What about the Pastor's Kids; with Dove Award Winner Yancy!

We sit down with Dove Music award winner, Yancy to discuss her newest ministry, "Stained Glass Kids" . She discusses her love to build the church and because she was a "PK" kid she knows the challenges and the gifts that life brings.  

"God is good, even when His people aren't, never confuse the two."  Is on her website as she seeks to build conversation around something that's not often talked about.   Though she is most known for her music, her heart is also for the PK kids out there.   We hope you enjoy this amazing conversation!

For more about Stained Glass Kids please visit https://yancyministries.com/stainedglasskids/

Welcome to the BRAVE pod

Where we have conversations that matter to grow a task force that fights against the spiritual trafficking of our girls. We are Bold Redeemed Anointed Victorious and Eternal and it’s race against the enemy for her heart. The time is now to go on the Great Rescue, I am your host Amber Johns, let’s talk about it. 

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:23

If anybody, you know, is listening and does not know you, would you just mind introducing yourself and we'll go from there?

SPEAKER_00 0:29

Yeah, of course. So, you know, my my original focus and day job, so you could say, is making music. Um, it's always been Christian, do a lot of worship, but specifically I make music for kids and families. And so been very blessed to have won a couple dev awards for that over the years, travel and do family concerts and lead worship and all kinds of stuff. Um, but about, I don't know, 16 months or so ago, I launched a podcast called Stained Glass Kids. And I am talking to pastors' kids, missionary kids, anybody that grew up with a parent in full-time ministry, whether that was, you know, by vocational or their full-time job and career. And I've talked to people from ages 17 to 70, and I'm just learning so very much from these conversations. Um, really just wanted to kind of create a safe space to talk about some things that often don't get talked about. I know over the years I haven't found the blog post about it or the book about it or the resource to like help as you're kind of walking through some of the various seasons that happen in life and just realize like, hey, there's a lot of little one-on-one conversations that happen in a back hallway or off to the side somewhere, but like wanting to just really create a safe spot for people to go and hear and see themselves in someone else's story, but also I think more than anything, be able to learn from and help people heal moving forward. And so uh have a heart to build the church. And so there's a variety of ways that I do that in my life. But I think at the end of the day, that's the thing that gets me really pumped and excited.

SPEAKER_01 2:22

Yeah. And like you touched on that, why do you think there's not a lot of resources or conversations surrounding the life of a pastor's kid? Because there's a lot of challenges that would come with that.

SPEAKER_00 2:34

Yeah, I you know, I I really don't know why. It's interesting, you know, just there's so much perspective that I've gained here in the last year and a half since I since I kind of knew I was gonna do it. And as I started, and all the conversations I've had with people, it's it's interesting. It's like there's literally like three different reactions that happen. And it's like there's either someone that is standing before you with tears in their eyes, physical chill bumps on their arms where they just are connecting to what it is fully, yeah. Or I, or it's the person then that is a leader, they might even be very high up in a denomination, and it's like their reaction is just like, oh, well, that's really brave, you know, and it's kind of like you suddenly get a sense of like, oh, you're messing with something that everybody else doesn't want to touch with a 10-foot pole, you know? Yeah, you say, and and I I don't know, I don't know why that is, but I I've realized in life that God has given me eyes to see and a heart for some things that the world might consider pretty niche, you know. Um, but I know that they are things that are near and dear to God's heart and he cares about it. And it was interesting, just um in church on Sunday, the the message my pastor was talking about, she said something in it, and she was just talking about Isaiah and how people didn't really listen. And and you know, in many ways, he was kind of alone, but he was saying these things that God was kind of showing him. And I was like, I feel it, I feel it. Um yes, encourage me with that because yeah, you just realize it's I don't know, I think people are comfortable with the stereotypes, however right or wrong they are. And the truth of the matter is the the negative stereotypes of a PK um missionary kid, maybe even those that have walked away from the church, it's really the lesser percentage. It's the you know, like we focus on that chunk of people, but really that's about a third. And there's two-thirds that are hanging on with both arms and feet and have skin in the game. And I'm finding out in so many cases, even if they're not in full-time ministry themselves as adults, um, oftentimes they're like that amazing volunteer in your church, that amazing youth leader that's committed and shows up and just like helps do all the things. Uh, I'm finding out when you dig into their story, that PK label is in there somewhere. And it's just they've got they've got eyes to see and a heart with some skin in the game to help ministry happen. So what was a beauty?

SPEAKER_01 5:51

Yeah, no, it's it is amazing because I think um, you know, like I was telling you, like I did grow up in a Christian home. Like I knew at the age of seven, you know, yeah, to give my life to Jesus, and there's just a different journey. Like I've always hesitated to share because I'm like, what am I gonna share about that? I had two great parents and like, you know, I went to a small public school and I I had a I had a great time in high school. Like it was really hard to be like, but I still follow Jesus, and then life hits as you hit a teenager and then young adulthood, and all of a sudden that bubble kind of bursts, and you've really got to figure out your faith. So I would love for you. I mean, you were born, you were you're your pastor's kid. Um, what what was your story like? Because you obviously have a heart for it now. So, what was what was your journey like? And what are some of those negative stereotypes? Maybe those are two different questions to to answer. What are some of the negative stereotypes that you said?

SPEAKER_00 6:41

Well, I feel like there's a lot there, and I just I kind of want to back up for one quick second to kind of as you were sharing a little bit of your story. Um being a Christian kid, going to church, you know, ultimately like doing all the right things and life being pretty good as it as it seemed on the surface. I I just want to encourage, because I feel like for those that are a part of what you're doing, it could apply to so many of those people and their story as well. I think when it is something that you grow up inside of, that testimony of someone that goes to church on a regular basis, comes to know Jesus, loves him and is serving for him, that is not the testimony that gets celebrated in testimonials of a, you know, of how camp went or some big like church event. Like that's not, those aren't the stories that are in the the vision casting for the ministry that's a part of. It's not the the goody two shoes ones that just were faithful and went. And and I think growing up as a PK or a really good Christian kid, sometimes you feel like your story isn't fascinating or interesting, or your testimony is not good enough. Because it's not the one that people sign up to just put through the speakers and into the microphone. So I, you know, in hearing you kind of share that and and knowing some about who we have listening, I just want to encourage you that even if your story is just someone that's been in church more in your life than not, and you know Jesus and you love Jesus, like that ultimately is the best testimony that one could ever have, is that it didn't get tarnished and messed up and have to be restored and be sent off for repair and tons of therapy attached to it, and you know, like all the things like he created us to have a relationship with us, and so when that is our story, like that is beautiful and it's worth celebrating. So I just want to highlight that. I appreciate you. Um yeah, I think to kind of answer your question about my story. I mean, I my dad has worked at a church every day of my whole life, and so it's something that I was born into. They kind of say when I was born, it was a long time ago before the internet and social media and all the things. And so my parents were convinced I was gonna be a boy when I was born. And so when I was born, they put a big pink bow on this tree outside of the church to let everyone know, like the baby had been born, and in fact, it's a girl. And you know, my parents always told me that story when I was little, but looking back on it now, I think that was just kind of the beginning. I think the excitement that those people in our church had for me to be born hearing that story and just kind of how that was celebrated. I think that was the beginning of me falling in love back, you know, with the church. And so, you know, music had always been my focus. I I asked Jesus in my heart. Honestly, we don't know the exact day and year. I know it was summertime, probably when I was six, maybe when I was seven. It was one of those two summers. And um, you know, came to came to know Jesus right there in our family minivan on a trip and really truthfully never looked back. Um, music was the thing I was focused on. And I really feel like I knew from the time I was single digits like music is what God put me on this earth to do. It wasn't, it wasn't like around an altar at camp and there was this thus say it the Lord like moment in my life. It just was this knowing. It was just this conviction and confidence, as much as I knew that my name was Yancey, and that's my my real first name, that God had put me on this earth to new music. And so so much of my life then was spent in preparation for what that looked like, in preparation for doing Christian ministry, even if that was going to be in the form of a song and a concert, radio, you know, like whatever it might be, and um, serving on worship teams, all that kind of stuff. And my journey over the years has like shifted and changed a lot. You know, I started off making music, nor like normal CCM music for my peers, um, about nine or so years into that, really, it just became crystal clear. God was calling me to do kids and families, which honestly only made so much sense because that's the space my dad has always worked in in ministry. And so it was never our clever idea to mix those two things together. But it I kind of say at that point in my journey, gotta put all the pieces of my life in a blender to make sense, truly. You know? Um, and so, but I, you know, I will say like my life as a PK as a kid honestly was great. I don't I don't have like baggage or you know, there's like petty things you could complain about. I don't have any like real juicy drama that happened as a kid. Um, I think, you know, my parents, my parents were very good about like not shielding us from reality. So, you know, like even when close family friends that were people that were on staff, you know, like sinned and made major mistakes that cost them their job and sometimes their spouse and their family and all that, you know, like I I was aware as much as I needed to know those details at that stage in life. But I had somebody just a week ago ask me, like, what's your what's your recommendation of helping your kids like be able to still see God's good, like even in the hard seasons? And and that was kind of actually what I told told my the friend that asked me last week. I was like, don't shield them from the imperfect parts of life.

unknown 13:05

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 13:06

Like when you're in the good season, like still tell them about some of the other things in your community and like your immediate life group and fellow staff members and whatever, as appropriate for them to know the details. Sure. Don't shield them from the truth because if they can see God at work and being faithful and those almost kind of like a protected, you know, like season, then when that shifts and that's there's some stuff that's happening in your own life, you have perspective to not just think life is a fairy tale, you know, and like absolutely everything is perfect. Um, I don't know. I I I have to think that some of that reality and truth maybe helped me in my own journey when all of a sudden it was like, okay, I'm now an adult PK, there's stuff that's happening, there's the place that we're plugged into and a part of, and all of that is no longer part of my identity, it's no longer part of my address, my friend group, like all of these different things. I um I learned very quickly in that season of life that God is always good even when his people aren't, never confuse the two. Because suddenly I was in this place where it was like, okay, there's a lot of broken pieces all around me, and I don't know how to put it back together to make it make sense. And so I I knew I don't have the the wisdom, the strength, the the how-to, all the things in my in my own strength. I have to choose to trust Jesus, give this to him, and allow him to take these broken, messed up pieces and do something with it. And you know, that's a place of trust. That's a place of submission, like so much, but you know, that that is my testimony then through it of just kind of throwing up both my hands and just saying, it's it's your job, you know, to like do something with this and trusting him the process. And he he very much did.

SPEAKER_01 15:27

It's yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 15:29

Sweet, sweet testimonies from it.

SPEAKER_01 15:31

Yeah. So you've obviously been, you know, you've been talking to a lot of people on this topic. Um, what are some things that you've learned? Like, you know, everybody's probably very different experience in this situation. So what are some things that you've learned?

SPEAKER_00 15:45

Yeah, I think every single person I talk to describes that life as a fishbowl, a magnifying glass, a glass house. Like everyone just says says that that there's, you know, there's a set of eyes and an awareness of your existence. No, like, period, no matter what. Yeah. I think the interesting thing to me hearing from people is like, you know, I've had multiple people who kind of tell me, okay, the first time that they realized people had expectations for them, and maybe there was even ultimately a different set of rules for them, they were like five years old in a Sunday school class, and you know, was asked some question, review question about the Bible story or something, and they got it wrong, and their teacher in their class made a comment of, you know, about with shock of like, oh, I can't believe you of all people. And and so, you know, like hearing that a few times and just knowing for those people, that was kind of where it started clicking of like, okay, there's a certain way I have to talk or thing, set of questions I answer or don't answer right, or whatever. Um, I I think for me, it's like hearing that it's like, uh, hey, let's have a training meeting for small group leaders in our churches and and and just point out and highlight to them why that double standard is not okay. I think it's a and it's a pretty easy fix that could be done with training because it's just it's hearing whether it was the question answered wrong or in cases like where that PK didn't get invited to whatever special event, you know, or big thing that was happening, they didn't get the phone call or the postcard in the mail or whatever thing because their last name was X or you know, whatever family members on payroll. And so they just kind of get skipped over. But it's like, no, like still treat them like every other kid. And if if other kids are getting a personal invite from you to be at the event, even if you know that they're gonna be there, still call and invite them too, because it's it's just a certain level of pastoral care and shepherding um with that young person. And and you know, even into the teenage years, you know, I've heard from people where they just either either they weren't given the hard questions because it was assumed they were good and okay, or when they kind of put up that wall and shield and kind of blocked it, that youth pastor just kind of went along with it instead of pushing. And sometimes the people have told me they're like, if they would have just asked me again, yeah, if they would have asked the second time, it would have made a big difference. And so I think, you know, I kind of say like in listening to these conversations, it will make you be a better friend to your coworkers' kids, you know, it'll make you be a better pastor to your co-workers' kids and shepherd them because you're just kind of hearing the places where something was missed that could have made a pretty impactful difference in their life. And the beauty is it's all very relationship-oriented and conversational. It's nothing that's gonna take millions of dollars and a fundraiser for it's just opening your eyes to see these individuals as children of God. You know, one lady told me, she said, no one ever asked me if I believed it, believed in God. They just assumed I did.

SPEAKER_01 19:44

Sure. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 19:46

I think, you know, it's just it's just changing your awareness to know how to have conversations with these people.

SPEAKER_01 19:56

Well, we had a little bit, a lot of conversations, right? And like how sometimes, you know, uh PK kids or even just kids that grew up in the church, like I think I'm probably even like not consciously thinking, like, you know, I grew up in the church, so the the pastor's kids were hell not even intentionally to a different standard, like 100%. Um and just navigating that as a church, like we're so you know, eager to pursue outside the church, which is good. It's both and their or, but to pursue with just as much energy the kids within the church to make sure they're okay, because I would guess many times, I mean, maybe you did or didn't, you find people who got looked over who just yeah, they they were just kind of there and like even like their love for the Lord kind of dwindles because it's just like you're always there, you hear it a thousand times, you know, you see all the things. Did you ever kind of feel like you were just stale, or um, have you talked to people who just kind of like I just kind of lost my desire to even be there because it was so much?

SPEAKER_00 21:00

Yeah, I mean, I think I I definitely have had people that even admitted that they had seasons of life where they had more of an infatuation and love for the church or for ministry than they did Jesus. And I think I think the what complicates a PK life, you know, or any any minister, you know, it's like whether you're the person with the job and you're the parent or whether you're the kid of both apply. You're mixing business and pleasure, and in the case of church, you're mixing your religion, you know, and your spiritual life together. Um, and so with that, there's just a lot of blurred lines that then happen because your whole social circle is tied to the place that is also employment, you know, that's also supposed to be your weekly house of worship and faith community. And so, um, yeah, I think I think there's just it just gets it can get complicated, I think, especially when when the right choices aren't made to Have your own personal walk with Jesus, your own devotion. Um I think that's a time in life that it can stand out as well. But also just um there was something I was just thinking about. What was it that I wanted to share with you? I'm glad I'm not the only one. I know. No, it's like I was like too many things, and I was like, I couldn't say it right then. Um what was I gonna say? Oh you'll think of it as soon as we're done. I know, I we'll talk about something else and I'll remember what it is.

SPEAKER_01 22:59

I'm sorry, but no, that's awesome. I do the I do the same thing because there's like this could be like this is so layered because I have like I have like 10,000 questions going through my head, and I'm like, okay, pick pick one and and go with it. But I I just I am I'm more uh not concerned, I don't know if that's the word, but more in tune with like, oh, this is like a real thing, more so than I even thought that, you know, to check in. So I guess if you we'll do one then the other. Like, what would you say to those who maybe are in the church, whether they be youth group leaders, their discipleship, you know, leaders, whatever, what are some things that they could do? What are some questions? What does it look like to pursue the the PK kid, the kids that are growing up in the church? Like, what does that look like? Because that's very different than going out and you know, talking to the lost kids and trying to bring them into youth group. Yeah, what does that look like?

SPEAKER_00 23:53

Yeah, I think I mean they need they need someone in their life that cares about them for them. And so this is a fine line because it also could be that you're like investing in them relationally because you want something, you know, and it's like it's like that that's one whole lane is that a Pika could feel is it's like, oh, this person's being nice to me because of, but I think, you know, like looking looking back on my life, no doubt there was definitely key leaders and um volunteers, you know, youth leaders and whatnot that invested in me and maybe even asked me faith questions that made me a little bit uncomfortable. Um, because it was like, dang, that's serious. And I'm you know, like that's that's hard and that's truthful. But but I think I think just seeing them as the child of God that they are and and investing in that, not not to get something out, but just because you truly love them. And so maybe maybe it's starting from a prayerful perspective of God, give me a heart to be able to see, like with compassion, maybe some of the things that are weighty and are hard and uncomfortable in this young person's life. And it, you know, and it could be like when you're younger, I don't always know that you can articulate what all of that feels like. I, you know, no doubt, there's a lot of clarity that comes over the years with age when you can reflect back and go, oh, wait a second. But I think it can be a common thing for a PK to actually have a certain amount of loneliness.

SPEAKER_01 25:55

Sure.

SPEAKER_00 25:56

Because so many relationships that are in their life are because of who they are and somebody wanting something from them, or maybe it's that they move around a decent amount, they're in this new place, and so I think it's finding finding a way to just show them love and build that relationship, and that probably comes through prayer, that probably comes through a care package or you know, offering to take them out for a dessert and just spend time best. But you know, I can think back and reflect, and and I I will also say, like, if there was an adult that's listening, I know that my dad prayed for people to come into mine and my sister's life. His exact prayer was like, God, I've I'm sewing into other people's kids, I'm loving other people's kids, and so I want you to send people into my girls' life. That's a great to love and invest in them. And I think I think there's definitely evidence of how some of those prayers were answered. I think okay, I thought of what I went to earlier. It's that these PKs, MKs, Ministry Kid, whoever they are, there's so much skin in the game they have. Which I think, you know, because of the extra hours or because sometimes the job and the career does mean parent cannot be at all these other extracurricular activities because they're just on top of each other. And, you know, church happens when it happens. Um these kids have have a lot of skin in the game because they are there at the church, they're helping, they're working, they're setting up, they're staying late, they're doing all the things, or they're sacrificing their parent to do those things. And I think I think that skin in the game is why it also can hurt so bad when something goes wrong, is because it's not just a change in your parents' employment. You know, it is affecting your whole social group, like we talked about, like these, all these other layers, but it's just like, yeah, but they were there working till 10 o'clock at night or 11 o'clock at night too. You know, like they they were serving, they were sewing as well. And it's just they they have skin in the game. And I think that's why it's something that then can become a burdensome weight that they carry through of just like, oh, this is what happened and what was done to me.

SPEAKER_01 28:50

Yeah, it's something they didn't ask for, you know, like they they're a part of it because of what their parents are doing. And I I appreciate that. We had touched a little bit on um just some stereotypes um that are out there. Let's knock, let's knock some of those down. Like, what is what are some stereotypes that you have seen, you've experienced that don't really have a lot of or a very small amount of truth to them because you were saying like it's it's a lot less than what people think it is.

SPEAKER_00 29:16

Yeah, I mean, you know, I've I think most commonly people know, like if someone's talking, it's like normally there's like an I roll attached to that title and that label, because maybe maybe you've seen that kid act up in class, or you you've either felt like they got unfair treatment, or it's like it all of it swings both ways. Sure. Because it could be unfair treatment, but also it could be like it's so unfair to them treatment, because you know, there's whole denominations and and styles of churches that and mindsets that it's like they don't allow that child to get the solo in the Christmas program or to win whatever costume contest, or even let's say it was bring the most visitors to to VBS and you're gonna get a certain prize. Well, there's a whole bunch of people out there that that staff kid is never allowed to win that thing because it's looked at as like, well, that wouldn't be fair for them to win.

SPEAKER_01 30:26

Gotcha.

SPEAKER_00 30:27

It's like, but actually, no, it's very unfair for them to not win if they did the work and they did the thing.

SPEAKER_01 30:34

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 30:35

Um, so yeah, so I think yeah, I I also had one person that, for instance, it's like from that standpoint of like keeping the church people happy and you know, uh as a senior pastor doing what had to be done. And and what happened in this guy's life is the dad always sided with the church person publicly. Now privately he would tell him, I know you didn't do that to that kid, you know, like but publicly that pastor, in order to keep everyone happy, always put his kid on the altar, basically, and that, you know, and so and it's it's not saying that every PK is perfect, you know, sure, like they've all done wrong things too, but to also and it it's a decently common thing that you got you have to keep the church people happy. They're the ones that are tithing paying your paying your salary and all the things that the truth doesn't actually get found and discovered and told. And that's that's not right.

SPEAKER_01 32:00

Yeah. And you've seen a lot of so you've seen a lot of things done poorly, but you've seen a lot of things done well. So if we have someone who's like, whether they just grew up in a Christian home, you know, they've never made a tragic decision to walk away from from Jesus, or yeah, they're within the church. Like, what's your encouragement? Because let's say, you know, I'm 12, I'm 13, I'm 14, I'm just gonna like, and I've you know, I'm tired, or maybe I just feel unseen, or it's like I'm just kind of here because of all the things that you just said, what is your encouragement to that girl?

SPEAKER_00 32:34

Well, first off, I just want you to know that you you are seen. I can say that just on behalf of the burden that God has given me, and I I know just the eyes that he has opened for me to see these people more than anything. I want people to just know, like God, God sees them and he knows. And you know, people will pray that prayer, like, break my heart for what breaks yours, God. Well, I am fully convinced that God is not okay with the bodies that are on the floor from ministry, and it's something that breaks his heart. And so if you're listening today, I want you to know first and foremost, like God sees you and like He's He's crying right there with you for whatever it is that you feel um and have walked through.

SPEAKER_01 33:31

Um remind me kind of well, just in the in the dis maybe even just in the discouragement, because I mean I know I've walked with girls, myself included, too, where you kind of just feel like I've been doing this for forever. Sometimes the world just looks a little more interesting, a little more fun. Like, is it worth is it worth staying on this on this journey?

SPEAKER_00 33:55

Well, I mean, I I do believe, I mean, you have to get to a point that you're not operating off of the faith of your parents, the faith of the tradition and just like what's happened. Like, you have to have your own encounters with Jesus and your own testimonies with Jesus where you're able to see and realize, oh, okay, yep, he is faithful through it all. Like he is with me, even in the times that it's hard and it's tricky and it's complicated and it's not so fun. And if you could choose it differently from a catalog, you would pick a totally different scenario than the one that you're living. Like both things are true at the same time, yeah, because you live in a fallen world and it's not perfect, but he is, and and so you have to you have to get to a place in your own faith journey that you can know that and you can you can have peace even in the midst of tension. Yeah, and there is that's something that I've realized that the two can coexist.

SPEAKER_01 35:15

Yeah. No, that's so good. I've also like even encouraged, like, if they don't feel seen, um, is there somebody in your church or in your life that if you just asked, you know, like sometimes like I don't see, but when someone comes to me and just asks, like, can you just sit and talk with me? I have something and they trust me with that. Like, yeah, that's a huge encouragement to me as an old, like, you know, as an older woman in the church now, to teenagers and young girls, like sometimes it's okay to go ask for that help if you do feel unseen. Like, because like you said, you had people come into your life, I'm sure, that have encouraged you along the way. So um, and I love I love that you are you have seen the inner workings of the church and you still love the church as imperfect as the church is because I think in our culture today, there's a lot of man, we're coming hard after the body of Christ as the church in a in a harsh way and not celebrating a lot of the good because the church is here. So, on our final like question, just what what is some encouragement to stay true to the body of Christ, to be involved in the church, no matter how imperfect she is. Um, what do you see you know coming through when you stay faithful to to to the church, to Jesus, um, despite all that life and culture is kind of telling us to walk away and kind of isolate from that?

SPEAKER_00 36:31

Yeah. You know, I I had a conversation with a friend recently that was just kind of talking about we they they were finding out that another mutual friend of ours also was a PK, which makes a lot of sense and what this person's career is and how they're like serving. And and he just was talking about how there's oftentimes this really deep, rich love for the church in a PK. So, you know, these are these are the people that it doesn't mean that everything's been perfect in every season, but they have had people walk with them in certain parts of life, they have found their own legs of faith to walk it out and you know, experience healing and all the things. And oftentimes you whether they're a key volunteer in your church or whether they have gotten into some form of ministry themselves, or maybe they work for like a parachurch organization. Um, my friend was just commenting, he's like, these PKs, like they have this rich, deep, almost costly love for the church. And I I the more I thought about it, I texted him back later. I was like, I know what you mean, because I know what that means for myself, but like tell me what that looks like in your head. And he was just like, Well, you've seen a lot, yeah, and you choose to love it anyway. Because I think when you have your own experience with God and you have your own testimonies and you have those times in life that it's just like, um, like one of the things I love about God is just how detailed He is. And there's certain little things that happen that I'm like, that is so specific and so crazy. And yet I know it's like a hundred percent just for me to put a smile on my face in this moment, like that that is our God. And I think as you get into it farther, it's like I said earlier, you have skin in the game, and so that skin in the game is part of what makes it so sweet and so rich and so deep, is because you do know that it's precious and it's costly. You know, I know my parents sacrificed a lot, I know that they sewed a lot, and I'm aware that there was a cost with that that also for me generationally, like I want to honor, and I don't want my choices or my testimony to tarnish the price that they paid in the years before me, you know? And so um I think the farther you get into it, the more beautiful the layers become. And it's just realizing that, you know, we live we do live in a fallen world and it's not perfect, but mosaic art is still art and there still is beauty in it, even if it's made from some pieces that maybe weren't always the original design, but it's how he takes those things, even when it's human beings that intended to harm us, just like in Joseph's story, but God will use it for the saving of many lives. And I want that to be my story and my testimony, and hope that um something I've shared today can encourage someone else to to just hang on and keep looking to Jesus through it all.

SPEAKER_01 40:17

That's so good. That's I mean, if nothing else, I'm encouraged. So I appreciate your time with us, Nancy, and just your heart and just your story. Your music is amazing. I'm gonna put all the links to your stuff on our show notes and socials. So I just really appreciate your time um and just your heart for this specific niche. Like I love it so much. And I'm just I'm I'm praying for you and just those that you can talk to because I don't think it has been talked about enough. Um, and just to have have those kids seen, those families seen, there's a different level of maybe you know, warfare around them as well. Um so I just appreciate you and your ministry and just your time today. So thank you. Of course. Thanks for having me. Yeah.