WHOA That's Good Podcast - You Are an Unrepeatable Miracle

Episode Date: March 3, 2021

Taya Smith of Hillsong United joins Sadie with her relatable and powerful story, and it's impossible not to see Jesus in everything she says. The "Oceans" singer talks about her decision to move to Sydney to be a recording artist, living paycheck to paycheck while working in retail, her tryout for "The Voice," and the best lunch of her life. Sadie and Taya also discuss God's behind-the-scenes work, why we're not supposed to be "adults of God," finding the confidence to freely live out who you are, the times we struggle to worship, and what the Holy Spirit told Taya about shaving her head. Then, a caller asks Sadie and Christian a question about overcoming insecurity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alright, well I'm so excited, Taya, that you're on the podcast. And I have to tell you that I'm not the only one excited. This is pretty hilarious. So yesterday I'm sitting on the college and Christian, my husband and my dad are there and I'm like, so I got some great podcast coming up this week. They asked me who and I'm sharing all the people that I have, and I said, and Taya, and they were like, wait, Taya? From Hillsong United, it's on the podcast.

And I was like, yeah, and my dad and my husband both were like so stoked. They're like, we cannot wait for that one. So the men and our family were super stoked for you. And as an MI, because you're just an incredible person and we're just a heart of gold. But I had to say one other funny story about Christian. So Christian really is not just a huge fan. He just loves oceans.

He loves how you lead and all that stuff. And it was pretty funny. So one time we got in this conversation about the song Oceans. And he said that that was his shower song, that is a song that he just worships in the show. And I thought that was so funny and I made a joke and I was like what do you do? You turn on the water and you say you call me out upon the water and the boy gets so

offended that I make fun of his shower song. He was like, don't ever make fun of my shower song or oceans again. And to this day, I won't touch oceans. It's the best. So, just know. That is... Oh, so that's very sweet. It's really sweet.

Well, we're stoked to have you, Taya. I'm excited to just get to know you more and ask you the question of our podcast, which is, what's the best piece of advice that you've ever been given? Such a light question. Just we're diving in, you're into the deep end. Well, firstly, thanks for having me.

You're very kind and your family's very sweet as well The best piece of advice I have ever been given I would say because of the effect that it's had on my life would be When I first moved out of home and I moved to Sydney which was 11 hours drive away, so it was just like it easy I mean it was one hour flight, but I didn't have my license. So yeah, but yeah, that's fine. Anyway, that's a whole other podcast. And the best advice was I was feeling the tug of just trying to learn how to be planted because I was trying to step into the new that I felt God had called me to a new place, a new city, but I felt the tug of, felt the tug of the familiarity of going back on the weekend.

Basically, it was really about being planted in the house of God and in the church. I had a friend that said, hey, I think you could just see a bit of the struggle of like, I was going back to be with people for birthdays and celebrations and weddings, which was great, but it was always on the weekend, which is when I would actually normally be in the house of God on the Sunday and planted in the new place that I was meant to be. So he said, hey, you just need to make a choice to be planted. He said whether it's in this house, which was actually Hillsong City campus, a smaller campus of our church. Either this church or a different one, it actually doesn't matter, but you just need to choose to be planted.

Then they said, and get alongside the vision of the house, get behind the vision of the senior passes for that house, and just go for it. And you're going to watch because you're going to see all your dreams are going to be realized on the side, which I think is essentially, it's, you know, seek first the kingdom of God and everything else. The things that we couldn't even think and imagine will be added unto us because God's so good about that,

you know. And so I made the decision in that moment, okay, well, I love being here and I love, really, I love the worship and I love the atmosphere when I walk into the house of God in that small campus and I said okay cool this is going to be the house that I get behind and I just made that decision that I couldn't you know like if I was going to step into the new I couldn't keep going back to the familiar and the old things and so I yeah just made that commitment in my heart and um literally all the things all the dreams all the things that I even realized that I had in my heart, and literally all the dreams, all the things that I even realized that I had in my heart, God has done above and beyond

more than I could ever think, Oscar imagine, that's Ephesians 320, literally. So I would say that's the best piece of advice because it's literally impacted my life to this day. And I'm sure you would say the same, but in the houses where I found my husband, in the houses where I found lifelong husband, in the houses where I found lifelong friends, people who have walked with me and the people that I've learned to be

accountable to and to do community with and not for sake gathering together. I'm so thankful. It says many times in the Bible, it's the planting and the Lord. It's not something that we just, you know, decide and I think even particularly in a time like this, when things are getting shaken up, you know, thank goodness we have an unshakable kingdom. Yeah, things have got are not shaken at this time. It's okay. It's anything, you know, our, the foundations of our faith and what we've actually built on come out and God's kind and if we need a bit of a rebuild he'll do it in the most beautiful way. Scream

Yeah, I don't know that. I love that. Yeah, it's important and yeah It's so cool. No, I love that and it makes me think of and Psalms are talks about to be like a tree planted by a stream of living water And how you're fruit? Well, it will always be fruitful. Well, you know, you never have a dry season. And just hearing you talk it so cool because you planted yourself in the house. And now like as you tell your story, scripture just flows off of you.

And you've seen all these promises come to life. And you probably didn't go in thinking like, okay, like I'm gonna do this and this is what God's gonna do. Like you could never think that. But as you just live out your life in the house of God, you just see God do what only God can do. And so I love your story and I love that that's your piece

of advice because I can say the same for me and I remember the first time I moved to Nashville and I remember somebody gave me the advice and it was actually a word that's using the Bible hand in the end. It's like, here I am God with no limits, no distractions send me. And I like went with like this word. I was like, oh yeah, here I am God, no limits no distractions send me.

And then I kept going back, same thing. Like, I can't want to come back home. And, you know, and I was like, yes I'm being sent, but I'm also kind of backtracking and like, I'm kind of living in both of these places and doing that, I couldn't fully embrace what God had for me there. And then finally I did and was like, okay,

I need to actually get rid of my limits, actually get rid of my distractions and let you send me where you have me. And yeah, look at that time and that is where I started everything I'm doing now. You know, and again, I didn't think, oh, I'm going to do this and this is going to happen. Just did that and the faithfulness I got to come through and, you know, teach me who I am and the process is so cool. So I feel like this is funny because I feel like we're friends

because we've seen each other at different events and we cheer each other off from the sidelines, we DM. But I actually don't even know like your story. So before Hillsong and being a worship leader, like how did you grew up? What's your life look like before people knew who you were? Yeah. Well, I'm a country girl. I feel like once country, always country like, when we get to travel back home and

like I wasn't born in a farm or anything, but you know, 10 minutes from my house is like farm area. And so it's like green rolling hills and it's so beautiful. At the time, you just like, I can't wait to get out. But then like everybody is just like, when they go back, they're like, it's so stunning. Like it's amazing. And so, girl up in the country, and then girl up thankfully in a Christian household,

I know that not everyone has that experience, but it was a pretty strict household. But I'm thankful for it because I feel like it saved me from many different things. Right. My friends have had to go through, you know? And so I grew up singing. I think I was like, Mom always says, you know, you were three and I was like running around the house singing my own little song.

And she's like, you always had like a song in your heart. It's awesome. And then she loves to say that, like, and you never shut up since. So I was like, oh, thanks. And thank you. And thank you. And we went a lot to say that word when we're growing up. So I say it like a bit with tongue and cheek. Like, I can say it.

I'm more in trouble. Same. We grow these. Yeah. I was like, oh my gosh, such a rude word about that. And so I always know about Jesus. And I always loved him. I asked him into my heart in my bedroom with my mom when I was five.

But I really, you know, the ramifications of, you know, what that actually means when you say, okay, you're the Lord and say, you're with my life, until potentially like, you're not forced to go to church because I know that people who grew up within church, like, they have to come that point and sometimes it's like 16, 17, 18 years old when you choose for yourself. Yeah. And I'm, and we were part of a really, really small community like 25 people was like revival Sunday, you know, it was like really, really small. But there was things that I'm so thankful for that I learned in that house, Like they loved, they loved the Holy Spirit and they loved the prophetic. And I feel like that probably opened up my eyes and my heart to that.

That's awesome. And here's the Holy Trinity. That's part of who God is. In my final year of high school, it was the first week of my, you know, last year, and it's meant to be like the most amazing year we celebrate, and it's just like exciting. And um, five of my friends were in a car accident, and one of them survived. Oh my god. And so it was just like, like crazy devastation and. Wow. And I think, like only God can work good

from like tragic circumstances. Like, it was amazing how, you know, teachers would say, and I went to a public high school. So this wasn't a Christian high school. It was probably like three or four Christian girls like within our entire year. And it was just crazy. There were teachers who weren't believers and they just said,

wow, you girls are the faith. You're really strong for people. Wow. Which I was just like, are you kidding me? Like, I'm falling apart here. Like, I didn't even know how to study. Like, so for me personally, it was kind of a ride off here. Like, you know, I, obviously, you look back and like,

no, God, you have this completely under control. You know, I thought when I was young I was gonna be like a doctor and and I wasn't like bad at school like I was doing quite well the whole way through until roughly this happened and then you know my parents didn't have the opportunity to go to university so I feel like they're a little bit riding on the fact that like she's gonna be she's gonna go to university and she's gonna you know do this this. Right. And so then this happened.

I really struggled like, I mean, praise God, I didn't fail any subjects, but there was a moment where I didn't do as well as what I had hoped. And so I didn't even apply to go to university, which I think potentially was like a kick in the gut to like, you know, my dad, who had always wanted to do a science degree. Like, he was just, he's so great with figuring things out and like inventing things and he's amazing. And so there was a period of quite a few years after that. So I started working like after I finished high school, I stayed in the local town and

I was just working in retail, loved it because I love fashion, I love people. So it's kind of like a perfect mix. I can still remember all the steps that they said. You definitely crushed the fashion game. I will say you're a fashion in sport for many people. I've tried to pull off some looks you've done too. Giao, no, honestly, like how good is Pinterest? Like you just go through like this.

So you're like, okay, I like this, I like this. And you just go to try it. And just like a little piece of advice that. So you're like, okay, I like this. I like this. And you just go to try it and just like Little piece of advice that I have you know if you just like want to try something new I just pretend that I'm a model so I pretend I'm paid I'm paid to wear it like When you say oh, I'm paid to wear this like it's like I'm taking advice for sure I'm paying yours. Just give yourself a doll like I'm paid advice for sure. I'm paying to her.

Just give yourself a doll. Like, I'm paid to wear this. Definitely not, but it's a lot of fun. It gives you a bit of confidence. Yeah. Oh well. And anyway, it got to the point where I was like, okay. I told my parents I'm going to move to Sydney to be a recording artist.

I had absolutely no plan or were you thinking like worship or were you thinking like? Oh, no. No, I was just thinking like, I love to sing. I'll be a singer. And I just said, I'm going to be a recording artist. Without even knowing, what does that even mean? How do you even be a recording artist? Obviously, you need to get signed.

And I just moved out of home. And the timing was crazy. I felt, I just felt like it was just time to go. And then obviously my parents were like, shouldn't you just like save up and have some money because I didn't have any money saved up? I mean, I had $200 in the bank, which was literally $200.

That's all I had. I didn't have. You know? And so that was for the following week's rant. You know, I found a place in Sydney that was just like a room of someone from, like an older couple from church. God bless the Coleman. I'm very grateful for them.

And my parents were like, oh, just doesn't seem wise. And so then, because I didn't have anything, I didn't have anyone. I had attended a Hillsong City campus a few times, which is in the center of the city, which isn't the main campus, but it's this beautiful community of people. I knew that if I was going to go to Sydney, that's where I would go on a 10-church. More on that lady, because I knew that I wasn't just going to attend church. Like I wanted to actually like get planted and serve because I wasn't keen to just like take, but I wanted to also like give it the same time.

And so anyway, so I was like, okay, Lord, I opened up my Bible and I was reading this story where it says, gee, Hoverjar, and my provider, one of the names of God. And I was like, cool. You were all I have. Yeah. I don't have any food. So it says that this is who you are. I need you to be who you are in this situation because I don't have a job and I need a job

by next week, which is, again, like, it's just illogical, like, I don't know. I was, yeah, just like, okay, I'm, I'm here the first day. I need, I need to be working the next week. Wow. So then I handed out resumes the next day and then I got, ended up all in all like three jobs. I got paid trials, which I didn't even know that they would pay you to trial for a job. And so in the end, I had just over $200 for the following week's rent.

I had enough money to buy some food, and then I trained ticket so I could make it to church because the only thing I didn't drive. And then there was like a dollar 20 left over so I could buy a little chocolate. Oh my gosh. I love chocolate and I believe God cares about the little dinkers as well.

I agree. It was, yeah. And so then it was just like a couple of years of just living paycheck to paycheck and just trusting God, and just seeing his faithfulness when we just step out and we choose to be obedient to the little promptings. And so that kind of went on for a couple of years. And I tried to serve within the creative team

when I first got down, because obviously I love music. Right. It was a singer and PS. I had absolutely no drive to do my own thing. So even though I told my parents, I was becoming a rock-coding artist. I just worked in retail down there. I had no idea what I was doing.

And then I just started, I became a youth leader. It's awesome. And so again, once you're a youth leader, I was saying, you're a youth leader. I was awesome. And so again, once a youth leader, I was saying, you're a mother. I was like, give me the crazy kids, you know, like I'm all about it. And I just love their passion and their rawness. And that's me honest.

We're not meant to be adults of God. We're children of God. That's good. We're just, these kids who are just like, like dad, what are you going to do next? Like I'm, you know, I'm in. It's awesome. Whatever it looks like. And so, and then maybe like a slightly, not as well-known thing,

I tried out for the voice. Oh, cool. Like two years later, and I thought that was potentially gonna be the way that I would, um, you know, like, ta-da, I'm a dad, I did it, you know. Um, it's awesome. But it wasn't. So I tried out, made it just before we actually got to like to like you know you do it in front of a live audience and And I played original songs and until that and they said like we love it amazing

And you know we'll give you a call soon Yeah, if you crushed it sounds like oh thank you so much and then I had a friend This is where like you you know, good friends, good community, accountability come in. And they say, hey, if you do this, everything will change, which instantly made me go, oh gosh, like, I don't love change, which is I say all the time, I laugh now because I think God has a sense of humor

because when you follow him, like nothing's guaranteed and you just go with the flow. We do the true Holy Spirit flow. So I was like, oh gosh. And so then she said, but if you do this, I'll back you. And if you don't do it, I'll back you. But just it will change. And so I prayed a prayer that I had a friend who won a Australian Idol and he prayed this

prayer at the start that said, God, if this is your will for my life, like we open the door. And if it's not what you have for me, shut it. So I thought, you know what, it worked for him. I'm going to pray for someone. I love that. So yeah. So I said, Lord, open the door. If this is actually what you want me to do and if not just shut it.

And I got filled with so much peace that in that moment, I feel like I just, like put it down and it was like cool. Like whatever happens, amazing. And then two weeks later, I got forced to go on a, like, a week's holiday with work because when you're in retail, Christmas is the really busy period. It was coming up and they wanted us like rested to basically, you know, workers like a workhorse.

And so I tried to like change the day and they're like, no, no, it has to be this week. I'm like, okay. And then I try to fly home. And then all of a sudden, like, it's usually really cheap, like $50 to fly back home, which is like for us, like, quite cheap. Yeah, that's super. And which would be like 30 US. Yeah, for a flight. That is great. Yeah, you're like, I'll take two. But then it just like the price just went up to like 251 way, 350 the other and because I was living, you know, week to week paycheck to paycheck, I was like, I don't have that kind of money. Okay, I'm stuck in city for holiday that I don't want. Yay. And so then on the day of my first holiday, like the first day of that holiday, I get a text message, and it's from this guy who I had no idea I should have maybe googled or checked or something,

and his name is Michael Garch, who is the producer and the guitarist of United. Oh wow. I just had no idea. I don't think I was living under rock And he's like hey, would you like to come in and be free to come in to do some BVs like backing vocals on the latest you know the project and I was just like this is so weird like but I'm yeah sure like you know, I I'm free this week because I am on a holiday so sure and so I went in Wow and

Then we were just singing along and I was like I'm pretty sure this is the melody like this isn't sound like baby It's like you're literally getting me to sing whatever this person singing like it's just exactly the same But I didn't see anything and I was just like just singing along and then they said we'd like you to come back tomorrow Is that okay? And I'm like, well, it's so fine because I've been doing anything. And so then I came back the next day and I think they just finished the song. I mean, I know that they just finished the song half an hour before I got in. And I went into where the engineer was and just listened and learnt the verse and went in and sang it, then learnt the melody, the chorus, sang the chorus was and just like listened and learnt the verse and went in and sang it then

learnt the melody, the chorus, sang the chorus and then learnt the bridge and then went in and sang the bridge and then we did some, it just a little bit of free worship and then that was oceans. To be honest, I told like two or three people that I even went in because I didn't want to be that person that's like, because you just never know if a song's gonna make it on an album and so I didn't want to be the person's like oh my gosh like wait till this next thing comes out make a minute like no song you know so I was like. And then that person. Yeah, it's awesome. I was like, I can't, I would die. So I just didn't say anything. And then, so that was November, December, January.

I'm still just working in retail. And I knew that the album was going to come out mid February, like early February. And, but I hadn't heard anything. So I definitely still was not saying anything or just asking like, did I make the cut? Like I just, you know, didn't do anything. And then I don't know if you've met

our global creative pastor, Cass Langton. She's beautiful and prophetic and she's very funny. And she said to me one time that she just came out to the city, or maybe it was, I can't remember. And she just said, hey, I'd love to get lunch with you. And so I, just, you know, old mate who doesn't really pick up on anything, I was like, I love that, yes. Like, I work on this day and she's like, yeah, I'll come to you.

And I was like, it's just in retail. So like, I have to go when my boss tells me I don't, you know, so I was like, basically an hour late to lunch. Because they're like, you can go now. I was like, oh my gosh. I was like, I'm so sorry. And they're like, no, it's fine. We were gonna wait like, don't even worry.

Because I thought they may, you know, reschedule something. And so we rock up to lunch. And then she literally, as soon as I sit down, she's like, okay, she's like, would you have a quickie job? And I was like and I was like I was like yeah

I'm something close I love it, but yeah, and she goes would you quit today and I was like whoa Yeah, I was like why she's like well we want you to come on stuff at church to look after the vocals in the city campus And you have to quit today because you're going on to her next week Whoa United to South Africa for the Zion campus. And you have to quit today because you're going on to a next week with United to South Africa for the Zion tour. And so I'm just like, I start crying. And then through my tears, I'm just like, by the way, I didn't go to university.

I haven't had singing lessons. I'm kind of saying I'm kind of qualified. Like I don't even know what I'm doing. Yeah. And basically it was the best launch of my life. Wow. I'd say so. And I walk.

Yeah, my gosh. I walk back to work and I'm just like, I have to tell you something. And they're like, you're quitting aren't you? And I was just like, how did you know? Yeah. Wow. And sorry. And then they're like,

yeah, you're going to work for the church, aren't you? I was like, what? Yes! I was just like, did you guys all just know this and not tell me? And they're like, we're so stoked for you, because normally if someone's leaving, particularly in retail, you're just like, so dirty, or just like, yeah, like, because it's so much work for everyone, they get a rehire and all that stuff.

But they were stoked. Wow. just you know, I just anytime I was leaving work I was usually going to like a youth night or like a connect group or like you know And so they were just pumped and yeah the following week We had like a few little rehearsals and that's when I They're like oh June he oceans Wow, and I was like oh, I mean if that's okay sure like I'd love to and so I heard it and that was it first time I heard it and then we're on the plane like you know two days later and I'll never forget JD my brother of all brothers who actually married Ben and I He's a yes special older brother. I'm. He's a, yeah, special older brother.

I'll never forget, he was like looking back from his seat on the plane, he's going, you better learn. And he's just like saying all these like, Hosanna and he's like, bones and just saying all these like, girl songs. And I was really feeling stressed trying to learn this thing because I don't know if anyone's been to a song you know that, but there's a lot of songs.

And again, I was probably living under a rock and some of the songs I hadn't ever like learned before. And so basically, I was just trying to cram all these words into my head just going, please go out, please go out, thank goodness for like, let's just say shout out to all graphic lyrics operators within churches. On Sunday, you are the true worship leader and you help us. I'm so grateful. So pretty crazy. I think it was the second night in, so the first night when we went on that tour to South Africa, I was in Johannesburg or Joeburg, and then the second night,

Joel leaned over, and the album hadn't come out yet and just said, hey, we'll try oceans tonight. Wow. Oh, totally. And I'm just like, oh gosh, oh gosh. But then the album hadn't come out yet. So I was like, if I stuff it up a little bit, no one would know. No one would know, yeah. That that was wrong.

And so we started the track. And I just had this weird, very weird response. Like, no one knows the song in yet. Everyone just like, do this weird cheer at the start. It was very weird response. Like no one knows the song and yeah, everyone just like do this weird cheer at the start is very weird. And then we just sang it and we had like sweet moments of free worship and then we're just like, oh that was a bit weird and amazing and just, I don't know what that was, you know, obviously God's power is way doing this thing. And then yeah. Wow. And that is the coolest story ever.

What a testimony. I love how you just dropped this epic, God story. And then you're like, and yeah, that's it. But that's it. I can relate to that because even whenever I tell my story, it's like all you can really say is yeah, because it's so God, it's like you can look at it and say like yes, I'm saying but I didn't do any of that. God set that up and what I love about it is that you Moved a Sydney and like you didn't know really what you were gonna do. How that was gonna look

There wasn't necessarily like it didn't even financially make sense, but you did it. And then years go by before you actually realize like the purpose of you being where you're at and all the things that God was doing behind the scenes. And I think so many times like in our Christian walk, we want to have clarity before we do something, you know, before we have faith, right? We want God to say, yeah, move here and here's why and here's all the things that are going to happen and when you get there, I'll do this and that's just not how it works. Like, your story reminds me of Moses when God showed up and he's like, I need you to go back and I need you to talk to Pharaoh and for in most of the starts, coming up with all these excuses as to why he's not the

person, just like you like, okay, well, I can't speak. I can't do this and you're like, I didn't go to university, I didn't do this. And I can relate to that too, because I did the same thing. And he's like, just go. Like, I will give you the words to say. And yet, and here you are, years later, still leading. And God has time and time again, given you the words and the voice and specific moments. And that's impacted people's life by how you've led. And so I think your story is so powerful. And I'm excited for people to listen because I think people are gonna say,

wait, God can do that. Like God works like that. Like those whispers that I'm following, that really is him and it is him. And it's so beautiful. Also, I didn't know that you worked in retail. And I think that's such a cool side story because one of the things I was going to ask you was, you know, it's funny,

this week I like dyed my hair pink, okay? Just little pinks and I love Thanksgiving girl. It was so funny because the comments people say are so funny like, oh, I've always been to do this but I didn't have, I've never had the confidence, you know, I could never do it. Like all this stuff about like how I could never do it, but it's so cool. You did it. And I was like, you know, that sad, you know that our confidence is so rooted in like what are appearances or like if we dye our hair pink and it doesn't work out, then what if we lose confidence or whatever. And you've made some pretty bold moves. Like you shaved your head at one point. You have like this. And I'm always so close to going back. Like I love that. Like you shaved your head at one point. You have like this. And I'm always so close to

going back. Like I love that. Like your hair color changes. Your style is so cool and unique. And like how does it get to the point? Which I know that you love fashion, but that you were confident enough and who you were to just freely live out who you are. Yeah. Well, I grew up with this little um, I'll never forget it, it's a little white plaque and it was written in purple because that was my favorite color. I think it was my mom's favorite color for me and somehow I just like took it on. So it's fine. I still like a mom and it just said you're an unrepeatable miracle. Wow. And I would, I would like grow up just seeing on the back of my door and not from like a wow like I'm an unrepeated movie.

I'm amazing. No, not at all. But just like, you know, we were handcrafted by the hands that formed the stars and the heavens and the earth and Like we were lovingly made, you know, it says He knew our form before we were even born when we were in our mother's womb. And it's beautiful. And it, you know, each one of us are unrepeated with miracles. And I just feel like, yeah, I don't know, like, I just, I guess it's just the way that my parents just always instilled that identity. Yeah.

And just how like, you know, my dad would always say like before you were ours, you were here. And so it was just like this beautiful thing of like, okay, we're the handy work of God. Again, not like a to be cocky or anything like that. But yeah, just I don't know. And I've always known that like, when you try to be like somebody else, it's always the poorest version of it.

Like it's always gonna be second best. Always give me less than. Thank you. Yeah, and so I can only do, like I can only be me. Yeah. And I can only try my best. And, you know, if that's, if that's all I can do, that's great.

And so I mean, I think it's a journey. I think about, say, like, kids growing up now and then also like our kids, when they're going to be teenagers, they're going to be bombarded by so many different visual things. Which maybe that's key. Like, what are we watching? What are we like taking key. What are we watching? What are we taking in? What are we listening to that will have an impact on our value identity or where we place it and in whom.

And I don't know, to be honest, with the whole shaving of my head, I did it at the start because I had damaged it by going blonde and I was doing like at the hairdressers. I wasn't a home job, but it was at the hairdressers and it was a scalp bleach, which I think is the most like, just... Just dress you could give to you. Yeah, damaging, good to you hair. Even though I have gone blonde again, but I did foils. Nice. I think it's a little... Upgrade, for sure. Yeah.

So this is another point for people. Go for foils rather than scalp bleach. Learn from our mistakes. And I did it. And at the point, like, you know, I, you know, if we're just gonna be honest, just to help people, like, I went through a breakup a little while before that. And it wasn't like the nicest breakup.

And I was just going to shave my head. Because I was like, oh, I just need to get healthy hair again. Because it was breaking off. And I could have truly, I could have cut it to here. I could have cut it just underneath my ears or made a ball or something. But I was just like, drastic. I was like, shave it, just shave it.

And I said it a few times as a joke with friends. But the power of your words started thinking about it. I was like, shave it, shave it, you know, and I said it a few times as a joke with friends, but you know, the power of your words, like I started thinking about it. I was like, okay, let's do this. And then just before I shaved it, I felt like this, like we thought of like, oh, what would that person think if I shaved it or what would that person think if I shaved it? And I felt like the Holy Spirit just like interject and said, hey, even now, even more, you need to do it because you're not ruled by people's opinions. And you're not meant to be ruled by people's opinions. So I did it. And it was this insane thing of, yeah,

I was just like a god thing of all of a sudden, I was just walking in a different way and I felt free. And there was this confidence because, you know, like, I think there's this girl called like Indie Rae that says like like I think those is girl called like Indie R.A. that says like I'm not my hair like it's just beautiful old school song like you know kind of shows how well they are and I was just like wow like our beauty doesn't lie within our hair our beauty doesn't lie with in what we wear like yeah you know I mean this doesn't the Bible like charm is deceptive and beauty's fleeting but a woman who I was like the most important part of the verse

yeah do it I was like trying to say the woman you trust but a woman who is to be the trust in the Lord waits I'm not a man would trust in the Lord waits. I know that the Lord is to be the Lord. We've got in the main one. Trust in the Lord waits in the Lord loves the Lord. We want to be so strong. Something about the Lord. It's too good. All of the above. Tries love, respects, all the things.

Oh my goodness. I'm going to give this later. I'm going to be like, why does that happen anyway? We're both going to get through that. I'm learning because I couldn't think of it either. That's probably 31. I know that it's in that chapter. Yeah. So check that out. That's so good. And that's so true. And that's why I wanted to challenge people with that thought of saying that I don't have the confidence to do that because I think we need to ask yourself why. Like if we don't

then why is it because of somebody's opinion, or is it because of how we would look or our own insecurity or what somebody would say? And those are important questions because then what are we living free, you know? But even I love what you said about your mom saying that you are a unrepeatable miracle. And to me, like, that's so cool

because back whenever I was little, my dad used to give everybody a nickname. And I was always dad used to like give everybody a nickname. And I was always bothered that I did not have a nickname. And I was like, dad, like, I'm just saying, like, I want a nickname, like all these people have like these cool names that you've given them. And I just, I'm saying, and he would always say to me, he said, city, you're just the original.

And he would always call me the original. And now literally behind me, you can see my science as live original that's my whole message that's the life again what is ministry but that is the name of my ministry everything I do has an birth out of this idea that I want to encourage people to like live original confident in the person I got created them to be and so it was really cool that my dad said that over me all my life, and I used to bother me until one day, it actually was like the thing that affirmed who I was, and same for you. And so, you know, for girls out there listening, and guys too, it's like, you know, you might have these insecurities,

and you might not have a parent who said you're the original or you're unrepeatable miracle. But at the same time, like your heavenly father does say these things over you, like you said, he or his hand, he or you're made in the image of him, like there are so many beautiful words that God has spoken over the creation that you are. And if you take that and let that be your confidence and that from you are, you really do get to live more freely. Like if you take that and let that be your confidence and that from you are you really do get to live more freely Like if you want to shave your head, you can shave your head Not that that's what freedoms about or dying your hair pink But it's a form of expressing that I'm not living

Balance to what other people say about me or my own insecurity, but I'm living in the freedom of who I know I am And so your story just reminds me so much of things I've been through and I think it's gonna encourage so many girls out there. I wanna ask you one final thing because I know we taught a lot, but your story just, your testimony's been incredible. But I wanna ask you about this

because there's something I struggle with during, honestly just again, to be honest, to help people where they're at. During this pandemic, and especially actually when I had COVID it was like really hard for me to worship which I've never faced before like honestly I've always been someone that loves to worship I always I've like pretty pretty much maintain a relationship with Jesus. Yes, I've gone often had better seasons than others. But I've never struggled, I've never doubted God, or struggled to worship.

But whenever I had COVID sent me in this really dark time where I was really feeling depressed and it was just really struggling to worship through it. And so as a worship leader, I know that is what you do. That's obviously something you love to do. But have there been times in your life even that you've struggled to worship and if they're have like, how do you navigate through those seasons? When worship is your job, but it's also like the posture of your heart, you know?

Yeah. Oh, that's a heavy one. It's, well, it's like, you know, like, how do we define worship? If worship is just, in our minds, if worship is just the 20 minutes we have at the top of a service, or maybe 40, depending, you know, what church you go to, then I think we've missed it, because then if we miss worship or we rock up late or say online church We just put it on in the background and we don't really focus until the person who's preaching comes on Like then we've we've missed it, you know

One of my favorite stories in the Bible and I didn't know why until It wasn't until I actually got to Israel and I saw this beautiful mosaic in this amazing church And I was like why is there a picture of Jesus on the cross? It wasn't until I actually got to Israel and I saw this beautiful mosaic in this amazing church. And I was like, why is there a picture of Jesus on the cross? And then there's a picture of the disciples with his mother Mary. And then there was beside this was this on the roof of the Holy Sepulchre. Like a church over there. And there was a picture of Isaac on the altar

with his father Abraham and there was a ram in the thicket. And I said, wait a second. So there's a picture of Jesus and it's new testament. And then there's this picture of this alt testament story. And I was like, I don't, why does that correlate? And so then one of my friends, Katrina, who's a Bible teacher and theologian herself, and speaks Hebrew

and all the things, she's amazing. And she started to unpack why that was, you know, on the roof of this church. And it was actually the first time that worship was mentioned in the Bible. Wow. When Abraham was going up the mountain with Isaac, he told to sacrifice him, because that's what the Lord had said.

And he told the servant to wait there because Isaac and I going up to worship. So he knew he was going up to sacrifice and he knew he was going to be obedient to the Lord and he called that worship. So it's sacrifice and it's obedience. Wow. That's actually the definition, you know, from what he was saying that worship is. I don't know if he was going to sing a song, but he was going up there to worship, which

is, you know, I love in Romans 12, it talks about, you know, take it every day. This is the message translation. Take your every day life. You're eating, you're sleeping, you're walking around life and place it before God as a holy sacrifice, pleasing to him. That's how we live, not just not just the song, not just the 20 minutes, but how we live, our eating, you know, do we on a go with the temple that He's given us, which is where temples of the Holy Spirit? Do we honor Him in the way that we walk around and the way that we encounter other people and our everyday life?

Do we do that as an act of worship? And at the start of that verse in Romans, it actually says, in full view of God's mercy, you know, we do everything out of a response because of what Jesus did. The only reason we can come to the fathers because of what Jesus did on the cross that he died and took on all of our shame, our sin, all the weight that we carry

and we'll carry like he died a perfect sacrificial lamb once and for all and maybe we don't have time to go into it, but I would definitely suggest reading those reading that early story about Abraham and Isaac and just how God put Abraham in a sleep and he back in all day it was you know it was the way to do a covenant which is like you know a promise that couldn't be broken and that we would shake on it and we would both fulfill it. It sounds like really gory, but they were like cut animals in half and they would put on either side and there would be a river of blood that would run through and people would

walk through one after the other so that they would hold onto that covenant saying that that's what we're going to do. That's as good as a handshake. And in this dream, that's what God showed Abraham that he was doing. And Abraham actually didn't walk through. But God did and he saw the back of him. Wow. And so I was just like being blown away. This is like my friend telling me and just retelling me the story. And obviously I went and read it again later on. But that God would say, you know, I'm going to do this. Basically, I'm going to give my son even if you don't. Well, it's insane. Like the Bible is amazing how everything is like. Everything ties together.

Yeah. Honestly, like, I, you know, I, I got given a new American standard Bible by my husband for Christmas and just the, because it has like a concordance, but also just like tells you all the scriptures that correlate with each other. So anyway, I would say go read that because it's such a beautiful, powerful thing so that, you know, I know we're talking about worship, we'll come back to that with like Isaac and Abraham up on that mountain, he was worshipping.

And then God and his kind of said, hey, just before you kill him, stop. I've actually provided and the correct terminology. I'm probably going to get it wrong because I'm not great with this. But you know, like God himself will provide a lamb. Wow. So God himself. Yeah, Jesus was a lamb. And so he was foreshadowing what he was going to do for all for all of us.

Like it's amazing So all that to say worship is Sacrifice and obedience even if you don't feel like it It's the way that we live our lives and you know, I'm not perfect. This is stuff that like You can so easily get out of step with God for me. It's like I have to spend time with him every single day Otherwise, I'm not a good person. I'm not good. I'm, you know, we have simple natures like I sin and I for short, you know, I'm not perfect. The only person who was perfect was Jesus. And thank goodness for him. Otherwise, we wouldn't get to be in the presence of God. And so I've just had to learn how

to cultivate it. I can tell you, I'm so, I will be so excited when we get back to being the building. We've only had one church service since COVID here at the start of last year, where we've been together in the building. And then the next week we had another outbreak. So we shut it down again. So I can't wait, like maybe it'll be this coming Sunday. I'm not exactly sure, but I'll be excited for that. But I feel like this is again, like this season has just pulled back the layers. And it's showing what we've actually

built on and the foundations of our future. What do we believe about God when things aren't shaping up to be? I think it's in limitations or it's, I think it's limitations three or Habakkuk. I can't exactly remember both great books Totally read them in the Bible. You know, though the fig tree doesn't doesn't actually have fruit and though Things aren't looking how how I think it should in yet I'll praise him like you know a sacrifice to praise, you know I don't know and maybe this isn't like the correct theology, but like, let's give something to God actually costs us. Because when we get up to heaven, we probably can't give him, there's going to be no tears, no pain, no sickness, like, you know, faith is real when you actually are getting refined. Yeah, that's good. Like when you, when you're

going through stuff, like give him something that like, that we couldn't give to him up there. Yeah. Because we're going to be healed and whole, like, give him the thing that costs you, like, trust him. Yeah, I mean, I'm still trying to figure it out. I didn't have the description to back that up fully, but it's everywhere in scripture.

No, I love that. That's so good. Hey, thank you so much. You are such a well of wisdom. And like on top of just your wisdom, your honesty and vulnerability. I know it's going to help so many people and you're so relatable. It's always fun when you talk to people who, you know, you can look at you and you see all the things that you've done and it's really a remarkable and amazing, but your humility shines through it all. And you just

see Jesus and you just hear Jesus in your story. And so it's always refreshing to talk to someone and be like, man, I can relate to that, not because I can relate to Tayyah necessarily in her story, but I can relate to who God is and what he's gonna do in my life and what he's already done. And so your advice is incredible. I know what everybody's been saying.

I know Christians are really gonna be excited to, my husband's gonna be excited to hear this. Shout out, Christian. So just know also we think you you and Ben, are awesome. I wish we get to hang out with you all new y'all more, but even just who you are online is such a great example to so many people. So thanks for spending time with me on the podcast,

and just sharing your heart. You're incredible. You're very kind. Thank you for having me, and we love you guys and we're back in you to the hill. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for having me and we love you guys and we're back in you to the hill to come with you. Thank you. This baby girl's come outside and one day when we get to travel again we'll get to all hang out. Yes, praise, I believe it I believe it. Well thank you. That was so good.

Hello. Hello. How's it going? It's Sydney. You're so good. What's your name, Ella? Yes, ma'am. It's Sweet You. It's so nice to meet you too over the phone.

How's it? I know. You're having a good day so far? Yeah, yeah. I had my children. I was going to be a little bit more than I was. I was going to be a little bit more than I was. I was going to phone. How's it? I know. You're having a good day so far?

Yeah, yeah. I had my school classes for the day, and now I'm going to cheer proctor. And that's awesome. Yeah. You did something I was unable to do, make the cheer team so congratulations. Thank you.

I still say these biggest life regrets. No, it is not. It might be my embarrassment, but it's not my regret. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure.

I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure.

I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I when they started. I mean, I've had all the thoughts, like, am I good enough? Am I pretty enough? Do I look good enough in this outfit, you know?

Right. And I've always just been such a people pleaser. And so I naturally just have always felt the need to tater to everyone around me and how they see me. And like being a teenager, growing up in a literal pandemic with like such high standards being set by social media, which you look at, magazine covers,

it's just like hard for me sometimes to look at myself and know like that God's opinion is the one that truly matters. So I guess my question would be like, when did you feel like you started living confidently in God rather than other people's opinions and how to do like gets that point? Yeah, oh, that's so good. First of all, thank you for just your honesty because that is so relatable and so real.

Like, if that, I think everybody has experienced those feelings and those thoughts. Part of it is the culture that we live in. I think also it's just a part of being human, you know, and look into the left and the right, comparing yourself to other people, comparing yourself to the magazines, to Instagram, to the likes, and all the different things. So that's a struggle that everybody goes through. But what I love about you is that you're not willing to just accept it because everybody goes through it. Because I think that's

the thing that we fall into. It's like, well, everybody goes through it. Because I think that's the thing that we fall into. It's like, well, everybody goes through it. Everybody struggles with it. And then we're like, but does that mean we should feel that way? Does that mean that that's a good thing? And no, clearly not. Obviously, we know that the Bible has something else to offer where there's this piece that's depressed, all understanding. There's this love and there's this worth and this value. And so I love that you're trying to seek truth in that and not just going with the standard of the world. But I'll tell you for me, whenever that kind of shifted for me, I'll never forget. I was in eighth grade. It was January the 16th, 2012. I remember the date because it was so significant to me. I basically was just fed up with being insecure and not being confident in myself and I wanted to find a verse on

Confidence I could just hold on to and this was gonna be like my confident verse and to be honest with you What I was wanting to find was something like you are amazing God made you Perfect just as you are go rock it, But that is like not what I found. As I Google search how to be confident in the Bible versus me and confident, I actually found Hebrews 10 verse 35. And it says, so then do not forget the confident trust that you have in the Lord for that will be richly awarded. And something just, it literally is like for the first time ever I got this revelation of what it means to be confident as a Christian.

It's not that you have to be confident in yourself and your own ability and your look. Like you said, do I look good enough in this outfit? Am I enough in this? That's not even what it's about. It's, do I trust God? Do I have confidence in who God is? Because if you can find confidence in who God is,

you naturally will be confident in who you are because God is the one who created you. He's the one that formed you. And if you're confident in the Creator, you're going to be a lot more confident in His creation. You're also going to free yourself up and looking from the left to the right to be able to accept who He made you to be

and what He wants to do with exactly who you are. And so honestly, it's really shifting your eyes off of everybody else and even off of yourself and onto God and saying, my confidence is not going to be rooted in how well I perform. It's not going to be rooted in how good I look. It's not going to be rooted in who I date, who I don't. It's not going to be rooted how how good I look. It's not going to be rooted in who I date, who I don't. It's not going to be rooted how many friends I have. My confidence will be rooted in who God is and how He created me. And that's going to free you up to live the confident life that that God has for you. So it's a total perspective shift off of yourself, off of the world and onto

God. And I'm telling you, it'll truly, truly truly change your life and I think it's interesting that you said like when did that start for you? When did you you know stop valuing the world's like words of seven value and gods and it's interesting now that I'm pregnant and I have this view of my daughter and so beautiful because you know she's in the womb the only person who knows her right now is God she's so beautiful she's so wonderful she's in the womb. The only person who knows her right now is God. She's so beautiful. She's so wonderful. She's so amazing. And that's all she knows about herself.

And then when she's born into the world, the only thing she'll know for a few years is what her earthly dad, her mom, say over her, that she's beautiful, that she's wonderful, that she's amazing. And she will have a confidence when she's young, like we all do, you know? And then there will be a time that sadly she will have a confidence when she's young, like we all do, you know? And then there will be a time

that sadly she will be insecure, because at some point she will shift her eyes off of, you know, and her ears from the words of truth and onto the world. So I think we all start out with the confidence. We all start out with, because the only, we all start out only knowing God, only being known that we're wonderfully made, only being into the amazing.

And then we get with the world. And then there's this crucial point in our life that we have to get back to the original words spoken over us from God. And so it's really just getting back to, to what you really know and how you were really formed. Yeah, that was great. I really don't have anything to add after that. Well, you can just affirm. You did. Well, yeah, you pretty much covered all the bases there. But for me, just quick tidbit. I would say when I truly felt like the Lord converted me

and I really feel like my life changed, that was kind of when I kind of shifted from others' opinions to what God said about me. And not that because I do think that it can happen in an instant, but I do also think that it's like a gradual process. Yeah, there are some people who say like, January 16th, 2012, but even that, there's gradual process. Yeah, there are some people who say like January 16, 2012, but even that, there's a process,

you know, I'm not. Because I mean, there's still, I still have thoughts that creep in about what other people think of me, but I know that that's not what defines me. And it did take a time and a place where I found my confidence in God that that's that surely after time what other thought of me slowly started to become less what I thought about. Yeah it's good babe. Well I hope that that encouraged you and again. I appreciate it. Just like thank you for being so real because every girl and guy is gonna hear that and be like that's me she's me that's exactly how I feel.

And hopefully we can speak some truth into that. So we're so glad you called and thanks so much for sending in your question. Yeah, thank you so much for answering. You are such an inspiration to me. And it's just crazy that I've even talked to you guys right now. Oh, well, thanks for having me.

Thank you. You have the best rest of your day. Enjoy your cheer. Okay. Don't get hurt. I will I will Bye, is it to dad go get hurt Don't so straight cool. Oh, that's so cute Y'all keep sending an advice to our woe that's good pie cats Instagram

We would love to chat with you on the phone and get to hopefully give you the advice that we've learned some some the hard way some some the easy way but really just what we found a God's word so keep calling we'd love to answer keep calling you