The Enemy, Shame, and Learning to See Yourself the Way Jesus Does with Stasi Eldredge- Episode 1082

0:00Sometimes healing starts in the most unexpected ways with faith, with family, and sometimes with a puppy. That's what makes Capstone one of our favorite partners. They put the treat and treatment in the best possible way. At Capstone Treatment Center, teen boys and young men find a safe, faith-based environment to work through trauma, mental health and addiction. Their program blends proven clinical therapy with real-life application, and one of the most unique parts is their puppy program. Every young man is paired with a Labrador Retriever puppy when he arrives, and that same puppy goes home with him when he graduates. The dogs aren't just adorable, though, obviously they are. They're part of a larger model of healing. They help teach responsibility, build trust, and bring families closer together. Capstone is family-owned and has been bringing faith and clinical excellence together for over 25 years. Learn more at capstonewellness.com slash that sounds fun. Hi, friends. Welcome to another episode of That Sounds Fun, spiritually stronger. I'm your host, Annie F. Downs.

1:09I'm so happy to be here with you today. Happy Labor Day to all my friends in the US. Hope you're getting a little extra rest today and do something fun with your friends or family. Hey, listen, I hope you didn't miss that we dropped a little special episode for you on the podcast feed on Friday. So if you miss that, don't forget to go back. I'm also hitting the road this week for BookTour. Don't let that old you back comes out next Tuesday, but BookTour starts this Wednesday in my hometown with the best guest we could have found. My own father, Mr. F. Downs, he's taken over the mic and interviewed me. I cannot wait to be with you all. There is still time to grab tickets to any of our six stops, including our virtual night with our pal, Eddie Cawfults. So all the details, cities, links to get your tickets are at Don't Let That Hold You Back.com. Every ticket includes a signed copy of the book. Today on the show, I get to talk with my friend and one of my spiritual heroes, Stacey Eldridge. Stacey has a book called The Ladder of Love coming out October 6th. And when I read it, I rise we both had written books that talk about Matthew 7.7, asking, seeking, and knocking.

2:15And y'all know I love when there's a theme that pops up in the books that come across my desk where we talk about with the guests here on the show. So this just felt like the perfect conversation to happen right before Don't Let That Hold You Back releases. I love getting sit down with her because it just feels like she's a mentor to all of us. You could hear it in her voice. She knows Jesus intimately and wants us to know him on that level and know the power we have to push back against the enemy too. Her book includes a master class on spiritual warfare. And as we've been talking about the way the enemy has stolen, killed or destroyed our dreams. Stacey's equipping us to fight back. I am so grateful. I'll give you a heads up. We talk about her story, which includes some really heavy and sensitive topics. So you may want to listen to this by yourself before you listen with my mini BFFs. But I can't wait to hear your thoughts on this episode. Just continue the conversation with us over at spiritually stronger.com. It's my favorite place to write and we love reading your comments there too. It is like old school, bloggy life again. So now here is my conversation with my friend, Stacey Eldridge.

3:22I feel like I should call you Madam Stacey Eldridge. Does anyone do that? No. May I? May I absolutely start that with? Stacey, thank you for being here. It is truly an honor and it's such joy and he come on. I love being with you. You bring such a, you bring a Madam feel everywhere you go. I'm kind of giddy. I'm so excited to be here with you. I'm so happy. Listen, here's a funny thing that don't let that hold you back. Comes out next week and you and I both built books around Matthew 777. I mean, how crazy is that? I opened it and I was like, hold on. And one of the gifts you and John have this privilege as well as I do that we read a lot of people's books because it's podcasting. Yes. And you see themes and you go, oh, this a lot of people this fall are writing about blah blah blah. A lot of people are right. And it feels like a lot of people are writing about, well, toward Jesus. Ask, seek not come toward him. Why do you think that are you sensing that? Why do you think that is? Oh, because God does that. Doesn't mean there's the themes that he is in a particular move of doing and not just in the United States, but around the world.

4:30And I love that. This revelation that he's highlighting. And so I totally see that. Why does he do that for us? Do you see something happening on earth right now that makes makes this the story that we need to be telling? This is the heart of God. This is the very centerpiece of his heart. And in these days that we are living in, we need him more than ever. So he's he loves us. He knows what we need. That's why we say, come on closer. Yes, that's it. You've done such a beautiful job in this book, but with your life on your podcast. You talk about your personal prayer life and your prayer room. Yeah. Well, you every time anyone comes on and talks about building a prayer room of any kind. Yeah. We get a handful, a smattering of people who say, I just did it too. Oh, yeah. I would love for us to activate the next smattering of people who are like, I need to do that to a closet. I need to do that to a room. I need to do that to a nook in my house or a corner of my dorm room.

5:30Will you talk about the little alcove you have the little space you have to go to? Absolutely. And then to encourage people that it doesn't have to be big or amazing. Yeah. It just has to be a place that's set apart to meet with God. So the first one I had was in our room where the water heater is and all that that stuff is. Yeah. And there was a pipe that went over the top. So I hung an umbrella from it and then draped a curtain. No. And I just, it's like I'm inside of that. And I would go in and sit there and it was my space with God. Wow. And then we moved. So that was like in an apartment when you and John were first married? That was a tiny little house. Yeah. Then we moved and I commendered this little room and said, it's mine. All right. And it's freezing in the winter, but I have a space heater. And it's so hot in the summer, but it doesn't matter. And it's the room that I just prayed. I sanctified it. I set it apart, consecrated. This is a room to worship you. This is a room to love you, to love you in.

6:30So that's where I call it a worship room. Yeah. And I learned really quickly that it's not the place for conversations. It's not the, I don't read books in there. I don't do anything else. It is solely a place of worshiping him. Okay. So if they're scriptural or just something that he's working on, but you're not going in there reading your novels. No, your novels. Yeah. And I don't share it. Yeah. This is like a sacred space. And it's so like a dear one will come. Come on in. Yes. Let's have a time of worship together. Yes. And that's all it is. And it's the place of prayer, but it's a place of encounter. So John is allergic to scented candles. Okay. Not in my room, right? Right. On the worship room. You can do what you want. I have candles in there. Yes. And it became after 30 years, it becomes a place that you open the door. This is this is just go right in. Yeah, this is a holy place. This is his. Now teach me a little bit because J. W. and I are still in the, you know, we're in the first couple of weeks.

7:31Yeah, you were. thanks to you and John in a lot of ways. I'll practice through and God is here. But we still enjoy sitting on the couch in the same room and doing our time in the morning together. Yes. rhythm to have to wake up before I go to work. Right. But when, when is it, I don't want to use the word good, when is it the right time to be in the same room as your spouse when you're praying, when is it the right time to have your individual time? How do you know? I don't know. When God calls you to you. You will know. Okay. Because what you're building now is something that you're never going to leave. Is your joint shared, walk with God. Having that union with him and with each other. There's nothing more intimate. Having that prayer time and sharing your hearts like that with your spouse with him. So you're never going to lose that. You're never going to stop doing that. But then there's the times when, you know, the first and capital L, love of your life, it's like, we just need a lot of time with you.

8:32And then that is what you bring back to your marriage or your relationships and things like that. So you already do that, I know. But it's just, you know when he'll tell you. I've told this story before, but maybe two years ago, your John said to me, um, I, you are so disciplined, but sometimes I think you're detached from your heart, which was very helpful. It's very true. And so my brain, when thing, when we're having conversations like this, my brain goes, okay, I need to have time with J. W. and Jesus. I need to have time by myself with Jesus. And what you are inviting me into is the garden version of like, just sit with him and he'll pull you aside when it's just you. Yes. He's always always serious. And just, you know, mercy to know that sometimes that time alone with him takes place in your car. When you're driving and when you're bi, he's, he's always with you. He always, but what I'll create, and he did this for me, was a longing that ran so deep that I couldn't wait to get to be just alone with him.

9:34This is, this is life right here. Yes. You know what, it's wild. As we're talking about this, I have, we have been struggling to sleep through the night because we're new. This is a new person. Yes. Stacy, you're moving. You're breathing. Stop it. Also, your friend J. W. talks in his sleep. Okay. So nobody knew that. And so, but one of the nights of our honeymoon, I woke up really early and I went and sat on our porch of our little hotel room and watched the sunrise. Oh. And so even as you're telling me this, I'm like, oh, even on our honeymoon, the Lord said, hey, just you. Yeah. Come out here. And you and me will just have a moment in the early morning that is not J. W. favorite time that is my favorite time. So I just need to be calling those what they are. Right. Exactly. Recognizing them for what they are. And I think taking the pressure off is really huge. Taking the to-do list off, taking this is what it's supposed to look like because like

10:35John mentioned to you, it is your heart that is central. That's what matters most. Yes. More than the doing it right. And yes, we're called to obey. And we want to obey. But it's only out of love. Yeah. It's not out of duty. Yes. So yeah. That's one of the things you've done beautifully and the latter of love is you're kind of helping us identify where we grow and who we are with Jesus right now and how, what's the path? What's the path closer to him? One of the things you talk about so much in the book is how we're each really uniquely made. And I love talking about that too. Well, you kind of, that really matters in a book like this where you go, okay, so I'll just read people the levels you talk about, the different rungs on the latter. Clay, sheep, servant, child, sibling, friend, partner. But we are all different. Yes. So put those two together for me, Stacey. How are we all uniquely different? But we all will end up in these same roles with Jesus. Don't you love that? Yeah.

11:35We don't have a cookie cutter God. You just look at a field of wildflowers and you go, this is, this is humanity. Yeah. None of us are the same. And he delights in that. Yes. So yes, we are all clay. And we are all formed uniquely with a unique purpose and calling and design. None of us is the same. Yeah. And he just, just to embrace that. I think that's actually just starting there a really important thing to say because we go to comparison really easily. Oh gosh. They have a vision impact. Look at them doing and they're so beautiful or I know God loves them. Yes. But you know me, not so much because I know my flaws. But to be able to get to the place of blessing your humanity. Blessing you. Blessing you say this in the book. You have us pray. Yeah. Bless my existence. I'm thankful I exist. Yeah. Bless my existence. Yeah. I loved that. It's really powerful. So many people have received messages and are, you know, some really awful ones going

12:37up a year. You're, you weren't wanted or you just know it. Yeah. Or you don't measure up or I need to perform a certain way and I'm not doing it. Now to go, you know what? No. Yeah. By Christ in you to say actually no, I bless my existence. I bless my right to thrive. Yes. I bless the fact that I am breathing and that is a sign that I am meant to be alive. Okay. Tell us what it means in the spiritual realm when we say things like I bless my existence. Like what does that do with against the did not? How is that spiritual warfare? It's so good. You know, there is life and death in the time. Yes. And in the Old Testament, you see how they put real weight to blessing and cursing. It has an impact. It literally has an impact in the natural realm. Let you bless what you curse and that they do experiments on this on plants on plants. On plants, right? Yeah. And you speak negatively or you name a plant. Yeah. A bad thing.

13:38It will wither and die. Every kid has seen this at a science fair project. Right. That someone talked to plants. Someone talked to plants and that it's going to happen to a plant. Yeah. It even happens with water. Yeah. Really? Yeah. It changes the cellular structure of what you name something. Yes. That's why when you are named something, maybe growing up or wickedness coming at you, it has an impact. Yes. And it's really an important thing to go, what does God name me? What does He call me? And then to grow and receiving that, believing it, resting it, taking it, take hold of it. You were called to beloved. You're called sought after and chosen and wanted. So say it out loud. I am chosen. I am holy and dearly loved. I went through a period and I'm just going to do it again. Where every morning and every evening, I prayed out loud just identity statements. Who I am in Christ. And it changed me. It did.

14:39So it's really important to go ahead and say it out loud. Yes. Also, the kingdom of darkness, I can't read your mind. So you say it out loud. Yes. That's, I think we underestimate how, when we talk about ourselves and other people, that is happening in the spiritual. I'm like, we, even if we're mad at someone, we do not curse them. So I don't want to be on that side of, no. No. I don't want to help the enemy for nothing. Nothing. No. And then you hear and it's really sad stories of people, maybe who were hurt by someone. And prayers like, get them God. Yeah. And you know, teach them a lesson. Yes. You're, you're cursing them. Yes. And that is physically bringing damage to the emotionally spiritual, perhaps even physically. Yes. So no, no, no, no, that's, that's waters we don't want to play in. Yeah, that's right. That's how we just speak like, I mean, because if that is true, Stacy, then every time we speak kindly about someone when they are in the room, we're actually doing something in the spiritual. We are doing something good. And even if you're having trouble with someone, what you want is more of Jesus to them.

15:42Yeah. So pray that. Yeah, that's right. That's right. More, I mean, we are so, I think, especially Christian culture, we do not label anyone or enemies. We would never. Right. Except maybe like, I don't know who. Maybe we would never label anyone an enemy. But Jesus says, love your enemies. Yes. But we don't ever, I don't, I shouldn't say, I don't have to face that because I don't call anyone my enemy. Yeah. But I can tell you people, I don't have good thoughts about. And then I go, oh, that's probably, I might be treating them like an enemy. And how am I to love them? Maybe you're not in relationship with them. Yeah. But really, just even saying, I bless them. I bless their life. And I do, I, and you do, you actually do want good for this. Yes. So next week when my book comes out, there are 15 books releasing the same day as me. Oh, my goodness. And so I had this moment with the Lord where I was like, what does the gospel do when this happens? What is the blessing tells everyone, every book that's coming out, not just mine. Because the, the gospel is going to go forward through all the books.

16:42Yes, we're all needed. So next week we're going to share all of them that are coming out. Oh, that, because I thought, I get to bless our curse. I get to be single. And I have to do this out of response of my fear. I'm not sad because I feel insecure and I feel worried and I go, well, then the gospel response, I think, is up, the head of the zoo, the two. How am I going to do that too? Oh, come on. Now my publicism right now. I know. Well, certainly not when you spend the same amount of time in that. No, no, no, no, no, no. But with this mention, and I know some that are coming out and they're really good. Right. And I just think that is, that is going to do something. Something in the spiritual dismantle. Yeah. You and you and John have really helped JW and I and and JW and I have these four things that we talk about when it comes to spiritual warfare. We are going to stay united. We are going to stay in prayer. We are going to stay in the word. And we are going to stay away from sin. And if we do those four things as best we can, we will identify spiritual warfare because

17:45we won't go like, is this him? Is he doing something? He's not going, Annie's not on my team because we've promised ourselves those four things. Because spiritual warfare is just everywhere, Stacy. I'm just not willing to give the devil a foothold in any of it. That's so good. And the key thing is, you know, recognize it. And you don't recognize it if you don't know what's true. Yeah. So doing those four things is so good because the enemy wants to divide. Divide you from your relationships, but primarily divide you from God that you won't believe that he actually is who he says he is, that he's good. And if you don't know he's good and know the scriptures, and know what it says, then when these lies come against you, which they do, it's so easy to go, that's right. That's true. Yeah. Instead of nope. It's one of the things I love that you did in Latter of Love is you snuck a chapter in called the Resistance. A little in there. About two-thirds of the way through, I'm going to give you a masterclass in spiritual warfare.

18:47What made you decide in the midst of teaching us, here's how you grow with God. What made you go, I have to tell you that you are not doing this without pushback. You have to because you want to grow in your relationship with God. You actually want to grow in the closeness, the proximity, the union. Any movement towards life is opposed. We do not live in some happy little life world where movement towards joy and relationship is, oh sure. Yeah. There was an enemy. Yeah. With a lot of demonic activity, there's witches. There's people out there that, you know, the enemy hates your life. He hates your union with God and he doesn't have another job. Yeah. He does. Oh, great line. He doesn't have another job. Yeah. That's just kind of it. Yeah. So if you want and you do want to have the healing that Jesus came to bestow and to have your broken heart tended to, to be released from the captive places and live the life that you're meant to live, which is knowing the heart of God and living in union with Him.

19:50Then you're going to need to do what He says and put on the full arm of God. Yes. And you're going to need to wake up to the reality that there's another player on the field who hates you and who has been working probably your whole life to pin your heart down and make you believe things that aren't true that are really awful. So that's why it's like, no, no, it's for freedom that Christ has set us free. If you want the freedom and you do, then you're going to need to address spiritual warfare. It's not weird. It's a part of every Christian's life. It's not scary and it's not impossible. Yeah. I love how you and John say that God is not a legalist with the enemy is. Yes. And so when we know that he, by agreeing with this, we have allowed that sin or that influence to be around and then we just stop agreeing with it and you're out of the legal agreement. You've made it. Exactly. Break agreements with the lies with the enemy make a agreement with the truth. And then going back to what we were talking about earlier about blessing instead of cursing,

20:51when you're actively hating someone, you're opening the door for the enemy. And then it's really important to note that when someone is hating you, there's power in that as well. So you actually need to be actively forgiving for, that's a storm's the enemy. Repentance and forgiveness. Yes. It'll just shatter the schemes of the enemy. Hey, friends, just interrupt in this conversation and tell you about one of our incredible partners, AG1. Okay, y'all, I've been dying to tell you about this. AG1 now has gummies. They're called AG1 Essential Gummies and I'm telling you, I'm so happy about them. Life is crazy right now with traveling for book tours, speaking events. So to be able to get the daily support I need while on the road is so helpful. And now I can just throw AG1's Essential Gummies in my bag. It's pocket sized. They're science backed. Daily nutrition gets no easier than this. And they taste great.

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24:56testimony they didn't love their life so much they weren't willing to lose them. When I think about speaking blessing and curse I'm also thinking about the power of our testimony and you like I mean you go deeper in this book than I think you have publicly in form. Yeah. Do you mind us talking about some of that too? No I mean you talk about your family of origin and having a really unstable childhood you talk about having an abortion. Yes. So many women listening and men listening to this as part of their story that have never told the story. Yes. Because that there are maybe it feels like that's that that's one of the things I can't talk about as a person. That's the unforgivable sin. Did it feel that way to you? Ever. Absolutely. Not being forgiven by God. I knew there's nothing out of the out of reach of God and the blood of Jesus covers it all. Forgiving myself. Like we're the hardest person to forgive is ourselves.

25:58And then that is not something that I can never not regret. That is a sorrow and I am forgiven and I'm going to hold that little girl one day. Like it's that's real. So I know I know I'm forgiven and so that gives me the the be able to stand and say, dear ones, you're not alone in church. Christian women. It's usually one in six. One in six. One in six of had an abortion at least one. So to sit there with that shame and think that you know that's out of the reach of God. Yeah. That it just qualifies you. I'm sure people thought that it actually does not. It does not. No. That's right. So talk to the woman who has a story she's always wanted to tell. It feels like, well, because I that happened, I disqualified myself. I was disqualified. However, the language would be how do you how would you encourage her to start telling

26:59her story and is it right? Is everyone should everyone tell their story? Well, it's going to depend. Yeah. It does. But I would, I mean, I just want to say to your heart, you are not disqualified. There's absolutely nothing you can do that can remove you out of the heart of God. He will never, has never will never turn his face away from you. Being disqualified is not possible. Right. That's right. There's no sin that's out of his reach. There's no sin that the blood of Jesus is not enough for. So just just that like rest in that. And then I would encourage you, dear heart, who is listening. You are not meant to live under that shame and suffering for the rest of your life. So I would say first, if you've never told anyone or you're just living with it, write it down. Okay. Write out your story. This may not be for anyone else to read. But just the process of writing it out is going to be helpful.

27:59And then I'm a big believer in Christian counseling, walking alongside one, hearing your story. So just, our God is a God of mercy and compassion. And that's what is true. He knows. And also you're going to meet this child. You're going to meet them. So just kindness. I wish I could just embrace them and go, you are not alone and you are not out of reach. What made you decide to tell the story in this book? I guess I've actually shared a little bit in the past because it, people need to know. They can look at an author, a Christian author and go, you've had this great life. So, you know, you don't relate to me. I have a story. I wish I could do what you've done. But you don't know what I've done. You don't know what I've done. And there are wounds that we need healed. And it's not only wounds that we had inflicted upon us.

28:59There's wounds that we inflicted. And it's not running away. It's not saying that, whoa, there's no bigger impact than that. Because you have a faithful God who is bigger. So I want people to know that there's nothing that's out of reach, nothing. You think about prisoners, people in prison who are on death row or people, no, they're not out of reach. Yes. Yeah. It's such a gift that you included this in the book because I think so many of us have maybe that one decision that could be a new, any number of things that we go because of this one thing. Yeah. And I'm not going to, you can never know that. I will never share that because of this shame. And that's right. If you knew that, you would run for the hills. That's right. If you knew this one thing about, I'll let you see all this. But if you knew this one thing and what you've done so beautifully in the latter of 11, what you're doing for us now is going like, there is no one thing. There is no one thing. There is no one thing. And there's actually freedom when it's time.

30:01Yeah. Because there is a healing journey that has to go on. Yes. You know, it's not something that you do from a bullhorn at any time, but there will, there's probably going to be a time when you get to come out and say, yeah, this is a part of my past too. Yes. And yes, I grieve it. And I am forgiven. How did you figure out this latter? How did you learn? Did you just, is it just through studying scripture? How did you grow like this and identify it? Well, it's, it's in the scriptures. There's progression of metaphors of the way our relationship with our God is described. And it's really beautiful. Yeah. I really, really love it. I do too. What I love to is we start as clay, we move up a sheep, we go to servant and then child all the way up, we never lose any aspect of those relationships. Like we are clay. We are always clay. Yes. We are always being formed. Yes. And then and the honor of that. But clay is an an adamant object.

31:01The higher rung is sheep. You're alive. You're falling about. You're maybe not be the brightest of creatures, but you know, you're alive. And then it goes up to servant where you are a human now. So it really is a progression that we can understand. And then to child, because a servant is a human and is that and I would say servant is a devoted one. They just, they offer, they pour out their love of Jesus in the myriad of ways they do out of love. And this is going to be service, but our worship is service. But a servant in the natural comes in the back door and has to wipe their feet. But a child's, a child just comes running on in jumps on their father's lap. A child knows freedom and trust. A child plays. So it's just an increase and then brother, a brother knows the inside scoop. Maybe the scoop that the parent doesn't know.

32:03Right. This went on behind the scenes. Right. So it's increasing levels of intimacy. Yeah. Until I mean, it's partner. And then it is for then it goes to friend. Oh, so it's the friend. That's right. Sorry, friend. That's fine. That lives it this closer than a brother. Yeah. And you may not confide in a sibling. And a father doesn't confide. The intimate details generally to their child. But a friend confides to the friends. The Lord, the God will confide in those who fear him. Jesus confided in his friends. Yes. I will tell you everything. You are my friends. Like to know that not only is he our friend, but he wants us to be his friends and dive into that. What does that mean? Yeah. One another. Yeah. And then, bright. Yes. And then, the partner, partner, linked with him to bring his kingdom, the esteem of that. So it's the highest wrong. But honestly, who knows what's going to happen in eternity?

33:04Yeah. Like we're never going to come to the end of this land. All our endless lives. Yes. Discovering more about our God and who we are. And I think that's the beautiful thing about it as well because we are learning who he is, rightly, because we've all learned him wrongly and he wants to come and reveal that to us. But in his gaze, in his love, we learn who we are truly as well. I have noticed in my life, and this just maybe this is one example that came to my mind, is I, in the last year and a half, I've, I've had experiences with Lord where I felt like, oh, I'm realizing I've always been a good little soldier. Uh-huh. If you tell me to do this, I'll do that. I'll do that. I'll be a idiot most of the time, hopefully. And I, through, but through really hard things. Yeah. And I've started to experience daughter more profoundly of like, you're not, I'm not going to force you. What do you want? Like how does this matter? Like, so matter what you want. Yes. Yes. Yeah. And is it, so is that true for every level of the ladder that when you move from one to

34:08the other, it's by pain? Well, pain is a great teacher. I know. Tragically. I know. God seems to really use suffering. Yeah. To draw us closer to him. He does. He said, I want to come to the place where I need you as deeply when I'm in a joyful season. Yes. As I do when I'm in a suffering season. Yes. I don't think I'm there yet. Yeah. That's okay. We can even bless our humanity in that. But he does. He does use it. And he, and he woozes us with it. It's, it's, it's that crazy verse he uses all things together. He works them all for our good. Yes. Even suffering. Yes. Even hardship. I say, as crazy as it is, I know so many people have been through hell and back and say, I wouldn't change its thing. Yes. Because for them to come to know. That's right. That's right. Because I'm like, in my pain, he said, come closer and listen. Yes. Come here. I'm actually saying a different thing to you. Yes.

35:08And I was like, Oh, oh, I just get to choose. I'm just a, you're, you're trusting me like that? Like people said, what have you learned in the last year and a half with being in a relationship with J.O. You know, Mary to him. I was like, I learned that Lord trust me. And I don't know that I knew that a year and a half ago. Right. Right. This, this is great stuff. This is mind blowing that the king of the cosmos trusts you has any amount of trust to me. I know more than I deserve. He knows you. He knows you. He knows your heart. Yeah. And then in that, what that does to us to go, wait, he trusts me. And he wants relationship with me. He wants me to know him. Right. Wow. What an honor. Will you talk about the mothering of God? Yes. Because I think that chapter is so important. We get to deal so much. And you say this with the siblings too. You say we bring to Jesus all our history with our siblings. Yes. There is meant to be nuclear, family healing in us around Father, which people talk about

36:09all the time. Yes. Father wounds is how you relate to God. People don't do that as much with mothering or with siblings. We talk about those for a minute. What is the mothering of God? Yeah. Oh, the mothering of God. Probably the primary thing that in the natural world, a mother brings is mercy. She's meant to bring mercy, compassion, nurture, kindness and provision as protection. Yes, that's the essence. Yeah, yeah, yeah, you talk about that. Yeah, the essence. It all pulls back to, well, what does God provide? Yes, he's our father, but he mothers us. Yes. And I love the image of the nursing child. Yes. Like the sustenance, the fullness, God's first name that he revealed himself as was El Shaddai. Yes, that's literally what I turned to as I was. Oh, yeah. Do you want El Shaddai? No, you don't. You don't talk about it. Yeah. It's the strong one who provides all we need. Wow. And El Shaddai is also translated as breasts.

37:09Oh, wow. Yeah. Yeah, it really mirrors the nursing relationship and then the God who provides all that is needed, not from far away, but from close proximity and he provides it with himself. He is ultimately what we need. So then someone says back to us, you guys, I love you both, but God says he's a he. Yeah. Like God says he's a he. You're saying that he has mothering tendencies. Yeah. Now you're messing with my theology. I know. Are we messing with their theology? I know. Maybe a little bit. It's stressing you, but women bear the image of God. Yes. We were also made in his image. We are made in his image. Yeah. So why would we think that what a father provides for their child, primarily say identity, what a mother provides is lunch? Yeah. Well, no, a mother primarily provides self esteem. Answers the question, are you worth being inconvenienced for again and again and again?

38:13Right. You know, this is your heart. Right. Right. But that heart, when you talk about nurturance, guidance, mercy, teaching, comfort, does that sounds like something our God provides? Yeah. It does. And so we uniquely bear his image and not every mother does this, but the good mother, the mother, you know, we want to be here that we're meant to be does do these things. And we find our roots. We find our roots in the heart of our God. Yeah. It just feels like this opportunity for us all to go, okay, maybe some of the wounding God can heal in ways I didn't realize. Yes. Because I forgot. I didn't know. I didn't pay attention to that he fills every gap. He is else should I who fills every every gap that holds on 23. He is I lack nothing. Yes. I lack nothing. And then to talk about mother because we do talk about and it's great and important to

39:13talk about father wounds. Well, there's mother wounds. And for some people, the mother wound is the mother of all wounds. Yes. And it's sacred terrain. You just don't go barging in there. It is important to look at what did you receive? What didn't you receive? And the primary thing you need is belonging, which is bestowed by love and consistency, which means, you know, the mirroring gaze. It means a safe environment. You actually know what the reaction is going to be when you come to them. And for a lot of people, there wasn't safe. And they didn't know what they were going to get. But God wants to come and address that and heal that in us and reframe what he is like because he is always loving and he is always consistent and he never changes. So you tell us specific story in the book about how your mom sometimes when y'all would go to bed, she'd say, I'm not going to be here when you wake up. Yeah. And then y'all would wake up and run into her room. And she'd be there. And sometimes she wouldn't.

40:13And she'd leave for a bit of time and leave you guys. How did the Lord heal that part in you? What was it like when the Lord went like, I don't leave or I'm not going to threaten to leave you? Right. You know, Annie, what's wild is until I was almost 30 years old. My teenage years, not my teenage years, my toys, I would say, I had a great childhood. I had a fabulous childhood. And I remember John, we counseling together. We had, we hit some stuff in our marriage. We didn't go to marriage counseling, but we had separate counseling and like working it together. And he graduated like really fast. And I'm still in it. Yeah. I think, well, why are you done? Because your family is such a bigger mess than mine. And he said, it's because you think so. And wait, wait, what? So it was, it was under the gaze of a loving God that I could begin to look at, well,

41:15wait, what? I didn't have a perfect childhood because I had just, you know, buried it. Like it was all like, shh. Yeah. So at the right time and the merciful gaze of God to go, okay, what was it really like? And then I got really mad. Wow. I got really mad at my mom, particular. My father died when I was pretty young, but she's there. And I felt so judged by her and I never measured up. And just the messages I got from her, I just had glossed over them. But then I had to face the reality of the damage that she had done. And being angry. And then through that, I didn't stay there, but come to the place of forgiving her. And then later learning her story, like, oh, oh, there's a reason. Why you were the way you were. In fact, the mothering you offered me was way more than you experienced. Nonetheless, a child is not meant to bear that pain.

42:18I can understand and offer mercy now, but it was not meant to be that way. And I had to marinate in the scriptures, say the truth of who I am, pray to know God as my father more deeply so that I could actually stand on that and go, okay, I'm going to be okay because this is what is true. And then eventually, have a time to go back to my mom, forgive her in person and ask her forgiveness for the ways I had failed her as a daughter. So for a circle. Wow. The humility to go and do that. Did you just pick up the phone and say, can I come over? I did. God. But it wasn't, you know, I was actually in a time of prayer with strangers. I didn't even know these people. And a woman came up, you know, this is a whole new realm for me. What you can hear the voice of God. I didn't know you could do that. And she later hands on me and said, the way your mother makes you feel is the way you make her feel.

43:19Oh, gosh. You need to go. So I had young children then, but I went home and said, I got to go. And I was there in a week. And just, I still remember sitting in the class, the kitchen table with her and saying, mom, I know this is how I have made you feel. She couldn't even speak. Wow. She's just looking at me and I said, you don't need to respond because I know that it's true. And I want you to know that is not how I feel about you. And I'm sorry. It changed everything in our relationship. Wow. Mm hmm. Let's talk about siblings for a minute too. Again, you're quote, we bring to Jesus all our history with our siblings. Not only brothers, but I have sisters. Your sisters. Older and younger. Younger, I'm not. Okay. And so talk a little bit about how we heal sibling things because Jesus is our brother. And he's the better brother, the older brother. He is our elder brother who's gone before us. And I confess in the book that that's probably the least way I know him.

44:22Yeah. Maybe because of my own story with siblings, it's just not a terrain that I. Yeah. I was comfortable walking it. Yeah. And what does that even mean? So it's really fun to dive in to go, what does it mean that you're my, you're my big brother. Like when it came to your mind to write in the book, you're like, wait, I don't even know him like this. I think it's more when I got there. Okay. No, it was not. It did not flow out. Yeah. It was more. Okay, I know my siblings. I know what I learned from them. And they love me. And I love them. And we have a messy history of, of shared damage. Yeah. So to go, but you don't, you're not like that. So again, it's going into the scriptures. And what does he like? He says his brother in arms, like shoulder to shoulder. And then the truth about they know the inside scoop. So with Jesus, you know, you just look across the table. He just gives you a look. Yeah. And you, oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. I hear this. I hear what's going on.

45:22I'm going to remind you with, in a word. And he conveys so much. Yes. In a word. Yes. So that, that brother, that sibling relationship, we have the same father. Yeah. And we are meant to look alike. My sisters and I look alike. Oh, do you? Yeah. Yeah. So there's the simply resemblance. Wow. And we have a father who wants his children to look alike. Yes. That's right. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. We, we, we, we, we are being transformed. Yes. It's the very image of Christ. So when people look at us, they'll, they'll see him. Yes. In that context mentally for myself, I've always thought, transform me to look like him. Not we both come from the same line and therefore, we have similar characteristics. Yes. When we, when God is shaping us. Yeah. Yeah. That is very helpful. Yeah. That is really helpful. Hey, friends, just interrupt in this conversation. One more time to leave on our incredible partners, our place. Okay. Here's the thing you guys. We have a lot of cooking over the years.

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47:22That's F R O M O U R P L A C E dot com slash T S F and use the code T S F for 10% off site wide with a hundred day trial. You can try it completely risk free, but I think you're going to love it. Is there a business that you've been dreaming about starting and you keep saying someday I will dot dot dot. Well, what's holding you back? If it's the technology to get an online store up and running, I've got the right solution for you and that is Shopify. Whether you've been dreaming about selling t shirts or greeting cards or your artwork or your t shirt artwork and greeting card line all of them together. Shopify is the easiest e-commerce platform to help you get up and running in no time. When we started selling on shop any of downs dot com, Shopify made it so simple to get started. They've got built in tools to help you with analytics, marketing, copy and design. Truly, they've made it so easy to use and understand. What Shopify is the commerce platform behind millions of businesses around the world and 10% of all e-commerce in the US because they handled the setup and the checkout.

48:27You have more time to focus on growing your business and the tools to do it. If you're ready to hear the of your first sale today, head over to shopify dot com slash sounds fun. And my friends get to start a free trial today. That's right. Start your free trial at shopify dot com slash sounds fun. I know you and you genuinely want your faith to be evident in the way you live, right? Me too. We want to be the kind of people who actually live like Jesus, but life gets busy and sometimes serving people can feel like something we do at church or on a mission trip instead of something woven into our everyday lives. That's why I love what orchard is doing with their free app seeds and helps you turn those good intentions into real everyday actions without adding another thing to your already full schedule. Seeds helps you notice the opportunities already around you. Maybe it's checking on a neighbor encouraging a coworker texting a friend who's struggling or buying coffee for the person behind you.

49:27Small moments, real people every day faith. The app helps you discover ideas, track how you're serving and build habits around loving your neighbor. If you want your faith to show up more in your everyday life and don't we all this is a great place to begin. Download the free seeds app and take one small step today. Plant your first seed and see what God can grow. You'll find the link in today's show notes. And now back to finish up our conversation with Madam Stacey. Okay, so the anecdote to shame is love. Shame is so powerful and stops us from doing a thousand things. Yes. The antidote to shame is not activity or is not even forgiveness. The anecdote to shame is love. Will you talk about that? How do we experience that if we feel ashamed? Oh, and who doesn't? So again, just mercy. We all have areas where we're not measuring up to the way that we want or living in a way

50:30perhaps a place of victory that we think we're supposed to have and we're not so we can shame ourselves. And then there's other voices. There's the voice of the enemy that's constantly shame. The world will shame us. It's not our front. So what does God say? This is just so critically important that we keep coming back to it. What are you going to base your life? Your emotions, your circumstances, what other people have said and done or open up to the possibility that the one who created you has the ultimate right to name you and tell you who you are and what you're like. And God is love. He's love. So that whole scripture, love your neighbor as yourself. Yes. Yes. As yourself. Yes. I think about that too. Oh, you know. And it's like, okay, well, that almost feels ungodly. It must have loved myself. It's prideful. It's the way you treat your own heart is the way you will treat other people's.

51:30It just is. If you're a perfectionist, you put pressure on yourself. You have to be a certain way in order you think to please God. You will project that. Yes. Yes. And that's what they pick up. But what if you believe God and he doesn't shame us? He is only merciful. Yes, we get convicted of sin. Yes. That's totally different. The motive of that is love. Yes. When it's shame, we spiral down and you can't get up. Right. Because God is an invitation to come closer and we rise. You can know them by their fruits. Yes. That's right. He is not a God who shames us. Yes. You just said it. The world will tell us and the enemy will tell us and we'll hear that. How do we know the difference? How do we know who's telling us the truth? When the messages are coming in our head, what's the primer on how you know God's voice versus the enemy's voice versus your own insecurities versus the world's voice?

52:30I would say that you know them by their fruit. And maybe it's not so important to know. Is it the world that's shouting this to you? Is this the enemy or is this my own? They're going to be intertwined. Yes, that's right. That's right. And the ultimate root of any kind of shame or pain or accusation to you is coming from the accuser of the brethren who's animating broken people and the world. The world and the devil get along quite well. But know it by its fruit. What does it make you do? Does it want to make you withdraw? And it shame does. I mean, you get hurt and I'm going to withdraw. Or I'm only going to offer the best part of myself because you are sure that they will reject you versus your trustworthy person. I'm safe to present. And I'm not perfect. Our authenticity, as you know, as you do so well, it's a great gift. It's just part of why sharing my story.

53:31Like I'm not interested in the parade of the perfect. Yeah. I want the real. Because we have a God who is real. Now everyone listening to you is going like, yes, Daisy, you're, madam, Stacy. Here we go. And also in the book, you write about days where depression you wake up and you go, oh, it's not going to be a good day. Oh, oh gosh, yes. And so there is that. The reality. Yeah. So will you talk about what you do on those days? Yeah. Because I am, I've battled with depression most of my life. And so I will still have days. And I write about that as you mentioned where I wake up an unbeliever. And it can take a while for me to claw my way back into the truth. And I don't ever think right off the bat, after all of these years, that it's coming from an external source. Yeah. And I think, oh, this is true. This is what's true about me. This is real. Wow, it's going to be a terrible day.

54:32So what I do is, it's a spiritual practice of prayer every single day. And I need it desperately where I pray a prayer that aligns me with the truth of who God says I am. Yes. I use the daily prayer. It's on the wild heart. And I put it in the book. And it's really, it's a, okay, who? What is the victory of the crucifixion for me? Do you have it memorized at this point? Okay, because you say in the book that you do it while you're out walking. Yeah. And so I was imagining down your street, I was like, are you holding your phone? No, I still feel like a prince. Think about 20 years. Okay. So you know now at this point, you're saying the same thing. Yeah. Yeah. And it's, you know, sometimes I slog through it. So I'm praying and then, you know, coming in alignment with asking, I'm going to, I believe you God. So I'm taking my place in the crucifixion of Christ and listing the benefits of all that he won for us. And then I get to the resurrection and his life and all of that. But then I get to the ascension and the victory that I possess, the authority that I possess against the enemy. And then my spirit will really rise.

55:34That's when the ferocity that he's placed in all of us will rise up and it's no, that's with things will shift. Why does it help to be out walking? How does moving your body and the midst of praying help? How does it help? That's a question that is so good. Like you're embodying everything. And it's just because we are bodies. My roles are so different when I'm stopping through the neighborhood. Yeah. I think we're powerful or they might feel like I feel like I'm doing more. Yeah. So that was curious if that's how you felt too in those mornings. I just, I am aware of where I am. I know where I am because it's a walk that I do most days. I know where I am in it and go, okay, we're just going to get there and it's going to get the victory again and then, oh, come up for air. But it's not every day. I'll be in my little room and just praying there and it's just well there. Just go, no, regardless of how I feel, I'm going to align with the truth. And then moving your body, there's never a time that I regret it.

56:34There might be a time I know I didn't want to do that. But then afterwards, oh, that was a good choice. Right. Right. All your boys are grown. They are. A bunch of grandkids. They went on the way. Yeah. So we had a question come in from one of our friends listening, Amber, because she's in the middle of the life you had when all she's got young and young ones. Yeah. And she was like, okay, help me with spiritual practices. And I think so many of our moms listening can relate to this of I used to connect with God with long periods of journaling and prayer and reading and what I still get to do. But you're getting to do again now that the kids are raising their own families. How do you set those rhythms of prayer, of fasting, of this connection with God, this latter of love, when you have little's at home? She said, the practice in a constant season of interruptions, constant, a calling all over me. Yes. What do you do? This is great because I just had lunch with the young mom.

57:36Uh-huh. It has the same question. Yes. It's going to look different. Okay. Mercy. This doesn't mean get up at 4.30 in the morning now and have an hour with God. This means kindness to yourself and know that your time is with God. If you get 15 minutes, whoa. Yeah. It might be three. It might be keeping a little devotional in your bathroom. So when you get to slip in there, you just get to read a verse. For me in those years, I had one in the car next to me. And it was at a red light. Reach over to it. Here's the thing. We have a faithful God. He understands. He knows. So he knows the desire of your heart. So it is a season. It's a season that is precious and demanding and holy and hard. And God is with you in it. He's with you while you're folding laundry or wiping bottoms or all that is required of you in it. So even learning in the midst of that to turn your attention inward to where Christ dwells

58:42by faith, maybe you're folding laundry and you just go, Jesus, I love you. I'm exhausted. This is hard and I love you from here. Help. Yes. I love you. God. There was a time when I would spice vegetables and I would just say his name at every slice just to kind of help shift my heart to the reality of the presence of God. And when you have time, if you have time, read great stuff. Stuff that's going to fill you and nurture you or if you can listen to good podcasts, then do. But just even mercy in that because that can be too much. So spiritual practices, spiritual rhythms, they will come back. Okay. They'll come back. Yes. This isn't going to be the time. Okay. Yes. And the free. How many times? I just love the mercy of God. Yeah. Can you in a way that we can understand to define mercy? How is mercy different than God's grace?

59:43Of course. Mercy is just kindness. Okay. It's gentleness. Yes. It's resting in the fact that God is not disappointed in you. He understands. He has compassion. I remember this one time when I was just lamenting over my body and I was holding my belly and I went judgment. I just named you judgment. And you just, you're a failure. This is as a woman as a human being. And God interrupted me and said, I name it mercy. Wow. Which was like, I understand what has compelled you to like, I'm not judging you. So it's a place of rest. I think that's the invitation ultimately from God. It's not to strive, it's rest in his love. You live from that place. We for staff on Monday, we did a devotional talking about commit your way to the Lord from Psalm 37. Yes. And that, you probably know all this, but that word actually everywhere else in the Bible

1:00:45means roll, a rock. Oh, I love that. Yeah, I didn't know that. It's an actually an onomatopoeia in the original language. It's from Galaal. So it sounds like Galaal, Galaal, Galaal, like a rock roll. And it was so, it was God's mercy for our staff to go like, oh, to commit our way to the Lord is to roll off the responsibility onto him. Yes. That's his mercy. I was ready to come in and be like, we're going to commit our way to the Lord. Everyone, get on board. Yeah. And though it was like, you don't know how that word works. It's Galaal, Galaal, Galaal, let it roll. And so I just, I don't think I had the language for it being God's mercy that he handles. He just handles that. Does he just get better the more you know him? Yes. Absolutely. He continually surprises me. Yeah. That you are, you're better. What do you know about him now that you didn't in your 40s? Oh my goodness, so much. Really? Yeah. I know his delight. Yeah. I do. I know his delight.

1:01:47I know his desire for me. I can desire him, but he desires me. Yeah. So, I mean, that just blows my mind. I know his love in ways that I didn't before. I know that I am his beloved. I stay sea eldritch. Anybody listening can say this because it's so much easier to, I mean, we know you're his beloved. Of course you're his beloved. Right. But then to go, no, I am. Yeah. I am. Yeah. Now that was changed. That was changed your life. Yeah. Oh, okay. It's fun to think that in relationship with God, we never have learned it all. No. So we'll be 80, 90, 100, still opening scripture and seeing something new. Exactly. That's my final. Are you ready? Yes. Our endless life. I think we'll never have podcasts. We have one. That would be fun if we weren't born yours again. I want to want to be on yours again. I think if we're going to keep learning. And we are. And we are, hardly to write books. People who were right. Simponies. People who were the first Bible person you're inviting on captivating heaven edition.

1:02:49Mary of Bethany. Oh, you do write about herself. I love her. I love her. I love her. I love Mary of course. I'll be like, girl, I will get you. I love Martha. I love her. She's actually. She's actually, we're not gonna shame Martha. No, no, no. What do you love about Mary that makes you want to interview her first? I love her, her adoration of Jesus. She's the first one that I learned, ministered to his heart. Yeah. And to okay, wait, what? Yeah. I get to affect the heart of God. I love her whole story, all of it. And I'm also intrigued that she wasn't at the crucifixion. She wasn't. She wasn't. And he left Bethany and went to the Mount of Olives. Yep. But the oil that she anointed him with was. So the fragrance of her love is there, but I just wonder, could you just not take it? You, she's the one that knew what was coming. Yes. Was your heart just too much that you couldn't see it? Anyway, her ready for this interview. That's gonna be good. Yeah, I'm gonna start with Lydia.

1:03:51Oh, I love Lydia Frank. She's such a boss. She has a company. She takes care of her family. Oh my goodness, she's a maize. She's a maize. I'm just like, we're gonna start with the business leaders. Oh, that's good. That's good. Obviously, everyone listening, we would like to have Jesus on our podcast. Everyone understands Jesus on our podcast. But after Jesus, who would you like to interview? Okay, is there anything we didn't say that you want to make sure we say? No, I think this is great. Beautiful. Thank you. Just what a gift. Your prayer life. I've listened to you pray on the podcast. I've been with you and we've prayed. I've read your prayers in here. What kind of commitment to prayer? How do I want to phrase this? Gets me where you are. Where you sit and listen, you go, here's what God's doing. And here's how I know to pray. Like, is there a way to get in this path or is it just keep praying? There's a way. Okay, tell me. We want to develop a conversational intimacy with Jesus. Prayer is not a one way thing. So we have to practice being still

1:04:52and asking to hear his voice. He says we hear his voice. Where is she? We hear his voice. And he says that he only does what he sees the Father doing. So it's a fantastic thing to be still and even asking him, what are you praying, Jesus? Here's what I want to pray. Because he's always interceding. Yeah. What are you praying, Jesus? Yeah, wow. Because I want to pray that. Can we say that? Would you like, if I'm thinking about praying for a friend of mine who's sick? Yes. Do I say, Jesus, what are you praying for this friend? What are you praying for that? Okay, so it's not just what are you praying for in the world? And he says, China and you go, I'm in. Let me go for China. But you can actually, we can actually have a conversation of like, hey, I want to pray for my friend who's sick. What are you praying for? What are you praying? Because God is not going to burden us with it in, you know, entire continent. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Although maybe there's intercessors out there that he does and they're rocking and rolling. That's right. But what are you praying? But also just nurturing your, your own relationship with Jesus, getting quiet, getting still and who are you praying to? Are you praying, you know, to the sky God? Or are you praying to this Jesus

1:05:54who has made us home in your heart? So you're turning inward, getting quiet, asking Holy Spirit's help to become aware of His presence within you. Yes. And I would start with loving Him. Just love Him from there. Yes. One of the gifts of the one minute pause app, if our friends haven't downloaded it, get this app, is there's one of the 30 days that John built, actually teaches you how to find, yes, inside what the place to go to pray. Yes. I think it might be 30 days to resilience. 30 days to resilience is really good. And then there's also the experience Jesus really, which is just a morning and the evening is incredible, but not required to open the next day. Both of them holds your hands and help you walk into how do you do this? How do you experience Jesus? That's what I try to do in the book as well. As holds your hand, let's practice together. We can grow in this. And there's a teaching to go along right six weeks. Oh, yeah.

1:06:54Yes, there's a, there's a, and it's different. It's, you know, it's the same message, but different. I love it. Thank you for doing this. I love you. I'm so thankful for you. Okay, Madam Stacey Eldridge, because this show is called That Sounds Fun. Tell me what sounds fun to you. I knew you were gonna ask this question, of course. Okay. Writing a humpback whale. Really? Yes. Okay, tell me why that's a great answer. So we don't judge fun. So if it's fun to you, it's fine, but that sounds very fun. Oh, my goodness. There was a time, and this was an incredible time. We were with friends who owned a cat him around in Hawaii. And we had snorkeling, and they said, jump off right now. So we jumped off, and I was 20 feet above a baby whale who was 20 feet above the mom. And I'm like swimming to try to stay up with them. And, and then they become across a whale. These are humpback whales who is vertical in the water. And just like, I was like, that's how they sleep. But it's like it was praying, it was like an angel.

1:07:57And it was, took my breath away. It was holy. Yeah. And then I think about in the kingdom. Yeah. Getting really close. And how fun would that be? Oh my gosh. And I think that in the kingdom, you can breathe underwater. Yeah. So I think that would be really marvelous. I need to get you the book. We just had a guest on that long ago, and her whole thing is the ocean, and where it meets our faith. Oh wow, that's so great. It is so cool. We'll make sure to link to it and share the, but it is, and she talks about one of her heartaches is how the Bible doesn't talk about oceanic life in the new, so new, having a new earth, but not about new ocean. She's like, there's gotta be others in it. It matters too much. There is. Oh, thank you for doing this. I'm so grateful. I love you, too. Thank you. You guys, isn't she the best? I just had 1,000 other things I wanted to ask her. Like, when you get to sit down with like a mother of the faith, who's a little bit ahead of you in life, I want to like, drink up every bit of wisdom,

1:08:58but I'm telling you, you can do that in this book. Head over to social media. Tell Stacy, thank you for being on the show, and go pre-order your copy of The Ladder of Love. It is her mothering us, teaching us, leading us. It's absolutely beautiful. If you need anything else to me, I'm embarrassingly easy to find. Any up-downs on Instagram. Next, Facebook, TikTok, Substex. Spotify your TV, remember. Anywhere you need me, that's where you can find me. I think that's it for me today, friends. Go out or stay home and do something that sounds fun to you, and I will do the same. Listen, today what sounds fun to me, my nephew, and I have really been participating in Step Timber, where we get on FaceTime every day and do a little walk around the neighborhood. He walks up and down his driveway. So I'm excited for our Step Timber catch up this afternoon. Y'all have a great week. We'll actually see you back here on Monday. It's book launch week, and my friend Jess Connolly is going to be joining me. And then we have a super fun bonus episode on launch day. It's gonna be a big week, you guys. It's gonna be fun. I'm glad you'll be with us. We'll see y'all on Monday.

1:10:00I'm here to show you one of its great cool for me. My heart can't barely feel it. I might be on my knees, but I'll be spirits. They're stronger. Look at that guy, she'll be low. Every heart day, home it grown. Now I see God is begging me. Spirit's stronger. Spirit's stronger. Spirit's stronger. Spirit's stronger. Jesus said, don't be anxious. Love your enemies. That wasn't easy then, and they didn't have the 24-7 news cycle. If something newsworthy happened,

1:11:01you didn't know unless someone walked to your town and told you. Today, we're drowning in a never-ending stream of tragedy and crisis with social feeds convincing us the other sides the problem. That's a recipe for anxiety and anger, not peace and love. Wouldn't it be great if there was a news outlet that gave you short, unbiased updates while reminding you of the truth? The kingdom is coming and eternity changes everything? Yes, it would be. And it is. The pourover is a three times a week podcast doing that. Click the link in the show notes to join 1.5 million people getting the news they need and the piece they crave with the pourover.