Episode Transcript
[00:00:01] Speaker A: 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.
So grab a seat, settle in, and join us on this journey to turn inspiration into action.
Let's dive in foreign.
Welcome back to Perspectives into Practice. Today's conversation is such a special one because we are talking about something that we've all walked through in one way or another. Waiting. Not the quick, easy kind of waiting, the kind that stretches you. The kind that makes you wonder if God is still working behind the scenes. But what I love about today's conversation is not that we're talking about waiting as something in the past.
We're talking about what God is doing in it right now. Because sometimes what feels like waiting is actually God preparing. He's confirming and even speaking in ways that we might miss if we're not paying attention. And I have the sweetest guest here with me today, my new friend, Kristen. She has such a beautiful way of recognizing God's voice in everyday moments and seeing how he is constantly connecting the pieces even when it doesn't all make sense. And let me just say, the way that she shares about trusting God in the middle of all of it is so encouraging and so grounding. Kristen, welcome. I am so glad that you're here today.
[00:01:33] Speaker B: Thank you so much. I'm so excited to be here. Jessica. It's like we like our sisters from another mother.
[00:01:39] Speaker A: It feels like, yes, we are.
[00:01:41] Speaker B: Man, one father.
[00:01:42] Speaker A: Yes. Yes.
All right, so before we dive in, y' all know I love a good fun fact. And Kristen absolutely adores all a winged thing, especially butterflies and eagles, which I absolutely love that a lot of people actually think of her when they see an eagle, which is just such a beautiful thing. So I have to know, if you could spend an afternoon with an eagle or a backyard full of butterflies, which one would you pick?
[00:02:12] Speaker B: I would for sure pick a. An eagle. I. I just. I would love to just sit in a nest with an eagle.
Oh, yeah. And have a little conversation and then maybe even try to fly.
[00:02:24] Speaker A: I love that you know it. That honestly feels so fitting for you because eagles are such that powerful reminder of strength and renewal and perspective.
And that's exactly what we're talking about today. And it ties in just so beautifully because sometimes the waiting seasons are where God is quietly building something that we can't yet see.
So I'd love to start, Kristen, right where you are today. So you mentioned this idea of weight training, and I Just. I love that. I love that. So what is it and how do you see that. That playing out in your current season?
[00:03:03] Speaker B: Yeah, so it's obviously, it's a play on words and yeah, it, it kind of aligns with even like weights, you know, weights. There's the tension, right? There's tension in lifting weights, there's tension in waiting periods. And in our world, a lot of times it's, it's really as, as the decades keep going, everything's quicker, quicker, quicker, quicker.
And there is a tension and you have to pay attention to the tension in the waiting in. God's timeline is so different than ours. And we might get.
He might give us a vision or a promise. And yet, you know, sometimes things can be quicker. Right. Sometimes things can be instantaneous, like the instapot.
Whereas what I've found is that a lot of times it's like the slow cooker, there's a marinating process. And I don't know about you, but I love chicken.
I love making like batches of chicken. And I've found that if you put chicken in the slow cooker with some broth over putting chicken in the insta pot with broth, the one that I like better is actually the slow cooked marinating time.
[00:04:19] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:04:20] Speaker B: So that's kind of my, like, funny analogy because I like food a lot too, so.
[00:04:24] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:04:25] Speaker B: But I do feel like there's this, you know, one of the fruits of the spirit is patience. And.
[00:04:31] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:04:31] Speaker B: I'll never forget my mom's like, well, how are you so patient? And I'm like, well, I've had a lot of opportunities to be trained in patience.
[00:04:40] Speaker A: Yeah. Yeah.
[00:04:42] Speaker B: Is there always peace in the, in the process?
No.
Has there been a process of being more peaceful in the patient's training, Weight training process?
Yes.
And then this current season, there's definitely things that, you know, there's been even decades long wait opportunities, we'll call them.
And I think one of the hardest things that I've had to contend with is the trust factor.
[00:05:14] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:05:15] Speaker B: Do you, do you hear my prayers? Do you, do you see me? Like, comparison can kind of creep in sometimes.
[00:05:21] Speaker A: Absolutely.
[00:05:22] Speaker B: But why? And I'm a but why girl. So I'm like, I love, I wonder about things. Like, I'm always wondering about things. And I'm like, yeah. Maybe the question would come up is like, well, why do you. Why did her promise, like, come to pass in six months and I've been waiting for decades. Does that make sense?
[00:05:41] Speaker A: Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. I, I wonder that same thing.
[00:05:45] Speaker B: I'M like a professional weight trainer.
[00:05:47] Speaker A: Yes, yes, well. And you have such a unique way of recognizing God's voice. So what is it? What does it look like for you to hear him in that every day? Because I know you're. You're questioning why, why, why not me? Why not now?
[00:06:02] Speaker B: Why.
[00:06:03] Speaker A: Why her?
[00:06:04] Speaker B: Yeah, well, he, you know, like you said, a fun fact. Well, I. I truly believe that God is. He's fun if we recognize the fun ways that he, like, comes alongside us. So, yeah, you know, one of the most fun ways that I. I feel like it was probably, you know, within the last decade. I'll just say I was learning how to walk again because everything in my life was kind of, like, fast. I wanted everything fast. If I was going to work out, I had to, like, it had to be fast. And. And then he was just learning, teaching me how to, like, be still and know, and I learned to walk. And then in that process, I love being out in nature. I love just getting outside. And he really started speaking to me, you know, through the winged things.
[00:06:54] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:06:54] Speaker B: Like, I might have.
Let's just say even recently, I was at church and the sermon was about. The whole sermon was about Isaiah 40, 31, which is like, those who wait on the Lord eagles. Right.
And my son and I were driving home, and it was pretty pivotal for this to happen. But a lot of times it's almost like he shifts my head and will, like, turn it.
And I looked, and there was three eagles right there.
[00:07:25] Speaker A: No.
[00:07:25] Speaker B: And it was so significant to me. And I called them. This is kind of funny. I called them like, you can't make this up moments. Or I sometimes call, like, a what the what moment?
Like, what the what wow? Like, and I. And I say that because he calls me a woman of wonder. So, like, wow is the acronym. So I'm always like, wow.
And, you know, being able to. And I'm not saying that, like, yes, the eagle, the butterflies, the eagles. Like, a lot of these winged things. Like, to me, it just feels like a little hug from heaven. Especially in those moments where I'm contending and I'm truly like. And honestly, right now this week, I'm going through some stuff this week that he's brought these little, you know, whether it's through people or through the word or hearing a song come on that I hadn't heard forever, or having a dream, waking up with a song in my heart. That's a big thing he does. I call them like God's lyrical alarms. And I'm like, could you just.
[00:08:28] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:08:28] Speaker B: Could you wait to turn on the radio until, like, six rather than four o'? Clock?
[00:08:34] Speaker A: Yes, that'd be really great.
[00:08:35] Speaker B: But there's so many different ways that he speaks to us. And, yeah, I think it's just been a matter of, like, slowing down enough, you know, going back to that slow cooker analogy. Like, we have to slow down enough to see it, whereas our world is so fast paced. I'll never forget somebody asking me. Actually, you know, people kind of know me as like, oh, the eagle girl. Or, oh, I see an eagle and I think of Kristen. It's like they said, how. How do you see eagles so much? And I said, well, the first thing you have to do is look up. Yeah, that's the first thing. A lot of times, you know, we might be out walking. And I'm guilty of this too. I'll just say I'm not always. Not on my phone when I'm walking.
[00:09:19] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:09:19] Speaker B: I might be working on emails at the same time. Let's just be real. But when you lift your head up, like, he's. He. He lifts our head, right? Like I said, he'll literally shift my face sometimes. I'm like, whoa.
And he. He wants to speak to us.
And it's really in those moments for me that I've had maybe like kind of that navel gazing, like the downcast, you know, kind of feeling sorry for myself. And he's like, chin check, honey. Come on, lift it.
[00:09:52] Speaker A: Love that.
[00:09:52] Speaker B: And then there might be an eagle. And I'm like, okay, let's go.
I love that he knows my heart. He knows all of our hearts.
[00:10:01] Speaker A: He sure does. He knows exactly what we need when we need it. And what's so fascinating that we are. We are new friends and we have so much in common. So you see the actual bird? The Lord gives me feathers.
And I. He gave me this. Yes. I actually, I'm staring at a pile of feathers in my rearview mirror because I have this very wonderful podcast studio in my car because that is how professional we are over here. Because when God says you to do something, you move and you do it. And here we are.
So one of the things that people. People ask me, well, how do you always find feathers? And I was like, well, I mean, I'm looking for them, right? But. But even more so, I was like, lord, why do you give me feathers? Why do you like, why? Because some people are like, ooh, those are gross. I'm like, no, my Jesus gave me those, and they are not gross. And I don't think he's going to give me might ridden feathers. So in Jesus name, right? But the, the biggest thing that he was teaching me is that when you position yourself to see what the Lord has got to show you, you will see that. And so whether that is making sure that we're always looking up or making sure that we're noticing the things around us, the little things, the minute things, which. That's like there's a, you know, macro lens and a micro lens when you position yourself for the Lord to work in your life and for you to see those things, he will show you. And, and I think that that, that really helps us to stand out as, as daughters of the King because he wants to have that special relationship with us. And that, that is just like my little, my little thing from him are these beautiful feathers that I get to see everywhere. And I love that you get to see eagles because that's the other thing with that is you actually have to know what the eagle looks like, right? Like there's lots of birds. You could go, oh, look, there's a bird. But you have to know what it is. And, and that, that again is like knowing what to look for in the Lord because we can go, oh yeah, we can look at all of these wonderful things. But that's not what God wants to show us. He wants to show us a very amazing thing when we position ourselves, when we are intentional with our gaze and our time. And I just, I love that about us.
[00:12:30] Speaker B: I know. It's. He's so fun. Like, he's so fun.
It's almost like a little. At least for me. It's like I actually keep track of these things, honestly, every day. I have an app called Journey and so I can, I can take pictures while I'm driving of eagles.
[00:12:51] Speaker A: I love that you paused before you said that.
[00:12:55] Speaker B: If it's safe, of course, you know,
[00:12:57] Speaker A: if it's safe, always.
[00:12:58] Speaker B: So I have this, I have this app where I can, you know, whether it's, you know, for a while, you know, there was a time where maybe like things were a little bit challenging with provision and I would, I literally had this season where I called it the March of Dimes.
Oh, I would find dimes just everywhere, like random places.
It would show up on my bathroom floor and it was just this reminder, maybe would be silly to somebody, but it was like, no, this is a reminder that it may look like nothing, but it's a lot. You know, you think of the, the widow's might. And he was just showing me so Much through the dime and even like taking time to find out what, what are these? What does the back of the dime mean? Like, there was, you know, the wheat and there was like a lot about freedom. And to me, I was like, okay, he's. And that's where we have an opportunity. We can dig deeper, we can just.
Sure. I see an eagle right at this moment.
But how does it relate to like the season I'm in, what I'm walking through today? What are you speaking to me about? A dime?
[00:14:09] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah.
[00:14:10] Speaker B: And for me, and maybe some of you, you haven't taken the time. Like I didn't used to take the time to smell the roses and now I'm just like on this massive treasure hunt every day.
Yes.
[00:14:24] Speaker A: I love that so much. Because, you know, he, God does meet us in real time.
[00:14:30] Speaker B: Especially on those days where again, like you're contending.
[00:14:33] Speaker A: Exactly. And you have to, you have to be that way. And there, you're right. There's a lot of people that, that don't take that time. And I hate that for them.
I really want them to have this relationship with the Lord, this closeness and you know, he. He does meet us in, in real time, not in, not just in hindsight. So if we are, if we are looking for him, if we are asking him these questions, he will show up when we need him and, and just be that fun God, that, that intentional, gracious God, and he will show up. So where, where do you see God show up most clearly in your life? Right.
Not just in these God winks, but in the waiting season that you've had. What does that look like now?
[00:15:22] Speaker B: Yeah, well, there's definitely been some massive, you know, breakthroughs that I've seen even come to fruition in the last, you know, few months that were part of like a couple decades long waiting period. And one of the verses that really kept coming for me was Amos 9, 13. I don't know if you know that, but it's basically like things are going to happen. I have it right here because it's just this reminder of like, things are going to happen so fast. Your head will swim one thing fast on the heels of the other. You won't be able to keep up. And you know, we see moments in the Bible where there's just this weight, but then there's like the acceleration that happens with people, you know, like. And I, I find in my season of waiting, because we all have things we're waiting for. Yeah, I think everybody, I mean, I, I would imagine everybody has something that they're waiting on. And for me, it's been not letting it, like, steal my joy. I look to, like, Sarah and Abraham and, you know, there's so many examples of people waiting, but then also not, you know, like, not creating an Ishmael.
[00:16:36] Speaker A: Right? Yeah, right.
[00:16:37] Speaker B: Because you had that. There's that option that Abraham and Sarah choose to take. So again, it's. It's really being in everyday communication one step at a time, one day at a time. Like, we can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps. Proverbs 3, 5, 6. And you know, it might look like, wow, if I took this step, it might speed up the process.
But is this his step for me? And I would rather be going on his path and it takes longer then take the shortcut.
[00:17:10] Speaker A: Absolutely. Because his way is always so, so much better than we could ever, ever plan or try to make happen. And if we are patient in that, it is the best thing. So how do you remind yourself of God's faithfulness when these things don't make sense?
[00:17:34] Speaker B: Well, I have this, this term called reminded to remember and just taking moments to like, remember his faithfulness in kind of those not make sense moments.
And even if it maybe took a year for one of them, or maybe it took like 25 years for this recent one, but to see how he.
It was only orchestrated by him. I could never have, like, that plan and seeing and, you know, reminded to remember and seeing how things kind of played out, I could not have. There. There's no way. There's no. I think of a puzzle. It's like that puzzle is not one I could have ever put together. I. I really believe that through these longer wait periods, again, it goes back to the weight training. There's so much training that goes into it. There's so much refining. There's so much. There's joy that comes in it. There's pain. There's all of the feelings.
And as a feeler, you know, you have people questioning you, you've got people encouraging you. You've got a whole gamut of, you know, people, like, coming alongside and you just. Like, for me, I just have to.
Again, like, what is my. But God said in this.
I don't know anything other than that, like, what do you hear?
[00:18:58] Speaker A: And that's. That's hard for some people to understand because they don't live in that. But God said this, so that's why I'm doing it. But God said to wait, so that's why I'm here. But God said to move forward now that's where we're going, even when it doesn't make sense. And that's when you just have to keep reminding yourself is that we are all on our own path and that we can't compare our path to anyone else. And we can't.
We do because we're human. You know, we. We wonder why we. It doesn't look like someone else's. Or, or maybe. Maybe if I do all the same things as that person, then I will get there quicker because I can just watch what they've done. But God's like, no, in my perfect timing, my will will be done. And you, you are going to wait and you are going to be refined and you are going to be. You're gonna just. Just wait.
Just wait.
So, so in that waiting.
[00:19:52] Speaker B: Yes, just wait. My dad.
[00:19:54] Speaker A: Yes, just wait. I love that. So what are some, some simple, practical rhythms that actually help you to stay close to God in these seasons? Things that, that you do even right now?
[00:20:06] Speaker B: Yeah. Well, again, like, I, I like to. I think it was Lisa Cherkehurst Probably 10 years ago. I read a book that she wrote and I, I can't remember the name offhand of the book. It might have been best. Yes. Or something like that.
But she had this like three words. Word before world.
So getting in the word before you like, go about your business, go about your day, go about your, you know, before you people.
[00:20:33] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:20:35] Speaker B: Like, I don't really like to people until like after a certain part of the day.
[00:20:38] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:20:39] Speaker B: Like in the morning. Like, no, I, I kind of bookend my day. Like, get with him and with him, like, scrub in, scrub out.
Worship music is huge.
Community is huge. Having people that you can process with who will encourage you and not like, especially with these waiting things.
I think that there's a timing to even sharing some of the things that you're walking through and with who.
So I don't believe that, like, social media is where we put everything out there personally. There's also a practice that I started last year. I call it 10 grateful.
And again using kind of that, you know, Journey app for my electronic journaling so that I could put pictures and links and all the things. But you know, I've had, I've had times sometimes where like one day it might be like, you know, thank you, God, for the person who invented the, the eraser so I can go back and fix my mistakes.
[00:21:44] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:21:46] Speaker B: You know, on those more challenging days, you've. You've gotta like pine for some things to be thankful for because it's it's not an easy journey. We'll just. I'll be the first one to tell you that. Yeah, journaling at times. I'm not like a huge journal journaler, like long form writing, but I do have my days where I'll just ask him a question. Then it's almost like my pen will just. It's like, holy ghost writer.
It's like, whoa. And you go back, you're like, I was not smart enough to come up with this.
[00:22:19] Speaker A: Been there. Yes. Yes.
[00:22:21] Speaker B: Yeah, those are. Those are like my big ones. And this might sound funny, but really moving my body, but also just resting too. So, like, making sure that I'm resting but also like walking things out. Like, for me, I process a lot when I'm walking or moving my body in some way. Those are my big ones, I would say.
[00:22:43] Speaker A: I love that. And so for the woman listening who still is in that waiting season, what would you gently encourage her to focus on today right where she is?
[00:22:54] Speaker B: Well, I'm just imagining a pregnant woman and there's a process to having a baby and, like, embrace the growth that is happening, not being super focused on the outcome.
[00:23:10] Speaker A: Yes. Yeah.
[00:23:11] Speaker B: Like, just, you know, embrace that. And the grace. Embrace the grace even.
[00:23:15] Speaker A: Yes. I love that. That's. That is a great analogy, is that in pregnancy, you know that something is going to happen at the end. You don't know what the outcome will be, but you know that there's there and that. You know that there is that waiting period and everything is in its own timing and it's different for everyone. And I.
[00:23:36] Speaker B: That's.
[00:23:37] Speaker A: I love that. I love that.
[00:23:38] Speaker B: Yes. Yeah. So just put your hands on your belly every day.
[00:23:44] Speaker A: Oh, Kristen, this has been such an encouraging conversation. I love how you've reminded us that God is not working someday. He's working right now. So thank you for being here. Thank you for sharing your heart with us and we appreciate you.
[00:23:59] Speaker B: Aw, thank you, Jessica. It's been fun.
[00:24:01] Speaker A: So before we wrap up, I want to ask you a question that I ask every guest on the podcast. And that is, what is one perspective that you would encourage listeners to apply today?
[00:24:11] Speaker B: Wait it out. Truly. Like grab. Grab some ver. If you're in the wait and you're getting impatient, go find some verses that relate to waiting and promises and find.
Find somebody in the Bible that you relate to. Noah. I mean, Noah, it took him like, what, 120 years to build Ark?
I just always imagined him sitting with his wife at breakfast and she's like, what are you thinking?
[00:24:37] Speaker A: Sir, she's like, what is. What is rain?
[00:24:40] Speaker B: We have a lot of examples. Yeah. In the Bible of. Of many who waited. And there's generational implications to you continuing to wait and not bypassing the process.
[00:24:53] Speaker A: I truly believe that waiting is not a passive thing. It is an active thing. When we are asking the Lord, what are you teaching me in this? What am I supposed to be doing right now?
Show me these things. And that goes back to positioning yourself to be ready when it is time.
And we got to have our boots strapped on because he could say yes tomorrow and it's to going go time. And if you're not ready, it's going to pass you by. Yeah.
So powerful.
[00:25:24] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:25:25] Speaker A: Yes.
Oh, friend, wherever you're listening right now, God is not waiting to move. He's already moving. Sometimes we just need the perspective to see it. If this episode encouraged you, I'd love for you to share it with a friend who might need it, too. If you felt that little nudge to share your story, this is your invitation, maybe even your sign. If you've been asking the Lord for one, I would truly love to have you as a guest and walk through your perspective together. If it's on your heart, head over to perspectives into practice.com and reach out to me. I'd love to connect 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.
