WHOA That's Good Podcast - One Mistake Doesn't Need to Define the Rest of Your Life | Sadie Robertson Huff & Danielle Kartes

Episode Date: December 7, 2022

Danielle Kartes describes herself as a goofy, funny cook who loves the Lord — and she proves exactly that in her conversation with Sadie! Danielle has always had a gift for cooking but tells Sadie it almost cost her everything when the restaurant she and her husband started ended up tearing them apart. They chose to stay together, and it's why she says one mistake doesn't need to define the rest of your life. Danielle's cookbooks have opened some incredible doors, including segments on "The Kelly Clarkson Show." Sadie and Danielle want to encourage everyone that life is good TODAY, and just because you are where God wants you doesn't mean it will be an easy road. Never forget, we need to show up exactly as we are with what we have, and be ready for the Lord to use us! Plus, don't miss Danielle's tips for hosting on a budget. "You Were Always There: Notes and Recipes for Living a Life You Love" by Danielle Kartes is available now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You know that fresh produce is the best produce. That's why at Crogr, we invest in local farmers to bring you seasonal picks that taste fresh from the farm good, like sweet corn, refreshing watermelon, and juicy peaches. So whether you're a delivery lover, a picker-upper, or you shop in store, your local produce always tastes 100% fresh, or you get a 100% refund guaranteed. I have Danielle from Resting Joyful Food and y'all. She is already the best. I've known her

for a total of 30 minutes and feel like we've known each other forever. So I'm so excited for this conversation. Also her new Devo book, you were always there. It's just such an incredible message. We're gonna talk about on the show. But first off, I just have to say welcome. So excited. Thank you for having me.

This is incredible. It's incredible. And I'm such a Louisiana convert now. Like this is a great place. I love it. West Monroe. Because you're from Seattle. Yeah. is a great place. I love it. West Monroe. Because you're from Seattle. Yeah.

It's about an hour south of Seattle. So that's not Louisiana. That's not Louisiana. And you know what I told your mom yesterday, this is so cute that my favorite thing so far is the drive by hello. It's like where people are like, hello, and keep going. At home, you try to avoid eye contact with everybody.

Because when you catch someone, you're gonna get into a conversation for 20 minutes. Oh, totally. This is so great. People are just like, Hey, how's it going? How's your baby? He's fucking. I'm into this. That's hilarious. I would make me so much more friendly. I mean, I'm a friendly person, but I'm like, if you can just say hi and keep going. Hey, I love it. It's good. These are the things that you don't know to appreciate about where. A drive by hello.

I mean, for everybody watching all over the country, you've got to let people know if you have a drive by hello, there's no drive by hello at home. That is good. That is good. Funny, let's bring the drive by hello. Yes. It makes people feel comfortable.

And then you don't have to get into nitty gritty business. I'm sorry, I'm with the grocery store with my friend, Tyler. You're talking about this sad. Yeah, you're saying drive by hello. I don't know that. That is hilarious. That's so good. So I'm so excited girl she started my time late. I'm not about this, that. Yeah, you're so dry, but hello, I don't know that. That is hilarious. That's so good. So I'm so excited to have you on the show.

So I have to say, I'm a big fan of the Kelly Clarkson show. And I hadn't even told you that yet since we've been talking. But this is so cool. So back story, whenever we were in high school as whenever Duck Dynasty kind of took off, I was like, we were getting more known and stuff. And my friends, high school would always be like, yeah, who's the famous person you met

That's the coolest of the nicest or whatever and they would always ask me and I would always say Kelly Clarkson She was the nice person. Yeah, I've ever met and she would not remember me from anything But we were in high school and well my brother and I were at the country music awards and it was like very random We were there we were backstage my parents were doing something and we were like awkwardly in the green room like, yeah, I'm not talking about why are we here like hide and she like intentionally came up to me and was like, what's your name? And like God to know me and I was like, that is so sweet. And that's who she is through and through.

She'll go out of her way every time I'm set to be like, how are you? How's it going? A girl and just ate some nachos and they were delicious. Like, she's literally the most down to earth. And I love it when you meet somebody who's such a massive celebrity and they are exactly who they are. Like in every setting.

That's what surprised me in the best way. Yeah, but she didn't be surprising. I feel like you would hope that everybody would be like that. It's not the norm or not. People have a persona that they turn on. And so it's like, it's such a gift and she is a total gift.

Like she's just such a big heart. Who she is, where's her emotions on her sleeves, like such a gift and she is a total gift. Like, she's just such a big heart, who she is, where her emotions on her sleeves, like such a great person, amazing to work with. That's so sweet, Elizabeth. But also, I feel like Yola kind of a like. Okay, that's a big compliment too, people are like, you guys could be sisters, I'm like, sum me up.

I can totally see it. She's great. She's great. So, okay, I want to hear your story, because I know not everybody just wakes up and is on the Kila Clarkson show cooking. It's true. I know you have a long journey that got you there. And so tell us a little bit about your story

and how you are where you are right now. Yes, you know what I feel so blessed and it's always been about other people for me. Like my husband and I back when we first got married so we're coming up on 15 years. Oh, it's awesome. And I'm a mom and I have two beautiful boys. I'm Noah, who's 11, and I have Milo,

who's five. And Mike and I, yeah, they're so cute. I give them presidential names. We have Noah, William Grant. And then Milo Wilder, or Milo Wilder Ellis. I love that. So very presidential. But it's so funny because when Mike and I first got married, I was a makeup artist and I was traveling all the time. And I thought, you know what, I wanna be home more. Let's open a restaurant. And all of our friends were like, are you trying to get a divorce? What are you doing?

And I thought, you know what, it's something I've always wanted to do. Let's open this place. And we open this magical, beautiful little bistro called Manola. And I thought, this is it. Like I have found myself, I've completely arrived. I have this little empire in building,

and my marriage was just really being stretched and crumbling, and I thought this is what's important to me. My marriage isn't important to me. Like the fact that Mike and I are getting along during this, like this isn't matter to me right now, which is such a sad sentiment to think about it now, but at the time we sort of allowed all of the stressors in life to sort of really bring us apart. And Mike and I decided that we were just gonna call it quits. I'm like, we've been married for two and a half years now.

I've got the restaurant, you have your job. Like, let's just go our separate ways. We're great. And we didn't even cry about it. And I thought, it's such a sad thing for me now, but it's so beautiful, like what the Lord does with a broken time. And I thought, I've got my restaurant,

buddy, like you hit the road. Wow. And I was pregnant with Noah. Did you know? I didn't know at the time. And it's so funny, I tell people all the time, like they tell you and society, like, don't have a baby to save your marriage.

But God used his pregnancy and he used Noah to really show Mike and I what it was like to not be selfish anymore. So I found out it was pregnant with Noah and it was like, game on, we have to figure this out it was pregnant with Noah and it was like, game on. We have to figure this out. We're running a restaurant. We're having a baby.

We don't get along anymore. We have to figure this out. Wow. And I got pre-eclampsia. I got very, very sick and went on bed rest. It took, you know, seven months for us to lose everything. God. And we didn't lose each other.

And it's really important for me to tell people, like, you're going to ebb and flow in your marriage. There's going to be times when you're young and or even if you've been married for 20 years, we're like, I don't like the person that I'm married to. God can still work in that. God can still move in that. You just have to make a decision like, I'm going to stick around. And Mike and I made the decision like, we're having a child. We need to figure this out. And we lost Manola. we lost our home, our cars. I mean, you name it.

It was like this massive like, and I thought me cooking, the Lord was really starting to show me in caring for Noah, how, what a joy he was and what a joy life was. And I was starting to like like my husband again. I'm like, we had no outside pressure from the restaurant, but we were broke. I mean, like, dead broke. We had no money and it was such a happy time.

It's like, wow, we're beginning to rebuild and I went back into makeup and I didn't tell anybody I cooked and people were like, where have you been for a couple of years? I'm like, oh, you know, I just got married. I didn't want anybody to know. I'm like, I don't want to talk about it. I just want to do your mascara.

I don't want to go home to my empty cupboards. Like, it was really just such a difficult time. And it's funny because people, I was doing makeup one time and I talk about it in the book and I had a coworker say like, you have a baby I'd mentioned and Noah was nine months old at time. And I just didn't even know how to talk about being a mother.

I was just trying to figure everything out. Like, Lord, who am I now? And I thought I lost who I was. I thought I lost who I was to my selfishness, me and my ambitions almost cost me my marriage. And I thought, Lord, who am I? And what God started to slowly speak to my heart is you didn't go anywhere. You didn't lose who you were. And that's where the title of the book comes from. You were always there because I think that when hard stuff happens and we mess up, I mean, I messed up, Mike messed up. We were really just young and selfish.

I mean, God just has this plan for you if you let your own ideals go. And so fast forward, a couple of, you know, a year into us losing everything I thought, I want to write the recipes down from the restaurant. No one needed to eat. We were super broke. There were these cute little baby pouches, little baby food pouches that I couldn't afford. And we were on Wicked at the time,

so we just got the little Gerber, whatever. And no offense against Gerber, but my baby was not eating it. It was not having. You spit it out. He didn't want the little free packets. Hey, I didn't. And it was nasty.

And I'm like, ooh, no, no, thank you. And I thought, you know what? I can buy some zucchini. I can buy the little packages, and I can make no with some food. And I thought, you know what? I can buy some zucchini. I can buy the little packages and I can make know of some food. But it awoke me this want to cook again. And I'm like, I do love to cook. And there was no ambition in it.

It was just like, I want to provide for my family. And Noah started to eat. I thought, well, maybe I'll make pasta again. And Mike was so cute. He's like, you think you could make some pasta? Could you make some bread? Could you make food from the restaurant? Because it was good.

And I thought, I don't want to cook. Like, cooking cost me everything. Wow. And it was like, I just, it really got out of chip away at my heart for me to start cooking again. And so when I started cooking again, it was like, game on. I'm like, Lord, this is something that feels good to me. It feels like a gift you've given me.

It felt like therapy. Yeah. And so we started writing the book, and that my very first cook book called My Heart's Table. And I kept asking the Lord, I'm like in the food world right now, there's no space for people to share hope and pot roast. Like there's no space for me to be like. That's very good. Right? It's like how can I tell you like, oh my goodness. And then you see her off the check roast, and but is your marriage okay? Are you feeling good about your body?

How do you do that? And God just kept saying you just do it. And we were in the fire, still broke. And I started speaking at Mops groups and churches and sharing my vulnerability in the way that felt like, oh my gosh, am I the oversharer? We're in this Lord. My ends are not meeting.

We're never starving, but I was working full like, we're in this Lord. Like, my ends are not meeting. Like, we're never going, we're never starving, but I was working full time, Mike's working full time. I mean, we're doing the drop, like Mike's working in the middle of the night. We're meeting at a Starbucks to pass the baby off. And I just knew, like, don't stop, keep going. And it's such an encouragement for other people.

Like, life doesn't get good when we feel like we're achieving our dreams. Life is good in the journey. Like, this is living, like all the crazy stuff. And so I ended up doing makeup one day for a lady and she worked at Costco. And I thought, I wrote a cookbook and she was like, okay, like, maybe you just do my makeup.

I'm like, I promise it's not a homeschool cookbook and there's nothing wrong with homeschool. I was homeschooled for part of my life. But I'm like, I promise it's not a homeschool cookbook, and there's nothing wrong with homeschool. I was homeschooled for part of my life. But I'm like, I promise it's not like a staple together. It's a real cookbook. And so I got it in her hands, and a couple of months later, she's like, we love it, cost good love to keep it.

Yeah, and people were like, how did you do it? It was such a god thing. It was such a, just believing in like, I have this message for people. Yeah. I want people to know that life isn't good when. Life's not good when you have a beautiful home or the gorgeous kitchen.

Some of the most beautiful food I have ever made came out of this teeny tiny apartment and our coil top stoves. The best inner parties we've ever hosted were paper plates and sitting on the floor. So good. And I want people to know that like their life is good and everything looks glossy right now on Instagram and television and and we have this model even in the church

Like you're supposed to be this kind of mom and you have to look this certain way and you have to have it all put put together and that pressure alone We don't even think about it. It's just creating a pathway in our brain like I'm not good enough. Yeah, but you are good enough You you can't lose who you are so you just go through things where you might feel far from you. Yeah, but you're always there Yeah, like and I know it sounds so like tongue-in-cheek like you were always there I'm gonna book everybody's to hear that so many people are walking through seasons of life For they feel like they lost their stuff. They feel like they made a mistake that defines the rest of their life But it's not it's not true They'll never get back. No, but I love how you're saying,

like you just have to keep going. Yes. There's so many things in what you just said that I can pull out and like literally I could take moment by moment and we could pull out so many more messages from all the things you just said. One of the things I think is really cool is that cooking is a gift that God placed in your life

and it is the gift that God is using to elevate the space that you're in. But it was also the thing that was like, the thing that stole placed in your life. And it is the gift that God is using to elevate the space that you're in. But it was also the thing that was like, the thing that stole up in your life. So I just say that's so interesting because I do think that something can be a God given gift and something that God really placed on you.

But that's like the thing that the enemy is gonna like you. You heard that old saying, like your strength is your greatest weakness and your gift is your greatest weakness and your greatest strength. It's so true. He will use that. And so I think some people think, because before we started the podcast, you said, you

can still be on the will of God and things be bad or things go wrong. You know, and I think it's the same thing. Like, it can still be a gift God place in your life and be a source of pain based on how you're using it. And I think, you know, for think for you, you were using that as more like a selfish, like like, like, like, mission, like, best, best, best, best. I'm like, hey, look at how good a food is.

But then it was like, I'm actually using it to provide. I'm using it to give and I'm using it to serve the body of Christ. And then all of a sudden, it became like your greatest gift. And I think that it's really important to note that because in this generation, in this world, so many people are like, and they wouldn't say this, but they're pushing like B-Selfish.

Yeah, with your ambition. Selfish. There's the biggest lie. There's nothing wrong with having a bubble bath, but this whole like, there's sort of like a toxic mom culture too, where it's like lock yourself in the bathroom, drink your wine, like get away from those icky kids. Like, there is a joy and a sanctity in motherhood. Does it mean that you don't cry,

or that you don't want to lock yourself in the bathroom? Those feelings and emotions aren't wrong. Jesus got angry. Like, we have to understand that, like, we're allowed to have emotion, but there's nothing wrong with being a mom. There's nothing wrong with a hard season. There's nothing wrong with wishing you were in a season

where your baby slept, because you're tired. Yeah. Bring that back to the Lord. Like, that's where you can renew your strength. Yeah. It doesn't mean that those things are going to go away, but it's still the most beautiful season in your life. And I was speaking at a little group the other day, and I said, you know, my son is 11 now, and he's starting to get man hands, and he has no baby teeth. He'll still snuggle me, but he's almost as tall as me. And I would give anything to literally chew on his baby fingers again.

I'm like this time right now, it's like, we're gonna miss this. You're gonna want this fat, like that's literally the country music. Lyric, like you're gonna miss this man. I heard this ain't me. You're gonna, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, That's so true. Right, but this is it. And we're spending time as a culture telling moms, like, you're almost there, have yourself care.

Like, self care is rooted in selfishness. But don't mix me up. There's nothing wrong with taking care of yourself. It's so true. Nothing wrong with that. God doesn't require you to be a doormat or not shower or you know what I mean? Like, there's a difference.

There is a difference. I love that you said that. And it's so sweet. Christian and I, we just had our three-year anniversary. Congrats on winning it. We're proud to have made it. We never did. So a lot happening right now.

And you're still brand new. Yeah, it's so nice. So we had this car session of the day and each anniversary we've set and we talked about what are the things that we loved about the show, what were the things that were hard, what are the things that we want to see in the next, what are things that we wanna see in the next year and one thing that I said in the next year,

I was like, I wanna see this continue to grow just closer as parents. See, other like parenting together better. And I said, because truly, I said, these nights are hard and long, but we are gonna miss this. I was like, we really are. One day we're gonna go back and be like, I wish you would take us to Newgal. Yes, I wish you would just do some new go.

Yes, we're like, new go to new word, like, new go to new, little honey, like, new go to her. It's true, like now we're like, oh, why are we still waking up in the night? But it's like, no, actually, one day we're gonna be like, I wish we were still waking up in the night to have her wanting to get in our bed, you know?

And so we just had this conversation. And so I just love that you brought that up. And I want to talk about just how you said there is a difference and we're not meant to just be a dormant and we're not meant to just because there is a difference. And I think that some people, some people try to over promote themselves and then some people under promote themselves or what God's actually trying to do in their lives. And one thing. And there's fear. They're like, I can't do that. Yes. When I was writing this book, I'm not a writer. And there's a story that I talk about in there where I had given my little thumb drive of my little homemade book to my girlfriend who worked

with me. And she's like, I'm an editor. I'll totally edit your book. She met me in a parking lot a couple days later. And she said, you're a really good makeup artist. I can't edit this. It's so bad. She said that. And I was like, I'm not a writer, I'm terrible. I will just put my scar on forever. And there's nothing wrong with putting a scar on forever. I still miss makeup, my makeup days. But the thing that was so profound is months later after I decided I'm not going to do this.

Like, I'm not good enough. I'm not smart enough. I barely graduated high school. Like, I'm not, this isn't for me, Lord. You got to do something else, because it just was this tug and pull on my heart to create this book and an editor at a magazine we were working for said, that book project,

are you still doing that? And I said, you know, I didn't want to tell her, like, I'm dumb, I cannot do it. I cannot do it. I cannot, I cannot write. Oh, she says, I have a friend that you should talk to, maybe she'll edit your book. It turns out that this friend was a dean

at a prestigious university in the English department. And I'm like, I cannot give her my messy thumb drive. My girlfriend that does a bang and smoke, yeah, I said, no way. You can't do this. And I really felt the Lord like, give her your thumb drive. Give her your, give her what you have. Like just see.

And so I waited on it for a couple of weeks. I ended up giving her my thumb drive. And I told her the first thing I said was, I am not smart, and she said, well I'll be the judge of that. And we drank our coffee, and I know it was literally a baby at the time, and I thought, I walked away, I thought, oh my gosh,

I'm gonna be humiliated, she's gonna open that, and it's over. And a week later, she calls me, and I'm just ready to receive the, you're bad. And she says, Danielle, you are a beautiful writer. She calls me and I'm just ready to receive your bed. And she says, Danielle, you are a beautiful writer. You just need a little bit of help with mechanics. And she said, have you ever heard of a stream

of consciousness writing? And I'm like, I have not. I'm not an academia. And she said, she goes, you just write exactly how you speak. And she goes, it's a gift. And I'll help you. And sometimes we need people in our lives. God uses people in our lives. That was the Lord speaking through her that said, to say to me, you have a gift.

It doesn't matter if by the world standards, you don't know where a comma goes. If you have a run on sentence 16, 16 sentences long, because you don't know where the period should end and you just have so much to say. It doesn't matter if you know where the structure of your sentence is, God has a plan for you that it so far exceeds the world standards. And I went with it and we self-published, we got that book in Costco, and that led to me working on television, and people in our little local town

I was doing cooking demos, and one of the producers said, I didn't know you'd worked on TV before. And I said, I don't. And she said, well, maybe you should think about it. You could have a career in TV. And the only thing I thought at the producers said, I didn't know you'd worked on TV before. And I said, I don't. And she said, well, maybe you should think about it. You should, you could have a career in TV. And the only thing I thought at the time was, it wasn't like, I don't want people to know my name.

I thought, that could prevent for my family. Wow. That could give us extra money. At the time, I'm like doing odd jobs and all kinds of things to make ends meet because we were coming out of the restaurant stuff. And I thought, oh, that could be good provision. And, Lord, you gave me this personality. Like, I'll use it that way. And

I had no idea that that was going to lead to the Rachel Ray show and the hallmark and home and family show. And the whole time I just kept telling people, even on Instagram, now I'm like, little tiny following I'm like, grow, you got it. You don't need makeup. Like whatever you're eating, like we go through McDonald's drive through. And then we have four course meals some days. Like, this is living, like living is this journey and process. And so people are always so excited. I'm so excited about like the door knocking opportunities.

Like, oh, you were being Kelly Clarkson. That's so cool. But that's not what it's about. Yeah. God's using it in a different capacity. And I remember being on the Rachel Ray show one time. And she held my hand up and she said, this girl is the real deal. She knows what it's like to choose between potatoes and toilet paper.

Like, and this is America right now, especially in inflation. How can we save money? How can we live a beautiful life, but not by the world standards. A beautiful life like have peace in your home, wherever your home is. If your home is an apartment or a mobile home or a big, beautiful mansion, you can have so much love within those walls. That's the greatest work goes down inside our home. And that's where the motivation is always.

We could share that. And then I'm going to show you how to make a mean. I need that too. You're going to eat well and love well. Yeah, it doesn't mean that my life is perfect. I mean, I'm still a freelancer. I'm still trying to cut deals and paycheck to paycheck and all the things and people get surprised when you talk like that, like you work on television.

You still worry about your finances and I'm like, well, yeah, it would be a good steward of what the Lord's given me and I want to be wise about it. And I want to share with people, I can be making millions of dollars. I'm still going to buy the sale potatoes. Yeah, I'm still going to live that life and share that with women.

You're a good steward. Yeah. I love that. I love what you said when you said, I'm just going to that life and share that with women. You're a good sewer. I love that. I love what you said when you said, I'm just gonna give her what I have. Because I think so many people, like you said, we wait until something gets good, are we wait until everything's working out, are we wait until we get better,

are we wait until it's all right, are the stars all alive? Yes. And like stop waiting, like the time is now. It's like, we have show up with who you are. I have got a story for you. This is one of my favorite stories to share. So we were in New York in 2017.

We just had Milo, brand new little baby and we were broke. And I'd written my second book and I did, we just got to get to New York to promote it. So I'm on the Rachel Racial promoting my second self-published book and we lost our luggage.

I had no money. And toothbrushes and men have. I know, always have to. No, I mean, it was a big deal. Like, what are we gonna do? So my ex-like, well, the first thing we're gonna do is get coffee. So we went down a little Starbucks,

we're getting our drip coffee, and we're in line, and I thought, Lord, what am I gonna do? I don't have the right clothes. I don't have the right hair. I don't have my makeup. Like my skin is patchy and red. Like, how can I go on national television

to tell people buy my book? And I look like this. And there was a gentleman in front of us who happened to be homeless. And I don't know for sure if he was homeless, but he looked homeless and he picked a sandwich out. You know how you go up to the Starbucks and you can pick what you want out of a little counter

and he said it on the counter. And the woman says like, I don't know, $7.18, or whatever she said. And he says, he puts like a handful of change up and he says, I don't know, $7.18 or whatever she said. And he says, he puts like a handful of change up and he says, I have like a dollar 31 in M Hungry. And she said, I got you. Like, no big deal.

And at that moment, I'm thinking, oh my gosh, Lord, like he just put what he had forward. It wasn't enough. And then down the line, you get this big booming Brooklyn accent and he's like, what are you drinking today, brother? And the guy's like, oh no, no, just a sandwich, like just a sandwich.

He's like, no, no, I got you. In unison, like they weren't even in communication with each other. And he's like, all it tells, he says whatever he'll have. And I had to step out of line and get outside. And I remember looking up at the sky, it's 18 degrees out, it's January. And I thought, Lord, I am so ill-equipped

for this journey, like you, but you have me. Like I get teary, I am so ill-equipped for this journey like you, but you have me. Like I get teary-eyed thinking about it. We have to take what we have because it's never gonna be enough. We're not complete. There's another like there's this adage like you are enough, you're enough. Well, we're only enough in Christ. We are never enough. You're never gonna measure up. You're never gonna feel the way that you should outside of Jesus. That's why we've got addiction problems and depression and anxiety. We are looking for what Jesus provides.

And I just think of that all the time in the midst of things, like even coming to Louisiana, I'm coming off a hard season. And I talk my husband, I say, you know, I've been really pushing a heart for eight months. And he's like, babe, that's so funny. Normally people are like, it's been a rough week. I'm like, these eight months have stretched me. Wow. And coming into this, I knew's like, babe, that's so funny. Normally people are like, it's been a rough week. I'm like, these eight months have stretched to me.

Wow. And coming into this, I knew like Lord, I don't feel like enough. And there has been confirmation after confirmation that this is, you got it. You are enough. Like you, what I have given you is plenty and I'm gonna handle the rest.

Wow, that's so good. Well, I just feel like God is showing you that in such cool ways and I won't share your story, but it's just so cool that even right before she came on this podcast, she was at CVS. Yes, I'm learning the latest CVS, gives you a word. And so to think about eight months being so hard,

but the Lord sees you in all of that and he's like, and this woman, this is what you're doing. You're a matter of. Yeah, like, prophetic. And we talk to, like, you'll get people that want to pray for you and it's kind of hokey and sometimes you's like, and this woman, and this one, you're doing for matters. Yeah, like, herfettic. And we talk too, like, you'll get people that want to pray for you and it's kind of hokey and sometimes you feel like, ooh, is that Jesus or is that like your pride?

I mean, like, you, you know, yeah, I mean, I've been, we've all been there. We're like, ooh, the Lord, I need somebody to interpret that because that was not it. And it was so funny, I'm literally buying peachy gummies and we're talking about going to Bucky's and she has this word for me and she's like, you have been faithful, the Lord is literally getting ready

to line things up and she's like, girl, it's your time. Like get your new shoes on, step into it. She has no idea that there is a chapter in my book titled New Shoes. You can't go where God wants you. I'm so sick, man. In old shoes. Come on.

I was going, I was literally, I had these old tennis shoes and I was traveling in them constantly. Back a couple of years ago I was doing hallmark and I would bleach the bottoms every time I traveled and I was like, these were some good old stand by a nasty tennis shoes, like lawn mowing shoes and I would try to clean them up and I would bring fresh tennis shoes to do my shoes.

And one time I'm in my trailer getting ready to do a thing and God says, you put your new shoes on and you go to the airport and those, you do not put your nasty old tennis shoes back on. You cannot go where I'm having you go in those old shoes. And it was just this metaphor for our mentality. He's like, we are bringing along all the old stuff. We're trying to clean up our old ideals and bleach them off and make it okay. And that's how it got house for us. Yeah. Never again. Well again, well, I bought a brand new fresh pair of kicks for this trip. Come on, girl.

We are going in new. We are going in new tennis shoes to everything. And I want, and maybe you can't afford new kicks. That's fine, but it's a mentality. But so before I got here, I was like, Laura was like, get yourself some new shoes. This woman doesn't know me at all. And she said, you get your new shoes on.

I want the new wine skins. I'm like, Laura, this is it. Here we come. That's crazy. So it was so good. It was so good. I love that because I feel like it's just a season chain for you.

It's so cool that you would share that it has been a hard eight months, it's like that. So it's not just a week. Sometimes it's like, you're a year. It's a year. This is harder than any pandemic year. Yeah. People are like, Oh, it's hard for you. I'm like, absolutely. This is living. Yeah. Living is difficult. But it does not mean I'm outside the Lord's well. It's good. I want any any woman right now, if your life is difficult, if you are

in the fire, I mean, you're really in it. And we were landing. I was so funny coming into Louisiana. And it was gorgeous. I mean, like beautiful clouds. I talked about this on Instagram yesterday and we're kind of cutting through the clouds and all of a sudden I see this little flicker and I'm like, that is lightning. We're flying into lightning. I'm on a flight path. I know I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be. This is where God has me right now, but we're flying into lightning. So then we get turbulence. It gets really dark and I'm like, this is the wildest, most beautiful thing I've ever witnessed. I wasn't gonna throw up, I was like, first of all, thank you Lord for the calm stomach.

I wasn't scared, I was like, we are right, we're supposed to be, we landed in lightning. It does not mean that it got better. It didn't get better, we landed in the storm, but it still means that God was there right there with me. And it was still bumpy, it was like, hit the ground, bump it, bump it, bump it, bump it, he made it. And the Lord knows what you're going through.

So if there is anybody listening, you might be hitting the ground and thinking, the heavens have to clear for it to be okay. That's not it. It's not it. It's good. It doesn't always look good. I love your story.

It reminds me so much of the story of Joseph, which just is so much of what you're saying. Yeah. Because there's his gift on his life, he was a dreamer. Yes. And his brothers were so jealous of her being a dreamer that because he was a dreamer, he gets thrown in the pit. And so he literally gets thrown in this pit, so into slavery.

All of these crazy things happen. It's like, it looks terrible. It looks like this is bad. How can anything good come from this? Yeah. But then that's actually like what God used. That was the vehicle. That was the vehicle to get him to the palace,

like where he needed to be. And then to elevate him up, and to second and command. And then it's just so cool because the thing that got him out of the prison was that he was a dreamer. So the very thing that the enemy came after. Met for his destruction. Met for his destruction. Met for his destruction.

Met for his destruction. Met for his destruction. Met for his destruction. Met for his destruction. Met for his destruction. Met for his destruction. Met for his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. For his destruction. that he was outside of God's will he get and help what was happening to him. But he was in a prison and he was in a pit and he was in a, you say, how can that be? A cure to go to the book. A cure to reject it and no family. A cure to go to the book. A cure to reject it and no family. A cure to go to the book.

A cure to go to the book. A cure to go to the book. A cure to go to the book. A cure to go to the book. A cure to go to the book. A cure to go to the book. A cure to go to the book. A cure to go to the book.

A cure to go to the book. A cure to go to the book. A cure to go to the book. A cure to go to the book. A cure to go to the book. A cure to go to the book. A cure to go to the book. A cure to go to the book. A cure to go to the book. A cure to go to the book. success. We're none of that. Success looks like to me, it just looks like like contentment of your heart and the joy in your heart and being 100% like having provision of food and like you know your alive breast. Yes, success is all those things. Success is the fruit of who got it. It's having got in those moments and

I mean think about the fruit of who got his love. That's joy. Success is the fruit of who got it. It's true. You need to write that down. Success is the fruit of who got it. Yes. When you have the fruit of who got his love. That's joy, success is the fruit of who got his. It's true. You need to write that down. It's true. It's the fruit of who got his. Yes. And when you have the fruit of who got his, it's so kind of cultural to the world. Like true love, true peace, true joy.

It's about love like your whole thing is like joy. Why did you put joy in the title of all things that you do? It's so funny because joy really is it. And I want people to know that joy and sorrow coincide. Like you can be going through grief like I lost a dear friend this summer but she taught me so much. She passed away of colon cancer and I feel like losing her was difficult. She isn't heaven now designing French chateaux but the thing that's so cool is she taught there's so much joy that comes from that. Like I like to tell people, like you can be grieving and cracking up at the same time. Like your heart can be broken

and God can be using that at the same time. Like in these lowly places, that's where the Lord reveals and sits Himself to us. And so during all the loss and all the brokenness and all the weird things, I'm still a very optimistic happy person. I'm gonna turn it into a joke. We're gonna have a little stand up comedy about it.

I wanna tell you about the time that I, you know, threw up on myself on a plane and you, in the moment, you get experience. In the moment, it's like the worst thing could ever happen. But a couple days later, you get a little bit outside of it and you're cracking up. Like, just, so I want people to know, it's okay. Like, Joy, Sorrow, they go together, hand in hand.

It's like a black and white cookie. It's what I want people to know in life that it's okay. We put joy in everything. It's rustic, it's messy, joyful, it's just life and it's food. I love how rustic joyful food. We have a little second tag line. It's like life is good today. It's not good when, it's not good if,

it's not good and that's so good for people to hear because we're not being told that. But guess what, like you don't have the perfect home, you don't have the perfect marriage or family, but you have to have an openness and a willingness and that's really what it's all about and God happens to be using food as the vehicle to deliver the message of hope in him.

It's not in me. It's like, oh my gosh, look how cool I am. I live a very blessed and beautiful life, but it would be just as blessed and beautiful if I was doing something else. It would be just and bust and beautiful if I was a secretary. I really can't live through.

All the different places in your life. I love how even your story at the beginning, you lost everything, but you had each other. You know what it's like to be in a place where literally you don't, you'll have anything from the outside world but you have everything that matters. And so I love how what you're saying

is like it holds so much truth because we like I've walked it, I've lived it, I've seen it, I felt it, and like this is who God is, and this is who he's proven to be in the whole thing. Absolutely. So speaking of joy and food, we're coming up on the holiday. Yes!

Come on Chris! Are you a Christmas girl? I am such a Christmas girl like through and through and a couple days ago I texted my little family thread because you have the family thread and I was like you guys I am not in the Christmas spirit like what is going on? I need the Christmas spirit and my mom texted me on the side and she was like you have it girl you just a little stressed right now. Yeah. And I kind of took a little breath and I was like. She's like, you have it, girl. You're just a little stressed right now. Yeah.

And I kind of took a little breath and I was like, oh, you know what? I do have it right now. And then we put our tree up and my kids fought the whole time. And I'm like, this is not magical. Hi. Why is the magic not happening after they fought? And then my five year old broke some vintage ornaments

and my lemon roll was crying and saying, these are supposed to come with me when I move out of the house. And it was just not magical. And I'm like, no, but you know what, Lord? This is it. This is living. And the, and the act of advent and the anticipation of the birth of Jesus and the gift in our Savior.

This is what, this is like the beginning of Christianity. Like that is what it's all about. I'm even getting chills now. So here I was in the moment, mad that my kids are fighting, wanting the Christmas spirit. This is it as a Christian. There's nothing I have to wait on. It's already here.

And then all the trees and the twinkly lights and all the things, it's not about gifts. It's about that anticipation of the birth of our Savior. So it's here. Like I love it. I love it. I love that. I love it. I love that.

It's so encouraging that people are listening because I'm sure so many people feel that way. They're like, I just saw it feel in the Christmas spirit. Yeah. And I love it. I love it. You should have been having to buy for people and all the things. Totally. But I love that truth overrides our feelings.

Yeah. You know, it might not feel like a true truth is, is that we, Jesus' game, they're good news here. Like this anticipation, this game, they're good news here. Like this anticipation, this excitement, we're walking towards something that's true. That's not just magical. Yes, it's actually rooted in a truth. Yes.

And so that is like the biggest difference. And I had the same experience, my husband and I, we were getting all the Christmas stuff down. I was wondering, and Honey wasn't taking that, but everything was crazy. And Christian was in a bad mood. I was like, we're not doing this. We're not doing this right now.

What we're not doing this right now, this is not fulfilling exactly what I want. Not sicker's most spirit. Yes. I was like, we're not doing this. We're not doing this right now. We're not doing this right now. This is not fulfilling. I want not sicker's most spirit. Yes. We should be happy in playing Christmas. I sat on the couch like a crummudge and while my boys fought and my husband tried to put the tree.

And then we, I bought one strand of twinkle lights and one strand of knot. And so they were going on the train. I was like, that's not uniform. So we got twinkles up here and still lights down here. And I'm like, this is a mess. Like it was just not, I was not feeling it, but that's not the truth.

Yeah, it's more than that. My feelings are not the truth. Yeah, I love that so much. Well, okay, give us some tips because a lot of people are about to be hosting. Yes. And I love hosting people, but not the best cook. So, okay, first of all, I need your advice

because I'm hosting my in-laws' workers' Mrs. Here, and so I need to know, what should someone cook if they don't know how to cook and give us hosting tips? Simple, go easy. Don't try a new recipe when you're inviting people over. That's so stressful. It's so scary. Even me, I'll be like, I'm gonna make a blah, blah, blah.

And it won't work out sometimes. And even for me, I can't believe I'm having guests over and I'm scrambling in the kitchen. Don't overextend yourself. Okay, cool. Even if it's like, this is my favorite thing. We make this olive braised chicken every single, like for everybody that comes over, make the same dish,

make something you feel confident with. That's good. And then prep anything you can beforehand. That's good. Like if you can even do something the day before, like make the salad dressing or buy the salad dressing, get a couple cartons of salad, like don't overextend yourself.

It's smart. And also don't go outside your budget to impress people. Yeah. Just because it's a holiday's, a lot of people think like a crown roast or a crown pork roast or a prime rib or they're so rack of land, there's so many things you wanna eat during the holidays

because they're special. But if that's not in your budget, don't do that. It's good. Even if you wanna elevate a hamburger patty, you can breeze it with like homemade cream of mushroom and serve that over mashed potatoes. Like that's a, it feels homey and comforting but it costs pennies. Yeah.

Take a whole chicken and put it in a pot with a can of tomatoes and salt and pepper and an onion. I can't, could you not in three hours. It's the most delicious fall apart yummy chicken. Just so think of small ingredients, things that don't stress you out and go with what you can afford. And don't try to over, and go with what you can afford. And don't try to overimpress if it's not in your budget. I mean, if it's in your budget, you better go for it.

And even order out, like if that's in your budget, go to one of your favorite grocery stores and order a meal, take it home and put it in your own stuff. And just enjoy your family, like when we take so much on right now, it just has, it takes away from all of the beautiful gift. Yeah. Just enjoy the fact that you're in your home. Yeah. Don't rent

extra tables, put people on the floor. It's good. Get your guests eat on a pillow. I mean, you get this. This doubles as perfect. You know what? Here you go with your little plate and don't be embarrassed of what you have. Yeah. I think that that's the most important. That's good. It is so important. And I remember one time I hosted my friends, it was my friends birthday, and this was whenever I was like, you know, single, living in Nashville, one of my friends, and my roommate was like, okay, you're gonna host her, but I was like, yes, you'd be great.

I was like, I'm gonna be burning in that morning, I'm gonna be traveling, so I'll be in, and then I'll just make pancakes for everybody. It'll be great. And I get there, and the house is kind of messy, and I start making my pancakes, and I'll room it's like, I start making them pancakes in my room. It's like, I cannot believe that like,

you're about to like, have everybody over like, this is like, I don't mean for that. I feel like it's gonna be great. She was like, I'm honestly learning so much right now and she was like, because I would never do this, because I would be so embarrassed about like, the house isn't cleaner, like we just had pancakes through like whatever.

And I was like, no, but think about like, how much fun everybody's gonna have. And everybody came and it was so fun. And we had like, you, but think about like, how much fun everybody's gonna have. And everybody came and it was so fun. And we had like, you know, just little toppings, like chocolate chips and blueberries and strawberries. It was just so cheap and easy. And everybody had a blast. And nobody was like, oh, your house is kind of messy.

Or why are we eating a paper plate? Like, in a blast. And it was so fun. I just remember her saying that. And I was like, oh, that is cool. And I think because my mom always was like that, like we always had people in our house and it wasn't even if our house was messy

or even if we didn't prepare anything, we'd order a pizza. Like it wasn't like a big deal. So it taught me growing up to not even think about like not overthink, you know, what the house looks like. I want women to hear this. Don't overthink it, invite people. I'm overthink it.

And your mom is incredible at hosting. Just being in her home yesterday, nothing phases her. It's like, oh, it's okay, do whatever it is. She really has that. She gave her a picture of the airport. She just let them all at my house. She knows you guys, you guys, we have to leave. Who is left?

We're in somebody's house, we got to be here. Like, these are like, now's the door. The most incredible host, but it's because she's so confident in who God has made her. She's so confident in like, oh, this is me, like, enjoy. It's true. She's not like anything, but maybe.

You know what, your mom has got some cooking skills though. There's intuition there. You're tired though. I was so happy when she was like, yeah, she taught me how to cook. I was like, good. Oh, she's great. Yes, she's got some intuition. Yes. And she's like, well, she taught me how to cook. I was like, good. Oh, she, yes.

She's got some intuition. Really? Wow. And she's like, well, you know, I've been around it for so long and I told her mom to, I was like, your grandma, I'm like, you know, you know what, girl? You know, because she was telling me, I'm getting like in the weeds or making so many dishes.

And she's like, oh, does this need to be served? I'm like, that's intuition. Wow. You have some cooking intuition there. Yes. Awesome. By mom, you know, she can. She just gets so distracted.

Yeah. Because she's all just like, You're just like, You're just like, You're just like, You're just like, You're just like, You're just like,

You're just like, You're just like, You're just like, You're just like, You're just like, You're just like, You're just like, You're just like,

You're just like, You're just like, You're just like, You're just like, You're just like, You're just like, You're just like, You and just I love how you say like just don't stress it because it really is just about family Yeah, I'm in your time together and last year for Christmas we hosted our in-laws And I tried to cook all this stuff, and I burnt my hand You're like, so fast, I was going so fast like I grabbed the thing right out of the oven the Yes, oh my gosh, I thought my thumb was gonna like melt into my skin

Yes, and it hurts too bad so So then the whole night I'm like, throbbing, I'm like, trying to, like I'm like not okay. And it hurts. And then I'm like, man, if I wanted to just slow down and not try to like impress or try to increase, you like this just would have been a lot more enjoyable. Yes.

And so this year I've already been thinking, okay, what am I gonna make that like, I'm confident in that like, it's not gonna take away from the night. That's actually just gonna add to the night. This is the meal that we're eating and I want it and be able to enjoy it with you. Yes.

And it's so funny when you said that like you want to do impress and you burn your hand. This summer we have some chef friends and he's just the most brilliant chef. I mean, super inspiring, very incredible. They're coming over for dinner for the first time. I'm like, oh my gosh, what am I gonna make this? Like I'm a cook. I'm a cook. I gonna make this? Like, I'm a cook.

I'm a cook. I happen to be a goofy, funny cook that loved Jesus. Like, but I'm not like this renowned chef. And so I'm feeling nervous like what am I gonna make? And I'm like, okay, I'm gonna do tacos, but I'm gonna do multiple sauces and slas and all kinds of fun stuff. And we're gonna have three different proteins

and I was really going over, totally overboard. And I cut the tip of my finger off. And I'm like, we ended up, I called them, I'm like, we're headed to the emergency room. That's like rolling around on the floor and trying not to pass that. I tell my husband, I'm like, I need a bowl of, I need a bowl and I'm saying I need water.

Cause so Mike brings me a bowl of water and I'm like, you don't even love me. My kids, my five-year-old runs outside and he's yelling, my mom cut her finger off to the neighbors, not getting by with the dog. And it was just because I was overdoing it, getting stressed, like I want to impress. I want to make sure that it's perfect for these people.

And then fast forward, they come over a month later. And I'm like, hey, I'm just, I'm throwing some steaks on the grill. I don't even have milk. Like, it's just gonna be a hot pot of meal you guys wanna come over a month later and I'm like, hey, I'm just, I'm throwing some steaks on the grill. I don't even have milk. Like, it's just gonna be a hot, punch meal you guys want to come over. We had the best time. I am awesome. It was like, so when you get out of the,

I'm an impress. My finger has grown back. But, I'm not done this year. My, we're healed. I'll never forget. That's so good. Guys, I love it so much. Just take the stress off the holiday season.

And I mean, life is stressful as it is. You want me to stress over the food. If you don't have to, you have to. Yeah. Make it something enjoyable. Make it something fun. You gave some great tips on even some cheap, easy, but cheap and easy meals. Little roasted chicken, chuck roast, got by things on sale. It's great. Stick them in the freezer. Chicken thighs are your best friend. They're more affordable than chicken breast and you can put them in a crock pot. And then if you're worried about fat or all the little tindens and tissues and things like that

because a lot of people like, ooh, dark meat, I don't like that and I don't like anything fatty, the crock pot will melt it off. So you can just put it in there with any kind of favorite fun sauce. That's awesome. So it goes in a taco shell. Do things that you can make things elevated

by adding like a chimichurri or a special vinaigrette or making something kind of homemade, but don't do anything. I love like those little tricks that make them feel like so cool. Yeah. Big chicken, but chimichurri. Well, if you're a little food processor and cilantro parsley, olive oil, and garlic, and lemon juice,

roll it all up. Boom, put some red chili flakes in, it's awesome. It's spicy. And then you have this fancy sauce for your basic big chicken. That is so fun. I love it.

Okay, all the tips. Y'all, I know that y'all enjoy this conversation so much because I so did. And I just had chills so many times just hearing. The things that God's doing in your life and has done in your story. And so I think just there's so many lessons that you guys can learn as you hear her story just don't give up give what you have show

up with who you are where you're at because that is enough there's so many takeaways I know you can take into your life and practical things and also fun things for the holidays house people not because you're gonna impress you because you love people and because you want to welcome them into your home go follow Daniel at RESTIC Joyful Food. Yes, RESTIC Joyful Food. You're my friends here. And also beauty, they like me and you love

YouTube and things. YouTube, her on the Kelly Clarkson show, because she has so many fun recipes. You're left over Valentine's Day cake with so fun. She has the Olive Garden Pasta that she has made. That pasta, the Jouement Vyra looks good. I was like, I need this. It's simple, yes. So all kinds of fun things.

She's definitely someone that you're going to want to follow and go get her new book. You were always there. Such a good message to everyone who needs to hear. Thanks for listening. And I hope everybody has a great week. Woo! you