80: Learning To Like Your Life When You Don't Love It

Speaker: 00:00:06

Hey, I am your host, Mari Wagner,

and you're listening to The Ever Be

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: 00:00:11

Podcast where Faith Meets Lifestyle.

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: 00:00:14

I'm so excited you're here.

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: 00:00:16

Whether you're a new listener

or a longtime follower, I know

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: 00:00:19

there's something here for you.

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: 00:00:20

Pull up a chair and listen in for

insightful, real life conversations and

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actionable steps on how to claim the.

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Full life God created you for.

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If you're a woman desiring to live

a Christ-centered life in today's

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modern world, then this is for you.

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Welcome to ever be.

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: 00:00:42

mari-wagner_1_11-03-2025_150624:

Welcome back to Ever Be.

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Today, we have a dear friend of mine,

Caroline, Lenny, on the podcast.

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And it's really funny how we met.

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It was actually, I think somehow

we were introduced like in

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2018, I believe, through Trey.

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If I'm not mistaken, you

and him served together.

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Uh, summer missionaries at Hidden Lake.

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And I just remember like, you know,

we, we were doing long distance calling

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and dating and he was like, ah, I

feel like you'd be like such good

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friends with this girl Caroline here.

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She's so like, creative

like you and like artsy.

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And I was like, gosh, she sounds so fun.

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And then I think we briefly met

when I went to go visit him.

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Right.

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Did we get to meet in person that

time or was that somewhere else?

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caroline-lunne_1_11-03-2025_170624:

remember.

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Maybe it's a, it's a little blurry,

but I do remember Trey being

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like, you would like my girlfriend

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mari-wagner_1_11-03-2025_150624:

Yeah, maybe we didn't get to meet

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in person that time, but I feel

like we met in person another time.

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Right.

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Like at a seek or something.

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caroline-lunne_1_11-03-2025_170624:

somewhere.

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mari-wagner_1_11-03-2025_150624:

it must have been,

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caroline-lunne_1_11-03-2025_170624: to be.

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mari-wagner_1_11-03-2025_150624:

it must have been.

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I feel like I've met you in person.

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I know, that'd be crazy if we hadn't.

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I like swear we have, but

maybe our pets haven't crossed.

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Maybe I need to fly out to Charleston.

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Um, anyways, she's also just like

a wonderful fellow creator that

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I look up to so much and enjoy

following her life on social media

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and her business and everything.

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So, so pumped to have

you on the podcast today.

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Do you wanna just share a little

bit about who you are, what you do?

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caroline-lunne_1_11-03-2025_170624:

Yes, I'm so excited to be here.

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Mari, you're just fabulous creative

agent for the church and more, and

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it's just so fun to watch you grow.

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but my name is Caroline Lenny.

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I live in Charleston, South Carolina.

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I moved here four years ago from Ohio.

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So originally a Midwest girl,

but I really love it down here.

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It's just such a creative city

and community and I'm just so

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inspired by this city in general.

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Um, I moved here four years ago

and I started a marketing agency.

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I started it in college, just

freelancing and just following.

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Creative doors that would open and just

like seeing where the Lord would take me.

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And it's grown since.

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And now we have a team of four full

time and we serve a lot of different

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lifestyle businesses in Charleston

and really all over the United States.

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So it's been such a wild ride.

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But I also love to share just about life

and how the Lord works and creativity

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and just enjoying your life online.

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So that's been a lot of fun too.

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mari-wagner_1_11-03-2025_150624:

I love it.

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Yeah, you're such a fun follower.

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You bring so much like color

to my feed, which I love.

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caroline-lunne_1_11-03-2025_170624:

Yes, I love color for sure.

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Definitely colorful over here.

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mari-wagner_1_11-03-2025_150624:

Okay, let's get into ever be moments.

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So this is a space for you to

share a small way or a big way

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that God's working in your life.

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Maybe a little God wink.

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Um, do you have an ever be moment

recently that you can share?

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caroline-lunne_1_11-03-2025_170624: Yes.

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This is actually a crazy story and I

kept telling everyone this last weekend.

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Last weekend I was in New York

City just for fun, and it's

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just like so invigorating.

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Creative and I just love it.

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mari-wagner_1_11-03-2025_150624: Yeah.

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caroline-lunne_1_11-03-2025_170624:

in March I was in New York and I felt

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this little desire, and this is like

the Lord cares about your desires.

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Okay.

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So I felt

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mari-wagner_1_11-03-2025_150624: Mm-hmm.

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caroline-lunne_1_11-03-2025_170624:

little desire of like, I

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wanna live in New York, like.

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I always had that like childhood

dream of like moving to New York

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City and doing the thing and working

for the fashion company, whatever.

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Um, but I just like, the Lord

hasn't brought me there yet.

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And I remembered in March,

I was like, wait a minute.

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I like really wanna move here.

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Still I'm single.

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Like I'm in my very free spirited

years, I guess you could say.

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So I was like, I think that was my chance.

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mari-wagner_1_11-03-2025_150624: Yeah,

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caroline-lunne_1_11-03-2025_170624:

and so I kind of just mentioned

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it at brunch one morning.

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I was like, the Lord like

is gonna answer this prayer.

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I just boldly said like, I wanna

live here for three months.

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Like, I don't know how it's gonna happen,

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mari-wagner_1_11-03-2025_150624: Uhhuh.

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caroline-lunne_1_11-03-2025_170624:

gonna happen.

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Like watch it happen as I

was kinda like joking around.

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And then after I posted a bunch of

Instagram stories, like I always

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do, and one of them was where we

were eating brunch, no location

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tag, just these random donuts.

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Okay.

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Just a picture of some random donuts.

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It could have been anywhere in

the world on my, on his plate.

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this girl responded and was like,

I live right above this restaurant.

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we were chatting and I was

like, well, if you ever have

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a sublease, like let me know.

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I wanna move here for three months.

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She was like, yeah, I do.

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You can have mine in the summer.

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said, I'm

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mari-wagner_1_11-03-2025_150624: Stop.

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caroline-lunne_1_11-03-2025_170624:

York for a few months.

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But I keep telling that story 'cause

it's like, okay, I said in my like

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very naive, funny, like way like, okay,

Lord's gonna answer and like he did.

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So just, it just, I love that story.

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mari-wagner_1_11-03-2025_150624:

That is such a testament

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to God, hears our prayers.

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God cares about all the little

details, the big dreams, the small

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dreams, and he made it happen

for you and that's so exciting.

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This is like totally giving

me like the holiday vibes.

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caroline-lunne_1_11-03-2025_170624:

I know that's kind of what I'm

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channeling, like we'll see.

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So it's just fun.

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mari-wagner_1_11-03-2025_150624:

That is so much fun.

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I love that.

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My ever Be moment recently is with St.

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Theres, it's funny, I.

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I've like read St Theres, and I'll

say like, of course I like her,

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but I'm not like her fan club.

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You know, like so many Catholic

girlies are like number one fans of St.

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Theres and they're like besties

and like, that's incredible.

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But, um, my Bestie St.

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Faustina.

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caroline-lunne_1_11-03-2025_170624: Yep.

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mari-wagner_1_11-03-2025_150624:

so, but st theres is like kind

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of like, yeah, she's been there.

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But I recently started reading,

I Believe in Love after years and

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years and years of Trey telling me

like, you need to read this book.

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You need to read this book.

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It's so amazing.

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And.

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Recently I read a line in the book that

just like has lingered with me and she

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talks and it's just a classic, um, St.

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Therese analogy that she has.

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She talks about how she just

wants to take the elevator.

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She's like, why would we do the work

to climb the stairway of perfection?

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When we could take the elevator and

have Jesus lift us up to heaven.

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And that just like related to my heart

so much because I'm like striving to do

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the Lord's will and like striving for

holiness and like striving for heaven.

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And she just like allowed

me to realize like.

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Of course our effort matters, but like we

don't get to heaven upon our own merits.

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Like we don't earn our way to

heaven because we worked so hard at

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climbing the stairway of perfection.

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The, the, the way we get to heaven

is like total abandonment to God and

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confidence and his love and mercy.

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And that will just lift us up.

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So anybody else out there who

needed to hear that, I hope

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that it, it resonates with you.

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'cause I know it's, it's been so good

for me to hear the last few days.

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caroline-lunne_1_11-03-2025_170624: Hmm.

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So beautiful and like, I just love that

image of just like abandonment, just

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mari-wagner_1_11-03-2025_150624: I,

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caroline-lunne_1_11-03-2025_170624:

the elevator.

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mari-wagner_1_11-03-2025_150624: mm-hmm.

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caroline-lunne_1_11-03-2025_170624:

Just get

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mari-wagner_1_11-03-2025_150624: Totally.

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Totally.

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Okay.

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Let's dive into our, because one thing

I love that you talk about is liking

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your life, and that's half the reason

why I brought you on the podcast.

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'cause I think it's such a unique

philosophy that we need to hear

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and adopt, especially with.

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The crave of social media

and everyone sharing about

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the highlights in their life.

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It can be so easy to look around

and be like, everybody else's life

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is so much better than mine and I'm

nowhere where I wanna be, and my

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life isn't what I want it to be.

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Right.

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And the reality is, like on social media.

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We forget, we see the highlight

reel a lot of the time.

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And I love, yeah, your just whole

philosophy and motto to like your life

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wherever you're at in this moment.

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So can you share with us, like

how did that motto come to life?

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Uh, how did that moment like shift

your perspective on everyday living?

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caroline-lunne_1_11-03-2025_170624:

Definitely.

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So this happened like four-ish years ago.

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I started sharing a lot about an

invitation to like your life, and how

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it began was I just started sharing

one thing that I liked about my life

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every single day, and it stemmed from, I

remember the moment I was on an airplane.

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Which is like the best place

to pray and write, I think.

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And I was praying and I was asking

the Lord of like, okay, I was at a

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kind of a turning point in my like

journey, I guess I was moving to

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Charleston, like stuff was changing.

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There was a lot changing in my life.

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And I was like, okay, Lord,

what do you want me to do next?

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And I was like, what should I work on?

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Like what, what should we do next?

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Like, let me like try to create

something, strive, make something happen.

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Is kind of where I was

at entering this prayer.

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And the Lord kind of snapped me out

of it and was like, why don't you

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just learn how to like your life?

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Like I gave you this gift.

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How, what?

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You just tried to like it it,

language like freed me up.

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To enjoy my life, how it was, and

the more that I explored this theme,

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we really like, you just can't,

we think often that the ultimate

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goal is to like love your life.

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Like I am working to make all these

pieces fit so that one day I wake up and

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I love my life because that's kind of

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mari-wagner_1_11-03-2025_150624: Yeah.

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caroline-lunne_1_11-03-2025_170624:

Advertised as the mission.

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Like one day you'll love your life

if you work hard enough and you do

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this and you do all this, right?

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But that's actually impossible because

we cannot love our life until heaven.

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We just can't.

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It's not perfect here.

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It's,

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mari-wagner_1_11-03-2025_150624: Yeah.

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caroline-lunne_1_11-03-2025_170624:

a broken world.

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This is an impossible goal.

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And so realizing that, that it was

an impossible goal, no matter my

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effort, that I could not love my

life, but I could like it because

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that both and effect of the kingdom.

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Of like, it's really hard, but

it's still really beautiful.

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We'll never leave us until heaven.

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So thinking about, okay, I can just

like my life freed me up to enjoy and

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actually notice God My life, how it was

and to stop waiting for the perfect day.

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The perfect occasion, the perfect moment.

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Um, and it really has just helped me so

much to understand like I am on earth.

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So I can't love it all the time

'cause life is really hard.

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But I can try to like something every day.

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mari-wagner_1_11-03-2025_150624: I love

that that is so wise and joyful and.

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What just comes to mind is that's,

that's real living in the present

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and the Lord lives in the present.

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He doesn't live in the

past or in the future.

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And that is a tactic the evil one uses

against us to distract us from the way

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God is working in our life right now.

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To either be caught up in the past or

focused on what the future could be and

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always be wishing for something else.

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And I feel like, yeah, that like.

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caroline-lunne_1_11-03-2025_170624: Yeah.

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mari-wagner_1_11-03-2025_150624:

Message the Lord Put on your heart

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of like, could you just like your

life, could you like the life that I'm

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blessing you with now and just meet

me here now in the everyday is such

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a joyful and just holy way of living.

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That's so beautiful.

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caroline-lunne_1_11-03-2025_170624:

So helpful.

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It's been so helpful to me and even

like just freed my heart up to enjoy

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without this like effort for perfection.

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And I also think, like I always

get this image of like a father

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giving a daughter a gift, like.

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We're supposed to enjoy it

and we're supposed to like it.

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And that can real feel really

hard when you hear someone

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say, like, enjoy your life.

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When there's really hard stuff

happening and hard stuff is

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happening, to every single person.

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when you hear that advice of like,

the Lord wants you to love your life,

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you're like, well, actually my life

is really hard right now and I'm going

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through this and this and this and this

and this, and I'm suffering with this,

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mari-wagner_1_11-03-2025_150624: Mm-hmm.

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caroline-lunne_1_11-03-2025_170624:

everyone feels.

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that's just like, just feels icky.

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But to be like, okay, actually, can

you find one thing that you like

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mari-wagner_1_11-03-2025_150624: Yeah.

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caroline-lunne_1_11-03-2025_170624:

of it can coexist, which I think

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is how life is right now on earth

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mari-wagner_1_11-03-2025_150624: Yeah,

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caroline-lunne_1_11-03-2025_170624:

get to heaven.

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mari-wagner_1_11-03-2025_150624: totally.

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Yeah.

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I love the idea of like allowing, liking

your life, coexisting with suffering.

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How do you feel like liking your

life has helped you get through

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difficult moments in life, whether it

be seasons of waiting or suffering,

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or hardships or unforeseen moments.

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caroline-lunne_1_11-03-2025_170624:

I think it's been the only

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thing that's got me through.

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I mean, it's been the thing that's opened

my eyes to the Lord's grace in suffering.

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My mom passed away this past November

from stage four cancer, and so this

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whole year has been such an exercise

in grief and even losing her was

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such an exercise in suffering.

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, And a real experience of suffering

and really like some days.

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All you can do is be like, I like

my coffee right now, and thank God.

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And so we're gonna keep going like the

tiniest things, like, like the way the

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: 00:12:54

light is coming through this window.

293

: 00:12:56

That's it, that's the only thing, but

at least there's something I think it

294

: 00:13:00

just, it, it, it is just an invitation

to my heart in that suffering and

295

: 00:13:06

in that depth and in that waiting,

in that pain that we all have and

296

: 00:13:09

experience find the light without.

297

: 00:13:15

Ignoring the dark.

298

: 00:13:16

'cause it both, both things are real.

299

: 00:13:19

Like I don't have to say

like, okay, now love it.

300

: 00:13:22

That's really hard to like

lift yourself to that height.

301

: 00:13:25

But little by little when we notice

the little things, we just like

302

: 00:13:29

our, our souls and our minds can

303

: 00:13:31

mari-wagner_1_11-03-2025_150624: Mm-hmm.

304

: 00:13:32

caroline-lunne_1_11-03-2025_170624:

of God.

305

: 00:13:32

So it's really been a tool that

is in like kindergarten language.

306

: 00:13:37

Like, okay, Caroline, what can you like

today that gets me through hardship.

307

: 00:13:41

mari-wagner_1_11-03-2025_150624:

Yeah, I love that.

308

: 00:13:42

But sometimes we need the kind of

dumbed down version to be able to really

309

: 00:13:46

grasp it and learn it and apply it.

310

: 00:13:49

And that's easy for us to

remember and for us to grasp.

311

: 00:13:52

And as you were talking, something

that just came to mind was like

312

: 00:13:56

in the darkness, it's easier.

313

: 00:13:59

Almost to like, recognize light

than it is in the broad daylight.

314

: 00:14:03

Right?

315

: 00:14:04

And so these moments of suffering or

darkness or waiting that Jesus brings

316

: 00:14:07

into our life, like He, it's always

really hard to grasp our minds around

317

: 00:14:12

the fact that like the Lord allows

those moments of suffering, right?

318

: 00:14:15

But he also uses those moments

of suffering to draw us

319

: 00:14:18

close to him and to show us.

320

: 00:14:20

Like our dependence on him, our need

for him and the life and the love

321

: 00:14:24

that he brings into our life, right?

322

: 00:14:26

And so in those moments of darkness, like

trying to find that little glow, like the

323

: 00:14:31

Lord is present in those times and, and

sometimes those are the times that allow

324

: 00:14:35

us to find that light more than when like

everything is like sunshine and rainbows.

325

: 00:14:39

caroline-lunne_1_11-03-2025_170624: Yeah,

326

: 00:14:41

mari-wagner_1_11-03-2025_150624: One thing

that I love that you kind of tie into

327

: 00:14:44

this theme is the discipline of delight.

328

: 00:14:47

And to me that kind of just sounds

like, yeah, that's not easy.

329

: 00:14:50

Like you just mentioned.

330

: 00:14:51

Like it's not always easy to

find things that, that we like

331

: 00:14:54

or that we love about our life.

332

: 00:14:55

So can you just share more about

what does that mean, the discipline

333

: 00:14:57

of delight, and how practicing

delight has changed your experience

334

: 00:15:02

of joy and hardship in your life.

335

: 00:15:04

caroline-lunne_1_11-03-2025_170624:

Yeah, I think with delight we think

336

: 00:15:07

that it will hit us also, like with

Joy, that it will just like come out one

337

: 00:15:11

day that if we, again, like I mentioned

earlier, like arrange everything neatly

338

: 00:15:16

and work really hard and perfect it

and become holier or achieve this or

339

: 00:15:19

do this right, that it will then crop

up or it will appear as a result.

340

: 00:15:26

Of something else, but it's actually.

341

: 00:15:29

Delight is never an accident.

342

: 00:15:31

It's actually like a choice that you can

make right now without having to wait.

343

: 00:15:36

So just like you can like, I don't

know, drink enough water every day, like

344

: 00:15:40

the, the discipline of a healthy habit.

345

: 00:15:42

You choose to do that you don't

like, do other stuff and wait until

346

: 00:15:46

water would appear or something.

347

: 00:15:47

Like,

348

: 00:15:48

mari-wagner_1_11-03-2025_150624: Yeah.

349

: 00:15:48

caroline-lunne_1_11-03-2025_170624:

gonna be a fruit of another action.

350

: 00:15:50

It has to be the action itself.

351

: 00:15:51

Um, and realizing that like, we

can be serious about our joy.

352

: 00:15:57

Like we're actually invited

to be serious about our joy.

353

: 00:15:59

'cause it is a fruit of the spirit.

354

: 00:16:00

Like this is the fruit

of the Lord working.

355

: 00:16:04

Just me delight.

356

: 00:16:06

It really, it makes me happy to think

about, think about it like that, and also

357

: 00:16:10

realizing like, I don't have to wait.

358

: 00:16:12

I can just choose delight today.

359

: 00:16:14

And this is like a practice and a

discipline that I have agency in that

360

: 00:16:19

I can like choose is really helpful.

361

: 00:16:22

Like even like little things

like I'm gonna use the fun plates

362

: 00:16:25

when I make dinner or like I'm

gonna send my friend a note or

363

: 00:16:29

mari-wagner_1_11-03-2025_150624: Hmm.

364

: 00:16:29

caroline-lunne_1_11-03-2025_170624:

I'm gonna.

365

: 00:16:30

Make something a little more beautiful

or I'm gonna choose to say like, wow,

366

: 00:16:34

look how beautiful the sunset is.

367

: 00:16:36

Like these things are choices

and things that we can grow in.

368

: 00:16:41

mari-wagner_1_11-03-2025_150624: Yeah,

this makes me think of two things.

369

: 00:16:43

One, it's just really the concept

of like allowing your life to be

370

: 00:16:46

romanticized without it having to

like be a movie, like you can choose.

371

: 00:16:50

caroline-lunne_1_11-03-2025_170624: Yeah.

372

: 00:16:51

mari-wagner_1_11-03-2025_150624: To

have dinner at Sunset if you want to,

373

: 00:16:53

you know, like you can choose to put

up the beautiful artwork in your home

374

: 00:16:58

that maybe you thought you'd wait to

do until you were married or something

375

: 00:17:01

like that, you know what I mean?

376

: 00:17:03

Um, and then it also

reminds me of just like

377

: 00:17:06

caroline-lunne_1_11-03-2025_170624: Yes.

378

: 00:17:07

mari-wagner_1_11-03-2025_150624:

Conversations that Trey and I have

379

: 00:17:09

had in marriage and how, just like

as the years of the relationship.

380

: 00:17:14

Continues to grow and your years in

marriage increase, it can be easy to talk

381

: 00:17:17

about how like, oh, those like honeymoon

days were just like when you were dating.

382

: 00:17:21

Like those are over and done with

and then you have to learn how

383

: 00:17:23

to like really love each other.

384

: 00:17:25

And obviously there's some truth to that,

but at the same time, I always say like,

385

: 00:17:28

caroline-lunne_1_11-03-2025_170624: Yes.

386

: 00:17:29

mari-wagner_1_11-03-2025_150624:

you can choose to feel giddy.

387

: 00:17:32

You can choose to be excited when

your husband tells you you look

388

: 00:17:36

beautiful, even though he says it

to you like multiple times a week.

389

: 00:17:40

Now, you know, it's not like a unique

thing or like you can choose to make the

390

: 00:17:44

date special by making it a surprise.

391

: 00:17:45

Or you can choose to like buy them a

coffee or something while you're out.

392

: 00:17:49

Like you can choose these little things.

393

: 00:17:51

That you would do when you were dating

that kind of romanticized that dating

394

: 00:17:54

period and continue to live that

in your marriage, even though it is

395

: 00:17:57

just like your everyday mundane life.

396

: 00:18:00

caroline-lunne_1_11-03-2025_170624:

Yes, definitely.

397

: 00:18:01

I mean, that's such a beautiful example

and I think like, it's so beautiful too

398

: 00:18:06

because you're receiving the gift of your

marriage by participating in it, like, and

399

: 00:18:11

that like choosing to make it special or.

400

: 00:18:15

Delight and receive the gift.

401

: 00:18:17

There's, there's some vulnerability

in that and choosing and acting

402

: 00:18:21

and, and really delighting in

your marriage and like, I think

403

: 00:18:23

the same thing goes for our life.

404

: 00:18:26

Like you're allowed and

encouraged to do these things.

405

: 00:18:31

And I also think sometimes we

look at other people and are

406

: 00:18:33

like, oh, that's so extra.

407

: 00:18:35

mari-wagner_1_11-03-2025_150624: Mm-hmm.

408

: 00:18:36

caroline-lunne_1_11-03-2025_170624: you

really romanticizing your life a lot.

409

: 00:18:39

But really, like, what if

I'm like receiving the gift?

410

: 00:18:42

Of my life that the father gave me.

411

: 00:18:44

And like, what if you're receiving

the gift of your marriage

412

: 00:18:46

that the father gave you?

413

: 00:18:47

Like, how beautiful.

414

: 00:18:49

Um, so I also wanna give permission

to anyone listening to just,

415

: 00:18:53

mari-wagner_1_11-03-2025_150624: Yes.

416

: 00:18:55

caroline-lunne_1_11-03-2025_170624:

it's, it's beautiful.

417

: 00:18:56

It's an act of receiving love and

it, and it's really beautiful,

418

: 00:18:59

vulnerable, creative, thing.

419

: 00:19:02

mari-wagner_1_11-03-2025_150624: Totally.

420

: 00:19:03

I love that you brought up the word extra.

421

: 00:19:05

'cause I feel like it has such

a negative connotation nowadays.

422

: 00:19:08

Like, oh, that's so extra.

423

: 00:19:09

Like that's, that's too much.

424

: 00:19:11

But I'm like, I have learned to

just embrace extra, like yes, I

425

: 00:19:14

like doing things to the next level.

426

: 00:19:17

Yes, I like doing the extra

work to make it more fun or more

427

: 00:19:20

special or more beautiful or more

delicious or more creative and.

428

: 00:19:24

A friend of mine.

429

: 00:19:25

So I've been posting about

these like monthly themed dinner

430

: 00:19:27

parties that I've been doing.

431

: 00:19:28

And the whole purpose of these is to like

build better friendships community and

432

: 00:19:33

host an exciting dinner party to love on

our friends who don't have that right.

433

: 00:19:39

And my friend, um.

434

: 00:19:40

Megan, she commented on it and she was

like, whenever I try and do things at

435

: 00:19:44

my house, I think I'm being too extra.

436

: 00:19:46

And then I remember, I'm friends with

you, and then I'm like, okay, I can

437

: 00:19:48

be extra and this is a good thing.

438

: 00:19:50

And I was like, yes.

439

: 00:19:52

I love that People can take

that encouragement away from

440

: 00:19:56

Yeah, maybe what we're sharing

online and that encouragement of

441

: 00:19:59

like, you can do the big thing.

442

: 00:20:00

You can do the more creative thing.

443

: 00:20:02

I love the analogy you use of like,

don't save your stickers until

444

: 00:20:06

like that really special project

or journal, you know what I mean?

445

: 00:20:09

Today's the day and like

you can be extra and own it.

446

: 00:20:13

caroline-lunne_1_11-03-2025_170624:

It's a beautiful practice, like you're

447

: 00:20:14

receiving the gift of your life.

448

: 00:20:16

Like, thank God, like

delight is a discipline.

449

: 00:20:19

That's actually a practice

450

: 00:20:21

mari-wagner_1_11-03-2025_150624: Totally.

451

: 00:20:21

caroline-lunne_1_11-03-2025_170624:

worthy one.

452

: 00:20:22

mari-wagner_1_11-03-2025_150624: Yeah.

453

: 00:20:23

And one other thing I've seen you write

about that kind of ties into this, right,

454

: 00:20:27

is that the mundane can be miraculous.

455

: 00:20:30

And I think a lot of people.

456

: 00:20:31

Can hear this conversation and

be like, but you don't get it.

457

: 00:20:34

Like, my life is like so boring.

458

: 00:20:35

You know?

459

: 00:20:35

Or like, my life isn't

extravagant, maybe like your guys'.

460

: 00:20:39

Um, and I think a lot of people like on

different spectrums can relate to that.

461

: 00:20:44

Whether they're a nine to fiver or a

stay at home mom in, in any capacity.

462

: 00:20:49

We often fall into the lie that like our

life is just mundane or it's just boring.

463

: 00:20:53

So what would you say to

someone who feels that?

464

: 00:20:55

How do you help someone learn

to see their daily life?

465

: 00:20:59

Like the errands, the routines, the

quiet moments, just as more meaningful

466

: 00:21:03

and an opportunity for miracle instead

of something to just get through.

467

: 00:21:07

caroline-lunne_1_11-03-2025_170624:

Yeah, I 100% understand.

468

: 00:21:10

I mean, been there too.

469

: 00:21:12

I am there.

470

: 00:21:13

That's why I've been practicing this.

471

: 00:21:15

But I think starting with two questions

would be helpful and it helps me

472

: 00:21:22

of just like when I'm approaching

like God, where can I see you?

473

: 00:21:29

Like, show me, or like,

where can I invite you?

474

: 00:21:33

Like how can I make the spirit involved?

475

: 00:21:37

I guess would be two questions.

476

: 00:21:39

But I think the precursor to delight

or making the mundane miraculous is.

477

: 00:21:49

An thing, it's a noticing thing.

478

: 00:21:52

So what I always think about of like,

Lord, like show me, like help me notice

479

: 00:21:57

you, because it's not that the miraculous

is somewhere else, or we're waiting for it

480

: 00:22:03

to come, or it's gonna come down, or it's.

481

: 00:22:05

Some bold of lightning.

482

: 00:22:06

Now it could, you never know.

483

: 00:22:07

Don't put lemon on a God.

484

: 00:22:08

However, more than more likely is it.

485

: 00:22:10

It's with us right now.

486

: 00:22:12

So I'm always just asking like,

help me notice it, and like

487

: 00:22:15

very strategically, because I'm

like, okay, what does that mean?

488

: 00:22:18

How does that look?

489

: 00:22:19

What I started doing like many, many years

ago, probably 10 years ago, was I have a

490

: 00:22:23

list in my notes app that's called like

Many Miracles and I will legitimately

491

: 00:22:30

write down like everything that I see

and that act of recording it and like

492

: 00:22:36

putting it in a spot just changes my mind.

493

: 00:22:39

It like renews my mind.

494

: 00:22:40

It renews my spirit.

495

: 00:22:41

It renews the mundane and

that's like what it takes.

496

: 00:22:44

Usually it's just like.

497

: 00:22:46

Writing it down in my notes

app, and then I feel better.

498

: 00:22:48

So of like, like to give you

a strategic tip, like that's

499

: 00:22:53

what I would really recommend.

500

: 00:22:55

mari-wagner_1_11-03-2025_150624:

I love that we are all about

501

: 00:22:56

the practical tips here.

502

: 00:22:57

We wanna know how to apply these concepts

in our life, so thank you for that.

503

: 00:23:01

caroline-lunne_1_11-03-2025_170624:

Yeah, like, just open your notes.

504

: 00:23:04

I'll write down stuff like

the grass is looking green.

505

: 00:23:08

My tea was good.

506

: 00:23:10

My friends called me.

507

: 00:23:12

Um, I liked my shirt.

508

: 00:23:15

Like, stuff like that, like that.

509

: 00:23:17

These are miracles, like these are

beautiful things and it really just

510

: 00:23:19

trains your brain to notice God.

511

: 00:23:22

And that really helps because

life can feel very mundane.

512

: 00:23:26

mari-wagner_1_11-03-2025_150624:

I love that.

513

: 00:23:26

Yeah, it's like, it's kind of just

a new spin on like a gratitude list,

514

: 00:23:30

which there's like, I know been

like studies on and everything about

515

: 00:23:33

when we shift our mindset to view

things through the lens of gratitude.

516

: 00:23:37

We start feeling more joyful

and loving our life more.

517

: 00:23:40

And so, um, maybe if you feel like the

gratitude list is like over talked about

518

: 00:23:45

or overdone, you can talk about it like

your like, like list, like life list

519

: 00:23:50

and then just start making that list on

your phone or like before you go to bed.

520

: 00:23:55

caroline-lunne_1_11-03-2025_170624:

definitely.

521

: 00:23:56

And thinking of it like a conversation

a little bit more like with the

522

: 00:23:59

Lord has been helpful to me of

like asking the question of like,

523

: 00:24:02

I'm looking for a miracle here.

524

: 00:24:04

Help me see it.

525

: 00:24:06

And it's more of a like answer and

response instead of a, a review

526

: 00:24:10

mari-wagner_1_11-03-2025_150624: Yeah.

527

: 00:24:11

caroline-lunne_1_11-03-2025_170624:

can be a little bit more active,

528

: 00:24:13

I guess, with the Holy Spirit.

529

: 00:24:15

mari-wagner_1_11-03-2025_150624:

I love that.

530

: 00:24:16

Yeah.

531

: 00:24:16

Let's chat about what work

life looks like for you.

532

: 00:24:20

I am so impressed by your business and

the way that you've grown it and, you

533

: 00:24:25

know, I'm like marketing just like, um.

534

: 00:24:30

What was I gonna, I was gonna say

guru, but I meant to say just like

535

: 00:24:32

I'm obsessed with marketing and

branding and you do it so well.

536

: 00:24:36

caroline-lunne_1_11-03-2025_170624:

are so good at it.

537

: 00:24:37

You're so good at it.

538

: 00:24:38

mari-wagner_1_11-03-2025_150624:

And so are you.

539

: 00:24:39

And so are you.

540

: 00:24:40

And I've just like seen

your business blow up.

541

: 00:24:41

And as a fellow entrepreneur, I know what

that's like behind the scenes and I know,

542

: 00:24:46

um, it can be a lot and it requires a lot.

543

: 00:24:49

And I think I saw you post once

just the recognition of accepting

544

: 00:24:54

like, woo, like we can't do it all.

545

: 00:24:56

And newsflash hustle

culture basically sucks.

546

: 00:25:00

Um, and I just can't tell you

how much I related to that.

547

: 00:25:03

And so I wanted to just ask you

like, how do you feel like your

548

: 00:25:06

unlearning hustle culture in your life?

549

: 00:25:09

caroline-lunne_1_11-03-2025_170624:

It's a great question, huh?

550

: 00:25:11

I, it's been such a journey, like

years long and I'm still learning.

551

: 00:25:16

I'm still, I'm still really learning.

552

: 00:25:19

think tapping into.

553

: 00:25:21

What actually gives me life in my work.

554

: 00:25:24

So I talk a lot about creativity.

555

: 00:25:27

I love creativity.

556

: 00:25:28

We are creative because God is creative.

557

: 00:25:30

I think it's like one of the ways that

we can, like truly be like our father.

558

: 00:25:34

And like it's just so like we're

so, it's so beautiful that we

559

: 00:25:37

get to create like God created.

560

: 00:25:39

and so over the past few years

I've really been like working

561

: 00:25:43

to build this business and.

562

: 00:25:46

online.

563

: 00:25:47

And we've been hustling.

564

: 00:25:48

I've been hustling.

565

: 00:25:49

It's,

566

: 00:25:50

mari-wagner_1_11-03-2025_150624: Yeah.

567

: 00:25:50

caroline-lunne_1_11-03-2025_170624:

And so it's always a question of

568

: 00:25:52

like, okay, what's the balance?

569

: 00:25:54

Where it's, it gets really blurry.

570

: 00:25:57

What?

571

: 00:25:57

What is, it just gets really blurry.

572

: 00:25:59

So I think how I've been

unlearning hustle culture.

573

: 00:26:03

Back to the strategic tips.

574

: 00:26:05

know that in a good day

for me, I need to pray.

575

: 00:26:11

I need to journal, need to exercise, and

I need to talk to someone that I love.

576

: 00:26:17

And so protecting those things

of like, am I doing these things?

577

: 00:26:21

And then bonus, like creating content.

578

: 00:26:23

'cause I just love creating content.

579

: 00:26:24

So like adding those in, protecting

those things strategically.

580

: 00:26:27

I'm like, okay, a little

bit more well ordered.

581

: 00:26:30

So thinking about it in that lens

has been really helpful of like, I, I

582

: 00:26:33

have to show up and do these things.

583

: 00:26:35

The other thing is we don't

really work on the weekends.

584

: 00:26:38

We try to protect our weekends.

585

: 00:26:39

That's another, like Sabbath is

important, another strategic , but I

586

: 00:26:43

also think it can get really confusing

when we talk about hustle culture of

587

: 00:26:47

like, am I hustling and is this bad?

588

: 00:26:49

And how do I tell.

589

: 00:26:51

And is it bad that I'm working and where's

the line that you just have to experiment?

590

: 00:26:56

mari-wagner_1_11-03-2025_150624: Mm-hmm.

591

: 00:26:57

caroline-lunne_1_11-03-2025_170624: it's

a different for every single person too.

592

: 00:26:59

You actually have to just

like grow through it.

593

: 00:27:03

There's no like subscription, I don't

think where I could, where either of us

594

: 00:27:07

could say, at least in my experience,

to be like, if you're doing this and

595

: 00:27:10

this and this, then you're hustling.

596

: 00:27:11

And if you're not doing

this, you're not hustling.

597

: 00:27:13

It's different for every single person.

598

: 00:27:15

And I think there's, it just comes

back to like the beauty of the

599

: 00:27:18

church and the wisdom of the church

and the rightly ordered life.

600

: 00:27:22

If there's a time and place for

really hard work and it's really

601

: 00:27:26

beautiful to work really hard and

we have to just surrender it to the

602

: 00:27:30

Lord, like we just can't be perfect.

603

: 00:27:32

So.

604

: 00:27:34

That's a long-winded answer of

saying like, I think it's the both

605

: 00:27:36

and, and I think that you just have

to work through it, unfortunately.

606

: 00:27:40

Like the Lord will guide you and you'll

learn, you'll make mistakes and you'll

607

: 00:27:44

learn and you'll get better at it.

608

: 00:27:45

And I think I'm in the

process of doing that.

609

: 00:27:47

But how have you handled it, Mari?

610

: 00:27:49

I'm curious.

611

: 00:27:51

mari-wagner_1_11-03-2025_150624:

Yeah, I mean, I relate to a lot of

612

: 00:27:52

what you're saying and anybody who

is an entrepreneur, I mean, I don't

613

: 00:27:56

know how many entrepreneurs we have

listening, but you know, those first

614

: 00:28:00

few years it's kind of inevitable.

615

: 00:28:01

Like you have to grind, you have

to, you have to hustle 'cause

616

: 00:28:04

you're not getting paid a nine

to five like yearly salary job.

617

: 00:28:07

And so you.

618

: 00:28:08

You grind to make it work.

619

: 00:28:10

Right?

620

: 00:28:10

So that is part of entrepreneurship.

621

: 00:28:12

Um, I relate a lot to what you were

saying about like the different pillars

622

: 00:28:16

in your life that you need to protect.

623

: 00:28:18

Um, and I notice I am hustling too much

or allowing work to be a, in a priority

624

: 00:28:26

that it's not actually meant to be when

those other things aren't happening.

625

: 00:28:31

And so, like when I realized that

I like have gone through my day.

626

: 00:28:34

Like maybe sitting at my

kitchen counter since breakfast.

627

: 00:28:37

'cause I never remembered to get up from

there because I just started working as

628

: 00:28:40

soon as breakfast was served on the table.

629

: 00:28:43

Then I'm like, oh yeah, see, I like

didn't order my, my day well today.

630

: 00:28:47

And I didn't take care of like all these

other needs like spiritual and physical

631

: 00:28:50

and eating food at a normal time.

632

: 00:28:53

and allowing like God to shed

light on what's necessary and

633

: 00:28:59

what's not in every season.

634

: 00:29:01

And that has been.

635

: 00:29:03

That has been a learning process

for me because I'm a yes girl.

636

: 00:29:06

And so like I say yes to a lot of things

and I hear an exciting new project

637

: 00:29:10

and I'm like, yeah, we can get it

done and, and we can do it this year.

638

: 00:29:13

And then all of a sudden we're

like, oh, we have a lot of projects

639

: 00:29:16

that we're doing this year.

640

: 00:29:17

And so it's been an ebb and flow like

year to year, like learning, like

641

: 00:29:21

what can my plate handle this year and

from learning from past years, like.

642

: 00:29:26

Is that a good amount on my plate?

643

: 00:29:28

Is that healthy?

644

: 00:29:28

Is that not?

645

: 00:29:29

Does that allow me to still like live

my vocation well and have a relationship

646

: 00:29:33

with God and take care of my wellbeing?

647

: 00:29:34

Or is taking on all these things actually

saying yes to work above all things?

648

: 00:29:39

And if that's the case, then

we need to reorder things.

649

: 00:29:41

Um.

650

: 00:29:42

And I feel like this year has been a year

that I've like leaned into it the most and

651

: 00:29:47

like really taken it the most seriously.

652

: 00:29:49

So like, um, I literally like hadn't

taken a day off social media in like years

653

: 00:29:54

and I took like eight days off earlier

this year and it was so life changing.

654

: 00:30:00

And I did a silent retreat and

then I took three months off of my

655

: 00:30:03

podcast and started painting again.

656

: 00:30:07

And I was just like, and praying

and I was like, I need to feed.

657

: 00:30:12

My soul and my creative, like reserves

with life giving things instead of

658

: 00:30:17

always like, like releasing them,

you know, like, like filling, like,

659

: 00:30:23

like overflowing out, you know?

660

: 00:30:24

Like it's not overflowing if

I'm not being filled first.

661

: 00:30:26

So, um, yeah, been learning

that a lot this year.

662

: 00:30:29

But yeah.

663

: 00:30:31

Thanks for sharing.

664

: 00:30:32

Yeah.

665

: 00:30:32

How it's been for you.

666

: 00:30:34

caroline-lunne_1_11-03-2025_170624:

I'll add one more thing if I,

667

: 00:30:36

if you don't, you don't mind.

668

: 00:30:37

mari-wagner_1_11-03-2025_150624: Yeah.

669

: 00:30:37

caroline-lunne_1_11-03-2025_170624:

think what also something I've

670

: 00:30:39

learned a lot this year is that.

671

: 00:30:42

Hustle feels like a very vague term.

672

: 00:30:44

Like, I don't know how to define it.

673

: 00:30:45

I can feel it, you can

feel it in your soul.

674

: 00:30:47

But like, like I said, I

can't really prescribe it.

675

: 00:30:49

It's kind of experiment.

676

: 00:30:50

You, you're gonna figure it out.

677

: 00:30:51

mari-wagner_1_11-03-2025_150624: Mm-hmm.

678

: 00:30:52

caroline-lunne_1_11-03-2025_170624:

But we, I think the result of

679

: 00:30:54

hustling too much is burnout

and that's a very popular term.

680

: 00:30:58

Like, okay, I'm feeling

really, really burnout.

681

: 00:31:00

So earlier this year I was kind of

praying with and exploring like.

682

: 00:31:04

What d what does burnout

actually mean and look like?

683

: 00:31:08

For me, and I, it was a very productive

and helpful prayer because I realized,

684

: 00:31:13

I got this image of like, when a race

car driver burns out a car, they're,

685

: 00:31:19

they're spinning their wheels, but

they're also hitting the brakes.

686

: 00:31:22

So

687

: 00:31:22

mari-wagner_1_11-03-2025_150624: Hmm.

688

: 00:31:23

caroline-lunne_1_11-03-2025_170624: their

wheels and they're trying to go somewhere,

689

: 00:31:25

but they're actually going nowhere.

690

: 00:31:27

And the Lord illuminated for me.

691

: 00:31:30

lot of my burnout or my, that feeling

of like, oh, this is just so hard,

692

: 00:31:35

that like terrible feeling you get

when you were hustling was because I

693

: 00:31:40

was imagining doing a lot of stuff,

but I wasn't actually taking action.

694

: 00:31:44

I was thinking about it in my head.

695

: 00:31:46

I was making a lot of plans.

696

: 00:31:48

I was like hustling up here in my head,

697

: 00:31:51

mari-wagner_1_11-03-2025_150624: Mm-hmm.

698

: 00:31:52

caroline-lunne_1_11-03-2025_170624:

I wasn't taking action.

699

: 00:31:53

So something that I've really worked

on is taking, something hits my head

700

: 00:31:59

an idea, I need to email that person.

701

: 00:32:01

I need to download the dishwasher.

702

: 00:32:03

I need to post this on Instagram.

703

: 00:32:04

I need to call someone,

704

: 00:32:06

mari-wagner_1_11-03-2025_150624: Yeah.

705

: 00:32:07

caroline-lunne_1_11-03-2025_170624:

an idea comes to my head, I

706

: 00:32:08

have to take action on it.

707

: 00:32:09

And that has helped me.

708

: 00:32:11

So much because it just,

it, it moves it along.

709

: 00:32:15

It moves it along and I can be free

in my soul to like experience the

710

: 00:32:20

present and create because of that.

711

: 00:32:24

So I don't know if that's helpful, but

sometimes thinking about the inverse of

712

: 00:32:27

like, okay, hustling leads to burnout,

I wanna avoid that, has helped me.

713

: 00:32:31

And that image of like the race car driver

burning out a car of like, my wheels

714

: 00:32:35

are spinning, but I'm going nowhere.

715

: 00:32:37

mari-wagner_1_11-03-2025_150624: Mm-hmm.

716

: 00:32:37

caroline-lunne_1_11-03-2025_170624:

turning like, okay, Lord, like

717

: 00:32:39

I trust this is the Holy Spirit.

718

: 00:32:40

So I'm gonna move.

719

: 00:32:41

I'm gonna move on it.

720

: 00:32:42

I'm gonna move on it.

721

: 00:32:42

I'm gonna move on it.

722

: 00:32:43

I'm gonna send the email.

723

: 00:32:44

I'm gonna,

724

: 00:32:44

mari-wagner_1_11-03-2025_150624: Mm-hmm.

725

: 00:32:45

caroline-lunne_1_11-03-2025_170624:

it right now.

726

: 00:32:46

Has really helped.

727

: 00:32:47

mari-wagner_1_11-03-2025_150624:

I love that.

728

: 00:32:48

Yeah, and I think too, it also just

depends on your season of life.

729

: 00:32:53

Like what hustle will look like, what

the Lord's calling you to do, what you're

730

: 00:32:55

able to take on, what causes burnout.

731

: 00:32:58

It's gonna change throughout your life and

what our capacity was as college students,

732

: 00:33:02

starting businesses versus missionaries,

running businesses versus like full-time

733

: 00:33:07

running our business, you know?

734

: 00:33:08

And then one day married and

children, like, it's just

735

: 00:33:11

always gonna evolve and change.

736

: 00:33:13

And always inviting the Lord into,

yeah, every season and being like,

737

: 00:33:16

is this what you're asking of me now?

738

: 00:33:19

Or is this an idea that like needs

to marinate for a couple years?

739

: 00:33:22

Before we go, because I just wanna

share like the other side of the

740

: 00:33:25

coin, what you shared is so good.

741

: 00:33:26

The other side of the coin is like

my brain, I'm being bombarded with

742

: 00:33:29

ideas all the time and I'm starting

to take action all the on all them.

743

: 00:33:32

And then realizing, oh, maybe like.

744

: 00:33:34

Maybe writing the book

isn't for this year.

745

: 00:33:37

You know, like maybe we're just

gonna do a magazine this year, but

746

: 00:33:41

we're not gonna do a magazine and

a book and relaunch your podcast.

747

: 00:33:44

You know?

748

: 00:33:46

And so sometimes the Lord will have to

like, remind me of that and be like.

749

: 00:33:49

You have such great ideas and I

love them, and maybe they're for

750

: 00:33:52

different seasons of your life.

751

: 00:33:53

Not everything has to

happen before you're 30.

752

: 00:33:56

Um, so it's, yeah, really like

applying it to every season of your

753

: 00:34:00

life, what your capacity looks like,

and it'll evolve and it'll change.

754

: 00:34:03

And then when you figure it out,

life will change and, and you'll

755

: 00:34:06

have to figure it out all over again.

756

: 00:34:07

So that's the beauty of life.

757

: 00:34:09

caroline-lunne_1_11-03-2025_170624:

Beautiful and an the will guide.

758

: 00:34:14

mari-wagner_1_11-03-2025_150624: Totally.

759

: 00:34:15

Okay.

760

: 00:34:15

Shifting gears a little bit, I would

love to talk about your home because

761

: 00:34:18

it's iconic and beautiful and I keep

seeing that you're getting photographed

762

: 00:34:24

and it's getting featured as it should.

763

: 00:34:26

'cause I've seen you just

pour so much work into it.

764

: 00:34:28

Um, tell us about like

your home renovation.

765

: 00:34:31

What has this project been like

and this idea of that like, home

766

: 00:34:36

is where we wait for heaven.

767

: 00:34:38

I love that.

768

: 00:34:39

caroline-lunne_1_11-03-2025_170624: Yeah.

769

: 00:34:39

Well, if you guys don't know me, I

have a house in Charleston, South

770

: 00:34:42

Carolina that I bought three years

ago, and it was a complete mess and

771

: 00:34:47

I turned it into this like colorful

haven that I just love so much.

772

: 00:34:52

And I used to live down the

street from my house Now.

773

: 00:34:55

And I live in South Carolina.

774

: 00:34:56

Not a lot of Catholics from

compared to the Midwest.

775

: 00:34:59

Midwest and Mary statues

everywhere you look, you know.

776

: 00:35:02

and when I moved to this neighborhood,

I would always turn the corner and

777

: 00:35:05

pass this house and there was a Mary

statue and I would always wave to

778

: 00:35:08

Mary on the way home and I would

be like, I'm in the right place.

779

: 00:35:10

'cause like Mary's right there.

780

: 00:35:12

Fast forward a few years,

it was on the market.

781

: 00:35:14

I got really, really lucky and

I took it on and I was 23 at the

782

: 00:35:18

time and I didn't even know how to.

783

: 00:35:21

Like navigate lows, like,

784

: 00:35:23

mari-wagner_1_11-03-2025_150624: Oh yeah.

785

: 00:35:24

caroline-lunne_1_11-03-2025_170624:

I don't know.

786

: 00:35:26

crazy, but it taught me so much.

787

: 00:35:29

'cause this house has

like grown up with me.

788

: 00:35:31

It's taught me so much about risk, about

how the Lord provides, like one night I

789

: 00:35:36

was having a complete like meltdown, like.

790

: 00:35:39

I don't know how to do this.

791

: 00:35:40

What am I thinking?

792

: 00:35:41

I went for a run.

793

: 00:35:42

I was like, Lord, like you have to

help me like do something right now.

794

: 00:35:45

Like this is really bad.

795

: 00:35:47

And I felt in my soul, like the Lord tell

me to go back to my house in the dark.

796

: 00:35:52

The house I didn't live

in, I hadn't moved in yet.

797

: 00:35:54

Go back to the house and

look in the front door.

798

: 00:35:56

So I did, and there was a card

for my handyman who we've been

799

: 00:35:59

working together for like three

years and he'd saved my life.

800

: 00:36:02

Um, so like the Lord has just taught

me so much about how he meets you.

801

: 00:36:07

out in the deep, like

he just will help you.

802

: 00:36:11

and it's also been such a creative

expression for me, uh, to like,

803

: 00:36:16

just be extra, I guess you could

say, to talk about that word again.

804

: 00:36:20

Um, like my ceilings are blue and

fireplace is pink and there's florals

805

: 00:36:25

everywhere and it's just a lot of fun,

lot, a huge exercise in being myself.

806

: 00:36:30

I was talking to the Lord about this

like a few years ago sometime, and I

807

: 00:36:34

was like, like is kind of vulnerably,

like is it okay that I'm doing this?

808

: 00:36:39

Like is it okay that I'm like this

house and lavishly in my eyes,

809

: 00:36:44

like making it this creation?

810

: 00:36:48

And the Lord kind of responded like,

home is where you wait for heaven.

811

: 00:36:50

Like it matters.

812

: 00:36:51

Like let's make this

place beautiful together.

813

: 00:36:54

And that freed up my heart.

814

: 00:36:55

So.

815

: 00:36:57

Much.

816

: 00:36:57

And I wanna tell like every woman that of

like, home is where we wait for heaven.

817

: 00:37:01

Like however you want it to look or

however you wanna express yourself.

818

: 00:37:06

Even if you're not like an interiors

girly, that's totally fine, but

819

: 00:37:09

the Lord like cares about it.

820

: 00:37:11

Um, helps me a lot.

821

: 00:37:13

But

822

: 00:37:14

mari-wagner_1_11-03-2025_150624:

Yeah, I love that so much.

823

: 00:37:17

And I too am someone that finds our

home space so meaningful because

824

: 00:37:23

that's where like life happens in these

four walls is where so much happens.

825

: 00:37:29

Um, growth and joys and hardships

and evangelization and community

826

: 00:37:34

and vocation and, you know, family

life, like so much happens at home.

827

: 00:37:39

And so that for us.

828

: 00:37:41

We're similar, like it's a priority

for us to make our space a beautiful,

829

: 00:37:46

warm, welcoming place that nourishes

our, like souls, our minds, our hearts,

830

: 00:37:52

our wellbeing inside the home as well

as like is a haven for those who come

831

: 00:37:57

in and for everybody that comes in

feels like welcomed and comfortable

832

: 00:38:01

and, and yeah, just like loved on.

833

: 00:38:03

Um, so I just, yeah, I love that like,

home is where you wait for heaven.

834

: 00:38:07

That's so beautiful.

835

: 00:38:08

I know that social media often

glorifies the polished, like after, um.

836

: 00:38:13

And while you invite people to like

their life right now in the middle of

837

: 00:38:18

the mess and the becoming right, that

kind of contradicts, like everything

838

: 00:38:22

we see on Instagram is everything

that happened after and like, not

839

: 00:38:25

like the beauty and the process

and the hardship of the process.

840

: 00:38:28

So how do you personally stay

grounded and authentic online?

841

: 00:38:32

How do you navigate

comparison culture, et cetera?

842

: 00:38:36

caroline-lunne_1_11-03-2025_170624:

Great question.

843

: 00:38:39

The process is where all the

magic happens, but, and you're

844

: 00:38:42

totally right that with the

internet we see the end product.

845

: 00:38:47

when I start to feel that feeling that

we all feel of like, okay, I need to get

846

: 00:38:52

this done, or I need to perfect this,

or like, what can I purchase really?

847

: 00:38:56

Like that's where my mind

848

: 00:38:58

mari-wagner_1_11-03-2025_150624: Yep.

849

: 00:38:58

caroline-lunne_1_11-03-2025_170624:

What can I buy right now to get

850

: 00:39:00

this finished, to get this polished

up, to get this across the finish

851

: 00:39:03

line that I have in my head?

852

: 00:39:05

Um, Try to remind myself of like,

number one, what I always say is like,

853

: 00:39:12

creativity thrives in constraints.

854

: 00:39:14

Like the, the boundary lines have

fallen for me in pleasant places.

855

: 00:39:18

Like this is where I have

been called to create.

856

: 00:39:21

when I'm feeling that like kind of

ping or realizing like, okay, my life

857

: 00:39:26

is in process and we're not seeing the

process of other people, so it's this.

858

: 00:39:30

Really difficult scenario

gap scenario that we're in.

859

: 00:39:33

Um, and when I'm confronted with my

middle of process and I'm also feeling

860

: 00:39:38

that of comparison and ickiness just

saying like, okay, thrives in constraints.

861

: 00:39:45

What can I make that is how I've

like lifted myself out of really

862

: 00:39:51

everything is with this creativity

that the Lord has given us and

863

: 00:39:54

that's in his image and likeness.

864

: 00:39:56

so.

865

: 00:39:58

Just allowing myself to play in that

way has really helped, like that's like

866

: 00:40:01

a physical thing that I can do and move

and make something has really helped.

867

: 00:40:05

And then also thinking about like.

868

: 00:40:07

The Lord is patient, and what

I want is like a collected

869

: 00:40:12

life that he has given me.

870

: 00:40:15

And so I need patience too.

871

: 00:40:16

And so just like praying

for that patience.

872

: 00:40:19

Um, and also back to our first

conversation thinking about like,

873

: 00:40:23

okay, we are, we are in progress.

874

: 00:40:25

Like we're on earth, we're in progress.

875

: 00:40:28

We're not in heaven yet.

876

: 00:40:29

So like on earth, I'm in progress.

877

: 00:40:33

So is everyone else.

878

: 00:40:34

mari-wagner_1_11-03-2025_150624:

I love that.

879

: 00:40:35

Yeah.

880

: 00:40:36

Like, I'm never going to reach

the finish line here on Earth.

881

: 00:40:41

The quicker we find just that like

peace and stillness in our heart.

882

: 00:40:45

Because I think the evil one does

use that lie of like, when you

883

: 00:40:50

get to X, then you'll be happy.

884

: 00:40:52

And so it's that anxiety and that

rush to get to the X finished product.

885

: 00:40:56

Um, and as we've chatted throughout our

conversation, like even when you arrive.

886

: 00:41:01

Life changes and you enter a new

chapter and all of a sudden, like

887

: 00:41:06

the finish line has moved, right?

888

: 00:41:07

And it will continue to

move until we get to heaven.

889

: 00:41:10

And so yeah, I just love hearing your

perspective on, on the process and I hope

890

: 00:41:15

that that gives people encouragement,

um, as they're in the process too.

891

: 00:41:20

Now, to wrap up for women listening who.

892

: 00:41:24

Maybe feel stuck, you know, and

they're listening to this conversation.

893

: 00:41:27

They're like, I, I

wanna have this mindset.

894

: 00:41:29

But they are discontent with their

lives, or they're overwhelmed.

895

: 00:41:33

Or maybe they're waiting, like for

their vocation to start or for their

896

: 00:41:35

life to start when they reach X.

897

: 00:41:37

Right.

898

: 00:41:37

caroline-lunne_1_11-03-2025_170624: Yeah.

899

: 00:41:38

mari-wagner_1_11-03-2025_150624: What

are just some practical things, that

900

: 00:41:40

this woman could be doing today to put

this into practice and really start

901

: 00:41:44

liking her life a little bit more?

902

: 00:41:45

caroline-lunne_1_11-03-2025_170624: Yeah.

903

: 00:41:46

If you're sitting down, I would

get up and like walk around your

904

: 00:41:49

house if you're driving your car.

905

: 00:41:50

I would just.

906

: 00:41:50

Speak out loud

907

: 00:41:52

mari-wagner_1_11-03-2025_150624: Hmm.

908

: 00:41:53

caroline-lunne_1_11-03-2025_170624: say

like, Lord, can you remind me what I like?

909

: 00:41:56

Like, tell me what I like.

910

: 00:41:57

He made you to like, like things

and with preferences and with.

911

: 00:42:04

I for him.

912

: 00:42:06

And I would either walk around my

house, like get up and walk around

913

: 00:42:08

my house and ask that and say it

out loud, like recount it out loud.

914

: 00:42:13

And it could be, start with stuff

in front of you and like you'll

915

: 00:42:15

be amazed at how the list grows.

916

: 00:42:18

I would just talk it out loud and make a

list of like, this is, this is what the

917

: 00:42:23

Lord told me and reminded me that I like.

918

: 00:42:27

And just keep, keep counting

things that you like.

919

: 00:42:29

Then I would also take action.

920

: 00:42:32

So after you've made your list, I would

take action and then go do something that

921

: 00:42:36

you like, like get your body and your

creative mind into agreement with, with

922

: 00:42:42

the Lord and how he likes your life too,

because he gave it to you, he made it.

923

: 00:42:46

Um, so go like, make a coffee,

call a friend, write a letter.

924

: 00:42:51

Go look outside at the blue

sky for like 10 seconds.

925

: 00:42:55

mari-wagner_1_11-03-2025_150624: Hmm.

926

: 00:42:56

caroline-lunne_1_11-03-2025_170624:

just do something that, that you like.

927

: 00:42:59

mari-wagner_1_11-03-2025_150624:

I love that advice.

928

: 00:43:00

I think one thing that comes to mind

for me as well is just like going back

929

: 00:43:04

to the things that you like to do,

that you just, for some reason as an

930

: 00:43:07

adult, feel like you can't do anymore.

931

: 00:43:09

You know?

932

: 00:43:11

Like for me, that was painting.

933

: 00:43:12

Like I was always in some sort of

art class from ages like eight to

934

: 00:43:17

literally 22 when I graduated college.

935

: 00:43:21

And then all of a sudden when

it wasn't like a class it like,

936

: 00:43:23

I was like quote unquote, like,

I just don't have time anymore.

937

: 00:43:25

Like I just don't have time anymore.

938

: 00:43:27

But the reality is like we were

just not making time for it.

939

: 00:43:30

And it's so important to actually

make time, even a little bit

940

: 00:43:33

of time for the things that.

941

: 00:43:35

We love and that we like and that

fill us with life, and that itself

942

: 00:43:38

is gonna bring back more of that

joy and and life into your life.

943

: 00:43:42

caroline-lunne_1_11-03-2025_170624: Yes.

944

: 00:43:43

just like glorifies God and we

can just start really small.

945

: 00:43:46

Like when I started this whole

invitation to like my life again,

946

: 00:43:49

I had to like literally sit down

and figure out what I liked.

947

: 00:43:52

'cause I didn't know.

948

: 00:43:53

I like, forgot.

949

: 00:43:54

I don't, had to pray about it and the

Lord has like really blessed that.

950

: 00:43:59

So I, that's a great example.

951

: 00:44:01

I would encourage everyone to think

about their little selves, their

952

: 00:44:04

mari-wagner_1_11-03-2025_150624: Yeah.

953

: 00:44:04

caroline-lunne_1_11-03-2025_170624:

selves too, and think about, um,

954

: 00:44:07

what you liked as a little girl.

955

: 00:44:08

mari-wagner_1_11-03-2025_150624:

I love that.

956

: 00:44:09

I love that.

957

: 00:44:10

Thank you for coming on and just

encouraging us and encouraging us

958

: 00:44:14

to like our life and to be creative

and to romanticize our life.

959

: 00:44:17

Where can we find more of you?

960

: 00:44:19

caroline-lunne_1_11-03-2025_170624:

Oh my gosh, it was so fun.

961

: 00:44:20

Thank you for having me.

962

: 00:44:21

Let you find me on

Instagram at Caroline Lenny.

963

: 00:44:24

L-U-N-N-E is my last name.

964

: 00:44:26

Rhymes with honey.

965

: 00:44:27

Kind of a complicated one.

966

: 00:44:28

That's where I share my daily life.

967

: 00:44:30

All the things my agency is

called Migrate Marketing.

968

: 00:44:33

And you can find us at Meet Migrate

on Instagram love to meet you and chat

969

: 00:44:38

and see what you like about your life.

970

: 00:44:40

mari-wagner_1_11-03-2025_150624: Amazing.

971

: 00:44:41

Thanks so much, Caroline.

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