Girls Gone Bible - The Power of the Secret Place | Girls Gone Bible

Episode Date: July 12, 2025

Hi GGB :) we're so grateful to be back and talking about the Secret Place. how to pray, how to worship, how to seek Jesus and receive all that you need from Him. everything we're looking for-- we find... in the secret place. we love you so much. Jesus loves you more. -Ang & Ari Betterhelp: This episode is sponsored by by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/girlsgonebible and get on your way to being your best self. Ritual: Instead of striving for perfect health, aim for supporting foundational health. Get 25% off your first month, only at ritual.com/GGB. ORDER OUR NEW BOOK! You can order our new book “Out of the Wilderness— 31 Devotions to Walk with God Through Your Hardest Seasons” at girlsgonebible.com/book JOIN US ON GGB+ 🥹❤️ https://ggb.supportingcast.fm COME SEE US ON TOUR:  Tickets for our tour are now on sale. Go to www.GirlsgoneBible.com/tour September 4, 2025 - Seattle, WA September 5, 2025 - Portland, OR September 19, 2025 - Glenside, PA September 21, 2025 - Dayton, OH October 16, 2025 San Francisco, CA October 25, 2025 Morristown, NJ October 26, 2025 Patchogue, NY November 14, 2025 Atlanta, GA December 6, 2025 Los Angeles, CA

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Starting point is 00:00:00 This podcast is supported by The RealReal. Meet Christine. She loves shopping. And this is the sound of fashion overload. Too many fabulous things, not enough space. So Christine started selling with The RealReal. I've always loved collecting designer pieces, Gucci bags, Prada heels.
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Starting point is 00:01:39 My lip gloss is cool. Justin, I'm so sorry. He said, he doesn't care. My lip gloss is poppin', my lip gloss is coo! Is that how it goes? I don't know. Who sang that song? Were you listening to Ashante on the way here?
Starting point is 00:01:56 No! Should you tell everyone that you listen to Country a little bit? Yeah, I listen to country every once in a while if I'm with somebody. I listen to country every once in a while. No, you know, you want to know what I'm really on? Oh, she's into Christian rap. I really don't listen to anything except Christian rap. I love Forrest Frank.
Starting point is 00:02:20 I just got on the whole Forrest Frank train. I am obsessed with Christian rap. Can you... Jon can't stand it. He's like, for the love of God, like... I hated it too, Ann. I know. It gets you kind of hyped though. Do you think you could do a little Christian rap for us?
Starting point is 00:02:36 Come on, we need to have a little fun every episode. Okay. Yo, yo. Oh, wait. Uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, a little quieter. Sorry, I couldn't focus. My name is Tant and I love Yeshua. His name is Yahweh. Yeshua, Yaluah, Keduvah.
Starting point is 00:03:04 Sorry, I should find something that rhymes. Okay, we got to get into this. He's a good guy. He's a good guy. He's a good guy. He's a good guy. He's a good guy. He's a good guy. He's a good guy. He's a good guy. He's a good guy. He's a good guy. He's a good guy. He's a good guy.
Starting point is 00:03:12 He's a good guy. He's a good guy. He's a good guy. He's a good guy. He's a good guy. He's a good guy. He's a good guy. He's a good guy.
Starting point is 00:03:20 He's a good guy. He's a good guy. He's a good guy. He's a good guy. He's a good guy. He's a good guy. He's a good guy. He's a good guy. We're a faith-based podcast where we talk all things, spirituality, mental health, relationships, sex. Sex? No.
Starting point is 00:03:30 Okay, let's try one more time. I was going to say spirituality. No, no, it's funny. Sex? We do talk about sex. Okay, sure. So we talk about when not to have sex. And yeah, we always say, come as you are, just don't stay that way. We love Jesus so much here.
Starting point is 00:03:47 He's our best friend. He saved our lives. And we love to have conversations about what we're going through in our lives. And so hopefully it can help you with whatever you're going through in your life. I have to say, I really do love the nails. So everybody, your Fourth of July nails,
Starting point is 00:04:03 I actually love them, I swear. Okay, because you put on that voice. No, I love them. I thought you, she said she was gonna get American flags. Well, okay, because John's mom, her name is Jerry. They're all of them in June, right? Shut up, Mark. Okay, okay.
Starting point is 00:04:17 Shut up, Mark. Jerry, John's mom, is my world, my best friend, love her more than anything, and she texted me and said, we're doing Fourth of July nails. I said, Jerry, you know me, and I know you guys know me, you guys know what happens when I do anything out of routine. Okay, I eat the same things,
Starting point is 00:04:33 I wear the same type of clothes from the same place, and I get my nails the same every time. Funny Bunny... I love these. ...with the French tip. Um, but this time, I did... I hate my hands. They look so good. Do you like this time I did, I hate my hands. They look so good.
Starting point is 00:04:47 Do you like your hands? No, I hate my hands. I hate my hands. They're like, they look like my new news hands. Okay, you know what? And we're going to replace that lie with the truth. Go ahead. Okay.
Starting point is 00:04:57 I am fearfully wonderful. I have fearfully wonderfully made hands. Dude, that is so good. That is so good, right? Yeah. Wait, I kind of like my hands now. I kind of actually like mine too. Actually they do look pretty. Dude, that is so good. That is so good, right? Yeah. Wait, I kind of like my hands now. I kind of actually like mine too.
Starting point is 00:05:08 Actually they do look pretty. Anyways, I got stars because Jerry wanted us to all do Fourth of July. Jared, these are for you, only for you because I love you. And I'm not panicking that bad, but I do struggle to do anything outside of my normal routine. I do too with the nails. I only get clear or pink. No, I don't do pink. Is that clear?
Starting point is 00:05:26 I do clear every time. It looks a little pink though. She gets like princess nails because her name is... Uh, sorry. When you get on your toes... You wanna see my toes? Yeah. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:05:38 That is so weird. You wanna see my toes? So weird. No. And then you wonder why you have so many men in your dance. Like, what the heck? Oh, man. Can I see your toes? Anyways, no.
Starting point is 00:05:57 Remember, never mind. I asked one time Ari and I were in, like, a little bit of a tussle. We were fighting. Yeah, and I, and we, and we like had resolution, and then I asked... Resolution? Yeah, like, is that, did I use that wrong? Resolution.
Starting point is 00:06:15 Like we resolved... Like we resolved the issue. Yeah, like we made up. Okay. And then, um, I asked if we could wash each other's feet, like being so serious. And... I asked if we could wash each other's feet, like being so serious. And I did. And honestly, this was kind of a hurtful moment for me because sometimes I get a little bit of psoriasis.
Starting point is 00:06:34 And I have a little bit on like one of, you know, a little bit on a foot. And I said, no. No, you said, so I said, do you want to wash each other's feet as a symbolic thing of like, we're like, you know, honoring each other. And you go, um, with the eczema. Excuse me? That is so mean.
Starting point is 00:07:02 And so rude. I apologize. Yeah. Thank you. I've been waiting for rude. I apologize. Yeah. Thank you. I've been waiting for that. I never knew what it was. It's just a little psoriasis. It's not that big of a deal.
Starting point is 00:07:11 You guys pray for it. It was on every toe. Excuse me? No, it's not on every toe. We're done. We're done. But I, you taught me actually, because you would soak the feet in cream and then you'd put it in the certain sock. And I was like, okay, I'm done. But I were, you taught me actually, because you would soak the feet in cream and then you'd put it in the certain sock.
Starting point is 00:07:27 And I was like, okay, what? You are lying. I put Sariah's cream and then put one sock on. Yes, I'm not soaking the foot. She'll always be like, are you soaking the foot? And I'm like, no, I'm not soaking the foot and stop saying weird stuff. Stop saying weird stuff.
Starting point is 00:07:51 And I'm not like... Anyways, my toes curl over, so don't worry about it. My, all my toes are the same size. I am like Freddie Flintstone. She has a flat foot, like, her toes are flat completely, the big toe and every other toe. It's the same way. And my toenails come off all the time.
Starting point is 00:08:11 And her toes curl over with the nails. And I have like abnormally long toes. And everyone says I have hands for feet. And it's so mean. And everybody makes fun of me and asks me to pick stuff up with my toes. It's so mean. Sometimes the old lady can't even find my toe to paint. I know. It crawls over so much. Well every single day you tell me your toe nail fell off. I can't even find my toe to paint because it curls over so much. Exactly.
Starting point is 00:08:45 Well, every single day you tell me your toe nail fell off and it's just like, oh gee, you guys' toenails fall off randomly? No. It's not okay. No, but I could literally play the piano with my toes. Like I'm not even a size eight and a half foot. I'm really a size eight, like seven and a half. You're a seven? No, I'm an eight and a half foot. I'm really a size eight, like seven and a half. It's just the toe. No, I'm an eight and a half,
Starting point is 00:09:06 but the toes are so... Don't make fun. Okay, well, it's okay. Don't worry. I mean, I can't believe it. Ari does this thing. If you tell Ari that, like, you feel bad about something about yourself, she goes, she'll find something in herself that has nothing to do with it, but say something like 100 times worse.
Starting point is 00:09:24 You'll be like, I don't really like my toes. She's like, well, I'm literally like, I'm like mentally ill. Don't even worry about it. This show is sponsored by better help. You guys, we talk a lot on this show about the importance of rest. God rested Jesus withdrew. And yet why do we feel guilty for logging off? Well, here's the truth. Workplace stress isn't just about long hours. It's about how heavy everything feels when you're carrying it alone. BetterHelp is a place to lay some of that burden
Starting point is 00:09:54 down. It's online therapy with licensed professionals who are trained to help you sort through overwhelm, burnout, or even just that lingering feeling that something's off. It's not about being perfect. It's about being real with yourself and with God. We're big fans of therapy and prayer. They can coexist. In fact, they actually complement each other. Unwind from work with BetterHelp. Our listeners get 10% off their first month at betterhelp.com slash girls gone Bible. That's betterhelp.com slash girls gone bible. That's betterhelp.com slash girls gone bible. Let's be honest, salon visits can be a lot. The price, the time, the awkward small talk.
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Starting point is 00:11:18 feel polished pulled together and a little more like yourself so you guys consider this your sign to cancel that overpriced appointment and do it your way. Visit olivinjune.com slash ggb for 20% off your first system. That's O-L-I-V-E-A-N-D-J-U-N-E dot com slash ggb for 20% off your first system. So today we're going to talk about the secret place. And you guys know it. We talk to you every single time about the secret place. Go to the secret place. Go spend time with Jesus. And basically the secret place is a place, the place where you meet with God. The secret place is basically a place where you have a deeply personal, intimate, and private meeting time
Starting point is 00:12:08 with God. And it's a space, the space every single day, you know, primarily usually in the morning, but it can be multiple times throughout the day, where you commune with God. And to commune with God means to cultivate like a very, very personal, loving, human-to-human type of relationship with God, which includes communication, talking to Him, listening to Him talk to you, a fellowship, which is spending time together, doing things together, bringing Him along when you go somewhere, inviting Him into everything you do, and shared experience. So it's, communing with God means that you're living a life where you're never alone.
Starting point is 00:12:52 You're always with God. And it's not just in the secret place. You're with God in every moment of your life, in every situation, in every relationship. And you just talk to Him all day when you're making decisions, when you're going through things, when you're joyful, when you're sad, when you need Him, or when your heart is just randomly bursting with love for Him, and that's communing with God. And I think that's what's been really pivotal for my life the past year, is I've truly learned how to commune with God. And I think probably in a year I'll look back and be like, wow, I knew nothing. But from where I stand right
Starting point is 00:13:29 now, I finally understand what it means to like, just invite Him into everything and to pray like I breathe, like literally all day long, have a conversation. I had a moment the other day where I was at the beach, and this is so stupid, but I was at the beach, and I go to the bathroom, you know, like, the beach has a public bathroom, and I go into the bathroom, and it was like, not good. Like, bad bathroom, not good. Like, there was poop. Like, I don't, like, just not cute, not good, hated it.
Starting point is 00:14:00 So, you know, you're like holding your nose, absolutely miserable. I run out of the bathroom finally, and and I catch my breath and I go, Whoa, Jesus, that was disgusting. And then I literally go, Oh, that was so cute. That's communing with God. Like, he had nothing to do with that situation, but I spoke to him as if he was right here next to me. And I realized in that moment, like, this is a natural communing, you know, and fellowship with Jesus, with the Holy Spirit. I have a question because somebody asked, what is your favorite, what is one of your
Starting point is 00:14:37 favorite, like, secret place moments? Like that I've ever had? Or like a favorite thing to do in the secret place? No, like your favorite moments. It could be like recently or... Yeah, can you tell me what's yours? I don't know. Um... I've had a few really good ones.
Starting point is 00:14:54 Recently? Well, my... I think one of the most significant moments... Are you sure you don't wanna go first? No, I just thought of it when you were telling me. One of the most significant moments, are you sure you don't want to go first? No, I just thought of it when you were telling me. One of the most significant moments I've ever had, this is really, it's like really intense, but it was right before our Tampa show, it was the week before our Tampa,
Starting point is 00:15:15 and I was so nervous because it was my hometown, John and his family were coming, it was John's first time ever seeing us do ministry. My whole family and everybody I've ever known was going to be there. And so I was just like freaking out the week before. Like I was struggling. I, yeah, super dependent. Like I was in a place where I don't think I've ever been there before. And I was living at my old house and I was sitting in front of the fireplace and, you know, spending time with Jesus. I was living at my old house and I was sitting in front of the fireplace and, you know, spending time with Jesus.
Starting point is 00:15:47 I was in worship and I'll never forget I was like about done. Like I felt like I was done and I was going to get up and go to leave and like go start my day and finish. And then I think I stood up and then sat back down. Like something compelled me. Like I felt God be like, I have more. I sit down, I'm on my knees. I start getting touched by God so, so intensely. I start like quietly crying, tears going down my face. There wasn't like a bunch of music
Starting point is 00:16:20 playing like it was really quiet. It was really just, like, tender and soft. I'm crying. And then I kind of, like, I was on my knees, so I kind of, like, bent over a little bit. And I knew that my tears were hitting the ground. And as my eyes were closed, I saw Jesus' feet, with the holes in His feet, come up, like, right in front of me.
Starting point is 00:16:44 And my eyes were closed, so I didn't actually see it, but it truly felt in the spirit, like, he was there, and it was his feet that were right in front of me. The holes were there, and my tears were, like, falling on his feet, and I started wash... I, like, took my hands, and I started washing his feet with my tears. And it was like... Wait, this is after the show or before?
Starting point is 00:17:05 This was before, the week before. Okay, okay. I was just at home. Yeah. And it was so... And it was birthed out of the raw dependence of like, I need you so badly. And so, and I remember, I was bawling my eyes out.
Starting point is 00:17:19 I stayed there for so long, because I thought he was in the room with me. Yeah. Like, maybe his physical body wasn't there, but like, his feet were there. Like, those were his feet. He walked into my house, and I was washing his feet with my tears. And I went and I sat on the couch after, and I couldn't recover for a while. I called John. It was like pretty early on in dating,
Starting point is 00:17:43 and I was like, I was bawling my ass out, and I like couldn't leave the state that I was in, and I just needed to tell somebody. And it was like one of the first like really intimate moments that John and I had where I was like, I know this sounds so crazy, but Jesus was just in my house, and I saw his feet with the holes, and I was washing his feet, and John is crying on the other side of the phone, and I was washing his feet and John is crying on the other side of the phone and it was like so, it was really sweet. Oh my gosh. Crazy. That's one of my favorite stories too.
Starting point is 00:18:11 Have I told you that? I don't think you told me that story. Yeah. That's beautiful. There's, I think I was probably thinking about the Mary in the Bible and the gospels when she is washing Jesus's hair with the perfume. Yeah. Mary in the Bible and the Gospels when she's washing Jesus' hair with the perfume, or washing Jesus' feet with the perfume, but washes, wipes it with her hair.
Starting point is 00:18:29 And I... Yeah. It was really sweet. I love the other one of you two when you, um... Like, were uncontrollably laughing. Yeah, that happens a lot. Which time? When you were like, I don't know, I need you, and then all of a sudden, you went to go leave and you started uncontrollably laughing and crying. Probably.
Starting point is 00:18:47 Yeah, that's happened. It happens all the time. I don't know, Chimney Type-Mod specifically. What about you? The first one I can think of was, I, like, couldn't... I hadn't slept in days. And I was back home in Boston. I was sleeping at my friend Courtney's house. And... Oh, my heart was so full of grief.
Starting point is 00:19:05 I could not, I couldn't stand it anymore. And I was like day six of not eating and sleeping. Like, I would get a couple hours in, so I had like gotten a couple hours in, I woke up. And you know when you're just crawling out of your skin? And I was like groaning and I look over and I'm like, uh, and Courtney was like, it's okay, R, it's okay, go back to sleep. And she had all her kids there, so I just was like,
Starting point is 00:19:29 and I just like, I didn't know what to do. And I get up, and I just... I go out of the house, and I start running. And I start running down the street. Like, literally, like a mad woman, I start running. I get to the end of the street, and there's a beach, a private beach. I fall to my knees.
Starting point is 00:19:51 I start rocking, backing forth, and I go, please help me. And I'm like, please, I haven't slept, I haven't eaten, like, please help me. All of a sudden, boom. I completely go into a state of sleeping. Probably woke up two hours later, and I look up, and it was like...
Starting point is 00:20:14 Like, um, like golden, bright light just on my face, on my body, and I was in the most euphoric state of my, like, ever. And I was in complete peace, and I was in the most euphoric state of my, like, ever, and I was in complete peace, and I felt so rested, and I'm just laying there in the sand, and I just was like, I will never forget that moment. That is so crazy. And I think about it all the time.
Starting point is 00:20:39 And you didn't even know. And I didn't even know. I mean, I had found Jesus, but I still was in so much pain. Totally. But you didn't know what it meant to like meet him in a moment. It's... It was the best. It's so sweet how he meets us when we don't even know who he is really.
Starting point is 00:20:58 Or what he is or how, like what it means to have a relationship with him. And then you think back to all the moments where it was so obviously him. Like, he was so there. He made that miracle happen. He gave you peace in that moment. He protected you through those days. Like, it's just so crazy.
Starting point is 00:21:16 You think about how prevalent pain is. Mm-hmm. How it's like... You're like, wow. Really rejoice in your suffering, because it's only through the, not only, but it's mostly through the suffering where your intimate relationship is birthed
Starting point is 00:21:37 in that secret place of crying out and being dependent and being hungry and leaning on him day in and day out. And that's how you see him as healer and as a Father. It's so beautiful. That's how you know Him. You're going to know Him through the secret place. You're going to find Him in the secret place. You're going to cultivate a relationship with Him
Starting point is 00:21:56 in the secret place. And so we have so many questions that you guys asked. And we have some scriptures to read as well. I think what's important to begin with about the secret place, because we've had an episode on the secret place, but I think both Ari and I have even evolved since then in our secret place and like the knowledge of the secret place. First, of course, you have to establish a place. Like you have to establish a place, and it doesn't have to be the same place. First, of course, you have to establish a place. Like you have to establish a place and it doesn't have to be the same place. Your secret place can be anywhere, but it's like a place where, and I'm not
Starting point is 00:22:33 saying that your secret place can't be in your bed, but oftentimes just waking up and spending time with Jesus in bed might not be the most wise thing to do, because it's almost like you have to treat your quiet time and your secret place like a meeting with God that cannot be missed. And it's a meeting. You usually don't meet people like in bed.
Starting point is 00:22:56 I think it'd be helpful to just talk about what our... Um... Yeah. ...secret places are like. Um, for me, mine is in my living room. I love going to my living room. Yeah, give us a description of everything. I was gonna ask if you could go.
Starting point is 00:23:09 Oh, no, you're gonna go. Thank you. Which, give us a... Angela has, like, the holy house. It's... I think Allie said it, but, like, crucifixes, and she... You actually taught me about the secret place, because every morning... Oh, my God, I have chill bumps. I think about it. Oh, I have to tell you about when I moved, fully moved out yesterday.
Starting point is 00:23:31 But, um, yeah, she taught me, like, you would set up the secret place for us every morning. She has a little, a little frank, what is it? Frankincense. Frankincense. And she put it on. She goes, okay, we put this on, she goes, okay. So set us up your secret place. How is it?
Starting point is 00:23:49 It's just like I go into my living room, I make a coffee. I try so hard to spend time with Jesus before I do anything else. That's not always the case. Sometimes I make the grave mistake of having Instagram on my phone. I delete and re-add Instagram every day, five times a day.
Starting point is 00:24:09 I'm like, oh, I'm tired of being on it, so I delete it. Um, and I... Oftentimes, if I go to sleep with Instagram on my phone, I will reactively open my phone and open Instagram, not even thinking about it. And I've been on Instagram before spending time with Jesus And it's not like a religious thing. It's not like you can't it's not like it's sinful for me personally And I'm sure for almost everybody this second my mind goes somewhere else
Starting point is 00:24:35 I'm already at a deficit and gonna have such a hard time Trying to connect with Jesus because the gears are going like I'm already ready Sometimes I'll accidentally answer emails, I'll look at my text messages, I'll just like start doing things around the house every time that I do that. Again, it's not sinful, it's not bad, it's just not, it just doesn't make things easier
Starting point is 00:24:57 for you, for sure. And so for me, my goal, right, in an ideal world, I would not even look at my messages before going to spend time with Jesus, and that's hard. And so, I will try not to do anything on my phone. I'll try not to look at anything. I definitely don't talk on the phone before I spend time with Jesus. There are times where, like, I might talk to my mom,
Starting point is 00:25:19 or I might talk to John, and it's like, it's over. You know, or that's what it feels like. Yeah. So I'll go make a cup of coffee, go into the living room. I love lighting candles. I love lighting incense. And I was just having a conversation with Ali about this actually, where I want everybody to know that this is how I've, what I've realized recently is you have to go where the grace
Starting point is 00:25:44 is. You have to go where the grace is. You have to go in your secret place. I think God will oftentimes put a grace on a certain type of practice or worship or studying, or He puts the grace on something and then He might even take it away so that you go do something else so that you don't worship like a practice or a way of being and you worship the person. Explain better. So basically, for a long time, I would just study scripture in the secret place and that
Starting point is 00:26:15 was a great first season. And then, and I would get touched by God, I would like have like, you know, spiritual encounters, like I felt so good and so connected. And then it felt like God was calling me to something else. He didn't want me to spend an hour just in the Bible. And then I felt like He called me into a season of just worshiping, putting music on the TV, putting a worship set on the TV, and like worshiping my heart out, stomping around my house, marching, praying in tongues, just like really, really worshiping Jesus. And then I would get really touched doing that.
Starting point is 00:26:54 And then it felt like, okay, maybe he moved somewhere else, because I'm not getting that touched anymore. And I feel like striving oftentimes comes up for us when we're trying so hard to get to Jesus, doing something that like, maybe he wants something else. Yeah. You know, like worship is about Jesus. So it's about finding out what he wants. Lord, do you want to speak to me through scripture today?
Starting point is 00:27:17 Do you want to speak to me through marching around and praying and interceding? Or do you want to speak to me in complete silence? Wow. And so that's what I mean by going where the grace is. So if you're doing something and you're like, I just feel dry, switch it up. Do not feel like you need to keep doing the same thing. I'm just going to give some examples. There's walking around, marching, praying, interceding. Obviously, there's so many different types of worship, but there's like studying scripture and just being in the Word. There's putting music on and just worshiping with words. There's soaking. You put on a little instrumental and you just
Starting point is 00:27:55 soak and that's where I'm at right now. Like I just feel the Lord bringing me into a place of just like really quietly and it just like stillness and being like just, I love you, continuing to just like minister to Him, loving Him. And then something that's been really sweet that we're doing recently, even this morning, I wake up, I'm spending time with Jesus, I'm singing, I'm walking around, I'm worshiping. I'm not really like, I don't know, it's just not, my heart's not moving. And that's how you know something good is happening, when you feel your heart moving. When you're not trying to worship anymore,
Starting point is 00:28:28 you're just worshiping. And so, I could tell my heart wasn't moving. I was thinking about, like, if we put a barbecue outside, I was thinking about, like, all these different things. And then, so I get down, I start studying the Bible, I start reading, and that's great, right? He's in that. But I still felt like, I start studying the Bible. I start reading and that's great, right? He's in that, but I still felt like, I don't know, I could tell he wanted something different.
Starting point is 00:28:51 I turn off the TV, no instrumental. I start singing, just my own voice, a little hymn. You have a pretty good voice. No, I don't, come on. Can we get the hymn? No, I don't. Come on. Can we get the hymn? I love you, Lord,
Starting point is 00:29:15 and I lift my voice. Like, literally so quietly and so, like, and I literally, it felt in the spirit like I saw the the Father smile, like literally go like this, and I felt him be like, I wanted your voice. Like, I love your voice so much. It's the greatest sound. And it was like the cutest, and my heart moved. So I knew his move.
Starting point is 00:29:41 Like, yeah, it was just really, really sweet. And so I just want to encourage people to give the Lord your song. Like give him your song, no other music sounds, just like sing to him a little worship song and see how much he loves it. Like, yeah. And so that's what I'm doing right now. And that's like different types of worship.
Starting point is 00:29:59 And that's what my secret place looks like. It's a variation of things. And however I wake up that day, I just like go where the grace is. I'm like, it's a variation of things. And however I wake up that day, I just, like, go where the grace is. I'm like, it's not moving me right now. And if it's not moving my heart, it's not moving his heart. You know? Well, that's good to know, actually, for me, even.
Starting point is 00:30:19 Yeah. You get stuck in striving when you're like, why am I not feeling anything? And, right, you don't always have to feel something. Sometimes I don't feel things. It's not always, it's not supposed to be the honeymoon all the time, right? It's not, it's not. And sometimes I, if you're con... If you know, like, you're dry
Starting point is 00:30:37 and God doesn't feel near and, like, you feel something's wrong, that's one thing. I've been in a season for a little while, I'm not weeping before God like I have in the past. I probably have more stress now than I have, and so I feel like he's coming in different ways. And so it ebbs and it flows and it transforms and changes. But how do you feel you're, yeah. I love what you say there's seasons for the secret place.
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Starting point is 00:33:49 to keep seeking and to keep asking and to keep learning. And I don't know, I'm just so incredibly thankful for the pain that I went through because it kept me so hungry to keep going to him because it wasn't a safety that like my friends provided or my family provided. it was like this protection. Yes. And that's what the secret place is, right? It's like you're coming into the throne room before...
Starting point is 00:34:13 Mm, tell us. Before your dad, and it's like this protection. And so, when I was a new, when I first met Jesus, I would just go into this church because that's where I found him. So that was my secret place. I would just, and then I would go there or I would be in this park. And then, you know, even in my singleness, when my grief was too deep to even know what to cry out
Starting point is 00:34:39 or what to even say, and I had no words and I would just sit there on the floor of my living room and just, when all I could say was Jesus. And that sometimes was the only thing I needed to say. And he was there, and he didn't rush me to heal, and he didn't judge, and he just sits out there with me in my ache, and just loved me.
Starting point is 00:35:00 And so, that was my, that's been my season of singleness of my secret place of just being on my living room floor and just crying out in grief with him. And I just recently moved, and now I've really wanted to create a space that just is so sacred and so holy. And I have this window in my room, and I have this chair, and I open up the window, and I always light a candle too,
Starting point is 00:35:32 and I like to light my little incense. And I make my coffee, and sometimes I have a really racing mind, and just like you, I like to go on my phone in the morning and all these things, and it taints it a little bit. He wants to distract us with calls and check your emails. And so I think like, what do I do when I'm distracted? I think that's what the devil wants.
Starting point is 00:35:59 He wants to keep us really busy and he wants to keep us so distracted. And he wants us to keep checking our phone. Why, when I'm in the secret place, is my mind racing more than ever? So it's like fighting those distractions and just keep being like, no, enough. Like, I'm not... I don't... I... I'm not submitting to the distractions.
Starting point is 00:36:18 And just fighting the temptation of being on my phone, I think that's been my biggest thing. I don't know why, but my phone is my biggest battle. And so, just being like, I'm leaving my phone in another room. I love worship music. I have been experiencing an immense amount of burnout. Just like you, he's called me into a season of just being in his presence. He's called me into a season of just being in his presence.
Starting point is 00:36:48 And really, I have not put any pressure on having crazy encounters, or I just need to feel loved. So good. And so I will just put on my worship music, and I will close my eyes, and I'll let... I don't really, I try not to let the distractions bother me so much. I let the thoughts come in and then I let the thoughts come out. And yeah, I just like to, I love to listen to nice worship and I sing and I, if a scripture
Starting point is 00:37:16 comes up in my head, I like to go to the scripture and I like to meditate on the scripture and... What does that mean, meditate on the scripture and... What does that mean, meditate on the scripture? Well, for instance, I love Psalm 23, and that's a scripture I always like to go to. I find new revelations in Psalm 23. And so I'll read Psalm 23 and it will be like, he makes me lie down in green pastures. What does that mean? Like when my mind is distracted, what does that mean? He makes me lie down in green pastures. What does that mean? Like, when my mind is distracted,
Starting point is 00:37:45 what does that mean? He makes me lie down in green pastures, so I will soak in that. I will picture myself of Jesus lying down in like a beautiful green pasture field. When the world is so chaotic, when my mind is filled with anxiety, when I have so much going on, when I'm so tired, I lie down in those green pastures. And it's like Jesus is, I always have this one picture of me lying down and then it's Jesus and my head is on his legs and he's just letting me rest. And so that's something that I always like meditate on. And yeah, lately I've just, I think I've really been in a season of just soaking in worship,
Starting point is 00:38:32 not reading too much in the morning. Like, breaking down scriptures and meditating on them. I was like in a season where I was trying to read the whole Bible and I would be exhausted. I'm like, this is too much. I need to pick a section and stick with it and meditate on it for, like, three or four days. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:38:49 Oftentimes, like, I rush, like, I'm a Russia, and so I try not to speak too much lately, and I try to sit and listen more. So good. And I try not to leave too early. And sometimes I have a busy day, but I really try to just sit and... Because when you stay, that extra, whatever time it is,
Starting point is 00:39:09 it doesn't have to be two hours. Yeah. But I feel like he really does meet you there. Mm. And every time, like, I wanted to listen to the voices of, get up, you need to check your phone, but I haven't, and I've actually sat back and really went against that.
Starting point is 00:39:25 He's met me and he's touched me. And so I've had a couple of those recently, so it's been really beautiful. So good. Can I go back to what you said? Okay, two things. I don't wanna forget. You said about distractions. I literally woke up this morning and I had it so heavy on my heart to be like,
Starting point is 00:39:44 I want everyone to know that you not only, like, what we have to realize is that distractions, it's not just like we're just a little distracted. It's not like this little, um, oh, we just have this desire to be on our phone. Oh, we just have this desire to get the day phone. Oh, we just have this desire to get the day started. We actually have an enemy, an adversary who hates us. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:40:12 And who hates us being in the secret place. And so you have to understand when your mind is racing and you're all distracted, it's not just actually like this little thing, like, yes, it's normal, but it's really, you have to understand why it's happening because the devil does not want you in the secret place and he's going to do everything in his power to get you out. So every moment, and it's even helpful for me to remember when there is so much resistance in the secret place, I sit down and I don't want to be, or I sit down and I feel like I have so much to do
Starting point is 00:40:46 and I feel like I don't have time, I don't take that resistance lightly. I don't take that resistance as like, oh, it's just, it's normal. No, Satan is actually so mad that I'm here. Yeah. And what does that do to you? That should make you be like,
Starting point is 00:41:00 I'm gonna stay here 10 times longer because of that. If that's how good being in the secret place is for me, if I receive something so sacred, so significant in the secret place that Satan is doing everything in his power to get me out of here, you better believe I'm gonna stay for as long as I can. That's right.
Starting point is 00:41:21 You better believe I'm going to literally like karate chop every distraction that comes my way. You know what I mean? It is so urgent. Because when you think about when you really dwell in that place, dwell in the secret place in the morning, there is a power, there is a peace, there is a joy, there is a comfort that it's like heaven comes down. It's like the armor of God. That's what it is. It's the armor of God. There is a protection, a peace. You go through your day so much lighter. You feel different. I feel like the devil is not threatened by a Christian that
Starting point is 00:42:01 prayers occasionally, right? But when you are dwelling in the secret place, hell cannot withstand you, because there is a protection and a peace that you have when you dwell in the secret place. And I always, like, when I see, I remember when I used to just wake up, go, go, go, my mind was spinning, I look back at myself before Jesus, and I'm like, no wonder why. I was like in the pits of hell all day. Totally. Because you're going on your own strength, we were never meant to do that.
Starting point is 00:42:32 No. So... And we're supposed to get filled. Like, if you're wondering, okay, you're in the secret place, you spend time with Jesus, right? That's what I like to call it, I spend time with Jesus. It's, he's a person, and we're spending time together.
Starting point is 00:42:48 He talks, I talk. It's a relationship, and we're spending time. And like, what do you get in this secret place? What is the, what do you get, right? You get filled. You get everything. Jesus pours into you in the secret place. Jesus is gonna pour into you all day, because that's who he is. God is amazing and He's sovereign and He catches us and He pursues us
Starting point is 00:43:09 and He's always coming after us. But if you imagine you're like a cup and you're trying water to get water poured into this cup, but the cup keeps moving this much and He's over here, but now He's over here, now He's over here and just won't be still. It's really hard to fill up that cup. But giving God that time in and just won't be still. It's really hard to fill up that cup.
Starting point is 00:43:31 But giving God that time in the morning where you are still, and you stay, and you're not a moving target, but you just position yourself to receive, because that's what it is. In the secret place, you receive. You open your hands and say, give me everything. I know it's your desire to fill me. I know it's your desire to fill me. I know it's your desire to pour into me. That's who He is. That's what He created us for, is so that He could fill us. And so actually positioning yourself to receive, like that's what happens in the secret place. Jesus pours into you and He gives you peace. He gives you joy. He gives you love. The fruit of the spirit are produced in the secret place. Jesus knows what you need for the day. Jesus knows what you need to parent.
Starting point is 00:44:10 He knows what you need to deal with the conflict at work. He knows what you need in order to have a healthy marriage. He knows what we need every single day, so He will deposit. I always say, Lord, deposit in me whatever I need. I don't even know what I need. I think I know, but I don't. So I'm not even gonna, I'll ask you sure, and then what do you think I need, and then give it to me, you know? And I'm thinking about Jesus, when he fed the 5,000,
Starting point is 00:44:39 and he's exhausted and he has nothing left in him, did he go to his friends and say, hey, I need to talk to you? No, he went up to the mountain, he withdrew, he went up to the mountain to the father and he got filled up. So if he needed to get filled up, he was the perfect example of what he did
Starting point is 00:44:58 when he was exhausted and burnt out and he got filled up. So how much more, if he does that, we need to do that. And as I say that, I just think about you moms, especially, who are so busy. It's probably, I don't know, because we're not moms, but I can only imagine, because I watch my friends, how hard it is to be a mom. And you're like, running on empty every day. You're never thinking about yourself.
Starting point is 00:45:23 You're always thinking about your children. And so you have no time. And I think we got a question, too, of what, like, I am a mom, I don't have any time. Like, I only have time to worship in the car. And that's beautiful. And sometimes we are so busy, and we don't have two hours to spend.
Starting point is 00:45:42 But I think the secret place is a sacrifice. Totally. And I think that we always can make time, and I don't want to offend moms, because I'm not one, but there's like a sacrifice. Like even if you're like, I know, but I need my sleep, but even waking up super early,
Starting point is 00:45:59 like he will fill you and he will empower you when you dwell in the secret place. And then you'll end up being like, wait a minute, I don't even need sleep like that. It's like fasting when you fast and you're so hungry, but then you get past that point because Jesus sustains you. And then you're like, I don't even need food like that. Exactly.
Starting point is 00:46:20 So I think- Thank you for saying that. It's a sacrifice. So I know Ari and I obviously aren't parents, and we're both not married, and so our secret place looks drastically different to a parent's secret place. And like, I asked John's sister-in-law and John's brother,
Starting point is 00:46:41 because they have two small children, and I asked them to voice my momo-me some of their thoughts of what they do, of what, how it's been for them. And basically, um, basically, they said that your secret time when you're single, first when you're even dating, first when you're married, first when you have small children, first is when you have older children.
Starting point is 00:47:02 Like, it's all different. Every season varies and is different. And Brittany, John's sister-in-law basically told me like, she worship just looks different for her. Like worship looks like doing the laundry, worship looks like doing the dishes. Worship and spending time with Jesus might just be five or 10 minutes in the morning.
Starting point is 00:47:26 For her, she said, her and Jacob, her husband John's brother, there's so much grace in the evenings for them to spend time with God, to worship together, to read the Bible. And so it changes. And again, you look for the grace. And of course, for Ari and I, we have the liberty, we have the freedom to spend hours with Jesus. If you're single or dating, you have the freedom. You can spend a lot of time with Jesus.
Starting point is 00:47:53 When you get married, it changes and still Jesus comes actually before anything else. And you should still be getting in your secret place. Even when you're married, it's hard for us to talk about having kids because we're not there yet. But there's just so much grace for moms and dads and parents. But if you're single, if you're not waking up throughout the night to breastfeed and take care of your children, you know what I mean? The secret place is number one top priority, more than anything. We have Psalm 91, he who dwells in the secret place of the most high
Starting point is 00:48:27 shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. Ari talked about this. The secret place is a place of protection. You find protection. You find divine intervention. Like the secret place is where the Lord solves my problems. You guys don't know how often I pray and I say, Jesus, you are my high priest. And according to Romans, like you pray to the Father on my behalf. Like Jesus intercedes for us. And so whenever I think of Psalm 91 and like dwelling under the shadow of the Almighty, I always think about the fact that like,
Starting point is 00:49:05 when I'm in the secret place and I'm communing with the Holy Spirit, I'm one with Jesus, I ask Him to pray on my behalf. How much more protected can you be than having Jesus, God Himself, interceding on your behalf? Like Jesus praying to the Father, praying for us. That's so beautiful. Like that makes me feel so safe that Jesus, I'm telling you guys, if you're someone who you feel like you don't have a lot of
Starting point is 00:49:31 people praying for you or you don't know who to ask to pray for you, first ask for community, ask for godly people in your life that God will send you to pray for you. And you ask Jesus himself to intercede on your behalf. I already touched on this, but Matthew 6, 6, but when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. So Jesus literally like told us exactly what to do. Go into your room, go into a place, an established place,
Starting point is 00:50:03 shut the door, make sure that it's private and pray to your father who sees you in secret because nobody else knows. Like the secret place, church is not the secret place. Like youth group is not your secret place. Even praying with your friends isn't the secret place. Like the secret place is when you're in your metaphorical room, the door is shut, and it's just you two.
Starting point is 00:50:27 Because whatever conversation you guys have in private, in secret, that's what will, like, be manifested in your life in public. Yeah. I love this one so much. Isaiah 45, verse three. It says, "'I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places so that you may know that I am the Lord.
Starting point is 00:50:50 One more time, I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places so that you may know that I am the Lord. And I love this so much because basically in the secret place, God, it's like His desire to tell us mysteries and to tell us the hidden things. And like in the secret place, we receive hidden treasures and spiritual treasures and like spiritual mysteries. And I got a prophetic word one time from a man that I really trust. And he told me that I was created, literally I was created, all of us were created to spend time with Jesus.
Starting point is 00:51:33 But like there's a call of God on my life where I'm meant to ponder the things of God. Like I'm meant to think about Jesus a lot. I meant to spend a lot of time with him, asking him questions, thinking about him, because God wants to reveal to me, like the mysteries of God. And right, this prophetic word was like, God trusts you with mysteries. Like he's gonna tell you mysteries.
Starting point is 00:51:56 And he told me, you're gonna catch some, because he said, he was like, your personality, you run so fast. You're all over the place. He's like, and you'll catch some, because God is good, and he said, he was like, your personality, you run so fast. You're all over the place. He's like, and you'll catch some, because God is good. And he wants you to know. He wants to feed you. And he's like, but when you'll truly
Starting point is 00:52:12 catch revelation, wisdom, spiritual treasure is when you stop and when you're still and you position yourself to receive. And so, like, this is a verse that I love so much, because it's just, I want the mysteries of God. I want... I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places,
Starting point is 00:52:35 so that you may know that I am the Lord. So he gives us, like, treasure that points us to him, that reveals, um, deeper knowledge of the person of Jesus and who God is. And like, that's what you get in the secret place. You get wisdom. You learn who He is. You literally, you develop like an understanding of the person of Jesus, His character.
Starting point is 00:52:57 And everyone asks, every question that we got is, how do you hear God's voice? You literally sit in the secret place, you read the word, you worship and you ask him questions. Like it's just a conversation. You tell him what's on your heart, you tell him what's on your mind, and you might not hear the audible voice of God.
Starting point is 00:53:15 Guess what? I know people who have been Christians their whole lives, really profoundly spiritual people who have never heard the audible voice of God. You don't have to feel bad if crazy spiritual stuff doesn't happen to you. It's okay. And it's not a measure. We're not going to measure our relationship or our intimacy with Jesus based on the crazy
Starting point is 00:53:36 manifest things that happen, which is a blessing and it's beautiful. But like, if you never hear the audible voice of God and you never have anything crazy happen to you, that's okay. But you can trust that Jesus is speaking when you're having that. Do you understand what I mean by having that communication? Am I explaining that right? Are you kidding me? Yes.
Starting point is 00:53:54 I was thinking of the treasures. You find the treasures in him and I think one of the treasures in him will first, will first, in the secret place, he reveals the assignments he has for us. Yes. And I, we no longer have to go through life aimlessly. When we go in the secret place, he really does reveal the assignments he has for us. Um, and then, you know what treasure he's really revealed
Starting point is 00:54:22 to me in this season? He has revealed to me how raw I can be with him. Mm, I love that. Because in a world of Christianity where I felt that I could not be open and lay everything out, he has shown me, you can tell me anything. This has been such a season of humbleness for me. I think the biggest treasure in this season for me
Starting point is 00:54:57 has been, tell me everything. Let me work on your heart. Yes. My kindness leads to repentance. That has been my season. It's been like... So good. My secret place has been every five minutes, like,
Starting point is 00:55:15 repenting, Jesus, help me work on my heart. But I remember, like, when I first started, my walk not feeling like I can be so open. And it's been a season of... really searched my heart, because I have so many sins and so much ugliness. And I am like... I have just felt this... safety, like that for me, like that's been so beautiful
Starting point is 00:55:43 in my secret place, being so raw and open to Him. Being like, I feel so ugly in my heart, Lord, help me. And I was just thinking of a moment I had actually of sin, you know, and I just felt like I'm just, I just felt so bad in my heart. And I remember I opened up the Bible, and like, this is how He'll speak to you, if you will open up your heart with honesty.
Starting point is 00:56:14 Literally, as I opened, it says, as far as the east to the west, so want your sins. So like, that's who He is. And these are the treasures that you will discover in the secret place. If you open up your, and these are the treasures that you will discover in the secret place. If you open up your heart and you are honest and you don't have buttoned-up prayers, it's just, it really is relationship.
Starting point is 00:56:35 And so, just realizing, like, you can trust Him more than you trust anyone else in this world. And the moment you start to really open up in that secret place, you will want to go to that secret place every five minutes, because you will notice that he really starts changing your heart and working on your heart. And every time you go to him and bring it to his feet,
Starting point is 00:56:58 a prayer of honesty and like true honesty. True honesty. True honesty. Like, I just did. Like, you don't hide anything back and you don't care. You have no buttoned up prayers. You don't care how you say it. It's like you're talking to the one you trust the most.
Starting point is 00:57:14 You like want to run into that secret place. So good. Because it changes you from the inside and out. I can't believe the way he's changing me from the inside and out. It's like he's my therapist. He's believe the way he's changing me from the inside and out. It's like, he's my therapist. No, he's such a good therapist. Right?
Starting point is 00:57:31 Yeah, it's like, when you let that shame out, when you just, it holds no power and it's like you can breathe and he starts working on your heart and transforming you. And I think that's one of the most beautiful things about The Secret Place. Oh, it's so good. I... Just a second, that, like, the emotional healing
Starting point is 00:57:51 that takes place in The Secret Place, that's, for me, that's what I've been on a journey on, is literally, like, sitting and being like, okay, well, this is how I feel, and this is why I think I feel it. And then all of a sudden, I'm like, okay, you know what, I think I just blame that person. And the truth is, it's not that is why I think I feel it. And then all of a sudden I'm like, okay, you know what? I think I just blame that person.
Starting point is 00:58:06 And the truth is it's not that person. Maybe it's this person. And then I'm like, no, okay, it's not them either. Maybe it's me. And like, you know, and then- Cause he doesn't let you get away with it either. He doesn't let you get away with it. And so you're sitting there and like,
Starting point is 00:58:19 this is what I've, I want to do a whole episode on like true honesty with God, because what I've realized so much, like what Phillip, you know, Phillip Mitchell said on our episode, that Isaiah moment, the woe is me moment where for the first time Isaiah looks and he sees God for who he really is. And because he sees God for who he really is for the very first time, he sees himself as he really is.
Starting point is 00:58:43 And then he says, woeoe is me." -"Yeah." Oh, I have so much to work on. I feel like every day in The Secret Place, I have a woe is me moment. And like, I feel like people might be like, gosh, this Christian walk is like awful. All you do is like think about, no, that's life. They're suffering all around us.
Starting point is 00:59:01 And for me, I want to spend my days saying woe is me and having God in his kindness revealed to me like the things that need to change But what I've realized more than anything is that you can even have a woe is me moment But then go back to your old conditioning of like covering it up and letting shame I'm working with with a therapist who's talking to me about shame and the mask of shame that we wear. When you have shame covering impurity or negative emotions, you will never heal. You will never heal until you are actually honest. You let the shame go,
Starting point is 00:59:38 you let the perception of whatever go, you let the mask and whatever you're doing to try and protect yourself so you don't have to feel these negative emotions and realize that you do have a lot to work on or this might actually be wrong with you until you let that go. God, he can't get there. And yeah, it's just so crazy. I'm so happy you said that because that's what I noticed
Starting point is 01:00:02 the most, just like the emotional healing that takes place in that honesty. I think I'll just add on to that and say, yeah, not only does it humble you, I feel like a lot of times people go into the secret place to to ask for things. Totally. Lord, provide me this. Lord, can I have this? Lord, and I just, I think the deeper you go, and the more Jesus works on your heart posture, and the more humble you get,
Starting point is 01:00:35 because so many times I have just cried out, I know, please help me, all these things, but I notice how much my prayers have changed, and I go from, you know, I need this this to Lord, what do you have for me today? How can I serve you well? Who can you put in my corner today that I can make you proud? And like, you'll notice that in your journey, your prayer life really does change, and it shifts to how can I serve you?
Starting point is 01:01:04 And so, that's what I love about the Secret Place is he really puts you on assignments and you'll notice that certain people, he will put on your path to help and I think that's why it's so important to have your eyes open and I think too, like, you know, I can't hear God. I can't, I don't, I'm not having these crazy encounters. I would just encourage you to relax and to not, like, just really relax. Like, stop making it so much about you.
Starting point is 01:01:39 Stop being so forceful of like, I need this, I need that. Relax. Faith is seen in the things unseen. Yeah, really just being like, how can I serve you today? And you will be amazed at how much God speaks through other people. When you don't make it so much about, I need to hear you and I need to have this crazy encounter with you,
Starting point is 01:02:01 you'll be amazed at when you start saying, how can I serve you? And the next thing you know, you're walking out of Walgreens and there's a person in need. And then all of a sudden you see Jesus in this person that needs help and you go and help them. And then you start crying your eyes out because you're like, that was you, Jesus. That's the person you just put in my path. Did this happen to you? Yeah, it did. I mean, there's so many things that these people have spoke.
Starting point is 01:02:28 I've looked at them and I'd be like, that was Jesus. Thank you for speaking to me through that person. And so really just watching your prayer life, it's always good to go to Jesus and ask for things I do all the time, but also checking your heart posture of really, what can I do for you today? How can I serve you well? What do you have on assignment for me? So good. It's so good when your prayers go from selfish to serving. And I think what
Starting point is 01:02:58 I would add to that is like, what I've learned more than, is like, I think I may have said this last time, but... my, I had, there's a time and a place for everything. And so, often times, my quiet time in the morning is not when I'll be interceding for other people. I might, but it's kind of like, I need to be full. I need to be filled up first. So, in the morning, I'm not sitting there asking for all of these things, or to be blessed in all these ways.
Starting point is 01:03:29 I'm just simply needing God to pour into me. And how oftentimes, how I get him to pour into me is by ministering to him. And what that means is simply adoring him, loving him, beholding his beauty and just telling him, you are beautiful. I love you so much. You are the Lord. Sometimes I'll get it really practically, right? This is the beautiful thing about memorizing scripture. It lives inside of you and then it just comes
Starting point is 01:03:56 out. I'll literally just sit there. Something that's been on my mind constantly is the Spirit is the Lord and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there's freedom. So the Holy Spirit is the Lord. He's the Lord. He is the Lord. And I'll sit there and I'll be like, the Spirit is the Lord, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there's freedom. You are the Lord. Holy Spirit, you are the Lord. Like, and I'll just, like, affirm God and who He is.
Starting point is 01:04:24 And one of the most beautiful ways, because, right, we have to trust the Lord." Like, and I'll just, like, affirm God and who he is. And one of the most beautiful ways, because, right, we have to trust the character of God, and one of the best ways to, on a spirit level, develop faith and trust in the character of God is to affirm him in who he says he is. So God says he's faithful, tell him, you're faithful, you're faithful, you're faithful. Just continue to say out loud who he says he is. So God says he's faithful, tell him, you're faithful, you're faithful, you're faithful. Just continue to say out loud who he says he is, and you'll see it builds your
Starting point is 01:04:51 faith and like you begin to believe on a spirit level, because we can say things all the time that in our heads like, yeah, grace abounds, we're sin abounds, like, but until you actually get it in your heart, like, what does it mean? And so just like affirming God, like, you are faithful, you are good. Like, you make a way where there seems to be no way. And just continuing to like speak to Him and tell Him who He is is one of the most beautiful things you can do. When you're in your secret place and you don't know what to do or what to read and you just feel kind of dry,
Starting point is 01:05:25 I don't know if you do this, but one thing that I love is I go right to those Psalms. Oh, yeah. Do you do that? I do, yeah. They're just, they're words filled with joy, grief, anger, safety, peace. You can never get bored with the Psalms.
Starting point is 01:05:42 And so, anytime where I just don't really know where to go, or I just, I don't know what to read. It's like, the Psalms will fill me. Like, they will. Like, there's no way you can go to the Psalms and not relate or get filled. Could I read Psalm 27? And that's, yes, read it. And so, what Ari's talking, like like the Psalms, they're vertical.
Starting point is 01:06:05 They are, that's, they minister to the Lord. They literally talk about God to him, for him, from him. And so it's just vertical worship. Like that's the secret place. And you know what I love, what you and I used to do, we haven't had time together with reading together lately, but when we first started our friendship, you would always read the Psalms to me,
Starting point is 01:06:29 but you would always read them as if it was us. So like, if it said like, the Lord is my shepherd, she would be like, the Lord is our shepherd, and I would repeat after her. And I swear the healing that came from doing that, it was like supernatural. So, you can read Scripture as a prayer, basically. Like, you can change them to I.
Starting point is 01:06:51 You know? Yeah, Psalm 27, I was reading this morning. The Lord is my light and my salvation, so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, He's protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble when evil people come to devour me? When my enemies and foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. Though a mighty arm surrounds me, my heart will not be afraid.
Starting point is 01:07:17 Even if I am attacked, I will remain confident. The one thing I ask of the Lord, the thing I seek the most, is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, delighting in the Lord's perfections and meditating in his temple. For he will conceal me there when troubles come. He will hide me in a sanctuary. Then I will hold my head high above my enemies who surround me. At the sanctuary,
Starting point is 01:07:48 I will offer sacrifices with shouts of joy, singing and praising the Lord with music." And that's what he does in the secret place. SING WITH SHOUTS OF JOY. Sorry, what were you going to say? No, that's what he does. You meditate when troubles come, you feel confident, you feel protected, you feel safe. You know, I was... Because I moved and I... It was like, do you guys... I don't know if you... I don't know. My last place I lived in was where everything happened for me,
Starting point is 01:08:22 where my life changed, where I met my best friend, where our whole spiritual journey on that floor all began. And I had such a moment, I, like, had to take five minutes, because this was my little... This was my little secret place, and I was like, I didn't ever leave, because I loved my little, I called it my little cottage. And I just took five minutes and I looked down,
Starting point is 01:08:48 and it was this, I would go right every morning in my living room on this floor. Me and Angela did it, our whole friendship. And I just looked down and I'm just like, this is where you healed my broken heart. This is where we came at your feet every morning and read your word and worshiped you. And you showed us true love and you healed us
Starting point is 01:09:12 and you brought us together. And we got to confess our sins and you worked on our hearts. Like this is where it all happened. You healed my heart right here. And so, yeah, it's just, the secret place is so special and it's so safe. And even though we have so many racing thoughts
Starting point is 01:09:33 and life is so busy, you will rob yourself if you don't sit in that place with him and bring every single piece of your broken heart, of your sickness, of your grief, of your singleness, of your isolation. It's in that where you find Him and then you find yourself and you find freedom and comfort, and you stand confident and protected. Yeah, it's so good. Everything, everything in the Secret Place. I have, I wanted to talk about this moment with Moses on Mount Sinai. It's Exodus 33 and 34. And this is such a beautiful depiction of the secret place. And so in Exodus 33 and
Starting point is 01:10:20 34, this is where basically it's the famous moment, the iconic moment where Moses comes face to face with God. And basically, Moses goes up on this mountain to meet alone with God, right? It's the secret place. It's private. It's isolated. It's desolate. Nobody else can come.
Starting point is 01:10:38 Nobody went with him. If he was meant to take people, he would have, but he was not supposed to be with anyone else. It was just him and it was God. And Exodus 33 to 11, it's this moment where God spoke to him face to face as a friend speaks to his friend. And that's what takes place in the secret place. Like God speaks to us as if we are his friends. We're his friends.
Starting point is 01:11:04 Like in the gospels, what does Jesus say to His disciples when He says like, you are not my slaves, now you're my friends, because a master doesn't tell secrets to his slaves, but because I tell you the secrets, the things of God, the things of the Father, you have become my friends. So in the secret place, like God wants to tell you things. He wants to give you revelation. He wants to show you Himself. And then Moses says to God, show me your glory. Show me your glory. Show me your face. I want to see your face. I want to see your glory. And we have the beautiful moment where basically God hides Moses in a rock, another secret place.
Starting point is 01:11:46 It's an established place where you position yourself to receive from God, to see Jesus. Right? Moses is basically with God face to face. He goes down the mountain and Moses has no idea because he doesn't have a mirror, but his face is shining. Why is his face shining? Because he was just with God. And if you talk about a Jesus glow, you want to know where you find a Jesus glow, you find it in the
Starting point is 01:12:12 secret place. You will look different when you spend an extended period of time with Jesus. Matthew 26, verses 40 to 45, it's that moment in the Gospels where Jesus is going to his disciples. He basically says, I'm gonna go and I need you guys to stay on watch for me. I need you guys to not fall asleep. Don't fall asleep. Stay, pray, watch.
Starting point is 01:12:38 That was his command. Jesus goes away. He comes back and he finds everybody sleeping. And he says to Peter, couldn't you watch with me even one hour? And I always think about this, Jesus asked them for an hour of their time, one hour. And I'm not saying that we need to take everything so literally out of the Bible, but I read the Bible
Starting point is 01:13:03 and I do, it means something to me. Jesus asked them for an hour. It meant so much to Jesus that they would give Him one hour of their time. And then He says, keep and watch pray for an hour so that you will not give into temptation, for the spirit is willing, but the body is weak. Keep watching pray so that you will not give into temptation after saying, you guys can't even give me one hour of prayer
Starting point is 01:13:28 and watchfulness. And so I just wanna say that to everyone, like, your time with Jesus should be non-negotiable. It should not be affected by meetings. And right, and I'm saying this as somebody who sometimes lets the secret place be affected by being on vacation, by being with family, by being with friends.
Starting point is 01:13:46 Like, and so I'm not saying that you can't ever, right? Obviously, but for all of us, we should put it into place as a non-negotiable. Like if my day starts at 8 a.m., I have to wake up at six or seven. That's right. You know what I mean? And like making it in every day,
Starting point is 01:14:03 know this is how it's gonna be. It's not, hopefully I can. I have to structure my day so that I can give him an hour of my time. Yeah, I think Philip Mitchell said, if you're too busy, you're too busy. You're too... Oh, Philip. I love him. It is so good.
Starting point is 01:14:19 But it's true. It's like you should never, you're never too busy. Like, that's like when somebody says, oh, I just don't have time to give you a call. I mean, there's always time in the day where you can give someone a call. So you should never be too busy. That's, it's a lifestyle.
Starting point is 01:14:39 And even after the secret place, I just love he who dwells. Like, dwelling is a lifestyle. Dwelling is in the car, you're worshiping, inviting him in, like you said, to every single conversation, in your decisions, talking with him throughout the day. How could you not want to? That's our best friend. It's our dad. You know?
Starting point is 01:15:02 Someone said, does it matter if I go into my secret place at night before I go to sleep instead of the morning? And I would personally say I actually love being in the secret place at night because, one, it sets me up for a great night of sleep and I actually wake up in the morning more receptive, more sensitive to the spirit. I would advise you to not switch your morning secret place for a night secret place. I think everyone should spend time with Jesus in the morning
Starting point is 01:15:32 before you do absolutely anything else, because first, it's giving the first fruits of your... Just like when you tithe, you give the first 10%. I think you give the first part of your day, the first few hours of your day, and we need Jesus for the day. We don't need to finish the day after wreaking havoc in our relationships and in our mental health,
Starting point is 01:15:51 and then go to Him at night. Like, I think you definitely start the day with Jesus. I second that. I'm not about to go through that crazy day without Jesus' instruction, protection, comfort. Life is, listen, life is too hard, okay? Life is too hard. Faith is believing the things we don't see.
Starting point is 01:16:12 That's what the scripture is. Faith is believing in the things unseen. I don't know. Well, all I'm gonna send it is with us. Say it. Because I talk about singleness, everything. No, I just... Don't waste it.
Starting point is 01:16:29 No, I just... The Secret Place literally saved my life. It's kept me from feeling isolated in the moments where I felt alone. We can self-numb with so many things, with other people, with the phone, with scrolling on TikTok every two seconds. Who said that? Who said that?
Starting point is 01:16:53 Who said that? With the hallelujah? Um... But there are just treasures in abiding in him. There is the emptiness that he truly fills with himself. There is something he sustains in your heart when you...
Starting point is 01:17:18 spend that time with him. Yeah. And so if you're someone that's in a place of suffering, you're in a place of singleness, you're in a place of singleness, you're in a place of heartbreak, let me tell you something. What he will do in the secret place with your heart, you are gonna see miracles.
Starting point is 01:17:36 The stories that I could tell you, I could go on for days on what he did in my suffering, in my heartbreak, through the secret Place is just... I know him as healer and I know him as my dad, and I know him as the God that truly binds up your wounds and heals your broken heart because I abided in the Secret Place. And so, please, anyone who's listening,
Starting point is 01:18:04 who is... can't stop going to other vices or other people in their suffering or in a season of heartbreak, bring it all to the feet of Him, and let Him heal you, because who you'll be on the other side of it with abiding in the secret place is going to just completely transform your life. It's going to be transformative. It's's gonna change you from the inside out. The Holy Spirit's job is to, one, reveal Jesus to us, and then two, to make us like Him. Both of those things take place in the secret place.
Starting point is 01:18:34 When you get down, you're on your knees, say, Holy Spirit, reveal the Son to me. Reveal Jesus to me. Show him, and then you say, Jesus, show me your face. Show me your face. Show me your glory. And then you say, Holy Spirit, God the Father, and Jesus Christ the Son, make me like Jesus.
Starting point is 01:18:56 You guys got this. We love you so much. We love you, we love you. And actually, like Philip Anthony Mitchell said, he said, make the secret place your vice. Make the secret place your vice. You wanna go to smoking, drinking, boys, girls, whatever vice you may have, why don't you run,
Starting point is 01:19:16 run, run, run to Jesus, get into the secret place. I don't care. I don't care. We love when he says that. I don't care. We love you guys so much. May the Lord bless you. Sorry.
Starting point is 01:19:27 May the Lord bless you and keep you. May he make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. May he turn his face towards you and give you peace. We love you. Shalom, shalom. Shalom, shalom. Love you guys.

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