The LuHi Pod
A podcast for LuHi students, families, and our community.
The LuHi Pod
Season 7, Ep 12: Senior Devotions with Leah and Lyla
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It's always a treat to have students on the podcast, and today we have two joining us! LuHi Seniors Lyla G and Leah C are on the podcast to share their devotions they wrote for their Senior Theology classes.
If you have a topic you'd like to hear covered on the podcast, let us know at podcast@lhsparker.org.
Here's a link to Ally Yost, whom Leah mentioned during the episode: https://allyyost.com/en-usd
Our intro, outro, and segment music were written and recorded by Mr. Matt Zoeller. You can find us on most of the socials under the Lutheran High School handles.
If you have a question you want answered on the Pod, we do Q&A episodes each season! Submit questions anytime to podcast@lhsparker.org.
You can find chapters for each episode and transcripts here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2228322
Thanks for listening, subscribing, and sharing with your friends!
Therefore, as God's chosen people only deal with your sound house with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, each other.
SPEAKER_00If many of you have to create this up against someone.
SPEAKER_05Welcome to the Lou High Pod.
SPEAKER_06Okay, I have a can of worms update.
SPEAKER_04That's why we're here.
SPEAKER_06A non-podcast listener.
SPEAKER_04Uh no context needed.
SPEAKER_06Yeah. I used the phrase in a conversation, can of worms, and I said, I hate that phrase. And then I proceeded to say about like worms are so slow. Who cares if a can of worms opens up? He's like, no, isn't it like that old joke thing where you had a can and you would take the lid off and then the worms would like pop out everywhere?
SPEAKER_04Not like actual worms, like a like a foam worm. Yeah, you know what I'm talking about? Yeah. Yeah, I can envision that.
SPEAKER_06Do you think that's true?
SPEAKER_04No, I feel like that well, I don't know though. I don't know. I don't know if I've ever actually seen one of those.
SPEAKER_06Where's our history teacher?
SPEAKER_04Yeah, seriously. It's just back to us saying, I don't know.
SPEAKER_06I don't know.
SPEAKER_04I feel like that's a snake and there's just one of them.
SPEAKER_06Oh, okay.
SPEAKER_04But you know, I was thinking about this. The can of worms things. And Okay, maybe it's not that they all run away. It's just that because of the nature of a can, at least at that time. It's not a bottle. Like you can't put it back together. You can't put the lid back on.
SPEAKER_06Oh, I guess I didn't think of like a can versus I picture like a Tupperware container.
SPEAKER_04Well, the phrase is old enough that I'm thinking like canned, you know, like. Oh, like uh beans. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. You know, the only thing is that we still Yeah. So once you open it, you are committed to it. It is no longer gonna sit on the shelf until you need it.
SPEAKER_06Oh, I think I think you're on the country.
SPEAKER_04So it's less about the speed of the worms and more of the the consequence of the decision. So like let's make darn sure we want these worms. Because if we don't, don't open the can.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, don't open the can. Ah, okay. We've solved it. We don't need a history teacher.
SPEAKER_03Or the internet.
SPEAKER_06Or the internet.
SPEAKER_03So what's up today? What do you have for this segment called The Worst Possible Segway?
SPEAKER_06Uh well, this is our first time having students on the podcast this semester, I think. Yeah. Um, so it's exciting, and I think we'll get lots of listeners, which means we should not screw this part up. Oh my gosh.
SPEAKER_04Off to a good start.
SPEAKER_06I don't know if I I feel like I have several apologies I still need to make. I'm sorry to my sister and my mom for not giving enough weight behind their book recommendations, and I'm sorry, I don't know.
SPEAKER_04Wouldn't it be more fun if your apologies all rhymed?
SPEAKER_06Yes. I'm not quick on my feet enough for this. Okay. What rhymes with a book?
SPEAKER_03Oh well, let's just do that out loud in real time.
SPEAKER_06Yeah. A Nook can't read, so a nook can't cook. Do you know that one?
SPEAKER_04Um, no.
SPEAKER_06Do you not read Dr. Seuss to your children? Because that's a second Dr. Seuss reference. Yeah, sorry. That's okay.
SPEAKER_04I I wouldn't say I don't. It's been a while, but I that's very good. We kind of read the ones we have and we didn't have those ones. Um okay, so we read the Star Belly Sneeches. Oh yes, that's it. That's how I read it. With that accent.
SPEAKER_06I love that.
SPEAKER_04You know, I used to read with I used to practice accents when I read books until they got old enough to tell me they go, Dad, stop speaking Spanish.
SPEAKER_06Every accent was speaking Spanish. Oh, that's so cute. I hope you never forget that.
SPEAKER_04But I tried to do I tried to practice my accents. Yeah. Uh did I ever tell you this?
SPEAKER_06I think maybe. Oh. And Amelie was the one who was like, oh my gosh, stop it.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, well, she let me write it up for a long time. And she still kind of does. I still read, I still read she's making me read Harry Potter 5, so it's a big investment. Well, let's just this is why we this is why we came here. So everyone can hear all my accents. So she will get so mad, she'll know within a second if I switch to like a new accent. Or if I make up some text that's not on the page, which I only do like five times per page. She gets so mad. But I'll I'll read it like uh like standard British, you know. And I was like, Harry was angry. He was hoping for a letter to come with Hedwig, but no such letter was coming like that. But then I'll try to switch it to um like Russell Brand, you know? No.
SPEAKER_02She does not like that. Okay. And then I'll be like, Harry was looking in the fireplace. There ain't a letter, there's not an owl coming either. What is that like?
SPEAKER_06Liverpool? Is that like I have no idea.
SPEAKER_04I mean, I've just I feel like I was pretty good at it. Or cock me. Dad, Dad! No, Dad. Read it regular, which is just regular British standard British, yeah. Nice. But I would do uh I can't remember. I I did Pastor Wolf Mueller, he was one of the books I did. I tried to read like him. He was hard. And then this was before Jordan Peterson was famous. Well, he was on the rise. Yeah, he's got quite a so this is like a you know twelve years ago. And I would read Curious George.
SPEAKER_06Oh, Curious George.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, Curious George, like Jordan Peterson. That was that's the only one I remember.
SPEAKER_06Now that is wow, that will forever be stuck in my head. Have you read the original Curious George? Have we talked about this before? Have you read the original Curious George?
SPEAKER_04I think I have. I think we have not. Yeah, it's really long and the characters are all smoking.
SPEAKER_06Yes, okay. Okay, at one point, Curious George before dinner smokes a pipe. And so for a while, Will was carrying this like mallet around and he put it in his mouth. He's like, This is my pipe. And I'm like, mmm, okay, great.
SPEAKER_03Even the background characters in the artwork are just like sitting in the park with his cigarette.
SPEAKER_06I also always thought Curious George, I thought that he was captured by the man in the yellow hat. Yeah, who was who's like a British colonizer. Yeah. And but when I look at the pictures, I'm like, oh no, this is America. Like he's I think he's in New York City.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, but yeah. I maybe. I don't know. The man in the yellow hat is the one who captures him though. He doesn't like rescue him from the capture.
SPEAKER_06Oh no, no. He straight up just takes him from the window.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, he takes him and then he goes, you know what? I'm gonna leave you unattended several times many places for the next 90 years. And you will never grow. And you know what Jordan Peterson has to say about that.
SPEAKER_06That's amazing. Okay. So today our two students on the podcast are two senior girls, Leah Cates and Lila Getch. Do you know these ladies?
SPEAKER_04Yes. Okay.
SPEAKER_06They are lovely humans. They came highly recommended from senior theology teacher Craig Parrott because he has his students give devos and like devotions to their peers during class. And Mr. Parrot is so faithful in saying, like, this one was awesome, you gotta get him on the podcast. So these two ladies uh graciously agreed to be on the podcast, which I'm thankful for. And they were just fun to talk to.
SPEAKER_04Oh nice. What do you guys talk about? No, no spoilers.
SPEAKER_06No spoilers.
SPEAKER_04The 15 seconds later button. Yeah. Like eight times. Yeah, that's true.
SPEAKER_06There are moments when I'm talking to students where I'm like, man, I hope my kid grows up to just have like a little bit of that in there. Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_04Oh, that's a pretty high praise compliment for those two kids.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, yes, I mean that. Uh what qualities do you want your kids to embody when they're older? That's our table question.
SPEAKER_04Ooh, that's a good question. Um, strength of character is the short answer. Yeah, I think that's a good idea. But you know, like uh able to talk to adults knows like a strong moral compass and doesn't get caught up in trivial and idiotic stuff.
SPEAKER_06Yeah.
SPEAKER_04AKA I want all my kids to sing and choir, run cross country, do worship team, and be on the robotics team. Or any combo of those things.
SPEAKER_06They're gonna be busy. That's a lot of things.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, well, you know, maybe just two of the five.
SPEAKER_06Okay. Yeah, I don't know. That doesn't have to be all. Pick pick out of this candy basket.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, I'll throw wrestling in there. Oh, here's the thing about wrestling, and I feel like cross country too, which is less true with other sports. If you fail, there's no one you can blame other than yourself.
SPEAKER_06Uh golf. You can totally say that about golf as well.
SPEAKER_04Okay.
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_04I'll give you that. But I'm you know, as far as like, oh, coach should have put me in, or the refs were whatever, you know, all this stuff you hear.
SPEAKER_06Maybe that's true of any individual sport, so maybe tennis belongs in that category as well. Yeah, maybe something for our listeners to ponder on and let us know.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, I'm sure. Once again, I don't know, I don't know. Here without Mark Debley, yeah.
SPEAKER_03Heavenly, I don't know.
SPEAKER_06Off what a time to be alone.
SPEAKER_04Well, we know nothing, but these next two guests know a few things. Yes. And we're hoping their parents send us some tips on how to raise our kids.
SPEAKER_06Amen. Yeah.
SPEAKER_04Yeah. That's what we were just gonna say.
SPEAKER_06That would be great. Yeah. Okay.
SPEAKER_04Well, that's all we got.
SPEAKER_06Thriving as usual with my co-host who shouldn't have worn that sweater while the camera was rolling, andor play checkers on it. Man, someday we'll have to turn the camera back on so people will get that joke.
SPEAKER_04Look at the size of the hole in this sweater as we fade out.
SPEAKER_06What's what is this segment called? What's up with that shirt?
SPEAKER_04Oh yeah. What's up with that shirt?
SPEAKER_06Hey everybody, welcome back to the Lou High Pod. Thanks so much for listening. I love, love, love having student guests on, and I think this is our first time this semester that we finally have some students. I'm so excited to have Leah and Lila on with us today. They were recommended by their senior theology teacher, Mr. Parrot, um, because you guys gave devotions in class. So we're gonna get there. But first, can we just start by will you guys introduce yourselves to our listeners?
SPEAKER_08I'm Leah Cates. Um, I'm a senior, and um I played softball for a really long time, but that's kind of come to an end, and it's been awesome to see God open some new doors. So I'm getting into singing and worship, which has been awesome and a really cool opportunity. But yeah, that is what I'm doing, and then I'm also taking some like college classes right now. So nice. Yeah, just super busy with school.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, do you have a job also? I do, yes.
SPEAKER_08Okay. I am a barista. Nice, yes, at Starbucks or a local place?
SPEAKER_06A local place. It's called La Laws.
SPEAKER_08It's in Cass Rock, so it's like it's super cute. That's awesome.
SPEAKER_06Okay, everybody go bye and say hi. Yes. Um, so when you say you're singing, do you sing for our worship class or is it more like at church?
SPEAKER_08No, so it's gonna be at church. I'm working with our head worship leader. I've always loved singing, but it's so terrifying. Like I'm wanted to take lessons before I like feel comfortable doing it.
SPEAKER_06Yeah. I love that. I love that you are trying new things your senior year, because it can be an overwhelming year of life for sure.
SPEAKER_07What about you, Lila? Yes, hi. My name is Lila Getch, and I'm also a senior here. I have been involved with volleyball my freshman, sophomore, and junior year. Then this past year, our season actually just ended. I was a part of the flag football team, our first ever season. Um, just such a great experience and just such a blessing to be able to be a part of um athletics at Loo High because it's such a special just experience where you get to grow your faith while also doing something that you love outside of school. I'm a part of the YLC, so that's youth leadership council at Make of Witch, Colorado. Of course. Because your mom works at Make-O Witch, yes. Uh, this is my second year doing it, and it's the most fulfilling thing ever, just being able to serve little kiddos who have some just sad illnesses. Yeah. Oh my gosh, that's amazing. That is amazing.
SPEAKER_06I love that. So, what was it like switching sports your senior year? I feel like that is something that doesn't happen very often.
SPEAKER_07It's not. And you know, it wasn't anything against volleyball. I think I was just at the point in life where I was telling myself I'm not gonna go play sports in college, and I want to do another thing that I think I would really enjoy. And I've always loved football. I've grown up with football. My brother and dad both play it or played it, and it's been such an amazing um experience being able to see them play. So I was like, perfect opportunity to go and join a flag football team, and it was so amazing. The girls on the team were so amazing, and it was just so much fun. Yeah, it looked like you guys were having fun out the whole season.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, that's awesome. Cool. Well, thank you guys for that. Um, so we are here to talk about giving devotions and kind of the process of how you guys arrived at your devotion. Something Mr. Parrot does, and you guys can speak more into this because I'm obviously not in the class. Uh, he has everyone in class give a devotion, is that true?
SPEAKER_08Yes, yes.
SPEAKER_06Okay. And are you just assigned like a day and time?
SPEAKER_08Yeah, you're assigned a day and time, but we get to pick our topic and Okay. Yeah.
SPEAKER_06Okay. Amazing. Um, so what was it like first prepping a devotion and then standing in front of your classmates giving that devotion?
SPEAKER_07So for me, I actually had a pretty clear vision on what I wanted to do. Yeah. I would say mine was directed off of just my testimony, and I'll speak to that a little more when I share my devotional, but it was really um just nice to be able to have that as a foundation for my for what my devotional was going to be about because it helped me just kind of share what I was going through and bring it to the class and show how God worked through every single thing.
SPEAKER_06Super cool. Yeah.
SPEAKER_08Yeah. I arrived kind of to the same thing as Lila, where it was something that I was going through. Um, I knew that I wanted to talk about adoption and the kind of the basics and like what that means about how we grow deeper into them, like we don't graduate from them, kind of. Yeah. Um, but then, you know, I really wanted my devotional to not just be a passing grade in the class. Like I just wanted to actually be able to reach people and whatever God wanted me to say, I wanted to be obedient in that. Um, so I was praying about it in the morning of he it was just really heavy on my heart to talk about rejection. Um so that wasn't something that I mean, obviously I've struggled with that and I've yeah, wrestled with God with that. Um, but it was just kind of put on my heart to talk about it that morning. So then I slipped that in the beginning. But then getting up there and talking in front of the class was like so nerve-wracking and oh my goodness. Yeah. But I'm so thankful for Lutheran one because we have to take a public speaking or like a speech in a boat. Yeah. And I did that my junior year, and I think oh god, like those tools I learned really pulled through for me in that moment. Because it's always so scary when all the tension's on you, and like goodness, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_07It was good. Oh, that's awesome. I I want to bring something that she just said, and I think it's so cool because we were texting about this last night and we were talking with each other, and one thing that Leah said was like, you know what? Whatever we say tomorrow, these are God's words. These are God's words and no one else. And I was like, you are so right. And that's the that's just so amazing about the devotional itself when we were in the classroom. I remember starting my devotion with prayer, saying, God, let these words speak to the c speak to the class, but not them be my words, but your words. And I think that's that's the most important thing of giving the devotion. Yeah.
SPEAKER_08Because even if, like for anybody who's gonna give a devotion and they're nervous for it, or just even like speaking about Jesus in a public spit setting, like even if you don't sound good, like you're not articulating your words well, if you trust that the Holy Spirit is gonna work through you, no matter if you're stumbling over your words or you're nervous or your voice is kind of shaky, like the Holy Spirit and God is gonna be faithful and he's gonna do his will through whatever you're saying, no matter how you think it sounds to yourself.
SPEAKER_06Yes, uh, that is you guys are so wise beyond your years. That is so true. It is truly the work of the Holy Spirit, and what a gift that it's not all on our shoulders. Oh my god. Thank you, Jason. Exactly. Okay. Well, I love that you, I didn't even think of that as a question. I love that you kind of gave some advice to people. Do you have any other advice or thoughts to your classmates, even the future seniors?
SPEAKER_07Yeah, I mean, I would just say, and no, it's pretty cliche and something you hear all the time, but going off to college, especially for us seniors, is always keeping Christ as your foundation for your life. And that means through the trials, through the most joyful times in your life, um, keeping Christ there and trusting in his plan is honestly the most important thing and a way that we just live out Christ through everything that we do. Yeah. Wow. Yeah.
SPEAKER_08That's awesome. No, I love that. I think my like three years, I think it was playing softball here. We had a motto where it was just fix your eyes on Jesus, like eyes up was our motto. And I think that's pretty much kind of what Lila said. It's just keep your eyes on the feet of Jesus, and um it's not about like conforming to the world no matter how hard it is. Um, and just my biggest thing for me that I think has helped me grow on my faith a lot has been asking the Lord to search my heart and like reveal things to me, and just prioritizing that one-on-one quality time with him and just bringing him into the mundane and the ordinary of your life.
SPEAKER_06I I love that so much. Do you guys know that song, Look Up Child? Yes. Yes, Lauren Daigle. Yes, yeah.
SPEAKER_07I was lucky enough to go to one of her concerts. You were and it was the best concert I've ever been to. Was she here? She was here a few years ago. Oh my gosh, was it Rebecca? It was Fiddler's Green, I'm pretty sure. Yes. And it was it was amazing. Like I just I remember my entire family, because I went with my family and we were just left in tears. Like, oh my goodness, this is the Holy Spirit.
SPEAKER_06Yes, I I love that so much. I was just thinking of that song when you were when you were sharing, because it's even like the physical act of I've noticed even in my own, just like body when I'm weighed down or when I'm really like having anxiety or like thinking kind of negative thoughts, like I I usually look down. And so when you actually when you physically look up, it's just like a okay, the Lord is here and like look at the beauty and rem let's remember that this is bigger than one step at a time. Exactly. Yes, yeah. Oh, I love that. Okay, guys. Well, are you ready and willing to share your devotionals with us?
SPEAKER_07Yeah, I would love to.
SPEAKER_06Awesome. Who wants to go first?
SPEAKER_08Do you want to go first? Oh, sure. Okay. Um, so like I said the morning of I wanted to, it was put on my heart to talk about rejection. So um, the first thing that I started talking about was just how rejection connects us to something really foundational about who we are in Christ. Because often when we get rejection, we ask the questions like, Am I wanted? Am I good enough? What's wrong with me? Um, and those are just heavy questions to take on, and they're burdens, and um, it's it's so hard to wrestle with. Um so then I wanted to lead everybody into a passage of scripture, Psalms 27, verse 10, says, Even if my father and my mother abandon me, the Lord will hold me close. Um so obviously we live in a broken and sinful world. People will hurt us, people will forsake us, like God and Jesus tell us that we're gonna face trials in this world, it's just gonna happen. Um, thankfully, they're so much easier because we have Jesus. But, anyways, um, the Lord receives us is the main message of that verse that I wanted to share is that like your mom and your dad are supposed to be like your people, right? And even if they abandon you, reject you, the Lord still receives you. And I think that just shows to how great his love is for you. Um and then I wanted to share about Isaiah 53, verse 3. It says, He was despised and rejected, a man of sorrows acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised and we did not care. First off, this hit me this morning when I was like refreshing this because it's been like a month since I gave this. But Isaiah is in the Old Testament, so that's just like a prophecy, and it's like word for word about Jesus. And I just like I love that stuff. Anyways, um, but yeah, Jesus was misunderstood, he was overlooked, he faced rejection, and he still faces rejection to this day. So it's so beautiful that we can have him and he relates to us. Um but something that separates us is that when he was rejected, it never changed his identity or his purpose. Um but we tend to pick ourselves apart, force ourselves into this cookie cutter mold. Add things onto ourselves that he never intended us to be or to have within ourselves. And we can even create this like Frankenstein version of ourselves who he's never known us to be. Um, and for me, I really struggled with this with this in middle school. And it got to the point where it's like I created this version of myself and I shut myself off because if no one ever really knew the real me, they could never really leave me or reject me, if that makes sense. And I think a lot of people struggle with that. Um so I think that we just, you know, lose sight of who God has created us to be. Um, and then over the summer I was listening to one of my favorite Christian influencers, her name's Ali Yoast, she's amazing, but she said this and it like hit home. It says that we were never meant to be perfectly experienced, but to be fully known. Um, and so when did God ask you to change yourself, to add things to yourself, to take things away from yourself? He never asked us to become a version of ourselves that everybody would love because that's just not realistic, you know? Um and so I just wanted to tell everybody that we're meant to be perfectly known by him and by others, um, and not this polished version of you that is supposed to be so perfect. Because I put that pressure on myself, and then when I mess up, I thought it was like the end of the world, and everybody would hate me, and like, yeah, it's just it's a lot.
SPEAKER_06Yes.
SPEAKER_08Um, so I both I believe that that's where like true fulfillment comes in, and then I wanted to bring that into adoption. So one of my favorite passages in scripture, and probably one of my favorite books of the Bible is Ephesians, and it's Ephesians 1, verses 4 through 5. And it says, even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. And my favorite word in this is the word adopt because it's an action word. People adopt somebody because they want them, because they want to give them a safe place, they want to build a relationship with them, they have the joy of bringing them into their family, and it's just a pursuit of love. Um, and that's exactly what Ephesians tells us that God did for us. God wanted a family, and he wanted me in it, he wanted Lila in it, like he wanted everybody in it, all of his children's in all of his children individually. Um, so I like pure love just brought us into his family. And then I think the key point on that is that God didn't reluctantly accept us, but he intentionally adopted us. So he's not a disappointed father who's always angry at you, or when you mess up, um, you know, there's no forgiveness, or he's like, Okay, you can come sit at my table, but just don't cause any trouble. Like he's gonna be able to get you, yes. Like um, and that's just something that I realized over the summer, and I was like, this is the best thing I've ever heard. And it's probably something that I've read a thousand times, but it's just one of those moments where it clicks. And then finally, I discussed the basics, um, because all these things I was talking about, how God loves us and don't like be who God created you to be. Like, there are things that we've learned about every year in theology at a lot of the chapels, or if you've grown up in Sunday school, like you always hear about these basics. Um and it can be kind of repetitive and people can get annoyed with it. But something that God has really convicted me of this year, because I was that way, is that we don't move on from the basics. The deeper that we go with God, the deeper that these truths become. And we grow deeper in the ordinary when we read our Bible and we don't feel like doing it, when we pray and we don't feel like doing it, or like when we fall short and we feel so unworthy to go to the feet of Jesus. But the Bible tells us after you fall short, like run to his feet right away, even when we don't want to. Like in the ordinary, going to school or work is when we grow deeper with God. Um, so we don't grow out of the basics, but they are the truths that we will spend our entire lives growing deeper into. And so just for everybody who goes to this school and who goes to theology class every day or chapel Monday, Wednesday, Friday, I just want them to realize that it's such a blessing. Like, I took advantage of it for so long. Like, honestly, this year is the first year it really hits me that I received a Bible this year in my senior theology class. Like, you go to a public school, obviously, that's we are so beyond lucky. And to hear about these basics every day and to have teachers who pour this life into us and this truth into us, even if it might seem repetitive, there's something new that God is trying to tell you every single time you hear about it. Um, so it's not something that we ever graduate from, but it's like the love that we'll always grow deeper into.
SPEAKER_06I love so much about what you just said. I had so many thousand questions. That was so it was so awesome. Yeah. And you're talking about You're so right. It is these foundational truths, like we we cannot hear them enough. And we cannot be remembered. We are so fast to forget. Yes. Or even like the love of I love your phrase of like it was a pursuit of love. Like, how how can we think that possibly would grow stale? But it does like yeah.
SPEAKER_08And also people can hear the saying so much like Jesus died for you that it loses its weight. So for me, I realized that was happening. I was like, that can't be good. And so I prayed. I was like, I never want to lose the awe and the wonder behind you and what you've done.
SPEAKER_06Yeah. I was thinking of the verse from Zephaniah 3 where it says, He delights over you.
SPEAKER_08He delights over you. It's crazy. Like he's the god of the universe, like of the cosmos. We're one little tiny thing in this one galaxy, and like he pursues you and chases after you. Yeah.
SPEAKER_06And how beautiful of like I know that to be true in my life, but I also know it's true of you. Like he he delights over you, he delights over Lila, he delights over not just the people in this building, but every single person in such a good perspective. Yeah, and I just think that yeah, that's life-changing. And you as you were saying, like, oh yeah, he died, he died for your he died for you, he died for your sins. Um, I Pastor Rognes, Mr. Rognes, yeah, yeah. He um he was uh a guest preacher at my church a few Sundays ago, and he was saying, Um, Jesus died for your salvation, and I just never heard that phrase before, but I'm so thankful for this community and this body of believers that they can even like say like just a little bit different, and then it like gives a whole new perspective of like, oh, he died for my salvation.
SPEAKER_08Yes, yeah, that's really helpful. Yeah, that's something that I think God has been showing me is that like he dies for your salvation, and through that you get justification, and that's like one gift. And then he's like, Okay, we're gonna walk together, girl. And I'm more literally, he's like, You get to actually love me now, and I'm gonna transform all that gunk and crap out of your heart. Yes. And through that, you're gonna get to experience me more fully and know me more, and I'm gonna reveal myself to you. Like he just keeps giving, yes. And I'm just like, What? Like, yes, yeah, I don't understand, but I love it, but I don't understand. Oh, preach.
SPEAKER_06I nothing else to add. That was so good. That was so good.
SPEAKER_08Thanks, guys. You're my favorite.
SPEAKER_06I can tell everyone listening is gonna be so encouraged by that. So thank you. Okay, Lila. Yes.
SPEAKER_07Well, my goodness, that was amazing. Um, mine ties into that a little bit. So my main question was, is God there? And I know that is such a simple question to ask. However, I think it is one of the biggest questions that Christians ask all the time, no matter if it's a Christian who just came to faith or if it's a person who grew up in a Christian household their entire life. And I think it's a really big question that is put on their hearts a lot, and of course, that is just something that I wanted to bring to the table and talk about. Interestingly enough, this was actually, like I said, part of my testimony because I want to share a little about a little bit about that, and it kind of goes back to around this time last year. I was going through some of the hardest moments of my life. I was stuck in shame, I was having so much anxiety over just things that I shouldn't be having anxiety over, and I wasn't accepting the fact of the forgiveness of God. But then that led me to the question of, is God there? And that led me to anger, that led me to sadness and um just thoughts that I shouldn't have been having. And I was I was waking up constantly just out of um tiredness, I think, of God, why are you doing this to me? I was literally asking that question, and I was asking the question, are you there, God? Like, why why are you doing this? I don't understand. And that fast forward to this time this year, something happened a few months ago where I was just I was downstairs, I can't even explain it. I was listening to worship music, and something inside of me just I I I felt the Holy Spirit the Holy Pir the Holy Spirit was always there, but he just came to life fully inside of me. And I know he was only he was always alive, but he just revealed himself, and I can't even explain. And I was just, I just I I started bawling. Yeah, literally it was and I I remember my parents coming home and they were like, Are you okay? I was like, I'm more than okay. I don't even know how to explain this. Um, and that led me to um wanting to get baptized. So and I I'd want to call, I don't want to call this a coincidence because I don't believe in coincidences. It's um God's work, but it got to the point where I was giving this devotion, and surely enough, the next day was the day I was getting baptized. So I was wow, I I was just so amazed by God's work and all of this because it was a full circle moment of wow, this is what he did in my life, and this is amazing. Before I get to show it. Yes, yes, so awesome. So amazing. Um so I just wanted to share a few Bible verses that um I spoke about in the class. Yeah. And that was Psalm 23, 4, and it says, Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me, your rod and your staff, they comfort me. And I'm gonna read another verse because this speaks to it as well. And this is Isaiah 41, 10, which says, Do not fear, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you, and I will uphold you by my righteous right hand. And I the key thing that I pulled out of both of these verses is the words, I am with you. And that really was also something that made me so emotional when I was going through that time in my life because he is with us. He is always with us, and we have evidence, we have proof of it in the Bible. Of and there's so many other verses that I could pick out that say that. But it's through the trials and through the hard things in life that he is with you. Yes, he's with you through everything, every single thing, but when someone is going through the hardest moments of their lives, it's hard to realize and it's hard to not be angry at God and ask, Why are you doing this? Are you here? When yes, he is 100% there and he is working in ways you don't understand at all. And that was my second biggest point is God can bring such a tragic thing in your life and make it into something miraculous and something that you will never ever could have even imagined that he could turn something like that into it. I remember um just a few years ago there was a uh sad death in my family, and it affected my mom a lot because it was her mom and affected our entire family. But I remember her talking about it and to talking to me about it even the other day, and she was like, My mom was the one of the best people in my life. I loved her so much. She showed her faith in everything that she did, but after her death, you could see so many people found faith in God, and so many people saw God, and that would not have happened if she didn't unfortunately pass away, and she saw so many miracles that came out of it. Wow. So that was my biggest point. And then I asked the questions in class or made statements, I would say, of um just even in the darkest moments of your life, we need to remember that God is there. And I think also another thing that we need to remember is how unconditional God's love is for us. And that is something that I think we forget, and we forget it sometimes because we will never be able to understand how big it is until we get up to heaven. And I think that's why it's hard for us, but that's something that we should, as Christians, have as our foundation of knowing Christ's love for us and knowing how much he loves us and how he is doing everything for us because he loves us and we are his children. And that speaks to everyone. That like that doesn't just speak to me, that speaks to everyone who is listening to this, everyone um who is going through a hard time right now. Um, and I think that also speaks to the point of nothing can separate his love from us. Yes. Um, and that is just so amazing because I can think of so many times where I am like, God, how how do you still love me? How like I just and I I feel I just am so there's no words to really describe how grateful I am for that because you look at all these other religions and there's no other one like that. There is no other God who is like that and who is so amazing to never have his love fail, even when we are going through the worst moments in our life. Yeah. And just the last point that I wanted to bring up is God will choose to reveal himself in his perfect way and when he wants to reveal himself. That's so good. And that was my last final point because the reason why I was getting so angry is because he wasn't revealing himself when I wanted him to. But now I fast forward to this time in life, and I'm like, wow, God, I see why you did that. I see why you waited, because I see all the blessings that you brought out of it. And that's just the amazing thing is yes, like we we get angry with God because we don't understand what he's doing, but his plan is the perfect plan. And it's always such a hard prayer to pray of your will be done. But it's the most powerful prayer, I think, because it's just it's it's all his glory, it's all to his glory, but he's working in our lives, and he is just doing everything for us out of his love. So that was that was Oh my gosh, that's so good. So good. That's amazing.
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_08I literally we got ready. Okay, so we went to homecoming together and we got ready together. And I'm just listening to Lila talk about Jesus while we're getting ready and stuff, and like I've we like caught up, caught up during that point. And I was like, this girl's amazing. Yeah, she just I love you.
SPEAKER_07I would say the same exact like literally, I it was such a relief just to talk to God was just amazing.
SPEAKER_08You went through that, and then I went through a whole series of doubt where I was like, I don't think God is real, and so you were able to talk about that too. And yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_06That's amazing. I I think everything you said is so real and so relatable. And I think a lot of times, especially people who've grown up in the church, are like, I can't ask that. I can't, I can't question, I can't doubt. Like, oh no. But yeah, God can handle your questions and he can handle your doubt and like bring it because he is.
SPEAKER_08And that he wants your honesty, because that's when you are more vulnerable and like you can actually meet him and he can meet you. Yeah.
SPEAKER_07And that's I that's some the one thing that we talked about is I have grown up in a Christian household my entire life, but it's so special about coming to your faith in your own shoes, I guess, and and realizing the love of God. Yes. And that can also create a challenge in itself with what I just spoke to of I have been a Christian my entire life. Why am I asking these questions? I I shouldn't be. This is not something I should be asking, but it's just amazing to see how he has a story in everyone's life.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, yeah. And I think you said it well, like when when the doubts do come, because they will, instead of hardening your heart, like lean in, like continue to pursue him, continue to be like, where are you? Why aren't why are you doing this? What what is going on? I think just like leaning in is such a like be angry at him.
SPEAKER_08That's okay.
SPEAKER_06Like he'll take it. Yes, yes, he can take it.
SPEAKER_07He responds with love, and that's all he does.
SPEAKER_06And that's like yeah. One time uh I will never forget this. One time somebody told me, like, I think we were praying together, and they're like, I wish you wouldn't say like God please be with us, because it's just that's just a silly, like, throwaway line, like be with us. And I really took that to heart, but kind of in a damaging way, because like when we don't ask him to be with us, we are um we're like denying who he is, like his presence is powerful. So just asking the simple thing of please be with me is a reminder to ourselves that he is already with us, and his presence is power. Yeah, and like what we if he is with us, we need nothing else. Like I think about Moses, they're about to, you know, leave Mount Sinai and God's like, no, okay, forget that this you all go, I'm staying here. Like, I can't handle you people anymore. And Moses is like, if you don't go with us, I we're not going. Yeah, we can't go without you. And God obviously, out of love, is like, okay, I'll come. But um, yes, I want to be like Moses and be like, if you're not going, God, I don't want to go either. Yeah.
SPEAKER_07Well, and yeah, it's just so amazing to even see all the way back then, just the moments where God is always with us. Yes. And of course, um, just the disciples got the physical appearance of him as well, but he's the same exact person, and he's like he's a hundred percent God, he's a hundred percent human, but he is always with us, and he is working in the same ways he was working back then too, because he is the same and he always will be. Yeah, which I think is so amazing.
SPEAKER_08Yeah, like you said, it's crazy to look back at your life because we bonded over the fact that we both were raised Christian, but we met God, you know, on our own at a certain time, which everybody goes through. But um, it's crazy to look back when you didn't really know God for yourself yet necessarily, but he's still planting those seeds, and then he ends up watering those seeds that make like he just sets you up to meet him, and I think that's really amazing. Yeah, it's beautiful. Yes.
SPEAKER_06Oh, you guys, this was so this was great. I am so I like this.
SPEAKER_07This is all fun. This, yeah, and it is oh, this is such a blessing. This is another thing we were talking about. We were just saying, wow, this is so amazing that we get to go and share our devotion. And um, like we said at the very beginning, these are not our words, these are God's words speaking through us. I'm so happy and so blessed that I got to do this too.
SPEAKER_08Also, something from yours that I forgot to like mention, but I thought was so good is that you were talking about how like sometimes you're like, where are you, God, and stuff. And I think that just we don't feel God all the time, but like you said, that doesn't mean he's not there. Like, feelings are good servants, but they're not good masters. Yeah, yeah. Oh, I love that for you. I heard that from Bryce Crawford, so I cannot take credit. But that was good. It stuck with you, dude. It stuck with me. And so I think that's a great thing that you point out, and I wanted to say that because yeah, I love that. That's amazing.
SPEAKER_06Ladies, this has been an absolute delight. Thank you so much. And we're welcome back anytime you want to come on the podcast. This has been amazing. Thank you.
unknownForgive one another.
SPEAKER_01So again so forgive us a lot. Forgive me, lovely such.