Walking in Obedience | with Mandy Bowen

This week, we're talking about what it looks like to obey the convictions God places on your heart, recognize His voice, and choose His will even when it’s not the easiest choice.

Sis. Mandy also shares wisdom and encouragement for young girls navigating this generation — reminding us that you don’t have to follow the crowd when you’ve heard the voice of God. 🕊️

A Christian Girl's Guide: https://a.co/d/0f6RGPE5

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Welcome back to the Honey and Grace Podcast. I'm so glad that you're listening today. I do have a special guest with me today, and I can't wait to talk more with her about her life and just all the things that God's doing in it. So thank you so much, Sister Mandy Bowen, for being on the podcast today. I'm so excited. And if you would just take a second and introduce yourself to the listeners and tell us whatever you want us to know about you.

SPEAKER_00 0:27

Well, thank you so much for having me. This is so exciting. I love your coffee and I love your podcast. Well, my name is Mandy Bowen. I am 29. Oh, I'm gonna turn 30 this year. I'm not really looking forward to that. I've been married for 11 years. My husband and I, we have been in ministry really ever since we got married. We spent the first 10 years of our marriage in student ministry. And then within the last year, year and a half, we've stepped into associate pastor and pastor role. So it's been it's been a lot of fun over the years in ministry. Um, as far as hobbies and things like that, I really don't think I have any. Uh, I guess you could consider social media a hobby. If shopping is a hobby, then that's definitely a hobby. I have three kids. I am a mom. I have three kids, Roman, Henry, and Loxley. My boys are seven and eight, and Loxley is three. So for a little bit, I did have two under two, and that was a lot, but hey, I am still up. I'm alive to tell the story, and I made it out, and it was great. But uh yeah, I think that's pretty much everything about me.

SPEAKER_01 1:36

I love that. So you are from Aberdeen, right?

SPEAKER_00 1:40

Yes, Aberdeen, Mississippi. Aberdeen First Pentecostal Church, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:44

Yes, which is a very nice church. I've been able to visit a few times for different conferences that you all have. So y'all are somewhat close to me, and we were able to connect at the Dear Girls Conference in Memphis recently, which was so great. I'm so excited to have you on the podcast. And there's a lot of things that I think we could talk about if you know Sister Manny Bone, which I'm sure she's popped up on your feet at some point, but you know that she definitely has a platform and a voice in this generation, I would say. Like you definitely have an influence on girls, young girls, just women in general. And I think it's such a great thing and such an amazing tool to have. So, but if you don't mind, I want to ask a little bit before all of that happened, what's a little bit about your upbringing and just different seasons you went through in your life before you ended up where you are now? And and then if you want to tell us a little bit about when this when this platform kind of started and started growing for you, I'd love to hear all about that too.

SPEAKER_00 2:51

So I am born and raised apostolic. I am second generation. My dad was a pastor, so I grew up as a PK, grew up in a glass house, and I told myself I was never gonna marry a preacher. And look, look where I'm at now. I was the only apostolic in my school. I was the only skirt wearing girl on the volleyball court, so I definitely know a thing or two about that. Let's see. Trying to think of what else. I did go to college, I do have a college career. I don't use it, obviously. I stay at home now, but um, yeah, so I looking back over my life, I I kind of look at it like you know, when you're in history class, there's like this long line, and there's like these little time slots of like little eras or decades or whatever. So when I look back over my life, I kind of see like this little line, and like each little slot represents a season, whether that was like the first slot being, you know, like the teenage girl that was struggling and one foot in, one foot out, pastor's kid, you know, all of that, and then you know, college and career, and then being becoming a wife, being thrown into the ministry, and then adding children to that, being a young mom, a young wife, student, pastor's wife, like all of those things, just trying to juggle each new season. And now we're in a season where you know, we were ministering and helping teenagers, but now we are kind of into like the adults with like the pastoring. So each new season has come with its own unique set of circumstances and obstacles to kind of overcome. Each new season has brought lessons and growth that I'm so thankful for. They were the valleys of each season were difficult, but I'm so much better for it, and I'm so thankful for each season. And I'm still so young. I'm just 29 years old. So I know that there are still so many more seasons that that are going to be added to my little timeline. And I'm excited for those. I'm not really excited about turning 30, but I am excited about what all is to come, and I'm thankful for everything that I've been through. As far as how the social media stuff got started, it really happened after I had my first son, Roman. He's now eight. Oh, after I had him, you know, you're dealing with motherhood, and having him was wonderful. Like my first child was great, but I kind of just wanted something that I could call my own. You know, like I wanted that hobby, so to speak, something that I could just kind of escape and just really call my own and just have something a part of me. So I would go to like church events and conferences, and I would have my hair up, and because you know, we used to do like the big circles and all that, and I would have my hair all done up, and women would always compliment me and they would say, Oh, I wish I could just sit and watch you do your hair because I've got all this hair and I don't really know how to fix it, or you know, I'm just a simple bun or ponytail or whatever. And I just got to thinking, like, well, maybe there is a way that you could sit and watch me do my hair. So I started doing just posting hair tutorials for the apostolic ladies. Well, as I posted those tutorials, the accounts grew, and it was the majority at that time was apostolic ladies. So apostolic boutique owners, they would reach out and they'd be like, hey, since the majority of your following is apostolics, can we send you an address and you post it and kind of show people where to shop or whatever? Well, yeah, who doesn't want that? So I was like, well, sure, send it on. So that's how like the clothes kind of started getting in there, and it really just kind of I've been doing this for eight years, but within like the last two, it really started to go viral and it really started to pick up. It definitely does not happen overnight, I can promise you that. But over the last two years, it really started to pick up and gain momentum, and I I I wanted apostolic girls because young girls are gonna be on social media no matter what. Like they're gonna be on the apps, and I really wanted them to see somebody that looked like them when they got on because I was once too that teenage girl that was struggling and felt like I was, I really was the only girl at my school that was apostolic. And I just I wanted to kind of relate to them and let them know like you're not alone, and that's where like the the outfits kind of came in because I wanted to show them that being dressed modestly could be fun, you know. It you don't have to, you know, walk around in a sack, you know, like you can mix the patterns and and the colors and you can make it fun and you can make it your own unique style. So I really wanted that. I wanted to bring in like the modesty because I struggled wearing the skirt at school, especially. So I really wanted to bring that aspect into it. And then as they really got, as my pages really got big, I was like, you know, the hair, the outfits, that's all fun, but that's not gonna get them into heaven. You know, like I wanted to give them something that would ultimately bring them closer to God. And, you know, at the time we were in student ministry and I was working on a binder for just my youth girls and my hyphen girls. And it was really just filled with topics of like things that they had brought to me that they had questions with that they were struggling with. It was topics that I thought that they could use, that they could benefit from. So I was working on this binder for them and like this little workbook for them. And I just got to thinking, like, why couldn't all the girls get this? Not just my youth group girls, but everybody. So I sent the rough draft to a publishing company. They loved it. I actually sent them nine chapters, and they came back and they was like, look, we want to make this a 12-week girl, teen girl devotion Bible study. Can you add three more chapters? And I was like, Well, sure. So, all that, that's how uh my 12-week devotion book, a Christian girl's guide to surviving teen years. It's a mouthful, but you get the point. And it is available on Amazon. All you have to do is search Mandy Bowen Devotional and it'll pop up. But yeah, so that's how social media started, and that's how the devotion book came to be.

SPEAKER_01 9:09

That is so awesome. I love how you said you wanted young girls to be able to get on social media and see somebody that looked like them because that is such a for any apostolic girl that's growing up, especially in public school or just in a in an area that's not so where it's not so popular to be modest and everything like that. I grew up in public schools and I am a PK just like you were, and so I definitely know the feelings when I was in school, and I know that it was hard. So whenever I look at the young girls now that are in my church, and you know, you always want to uplift them that they're doing great, like you're you're doing so great just to dress modestly at school. I I never like underestimate that or overlook that because I know that it's not easy all the time, and it takes courage, like it really does. And so, like you said, young people are gonna be on social media no matter what, they're gonna be on there, and what better way to have influence than for it to be apostolic people that are influencing them? And just like you mentioned, you have written a girls' devotional, which my girls at our church have read, they have the books as well, they love it. I had bought a few of them like when they came out at first, and so I definitely highly recommend them. Tell us a little more about the devotional, if you would. Why do you think it would be impactful for a young girl to read? And what are some of the topics that it covers?

SPEAKER_00 10:44

The topics there's loneliness, depression, anxiety, insecurity, you know, all the things that really teen girls struggle with. And I feel like it could really help them because it's easy to read, and it only takes like to cover a chapter, it really just takes like I I made it to where it's 12 weeks, but it's easy to read and it's quick, it's a quick read. So it's enough to where you're you're getting your mind thinking, and there's also workbook, workbook portions of it, and you can it it just asks you questions that gets your mind rolling, it just keeps your mind stayed on God. And like I said, it's topics that I really feel like can benefit the girls because that's what they're going through today. And my goodness, this generation, they're going through things that I never had to go through as a teenager. Like I would not want to swap places with them at all because oh my gosh, it the struggle is real, and my heart just goes out to them because, like I said, they're dealing with things that I never had to face as a teenager. So I really think that our younger generation needs covered in prayer more than ever.

SPEAKER_01 11:51

I think with the weight of social media and all of that, it takes a lot of focus and a lot of time, and that's not always the best for young people and and everything that they're already dealing with. And so I definitely agree. I wanted to ask, what do you feel like since you um y'all worked in youth ministry for a while, and you I feel like we can tell that you do have a passion for young people. Um, what do you feel like are some main tricks and lies that the enemy tries to plant in the hearts and minds of young ladies today?

SPEAKER_00 12:29

I think one of the biggest lies that Satan tries to tell us is we are not good enough and we will never be good enough. And that is something that I personally have struggled with. You know, it it really is such a lie because you can you can sit there like the devil wants to try to convince you that you'll never be good enough. Like we we have women in the apostolic movement that we all admire and that we all strive to be, but we can look at them and automatically get so discouraged and think, I'll never be like so-and-so. I'll never be able to speak or preach or teach like so-and-so, I'll never have the platform like so-and-so, like I'll never be able to do fill in the blank like so-and-so. And we kind of get overwhelmed and we look at that and we just kind of get discouraged, and we just kind of take a step back into the shadows a little bit because we're like, Well, I'm never gonna be like that, so what's the point? You know, and we get so discouraged. I'll I'll bring up there was a conference that somebody asked me to speak at. And the me and the host of this conference, we were talking, and she was like, Yeah, I had so-and-so speak last year. This year I want you to come and speak. And I instantly recognized the name. I'm familiar with that person. She's a powerhouse, like crazy incredible. And I immediately felt so much fear come over me because I was like, what in the world? Like, I can't fill that person's shoes. Like, that's what you're expecting. That's what the people that attended last year's conference is gonna be expecting. I'm not like so-and-so, I can't do that. And so I told her, I was like, well, let me like check with the dates and let me pray about it and I'll let you know. And I just got to praying and I was like, God, what are you thinking? Like, why in the world did you allow this door to open because I am not qualified for this? I am not like so-and-so. And it was just like God just so gently impressed in my spirit, like, you're right, you're not like so-and-so, because I did not make you to be like so-and-so. There is, and so many times that happens to us. And there's there's just so much that we hold ourselves back from. And I wanted to mention, I've got my Bible here, and it's so funny because it's my boy's Bible, because I actually didn't bring my Bible to the location that I'm at, but I remembered as I was preparing for this, I remembered this uh passage of scripture, and I really wanted to bring it, so I got in the car and got their Bible. But, anyways, um, it's found in 1 Corinthians 12, 14 through 21. It's kind of a lengthy read, but I'm gonna try to do it fast. It says, For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body, is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not the body. Is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? But now hath God set the members, every one of them in the body, as it has pleased him. And if they were all one member, where were the body? But now are they many members, but yet one body, and the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee. Basically, if we were all the same, there would be a lot of people out there hurting. We all have different ways of preaching, different ways of teaching, different ways of praying, different ways of ministering. There's gonna be people at that conference that would never respond to that person's way of teaching. And likewise, you know, there's so many people that you can reach that I couldn't reach. There was a there was a lady in our church, we were just talking about this last week. She has recently started, it's kind of like a recovery program, but not really, but sort of. And she is just bussing in all kinds of ladies. And I I was just, I was just really like complimenting her. I was like, you are doing such an incredible job with these specific ladies because and I told her, I said, you know, I could never do what you're doing, I could never fully reach them the way that you are reaching them because you just relate to them and you connect with them so well and they trust you and they respond to you way better than they could ever meet. And she was like, Well, Mandy, you're I could say the same about you. Like, I could never respond to like the young people, or I could never uh connect with like the older ladies, like how you do, and all that. And it was just so beautiful because it really is like this scripture. We're all members of the body, but we all have different areas that we thrive in, and we all have different areas that we connect in, and God has placed us all in the one body, and together we all make up the body of Christ, and we all fulfill this purpose. So if there is a lady or a young girl out there, if you are feeling intimidated, or if you're feeling like I'll never be like so-and-so, so what's the point? Please believe me when I say we are all different. And there is somebody out there that needs your specific calling, that needs your specific gifting, that needs your specific approach, all the things that you bring to the table that nobody else in your church or in your area could do. And I think that is what Satan is so afraid of, and I think that's why he tries to put that in our minds, because we really let that keep us from reaching our full potential. And in doing that, other people suffer because they're not getting what you could give them. Does that make sense? Yeah. So I just I love that passage of scripture. We're all one body, and you know, the hand is obviously different than the foot, but it still has the purpose and it does what the foot can't. And I just think that that's just so beautiful that God even put that in the scripture because it's such a sweet and gentle reminder. And like I said, there's so many in your school, there's so many people that you could reach in your workplace, in your church, even in your church. Like I said, that that lady is reaching ladies that I could not connect with like completely. And and it's not because I don't love them or I can't show them love, like you can show anybody love, but there's just a difference there. And I think that that is one of those lies. And it's something that I've even had to tell myself, like, God, let me look past everything around me, and and it's okay if I'm not like so-and-so. And I've really had to just pray that spirit of intimidation away from myself because it's so easy. I'm a very, I get intimidated very easy. I know it may not appear that way, but I do. And I get very insecure within myself at times, but you just have to pray, like you you had mentioned in the question, how can we overcome it? By prayer. Seriously, by prayer. You know, the Bible says that we are to come boldly before God and not timidly. So I just always am praying like God, release this intimidation away from me, release this timidity off of me. Like, I want to be bold for you. Give me the courage to do what I'm called to do, give me the strength. Let me uh look past myself and get out of my head and just lead my steps, order me, and give me the courage to do what you've called me to do.

SPEAKER_01 19:59

It is so easy to compare yourself to anyone. It could be the smallest of things, but the like you said, the enemy will use that just to try to make you feel small so that you won't fulfill that role. We're not supposed to be like everyone else. God created us in his image, and he's given us all a purpose and a calling, and they could all look completely different, but they do all work together for the kingdom.

SPEAKER_00 20:26

Yeah, and also like just piggybacking off of that just a little bit, a lot of times we feel like we're not worthy as well. Because, like, I just want to share the story and then we can move on to the next question. But I've started doing these weekly Bible studies at my church with my young girls, and I had asked one of them one of the weeks, I'd asked them to share a specific testimony that I knew that they had uh overcome this area in their life. And so I texted this girl and I said, Hey, do you mind just kind of sharing with the group tonight like your testimony and and all the things? And I sent it, and it was like as soon as I pressed sent, it was like, God, quicken my spirit. And it was like, I could almost read her mind what she was thinking. It was like, God, but I'm still struggling in so many areas, like I'm not qualified to share this testimony. So I instantly like wrote her back and I was like, hey, I know you might feel like you don't have it all together right now. I know you may say, Well, I can't testify because I'm still struggling in other areas, blah, blah, blah, blah. You're still coming to church, you're still trying. Like, if you are comfortable sharing this, please do. Because there's never gonna be a time where we truly feel like we we've made it. You know, does that make sense? Like, we're we're never gonna have it all together. We're never gonna be good enough in our own eyes to say, like, don't wait until you have it all together to share a testimony or to give a word because the truth is you're never gonna have it together. Like, I don't have it together. I know other people don't have it together. So don't wait until you feel like you've made it. Spiritually, to share your testimony because there's so many people that you can reach just from sharing your testimony. Even if you don't have it all together, even if you're still struggling in other areas, still say it because the Bible says we're overcomers by the word of our testimony. So, and I told her that, like just by you, like you need to hear yourself say those words out loud. Like you need to, you need to say it out loud, get it out there, and overcome it once again by saying that testimony. And it, and of course, she did it, and there every all of us were just sobbing, and it was just such a sweet spirit that entered the room, and it was just wonderful. And if she would have let those thoughts of doubt, or oh, I'm still struggling, so I don't have it all together, I'm not ready to do this. Like, if she would have let all that keep her from testifying that night, none of that would have happened. And it and it's just another reminder, like, you're never gonna have it all together. And I heard somebody say, I think it was Mark Brown, somebody had said during another podcast, delayed obedience eventually turns into rebellion. And I think that's another good thing because so many times we hear the voice of God and we just kind of delay it in a little in a sense. And maybe we're doing it nonchalantly, maybe we're not doing it out of like the spirit of rebellion, but it could just be like, oh, well, I don't feel like I'm good enough, I don't feel like I'm qualified enough, I don't feel like I'm worthy enough. But eventually, the longer you hold it off and a long the longer that you kind of ignore the voice of God, it does turn into rebellion because you're ultimately not doing what God is impressing in your spirit. So that's just another good little nugget and another little thing to think about.

SPEAKER_01 23:35

You said you never know who you're gonna affect or impact. You asked a young lady to share her testimony, and whether she was nervous or not, she had no idea how, like what her words were gonna do for someone else. And so God always has a purpose for what he asks you to do, but it takes us to step out and allow him to use you. God really is just looking for someone that's available recently. Which recently, as in like, I think in like maybe the past week, you've got a video that is getting, I think, a lot of attraction right now about some personal convictions God has placed on your heart. So I think I think it's kind of cool that we just were talking about obedience. If you don't mind, talk to us a little bit about obedience to God and his word. Why is it so essential to our lives and how can we be better at it every day?

SPEAKER_00 24:29

That's a that's a big topic. So the video that you're referring to, uh I really just felt like God was dealing with me about my purses, and I know that sounds so crazy. You just have to watch the video, and I promise it will all make sense. But basically, it was the the name brands of the purses that I was carrying. It was like Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and like all the things. And I really I don't know how this conviction started, I don't know what got it going. Ultimately, when you get closer to God, like the closer you get to God, the more you're gonna have to let go of. Does that make sense?

SPEAKER_01 25:10

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 25:11

And it that could be whether like you're going, you're growing closer to God, you're gonna have to let go of some things. Like you can't take everything that you're carrying now with you on this journey of getting closer to God. That could be letting go of a relationship or friendship, uh, boyfriend, girlfriend. That could be letting go of hobbies or addictions or really anything. It could be giving up cokes for the rest of your life. You know, whatever God is specifically laying on your heart, and whatever he's requiring of you to let go, you have to obey. Again, eventually delayed obedience turns into rebellion. And I definitely did not want to be in rebellion with God. So I I will admit it took me several months to actually let those go. But I just had to ask myself, like, why was the specific reason behind me only wanting to carry those specific brands and wear that specific type of shoe, etc. And it really boiled down to I was just very insecure, and I had put my identity in those purses and in those brands rather than putting my identity in God. And for some reason, I guess I just had equated if I wore those certain brands, I would appear to be wealthy or I would appear to have it all together and people would respect me and people would talk to me and all that. I think deep down we all have a little girl inside of us that is just like, see me, talk to me, like, hello, here I am. And that was me. I had that there was a little girl in me that just wanted to be seen so bad. I just wanted to be spoken to. I wanted to just like stand out, so to speak, when I would go to conferences and even on social media. But I had really, when I entered a room, it was to the point where you would see that. And I when I enter a room, I want people to feel the love of God just radiating off of me. And and I I touched on that in the video too. But yeah, obedience, it is very, very, very, very hard to do, and just that submission, but there's so many beautiful things that can come from that. And like I said, as you grow closer to God, you're going to have to sacrifice and let go of things. And that's another thing I had set there and I had wrestled with God for a long time, for several months, about this. And, you know, I was just like, God, why of all things? Why why the purses? Like, I have made the commitment to never cut my hair. I've made the commitment to wear dresses and skirts. Like, I I've I'm doing all of these things. I'm working tired tirelessly at two churches. You know, I've committed my life to you at this point to do everything. And like, I come on social media unashamedly and I proclaim that I am a Pentecostal and like I'm doing all the things. I wrote a girl devotion book so they could get closer to you. Like, what in the world? And it was just like, you know, that scripture, obedience is better than sacrifice. I'm over here doing all the works and I'm making all the sacrifices of my time and I'm doing all the things, but what does any of that matter if I can't obey the voice of God? And so that is really ultimately what kind of gave me the push to just do it because my goodness, when you look at it, it's just a couple of letters on a purse, you know, it's just a couple of symbols on a purse, and I didn't I didn't want it to be where I was choosing the letter L V over the voice of God. You know, I'd I in in the big scheme of things, there's just you can't take them with you. It's just material things, you know. But yeah, if I could, if I could encourage anybody in this video to just listen and obey the voice of God. And I promise you, there is so many benefits and God will honor it. And like I said this in that video, even if God doesn't specifically in that moment, like instantly give you this spiritual awakening or this spiritual breakthrough, or maybe you're seeking after something, and if if it doesn't happen immediately after you make this commitment, don't get discouraged. But you have to really just come to a place in your walk with God where even if God doesn't do what you think he should do, just be pleased with me, God. Like even if if I don't do another thing, just be pleased by the fact that I did obey, you know, and it's just it's hard. Giving up things and dying to your flesh is so, so hard. But ultimately I had to put my identity in God rather than the material things, if that makes sense. And I just want to encourage everybody, just obey, simply obey the voice of God.

SPEAKER_01 30:24

Whether it's about no matter what it is that God is convicting you personally about, it's not necessarily about what it is, because like you said, and like you said in the video multiple times, like you're not judging anyone that carries these purses. That's really the point of it. It's just God has placed something on your heart and you're obeying what the Lord is speaking to you. And I think about that a lot, like because everybody has different convictions and different things that they don't do or that they do, and it's not necessarily about what it is, unless it's like preached in your church, that's completely different. But yeah, sometimes it's just a personal thing, and it's just it's not about necessarily what's happening, but it's about like the Lord. One time I had someone t say it to me like this, it's like the Lord asking you something like, How far will you go for me? It's basically like him saying, you know, I have something a little bit more for you, or I have a deeper relationship for you, or a higher calling, or whatever it is. And so, will you give this up for me? Is this too much for you to give? It's about the obedience and submission to a higher calling and a higher authority in your life. And so I think, like you said, whenever you do obey to those things, um, whether they seem silly to other people or not, it is such a holy thing and it's such a like a covenant with God that you're going to do whatever he asks of you just because you love him that much. And I think there's something so beautiful about that too. Um I think God can really use that that space in your life when you're able to let go of things.

SPEAKER_00 32:07

Yeah, and just to like piggyback off of that, like all year, you know, at the beginning of the year, you have all these New Year's resolutions and everything, and just all year long I have been praying, like, God, take me deeper, like give me a fresh anointing, give me a stronger anointing, give me spiritual discernment, give me a gift of the spirit, give me, give me, give me. And the whole time, God is like, okay, what are you willing to give me? And I think that that was just something so beautiful. And I'm I'm just I feel very good about my decision.

SPEAKER_01 32:39

I encourage anyone too, if you're listening and maybe you have felt something on your heart, no matter what it is, if you feel like the Lord has been trying to talk to you or speak to you, because I always pray like every day, Lord, help me to be sensitive to your spirit, help me to be listening when you speak, because it's easy for us to get so busy and distracted that we don't even hear what God asks of us, but we ask him all the time, like for things. And sometimes he wants to give us things, but he wants something too, because he is our God. And so I feel like we've talked about so many things, but I know I always ask everybody that I have on the podcast this one question, and it's what is a general piece of advice that you would leave with any young person listening today? And the best way that I can explain this is whether you just have something on your heart you want to leave, or if you could speak to your younger self, what's something you needed to hear, like anything that you just want to leave with our heart.

SPEAKER_00 33:36

Yeah. Well, if I could go back to my younger self, I would say sell out 100% to God. You know, I'd mentioned this at the beginning. I was kind of in my teenage years, I was one foot in, one foot out. I was, you know, really just chasing after something that the world could never give me, honestly. And I think we've kind of all been there at some point. You just kind of you get to realizing that people around you is not like you. And I remember getting so frustrated with God at times in my teenage years. Like there were so many times where I would think, like, God, why out of all of the millions and billions of families in the world, why did you have to place me in an apostolic family with all the rules? You know, like why did I, why did I have to be here? Why am I the only one in my school like this? Why am I the only one of the very few in my own city that's like this? Like, why did you put me in an apostolic family? Do you just not even love me? And it was like God was saying, it's because I love you. That's why I placed you where you're at. And when I finally, finally decided, like, okay, God, I am going to just try this out for like two or three months. I am going to completely sell out. I'm going to cut out all the secular music. All I'm going to cut some friendships off for a little bit. Like, I am going to completely devote myself for you for the next couple of months, and I'm just going to see what happens. Well, I'm 29 and I'm still here. Like that the two or three months turned into like a lifetime so far. But and it was so much easier when I made that commitment and when I totally shifted all of my focus to the things of God and to church. And I got involved in back in my day, it was called She's for Christ. But I think now they call it like move the mission or mission movers or something like that. But back in my day, it was she's for Christ. I got involved in that. I got involved more in the church and doing all the things. My life instantly got so much easier just by me fully committing because when you're one foot in, one foot out, it's just a vicious cycle. You know, you're you you you mess up, you fall short, you do something you're not supposed to. You you know you're not supposed to be doing it. So you feel guilty, you go to a church service, you feel conviction, you go to camp meeting, you feel conviction, and you're like, oh my gosh, I'm never gonna do that again. I'm so sorry, and you repent, and then Monday comes back around, you go back to school, you hang around the same people, you do the same activities, you you fall again, you sin again, and then you feel bad again, and then you repent again, you get fired up again at a youth rally or something, and then a couple of days later, you're back, and it's just a cycle, and it is emotionally, it is so exhausting. But when I truly and 100% committed, my life instantly got so much easier and so much better. So I if I could tell any young girl that is struggling and kind of teeter-tottering, just sell out, just try it like I did, just sell out completely and get a personal relationship with God. You're not gonna make it to heaven based off of your pastor's prayers. You're not gonna get through the toughest trials in your life based off of your mom and dad's prayers or your grandparents' prayers or even your friends' prayers. You there's so there, I I had this crazy idea that like if I could just get married, my life would get so much easier and I wouldn't have anything, and I would just be, you know, unicorns and glitter and everything would be great. Oh my word, no, don't grow up, it's a trap. I'm just kidding. But no, like seriously, I just thought if I could just get myself married, everything would be okay, and I would be like this spiritual like person and everything, and never have to struggle or anything. My gosh, I don't necessarily struggle with like things of the world, but there is just so many times where you are gonna go through hurt, you're gonna go through friendship betrayals or just anything, you're gonna be fighting spiritual warfare, like just anything. And it if you could just get a personal walk with God, a personal relationship with God right now in your teen years, oh my goodness, by the time you get to adulthood, by the time you are trying to figure out what career path or you know where you fit at in the ministry or where you fit at in the church, or just whenever life happens, because let's be honest, it happens to everybody. Whenever life happens in your adulthood years, you're gonna be so thankful that you already have that strong prayer life and that you know how to pray because prayer is seriously gonna be what gets you through your darkest days. And it's so much easier when you establish that now at the younger age and the younger years. Don't wait, like I said, a while ago, don't wait till you have it all together because you're never gonna have it all together. Prayer and that real true relationship with God, my love for God is ultimately why I had the strength and the courage to obey the voice of God and let those items go. Because I love God so, so, so much. I go to church, not because my husband goes, not because my mom and dad go, but because I have it within my heart. No matter if I am the only person in my family going to church, I'm gonna go because of my real true relationship with God and because of my love for God. Your love for God is gonna make you do some pretty crazy things, but it's it it it's it's incredible. And I, if I could just tell anybody that, just establish right now, get get sold out 100%, not one foot in, one foot out, get sold out 100% because your spirit is like it's like two dogs. Whichever dog you feed the most is ultimately going to be stronger and it's gonna win the fight. If you are feeding the fleshly dog and feeding like feeding your spirit with like carnal music or you know, hanging around bad friends or vaping or whatever, whenever your spiritual dog tries to come in, that that flesh is, you know what does that make sense? It's like a fight. And whichever one, whichever beast you feed the most is going to win. So make sure you are feeding yourself with the word of God, make sure you are praying, get involved in church. If you don't, if you're not sure where you fit in in the church, shadow some people. If you like, if you like photography, shadow, join the the marketing team. You know, maybe we we automatically think like, oh, well, I've got to be a preacher or I have to be a singer or I have to play a musician. No, be a door greeter, be a prayer warrior, be an intercessor. You know, there's so many things like like we talked about the body of Christ. There's so many different members and areas that you specifically could fit in. And if you don't know where you fit just yet, that's okay. You have plenty of time to figure it out. Just get busy, get busy for God, and you you'll find your your place. So I guess that's I guess that's it. I know that's a lie.

SPEAKER_01 40:51

You asked for one thing, but that's kind of that's so good. All of those go together so well. Like you said, getting involved. I always tell everybody that you just gotta get involved in church, especially as young people. The Bible says that the an idol mind is the devil's workshop. And so if you are allowing yourself to be complacent and just fill yourself with all of that, like you said, carnality, it is ultimately where the enemy can swoop in. But when you are busy, you know, at prayer meeting or helping at the church, cleaning, that is going to be where you get so much wisdom and mentorship as well. One of Sister Parky from Grace Life, she always says, if you are like trying to find your place in the kingdom or in the church, she was like, just like find someone in the church that you want to pattern your life after. Like find that person that you look at and you're like, man, I really love the way that she worships, or I love the way that she serves, or I love the way that she speaks and she mentors people. Like, I want to be like her, so I'm gonna start to pattern my life after her and and obviously not her become God in your life, but but allow yourself to look at her as an influence. And so I think that's really important too to have influences in your life and mentors that are going to help you. And you also mentioned a relationship with God, which I think is the most important thing because we have to have a prayer life. Like you said, we're not gonna go to heaven on our pastor or our youth pastor's prayers, but we're gonna go to heaven through the relationship that we are living off of. And so that comes through prayer and reading the word. Because, like you said, the storms of our life, we're not gonna get through them with a carnal mind. We're just not like if I'm just being honest, yeah. We're gonna have to have that foundation and we're gonna have to have something greater on our side, and in order to have that, we have to have that relationship with the Lord. So I think everything you said was so, so good and needed for any person listening. I think that it's definitely very timely as well. And I'm just thankful for your voice in our generation, and I'm thankful for the influence that you do have on um everyone, on girls, on on women, on moms, like anybody that that looks at your stuff and and is inspired or encouraged. Like, I think that's such a blessing, and I just appreciate your time today and everything that you're doing. Um, I think that it's a blessing for sure. So thank you so much for being on the podcast, sister Mandy Bowen.

SPEAKER_00 43:27

Well, thank you so much for having me. I love what you're doing. Keep it up.

SPEAKER_01 43:31

Thank you. Alright, well, I didn't want to cut you off if you had anything else to say. I think I pretty much said it all. I think it went really well. I think that's great. But if that's if that's all, I I'll I'll stop recording. I'll do an outro later, but I'll I I just wanted to make sure that you didn't have anything else. I think so. I think that was that was a lot. No, you're gonna get it. I'm gonna put