December 11, 2024 • 63 mins
Trusting God with your schedule might just lead to unexpected blessings and a more joyful Christmas season. 🌲❄️⛄❤️🎁
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
butt.
Hi and welcome to the Cheer UpPodcast.
And welcome to the Cheer UpPodcast.
I am your host, kara R Hunt,and with me is the lovely, as
always, sherri Swalwell.
How are you doing this fine day, sherri?
Speaker 2 (00:33):
I am doing great.
It is December.
We're getting that much closerto Christmas.
I am honestly super excitedabout the biblical figures that
we are going to be talking aboutthis month, because next week
we get to talk about Mary andElizabeth that story and then,
(00:56):
of course, the week after thatwe get to talk about the
nativity story.
So I just I love Christmas, Ilove the whole month of December
.
So I just I love Christmas, Ilove the whole month of December
, and I I always say that I wishI had a job where I could not
(01:16):
work the month of December butjust like focus on God and focus
on just's birth.
But you know what, Kara?
That's a mindset.
So whether I'm working orwhether I'm sitting and sipping
hot chocolate in front of theChristmas tree, it really
doesn't matter because it's amindset.
So, as long as my focus and myheart is always on God and it is
(01:39):
24-7, so it's not just inDecember I guess I just want to
make it a whole lifestyle, that365 days a year, it doesn't
matter what holidays coming up Ijust I open my eyes and I start
my day thanking him andpraising him and just just
living in such a way that thathe's just with me 24 seven that
(02:04):
he's just with me 24-7.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
You know, it's just awesome that you just mentioned
that because I'm one of the wellone.
My friends and family kind oftease me because I have like Dex
the Halls as my ringtone.
Every time I get an email, andit's not just around Christmas
time, it could be in the heat ofJuly and I still have Christmas
music like ringtones and stuff,you know.
So I understand completely whatyou mean by that when you say
(02:39):
you know you want that Christmasfeeling all year round, because
it does seem like a differentkind of feeling right.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
It does feeling all year round, because it does seem
like a different kind offeeling.
Right, it does People seemhappier and it's just yeah.
I just I don't know.
I always used to think that Iloved focusing on Christmas
because I love babies and Jesuswas a baby back then, but I
don't think that's what it is.
I just really, truly I don'tknow there's just Well.
Speaker 1 (03:05):
The world calls it that magical time of year, right
?
Speaker 2 (03:09):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:09):
Yeah, because they can't seem to find a word to
define it, to really define it,and I don't know the perfect
word to define it.
But I'm like you.
It's like certain times of theyear like if it was up to me I
would have November, andactually it is up to me.
I have to keep that mindset.
(03:30):
You know that I will have likefrom October 31st to December
31st off.
You know what I'm saying andI've realized I'm like Kara, you
have been blessed.
You kind of work for yourself,you know.
So, just you.
It's the time management thing.
You do it right.
(03:51):
You know, if you manage yourtime right the rest of the year
you can manage to have that time.
Because what happens and latelythe Lord, I think, has just
been trying to teach me to notjust go through my day with all
the tasks and checking off theto-do list and scratching off
the to-do list, but beingmindful of how I feel when I'm
(04:13):
doing something.
And so does that make sense?
Yeah, and so like I could bedoing the most routine thing,
right, and I before I just neverpay any attention to it.
But now I kind of feel likehe's teaching me, you know, like
, how do you feel?
Like, are your shoulderstensing, is your jaw tightening
(04:35):
about it, or something you knowmore along those lines, and
that's just, and I think he'sjust teaching me like this
particular thing is stressful toyou, you know, and what can we
do about it?
Right, because if I keep goingthat way and just keep doing it,
no matter how routine it is,and even though it's something
(04:58):
I've done all the time, probablyfor years or even decades, it
causes stress.
And what does stress do?
It raises your blood pressure,it causes issues, you know, in
your body and things like that.
And so he's just like, okay,well, let's work around this,
let's figure a way around this,you know, because this is
something that, yes, has to bedone, but something about it is
(05:20):
stressing you and I have come tofind out, and he's still
teaching me about this, but withme, a lot of it comes down to I
didn't manage the time.
Well, I'm not managing the timewell.
Because there's no and I havefound out like if I, because it
could be a beautiful day, abeautiful morning, and I'm like,
oh my gosh, I got so much on myplate today.
(05:42):
I could feel my body react.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
Right.
Speaker 1 (05:46):
And they're not bad things.
They may not be bad things,right, right, they could be 100
percent good things.
I could be like volunteeringwith VBS, I could be, you know,
getting ready to do a churchevent or something like that,
but it's and it's not the eventsthat's stressing me out, it's
(06:09):
that I feel like I have so muchto do, right, right, that stress
, you know that, that, as tothat stress, that
overwhelmingness, that as tothat feeling of overwhelmingness
that just kind of stresses youout.
And it's like again in thosetimes, just even though you feel
like boy, I got to get up on myfeet, hit the ground, I'm going
to be running till like 10o'clock tonight.
I just do, do, do, do, do, go,go, go, go, go.
And I think he just kind ofteaches me to stop, take a
(06:31):
breath, focus on the things thatreally have to be done today
and so many other things you canput aside.
And, sherri, you and I havetalked about this before how God
will redeem the time.
And I am a witness to that.
I am a living witness to whereI'm like.
I just don't know how I'm goingto get this done by this
particular date.
And you know what it gets done.
(06:54):
Yep, it gets done.
Speaker 2 (06:56):
Or it finds out that it wasn't necessary and it
didn't need to get done.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
But look, we were getting stressed about it anyway
.
Right, right, right.
You see how the enemy works,it's like, and they're not even
bad things.
It's just that you know with meif I tend to start feeling
overwhelming like, oh my gosh, Igot to get this, I got to get
this, let's get this done.
You know, it's almost likeDolores told me stop, take a nap
, you'll be fine.
I'm like what, right it?
(07:28):
It's like look, stop, take anap or drink a cup of tea, clear
your mind, calm down, you know,and everything else before you
get started.
And doesn't that soundcounterintuitive?
It does it, because ourintuition is like no lord, I
need to boy if I don't get thisdone, and you're right.
Then you realize, if you don'tget it done, you're like oh well
, look, what was I stressingabout it for?
But we put our bodies throughthat and we go through the
motions every day withoutrealizing how we're feeling
(07:49):
about it.
And I'm bringing it up now,during the Christmas season,
because this happens a lot.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
I was just going to say now is the perfect time to
have yes.
Speaker 1 (07:59):
Yes, because it happens a lot during the
holidays.
Sometimes there are people whohave like four or five events to
go to.
You have your families, youhave your spouse's family, you
have an event for the kids atschool, then you have church
events, you know, oh, and thenthere's always the office party
at work, right?
Not to mention.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
All things that you want to do.
Speaker 1 (08:20):
Yes do.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
But yes, and you already are busy and overloaded
enough with your normal stuff totry to add new stuff in during
one of the busiest seasons ofthe year gets super overwhelming
, yes, not to mention theshopping, the, everything else,
and people just tend to get very, very overwhelmed.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
So so I'm glad you brought this up, because during
this season and I've had to kindof, you know, look at my life,
and so, months in advance, I'musually, I'm mentally right and
calendarly, I guess, is the wordI'm looking for, trying my best
to prepare for that time.
Because I realized, when I tryto do all the Christmas stuff
(09:01):
because, like you, I love theChristmas season from you know,
to me it starts October 31st toDecember 31st it's like if I
want more free time during thattime, I can't think about it on
October 25th.
Right, I got to start preparingmy calendar and organizing my
time and organizing my tasks andjobs, and you know things like
(09:22):
that in store being like, okay,just try to be as minimal as
possible, because otherwise I'msuper stressed at a time where
God's like this is a joyousseason and you're not even
joyful because you got so muchon your plate.
And so, with me, by him justteaching me to be more mindful
of the things I'm doing, I'mstarting to see that when I
start to feel like I'm beingoverwhelmed, even with routine
(09:45):
good stuff that I need to stop.
Take a sit back and go okay,something's off.
There's no balance there,because if my body's being
tensed about it, thensomething's off.
Maybe I scheduled too manythings on this day and no rest
time, right, you know or no?
No, breathing time is the way.
I want to put it there's no timeto breathe, to just go outside,
(10:07):
whether it's cold or the sun isshining, take a breath of fresh
air, or go for a five-minutewalk, you know, or something
like that.
So, and with the Christmasseason, it can be hectic.
Fun, lots of fun, lots ofmerriment, but it can be hectic.
Lots of fun, lots of merriment,but it can be hectic.
So, anyway, I just wanted toshare all of that in the hopes
(10:33):
you know that it may helpsomebody to just remember to
breathe.
Speaker 2 (10:35):
You know it's all going to get done, and if it
doesn't, it's all okay.
Like you said, God redeems ourtime when we're doing what he
wants us to do and when we'veasked him into or invited him
into our schedule and said okay,God, it's really your schedule,
Show me what you want me to do.
We get it all done and we canlook back and go wow, that was
(10:56):
like so much more enjoyable andso much less stressful than it's
ever been before.
What changed?
Well, maybe it was more of ourmindset and our attitude that
changed than actually ourschedule.
Speaker 1 (11:08):
Right, because you're not so tense about it anymore.
Right.
You know like you want to enjoy.
Your child got the got to playthe lead role in a Christmas
play and there's been lots ofrehearsals and you want to sit
there and you just want to enjoyit.
But then yet your emails onyour watch just keep clicking
and you're like, oh my gosh,we've got to hurry up.
Can this be over?
You know, because I've got to goand answer these emails.
(11:28):
Well, you can't even enjoy yourchild's event, right?
You know it's their first timegetting to roll in a church play
or the school play, and youknow, for Christmas, and you're
just, you can't even sit backand enjoy it because you're like
, oh, I got to answer this text,oh, I need to go to this email,
oh, I got to answer this phonecall, right.
So it goes back to preparingahead of time, like if your
(11:50):
child has an event that day,like nothing else is getting
done on this day.
Speaker 2 (11:54):
Right Nothing.
Speaker 1 (11:56):
I am scheduling nothing on December 5.
That is a day I'm just going tofocus on my child.
You know, and I'm just assuming, just using that as a day,
right?
And yeah, it's like nothingelse gets done, you know, and
when people say, oh, we got tohave a meeting on this, like
mm-mm can't be there, not goingto attend, not going to do it.
Speaker 2 (12:21):
No, you're not.
Speaker 1 (12:21):
FaceTiming me in or you're not Zooming me in?
Nope, nope, exactly yes,because then you can just sit
back and enjoy, and I think alot of times that's what happens
.
These things are so routine andwe're used to being hectic
during the Christmas season thatwe don't realize the toll it
takes on our body physically,right, not to mention the
moments of joy it steals whenyou're being robbed of that time
when you really just want tofocus on your family, right, and
(12:44):
there's nothing robbed at thattime when you really just want
to focus on your family Right,and there's nothing wrong with
that.
Speaker 2 (12:47):
Like I think that we've gotten to a place in
society where we feel guilty ifwe put our family first and
that's not the way it's supposedto be.
Speaker 1 (12:56):
No, no, right, it's supposed to be the opposite way
around, right?
You're not putting your familyfirst, right?
You know?
You know your child had that,you know, had this ice skating
event and they really, reallywanted you to be there.
But you know you're latebecause you had to take this
meeting.
(13:16):
And then sometimes we have toask ourselves do we have to?
And sometimes, again, it's notsomething you have to, you can
do on the spur of the moment.
I get that, but it's somethingyou have to plan, sometimes
months in advance, and have thatmindset and be like, okay, this
day I'm not going to, thisparticular week in December or
(13:38):
November or whatever, I'm notgoing to do anything.
We do the same thing when wetake vacations, exactly when
we're going to an island orwe're going on a cruise or
something like that.
So why can't we do it aroundthe time where a lot of people
are getting together, people areflying in and everything else
with family?
We do it all the time, you know.
It's just we have to change ourmindset about this.
(14:00):
So I'm sorry, I didn't mean togo on too long about that, but I
just really thought that couldbe so important this time during
the season?
Speaker 2 (14:07):
Oh, absolutely.
Speaker 1 (14:08):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:09):
Absolutely.
I completely agree yeah.
Speaker 1 (14:13):
And right, I was going to say so.
Welcome to the Cheer Up Podcast.
You know, thank you for joiningus and Sherry, go ahead,
because I interrupted you.
Speaker 2 (14:28):
Oh no, actually you're the one that does the
intro, so I start so and then Istop, because I'm like yeah, I
don't really know what to say.
Speaker 1 (14:39):
That's because we got .
You know, we kind of took alittle rabbit trail there, or,
like my sister likes to say, wekind of got lost in the sauce.
But I think it was a goodtasting sauce right.
Speaker 2 (14:50):
I agree.
Speaker 1 (14:53):
It's such an important and relevant topic, I
think just this time of year,because I don't realize we I
think we underestimate thedamage we do to our bodies when
we're not taking the time to bemindful of how we are feeling
when we're doing something andif we're feeling a little tense
or a little stressed, that meanswe need to find a workaround.
Speaker 2 (15:14):
Right.
Speaker 1 (15:14):
Right.
You know we need to take aminute and say, okay, lord, give
me wisdom.
I'm feeling stressed about thissituation, but I got to do it.
You know I need to work forthis person or I need to go to
this meeting or show up at thisjob, but you know, help me.
You know work with my mindsetor help me find a way to where
(15:36):
to be less stressful, because wedon't see the after effects of
that until years later when yougo to the doctor.
Speaker 2 (15:41):
Well, and I have to tell you so I have to share.
I used to what's the right.
Freak out is not the right word.
I used to get so upset and Iused to put myself into a
turmoil when, like, my bosseswould change plans on me, or you
know, like I would.
I was a very.
This is the way it is.
(16:02):
This is my schedule.
Don't change my schedule.
I was a very.
This is the way it is.
This is my schedule.
Don't change my schedule.
I was a very exact person andGod has shown me over the years
when I let go and give it to him.
So like, for instance, one timethis summer I, my husband had
the day off.
It was an unexpected day offand I was like, oh, I did what
you said, tara, I planned myschedule around.
(16:24):
So I had I had a really busyMonday and Tuesday and I had a
semi-busy Thursday and Friday.
So and I did not schedule anyextra meetings on Wednesday
because he happened to have aWednesday off and I'm like, okay
, I can actually spend the daywith him.
This is awesome.
I have my one normal dailymeeting, but other than that,
you know, I'm good to go.
(16:44):
Well, my my boss asked me.
He's like um, so what do youhave planned today?
And I froze and I didn't.
I didn't say, and I know Icould have because he's a
wonderful boss.
I could have said oh, I haveplans with my husband today
because he unexpectedly has theday off but I didn't.
I froze and I'm like, um,nothing.
And I'm like, and so, um, he'slike, okay, well, if I need you,
(17:10):
you know I'll give you a call.
And I'm like, oh, man, but, andit wasn't about him, it was
about I didn't have the courageto, you know, say no, I have
plans today.
Well, he ended up calling melater and we were out for lunch
and he was like oh, you're withyour husband, that's awesome.
He's like, we'll talk tomorrow,so like it's not.
That's a two-point thing, onewhen we give it to god and we
(17:33):
say, okay, god, you know, thisis, this is my desire, this is
what I would really love.
Speaker 1 (17:38):
Like yeah, can I yes?
Speaker 2 (17:40):
absolutely.
My husband wouldn't have beenmad, he wouldn't have been upset
.
We would have, you know, later,had a later lunch, whatever,
whatever.
But that's not the point.
When we give it to God, heworks it out.
I can't tell you how many timesI have stressed out because
I've had a boss unexpectedly say, well, we need to do this, this
(18:01):
, this and this, and I'm like,but I don't have the time to do
this, this, this and this.
I was planning on doing this,this, this and this.
But God always works it out.
When I give my schedule to himahead of time, either my
meetings get canceled, they getrearranged, people don't show up
like something happens, and Iknow it's not just that people
(18:21):
forget.
I think God is in control.
So when we give him like, whenwe give him our desires, when we
say God, it's not that I don'twant to work today, it's not
that I'm trying to be lazy, it'sthat I want to spend time with
my husband.
He honors that.
And when we, when we just?
Sometimes God's answer is no,you need to work today and then
(18:43):
we need to accept that and othertimes, god's answer is nope.
Today you get a free pass andyou get to play, and we need to
thank him for that.
So when we put, when we, whenwe do what you said, when we
plan ahead which I did I had mymeetings Monday, tuesday,
thursday when we plan ahead, godhonors that.
(19:03):
When we plan ahead, god honorsthat when we ultimately give up
control to him, just, you wouldbe amazed at how he works things
out.
Like I have literally sat thereand said, oh my word, lord,
thank you so much.
I can't believe that you mademy schedule so much better than
what I could have done.
So it's a combination of thatplanning ahead and trusting him,
(19:28):
and he always redeems the time,always.
Speaker 1 (19:32):
It does, he redeems the time.
So we're both living witnessesto that and you guys are
probably saying, well, and inthat case, like you said, your
husband would not have beenupset and everything else.
But you know who would havebeen upset you?
Because you would have beenlike, oh Lord, I should have put
my foot down, I should havesaid oh no, I'm so sorry.
You know, can we do it tomorrow?
Can you call me tomorrow,because today I have plans.
(19:53):
You know how we are as wives wekick ourselves right.
We get wife guilt and mom guiltand again it just adds to that
stress to our body that causesus harm down the road.
And I know there's some of youlistening going yeah, Kara, but
it's December, like you couldhave mentioned this, like way
back in June, you know, andeverything would have been fine.
(20:14):
But this is my point.
It's okay, do like Sherrysuggested.
Just be like Lord.
This is how I wish the rest ofthis month could go.
This is how I wish thisparticular day would go, because
my child has this event, myhusband has this party and
everything else, and I want tobe able to sit back and enjoy it
with them.
However, you know, I haven'tscheduled any of this ahead of
(20:36):
time, but just help me, I wantto give it over to you.
If there's a way for me to freethings up to where, you know,
I'm not so stressed about it, mybody's not being so taxed about
it and I could just focus onthe things I love, then, you
know, help it and he will do.
(20:57):
Just sit back, trust andbelieve, trust, relax and
believe and pray about it.
Just pray about it, you know,because it's not too late, and
you'll that one day where youlike oh my goodness, this day is
going to be so full of things.
Like Sherry said, sometimespeople don't show up means get
canceled.
Yeah, weather weather kind ofinto me.
Speaker 2 (21:15):
I have gotten to the point now, kara, that when I
have a boss throw a curveball atme and my first instinct is no,
and my first instinct is no,Just step back, just stop, and
just say okay and then have aconversation with God.
God, you know, I really don'twant to do this.
Speaker 1 (21:32):
God, you know I have plans.
Speaker 2 (21:33):
God, you know I have a deadline in this job that I
have to do, so you help me, youwork it out the way you want,
and then I just sit back and Ihave never, never, been
disappointed.
Sometimes I go through with themeetings that I have to like.
Sometimes God's like okay, youstill need to do this meeting,
(21:54):
but tomorrow you just wait andsee.
You wait and see what yourschedule is going to be like
tomorrow, when you actually havethe creativity and the
brainpower to do what it is thatI want you to do.
I like he is just absolutelyamazing and that fits so well
with the topic that we're goingto talk about today.
Speaker 1 (22:09):
Yes, I was just thinking about that.
It works perfectly when we'retalking about the mustard.
So today's topic for theepisode believe it or not is
we're talking about having thefaith of a mustard seed, and it
kind of just goes parallel towhat we were just talking about
(22:31):
and everything else, andSherry's going to tell us more
about that so I'm really excitedbecause when I so, there's
there's two different referencesin the bible about the mustard
seed and I always thought thatthe parable of the mustard seed
was talking about the faith,like the mustard seed, but it
isn't.
Speaker 2 (22:50):
So there's two different times when god uses
the mustard seed as an examplefor what he wants to talk about.
In the first one, the parableof the mustard seed, that's
talking about um, how thekingdom one.
The parable of the mustard seed, that's talking about how, the
kingdom of God, which we havebeen talking about that for when
we were talking about Paul andSilas, when they were preaching
(23:11):
and expanding the Bible, when wetalked about Barnabas, when we
talked about Tennessee, when wetalked about the early Christian
church and when we were talkingabout.
So anytime that we've beentalking about Paul, we've been
talking about the earlyChristian church.
And so the parable of themustard seed is found in Matthew
(23:32):
13, 31 and 32, mark 4, 30through 32, and Luke 13, 18 and
19.
So it's found in three of thefour gospels and I'm just going
to read it to you.
It sounds very similar in allof them, but I'm just going to
read it to you from Matthew 13,31, and 32.
And it talks about.
(23:55):
So he is in the middle oftelling the crowd multiple
different parables.
So he had talked about just toput it into context, he had
talked about the parable of thesower.
Before this he talked about theparable of the weed.
Then he starts talking aboutthe mustard seed and the yeast.
(24:17):
Then he goes on and he explainsthe parable of the weeds to the
people.
Then he talks about the parableof the hidden treasure and the
pearl, and so that's kind of thecontext around the mustard seed
parable.
And so he says he told themanother parable.
The kingdom of heaven is like amustard seed which a man took
(24:39):
and planted in his field.
So basically what he's talkingabout with the parable of the
(24:59):
mustard seed is he's saying thatthe kingdom of God, so the
believers, the Christians, theearly church Christ followers,
as I like to call myself I don'tlike to call myself a Christian
, I like to call myself a Christfollower, because in my opinion
the word Christian is thrownaround a lot in today's world
but a Christ follower.
You kind of sort of know whatI'm talking about because I'm a
follower of Christ and not justa Christian.
(25:21):
So what he's talking about isthat the kingdom of God, so the
believers, especially.
In the beginning they had smallbeginnings but they would grow
and produce great results.
So, as we could see Jesus whenhe came to earth as a baby,
which is this is a perfect timeto review this, because it's
(25:44):
Christmas time and we were justtalking about the birth of
Christ, and in the next coupleof weeks we're going to be
talking specifically about thebirth of Christ, but next week
we're going to be talking abouthow John the Baptist, elizabeth
was carrying John the Baptist inher womb.
Elizabeth was carrying John theBaptist in her room and John
the Baptist he was a follower ofChrist.
He was also his cousin orsecond cousin.
(26:07):
I always forget how that stuffgoes.
Well, Mary and Elizabeth werecousins, so that would make them
second cousins, right?
Speaker 1 (26:14):
John and Jesus?
I would think so, but let'sjust say cousins, because when
it comes to genealogy, I get itall.
Speaker 2 (26:33):
It's like second, third, fourth, one, once removed
I don't know, 12 disciples.
He had the multitude thatlistened to him and followed him
and the multitude is actuallywho's listening to these
parables right now but he had 12disciples and then he had the
three of his in his inner circle.
So he had 12 disciples thatfollowed him for three and a
half years and studied under himfor three and a half years, but
(26:55):
then he had the select threeunder that, and I say that to
say that is a very smallbeginning.
Well then, after he died androse again, then he said I will
give you a helper, and that wasthe Holy Spirit and the people,
the disciples were supposed towait in a room until the Holy
Spirit appeared.
Well, they did that, and then,once they were filled with the
(27:15):
power of the Holy Spirit, thenthey went out and they started
preaching.
So the parable of the mustardseed, talking about those small
beginnings, but that they wouldthen become great.
And that is exactly what hashappened.
Christianity has reached, Idon't want to say, every single
country and every single tribeand every single city, but it is
(27:35):
being spread throughout theentire world, and we can say
that it is throughout the entireworld.
Like I said, maybe not everysingle spot, but it is
definitely well spread.
So that's what the parable ofthe mustard seed is talking
about, but I really want tofocus today on faith like a
mustard seed, and that's foundin Matthew 17, 20, and also in
(28:00):
Luke 17, 5 and 6.
So in Matthew 17, 20, we readand they're very, you know,
that's.
The other thing that I love isthat sometimes God can give a
powerful punch in the Bible withjust one or two sentences.
He doesn't have to have longchapters or multiple chapters in
(28:22):
order to get his point across.
You know, I talk a lot.
God does not like when God hassomething, he says it and he's
done, and he's like I don't needto repeat myself, like you
heard me the first time.
You're either going to do it oryou're not going to do it me.
I'm like no wonder my kidsignore me, or because they're
(28:47):
like oh, she hasn't reached thatlevel yet where she's even
remotely mad, or oh, she'll keeptelling us oh, it's not my kids
have been.
Don't get me wrong, I'm notkissing my children.
Speaker 1 (28:59):
They're just being teenagers or young adults,
because that's what they do.
Right, go ahead.
Speaker 2 (29:04):
I need to be more like Jesus, do it and then walk
away.
Did you not hear me the?
Speaker 1 (29:10):
first time.
Speaker 2 (29:11):
But I didn't think Jesus would say that he would
just say I said do it?
Yeah, anyway, sorry I'm on atangent so Matthew 1720.
But I just love how he.
He just says what he means andhe means what he says and he
doesn't need to repeat himself.
So Matthew 1720, it says sohe's talking to the disciples,
(29:33):
and the disciples Again, to giveyou the context, well, I'll
just read it because it's reallyreally short.
So when they came to the crowdso this was the disciples a man
approached Jesus and kneltbefore him.
Lord, have mercy on my son.
He said.
He had seizures and issuffering greatly.
He often falls into the fire orinto the water.
(29:55):
I brought him to your disciplesbut they could not heal him.
Oh, unbelieving and perversegeneration.
Jesus replied how long shall Istay with you?
How long shall I put up withyou?
Bring the boy here to me.
And when Jesus says that, Idon't think that he's got like
the sarcasm that we do I thinkhe really truly just has a
tender heart towards this childand towards the father who is
(30:19):
being tormented because his boyis tormented.
Jesus rebuked the demon and itcame out of the boy and he was
healed from that moment.
Then the disciples came to Jesusin private and asked why
couldn't we drive it out?
He replied because you have solittle faith.
I tell you the truth, if youhave faith as small as a mustard
seed, you can say to thismountain move from here to there
(30:42):
and it will move.
Nothing will be impossible foryou.
And then they came together ingalilee.
He said to them and then he hewas then predicting his death,
um on the cross.
And the disciples were filledwith grief.
And then in luke 17, 5 through 6, it says oh, this is when they
(31:06):
were talking about forgivingpeople of their sins.
And so the apostle said to theLord increase our faith, meaning
, help us learn how to forgivemore.
Learn how to forgive more.
Because he said, if a man sinsagainst you seven times in a day
and seven times comes back toyou and says I repent, you need
(31:27):
to forgive him.
You need to forgive people 70times seven.
And the apostle said increaseour faith.
And Jesus replied if you havefaith as small as a mustard seed
, you can say to this mulberrytree, be uprooted and plant in
the sea and it will obey you.
So, as I was reading throughthat, I have a study Bible and
the notes in the study Bible Iwanted to read today because I
(31:48):
thought that it explained it sowell and it did a much better
job and it would be a greatstarting point for our
discussion today.
So this is the study notes forthe Luke 17, 5 through 6 passage
that I just read.
It says the disciples' requestwas genuine.
They wanted the faith necessaryfor such radical forgiveness,
(32:11):
but Jesus didn't directly answertheir question, because the
amount of faith is not asimportant as its genuineness.
What is faith?
It is total dependence on Godand a willingness to do his will
.
Faith is not something we useto put on a show for others.
It is complete and humbleobedience to God's will,
readiness to do whatever hecalls us to do.
(32:34):
The amount of faith isn't asimportant as the right time to
faith faith in our all-powerfulGod.
A mustard seed is small, but itis alive and growing.
Like a tiny seed, a smallamount of genuine faith in God
will take root and grow.
Almost invisible at first, theseed will begin to spread, first
underground and then visibly.
(32:54):
Although each change will begradual and imperceptible, soon
this faith will have producedmajor results that will uproot
and destroy competing loyalties.
We don't need more faith.
A tiny seed of faith is enoughif it's alive and growing and
I'm going to add to that and ifit's genuine.
It kind of goes back to what wewere talking about earlier this
(33:15):
year, tara, when we weretalking about that book and I
was telling you I wanted to belike Sarah in that Robert
Whitlow book where she wassaying that knowledge from God,
like things that God downloadsto us, or teaches us the lessons
that he teaches us.
They need to germinate like aseed before we share them with
(33:41):
others to make sure that we areunderstanding completely the
lesson that God wants us tolearn from it, because until we
understand it we can't reallyexplain it to others.
And so it's kind of like thegenuine faith, like I love how
God used well, I love how heuses nature to explain what he's
(34:01):
talking about number onebecause nature just speaks to me
Like if I am a country girlthrough and through.
I am not a city person.
No offense to the city, thereare beautiful things about
cities, but I am a country girlat heart and so I love that.
He uses farming and seeds andplants and trees and all kinds
(34:23):
of things like that and animals.
Speaker 1 (34:26):
Look at the ants, he says, Look at the eagle.
You know he mentions the birds,I mean it goes on and on and on
, yeah, and the flowers, oh, yes, right, right, look at the
lilies of the field.
Speaker 2 (34:37):
Yes, right, I love how he uses all of nature to
describe what he's talking about, but it's so, very true.
So faith, if it's genuine,doesn't need to be big at first.
All God cares about and I thinkwe have talked about this over
and over and over again but wecan never talk about it enough.
(35:00):
All God cares about is our heart.
When we have a pure heart andby pure I mean a genuine heart
coming to Him, like we're nottrying to impress anybody or
we're not trying to, you know,be popular or whatever, we're
not trying to just say stuff,that's what honors God, that's
(35:23):
what pleases God.
We don't have to have it alltogether.
In fact, one of my bosses, whoI respect so highly I love how
he says God is a God of prayer.
He loves when we pray.
He loves to hear us pray and wedon't have to do it.
Perfect, we don't.
It's not the word, it's ourheart behind the prayer.
(35:43):
So when we, he just wants totalk to us.
He just wants us to talk to him.
And so faith is the same thing.
Like God doesn't expect us I amso glad to, but God doesn't
expect us to have the faith of a70 year old who's been walking
with God since he was six.
When we're 20 and we justprayed the prayer yesterday but
(36:07):
God's not asking us to have itall together.
God's not asking us.
I mean, I know I keepinterrupting myself, but like
there's so like that.
There's just so many things Ilove about having a relationship
with him.
Is it easy?
No, is he going to stretch us?
Yes, but he stretches usbecause he wants us to depend on
(36:30):
him.
He wants us to come to him.
He doesn't want us to have the.
It's all on me, it's all on myshoulders.
And that goes back to what wewere talking about earlier this
morning about the.
We won't get everything donefor Christmas.
Like God doesn't expect us todo it in our own strength.
God doesn't want us to do it inour own strength.
(36:51):
He wants us to depend on him,and it starts with faith.
Do we trust that God will comethrough?
Do we trust that he cares aboutthe big things and the little
things and the everything inbetween?
And if we don't trust, why not?
There are so many times in theChristian life where God is like
(37:15):
test me on this.
Like this is my promise in theBible I will never leave you or
forsake you.
You don't have to worry orwonder.
It's in there.
If I said it, I knew it, justlike we talked about a couple of
minutes earlier.
He, he doesn't.
He doesn't just keep talkingfor the sake of talking.
(37:37):
He talks when he needs to talkand he doesn't repeat himself.
If he doesn't have to Like, ifhe said it, it's going to happen
.
Like we don't have to convincehim, we don't have to beg him.
If he said it, he'll do it.
That's how thankful our God is.
If he says he's going to bewith us, he's going to be with
us.
If he says that you know, whenwe walk through the valley he'll
(38:00):
be there.
When we walk through the river,we won't drown.
When we walk through the fire,we won't be burned.
If God's said it, then he meansit.
So what is faith to you, tara?
Speaker 1 (38:15):
Like, what does that passage say to you?
Several, several things,actually, and I love the study
Bible, your study Biblecommentary on it.
It talks about genuineness andhow it grows underground Excuse
me, the roots develop first,right, and almost anything and
everything that grows from yourhouseplants to you know, as far
(38:37):
as it goes, with things likethat, with nature, trees in your
backyard, whatever, they allhave roots.
Some of those roots go deeperthan others.
Right, some things you can pullout really quickly and easy.
Other ones you have to dig out,you know, because the roots go
so deep.
And as you were reading thatpassage about faith, and it says
(38:57):
as it grows and I love how hetalked about the genuineness of
it and I think that's importantis that once you plant it, once
the seed is planted, how itgrows.
You were talking about how wemay not someone who just
received Christ yesterday maynot have the same faith as
(39:17):
someone you know who's beendoing it 70 years.
But I think we also have toremember that you could be 20
years old and you just foundChrist.
Right, you may meet someoneelse who's the same age as you
and they may have just metChrist too, but your life
(39:38):
compared to that, 20-year-old'slife could be completely
different, right, because fromthe day they were born they were
fighting adversity, they werefighting trials, they had to
survive for their life.
They may have went from fosterhome to foster home, may have
dealt with addiction, and all ofthis before 20.
And so they're looking back andlike, wow, god just really saw
(40:02):
me through all of that.
You know, I was suicidal, I wasdepressed and everything else.
And so their faith may be justa little bit deeper, even though
you're the same age, because ofeverything their life
experience, their Christianjourney has just been so
harrowing that they had to clingon to Jesus for such a very, at
(40:23):
a very early age.
Right, and even, or even ifthey didn't acknowledge it back
then, when they do, you know,hear that faith, hear about God,
they're like God was there thewhole time.
That's how I was able to escapethat massacre, that's how, you
know, I was, you know, able towake up after I took all those
pills, you know.
(40:44):
And so sometimes our lifeexperiences and our Christian
journey helps our growth, andsometimes we're not even aware
of it, and because sometimes wego through these trials, these
fiery trials and these fierydarts are just being shot at us
and we're like, you know, oh,woe is me.
But in reality, you know, it'snot for us, it's for what we can
(41:08):
do to other people.
The things we go throughsometimes are not about us.
It's about how God's going touse it to help other people.
And so many people have awesometestimonies and when you sit
there and you listen to them andyou're 30 years old and they're
30 years old and they'retelling you everything that they
have been through, right, andthe things that they have seen
(41:29):
and witnessed and heard and hadto been through, and you're just
like, oh, my word, you know,it's just such a difference.
So I think our life experiencesand the things that we go
through in life has a lot to dowith the roots of our faith at a
particular certain age.
Right, same age, different lifeexperiences, different
(41:52):
encounters with God and thingslike this.
I believe a lot of times ourlife experiences and I really
want to say Christian journeysjust have a lot to do with how
deep our faith is at a certainage.
But that's not always the case,because then there are those
(42:13):
you have like five, six, seven,eight-year-olds, and they have
just the most sweetest, the mostloveliest faith.
It's like you can't tell themGod can't do anything.
You tell them to pray for theirfriend.
They expect for their friend tobe healed, and it's that
childlike faith that's alsomentioned in those scriptures,
right, sherry?
Not in most of the scriptures,but in the scriptures
(42:36):
surrounding it.
Right, right, right, yeah, youknow in the scriptures the gosp,
right, right, yeah, you know inthe scriptures, the gospels, I
should say, and yeah, it's likeyou know, as, like a child, just
come.
And it's like you can't tellthem there is just so sweet and
so lovely.
And you're just looking at thembecause life has painted our
faith a little bit Like, well,sweetheart, it's just not that
(42:57):
easy.
And they're just like no,fluffy, like if you're praying
for an animal, and they're like,oh, no, fluffy's going to be
fine, they're going to walkagain.
You just wait and see, mom, weprayed about it.
And to them, it's that simple,exactly To them, it's that
simple.
There is no questioning, right.
Speaker 2 (43:31):
And everything else.
As you get a little bit older,you realize, okay, it may not be
?
Speaker 1 (43:33):
um, it seems like it's not that simple, but in
reality isn't it?
You're right.
You're right, isn't it?
You know because and it's likethat mustard seed right.
It's like in our mind, wherethe child doesn't know that
bones don't necessarily healovernight.
Let's just say the dog brokehis leg or something that you
know.
Bones don't necessarily healovernight.
There's just going to, he'sgoing to have multiple doctor
visits, there's the possibilityof a surgery needed, you know,
and you know the muscles aroundit, you know, are inflamed and
(43:55):
they've been, you know, messedup too.
So we see all of that.
But the kids don't see thatright, they don't know all that
because they don't know thatstuff even exists, that those
possibilities even exist.
And sometimes I'm like, well,maybe they shouldn't exist with
us either.
Maybe it is just that simple.
(44:17):
You know, there's a reality ofthere's a lot that goes into a
healing of someone's leg beforethey could walk right.
There's a lot that goes intothere.
But maybe we shouldn't worryabout all of that.
Maybe we should just pray andleave it in God's hand and trust
, just like a child does.
Just like a child does.
Speaker 2 (44:37):
And that goes back again to my example, and it's a
silly example compared tosomebody walking or somebody
living.
But that goes back to myexample with my schedule, when I
throw not throw my hands up,when I trust God and I say okay.
Speaker 1 (44:53):
Surrender in a way, yeah.
Speaker 2 (44:55):
Yeah, when I surrender and I say, god, this
is what it looks like myschedule needs to be, but you
know what I ultimately need andwhat I don't need, and then put
my hands up and say, okay, so it.
What throws the wrench in ourfaith as older people, not as
(45:24):
children, not with thatinnocence of childhood.
But we're like, okay, but it'swhatever ends up being God's
will.
Well, I think kids say that too, but I think they say it
differently.
I think kids are like, yeah,whatever my daddy meaning God,
whatever my daddy wants, that'swhat's going to happen, and
they're okay with that.
And we put the pious stuff onthere.
(45:45):
We're like, if it's God's will,then he will heal, so-and-so,
instead of just saying you knowwhat God, I trust you.
I trust you, whatever you wantdone, if you want to heal him
here or if you want to heal themin heaven, or yeah, in heaven.
(46:06):
You know it's going to hurt andit's going to sting bad, but I
also know that you're going tobe right there with us.
So, god, your will like whatyou want.
I trust you.
I trust you and and it's god'sultimate decision if he's going
to have a miracle and like amiracle healing or a miracle
testimony here on earth, or ifhe's going to have the miracle,
be that the person went toheaven.
(46:27):
I had.
I had a very wise young adulttell me just this week God is
going to use whatever outcome hechooses for his glory, and my
faith has grown stronger, andthis is the young person talking
.
I just don't worry about thingslike that, because with
(46:48):
everything that I've beenthrough and everything that God
has brought me through, then ifhe has an untimely death for me,
or if he has, you know, if it'spart of his plan that I have to
go through a horrific death ora horrific challenge or a
horrific whatever, all I know isthat he will use it for his
(47:08):
good and his glory.
It will be used for him and I'mlike, wow, like praise the Lord
, isn't that the truth?
Yeah, I mean that's humbling,isn't that the truth?
Yeah, I mean that's humbling.
I, for someone who wants to havethat kind of faith and someone
who who wants to to live herlife that way, I struggle, and I
(47:29):
struggle because I'm a parent.
Someday I'll be a grandparent,hopefully, god willing, you know
I.
I struggle with that becauseI'm like but God, like that
would really hurt.
Like God, I don't want to losesomebody tragically that way.
But, yet if that is his plan,then ultimately his glory will
(47:52):
be will be used, used his itwill be used for that incident,
not that, not that the incidentitself is praiseworthy, but he
will use it for his glory, thatmuch I will.
Speaker 1 (48:14):
That much I have.
And God is so good because Ithink when you're a young person
and you realize that because ofthat type of faith, then you're
just realizing because, see,what the enemy, the biggest
thing that the enemy can holdover Christians and
non-Christians, believers andnon-believers, is death, is
death, it's that big, black,ugly shadow that's, you know,
(48:36):
just threatening at every corner, every turn, you know, and
everything else.
But, as Christians, if we havethat young person's wisdom and
be like you know, whatever, asin God, if this is the way, if
this is the way it meant to be,if this is the way you have it
designed, if this is the way youhave it all planned out, so be
it, because we're trusting inGod, our Father, and besides, we
(49:03):
already know those of us whoare Christians, christ followers
and believers, like you werementioning.
We already know death has nosting anymore.
Right, jesus took care of thaton the cross.
We don't have to fear it, butthe enemy still uses it like
this big hovering thing alwaysaround us, you know, and
(49:25):
everything else, but it has nosting.
We already have the victory.
We may suffer a physical death,but not an eternal one, and that
is the one that's important andthat is why, as Christians and
we just don't need to fear itthe way the enemy makes it,
fearing it right, like, ah, youknow, and everything else Are we
(49:46):
supposed to be wise?
Yes, are we supposed to gorunning towards death?
Absolutely not, okay, you know.
We don't have to go running offa cliff and fall 600 feet, you
know.
But it's like, and God can usethat 600 feet, you know.
But it's like, and God can usethat.
He will use it, you know, andhis he will be glorified in it,
(50:10):
you know, and it's just like hecan use anything.
And that's what I'm saying.
It's like sometimes, you know,once you realize that it has
been defeated, that, yes, we maysuffer physical death, it may
even be a one that we wouldprefer not to have been involved
in, but God is God, he knowsour end from the beginning, and
all we could do is just, likethat young person say is you
(50:31):
know what, god?
If this is the way it'ssupposed to be, then I know it's
for a reason, and I think a lotof times we just have to take
that and just use it.
That's faith, that's faith in aGod that you know, that has
never let you down.
That has seen you throughanything and everything that you
thought there was no way outright Mentally, physically,
(50:53):
spiritually, you know, andeverything else.
And I think I just heard someonetell me, I think the other day
or something, about how therewas like a car accident or
something.
It was like on a busy highway,they were involved in a car
accident and it was like on abusy highway and everything else
.
But then if they had toimmediately to avoid crashing
(51:14):
into like a semi-truck orsomething like that, they
immediately, without even reallyhaving to check behind them,
veer over, I think, into theright lane and they're just like
when that happened, it was likeno cars were around, like
where'd the traffic go?
Right, you know, god is so good, you know and everything else,
so he will make a way.
He knows our timing.
So and there's a lot of thingsthat sometimes we just need to
(51:37):
leave up to God None of us knowour expiration date, you know,
or, as Christ followers, asbelievers, none of us know our
graduation date.
I should say.
Speaker 2 (51:46):
Amen, I love that.
Speaker 1 (51:49):
No one knows.
We don't know our graduationdate, when he's going to promote
us, when we go from just thisphysical life to the eternal one
, you know.
But that's okay, he knows, andall we have to do is just keep
our faith in Him.
That's all I wanted to add,sherri.
Speaker 2 (52:06):
Oh, I think that that's the perfect way to end it
today is that God wants ourhearts.
God wants our.
He just he wants us to come tohim genuinely.
He wants us to come to him withno pretense.
He wants us to come to himhonestly started my genuine
(52:43):
journey with Christ, or my deep,deepened journey with Christ.
I don't want to say genuine,because I truly, when I was six
years old, I came to God with agenuine heart and I asked him
into my life back at six, but Ididn't know exactly what I was
doing Like, I didn't know whatit meant to be a Christ follower
.
I just knew that I wanted Jesusto be in charge of my life.
Back then, and I remember, in2007, I was at a Bible study and
(53:10):
I've shared this before, so I'mnot going to share the whole
thing, but I remember the Biblestudy was talking about trusting
God and I said to him I'm likeGod, I just don't think I trust
you.
And then I flinched because I'mlike he's going to strike me
with a thunderbolt, like he'sgoing to be so angry with me.
I grew up believing with afalse belief that God was
(53:32):
waiting to get me, like he wasthis judgmental judge, this
angry judge up in heaven.
Judgmental judge, this angryjudge up in heaven, just waiting
to blast me, just waiting untilI did something wrong so he
could punish me.
And I don't know how that cameabout.
I don't know why that cameabout, but I'm so grateful that
for that Bible study and hewould have used something else
(53:54):
instead of the Bible study.
I know because God loves us somuch and he didn't want me
believing that about him mywhole entire life.
But it started the journeybecause I said to God, just
honestly and with a sincereheart.
I said God, I don't trust youand I'm scared to trust you, but
I want to trust you.
So help me to trust you.
(54:15):
And it started a long, long,long journey with him and that's
what he wants from us.
The reason I bring that up isbecause I just want to encourage
you today.
God just wants our honesty.
He wants us to.
He already knows what we'refeeling and what we're thinking
inside, so it's not like it's asurprise to him, but he wants us
(54:36):
to be honest with him.
Are you angry with God?
Has something happened in yourlife that you think that God
caused it?
Ask him about it.
He will answer you and he willtell you the truth.
He will show you what the truthis from the lies, but you have
to ask him, you have to startthat conversation.
I used to be scared to death ofwinter driving, and I finally
(54:59):
got up the courage to say, god,am I believing some lie in my
life, like why am I so petrifiedof winter driving?
And he showed me the lie that Iwas believing, and it changed
my whole perspective.
It changed everything, and I'mnot petrified of winter driving
(55:20):
anymore.
Do I like driving in blizzards?
No, but I don't know too manypeople that do.
Maybe Tom Cruise, because he'slike one of those people who
loves action and adventure, butnobody that I know of says, oh,
can I drive in a blizzard today?
But, but I'm not scared todeath anymore.
Like, god just wants our hearts,and he wants us to.
(55:42):
He just wants us to be honestwith him.
He wants us to come to himwhere we are, and then he will
help take us where he wants usto be.
One of the first steps to that,though, is knowing if our
hearts are right with God.
Do you know, if you were to dietoday, where you would go?
(56:03):
Do you know for sure that youwould go to heaven and spend
eternity with jesus, or do youknow, or, or do you have
questions?
would I go to heaven or would Igo to hell?
I don't really know.
I'm not Well today.
You can know for sure.
Romans 10, 9 tells us that ifwe believe in our hearts, if we
(56:24):
confess with our mouth andbelieve in our hearts that Jesus
is Lord, god says we will besaved.
That is a promise, that is acertainty.
But we have to actually confesswith our mouth and believe in
our hearts.
But we have to actually confesswith our mouth and believe in
our hearts.
And if that is something thatyou want to do, then I want to
give you that opportunity orcare, and I want to give you
(56:47):
that opportunity this morning.
So if that is you and you wantto be sure of where you're going
to go when you die, then youcan repeat this prayer with me
oh Heavenly Father, I come toyou in Jesus' name.
I believe you died on the crossand that you rose again and
you're seated on the throne.
Jesus, forgive me for all thatI have done wrong and I choose
(57:13):
to forgive all others.
Come into my life today andforever.
I am yours In Jesus' name, amen.
If you prayed that prayer withus right now, then I just want
to say welcome to the family,and that is the first step.
God wants you to be honest withhim.
God wants you to be genuine.
So start that conversation withhim.
(57:34):
Say God, this is where I'm atGod, this is where my faith
level is at.
These are my fears.
This is where I'm at God, thisis where my faith level is at.
These are my fears, this iswhat I'm afraid of.
This is what the enemy istelling me.
And I want to change.
I want to have more faith.
I want to have, just like thedisciples said to Jesus increase
my faith, increase our faith.
God will do that.
(57:55):
He hears those prayers, thosegenuine prayers, and he answers
them.
Do that.
He hears those prayers, thosegenuine prayers, and he answers
them.
And I am so excited because Iknow that when I pray those
prayers, god works and he movesand things change in my life for
the better.
And I want that, kara and Iboth want that for you.
Our verse for the podcast isJohn 16, 33.
(58:16):
Jesus says these things I havespoken to you that in me you may
have peace In the world.
You will have tribulation, butbe of good cheer, I have
overcome the world.
We can have that faith and aswe grow in that faith, it gives
us peace and as we grow in thatpeace, it gives us joy, that
abundant joy that God gives usand he tells us about in the
(58:38):
Bible.
If you want to know more aboutcare, well, actually, first, if
you prayed that prayer, we wouldlove it.
If you would let us know so youcan email us at cheeruppodcast
at gmailcom, or you can leteveryone know in the community
on Facebook, in the Cheer UpPodcast community group, we
(59:01):
would love to celebrate with youand we can't do that unless you
tell us.
So we look forward to hearingfrom you.
If you also need prayer orencouragement, feel free to
reach out and email us again atcheeruppodcast at gmailcom.
We love talking to ourlisteners, we love interacting
with you.
Um, and it's just one more waythat that we can, um, if you
(59:28):
want to check out all the thingsthat Kara has going on on her
website, um, head on over toKaraRHuntcom and you can talk,
or you can see the um Habakkukseries that she has.
It starts with paper dolls.
That's the first one.
Then there's Tite, priscilla,lydia and Eve, and then Mary and
(59:49):
Jan is coming out as well.
So those are.
They're not quite out yet, butthey will be.
And um, if you want to check outmy fiction series, you can head
over to sherryplowellcom uh,it's a redemption of green pine.
And um, I also have somenon-fiction devotionals and
(01:00:11):
bible studies, if you want tocheck out those.
Um.
And I also have a membership, amonthly membership, to help you
grow your relationship with God, and we are building a
community over there as well asindividually growing our
relationship with Jesus Christ.
So that is Jesus in theeveryday, and you can find that
(01:00:33):
information about that on mywebsite as well.
I am just.
I have really really enjoyedtoday's topic about faith and
about increasing our faith andabout just.
You know, the one thing that weforgot to talk about when we
were talking about faith, kara,was that God is the God of
(01:00:54):
miracles, and not just in theBible, but everyday miracles in
our lives as well.
And when we have faith and wecome to him and we say God, work
a miracle in our life, he does,and we get to be a part of that
and it is just so incredible.
So if you have a miracle inyour life that God has done,
(01:01:16):
share that with us as well, andevery time, people share their
miracles or share theirexperiences with God.
It increases other people'sfaith also their testimony.
Speaker 1 (01:01:29):
It's a testimony.
Speaker 2 (01:01:29):
Yes, exactly so.
It goes back to exactly whatyou were saying that God will
use whatever circumstances forhis good and for his glory, and
there's nothing that I love morethan him doing exactly that is
(01:01:50):
his glory being shown, his glorybeing spread to others, and we
just get to either be front andcenter, because he's doing it in
our lives as a testimony forothers, or we get to be in the
sidelines watching, praising andthanking God while he's doing
it in other people's lives,because when you're a part, when
(01:02:13):
you're a believer, you're partof a big community, and when one
rejoices, the others rejoice.
When one is sad, the other issad and just I don't know.
There's just so much I couldkeep talking about, but I'm
going to.
I'm going to wrap it up,because next week we're going to
talk about Mary and Elizabethand John the Baptist and
(01:02:35):
Elizabeth's husband, who I amnot thinking of his name right
now.
All I can think of is Jeremiah,and I know that's wrong, but
we'll have it right next week.
I'm drawing a blank, like Iknow that's Zach.
Wait, is it Zachariah?
I believe it is.
I believe it is.
So thank you, god for remindingme that it's Zachariah and not
(01:02:58):
Jeremiah.
I don't know where I connectedthat, but I knew that was wrong,
so have a great rest of yourweek.
I will stop talking before Ijust keep mumbling, and we are
excited for another episode nextweek for you to join us, so
have a great day.
butt.
Hi and welcome to the Cheer UpPodcast.
And welcome to the Cheer UpPodcast.
I am your host, kara R Hunt,and with me is the lovely, as
always, sherri Swalwell.
How are you doing this fine day, sherri?
Speaker 2 (00:33):
I am doing great.
It is December.
We're getting that much closerto Christmas.
I am honestly super excitedabout the biblical figures that
we are going to be talking aboutthis month, because next week
we get to talk about Mary andElizabeth that story and then,
(00:56):
of course, the week after thatwe get to talk about the
nativity story.
So I just I love Christmas, Ilove the whole month of December
.
So I just I love Christmas, Ilove the whole month of December
, and I I always say that I wishI had a job where I could not
(01:16):
work the month of December butjust like focus on God and focus
on just's birth.
But you know what, Kara?
That's a mindset.
So whether I'm working orwhether I'm sitting and sipping
hot chocolate in front of theChristmas tree, it really
doesn't matter because it's amindset.
So, as long as my focus and myheart is always on God and it is
(01:39):
24-7, so it's not just inDecember I guess I just want to
make it a whole lifestyle, that365 days a year, it doesn't
matter what holidays coming up Ijust I open my eyes and I start
my day thanking him andpraising him and just just
living in such a way that thathe's just with me 24 seven that
(02:04):
he's just with me 24-7.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
You know, it's just awesome that you just mentioned
that because I'm one of the wellone.
My friends and family kind oftease me because I have like Dex
the Halls as my ringtone.
Every time I get an email, andit's not just around Christmas
time, it could be in the heat ofJuly and I still have Christmas
music like ringtones and stuff,you know.
So I understand completely whatyou mean by that when you say
(02:39):
you know you want that Christmasfeeling all year round, because
it does seem like a differentkind of feeling right.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
It does feeling all year round, because it does seem
like a different kind offeeling.
Right, it does People seemhappier and it's just yeah.
I just I don't know.
I always used to think that Iloved focusing on Christmas
because I love babies and Jesuswas a baby back then, but I
don't think that's what it is.
I just really, truly I don'tknow there's just Well.
Speaker 1 (03:05):
The world calls it that magical time of year, right
?
Speaker 2 (03:09):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:09):
Yeah, because they can't seem to find a word to
define it, to really define it,and I don't know the perfect
word to define it.
But I'm like you.
It's like certain times of theyear like if it was up to me I
would have November, andactually it is up to me.
I have to keep that mindset.
(03:30):
You know that I will have likefrom October 31st to December
31st off.
You know what I'm saying andI've realized I'm like Kara, you
have been blessed.
You kind of work for yourself,you know.
So, just you.
It's the time management thing.
You do it right.
(03:51):
You know, if you manage yourtime right the rest of the year
you can manage to have that time.
Because what happens and latelythe Lord, I think, has just
been trying to teach me to notjust go through my day with all
the tasks and checking off theto-do list and scratching off
the to-do list, but beingmindful of how I feel when I'm
(04:13):
doing something.
And so does that make sense?
Yeah, and so like I could bedoing the most routine thing,
right, and I before I just neverpay any attention to it.
But now I kind of feel likehe's teaching me, you know, like
, how do you feel?
Like, are your shoulderstensing, is your jaw tightening
(04:35):
about it, or something you knowmore along those lines, and
that's just, and I think he'sjust teaching me like this
particular thing is stressful toyou, you know, and what can we
do about it?
Right, because if I keep goingthat way and just keep doing it,
no matter how routine it is,and even though it's something
(04:58):
I've done all the time, probablyfor years or even decades, it
causes stress.
And what does stress do?
It raises your blood pressure,it causes issues, you know, in
your body and things like that.
And so he's just like, okay,well, let's work around this,
let's figure a way around this,you know, because this is
something that, yes, has to bedone, but something about it is
(05:20):
stressing you and I have come tofind out, and he's still
teaching me about this, but withme, a lot of it comes down to I
didn't manage the time.
Well, I'm not managing the timewell.
Because there's no and I havefound out like if I, because it
could be a beautiful day, abeautiful morning, and I'm like,
oh my gosh, I got so much on myplate today.
(05:42):
I could feel my body react.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
Right.
Speaker 1 (05:46):
And they're not bad things.
They may not be bad things,right, right, they could be 100
percent good things.
I could be like volunteeringwith VBS, I could be, you know,
getting ready to do a churchevent or something like that,
but it's and it's not the eventsthat's stressing me out, it's
(06:09):
that I feel like I have so muchto do, right, right, that stress
, you know that, that, as tothat stress, that
overwhelmingness, that as tothat feeling of overwhelmingness
that just kind of stresses youout.
And it's like again in thosetimes, just even though you feel
like boy, I got to get up on myfeet, hit the ground, I'm going
to be running till like 10o'clock tonight.
I just do, do, do, do, do, go,go, go, go, go.
And I think he just kind ofteaches me to stop, take a
(06:31):
breath, focus on the things thatreally have to be done today
and so many other things you canput aside.
And, sherri, you and I havetalked about this before how God
will redeem the time.
And I am a witness to that.
I am a living witness to whereI'm like.
I just don't know how I'm goingto get this done by this
particular date.
And you know what it gets done.
(06:54):
Yep, it gets done.
Speaker 2 (06:56):
Or it finds out that it wasn't necessary and it
didn't need to get done.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
But look, we were getting stressed about it anyway
.
Right, right, right.
You see how the enemy works,it's like, and they're not even
bad things.
It's just that you know with meif I tend to start feeling
overwhelming like, oh my gosh, Igot to get this, I got to get
this, let's get this done.
You know, it's almost likeDolores told me stop, take a nap
, you'll be fine.
I'm like what, right it?
(07:28):
It's like look, stop, take anap or drink a cup of tea, clear
your mind, calm down, you know,and everything else before you
get started.
And doesn't that soundcounterintuitive?
It does it, because ourintuition is like no lord, I
need to boy if I don't get thisdone, and you're right.
Then you realize, if you don'tget it done, you're like oh well
, look, what was I stressingabout it for?
But we put our bodies throughthat and we go through the
motions every day withoutrealizing how we're feeling
(07:49):
about it.
And I'm bringing it up now,during the Christmas season,
because this happens a lot.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
I was just going to say now is the perfect time to
have yes.
Speaker 1 (07:59):
Yes, because it happens a lot during the
holidays.
Sometimes there are people whohave like four or five events to
go to.
You have your families, youhave your spouse's family, you
have an event for the kids atschool, then you have church
events, you know, oh, and thenthere's always the office party
at work, right?
Not to mention.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
All things that you want to do.
Speaker 1 (08:20):
Yes do.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
But yes, and you already are busy and overloaded
enough with your normal stuff totry to add new stuff in during
one of the busiest seasons ofthe year gets super overwhelming
, yes, not to mention theshopping, the, everything else,
and people just tend to get very, very overwhelmed.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
So so I'm glad you brought this up, because during
this season and I've had to kindof, you know, look at my life,
and so, months in advance, I'musually, I'm mentally right and
calendarly, I guess, is the wordI'm looking for, trying my best
to prepare for that time.
Because I realized, when I tryto do all the Christmas stuff
(09:01):
because, like you, I love theChristmas season from you know,
to me it starts October 31st toDecember 31st it's like if I
want more free time during thattime, I can't think about it on
October 25th.
Right, I got to start preparingmy calendar and organizing my
time and organizing my tasks andjobs, and you know things like
(09:22):
that in store being like, okay,just try to be as minimal as
possible, because otherwise I'msuper stressed at a time where
God's like this is a joyousseason and you're not even
joyful because you got so muchon your plate.
And so, with me, by him justteaching me to be more mindful
of the things I'm doing, I'mstarting to see that when I
start to feel like I'm beingoverwhelmed, even with routine
(09:45):
good stuff that I need to stop.
Take a sit back and go okay,something's off.
There's no balance there,because if my body's being
tensed about it, thensomething's off.
Maybe I scheduled too manythings on this day and no rest
time, right, you know or no?
No, breathing time is the way.
I want to put it there's no timeto breathe, to just go outside,
(10:07):
whether it's cold or the sun isshining, take a breath of fresh
air, or go for a five-minutewalk, you know, or something
like that.
So, and with the Christmasseason, it can be hectic.
Fun, lots of fun, lots ofmerriment, but it can be hectic.
Lots of fun, lots of merriment,but it can be hectic.
So, anyway, I just wanted toshare all of that in the hopes
(10:33):
you know that it may helpsomebody to just remember to
breathe.
Speaker 2 (10:35):
You know it's all going to get done, and if it
doesn't, it's all okay.
Like you said, God redeems ourtime when we're doing what he
wants us to do and when we'veasked him into or invited him
into our schedule and said okay,God, it's really your schedule,
Show me what you want me to do.
We get it all done and we canlook back and go wow, that was
(10:56):
like so much more enjoyable andso much less stressful than it's
ever been before.
What changed?
Well, maybe it was more of ourmindset and our attitude that
changed than actually ourschedule.
Speaker 1 (11:08):
Right, because you're not so tense about it anymore.
Right.
You know like you want to enjoy.
Your child got the got to playthe lead role in a Christmas
play and there's been lots ofrehearsals and you want to sit
there and you just want to enjoyit.
But then yet your emails onyour watch just keep clicking
and you're like, oh my gosh,we've got to hurry up.
Can this be over?
You know, because I've got to goand answer these emails.
(11:28):
Well, you can't even enjoy yourchild's event, right?
You know it's their first timegetting to roll in a church play
or the school play, and youknow, for Christmas, and you're
just, you can't even sit backand enjoy it because you're like
, oh, I got to answer this text,oh, I need to go to this email,
oh, I got to answer this phonecall, right.
So it goes back to preparingahead of time, like if your
(11:50):
child has an event that day,like nothing else is getting
done on this day.
Speaker 2 (11:54):
Right Nothing.
Speaker 1 (11:56):
I am scheduling nothing on December 5.
That is a day I'm just going tofocus on my child.
You know, and I'm just assuming, just using that as a day,
right?
And yeah, it's like nothingelse gets done, you know, and
when people say, oh, we got tohave a meeting on this, like
mm-mm can't be there, not goingto attend, not going to do it.
Speaker 2 (12:21):
No, you're not.
Speaker 1 (12:21):
FaceTiming me in or you're not Zooming me in?
Nope, nope, exactly yes,because then you can just sit
back and enjoy, and I think alot of times that's what happens
.
These things are so routine andwe're used to being hectic
during the Christmas season thatwe don't realize the toll it
takes on our body physically,right, not to mention the
moments of joy it steals whenyou're being robbed of that time
when you really just want tofocus on your family, right, and
(12:44):
there's nothing robbed at thattime when you really just want
to focus on your family Right,and there's nothing wrong with
that.
Speaker 2 (12:47):
Like I think that we've gotten to a place in
society where we feel guilty ifwe put our family first and
that's not the way it's supposedto be.
Speaker 1 (12:56):
No, no, right, it's supposed to be the opposite way
around, right?
You're not putting your familyfirst, right?
You know?
You know your child had that,you know, had this ice skating
event and they really, reallywanted you to be there.
But you know you're latebecause you had to take this
meeting.
(13:16):
And then sometimes we have toask ourselves do we have to?
And sometimes, again, it's notsomething you have to, you can
do on the spur of the moment.
I get that, but it's somethingyou have to plan, sometimes
months in advance, and have thatmindset and be like, okay, this
day I'm not going to, thisparticular week in December or
(13:38):
November or whatever, I'm notgoing to do anything.
We do the same thing when wetake vacations, exactly when
we're going to an island orwe're going on a cruise or
something like that.
So why can't we do it aroundthe time where a lot of people
are getting together, people areflying in and everything else
with family?
We do it all the time, you know.
It's just we have to change ourmindset about this.
(14:00):
So I'm sorry, I didn't mean togo on too long about that, but I
just really thought that couldbe so important this time during
the season?
Speaker 2 (14:07):
Oh, absolutely.
Speaker 1 (14:08):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:09):
Absolutely.
I completely agree yeah.
Speaker 1 (14:13):
And right, I was going to say so.
Welcome to the Cheer Up Podcast.
You know, thank you for joiningus and Sherry, go ahead,
because I interrupted you.
Speaker 2 (14:28):
Oh no, actually you're the one that does the
intro, so I start so and then Istop, because I'm like yeah, I
don't really know what to say.
Speaker 1 (14:39):
That's because we got .
You know, we kind of took alittle rabbit trail there, or,
like my sister likes to say, wekind of got lost in the sauce.
But I think it was a goodtasting sauce right.
Speaker 2 (14:50):
I agree.
Speaker 1 (14:53):
It's such an important and relevant topic, I
think just this time of year,because I don't realize we I
think we underestimate thedamage we do to our bodies when
we're not taking the time to bemindful of how we are feeling
when we're doing something andif we're feeling a little tense
or a little stressed, that meanswe need to find a workaround.
Speaker 2 (15:14):
Right.
Speaker 1 (15:14):
Right.
You know we need to take aminute and say, okay, lord, give
me wisdom.
I'm feeling stressed about thissituation, but I got to do it.
You know I need to work forthis person or I need to go to
this meeting or show up at thisjob, but you know, help me.
You know work with my mindsetor help me find a way to where
(15:36):
to be less stressful, because wedon't see the after effects of
that until years later when yougo to the doctor.
Speaker 2 (15:41):
Well, and I have to tell you so I have to share.
I used to what's the right.
Freak out is not the right word.
I used to get so upset and Iused to put myself into a
turmoil when, like, my bosseswould change plans on me, or you
know, like I would.
I was a very.
This is the way it is.
(16:02):
This is my schedule.
Don't change my schedule.
I was a very.
This is the way it is.
This is my schedule.
Don't change my schedule.
I was a very exact person andGod has shown me over the years
when I let go and give it to him.
So like, for instance, one timethis summer I, my husband had
the day off.
It was an unexpected day offand I was like, oh, I did what
you said, tara, I planned myschedule around.
(16:24):
So I had I had a really busyMonday and Tuesday and I had a
semi-busy Thursday and Friday.
So and I did not schedule anyextra meetings on Wednesday
because he happened to have aWednesday off and I'm like, okay
, I can actually spend the daywith him.
This is awesome.
I have my one normal dailymeeting, but other than that,
you know, I'm good to go.
(16:44):
Well, my my boss asked me.
He's like um, so what do youhave planned today?
And I froze and I didn't.
I didn't say, and I know Icould have because he's a
wonderful boss.
I could have said oh, I haveplans with my husband today
because he unexpectedly has theday off but I didn't.
I froze and I'm like, um,nothing.
And I'm like, and so, um, he'slike, okay, well, if I need you,
(17:10):
you know I'll give you a call.
And I'm like, oh, man, but, andit wasn't about him, it was
about I didn't have the courageto, you know, say no, I have
plans today.
Well, he ended up calling melater and we were out for lunch
and he was like oh, you're withyour husband, that's awesome.
He's like, we'll talk tomorrow,so like it's not.
That's a two-point thing, onewhen we give it to god and we
(17:33):
say, okay, god, you know, thisis, this is my desire, this is
what I would really love.
Speaker 1 (17:38):
Like yeah, can I yes?
Speaker 2 (17:40):
absolutely.
My husband wouldn't have beenmad, he wouldn't have been upset
.
We would have, you know, later,had a later lunch, whatever,
whatever.
But that's not the point.
When we give it to God, heworks it out.
I can't tell you how many timesI have stressed out because
I've had a boss unexpectedly say, well, we need to do this, this
(18:01):
, this and this, and I'm like,but I don't have the time to do
this, this, this and this.
I was planning on doing this,this, this and this.
But God always works it out.
When I give my schedule to himahead of time, either my
meetings get canceled, they getrearranged, people don't show up
like something happens, and Iknow it's not just that people
(18:21):
forget.
I think God is in control.
So when we give him like, whenwe give him our desires, when we
say God, it's not that I don'twant to work today, it's not
that I'm trying to be lazy, it'sthat I want to spend time with
my husband.
He honors that.
And when we, when we just?
Sometimes God's answer is no,you need to work today and then
(18:43):
we need to accept that and othertimes, god's answer is nope.
Today you get a free pass andyou get to play, and we need to
thank him for that.
So when we put, when we, whenwe do what you said, when we
plan ahead which I did I had mymeetings Monday, tuesday,
thursday when we plan ahead, godhonors that.
(19:03):
When we plan ahead, god honorsthat when we ultimately give up
control to him, just, you wouldbe amazed at how he works things
out.
Like I have literally sat thereand said, oh my word, lord,
thank you so much.
I can't believe that you mademy schedule so much better than
what I could have done.
So it's a combination of thatplanning ahead and trusting him,
(19:28):
and he always redeems the time,always.
Speaker 1 (19:32):
It does, he redeems the time.
So we're both living witnessesto that and you guys are
probably saying, well, and inthat case, like you said, your
husband would not have beenupset and everything else.
But you know who would havebeen upset you?
Because you would have beenlike, oh Lord, I should have put
my foot down, I should havesaid oh no, I'm so sorry.
You know, can we do it tomorrow?
Can you call me tomorrow,because today I have plans.
(19:53):
You know how we are as wives wekick ourselves right.
We get wife guilt and mom guiltand again it just adds to that
stress to our body that causesus harm down the road.
And I know there's some of youlistening going yeah, Kara, but
it's December, like you couldhave mentioned this, like way
back in June, you know, andeverything would have been fine.
(20:14):
But this is my point.
It's okay, do like Sherrysuggested.
Just be like Lord.
This is how I wish the rest ofthis month could go.
This is how I wish thisparticular day would go, because
my child has this event, myhusband has this party and
everything else, and I want tobe able to sit back and enjoy it
with them.
However, you know, I haven'tscheduled any of this ahead of
(20:36):
time, but just help me, I wantto give it over to you.
If there's a way for me to freethings up to where, you know,
I'm not so stressed about it, mybody's not being so taxed about
it and I could just focus onthe things I love, then, you
know, help it and he will do.
(20:57):
Just sit back, trust andbelieve, trust, relax and
believe and pray about it.
Just pray about it, you know,because it's not too late, and
you'll that one day where youlike oh my goodness, this day is
going to be so full of things.
Like Sherry said, sometimespeople don't show up means get
canceled.
Yeah, weather weather kind ofinto me.
Speaker 2 (21:15):
I have gotten to the point now, kara, that when I
have a boss throw a curveball atme and my first instinct is no,
and my first instinct is no,Just step back, just stop, and
just say okay and then have aconversation with God.
God, you know, I really don'twant to do this.
Speaker 1 (21:32):
God, you know I have plans.
Speaker 2 (21:33):
God, you know I have a deadline in this job that I
have to do, so you help me, youwork it out the way you want,
and then I just sit back and Ihave never, never, been
disappointed.
Sometimes I go through with themeetings that I have to like.
Sometimes God's like okay, youstill need to do this meeting,
(21:54):
but tomorrow you just wait andsee.
You wait and see what yourschedule is going to be like
tomorrow, when you actually havethe creativity and the
brainpower to do what it is thatI want you to do.
I like he is just absolutelyamazing and that fits so well
with the topic that we're goingto talk about today.
Speaker 1 (22:09):
Yes, I was just thinking about that.
It works perfectly when we'retalking about the mustard.
So today's topic for theepisode believe it or not is
we're talking about having thefaith of a mustard seed, and it
kind of just goes parallel towhat we were just talking about
(22:31):
and everything else, andSherry's going to tell us more
about that so I'm really excitedbecause when I so, there's
there's two different referencesin the bible about the mustard
seed and I always thought thatthe parable of the mustard seed
was talking about the faith,like the mustard seed, but it
isn't.
Speaker 2 (22:50):
So there's two different times when god uses
the mustard seed as an examplefor what he wants to talk about.
In the first one, the parableof the mustard seed, that's
talking about um, how thekingdom one.
The parable of the mustard seed, that's talking about how, the
kingdom of God, which we havebeen talking about that for when
we were talking about Paul andSilas, when they were preaching
(23:11):
and expanding the Bible, when wetalked about Barnabas, when we
talked about Tennessee, when wetalked about the early Christian
church and when we were talkingabout.
So anytime that we've beentalking about Paul, we've been
talking about the earlyChristian church.
And so the parable of themustard seed is found in Matthew
(23:32):
13, 31 and 32, mark 4, 30through 32, and Luke 13, 18 and
19.
So it's found in three of thefour gospels and I'm just going
to read it to you.
It sounds very similar in allof them, but I'm just going to
read it to you from Matthew 13,31, and 32.
And it talks about.
(23:55):
So he is in the middle oftelling the crowd multiple
different parables.
So he had talked about just toput it into context, he had
talked about the parable of thesower.
Before this he talked about theparable of the weed.
Then he starts talking aboutthe mustard seed and the yeast.
(24:17):
Then he goes on and he explainsthe parable of the weeds to the
people.
Then he talks about the parableof the hidden treasure and the
pearl, and so that's kind of thecontext around the mustard seed
parable.
And so he says he told themanother parable.
The kingdom of heaven is like amustard seed which a man took
(24:39):
and planted in his field.
So basically what he's talkingabout with the parable of the
(24:59):
mustard seed is he's saying thatthe kingdom of God, so the
believers, the Christians, theearly church Christ followers,
as I like to call myself I don'tlike to call myself a Christian
, I like to call myself a Christfollower, because in my opinion
the word Christian is thrownaround a lot in today's world
but a Christ follower.
You kind of sort of know whatI'm talking about because I'm a
follower of Christ and not justa Christian.
(25:21):
So what he's talking about isthat the kingdom of God, so the
believers, especially.
In the beginning they had smallbeginnings but they would grow
and produce great results.
So, as we could see Jesus whenhe came to earth as a baby,
which is this is a perfect timeto review this, because it's
(25:44):
Christmas time and we were justtalking about the birth of
Christ, and in the next coupleof weeks we're going to be
talking specifically about thebirth of Christ, but next week
we're going to be talking abouthow John the Baptist, elizabeth
was carrying John the Baptist inher womb.
Elizabeth was carrying John theBaptist in her room and John
the Baptist he was a follower ofChrist.
He was also his cousin orsecond cousin.
(26:07):
I always forget how that stuffgoes.
Well, Mary and Elizabeth werecousins, so that would make them
second cousins, right?
Speaker 1 (26:14):
John and Jesus?
I would think so, but let'sjust say cousins, because when
it comes to genealogy, I get itall.
Speaker 2 (26:33):
It's like second, third, fourth, one, once removed
I don't know, 12 disciples.
He had the multitude thatlistened to him and followed him
and the multitude is actuallywho's listening to these
parables right now but he had 12disciples and then he had the
three of his in his inner circle.
So he had 12 disciples thatfollowed him for three and a
half years and studied under himfor three and a half years, but
(26:55):
then he had the select threeunder that, and I say that to
say that is a very smallbeginning.
Well then, after he died androse again, then he said I will
give you a helper, and that wasthe Holy Spirit and the people,
the disciples were supposed towait in a room until the Holy
Spirit appeared.
Well, they did that, and then,once they were filled with the
(27:15):
power of the Holy Spirit, thenthey went out and they started
preaching.
So the parable of the mustardseed, talking about those small
beginnings, but that they wouldthen become great.
And that is exactly what hashappened.
Christianity has reached, Idon't want to say, every single
country and every single tribeand every single city, but it is
(27:35):
being spread throughout theentire world, and we can say
that it is throughout the entireworld.
Like I said, maybe not everysingle spot, but it is
definitely well spread.
So that's what the parable ofthe mustard seed is talking
about, but I really want tofocus today on faith like a
mustard seed, and that's foundin Matthew 17, 20, and also in
(28:00):
Luke 17, 5 and 6.
So in Matthew 17, 20, we readand they're very, you know,
that's.
The other thing that I love isthat sometimes God can give a
powerful punch in the Bible withjust one or two sentences.
He doesn't have to have longchapters or multiple chapters in
(28:22):
order to get his point across.
You know, I talk a lot.
God does not like when God hassomething, he says it and he's
done, and he's like I don't needto repeat myself, like you
heard me the first time.
You're either going to do it oryou're not going to do it me.
I'm like no wonder my kidsignore me, or because they're
(28:47):
like oh, she hasn't reached thatlevel yet where she's even
remotely mad, or oh, she'll keeptelling us oh, it's not my kids
have been.
Don't get me wrong, I'm notkissing my children.
Speaker 1 (28:59):
They're just being teenagers or young adults,
because that's what they do.
Right, go ahead.
Speaker 2 (29:04):
I need to be more like Jesus, do it and then walk
away.
Did you not hear me the?
Speaker 1 (29:10):
first time.
Speaker 2 (29:11):
But I didn't think Jesus would say that he would
just say I said do it?
Yeah, anyway, sorry I'm on atangent so Matthew 1720.
But I just love how he.
He just says what he means andhe means what he says and he
doesn't need to repeat himself.
So Matthew 1720, it says sohe's talking to the disciples,
(29:33):
and the disciples Again, to giveyou the context, well, I'll
just read it because it's reallyreally short.
So when they came to the crowdso this was the disciples a man
approached Jesus and kneltbefore him.
Lord, have mercy on my son.
He said.
He had seizures and issuffering greatly.
He often falls into the fire orinto the water.
(29:55):
I brought him to your disciplesbut they could not heal him.
Oh, unbelieving and perversegeneration.
Jesus replied how long shall Istay with you?
How long shall I put up withyou?
Bring the boy here to me.
And when Jesus says that, Idon't think that he's got like
the sarcasm that we do I thinkhe really truly just has a
tender heart towards this childand towards the father who is
(30:19):
being tormented because his boyis tormented.
Jesus rebuked the demon and itcame out of the boy and he was
healed from that moment.
Then the disciples came to Jesusin private and asked why
couldn't we drive it out?
He replied because you have solittle faith.
I tell you the truth, if youhave faith as small as a mustard
seed, you can say to thismountain move from here to there
(30:42):
and it will move.
Nothing will be impossible foryou.
And then they came together ingalilee.
He said to them and then he hewas then predicting his death,
um on the cross.
And the disciples were filledwith grief.
And then in luke 17, 5 through 6, it says oh, this is when they
(31:06):
were talking about forgivingpeople of their sins.
And so the apostle said to theLord increase our faith, meaning
, help us learn how to forgivemore.
Learn how to forgive more.
Because he said, if a man sinsagainst you seven times in a day
and seven times comes back toyou and says I repent, you need
(31:27):
to forgive him.
You need to forgive people 70times seven.
And the apostle said increaseour faith.
And Jesus replied if you havefaith as small as a mustard seed
, you can say to this mulberrytree, be uprooted and plant in
the sea and it will obey you.
So, as I was reading throughthat, I have a study Bible and
the notes in the study Bible Iwanted to read today because I
(31:48):
thought that it explained it sowell and it did a much better
job and it would be a greatstarting point for our
discussion today.
So this is the study notes forthe Luke 17, 5 through 6 passage
that I just read.
It says the disciples' requestwas genuine.
They wanted the faith necessaryfor such radical forgiveness,
(32:11):
but Jesus didn't directly answertheir question, because the
amount of faith is not asimportant as its genuineness.
What is faith?
It is total dependence on Godand a willingness to do his will
.
Faith is not something we useto put on a show for others.
It is complete and humbleobedience to God's will,
readiness to do whatever hecalls us to do.
(32:34):
The amount of faith isn't asimportant as the right time to
faith faith in our all-powerfulGod.
A mustard seed is small, but itis alive and growing.
Like a tiny seed, a smallamount of genuine faith in God
will take root and grow.
Almost invisible at first, theseed will begin to spread, first
underground and then visibly.
(32:54):
Although each change will begradual and imperceptible, soon
this faith will have producedmajor results that will uproot
and destroy competing loyalties.
We don't need more faith.
A tiny seed of faith is enoughif it's alive and growing and
I'm going to add to that and ifit's genuine.
It kind of goes back to what wewere talking about earlier this
(33:15):
year, tara, when we weretalking about that book and I
was telling you I wanted to belike Sarah in that Robert
Whitlow book where she wassaying that knowledge from God,
like things that God downloadsto us, or teaches us the lessons
that he teaches us.
They need to germinate like aseed before we share them with
(33:41):
others to make sure that we areunderstanding completely the
lesson that God wants us tolearn from it, because until we
understand it we can't reallyexplain it to others.
And so it's kind of like thegenuine faith, like I love how
God used well, I love how heuses nature to explain what he's
(34:01):
talking about number onebecause nature just speaks to me
Like if I am a country girlthrough and through.
I am not a city person.
No offense to the city, thereare beautiful things about
cities, but I am a country girlat heart and so I love that.
He uses farming and seeds andplants and trees and all kinds
(34:23):
of things like that and animals.
Speaker 1 (34:26):
Look at the ants, he says, Look at the eagle.
You know he mentions the birds,I mean it goes on and on and on
, yeah, and the flowers, oh, yes, right, right, look at the
lilies of the field.
Speaker 2 (34:37):
Yes, right, I love how he uses all of nature to
describe what he's talking about, but it's so, very true.
So faith, if it's genuine,doesn't need to be big at first.
All God cares about and I thinkwe have talked about this over
and over and over again but wecan never talk about it enough.
(35:00):
All God cares about is our heart.
When we have a pure heart andby pure I mean a genuine heart
coming to Him, like we're nottrying to impress anybody or
we're not trying to, you know,be popular or whatever, we're
not trying to just say stuff,that's what honors God, that's
(35:23):
what pleases God.
We don't have to have it alltogether.
In fact, one of my bosses, whoI respect so highly I love how
he says God is a God of prayer.
He loves when we pray.
He loves to hear us pray and wedon't have to do it.
Perfect, we don't.
It's not the word, it's ourheart behind the prayer.
(35:43):
So when we, he just wants totalk to us.
He just wants us to talk to him.
And so faith is the same thing.
Like God doesn't expect us I amso glad to, but God doesn't
expect us to have the faith of a70 year old who's been walking
with God since he was six.
When we're 20 and we justprayed the prayer yesterday but
(36:07):
God's not asking us to have itall together.
God's not asking us.
I mean, I know I keepinterrupting myself, but like
there's so like that.
There's just so many things Ilove about having a relationship
with him.
Is it easy?
No, is he going to stretch us?
Yes, but he stretches usbecause he wants us to depend on
(36:30):
him.
He wants us to come to him.
He doesn't want us to have the.
It's all on me, it's all on myshoulders.
And that goes back to what wewere talking about earlier this
morning about the.
We won't get everything donefor Christmas.
Like God doesn't expect us todo it in our own strength.
God doesn't want us to do it inour own strength.
(36:51):
He wants us to depend on him,and it starts with faith.
Do we trust that God will comethrough?
Do we trust that he cares aboutthe big things and the little
things and the everything inbetween?
And if we don't trust, why not?
There are so many times in theChristian life where God is like
(37:15):
test me on this.
Like this is my promise in theBible I will never leave you or
forsake you.
You don't have to worry orwonder.
It's in there.
If I said it, I knew it, justlike we talked about a couple of
minutes earlier.
He, he doesn't.
He doesn't just keep talkingfor the sake of talking.
(37:37):
He talks when he needs to talkand he doesn't repeat himself.
If he doesn't have to Like, ifhe said it, it's going to happen
.
Like we don't have to convincehim, we don't have to beg him.
If he said it, he'll do it.
That's how thankful our God is.
If he says he's going to bewith us, he's going to be with
us.
If he says that you know, whenwe walk through the valley he'll
(38:00):
be there.
When we walk through the river,we won't drown.
When we walk through the fire,we won't be burned.
If God's said it, then he meansit.
So what is faith to you, tara?
Speaker 1 (38:15):
Like, what does that passage say to you?
Several, several things,actually, and I love the study
Bible, your study Biblecommentary on it.
It talks about genuineness andhow it grows underground Excuse
me, the roots develop first,right, and almost anything and
everything that grows from yourhouseplants to you know, as far
(38:37):
as it goes, with things likethat, with nature, trees in your
backyard, whatever, they allhave roots.
Some of those roots go deeperthan others.
Right, some things you can pullout really quickly and easy.
Other ones you have to dig out,you know, because the roots go
so deep.
And as you were reading thatpassage about faith, and it says
(38:57):
as it grows and I love how hetalked about the genuineness of
it and I think that's importantis that once you plant it, once
the seed is planted, how itgrows.
You were talking about how wemay not someone who just
received Christ yesterday maynot have the same faith as
(39:17):
someone you know who's beendoing it 70 years.
But I think we also have toremember that you could be 20
years old and you just foundChrist.
Right, you may meet someoneelse who's the same age as you
and they may have just metChrist too, but your life
(39:38):
compared to that, 20-year-old'slife could be completely
different, right, because fromthe day they were born they were
fighting adversity, they werefighting trials, they had to
survive for their life.
They may have went from fosterhome to foster home, may have
dealt with addiction, and all ofthis before 20.
And so they're looking back andlike, wow, god just really saw
(40:02):
me through all of that.
You know, I was suicidal, I wasdepressed and everything else.
And so their faith may be justa little bit deeper, even though
you're the same age, because ofeverything their life
experience, their Christianjourney has just been so
harrowing that they had to clingon to Jesus for such a very, at
(40:23):
a very early age.
Right, and even, or even ifthey didn't acknowledge it back
then, when they do, you know,hear that faith, hear about God,
they're like God was there thewhole time.
That's how I was able to escapethat massacre, that's how, you
know, I was, you know, able towake up after I took all those
pills, you know.
(40:44):
And so sometimes our lifeexperiences and our Christian
journey helps our growth, andsometimes we're not even aware
of it, and because sometimes wego through these trials, these
fiery trials and these fierydarts are just being shot at us
and we're like, you know, oh,woe is me.
But in reality, you know, it'snot for us, it's for what we can
(41:08):
do to other people.
The things we go throughsometimes are not about us.
It's about how God's going touse it to help other people.
And so many people have awesometestimonies and when you sit
there and you listen to them andyou're 30 years old and they're
30 years old and they'retelling you everything that they
have been through, right, andthe things that they have seen
(41:29):
and witnessed and heard and hadto been through, and you're just
like, oh, my word, you know,it's just such a difference.
So I think our life experiencesand the things that we go
through in life has a lot to dowith the roots of our faith at a
particular certain age.
Right, same age, different lifeexperiences, different
(41:52):
encounters with God and thingslike this.
I believe a lot of times ourlife experiences and I really
want to say Christian journeysjust have a lot to do with how
deep our faith is at a certainage.
But that's not always the case,because then there are those
(42:13):
you have like five, six, seven,eight-year-olds, and they have
just the most sweetest, the mostloveliest faith.
It's like you can't tell themGod can't do anything.
You tell them to pray for theirfriend.
They expect for their friend tobe healed, and it's that
childlike faith that's alsomentioned in those scriptures,
right, sherry?
Not in most of the scriptures,but in the scriptures
(42:36):
surrounding it.
Right, right, right, yeah, youknow in the scriptures the gosp,
right, right, yeah, you know inthe scriptures, the gospels, I
should say, and yeah, it's likeyou know, as, like a child, just
come.
And it's like you can't tellthem there is just so sweet and
so lovely.
And you're just looking at thembecause life has painted our
faith a little bit Like, well,sweetheart, it's just not that
(42:57):
easy.
And they're just like no,fluffy, like if you're praying
for an animal, and they're like,oh, no, fluffy's going to be
fine, they're going to walkagain.
You just wait and see, mom, weprayed about it.
And to them, it's that simple,exactly To them, it's that
simple.
There is no questioning, right.
Speaker 2 (43:31):
And everything else.
As you get a little bit older,you realize, okay, it may not be
?
Speaker 1 (43:33):
um, it seems like it's not that simple, but in
reality isn't it?
You're right.
You're right, isn't it?
You know because and it's likethat mustard seed right.
It's like in our mind, wherethe child doesn't know that
bones don't necessarily healovernight.
Let's just say the dog brokehis leg or something that you
know.
Bones don't necessarily healovernight.
There's just going to, he'sgoing to have multiple doctor
visits, there's the possibilityof a surgery needed, you know,
and you know the muscles aroundit, you know, are inflamed and
(43:55):
they've been, you know, messedup too.
So we see all of that.
But the kids don't see thatright, they don't know all that
because they don't know thatstuff even exists, that those
possibilities even exist.
And sometimes I'm like, well,maybe they shouldn't exist with
us either.
Maybe it is just that simple.
(44:17):
You know, there's a reality ofthere's a lot that goes into a
healing of someone's leg beforethey could walk right.
There's a lot that goes intothere.
But maybe we shouldn't worryabout all of that.
Maybe we should just pray andleave it in God's hand and trust
, just like a child does.
Just like a child does.
Speaker 2 (44:37):
And that goes back again to my example, and it's a
silly example compared tosomebody walking or somebody
living.
But that goes back to myexample with my schedule, when I
throw not throw my hands up,when I trust God and I say okay.
Speaker 1 (44:53):
Surrender in a way, yeah.
Speaker 2 (44:55):
Yeah, when I surrender and I say, god, this
is what it looks like myschedule needs to be, but you
know what I ultimately need andwhat I don't need, and then put
my hands up and say, okay, so it.
What throws the wrench in ourfaith as older people, not as
(45:24):
children, not with thatinnocence of childhood.
But we're like, okay, but it'swhatever ends up being God's
will.
Well, I think kids say that too, but I think they say it
differently.
I think kids are like, yeah,whatever my daddy meaning God,
whatever my daddy wants, that'swhat's going to happen, and
they're okay with that.
And we put the pious stuff onthere.
(45:45):
We're like, if it's God's will,then he will heal, so-and-so,
instead of just saying you knowwhat God, I trust you.
I trust you, whatever you wantdone, if you want to heal him
here or if you want to heal themin heaven, or yeah, in heaven.
(46:06):
You know it's going to hurt andit's going to sting bad, but I
also know that you're going tobe right there with us.
So, god, your will like whatyou want.
I trust you.
I trust you and and it's god'sultimate decision if he's going
to have a miracle and like amiracle healing or a miracle
testimony here on earth, or ifhe's going to have the miracle,
be that the person went toheaven.
(46:27):
I had.
I had a very wise young adulttell me just this week God is
going to use whatever outcome hechooses for his glory, and my
faith has grown stronger, andthis is the young person talking
.
I just don't worry about thingslike that, because with
(46:48):
everything that I've beenthrough and everything that God
has brought me through, then ifhe has an untimely death for me,
or if he has, you know, if it'spart of his plan that I have to
go through a horrific death ora horrific challenge or a
horrific whatever, all I know isthat he will use it for his
(47:08):
good and his glory.
It will be used for him and I'mlike, wow, like praise the Lord
, isn't that the truth?
Yeah, I mean that's humbling,isn't that the truth?
Yeah, I mean that's humbling.
I, for someone who wants to havethat kind of faith and someone
who who wants to to live herlife that way, I struggle, and I
(47:29):
struggle because I'm a parent.
Someday I'll be a grandparent,hopefully, god willing, you know
I.
I struggle with that becauseI'm like but God, like that
would really hurt.
Like God, I don't want to losesomebody tragically that way.
But, yet if that is his plan,then ultimately his glory will
(47:52):
be will be used, used his itwill be used for that incident,
not that, not that the incidentitself is praiseworthy, but he
will use it for his glory, thatmuch I will.
Speaker 1 (48:14):
That much I have.
And God is so good because Ithink when you're a young person
and you realize that because ofthat type of faith, then you're
just realizing because, see,what the enemy, the biggest
thing that the enemy can holdover Christians and
non-Christians, believers andnon-believers, is death, is
death, it's that big, black,ugly shadow that's, you know,
(48:36):
just threatening at every corner, every turn, you know, and
everything else.
But, as Christians, if we havethat young person's wisdom and
be like you know, whatever, asin God, if this is the way, if
this is the way it meant to be,if this is the way you have it
designed, if this is the way youhave it all planned out, so be
it, because we're trusting inGod, our Father, and besides, we
(49:03):
already know those of us whoare Christians, christ followers
and believers, like you werementioning.
We already know death has nosting anymore.
Right, jesus took care of thaton the cross.
We don't have to fear it, butthe enemy still uses it like
this big hovering thing alwaysaround us, you know, and
(49:25):
everything else, but it has nosting.
We already have the victory.
We may suffer a physical death,but not an eternal one, and that
is the one that's important andthat is why, as Christians and
we just don't need to fear itthe way the enemy makes it,
fearing it right, like, ah, youknow, and everything else Are we
(49:46):
supposed to be wise?
Yes, are we supposed to gorunning towards death?
Absolutely not, okay, you know.
We don't have to go running offa cliff and fall 600 feet, you
know.
But it's like, and God can usethat 600 feet, you know.
But it's like, and God can usethat.
He will use it, you know, andhis he will be glorified in it,
(50:10):
you know, and it's just like hecan use anything.
And that's what I'm saying.
It's like sometimes, you know,once you realize that it has
been defeated, that, yes, we maysuffer physical death, it may
even be a one that we wouldprefer not to have been involved
in, but God is God, he knowsour end from the beginning, and
all we could do is just, likethat young person say is you
(50:31):
know what, god?
If this is the way it'ssupposed to be, then I know it's
for a reason, and I think a lotof times we just have to take
that and just use it.
That's faith, that's faith in aGod that you know, that has
never let you down.
That has seen you throughanything and everything that you
thought there was no way outright Mentally, physically,
(50:53):
spiritually, you know, andeverything else.
And I think I just heard someonetell me, I think the other day
or something, about how therewas like a car accident or
something.
It was like on a busy highway,they were involved in a car
accident and it was like on abusy highway and everything else
.
But then if they had toimmediately to avoid crashing
(51:14):
into like a semi-truck orsomething like that, they
immediately, without even reallyhaving to check behind them,
veer over, I think, into theright lane and they're just like
when that happened, it was likeno cars were around, like
where'd the traffic go?
Right, you know, god is so good, you know and everything else,
so he will make a way.
He knows our timing.
So and there's a lot of thingsthat sometimes we just need to
(51:37):
leave up to God None of us knowour expiration date, you know,
or, as Christ followers, asbelievers, none of us know our
graduation date.
I should say.
Speaker 2 (51:46):
Amen, I love that.
Speaker 1 (51:49):
No one knows.
We don't know our graduationdate, when he's going to promote
us, when we go from just thisphysical life to the eternal one
, you know.
But that's okay, he knows, andall we have to do is just keep
our faith in Him.
That's all I wanted to add,sherri.
Speaker 2 (52:06):
Oh, I think that that's the perfect way to end it
today is that God wants ourhearts.
God wants our.
He just he wants us to come tohim genuinely.
He wants us to come to him withno pretense.
He wants us to come to himhonestly started my genuine
(52:43):
journey with Christ, or my deep,deepened journey with Christ.
I don't want to say genuine,because I truly, when I was six
years old, I came to God with agenuine heart and I asked him
into my life back at six, but Ididn't know exactly what I was
doing Like, I didn't know whatit meant to be a Christ follower
.
I just knew that I wanted Jesusto be in charge of my life.
Back then, and I remember, in2007, I was at a Bible study and
(53:10):
I've shared this before, so I'mnot going to share the whole
thing, but I remember the Biblestudy was talking about trusting
God and I said to him I'm likeGod, I just don't think I trust
you.
And then I flinched because I'mlike he's going to strike me
with a thunderbolt, like he'sgoing to be so angry with me.
I grew up believing with afalse belief that God was
(53:32):
waiting to get me, like he wasthis judgmental judge, this
angry judge up in heaven.
Judgmental judge, this angryjudge up in heaven, just waiting
to blast me, just waiting untilI did something wrong so he
could punish me.
And I don't know how that cameabout.
I don't know why that cameabout, but I'm so grateful that
for that Bible study and hewould have used something else
(53:54):
instead of the Bible study.
I know because God loves us somuch and he didn't want me
believing that about him mywhole entire life.
But it started the journeybecause I said to God, just
honestly and with a sincereheart.
I said God, I don't trust youand I'm scared to trust you, but
I want to trust you.
So help me to trust you.
(54:15):
And it started a long, long,long journey with him and that's
what he wants from us.
The reason I bring that up isbecause I just want to encourage
you today.
God just wants our honesty.
He wants us to.
He already knows what we'refeeling and what we're thinking
inside, so it's not like it's asurprise to him, but he wants us
(54:36):
to be honest with him.
Are you angry with God?
Has something happened in yourlife that you think that God
caused it?
Ask him about it.
He will answer you and he willtell you the truth.
He will show you what the truthis from the lies, but you have
to ask him, you have to startthat conversation.
I used to be scared to death ofwinter driving, and I finally
(54:59):
got up the courage to say, god,am I believing some lie in my
life, like why am I so petrifiedof winter driving?
And he showed me the lie that Iwas believing, and it changed
my whole perspective.
It changed everything, and I'mnot petrified of winter driving
(55:20):
anymore.
Do I like driving in blizzards?
No, but I don't know too manypeople that do.
Maybe Tom Cruise, because he'slike one of those people who
loves action and adventure, butnobody that I know of says, oh,
can I drive in a blizzard today?
But, but I'm not scared todeath anymore.
Like, god just wants our hearts,and he wants us to.
(55:42):
He just wants us to be honestwith him.
He wants us to come to himwhere we are, and then he will
help take us where he wants usto be.
One of the first steps to that,though, is knowing if our
hearts are right with God.
Do you know, if you were to dietoday, where you would go?
(56:03):
Do you know for sure that youwould go to heaven and spend
eternity with jesus, or do youknow, or, or do you have
questions?
would I go to heaven or would Igo to hell?
I don't really know.
I'm not Well today.
You can know for sure.
Romans 10, 9 tells us that ifwe believe in our hearts, if we
(56:24):
confess with our mouth andbelieve in our hearts that Jesus
is Lord, god says we will besaved.
That is a promise, that is acertainty.
But we have to actually confesswith our mouth and believe in
our hearts.
But we have to actually confesswith our mouth and believe in
our hearts.
And if that is something thatyou want to do, then I want to
give you that opportunity orcare, and I want to give you
(56:47):
that opportunity this morning.
So if that is you and you wantto be sure of where you're going
to go when you die, then youcan repeat this prayer with me
oh Heavenly Father, I come toyou in Jesus' name.
I believe you died on the crossand that you rose again and
you're seated on the throne.
Jesus, forgive me for all thatI have done wrong and I choose
(57:13):
to forgive all others.
Come into my life today andforever.
I am yours In Jesus' name, amen.
If you prayed that prayer withus right now, then I just want
to say welcome to the family,and that is the first step.
God wants you to be honest withhim.
God wants you to be genuine.
So start that conversation withhim.
(57:34):
Say God, this is where I'm atGod, this is where my faith
level is at.
These are my fears.
This is where I'm at God, thisis where my faith level is at.
These are my fears, this iswhat I'm afraid of.
This is what the enemy istelling me.
And I want to change.
I want to have more faith.
I want to have, just like thedisciples said to Jesus increase
my faith, increase our faith.
God will do that.
(57:55):
He hears those prayers, thosegenuine prayers, and he answers
them.
Do that.
He hears those prayers, thosegenuine prayers, and he answers
them.
And I am so excited because Iknow that when I pray those
prayers, god works and he movesand things change in my life for
the better.
And I want that, kara and Iboth want that for you.
Our verse for the podcast isJohn 16, 33.
(58:16):
Jesus says these things I havespoken to you that in me you may
have peace In the world.
You will have tribulation, butbe of good cheer, I have
overcome the world.
We can have that faith and aswe grow in that faith, it gives
us peace and as we grow in thatpeace, it gives us joy, that
abundant joy that God gives usand he tells us about in the
(58:38):
Bible.
If you want to know more aboutcare, well, actually, first, if
you prayed that prayer, we wouldlove it.
If you would let us know so youcan email us at cheeruppodcast
at gmailcom, or you can leteveryone know in the community
on Facebook, in the Cheer UpPodcast community group, we
(59:01):
would love to celebrate with youand we can't do that unless you
tell us.
So we look forward to hearingfrom you.
If you also need prayer orencouragement, feel free to
reach out and email us again atcheeruppodcast at gmailcom.
We love talking to ourlisteners, we love interacting
with you.
Um, and it's just one more waythat that we can, um, if you
(59:28):
want to check out all the thingsthat Kara has going on on her
website, um, head on over toKaraRHuntcom and you can talk,
or you can see the um Habakkukseries that she has.
It starts with paper dolls.
That's the first one.
Then there's Tite, priscilla,lydia and Eve, and then Mary and
(59:49):
Jan is coming out as well.
So those are.
They're not quite out yet, butthey will be.
And um, if you want to check outmy fiction series, you can head
over to sherryplowellcom uh,it's a redemption of green pine.
And um, I also have somenon-fiction devotionals and
(01:00:11):
bible studies, if you want tocheck out those.
Um.
And I also have a membership, amonthly membership, to help you
grow your relationship with God, and we are building a
community over there as well asindividually growing our
relationship with Jesus Christ.
So that is Jesus in theeveryday, and you can find that
(01:00:33):
information about that on mywebsite as well.
I am just.
I have really really enjoyedtoday's topic about faith and
about increasing our faith andabout just.
You know, the one thing that weforgot to talk about when we
were talking about faith, kara,was that God is the God of
(01:00:54):
miracles, and not just in theBible, but everyday miracles in
our lives as well.
And when we have faith and wecome to him and we say God, work
a miracle in our life, he does,and we get to be a part of that
and it is just so incredible.
So if you have a miracle inyour life that God has done,
(01:01:16):
share that with us as well, andevery time, people share their
miracles or share theirexperiences with God.
It increases other people'sfaith also their testimony.
Speaker 1 (01:01:29):
It's a testimony.
Speaker 2 (01:01:29):
Yes, exactly so.
It goes back to exactly whatyou were saying that God will
use whatever circumstances forhis good and for his glory, and
there's nothing that I love morethan him doing exactly that is
(01:01:50):
his glory being shown, his glorybeing spread to others, and we
just get to either be front andcenter, because he's doing it in
our lives as a testimony forothers, or we get to be in the
sidelines watching, praising andthanking God while he's doing
it in other people's lives,because when you're a part, when
(01:02:13):
you're a believer, you're partof a big community, and when one
rejoices, the others rejoice.
When one is sad, the other issad and just I don't know.
There's just so much I couldkeep talking about, but I'm
going to.
I'm going to wrap it up,because next week we're going to
talk about Mary and Elizabethand John the Baptist and
(01:02:35):
Elizabeth's husband, who I amnot thinking of his name right
now.
All I can think of is Jeremiah,and I know that's wrong, but
we'll have it right next week.
I'm drawing a blank, like Iknow that's Zach.
Wait, is it Zachariah?
I believe it is.
I believe it is.
So thank you, god for remindingme that it's Zachariah and not
(01:02:58):
Jeremiah.
I don't know where I connectedthat, but I knew that was wrong,
so have a great rest of yourweek.
I will stop talking before Ijust keep mumbling, and we are
excited for another episode nextweek for you to join us, so
have a great day.
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