Latest / How to Faith a Life Podcast with Faith Womack / Meet Allen Parr's Wife... Mrs. Jennifer Parr

Transcript

Meet Allen Parr's Wife... Mrs. Jennifer Parr · How to Faith a Life Podcast with Faith Womack

0:00
SPEAKER_01: If you're listening to the How to Faith a Life podcast, where we wrestle with questions on how to live a life of faith, from everything from books to Bible studies, even Bible study tips, this is your place to wrestle with the hard questions and dive deep into what scripture really says for the Christian walk.
0:12
SPEAKER_01: Make sure you've subscribed to this podcast and your favorite podcast streaming services.
0:16
SPEAKER_01: Review this podcast so other people can find it and share with other believers who want to ask the hard questions.
0:21
SPEAKER_01: Now, with all that said, let's begin.
0:23
SPEAKER_01: Hi friends, and welcome back to the How to Faith a Life podcast.
0:25
SPEAKER_01: Today we have a very special, gorgeous guest.
0:28
SPEAKER_01: Her name is Jennifer Parr.
0:30
SPEAKER_01: Jennifer Parr is a gifted communicator who is passionate about discipling women and helping them grow spiritually.
0:36
SPEAKER_01: She's co-founder of Let's Equip, Incorporated, a nonprofit ministry dedicated to providing tools and equipping believers to grow spiritually and find God's purpose for their life.
0:46
SPEAKER_01: She leads a monthly women's Bible study that reaches hundreds of women worldwide.
0:50
SPEAKER_01: And she is currently residing in Dallas, Texas, where she is a dedicated wife to her husband, Alan Parr, and proud mother of her two kids.
0:57
SPEAKER_01: In her spare time, she loves exploring her newfound love for tennis, cooking, and being the CEO, chief encouragement officer of her home.
1:05
SPEAKER_01: Everybody, welcome Jennifer, if you're watching this on YouTube with a comment.
1:08
SPEAKER_01: Hi, Bible nerds.
1:09
SPEAKER_00: Can I call it?
1:10
SPEAKER_00: Is it safe for me to say Bible nerds?
1:12
SPEAKER_00: Hey, everyone.
1:14
SPEAKER_01: Oh man.
1:15
SPEAKER_01: I really wanted to kind of pick Jennifer's ears today on the podcast because she's such a wonderful, beautiful, talented, smart woman.
1:26
SPEAKER_01: And yet she's more behind the scenes of Alan Parr's presence online.
1:31
SPEAKER_01: And when I first met her, I was like, wait a minute, she needs to be like her own YouTube channel.
1:37
SPEAKER_01: She needs to be like on the forefront because she is incredible.
1:41
SPEAKER_01: And we kind of got to talking about motherhood and ministry and what that looks like in the home life and expectations versus reality.
1:49
SPEAKER_01: And so I was like, this girl, this lady, needs to be on my podcast.
1:53
SPEAKER_01: But Jennifer, I would love to pick your brain.
1:55
SPEAKER_01: What does it look like to support your husband in ministry?
1:57
SPEAKER_01: What are the first thoughts that come to mind when you think about supporting Alan and his amazing ministry online?
2:04
SPEAKER_01: Oh man, Faye, that's a great question.
2:06
SPEAKER_00: And don't be trying to have me start a YouTube channel now, okay?
2:08
SPEAKER_00: Because you're like the fifth person that's been like, Jennifer, where's your YouTube channel coming?
2:13
SPEAKER_00: And I'm like, I rebuke that.
2:16
SPEAKER_00: No.
2:17
SPEAKER_00: Um, man, that that is a great question.
2:19
SPEAKER_00: And thank you for giving me the opportunity to share because oftentimes I think just even in church or upbringing, you always see the people that have the gifts on stage, right?
2:30
SPEAKER_00: The pastor, the worship leaders, those that have that are using their gifts in a public or more visible uh stand front.
2:39
SPEAKER_00: And then, you know, you wonder like, wait, none of this would happen if there wasn't someone who was using their gifts of organization behind the scene or their gifts of songwriting who isn't performing but actually wrote the song.
2:54
SPEAKER_00: All those gifts that are glorious for the kingdom, right?
2:57
SPEAKER_00: But not all gifts are called to be in the front.
2:59
SPEAKER_00: And so it's funny when you say like the woman behind Alan Parr, because first off, we are a unit, we are one, but I do enjoy and love contributing to um what people get to see online, and it doesn't have to be in front of the camera.
3:16
SPEAKER_00: And so uh first off, I want to start with just encouraging women in that sense.
3:22
SPEAKER_00: Like one, if you are if you are single and you're watching this, right, you want to search for someone or be found by someone who you can support, right?
3:33
SPEAKER_00: You can support their ministry, you can back what they do.
3:37
SPEAKER_00: If you think about it, and and I'm gonna go to Genesis really quick for this because I I I too come back to this verse of just how in I think it's Genesis 2.18, right?
3:47
SPEAKER_00: It's interesting when we look at like God's creation, when God created Adam, right?
3:52
SPEAKER_00: And he said, Oh, a man needs a help meet.
3:56
SPEAKER_00: But that is to me, is one of the few parts we ever see God declaring something about his creation that's not good.
4:03
SPEAKER_00: And it's only not good because of Adam in his solitary state, right?
4:08
SPEAKER_00: Like Adam's good, right?
4:09
SPEAKER_00: Until he did what he did, but he's good.
4:12
SPEAKER_00: But he was not good in his solitary state.
4:15
SPEAKER_00: So to me, that empowers me, and I hope that empowers you to know that like women, we are essential, right?
4:22
SPEAKER_00: Not just to man, but to God.
4:25
SPEAKER_00: We are so essential.
4:27
SPEAKER_00: Where God called Adam not good in his solitary state.
4:31
SPEAKER_00: So just to empower women that one, we are essential, and support looks different.
4:37
SPEAKER_00: It looks different in different seasons, it looks different through um while using different gifts.
4:43
SPEAKER_00: And so your question of what it looks like to support my husband in ministry in different seasons that has looked different.
4:50
SPEAKER_00: But what I go to now is first off, my support to my husband is first off by serving him.
4:57
SPEAKER_00: And I know like that S-word can be translated to even like submitting, and then all of a sudden we go down this path of like weakness.
5:05
SPEAKER_00: And I don't know how in society submission got translated to weakness, but I get that it has been weaponized.
5:15
SPEAKER_00: But what does that look like?
5:16
SPEAKER_00: Sometimes that's just, hey, have you eaten today?
5:19
SPEAKER_00: Because I don't know how your hubby is, but men, when they get so focused, even I do this sometimes, I forget to eat, right?
5:26
SPEAKER_00: And so sometimes it's just serving, but we're serving each other, right?
5:31
SPEAKER_00: If I'm thinking about him in return, he should be thinking about me just on a basic level, right?
5:36
SPEAKER_00: But then also we have had the opportunity where in seasons where I have been so busy, I've had to pull back.
5:42
SPEAKER_00: And that's where I mean we're women sometimes.
5:44
SPEAKER_00: We can serve and serve and serve, but we have to fill our cups as well, too.
5:48
SPEAKER_00: And so in seasons where we were so busy and we have two kids, we uh hired some help.
5:54
SPEAKER_00: We got some volunteers, we have a team now, and so um once again, going back to how everyone is gifted differently.
6:02
SPEAKER_00: If we have a new hire, we have an area where Alan may not be as gifted in, I enjoy stepping in and just serving the gaps of our ministry and leading our team.
6:12
SPEAKER_00: And then finally, I serve in just supporting my family.
6:16
SPEAKER_00: Um, and I'm sure we'll get a chance to talk about this and what just being keeper of the home means, right?
6:21
SPEAKER_00: But it's creating a safe space for my family to thrive within and outside of our home.
6:27
SPEAKER_00: And women, we play a huge part in that.
6:30
SPEAKER_00: We are not the only influence that they have, but we are a big influence in that.
6:33
SPEAKER_00: So um supporting my husband and serving him, supporting our ministry team, and then supporting my family is really what support looks like in this season for our ministry.
6:44
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
6:44
SPEAKER_01: I love that you went there with Etzera Connecto, like the help meet is he needed Eve.
6:51
SPEAKER_01: And we often feel like the person who is submitting or supporting is secondary, less important, or we treat them like it, right?
7:00
SPEAKER_01: And it's like, no, they're necessary.
7:02
SPEAKER_01: And um, I really I was so blessed by that meal that we grabbed, I don't know how many months ago, and getting to meet you for the first time and talk to Alan and like see how you guys bounce off of each other and to hear about the start of the ministry and how you were right there behind the camera, you know, all the things.
7:19
SPEAKER_01: Um it's just amazing.
7:21
SPEAKER_01: Like I see that in y'all's relationship so clearly.
7:23
SPEAKER_00: I was just gonna add to that because you mentioned I forgot that conversation we had, but then I vividly remember it because I just remember your face when when I was like, yeah, in the beginning, I was one behind the camera, and you were like, What?
7:34
SPEAKER_00: And it was like, yes, because my gift or what I went to school for was in communications.
7:39
SPEAKER_00: And this is where I go back to that how we use our gifts is not look linear.
7:45
SPEAKER_00: I had a gift of communications.
7:46
SPEAKER_00: At one point in my life, I thought I was gonna be a journalist.
7:49
SPEAKER_00: Don't ask me why or how.
7:51
SPEAKER_00: And so when he shared this vision when we were dating, that I, you know, I want to do this YouTube channel.
7:57
SPEAKER_00: At the time, there wasn't too many people that were doing this in the Christian space.
8:01
SPEAKER_00: Because if so, we would have loved to like link up with them or have them mentor us or pour into us.
8:07
SPEAKER_00: We literally had no idea what we were doing.
8:10
SPEAKER_00: But I was like, hey, I know how to work a camera, let's do this.
8:14
SPEAKER_00: Like, and so I was behind the camera, just kind of saying, let's come on, babe, let's wrap it up.
8:18
SPEAKER_00: We got people have five minutes of attention span.
8:21
SPEAKER_00: We can't do a whole sermon in like an hour and a half.
8:24
SPEAKER_00: And so we would cut it, but that's how we work together, that's how we sharpen each other.
8:29
SPEAKER_00: Our gifts are not linear, and I was fine doing that because he needed someone to work the camera, and I was more than happy to, like I mentioned earlier, serve him, where really we're serving each other.
8:41
SPEAKER_00: So I remember that conversation vividly.
8:45
SPEAKER_01: And when you say serve, it makes me think of, and I wasn't planning on going here, but Alan shared that you that he went to a singles event at a church and you were there holding the door, and that's how y'all originally met, right?
8:56
SPEAKER_00: Yes, that a lot of people don't know that story, but yes, we were uh what's pivotal about that story, Faith, is that I was in a season where I was so done with dating in Dallas, and I literally told God, do not bring me anyone in this city.
9:12
SPEAKER_00: I'm done.
9:12
SPEAKER_00: I'm moving to the East Coast, I'm done.
9:15
SPEAKER_00: You know how to make God laugh, right, Faith?
9:18
SPEAKER_00: You do just that.
9:19
SPEAKER_00: You tell him exactly what you don't want.
9:21
SPEAKER_00: And I now I can picture God just looking back, like, really, Jennifer.
9:25
SPEAKER_00: So I was so fed up with just dating in Dallas and just some bad relationships that I'm sure I had some responsibility in going bad as well.
9:34
SPEAKER_00: And so I was serving in our church and we had a singles event, and it was Valentine's Day.
9:38
SPEAKER_00: And you know, if you're single, Valentine's Day is the worst day to be single.
9:42
SPEAKER_00: You make a lot of poor choices just because of the influence of the holiday.
9:47
SPEAKER_00: And so I was like, I'm not gonna do that this year.
9:49
SPEAKER_00: I'm gonna be in church.
9:50
SPEAKER_00: And so I went to church and I served, and Alan uh attended the same singles event.
9:54
SPEAKER_00: I was just a greeter at the door, but remember, Faith, I had told God, don't bring me anyone from Dallas.
9:59
SPEAKER_00: And so I was not, I had my blinders on, like I was not looking for anyone.
10:04
SPEAKER_00: And here comes Alan.
10:06
SPEAKER_00: So we chatted for a little bit, but I was just not even, he wasn't even in my peripheral because I was so focused on um moving.
10:14
SPEAKER_00: I was focused on just staying connected to God.
10:17
SPEAKER_00: And we can talk about that as well because I do think that in womanhood and godly womanhood, when you are in a season where you are searching for something that you have not received an answer to, it is so in tune to be connected to God in those times, reading your word versus versus what you see around you.
10:35
SPEAKER_00: Um, and so we met, and shortly after I moved to DC and he was like, wait, but we have a powerful testimony where really that season is what allowed us to develop such a great friendship.
10:47
SPEAKER_00: But in that season, I was literally serving God and just serving using my gifts as a single godly woman, which now translated to me being able to respectfully serve my husband in marriage.
11:00
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I mean, I think that really leads to our second question that I wanted to ask you of what it looks like to love, support, and disciple our families as wives of ministers, being involved in ministry ourselves.
11:12
SPEAKER_01: Because there's kind of that two part of serving, but also serving in the family household.
11:16
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, Faith, I'm so glad you asked this question because I envision women out here that are in this role.
11:25
SPEAKER_00: Maybe they asked to be in it, maybe they didn't, maybe they're looking to be in a role like this, and they find themselves just like looking at women that they see online and like how do they do it all?
11:37
SPEAKER_00: Like, how does this person or they appear to have it all, like they're doing it all?
11:42
SPEAKER_00: Um, and so right, and so I think that you know what support looks like when you're juggling these areas, and you mentioned discipling our families as wives of ministers, and then also being involved in ministry ourselves.
11:55
SPEAKER_00: And so, first off, just home being a safe place where each family member can feel valued, vulnerable, cherished, and respected.
12:05
SPEAKER_00: I think those four things should be like the staple that every woman should thrive for.
12:12
SPEAKER_00: And if you notice, I say home is a safe place for each family member.
12:16
SPEAKER_00: So if it's a season where the family member is just you and your husband, he should feel valued and vulnerable, but then also cherished and respected, vice versa.
12:26
SPEAKER_00: If you are in a season or you have an environment where home has kids or has aging parents, like everyone in that home should feel valued, respected, cherished, and be a space that's vulnerable, right?
12:40
SPEAKER_00: And so what does that mean, especially being in ministry, is not for people in the home to not look around and see perfect people, they just need to look around and see you needing a perfect God.
12:59
SPEAKER_00: That's it.
13:00
SPEAKER_00: So if there's tears, if you're yelling, I mean, those are real emotions.
13:06
SPEAKER_00: If there's sadness, if there's overwhelming, if there's whatever it is that happens at home, that's that vulnerable part.
13:14
SPEAKER_00: Vulnerable part is being vulnerable enough to say, like, I don't have it all together.
13:20
SPEAKER_00: Hey, I really don't like you right now, but you're showing that you aren't perfect, you need a perfect God.
13:29
SPEAKER_00: And Jesus is the only one who can fulfill that.
13:31
SPEAKER_00: And so I think that's the part that involves ministry, is not necessarily preaching to everyone in the home, but modeling what it is to be a Christ follower and not being perfect, but needing a perfect Jesus in your life every day for that grace.
13:50
SPEAKER_00: Um, and then when we look at ministry and gifts that we have amongst ourselves, because if you are in a serving role, it can be exhausting.
13:58
SPEAKER_00: You're putting out, you're putting out, you're putting out, and you may be asking God, what is it that that you have for me?
14:06
SPEAKER_00: I will say this one thing about women whatever we put our minds to, we will get it done.
14:13
SPEAKER_00: And I love that about how God created us in just different capacities, right?
14:19
SPEAKER_00: But that's it, is pay attention to your capacity.
14:23
SPEAKER_00: And this is for anyone, right?
14:25
SPEAKER_00: So when you want to support, whether it's your family, but you're also supporting your spouse, and you're also involved in ministry yourself, whether that is serving at church, or you're trying to build your own ministry, just pay attention to your capacity because I think one thing the enemy is great at doing is having us shift our focus to something completely in one direction to pull us away from what God has called us originally.
14:52
SPEAKER_00: And so that is what that looks like is really just being aware in one area of like, okay, I have a vision, I have a goal to do this, but just what can I do within this capacity?
15:03
SPEAKER_00: And then the other side is just creating home to be a safe place to feel valued, vulnerable, cherished, and respected.
15:10
SPEAKER_01: I love that.
15:12
SPEAKER_01: That's so good.
15:13
SPEAKER_01: I think the enemy getting our eyes set on specific, other random things, not that we're necessarily called to or that aren't central to our godly calling is so something I see in my own life.
15:26
SPEAKER_01: I often give the example of the long skirt sourdough making wife because that's what I thought I would be.
15:31
SPEAKER_01: You know, I thought I would be pumping out babies every year.
15:34
SPEAKER_01: I thought I'd be making everything from scratch and wearing the long skirt and somehow hosting every church event and having my life together and like always talking in the soft tone and just like, you know, that Pinterest mom.
15:48
SPEAKER_01: And I have spent the last couple years as the Lord has kind of directed my attention here online in this ministry, kind of mourning that loss of I thought I was gonna be a stay-at-home mom, and then the Lord kind of directed my eyes here and and to do this and giving me this platform and things like that.
16:06
SPEAKER_01: And mourning that has been really hard when you add all the comments from other people and the pressures from other people.
16:13
SPEAKER_01: When's your next baby?
16:14
SPEAKER_01: When's da-da-da-da-da-da?
16:15
SPEAKER_01: Um, why are you sending your kids to a private school instead of homeschooling them?
16:19
SPEAKER_01: Why aren't you making homemade sourdough brand?
16:21
SPEAKER_01: You know what I mean?
16:22
SPEAKER_01: Can you share some of your thoughts around the misconceptions around godly womanhood?
16:27
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17:40
SPEAKER_01: Now let's get back to the conversation.
17:41
SPEAKER_01: Can you share some of your thoughts around the misconceptions around godly womanhood?
17:46
SPEAKER_00: Absolutely.
17:46
SPEAKER_00: And Faith, I'm so inspired by your story as well, because what I admire about that is your obedience.
17:55
SPEAKER_00: And that's it.
17:56
SPEAKER_00: There's so many women who have an idea of what their life is gonna look like, and sometimes that is shaped from early childhood.
18:05
SPEAKER_00: And then something happens and it doesn't look like that, or it's been disrupted, and all of a sudden we're like, whoa.
18:13
SPEAKER_00: But where a lot of people struggle is that when that happens, they're they can't it's hard to be obedient and say, Okay, God, you're calling me in this area to use my gifts here.
18:25
SPEAKER_00: I it's I can't do that while being a sourdough.
18:27
SPEAKER_00: I'm just gonna use that example as you know, a sourdough making homemaker.
18:32
SPEAKER_00: Uh no offense if that's who you are.
18:35
SPEAKER_00: It's just God was calling you in a different direction in this season, right?
18:41
SPEAKER_00: And I have a similar story where I felt like I was, I loved my job.
18:47
SPEAKER_00: I worked at a company in um in Dallas that I absolutely loved.
18:51
SPEAKER_00: It was what I would consider my dream job, not as a journalist, but using my gift of communication for a huge Fortune 500 company, right?
18:59
SPEAKER_00: But it wasn't just that, I was able to actually do ministry at work as well, where we launched this Christian organization at church.
19:08
SPEAKER_00: We were having Bible studies at work, and Tony Evans coming to speak, like it was amazing.
19:16
SPEAKER_00: I felt like I had a job at a company that was so open to um us bringing our best and full self to work, which for me that was being a believer, and then also using my gifts.
19:29
SPEAKER_00: But so much so where it pulled me away from what God had called me to do.
19:35
SPEAKER_00: And I vividly remember a conversation with God and just saying, God, I don't think you answered this prayer for me to have this job, for me to pull, for me to be pulled away from you or my family.
19:49
SPEAKER_00: So the obedience is the common thread that we have in that is that you had an expectation of life, I had an expectation of life, and all of a sudden God disrupts that for whatever reason, and we're just called to be obedient.
20:03
SPEAKER_00: And so that would be my response when we see, I see comments like that all the time too, and I'm thinking, like, wow, I'm being I'm just sitting here being obedient because at the end of the day, I want to hear, well done, good and faithful servant.
20:17
SPEAKER_00: Not did you respond back to that comment?
20:20
SPEAKER_00: I would ask that person the same thing.
20:22
SPEAKER_00: Like, while you're over here seeing and encouraging others to do certain things that fit your bubble, just be obedient to what God has called you and let Him do that.
20:33
SPEAKER_00: So thank you for sharing your story because I I I can relate in so many ways.
20:38
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I think we also have like misconceptions of what it looks like to be a godly woman.
20:44
SPEAKER_01: Like every single woman will look the exact same and follow this general pattern of that idyllic whatever.
20:51
SPEAKER_01: And it's like, wait, but some moms are single moms, some moms have children with special needs, some moms have children with special diets, some moms.
21:01
SPEAKER_01: I mean, there's the the the list can go on.
21:04
SPEAKER_01: Some moms themselves have special needs or diets or whatever.
21:08
SPEAKER_01: And then we ask God, well, why can't my motherhood look like the next mother?
21:11
SPEAKER_01: And it's like, because you're not the same mother.
21:14
SPEAKER_01: Like I look at you and I admire you so much, and you're beautiful, and you're so smart and like well like articulate.
21:22
SPEAKER_01: And I just look at you and like, well, God, why can't I be just like Jennifer?
21:25
SPEAKER_01: It's like, but Jennifer is a different woman, called to different mission and with different purpose.
21:30
SPEAKER_01: And I can admire you and encourage you, but not it's not like a comparison, you know.
21:35
SPEAKER_01: Um, but we it's almost like we do that with other women.
21:38
SPEAKER_01: It's like, oh, all of us have to be the same, but we don't ask our husbands to all be the same.
21:41
SPEAKER_00: That now that is a word.
21:43
SPEAKER_00: That is a word.
21:45
SPEAKER_00: You know, let's let's talk about these misconceptions, right?
21:48
SPEAKER_00: So, like the first one, uh, I would say a misconception is that I've heard, or you know, we've been taught is to be involved with your kids or with what your kids are learning, right?
21:58
SPEAKER_00: That's one, and it's That's just a fact that I think women hear is be involved with what your kids are learning.
22:05
SPEAKER_00: But I think why that's a misconception is because that doesn't mean you have to be their only teacher.
22:10
SPEAKER_00: You can be involved with what your kids are learning, and your kids can learn from either a formal or non-formal environment and be taught by different educators where you are not the only person they're getting their knowledge and information from.
22:24
SPEAKER_00: So that's one.
22:25
SPEAKER_00: Another one is be there for your husband.
22:28
SPEAKER_00: Like, yes, I do believe that women should be there for their husband, but remember, submission is an honor, not weakness or a fear.
22:38
SPEAKER_00: So as you're being there for your husband does not mean that you are neglecting what God has called you to do, or you see yourself in this role that is weaker or less than, right?
22:51
SPEAKER_00: Another misconception or a fact that I hear is that never prioritize your work over your children, right?
22:58
SPEAKER_00: And I think that is very true.
23:00
SPEAKER_00: But children don't come before God.
23:04
SPEAKER_00: Children really shouldn't come before your husband.
23:10
SPEAKER_00: We serve a God of order, right?
23:12
SPEAKER_00: And as I mentioned to you, I was at a job that I prayed for.
23:17
SPEAKER_00: I feel like God answered my prayer by opening that door for me to have that opportunity.
23:22
SPEAKER_00: But I wasn't able to prioritize God or my husband or my kids.
23:30
SPEAKER_00: And so for me, it was it was my job, but for some people, they are obsessed with their kids.
23:37
SPEAKER_00: I'm just gonna go ahead and say it.
23:38
SPEAKER_00: They have taken this verse of like prioritizing your children, which yes, we are called to do, but not to obsess over.
23:48
SPEAKER_00: Because you know what happens, Faith?
23:50
SPEAKER_00: Even our children can become idols, or the perception of our family is an idol.
23:55
SPEAKER_00: So we're now we're prioritizing them so much that they've come before God and they've come before our spouse.
24:02
SPEAKER_00: And so the last one is just like the keep your heart with your family, keep your heart with your family, right?
24:07
SPEAKER_00: I hear that all the time.
24:08
SPEAKER_00: Guard your heart.
24:09
SPEAKER_00: Yes, guard your heart, but choose God first, and everything else will be in order.
24:16
SPEAKER_00: So those are just a few misconceptions that I hear that I'm like, okay, let's like you talk about context, there's context to that, right?
24:25
SPEAKER_00: Like there's context to that.
24:26
SPEAKER_00: Don't just go preaching this because we can take a lot of things just out of order.
24:32
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, totally.
24:34
SPEAKER_01: I um I can't agree more that if if we take these good things that the Lord has given us and run with it too far, they become idols, and then we force them on other people oftentimes in Christian culture.
24:46
SPEAKER_01: Everybody has to be married, you know, or everybody has to have, you know, a certain number of kids, or at least this many, you know, it's like sometimes the Lord just has completely different callings or pictures, and if we're not following the Lord, we're gonna follow just this passion of whatever.
25:03
SPEAKER_01: Um, so yeah, I I've shared a little bit on my channel about how I had birth issues and birthing problems, and that was like really hard for me to accept and to still mourn to this day.
25:15
SPEAKER_01: Um, and it was so eye-opening when a friend told me, Faith, but that's an idol to want to be able to birth a certain way in a certain pattern, you know, have this many kids, like all of that is an idol.
25:28
SPEAKER_01: That's something you planned since you were a kid, but it's not God's plan for you, clearly.
25:32
SPEAKER_01: And um, I still am not over that because, you know, we we idolize that woman, or at least I did for sure.
25:40
SPEAKER_01: Um, and I thought that was God's plan for my life.
25:43
SPEAKER_00: I would add to that, you know, I love that you said the idol part, but then you also connected it to just even motherhood and just wanting to have a child, right?
25:55
SPEAKER_00: I would follow up.
25:56
SPEAKER_00: How did your birth plan go?
25:58
SPEAKER_00: Like, did it go exactly how you wanted it to?
26:02
SPEAKER_00: How many women have a birth plan?
26:05
SPEAKER_00: I mean, I think I've seen channels that are dedicated to like supporting women create a birth plan.
26:10
SPEAKER_00: And I'm just like, oh my goodness, that woman has no idea that the day that that or the day that God chooses that baby to come, it is not going to look like that birth plan.
26:22
SPEAKER_00: And it may, okay, that's fine.
26:24
SPEAKER_00: But I think even in that faith is God teaching us that we are not in control.
26:29
SPEAKER_00: From just the beginning of conception to bringing that baby to life if it's God's will, He constantly reminds us that like this, this can look a certain way, but you are not in control of that.
26:44
SPEAKER_00: So I'm I'm just glad you you shared that because I think a lot of women can be misled and don't realize that we become so obsessed with things.
26:54
SPEAKER_00: I mean, for you it may have been that, it could be something else for someone else, and we don't see, we don't see how it slowly leaks into being an idol.
27:04
SPEAKER_00: Totally.
27:05
SPEAKER_01: I love that.
27:06
SPEAKER_01: Now, another question I wanted to pick your brain about is dreams, and we want to become certain things oftentimes as women.
27:16
SPEAKER_01: We have these callings over our lives, or I feel like God's nudging me to do this, or I feel like God's nudging me to that to do that.
27:23
SPEAKER_01: Um, and how do have you sensed God direct your dreams or your callings, your vision to do this, you know?
27:31
SPEAKER_00: Um well I love that you said vision because I think sometimes, especially if you're married, it's like God gives man the vision and him only, right?
27:41
SPEAKER_00: And we just support it.
27:42
SPEAKER_00: And while I think men are amazing visionaries, I know my husband is, he is a fantastic visionary.
27:49
SPEAKER_00: He comes up with things and it's so for thinking.
27:51
SPEAKER_00: And I'm just like, are you sure?
27:54
SPEAKER_00: And he's like, Yeah, and I'm like, okay, okay, I trust you, you got the vision.
27:58
SPEAKER_00: But there are times that I've had a vision, and my husband has supported that vision that God has really only showed me and not him.
28:07
SPEAKER_00: And so, and that's okay.
28:08
SPEAKER_00: It's not a one or the other because one person got it, the other person.
28:12
SPEAKER_00: No, like, so I love that you acknowledge that women can have dreams.
28:18
SPEAKER_00: Women have a vision, and their vision can come from God, and it and it's just as powerful and strong as if he gave it to a man, right?
28:26
SPEAKER_00: Um, but I think that, you know, when a woman has a dream or they have this ambition for something, first off, it is valid.
28:34
SPEAKER_00: Like you've heard about the woman's intuition, right?
28:37
SPEAKER_00: There's nothing more powerful than a woman's intuition, and it's just we get this inkling and it's like something is that is valid.
28:46
SPEAKER_00: That is real.
28:46
SPEAKER_00: I think women, that is one of the beauties of how God created us, is our connectivity to just emotion that can really just manifest itself in amazing ways.
28:58
SPEAKER_00: But like when God gives us dreams or we have these desires and we want to become women in the word, I would start first is going to the word, is grow in the word, right?
29:11
SPEAKER_00: Because the Bible has so many examples of people and not just women, women and men from the Old Testament to the New Testament who you can find yourself through their story, or at least what God is teaching you through their experience.
29:27
SPEAKER_00: I mean, the people in the Old Testament were a hot mess.
29:30
SPEAKER_00: I every time I read the Old Testament, I'm like, wow, we have an amazing God.
29:34
SPEAKER_00: He was so forgiving, so forgiving.
29:38
SPEAKER_00: And then we go to the New Testament and we're still a hot mess.
29:41
SPEAKER_00: You know, I mean, it's just so much.
29:43
SPEAKER_00: So regardless of what season you're in, I think if your first step is really just to grow in the word and and dig deep.
29:49
SPEAKER_00: Try to find application through God's story in the Bible.
29:54
SPEAKER_00: Um, and then next, and this would this is gonna be specifically for women because I do think that there has been like a misleading about this confidence thing is oh, just have confidence, right?
30:07
SPEAKER_00: Or have self-confidence.
30:09
SPEAKER_00: And I would say uh grow in God confidence, not self-confidence, because self-confidence is misleading.
30:18
SPEAKER_00: A lot of people aren't talking about this, but I remember so many people cheering me out.
30:22
SPEAKER_00: Oh, Jennifer, you just have to have self-confidence.
30:25
SPEAKER_00: And I know where they're coming from and I know what it means.
30:28
SPEAKER_00: But when I dug in the word, I was like, wait a minute, Luke 9, 23, we are told to deny ourselves.
30:34
SPEAKER_00: He said, Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily, daily and follow me.
30:43
SPEAKER_00: So self-confidence is centered around self, where we're called to really deny ourselves and not rely on self.
30:50
SPEAKER_00: We need to rely on Jesus.
30:52
SPEAKER_00: Self-confidence also doesn't last.
30:55
SPEAKER_00: I appreciate the compliments, but faith, I have not always felt this confidence externally, even in my beauty.
31:01
SPEAKER_00: I mean, sometimes my face is broken out because I have pimples all over my face.
31:06
SPEAKER_00: You know, I may not feel as confident there or different seasons of motherhood.
31:10
SPEAKER_00: I didn't feel maybe as healthy.
31:12
SPEAKER_00: And so self-confidence is often based sometimes on what we do, but or how other people see us or how we appear.
31:20
SPEAKER_00: It's kind of everything external, but that doesn't last because that's rooted in comparison and achievements and popularity with others and so forth.
31:29
SPEAKER_00: And then another misleading I think about just saying, oh, you gotta have self-confidence is that it's it's it's based on external factors rather than internal worth.
31:39
SPEAKER_00: And we are all worthy to do whatever that dream or desire is that God has given us.
31:46
SPEAKER_00: Um, but it could be faked, right?
31:49
SPEAKER_00: I could be like, oh, I am just the best homemaker.
31:52
SPEAKER_00: There's even some channels I follow where um, you know, they're they're homemakers and like I'm there for the content, but I can't help to see how clean their countertop is.
32:02
SPEAKER_00: And I'm like, how does your house stay this clean all the time?
32:08
SPEAKER_00: You know, it's rooted in comparison.
32:10
SPEAKER_00: I mean, they could have cleaned that countertop right before they turned the camera on, but I'm like, man, my countertop has dishes on it, maybe socks, leftover milk from this morning.
32:21
SPEAKER_00: I mean, it can be, it can be faked and it can be based on external factors that just really are not real.
32:28
SPEAKER_00: So the final thing I'll say about this notion of just, oh, if you have a dream or desire, just have a lot of self-confidence is that I think is directly opposed to the gospel because we fall short.
32:41
SPEAKER_00: That's the truth, is that we fall short every day.
32:45
SPEAKER_00: So if we set our sights on self-confidence, we either become content that we are enough, we don't need God, or when we are successful, it's because we did it, not because we were empowered by Jesus and God.
33:00
SPEAKER_00: But it kind of shows this we've got it all together, right?
33:04
SPEAKER_00: And and and and once again, as a believer, we fall short.
33:09
SPEAKER_00: That is why we need Christ.
33:11
SPEAKER_00: And so for that dream, for that ambition that you have, like grow in your word, grow in God confidence.
33:19
SPEAKER_00: It's okay if you don't feel confident because you're not really supposed to rely on your self-confidence, but just stay connected to that.
33:28
SPEAKER_00: And I think that that is how women who have dreams and desires, or anyone in general, can really become in the Lord.
33:35
SPEAKER_01: I love that.
33:37
SPEAKER_01: It's so easy to wrap our self-worth and our calling and our dreams and visions and all the things in ourself and what we're doing and what we checked off our to-do list, or how our house looks, or how our family looks or how we look.
33:52
SPEAKER_01: And it's like so not about any of that.
33:54
SPEAKER_01: Oh, you just communicate it so well.
33:56
SPEAKER_01: Now I do have to ask you, I ask everybody this what are your favorite Bible commentaries, Bible study resources, any good book recommendations?
34:04
SPEAKER_01: I know your husband like kind of sort of wrote an okay-ish book.
34:10
SPEAKER_00: An okay-ish matter of fact, I would say your review of that book is one of the best reviews.
34:17
SPEAKER_00: I remember watching it and I was like, they've hit this on the nail.
34:21
SPEAKER_00: Like, if I were to make a video about your book, it would be exactly these points.
34:25
SPEAKER_00: So thank you for your support about that.
34:28
SPEAKER_00: You know, I would say I know that there is a lot of commentary out there that range from like practical to technical, super technical.
34:37
SPEAKER_00: I lean more so towards practical commentaries.
34:41
SPEAKER_00: It's just, it's just where I find myself, you know, being able to digest.
34:47
SPEAKER_00: And so I would say on the practical side, I absolutely love Tony Evans' commentary.
34:52
SPEAKER_00: Uh when I'm ever preparing for for Bible studies or just preparing to get that practical side, I love his commentary.
34:59
SPEAKER_00: And and mainly because I struggled sometimes with finding the application and practicality in some of the scriptures or the stories in the Bible.
35:09
SPEAKER_00: And so it just helps me bridge that gap.
35:12
SPEAKER_00: Um, so for sure I would say Tony Evans.
35:15
SPEAKER_00: Um, also, yes, my husband's book is amazing, but more so for the fact that it really talks about how as believers we really can be misled from just the truth.
35:28
SPEAKER_00: And if I find myself sometimes um taking a verse or scripture and wanting to put my own spin on it or just like what I think it may mean, I have to be careful not to mislead people by one verse.
35:43
SPEAKER_00: And so I do love my husband's book because it is a resource.
35:47
SPEAKER_00: Um, and then also I think those are probably the two.
35:50
SPEAKER_00: Those are the two that I kind of go back and forth with.
35:52
SPEAKER_00: Um, but it's mainly just because I I I soak up, I soak up like application and practical explanations.
36:01
SPEAKER_00: Like that's that's the bomb to my soul.
36:04
SPEAKER_00: But I just thought about something, Faith.
36:07
SPEAKER_00: And this is just kind of a full circle moment to where picture 10 years, maybe 15 years from now, and your kids are needing content on how to grow in the word, and they have a plethora, a library of resources that they can pull up from their mama.
36:32
SPEAKER_00: I mean, I'm not saying that you wouldn't have been able to make this if you were a sourdough homemaker, but look at how you are still serving your family and could still be serving your family for generations just by being obedient to what God has called you to do.
36:49
SPEAKER_00: So I just thought about that because I'm like, you have created resources not only for people, but I pray that your children look back at this in the future and say, first off, mommy was a rock star, but then also this is some good Bible content.
37:06
SPEAKER_01: No, thank you.
37:07
SPEAKER_01: That I've actually not thought about that.
37:10
SPEAKER_01: Um, which now I feel so silly, but thank you for saying that.
37:15
SPEAKER_01: That's very encouraging.
37:16
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I think it's just easy for us to diminish what we do as moms and to constantly feel like we're not enough, you know?
37:22
SPEAKER_01: And then we just look to other moms and we and I just find myself in that game all the time.
37:26
SPEAKER_01: And I let other people speak into that game.
37:28
SPEAKER_01: Oh, faith, you're not doing enough this, you're not doing enough that.
37:30
SPEAKER_01: And um, it's it's not relying and keeping my eyes set on the cross.
37:35
SPEAKER_01: So thank you for doing that continually in this conversation.
37:38
SPEAKER_01: Um, it's so important.
37:39
SPEAKER_01: And we gotta have more conversations like this Christian moms coming and like reminding each other to set our eyes on the cross, you know.
37:45
SPEAKER_00: Yes, I love it.
37:46
SPEAKER_00: Thank you for providing a platform for this conversation and this type of dialogue to happen.
37:52
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, thank you so much for being here.
37:54
SPEAKER_01: I know we definitely profited from hearing your wisdom and just oh, you're so oh, you're you're so smart and like well articulated.
38:03
SPEAKER_01: Like you put words to things that I just can feel.
38:07
SPEAKER_01: And um, I just know that this conversation was such a blessing to so many women listening in.
38:11
SPEAKER_01: So thank you.
38:11
SPEAKER_00: Thank you, Faith, for having me.
38:13
SPEAKER_00: And thank you.
38:14
SPEAKER_00: I love being exposed to new audiences.
38:16
SPEAKER_00: So, Bible nerds, it was so good to be here in this space with you.
38:21
SPEAKER_01: Now, where can people follow you, find you, learn more from you?
38:25
SPEAKER_00: Yes, well, I always point people back to our YouTube channel because um that is just where the best resources are, one of the best resources are.
38:34
SPEAKER_00: And so that is The Beat by Alan Parr.
38:37
SPEAKER_00: Um, regardless of who you see in front of the camera, know that it is the product of a team, a very, very gifted team, um, including myself, that just really helps bring that to life.
38:50
SPEAKER_00: And so we're grateful.
38:51
SPEAKER_00: We are so grateful for them in that ministry.
38:55
SPEAKER_00: Um, and then honestly, I I support that.
38:58
SPEAKER_00: And so that is our ministry.
39:00
SPEAKER_00: We also have Let's Equip, which is where we equip believers through community, and that's where I lead a Bible study every month.
39:08
SPEAKER_00: But then we also have courses and we have content from free content to if you're wanting to go deep.
39:13
SPEAKER_00: And so that is letsaquip.com.
39:15
SPEAKER_00: And then, or you can just find me on social media.
39:18
SPEAKER_00: Sometimes I'm there, but based on the season and my capacity, I may not be as active, but I am there.
39:24
SPEAKER_00: So those are ways that you can connect with us.
39:27
SPEAKER_00: I love it.
39:28
SPEAKER_01: Thank you again so much for being here, Jennifer.
39:30
SPEAKER_01: Thank you, Faye.
39:31
SPEAKER_01: This was fun.
39:32
SPEAKER_01: Thanks for having me.