WHOA That's Good Podcast - What Is God's Best for Your Life? | Sadie Robertson Huff & Jenn Johnson

Episode Date: November 23, 2022

Sadie is so happy to chat with author, songwriter, worship leader, President of Bethel Music, mom of 5, and incredible friend Jenn Johnson. Are you trying to determine God's call on your life? Jenn outlines some very practical steps for doing exactly that. Sadie and Jenn talk about the beautiful simplicity of the Gospel, and why it's dangerous to stray too far from its stripped-down, plain, but powerful message. Jenn loves celebrating the simple things in life: good food, nature, and family moments. She reminds us to never forget the goodness of God and how good life can be for you! Always remember that people around you desperately need Jesus, so how can we show Jesus to them? It can be something as simple as a genuine smile. And Sadie shares Honey's latest obsession around the house. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What's up, well that's good fam. Welcome back to the well that's good podcast. Happy Wednesday everybody. Y'all I'm so excited for today. I hope your week's been good, but if it hasn't it's about to get better because I have one of my good friends on the podcast. This is actually the second time she's been on the podcast, but the first time was the very first season. So I'm so excited. We have a lot to catch up on. I had Jen Johnson on the podcast today. Welcome back to the podcast, Jen. Thank you, babe. Good to see your face. Love you. Guys, it's so good to see you. I'm so excited that you're on. You're truly, I have to say, and I'm not just saying this to your horn. I said this the other day in private, so you know it's true, because I said it to my mom in Christian. I was like, we're listening to just worship in the car, and it was

like on worship today. So songs are just repeating. And let my life be worship comes on. And I go, to Johnson's my favorite worship leader. And they were like, it was just so random. I was like, she is, she's just so good. And like your voice just holds so much power and authority. But you're also just one of my favorite people. So I'm excited to have you on. I adore you. I, that song led my life.

My friend, Michaela and some friends wrote that. And I helped the tiny bit on it, but they wrote the majority of it. And it just caught my heart. I was like, this is gorgeous. So. It's so gorgeous. It's pretty special.

It's so good. It really is. And you know, Christian and I were just talking about this recently. He was talking about how, which I thought was so cool for him to say. He was talking about how like whenever you have a real relationship with Jesus,

practical things should start to happen in your life. Like you should just start to serve, you should just start to love people better, you should just start to, because your love for Jesus is what's pouring out. And when I listen to that song, I was thinking about that conversation we had. It's so true, it's like even,

and there's a part of the song, it's like as I'm doing the dishes, like what everything that I do be worship and I think about Christian in that way because he does the dishes for our family which is so nice and he he always says like that's one of the ways that I get to serve our family and it is worship to him and so guys I just I love it it's so good. It's true right? So true. It is. Well, before we even dive into everything, now that we're on the topic of that song and that album, talk to me about the album that you

all just put out simple and just what it means to you and everything. Yeah, we, um, you know, in the pandemic, it was pretty wild because I think that for the world, simplifying was really a huge theme that I saw God do. And church got reduced and simplified, and our homes, we were home, and stuff that had been avoided, got simplified, and the things that we were used to doing, we weren't doing anymore. And so that word kind of became part of something

we saw not only personally, but in the church as well God doing so um sonically sound wise for the album um we love the big crowds and the loud and the wild and the passionate but um we've gone through a really really intense few years with um as of recently my husband's mom who's been battling cancer for like five years passed away, and you know, pretty intense for us, honestly. And so, you know, to write and to do something and not only put out music when it's the good times and the celebration times and we can sing victory from victory, but to put out something honest that felt, you know, like it magnified God, but it also

wasn't lights and smoke and hype. And so, not that, you know, anyway. So we, we've got all that going on and just really wanting to make it about the simple gospel and the simple love of community and people and the simple beauty of the church. You know, the simple things in life, you know, going outside, good food, nature, and just reminding yourself that life is not as bad as this device sometimes makes me. I think it is, like God is good and life is good and there are good things and so that's kind of where the heart of the album came from. And then also the other thing we did for this one is there are people on this album that you know probably majority of the world have never heard of before and we just felt like

man there's something special on your life let's bring you in and there's a father daughter duo for example in 2020 I just heard them leading worship he's a local pastor and she's a father daughter duo, for example. In 2020, I just heard them leading worship. He's a local pastor and she's a pastor's daughter and they just lead worship in, you know, covers. And it caught my heart and got me through 2020. And so we had them come up and be on the album, it's cool. The Vesnie.

So anyway, it was just a really a special project for us. Brian sings, I still believe that you're the healer. And, you know, to be able to sing that, you know, last night believe that you're the healer and you know to be able to sing that you know last night at our conference when his mom's passed away and I still believe even when I don't see things that I want to see happen it's not going to change who you are or my faith in you and I think that you know that's a pretty powerful theme for us right now. That's so powerful you know I think that's the beauty of worship and just the songs that so many incredible people like, y'all write these words that connect so deeply with things that we walk through

and you're putting words to something that a lot of people struggle to find the words to say. I remember there was a song, it's Brandon Lake's song, Gratitude. I remember when I heard that song, it was in a tough season in my life and it says like, come on my soul, don't you get shy on me, you know? And I remember just taking those words to heart like so personally, like this is what I need for my season. And like I didn't know what to pray to God before that, but something about those words gave me the language to pray. And so I think this album does that for so many people

and because y'all wrote from such an honest place and a hard place, it's just such a beautiful gift to give to the world. I actually got to watch your mother-in-law's funeral on YouTube. Christian and I just happened to get on and it was live and we watched the whole thing and it was just, I texted you that night. It was just the most beautiful celebration. What a life well lived and

All of y'all's family. It's just so precious and so sweet and so close and I just loved it so much Just getting to watch and celebrate her life with y'all. I know that it's been so hard But what a gift that y'all shared, even the celebration of her going on to heaven with the world. So y'all just live your life so open and it's such a beautiful thing truly. And I love that word, that simple word, because I do think that so many times in the church, like it can just get about so many other things, you know, but when you just talk about the simplicity of the power of the gospel It's so powerful on its own. You don't need anything else

Yes, so I just love that that theme right now for me even the past two weeks You know, we recorded that album like gosh, it feels like a year ago. I think but You know even to bring it current like that the simple gospel piece of it, you know like I am I just am so passionate right now about, and I love the church. I love Christians and I love the church and we write music for people who know Jesus predominantly, you know, I'm obviously, there are so many themes of the gospel in what we're doing that's for everyone, but I think right now my heart is really burning, not that hasn't before, but maybe more than ever for the lost. And for people who don't know Jesus

yet. And you know, or one of our friends, he just says, everybody's hungry. Everybody wants to know Jesus, whether they want to admit it or think they, they do everybody wants to know Jesus. And I'm burning with that, like for the one, like the person that you pass on the street, you know, like, yes, give a money, Jesus says, you know, give to the poor, but stop and pray for them. Like ask them if they need prayer, you know, and just being mindful of just that need.

I watched the preview for the new movie coming out of Lonnie Frisbee's life. And I just sat in the theater and cried because I'm like, I want that so much. I want us to keep our passion about like, hey, we're on the planet to, you know, do all the obvious stuff, but man, people need to come to know Jesus. We need to lead people to Jesus. So I'm like, I'm so fired up right now. I love that. I love that. Put a fire in us. It's so good. We just hosted our conference recently. And there was a lot of, we had a lot of.

I have FOMO. I know. Next year you got to get here. It's going to be so good. But I honestly was just incredible. But one thing that was really cool is we really prayed beforehand, like, OK, got help us to see everyone in the room. Like security cops, people who are helping open doors, We really prayed beforehand, like, okay, got help us to see everyone in the room, like

security cops, people who are helping open doors, like whatever to take it in, like all of it. And it was so cool, there was a cop there. And we had a prayer team running around praying for people and just praying over the room and praying over what God was doing. And one of the prayer team members stopped and she said, hey, can I pray for you tonight? And this cop, he's older gentleman, just started weeping. And he said, 17 years of doing this,

I've never one time had somebody pray over me. And he just got so emotional. And it was so beautiful. And it was just like, wow, 17 years of doing something. And he's never had someone pray for him. And a job that is so hard, you know and and right we need to pray over people, you know and so I love that It's like not just praying over people in the church, but like be the church on the street and pray for people in the street You know so hundred percent. I love it girl. I'm like come on get us fired up. That's so good. There was a song

I wrote a few years ago called For The One, and it came out of this, I was just in a target parking lot. I was just, you know, going about my day, and I came out and this man, I passed this man, and I just tell you it's heartbroken. I couldn't, I didn't know what's going on in life. I didn't know him, but I could just tell you it's heartbroken. You know, you just look at somebody

like you're going through it. And I didn't have what's going on in life. I didn't know him, but I could just tell his heart broken. You know, you just look at somebody like, you're going through it. And I didn't have, you know, the fellow guy was supposed to say anything necessarily, I wanted to just hug him, but, you know, he probably would have been like, get out of here. But I just, I felt like I was supposed to look him in the eyes and smile at him, like a genuine smile. And oftentimes we don't know what to do

when we come across brokenness. You know, we want to ignore it or you see someone's on the side of the road. And I just looked right in the eye and I just smiled. And I went in my, I sat in my car and I just sobbed. I just cried. And God spoke to me that even in just a smile, looking at someone's eyes and even in just a smile, they will know the Father's love. And I turn that into the lyric because, you know, we just take things like, oh, we can't do these epic big things or give them a place to live or, you know, we can, but we can, we could always do something and we just have to simplify it. Yeah.

Simple. Back to hearing what Jesus wants us to do in the moment. And maybe it's money and maybe it's a smile. Maybe it's, you know's taking somebody who needs clothes shopping or whatever it looks like, but just being mindful of the one, like Jesus did. It's so good. I love it so much, I love it.

Oh man, I'm like, there's so many places I want to go. One thing I want to ask you about is because you just said it. Whenever you all were doing the album and you had other people come in that may maybe not everybody knows their name. And I watched a video of you one time talking about just being a worship leader and as a leader really what that looks like to lead and one thing that you said is when you know I guess sign of a good leader is to really see when the fire of God is on someone else's life or really see whenever something's on someone else's life and being able to call them up.

And I just thought that was really good advice. And I want you to talk about that a little bit because I feel like in the world we live in, it can be so self-driven. And it's like we're looking out for opportunities for ourself and not looking out for opportunities for others. Whenever maybe they have the gift on their life that needs to be in that moment at that time. And so can you talk about that a little bit?

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is two things that equal the same and man, that's just not real life. So, um, I, uh, but I, I was talking about, um, what was I saying, juggling balancing? We're talking about, I asked you about the worship. Like how do you need a powering people? Oh, I mean, empowering people. Yes. Empowering people. Yes.

So, you know, the juggle is knowing the gift of God on your life as a leader and leading from that place. So I don't diminish who I am personally in order to empower or encourage other people. But it's just not about me entirely. And so I think that part of it is knowing who you are and leaving from that place. And part of it is always being mindful for the others around you, whether they're your friends and their speakers or their, you know, your children or like just of what God's doing and who he's highlighting. And maybe it's a friend you're thinking about. Why am I thinking about, I woke up this morning

about 4 a.m. unfortunately, and not even because of a baby, just because. And I was thinking about, one of my friends who used to work here and move back to another country and, and I'm gonna call him today. He's just on my heart today. Hey, how you doing, you know, so whether it's a dream or you're just thinking about somebody reach out and text them. Hey, I love you. I'm praying for you. You know, you don't have to open a can of worms for any reason, but just really being sensitive to what God's doing. Yeah, I think I think nothing crushes Competition like if you're whatever you're good at or gifted at in life, you're going to have what feels like competition, sneak up on you that the enemy will try to get you with. And what crushes competition is encouragement.

And so, if you, you know, there's a tail-tailed sign of somebody who's insecure and self-absorbed, and that is the fact that they don't encourage others. Wow. And so, I think being mindful of that, like, okay, God, who are you? and self-absorbed. And that is the fact that they don't encourage others. Wow. And so I think being mindful of that, like, okay, God, who are you highlighting? What do you want to encourage? We have our kids minister here at Bethel,

one of the themes they used to go after was, God has nice things to say. And he's speaking all the time. And so, okay, God, right now, what are you saying over sati? Okay, so I'm just sitting here right now. This is real time. I have been thinking about this. And just asking the Holy Spirit that question,

oversatting right now, I hear the word light beam. And it's heard that word, just light beam, like you're a beam of light. Wow. And so it's that simple, like just tapping into God, what are you saying about this person? What do you love about this person? And then maybe it's a lady working at Target,

maybe it's your husband, maybe it's your kid, and just saying that to me, you know what? I just see this over you, and it doesn't have to be this crazy, those sort of Lord, you know, like, please don't, please don't. Simplify. But simplify, you know, a great,

a great way to encourage people and have it not be like spooky and weird is just to say, you know what? I'm practicing hearing God's voice and I just felt like this phrase came to mind light beam as I'm thinking about you and I felt the Lord just wants to encourage you. He loves you. It doesn't have to be this weird thing. You know what I mean? Yeah, you know, it's so cool. You just made that so casual, but it was so truth-filled. And so thank you for giving us a practical example and what it looks like to encourage someone, to affirm someone and to hear what God's saying over someone's life, and I'll tell you this is crazy.

So I went to a retreat this past spring, and it was the most amazing thing. Our church does these retreats, and you get away literally in the woods for like two days and just worship and be with the Lord and there's this they have like 150 prayer team over like these 50 retreatants and it's like it's just amazing. You never filmed more loved and prayed over and just the heart of the Father. Anyways they do this thing where they really pray over every person before the retreat and ask God God, what do you see in this person?

And then they write it down and they give it to you at the retreat and what's so cool is like this is before they New you or knew your story or anything and so whenever you get the word You're always like, whoa, this is so crazy. Well my whole thing this past year has been being a light in the darkness and the Perth like the people wrote this word over me and they were like, Sadie God sees you as a beautiful light in the darkness. And then you just looked at me and you said light beam.

And so I'm like, that actually, I have to say, is exactly what God's been saying to me over and over again this year. And so, you know, Jan just sat here and said, God, you know, what do you see a Sadie and literally nailed it as confirmation to me on what so many other people have spoken over me this year. And what God already spoken me. And so that was just like the best example ever. That's amazing.

That looks like that was so good. It's totally cool. It's childlike, isn't it? I think that any time and anything connected to God that we, if it doesn't feel childlike or that it would translate to a child, it might not be God. I mean, he puts that in his word so clearly, comes to me as little children. So you have to simplify to talk to kids. You can't talk in this like creature voice or this thus say it like what the heck you know you have to simplify so that is happening into that like just tapping into the word of God and the voice of God

yeah you know it's just it's easy it's not difficult you just have to quiet the noise we have we have a secret project that I'll give you I'll give you some exclusive on for fun things. Yeah, it's a lot of fun. So we've been in simple land. And then we've been for a long time now. We've been burning to kind of do a follow up record to. Remember that record we did a few years back where it was up on that mountain overlooking the lake. Cold food not be shaken.

Yeah. Yeah. And so we've wanted to do that. But we wanted to go into the forest and take our cold meat into the woods. Love. And so we did it. No.

And into the Redwood Forest, we took our cold, methyl music team. And in the forest, and we literally put a stage and brought in like all the, everything's a movie set. Oh my gosh.

Into the forest to record an album and it is so unbelievably beautiful. And it's all because these songs of transcendence is just like, they're about God and His holiness and His beauty and His wonder. There's not a lot of eye or me or in the lyrics, it's just like, who God is and who we are through him. So we're we're fired.

That is a fire. I'm fired. I was sitting here like, let's go. Like when can it? So when does this come out? Is this like is it in the only in a few months? Oh my God. It'll be it.

It'll be in in March. So only a few months and it's called come up here. months. And it's called Come Up Here. Cool. And it's based out of Revelation 4. And the verse that says, Come Up Here, and I will show you what to do next, or I will instruct you. Mm-hmm.

And it came out of this in 2020, 2021. There was so much controversy or opinion. Yeah. vaccine, no vaccine, politics, garbage, you know, everyone had their two cents to say and who knows who was right, you know, it's like chocolate poop cake.

Like when you make a cake and you stir and poop into the batter and you can't tell poop from cake. No, sure. Yes. So there's a lot. And I was I was talking to the Lord one time and I said, you know,

I said, you know, this is how I feel about this God. What do you say? It was about the vaccine, actually. And God said, I don't want your opinion. I want mine. Well. And I was like, whoa, wow, well, dang.

Okay. I said, well, what's your opinion? And he said, it's different for everyone. Wow. And I think that's a powerful thought. I think a lot of times we're looking for the right or wrong answer. As a kind of, you know, for everyone's doing it, but it really isn't that way is it? It's not always a black or white. There's about a million

shades of gray. And we have to hear his voice. And so just leaning into that is something that I'm like, Okay, God, I don't want to know what someone else is doing. What are what are what I supposed to do? I want to hear your voice. So good. And so. Gosh, I love that so much. Well, I cannot wait for that album to come out. We are like, total, we are the total people that sit and watch worship on TV.

Like, we just YouTube worship and watch it. And honey actually looked at now too, which is great. And so I like, I can't wait for that. It's just gonna be beautiful. You have to show her if she hasn't seen it, the Bethel Music Kids. She's obsessed. Oh my gosh, I actually have been meaning to text you

and be like, so when is more Bethel kids coming up? Because deep cries out. We're doing it. We're doing it. 10 times a day. Are you serious? Yeah, this year, this next year after come up here kind of the next thing that I really feel

God stirring is the 20 to 30 year olds and kids. Oh my God. This is a two. I don't know what I'm more excited for because I'm so excited for honey that she's going to have more of that. No, I'm not kidding. We watch Deep Cry's Out and I don't even know there's something on that that video in that song because every little kid I know is obsessed with it. John Shepherd and Ella are obsessed with it. My little niece is a nephew. Ronnie, Lani's daughter is obsessed with it and it's so cute. Honey will be walking her house. We'll have it in the background and every time it goes everybody clav your hands. She turns around and says, God damn hands like we do the whole meet we do all the moves stir up the water the whole thing like yeah so I'm so excited that's awesome we we were telling our team we're like okay this is like some deep like

revelatory biblical lyrics but like it's not we got to write a song at the same bpm that bamps but it's actually lyrics that kids can understand why are we string up like why are we following in water, mommy? She loves it. She loves it. She loves it. It's so good. Oh my gosh.

I love it so much. Yeah. Yeah, we're on it. I'm so excited. Like, I wrote down this Instagram thing quote that you wrote recently and I thought it was so good. And it's talking about the call of God in your life. It says, follow the call of God on your life, quit running, quit fighting it. Life is meaningless and empty without God.

Abandon your life to Him is absolute best. And I just love that. And I think so many people are honestly confused on the call of God and like, how do I find out the call of God on my life? And that even is something that maybe can be simplified because it's like this daunting question and this huge thing. It's almost like people think they have to figure out. And so how do you practically step into and know the call of God? Because one thing I love you said earlier, and I just want to highlight that, is you said, you know, I don't diminish like what God's put on me, and I don't say like, you

know, and just act like he hasn't given me a gift and go and look at whatever else is doing. Because I think sometimes in the church, we can do that. We can be like he hasn't given me a gift and go and look at whatever else is doing because I think sometimes in the church we can do that we can be like don't look at me, don't look at me, and then we're actually just not using our gift and actually just not. 100%. 100% of the call of God. So how do you discover what that is for your life and then step into it with confidence? Yeah, I think that you know, realizing just like, you know, you feel about honey and you will fall about all of your other kids, like you want them to all be who they're called to be and that it's not like you're not in

competition like we talked about earlier, but it really is, how do you find the call of God in your life? Well, for one, you got to be anchored and rooted in the Word of God. So that's step one is you've got to know who God is before anything that involves you. So learning who God is and then learning the voice of God. And how do you learn the voice of God? You practice just like you do anything else, right? In the bike, you know, God speaks to me. That's the first, pray that. I dare you to pray. God speaks to me.

Good. And then shut up and listen. Yeah. Because he will. He said those two things, learn who God is and then shut up and listen. Yeah, because he will. He said those things. Learn who God is and learn the voice of God. And then say God, give me a heart for others. Show me who, who, you know, who I should be called to or or naturally what you're passionate about to simplify it. So simple. Where do you come alive? And where do you see need? Where do you see need

and what makes you happy? what makes you come alive? For me, gathering people. I love to gather people and I love cross pollination. And I love to strengthen people by connecting people. I'm a total connector. I'm like, oh my gosh, you know who you have to meet? This person, because you'll just, so, you know, it's for, look for where.

I'm like, that is so weird. I'm like, you thrive in that, that's awesome. I do, I'm like, oh my gosh. Because I believe in the body of Christ, right? Which means we all have a different part in function, but we all need each other. And so I'm like, oh my gosh, I'm probably an armpit and say these for sure, like, you know,

a hand or a face or something cute. But like, we need each other. We need each other. And we can't function without each other, you know, and some people are on the outside and some people are on the inside as far as organs or parts go. But find out where you're supposed to be called to be and don't try to be something you're not like. Yeah. A lizard should not try to be a cow and a cow should not try to be a fish, you know, like just don't, you know, ask the Holy Spirit.

Like what am I called to do? There's, there's 50 things that I could do. I could, you know, stop my life today and go, go to culinary school. Which would be amazing because I'm a total foodie. But like, it's just not God's best for my life, right? Yeah, that's true. You know, and so asking God, what's your best for my life in this season? And what should I be doing?

Which way I put my attention to? And he'll speak to you. He really will. That's good. I love that. That's great advice. And I love that. It's like, you could do that,

but it's not what God's best for you. That's such a good way to put it. And actually, I think about that with dating as well. I always say, who did, what's God's best for you? Because you could go marry anyone, but who does God have that's the best for you? You know, what makes the most sense? And I think even like when you're wedding dress shopping,

it's a good example of that too. It's like all the dresses are gonna be beautiful, but like what is the best for you? And it's not gonna be the best in the world, but it's the best that fits you, your personality, your body. It makes you beautiful. And you know, and I think like whenever I was wanting to shop, I was like, this is so similar to even finding Christian. It was like, there's other things that could work, but this is the best for me. This fits me the best. This is what God has for me. The most

beautiful. Yes. And I think that is such a beautiful example too, even just God's intention from the beginning of time. Like, people are like, well, can you do this? Can you do this? And so I think in anything in life, even if it's two good things, right? For me, should I make an album or write a book in 2020? God said write a book, you know, and so it made no sense on paper. I've wanted to write a book for 20 plus years and never felt a

green light. I always go for green lights. My Goddard is this red light or green light right now. That's true. And that is such a good, actually that's such a good thing to do. And ever since I started doing that, it is such a clear way to just be like, Hey, God, and this is a green light. Let it go. If it's a real light, just stop it. And he will like 100%. He will. You got to pray dangerous prayers.

Yeah. He totally will. He will stop it. But I, but even just trying to navigate life in good things, you know, asking him, like, okay, God, is this right for this season? And it's cool. Um, I think that that time I wanted to write a book for so long, you know, it just wasn't the right time.

And so when God in 2020 was like, Greenlight for your book, I was like, okay, but how? And then the world shut down and I was able to write a book. I was like, I see you. I see. And I signed my book deal right before the world shut down. I was like, okay, clever. I see you. So crazy.

I can't believe it's been out. I'm like, the all things lovely has been out for like a year now, but which is so beautiful. And I actually have that to ask you about because you are, you, you, you set it and you're gifting in its true. You're so hospitable. You're so open with your home and you are such a foodie and all these things that you love are just so beautiful.

And it's part of your gifting, bringing people in. And I love how your book also wasn't like anybody else's. Just like you said, like a lizard shouldn't try to be a cow. We shouldn't try to be, whenever anything that we do, it should be authenticated to who we originally were created to be. And cow you be the lizard. Perfect, I love it. I'll be the lizard gladly.

So you wrote this book and it is all things lovely and it's so you and it's so beautiful and it's so great. And so talk to me about just writing that book and using your gifting and that because you know anybody can sit down and write a book. You can try to write it like somebody else but it's only going to be good to hear what God put on your heart to write and you do it in the way that God put on your heart to do it. And so talk to me about that process. Yes. I, uh, years ago was talking to a book publishing company, um, because like I said, I wanted to write a book for a long time and, and I was just kind of just doing my homework on it. And, and one of the publishers said, you know, what everyone has a book inside of them. Because everyone has the power of their testimony. Yeah.

And I thought, wow, that's powerful. And the Bible says that the spirit of prophecy is in testimony. And so, wow, what an incredible concept that every person, especially those who know Jesus, has a book inside of them and a story to tell and test the money to tell. So, I wanted to do a coffee table book, and I knew that because I don't like to read.

And so, I read my Bible and not much else unless it has pictures. So I love magazines, but I just don't love to read. And so for me, I knew I wanted to write a book that would be beautiful and inspiring in many different ways. And the number one theme in the book other they on worship and community is health and not just emotional or spiritual health but also physical health is one of my main themes in life as I'm downing my gringies on your podcast and my water. And staying healthy is just really important because

I I think that the versus says you know run the good race is really important for us I think that the verse that says, you know, run the good race is really important for us to think about because you can't just decide to run a race. You have to be intentional, you have to be disciplined, you have to be strategic, you can't be haphazard, you have to take it serious and be in it for the long haul. And I think that that's what God's called us to do and be.

And oftentimes, I think that sometimes physical health is one of the last things that we take care of in Christianity sometimes. So we got to be better. But I wrote it because I wanted to just have a book that had what I felt like God was saying and the power of my testimony in one. And so the team that helped me was really beautiful to kind of get all those passions of worship, health, hospitality, and then just the simple beauty of home. And all of us, you know, kind of finding that place of of home and creating that for

others, the hospitality gift to welcome people into our lives and to love them, whether it's through adoption, on a really intense level of impact or just like having somebody over for dinner and just loving people and bringing them in. We saw Jesus model that throughout the Bible, Jesus ate in homes with people a lot. So I say Jesus was a foodie. But yeah, so it should put it's crazy that it's been out now for a year. It's done really well. It's been it's been so fun and just the testimonies of of a people's lives being changed. A men and women, which is really fun. That's so cool. I love that so much. That's awesome. Well, it's a great book and like I said, it is so beautiful and a little coffee table book too. Like I just love that. It's so powerful, but also so beautiful and a little coffee table book too. Like, I just love that. It's so powerful, but also so beautiful.

And you did combine all of your gifts and all of your story into one thing so lovely. So great job on that. The last thing I want to ask you about is adoption because I know you adopted two sweet little boys and I love this story. One thing that I heard you say is you had this, I don't know if it was a word spoken over you where you heard in a sermon, but it was the concept of here I am God send me,

and it was just that idea of even before you asked the question, and I remember I actually had that same word spoken over me years ago, and it was really what got me to move to Nashville, which was the start of me saying yes to what God was going to do in my life. And when I trace back all that God's done, it was really that word and that yes, okay, God, before I even understand what you're doing, I'm going to say yes to you. And that just totally shaped my entire life, that yes to God, with that total surrender of here I am, send me. And so whenever you talk about that, I was like, that is so cool. So I want to hear your story with that word

and how it shaped y'all to adopt. Okay, so here's our little family. Our family Christmas. Big, big, big. So yeah, these are our two youngest that are just unbelievable. It's crazy. Look at that. They're getting too. Oh my gosh. It's crazy. No. Writer is five and Malachi is two. So I can't wait. They're so cute. And that, Darleen check actually, we do this retreat for for worship people in the worship community kind of like kings and queens in worship I do a lot of retreats as you know

And and so it's actually this weekend So please pray because it's a really powerful time there the worship community comes together at my house this week for this week In the three days and we just do the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. That's what we need. We just, we are hungry and so just pray. It's awesome. It's gonna be amazing. And you know, we're gonna eat good, you know, drink all the delicious things. So the coffee's gonna be endless.

But, you know, Darlene check was actually with us at one of the retreats a few years back, of six years ago, I think now. And she shared a word in the retreat, and it was the be it unto me according to your word, kind of the Mary story, and then also the story of, here I am, send me that verse being translated in Greek or Hebrew, and it meant,

my answer is yes before you even ask. And I just felt like I got pregnant with that in the spirit and it shook me. Like what does that mean for me God? Like I I we have three kids and our youngest was 10 at the time and we had this you know beautiful house that we had remodeled for 10 years and we had a lot of in the natural we had a lot of you know accomplishment and we're at a comfortable place in the natural, we had a lot of, you know, accomplishment. And we're at a comfortable place if you know, we worked our butts off. But, you know, what does that mean, Lord, for me, that my answer is yes, before you even ask, I don't want to be too comfortable.

Like just so we're clear, God, I will tomorrow sell all of this and move to Africa or wherever or whatever, like, if you asked me to. And so just kind of in that vulnerability is the Lord of like, what's next God? Just so you know, I'm not holding on to this life that has I've created with you. And so about maybe, I don't know, the week after that, I was laying on the couch with Brian

and we were watching a show. And the show is all about this family who adopts this baby and I start bawling and I'm not a big cryer unless it's Jesus or something real bad. But I just start bawling and I just look at my husband as we're watching the show snuggling together and I was just like, I would do it. And he was like, I would too. Like just shook. Both of us were like, I would too. Well, just shook.

Both of us were like, what words are coming out of our mouth? What's happening? Oh my God. And we couldn't believe we were saying it, but it was just the Holy Spirit in the room. And we were watching our future on a show play out. And so we jumped in.

We were like, okay, we sat down with our kids and we were like, hey, we flit gods telling telling us to adopt a little baby boy with brown skin. And we just knew it. Like we knew it like we knew our names. And so they're crying and laughing and screaming and running around the house and like so excited. And so we just committed kind of that next year to just the process of adoption. And I love the verse that says that, you know, one of the kind of points of the church is to take care of the orphans and the widows. Yeah. And for me, I take that very seriously, like people who, like single moms or single dads,

or, you know, just taking care of people's kids living in community like us, that verse of like, they took care of each other. They, they saw a need and they met it you know in their community and then for the lost and so we um we adopted writer and uh from birth and then um in 2020 God spoke to us again and we were like oh my gosh and so we we were like, all right, let's go COVID baby. And so we jumped in the process again and adopted Malachi. And I got to be there when he was born as well. So it's been unbelievable.

It's been the sweetest gift for our family and for our life. And we're very tired. We have six kids, including our sudden loss. So these bags under these eyes need extra concealer, but you know when you follow, when you follow what God's leading you to do, whether it seems impossible or overwhelming or whatever, like can you imagine standing at the waters and God going, part this and you're like on what planet, or this water is going to part, you know.

But when we really look at our lives from this impossible, is possible. Sardario, one of the lyrics in the come up here album is, the bridge says, what water am I walking on? And what's my sea to part? If faith can move a mountain, let faith now fill my heart. And that's a great, right? Like I want in our lives, right, that impossible is possible.

The overwhelming is actually perfect for your life. Like this adoption scenario, we were like, okay, God, this is crazy. Yeah. But it's not, it's perfect. And when we follow his voice, it is literally the absolute best. No matter if it seems crazy. Gosh, I love that so much.

It's so true whenever you think about, when you read the Bible stories, I think sometimes you're just reading it and just, for some reason, I guess because you just know God's gonna be God in the Bible. You're like, well yeah, that's gonna happen. But it's like no, but think about it from the human perspective of Moses literally

standing there and staring at the sea. You're like Joshua, you just go read from the human perspective, a Moses literally standing there and staring at the sea, you're like Joshua, you just go read the book of Joshua, like the craziest things, like tell the sun and the moon to stand still, like, how would you think to tell the sun to stand still? Like I would never even think to do that, you know? Like how he marched around the wall seven days,

it's like these crazy things, I got asked of these people and they did it in the full faith and the Lord responded that God stepped in and he was God. And so what does it look like in our life today knowing that God is the same God that God is that our faith really does move the power of God. So it's so it's such a powerful thought to think about and so so good for you to just remind us of that. And you're so inspiring. I am like, I wish we could talk like and I probably will call you later. I'm like, I have so many more questions that I'm thinking about now. But also just I mean, you're going to have to come back on the podcast because you're such a good

leader. You're such a good leader of faith. You're such a good leader in the church. You're such a good worship leader and just as a wife and a mom and all the things. It's so good to just sit at your feet and listen and learn. And so thank you for a carving out space to be on this. And thanks for putting out all that you do. So even if you know someone can't just pick up the phone and call you, they can go listen to somebody in your songs, listen to somebody's resources, you put out, read your book, and all the things. And so thanks for just being you and just setting a great example,

paving the way. Love you, girl. You're amazing. Same to you. I'm proud of you, and you are truly that light beam. So I love you. I love you so much.