June 30, 2025 • 52 mins
In this episode of Fed by the Fruit KB, with her guest Brittney, delve into the significance of applying biblical principles to our daily lives.
KB and Brittney share their personal experiences and testimonies to illustrate how faith can influence actions and relationships. They discuss the transformative power of faith, emphasizing the importance of community and church involvement in fostering spiritual growth. Through candid anecdotes, they reveal their initial misunderstandings and fears regarding their relationship, ultimately highlighting the necessity of open communication and mutual respect within familial bonds.
Through their shared experiences, they underline how church serves not only as a space for worship but also as a vital source of encouragement, correction, and spiritual nourishment, ultimately shaping one's faith journey in profound ways.
Reach out to KB on Instagram and share your thoughts and sign up here for the newsletter.
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Episode Transcript
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(00:00):
Foreign s welcome to Fed bythe Fruit, a podcast focused on nourishment
for the mind, body and soul.
I'm kb, a spirit filledcertified life and nutrition coach
with a calling to disciplewomen who are hungry for more.
Each week we will learn whoGod is and what he wants for and
(00:22):
from us through powerfultestimonies, biblical truth, and
so much more as we fuel ourminds and bodies in ways that honor
him.
Let's get fed.
Hello, friends.
Welcome to Fed by the Fruit.
Happy Monday.
I hope you're great.
I am doing well.
(00:43):
I'm so excited.
What are we on episode four, Ibelieve a Fed by the fruit.
And it is just everything Ihoped it would be and then some.
Today our episode is going tobe on applying biblical principles
to to your life.
And I brought on a veryspecial guest.
My sweet little Britney.
That's what we just lovinglyrefer to her as.
(01:06):
She is my son Stellan's wife,my daughter in law, and she has been
on before to share hertestimony and it was just so nice
to have her.
And so I invited her back.
So thanks for coming on.
Of course.
I'm so.
I'm a little nervous, but I'mexcited to be here.
You've done it once, you'vegone through it before and you're
(01:27):
gonna get through it again, right?
Absolutely.
So we thought we could startout by, like, we'll do a little icebreaker
for anyone out there who has adaughter in law or who has a mother
in law.
I thought it'd be fun to talkabout kind of where we started and
where we are now because it'skind of a hilarious story to us.
(01:49):
So at some point we realizedthat both of us thought the other
one did not like us.
So I remember it.
Yeah, I remember it as I was.
I was in Iowa.
We were walking circles aroundmy aunt and uncle's car because I
was trying to get steps and wewere at their cabin and no one was
(02:10):
there yet except for me and you.
And we just like somehowrevealed to one another, like, you're
like, I didn't think you liked me.
And I'm like, I didn't thinkyou liked me.
And then.
So we found out that day.
Yeah.
Yeah, we found out that daythat we like each other.
And it's just been bliss ever since.
(02:32):
But you came out here for thefirst time.
What did we say it was 20.
22.
22.
Yeah.
Okay.
So for Thanksgiving, 22.
I finally, Castellan had beenasking if you could come, and I kept
saying no.
And I just Used the excuse of.
And it wasn't.
It was real.
It was that correct.
I said, I don't like her.
(02:52):
She's.
No.
That's what I've heard.
That's what you heard.
That probably is what you heard.
It was that I get so littletime with him that I.
I just, like, craved one weekwith Stellan, and I knew if you were
here that it wouldn't be.
This is so selfish.
(03:12):
That really is what it was like.
I just wanted him all tomyself because I just love him, and
I just got so little time with him.
So you finally came.
And let's talk about kind ofthe disaster that that first trip
was.
Well, I mean, for starters, Inever traveled before, so it was
the first time on a plane.
First time away from my momand dad, which I never, ever, ever
(03:37):
thought I would be, like, ahomesick type of person.
But I.
When I got to Virginia, I was,like, in fight or flight.
Like, I couldn't eat.
That was half the battle.
I think I lost probably ten pounds.
I couldn't eat.
I was so.
I just felt so uncomfortable.
And at this point, I thoughtthat you hated me, so.
Right.
(03:57):
This was before our realization.
Yeah.
So I also thought you hated me.
I remember it was like.
I don't.
I don't know why I was so.
I think I was just so afraidof being somewhere else, and it was
so out of my normal.
Like, I never traveled, neverbeen without my parents.
It was, like, a lot.
(04:18):
Right.
I think.
Yeah, it was like the perfectrecipe for disaster, because you'd
never been away from your parents.
You'd never been away from Iowa.
You'd never been on an airplane.
You're coming somewhere where you've.
You just are unfamiliar with.
It's not comfortable.
You think, I don't like you,which is just still so funny to me.
I think the truth is we justnever had an opportunity to really
(04:40):
get to know each other.
You were still very young, soyou were, you know, living with your
parents an hour away fromStellen, into where I would come
and visit.
So seeing you was kind of fewand far between, and I just.
It just.
It just cracks me up.
And so I remember back to thattime, I'm just, like, taking you
guys to all these restaurants,and, like, no matter where we went,
(05:01):
you would not eat.
Like, what can I give thisgirl to.
To, like, make her eat?
And then I remember taking youto get our nails done, and we did
that.
And then you had mentionedthat you'd never have crumble.
I'm like, okay, let me takeher to Crumble.
Maybe she'll eat a cookie.
I don't know what to do.
I remember someone used to belike, please just eat.
(05:21):
Please just eat something.
And I.
I just couldn't.
Like, I physically, like, foodjust did not sound.
Because you.
Because like you said, I thinkyou really were.
You were just in fight or flight.
You were just trying to survive.
Your body's just, like,shutting down all functions.
Yeah, I mean, we tried.
Literally, I feel like wetried everything.
(05:41):
There was that firstrestaurant we went to, which was
like a sub or whatever, theItalian place.
Tried French fries.
I mean, you can't go wrongwith French fries.
And I mean, we did, like, youtried, like, Popeyes Crumble.
There are so many things.
And I just couldn't.
Could not.
I took you to that Greekrestaurant, Katerina's.
(06:02):
I remember we went.
We went all over the place.
But, yeah, so that first tripwas a bit of a disaster.
I don't even.
Well, again, we didn't knowthe other one thought we didn't like
each other or whatever, but weboth, like, felt it.
So I just think it's.
That was a part of ourconversation was that I had talked
(06:22):
to Stellan about how youdidn't like me, and you were talking
to Jonathan about how youthought I didn't.
Like, that was a part of the.
When we were taking our lapsaround the car.
Exactly.
And I, like, I literallycouldn't love you more.
I.
I could not love you more.
I think that our relationshipis actually so cool.
Like, I don't have a daughter,so to get to have you is.
(06:44):
Just makes me so happy.
And I.
I want so much to have a greatrelationship with you, mostly because
I love Stellan so much.
Like, I want.
I always want to just, youknow, I just want to love you the
way that you deserve to be loved.
And I want to respect your.
Your marriage and, like, theboundaries that you guys have.
(07:05):
And so I think that we do thatby just, like, communicating with
each other, you know, like, wecan just talk about stuff.
Yeah.
Yes.
We talk all the time.
We talk on Marco.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Just having just a close relationship.
Not just something where.
Oh, we're trying to plansomething that involves Stellan.
Like, we have our ownrelationship, too.
(07:28):
I think that's super important.
Exactly.
And I think.
I mean, I definitely spendmore time with you than I spend with
Stellan, with his workschedule and all his, you know, commitments
to his friends when I'm home.
But, yeah, we just.
We, like.
I get so excited to come homeand spend time with you.
(07:49):
Like, we go for walks.
I.
I got to come to your Biblestudy this time.
We.
We go to the gym together.
We go get coffee.
It's like we have all theselittle traditions that are just you
and me, and I love that.
I do, too.
They're perfect.
I.
I look forward to you andAsher coming back.
It's, like, my favorite.
Yeah.
Yes.
And I told you before we gotthere, like, Asher had said multiple
(08:11):
times, like, I really hopeBrittany has some free time to, like,
spend with us.
And I think it's so funnybecause I said you're, like, this
perfect age where, like, hethinks it's super fun to hang out
with you and.
But I do, too.
Like, you're the best of both worlds.
Oh, gosh, that is so funny tolook back on.
But I do think, too, we had.
We had this conversation where.
(08:33):
When I was at home this time,because so one of the things I did
when I was home this time isthat I just took a little time to
give Caleb's house a little, like.
A little, like, facelift,because the last time I was there,
I went to visit his house, andit just felt so cold and empty and
sad to me because he doesn'thave a.
(08:54):
You honestly.
Right.
Like, you're the reason whyStellan's in your home feel so.
Just, like, homey and warm andfull of love, and Caleb is alone,
and so his doesn't feel like that.
And so it was just on my heartfrom the time I left the last time
that I wanted to just, like,give it a little woman's touch, make
it a little, you know, justwarmer in there.
(09:17):
Like, feel like someone livesin it and very.
Just welcoming so when hecomes home, it.
It doesn't feel so cold and lonely.
And so I wanted to make surethat you understood like.
Or that you weren't feeling,like, oh, no, she's doing more for
Caleb than she's doing for meand Stellan.
Not that you would ever feelthat way, but I think just keeping
(09:37):
the open lines ofcommunication just keeps anything
from, like, festering up wherewe're both, like, feeling something
kind of like the beginning, wedidn't say how we felt.
And then we're just, like.
Our stories that we're tellingourselves are just, like, running
away and getting crazier and crazier.
Exactly.
No, I didn't.
I didn't ever feel like youwere doing more or anything, but
(09:58):
it was so refreshing to hearthat you cared anyways.
Like, I wasn't thinking, oh,she's, you know, doing so much more
for Caleb.
Like, why isn't she doinganything for me and Ellen?
But it was just refreshing toknow that even crossed your mind
to even consider us, because.
Right.
I mean, it.
Yeah.
I knew exactly where yourheart was at, what you were doing.
(10:20):
We've also talked about youdoing it before, so it was just like.
Right.
It's just so nice to know thatthat's what Caleb was getting as
well, because everythingdeserves to be poured into.
Yeah.
Yes.
And I think, too, like, like Isaid, there'll be seasons where,
like, during your weddingseason, I was obviously doing more
(10:40):
for you than I was doing for Caleb.
And then, like, during thisseason of life, Caleb needs, like,
a little bit of extra from me.
And so, you know, it's notabout, like, oh, if you do this for
one, you got to do this forthe other.
Like, that's exhausting.
Like, if you're just doingkind things out of the goodness of
your heart, like, I thinkthat, you know, obviously you can
see that you're just a goodhuman, but having the open communication,
(11:02):
I think, is just so helpful.
Very.
I agree.
And I think.
I think it will go a long way,too, like, when you guys have kids,
because I want to respect yourboundaries and your way of raising
your children and, like, the.
The things that you want tolive by.
Like, I know.
You know, you have.
You have a lot of already,which I think is so cool.
You've had so many.
Like, you know, you guys havehad so many conversations about the
(11:26):
way you want to raise yourchildren and, you know, like, with
Christ at the center and youwant to.
Likely you'll be homeschoolingand just, like, you know how Stellan
gets.
Like, so if you can't say,happy Easter, it's happy Resurrection
Day.
And, like, I don't want to,you know, like, I can't come over
with, like, Easter eggs foryour babies because he.
That's not the way he wants toraise the children.
(11:48):
And so I think just, I reallyhope that I will continue to, like,
be respectful.
I know that I will of just,like, your will, so that we can maintain
a really good relationship,because I just would hate for that
ever to be any different.
Right.
And it's also important for meto respect your will as well, because
this is your little boy.
This is your baby.
(12:08):
And, like, as you said, youwere so scared of me coming for a
week, because that's your time.
Like, I still need to value,like, and just give you that time
as well, you know what I'msaying, like, it's just as important
for me to respect you.
You're so sweet.
I love you.
We got, I don't know, God, Godbless our family with you.
(12:30):
Every single person in myfamily would say, I, I mean it's
like a constant, like, man,Stellan's so blessed.
He got that Britney.
And I'm like, yeah, she's the best.
She's the best thing ever.
We love you.
All right, so today the topicthat you and I decided to talk about,
which I can think of so manyactually that you and I would have
(12:51):
fun talking about, I just feellike we get into so many conversations,
like on these long walks and whatnot.
We go to church together whenI'm home.
And I think there's a lot ofthings you and I could talk about.
But you hear a lot of peoplesay like, I don't need to go to church
to be a Christian or I, youdon't need church.
(13:11):
Right.
Like people want to negate theimportance of church.
And so I thought that thatwould be something that you and I
could talk about because theremight be people here listening who
do love the Lord and have arelationship with Jesus, but they
haven't seen the importance ofattending a local church.
And so I thought that wassomething you and I could talk about
(13:34):
because I think there's kindof a lot to unpack there.
We know that salvation is notdependent on church attendance.
You don't have to go to churchin order to be saved.
Right.
You just have to believe thatJesus came and died for your sins.
Live a repentant life andyou're saved.
Your salvation can't be takenfrom you because you missed a few
weeks of church or because youbelieve it's not important.
(13:55):
But I would argue that churchis very important in the life of
a believer.
Yeah.
And I mean there's so muchscripture that supports that.
It's the importance of churchis being surrounded by Christ minded
people.
Being around people thatworship God and have the same perspectives
and mindsets as you.
They're the people that aregoing to lift you up in a Christ
(14:18):
like way and not feed your flesh.
When you're often fed by your flesh.
It's just a recipe for disaster.
That's right.
You got to be fed by the fruit.
Exactly.
Yes.
And a lot of people, they dorely on their just their own learning,
which is so important.
It is so important to go homeand fact check the sermon and do
(14:42):
the own studying yourself.
But I feel like when you Relyso much on yourself.
It's opens a huge door ofpride and arrogance.
Oh, that's good.
Yeah, I think that's really true.
I, I have on in my notes aperson who says I don't need church
is either arrogant or ignorant.
Because the church is sosignificant that Jesus literally
(15:06):
died on the cross for it.
He gave his life for the church.
And the church can be definedas the body of Christ.
That is us.
We are the church and also thebride of Christ.
Right.
Like, we are the bride of Christ.
We are the most important thing.
The church is the mostimportant thing.
And it's also a place.
It can be four walls offellowship of believers.
(15:28):
And it can also be like,Brittany, you do a Bible study once
a week and it is this the, themost precious thing I can imagine.
I, I enjoyed it so much.
That's church.
Like, church doesn't have tobe just inside the four walls of
the building down the street.
You know, like, if you don'thave a spirit filled Christ centered
(15:49):
building, you know, a placewhere people come to, to fellowship
about Jesus and what he didfor you, you can do it anywhere.
It doesn't have to be what youquote unquote, what, you know, what
you think of as church.
Like the Methodist one downthe way or the Catholic one around
the corner.
Like that church can be a lotof different things.
(16:11):
Absolutely.
I was listening to yourpodcast yesterday about Adam and
Eve and it reminds, like, itjust reminded me that from the beginning
God saw that we needed others,each other.
Yes.
And Proverbs 27:17 reminds usthat iron sharpens iron, and that
is why it is so important.
(16:31):
Like sometimes you willcompletely misinterpret something
and it's not until someonefact checks you that you realize
like you could have beenliving out a verse entirely wrong.
And that's so true.
That's a big thing to just bemissing and living in.
Yeah, yeah, I think that.
(16:53):
Yeah, man.
Because like, you can pray fordiscernment, you can like, look into
the word, but sometimes youjust need another, maybe another
person's perspective or youneed wise counsel from a pastor or,
you know, just someone who'sfurther along in their faith journey
than you.
I think that a church familysort of just like identifies us as
(17:14):
a genuine believer.
Jesus said, your love for oneanother will prove to the world that
you are my disciples.
So how do we prove that welove one another without being in
relationship and in fellowshipwith one another?
And we can do that at church.
Right.
I was, I was kind of thinkingof, like, how to compare it to a
more almost like if you're nota believer, a more, I don't know,
(17:40):
known situation.
And I was thinking of like asports team or like a sport just
learning a sport.
You can learn all the basics,and you can hit a ball every single
day a hundred times, or youcan throw something a hundred times.
But it's not until you go and,like, either work with your team
or almost like your coach.
Like, you have to listen to acoach, and they will teach you the
(18:02):
things, the tips, the tricks.
And it ties along withtestimonies like, God didn't create
us to do everything, beeverything, know everything.
So when you like my Biblestudy, I tell the girls, like, it
is so important that each ofus have walked different lives, because
then we can pour into eachother to either prevent mistakes
(18:25):
or just boost each other pastthe mistake that they could make.
Exactly.
Yes, exactly.
So I was relating it in one of.
One of my notes to buildingspiritual muscle.
So participating in the fulllife of a local church builds your
(18:46):
spiritual muscle.
So we need more than just theBible in order to grow.
We need other believers.
We need the fellowship ofother believers in order to grow.
God expects us to fulfillresponsibilities of our family, our
church family.
Like, loving each other,praying for each other, encouraging
each other, greeting eachother, serving each other, teaching
(19:10):
each other, accepting eachother, honoring each other, even,
like, bearing each other'sburdens during hard times, forgiving
each other, submitting to eachother and.
And just being devoted to each other.
And we do that through, again,a local fellowship.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I just.
Being newly married, it's been.
(19:31):
It's just been so beautiful tosee God work in a marriage setting
because you really do learn,like, what it means to fully, especially
as a wife, to fully surrenderto your husband's ways and his lead.
And, like, there's just abeauty in serving it.
It calls you out of yourcomfort, and it encourages you to
(19:53):
be better than what your flesh wants.
Like, there's so many timeswhere I'm like, oh, I do not want
to clean something.
And then I'm like, but I'm notcleaning it just for myself.
I'm serving Stellan in this way.
And it's such a beautiful way.
And I've seen it shown on TikTok.
Like, it's a form of worshipto serve other people.
Because that's God's childrenthat you are.
(20:16):
Yes.
Serving your husband isthereby serving the Lord because
marriage is his design.
Yes.
I think that's.
That's so good.
I'm just going to read throughsome of my notes because we're just
like riffing here and I lostmy spot, but.
So church teaches us how toget along with God's family.
(20:37):
Biblical fellowship is beingas committed to each other as we
are to Jesus.
So, man, sometimes we can getreally caught up and just like we
love Jesus so much, but ourwhole calling on this earth is to
love God and love others.
Like it's not, it's not eitheror, it's both.
And we are to do both of those things.
(20:59):
Following Christ includesbelonging, not just believing.
We are members of his body andnone of us can fulfill God's promises
by ourselves.
I think that's prideful, likeyou said, to think that we, we can
do it on our own.
We can't.
We need other people.
The Bible says that we are puttogether, joined together, built
together, members together,heirs together, fitted together,
(21:20):
held together.
And we'll.
We will be caught up together.
Meaning that God will rapturehis church will be caught up in the
air together with otherbelievers before the tribulation
happens.
In my humble opinion, in.
In Christ who are, who aremany, form one body.
So right.
So each member belongs to allthe others as the body of Christ,
(21:41):
the church.
The body of Christ is the church.
Each part gets its meaningfrom the body as a whole.
It's like if you were to severa part of your own body from the
rest of the body, it becomes.
It doesn't work anymore, right?
If you cut off your hand, yourhand no longer can serve a purpose
for your body.
And that is like us, to thebody of Christ.
(22:03):
I think that is a good pointto show the beauty of your individuality
too.
Because I'm reading inEphesians right now and it says that
the one who descended also ascended.
And he put a calling onto somepeople in the one body.
Christ is the head and we arethe body.
It says that some people aremeant to be preachers, some people
(22:24):
are meant to be teachers.
Some people are meant to doall these things.
Like you also are supposed tobe individual.
He calls you to unity, not uniform.
We're not all supposed to fitinto this one image.
And that's the beauty of goingand studying on your own.
And that's the importance ofstudying on your own and living your
(22:45):
experiences, but also thebeauty of sharing it.
Amen.
That's so good.
Because the body of Christneeds all of us.
We each have a unique role inhis family, and that is our ministry.
He gives each of us spiritual gifts.
Right.
And they're a means of helpingthe whole entire church.
It's not gifts he gives us todisciple ourselves.
(23:07):
Right.
It is to be given out as welove others, as he did.
It allows us to share inChrist's mission in the entire world.
We, we, we have to look atourselves as we are, as the hands
and feet and heart of Jesus inthe world.
Right.
He's, he's within us as theHoly Spirit, but He himself, I mean,
(23:27):
he is with us always, but weare doing the work of Jesus until
He comes back.
Call us Christians.
The other thing I think is soimportant about church is kind of
accountability.
Like your church family cankeep you from backsliding.
I think we want to believethat we're just immune to sin and
temptation, but the truth isthat none of us are immune to temptation.
(23:50):
And under the rightcircumstances, any of us, even as
much as you don't want tobelieve it, any of us are capable
of any sin without theaccountability and, you know, just
love and encouragement ofother believers.
Yeah, I, I put that in mynotes too.
Just that accountabilityportion, like with my Bible study.
(24:13):
A lot of us go to the samechurch and we'll all like, be like,
oh, who's coming?
You know, and it's, it'sreally a, it's a really hard thing
to text people back like, I'mnot coming.
And you don't, unless you havea legit excuse, you do not miss church.
And it's so beautiful that wehave that relationship where like
(24:34):
we will just, it's me and mycousins and then one of our friends
and we will just call eachother out like, what are you doing
instead of church?
And it's like, it's thatconviction that you get from other
believers that you can talkyourself out of.
It's very easy to maskconviction by saying like, oh, well,
I just, I was really tired,you know, and then you, you kind
(24:56):
of just let yourself out ofthat and as soon as you break it,
it becomes so much easier tocontinue not going to church as well.
Yep.
We went for years without achurch home.
I've told the story before,but we had a church that I loved
when I met Jonathan.
And then we moved and it, thechurch then was about 45 minute drive.
(25:16):
And I had made him promise me,like, if we move, we still have to
go to this church because Ilove it.
But we both, it just became soeasy to make excuses not to go because
it was so.
It's like, oh, it's so far.
It like takes up our whole day.
By the time you go and you getback, and it's like, oh, my gosh,
can you not offer Jesus God, who.
Who literally Jesus, who gavehis life for you, a part of your
(25:40):
Sunday, like, a part of one day?
And I don't want you to thinkthat going to church is the whole
picture, because I think we'rekind of looking at it from the other
way, like, where, oh, I have arelationship with Jesus.
I don't need church.
And there might be people outthere who are like, I go to church,
but I don't do anything else.
I don't spend time with Jesus.
I don't spend time in prayer.
I don't spend time in the Word.
And that is also.
(26:01):
I don't.
I don't want to say one's moreimportant than the other.
I think you can't have onewithout the other.
Like, or you shouldn't wantone without the other.
And if you don't have aconviction in your heart, if you
do one and not the other, andyou can talk yourself into believing
that the other isn't importantor that you do enough, then I think
you really got to do a heart check.
Like, the fruit of having theHoly Spirit in you should.
(26:28):
Should come out in the waythat you act and in the things that
you want to do and in the waysthat you're convicted.
Does that make sense?
Yeah.
Like, you should.
You should want to be a part of.
If you.
If you dig into the Bible andyou love the Lord and you have a
relationship, you should wantto be a part of his family.
Yeah, that makes me think of,like, what you're talking about.
(26:49):
Like, some people are, like,the total opposite.
They just go to church.
It reminds me of that song.
It's called Monday Morning Faith.
Like, God just.
He doesn't just want to meetyou on Sundays when it's convenient,
when it's routine.
He wants your Mondays, yourTuesdays, your Wednesday, your Thursday,
your Friday, your Saturday.
He wants all of you.
And to give him all of you onehour on a Sunday just isn't cutting
(27:13):
it.
I agree.
And I agree.
Just really, they just.
It is a part of their routine.
And what.
I mean, I'm so grateful thatthat is a routine that some people
have, but it's got to be morethan just that.
Well, it's like, if you'relooking at church as checking a box,
like, okay, did the thing that I'm.
We're just.
(27:33):
You're supposed to do.
You're supposed to go tochurch, like, that really should
make you question, like, wherereally is your heart?
Like, where are you with Jesus?
Where are you with your relationship?
Because going to church is not enough.
Like, I can't imagine if Ididn't have my time with the Lord
every single morning.
It's my favorite part of my day.
And the more you, the moretime you spend with him, the more
(27:56):
often you think of himthroughout the day.
And like you can just getthrough any little thing.
Like you're in constantcommunication with the Lord.
Like we're called to praywithout saying ceasing.
And I think that it seemsreally difficult to do that when
he is just not at theforefront of your mind.
It's not if, if praying to Godin Thanksgiving or when you need
(28:17):
something or when something ishard or when something is amazing.
Like if, if it's the lastthing you think of to do, you gotta
question that, you know?
But when you, when you wake upthinking about the Lord, like, I
literally opened my eyes.
I'm like, thank you for thisday, Lord.
Like, thank you God that Iwoke up.
Thank you for this warm bed inthis cool room and that great sleep.
(28:38):
And like I just immediately amin conversation with the Lord and
I, I sit on my couch and drinkmy coffee and I thank him for the
delicious cup of coffee andthat I also just thank him a lot
for like my desire to know him.
Because I, you know, there aretimes when God will feel further
away from us.
And it's in those times thatlike we've developed because we've
(28:59):
spent all this time with us,him, we have developed like this.
I don't even know what theword is, but we've, we just know
he's there.
Even when you can't feel him,you just know you got to keep seeking
Him.
Yeah, it's like those, I don'tknow if you've heard of them, but
like a low maintenancefriendship like my cousins Lexi and
(29:19):
Addison, I can have so muchfun and be doing a bunch of things
with them, but I also can justenjoy sitting in their place presence.
And I think that's superimportant to build that with God
because you'll have, I meanit'll be, I mean, I pray that it's
months where you're like on fire.
It feels amazing every timeyou come to him, but there's sometimes
(29:40):
where it just feels quiet.
And those are the times whereyou just, you have to just rest in
the fact that you know it'snot going to always be these big
things happening.
But he's he's your father andyou're his kid, and you get to just
dwell in his presence.
And I think that is somethingthat a lot of Christians almost get
(30:04):
frustrated with because it'snot always, go, go, go, go, go, but
it's also dwelling.
And like you said, you buildthose routines, but that relationship
where it's just like, okay,God, maybe I haven't heard from you
in a while, but I know you'restill here.
And I continue to seek youeven when I don't feel you seeking
(30:26):
me.
Even though we know God iswith us always.
But there will be times oftesting of our faith, whether that
means we just aren't feelingGod near to us or we're going through
something that's extremely difficult.
And in those times, it's evenmore important.
It's actually more importantto spend time with God and to, you
know, you know, cry out to himand seek him when you're not feeling
(30:47):
him close to you, because hewill hear you, but to also know that
whether or not you feel him,he is there always.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And I was just going to sayback to my.
Back to our point aboutchurch, like, it's in those times,
too, where you're not feelingGod close to you, at least you can
have the fellowship of othersand you can have a church family
to remind you that he is nearyou always.
(31:10):
Yeah.
And also just it.
It takes that self, like theselfless and humble mind shift to
also just.
Just love watching otherpeople have blessings from God.
And there's always.
There's so many differentpeople at church.
You can almost always count onsomeone just had an answered prayer
(31:32):
and someone is feeling farfrom God.
And that's when, like, youreally get to come together as a
body and be like, look at whatGod's been doing in my life.
Life.
And you have to put your prideand your anger aside and be happy
for the prayers that are beinganswered for them rather than yourself.
(31:52):
Absolutely.
Absolutely.
So one of the things I hadwritten down is that, because I think
this is something we can getkind of stuck on too, is that the
goal of going to church is notso that you feel some kind of way.
The goal of going to church isto praise and worship our Lord and
Savior, and it is to give allthe glory to him and not to get something
(32:17):
for ourselves.
But he loves us so much thatwhen we do that, the fruit of that
is that we do feel something.
Like, we do feel filled up byhim and protected by him and loved
by Him.
But the goal or the reason wego to church.
Yes, it's fellowship with others.
It's all these things thatwe've said, but it's also to glorify
God.
(32:37):
Like, that is why we're at church.
Like, a whole room ofbelievers, you know, worshiping to
the Lord.
Like, that's what we're gonnado in heaven one day.
We're gonna sing with theangels to.
To worship and glorify God.
Yeah.
I remember I sat in on asermon, and I think it was just a
guest at our home church.
And he, like, just looked atus, and I felt like he was literally
(33:01):
looking at me.
But he was like, sometimesit's not about you.
Like, it's just not.
He was like, my kids get socaught up in, like, oh, what's the
worship?
Like, what are they going tobe talking about?
And then they'll be, like,completely uninterested.
And he's like, it's.
I had to tell my kids, it'snot about you.
Someone needs that song.
(33:21):
Someone needs this message,and it's all for God's glory.
And one of the things that Ialso saw was that when you sing in
church, like, you are singingto God and there's someone that's
sitting in silence justlistening to the music of God's children
(33:41):
singing.
And that's why it's so important.
Important to also, like.
I mean, even if you don't havea good voice, you know, you could
try and just sing, too.
And I just thought that waskind of.
I think that's just a cool,cool way to look at it.
Like, you're not just, youknow, you might not feel it, but
to also seeing, like, therecould be someone that's on their
knees that just need to hear it.
(34:03):
Absolutely.
Absolutely.
That was something that.
Actually, what I just sharedwas something I had read about worship.
Because some people are like,oh, the worship wasn't that good.
I didn't really feel anything.
And it's like, whoa.
That's actually not whatworship is about.
Worship, the purpose ofworship is not for you to feel, like,
warm and fuzzy on the insides.
That can be the.
That can be the result of it.
(34:24):
That can be the fruit ofworshiping the Lord.
But worshiping the Lord is forthe Lord.
Right?
Right.
I think we get caught up inthat, too.
And interestingly, to yourpoint about.
It's not all about you.
Sometimes you're going to sitin church and you're going to think
there's a spotlight on yourface because you're going to have
A conviction.
And this has happened to us somuch lately.
(34:45):
For me, our pastor alwaystends to talk about, like, the, the
he kind of demonizes, I hateto say social media or, like, being
an influencer.
And I always feel like thisshiny light on my face that isn't
actually there, and I'm like,oh, my gosh, like, he's targeting
me.
And then I just have to lookat that.
Like, oh, that's actually justsomething I need to look at in my
(35:07):
life.
Am I looking at social mediaas a way to share Jesus with others?
I sure hope so.
If I'm looking at social mediaas a way to, like, you know, put
myself on a pedestal, or howmany likes did I get with this?
Or how many people commentedon this, or how much did I sell from
sharing this link?
Like, that is not, you know, agodly way to use the platform.
(35:30):
I do think there aredefinitely ways.
I've.
I've learned so much fromsocial media, and my algorithm is
so much.
I'm sure it's very similar toyours where it's just constantly
telling me about the word ofGod or someone sharing a testimony
or whatever.
But I think sometimes you willget these convictions.
And it's like, you just got totake a look last, Last week, Jonathan
(35:51):
was at baseball, not atchurch, because his baseball game
was during church.
And the pastor talked about,like, is Jesus in your ball club?
And, you know, parents shouldbe saying to the coaches, like, we
serve the Lord at 11 o' clockon Sundays.
We're not playing baseball atthat time.
And Asher was just, like,elbowing me whole time, like, oh,
he's talking about dad.
(36:13):
And I shared that with Jonathan.
I'm like, oh, that sermon wasfor you.
But those, those convictionsare the Holy Spirit.
And, like, that's also a gift.
Like, that is just pro, youknow, just makes you think.
And then you're able to repentof those things.
If, if you come to, like,realize like, oh, no, that is a sin
in my life, then you can, youcan repent of that.
(36:35):
And the, the high likelihoodis that he wasn't speaking about
anyone personally.
Right.
But sometimes when you canrelate to the thing they're talking
about, you're gonna have thoseHoly Spirit convictions.
And that's just a part of, youknow, refining and pruning and the
things that God does to makeyou more like him.
Right.
And also, like to take intoconsideration, like, your pastors
(36:57):
are usually praying over whatthey're talking about.
And God can, you know, just belike, okay, okay, I Have someone
that needs, is very stuck intheir way or is just, you know, not
using their talent or theirgift to glorify me.
And it'll be put onto thatpastor's heart.
So you have to realize likeour God knows our heart.
(37:18):
He.
And you have to ask him tosearch your heart and he will find
a way to call you out andconvict you of what you're doing.
Yep, he sure will.
And there were probably somany people that were convicted by
the very same message.
Right.
But you have.
We tend to think that it's allabout us.
Right.
So I liked that you said,because sometimes it's not about
(37:39):
you.
You're sitting there and it's,it's just, it's not about you.
It's still a good message.
It's still, there's somethingyou can glean from every time you
attend church.
But so it's just interesting.
Sometimes it's not about youat all, and sometimes it's all about
you.
Right?
Absolutely.
Yeah.
So another thing I read as Iwas kind of just, you know, planning
for this is we are not calledto earn our salvation.
(38:01):
Right.
But reflect it.
So I thought that was really good.
We should be reflecting oursalvation so that others can see
it.
And it says to reflect one'ssalvation means to actively live
out the transformed life thatcomes with accepting Jesus Christ
as Savior.
It's not just a one time eventor belief, but a continuing process
(38:22):
of applying faith in dailylife, allowing God's grace to shape
your thoughts, actions and relationships.
And I think if you want tocontinue to reflect your salvation,
you need to be fed.
And you do that by attendingchurch and being in the fellowship
of other believers and, andalso not one, you know, not one or
(38:44):
the other, but.
And being in the word ofChrist, being in the word of God
on your own every single day,like it should just be, be a part
of your life.
Just like you, you know, you,what you do, what do you do every
day?
You brush your teeth.
You should also spend timewith the Lord.
You make time to like, takegood care of your physical body.
Like I make sure to get my10,000 steps in my workout now certainly
(39:06):
I can find time to make, youknow, Jesus also a priority in my
life.
I think a lot of us get thatreal mixed up sometimes.
Yeah, I've, I've been seeing alot of things about how you can put
all this work into your bodyand into like just specific things
that, you know, might connectto you personally.
(39:28):
But the only thing that youtake to eternity is Your soul, you
don't.
And other people you don't take.
Yes, exactly.
So that is why it is soimportant to one, work on yourself.
But as you said, other people,you have to pour in.
And I think a lot of peopleover complicate what ministry is.
(39:49):
And they think, oh, like, Ididn't go overseas and help people,
but ministry, I'm not qualified.
Yes, but ministry starts inyour own family.
And oftentimes a lot of peopleneglect the people that are closest
to them because they feelcalled to serve somewhere else.
They're like, oh, well, Icould help over here, so I'm just
(40:09):
going to try it.
While they neglect their home.
Right?
That's so true.
That's so true.
Or you think it has to be,like, big and shiny and, you know,
whatever.
And when you just have, like,God has given you these precious
people that you get to raiseif they're children or that you get
to spend your life with asyour spouse.
And if you're not putting, youknow, effort and energy into or just
(40:34):
putting Christ at the centerof those relationships, like, you're
going to see the fruit of thatas well, and it's not going to be
good.
I think that it would be.
Go ahead.
I just was gonna say,sometimes as Christians, I feel like
it's very easy to.
It's nice to see all theaccomplishments you've done.
Like, oh, I helped here.
I served here.
(40:55):
I did this.
And that is more important tosome people than my husband and my
children are saved, or vice versa.
My wife and my kids are saved.
Yeah, that's a huge lessonthat I've had to learn.
Like, I've been chasingsuccess, like, it's the most important
thing.
And like, how can I make moneyand how can I make a mark in the
world?
And it's like, that's not my job.
(41:17):
My job is to love God, love others.
Like, you know, just do that,do that.
Really, really important.
But maybe almost like, oh, youdon't get the awards or the accolades
for just like discipling toyour own family.
But what really matters isthat you all end up in heaven together
(41:40):
one day.
And that's.
I've realized that lately, too.
Like, in my prayers every day.
It's just like, I just prayfor salvation for.
It's just usually just mychildren, like, all that.
All my children would be in heaven.
And, you know, sometimes justas a side note, there's people in
your life that you love somuch and you don't know it's not
(42:00):
your job to judge Whether ornot someone loves the Lord or has
a relationship like you don't, you.
You might wonder, you mightnot know, you might think that they
don't.
And sometimes the best thingyou can do, all the time, the best
thing you can do is pray forthat person.
Definitely look for ways to,you know, bring up God in the conversation,
but sometimes that can be alsoa deterrent.
(42:21):
And so sometimes you just haveto take that to the Lord and let
him do his work in thembecause he's the only one who can
really do it.
Yeah, I just actually had aconversation with one of my girls
about how at a certain point,you just have to take it into prayer
and.
Yep.
And God will do the rest.
And I told her, you know, quit.
(42:43):
Don't try as hard to press iton them.
But yeah, allow them to seethe fruit in your life instead.
Exactly.
And live out exactly a Christlike life.
And Amen.
And it's up to them if theywant that for their lives as well.
Yep, yep.
And just keep inviting them to church.
Like, you've done such awonderful job of that.
(43:05):
I think I've said on herebefore, like, and you've shared.
You shared.
Like, you spent a year drivingto 35 minutes to a church, and you
were sitting in a pew manytimes all by yourself.
You were so lonely in it, andyou just kept showing up.
And now I am just so amazed tosee, like, two, two, three pews of
(43:28):
people that are there becauseyou invited them to come to church.
And it's just like you'resurrounded now by people that you
love that now also love the Lord.
And, like, what an amazingthing to, you know, to get that crown
in heaven one day because youbrought these people to the Lord
and you, You.
I mean, God gave them eternallife, but, I mean, you.
(43:48):
You planted the seed.
And, like, what a gift that isto those people.
And how cool to know that youget to bring people to heaven with
you.
Mom and I were on a walk, andshe said something about bringing
people to heaven.
And I said, yeah, I'm justtrying to catch up to Brittany.
You're doing such a good job.
So heartwarming.
Funny that you bring that upbecause I was literally trying to
(44:09):
record a voice memo becausetomorrow is my one year of hosting
a Bible study.
And, yeah, I was just, like,reflecting, and I was like, I used
to go to church by myself, andI would feel.
It was so.
I would feel so guilty becauseI would feel so lonely and sad on
the way, and oftentimes Iwould cry on my way to church.
(44:32):
And then I'd be filled up bythe message and then I'd leave and
I'd realize I'm alone.
Which looking back, I know I'mnever alone now, but.
But I cry on my way home.
I just, I wanted Stella to begoing with me.
I wanted people to be goingwith me.
And when I moved up here priorI had a church community.
My little brother always wentwith me.
(44:52):
My.
My childhood friend alwayswent with me.
Maya.
And I lost that and that therewas a day where I was sitting down
here in this basement and Godwas like, get up and start one yourself.
Get this community started.
And I was like, no, God, likeI don't, I've only attended, I've
(45:13):
never, I've never led a Bible.
I'm not, I'm not qualified.
Like the lie, Satan's lie.
Yes.
And he reassured me like, Iwill equip you to this calling.
And I remember I sat downhere, I, I watched I think two sermons.
I watched a Bible project.
I read the script scripture.
I called my brother, I toldhim, please be praying for me.
(45:36):
I think I, I definitely told Brenda.
I might have actually evenreached out to you.
I was like, please just bepraying for me.
I'm starting this.
And just that is goes forhaving Christ minded people.
Like I was just like, hey,pray for me.
And I knew they were and right.
It's just been so beautifulthat it's a year since God called
(45:56):
me to this and yes, what hedid with it, something I was so afraid
of.
And like you said, I am nowable to bring multiple which I don't
bring them, I just encouragethem to go.
And now like I said, they alsoencourage me.
They also are.
They pour into me.
And I was, at first, honestlythe first few Bible studies, I was
(46:18):
like, I'm not getting poured into.
And I feel like I might havetalked to you about this.
We did.
I'm not getting poured into.
I don't know what I need to do.
And I almost gave up on thisBible study, honestly.
And God was like no, no.
And he.
I was like okay, God, I don'tknow what you're doing.
And I actually was encouragedby church, my church family.
(46:43):
And they were like, oh mygosh, this is amazing that you have
a Bible study at your agepouring into girls that we are 30
minutes away from the nicechurches and the non denominational
churches.
And they just, they remindedme of how beautiful it is to be in
(47:07):
that form of ministry.
And I got right back into it.
And here we are.
And yep, he doesn't call thequalified, he qualifies the called.
And I, that's where I feellike I've been with this podcast.
Like, I don't know all thethings and I'm a sinner just like
everyone else.
But he will do this with me.
He, you know, he gives me theideas, I pray, I pray that too in
(47:30):
my journal almost every day.
Like, please bless this podcast.
Bring the guests, bring thelisteners, bring the exact person
who needs to hear the message.
Like, speak through me, Lord.
Like, it's not, we're notdoing this on our own.
It is not of our own volitionthat we're able to do these things.
It is because God has calledus to do it.
And so he will then blessed,blessed us the entire way and he
(47:54):
will give us the words that weneed and he'll bring the people who
need us.
And again, the other thing is,I just remind myself all the time
there's someone out there whocould hear this message for, from
someone else, the same thing.
But for some reason, the way Isay it or the way I deliver it can
like, hit them in a way thatit wouldn't have if it had been said
(48:15):
by someone else.
Like, God is using me to be avessel for someone else's hopefully
salvation.
And that's like a, that's abig calling.
And so you just, you do itafraid and you, you figure it out
as you go and you know, youjust lean on his strength when you
don't feel it on your own.
So, yeah, it's such a coolthing to watch.
(48:38):
And I don't know, we got alittle far away from why you need
to go to church.
But I think it all kind ofcame back to like, look, I've done
these things and I wassupported by my church family.
Like, these are the peoplethat praying for me.
And this is why I've gotten towhere I've gotten and this is why
there's going to be more soulsin heaven.
And it kind of all goes backto, you know, being in the Word of
God daily, having a personalrelationship with him and being in
(49:01):
fellowship with others andjust loving him and loving other
people the way that he loved us.
Absolutely.
Yeah.
All right, well, I think thatthat was good.
I think also if you are ineither of our areas, I'm in Northern
Virginia, Brittany's inNortheast Iowa.
And if you're looking for agood Bible based, Christ centered,
(49:22):
spirit filled church, we bothhave one and we would both love for
you to Join us and, you know,reach out.
We could.
I could put you in contactwith Brittany and I don't know, it's
just kind of.
It's.
It's a really powerful thingto be able to walk into church with
another person.
You know, it's kind of a scarything to do on your own.
(49:43):
And I'm so proud of you,though, for doing it for all those,
all that time.
And that's the other thing.
Like, you brought.
Stellan maybe was one of thosepeople who thought, I have a relationship
with the Lord.
I don't need to go to church.
Like, he didn't see theimportance of it, and now he does.
And now it's such a strongfoundation for the two of you.
You guys.
I don't have to say like, hey,will you guys go to church?
It's.
You're.
You guys are like, are yougoing to be at church on Sunday?
(50:04):
And I'm like, yeah, I'll be there.
And you're in the pew before Ieven am.
And it's such a.
I mean, it's so important foryour marriage.
I think I read that you're 35%less likely to.
To get divorced if you attendchurch regularly.
Just that one little thing?
Yeah, just that one little thing.
I have to remind everyone thisis the last week of June, so that
(50:28):
means the last week of ourJune Bible memory verse.
So as a reminder, it isGalatians 5, 22 and 23, but the holy
Spirit produces this kind offruit in our lives.
Love, joy, peace, patience,kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, and self control.
(50:48):
There is no law against these things.
So that means next week therewill be.
It'll be a new month, there'llbe a new Bible verse.
The first episode of everymonth will be a powerful testimony.
And when I tell you nextweek's episode may be the most powerful
testimony that I've ever heardand that may ever be shared on this
(51:12):
podcast.
It is so powerful, it willchange your life.
I really hope that you tune in.
I also hope that if youhaven't yet, you'll sign up for my
sub stack so that you can getmy newsletter.
I try to put some energy andeffort into sharing some good things
in the newsletter andhopefully it'll just keep getting
better.
But Brittany, thank you forbeing here and I love you all and
(51:36):
I hope you have the mostwonderful week.
Later.
If this podcast blessed you,please share it with a friend and
hit the subscribe button soyou never miss an episode.
Leave a five star review onitunes and come hang out with me
on Instagram, Edbythefruit.
I'd love to connect with you there.
And most importantly, I'll seeyou right here next week.
(51:56):
Come hungry, get fed.
Sam.
Foreign s welcome to Fed bythe Fruit, a podcast focused on nourishment
for the mind, body and soul.
I'm kb, a spirit filledcertified life and nutrition coach
with a calling to disciplewomen who are hungry for more.
Each week we will learn whoGod is and what he wants for and
(00:22):
from us through powerfultestimonies, biblical truth, and
so much more as we fuel ourminds and bodies in ways that honor
him.
Let's get fed.
Hello, friends.
Welcome to Fed by the Fruit.
Happy Monday.
I hope you're great.
I am doing well.
(00:43):
I'm so excited.
What are we on episode four, Ibelieve a Fed by the fruit.
And it is just everything Ihoped it would be and then some.
Today our episode is going tobe on applying biblical principles
to to your life.
And I brought on a veryspecial guest.
My sweet little Britney.
That's what we just lovinglyrefer to her as.
(01:06):
She is my son Stellan's wife,my daughter in law, and she has been
on before to share hertestimony and it was just so nice
to have her.
And so I invited her back.
So thanks for coming on.
Of course.
I'm so.
I'm a little nervous, but I'mexcited to be here.
You've done it once, you'vegone through it before and you're
(01:27):
gonna get through it again, right?
Absolutely.
So we thought we could startout by, like, we'll do a little icebreaker
for anyone out there who has adaughter in law or who has a mother
in law.
I thought it'd be fun to talkabout kind of where we started and
where we are now because it'skind of a hilarious story to us.
(01:49):
So at some point we realizedthat both of us thought the other
one did not like us.
So I remember it.
Yeah, I remember it as I was.
I was in Iowa.
We were walking circles aroundmy aunt and uncle's car because I
was trying to get steps and wewere at their cabin and no one was
(02:10):
there yet except for me and you.
And we just like somehowrevealed to one another, like, you're
like, I didn't think you liked me.
And I'm like, I didn't thinkyou liked me.
And then.
So we found out that day.
Yeah.
Yeah, we found out that daythat we like each other.
And it's just been bliss ever since.
(02:32):
But you came out here for thefirst time.
What did we say it was 20.
22.
22.
Yeah.
Okay.
So for Thanksgiving, 22.
I finally, Castellan had beenasking if you could come, and I kept
saying no.
And I just Used the excuse of.
And it wasn't.
It was real.
It was that correct.
I said, I don't like her.
(02:52):
She's.
No.
That's what I've heard.
That's what you heard.
That probably is what you heard.
It was that I get so littletime with him that I.
I just, like, craved one weekwith Stellan, and I knew if you were
here that it wouldn't be.
This is so selfish.
(03:12):
That really is what it was like.
I just wanted him all tomyself because I just love him, and
I just got so little time with him.
So you finally came.
And let's talk about kind ofthe disaster that that first trip
was.
Well, I mean, for starters, Inever traveled before, so it was
the first time on a plane.
First time away from my momand dad, which I never, ever, ever
(03:37):
thought I would be, like, ahomesick type of person.
But I.
When I got to Virginia, I was,like, in fight or flight.
Like, I couldn't eat.
That was half the battle.
I think I lost probably ten pounds.
I couldn't eat.
I was so.
I just felt so uncomfortable.
And at this point, I thoughtthat you hated me, so.
Right.
(03:57):
This was before our realization.
Yeah.
So I also thought you hated me.
I remember it was like.
I don't.
I don't know why I was so.
I think I was just so afraidof being somewhere else, and it was
so out of my normal.
Like, I never traveled, neverbeen without my parents.
It was, like, a lot.
(04:18):
Right.
I think.
Yeah, it was like the perfectrecipe for disaster, because you'd
never been away from your parents.
You'd never been away from Iowa.
You'd never been on an airplane.
You're coming somewhere where you've.
You just are unfamiliar with.
It's not comfortable.
You think, I don't like you,which is just still so funny to me.
I think the truth is we justnever had an opportunity to really
(04:40):
get to know each other.
You were still very young, soyou were, you know, living with your
parents an hour away fromStellen, into where I would come
and visit.
So seeing you was kind of fewand far between, and I just.
It just.
It just cracks me up.
And so I remember back to thattime, I'm just, like, taking you
guys to all these restaurants,and, like, no matter where we went,
(05:01):
you would not eat.
Like, what can I give thisgirl to.
To, like, make her eat?
And then I remember taking youto get our nails done, and we did
that.
And then you had mentionedthat you'd never have crumble.
I'm like, okay, let me takeher to Crumble.
Maybe she'll eat a cookie.
I don't know what to do.
I remember someone used to belike, please just eat.
(05:21):
Please just eat something.
And I.
I just couldn't.
Like, I physically, like, foodjust did not sound.
Because you.
Because like you said, I thinkyou really were.
You were just in fight or flight.
You were just trying to survive.
Your body's just, like,shutting down all functions.
Yeah, I mean, we tried.
Literally, I feel like wetried everything.
(05:41):
There was that firstrestaurant we went to, which was
like a sub or whatever, theItalian place.
Tried French fries.
I mean, you can't go wrongwith French fries.
And I mean, we did, like, youtried, like, Popeyes Crumble.
There are so many things.
And I just couldn't.
Could not.
I took you to that Greekrestaurant, Katerina's.
(06:02):
I remember we went.
We went all over the place.
But, yeah, so that first tripwas a bit of a disaster.
I don't even.
Well, again, we didn't knowthe other one thought we didn't like
each other or whatever, but weboth, like, felt it.
So I just think it's.
That was a part of ourconversation was that I had talked
(06:22):
to Stellan about how youdidn't like me, and you were talking
to Jonathan about how youthought I didn't.
Like, that was a part of the.
When we were taking our lapsaround the car.
Exactly.
And I, like, I literallycouldn't love you more.
I.
I could not love you more.
I think that our relationshipis actually so cool.
Like, I don't have a daughter,so to get to have you is.
(06:44):
Just makes me so happy.
And I.
I want so much to have a greatrelationship with you, mostly because
I love Stellan so much.
Like, I want.
I always want to just, youknow, I just want to love you the
way that you deserve to be loved.
And I want to respect your.
Your marriage and, like, theboundaries that you guys have.
(07:05):
And so I think that we do thatby just, like, communicating with
each other, you know, like, wecan just talk about stuff.
Yeah.
Yes.
We talk all the time.
We talk on Marco.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Just having just a close relationship.
Not just something where.
Oh, we're trying to plansomething that involves Stellan.
Like, we have our ownrelationship, too.
(07:28):
I think that's super important.
Exactly.
And I think.
I mean, I definitely spendmore time with you than I spend with
Stellan, with his workschedule and all his, you know, commitments
to his friends when I'm home.
But, yeah, we just.
We, like.
I get so excited to come homeand spend time with you.
(07:49):
Like, we go for walks.
I.
I got to come to your Biblestudy this time.
We.
We go to the gym together.
We go get coffee.
It's like we have all theselittle traditions that are just you
and me, and I love that.
I do, too.
They're perfect.
I.
I look forward to you andAsher coming back.
It's, like, my favorite.
Yeah.
Yes.
And I told you before we gotthere, like, Asher had said multiple
(08:11):
times, like, I really hopeBrittany has some free time to, like,
spend with us.
And I think it's so funnybecause I said you're, like, this
perfect age where, like, hethinks it's super fun to hang out
with you and.
But I do, too.
Like, you're the best of both worlds.
Oh, gosh, that is so funny tolook back on.
But I do think, too, we had.
We had this conversation where.
(08:33):
When I was at home this time,because so one of the things I did
when I was home this time isthat I just took a little time to
give Caleb's house a little, like.
A little, like, facelift,because the last time I was there,
I went to visit his house, andit just felt so cold and empty and
sad to me because he doesn'thave a.
(08:54):
You honestly.
Right.
Like, you're the reason whyStellan's in your home feel so.
Just, like, homey and warm andfull of love, and Caleb is alone,
and so his doesn't feel like that.
And so it was just on my heartfrom the time I left the last time
that I wanted to just, like,give it a little woman's touch, make
it a little, you know, justwarmer in there.
(09:17):
Like, feel like someone livesin it and very.
Just welcoming so when hecomes home, it.
It doesn't feel so cold and lonely.
And so I wanted to make surethat you understood like.
Or that you weren't feeling,like, oh, no, she's doing more for
Caleb than she's doing for meand Stellan.
Not that you would ever feelthat way, but I think just keeping
(09:37):
the open lines ofcommunication just keeps anything
from, like, festering up wherewe're both, like, feeling something
kind of like the beginning, wedidn't say how we felt.
And then we're just, like.
Our stories that we're tellingourselves are just, like, running
away and getting crazier and crazier.
Exactly.
No, I didn't.
I didn't ever feel like youwere doing more or anything, but
(09:58):
it was so refreshing to hearthat you cared anyways.
Like, I wasn't thinking, oh,she's, you know, doing so much more
for Caleb.
Like, why isn't she doinganything for me and Ellen?
But it was just refreshing toknow that even crossed your mind
to even consider us, because.
Right.
I mean, it.
Yeah.
I knew exactly where yourheart was at, what you were doing.
(10:20):
We've also talked about youdoing it before, so it was just like.
Right.
It's just so nice to know thatthat's what Caleb was getting as
well, because everythingdeserves to be poured into.
Yeah.
Yes.
And I think, too, like, like Isaid, there'll be seasons where,
like, during your weddingseason, I was obviously doing more
(10:40):
for you than I was doing for Caleb.
And then, like, during thisseason of life, Caleb needs, like,
a little bit of extra from me.
And so, you know, it's notabout, like, oh, if you do this for
one, you got to do this forthe other.
Like, that's exhausting.
Like, if you're just doingkind things out of the goodness of
your heart, like, I thinkthat, you know, obviously you can
see that you're just a goodhuman, but having the open communication,
(11:02):
I think, is just so helpful.
Very.
I agree.
And I think.
I think it will go a long way,too, like, when you guys have kids,
because I want to respect yourboundaries and your way of raising
your children and, like, the.
The things that you want tolive by.
Like, I know.
You know, you have.
You have a lot of already,which I think is so cool.
You've had so many.
Like, you know, you guys havehad so many conversations about the
(11:26):
way you want to raise yourchildren and, you know, like, with
Christ at the center and youwant to.
Likely you'll be homeschoolingand just, like, you know how Stellan
gets.
Like, so if you can't say,happy Easter, it's happy Resurrection
Day.
And, like, I don't want to,you know, like, I can't come over
with, like, Easter eggs foryour babies because he.
That's not the way he wants toraise the children.
(11:48):
And so I think just, I reallyhope that I will continue to, like,
be respectful.
I know that I will of just,like, your will, so that we can maintain
a really good relationship,because I just would hate for that
ever to be any different.
Right.
And it's also important for meto respect your will as well, because
this is your little boy.
This is your baby.
(12:08):
And, like, as you said, youwere so scared of me coming for a
week, because that's your time.
Like, I still need to value,like, and just give you that time
as well, you know what I'msaying, like, it's just as important
for me to respect you.
You're so sweet.
I love you.
We got, I don't know, God, Godbless our family with you.
(12:30):
Every single person in myfamily would say, I, I mean it's
like a constant, like, man,Stellan's so blessed.
He got that Britney.
And I'm like, yeah, she's the best.
She's the best thing ever.
We love you.
All right, so today the topicthat you and I decided to talk about,
which I can think of so manyactually that you and I would have
(12:51):
fun talking about, I just feellike we get into so many conversations,
like on these long walks and whatnot.
We go to church together whenI'm home.
And I think there's a lot ofthings you and I could talk about.
But you hear a lot of peoplesay like, I don't need to go to church
to be a Christian or I, youdon't need church.
(13:11):
Right.
Like people want to negate theimportance of church.
And so I thought that thatwould be something that you and I
could talk about because theremight be people here listening who
do love the Lord and have arelationship with Jesus, but they
haven't seen the importance ofattending a local church.
And so I thought that wassomething you and I could talk about
(13:34):
because I think there's kindof a lot to unpack there.
We know that salvation is notdependent on church attendance.
You don't have to go to churchin order to be saved.
Right.
You just have to believe thatJesus came and died for your sins.
Live a repentant life andyou're saved.
Your salvation can't be takenfrom you because you missed a few
weeks of church or because youbelieve it's not important.
(13:55):
But I would argue that churchis very important in the life of
a believer.
Yeah.
And I mean there's so muchscripture that supports that.
It's the importance of churchis being surrounded by Christ minded
people.
Being around people thatworship God and have the same perspectives
and mindsets as you.
They're the people that aregoing to lift you up in a Christ
(14:18):
like way and not feed your flesh.
When you're often fed by your flesh.
It's just a recipe for disaster.
That's right.
You got to be fed by the fruit.
Exactly.
Yes.
And a lot of people, they dorely on their just their own learning,
which is so important.
It is so important to go homeand fact check the sermon and do
(14:42):
the own studying yourself.
But I feel like when you Relyso much on yourself.
It's opens a huge door ofpride and arrogance.
Oh, that's good.
Yeah, I think that's really true.
I, I have on in my notes aperson who says I don't need church
is either arrogant or ignorant.
Because the church is sosignificant that Jesus literally
(15:06):
died on the cross for it.
He gave his life for the church.
And the church can be definedas the body of Christ.
That is us.
We are the church and also thebride of Christ.
Right.
Like, we are the bride of Christ.
We are the most important thing.
The church is the mostimportant thing.
And it's also a place.
It can be four walls offellowship of believers.
(15:28):
And it can also be like,Brittany, you do a Bible study once
a week and it is this the, themost precious thing I can imagine.
I, I enjoyed it so much.
That's church.
Like, church doesn't have tobe just inside the four walls of
the building down the street.
You know, like, if you don'thave a spirit filled Christ centered
(15:49):
building, you know, a placewhere people come to, to fellowship
about Jesus and what he didfor you, you can do it anywhere.
It doesn't have to be what youquote unquote, what, you know, what
you think of as church.
Like the Methodist one downthe way or the Catholic one around
the corner.
Like that church can be a lotof different things.
(16:11):
Absolutely.
I was listening to yourpodcast yesterday about Adam and
Eve and it reminds, like, itjust reminded me that from the beginning
God saw that we needed others,each other.
Yes.
And Proverbs 27:17 reminds usthat iron sharpens iron, and that
is why it is so important.
(16:31):
Like sometimes you willcompletely misinterpret something
and it's not until someonefact checks you that you realize
like you could have beenliving out a verse entirely wrong.
And that's so true.
That's a big thing to just bemissing and living in.
Yeah, yeah, I think that.
(16:53):
Yeah, man.
Because like, you can pray fordiscernment, you can like, look into
the word, but sometimes youjust need another, maybe another
person's perspective or youneed wise counsel from a pastor or,
you know, just someone who'sfurther along in their faith journey
than you.
I think that a church familysort of just like identifies us as
(17:14):
a genuine believer.
Jesus said, your love for oneanother will prove to the world that
you are my disciples.
So how do we prove that welove one another without being in
relationship and in fellowshipwith one another?
And we can do that at church.
Right.
I was, I was kind of thinkingof, like, how to compare it to a
more almost like if you're nota believer, a more, I don't know,
(17:40):
known situation.
And I was thinking of like asports team or like a sport just
learning a sport.
You can learn all the basics,and you can hit a ball every single
day a hundred times, or youcan throw something a hundred times.
But it's not until you go and,like, either work with your team
or almost like your coach.
Like, you have to listen to acoach, and they will teach you the
(18:02):
things, the tips, the tricks.
And it ties along withtestimonies like, God didn't create
us to do everything, beeverything, know everything.
So when you like my Biblestudy, I tell the girls, like, it
is so important that each ofus have walked different lives, because
then we can pour into eachother to either prevent mistakes
(18:25):
or just boost each other pastthe mistake that they could make.
Exactly.
Yes, exactly.
So I was relating it in one of.
One of my notes to buildingspiritual muscle.
So participating in the fulllife of a local church builds your
(18:46):
spiritual muscle.
So we need more than just theBible in order to grow.
We need other believers.
We need the fellowship ofother believers in order to grow.
God expects us to fulfillresponsibilities of our family, our
church family.
Like, loving each other,praying for each other, encouraging
each other, greeting eachother, serving each other, teaching
(19:10):
each other, accepting eachother, honoring each other, even,
like, bearing each other'sburdens during hard times, forgiving
each other, submitting to eachother and.
And just being devoted to each other.
And we do that through, again,a local fellowship.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I just.
Being newly married, it's been.
(19:31):
It's just been so beautiful tosee God work in a marriage setting
because you really do learn,like, what it means to fully, especially
as a wife, to fully surrenderto your husband's ways and his lead.
And, like, there's just abeauty in serving it.
It calls you out of yourcomfort, and it encourages you to
(19:53):
be better than what your flesh wants.
Like, there's so many timeswhere I'm like, oh, I do not want
to clean something.
And then I'm like, but I'm notcleaning it just for myself.
I'm serving Stellan in this way.
And it's such a beautiful way.
And I've seen it shown on TikTok.
Like, it's a form of worshipto serve other people.
Because that's God's childrenthat you are.
(20:16):
Yes.
Serving your husband isthereby serving the Lord because
marriage is his design.
Yes.
I think that's.
That's so good.
I'm just going to read throughsome of my notes because we're just
like riffing here and I lostmy spot, but.
So church teaches us how toget along with God's family.
(20:37):
Biblical fellowship is beingas committed to each other as we
are to Jesus.
So, man, sometimes we can getreally caught up and just like we
love Jesus so much, but ourwhole calling on this earth is to
love God and love others.
Like it's not, it's not eitheror, it's both.
And we are to do both of those things.
(20:59):
Following Christ includesbelonging, not just believing.
We are members of his body andnone of us can fulfill God's promises
by ourselves.
I think that's prideful, likeyou said, to think that we, we can
do it on our own.
We can't.
We need other people.
The Bible says that we are puttogether, joined together, built
together, members together,heirs together, fitted together,
(21:20):
held together.
And we'll.
We will be caught up together.
Meaning that God will rapturehis church will be caught up in the
air together with otherbelievers before the tribulation
happens.
In my humble opinion, in.
In Christ who are, who aremany, form one body.
So right.
So each member belongs to allthe others as the body of Christ,
(21:41):
the church.
The body of Christ is the church.
Each part gets its meaningfrom the body as a whole.
It's like if you were to severa part of your own body from the
rest of the body, it becomes.
It doesn't work anymore, right?
If you cut off your hand, yourhand no longer can serve a purpose
for your body.
And that is like us, to thebody of Christ.
(22:03):
I think that is a good pointto show the beauty of your individuality
too.
Because I'm reading inEphesians right now and it says that
the one who descended also ascended.
And he put a calling onto somepeople in the one body.
Christ is the head and we arethe body.
It says that some people aremeant to be preachers, some people
(22:24):
are meant to be teachers.
Some people are meant to doall these things.
Like you also are supposed tobe individual.
He calls you to unity, not uniform.
We're not all supposed to fitinto this one image.
And that's the beauty of goingand studying on your own.
And that's the importance ofstudying on your own and living your
(22:45):
experiences, but also thebeauty of sharing it.
Amen.
That's so good.
Because the body of Christneeds all of us.
We each have a unique role inhis family, and that is our ministry.
He gives each of us spiritual gifts.
Right.
And they're a means of helpingthe whole entire church.
It's not gifts he gives us todisciple ourselves.
(23:07):
Right.
It is to be given out as welove others, as he did.
It allows us to share inChrist's mission in the entire world.
We, we, we have to look atourselves as we are, as the hands
and feet and heart of Jesus inthe world.
Right.
He's, he's within us as theHoly Spirit, but He himself, I mean,
(23:27):
he is with us always, but weare doing the work of Jesus until
He comes back.
Call us Christians.
The other thing I think is soimportant about church is kind of
accountability.
Like your church family cankeep you from backsliding.
I think we want to believethat we're just immune to sin and
temptation, but the truth isthat none of us are immune to temptation.
(23:50):
And under the rightcircumstances, any of us, even as
much as you don't want tobelieve it, any of us are capable
of any sin without theaccountability and, you know, just
love and encouragement ofother believers.
Yeah, I, I put that in mynotes too.
Just that accountabilityportion, like with my Bible study.
(24:13):
A lot of us go to the samechurch and we'll all like, be like,
oh, who's coming?
You know, and it's, it'sreally a, it's a really hard thing
to text people back like, I'mnot coming.
And you don't, unless you havea legit excuse, you do not miss church.
And it's so beautiful that wehave that relationship where like
(24:34):
we will just, it's me and mycousins and then one of our friends
and we will just call eachother out like, what are you doing
instead of church?
And it's like, it's thatconviction that you get from other
believers that you can talkyourself out of.
It's very easy to maskconviction by saying like, oh, well,
I just, I was really tired,you know, and then you, you kind
(24:56):
of just let yourself out ofthat and as soon as you break it,
it becomes so much easier tocontinue not going to church as well.
Yep.
We went for years without achurch home.
I've told the story before,but we had a church that I loved
when I met Jonathan.
And then we moved and it, thechurch then was about 45 minute drive.
(25:16):
And I had made him promise me,like, if we move, we still have to
go to this church because Ilove it.
But we both, it just became soeasy to make excuses not to go because
it was so.
It's like, oh, it's so far.
It like takes up our whole day.
By the time you go and you getback, and it's like, oh, my gosh,
can you not offer Jesus God, who.
Who literally Jesus, who gavehis life for you, a part of your
(25:40):
Sunday, like, a part of one day?
And I don't want you to thinkthat going to church is the whole
picture, because I think we'rekind of looking at it from the other
way, like, where, oh, I have arelationship with Jesus.
I don't need church.
And there might be people outthere who are like, I go to church,
but I don't do anything else.
I don't spend time with Jesus.
I don't spend time in prayer.
I don't spend time in the Word.
And that is also.
(26:01):
I don't.
I don't want to say one's moreimportant than the other.
I think you can't have onewithout the other.
Like, or you shouldn't wantone without the other.
And if you don't have aconviction in your heart, if you
do one and not the other, andyou can talk yourself into believing
that the other isn't importantor that you do enough, then I think
you really got to do a heart check.
Like, the fruit of having theHoly Spirit in you should.
(26:28):
Should come out in the waythat you act and in the things that
you want to do and in the waysthat you're convicted.
Does that make sense?
Yeah.
Like, you should.
You should want to be a part of.
If you.
If you dig into the Bible andyou love the Lord and you have a
relationship, you should wantto be a part of his family.
Yeah, that makes me think of,like, what you're talking about.
(26:49):
Like, some people are, like,the total opposite.
They just go to church.
It reminds me of that song.
It's called Monday Morning Faith.
Like, God just.
He doesn't just want to meetyou on Sundays when it's convenient,
when it's routine.
He wants your Mondays, yourTuesdays, your Wednesday, your Thursday,
your Friday, your Saturday.
He wants all of you.
And to give him all of you onehour on a Sunday just isn't cutting
(27:13):
it.
I agree.
And I agree.
Just really, they just.
It is a part of their routine.
And what.
I mean, I'm so grateful thatthat is a routine that some people
have, but it's got to be morethan just that.
Well, it's like, if you'relooking at church as checking a box,
like, okay, did the thing that I'm.
We're just.
(27:33):
You're supposed to do.
You're supposed to go tochurch, like, that really should
make you question, like, wherereally is your heart?
Like, where are you with Jesus?
Where are you with your relationship?
Because going to church is not enough.
Like, I can't imagine if Ididn't have my time with the Lord
every single morning.
It's my favorite part of my day.
And the more you, the moretime you spend with him, the more
(27:56):
often you think of himthroughout the day.
And like you can just getthrough any little thing.
Like you're in constantcommunication with the Lord.
Like we're called to praywithout saying ceasing.
And I think that it seemsreally difficult to do that when
he is just not at theforefront of your mind.
It's not if, if praying to Godin Thanksgiving or when you need
(28:17):
something or when something ishard or when something is amazing.
Like if, if it's the lastthing you think of to do, you gotta
question that, you know?
But when you, when you wake upthinking about the Lord, like, I
literally opened my eyes.
I'm like, thank you for thisday, Lord.
Like, thank you God that Iwoke up.
Thank you for this warm bed inthis cool room and that great sleep.
(28:38):
And like I just immediately amin conversation with the Lord and
I, I sit on my couch and drinkmy coffee and I thank him for the
delicious cup of coffee andthat I also just thank him a lot
for like my desire to know him.
Because I, you know, there aretimes when God will feel further
away from us.
And it's in those times thatlike we've developed because we've
(28:59):
spent all this time with us,him, we have developed like this.
I don't even know what theword is, but we've, we just know
he's there.
Even when you can't feel him,you just know you got to keep seeking
Him.
Yeah, it's like those, I don'tknow if you've heard of them, but
like a low maintenancefriendship like my cousins Lexi and
(29:19):
Addison, I can have so muchfun and be doing a bunch of things
with them, but I also can justenjoy sitting in their place presence.
And I think that's superimportant to build that with God
because you'll have, I meanit'll be, I mean, I pray that it's
months where you're like on fire.
It feels amazing every timeyou come to him, but there's sometimes
(29:40):
where it just feels quiet.
And those are the times whereyou just, you have to just rest in
the fact that you know it'snot going to always be these big
things happening.
But he's he's your father andyou're his kid, and you get to just
dwell in his presence.
And I think that is somethingthat a lot of Christians almost get
(30:04):
frustrated with because it'snot always, go, go, go, go, go, but
it's also dwelling.
And like you said, you buildthose routines, but that relationship
where it's just like, okay,God, maybe I haven't heard from you
in a while, but I know you'restill here.
And I continue to seek youeven when I don't feel you seeking
(30:26):
me.
Even though we know God iswith us always.
But there will be times oftesting of our faith, whether that
means we just aren't feelingGod near to us or we're going through
something that's extremely difficult.
And in those times, it's evenmore important.
It's actually more importantto spend time with God and to, you
know, you know, cry out to himand seek him when you're not feeling
(30:47):
him close to you, because hewill hear you, but to also know that
whether or not you feel him,he is there always.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And I was just going to sayback to my.
Back to our point aboutchurch, like, it's in those times,
too, where you're not feelingGod close to you, at least you can
have the fellowship of othersand you can have a church family
to remind you that he is nearyou always.
(31:10):
Yeah.
And also just it.
It takes that self, like theselfless and humble mind shift to
also just.
Just love watching otherpeople have blessings from God.
And there's always.
There's so many differentpeople at church.
You can almost always count onsomeone just had an answered prayer
(31:32):
and someone is feeling farfrom God.
And that's when, like, youreally get to come together as a
body and be like, look at whatGod's been doing in my life.
Life.
And you have to put your prideand your anger aside and be happy
for the prayers that are beinganswered for them rather than yourself.
(31:52):
Absolutely.
Absolutely.
So one of the things I hadwritten down is that, because I think
this is something we can getkind of stuck on too, is that the
goal of going to church is notso that you feel some kind of way.
The goal of going to church isto praise and worship our Lord and
Savior, and it is to give allthe glory to him and not to get something
(32:17):
for ourselves.
But he loves us so much thatwhen we do that, the fruit of that
is that we do feel something.
Like, we do feel filled up byhim and protected by him and loved
by Him.
But the goal or the reason wego to church.
Yes, it's fellowship with others.
It's all these things thatwe've said, but it's also to glorify
God.
(32:37):
Like, that is why we're at church.
Like, a whole room ofbelievers, you know, worshiping to
the Lord.
Like, that's what we're gonnado in heaven one day.
We're gonna sing with theangels to.
To worship and glorify God.
Yeah.
I remember I sat in on asermon, and I think it was just a
guest at our home church.
And he, like, just looked atus, and I felt like he was literally
(33:01):
looking at me.
But he was like, sometimesit's not about you.
Like, it's just not.
He was like, my kids get socaught up in, like, oh, what's the
worship?
Like, what are they going tobe talking about?
And then they'll be, like,completely uninterested.
And he's like, it's.
I had to tell my kids, it'snot about you.
Someone needs that song.
(33:21):
Someone needs this message,and it's all for God's glory.
And one of the things that Ialso saw was that when you sing in
church, like, you are singingto God and there's someone that's
sitting in silence justlistening to the music of God's children
(33:41):
singing.
And that's why it's so important.
Important to also, like.
I mean, even if you don't havea good voice, you know, you could
try and just sing, too.
And I just thought that waskind of.
I think that's just a cool,cool way to look at it.
Like, you're not just, youknow, you might not feel it, but
to also seeing, like, therecould be someone that's on their
knees that just need to hear it.
(34:03):
Absolutely.
Absolutely.
That was something that.
Actually, what I just sharedwas something I had read about worship.
Because some people are like,oh, the worship wasn't that good.
I didn't really feel anything.
And it's like, whoa.
That's actually not whatworship is about.
Worship, the purpose ofworship is not for you to feel, like,
warm and fuzzy on the insides.
That can be the.
That can be the result of it.
(34:24):
That can be the fruit ofworshiping the Lord.
But worshiping the Lord is forthe Lord.
Right?
Right.
I think we get caught up inthat, too.
And interestingly, to yourpoint about.
It's not all about you.
Sometimes you're going to sitin church and you're going to think
there's a spotlight on yourface because you're going to have
A conviction.
And this has happened to us somuch lately.
(34:45):
For me, our pastor alwaystends to talk about, like, the, the
he kind of demonizes, I hateto say social media or, like, being
an influencer.
And I always feel like thisshiny light on my face that isn't
actually there, and I'm like,oh, my gosh, like, he's targeting
me.
And then I just have to lookat that.
Like, oh, that's actually justsomething I need to look at in my
(35:07):
life.
Am I looking at social mediaas a way to share Jesus with others?
I sure hope so.
If I'm looking at social mediaas a way to, like, you know, put
myself on a pedestal, or howmany likes did I get with this?
Or how many people commentedon this, or how much did I sell from
sharing this link?
Like, that is not, you know, agodly way to use the platform.
(35:30):
I do think there aredefinitely ways.
I've.
I've learned so much fromsocial media, and my algorithm is
so much.
I'm sure it's very similar toyours where it's just constantly
telling me about the word ofGod or someone sharing a testimony
or whatever.
But I think sometimes you willget these convictions.
And it's like, you just got totake a look last, Last week, Jonathan
(35:51):
was at baseball, not atchurch, because his baseball game
was during church.
And the pastor talked about,like, is Jesus in your ball club?
And, you know, parents shouldbe saying to the coaches, like, we
serve the Lord at 11 o' clockon Sundays.
We're not playing baseball atthat time.
And Asher was just, like,elbowing me whole time, like, oh,
he's talking about dad.
(36:13):
And I shared that with Jonathan.
I'm like, oh, that sermon wasfor you.
But those, those convictionsare the Holy Spirit.
And, like, that's also a gift.
Like, that is just pro, youknow, just makes you think.
And then you're able to repentof those things.
If, if you come to, like,realize like, oh, no, that is a sin
in my life, then you can, youcan repent of that.
(36:35):
And the, the high likelihoodis that he wasn't speaking about
anyone personally.
Right.
But sometimes when you canrelate to the thing they're talking
about, you're gonna have thoseHoly Spirit convictions.
And that's just a part of, youknow, refining and pruning and the
things that God does to makeyou more like him.
Right.
And also, like to take intoconsideration, like, your pastors
(36:57):
are usually praying over whatthey're talking about.
And God can, you know, just belike, okay, okay, I Have someone
that needs, is very stuck intheir way or is just, you know, not
using their talent or theirgift to glorify me.
And it'll be put onto thatpastor's heart.
So you have to realize likeour God knows our heart.
(37:18):
He.
And you have to ask him tosearch your heart and he will find
a way to call you out andconvict you of what you're doing.
Yep, he sure will.
And there were probably somany people that were convicted by
the very same message.
Right.
But you have.
We tend to think that it's allabout us.
Right.
So I liked that you said,because sometimes it's not about
(37:39):
you.
You're sitting there and it's,it's just, it's not about you.
It's still a good message.
It's still, there's somethingyou can glean from every time you
attend church.
But so it's just interesting.
Sometimes it's not about youat all, and sometimes it's all about
you.
Right?
Absolutely.
Yeah.
So another thing I read as Iwas kind of just, you know, planning
for this is we are not calledto earn our salvation.
(38:01):
Right.
But reflect it.
So I thought that was really good.
We should be reflecting oursalvation so that others can see
it.
And it says to reflect one'ssalvation means to actively live
out the transformed life thatcomes with accepting Jesus Christ
as Savior.
It's not just a one time eventor belief, but a continuing process
(38:22):
of applying faith in dailylife, allowing God's grace to shape
your thoughts, actions and relationships.
And I think if you want tocontinue to reflect your salvation,
you need to be fed.
And you do that by attendingchurch and being in the fellowship
of other believers and, andalso not one, you know, not one or
(38:44):
the other, but.
And being in the word ofChrist, being in the word of God
on your own every single day,like it should just be, be a part
of your life.
Just like you, you know, you,what you do, what do you do every
day?
You brush your teeth.
You should also spend timewith the Lord.
You make time to like, takegood care of your physical body.
Like I make sure to get my10,000 steps in my workout now certainly
(39:06):
I can find time to make, youknow, Jesus also a priority in my
life.
I think a lot of us get thatreal mixed up sometimes.
Yeah, I've, I've been seeing alot of things about how you can put
all this work into your bodyand into like just specific things
that, you know, might connectto you personally.
(39:28):
But the only thing that youtake to eternity is Your soul, you
don't.
And other people you don't take.
Yes, exactly.
So that is why it is soimportant to one, work on yourself.
But as you said, other people,you have to pour in.
And I think a lot of peopleover complicate what ministry is.
(39:49):
And they think, oh, like, Ididn't go overseas and help people,
but ministry, I'm not qualified.
Yes, but ministry starts inyour own family.
And oftentimes a lot of peopleneglect the people that are closest
to them because they feelcalled to serve somewhere else.
They're like, oh, well, Icould help over here, so I'm just
(40:09):
going to try it.
While they neglect their home.
Right?
That's so true.
That's so true.
Or you think it has to be,like, big and shiny and, you know,
whatever.
And when you just have, like,God has given you these precious
people that you get to raiseif they're children or that you get
to spend your life with asyour spouse.
And if you're not putting, youknow, effort and energy into or just
(40:34):
putting Christ at the centerof those relationships, like, you're
going to see the fruit of thatas well, and it's not going to be
good.
I think that it would be.
Go ahead.
I just was gonna say,sometimes as Christians, I feel like
it's very easy to.
It's nice to see all theaccomplishments you've done.
Like, oh, I helped here.
I served here.
(40:55):
I did this.
And that is more important tosome people than my husband and my
children are saved, or vice versa.
My wife and my kids are saved.
Yeah, that's a huge lessonthat I've had to learn.
Like, I've been chasingsuccess, like, it's the most important
thing.
And like, how can I make moneyand how can I make a mark in the
world?
And it's like, that's not my job.
(41:17):
My job is to love God, love others.
Like, you know, just do that,do that.
Really, really important.
But maybe almost like, oh, youdon't get the awards or the accolades
for just like discipling toyour own family.
But what really matters isthat you all end up in heaven together
(41:40):
one day.
And that's.
I've realized that lately, too.
Like, in my prayers every day.
It's just like, I just prayfor salvation for.
It's just usually just mychildren, like, all that.
All my children would be in heaven.
And, you know, sometimes justas a side note, there's people in
your life that you love somuch and you don't know it's not
(42:00):
your job to judge Whether ornot someone loves the Lord or has
a relationship like you don't, you.
You might wonder, you mightnot know, you might think that they
don't.
And sometimes the best thingyou can do, all the time, the best
thing you can do is pray forthat person.
Definitely look for ways to,you know, bring up God in the conversation,
but sometimes that can be alsoa deterrent.
(42:21):
And so sometimes you just haveto take that to the Lord and let
him do his work in thembecause he's the only one who can
really do it.
Yeah, I just actually had aconversation with one of my girls
about how at a certain point,you just have to take it into prayer
and.
Yep.
And God will do the rest.
And I told her, you know, quit.
(42:43):
Don't try as hard to press iton them.
But yeah, allow them to seethe fruit in your life instead.
Exactly.
And live out exactly a Christlike life.
And Amen.
And it's up to them if theywant that for their lives as well.
Yep, yep.
And just keep inviting them to church.
Like, you've done such awonderful job of that.
(43:05):
I think I've said on herebefore, like, and you've shared.
You shared.
Like, you spent a year drivingto 35 minutes to a church, and you
were sitting in a pew manytimes all by yourself.
You were so lonely in it, andyou just kept showing up.
And now I am just so amazed tosee, like, two, two, three pews of
(43:28):
people that are there becauseyou invited them to come to church.
And it's just like you'resurrounded now by people that you
love that now also love the Lord.
And, like, what an amazingthing to, you know, to get that crown
in heaven one day because youbrought these people to the Lord
and you, You.
I mean, God gave them eternallife, but, I mean, you.
(43:48):
You planted the seed.
And, like, what a gift that isto those people.
And how cool to know that youget to bring people to heaven with
you.
Mom and I were on a walk, andshe said something about bringing
people to heaven.
And I said, yeah, I'm justtrying to catch up to Brittany.
You're doing such a good job.
So heartwarming.
Funny that you bring that upbecause I was literally trying to
(44:09):
record a voice memo becausetomorrow is my one year of hosting
a Bible study.
And, yeah, I was just, like,reflecting, and I was like, I used
to go to church by myself, andI would feel.
It was so.
I would feel so guilty becauseI would feel so lonely and sad on
the way, and oftentimes Iwould cry on my way to church.
(44:32):
And then I'd be filled up bythe message and then I'd leave and
I'd realize I'm alone.
Which looking back, I know I'mnever alone now, but.
But I cry on my way home.
I just, I wanted Stella to begoing with me.
I wanted people to be goingwith me.
And when I moved up here priorI had a church community.
My little brother always wentwith me.
(44:52):
My.
My childhood friend alwayswent with me.
Maya.
And I lost that and that therewas a day where I was sitting down
here in this basement and Godwas like, get up and start one yourself.
Get this community started.
And I was like, no, God, likeI don't, I've only attended, I've
(45:13):
never, I've never led a Bible.
I'm not, I'm not qualified.
Like the lie, Satan's lie.
Yes.
And he reassured me like, Iwill equip you to this calling.
And I remember I sat downhere, I, I watched I think two sermons.
I watched a Bible project.
I read the script scripture.
I called my brother, I toldhim, please be praying for me.
(45:36):
I think I, I definitely told Brenda.
I might have actually evenreached out to you.
I was like, please just bepraying for me.
I'm starting this.
And just that is goes forhaving Christ minded people.
Like I was just like, hey,pray for me.
And I knew they were and right.
It's just been so beautifulthat it's a year since God called
(45:56):
me to this and yes, what hedid with it, something I was so afraid
of.
And like you said, I am nowable to bring multiple which I don't
bring them, I just encouragethem to go.
And now like I said, they alsoencourage me.
They also are.
They pour into me.
And I was, at first, honestlythe first few Bible studies, I was
(46:18):
like, I'm not getting poured into.
And I feel like I might havetalked to you about this.
We did.
I'm not getting poured into.
I don't know what I need to do.
And I almost gave up on thisBible study, honestly.
And God was like no, no.
And he.
I was like okay, God, I don'tknow what you're doing.
And I actually was encouragedby church, my church family.
(46:43):
And they were like, oh mygosh, this is amazing that you have
a Bible study at your agepouring into girls that we are 30
minutes away from the nicechurches and the non denominational
churches.
And they just, they remindedme of how beautiful it is to be in
(47:07):
that form of ministry.
And I got right back into it.
And here we are.
And yep, he doesn't call thequalified, he qualifies the called.
And I, that's where I feellike I've been with this podcast.
Like, I don't know all thethings and I'm a sinner just like
everyone else.
But he will do this with me.
He, you know, he gives me theideas, I pray, I pray that too in
(47:30):
my journal almost every day.
Like, please bless this podcast.
Bring the guests, bring thelisteners, bring the exact person
who needs to hear the message.
Like, speak through me, Lord.
Like, it's not, we're notdoing this on our own.
It is not of our own volitionthat we're able to do these things.
It is because God has calledus to do it.
And so he will then blessed,blessed us the entire way and he
(47:54):
will give us the words that weneed and he'll bring the people who
need us.
And again, the other thing is,I just remind myself all the time
there's someone out there whocould hear this message for, from
someone else, the same thing.
But for some reason, the way Isay it or the way I deliver it can
like, hit them in a way thatit wouldn't have if it had been said
(48:15):
by someone else.
Like, God is using me to be avessel for someone else's hopefully
salvation.
And that's like a, that's abig calling.
And so you just, you do itafraid and you, you figure it out
as you go and you know, youjust lean on his strength when you
don't feel it on your own.
So, yeah, it's such a coolthing to watch.
(48:38):
And I don't know, we got alittle far away from why you need
to go to church.
But I think it all kind ofcame back to like, look, I've done
these things and I wassupported by my church family.
Like, these are the peoplethat praying for me.
And this is why I've gotten towhere I've gotten and this is why
there's going to be more soulsin heaven.
And it kind of all goes backto, you know, being in the Word of
God daily, having a personalrelationship with him and being in
(49:01):
fellowship with others andjust loving him and loving other
people the way that he loved us.
Absolutely.
Yeah.
All right, well, I think thatthat was good.
I think also if you are ineither of our areas, I'm in Northern
Virginia, Brittany's inNortheast Iowa.
And if you're looking for agood Bible based, Christ centered,
(49:22):
spirit filled church, we bothhave one and we would both love for
you to Join us and, you know,reach out.
We could.
I could put you in contactwith Brittany and I don't know, it's
just kind of.
It's.
It's a really powerful thingto be able to walk into church with
another person.
You know, it's kind of a scarything to do on your own.
(49:43):
And I'm so proud of you,though, for doing it for all those,
all that time.
And that's the other thing.
Like, you brought.
Stellan maybe was one of thosepeople who thought, I have a relationship
with the Lord.
I don't need to go to church.
Like, he didn't see theimportance of it, and now he does.
And now it's such a strongfoundation for the two of you.
You guys.
I don't have to say like, hey,will you guys go to church?
It's.
You're.
You guys are like, are yougoing to be at church on Sunday?
(50:04):
And I'm like, yeah, I'll be there.
And you're in the pew before Ieven am.
And it's such a.
I mean, it's so important foryour marriage.
I think I read that you're 35%less likely to.
To get divorced if you attendchurch regularly.
Just that one little thing?
Yeah, just that one little thing.
I have to remind everyone thisis the last week of June, so that
(50:28):
means the last week of ourJune Bible memory verse.
So as a reminder, it isGalatians 5, 22 and 23, but the holy
Spirit produces this kind offruit in our lives.
Love, joy, peace, patience,kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, and self control.
(50:48):
There is no law against these things.
So that means next week therewill be.
It'll be a new month, there'llbe a new Bible verse.
The first episode of everymonth will be a powerful testimony.
And when I tell you nextweek's episode may be the most powerful
testimony that I've ever heardand that may ever be shared on this
(51:12):
podcast.
It is so powerful, it willchange your life.
I really hope that you tune in.
I also hope that if youhaven't yet, you'll sign up for my
sub stack so that you can getmy newsletter.
I try to put some energy andeffort into sharing some good things
in the newsletter andhopefully it'll just keep getting
better.
But Brittany, thank you forbeing here and I love you all and
(51:36):
I hope you have the mostwonderful week.
Later.
If this podcast blessed you,please share it with a friend and
hit the subscribe button soyou never miss an episode.
Leave a five star review onitunes and come hang out with me
on Instagram, Edbythefruit.
I'd love to connect with you there.
And most importantly, I'll seeyou right here next week.
(51:56):
Come hungry, get fed.
Sam.
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