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Wyoming to Germany. Trusting God with Every Step. · 307 Faithful

• Devin Davis: All right, welcome back to the 307 Faithful Podcast. This is your host, Devin Davis. This is a Fellowship of Christian Athletes podcast. ⁓ we've been ⁓ doing this, started this back in December. ⁓ partner of mine, Paxton Yates. And as I tell you all the time, Pa Paxton's a busy man. He just graduated and ⁓ hope to do another episode before he heads off to college. ⁓ but we've had a gr a lot of great guests. I say that every week, but I think everyone, every week is my favorite, and ⁓ w we're We have another awesome guest this week. And I think everybody will know this person just by a few stats here. So I just wanted I looked this up before I introduce her, but I looked this up. This is this is incredible, right? She she was just the th third Wyoming ⁓ cowgirl in Mountain West history to be named the player of the year in basketball. And was just the second cowgirl in league history to win the conference scoring crown. But this is really cool. She also became the first student athlete in league history to record 500 plus points, 300 plus rebounds, and 50 plus blocks in the same season. ⁓ she finished second in ⁓ cowgirl basketball program history with one thousand eight hundred and sixty career points, good enough for tenth all-time in Mountain West history. I think she probably would be pretty proud of this too. She was a three-time CSC academic all district selection, ⁓ appearing in 130 career games for the Brown and Gold, the sixth most in program history. So the most amazing part about it, if you're from Wyoming, and like I'm from Wyoming, is that as I read that, I'll tell you she's from Glindo, Wyoming, of of all of all the towns to be from. It's pretty incredible. So I think you've probably all figured it out. ⁓ our special guest today is former cowgirl basketball player Allison Fertig. ⁓ Alison, thanks a a ton for joining us joining us today. I know we'll talk about that a little bit later. ⁓ you got back from Germany not too long ago. You have a a big event coming up, and we'll talk about that ⁓ here shortly. But I just wanted to welcome you and just wanted you, I always like for ⁓ the the people that are listening to kind of get a sense of of my podcast guests. So I I'd like for you just to introduce yourself, tell us what you want about who you are, where are you from, just kind of a background if you wouldn't mind, Alison. So I'll turn it over to you. Allyson Fertig: Yeah, ⁓ first of all, thank you for ⁓ inviting me onto your podcast. ⁓ this is gonna be really fun and I'm excited just to talk about ⁓ my faith, my career, my basketball career, and just whatever else. ⁓ but yeah, my name's Allison. I originally was born in Alaska, so I wasn't born and raised in Wyoming, but I was born in Alaska, grew up grew up in Cody, and then in middle school I moved to Glendo area, and that's where I've been ever since. ⁓ yeah, I attended UW. It was a great choice for me. ⁓ I didn't really have many choices to begin with, ⁓ just for th recruitment and especially from being a small town girl that I am. But Wyoming was the best choice. I did four years there, ⁓ graduated last spring and now I am pursuing my professional career in Germany. Yeah. Devin Davis: That's that's great. I didn't know that ⁓ you were from Alaska, then Cody, and then ended up in Glindo and played basketball at at at Douglas High School. So kind of ⁓ a a long kind of roundabout from Alaska to Germany and and all the stops in between. So ⁓ d I just you know, probably fresh in your mind. I know that I I looked here that you played professionally this past season at at Marburg ⁓ in Germany. Tell us about professional basketball and your experience this this past year playing in in Germany. Allyson Fertig: Yeah, first of all, it's been such a just a great opportunity. It's so different. ⁓ just with like some of the different European like rules with basketball, ⁓ like a shorter shot clock, some like ⁓ travel rules are different a little different, but it's just been really fun, like playing a different style of basketball. I'm not as much just sitting on the post. ⁓ I'm still able to use my skills as a post player but I'm setting a lot more screens and getting just a lot more movement. But Marburg is one of I believe it's 12 clubs in Germany. So we have there's multiple ⁓ divisions. So I'm in the first league and that's like the major pro ⁓ league in Germany. So there's 12 teams and Marburg is they're As a club themselves, they don't ⁓ they haven't had much success in the last year or I mean the last years, but this year we actually ended up ⁓ vice champion is what they call. We ended up second in the league. And going into the finals tournament we were actually ranked seventh. So that was such an amazing experience and that's why I d was usually the season ends in April. Devin Davis: Mm-hmm. Allyson Fertig: But the finals can go all the way into May, so that's why I didn't get home until May this year. but yeah, it's been really a great experience. There's ⁓ it's just such a different kind of just like the fan experience. ⁓ like I wouldn't say basketball is the most popular sport over there. You have soccer, ⁓ that's just insane in Europe. ⁓ but it's just really cool just seeing the different community, ⁓ like Marburg. The club is really good with community. Like you have fans every game and they just love you so much. they they don't they don't even know you, but they want to give you hugs and high fives and just want to know everything about you, even though there's that language barrier. They try so hard. But it's been a really cool experience. I'm hoping to get there back back there next year, but it's not a hundred percent sure yet. But ⁓ I'm just really excited. ⁓ that I've gotten this opportunity to play over there 'cause it's just once in a lifetime kind of deal, especially f ⁓ being raised in such a small state and not really travelling outside much until I got to call college and now I'm travelling Europe so Devin Davis: That's that's really neat. ⁓ do you ha ⁓ are there a lot of American college athletes that that play in the in the league that you're in? Allyson Fertig: Yeah, so each ⁓ team probably has like two to three ⁓ girls from USA. Like my team, we had ⁓ a girl from she played at Michigan and then we had a girl that played from at Duke a l a while ago. But it's funny 'cause it's such a small world. ⁓ even all the way in Germany, 'cause one of my teammates this year I played against her my freshman year in college. So it's kind of crazy, but yeah. Throughout all the teams there's at least one, usually around two or three ⁓ America imports, so Devin Davis: That's that's awesome. How big a ⁓ town is Marburg or city, I should probably say. Allyson Fertig: Yeah, ⁓ it's I think it has I'm pretty sure it's close to population to Cheyenne, but it's kinda more just compact, so there's not as much ⁓ you know, land like Cheyenne is. But ⁓ it seems like pretty busy and it's like a student university ⁓ city, so lots of activity during ⁓ kind of the warmer months and stuff. But overall I was I was a little nervous 'cause I'm not great with huge towns and cities, ⁓ but Devin Davis: Yeah. Allyson Fertig: It's the where I live and just the area of the town I live in, it just makes it it makes I feel safe and it's ⁓ doesn't feel as big as it actually is. Devin Davis: That's that's cool. I ⁓ I you know what popped into my mind and we're kind of going off track like I usually do in most of my podcasts, but I'm thinking to myself, being a committed ⁓ follower of Christ, ⁓ what was that like ⁓ in in Germany? Did you have and and especially playing professional basketball? Were you able to build any community or be able to attend church? What kind of experience did you have with that? Allyson Fertig: ⁓ it was actually for me it was actually a little disappointing just in the fact because of the late the language barrier, it's really hard to find a church that only speaks English. There are some out there and ⁓ I need to do more research because it's just hard to find the churches. But I do know that there were a few like services that were English only. ⁓ but they were in the middle of the week at like seven and we practiced around that time. So it was so hard to get connected with that. I did attend this one church a few times, ⁓ and it was a German speaking church, but they just had like a translator sitting right next to you and ⁓ like just translating what the preacher was saying. But it was just so hard because it was it was like I was listening But I still wasn't really getting a community and it it just felt ⁓ not very fruitful to me. And so I'm hoping ⁓ this upcoming season I can find something that might be ⁓ more like just find something more available, even if I have to go travel to a a nearby city. But yeah, that was ⁓ just my faith is so important to me as like it should be to all of us. But It was just so hard with the team, like none of my teammates were really like none of them were really actually believers. ⁓ there's lots of girls from lots of different backgrounds and it was hard to really connect. I had a g good conversations with a few of my teammates and I thought they w went really well, but just nothing really grew out of them. But hopefully you can just plant some seeds, like they always say. But yeah, but it was because we had so much time besides practice and I was at my apartment a lot. I was able to do a lot of studies on my own. And so that was really enjoyable, just having the time to sit down and read the word. ⁓ just forever how forever, like for for however long I want. And so that was really good. And I felt like that was very ⁓ it was very fruitful for me because my senior year of college, it was like the busiest year of my life and I had like no time to do just my own stuff. And growing my own relationship, so it's been really good in that way. So yeah. Devin Davis: Then ⁓ traveling in Germany, I I think ⁓ probably isn't near like it was traveling in the Mountain West Conference. ⁓ or when you play basketball for Douglas High School, we're kinda used to having to drive a long ways. ⁓ were were road trips f fairly short compared to to your prior prior experience? Allyson Fertig: Yeah, ⁓ so Marburg is kinda like in the middle of Germany, so when we go to just each ⁓ team we play, I think usually it's like we usually have drives two to three and a half hours around that. So it's it's not too bad but it is miserable 'cause we travel the same day we play, just like back in high school. ⁓ and then we're in w we our team, our club has two vans. ⁓ that we travel in. Some other clubs do buses. ⁓ there's one club that goes by train because they're just so far away from everyone else. But our longest drive is to Berlin. And I can't remember how long that is, but we have to travel the night before. But yeah, it's it kind of reminds me back in high school when you have to just travel everywhere and just take a nap on the bus the whole way there. ⁓ But yeah, so that took getting used to 'cause I college you're treated so well, you get a fly in the night before, relax, sleep in, and then you play at like six, so you're spoiled. Devin Davis: Yeah. And so you would travel there for the game and then travel back that same night. Yeah. Yep. That's that's that's Wyoming high school basketball all over again, pretty much, isn't it? Well, y you know, and talking about that, I know you played at at at Douglas and I I read a little bit, but kind of tell us your experience. Allyson Fertig: Yeah. A lot of night Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Devin Davis: I mean, you know, here you end up playing professionally in Germany. What was basketball like to you a as a freshman? What was your experience like at Douglas high school? Did you ever imagine that you'd be at this place and saying, Man, I just play I finished a ⁓ a s a professional basketball season in Germany? Kind of take us back to those Douglas high school days. Allyson Fertig: Yeah, ⁓ so I actually didn't really get into competitive basketball until I was sixth in sixth grade. And it was when I moved here in this area. It was actually my first day of school where two girls came up to me and were like, Do you wanna be on our travel basketball team? And I was I told them, I'll ask my mom. So that was kind of the beginning of ⁓ my competitive basketball career, just being in those travel ⁓ travel competitive, like it's more competitive just than just grade school ⁓ basketball. But anyways, one of those ⁓ girls ended up she w I played with both of those girls all through high school and Jocelyn Igo, who actually she's one of the girls that asked me, but she actually played with me my last two years of UW too, so that's pretty cool. But yeah, ⁓ going to freshman year of just Douglas, I was like, okay, I know I'm like good, you know, I'm really tall. There's bunch especially in Wyoming, everyone's short and so I make everyone look tiny and I have got like my coaches have been really helping me but I I was like, okay, this is Wyoming basketball. ⁓ I mean I don't really have much not like I don't have competition in that way. I'm just saying there wasn't really anyone to test my ability against playing about against bigger sized people, you know. I kinda had that ad advantage over a lot of people. Not to ⁓ dismiss I had still good skill and footwork that my coaches were really harping me on, but just knowing that I didn't really have someone to test me ⁓ and I could only be doubled and tripled so many times. But yes, ⁓ I d I didn't really even think about playing college basketball until UW reached out to me like my sophomore year and I was like, ⁓ I can go play basketball, I can go play college basketball. And so Throughout high school, ⁓ I really I knew I could play college. I wasn't sure how competitive I I'd be in college. I had a few people actually told tell me that they thought, or they didn't tell me directly, but they would tell my dad or someone close and I would hear back. They actually did not think I was gonna do well at all in college. And so it was kinda fun to prove those people wrong. I had no clue who's who said that, but they were kinda ⁓ they kinda dowed me and so and then it wasn't really until I got into U Dub that I thought, Okay, I actually do probably have a opportunity to play professional somewhere, so yeah. Devin Davis: In in ⁓ high school, I I think I'd seen that did you wig you win won a couple of state championships? Is that right? Allyson Fertig: Yeah, we were pretty good. My whole high school career we only lost two games and one was against ⁓ Thunder Basin. I can't remember what year. And then the other one was against this California team that came in to that Gillette tournament that we played. But ⁓ we won three state championships and we always say we actually say ⁓ we won four because COVID canceled my junior year, but we were pretty much undefeated. Devin Davis: Mm-hmm. Allyson Fertig: that year, so wait, yeah, we were pretty much we only lost total total but yeah, so we were definitely gonna win ⁓ that year. So that was a bummer, but so yeah, we were three time state championships. Devin Davis: That that's that's awesome. That Gillette tournament's a lot of fun to be able to I'm sure it was great to play against probably a little h higher caliber. I know they bring in some pretty awesome teams ⁓ up to that, and ⁓ that probably t felt tested by that ⁓ probably more than you had been in Wyoming. And and so it gets to the end of your senior year and you said you mentioned earlier in the interview ⁓ about going on and playing other places. Did you have other options? I mean did What schools reached out to you? Did you think of any ⁓ going to anywhere else? And how did where how did you feel like you fit in or where did you feel like you fit in? Allyson Fertig: Yeah, so I actually committed really early. I can't remember. It was like a long time ago, high school was. But ⁓ it I think it was my sophomore year I committed to you, Deb. Sometime during that year. and before that I had some I had some interest. northern Colorado, I had another scholarship offer from them. I just didn't I didn't really find anything, ⁓ Like I I enjoyed their campus and the visit they took me on, ⁓ when I was there for a team camp. But other than that I just didn't feel like it was home. But and I also had ⁓ it's actually funny 'cause ⁓ my coach, my health high school coach mentioned to me that I had a lot of like, ⁓ JUCO colleges say they're interested in me, but they weren't going to pursue me 'cause they knew they would most likely not get me, stuff like that. ⁓ so ⁓ But really I didn't have many options. I think if I would have waited a couple more years, ⁓ I would have brought in more offers. But because, you know, I was a scared ⁓ high schooler, my family there's no one in my family that really has that recruitment experience because neither of my parents or I don't have any other siblings who ⁓ played college sports. And so we did we didn't really know what to do. We just knew that we probably had to make a decision. And so I decided on Utah because it was close to family. My parents could drive to all my games and ⁓ my home games and it just it's just really fun ⁓ having a lot of people that you know and I don't regret it at all because after being there for four years, Wyoming fans, when you're from Wyoming, they just feel like family. So it's been it's been great. Devin Davis: Yep. Yeah, I I tell everybody, you know, probably ⁓ one of the top things that I ⁓ I'm I feel like I'm very thankful for and blessed is to be born and raised in Wyoming. ⁓ and it this is an awesome state. ⁓ And and it, you know, if you play for the brown and gold and you're from a Wyoming school, I mean, that's a pretty awesome feeling. So you step, you go from Douglas, you step foot ⁓ in Laramie. ⁓ how was that first year i as you know, kind of stepping up a ⁓ a level, a couple levels probably from what you played in high school. And ⁓ yeah, just how did that feel to be playing at that level? Allyson Fertig: Freshman year was so hard. I think there was multiple times that I just would want to quit. I just remember ⁓ being in my dorm room during the summer, like before freshman year, with one of my new teammates, and we just ⁓ we just complained and just wanted to do like we were just so tired and like we it was just so hard and we were so exhausted. walking to work morning workouts and then afternoon workouts and all this stuff and we're like, what did we get ourselves into? But eventually you kinda get the hang of things. ⁓ you kinda get the hang of the intensity. But yeah, it was just so much faster game. ⁓ which is crazy to think now 'cause it's like now that I'm playing professionally, I'm like, ⁓ college was even it was slower than this, you know, it's even faster now. But yeah, freshman year. I definitely took a little bit to kind of be confident ⁓ in my playing. ⁓ I just I I've really lacked that confidence and I think that really made it miserable for me because I thought that everything ⁓ I was just critiquing everything I was doing and everything that I didn't been coached that way before. I wasn't coached hard. Like in high school you're coached hard, but you're not forced to do all these conditioning or you you don't get yelled at You don't have s like a certain coach watching you all day all practice. So you have like one or two coaches that have to ⁓ supervise a whole group. So it's not like you're being picked on every minute, you know. so getting used to that, just coaching style and realizing that I have a long way to grow. But yeah, it wasn't until about November, where we went to like a Thanksgiving tournament where I really like had some breakout games and I was awarded the s starting center spot, so that was pretty cool. ⁓ but yeah, it was it was a very hard year, but it was a very needed year for me. Devin Davis: Yeah. It and ⁓ your the ti your time at UW, did you have this hand coach? Was it Coach Zell or or did you Coach Legerski was he on or again? Who ⁓ Mattinson probably. ⁓ did you have them as coaches? How did that transition go? Allyson Fertig: Yeah, so I had Coach G my freshman year. ⁓ he was great. ⁓ like he was one that really pushed me. But he was he was even though some days I really disliked him because of how hard he pushed me, I knew now like looking back now, I know how much he really ⁓ really supported me and knew that I could be great. ⁓ and so I'm really thankful for him not being soft on me because ⁓ I just feel like I would have gone the rest of my years kinda relaxed and not wanting to grow more. ⁓ but anyways, then my sophomore year we got Coach Gazelle and that's also the year she had ⁓ her baby, so it was kinda it was kinda it was a good tr transition, but it was kinda awkward because she had to leave for a little while because of just the birth of her baby girl, ⁓ and that just took few month like she was out for a while. ⁓ and then so we had our assistant coach, Coach Larson. And so that was another hard year, but it was a good successful year for us. We made it to the Mountain West Conference. But overall the transition from ⁓ Coach G to Coach Isell, it was great. I loved them both. ⁓ they're great coaches Devin Davis: So and ⁓ obviously the conversation then ⁓ goes to ⁓ thinking about your faith and the connection there and ⁓ and obviously you're you have been and continue to be involved with fellowship of Christian athletes. Allyson Fertig: So yeah, I actually like a little part of my testimony is that I went ⁓ like I grew up in a Christian home. My parents are both Christian, ⁓ but I didn't really get I didn't really become a Christian myself or accept ⁓ Jesus until my freshman year of college. And that was thanks to ⁓ actually my older sister. She had been at UW a couple years before me. So right away ⁓ she started taking me to the church she was attending and we ⁓ were a part of a campus ministry called Kyalpha, which I made some great friends there. And so it was it didn't start I didn't actually become a part of FCA until the second semester because one of my teammates, Grace Moyers, she kinda had more connection within the FCA group. And so she kinda dragged me along and so getting being a part of the Ky Alpha and then FCA really just ⁓ overfilled my glass during freshman year and that really just really showed me what being a Christian was and what it really meant. And so yeah, ⁓ but being I think what ⁓ helped me most was become joining FCA because then I got ⁓ connected to Stacy Frude and she's just been a great mentor and like leader and role model for me these ⁓ my y my four years in college, so Devin Davis: That's that's a an awesome story. And I know that, you know, the your f freshman year it seems like is yeah lee, you're away from mom and dad and from home and to all the you know, the habits and things that you do at home and it's like where you know, what am I gonna do with my life? and so I think it's a it's a time, you know, that's what I tell tell a lot of the high school seniors that that ⁓ that I disciple and interact with here in Riverton and Lander and Shoshone is that, man, you you've got to be when you step foot on campus, you know, you're gonna go one of two ways, unfortunately. And and you're going to draw closer to God and surround yourself with other believers, or you're gonna drift away and find yourself in a in a group that probably isn't ⁓ a a good A a good group to be around. And so I think that's such a pivotal pivotal year. And for you, boy, it sounds like that's that was a huge year ⁓ where you really developed your own faith ⁓ and and made it real to yourself. I think that's the important thing. And and like you said, w around FCA is just putting that group around you, ⁓ that encourages you and that you can hang out with. I mean, you guys have some pretty awesome activities. ⁓ at at UW and picnics and barbecues and you you you name it. I Aaron and Stacy do a do a great job of that. So how did things change for you? what was what was kind of the lesson that Alison Fertig learned through her y years, as far as her faith goes, through her years at the University of Wyoming to the point where you're at today? Allyson Fertig: I think It's kinda hard to just wrap it all up in a couple sentences because it's such the f my four years at UW was just such a growing and I had so many different lessons. But I think the biggest one was really just really learning how to deny myself and deny my desires ⁓ and relying on God to fulfill and show me godly desires and to ⁓ follow his way instead of my own way. ⁓ especially I just was so focused on basketball. I was focused on being liked by everyone. I was focused on having everything organized, knowing exactly what I was gonna do, how this season's gonna go, what am I gonna do in five years from now. And it wasn't until towards the last couple of years that I really just really just ⁓ realized that that stuff doesn't matter. ⁓ the way I want things to be done don't matter. I still struggle with that sometimes too. I d I want things to go exactly how I planned it. But really just leaning on God and ⁓ not worrying about where he's gonna lead me. Like who why I never knew I was gonna end up in Germany. I never knew I was going to be a math teacher. ⁓ that was not stuff I desired when I was younger. And so ⁓ just really denying my own wants and ⁓ really first of all, I'm sorry, my cat keeps climbing. Devin Davis: I I shut the door so mine. I have that same problem, Allison, so don't feel bad. Allyson Fertig: Anyways, that's Holly the cat. ⁓ but yeah, ⁓ just really, you know, picking up your cross, denying those earthly wants and desires, and just leaning on God just in every aspect of your life, not just pick and choose. And so I had to do that with basketball, I had to do that with my school, I had to do that with my relationships and my wants for marriage and all that stuff. So that was probably the biggest lesson ⁓ I've learned these last four years at UW. So Devin Davis: So I I'm gonna put you on the spot here. ⁓ i because you know, in my mind, not everybody who listens to these podcasts are believers, are Christians. ⁓ and I think probably, you know, in my I if I put my mind in in them, why is that better? You know, that's that's that's the thing is like why is denying your own flesh and seeking what God wants for your life, ⁓ like, especially in the world right now, right? It's all about self-love, ⁓ and being your your your your your own self and your own person. And doing what makes you happy. ⁓ so why does denying your flesh and denying maybe those desires that the world says, Hey, those are okay. Actually we'll celebrate those. Why does where is that fulfilling at all? Or why is that fulfilling? That question make sense. Allyson Fertig: Yeah, yeah, I got it. I'd say the biggest thing is God tells us that we're image bearers of Him. And so if we want to show the world that we are image bearers, we have to, like it says, be perfect like Jesus. We're not gonna be perfect, but we have to try like we have to try. We have to ⁓ especially what you're saying, this world is like everything's accepted. ⁓ but God tells us that it's just The world may accept it, but he doesn't because it's gonna do more harm than it will ever do good for us. ⁓ I like to use this just a little example ⁓ for myself. And I was kind of a just like a I don't know how to call it, but like a bad liar throughout my high school. And I wasn't telling the big lies. Like you wouldn't really know. Like if someone asked me, they would never have said I was, you know, a very li like a liar or mischievous kind of girl, but I still I knew I was telling those lies, those little tiny white lies that ⁓ didn't really I didn't think were doing harm, so that's why I continue to do it. But it wasn't until ⁓ I became a Christian where I said God tells us not to lie. And it's not because ⁓ it might do great damage, which it could, but it also just it's so much better. So like this one example through college, I had the opportunity to just straight up lie to one of my teammates because I didn't want her to be so mad at me because I kind of told on her to one of my coaches. So she confronted me ⁓ 'cause she was doing just something I didn't agree with. Anyways, so I I didn't handle it the best way, but she came to and confronted me and asked me, Did you tell my coach? And I could have easily just said no and it would have been so much easier for me. But I had to really like no matter how much I wanted to say no, I I forced myself to say yes because that confrontation and that little ⁓ argument that we may have had afterwards, I said yes, was so much better than her finding out later and me really hurting her and making it a much bigger problem than actually was. So even just the little things like those little white lies that you may not think will become a problem, it's the snowball effect. A little of snow at a time. ⁓ A little snowflake itself doesn't do much harm, but as it grows bigger and bigger, a giant snowball destroys. And so really just realizing that ⁓ just because you might not be comfortable or you might get in trouble, you have to you have to deal with the consequences of your sin, ⁓ of your actions and not and Bring him to God 'cause he sees it anyways. So if you're just hiding behind your worldly desires and your worldly ⁓ viewpoints, ⁓ it's just it's just gonna become a bigger and bigger and bigger problem that you might not know how to get out of if you don't understand ⁓ what the purp like the purpose of Jesus ⁓ and why we need his salvation. So I don't know if that answers your question, but Devin Davis: No, that's yeah, that's really good. ⁓ 'cause I think Totally right. And and I I don't know, I just I definitely ⁓ I understand what you're saying and agree with that. And I was listening to another Christian podcast, ⁓ the a ⁓ pastor that I really enjoy and and it is kind of a funny thing as when we ⁓ start we really put our lives in ⁓ in Jesus' hands that we s hopefully we sin less, but we also feel worse. ⁓ which is a weird feeling. Isn't that? I mean, I I mean I can tell you like like you said, you were convicted of ⁓ of lying. You know, in my ⁓ what I one of the things I struggle with is, you know, is ⁓ judging people without even really knowing them. Like and it's like, that's ridiculous, Devin. ⁓ you don't even know that person and you already have these thoughts about them in your in your head. ⁓ and and I've really been convicted of that lately. And and that's and those little those little sins, nobody knows that. are keep me from having true lay relationship with Jesus, which is way better. And so I've I've really been convicted of that. But isn't it weird that that that we you know we do hopefully sin less, the the progressive sanctification process, but when we do. it it it bothers us more. And I I think that's I mean, you know, just tells to me it just tells us that Jesus is better. Right? Jesus is better than any s any minute white lie or any like quick judgment we can we can make. Jesus is better. And ⁓ the fact that we ⁓ struggle with that sometimes sometimes I like, all right Allyson Fertig: Yeah. Devin Davis: When am I gonna be a finished product, Jesus? We but we never are, right? And I think that's that's the hardest part. Well that's that's cool. I just I always think of that always as like always like there's always another side of things. So y you know, that what what are people that aren't believing or that are questioning or that are doubting? why would you want to be a follower of Jesus Christ? ⁓ and and I I think those are all good. Allyson Fertig: What? Devin Davis: discussions and ⁓ just things to to think about. So I appreciate that a lot. So y y and c connected with FCA again, ⁓ and I know I've seen you there before, but you've been very involved with FCA sports camp. and tell us your experience with that and your involvement with that over the past few years. Allyson Fertig: Yeah, so ⁓ first I just did like the little FCA camp. ⁓ that's just like the little the little kids ⁓ it's called Power Camp in Laramie. And so that was kind of my first ⁓ Christian camp that I'd ever done. And it was just really it's just really fun 'cause I love kids. I feel ⁓ like I feel like God has gifted me with desire to ⁓ just have interactions with kids. ⁓ really I'm just a very good I'm very good with talking to children, maybe even more so than adults. ⁓ and I just cause I just love that ⁓ like j Jesus wants us to be childlike in our faith. And so it's just so amazing to see just how ⁓ these little kids look up to you and how much fun they have. But yeah, so I first started doing Power Camp and then I had the opportunity of doing the big camp and I've done that twice. ⁓ my first year. It was really smooth. ⁓ I enjoyed it a lot. I had a great group of girls. ⁓ it was just a great experience. I I was so exhausted by the end 'cause you know you're doing the FCA camp, but I was also doing a basketball training on top of that during my spare time. So that was so hard. But it was so worth it. ⁓ and then I my second year it was great too, but it was definitely challenged me a lot. There was more ⁓ just ⁓ more ⁓ I don't know how to say the word, but ⁓ just like within my group, they just didn't understand ⁓ as much as the first group. They s they had some girls that were still ⁓ good leaders within the group, but it was just harder to get the message to them. But ⁓ and but but I I just rem this is kinda ⁓ embarrassing. Not really, but I just remember during one of the ⁓ worship services during that year that I was so focused on how I was doing as a leader that I was I was like crying during worship service. And it wasn't because, you know, I was a I was moved by the words, but it's ⁓ embarrassing to admit now, like I was so focused on what I was doing and not relying on what God was doing to these girls' hearts. And so I felt like I was doing such a bad job, but then I realized, ⁓ these girls looked up to me, but in the end, ⁓ I wasn't going to save ⁓ you know. God saves and so it was really just a relief and like it was a le relief to know that ⁓ like once again I had to give it to God. Like He will do with these girls ⁓ that He He wants to do and I think The FCA camp is just so cool because yeah, you are ⁓ mentoring these other group girls or boys and but the you're also meant like you're being mentored too too. And so just the ⁓ fruit that comes from that itself for your own relationship is just so amazing. And you just meet so many people, all these different coaches, you get connections and it's just it was a great experience. I'm actually going to be there this year too, so I'm excited for that. Devin Davis: That's that's what I thought. So this will be our third year ⁓ on campus at the University of Wyoming and ⁓ so that's a that's a great experience. It's just inc incredible those those few days. You guys as Huddle leaders, I'm not trying to scare anyone off because you just you just gave the evidence of why you should do it. But that is a a busy week because you're there early. because it's not like you just show up and and are a huddle leader. I mean, that's the one thing that I appreciate that they spend so much time is investing in you guys and and your faith ⁓ so that you are able to to mentor and disciple those kids well because there are some crazy questions that you're asked during the week and so that you're prepared for that. But then man, late nights for for y'all. So not a whole lot of sleep because ⁓ after the kids go to bed, you guys just get together, right? Don't you have a training right before you call it quits for the day? Allyson Fertig: Yeah, so usually after all the kids are put to bed, all the like the girls will meet up and the guys will meet up of course and we just kinda debrief the day. ⁓ we pray, we talk about the next day, but really it's time for when if you're asked those hard questions or you don't know what to do, you have ⁓ other people to talk talk about it with so that when you see your girls the next day you're able to confidently answer their question and just ⁓ it's really nice just to have that little community because you know you're not alone. It's not like it's not depending on all what you say. You don't need to know every single thing 'cause you're not gonna be able to. And so it's great to just ⁓ be able to debrief debrief. But like you said, it's a late night, so ⁓ but it's worth it. Devin Davis: That's a amen to that. ⁓ for an old guy like like myself, I get home and I sleep for a couple of days before I go back to my regular job. But it's ⁓ it's a fulfilling ⁓ fatigue, I guess, ⁓ just to to see the impact. And y you know, now that you've been doing that for a for a while, do you stay in in touch with ⁓ many of your huddle members or any of the the girls that you've ⁓ been part of their lives. Allyson Fertig: ⁓ I haven't really stayed in like my first group of girls ⁓ for a while they ⁓ they would message me or they were f girls, some girls from Lusk who I visited Lusk one time and I gotta see them or yeah, something. ⁓ but it's also it's kinda fun to watch them kinda ⁓ it's it's I've follow all of them on Instagram and stuff, so it's nice to see how they're doing and once in a while I'll Ask what they're doing. ⁓ but it's also fun to just to see them grow up from my s like from the screen. You know, I'm like not in their face, you know, asking them all these questions, but it's nice to see them grow up because a lot of them are in high school or graduating soon and just to see how they're going. But yeah, I I don't really keep in touch like all the time, but ⁓ I definitely remember them all and I I have I always told ⁓ that they can reach out to me any time, so when that day comes I'll be here for them. So Devin Davis: Yeah, that's that's cool. Especially, I mean that I mean, how awesome is it for the the girls that are gonna participate in basketball to have a huddle leader who plays professionally in Germany? I mean that that's a pretty awesome experience and ⁓ it just speaks ⁓ to your humility ⁓ to to come back and invest in those kids and in the w ⁓ University of Wyoming FCA and You know, now I mean it's it's a transition, right? This was your first year out of college. and and you talked about teaching math. I'm just wondering, you know, what what your road is on. We also talked about a special event coming up in your life. How how how are things gonna transition for you most likely over the next few years? Allyson Fertig: So yeah, I graduated last spring ⁓ with a degree in math education. And like I like I mentioned earlier, I did not know I was gonna be a a teacher. It I didn't decide that until sophomore year of college. But I'm glad I chose it. I like I said, I really like ⁓ having growing relationships with kids. And so student teaching was hard, but it w it was good. It was ⁓ it was really good just seeing how the school system works and stuff like that. Anyways, I graduated and then ⁓ that summer, so last summer I got ⁓ engaged to my fiance, and we are actually getting ready to get married within two weeks, less than two weeks now actually, and so we're super excited about that. But it's kinda cool. He also ⁓ is majoring in in math education. He has one more year of school, but He's graduating with the same degree as me, which is kind of crazy because not a lot of people like to t to math like to do math at all. And not a lot of people, ⁓ there's like not a lot of people want to teach either. So we got that double whammy of both math teachers. So it's kind of crazy ⁓ that we ended up both wanting to pursue that degree. But anyways, he has one more year school. ⁓ so after that, he'll be looking for a job and I will be following him. And I'm not exactly sure how long I'll be playing professional basketball because my desires do go ⁓ like my desires ⁓ just like basketball's been great, but I care more about my faith, ha growing a family, ⁓ and getting involved in the com community even more than basketball. ⁓ so we'll see how long just my career will last. I Can't say for sure that it's over after next year. ⁓ but that's just one thing like like I mentioned earlier. I'm just going year by year. It's just where God leads me and what opportunities present themselves. And but yeah, so I really I'm excited to get t to teaching and I also really want to coach basketball. ⁓ so hopefully someone will want to take me. Devin Davis: I'm sure you've got a pretty good resume there, Ellison. So I don't think that'll be tough at all. I ⁓ you know, and I I was wondering ⁓ in in thinking about that as you've been in Germany for quite a while. Did was that difficult with your in your relationship ⁓ with your fiance? Allyson Fertig: It was hard. ⁓ long distance is always hard, but we kinda were long distance from the beginning, like since we started dating, 'cause he ⁓ goes to school in Shadron, ⁓ Shadron State College. And of course I was at UW. So we w it wasn't super long distance, but it still was 'cause ⁓ he had his own activities and we couldn't see each other all the time. So then when you take us take me across the world and he's still back here, ⁓ in the States, that was super It was super hard, but it it was also another just really a growing season for us, ⁓ because we had to communicate in ways that we might not have done beforehand and stuff like that. Or ⁓ really finding times for each other since the time change was so bad, you know. ⁓ and then he actually got to visit me during his winter break, so that was really awesome. and but yeah, so it was It's definitely challenging, but I would not have changed it because it just makes you really communicate better and really get to know each other. ⁓ and I think sometimes just hanging out and doing activities would allow you to do. Devin Davis: one of the pictures that you you shared with me was okay. Now yeah, now I'm connecting those two. So for the people who are ⁓ i Alison and I taught beforehand and ⁓ her fiance is Caleb Christensen from from Guernsey and ⁓ I know ⁓ Caleb and and his family from my days in Wheatland. So it's just a crazy small world. But ⁓ it is it i it is really amazing. And I think we talk about, I mean you're halfway around the world, but in today's technology world. It's so easy to, you know, to to FaceTime, to zoom in, whatever, whatever that is. And ⁓ so you might be, you know, half a world apart, but it's not really that far anymore. You know, in in in my days it was you you hated it was long distance and long distance was expensive and ⁓ and so it you hated to call somebody and you couldn't, you know, travel there 'cause it was expensive and letters. you know, we're mainly it, so it's a different world, I guess, and and and you've made the boast the most of it. So that that's pretty awesome. And ⁓ how do you like you both I mean I I don't know if you've had those discussions ⁓ at all. I mean as ⁓ as both followers of Jesus, ⁓ you know, the family that you're going to raise, how you're gonna go about marriage. I I ⁓ you know those are all all really deep things to think about, but ha have you had any discussions wi ⁓ about that that that you're that you're willing to share? Allyson Fertig: ⁓ yeah, ⁓ it's it was actually kind of a blessing because ⁓ we have had well we've had lots of talks. We're not afraid to hide like we we don't we don't hide anything, you know, not just like, you know, secrets, but w hide we tell each other everything. We're like best friends. So it's kinda easy to do that. But we have had really deep ⁓ discussions and of course sometimes they're gonna be hard but they're much needed and sometimes they're gonna be awkward and I mean they definitely were awkward, but they're much needed. ⁓ it's also it was a blessing I say because we had similar just ⁓ things we've struggled with in the past. So it was a good accountability for each other. Like we know like how this feeling f like feels or like the sin that we're struggling with. ⁓ we both have different perspectives of it. ⁓ and could help each other in ways that maybe some of us were weaker at, if that kind of makes sense. ⁓ and so it was good ⁓ just to be able to talk about that and be vulnerable and realizing we're both like not even close to perfect, but ⁓ really just finding someone who you don't want to find someone com who completes you because that's Jesus completes you. But you want to find you wanna find someone who will push you, hold you accountable Devin Davis: Mm-hmm. Amen. Allyson Fertig: Like push you in your faith, hold you accountable. ⁓ you enjoy being with and you know they have desires for ⁓ expanding the like the family of God. So that's one of the my favorite things about Caleb is that one of the first things he told me is that he's just he just can't he can't wait to have ⁓ a house, ⁓ a family, and then He can't wait to invite just kids ⁓ f that are in in need or just want to come over just to come over or need a place to hang out because maybe they don't enjoy home life, stuff like that. And he wants just he's just so excited to be that welcoming presence for them, ⁓ just like he said his dad was and ⁓ stuff like that. And he wants to just be a part of the community, be a part of the church, and ⁓ just do things for our town or whatever, wherever we end up. ⁓ but yeah, that was one of the most like that just really made me fall in love with him, just his heart, ⁓ his good heart. And yeah, I in in regards of like deeper conversations too, like you it's relationships are hard, okay? And so ⁓ just knowing that you have to once again deny yourself. ⁓ For Jesus but also for your significant other. You're you are now stepping into a role that you're gonna have to s you should be willingly wanting to serve them ⁓ too. So yeah, just really getting that dynamic down and understanding what that will look like in your marriage. So Devin Davis: Yeah. I mean, again, again, it goes back to that kind of that world thing, right? Is like the world says if you're not happy, then ⁓ you need a divorce. ⁓ and God says, no, this is a lifelong vow, and you are going to work it out with your spouse ⁓ basically almost at all costs, right? Because that's that's what Jesus did ⁓ at all costs. He died for us. And ⁓ and so yeah, that's a that's a totally different viewpoint. And it's funny, ⁓ and I think anybody who's listening that's been married for quite a while, one of the things that I that I always tell ⁓ a lot of the kids that I work with, you know, because it's it's it's crazy in high school anymore, how easily they fall in love ⁓ and in in high school. And it's like that no, that I mean, love love at your at at in at a senior in high school. ⁓ is different than love at the stage you're at with Caleb is different than the stage that I'm at after almost thirty-two years of marriage. And like that love is it it it grows deeper. It's not a I'm attracted to that person or I have similar interests as that person. That that love is is deeper and means more when you've gone through hard things and hard conversations and difficult times and and and you know that ⁓ that your your partner, your spouse is there, ⁓ you know, whatever happens. And and I think that that's only time, but that's it's a it's a you you really truly find out what love is after you go through hard things. ⁓ and I think kind of like you mentioned that, I I think that's very, very true. So that's really exciting. So it it and and ⁓ just wondering is Is Honeymoon ⁓ FCA sports campaign at the University of Wyoming, or do you have ⁓ o other plans? Allyson Fertig: We okay, yeah, we do have other plans. We're just doing a road trip ⁓ around some national parks, Yellowstone, Tetons, over into Idaho, stuff like that. So we'll just do a week long Idaho tri I meant not Idaho trip, a week long road trip. So we're excited about that. We're not big I mean, I say I'm not a big traveller, even though I've been on a plane a bajillion times. But when you do so much, it just it's It's more about the company to me, so we're we're excited for that road trip. And then yeah, I guess our second honeymoon is FCA sports camps, but which I actually ⁓ you mentioned I was a huddle leader, but this year I get the opportunity to be ⁓ one of the assistant basketball coaches, so I'm really excited about. Devin Davis: Yeah. ⁓ awesome. Yeah, I guess I did know that. So you've you've ⁓ stepped up or graduated in levels now. So that makes sense. I think that you probably have the the experience to be able to do that and do that well. So it's pretty awesome to look at the ⁓ we get the registration numbers every every week and just see where we're at already and we still have almost a month left before ⁓ s camp starts and ⁓ several of the sports are already full. I know volleyball already is. ⁓ and so it's it's really cool to to see that. And ⁓ I didn't know, I I I I wasn't a big camp guy when I ⁓ became involved with FCA, but man, it's awesome to see the impact it has on these kids and ⁓ and like you said, to the the friends that they make, the connections that they make, ⁓ so that hopefully when they return home they can continue to to grow and to be discipled. And and you said you you kind of were able to dig in a little bit on your own when you were in Germany. What other things do you do to to to to keep yourself growing, to to keep developing as a follower of Jesus? Do you have ⁓ certain habits that you do or things that are part of your life? Allyson Fertig: one thing I've been trying to work on is my prayer, ⁓ just my prayer life. Caleb is great. He prays about everything. ⁓ and so that's one thing ⁓ that's he's really encouraged me to like not he didn't say improve on, but he by his example I've been able to see, okay, I need to ⁓ really just prayer in like Thanksgiving and realizing like how much I am thankful for. So ⁓ during my time in Germany I actually every morning I started with doing like three things I'm thankful for. ⁓ and then like three things to reflect on for the day. And I try to start start my morning off with prayer. ⁓ and then ⁓ also at night ⁓ but Really just trying to pray for anything and everything that's been my motto the last ⁓ f especially few months and just stuff. ⁓ but I think the biggest thing when I do Bible studies on my own, ⁓ I really ⁓ like just to take a chapter. I read through once and then I read through again and the second time I will highlight different stuff that stood out to me or doesn't really make sense. And then I'll search that up on ⁓ I actually got introduced to this at FCA camp, the like the Got Questions app. ⁓ and so I go on that a lot to just what does this word word mean or what is what is the author saying like what does this actually mean, all that stuff. ⁓ and then I also like to listen to it ⁓ afterwards because I think reading and listening are kind of two different things. You catch on different parts of it. Devin Davis: Mm-hmm. Allyson Fertig: And it's just nice to hear it in someone else's voice. ⁓ so that really helped for helped me when I do my own Bible study. So that's something new I did ⁓ within the last year or so. So those two things have probably been the major things I've been focused on. ⁓ and have really just helped me just you you learn like no matter how many times you read the same thing, I feel like in the Bible, I f I at least learn something new every single time. And so it's just been cool to reread ⁓ chapters or whatever that I've already read before, but actually understanding it now. So Devin Davis: Yeah. And that and and back to that like that got questions. ⁓ you you probably have your a the app on your phone and ⁓ I that's a go-to ⁓ that usually in the Bible studies that I lead with the high school students is I always tell them, get this, because then you don't have to text me in the middle of the night. ⁓ you can just open that up yourself, ask the question, and it's usually got a pretty good answer in there. ⁓ and and verses to back that up. So got questions. For anybody who does not have that is definitely a huge plus ⁓ and a great resource. So I I definitely recommend that as well. Do you have i I mean, it it it's always hard because I think it probably changes ⁓ frequently for most of us. Do you have ⁓ a book of the Bible or, you know, a a chapter of the Bible w that's kinda your go to? I love this. I I never quit loving this. Is there anywhere anywhere that you Find yourself gravitating towards Allyson Fertig: ⁓ I wouldn't say I've I've a favorite because like you said, I like I said, I learned something new every single time I read books. But especially these last since the beginning of the year I've just been really ⁓ diving deep into the gospels. And so ⁓ and it's just really amazing because they're very similar books, but yet they're so different. And just to see like the differences and just how ⁓ The wording and just like those little details that make it all come together and a clearer image in my mind. ⁓ and my favorite verse, it's been this for a while, is John fourteen six, I am the way, I'm the truth and the life. No one comes through the Father except through me. And so that just verse itself has just been such ⁓ a big ⁓ factor in my life, just realizing Jesus is the way, I need to follow him, ⁓ and not my own way. But yeah, I would say my favorites of course are just the gospels. ⁓ I really enjoy ⁓ anything in the New Testament. I l I like reading ⁓ Genesis too, 'cause it's just like, you know, it's the beginning, you gotta know where it all comes from, stuff like that. But yeah. Devin Davis: Yep. That's cool. That's that's awesome. I think ⁓ like you said, I that's I mean it's it n it's constant it's the same, but it's constantly changing. ⁓ and that's because we change and and and the Holy Spirit knows what we need to hear and when we need to hear it. And so he he illuminates things that we may not not have seen before. And so ⁓ yeah, I keep a journal. That's what I started doing. years ago and I have probably ten di different jo journals that I filled with ways that God's speaking to me in that. And it's funny because I'll go back to something I wrote eight years ago about the same chapter and it's one hundred percent different, you know? And so it's it's it's pretty cool to to see how God speaks to us in ⁓ different times in different ways. I sure appreciate taking the time, Allison, with us to share your story. And ⁓ I always just love everybody's different perspective everything and the way these conversations go. So ⁓ I I always just kind of like end it ⁓ up with ⁓ just asking if there's in your mind that we that you didn't talk about or that you didn't share or any encouragement that you feel like is in your heart that you'd like to give others. Allyson Fertig: ⁓ I think I'd just like to like say like don't be like don't be afraid to reach out to others ⁓ with anything. ⁓ even though it might sound be hard or awkward or you don't want anyone to know that you're struggling with something. For example, you're stuck you're stuck in a sin that just is hurting you but you're too embarrassed to admit it. I was that way throughout like my little time in my life of high school and college, I was stuck in a sin that was so devastating towards me, but I did not want anyone to know because I knew I would I thought I would get in so much trouble and all this stuff. ⁓ and I was just so embarrassed to even tell anyone. And it wasn't until I reached out ⁓ to actually Stacy and told her and just let it all out that I felt relief and that burden lifted off my shoulders. So if you're just If you're afraid ⁓ to speak out because you're embarrassed, you are scared, don't be like it like how I mentioned earlier about the snowball coming, the snowballs destroy and just little snowflakes, like they they aren't really they're harmless pretty much. Don't let it become a snowball. reach out to someone, someone you trust, someone you have y school, family, just anyone is better than no one. Devin Davis: That's that's great. And that's hard for us to do, right? Because even though we we know that we can't be perfect and that that was Jesus, it's still hard for us when we struggle with those things to be real with other people. And ⁓ I think that's great advice for for everyone that's listening, especially, you know, if you have a trusted mentor, ⁓ a a r a true, genuine ⁓ believer, they they want what's best for you and And repentance is what really frees your soul from, you know, the bondage that that the enemy wants you to carry around. Like you said, you carried that around for so long and and ⁓ w once you spoke it ⁓ and got and and said it you were forgiven and you're forgiven forever. ⁓ that's that's the savory that we have. So that's a that's a good reminder, a good encouragement. So well, I'd always like to end ⁓ by praying. ⁓ for our guests so I'd like for you to join me in that Thank you for joining us Allison it's been awesome. So all right Lord we just thank you for ⁓ Allison her heart and just her message and her journey Allyson Fertig: Thank you. Devin Davis: Father, it's just ⁓ so good for us to hear the struggles that other believers go through. It's you know, I I I had a friend tell me not too long ago that you, you know, us being real in our weaknesses is when we really show others ⁓ that that we're not big enough to handle these, that we need someone greater. And that someone is Jesus Christ. So I just pray that you would. be ⁓ a strength, a rock, an encouragement to her this summer, especially as ⁓ she prepares to get married, Father, and just pray that this is a God-honoring marriage ⁓ between two people who love Jesus and that you would bless them and ⁓ bless their their marriage, that they grow closer to you and as they grow closer to you, they grow closer to each other. Father, I just also pray for the time we have at sports camp. ⁓ thank you that Allison is investing her time to teach others basketball, but most of mostly to just to share her heart for Jesus with ⁓ others. Father, we thank you the way that ⁓ FCA has impacted her, continues to impact her. ⁓ just I just pray that you would bless her each day. Don't be anxious for tomorrow, for tomorrow will take care of itself. ⁓ Father, I just pray that you would guide and direct her. in her career, wherever that might be in Germany, ⁓ or or teaching, Father, that she would just trust you. ⁓ we love you. We thank you. Thank you for this podcast. I just pray ⁓ for those out there that might be on the fence, that they would give their heart and their life to you, God. ⁓ we could just give you all the glory. We love you. In your holy name we pray. Amen. Allyson Fertig: Amen. Devin Davis: Thank you so much. We'll see you at sports camp in about a month, okay? All right. Bye bye. Allyson Fertig: Thank you. Yes, yeah. Bye. Devin Davis: So there you have it, folks. Another awesome one. Allison, ⁓ man, what a testimony, what a story. ⁓ I really did not know Allison ⁓ very well at all. Again, kind of crazy connections there through hearing about her upcoming wedding. ⁓ God w God is pretty awesome. ⁓ but she's just had a huge impact on fellowship Christian athletes in the state of Wyoming at the University of Wyoming at at FCA Sports Camp and ⁓ it was just a joy to to interview her and hear her story. So I look forward to seeing how God uses her, how God uses her marriage ⁓ down the road. So again, I just wanted to encourage everyone, if you your kids haven't signed up for FCA Sports Camp, there's still time left. Go to the FCA Wyoming ⁓ website and you can register. There are scholarships available, ⁓ transportation available. It's gonna be a a great camp again this summer. And And well worth their time. So ⁓ we sure appreciate you tuning in to this podcast. It continues to grow. And ⁓ if you would please just ⁓ follow us on Instagram. Man, it's cool to see how our followers have increased. Share our podcasts with others through social media and just go listen. ⁓ YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music. ⁓ we try to make it accessible for everyone. So ⁓ we are just grateful for ⁓ you listening and for your support. And ⁓ yeah, I think that's it. ⁓ until our next guest, ⁓ just pray for all of you and that ⁓ school's out and it's gonna be summer here pretty quick and that y'all have a good summer. So ⁓ God bless everyone. Thanks for listening to the 307 Faithful Podcast. This is Devin Davis. Have a great day.