The Pruning Season - #019

In this episode, we're talking about the pruning season—the uncomfortable, confusing, and sometimes painful process of God cutting back what no longer serves His purpose for our lives. If you've been walking through a season of waiting, change, loss, or spiritual stretching, this conversation is for you. Join us as we unpack the ups and downs of pruning and remind ourselves that God never wastes a season. 

FOLLOW US:
Instagram: @ingoodfaithpod | @ambahhh_riedel | @alissa_riedel

Transcript

SPEAKER_03 0:25

I'm hyper city from Times Square.

SPEAKER_02 0:31

Just kidding, we're in liquids. Yeah. I wear my glasses every Tuesday, and then I take them off because I can't I don't like them. And then I can't see for the whole time.

SPEAKER_04 0:43

That was me. I had a two-week streak where I was doing that. Mm-hmm. Awesome. Hey, I forgot we were recording for a second. Welcome to the pod. I got a study Bible. This well, we have to do the intro. Oh, I'm sorry. This is in the In Good Faith. Forgot the name of the podcast for a second. This is in good faith podcast with Amber and Alyssa. And Hello. Anyways, you got a new Bible. I did. Not the same one, but better.

SPEAKER_03 1:18

Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy. Joshua. Okay.

SPEAKER_04 1:28

That's something that nobody likes that is a Leah will know. Leah will I don't know.

SPEAKER_02 1:34

She even listens, but she'll know.

SPEAKER_04 1:36

That's not a universal experience. That's a song that we learned at our older Bible study.

SPEAKER_02 1:44

Women's Bible study, there was like the idea was you you memorize songs, but how come you can't memorize like things when you speak it? So she made it into a song. And so we sing it pretty, pretty often, I would say.

SPEAKER_04 1:57

Janice, Exodus. I won't get into it, but yeah. So did you get Bible tabs yet though to remember? Or do you know that does a song just pretty much carrying it? Pretty much can, you know, navigate. Fun game idea. Navigate. Fun game idea. Me and Lisa were playing this the other night. The other night. The other night we were playing this. So get your Bible out. And it's fun to just see how quick you can get to.

SPEAKER_02 2:30

Because we have the Bible tab, so we felt like we kind of knew where certain books were. So Amber would say, I don't know.

SPEAKER_04 2:39

Romans. And you have 10 seconds. Yes. Which I mean, I feel like we passed every time. Should we play right now? No, it's okay. Quickly?

SPEAKER_01 2:47

Come on, one game.

SPEAKER_02 2:50

Well, that made me feel dumb now. I don't know. My nose has been stuffed all day. Girl, I don't care.

SPEAKER_04 3:03

Yeah, anyways. Girl, I'm gonna give it to you like straight up. I don't care. If you can't, it's it doesn't matter. You don't care. Golly. Yeah, just congestion. Deviated septum, that kind of thing. Are you gonna get a nose job? Probably. Well, Katie was telling me how she had reconstructive surgery, like for an injury when she was.

SPEAKER_02 3:31

Is this personal to her? Does she want it blasted on a podcast?

SPEAKER_04 3:35

I don't, I don't think she minds. It was it was like a an accident, like a soccer accident or something, uh sports accident. And she was saying how she like almost fainted, or she did completely faint. Like at whenever they were taking the stints out of her nose. I was like, stints, what is that?

SPEAKER_02 3:57

Yeah, yeah, that's why I would never ever get a nose job. Ever get a nose job. Because you have to keep them in there, I'm pretty sure.

SPEAKER_04 4:07

And she said it was just like a horrible experience, like getting those taken out because she didn't realize how long they were. Yuck. They just kept coming and then she passed out. That's all when she woke up and she they're getting her water and fanning her.

unknown 4:22

Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_04 4:23

But I'm just struggling with this situation with my nose. I just feel like I'm stuffed every day.

SPEAKER_02 4:28

Would you ever get that done to like that's kind of that would turn me off? I would just wear the sleeping aids at night. I know.

SPEAKER_04 4:36

You guys, this is TMI. I do have to wear like one of those things over my nose every night.

SPEAKER_02 4:44

Dilate her nostrils.

SPEAKER_04 4:45

Yeah. So my biggest fear is like someone like waking me up in the middle of the night and your nose is the size of a penny. My nostrils. Yeah, my nose is the size of Manhattan. Like, it's crazy how dilated my nostrils are at night because I cannot breathe. I can even hardly talk to you straight. I usually save it. Like, if you stay the night, I save it and I don't put it on until it's quite dark and like you know, we're pretty much done hanging out because it's just me with this humongous dilated nose. Oh, I was gonna just say what we are getting in or what we're talking about. We're talking about the pruning season. Get your shears. Get your shears, your gardening shears out, guys. We're we're talking about pruning. But before we get into that, do you have a live update? Any like mediocre things that you're working on this week? Fun ideas? You know?

SPEAKER_02 5:47

I thought about something on the way here, but I don't remember.

SPEAKER_04 5:53

Must not have been important. Oh, Alyssa, you have a big one. Oh yes.

SPEAKER_02 6:01

Thank you, Katie. Shout out. Oh, wait. What?

SPEAKER_04 6:06

It's okay. Oh. Yeah, but it's okay. Is it? I think so. Girl, no one listens to this podcast hardly. It's okay.

SPEAKER_02 6:17

Well, Katie is selling me her coffee machine. Her coffee machine. Her espresso machine. And I'm very excited to have that in my custody.

SPEAKER_00 6:34

Custody is crazy. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 6:37

Yeah. I haven't gotten it yet. It's you have my car right now. I'm so excited. It's in the back scene. It's very cute. I am going out of town in the morning though, so I'll hopefully I'll I'll play around with it tonight. Try to get a coffee out of it tomorrow.

SPEAKER_04 6:52

I don't know if you're gonna be able to do that.

SPEAKER_02 6:54

Are you gonna buy mine?

SPEAKER_04 6:56

Yeah. If you I need a payment plan and tutorials.

SPEAKER_02 7:02

Oh, honey. You've had four years for a tutorial.

SPEAKER_04 7:06

No, because I don't have an espresso machine.

SPEAKER_02 7:08

I didn't need a tutorial. You're at my house multiple times, multiple days a week. It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter. Okay.

SPEAKER_00 7:14

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_02 7:16

Okay. So yeah, I have a new espresso machine. Super excited about that. It's a beautiful brand. Pretty state of the art. It is state of the arts touch screen. Very cool. Really awesome. That's your big one. Uh I'm also going to New Orleans tomorrow. That's big. That's huge. I'm scared to death. It's for work, but I'm scared of all the voodoo going on. That place is weird. That place just to me is my only like reference that I have to go off of is Princess Tiana. And that junk looks scary. Yeah. With that guy. Bayus and stuff. Spells and hexes and voodoo. Voodoo Major. Hey, but you have I have the Lord and I will be rebuking.

SPEAKER_04 8:06

And I don't think like people I mean, I don't know. Correct me if I'm wrong. I'm not gonna let anyone touch me. Well, I mean, like, you'll be in like normal places. You'll be at a convention. So I think you'll be okay. You know, Nicole Kidman is gonna be at this convention. I think that's the weirdest thing. Why would Nicole Kidman be at like a construction like convention?

SPEAKER_02 8:27

I don't know, but hopefully I'll meet her. Who else were the people that were gonna be there? Damon, or is that his name from Shark Tank?

unknown 8:34

Damon.

SPEAKER_02 8:35

Oh my gosh, I just sniffled so hard. Sorry. I forgot where I was for a second. Um and there's a concert. You'll never believe who's performing. Who is it again? Flow Rider. Flowrida and Mrs. For reference, this is for Halloween. Like uh an apartment association. So it's like all these construction show, like trade show for apartments. Like Lowe's is vendors, Home Depot, and then U.S. Screen, baby. US Green. And then yeah, Nicole Kidman. I don't know where where she comes in. Not sure.

SPEAKER_04 9:13

Maybe she's like president of the HOA of her apartment. Okay, so my biggest life update is the one that just happened and where I came from. That is, I was just at the spa. That's why I'm so zen right now. Can't you tell how zen I am?

SPEAKER_02 9:29

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_04 9:29

Mm-hmm. I was at Stream Song Spa. It's called the Aqua Pedra Spa. Aqua Pedra? I don't know what it's called. We don't know how to pronounce it, but it was really nice. Look at some of these videos. I'll have to post them in the dump that we don't ever post. Right. The imaginary dump.

SPEAKER_02 9:50

Let me write this dump down.

SPEAKER_04 9:51

That's a good idea. Okay.

SPEAKER_02 9:54

Sorry for the pause. Keep talking. Okay. Dump ideas. Spa page.

SPEAKER_04 9:58

So spa place. Look at this. This was like some of the pools. Is that underground? Bro, it looked like a cave. It looked like Sabrina said it perfectly. She said it looked like Tulume. And like never been. This was the cold plunge, and then they had like five different hot tubs. Did you do the cold plunge? I put my feet in the cold plunge. Katie did it. Was it for like 10 seconds? It was 42 degrees.

SPEAKER_02 10:20

Is that like average for a cold plunge? Or is it supposed to be colder or done one?

SPEAKER_04 10:25

So that's the cold plunge. Then like you just like have all of like this cave-like situation. It looks like you're underground in these caves and it has all of these pools. And then I got my massage, of course. How was it? It was really good. Like, really, really good. It was a deep tissue. Your fall. Oh, that's another life update. Yeah, I'll tell you about my fall in a second, guys. But yeah, it was the deep tissue was like perfect pressure. It was just a really fun experience. Were you in pain? No, not at all. And like, look, it was so cool.

SPEAKER_02 11:02

Dang.

SPEAKER_04 11:02

Highly recommend the spot stream.

SPEAKER_02 11:04

See for my birthday in seven months.

SPEAKER_04 11:07

Yeah. And then we had access, like, so we kept everything in our little lockers. And there was like a locker room there. And we had access to like, I mean, obviously, everywhere there for lunch. And then also the regular pool, like the resort pool. So this was it was I love a resort pool. Olympic size. Over Olympic size, I swear. I tried to swim it. I was the only baby.

SPEAKER_02 11:31

Swim in one breath.

SPEAKER_04 11:31

Yeah, I was the only baby out there who got their hair wet. But I tried I went underwater and I tried to see how long I can hold my breath, and I only made it to like halfway. Barely.

SPEAKER_02 11:41

My problem is I can't see underwater because I have my contacts. So I have to close my eyes. So I only can swim underwater for like five seconds before I get scared of a wall that appears.

SPEAKER_04 11:53

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 11:55

Surely I didn't swim that fast.

SPEAKER_04 11:57

Also, last night I fell. And it was, I was so embarrassed in front of myself. I was, well, I was putting on some pants. And I think I had too small, eh? No, I was putting on like a pair of pajama pants. And I want to say I had sneakers on too. Were you putting on them for bed? No, no, no, no, no. I I actually wear my sneakers to bed. It keeps my feet warm.

SPEAKER_02 12:28

No, that's some crap you would do though.

SPEAKER_04 12:30

Well, why would I do that? Let's be so for real right now. Don't even put that out there and spread rumors. I don't sleep. No, I would never do that. So, anyways, I was it's because I was really uncomfortable in the pants that I was in and I needed them off immediately. And I just came in from a walk. So I changed my pants into pajama pants, but I still had my sneakers on and I was being lazy. I didn't want to take my shoes off, which is gross. But then I tripped over the pant lane because my sneaker was too big. And then there was also a pair of heels on my ground that I tripped over. And this was it's all just like happened so quickly. And the next thing I know, I was like fighting to not break my nose, like because I fell straight. And onto the ground, onto the ground, and I hurt my wrist a little bit. I almost like hit my face on the corner of my bed. Bro. Thank God it's like an upstreamed bed. And then my my neck hurt really bad because I like landed like this. And then I also hurt my back. My back was like starting to hurt when I texted you last night. And then like this morning when I woke up, I'm like, I'm in pain. But I didn't want to tell the spa lady because I didn't want her to be like, well, because of liability, we can't touch it.

SPEAKER_01 13:49

Don't care. Don't care. Get to going, Nancy. Don't be afraid to really dig in, Nancy.

SPEAKER_02 13:54

Yeah. So yeah. I was afraid because you said it hurt when you breathed. Yeah. That happened to when I fell when I was riding my rollerblades.

SPEAKER_04 14:05

That's what I was afraid of. Like I hurt my ribs or something. Cause it does still hurt. It didn't hurt when she was rubbing, but it does hurt whenever I like take a deep breath in. You probably like hurt your ribs somehow. And like the whole side of my hip is bruised. So that's fun. Hate that for me, but well, do you have any other life updates? We're kind of rambling.

SPEAKER_02 14:29

Not too much. I just wanted to see if anybody else was interested in the Kiki Palmer and Sean. Sean Evans? Yes.

SPEAKER_04 14:40

Guys, if you're not in it, please get in it. I'm this is my one time I'm gonna encourage you to get on social media. Like, hop on this. Kiki Palmer was on a podcast. It was like the Hot Ones. You've probably seen it on like your Facebook reels. And she was on the Hot Ones podcast. Is it a podcast or a show? Like a little show thing with Sean Evans. And they just whatever. I think like the first time was whatever. And maybe even the second time. I don't even know. But like he was in another podcast, and the interviewer asked if he had a crush on anybody. And any of his guests. Yeah. And he said, Kiki Palmer.

SPEAKER_02 15:18

And then like it got back to the reacted to that. Yes. It's just been a whole thing. They she went back on like years later. Oh, it was years later? Yes. A couple years ago. And they were just spotted going to dinner.

SPEAKER_04 15:32

Yeah. And then, oh, after the kiss, like that was just like kind of a jokey thing. Yeah. Like a jokey flirty thing. And then they Kiki Palmer has a podcast. He came on hers. And then like they talked about like everything. Cause like everyone's into this. And I hope they're not just doing it to appease someone. I know. But then they were spotted the other night at dinner in New York. And I'm so excited. But they're I love them so much right now. That's probably like very niche. I don't know if anyone else is into that.

SPEAKER_02 16:04

I feel like everyone's into it, but it could just be all over my stuff. I know.

SPEAKER_04 16:08

I know. I I'm really glad you hopped in though, because I just needed someone to tell that to.

SPEAKER_02 16:14

Anyways, well, that is all of our life updates, even though it is about Kiki Palmer, not us.

SPEAKER_04 16:22

So, yeah, we're talking about the pruning season, like I said before.

SPEAKER_02 16:29

So, what would you say? Well, I'll start by reading the definition of pruning. You go on ahead. What does pruning mean? So you may ask. I feel like I'm presenting. I wrote down pruning is the process of selectivity. Wait. Wait. Sounds like the root thing. Wait. The process of selectively cutting or removing parts of a plant, such as branches, buds, or roots to improve its health, shape, and productivity. Period.

SPEAKER_04 17:05

Yeah, I it's really cool. Like, I feel like in the Bible humans are like the or no, is it it's Jesus that is the tree and we are the vine?

SPEAKER_02 17:20

The tree and the vine. I am the true vine, and my father is the vine dresser. Every branch in me that does not bear the fruit, not bear fruit, he takes away. And every hold on, I can't see. And every branch that he Oh my gosh, this is why I don't read. Sorry. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit, he takes away. And every branch that bears fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. So he is the vine where the branches. I was getting it confused with the tree. It says that was it.

SPEAKER_04 17:57

Well, he is the tree.

SPEAKER_02 18:00

Or the vine. He's the vine.

SPEAKER_04 18:02

He's the vine where the branches. I just said that. So yeah, I feel like we're compared to like plants. Gardening. Gardening, if you will. Yeah. And so all my gardening girls are into it. I feel like it's pretty relatable. But yeah, it's known like with a plant, like you do have, like, in order to take care of it, you have to prune it back and like cut it back, like cut off the dead, the disease. Even sometimes, like the good things you have to cut back on the plant in order for it to blossom, bloom, be fruitful, be healthy. Oh, Demi always calls me during a podcast. You should have her on live. Hey, hey, hey, answer. You're on air. No, so yeah, I used it as like a gardening term and I wrote down like pretty much what you did, but I underlined the word like selective. So that word stood out to me because it's like, you know how we get angry sometimes or frustrated when like certain things don't work out, or I don't even know, like doors will close or whatever. I feel like the word selective is so important there because it gives like intentionality behind like what the Lord is doing. Yeah. Like it's a selective process. Like, you know, like the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders. Why did why was that the first like example that came to my mind? But like with a selective process, I'm thinking of like their entire process of like that whole show and like seeing how hard it was to like make the team like that's what I think of like with a selective process. Like there's so many things that go into it, and like they know what they're looking for, they know what's best. And I feel like in our life, like obviously, like God just like knows the path and like what he has for you, and like it's selective removal. So it's not like he's just like taking things just on a whim or because he hates you or because he wants to take this away from you, it's a selective removal of like different parts that ultimately like help you grow, help you be healthy and stuff. And I wrote down like what it does, it redirects the plant's energy to encourage new growth and removes threats like disease and helps shape the plant for better flowering and fruit production. So that's all in the sense of like a literal plant, but it's all a metaphor, I guess, if you will. I don't know if it's a metaphor, comparison, comparable.

SPEAKER_02 20:54

Sure.

SPEAKER_04 20:54

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 20:55

Um, anyways, but yeah, so yeah, I like the one redirects. Yeah. Because you can be going in one direction and that door's closed, yeah, and you have no option but to go another way.

SPEAKER_04 21:12

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 21:13

That's him redirecting you.

SPEAKER_04 21:15

That's him pruning something back. Like I'm thinking of like that jasmine vine at the house. Mom, we didn't cut your plant. We redirect. You know, we didn't trim anything, but it's like Yeah. You're you're cutting things back or like moving things around to redirect it in the path that it's supposed to go, or that you know that it'll thrive.

SPEAKER_02 21:43

Because if you don't redirect it, it's just gonna keep going in that same direction. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 21:48

I just had deja vu. And then I I always get deja vu and then deja vu within. And then like right now. Deja vu, deja vu. That's like triple deja vu that I just had. And then the next kind. Guys, now it's fifth.

SPEAKER_02 22:04

It's fifth deja vu.

SPEAKER_04 22:07

Fifth deja vu right now. Seventh deja vu once removed. So examples. I kind of just wrote down examples of like what our plant parts, if you will, could be. So like the different things that could be pruned. Okay. Us as a plant, like on sure. So relationships when with that, like friendships, different mindsets. Correct. I was thinking. Like a heart posture, perhaps, habits, which given distractions. Yes, I put that. Those are the things that I came up with that would be like our like parts that he would cut and like cut away.

SPEAKER_02 22:57

Yeah, I gave some examples of pruning and I put expected end or I'm sorry. Man, I can't read. Unexpected endings of friendships, jobs, relationships, opportunities, being called to let go of distractions, seasons of waiting, trials that deepen your faith. And just like things like that.

SPEAKER_04 23:29

Things like that. No, and I feel like within like that list of different like parts or things that he could prune, I feel like there's good and there's bad things. Like pruning doesn't necessarily mean like it's a bad, negative, sinful thing that he's taking away. It could be a good thing.

SPEAKER_02 23:50

It might just not be like your thing that you're he has you for.

SPEAKER_04 23:55

I feel like there's like different tears. Yes. And I wrote them down what I what I feel like the tears are. So in this is not all me. This is also like based on just like sermons and like different things I've researched, but like okay. Pruning related to sin, pruning related to service, and I'll go over these. And then also pruning related to circumstance. And then like within those categories, like I feel like all of those things that both me and you listed like fall somewhere within those spectrums. But like, for example, like the easiest one I feel like is like pruning related to sin. It's like, okay, like that's a plant with a disease. So it's like you cut off like that nasty part, like with the disease, and that's easy enough. Like you can like, it's a sin, it's bad. So like sometimes things need to be pruned in our lives so the disease or the sin can't spread. So for example, like maybe a friend who is a bad influence or something. Exactly. So it's a great friend, it's a really fun friendship, it's a good friendship. Like you guys are good friends, and there's nothing wrong with that person, except like maybe that person's not really on the same path as you, perhaps, or like maybe there is a few like red flags in the friendship where like they're just like really going down a different road, and where like that friendship needs to be pruned, and like maybe just like it's like a sinful friendship. Maybe you guys are just doing like bad things together, like or like say I don't know, I'm just thinking of like alcohol, things like that. Like if that was something that like the Lord just maybe like he knows like what you what what your temptations are, what your struggles are. I feel like he could prune back, like I don't know, different situations. Maybe you maybe you feel so alone in this season that you're in because like you used to go out and like do all these things and like go out drinking or whatever with like these friends, and like you're just feeling so alone right now. But maybe that it's a pruning season. Maybe you struggled with alcohol and like you're in this season right now where like you just need to like he's removed you from it. Or I don't even know. I can't really come up with examples like on a whim. Those are I don't know, but yeah, basically, like sin, like those things are just like cut away. And because small things can lead to bigger things, basically. Yeah, and it's like let's be fruitful over diseased, period.

SPEAKER_02 27:00

I'm gonna make a t-shirt, that's what I thought. It took me a second to understand what you were saying, though. Wow, let's be fruitful over diseased, let's be fruit by the foot. Fruit by the foot, fruitful by the foot.

SPEAKER_04 27:12

And I feel like in order to like check ourselves for like I don't even know how to say it, but like I guess just like check ourselves is like disease. Yeah, yeah. Check ourselves, guys. Catch it early. Compare your life to the Ten Commandments or like the fruits of the spirit, yeah. Or like different ways to do that, dude. My back hurts for real. From falling, yeah. Oh my gosh. Anything you want to add on that before I move on to like the service part.

SPEAKER_02 27:51

No, I want to hear about the service, what that means.

SPEAKER_04 27:53

Yeah, this one like confused me a little bit. It took me a little bit to understand this. So, uh, pruning related to service, I said like that's when you're cutting back on an overgrown plant. So this one was confusing to me because it was kind of like the idea of too much of a good thing could be bad. I feel like this is where like the good things can be trimmed back, the good and the bad.

SPEAKER_02 28:22

And that kind of reminds me of my plant. I have that overgrown plant that I keep clipping clip pieces off, and I'll propagate and make new plants and more plants.

SPEAKER_04 28:34

And it's not like it's rotten or anything. It's just like multiplying it, making it better. Yes. You're getting a little bit like just spread thin, like too big, like it's weighing you down, basically. And that was kind of the example is like the things that weigh us down. And these could be how do I think of an example off the top of my head? Like maybe like too many friendships. Maybe maybe like spreading yourself too thin with work, work, or like even like volunteering. Like it sounds bad, but I feel like do having your hand in a little bit too much, so like kind of makes you not want to do it. Yeah, and I feel like doing a whole bunch of stuff like could possibly take your mind off of like the ultimate goal and like growing closer to the Lord and and I don't know, even good growth. Like even if something good happened from like a previous season or like last season the apple tree was super fruitful or whatever, like this season, like you might need to cut back some some branches and stuff on the apple tree. I don't know. That those are terrible examples, and that one like was a little hard for me to understand, but hopefully it made some sense. I think it made sense too. Just like basically like whenever you're overgrown, it was hard for me to come up with like like don't spread yourself too thin.

SPEAKER_02 30:08

Yeah, you can't pour from an empty cup, essentially. Is that the I think so?

SPEAKER_04 30:14

And I feel like the Lord like knows, and like he kind of like shuts the doors, and like it could be an amazing opportunity, and like he shuts the door, and like that could be pruning. That's good stuff. My next one is pruning related to circumstance or like external factors. So I'm trying, I'm trying to like relate this back to like an actual plant. So maybe if there was like, I don't know, a storm that came through and ripped up this hypothetical plant, or like animals that came in and like ate it. I don't know. That's stupid. So basically, like there can be circumstances that aren't unique to us, nor did we choose like to have those things, but God uses those things to prune. And this is where I understood the most. So, like suffering, like sickness, all of that kind of stuff. Like, he uses those things, like the external things, like your cancer, for example. Like, he could have used that and like pruned you in that season. Like, we didn't ask for that, like it was just something like circumstance that happened, and he uses that circumstance to then refine you, prune you, and like build your faith. And also, so like there's the circumstances that happen, and within that, it could be like the suffering or like a wilderness season. I always think of like Elijah, like we talked well. I don't know if that episode came out. I don't know if that was I don't think it came out. Oh, yeah. So I think of like him in the wilderness and how like God really built him up, like when he was just at his lowest point and basically asking God to just cowboy, take me.

SPEAKER_02 32:10

Yeah, I feel like sometimes or a lot of times in the Christian life, like you have to go through a lot, but through that he strengthens our faith. And yeah.

SPEAKER_04 32:25

And I feel like too, like even in those seasons, like you don't feel like anything is being strengthened. You feel I feel terrible, yeah. You kind of feel dumb in a way because you're like, well, why am I not whatever dancing for joy in in the suffering? Like, so it's like you could feel like kind of bad, but well, and not feel him like building you up and doing these things, but ultimately, like But you know, yeah. I feel like in hindsight, it's always 2020. I just feel like, especially like in a wilderness season, like I feel like low-key, like that's kind of where I feel like I've been, like, especially this last year, which it's very weird. I feel like I've been so distant from my friends, not intentionally, it wasn't anything on them, wasn't anything on me. It's just like I feel like I'm in this season where I'm just alone, and that sounds so like kind of terrible. But I'm reading this book, I think it's called Anonymous, and like that's kind of just how I feel, and it's about Jesus in his hidden years, so like ages like baby to what 30. And like, yeah, you just kind of get in these seasons where you just feel like you're well, for lack of a better term, out in the wilderness, hidden. You're just like, what is this? And I just feel like that is like the time where God really asks you to like be attentive to him and like rely on him solely because that's all you have, basically.

SPEAKER_02 34:17

That's only around. Uh I feel like that's where I've been, and I'm trying to come out of the the wilderness. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 34:28

Like, why is that? It's like I try to I try to be present and like spend time with people and friends and stuff, but it's like I just still feel removed. I don't know if it's like my job.

SPEAKER_02 34:45

And like, yeah, maybe that's just where I'm what's supposed to like not pruning your friends or anything. You're gone. See ya. But like to expose things within yourself. Yeah, maybe.

SPEAKER_04 34:57

And like it started since I I I worked at the venue. Like, I just feel so removed from like my previous life.

SPEAKER_02 35:07

Well, maybe it could be something to do that like you used to work with your family and see us every single day. I think that is it. Now you are by yourself and you have to hear about our day, yeah, like later.

SPEAKER_04 35:20

Yeah, maybe that's it. I just feel so alone. And then touching back on like the suffering portion. Obviously, we don't delight in suffering, but we can allow God to use it. And I feel like getting to the point within the suffering, like as you're going through it, how do we get to the point where we're like, God's gonna use this? God, I'm trusting you, God, you're doing it right now. I'm in this really hard place, but I'm gonna trust it. You're gonna get me through it. That's where I want to be anytime anything negative or bad happens. I'm gonna be like, stories are redeemed, this story will be redeemed, trusting that it happens.

SPEAKER_02 36:09

I feel like whenever Maverick was having all his seizures for that year, I was in a similar place where I'm like, what in the crap? Like, how was this? Like, the whole situation sucked really bad, but I and I didn't have a good like attitude about it, I don't think. But deep down I knew that I can trust God, even though like I maybe did it in the moment, I knew that I could and that there is a reason for it, but it doesn't lessen the suckage, the blow, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 36:52

Uh I agree. But if you are in a pruning season, I feel like whether it's friendships, you're going through like something health-wise, like I feel like just remembering that life is hard. And like trusting in the Lord and like the plan that he has for your life just helps so much in the moment. And pruning seasons, they happen, they're inevitable. Like they kind of have to happen in order for you to get stronger. What what what does my girl Kelly Clarkson say? Tell him. It doesn't kill you, it makes you stronger. Exactly. Period. No, but it sounds cliche, and it I mean, it's easier said than done. But like trusting him in those pruning seasons and be like, ooh, I'm recognizing this for what it is. I have a feeling like you're getting rid of this friendship for this reason. Or maybe I don't even know the reason, but maybe you're just getting rid of this friendship, but I have to trust that you know what you're doing, and that's why this is happening. Or you just got I don't even know. I was gonna say fired from your job, but that would suck.

SPEAKER_02 38:09

Oh, but maybe I'm yeah, you could get fired for a reason. I don't know.

SPEAKER_04 38:14

Another door is about to open up. There's all kinds of different ways to be pruned. And what is it in like is it Jude? The testing of your faith? Like, I forget the verse. But yeah, it's like your faith is tested, and we just we gotta pass the test. True. Um it's a tough test to pass. Do you think this is a question that's off the top of my head, so sorry if you're not prepared, but how do you think, if anything, like, do you feel like you're being pruned at all right now?

SPEAKER_02 38:59

Yeah. I think like my lack of direction right now could be a pruning season of like digging deeper and like trusting God's plan for my life because I don't know what it is. Don't know, don't know anything, don't know where I'm gonna be in a year. Yeah. And I don't really have, I don't know, just no good opportunities have came up for me. Like, for instance, like you got your house at a good time. Like, I just feel like every time I go to look, it's a horrible time in the market. And like I just have to keep trusting God that there will be something for me when the market crashes. When it crashes in 2027. No, but like the perfect place will be like shown to me whenever it's time. Yeah, definitely. And I have to keep trusting that because I'm impatient.

SPEAKER_04 40:01

I yeah, I feel like I'm honestly like kind of in that same pruning, a little bit of the wilderness where I just feel like the Lord is asking me to just like submit myself to him and stop striving. Yeah, I think trying to like make it all work out, and I feel like so I'm just like in this weird wilderness, and like within that wilderness, it's like I'm lost, like I'm lost in the wilderness, so like I don't know where I'm supposed to be either. Like, I'm not really sure which direction I'm supposed to go to get out of the wilderness to find the nearest town. Oasis. Yeah, like not really sure. I was just talking about this at the spa, like I don't really know. It's like, eh, we can move here, or I can move here, I can get this job, and it's like, or I could or I can bloom where I'm planted. Or I and then I have all these desires in my heart where it's like, oh, I don't even want to do that because I want this so badly. Like, I don't want to go out and get this new job. Like, I I don't want to move. I don't I don't know. So I'm just like sitting here, I guess.

SPEAKER_02 41:28

Yeah, it's like I don't know what to do, so I just stay put.

SPEAKER_04 41:31

You know, that one John Travolta meme when he's looking around. Yeah, yeah. I think that's how I feel. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 41:41

Me as well, too.

SPEAKER_05 41:43

But yeah, me as well too.

SPEAKER_02 41:46

That was our take on the pruning season. I just started my garden, so I'm gonna be taking these tips and tricks.

SPEAKER_04 41:56

Let's not spread any disease and be fruitful.

SPEAKER_02 41:58

I did just a quick other update. I planted some flowers and they're starting to sprout.

SPEAKER_04 42:04

They are?

SPEAKER_02 42:05

Yes. Dang. I think I was using the wrong soil. That makes that much of a difference, I guess. The soil that I had before was like some old stuff from the garage. I think it was like dried out. Yeah. I don't know. But I do have some sprouts, growing some zinnias and some poppies. That's exciting. And onions and sweet peppers.

SPEAKER_04 42:28

I got I want to start my journey.

SPEAKER_02 42:30

And rosemary and mint. You should do a farmer's market. Why couldn't you do a farmer's market like where that guy always sells the beaches? But I want to do. Oh, like on the side of the road? Yeah. Oh, I'm not doing that. That's scary. Yeah, it is kind of scary. I would do like a little farmer's market though, because like I said, my plant, I have like a pothos plant, and it's just producing, I don't know, it's just growing like crazy on my windowsill. And I can't keep up with it. So I keep clipping and propagating, and I keep like 60 plants. Yeah. It's really out of hand. And then I started propagating some basil and like different herbs. So I want to sell, I want to do like a farmer's market and sell my plants.

SPEAKER_05 43:18

Cute. Well, we love you guys. And I'll say that's what we said. That's a piece of love. Um, yeah, we love you. Um, all of a sudden, to bring out real.