Fasting 101 What is tt, and why it matters. Ep 4

Welcome to a sanctuary where judgment and gossip are left at the door, and authentic conversations thrive. Come and share your voice at our table

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:00

Welcome, welcome, welcome. I love sometimes I wish we can have behind the scenes because we just finished having a conversation. I said, you know what? We're gonna go ahead and we're gonna share it with you. Welcome to the Kingdom Table Podcast. My name is Roxy. I'm May, and we are just delighted to have you back again. This is I'm excited. I'm excited. So you know what? Enough with the chit chat. We are talking about fasting. Fasting and praying. And a conversation came up. When I fast, how do you know you hear from God? When I fast, how do I know God is listening? Um, I'm throwing in some of my questions too. Um how do I fast? How do I know I can really sit down and commune with God? How do I know I'm gonna get be intentional? What do I have to put away? You know, you want to fast, but are you fasting for yourself? Are you fasting for your flesh? What are you fasting for to just get through the day because everyone is doing it, or your church decides they want to do it for two, three, or seven days, or do you want to do it for 40 days? What is fasting? What does it mean? And I can't speak on that, but I have someone who can. So I stay in my lane. That's one thing. We always said from the beginning, we're gonna be authentic. And when it's your lane, it's your lane. So, Medine, this is your lane. What does it mean to fast?

SPEAKER_03 1:26

Well, disclaimer, I'm no expert. However, I have fasted a lot in the last year. Um, and so, you know, I know what it feels like, I know um what I have accomplished and what God has revealed to me during that time. So um just to um give a little background story. So June of last year, I went on a 40-day fast. And I know that sounds extreme to a lot of people, but I truly feel like I was led to do that. It's really important when you're doing any any kind of fast or anything like that, that you're truly led to do it. That you don't just get up and say, Oh, I'm gonna fast to the you know, dry fast for three days. You might pass out, you might die. Okay. So you want to make sure that you are led to do it and that you do it in a responsible way, right? So, what I did, I did a liquids-only fast and I did it 12 hours a day for 40 days. I did 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Okay, and that's just what um I chose to do at that time, and I truly feel like I was led to do that. And so within that time, I was very intentional about spending time and communing with God. Fasting is not about just being hungry, it's not a diet, okay? And so if you're just withholding food from yourself, you're just on a hunger strike. You may lose a couple pounds, you know, a couple inches from the getting back very quickly. Very quickly, as soon as you start eating again. But really and truly, um, it is one of the things that biblically we were taught in the Bible that there are certain things. Jesus himself said it um when a man tried to have him heal his son and that he went to the disciples, and the disciples could not do it. And the father was so distraught. And when Jesus was able to heal and cast out the demon, he asked him, he said, How come your disciples were not able to achieve this? And Jesus literally said, There are certain things that can only be done through fasting and prayer. And so I think it's really important that we look at the examples that has been set for us biblically. And if you look at um other people in the Bible, when they had like a heavy assignment, like Esther, for instance, when she had to go before the king, one of the things that she did, she fasted and she asked her community to fast with her for three days as well, right? So she didn't just fast on her own, she made sure that her community was fasting and all petitioning God on her behalf as well, because there's power and unity, right? Amen. He is in the midst. And so for me, when I did the fast, I truly did not have anything specific that I was petitioning God for, but I was one, wanting to die to my flesh, right? I was bringing my flesh under subjection. I was truly in a process of surrender. And so when I began the fast, I was telling my flesh that you will not rule me, right? And food is one of the things that many of us cannot say no to, right?

SPEAKER_02 4:10

We it's it's really good. I'm just raising my hand here. I'm just I'm just raising. It's one of our Achilles tunnels.

SPEAKER_03 4:17

Like we, we, we, everything that we do surrounds food. We have an event, there's food involved. We got a meeting, there's food. Everything we do, it's around food. We wake up in the morning, it's like, what's for breakfast? What's for lunch? And so that's one of the things that I knew I needed to do was just like um put my flesh under subjection and and and not just give it everything that it wanted, right? But the other thing is I really wanted to hear from God. And so I became um very still in that season and in those 40 days. I stopped going out and about. I was attending lots of like networking events and I had a very busy schedule as an entrepreneur, running multiple businesses and things like that. But I also fasted from those things as well. I fasted from social media. I was gonna ask you what else you give up. Yeah, I I gave up hustling and busyness and just like you know, all the things. Because what what we have to understand is that when God speaks, he speaks in a still small voice.

SPEAKER_02 5:12

Oh, you know, that's just not gonna shout. God's voice is still. You cannot hear him in noise. You cannot.

SPEAKER_03 5:20

He's not gonna shout over your obligations, over the things that you have on your to-do list, over your checklist, over your job schedule, your family life. He's not going to shout. So we have to be intentional about sacrificing time for him, right? And you know, back in the day, in the in the biblical days, we sacrificed, you know, um animals, yeah, right? Now we don't have to do that. You don't have to do it. But you do need to sacrifice your time. Yes. Because without that sacrifice, how can you pause to hear from him? And a lot of people are gonna say, Well, I have a busy schedule and I have this and I have that.

SPEAKER_02 5:54

Okay, well that's the way the question is is it more is it more valuable than talking to him?

SPEAKER_03 6:01

Exactly.

SPEAKER_02 6:01

Because when something's wrong, that's the first thing we do is pray. If you want to know if an atheist is an atheist, let something happen to their wife or their child. Oh my god. No, no, no, no, no. Don't call him. Absolutely. No, no, call him, call him, call him, call on him, call on him, okay?

SPEAKER_03 6:17

Because he hears and he answers. Of course he hears.

SPEAKER_02 6:20

No, I'm saying with that, you hear every negative. Yeah. I don't want to hear God, I don't want to hear this, I don't want to hear that. And I've witnessed it. I've witnessed someone, and the minute that their child got sick, they called me and they're like, Roxy, can you pray? I was like, No, why don't we pray? Why don't we pray? Not I pray. It's your child, why don't we pray?

SPEAKER_03 6:40

But please go ahead. So, yeah, so during that time I put all those things away, and I really be I was studying my Bible. I just was not praying and fasting, I was really studying my Bible and like going, you know, I didn't go like front to back or anything, but as the Spirit led me, I would like go into different chapters. I studied Exodus, I studied Ezekiel, like Psalms, like a lot of the different um, different books of the Bible, and I would get a different revelation each time, right? And so I began to notice that like I was I was becoming more in tune to what God was saying. Normally, before when I would read my Bible, I didn't really understand it, to be quite honest with you. It was just like, okay, I get it, but I don't really get it, get it. But when I would sit there and like read and like meditate on the word, it would make sense. And I would and I would even start seeing myself in some of the situations and some of the actual um the actual uh st uh books of the Bible. I remember when I um studied the story of Gideon, right? Gideon was a man who was very oppressed in his day. He uh he came from a very poor family. Uh they were being oppressed by another um by uh by this the enemies which are the the Amalekites. And when the angel of the Lord appeared to him, he was literally uh threshing uh wheat in a wine press because the Amalekites would steal the their food all the time. And so when the angel came to him, he said he called him a mighty man of valor. And Gideon goes, Me, a mighty man of valor? What are you talking about? I'm literally poor, broke, I I have nothing like I'm the least of my family. Who are you even talking to, right? But you know, God speaks to what he's made us to be, not how we see ourselves, right? And so that story of Gideon and how he was able to not only defeat the Amalekites, but you know, set his people free and all these things, um, really spoke to me, right? Because sometimes I feel like we don't feel like God can use us in, you know, based on our past, based on our current circumstances. And so that's just one example of, you know, uh um what I read it and it resonated with me. And I began to see myself in that, right? And I think that's why God placed the word here is for us to have the examples and for him us to understand that the God of Gideon is the same God today, the God of Abraham is the same God today, and uh, and we can go on and on and on, right? So getting back to the fast, so that's one of the things that that did for me was it made me have a better understanding and a better relationship with God. Like when I study the book of Matthew during my fast, I began to learn God's character. Many of us say we know God, but we don't know his character. When you know God's character, you begin to realize the things that hurt him, the things that pain him. And you're like, yeah, I don't want to do that. I don't want to do that to him. He's a jealous God. He's a jealous God, right? But he's also a God of love, right? And he's also a God of compassion, right? And he it it it genuinely hurts him when we don't listen, when we don't follow his commands, when we hate on each other, when we hurt each other. And so that book was is really transformative. And I think that when you're if you're ever just starting out like reading the Bible or you're doing you're doing a prayer and a fasting, start in Matthew, you know, because you'll really understand the character of who God is. And when you hear the parables that Jesus presents, like it, it'll it'll hit you, I promise. And so at the end of the 40 days, it really transformed my life as a believer, as a person. I feel like I started to, you know how they say um there's fruits of the spirit, right? Joy, peace, gentleness, love, kindness, all the things, right? I really started to see those things manifest in my life, you know. Yes, I became kinder, I became gentler, you know, I I I I led with love more, and I really feel like that fast gave me the relationship with God that I did not have before. Like I said, I wasn't fasting for anything specific. It was not about financial breakthrough or God, I'm trying to get a house or anything like that. It was really for me to commune with him, understand who he is, and really um begin my process of true surrender, right? And I think at the end of it, I that's exactly what I got. What I went into it for is what I came out with. You know, a better understanding, a closer relationship. And it has helped me so much on this journey, you know. And so when people think about fasting, there's lots of ways you can fast, right? You can fast from a particular thing, you can fast and withhold food, you can say, okay, I'm only gonna do a water fast. You can do, you know, people call it the Daniel's fast, but it really was not a fast. It's a diet. Daniel ate like that, it was a lifestyle for him where he didn't eat the meat and things like that. So there's different ways that you can do it, and that's why I think everything has to be spirit-led. Like, you know, do what that what works for you. A 40-day fast may not be for you, you right? Especially if you're just starting out. Maybe start out with a day, you know, fast for three hours and then six hours and then 12 hours, you know. I've done a three-day dry fast, very tough, very taxing on the body. And if you're not um able to do that, don't feel bad because it is extremely hard to do, which is why it has to be spirit-led. We just came off of a 24-hour fast where we did um just water only for 24 hours and we prayed every three hours. And I did it as a group with a few of the ladies from the prayer call, and it was really transformative. Some of them it was their first time, you know, fasting, and um, it was transformative for them and transformative for me. And I think each time you do a fast, the outcome is different depending on your circumstance, right? Like if you're fasting because you're trying to get healing from God or you're trying to, you know, um have him break through a situation, right? You your results may be different. And sometimes the answer that you're looking for is not the answer that you receive after the fast. That is absolutely true, right? It may not be what you want, it may not be. God may be saying to you, this situation, I'm trying to change you and not change the situation, right? So the situation may be the same, but you may come out completely different.

SPEAKER_02 13:10

Because before the fast, you're trying to fix it. We're praying, but we're praying, praying, and asking God for help.

SPEAKER_03 13:18

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 13:18

And then you trying to fix it is not having faith in him. Yeah. You gotta have faith in him. So if you're praying to him and you're asking him, God, you know what, I'm gonna leave this at your doorstep, but yet you open the door and you got the broom and the shovel and you're trying to fix it, it's not gonna work. That shows lack and faith in God. Yes, and not only does it show lack and faith in God, who told you he needs your help?

SPEAKER_03 13:42

Oh my god, that's my favorite thing to ask.

SPEAKER_02 13:44

Yeah, who told you who God needs your help?

SPEAKER_03 13:47

I'm shaking my hand from New York.

SPEAKER_02 13:49

Who told you God needs your help?

SPEAKER_03 13:51

Yeah, yeah. But you know what it comes to? It's the C word. Yeah control. Control. We love to be in control. Oh God. Oh my god, just not even, of course, women, but everybody's human beings in general. We love to be in control. And you know, God gives us the He lets us He lets us be delusional and think that we're in control, right? And truly we're not. We don't control anything. I don't control my next breath that I take. I don't control if I can stand up and my legs are gonna work, right? He truly controls it all. But I think many of us, because we have, you know, all the smarts and all the resources, and God allows us to have, you know, these financial blessings and things like that, you delude yourself in thinking that you're the one that's doing it. And really, it's like, no, you know, and I think that's a part of um what fasting also does is it forces you to relinquish your control over to him. And God is trying to create a dependence in us, right, as his children, right? If you think about it, when we were young, we did not think about how we're gonna eat, where we were gonna get our shoes from, how our hair was gonna get. We didn't think about anything, right?

SPEAKER_02 15:03

We just knew it was.

SPEAKER_03 15:04

We just exactly, it never even crossed our mind. I never thought about it.

SPEAKER_02 15:09

It's not a thought. It's not a thought, it's not a thought we think of it.

SPEAKER_03 15:11

It's not a thought, yeah. And that's what he wants from us. The Bible says if he dresses the lilies, right? If he feeds the sparrows and all the things, how much more does he love us? How much more will he clothe, for us, yes? Correct, and that's the thing. And you know, recently on one of our prayer calls, we were talking about um uh daily bread. I for some reason, I don't know. Last week, um the Our Father prayer was like resting on me, right? And I've been saying it more, you know, our father who art in heaven, all of that. And the part that was resting on me was about daily bread. And so I began to look in the Bible to see like what is God talking about? What does he mean by his daily bread? Right, and so I began to study um the in Exodus about when the Israelites had got let out of Egypt and God was sending manna down from heaven, right? And he God gave Moses very specific instructions and he told them the manna is only for the day. Do not hoard it, right? Because it's it's it's it's only for the day, right? He told them, he said, the only day you can have two days worth is the day before Sabbath, because he did not want them to have to go out and get the manna and the um, I forget the other, the other meat that he's sending on the on the um, you know, on the on the Sabbath. And so they didn't listen, because you know, we don't listen. And so they would go out and they try to hoard it. And guess what would happen? Rot. It would rot. It would literally rot. And as I was studying, I said, Oh, that's what you mean, God. And then he also reminded me that his word says, do not worry about tomorrow, because today has enough problems of its own. And so when he says that he'll provide you your daily bread, he literally means it day to day, he will send you what you need, right? You don't have to worry about next week and next month, but we're trained to do that. We're trained to make short-term goals, midterm goals, long-term goals, calendar full. Oh my god, vision board full. We're trained to like want to know what's gonna happen five years from now, which is why we have such high prevalence of anxiety, because you're living in the future, you're living in what hasn't even happened yet, you're concerned about something that hasn't even happened yet, and God is saying, I will send you your daily bread, I will provide what you need for today, and then tomorrow I'm gonna do the same thing. That was a powerful thing. Uh, and I just thought I'd share that because it really um it really spoke to me. It really spoke to me. And I think in this season, God is speaking to us more and more, right? We're just not listening as often as we should, and in the way that we should. So, really spending that time praying and fasting and reading the word and communing with him is how you're really going to hear from God, just like you. This podcast, he spoke to you, he told you to start this podcast. That wasn't of your own, you know, fruition.

SPEAKER_02 18:10

Shot at three something in the morning when I want some sleep. And and how I know it was from God, I went back to sleep. And I told Madey, because I called, I think, five in the morning, and then I realized it was five, I just hung up. But I woke up and there's nothing but sheets of paper all over my bed. And I started putting them together, and it's it was there, the Kingdom Table podcast, care um, care, love, and provision. And I just started thinking about okay, care, love, and provision. That was like, ooh. But he, like you say, he downloads. Yes. And when he downloads, it happens. But while you were talking, just imagine God sending down food for you to eat every day. Just imagine I'm I'm sitting here, I'm like, what would that taste like? You know, because we talked about food. No, but imagine God is sending down food for the food. Yeah, we're always thinking about food, but just imagine that that came to me. Yeah, God's giving us everything, and they needed to eat, and he sent down food, heavenly food. Yeah, just imagine how that would taste.

SPEAKER_03 19:17

All they had to do was go out and get it.

SPEAKER_02 19:20

And just yeah. Oh my, how how mighty and powerful is that? And yet, we don't want to take a moment to sit down in quietness to hear his voice. That would be very authentic. I have never fasted. Do you think you'll ever maybe try? Definitely. I definitely I have thought about it, but I have I've done the seven. No, I've done this no, no, no, I've done the 11 to 6 o'clock.

SPEAKER_03 19:50

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 19:50

Um, where I have denied myself food. Okay. Not fasting, because we're not praying, I'm not reading the Bible, but I've denied myself certain things. Um, and I've done it, I did it for months. From 11 a.m. till six p.m. Only thing I would have is water or tea, no sugar or milk. And I've done that. No praying. Um we're authentic here, yeah. Telling the truth. No praying, not on my knees, not asking for anything. I just denied myself. And I just did that. Right. And um, but sitting here talking and sitting here with other conversations behind the scenes at Aurora Studios, there we go with another plug, Roxy. Um, and that's how our conversations came up. That's how this conversation came up today, because that's what we're talking about. And I'm thinking about I'm like in the still of the night is when I hear things. But just imagine how my life would be if I decided, you know what, Roxy, shut it down. Because if I'm gonna do something, it's gonna be done. And it's gonna be done. I think if you do it, and I reverence God, I I reverence him. Um I I am in awe of him and I am terrified of him because of what I know he can be. As you should be, as we should be, because I wake up when I stand, when I open my eyes, it's because of him. Yeah, when I lean up out of bed and sit on the side of the bed, it's because of him. That's right. When I wake up, it's behind because of him. So I am in awe and in terrified of him because he gives me breath and he gives life. Yes, and he also takes. Yes. Um, but just imagine if I took the time in my personal life. Not about you guys. It's just not about you, it's all about me. It's a personal life, it's all about Roxy. Um imagine if I just took it a day, then the next day, and then the next day. Imagine how fulfilled and answers that I probably don't even think to ask would happen. Just imagine that. So even through this podcast, I learn and I get things from it. You know, but I just want to share, even though we're talking about it, I've never fasted. I pray, you know, because let something happen. Oh I don't even need I don't even need a pillow boom straight to the concrete floor thing or if in the bed I just stretch out you know but I would like it to be for not needing anything yeah I would like it to that I can just surrender it's surrendering yeah it's surrendering and it's lifting your that's the surrender you know me have you met me yeah but you know what it is too it's surrendering everything everything yeah your goals your plans your aspirations that's what's hard about surrender you know because you have to relinquish control you gotta give it up yeah you gotta give it up yeah and yeah and but sometimes we need to because the demons the the situations the things happening our life sometimes it is a message for us to listen yeah but because like you said so much is going on the phone is ringing the computer is on the laptop is on doors are closing the horn is beeping you're rushing somewhere social media you're on the phone babies are crying people are talking we can't hear yeah we can't hear and it's funny because everything that's happened in my life happens in the wee twilights of the morning when I want to be sleeping no I I really want to be sleeping but that's where it seems to happen so just imagine if or when no just imagine when I decide to do this yeah what is gonna happen absolutely it's transformative for sure honestly like I I can't say that I've ever done anything that was that impactful and that transformative in my life people started to notice it you know people started to notice that like oh she's for real like you know this is because you know there's a there's a point where naysayers well no no but it was it was it was a good I'm glad they noticed because then that tells me that the fruit is speaking right but it's a point where as believers right you you know God you love God but do you actually obey God right and I think that's the difference when you truly surrender is that obedience piece right and so a lot of us I'm just gonna say it people might be offended but that's okay a lot of us are living in a lukewarm way right we're going to church we're doing all the things but really and truly our lives don't reflect the way that it should and and it's not about perfection and it's not about performance either so people think that just because they may not indulge in certain types of sin or whatever like that means they're pleasing God they're not you know and they call them church we call them pew warmers and the church as well.

SPEAKER_03 24:42

Absolutely and it's you know the Bible tells us clearly that many will say have I not prophesied in your name have I not done this in your name and he will literally say depart from me I know you're not so it's really about a heart posture. Remember there's grace that God that God gives us to cover the things that we mess up on and the things that we fail on. But it's really about our heart right and what are we what how are we really um living a life that is pleasing to him if we can't surrender our lives to him if we can't say God take the wheel and really mean it and allow him to do the work that he needs to do through us for us to be able to live in our purpose and for us to be able to live in the assignments that he has called us to do. Right. And that was one of the things for me is that I had to put away the things like my vision board plans like I had just started heavy and um doing commercial real estate at the time and God was like that's not where I need you in this season. I need you to open up a provision center and feed the homeless and provide food and clothing and uh showers and all these things and I'm going huh what okay too yeah I was like what okay this this I was I was I had already calculated the money I was gonna make and like all the things you know and God was like no this is not what I need you to do right now this is I'm calling you to this particular thing and so I've had to put my money where my mouth is I've had to literally walk out like what a living a surrendered life looks like and and what true obedience looks like and you know there's a saying that says obedience is better than sacrifice and it's true. And we have to remember that delayed obedience is still disobedience. But partial obedience is still disobedience right and so that's one of the things that we have to know and understand like it's not gonna feel good. Like let me let me not you know paint this picture of like oh yeah this is this is great. No it does not feel good right but I do understand that his ways and his thoughts are better and higher than mine right he designed me he created me he knows what he put inside there right and I knew that I had heard him clearly when exactly what I what he told me to do once I was obedient he backed me up on it. He wrote that I did everything that I needed for the vision and the and the call that he placed on my life and on the other side the commercial real estate stuff even though I was trying to hold on to it he just started closing the doors he just started like you know I was working on this like a really big deal at the time and it just would not work out and boy it was going to be a nice commission check but it just would not work out every avenue that I tried to do it just would not work out and that's when I was like you know what God you got it you got it and I fired the client walked away and did what I needed to do because that's what I was supposed to do in the first place right and so I think a lot of that came after my 40 day fast right a lot of that because honestly prior to then I probably wouldn't have been listening to the instructions that he was giving me I wouldn't have known how to discern his voice versus my voice versus the enemy's voice which is that's a whole nother podcast like trying to discern the different voices but it was after you know that initial main fast that it really sharpened my discernment. It sharpened my my spiritual maturity as well and it sharpened my obedience and my surrender and that's why I'm able to really like walk more boldly in what I'm called to do now versus before I was a hundred percent lukewarm. I used to go to church do all the things but I was not living a surrendered life I would leave church and go do whatever I wanted to do and had a fun time doing it too.

SPEAKER_02 28:41

You said something and when you said something you know how my brain works it just boom it just clicks you said something and we were talking about being lukewarm and we have to realize that surrendering to God and fasting and praying I know it's needed. Don't think I don't know I know it's needed. But we we call we're saved a lot of people like to say we're saved and we do this and we do that. So let's break it down let's get real real sinners give sinners give money to the poor sinners feed the homeless sinners build homes sinners do everything and they have not a God relationship and they're doing more than what you were doing. Mm-hmm 100% they're doing exact they're doing ex exactly what you're doing the only thing is they're not making the church pew warm they're just not coming into the house of God. That's right so just imagine that if we surrendered and we were obedient and we did more than just warm a pew in the house of God just imagine how much more fulfilled yeah because they're doing more they're doing more than what we're doing.

SPEAKER_03 29:50

And a lot of times the quote unquote sinners and I'm using ear quotes here they actually look more Christlike than we do.

SPEAKER_02 29:58

Yes they do as well oh ouch we just hurt somebody but it's okay we just hurt somebody we're being transparent and authentic you know they can we have people with millions and millions of dollars that are building because we deal with the homeless we they're they're doing that they're building the buildings they're putting their money where their mouth is but you can't talk to them about God.

SPEAKER_03 30:17

Yeah but they're doing what they know is right and they're kind and they're kind and they're nonjudgmental right I feel like we've we've actually we have not represented Christ in the way that we should as the body of Christ and as believers and this is not a church thing it's not a it's not a four walls and a steeple thing. It's just people like the body of Christ we that say we're his followers we that say you know that we're quote unquote Christians we really are we are saying it in name but our actions and our heart posture it's not lining up.

SPEAKER_02 30:56

And people profess with our lips but churches church is not the building people people make that assumption we are the church church is not the building and when you start living Christ you don't have I don't want you to walk around with a robe and a bible in your hand and you're beating a drum no you're kind because he sees us it's what you do when nobody's looking and that's what it is.

SPEAKER_03 31:26

Yeah absolutely yeah and and the reason I said it's giving Pharisees is because that's exactly what they did it happened in the law robes. They had all the law robes and all the things and they would give their their 10% and they would do all the performative things right but they wouldn't help heal anybody when Jesus healed a man you know they were like they were more worried when he did it how did it because it was on the Sabbath and how dare he pick up because he just told the man pick up your bed and walk and that's what perturbed them forget that the man hadn't walked in 30 plus years right forget the miracle it's like no you you were violating the rules you are violating the law and that's what it is it's performance it's legalism right and I think we we have sunk more and more into that um as a as the body of Christ and I and I really feel like that's why God has to go outside of the walls right that's why he has to get party girls like me to come and lead protocols because you know and no I'm not we're not even gonna add to that because we'll blow up the feelings of us not talking and one thing we're gonna talk about our stories and our backgrounds and where we came from because the people need to know the people need to know where he picked us up from and how he has transformed us you can't see the work that God has done if you don't know what it used to be the story behind the story.

SPEAKER_02 32:57

Yes but that that's why we're able to do this because we have the story behind the story. We know what it is you see what I'm saying we you know um someone came to me and was like boy Roxy you just changed I said ain't God good ain't he I said ain't God good I said you want her back and they were like no we appreciate this I said raise your hand and let's praise God because without him you couldn't get this that's right you couldn't you couldn't get this um and it and it feels good that calmness my favorite thing is just that peace yep because with peace comes everything you know and and and that's what I love and um but it's opened up my eyes I learned I don't know about maybe this podcast was for me today but um it's um it's opened up my eyes maybe I need to start with my one day or start with my hour but instead of just denying myself seek his word yes and I like that because I'm listening to you start with Matthew start with being kind start with being meekness having meekness you know my grandbaby loves to repeat the Beatitudes I am kind I am first she starts off with I'm beautiful that ain't in there that's not in there but she saw I am beautiful but I am also kind I am meek I am gentle and uh like they say sometimes you have to be childlike. Yes you do because children have that that just that forgiving nature that love that untouched love that is just pure yeah and imagine if we can find that and it's just it's giving yourself is it's being at a posture where you just lay it all down you know you just get on your belly you just lay it all down and you say here God here I am absolutely and imagine if we can all do that. Just imagine if we can do that but for me it'll be one day at a time and I'll come back and I'll let you know I can't one day at a time because I've I've never done it. I just I've been in my season and I'm my story is you wouldn't catch me do that. And used to I'm just gonna share something I used to get in a friend's car and every time I got in her car she'll have a gospel music and I'll go and I'll just change it because I don't want to hear that it's a story behind a story. Engine is sitting here laughing and be like what but that's where I was in my story. You know what I'm saying? And um and sometimes God gotta do something. Yes and let's not let God do what he had to do with me to you to wake me up. Mm-hmm that's all I'm gonna say one day you'll hear it. Yeah but and he'll wake you up that you will pay attention that's the thing he'll do something in your life that will have you go holy hell yeah absolutely and when you realize what has happened then you say okay okay um I hear you don't have to get to that point but to hear yeah that's don't let it get to that point you know prepare yourself that's right that's prepare your heart prepare your life whatever that is for you yes whatever that is for you I already know what that looks like for me but what does it look like for you yeah and um because it is definitely an individual wealth and an individual journey so no two stories are alike we have a personal relationship with our creator right and that's why you have to go based on what works for you based on what you know he is telling you to do because my journey your journey and those that are different like different like our fingerprints he has not made anyone with the same fingerprint that's right so your journey and your walk with him your prayer with him will be different. Your outcome is going to be different absolutely because we are uniquely made yes so our walk and communion with him will be unique. And that's what it is oh this was good yes this was good it has been Maidine thank you thank you for leading this talk I I loved it and it it has done something to me it had stirred something in me and I hope it stirred something in you because that's what the Kingdom Table podcast is about. Not just us looking cute and fashionable that's just extra that's just a little extra we bring to the table because we have to match Aurora studios here. But um thank you and we hope that whatever was placed that it sits on your heart that it stirs something up in you that you want to do something when you're ready. We don't this is not you you can't force anyone to do this when you're ready. So it has been a privilege once again and we thank you for spending that this little time with us here and have a beautiful and blessed day and do what is in you. Do what's in your heart when you find the time make the time absolutely this is Roxy and thank you for staying here with us in the Kingdom Table podcast.

SPEAKER_03 37:46

Thanks for listening guys this is May have a blessed day and may God continue to lead and guide you. And I will leave it at that