Small Group, Big Questions

Small group Bible study: where the snacks are sometimes your dinner, the silences are real, and somehow… the conversations still hit deep.

In this episode, we dive into the awkward, honest, and unexpectedly meaningful moments that happen when you swap rows for circles—and why real growth often shows up in the middle of it all.

Follow us and send us your prayer request on Instagram at @throughitpodcast

Transcript

SPEAKER_03 0:05

Have you ever smelled Chanel number five?

SPEAKER_01 0:07

I'm sure I have. I don't know what it smells like off the top of my head.

SPEAKER_03 0:10

Really powdery and just like old. Okay. Mature. It smells like something. A mature scent. It's like okay like uh assisted living mature. Okay, I know exactly.

SPEAKER_01 0:23

That's a great way to describe it. And that's I feel like a combination of that and powdery.

SPEAKER_03 0:28

Just like talc and antisepting.

SPEAKER_01 0:33

So you think that's what it smells like?

SPEAKER_03 0:35

I think it smells, I think it smells like an older woman. Okay. But I like it. I feel like it's yeah. A mature smell. Yeah. Dignified. Classy. I hear Kendra. Yeah, he's up there.

SPEAKER_01 0:48

And that was my stomach.

SPEAKER_03 0:50

Are you hungry?

SPEAKER_01 0:52

No, I mean I just ate before we You ate a cat's amount of food.

SPEAKER_03 0:57

I know.

SPEAKER_01 0:58

It was just some steak. Well, so I I normally fast on Sundays and I was gonna break at midday today, but I didn't want to have a full-on meal. And there's also something about eating just like a really full meal before we podcast.

SPEAKER_00 1:16

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:17

I want to have full clarity. Which is also like, what is wrong with that? That when we people eat that they just get lethargic. It makes me question the quality of our food. Because it should have the opposite effect. Because even if I'm like, okay, I'm thinking about my blood sugar levels and them not crashing, you know, which causes that crack in energy too. I'm like, just had a plate of protein. What is up with that?

SPEAKER_03 1:43

Max said this last night too. He was like, We refrigeration's only been around for like a hundred years, you know. Humans were basically eating roadkill and they survived just fine. And I was like, Yeah, because there were no chemicals in their food. No added hormones. They were they were their own cows, they were growing their own vegetables. Right.

SPEAKER_01 2:04

And now we're just everything's modified. Well, that's like what I was telling you. I think I told you, have a client whose parents are visiting from India, and I was asking this client, like, what's your favorite dish that your mom makes that you finally get to have while she's here visiting? And she was like, Well, it's different here in the States because my mom doesn't know what spices and herbs and how much of it to use because even the vegetables taste different. So wild. Yeah. And she's uh vegetarian.

SPEAKER_03 2:33

Yeah. Interesting. I wonder what I haven't I don't look into other countries' food laws often, but I would be because India is so heavily populated, very and they still run on a caste system, and a lot the um the wealth gap is so vast too. I'm just interested how their food is grown and processed. Well they don't eat cow.

SPEAKER_01 3:04

Yeah, she's vegetable. Well, uh a lot of them.

SPEAKER_03 3:07

Yeah. Donovan.

SPEAKER_01 3:08

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 3:10

They're not even allowed to touch them.

SPEAKER_01 3:11

Yeah. Hindu people specifically. Yeah. And she is Hindu. So I don't know. But also the way she was describing it is like you kind of even like if you go to the market to go buy produce, it's all locally grown. Like in the States, the way that we have to label things as organic or even coin things as farm to table.

SPEAKER_00 3:32

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 3:32

Where you go to other countries, you hardly ever see organic labels because everything's organic for the most part. Yeah. Like everything's farm to table. You go to the market to buy your produce, like the lady selling it, she picked it.

SPEAKER_03 3:47

And weird that there is even another option.

SPEAKER_01 3:51

Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 3:53

And if it's not farm to table, where has it gone? Right. Where did it go in between the farm and the table? Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 4:03

Or was it in a farm at all?

SPEAKER_03 4:06

And was it ever in a farm? Right. Gross. Yeah. Welcome to Through It.

SPEAKER_01 4:11

This is Kimberly. This is Ariana. Questions we ask ourselves, the things we talk about.

SPEAKER_03 4:19

Who hurt you? What happened to you? Where does our food come from? How did you meet Jesus? What are other good ones?

SPEAKER_01 4:27

I don't know. All that you said, but like in the reverse order.

SPEAKER_03 4:33

Priorities the other way. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 4:35

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 4:37

I started with who hurt you? Yeah. I'm like, who saved you?

SPEAKER_01 4:43

That part. Well, that's where we start. And then it ends up being like, well, what actually happened to you?

SPEAKER_03 4:49

What was the um your birth like? Yeah. Was it an easy birth? Right.

SPEAKER_01 4:54

Do you have siblings? Do you know them? I mean, okay, but close to them. This is like what we talked about earlier, even like how we naturally will ask all these questions about people, just like, even what do you do for work? You know, like where did you grow up? Or even like something as basic as, well, how old are you? You know, um, that a lot of people don't care to ask. It's like guys that get together, they just hang and talk about the right now.

SPEAKER_03 5:23

Yeah. Is it even the right now? Because I feel like sometimes crazy stuff happens. And I'll ask Frankie about it, and he's like, I don't know. That's a good question. Yeah. That's a good question. Yeah. I will say, shout out to my husband. This morning, I could hear him in the other room, and I was like, Who's he talking to? I actually thought he was brain. So I went to sneak in to listen to him, and he was on the phone. Okay. And like you put your ear against the door? I'd like just open this door. Like you got the cup and put it against slowly snuck in. And um, and then I just honestly kind of wanted to hear what was going on. So I just lingered in the room, and he was giving such good advice. And I don't know, it it feels like my husband gives really good advice when he doesn't know I'm around. Is that true, Frankie? If you're listening, well, even in just the way he was speaking, and he was um a friend had called him over, I think it was like they were it was had an argument with their girlfriend, and he was talking them through um how to handle it or what he thinks he should do. And even Frankie was like, I gotta be honest, I'm siding with your girlfriend totally right now. Like, you gotta you gotta look at yourself here. It was like it just like on the other side of the wall, like, wow. That's great. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 6:50

Yeah, I will say, so Jordan and I, we just drove back from Moses Lake earlier today, and we're talking about something. I think he was talking to a client, and I was like, wow, that was really great advice. Sometimes it's I think that I don't know if this is true, I think that because guys can be less in tune with someone's emotions that they kind of just give it to it straight sometimes. I don't know, maybe just speaking about my own husband, that he can just kind of detach from the emotional part of it and just see it as it is, which could be so refreshing. But yeah, I would agree. Shout out to both of our husbands, which is why we married them.

SPEAKER_03 7:32

Shout out to our husbands. You're great, that's why we married you. Yeah, um, so today we are gonna talk about some of the gospel. Yep. And um we are going through Matthew in our small group right now, chapter by chapter, and not even like we've been in Matthew 9 for two weeks, right? Yep. Um, which is kind of what um inspired me thinking on this because we got into this really great talk about identity um in our small group. And um as this has happened in the past, where we just don't have enough time while we're here on Wednesday nights at Kim's house to talk about all of it. And so I wanted to bring more into it for the podcast. Um so also let that be another shout out. If you don't have a small group, find one. It is some of the best forms of discipleship you can get. It's prayer, there's just so much fruit that comes from sitting in a very small group of women or men and talking about the word of God, right?

SPEAKER_01 8:47

And people from all different seasons. Like it's different to be surrounded. Granted, we're all, I would say, friends in that small group. We've grown to be friends of some sorts, but like when you're around just people that you socialize with and that kind of friend, and you're kind of just around people that are just like you, versus being in a small group where it's men and women from various seasons, whether it's you know, they're younger or older, and you could just glean from each other in like a very different way.

SPEAKER_03 9:17

Yeah, there's so much to learn. Yeah, there's so much to learn from different perspectives and different experiences. Also, people who have been, you know, what's interesting is I think that most of us in your small group weren't friends until we started coming. And then just over the last year or so have become friends.

SPEAKER_01 9:38

It's great. So I just love it. I'm very biased, but I just love, I really, really, really love the group of women that are in our group.

SPEAKER_03 9:47

I agree wholeheartedly.

SPEAKER_01 9:48

There's something cool about what you just said that a lot of us were not friends before we came to the group. In fact, a lot of the ladies that have come came on their own.

SPEAKER_00 9:56

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 9:57

With no one else, not knowing anyone else, other than having like maybe one mutual connection. And I genuinely feel like there's like a really sweet bond in that room now.

SPEAKER_03 10:09

There is. Yeah. We don't all go to the same church. Right. We're we range in age, I want to say by like 15 years, maybe 20 years sometimes.

SPEAKER_01 10:19

Yeah. Yeah. Easily. Because there's some girls in their early to mid-20s, and there's some ladies that have children that are in their early to mid-20s.

SPEAKER_03 10:27

There are women who have um degrees in theology. There are women who have been saved or have only been believers for months. Right. It's great. That is cool.

SPEAKER_01 10:42

That uh, I love it. Should this just be an episode on the on Bible studies? Yeah, I mean, we definitely could just like flow with that because it has changed my life. 100% me too. Okay, I want to hear actually. Okay. I guess just exactly that. Like, how has your faith walk changed from just being in a Bible study? And like, were you had you been in another Bible study before?

SPEAKER_03 11:16

Not consistently.

SPEAKER_01 11:17

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 11:18

Not really, honestly. I hadn't done a cons I would like pop in here and there when other people had Bible studies. That's fair, yeah. In my mid to late twenties when I was going to um I was going to Bethany North, I did a Bible study with them. I think I may have gone five or six times. It wasn't it wasn't like an extended small group like this was. Like it was like we had a workbook. It was I enjoyed myself. I had a great time. It was and it was um different w women in different seasons. I think it was actually men and women. Oh, cool. But anyways, um, yeah, I think it me coming doing your Bible study and being a part of this group has my biggest transformation has happened during that time. Huge. I started coming last July, June. June or July, I can't remember. Because my the first time I came, I brought my mom. Remember my mom was visiting.

SPEAKER_01 12:19

It was probably July, because it was after we had left the last gym.

SPEAKER_03 12:26

So since July, it hasn't even been a full year.

SPEAKER_01 12:30

Wow. So much has happened.

SPEAKER_03 12:32

I'm a completely different person.

SPEAKER_01 12:34

Wow. Oh my goodness. Yeah, that's a trip actually just to reflect on. It's just so crazy how much could happen in that much time.

SPEAKER_03 12:42

I wasn't, I wasn't consistently reading my Bible before that. Wow. I was having very sporadic and sparse alone time with the Lord. I was not studying at all. The I believed a lot of incorrect things, and I didn't even know. I mean, I I still don't know anything, but I knew maybe like a grain of rice or a grain of sand amount compared to where I am now.

SPEAKER_01 13:11

This is actually blowing my mind because since I know you personally, like I do feel like I have a fair picture of like where you stand in your faith. And the fact that you're what you just said and that it hasn't even been a year, not even necessarily just with coming to group, but just like from where you were then to now, it hasn't even been a full year. This is how you know that it is such a God thing. Like it is so Holy Spirit. Yeah. Because it, you guys, I mean, you hear Ari talk on the podcast, but even some of the things that you share with me, I'm like, I mean, I this is what um walking with someone should be like. Like, I'm also gleaning and learning from you. And it's like it happened in such a way where like truly God will expedite things.

SPEAKER_03 14:02

And it can be nothing else, like it is no part of me. It's amazing.

SPEAKER_01 14:09

I just got chills like five times in a row just now.

SPEAKER_03 14:11

Thank you, Jesus.

SPEAKER_01 14:12

Yeah. Thank you, Jesus, for just and it's not even just like okay, let's sit back and let the Holy Spirit work. Like there were things that you had to be very intentional about and like steps that you were intentionally taking too.

SPEAKER_03 14:27

Yeah. It's different, though. I don't know. Uh I wouldn't be interested to hear your take on this because it feels like I I had a fast, quick, and big transformation. And I like to do most things like that. Like I'd rather drink from a firehouse, like just give it to me all at once. And I think that God used that in me or made me that way specifically for it to happen this way. Um but when after that happened, it was I always picture this like if we call we call him our shepherd, right? He's he's our shepherd. And he we acknowledge that he has a rod and a staff that comforts us in Psalms, right? In the 39, 23.

SPEAKER_01 15:12

23.

SPEAKER_03 15:13

23. That um his rod and his staff comfort us. But it feels like now it's comforting to me, 100% comforting to me. But the the that rod and that staff is used to keep the sheep in line. In line.

SPEAKER_02 15:27

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 15:27

And I feel that more than I would have last, where are we? Last May. Do you do you agree with that? I also would like to hear how you started getting when like your first Bible study was and how you started doing that.

SPEAKER_01 15:43

Yeah. Um before I lose this train of thought, I'm gonna throw this out here. What you said about the Rodden staff keeping us in line. I love that you said that because I was legit just ruminating on that with parameters and boundaries and how healthy that is. I'm gonna come back to that. But when I first started going to group, hmm, I wanna say that consistently going to group, like you said, was also when I was in this same church community. Um, I know that I had gone to Jen's, but not super consistently. And one where I was like being intentional about making sure that I showed up every single time was the one that Bamana had at her house a few years ago. And I've shared before on the podcast, it was my prayer life that changed the most.

SPEAKER_03 16:39

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 16:40

And that's what shifted a lot. And then just kind of just through discipleship of being around people that are further in their faith than me, seeing what they do, hearing what they do in their own devotional times, and then also doing that really did something within me. Cause then that's when I started to kind of dive in on my own time. But I that I think that seed would not have been planted had not had I not been in group.

SPEAKER_03 17:09

So, how long were you going, if you can remember, in estimates or approximates or fine, how long were you attending church before you found a solid group? Or before you went to one consistently?

SPEAKER_01 17:22

So, I mean, like I grew up going to church and then didn't go to church for several years. And then I didn't start going back to church consistently until me and Jordan started dating. So when I met Jordan, I was 29. And then um we bounced around a couple of churches. And you know what's crazy is that church that we went to for quite a while, him and I when we were dating, I don't think anyone's invited us to group thinking about it.

SPEAKER_03 17:52

Oh, wow.

SPEAKER_01 17:53

No one ever invited us to group, and not to be like, oh, no one ever invited me. I didn't go like it wasn't on my radar because it was never brought to my attention. So it was never even a desire of mine to be like, oh, maybe I should do that. And then COVID happened. That church, it was a different church we went to shut down, and then that's when we started going to 116. 116 had just opened. And then I dove into groups like pretty much as soon as I started having groups because they really do press on the importance of that so much in our church. And I appreciate that.

SPEAKER_03 18:22

Yeah. So you always know when it's who has a group, when it's coming up. Yeah, it's not a secret.

SPEAKER_01 18:28

Yeah. Where I feel like before it's like you kind of had to jump through a lot of hoops and loops, it seems like, even to be a member at a church, and our church doesn't do memberships. So there's like pros and cons there for every little thing. There's time and a place for everything. But I mean, to answer your question, I didn't start consistently going to groups until we started going to 116. So now, you know, Kendrick's six and a half, so it's been about six years. Yeah, because he was just a few months old when we started going.

SPEAKER_03 18:54

And when did you first start leading them? Or facilitating, whatever word you like.

SPEAKER_01 19:01

I like facilitating. Maybe three years ago. Three years ago. Yeah. Right around then. And only because someone asked me to.

SPEAKER_03 19:13

You know what I love though about what we do in your group is there's no end. You know, like um, and there's nothing wrong when people need a break. You know, like take take a break if you don't want to host every other week, or you only want to do it for three months or six months or whatever, but it's been uh consistent for over a year. Over a year, and there's like small periods like during the holidays where um the holidays are happening, so we we don't meet, but you know, I love that too, and I feel like it was an intentional thing because I didn't want to be held to an agenda.

SPEAKER_01 19:58

And also I think the reason not and we say this all the time, like don't hear what I'm not saying because everyone's group is different, there's a different intention, different assignment, all those things. But for this one in particular, um it feels there's an ease to it because I genuinely love it. Like every time we have group, I really look forward to having it. And like I delight in it, so it doesn't feel burdensome. And the way this podcast, like, this does not feel like an extra thing that we have to do. Like I enjoy this, so there's an ease that comes with it when there's like actual delight in it.

SPEAKER_03 20:39

Like, what's that saying? Like, if you um if you find something you love, you'll never work a day in your life, something like that. Yeah, or when you love what you do, you'll never work. It doesn't feel like work, it doesn't feel like a burden because hopefully you are being blessed through it also.

SPEAKER_01 20:57

So much. And there's no, again, like when I say there's no other agenda, like there's no ulterior motive, like talking about work. Soon as you monetize something you love, all of a sudden it feels burdensome.

SPEAKER_03 21:07

Yeah, and obligatory, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 21:11

And there's nothing of that nature with what we do, other than really wanting to bless people with drawing them closer to Jesus.

SPEAKER_03 21:20

Yeah, we just want to talk about Jesus, and how like rewarding is that. And that's basically, I think if it wasn't for your your group, your Bible study, I don't know if it would have birthed the podcast.

SPEAKER_01 21:34

Who knows? We can Who knows? There's a lot of like what ifs, and if this didn't happen, if this did happen, who knows? I think God is so sovereign. I think it will, I don't know. There's just who knows. There's mystery to that. But I'm super grateful and I'm actually happy to hear that.

SPEAKER_03 21:52

It will think it was all intentional as per the will of God.

SPEAKER_01 21:56

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 21:57

Because we'd known each other a handful. Years without being close. Yeah. And then we started you started training me. And then I started coming to group. And then we do this podcast. And now we talk most days of the week.

SPEAKER_01 22:18

Yeah, that's actually a trip. Yeah. But like the perfect order of it too, because I think that like had we had a closer friendship years ago, it definitely wouldn't have reaped the same fruits as now.

SPEAKER_03 22:37

No, not at all. I think you know the way people say, um, and I've I've used this for my husband and I were like, we were being prepared for each other. It almost feels like the same way to me that I was we were being prepared for this season of our friendship together.

SPEAKER_01 22:56

Yeah, it's almost like I say this too with Jordan. I'm like, if I had met you in my early 20s, we probably wouldn't be friends.

unknown 23:04

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 23:05

You know, we might not have even liked each other, to be honest. Yeah. But somehow, fast forward, and then I met him when I was 29, like almost 10 years ago, now it's like we fell in love instead. Or back then I we would have maybe disliked each other.

SPEAKER_03 23:20

Not even liked each other.

SPEAKER_01 23:21

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 23:22

There was more foraging to be done. It's just my word of the I mean like the month and months. I keep saying it. And not not foraging.

SPEAKER_01 23:37

Okay, I what you were saying though about I actually really love that picture of a shepherd using his staff to yes, comfort, protect, but to keep these dumb sheep in line that don't know what they're doing and they don't know what direction to walk in. Because what I was thinking about is in Psalm 91, and I've I feel like I reference this verse a lot because I want to say too on the last episode, I said it, but just that verse one he who dwells in the shelter of the most high will abide in the shadow of the almighty. And there's just something about that protective shade and staying within that. I'm like, I just I I want to be, I think about like the coolness of the garden.

SPEAKER_03 24:27

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 24:28

You know, I want to be, I think that's like the protective shade. It's like a comfort. There is um a shield around you, like you're protected.

SPEAKER_03 24:39

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 24:40

But but you have to stay under his covering. And I think that's also what the rod and the staff does. Like we need those parameters. Yeah. I can't imagine the chaos that would ensue if everyone could do anything whenever everywhere that they want, like just completely.

SPEAKER_03 24:58

It feels like the definition of chaos. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 25:00

No order.

SPEAKER_03 25:01

Yeah. Which is what the enemy tells you. Yeah. Do whatever you want, whenever you want, however you want it.

SPEAKER_02 25:09

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 25:09

Which is not how we live. We cannot even like think about an um is it in the book of what book of the Bible is it? Is it in Judges where he says it's repeated often and during those times everybody did what they thought was right in their own eyes? I wouldn't know. I'll find it. But like basically that when left to our own devices and us thinking, doing and acting based on what we think is right in our own eyes, it always leads to a travesty.

SPEAKER_01 25:50

Yeah. You're right. I was thinking even this week about just creation and the order that is embedded even in the way that God created. Um, and then it led me to even, we're kind of just jumping all over the place, but I kind of like this right now.

SPEAKER_04 26:09

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 26:09

In Psalm 33, it says, Let me see. This is so cool. Just the the the visual of this. Psalm 33, verse 6. By the word of the Lord the heavens were made. So talking about creation, right? And by the breath of his mouth, all their host. Verse 7. He gathers the waters of the sea as a heap. He puts the deeps in storehouses. So even like the he gathers the waters of the sea as a heap, and he puts the deeps in the storehouses, like the authority that God has over even the deeps of the sea, that He were that He would be one that is so mighty to even put the sea and the waters in place where they belong. That's so crazy. And then uh fast forward, verse 13 the Lord looks down from the heavens and he sees the children of man from where he sits enthroned, he looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth, he who fashions the hearts of them all and observes all their deeds. The king is not saved by his great army, a warrior is not delivered by his great strength. It just, I mean, it goes on just the order of all of God's creation and how omnipotent and omniscient and all-knowing he is. This psalm blew my mind this weekend when I was reading it.

SPEAKER_03 27:37

That's so good.

SPEAKER_01 27:38

And just in comparison to creation.

SPEAKER_03 27:40

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 27:41

So even just the divine order of even, you know, us talking about our just friendship with each other and the order of that, us meeting our husbands. Like there's nothing that God does not see, and there's no moment that is outside of his sight. Is actually very comforting to know that he is the shepherd that sees literally everything.

SPEAKER_03 28:04

And what the world would tell you is a coincidence or happenstance is not.

SPEAKER_02 28:12

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 28:13

Is not that there is a a divine will, a divine plan for all of it. Even when we even though we do mess it up, not when we mess it up, even though we do mess it up, yeah, he still makes it work for good.

SPEAKER_01 28:31

Yeah. And to like, so even like, you know, talking about going to groups and stuff and how many years it took us to really go to one consistently, that God will still reel us in when he needs to, but in order for him to even use his rod and staff to kind of keep us in line for our protection, that he's such a gentleman and he's so kind that he's not gonna whack us with that stick and be like, get over here.

SPEAKER_03 29:02

You're not gonna break our legs.

SPEAKER_01 29:03

Yeah, he guides us. And so you also have to be obedient and willing to be like, oh yeah, Lord, okay. Oh, you want me to go this way? Okay, I'll go this way. Oh, you want me to be involved and serve in this way? It's like, okay, I'll go. I I I hear you, I see you, I feel you, I'll do that. But what happens when you step outside of that? Out of the shelter, out of the protective shade of the Almighty, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 29:27

Do you have a um like um a moment? I know you've told us the the story about when you were asked to pray and um you were new to praying at least out loud in front of people. Do you have another like um shaping or defining moment from a group, yours or somebody else's?

SPEAKER_01 29:52

Um, I uh have had different types of moments that have shaped me. I think just all throughout groups, because there's been moments of um correction where I'm like, okay, I needed to go through that. I've had moments of God testing my boldness. I shared that in one of our last episodes. I had to go through that.

SPEAKER_03 30:12

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 30:13

Um I think the prayer thing though is the one that had the most long-lasting effect that has continued. How we've even talked about like praying in the spirit really charges your spirit, man. Like, and the way that prayer is an expression that could really unlock blessings and could is really even a way for the authority of the Holy Spirit to be expressed through us as vessels. I think prayer has been like the most powerful thing. So I'm so grateful that in that moment, if you guys didn't listen to that episode, there was an there was a time in Bible study a few years ago where my friend called me out to pray and I had not prayed publicly before, at least in a group setting. And I was so uncomfortable, but also my pride being what it is, sometimes I couldn't back down from this, like what I felt like was a challenge. And I did it, but afterwards I felt honestly just like silly. And like, what did I even say? And the way that the enemy will try to like condemn us and make us feel ashamed of something that is actually so beautiful and godly.

SPEAKER_00 31:23

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 31:24

But after that moment, it really unleashed like the the it opened my eyes to my own um the ways that I have not matured in the faith. It like it really exposed that.

SPEAKER_03 31:38

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 31:38

And so I'm I'm grateful that I had a friend that she saw something in me in that moment and she was obedient in that moment. Cause sometimes too, it's not just like getting called on that makes you nervous sometimes, but it's also being the person to call out someone else to make another person feel uncomfortable that you don't want to ever be like the reason why someone feels discomfort. So she was also obedient in that moment. And that has In asking you to bring. Yeah, I'm sure. Yeah. And I don't actually know if she was uncomfortable asking me, but I'm sure she knew that I would have felt uncomfortable because she spent so much time in ministry. I'm sure she just like could see things differently, just with experience. But I'll see too, even so, like the last group, right? And I really appreciated you with the response that you had in the group. I was saying that, because you hear many people. We even had a lady at our group before and she moved to Arizona. She was like, When you called me out last time in group and asked me to pray, I told myself that I wasn't gonna come back again. But she was like, But I'm back because she realized it was good for her. Yeah, you know?

SPEAKER_00 32:49

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 32:49

And so, like sometimes when you hear that, it's like, man, I don't want to make people feel uncomfortable. Yeah. But really, we are we just do what God tells us to do. And if I'm feeling like God is asking me to ask so and so to pray for us, because I maybe in the moment you don't see, but I see an anointing that you might have over this specific matter or over this specific prayer point.

SPEAKER_03 33:14

Or something has been breathed. Yeah, specific prayer point, something has been breathed into them. Right. A certain type of wording or anything.

SPEAKER_01 33:23

Or even like knowing this person's life experience, I know that they could, like you said, breathe life into this matter where there will be just a different authority and a power behind that prayer point. And so what I was gonna say though is like I appreciate at the end of last group when I was telling people, like, okay, I'm feeling convicted. I like to call people out to pray because I understand like the power of prayer. Um, but part of me is like, I don't want anyone to feel uncomfortable. And then you had kind of chimed in and really honestly sounded an alarm of being like, no, like call us out. Yeah. Let us be, let us be uncomfortable, you know. Truthfully. Honestly, it just took one more person to be like, yeah, I can't do it. I'm like, okay, I'm gonna do it. I just needed that little bit of backup in that moment because I'm yeah, like we do, we have a heart for people, you know.

SPEAKER_03 34:20

But but that is having the heart for people, because if you it's like when you are in um elementary school or whatever, like all throughout school, when you guys like, you know, we we we would pray out loud, or no, not read out loud, read out loud, yeah. And then people would pick on you or it would go in a line, and it was so nerve-wracking. But you could tell who spent the most time reading by how they by how they read out loud. And praying out loud is not to like expose you, like, oh, you're not praying enough. But if if you the way my perspective, take it or leave it, um same thing when I first started coming to your group. I think you asked me to pray the first time I came. And I had probably, maybe, I don't know, prayed in front of people before, but it was really uncomfortable for me. And that was a similar moment where I was like, well, now I don't want to not be uncomfortable in prayer at any time ever. So now I need to be able to practice this. And you can practice it at home, and you can, but it's not the same. It's not, and where else are you gonna get the opportunity to pray for your sisters in Christ out loud outside of a small group? Yeah, a coffee shop, sure.

SPEAKER_01 35:44

But and like this is what I appreciate too, just about the like I think that there's a level of um trust within the group where each of us know the heart that we have for each other. So even if I call you out, to know my intention is not to make you so uncomfortable and embarrass you, but we are we are we're breathing life into each other to empower each other and to empower each other for us to walk in the authority that I know and I see that you have within you, although you might not even realize it yet because you haven't tapped out tapped into it. That exact say that like you need that someone outside of you to speak life and to speak truth in you because at the end of the day, as daughters, as those that have received salvation, we all have the authority of the Holy Spirit within us. And so, like I shared this quote at group that I want to read on here, where it says, So there's a pastor out of um the Bay Area, Sean Smith, and he posted this on his Instagram where it says, identity confusion always leads to authority confusion. You can't lead boldly if you live like you're powerless. You can't shift atmospheres if you're still questioning whether God is truly with you. And so if you're questioning that, how can you expect to shift atmospheres in the way that prayer will do? It's not a you thing. It's the fact that the Holy Spirit is breathing into your words. That is the power of prayer that we can open up that communication with the heavenlies in that way. Like we are all in we even speaking the name Jesus, how much power that has.

SPEAKER_04 37:29

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 37:30

Like it, I my own words fall short at how powerful prayer is. And so even with one of our friends, shout out to Moddy Soul that comes to group, who also I didn't know before group, she just came on her own and she goes to a different church. So that's cool. But how she was like, I just don't like to like she was like saying that she, I don't know how she said it, but she gets like shy and almost like doesn't want to. But I'm like, she is such a powerhouse. Totally. And how she was like, I just don't like to, I'm like, yes, you do, yeah, but you do, yeah, you do like to pray for people. Yeah, and the reason why I was saying that is because I know how much she loves people and I know how much she loves the Lord, like she loves Jesus, and I know that for a fact about her. And so, of course, you like to pray for people. Hello, yeah, stop saying you don't. You do.

SPEAKER_03 38:23

She is such a powerhouse, and it always takes me by surprise when she talks about being bashful or sheepish of about praying out loud. I think it's funny. I'm like, girl, you're playing yourself. Like there's fun to you. I know, not shy at all. But it, I mean, it's a vulnerable state to be in. I understand that, but it's things like that where you and I can look at her and see exactly what the the anointing on her life, you know, the powerhouse that's in her, how how spirit-filled she is and how much she loves Jesus. And we need each other to to speak that life into us to remind us and encourage us because we have little voices that others can't hear that lie to us as often as they can, as often as possible. They are lying to us. And I'm way more inclined to trust you than something telling me that I'm not good enough or I should be, I should keep my mouth shut. I've I have way more trust in Kim.

SPEAKER_01 39:26

But even in the way that you just said, that it's like sometimes we hear the voice of the enemy being like, Oh, you should keep your mouth shut, you shouldn't say that. The number of times that I feel that, and then later in hindsight, to be like, I'm so glad I said something, clearly that was the voice of the enemy. Yeah. Cause I mean, I think that if people got a glimpse, like if there was a text bubble over my head that displayed the narrative in my mind a lot of times of like, oh, I need to not talk. Oh, they don't want to listen to what I have to say right now, or like, oh, or you're talking too much. Now you need to stop. Like, it's actually kind of crazy.

SPEAKER_03 40:10

It is crazy. I wish you would talk more.

SPEAKER_01 40:14

And I mean, I think literally everyone, I think that's why I like our group so much. Cause I'm like, I want to let's discuss.

SPEAKER_03 40:20

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 40:21

We're reading this. Okay, now let's discuss because I want to hear the heart of people and their thoughts so we can process things together and yeah, speak truth and life over it.

SPEAKER_03 40:29

I think anytime you hear in your head, don't say this, they're not gonna like you, don't say this, you're gonna sound stupid. That is, I don't, I cannot imagine our creator and knowing what I know about him tell to tell us you're gonna look stupid or they're not gonna like you. That's question that and test that. And even if you need to pray just quickly in your head or or rebuke and use the name of Jesus in your head to see really where it's coming from. Because there, you know that the difference between, and maybe this is my flesh, and feel free to call me out, but when somebody is talking just because they essentially like the sound of their own voice, or they want to show people how much they know, that's not coming from the Holy Spirit. And that's you're actually not blessing anybody or yourself versus somebody who has the their heart postured in a way of this is what I've received, or I have a genuine question, or what do you think about this? I prayed on this. It those it's different and you can still hear when you're talking because you want to hear the sound of your voice. I would I don't want to say I bet, but I would be able to I would likely assume that you can still get that like um gentle correction from the Lord that's like maybe this isn't the right time. Or I think for for me it typically sounds like why don't you listen to what that person has to say?

SPEAKER_01 42:07

And even let's say that you speak at a turn, God will still use that and teach you something from it. Yeah. And others too, like it'll it'll be used, period. It will. And and then in the lesson that you learn, then you can pour that out and to other people around you, even. I'm I'm like I'm thinking about in a Bible group setting where I don't know anything specifically right now, but I know that there's a ton where I have said something and later on had to run it by someone and ask for their feedback. And then I was like, okay, I'm I'm glad I did that because now I'm able to bring to you this I don't know this quarreling in my mind that I've been having and to talk it out and then to come back better. Yeah, and to come back to the case.

SPEAKER_03 43:07

Listen to what I learned. Yes, don't like learn from my mistake or or learn from learn how I learned so you don't have to do it the hard way. Right.

SPEAKER_01 43:16

Right. Yeah. And in the way that we said before, it's like it really just comes down to are you creating space for the Holy Spirit to speak to you so that you can discern? And then to remember again, John 14, 16, that we've been given a helper and he's always with us. Yeah, we have that helper. And so even when you're going out on a limb, you're actually like the spirit is constantly with you, helping you, teaching you, edifying you. Like that is the process of walking out our faith. Yeah. And then to do that with other women, there is so much power in that. Like, like, yes, have your own devotional time, be in your secret place, but when you're doing that. With a group of women, and you get insight and exposure from people of different backgrounds and education and seasons than you. It is so cool.

SPEAKER_03 44:09

There have been pretty like miraculous things I I I would say shared or happened at our group of just um restoration, identity restoration, marriage restoration, breakthrough, salvation found, um, like baptisms, prophecies shared, yeah. D different things that you won't happen on your own. Right. Because you weren't called to be alone. You were called to be in in fellowship. Right. Um, I have a funny story, but did you have something? Because I feel like you have something more profound.

SPEAKER_01 44:52

No, well, actually, to be honest, I had something and then it just left. So perfect. So share your story.

SPEAKER_03 44:57

It doesn't have anything to do with anything, but I wanted I I thought of it as you were talking a little bit ago and I thought it would be funny to share. In one of the first um groups that you had here in your home after you moved. I think it may have been the first one, actually. Um, we were in, we were doing studying, we may have read all of Jonah because it's just like a couple pages.

SPEAKER_01 45:24

If that okay, keep going.

SPEAKER_03 45:27

I'm trying to remember what we talked about. I don't even know if you remember this, but I thought I think about it all the time, and I think it's so funny, and I've used it as an example of my growth. Okay. Just in how things in the last few months or almost a year. But so we're all talking about Jonah and the story of Jonah. Just I'll try to synopsize. God says, Jonah is a prophet, God says, Hey, Jonah, go preach in Nineveh. And Jonah's like, nah, I don't want to do that, and tries to run away. Things happen, he gets swallowed by a big fish, and then ends up in Nineveh, anyways. So we're talking about it, and I'm as a genuinely curious person, and I sometimes ask really dumb questions. The safer I feel, the more elementary my questions are. So I'm like, do we think God misunder or that excuse me, that Jonah misunderstood God? Do you think maybe he heard what God said and then was like, maybe that wasn't God? And Kimberly says, um, Jonah was a prophet, and at this time, at this time God spoke directly to the prophets. And I was like, Oh, okay, so he knew. All right.

SPEAKER_01 46:41

Do not remember that at all. I do remember us talking about Jonah, though. That's actually really funny.

SPEAKER_03 46:49

Well, I learned something. I was like, oh, well, who what the heck? I need to go read my Bible.

SPEAKER_01 46:55

What's funny to me though is that I have no memory of that. But in the way that like you've held on to that moment. I mean, and that's like what it's what our perception is is usually vastly different than when someone what someone else's perception is.

SPEAKER_03 47:10

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 47:11

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 47:11

And what like is meaningful differs person to person.

SPEAKER_01 47:16

Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. I like what you said though about like the more comfortable you are, the more elementary your questions will be. Because anytime someone's in group and they ask a question that someone might think is like a um basic knowledge, but someone asks it, and you know that they're like feeling humbled by having to ask, and they still ask, it makes me feel so one encouraged that we have that kind of space, yeah, but also so excited for someone that they would lead with that kind of curiosity.

SPEAKER_03 47:51

I I get so pumped up internally when that happens. Me too. Because it makes me, I'm like, you girl, you have you there is so much good coming to you.

SPEAKER_02 48:00

Yeah. You're keep asking.

SPEAKER_03 48:02

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 48:03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 48:04

I love that, like, yeah, we're um. Madison has done it a few times too. Oh, I loved this. You remember? Um, I don't think she would mind if I said this, but um, our friend Madison, who is just um gave her life to Jesus, just saved recently. Yes. We were here uh right around Thanksgiving, and we're all talking, and it was a potluck, so we're all sitting around and eating, and she goes, Who was Judas? And I was like, Yes, yeah, so I was like, Yes, and then she just kept asking. She does, and she has like I feel like her transformation is crazy too.

SPEAKER_01 48:46

Where like she also taken things by a fire hose, yeah, yeah, totally. She I remember too, she had asked, What's the last supper? Yeah, like just beautiful questions.

SPEAKER_03 48:58

Yeah, what was the last supper? Who's Judas? Please ask these questions, you guys. Like this, this is these are the questions that lead to blessings and intimacy with the Lord.

SPEAKER_01 49:10

Yeah. And also what it makes me feel like truly having a pure heart is like God sees our thoughts anyway. So why try to like fake it, you know, and might as well. Oh, this is what I was gonna say. Like, you might as well be this honest and transparent with the people that you are living life with and even doing Bible study with. Because what happens is when you hit these milestones, you have people to celebrate this with. When your heart is like aching for something in prayer and you share that, because that's another thing. That's a whole nother, I think, layer to Bible study. It's not just like asking questions or reading out loud, but even at the end when we pray for each other, bringing our prayer requests to each other is like so, so vulnerable for a lot of people because it's like really giving you a sneak peek at like what your personal life is, what you're going through. And so, like when you pray for something, like I remember so like the first group that I went to at our um at Bamana's house, Jordan and I, we weren't married. The number of times that people rallied around me and prayed for me in that way. Oh my gosh. And then by the time he engaged or he proposed to me and we're engaged, it was like such a celebration.

SPEAKER_04 50:26

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 50:26

And people wouldn't have been able to celebrate me in that way had I not shared my heart of wanting to be married. You know, and even there's lots of prayer requests at our group where it has been something we've prayed for pretty consistently. And I know that God will be so faithful and to have mercy on us in the way that He does, that I have full faith that those things will come to be. And when that happens, again, it's gonna be another celebration.

SPEAKER_03 50:54

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 50:55

And so cool to just share that with people versus like if I was praying something just in secret by myself and the guy answered, I'd be like, Oh, I want to share this good meal with you, but I've no one to share it with.

SPEAKER_03 51:05

Yeah, it's you we still celebrate with you, but it's not the same. It's not, you really are, especially we we had a gal say, like, I'm just tired about praying for this. And it was like, Great, we'll do it. That because I get there, I get I get to places where like I'm just tired of praying about this. Yeah, honestly, like I'm I don't even want to pray for this anymore. Bring them to your small group, bring them to your Bible study, bring them to anytime somebody says, How can I pray for you? Do you have any prayer request? And I'm preaching to myself because I never give a prayer request at the end of group.

SPEAKER_01 51:49

Oh, I'm terrible about that. Maybe I never noticed that because we're in different circles where we do talk about some things.

SPEAKER_03 51:58

I would I'm more inclined to share with you or just one other person, you know, like um mentors and sedge. Yeah, but it is really difficult for me to ask for prayer at group.

SPEAKER_01 52:13

So also I say that too with a caveat of like, I do think that there's wisdom. I think we even said this last group because we talked about the whole prayer request thing. Um, one of the girls mentioned how it's like hard for her to bring things to in a group setting. And we're talking about like, well, there's wisdom in that. I think that there definitely is wisdom. And again, it's like we don't always know everyone in the group. So to be discerning, there's a difference between like, okay, I'm keeping this close to me because of when the conviction or kind of where I am in this journey versus like being fearful. Yeah, I think there's a difference. Um, I'm being reminded of that verse in Galatians where it talks about bearing one another's burdens. What is it like? Galatians 6, 2. But um, let me see. There's something about bearing one another's burdens like when you're going through a hardship, or even like okay, we're talking about unanswered prayers. Um, but even like if you stumble, you know, to bear one another's burdens in that way. Um I'm gonna read this. Do you find it? Yeah, it's Galatians 6 2. Let me actually, if you're there, I do want to read it.

SPEAKER_03 53:36

Yeah, Galatians 6 2. Share each other's troubles and problems, and so obey our Lord's commands. Three. If anyone thinks he is too great to stoop to this, he is fooling himself. He is really a nobody. That was perfect timing after what I just said. Tell me more, I'm a fool. That's silly. That was the the living Bible. Yeah, do you want to read it in another translation?

SPEAKER_01 54:05

Yeah, I'll find it here. Um, but I think the beauty of that too is that we are designed to be in community.

SPEAKER_03 54:15

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 54:18

All right, Galatians 6 2 says, I'm gonna start from verse 1. Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Verse 2 bear one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ. For verse 3, if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not his neighbor. For each will have to bear his own load. But that verse two of bear one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ. So we are we are commanded to do that with each other, not to just be the one that we're carrying your your burdens, because that's God. Like God does that for us, but even in the way that we're even called to share it with each other in community.

SPEAKER_03 55:14

Yeah. And if anyone thinks he is too great to stoop to this, he is fooling himself. He is really a nobody. I love that. This was great. I think um another time we will probably record an episode on identity into what we intended on talking about, but yeah, um, I think this was, I think the spirit moved, and we're both such advocates for discipleship that it maybe just needs to be said more often. Um, I think that the small groups are are where you get discipled. So your mentors and small groups are where you get discipled. I don't think that we can place a burden on our on our church as like the pastor to disciple every single person in the congregation. There's a there's discipling that happens through preaching the word, but really your transformation and true discipleship happens in a small group and with close friendships, godly friendships. I agree.

SPEAKER_01 56:13

Yeah. And be proactive with it, you know, even if you've not been invited to one, like go go seek it out. I think is like really important too. Um, because there's something about doing something because you're doing it versus doing something because someone is like forcing you or like pushing you to do it.

SPEAKER_03 56:31

And I do two of these, two of these things that parts of my discipleship, discipling and being discipled, I do um over the phone and on the computer.

SPEAKER_02 56:43

Yeah, that's great.

SPEAKER_03 56:44

So if you don't have anywhere near you, I would be happy to jump on a phone call or that's beautiful. We've had people join your group virtually too. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 56:55

And there's prayer calls that we do that are online via Zoom. I mean, there's just like so many options, guys. Let's just be honest. You have no excuse. And the guys, too. Like Jordan, he does one at the house too with the guys. And honestly, like that is also a breath of fresh air, and the way that the guys are opening up and being vulnerable in that way.

SPEAKER_03 57:16

Yeah. It's so important for our men.

SPEAKER_01 57:19

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 57:20

I think it's really much more common for women to do Bible studies, for women to have prayer groups. But we need we need large groups of men to be discipled also.

SPEAKER_01 57:32

Agreed. Yeah. This was a great conversation that we weren't planning on having, but it just really flowed. Like I said earlier, I just got back from Moses Lake, and so we were not recording at our normal time. Um, actually, this whole month I'll be in Moses Lake every weekend because uh Jordan's grandpa is he passed about a year ago, but prepping the house for the estate sale, and just like it's been very tedious, but also it's been fun.

SPEAKER_03 58:00

It's a little change. It is a little shakeup, yeah. Yeah, we don't want to get too comfortable and bored with something. Yeah. So our Saturday mornings have shifted to Sunday mornings, yeah. Thank the Lord for our Sunday evening services.

SPEAKER_01 58:17

Yeah, I was thinking that too. I'm actually so grateful for that.

SPEAKER_03 58:20

Yeah, yeah. I love the evening the evening afternoon services. I've enjoyed it.

SPEAKER_01 58:25

I feel like Sunday too is just like a day dedicated for all things community and church, with kind of how we've been setting up our schedules, and I love that. I look forward to Sundays. I love Sunday.

SPEAKER_03 58:38

Me too. Yeah, it is the best day, yeah. Until about nine, ten o'clock. But no, it's fine because Monday mornings we start our Monday mornings good together too. Yeah, yeah. Um wow. We're very blessed. Yeah. We've got a lot of really incredible women around us right now. But that doesn't start until you start putting yourself in circles.

SPEAKER_01 59:06

I know. Well, I was just thinking, had a whole conversation in my head just now. I'm like, when you're saying that, like, oh, we're so blessed in that way, and we really are. And then I had this thought of like, it's because we're intentional. I'm like, oh, well, that sounds prideful. But I'm like, it's true, there has to be some intention. Yeah. And I don't know that I don't, I'm I'm grateful. So I'm not saying that to sound self-righteous, but like I'm super, super, super grateful that we even have these opportunities and even our schedules that we can do all that kind of stuff.

SPEAKER_03 59:35

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 59:35

Praise God. I don't work a nine to five. Thank you, Jesus.

SPEAKER_03 59:38

Yeah, thank you, Jesus. Same, same for now. Um, all right. If you don't have a small group, go find one. If you don't know how to find one, you can DM us and we'll find one for you, whether you're local or you're not. If you want to join Kim join Kim's small group in Bible study, please do it. DM us. Yes.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:00

You're welcome. You don't have to come to the same church as us. Half the group goes to a different church.

SPEAKER_03 1:00:05

Yes. It doesn't matter your age. You do have to be a woman. Yeah. That's it. That's the requirement.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:10

Other than that. And legitimately, if you don't have one, like if you're not local, I do have resources where people um have online communities over Zoom. I actually know a couple of them. So let us know.

SPEAKER_03 1:00:26

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:26

Cool.

SPEAKER_03 1:00:27

All right. Yeah. Let's pray. Go ahead. Oh, thank you, Lord. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Father. Thank you for our godly community, Lord, that you've placed us in. I thank you that whether we are intentional about it or not, that you are always giving us opportunities to find more ways to commune and fellowship in your name, Lord Jesus. I pray for everybody listening that they have a strong community, Lord, in your name, that they are part of a Bible-believing church, Father, and a Bible practicing and teaching church, Father, and that they carry that into their um into their lives for the rest of the week. Because our relationship with you is not for an hour on Sunday, Lord Jesus. I pray that everybody can, um, everybody listening can find a small group and a Bible study, Lord, to one, become closer to you and grow in relationship and intimacy with you, Father. Thank you, Father. And then also just continuing to spread the good news, to continuing to be blessed by your word and bless others with your word, Lord. I thank you for this time. I thank you for the Sunday evening services, Lord. I thank you for our church community. I'm so grateful, so grateful for the community that you have placed me in, Lord. I pray I just play um blessings for every single one of them. I pray a renewed spirit. I pray just uh supernatural strength and stamina over our church community, Father. Um, and I yeah, just am super grateful right now, Lord, clearly. All right, in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen.