WHOA That's Good Podcast - You Can't Idolize Your Success OR Your Brokenness | Sadie Robertson Huff | Sisters & Friends

Episode Date: September 5, 2022

Sadie flips the script and sits down to be interviewed by her best friend, Live Original president Stephanie Vander Molen. Sadie reveals a fun hidden talent, describes what it takes to keep up her spiritual walk when life is so busy, and shares what she's learned about fighting for friendships, how to bounce back from low points, and why you can't be consumed by your success OR your brokenness. Sadie and Steph offer so much encouragement to help you to maintain a soft heart, let go of resentments, and realize that even in seasons of anxiety and stress, God is closer than you think. Friends, living authentically in each moment is the greatest blessing in your life. - Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

JLL believes you should expect more from your office space. So ask yourself, is your office space working as hard as you are? Does it foster collaboration, fuel productivity, and help build culture? Is it designed with intent? Is it a place you want to be? Your office can be a powerful asset, so put your office to work with JLL and see a brighter way. Learn more at jll.com slash Spotify. Hey everybody! Welcome back to the Sisters and Friends podcast.

It's your girl, not Sadie. All right, perfect perfect how was that that was pretty good? I said you said would you say hello everybody when I say what's up? Fiamm. Okay. What's up fam welcome back to the scissors and friends? I guess happy Monday every Monday everybody here. We are flipping the script I got your girl Sadie over here You're interviewing me is It's what you're trying to say. What I'm trying to say is, I hate you sliving in the background. So let me take over. Let them know what's happening. I have not been hijacked. I have not been hijacked.

Kind of. I kind of was hijacked. But we thought it would be cool if someone interviewed me for the podcast as a change and someone asked me questions because I am used to asking so many people questions of course I've done so many interviews in my life and been interviewed a lot but never on my own podcast have I been interviewed and so you know we've had what a hundred plus episodes they've done this for years it's about time I get interviewed about time I feel honored that you are letting me do this. Well, I wasn't by choice. I didn't choose you It's true somebody else was supposed to do this and

There was a shift in the schedule, so they put back up So everyone is blessed with playing me. I'm gonna say buckle up. Say you don't even know what you don't even know. And I'm nervous because Dev's truly one of my best friends in the world knows me better. I would say probably confidently say besides Christian, you probably know me better than anyone else in the world. And so I would say that about you truly. I feel like you probably know me about him and anyone else in the world. And so I would say that about you truly I feel like you probably know all of my you know all my yeah me too, which is what makes me nervous about this.

We could sabotage each other. We absolutely absolutely. So let's get it. Let's dive in. Okay, because I want to start off just by addressing something. Okay, I don't know if you're aware, but there's like actually some rumors going around our office. Oh, is are there?

Yeah, with our team. I don't know. And I thought, what a better place really just says like, you and I in leadership to hash it out and just in front of everybody and like talk through some of these rumors. Let's bring people into this. Yeah, let's just bring people into it.

Like we're gonna shed light on it, but I am nervous. All right, so the thing is, some people are under the impression that perhaps you know how to like make yourself sound like a dinosaur. Oh, wow. And I said, I've never seen this. Oh, wow. I said, I've never seen this before. I'm unaware of the situation.

But some of the girls were like, no, I swear. I was like, I don't think that's true, but like let's just squash the room right now. Okay. Do you want to give me a little insight into this? He's the thing. Most people that they'd die as those are extinct. I don't want to freak people out on the internet.

But if you're kind of into these things, you might be surprised to know there's one left. Is this the conspiracy theory? RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR It's so light and the camera's... Okay. Wow, I really thought he set the record straight. I mean if rumors were being told, well one other thing. One other big thing when I'm like, it's the hardest thing. It's like, actually I have been meaning to talk to you about something. Okay. Before we dive in, like I said, this is more of a serious thing though.

I have been meaning to talk to you about, like, we Before we dive in, like I said, this is more of a serious thing though. I haven't been able to talk to you about, like, you know, we talk about blind spots a lot. Okay. And like, you have a couple. I'm so nervous. By the way, for this, we're seeing, we have not talked about anything that's gonna ask ourselves.

We're gonna cut this off. I have no idea what's going. We're gonna cut this all up, but I do just wanna mention, like, you like kinda hurt my feelings last week when we were playing tennis together. When like, you were trying to be like, I'm so good, I'm so good. And like, I was thinking like, I signed up for the A team.

And here we are, we go in, I have a perfect tennis record. Like literally, I've never lost a tennis match in my life. Have you ever played a tennis match in my life? I've never lost a tennis match game in my whole life. And then you're like, I'll be your partner. And you're like, show up, we have the matching shirts, now that stuff. And then you kind of let me down a little bit.

I'm like, we lost. So here's the thing. Here's the thing. I don't know. I don't know where the impression came to you that we were going to be the A team. That should have never been assumed.

But maybe it was assumed because I don't lose often. But somehow randomly when you were a place to have a partner, we lost. And somehow we lost when it was your serve. So let's just dive into some of the other content. Yeah, you might want to, before this gets worse. Yeah, let's just move on. All right, and now for Rilla, this is really fun. It's just because I do feel like there's so many things

I know about you, which is really sweet, that other people might not get to see, which I'm like, oh, they're like such little sweet things. I wish everybody could actually like see into your life. And like one of the things I will say is you work so hard. And I'm not saying that to like to your home again, no one even knows that like we're saying this. But like I like you have honey, you show up to every single meeting here at the office. Like you're last night, we're getting ready for conference. You're in there like, gluing letters. Like, you're just a part of everything.

And I just want to honor you and say, like, you are an amazing leader in that sense. Like, you lead so well in that. But, you want to share, what is your actual week look like? Because I think there's some things that people are probably like, what is your life actually look like? Like, do you, people are probably like, what is your life actually look like? Like do you, do you just like show up to the office and just like hang out with the girls all day? Are you like, when people, do you just read pages and be like, oh, this looks like fun? You put that on as my book.

No, like, what is your actual life look like? Yes. And I'm gonna probably add to it because- You probably should, because you probably know this answer better than even I do. And I say that because you pretty much own my schedule. Like I don't even know what I'm doing tomorrow until I see it on the calendar half the time. But yeah and we've gone to the place where we can do that. I mean obviously like we've worked together for how many years? Five years now. and it didn't start like that.

You know, we weren't always doing all this stuff that we're doing now, and we definitely weren't always doing what we're doing now, as well as we're doing it now. I think we've found how to actually structure it well. And after having honey, we had to shift a lot of like, how am I actually gonna practically do this and be a great mom? And so I guess my week kinda looks like this now now. So Monday's we have it scheduled are always my meeting days

So we have meetings all day Monday pretty much start of the day 9 o'clock to end of the day 5 o'clock just like phone calls and that can look like with so many different people We work with a lot of different people you know to put on a podcast requires you working with several different people, to put on a conference requires you're working with so many different companies and people and production and lighting and this and that in just LO world. We have an app, we have podcasting, we have a clothing line, we have books, we have all this stuff and so we have a meeting with our team just to make sure everybody's lane is actually thriving and doing well or

What are some things are not thriving in how can we how can we fix that so Mondays are full of all that Which you said this a lot so I'm telling you to everybody listening two days Are typically a riding day for the most part so anything I have like in the works of like maybe I'm working on a book which I pretty much am always working on a book and I will be for the next four years of my life with the book contract that I have. So I'm working on a book and then I'll work on whatever edits I have for that and then I'll also work on content for my next message that I'm going to preach on. So work on that two days and Wednesdays. Those are kinda full content days.

And sometimes I'll do that at the house, but more than likely I'll come into the office to just get away and actually sit in my room. I'll let my candles draw on the dry erase. I would love your whiteboard is like all so cool. I'll let go in there and like, woo! That is like my zone.

That is my zone. Light my candles and get a dry erase marker, that's like, that's where I feel like I'm thriving. And just like hearing from the Lord and writing, Thursdays are always podcast days. So typically I record three podcasts every Thursday and we do ads and all that, which is always crazy. It's a lot of conversations and a lot of talking.

So I forgot to mention in the prep days, like in the content days, I will prep for podcast. Right. I'd prep my own podcast for years and now I have someone on our team who helps me prep. So she'll help read the books, help listen to the songs and get great questions. And then I'll look over them on Wednesday and make sure I feel good about them. Watch other YouTube videos. I want to watch and get ready for Thursday's conversations. But in a Thursday, I'm pretty much pooped.

My brain is pretty much dead. And if you've ever had a long day at school and you feel like your brain is fried, that's kind of hot feeling Thursdays. And then Fridays kind of like a free-for-all day. Everyone on our team is allowed to work wherever they want to work as long as they get work done. And if I'm done with my work on Friday, then I spend the whole day with honey. That's like our day. If I have stuff to do, obviously I do it, but I always have honey on Fridays, which is so fun and so sweet. So that's typically a week. Obviously these weeks are crazier because we're planning a conference and so some seasons are busy. Some seasons aren't as busy as others. It kind of depends, but

that's pretty standard. I think that's such good insight, though. This episode is brought to you by KPMG. At KPMG, innovation is the go-to state of mind. Their visionary thinkers and advanced technology help you see beyond the now, uncover new insights, and turn them into opportunities. KPMG can help you leverage the value of data and drive transformational outcomes through innovation. To explore their thinking, go to kpmg.us

JLL believes you should expect more from your office space. So ask yourself, is your office space working as hard as you are? Does it foster collaboration, fuel productivity, and help build culture? Is it designed with intent? Is it a place you want to be? Your office can be a powerful asset, so put your office to work with JLL and see a brighter way. Learn more at jll.com slash Spotify. But what I liked to use and it was it didn't start that way. Like, that has literally been like this like, growth of the team to finally get into this more of like a schedule of things that like, this is my day.

Yeah, but I want, why don't you speak to that? Because I feel like there's a lot of girls that have reached out recently that have asked this question, and I want to ask you about it. And it's like, they like see what's happening with Liberigenal. And they're like, oh, that's so amazing. Like, I wanna do something like that. But then it's like this process of like,

how do you actually start something? It's good. And so, why don't you speak to like, when you had the vision. Yeah. And then maybe even along the way, like, it hasn't been easy. And I've been on that journey with you.

And like, it didn't just like happen. Like even like the way like it hasn't been easy and I've been on that journey with you and like it didn't just like happen like even like the podcast like Season one we were talking about this earlier. We're recording podcasts ads in the bag of your Jeep, you know, it's like How do you start something and then how do you stick with it even when it's hard? Yeah, it's good man That's so good. I think it it sticking with it. Like just sticking with it. And if God called you to something no matter what you deem a successful or no matter what you think the time is going to be, it's just like being faithful to the yes that you said to the Lord. I remember whenever I was 17 and I felt like the Lord put in my heart when I was at that conference that I really gave my life to Jesus. He put in my heart to do live events

under the umbrella of what my book was named, Live Original. It's all in new. Again, I'm gonna do live events. I'm gonna do something like that. So then I had to figure out, okay, how am I gonna do that? I was a, going to my senior year of high school. I was like, what does that look like? So I asked like all my cousins, like, hey, we all be a part of this with me. I got in contact with someone who puts on live events who was gonna help with like the production of it and then I knew the guys from for key in country from something I had done before with Doug Dynasty so I reached out to them and was like hey would you play at my live event we'll pay you this much money and I was just like this is all on you like scrappy yeah now I was like okay and I Sean and

Catherine Loha just found the bachelor, so I texted them because I had their number from DMing on Instagram, I said, hey, would you do a Q&A with me at a live event? Okay, that's all I know. And then I'm like, how do we fill the space? So I always joke about this because I grew up in a traditional background.

Women didn't speak the church where I grew up, and so, but what women did do is they did skits and stuff so we prepared skits I don't know if you've been to some great it's so funny so we'll do some skits we'll do some fun like interactive like skits so that first live event was like me and my cousins doing skits and like things like that and we had for King Country perform and we had an interview with Sean and Katherine Lowe and it was awesome. You know, we did a relationship Q&A with all my cousins and we did it in Nashville and it sold out because I had been well known from the show so it did well.

And from that point, someone was in the audience with their daughter, a guy who brought their daughter and he was like, hey, this was really cool. What would you think about going on the tour? I'm in charge of touring. I would love to do this for you. And I was like, hey, this was really cool. What would you think about going on the tour? I'm in charge of like touring. I would love to do this for you. And I was like, wow, so then it was like another yes Well, then we did that and honestly like you know that because that's where we met. Yeah, that was so hard Yeah, and like that could have been the thing that I was like okay never mind like this is the wrong thing like I made a mistake Like this is not what I want to do But actually just learned a lot and was like, okay, I just need to like, it's not that

this is not what I'm supposed to do, it's just I just need to get, I just need to ask out for wisdom on how to do it. And that was not the right way. And so, man, got back up, moved to Nashville and ended up really diving into that. And then everything kind of led from there. So I think it's just like, okay okay God will put a vision on your heart When God puts a vision in your heart. Yeah, say yes Lord But don't expect for God to then make the vision come to life

Yeah, you have to use the hands that he gave you to do it I love the story of Nehemiah because Nehemiah built he was re-boding the walls of Jerusalem Nehemiah doesn't know how to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem But he kept asking the Lord to strengthen his hands and I used to pray the all the time, God strengthen my hands and give me wisdom. And those two prayers are just like, God, strengthen my hands and give me wisdom. And man, when I look back at L.O. and what it's become, the podcast app, this, the conference, the blah, it's like a whole lot of prayer, a lot of yeses, a lot of face plants, a lot of getting back up, a lot of heartache that you've seen a lot of tears, a lot of face plants, a lot of getting back up, a lot of heartache that you've seen, a lot of tears, a lot of struggle.

But man, what I do it again, yes, because I'm so thankful for what it produced. But just because you were in the perfect will of God for your life, just because you're faithless saying yes everything has, just because you're actually in the lane of living out your purpose does not mean that it's not yet a come with struggle. It's not me, it's not going to be hard. It's not me, it's not going to be hard. It's not me, it's not going to take years to building growth. But I think in all of that, it makes you who you are. And that's why I love it.

That's why I love the process of it all. You got to stick with it and it'll shape you to become who you are. And you'll look back and you'll say, thank God, for every single one of those hiccups and hurdles, because I would not be the leader I am if I didn't learn the hard way. If it was all easy, who would I be, you know? Right, that's so good. I was just talking to one of the girls this morning about that. She was like, oh there's like a lot with conference, like you know she was like feeling a little bit of like stress and I was like, wow, awesome. It's like, you're being refined through this process.

And like she, you know, she's talking about, she's seeing things come up within herself where she's getting anxious or whatever. And it's like, it is like, live original, like what God is doing. He's doing so much like out there, but also like in our own lives, two of refining us.

And like in your life and in my life, and like our team's life of like, some of these things are really hard, and it's like I'm seeing parts of myself that God has to do with, or God has to refine, or like checking my mode at all the time, like all right, like if one person responds to that, like do I believe that like, you know, or nobody,

but like God told us to do this, so we're gonna be obedient to the calling and the vision of it and like, is that gonna be enough? You know what it's like? I think that's good. I think God, I think God once I think God is out. Like I think some people think,

well if something gets hard, it's like, that's the devil. Well, there is definitely the devil's involved and things and there is an enemy. But I think some of it is like God pruning us. Like God refining us and like those are not bad things You know, um man think about like Daniel getting thrown into the lion's den like I mean think about how refining that was

How scary and anxious that would be how crazy that would be But if he wouldn't have been in that lion's den Then the king at the time would have never seen the faithfulness in the glory of God. And so it's like sometimes like it's the moments in the den with the lion that actually is the very thing God's get a use to show the people around you how good he is in your life and how faithful he is. So don't don't think that just because it's hard or just because you're anxious or stressed or it's busy that that's not an okay thing. I think lean into that and let God let God refine you in those seasons because you know you can avoid it you can try to run from it but you can't really outrun those life lessons that he's gonna give to your life. And like taking the gold from those lifelessness. And then like as court says, you have to bounce back.

You got to bounce back. There are so many times. Say you're the queen of the bounce back. I just want to say I learned so much from you. Shout out to the new ones back. Shout out to court for planting that word, but like you are the queen of the bounce back because truly though, like even just in this last season,

like I've like watched so many things happen behind the scenes or things outside of our control that have been here, like, as Bob Gough would say, as well, sync back up, and move on when there's moments of disappointment. But I think it can also be really easy to become jaded. Yeah. And finding that line because even like I've heard leaders say, oh, it's like so lonely at the top, or like leadership is like really lonely and like all those things.

And I feel like you have lived your life in a way where you're like, I don't want to live that way, where I'm like upset or angry or like a jaded leader because I've been like hurt by people. Yeah. And I'm just like I like how do you maintain that soft heart still when like you have been hurt? Like being able to bounce back because I will say to I think that's like whether or not you're leading an organization or you're leading in your sorority like any type of leadership position that you have. Like there are going to be moments where it's like you do have to bounce back. Yeah. You have to remember the vision and like not have a hard heart moving

forward and be like, oh leadership so lonely, it's awful. Yeah. How do you do that? Man, that's so real. Honestly, I mean, an entry fully through a lot of probably really hard and raw prayers. really hard and raw prayers because you do get hurt and it does get hard, like, period. There's not like, oh, if it gets harder, maybe, no, like, it will and it does and it hurts. And I remember recently, man, I think I'll say this before I say that. I think you can't let the high moments and the successful moments become something like that you idolize after and you can't let the low moments, that are like the failing moments and the painful moments also becomes something you idolize over. Yeah.

I think some people tend to hold on to both of those things for a little too long. Yeah. And you do actually just have to keep moving forward and say, God, what is for my tomorrow? What is for my today? I guess let's not go tomorrow. Let's go, what is for my today? That was yesterday's success.

And that was huge. And that was awesome. That was epic. But there's more for today. Man, yesterday that sucked, honestly, that hurt. I don't want to show it tomorrow. But there's something today that you have for me that that's different We have a god that goes from glory to glory to glory

We have a god whose mercies are new every single morning and there are some days We're out to wake up and I'm gonna say god yesterday. It was terrible. I received your mercy for today Our god yesterday with awesome man. That was so good But god, you're not gonna film me today You know, I'm not going to do something less than because you're in it. And so I think that you can't idolize your success when you once you can't idolize your broken moments. You have to just kind of find this humbling in between of God,

what are my today. And so I'll say recently, you know, we've done so many great things recently. I mean, if you looked at Ella from the outside, you would be like, oh my gosh, this is like as age you would say thriving and abiding. I mean, this is like going great. And it is. And internally too, it is. But, but I have, you've watched, has I been hurt a couple times in some pretty painful ways with people in some pretty painful ways, and disappointing in ways with like, even when I get an email, like we got an email where she's like, hey, this book is like we got an email recently,

like, hey, this book is not doing very well compared to your other books. And like, that stinks and that hurts or whatever. But it's more like the people thing that hurts me. And I've had so many mentors say what you just said, say to me, say it is lonely at the top, you cannot become friends with people, you either choose right now or you're gonna be a leader,

you're gonna be a friend because you can't be both. I've literally had someone tell me that. You either lead or you be friends with people but you can't do both And I just remember like always being like oh god like I don't want that because like I love my friends so much I love people so much. I don't think I can do that So like how do I be a leader and a friend and I've always tried to do that But when but then you realize why people say that because totally and because that's hard yeah because that's hard. Yeah. And I just remember recently walking through another situation where I kind of got hurt by a friend, but I'll back up until the full story.

So I was on a plane and it was right before the day that so many people were about to start. We like five people start the summer, five new people. So I was on a plane ride and I was going to lead this moment with our 10 team members in the next that that following weekend I was like, what do you want for that day? What do you want for a break first day of work? How do I lead that well? I'm gonna fall like the Lord to me to wash their feet to wash everyone over our teammates feet

And I said no God. I am not doing that. Hey God said Do it wash their feet and I was like absolutely not because it wasn't that it was like, oh gross feet, it wasn't that. It was just that I was like, that would be so awkward if I washed people's feet. Like, I didn't even know me yet. Like, what if I get to get down? I don't wanna make it weird, whatever. And the Lord said to me, do not reserve your leadership

and do not reserve your love because you're scared of getting hurt. And I was like, okay. Yeah, so a couple of days goodbye and I washed everybody's feet and it was a powerful moment. It was beautiful. Honestly, just for me, it was just like,

it made me feel near to Jesus. Yeah, it was such a sacred moment. And two days later, so one on our team who I love so much left. Right. And I love this person so much. There's no hurt feelings. There's a legitimate reason why she left.

But, but that's hard. Yeah. But I remember just being like, Jesus, you get it. You get it. You know how that feels. Right. And I said to the Lord, I said, God, I don't want to grow bitter. I don't want to grow jaded. I don't want to be a leader who doesn't have friends. I don't want to be isolated top just because these moments hurt. So God, just heal my heart, just help me. It was a good week or so of just sitting with the Lord having some tears, letting the Lord make me free of just any hurts or anything that I felt or any stress of what's to come.

But he did, and I was able to bounce back. And so I think in those bounce back, it's not ignoring what just happened. That's so good. Because you have to dive into it. You have to let the Lord talk it out with Jesus. But when you go to the Lord, and when you talk it out with Jesus,

you will always get that he understands exactly what you're going through because he has been through it. The fact that God made himself human just so he could endure the things that we go through to empathize with us. And then like literally shatter all anxieties we have to the point of shattering our anxiety about death is like the greatest thing about who God is. And so even in those little things, like those leadership hurts or those moments that friendships, you know, break or they leave

you, it's like even Jesus gets that, you know. Thankfully, I am still friends with this person and God is good and there's no bitterness or hurt feelings, but I just love the aspect of God. So how do you bounce back? You gotta dive in and you don't idolize your successes and you don't idolize your broken ass. You just have to humble yourself in the middle. I mean, I've seen you learn that lesson over time. That's a really cool place to hear you say that

because you know, it hasn't always been, but just to the point of that God is always refining us and teaching us things. And I think that's a really like really cool place to hear your heart in and what God has done in your story and that as a leader. And I think a lot of people are gonna learn from that, from your experiences that you've gone through

as early in their leadership as well. But I'm personally really thankful that you figured out that being friends and being a leader is a really sweet thing because I love them. That's one of the sweetest things. Like I love that I get to work with one of my best friends. Truly, Sadie. Like I love it so much.

And like there's moments where we disagree. Yeah. And there's moments where we probably annoy each other. You know what? It's so much. And there's moments where we disagree. Yeah. And there's moments where we probably annoy each other. But you know what? It's so great. This is what I love about working with your friends. Because greater things happen when you work with people that you know and that you love.

And yes, hard things happen and it makes the heartache times maybe a little bit harder. But the good times it makes them so much better. And the hard times at string fields too, because we know each other's weaknesses, we know each other's strength, we know, we know, I can look at you and be like, you're stressed, what's going on, like we do.

But what's really cool is like in friendship, just like whenever you have a sleeper with your friends, and they all are all just like being the goofiest version of yourself. Like you're being the original version that got created to be child-like faith. I feel that way when I step into our office every day with the people that are around us, every one of my friends is operating at the highest level of their gifting. And I am beyond grateful I got to hire them in that position.

Because I'm hiring people because I know them and because I'm like you have this gifting this is natural for you. You don't have to strive. You don't have to try. This is just what comes out of you because of who God created you to be. And I think you need to be in this slanted LL. And everyone's in that thriving position because they're being who they were originally created to be. Surrounded by friends who will champion them into being the best version of themselves

and caring them when they're in the lowest version. So I just think it's a beautiful thing. I think it's always worth fighting for that friendship and so leaders who have been hurt and jaded I get it. I get why you don't want to be friends with people that you work with. I get why it hurts and yes there are boundaries at times that you need to make, but I also think it's worth fighting for. Yeah, absolutely. And like the other week we were having this like small disagreement on something that didn't even really matter, but it was like, it was like, it was a matter, but like we were like going back and forth.

And I remember I came to your house and I was like afterwards we figured it out and I was like, there is no one on the planet I would rather disagree with on a Wednesday afternoon than you. Yeah. Because it was like the safest place to be able to disagree knowing, okay, we have like heard all of the options and actually like it made us better because we like searched all the things and it wasn't like, no, we have to do it my way, no, we have to do it your way.

It was like, okay, wait, let's just pause and like, let me bring this to the table and let me bring this to the table and it was like, okay, this is like the best option. You just like disagree with honoring people well still. Yeah. It's like, you had an opinion, I didn't agree with, and I had an opinion you didn't agree with, but both of us valued each other's opinion and had to say, let me think about that. Let me take a day and we both called separate people and asked what their opinion was and we're like, hey, I don't want to miss this. We came together and we ended up deciding on something that wasn't actually either of our opinion. Which is really funny. And then, man, and even just like the other day,

when I felt hurt by the smallest thing, I was like, Steph, I'm coming to your office and I'm telling you something. I was like, this kind of hurt of feelings, and I'm telling you because I don't want to think about the rest of the day. And so there are things that you have to do to kind of protect yourselves.

You're getting in fights, you're getting in toast with like your friends or your teammates. And so this isn't just for people who work together. This can be people who are just friends. Like, you're annoyed by what a friend did, or sad, or hurt by what a friend did, or you disagree, like there's a way to do that

in a respectful way that's respectful, in an honoring way, that's dishonoring. There's a way to do that without gossiping and telling everyone else, it's going to be true to the person, being like, hey, I know your heart. I know it wasn't this. I'm assuming the best and you assume the best and one another.

Right. And just say, like, let's talk this out. Yes, which is the hardest thing to go to somebody and be like, can I just say this? Yeah. But like, once you do, it's like, ooh, for life. But it's just so much freedom of like, okay, I just need to like get this off my chest. Yeah. Which I feel like I've learned so much just in our work relationship and in our friendships

and like, I think being an ultimate sister in a friend is believing the best. Yeah, but also communicating when there's, there's tension and like, so good, you have to do that. It's good. Do you want to talk about like, how much you love me now? I'm just kidding. I have you, I interviewed you already. I told her already how much I love you.

Oh, okay, okay, okay, okay, okay, okay, okay, okay, okay. All right, before we close here, I wanna ask you, how do you maintain your own spiritual journey with the Lord while you're also prepping messages and trying to plan for other things? Because you're in there riding on the whiteboard, doing all these things and like planning an amazing message to share. But I think some people might think like oh that's just like you went out there to share that

message but like how do you also then like find your own moments with the Lord or do those messages come out of your own time with the Lord like what does that process really look like for you of like how do you not make your message prep or like your job like you're quiet time your job Yeah, do you know what I mean? And I think there's a lot like even for me like leading a small group sometimes I'm like I'm like constantly searching for things content for smaller group instead of like like what are you wanting to say to me? Yeah, and there's probably so many other people out there who are

kind of experiencing on smaller scales and yours is on a big scale. It's good. Yeah, man, that's hard. This is hard. So we'll say, I don't do it perfectly all the time, but I will say this. I think that a lot of times we put so much pressure on what our quiet time with God has to be that God never put on us. It's like, we're like, we have to wake up at 6 a.m. and like spend the first seconds with God

because like so many people say that's a good thing to do. Which is a good thing to do. Jesus would rise early in the morning, go with me with God. So if you do that, 100%, that is great. That's following after the heart of the Lord. But it's not like God set a meeting date with you except Sam that you overslept and missed.

And I think for a long time I thought of it like that. I'd be like, in the morning, I'm gonna wake up and I'm gonna have a quiet time and then I wouldn't and you know in life we get crazy and I would miss it and I'd be like, oh God, so just appointed me like I feel it and I was like God didn't even like he wasn't waiting there as you can say yeah I'm being like she she stood me up like God's with you like throughout the whole day. I remember in school and just middle school like my Bible teacher saying like start your prayer in the morning and

never end it and I still do that like I'm 24 seven and praying. I'm talking to God all a day of a day probably repetitively at times you know. He's probably like okay you've already said that you know but I just always talking to God. I'm always coming to him with God like I said I was on an airplane the day I just felt like I was just always starting to go. I'm always coming to camp with God. Like I said, I was on an airplane the day I just felt, like I was just reading in my word. And I just felt like the Lord was like, wash your feet, because I'm reading His Word. And He's like, He'll speak to you through His Word. And I'm like, no.

So I think like anytime I get to just like pray, or anytime I get to ask the Lord a question, or anytime I get to read the word I do, because I love the word. Right. So I think that cultivating that space with God, where it's like personal to you and outside of maybe your job if you're in ministry or outside of church on a Sunday is truly desiring to hear from him, truly desiring to be with him because

if you desire to be with him, you'll make time to be with him. Right. Or you'll ask him little questions throughout your day, he'll be involved in your whole day. So good. And I think God, God just involved in my whole life, whether I'm message prepping or whether I'm sitting on my couch with Christian and what we like to do is, you know, something about Candle is, I think it's because fire in the Bible represents the presence of God.

And lighting a candle like I literally think like, okay, this is representing me welcoming the presence of God into this room, whether I'm working on a message or whether I'm sitting at home like I said in the Cajucrishan, having a quiet time. I'll turn on worship on our YouTube, and I'll just sit there and worship on Journal Psalm. I might read some, but oftentimes it's just me sitting there and being with him, being with the Lord, resting in his presence, listening if he wants to speak.

I will say, he doesn't always speak in those moments. I told you all this recently I got up and saw the sunrise like every morning for two weeks and I just really thought the Lord was going to speak to in those moments and I was like radio silence like heard nothing like got nothing and it can be in those times that you're like oh well God is it even worth sitting here but what's crazy is as of is journaling those sunrise moments. Now, fast forward two months,

and most of my message for this conference is from the journals that I wrote two months ago, and those radio silence moments. And so, time with Lord is never wasted. You know, reading even if you read a whole passage about what I'm gonna understand, it's not wasted. Silence moments and so time with Lord is never wasted, you know Reading even if you read a whole passage by when you understand it's not wasted like I think the word is active in a Live so put it in your spirit like I will activate it and make it come to life in the right moment in the right time It's crazy how if I read a verse in the morning odds are that verse will come up at some point in my conversation that day Yes, because it's dwelling in you.

I have that same moment too. Yeah. So make time to be with the Lord. If you don't make a specific time, just invite him into all day every day. Seek him. First, seek him in all things. Seek him in conversations you have. Seek him in the music you listen to.

Seek him in the shows that you watch. Yeah. I'm looking for analogies in every aspect of my life. I think that's probably because I speak, so I know I want them, but even if I didn't speak and preach, I would love to see analogies throughout my whole day because it just makes God look so much bigger.

So man, I hope that helps. So I think overall, let's take the pressure off. That's good. That's good. That's good. That's really good. And every aspect of our lives, we can take that pressure off. That's good. That's good. That's really good. And every aspect of our lives, we can take that pressure off. That's so good, Saide. Wow, Saide, thank you. It's fun.

I'm so glad that you're on my podcast today. Wow, so thanks for, you know, making room for me. I've been, well, I've been trying to get you on for like, for so long, but your people are like, oh, it's just so busy and so busy. That's so cool. I think it's making time for me, honestly, truly, no for real. Saide, and I, you're gonna are like, oh, it's just so busy and so simple. I think it's my time for me, honestly, truly, no, for real. Say it, and you're gonna be like,

cut this out. No, I just wanna say, I wanna honor you as a leader. You are an incredible leader, and it has been, honestly, one of my greatest joys and life to be on the LO team and to work under you these last five years with you, under you, and be a part of this. And like, truly, you are the same person on the stage

as you are in our office, in your house, and in our friendship, and I love you so much, and I hope that the world also can see that. And I think it shines. And I know that they see that, but I love you, and I'm so grateful that I gave you a vision for L.O. Thank you, me too.

I love that you saw that and I thank you. I won't make you cut that out because I actually wanted to say to that point that you know how we said, it hasn't always been this way, it hasn't. I think when you get to the point that you're living in such an authentic way that you truly are the same person Yeah, in your private moments that you are in your public moments

You're the same person with the Lord that you are in your quiet times with the Lord that you are in your public Minnessee, when you authentically get that way Life just flows so much better and everything just comes so much more natural You don't have to be nervous when there's cameras in front of you. You don't have to be nervous when there's people following you because you know who you are and I think if I could give people like advice in just life is like we say live original for a reason. Yeah like living authentically original is probably the greatest blessing and the greatest gift you can give to yourself. And I'm thankful for that message in my life.

And I think why get to preach over everybody else's life and comes along to Sterni. So thanks for making the things happen so. And it wasn't for you if I wouldn't be here. Do you work? It makes the dream work. I wouldn't be on this bike, that's for you and that's true.

That's true. Because you Google how to start a dream work. I wouldn't be on this bike as close as it were you and that's true. That's true. Because you Google how to start a bike-ass. That is real. And let me mind five stupid people out there, it's just Google anything you want to know. It's just out there. That's right. And if you want one more dinosaur.

Woo! Hahaha. you