Podcast Guest or Co-host (6:00)

Which is Psalm 40:16.

Ali Yost (6:03)

I love God so much. What in the world would we do without Him? It's ridiculous. Okay, so anyway, that's my beautiful new Bible from Hosanna Revival. Thank you, Hosanna Revival. I also do have a code with them, so if you guys would ever like to shop with them. It's just my first and last name. It's Aliost. If you're ever on the hunt for a new Bible. Or they even have really cute, like, note taking, journaling. They even have Daily Planners, I believe. But this is a really. Look at how stuck. I'm freaking out. Look at how stunning this journal is. If you already have a journal, you don't need a new one. It's okay. I'm not trying to push consumerism. But also, how gorgeous is this for when you need a new journal? Girl, if you're not done with yours, fill it up first and then get a new one. This one is so gorgeous. And also, I like, love. Do you see that? How the sides of it is gold?

Podcast Guest or Co-host (7:03)

Okay.

Ali Yost (7:04)

It's beautiful. And on the back of it, it does have another scripture. It says, for from him and through him, and. And to him are all things. To him be the glory forever. Amen. Which is Romans 11:36. I just started using it this morning. Sorry. I'm going to make more eye contact with the camera. Half of the first page and the rest I still have to fill it with notes. And I think this journal in particular I'm going to dedicate to note taking when I read the Bible. My other journals I've honestly treated as like, my thoughts journals where I'm just praying or dreaming with the Lord or just like venting to Jesus. So those kind of journals are fun. But I think this journal specifically I'm going to put towards, like, what I'm learning through Scripture. And so also something that's really exciting that I've decided to do, which I hope it would inspire you guys, is I have never read the Bible. For from COVID to cover, I have bounced around the Bible a lot, and I've especially bounced around the most in the New Testament. The Old Testament has always been very intimidating to me. I really have not read many books from the Old Testament other than like, Genesis or Ruth. I read. I've read Esther. I've read a little bit of Job. I've read Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, probably that's it. Everything else I'm like, nope, I've never read Habakkuk. Please, Ally. I've never read Jonah. Wait, yes, I have. I've never read Joel. I've never read Daniel. Anyway, there's so much in the Old Testament that I haven't even tried to touch. And so I've decided that I want to read the Bible through and through. And I'm not necessarily following a Bible plan, which I don't know if that's smart or not, but I kind of just want to take this at the pace that feels natural for me. I think if I were to put any, like, restrictions on myself of like, okay, you have to read the entire Bible in three months. I don't know how much I'd actually be retaining because I think I would probably be focusing more so on, okay, I better read 10 chapters today because that's my goal to make sure that I actually finished the Bible in three months. But then, like, am I really retaining it? And so I guess I want to find a good balance of not taking years to read the entire Bible, but also not, like, making sure that I'm not missing too much. Obviously, I'm probably not going to grasp everything. We're going to be reading this cover to cover a million times. And so I'm also not putting pressure on myself that I have to under, like, fully grasp every single thing. But I do want to get as much out of it as I can. And what feels like, natural and feels like, yeah, like a natural pace for me to be reading the Bible. And so I do have a goal of reading it in six months. I think I'd like to try to read the entire Bible cover to cover in six months. But if it takes like, eight months, because I'm going a little slower and I'm being a bit more intentional with it, and I'm having to, like, look up a lot of stuff. That's the other thing is, like, when I don't understand something I'm reading. A lot of times when I'd read the Bible, I would just be like, that's okay. I'm just going to keep reading until it starts to make sense. Which isn't awful because I'm definitely still retaining things. I'm approaching this with a lot more patience where I'm like, no, if I don't understand what this means or if a genuine question pops into my head where I'm like, okay, like, an example was I was reading in Genesis 15 this morning, and a genuine question that I had that popped into my head was at the end of Genesis 15. So this is the beginning of the story of Abraham. And at the time, his name was only Abraham until God changed his name to Abraham. Anyway, Abraham had presented a bunch of offerings of animals to the Lord as sacrifices. So in this tradition, he cut each animal down the middle and laid the halves side by side. He did not, however, cut the birds in half. Okay, so anyway, I was kind of wondering, like, what. Because a lot of the things that we need to remember, too, about the Bible is it's very old. That does not mean that what's written in it is irrelevant. But that does mean that there's a lot of things that are in here that were, like, culturally normal, acceptable at that time. That, like, today I. I'm like, what does that mean? But at that time, it was, like, very significant to culture. And so I first questioned that. And then another thing I questioned was, so then Abraham, after that, he fell into a deep sleep. And God had then given him a prophetic dream. He spoke to Abram in his sleep. And what God is telling Abraham while he's asleep is. Is just the fate and the future and the promise of the generations to come after Abraham and that he will be a father to the nations. And so then after that, after the sun went down and darkness fell, Abram saw a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch pass between the halves of the carcasses. And I was like, okay. And honestly, there probably was a version of Valley that would have been like, yeah, I Don't understand that. I'm just going to keep reading. But I was like, no, what does that actually mean? And so I started researching. I'm reading the Bible, and I'm like, what is this part? Like, what does it mean? That Abraham saw a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch pass between the halves of the carcasses. And apparently that was like. It was giving that. It was supposed to be a very, like, pivotal piece of information, but at the same time, I just didn't know what it meant. And so what I learned after I did research on it was that when Abraham was sleeping and woke up to see this, at that time, this was an ancient symbolic act, especially in the ancient near east, called covenant cutting. Parties would cut the animal in half and lay the pieces opposite to each other, walking between them, symbolizing that if either party broke the covenant, they'd accept the same fate as the animal. But only God alone took the responsibility for fulfilling the covenant, regardless of Abraham's actions. This was a powerful sign of divine commitment. And so that just helped me understand how beautiful that moment actually was between Abraham and God and just kind of like, put it more into perspective of just the kindness of the Lord and how loyal he is to us and how committed he is to us. And that he didn't put any of the responsibility of the fate of Abraham's descendants and his future on Abraham. And God was like, no, it's like, fully on me. And I will fulfill my promise. I have made this covenant with you. I have not made a lie. Like, what I've promised you is true, and I will make sure that it happens. And I'm actually the only one that's held responsible for that. You don't have to, like, hold your part to make sure that that happens for your life. Like, I'm the one who makes sure that that happens for your life, as long as you follow me and obey me. And so I, again, like, I wouldn't have known that that was actually a ancient symbolic act. I mean, I assumed because I'm like, no one's really doing that today. We just kind of pinky promise each other or sign contracts, I guess, you know, but at the time, I guess they did something called covenant cutting. And so this. And it also feels like probably one of the most intense forms of commitment considering, like, when two parties, like two people are making a covenant like this, like, making a promise to each other, it says that they are literally accepting the fate of the animal if one were to break it, which means.

Podcast Guest or Co-host (15:28)

Right.

Ali Yost (15:29)

So anyway, just an example of how important it is for us to be curious while also reading the Bible. And I think that that is what's going to take us to another level of maturity, another level of just growth in our biblical knowledge. And so that's the journey that I'm on. And I'm really excited about it because I think this is a desire that I've always had is to not only read the Bible like cover to cover, but to really care about the details. And. Yeah, so I'm excited about that. And I would also encourage you guys to do the same thing. You are fully capable, of course, like joining Bible studies and getting around people. And I've done plenty of those, and they're awesome. It is really helpful to read the Bible with others and to hear how the Holy Spirit is ministering to other people in the room in other ways, you know, And I think it's fun because you start to kind of put the puzzle pieces together. But if you are in a situation where you're studying it al like I was this morning, I would encourage you

Podcast Guest or Co-host (16:37)

to do it the same way and

Ali Yost (16:39)

just utilize other sources and do research and be curious. And if you're lacking curiosity, I think for me, like, I genuinely. That was a huge prayer that I was praying to the Lord for months now is I actually was like, losing desire to really, like, dive into the Bible and to care about the details, you know, And I felt convicted about that because by me rejecting the details of the Bible was me telling God that it didn't matter enough to me or it wasn't important enough to me, which is Him. Like, this is literally God. It's a part of his heart. It's what he's left for us. And so I, yeah, I just don't. I don't want to treat it like it's a casual thing. I don't want to treat the Bible like it's not worth being starving for and thirsty for and hungry for. Like, I don't want to be more hungry for other things than the word of God. And I have been like, I've genuinely. I've cared more about other things than the word of God. This episode is brought to you by Glorify, the number one Christian daily devotional app. I was recently having a conversation with a friend just talking about the transparency of how it can actually be kind of hard to stay connected with God throughout the day. I think that a lot of times we can get kind of caught up in the hustle and bustle or again, just like, pressure of life, things that are just happening in the now. And so, funny enough, that person had asked me how I stay connected to God throughout the day. And without hesitation, one of the very resources that came to my mind was the Glorify app. It has been a steady part of my life for almost a year now. And when you open the app, what's really nice is that there's always something new. So there's fresh devotionals, new courses, content that meets me right where I am and points me back to God every time. And so if you've been craving other resources and things to use tools on how to center back to the Lord every day, all day, Glorify is a really beautiful resource to have on your phone. So go ahead and download the Glorify app and create space for God in your everyday and listeners to the show can get full access to the Glorify app just for 29.99 for the entire year. That's Glorify's lowest price ever. When you download the Glorify app now@glorify-app.com alli get full access all year for just 29.99@glorify-app.Com alli that's glorified app.com ally do thoughts like Did I really mean that prayer? Or what if God's disappointed in me? Play over and over in your head? Or do you keep worrying that you're not believing hard enough, that every unwanted thought might be blasphemy, or that you've somehow lost your salvation? Experiences like that can be signs of religious ocd, but because OCD is so misunderstood, a lot of people don't even know that it can latch onto religious beliefs. And real OCD is nothing like the stereotypes about just liking things organized. It's a serious and highly misunderstood condition where unwanted, distressing thoughts get stuck on repeat in your mind and you feel compelled to actually engage in certain behaviors to try to make them stop. But of course there is hope. OCD is highly treatable with the right kind of specialized therapy. And what actually works for OCD is ERP therapy or Exposure and Response Prevention. NOCD is the world's leading provider of OCD treatment. All of their licensed therapists truly understand OCD and specialize in ERP therapy. Therapy with no CD is actually 100% virtual, covered by insurance for over 155 million Americans, and includes support between sessions so you're never facing OCD alone. To learn more about starting OCD therapy with no CD, go to nocd.com and book a free call to learn more about how they can help you. That's nocd.com I think I've also been guilty of, like, going to the Bible to just kind of get like, my. My moment of, like, validation or my moment of, okay, God hears me, he sees me. Okay, cool, I'm done. And as much as God has absolutely met me there and he has so much compassion and grace and love for those moments I felt convicted where I was like, why do I not also have a heart to just read the Bible and be thirsty for God's wisdom? And I think another way of, like, if you really want to understand God more, if you really want to understand his heart more, if you want to understand his character more, if you want a fresh revelation of who he is, because we all know that he's faithful. We all know that he's kind, we all know that he's everlasting. We all know that he has new mercies for us every morning. And he's gracious, right? We all know these things, but we can still know those things and there's still opportunity to have a deeper revelation of what that means. And so the way to have a deeper revelation of what those things mean of who God is, is by reading the Bible and having a hunger for it. And so I think step one for me was like admitting to God that I lacked that hunger. And again, we've said this on the podcast so many times where we've been, like, the Lord already knows what's in your heart. He already knows what's in your mind. He already knows what you're struggling with. He already knows the things that you're not willing to admit to yourself or him. So you might as well just say it and you might as well just tell him and be honest. No matter how brutal it feels, no matter how, like, low key, blasphemous, it feels like in a way, there was a part of me that was like, this feels so blasphemous, Lord, that I'm actually telling you that there's a part of my heart that does not care enough about what you've left me here. And I hate that. And so, Lord, I'm asking for you to give me the hunger like I need it. Give me the desire, give me the discipline, give me the patience. That's a prayer that I've had to pray more than once. And it's really cool too, because I'm excited to be able to share more with you guys. As the Lord continues to walk me through this season, I Just feel like he's walking me through an entire. Like, he's like, next levels, Al, you know, And I believe that he has that for all of his children is like, once he's got us on one level, he's like, great. Next level. Like, there is no, like, okay, God, now we're coasting. I was talking to a friend the other day. It was after we were. We were at church, and there's a sweet girl that came up to me and gave me a prophetic word which I so desperately needed. And it was really, really simple. I mean, it was truly so simple. It was along the lines of, like, God hears you. He's with you. He knows. He understands. He knows you're scared, but it's okay.

Podcast Guest or Co-host (23:06)

He's with you.

Ali Yost (23:07)

So simple, but, like, it's exactly what I needed in that moment. And the hesitation in my heart was like, God, I just knew that the Lord wanted to take me somewhere new, just in my relationship with him, in this journey that he has me on called life, as he has us all on our own journeys in life. But, like, I just knew that God was like, yep, Al, we're going up now. We're gonna continue to go up, like, these stairs. And he's like, next level, babe.

Podcast Guest or Co-host (23:35)

Ah.

Ali Yost (23:36)

And I'm telling my friend, I'm like, I have felt that God is trying to take me somewhere else, and I've been very content with where I'm at. I've worked very hard to be where I'm at. And I look back at a version of myself, even, you know, a year ago, and I'm like, God, we've come really far, and I really love who I've become. And I can't believe that used to be me, thank God. But I kind of want to coast here for a little bit. And they're just like, that doesn't exist in the kingdom. That does not exist in the kingdom. It's beautiful. It's a joy. It's an honor. Like, it's genuinely an honor, but it is dying to your flesh every day by saying, okay, God, let's go to the next level. So I'm telling my friend, I'm like,

Podcast Guest or Co-host (24:31)

I don't want to.

Ali Yost (24:32)

I'm so comfortable where I'm at. I'm, like, barely comfortable with the amount of eyes that are on me right now. Don't want anymore. I'm good, God. We don't need to go any further. I'm good where I'm at. Like, I'm content. It's great. I'm Healthy, like I'm the healthiest I've ever been spiritually, physically, emotionally. But that doesn't mean that there still isn't opportunity to grow more with God. And that doesn't mean that he's done with you yet. Because God isn't done with us

Podcast Guest or Co-host (25:05)

until

Ali Yost (25:05)

we take our last breath here on earth. He's not done. He's not done with you yet. He's not done with your life. And so whether you feel content or not, too bad, he's gonna keep taking you further, he's gonna keep taking you up. He's gonna say, keep coming. We gotta keep coming. Come on, girl. I think another thing that's played hand in hand with like me finally locking in and like really having that hunger to know more of the Bible. And trust me, I just know there's gonna be days to come where I'm gonna be like, I don't want to pick up my Bible. I know it. Like, there's no way that over the span of the next six months as I'm trying to read the entire Bible from COVID to cover, there isn't gonna be at least one day. There shouldn't be more than that. But at least one day where I'm going to be like, I don't want to. I'm tired. I'm tired. God. I don't want to read. I want to keep sleeping. I don't want to wake up earlier to make sure that I can get in the word. Guys, I woke up this morning at 5:30 in the morning to make sure that I had time to read the word. Ew. If anyone tells you that they enjoy waking up at 5:30 in the morning, I would question their sanity. Or they're just in a really healthy place and they're like, no, I love it. And they're a morning person. I love that. That's not me yet. But I said, God, you are worth it. And there have been a lot of times that I've woken up and I've told God that he wasn't. But this time I was like, you are. And I'm tired of feeling like I'm not capable of these things, you know, because it says in your Word that we can do all things through Christ. I used to be somebody who would stay in bed until like 2pm. And I just feel God being like, this is who I've called you to be, Ally. And so I Woke up at 5:30 this morning and it sucked. It sucked. The sun wasn't even up yet. But also Proverbs 31, I think it literally says that homegirls up before the sun.

Podcast Guest or Co-host (27:31)

Yeah.

Ali Yost (27:32)

So that's what I did this morning. I got up at 5:30 and I said, okay, God. Because I also, I've started this new journey. You guys know this if you've already been listening to the podcast, if you're new here. Hi, welcome. I'm Ali. And we cry and we get emotional a lot on this podcast. In real life, I also have communion with me. I would love. Like, I am getting to this. I really wanted us to take communion because it's been way too long since we've taken communion together. That's ridiculous. And secondly, I. I do have my. It's not coffee on ice. It's actually Poppy. I have my Poppy on ice in our cute little glass tumbler. Our CWCOI tumbler. The reason why it's poppy is because I gave up coffee for Lent. I don't even really do lent, but my friend Angela texted me and she's like, what are you giving up for Lent this year? And I was like, I've never done that. Should I be doing that? She's like, yeah, it's 40 days. I'm like, okay. And I was already cutting out coffee in that moment. I had already cut off coffee for like three or four days. And I was like, I could just keep going. And also, that's a big sacrifice to me. That's the point, right? You're not supposed to give up something that's like, easy or like something you don't even really care about. I'm pretty sure you're supposed to give up something that's like, hard. It's an actual sacrifice, you know? So I gave up my coffee, guys. So we have Poppy on ice and I have the vintage cola flavor. Poppy is my everything. Like, I'm. I'm so excited for the day that a collaboration or a partnership can come out of this. They send me poppy so that alone I'm like, I'm not complaining. Thank you, Jesus. Truly. Thank you, Jesus. It's such a blessing. But that'll be the coolest day, is if somehow, some way a partnership could come from it. Anyway. Also, guys, I just wanna. Sorry, we're all over the map. I'm not gonna forget it. Discipline and working out is what I was gonna loop back to. I do want to acknowledge, like, it's not an elephant in the room, but it's definitely a change of the podcast over the last few months is ads. Like, I'm like doing ad reads and I'm promoting companies that I support and believe in. Because, of course, I would not be supporting and advocating for brands that I didn't actually either personally use or believe in. Okay? Period blank. There are plenty of ads that we turn down, but that is a new thing on this podcast. And I want to thank you guys for like, being so sweet and gracious and kind about that, because I know that sometimes, especially in this space, like, monetization, especially, like, over monetization, can look a little greedy. And it can be greedy. And so it's been such a blessing to work with my network now. So the podcast got signed with a network, which is, like, a really cool big deal. It's a really cool big deal with Lipsyn. They're incredible people. I love them. They've been getting me the most insane opportunities. Like, genuinely. God, I'm so grateful. There was, like, a good amount of time where we were doing this podcast and we weren't making a penny off of it. And so I was. Which I've stopped advertising for this because I'm like, I don't want to be,

Podcast Guest or Co-host (30:50)

like, asking you gu.

Ali Yost (30:52)

But there was at a time where I was like, guys, please donate to the podcast and tithe, because it's, like, the only thing that's keeping things rolling. I've stopped asking you guys. Well, I don't ask, but I just offer it. I'm like, if you guys want. Because you guys were asking. That's the truth. Money's weird. Okay. Is this uncomfortable? Money's such a weird thing to talk about, but it shouldn't be. Actually, I rebuke that. It shouldn't be. It's the Lord's. It's nothing to be uncomfortable about. It's literally a resource of Jesus. It's God's. Okay, it's not weird, but a lot of you guys at one point were like, how do I give back? Like, I literally want to tithe and donate to your podcast and what you're doing, Ali. And so at the time, like, there wasn't a lot that was supporting the podcast financially. And so I've stopped doing that. But you guys, oh, my gosh, I'll never forget how sweet. And tithe in other ways. Tithe to your church, to your local church, or, like, donate to causes. But none of that ever went unnoticed, and it genuinely blessed me so much, and it helped us get us to where we're at today. We're signed with a network. And, yeah, it's been. It's been amazing. It's been incredible. And so, yeah, there's ads that are playing now. But, yeah, I think I still want to keep it open to you guys, where it's like, I've always communicated it with my network and my team that we will not be a podcast where there's an ad, like, every 10 minutes. I don't want that. Especially. It's hard, too, because, like, we're talking about Jesus, and so, like, I could literally be in the midst of, like, snot sobbing. Like, we are moved by the Holy Spirit, and then all of a sudden, Ali's talking about her favorite mattress. So it's tricky. It's tricky. And I've really been trying to be so discerning with the Lord about it that we don't overdo it. But also, it's such a blessing, and I get to bless these incredible companies. And, like, it's. It's so fun to have relationships with, like, really awesome brands, because, yeah, it's just fun. Thank you guys for being so sweet about it. I really hope that you also, like, genuinely check out these brands that I do promote, because I love them, and they're great. Okay, sorry. Super sidetracked there. But we will get back to what I was talking about, which was that you guys know that I've been walking through this recent journey of fitness over the last few months of my life. Fitness has not been a lifestyle of mine for majority of my life, and. And it is really ministered to me. Like, I thought it was gonna be about, like, my physique, like, feeling better, looking better, feeling more confident, feeling more capable, being able to open a pickle jar, you know? And it's more than just about opening a pickle jar now. It's been teaching me discipline, which, like, crazy thought that Ali's learning discipline at the age of 30. But discipline is biblical. Routine is biblical. Showing up again and again and again and again, even when we don't want to, is holy. It's biblical. It's righteous behavior. Whoa. And so, like, it's so cool because having this routine where I am, like, dedicated to working out every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday with my trainer,

Podcast Guest or Co-host (34:08)

it has

Ali Yost (34:09)

revealed parts of my flesh that are really, really weak. And I think, like, for so many years, I've had a lot of freedom where I haven't had to have a ton of discipline. I'm not saying that I'm not, like, willing to work. I'm not a hard worker. But, like, structure, discipline, routine, not a part of my life. A lot of my life was run by my feelings of, like, I'll do it when I feel like it, and I'll make sure that I get it done. Like, I'm going to get it done, but I'm gonna do it when I feel inspired to do it. I'm gonna do it when I want to do it. And that is a place that God was like, we're a little immature in this area, Ali. We need to crank it up a notch.

Podcast Guest or Co-host (34:56)

My girl.

Ali Yost (34:59)

I need to show you what real discipline is. And so first step was working out discipline. It has taught me not only in the consistency of showing up Monday, Wednesday, Friday of working out, but also, like, in my workouts when I want to physically give up and I have to keep pushing because Lindsay's standing there and she's going, come on, three more. You're not done.

Podcast Guest or Co-host (35:23)

I know.

Ali Yost (35:25)

Keep pushing. What are you talking about? Keep pushing? I don't have anything else in me but, like, it is that mental of, like, you have to keep going. Consistency, push, discipline. I've never had that. I never played a sport. Like, if you've played a sport, you probably already got it, girl. You probably already got it because there are so many times you've probably had to show up for practice and you didn't want to and your coach was pushing you and you're like, shut up. Yeah, I didn't have that. I had way too much freedom. Oh. What's fun about having a poppy is I get to drink this a lot quicker than my coffee because I would have been speaking at a. At a rate you guys wouldn't have understood anymore. So I do love the poppy cuz I can drink it a little quicker. Sorry. I'm obsessed with this episode already. This is, like, freeing for me. I'm obsessed with this episode. This is so fun. How are you guys doing? I love it because it feels like we're FaceTiming and that's, like, my vibe. If I'm ever showing up on the podcast and it doesn't feel like we're FaceTiming anymore, just let me know. Yeah, discipline rocks. So it's still a very new. It's still a very new journey for me. I'm not saying I'm the most disciplined person in the world, but I feel God is calling me to be a disciplined individual. He wants me to be a disciplined daughter. And it might be because he's preparing me for seasons of my life that I don't even know what it looks like yet. Like, he's like, no, it's just because I know what this next season has for you, Al, and you're gonna need some discipline. You can't be run by your emotions and your feelings anymore. And I think discipline comes from conviction, too. Like, I just feel God being like, it's time, Ali. We're not gonna do that anymore. You know, you just know when God's calling you out of something and he's like, yeah, enough's enough. That's where I am at. And it's kind of scary at first because you can feel it coming. You're like, I don't want it, God. He's like, enough is enough. It's like, it's dad. It's dad. It's not like Jesus bestie anymore. It's like, dad is like, no more. We're not doing that anymore, Ali. And it's the scripture that says God disciplines the word. Discipline is literally in the Bible. The Lord only disciplines the ones whom he loves. What scripture is that? Let's crack open my new gorgeous, crisp Bible. It's Hebrews. It's freaking Hebrews, guys. Hebrews rocks. Oh, my Bible. So crisp. Oh, it actually says it a few times in the Bible, but we're first going to read Hebrews 12, 6. It's very simple. It's very straight to the point. And us children shouldn't argue with it because it's pretty clear, my child, don't make light of the Lord's discipline and don't give up when he corrects you. For the Lord disciplines those he loves and he punishes each one he accepts as his child. So we actually have to accept and be okay with and low key, kind of rejoice in God's discipline and punishment. And he punishes each one he accepts as his child. He disciplines the ones he loves. Why should we rejoice in that? Because it means he loves us and it's for our good. It's to better us, it's to grow us, it's to prune us, it's to refine us. Where does refining happen? Purifying. If you're going to purify, I should say like gold or silver.

Podcast Guest or Co-host (39:13)

Where do you do that?

Ali Yost (39:14)

In the fire. Ow. Yeah. Things don't get refined at a five star spa in a sauna. Full body massage, facial, scalp massage, clay mask, foot massage, mani, pedi. No, refining doesn't happen in that atmosphere. It happens in the fire where it burns and it hurts and it's hot. Yeah. So with that, it's so uncomfortable and it sucks and it's convicting too. Like when God corrects you, it's like, ooh, ow. But it's for our good. And so that's why we should rejoice in it. And what's really fun is we know that the reason that God also disciplines is because, yes, he's refining us. He's shaping us into a version of who he has created us to be because he has a plan for our lives. He has a plan for your life. He has a plan for who you're going to be and who you're going to continue to grow into becoming, which is amazing. He's so proud of you right now. Like who you are right now is great because this was a part of the plan too. If it wasn't for who you are right now, you wouldn't become who you are in the future. Great. It's worth celebrating right now for sure. But his plan is to continue to

Podcast Guest or Co-host (40:39)

grow you and it's temporary.

Ali Yost (40:45)

So cool Thing about today's sponsorship is I have already been using this product. Unfortunately though, it was introduced into my life when the fires broke out and in LA and the air was heavily polluted at that time. And so air purifiers were heavily encouraged. And so the Air Doctor is the only air purifier that I trust. It has made such a difference not only in the experience of me living in my home, but literally the quality of my life. I'm sleeping better and breathing through my nose again. There's no lingering smells of dog in my house. Like the Air Doctor actually has powerful three stage filtration that captures extremely small particles about 100 times smaller than what typical air purifiers can remove. It captures there's airborne contaminants that you don't want to be breathing in. Things like dust, pollen, mold, spores, pet dander, wildfire, smoke, bacteria, viruses, odors, smoke, ozone and VOCs. And what's nice about the air doctor is it's not really loud and obnoxious like others on the market. It also has an auto mode feature which is personally the one that I always have mine on because it ensures optimal air 247 and it has a change filter reminder, so no more guesswork. Air Doctor also won Newskeeper's Readers Choice Award for best air Purifier. Head to air airdropro.com and use promo code COFFEE to get up to $300 off today. Air Doctor comes with a 30 day money back guarantee plus a 3 year warranty which is an 84 value for free. Get this exclusive podcast only offer now at airdoctorpro.com that's a I R-O C T-O-R P.com using promo code. Coffee, gas, groceries, eating out. Even on the tightest budget, there's no escaping them. But here's what you can control. Getting cash back every single time you fill up. Hit the grocery store or go out, eat with the Upside app. The free Upside app gets you cash back on gas, groceries, and dining. The three things draining your wallet right now, I can bet, because it's draining mine. And here's how it works. You open the app, claim an offer, pay with your card like normal, and get paid. There's over 100,000 participating locations, which means once you start checking the app, you realize how often there's an offer right where you're already going. And to be honest, when I started using the Upside app, I was a little sus on it because, I don't know, these things can feel a little gimmicky or, I don't know, I'm like, how much does the saving actually really go? But I can confidently say that it adds up, you guys. And so now I've been checking the Upside app before I fill my tank, before I eat out, when I'm grocery shopping, and it's honestly kind of just become automatic for me. It's not something that I remember to do. It's actually something that I just do now. And another fun fact is, Upside has actually given back $1 billion to its users. So to find out how much you could earn, download the free Upside app and use promo code on ice to get an extra 25 cents back for every gallon on your first tank of gas. That's an extra 25 cents back for every gallon on your first tank of g. Using promo code on ice. Granted, the suffering, like, suffering never really ends. And like, growing, refining, being crushed, pruned. All those really fun Christianese words, but true, like, that doesn't end, but, like, you know, God gives us breaks. There are breaks. I'm not suffering all the time. Like, there are seasons where you're really gonna go through it, but then you're gonna see who you are on the other end. You're gonna see the fruit that comes out of it. You're gonna look around at your life and you're gonna go, God, that's why

Podcast Guest or Co-host (44:11)

you had me go through that.

Ali Yost (44:12)

That's why that was so painful, because you had this planned. It's actually the same promise in Genesis 15. Okay, so remember when Abraham fell into a deep sleep, right? And then the whole thing with the smoking fire pot and the flaming torch, okay, but right before that when he was asleep and God was speaking to him, he was promising the future of the descendants that were to come and the nations that were to come after Abraham. From Abraham. Okay, but what was so interesting about what God had said in it was he wasn't just like, and Abraham, everything's going to be amazing. Like, all the descendants, you're going to not only be a father, but you're going to be a father of. Look up at the stars and try to count how many. That's how many descendants are going to come from you.

Podcast Guest or Co-host (45:06)

Right?

Ali Yost (45:06)

So he's like, promising all that. But he didn't just say that. God said to Abram, you can be sure that your descendants will be strangers in a foreign land where they will be oppressed and slaves for 400 years. But I will punish the nation that enslaves them. And in the end, they will come away with great wealth. As for you, you will die in peace and be buried at a ripe old age. After four generations, your descendants will return here to this land, for the sins of the Amorites do not yet warrant their destruction. This is a crazy thing to say. God said, hey, by the way, to get to where I have your descendants going, I promise I have good for them. But first, your descendants will be strangers in a foreign land, and that is actually where they will be oppressed and slaves for 400 years. Oh, my gosh, 400 years. It's like, in that God was preparing Abraham for the complexity of his promise. But in that promise, he says that there will be blessings, but also trials will be a part of that plan. Yeah, and that's in Genesis, honey, that's the very beginning of the Bible. God's already saying, yeah, by the way, I have plans for your life, and I even have plans for the generations to come after you. But it won't be easy. There will be trials, there will be pain, there will be suffering. And so, yeah, it's just like nothing new under the sun. You know, we're walking the same walk as children of God now, as children of God were then. So even when it is hard to be disciplined by our Heavenly Father, it's such a joy, because it means that he loves us, and it means that he has a plan for our life. And it means that he hasn't given up on us. It means that he believes in us, which is so sweet. He does. And it's sweet. I feel like I've been. I've been really leaning on the Holy Spirit to guide me in this journey of discipline, because I Think there have been plenty of times where I've tried to do stuff like this, and then I give up because I'm trying to do it in my own power and I'm trying to do it in my own discernment of, like, what I think is right, of how quickly I should be doing it, or, like, how many new things I want to take on at once. And the truth is, I always failed because I was not first asking the Lord. And so I think now, as eager as I am in some ways I'm eager, but as eager as I am in some ways to, you know, tighten up the places of my life that I know need it now that God's revealed it to me, I'm also like, okay, Holy Spirit. But, like, realistically, where do you want me to start? And just take it like, one day at a time with Him? Like, for the first few months, it really was like working out and having that routine was getting me up early in the morning. And now my body, like, wants to wake up that early because I've made a habit of it over the last couple months. And so now with me getting up even an hour earlier than that, which was already insane, like me doing my workouts at 7:30 in the morning, I was like, girl, I never thought I could be that person. I genuinely. It was like, always something I wanted, but I never thought I could be that person. So now that we've. We've nailed that, that was really challenging. But now it feels kind of natural where, like, my body naturally wants to wake up at that time, I'm pushing it a little bit more. And now I've added another thing of discipline to my routine, which is like, okay, now I'm also going to make time, like actual time to be in the word, like really in it for an hour before I have to start getting ready to work out. And yeah, I think that if I tried to do all of that at once, I would have been like, I'm not doing this. And so it's really important that if there are areas of your life that you know, you're like, okay, God, I feel really convicted about this. And I want to make more time for you, and I don't want to make excuses anymore. Whatever that looks like, ask the Holy Spirit and He will guide you. He will guide you. He will tell you, he will give you peace, and then he'll give you a lack of peace. Like, if you have peace about doing, like, changing one aspect of your routine, great, or your life, yes, follow that. But if you're feeling a lack of peace or you're like, oh, I don't know. There's a difference between when I tell God, like, I don't know because I just don't want to, and like an actual, like, caution sign in my gut from the Holy Spirit saying, if you do this, you're. You're just going to let yourself down. It's too much, Ali. And I, I feel confident that you guys also know that the difference with that, like, you've experienced that. You know when you're just like, I don't know about that because you just like feel scared or you just don't want to, or you're like, it feels too challenged. I don't know, I'm scared. I don't want to. It's like way more in your emotion versus, like, actually coming from like, your gut, you know, like the Holy Spirit inside of you that's like, gives you that peace or not. So anyway, thanks for letting me share all of that with you guys. I don't really know what this episode was, but it was really fun and like, low key therapeutic for me. And I pray that in whatever ways it was supposed to speak to you, that it did and it inspired you in a way. And yeah, we're just all on this journey together. But like, I genuinely feel like this is the time for all of us to level up. God is like, I want you to level up. This is what's so gracious and kind about Jesus. And it's why I've like, been like, extra tender lately. Like, I'm typically always unwell by Jesus and his presence. Like, I'm never just, like, chilling. I'm always just on my snot falling out of my face. Like, he's everything. But I've been like, extra undone because I've realized, like, I don't actually have

Podcast Guest or Co-host (51:17)

to do any of this alone.

Ali Yost (51:20)

And I think anytime I've approached change in my life, for a majority of my life, it was because, like, I had to make sure that it happened and I had to do it. And it is actually the kindness of the Lord again, just like what he did with Abram with the Covenant. He was like, actually, Abram, I just need you to follow me. I just need you to listen to me and obey me and love me and follow me. And I got it. But it's like the fact that I don't have to do this out of my own strength. I don't have to do this alone. And the minute that you feel like you're doing it out of your own strength, you're not leaning on Jesus enough. You're leaning too much on your own understanding. And I am guilty of that. I've. I've even done that coming on the podcast. Sometimes I feel like even me admitting at the beginning of this podcast saying, I feel like I put pressure on myself, and I. I feel like I have to show up and be, like, this crazy prophet or, like, this crazy, you know,

Podcast Guest or Co-host (52:16)

pastor.

Ali Yost (52:17)

And it's like, yeah, Al. Because you're probably leaning on your own understanding, and you're not just, like, leaning on Jesus enough. You know, I do lean on Jesus a lot with this podcast, but I think having that mentality is, like, leaning too much on my own understanding and believing that I have to be something other than just like with Jesus. But that is genuinely what's had me so undone. I think I've had a deeper revelation and understanding of, like, what it means to, like, do things, hard things, grow, do challenging things, go to the next level. But with Jesus, like, he literally is like. Like, I'll do it with you. I'll even be your strength, too. I'll give you what you need to do it. Just do it with me. It blows my mind. So he's. He is a humble, humble king. He is a humble king who cares and loves you so much. And he's not going to ask you

Podcast Guest or Co-host (53:21)

to do hard things by yourself.

Ali Yost (53:23)

He's actually going to carry you through it. He just needs your yes. Me waking up this morning was me

Podcast Guest or Co-host (53:28)

giving him my yes, saying, you're worthy, God. You're worth it.

Ali Yost (53:33)

Yes. And then he does the rest. You know, it's beautiful.

Podcast Guest or Co-host (53:40)

He's the best.

Ali Yost (53:41)

And I can't wait to continue to

Podcast Guest or Co-host (53:42)

learn more about who he is and his heart. And I pray that for you guys as well.

Ali Yost (53:49)

And so I think right now would be a great time for us to finally do communion together. It's been long enough. If you are a believer of Jesus Christ and you believe that he died on the cross for your sins, that he descended from heaven and humbled himself to be human as we are human, fully human, but also fully God.

Podcast Guest or Co-host (54:16)

And that three days after his crucifixion, he rose from the dead, death defeating sin entirely. The sin of the world.

Ali Yost (54:26)

Every sin you've ever done, every sin you'll ever do, he overcame all of it, including death itself. Not even death could keep him down. And if you believe he's going to come back one day, then I would

Podcast Guest or Co-host (54:42)

invite you to take communion with me.

Ali Yost (54:46)

This is a really powerful way. It's actually one of the last things that Jesus asked us to do in

Podcast Guest or Co-host (54:55)

remembrance of what he's done for us.

Ali Yost (55:01)

And I also really love communion because I feel like it's. It's a way to just kind of release anything that I'm feeling, anything that

Podcast Guest or Co-host (55:12)

I could be carrying by myself

Ali Yost (55:15)

to

Podcast Guest or Co-host (55:15)

repent and say, lord, I'm so sorry for falling into a trap of believing

Ali Yost (55:20)

I had to carry that on my own. It's just a beautiful way of, like, being transparent and, like, naked with God. You know what I mean?

Podcast Guest or Co-host (55:32)

And to just remember his goodness and his grace.

Ali Yost (55:38)

And so I do have a little

Podcast Guest or Co-host (55:40)

copy right here of communion. I have the blood and I have the elements, right?

Ali Yost (55:45)

I have the blood and I have the body. If you guys have some, great. If you have bread and juice, great. If you don't, that's okay. We can still pray together. But,

Podcast Guest or Co-host (56:02)

yeah, let's just pray. Jesus, I thank you for today. Lord, I thank you for the gift of today. God, I thank you for the gift of the air in our lungs. Lord, I thank you for the gift of life. Lord, we recognize that it is so fragile. Life is so fragile, and it's not promised, and it can be taken from us. Any second in a second life can change. And so, Lord, I pray that we never take that for granted. And, Lord, we repent for times that we have where we've gotten caught up in the hustle and bustle of life and drama and relationships and money and bills. Real things, but also things not worth being anxious about.

Ali Yost (57:10)

That anytime that we fall into anxiousness like that, it's actually because we've forgotten

Podcast Guest or Co-host (57:14)

your sovereignty and we've forgotten that you're in control. And so, Lord, we come to you right now repenting for any ways that we've forgotten how involved you are in our lives. Lord, we thank you that you care, that you hear us, that you're listening. Yeah, I feel like

Ali Yost (57:43)

if any of

Podcast Guest or Co-host (57:44)

you have to just release tears or cry to the Lord, I feel him encouraging you to do that right now, To just let yourself cry in his

Ali Yost (58:00)

lap

Podcast Guest or Co-host (58:03)

like he's your dad, because he is. And he loves you so much and he hears you and he understands the pain that you're enduring or just the uncertainty, the confusion, the anxiety, the sleepless nights worrying. He's not mad at you for those things. He understands it. But he's asking for you to finally just put those things in his hands.

Ali Yost (58:30)

So I. I want you guys to actually, like, physically look like. Look in your hands as if they're in it. And, like, use your imagination. This is a fun thing that God

Podcast Guest or Co-host (58:42)

has actually ministered to me as of recently is like, I love using my imagination with God.

Ali Yost (58:48)

And there was, like, this weird thought in my mind as I was doing that that told me that that was

Podcast Guest or Co-host (58:55)

really silly and that it wasn't real.

Ali Yost (58:57)

Like, a lot of times, like, I

Podcast Guest or Co-host (58:58)

genuinely will see Jesus again.

Ali Yost (59:00)

He's not, like, not a physical Jesus, but, like, in my imagination or maybe

Podcast Guest or Co-host (59:05)

in the spirit, like, I genuinely will see him in the room with me.

Ali Yost (59:10)

And I felt the Lord be like, yeah, Ally, your imagination is something I

Podcast Guest or Co-host (59:15)

intended for you to use with me. So, yes, it's part imagination. It's part. He's actually with us.

Ali Yost (59:25)

But, like, he reminded me that children do that all the time.

Podcast Guest or Co-host (59:34)

Kids use their imagination all the time.

Ali Yost (59:38)

And God also calls us to be childlike. He literally tells us to be like children, not in an immature way. Because isn't that funny that God's also, like, teaching me discipline and he's, like, maturing me and growing me up in ways, but also he's still encouraging me to be childlike and to use my imagination and to believe in the unseen.

Podcast Guest or Co-host (60:00)

So I want you guys to use

Ali Yost (60:01)

your imagination right now and also use your imagination with God more. If you've been like, like, please do that, because he loves it and it's real. He gave you your imagination for a reason. It's real. But I want you to imagine taking those very things that you've been stressed

Podcast Guest or Co-host (60:18)

about, you've been anxious about, you have

Ali Yost (60:20)

not been sleeping about it. I know it. I know it. The only reason I know it is because God's told me that. I think right now, Holy Spirit's revealing it to me. I. I feel a lot of you are, like, literally not sleeping. You're laying in bed for hours, and you're worried about these things, and he's. He wants you to sleep. He wants you to rest.

Podcast Guest or Co-host (60:43)

So take them.

Ali Yost (60:45)

And I want you to close your

Podcast Guest or Co-host (60:46)

eyes and imagine Jesus sitting right in front of you. Crisscross applesauce. He's sitting right with you, okay?

Ali Yost (60:54)

And I want you to hand it

Podcast Guest or Co-host (60:55)

over to him and put it in his lap. All of those things that you're worried about. It's okay. You're doing so great. This is exactly what he wants you to do. He wants you to surrender them and say, okay, God, I trust the destiny you have for my life. I trust that you have these things under control and you will figure it out. Yeah, Jesus, we thank you. We thank you for everything that you are. We thank you for your sacrifice on the cross, Lord, we thank you for your body. We thank you for your blood. And so all together, Lord, we just take these elements as a family. Thank you, God, that we are a family. That we are your children, that Jesus, you call us your brothers and sisters, which is insane. And we take your body in remembrance, Lord, of what you did for us. God, we love you, Jesus. So now we take the bread and. Jesus, we thank you for the blood that covers us. Oh, my gosh. Thank you for the blood. Thank you for your blood, Jesus, that covers us from the top of our heads to the bottom of our feet, Lord. Thank you that this blood covers our families, our situations, our lives. It protects us every day. Lord, I plead the blood of Jesus over every single one of my friends on the other side of this podcast. Jesus, I plead the blood over their homes, over their families. God, keep their babies safe, keep their loved ones safe. Jesus, we plead the blood of Jesus Christ over our lives and our families. Lord, thank you for the protection of the blood. We love you. We honor you. God, thank you. It's such a gift. Let us never take it for granted, Lord. In Jesus name, amen. Yeah. That's good stuff, guys. Thank you, Jesus. Y', all, I love you. I'm super proud of you. Thank you for being here. This was awesome.

Ali Yost (63:18)

I loved today. I loved today.

Podcast Guest or Co-host (63:21)

I hope you did, too.

Ali Yost (63:23)

All right, you guys, before we go, can we do something really cool today? Can we show somebody how cool Jesus is? Let's walk more like him, talk more like him, be more like Jesus today and every day. I love y'. All. Happy Friday. Have a beautiful weekend, and I will see you this time next week.

Podcast Guest or Co-host (63:42)

Bye.