WHOA That's Good Podcast - The Way You Do Something Is As Important As the End Goal | Sadie Robertson Huff & Naomi Raine

Episode Date: August 24, 2022

Sadie is thrilled to welcome Maverick City Music vocalist and solo artist Naomi Raine to talk about how we can find God's goodness in difficult seasons, how God uses us in different ways throughout our lives, and what culinary school taught her about walking in obedience to the Lord. Naomi shares the incredible story of her diagnosis with vocal cord polyps, how it tested her faith, and the miraculous way she was healed. And they offer advice on what it takes to embrace who you really are and who God made you to be. Naomi's solo album, "Journey," is available now. - Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Council of Franks, on behalf of delicious Oscar Mayer 100% beef Franks has declared its official position. Oscar Mayer 100% beef Franks are 100% beef Frank delicious. This summer, choose delicious, choose 100% beef. Keep it Oscar. What is up fam welcome back to the world that's good podcast y'all I am so excited for today I'm fan grilling honestly because I am so excited to talk to our guests today She is a no stranger you guys have probably seen her if not worship alongside of her

She is in Maverick City. She leads Jira. I mean, come on. That's huge. She has been a part of so many great things through Maverick City and just she is an incredible, incredible person. She also has a new album out called Journey. That is 22 tracks of just great stuff.

So I cannot wait to interview her on this new album and also get to know her story more because like I said we know her voice but I can't wait to get to know her. So without further ado welcome to the WoW Dasgo podcast and Naomi Reign. I'm so excited to have you here. Thank you. I'm super excited to be with you. I've been wanting this for many, many moons. Well, we are pumped. The feeling is very mutual. I was just telling Naomi before she popped on that, I saw her at the Kayla fan awards, and I was like so close to going and introducing myself,

but there were so many people, and I was like, okay, better not. And look at how good got is, full circle. Now you're on the pike gas, and we get more time to talk. So I'm stoked. Super excited. Well, hey, I ask everybody the same question

when they get on the, well, let's go pie gas. It's the first question of every pie gas. It's a little intimidating, but it's what is the best piece of advice that you've ever been given? The best piece of advice I've ever been given is from Kirk Franklin. Let's go. Now okay but I do want to preface this by saying maybe if you asked me like three months ago I would have said something else but right now this is the piece of advice that I'm giving up right now.

But it was from Kirk Franklin and he said, don't ever get so comfortable in who you are that you think that God needs you. Wow. And he was basically saying, like, God doesn't need you. He can use anybody and you just happen to be the one who he's lending songs to now, who he's speaking through right now.

He said, but there will come a time in your life and in your career where there will be someone else that comes and you've gotta be just already in that mindset that like God can use and choose whoever he wants. Then I love that because not that I was thinking that I am the only one that I could use, but I think it's so good to set your heart there and like in gratefulness of like, man,

like this is a blessed moment and this is wonderful, but it won't last. And that's okay, you know? And so whatever's next is next, but what's now is now. And yeah, I'm just loving that advice. It's keeping me. I love that. It's like guardrails, you know?

Super nice. That's so good. I remember when my family used to have a TV show, and my mom would always say, she was like, hey, y'all, when this is over, it doesn't change anything about who we are. It doesn't change our life. And she talked about how like a lot of people

in 15 minutes of fame, if you will, like when they get that, then they start to change everything about who they are. And then when they start to see it ending They try to grab on to all these different things and do all these different things and they are actually starting to lose The essence of who they are, you know, and they actually start to Become more empty and the search of trying to gain everything and my mom would just always encourage us with that And it was so good because by the time that ended, we all welcomed in a new season of life.

And it wasn't less than it was just different then. And you're right, God uses different people. And I think sometimes he even uses you just in a different way in different seasons. So I love that. I actually saw a quote, I don't know where you said it, but you're talking about maybe it was a card chat with Kurt Fregland.

And it was a moment where he gave you another piece of advice about just the duality of being a worship leader and an artist. And I thought that was so good because that is a hard balance to so for so many people to find. We actually are starting, we're starting a worship band right now. We actually just

about time this podcast comes out. We'll have released our first EP, which is so exciting. Yeah. I know. We've been working on this for like four years, so we're pumped. But the people who are doing it with me, the artists, they're just incredible people and they've never done anything like this. Like their worship has always just been at church. It's been in private moments. And we had this long conversation of like, okay, how do you not feel like you're performing whenever you're leading? How do you keep it that genuine?

And so I wanted to ask you about that, just that difference of, hey, you're a worship leader and you're an artist. I mean, you're leading and it's not a perform, what does that look like? I mean, for me, okay, so, booboo booboo booboo. I think when I was younger,

I've always been writing songs and I've always been, like, I'm saying always, like always, as always, but since I was seven, I've been writing and doing music. And when I shared them, I found that even when I was sharing a song that wasn't a worship song, it always leaned into worship. It was like, I could be singing a Beyonce song.

And somehow, I'm talking about Jesus at the end. And I'm like, you know, like leaning into that. I don't know how that happens, but it was always just a natural vent for me. Like, this is where I go, because this is what's in my heart, you know, like, I'm just grateful to God, you know? And so I think for me, it's never been separate, if that makes sense. And if I'm honest, when Kirk said that to me at the award show,

he was like, let's go artists. He was really going in. I was a little confused because I was like, I did nothing but worship God, you know? And I wasn't confused, but you know what I'm saying. I was just worshiping. I think that there's a level of, okay, so instead of saying performing,

I would say maybe artist street, right? Which to me, I think, if I take it away from like the performing arts and make it more like visual arts, I think people can palette it better. Is that a word? Yeah. It's palatable. It works. It works.

I'm going to make up a bunch of words today. I just want you to know. They're all welcome. It's just my creativity. I'm just going for it. Is that okay? Oh, that's totally welcome. It's just my creativity. I'm just going for it. Is that okay? Oh, that's totally welcome. I mean, why not make up more words?

Let's do it. I promise we'll understand them. But I feel like if we look at it in terms of the visual arts, we look at a canvas, right? And we could like take paint and splash it and throw it at the canvas. And that would be beautiful, right? And that has a space in terms of what is art and what we've

given to the Lord. Let's say this was a picture, we're painted for the Lord. But I think there's something else when you take time and actually paint a subject, right? And you're going in and maybe you start on the sketch or the outline of it and then you come back in and fill it in with color and then you come back again and start shadowing.

And now there's greater detail. One is not more valuable than the other. It's just that one shows number one, a level of skill and time that was put into it. There's a there's an attention and a focus and a detail. I think that artistry and creativity has been vilified into the church for a long time because I think that we we know that when we see something good, know that when we see something good, we can start to worship ourself as if we, like, that it's all us. And I think that there's a space for that even too. And I'm not like this. And this is why I feel like the Lord is bringing me out of like, you know, like

kind of like false humility and like, like, you're not nothing. There's a level of time, skill and energy that's been put into this that you're now crafting this for the father. It's a gift to him. I was making my parents a meal. I wouldn't just throw them something together. I would make it, I would put my energy into it and put my heart into it

so that it would be beautiful, not acceptable because he accepts even the slash paint and the thrown together thing and this is what I believe about our worship if that if that makes sense. But I think there is something to crafting putting together that sculpting and making sure you get all and so there's skill there's rehearsal there's time to practice put into it. So to answer the questions, I said all of that. I think that the performance aspect is more the artistry. It's the presentation. It's not put on a garbage lid. It's putting it on a plate.

Maybe not a paper plate, which is my new single that just dropped. It's so good. Yeah, it's not about, it's like a shameless plug. It's about like, it's about like, presentation. And I think that some of us believe that worship, especially if it's spontaneous, if we have it like, that it comes from nowhere. I think that there's still a level of like,

oh no, I've burned everything that I had and I lay it down at his feet. You know, and I lastly wanna say that I'm sorry, I know I've talked a lot but. It's good. But I think, you know the whole can and A is saying, right? Like, Cain brought a sacrifice that God did not ask for, Abel brought what was acceptable.

And I think that acceptable is different than like a skillful. Yeah. And you know what I'm saying? I think that we can start to think that because it is something that is beautifully prepared and worked on that it's no longer accepted because it's fleshly. But in my Bible, God says that he created the ends and the end and he said it is good. I think there's something to making something and going wow that yeah you know. And so I don't know. I think that I think I'm trying and I'm not saying I'm there all the way. It's where I'm trying to get to its place where I'm not completely judging what I give to him. It's not for me. It's for him.

And I'm hoping that it is acceptable. But because Jesus blood was shed, it's acceptable. You know what I'm saying? I don't have to worry about that anymore about being rejected. All right. I'm up against one whole thing. Hey, girl, you do not have to stop here. Everybody is loving this.

I know people are listening like, yes. And I just love how you weigh out, even just worship. Like, you're going to some of the different places in the Bible and it's so, it's so meaningful to you. It's so real to you. And I also love how you said you can worship to Beyonce and somehow ends with Jesus because you'll love this.

So we were recently just in a small friend group circle and worshiping it. I'm not a worship leader. I was just worshiping in the circle. And it's just my friend. And so I was about to take us into another song based off of where we were at. And I just started singing.

I was so serious. I thought it was a worship song. And it just came out. I was like, the way you hold me home, I started singing Justin Bieber Holy holy and it was so funny and I like I was just singing like I was so close and someone just like I was like are you singing Justin Bieber and I was like oh my gosh I totally 'm singing Justin Bieber but I was just worshiping and I think when you have a heart posture to worship it's just like man like, it just comes out of you.

Whatever you're talking about, whatever it is, somehow it ends in Jesus. Whatever you're even hearing and listening to, somehow it relates to Jesus. It's so cool when you have the eyes to see that. You see it. It's awesome. I love it. So, obviously, you have just a huge heart for worship in general. I've thought so much about this.

So tell me where all that was birth. I mean, you said at seven years old, you're already writing songs. What was that like when you were young? Did you know that this was kind of the calling on your life or were you just kind of doing it for fun? No, I knew it forever, but I still loved it. If that makes sense.

I never felt forced at all. I just felt like, what, this is the family business. Like we just, you know, I imagine if like I grew up on a farm or something and, you know, this is so good. If we sold eggs and whatever in order to make, like, the new would just be getting it. Like, I don't know what it is. Is it, do you, I don't know anything about farm? Get in the eggs out.

Get in the milk. Yes. We got a little farm in our house. Oh yeah, milk, yeah, definitely gal. Right, like I'm like, I would be doing all of that stuff because that's just the family business. My parents are worship leaders songwriters, singers, artists, they've always been since the,

my mom was carrying me and they were traveling and singing all over the world. And so this is just what I grew up into. And I was like, I feel like I had no choice. And I got this honestly. I grew up in rehearsals. I watched my parents writing songs and working on them. I rehearsed them.

They sang together and they do well. And they let worship at church. And so I grew up with at home rehearsals. It is not foreign. It was not foreign for my brother and I had the TV on like 100 because my parents were downstairs singing and rehearsing their songs. And so I remember like they used to sing a lot of one style of music. And then I remember when they started the song. This is the end of my dream.

I'm on. This is the end of the dream. I was like, wait, what? This is different. That is what, like, it started to bring me in. So I'd be washing the dishes and listening to them or hearth and be like in a full worship moment with the Lord and just like encountering him.

And so I grew up around it. And I always knew that like this is what I wanted to do. That doesn't mean I didn't have a plan of BC and DC. But thank God, I didn't need to do those. But yeah, I always knew that this was my life, my schooling, and I just always loved it. That's awesome. So speaking of plan BC and D, I didn't read somewhere that you went to culinary school, which maybe that's why palatable was that the word was on your mind because you know how to put it together at play. So how did that happen? And where did this shift from like, okay, I'm in culinary school.

Now I'm like back to leading worship. What was that season in real life like? Honestly, I was pregnant with my daughter April and I was staying home more often and then I think through the season that I had her, maybe the first six months of having her, all I watched was the food. Same. That was the same. I was really bad. And I realized I was like, oh, I love that. I like that. I started to go out and just so cooking. Like I always love to cook, but it wasn't like something I actually thought I could do.

I think that me going to culinary school was me proving to myself that I could do something. That's cool. That I was afraid of. You know, like you can do this and you can learn how to do something and put it together and create what you see when you go to a restaurant or what you're seeing on this tea because this is all you're doing. I don't think that that's what I'm going to do is to do something that can learn how to do some putting together and create what you see when you go to a restaurant or what you're seeing on this tee because this is all you're doing. I don't think that my daughter watched Dora until way later, like doing no pitch show.

There was just food network of Bobby Flay and everybody, Rachel, right all the day and night. I went to culinary school and I learned how to cook. And I decided that I would never work in a restaurant when I did my externship. And it was just so fast piece. I like, I want to do like corporate dining or catering. I would do that.

Maybe I would have my own restaurant. And so like create the meals and have someone else cook. But me as like the sous chef or not working Okay, well not to get like too spiritual But again if you have that I see it But do you see a lot of correlation with just what you were doing there in the kitchen of worship because I mean even with what you were Sand at the beginning about The the artwork that it is the putting together and even the putting together

of a plate and the creativity of what you're making, and then offering it to someone as a gift. I mean, I feel like it's so spiritual. 100% I learned, and I'll just take you through some of the first of all, the way that they run kitchens, like that whole methodology is very military like. So you need to come, you need to have your uniform on, shoes, top to bottom. I'm talking about hat, tie, you know, and everything,

then they check you, you lie up in the morning, then you have to be on time. You cannot be late. You're lying up in the morning and the chef inspects your outfit because it's a safety thing. It's literally like our, you know, and so you have to have two side towels and an apron on and all of that. And it has to be tied correctly because if it's tied to loosely, somebody can trip and fall,

slip and fall. Like the kitchen is a very dangerous place. And so you have to be sure that you have that. You have, we got a knife kit, right? And so we had all of our knives in you. You have to sharpen the knives just to make sure that your tools are ready There's so much prep they call it me some plots right so like before you even start cooking you have to have everything in place that you need

You know we cook at home when we like we're making something and then we go like when you need green peppers Then you cut them up and then throw a man and then it's like oh, I mean miss it. They run into that That's not the case in culinary school like everything is in place so that when you're cooking, you're not waiting because procedure is king. Procedure is king even over ingredients. And so think about it like this. So when you make cookies, you're supposed to cream the butter and the sugar together. First, in order for it to come out and to be the better consistency of a cookie. And if you don't do that, what you find is that you can't even put it together to

really form the cookies when you put it in the oven. The ingredients don't mix together. And so what I found in life is that the Lord was teaching me through culinary school that procedure and process and the way you do things are even more important than the actual ingredients, you know? And so like now I'm gluten free. And so I know I can swap out all this flour for all the flour. And I mean, I need to add a little other, you know, something else.

But the ingredients don't even fully matter. It's the process and the procedure in order to get the product that we would go, oh, that's a come on and not just Slimey weird things. Yeah, that's so good and that is the problem because whenever I'm making cookies like homemade I'll be like, oh, it doesn't really matter if you do that first, but it does matter It does matter every little thing matters. That's why you gotta that's why you're gonna do it right And so that is so true, especially just in life and Ministry and all the things like the things that we were doing now a lot of people might think oh it just happens

But no, this is five years in the making. This is you know a lot of prep work before you actually see the end result And not even the end result. So you even get started half the time So talk to me about the process for you because you put out a song, pour me out. And that song led to some incredible things. So talk about the journey of putting out that song and kind of what it led to. Quarming out was such a special moment. I don't know if you had these experiences, but you've never been writing a song and you feel like, oh, this is a god thing.

I don't know what he's doing but it's God. There was a song I worked on with an a rapper and I wrote like a brick to it um and I asked him I was like hey I really feel like this is a worship song like wow I just think this piece you know I love it but I just wanted to be like can I take this and write to it so I remember one day I went and sat in my living room.

Nobody was home. I had to have the kids out at my mother-in-law's house. And I sat there and I wrote, pour me out. Just that whole year, all I am is yours. All I am is yours. And it ain't so simple. Like, is it? Really second part. And then I sent it to my friend, I was like simple. Like, it's a hit. Real quick and part.

And then I sent it to someone else and they gave me a few things to do this. I mean, from the moment that I first saw, it literally like everybody was like, oh, we need this. There were videos, it was going viral. I went to the doves. And when I say this, I'm not saying it like,

like we need everything to go viral in order for it to be important. But the way that the Lord was using it was like, well, this is something that for the school. It's bigger than the city, because that's what I'm from. It's bigger than this region. Like, I want to do something with myself. I went out to the double-warts to a new artist showcase and they asked me to sing it there. And the Lord told me, bring your guitar. And I'm like, why? Because they were actually wanting to listen to the song.

So I was supposed to stand there while they listened to it. And any questions they had, but we were going to work with the guitar. And I didn't fight him, I worked with the guitar. And so as the song kind of got to the end, like we just all kind of went to work, now I was able to like, play continue to work.

And that moment ended up on the day that kind of went viral in the box. And then Tadalini was like, I wanna record this song. That literally was like the beginning of what we see now. And I'm just like, how does stuff like that happen because it was so random, even the fact that I was going, I didn't even like sign up to go, somebody was like, hey, you know, like the Lord was like,

hey, do this and I didn't want to, but I feel like in those moments of obedience, he allowed the music to get all together. It was it so that I could have it. It wasn't for that. I'm calling you to and this is what I want to do. I'm going to do what I need to do to get you to that place in that position and a literally like snowball from there. And I'm still what? Yo. How did this happen? I would have just been home watching the food network. happen? I would have just been home watching the food that worked.

Hey, that is crazy. And that butter analogy is honestly so good, because it's true. It wasn't meant to be in the microwave. And so many people in our generation want to put everything in the microwave. They want to speed the process up. They want to make it happen fast, except for that is not the way that you get a good cookie. You'll let it sit out and you'll let it get to room temperature and Natural process you got a weight you got a weight on it And so waiting on the Lord and those moments for for God to

mature you in such a way that you're even ready to make the cookie you got that analogy could go so far It's so good. I love it. And yeah, your life has been crazy since. So, so after that, that's how you got connected to Mav City. You correct me if I'm wrong. And so, when you got to be a part of Mav City, did you just jump on a link? Cause you've sang some big songs with Mav City. My brother, no joke, my brother. He's adopted, but he was adopted when he was two weeks old. So he has my brother through and through. He has a massive tattoo on his leg that says gyra, because that song means so much to him. So, I mean, like we just love Mav City.

I mean, I've listened to it in some of the hardest times the past few years for me, some of the greatest times the past few years for me. Those just been our songs. And so when you got to be a part of that, what were those songs to you and how did that process start? Yeah, I mean, so I was there from the beginning, so that I was there before it was Maverick City.

And so I think I, that was another one of those processing waiting to see like, is this legit or what is this because we didn't actually plan for this to be any of this. It was a product, a publishing company. So it was more about writing songs and working together. And so we sang at first after being invited to like a worship set myself, not a bow, Chandler more out to you. Jean, we were all singing and ready.

And then Tony, who was the founder of Maverick, he was like, Hey, do you want to request? Wow. We didn't know that. Thanks. And now we came to every city, calling one. We had gotten like, so before we were out of it, we didn't have anything. We were just singing songs and worshiping.

Chandler and I, we sing our first duet. We wrote the song and sang it like within two days. You're welcome in this place. I sang, I am love. Dante did real thing if I'm not mistaken. And what is that? Oh, I want to go. I say you love me.

I say you love me. Just like a bunch of songs that happen like in that moment. And so it just kind of spiraling. I don't know how I got on the big songs, especially because I do know that, you know, there are moments once you kind of know people in what kind of moment they can maybe stew or carry that. They're just like, hey, you want to do this, you want to do that. But honestly, everything is very equal opportunity.

Everybody gets an opportunity to come to the table and some songs just come up and they become the thing. And this is, in my mind, I'm like, this is all chance even though I'm not that since I know God is working and moving. And there's something specific he wants us to do. But when I see songs like Jaira and promises and what God has done with them, I'm like, wow. It's so cool. It's so cool. Well, what's awesome about Mav City too is that it is such a collective of voices. Like that to me is so powerful that it's not about one person and that

makes it feel like such a move of God And you're right that certain people are just right to steward that moment and you steward those songs so well I mean you lead so well. It's really cool So let's talk about this new album because this is so exciting and this is your album 22 tracks like what that what? That is, that is so good. And so tell me about this. Tell me about how it came up. Journey, this, this literal journey that it was to even write some of these songs. Tell me about the car chats. All of it. I just love it. So journey I started in 2016. And it was because the Lord said to me, I was in prayer one day and I said one of those really

corporate prayers, I was like, God, whatever you wanna do, I trust you. And you have this final say, like it was one of those prayers and the Lord was like, okay, so when are you gonna tell me how you feel? And I was like, no, I can do all things but fail. You are nothing. You know, I was just like doing a corporate prayer. And he was like, no, he said, Naomi, you're still wearing a loincloth in my presence. And we were

never meant to be that way. You're still covered and you're still praying from a place of shame. And so that took me out. He was like, dealing with my worship. He was like, your worshiping from shame, you're still covered up. You're not being real. A hundred percent vulnerable and transparent. And let's work on it. And so I started to write those songs then. And so for me, like gyra, those songs are like, and I have, I'm coming back to eat it. And really it was supposed to be a double album, like Journey Back to Eden. So they were supposed to go together because the songs on Journey are like the BTS of those worship moments that we might see that are more made public or corporate worship.

And to me, Journey is a worship album. It's just not the genre. It's the actual walking through things with the Lord. And so I spent a lot of time in my car, talking to the Lord and whoever else we listen about the process of the Lord was taking me through. And I wanted to put that on the album in between the songs because I know that, and you probably know this too because you're on this podcast as well.

And so you're talking a lot and people can misconstrue something you say, no matter how much you say something, you can twist it, turn it to mean, whatever they want it to mean. And I wanted to give as much context for some of these songs as possible, because I think when you're in the process of figuring things out, like, imagine reading a book of Ecclesiastes and not being all the way okay with Jesus.

You could really like fall away because it's so like, oh no, it's like everything is vanity. Everything is meaningless. It's like, no, you know, if you're not solid, you could get lost. And so I wanted, I feel like this album is like an Ecclesiastes type of album.

And it needed context. So I needed to put my voice on there, saying some of the process. And I think with inflection and with told, you can kind of hear where something is for questions, or some things are silent and I'm sure. And I just thought that it was the most responsible thing I could do as somebody who technically is a faithful leader. You know, like you're a leader in this way and people are influenced by you.

And I just wanted to be responsible with the platform. That's so good. I love it. Well, I think that it's so important because I love how you said this isn't supposed to be like a perfect out in rap a bit on it. It's not supposed to be that, you know, God, you're so good. Like yes, he's so good. And yes, let's talk about his goodness, but let's also talk about like the reality of what we're walking through right now and how it's hard. And how do we find his goodness in this?

And I think the starting the conversation with that, it just deepens people's faith, because if you avoid the hard conversations, that doesn't, I mean, that doesn't make you any more intimate with God, that doesn't make you any more close to his goodness. And I love it. It was so funny. I was watching you in Priscilla on the car chats. And she said, you can't just listen and just enjoy this album.

She was like, you're gonna be sit with this and you're gonna be like, oh Lord, like you can't just enjoy it. And it's so true. It's like, yes, you enjoy it. And you can be jamming your dance and you're like, this is so good. And then you're like, oh, wait a second, hold up. Like that just hit me.

And I think in life, we need those, hold up, wait a minute, moments. Like let's talk about this, let's deal with this. Let's lean in a little bit further. So I just, I love it. Was there a song that that you were writing at this that you felt like more of a wrestle than the others that you're like, okay, this is actually kind of hard or was it all just a process? It was all the process, but honestly,

there's choosing myself and still alone. At first, it was one song, so they went into one another and choosing myself was really a conversation that I was having with me. When I realized that I had become someone else, I became who I thought I needed to be. To be, you like to just literally be and live and show up as a wife and a mom and a friend and a daughter. I had become something else. And I was and I was Laura was taking me on this journey. He was like, hello, but this is who you actually are. And some of this is not good. And you need to accept it so that you can move forward. And some of this is amazing. And this is who I made you to

be. But you try to tame that and pull that back so you can be more palatable. Yeah. To people and and what they want. And so I had to confront myself. And so that was one of the hardest songs I think to release because, and not to write, because I literally got into my studio and just saying that thing through. So I literally like saying it out and wrote it that way.

I did not write it down. I had to go back and try to after. And I'm telling you and then still alone, I did take a little bit more time on, but that one was like I literally like saying through it. It was a lot for me to release it because it almost I'm like, oh God, are people going to think I'm schizophrenic? You know, or you know, I I'm gonna think that I'm crazy. I'm not crazy, but this is the process I'm having to choose myself, I'm not me in a selfish way, like self and flesh,

choose who I actually am and choose to show up as that and hope that people will still love me and that me, like me, you know, because I don't want to be Unliked and I don't want to live for the rest of my life, you know what people saying you change or you used to be this way And you know, and now you're not that was difficult, but if I'm honest, it's the thing I'm most proud of for myself I'm like I did it and I love to pretend and I didn't just let the Lord do the process internally. I let people know I'm different now and it's because I'm going back to who I truly am and who God's made me to be. That is so good.

What a great message and I totally can relate to that because I write books. And so when I write a book, sometimes you're writing stuff and you're like, oh, this is like so easy to write, but how am I ever gonna let anybody else read this? Because this is like so exposing. And what I found, and I actually gave advice to someone else for this because they can be like, sitting about to put out a book, but it's like all my things, and I'm like,

oh, then we were gonna think this and that. And I said to be honest, what I found with people reading my books is no one, well, I mean, I'm not gonna say no one, probably some people are like, ooh, say no, but some people might be like that. But for the most part, people do not read something like that or listen to something like that and say, oh, Naomi, struggle with that.

And she thinks this, they say, oh my gosh, I am the same way, or I can relate, or wow, that's my story. And people begin to see themselves in your story, because when people come to listen to your music, of course they love your music, but they're listening for them, you know, which isn't a bad thing. Like when you're in the car listening to songs,

like, I'm not thinking, oh, this is so-and-so, I'm thinking, man, I needed this, you know? And so when you're willing to be vulnerable enough to put yourself out there, it's amazing that people aren't like, oh, that's, it's not about you, it's about God, it's about what God's doing in their lives. It's about, it's about their story becoming better. So I just love it. You have a song called Brand New and this quote is so good. I made up my mind that even if I never find the fairy tale ending, it's just a chapter. And I just thought I was so

good because so many people are like looking for the fairy tale ending and like on this search for this. And I think a lot of that probably is because of social media, you know, because everything a lot of times looks like a fairy tale. And if your life doesn't look like a fairy tale, then what's wrong with your life, you know? How do you, how do you, you know, own your hat and not microwave the butter to get to the good stuff? I think it's trusting.

That's good. The history. I think you have to start from an initial place of trust, you know, so that you can get the actual cookie the way it's supposed to be. Sometimes it comes from failure where you try to make the cookie and it's like greasy and like burnt on the ends and not good. And so you realize, okay, wait, maybe I did something wrong. Let me try it again, you know?

But for me, it is that it's like, oh, this works. This doesn't work. And every day that line gets to me. When I listen to back to the music, that line always gets to me because it's difficult. I think every day I use my mind renewed to the music, that line always gets me because it's difficult. I think every day I use my mind renewed to remember like, okay, Jesus, whatever you have for me is what will be and it doesn't have to be like what I see

in someone else's life. I'm actually living my dreams. You know, like I'm literally living in the fulfillment of everything and I didn't want much. All I wanted to do was sing. And I think I added on the end. I was like, but Lord, I need a little money to start to take care of my baby. But that was like the cat like, you know, but even if I can't, I just want to be able to sing

and use my guess to glorify you as people see me. They really look at you. That's all that I wanted. And when I think about the bad things that are going on in my life, I'm still like reminded of like, oh no, like this is actually still a great story. And I'm gonna be okay, you know?

That's great. So I know there was a moment in your life, I heard somewhere and I might botch this because I don't know a lot about this. But it's like, you had a moment in your life I heard somewhere and I might botch this because I don't know a lot about this But it's like you had a moment where you had was it polyps or something on your vocal cords? Okay, so that's obviously one of those moments where it's a chapter like that's so hard and it's coming at like the thing that You're gifted to do and you're called to do like take us to that because so many people that might not be what they have But they have something that is coming like directly at

what God has called them to do. And that's confusing when that happens, you know. My lady, here's the thing. Remember the story I told you when you asked about Pormiao and like how it got me through. So in the midst of that, I got diagnosed with those pallets. And I was, it was so painful to sing. I went to both voice therapy.

And she was like, sometimes we can, you know, use therapy to get pilots down, but uni surgery. I went to the ENT, I did all the things that were like, yeah, uni surgery, you can't sing for this amount of time. So we're gonna schedule it for here. I was destroyed. Do you understand?

Because I'm like, how is this going to happen? I hate the idea of this. Don't put a knife to my logo for it. This is all I have. But the Lord used that season to help me take my identity out of singing. But this is what happened. When my surgery was scheduled, was the day, the same day that I had gone to that dumb showcase.

No way. Yes. And when you brought it up, I was like, oh my goodness, I've got the test. That's how you know got there. You know, like when you don't even have to be worried about thinking about it, you brought me through so much. I was so close to getting surgery. And I, in faith, the Lord was like,

what are you gonna do? He asked me, he said, what are you gonna do? And I was like, oh my God. I'm gonna go here and I believe you're gonna heal me. I went there, I did the things. I ended up going to a service. Somebody prayed for me.

It was like, please, it was like a terrible prayer. And it was like, it was like one of those like, Lord, healer of all the words, hey man. I was like, you know what I'm saying? Jesus, no, you like, wait, I need to be really prayed hard for me. When I tell you, I went back to the, because my voice started feeling a little better.

And I was like, oh, let me go back to the ANC and just check. I didn't think anything happened when they went back and checked me out before it's the palace. Oh my gosh. I'm telling you, like America, I never had to get surgery. I never had those vocal problems again. And it was literally a stumbling. Come on.

Eight tests. And I'm telling you, and that's a, that's a miracle that I should really talk about it was literally a stumbling verse with a faith test. And I'm telling you, and that's a, that's a miracle that I should really talk about more often, but I don't even remember when exactly it happened because I still had a little bit of struggle after that prayer. It wasn't like my voice just instantly, I don't know when God did it, but I know He did it. Come on, okay, okay.

You really should talk about that more. you really should talk about that more. You should definitely talk about that more. That is so cool, but you're also right in the sense of like, you know God is going you forget. Because that is so true. Like, okay, like I actually was talking to a friend this morning at breakfast. We were talking about a situation that just happened to me. And it probably should have like made me more upset, but I was like, I'm actually kind of forgot it. I was telling one of my best friends about it and I said, did I tell

you this happened to me? And she was like, how did you not tell me that? And I was like, you see, you know what's crazy is I think that that is just showing how deeply in the presence of God I am right now because the similar thing happened to me last year and that is all I could talk about for two months And then it happened this year and I forgot like I literally didn't even tell one of my best friends And I was like, you know, that is when you see that God is good and sometimes God does just you know He really does like heal you so much in that moment that you're like, okay, moving on. That's that's good Thank you God. How are you? We're moving forward, but then but then there is something to be in like no

Let me testify for a second, because listen to what God just did. Like that's so cool. Okay, because I'm only here really encouraged. Like I needed to remember that. And if you didn't say that, how probably would not be this happy right now? Come on, I love it, I love it.

We prayed that Joy would come to people and it's coming. Well, I want to ask you about this because this is so good. You said this with Priscilla on that car chat I'll listen to, which by the way, for those listening, if you haven't listened to her car chats, you can find it on her Facebook and her YouTube page, and they are so good.

I mean, it truly makes you feel like you're your best friend. Like, oh yeah, we're just hanging, we're just chilling. And because me and Priscilla actually are friends, I felt like I was in this moment. I was like laughing at Priscilla's dances and everything. But you said to her, and it was like this epiphany, when you said it, you said, if you love me, obey me. And you're talking about that with the Lord.

And you said, I think that might be the greatest gift we have. Like if we obey, if we love and we obey him, and that might be the greatest gift. And I was like, you know what, that's so cool. That's just a cool thought. And we don't talk about that a lot. So I wanted to bring that up. And I wanted you to just talk about that for a minute.

And what it looks like to just be, to walk in obedience with the Lord and the blessing that it brings. Yeah, and I just think the Lord has proven to me over time that the best thing for me to do is obey. And so, you know, some people, they believe in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Bible, right? They know. And the Holy Spirit. And the fact that he is a gift,

Jesus gives to us. He convicts the world of sin, but he also teaches us. He's the power of faith that comes alongside of us to guide us and to lead us to where we need to go. And alongside of us to guide us and to lead us to where we need to go. And that proverbs, is it proverbs three, four through six? Yeah. Which is like trust in the Lord with all your heart lean not to your own understanding and all your ways acknowledge him and he will direct your path. I think obedience is the quickest way to be in the will of the Father to be used according to your purpose. You know, like, you know, there are vessels

and he just used as he says, these are vessels that are for sacred, and these are maybe not so sacred use. And we just get to be exactly who he's called as to be. And I think that when we are a disobedient and not connected to him, it is hard for us to live a life of fulfillment and live in the fullness of everything that he's called us to. And it wasn't a piphany in that moment because I've always read that scripture of

like, if you love me, you'll obey me of this thing of like, I have to do because this was going to be what helps me be accepted to him. But then I think in that moment and in that like, I have to do because this was going to be what helps me be accepted to him. But then I think in that moment and in that context, I started to think about how my obedience to him isn't just for me, it's for others, you know, and I think about how one man sin and sin entered the earth, but then one man died and like freedom, it came to everyone. And I think if we're following and trying to be like Christ, we get to be like that one man and love and be obedient to him and not continue in sin, but make this thing that kind of pushes back a lot of the evil and the darkness of the world.

It's good. All of that. And you know what you said, this is a second ago, whenever you were talking about how you saw that scripture and how you interpreted it. And isn't it crazy? Because you actually mentioned this in the car track too. You were like, if God actually loved me the way sometimes I, if you got loved me, then it would be a sad praise.

You said, if God loved me the way that I loved me, it would be a sad praise. And I was like like that is so true because sometimes like I think what we perceive what we would think God would be saying because that's how we would say it then we start to think that God's disappointed or God thinks dot the dot or God thinks we're not enough or God and that that's just not true that's so far from true and I get like that too. Like I had a moment of their day where I just didn't have time, like I didn't get up early enough to have time to just be with the Lord. But then I went to work and all day long, I

honestly sat with the Lord because I was working on messages and I was working on prep and all this different kind of stuff. And I was reading the word and I was like, at the end of the day, I was so mad at myself for not getting up and I felt like the Lord was disappointed in me and I'm like, what is my, like God is not like, what, you missed me this morning. Like as if he was waiting on me and I did chimp for breakfast whenever it's like, no, we spent all day together and I think sometimes it's like, we need to make sure

that we're checking ourselves whenever we're putting something on God, that's something that God never put on Himself. That's something that God would never say. God would never do outside of His character. Well, I love this shot. This is so good. I'm so excited for people to hear this. And I'm so excited for people who are listening to go listen to Journey, her new album.

And like she mentioned, this whole journey and this album is a process. It's a process of her emotions and things she's thinking about. Things she's worshiping through and I just know it's good to bless all of you guys to take the time to go listen. So excited for our y'all to dive into all of that and Naomi thank you for just being a great example to so many people. Thank you for leading us in worship. You've literally led global worship and that is something that I'm so grateful God put on your life to do because it's blessed me in so many moments. And I'm so grateful for this album. Continue doing all that you're doing and we are cheering you on.

It's a lot of weekend. Thank you so much. I appreciate you. I can talk to you forever. And this was so nice to be a part of. I love those, like, thank you. you