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.
Hey friends, welcome back to Perspectives into Practice. I am so excited about today's conversation because it's one that so many of us need to hear. And today we are talking about why your past does not define you and how to walk in freedom that Christ offers no matter what your story looks like. And joining me today is my sissy, Brianna, or Bri, depending on who who you're talking.
She has such an amazing, powerful testimony of God's redemption and grace. And I know that you are going to be so encouraged by her stories and by her heart. Hi, Brianna.
[00:01:10] Speaker B: Hello.
[00:01:12] Speaker A: Hey.
So.
Oh my gosh, I'm so good. And I love that you were here. I love that I get to talk to you.
But before we dive in, before we get all serious, I have to share a fun fact. And the fun fact that we're sharing today might not sound so fun, but I think in the reality of living this out, it is super fun. And that is that you are living out your answered prayers. And I love that. Can you speak to that a little bit?
[00:01:44] Speaker B: Yeah, absolutely. Like you said, it's not necessarily a fun fact, but it's something that's fun. Fun for me because we live every single day and asking God to do things for us, but yet we forget to embrace the things that he answers for us. And we're always focused on, yeah, well, what is he going to answer this next? Is he going to answer this one next? But I am living, literally living my answered prayer. And that may not be much to some people, but that's my whole world. That's my fun fact that I can tell people that I am literally living for things that I cried and screamed to him about years before. And here I am today living that answered prayer.
[00:02:26] Speaker A: Oh, that is so beautiful. And it's something that you really have to look for. You can't if you're not looking. And that's like this whole thing of, of perspectives into practice as we are looking back and thinking about changings, changes that we've had, changes that we've gone through, what can we do better, but also paying attention to what has changed. And I know that you and I talked about that and how beautiful it was that it was just like a full circle moment that you were Like, I was there at my darkest part, and now I'm here in my best life. Like, oh, that just. That got me.
That got me.
[00:03:08] Speaker B: And you know what? And again, that was an answered prayer is that I have really been dealing with some mental health issues. And you run out of prayers at a point. You run out of things to ask. You run out of ways to get that peace that you're so searching for. And a lot of people think it's going to be a smack in the face or that he's going to yell at you or he's going to whisper it. And sometimes it takes days after he smacked you in the face with it for your flesh to calm, to say, yeah, that was God. Yeah, that was God. And in that situation, my husband and I went back and retraced steps that I was in my darkest places and we were in those places in the best part of my life now. And it was literal days later that it hit me.
I am living my answered prayer.
[00:04:08] Speaker A: Oh, my gosh, that is amazing. Wow. I love that story. So, I mean, so many people are stuck in shame, believing that their past mistakes or struggles, the circumstances, dictate their worth. And a lot of people don't want to look back because they don't want to remember that pain. Did you ever struggle with that belief.
[00:04:31] Speaker B: For a long time? Because it's not something that you want to tell people.
I dealt with homelessness, I dealt with drug addiction, I dealt with self loathing, depression, severe mental health issues. That's not something that you want to think about. That's not something that you want to go back to. But when you start to look back and see God's glory through all of it, those stories are so beautiful. One of the things that has been coming to me all week is that I could tell you stories for days that would drop your jaw. But it's not the stories that made me who I am. It's what God built me to be through what I have been through. Has it been easy?
Absolutely not. Would I do it again?
I don't think I'm gonna sign up for that. But I also know I would not be this strong woman that I am today with the perspective that I have on. On life, if I had not gone through the things that I went through?
[00:05:33] Speaker A: Absolutely. Can you think back of, like, when there was a turning point where you realize that you aren't defined by your past and that you can walk freely in the present?
[00:05:46] Speaker B: I can't say that there was like an exact moment where that kind of clicked with me. I will say that my marriage helped me see that I am worthy.
And through my husband, I started to see that the things that I had been through led me to meeting him, which then allowed us to grow in our faith and be the. The couple that we are today.
Well, about three years ago, my husband and I were asked to be young adult ministry leaders. And I guess it's in that moment that me and my husband had the realization that we are not who we used to be. We are not the people that we have had the tag on for so long, that even though in our minds, we think that we are those people because we have dealt with those tragedies for our entire lives.
[00:06:46] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:06:47] Speaker B: It's the other people that see our worth, and they see that we have a future enough so that they want us to lead young adults. Like, that was a huge turning point for my husband and I. It really made us see that, like, we are not who we used to be. Now, let me. I'll give you a little background on my husband. My husband used to be a crackhead. He. I mean, like, we don't have an easy past. Our past is absolutely not a fairy tale in any way, shape, or form. But if you would meet my husband and I today, I guarantee you, you wouldn't even guess the past we had.
[00:07:24] Speaker A: Absolutely.
[00:07:24] Speaker B: And I give no credit to myself.
[00:07:26] Speaker A: Zero. Yeah, well, and. And. And it says in Second Corinthians, it says that we are new creations. Christ makes us new. And when we are, like, fully walking in that surrender and in that path that God has for us, people see us in. They see the Jesus in us, which is absolutely beautiful. And I believe that's what the people that you have surrounded yourself with, which is another huge deal, is the people that you surround yourself with will see your worth because you are different, and you are shining something that a lot of people don't have. And it, like, pulls people in. They want to be with you because they're like, dude, I want what she's got. And I love that, because I'm sure that you never would have imagined when you were homeless or, you know, on a park bench like, that you thought, you know what, one day I'm gonna be a youth minister, or I'm gonna be married to the most amazing man ever.
[00:08:29] Speaker B: Yes, yes, yes. I mean, like. And that's going. Circling back to living by answered prayers. There are things today, you know, we. I know myself. I struggle a lot with just my surroundings. And one of the things that I'm really trying to work on is living in the present. And one of those things is that when I'm sitting in my house and Satan is fighting me tooth and nail, I literally look around and see what God has done.
[00:09:01] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:09:02] Speaker B: There. I sit here in clothes. I sit here in a warm house. I sit here with food in my belly. I sit here with friends. I sit here with all of the things that I could have only cried out to God for in the. In the past.
[00:09:16] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:09:16] Speaker B: And here I have it. And I get greedy that I almost deserve this. That I have. Well, of course I deserve this. Look how hard of life I've had.
[00:09:30] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
[00:09:31] Speaker B: No, ma'am. No, ma'am. And that's why I genuinely am living my answer prayer and working so hard to remind myself to live in that present. Live in the present. I plan for the future, plan for the future, plan for the future, pray for the future, pray for the future.
But I forget to live in the present of what we are literally asking for. And here it is. Here I am with everything that I could have, even the inkling, even the things that, like, you know, it'd be nice.
Got it. The Lord said, got you, girl.
[00:10:07] Speaker A: Yeah, I got you.
[00:10:08] Speaker B: Let me. Let me just give you a little sparkles.
[00:10:10] Speaker A: Let me just see.
[00:10:11] Speaker B: Let me just give you a little something, something.
[00:10:15] Speaker A: Oh, my goodness. So, I mean, I hear you saying, like, we are not defined by our past, and we know that. And when we finally look at these little. So I've heard some people call them God winks or, like, fingerprints on your life, that shows that, like, you got the things that you have been praying for and that you aren't who you once were. You are this person now. What. What is. What did it look like to start to walk in that freedom? Because it seems like it's been a process for you, but what does that look like for those that are listening, that are going through that right now?
[00:10:53] Speaker B: It's not easy.
It's very dark. It's very isolating.
There is a verse, actually, that I would like to share, and this is a verse that is. That sticks with me a lot because, well, you're about to see why. And it is Psalms 28:7. And it says, if it wasn't for the struggles, you wouldn't be as strong as you are today. God is always building you up. And are you ready for this? Even when it feels like he's breaking you?
I know personally that every week I feel broken. Every week I ha. I deal with something that I feel like, all right, Lord, this is my breaking point. This is my breaking point. But then God reminds me, hey, you remember when I pulled you from homelessness?
[00:11:47] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:11:47] Speaker B: Remember when I got you off the streets? Remember when I got you off drugs? Remember when I healed you? Remember when I took you out of your mental darkness? Remember when I saved your life?
All of those moments broke me. All of those moments made me question my life.
There's four examples. Yeah, there's four examples that I wrote down that that had really come to my mind and it really shows you. So we know Jonah. We know Jonah in the well, it wasn't until Jonah was swollen and cried out to God is when God saved him. He wasn't alone. He cried out in the middle of his storm, in the middle of him breaking to. To come through. Also Rad Shek, Meshach and Abednego, they weren't saved before the furnace or after the furnace. They were served, saved while they were in the furnace.
Daniel wasn't saved before the pit or after the pit. He was saved while he was in it. And the last one is David. David didn't get saved before Goliath showed up or after Goliath left. God saved him while he was fighting Goliath. So your biggest breaking points, the times that God is going to pull you out, is when you think all hope is lost. God said, I got you. I got you. If you don't believe me, go read the Bible. We've got four examples right there of where God literally said, you've been swallowed by a will. You're in a furnace, you're surrounded by lions and you got a giant chasing you. I got you.
Enough said. Mic drop.
Yes, yes, yes.
Mic drop. Yeah.
[00:16:23] Speaker A: What are some practical ways that we can remind ourselves and those listening that we can renew our minds? Like when the enemy is trying to come at us to bring up our past, to tell us that we're worthless. What are some things that maybe you do to help combat that?
[00:16:43] Speaker B: Talking to him, praying through it.
And I know a lot of times people think when you, when you, when you pray through it that you've got to have a room that you got to have, you know, it quiet and that you gotta let me tell you something. I'm on the road most of my days and most of my prayers are Lord, just, just let me see. Let's. Let me feel, let me be, let me just. It's just talking to him. And in those moments, and I don't care what state you are feeling when you talk to God, there is a type of peace that you is without understanding.
[00:17:20] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:17:22] Speaker B: I guess what I'm trying to say. I don't have an answer in how to pull yourself, but I know that talking to God and reminding yourself of the things he's already brought you through. Yeah, I mean that right there, that. That alone, I mean, yes, everyone's battles are not going to be what my battles were. Your battles could be that you're fighting custody with your children. Your battles could be you're fighting losing your job. Your battles could be fighting something medically. So your battles definitely don't look like mine. But how many tests that came back negative that you can praise God about? How many times that you saw your kids and you had great visits? Can you celebrate? How many times have you got a promotion or people have congratulated you on how good of a job you've done? Those are God moments. Those are small moments. But that's God. And those keep me going. Those keep me in his presence at all times.
[00:18:18] Speaker A: Well, and that's. That's a great perspective shift, is instead of dwelling on the negative, because that's easy to do, is to think of those small little fingerprints that God is, Is. Is there and he is taking care of you. Thank you, Lord. I mean, and it's. It's little things. And when we start to call on the name of Jesus, when we start to talk to him, when we start to thank him for our blessings in the midst of the suck. Because let's be honest, sometimes life sucks.
[00:18:47] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:18:48] Speaker A: But God is good.
[00:18:49] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:18:50] Speaker A: All the time the devil troubles. The time the devil troubles.
[00:18:54] Speaker B: And I. This is something that I tell people, especially my young adults, is the more you tell the devil what your problem is, the more he knows how to fight you. So keep it to yourself.
[00:19:04] Speaker A: Oh, yeah.
[00:19:05] Speaker B: Keep it between you and God. You telling the devil I'm stupid, I'm ugly, I can't get. I can't get this job. I'm not going to get my kid. These test results are going to be negative. I'm never going to be this, that, or the other. You are literally telling the devil how to fight you. You can't continue to speak evil into the world, into Satan's ears, and not think that he's not going to fight you on it.
[00:19:30] Speaker A: So my best advice, you got to speak life.
[00:19:33] Speaker B: Yes. Speak those blessings. Speak them out. I will get that job. I will be healthy. I will start this business, this, you know, whatever it is, speak it out. Give it life. Give it life. Don't.
Don't speak the evil. That is the most hindering that you can do for yourself because you're telling yourself out loud, I'm not good enough. I'm unworthy. And the devil's like, watch me.
[00:20:04] Speaker A: Hold me. I got you.
[00:20:05] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:20:06] Speaker A: Right where I. Yep. Yeah. And I mean, because the enemy eats that up. He eats it up when we say negative things about ourselves. But we are children of the most high. We are a daughter of the king. We are made in his image. We are fearfully and wonderfully made. Like, these are the things that if you were to do one perspective from. To apply today, that would be speak out the promises of God. Speak out who he says you are. Speak out his promises, his purpose for you, his thank you.
Speak it out because you will continue to smush the enemy and his. His little schemes. And that. Because that's all he's there. He is there to steal, steal, kill, and destroy. And when. And when we give him that little foothold of doubt, that foothold of worry, that foothold of fear, he eats it up. Eats it up. So we have to continually give. Give God the glory for things, even in the suck. And sometimes that's really, really hard.
[00:21:14] Speaker B: Even when the. Your thoughts are defining your past, your past and who you used to be does not mean that's who you are today.
Quit letting. Keep.
I beat myself up for the things that I wish that I was already. But I remember who I used to be, and I'm so much better and greater than that. I can't let who old Bree used to be define who I am today.
[00:21:44] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:21:45] Speaker B: Because if I let what I used to be define who I was today, I wouldn't have the husband I have. I wouldn't be a young, young adult ministry leader. I wouldn't be the friend that I am, the sister that I am, the daughter that I am.
[00:22:01] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:22:02] Speaker B: There's so many things that because of my past. Let me. Let me. Let me just give you this little story back. When Covet happened, we all had to wear masks, and it covered up most of your face. I have a lot of medical issues, and my teeth were very bad. People treated me differently when they could see my teeth.
[00:22:23] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:22:24] Speaker B: But when Covet came around and I had to cover up my teeth and nobody could see it, the way that I was treated, the normality that was given to me was defining. And you know what's crazy is people immediately thought, oh, she's a drug addict presently, oh, she's, you know, doing something shady. Oh, she's got, you know, she's bad hygienically. People defined me because of what my past did to my teeth now. And obviously since then, I have thankfully had my teeth fixed and I have a beautiful smile now. And. And you know what's so funny is I don't have to defend myself when somebody looks at me and I say, I promise you I'm not on drugs. I promise you that. Like, this is because of such and such and such.
That's a physical appearance that defined my past.
That you can't let the old you be who you are today, because it's not who you are every single day we become new. Every single day. When we wake up, we are a new person. We are allowed to live a new journey, a new life, a new page in our book.
[00:23:32] Speaker A: Yep, that's right. Because God is still writing our stories right now. He is still writing our stories. And when you were saying all those things like, so leave him alone.
[00:23:41] Speaker B: Give him the pen. Give him the pen.
[00:23:43] Speaker A: I know.
[00:23:44] Speaker B: Quit trying to write it. Give it to him.
[00:23:47] Speaker A: He knows. He knows what's going on. And you know, honestly, if he were to tell us everything that our future future would be, we wouldn't be able to handle it, which is why he doesn't tell us what exactly we're going to be in the future. He says, I got you. Trust me.
[00:24:05] Speaker B: Yes, that's.
[00:24:06] Speaker A: Yes, that's it. And so when we trust him and we stop living in our past, we stop living in that former self, and we walk in the goodness of God. We walk in our purpose. We walk in our strength right now, today.
It's going to change your life.
[00:24:24] Speaker B: Yes. Yes, absolutely. Absolutely. I absolutely agree that.
[00:24:29] Speaker A: Oh, well, Brianna, this has been absolutely amazing. I cannot wait to have you back on here because it seems like we have a lot more to talk about.
[00:24:37] Speaker B: And.
[00:24:38] Speaker A: Oh, I know that. I know that these, the ladies that are listening want you back because you just, you. You got lots of, lots of good truth bombs and it's really good. So, friends, if this episode encouraged you, please share it with someone who needs to hear it and remember to follow. So never miss an episode. These, these chats are honestly the best, best parts of my day, which I love so much. And remember that even the small shifts in perspective lead to big changes. Now go put those perspectives into practice. Talk to you next time.
