October 1, 2025 • 25 mins
What if canceled plans could become unexpected gifts? In this heartwarming episode of Anchored Not Anxious, host Terri sits down with author Elise Tegegne to explore how trust transforms our response to life's curveballs.
Elise, author of "In Praise of House Flies: Meditations on the Gifts in Everyday Quandaries," shares how her mother's "adventure mindset" shaped her ability to welcome disruption with curiosity instead of anxiety. From a shattered dream of teaching in France that led to unexpected love and purpose in Ethiopia, to discovering the profound connection between canceled flights and Sabbath rest, Elise reveals how remembering God's faithfulness opens us to His better plans.
Together, they dive deep into practical wisdom about:
- Cultivating an adventure and curiosity mindset when plans fall apart
- The trust-centered practice of true Sabbath rest
- Transforming unplanned silence into sacred space
- How fear can become a doorway to deeper intimacy with God
- Anchoring ourselves in God's Word during uncertain seasons
Whether you're facing unexpected changes, struggling with control, or seeking to deepen your trust relationship with God, this conversation offers hope-filled perspective and practical encouragement for finding the divine gifts hidden in everyday quandaries.
Buy here book at Calla Press, Amazon, or Barnes & Noble.
Read more of her words at elisetegegne.com or reach out on Instagram @elisetegegne.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Terri (00:01):
Welcome to Anchored Not Anxious, and the monthly series
Why she Trusts God Here, guestsand I swap stories about life
and living in a trustrelationship with the Lord.
I have special guests, EliseTag Gain the author of In Praise
(00:27):
of House Flies Meditations onthe Gifts in Everyday
Quandaries.
Elise is a mama editor andwriter with published articles
at Risen Motherhood ChristianParenting and Encourage Among
others.
In addition to serving as theDirector of Communications for
(00:52):
Missions Organization, synergyFrancophone, she also writes a
monthly blog which inspiresreaders to cultivate eyes for
the divine in their own dailydifficulties.
After teaching at a missionschool for four years in
Ethiopia, she now livesstateside with her husband, an
(01:18):
energetic 4-year-old.
Welcome to the show, Elise.
Elise (01:23):
Thank you so much, Terri.
I'm grateful to be here.
Terri (01:27):
Well, let's get right to it.
There's a chapter in your bookon the quandary of
cancellations.
You tell the story of a wintrysnowstorm, a canceled flight,
and your elation.
My first thought was, as I readthat, wow.
(01:48):
You welcome the disruption.
Truly, that would not be myfirst reaction, but I imagine
it's very freeing not to bestressing in the face of
Speaker (02:01):
Altered plans.
Terri (02:04):
So where does trust fit in here and how did you
cultivate this mindset or way ofbeing?
Elise (02:14):
So it started out with my parents.
I think having that modeled forme really helped me in my
adulthood to respond tounexpected situations with a
sense of trust and anticipation.
So my mom, when she ha wasfaced with canceled plans, she
(02:36):
looked at it as an adventure.
When the lights went out, wegot out the kerosene candle or
kerosene lamps, and we wouldhave an adventure.
Um, releasing control kind ofallowed a sense of expectancy
and what will God do in thissituation?
So now as an adult.
(02:57):
Learning to trust God in allcircumstances, even when things
are unexpected.
Some things that have helped meis I think of the verse from
Corinthians, taking everythought captive.
So when I'm tinted to beanxious in a situation.
Turning that into trust.
(03:18):
So part of that trust isremembering who God is.
So remembering he is good.
He's a good father.
He knows my needs intimatelybetter than I do.
He is love himself.
His ways are higher than myways.
So re remembering who God is.
And then the other thing isremembering hi his faithfulness
(03:42):
in the past.
So when things have gone,haven't gone my way in the past,
I've seen how he's beenfaithful.
And how his ways have beenbetter.
So in the book I talk aboutwhen I was a senior at
university, I was about tograduate.
I was a French major, soexcited about the idea of living
(04:02):
in France, teaching English inFrance.
I had my mind full of visionsof cobblestone streets and
romantic strolls.
By the sin, and I was socertain that this was the path
that God had for me.
I was a great student.
I had all my awards.
I had all the letters ofrecommendation, and that door
(04:25):
closed and I was shocked.
I was really disappointed.
Oh, but God opened up anotherdoor to teach French and
Ethiopia, which was.
Completely off my radar, butthat ended up being a great
gift, an inexpressible gift.
And I wouldn't be who I am,were it not for that.
(04:49):
Um, so I met my husband inEthiopia, um, my best friend in
Ethiopia.
Um, I've seen how he has usedthose hard times to make me into
who he wants me to be and allof that unexpected.
Plan ended up being far betterthan I could have ever imagined.
Terri (05:10):
Huh.
Wow.
That is, um, well first of all,I just, you know, kudos to your
mom for, giving you that, thatadventure mindset and.
Cultivating that.
let's see what God does.
I, I think that is amazing.
(05:31):
But you know, your dream ofgoing to France and then moving
with God in trust to go toEthiopia, which.
You have to think it's probablya polar opposite of France and
(05:54):
you're like, okay, and God hadso many gifts for you there, I'm
a huge proponent of, lookingback on the past of how God
showed up in your life and yousaid it, remembering his
faithfulness and I'm sure you goback and, and revisit that and
(06:15):
continue to use that as a.
Trust marker.
A hope marker.
Elise (06:20):
Yes.
When I was in Ethiopia, therewas a teacher I used to teach at
a mission school and she said acomment that I'm, I'm, I don't
know what God is doing, but I'mcurious and that posture of
curiosity, what will God do?
He's at work even though Idon't see it, he's at work.
What will God do?
(06:42):
He's been faithful in the past.
I'm curious, what will he do inthe future?
Terri (06:47):
Adventure cur curiosity.
those are great words
Speaker (06:53):
It's a great mindset as you approach a situation that
really kind of knocked you offyour feet.
Terri (07:03):
Or shattered your feet, totally shattered your dream of
going to France.
Elise (07:09):
Yes, yes.
It was shattering.
Yes.
That had something better.
Terri (07:14):
Well, the other thing I wanna talk about in that, uh,
chapter on cancellations is you,uh, writing about Sabbath.
I find the connection betweencancellations and Sabbath very
thoughtful.
So, from your book in HebrewsSabbath is equated with coming
(07:37):
to an end of an activity to putaway or to cease.
And I personally view Sabbathnot as a day, but as a space
and.
I equate entering Sabbath totrying to enter a room with a
five inch thick wooden door witha cast iron lock.
(08:00):
It's a place not easilyentered, but I believe the key
to opening that door is trust.
So Elise, please share yourthoughts on the Sabbath trust
relationship.
Mm-hmm.
Elise (08:18):
I love that image of the door in the locked room, and as
this idea that it's a hard.
It can be hard to enter thatbecause I think it's a practice
and it's something personallyI'm still growing in, and I
think it will be a lifelongpractice of growing into what it
means to honor the Sabbath.
Um, but for me, as you've said,trust is really at the heart of
(08:42):
the Sabbath.
I, for me, I look at it as atime of, I'm not, I'm not
cultivating, I'm not producing,I'm not earning.
I'm resting in the God whoprovides.
Uh, in the book I mentionedthat the Israelites, every
seventh year would let theirfields life fallow.
And this was a chance for notonly ecologically for the land
(09:08):
to renew and be able to produce,but also for the Israelites
themselves to, to trust in God.
Um, so there's the word, um,they called it "shemittah".
I think is how you pronounceit, which means release.
And I think it's connected too,to this idea of what has to
die.
(09:28):
So I'm, I'm releasing, I'mletting die this dependence on
myself, the, my anxiety to makea living, um, the, the control
of provision and I'm recognizingGod is the one who provides.
Um, it's ultimately up to him.
It's ultimately I'm in hishands and.
(09:50):
Resting on that day is a way ofembodying that.
Um, so some of the things Ialso stop or let die is physical
and mental.
So the physical is.
Not checking email, taking astep away from texting as much
as I can, taking a step awayfrom housework, meal prep news,
(10:14):
checking the news, um, and alsothis idea of a mental Sabbath.
So my husband and I, like Isaid, it's a practice.
We're still working on it, butwe try to catch each other when
we start to go into shop talkor, oh, this is what I am
envisioning for the week, ortrying to problem solve
something about our work.
(10:35):
Um, just having, having amental break as well.
And that's where the takingevery thought captive can kind
of come in again.
Like when that thought comes ofanxiety about the week, um, I,
I bring it to God.
Give it to him and leave itthere.
And then when those things die,other things can grow and
(10:58):
flourish in their place.
So delight.
So time to, we, we like to goget ice cream on Sundays.
Um, we like to, I like to readnovels.
I enjoy French press, coffee,um, time with the Saints.
So when we let some things die,beautiful things can grow in
(11:19):
place of that.
Terri (11:20):
Hmm.
That is a beautiful thought.
Let some things die so otherthings can grow in its place.
Oh, I, that is definitelysomething that I need to
practice more.
Overall, I would say, do Itake, you know, an eight hour
(11:42):
Sabbath?
For me, I have, I literallyhave, would have to schedule it.
And I think for some peoplethat's exactly what they have to
do too.
It's like, this isnon-negotiable, this space,
this, this time, you know?
And, ceasing would allowbeautiful things to grow.
(12:03):
I think as you enter Sabbathspace, you, you don't bring
anything into Sabbath.
You put away everything, it'sso funny how our thoughts just
start.
Up and we have to sort of pull'em back and say, Nope, not, not
(12:29):
right now.
This can wait.
it's like we're not in controlof our mind sometimes.
Isn't that weird?
Elise (12:36):
?
I think it's a huge, it's abattlefield and that's a huge
piece of.
The, the rest, Sabbath, restand trust is the, the mental and
taking those thought captivethoughts captive before we
spiral.
Um, I, I am.
(12:57):
Practicing this and learningand struggling and wrestling.
Um, and through the book I talkabout each of the chapters as
a, as a wrestling, as anexercise, as a practice.
So these are some things that,um, we'll be practicing
throughout our time on Earth, Ithink.
Terri (13:16):
Oh, definitely.
Absolutely.
Alright, well let's move to thetopic of, um.
Waiting, unlearned efficiencyand unplanned silence.
So Sabbath is a plannedsilence, but there's plenty of
unplanned silences that enterour life.
(13:37):
What is a woman missing if sheresists or rejects waiting or,
resists unplanned silence.
Elise (13:48):
I think there is a sense of rejecting a gift from God,
because in those moments, it'san opportunity to attune
ourselves to God and to have aposture of listening.
What do you have for me in thismoment that I didn't plan?
Uh, what do you, what do youwant to speak to me?
(14:10):
And it's also an opportunity toreset.
When I am waiting in line, kindof calling to mind, I'm
attending to you, Lord, you arehere.
You are with me.
You are present.
Um, it's a, it's an opportunityto reset a kind of practicing
the presence of God, a prayerfulsense of God.
(14:32):
And it's really hard because Itend to be the Martha always
wanting to act and do.
But Christ challenges us.
To that the only necessarything is, is sitting and
enjoying the presence of God asMary exemplifies.
Um, in the book I mentionedHenry Nen, who has influenced my
(14:57):
conception of prayer a lot, andI have a quote here that, um,
has helped me a lot.
He says, we always seem to havesomething more urgent to do and
just sitting there.
Doing nothing often disturbs usmore than it helps, but there's
no way around this beinguseless and silent in the
(15:18):
presence of God belongs to thecore of all prayer.
Mm-hmm.
And I love that idea ofuselessness.
It does feel useless many timesto be silent before God, um, to
not bring anything to thetable, but.
That's what grace is.
(15:39):
God brings everything, um, tous, um, and we recognize that in
silence.
Terri (15:46):
Yes.
Um, I've had a few, unplannedsilences, in my life.
There was a time where I hadquit my job because of a, a
moral dilemma, but I didn'treally talk to God about that,
(16:08):
and so I literally sat insilence in my home on the couch
sofa.
No emails, no texts, no, nocommunication whatsoever to any
of my attempts to get a job.
(16:30):
And it, it was brutal.
I thought, what have I done?
Over that forced Sabbath, thatunplanned silence.
I, I came closer to God mm-hmm.
And There wasn't anything buttrusting him.
(16:54):
And so, I look back now on thattime.
And the gift was that I did geta job that turned out to be the
best position I was in nursingresearch.
I couldn't have manifested iton my own and, it was all
(17:19):
because I let God.
Do, and I just sat back Icherish those, eight months,
eight long months.
Elise (17:32):
Wow.
Terri (17:33):
That's so, and um, but I cherish that time all right,
well, let's look at your chapteron fear.
Uh, you know, fear comes in avariety of packages.
We, we fear the undesiredoutcome, uncertainty, unmet
goals, not being enough.
(17:53):
We fear, silence, rejection,loneliness, all of it seems
enormous and ominous.
Fears can become so huge, andthat makes us feel really small.
So control, planning,manipulation is what we do to
(18:16):
attempt to steer the present orthe future to try to.
Silence the fear within us, butyou write that protecting what
we consider valuable, invitesfear.
In fact, you say God wants toflip our script from fear to
faith.
(18:36):
Mm-hmm.
So, uh, elaborate on, on thatconcept.
Elise (18:42):
Yeah, so in the book I ta I talk about Moses before the
burning bush.
Moses is one of my favoritepeople in the Bible because he
struggled with fear and speakingup like I do, but God still
used him.
Um, and in the book I talkabout how God doesn't.
Condemn Moses's doubt at theburning bush.
(19:06):
He doesn't condemn his fear,but God instead engages him in
conversation.
So the fear that Moses wasexperiencing, um, in incited a
sense of intimacy, it awakenedand engagement with God.
And when we're feeling fear,experiencing fear, it's an
opportunity.
(19:26):
To look to God, to ask him forhelp, to, to have a dialogue
with him.
Um, in this way we can let thefear lead to faith, um, in
greater intimacy and connectionwith God.
So Moses' doubt and weaknessthrows God's power into relief.
(19:48):
So when we come to God feelingsmall and broken, we can
remember again, kind of goingback to who is God.
God is good.
He is all powerful.
He is sovereign and.
When we look at how big God is,all of those big fears
diminish, and even as wediminish before the presence of
(20:12):
God, we can trust and rest inhim.
Um, one of my favorite Psalmsis Psalm 1 31.
Oh Lord, my heart is not liftedup.
My eyes are not raised toohigh.
My, I do not occupy myself withthings too great and too
marvelous for me.
But I have calmed and quietedmy soul like a ween child with
(20:34):
its mother.
And I think about when we'reexperiencing fear, uh, when we
re remember that God is good, wecan rest in him.
Terri (20:46):
Yeah.
I, um, it's all aboutremembering who you are to God.
And who God is to you, who heis to you is provider protector.
And sometimes, fear tries totell us that he's absent or,
(21:08):
uninvolved or, disinterested.
And those are lies.
Uh, we may not be able to seeit until after we pass through
it, but, God is there.
I mean, he, he gave his son forus so that we could have that
(21:29):
relationship, restore therelationship.
He went to the ultimate meansto, to make sure that we are
connected Absolutely.
I recognize the ease it takesto believe we carry the weight
of our weight of the world onour back.
(21:49):
the burden feels so much largerthan we are, and I think of
that woman who feels like lifeshould be easier, but it's not
the woman who's lost heridentity because she's managing
the lives of others.
Um.
The woman who's wrestling withfinding answers to the suffering
(22:12):
around her, she's trying tokeep up with the nonstop change
at work, with relationships,launching adult children, her
body image health.
What would you say to the womanlistening that wants to embrace
God as the biggest force in herlife?
Elise (22:32):
I would say.
Bring it all before the Lord.
Invite him into all of thoseaspects of your life.
Let the fears and the anxietylead to faith.
Let the pain turn to prayer.
When those anxious thoughtscome, it's kind of an indication
to pray.
It can be a reminder to pray.
(22:53):
Um, as we've talked about, Godis present.
He is near, he is loving.
He hears, he knows what we needand we, he asks and invite us
to.
Bring these things before him.
He delights in that when webring our troubles before him,
it shows our trust in him.
Kind of going back to the ideaof trust, and then I think
(23:16):
another key is, is anchoringyourself in the word.
Yes, we're talking aboutanchored, not anxious.
I think a big part, what youneed to be anchored in is the
word and in truth, and the worldis full of so much fear,
anxiety, so many lies, so manythings turning us away from what
(23:37):
is good and right and true.
So being constantly renewedthrough the word is essential
to.
Remaining anchored in the seasof, uh, uncertain times.
Terri (23:53):
Hmm.
Beautifully put, Elise.
Well, I really wanna thank youfor sharing these personal
stories and lived experiences oftrusting God.
And I have read your book andagree with your publisher that
this book, in Praise of Houseflies, meditations on the gifts
(24:17):
in everyday quandaries is amessage of hope, joy, and
redemption.
And you, Elise, are adelightful messenger.
For those listening, you canfind her book online at Amazon,
Barnes and Noble and Cala PressRead more of her words on her
(24:38):
website.
elise tega.com or reach her onInstagram at Elise Tega.
That's E-L-I-S-E-T-E-G-E-G-N-E.
And as always, thank you forlistening.
Speaker (24:57):
Check out the podcast episode description for.
Terri (25:02):
The links to Elise's.
website, her Instagram, as wellas the links to the Amazon.
Also, check out the AnchoredNot Anxious YouTube channel for
videos, and look forward to thenew website that's in the
planning stage.
(25:22):
Until next time.
Welcome to Anchored Not Anxious, and the monthly series
Why she Trusts God Here, guestsand I swap stories about life
and living in a trustrelationship with the Lord.
I have special guests, EliseTag Gain the author of In Praise
(00:27):
of House Flies Meditations onthe Gifts in Everyday
Quandaries.
Elise is a mama editor andwriter with published articles
at Risen Motherhood ChristianParenting and Encourage Among
others.
In addition to serving as theDirector of Communications for
(00:52):
Missions Organization, synergyFrancophone, she also writes a
monthly blog which inspiresreaders to cultivate eyes for
the divine in their own dailydifficulties.
After teaching at a missionschool for four years in
Ethiopia, she now livesstateside with her husband, an
(01:18):
energetic 4-year-old.
Welcome to the show, Elise.
Elise (01:23):
Thank you so much, Terri.
I'm grateful to be here.
Terri (01:27):
Well, let's get right to it.
There's a chapter in your bookon the quandary of
cancellations.
You tell the story of a wintrysnowstorm, a canceled flight,
and your elation.
My first thought was, as I readthat, wow.
(01:48):
You welcome the disruption.
Truly, that would not be myfirst reaction, but I imagine
it's very freeing not to bestressing in the face of
Speaker (02:01):
Altered plans.
Terri (02:04):
So where does trust fit in here and how did you
cultivate this mindset or way ofbeing?
Elise (02:14):
So it started out with my parents.
I think having that modeled forme really helped me in my
adulthood to respond tounexpected situations with a
sense of trust and anticipation.
So my mom, when she ha wasfaced with canceled plans, she
(02:36):
looked at it as an adventure.
When the lights went out, wegot out the kerosene candle or
kerosene lamps, and we wouldhave an adventure.
Um, releasing control kind ofallowed a sense of expectancy
and what will God do in thissituation?
So now as an adult.
(02:57):
Learning to trust God in allcircumstances, even when things
are unexpected.
Some things that have helped meis I think of the verse from
Corinthians, taking everythought captive.
So when I'm tinted to beanxious in a situation.
Turning that into trust.
(03:18):
So part of that trust isremembering who God is.
So remembering he is good.
He's a good father.
He knows my needs intimatelybetter than I do.
He is love himself.
His ways are higher than myways.
So re remembering who God is.
And then the other thing isremembering hi his faithfulness
(03:42):
in the past.
So when things have gone,haven't gone my way in the past,
I've seen how he's beenfaithful.
And how his ways have beenbetter.
So in the book I talk aboutwhen I was a senior at
university, I was about tograduate.
I was a French major, soexcited about the idea of living
(04:02):
in France, teaching English inFrance.
I had my mind full of visionsof cobblestone streets and
romantic strolls.
By the sin, and I was socertain that this was the path
that God had for me.
I was a great student.
I had all my awards.
I had all the letters ofrecommendation, and that door
(04:25):
closed and I was shocked.
I was really disappointed.
Oh, but God opened up anotherdoor to teach French and
Ethiopia, which was.
Completely off my radar, butthat ended up being a great
gift, an inexpressible gift.
And I wouldn't be who I am,were it not for that.
(04:49):
Um, so I met my husband inEthiopia, um, my best friend in
Ethiopia.
Um, I've seen how he has usedthose hard times to make me into
who he wants me to be and allof that unexpected.
Plan ended up being far betterthan I could have ever imagined.
Terri (05:10):
Huh.
Wow.
That is, um, well first of all,I just, you know, kudos to your
mom for, giving you that, thatadventure mindset and.
Cultivating that.
let's see what God does.
I, I think that is amazing.
(05:31):
But you know, your dream ofgoing to France and then moving
with God in trust to go toEthiopia, which.
You have to think it's probablya polar opposite of France and
(05:54):
you're like, okay, and God hadso many gifts for you there, I'm
a huge proponent of, lookingback on the past of how God
showed up in your life and yousaid it, remembering his
faithfulness and I'm sure you goback and, and revisit that and
(06:15):
continue to use that as a.
Trust marker.
A hope marker.
Elise (06:20):
Yes.
When I was in Ethiopia, therewas a teacher I used to teach at
a mission school and she said acomment that I'm, I'm, I don't
know what God is doing, but I'mcurious and that posture of
curiosity, what will God do?
He's at work even though Idon't see it, he's at work.
What will God do?
(06:42):
He's been faithful in the past.
I'm curious, what will he do inthe future?
Terri (06:47):
Adventure cur curiosity.
those are great words
Speaker (06:53):
It's a great mindset as you approach a situation that
really kind of knocked you offyour feet.
Terri (07:03):
Or shattered your feet, totally shattered your dream of
going to France.
Elise (07:09):
Yes, yes.
It was shattering.
Yes.
That had something better.
Terri (07:14):
Well, the other thing I wanna talk about in that, uh,
chapter on cancellations is you,uh, writing about Sabbath.
I find the connection betweencancellations and Sabbath very
thoughtful.
So, from your book in HebrewsSabbath is equated with coming
(07:37):
to an end of an activity to putaway or to cease.
And I personally view Sabbathnot as a day, but as a space
and.
I equate entering Sabbath totrying to enter a room with a
five inch thick wooden door witha cast iron lock.
(08:00):
It's a place not easilyentered, but I believe the key
to opening that door is trust.
So Elise, please share yourthoughts on the Sabbath trust
relationship.
Mm-hmm.
Elise (08:18):
I love that image of the door in the locked room, and as
this idea that it's a hard.
It can be hard to enter thatbecause I think it's a practice
and it's something personallyI'm still growing in, and I
think it will be a lifelongpractice of growing into what it
means to honor the Sabbath.
Um, but for me, as you've said,trust is really at the heart of
(08:42):
the Sabbath.
I, for me, I look at it as atime of, I'm not, I'm not
cultivating, I'm not producing,I'm not earning.
I'm resting in the God whoprovides.
Uh, in the book I mentionedthat the Israelites, every
seventh year would let theirfields life fallow.
And this was a chance for notonly ecologically for the land
(09:08):
to renew and be able to produce,but also for the Israelites
themselves to, to trust in God.
Um, so there's the word, um,they called it "shemittah".
I think is how you pronounceit, which means release.
And I think it's connected too,to this idea of what has to
die.
(09:28):
So I'm, I'm releasing, I'mletting die this dependence on
myself, the, my anxiety to makea living, um, the, the control
of provision and I'm recognizingGod is the one who provides.
Um, it's ultimately up to him.
It's ultimately I'm in hishands and.
(09:50):
Resting on that day is a way ofembodying that.
Um, so some of the things Ialso stop or let die is physical
and mental.
So the physical is.
Not checking email, taking astep away from texting as much
as I can, taking a step awayfrom housework, meal prep news,
(10:14):
checking the news, um, and alsothis idea of a mental Sabbath.
So my husband and I, like Isaid, it's a practice.
We're still working on it, butwe try to catch each other when
we start to go into shop talkor, oh, this is what I am
envisioning for the week, ortrying to problem solve
something about our work.
(10:35):
Um, just having, having amental break as well.
And that's where the takingevery thought captive can kind
of come in again.
Like when that thought comes ofanxiety about the week, um, I,
I bring it to God.
Give it to him and leave itthere.
And then when those things die,other things can grow and
(10:58):
flourish in their place.
So delight.
So time to, we, we like to goget ice cream on Sundays.
Um, we like to, I like to readnovels.
I enjoy French press, coffee,um, time with the Saints.
So when we let some things die,beautiful things can grow in
(11:19):
place of that.
Terri (11:20):
Hmm.
That is a beautiful thought.
Let some things die so otherthings can grow in its place.
Oh, I, that is definitelysomething that I need to
practice more.
Overall, I would say, do Itake, you know, an eight hour
(11:42):
Sabbath?
For me, I have, I literallyhave, would have to schedule it.
And I think for some peoplethat's exactly what they have to
do too.
It's like, this isnon-negotiable, this space,
this, this time, you know?
And, ceasing would allowbeautiful things to grow.
(12:03):
I think as you enter Sabbathspace, you, you don't bring
anything into Sabbath.
You put away everything, it'sso funny how our thoughts just
start.
Up and we have to sort of pull'em back and say, Nope, not, not
(12:29):
right now.
This can wait.
it's like we're not in controlof our mind sometimes.
Isn't that weird?
Elise (12:36):
?
I think it's a huge, it's abattlefield and that's a huge
piece of.
The, the rest, Sabbath, restand trust is the, the mental and
taking those thought captivethoughts captive before we
spiral.
Um, I, I am.
(12:57):
Practicing this and learningand struggling and wrestling.
Um, and through the book I talkabout each of the chapters as
a, as a wrestling, as anexercise, as a practice.
So these are some things that,um, we'll be practicing
throughout our time on Earth, Ithink.
Terri (13:16):
Oh, definitely.
Absolutely.
Alright, well let's move to thetopic of, um.
Waiting, unlearned efficiencyand unplanned silence.
So Sabbath is a plannedsilence, but there's plenty of
unplanned silences that enterour life.
(13:37):
What is a woman missing if sheresists or rejects waiting or,
resists unplanned silence.
Elise (13:48):
I think there is a sense of rejecting a gift from God,
because in those moments, it'san opportunity to attune
ourselves to God and to have aposture of listening.
What do you have for me in thismoment that I didn't plan?
Uh, what do you, what do youwant to speak to me?
(14:10):
And it's also an opportunity toreset.
When I am waiting in line, kindof calling to mind, I'm
attending to you, Lord, you arehere.
You are with me.
You are present.
Um, it's a, it's an opportunityto reset a kind of practicing
the presence of God, a prayerfulsense of God.
(14:32):
And it's really hard because Itend to be the Martha always
wanting to act and do.
But Christ challenges us.
To that the only necessarything is, is sitting and
enjoying the presence of God asMary exemplifies.
Um, in the book I mentionedHenry Nen, who has influenced my
(14:57):
conception of prayer a lot, andI have a quote here that, um,
has helped me a lot.
He says, we always seem to havesomething more urgent to do and
just sitting there.
Doing nothing often disturbs usmore than it helps, but there's
no way around this beinguseless and silent in the
(15:18):
presence of God belongs to thecore of all prayer.
Mm-hmm.
And I love that idea ofuselessness.
It does feel useless many timesto be silent before God, um, to
not bring anything to thetable, but.
That's what grace is.
(15:39):
God brings everything, um, tous, um, and we recognize that in
silence.
Terri (15:46):
Yes.
Um, I've had a few, unplannedsilences, in my life.
There was a time where I hadquit my job because of a, a
moral dilemma, but I didn'treally talk to God about that,
(16:08):
and so I literally sat insilence in my home on the couch
sofa.
No emails, no texts, no, nocommunication whatsoever to any
of my attempts to get a job.
(16:30):
And it, it was brutal.
I thought, what have I done?
Over that forced Sabbath, thatunplanned silence.
I, I came closer to God mm-hmm.
And There wasn't anything buttrusting him.
(16:54):
And so, I look back now on thattime.
And the gift was that I did geta job that turned out to be the
best position I was in nursingresearch.
I couldn't have manifested iton my own and, it was all
(17:19):
because I let God.
Do, and I just sat back Icherish those, eight months,
eight long months.
Elise (17:32):
Wow.
Terri (17:33):
That's so, and um, but I cherish that time all right,
well, let's look at your chapteron fear.
Uh, you know, fear comes in avariety of packages.
We, we fear the undesiredoutcome, uncertainty, unmet
goals, not being enough.
(17:53):
We fear, silence, rejection,loneliness, all of it seems
enormous and ominous.
Fears can become so huge, andthat makes us feel really small.
So control, planning,manipulation is what we do to
(18:16):
attempt to steer the present orthe future to try to.
Silence the fear within us, butyou write that protecting what
we consider valuable, invitesfear.
In fact, you say God wants toflip our script from fear to
faith.
(18:36):
Mm-hmm.
So, uh, elaborate on, on thatconcept.
Elise (18:42):
Yeah, so in the book I ta I talk about Moses before the
burning bush.
Moses is one of my favoritepeople in the Bible because he
struggled with fear and speakingup like I do, but God still
used him.
Um, and in the book I talkabout how God doesn't.
Condemn Moses's doubt at theburning bush.
(19:06):
He doesn't condemn his fear,but God instead engages him in
conversation.
So the fear that Moses wasexperiencing, um, in incited a
sense of intimacy, it awakenedand engagement with God.
And when we're feeling fear,experiencing fear, it's an
opportunity.
(19:26):
To look to God, to ask him forhelp, to, to have a dialogue
with him.
Um, in this way we can let thefear lead to faith, um, in
greater intimacy and connectionwith God.
So Moses' doubt and weaknessthrows God's power into relief.
(19:48):
So when we come to God feelingsmall and broken, we can
remember again, kind of goingback to who is God.
God is good.
He is all powerful.
He is sovereign and.
When we look at how big God is,all of those big fears
diminish, and even as wediminish before the presence of
(20:12):
God, we can trust and rest inhim.
Um, one of my favorite Psalmsis Psalm 1 31.
Oh Lord, my heart is not liftedup.
My eyes are not raised toohigh.
My, I do not occupy myself withthings too great and too
marvelous for me.
But I have calmed and quietedmy soul like a ween child with
(20:34):
its mother.
And I think about when we'reexperiencing fear, uh, when we
re remember that God is good, wecan rest in him.
Terri (20:46):
Yeah.
I, um, it's all aboutremembering who you are to God.
And who God is to you, who heis to you is provider protector.
And sometimes, fear tries totell us that he's absent or,
(21:08):
uninvolved or, disinterested.
And those are lies.
Uh, we may not be able to seeit until after we pass through
it, but, God is there.
I mean, he, he gave his son forus so that we could have that
(21:29):
relationship, restore therelationship.
He went to the ultimate meansto, to make sure that we are
connected Absolutely.
I recognize the ease it takesto believe we carry the weight
of our weight of the world onour back.
(21:49):
the burden feels so much largerthan we are, and I think of
that woman who feels like lifeshould be easier, but it's not
the woman who's lost heridentity because she's managing
the lives of others.
Um.
The woman who's wrestling withfinding answers to the suffering
(22:12):
around her, she's trying tokeep up with the nonstop change
at work, with relationships,launching adult children, her
body image health.
What would you say to the womanlistening that wants to embrace
God as the biggest force in herlife?
Elise (22:32):
I would say.
Bring it all before the Lord.
Invite him into all of thoseaspects of your life.
Let the fears and the anxietylead to faith.
Let the pain turn to prayer.
When those anxious thoughtscome, it's kind of an indication
to pray.
It can be a reminder to pray.
(22:53):
Um, as we've talked about, Godis present.
He is near, he is loving.
He hears, he knows what we needand we, he asks and invite us
to.
Bring these things before him.
He delights in that when webring our troubles before him,
it shows our trust in him.
Kind of going back to the ideaof trust, and then I think
(23:16):
another key is, is anchoringyourself in the word.
Yes, we're talking aboutanchored, not anxious.
I think a big part, what youneed to be anchored in is the
word and in truth, and the worldis full of so much fear,
anxiety, so many lies, so manythings turning us away from what
(23:37):
is good and right and true.
So being constantly renewedthrough the word is essential
to.
Remaining anchored in the seasof, uh, uncertain times.
Terri (23:53):
Hmm.
Beautifully put, Elise.
Well, I really wanna thank youfor sharing these personal
stories and lived experiences oftrusting God.
And I have read your book andagree with your publisher that
this book, in Praise of Houseflies, meditations on the gifts
(24:17):
in everyday quandaries is amessage of hope, joy, and
redemption.
And you, Elise, are adelightful messenger.
For those listening, you canfind her book online at Amazon,
Barnes and Noble and Cala PressRead more of her words on her
(24:38):
website.
elise tega.com or reach her onInstagram at Elise Tega.
That's E-L-I-S-E-T-E-G-E-G-N-E.
And as always, thank you forlistening.
Speaker (24:57):
Check out the podcast episode description for.
Terri (25:02):
The links to Elise's.
website, her Instagram, as wellas the links to the Amazon.
Also, check out the AnchoredNot Anxious YouTube channel for
videos, and look forward to thenew website that's in the
planning stage.
(25:22):
Until next time.
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