Episode Transcript
[00:00:01] Hey, friend. Welcome to Perspectives into Practice, a place where life's stories meet practical wisdom. Together, we'll explore how faith filled perspectives can transform the way we live, love, and grow.
[00:00:17] So grab a seat, settle in, and join us on this journey to turn inspiration into action.
[00:00:24] Let's dive in.
[00:00:29] Hey, friend. Happy New Year. I'm so glad that you're here with us today. Whether you've been walking with us for a while, since the very first episode, or you just found this podcast. Welcome, welcome, welcome.
[00:00:43] We are here kicking off season two of the podcast. And instead of starting the year with the guest, you get me again, just me. I wanted to slow it down for a minute to reflect, breathe, and really honor what God has already been doing through the voices and the stories that have been shared here. Because this episode, this podcast, is not about me. It's about you. It's about God. It's about the honest, vulnerable, spirit led perspectives that so many women have shared in this past season and will continue to share in this next season. From the very beginning, this podcast had a simple heartbeat, if you will. I wanted to create a space where real life stories met practical faith, where we didn't just talk about God, but we notice him in our everyday lives.
[00:01:42] Where we. Where we don't stop at inspiration, but ask, how do I live this out right now? What does that look like in my life?
[00:01:51] So that is why this podcast is called Perspectives into Practice. Because perspectives shape how we live and practice is where faith becomes real. It's all about learning and then actually putting into action what you've learned in your life. That is how we're going to make change, friends.
[00:02:12] And you are here for it. And I am so glad. You know, I.
[00:02:18] I listened back through the episodes this, this year, and one theme kept rising to the surface. I was taking notes so that I could do this episode here.
[00:02:29] And you know what? God is moving in our lives. He is. She is moving in our lives. And even when it doesn't make sense, he's still there. He's in the middle of motherhood, in the middle of ministries and marriage and health journeys, in new work opportunities, in our calling and in all the messy in betweens. He is teaching us how to walk in obedience, how to live with intention, and how to trust him one small step at a time.
[00:03:02] And I love that we get to be in a relationship with him and that he gives us that opportunity to see those things. It is just such a beautiful thing. So before we go any further, can I just pause and celebrate something with You.
[00:03:16] This podcast has now reached listeners in over 17 different countries, and it's had over 1500 clicks and listens, which is absolutely amazing because it hasn't even been a full year yet. We'll be coming up to that in February.
[00:03:36] But those statistics humble me so deeply because from day one, I have said that this podcast, if it reached one person, it would be worth it. And I still believe that. But God has clearly had bigger plans, and I am so expectant to see what he's going to do. I love hearing how these episodes have touched you as you're listening, how they've helped start healing for some of you, how they've helped you name something God has been doing, maybe quietly, in your life, how you've shared an episode with a friend and watched God meet her there, too. It's. That is the part that makes my heart the happiest. So thank you. Thank you for listening. Thank you for sharing. Thank you for being brave enough to notice what God is doing in your life right now. Because not everyone does that. Not everyone notices. And, you know, we talk a lot about that is slowing down, paying attention.
[00:04:41] So I'm proud of you, friend, for doing that and for being here each week as we talk about more perspectives and the way that God's working in our lives.
[00:04:52] So one more thing before we dive into the deeper lesson. I really want to smile with you for a minute.
[00:04:59] I'm all smiles in this episode, if you can't hear it already, but one of my favorite parts of every episode. You guys know the fun facts, right? I am so thankful that I added that in the very beginning. And it has just.
[00:05:15] It brings me so much joy to hear those little details that remind us how personal and creative that God is. And fascinatingly enough, it actually, most of the time those fun facts go perfectly with the topic that they're talking about without me even trying to make it fit and obviously without them thinking what's a fun fact that will go with my topic. And so it's just been such a beautiful, beautiful time.
[00:05:45] And I love, I love hearing your fun facts. So, you know, we've had a friend who dreamed of becoming a pig farmer and still wants a mini pig someday. We've had another one that grew up competitive figure skating and still pulls out the spins on the rink and brings her kids with her.
[00:06:05] Another one is colorblind but often forgets that she is.
[00:06:09] We've had a woman that drives for the Amish and uses the quiet time on the road for worship and ministry, which is Just so beautiful.
[00:06:20] Someone made it all the way through their childhood and adulthood without ever being stung by a bee, which honestly just feels miraculous. And I'm pretty sure I said that on her episode.
[00:06:32] And of course there's us. If you don't know who actually we are my family. We are a family of six. We are living and traveling full time. And a 40 foot adventure bus. Go on my Instagram and go check out those cool pictures. We have a dog named Remy. And fun fact, we have a bathroom that doubles as a coffee bar. So there you go.
[00:06:54] All of these fun facts matter so much. And you know what? God delights in the details. He delights in those details that make up who we are. And ah, that joy just, it shows up in the, in the smallest, most unexpected places. But when we have eyes open to see, he lets us see that. He lets us dive into that. He lets us see those, those little sweet, precious places. But we have to be willing, right? We've talked about this. We have to be willing to see those things. And sometimes it just takes a lot of practice so that you can get better at recognizing them. So it makes me wonder about you. If you were on an episode, what fun fact would I share about you?
[00:07:43] What do you think? Think about it. You know, I'm always saying, I would love to have you on here to chat. I love chatting with people. And if you ask anyone that's been on this podcast, anyone that I've interviewed here, any of our friends, they will all tell you that this is a relaxed, chill interview. It is. It's fun. It is not stressful and we have a really great time and invite the Holy Spirit in and just chat. It's so wonderful and I would love to have you on here. So. All right, let's go. So from pet pigs to powerful truths. It brings us to the heart of today's episode. And as I listen back, I realize that these are not just stories being shared. They are invitations.
[00:08:31] We've had invitations. One conversation with Alana stayed with me very deeply. And it was actually one of the very first ones we ever recorded. And it got me so excited for all of the rest that were going to happen.
[00:08:44] She talked about trusting God not only in suffering, but also in blessing. And how sometimes the things that we pray for arrives with responsibility, uncertainty, and a weight that we did not expect. And yet God still meets us there. She reminded us that when we seek him first, he multiplies our time, our obedience and our faithfulness, even when it doesn't make sense on paper or in real life. Another perspective she gave us is that she reframed hardship entirely. She shared that we are not just walking through things for ourselves, but for the body of Christ, which is a much bigger mission than just for ourselves.
[00:09:30] She shared that we are overcomers, not only for our own story, but for others who need hope. And that truth alone can change how we carry all of our trials. I don't know about you, but when I think about my trials being used for someone else to help them, it changes things. It really does. When I think about learning to hear God's voice, I keep coming back to our conversation with Amanda. She shared how putting in effort to know his voice changed everything. It changed her relationships, her confidence, her ability to say yes and no with peace. And she reminded us of something grounding and steady, and that's that God is trustworthy even when people say otherwise. And I could not agree more. One of my own takeaways is something I shared and still hold very close, and that's that peace does not always come with clarity. Sometimes it shows up right in the middle of the fog, not with answers, but with presence. And that peace is enough to keep us going. We had another wonderful conversation. That was with Danielle, who she reminded us that grief does not disqualify us from God's purpose.
[00:10:50] Even while walking through pain, God is still present. He is still working, and he is still writing a story that matters.
[00:10:59] And when I think about how we live this out, I hear Brianna's voice reminding us to start with worship.
[00:11:06] Not striving, not fixing, just worship. Because when our eyes shift, everything begins to shift, too. And that'll stick with you right there.
[00:11:18] Michelle also challenged us to ask God to let us see people through his eyes. That perspective alone can honestly transform our homes, our work, our relationships, our friendships, everything. Because love looks different when it flows from Christ instead of our own filters. When you know the love of Christ and that he's told us to love our neighbor, to love our enemies, to love others.
[00:11:47] I love that perspective that she gave us to see people through Christ's eyes. And one of the strongest reminders woven through so many of these conversations is this.
[00:12:02] You don't have to feel ready to be chosen, because you already are. Even if your voice shakes, speak.
[00:12:10] Even if you feel under qualified, show up.
[00:12:14] God qualifies the called. And that brings me back to the heart of why this podcast exists and where we're going next.
[00:12:25] We're. We're staying here. Okay? We're staying here.
[00:12:29] I want this space to Continue to be a place where we talk about what God is doing right now. Not just the highlight reels of the past, not just childhood stories, but the living, breathing work that he is doing right here, today, in this moment, in this season.
[00:12:50] And sometimes when I say that, women respond with, oh, I don't think I have a story, or I'm not ready to share my own story, or even I don't understand what God is doing. And if that's you, friend, I want to gently say this.
[00:13:06] I know that God is working in your life because you are still breathing.
[00:13:13] You're still breathing, which means that he is still working.
[00:13:18] Sometimes what God is doing looks like learning to rest without guilt.
[00:13:24] Sometimes it looks like setting a boundary for the first time. Sometimes it looks like staying faithful in a hard season.
[00:13:34] Sometimes it looks like unlearning something he never asked you to carry.
[00:13:41] Sometimes it looks like choosing obedience in something small and unseen.
[00:13:47] So if you're wondering whether you have something to share, here's a few prompts that you can sit with, a few ideas, if you will, that can get your mind in the right frame of mind. You can ask yourself, what has God been teaching me lately?
[00:14:04] Where have I noticed a shift in how I respond or trust in Him?
[00:14:09] What feels different in my faith now than it did six months ago?
[00:14:15] Where am I being invited to take the next step, even if it feels small?
[00:14:22] And here's the thing, friend. If you're still unsure, please hear this.
[00:14:29] You aren't on your own. You're not alone in this. You can reach out to me. I would love to help you notice what God is already doing and name it with you. This is part of the heart of this podcast. I love coaching you and talking with people and helping them to recognize where God is working in their lives because it is so important that we see that. It is so important that we don't stay stuck in our past, that we don't stay stuck in our rehearsed testimonies. It is so important that we move on from that. Learn from the past and move on. That doesn't mean that you can't look back into your past as you're learning from right now, but learning and seeing and witnessing and improving in this season, right now, seeing what God is doing in your life on a day to day basis is so important.
[00:15:28] It, it changes your heart, it changes your mind. It changes so many things about you, which is why I'm so passionate about it. That perspective shift is very important and I don't think that you're here on accident. And I don't think that you listen to these episodes each week and, and don't think about things that are happening in your own life.
[00:15:56] I just, I don't, I don't believe that. Maybe you think, oh, Jessica, I just have this on the background and I'm not even paying attention. You know what? That might be absolutely true. But here's what I know is that the Holy Spirit is working in and through this. And so when it comes into your ears, the Holy Spirit's working. Even if you don't listen to every single word, even if you don't gather every single perspective or topic or challenging phrase that we say, it's still getting in your ear gate. And that is good news.
[00:16:29] Good, good, good news. But here's the thing is when you hear these things, you get the choice. Remember, we talk about choice a lot. You get the choice to do something about it. Is it going to be just another thing that you play in the car or at home while you're doing, you know, whatever you are?
[00:16:46] Is it just another thing that you listen to? Or is it something that you listen to and it challenges you and then you actually participate in it where you apply what you've done, what you've, you've changed a perspective in your life. You pay attention to what God is doing in your life and where he's been and where that grace, where his grace abounds.
[00:17:10] That's a choice that you get to make.
[00:17:14] And I would love to walk with you in that if as you're listening and in all the other times, and you really have considered joining me here to be a guest, here's a few examples of perspectives that maybe you might want to share. And this is just to get your, your wheels turning, because I know that a lot of people come to me and say, I don't know what to talk about. I don't know what to share. And this, the, these kind of topics, these kind of examples can get your wheel spinning to think, oh, yeah, I can talk about that. Okay, so a few, a few examples. What is God teaching you in motherhood? Singleness, Marriage, waiting, Friendships? What. What's God teaching you in any of those?
[00:18:03] What was God meeting you in your grief, in your healing, your restoration?
[00:18:09] How was he. How was he meeting you there?
[00:18:11] Another example is learning to hear God's voice and to trust it.
[00:18:16] How have you been growing in that? Or maybe you have just started that journey and you want to talk about that. Another example is that obedience, that step of obedience when the next step feels unclear. You've been obedient in something even when you have no idea what it looks like on the other side. And if you remember back in the very beginning, Alex talked about this, I'm not going to spoil it for you. I'm going to let you go back and listen to it. But Alex shared about her obedience even when her next step was absolutely unclear. And I can tell you it worked out. It is wonderful and amazing. And Alex, if you're listening, we need to get you back on here so we can do a little follow up. Okay?
[00:19:04] Another example is maybe you're learning to let go of control and learning to rest.
[00:19:10] Letting go of control, learning to rest. I don't know, maybe you are seeing God move in your everyday faithfulness, but not in the big moments. And that's okay.
[00:19:23] That is a perspective. I want to hear about it. And another example is how has worship, prayer, scripture, how has that become real for you again in this season?
[00:19:37] These are just ideas. They're examples to help you to see that you do have something worth sharing. And remember, everyone has a perspective. Every single one of you listening here. I could talk to 50 different women on each of these different examples and we could hear something different each time. And you know why?
[00:20:02] Because each one of us are living a completely different life. God has a path and a plan for every one of us and it's different. It might look the same in a little ways, but it's different and our perspectives are different. And that, my friend, is why I want you to come and talk to me. I want you to come share. You don't need a platform to chat here. You don't need a polished testimony.
[00:20:29] You don't even have to have it all figured out. If you're in the middle of whatever is going on, that's amazing because we can talk about it. I'm sure that you would love to hear someone else that's in the middle of their insert whatever it is here and talking about what they see God doing.
[00:20:49] So if that's what you feel, I'm sure that someone else would be able to learn and glean from you what you are working through. And even if it's messy, even if it's not pretty, even if it's so unorganized and all of your thoughts feel jumbled, guess what, friend, that's why I'm here. I want to help you. I want to hear your story.
[00:21:14] I want others to hear your story and your perspectives of the season that you are in right now. What is God doing in your life? The biggest thing that you need to be a guest here is a willing heart. You just have to be willing, and you have to have a story that's still being written. And guess what?
[00:21:35] Just like I said in the beginning, I know that you have a story and that God is working in your life right now because you're still breathing. You're still here, friend. And I am so happy about that. So as we wrap up today, I just want to say thank you.
[00:21:52] I want to say thank you to every guest who has shared her heart, to every listener here that has pressed play, to every woman who allowed God to work through this space.
[00:22:06] It was an act of obedience that I started this, and it was an act of disobedience that I didn't start sooner. But I know even in that disobedience, my obedience now is what counts and what matters. And here we are. So if I could leave you with one truth as we step into this year together, it would be this.
[00:22:31] That your faithfulness matters.
[00:22:34] Your small faithfulness matters.
[00:22:38] God multiplies the fishes and the loaves. He multiplies your time. He multiplies your obedience, even when it doesn't make sense. And let me tell you, starting a podcast did not make sense. Okay, it did not make sense, but I did it anyway.
[00:22:56] And God's multiplication, when he multiplies something, that may become your testimony this year, that could be part of your story.
[00:23:06] So, friend, let me ask you the question that I always ask here. I ask every guest on the podcast, and that is, what is one perspective that you would encourage someone to apply today?
[00:23:18] If something comes to mind, write it down, pray over it, and if you feel brave enough, share it with me.
[00:23:27] If you are listening to these episodes and you've thought, I think God is inviting me to share, I would love to hear from you. Head over to perspectives into practice.com and send me a message. I would be honored to walk this with you.
[00:23:44] Thank you, friend, for being part of season one. Thank you for being a part of this journey with me.
[00:23:51] I cannot wait to walk through this year with you. And remember, even small shifts in perspective can lead to big changes. Now go put those perspectives into practice. Talk to you next time.
