Joined with friend Sarah Swafford, Mari and Sarah engage in a deep conversation about living a Christ-centered life as a modern woman in her 20s. With insights from over 15 years of ministry, Sarah shares wisdom on personal faith, the importance of mental prayer, and dealing with societal pressures. The discussion covers practical advice on dating, marriage, emotional fulfillment, and embracing singleness. Sarah also emphasizes the role of community, true friendships, and persistence in marriage. Drawing from her book, 'Gift and Grit,' she highlights the necessity of genuine relationships and grit in overcoming life's challenges. This episode aims to support and encourage women in their twenties and beyond, reminding them of their inherent worth and the significance of putting God at the center of their lives.
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Follow Along:
Hey, I'm your host, Mari Wagner, and you're listening to the ever
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:be podcast where faith meets lifestyle.
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:I'm so excited you're here, whether you're
a new listener or a longtime follower,
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:I know there's something here for you.
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:Pull up a chair and listen in for
insightful real life conversations
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:and actionable steps on how to claim
the 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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:Speaker: Welcome.
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:Welcome to the podcast, Sarah.
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:I'm so honored to have you here, both
as a dear friend, but also as a mentor
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:to me and I know to so many others,
I'm sure who have encountered you
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:through your speaking or your books
and all of the wonderful things you do.
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:So welcome to ever be.
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:Speaker 2: Aw, well, I'm honored that
you asked me to come and hang out with
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:you, uh, and anyone else who's listening.
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:I feel like we've had a lot of
conversations where we both are like, Oh,
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:I wish we would have recorded that because
that probably would have been helpful.
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:So, hey, here we are,
here we are recording
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:Speaker: our conversation.
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:I love it.
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:I know.
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:Finally.
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:And well, before we dive in, I'm sure
so many of my listeners know who you
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:are, but if anybody here is meeting
you for the first time, can you give
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:us maybe a little background about
who you are and what you're all about?
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:Speaker 2: I love it.
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:Um, I'm coming to you
from Atchison, Kansas.
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:So if anyone has ever heard of
Benedictine College, go Ravens.
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:Um, I live across the street.
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:Uh, my husband's a theology
professor here, and we have six kids.
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:Uh, Thomas is 18, Fulton is 16,
Kate is 12, Colby is 8, John Paul,
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:Benedict, no pressure, is 4, and
our baby, Avila Faustina, straight
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:to the convent, is 10 months.
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:Thanks.
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:So I feel like I gave her a
religious name, like from the jump.
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:So, and that's great.
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:I think she's going to live up to it.
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:It's going to be amazing.
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:So, uh, but yeah, so
we, I live in Atchison.
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:I do a lot of ministry.
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:I've been doing ministry
for probably almost.
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:15, 20 years.
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:I mean, however you want to count it.
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:Um, I absolutely love young adults.
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:They are my, they are my jam, man.
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:They're, they are just the best.
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:And, um, I've been speaking and
writing for them and for adults
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:as well, over the last few years.
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:And it gives me life, man.
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:I love it.
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:It's, it's just a, it's a really cool
thing to get to travel around and hang
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:out and just help people put their
lives together and, and listen and just
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:be there in any way I can for them.
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:Yes.
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:Speaker: Yeah.
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:And this is exactly why I knew
you would be the perfect guest
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:for this specific episode because
you speak so well from the heart.
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:Um, and as a friend, like right there
with you figuring it out, but you also
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:speak as an older sister that like wants
to help you get out there and reach, you
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:know, like what the Lord has for you.
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:And then you also speak from like a place
of wisdom as a mom, who's like sometimes.
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:You just need to be told the tough
love, you know, because I love you.
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:This is what you need to know.
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:And this is what we're going to get into.
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:And so I just feel like we do it
all with so much love and joy.
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:And yeah, I'm really, really pumped
for us to dive into to all that we
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:have for women in their twenties.
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:today.
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:So I'm 26.
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:So I feel like I'm
right in the middle now.
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:I love it.
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:I can speak from a place of
wisdom of like, you know, to
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:the early twenties ladies.
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:And then you just have the wisdom, you
know, to share from your whole life.
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:So let's, let's just start
with the most important thing.
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:Okay.
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:How about our Catholic faith?
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:We know that that's super
important to both of us.
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:And I know from experience myself in my
early twenties and walking with women in
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:their twenties, when I was a missionary on
the college campus, that These years are
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:a pivotal time, especially for our faith.
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:When we're trying to figure out
like, how do I take it as my own?
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:How do I really live it out?
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:And not just like checkbox Catholic,
you know, like just like do the things
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:because I was told to do them growing
up and like, how do I make it the same?
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:center, center of my life and not
just like an extracurricular thing
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:that I like put on my resume.
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:Um, that I went to church
camp, thing like that.
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:Speaker 2: Right, right.
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:Like you get it on a resume.
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:That's right.
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:Yeah,
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:Speaker: exactly.
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:So where should someone start?
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:What is most important when it comes
to living out your faith, especially
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:like in these years in your twenties?
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:Speaker 2: Oh.
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:Well, first of all, I think
it's one of the hardest things.
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:I mean, I tell young adults all the
time, I'm like, look, if you feel like
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:you don't know what you're doing, or
you feel a little bit, like, insecure,
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:overwhelmed, like, out of control, you
feel like you're just kind of taking
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:life as it comes, you're not really
able to, like, I guess the best way to
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:say it is you're just surviving, not
thriving in any way, which, Hi, welcome.
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:Um, I think all of us feel
that way a lot of times.
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:And so, I mean, I'm trying to think of
times in my life where I was just straight
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:up straight or straight up thriving.
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:It's like, no, I think, I don't
know if I have that right.
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:I think it's always
going to be a mix, right?
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:Like you're not, yeah.
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:I mean, I don't think any of us have
ever in every like area of our life
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:been like, Oh, I'm just absolutely
crushing it in every area of my life.
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:Because typically.
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:It's hard to find balance and
it's hard to find, you know,
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:all time for all the different
things that are important to you.
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:Uh, one of my favorite things was
this, uh, little meme on Pinterest.
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:Pinterest was like, uh, a hundred years
ago, you know, 150 years ago, people came
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:across the country on a covered wagon.
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:And my list of things to do has, you
know, list things like drink water.
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:And I'm like, okay, yeah,
that's, that's true.
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:Literally where we're at right now,
you know, it's like, it's, it's hard,
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:you know, like, and I think young adult
women in a very special way, you know,
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:I remind everybody you're playing with a
deck of cards that no one in the history
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:of the world has ever played with.
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:No one, no one has ever, no other
female has ever entered her twenties or
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:experienced her twenties with the same
deck of cards that you are playing with.
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:And so.
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:Number one, you need to have a
ton of grace for yourself and you
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:need to be patient with yourself.
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:And I think number two, you add in
just how hard it is to be a faithful
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:Catholic in your, in your twenties.
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:And you have so many things coming
at you, um, and in so many opinions
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:and people's opinions about you.
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:And, you know, in our day and age,
the, the number one thing that,
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:that you're not allowed to do in
your twenties is show weakness.
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:Or show that you don't, you don't know
exactly all the answers or you don't
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:know exactly what you're doing with
your life or telling your grandma for
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:the 15th time that you're not seeing
anyone and no, please don't set me
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:up with anyone from bingo, you know?
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:So, so I just think that, you
know, there's just, there's so
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:much coming at you and our faith
is the most important thing to us.
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:But I think it, I think the young
adult women, especially, you know,
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:it's, it's easy to say, Oh, just like
pour into your faith life and like,
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:you know, pray and all this stuff.
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:And I, you know, and it's
all, that is the answer.
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:But I, I really have a heart for women
who have come to me and said, what
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:are they, like, what do you mean pray?
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:Like, I don't pray.
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:I don't have a prayer life.
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:I mean, I go to mass, but you, you seem
to be talking about something much deeper.
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:Can you like, tell me what
exactly that looks like?
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:And so for me, I mean, I just,
First, I just want every, every
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:female out there to hear me say
like, it's okay to not be okay.
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:It's okay to not have it all figured out.
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:I mean that just to really hear me say
that the Lord is proud of your efforts.
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:Even if you feel like they're so
small or they're so incomplete, um,
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:or they're just not, you know, I'm.
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:I mean, we'll get into this.
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:I'm sure I'm a recovering perfectionist.
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:Hi.
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:Firstborn only girl in my family.
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:Um, type a type a trauma.
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:I have it all right.
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:Like I have it all.
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:Um, and so I'm sure we'll get into it.
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:But I think that for, for me and my
faith life in my twenties, I felt like
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:if it wasn't like absolutely hitting on
every cylinder and like, and looked like
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:all the other women that I, you know,
was around or looked like, then it was
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:like, It didn't mean anything to the
Lord or it didn't, it was just small and
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:therefore it was, wasn't good enough.
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:And I mean, I even beat
myself up over my faith life.
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:I think in my twenties, you know,
it just, it was never enough.
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:And I think the Lord, uh, in my,
in my forties, I just turned 40.
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:So in my old age here, I just
think that the Lord, I love it.
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:40 has been really fun.
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:You have a lot to look forward to.
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:Yeah.
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:Um, I, I just think the Lord just wants
to grab your face and just grab, like
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:grab you and just be like, I see you.
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:I see your efforts.
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:I see, I see what you say to friends.
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:I see how hard it is for you.
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:I, and I know that this, the isolation
and the competition and the insecurity
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:and the anxiety is so real for every
human being, but I think that young
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:adult women carry a special cross.
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:And I just think I want the women to
hear the Lord say like he sees you in
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:that and he's not measuring you against
each other and he's not measuring
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:you against, you know, just don't,
it's not a performance based love.
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:I think that's, that's the number 1
thing that I have learned in my life
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:is our Lord does not love like a human.
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:He's just, that's, I mean,
we have to almost like.
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:Father Jacques Philippe,
re educate the soul.
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:Like we have to have a re education
cause the Lord doesn't love like a human.
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:The way that we feel like
sometimes our relationships are
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:conditional or performance based.
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:Like the Lord just loves you in
your messiness and he expects
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:you to come to him messy.
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:And so I think from my heart, that's
been a process for me cause I'm like,
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:why would I go to the Lord other than
put together and I'm here to serve
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:you and what can I do for you today?
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:You know, but to really go to him, I think
I really learned that in my late twenties.
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:Yeah.
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:This is messy lord take it or leave it.
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:This is it's real ugly right
now, you know, and and then
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:put me put me back together
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:Speaker: Yeah, and I think part of what
I think makes those 20 so tough too
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:is just that like You're all over the
board like people are in such different
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:stages of life While still being in
the same age group and that puts a
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:lot of pressure, um, especially as
women, like you mentioned comparison,
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:I think it's just like a natural
thing that we have to like compare.
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:And it's out of a desire of like wanting
to be good and beautiful and like, you
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:know, fulfill the plan God has for you.
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:But it's hard in your twenties when,
you know, you're graduating and some
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:girl got a job before you, or she got
engaged and you still haven't dated
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:anybody, or, you know, they were a mom
and you thought you'd be a mom by now.
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:We're like, All these different
things of like all, like
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:people just hitting milestones.
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:I think comparison can seep in a lot.
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:And I mean, that can mess with
not just like your own personal
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:confidence, but even your faith
too, and just be like, Lord, like I
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:thought you had a plan for my life.
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:You know, I thought like, I'm,
I'm trying to have faith here,
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:but like, what's your plan?
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:Speaker 2: Yes.
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:Oh, absolutely.
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:And, and I think that is a really
great point that people in their
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:20s are all over the board.
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:You know, some are still in college, some
are married with a couple of little kids.
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:Some, you know, some are waiting for,
you know, kids to come into their
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:life at, you know, waiting for the
husband to come into their life.
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:Um, and it's, it's really hard and,
but we all need each other in that.
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:I mean, women of all ages need each other
and we need to grow with each other.
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:But the number one, I mean, my husband
always says junior high will repeat
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:itself over and over again, if you don't.
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:Nip it in the bud, right?
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:Like, if you, if you don't call out, you
know, that, that feeling of, like, I had
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:a good friend one time when we were in
college and she just came out to me and
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:she's like, I compete with you in my head.
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:And I know that it makes me angry at you
or it makes me like feel like less than
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:and she just voiced all these things to
me and I, that was like the first time in
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:my life I'd ever really trusted a woman
to like, wow, I, I feel the same way, but
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:I never would have articulated it to you
and I never would have said that out loud.
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:I mean, and we're still really
good friends to this day.
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:She was in my wedding, you know?
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:I mean, so you, you look at those hard
conversations, even sometimes with
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:ourselves, you know, you have to sit
before the Lord and say, wow, why does.
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:Why do I do that?
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:You know, um, I think, I think sometimes
in, in your twenties, you do have the gift
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:of time in, in some ways for that self
reflection and that, I mean, from the mom
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:who has six children, who's 40, please
go to adoration while you, while you
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:can, whenever you want to, or you don't
need a babysitter or help or anything,
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:just, just go, you know, or, you know,
have the Bible study at your house and
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:have the wine night, do all the things
cause you'll still be able to do them.
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:It's just a little bit easier,
uh, when you're in your twenties.
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:So take advantage of that
time where the Lord has said.
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:Hey, I want you to reflect and
I want you to heal and I want
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:you to grow and I want you to be
ready for whatever I have for you.
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:Um, notice I didn't say you have
to be perfect and totally ready for
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:everything I have for you because you'll
never be, um, hashtag striving, right?
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:But like being in a
spot where you can say.
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:Wow.
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:You know what, like that relationship
that I had in high school, that, that
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:boyfriend really left me with a lot of
insecurities and wounds, and I probably
265
:need to walk into that place and kind of
figure out why I react or act to certain
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:things before I start launching into
another relationship, like what beautiful
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:questions to ask, you know, maybe asking
what did my parents do really well?
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:And what do I want to do differently?
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:Based on how I was raised.
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:Okay.
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:You're getting ready to have kids.
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:Maybe you're waiting, you
know, maybe you're praying
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:for God to give you some kids.
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:Like those are some phenomenal date night
with your husband questions, you know,
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:just like that time to heal and reflect.
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:Um, and then I just say, please have
grace and patience with yourself because
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:I did not, I did not have patience
or grace with myself in my twenties.
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:I was actually really hard on
myself and I still am to some
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:extent, but if I could go back.
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:I just wish that I, I could be
the hype girl cheerleader that I
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:am for so many women in my life.
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:I wish I would have had that
person and I wish I would have
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:been that person for myself.
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:Speaker: Oh yeah.
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:I mean, I need to hear that.
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:I'm sure so many of us need
to hear that and you're right.
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:I don't know if it's maybe just the
twenties or like you were saying, like
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:today's day and age, like there's just so
much pressure to like to make it and to
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:do like more than the people around you.
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:And um, yeah.
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:Yeah.
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:Yeah.
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:We all need to hear that.
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:Like, it's okay.
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:Like, just breathe.
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:Like it's all right.
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:Um, I want to touch on,
on pray a little bit more.
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:Cause I think that's been one of the
biggest lessons I've learned in my life.
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:You've mentioned it a couple of times.
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:Um, you know, when you're
figuring these things out, prayer.
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:What is this deeper prayer experience
you're talking about, you know, go
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:to adoration for someone who, you
know, who's maybe hearing that from,
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:from mentors in their life or from
other people, but still is kind of
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:trying to figure out, like, what kind
of prayer are they talking about?
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:Or where do I start in like a routine?
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:Like, maybe you like say a quick prayer
before bed, but like, what kind of
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:prayer would you encourage women to have?
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:Speaker 2: Oh yeah.
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:Uh, lots of thoughts.
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:We, you and I joked this
could be four hours long.
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:I mean, we could talk about every
single thing that, that we talk about.
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:So I would say like quickly, cause
again, when you start talking
313
:about like faith and prayer and all
these things, you know, it's just
314
:like, man, we could go on for days.
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:Um, but I, I would really, I would love
for the women listening to this to Take
316
:to heart just that idea of mental prayer.
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:And a lot of people are like,
okay, yeah, I go to mass.
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:I go to adoration.
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:I even might pray the divine, you
know, divine mercy chaplet, the rosary.
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:I might pray the hours.
321
:Like I am just rocking the devotional
life, yo, you know what I mean?
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:Like I, and that is like so awesome.
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:And all I have to say to that is.
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:Keep doing that.
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:Right.
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:Um, but I also think that sometimes,
and I've, again, this isn't me,
327
:just this is myself and this is
mentoring and talking to and loving
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:on young adults for almost 20 years.
329
:I, I hear so many of them kind of,
I, I can hear it in their voice.
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:It's like, well, I
checked all those boxes.
331
:I did all those things, and I
still don't feel close to God, or
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:I still am struggling with this
or that, or that, or that or that.
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:And, and I just look at them
and I say, uh, you, you know.
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:Yes.
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:And you have to keep doing all the things
that you know, like the sacraments, you
336
:can't get any better than the sacraments.
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:You can't get any better than the mass,
like highest form of prayer, go team, go.
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:The Catholic church is where it's at.
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:You know, we could do a whole podcast
series on that, but I think what,
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:what needs someone to hear, I think
what I needed to hear from someone.
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:And also I think what people need to
hear is, okay, but what does that,
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:when you go to mass, when you go to
confession, when you go to adoration,
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:What does your relationship with the
living God, the king of the universe?
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:What is your personal
relationship with him?
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:Like in that moment?
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:And I, I mean, I always genuflect
when I go into churches and I always
347
:say, Lord, thank you for making me a
masterpiece and a work in progress.
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:I am here again.
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:Right?
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:Cause like you, you bow before the
king of the universe and you're like,
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:Oh my gosh, like heaven on earth.
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:Like, here we go.
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:You know, mass, all these things,
but you still come human and you come
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:broken and you come with the same
problems you had in the parking lot.
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:Like you're still this person that comes
in and just says like, okay, I'm here.
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:And I just, I really think the part
that people miss is just that, like
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:Mental prayer where there's no phone.
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:There's no journal.
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:There's no book.
360
:There's no I mean again You can have
like all those things to like prep you
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:prompt you but it's where you just kind
of like Turn it all off and turn it
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:all down and you sit before the lord
I it can be an adoration it can be in
363
:mass, but I have found even in my life
Sometimes it's sitting on my front porch
364
:um You know when I had little little
little kids I would just light a candle
365
:in front of a crucifix and like like
literally sit in my bedroom I mean because
366
:it was like I just need to be with the
Lord and I need him to see me and I
367
:need to see him and that gaze of love.
368
:Right.
369
:And my, you know, there's
a really cool phrase.
370
:They were like, you know, a saying
that says you can't persist in mental
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:prayer and that like relationship with
God and that personal relationship
372
:and conversation with God and in you
know, whether it's like a really tough
373
:situation, a hard relationship, you
know, like some type of temptation
374
:or some behavior that's like wrecking
you, you can't sit in those two places.
375
:Um, because the silence is too loud.
376
:You're either going to stop
praying or you're going to stop
377
:being in that hard situation.
378
:Like you can't, it just,
the silence is too loud.
379
:And one of my favorite deadly sins
is the deadly sin of sloth, which is
380
:everyone thinks it's laziness, but
it's really just kind of like that.
381
:Yeah.
382
:Like, it's too hard, it's too much
work, I'm just gonna roll over and die.
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:Like, it's just, it's almost like
sorrow at how hard spiritual things are.
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:And I think for young adults,
including me, and you, and everyone
385
:else, I think the hardest thing to
do in life is to quiet the busyness.
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:Quiet the noise, quiet the
expectations, quiet at all.
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:And to sit in silence with our Lord,
to sit where I'm not being distracted.
388
:I'm not, you know, it's so easy when
you feel uncomfortable or the Lord wants
389
:to bring something up and you're like,
no, I don't want to think about that.
390
:You're just like, grab your prayer
book, grab your, I mean, it's,
391
:it's like, I'm speaking to myself.
392
:Like I will want to just like,
no, I don't want to go there.
393
:No, I don't want to go there.
394
:So when I say mental prayer,
I'm, I'm talking five minutes,
395
:10 minutes, 20 minutes.
396
:You know, I mean, if you have it.
397
:to do 30 minutes of mental prayer day.
398
:Like maybe you start with like your
devotionals and things like that.
399
:But then just to, to really sit with the
Lord for 10, 20, 30 minutes, life changing
400
:because what happens is, is, you know, you
think about going to a mass, you know, and
401
:they call it like the wedding feast, the,
you know, the consummation, you hear all
402
:these like cool theological words, right?
403
:If you want to sound really cool
in a theological conversation, just
404
:throw out the word ontological.
405
:Just say ontological and you
just sound really smart, right?
406
:Like you have all of these
beautiful realities happening.
407
:And my husband, who's the theologian
always says, you know, like, you
408
:know, you're going to consume, you're
going to consummate this marriage.
409
:You're going to like interact in the most
deep, you know, affectionate, like intense
410
:way you're going to receive the Lord.
411
:And he's like, it would be a
really strange marriage if couples
412
:never talked to each other.
413
:And if couples didn't share
intimacy before the act.
414
:Everyone knows what I'm talking about.
415
:Like this, I could go into this
a lot deeper, but it's like that
416
:mental prayer is like that really,
honestly, it's that connection base.
417
:It's that saying, I'm
going to be real with you.
418
:It's saying, here are my weaknesses.
419
:It's saying like, thank you.
420
:It's saying, I have gratitude.
421
:I'm so in love with you.
422
:Like it's those.
423
:Words that can be spoken any
time of the day at any point.
424
:But, but do you do that even with
your significant other undistracted?
425
:How many of us are like, you know,
on our phone, like, yeah, babe, what?
426
:Yeah, sure.
427
:Right.
428
:I mean, I have to believe that way, but
the greatest gift you can give someone
429
:is the gift of your eyeballs and your
heart and your like availability.
430
:And I think our Lord is saying
like, I just want to be with you.
431
:I just want to hear about your heart.
432
:Even if you're mad at me, even if you're
upset, even if you're another word that
433
:I love for young adults, even if you're
bitter, even if you're Cause I was bitter
434
:with the Lord for most of my twenties.
435
:So whatever it is that you're
feeling, bring it to me.
436
:Like we're going to grow closer
in these beautiful sacraments.
437
:If I know your heart and you
know, my heart, and we've
438
:had that intimacy together.
439
:Um, so again, I'm sorry, that was really
long winded, but I think that that's
440
:the piece that I would really want the
girls to have, like, yeah, women to have.
441
:Go mental prayer go.
442
:Speaker: Yeah, I agree.
443
:I mean I second that third that
fourth that like biggest piece
444
:of advice And you're right.
445
:I think it is really really hard It
gets harder more and more for the
446
:generations to come because we're so much
used to less and less silence because
447
:even the time we spend by ourselves
now isn't actually silent anymore.
448
:You turn on a podcast or a show
while you're cleaning or, you know,
449
:you're scrolling and watching stuff.
450
:Like you might think that you're by
yourself in the quiet, but I, even I
451
:rarely am like in a really quiet space,
you know, like if I'm home alone, I'm
452
:like, okay, I should play something.
453
:It's like, yeah.
454
:Awkwardly quiet.
455
:And so I think that's why it's
both like equally as hard,
456
:but also equally as powerful.
457
:Like why mental prayer is so powerful
because first of all, it's going to be
458
:hard to enter in and like clear your mind
and like be comfortable with the silence
459
:and kind of get past the whole like, okay,
Lord, I hope you're listening, you know,
460
:I'm, you know, I can't hear anything,
but like, I'm here, um, but then really
461
:when you, when you lean into it and when
you enter it and you allow the Lord to
462
:fill that space and to fill that silence.
463
:And sometimes it's not words.
464
:Most of the times it's not,
it's never really audible.
465
:It's just like that place.
466
:It's just like filling of like
peace or like being known,
467
:like in your heart by the Lord.
468
:But you, if you go to that, and I always
tell people like, like I challenged him
469
:to 30 days of prayer and, and that's a
big challenge, but that's what a mentor
470
:challenged me in college, he was like
30 days of scripture and it was like
471
:scripture, you read it the first five
minutes and then it was like mental
472
:prayer, like you let that sit and
then like whatever comes to the Lord.
473
:For the last like 25 and he promised
me he was like, if you do this
474
:for 30 days, if you pray for 30
days, your life will be changed.
475
:And he did not like budge at all.
476
:And I was like, how can you promise
me that my life will change?
477
:You know?
478
:And it did.
479
:I mean, it obviously did.
480
:Like it completely,
completely changed my life.
481
:And I experienced this whole, like, like
you said, like this relationship with
482
:the Lord, this like deeper level where
like, it's just heart to heart now.
483
:It's not, it's not like the written
devotion, which is just as beautiful,
484
:but it's like, it's like my own
real raw words that like aren't
485
:as beautiful or as pretty, but
like so intimate with the Lord.
486
:Um, and so then, and then
when I became missionary.
487
:I, I used the same tactic.
488
:I was like, okay, 30 days,
your life will be changed.
489
:And I promise you.
490
:And then I would go to prayer and I'd
be like, Lord, I promised this girl that
491
:her life would be changed after 30 days.
492
:So you have to pull through.
493
:Speaker 2: Yes.
494
:I love it.
495
:I love it.
496
:Well, I think also just knows
I couldn't agree with you more.
497
:And I think also, you know, Like
I'm a huge fan of the hallow app.
498
:I'm a huge fan of devotionals.
499
:I'm a huge fan of the rosary.
500
:But one of the things that I've been
learning is sometimes when I'm like
501
:listening to a podcast or listening to
a prayer, I love different novenas on
502
:the hallow app and things like that.
503
:Sometimes I'll be like folding
laundry or doing things.
504
:And all of a sudden I'll just get like.
505
:Kind of just like a moment where I'm
like, I think I just need to pause
506
:this and just have a minute because I
think what some people think is they're
507
:going to like go to their prayer corner
and get their coffee and just have
508
:this like intimate minute with Lord.
509
:And then when nothing comes or it's
just quiet or whatever, you're like,
510
:you know, the, the type A's are
like, well, this is a waste of time.
511
:You know what I mean?
512
:And so I think that what I,
what I have found in my life is.
513
:You know, doing that, like I always,
my husband and I always say, we
514
:don't really believe in quality time.
515
:We believe in quantity of time,
because if you spend enough time
516
:together, quality will happen.
517
:But you can't just like Jerry,
you know, gerrymander or like
518
:manufacture, just like, Oh, we're
going to quality time right now.
519
:Go, you know, with a person or
with a child or with a friend, it's
520
:like you just spend time together.
521
:And all of a sudden these like phenomenal
conversations come up or things like that.
522
:So don't feel like you're wasting time.
523
:If nothing magical or like, Earth
shattering happens during these mental
524
:prayer times, but I have found that
sometimes that time is almost like
525
:priming the pump, the pump for like,
all of a sudden the father, Mike says
526
:something that just, you know, hits me.
527
:And I, so I'll just pause the podcast
or pause, whatever I'm listening to.
528
:And sometimes I take notes on my
phone or I'll take notes in my
529
:journal and then I take those and
go back to mental prayer with them.
530
:Cause I think sometimes people think
that this is my like 30 minutes and
531
:it all, this has to happen right now.
532
:And the Lord's going to just
work right now and dah, dah, dah.
533
:And I think sometimes people
are disappointed when it's not.
534
:It's like, Super fruitful thing, but then
all of a sudden you start seeing things
535
:come out during your day And I would just
really encourage people to see it all as
536
:a 24 hour prayer cycle If that makes sense
like it's a 24 hour prayer cycle friends
537
:like it might he might be bringing up the
same thing over and Over again, but then
538
:when you actually bring it to the silence
It actually, you know, you're ready for
539
:it, but he may have to bring it up in a
couple different ways Through different
540
:people or different times in your day.
541
:So just don't be you know Don't expect
there to always be this like oh my
542
:gosh earth shattering answers and
you know, peace peace peace It's like
543
:sometimes I'll get peace randomly at
like, you know, ten o'clock at night
544
:and you're like was this Is this?
545
:Oh, yeah, this is from this morning.
546
:This is what I was asking for, you know.
547
:So, anyway, I just, that's encouragement
because I think sometimes people go
548
:and then they're like, this isn't
working, this is not, you know, and
549
:you, you have to remember, um, our
Lord doesn't work like, uh, you know,
550
:dopamine hits on a social media feed.
551
:That's just not his MO.
552
:So everyone has to kind of lead
with, this is gonna look different.
553
:Speaker: Totally, totally.
554
:Okay, let's shift gears a little bit.
555
:I want to talk about
relationships and dating.
556
:This is a hot topic in
your twenties, right?
557
:Everyone's trying to, you know,
figure out their vocation, figure
558
:out what the dating scene is like.
559
:Is he the one?
560
:All that kind of stuff.
561
:So what advice do you have for
women navigating the dating
562
:scene in their twenties?
563
:Let's start there and then we'll, we'll
get into maybe seasons of singleness or
564
:relationships after, but let's just start
with like women navigating the dating
565
:scene, like trying to figure out like.
566
:Who should I date?
567
:Who's the one?
568
:What's your advice?
569
:Speaker 2: I'm so glad we have two and a
half hours to answer this one question.
570
:Um, I guess this is, this is why I
wrote emotional and part two part.
571
:Yeah.
572
:And we'll just keep going.
573
:That's exactly right.
574
:Part six, you know, dating was there.
575
:Um, I, I think that I mean, when I
wrote emotional virtue and when I just
576
:wrote gift and grit with my husband
here recently, um, that was kind of the
577
:number one thing everybody wanted to
know was everybody wants relationship
578
:advice and just everybody's in that.
579
:And so it makes sense
that that's the question.
580
:Um, and I, I love it.
581
:I mean, I could talk for days about dating
and relationships and I love it because
582
:one, Well, first of all, just to all
the women out there, if you're listening
583
:to this podcast, if you follow Mari, if
you're, you know, if you're, if you're
584
:just part of this world, dating is going
to be tough for you because you care.
585
:Dating is going to be tough
for you because you don't
586
:play by the world's rules.
587
:So therefore it's not as
easy as it is for you.
588
:Easy for everyone else because it's not
easy for them either and we all know that
589
:But I think the first the first thing I
want everyone to hear me say is just deep
590
:breath in Let it out like it is literally
an inhaling truth and exhaling lies kind
591
:of thing because you like you You care
and it's important to you and that you
592
:don't you don't casually date anymore.
593
:You don't you don't date for fun You
don't like you don't pass your name,
594
:you know pass your number out to random
strangers Typically because you're
595
:like, no, like I want to do this, right?
596
:Like, you, you know,
you've been burnt by that.
597
:You're, you're here
for a different reason.
598
:And so therefore I am not going to
lie to you and tell you it's going to
599
:be easier, but I am going to tell you
that everything that you've decided
600
:to say no to is this great big yes to
this, like incredible worth it piece.
601
:That you will never regret.
602
:Amen.
603
:And so just hear me say, just hear
me say that from the beginning.
604
:Just like, I'm so proud of you.
605
:I love you.
606
:Thank you for caring.
607
:Thank you for, for honestly, a lot of
you, thank you for carrying your friends.
608
:Um, thank you for being that person
of reason on a Saturday night.
609
:Like, I'm so sorry you've been
the mom, but like, thank you for
610
:just being the person that says
there's gotta be a better way.
611
:There's gotta be a different way.
612
:Like, tell me there's a better way.
613
:Uh, that's where all my ministry
started was, um, social media came
614
:out about the same time I was starting
to do ministry as a dorm director.
615
:And I literally, I think the
women and men both came to me
616
:cause they were like, she's saying
something different than the world.
617
:And I have been so broken and
hurt by this that like I'm open
618
:to anything else right now.
619
:Um, and so.
620
:Thank you.
621
:That's where I think a lot of
people, you know, I always joke.
622
:I love giving high school, college,
young adult, you know, conferences,
623
:talk and talks and stuff.
624
:And I always say, I don't bait and switch.
625
:I bait and hook.
626
:And what I mean by that is like,
nobody wants to talk about like,
627
:typically like their relationship
with God or faith or things like that.
628
:But then when you start talking about
relationships, they're like, Oh, I'm in
629
:like, especially guys are like, wait, let
me get a pen, you know, like, hold on.
630
:Talk to you.
631
:Talk too fast, slow down, you know?
632
:Um, and so I think that they
want to know those answers, but.
633
:For me, my best dating advice for women
and men, for anybody is just, um, when
634
:you say like, who am I supposed to date?
635
:Like, who's the one, you know, like all
those questions that are very like vogue,
636
:catchy, you know, clickbait type things.
637
:Um, I think that my, my thing to them,
to you, to people listening is just that
638
:that is actually not the right question.
639
:Like that's, you're asking a
question that is really important.
640
:Um, but the thing that I found through
a lot of brokenness in college was
641
:I wanted someone to be my savior.
642
:I wanted someone to be my everything.
643
:I wanted someone to complete me.
644
:I wanted.
645
:I wanted someone to look at me and
be like, you, you are it for me.
646
:You completely satisfy me.
647
:You answer all my desires.
648
:Like I wanted someone like that.
649
:And I wanted to be that for someone.
650
:And so as I was looking for that,
and as I was desiring to be that for
651
:someone, um, it just led me down a
lot of dark paths and it left me.
652
:Super, super broken and bitter.
653
:I mentioned it earlier, but I, I
counsel bitterness and I have, I have
654
:been bitter so many times in my life
because I'm type A and I felt like
655
:I was playing the game really well.
656
:And I was checking all the
boxes, even, even the God
657
:ones, even the spiritual ones.
658
:I felt like I was doing all the things
and I still kept coming up empty.
659
:And it still kept coming up, not enough.
660
:And therefore I wasn't
enough and it was so hard.
661
:And I, my conversion happened in college.
662
:I probably similar to a lot of,
a lot of the women, you know,
663
:I was in a really dark place.
664
:My boyfriend from high school cheated
on me our freshman year of college.
665
:And 9 11 happened and I blew my knee out
on my basketball scholarship and it was
666
:just like rock bottom, especially for
someone who had their whole life planned.
667
:Hi.
668
:Hi.
669
:Welcome.
670
:12 point PowerPoint slides.
671
:You know what I mean?
672
:Like whole life planned.
673
:Um, and the whole bottom fell out.
674
:And I remember going to confession,
uh, like, like probably about six
675
:months after, uh, I had kind of,
I was really all over the place.
676
:I was really lost.
677
:I was trying to find my worth
in a lot of different places.
678
:And I ended up going to confession.
679
:And this priest gave me the best
life advice I've ever received.
680
:And he just said, he looked at me and
he's like, you got to drop this off at the
681
:feet of our Lord because it is too heavy.
682
:Like you cannot carry this anymore.
683
:And you can't, you can't keep pretending
like you're going to fix it yourself.
684
:And cause that was what I wanted to do.
685
:I was trying to just will it.
686
:Like I was just trying to like,
Will it, I'm going to fix this.
687
:I'm going to put my life
back together, you know?
688
:And it was so exhausting.
689
:And whenever he told me, he's like, look,
you like, no one can be your everything.
690
:You're never going to find this guy
that's going to be like everything
691
:for you or be your savior.
692
:And he looked at me and he said.
693
:And you will crush him
under the weight of that.
694
:And you will always be disappointed.
695
:And I like, I was in like a janitor's
closet on like a retreat, you
696
:know, like typical college style.
697
:Yeah.
698
:And I just remember like the broom,
I need to like, hold onto this broom
699
:right now because I was like, Oh my
gosh, like you just articulated exactly
700
:what I was doing to people and also
what I was having being done to me.
701
:And then I was looking for this person
that was gonna be my everything.
702
:And he looked at me so kind, it was
so much kindness and said to me.
703
:You don't need them to be your
savior because you already have one.
704
:So let God be God and let men be men.
705
:Wow.
706
:Changed my life.
707
:And I really think back to that time
because it was like I was manipulating.
708
:I was grasping.
709
:I was just really thinking that
I could like manufacture my life.
710
:I could just like put my
order in like a Chick fil A.
711
:And then like the Lord
would be like, my pleasure.
712
:You know what I mean?
713
:Or like the, the guy
would be like my pleasure.
714
:I just want to serve you.
715
:Right?
716
:Like, I mean, it's just so backwards.
717
:And that was like the day where I
really kind of just took a big step.
718
:Towards like, I mean, he told me, he
said, I want you to run to our Lord.
719
:Don't look in any other direction, just
run to our Lord and fall into his arms and
720
:let him heal you and make you whole again.
721
:Speaker: Yeah, he said when
722
:Speaker 2: the time's right, like start
running with the Lord and then glance
723
:aside and see who's running with you
and maybe that's who you're supposed
724
:to be with, you know, like, like holy
mic drops in the confessional kind
725
:of stuff, you know, and I love that.
726
:This is part of my testimony
because I love sharing this because
727
:as I'm looking out into a crowd,
I just see really big eyes like.
728
:Sometimes tears, sometimes like, like
contemplation, but I, I can see women and
729
:men having like a Rolodex of people in
their head flashing, you know what I mean?
730
:Like, or like scrolling, like,
like pictures of people that
731
:they've done that to, or that,
that they know have been done.
732
:So when I talk about being used and
a lot of people are like, everyone
733
:thinks that means something like sexual
or physical, but we all know there's
734
:an emotional component to that, which
is why emotional virtue was kind
735
:of like, I was like, we've got to
talk about this, like gift and grit.
736
:We have to talk about this idea
of like, what does it look like?
737
:And so when people ask me for
a story, Like dating advice and
738
:relationship advice and all this stuff.
739
:You know, I'm like, Oh,
I could talk for days.
740
:I mean, 12 point plans.
741
:I laid it out in the book, you know
how to go from hate to I do let's go.
742
:But at the same time, like I, I don't
want to spend a minute talking about
743
:that until we've talked about your heart.
744
:And we've talked about the fact
that like once you're convicted.
745
:That there is no person that's
going to be your everything, be your
746
:savior, take away all your pain.
747
:Like, cause if you walk into a marriage,
thinking that your husband's going to do
748
:that, you are going to destroy him and
you're going to destroy your marriage.
749
:And I, and I just, I don't want that.
750
:You know, I don't want
that for your heart.
751
:I don't want that for him.
752
:I don't want that, you know, vice versa.
753
:Like, you know, we just, I see it so
often, you know, where they, They're
754
:just, they're, they have to, like the
Lord has to come into that relationship
755
:and like my husband and I, you know,
when he proposed to me, he's like,
756
:I don't want to run at each other.
757
:Like I want to run beside
each other towards the Lord.
758
:I don't want to just go, I want
to be looking at each other.
759
:Like I want to run together.
760
:And I thought that was such
a great image for like what I
761
:think a lot of people desire.
762
:And so it helps you when you're
looking at relationships, you're like.
763
:Is this the kind of man that wants
to rub beside me or am I going to
764
:have to drag his butt to heaven?
765
:You know what I mean?
766
:Like, is this the kind of guy
that, um, is going to like, look
767
:at me and be like, Hey, guess what?
768
:You're not my everything.
769
:You, you're not my savior.
770
:Chica, you're beautiful.
771
:You have great hair, great legs.
772
:I can go on for days,
but you're not my savior.
773
:Right?
774
:Like I love you and I desire a life with
you to like raise saints with you, but
775
:I'm not going to, you're not going to be
my emotional fulfillment and my crutch.
776
:Like.
777
:Okay.
778
:So I know this isn't super romantic, but
is it not, is it not super romantic to
779
:be able to have someone to say that and
be like, yeah, I don't want to use you.
780
:I don't, I don't want to prop myself
up, you know, and feel like you have
781
:to be the one that just like makes me,
me, like I found that in the Lord, I
782
:found that confidence as a daughter
of God or as a son of God, and like,
783
:I want to go on this journey where we
remind each other of our belovedness.
784
:Where we, where we grow in virtue
together, we struggle together.
785
:I mean, I always tell girls all the time.
786
:I'm like, if you think he's
the one, just ask, like, do you
787
:sacrifice and suffer well together?
788
:Oh, so good.
789
:Yeah.
790
:Like, is he a good sacrificer?
791
:Because you're going to want that.
792
:Like, you're going to want someone
who knows how to die to themselves.
793
:And that's for the men
and the women, right?
794
:Like both of us.
795
:And then, and then in turn,
that becomes a question on us.
796
:Do I suffer well?
797
:Do I sacrifice well?
798
:Do I Do I take on other Do I bear other's
bur other people's burdens patiently?
799
:Am I Am I loving Cause That's the
stuff you're going to need when you get
800
:engaged, when you get married, when you
have little kids, when you have kids.
801
:You're not wasting time
ladies in your 20s.
802
:Like if you're getting good, if you're
getting really good at relying on the
803
:Lord, make not making people your gods,
like learning how to grow in patience,
804
:learning virtue, being sacrificial
and learning how to suffer well.
805
:Then it's just kind of like, all right,
Lord, who am I going to do this with?
806
:Like, then all of a sudden it just
becomes like exciting and fun.
807
:But if you're, if you're constantly
feeling like you have to be the
808
:one or you're looking for the one
that's going to be your everything,
809
:that is going to wreck your life.
810
:Speaker: No, I love that.
811
:And I, one thing that
you said that's so true.
812
:it out to me that keeps like
sticking in the back of my head is
813
:let God be God and let men be men.
814
:And I think that that's something we all
need to hear, especially in the Catholic
815
:world because, and it's a good desire.
816
:We all have a, we all have the
desire, you know, or women have the
817
:desire to find like the Catholic man.
818
:Like you said, like the man that's
going to lead them to heaven,
819
:the man that's going to say all
these things, but even then.
820
:Like wanting that so much can kind
of blur the line of like, is he going
821
:to fulfill God's place in my life?
822
:Almost, you know, like, is what
he's going to bring to the table
823
:pretty much replaced, like what
I should be asking the Lord for.
824
:And that's, that's not it.
825
:That's not the goal.
826
:And so even when you are looking for
a good and holy man, recognizing like,
827
:Like you said, like he's not going to
fulfill that God sized hole in my heart,
828
:like that love, that even that marriage.
829
:And I know this, you know, just three
years into marriage, that was a very quick
830
:lesson I learned after being married.
831
:And just, you know, like being like, why,
why do I still feel all these things?
832
:I thought marriage was
supposed to fix everything.
833
:And it's like, actually, because you're
putting all of the pressure on your
834
:husband when like, the Lord is waiting.
835
:To fulfill your every need.
836
:The Lord is waiting for you to
allow Him to be God in your life.
837
:And so, that was really, I think,
something important that I want people
838
:to walk away with, is like, it's
still beautiful and holy to like,
839
:search for the godly man, but there
is a difference between God and God.
840
:A god like, you know, a godly man
841
:Speaker 2: Yeah, that's a
good distinction friend.
842
:I think that's really good to say
like, yeah I'm, not looking for even
843
:a guy to be my god I think that again
that looks different to secular, you
844
:know to the secular world and to the
catholic world I think you know you
845
:have like exactly what you just said.
846
:You have to be really careful that
you're not Even if he is a good, godly
847
:man, you know, like not making him God.
848
:Yeah.
849
:And not, you know, going to him as much
as you go to God kind of stuff too.
850
:Right.
851
:You know, like making sure that
you're going together and you're
852
:growing together and that's
all, again, running towards him.
853
:Focus on him.
854
:Yep.
855
:Side by side.
856
:Yep.
857
:Versus that like be my everything.
858
:Be my God.
859
:Yeah.
860
:You are God to me.
861
:I rely on you like God.
862
:It's a focus thing, right?
863
:It's a, it's a, it's a shift.
864
:And again, all you ladies out there
who are like, um, being single is such
865
:a curse, you know what, like God is
giving you a gift and it, I know you
866
:want to like throw tomatoes at me and
I totally respect it, like, but it's a
867
:gift of time, like it's the gift of time.
868
:It's the gift of saying like.
869
:I'm going to go through and do
this inventory of my life and these
870
:places where I've made men, my God,
or where is it in my life where I
871
:feel like I'm, I'm lacking and I'm
like searching for that, or I'm,
872
:I'm needing affirmation in this way.
873
:Um, you know what I mean?
874
:Like, like, um, I'm someone who
gives a lot of affection, but I
875
:also love, I love affection too.
876
:You know, like I love
affirmation, you know, like that.
877
:I think that you have to know
thyself and man, that self awareness.
878
:I mean, taking that into a marriage
and saying, Hey, I'm very aware.
879
:These are the things that I struggle
with and letting your husband know that
880
:letting your fiance know that, like,
it's, it's a self awareness thing.
881
:And that is going to help your
marriage and your relationship so
882
:much, like in so many different.
883
:Speaker: Absolutely.
884
:And you started to touch on singleness.
885
:So I want to dive into that
a little bit because there
886
:could be the woman out there.
887
:And there are many who are like
doing all the things you're saying,
888
:they're praying, they're going to
the Lord, they're trying to be open.
889
:They, you know, they're, they're
dating, they're meeting and, and there's
890
:nothing happening yet, you know, and.
891
:they're struggling with this
season of singleness, which
892
:I know can be very difficult.
893
:So, um, what words of wisdom you
have to share with them on how to get
894
:through that season or like you said,
like how to like make light of that
895
:time or, you know, find the joy in it.
896
:Yeah.
897
:Speaker 2: Um, I, I mean, like, I
want to give this like really sweet
898
:answer, like that, you know, God's
got a plan and all this stuff.
899
:And I also just want to like hug
every single person that's on the
900
:other end of this single thing
and just be like, you are amazing.
901
:And I am so sorry that the guys
haven't quite figured that out yet.
902
:I'm so excited.
903
:I'm so sorry that they
are still, you know.
904
:We wrote Gift and Grit literally
for the men because I was like,
905
:we need some more marriable men.
906
:Like, I love the men.
907
:I have such a heart for the men.
908
:And they literally, guys will
come up to me like, can you give
909
:a talk on like how to flirt again?
910
:Because I think I forgot
how to talk to people.
911
:And I'm like, yes, let's do that.
912
:I'm about, maybe I Instagram
live for any man that wants
913
:to learn how to flirt again.
914
:Hosted by Sarah Swafford.
915
:Why?
916
:I don't know.
917
:Right, flirting 101 with Sarah Swafford.
918
:Okay, that could get
awkward, but maybe not.
919
:So, anyway, I think it would be awesome,
but I just want the women to hear me
920
:say this, like, I'm so proud of you.
921
:The Lord sees you.
922
:Um, I'm sorry for all the times that
you've been overlooked or someone has said
923
:something that made you feel less than.
924
:Um, that's, that's, That's
not from the Lord, right?
925
:Like the, the, the devil will weave
just this beautiful web of lies and
926
:then have you like, like, you know, jump
into it and you just feel it around you.
927
:And it's so hard to shake that stuff.
928
:It's so hard to be like, yeah, not true.
929
:I know it's not true.
930
:Right.
931
:It's, it's just so hard.
932
:And so I just really want you to
hear like a big sister come to you
933
:and say, please, please, please.
934
:Do not believe the lies that the devil
has told you about your worth and about
935
:your worthiness of Being you know, not
only just like a beautiful daughter of
936
:God and worth your vocation whatever
that means in your life right now I
937
:just I think it's so easy for women
who are single to To really feel like
938
:it's the plague, you know, it's like
I've been, you know, I, I'm a leper and
939
:everyone knows I'm a leper and I'm going
to be single for the rest of my life.
940
:And I have leper written
across my forehead.
941
:You know what I mean?
942
:Like, I think so many women are, are
like, I think you think that, but that
943
:those are a lot of lies from the devil.
944
:And so just in this period of singleness,
I mean, I know you hear all the cliche
945
:things and so I'm not going to say them.
946
:Speaker 3: Right.
947
:Speaker 2: Um, I know, you know, all the
answers of like, it's going to be fine.
948
:God has a plan, all that stuff.
949
:And I just want you to hear me say like,
that doesn't make it easier on you.
950
:And it's okay to be frustrated and it's
okay to be just like, gosh, Lord, like,
951
:why do I feel like you've forgotten me?
952
:Like he has not forgotten you.
953
:And there's just such a bigger
plan going on behind the scenes.
954
:Like, you know, macro level.
955
:I always say like the bird's
eye airplane view of your life.
956
:And, and you look at your life as like
a pie piece, you know, and you see
957
:these times of your twenties as look
at that little piece of pie, right.
958
:Or look at that piece of pie.
959
:You're like, Sarah, I've been single,
like, all of high school, all of college.
960
:I will say, I meet the most fantastic
women, and like, literally, I'm
961
:just like, you are phenomenal.
962
:I hope my daughter
grows up to be like you.
963
:And then they'll like, whisper to
me, yeah, I've never been asked out.
964
:I know.
965
:It's crazy.
966
:And I just want everyone to
hear, I want everyone to hear
967
:me say this, that is not on you.
968
:Mm hmm.
969
:That is not your problem.
970
:That is not your problem.
971
:I just want you to know you
are worthy of being asked out.
972
:You are worthy of being dated.
973
:You are worthy of all those things.
974
:So you just, again, being
boss of your thoughts, right?
975
:I talk about this a lot.
976
:You take the thought that you
hear right in your head, whatever
977
:someone said, whatever you say
about yourself and you put it in
978
:your hand and you say it out loud.
979
:And if it doesn't sound like our loving
heavenly father or Sarah Swafford or
980
:anybody in your circle, just take it
and throw it against the wall, right?
981
:Like throw it against the wall
and be like, that is not of God.
982
:That is not of God.
983
:And if it's not from the father of love,
it's probably from the father of lies.
984
:And so, but here's the tricky part.
985
:I don't want you to just throw the thought
out of your head and against the wall.
986
:I want you to take a thought and
speak it out loud and put it back
987
:in your hand and look at it a truth.
988
:Say the truth out loud and
then put it back in your head
989
:Speaker 4: because
990
:Speaker 2: it's not just an untwisting of
the lie It's a rebuilding of the truth.
991
:It's not just a subtraction.
992
:It's an addition Amen Like I want you
to surround yourself with people who
993
:are gonna put speak words of truth and
wisdom and love into your life about you
994
:and I want you to surround yourself with
those people and in nine times out of
995
:ten it might be other single girls other
single women that are like Yeah, I mean
996
:Chesterton has this great quote where true
friendship begins with the words me too.
997
:And I think that is just the, this,
the realest thing is just to have
998
:someone in your circle and in your
corner be like This is stupid hard.
999
:Yeah, and I'm like super frustrated
and I'm bitter and that's
:
00:45:17,154 --> 00:45:19,154
okay, but you can't stay there.
:
00:45:19,684 --> 00:45:23,244
So like I want you to hear me say
that like I'm, I'm frustrated for you.
:
00:45:23,724 --> 00:45:25,214
This is not all on you.
:
00:45:26,069 --> 00:45:28,539
I'm sorry for the pain
that you have endured.
:
00:45:29,619 --> 00:45:31,899
So we all just sit in that for
a minute and we drink a glass
:
00:45:31,899 --> 00:45:33,409
of wine, depending on your age.
:
00:45:33,419 --> 00:45:36,539
And you just sit there and you just
say like cookie dough, wine, whatever.
:
00:45:36,539 --> 00:45:38,789
And you just say, okay, this is a lot.
:
00:45:38,829 --> 00:45:39,629
What the what Lord?
:
00:45:39,629 --> 00:45:40,219
This is a lot.
:
00:45:40,249 --> 00:45:41,199
Like I'm doing all the things.
:
00:45:41,469 --> 00:45:44,579
And then I want you to have a
session called, okay, this is real.
:
00:45:44,609 --> 00:45:45,189
This is it.
:
00:45:45,529 --> 00:45:48,599
And then I want you to have a session
called, but I'm not going to let
:
00:45:48,649 --> 00:45:53,769
the devil like wrap me into lies and
make me bitter and make me hopeless.
:
00:45:54,109 --> 00:45:55,089
And make me settle.
:
00:45:56,039 --> 00:45:57,019
So let's drink to that.
:
00:45:57,069 --> 00:46:00,249
After we drink to the frustration,
we're going to drink to the fact that
:
00:46:00,249 --> 00:46:01,659
like, that's not the end of the story.
:
00:46:01,919 --> 00:46:03,819
Like God has a plan for my life.
:
00:46:03,879 --> 00:46:05,499
I don't know what exactly
what it looks like.
:
00:46:05,809 --> 00:46:09,119
And I'm kind of along for this adventure
and this ride, and I can either be
:
00:46:09,119 --> 00:46:11,829
bitter and frustrated and kind of
crabby about it, or I can be like.
:
00:46:12,094 --> 00:46:13,454
Okay, this is real.
:
00:46:13,664 --> 00:46:16,054
This is the deck that we're
playing with in the 21st century.
:
00:46:16,834 --> 00:46:19,524
Sarah's trying to give talks
and write books to help the men
:
00:46:19,524 --> 00:46:20,874
figure it out and come ask us out.
:
00:46:20,874 --> 00:46:22,234
We are working on it, right?
:
00:46:22,254 --> 00:46:24,094
Like, we are, we are all working on it.
:
00:46:24,644 --> 00:46:27,404
Um, and we are, we're going
to figure this out, right?
:
00:46:27,604 --> 00:46:30,984
Um, but, but there's no reason to put
your life on hold because you're single.
:
00:46:31,064 --> 00:46:31,724
Yes.
:
00:46:31,734 --> 00:46:32,174
No.
:
00:46:32,384 --> 00:46:33,424
Absolutely not.
:
00:46:33,464 --> 00:46:36,404
And, and again, I hope you go back and
listen to this because I have a lot
:
00:46:36,404 --> 00:46:39,874
of people who tell me like I've taken
your talks and like bookmark them and
:
00:46:39,874 --> 00:46:43,544
sometimes I just listen to them because
I'm like I need someone to just tell
:
00:46:43,544 --> 00:46:46,724
me that they love me and then to tell
me what I'm actually supposed to be
:
00:46:46,724 --> 00:46:50,909
looking to do right now because I want
to just Eat bonbons, take a nap and
:
00:46:50,909 --> 00:46:52,279
make out with some random guy at work.
:
00:46:52,469 --> 00:46:54,039
And that is not what we were going to do.
:
00:46:54,039 --> 00:46:56,219
Ladies, that is not what
we were going to do.
:
00:46:56,239 --> 00:46:56,579
Amen.
:
00:46:56,589 --> 00:46:58,889
Like I, I just, I think
it's good to be real.
:
00:46:58,889 --> 00:47:01,179
And that's where I think a lot of the
girls that are single in their twenties.
:
00:47:01,429 --> 00:47:04,769
And if you're not single and you're,
you're in listening to this at
:
00:47:04,769 --> 00:47:08,819
any age, I feel like it is our
personal responsibility to help
:
00:47:08,819 --> 00:47:10,659
our friends find their vocation.
:
00:47:11,609 --> 00:47:14,199
I have an, I have a thing called
find your spouse at my house.
:
00:47:14,209 --> 00:47:18,989
Like I am happily married and I want to
have people find their spouse in my house.
:
00:47:18,999 --> 00:47:20,039
Like that is important to me.
:
00:47:20,379 --> 00:47:24,359
I literally will, I will try to
match make, I will try to love, I
:
00:47:24,359 --> 00:47:28,064
mean, like, You've got to introduce
maybe you're maybe you're an engaged
:
00:47:28,074 --> 00:47:29,104
couple and you found a person.
:
00:47:29,314 --> 00:47:29,924
We're happy for you.
:
00:47:29,924 --> 00:47:32,524
That's awesome Could you please
start inviting your friends to like
:
00:47:32,524 --> 00:47:35,174
a get together and have a bunch of
your single friends come together?
:
00:47:35,404 --> 00:47:40,114
So that they can meet each other because
we need people to help facilitate this
:
00:47:40,404 --> 00:47:43,174
You're not going to probably go to the
grocery store And I mean it happens
:
00:47:43,174 --> 00:47:46,664
right but it's it's hard it's getting
harder and harder to find our people
:
00:47:47,129 --> 00:47:49,249
Friendship and dating relationship.
:
00:47:49,499 --> 00:47:52,829
So I'm going to just beg and
plead everybody out there, whether
:
00:47:52,829 --> 00:47:56,239
you're single, you know, married,
religious, religious, throw great
:
00:47:56,239 --> 00:47:57,739
parties, whoever it is, right?
:
00:47:57,739 --> 00:48:03,429
Like throw parties, have people over and
introduce people, especially people that
:
00:48:03,429 --> 00:48:04,589
are, you know, looking for each other.
:
00:48:04,599 --> 00:48:05,959
They're not going to just find each other.
:
00:48:06,189 --> 00:48:07,500
Can we please help them?
:
00:48:07,500 --> 00:48:08,379
That's really important.
:
00:48:08,379 --> 00:48:08,965
Yeah, for
:
00:48:08,965 --> 00:48:09,257
Speaker: sure.
:
00:48:09,257 --> 00:48:12,479
I think too, a lot of what
you were saying resonated.
:
00:48:13,039 --> 00:48:17,759
With me I think could be applied to like
anybody in a season of waiting, you know
:
00:48:17,769 --> 00:48:20,689
We're talking about singleness right
here But like we talked about there's
:
00:48:20,689 --> 00:48:24,019
so many transitionings happening in our
20s Whether it's you know waiting to
:
00:48:24,019 --> 00:48:27,169
get married or wanting to get the job
or waiting to get pregnant or whatever
:
00:48:27,169 --> 00:48:31,749
it is Like you can apply that to all
those seasons of waiting and I I was
:
00:48:31,749 --> 00:48:35,039
reflecting on the way I asked you this
question I ended it with like and how
:
00:48:35,039 --> 00:48:40,124
can they just do this with joy and
then I was like Hold on Hold, hold on.
:
00:48:40,554 --> 00:48:44,364
And then I stopped myself while you
were talking, because I started to
:
00:48:44,364 --> 00:48:48,684
apply this to my own life, you know,
in our own season of waiting, we, you
:
00:48:48,684 --> 00:48:50,154
know, are wanting to grow our family.
:
00:48:50,234 --> 00:48:51,574
And it has been a journey for us.
:
00:48:51,604 --> 00:48:57,099
And I have learned through this process,
like, It's okay not to be totally joyful.
:
00:48:57,129 --> 00:49:02,639
It's okay to not be like overly ecstatic
about like your plan, not being the
:
00:49:02,639 --> 00:49:04,919
Lord's plan right now, you know?
:
00:49:04,919 --> 00:49:08,679
And so I kind of want to re just
rephrase that and say like, if you,
:
00:49:08,679 --> 00:49:12,094
if you are doing it with joy and if
there's a season of joy, Beautiful.
:
00:49:12,114 --> 00:49:13,034
The Lord will bless that.
:
00:49:13,064 --> 00:49:19,634
And if there's a season that is really
hard and there's suffering and darkness or
:
00:49:19,694 --> 00:49:23,174
anger with the Lord, you know, like give
it to him, give him all the, the yucky
:
00:49:23,174 --> 00:49:27,474
stuff, all the trash that you feel like
he can't handle, like he can handle it,
:
00:49:27,719 --> 00:49:33,109
And it's okay for those seasons to also
be messy and like, not be perfectly tied
:
00:49:33,109 --> 00:49:36,949
with a bow and be like, I'm gonna wait
so well, I'm gonna do this waiting season
:
00:49:36,949 --> 00:49:39,859
so well, because it never works that way.
:
00:49:39,859 --> 00:49:42,229
And I, and I'm like, you,
Sarah, I'm just like, I, I have
:
00:49:42,229 --> 00:49:43,669
it figured out and I, I know.
:
00:49:44,089 --> 00:49:44,889
I know the path.
:
00:49:44,889 --> 00:49:48,139
It's it's prayer and surrender
and let the Lord do it.
:
00:49:48,149 --> 00:49:51,529
So if I do that, well, like this
season of waiting is going to be over.
:
00:49:51,529 --> 00:49:55,429
But the truth is that that's still
not, the Lord is not formulaic.
:
00:49:55,429 --> 00:49:58,999
You know, we can't like
make him work on our timing.
:
00:49:59,009 --> 00:50:01,069
And so it's okay for this season to be
:
00:50:01,069 --> 00:50:03,689
Speaker 2: well, and I love what you're
saying about like, and you know, we
:
00:50:03,689 --> 00:50:06,019
hope we can do it with joy, but we're
not always going to do it with joy.
:
00:50:06,019 --> 00:50:08,629
And I think that what I have
found in my life is suffering.
:
00:50:08,974 --> 00:50:12,234
Can either suffering in any way,
especially in waiting or not getting
:
00:50:12,234 --> 00:50:15,734
what you want, right when you want it,
I think it can either push you away from
:
00:50:15,734 --> 00:50:17,444
the Lord or push you towards the Lord.
:
00:50:17,974 --> 00:50:21,184
So I really think, but the
problem is, is it's up to us.
:
00:50:21,384 --> 00:50:24,294
It's about how we respond
to that suffering and that
:
00:50:24,294 --> 00:50:25,964
sacrifice and that enduring.
:
00:50:26,374 --> 00:50:29,084
So I think, I think that's one thing
for, for all those ladies, like again,
:
00:50:29,094 --> 00:50:32,684
raise a glass to the difficulty and
then raise a glass to the Lord and
:
00:50:32,684 --> 00:50:35,774
good friends and getting through
it together and saying, let's make
:
00:50:35,814 --> 00:50:37,354
like, let's be stronger through this.
:
00:50:37,664 --> 00:50:41,874
And stronger in our faith instead of
letting it completely destroy us because
:
00:50:42,164 --> 00:50:46,584
we've seen that it can, um, over time
really erode your faith and it can
:
00:50:46,584 --> 00:50:48,384
erode your confidence in who you are.
:
00:50:48,654 --> 00:50:50,684
And then you do things that
you swore you would never do.
:
00:50:51,054 --> 00:50:54,064
And I think that's, that's when you have
people come into your life and say, no,
:
00:50:54,074 --> 00:50:58,134
like, like, you know, we can do this, like
we, you know, to really rally each other
:
00:50:58,314 --> 00:51:02,234
and to rally around the Lord and in the
heart of, in the sacred heart of Jesus.
:
00:51:02,684 --> 00:51:05,174
When you're rallying in the Sacred
Heart of Jesus, you can also be
:
00:51:05,174 --> 00:51:06,444
real in the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
:
00:51:06,454 --> 00:51:09,694
Like, He is not, He is
the God of both, right?
:
00:51:09,704 --> 00:51:10,434
The both and.
:
00:51:10,684 --> 00:51:14,374
And so I think just being real is good,
but, but don't leave it at just the
:
00:51:14,374 --> 00:51:17,534
like, what the heck, you know, what
the what Lord, is what I like to say.
:
00:51:17,604 --> 00:51:18,314
What the what Lord?
:
00:51:18,554 --> 00:51:19,504
Like, don't leave it there.
:
00:51:19,534 --> 00:51:20,584
Bring it back over to Him.
:
00:51:21,404 --> 00:51:22,934
Yes, absolutely.
:
00:51:24,044 --> 00:51:26,304
Speaker: Well, relationships
leads us right into marriage.
:
00:51:26,344 --> 00:51:26,654
Okay.
:
00:51:26,654 --> 00:51:31,414
That is also a big part of our twenties,
young married couples and young families.
:
00:51:31,414 --> 00:51:33,564
We see them growing so
much more in the church.
:
00:51:33,564 --> 00:51:35,154
It makes me so, so happy.
:
00:51:35,434 --> 00:51:38,604
Um, what advice do you have for new wives?
:
00:51:38,604 --> 00:51:41,889
Let's say in their first five years
of marriage and maybe new moms.
:
00:51:42,359 --> 00:51:42,859
Oh, I
:
00:51:42,869 --> 00:51:43,649
Speaker 2: love it.
:
00:51:44,229 --> 00:51:48,139
I actually just had, I just had some
people ask, uh, us if we would ever
:
00:51:48,139 --> 00:51:50,599
write a book on how to get through
your first five years of marriage.
:
00:51:50,599 --> 00:51:53,639
And I was like, Oh my gosh,
that would be such a fun.
:
00:51:53,639 --> 00:51:57,689
I think that would be a really fun book
because I think that the first five years
:
00:51:57,689 --> 00:51:59,019
of marriage, you know, it's really cute.
:
00:51:59,029 --> 00:52:02,539
Sometimes, um, we work with a lot of,
we, we live across the street from
:
00:52:02,539 --> 00:52:05,799
:they'll come out to us and, uh, Swath
:
00:52:05,799 --> 00:52:09,199
and I will be married 19 years in
June and they'll come up to us and
:
00:52:09,209 --> 00:52:12,049
be like, Oh, we want your marriage.
:
00:52:12,069 --> 00:52:13,609
Like your family's so beautiful.
:
00:52:13,609 --> 00:52:16,599
And you know, they'll just like say
things and, and we always laugh and
:
00:52:16,599 --> 00:52:19,049
we're like, Oh, you should have been
around for the first five years.
:
00:52:19,049 --> 00:52:21,019
You would have been like, keep your
marriage, you know what I mean?
:
00:52:21,019 --> 00:52:21,669
Like keep it.
:
00:52:21,949 --> 00:52:26,559
Um, because we just, we went through a
lot and, um, I always tell those young
:
00:52:26,559 --> 00:52:30,469
adults, I'm like, you're looking at
the fruit of a married couple that.
:
00:52:30,754 --> 00:52:35,874
Grew together, sacrificed together and
pushed through and like are here and
:
00:52:35,874 --> 00:52:40,024
living and telling about it because it
just, my favorite toast at someone's
:
00:52:40,034 --> 00:52:43,124
wedding is here's to the day that
you'll love each other the least.
:
00:52:43,674 --> 00:52:45,344
Um, and I really believe it.
:
00:52:45,394 --> 00:52:48,204
I really believe it in the
sense of like, I thought I
:
00:52:48,204 --> 00:52:49,744
loved Swaaf on our wedding day.
:
00:52:49,744 --> 00:52:51,884
I thought I knew Swaaf on her wedding day.
:
00:52:52,134 --> 00:52:54,134
I thought, you know, he was
the greatest thing that ever
:
00:52:54,134 --> 00:52:55,344
happened on our wedding day.
:
00:52:55,344 --> 00:52:59,934
And he was, um, but I just, I
noticed that like through our whole
:
00:52:59,934 --> 00:53:02,529
marriage, It just kept getting better.
:
00:53:02,529 --> 00:53:03,809
It just kept getting stronger.
:
00:53:03,809 --> 00:53:09,409
It just kept getting um, more You know
deep and rich and all those great words
:
00:53:10,129 --> 00:53:14,039
but I would be lying to you if I didn't
say that almost all that growth came
:
00:53:14,039 --> 00:53:19,039
through some form of sacrifice and
growing in virtue and and suffering
:
00:53:19,039 --> 00:53:23,289
together and loving each other well
And and really again dying to yourself
:
00:53:23,289 --> 00:53:27,449
dying to your Needs every, you know,
not being number one every time.
:
00:53:27,449 --> 00:53:28,789
And, and that's really hard.
:
00:53:28,789 --> 00:53:32,369
I think for us as women, um,
because we do, we look across at
:
00:53:32,369 --> 00:53:36,899
our significant other or at her
husband and be like, fix it, fix me.
:
00:53:37,269 --> 00:53:39,409
And certainly don't be the
problem of my problems.
:
00:53:39,409 --> 00:53:40,099
Like, you know what I mean?
:
00:53:40,099 --> 00:53:41,199
Like, you know what I mean?
:
00:53:41,319 --> 00:53:42,979
So, um, don't be the catalyst.
:
00:53:42,979 --> 00:53:45,159
Yo, like I have enough
to deal with over here.
:
00:53:45,159 --> 00:53:46,189
Don't let it be you.
:
00:53:46,499 --> 00:53:47,424
Um, but.
:
00:53:47,494 --> 00:53:51,224
But it's hard when you have two humans
together and you have to, you know, I
:
00:53:51,224 --> 00:53:55,384
read this really beautiful book years
ago and it said only, only God would
:
00:53:55,384 --> 00:53:59,564
know that the ironing that sharpens
iron in a marriage, you know, the
:
00:53:59,564 --> 00:54:05,204
person who has like the flashlight on
your soul, like 24 seven, um, he goes,
:
00:54:05,234 --> 00:54:09,484
only God would know that, that, that
sharpening would come flesh on flesh.
:
00:54:10,284 --> 00:54:14,654
And I was like, Oh, that is
like mystical and beautiful.
:
00:54:14,654 --> 00:54:16,114
And it's because it's so true.
:
00:54:16,114 --> 00:54:19,524
You know, it's like it, you know, you
get into these seasons of busyness
:
00:54:19,524 --> 00:54:23,134
or little kids or, you know, just
suffering or waiting or, you know,
:
00:54:23,134 --> 00:54:24,154
all the things we're talking about.
:
00:54:24,174 --> 00:54:26,164
And, and you really do
look at your spouse, like.
:
00:54:26,574 --> 00:54:27,674
Fix it, take care of it.
:
00:54:27,714 --> 00:54:30,334
Like, why are you not moving
heaven and earth right now?
:
00:54:30,334 --> 00:54:32,584
Or why are you, why can't you fix this?
:
00:54:32,594 --> 00:54:35,504
You know, and it just makes you both
kind of look at each other and be
:
00:54:35,504 --> 00:54:40,194
like, I love you more than anything,
but I, I, I can't, you know, I can't
:
00:54:40,574 --> 00:54:42,364
do anything to make this go away.
:
00:54:42,404 --> 00:54:44,204
I can't heal all your wounds.
:
00:54:44,204 --> 00:54:45,264
I can't be that person.
:
00:54:45,264 --> 00:54:48,794
And so just so similar to what we've been
going back, I still struggled with it.
:
00:54:48,854 --> 00:54:51,444
You know, kind of like you were
saying, even in marriage, even,
:
00:54:51,454 --> 00:54:54,694
you know, two, three, four years
married, there was still that, like.
:
00:54:55,244 --> 00:54:58,524
You know, I want, like, I need to go to
God, but I want, it's faster to go to you.
:
00:54:58,524 --> 00:54:59,694
It's easier to go to you.
:
00:54:59,694 --> 00:55:01,624
I want you to do this, you know?
:
00:55:01,874 --> 00:55:05,874
And then again, you, the whole like
single, you'll always be disappointed.
:
00:55:06,334 --> 00:55:09,114
There, there's going to be times where
you're going to disappoint your spouse.
:
00:55:09,124 --> 00:55:10,824
You're going to, you're
not going to be virtuous.
:
00:55:10,824 --> 00:55:12,044
You're not going to have all the answers.
:
00:55:12,044 --> 00:55:13,834
You're not going to be
thinking of them first.
:
00:55:14,009 --> 00:55:15,819
Like you're going to have those bad days.
:
00:55:15,819 --> 00:55:20,579
And so, so when I see, you know, young
married couples or I see young people,
:
00:55:20,589 --> 00:55:23,859
you know, young couples with young kids
or whatever, like my husband and I, we
:
00:55:23,859 --> 00:55:26,739
literally will like stop people in the
grocery store and be like, you're at the
:
00:55:26,739 --> 00:55:28,749
hardest stage, man, you're killing it.
:
00:55:28,749 --> 00:55:29,529
You're doing great.
:
00:55:29,529 --> 00:55:31,299
Like, this is so hard at first time moms.
:
00:55:31,299 --> 00:55:33,609
Like I will come and scrub
your toilet with a toothbrush.
:
00:55:33,609 --> 00:55:36,039
That's how I feel about first
time being a first time mom.
:
00:55:36,509 --> 00:55:40,809
It's so awesome and beautiful, but
really, really hard and really,
:
00:55:40,809 --> 00:55:42,269
really talk about a transition.
:
00:55:42,279 --> 00:55:44,999
Like, Whoa, I'm going to, I'm
going to remember that, Sarah.
:
00:55:44,999 --> 00:55:49,479
So do you like what do you like?
:
00:55:49,479 --> 00:55:49,759
Right.
:
00:55:49,759 --> 00:55:50,299
I'm coming.
:
00:55:50,499 --> 00:55:52,969
I'm coming with margaritas
and toothbrushes.
:
00:55:52,969 --> 00:55:53,219
Right.
:
00:55:53,229 --> 00:55:57,289
Like, um, but I, but I mean that
like, it is such a hard time in life.
:
00:55:57,399 --> 00:55:59,939
You know, you, you think like,
I've always wanted to be a mother.
:
00:55:59,959 --> 00:56:01,149
I'm going to be the best mother ever.
:
00:56:01,149 --> 00:56:01,979
I'm going to rock this.
:
00:56:01,979 --> 00:56:03,029
I am so capable.
:
00:56:03,029 --> 00:56:04,039
I am so prepared.
:
00:56:04,259 --> 00:56:06,089
And then you get completely
rocked and you're like.
:
00:56:06,619 --> 00:56:07,509
This is really hard.
:
00:56:07,849 --> 00:56:11,049
Um, and same with marriage, you know,
like people used to say marriage is
:
00:56:11,049 --> 00:56:13,949
hard and I was like, dude, we're just
going to make love like every day.
:
00:56:13,949 --> 00:56:14,749
It's going to be fine.
:
00:56:14,759 --> 00:56:17,939
And, and like, I would like literally
say that out loud because you
:
00:56:17,939 --> 00:56:19,509
know, chastity and like waiting.
:
00:56:19,509 --> 00:56:21,019
And I was just like, no, it's fine.
:
00:56:21,029 --> 00:56:22,079
We have got this figured out.
:
00:56:22,379 --> 00:56:24,039
And now I just look at
myself and I just laugh.
:
00:56:24,039 --> 00:56:29,489
Cause I'm like, oh my gosh, I said,
but, but it was kind of real too though.
:
00:56:29,489 --> 00:56:32,569
You know, cause it's like, there's so much
beauty in being married that first year.
:
00:56:32,829 --> 00:56:34,439
Um, but there's also those little like.
:
00:56:34,719 --> 00:56:37,229
blending your lives and all that stuff.
:
00:56:37,229 --> 00:56:41,159
And so my marriage advice is, um, I
mean, I could go on for days, but don't
:
00:56:41,159 --> 00:56:46,259
keep score is one of my favorite things
to say, don't keep score, don't tally.
:
00:56:46,479 --> 00:56:49,879
Um, and then just to remember
that like, God has chosen
:
00:56:49,879 --> 00:56:52,019
this person to sanctify you.
:
00:56:52,409 --> 00:56:55,529
And, and to love you and
to, to take you to heaven.
:
00:56:55,539 --> 00:56:58,559
And so are they going to get in
your way sometimes because you, you
:
00:56:58,559 --> 00:57:01,629
feel like you have it all figured
out and there's going to be a plan.
:
00:57:01,819 --> 00:57:02,149
Yeah.
:
00:57:02,149 --> 00:57:05,589
Like your, your spouse is the greatest
accountability partner you'll ever have.
:
00:57:05,899 --> 00:57:09,609
Um, so give them the keys and be
able to say like, uh, you have
:
00:57:09,609 --> 00:57:14,349
permission to love me well, and
that might include calling me out.
:
00:57:14,794 --> 00:57:17,194
That might add, that might be
in click Andy and I, we don't
:
00:57:17,194 --> 00:57:18,654
say like, how are you doing?
:
00:57:18,864 --> 00:57:21,344
We'll like say to each other,
like, like, how can I pray for you?
:
00:57:21,914 --> 00:57:25,544
Like, you know, did you get your, like,
we're really, we're bulldogs about making
:
00:57:25,544 --> 00:57:27,074
sure that we both get our prayer time.
:
00:57:27,134 --> 00:57:29,534
That's really important to me
that he gets his prayer time.
:
00:57:29,824 --> 00:57:31,324
It's really important to him
that I get my prayer time.
:
00:57:31,699 --> 00:57:33,949
Somewhat selfishly because
we're a lot nicer if we do.
:
00:57:34,009 --> 00:57:34,359
Amen.
:
00:57:34,669 --> 00:57:36,649
Um, so it's somewhat as
like, have you prayed yet?
:
00:57:36,769 --> 00:57:37,989
It's like, why am I being snappy?
:
00:57:38,149 --> 00:57:38,289
Right.
:
00:57:38,779 --> 00:57:40,129
Um, so you know what I mean?
:
00:57:40,129 --> 00:57:43,320
Like that realness of like,
no, she needs her time.
:
00:57:43,320 --> 00:57:45,029
He needs her time.
:
00:57:45,029 --> 00:57:45,449
Yeah.
:
00:57:45,449 --> 00:57:46,149
Here's your rosary.
:
00:57:46,159 --> 00:57:46,719
Go on a walk.
:
00:57:46,769 --> 00:57:49,369
I, Oh, he's been told me to just
take my, take my rosary and walk.
:
00:57:49,369 --> 00:57:51,949
I've definitely in 19 years of
marriage, I've, we've had that
:
00:57:51,949 --> 00:57:53,049
where I'm like, I'm going on a walk.
:
00:57:53,429 --> 00:57:56,369
Um, so just being very real
about marriage and knowing that.
:
00:57:56,649 --> 00:57:57,909
Yeah, they're not going to be your savior.
:
00:57:57,919 --> 00:58:00,859
They're not going to be your everything,
but they're going to be like your
:
00:58:00,859 --> 00:58:05,069
workout partner, your running partner,
your companion, your lover, and like
:
00:58:05,139 --> 00:58:08,609
in all those things, getting each
other to heaven, like on this journey.
:
00:58:08,989 --> 00:58:11,669
And, um, yeah, I just,
I'm, I'm so touched.
:
00:58:11,709 --> 00:58:15,359
I was really blessed by, um, the,
the beautiful woman, Jessica, who
:
00:58:15,359 --> 00:58:18,809
passed away, uh, this week, she
was like a count blessed by cancer.
:
00:58:18,809 --> 00:58:21,439
And I didn't know about it
until like six months ago.
:
00:58:21,439 --> 00:58:22,289
And I feel like.
:
00:58:22,669 --> 00:58:25,669
Her watching her account on, on Instagram.
:
00:58:25,679 --> 00:58:27,369
I was like, I have a love,
hate with the internet.
:
00:58:27,369 --> 00:58:30,859
I have a love, hate with every,
like all forms of social media.
:
00:58:31,049 --> 00:58:32,599
Like I just, I have a
love, hate with it all.
:
00:58:32,599 --> 00:58:35,359
And I really like told the Lord,
like, I, this is one of the times
:
00:58:35,359 --> 00:58:40,489
where I've loved, I loved Instagram
for being able to watch her die.
:
00:58:40,909 --> 00:58:43,769
And one of the things that she
said was, we're all terminal.
:
00:58:44,419 --> 00:58:45,199
I just know it.
:
00:58:45,199 --> 00:58:46,849
And you, you don't, and you forget.
:
00:58:47,119 --> 00:58:49,809
And I was so shook by that
because I was just like.
:
00:58:50,299 --> 00:58:52,239
Man, it makes you just
love your spouse more.
:
00:58:52,249 --> 00:58:53,499
It makes you love your kids more.
:
00:58:53,509 --> 00:58:56,069
I mean, when there's a, there's
a real where you can watch her
:
00:58:56,069 --> 00:58:57,239
when she's shaving her head.
:
00:58:57,259 --> 00:59:00,249
Um, when she goes to the salon to
have her hair, her beautiful hair
:
00:59:00,249 --> 00:59:04,259
shaved, and she's just singing songs
and singing songs and like praying
:
00:59:04,259 --> 00:59:05,379
and her kids are talking to her.
:
00:59:06,019 --> 00:59:10,159
And I just, I think about that in regards
to marriage, you know, like, like Andy,
:
00:59:10,159 --> 00:59:13,149
my husband always says, he says, sometimes
it's not looking at your spouse and
:
00:59:13,159 --> 00:59:15,059
being like, Dude, you're difficult today.
:
00:59:15,089 --> 00:59:16,289
Like, you know, I like, I love you.
:
00:59:16,289 --> 00:59:17,849
I don't know if I really
like you this hour.
:
00:59:17,899 --> 00:59:18,199
Right.
:
00:59:18,469 --> 00:59:20,629
Um, but like being able to look at
your spouse and say like, I'm going
:
00:59:20,629 --> 00:59:22,479
to love Christ in you right now.
:
00:59:22,949 --> 00:59:26,019
Like I'm going to love, like, I'm going
to love Christ through you right now.
:
00:59:26,069 --> 00:59:28,929
Especially when you're in a tough
season, maybe someone listening to this.
:
00:59:28,939 --> 00:59:30,029
It's like, yeah, we're not speaking.
:
00:59:30,029 --> 00:59:31,619
We're we're, we're in a rough spot.
:
00:59:31,629 --> 00:59:34,449
Like I'm not in a good spot
with my husband right now.
:
00:59:34,779 --> 00:59:37,399
Like you're going to have those
seasons or days, you know what I mean?
:
00:59:37,399 --> 00:59:39,539
You're going to have those weeks
maybe that are just like, we are off.
:
00:59:39,554 --> 00:59:43,744
And so it's always good to
bring it back to, okay, what's
:
00:59:43,754 --> 00:59:45,214
the overall goal here, friends?
:
00:59:45,224 --> 00:59:49,144
Like, okay, husband, like, are we
letting a lot of these like petty little
:
00:59:49,154 --> 00:59:53,644
things get in the way of like, Hey, like
we're on a journey towards eternity.
:
00:59:54,104 --> 00:59:57,994
And so like that has to change the way
we interact with each other and in that
:
00:59:57,994 --> 01:00:01,274
constant reminder of like There's just
a there's a bigger journey here that
:
01:00:01,274 --> 01:00:05,184
we're a part of and and that's why it's
so important to pick someone Um to have
:
01:00:05,184 --> 01:00:09,494
someone to have the lord reveal to you
this person that's going to help you get
:
01:00:09,504 --> 01:00:12,114
to heaven because it is Really difficult.
:
01:00:12,394 --> 01:00:14,964
I always say everything I talk
about not easy totally worth it.
:
01:00:15,264 --> 01:00:20,244
And I think that having a strong
marriage Not easy, totally worth it.
:
01:00:20,254 --> 01:00:23,504
But it takes a lot of work and a lot
of, you have to care for your marriage.
:
01:00:23,504 --> 01:00:24,864
You have to pour into your marriage.
:
01:00:24,874 --> 01:00:27,424
Those are all things that it's so
easy to be like, well, I know you're
:
01:00:27,424 --> 01:00:28,914
not going to leave me, so whatever.
:
01:00:29,194 --> 01:00:32,484
It's like, no, like your kids
are going to watch the greatest
:
01:00:32,484 --> 01:00:35,924
form of them learning how to love
is watching you love each other.
:
01:00:36,534 --> 01:00:39,574
So you can't put your kids first
every time you can't, you can't say
:
01:00:39,574 --> 01:00:40,764
like, well, my kids are number one.
:
01:00:40,764 --> 01:00:43,164
And then my husband's like
over here, like that is not,
:
01:00:43,194 --> 01:00:45,004
I've seen that go terribly bad.
:
01:00:45,324 --> 01:00:49,254
You have to really love each other well,
and your children will watch that and
:
01:00:49,274 --> 01:00:50,684
they will, and they will model that.
:
01:00:50,704 --> 01:00:51,894
And it's really, really beautiful.
:
01:00:52,724 --> 01:00:53,314
Speaker: Totally.
:
01:00:53,544 --> 01:00:54,434
I think this is so good.
:
01:00:54,434 --> 01:00:57,004
I know we started with the question of
like first five years of marriage and
:
01:00:57,004 --> 01:01:00,559
I just want to reiterate like I think
something I learned quickly in our
:
01:01:00,559 --> 01:01:04,329
first few years of marriage was like
when we were having like problems or
:
01:01:04,329 --> 01:01:07,119
trying to work through something and
I was going to spiritual direction.
:
01:01:07,119 --> 01:01:10,969
I'm like, father, like, we're like
newly married, like a year and a half
:
01:01:10,989 --> 01:01:13,069
in, like, this shouldn't be happening.
:
01:01:13,069 --> 01:01:16,519
We shouldn't be, everything should
be like, like blissful still.
:
01:01:16,519 --> 01:01:18,599
And like, it's just
like, what is going on?
:
01:01:18,599 --> 01:01:23,254
And he's like, He's like, honey,
like this should be happening in
:
01:01:23,254 --> 01:01:24,474
your first five years of marriage.
:
01:01:24,474 --> 01:01:26,684
Like you don't know
how to love each other.
:
01:01:26,684 --> 01:01:28,324
Well, like you don't know how
:
01:01:28,324 --> 01:01:28,994
Speaker 5: to love each
:
01:01:29,194 --> 01:01:31,394
Speaker: other as a, how
long have you been a wife?
:
01:01:32,264 --> 01:01:33,484
I'm like only a year and a half.
:
01:01:34,034 --> 01:01:34,914
Okay, great.
:
01:01:34,914 --> 01:01:37,424
So you only have a year and
a half's worth of experience.
:
01:01:37,744 --> 01:01:39,524
You're still pretty inexperienced.
:
01:01:39,524 --> 01:01:43,374
Like totally like expected and like, okay.
:
01:01:43,374 --> 01:01:45,554
To encounter all this, especially
those first five years.
:
01:01:45,554 --> 01:01:46,764
And I think that's a misconception.
:
01:01:46,764 --> 01:01:49,644
Like, like you're saying like
Instagram, great things and hard things.
:
01:01:49,959 --> 01:01:53,309
And especially like myself included all
these influencers, everyone's talking
:
01:01:53,309 --> 01:01:56,629
about marriage and holy marriages and
like, so good to encourage, but like,
:
01:01:56,989 --> 01:01:59,079
you only really see a part of it.
:
01:01:59,079 --> 01:02:03,499
You only really see like the beautiful
highlight reel of it because it's, it's
:
01:02:03,499 --> 01:02:07,489
also not necessary to like air out all
the dirty laundry, you know, publicly
:
01:02:07,489 --> 01:02:09,639
to everybody, but it's good to realize.
:
01:02:09,639 --> 01:02:12,799
And for, you know, for us to just
like, come out and say, honestly, like.
:
01:02:13,413 --> 01:02:16,254
There's a, there's a lot of hard stuff
in there that you're going to encounter
:
01:02:16,264 --> 01:02:19,913
and it's not perfect and marriage doesn't
solve everything and especially those
:
01:02:19,913 --> 01:02:23,524
first five years if you don't know how
to love each other well and those are
:
01:02:23,614 --> 01:02:25,754
learning curve years and that's okay.
:
01:02:26,134 --> 01:02:27,464
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's normal.
:
01:02:27,534 --> 01:02:30,124
Yeah, don't feel, don't feel like
you're the only one, that's for sure.
:
01:02:30,574 --> 01:02:31,224
Exactly.
:
01:02:31,714 --> 01:02:34,084
Speaker: Okay, last thing that we
should touch on is friendships.
:
01:02:34,114 --> 01:02:38,464
And I think that this is something that
should be talked about more and more
:
01:02:38,694 --> 01:02:42,334
because I don't feel like I have heard
a lot of people touch on friendships.
:
01:02:42,354 --> 01:02:46,264
And as I've gotten older, I've
begun to see just how my circle of
:
01:02:46,264 --> 01:02:47,584
close friends sort of gets smaller.
:
01:02:48,959 --> 01:02:51,309
And I don't think it's
necessarily like a bad thing.
:
01:02:51,309 --> 01:02:54,879
It's not like I'm like anti people,
you know, but you just start, you start
:
01:02:54,899 --> 01:02:58,239
seeing like you're in school and you
have all these people in your life.
:
01:02:58,249 --> 01:03:01,669
All these friends are different classes
and clubs and stuff you're a part of.
:
01:03:01,669 --> 01:03:03,499
And then you graduate and you move away.
:
01:03:03,499 --> 01:03:06,129
People get married, start having
kids and jobs and life gets busy.
:
01:03:06,129 --> 01:03:10,109
And then those people that like are really
important in your life start kind of
:
01:03:10,109 --> 01:03:12,159
just like getting like, Less and less.
:
01:03:12,469 --> 01:03:15,549
Um, and it's harder to keep those
friendships close and you also have
:
01:03:15,549 --> 01:03:17,199
less time to invest in those people.
:
01:03:17,199 --> 01:03:20,089
But yet community is still so important.
:
01:03:20,089 --> 01:03:25,069
And like, as you're stepping into marriage
or as you're stepping into, you know,
:
01:03:25,209 --> 01:03:29,919
a life and a career or a motherhood or
whatever, like you want to have those
:
01:03:29,919 --> 01:03:33,479
people around you, like your village
and, and your team to like, encourage
:
01:03:33,479 --> 01:03:35,029
you and pray for you and walk with you.
:
01:03:35,769 --> 01:03:41,019
How can we build community in this
stage of life, um, or invest in
:
01:03:41,019 --> 01:03:42,599
those friendships that we do have?
:
01:03:43,734 --> 01:03:44,184
Speaker 2: Yeah.
:
01:03:44,964 --> 01:03:46,794
Oh man, that's such a great question.
:
01:03:46,804 --> 01:03:49,334
Um, it's just, I think it's
more important than ever.
:
01:03:49,374 --> 01:03:51,834
I think that what you're, what you're
talking about is I think as we go
:
01:03:51,834 --> 01:03:55,304
through junior high, high school,
college, you have a lot of acquaintances
:
01:03:55,574 --> 01:03:56,754
and you have a lot of friends.
:
01:03:57,134 --> 01:04:00,474
And so I think what, what you
start to feel is like, Oh man,
:
01:04:00,484 --> 01:04:04,174
I don't have the time to have as
many, I think acquaintances one.
:
01:04:04,444 --> 01:04:07,163
And then two, my idea
of what friendship is.
:
01:04:07,379 --> 01:04:11,339
Matures and grows and then also you
just don't have the same amount of, of
:
01:04:11,339 --> 01:04:13,929
time to be able to, to give to everyone.
:
01:04:14,209 --> 01:04:18,399
Um, but I, but I honestly think that
in our day and age, I think the most
:
01:04:18,399 --> 01:04:22,449
important thing that we can invest in
is, well, one, like our, our relationship
:
01:04:22,449 --> 01:04:26,079
with our Lord and our faith and, you
know, obviously our prayer life, but
:
01:04:26,239 --> 01:04:30,229
right behind that I think is friendship
and really prioritizing people who
:
01:04:30,229 --> 01:04:33,919
are leading you to Christ and people
who are bringing you to the Lord
:
01:04:33,929 --> 01:04:35,239
and reminding you of your goodness.
:
01:04:35,619 --> 01:04:39,139
And, and sitting with you in your
waiting, and sitting with you, sitting
:
01:04:39,139 --> 01:04:40,819
with you in your realness, you know?
:
01:04:41,059 --> 01:04:44,309
Um, we, we wrote about this
a lot in Gift and Grit.
:
01:04:44,359 --> 01:04:47,899
We actually wrote, like, lots
of chapters on friendship.
:
01:04:47,909 --> 01:04:50,559
Not only how to make friends,
or how to be a friend, or the
:
01:04:50,559 --> 01:04:53,359
different levels of friendship, and
just how to navigate friendship.
:
01:04:53,709 --> 01:04:59,199
But also, like, how to How to get out of a
toxic relationship or a toxic friendship,
:
01:04:59,229 --> 01:05:03,479
or how, how to know that it's time for you
to say something, or it's time for you.
:
01:05:03,679 --> 01:05:07,379
How do you have friends where you're
maybe having a conversion and you still
:
01:05:07,379 --> 01:05:10,959
have your amazing friends that you grew
up with, that you're still close with?
:
01:05:11,399 --> 01:05:12,459
That can be really hard.
:
01:05:12,459 --> 01:05:14,899
And I think that for a lot
of young adults, they, they
:
01:05:14,899 --> 01:05:16,509
feel like I either have to.
:
01:05:16,929 --> 01:05:20,999
Ditch the fit, the whole, the whole faith
thing, or you have to ditch these friends
:
01:05:21,249 --> 01:05:24,709
and that's just, that's not true, but
it's really hard to navigate that, you
:
01:05:24,709 --> 01:05:27,979
know, and, and it's hard, I think in your
twenties, cause you're like, you know, you
:
01:05:27,979 --> 01:05:31,959
have all these voices in your head, you
know, like image, image, image, success,
:
01:05:32,209 --> 01:05:36,259
you know, success, success, um, what
people are going to think about you and
:
01:05:36,399 --> 01:05:38,249
like, you know, you have all these voices.
:
01:05:38,744 --> 01:05:41,544
And then you also have these like really
strong friendships where you're like, but
:
01:05:41,584 --> 01:05:46,454
these people are so life giving to me and
these people are so life sucking to me.
:
01:05:46,744 --> 01:05:49,834
Like, I feel like myself here and I
feel like I have to be someone else
:
01:05:49,834 --> 01:05:52,934
here and I feel like I'm enough here
and I'm not enough there and sometimes
:
01:05:52,944 --> 01:05:56,944
those friends are blended and I,
you see why people are like done.
:
01:05:57,084 --> 01:06:03,064
I done put me in a hoodie, hoodie, get
me a drink and I am staying in right?
:
01:06:03,064 --> 01:06:06,144
Like, I totally understand why people
are like, I'm done with people.
:
01:06:06,524 --> 01:06:08,154
Um, mother Angelica has a great lines.
:
01:06:08,154 --> 01:06:10,524
Like everyone will be saints if it
wasn't for other people, like that I
:
01:06:10,524 --> 01:06:11,734
have to deal with all these other people.
:
01:06:12,034 --> 01:06:14,254
Um, it was just such a
hilarious, true thing.
:
01:06:14,254 --> 01:06:17,014
Cause it's like, but I think
more than ever friendship
:
01:06:17,034 --> 01:06:18,054
is what's going to help us.
:
01:06:18,114 --> 01:06:20,984
Again, I think our world struggles
sometimes with being human.
:
01:06:21,839 --> 01:06:25,739
And the best way to be human is to
practice being human with other humans.
:
01:06:26,149 --> 01:06:29,229
And it's, I think a lot of people
in our world are like, no, too hard.
:
01:06:29,939 --> 01:06:33,219
You know, people are dating too
much risk, too much commitment.
:
01:06:33,439 --> 01:06:33,899
I'm out.
:
01:06:34,219 --> 01:06:35,449
Uh, we wrote about that a lot.
:
01:06:35,449 --> 01:06:39,038
I think that's a big part of the problem
is people are afraid to take a risk.
:
01:06:39,479 --> 01:06:40,629
They're afraid to be known.
:
01:06:41,064 --> 01:06:44,104
They're afraid of putting themselves
out there and being rejected.
:
01:06:44,584 --> 01:06:47,964
Um, you know, those are fears and
that, and that's the problem is,
:
01:06:47,974 --> 01:06:49,924
you know, when you are going to be
friends with people, you're going
:
01:06:49,924 --> 01:06:51,424
to experience a little bit of that.
:
01:06:51,663 --> 01:06:55,674
But, but from my heart to
yours, I promise it's worth it.
:
01:06:56,374 --> 01:06:57,214
It's worth it.
:
01:06:57,264 --> 01:07:00,084
I mean, it's worth kind of
navigating those and saying like,
:
01:07:00,084 --> 01:07:01,784
man, that, that was tough, man.
:
01:07:01,784 --> 01:07:04,634
That was, man, I walked into that
room and pretended like I knew
:
01:07:04,634 --> 01:07:06,174
someone like that was really hard.
:
01:07:06,474 --> 01:07:10,004
Um, or like, wow, I really liked
that guy and he totally is dating
:
01:07:10,004 --> 01:07:11,544
my best friend and that sucks.
:
01:07:11,854 --> 01:07:14,504
But like, I'm glad that I put myself
out there because if I wouldn't have
:
01:07:14,504 --> 01:07:17,944
said anything, you know, I tell people
a lot, sometimes rejection is the,
:
01:07:18,014 --> 01:07:19,484
is the clearest form of clarity.
:
01:07:19,974 --> 01:07:21,094
Like, does it suck?
:
01:07:21,134 --> 01:07:21,474
Yeah.
:
01:07:21,494 --> 01:07:24,624
But wouldn't you rather have someone
say, I just use a friend than be
:
01:07:24,624 --> 01:07:28,554
mentally or emotionally in love with
them for six months only to have them
:
01:07:28,554 --> 01:07:29,674
tell you, I just want to be friends.
:
01:07:29,674 --> 01:07:33,684
Like, no, rejection is sometimes
the best form of clarity.
:
01:07:33,874 --> 01:07:34,814
It just sucks.
:
01:07:35,204 --> 01:07:37,794
And, and that's, those are things
that I write about and say about
:
01:07:37,794 --> 01:07:40,734
because I talk about a lot is because
I think a lot of times people leave
:
01:07:40,734 --> 01:07:44,274
a situation, leave a relationship
and they just beat themselves up.
:
01:07:44,274 --> 01:07:45,913
And they're like, I'm
never doing that again.
:
01:07:46,624 --> 01:07:48,444
And they have that inner vow of.
:
01:07:48,769 --> 01:07:49,799
People are going to hurt me.
:
01:07:50,029 --> 01:07:52,659
People are going to think I'm less
than people are going to judge me.
:
01:07:52,659 --> 01:07:56,999
People are going to, and they, and
then they project that on everybody
:
01:07:56,999 --> 01:07:58,579
in their, everybody in their life.
:
01:07:58,979 --> 01:08:01,569
And there's little people, their
friends are trying to pop up
:
01:08:01,569 --> 01:08:03,019
and be like, want to hang out?
:
01:08:03,819 --> 01:08:04,679
over the fence, right?
:
01:08:04,679 --> 01:08:08,469
Like barbecue, like, you know,
over the fence, like happy hour.
:
01:08:08,669 --> 01:08:09,909
And they're like, whack a mole.
:
01:08:09,909 --> 01:08:11,429
They're like, go away, go away, go away.
:
01:08:11,459 --> 01:08:12,409
I will not be hurt again.
:
01:08:12,419 --> 01:08:13,159
I will not be hurt again.
:
01:08:13,159 --> 01:08:14,269
I am not trusting people.
:
01:08:14,449 --> 01:08:16,049
I don't want to, I don't
want to date anybody.
:
01:08:16,419 --> 01:08:19,839
And I think that that's where the,
the devil is keeping people isolated
:
01:08:19,849 --> 01:08:23,219
and alone and hurt and mad and bitter.
:
01:08:23,594 --> 01:08:25,783
And it's really hard because
it's, it's going to take
:
01:08:25,783 --> 01:08:27,434
friends to pull you out of that.
:
01:08:27,754 --> 01:08:29,573
It's going to take our Lord
to pull you out of that.
:
01:08:29,573 --> 01:08:30,283
I've been there.
:
01:08:30,474 --> 01:08:33,484
I'm sure you've been there where
you're just like, Nope, I'm done.
:
01:08:33,493 --> 01:08:33,804
I'm done.
:
01:08:33,804 --> 01:08:34,474
Trying.
:
01:08:34,514 --> 01:08:34,904
I'm done.
:
01:08:34,924 --> 01:08:35,684
Caring.
:
01:08:36,014 --> 01:08:36,894
I'm done with people.
:
01:08:36,953 --> 01:08:37,834
I'm done with men.
:
01:08:38,004 --> 01:08:38,934
I'm done with life.
:
01:08:40,318 --> 01:08:42,379
And then, but then you can
only sit in that for so long.
:
01:08:42,379 --> 01:08:45,509
And then it's like, ah, this
just can't be, this can't be it.
:
01:08:45,839 --> 01:08:48,318
And then you get sad and you get
depressed and you get down and you get
:
01:08:48,318 --> 01:08:50,408
anxious and, and you pick yourself apart.
:
01:08:50,828 --> 01:08:54,559
And it's really only other women
and good friends and good men that
:
01:08:54,559 --> 01:08:55,969
are going to pull you out of that.
:
01:08:56,299 --> 01:08:57,639
But we have to give people a chance.
:
01:08:57,658 --> 01:09:00,029
And so this is my plea, the
plea of my heart, uh, the
:
01:09:00,029 --> 01:09:01,368
gift and grit side of Sarah.
:
01:09:01,389 --> 01:09:02,849
This is why we wrote this
book is because I was like.
:
01:09:03,059 --> 01:09:06,549
The devil wants to keep people isolated
and alone and feeling worthless.
:
01:09:06,908 --> 01:09:10,198
And they don't, the devil does not want
you to risk on love, and does not want
:
01:09:10,198 --> 01:09:13,689
you to be committed to anything, and does
not want you to be convicted in anything.
:
01:09:14,149 --> 01:09:17,068
And that's the whole premise
of Gift and Grit was like, No.
:
01:09:17,389 --> 01:09:18,259
Your life's a gift.
:
01:09:18,269 --> 01:09:19,149
You are a gift.
:
01:09:19,479 --> 01:09:22,269
The purpose and meaning of your
life is to give it away as a gift.
:
01:09:22,538 --> 01:09:23,839
But do you have the grit to do it?
:
01:09:24,464 --> 01:09:25,754
Because it's gritty.
:
01:09:26,054 --> 01:09:27,294
It's gritty to heal.
:
01:09:27,323 --> 01:09:28,714
It's gritty to put yourself out there.
:
01:09:28,714 --> 01:09:29,913
It's gritty to make friends.
:
01:09:29,934 --> 01:09:31,413
It's gritty to have a prayer life.
:
01:09:32,254 --> 01:09:35,783
It's gritter, it's gritty to feel
like to really know your worthiness
:
01:09:36,264 --> 01:09:37,404
as a beloved daughter of God.
:
01:09:37,474 --> 01:09:38,024
That's grit.
:
01:09:38,834 --> 01:09:41,443
And I think our, again, our
world has all these other
:
01:09:41,453 --> 01:09:42,854
accomplishments for you waiting.
:
01:09:42,854 --> 01:09:46,589
And I, and I am looking at you
saying, Reel back, peel back
:
01:09:46,599 --> 01:09:47,709
what's actually important.
:
01:09:48,229 --> 01:09:50,019
Like what, like again, deathbed stuff.
:
01:09:50,029 --> 01:09:51,198
Like what do you want?
:
01:09:51,589 --> 01:09:52,948
What's worth it to you?
:
01:09:53,249 --> 01:09:55,529
An image is not going to come
even close on that radar.
:
01:09:55,529 --> 01:09:57,429
It's going to be like
so far off the radar.
:
01:09:57,649 --> 01:09:59,559
Success even is going to be off the radar.
:
01:09:59,909 --> 01:10:02,449
So I, that's my question to,
you know, as we wrap this, like,
:
01:10:02,599 --> 01:10:04,269
what is your definition of love?
:
01:10:04,769 --> 01:10:06,329
What is your definition of success?
:
01:10:07,474 --> 01:10:11,044
What does it look like in
your life to be successful?
:
01:10:11,744 --> 01:10:15,254
And for me, it's like, I want
to die, like, on my deathbed
:
01:10:15,254 --> 01:10:16,504
being like, No regrets.
:
01:10:16,764 --> 01:10:17,594
Took all the risks.
:
01:10:17,884 --> 01:10:18,954
Loved all the people.
:
01:10:19,324 --> 01:10:21,684
Why would I want to go to heaven and
take as many people as I can with me?
:
01:10:21,684 --> 01:10:23,134
Like, no time wasted.
:
01:10:23,324 --> 01:10:24,024
Let's go.
:
01:10:24,164 --> 01:10:26,654
You know, like, I want,
what is success to you?
:
01:10:26,654 --> 01:10:29,864
And I, I think for the, for the 20
something, the devil wants to fill
:
01:10:29,864 --> 01:10:32,304
your head with a bunch of stuff that
just is a complete waste of time.
:
01:10:32,749 --> 01:10:36,209
And, and, you know, in your life, I've
wasted so much emotional energy on
:
01:10:36,209 --> 01:10:38,269
things that just don't really matter.
:
01:10:38,739 --> 01:10:41,749
And, and I think that I wish I would have
known that I wish I would have been able
:
01:10:41,749 --> 01:10:44,079
to define those things in my twenties.
:
01:10:44,289 --> 01:10:49,449
It would have made my twenties way better
and way more peaceful and way more fun.
:
01:10:49,789 --> 01:10:52,419
And so that's my, that's my, from
my heart to all the women that
:
01:10:52,419 --> 01:10:53,818
are listening to this at any age.
:
01:10:54,209 --> 01:10:55,509
Um, yeah.
:
01:10:56,019 --> 01:10:58,949
What is some, make some of those,
what are your definitions here?
:
01:10:58,959 --> 01:11:01,339
Like what, where, what gives you joy?
:
01:11:01,369 --> 01:11:02,369
What gives you life?
:
01:11:02,879 --> 01:11:06,609
What, what, what are those things
and go after them and don't waste
:
01:11:06,619 --> 01:11:07,659
time on things that don't matter.
:
01:11:08,709 --> 01:11:09,259
Speaker: Beautiful.
:
01:11:09,679 --> 01:11:11,429
Sarah, we could talk for hours.
:
01:11:11,519 --> 01:11:12,009
This is,
:
01:11:13,009 --> 01:11:14,179
Speaker 2: we'll do it again, girl.
:
01:11:14,209 --> 01:11:16,579
This is why, this is why everyone's
like, why don't you have a podcast?
:
01:11:16,579 --> 01:11:19,299
I'm like, because it's a lot of work
and my beautiful friends that have them.
:
01:11:19,309 --> 01:11:20,979
I love coming on them and hanging out.
:
01:11:20,989 --> 01:11:22,009
It's like my favorite thing ever.
:
01:11:22,709 --> 01:11:26,669
The busy, the busy mom in me is like,
just please, I love coming on and
:
01:11:26,669 --> 01:11:28,179
talking so, and hanging out with you.
:
01:11:28,179 --> 01:11:29,589
You're one of, one of my faves.
:
01:11:29,669 --> 01:11:32,169
I'm so proud of you and thank
you for all your hard work.
:
01:11:32,329 --> 01:11:35,159
And everything that you guys
do, you and Trey, and just
:
01:11:35,159 --> 01:11:36,529
your whole, your whole crew.
:
01:11:36,529 --> 01:11:39,139
I know it's a ton of work and
spiritual attack and it's all real.
:
01:11:39,369 --> 01:11:41,599
So hey, just know that I'm
praying for you and I'm praying
:
01:11:41,599 --> 01:11:42,779
for everyone that's listening.
:
01:11:42,779 --> 01:11:45,089
I'm, I'm so grateful for their fight.
:
01:11:45,369 --> 01:11:46,429
Keep fighting the good fight.
:
01:11:46,429 --> 01:11:46,969
It's worth it.
:
01:11:47,899 --> 01:11:49,049
Speaker: Yes, absolutely.
:
01:11:49,059 --> 01:11:49,469
Thank you.
:
01:11:49,479 --> 01:11:50,159
You're so sweet.
:
01:11:50,559 --> 01:11:52,629
Where can people keep finding more of you?
:
01:11:53,399 --> 01:11:54,189
Speaker 2: I know, right?
:
01:11:54,219 --> 01:11:54,839
Oh gosh.
:
01:11:54,859 --> 01:11:56,859
I feel like I just, that
was a lot of Sarah Swafford.
:
01:11:57,089 --> 01:11:58,019
That was a lot of words.
:
01:11:58,279 --> 01:11:59,229
Everyone that's still here.
:
01:11:59,229 --> 01:11:59,939
You're so great.
:
01:11:59,949 --> 01:12:00,429
Thank you.
:
01:12:00,679 --> 01:12:04,559
Um, I, I love dwelling
over on I'm on Instagram.
:
01:12:05,109 --> 01:12:06,199
I love it over there.
:
01:12:06,318 --> 01:12:08,589
Um, I'm homeschooling mama six.
:
01:12:08,589 --> 01:12:11,669
So I'm not on as much as I wish I was,
but there'll be a season for that.
:
01:12:11,669 --> 01:12:11,939
Right.
:
01:12:12,169 --> 01:12:14,399
Um, but I, we're at the Swoffords.
:
01:12:14,399 --> 01:12:14,789
com.
:
01:12:15,159 --> 01:12:18,009
Um, my husband and I, we
just wrote gift and grit.
:
01:12:18,099 --> 01:12:19,029
I wrote emotional virtue.
:
01:12:19,029 --> 01:12:21,449
My husband actually has, um, if
you know, the great adventure
:
01:12:21,449 --> 01:12:24,774
Bible, um, He's the one that wrote
everything that's not the Bible.
:
01:12:24,774 --> 01:12:26,624
He was one of the editors and contributed.
:
01:12:27,024 --> 01:12:30,714
He does a lot of scripture stuff So if
anybody likes Bible stuff, oh my gosh,
:
01:12:30,714 --> 01:12:34,644
there's some so much there But yeah We
wrote a book called what we believe it
:
01:12:34,644 --> 01:12:37,754
kind of like people if they're interested
in the church or even if they're
:
01:12:37,754 --> 01:12:38,914
wanting to come Back to the church.
:
01:12:38,924 --> 01:12:39,734
What does that look like?
:
01:12:39,734 --> 01:12:41,354
And what do we believe?
:
01:12:41,994 --> 01:12:44,674
So we love I mean again anything
that helps we just throw it out
:
01:12:44,674 --> 01:12:47,314
there as Man, if you want something
to grow in your life, feed it.
:
01:12:47,314 --> 01:12:49,314
And if you want something to
die in your life, starve it.
:
01:12:49,324 --> 01:12:52,684
And I just love being able to
feed people with things that
:
01:12:52,693 --> 01:12:54,784
again, help in any way or matter.
:
01:12:55,054 --> 01:12:58,214
Um, and just know that you're not
alone and there's a crazy blonde chick
:
01:12:58,214 --> 01:12:59,724
in Kansas that's praying for you.
:
01:12:59,914 --> 01:13:01,474
So, and we were so
:
01:13:01,474 --> 01:13:02,144
Speaker: grateful for that.
:
01:13:02,544 --> 01:13:02,974
Perfect.
:
01:13:03,024 --> 01:13:07,254
I will make sure to link all those
resources so people can know where
:
01:13:07,254 --> 01:13:08,724
to read those and find those.
:
01:13:09,034 --> 01:13:12,284
Thank you so much for coming on and
sharing all your love and wisdom and just.
:
01:13:12,684 --> 01:13:15,274
We just love your heart for young
adults and we hope that everybody
:
01:13:15,274 --> 01:13:19,324
that's listening is walking away
with so much encouragement and life.
:
01:13:19,384 --> 01:13:22,704
Um, and just hope for everything that
they have coming for them the next few
:
01:13:22,704 --> 01:13:24,904
years in these twenties, hang in there.
:
01:13:24,904 --> 01:13:25,794
We got it.
:
01:13:26,294 --> 01:13:27,184
So thank you so much.
:
01:13:28,064 --> 01:13:28,174
The
:
01:13:28,174 --> 01:13:29,014
Speaker 2: Lord got you.
:
01:13:29,044 --> 01:13:29,644
That's right.
:
01:13:30,044 --> 01:13:30,504
Love you girl.
:
01:13:30,504 --> 01:13:30,874
God bless.
:
01:13:30,874 --> 01:13:31,504
Thank you.
:
01:13:32,504 --> 01:13:32,984
Of course.