
Hey y'all ! Welcome to another Friday with CWCOI ! In this week's episode, our host, Ally Yost is joined by special guest and friend, Ashley Hetherington. Ally and Ashley catch us up on where the Lord has been moving in their lives and friendship -...
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A
Hello, everybody. Welcome to another episode of Christ with Coffee on Ice. I am your host, Ali Yost. And today is another very exciting week, guys. It just gets even more exciting with every week. But today, I have Bestie here. We have Ashley Hetherington with us. Ash, say hi.
B
Hi.
A
Hi. And we are here to just chat. We are here to give a life update. Because if you guys are familiar with the episode that we posted a few months ago, we were literally still in our Airbnb. What the freak? We were in the Airbnb still. No home, no nothing. And we were just being honest about where we were at and just the way we were trusting the Lord. We moved across the country. We had zero answers, and so we thought it would be good for us to update everybody, as in y', all, and let you know where we're at. We do have some answers. We. Hey, we have some. Now we don't have all of them.
B
Yeah.
A
But we do have some answers, and we have a very exciting life update for you guys. As of today, as of literally just a couple hours ago, we finally, like, put something out into the world. That was one of the few things that I think was on our minds at the time when we recorded. That was just the thing that we were, like, this was one of the things that we were waiting on the Lord about. And so it's just really cool to see that just in a few months, the Lord has just allowed so much. So we are just going to update y' all today. Yeah. And we pray that it blesses you and it gives you hope in the Lord's faithfulness. Ashley, you're gonna cry.
B
I'm already starting to cry just because looking back on where we were at when we first recorded that initial podcast, like, we genuinely were so, like, dependent on the Lord, and we still are. But just looking back to see his faithfulness, I'm about to cry. And I just pray that this episode gives you hope.
A
Yes. Yeah. And just glorifies the Lord. Like, we are just living proof that he doesn't ever abandon us or leave us, and even just our deepest desires. Wants, hopes, dreams. The Lord is so on board with you that he wants those same hopes and dreams that you have. And I do believe that he places these things on our hearts first, obviously, like, it was first his dream. And so how do we want to break this in? Should we take. First off, should we take a sip of our coffee? Let's just. Before it gets too heavy.
B
And also, that can be kind of where we start off. The thing is, When God gives you a dream, gorgeous Ashley. So we can kind of share.
A
Do you want to start that off? Yeah.
B
Okay. So it was last summer, end of last summer, and I was at.
A
Is this crazy that we're saying this out loud to the world right now? Oh, my God.
B
No, guys, it's actually crazy. We have kept this a secret from y' all for probably a year.
A
We've told very few people, like family members, close friends, but that's literally it.
B
But we're so excited. So this isn't even real. But it is real. Okay.
A
Okay, go ahead.
B
So it was end of last summer and mind you, I did not know Ally at all. Okay. I'm living in Nashville, Tennessee, and I'm.
A
At this over a year ago.
B
Over a year ago.
A
Yeah.
B
Mind you, I'm at this conference and there's this guy talking about movies and production, specifically in the faith based realm. Ali might get a lot of holy zaps as we watch this. Okay. She saw me just out of the corner of my eyes, just getting a zap. So if you don't know what a holy zap is, it is when the Holy Spirit, like, it just like makes you zap.
A
I didn't know if that was ever going to happen to me, but it just, I feel like it's just a way of the Lord being like, no, no, no.
B
If you get holy zaps, if you get a shiver, comment holy zaps in the comments below. If this also is something that you relate to. Okay. So end of summer last year, I'm at a conference. There's this guy talking about Christian film and production. And I'm sitting there listening to him and I've been like vlogging for a little bit at this point. So I'm kind of getting into like production myself. And I just have this thought and it does not come from me because it's so specific. And it was. What would it look like if there was a show about living as a Christian in this day and age? That dawned on me. Just an idea just popped in my head and I'm like, oh, that's a fun idea. Wonder why no one's done that. Wonder why no one's done that. But okay, cool. So I just continue watch this, continue to live my life, go about my days. And then what's crazy is when God gives you a vision, sometimes the vision will just fall. Sometimes it'll be just an idea, just kind of fall. But sometimes God breathes on it and then it's like this little idea just becomes this thing and then it gets bigger and bigger and bigger, and all of a sudden, it becomes clearer and clearer, and you can't even stop thinking about it.
A
Yeah. You can't forget about it.
B
So all of a sudden, God, over the coming weeks after that conference, God is breathing an idea, like, making it so crystal clear about this docu series, this reality show around living as a Christian in 2024 or in 2023 at the point. Because we've seen the chosen. We've seen these shows that show biblical times. They're amazing. But where do you see the spirit of God moving amongst ourselves in this generation in this right now? You know, we have all these shows that we've seen pop off, and aside.
A
From, like, Instagram reels and even podcasts, like, even this, it's like, it's great, but there's nothing out there where it's like, you're feeling physically watching people walk out their lives hand in hand with the Lord.
B
Yes. Together, right? And navigating life and friendships and relationships.
A
And work and temptations and the world. Just living life.
B
Living life with Jesus. Okay, no one's done this. I'm starting to think, why has no one done this? It's coming in my head. I start writing it down. I bring it to my family. I'm like, I don't know how to do this, but I feel like the Lord wants me to do this. I start thinking about people in Nashville. I'm like, who would be a part of this show? Like, if we were to produce a show, who would be a part of it? Who would want to produce it? I started thinking about all this stuff. I. And nothing is coming together. Literally nothing's coming together. It is such a good idea, but nothing's coming together. And I'm like, okay. I get so discouraged. I'm like, lord, this is such a. A good idea. It's needed. It would actually probably, like, create a revival with people watching it around the world, like, seeing how to actually, like, encounter the Holy Spirit and walk with God in your everyday life. But it wasn't. It was just hitting roadblock after roadblock after Roadbloc. So then I just surrendered it, and I said, lord, like, literally, whatever. I was like, this just might never happen.
A
You're like, I'm over it. God, I'm so over this.
B
I hate that I even have this idea, because now I can't stop thinking about it, and it feels impossible. But I'm just gonna, like, surrender this. So I surrender it, okay?
A
I surrender it.
B
Then I meet Ali Yost Okay. And Ali Yost, I'm turn it over to you. Ali Yost and I are hanging out for the legit first time. Second. Oh, second time.
A
Second time.
B
Second time, she moves to Nashville. Okay. We're hanging out for the second time, and she makes this comment that makes me say something. But what was the comment? You describe this.
A
Yeah. Well, because Ashley's so good about keeping up with her YouTube, right? Like, if you guys are into the Her Holy Girls Diaries and her series, they're all amazing. But I, like, I just have never been good about keeping up with my YouTube. I've never been good with. It's just the whole this part, you know, and always having to remember to have a camera on you and to pick it up. And I said to her, we were talking about it, and I was like, I think, you know, in this upcoming year, I want to get better about my YouTube channel, but I just can't. Like, I just wish sometimes I just wish that I could live life and show life, but someone else could just record it for me. Like I said, sometimes I wish that there were just cameramen that could follow me around. And that's what that was. A real thing that I actually had felt for a very long time is I'm like, dang. You know, it'd be nice if I was, like, a David Dobrik, where I could just have, like, a whole team following me around and I don't have to do it myself, you know? So I was still on a much smaller scale of, like, YouTube channel, but I wanted a way to be able to show my life but without having to be the one, like, remembering to have the camera out also. It's not very authentic. You can't be super present. So anyway, I say that to her. We're like, stand. I remember we're standing in my kitchen, and I was like, I just wish that sometimes someone else could just film me doing it.
B
Well, then I go, oh, my goodness, Lord, am I supposed to share this with her? And then I felt the Lord be like, yeah, you totally should. I got this speaker spirit. Like, when I feel his spirit, I feel him on my legs. It's so weird. I just feel this peace on my legs. And so I just had this piece to share it with her. So I share her the idea, and then we proceed to watch the Hills on her blowup couch. And we're literally praying over. I didn't have on the couch yet. We're like, we're in Nashville and we're praying and we're saying we are going to do this. We are going to make a show around following Jesus and as 20 somethings navigating work, relationships, friendships, and we are gonna do this.
A
We've known each other for a matter of weeks.
B
No, no, Literally, it's probably the second week. But it was like kindred spirits. Like we just knew that we were put together. And it's so wild, Ali, that we actually came together at the same time that the Lord brought this idea to my heart. So that's so crazy. So then my idea becomes Ali's idea and it starts breathing on Allie's heart too. And she's starting to get all these revelations and we're coming together and we're like, okay, freaking out. We're just, we. And then we're like starting to plan. So it is like December. We then end up having an opportunity to pitch it to a producer. And how did that go?
A
I think it went good for what we thought at the time. But there just wasn't a grace. Like they were excited, we were excited. And then nothing would happen. And we're like, what, God, why? Sometimes it's patience. But we would be like, why are you putting this so much on our hearts? You know, like, I felt like we were like horses where the thing is still closed and we're just ready to freakin run and go and start racing. And we. There just wasn't a grace. Like the barn door wasn't opening.
B
Yeah.
A
And we're like, God, we thought this was our opportunity for the barn door to open. You know, and so we're meeting with people, we're having conversations, we're on zoom calls. And it's just like, like we're just hitting wall after wall. There just is no grace. Yeah. And thing that we were told over and over again. I think a lot of it too was like, people were understanding the concept, but they weren't fully understanding it. They were like, so it's a podcast. So it's not a podcast. So it's a reality show. So there's drama, it's scripted. No, but also there is. But no, there's no drama. Like, we're not gossiping about each other, but like, the devil is the drama, so there probably will be drama. And it was just hard to explain that to people where we weren't also like, really planning, like, all the dialogue. You know, we made plans for each episode, but we didn't make plans. It was just hard to explain to people. And so I think a lot of it too was like, people were like, everyone Else was just. Wasn't getting the vision as clearly as God had given us the vision.
B
Yeah. And so even cast members. We're trying to think of cast members in Nashville, Tennessee. We are inviting cast members in Nashville, Tennessee.
A
Yeah, we thought that the show was gonna take place in Nashville. Obviously, I just moved there. I just moved there. So obviously the show was gonna happen in Nashville. Everyone was gonna be based in Nashville. It was gonna be giving friends, but, like, Christian, you know? And we had this whole concept of what we thought it was going to look like, and I think we were about halfway. Right. Because obviously the other half changed. So, yeah, we just kind of kept hitting roadblock after roadblock, and we just had to keep surrendering it to the Lord. We would get to a point where we would say, all right, there's a reason your grace isn't on this, God. I guess we're just gonna have to trust you. And so I think we got to a place where we just stopped, like, obsessing over it. Like, we never let it leave our hearts. We always prayed about it. We continued to pray about it. We never gave up on it. But we did give. We, like, stopped white knuckling it. You know what I mean? And we just had to keep surrendering it over and over again. So then that brings us to. Then moving to California.
B
Well, I think that. Yeah, that brings us to. Yeah, I mean, you keep going. You keep going. Well, we were surrendered, and. And then in the surrender is when all the California stuff starts happening.
A
Right, Right. No. So after our surrender, then God plot twists and shows us that we're not even gonna live in Nashville. And so, you know, the show's kind of gone over here now. And then we're on this completely other. Like, we got. It was like we got off of a roller coaster and got on another one. And now God's showing us that we're gonna be moving to California. And you guys know all of that because that was the entirety of our last update together. And so we moved to California. God did his thing. We do live in a house now. We have our own home.
B
Thank you, Lord.
A
We're not in an Airbnb anymore. And there's been other things that he's really blessed us with, but, yeah, so we rode that whole roller coaster.
B
But in the back of my mind, I'm thinking, oh, my goodness. Because as we're in California, the focus is revival. We keep hearing about revival and people still talk about it. And in the back of my mind, I'm thinking, maybe this is the show is moving to California and starting a revival in a place where there's no Jesus. I mean, there is some Jesus here, but not a lot.
A
There's not a ton. But actually, there is a lot of Jesus here. You just gotta, like, really find him.
B
So the concept. The concept kind of changes.
A
Well, we were like, are we gonna film the show as we're driving across the country? Like, we thought the beginning of the show was, like, us driving our car across the country. We're like, how are cameramen gonna come with us? I don't know. Like, we just kept wondering how the heck the Lord was going to do this and when the timing would come. And so obviously we made the move. The show still hadn't started. We also were very convinced that we needed a whole production house. So I think that's worth mentioning is we were really stuck on that. Yeah, we didn't feel confident doing this by ourselves.
B
Yeah.
A
Can you agree?
B
I made a whole pitch deck, like, saying, hey, this is the change of concept. And then it just. Like, no one bought it. Like, no one was bought.
A
It was a very thorough pitch deck.
B
It was. I mean, I was so hard on it, and the vision was so clear, and it just. No bite. So then Ally and I were like, okay, we're just going to have to move without any cameras. We're just going to have to do this and trust the Lord again and surrender it again. So we then move. We literally surrender it again. Again.
A
Yeah. Then we're here. Then there was, like, a couple more opportunities that got us excited. You know, I'm talking to my team and they've gotten in contact with the production house. We're like, oh, my gosh, is this it? God. Oh. And then again, like, just hitting another wall. No Grace. Surrendering it again. I think we did go through a couple more season, like, thinking we knew who the cast was gonna be. We also were fully convinced that it wasn't just gonna be the two of us. So we were convinced. Not off of what God told us. I don't know. We just had these assumptions. This was just our flesh. We were like, we need a production house. We need a team to support us. And we need more than just the two of us. Cause that's boring.
B
We need a whole cast.
A
I also think I had a little bit of fear in me thinking that, like, something like this had to just be on us. I was like, there's gotta be more people. Like, there has to be. So we went to the beach one day.
B
Well, what's crazy Is we were fasting.
A
You're fasting.
B
So we were fasting a day before that. And I just remember, like, the whole day, I was like, God, I need your direction on this. Like, I don't believe that you would give me a dream to just not have it happen. Come on. I don't believe that. And I also don't believe you'd breathe on it so much right now to just have it wait another 10 years. And so I just brought it to the feet of Jesus. I was like, I need your direction. Like, I need it. I was desperate.
A
Yeah.
B
And I was like, God, like, I need it. Okay. And so we go to the beach that day.
A
I remember us feeling really bummed. We were sad girls that day. I think that was the same time you made that clip where we were, like, crying about surrender. Yeah, that was the same day. Yeah. We were going to the beach, and we. We went to the beach because we felt the Lord be like, girls, take a break and just, like, rest today and be. And so that's what we did. And we were, like, so discouraged in so many ways because we had already been in California for, like, three or four months. What?
B
Okay, this is making me. This is a miracle. Oh, we didn't even explain. Okay, I'll just explain. Whenever you're done, I will explain.
A
Wait, I want you to just say it.
B
What? So, okay, before we left for California, we had this. I could cry. We had one of our church people from church. She prayed over us. She was prophesying, and she said, it is so crazy, you guys, but I see myself recording y'.
A
All.
B
I see myself getting my equipment and recording you guys, and I don't know what, but you guys are, like, putting on things. There's, like, ministry moments. And I'm recording you guys. And God is saying, like, he is so excited to pursue this project with his girls. He's saying, my project with my girls. She's prophesying over our idea.
A
Yeah. She had no idea.
B
Oh, she had no idea. This was in May, you guys.
A
I don't think she even fully understood what she was seeing.
B
So we're getting. This is before we get sent out to California.
A
This is right before. It was on Mother's Day.
B
Mother's Day.
A
It was the last day we went to church before we moved.
B
Yes. She's prophesying over our show, and I thought God had forgotten about it, but here she was prophesying over it. There's no reason why homegirl shouldn't be knowing about a production and all this that God wanted. So then we're all this beach, and I'm listening to the Lord in silence. And the Lord reminds me how he said my project with my girls. And he was like, ashley, you can do this. Just y' all two. Yeah, it is you two girls that I want to do this project with. And I was like, this, like, light shine. I was like, why are we waiting for a production house? Why are we waiting for cast members? Why are we waiting for other people to say this is a good idea when we know it's a good idea and we have our heavenly Father who will give us everything that we need to produce this good idea.
A
Oh.
B
So I tell Allie, we're in the car.
A
We're in the car on our way back from the beach, right? Because she was sitting next to me just freaking talking to the Lord. Apparently he's told that we're doing all this by ourselves with him, of course. And we're driving back and she's like, ally, now listen. She always, like, she always preparing me. Because you're like, I know this is going to sound insane. You're like, just give me a break. Just listen, okay? I'm like, what? She's like, so I asked the Lord, and he told me, sitting on the beach, he said, me and my girls. And I'm like, yeah. And she's like, I think the Lord is actually telling us that it's just us starting this. And I was like, no. I said, no. What do you just. I said, how is that even going to be interesting? Like, how is that even going to be an interesting story, just the two of us. But then when we thought back to the moment where we were watching the Hills on my blow up couch, the story starts off with the two girls. Like, they're best friends. They moved to the city of Los Angeles, which is just eerie. Like, that's crazy because it's literally our story right now. And obviously, like, there's growth and there's more characters that are introduced, but it's. It's. The foundation is them and their friendship and, like, how they navigate their life together out in this city. And they're young and whatever. And I think we were both just in shock. We were like, you're telling me that we've been waiting on all these other people when God never said that. Like, I do believe that he allowed us to be blind because I think his timing is perfect. But we were believing something that he never even told us. Like, he told us that this, this would happen and that. But he never Told us, oh, but you gotta wait for a production house. Oh, but you gotta wait until somebody. We also thought we were gonna have to have investors.
B
Yes.
A
We thought that we were gonna have to have people investing in this because there's no way we could do it by ourselves. Yeah. And then the Lord revealed that to us, too. That we were, like, making it way too complex, that we could invest in it and we could do it all on our own. We were like, God, what? But he never told us that we needed all those things. What he was telling us is that all we needed was him, which is actually quite biblical. That sounds like God to me. That's what he tells us is he says, all you need is me, that you can do all things through Christ. And so we said, okay, period. We actually kind of got excited. We were like, that means we can start recording now. Like, there were just so many opportunities that were passing us by, and we're like, dang, God. Like, we could be recording right now. Like, how many times did we have that? Like, we would make eye contact with each other if we were in a moment. We're like. Like, this could be on. This could be the show, you know? Yeah. We just got excited. And we had already. Because it always has been there. We were already taking mental notes of, like, people we were meeting that were really gifted in film and photography. And we were like, we actually already believe that the Lord has given us the people that are gonna help us with this. So we had three, four videographers total that were dear friends of ours that are so unbelievably talented. They probably aren't super qualified because they're not, like, professionals professionals in this product. But they did such an incredible job, which also just brings so much glory to the Lord that we all were doing this together. And we low key probably didn't, like, from the outside or from the perspective of the world, we're like rookies. All of us are rookies doing this.
B
And then we look at episode one, and, like, I'm like a writer, you know, I love writing and stories. So I'm like, storyboarding. And all the knowledge I have from vlogging, I've brought to this moment. So I'm storyboarding. We're not scripting it. But I'm saying, all right, we kind of want to touch on this subject. Kind of want to do this.
A
There is structure.
B
And then ally. And then when we start recording, Allie then comes in as, like, a director. Yeah. I'm like, she sees the vision, she sees the visual. She Sees when a shot looks so bad, which is also not what I'm.
A
Very good at, which is crazy, because I didn't even. It was just cool the way that we were, like, filling these roles that I didn't even know we would do. But then when we were being, like, thrown in it, God was like, okay, Ashley, you're wearing this hat. Ally, you're wearing this hat.
B
And it worked. It work. That was, like, a producer, like, organizing everything. What the heck? Like, organizing. And God's given me a gift of organization, so I'm organizing all this stuff. And. And it's just, like, we're all filling these gaps, and we literally. It was crazy. I mean, I remember it verbatim. Like, we set up all our equipment. We charged all these cameras. We spent so much money on cameras and, like, freaking mics. And, like, one night, I just remember we said stayed up late. We were just charging everything. There's, like, every single thing in our house is just being charged.
A
We were using beach bags.
B
Then we used beach bag totes.
A
We're like, for.
B
And then the. The camera's out of focus here, and.
A
Audio is not even working over here.
B
We did a whole scene, and the audio wasn't working. I mean, guys, when I tell you we literally bootstrapped.
A
We. We are rookies. We are. But I know the Lord, like, loves it because it really gives him glory. It does.
B
Yeah.
A
There was a lot of warfare.
B
So much warfare.
A
A lot of. A lot of warfare.
B
Yeah.
A
And it was funny because the Lord really let us think that this was gonna be, like, a cute thing. I mean, we knew the gravity. Like, we knew the gravity of it. We knew that it was gonna be a big deal.
B
Yeah.
A
But I think going into it and realizing we weren't just wearing, like, you weren't simply just wearing a hat of a producer, and I wasn't just simply wearing a hat of a director. Like, we were also literally the subjects we were in charge of. I mean, we were the investors. We were the bosses. We were the ones employing everyone. We were paying everyone. Like, we have had to wear a lot of hats because it was just on us, which.
B
Okay.
A
God. Yeah. So, I mean, I just don't think we really understood what we were getting into.
B
No, we didn't.
A
He let us be slightly naive.
B
I was like, this is gonna be easy.
A
This is gonna be great. We planned it all. Ashley planned it all out. She mapped it all out. Even with expenses, she mapped everything out. We're like, it's gonna be braised. Yeah. We're just gonna film every week for two months straight. That was a lot. We were like, eight weeks. We can do it, girl. By week six, I think we were like, yeah.
B
Cause the other days were organizing everything. So it wasn't just two days of the week that we were filming that we were executing this. All my other projects put on hold, like every other thing. I was like. I just felt the spirit be like, you are putting everything into this.
A
And what's crazy is we're doing this and we have no idea what the results are. We actually still don't. Even in this moment of recording, we have no idea what the results are. So we're making all these sacrifices and we're doing all these things. Gladly doing it.
B
Yeah.
A
Because it's worth it for the Lord. But we also are like, we don't even know what we're investing in, God. We're hoping that we're investing in something that's like, really iconic because it was your vision and your dream and anything that you dream and envision, Lord, is iconic. But we don't really know. We don't really know the results.
B
But that's where risk comes in.
A
Yeah. Which also was prophesied over us.
B
Yeah.
A
There's a sweet man who knew nothing about us that said that he had saw us at one of these worship nights and he gave us this insane prophetic word from the Lord. It was only from the Lord. This man did not know anything about us. He didn't even know our names, didn't know our socials. Oh, it is the most. I think about it every day. It's the most beautiful prophetic word that I have ever received. And it was so beautifully, like, described of just like what our friendship is and who we are to each other and who we are to the world and how the Lord really uses our friendship to minister to people. I'm just so grateful. And the only reason I ever. I even know how to be a good friend is because of the Lord. I boast in him alone. But one of the things that he said in that was to take risks. He encouraged us in taking risks with one another. And I was like, this man doesn't even know. And that was what, like maybe a month?
B
July.
A
When did we start recording?
B
We started recording in September. September. So two months.
A
Two months before we even started recording. Which is just insane.
B
Yeah.
A
So I know he was prophesying over the show as well. Yeah. And so it was just like, it.
B
Was about creating together and taking risks together. And in the back of our mind, we're like, this is literally, like.
A
That sounds like G Freaks to me.
B
And we got to tell the name of it, too.
A
Yeah, I said J Freaks. Yeah. The name of it, y'. All. We just. Today, we just launched the trailer. Okay. So we've been sneaking it for a couple of weeks by now. Yeah. But today we launched the trailer. And so look it up. It's on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, all of the things. But it's called Jesus Freaks is the name of the show, which Ashley fully got a download from the Lord. You told me that very early on, very early on, you were like, I know the name of the show because.
B
People are like, jesus Revolution. Jesus people. All this stuff. I was like, I was praying over Allie and I were praying because we were just desperate surrendering it. Right. And then the Lord just said, jesus Freaks.
A
I was like, period.
B
So I just prayed it out loud.
A
That's iconic. Jesus Freaks. Same. Literally. I mean, when you watch it, you'll know.
B
We do.
A
It's funny because I felt the Lord, like, challenging my boldness even throughout the show of just, you know, the vulnerable things that we share and the moments that we have and stuff. I won't give too much away, but he was like, you do know that it's called Jesus Freaks, like, so you're probably gonna look a little bit like a freak, which is. Okay.
B
Yeah.
A
It wasn't about being safe because it's literally in the title.
B
Like a cute Christian.
A
Cute. It's cute. It's safe. It's not controversial.
B
It's like.
A
No, we are literally. Yeah, yeah.
B
So it's called Jesus Freaks. It's all about following Jesus.
A
Yeah. Let's say. So what is it about?
B
It's about two girls who move to a new city, following God and navigating the ups and downs of friendships, relationships, work, singleness, and everything in between. And we hope that it encourages you to walk with Jesus in your everyday life. That is the whole purpose of it.
A
Yeah.
B
And it comes out what day?
A
December 28th is when it goes live and you can stream it on YouTube. So. And there will be opportunity to binge. There's going to be more than just one episode that launches.
B
And so we're launching the whole season.
A
Yeah.
B
One in the same day.
A
Yeah. Oh, man. Guys, we're really nervous, and I really.
B
Encourage you guys to schedule watch parties with your friends, please.
A
Like, we actually saw that in our minds, like a group of people. Cute girls. I don't know who you are. You must be listening. I know you're out there.
B
Yeah.
A
You're in your cutie pie pajamas. Like, you guys have planned this. You're like, guys, December 28th, we're getting together and get the popcorn out. Get your twizzlers. Just have like, the cutest. We just pray that this is also a really sweet opportunity for people to come together in community.
B
Yeah.
A
That makes me want to cry.
B
Yeah, it is.
A
I think it's just so cool to remember that, like, this is actually going to be such a beautiful opportunity for people to just come together that maybe never would have come together, like, whether it's a church group or something, or friends from school or. Yeah. I just love that the Lord is going to use it for memories. Like, people are going to have, like such sweet memories attached to this.
B
Yeah.
A
And I just love that the Lord used us to create that. There's so much fruit from this that I'm just so excited to see. Aside from the show in itself. But, like, the way he uses it in just bringing people together is so sweet. Yeah. So please watch it with your friends and family. And also the day that it goes live was fully picked by the Lord too.
B
Yeah.
A
He told you.
B
Yeah.
A
So this would be a great time of the year. You literally heard December 28th.
B
Yeah, I did. And I was like, okay, period. It's a Saturday.
A
It's a Saturday. I said period, Lord.
B
But I think what's good for us to share is we also have no idea what's coming after this. And so I'm sure knowing the Lord, we're going to hop on here on another podcast and we're going to have updates on what the Lord wants to do with it going forward. But we do believe there's going to be more seasons. We do believe God's going to breathe on it.
A
This won't be like a one and done thing.
B
Yeah.
A
I know that there's going to be more.
B
We're just getting started and something that I think you can hold on to with taking risks with the Lord. That is oftentimes when we step out in faith, like, we wanna know what we're getting into before we do it. We wanna know what's going to happen before we even start. And God leads you as you move with him. So we don't know what's going to happen, but we know that God is going to lead us as we move with him. So once December 28th rolls around and we see we will be led as we walk with him. But we don't know right now. And I'm so glad we can share that. We have no idea what's gonna happen after this, but we know that the Father is faithful and he would not lead us this far to just drop us.
A
Yeah.
B
So we can't wait to share the story of how he leads us to what is gonna happen with this.
A
Yeah. Yeah. That's so good, Ash, because I think it's something we definitely need to remember that. I think we just all wanna know what's gonna happen when we do scary things, because it's scary. But I just think, like, what we talked about in our last week's episode about God's grace and mercy is that he does tell us what's gonna happen next in the sense of where he's at in all of it. And so I think remembering that God has always promised us, maybe we don't know the little details of exactly how it's going to pan out, but what we know for sure, for sure, for sure, is that God is with us every step of the way. And that on the other end of this, whatever that looks like, we are not abandoned or left alone, and that he is physically with us, carrying us. We're under his wing. We're protected by Him. And so, like last week when we were talking about Jonah and being swallowed by the giant fish, you know, it's like Jonah didn't really know what was going to happen with the scary thing. And so instead he ran away. He was like, I'm not doing that. God, he didn't have trust in the Lord. He didn't believe that. He didn't believe that God had him. Maybe, or maybe he felt he was incapable. We had a lot of temptation of that, too. Of, like, are we even wor. Can we even do this? Like, this is a really big, scary thing. God, I don't even know if we're qualified. We were not. We were not. We were not qualified to do this by ourselves. It's only by God's power and grace and just his guidance that we were even able to do it. But what God has always promised us, just like he always had promised Jonah and everyone else in the Bible, is that he's with us every step of the way. And so we might not know. Jonah might not have known what the outcome was of doing that scary thing, but he had God, even through to his disobedience. You know, God never leaves us. And so we just have to be satisfied with that alone. Is that, like, no matter what happens, I still have God, which is, like, the biggest w. We could ever have. The results is not the W. The feedback is not the W for us. The W is not, you know, the prosperity or maybe opportunities or things that could come from this. It's like, it's the fact that we still have our Lord and he's proud and he's saying, well done, and we.
B
Did it for Him.
A
We did it.
B
We were obedient.
A
Because it was scarier to say no to him, actually. You know, not in a way of, like, he's gonna freaking smite us with lightning. But I just would never, ever, ever want to risk doing something that really could have also just impacted a lot of people. And I said no out of my own selfish fear. What, that prize ugly or you wanted.
B
Just, you know, to save your money?
A
Yeah.
B
Right.
A
It's not even my money. It's his. So who am I to even do that much, you know?
B
Yeah.
A
So I do think that even through this process, it's really allowed us to grow closer to the Lord and to just realize more and more of what his heart actually is, which is just so kind. Like, his heart is so kind. He hasn't given up on us at all through this process, even through the warfare, even through the frustration. Like, he literally has been with us every step of the way. When we were truly clueless, we were in a land that we weren't from. It's foreign. We're on foreign grounds right now. This isn't where we're from. And then we're just doing something like this.
B
Yeah.
A
It's crazy. Yeah. So God is kind and he's good and he's your friend. He's our friend.
B
And he wants you to take risks with him because he won't let you down. Yeah.
A
Like, he won't encourage you to take a risk and then let you fall. That's just not his heart.
B
Yeah. So December 28th.
A
The cat is out of the bag. Oh, it feels so good to say that. Lock in Jesus freaks. Coming to YouTube December 28th.
B
And make sure you follow along on Instagram. You can watch the behind the scenes, some fun clips.
A
We have so many fun, like, bloopers and stuff that we're sharing on the socials. Y' all definitely want to.
B
It's cutie pie photos. And also we have the link to watch the show on the Instagram bio. We also are going to have it in the show notes for.
A
Yes. Yes. So it'll be linked everywhere. We'll also be sharing, like, little clips of scenes before we actually even really go live. So there's. There's good fruit to following the socials. We encourage you all to do that.
B
But we are going to have Christian reality tv. We are going to have current Christian shows that are also speaking to the world, that people from the world can actually watch.
A
And it glorifies the Lord.
B
Yeah. So we're going to do that in our society now. And I cannot believe we haven't yet, but we're going to do it now.
A
Apparently, this had to be the first. I don't know why, but I don't know why.
B
Okay, Lord. Period.
A
Period. Ash, thanks for doing this episode with me. I think that people needed to know.
B
This was so fun.
A
They needed to know this was the biggest. We have other updates. Obviously, Ashley will keep coming on the pod if she wants to. If the grace is there, I would love to. Please keep coming on. We do everything together.
B
It's basically Allie and Ali is me.
A
We had a conversation with somebody the other day and they were like, yeah, so I know that you guys do, like, a lot together and that's great, but what do your lives look like separately? And I said, yeah, so I do have my own personality and I am my own individual.
B
Okay.
A
But we actually don't have, like, we are very.
B
Our lives are, especially now that we're in LA together.
A
It's just like we live together, we work together, we have all the same community. We just started.
B
You're just my partner and we're on this journey together, and I hope that it encourages you in the show. Like, we are on this journey together. Yes. You can be on this journey with us of following Jesus. Yeah. How sweet. It's precious.
A
Oh, thanks, guys. Thanks for being excited for us. We really hope that it blesses you. We're very proud of it and we're so grateful to the Lord for the opportunity. Aside from the project, though, any other updates that we touched on in the last episode that God has fulfilled now?
B
Okay, so we literally have a house and that was that alone.
A
I'm like, we have a roof over our head. Thank you, God.
B
Like, guys, when I tell you, when you surrender something, it comes.
A
Well, we were prepared to get another Airbnb because we were coming close to the end of our whatever with the Airbnb we were in. So I. I remember we were, like, maybe a week and a half out from having to get out of that Airbnb and we still hadn't found a house.
B
Yeah.
A
Ashley likes to say that the Lord always comes in at the 11th hour, which is so very much God. Even with this project going live three days before the year ends, I feel so God core. So like, Teehee. Haha. He just comes in. Right, right. He does on time, but he really tests our. Our patience in our faith. But anyway, that was kind of the situation with our home too is then all of a sudden your mom is sending us a link. We toured it. And in the same day that we toured it, it was ours set in stone. We moved in like just a few days later. It was crazy.
B
It was insane. And it is the most perfect house.
A
We love it.
B
And I had a dream last January of a room and it literally looks like my room.
A
That's crazy.
B
And this is before moving to California, but it looks like my room.
A
Yeah.
B
And I thought there were three windows, but looking back on it, it could have been mirrors because I have mirrors on my. So anyway, like, the father's so faithful, so that was just huge. Another thing is church.
A
Yeah, we have a church.
B
We have a church. Okay. That was crazy.
A
We love it.
B
What I've seen continually with the Lord is like, when you seek him, you will find him and you will find his wisdom. Like every time we just got on our faces and we fasted and we prayed and we just.
A
That's been the biggest for us is fasting and praying.
B
And you cannot expect God to lead you if you're holding on to how you want to be led. Yeah. Like you cannot expect to receive answers from the Lord. When you feel like you need to cling to your own understanding. It is when we said, God, we have no idea where we're going to live. God, we have no idea where we're gonna go to church. We have no idea who our community is. But we need your guidance. Like, we need your guidance. And so the moment we would surrender, but we would, like, be so desperate, like, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened. Every time we would, like, desperately seek him, he would answer. Yeah, guys, it's crazy. It's like 100% will always work. Whoever's watching this, if you need his answers, what college to go to, who to hang out with, who to date, you know, if you should move here or there, if you should take this job or that. Like, if you are confused and you are stressed out, you gotta let go of your own understanding. That is point blank, period. First step. And then the second step is you gotta seek God in everything. And I am telling you 100%, this will always work. He will always tell you what to do.
A
He will. He will always tell you. So Ashley needs a podcast. I'm just sitting here, and I look at the way you just go. You're, like, popping off. You're like, trust the Lord. Stop leaning on your own understanding and just freaking trust him. Like, where's her podcast? Ashley needs a podcast. Which is funny, because a lot of people thought that we were starting a podcast together, which is.
B
Everyone did.
A
Totally far off, because some moments are giving, like, legitimate conversations in the show, but that was not it. A lot of guesses that we were starting our own podcast together.
B
Yeah.
A
Yeah.
B
But this has actually been better.
A
This is actually kind of cooler because.
B
Like, we're having conversations.
A
It's new. It's also just new.
B
It's innovative. Yeah.
A
And it's from starting a podcast together is too predictable.
B
It is.
A
Yeah.
B
A lot of y' all did not guess this.
A
There were a couple, but I'm telling you, it's like, on one hand, of how many people were actually able to successfully be like, show.
B
And they're the really prophetic ones were movie question mark.
A
I'm like, you're prophetic, girl.
B
No, someone commented on mine. They were like, okay, wild guess. A show. I'm like, you pray.
A
You literally asked the Lord, and he told you, like, that is dope.
B
Like, you're gonna literally hear back, and you're gonna hear about this. You can be like, oh, I hear from God.
A
Oh, I do hear the voice of God. Honestly, that's really cool for them. I love that for them.
B
Me too. We're so excited for you guys to watch, and we love y' all so much.
A
We love you so much.
B
It wouldn't be possible. It wouldn't be possible without the people who already, you know, follow us.
A
That's so true. We realized that, too, that the Lord just even gave us so much leverage with the fact that we, like, are starting this from ground zero, but not at the same time. Like, he's already given us so many people who we know will enjoy it.
B
Yeah.
A
So glory to God.
B
Praise Jesus.
A
Praise the Lord. Hey, guys. We love you so much. Let's all thank Ashley Hetherington for being on the show again. We love her.
B
See you guys next week.
A
We'll see you when we start our podcast together. Just kidding. Anyway, y', all, can we do something cool today? Let's collectively do it together as a family. Let's do something cool and show somebody how cool Jesus is today. Let's walk more like the Lord. Let's act like him. Let's be as much like Christ as we can be and just spread his love and kindness. We love y'.
B
All.
A
I love you guys. Thank you for tuning in. We'll see you soon.
B
Bye.
A
Bye. Are some of y' all still listening? Okay, if you're still here, that means you're a real one, which is why I'm about to share this with you. If you've already caught up on all the episodes so far and you don't want to wait until next Friday for a new one, I have really good news for you. Subscribe to our Patreon to get early access to the episodes every week, early access to merch launches or any other exciting news, and receive personalized encouraging messages or Bible verses from us. Subscribe to Our patreon@www.patreon.com C backslash CWCOI I do also want to mention that there is a way to give to the podcast, so if you ever feel led to donate, it blesses me so much and it helps allow the podcast to keep running. You can donate to our PayPal at www.paypal.me. cWCOI we appreciate y' all and we love you so, so much.
Podcast: Christ With Coffee On Ice
Host: Ally Yost
Guest: Ashley Hetherington
Date: December 13, 2024
In this moving and candid episode, host Ally Yost welcomes her close friend Ashley Hetherington for a heartfelt life update centered around vulnerability, hope, and God's faithfulness. The focus of the conversation is the behind-the-scenes story of their new faith-driven reality series, “Jesus Freaks,” which follows two women stepping out in faith and showcases everyday life as young Christians. The episode is a testament to perseverance, surrender, and listening for God’s guidance when launching a risky or unprecedented project. Listeners are invited into the raw journey of waiting, letting go, and celebrating God’s timely provision.
Life Update Since Last Podcast:
Ally and Ashley recall being in an Airbnb, uncertain and deeply reliant on God, with no answers and no permanent home. Now, several months later, they share newfound clarity, a home in California, and the official public launch of their much-prayed-over project.
The Waiting Season:
Ashley gets emotional reflecting on the journey:
The Original Spark of ‘Jesus Freaks’:
Ashley describes a moment at a 2023 conference, inspired by a talk on faith-based films:
Dreaming of Christian Reality TV:
Ashley pitches the idea to her family but keeps encountering dead ends and roadblocks.
Meeting Ally & The Leap of Faith:
Ashley and Ally meet in Nashville, instantly connect, and share their parallel desires to document authentic Christian life without the burden of self-filming.
Ash is prompted to share her show vision after Ally’s remark:
Early Attempts to Launch:
They pitch the idea to a producer but face ongoing misunderstanding and lack of clear support.
Letting Go of Control:
Despite relentless setbacks and confusion around the logistics (casting, location, production needs), Ally and Ashley repeatedly surrender control, trusting God's timing rather than forcing doors open.
Relocation to California & Shift in Vision:
God redirects their lives to California (after initial plans in Nashville), teaching them that dreams evolve and surrender unlocks new directions.
Church Prophecy Affirms Their Calling:
Before moving to California, a church friend prophesies their exact future, validating the vision for a reality show.
Revelation at the Beach: Starting With Just the Two of Them:
A breakthrough: God reminds Ashley that the foundation should be just Ally and her — “my project with my girls”—without waiting for big investors or a production house.
Realization of God's Simplicity:
They recognize that God rarely calls for complexity—He asks for faith and obedience, mirrored by their decision to “just start.”
DIY Filmmaking, Learning-by-Doing:
They hire friends as rookie videographers, fill roles as writers, directors, producers, and investors themselves, paying personally for equipment.
Facing Spiritual Warfare and Hardship:
Intense challenges, technical glitches, “so much warfare,” and the need to wear countless hats underscore their total dependence on God.
Sacrifice Without Guarantees:
Filming for weeks, sacrificing other work, they embrace risk even without knowing the result.
“We're doing this and we have no idea what the results are...Because it's worth it for the Lord. But we also are like, we don't even know what we're investing in, God. We're hoping…” — Ally, [24:40]
“That's where risk comes in.” — Ashley, [25:06]
Receiving Confirmation:
A stranger delivers a prophetic word, affirming that God wants them to “create together and take risks together.”
The Name “Jesus Freaks”:
Ashley gets a clear divine download: “The Lord just said, Jesus Freaks.”
Show’s Description:
A reality show about “two girls who move to a new city, following God and navigating the ups and downs of friendships, relationships, work, singleness, and everything in between.”
Trailer Launch and Release Date:
Trailer just went live. Full season drops December 28th on YouTube.
Invitation to Watch Parties & Community:
They encourage groups to gather and watch, praying for community formation around the show.
On Risk and Trust:
The pair share that they don’t know what will come next — modeling real, lived faith.
Faithfulness Through the Unknown:
Reiterating that God’s presence, not earthly outcomes, is the “win” (“W”):
“No matter what happens, I still have God, which is, like, the biggest w. We could ever have. The results is not the W...the W is not, you know, the prosperity...It’s the fact that we still have our Lord and He’s proud and He’s saying, well done, and we did it for Him.” — Ally, [33:13]
“Because it was scarier to say no to him, actually.” — Ally, [33:16]
God Provides A Home:
After waiting until the “11th hour” for a house, God miraculously provides, fulfilling promises.
Prophetic Dream Fulfilled:
Ashley recounts a dream about her room—a detail that matched their new California home.
Finding a Church:
Through persistent fasting and surrender, God grants them a church home.
“You cannot expect God to lead you if you’re holding on to how you want to be led.” — Ashley, [38:32]
“If you are confused and you are stressed out, you gotta let go of your own understanding...seek God in everything. And I am telling you 100%, this will always work. He will always tell you what to do.” — Ashley, [39:23]
| Timestamp | Segment | |-----------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:00 | Introduction, recall of last update | | 03:03 | Ashley receives original vision for a Christian reality show | | 08:29 | Ally expresses desire for true-life filming; Ashley shares her vision | | 10:19 | Challenges with producers and explaining show’s concept | | 12:10 | Move to California; Pause on show plans | | 16:25 | Church prophecy confirming TV project (“my project with my girls”) | | 18:18 | Revelation: God wants the two of them to just start | | 22:09 | Discovering their assigned roles—director, producer, etc. | | 23:23 | Acknowledging intense spiritual warfare during production | | 25:06 | Prophetic word encouraging them to risk and create together | | 27:03 | Naming the show “Jesus Freaks” | | 28:14 | Announcement of show release date (Dec 28) and launch plans | | 33:13 | Discussion of risking for God, obedience over outcome | | 36:49 | Gratitude for provision of a home and other answered prayers | | 39:23 | Ashley’s encouragement to seek God for direction | | 41:04 | Gratitude for their following and support for the new show |
This episode is a behind-the-scenes testimony to the faith, friendship, and perseverance required to do something new for Jesus—and how sometimes, God’s direction means letting go of preconceptions and simply stepping out together. Ally and Ashley invite their audience into the excitement and anxiety of their journey, eager to see how God uses “Jesus Freaks” to build both faith and community.
Be sure to catch the show trailer and plan a watch party for the full launch of “Jesus Freaks” on December 28, 2024!
Connect:
“All you need is Me. You can do all things through Christ.”
— Message at the core of both this episode and the “Jesus Freaks” project