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Rest, Restore, Connect & Create: What God Taught Me at Harvest · Praise, Prayer & Protein

• 0:09
  SPEAKER_00: Hey, I'm Kate, mom of seven, coffee lover, and believer in finding joy in every season of motherhood.
• 0:16
  SPEAKER_00: This is Praise, Prayer, and Protein, where we talk faith, family, frugal living, and the real-life mom hacks that make it all work.
• 0:24
  SPEAKER_00: Let's dive in.
• 0:26
  SPEAKER_00: Hey friends, and welcome back to another episode of Praise, Prayer, and Protein.
• 0:32
  SPEAKER_00: Oh my goodness, I have so much to share with you.
• 0:35
  SPEAKER_00: This week we just wrapped up the Harvest Women's Conference, and I am still processing everything that happened over those 24 hours.
• 0:43
  SPEAKER_00: And I have to start by saying thank you.
• 0:47
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you.
• 0:49
  SPEAKER_00: I had the absolute pleasure of being on the greeting team again this year, which, if you know me, is basically my dream job.
• 0:58
  SPEAKER_00: I get to stand at the doors and welcome women as they arrive.
• 1:02
  SPEAKER_00: And this year we had 1,500 women from 200 churches come to harvest.
• 1:10
  SPEAKER_00: Can you even imagine?
• 1:12
  SPEAKER_00: Women from all different places, generations.
• 1:15
  SPEAKER_00: I think there were five generations of us there this weekend from different churches, different seasons of life, all coming together to worship the Lord.
• 1:24
  SPEAKER_00: It was incredible.
• 1:26
  SPEAKER_00: And one of my favorite things about being on the greeting team is getting to see the people.
• 1:32
  SPEAKER_00: I saw friends from when we lived in Moncton, friends from university, friends from different churches, women I haven't seen in years, and so, so many familiar faces.
• 1:42
  SPEAKER_00: I just love that.
• 1:43
  SPEAKER_00: But do you know what was even more special?
• 1:46
  SPEAKER_00: The number of you who came up to introduce yourselves to me.
• 1:50
  SPEAKER_00: Some of you told me you've been listening to Praise, Prayer, and Protein, and you shared how much the podcast has encouraged you.
• 1:56
  SPEAKER_00: And friends, let me tell you, I cannot tell you how much that meant to me this weekend, especially after some of the things I shared this season about insecurity and wondering whether I should even keep doing this podcast.
• 2:09
  SPEAKER_00: Those little conversations were such a gift to me.
• 2:13
  SPEAKER_00: And then there was another whole group of you who wanted to talk about the one-hour dinner roll recipe that I posted last week.
• 2:21
  SPEAKER_00: Oh my word.
• 2:21
  SPEAKER_00: I had so many of you come up and tell me that you made that recipe for Thanksgiving.
• 2:28
  SPEAKER_00: Some of you had even made it more than one time.
• 2:30
  SPEAKER_00: And some of you were feeling like absolute all-stars bringing homemade rolls to Thanksgiving dinner.
• 2:36
  SPEAKER_00: And I absolutely loved it.
• 2:38
  SPEAKER_00: If you're listening and have absolutely no idea what I'm talking about, right before Thanksgiving, I shared a recipe on my Facebook for these incredibly easy one-hour dinner rolls.
• 2:50
  SPEAKER_00: I found the recipe a few years ago and literally a game changer.
• 2:54
  SPEAKER_00: Now I realize that is something I say a lot about a lot of things, but these are real game changers.
• 3:01
  SPEAKER_00: Apparently, that's what this podcast is becoming.
• 3:04
  SPEAKER_00: I share all the little things that have changed my life.
• 3:07
  SPEAKER_00: And these roles are definitely one of them, especially since my family all want to rebel against soup night.
• 3:14
  SPEAKER_00: It just makes it that much more uh easier to get them to eat something on soup night because they love those roles.
• 3:22
  SPEAKER_00: I put the recipe link in the show notes so you can try them.
• 3:26
  SPEAKER_00: And if you've found me through the podcast, but don't follow me on Instagram or Facebook yet, I would love to have you come hang out with me over there too.
• 3:34
  SPEAKER_00: I'll put those links in the show notes as well.
• 3:37
  SPEAKER_00: I have so many more recipes and fun things I want to share with you all this fall.
• 3:41
  SPEAKER_00: And of course, Christmas is coming, which means all the holiday food recipes as well.
• 3:46
  SPEAKER_00: So come join us now.
• 3:48
  SPEAKER_00: Let's get back to harvest.
• 3:50
  SPEAKER_00: Another highlight of the weekend was getting to stay in the hotel with two of my friends.
• 3:55
  SPEAKER_00: We laughed so hard.
• 3:57
  SPEAKER_00: At one point, I was trying to edit this video, um, and we were just laughing so much that I couldn't bear, I could barely get it done.
• 4:05
  SPEAKER_00: And of course, what is a girls' hotel night without doing an under-eye mask?
• 4:10
  SPEAKER_00: I bought my favorite under eye mask from Grace and Stella at Costco.
• 4:14
  SPEAKER_00: They had like a big pack on.
• 4:15
  SPEAKER_00: It was a really, really good deal.
• 4:17
  SPEAKER_00: And here's a little tip: if you keep them in the fridge, oh my word, they feel so much better when they are cold underneath your eyes.
• 4:25
  SPEAKER_00: It's the tiny little spa treatment right in your hotel room.
• 4:28
  SPEAKER_00: Or actually, I'm wearing them right now as I'm recording this podcast in the morning.
• 4:33
  SPEAKER_00: I love how they make my face feel.
• 4:36
  SPEAKER_00: So we did have a really fun time together.
• 4:38
  SPEAKER_00: But as wonderful as all the friendship and laughing and conversations were, the real reason we were there was to meet with the Lord.
• 4:47
  SPEAKER_00: And I really believe He did that.
• 4:49
  SPEAKER_00: There's something so incredibly special about worshiping, um, and especially worshiping with 1,500 women, hearing all those voices singing together, praising the Lord, knowing that everybody in that room just has a different story, different background, different struggles, different things they're praying for, different things they're celebrating.
• 5:07
  SPEAKER_00: And yet we're all there worshiping the same God.
• 5:10
  SPEAKER_00: I just really love it.
• 5:12
  SPEAKER_00: The speakers were absolutely blown away by the worship, which was one thing that um was very tangible.
• 5:19
  SPEAKER_00: They all said it, like that the worship was just so, so, so special.
• 5:24
  SPEAKER_00: The speakers this year were also wonderful.
• 5:26
  SPEAKER_00: I took so many notes.
• 5:28
  SPEAKER_00: I'm still processing some of the things that were shared, but I really wanted to talk through a few of the biggest takeaways uh with you because I really do believe they will encourage you in your motherhood too.
• 5:38
  SPEAKER_00: The first night Rebecca Lyons spoke.
• 5:41
  SPEAKER_00: I have never really heard her of her before or even heard her speak before, but she began by sharing about a season of her life when she struggled with panic attacks and panic disorder and anxiety.
• 5:53
  SPEAKER_00: I found myself relating so much to what she was saying because a few years ago I wouldn't have understood.
• 6:00
  SPEAKER_00: I didn't know what it felt like to have your heart racing and your body reacting to something that was happening in your mind.
• 6:06
  SPEAKER_00: I really didn't have a frame of reference for that.
• 6:08
  SPEAKER_00: But after going through my own season of anxiety, I understood.
• 6:12
  SPEAKER_00: I understand the fear, the racing thoughts, the physical feelings, and even those questions of why is this happening to me?
• 6:19
  SPEAKER_00: Am I not trusting God enough?
• 6:21
  SPEAKER_00: Am I not spiritual enough?
• 6:22
  SPEAKER_00: Why can't I just make these feelings and thoughts stop?
• 6:26
  SPEAKER_00: And I remember during that season learning so much about my body, about hormones and about where I was at in life, about how my thoughts and behaviors were affecting the way I was feeling, and about the different tools that could help me work through it.
• 6:38
  SPEAKER_00: Actually, just last week I opened up to Micah and told him that I had started noticing some of those anxious feelings creeping back in.
• 6:46
  SPEAKER_00: There have been some decisions and situations come up for our family, and I could feel myself start to get caught in those anxious thought patterns again.
• 6:54
  SPEAKER_00: He reminded me of something really important.
• 6:57
  SPEAKER_00: I already have the tools that have helped me before.
• 6:59
  SPEAKER_00: One of those tools was a workbook called the Anxiety Workbook.
• 7:02
  SPEAKER_00: It uses a lot of cognitive behavior therapy or CBT, which is basically learning to recognize unhelpful thought patterns, question them, and practice responding differently.
• 7:14
  SPEAKER_00: And for me, that also meant bringing those thoughts back to what I know is true about scripture.
• 7:20
  SPEAKER_00: So when Rebecca started sharing about anxiety on Friday night, I thought, wow, isn't that interesting that this is what we are talking about right now?
• 7:28
  SPEAKER_00: Because I know I'm not the only woman who is struggling with this.
• 7:32
  SPEAKER_00: We had five generations of women represented at harvest, and anxiety isn't something that only affects one age group.
• 7:39
  SPEAKER_00: Whether you're a young woman, a mom with little kids, a woman navigating perimetopause, and someone in a completely different season, anxious thoughts can affect us all.
• 7:49
  SPEAKER_00: One of the things I appreciated about Rebecca was that she talked about both faith and the way our brains and bodies work.
• 7:57
  SPEAKER_00: She talked about how our experiences can affect the patterns we develop and how our bodies sometimes respond to stress before we've even had time to process what's happening.
• 8:07
  SPEAKER_00: And she talked about crying out to the Lord from those really deep, painful places, needing him, depending on him, trusting him to meet us there.
• 8:16
  SPEAKER_00: And something really stood out to me as I listened.
• 8:19
  SPEAKER_00: So much of my own anxiety is connected to wanting control.
• 8:23
  SPEAKER_00: As a mom of seven kids, there is a lot of things I can't control.
• 8:27
  SPEAKER_00: I can't control every situation my kids are going to face.
• 8:30
  SPEAKER_00: Can't control every conversation they have.
• 8:32
  SPEAKER_00: I can't control every decision they make.
• 8:34
  SPEAKER_00: I can't control what happens when they're outside of our home.
• 8:38
  SPEAKER_00: And as our kids get older and become more independent, I think that can become even harder.
• 8:44
  SPEAKER_00: Because you spend all these years making decisions for them, protecting them and trying to guide them, and then they start making more of those decisions themselves, which is what we want them to do.
• 8:55
  SPEAKER_00: But it can still feel really scary.
• 8:58
  SPEAKER_00: And sometimes those fears turn into anxious thinking.
• 9:01
  SPEAKER_00: And I know for so many moms, sickness is another huge trigger.
• 9:05
  SPEAKER_00: You have plans, you have the babysitter arranged, you're looking forward to something, and then somebody gets sick.
• 9:11
  SPEAKER_00: And maybe that's happened a few times, and suddenly every time you make plans, you start thinking, oh my goodness, what if start someone gets sick?
• 9:18
  SPEAKER_00: What if I can't go?
• 9:19
  SPEAKER_00: What if everyone starts throwing up?
• 9:21
  SPEAKER_00: And before anything has even happened, you've already imagined every possible thing that could go wrong.
• 9:28
  SPEAKER_00: I know so many of us can relate to that.
• 9:30
  SPEAKER_00: And what I keep coming back to is that I can't control everything, but I can learn how to respond when those feelings come.
• 9:37
  SPEAKER_00: And that's where the next part of Rebecca's message was so helpful.
• 9:42
  SPEAKER_00: On Saturday morning, she came back and she shared about the rhythms of renewal.
• 9:47
  SPEAKER_00: And I love how practical they were.
• 9:50
  SPEAKER_00: Because sometimes you can go to a conference and hear something really encouraging, but then you come back home and think, okay, that was wonderful, but what can I actually do about it?
• 10:00
  SPEAKER_00: And these rhythms are things we can start putting into practice in our everyday lives.
• 10:04
  SPEAKER_00: The four rhythms she shared were, and these are in her book, so you can go get that on Amazon.
• 10:09
  SPEAKER_00: I'll link it in the show notes.
• 10:12
  SPEAKER_00: Rest, restore, connect, and create.
• 10:15
  SPEAKER_00: I want to walk you through them because I think they're especially important for us as moms.
• 10:20
  SPEAKER_00: One of the things that stood out to me was the distinction between God meeting us in our need and the ongoing work of recovery.
• 10:28
  SPEAKER_00: We can cry out to him, we can ask him to rescue us, but there are also practical steps we can take as we heal and learn healthier patterns.
• 10:38
  SPEAKER_00: And I think these rhythms give us some really helpful places to start.
• 10:42
  SPEAKER_00: The first rhythm is rest.
• 10:44
  SPEAKER_00: And can we just admit as moms, we are not very good at this at all?
• 10:48
  SPEAKER_00: We're really good at doing the things, we're really good at getting things done, we're good at taking care of everyone else, but actually stopping that can be really hard.
• 10:57
  SPEAKER_00: We get the kids off to school.
• 10:59
  SPEAKER_00: Some of you head off to work.
• 11:01
  SPEAKER_00: And can I just say, those of you who work outside the home and come home to all the responsibilities of family life, I see you.
• 11:10
  SPEAKER_00: You are amazing.
• 11:12
  SPEAKER_00: There is so much to manage.
• 11:14
  SPEAKER_00: Then everybody comes home.
• 11:15
  SPEAKER_00: That's supper, homework, sports, youth groups, activities, laundry, dishes.
• 11:20
  SPEAKER_00: There's always something that needs to be done.
• 11:22
  SPEAKER_00: And finding time to rest can feel really impossible.
• 11:26
  SPEAKER_00: But rest is very important.
• 11:28
  SPEAKER_00: And one thing I want to remind you is the rest doesn't always mean sleep.
• 11:32
  SPEAKER_00: There are different types of rest.
• 11:34
  SPEAKER_00: Actually, I'm planning to do an entire podcast about the seven types of rest because it's something I learned about when I was really um going through postpartum depression after baby number six.
• 11:45
  SPEAKER_00: So that is going to be coming up.
• 11:47
  SPEAKER_00: Um, that was really helpful for me, but today I just want to encourage you to think about what rest might look like to for you in your own life.
• 11:55
  SPEAKER_00: For me, sometimes it's as simple as setting a timer for 17 minutes.
• 11:59
  SPEAKER_00: I know it sounds funny, but that's my number.
• 12:02
  SPEAKER_00: I set the timer, I lay down, I close my eyes, I take off my watch, and I give myself permission to just stop.
• 12:08
  SPEAKER_00: Keep my phone available for important calls, uh, in case the school calls me or something.
• 12:13
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but I try not to get distracted by everything happening around me.
• 12:18
  SPEAKER_00: And I know that when that timer goes off, I can get up and keep going.
• 12:22
  SPEAKER_00: But for those 17 minutes, I don't need to accomplish anything.
• 12:26
  SPEAKER_00: And sometimes that little bit of rest makes such a difference.
• 12:31
  SPEAKER_00: Another way I rest is by having a day where I get out of the house.
• 12:34
  SPEAKER_00: And I know that might sound funny because it doesn't sound like rest, but sometimes I need a break from being surrounded by all the things that need to be done at home.
• 12:42
  SPEAKER_00: So I might leave in the morning, go play pickleball, bring a change of clothes, run some errands, meet a friend for coffee or grocery shopping date, and just spend some time out.
• 12:51
  SPEAKER_00: And for me, that actually is really refreshing because I'm not looking at the laundry piles, the snowsuits that need to be washed, the winter hats and mitts that I have all over the place, things that need to be put back into storage in the barn.
• 13:03
  SPEAKER_00: I'm not thinking about the kitchen that needs to be cleaned.
• 13:06
  SPEAKER_00: I'm just enjoying some time doing things that fill me up.
• 13:09
  SPEAKER_00: So maybe your rest doesn't look like lying down.
• 13:11
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe it's going outside for a walk.
• 13:14
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe it's sitting somewhere quiet.
• 13:16
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe it's taking a break from your phone.
• 13:17
  SPEAKER_00: But I want to encourage you to ask yourself, where am I making room for rest?
• 13:23
  SPEAKER_00: Not just when I'm completely exhausted, but as a regular rhythm in my life.
• 13:29
  SPEAKER_00: The second rhythm is restore.
• 13:31
  SPEAKER_00: And this one really made me think about my morning routine because I love my morning routine when the kids are in school.
• 13:38
  SPEAKER_00: Now, summertime is a whole different story.
• 13:40
  SPEAKER_00: My routine is all over the place in the summer.
• 13:42
  SPEAKER_00: But during the school year, I love getting up, making a hot coffee, sitting down with my Bible and devotion book, and spending time praying and just starting my day with the Lord.
• 13:52
  SPEAKER_00: That time is so important to me.
• 13:54
  SPEAKER_00: It's a change, it's a chance to restore my soul before I start doing all the things everybody needs me to do.
• 14:01
  SPEAKER_00: And I think restoration can look different for everybody.
• 14:04
  SPEAKER_00: Some people, it's going outside for a walk, it's an exercise class, it's journaling, it's sitting quietly with scripture.
• 14:11
  SPEAKER_00: And I loved how Rebecca talked about moving our bodies because God designed our bodies to move.
• 14:16
  SPEAKER_00: The physical activity can be such a helpful tool for our mental well-being.
• 14:21
  SPEAKER_00: I remember a few weeks ago when I was having a particularly anxious morning.
• 14:26
  SPEAKER_00: I showed up in a spin class and told my uh friend who's the instructor, I'm here to bike out some of this anxiety today.
• 14:32
  SPEAKER_00: And I really meant it.
• 14:34
  SPEAKER_00: I needed to push my body, I needed to move, I needed to get some of the tension out.
• 14:39
  SPEAKER_00: And afterward, I felt so much better.
• 14:41
  SPEAKER_00: Now, exercise isn't a magic fix for anxiety, but it can be one really helpful part of caring for ourselves.
• 14:47
  SPEAKER_00: And I think that's what I loved most about this rhythm.
• 14:50
  SPEAKER_00: Restoring ourselves doesn't have to be complicated.
• 14:53
  SPEAKER_00: It can be small, consistent things that help us care for our bodies, our minds, and our relationship to connect with the Lord.
• 15:00
  SPEAKER_00: The third rhythm is connect.
• 15:02
  SPEAKER_00: And if you listened to last week's episode, you're probably laughing because we just spent an entire episode talking about adult friendships, how to find friends, how to maintain friendships, how to be a good friend, and how friendships change throughout different seasons of life.
• 15:16
  SPEAKER_00: So if you haven't listened to that podcast yet, go back and check it out because connection is so important.
• 15:22
  SPEAKER_00: We weren't created to do this life alone.
• 15:24
  SPEAKER_00: And I think sometimes when we're struggling, we have the tendency to pull away, stop reaching out, stop making those plans.
• 15:31
  SPEAKER_00: We think everyone else is busy or we feel like we don't want to burden anybody.
• 15:35
  SPEAKER_00: But having people who can walk through life with us is such a gift.
• 15:39
  SPEAKER_00: And it doesn't have to be a huge group of friends.
• 15:41
  SPEAKER_00: It might just be one person, one person you call, one person you can pray with, one person you can completely be yourself with.
• 15:49
  SPEAKER_00: And something else I thought about during this session was physical connection.
• 15:55
  SPEAKER_00: Because during my own journey with anxiety, one of the things that helped me so much was just holding Micah's hand.
• 16:03
  SPEAKER_00: I know it sounds almost too simple, but some sometimes when I start to feel really anxious and my body starts to feel dysregulated, just sitting beside him and holding his hand helps me feel calmer and more grounded.
• 16:17
  SPEAKER_00: There's something really comforting about that connection.
• 16:19
  SPEAKER_00: And I think it's a beautiful reminder that we need one another.
• 16:23
  SPEAKER_00: Sometimes we need a conversation, and sometimes we need someone to pray with us, and sometimes we just need someone to sit beside us and hold our hand.
• 16:32
  SPEAKER_00: The fourth rhythm is create.
• 16:34
  SPEAKER_00: I really love this one because I think as moms, we forget uh to do things that we enjoy just because we enjoy them.
• 16:41
  SPEAKER_00: We're so busy creating meals and schedules, routines, and making sure everyone has what they need that we forget the things that bring us joy.
• 16:49
  SPEAKER_00: What are things that you loved doing when you were younger?
• 16:52
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe it was painting, coloring, taking pictures, scrapbooking, writing, decorating, uh, making videos, baking.
• 16:59
  SPEAKER_00: What are the things that you really enjoy creating?
• 17:02
  SPEAKER_00: I don't think this means everyone needs to start a business or turn their hobby into something productive.
• 17:09
  SPEAKER_00: Sometimes creating something just because you love doing it is enough.
• 17:13
  SPEAKER_00: For me, I love creating content.
• 17:15
  SPEAKER_00: I love taking pictures, making videos, I love putting things together and sharing ideas with people.
• 17:20
  SPEAKER_00: I love hosting.
• 17:22
  SPEAKER_00: I love creating spaces where peach peaches.
• 17:25
  SPEAKER_00: I love creating spaces where people can come together.
• 17:29
  SPEAKER_00: And those things really bring me joy.
• 17:31
  SPEAKER_00: So maybe this week take a little bit of time to think about what you love to create.
• 17:36
  SPEAKER_00: Not because someone needs it from you and not because it's another thing on your to-do list, but because God has given you gifts and interest and creativity.
• 17:44
  SPEAKER_00: And it's okay to enjoy those things.
• 17:46
  SPEAKER_00: Last year I took up embroidering, and I can't wait now that it's cooler nights, to sit on the coach with my nice warm, fuzzy pink blanket and do some embroidering.
• 17:57
  SPEAKER_00: Can't wait to bring that hobby back into my life.
• 18:02
  SPEAKER_00: So those are the four rhythms: rest, restore, connect, and create.
• 18:06
  SPEAKER_00: And what I love is that none of them requires huge life overhaul.
• 18:10
  SPEAKER_00: You don't have to wake up tomorrow morning and completely change your schedule.
• 18:14
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe you start with just a few minutes of rest.
• 18:16
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe you start with 10 minutes in your Bible in the morning.
• 18:20
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe you text a friend and ask them to go for a walk.
• 18:23
  SPEAKER_00: You pull something creative out that you haven't touched in years.
• 18:26
  SPEAKER_00: It's about building little little rhythms into our lives that help us care for ourselves.
• 18:31
  SPEAKER_00: And I think as moms, we need that reminder because we are too good at taking care of everybody else.
• 18:37
  SPEAKER_00: But we also need to make room for the things that help us stay healthy, grounded, and connected.
• 18:42
  SPEAKER_00: I'll put the link to Rebecca's book and podcast in the show notes because I really want to continue to learn from her.
• 18:48
  SPEAKER_00: And if anxiety is something you have been struggling with, I really want to encourage you that there are helpful resources and professionals who can walk alongside of you.
• 18:59
  SPEAKER_00: You don't have to figure everything out on your own.
• 19:02
  SPEAKER_00: So please reach out and get some help.
• 19:04
  SPEAKER_00: You can even DM me.
• 19:05
  SPEAKER_00: Another speaker we heard from this weekend was Angela.
• 19:09
  SPEAKER_00: And she shared an illustration that I thought was really beautiful.
• 19:12
  SPEAKER_00: She talked about the pearl, how the pearl is an irritant that gets inside of an oyster.
• 19:17
  SPEAKER_00: And over time, layers form around it until the pearl is developed.
• 19:21
  SPEAKER_00: She used that picture to talk about painful things in our life, the things that irritate us, the things that hurt, the things we keep bringing back to the Lord, and how he continues to work in those places, layer after layer, healing, restoring, shaping something beautiful.
• 19:37
  SPEAKER_00: And I just loved that illustration because sometimes we want God to take something away immediately.
• 19:43
  SPEAKER_00: We want the hard things to be over.
• 19:44
  SPEAKER_00: We want the pain to stop and we want the situation fixed.
• 19:48
  SPEAKER_00: But sometimes healing is a process.
• 19:50
  SPEAKER_00: Sometimes we keep bringing the same thing back to him.
• 19:53
  SPEAKER_00: And over time we begin to see how God's been working.
• 19:57
  SPEAKER_00: I thought that was such a beautiful picture of what God can do with the things we bring to him.
• 20:03
  SPEAKER_00: Our final session was with the sweetest woman, Helen Burns.
• 20:09
  SPEAKER_00: Helen was at Harvest last year, too.
• 20:11
  SPEAKER_00: And let me tell you, she is incredible.
• 20:14
  SPEAKER_00: I absolutely love listening to her speak.
• 20:16
  SPEAKER_00: She's one of those women who has walked with the Lord for so many years, and you just can see uh her love for him.
• 20:25
  SPEAKER_00: And it reminded me of something I feel really strongly about.
• 20:28
  SPEAKER_00: I think we all need mentors in our life.
• 20:31
  SPEAKER_00: We need people who are a few steps ahead of us, but we also need people who are many steps ahead of us, and we need people who walk alongside of us, and we need some people who are a few steps behind us so we can encourage them too.
• 20:44
  SPEAKER_00: I think there's something so beautiful about having those different generations walk together.
• 20:49
  SPEAKER_00: And Helen is one of those women I look at and think, I want to be like that when I'm older.
• 20:55
  SPEAKER_00: I want to still be loving people, still serving, still encouraging, still learning, and still running the race.
• 21:02
  SPEAKER_00: And that was actually part of what she shared.
• 21:06
  SPEAKER_00: She talked about how we gather together at harvest, but now we are going to scatter.
• 21:12
  SPEAKER_00: We weren't meant to just come to a conference, have a wonderful experience, and then go home and do nothing with it.
• 21:17
  SPEAKER_00: We were being sent back into our homes, communities, churches, and workplaces.
• 21:22
  SPEAKER_00: And she reminded us that we are already called.
• 21:24
  SPEAKER_00: We've already been set apart.
• 21:26
  SPEAKER_00: We were born for such a time as this.
• 21:28
  SPEAKER_00: We don't need to sit around waiting for some future calling to arrive before we start serving the Lord.
• 21:34
  SPEAKER_00: We can walk in what He has given us right now, as moms, wives, friends, neighbors, as women in our churches and communities.
• 21:42
  SPEAKER_00: We can love people right where we are.
• 21:45
  SPEAKER_00: And one of my favorite things about Helen was that she was so open about the fact that she is not finished either.
• 21:52
  SPEAKER_00: She doesn't want to just sit on the sidelines and cheer us on the next generation, let us go and do everything.
• 21:58
  SPEAKER_00: She wants to keep running with us.
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_00: And I love that because when I am her age, I'm not going to disclose that.
• 22:06
  SPEAKER_00: And hopefully, uh grandma and even a great grandma, I still want to be running.
• 22:11
  SPEAKER_00: I still want to be serving, still encouraging people.
• 22:15
  SPEAKER_00: I want to still be excited for what God is doing.
• 22:17
  SPEAKER_00: And there's something else I really appreciate about Helen and Angela.
• 22:21
  SPEAKER_00: They didn't just come in, speak, and leave.
• 22:23
  SPEAKER_00: They stayed for the conference.
• 22:24
  SPEAKER_00: They worshiped with us.
• 22:25
  SPEAKER_00: They listened to the other speakers.
• 22:27
  SPEAKER_00: They spent time with women.
• 22:29
  SPEAKER_00: They prayed with people, hugged people, took pictures.
• 22:31
  SPEAKER_00: They made themselves available.
• 22:33
  SPEAKER_00: And I thought that was such a beautiful example of what they were teaching.
• 22:38
  SPEAKER_00: They weren't just talking about loving people.
• 22:41
  SPEAKER_00: They were actually doing it.
• 22:43
  SPEAKER_00: And I think that's such a good reminder to us too.
• 22:46
  SPEAKER_00: Sometimes ministry looks like standing on a stage, but so often it looks like stopping to talk to someone, listening, praying, giving someone a hug, making time for people.
• 22:56
  SPEAKER_00: And I loved seeing that modeled in them so beautifully.
• 23:02
  SPEAKER_00: You know, I can hardly believe Harvest is less than 24 hours, four sessions, lots of worship, lots of prayer, lots of conversations and laughs.
• 23:09
  SPEAKER_00: And somehow it feels like I've been away for a whole week because so much happened in that little amount of time.
• 23:16
  SPEAKER_00: But now that I'm home, the laundry still needs to be done, the kids needed lunches, and supper still needed to be made.
• 23:22
  SPEAKER_00: There are still sports, activities, and all the regular things.
• 23:25
  SPEAKER_00: And I think the question I'm asking myself now is what am I going to do with what God spoke to me this weekend?
• 23:32
  SPEAKER_00: Because I don't want it to just be really wonderful conference that I attended.
• 23:37
  SPEAKER_00: I want it to actually change how I live.
• 23:39
  SPEAKER_00: I want to make room for rest.
• 23:41
  SPEAKER_00: I want to keep restoring my soul through my time with the Lord and caring for my body.
• 23:45
  SPEAKER_00: I want to keep connecting with people.
• 23:47
  SPEAKER_00: I want to use the gift and I want to keep walking in the calling He's placed on my life.
• 23:51
  SPEAKER_00: Not someday, but now, right in the middle of motherhood, in the middle of the busy schedule, in the middle of all the ordinary things, because that's where most of our lives happen.
• 24:01
  SPEAKER_00: And that's where we get to love and serve people every single day.
• 24:06
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, friends, you know we are finishing with the praise, prayer, and protein for the week.
• 24:11
  SPEAKER_00: So my praise this week is the gift of encouragement.
• 24:14
  SPEAKER_00: I am so thankful for every single person who came up to me at harvest to introduce themselves.
• 24:19
  SPEAKER_00: Whether you told me you listened to the podcast, that you're following along on social media, or that you made one of my one hour that you made the one-hour dinner rolls.
• 24:28
  SPEAKER_00: I loved hearing from you.
• 24:30
  SPEAKER_00: And it's not just at Harvest.
• 24:31
  SPEAKER_00: The other day uh I was at one of my son's football games and a mom from the opposing team came over and told me that she listens to the podcast.
• 24:40
  SPEAKER_00: How cool is that?
• 24:41
  SPEAKER_00: I absolutely love these moments.
• 24:43
  SPEAKER_00: I love that one of my followers took time to write me the most beautiful and encouraging card and even gave me a gift.
• 24:51
  SPEAKER_00: That what an honor.
• 24:54
  SPEAKER_00: Like I was just so blessed by that.
• 24:56
  SPEAKER_00: Because sometimes when I'm sitting at home recording into this microphone, I don't really know who's listening.
• 25:03
  SPEAKER_00: And hearing from you reminds me that these conversations are reaching real people.
• 25:08
  SPEAKER_00: So please, if you ever see me somewhere, come say hi.
• 25:11
  SPEAKER_00: I genuinely love to meet you.
• 25:14
  SPEAKER_00: My prayer this week is that God would continue the work he started at harvest, that every seed planted, every prayer prayed, every moment of surrender, every woman who encountered his love would continue to grow in what he was speaking.
• 25:29
  SPEAKER_00: I'm praying that we wouldn't just remember harvest as a wonderful weekend, but that it would actually walk out what God has been teaching us, that his love would continue to change us, and that we would carry that love into our homes, our families, our churches, our communities.
• 25:44
  SPEAKER_00: And my protein this week is that we are officially in comfort food season.
• 25:50
  SPEAKER_00: Oh my goodness, I love this time of year.
• 25:51
  SPEAKER_00: Chili, shepherd's pie, meatloaf, homemade soups, casserole, all those warm, cozy meals that are so good when it's cold outside.
• 25:59
  SPEAKER_00: And I love that so many of them are easy ways to get that good amount of protein into our meals.
• 26:05
  SPEAKER_00: So that's what we're eating around here for now.
• 26:08
  SPEAKER_00: All the cozy food.
• 26:10
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, friends, that's it for this week.
• 26:12
  SPEAKER_00: I am recording very quickly before I head off for an appointment.
• 26:16
  SPEAKER_00: So I hope something from today's episode encouraged you.
• 26:19
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe you needed that reminder to rest.
• 26:21
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe you needed time to connect with a friend.
• 26:24
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe there's something creative that you have been wanting to try.
• 26:27
  SPEAKER_00: Hello, embroidery.
• 26:29
  SPEAKER_00: Or maybe you needed to hear that you don't have to wait for some future season of your life to start walking in what God has called you to do.
• 26:37
  SPEAKER_00: You can start right where you are with the people he's placed in front of you, with the gifts that he has already given you.
• 26:44
  SPEAKER_00: I'll put the links to the one hour rolls, Rebecca Lyons' resource, Helen, and Angela's Instagram accounts, and my own social media for you in those show notes.
• 26:53
  SPEAKER_00: And if you were at Harvest this weekend, I would love to hear what God was speaking to you about.
• 26:58
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you so much for joining me for another episode of Crazy Prayer and Protein.
• 27:02
  SPEAKER_00: We'll see you next week.
• 27:04
  SPEAKER_00: Bye.