The Vine with Joe & Katie Devine
Welcome to "The Vine" with Joe and Katie Devine, where we embark on a journey through the twists and turns of life, love, and faith in our formative twenties. Join us as we candidly share our triumphs, trials, and everything in between, inviting you into our world of learning and growing together. Through heartfelt conversations, we navigate the complexities of marriage, relationships, and spirituality, reflecting on our missteps and milestones with humility and grace.
As branches of the same divine Vine, we embrace the power of community and the guidance of faith, aiming to inspire and uplift our listeners as we collectively journey toward greater understanding and connection. Welcome to a space where vulnerability meets wisdom and where, together, we discover the beauty of being intertwined in the vine of life.
The Vine with Joe & Katie Devine
I'm Feeling 22 feat. Katies Sister, Alli!
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What happens when your little sister joins your podcast? Pure magic and unexpected wisdom! In our latest episode, we're thrilled to welcome our very first guest—Katie's sister Alli —who brings a refreshingly honest perspective on navigating the early twenties.
Remember when everyone said college would be "the best years of your life"? Alli turns this idea on its head, sharing why she's actually found more genuine happiness since graduating. She opens up about the freedom that comes from shedding the social pressure of campus life and focusing on quality relationships rather than quantity. Her insights on finding confidence through financial independence and setting meaningful personal goals will resonate with anyone navigating this transformative life stage.
As the conversation deepens, we explore how faith evolves during these pivotal years. Alli candidly shares her journey through doubt and questioning, offering a perspective that feels authentic rather than prescribed. Her realization that inconsistent prayer stems from desire rather than time constraints strikes a powerful chord: "The failure wasn't in time but in the desire." This moment of raw honesty creates space for listeners to examine their own spiritual practices without judgment.
The episode weaves through practical advice for recent graduates ("Do things that scare you"), the evolution of friendships beyond college, and ends with a hilarious segment where Alli tests our knowledge of Gen Z slang. From "skippity toilet riz" to "raise your ya-ya-ya," we prove just how out of touch we really are!
Whether you're currently in your twenties, supporting someone who is, or simply remember the challenges of this formative decade, this conversation offers both comfort and challenge. Subscribe now and join our growing community as we navigate life's meaningful moments together.
An exclusive from Dery Media Podcasts. Explore diverse perspectives and enrich your knowledge at derymedia.com. Telling stories that matter, sparking meaningful discussions.
Meet Allie: Our First Guest
Speaker 1welcome to the vine that was my line.
Speaker 2No, that was my line did you hear that?
Speaker 1is that alice in chin music? I think it is. Wow, everybody's eardrums are now exploded.
Speaker 2Uh, I'm joe divine I'm katie divine and I'm ali wait, wait, a second no way ali has joined the podcast. She's here, people.
Speaker 1Our first ever guest, our long awaited, long promised first guest Katie. Did we plan this?
Speaker 2Abso-freaking-lutely not.
Speaker 1No, no, Allie, did we plan this?
Speaker 2They fed me dinner.
Speaker 1Yes, this was Allie's dinner tax, was she? Is now on our podcast.
Speaker 2But we are thrilled because we've been putting this off and I've always wanted, like Allie and one of my sisters, all of my family honestly to be on the podcast. So we're starting it now.
Speaker 1Yes, so congratulations, allie, on being the first podcast. Guest Podcast.
Speaker 2Podcast.
Speaker 1How do you feel? How does it feel?
Speaker 2I feel good Wow.
Speaker 1She's definitely not nervous at all.
Speaker 2The microphone's a little bit intimidating. I think we've just gotten and oliver's staring oliver is trying hard to be the podcast he's literally just staring at the microphone.
Speaker 1Now he's like adjusting closer to it. Uh, also, if it sounds a little echoey, apologies. This is the.
Speaker 2This is the cost of having three people on the podcast we'll figure it out, though, but I just think it'd be really fun just to have a different perspective Like that's really been the goal for this entire podcast is not only like the ideas and conversations that we share, but like the conversations that you have around the table, and that's kind of where this was born, and we're really excited to kind of bring in different perspectives.
Speaker 1Yeah, and Allie doesn't listen to the podcast, so it's perfect. She has no idea what we talked about she's not a real fan. It's a really big accusation no no, we would.
Speaker 1It's a. You're right, it's a joke. Um so, ally, something we do on the podcast, it's since you're such an avid listener you know this is we do what we call our peak and pit, which is the best thing, since you're such an avid listener, you know this is we do what we call our peak and pit, which is the best thing since we last had our podcast and the worst thing that we feel like has happened. So normally, I will start.
Speaker 2You'll have time to think about it, don't worry. Yeah, you'll have time to think of it. Go around the table and with me.
Speaker 1Can you come back to me, teacher?
Speaker 2Thank you, I don't know what I want to order yet?
Speaker 1Yeah, if I could just order last Katie. Do you want to start, or do you want?
Speaker 2me to start. No, you got it.
Peak and Pit: Life Updates
Speaker 1Okay, so I will say my pit for the last two weeks is I've been traveling a lot.
Speaker 2Isn't that like the pit every two weeks?
Speaker 1That's my pit every two weeks Is that I'm traveling, yeah, but every two weeks is that I'm traveling, yeah, um, but I have been traveling a lot and, honestly, it's been good. It's been like good for work, but it's just been very busy, um, and sometimes, like usually, I try and give myself like I'd say, three weeks of travel and then like a week of not traveling, but we've just had a ton going on and I've been traveling. So I feel like, honestly, this weekend is the first weekend in almost a month where I felt like we haven't actually had anything crazy going on and I haven't been traveling that much during the week. So I would say that's probably my peak, too, is I feel like we've had kind of like a restful weekend, which was very, very nice.
Speaker 2Yeah Well, yeah, I kind of don't agree that it was restful. Okay, go ahead. I feel like it's been really busy and I don't know if, joe, you wanted to keep this a secret or not, but I'm about to share it okay, go ahead and share it um, but we've been looking for a house, so that's what we've been doing all weekend, and are we looking katie or well? I didn't know if we wanted to share that much we did.
Speaker 1We put a contract in the house.
Speaker 2But I'm just scared to jinx it because you know there's a lot on the line here. But anyway, so big, exciting, like we put contract in um and we decided we wanted to move two minutes down the road because my lovely sister sorry that's you don't do not.
Speaker 1How dare you step on someone's?
Speaker 2I'm so sorry I didn't say that Allie's going to say what she wants to say, but I'm just going to get up and leave.
Speaker 1Yes, bye.
Speaker 2Anyways, two minutes down the road, because you know, just because that's all, and we really like where we live and yeah, so anyways, it's been busy because that's what we've been doing, so maybe we have different. Would you say that's your peak or your?
Speaker 1pit peak for sure, but um pit shout out sean at ryan holmes. Yeah, we love sean sean australian mate.
Speaker 2Um, I think that was the pit, for I mean not pit peak, for sure um pit would be can I take a stab at what your pit might be? I would love to, because I haven't fully thought through it tummy problems oh yeah, tummy problems have been. Is that why it stinks in here?
Speaker 1yes, sally correct. That is why it stinks in here.
Speaker 2Listen, we're family here, okay, yeah, tummy problems have just been rumbling. Do you know what that makes me think of?
Speaker 1And I'm going to out my brother and my sister-in-law but she used to tell me as a like I think it's true, but she would say it jokingly Like when they were dating he never farted around her, ever. And then the minute that they got engaged she said it was like a tsunami, like it. Just it's like it's been so constant joe has never been shy about it.
Speaker 2No, I mean it's. Did you hear ali's like fart noise in the background? See, she's like me. Should we we add like um?
Speaker 1sound effects sound effects.
Speaker 2We can't help it ally?
Speaker 1what's your peak and pit?
Speaker 2oh my gosh, that was disgusting.
Speaker 1Okay, why did you know that was oliver?
Speaker 2that was like right around the turn. Okay, anyway, um peak and pit go for it. So my peak would be um. I led the way and bought a house and then two days later, like a sister does, decides to buy a house.
Speaker 1Yeah, because but a bigger, better one, whatever. Um, it's fine. Hey, you said that would also be my pit.
Speaker 2No, I'm just kidding. My pit is realizing.
Speaker 1No, it's my chair.
Speaker 2It squeaks yeah it is a squeaky chair. My pit would be realizing how expensive it is to live, yes, and also not getting a lot of sleep, but I work night shifts, so that's what you signed up for.
Speaker 1But, yes, we're very proud of you. Congratulations, allie.
Speaker 2New homes, everyone yes, we did copy you, but you inspired us. Shout out to DR Horton and.
Speaker 1Brian Holmes.
Speaker 2No, they're competitors.
Speaker 1Well, I guess we're competitors. Maybe we can give them free advertising, both of them.
Speaker 2See who gives us like $100 or $1,000 off our mortgage payment. That would be great.
Speaker 1We would love to buy down our rate just a little more.
House Hunting Adventures
Speaker 2Yeah, it is an insane time to buy a home, so kudos to you if you're in the same space. But you know, when you find a home that you love. You just got to do what you got to do. If you use our coupon code at RyanDRHorton, you can get absolutely nothing in this economy.
Speaker 1Yeah, we have nothing to offer you. You can get the builder incentives that they already offer.
Speaker 2So what are we talking about today?
Speaker 1So we have Allie on as our guest and Allie is in a super fun stage of life.
Speaker 2She's my young hip sister.
Speaker 1Yes, and I think Allie is actually a really awesome person to speak on what it's like kind of being that stage right out of college in your early 20s.
Speaker 2You know, Katie and I are married Like we can only talk about our early 20s for so much longer. Well, and we were always in a different stage of life. We're only getting older.
Speaker 1Well, hang on. We were in a different stage of life. Well, hang on we were in a different stage of life too right Than Allie is, and I think Allie has a lot of really good perspective on what it's kind of like entering in and I think you're a fun person to talk to, allie. Oh, thanks, my first question for you.
Speaker 2So, since you have graduated college and entered the Should I like give like a little rundown of me graduated college and entered.
Speaker 1Should I like give like a little rundown of me? Yeah, yeah, okay, okay, ali, who are you? Tell us your uh hinge bio? No, I'm just kidding she's very proud of it no, okay, wow, don't happy like you literally.
Speaker 2I don't actively use page anymore we would never I'm in a new phase. I'm a new woman um you're using catholic match. No farmers only anyway, um, so I'm ally. On 22. I graduated from anderson university december 2023, so I'm about like a year post-grad, so she copied me first. Let's be clear. Um, let her talk. I work as a ur nurse, um, and I live with my best friend in downtown Greenville.
Speaker 1Oh, your best, friend Best friend. This is the first time you like publicly declared that.
Speaker 2Oh my gosh, jordan, it's serious.
Speaker 1Wow.
Speaker 2I love you Jordan.
Speaker 1And yeah, and Winnie your cat.
Speaker 2And Winnie my cat. I have a cat.
Speaker 1Yeah, she's really sweet, she's a mom a cat mom.
Speaker 2I'm a cat mom and it's great do you think you'll ever get dogs?
Speaker 1I do want a dog what kind of dog do you want?
Speaker 2um. I want a doodle, but not oliver not oliver, oliver's not cool enough. So, fun fact about ally she's three years younger than me and when joe oh, I think I've shared this before, but just to rehash it when joe and I first started dating, um, my mom would not let us go on dates alone and so ally had the fun task to hang out with me and joe.
Speaker 2I was like 11 all the freaking time yeah, she was there for every day, every movie day, like she was. We just got so used to having ally around that we were unfazed by it. And now in our adulthood we're like, well, this doesn't feel right because Allie's not there. Even so, much so that, when Allie graduated from college, she lived with us for what? A couple months.
Speaker 1No, it was a year, oh yeah.
Speaker 2Yeah, like a year. And then she left last year and started an't know. She started an apartment and we were like what is going on, like ali's her first time ali hasn't been in our life and now a year later she's buying a house like five finished on the road. So we're back.
Speaker 1We're back to square one, yeah I would say I think, katie, you're the person I've been on the most dates with in my life and ally might be second.
Post-College Life Reflections
Speaker 1This is not one of those relationships so, ally, what has surprised you the most in the you're what? Like 18 months out of college, like a year and a half. What would you say is the biggest surprise. You felt like you've had like the just shift from college to for lack of a better term like adulthood um, like in a good way, in a bad way, in any way.
Speaker 2What's the? What do you like? What?
Speaker 2what state or what like quick thing kind of comes to your mind initially um, I would say I actually feel a lot happier than compared to being in college. Yeah, I do. I think that college you're surrounded by like the idea of needing to be friends with everybody and like being so like focused on like what your friendship looks like, what your life looks like to other people, looks like what your life looks like to other people. And since I'm like post-grad, I hang out with my family and like three of my best friends and that's like all I need and I like sit back and I'm like, oh, I'm like really happy and content with like these five people.
Speaker 1Yeah, in my life, like it doesn't feel pressure, yeah anything yeah so did you feel a lot of that pressure in college?
Speaker 2yeah, I mean, I think with school, with nursing school, with just not enjoying so much the college experience and stuff, it just kind of like I got to do my own thing, like I craved, like the independence, and I was able to do that. So yeah, yeah, that's interesting, I uh I feel like it could go either way, like you could be overwhelmed by the independence and like really depressed. Oh, oliver's special moment. Did you hear that? Everyone?
Speaker 2I don't think it picked up I heard it oliver just yawned, and when he yawns he goes, it's a late night recording anyways, um, it could go either way, though, like some people get like really stressed about the independence and I think me and you are the same in that way Like when we finally like kind of had control of like what decisions we wanted to make for ourselves, it was just a lot more fulfilling, yeah, yeah, and I think I took on like I did take on like a lot of like financial responsibility, but it almost made me feel really grateful in a sense that I was able to like support myself in this way?
Speaker 2Yes, and like help you know my family and stuff like that.
Speaker 1Yeah, do you feel like you are more confident now, having like been in that 18 month window like out of college, confident now, having like been in that 18 month window like out of college, like do you feel like you've seen your confidence really get boosted by this or do you still feel like no, sometimes, like I, I still have those like really stressful or like kind of fearful moments as well um, I think becoming a nurse was really hard as like a new grad nurse, especially in the ER.
Speaker 2Yeah, it was to you, but I literally could never um, but I think it did help me a lot with my confidence. Like I think I learned to be more assertive and more like this is like I'm gonna say what I'm thinking and I'm gonna say it because I mean it and I'm confident about it and my decisions and like my voice matters and stuff like that, and I think being able to support myself made me more confident. And knowing that I like did that by myself, um, but like in good ways, I think I think it would have been different if I I wanted to move somewhere else. I want to move to Charleston or like somewhere not here, cause I wanted to just get out.
Speaker 1We know you're going to move to Boston.
Speaker 2But like initially post-grad, I want to move somewhere Boston. But like initially postgrad, I want to move somewhere else. And I'm glad I didn't do that in the end, because I think that first year postgrad was really important for me to only like be surrounded by people that I knew already.
Speaker 1Yeah, it's like so. I think that was helpful so you mentioned friendships as like a key component and not necessarily having more friends post-grad, but diving into friendships, um, that you have in the last you know little while. How do you feel like it's been different than your college friendships and how have the people that you've poured into changed or not changed?
Speaker 1how the people that I poured into like how it like, for instance, I know that you're, you, jordan, your new best friend is like you guys have lived together but before, like you knew jordan in high school and in college, yeah, but you guys weren't best friends like, yeah, how, how did that, that relationship evolve? And how do you feel like other relationships that you've had post-grad have evolved kind of in a similar way?
Speaker 2I think friendships just look a little bit differently whenever you and your friends are going through the same like shift in adulthood and like I think me and jordan have talked about this multiple times of like um, it's hard to relate to our friends who are still in college because they don't know what it's like to go to a nine to five or to you know, or seven to seven you know, like die or something you know like it's hard to relate um, but you have like a different, mature mindset where I think in college sometimes there's like a toxicity of um trying to one-up somebody or trying to like be better than or compare yourself with or your friendships look different than you know know and I
Speaker 2think me and Jordan talked about this today how, like the three friends that I pour into and who pour into me work so perfectly because we never have any envy or jealousy for the other person. So, like I feel, like because we're a little bit older now, like we only like want the best for each other, and like that's where like want the best for each other and like that's where like really good friendships stem from, is when you're not comparing with your best friend.
Speaker 2And I think that happens a lot in college, well, and I think, like you, can be the same age now and still be in totally different seasons of life yeah.
Speaker 2Whereas in college, like you're constantly comparing, you're constantly like leveling up at the same time. But now, like you probably have friends that are married, that are expecting children and some that are still trying to figure out their career choice. Like you're all in such different seasons that like you can only really truly be a girl's girl. Like you can't just compare Like at this point. Like you have to support each other. Like you have to like cheer each other on, and if you don't, then there's no point in investing in that relationship.
Speaker 1Yeah, how do you fight against that envy? Like because you know it's funny hearing you say this, because you probably feel the other way around I. I do feel the other way around.
Speaker 1Like in college, I did not feel like I was competing against my friends like I felt like we were all like a boy, girl thing, like I don't know yeah, and who knows, like I just know that now, as I'm, as I've gotten older, like it does come up and I feel like, in my head at least, it's like well, I wonder what they do for a living and then, of course, like I start doing the math in my head or I'm like, where do they live?
Speaker 1oh, they live in that neighborhood and that, like you know, put whatever connotation you want with that that's. That's been my experience, so it's interesting to hear you have a different experience. So I'm just curious how you feel like your friends combat some of that envy or some of that comparison. Why is that change? Or do you just feel like it's just kind of who you, you all are, because I know you're friends and they are really good people? And I think when you're good people, that's yeah, I think that's it too.
Speaker 2I think it's like you. I saw that. I think it's a common thing that people hear, but it's like you become the three people you see, like all the time and like or like, so you're just like me and katie with like a little bit of jordan in there yeah, like the people at work or the people like your friends with their stuff.
Speaker 2Like you become like who you're around and like I think that I've become more of this person because of the people I've surrounded myself with. And I think in different times in my life I've become not a great person because, you know, like I've become around different people. I've become envious of my friends because they too were envious of me, and so it just kind of like rubs off on each other.
Friendship Evolution After Graduation
Speaker 1Yeah, um and I think somebody has to make. Ultimately, yes, it helps to have good friends, but somebody has to make that first move yeah, you know like somebody has to be the one to say like, hey, I'm, you know, for lack of, because we're talking about it like I'm the one who's not envious.
Speaker 2Yeah, I think it comes from like a lot of like self-confidence and like assurance to like you're confident enough in yourself that you don't feel the need to like compare like you know, like I think you're happy with what you have. Yeah, like I'm, yeah, like me and jordan are in, like similar, very like.
Speaker 2She's about to probably get married in the next year and a half yeah um and like I'm single, but like I'm never envious of her relationship because I'm confident in being single at this time in my life yes, well, that's a great point to bring up because I feel like a lot of people your age, especially in the south yeah, he's just bringing up relationships made me think of this, especially in the south or feeling like the pressure to get married and start their family right away. Like, do you at all, have you ever related to that? Do you, um, feel, like you said, just feel really confident in your singleness and like why? Like I'm just curious where you're at with that, because I feel like a lot of people, really open up your heart right now.
Speaker 2This is a therapy session. I think that I'm open to a really obviously open to God's plan and a relationship, were it to come my way. But I think I'm more focused on a different goal that it allows me for. If it happens, it happens, but I'm not just like sitting and waiting for it to happen. If that makes sense, like I'm focused on like, yeah, that's a fair living somewhere else.
Speaker 2And like doing Y and Z, where I'm not just like waiting for the next step to be marriage. It's like I'm doing this, this and this, and if I meet someone and I get married along the way, then that's great, but it's not going to slow you down, it's not yeah. It's not my ultimate goal.
Speaker 1I think that's a really good point that you, but you do have goals set.
Speaker 2Yeah, outside of like, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1Well, and I think that for some people like getting married is their goal.
Speaker 2Yeah.
Speaker 1And I think that's you know, that's fine, that's what they want to do. But I think where potentially especially right out of college and in your early 20s where it can get stressful is if you don't have goals outside of that and the only thing you're focused on is well, I have to get married and have to be in a relationship.
Speaker 2That's where it gets hard.
Speaker 1Yeah, it gets really hard, a lot of disappointment happens, yeah, and I I've seen how much more confident you've grown in achieving your goals. Yeah, in you know getting that job at grier and you know doing well at it and then now know purchasing your first home. Like it's been cool to see that confidence in you grow. And it's because you've had real achievable goals in your life that are not focused on you know, just your, your relationship status or or even your friends. Right, it's focused on achievable things that give you confidence.
Speaker 2Yeah.
Faith Journey and Desert Seasons
Speaker 1Um, how has your faith played a part in this transition for you, like, how have you felt? Like either it's been more challenging towards your faith, better for your faith, you know, and that probably has changed a lot, even in the last 18 months, not just regarding leaving college, but what has been kind of a guiding point for you when it comes to your faith in your early 20s?
Speaker 2In my early 20s, I don't know. I think I kind of talked about this a little bit at DOIC in a workshop, but it was like a workshop about like keeping your faith in college thing was that I felt as though I went to a school that felt very judgmental towards Catholics, which helped me grow but also like brought me down a little bit but in like a good way. I think the biggest thing I've realized through that and post-grad and stuff like that is that I needed to ask the questions of doubt and like ask the questions of honestly, not even like forget Catholicism, like Christianity in general.
Speaker 2I feel like I also live in a time period where I look around and I see everybody who claims to be Christian and does not represent it in what way like ever yeah like in their words and their actions in general, just like Christians, and I think that motivated me a lot.
Speaker 2To first, like I will say, my prayer life is not that great now but hasn't been for the past like four years since, like COVID. But I think it motivated me more so in how I first portray myself as a Christian, even if my like personal relationship with God doesn't look great. How am I like loving others, like, how to you know, like how it's a great point, yeah.
Speaker 2Yeah, like, if I am being brought down by my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ and I am Christian, then how much worse does it look like for somebody who doesn't know God? Yeah, um, yeah, that's true. And I think, like graduating and being post-grad, I always was like, oh, like I was so busy in nursing school and college because I'm like a studying and this and this, and like that's why I didn't have time. When I become like a nurse, like I work three days a week I'll have all the time in the world to like invest so much in, like, my prayer life and like this isn't this.
Speaker 2And yeah, I was like, oh, no, I like it actually is on me, Like I think, like it made me self reflect that Like the failure wasn't in time but it was in the desire.
Speaker 1That's a great line.
Speaker 2Of like wanting to pray, because you know, like, if you want to work out, if you want to eat healthy, if you want to make time for things, you make the time for it Like you don't realize it but you do and you end up you have the time. It's just like if you want to make the time for it, and I realized that it was more of like a desire issue rather than a busyness.
Speaker 1yeah, yeah um, no, I completely agree and I think that's that's actually a very I wasn't able to put it in words, that, but that's a realization I've had probably over the last couple of years in my own faith life, where it always feels easy to blame being busy but, you always make time for the things that really matter.
Speaker 1You know, like I can say how busy we are, you know, but ultimately I could also wake up 30 minutes earlier. You know, and like, guess what, there's plenty of times where there's 45 minutes of me laying in bed, you know, scrolling or playing a video game or whatever, like there's, there's so many opportunities to pray and to not even just to pray, but to be disciplined.
Speaker 2Yeah Well, I feel like that's a really good point to make too, just in the season that we're in, like right now. It's the season of lent, and we talked about that in the last podcast and I've been reflecting on like why, why is, why are we called to be in a desert like that doesn't sound fun at all and, um, I'm gonna butcher the quote, but it's a quote by mother teresa, and basically she says like god speaks to you in the silence, but she says it a lot more eloquently than that.
Speaker 2But that's the gist of it, like God speaks to you in the silence, and I think that you and I, joe, are both um guilty of this. But we love the busy, and I first full disclaimer, like there's nothing wrong with being busy and like loving a little chaos in your life yeah but how are you including God in that chaos?
Speaker 2And I think that's what we're learning right now. We're in a busy season, but we're also in the season of Lent. That is God calling us to spend some desert time with Him, spend some time carving out time to just listen to Him and not be afraid of the silence and to lean in and blessed is. She actually posted something on instagram that I thought was a really good idea and it was like plan your desert day, and it was basically an intentional day. It's kind of similar, joe and I you and I did like a, an advent day, yeah, um, but same concept, but like a desert day, something that you would do during lent, and you would carve out like a whole day of just like no screen time go to mass, go to church, go to adoration, go to a coffee shop, just like spend some time alone with the bible journal, like just like a whole day dedicated to just being with god in whatever shape or form that looks like for you, and I just thought that was a cool tradition, that maybe we'll start.
Speaker 1Yeah, no, I like that. And ultimately, I think the other piece too is that Jesus was fully man. Right, he was not, you know, just some deity who came down. He was fully human and was living a fully human life. And if we are to emulate Jesus, we are not only to emulate him in the happiness and the joy, but in his sacrifice as well. And how can we have the? You know, we can't have the full vision of what it looks like to live like Christ If we don't have desert seasons ourselves. You know, because God will tell us things in joy and in happiness, and he's going to tell us things in sadness, you know, and he's going to tell us things in sadness, and I think it's important to be able to hear him in all those times.
Speaker 2Yeah, but he's not going to come banging on your door ready to reveal to you what his plan is. He's going to just gently wait for you to open the door and let him in.
Speaker 1He's a gentleman, he always knocks, he never barges in. I just mentioned he's a gentleman, he knows he always knocks, he never barges in. And I just mentioned that. Mike patan, I think probably, or probably literally, any speaker any any junior high rally speaker and every junior higher is like oh my, that's so true um, oh, go ahead, go ahead I think, well, I like yeah, for me.
Speaker 2I think sometimes like that I that idea of like a desert day can seem kind of daunting, but like something, I've done this line as far as like silence is like going on, like when I go on my walks, like I love to like listen to music or like just do something that like fills my ears, like I've done a lot of silence. So I've done silence in my walks or I've like driven to work when they're music and just in silent. I think that's really helped because I think, like you realize like how hard it is and you're like okay, like, but it's easy to like offer this up to the lord, like for I don't know, like an intention or whatever it is, um but, like blessed is she, also I'm doing their lenten devotional and the whole like premise of their book is like under the mountain, under the Mount of Olives or something like that, like right before his sacrifice.
Speaker 1Yeah.
Speaker 2And like the first like page is like a description of like close your eyes.
Speaker 2This isn't this, but it like takes you like imagining, like under the olive tree and the Mount of Olives, jesus just like kneeling there, like in silence, and you like come up to him and it's, it's all quiet, um, and you see the disciples like sleeping on one side, like they're all sleeping, and jesus is praying and he's also like kind of like really like not flustered, but like he's stressed out yeah, he's sweating blood yeah he's really stressed and like you come up and like you like kneel next to him and you both just like sit in silence and like I think there was one line that was like he doesn't like need you to like console him, but he like desires you to console him, like in this time, and it's like his best friends are literally like sleeping and he's like having a really hard time and like all he wants you to do is just like kneel and sit in that silence with him.
Speaker 1So I like that.
Speaker 2Yeah, that's really pretty uh somewhere, john 14, something I was reading, john 14 through john 16 this morning. Uh, so one of one of the verses in there. It was like uh, talking about how jesus prepares the way and prepare the way.
Speaker 2Thank you for that. And I just thought that that like the reflection on it was like jesus is going to prepare, like prepare the way before you, which means he's been there first, and I just loved like that imagery of like everything that like we're going through, like he has been through, like the highs and the lows, like you're not walking through it alone.
Speaker 1Um, yeah, anyways I have one final question for you, ali, um, and this might be a big one, but I I've thought about this and, uh, I don't know if I've had an answer from you on this ever so I don't know she's here.
Speaker 2Yeah, exactly you. I'm sorry, I know. I know she's here, me or.
Speaker 1Joe, exactly you, sorry. I know she loves Katie more, no, so you said like part of your journey in college was like not only determining do you want to be Catholic, but Christian in that faith. So ultimately, why do you still practice Catholicism? I know it's a big question, but I truly am curious. I know it's a big question, but I'm truly curious.
Speaker 2I don't think I've ever really like question Catholicism in the sense. It's always just kind of been like how like distant I am from the Lord, yeah, but I think I always come back to like this sounds like.
Speaker 1This sounds like really.
Speaker 2I think, just exploring different churches, there was nothing that felt like home compared to like the Catholic church, I think for me, and like that could be different for everybody, it could be vice versa, whatever. But and it was something that I felt, in whatever catholic church you go to, I couldn't, you can't find somewhere else.
Speaker 1Yeah, so and I I feel like there's like a depth that I I really appreciate and whatnot and like um, but yeah, well, and I I actually I like that answer because I think so often, especially in the maybe I'll say like the Catholic social media space it becomes about. Well, you know, I looked at the history of the church and you know, it just made sense and like it becomes very logical and very I don't know what the word is, but very Like factual.
Speaker 1Yeah, it becomes a factual conversion and I think there is a beauty in that, the fact that it should feel right, and I don't think we should be afraid to say that's part of the reason why we believe is because we feel that it's right.
Speaker 2It feels like home.
Speaker 1Yeah, because there's a piece of God within all of us that longs. There's that piece of the Holy Spirit within us that longs to be with God.
Speaker 2Yes, yeah.
Speaker 1And the only way to experience that is a feeling.
Speaker 2Yeah.
Speaker 1They knew I just burped. They all looked at me. You were not subtle, yeah.
Speaker 2And I think for anybody it could be their home denomination they go to, and that's amazing too. I think there's like beauty in everything and I learned a lot from my other friends who are different denominations. Yeah, going to a Baptist school will really really shape your faith, yeah, yeah, in good ways. But I also think that I recently had a friend, a friend, a friend.
Speaker 1A friend.
Speaker 2And he kind of questioned who was very hardcore about not liking the Catholic Church. Yeah, and his viewpoints on it just kind of made me realize that's not what it's about. It's not about all of. I mean, there is like factual you know, like you can you have the theology yeah, but ultimately in the end, like what is wrong with you loving your church and me loving mine, and yeah, yeah both of us feeling at home with where we are the other one yeah 100 so I think that's what I like.
Speaker 2Yeah, don't like is that it has to, I don't know. Like just yeah, I have one more question and then go ahead, we can wrap it up. But what piece of advice would you give to someone in your situation? That's like just graduating college, trying to figure out what to do, how to incorporate their faith, to find like community, but like just at the beginning of it. What would you like if it were you? What would you tell yourself? I told myself a year and a half ago from now yeah, first, you should have bought a house five years ago when the rates were True at 18 years old, when you had no money.
Final Advice and Gen Z Slang
Speaker 2Second, I would say that I would say to do things that you're scared to do. I love that yeah, definitely do things that you're scared to do because you know you're not going to regret the chances that you didn't. Yeah, you know you're not going to regret the chances that you didn't. Yeah, um, and the best thing I think that did help me is, like I said earlier, was um having the goals that I want outside of people who change.
Speaker 2So I like that, you know like the friendships in my life will change. The boy that I'm dating will change. The job that I'm doing will change, and not making like decisions based off of those things that are so like ethereal moving yeah, um, and making like decisions and goals based off things I want to do and like not letting people around you and circumstances change those things don't.
Speaker 2Let a relationship change those things don't let friendships and jobs change those things like you ultimately wanted to do it like, just do it, let yourself do it, yeah, and if you fail? You learn from it and you get back up and you try something else.
Speaker 1Yeah all right that's awesome good so now good things, all good things. I like that and I I think it's a. I think pushing yourselves and doing things that you're scared of is is really important, especially in, honestly, in any phase in life, and my dad, growing up, always instilled in me the idea. Um, he said, successful people do things that they don't want to do. You know, and that's it's a very simple saying, but I think it really rings true for all walks of life and your faith and your physical life and your job.
Speaker 2Yeah. And when we say like now, I think like people say now is the time to do it, cause like you're in your twenties. Like when I say that I don't mean like now is the time because you're in your twenties, I'm saying now is the time because it is present time. So it doesn't matter if you're 50 or if you're 18 or yeah, like it doesn't matter what state of life you're in. There's never going to be like oh, I should have done it then, but I missed my window. It's like no, now is the time. Today is the day, I think, being in the present and being content where you're at, while you're working towards something else, not just always looking forward at what is like you're looking forward to and the next thing and the next thing and the next thing, but like I'm living in this moment and content with where I'm at and there is so much more for me in the future. So, yeah, that's so good.
Speaker 1I love it. So now we do our marriage meeting, which ali, I was a part of a lot. Oh yeah, she was she was a part of our marriage meeting usually, um so usually. This is where I will explain some sort of trend to katie oh yeah, I will mansplain to katie, but I believe that you are going to Gen Z-splain something to us Potentially.
Speaker 2I am Gen Z and I think technically you guys are too, but I'm not young Gen Z.
Speaker 1I'm old Gen Z, so I don't actually know, if you're old Gen Z, then we're ancient Gen Z, you're literally ancient.
Speaker 2But I don't know a lot of the brain rot words, so I looked up a list and I don't actually really know what they mean, but I'm really interested to see what you guys, I want you guys to use these words in a sentence.
Speaker 1So how are we going to know if we're right, if you don't know?
Speaker 2I guess we'll just have the listeners tell us yeah, don't let us know.
Speaker 1Okay, all right, just have the listeners tell us.
Speaker 2Yeah, don't let us know, okay, um, all right. So all right, use this in a sentence katie, you go first yeah, skippity toilet riz, a full sentence. Like are these all verbs now?
Speaker 1you? I don't know. Yeah, you have to. Okay, I know this one toilet riz.
Speaker 2Oh man, I'm about to skippity toilet riz no, no, that's not what it means.
Speaker 1Skippity toilet riz would be like oh, skippity toilet man. Did you see my riz out there? That like what?
Speaker 2like you split the word into two words. Did you see my toilet, riz, out there?
Speaker 1so do you know what? You know what riz is right?
Speaker 2I know my cool, like my, it's like it's charisma yeah, yeah riz.
Speaker 1And then skibbity toilet is just a youtube video that got like a billion views where it plays this weird song and then skibbity toilet okay, chronically online.
Speaker 2Um we're cooked chat oh isn't that a sentence? But like tell me what it means, like yeah, okay, tell katie, what does that mean? It's. She already went.
Speaker 1I thought it was your turn yeah, but I feel like I need to go first.
Speaker 2We're going to copy joe, we're cooked chat, so like it's a group chat, like you're in a group chat with your friends and you're like oh my god, we're cooked, like we're so tired I'll, yeah, we'll accept that answer oh, you're gonna copy me well uh are we a?
Speaker 1team.
Speaker 2It's all it's about twitch, so like it's like live streaming so you know this answer too in my yeah, so this is just me learning, I guess.
Speaker 1So when you're cooked, it's like oh, you're done.
Speaker 2Man, like you're, you're in a bad spot yeah, or you could say like oh, she cooked that's true, that is, she's done no, like she ate oh, like really good, yeah, yeah, I know that one okay oh, ali knows that one. Guys, I know that one sigma sigma boy, okay, I don't know that one, okay, um, so like I don't know how to use this other than like he's a sigma sigma boy. But that doesn't that feels too. What do you think sigma means?
Speaker 1like, I think, frat boy, like isn't that like kind of like a beta?
Speaker 2I thought that was the opposite. I thought there was like sigma I thought alpha.
Speaker 1So alpha like an alpha is like the, the leader, and then a beta is kind of like the, the week oliver is a beta oliver is a beta lucy is like cool, like you're cool like he's a sigma boy boy, you would never date a frat guy me. Yeah, no gosh no, um, give us one more. Give us one more, okay okay, last one.
Speaker 2I actually know, I know this one isn't like this one's ridiculous, it doesn't mean anything, but it's funny. It doesn't mean anything. How?
Speaker 1am I supposed to guess?
Speaker 2um, I'm gonna say it like in a normal voice, but I need you to say it how you think the tiktok said it, okay okay raise your ya, ya, ya. Oh, I know, this one raise your ya, ya, ya. I didn't know what it was at first, but then you did that. I remember you showing that I know this one Raise your ya-ya-ya.
Speaker 1I didn't know what it was at first, but then you did that. I remember you showing that she had a great voice when she raised her ya-ya-ya.
Speaker 2Was it just a trend? Because it was funny? No, yeah, it was just like this.
Speaker 1It's a video of a what she's probably like a high school girl or something like that.
Speaker 2Yeah, and she's like an instructor. And they make her yeah, now explain it every time you explain, uh like a meme or a social media clip you sound so dumb and you're like it's really funny, I promise yeah, I do know that one that was a viral one well, ali, thank you for joining of course our podcast of being the first guest.
Speaker 1Yeah, how do?
Speaker 2you feel See, it wasn't that hard. No, it wasn't that bad. I was going to literally poop my pants earlier, just kidding it was me that farted.
Speaker 1Just kidding, I don't fart, don't worry, we already lost Allie. She's on her phone, I'm not on my phone watching gladiator. Oh, that's so sweet. Well, I hope mom's having a great time watching gladiator. Uh, thanks for listening.
Speaker 2Yes, thank you for listening. We hope you enjoy just as much as we like hanging out with her and catch us living in the same neighborhood just kidding not the same neighborhood. I would not the same neighborhood katie say your line oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Is that not the line that's?
Speaker 1definitely not the line.
Speaker 2The line is let's keep growing together. Bye y'all. So Thank you.