanding is a process. 00:27:02.490 --> 00:27:07.710 There has been a war over my mind and over my 00:27:07.710 --> 00:27:11.750 priorities. We know as Christians that there 00:27:11.750 --> 00:27:14.170 is a constant spiritual battle going on around 00:27:14.170 --> 00:27:18.329 us, a battle between good and evil, and that 00:27:18.329 --> 00:27:21.450 the devil is the lowercase G God of this world. 00:27:22.399 --> 00:27:24.920 And that our flesh leans towards the things that 00:27:24.920 --> 00:27:27.240 are not of the spirit, that are not Christ -like. 00:27:27.839 --> 00:27:29.839 Of course, when you're trying to lean towards 00:27:29.839 --> 00:27:31.940 Christ, and when you're trying to do the Christ 00:27:31.940 --> 00:27:33.380 -like thing, when you're trying to be set apart, 00:27:33.400 --> 00:27:36.839 there's going to be a tug of war. But it's important 00:27:36.839 --> 00:27:39.099 to remember that Jesus Christ is our base secured 00:27:39.099 --> 00:27:41.539 victory on the cross, right? He's already conquered 00:27:41.539 --> 00:27:43.079 evil. He's already conquered death. He's already 00:27:43.079 --> 00:27:45.460 conquered wickedness. And we know what's going 00:27:45.460 --> 00:27:49.000 to happen to the devil one day. And until that 00:27:49.000 --> 00:27:52.420 day comes, we focus on serving the Lord. just 00:27:52.420 --> 00:27:54.460 leaning towards the spirit denying the flesh 00:27:54.460 --> 00:27:57.460 but I think it's so important for you guys to 00:27:57.460 --> 00:28:03.559 see and hear the process and I I want to be so 00:28:03.559 --> 00:28:05.619 vulnerable with you guys since since we're talking 00:28:05.619 --> 00:28:08.259 about this day of like the lies of the enemy 00:28:08.259 --> 00:28:11.160 there has been a lie of the enemy that has been 00:28:11.160 --> 00:28:14.960 coming for me a lot recently that has to do with 00:28:14.960 --> 00:28:20.380 the platform that has to do with You know, I 00:28:20.380 --> 00:28:23.640 have a bigger platform on tiktok now having this 00:28:23.640 --> 00:28:29.240 podcast But they're having this platform When 00:28:29.240 --> 00:28:33.359 I stepped into it For I shared with y 'all in 00:28:33.359 --> 00:28:36.059 the first couple episodes that I was really kind 00:28:36.059 --> 00:28:39.460 of apprehensive towards having a podcast I had 00:28:39.460 --> 00:28:42.460 been feeling the lord put it on me for like months 00:28:42.460 --> 00:28:44.980 Like long before I actually did it and I kept 00:28:44.980 --> 00:28:47.400 finding ways to push it off and procrastinate 00:28:47.400 --> 00:28:49.900 it and not do it and honestly the big thing is 00:28:49.900 --> 00:28:53.460 i didn't feel qualified i was like god i've only 00:28:53.460 --> 00:28:56.619 been like actively surrendering to you for a 00:28:56.619 --> 00:29:00.180 little over now a year before i started the podcast 00:29:00.180 --> 00:29:05.019 it was a little underrated i was like thinking 00:29:05.019 --> 00:29:07.240 like lord like aren't there a lot more people 00:29:07.240 --> 00:29:09.539 more qualified like who's gonna want to listen 00:29:09.539 --> 00:29:11.900 to someone who's only been walking with christ 00:29:11.900 --> 00:29:14.339 for sure i was raised in the church but i wasn't 00:29:14.339 --> 00:29:17.880 submitted to the lord living for you until i 00:29:17.880 --> 00:29:21.680 gave my life to christ in the september of 2024 00:29:21.680 --> 00:29:26.880 it's been a little over a year like who don't 00:29:26.880 --> 00:29:28.319 people want to listen to the people who have 00:29:28.319 --> 00:29:30.279 been christians for five years for 10 years for 00:29:30.279 --> 00:29:36.019 15 years what do i have to offer god like i there 00:29:36.019 --> 00:29:38.900 was so so much of me that was like i i'm not 00:29:38.900 --> 00:29:41.559 going to be able to answer all these deep philosophical 00:29:41.559 --> 00:29:44.240 questions theological questions yet like there 00:29:44.240 --> 00:29:46.339 are words now people still throw at me there 00:29:46.339 --> 00:29:49.460 there was a word there is questions someone asked 00:29:49.460 --> 00:29:51.960 me like a week ago just about my church where 00:29:51.960 --> 00:29:54.940 they're like does it follow the five i can't 00:29:54.940 --> 00:29:59.000 even tell you what the word is it's not i where 00:29:59.000 --> 00:30:01.940 they they were talking really theological like 00:30:01.940 --> 00:30:07.059 all these different like ways to determine If 00:30:07.059 --> 00:30:09.500 the church is like biblically theologically like 00:30:09.500 --> 00:30:11.240 following the text and like all these different 00:30:11.240 --> 00:30:13.019 things this person was using all these words 00:30:13.019 --> 00:30:15.079 and I was like I don't know what you mean by 00:30:15.079 --> 00:30:18.680 this it's like and I you know kind of answered 00:30:18.680 --> 00:30:20.740 the question to the best of my ability but kind 00:30:20.740 --> 00:30:22.779 of threw me off because I was like and I know 00:30:22.779 --> 00:30:25.960 this person has been a follower of Christ for 00:30:25.960 --> 00:30:28.799 a very long time and I kind of felt convicted 00:30:28.799 --> 00:30:32.740 by the Lord of like if that was if that was something 00:30:32.740 --> 00:30:35.930 that you were supposed to be focused on um trust 00:30:35.930 --> 00:30:38.349 Daniel you you would have been called to focus 00:30:38.349 --> 00:30:42.230 on it you know it was um the way that the Lord 00:30:42.230 --> 00:30:44.269 really spoke to me on that because I started 00:30:44.269 --> 00:30:46.130 praying to God like God am I supposed to know 00:30:46.130 --> 00:30:48.490 about that like am I supposed to focus on that 00:30:48.490 --> 00:30:51.089 that's this kind of sounds really like more of 00:30:51.089 --> 00:30:56.329 a legalistic discussion and like and I it didn't 00:30:56.329 --> 00:31:00.990 feel like a very Christ -centered way of viewing 00:31:00.990 --> 00:31:03.829 churches. I was like, but this feels like very 00:31:03.829 --> 00:31:06.950 legalistic. This feels a bit pharisee. I was 00:31:06.950 --> 00:31:09.650 like, but I don't feel called to this, but am 00:31:09.650 --> 00:31:11.410 I supposed to be paying attention to this? And 00:31:11.410 --> 00:31:15.130 I felt the Lord so heavily tell me like, if you 00:31:15.130 --> 00:31:17.170 were supposed to focus on that, don't you think 00:31:17.170 --> 00:31:19.450 I would have called you to focus on that? Don't 00:31:19.450 --> 00:31:21.029 you think that would have been brought up by 00:31:21.029 --> 00:31:25.569 now? But that was something that for an instant 00:31:25.569 --> 00:31:27.779 it was like, Because this person said, well, 00:31:27.980 --> 00:31:30.160 I figured you would know since you have a podcast. 00:31:30.599 --> 00:31:33.039 And I had to respond back to them saying, hey, 00:31:33.900 --> 00:31:38.579 I'm new. I'm a new Christian. My podcast is share 00:31:38.579 --> 00:31:41.359 my testimony glorify God and share my walk as 00:31:41.359 --> 00:31:44.640 I walk. I'm not coming here claiming to be the 00:31:44.640 --> 00:31:46.660 smartest person or knowing everything or that 00:31:46.660 --> 00:31:48.440 I can teach you everything. I'm sharing with 00:31:48.440 --> 00:31:51.839 you what I learned as I learned it. This is watching 00:31:51.839 --> 00:31:54.339 me on my walk. I'm going through sanctification. 00:31:54.359 --> 00:31:56.700 I'm going through pruning. I'm not here to teach 00:31:56.700 --> 00:32:00.720 you everything about God I'm learning about God 00:32:00.720 --> 00:32:03.180 I'm learning about Christ and I'm just sharing 00:32:03.180 --> 00:32:05.099 with you what I've learned as I learned it sharing 00:32:05.099 --> 00:32:07.160 with you the Transformations and the testimonies 00:32:07.160 --> 00:32:09.619 of Christ Jesus in my life because he told me 00:32:09.619 --> 00:32:13.799 to Because he told me to Not even I didn't even 00:32:13.799 --> 00:32:16.319 step in this because I want to I stepped in this 00:32:16.319 --> 00:32:18.579 because he told me to he had given me a long 00:32:18.579 --> 00:32:21.720 period of wrestling back and forth and when august 00:32:21.720 --> 00:32:23.779 hit and i stepped into doing this the lord had 00:32:23.779 --> 00:32:25.779 really told me like your time of waiting is up 00:32:25.779 --> 00:32:28.839 like the time is now you need to step into this 00:32:28.839 --> 00:32:31.839 now you need to trust me and the lord has moved 00:32:31.839 --> 00:32:35.519 through me trusting him but that has been a real 00:32:35.519 --> 00:32:38.059 wrestle for me y 'all of like am i qualified 00:32:38.059 --> 00:32:41.079 what are the qualifications and when i started 00:32:41.079 --> 00:32:43.279 thinking about more things that made me feel 00:32:43.279 --> 00:32:46.880 unqualified was my inability to answer every 00:32:46.880 --> 00:32:49.799 single theological question someone had When 00:32:49.799 --> 00:32:52.380 I feel prepared for something, I don't feel prepared 00:32:52.380 --> 00:32:55.039 unless I'm like, okay, no matter what comes, 00:32:55.140 --> 00:32:58.099 I'll be able to conquer and handle it all. And 00:32:58.099 --> 00:33:01.519 the Lord reminded me, before I stepped into the 00:33:01.519 --> 00:33:04.940 podcast, the Lord had showed me Jeremiah in the 00:33:04.940 --> 00:33:07.839 opening. Chapter one of Jeremiah he says like 00:33:07.839 --> 00:33:10.700 before I formed you I knew you he goes on to 00:33:10.700 --> 00:33:12.660 say like don't say you're too young Don't say 00:33:12.660 --> 00:33:14.480 you don't have the words I will give you the 00:33:14.480 --> 00:33:16.920 words like I will give you the wisdom and that's 00:33:16.920 --> 00:33:19.680 what the Lord I felt really Speak to me when 00:33:19.680 --> 00:33:21.700 I was stepping into the podcast is like trust 00:33:21.700 --> 00:33:24.240 that I will speak through you Trust I will give 00:33:24.240 --> 00:33:26.200 you the words trust. I will guide you along the 00:33:26.200 --> 00:33:28.359 way. Don't say you're too young Don't say you're 00:33:28.359 --> 00:33:30.700 too new of a Christian don't say you're too inexperienced 00:33:30.700 --> 00:33:33.839 to glorify God and share testimonies. I Will 00:33:33.839 --> 00:33:37.089 use where you're at And the Lord has really revealed 00:33:37.089 --> 00:33:39.369 to me in the past couple weeks, and I've shared 00:33:39.369 --> 00:33:41.369 this with you all in recent podcast episodes, 00:33:42.509 --> 00:33:44.970 that a lot of the Christian creators that we 00:33:44.970 --> 00:33:47.509 have to listen to have been walking with Christ 00:33:47.509 --> 00:33:50.430 for five years, 10 years, 15 years, 20 years. 00:33:50.970 --> 00:33:53.990 And those, yes, those are wonderful people to 00:33:53.990 --> 00:33:56.170 listen to. Those are the people I listen to. 00:33:56.630 --> 00:34:00.029 I think it's very good. to get instruction and 00:34:00.029 --> 00:34:02.890 guidance and teaching from people who have an 00:34:02.890 --> 00:34:05.289 in -depth understanding of the Lord and have 00:34:05.289 --> 00:34:08.730 been around the block. But the Lord has also 00:34:08.730 --> 00:34:11.030 revealed to me that there are a lot of people 00:34:11.030 --> 00:34:13.590 who are in the same stage in their walk behind 00:34:13.590 --> 00:34:17.030 them. Where they're newish. They're going through 00:34:17.030 --> 00:34:19.750 sanctification. They're going through the process. 00:34:20.349 --> 00:34:23.010 And it's one thing to hear what people have went 00:34:23.010 --> 00:34:24.809 through on the other side when there's already 00:34:24.809 --> 00:34:28.559 all these victories and everything is secured, 00:34:29.059 --> 00:34:30.500 like you know someone sharing their testimony 00:34:30.500 --> 00:34:32.260 of what happened two years ago, five years ago, 00:34:32.300 --> 00:34:34.900 ten years ago. It's kind of different to listen 00:34:34.900 --> 00:34:36.420 to what someone's going through and learning 00:34:36.420 --> 00:34:38.260 as they're going through it and as they're learning 00:34:38.260 --> 00:34:41.199 it. Seeing and hearing the different thoughts 00:34:41.199 --> 00:34:43.699 that someone is thinking, the emotions that they're 00:34:43.699 --> 00:34:46.400 going through, the different testings, the different 00:34:46.400 --> 00:34:48.219 tribulations, and that's what I kind of have 00:34:48.219 --> 00:34:51.300 to offer to you guys, right? Is sharing the emotions 00:34:51.300 --> 00:34:55.039 while they're fresh. sharing the thoughts that 00:34:55.039 --> 00:34:58.340 I'm having and the tug of war is there going 00:34:58.340 --> 00:35:02.380 on and just you guys getting to see the process 00:35:02.380 --> 00:35:05.619 as I go through it in hopes that this helps you 00:35:05.619 --> 00:35:09.539 as you go through your process and it's actually 00:35:09.539 --> 00:35:12.219 a real unique space that the Lord has me in and 00:35:12.219 --> 00:35:15.139 I felt so encouraged and so guided to not compare 00:35:15.139 --> 00:35:19.039 myself to other voices out there to not compare 00:35:19.039 --> 00:35:22.880 myself to the seasoned Christians the debaters, 00:35:23.059 --> 00:35:25.619 the theological experts, all these things, because 00:35:25.619 --> 00:35:30.039 I'm not in the same race that they're in, right? 00:35:30.059 --> 00:35:35.340 Like I'm not in, I'm not, I don't have the same 00:35:35.340 --> 00:35:38.840 qualifications, I don't have the same calling. 00:35:39.519 --> 00:35:44.320 Like God has me in the space to be used for a 00:35:44.320 --> 00:35:48.769 reason. Comparison is a thief of joy and maybe 00:35:48.769 --> 00:35:51.230 someone needs to hear that today too who you 00:35:51.230 --> 00:35:55.969 are watching the podcast Comparison will steal 00:35:55.969 --> 00:36:02.730 your joy God knew you and had a purpose for you 00:36:02.730 --> 00:36:06.730 before your mom and dad knew you He has a calling 00:36:06.730 --> 00:36:09.650 for your life. He has a purpose for you. He has 00:36:09.650 --> 00:36:16.739 given you gifts You are unique Your walk with 00:36:16.739 --> 00:36:20.400 Christ Your relationship with him is not going 00:36:20.400 --> 00:36:23.460 to look like this person or that person and comparing 00:36:23.460 --> 00:36:26.599 yourself and where you're at to this person to 00:36:26.599 --> 00:36:29.380 that person is only going to rob you of joy because 00:36:29.380 --> 00:36:31.420 their Destination is going to be different than 00:36:31.420 --> 00:36:34.940 your destination and in this worldly all of us 00:36:34.940 --> 00:36:38.039 have the end goal of heaven, right but when it 00:36:38.039 --> 00:36:43.139 comes to being married or this kind of job, if 00:36:43.139 --> 00:36:45.900 that is the assignment that God is giving you. 00:36:46.059 --> 00:36:48.280 Each of us are going to have different assignments 00:36:48.280 --> 00:36:50.639 to carry out our calling. Each of us are going 00:36:50.639 --> 00:36:53.280 to have different lessons and different experiences 00:36:53.280 --> 00:36:58.280 to train us and to sharpen us. There was a really 00:36:58.280 --> 00:37:00.199 interesting conversation with a friend of mine 00:37:00.199 --> 00:37:02.880 that loves the Lord that I was having before. 00:37:03.679 --> 00:37:06.000 This was close to a year ago when we were having 00:37:06.000 --> 00:37:09.710 this conversation. we're sharing with her like 00:37:09.710 --> 00:37:12.829 you know some things she had been walking with 00:37:12.829 --> 00:37:15.150 the lord a lot longer than i had and some of 00:37:15.150 --> 00:37:17.010 the things that i've been sharing with her that 00:37:17.010 --> 00:37:18.989 i had recently learned when i was really fresh 00:37:18.989 --> 00:37:21.250 on my walk she had said that she had only just 00:37:21.250 --> 00:37:23.610 recently you know really started implementing 00:37:23.610 --> 00:37:26.570 or picking up on and you know some things that 00:37:26.570 --> 00:37:29.920 she learned first i had yet to really learn And 00:37:29.920 --> 00:37:34.019 it's interesting how God knows what is the next 00:37:34.019 --> 00:37:37.500 lesson, what is the next strengthening we need, 00:37:37.860 --> 00:37:40.940 what is the next thing to move forward. And that's 00:37:40.940 --> 00:37:42.760 going to look different for each person. We see 00:37:42.760 --> 00:37:45.260 that there are some people that God has blessed 00:37:45.260 --> 00:37:48.519 them to be married when they're in their early 00:37:48.519 --> 00:37:53.050 20s. And then They step into ministry later on 00:37:53.050 --> 00:37:54.750 and do these other things later on. And then 00:37:54.750 --> 00:37:56.409 there are other people, like God calls them to 00:37:56.409 --> 00:37:58.869 ministry first. God calls them to do these other 00:37:58.869 --> 00:38:02.269 things first and then to marriage later. Then 00:38:02.269 --> 00:38:04.989 to kids later. There is a time and there is a 00:38:04.989 --> 00:38:09.269 season for each thing. Each person, God's plan 00:38:09.269 --> 00:38:11.690 for each person's life is gonna be a bit different, 00:38:11.869 --> 00:38:14.750 right? The way that he intends to move you and 00:38:14.750 --> 00:38:18.050 shift you around and teach you and guide you 00:38:18.050 --> 00:38:21.519 is gonna look different. So don't compare yourself 00:38:21.519 --> 00:38:25.679 and where you're at to other people. There is 00:38:25.679 --> 00:38:30.579 no scale like that of where you should be like 00:38:30.579 --> 00:38:36.619 that. Trust in God's timing. Now I think y 'all 00:38:36.619 --> 00:38:38.460 this is where we're going to end the episode 00:38:38.460 --> 00:38:41.420 today and it has been such a blessing getting 00:38:41.420 --> 00:38:44.579 to speak about this with y 'all today and I pray 00:38:44.579 --> 00:38:47.239 that this encourages you. I pray that this helps 00:38:47.239 --> 00:38:51.940 you. Thank you so much for listening to the salt 00:38:51.940 --> 00:38:54.059 not sweetener podcast and I do ask that you hit 00:38:54.059 --> 00:38:56.159 subscribe Wherever it is you're listening to 00:38:56.159 --> 00:38:58.699 this episode share it to share it with friends 00:38:58.699 --> 00:39:00.860 share it with family share it on social media 00:39:00.860 --> 00:39:03.179 It really helps when you share it it gets it 00:39:03.179 --> 00:39:08.019 out there And stay tuned and get ready for the 00:39:08.019 --> 00:39:11.260 next episode of salt not sweetener. Have a blessed 00:39:11.260 --> 00:39:11.679 day