October 22, 2024 • 40 mins
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This episode was recorded in 2022
What happens when a teenage mother becomes a Christian influencer, inspiring women worldwide? Join us for a compelling conversation with Yasmine Williams-Woods as she shares her remarkable journey from becoming a mother at 14 in a small Alabama town to becoming a beacon of hope through faith and biblical truths. Yasmine's story is a testament to the power of resilience and unwavering love, as she opens up about her upbringing by her single mother and her unexpected path into the digital world. Her experiences illuminate the challenges of balancing faith with marriage and motherhood, offering practical insights on integrating spirituality into everyday life.
Explore the intricate dance of building relationships with those who hold different beliefs while maintaining a strong faith identity. Yasmine delves into the art of embodying faith through actions, highlighting the power of spiritual attraction over mere words. She shares her thoughts on humility and submission to God, and how these elements can attract others to faith in subtle, yet profound ways. Through honest reflections, Yasmine encourages openness and genuine connection, even when past religious experiences may have left wounds.
As we wrap up, Yasmine invites us into her personal journey of faith growth, sharing her love for impactful faith-based literature and projects aimed at empowering mothers. Her recommendations, including titles by Mike Todd and Priscilla Shirer, along with her passion for biblical books like 1 and 2 Samuel, offer a roadmap for those seeking spiritual enrichment. Yasmine's journey is a call to courageously live out love in our relationships, urging listeners to reflect on their own path and commitment to God's purpose. Whether through her devotional projects or her presence on social media, Yasmine exemplifies living a life of faith in today's world.
Your Host: Kimberly Beam Holmes, Expert in Self-Improvement and Relationships
Kimberly Beam Holmes has applied her master's degree in psychology for over ten years, acting as the CEO of Marriage Helper & CEO and Creator of PIES University, being a wife and mother herself, and researching how attraction affects relationships. Her videos, podcasts, and following reach over 500,000 people a month who are making changes and becoming the best they can be.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
I am joined today.
We are joined today on today'sepisode with Yasmin
Williams-Woods.
She is a Christian speaker,writer and YouTuber.
She encourages and empowerswomen with her electrifying
messages and equips listenerswith actionable motivation
anchored in biblical truth.
She is a wife.
(00:21):
She is a mother of four we aregoing to ask her about that for
sure.
With a passion for Christ and arich knowledge of God's word,
she is on a mission to helpwomen lead lives that are proof
that love conquers all thethings that we face, feel fear
and stand in faith.
For I love it.
(00:41):
Yasmin, thank you so much forjoining me today.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
It is truly my pleasure.
I'm so excited.
Thank you for having me.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
Well, tell us a bit about yourself, about how you
got into the space that you'rein, becoming a speaker and
wanting to encourage andmotivate women.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
Yeah, me, in a nutshell, I am a whole hot mess,
as I often say, and youmentioned, I have four kids, so
I became a mom at the age of 14.
And, by the grace of God, justexperienced a lot of fruit and a
lot of joy and peace andopportunity.
(01:19):
And from there I just you know,you look at life and you see
how good God has been to you.
I just wanted people to knowthe Jesus that I know, and so I
started to share that, but justin a friendship, that's just
naturally who I am, kind of way.
(01:39):
And at some point a friend waslike you should start a YouTube
channel and I do not liketechnology y'all.
I don't get it.
I don't understand how my mindworks.
I'm feelings and words andemotions and all that technology
With touch, people like humantouch.
Yes, exactly, my husband is thecomplete opposite, not the
(02:00):
complete opposite, but he knowsall the things I don't.
And so I was like no, I don't.
And so I started doing YouTubeand things just happened.
And so from there I'm learningthat God often tells us to do
things that he knows we can't do, and the whole point is like
(02:22):
you can't do it unless you leanon me and as succinctly as
possible.
That's kind of how I got hereto this place just leaning on
God, trusting God, obeying hisvoice, even in moments where I
was like this makes absolutelyno sense, and it's never going
to work.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
Have you always been a Christian?
Speaker 2 (02:56):
I was raised as a Christian, so indirectly, yes,
but for myself I did not begin arelationship with Jesus until I
was about 22.
But yes, obviously he's alwaysbeen present in my life.
I just hadn't always beenpresent in his life or in his
will, in his way.
Speaker 1 (03:14):
Yeah, so let's kind of start at the beginning.
You've opened up before aboutbeing raised by a single mom.
What was that like by a singlemom.
Speaker 2 (03:24):
What was that like?
Yeah, as a child, it justseemed normal.
I am from a small town inAlabama and I mean raised in an
environment where poverty or allthe things that come with a
vulnerable society were prettyprevalent to me, so to be raised
by a single mom was like oh,everybody's raised by a single
(03:47):
mom, I can say.
However, it also meant thatthere were certain luxuries that
we didn't have in terms of thenicer things or the family
vacations or the going out toeat, just simple things like
that.
But one thing that we always,always had was my mom's love,
(04:08):
which I talk about all the timebecause it is the epitome of
Christ-like love, and that's whyI feel now that love really
does conquer all.
Love absolutely never fails,because, while it seems like we
had nothing, I know that I amwho I am now because we had
(04:30):
everything and because we hadthe love of Jesus Christ.
Speaker 1 (04:38):
So your mom, clearly a very pivotal woman in your
life, very pivotal woman in yourlife how did she balance being
a single mom?
So how did she have to?
I mean, she had the burden ofthe family, bringing in all the
income, but also needed to bethere with y'all.
How did you see her do this?
Speaker 2 (04:56):
Well, this is y'all.
I'm so sorry this is going tosound so cliche, I'm sorry.
Sorry that every answer goesback to God, but it just really
is the truth.
In my life but I saw heroperate in his grace.
It never once looks like it wasa struggle for her, whereas now
in my life, if I don't havesomething that I need or I have
(05:18):
a deadline, I have struggledwith anxiety and just going
through seasons where I have toreally be stretched in my faith
or my trust and dependence onGod.
But for my mom she never seemedto be overwhelmed or stressed
and I know as a woman now thatshe most certainly was but she
(05:38):
did what she had to do, she madeit work.
And and then I'm the youngestof three girls, so I also have
two older sisters who were ahuge help as well in terms of um
, driving me places or, you know, cooking, cleaning, doing all
the things.
Speaker 1 (05:57):
Yeah, now was your mom a Christian as well, always
a Christian, when you weregrowing up.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
Always a.
Speaker 1 (06:03):
Christian.
So how did she react when yougot pregnant at 14?
Speaker 2 (06:08):
Woo, like Christ, so loving, so kind and so forgiving
.
So I did not tell anyone that Iwas expecting until I went into
labor.
What In labor?
Yes In labor, in labor, yes inlabor.
And the only reason I sharedthen is because I thought I was
(06:31):
dying.
I literally thought it nevercrossed my mind that I was going
in labor.
I just thought I was dying andI was like, oh my gosh, I'm
going to have to, like I needhelp.
I have to tell my mother, myfamily, that I'm pregnant
because I need help.
And like, even in this moment,I just hear like that's a,
that's a word of encouragementfor somebody of, like we go
(06:53):
through life and things get hardand we're like, we're desperate
and our situation is dire andwe feel like we're dying, but
know that that's the very placewhere God wants us to speak and
call out for him so that he canhelp us, because only he can
save us.
So I felt like I was dying andI went into my mom's bedroom it
(07:14):
was the middle of the night andprobably around 5 am, so early
morning actually and I woke herup, or I crawled into bed with
her.
I woke her up and I said I'mpregnant and so she's like.
She said so you're having ababy, which, retrospective, is
hilarious, because if I'mpregnant and I'm having a baby,
(07:37):
yeah, but yeah, and that was allshe said.
So she got up and started toget ready for work.
Mind you, I'm still dying, butI don't know what to do at this
point, cause that's all she said.
So she prepares to go for work.
My sister picked her up forwork and I walk out with her and
(07:57):
my sister's like where is she'sgoing?
And my mom said I guess she'sgoing to the hospital.
So went to the hospital.
By the time I got there, my likeI'd gone into full labor in my
sister's car.
So, um and y'all, I'm sorry ifthis is TMI, but and then so my
son was actually born.
I was on the stretcher, thehospital bed, or whatever, um,
(08:17):
but he was fully delivered onthe elevator by physicians.
Thankfully that we've gottenphysicians by that point.
But yeah, that was her reaction.
And so by the time we get tothe hospital room, it's kind of
like this is life, this is ourreality.
So we were sitting around thebed my mom, my oldest sister and
(08:41):
her husband and we just startedthinking about names and we
decided my son's name is Joshua.
His middle initial is C.
My mom chose Joshua, biblicalChristian lover, and we decided
middle initial C because we werelike you know, josh really is a
miracle from Jesus Christ andthat's how we, that's how we got
(09:02):
there.
Speaker 1 (09:03):
That is insane.
How did you hide that you werepregnant?
Speaker 2 (09:10):
I well, I'm, I'm fairly small size.
So when I, when I was pregnant,I it just looked like I was
going through puberty, like most14 year old girls do.
Like I was growing boobs, whichI no longer have, and just hips
and weight.
So I was like becoming a littlecurvy more than anything.
(09:31):
Until the end, by month eight,it was pretty obvious.
So one, I just looked like Iwas gaining normal weight.
And then the second thing is Idid all the things I would
normally do, like I was on thecheerleading squad, I was in
theater productions, I did allthe things that a normal high
(09:53):
schooler would do.
And I think in that people justlike, oh, feel like, oh, it's
just normal.
Speaker 1 (10:01):
So what was life like for you?
You're 14 years old and you'vejust delivered your son.
Speaker 2 (10:10):
Ignorance is bliss, and for anybody listening I have
to apologize, because it's notlike this profound story of like
I struggle and then I overcame.
I just was completely naive andI think that's like
incomprehensible peace.
Peace that transcendsunderstanding is what I
(10:31):
experienced.
So I had my son and at thatpoint it really was like, okay,
what do I do to make our livesbetter, our lives better?
And so I love school, I loveschool, I love learning, I just
I love it.
And so I'd always done well inschool and I just was like, okay
(10:54):
, I got to like do even betternow.
So I was, by the grace of God,able to graduate valedictorian
on my high school class, I wasable to go on to college,
graduate college, do all thethings, and so that became my
focus.
I just became so fixated on on,I guess, earthly success or
just making things different, sothere wasn't any time to worry
(11:17):
about like this is hard, this isdifficult, this is challenging.
I think my most difficultseasons of life actually came
probably within the last decade,and that's when I met my
husband and we had more childrenand we had to blend a family,
and that's when.
That's when life really reallygot crazy.
(11:38):
And Kimberly, you asked me atthe beginning how did I, how did
I reach this point of sharingGod's truth with other women?
It was in that season when lifebecame overwhelmingly too much,
because by that time I hadalready like I'd been following
Jesus, I was ministering, I wasserving, I was studying his word
.
I checked all the success boxes, in addition to really growing
(12:02):
in my faith.
So I didn't understand why lifehad gotten so unbearably hard.
So the Bible tells us seekingyou will find.
So I went seeking throughscripture of like no, how do I
endure, how do I overcome, howdo I persevere, how do I grow,
how do I remain strengthened?
(12:22):
And as I find answers because Idon't have them all, but as I
find answers I'm like okay, letme tell all the people, because
we need to know.
Speaker 1 (12:33):
Yeah.
Would you share more or godeeper into a story about what
some of those hardest parts ofthe past decade of your life
have been?
What are some of thosedifficult moments that you got
to decade of your life?
Speaker 2 (12:45):
have been.
What are some of thosedifficult moments that you got
to?
Yeah, I would have to say, oh,that one caught me off.
So I'm like, where do I start?
I feel that in my, in mymarriage, like I was raised by a
single mom and I was a singlemom for nine years and my mom
(13:06):
was very strong and is verystrong and independent, and I am
very strong, self-sufficient,independent, and I didn't know
how to do life with someone else, and our relationship with
Christ requires us to die toourselves.
I never had to really die tomyself because, like all was
(13:29):
well and rainbows and unicorns.
However, when you do life withsomeone, I started to see that
like, oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, I am a hot, broken mess.
I have an attitude, I amselfish, I am self-righteous, I
am like because I'm this perfectChristian and so I just I am
(13:51):
right, and so it just was reallyhard to be hit with truth about
myself.
It was really hard to work onthose flaws within myself, while
also seeing that my husband isalso a flawed person and
sometimes feeling like, well,why am I working on my flaws?
(14:19):
That challenge of dying toflesh was the hardest part, and
realizing that, no matter howmuch we grow in our faith, the
work that Jesus has started willnot be finished until the day
of Jesus Christ when he comesback.
So it just was.
(14:39):
It was a rude awakening to seethat like, oh, you don't have
this figured out, you have notarrived and you desperately need
Jesus.
Speaker 1 (14:52):
How do you prioritize time with Jesus?
How do you?
Well, I'll just leave that open.
How do you, how do you makesure you have the time to spend
with him?
Speaker 2 (15:03):
Okay, so I do like the morning routine and it
varies because y'all, I'm verybig on like I'm a mom of four
and I am a former educator.
So at one point in my life youknow it meant waking up at five
and being out of the door by six.
So I'm not someone who's goingto be like the first thing you
(15:24):
do when you wake up you need tolike spend an hour with God.
I understand that that's notalways feasible and God gives us
grace, but we do have toprioritize starting our day with
God in some way, like I'm aworship, I'm going to pray, I'm
going to read the word Maybe Idon't study scripture until
later, but it's just carving outtime every single day and I
(15:48):
know we're in seasons wherewe're busy.
So some seasons have looks likeand I say this now because it's
easier for me now to make timefor God, because I do run my
ministry and so I'm always home,or not always, but I just have
more time to do that but therehave been seasons where my time
(16:10):
with God was while I commuted orwhile I worked out.
It's just finding time ormaking the time a part of
something that you are alreadydoing, and it's so vital because
I am a completely differentperson if I have not spent time
with Jesus.
I joke that Jesus saves and hedoes, and he died on the cross
(16:35):
and he saved us from our sin.
But in today, literally hesaves.
He saves my kids from cross andhe saved us from our sin.
But in today, like, literallyhe saves, he saves my kids from
my flesh, from my impatience,from my attitude, from my anger,
all of it.
So I have to make time forJesus or I just I'm afraid to
think of what might happen.
(16:55):
How old are your kids?
Think of what might happen.
How old are your kids?
My oldest is 19.
I have twin girls who are eightand I have my youngest daughter
, who is six.
Speaker 1 (17:05):
Wow, so you are a full life of all, of the whole
spectrum.
Speaker 2 (17:12):
Yeah, it is exhausting.
Speaker 1 (17:18):
How do you incorporate them either into
worship or Bible study, or howdo you encourage your kids to do
it on their own?
Speaker 2 (17:28):
Yes.
So we've done a variety ofthings and kind of as I was
saying about for myselfpersonally making God a part of
just everything that you alreadydo.
That's really big for us.
I mean, we have our children'sdevotionals that we follow, that
we read, that we listen to, wepray every morning, every night
(17:48):
and again before we go into theschool day.
We do our biblical affirmationsbefore we leave the house in
the morning and it's justliterally a part of every
conversation that we have.
And because I want them to seethat it's a lifestyle, it is a
(18:11):
way of life.
It's not this taxing thing thatI have to do that I have to
make extra time for, it's just.
It's what I, what we do is whowe are, is how we live, is how
we function.
Speaker 1 (18:25):
Yeah, have you had, especially your.
Your younger kids, like the twoeight-year-olds and the
six-year-old, ask you questionsabout the Bible or about Jesus,
and it gets to a point whereyou're like I don't know the
answer to that question.
Speaker 2 (18:38):
Oh yes, like even my 19 year old, because he's in
college now.
So he, sometimes we he was justtexting me stuff last night and
I can, I can, I'm more able toanswer his questions, but even
still, sometimes I'm like, okay,wait, let me pray about it,
I'll get back to you, let mestudy scripture.
But my girls, they want to knowall the things about heaven and
(19:01):
when Jesus is coming back.
And I'm like, and what is itlike after you die?
I mean, my kids are all abouteverything, revelations Not that
they've ever read Revelations,but I'm just like, can we start
with Noah's Ark?
Please Go to the basics.
(19:23):
But they have these complexquestions and thoughts often,
often.
But I like that they get tohear me say I don't know, but
this is what I believe, this iswhat it means for me, or this
scripture says this.
So this is the way I look at it, but I'm not sure you should
pray about it.
So really empowering them tostart to lean into their own
(19:45):
spirituality and seeking God andtrusting God, even at eight.
But the other night I'll tellyou, because I always say,
before they get out of the car,I always say work hard and put
God first.
And so we say this, and theother night my youngest she says
what does it mean to put Godfirst?
And I was like great question,because I never, you know, I
(20:08):
just say this.
I've been saying this sinceJosh was a kid and so we had a
good conversation on what thatmeans, what that looks like in
our choices and our friendshipsand our, you know, obedience to
our teachers or or whatever.
So that was that was good.
Some questions I can answer,some of them, some of them I
cannot.
So that was a good question.
Speaker 1 (20:35):
Yeah, no, I'm in it too.
My, my daughter is seven andshe's been asking the question
recently what is it?
How do you hear God?
Great question, I said.
Well, so the first thing I saidis we can hear him by reading
his words, like reading theBible.
But then sometimes you hear himin you and she's like how, what
does that mean?
It's like how do I explain thisto a seven?
Speaker 2 (20:57):
yearold Right.
But it's so good that they'rehaving the conversations and
it's a testament to you too, howyou parent and how you show up,
that they're curious and wantto know.
Speaker 1 (21:10):
Yeah, I want to start writing down a lot of their
questions, because some of themare kind of funny, like does God
sleep?
It's like, well, no, like theBible says God doesn't sleep or
slumber.
And then she goes but whatabout Jesus?
Okay, so when Jesus was onearth?
Speaker 2 (21:27):
he slept.
Yes, now, do your little onesever like call the Bible out to
you, of like check you with theBible?
Not yet, oh my gosh, because Iwas saying something the other
day that was like I'm not anegative person, but I can't.
(21:48):
So I can't remember, but it wasultimately not my norm of
something that I couldn't do,and Ella Rose has done this
twice.
She'll either tell me, remindme of Philippians 4 and 13, or
she'll always remind God,doesn't give you the spirit of
fear.
Because I'm like, oh, I'm justso nervous, and she just always
(22:08):
those are her go-to and I'm justlike you're right, okay, you're
right.
Let me take the advice that Iwould give to someone else.
Speaker 1 (22:18):
Yeah, how do you talk about your faith or Jesus?
Speaker 2 (22:28):
with friends that you have who aren't believers?
That's a tough one, I mean, Idon't think it's.
It's not a tough question toanswer, but it is a tough thing
to navigate because y'all I am,I'm, I'm obsessed with him and
I'm crazy about him.
So the people in my life,whether they're friends or just
acquaintances, they know thatthat's who I am and where I
(22:51):
stand.
But I also, as they see me andknow me, I see them and hear
them as well.
So it's not like I'm going totalk about my faith always, but
when someone else is sharingabout their lives, I'm not going
(23:11):
to and I know that they are notbelievers.
I'm not going to talk abouttheir life in a faith, in a
Jesus centric kind of way.
I'm just going to respondlovingly and with kindness kind
of way.
I'm just going to respondlovingly and with kindness, but
(23:33):
I might only say Jesus threetimes as opposed to 16.
But yeah, even now we're new tothe Austin area and I've been
meeting moms and many of whomare not or who practice a
different religion many of whomare not or who practice a
different religion and we justhave normal human conversations
(23:58):
and they're kind and they feellike I'm kind and we respect one
another.
But one mom in particular shetexted me the other day.
She's like I'm just so gratefulthat I met you and I just feel
a connection.
I'm like I feel the same thingand God has placed her on my
heart in many ways and led me todo things and in my mind I'm
just like, yeah, girl, it'sJesus.
It's Jesus, but, like you,maybe one day I pray that you
will get there and see that.
But the things that she wassaying in the text message, I
(24:20):
was like, oh, girl, only if youknew that it's really God
working and moving.
But does that answer yourquestion?
I'm sorry, because I don't knowhow I it's hard to not show up
as yourself and who I am, as abeliever.
Speaker 1 (24:37):
It's the relationship , though, right I mean.
I think that's the key.
It's helping people understandyou, love them and see them as a
person, not as like a missionproject.
Yes for sure, but I don't, Idon't know there's, there's
still sometimes.
If there's people where I knowthat they it's not that just
(25:00):
that they aren't Christians,like that they're anti-Christian
, like if someone has hurt themor they've been hurt by an
experience, then I have.
I struggle sometimes with likedo I say more, do I say less?
Like, am I going to push themaway If I talk too much about
Jesus?
Like, how do I, how do I walkthrough this with them but also
(25:22):
be my true, authentic selfwithout ostracizing them?
Speaker 2 (25:27):
Yeah, and I don't know the answer to that.
I do feel like I know we weregoing to possibly talk about
spiritual attraction and I thinkthat exists not just within
marriages but I mean indiscipleship as a whole.
So even if someone iscompletely overtly anti-Christ a
(25:52):
church or whatever we can stilloperate in relationship with
them, authentic relationship,separate from our.
I don't want to say separatefrom our faith because we can't
separate from our.
I don't want to say separatefrom our faith because, like we
can't separate from our faith,but like without it, like I
never have to talk to you aboutJesus at all, but because of the
(26:13):
term spiritual attraction, nomatter what I say or do, you're
going to see the God in me oryou're going to see the light in
me.
And because it's God, becauseit's power in me and because
it's God, because it's power,because that's just how Jesus
works, I do think we justcontinue to show up.
(26:37):
I've been talking a lot abouthow I mentor a lot of teen moms
and many of them some of them, Ishould say have never heard of
Jesus and that was so foreignfor me growing up in a small
town in Alabama, like everybodyknew Jesus and so.
But there are some people, um,whom I've been blessed to mentor
, who had never heard of Jesus,but the conversation, or when
(26:57):
you talk about Jesus, they'rejust completely shut down.
Life has been too toooverwhelmingly hard.
And I get it.
They're very valid given thethings that, as humans, we face.
And so conversations will startbecause I like your earrings,
or oh, that's so nice of you, oroh, I like that song too, or oh
, my gosh, you as a believerwalking in the wheel of God.
(27:20):
You don't have to say itwithout showing it.
Even if you never say it,people see it, and that's just
the beauty of the God whom weserve.
(27:43):
And we feel like I know I'mtalking a lot, but I'll wrap
this up we feel like, oh, mygosh, I got it, like there's a
sense of urgency because we wanteverybody to know Jesus.
And I get it because I operatein that same sense of urgency
Like I need you to know him, Ineed you, I want you to be saved
.
Jesus wants you to be saved.
But we have to know that he isall powerful and he doesn't need
(28:07):
us to say Jesus, jesus, do here, go here, submit or believe or
repent of your sins.
We don't always have to do that.
God just wants us to be thevessel in most cases.
Like you, just show up and wearthat green shirt.
I have somebody their favoritecolor is green.
They're going to say somethingabout that shirt.
I have somebody their favoritecolor is green.
(28:28):
They're going to say somethingabout that shirt and you don't
understand that.
That's really the shirt, isreally a seed into my life.
So, prayerfully, that madesense along the way.
I just think we just have to belike God.
I don't know what to do, but Iknow you know what to do, so I'm
just going to show up and useme however you see fit, like no
pressure at all.
(28:48):
Just show up and do you.
Speaker 1 (28:51):
How would you answer the question what makes someone,
or what do you believe makesyou, spiritually attractive?
Speaker 2 (29:11):
I think total submission when which is hard
I'm, I don't want to make itseem like I, I have that all the
way figured out but it issomeone whose heart is turned so
beautifully toward God whereyou can't, you can't deny it,
and that person, I think so, issubmission with a heart turned
toward God.
And it's also, it's humility,which, if you're submitted,
(29:32):
you're humble, because mostpeople who have that powerful
spiritual attraction, they don'teven.
They're just confused.
When good things happen to themor when people see good in them
, it's just like they're like,oh my gosh, you're getting, like
wow, really, they're justfloored because they aren't
(29:53):
operating from a place of self.
It is really like we talk aboutless of me and more you got.
And people with the mostintriguing spiritual attraction
are those who are like none ofme, but all of you, god, like I
really show up to serve you.
(30:13):
And in times it's like thepeople who are even afraid to
show up or who are shy, or whoare hesitant or you know any
type of emotion, feel likethey're not this enough,
hesitant, or you know any typeof emotion, feel like they're
not this enough, but they do itanyway because it's like I'm not
strong enough or smart enoughor wealthy enough, but God is,
(30:34):
so I'm, it's all him.
You know he perfects hisstrength in our weak places and
I think spiritual attraction arethe people who are weak enough
to let God be strong the peoplewho are weak enough to let God
be strong, so good.
Speaker 1 (30:51):
What are some of your favorite?
Either books like faith-basedbooks, or podcasts or things
like that that you use tocontinue learning and growing in
your faith.
Speaker 2 (31:01):
Great question.
So I can I think of a book inthis season, cause I love.
What am I reading?
Right now I am reading CrazierFaith by Mike Todd Um, but in
general I love anything thatLisa Turker's writes.
Like I am just I.
(31:23):
The beauty with which she putswords together are just so
powerful.
They just resonate with me andI just feel Holy Spirit speak to
me in the way that she writes.
So anything Lisa Turkers.
I also love Priscilla Shire.
I listen to a lot of sermonsmore than podcasts.
(31:44):
Like, I have a handful ofpodcasts that I go to, but I
don't introduce new podcastsoften because I spend so much
time listening to sermons onYouTube or reading God's Word or
a book, a Christian book thatsomeone has written.
Speaker 1 (32:05):
Yeah, what is your favorite either?
Well, both.
So what is your favorite bookof the Bible and your favorite
extra biblical book?
Speaker 2 (32:18):
My favorite book of the Bible would have to be I'm
going to go with first andsecond Samuel.
I know that's two.
I really love the story ofDavid.
My favorite Bible story,however, is in second Kings, but
it's just like one storycompared to the whole book.
So I'm going to have to go withfirst and second Kings and then
(32:40):
my favorite book.
I'm going to go with two.
Neither of them is they aren'tChristian based but it's the
Alchemist and oh the PlacesYou'll Go by Dr Seuss.
Speaker 1 (32:53):
So, yes.
Those are good.
Yeah Well, I've never read theAlchemist.
I have no clue what it's about.
But oh, the Places You'll Go isgood.
Speaker 2 (33:00):
It's so good, but you got to read the Alchemist at
some point.
Speaker 1 (33:03):
What is it?
What is it about?
Speaker 2 (33:16):
For me it is about like following the path that God
has placed, like that Godordered for you.
It's just was such a spiritualexperience reading that book.
It was cathartic, it wasempowering, it was just about
being on the journey that Godhas mapped out for you.
Now, I'm not sure if that'swhat the author intended, but I
(33:37):
do think that's a part of it.
But I went somewhere, totallyJesus, while reading it.
So it says it's a magical story.
A shepherd boy yearns to travelin search of worldly treasure,
and so it just wasn't that, itwasn't the worldly.
For me it was like, yes, god, Ihear you Like this, this
(33:58):
heavenly treasure that we havethrough Jesus Christ.
I loved it.
Speaker 1 (34:02):
That's awesome.
What words of encouragementwould you leave for our
listeners that may be goingthrough a hard time or a
difficult place or strugglingwith their faith?
Speaker 2 (34:18):
So many things.
I have to say this to be trueto myself as I mentioned earlier
in the conversation, love neverfails.
So I just want you to know ifyou are that person in that
place.
I want you to know that youreally can conquer it.
(34:39):
You really can get through itwith Jesus.
I mean, my thing on my channeland most things that I write is
conquer life with courageouslove.
And so we conquer these thingsthat we face in life by
leveraging the work that Jesusdid on the cross.
His act of love was socourageous and if he can conquer
(35:01):
death, then surely, as hischildren, as his vessels, as his
chosen people, we can conquerthe things that we face in life.
So I would just want toencourage somebody to keep going
, keep trusting, keep believingand seek God.
I love it, Yasmin.
Where can our listeners?
Speaker 1 (35:21):
find you?
I love it, Yasmin.
Where can our listeners findyou?
Speaker 2 (35:25):
Yeah, so I am most recently y'all.
I am on TikTok Girl.
Yeah, I did not want to do it,but it's become a happy place
for me.
That's great.
Yasmin underscore, williamsWoods.
And then on YouTube YasminWilliams Woods and then my
(35:56):
website, YasminWilliamsWoodscom.
Speaker 1 (35:57):
That's awesome.
Do you have any projects?
Speaker 2 (35:59):
you're working on or things that you're up to Always
all the things.
I have a new devotional, Idon't.
I have a new devotional whichyou can see all about that on my
website or on Amazon, and it's21 days and it's all about
discipline, or discipleship overdiscipline.
It's 21 days for courageousmoms, so check that out.
(36:21):
I've just been doing someone-on-one work with a lot of
the women whom I serve and getto work, who've become a part of
my ministry that way.
But yeah, there's always a newYouTube video every single week.
There are all the things, allthe things.
There's a weekly Bible study,virtually, if you want to join
us for that.
Speaker 1 (36:42):
That's cool.
That's awesome.
Well, we will include all thoselinks in the show notes to your
social channels, your YouTubeand your website.
And love the devotional.
That's what a great one.
This discipleship overdiscipline 21 days Sounds
fantastic.
(37:02):
I love it.
Thank you so much for joiningus, Yasmin.
It's been a pleasure speakingwith you.
Speaker 2 (37:07):
Thank you, the pleasure has been mine.
Thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (37:11):
Here are my key price takeaways from our conversation
today with YasminWilliams-Woods.
First of all, love conquers all.
She said that multiple times.
She mentioned that that is whather mom put and instilled into
her.
It's what she is her mom putand instilled into her.
It's what she is wanting to putand instill into her kids in
(37:31):
her marriage and it's been whatshe has experienced in all of
her difficulties.
At the end, she even saidcourageous acts of love.
How can we be doing more ofthose for the people that we
have in our lives?
That is my question for you.
So many times we look at thestruggle in a relationship with
(37:53):
our kids, with our spouse, witha friend, and we look at it as
something to get through orsomething to maybe be the end of
the relationship.
But what if we reframed it andsaid how can I show courageous
love towards this person evenwhen the situation makes it
(38:15):
difficult to do so?
My second key pies takeaway fromthis episode is the importance
of making it intentional tospend time with God.
So a Bible study, listening toworship music, having prayer,
meditating on His Word.
What are you doing?
And I asked myself this I am ina season oh my gosh after I
(38:38):
broke my foot and all the otherthings that I did to my foot on
my birthday about six months ago.
I have just been out of myroutine and I feel it.
When she said that, when shesaid you know me being in that
constant discipline of being incommunion and contact with God,
(38:59):
it changes me.
And when I don't have that, itchanges me and I totally feel
that.
My question to you and myquestion for me is how are you
making it intentional to spendtime with Jesus?
And then my third and finaltakeaway from our conversation
what does it look like to livein total submission?
(39:20):
If that is what can lead us tobecoming spiritually attractive,
especially as Christians, thenare we?
Are you living in submission toGod, to His way, to His will,
to His purpose for your life?
And in what areas are youliving in rebellion, and maybe
(39:45):
not even in a bad way, butyou're just pushing through and
trying to continue in your ownstrength or going against
something that you know youshouldn't do.
Maybe it's something as simpleas gossip.
Maybe it's something likedealing with your jealousy and
not being as jealous or envious,or maybe it's you're doing a
(40:07):
bunch of good things, but it'staking time away from the people
that God put in your life toserve, like your spouse and your
children.
How would it look for you tolive in total submission to
God's will for your life?
Until next week, stay strong.
I am joined today.
We are joined today on today'sepisode with Yasmin
Williams-Woods.
She is a Christian speaker,writer and YouTuber.
She encourages and empowerswomen with her electrifying
messages and equips listenerswith actionable motivation
anchored in biblical truth.
She is a wife.
(00:21):
She is a mother of four we aregoing to ask her about that for
sure.
With a passion for Christ and arich knowledge of God's word,
she is on a mission to helpwomen lead lives that are proof
that love conquers all thethings that we face, feel fear
and stand in faith.
For I love it.
(00:41):
Yasmin, thank you so much forjoining me today.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
It is truly my pleasure.
I'm so excited.
Thank you for having me.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
Well, tell us a bit about yourself, about how you
got into the space that you'rein, becoming a speaker and
wanting to encourage andmotivate women.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
Yeah, me, in a nutshell, I am a whole hot mess,
as I often say, and youmentioned, I have four kids, so
I became a mom at the age of 14.
And, by the grace of God, justexperienced a lot of fruit and a
lot of joy and peace andopportunity.
(01:19):
And from there I just you know,you look at life and you see
how good God has been to you.
I just wanted people to knowthe Jesus that I know, and so I
started to share that, but justin a friendship, that's just
naturally who I am, kind of way.
(01:39):
And at some point a friend waslike you should start a YouTube
channel and I do not liketechnology y'all.
I don't get it.
I don't understand how my mindworks.
I'm feelings and words andemotions and all that technology
With touch, people like humantouch.
Yes, exactly, my husband is thecomplete opposite, not the
(02:00):
complete opposite, but he knowsall the things I don't.
And so I was like no, I don't.
And so I started doing YouTubeand things just happened.
And so from there I'm learningthat God often tells us to do
things that he knows we can't do, and the whole point is like
(02:22):
you can't do it unless you leanon me and as succinctly as
possible.
That's kind of how I got hereto this place just leaning on
God, trusting God, obeying hisvoice, even in moments where I
was like this makes absolutelyno sense, and it's never going
to work.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
Have you always been a Christian?
Speaker 2 (02:56):
I was raised as a Christian, so indirectly, yes,
but for myself I did not begin arelationship with Jesus until I
was about 22.
But yes, obviously he's alwaysbeen present in my life.
I just hadn't always beenpresent in his life or in his
will, in his way.
Speaker 1 (03:14):
Yeah, so let's kind of start at the beginning.
You've opened up before aboutbeing raised by a single mom.
What was that like by a singlemom.
Speaker 2 (03:24):
What was that like?
Yeah, as a child, it justseemed normal.
I am from a small town inAlabama and I mean raised in an
environment where poverty or allthe things that come with a
vulnerable society were prettyprevalent to me, so to be raised
by a single mom was like oh,everybody's raised by a single
(03:47):
mom, I can say.
However, it also meant thatthere were certain luxuries that
we didn't have in terms of thenicer things or the family
vacations or the going out toeat, just simple things like
that.
But one thing that we always,always had was my mom's love,
(04:08):
which I talk about all the timebecause it is the epitome of
Christ-like love, and that's whyI feel now that love really
does conquer all.
Love absolutely never fails,because, while it seems like we
had nothing, I know that I amwho I am now because we had
(04:30):
everything and because we hadthe love of Jesus Christ.
Speaker 1 (04:38):
So your mom, clearly a very pivotal woman in your
life, very pivotal woman in yourlife how did she balance being
a single mom?
So how did she have to?
I mean, she had the burden ofthe family, bringing in all the
income, but also needed to bethere with y'all.
How did you see her do this?
Speaker 2 (04:56):
Well, this is y'all.
I'm so sorry this is going tosound so cliche, I'm sorry.
Sorry that every answer goesback to God, but it just really
is the truth.
In my life but I saw heroperate in his grace.
It never once looks like it wasa struggle for her, whereas now
in my life, if I don't havesomething that I need or I have
(05:18):
a deadline, I have struggledwith anxiety and just going
through seasons where I have toreally be stretched in my faith
or my trust and dependence onGod.
But for my mom she never seemedto be overwhelmed or stressed
and I know as a woman now thatshe most certainly was but she
(05:38):
did what she had to do, she madeit work.
And and then I'm the youngestof three girls, so I also have
two older sisters who were ahuge help as well in terms of um
, driving me places or, you know, cooking, cleaning, doing all
the things.
Speaker 1 (05:57):
Yeah, now was your mom a Christian as well, always
a Christian, when you weregrowing up.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
Always a.
Speaker 1 (06:03):
Christian.
So how did she react when yougot pregnant at 14?
Speaker 2 (06:08):
Woo, like Christ, so loving, so kind and so forgiving
.
So I did not tell anyone that Iwas expecting until I went into
labor.
What In labor?
Yes In labor, in labor, yes inlabor.
And the only reason I sharedthen is because I thought I was
(06:31):
dying.
I literally thought it nevercrossed my mind that I was going
in labor.
I just thought I was dying andI was like, oh my gosh, I'm
going to have to, like I needhelp.
I have to tell my mother, myfamily, that I'm pregnant
because I need help.
And like, even in this moment,I just hear like that's a,
that's a word of encouragementfor somebody of, like we go
(06:53):
through life and things get hardand we're like, we're desperate
and our situation is dire andwe feel like we're dying, but
know that that's the very placewhere God wants us to speak and
call out for him so that he canhelp us, because only he can
save us.
So I felt like I was dying andI went into my mom's bedroom it
(07:14):
was the middle of the night andprobably around 5 am, so early
morning actually and I woke herup, or I crawled into bed with
her.
I woke her up and I said I'mpregnant and so she's like.
She said so you're having ababy, which, retrospective, is
hilarious, because if I'mpregnant and I'm having a baby,
(07:37):
yeah, but yeah, and that was allshe said.
So she got up and started toget ready for work.
Mind you, I'm still dying, butI don't know what to do at this
point, cause that's all she said.
So she prepares to go for work.
My sister picked her up forwork and I walk out with her and
(07:57):
my sister's like where is she'sgoing?
And my mom said I guess she'sgoing to the hospital.
So went to the hospital.
By the time I got there, my likeI'd gone into full labor in my
sister's car.
So, um and y'all, I'm sorry ifthis is TMI, but and then so my
son was actually born.
I was on the stretcher, thehospital bed, or whatever, um,
(08:17):
but he was fully delivered onthe elevator by physicians.
Thankfully that we've gottenphysicians by that point.
But yeah, that was her reaction.
And so by the time we get tothe hospital room, it's kind of
like this is life, this is ourreality.
So we were sitting around thebed my mom, my oldest sister and
(08:41):
her husband and we just startedthinking about names and we
decided my son's name is Joshua.
His middle initial is C.
My mom chose Joshua, biblicalChristian lover, and we decided
middle initial C because we werelike you know, josh really is a
miracle from Jesus Christ andthat's how we, that's how we got
(09:02):
there.
Speaker 1 (09:03):
That is insane.
How did you hide that you werepregnant?
Speaker 2 (09:10):
I well, I'm, I'm fairly small size.
So when I, when I was pregnant,I it just looked like I was
going through puberty, like most14 year old girls do.
Like I was growing boobs, whichI no longer have, and just hips
and weight.
So I was like becoming a littlecurvy more than anything.
(09:31):
Until the end, by month eight,it was pretty obvious.
So one, I just looked like Iwas gaining normal weight.
And then the second thing is Idid all the things I would
normally do, like I was on thecheerleading squad, I was in
theater productions, I did allthe things that a normal high
(09:53):
schooler would do.
And I think in that people justlike, oh, feel like, oh, it's
just normal.
Speaker 1 (10:01):
So what was life like for you?
You're 14 years old and you'vejust delivered your son.
Speaker 2 (10:10):
Ignorance is bliss, and for anybody listening I have
to apologize, because it's notlike this profound story of like
I struggle and then I overcame.
I just was completely naive andI think that's like
incomprehensible peace.
Peace that transcendsunderstanding is what I
(10:31):
experienced.
So I had my son and at thatpoint it really was like, okay,
what do I do to make our livesbetter, our lives better?
And so I love school, I loveschool, I love learning, I just
I love it.
And so I'd always done well inschool and I just was like, okay
(10:54):
, I got to like do even betternow.
So I was, by the grace of God,able to graduate valedictorian
on my high school class, I wasable to go on to college,
graduate college, do all thethings, and so that became my
focus.
I just became so fixated on on,I guess, earthly success or
just making things different, sothere wasn't any time to worry
(11:17):
about like this is hard, this isdifficult, this is challenging.
I think my most difficultseasons of life actually came
probably within the last decade,and that's when I met my
husband and we had more childrenand we had to blend a family,
and that's when.
That's when life really reallygot crazy.
(11:38):
And Kimberly, you asked me atthe beginning how did I, how did
I reach this point of sharingGod's truth with other women?
It was in that season when lifebecame overwhelmingly too much,
because by that time I hadalready like I'd been following
Jesus, I was ministering, I wasserving, I was studying his word
.
I checked all the success boxes, in addition to really growing
(12:02):
in my faith.
So I didn't understand why lifehad gotten so unbearably hard.
So the Bible tells us seekingyou will find.
So I went seeking throughscripture of like no, how do I
endure, how do I overcome, howdo I persevere, how do I grow,
how do I remain strengthened?
(12:22):
And as I find answers because Idon't have them all, but as I
find answers I'm like okay, letme tell all the people, because
we need to know.
Speaker 1 (12:33):
Yeah.
Would you share more or godeeper into a story about what
some of those hardest parts ofthe past decade of your life
have been?
What are some of thosedifficult moments that you got
to decade of your life?
Speaker 2 (12:45):
have been.
What are some of thosedifficult moments that you got
to?
Yeah, I would have to say, oh,that one caught me off.
So I'm like, where do I start?
I feel that in my, in mymarriage, like I was raised by a
single mom and I was a singlemom for nine years and my mom
(13:06):
was very strong and is verystrong and independent, and I am
very strong, self-sufficient,independent, and I didn't know
how to do life with someone else, and our relationship with
Christ requires us to die toourselves.
I never had to really die tomyself because, like all was
(13:29):
well and rainbows and unicorns.
However, when you do life withsomeone, I started to see that
like, oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, I am a hot, broken mess.
I have an attitude, I amselfish, I am self-righteous, I
am like because I'm this perfectChristian and so I just I am
(13:51):
right, and so it just was reallyhard to be hit with truth about
myself.
It was really hard to work onthose flaws within myself, while
also seeing that my husband isalso a flawed person and
sometimes feeling like, well,why am I working on my flaws?
(14:19):
That challenge of dying toflesh was the hardest part, and
realizing that, no matter howmuch we grow in our faith, the
work that Jesus has started willnot be finished until the day
of Jesus Christ when he comesback.
So it just was.
(14:39):
It was a rude awakening to seethat like, oh, you don't have
this figured out, you have notarrived and you desperately need
Jesus.
Speaker 1 (14:52):
How do you prioritize time with Jesus?
How do you?
Well, I'll just leave that open.
How do you, how do you makesure you have the time to spend
with him?
Speaker 2 (15:03):
Okay, so I do like the morning routine and it
varies because y'all, I'm verybig on like I'm a mom of four
and I am a former educator.
So at one point in my life youknow it meant waking up at five
and being out of the door by six.
So I'm not someone who's goingto be like the first thing you
(15:24):
do when you wake up you need tolike spend an hour with God.
I understand that that's notalways feasible and God gives us
grace, but we do have toprioritize starting our day with
God in some way, like I'm aworship, I'm going to pray, I'm
going to read the word Maybe Idon't study scripture until
later, but it's just carving outtime every single day and I
(15:48):
know we're in seasons wherewe're busy.
So some seasons have looks likeand I say this now because it's
easier for me now to make timefor God, because I do run my
ministry and so I'm always home,or not always, but I just have
more time to do that but therehave been seasons where my time
(16:10):
with God was while I commuted orwhile I worked out.
It's just finding time ormaking the time a part of
something that you are alreadydoing, and it's so vital because
I am a completely differentperson if I have not spent time
with Jesus.
I joke that Jesus saves and hedoes, and he died on the cross
(16:35):
and he saved us from our sin.
But in today, literally hesaves.
He saves my kids from cross andhe saved us from our sin.
But in today, like, literallyhe saves, he saves my kids from
my flesh, from my impatience,from my attitude, from my anger,
all of it.
So I have to make time forJesus or I just I'm afraid to
think of what might happen.
(16:55):
How old are your kids?
Think of what might happen.
How old are your kids?
My oldest is 19.
I have twin girls who are eightand I have my youngest daughter
, who is six.
Speaker 1 (17:05):
Wow, so you are a full life of all, of the whole
spectrum.
Speaker 2 (17:12):
Yeah, it is exhausting.
Speaker 1 (17:18):
How do you incorporate them either into
worship or Bible study, or howdo you encourage your kids to do
it on their own?
Speaker 2 (17:28):
Yes.
So we've done a variety ofthings and kind of as I was
saying about for myselfpersonally making God a part of
just everything that you alreadydo.
That's really big for us.
I mean, we have our children'sdevotionals that we follow, that
we read, that we listen to, wepray every morning, every night
(17:48):
and again before we go into theschool day.
We do our biblical affirmationsbefore we leave the house in
the morning and it's justliterally a part of every
conversation that we have.
And because I want them to seethat it's a lifestyle, it is a
(18:11):
way of life.
It's not this taxing thing thatI have to do that I have to
make extra time for, it's just.
It's what I, what we do is whowe are, is how we live, is how
we function.
Speaker 1 (18:25):
Yeah, have you had, especially your.
Your younger kids, like the twoeight-year-olds and the
six-year-old, ask you questionsabout the Bible or about Jesus,
and it gets to a point whereyou're like I don't know the
answer to that question.
Speaker 2 (18:38):
Oh yes, like even my 19 year old, because he's in
college now.
So he, sometimes we he was justtexting me stuff last night and
I can, I can, I'm more able toanswer his questions, but even
still, sometimes I'm like, okay,wait, let me pray about it,
I'll get back to you, let mestudy scripture.
But my girls, they want to knowall the things about heaven and
(19:01):
when Jesus is coming back.
And I'm like, and what is itlike after you die?
I mean, my kids are all abouteverything, revelations Not that
they've ever read Revelations,but I'm just like, can we start
with Noah's Ark?
Please Go to the basics.
(19:23):
But they have these complexquestions and thoughts often,
often.
But I like that they get tohear me say I don't know, but
this is what I believe, this iswhat it means for me, or this
scripture says this.
So this is the way I look at it, but I'm not sure you should
pray about it.
So really empowering them tostart to lean into their own
(19:45):
spirituality and seeking God andtrusting God, even at eight.
But the other night I'll tellyou, because I always say,
before they get out of the car,I always say work hard and put
God first.
And so we say this, and theother night my youngest she says
what does it mean to put Godfirst?
And I was like great question,because I never, you know, I
(20:08):
just say this.
I've been saying this sinceJosh was a kid and so we had a
good conversation on what thatmeans, what that looks like in
our choices and our friendshipsand our, you know, obedience to
our teachers or or whatever.
So that was that was good.
Some questions I can answer,some of them, some of them I
cannot.
So that was a good question.
Speaker 1 (20:35):
Yeah, no, I'm in it too.
My, my daughter is seven andshe's been asking the question
recently what is it?
How do you hear God?
Great question, I said.
Well, so the first thing I saidis we can hear him by reading
his words, like reading theBible.
But then sometimes you hear himin you and she's like how, what
does that mean?
It's like how do I explain thisto a seven?
Speaker 2 (20:57):
yearold Right.
But it's so good that they'rehaving the conversations and
it's a testament to you too, howyou parent and how you show up,
that they're curious and wantto know.
Speaker 1 (21:10):
Yeah, I want to start writing down a lot of their
questions, because some of themare kind of funny, like does God
sleep?
It's like, well, no, like theBible says God doesn't sleep or
slumber.
And then she goes but whatabout Jesus?
Okay, so when Jesus was onearth?
Speaker 2 (21:27):
he slept.
Yes, now, do your little onesever like call the Bible out to
you, of like check you with theBible?
Not yet, oh my gosh, because Iwas saying something the other
day that was like I'm not anegative person, but I can't.
(21:48):
So I can't remember, but it wasultimately not my norm of
something that I couldn't do,and Ella Rose has done this
twice.
She'll either tell me, remindme of Philippians 4 and 13, or
she'll always remind God,doesn't give you the spirit of
fear.
Because I'm like, oh, I'm justso nervous, and she just always
(22:08):
those are her go-to and I'm justlike you're right, okay, you're
right.
Let me take the advice that Iwould give to someone else.
Speaker 1 (22:18):
Yeah, how do you talk about your faith or Jesus?
Speaker 2 (22:28):
with friends that you have who aren't believers?
That's a tough one, I mean, Idon't think it's.
It's not a tough question toanswer, but it is a tough thing
to navigate because y'all I am,I'm, I'm obsessed with him and
I'm crazy about him.
So the people in my life,whether they're friends or just
acquaintances, they know thatthat's who I am and where I
(22:51):
stand.
But I also, as they see me andknow me, I see them and hear
them as well.
So it's not like I'm going totalk about my faith always, but
when someone else is sharingabout their lives, I'm not going
(23:11):
to and I know that they are notbelievers.
I'm not going to talk abouttheir life in a faith, in a
Jesus centric kind of way.
I'm just going to respondlovingly and with kindness kind
of way.
I'm just going to respondlovingly and with kindness, but
(23:33):
I might only say Jesus threetimes as opposed to 16.
But yeah, even now we're new tothe Austin area and I've been
meeting moms and many of whomare not or who practice a
different religion many of whomare not or who practice a
different religion and we justhave normal human conversations
(23:58):
and they're kind and they feellike I'm kind and we respect one
another.
But one mom in particular shetexted me the other day.
She's like I'm just so gratefulthat I met you and I just feel
a connection.
I'm like I feel the same thingand God has placed her on my
heart in many ways and led me todo things and in my mind I'm
just like, yeah, girl, it'sJesus.
It's Jesus, but, like you,maybe one day I pray that you
will get there and see that.
But the things that she wassaying in the text message, I
(24:20):
was like, oh, girl, only if youknew that it's really God
working and moving.
But does that answer yourquestion?
I'm sorry, because I don't knowhow I it's hard to not show up
as yourself and who I am, as abeliever.
Speaker 1 (24:37):
It's the relationship , though, right I mean.
I think that's the key.
It's helping people understandyou, love them and see them as a
person, not as like a missionproject.
Yes for sure, but I don't, Idon't know there's, there's
still sometimes.
If there's people where I knowthat they it's not that just
(25:00):
that they aren't Christians,like that they're anti-Christian
, like if someone has hurt themor they've been hurt by an
experience, then I have.
I struggle sometimes with likedo I say more, do I say less?
Like, am I going to push themaway If I talk too much about
Jesus?
Like, how do I, how do I walkthrough this with them but also
(25:22):
be my true, authentic selfwithout ostracizing them?
Speaker 2 (25:27):
Yeah, and I don't know the answer to that.
I do feel like I know we weregoing to possibly talk about
spiritual attraction and I thinkthat exists not just within
marriages but I mean indiscipleship as a whole.
So even if someone iscompletely overtly anti-Christ a
(25:52):
church or whatever we can stilloperate in relationship with
them, authentic relationship,separate from our.
I don't want to say separatefrom our faith because we can't
separate from our.
I don't want to say separatefrom our faith because, like we
can't separate from our faith,but like without it, like I
never have to talk to you aboutJesus at all, but because of the
(26:13):
term spiritual attraction, nomatter what I say or do, you're
going to see the God in me oryou're going to see the light in
me.
And because it's God, becauseit's power in me and because
it's God, because it's power,because that's just how Jesus
works, I do think we justcontinue to show up.
(26:37):
I've been talking a lot abouthow I mentor a lot of teen moms
and many of them some of them, Ishould say have never heard of
Jesus and that was so foreignfor me growing up in a small
town in Alabama, like everybodyknew Jesus and so.
But there are some people, um,whom I've been blessed to mentor
, who had never heard of Jesus,but the conversation, or when
(26:57):
you talk about Jesus, they'rejust completely shut down.
Life has been too toooverwhelmingly hard.
And I get it.
They're very valid given thethings that, as humans, we face.
And so conversations will startbecause I like your earrings,
or oh, that's so nice of you, oroh, I like that song too, or oh
, my gosh, you as a believerwalking in the wheel of God.
(27:20):
You don't have to say itwithout showing it.
Even if you never say it,people see it, and that's just
the beauty of the God whom weserve.
(27:43):
And we feel like I know I'mtalking a lot, but I'll wrap
this up we feel like, oh, mygosh, I got it, like there's a
sense of urgency because we wanteverybody to know Jesus.
And I get it because I operatein that same sense of urgency
Like I need you to know him, Ineed you, I want you to be saved
.
Jesus wants you to be saved.
But we have to know that he isall powerful and he doesn't need
(28:07):
us to say Jesus, jesus, do here, go here, submit or believe or
repent of your sins.
We don't always have to do that.
God just wants us to be thevessel in most cases.
Like you, just show up and wearthat green shirt.
I have somebody their favoritecolor is green.
They're going to say somethingabout that shirt.
I have somebody their favoritecolor is green.
(28:28):
They're going to say somethingabout that shirt and you don't
understand that.
That's really the shirt, isreally a seed into my life.
So, prayerfully, that madesense along the way.
I just think we just have to belike God.
I don't know what to do, but Iknow you know what to do, so I'm
just going to show up and useme however you see fit, like no
pressure at all.
(28:48):
Just show up and do you.
Speaker 1 (28:51):
How would you answer the question what makes someone,
or what do you believe makesyou, spiritually attractive?
Speaker 2 (29:11):
I think total submission when which is hard
I'm, I don't want to make itseem like I, I have that all the
way figured out but it issomeone whose heart is turned so
beautifully toward God whereyou can't, you can't deny it,
and that person, I think so, issubmission with a heart turned
toward God.
And it's also, it's humility,which, if you're submitted,
(29:32):
you're humble, because mostpeople who have that powerful
spiritual attraction, they don'teven.
They're just confused.
When good things happen to themor when people see good in them
, it's just like they're like,oh my gosh, you're getting, like
wow, really, they're justfloored because they aren't
(29:53):
operating from a place of self.
It is really like we talk aboutless of me and more you got.
And people with the mostintriguing spiritual attraction
are those who are like none ofme, but all of you, god, like I
really show up to serve you.
(30:13):
And in times it's like thepeople who are even afraid to
show up or who are shy, or whoare hesitant or you know any
type of emotion, feel likethey're not this enough,
hesitant, or you know any typeof emotion, feel like they're
not this enough, but they do itanyway because it's like I'm not
strong enough or smart enoughor wealthy enough, but God is,
(30:34):
so I'm, it's all him.
You know he perfects hisstrength in our weak places and
I think spiritual attraction arethe people who are weak enough
to let God be strong the peoplewho are weak enough to let God
be strong, so good.
Speaker 1 (30:51):
What are some of your favorite?
Either books like faith-basedbooks, or podcasts or things
like that that you use tocontinue learning and growing in
your faith.
Speaker 2 (31:01):
Great question.
So I can I think of a book inthis season, cause I love.
What am I reading?
Right now I am reading CrazierFaith by Mike Todd Um, but in
general I love anything thatLisa Turker's writes.
Like I am just I.
(31:23):
The beauty with which she putswords together are just so
powerful.
They just resonate with me andI just feel Holy Spirit speak to
me in the way that she writes.
So anything Lisa Turkers.
I also love Priscilla Shire.
I listen to a lot of sermonsmore than podcasts.
(31:44):
Like, I have a handful ofpodcasts that I go to, but I
don't introduce new podcastsoften because I spend so much
time listening to sermons onYouTube or reading God's Word or
a book, a Christian book thatsomeone has written.
Speaker 1 (32:05):
Yeah, what is your favorite either?
Well, both.
So what is your favorite bookof the Bible and your favorite
extra biblical book?
Speaker 2 (32:18):
My favorite book of the Bible would have to be I'm
going to go with first andsecond Samuel.
I know that's two.
I really love the story ofDavid.
My favorite Bible story,however, is in second Kings, but
it's just like one storycompared to the whole book.
So I'm going to have to go withfirst and second Kings and then
(32:40):
my favorite book.
I'm going to go with two.
Neither of them is they aren'tChristian based but it's the
Alchemist and oh the PlacesYou'll Go by Dr Seuss.
Speaker 1 (32:53):
So, yes.
Those are good.
Yeah Well, I've never read theAlchemist.
I have no clue what it's about.
But oh, the Places You'll Go isgood.
Speaker 2 (33:00):
It's so good, but you got to read the Alchemist at
some point.
Speaker 1 (33:03):
What is it?
What is it about?
Speaker 2 (33:16):
For me it is about like following the path that God
has placed, like that Godordered for you.
It's just was such a spiritualexperience reading that book.
It was cathartic, it wasempowering, it was just about
being on the journey that Godhas mapped out for you.
Now, I'm not sure if that'swhat the author intended, but I
(33:37):
do think that's a part of it.
But I went somewhere, totallyJesus, while reading it.
So it says it's a magical story.
A shepherd boy yearns to travelin search of worldly treasure,
and so it just wasn't that, itwasn't the worldly.
For me it was like, yes, god, Ihear you Like this, this
(33:58):
heavenly treasure that we havethrough Jesus Christ.
I loved it.
Speaker 1 (34:02):
That's awesome.
What words of encouragementwould you leave for our
listeners that may be goingthrough a hard time or a
difficult place or strugglingwith their faith?
Speaker 2 (34:18):
So many things.
I have to say this to be trueto myself as I mentioned earlier
in the conversation, love neverfails.
So I just want you to know ifyou are that person in that
place.
I want you to know that youreally can conquer it.
(34:39):
You really can get through itwith Jesus.
I mean, my thing on my channeland most things that I write is
conquer life with courageouslove.
And so we conquer these thingsthat we face in life by
leveraging the work that Jesusdid on the cross.
His act of love was socourageous and if he can conquer
(35:01):
death, then surely, as hischildren, as his vessels, as his
chosen people, we can conquerthe things that we face in life.
So I would just want toencourage somebody to keep going
, keep trusting, keep believingand seek God.
I love it, Yasmin.
Where can our listeners?
Speaker 1 (35:21):
find you?
I love it, Yasmin.
Where can our listeners findyou?
Speaker 2 (35:25):
Yeah, so I am most recently y'all.
I am on TikTok Girl.
Yeah, I did not want to do it,but it's become a happy place
for me.
That's great.
Yasmin underscore, williamsWoods.
And then on YouTube YasminWilliams Woods and then my
(35:56):
website, YasminWilliamsWoodscom.
Speaker 1 (35:57):
That's awesome.
Do you have any projects?
Speaker 2 (35:59):
you're working on or things that you're up to Always
all the things.
I have a new devotional, Idon't.
I have a new devotional whichyou can see all about that on my
website or on Amazon, and it's21 days and it's all about
discipline, or discipleship overdiscipline.
It's 21 days for courageousmoms, so check that out.
(36:21):
I've just been doing someone-on-one work with a lot of
the women whom I serve and getto work, who've become a part of
my ministry that way.
But yeah, there's always a newYouTube video every single week.
There are all the things, allthe things.
There's a weekly Bible study,virtually, if you want to join
us for that.
Speaker 1 (36:42):
That's cool.
That's awesome.
Well, we will include all thoselinks in the show notes to your
social channels, your YouTubeand your website.
And love the devotional.
That's what a great one.
This discipleship overdiscipline 21 days Sounds
fantastic.
(37:02):
I love it.
Thank you so much for joiningus, Yasmin.
It's been a pleasure speakingwith you.
Speaker 2 (37:07):
Thank you, the pleasure has been mine.
Thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (37:11):
Here are my key price takeaways from our conversation
today with YasminWilliams-Woods.
First of all, love conquers all.
She said that multiple times.
She mentioned that that is whather mom put and instilled into
her.
It's what she is her mom putand instilled into her.
It's what she is wanting to putand instill into her kids in
(37:31):
her marriage and it's been whatshe has experienced in all of
her difficulties.
At the end, she even saidcourageous acts of love.
How can we be doing more ofthose for the people that we
have in our lives?
That is my question for you.
So many times we look at thestruggle in a relationship with
(37:53):
our kids, with our spouse, witha friend, and we look at it as
something to get through orsomething to maybe be the end of
the relationship.
But what if we reframed it andsaid how can I show courageous
love towards this person evenwhen the situation makes it
(38:15):
difficult to do so?
My second key pies takeaway fromthis episode is the importance
of making it intentional tospend time with God.
So a Bible study, listening toworship music, having prayer,
meditating on His Word.
What are you doing?
And I asked myself this I am ina season oh my gosh after I
(38:38):
broke my foot and all the otherthings that I did to my foot on
my birthday about six months ago.
I have just been out of myroutine and I feel it.
When she said that, when shesaid you know me being in that
constant discipline of being incommunion and contact with God,
(38:59):
it changes me.
And when I don't have that, itchanges me and I totally feel
that.
My question to you and myquestion for me is how are you
making it intentional to spendtime with Jesus?
And then my third and finaltakeaway from our conversation
what does it look like to livein total submission?
(39:20):
If that is what can lead us tobecoming spiritually attractive,
especially as Christians, thenare we?
Are you living in submission toGod, to His way, to His will,
to His purpose for your life?
And in what areas are youliving in rebellion, and maybe
(39:45):
not even in a bad way, butyou're just pushing through and
trying to continue in your ownstrength or going against
something that you know youshouldn't do.
Maybe it's something as simpleas gossip.
Maybe it's something likedealing with your jealousy and
not being as jealous or envious,or maybe it's you're doing a
(40:07):
bunch of good things, but it'staking time away from the people
that God put in your life toserve, like your spouse and your
children.
How would it look for you tolive in total submission to
God's will for your life?
Until next week, stay strong.
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