Latest / How to Faith a Life Podcast with Faith Womack / Sexual Sin, Shame, & Freedom with Kirby Kelly

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Sexual Sin, Shame, & Freedom with Kirby Kelly · How to Faith a Life Podcast with Faith Womack

0:00
SPEAKER_01: If you're listening to the How to Faith a Life podcast, where we wrestle with questions on how to live a life of faith, from everything from books to Bible studies, even Bible study tips, this is your place to wrestle with the hard questions and dive deep into what scripture really says for the Christian walk.
0:12
SPEAKER_01: Make sure you've subscribed to this podcast and your favorite podcast streaming services.
0:16
SPEAKER_01: Review this podcast so other people can find it and share with other believers who want to ask the hard questions.
0:21
SPEAKER_01: Now, with all that said, let's begin.
0:22
SPEAKER_01: Hi friends, welcome back to the How to Faith a Life podcast, a ministry of Bible Nerd Ministries.
0:27
SPEAKER_01: I am so excited for today's episode because we get to have a real life friend of mine on the podcast.
0:33
SPEAKER_01: Yay everyone.
0:35
SPEAKER_01: Welcome in, Kirby.
0:37
SPEAKER_01: Kirby, if you don't already know her, where have you been if you don't know?
0:40
SPEAKER_01: But Kirby Kelly is a Christ-centered content creator.
0:43
SPEAKER_01: She's also a speaker, an author, and a podcaster from here in the Dallas area, really primarily on podcasting with her bot and beloved podcast, which you've definitely got to check out.
0:53
SPEAKER_01: She has over 300 episodes and she covers things from like biblical truth and clarity aspect.
0:59
SPEAKER_01: So she's always like unpacking topics and trying to like lead us back to scripture, which I love about it.
1:05
SPEAKER_01: She's really authentic.
1:06
SPEAKER_01: She talks about mental health, self-worth, everything faith-related.
1:10
SPEAKER_01: She got her undergrad and her master's from Dallas Baptist University, and her podcast launched in 2019.
1:16
SPEAKER_01: So she's been doing it for a while, and there's a whole archive of amazing episodes that y'all have definitely got to check out.
1:22
SPEAKER_01: Her husband Richard and her live really close to us.
1:25
SPEAKER_01: I love her so much as a friend.
1:26
SPEAKER_01: We're planning to go on a workout class now.
1:28
SPEAKER_00: We scheduled that before this episode started.
1:31
SPEAKER_00: So welcome, Kirby.
1:34
SPEAKER_00: Thanks so much for coming on the podcast.
1:36
SPEAKER_03: Girl, thanks for having me on.
1:38
SPEAKER_03: I'm so excited because I feel like every time we hang out, it's basically a podcast.
1:42
SPEAKER_03: So the fact that we have microphones in front of us now, let's go.
1:47
SPEAKER_02: No different.
1:48
SPEAKER_02: Honestly.
1:49
SPEAKER_02: Real life and then like pivot to deep theology.
1:52
SPEAKER_02: I'm like, that's just us on and off camera.
1:54
SPEAKER_02: I know for real.
1:55
SPEAKER_01: I feel like a lot of the times what we talk about is ministry meets like real life or struggles in ministry.
2:01
SPEAKER_01: And she's just one of those friends.
2:03
SPEAKER_01: She's been doing it for a while.
2:04
SPEAKER_01: Like her podcast has been has been going since 2019.
2:06
SPEAKER_01: I'm on season three.
2:08
SPEAKER_01: Like she just has all this experience and wisdom.
2:10
SPEAKER_01: And so she's just one of those friends that I run to when I'm like struggling with something or have a question about something or praying about something.
2:16
SPEAKER_01: And truly, guys, like she is the face behind my book who doesn't get enough credit.
2:21
SPEAKER_01: Like she was one of the main people that I was like, I've got publishers reaching out to me.
2:25
SPEAKER_01: I don't know what to do.
2:26
SPEAKER_01: And she was like, here, reach out to my literary agent.
2:28
SPEAKER_01: And like the book would not be here today and coming out November 18th without her.
2:32
SPEAKER_01: So shout out to Kirby.
2:34
SPEAKER_01: Shout out to you.
2:35
SPEAKER_03: I'm so excited for your book.
2:36
SPEAKER_03: And you're gonna come talk about it on my podcast too.
2:39
SPEAKER_03: So that's gonna be fun.
2:40
SPEAKER_00: She's such a hype woman and it's amazing.
2:43
SPEAKER_00: And I need that.
2:44
SPEAKER_01: But you guys also probably are like, I recognize the name because last year I reviewed her book, You Can Be Free, on one of my reading vlogs.
2:52
SPEAKER_01: And this was one of those books that I was just like, wow, this was so much better than I expected.
2:57
SPEAKER_01: And so, Kirby, will you share your new book, You Can Be Free?
3:00
SPEAKER_01: What's your heart behind it and what led you to write this book?
3:02
SPEAKER_03: Well, hello, everybody.
3:03
SPEAKER_03: If this is our first time meeting, so excited to be on Faith's podcast.
3:08
SPEAKER_03: And I authored You Can Be Free.
3:10
SPEAKER_03: The subtitle is Overcoming Temptation and Habitual Sin by the Power and Promises of the Gospel, which is like probably the longest subtitle in the entire world.
3:20
SPEAKER_03: But I wrote this book because it was the book that I needed that literally did not exist, or at least I didn't realize that books like that could exist, where it approaches the sin struggles, the temptations, even a shame that we are living in the lies that we are believing that are keeping us stuck in this habitual place where we don't believe that we can be free.
3:44
SPEAKER_03: And for me, that looked like before I got saved.
3:47
SPEAKER_03: I mean, can I say it?
3:48
SPEAKER_03: Can I like be completely vulnerable and transparent?
3:50
SPEAKER_03: For me, when I was four years old, again when I was seven, and again when I was 10, I was exposed to pornography, which is crazy for me to think that before I could even like write my name, I was like seeing stuff I shouldn't be seeing.
4:01
SPEAKER_03: When I got saved when I was 14 years old, that was still a sin struggle, habitual sin struggle in my life that I could not shake off.
4:10
SPEAKER_03: And it really caused me to spiral.
4:12
SPEAKER_03: I was like, well, am I even a Christian?
4:14
SPEAKER_03: Because I keep struggling with this habitual thing in my life.
4:17
SPEAKER_03: I feel so ashamed.
4:18
SPEAKER_03: I feel like I'm struggling with the quote unquote boy sin.
4:21
SPEAKER_03: Like, I just don't know how to make sense of truly loving God, but still struggling so hard with this thing.
4:27
SPEAKER_03: And it wasn't until I got to college that I actually began walking out sanctification and freedom in my life.
4:36
SPEAKER_03: Not just forgiveness for my sin, but real freedom from my sin.
4:40
SPEAKER_03: And I decided to write this book because the Lord told me to.
4:44
SPEAKER_03: He was like, hey, there's tons of people out there who are struggling with habitual sin.
4:47
SPEAKER_03: Whether it's the same one as me or not, people are still struggling with sin.
4:51
SPEAKER_03: And I really think that there is a method to freedom, a structure, and I structure it like a battle plan in my book, to freedom that pretty much anyone can apply to whatever the specific struggle is for them.
5:04
SPEAKER_03: I mean, I'm also the daughter of two addicts.
5:07
SPEAKER_03: Both of my parents passed away from addiction.
5:10
SPEAKER_03: So, like, I have firsthand seen how insane and just like how intense and how enslaving sin and just struggles can be and addiction can be.
5:22
SPEAKER_03: And I didn't want that to be my story.
5:25
SPEAKER_03: And it was Jesus who was able to bring me freedom, but he also gave me the practicals to walk that out.
5:31
SPEAKER_03: And I put all of my sin and suffering and tears and years into a book so other people don't have to prolong this journey of freedom.
5:41
SPEAKER_03: So yeah, that's the book.
5:42
SPEAKER_01: When you were talking, so many words stuck out to me, like shame and enslavement versus that freedom of Christ.
5:48
SPEAKER_01: I think of like Galatians 5.
5:50
SPEAKER_01: Can you talk a little bit about the power of shame to keep us in sin?
5:54
SPEAKER_03: Totally.
5:55
SPEAKER_03: Because shame is one of those things that I feel like I've struggled with my whole life.
5:58
SPEAKER_03: And I think it just stems from that.
6:00
SPEAKER_03: It stems from that like early childhood wound, memory, trauma.
6:05
SPEAKER_03: Shame is very different than guilt in the sense that we are all guilty of sin.
6:10
SPEAKER_03: Like if we're just talking like at a theological level, we have all sinned, whether we have realized it or not.
6:16
SPEAKER_03: Like you don't have to teach a toddler to misbehave, right?
6:19
SPEAKER_03: Like we all have this sinful nature within us.
6:21
SPEAKER_03: And guilt says this is what you have done wrong.
6:25
SPEAKER_03: But shame says you are wrong.
6:27
SPEAKER_03: This is an identity thing.
6:29
SPEAKER_03: And once we believe, like, well, this is who I am.
6:32
SPEAKER_03: I'm always gonna be like this.
6:34
SPEAKER_03: I'm the worst, I'm pathetic, I'm probably not wanted by God.
6:38
SPEAKER_03: When if the enemy can shift it from just an action thing to an identity thing, that shame often will send us into hiding, into isolation and separation, which will then breed, I think for many of us, secrecy, even of I'm just gonna keep this thing covered and no one else is gonna know, which perpetuates this cycle of sin, which perpetuates, you know, shame and secrecy and separation and so on and so forth, to it gets to this point where when we start desiring freedom, it almost feels like it is just so out of reach because that has just been the pattern of our life for so long.
7:15
SPEAKER_03: And I think that shame is totally from the enemy.
7:18
SPEAKER_03: Because when I think about Adam and Eve in the very beginning, what they were naked and you know, shame.
7:22
SPEAKER_03: Like there was no shame in the garden when they were fully vulnerable.
7:27
SPEAKER_03: Yet, because of sin in our life, we are afraid to be vulnerable, one before other people, even like godly community that we trust sometimes.
7:35
SPEAKER_03: But even God, it can be really hard to be vulnerable and have our sin brought into the light out of fear of exposure.
7:42
SPEAKER_03: And I think that's so the enemy that he would twist vulnerability to be a thing of exposure and shame versus vulnerability and freedom.
7:51
SPEAKER_03: And I think it really needs to begin with recognizing our sin for what it is and recognizing I need freedom from this thing, but not that God or other people would expose it so that you and your identity would be then attacked and diminished, but that you would be able to actually step into real knowing and vulnerability and see your sin for what it is in the light and see yourself in the light of who Christ says that you are, and then actually be empowered to move forward in freedom.
8:19
SPEAKER_03: So I see shame really weaponizing just this idea of this is who I am, and I can't step into the light.
8:25
SPEAKER_03: When it's like, no, Jesus is the only one who can bring you that freedom, but you have to step out on vulnerability.
8:30
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I love that.
8:31
SPEAKER_01: I think you talk about it in the book with the Adam and Eve thing and how they hid because that's the result of shame.
8:37
SPEAKER_01: But shame makes you withdraw from the Lord when that freedom which was bought for us on the cross brings us near and we're more naked, like right?
8:44
SPEAKER_01: Like we're very vulnerable for the Lord, but it's actually like a safe vulnerability.
8:48
SPEAKER_01: How do you feel like Christian culture maybe impacted your hesitancy to want to seek help on this or feel isolated?
8:54
SPEAKER_01: Because you mentioned like it's the boys' sin.
8:56
SPEAKER_01: I've never thought about how you might have felt like that.
8:59
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, I think that was just like a very popular narrative.
9:03
SPEAKER_03: I feel like now, the year 2025, or whenever anyone is listening to this, like even if it's years from now, I feel like now it's more appropriate to talk about those kinds of sins, those kinds of sexual sins with less stigma specifically for women.
9:19
SPEAKER_03: Because I think it's always been this acceptable thing, even though it's unacceptable, that men struggle with sexual sin, lust, pornography.
9:28
SPEAKER_03: But then when it comes to women, I feel like we kind of have a stereotype thrusted upon us where it's like, well, women don't struggle with that.
9:36
SPEAKER_03: They struggle with gossip, they struggle with the eating disorders, they struggle with comparison.
9:40
SPEAKER_03: Sin does not discriminate.
9:42
SPEAKER_03: Anyone can struggle with any type of sin.
9:45
SPEAKER_03: And so when I got saved when I was 14, I was at a Christian summer camp, got radically saved by the Lord, got invited to church by one of my friends, and I don't know if it was just like in talks or maybe there was like a guest speaker speaking or something.
9:58
SPEAKER_03: I remember that whenever they would talk about pornography or sexual sin specifically, it always more so was leaned toward or geared towards this is what the guys struggle with.
10:08
SPEAKER_03: Little old me struggling with this thing had never told a soul in my life was like, not only am I struggling with a sin that I just like hate and detest in and of itself, but I hate it even more because now I feel like I'm just even more volatile.
10:23
SPEAKER_03: I'm even more disgusting because it's not a girl's sin.
10:26
SPEAKER_03: It just made me feel even more alone.
10:28
SPEAKER_03: And it was when I was in college, my freshman year, I joined this Christian sorority.
10:33
SPEAKER_03: We did this activity called Stand for Your Sister, where they passed out an anonymous survey with like different things on it.
10:39
SPEAKER_03: Like, I struggle with an eating disorder, I struggle with pornography, I struggled with drinking, whatever.
10:43
SPEAKER_03: Like the list was long.
10:44
SPEAKER_03: And you checked like yes or no if that was true for you.
10:47
SPEAKER_03: Again, anonymous.
10:49
SPEAKER_03: So this was the first time I was honest with what I was checking yes and no to.
10:52
SPEAKER_03: Crumpled it up in a ball, threw it across the room.
10:55
SPEAKER_03: We picked up a random girl's note and we would stand for our sister if she checked yes.
10:59
SPEAKER_03: And I remember when they got to I struggle with pornography, looking at my piece of paper, someone checked yes.
11:05
SPEAKER_03: So I was like, okay, at least two people are gonna be standing for this, like me and like this girl whose paper I'm holding.
11:11
SPEAKER_03: And half of the room stood up.
11:13
SPEAKER_03: There was like 60 girls, I think.
11:14
SPEAKER_03: Half of the room stood up.
11:16
SPEAKER_03: And for the first time, I realized I'm not alone.
11:20
SPEAKER_03: Culture and and church and and certain leaders said one thing, but the numbers and the representation completely communicated another thing to me.
11:30
SPEAKER_03: And that's when I actually got to visualize vulnerability in a way where I was like, I actually have permission to be honest about this because I'm not the only one struggling with this.
11:39
SPEAKER_01: I think you share that in your book, but it just hit me anew when you were telling that story.
11:43
SPEAKER_01: The secret sins in the church.
11:46
SPEAKER_01: Even the cutesy sins, like it's oh cutesy when a man struggles with sexual sins.
11:50
SPEAKER_01: Like, oh, that's expected, you know, like we'll tolerate it.
11:53
SPEAKER_01: He's a man, he's just so manly.
11:55
SPEAKER_01: But when you see it in a woman, you see, oh, the disgust of the sin because you don't expect it there, right?
11:59
SPEAKER_01: And with gossiping, it's the flip side.
12:01
SPEAKER_01: Like we see, oh, that's cutesy.
12:02
SPEAKER_01: Women kind of struggle with that sin, whatever, and we move on.
12:05
SPEAKER_01: But when you see it in men, you really get to see how disgusting it is.
12:08
SPEAKER_01: I think we need to be further impassioned, not to isolate sinners of how disgusting you are and your sin, you're the problem, but see sin for what it truly is.
12:19
SPEAKER_01: And so you really got to see, oh, it's attacking this sorority of girls, and I'm not alone.
12:25
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, that's beautiful.
12:26
SPEAKER_01: Again, I remember reading that story, but man, hearing you say it just hit me afresh.
12:31
SPEAKER_01: So beautiful.
12:32
SPEAKER_01: So from there, in the book, you talk about identifying and breaking strongholds through the power of scripture specifically.
12:37
SPEAKER_01: What are some of the common strongholds you've seen Christian women battling today?
12:42
SPEAKER_01: Some of these sins that we see over and over again.
12:44
SPEAKER_03: I mean, like I said, sin doesn't discriminate.
12:46
SPEAKER_03: So I don't even just want to like highlight one thing over another because the sin that I'm I've struggled with or am struggling with could be completely different to another person's.
12:55
SPEAKER_03: But I feel like if I had to just categorize like a few of them, I think sexual sin is a huge unspoken one that women are struggling with.
13:04
SPEAKER_03: A huge unspoken one.
13:05
SPEAKER_03: Because the amount of women who have come forward to talk to me after they've read this book or DM'd me or whatever, emailed me, it's like astounding, but it's also not surprising to me at all.
13:16
SPEAKER_03: It's just like this unspoken secret demographic of people who have never had permission to actually come forward and be seen, known, and loved.
13:26
SPEAKER_03: You know, all three.
13:27
SPEAKER_03: I think another sin that I see a lot of women confessing, or just a stronghold that I've seen, is this idea of comparison, but not just comparison, covetousness.
13:37
SPEAKER_03: There's a comparison that I think really can just be rooted in like this insecurity, and maybe that's a big other one too.
13:43
SPEAKER_03: I don't even know if I wouldn't necessarily categorize that as sin, insecurity.
13:47
SPEAKER_03: I think that's just like a struggle that we have, but it can lead to sin if it goes unaddressed.
13:52
SPEAKER_03: But I think covetousness is that sin that I see that a lot of women are struggling with as well, where it's like, especially with online culture, it's like we look at people online and it's like, well, I want what she has because then I'll feel fulfilled, then I'll feel beautiful, then I'll feel like my marriage is good, that my children are the best, that this, that, and the other.
14:12
SPEAKER_03: It's like this covetousness, and it's like a lot of it is just rooted in this comparison and this insecurity.
14:18
SPEAKER_03: And it's like, that's even something that I have really over the past year from being completely like transparent.
14:24
SPEAKER_03: That has been something that I've had to really work through.
14:26
SPEAKER_03: I was like, I didn't even realize that I had covetousness in my life.
14:30
SPEAKER_03: And it was comparison, and I said it was comparison, but it really was rooted in that.
14:34
SPEAKER_03: And that was like a sin thing that I had to start to uproot in my life and find freedom from because it was this habitual thing where I would just find myself falling into this comparison and it brought bitterness in my heart towards other people.
14:47
SPEAKER_03: And it's like the enemy is always trying to cause division in some way, whether it's between the church and the body of Christ, or whether it's between us and Christ himself.
14:57
SPEAKER_03: I think that there are so many sins, but if you were to like get to the root of it, it's like shame will be involved, insecurity will often be involved, division will be involved.
15:05
SPEAKER_03: Like it's always for the purpose of separation.
15:08
SPEAKER_03: And I think that's the biggest stronghold is realizing the enemy wants to separate us more than anything.
15:13
SPEAKER_03: Because if he can isolate us, that's when he can really speak his lies over us and start controlling the narrative that we believe about God, about the enemy, about ourselves, about other people.
15:25
SPEAKER_03: And we live in a warped world at that point where it's just completely marked by sin and suffering.
15:32
SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
15:32
SPEAKER_03: But it's like if we can get the one thing right of coming to the Lord first and bringing whatever it is that we're dealing with to other people and stepping out of separation, like in the book, I structure it like a battle plan.
15:44
SPEAKER_03: So the first thing I talk about is like knowing your sin and addressing your sin, but confessing your sin.
15:49
SPEAKER_03: That's like that step out of separation and into actual communion with people.
15:54
SPEAKER_03: Because I think that's when those strongholds begin to dispel, because it's brought into the light.
15:58
SPEAKER_03: You can actually see things for what they are, then be empowered by Christ, but also your people to start taking the necessary steps for whatever your struggle specifically is.
16:12
SPEAKER_01: I love that.
16:13
SPEAKER_01: Guys, if anyone listening has struggled with any of these things we've talked about, please consider checking out You Can Be Free because I'm just thinking about so many things you talked about in this book.
16:21
SPEAKER_01: I think you mentioned Ephesians and how Ephesians talks about being one in Christ and that unity in Christ.
16:27
SPEAKER_01: And you really do a good job of pointing our identity to who we are in Christ, and that informs our struggle with sin.
16:33
SPEAKER_01: That informs what we feel like is got a stronghold in our life.
16:36
SPEAKER_01: Because if we are in Christ, we are free.
16:38
SPEAKER_01: And I love that.
16:39
SPEAKER_01: Like taking back to theology, not just like never open up a you know website again.
16:45
SPEAKER_01: You know, it's like, no, let's talk about the theology behind this.
16:48
SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
16:48
SPEAKER_03: And that's how I begin the book is by laying down a foundation of theology.
16:52
SPEAKER_03: Because I begin by talking about like, yes, I share my story and I talk about confession.
16:57
SPEAKER_03: I open with that as like a first practical step, but that leads into okay, you need to now know what are the lies you're believing about God, what are the lies you're believing about the enemy, which I don't think a lot of us actually think about that, because we give him way too much credit, way too much authority, way too much space in our lives.
17:15
SPEAKER_03: And it's like we need to unlearn some things that we have attributed to him that are completely false.
17:21
SPEAKER_03: And we also need to understand the truth about ourselves, who Christ has called and created us to be as humanity.
17:27
SPEAKER_03: Like, let me just sit on that for a second because I think that there's probably people who are listening today who are holding themselves to this like superhuman view of self where it's like, I need to be the best, I can never sin, I can never get it wrong.
17:39
SPEAKER_03: And when you do, you fall all the way down to this subhuman view of self.
17:43
SPEAKER_03: Like, this is me to a T.
17:45
SPEAKER_03: And I've been working on this in my life.
17:47
SPEAKER_03: And it's like you get to this subhuman view of self where it's like, I'm the worst, I'm the scum of the earth, God hates me, people hate me.
17:54
SPEAKER_03: How could he ever use me?
17:55
SPEAKER_03: Well, I'm just gonna work harder and try harder and do better and not mess up this time.
18:00
SPEAKER_03: And then again, it puts all the work on you, this superhuman view of self of perfection, when it's like we have just been called simply human.
18:09
SPEAKER_03: We are human.
18:10
SPEAKER_03: Like, as much as we have uh like a free will nature to honor the Lord and to abide in the spirit, which I encourage all of us to do to live a Christ-like life.
18:21
SPEAKER_03: We also have a fallen nature and are in a fallen world on this side of heaven, even though positionally we are perfect and we're being perfected daily by Christ through sanctification.
18:32
SPEAKER_03: But we still have that humanity element that when God made you, he knew that you were human when he made you.
18:39
SPEAKER_03: And I think God knows this and has enough grace for you to even go to the cross and die for you, past, present, and future sins, not to excuse our sins, but to realize the grace of God.
18:50
SPEAKER_03: We can get up from our striving and our falling and just simply walk the walk with Jesus and start learning what it looks like to be human and to need a savior and to be sanctified daily.
19:05
SPEAKER_03: And I think that's just so important is that so many people are in this striving or are in this stagnant place because of their sin.
19:13
SPEAKER_03: When it's like, what if we just actually knew who Christ was as savior and who we are now in him and who are we, who we are becoming daily in this journey?
19:24
SPEAKER_03: It just that brings an element of freedom of I don't have to perform anymore, I don't have to strive anymore.
19:30
SPEAKER_03: I can simply just be and actually be empowered, all the while doing that.
19:36
SPEAKER_01: Amen.
19:36
SPEAKER_01: I love that.
19:37
SPEAKER_01: You make me think about how, in my own personal walk, that victim mentality of, oh, well, you know, I was tempted or the Satan just really keeps bringing it up to me or whatever, it leads to this procrastination of signification, of like, well, God's like expecting of me like perfection.
19:52
SPEAKER_01: So I'll just like put off that, I'll deal with that another day, and I'll just like keep walking and sin.
19:56
SPEAKER_01: It's just too hard to stop gossiping or cursing or whatever it is.
20:00
SPEAKER_01: I'm trying to think about different examples in my life of like sins that have been really hard for me to step away from.
20:05
SPEAKER_01: And again, your book was so helpful to bring it back to well, no, no, no, who are you in Christ?
20:10
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, not who are you facing this temptation because that will keep you stuck?
20:13
SPEAKER_01: But who are you in Christ?
20:14
SPEAKER_01: I love it.
20:15
SPEAKER_01: Hiya friends, I'm gonna interrupt this podcast really quickly because I want to make sure you don't miss out.
20:20
SPEAKER_01: You see, most Christians say they want to go deeper in their Bible, but here's the hard truth.
20:25
SPEAKER_01: Most of us are studying it completely wrong, and that's why we can't go any deeper.
20:29
SPEAKER_01: But my new book, published by Zondervin, comes out November 18th, and it's titled No More Boring Bible Study.
20:35
SPEAKER_01: I wrote it because I'm tired of watching Christians settle for shallow devotionals and misused Bible verses that just end up robbing the word of its power.
20:43
SPEAKER_01: This book gives you the tools you were never taught, the stuff pastors learn in seminary, but most Christians never even hear.
20:49
SPEAKER_01: We're talking how to actually handle different types of biblical literature, how to stop twisting scripture to fit into your life, and how to finally hear God's word.
20:57
SPEAKER_01: In truth, if you believe the Bible is true, you cannot afford to keep skimming it or even not understanding it.
21:03
SPEAKER_01: If it really is true, let's treat it like it is and feast on it.
21:07
SPEAKER_01: If you care about being faithful to God's word, this is the book you're going to want to pre-order.
21:11
SPEAKER_01: So here's my challenge: pause this podcast right now, go to Amazon and pre-order No More Boring Bible Study.
21:17
SPEAKER_01: It's also on all the other websites that you get books.
21:19
SPEAKER_01: But don't wait until you forget.
21:20
SPEAKER_01: This is your moment to choose.
21:22
SPEAKER_01: Do you want shallow, flimsy faith or deeper, richer study of the Bible that will actually change your life?
21:27
SPEAKER_01: It's No More Boring Bible Study by me, Faith Womack, and you can pre-order today so that as soon as it's out, it's on your doorstep, reminding you, oh yeah, this is what matters.
21:36
SPEAKER_01: Let's read this.
21:36
SPEAKER_01: Don't miss out and forget because if we really believe the Bible's true, we're gonna prioritize it.
21:41
SPEAKER_01: Now let's get back to the podcast.
21:42
SPEAKER_01: Now let's talk about what true freedom in Christ looks like?
21:46
SPEAKER_01: And how is that different from how the culture defines freedom?
21:49
SPEAKER_01: Because that's a word that we throw around, especially here in America, and it's just different than a theological freedom.
21:55
SPEAKER_03: Let freedom ring, you know?
21:57
SPEAKER_03: You hear the eagle sound.
21:59
SPEAKER_03: Um When we think of freedom, we think of absolutely perfect, never gonna struggle again.
22:06
SPEAKER_03: Which I think that can be a big element of freedom is this liberation.
22:10
SPEAKER_03: But I think to what I said earlier in our humanity, living in a broken world, a fallen world, and we ourselves being fallen creatures with a sin nature as well, because of the free will God has given us.
22:22
SPEAKER_03: I think that we can live free.
22:24
SPEAKER_03: Like I've I'm free from this addiction, from this struggle, from this habitual thing in my life.
22:30
SPEAKER_03: But temptation still comes.
22:32
SPEAKER_03: When we struggle with temptation, we can begin to doubt, well, am I free?
22:36
SPEAKER_03: Like, has God actually freed me from this thing because this is something in my life?
22:40
SPEAKER_03: I think the freedom comes from I now see this thing for what it is and I no longer desire it.
22:46
SPEAKER_03: Because I know.
22:47
SPEAKER_03: I think freedom truly comes from knowing, not just knowing in your head, but this conviction in your soul of, but I know what this thing is and I don't need it because I know who is so much better.
22:59
SPEAKER_03: I've actually tasted and seen what is so much better.
23:01
SPEAKER_03: I've actually experienced and believe what is so much better.
23:05
SPEAKER_03: And I'm going to choose that thing over this thing.
23:09
SPEAKER_03: I think that is what freedom has looked like in action for me, because I think it's a daily thing, like living out our freedom.
23:18
SPEAKER_03: It's not just like a one-time event and then it's like, okay, we're good.
23:21
SPEAKER_03: Like the enemy is always going to be prowling around like a lion, like looking to devour something, someone.
23:27
SPEAKER_03: And the second you get free from a desire doesn't mean that Satan isn't going to try and tempt you with that same desire because he's just crafty and cunning and stupid like that.
23:35
SPEAKER_03: Like that's just who he is.
23:36
SPEAKER_03: God being so good, and this is why it's so important that we abide in him daily, like through the word, through worship, through prayer, through community, through stillness, like all these disciplines.
23:47
SPEAKER_03: They align us with God, abiding and aligning with God so that we can actually be empowered to live out our freedom.
23:54
SPEAKER_03: Because the thing is, is that a prisoner could be free, but they're still standing in their shackles and they're like, Well, I can't take a step forward.
24:00
SPEAKER_03: Like, I'm just so used to living in this cell.
24:03
SPEAKER_03: When it's like, you have to make that decision to step out of that place.
24:07
SPEAKER_03: And for us, it's a daily thing of recognizing who we are now in Jesus, who we are now in Christ.
24:14
SPEAKER_03: And am I going to choose the life of freedom, the opportunities God has given me, the doors of escape that He has also given me when temptation does come?
24:22
SPEAKER_03: Because I know when I actually believe and I'm convicted and convinced that his way is better.
24:26
SPEAKER_03: I think freedom is actually believing and living out the reality that God's way is better for your life.
24:33
SPEAKER_03: You will see freedom once you start living in agreement with the life that he has called you to live versus what you go and define as good and evil and end up getting trapped in with temptation and with sin.
24:44
SPEAKER_01: For me, when I'm dealing with temptation and trying to live in that freedom Christ bought for me on the cross, I should ask questions.
24:50
SPEAKER_01: Like, is that really gonna solve my problems?
24:52
SPEAKER_01: Is that really gonna make me feel better to do X, Y, and Z?
24:56
SPEAKER_01: Or is God more than enough for me?
24:59
SPEAKER_01: Is Jesus truly everything I'm searching for, even in my temptation?
25:02
SPEAKER_01: And just asking questions tends to put things right back where they belong.
25:06
SPEAKER_01: Like, no, that's like just a silly temptation.
25:07
SPEAKER_01: That's just like a thought.
25:09
SPEAKER_01: I don't really need to gossip, I don't know you tell that story, I don't need to say that word, I don't need to even raise my voice, whatever it is, those tend to be my sin struggles, is like a stuff around the mouth, like words and what I speak.
25:19
SPEAKER_01: What I'm really seeking for most of the time is found in Jesus, not in whatever I'm seeking out.
25:25
SPEAKER_01: And just to remind myself of that, and all of a sudden the sin loses its temptation, at least for me personally.
25:32
SPEAKER_03: It like loses desire.
25:34
SPEAKER_03: When you're first starting your freedom journey, it's like the desire aspect of it, I think is the hardest part because you have gained such a desire and a taste and a comfort for these vices, for these crutches, you know, whether it's gossip, whether it's pornography.
25:48
SPEAKER_03: I know for some people, just like gluttony or overspending.
25:51
SPEAKER_03: Like the list goes on for the things that are our vices that we desire, that we find ourselves being like, I need to go back to this thing and get my dopamine or serotonin fix.
26:02
SPEAKER_03: I'm just so used to it at this point.
26:04
SPEAKER_03: It's providing me this comfort in this certain way.
26:07
SPEAKER_03: And I think some people are like, Well, I need to just stop desiring this thing.
26:12
SPEAKER_03: But it's hard when you've like fed that for so long, when you've fed the flesh for so long.
26:16
SPEAKER_03: And people ask me, okay, well, then how do I start desiring the things of Christ instead?
26:22
SPEAKER_03: Because it's like going from not gossiping to desiring words of life.
26:26
SPEAKER_03: It's like, that sounds great in theory, but when it comes to a juicy conversation, it's like I'm kind of desiring like where this could lead.
26:34
SPEAKER_03: Because that's maybe just the mode in which you have operated for so long, right?
26:39
SPEAKER_03: And I write about this in the book that we can only combat desire with desire, but it is discipline that builds a desire.
26:48
SPEAKER_03: And we need to actually build godly disciplines in order to have godly desires.
26:53
SPEAKER_03: Because think about sin in your life.
26:55
SPEAKER_03: You desire it now, but it's because it was a discipline.
26:58
SPEAKER_03: It was habitual in the beginning.
27:00
SPEAKER_03: You kept engaging in that thing that now it's hard for you to wean yourself off of it, like an alcoholic.
27:05
SPEAKER_03: Like it's almost like I need this thing to function.
27:07
SPEAKER_03: So that weaning off looks like actually weaning to something that is real, like, but that begins with discipline.
27:14
SPEAKER_03: And a lot of people just think it's gonna be desire alone, motivation alone, and willpower alone that gets you to freedom.
27:21
SPEAKER_03: But it really is these biblical disciplines, like getting in the word, and like you're amazing at just equipping people with that faith, literally.
27:28
SPEAKER_03: And like, y'all need to get her book if you haven't yet.
27:30
SPEAKER_03: I'm sure all of you have, but like if you haven't, what are you doing?
27:33
SPEAKER_03: Go get it.
27:33
SPEAKER_03: But reading the word of God, like actually being in prayer, being in community, worship, like figuring out maybe like the vices and what is like a true version of that in Christ, and starting to implement that into your life amongst boundaries and many other things, like setting up those disciplines will begin to feed and show and reveal wait, the actual real desire is here, is in this place.
27:59
SPEAKER_03: I also think back to like my own life with all these things, where it's like I was struggling with these things.
28:05
SPEAKER_03: And the moment that I surrendered and I actually started like pressing into the Lord, even when it was hard, I ended up feeling more satisfied.
28:13
SPEAKER_03: There's so many people like with their quiet time where it's like they put it off for days and weeks and months because they're like, it's gonna be boring, it's gonna take up my time.
28:19
SPEAKER_03: I have more important things, like all these excuses.
28:21
SPEAKER_03: Again, they're leaning into their comforts.
28:23
SPEAKER_03: But it's like after you actually spend time in the word, it's like, why haven't I been doing this the whole time?
28:28
SPEAKER_03: Like, I feel so much better.
28:29
SPEAKER_03: Like the same goes for building that discipline of pursuing the Lord because that produces a fruit of desire in your life, that motivation that you're searching for.
28:38
SPEAKER_03: So that's even another encouragement to someone.
28:40
SPEAKER_03: If you're just trying to do this based off of desire and motivation alone, I want to encourage you to shift it towards discipline because it's disciplines that develop your desires.
28:50
SPEAKER_01: Now, you're passionate also about helping others know scripture deeply.
28:53
SPEAKER_01: We say that in your podcast all the time.
28:55
SPEAKER_01: What role has the Bible played in your journey to freedom?
28:58
SPEAKER_01: Like what does it practically look like?
29:00
SPEAKER_01: Do you like feel the temptation and just like go open up your Bible?
29:03
SPEAKER_01: Do you have scripture memorized?
29:04
SPEAKER_01: Share some of that with us.
29:06
SPEAKER_03: Yes.
29:06
SPEAKER_03: So where would I be without God's word?
29:08
SPEAKER_03: Like, let's just start there, right?
29:10
SPEAKER_03: Because not only does scripture inform us of like the history and the story of who God is, Christ, you know, humanity, all those things, but it reveals God's heart.
29:21
SPEAKER_03: That's the main thing.
29:21
SPEAKER_03: It reveals God's heart and his nature so that we can actually know him, right?
29:26
SPEAKER_03: Because it's all about relationship with him at the end of the day.
29:29
SPEAKER_03: And reading scripture, I got saved when I was 14 and had no idea what the Bible was saying at all.
29:37
SPEAKER_03: But I knew I needed to read this thing.
29:39
SPEAKER_03: Like I wanted to know God.
29:40
SPEAKER_03: And so I just started reading it and memorizing it.
29:42
SPEAKER_03: I probably had like five Bible verses memorized.
29:45
SPEAKER_03: And I think one of the big ones that I remember having memorized like early on at that point in my life, number one was John 10 10, where it says, you know, the enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy, but Christ has come to give us life and life abundantly.
29:59
SPEAKER_03: But one of the Bible verses that I have kind of as like a as like a cornerstone Bible verse for the book is Romans 6 22.
30:07
SPEAKER_03: And I always butcher it, but I have the translation right in front of me.
30:10
SPEAKER_03: But it says, But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit that you get leads to sanctification and in its end, eternal life.
30:22
SPEAKER_03: And that has been like a big one for me too, is knowing, like, but now that you have been set free, I have been set free in Christ.
30:29
SPEAKER_03: That is like an inarguable truth, an undeniable truth.
30:32
SPEAKER_03: I've been set free in Christ and I am now a slave to God.
30:36
SPEAKER_03: I am a servant to God.
30:38
SPEAKER_03: My life is submitted to God.
30:40
SPEAKER_03: Therefore, I cannot serve two masters.
30:42
SPEAKER_03: I cannot bow down and serve my flesh, serve the world, serve Satan, serve temptation, the demonic.
30:52
SPEAKER_03: Like, I can't serve that anymore because the fruit that I get being a slave to Christ, being submitted and committed to Christ is sanctification.
31:01
SPEAKER_03: What is sanctification?
31:02
SPEAKER_03: Sanctification is this big church word.
31:04
SPEAKER_03: And this is why I love you, Faith, because theology is more than just big words.
31:08
SPEAKER_03: These big words actually give context to the life we are called to live with Jesus.
31:13
SPEAKER_03: And sanctification is this process which daily, that's the big thing, daily, not one moment like justification, not in the future like glorification when we're in heaven with Christ.
31:23
SPEAKER_03: Daily, for from the moment you're saved till you go, however, whenever that be, we are being perfected to look more like Jesus.
31:30
SPEAKER_03: He's chipping away at the old to make room for not just the new, but also what has always been underneath, who he has called us, created us to be.
31:38
SPEAKER_03: And I think realizing like this Bible verse and it's an eternal life, like that is the end result that we get from this, and eternity starts today with Christ.
31:46
SPEAKER_03: That Bible verse alone, Romans 6.22, completely just like, I don't want to say shattered anything for me, but it just made clear to me this is the life of a believer right here.
31:57
SPEAKER_03: This is like the verse that empowers me to want to pursue freedom because it's already mine.
32:02
SPEAKER_03: Why not walk out what is already mine?
32:04
SPEAKER_03: It's like having an inheritance and still busking on the streets.
32:07
SPEAKER_03: It's like, I already got money in the bank.
32:09
SPEAKER_03: Like, what is going on?
32:11
SPEAKER_03: Like, I need to start living out this freedom that has already been given to me.
32:15
SPEAKER_03: And that's only because of Christ and by Christ.
32:17
SPEAKER_03: For scripture and everything, I have a chapter in the book, chapter 10, and it is called, let me flip to it, why just do better doesn't work.
32:26
SPEAKER_03: Because how many of us have tried that?
32:28
SPEAKER_03: And I talk about the importance of scripture in there and just how for me, when it came to scripture in the Bible, I needed to have the mind of Christ and I needed to know God's word in order to actually live out a life of freedom.
32:42
SPEAKER_03: And that looked like reading God's word, hearing God's word, studying God's word, memorizing God's word, and meditating on God's word.
32:50
SPEAKER_03: And I kind of go into like what each of those looks like.
32:52
SPEAKER_03: But I think like the most important for me was like studying it and memorizing God's word.
32:57
SPEAKER_03: Actually, studying the Bible, not just reading my verse of the day and then calling it a quits, but studying, knowing the context, knowing who this was for, why it was written, how does this apply to me today, all that and more.
33:10
SPEAKER_03: What does this reveal about God?
33:11
SPEAKER_03: What does this declare about the enemy?
33:13
SPEAKER_03: Is there a command given to me here?
33:14
SPEAKER_03: Right?
33:15
SPEAKER_03: Studying it, but then memorizing it, like specific to my sin struggles.
33:19
SPEAKER_03: There were certain verses that I had to like put in my arsenal so that when the enemy came and there was like a battle going on, I already had everything on me.
33:27
SPEAKER_03: I had like my shield of faith and the sword of the spirit.
33:30
SPEAKER_03: Let's go.
33:30
SPEAKER_03: I've already been wielding those weapons in my personal time with the Lord.
33:34
SPEAKER_03: So I think those are two big things.
33:35
SPEAKER_03: And I uh detail more about it, and they should get your book too to know more about like how to actually know the context of scripture, but also meditating on the word of God, like really chewing it over.
33:45
SPEAKER_03: What does this mean?
33:47
SPEAKER_03: And how, like, why did God allow this to be in scripture?
33:50
SPEAKER_03: What does it mean?
33:51
SPEAKER_03: That really empowered me too to live a life of freedom because it's like the truth sets you free.
33:55
SPEAKER_03: So, like, you gotta know the truth, and that's the word of God.
33:58
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it's like, do we really believe it's true?
34:01
SPEAKER_01: Do we really believe it's powerful?
34:03
SPEAKER_01: Like the words of God.
34:04
SPEAKER_01: I want to hear from God, let me go to his words.
34:06
SPEAKER_01: Yes, you know, like, do we really believe it's true?
34:09
SPEAKER_01: I shouldn't say plural, word of God.
34:11
SPEAKER_01: Do we really believe it's true?
34:12
SPEAKER_01: I think so so often in the moment we're like, Bible study is not really gonna affect anything.
34:16
SPEAKER_01: Worshipping or fellowshipping with other believers isn't really gonna affect everything.
34:20
SPEAKER_01: It's like it actually does.
34:21
SPEAKER_01: Surprise! Like, yeah, we were literally told it would, and it does, it does change everything, and anything that goes against that truth is a lie from the enemy.
34:29
SPEAKER_01: Like, we do need to combat it with truth.
34:31
SPEAKER_01: Be like, no, this is worth it.
34:32
SPEAKER_01: This is definitely worth it.
34:34
SPEAKER_01: This is probably the most important thing.
34:36
SPEAKER_03: Yes, and so many people I hear them all the time, just even as a side note, being like, I want to hear from the Lord, I want to hear from God.
34:43
SPEAKER_03: It's like, number one, then read your Bible.
34:45
SPEAKER_03: You got 66 books, like 66 words from him that are inspired from him, inerrant word of God.
34:52
SPEAKER_03: But two, I think about the spirit of God, right?
34:55
SPEAKER_03: And testing the spirits, because we're told to test the spirits.
34:58
SPEAKER_03: Is this the Lord talking to me?
35:00
SPEAKER_03: Is it not, right?
35:01
SPEAKER_03: And you can only know God's voice by reading his word.
35:05
SPEAKER_03: Because how else are you going to give language to the voice of God?
35:09
SPEAKER_03: Like, if you don't know his heart and his nature and his character and how he has spoken over all of time, like it is the same God, that is how you're going to discern spirit and truth.
35:22
SPEAKER_03: Like the true worshipers need both.
35:24
SPEAKER_03: And so, for those of y'all that are like, Well, I'm just waiting on a word from God, he already wrote you a book.
35:28
SPEAKER_03: Go read it.
35:28
SPEAKER_03: Really great, 10 out of 10.
35:30
SPEAKER_03: But two, if you want to be able to discern the voice of God and actually put language to the words that he's speaking, so you can be like, That is God.
35:38
SPEAKER_03: You need to read the Bible.
35:39
SPEAKER_03: That's how you can put language to the voice of God when he's speaking to you.
35:43
SPEAKER_01: Like, if we spend more time on our phones than our Bibles, we've got a problem.
35:47
SPEAKER_01: And I'm preaching to the choir.
35:49
SPEAKER_01: That's is saying subconsciously we find more value in our phones or in stupid social media scrolls than in the word of God.
35:56
SPEAKER_01: That's saying that it's worth more of our time.
35:58
SPEAKER_01: Like we're literally tithing more of our life towards the things of this world than the truth of God.
36:04
SPEAKER_01: And we've got to have a reality check.
36:06
SPEAKER_01: So many of us.
36:06
SPEAKER_01: And I'm, again, preaching to the choir.
36:08
SPEAKER_01: Hey friends, I'm gonna interrupt this podcast real quick because what if I told you your Bible study could actually change someone's life half a world away?
36:15
SPEAKER_01: Not just your life, but their life too.
36:17
SPEAKER_01: In Kaunguari, Kenya, families wake up every day with zero access to clean water.
36:21
SPEAKER_01: But for$50, we can step in not only with a water filter that lasts 20 years, but with three discipleship visits, gospel conversations by local missionaries, and a connection to a solid local church.
36:30
SPEAKER_01: This isn't charity that replaces the church, it strengthens it.
36:33
SPEAKER_01: And the best part, it's not Americans flying in to save the day, it's local Kenyans, neighbors discipling neighbors in their own community.
36:40
SPEAKER_01: I went myself to check it all out.
36:42
SPEAKER_01: I paid my own way, it's not like they asked me to come out, but I can tell you, this ministry is the real deal.
36:47
SPEAKER_01: And they're doing kingdom work, and that's why I want us Bible nerds to be a part of it.
36:51
SPEAKER_01: Joe and I already gave$5,000, which is 100 water filters with the discipleship and the missionaries coming to the homes and all of that.
36:58
SPEAKER_01: But I'm asking the Bible nerd community to join me to do something bigger.
37:01
SPEAKER_01: Let's fund 2,000 filters together.
37:03
SPEAKER_01: That's 2,000 families with clean water in the living water.
37:07
SPEAKER_01: Please don't assume someone else will cover it.
37:09
SPEAKER_01: If you're hearing this, the need is still real.
37:11
SPEAKER_01: There's something so valuable in the worshipful response of saying, yes, Lord, use me, even with my couple of bucks.
37:17
SPEAKER_01: So before you keep listening to this awesome podcast, pull up the show notes.
37:20
SPEAKER_01: You'll see there a link to give as a Bible nerd and even the map of where you can track the impact of our Bible nerd community in Kawangwari.
37:27
SPEAKER_01: You can see their faces, their names, some of the families I even got to meet who now have water because of you guys.
37:33
SPEAKER_01: Let's stop just reading the word and start living it out in our lives, even where it hurts, even in our wallets.
37:38
SPEAKER_01: Will you join me?
37:39
SPEAKER_01: Open the show notes now as we get back to this podcast.
37:42
SPEAKER_01: So you already kind of answered this, but I ask all of my guests here this question: what are some tools or practices that have helped you grow in studying the Bible deeply?
37:50
SPEAKER_01: Other than in chapter 10 and like memorizing scripture and chewing on scripture and looking at the context and things like that, what else comes to mind about helping you really study scripture deeply and have it truly affect everything?
38:01
SPEAKER_03: Well, my answer today would be different from when I was younger and actually going through these things and like living out this season of my life.
38:10
SPEAKER_03: But I would say some of the biggest things even today that anyone and everyone should use.
38:14
SPEAKER_03: The first thing is Logos.
38:16
SPEAKER_03: I love Logos or Logos or however you pronounce it because I hear everyone say it differently.
38:21
SPEAKER_03: But they just switched to a subscription model where it's like 10 bucks a month.
38:24
SPEAKER_03: And I'm like 10 out of 10 love their resources because they are actually like verified, very thoughtfully put together.
38:32
SPEAKER_03: They also have like new AI innovations in it where it's like, what's the Bible say about this?
38:36
SPEAKER_03: Or help me make a Bible study on this thing?
38:37
SPEAKER_03: Like it just helps you with all of that.
38:39
SPEAKER_03: So, like, that's been a big resource to helping me understand the context of scripture where I have questions where I can check it by multiple sources, not just one person's opinion, but multiple commentaries, multiple theologians to see where there is agreement, disagreement, and what scripture has to say about these things.
38:58
SPEAKER_03: That's been a big Bible study tool of mine that I've loved.
39:02
SPEAKER_03: Another thing that one of my friends, you can also add this to Cart.
39:05
SPEAKER_03: One of my friends, Zach Wendall, just came out with a book about making Bible study easy.
39:10
SPEAKER_03: It's called The Bible Simplified, and that's a great way to, I think, if you're like newer to the faith, to understand the books of the Bible and how it points to Jesus.
39:19
SPEAKER_03: Also, watching things, I love the Bible project.
39:22
SPEAKER_03: I watched those all the time.
39:24
SPEAKER_03: I mean, listening to different like podcasts.
39:27
SPEAKER_03: I mean, faith is like, I think, like the best resource out there.
39:30
SPEAKER_03: I recommend her to everybody.
39:32
SPEAKER_03: But there's so many people out there, like, I'm thinking like Mike Winger is someone that I listen to all the time.
39:37
SPEAKER_03: I love Melissa Doherty, like, she posts really good content.
39:41
SPEAKER_03: Tara Cobble, she has like the Bible in a year.
39:44
SPEAKER_03: Like, there's so many resources out there that have helped me know the word of God, hear other people's, not just opinions, but their informed opinions with like their own studying of it.
39:55
SPEAKER_03: That has helped me so stinking much with just knowing God's word and being able to understand it.
40:03
SPEAKER_03: And getting a translation that was understandable as well.
40:06
SPEAKER_03: Cause I'm sure you faith has talked about this all the time, like the differences in translations and which ones you should get and all that stuff.
40:11
SPEAKER_03: But even getting a translation that like made sense to me that was a Bible that had a commentary in it.
40:16
SPEAKER_03: Like all those things helped me to know what I was reading so that I could then know God and actually build a relationship with Him.
40:23
SPEAKER_03: And guess what?
40:23
SPEAKER_03: That's how you get free is a relationship with Jesus.
40:26
SPEAKER_03: Knowing the word of God and knowing how to read it and what resources are good.
40:30
SPEAKER_03: Those are some of them, but I know Faith has probably got like a million more.
40:34
SPEAKER_01: I love it.
40:34
SPEAKER_01: I love it so much.
40:36
SPEAKER_01: What do you hope readers walk away with after they read You Can Be Free?
40:39
SPEAKER_01: What is like your prayer for the reader who picks it up and reads it after listening to this podcast?
40:44
SPEAKER_01: What do you want for them?
40:45
SPEAKER_03: To believe that they actually can be free, like to actually believe it.
40:49
SPEAKER_03: I mean, that's the title of the book.
40:51
SPEAKER_03: You can be free.
40:52
SPEAKER_03: I think it's easy to think that everybody else can, and you're the only exception in just about any area of life, but especially freedom.
41:00
SPEAKER_03: But that's not true.
41:01
SPEAKER_03: The promises of Christ are for all who are in Christ.
41:06
SPEAKER_03: Like that is our inheritance, Jew and Gentile alike.
41:10
SPEAKER_03: Like, that's the beauty of the gospel, is that God is that good.
41:15
SPEAKER_03: Like, God is really that good.
41:17
SPEAKER_03: And I'm hoping that people just walk away from this, not only empowered in their freedom, but also embracing the grace that they need in this journey.
41:26
SPEAKER_03: Because this journey may have moments where you fall and when you stumble and you just want to literally eat the dust and die.
41:34
SPEAKER_03: But Christ is there with us every step of the journey.
41:37
SPEAKER_03: Like he's not gonna make you go back to the starting line and then run all the way to where he is, where he fell, and then meet up with you there and then keep moving forward.
41:45
SPEAKER_03: No, he's saying, get up right where you are and let's keep moving forward, like at a pace of grace.
41:51
SPEAKER_03: That's like that is our God is so good.
41:54
SPEAKER_03: I just can't get over that.
41:56
SPEAKER_03: So I just hope that people really believe in the goodness of God and just how real an accessible relationship with him is and the freedom that he bought for us is because he paid the ultimate price to win us not just freedom, but also forgiveness and also fellowship with him.
42:16
SPEAKER_03: We can have access to all three of those things.
42:19
SPEAKER_01: Amen.
42:20
SPEAKER_01: I love that.
42:21
SPEAKER_01: Now, everyone's gonna love you after listening to this podcast episode.
42:24
SPEAKER_01: So where can they find you?
42:25
SPEAKER_03: You can find me in Dallas.
42:27
SPEAKER_03: Come to my house.
42:28
SPEAKER_03: Just kidding.
42:28
SPEAKER_03: No, you can find me online.
42:30
SPEAKER_03: My Instagram and my TikTok are Kirby is a boss and my YouTube channel.
42:34
SPEAKER_03: Made them when I was 14.
42:35
SPEAKER_03: So that's why that's my user name.
42:38
SPEAKER_03: And it has not changed since.
42:39
SPEAKER_03: And I think about it every day.
42:40
SPEAKER_03: But that's my Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
42:42
SPEAKER_03: And then my podcast, like Faith mentioned, it's called Bot and Beloved.
42:46
SPEAKER_03: You can watch the video on YouTube or you can listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts.
42:51
SPEAKER_03: Faith is gonna be online soon, and that's gonna be so fun.
42:54
SPEAKER_03: But I've also had like a million trillion guests on there.
42:57
SPEAKER_03: So if you'll find me and you'll find me in guests, it'll just be a really good time.
43:01
SPEAKER_03: And I have some cool projects that I'm working on as well.
43:04
SPEAKER_03: So stay up to date with me because it's gonna be a good time.
43:07
unknown: Yeah.
43:08
SPEAKER_01: I'm super excited for the little bits of stuff that I know from Curry and all that she's working on.
43:13
SPEAKER_01: So I'm super excited for you guys to check her out, if not already.
43:16
SPEAKER_01: But you guys are probably already obsessed with her, just like me.
43:18
SPEAKER_01: Friends, thank you so much for joining us for this episode.
43:20
SPEAKER_01: I pray that it encouraged you and convicted you.
43:22
SPEAKER_01: Definitely go check out her book if you haven't read it already.
43:24
SPEAKER_01: And I look forward to seeing you all in the next episode.
43:26
SPEAKER_01: Bye guys.
43:27
SPEAKER_01: You're listening to the How to Faith a Life Podcast, where we wrestle with questions on how to live a life of faith, from everything from books to Bible studies, even Bible study tips.
43:34
SPEAKER_01: This is your place to wrestle with the hard questions and dive deep into what scripture really says for the Christian walk.
43:39
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43:43
SPEAKER_01: Review this podcast so other people can find it, and share with other believers who want to ask the hard questions.