The Hope Hotline - What It Looks Like To Be In Ministry?

Episode Date: October 7, 2026

What It Looks Like To Be In Ministry?

Real talk. Hello and welcome to the Hope Hotline. Thank you for joining us this very wet, rainy Wednesday. I thought we were going to make it a whole year without a hurricane. I know. I've been praying that this one just goes away because I would love to say no hurricanes in 2026. But it's not looking great. I'd be lying if I told you.

I'm not, I am very happy to see 2026 go. I have hated this year. It's so funny because at the beginning of the, like sometime in December, I was asking, I always asked the Lord, it's 2020, whatever, it's going to be a great year. Yeah. And the Lord told me I was going to need faith.

But it was going to be good. Yeah. It's going to be good, but you're going to need to, like, use your faith. And boy, he went in line. Yeah. This one's been a dozy. 2026 can get the

8G double tooth pick out of here except for the hurricanes which has been pretty good your mom is definitely going to yell you if you don't get your mouth onto the mic your mouth is on the mic nobody can do you

in my eye blend in the face I should pull up like our January one of our January podcast because you were like 2026 baby and I was like yes We were all so excited. So hopeful.

Wait, why are we now? I mean, I'm still hopeful. Okay. Because I have my faith, but. Right. It's just, yeah. Has it been good? No.

Yeah, it's been good. It's been great. No. Not even close. Yeah. I mean, great things have happened, but on the whole, yeah. We've had better.

I'm with you. I feel it's 2027, guys. Yeah, me too. 2027, baby. That's the year. It'll be almost 30. It'll be a seven. True.

Which is God's number. That's right, girl. Yeah. Seven's got to be great. That's why. It's six is not the God's number, so that's why this year is suck. That's one year way. Satan's number is six.

Exactly. That it makes sense. Yeah. Whatevs. But I'm not happy about it. We are getting loads of rain. Yeah. I love it.

Yeah. Are you wearing new boots? Are you new boot goofing? No. Those are not new boots. They're old. I like them, don't you? Yeah, I like those.

I've worn them several times and they're old. But thank you very much. I appreciate it. Yeah, no problem. Yeah, I'm not. I don't know. Vanessa is not with us. I know.

So we have a fill-in. I've been told not to talk too much. I told you not to talk too much. You? No, no, no. I didn't say. not to talk too much. I said the topic probably won't allow you to talk too much.

Oh, yeah, that's true. And then I proceed to say that's probably for the best. I get yelled out of a lot. God's honest truth. So. And it's Vanessa's birthday tomorrow. That's why she's not here because she's on her birthday trip. I didn't know that.

Her birthday is tomorrow. I didn't know that's why they will laugh. Yes. That's crazy. She's born near my mom's because my mom is next. week. So crazy. I'll have such close birthdays.

So she's on the 9th of October. Miss Norma? No, wait just today? No, no. No, eight. She's on the eighth. Vanessa. Yeah, Vanessa's on.

I thought today was the eighth. So, okay, Vanessa's the 8th of October. You and my mom is the 14th. My sister's the 27th. But, okay. So Norma is, and you are on November 9th. She's October 8th. I'm going to be able to remember that.

Okay. Now I probably got to write it down But I'm just saying that'll help me remember it to a certain extent Okay How do I not have that written down? God bless, I'm so glad you told me And she's watching So she now knows

I didn't know what your birthday though She's not like hey guys it's my birthday Yeah, that's true Like that doesn't help Well I am the same as her I hate my birthday Like it can come and go

And I'm okay I don't care It's like going to, it's like, I like it, but it's okay. Okay. So tomorrow is her birthday. Yes. Got to remember that for Friday. Okay.

As you say. So today's topic, we'll never finish it. We all know this. So it will flow right in into Fridays. But do we have anything that you need to talk about before we get going? Yeah. Yeah. Let me do it real quick.

Let's do it. Okay. So we're on Facebook. We're on Rumble. We're on YouTube and we almost made it on TikTok today. And TikTok's just being silly. So we're going to figure this out. We were so close.

Tali, you did such a great job of getting us all the way to the finish line, but the finish line went further. So it is not the finish line. But we are going to figure this out because I, like, there's something going on with TikTok right now. And I feel like we're getting a chance again. So do I believe that fully with all my heart?

No. But I feel like I'm seeing things that I didn't, like before I was seeing. like things that like was either the same people over and over again, but now I'm seeing a lot of random people. I don't know. I heard you talking about that. I know.

And again, it's still today I had and it's not like the weirdos that pop up and you're like, that's why you have three views. They're like good content. And I'm like, okay. So I don't know. I don't know if it's a different.

I'm so sick of trying to figure out the algorithm. But I'm wondering with this ability to go TikTok live if we already have a bunch because we had that one viral video. So you just never know, you know. You know, it's pretty crazy. It's pretty crazy how TikTok shop used to be TikTok, and now there is no TikTok shop. That's wild to me. How you literally hardly ever see any ads on TikTok anymore.

The more ads you watch, the more you get. Like people selling stuff? Yeah, yeah. Yes. Perfew. I get back. I get shoes. Couch.

A couch? Oh my gosh. I haven't seen a couch yet. Yeah, because I've watched a few of them. Things like that, like Halloween blankets. kids. Okay. Yeah. I mean, I don't know. I'll come back. Okay. I don't want to. But back in the day, I used to see the same people selling like clothes and water bottles and like I don't see those people. Maybe it's because you don't interact with them anymore. So like that's why. If you interact with it,

you'll send you more things. Yeah, like I get medacube stuff all the time now. Well, you can't medicaid. Oh, I get that. I get Korean skin care. skincare. So like if you interact with it, like click it, you'll send you more stuff. Or if you watch it longer than like five seconds. Yeah, that too. So that's probably why they've given up on you. Thank God. They did. Thank God. They know me too well. Yeah, me too. We should ask Vanessa that on Friday because that girl buys something off TikTok shop like every day. She's as bad as Amazon. Why does she just buy it from Amazon is cheaper on Amazon? I think she's looked both and I think they've been this comparable depending on which one. And also I think she's just on TikTok. And also I think she's just on

talk more and it shows up for her. Whereas Amazon, you have to search it. True. Interesting. One click. Click it done. And done. Her card's saved in there. Yep. Oh, my goodness. Oh, mine's not. Did you?

Oh, my goodness. See? Yeah. It's not over. Is it being delivered to my house? What? Are they being delivered to my house? No, I already got them. But were they delivered to our house? I think they were delivered to my house. Wow. That's a first in like months.

everything is, I get a text, hey, my package is outside, when you bring it in? I'm like, yes. That's crazy. So cute. Okay. Okay.

So you do your thing. Okay. So not TikTok live today. We're keeping it there because I'm believing that we're going to be on TikTok live very soon. Talia is determined. Okay. But just a couple things.

If you come to Foundation Church, we do have a 50 plus breakfast club. It's going to be delicious. And you get orange juice. That's what we found out last week. Oh my gosh. Maybe coffee. Definitely not tea.

No. No, absolutely not. I love tea, but it's fine. I could bring my own if I decided to come. Miss Barb does. Does she? I think Miss Barb brings her tea everywhere she is. That's so sweet. She's like, what was Uncle Si? Uncle Si.

From Duck Dynasty. Oh, see, but she brings, it's a cold tea. So was us. Uh-huh. Okay. Size is a cold tea. Mine would be a hot tea. I love hot tea with honey

Actually so Norma you know what you want to get your father for Entalia do you not tell Tommy Yeah don't feel the live on a podcast Because Norman never knows what to get Tom Yeah don't tell Tommy what this is For Christmas which you need to get him Is the first I think he said he wants the first Five seasons of Duck Dynasty

Oh okay Write that down right anybody who's listening Don't spill the freaking beans And also no one who's watching Don't go buy it either because I know you people will go and get it for him. This is my gift. Well, it has to be bought on his like iPad or whatever. Oh, I thought DVDs.

Never mind. You guys are screwed. It's mine. No, because he's like, you're going to have to buy it. I'll get it on his iPad for Christmas. I'll be like, hand me your iPad real quick. And he's like, that's a really great present. That is.

He loves it. He loves that he just told me he wanted that he never wants anything. I should get it earlier for him. then. I think you should do Christmas morning. Make him give you. Yeah, but if he wants it now, he's going to go buy it himself. Would he?

Because Jared would do that. He might. My dad would absolutely ask Tommy to get it on his iPad for him. So I'm probably going to have to do it early. Be like, hey, this is a Christmas gift three months early. Oh, gosh. He would love it. He'll do it.

He never says. He never says what he wants. He's so, he's horrible. He's the worst. I know. Jared's really bad, too. I hate you, tell you. I don't have anything.

What else we got? Okay. And we have There to Be, and since we have both speakers in the house today. Oh, my God. Oh, no. Yes. I'm so happy I take so many videos of you, especially the one from Vegas. I knew that comeback.

The spirit is behind you. It is. I know. We love that so much. Oh, my gosh. It was so crazy. So we've got the pre-speaker, Norma. I can't even say Miss Norma.

And then we got Hope the main speaker. Friday, October 23rd at 7 p.m. We got Dare to Be. So women only. So bring your friends. It'll be a great time. And then that will be the 23rd. Oh, these are kind of out of order.

Okay. So those are just the things that are happening at church. And then for Hope Hotline, starting back over again, October 16th, which is next Friday, we will not be here because I'm going to be getting my daughter ready to get married. That's good. That is so awesome. I know. So we'll have the rehearsal dinner that night.

Well, not even night. It's at four. So early. And we're going to practice and then we'll be ready to go. And next day is the wedding day. So exciting. So exciting. It's coming so fast.

It's coming so fast. It's coming so fast. It's coming to be a good one. It's because it's her. This is Kylie. So cute. That's a cute girl. Super special.

I bet you you can't wait because then Bill stop coming out. I know. It's like a better sweet thing. You know. She has two others. I know. You have two other weddings that you'll have to do. And I have a feeling one's following right behind it.

Yeah, I was going to say, but I didn't want to say it. Somebody doesn't want to steal somebody's thunder, so they're waiting. 100%. Exactly. Which is sweet. I know. It's so sweet, though, to let your sister have a moment. I know.

I know. I don't even know if Ky would care, but they care. So I think that's super sweet. It is. Okay. And then Natalie will be here October 23rd. And I think we're going to do some. something a little bit different for October 23rd.

So that'll be fun, very different than what we've done before. Yep. So definitely join us for that. It's always a good time with Natalie. So you don't want to miss that one either. And then I think that is it. So we eat. We're ready to go.

Let's do it. So today's topic is so many times, and I think we've talked about this in the past, but we're going to approach it a little different than what we normally do. and that is so many people want to get into ministry but they don't know what that looks like and how to do it when a lot of times people feel like they're called into ministry and they don't know where to they think that if they're called into ministry then they need to start operating and whatever God's called them to immediately. That's not how it works.

Most of the time, that's not how it works. Like if a person's called to be a pastor, a lot of times they'll go away to school and get the education for it. And then they'll go, they'll intern, and learn how to even... Like, there's something to be said to be about being an apprentice. A lot of times people don't want the apprentice part.

They want the job first and the title. But apprenticeship is super important because a lot of times you don't know how to handle situations when you come your way. And if you have somebody who is a really good teacher, I'm not big on mentoring. I'll be honest with you. I find that a lot of people get mentored and they get mentored by people who don't know what the heck they're talking about. Fair. So they just like making money off of mentoring. Okay.

I'm not a big favor of that. I think on-the-job training, which is an apprenticeship position, is far more valuable than being mentored by somebody who has absolutely no investment in you. And a lot of times mentors, either they have their own business and they're mentoring you in like you trying to start a business or whatever, but they have no real stake in the game of you becoming successful. So you're going and asking them to the level and degree of their mentorship over you is probably usually minimal because they have a little to know investment in you being successful.

Does that make sense? Absolutely. Yeah. Whereas an apprenticeship position, that person that you're under is investing in you because you're oftentimes going to either take over that business at some point for them. So they want to teach you everything so you're highly successful. Right. Because when you take over that business from them,

they're still going to be a part owner in that company. And if you do well, they do well. Yeah, there's skin in the game. Exactly. Or you're going to work for this person and how you operate in things. The more you do it like they do it, then they're duplicating themselves. And they're going to duplicate themselves to the highest and best use. So when they send you out to do a job, you're going to do it just like them.

They have a very high. high level of confidence in you. That's way different than mentorship. Me and Tom are not, I mean, people think it's terrible that we're not big into mentorships, but there's a reason why. And a lot of times I see people get mentored and when it's all said and done, they don't look any different. They're not any off any better.

It's true. And they've usually lost money through the process. And the only one that made out like a bandit was the mentor. Yeah. I mean, it's just, it is what it is. So ministry is a little bit different. Ministry is definitely apprenticeship, but more spirit, holy spirit driven. Because how you should be under somebody that you watch.

For example, if you were to come and work for Foundation Church and you felt, like you're going to be in ministry. Maybe it's administrative. Maybe it's media. Maybe it's pastoral. Okay, if you came and worked for us, we're not micromanagers. So what it's going to mostly be in if you have, if you need direction or if there's something we see that needs correction, we're going to come in.

But most of it is going to be Holy Spirit driven because how the Holy Spirit's going to tell you to do things is way different than I'm going to tell you how to do them. The Holy Spirit told and directed me and Tom, and he did it far better than any human being could ever do. But an apprenticeship is where you're underneath somebody and you're watching them, and they're leading you. Now, if this was plumbing and you're an apprenticeship for plumbing, then you're going to duplicate yourself like the man that owns the business or the technician that's been trained by the business owner. That's way different. spiritually though we don't run things like we do a business so there's two different ways so when i say we're going to talk about ministry now so i want to distinctively that's really good

divide what they look like yeah no that was really good very good because it's so true it's you know you've been in business i've owned a business oh yeah and it's it's it's very important that everybody learns from jare because jare did everything wrong so you learn the wrong way. But when it comes to ministry, it is very different. Way different. So that's a very good distinction. And everybody, I'm not everybody, there have been a lot of times where people have either run a Bible study or run a ministry here to whatever degree. Yeah. Like if it's leading and teaching people, they want hands on, hands on, like you want me to tell them everything or to Tom, Tom, everything, because they literally would have been great in the military.

Because in the military, they tell you everything, like they tell you when you get up, when you go to bed, when you get to eat, when you get to go to the bathroom. What time PT is? That's not going to be us, okay? And that's not the Lord. Okay, because how he's going to lead, that's why you have to be, if you're going to do something, and I think Jera is a good example because when Jare first started, with us, he'd never done anything. So he wanted not that intense, but he wanted more intense

because just being a business owner. I think you think it's kind of run the same way. Ministry is way different than that. Ministry is not run like a business. And if a person treats it like it is, then it becomes a business. And that is definitely not where you want the Lord to be boxed in. Because you boxed him in as a business and you run the church like that. So when he would come, I mean, like, that's a Holy Spirit thing. You got to like, you have to have communion with the Lord. You have to be, like, talking to him.

He's going to tell you. He's going to direct you. Like, he's going to show you on whether or not you should do this event. Are you, like, I'm your girl. But like what in things, how things are supposed to be done, how the, you're, like, when you run. youth group, how you do youth group, that's not, you're not going to ask me that. The Holy Spirit's going to tell you how to do the youth group. He's going to tell you, okay, this is how I want the

structure of it. And it may look different than you did six months ago. You have to be willing to adjust, adapt, and overcome and change with whatever he's telling you to do because he's going to grow you in whatever ministry he's given you. Or he's going to grow you from one ministry to the next ministry, to the next ministry, who is faithful with a little will be faithful with much. And you go, well, I'm just a greeter. So we all start somewhere. And don't think, I don't care if you're 60-something years old, I will be 60 in May, okay, don't think because you're 60-something years old and you're just a greeter, that's where it stops and that's where it ends. That's not true. Not even close.

because I know a lot of people who do greeting and then they go out and soul win on Saturdays. Okay? So it's not like that. Okay. Do you want to add anything to this because I'm about to ask you a question?

I think even if you are, let's say not on stage or you do something like that, like for example, one of our greeters could be using their gift of discernment as people walk in the door. You know what I mean? So you can still, like you don't have to, necessarily operate in it, but you can be talking to the Lord, like, I feel like I have a word for them.

Can you give me confirmation? And then so you can start operating in that way, even when you're in these, right, exactly. And you can operate in your gifts, just wherever you are. Sometimes during church, like, I know that God has like me want to pray for somebody specifically. And so I ask him, do I lay hands? Do I just pray from here? And so like, but like he highlights people to me. And one time I invited somebody to abide. And so, and it was great. And she received her healing. And so you like but I'm just a photographer on Sunday you know what I mean but I don't see it that way I exactly I do I do take photos I do videos and they get to go out and we get to spread the gospel that way too but I also do I multitask I'm a good multitasker and so and I also get to put my camera down and worship sometimes so it's just yeah yeah I if your spirit led

um you'll see good fruit and you have to be willing to start in a place that you thought think that you might not have ever started in. Because a lot of times we think that we have to start at the top. When, again, it goes back to who he was faithful with a little, we'll be faithful with much. There's something to be said with small beginnings. And a lot of times people are not ready. People always say, like, I'd be afraid if I saw all the things that God has for me,

so he only gives it to me in bits and pieces. That would be true of this. be honest with you because if you would have told me which was a hope and a dream of mine truthfully but if you would have told me when we started this church at before we ever started this church but specifically when we started this church and there was only like 15 people coming if that if you would have told me and we were in the inguwood elementary school cafeteria if you would have told me if you would have told me and we were in the inguid uh elementary school cafeteria, if you would have told me that we would have, we would be in this building, that the

mortgage payment would be what it is, that we would have to put down the amount of money that we would have to put down, that all of it would transpire in a very short and brief period of time, but I wouldn't know that it was going to happen over a short brief period of time, but all of these things were going to happen and that we would look like what we look like right now, I've been like, let's go. But at the same time, ill-prepared for it and have to figure out how to walk in the faith that is needed, which I did not have. We all have the faith of God or we have the faith of Jesus, okay? But are we using that face and getting to a place where you're administering it and acting in it?

A whole different thing than just going, let's go and thinking you're prepared. You're not prepared. So for me, it was far better for me not to know because back in the day, South Biscayne was here. South Biscayne Baptist Church was here. It was the biggest thing going at the time. And I would have laughed in your face if you would have told me we'd be in this building. I would have been like, that would be an act of God. Because I would have never thought they would leave.

And then you could have never convinced me that it would all try. transpire the way that it did. But that's God. And that's the same thing how it will be for you. But I'm going to ask each of you girls, everybody can answer this question. Now, Norma is watching something on her phone. I'm listening though, too. I've been listening. Multitasking. She's locked down. She's like me. I can't listen. Tom is like, are you listening to me? I'm like, dude, I can do like three things at one time. Are you kidding me? Yeah, I'm listening to you. And he'll be like, what did I just say? I know. I'll say it. And he'd be like, I was able to respond. that she said you can answer.

I was like, yeah. Yeah, because literally, like, women are way different than men. I was literally about to say. I think it's a good thing. 100%. Like, he's like, how did you just do that? And I'm like, because I'm not you. Because I can do three things at one time.

Like, have a conversation, order something, and watch something all at the same time. I'm like watching football, ordering things that we need, and then talking to him. Yeah. Literally, piece a cake. And if I try and talk to him while he's, watching something he'd be like what what did you say or he gets irritated because he's like I'm I I can't do both guys and I'm like there it is like if you're on the phone with him oh yeah don't try and talk to him while he's on the phone talking to somebody else which I have gotten to be like that I'll

be honest with you yeah like I'm like please don't try and talk to me right now I'm talking to somebody else because I can't do that either like I don't know what happens on the level though like sometimes you just really need to be locked in true with certain conversations that is true able to talk to Heather and me at the same time because it wasn't like that is that is an accurate statement you're probably dealing with what's happening that's important yes and usually if tom's trying to talk to me whoever's on the other phone it's usually a way bigger deal because he's never involved in squad unless it's a big deal so let me ask you this because all three of you to differing degrees operate in ministry now you two are so much younger so you don't have a lot of

experience like me and Tracy. But still, it's good for people to hear like what you guys have to say because there's a lot of young people that are like, well, how tell you you work for the church? It's part time. But hopefully by the end of the year are going into the beginning of next year, you will be full time because we are growing and there's differing things that we're trying to get to. So you may, you're going to be how old? 20. I'm going to be 21. Right, but I'm just saying before then, before then, you're 20 right now. So being 20 and working for church, where a lot of people want to do that. Okay, they don't want to do what you do because you clean toilets, okay?

But a lot of people want to work for church. Hello, me too. I think more than half of us has started with cleaning. Yeah, that's true. From Tom too. Yeah, if you said dad did landscaping, everything I can work. really think of. He did everything from even inside cleaned, cleaned bathrooms. The man has done everything.

Fix things, repaired things. Man, there's not one. Because he's not one. Yeah. Even roof repair, which, dear lords. But, I mean, it stopped leaking. But to the measure in which it looked after he got it to stop is like a whole another story. Definitely not a professional job.

Redneck job. Yeah. But you got, you're 20, so that's super young. Norma, how old are you? You're young, like 20. I'm 25. 25. I'll be 20 years.

So, but you've worked for the church now for three years? No. 2022 is when you started, right? No, I started the year of COVID. 2021. So. Literally the end of 2021. So for four years, you worked.

Yep. So being young and working for churches is pretty, pretty great if that's what you want to do. But there's a lot of people who are like, yeah, now I want to make a lot of money and that ain't the way I'm going to do it. I totally get it. It's everybody's got whatever God's called them to do. So that's, I do understand that people have other aspirations. But there are a lot of people who want to maybe not work for a church, but be in ministry, which has been both you and me, not paid, but operating a ministry with no income from it. Yeah. That's most people, though. Yeah. Most people,

do not have employment in their church. 100% true. But they give like they do. Right. Kudos to you because great is your reward. Amen. And Norma and Talia, they're not going to get anything. No.

So let me ask you. All right. And then Tracy, we're going to go way more in depth. I'm going to ask a few questions so everybody can get a variety of understanding. And then we'll go way more in depth. Okay. Yeah. Okay.

What was the first thing, and we're going to start with Tracy. We'll go Tracy, Talia, Norma, and myself. Okay. What was the first thing you ever did in ministry? Like for under a building? Yeah. I'm not talking about, for Talia and Norma, this will probably look like when they were 15, depending on what that is.

And me, or it could be one year younger. For me, it's probably going to be because I walked away from the Lord. I'm going to go from when I returned from like at 25. At what age are you going to start? Yeah, because I'd say like raising my girls, like that's like a form of ministry because I wasn't working. So like I saw that as a form of ministry. But then when I started like getting into the church, I think my first thing,

if I can remember correctly, would be photography and videos. So that was your first thing that you actually did for a ministry at no cost and volunteering, which is way different than most people think. Yeah. Media. Yeah. Go, Tau. I think it was volunteering and, like, working, like, in the nursery and stuff.

Yep. Like, being with the kids and being, like, a helper with, like, Trisha's class. Yeah, because all you know is Foundation Church. Yeah. Like, all Norma knows is Foundation Church. Really. I mean, we went to another church when they were younger, but it's so. You were so little.

You wouldn't. So that's wild because that's all you guys know is this place. Thank God. Yeah, literally thank God. For real. Mine was nursery and stuff like that and children's church with you and then also then learning the soundboard when it was really simple. It's not that simple anymore.

Yeah, that's true. And me was, when I got my life right back with God, me was working in the nursery. I was telling Norma, I worked in the nursery when I was like 26. We got, it's a little bit of. fight in a church, me and my mom. I don't think my dad was going with us, but it was just me and my mom went to this church at Englewood Church of God,

which is now, well, it's no longer, actually. It used to be Sun Coast Worship Center, but it, like, dissolved. But Inglewood Church of God, and I worked in a nursery, I was telling Norma, I didn't even have a kid. Wow. Which is like, like, so many people in our church do.

They go in there. Either they've raised their kids and they work or they're very young and they're like how like Talia was. They want to like invest in a ministry, but they don't know where to go. So I didn't want to invest. I was the just in case somebody didn't show up. That was me. And I was like great babies. So like that's really important though to do to do something because a lot of our women, it's mandated if you, for people who don't attend this church.

But if you work the nursery, I mean, excuse me, if you have a child, then you have to work that in that ministry. You have to, if you have a kid in our children's church, then you work in the children's church. If you use the ministry. If you use the ministry, you are going to help that ministry. We're not going to be users. We're going to be contributors. Because otherwise you have the same people being stuck back there while other people just get to live life. I've literally had people go, I don't really feel called to do that.

I'm like, well, you felt called to have a kid and you got one. And you want to use it. Yeah, and you want to use the ministry. So if you have a child, then you obviously know how to take care of children. It's also not like we're asking that much. It's once a month. It's not even. If it's not even that, it's once every six weeks.

Okay, that's where I go. Okay, it's not that hard. You have to go in there once. That's easy, easy guys. Unless you're on Trisha's side, but even then. But it's just so funny to me. It's like, I'm not called. I don't feel called to work in children's ministry.

And I'm like, well, that's funny because you have one or two or three. So, and some people have five and six. Like, better hop to it. Find a babysitter on Sunday or something. Literally, we've had to tell people that you don't, if you don't feel called to work to children's ministry, that's fine. And it really is okay. Like, and I'm being totally sincere when I say.

Yeah. It's really okay that you don't feel called to be in there or to work it. But your children, they need to go with you into the sanctuary. Because if you can't help other people, if you can't, Jesus came to serve not to be served. So if you can't act like Jesus and serve other people in the very ministry that you're using, like Tracy just said, then that's okay. Just take your kids with you. And that's fine. Right.

And some people do. And we don't care. But they're going to have to sit there and they're going to have to be quiet because they're not going to interrupt what the Holy Spirit's doing. That's the only thing. So it's just so funny to me, though, they're like, I don't want to take my kid in there. I'm like, well, we don't want your kid in there either, but I don't want it to tell you. You can't have it both ways. You can't have your cake and eat it too.

But ministry is vitally important. And a lot of people are called at that level. Like me, I didn't get, I learned a lot by working nursery. Guess what I used to do when I did the nursery. Every now and then, I would no-show. Oh, yeah. You know, you reap what you sow. And then when I ran the nursery in the toddler class and people no-showed,

you know what the Lord told me? That was you. Yeah. It teaches you great things like how to honor. It keep your word. Yeah. True. Things like that.

People are relying on you when you don't show up. it matters. It affects other people. But if you start out at the top, then you don't learn the little things of how to overcome the little things. And then when the big things come, it's a lot harder to overcome those things. Somebody no-showing is way easier to overcome someone, like,

not on a higher scale, on a bigger level, like trying to take the whole entire worship team so they know show for you on a on a worship night yeah not that Aaron's never done that I'm just saying in general people literally do things like that to you just to try and give you know they get mad and they're going to try and pay you back and then they'll try and like pay you back in ways that you're like what the what well when you've had to deal with the smaller things you're like I can do this I don't know how we're going to do this but God's going to come through for me And he does. He does every single times in ways you never even thought possible. But he who is faithful with the little will be faithful with much. Did you know at the time that it was leading you somewhere? So when you started out doing the photography and doing the little videos, did you know that that was going to lead you into ministry at the time when you were doing all that, Tracy?

100%. No. Like 150. If you would have told me that I was going to be working in ministry, like actually. like as a paid visit, never, never in a million years. Nope. Yeah. It's crazy. No. Wasn't on my radar. Uh-uh.

Because I think sometimes God is just seeing what, how far are you willing to go for me? Like are, are you? Because how, what you show him now will show him who and what you are. Yeah. For him later. It's like quality of, of, of, individual or just somebody who's like mediocre. Yeah.

He's looking for quality. And I don't think it was necessarily like I was trying to be like, I think if I like, like, Jare had a business. Like we had a business together. I think if we were like financially like in need, I could maybe have been like, okay, maybe I can make money off of this. Like this would make sense. Like logically, I could have thought that out.

But I was like, I feel like this is my ministry. Like I'm just going to help where I can help and I'm good at this. And they need this. There's a need and I can meet the need. And then I was like, oh, I actually really enjoy this. And so I just kind of saw it as like a way that I can help and I never anticipated getting paid for this. But I also didn't think like I needed it. So it was just like off my radar for that. Right. Not necessarily because I'm like this great person. I wanted to like pour out my gifts on everybody. I was just like I don't need to be paid. Like we have our own business. We can make money that way. I don't need to take from the church. Like that's like I was like I give to the church. Why would I take from the church? And when you have another option. So that was I just didn't click in my brain at that. And then nobody ever offered me anything.

until I got to this church. Like nobody ever paid for anything and never offered it. So literally wasn't on my radar until I came here. And then I couldn't, I like tried to prevent you from paying me. And then you were like, absolutely not. It's not how we roll. But you're the only church.

And I've been to a bunch of them that that like paid me. And I never asked. And even tried to say, no, no, no. It's like I want. And you're like no. So, yeah, so that's, that was different. I hear that so, you know, that's so funny. because I hear so many, somebody just was so kind because they were texting me about some other

stuff and they were like saying to me they've never, and they're like my age. And they're like, we have never been to a church where we feel like blessed and appreciated. And we don't even want it or ask for it. But you guys never cease to make sure that whoever is going the extra mile for you, that you don't look at it and acknowledge it. And I think that's where Jesus is, though. Yeah. Like, I think the church uses and abuses people left and right.

And how much can I suck the life out of people and get for free? Yeah. And sometimes it's under internship that we do this. We literally run people ragged Under the guise of you're an intern Okay, that's not, I don't like that Because these are people's souls, there's their spirits. I'm like, you can totally crush someone's spirit

By just using and abusing them And they think, is this ministry? Right. You can do that with people who aren't interns, but just volunteers. Like you can use. and abuse volunteers. A workman is worth his wage. And whether or not he's a hired help or he's a volunteer that says,

you know what, this is, I'm not going to attend. I'm actually going to work it. They're giving up something to help ensure that something actually, an event takes place. Yeah. Yep.

So like you should appreciate that. And I don't think, I think most people go, well, you should do it. No, nobody has to do it. right like we all have jobs and we all like to come to one more thing sometimes is like oh my gosh

that's the biggest thing my mom would say is like she's always shocked by how many like people would show up like at women's conference or vbS and they worked all day and then there's vbs 6 to 9 p.m. and like these parents would show up and just and you would never know because they had such a good heart about it and she was always like so amazed at that oh yes oh yes and they that should be acknowledged yes because Most people, after working a long day, I didn't. Right. I volunteered and I put 110% of myself.

Wherever I went and like sometimes I was there all the time. And I didn't get paid. I was volunteer for the church, but I didn't hear a thank you very often. Hardly ever. And as much as I am a perfectionist here, I was like that. I was like that there. To whatever the budget allowed, we did it to the best that was available. And so, Taya, let me ask you, did you know that when you were doing all that stuff?

And I know it's not been that long, but did you know that doing all of that stuff when you were younger would get you to a place where you had proved yourself that, you know, that guy could trust you to even be doing what you're doing now? Did you ever think that you would be? No, and, like, I think of, like, even working here with, like, my mom. Like, I, like, never would have thought that I'd be doing ministry with my mom, you know? No, wow. Like, it just never, like, probably because of my lifestyle, like, in high school and middle school. But even after that, like, it's just still so crazy that, like, my mom has known you for so long and, like, I'm best friends with your daughter. And, like, you know, like, am I your guys in a whole time?

You grew up in my house. It's just, it's so crazy. that like I grew up in that house and I literally grow up in that house like I live basically like live there. It's like so crazy to me. But um, whole circle. Yeah, no, I, no, I don't. That's pretty well.

Like even just doing this like I never would have like thought. This is what I've been doing. Is God never like he's amazing like when you're you, if you just allow yourself to be used. Like man, he just says, man, you just keep proving yourself over and over again. I'm just going to take you to the next level. And you resent. So many people resent the smaller things. But the smaller things are what gets you to the bigger things. I don't get it either. I don't get that. Because they want it now. I know. But like, haven't you ever been in a place where you got it now? And it didn't, you were like, okay, never mind. Like that didn't. I learned very quickly. I learned from those like, you have a big moment. And you're like either it wasn't all you thought it would be or like, man, like, if I would have had more knowledge, I probably could have done better at that. Well, I think some of its immaturity though, being young.

Okay, being younger. The younger you are, you and I did not grow up in a microwave world. I didn't have a TV until I was 10 years old. Yeah, true. Okay. So, like, you had a TV when you were born, okay? But I didn't have one until I was 10. And you didn't have probably a microwave until, like, what, you were five?

I don't know. Maybe you always had one. We didn't have a microwave until I was, I don't even know, like older. So, like, we didn't grow up with instantaneous. information to cooking to like phones like I was just thinking about this when I was driving the other day like I used to I left my phone at home and I thought to myself oh man what does somebody needs me yeah holy crap yeah but then I thought you live like this up until about how 20 something years ago it's okay I know it's the weirdest thing like yeah I'm like it's gonna be

all right like are you okay barely No, I was totally, after I put perspective on it, and I'm like, this is ridiculous. It is. This is the best thing. Nobody can get a hold of you. It's okay. I know. It does feel like it feels a little bit nerve-wracking, but it also feels like really good.

Because we live like that. I started thinking about, man, I remember when I would not know, like if there was news, something happened. No clue. I didn't get the news until I got home. Yeah. And life still went on. I know.

And I feel like there was a level of peace because you, you weren't. like constantly consuming, like constantly consuming, that dopamine hit of like more information. And then that and then the anxiety of it. Yeah, for sure. 100%. So for me, that's one of the things, I think when you're younger, you're so used to it so that when it's not like that, you're kind of like, no, this isn't going to work for me at all. Okay. Yeah. And I think, too, the level of, excuse me, like, I'll use these two people because they're younger. And I'm not saying that they're like this. I'm not saying they're like this at all. But I look at like with Norma and Kristen, right, when you have a talent that you've invested

in since you were very young, both of them have worked very hard since they were very young to be really good at the skill that God gave them. And so you want it like this. I'm not saying they do. I'm saying when you're like that or you have a. skill like them. Maybe you're a really great communicator. Maybe you're highly intelligent. Whatever it is. So what happens is, is you have that talent. And so you start going, well, I have an expectation. And that expectation. Now, yes, they're both on the worship team.

Okay. So you would say, well, they're on the worship team and they're young. So it did work out for them. But I would say Norma didn't start on the worship team when she was very, very young. She started on a worship team. 17, almost 18. Okay, she did. Yeah, I was young. So was Kristen, by way. So was Kristen, but not to the level of what you guys get now.

Yeah, no, not even close. I just did harmonies for a really long time. And I don't know what she did, but hers was way different too, but even still, like, both of them have had to come into it. It didn't happen overnight. Even though they're very, very young, it didn't happen exactly overnight for them. And both of them actually want way more. if you were to talk to both of them

both of them would tell you that's not really the end game for them and if they had the if they had the mindset of why isn't that this happening God like I want it right now and not being satisfied with what he has for them I was about to say the little

he has for them but most people would say that's not little that is much and I understand I'm not going to dispute that but to them not that there is a not that they don't appreciate where God has them right now, but they see themselves doing bigger things for the Lord than what it is right now, correct?

So it's not that they don't appreciate it. It's just not the end game for them. So if they were expecting the end game right now, both of them are not prepared for it. And so he's going to usher it in slowly for them. But it's like that for everybody. Go ahead, Norma. So did you? think that going into the nursery, helping me with Children's Church back in the day, being a fill-in

for different things when people didn't show up, having to stay at the church all day long while your parents worked it. And it was rough, man. It was really boring. Super boring. All she had is leapfrog because I didn't do the iPad thing. Sometimes you had just sit in a room with old, like, toys. Coloring books and things like that. So back in the day, they did not do an iPad. They got a leap frog. Which means you're counting and doing math. Yeah. It was way, way different than kids. Like, their treat was going to Dairy Queen at the end. And believe me. We look forward to that. The hours went by really slow when you talk about dairy queen. But I mean, there is, there's a lot of. I would say no, but there was a hope that I would follow in the footsteps. But I also lived in reality of like our church wasn't that big. So I'm like, I'm probably not going to get hired.

ever but like when yeah that's true COVID hit that's when I knew I was going to be staff so it was like a build up to there was a hope and a love for it but also not realistic in the moment so I was like no probably won't ever happen if we stay like this so I shut that down and then COVID hit and I knew so it was like a it was a little bit of a back and forth between what I wanted and stuff so yeah I'd say pretty even hope for it didn't know it was kind of like whatever it's But now look at me. Look at us go. Look at us go now.

Okay. Yeah. And you couldn't have told me. Like I didn't start working for the church until I, until 20, 22. Yeah. I didn't. I didn't think I'd ever be employed by the church. I knew that I had a lot of, I did.

But when I first started working in the nursery, I knew that God called us to ministry, but like I've told you a hundred times because my mom told me in our seventh year, um, she told me this right after we got married or something. can't remember exactly. It might have been before, but she said in your seventh year, you'll step into ministry, which is exactly what happened. But the third year, my third year marriage is when the Lord said to me, you will be in ministry. I thought we were going to run a young married couple's. Like I've told you a hundred times before, I've been married seven years. How am I going to do a young married couples? I don't know squat. I don't know nothing about

nothing. So how I'm going to lead people when, I mean, yeah, my marriage was great, but, you don't have enough time underneath your belt to actually lead people in being married. So what that looked like is Tom went from being a worship leader, which was, yes, he was a ministry, but it wasn't like that, to doing youth ministry. That was when we actually stepped into ministry is when he started being a youth pastor somewhere. Before that, no, not at all. And I could have never told you in a million years that. we'd be what we're doing right now when I was working that nursery. Never in a million years.

Were you confident when you started? Absolutely not. No, because like even photography was brand new to me. But I knew that I was going to do my best. Like I knew that like whatever I was able to do, I knew that I would do my very best and my thing to myself was I'll learn something new so I can add something to my plate each or add something to like my video quality or my photography every single time. And I just knew that I was going to try my best. I knew that there was probably somebody way better that they could have chose story of my life. And people keep picking me. So I knew that part of that had to do with God, like, just putting something on me that, like, it wasn't necessarily me always even doing it. It's just the Lord like saying like, okay,

try this, do this. And like, I would just kind of, you know, I would pray over things. Yeah. Whether it was for the ministry or using photography or videography for something else, I always prayed and asked God to help me. But I would say not confident, but I'm very much relying on God to help, like, show me things so that I didn't have to do things over and over again. Because with anything, with anything artistic, like, it's all subjective. And I'm very efficient. And so on things come back and forth a lot.

Like, that can be discouraging, especially early on. Oh, yeah. It's training around. It is. And now I'm just like, whatever, it doesn't matter. But early on, yeah, I would say that I would. I was definitely not confident. Taya.

Which is great for people to hear though, Tracy, because a lot of people go, I have to be confident when I do it. No, you don't. Actually, it's better not to be confident because you're reliant totally on the Holy Spirit, which will make you do things far better. Yeah.

Yep. No, I definitely wasn't confident. I mean, with cleaning with even media now, I still always have to pray beforehand, like, Lord, please, just let me get the right. clips like photos like please let me actually do a good job editing this time like you you always have to rely on gone no matter what because I mean we're met we're man so like his way is 100% better so I'm confident in the wave I know he'll never like fail me in anything but sometimes in myself I'm like oh

talia same yeah yeah you have to lock in yeah Norma no I've never been confident in anything I've ever done the whole life. So, no, especially with worship team, that was the thing that I was the least confident in ever and still to this day. I thought I was confident and then something ripped the rug right from underneath me. I had to learn to build that back up. So it's always evolving. So like that's where I go. Like even if you think you're confident, sometimes there's going to be something that kind of knocks you off your feet a little bit. And you go, oh wait, you got a lot to work on. You're not done. And not even close to done. So, like, no, social media when we started that, I was the least confident, did not know how to work a camera to save my life.

And anything I, I mean, I started out making cups for the church and I was scared to do that involving it up. Oh, gosh, I thought Heather was going to kill her. Heather did almost kill me. Which she rightfully deserved. Rightfully so. I was doing it wrong all the time. So, but like that's what I'm saying. Like, no matter what I was doing, I was like, holy crap, I have no idea what I am doing.

So. But once again, it teaches you to lean on God and not yourself. So, and that's ministry right there. Don't trust yourself. Just ask him through everything you do. You'll always succeed. There might be a little hiccup, but there will be always success. Yep, 100%.

And did I, was I confident? Yeah. Oh, heck yeah. But I'm an idiot. I was very confident. Sometimes too confident. Yeah. That's not a bad or a good thing.

No, it's not a good thing. No, because it can be a good thing. With business and stuff, you being going in confident about things when maybe you shouldn't be too confident can actually strive to be like the winning factor. There is good things and bad things. Pros and cons, but there's pros and cons to not being confident. So I was absolutely confident. Overconfident. Which did not work out well for me sometimes because you end up trying to do things in your own might.

You make a lot like I cannot tell you. even being in a nursery. I was overconfident. No showing. Like, that's ridiculous. Me thinking they should be lucky they have me. Like, I don't even have a kid and I'm working it for him. Okay.

That's ridiculous. That is disrespectful. It's not, it's just not reliant on God at all in many, many ways. So being overconfident, you make a lot of mistakes. you are being confident in my opinion there's a balance to everything you can go in you can go in like you guys did which is you know what i know i'm supposed to do this but i ain't doing this in my own might so god you go before me you tell me what to do i'll do it exactly me on the other hand yeah you're like I got it.

Nursery. Yeah, exactly. I found out real quick moving up the ladder from working in nursery to working with youth. Like I found out how big of an idiot I was, how much I actually didn't know how many mistakes and how stupid of the things that you can say. Or you can question our Monday morning quarterback people. And you find out you're the idiot. You don't know how it works. You think you know, but you don't know.

because you're doing it all in your own might. And then when you say, Holy Spirit, I'm going to, you know what? I don't know. So you're going to help me. That's when everything changes. Until then, a man that builds the house, labors in vain. And so when I first started out in ministry, and I'm not talking about when we started this church. By that time, when we started the church, I was confident that I could do the things that God had told us we were supposed to do.

but I was too afraid not to do it with him. Before then, I was like, put me in, coach. God just did you the favor because I thought, like, I had a lot to bring. And then I found out if I don't bring him with me, I ain't got nothing. Listen, my first response was not to go to God. Mine was just, I'm a failure, I quit. So I just want to make that clear that I was not super spiritual at times where I went, God, you got it? No, I went, I'm a failure.

I quit. I'm not working for the church. And that was probably me when I was younger, too, because there was a couple of things I did in ministry. Right. But when I was probably your age, I probably did do that more. And I was like, let me see if I can figure this out. And then I was like, oh, I don't have no idea what I'm doing. And then, yeah.

But eventually I realized like, wait, if I just pray real quick, then it works. You know, supplication of, you know, repeating the process of I should just go to God first. Yes. Christmases will make you do that, by the way. Christmas services will make you go to God real quick. That's stinking funny. So, but I just wanted to make myself not seem as great as what that's right. No, I mean, it also is age.

It's where you're at age-wise and things like that. And a lot of it, the older you get, the more confident you are, because you've shown yourself and your abilities through time. And so you become more confident of what you're capable of doing unless you're doing something that in and of yourself, it's almost impossible. everything that I had done, like working in the nursery, hello. Like taking care of babies, I had babies out on my life. Not that hard.

So I think this ain't a big deal. But when you make it spiritual, it is a big deal. I'm investing in these babies. It's more than just sitting in this room and watching them play on the floor. Right. And they should have been treated like that. And that's not how I treated it. I felt like I'm doing you a favor.

Wrong attitude. Same with youth leadership. I'm like, I'm cool. These kids, they're going to think I'm cool. you know, like I'm going to invest in them. We're going to go have fun. Did not make it spiritual. So you don't get the return.

And then you start analyzing everything everybody else is doing because you're not spiritual. And then when you put the spiritual cap on, you realize, I don't know everything that I think I know. So the critical spirit leaves instead of, you know, being enveloped in it. Let me ask you this. Did you feel called? We are now out of time. So we're going to answer these questions really quick because I want to finish this and then we'll go on Friday into the bigger things. Did you feel called or did you simply see something that needed to be done?

Simply see needed. There was a void. Something needed to be fixed. There was no photos. There's no videos. Somebody needed to help and I just was the person that filled it. Yep. And you, which, well, if you're watching, well, we probably hit this back when we get later into it on Friday because that is actually something.

that is that we're going to talk about that it's going to be talked about later on. Talia, did you feel called or did you simply see something that needed to be filled to be done? I think it was a good mixture of both. Like I know I was called, but not with photos. Like I, so like, I know it was called to this church, but I think I saw the need for photos. And so I took over that and filled that. And I still know I'm called to kids. So it's, I don't know. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. That's fair. Yeah.

Nass. Called and forced. So it was not by my parents, but by God one night that I had to go do worship. And I had no other option or else he's taken the gift. So I was like, called up the worship pastor at 10 o'clock, hey, put me in tomorrow. I have to do it. And he was like, finally. And then hung up on me.

Did you know she was going to be on worship? Yes. I would say you knew something. I did. But I also, the Lord was very clear to me about like her future husband. So because of knowing what her future husband would be, I kind of figured not that he's going to be a worship leader, but because he showed me what her husband would, I kind of figured it would go hand in hand. Okay. Yeah.

I was pretty sure. But also, I knew God doesn't give you a gift unless he wants that gift to be used. And she has been very, like literally, she was like me. My mom said when I was little, all I did was sing. She said, I think you sang before you spoke. Norma, kind of the same exact thing, has always, like, just loved singing. Like, Brinley. Brinley is the same exact way.

Brinley has always loved singing since she was, like, very, very little. She has been able to speak very well since she was, like, one. But I'm just saying maybe she spoke better than she sang, like, Norma. Norma did not speak as great as she sang. She sang better than she spoke. But like some people are just, it's them. Like God made that like that so that that was used for them. And I just knew like I identified.

I'm like, that is a skill right there that is highly unlikely that he gave you that good of a voice at a very young age for him not to use it. So I kind of like, it's like one plus one equals two. I mean, there's no getting around it. So I delayed it as long as I could. Literally. So did I feel called? No, I worked in the nursery. I did not feel called.

I saw a need. There was no mandate if you put a kid in there. Then you worked it at the church I attended. They needed workers desperately. There was two services. The early morning nobody wanted. I was like, I'll do the early morning like twice a month or whatever. And then I go to second service anyway.

So I'm like, what the heck? was there for both anyway. And I, wherever he was, wherever he was, I wanted to be. That's just the way it was because we weren't married or anything. Yeah. This is how it was. What are you doing in ministry now that you never imagined yourself doing when you started? This.

Podcast? I literally thought to myself, Tracy, it has to be the podcast because she would have never, ever, ever in her life. Not, not like sitting in this chair. like maybe helping over there taking photos but like not like producing it and like all this stuff because this even feels like it was out of my realm like like documenting it yeah for sure maybe even like social media I could have seen that because I've kind of done that for a long time but like producing one and then being a part of one they're so cool never I know it's like uh like when you said it to me I remember where I was everything and I was like I don't know hope or like sure yes you're like you pray

about it. I was like, no, let's just do it. Like, I don't know, we'll figure it out as we go. And that's the attitude you have to have. If you don't feel God telling you absolutely not. Right, right. But you're like, you don't feel like, for me, everything doesn't have to be prayed about. Yeah. But I'm thankful that you said that because then it's not, I don't feel like I had to say yes. Well, you can know and you're knowing you to do it. Yeah. And I did. You know that the Lord is not telling you to stop. Right. I mean, a lot of times we can, if somebody tells us to do something immediately, we're like, that's not for me. Right. But they're right. But there. are some things in life that everybody is like, I need to pray about that. I'm like, you don't need to

pray about everything. You'll feel a peace or maybe you're so immature with your walk. Right. Still, right. Maybe and that, if that's the case, then that's the case. I understand that. Yeah, and that could happen. Like, but you should, but if you've been saved for, I don't know, five, seven years, you don't need to pray about everything. You should have, your antenna should be up so high. you should have such a strong relationship with the Holy Spirit and be in communing with him so much that he'll immediately prompt you like you're not doing that.

Like I don't have to pray about every daggum thing. I either have a piece about it or I have a, that's a big fat no. And I can hear it like that. I mean, but I talk to the Holy Spirit. Pray without ceasing. ceasing. I have a relationship with him. So for me, I don't have to pray about everything. And so a lot of times when people tell me that they have to pray about something, depending on who it is,

obviously their age, yada, yada, yada, knowing how long they've been saved, that plays a part in it. But literally, if you've been saved for 10 plus years and you're telling me you've got to pray about something, and it's not that big of a deal, I oftentimes think, first of all, are you trying to sound super spiritual. Number two is how can you have that immature of a relationship with the Lord that you need to pray about that? Or they don't want to say no to your face. Yeah, I was going to say that's another one.

It's an excuse. Yeah, most of the time I think, man, you must be immature in your walk or you don't talk to the Holy Spirit very much because that's not something you should have to pray about. That should be like that. Yeah. But I don't know. Like literally. And some people I have said to them, it depends on how close I am when they've told me, well, I have to pray about that.

And I'm like, that's not something you should, like, you should be further along than that. Yeah. Spiritally speaking, you should be further along that you don't need to pray about that. You should know instantaneously in your spirit. You should have that close of relationship with the Holy Spirit that he is leading and guiding and directing every step momentarily. We don't, like, do you do that with your kids? like they have to come back and ask you a question for everything or do they know or do you just know or do they have you trained them well enough that they just automatically know like people will come to me and they'll say to me that something wants to be done or can they do this on honestly I know Tom so well yeah that I know whether he's going to say yes or no to it and I don't have to go and ask him are you okay with this I automatically he would he would be okay so I just automatically go yeah you can do that if you don't know

somebody very well, then you have to ask them all the time. I know the Holy Spirit. I don't have to ask him all the time. I know what he allows me to do. I know what he doesn't. And then also, just underneath that is like, I trust you as a leader. And so if you felt like you were, you were like, pretty much like you knew this is what you're supposed to do. Yeah. And so then I... Pared about it for two years. Right. And so I'm, one year. So I trusted, like, if you feel like we're supposed to do this and I didn't get a know on my spirit, of course I'm going to say yes. So also like if you have to at some point trust leadership. And I think people really struggle with that.

Like I think like you go to church and you're like, oh, I love it. And then all of a sudden something like a little bit, something goes off or something. And then all of a sudden you're like, well, I don't know anymore. Do you trust your leadership? If you do, just sit and chill for a second, you know? Or just say yes or just serve or just sometimes it is. Sometimes it gets too feely. And I'm like, I trust hope.

I didn't get a no. Let's do it. Well, the thing is, is for me, if I'm going to ask you, that means the Lord's already told me that you're the one. Right. But second of all, I prayed about when to start that sucker because I'm a preparer. Yeah. So I knew a year before I asked you.

And then it took because I don't even know how long to get it up and going. You asked me in the summer and we started in January. There you go. So I had already been toying around with this for already a year prior to that. Because I remember Dallas coming to me, she's like, you got to start a podcast. I said, I already know. God's already told me. He's already told me what it's supposed to look like.

I already know, I's like, but I'm not a fast mover. And I'm going to have every eye dotted and every T-cross. Because when I start this thing, I will not be quitting this thing. So I already knew, like the Lord dropped it into my spirit. I had already prayed about it for a year. Like, what does it look like? How do you want me to do it? I have, I'm a detailed person.

And God knows I need details. So I had already told me it was you. Like, but still, sometimes I'm not, again, I'm a person like pray about. see what God tells you. Right. But I already knew. But I would say, this podcast,

no matter how big or small it ever ends up being, because we've been bigger than what we are right now, but no matter how big or small, I think this podcast, spiritually speaking, has helped me out

and more ways than one that I could have never even calculated. Same. For ministry-wise, for me. Me too. 100%. Like, so grateful that if one person ever watched it and it's my mother. Yeah. Or my mom. Uh-huh.

If it's only one person or two people, your mom and my mom. Yeah. And Ms. Barb is always going to be three. Three people. We'll always have three. We'll always have three. And if it's just for those three, it has helped me. Right. Yeah. Because preaching, teaching, studying, the whole entire thing. It's radically changed me. And God knew that. So it doesn't really matter. I will do this podcast if there's one person watching it until God tells me not to do it anymore. You're going to do it forever. I don't, I don't care about the numbers because you want to reach as many people as you possibly can and share the gospel with as many people as you can. But if that never happened, never happened, it doesn't matter because God has a purpose and a plan and he wants this podcast.

for whatever reason if it's just for the four people in this room. And Anne Marie. In New York. That's right, girl. Okay. Tau. So what are you doing in ministry now that you never imagined yourself doing when you started? Yeah.

Yeah. Me and, me and, uh, mine was podcast. Mine is not podcast. You said everything. Oh, yeah, I said everything. I was going to say. Everything? Yeah, okay.

Norma. Trinity was a photographer, so I never would have thought. Oh yeah, that's true. Good point. Yeah. That's true. She's such a good photographer, too, by the way. She's so good.

She's so good. She has such a great eye. She does, man. Are you wanting my answer? Yeah. What are you doing? I would say everything as well, but one specific is the worship team. I never thought I'd sing in front of so many people on the regular.

Because I started out with like 120 people. Yeah. Sometimes less. Yeah. So when you go and you look out and you're like, that's 9. hundred people and then there's people online that's like 450 to 550 you know that's a lot of people every single time and it's crazy to think about from such bad anxiety to now it's like okay let's start the song I used to always say to her it's you're not going to always feel like this and she's like

I want to throw up and yes I will I can't breathe all the time so like now like it is it kind of racks your mind a little bit ago that's on the you That's every Sunday. Yeah, I know. You do that. Where a lot of people would kill to do that. Right. So it just makes you not overwhelmed, but very grateful and overwhelmed.

And that way you're like, oh, that's just amazing. Yeah. So on the norm, there's, uh, she thinks it's 900 people. I don't know. It's not. On the regular, it's between 600 and 750 people. It used to be, we literally had 2,500 people watching live. We've had up to 2,500, not 2,500.

That's not true. We've had over a thousand people watching 2,500 was Tom's podcast. We've had over a thousand people watch the service live, which is insane. Yeah. That's crazy that you have. And that was real numbers. Right. That's in the moment.

That's crazy. So you haven't even had more than that. But right now on the regular, because they change the algorithms and they try and stop you from, you know, it's just the way it is. It's the nature of the beast of what social media and live streaming and everything else. but now on the regular it's about 450 people up to 450 people that watch so but most people like you have musical artists that don't get to sing in front of that many people and they're like high talent and they don't get to sing in front of that people that many people and they're stuck in bars singing to 30 Nashville and they don't you can only shove how many I don't know like

only like maybe 200 people yeah so they're like They're like singing to 30 people, you know, if they're lucky. So it just depends. Like you are blessed. For me, I had been told forever that I would preach and speak in front of people. And it's one thing to do it in front of women. But it's a whole other thing, which was the first time this year where I preached to the church, which was such an honor and a blessing.

I just wish it wouldn't have happened the way that it did. But it was such an honor and blessing you would have never convinced me in my wildest dreams that I would preach to our church. How many times I did you do that? Twice? Three times? Twice. Twice.

Yeah. You could have never told me. I have another one just in case. I already got another one. Because he always tells me, always have a message ready. We may never need it, but always have one ready. But you would have never convinced me of that. Yeah.

In a million years. So, but, thank God God, he had already got me preaching in front of women. So, and this podcast really helped. So by the time it happened, good is gold. Now we're 15 minutes over. We will continue this on Friday. Vanessa will be back.

Normal will be gone. And Talia will be in the room, but you won't see her. So thank you for joining us. We'll see you on Friday. Be blessed. in Jesus name. Bye. Real talk.