WHOA That's Good Podcast - How I Learned to Lean on God After Sudden Loss | Sadie Robertson Huff | Alena Franklin

Episode Date: October 22, 2025

Alena (Pitts) Franklin is in-studio with Sadie to talk all about her brand-new devotional, what married life is really like one year in, and why she’s so passionate about cheering people on in their walk with God and learning who He is. Alena also opens up about losing her mom suddenly at a young age and the long journey of learning to trust God even when life feels unfair and heavy. She shares what it was like navigating fame so early after starring in War Room and what she hopes others can take from her story of faith, loss, and hope. Sadie can’t get enough of Alena’s joy and the fun that radiates from her socials, and the two bond over their shared calling to be a big sister to so many girls running after Jesus. Get your copy of Alena's "God Is" devotional - available now!  This Episode of WHOA That's Good is Sponsored By: https://drinklmnt.com/whoa — Get a free LMNT Sample Pack with any purchase! https://sadiepens.com — Get 10% off my favorite supplies and journaling Bible when you use the code SADIE10 when checking out! - Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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We have an incredible guest on the podcast today. I actually got to meet her a long time ago when she was much younger and now seeing the woman that she's become and just the things that she's doing is so incredible. She has a new book out called God is. It's a devotional book. We have Elena Franklin on the podcast today, which is so cool to call you about your new last name. I know. It's very fun. It's crazy. How old were you whenever I met you? Do you remember that in the factory? Oh, gosh. I was like in adolescence. It's crazy. Maybe like 15, maybe 14 or 15. That is wild. It's so cool to, for both of us. I was such a baby, too, when we met. But like, man, your heart has always just been so

pure. And the way that you have used your life and your voice has been so beautiful. I remember I met you with your dad. And even the way that he just, like, the way he loved you and protected you during that season was just beautiful. So I'm glad I got to meet you then. And I'm glad I get to know you now. I'm glad you get to know me now, too, because that was an angsty, hard season of life. but I'm like, Sadie met the worst version of that was the worst version of me. Oh my gosh. If that's the worst than you are incredible. But I know that was a hard time. And we're going to talk about all that. As we get into this podcast, I am so truly thankful that you came here. And I can't wait to have a conversation because you're someone I follow on

Instagram. And I just am like, I love her. She's so cool. She's so cute. You and Kaz, your husband are just the sweetest. And now I'm like, yes, now we actually get to like be in the same room. It's so awesome. This is my also shout-out, shameless plug, for everyone to go follow her on Instagram. You will not regret it. She is the influencer worth following. But tell me about life being married now. Tell me about you and Kaz. For everyone who doesn't know him, how did y'all meet the whole thing?

We want to hear about the relationship. Okay. Marriage has been amazing. We just hit one year, and it was the best year of my life, which I think a lot of people have prepared us for marriage to be really hard, and I know that there will be seasons of that. thankfully our first year was the easiest most peaceful most fun we went to probably i think it's like seven or eight different countries wow three or four different continents like just traveled the whole year what continents did you go to we did abrica we did europe we did australia

wow um and yeah it was amazing and the way that we met we were like childhood friends not really our families are friends and so we were like you know cousins but not total like you know what i'm saying when you've got those people that your families are around, but you don't really ever talk to him. I never talked to him because he was older, like, by three years, and so at the time, it's very weird. But he was friends with my cousins, and so I knew of him, knew about him, always thought he was cute, always, always, always. And then I moved to Nashville. He moved a couple years later, and during COVID, we became really good friends for, like, a year. And I'm really thankful for that year of just, like, platonic friendship. I think it's helped us a lot in dating

and then marriage. And then during a snowstorm in Nashville, I just was like, I can't take this anymore. Like, we're obviously secretly in love and we need to like talk about this. And so I just confronted him and I was like, can we talk about it? And so then I let him lead and, you know, the rest is history. See, I love this so much because, you know, girls are always like, is it okay if I make the first move, how to be pursued? And I actually think that there is something to giving a man like the confidence to pursue you,

you know like he pursued you i'm sure he led in the most beautiful ways you whenever you all were in a relationship but there's something to as a woman saying like hey i'm interested yeah they need that permission you need that permission and even that confidence to to pursue so i love that you were like okay let's talk about it and thank god for a snowstorm well thank god thank god for a snow storm and like wise counsel because i'm a bit i'm even more confrontational than that so i wanted to just like lead the whole thing and women of like walked me through how to, you know, like give him permission to lead and then let him lead. So thankfully, I had people around me that helped me do that well. That's so cool. I love

that. Caz, I've actually known for a long time, Czaya. I love his name. Do you call him Caz? I call him Caziah and Zai. I mean, that's a cool name. He's got a really cool name. He should go by Cazia always because that's such an epic name. But actually when Ella Worship was first starting, he was doing the drums for us. He's so talented. crazy talented musician. And I always look back at that and think that's so special that we got to know him during that season. Such an incredible man of God.

And when I saw you two get together, I was like, this is powerhouse couple for the keynote. I think everybody said that and probably thought that. But it was like, oh my gosh, this is incredible. And it's one of those things whenever like someone like you and him are dating, we're like, please don't break up. And then when you get married, you're like, yes, it's such a win. It was awesome.

Yeah. Well, like you mentioned, you have so much wise counsel around you. You really are surrounded by some of the most influential people in everybody's life, you know, who gets to watch from their platforms. But you are up close to all those people. You're family with those people. I'm interested to hear from you what the best piece of advice you've ever been given it, which is our question of the book podcast. But I'm sure you've gotten so much good advice over the years. It might be hard to narrow that one down. Yeah. Anytime I think of the best advice I've gotten, I think of like one of the hardest moments of my life and one of the wisest people in my life and that colliding. And like I really think changing the trajectory of my life in ways that I probably won't realize until heaven. But I was in the hospital. My mom died in 2018, super sudden like within an hour she was there and then she wasn't. And I didn't even make it to the hospital before she was gone. And so I'm, you know, know, we're all on our knees devastated. And my aunt comes up to me and as I just like ball into her arms sob uncontrollably, she just whispers in my ear, don't be their mom, be their sister. And I have three sisters and I'm the oldest and naturally I'm a caretaker and like I just go in and I love people really hard that I care about. But her advice to me, I think like really changed and shaped my friendship with my sisters to where now we've just got this tight-knit bond that I think if I had stepped into the motherly role and tried to like solve all of their

issues and be strong for them. I don't think we would have as genuine as a friendship as we all do. And so that's probably, it's definitely the greatest piece of advice I've been given. Wow. That is like so cool that in that moment someone came up and said that because I feel like in that moment you never know what to say, you know, in those moments and the fact that someone had such a word. I mean, that's truly from the Lord. It's really cool to hear you say that because in a completely different context, the Lord gave me a similar word in a completely different time of my life whenever I was like, God, what is my purpose and what do you have for me? And how do I go about using fame for your glory and all this kind of stuff? I felt like the Lord tell me, I'm not calling

you to be famous, but I'm calling you to be a sister and a friend of those who don't have one. That's why my podcast on Mondays is called Sisters and Friends. That's why L.O. Comber is called Hello, sister. We have sister all over these walls. And why I always kind of keep that at the forefront of my mind is because a sister is something that, like, I know I can be. It's something that doesn't take, you know, you don't have to be the character. You just get to be a sister. You get to be a friend. You get to be who God called you to be in its fullness without the pressure of anything else. You can laugh, you can cry, you can dance, you can sing without wondering, what is that person thinking about? Because they're your sister, you know. I love that. There's just so much freedom in it. And so the fact that the word sister brought, like, you freedom to just be and not to have to pull it all together, even lead your younger siblings, which I'm sure you did by nature. And naturally, but like took that off is just really, really cool. It's very beautiful. I want to talk about that time because I guess it probably wasn't long after that that I did meet you. So that probably, you know. Like probably a year, maybe a little less. Yeah. That's wild. So you were going into high school when that happened. 9th grade. Wow. And I think one thing that kind of always stood out to me that was interesting is like you had to navigate that very publicly. I know your life was public before you were in war room and acting and those kind of things. But what was that like for you being so young and having such a public platform with the hardest thing that has happened? Yeah. Far from easy. I think death is hard.

navigating death in the public eye is hard because it's just like it's going to be the worst version of you like you're going through some of the hardest things you'll ever go through suffering is naturally it's you know it purifies us but also it's ugly like the process is very ugly um and so i just kind of i think i grew very and also being a teenager is already super angsty and so that's the the best word i can think of is angsty like this once pure and like just really, I think gentle and joyful girl had like just been stripped of like the things that made her who she is. And so I just grew kind of bitter and angry, especially towards the church growing up in like ministry and those people mean really well. And also I think as the church

we're not totally sure how to walk with people through suffering. And so we're human and so people make mistakes and do the wrong things. And so I just, I think I lost sight of grace in that season. And also, I think God was taking me on a much deeper, like, you know, journey inside that I think I'm close to the other side of now. But in the think of it, I'm like, I remember very little just that, like, God was with me through the whole thing. And that the people, I lived in Franklin at the time, the people of Franklin are incredible and the most loving and kind and generous humans ever. And looking back, I can see that. In the moment, I was like, I am being smothered by a nice Southern. people. I just moved from Dallas. It was all very different. And looking back, I'm really,

really thankful for those people. I think they made that whole transition and just grief a lot easier in ways that I don't recognize till now. Y'all, if you're looking for a gift for someone that's actually meaningful, like something that really encourages someone's walk with Jesus, then I got you, fam. Mr. Pinn, journaling supplies make awesome little gifts for friends or team hello and it's always just such a sweet surprise for them so whether it's a birthday a bridesma box or just thinking of you kind of moment it's an awesome way to say you matter and your time with god matters mr pym was started by christian teachers right here in louisiana and their stuff is so thoughtfully made like pastel highlighters that don't bleed through the bible pages and transparent

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That's sadiepins.com using the code Sadie 10 at checkout. Check out the bundles with my go-to journaling and supplies so that you can grab exactly what I use and make it your own. You know, this might be so random and you might not even remember this because I'm sure you did so much during that time. Do you remember singing at, I think it's that Church of the City. It was a Lauren Daigle song, I believe. I used to sing that song, Rescue. It could have been it if. Maybe it wasn't Church of the City.

I remember seeing you, yeah, sing Rescue. Okay. Okay. That is an incredibly brave, bold thing to do. I don't know if you naturally sing, if you'd always sung, if that wasn't so bold and crazy. But like, okay, you, it's one thing to be put in the public eye and you can't help it. But it's another thing to, like, put yourself in the front, you know? Like, you're like, I'm willing to sing this song, knowing people know my story. People. So, like, what was God teaching you during that time of prompting you to do those very public things? Did you want to? Was it a wrestle? I'm just so interested in that. Yeah, I think it was a wrestle. I think parts of me have wrestled with the fact that it didn't feel all the way optional. Like being who I am, I felt pressure to like help other people in the midst of my needing help. And at the same time, what I realize now is that I was simply walking in the authority of suffering, which is like to invite other people into this thing that they're also experiencing and into like, you know, relationship

with God. And so both can exist. I feel exposed and exploited and don't want to be up here. And at the same time, I'm watching God do much more than I could imagine with this part of my story that I would rather not have. Wow. Walking the authority of suffering. Can we just take a minute? Listen, I just heard a sermon on that from from Ephesians. Walk that out for a second. I've never even heard of that. Yeah. She said it and I was like, everything came together. Like the book, everything that I've done has been because I've been able to, God has given me the gift of walking and the authority of suffering, which just means that, like, I've felt the things and I've done the things. And now I get to talk about Jesus in a way that, like, has real, you know, like, without that suffering. Yeah,

exactly. Yeah. Wow, that is good. Okay. Because there's so many people listening to this who might know you, might not know you, but maybe because they heard of your story, they want to listen to this podcast, maybe they're dealing with suffering, maybe they've experienced a loss. I think that that is going to give so much hope to people to know that, like, you don't, suffering doesn't just have to be something. And this is interesting. I'm navigating the wording of this because I literally talked to a mentor about this yesterday. Of, like, you don't just have to keep taking hits from the enemy and being the person who suffers. Like, at some point, something's got to switch and you take the authority over it.

And I think a lot of times, like, when we say spiritual warfare is happening, it's like, for me, I tend to just, like, let myself. get beat up and it's like no you have authority like you fight back you've been given spiritual weapons you've you know you've walked with the Lord enough to stand on it and so I think it's so encouraging to hear you say like yeah that was an angsty girl that girl was struggling as you should have been you just lost your mom yes you were angsty yes you were struggling yes all those things yes it felt like the worst version of yourself but you're like but now I'm this girl and I'll walk in the authority of suffering doesn't mean it's still not hard doesn't mean there's still not hard things that come with that.

It doesn't mean I even want this platform or ask for this platform. But this is what the Lord has walked with me through. And this is how I can speak into it now. I just feel like that is like so much hope for people out there who are in the grip of it. And thinking, am I ever going to find a boldness again? I'm ever going to find that joy again, that laughter, how you talked about, you know, you were kind of this pure, joyful girl. And then you went through something really hard, but you're finding that again.

And that's so cool to allow people to see. I mean, I think about following your journey just on social media. Like when I look at your social media page, I see genuine joy, like love and this friendship that you have with your husband and adventure. And it's like, that's so cool to know that that's possible on the other side of suffering and through the suffering. It's beautiful. I'm so inspired by you.

Thank you. You mentioned that the church doesn't always know how to walk through suffering well. And I agree with you. I totally agree they think people don't know how to do it. Looking back at that, how do you wish people helped? You know what I mean? Like, because there are people out there who might have friends who are walking through suffering. Like, what's the best way, I guess, if you will?

And I know these are messy conversations. There's not like a right way always. But what did you see in that time ago? That was so helpful. Like, I remember that person loving on me in this way. Yeah. I want to tread very carefully. because I feel very passionately about God's people and that like they genuinely mean the best.

True. And so like I'm so thankful for the people of God who surrounded me and did what they knew how to do with what they had. I think what I've learned even as I walk with my sisters through suffering and walk through friends now in like the thick of suffering is that presence is the most powerful part of all of it. Like presence and prayer. Your prayers will go way farther than any word that you have for the person who's like trauma-stricken and won't remember anything you said anyways. And then presence, I think, is what they'll remember, that you were just there. You were one call away. You were sitting next to them when they got the call.

You know, like, I think those things are really important, and it actually has less to do with what we say. It's just that, like, presence of prayer, knowing that, them knowing that you're praying for them and that you're genuinely there and you're not afraid to walk in the mud with them. I think those are really powerful. The two peas. The two peas, I love it. Two peas in a pod. I love it. That's a really good advice, friend. You know, I was listening to several of your interviews, just preparing for you to come on the podcast. And I loved one of the things that I heard you say about what marriage has taught you. And you were talking about, do you remember? I'm like, what did I say? I know. I'm like, I know too much about you. But no, one of my favorite things is getting to prep for podcasts of guests like you who come on because I get so blessed and strengthened by studying your life. And this morning, getting to watch interviews you've done. I'm like, man, I haven't filled up. This girl, you just wisdom flows out of you. It's an overflow of your heart, you know, from the hearts of the mouse will speak. And you can tell your heart has been with the Lord. But you said what it has taught you and what has been a beautiful thing in marriage,

is that it's taught you, like, how to be comforted. Like, it's taught you how to be comforted, and you said it in a much more beautiful way. But kind of that idea that you were talking about of how you naturally want to do that for others and you take on that, like, nurture or comforter. But, like, now you're in a season where, like, you get to be comforted and nurture.

Yeah. I don't know, like, how powerful that's been for you to walk through a marriage. And was that, like, a hard thing for you because it was new. Yeah. Yeah, I've been married a year, so I actually have no idea what I'm talking about. The same mentor that, or it's Crystal, you know, Crystal Evans, Crystal Evans, hers,

personal sister. She's the one who told me to be my, you know, sister, sister, not their mom. And then also she told me, men need you to need them. And I heard it, and I was just like, that's so, like, it sounds, I don't know, kind of demeaning. Like, why do they need to be needed? And also, I'm confused. I'm like from a girl power household, you know? So I've just always done things on my own.

And then I, as I got married and, like, started living with a man, I realized, oh, when I don't allow him to love me and nurture me in the ways that he sees fit, I'm stripping him of his masculinity and ability to, like, be my husband. And I think that's probably universal, like, for friendships. Like, we're stripping our friends of the ability to be our, like, a true friend when we don't allow them to help us. And so I think it's more universal, but specifically in marriage, allowing him to nurture me has been healing for me. Like, I always talk about being passenger princess and all these things. that I get to experience now that I'm married, like, as an oldest child, I never got to, like, you know, just be, yeah, be the baby. So now I get to be the baby sometimes, and it's so freeing and healing for me has made me

softer, absolutely. So cool. And taught me how to be a better nurturer and lover of people. That's so cool. I love that so much. I was thinking about that last night because I have a little bitty baby, and she's two months old and totally dependent on me for everything, which is like the sweetest thing ever. to experience just so much of God's creation, like you never have, you know, whenever you're

nurturing a child. And so yesterday, she was having a rough day. She has, you know, reflex and the whole thing, and she was crying a lot. So I held her like all day. And I wasn't planning on her bringing her to spaces that I did bring her to because I'm just not about to work, but I was like, forget it. I'm bringing her. Like, she needs her mama. And I'm also still nursing her. So it was like the whole thing. So anyways, I held her all day long. Like by the time, I laid her in bed, like my arms were sore, then I went and got in bed, and I laid in my husband's arms. And I was like, oh, this is so cool. Like, I've held someone all day, my baby, and now, like, he's holding me. And, like, ultimately, that teaches you that, like, God, and God carries him and us

and all of us in those moments. And it's just been so beautiful as I've been, like, reading scripture. And, you know, you read scripture differently, like, when you're going through certain seasons and some verses that would have never stuck out to you in the past are now sticking out to you. And there's a verse that David talks about how he, at his mother's breast, he learned to trust the Lord. And it's talking about how, like, whenever he was an infant and he, you know, was dependent on his mother for food. But every time, like, he needed it, he had it. And that's how he, like, learned to trust the Lord. So you start to see these things about God that, like, you didn't realize until now you're in this situation. And you're like, wow, like, she's learning trust right now

and me and hopefully later in life she'll know to trust the Lord that when she needs something it will be provided from him it's amazing and I think in like it's so cool to see you know you writing a book and the character of God based up the things you've walked through in life and learning like what the true characteristics are of him versus what you thought they were of him so I'm so excited to get into the idea of this book and what God taught you you you know how life just kind of shift whenever fall rolls around. The weather's changing, the vibes change, and suddenly your schedule is packed again. Back to school, church events, holidays creeping in. It is a whole thing. So yeah, this season is cozy, but can also be a little chaotic. And that's why Element is part of my daily

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D-R-I-N-K-L-M-T dot com slash woe. First of all, why did you want to write a devotional book? Because that's a big thing to take on. I know you have a lot of authors around you, but did you feel ready for it? Were you excited for it? Nervous? It was one of the first things I've ever felt like totally not equipped and like capable of, which like, naturally makes me want to just lean in and do it. And also is like a reminder to me, oh, this must be like something God wants me to do. Like sometimes, yeah, we're totally out of our depths and we should have no business doing something. And other times there's like a warfare

part of that where it's like the enemy doesn't want you to know that like you have authority over this and can talk about this and write about it. And so honestly, it happened how most things happen in my life. Like an opportunity comes up and I just say yes. And so I got the opportunity and I said yes and then I was like what the heck am I doing talking about the character of god I haven't gotten to seminary I haven't done any of the things that I feel like I would need to do to talk about this and yet I did it and so I think that's what makes it something that's so accessible and trustworthy because it's coming from like a true authentic place it's like not that it's not if you go to seminary gosh we need all of that but it's also refreshing to be like hey I'm a girl too and I go through life and life is hard

and I want to understand who God really is because if you don't know who God is, it makes life very, very complicated. You don't know who you are. You don't know what your purpose is. You know what anything is. And so I think it's amazing that you, where you're at with what you have and the knowledge you have going, you know, I have enough to talk about who God is in the best way that I understand him to be.

Did you, like, even with the intimidation of talking about the character, God, how did you even begin the process of that? Is it something that as you were writing, you were, like, coming to it? Or were you, like, looking back at the last, you know, seven years since what you went through and go, okay, this is what I learned in that time? I was actually, like, thinking of all the questions and, like, pain points that I had in the midst of suffering, I wanted to talk directly to the human experience, which I think is filled with hard stuff.

And that's when we tend to, like, search for answers and ask questions. And so I just looked back at when I was 14, 15, 16, 17. 18, what were the questions that I had about life? And then most of those questions actually pointed to a direct, like, flaw in the way that I viewed God. So when I thought about, am I beautiful or am I smart or, like, all these me questions, that actually just stems from not knowing my creator and how he made me. And so then I quickly realized, oh, I don't want to write a book on identity. I want to write a book on, like, who God is. And then all the answers to like... Because that actually is a book on identity. Yeah. Exactly. Yeah. I think it's the

missing peace in the identity conversation that I think just changes the game, you know. I agree. One of my favorite scriptures is whenever, you know, they're asking Jesus, or when Jesus is saying, like, who do people say that I am, you know? And then they're saying, well, some say you, there's something, and then he says, who do you say that I am? And then when Peter tells Jesus, like, you are the Messiah, you are the Christ, and then immediately after Jesus looks at Peter and says, and you are Peter, and on this rock I'll go my church. And it's like, the minute Peter realizes who Jesus is and confesses that, he then, in return, gets told who he is. And you see that even with like Moses. I think about when Moses standing by the

bush and God's speaking to him. And Moses is like, who am I that I could go do this? And God's like, I am who I am. You know, like the answer to your question of who you are is actually who I am. When you realize who I am, you're going to know who you are. And so I love that in that process of going, okay, I need to answer this question about me. How do I know I'm beautiful? How do I know this? It's like, actually, no, if I start talking about who God is, all of this is going to be resolved.

All of this is going to be figured out. And you're right, especially in those teenage years. I think we spend so much time trying to, like, figure out how to be confident, how to answer these questions about me. But truly, if you start studying the characteristics of God, your creator, it all starts making sense. Like, all those things that you thought, I'll never be able to believe I'm beautiful. You actually do because you feel treasure.

And it becomes so much smaller. Yeah. If I'm looking up, all of a sudden, this body that I just get to steward for, you know, hopefully 80 plus years, like, that's not a big deal. It's not even a huge, important thing when you look at who God actually is. So I was also just like, it was so anxiety easing or just like peaceful, realizing that it actually wasn't even about me. Like, this whole thing had nothing to do. I just get to be a vessel. It's so good.

You know? I love that. I can relate so much. I remember as a teenager just feeling really insecure about who I am, body, all of that kind of stuff. And I'm so thankful that my relationship with the Lord changed that. Like, I can actually say I'm confident in who I am and because it doesn't really matter that much. It's like just of the least of importance of, you know, what I look like compared to what God's called me to do. But it was really cool because the other day I was talking to my sister-in-law.

We were at the beach and I was like eight weeks postpartum, you know, know from a C-section. So, like, you know, you're not looking your best, okay? And it was funny. She's like, how are you feeling, you know, with everything? And I said, I wish every girl could experience, like, what I've been experiencing lately and how confident I feel in my body and how proud I feel and how much, like, how thankful I am.

It's like, I have so much gratitude for what my body just did because it got to carry this baby that I love with everything in me. and it's nurturing her and nourishing her. And, like, I could just go on and on, and I'm so thankful. And I just feel like that perspective of gratitude has changed so much of how I've seen myself and appreciate myself the way I speak to myself. Because I'm like, I will not let myself talk down on, like, the creation that, like, that God created. And that's not to say there aren't hard moments.

And there's not moments where I'm like, oh, I wish this or that. But truly and genuinely, I was like, I wish every girl. could feel this way that I feel right now. And I would have never thought, like, my 18-year-old self, if she was, like, looking at my 20-year-old self and just looking at the body after a C-section, like, I don't know that she would have had that relationship enough with the Lord to say the words that I'm saying, you know?

It would have been so much more superficial, so much more surface-level, visual base. But, like, I'm so thankful I'm not in that state anymore. And that 100% comes from knowing who God is and being grateful for. who he is. Talk to me about some of those things that, you know, obviously we can talk about insecurities and looks, but maybe there were some of those things that were bigger questions that you might have had wrong about who God is. We're talking about suffering. Were there things that you thought about God that as you begin to study him, you just realize you were wrong in? Yeah. I think I was afraid of God. I still am sometimes. And it's not like that healthy fear,

like I respect him. It's like, no, I'm actually like afraid of you. And like, just have this feeling that you're going to punish me, that you hate me, that you're not going to protect me if I don't do all the things correct. And I think a part of that stem from, yeah, life all the sudden being turned completely upside down and going, I thought this God was supposed to be here to protect me and, you know, like, watch over me and care for me and all the things. And so I think that was my, one of my greatest questions was, is God safe? Like, is God going to protect me? Is he trustworthy? and I quickly, well, not quickly, it took me a while, but he quickly came to my rescue and showed me that he was trustworthy and safe. And a part of that was just that as I rejected him, he

continued to pursue me just like relentlessly and with love, like with love and mercy, love and mercy, love and mercy over and over. And so I got to just experience his trustworthiness. Even in like walking through marriage, every season of my life, he's showed up and he's showed up just on time in just the right way with just the right pace, like proving himself trustworthy. And so I don't know. I love that we can, and I don't think many of us know this, that we can like go to God with our questions and our concerns and some of our sins. Like, God, I don't like you. Like, we can go to him with that. And it doesn't scare him. It doesn't frighten him. I think he just, like, gets excited at the thought that we're going to be

honest with him. And we're going to let him, like, you know, come over us and shows who he actually This episode is brought to you by Peloton. A new era of fitness is here. Introducing the new Peloton Cross Training Tread Plus, powered by Peloton IQ. Built for breakthroughs with personalized workout plans, real-time insights, and endless ways to move. Lift with confidence, while Peloton IQ counts reps, corrects form, and tracks your progress. Let yourself run, lift, flow, and go. Explore the new Peloton Cross Training Tread Plus at OnePeloton.ca.

And he actually does. Like, it's so cool. I can think about times where I've been, like, praying and frustrated at God. Like, why would you let this happen? I thought you were supposed to be this, you know, that kind of thing. And this actually happened recently, so it's really cool. And so there's been times in my life where I've done that. And then it's so cool because when he, like, redeems those moments or you see his faith

when you see that he was walking through you, it's like yesterday. Someone said something to me when they were praying over me. And it was like, he said, they were like, And the Lord says this. And it was the exact thing I accused God of not doing and not being. And she's like, and this is what he's saying over you. And after she got and praying, I was like, that was so powerful. Thank you for saying that because it just made me feel in this moment that God heard me when I said it to him.

And it was like his response back, you know? And like you don't always get those moments. Sometimes you just get those in reading scripture and you go, okay, that's who you are. You know, that's how I felt, but this is who you are. and I'm believing this is who you are. You're faithful, even if I don't see the full redemption on this side of heaven. But then in some moments, you do get that. And you're like, oh, God, like, you heard me.

And, like, you heard that wrestle. And you actually, like, responded to it with truth. And I was like, that was really, really cool. So I think, like, not, you know, not everybody's going to write a book on who God is. You can go read the book and dive in this way and go through a devotional about it. But it's worth taking the time to process those things out. what do I think about God that actually just might not be true, like weed out those lies so that he can become that safe place and that trustworthy place. Because I do think a lot of people are

frustrated. They're like, promises of God are not happening in my life. And they're supposed to be promises. I'm like, but maybe they're actually not promised. Maybe you think that they are because you heard that. But that's actually not what the Bible says about who God is, you know? So he started studying and you're like, oh, okay, I heard that differently. That's actually not what your word says. It was a huge part of why I wanted to write God as a devotional was because I wanted to, like, one, you don't have to go to seminary to understand the basics of who God is that we so often get confused about. And, like, he's very approachable, very understandable, although he's a mystery. He's also, like, we can come. He's a friend.

We can understand him. And so as I was writing it, I was like, what's really important, and I didn't realize this until after the book, but I was big on the knowledge part. Like, his scripture tells of who he is all over. the book is scripture filled. And then what I realized later is, yes, it's scripture filled, but also because I wrote it, it's experience filled. And so it's filled with stories of my own personal life and, like, the experiences I've had with God and knowledge and experience, I think, are those both aid in our faith. And there's like this perfect combination of them. Like, it's one thing to read Ephesians. It's another thing to live it out. And then to get to read about

it and hopefully be encouraged and inspired by somebody's personal experience, you know, of Ephesians 3 or whatever. That's why I wrote it because I was like, I want people to be interested in what God has to say in his word that is alive. And because it's alive, I've experienced parts of it. Wow, that's good. I love that. One thing that I think is really cool, because y'all have the magazine. Yeah.

Remind me the name of it. For girls like you. For girls like you. And your mom started that, right? Yes. Tell me about that. I was an avid reader and, like, kindergarten. So you could, like, you know, readers were A to Z when they used to, like, grade us that way, and I was at a Z.

So I was just picking up adult books and reading them in kindergarten, which can get you in trouble. So I'd bring something home and my mom would be like, what is that? Like, why are you reading that? And so she quickly was just like, okay, we need to figure out how to like give this girl something to read that's not cat in the hat. And also like it needs to be, you know, fueling for her faith. And she just saw something in me really early on because she's my mom. And I think she probably had whispers from God about what he would want me to do. and so she just started writing this like magazine that was just for me so she would just write

you know sophisticated things that I could read and enjoy oh my gosh that's so cool yeah and then I started I think handing it out to my friends and it became a whole thing and then she pretty quickly felt like called to just make it a big thing and so now it's called for girls like you F-O-R girls like you also she had four girls F-O-U-R but um yeah when she died it like blew up and it's the biggest it's ever been And so it's also really cool to see that legacy of like, you have no idea the seeds that you're planning and like what God will do with those when you're gone as well. I always say that someone actually today this morning, I had a friend said at the house and she was like, um, Sadie, what's your dream? Like what's something you dream about that you're not doing now that maybe it's like a 30 year old, I mean like your 30 year old dream or your 40 year old dream like what are you dreaming towards? I was like honestly like I just want I hope and want and in pursuing I want LO the ministry of it to be like so much bigger than me like I could walk away if I needed to and it just it doesn't need me at all it is a women's ministry that like every single person comes to and is blessed by and sees themselves in in a community that they fit in and always say it's like sisters who are studying the word together who are in community together and I was like and we're finally like doing that

And I was like, but in the future, like, I hope whenever I'm older, I'm, like, still seeing all these LO local Bible studies happening around the world and Ella worship songs being sung and all this stuff because it's something that I needed when I was in high school, you know, it's something that I want to build for my girls. It's the legacy thing. So I don't just want this to be like, oh, it's a thing I'm doing now. And one day it might not happen. Like, no, it's a thing I'm doing now. One day I might not be as a part of it. But, like, I hope that the seeds that we're sowing are actually, like, flourishing to something beautiful. And people actually have a strong. relationship with the Lord and a stronger community with friends and all of that different stuff. So it's like the dream is that like what I'm doing is fruitful. You know, that it's like it has much more purpose than just these little moments or things. And so your mom did that. Like she was so in season doing something that was so fruitful. And like even though she's on to be with the Lord, she's still building the kingdom on earth with the same thing she put her hands to. And now her legacy, her daughter's doing it. I mean, that's incredible. That's weird. is she had written in her journal, I might butcher the words, but I think it's either a few months or two years. I can't remember. Before she died, she had written in her journal like, God, I'm tired and I don't want to do, I don't necessarily want to continue to be the face of for girls like you, but I don't know what to do with it. Like, I just give it to you and you do whatever. And then it's weird. Like, God is a mystery because then she dies and it blows up and literally does its own thing without her needing to be there. And so, I don't know, it makes me think about like,

the state of our world at the moment and, like, culturally, I think we all want to be the face of things. And it's actually so much more fulfilling to just do what God has asked us to do. Yes, exactly. Hand it and hand the baton to the next person. Like, there's something really fulfilling about that. Yes. That's what Kristen Keynes, like, if you build the platform, then you got to keep the platform in the sense of, like, there's so much pressure. And that's what I'm like, and I've realized that more now becoming a mom because I've had to step away and seasons to be a mom. And I'm like, but I so believe in what God put on my heart to do that is to be a sister and a friend, but it's not just for me to, it's for girls to do that,

for sisterhood. Because I think about whenever I was 17 and I was lonely, I didn't have a lot of friends and friends were hard and I didn't know who God was and stuff. And I see you doing the same thing. It's looking at your younger self saying like, okay, this is what I needed. This is what I was wrestling with and doing that. I know you have a heart for probably all women, but this feels, it says for teen girls. Is that because this is what you needed during that time or this is what you were wrestling with? I still struggle.

We all, me and the publishers were talking about the fact that it needs to say for teen girls and young women because I wrote it with myself and mine. So yeah, an 18-year-old, 19-year-old, 20-year-old. But what's been really cool is since it's released, it's kind of transcended generations. And so there's older women reading it, young moms reading it with their, like, little girls, there's teens reading it, there's

college-age girls reading it. But it says teen girls, I think, because when I thought in my head about just like what version of me needed to know who God was the most, it was that. And then I realized that actually we're all still, even after teenhood, trying to figure out who he is. Like, the way publishing works is you have to go into like categories. Yes. And for me, because, yeah, I'll just say that because for me, I wrestled with the same thing. You remind me so much. of myself. And I'm like, oh, I just love learning from you and hearing what your journey's been. But most of my beginning books were all, like, teen books in the teen division. Then I was like, we got to get out of the teen division, even though I know I'm young. And I know these are simple things.

But like, everybody needs this truth. And it's hard for like someone older to say, like, oh, I'm going to buy a teen book for myself. So like, can we take out the teen? Because everybody needs to know who God is. And so I know it's for everybody because everybody needs that lesson. and everybody needs that wisdom. And so, yeah, I was just curious about that. And I love that you guys are caring on the legacy what your mom is doing. And I love that it's bigger than it's ever been.

I pray that it continues to multiply and reach young women because that is so needed. It's so cool to think about you as a little kindergartener reading these, like, massive books. Scandalist, bad stuff that I had no idea. It was bad. That's crazy. Because for me, whenever I was five years old,

it's literally we have videos to me like preaching on the counter top and doing that stuff. When you look back at your young self, are you shocked by how much of that little person you see in you now? Absolutely. I'm like, somehow I've always just been, like, I don't even know how to explain it, but like maybe it's not even a performer, but I just love talking to people and sharing about what I didn't know is that the passion would be about God, but I knew that I love talking to people and like teaching them things, something. And now that I know Jesus, I'm like, oh, this is it. Like, I want to talk about God.

That is exactly how I was because I was like in front of people, felt natural in front of a camera felt, you know, and that goes from whenever I was young. There's so many videos like my brother, you know, like you would get in the doorway and like climb up the door. Did you ever do that? And he would hold a blanket behind me and that was my stage. And I would get in front of it and like talk and you just see him like awkwardly in

the door, like holding the little thing. And it's so funny, but it's like, I always did that. But then when I got in high school, I started getting nervous around people and secure anxiety, the whole thing. And then whenever I had like a true encounter with the Lord, it was like that young person was reignited because I was like, oh, now that I am passionate about the Lord and I can talk about Jesus, like, I'm not scared anymore because I got myself out of the way, you know? And so I do think that it's beneficial for everyone to look back at who you were when you were young and like kind of naive and purehearted and didn't know anything about. what to fear. And you're like, okay, how do I get back to like what God made me to be? What he originally put in me and then use it for good.

It's like, okay, I wasn't kidding here. I read some crazy books. But like now, like, let me tap into that. I'm going to write a book because I have, because you're kind of like an old soul in a really sweet way. All these wisdom, all this wisdom, all this knowledge. And reading certainly gives you a lot of that. And now how can I put it out there to the world?

Your Instagram captions are so good, too, by the way. I love following your Instagram. Yes, y'all are so cute. I love following the adventures, but your captions are so good. You can tell you always keep your follower in mind. You're always trying to help other people with what you walk through. And I get what you said earlier. You're like, you didn't necessarily want to lead through your suffering.

Sometimes you just wish you could just be in it. And sometimes I feel that way with like, I'm like, ah, you know, in the past and I'm like, okay, this is a lot to like be leading while I'm also learning so much. It's very humbling. but I think it's such a gift to the world that you put yourself out there in the midst of that. And it's also something that, like, God put on your life, you know, to get to do. And it's hard, but it's, like, beautiful that you've stepped in and, like, accepted that. And not just accepted it, but, like, owned it and led with it. I'll just ask you this.

When you think about social media, because I think so many people are trying to navigate how do you social media as a young person, how do you approach social media? I don't and that's the problem I'm never on it I post when I feel things and then when I don't I have a very like even with promoting the book it's been hard because I'm not always just talking on my stories

and showing up every day to pose and I felt like very just like God sees me and encouraged to just like stay me which just means you show up when you show up and when you don't you don't heartedly agree with you he'll do the rest

but yeah I've probably maintained I know that social media is problematic for a lot of people and it's been a whole thing the past I mean honestly for eight years whatever it's been a lot on there but my feet is still like funny and you know just chill and I just like looking at my friends and yeah so I love it for that and I also think it's really important to just maintain actual real life connection which we're all being preached that now you know years after it's been created and kind of taken over. But yeah, I like to try and maintain real life and then show up with like the good stuff and I'll post about the bad stuff when I need to. I love that. I always tell people like if you can just let social media be your overflow, that's a good place to be. I think a lot of people like go to social media to get something.

It's like you're trying to get satisfaction of likes, trying to get followers, trying to get attention, trying to get information. But like if that can just be a place of overflow, like no, I'm. actually going to go give to it. I'm going to go like give through my words. Like hopefully I bless other people. Post something fun. Like, be the light of the world. Laugh about it. You know, go like it's just so much better when you come at it, not from a place of needing anything from it, but actually like being able to give something to it. And sometimes you don't always have something to give. So if you don't have something to give, you don't have

to give. Don't post. You know? And I think so many people are like, the algorithm I have to post every day. It's like, okay, just trust the Lord enough to know that if you don't have something to say, don't say it yet. You know, some post, just wait. I get some people, you know, when big things happen, I've had it happen where people are like, why aren't you speaking on this? Why aren't you speaking on this? And I'm like, because I'm thinking about it because I'm processing it because I'm praying through it because I'm asking the Lord for the words to say, and I don't have them yet. And so I'm not going to post today because today's the day, everybody's talking about it. It's like, it might be tomorrow. It might be a week from now. And what I've

with my podcast a lot is I'm like I might never say it on Instagram because I cannot fit all my thoughts into a caption that only takes that many characters. These are like conversations I'm having. You know, like I'm a talker. Okay. We can't process in a little, little chat. And so, yeah, I think you're so wise to just be like, hey, I'm just going to be me. And when I have something posts, I'm posted. Like, unfortunately, that's not a lot of people's approach. But I think we can certainly learn from that. You know, your sisters, I love how you started. this with your sister and I want to end it with your sisters like that was the word um your aunt gave you that was the word I should put on your heart and you've been such a good sister to them you all have

the thing together what is sisterhood uh what is sisterhood taught you in general and how would you encourage those out there to be a good sister oh that's hard I'm just thinking about like the practicality of sisterhood which has been like you love and you fight and you keep it moving yeah that's my part of sisterhood is that this is embarrassing in a confession I've chucked a remote at my sister's face before it was PMS I was 14 is bad let's keep this real actually I think I was older she said something crazy and so you fight like that and then we apologize and we move on sometimes you don't apologize like you just keep it going yeah and I think that's just a human life skill like with our sisters in Christ with our sisters like we need to just be soft enough to love yeah and

like tough enough to not take it all personally and just keep moving like that is a word like just living in love i think there's something freeing about that where you just can live and be and i yeah i want to be that kind of sister that's like a safe space for everyone and you can throw a remote at my face and be forgiven and we can keep loving each other just keep it moving i love that i'm trying to okay so i'm trying to steward sisterhood right now because i have three girls yeah and that is like Truly. It gets brutal. I mean, no, they are so rough with each other, and then they'll be so sweet to each other.

But one thing I am teaching them is, like, how to come together after they fight. And so they will be so mad at each other. And Honey takes us from Haven, and Haven takes that from Honey, and they're chasing each other, and they're screaming at each other. And I'll go, stop. Y'all both hug right now. And it's so funny because they're like, oh, you know, and then they do it. But my little one, my two-year-old, they hug. And she goes, I, Anna, you Elsa.

And I was like, that was the best thing ever. And then, of course, honey ruins it. She's like, I don't want to be Elsa. And I'm like, stop. This moment is too great. That's amazing. Did you grab doing that? Did your parents make you hug?

Oh, yeah. It's like you have to hug. You have to come together. That was our thing. Yes. It does work, actually. I have seen after they hug, like, it kind of resets the moment. And actually, Haven really has taken on to the Anna Elsa thing.

And so she'll be that, I'm Anna, you're Elsa. And then for her, that's like all she needs. We're back at it. like we're sisters. It was really kind of backfired though with our little one because Haven kept wanting to like pry her eye open while she was sleeping. I was like, Haven, stop. She's like, it's what Anna do to Elsa. And if you watch the movie, she actually does. She tries to wake her up. It's so funny. She's taking it very literally. I was using them as an example of beautiful sisterhood. It's so funny. But I love that. Keep it moving. Keep it moving. Girl, you're amazing. First off,

you are just radiant. You're a stunning. stunning, stunning girl who loves the Lord and it radiates off your face and your heart. And I couldn't be more thankful to know you, to cheer you on in life and to everyone listening to this podcast. I know you've been so blessed by her as just an encourager and an influencer. Go follow her on Instagram. Go get this book. God is.

Dive into who the character of God is in your life. And you're going to be amazed at how those things that you thought maybe you could never get over, you could never get past. Start to all kind of fall into place when you understand. understand who God is and he's in the rightful place on the throne of your life. So thanks for listening friends and thank you so much, Elena, for coming on. Thank you for having me.