December 18, 2024 • 37 mins
Amelia Walden's journey is one of profound transformation and unexpected paths. What if a personal identity crisis could spark a creative revolution in your life? Amelia, the author of "From You to Gentile," shares how her shift from a religious upbringing to a vibrant relationship with God redefined her purpose and led her to write a compelling book. In our conversation, Amelia opens up about her passion for impacting lives through introducing people to Christ. She also shares the lasting influences of her father and a wise worship leader named Tabby, who taught her the art of "being a duck" amidst life's inevitable storms.
Explore how Amelia navigated her spiritual journey through the complexities of a mixed-religion household. From the rituals of Catholicism to a time of detachment from religion, her spiritual path took a pivotal turn in 2020, finding a new home in Christianity. Her father's gentle encouragement and her exploration of scripture, particularly the book of Ephesians, played crucial roles in reconciling her family's diverse beliefs. Amelia's story highlights her transition from viewing religion as mere ritual to embracing a dynamic and personal relationship with God, demonstrating the transformative influence of community and scripture.
A seemingly accidental meeting became a cornerstone of Amelia's faith and personal growth. She recounts her initial embarrassment at joining a worship team meeting by mistake, which serendipitously ignited her interest in music and led her to audition for the team. These experiences, which Amelia terms "Gig Breaks," reveal the divine interventions that connect the scattered pieces of our lives. Through these stories, Amelia encourages us to recognize and appreciate the subtle and profound presence of God in our daily experiences, inviting us to deepen our faith and embrace the transformative power of the gospel.
Amelia's Book Link, on Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/stores/Amelia-L.-Walden/author/B0D3YZ9QVJ?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1734485216&sr=1-1&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true
Amelia's Website.
https://fromjtog.com/?fbclid=IwY2xjawHPBhhleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHcFv0ii8xG4NxSAUlLgX3MIgvyPS5SFcKO7nSJHHakTZau0Li4Rag0mYzw_aem_M6eAeUY-_t2LdO7FExhvZg
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hello everyone, thanks again for joining me on
another episode of the Dorsure'sShow.
Today we have a special guestwith us.
Her name is Amelia Walden andshe is the author of the new
book From you to Gentile, and itis a transformation from
religion to relationship Listento Relationship.
(00:22):
She lives in a small town innorthwest Missouri with her
husband Ronnie and her daughterLena.
She lives a pretty nifty littlenormal life, except that at the
end of the summer of 2023, shehad an after after an identity
(00:46):
crisis.
God gave her the mission puzzlepiece to his calling on her
life and it was my book.
It was completely unexpectedand she absolutely was shocked
upon the delivery that she hadnever dreamed to write a book.
She is a contract auditor with asocial psychology degree.
(01:06):
Shocked upon delivery that shehad never dreamed to write a
book.
She is a contract auditor witha social psychology degree, no
English major.
However, she strives to lead alife filled with English love
and laughter, graciously walkingwith those around me to show
how her life lived with the Lordis well lived.
(01:27):
She loves discussing andsharing the transformative power
of God's love and hope.
I hope you enjoy reading andlistening to the new book and
audio book Amelia.
Thank you so much for coming onthe show today.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
Thank you so much for having me, Dorsey.
I'm excited to be here.
Speaker 1 (01:52):
Absolutely.
One of my things that I do inthe beginning is always ask my
guests an icebreaker question,and today's icebreaker question
is what is your biggest passion?
Speaker 2 (02:09):
My biggest, what, I'm sorry Passion, my biggest
passion, oh man, well, I mean myfamily, but I really, I have to
say, as far as passion,changing people's lives for God,
(02:31):
I think reaching people'shearts, that is my ultimate
mission.
I feel like that is what hasbeen laid on my heart.
That is what I strive to do isto change people's lives for
Christ, or to introduce them toChrist so he is able to change
their lives.
It's not me, it's him.
You know, and I think that'syeah, that's my passion is
(02:56):
really watching people's livestransform through knowing and
finding Christ's love.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
Yeah, who is the most influential?
Speaker 2 (03:14):
person in your life and how did they impact you?
Wow, Most influential person inmy life.
Well, okay, so that's a twofoldquestion, I think.
So I would first have to say myfather.
(03:46):
I had a very close relationshipwith him.
He passed away about 10 yearsago very suddenly from cancer,
but he was the one that broughtme to church when I was younger.
He was the one that set thefoundation albeit it was a
Catholic foundation, which isnot the faith that I follow
today but it set the foundationfor me to know that I could go
to God, that there was a God,and so I think that was
extremely influential in my lifeand just the man that he was.
I strive every day to be asgood as him.
He was just a wonderful person,loved laughing, just you know,
oh man, such a great guy, and soI think he was extremely
(04:10):
formative in my life.
But as far as ministry, themost influential person in my
life has been the previousworship leader that I had, so my
husband's in the military.
We move a lot.
We're in Missouri right now,but we were back in Texas a
couple of years ago and that isthe church where I found God
(04:32):
again, and the worship leader atthat church.
Her name is Tabby.
She has been instrumental in mefinding God, finding faith,
just a woman of God that I couldlean on, that I could talk to,
about anything.
She has these things that Icall tabbyisms.
You know, she told me once tobe a duck.
(04:52):
And I was really confused and Iwas, you know.
I had told her that I waswriting the book and she said
you know, if you get into anytype of ministry, Amelia, you
have to know how to be a duck,or you have to learn how to be a
duck.
And I was, you know, obviouslyconfused with the statement.
And so I asked her to clarify.
And she said ducks will sit inthe middle of a pond and rain
(05:18):
will fall, storms will come, andthey will sit and let it all
come down around them and theywill be completely unfazed, Be a
duck.
And I just thought that was soprofound.
She had so many more that justtouched me throughout my life
and I think she has just reallytransformed me.
She is the hands and feet ofJesus.
Watching her do.
Ministry has given me anexample to follow how to treat
people, how to love people well,how to guide them to Christ.
(05:42):
I just yeah, I'm very thankfulfor having them.
Speaker 1 (05:46):
Now, growing up, you had, you know, both parents.
One was Jewish, one wasCatholic, as you just said.
Tell us about that upliftingand how did that affect you?
Speaker 2 (06:00):
Yeah, so my mother was, or we got more of the
cultural side and it was fromher parents.
So our grandparents, reallythey brought the Jewish side to
our family.
My mother didn't go to temple,at least not that I ever saw.
I think she did when she waslittle, but you know that wasn't
(06:20):
anything that I saw.
You know that wasn't anythingthat I saw.
And then the Catholic side wasdefinitely more pronounced in my
life.
So my father was a very devoutCatholic.
He would go to mass everysingle week, if not multiple
times a week, before work.
He would go to mass all thetime, very devout in his faith.
(06:42):
And I went to Catholic highschool and so that was more of
the religion that I grew up with.
But I absolutely got theculture of Judaism and I say,
you know, it's sort of funny.
I got the culture part from myJewish grandparents who would
come and celebrate Hanukkahduring Christmas time, it's like
(07:02):
.
So they would come to celebrateChristmas with us but then they
would do all of the Hanukkahtraditions while they were there
with us, and so it just it.
Yeah, it's sort of blended, butI always think that's sort of
funny.
Speaker 1 (07:17):
And how did you come about to find your faith now, to
find the faith that you'refollowing now?
Speaker 2 (07:27):
Yeah, so my faith that I have now and I'm sorry I
guess I didn't really answeryour last question how did that
sort of shape me?
The Catholic side taught me therituals and what I was supposed
to do in church, the prayers Iwas supposed to say.
It taught me the basis doctrine.
(07:49):
But what was modeled for me outof the church, through the
people you know, the parentsthat I interacted with, from you
know, friends at the CatholicHigh School, or just what I saw
going to Catholic High School,going to mass?
It was very ceremonial and soyou know that is what I got from
it.
(08:09):
I got that.
You know this is what we wereto do.
It was a box to check.
It wasn't a relationship and itwasn't a walk with God.
Now, I know all Catholics don'tbelieve that.
I know many Catholics that youknow they obviously have a very
deep relationship with the Lord.
But that is what I was taughtand so after high school I
(08:33):
really fell away from God.
I didn't see any point in goingto church.
I just, you know everyonealways told me I was such a
sinner, I was so bad, and youknow I just I didn't find the
benefit or the allure to it, andso I walked away from God for a
(08:53):
very long time, until 2020,when I walked back into a church
and the sermon just hit me.
It was emotional.
I think every sermon for thefirst couple of weeks that I
went it felt like the preacherwas speaking directly to me,
like it was a message that I wassupposed to hear, and I will
(09:16):
never forget the pastor sayingat the beginning of the sermon
we're in the book of John,matthew, mark, luke and John,
and if anyone doesn't know,those are the gospels.
And I remember sitting theregoing, whoa, I never knew that.
I didn't know what the gospelswere.
I had grown up all aroundreligion and nobody ever told me
(09:37):
what the gospels were.
I just didn't, you know.
And so I remember thinking, wow, I've got a lot to learn, you
know.
And so starting to attend thatchurch and listen to the sermons
and feeling the pull to serveand watching the people around
me be the hands and feet ofJesus and just the most
grace-filled, loving individualsthat I have ever met in my life
(10:02):
really showed me that arelationship with Jesus is what
it's about.
That it's not about theceremonial aspects, it's not
about the prayers that you pray.
It's about having a walking,living, breathing relationship
with God.
Speaker 1 (10:18):
What brought you back to that church and to that
church on that Sunday?
Speaker 2 (10:30):
circling to that circling that Sunday Well, I
mean, it was 2020.
So I think we were all sort of,you know, we had just moved and
we had seen one of our friends.
He became a born againChristian and we saw through
social media that's how we keepup with a lot of our friends and
so we saw him, via social media, become a born again Christian,
and so when we moved back totown where he lived, he owned
(10:50):
the ranch that the church wasrenting space from, and so it
was an easy sort of in where wefelt the pull to go back to
church, and so that was acomfortable place for us, which,
when we went back in 2020, wehad actually gotten married at
his ranch eight years prior, andso the lawn for the front of
(11:13):
the church where you walk inthat was the lawn that we got
married on, the place where theyheld service was actually where
our reception was.
So I think it felt comfortableand, you know, feeling that pull
to go back to church and thenwalking in and just everything.
I mean God was so present inthat moment and everything
(11:33):
changed.
Speaker 1 (11:35):
Going back to when you you know, first you know
walked away and you weren'tserving God for that period of
time.
Did your father, or even yourmother on either side, ever say
to you, hey, you need to comeback to knowing God, or ever
(11:57):
have that talk with you aboutthat?
Speaker 2 (12:01):
Unfortunately, no, I think my dad.
He would put it it intoconversations, but he also knew
me and my personality.
My dad he was a psychologistfor a while and he knew that if
he pushed too much it was goingto push me away treaded lightly
(12:21):
with the subject and my momstill is not a religious person.
My dad really was the onlyperson that had an active faith
in my family and now that personis me in my family.
The rest of my family doesn'thave an active faith.
So my dad was really the onethat would bring it up in
(12:45):
conversation, but it wasn't evera sit down talk of please, come
back to the Lord.
Speaker 1 (12:52):
When you have that many different religions in your
life Jewish, catholic and nowChristianity where do you see
yourself?
How do you view yourself?
Speaker 2 (13:27):
that I did not know who I was at all.
I did not know my identity.
And so I went back and Igoogled book in the Bible on
identity because I didn't know.
And so the overwhelming resultwas Ephesians.
And I went and was readingEphesians and right above
Ephesians 2, I believe it isright above Ephesians 2, I
(13:49):
believe it is it says Jew andGentile reconciled together
through Christ.
And I remember reading that andit was like my eyes were open
because the entire time I hadread the Bible since coming to
faith.
Now the conference happened in2022 and I had come to faith in
2020.
So I had experienced a coupleof years.
I always considered myself aGentile Reading through the
(14:10):
Bible.
I never even gave it a secondthought and when I read those
words it was like my eyes wereopened to see the differences in
the two and I thought to myselfI was like wait, which one am I
?
I know that I am geneticallyJewish and the culture side.
You know you still have thatculture side with your family,
(14:34):
but I always considered myself aGentile, so I really had to.
You know, I went to God with itand that was what led to the
calling of the book.
So I would absolutely viewmyself, and do view myself today
, as a Gentile.
I know that I have roots inJudaism, but because I never
(14:56):
practiced Judaism, I never wentto temple, I never had a bat
mitzvah, bar mitzvah.
I forget which one is boy orgirl, but I know there's the
difference.
But I don't consider myselfJewish or having changed from
Judaism.
Speaker 1 (15:14):
So in that aspect you don't even do any type of the
ceremonial aspect of that eitheror celebrate any of the
holidays no-transcript.
(15:51):
What is?
Speaker 2 (15:56):
your view on religion , my view on religion.
Wow, that could be a loadedquestion.
I think that religion ismisconstrued by a lot of people.
I think the word of God hasbeen changed to fit different
(16:16):
people's narratives, beenchanged to fit different
people's narratives, and I thinkthat the message of grace and
come as you are and relationshipwith God and God knowing your
heart, I think that message fora lot of people.
I don't want to say all,because I've certainly.
You know I'm part of a churchnow I've been part of a church.
(16:38):
I've met you know I'm part of achurch now I've been part of a
church.
I've met many wonderful peoplethat know it's about a
relationship.
But I think religion, when yousay that word, isn't the same as
faith.
I would say religion is moretowards the legalism side, where
it is ceremonial, it is aboutchecking a box.
(16:58):
It's about taking the stepsforward.
It's not about a walkingrelationship with Christ.
Speaker 1 (17:05):
What made you decide to write your book?
Speaker 2 (17:10):
God, I felt called, and I say that I heard the call.
It wasn't an audible voice, butI think anyone who's
experienced something like thisknows what I'm talking about,
where it is a loud thought thathappens in your head and all of
(17:30):
the other thoughts that you werehaving are just completely
silenced and it stands out, andit stands out in a very what's
the word I'm looking for, a veryprominent way.
And so while I was goingthrough that identity crisis and
reading through Ephesians and Isaw that Jew and Gentile
(17:50):
reconciled through Christ, Iheard the call that morning as I
was getting ready for work,just going about my day, sort of
keeping it in the back of mymind Jew and Gentile, which one
am I?
And the loud thought came inand it said from Jew to Gentile
write a book.
Because I never wanted to be anauthor.
(18:15):
That was not my thing.
I didn't go to school forEnglish.
I had never thought aboutwriting a book.
I didn't want to write a book.
It just wasn't on my radar.
And one thing that I had learnedthrough coming back to faith
was that God loves our obedienceand, even if we don't know what
he is doing, we should followhis lead because he knows what's
(18:38):
best, he's omnipresent, he'somniscient, he can see where
we're going and he knows thepath to get us there for his
glory.
And so I sat down to write andI opened a blank word document
and the only thing I had wasfrom Jew to Gentile.
And I remember my husbandlooking over as I was sitting on
(18:59):
the couch with the laptop, andhe said what are you doing over
there?
And I said, uh, writing a book.
He was just very.
He was like excuse me, what didyou say?
I just started writing and I putmy thoughts down and it felt
(19:20):
like one chapter led to another,Things were happening, that all
of the puzzle pieces werefalling into place, and it
really was like this outpouringof my thoughts.
And it started as, if thishelps me find my identity, it'll
all be worth it.
But then it turned into if thiscould help somebody else find
(19:40):
their identity in Christ too,then it'll all be worth it.
And now it's just, you knowit's transformed into, you know
spreading the gospel really, andyou know bringing it to people
so that they're able to find arelationship with Christ.
But that is, yeah, I've heardthe call and followed the call,
and from start to finish.
(20:02):
The draft copy was written inone month.
Speaker 1 (20:06):
Oh, wow.
Speaker 2 (20:08):
Yeah, it really was a wild experience for me, one
that it's hard to put into wordshow has Christ in over the last
you know several years now, how?
(20:28):
how has Christ transformed yourlife, oh my goodness?
How has he not in every singlefacet of my life?
I grew up playing piano,playing sheet music, hebrew
worship music into my life,which was something that I also
never aspired to do when Istarted serving.
I wanted to be on the ushersteam because I wanted to be
(20:49):
serving.
I felt the call to serve orfelt the pull to serve, but I
wanted to be invisible in theprocess.
I didn't want, you know, anyspotlight on me.
I don't like that.
And so when you know he put theworship team back in Texas in my
path, I was like, oh,absolutely not, I am not getting
(21:10):
up on that platform.
There's no way you can't get meto play piano in front of other
people, no way.
And somehow he made it happen,you know, he just through small
steps and through people and hisway.
So he transformed that aspectand I, just through worship
music, through thoserelationships, I absolutely just
(21:30):
fell in love with Jesus and nowI seek after him, I aspire to
hear his word or what he'stelling me for the day, the
leading of my family, you know,with my husband, his faith being
transformed, the relationshipswe have now, our lives, are
completely different from whatthey were before we went back to
(21:53):
church.
Speaker 1 (21:56):
When you speak to people about Christ and tell
them about your story, even, andyou tell them you know, I have
roots in Judaism and I haveroots in Catholicism, but now
I'm Christian.
What do they say about that?
How do they respond?
Say about that?
How do they respond?
Speaker 2 (22:18):
I think a lot of people are.
Their first question is how youknow what happened there, like
there's obviously a story there.
But I think the people aroundme that I get to tell my story
to, or that have heard my storyand then share it with others, I
(22:39):
think it's more, they'retransformed into wanting to find
that relationship where I thinka lot of people really have
experienced religion.
I think they've, you know,grown up with that.
I think a lot of people havebeen.
Unfortunately, you know, theirrelationship with Jesus has been
(22:59):
severed from you know, whetherit's churches or individuals or
whoever, but from that legalism,and they've lost that
relationship and that walk.
And so teaching them that, nomatter how far gone you are, no
matter how much of a prodigalson you are, you can always come
back and you can always havethat relationship.
And I think that's really wherethe conversation leads.
(23:21):
Once I explain the roots of myfaith, how it was based in a lot
of legalism and now I havefound freedom in Christ.
Speaker 1 (23:32):
One of the hilarious Amelia Bedelia mistakes that you
make out, that you make andtalk about in your book.
Speaker 2 (23:44):
Yeah.
So for any of the listeners outthere who don't know who Amelia
Bedelia is, it's a popularchildren's book and obviously I
share her first name.
But she is a person in the bookwho takes people's words all
too literally and an example isshe's playing a baseball game
and they say run home, amelia,run home, and she runs back to
the house, you know.
(24:05):
So she really takes peopleliterally and I find that I
myself too do that far too often.
I take things very literally.
I don't really get the nuancesof you know, I miss a lot of
sarcasm a lot of the time, but I, in those mistakes, I feel like
(24:28):
God has used those to furthermy relationship with him and
like I spoke about with theworship team, sort of finding my
way onto that.
I was on the ushering team, asI said, and I heard the worship
leader, who I didn't know atthat time, tabby.
She called for a meeting andshe said you know everyone, come
and sit down.
We're going to have our meeting, you know, and I just I went
(24:50):
and sat down.
Well, I realized about 30seconds in that she had been
talking to the worship team.
She did not mean everyone thatwas in the vicinity that could
hear her say come, sit down shemeant the worship team and I
went and sat down and it wasprobably about a 20 minute
meeting and I sat through theentire thing because there was
(25:11):
no way I was getting up.
I was so embarrassed I realizedthat I was not supposed to be
in that meeting.
Was so embarrassed, I realizedthat I was not supposed to be in
that meeting and I fessed up toone of the vocalists next to me
and we laughed about it and Iasked her where they got their
music from, because I had beengoing to church for a while and
I wanted to play piano at myhouse.
(25:33):
I'd never played in front ofanybody but my family, and so I
asked her where to get the musicand she said, oh, you play
piano.
And I was like, oh, no, no, notlike that.
Nope, nope, don't even get it.
Nope, I'm not going up there.
I just want the music.
I just want to fill my homewith beautiful, faith-filled,
christ-like music.
You know that is my only goalin asking you.
(25:55):
And she, you know shedefinitely pushed.
She was reassuring that.
You know, if I could play anybit of piano then I could get up
there, but I just that wasn'tsomething that I felt like I
could do.
I do not like being on stage infront of people.
I do not like talking to biggroups of people.
I'm much better one on one.
(26:17):
I just it is so nerve wrackingfor me to be in front of a
groups of people.
I'm much better one-on-one.
It is so nerve-wracking for meto be in front of a bunch of
people.
It just makes me so, so nervous.
And I actually make a joke allthe time at church that if they
would just let me hide behindthe curtains of the movie
theater and just stick my handsout and play the piano, that
would be the ideal scenario forme.
(26:38):
I don't want any lights on me,just let me stick my hands out
from behind the curtain and I'llplay.
But I think God led that moment.
I think I was supposed to be inthat meeting and, while I
didn't know that instance andthat moment led to me learning
(26:58):
music theory, because that's themusic that was given to me by
the vocalist.
She told me about that and thatled me down a path and
eventually I found myselfauditioning for the worship team
and that team and that group ofpeople we would have small
group before practice everysingle week.
Would have small group beforepractice every single week.
And man, tears, growth, love,just a bonding that you can't
(27:29):
describe happened every singleweek between that team and
transformed my faith and has nowled to us finding our church
here in Missouri.
When we were searching for achurch, worship was a big part
of that for me was finding achurch where I could worship and
continue that path that God hadstarted.
Speaker 1 (27:45):
What is a gig break, and how did you come up with
that term?
Speaker 2 (27:51):
Sure.
So a gig break is a pause, amoment in time where you stop
and you see what some peoplewould call coincidences Puzzle
pieces fall together, instancesline up just perfectly,
something happens and you canpause.
And you know, I actually don'tbelieve in coincidences.
(28:14):
I think it's always God workingand I think it's always God
weaving our stories together.
And you know so.
I think you can look at thoseinstances when they happen in
front of your eyes and you cansay God is so good.
And what led to that was thosehappening to me while I was
writing and I would take thoseexperiences to my friends and
(28:37):
the conversations always endedwith God is so good.
God is so good, you know,because puzzle piece would fall
into place and it was enough forme to realize it and then, you
know, go and share it.
It was like I can't believethat just happened, you know,
like research or just whatever.
(28:58):
That was falling into place andthings were.
You know, those experienceswould happen to me while I was
writing the book and when Iwould take them to my friends we
would say God is so good.
And that was happening one timeand it sort of just popped into
my brain of I should writethese into the book.
(29:18):
This is what's happening to me.
Sure, I'm describing my storyand showing the legalism to
faith in the story, but I shouldwrite these in.
I should show people how Godworks every single day in our
lives and we just have to openour eyes to see it.
And so I thought of it, of Godis good.
(29:39):
And then I came up with GigBreak, which I say the whole
experience was Holy Spirit led.
So I really I don't even thinkI can take credit for Gig Break.
I give God all the glory forthe book and for everything.
So you know, it appeared, gigBreak and I wrote it in.
So it breaks the narrative ofthe book and you sort of see
(30:04):
what was happening to me realtime.
As I was writing, the publisherended up.
They said you know, instead ofbreaking the narrative within
the pages, let's put it in thefootnotes so you know if
somebody wants to jump down tothe gig break and read that, you
know when they see the numberfor the footnote, they can do
that.
They can break the narrative,or they can keep reading and
(30:25):
then get back to the gig breakwhenever you know they want to.
And so those are written intothe footnotes throughout the
book whenever I would experiencesomething profound that I saw
God working in my life, and Ihope that it teaches people to
look out for those instances intheir life and realize how God
is working all the time aroundus.
Speaker 1 (30:47):
Amen.
Tell us a little bit about howyou navigated mom life and
military life life certainlyisn't.
Speaker 2 (31:18):
Being a mom certainly isn't easy, but man, I think
life was a lot harder as amilitary wife before I found God
.
I used to just be so unhappy atthe duty stations.
I would always find somethingnegative.
I did say that I thought everyduty station and I still believe
this to be true that every dutystation taught me a lesson that
I needed to learn for thoseyears that we were there.
(31:39):
Now I see that, as God wasteaching me a lesson, even if I
wasn't in a relationship orseeking him, that was God
working as well.
But navigating military lifeand just laying everything at
the foot of the cross, I thinkis really looking to him,
knowing that, wherever we areplaced, whatever orders may come
(32:02):
our way, that is God puttinghis hand into a situation.
That is God moving us.
That's not the military movingus, and I have to choose to look
at it like that because he hasour plans mapped out for us and
he knows how to lead us If Ineed to be somewhere else and
there was no way I was going toget to that place.
(32:22):
The military is a great way todo that to move people around.
That's a great way.
That's a great way.
So that and then mom life justwith my daughter.
I certainly struggle with beinga mom.
I certainly struggle withfeeling like an adequate mom at
times, but again, taking that toJesus and teaching her that
(32:44):
it's about a relationship,because she has furthered my
faith.
She's gone to Christian schoolsince pre-K and so she comes
home and she teaches me thingsabout the Bible and we have
those conversations and we talkabout God and we listen to
worship music and just walkingher through that in discipleship
(33:06):
, showing her what it's like tobe a disciple, I think that
makes it easier.
But I mean, there's obviouslystill struggles in every day.
I think those are lessons thatGod needs to teach us and he
knows kids are a fantastic wayto humble yourself.
So they are very humbling tinylittle humans.
(33:27):
So yeah, little humans.
Speaker 1 (33:36):
So yeah, as we get rid of the end here, I always
like to ask my guests to give mylisteners an encouragement for
what you want to say to them.
Oh, wow.
Speaker 2 (33:45):
So I would say for anyone that is struggling with
their faith or anyone that mayquestion anything about their
faith, I would say to bring thatto God.
It doesn't need to be youwalking into a church building,
it doesn't need to be.
You know it could be listeningto this podcast.
You know it really could be anysituation where you are having
(34:10):
a conversation with God.
It doesn't need to be a recitedprayer, it doesn't need to be
anything other than hey, god,I'm really struggling with X, y
and Z.
Where can we go from here,having that conversation, laying
that down and then watching Himwork?
Once you lay that down at thefoot of the cross, telling him
(34:31):
about it.
And I would, I'd really say thesame for people.
Just walking in therelationship, as just taking
everything to Jesus, changesyour life, and to continue doing
that, to continue having thatrelationship and walking with
God every day, living your lifedifferently from the rest of the
(34:52):
world, so that the light ofJesus can shine through you to
other people, that we can bethat lighthouse for the rest of
the world.
And I would encourage people tocontinue to do that so that
people see the real Jesus andnot some legalistic image that
you know someone may have beenshown in the past.
Speaker 1 (35:16):
How can people connect with you and get your
book?
Speaker 2 (35:21):
Yes, thank you.
So the book is sold on Amazonor wherever you can purchase
books online.
I also have a website.
It's from j2gcom, it is HTTPS,there's no www in the website,
so it's just from j2gcom andthere will be links to the
(35:43):
paperback, the ebook, the audiobook, everything there.
And then, if you want toconnect with me on social media
there and then if you want toconnect with me on social media
Instagram my handle is at MillieWalden, m-i-l-l-i-e-w-a-l-d-e-n
.
Tiktok is gig underscore breakunderscore pancake.
I just thought it rhymed.
(36:03):
So it's a cute little name.
Pancake means nothing from it.
But and then on Facebook I'mjust Amelia Walden, my regular
name, and I'd love to connectwith anybody who wants to
purchase the book, wants to askme questions.
I am an open book and I loveconnecting with people, so
please do reach out to me.
Speaker 1 (36:22):
Absolutely Well, amelia.
Thank you so much for coming onthe show today.
We greatly appreciate havingyou.
Speaker 2 (36:30):
Thank you so much for having me and thank you for the
wonderful questions.
We greatly appreciate havingyou.
Thank you so much for having meand thank you for the wonderful
questions.
I've really enjoyed it?
Speaker 1 (36:35):
Yes, definitely.
Well, guys and girls, thank youso much for listening again and
please like and share thisepisode and leave a review, and
go and check out Amelia'swebsite and book as well, and
until next time, god bless,Bye-bye.
Hello everyone, thanks again for joining me on
another episode of the Dorsure'sShow.
Today we have a special guestwith us.
Her name is Amelia Walden andshe is the author of the new
book From you to Gentile, and itis a transformation from
religion to relationship Listento Relationship.
(00:22):
She lives in a small town innorthwest Missouri with her
husband Ronnie and her daughterLena.
She lives a pretty nifty littlenormal life, except that at the
end of the summer of 2023, shehad an after after an identity
(00:46):
crisis.
God gave her the mission puzzlepiece to his calling on her
life and it was my book.
It was completely unexpectedand she absolutely was shocked
upon the delivery that she hadnever dreamed to write a book.
She is a contract auditor with asocial psychology degree.
(01:06):
Shocked upon delivery that shehad never dreamed to write a
book.
She is a contract auditor witha social psychology degree, no
English major.
However, she strives to lead alife filled with English love
and laughter, graciously walkingwith those around me to show
how her life lived with the Lordis well lived.
(01:27):
She loves discussing andsharing the transformative power
of God's love and hope.
I hope you enjoy reading andlistening to the new book and
audio book Amelia.
Thank you so much for coming onthe show today.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
Thank you so much for having me, Dorsey.
I'm excited to be here.
Speaker 1 (01:52):
Absolutely.
One of my things that I do inthe beginning is always ask my
guests an icebreaker question,and today's icebreaker question
is what is your biggest passion?
Speaker 2 (02:09):
My biggest, what, I'm sorry Passion, my biggest
passion, oh man, well, I mean myfamily, but I really, I have to
say, as far as passion,changing people's lives for God,
(02:31):
I think reaching people'shearts, that is my ultimate
mission.
I feel like that is what hasbeen laid on my heart.
That is what I strive to do isto change people's lives for
Christ, or to introduce them toChrist so he is able to change
their lives.
It's not me, it's him.
You know, and I think that'syeah, that's my passion is
(02:56):
really watching people's livestransform through knowing and
finding Christ's love.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
Yeah, who is the most influential?
Speaker 2 (03:14):
person in your life and how did they impact you?
Wow, Most influential person inmy life.
Well, okay, so that's a twofoldquestion, I think.
So I would first have to say myfather.
(03:46):
I had a very close relationshipwith him.
He passed away about 10 yearsago very suddenly from cancer,
but he was the one that broughtme to church when I was younger.
He was the one that set thefoundation albeit it was a
Catholic foundation, which isnot the faith that I follow
today but it set the foundationfor me to know that I could go
to God, that there was a God,and so I think that was
extremely influential in my lifeand just the man that he was.
I strive every day to be asgood as him.
He was just a wonderful person,loved laughing, just you know,
oh man, such a great guy, and soI think he was extremely
(04:10):
formative in my life.
But as far as ministry, themost influential person in my
life has been the previousworship leader that I had, so my
husband's in the military.
We move a lot.
We're in Missouri right now,but we were back in Texas a
couple of years ago and that isthe church where I found God
(04:32):
again, and the worship leader atthat church.
Her name is Tabby.
She has been instrumental in mefinding God, finding faith,
just a woman of God that I couldlean on, that I could talk to,
about anything.
She has these things that Icall tabbyisms.
You know, she told me once tobe a duck.
(04:52):
And I was really confused and Iwas, you know.
I had told her that I waswriting the book and she said
you know, if you get into anytype of ministry, Amelia, you
have to know how to be a duck,or you have to learn how to be a
duck.
And I was, you know, obviouslyconfused with the statement.
And so I asked her to clarify.
And she said ducks will sit inthe middle of a pond and rain
(05:18):
will fall, storms will come, andthey will sit and let it all
come down around them and theywill be completely unfazed, Be a
duck.
And I just thought that was soprofound.
She had so many more that justtouched me throughout my life
and I think she has just reallytransformed me.
She is the hands and feet ofJesus.
Watching her do.
Ministry has given me anexample to follow how to treat
people, how to love people well,how to guide them to Christ.
(05:42):
I just yeah, I'm very thankfulfor having them.
Speaker 1 (05:46):
Now, growing up, you had, you know, both parents.
One was Jewish, one wasCatholic, as you just said.
Tell us about that upliftingand how did that affect you?
Speaker 2 (06:00):
Yeah, so my mother was, or we got more of the
cultural side and it was fromher parents.
So our grandparents, reallythey brought the Jewish side to
our family.
My mother didn't go to temple,at least not that I ever saw.
I think she did when she waslittle, but you know that wasn't
(06:20):
anything that I saw.
You know that wasn't anythingthat I saw.
And then the Catholic side wasdefinitely more pronounced in my
life.
So my father was a very devoutCatholic.
He would go to mass everysingle week, if not multiple
times a week, before work.
He would go to mass all thetime, very devout in his faith.
(06:42):
And I went to Catholic highschool and so that was more of
the religion that I grew up with.
But I absolutely got theculture of Judaism and I say,
you know, it's sort of funny.
I got the culture part from myJewish grandparents who would
come and celebrate Hanukkahduring Christmas time, it's like
(07:02):
.
So they would come to celebrateChristmas with us but then they
would do all of the Hanukkahtraditions while they were there
with us, and so it just it.
Yeah, it's sort of blended, butI always think that's sort of
funny.
Speaker 1 (07:17):
And how did you come about to find your faith now, to
find the faith that you'refollowing now?
Speaker 2 (07:27):
Yeah, so my faith that I have now and I'm sorry I
guess I didn't really answeryour last question how did that
sort of shape me?
The Catholic side taught me therituals and what I was supposed
to do in church, the prayers Iwas supposed to say.
It taught me the basis doctrine.
(07:49):
But what was modeled for me outof the church, through the
people you know, the parentsthat I interacted with, from you
know, friends at the CatholicHigh School, or just what I saw
going to Catholic High School,going to mass?
It was very ceremonial and soyou know that is what I got from
it.
(08:09):
I got that.
You know this is what we wereto do.
It was a box to check.
It wasn't a relationship and itwasn't a walk with God.
Now, I know all Catholics don'tbelieve that.
I know many Catholics that youknow they obviously have a very
deep relationship with the Lord.
But that is what I was taughtand so after high school I
(08:33):
really fell away from God.
I didn't see any point in goingto church.
I just, you know everyonealways told me I was such a
sinner, I was so bad, and youknow I just I didn't find the
benefit or the allure to it, andso I walked away from God for a
(08:53):
very long time, until 2020,when I walked back into a church
and the sermon just hit me.
It was emotional.
I think every sermon for thefirst couple of weeks that I
went it felt like the preacherwas speaking directly to me,
like it was a message that I wassupposed to hear, and I will
(09:16):
never forget the pastor sayingat the beginning of the sermon
we're in the book of John,matthew, mark, luke and John,
and if anyone doesn't know,those are the gospels.
And I remember sitting theregoing, whoa, I never knew that.
I didn't know what the gospelswere.
I had grown up all aroundreligion and nobody ever told me
(09:37):
what the gospels were.
I just didn't, you know.
And so I remember thinking, wow, I've got a lot to learn, you
know.
And so starting to attend thatchurch and listen to the sermons
and feeling the pull to serveand watching the people around
me be the hands and feet ofJesus and just the most
grace-filled, loving individualsthat I have ever met in my life
(10:02):
really showed me that arelationship with Jesus is what
it's about.
That it's not about theceremonial aspects, it's not
about the prayers that you pray.
It's about having a walking,living, breathing relationship
with God.
Speaker 1 (10:18):
What brought you back to that church and to that
church on that Sunday?
Speaker 2 (10:30):
circling to that circling that Sunday Well, I
mean, it was 2020.
So I think we were all sort of,you know, we had just moved and
we had seen one of our friends.
He became a born againChristian and we saw through
social media that's how we keepup with a lot of our friends and
so we saw him, via social media, become a born again Christian,
and so when we moved back totown where he lived, he owned
(10:50):
the ranch that the church wasrenting space from, and so it
was an easy sort of in where wefelt the pull to go back to
church, and so that was acomfortable place for us, which,
when we went back in 2020, wehad actually gotten married at
his ranch eight years prior, andso the lawn for the front of
(11:13):
the church where you walk inthat was the lawn that we got
married on, the place where theyheld service was actually where
our reception was.
So I think it felt comfortableand, you know, feeling that pull
to go back to church and thenwalking in and just everything.
I mean God was so present inthat moment and everything
(11:33):
changed.
Speaker 1 (11:35):
Going back to when you you know, first you know
walked away and you weren'tserving God for that period of
time.
Did your father, or even yourmother on either side, ever say
to you, hey, you need to comeback to knowing God, or ever
(11:57):
have that talk with you aboutthat?
Speaker 2 (12:01):
Unfortunately, no, I think my dad.
He would put it it intoconversations, but he also knew
me and my personality.
My dad he was a psychologistfor a while and he knew that if
he pushed too much it was goingto push me away treaded lightly
(12:21):
with the subject and my momstill is not a religious person.
My dad really was the onlyperson that had an active faith
in my family and now that personis me in my family.
The rest of my family doesn'thave an active faith.
So my dad was really the onethat would bring it up in
(12:45):
conversation, but it wasn't evera sit down talk of please, come
back to the Lord.
Speaker 1 (12:52):
When you have that many different religions in your
life Jewish, catholic and nowChristianity where do you see
yourself?
How do you view yourself?
Speaker 2 (13:27):
that I did not know who I was at all.
I did not know my identity.
And so I went back and Igoogled book in the Bible on
identity because I didn't know.
And so the overwhelming resultwas Ephesians.
And I went and was readingEphesians and right above
Ephesians 2, I believe it isright above Ephesians 2, I
(13:49):
believe it is it says Jew andGentile reconciled together
through Christ.
And I remember reading that andit was like my eyes were open
because the entire time I hadread the Bible since coming to
faith.
Now the conference happened in2022 and I had come to faith in
2020.
So I had experienced a coupleof years.
I always considered myself aGentile Reading through the
(14:10):
Bible.
I never even gave it a secondthought and when I read those
words it was like my eyes wereopened to see the differences in
the two and I thought to myselfI was like wait, which one am I
?
I know that I am geneticallyJewish and the culture side.
You know you still have thatculture side with your family,
(14:34):
but I always considered myself aGentile, so I really had to.
You know, I went to God with itand that was what led to the
calling of the book.
So I would absolutely viewmyself, and do view myself today
, as a Gentile.
I know that I have roots inJudaism, but because I never
(14:56):
practiced Judaism, I never wentto temple, I never had a bat
mitzvah, bar mitzvah.
I forget which one is boy orgirl, but I know there's the
difference.
But I don't consider myselfJewish or having changed from
Judaism.
Speaker 1 (15:14):
So in that aspect you don't even do any type of the
ceremonial aspect of that eitheror celebrate any of the
holidays no-transcript.
(15:51):
What is?
Speaker 2 (15:56):
your view on religion , my view on religion.
Wow, that could be a loadedquestion.
I think that religion ismisconstrued by a lot of people.
I think the word of God hasbeen changed to fit different
(16:16):
people's narratives, beenchanged to fit different
people's narratives, and I thinkthat the message of grace and
come as you are and relationshipwith God and God knowing your
heart, I think that message fora lot of people.
I don't want to say all,because I've certainly.
You know I'm part of a churchnow I've been part of a church.
(16:38):
I've met you know I'm part of achurch now I've been part of a
church.
I've met many wonderful peoplethat know it's about a
relationship.
But I think religion, when yousay that word, isn't the same as
faith.
I would say religion is moretowards the legalism side, where
it is ceremonial, it is aboutchecking a box.
(16:58):
It's about taking the stepsforward.
It's not about a walkingrelationship with Christ.
Speaker 1 (17:05):
What made you decide to write your book?
Speaker 2 (17:10):
God, I felt called, and I say that I heard the call.
It wasn't an audible voice, butI think anyone who's
experienced something like thisknows what I'm talking about,
where it is a loud thought thathappens in your head and all of
(17:30):
the other thoughts that you werehaving are just completely
silenced and it stands out, andit stands out in a very what's
the word I'm looking for, a veryprominent way.
And so while I was goingthrough that identity crisis and
reading through Ephesians and Isaw that Jew and Gentile
(17:50):
reconciled through Christ, Iheard the call that morning as I
was getting ready for work,just going about my day, sort of
keeping it in the back of mymind Jew and Gentile, which one
am I?
And the loud thought came inand it said from Jew to Gentile
write a book.
Because I never wanted to be anauthor.
(18:15):
That was not my thing.
I didn't go to school forEnglish.
I had never thought aboutwriting a book.
I didn't want to write a book.
It just wasn't on my radar.
And one thing that I had learnedthrough coming back to faith
was that God loves our obedienceand, even if we don't know what
he is doing, we should followhis lead because he knows what's
(18:38):
best, he's omnipresent, he'somniscient, he can see where
we're going and he knows thepath to get us there for his
glory.
And so I sat down to write andI opened a blank word document
and the only thing I had wasfrom Jew to Gentile.
And I remember my husbandlooking over as I was sitting on
(18:59):
the couch with the laptop, andhe said what are you doing over
there?
And I said, uh, writing a book.
He was just very.
He was like excuse me, what didyou say?
I just started writing and I putmy thoughts down and it felt
(19:20):
like one chapter led to another,Things were happening, that all
of the puzzle pieces werefalling into place, and it
really was like this outpouringof my thoughts.
And it started as, if thishelps me find my identity, it'll
all be worth it.
But then it turned into if thiscould help somebody else find
(19:40):
their identity in Christ too,then it'll all be worth it.
And now it's just, you knowit's transformed into, you know
spreading the gospel really, andyou know bringing it to people
so that they're able to find arelationship with Christ.
But that is, yeah, I've heardthe call and followed the call,
and from start to finish.
(20:02):
The draft copy was written inone month.
Speaker 1 (20:06):
Oh, wow.
Speaker 2 (20:08):
Yeah, it really was a wild experience for me, one
that it's hard to put into wordshow has Christ in over the last
you know several years now, how?
(20:28):
how has Christ transformed yourlife, oh my goodness?
How has he not in every singlefacet of my life?
I grew up playing piano,playing sheet music, hebrew
worship music into my life,which was something that I also
never aspired to do when Istarted serving.
I wanted to be on the ushersteam because I wanted to be
(20:49):
serving.
I felt the call to serve orfelt the pull to serve, but I
wanted to be invisible in theprocess.
I didn't want, you know, anyspotlight on me.
I don't like that.
And so when you know he put theworship team back in Texas in my
path, I was like, oh,absolutely not, I am not getting
(21:10):
up on that platform.
There's no way you can't get meto play piano in front of other
people, no way.
And somehow he made it happen,you know, he just through small
steps and through people and hisway.
So he transformed that aspectand I, just through worship
music, through thoserelationships, I absolutely just
(21:30):
fell in love with Jesus and nowI seek after him, I aspire to
hear his word or what he'stelling me for the day, the
leading of my family, you know,with my husband, his faith being
transformed, the relationshipswe have now, our lives, are
completely different from whatthey were before we went back to
(21:53):
church.
Speaker 1 (21:56):
When you speak to people about Christ and tell
them about your story, even, andyou tell them you know, I have
roots in Judaism and I haveroots in Catholicism, but now
I'm Christian.
What do they say about that?
How do they respond?
Say about that?
How do they respond?
Speaker 2 (22:18):
I think a lot of people are.
Their first question is how youknow what happened there, like
there's obviously a story there.
But I think the people aroundme that I get to tell my story
to, or that have heard my storyand then share it with others, I
(22:39):
think it's more, they'retransformed into wanting to find
that relationship where I thinka lot of people really have
experienced religion.
I think they've, you know,grown up with that.
I think a lot of people havebeen.
Unfortunately, you know, theirrelationship with Jesus has been
(22:59):
severed from you know, whetherit's churches or individuals or
whoever, but from that legalism,and they've lost that
relationship and that walk.
And so teaching them that, nomatter how far gone you are, no
matter how much of a prodigalson you are, you can always come
back and you can always havethat relationship.
And I think that's really wherethe conversation leads.
(23:21):
Once I explain the roots of myfaith, how it was based in a lot
of legalism and now I havefound freedom in Christ.
Speaker 1 (23:32):
One of the hilarious Amelia Bedelia mistakes that you
make out, that you make andtalk about in your book.
Speaker 2 (23:44):
Yeah.
So for any of the listeners outthere who don't know who Amelia
Bedelia is, it's a popularchildren's book and obviously I
share her first name.
But she is a person in the bookwho takes people's words all
too literally and an example isshe's playing a baseball game
and they say run home, amelia,run home, and she runs back to
the house, you know.
(24:05):
So she really takes peopleliterally and I find that I
myself too do that far too often.
I take things very literally.
I don't really get the nuancesof you know, I miss a lot of
sarcasm a lot of the time, but I, in those mistakes, I feel like
(24:28):
God has used those to furthermy relationship with him and
like I spoke about with theworship team, sort of finding my
way onto that.
I was on the ushering team, asI said, and I heard the worship
leader, who I didn't know atthat time, tabby.
She called for a meeting andshe said you know everyone, come
and sit down.
We're going to have our meeting, you know, and I just I went
(24:50):
and sat down.
Well, I realized about 30seconds in that she had been
talking to the worship team.
She did not mean everyone thatwas in the vicinity that could
hear her say come, sit down shemeant the worship team and I
went and sat down and it wasprobably about a 20 minute
meeting and I sat through theentire thing because there was
(25:11):
no way I was getting up.
I was so embarrassed I realizedthat I was not supposed to be
in that meeting.
Was so embarrassed, I realizedthat I was not supposed to be in
that meeting and I fessed up toone of the vocalists next to me
and we laughed about it and Iasked her where they got their
music from, because I had beengoing to church for a while and
I wanted to play piano at myhouse.
(25:33):
I'd never played in front ofanybody but my family, and so I
asked her where to get the musicand she said, oh, you play
piano.
And I was like, oh, no, no, notlike that.
Nope, nope, don't even get it.
Nope, I'm not going up there.
I just want the music.
I just want to fill my homewith beautiful, faith-filled,
christ-like music.
You know that is my only goalin asking you.
(25:55):
And she, you know shedefinitely pushed.
She was reassuring that.
You know, if I could play anybit of piano then I could get up
there, but I just that wasn'tsomething that I felt like I
could do.
I do not like being on stage infront of people.
I do not like talking to biggroups of people.
I'm much better one on one.
(26:17):
I just it is so nerve wrackingfor me to be in front of a
groups of people.
I'm much better one-on-one.
It is so nerve-wracking for meto be in front of a bunch of
people.
It just makes me so, so nervous.
And I actually make a joke allthe time at church that if they
would just let me hide behindthe curtains of the movie
theater and just stick my handsout and play the piano, that
would be the ideal scenario forme.
(26:38):
I don't want any lights on me,just let me stick my hands out
from behind the curtain and I'llplay.
But I think God led that moment.
I think I was supposed to be inthat meeting and, while I
didn't know that instance andthat moment led to me learning
(26:58):
music theory, because that's themusic that was given to me by
the vocalist.
She told me about that and thatled me down a path and
eventually I found myselfauditioning for the worship team
and that team and that group ofpeople we would have small
group before practice everysingle week.
Would have small group beforepractice every single week.
And man, tears, growth, love,just a bonding that you can't
(27:29):
describe happened every singleweek between that team and
transformed my faith and has nowled to us finding our church
here in Missouri.
When we were searching for achurch, worship was a big part
of that for me was finding achurch where I could worship and
continue that path that God hadstarted.
Speaker 1 (27:45):
What is a gig break, and how did you come up with
that term?
Speaker 2 (27:51):
Sure.
So a gig break is a pause, amoment in time where you stop
and you see what some peoplewould call coincidences Puzzle
pieces fall together, instancesline up just perfectly,
something happens and you canpause.
And you know, I actually don'tbelieve in coincidences.
(28:14):
I think it's always God workingand I think it's always God
weaving our stories together.
And you know so.
I think you can look at thoseinstances when they happen in
front of your eyes and you cansay God is so good.
And what led to that was thosehappening to me while I was
writing and I would take thoseexperiences to my friends and
(28:37):
the conversations always endedwith God is so good.
God is so good, you know,because puzzle piece would fall
into place and it was enough forme to realize it and then, you
know, go and share it.
It was like I can't believethat just happened, you know,
like research or just whatever.
(28:58):
That was falling into place andthings were.
You know, those experienceswould happen to me while I was
writing the book and when Iwould take them to my friends we
would say God is so good.
And that was happening one timeand it sort of just popped into
my brain of I should writethese into the book.
(29:18):
This is what's happening to me.
Sure, I'm describing my storyand showing the legalism to
faith in the story, but I shouldwrite these in.
I should show people how Godworks every single day in our
lives and we just have to openour eyes to see it.
And so I thought of it, of Godis good.
(29:39):
And then I came up with GigBreak, which I say the whole
experience was Holy Spirit led.
So I really I don't even thinkI can take credit for Gig Break.
I give God all the glory forthe book and for everything.
So you know, it appeared, gigBreak and I wrote it in.
So it breaks the narrative ofthe book and you sort of see
(30:04):
what was happening to me realtime.
As I was writing, the publisherended up.
They said you know, instead ofbreaking the narrative within
the pages, let's put it in thefootnotes so you know if
somebody wants to jump down tothe gig break and read that, you
know when they see the numberfor the footnote, they can do
that.
They can break the narrative,or they can keep reading and
(30:25):
then get back to the gig breakwhenever you know they want to.
And so those are written intothe footnotes throughout the
book whenever I would experiencesomething profound that I saw
God working in my life, and Ihope that it teaches people to
look out for those instances intheir life and realize how God
is working all the time aroundus.
Speaker 1 (30:47):
Amen.
Tell us a little bit about howyou navigated mom life and
military life life certainlyisn't.
Speaker 2 (31:18):
Being a mom certainly isn't easy, but man, I think
life was a lot harder as amilitary wife before I found God
.
I used to just be so unhappy atthe duty stations.
I would always find somethingnegative.
I did say that I thought everyduty station and I still believe
this to be true that every dutystation taught me a lesson that
I needed to learn for thoseyears that we were there.
(31:39):
Now I see that, as God wasteaching me a lesson, even if I
wasn't in a relationship orseeking him, that was God
working as well.
But navigating military lifeand just laying everything at
the foot of the cross, I thinkis really looking to him,
knowing that, wherever we areplaced, whatever orders may come
(32:02):
our way, that is God puttinghis hand into a situation.
That is God moving us.
That's not the military movingus, and I have to choose to look
at it like that because he hasour plans mapped out for us and
he knows how to lead us If Ineed to be somewhere else and
there was no way I was going toget to that place.
(32:22):
The military is a great way todo that to move people around.
That's a great way.
That's a great way.
So that and then mom life justwith my daughter.
I certainly struggle with beinga mom.
I certainly struggle withfeeling like an adequate mom at
times, but again, taking that toJesus and teaching her that
(32:44):
it's about a relationship,because she has furthered my
faith.
She's gone to Christian schoolsince pre-K and so she comes
home and she teaches me thingsabout the Bible and we have
those conversations and we talkabout God and we listen to
worship music and just walkingher through that in discipleship
(33:06):
, showing her what it's like tobe a disciple, I think that
makes it easier.
But I mean, there's obviouslystill struggles in every day.
I think those are lessons thatGod needs to teach us and he
knows kids are a fantastic wayto humble yourself.
So they are very humbling tinylittle humans.
(33:27):
So yeah, little humans.
Speaker 1 (33:36):
So yeah, as we get rid of the end here, I always
like to ask my guests to give mylisteners an encouragement for
what you want to say to them.
Oh, wow.
Speaker 2 (33:45):
So I would say for anyone that is struggling with
their faith or anyone that mayquestion anything about their
faith, I would say to bring thatto God.
It doesn't need to be youwalking into a church building,
it doesn't need to be.
You know it could be listeningto this podcast.
You know it really could be anysituation where you are having
(34:10):
a conversation with God.
It doesn't need to be a recitedprayer, it doesn't need to be
anything other than hey, god,I'm really struggling with X, y
and Z.
Where can we go from here,having that conversation, laying
that down and then watching Himwork?
Once you lay that down at thefoot of the cross, telling him
(34:31):
about it.
And I would, I'd really say thesame for people.
Just walking in therelationship, as just taking
everything to Jesus, changesyour life, and to continue doing
that, to continue having thatrelationship and walking with
God every day, living your lifedifferently from the rest of the
(34:52):
world, so that the light ofJesus can shine through you to
other people, that we can bethat lighthouse for the rest of
the world.
And I would encourage people tocontinue to do that so that
people see the real Jesus andnot some legalistic image that
you know someone may have beenshown in the past.
Speaker 1 (35:16):
How can people connect with you and get your
book?
Speaker 2 (35:21):
Yes, thank you.
So the book is sold on Amazonor wherever you can purchase
books online.
I also have a website.
It's from j2gcom, it is HTTPS,there's no www in the website,
so it's just from j2gcom andthere will be links to the
(35:43):
paperback, the ebook, the audiobook, everything there.
And then, if you want toconnect with me on social media
there and then if you want toconnect with me on social media
Instagram my handle is at MillieWalden, m-i-l-l-i-e-w-a-l-d-e-n
.
Tiktok is gig underscore breakunderscore pancake.
I just thought it rhymed.
(36:03):
So it's a cute little name.
Pancake means nothing from it.
But and then on Facebook I'mjust Amelia Walden, my regular
name, and I'd love to connectwith anybody who wants to
purchase the book, wants to askme questions.
I am an open book and I loveconnecting with people, so
please do reach out to me.
Speaker 1 (36:22):
Absolutely Well, amelia.
Thank you so much for coming onthe show today.
We greatly appreciate havingyou.
Speaker 2 (36:30):
Thank you so much for having me and thank you for the
wonderful questions.
We greatly appreciate havingyou.
Thank you so much for having meand thank you for the wonderful
questions.
I've really enjoyed it?
Speaker 1 (36:35):
Yes, definitely.
Well, guys and girls, thank youso much for listening again and
please like and share thisepisode and leave a review, and
go and check out Amelia'swebsite and book as well, and
until next time, god bless,Bye-bye.
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