Bryce Crawford | Girls Gone Bible

Summary

Podcast Summary: Girls Gone Bible Episode Featuring Bryce Crawford

Release Date: November 27, 2024
Host/Author: Angela Halili and Arielle Reitsma
Episode: Bryce Crawford | Girls Gone Bible

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1. Introduction

In this heartfelt episode of Girls Gone Bible, hosts Angela Halili (Ange) and Arielle Reitsma (Ari) welcome their special guest, Bryce Crawford. From the outset, both hosts express their admiration and gratitude for Bryce's impactful ministry and his authentic representation of Jesus in today's world.

Ari (01:40): "If I have ever seen a disciple of Jesus, it is you."

2. Bryce Crawford’s Journey to Faith

Bryce Crawford shares his profound personal journey from a superficial Christian upbringing to a deep, transformative relationship with Jesus. Growing up in a Southern Baptist household in Georgia, Bryce attended church regularly and was involved in various Christian activities. However, despite his outward Christian labels and accolades, Bryce felt disconnected from God.

Bryce (05:30): "I was just trying to get out of hell. Free card, you know what I mean?"

His turning point came during a particularly challenging period in high school marked by severe depression and anxiety. On December 25, 2020, Bryce contemplated suicide but experienced a life-altering encounter at a local Waffle House that led him to genuinely commit his life to Jesus.

Bryce (08:40): "Instead of taking my life, I gave my life to someone who wanted it that night."

3. Redefining Christianity

Bryce emphasizes the distinction between being a "Christian by mouth" and having a true relationship with Jesus. He criticizes the superficial adherence to Christian practices without genuine transformation.

Bryce (06:31): "Jesus says, if you want to be my disciple, you must deny yourself. Pick up your cross and follow me."

He challenges listeners to evaluate their faith based on observable changes in character and lifestyle rather than mere participation in church activities or receiving awards.

4. Evangelism and Mission in America

Bryce discusses his mission to evangelize within the United States, a departure from the common notion that missionary work must occur abroad. He argues that America itself is a "mission field," rife with individuals far from God and in need of the Gospel.

Bryce (22:59): "America is just as sick. And a lot of people think that if they want a mission field, they have to leave the country."

His approach involves face-to-face interactions, capturing these moments on video, and sharing them to reach a broader audience both domestically and internationally.

5. Overcoming the Enemy: Anxiety and Depression

A significant portion of the conversation centers on mental health struggles and spiritual resilience. Bryce shares how his encounter with Jesus not only saved his life but also alleviated his long-standing anxiety and depression.

Bryce (07:48): "Ever since that night, I haven't had anxiety or depression."

He offers practical advice for young believers on combating spiritual attacks, emphasizing the importance of scripture, prayer, and renewing one’s mind.

Bryce (15:49): "The Bible says to renew your mind. Do not be conformed to this world. Be transformed by renewing your mind."

6. Healing and Miracles

Bryce recounts a powerful testimony of healing at Saddle Ranch in Los Angeles, where he prayed for an atheist man’s torn ACL. Initially met with hostility, the man's subsequent miraculous recovery reinforced Bryce’s faith and boldness in evangelism.

Bryce (30:11): "He shaved my ACL. It's completely reattached. The doctor was freaking out."

These experiences highlight Bryce’s belief in the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit and the reality of miracles today.

7. Personal Practices and Spiritual Growth

Bryce shares his daily spiritual routines that sustain his faith and character. His practices include:

• Daily Proverbs: Reading a proverb each morning to start his day with God's wisdom.

  Bryce (38:44): "A proverb a day every morning. First thing I do."

• Consistent Bible Study: Engaging deeply with scriptures, including challenging books like Leviticus, to build a strong foundation in faith.

• Prayer and Discernment: Actively seeking God's guidance through prayer, especially when feeling hesitant or afraid.

8. Relationships and Purity

Bryce discusses the importance of purity in relationships, emphasizing that purity is not just a pursuit but an inherent part of one’s identity as cleansed by Jesus. He and his partner, Maddie, maintain healthy boundaries, waiting until marriage to engage in physical intimacy, which Bryce views as a divine gift meant to be shared within the sanctity of marriage.

Bryce (47:21): "Purity is just who we are. Jesus has made me pure through the cross as who I am."

He advises setting clear and unwavering boundaries, supporting the idea that healthy relationships reflect mutual respect and shared spiritual goals.

9. Encouragement and Community Impact

Throughout the episode, both Ange and Ari offer words of encouragement to Bryce, highlighting his maturity and the profound impact of his ministry despite his young age. They acknowledge the challenges Bryce faces, including hostility and misunderstandings about his evangelistic efforts, yet celebrate his unwavering commitment to spreading the Gospel.

Ari (45:06): "You are beyond your years."

10. Conclusion

The episode concludes with heartfelt blessings and mutual appreciation among hosts and guest. Bryce’s story serves as an inspiring testament to authentic faith, resilience, and the transformative power of a genuine relationship with Jesus.

Bryce (51:09): "Thank you guys. It was an honor. I was super happy and nervous."

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Key Takeaways

• Authentic Faith: True Christianity is reflected in one's lifestyle and character, not just in outward appearances or rituals.
• Healing and Mental Health: A genuine relationship with Jesus can bring profound healing and relief from mental struggles.
• Evangelism in America: The mission field is not limited to foreign lands; everyday interactions within the community are pivotal.
• Personal Boundaries: Maintaining purity and clear boundaries is essential for healthy, God-centered relationships.
• Spiritual Practices: Daily engagement with scripture and prayer are foundational for personal growth and resilience against spiritual challenges.

Notable Quotes

• Bryce Crawford (05:30): "I was just trying to get out of hell. Free card, you know what I mean?"
• Bryce Crawford (08:40): "Instead of taking my life, I gave my life to someone who wanted it that night."
• Bryce Crawford (06:31): "Jesus says, if you want to be my disciple, you must deny yourself. Pick up your cross and follow me."
• Bryce Crawford (30:44): "And he is so excited. So he goes to the doctor and he goes, I don't need surgery anymore."
• Bryce Crawford (38:44): "A proverb a day every morning. First thing I do."

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This episode of Girls Gone Bible with Bryce Crawford offers a compelling narrative of redemption, faith, and purposeful living. Listeners are encouraged to reflect on their own spiritual journeys, engage in meaningful evangelism, and uphold the values of purity and resilience in their daily lives.

Transcript

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[Ange]

Hi, I'm Ange.

[Ari]

And I'm Ari.

[Ange]

And this is Girls Gone Bible. And today we have the pleasure of a very special guest that goes by the name of Bryce Crawford. Hi, Bryce.

[Ari]

Hello, Bryce.

[Bryce Crawford]

I'm so nervous right now.

[Ari]

I'm actually really nervous with us two kooky birds.

[Ange]

Yeah, you have nothing to be nervous.

[Ari]

Nothing to be nervous about with us.

[Bryce Crawford]

Oh, all right, all right, let's see.

[Ange]

We're nervous about that.

[Ari]

We're out of our mind.

[Ange]

We're nervous to be in the presence of someone who literally is doing so, so much for Jesus in the world right now. Can we just say how grateful we are to you for the voice that you have, for the way that you. Okay, I'm just gonna say it because we live in a world where Christian entertainment and Christian podcasting and Christian like, just like Instagram and content like, is so prevalent and it's beautiful and it's needed. But I'm always like, all right, but are we still evangelizing on the streets? Are we still out there talking to people face to face? Are we still doing the thing where you, like, get in touch with somebody's heart in person, in the flesh, and you do that along with all the content? But, like, I just want to honor you in that because it really is so special what you do.

[Bryce Crawford]

Thank you so much.

[Ari]

If I have ever seen a disciple of Jesus, it is you. We are living in a time I was afraid to come to Christianity because it can be so judgmental. And you, when I look at you, I see Jesus. I watch videos of you this morning, and I was in tears because you go into the darkness. You go up to all different kinds of people. And the thing about you is you always come from a place of love and it is beautiful and it is inspiring and you are raising a nation of people that are young to old. It's just. It's beautiful what you are doing. So we thank you so much.

[Bryce Crawford]

Thank you, guys. I was really encouraging.

[Ange]

You're so kind, Bryce. So we just. Bryce, your story is insane. Before we do anything, we just want everyone to get to know you. How you came to Jesus Waffle House at 2am Am I right?

[Bryce Crawford]

Yeah. Late night Waffle House.

[Ange]

Let's just start at the beginning, by the way.

[Bryce Crawford]

Isn't it. I love it because they get an open air sneeze on your food and it's still good. You know what I mean?

[Ange]

It's so good.

[Bryce Crawford]

It is so good. I mean, it's like, true. Like, you go in there and like, there's like a motorcycle on fire in the parking lot and it's normal.

[Ange]

I really want to go to Waffle House.

[Ari]

We went for my birthday.

[Ange]

For my birthday.

[Ari]

Oh, for your birthday?

[Ange]

Yeah, we had like, my birthday. We went for my birthday and we were in there and they were playing Drake. And I remember it was 2:00 in the morning in Nashville. And I remember, like, what are the odds that someone would come in? And like, no girls gone Bible. And of course we sit down, I'm like, saying, a drink.

[Ari]

Our eyelashes are hanging off.

[Ange]

Yeah, we're just like, insane. And then this girl comes up and is like, I love your podcast. And we're like, she had just ripped her lashes off.

[Ari]

I had, like, chocolate chips on the side of my lips from the pancakes. Oh, yeah, the waffles. Yeah.

[Ange]

Anyways, anyways, Jesus, have you. Did you grow up Christian?

[Bryce Crawford]

Yeah, I grew up in a Christian household. Or like, everyone in Georgia is a Christian.

[Ange]

Oh, yeah.

[Bryce Crawford]

Like, by mouth, everyone's a Christian. I Don't think I grew up knowing anyone that didn't label themselves a Christian, at least to my knowledge. But. And then there's a church on every street corner. Grew up in a Southern Baptist church.

[Ange]

Awesome. Awesome. And then, so you grow up. Are you Christian by mouth, or do you have a relationship with Jesus?

[Bryce Crawford]

I would have definitely called myself Christian growing up. Went to church every Sunday. Was going to the vacation Bible schools when I was little and, you know, was involved in my youth group, going to youth camp every summer. I was doing the altar call. I had had very little food. I was malnourished and made a lot of friends. And the music was just right on the last night. I was always running to the front every. Every summer, but just never did anything. Didn't mean anything to me. It was just like, I was just trying to get out of hell. Free card, you know what I mean? I was getting sold fire insurance. I wasn't like, really close to Jesus, so I just grew up like that. And then I went to a private Christian school starting in the fourth grade. So from fourth grade till I graduated high school, every year I was in a Bible class. I was learning about Jesus. I was getting Bible awards in school. I was getting the Christian Sports award every, literally every year in multiple sports. I'm not saying that a brag. It was just, like, the truth. But I was so far from God. Everyone thought I was a Christian just because I was a good student. I could play church. I could play church.

[Ange]

How dangerous. How many people know how to play church? Crazy.

[Bryce Crawford]

So many people.

[Ange]

Yeah.

[Bryce Crawford]

And it's like. It's like a plague because people think that they're safe just because they read the Bible. Like, anytime I ask someone like, oh, man, are you a Christian? And they're like, yeah, I pray every night. I'm like, is that the definition of a Christian? Is that how many times you pray or how many times you read the Bible or how many devotionals you do or finish or things like that? How much scripture you have memorized? It's like, no, but that's the doctrine that we're brainwashed with, which I don't think people are necessarily teaching that. I just think that's people's perception of Jesus. It's like, oh, maybe if I do enough, I'm a Christian.

[Ange]

So what do you think the true definition of being a Christian is?

[Bryce Crawford]

Well, Jesus says, if you want to be my disciple, you must deny yourself. Pick up your cross and follow me. And so my response to people that say, are you a Christian? I say, okay, is there a noticeable change in your character and lifestyle from before you met Jesus, before you claim to have met Jesus till after you claim to have met Jesus. And I think that's the big difference was I was, oh, yeah, I'm a Christian. Look, I got this award, or I got the Bible award for being a good Bible student, but I'm cussing out my friends after school.

[Ari]

Right, right.

[Bryce Crawford]

And I'm like, all right. Or I'm like, yeah, I'm a Christian. You know, I got the middle school Christian athlete of the year award. But then I'm going home and I'm getting angry at my friends. I'm blowing up on them, or I'm saying nasty stuff. I'm gossiping behind people's. People's back, you know? Not necessarily. Now look, there's a difference in like, like accidentally falling into sin, like you repenting, you're following Jesus. And oh man, my mouth slipped again.

[Ari]

Yeah.

[Bryce Crawford]

Versus, like willingly doing it, because that's who you are.

[Ange]

Totally.

[Bryce Crawford]

And that was just who I was. I was just a total hypocrite. But I was surrounded by hypocrites. So it was like I was just, I was just living by the example that was given to me, which was there were people around me that claimed Jesus with their mouth, but their heart was far from them. People that were telling me what to do with my life in Jesus. Then the other six days out of the week, I would see them getting drunk at restaurants downtown. I would see them saying nasty stuff. Or, you know, people would like just so much nasty stuff. And it was just a total misrepresentation of Jesus. And so not only does it throw you off, but to some people that get that misrepresentation of Jesus, it gives them an excuse to keep living the life that they're living.

[Ange]

That's right.

[Bryce Crawford]

Partially because they're like, oh, this is what it means to be a Christian. Okay, well, that's easy. I don't have to give up the things I need to give up. Yeah, it's like, man, that's a bunch of baloney.

[Ange]

100%. Yeah. It should change literally everything about you. It changed. Following Jesus has changed us genuinely and truly from the inside out. Like, it's supposed to change everything for sure. So then can you take us to your encounter? You meet Jesus, Waffle House?

[Bryce Crawford]

Yeah, absolutely. When I was in the eighth grade, I started getting very bad depression and anxiety. Never went to the doctor. I would have these blow ups. And this is nothing on my parents, but it just like it was a hidden battle. So when it would get brought up, they were. It was kind of like out of nowhere. They were just kind of like, oh, no, that's not happening. Like, you're good. But every six months, I would have some crazy blow up in front of my parents, like, crying and upset, and it was just kind of disregarded, pushed away. No one knew. And then I had deep anxiety, and this was going on for years, and just stuff going on at home, stuff going on in life. I was a people pleaser. I would be someone different to you than I would be to Ari. And I would do it because I thought, man, if I get both you guys to like me individually, then, man, it would make me feel good. But I was just, like, a hypocrite scapegoat. Like, just nothing. Then when I was a junior in high school, I was planning to take my life. And it wasn't because I didn't want to live anymore. It was just because it was the only way, I thought, to get the pain to go away. Because the idea that society brings you is anxiety and depression. You'll never get rid of it. So you got to take pills for the rest of your life. You got to do this, you got to do that. It's going to be who you are. And again, the doctor didn't know about this. I wasn't on any medication. I have Snapchat memories from my old Snapchat account. Every night, I was just depressed. Like, gosh, I hate my life. I hate my situation. This, this, and that. And so I was planning on taking my life, and I wasn't planning on doing it on this particular day, but it was December 25, 2020. Christmas had an interesting Christmas didn't really go like a. Like a happy holiday season, I guess you could call it. And so I was like, all right, tonight's the night. And so I had everything set up. I had things to leave behind for family, for friends, letters. And I was gonna do it with, like, this. With this, like, knife. It's called a hawksbill knife. It's just like a regular knife is straight, and this blade is, like, curved. It looks like a hawksbill. That's why it's called hawksbill. And because it was just my grandfather giving it to me, it was in my room. It was easily accessible. No one would know about it. It wouldn't be, like, identifiable. And so I was like, I'm gonna go get one last meal before I do this. So I told my parents I was just going to get a meal Waffle House. Only thing open on Christmas. If Waffle House is closed, the world's ending. Like, the end of the world is here. Like, it's seriously. But I also love Waffle House. Like, I love it. It's one of my favorite places to eat. So I go, and it's packed. Because it's Christmas and it was packed. And I just said, hey, man, just random guy, grown man. I was like, hey, dude, if we get. If we're a party of two, we'll get to sit down quicker. Yeah, I'll pay for your meal if you want to sit with me. He goes, okay. So, you know, we get to sit down. We're sitting at this table. And when I go to Waffle House, I have to sit in the spot. The one in my hometown where I got saved. I have to sit in the spot because it just means so much to me. So we sit down and we order. And then he just starts having a freak out on me. Like, my wife's divorcing me, she's taking my kids away from me. You know, blah, blah, blah, this, this and that. Like, this is our last Christmas together. And I'm sitting there thinking, you're dumping your life issues on me right now. I came to escape mine one last time. You have no idea what I'm about to do right now. Yeah, when I leave here, you have no idea what's about to happen. And you're more worried about. This is how I feel inside. You're more worried about projecting your issues on me. He's just going, going, going, and I'm eaten. Just not really responding. He's just talking. And then he just randomly. He's like, man, I love my wife, but she just doesn't feel the same about me. And then he said, there's no growth in a relationship if the love isn't mutual, is what he said. I'll never forget that. And when he said it, it was just like. I don't know how to explain it. It was like time stopped. Something struck my heart. And all of the head knowledge I had ever gained about Jesus in school vacation, Bible schools, all this stuff was just making sense. The 18 inches between my head and my heart finally connected. All this stuff is making sense. All of time has stopped. And I went, man, maybe it's not that God doesn't love me, but maybe he's just loved me this entire time and pursued me. And the reason, I don't know he's there is because I haven't given myself a chance to love him. Back. I will never be able to love God like he loves me. I'll never amount to it. But if I can remotely attempt to love him back, then maybe that will do something in me. Maybe he'll become more real to me. Maybe he's not some, you know, distant God that's trying to force me how to live my life, but maybe he does actually love me and care about me. And when I look back on it now, you know, I hated my life so much. It took, like, Jesus loved me enough to intervene from stopping me from taking my life. And so I just went into my car and I was like, all right, God, if you're really real, take away my anxiety and depression. Because if you're real and you are who you say you are, you can do this stuff. Because the only reason I'm taking my life is to get rid of it. And instead of taking my life, I gave my life to someone who wanted it that night. And since that day, I haven't had anxiety or depression. Satan will try to creep anxiety up on me, will try to creep sadness up on me, but that's just not who I am anymore. So I have to shut it down. But I gave my life to Jesus that night. Ever since that night, I've been very adamant about sharing my faith. I've been sharing my faith since that night. I would just run up to people and say, hey, Jesus loves you. Then I would run away before they could respond because I was afraid. I didn't know how to answer their questions. Oh, man. Yeah. That night radically changed my life. And I went on the Internet and I said, guys, I'm going to disappear for two weeks. It was Christmas break from school. I said, I'm going to learn about this Jesus guy. I had this radical encounter last night, and I said, when I come back, I'm going to tell you guys everything I know. And then when I went back to school, I started making videos and just teaching the Bible on TikTok. And what I was learning, wow. And that's where it all. Where it all started.

[Ari]

I am flying.

[Ange]

I am not. Okay.

[Ari]

I feel like I'm the girl version of him.

[Ange]

I know. Well, Ari and I both have, like, such similar, you know, situations. Jesus healed us of mental health issues. He healed us of anxiety and depression and heartbreak and OCD and alcoholism and, like, literally under the sun, so many. So many different things. And, like, that's who we know Jesus to be. Like, the God who heals, the God who cares, the God who loves. I am so grateful that he saved your life.

[Bryce Crawford]

Thank you, guys.

[Ange]

Unbelievable.

[Ari]

You know, a lot of people because you said I, he, you know, he healed me from depression, anxiety. I, I, when I was listening to you, I have such a similar testimony with just suicide and things like that. And you say now when the enemy comes in. I know, keep them away. Can you talk to especially the young people about keeping the enemy away and just little things that you do because obviously we have to make the decision every day, right, to stay close to Jesus. And you know, even in my journey, like the enemy, it's hard when you're new into faith. So can you just talk about that a little bit?

[Bryce Crawford]

Yeah, absolutely. I would be a fool to say that, you know, Satan doesn't try to mess with me with that stuff. He's got no new tricks. He knows what he got you with before, so he's going to try to do it again. He's like, oh man, that's their weak spot, right? So there's a number one is scripture. I mean, the Bible says to renew your mind. It says, don't be conformed to this world. Don't be like the world. Be transformed by renewing your mind, by changing the way you think. And so, you know, there's another scripture in Hebrews 4, I think it's verse 12 where it says that the word of God is like a double edged sword. It separates the soul from the spirit. The soul being the way that seems right to a man. The initial way I think, oh, anxiety comes my way. Oh, I should freak out right now. Oh, sadness is coming my way. Let me push everyone away from me right now and isolate and just bathe in the sadness. That's the way everyone thinks.

[Ange]

That's right.

[Bryce Crawford]

And it's the spirit, the way it seems right to God. The way that God thinks his mind, how we should live. And so whenever I read scripture, that is a number one defense. Jesus, when he's in the desert 40 days, fasting, the first temptation thrown at him, he responds the way he's living. He says, man shall not live by bread alone. So he's telling us as readers, you gotta use the word of God to defend temptation. But he was literally quoting scripture to defend temptation. So he was living what he was teaching us.

[Ange]

Crazy.

[Bryce Crawford]

Which is so crazy to think about. I mean, so like, I think that's so cool. Like he's not forcing us how to live, he's just showing us.

[Ari]

Yeah.

[Bryce Crawford]

And so using scripture, there's a scripture about anxiety in Proverbs where it says anxiety weighs a man's. Heart down. Very true. But it's a good word. Makes his heart glad. Well, what is a good word? Jesus. The gospel. The gospel is a good word. That's beautiful. And knowing that Jesus Christ understands every ounce of my feelings better than I do because he took it on the cross, that is such a beautiful thing. So scripture, same thing with depression and anxiety. Like, these things will come your way. But man, Scripture's a number one weapon, the sword of the spirit. Just fighting that, he's just. He's just an idiot. Like, he doesn't know what he's doing.

[Ange]

He's got no new tricks.

[Bryce Crawford]

But then I would be foolish here to say, like, I know my experience. Like, I believe that everyone can have the same experience I had. I believe that if people truly call out to God from the deepest part of their heart, God cure my anxiety and depression. He will. But sometimes the wisdom and healing of God is God giving wisdom to the doctors to prescribe the right amount of medicine. Like, I'm not turned off to that. Or sometimes the wisdom of God is just taking time. Maybe it's not instantaneously, maybe it's over the course of a year that God is just teaching you what to do. Like, that's a wisdom and healing of God. And so at the same time, while I'm like, man, God can do this instantaneously. Like, man, sometimes everyone's different. And sometimes the wisdom and healing of God is just trusting in him and knowing that he is good, he is faithful. He's a keeper of his promises. That's just who he is. And so we can. We can trust in that, you know?

[Ari]

Unbelievable.

[Ange]

Oh, man. I mean, so after that, you then make it your life's mission to preach and to proclaim the gospel. And what was that? Like, where were you living? When did you move to la? What was it like making videos? Like, what was that whole journey like for you?

[Bryce Crawford]

So when I was in high school, the second semester, my junior year, I. People thought I was doing it for likes and views because everyone at my school was a Christian with their mouth. So everyone was like, oh, man, he's just talking about God because he was reaching a lot of people. Then summer goes, I come back, senior year, everyone hates me. Everyone hates me because it wasn't just a quick thing. You could tell if it's quick for someone, they'll leave it really fast. Because Christianity is hard. Living for Jesus is hard. You guys said it. So when you do it and it's fake, you just don't hang around. But People hated me. I was getting bullied at school. I was getting threats. I was getting social media threats. People were sending me my address, threatening to show up to my house, threatening to beat me up, threatening to kill me. Then I would go around my hometown. I would go to the ice cream shop in my hometown and people would drive by and threaten to beat me up. I was just getting ice cream. I wasn't even talking to anyone about Jesus. I'm just trying to get some dessert. People were threatening me and so many things, but just stay the course. The Bible says that the one who endures till the end will be saved. So, like, man, I'm going to keep pressing on. And then I graduate high school. I lived in Florida for four months. In Destin. I backslid hard because work became my God. I was working seven days a week, 12 hour shifts. Money and work became an idol in my life. I had no room for Jesus. So I was backsliding in my faith.

[Ange]

What did that backsliding look like?

[Bryce Crawford]

It just looked like living in old sin habits. It looked like not feeling close to Jesus. And that was just my fault. I just wasn't putting in any effort. So, you know, no wonder I didn't feel close to him totally. And. And. But I was still, you know, I was still preaching, you know, telling people about Jesus, but my life just, you know, didn't look. Didn't look anything like it was before I moved there. And then. And then after there, I came home and I just repented. I was like, all right, God, like, that was awful. I don't want to do that. I just want to do this full time. I had a good job, good money in Florida. I was about to get a good promotion. I was about to start my own business. Sound there was going to be great. I was going to make loads of money. It was awesome. That's what the world tells you. Make loads of money. But I was so. I was literally falling back into depression. So sad. And I was putting myself in that place. Yeah. And so I came home and I was like, I can't do that to myself. I was like, all right, God, I want to get close to you. What should I do? Where should I go? Move to la? Move to the darkest city in America. I'm like, dude, what? Like, that doesn't make sense. And everyone in my hometown hates la. So I knew it wasn't from my flesh. Like, I knew I wasn't selfishly trying to move to la. And so I prayed about it. I got the cheapest rent of My life when I first moved out here and I got a cheap plane ticket out here and I had a one way plane ticket with like two suitcases and a backpack and came out here. And that's when I just kind of started out immersing myself into everything. I would do the Bible study on Wednesday nights. We were doing a Bible study at our friend Chelsea's house.

[Ange]

Yeah. So Bryce and I met. I started going to that Bible study two years ago. Yeah, it was probably just a couple months. It was at the beginning of the year. So it was probably literally three months before we started Girls Gone Bible. And I remember like when you started just like popping up everywhere on social media. I was like, I know that kid. I met him at this random Bible study, which is just so, so crazy. I mean, just like where we've come to now and now we're sitting on like both having platform. It's just so insane. God is so cool. Like, it's just so cute. So, yeah, you start going to Bible studies.

[Bryce Crawford]

So we were doing the Bible studies we were doing. I was going to worship nights. Every time there was a worship night, I was going to Huntington beach on Mondays. On Thursdays I was doing all this stuff. And then at nighttime I would go hit the street. I would pray for homeless people. And I was just doing this every day, every day, every day. And just trying to immerse myself in everything. And then when 2023 came, I started traveling with a mentor and was learning under him. Greatest decision in my life. He's just such a father to me. His name's Marcus. He's amazing. And. And then as I was traveling with him, God gave me a dream about staying here in America. So many missionaries leave the country.

[Ange]

Wow. I was.

[Bryce Crawford]

And I look, I think that's amazing. I'm like, man, if God is calling you to go to Africa, to go to New Zealand, to go to the Middle east, we need that. But I think a lot of people's idea of like serving Jesus is, oh, I'm going to go out of the country and do a mission trip. Which I think that stuff's great. I'm not dogging that. And a lot of people think I dog that. No, I don't. But to me, America is just as sick. And a lot of people think that if they want a mission field that they have to leave the country. But their college campus, their neighborhood, the gym that they go to every day, their workplace, it is the, it's the mission field. The harvest is ripe. So many people are far From Jesus. So many people are ready, and we need it in America, and America's in shambles. And so God gave me this dream, and he was like, you need to stay in your own backyard.

[Ange]

Wow.

[Bryce Crawford]

And. But God was like, you'll reach the nations. And so I'm like, all right, like that. Like, I don't understand, you know, you know, global impact, but staying in America, that doesn't make sense. And so that's when we started videoing the interactions. It wasn't anything new. It was just we turn on a camera now. I was already doing it, so it wasn't awkward. Sometimes it can be awkward for people, but it wasn't because we were already doing it. And then so I had some people filming for me on the side. And then that's when I called Josh and we were talking, and I was like, hey, what are you passionate about? He's like, I want to capture things on video for God. I said, that's crazy, because I'm trying to put things on video for God. And so he prayed. He moved out here in January, and every week we were just filming, hitting the street and going and talking to these people. And God was introducing us to some of the coolest people we've ever met. And we were going to talk to people and pray for people. And that's when things started to make sense. We started reaching so many people, particularly in America, but we're also reaching the nations from America, from our own backyard. We were reaching people in South Africa, we were reaching people in New Zealand, people in the uk. So it was like, okay, wow, God really is calling us here. And so that's. We've just been filming those interactions and going these places, and God has really given us a grace to become friends with people that are just totally against Christianity, but they'll be friends with us. It's such a powerful thing. And I think that's exactly what Jesus would do. I think Jesus would be friends with all these people because the healthy don't need a doctor. That's what he says in scripture. So it's been really cool.

[Ari]

You are so sweet. We see it in your videos. Can you. Do you ever get, like, where do you get the boldness? And can you just talk about the way you go up to people and how you present yourself to them? Because I see it, you go up to people that are Satanists, and all of a sudden I will see you come to them in a place of love and their whole demeanor changes, and I see them crying after you pray for them. It's just amazing. But some people are like, where do I get this bold? How do I go up to people and evangelize?

[Bryce Crawford]

Yeah. Well, I would be, you know, crazy if I didn't say I don't get nervous sometimes, because I do. Yeah, sometimes we'll go into these places. I'm like, man, I'm so nervous because the people that we're talking to hate Christianity. They don't hate Jesus. They just hate the misrepresentation of God that's been presented to them.

[Ange]

Totally.

[Bryce Crawford]

And so they just hate Christianity because they label God as that misrepresentation. So sometimes I get nervous because, man, these guys are going to push me away. And what am I thinking? Like, who am I to say that they're going to push me away? Well, in acts, you have, like, Peter gives one of the greatest gospel presentations at the beginning of acts, like, 3,000 people get saved. So it's like Jesus. They get saved water baptism, they receive the Holy Spirit, and then they go, all right, what do we do? And he goes, pray for boldness. Yeah, that's what he says. Pray for boldness. And so my initial response is praying for boldness, asking God to give me boldness. And when I find myself being extra shy, I go, man, have I prayed for boldness lately? 99% of the time, no. And I need to pray again because, I mean, Holy Spirit wants to give us that. He just wants to. And the Holy Spirit's our helper. We're not doing this alone. I'm not going to these places alone. Like, sure, I got Josh with me when he's filming, but I'm not alone. Like, the Holy Spirit is our helper to teach us bring conviction in our lives and to give us that boldness. So praying for boldness has been the number one, number one help going into these places for sure. So anyone that wants to be bold, just ask. Yeah, all we got to do is ask.

[Ange]

So good, man. I'm like, I have a lot of friends. I. I can't believe you say the thing about staying in your backyard and, you know, people thinking the only way to do God's work is to go to third world countries where people are so poor and impoverished and they need help, but it's like, literally, just go look outside and look at where we are. I said that the other day. And so. And I also have so many friends who do go to other countries and who do go to the Middle east and they're in Muslim countries, that if anybody, they have passed, there are Pastors who are risking their lives to give the gospel that can, like, them and their families can be killed at any moment if they get caught preaching Jesus where. Whereas we won't go up to the person at Erewhon because we feel nervous. Like, it's just like, such an insane thing when you put it into perspective. And, like, in. Even in my own life. And I'm sure you can relate to this how, like, when God. When there's so much favor on. And grace on what you're doing and God has given you a platform and there's so, so much favor on it. It's so beautiful and you are reaching so many people. But then, like, it's been so heavy on my heart the past year of my life, being like, okay, but what am I doing face to face? What am I doing when the camera's not on? Like, how much. How much impact can I have when nobody's watching? And so something that has been so, like, heavy on my heart is healings. Like, I love. I believe in a God who does physical healings.

[Bryce Crawford]

Absolutely.

[Ange]

Can we talk about. You have a story about a man you saw an ACL be healed, Right? You saw God heal an acl. Would you tell that?

[Bryce Crawford]

Yeah, it was at Saddle Ranch. No, it was at Saddle Ranch here in la.

[Ari]

Did you ride the bull?

[Bryce Crawford]

I did not. I have not ridden the bull yet.

[Ange]

He healed acl and then he read.

[Bryce Crawford]

The bull and then rode the bull. For victory, for celebration.

[Ange]

You gotta go. Go ahead.

[Bryce Crawford]

Yeah, I was. So I like learning about how the Holy Spirit was moving because a lot of people are like, oh, God doesn't heal to this day. But in my mind, he's the same Holy Spirit as he was 2,000 years ago. And if the Bible specifically says, like Jesus himself says, you'll do greater things than I did with the helper of the Holy Spirit.

[Ange]

That's right.

[Bryce Crawford]

He raised himself from the dead. So, you know, it's like, the sky's the limit here. So I'm like, all right, I think people can get healed in Jesus name. So I was praying for people, laying hands on the sick. Nothing was happening. I was praying for so many people, nothing would happen. I'm at Saddle Ranch and I'm talking to this atheist, and he's really angry. And I said, all right, man, if God heals your acl, you gotta give your life to Jesus. Because he had just torn his acl. He had the brace on. He had surgery the next day. Most people have a partial tear. He had a full tear. This was completely Torn in half.

[Ange]

Wow.

[Bryce Crawford]

He's like, all right, man. So I pray for his leg. Jesus name, heal his acl, Give him brand new tendons and muscles, make him stronger than he was before. In Jesus name, Amen. How's it feel? He just cussed me out. Nothing happened. He's like, man, you idiot. Like, blah, blah, cuss me out. And I was like, all right, man. Bless you.

[Ange]

Jesus loves you.

[Bryce Crawford]

Walked away. And I'm just kind of like, all right, I look like an idiot, but if I'm going to be anyone's fool, I'm going to be a fool for Jesus. I'm like, all right, I don't feel that bad. Well, next day, I wake up. I was friends with one of the servers there, and I guess they gave him my Instagram. And he DM me on Instagram. He said, dude, I'm freaking out right now. I woke up, walked downstairs, ate breakfast, and I realized I walked downstairs. So he goes, I think God sealed my foot or heal my acl. And I go, dude, that's amazing. I'm freaking out because it's the first time I've ever seen anything like that happen.

[Ange]

I can't even imagine.

[Bryce Crawford]

So, I mean, I'm freaking out. And he is so excited. So he goes to the doctor and he goes, I don't need surgery anymore. My leg's not in pain. And they go, are you kidding me? You have a full ACL tear. And he goes, no, I need you guys to scan my leg because this is crazy. They give him an MRI and it's completely reattached. They have no idea what happened, why gave his life to Jesus. And I'm really freaking out because then some people are like, oh, yeah, whatever you say, the pain's gone away. This dude got a full MRI scan. The doctor was freaking out. He was like, I don't know what's happening. And it was so powerful. And that stuff just stirs your faith. And so I'm like, all right. This has given me more boldness to go share it. So, like, yes, like, it's not my leading leg. The gospel is always going to be my leading leg. The gospel is what saves healing school. And I had to repent, actually, at the beginning of this year because I was more worried about praying for healing over people and sharing the gospel with them. And people were still even sick. Maybe physically they were healed, but they were, like, spiritually they were still sick. And so. But God shows us clearly through scripture that he uses spiritual gifts to soften people's hearts. The hard headed ones. Jesus isn't real. Then he heals your leg and you're like, hold on a second, hold on. This guy you just asked to heal my foot. He just healed my foot. This is crazy. And so, yeah, that was really, really powerful and really a big shift in my faith journey. Because then I was like, okay, like, this may be different. Not a lot of people agree with this. But I can't, I can't deny what my eyes have seen. Like, we're going to keep doing this.

[Ange]

So sick. I'm obsessed. I'm obsessed. I'm like.

[Ari]

And you didn't give up. Even though other times it didn't work, you kept doing it. You kept being relentless and praying for people that were sick and then God, because the faith came to fruition.

[Bryce Crawford]

Absolutely.

[Ari]

That's amazing. That's what faith is.

[Ange]

Well, so you know Heidi Baker, right?

[Bryce Crawford]

Yes.

[Ange]

Love Heidi Baker. So I love Heidi Baker. I study Heidi Baker a lot. She's not for the faint of heart. She's a really, really special woman. And she does a lot of work and she lives in another country. She just, she has a massive, massive ministry. And she, does she heal? She, Jesus heals through her prayers. Like, she goes. And she, she told this story about how God put it on her heart that he was going to heal blind eyes, that he was going to open blind eyes that she needed. Every time she saw somebody that was blind, she needed to go pray for their eyes. And she said that she prayed for probably a thousand people non stop. She was obedient and it was embarrassing and it was awkward and it was, you know, she would question herself and doubt herself and doubt what God spoke to her. And she would be like, I kept on praying every single time because I had to be obed, obedient. A thousand pairs of eyes she prayed for. Nothing happened. And then one time after that thousand, she prayed blind eyes open, they could see. And she said, and that was however many 45, 50 years ago. She has never one time prayed for blind eyes that did not open after that. So after a thousand. And so I've been having like dreams for the past six months. Like randomly dreams of just like, I'll be like in my room and then the Holy Spirit will come and just like my hands are on fire. And I just feel like I believe in the healing powers of God so much that God has put it on my heart that I cannot see somebody on crutches and not pray for them. And I've tried, Bryce. Like, I literally, I'm like Jesus, I want nothing more than to not have to pray for this person right now. But he's just put it so heavy. Like, it's like this. When God gives you a word, he'll. He's like, so gracious to give you such a burning, just like nudging, that you can't go away from it. And so now I heal for every single person that I see on crutches. I can't get away from it. And I just. I have so much faith that one day, the same thing, something is going to be released and that whether I know it or not, these people will be healed. You know what I mean?

[Bryce Crawford]

Absolutely.

[Ange]

Just so you'll see me and Aria Erewhon. Hey, sorry, do you mind if we pray for you? And it's just the boldness, that's something that God gives you. And, like, it's just so important. It's so important to be obedient, even when it's awkward.

[Ari]

So anybody with acl. He's got you. He's going to heal you, baby, call me.

[Ange]

Jesus is gonna heal you.

[Bryce Crawford]

Send us a voice memo. We'll pray for you over Instagram.

[Ari]

He's gonna be bored.

[Ange]

Okay. Unbelievable.

[Ari]

I wanted to ask you about the voice of God because we get so many messages, like, people being like, I feel so distant from God. Has he abandoned me? I can't hear his voice. Have you ever felt like that? Can you give some advice on that?

[Bryce Crawford]

Yeah, absolutely. I definitely feel like that there. I think there's like four specific ways that God speaks to us. Through His Word, through signs, through people. And then, I don't know, I'll just have to explain the other one. But there is words. The number one way. I mean, everything. Most of the questions that people have can be answered in Matthew chapters five through seven. Literally. That's it. And the way that I, like, discern the voice of God is just, Satan is always going to accuse you. Always going to accuse you. The voice of the accuser, like, Satan knows your name and calls you by your sin, but Jesus knows your sin, calls you by your name. So I'm like, okay, who's talking to me right now? So I read the Word of God, and that's powerful. Matthew 5. 7 is like, my go to is like, if I'm like, oh, what do I do about anger? It's in there. Prayer, fasting, everything, all in there. So through His Word, through signs, God will directly give us signs about things. Like, God, will you just show me what's going on? Gideon needed a sign From God. Now, that particular story in the Bible, people are like, I'm going to throw a fleece out. Basically, Gideon was asking for signs from God. He put a fleece out, and it had been raining, and he said, all right, if it rains tonight and my fleece isn't wet, I know it's from you. He was doing this whole thing, but his was out of, like, a place of doubt. But you could still use that. Like, all right, God, like, help me. Like, show me what I need to do. Because God is a friend. He loves us. He wants to be involved in our decision making. So through signs, through people. Sometimes, like, people go, oh, man, you know, God's not speaking to me. God's not helping me. I'm not trying to get help. But people's friends are reaching out to them. You know, it's like someone's stranded. You know, I think of like, man, I get a flat tire. I'm on the side of the road, and I'm going, God, please send me help. And a truck driver pulls over, says, hey, you need help changing your tire? And I'm like, no, man, God's gonna help me. He, like, drives away.

[Ari]

That's right.

[Bryce Crawford]

And then, you know, someone else drives by, and it's like, hey, man, you need help? I'm like, no, man, God's really gonna help me. And then, you know, the third time aaa the tired people drive by. Hey, man, you need help? No, God's really going to help me. Hey, drive by. But God sent those three people beforehand to help me. So God will use people. The last way that I believe we can hear God's voice is in our thoughts. And it's because Jesus, if he lives inside of us, he consumes our thoughts. Now, sometimes I think things that aren't from Jesus, so I have to pray and discern those things. But a lot of times, if I have, like, they call it a word of knowledge. When God tells you something about someone. I the way that we hear that is in our thoughts. Like, do you think that you selfishly want to go pray for someone or you selfishly want to go get bless someone with $20? Absolutely not. I know people are greedy people, like you said, like, I get nervous. We all get nervous to go pray for people. So understanding that, like, okay, that's the first muscle I got to learn is when I get an unction to pray for someone or bless someone. That's got to be from the Lord. It's not coming from selfishness. So let me rem that unction and Try to correlate that with other things. Oh, someone's back hurting. Like, oh, I hear, you know, back hurting, lower back pain.

[Ari]

Yep.

[Bryce Crawford]

Okay. Hey, man, do you have any lower back pain? No, I don't. Oh, I'm so sorry. I'm just trying to learn to hear the voice of God. Is there anything you need prayer for? It's not awkward. Do you have any lower back pain? Yeah, my back's been really hurting me the past few times. If you hit the nail on the head, man, God might be trying to do something. If you don't, you're just trying to build that muscle. It's like hitting the gym. So I believe if Jesus really consumes our thoughts and he can put those thoughts in our brain. So those are the four ways I think God really speaks to us.

[Ari]

Beautiful.

[Ange]

Can you. What does your quiet time look like? What is your. What is your time with Jesus look like? How can people experience Jesus?

[Bryce Crawford]

I read a proverb a day every morning. First thing I do. I'm human, though. Sometimes I get out of the groove and I know when I'm out of the groove, it totally affects my day. Totally. So I try to read a proverb a day before I pick up my phone because I truly believe that the first thing we consume in the morning is going to dictate the rest of our day. If I'm feeding myself with the opinion of man, man, I'm going to get angry quick. I'm going to get jealous quick, I'm going to get frustrated quick. But if I feed myself with the wisdom of God, I mean, proverbs is accessing the mind and wisdom of God. What a beautiful thing. Like, that's super cool. So try to start my day off with that. I'm always constantly reading the gospels. I love Matthew and I love John. I think they're beautiful. I love reading those and going back to those. And then I do, like, topical studies. So right now I'm an online stud student at Liberty University and I have, like, assignments that I have to do. But outside of the assignments, those scriptures that I'm reading that I have to read for class, I'll read in my quiet time because it's most of the time stuff I don't want to read. Totally like stuff I don't want to read Leviticus. But sometimes I gotta be Scorpion.

[Ange]

Hey, that's where I'm at right now.

[Bryce Crawford]

And it is hard to read, actually.

[Ange]

No. I finally got to numbers and I abandoned it. You guys keep me accountable. I haven't gone back in A little bit. It's hard to get through.

[Bryce Crawford]

It is hard. So that's like my proverb a day I try to read throughout my day. When we were driving over here, Josh drove for me so I could read in my Bible things like that. And because I hadn't got, like, time other than the proverb today. And so, like, I think really, really prioritizing that and the days that I don't do that, oh, man. It affects me.

[Ari]

Oh, yeah?

[Ange]

How does it affect you?

[Bryce Crawford]

Well, I can just find myself being quick to speak, slow to listen. Maybe I find myself not trying to gossip, but then I say something like, whoa. Like, that was not cool, what I just said. Maybe I get angry quicker or get frustrated quicker. Maddie has taught me not to honk the horn at people when they cut me off. But if I honk the horn at people when they cut me off, I probably haven't read my Bible that day because I'm getting frustrated and I'm honking the horn at them.

[Ange]

Why do I feel convicted? We have to stop honking.

[Ari]

We honked the horn and I yelled at someone today.

[Ange]

You might have got someone today. You have to reflect.

[Bryce Crawford]

Well, Maddie convicted me of that because she's like, you don't know what they're going through.

[Ari]

It's true. Maddie.

[Bryce Crawford]

Maddie, she told me that she. Because she said, like, what if someone's cutting you off because they're, like, running to the hospital and you honk at them because they just cut in front of you and stuff like that. Oh, man, that's so true. And so, like, those things. I find myself doing those things when I'm. When I'm not spending time with Jesus. And so.

[Ange]

You're a good kid, Bryce.

[Ari]

You are.

[Ange]

You're a good kid. Smart. The worst you do is honk at people. You're a good kid.

[Bryce Crawford]

Oh, no, that is not the worst. I do for sure. But. But those are just examples. Ask her. Examples.

[Ange]

Can I ask you a question so we have a little more time? So do you mind if I bring up your relationship? Do you ever talk about.

[Bryce Crawford]

Yeah, I mean, yeah. Yeah, we can go ahead.

[Ange]

Whatever. You don't. You know what I mean? Do you mind talking about, like, purity or anything like that?

[Bryce Crawford]

Sure. Yeah. Well, I don't really give a lot of relationship advice because I don't take relationship advice from people that aren't married.

[Ange]

Oh, love.

[Bryce Crawford]

So the only things I say is what scripture says. And I talk about amazing things in my relationship. Scripture talks about being equally yoked.

[Ange]

Totally.

[Bryce Crawford]

A yoke is a Farming tool that was used for oxen. So you would put two equally strong oxen to plow a field. If you put a really strong one and a really weak one together, or an old oxen and a young oxen, the farm machine wouldn't work. And so then the question is, what does it mean to be equally yoked? And there's a book by Ben Stewart called Single, Dating, Engaged, Married. We read it when we first started. Dating is Changed my life on dating, because the Bible doesn't really talk about dating. It's like, you're either single or you're married. That's it. And so when you're dating someone, it's the process to see if you want to join hands with someone for a lifetime. And being equally yoked looks like. Are you chasing the same goal? Are you chasing Jesus?

[Ari]

Yeah.

[Bryce Crawford]

Well, when I meet Maddie, she's challenging me. She makes me want to be a better man. She's encouraging me whenever I get flustered. And I'm. Because when you start dating someone, you see every flaw in them.

[Ari]

That's right.

[Bryce Crawford]

And so when Maddie sees every flaw in me and I'm flustered and I'm going, oh, my gosh, this, this and that, blah, blah, blah. Or like, oh, I can't believe this just happened. No, I come in there, I'm just fully raw and real. The raw price that not everyone can see. Are you kidding me? What is going on? And she just encourages me and says, well, you know. Or I get in my head and I'm like, man, I just feel like people hate me. Like, well, that's not how God sees you and encourages me. Okay? That's a beautiful thing. We're chasing the same goal, Jesus. Okay, well, when I first met Maddie, I was so infatuated by Maddie. I prayed for three weeks straight for God to take away my feelings for her. Because we had one interaction. I didn't know her heart, and I wanted to make sure that it was from God. Every day, my feelings for her would get stronger. It's a very dangerous prayer to pray. If you want to know if someone's from God, pray. God will take them away immediately.

[Ange]

Oh, yeah.

[Bryce Crawford]

Three weeks straight. And part of me was nervous, too, just because, like, entering into a relationship, that's a big thing, you know, it's not high school anymore, you know? And so that was going on. And then I would text Maddie, like, in the morning, hey, Maddie. Or like, whatever. She would not respond to me for hours. It would drive me crazy because I'm like, does she not like me. And I come to find out she would be at this coffee shop reading her Bible from like 7am to like, past lunchtime till 2am and she was getting parking tickets because she would be lost in the scripture. And then she couldn't. She'd forget to go renew the. The meter.

[Ange]

Wow.

[Bryce Crawford]

So I go, okay. I'm looking at Maddie's character. Amazing. Another thing. I'm like, what does my family think of her? Absolutely love her. They absolutely love her. And I'm like, okay, this is amazing. So I mean, she challenges me. She makes me want to be a better man. She encourages me in Scripture. It's a beautiful thing. And I love Maddie with all my heart. And I think it's amazing. I've never felt an emotion like that before towards a human being. But aside from an emotion, love is something that you choose to do for someone. It's something you choose every day. There are days that are hard. We're human. There are days that I don't read my Bible and it affects our relationship. And, you know, I'm quick to speak, I'm frustrated, easy, and things like that. But with grace, love, patience, and things like that, we're able to just work through things and love each other well. And it's a beautiful thing. And I'm super grateful for Maddie. I don't take it for granted. And I think she's amazing. True blessing from Jesus. It's super cool.

[Ari]

Can we just drop the mic? I am.

[Ange]

Oh, man.

[Ari]

I said, well, that's like, I am. I have never been so present when someone speaks more than today. Can I just say that I am in awe at. You are 21 years old, and I. I don't even know what to say. You are beyond your years.

[Ange]

That's what happens when you know Jesus the way that you do. Those pro. That wisdom from the proverbs, it shows, like. It shows the work that you put in, the time that you put in, the. The. The amount that you know, the knowledge that you have and how much you just dedicate your life to learning and wanting to be more like Jesus, like people are. It's just so crazy because everyone's like, I want to be closer to Jesus. I want more wisdom. I want more. And it's just like, okay, it is so simple. Read the Bible, put in work, abide in Jesus. Sit there and just wait and allow him to speak and move and let him love you. It's just unbelievable. Can I ask. So when you're living in purity, when you're living pure, and we know what the Bible says. We talk about purity almost every single episode because it's changed our life. Ari and I are people. We didn't grow up Christian, we grew up Catholic. But nothing about our lives reflected our love for Jesus. So going from living completely worldly in worldly relationships to then living a life holy and blameless in the sight of God and pursuing purity, we just. We know why it's good. We know why God asks us to do what he asks us to do. Because it works. And he's right, it does. It is peace. It is life. But we also know that when you're not in a relationship, living in purity is, like, so easy. It's like, oh, my gosh, this is crazy. He took it up. No lust, no desire, no anything. And then we know, like, everybody talks about it the second you get in a relationship. Dating is so interesting because you're not married, but you're not single. So you're having feelings towards a person that is similar to what you feel when you're married, but they're not your person yet. So it's just like. I guess my question is, what is your take on just healthy boundaries in dating and just how to protect, like, protecting purity. Emotional purity, mental purity and physical purity is our. It's just our goal above everything else. It's what we value. So just speak to that a little bit.

[Bryce Crawford]

Yeah, well, I think you guys hit the nail on the head. Purity is not something that you're chasing. It's just who you are. God's made you pure. If you struggle with, like, look, we live in a sinful world. Everyone's going to get thrown lust in their face. Especially in today's day and age, everyone's going to get thrown with it. It's on social media, everything. So if you struggle with lust or you fall into temptation, like, don't beat yourself up. Like, please do not beat yourself up. Because it can be easy to do that. Purity is just who we are. Jesus has made me pure through the cross as who I am. I'm going to live that way. When it comes to boundaries, Maddie and I will have conversations and never have we had a conversation where we take something off of the quote unquote, boundaries list. We don't have a list of things. We go, okay, we know ourselves. So I would say, know yourself. Know yourself. Well, know what? Know what you're. Know what's good for you, know what's not good for you and implement it. Um, and if we have conversations, you're always adding Things to the list because you're consistently learning more things about each other.

[Ange]

Yeah.

[Bryce Crawford]

You're constantly growing and learning together. Like, never will you hear someone say, oh, man, we weren't doing this thing, but now we erase it because we're good. Like, no, no, no, no. Like, most of the time when it comes to boundaries, as you're growing in relationships, you might find errors of, like, oh, whoa, maybe we did overstep a little bit there. So we need to put a boundary here. What's been so beautiful about my relationship with Maddie is we were waiting till marriage. And I think it's such a beautiful thing. It is amazing. It is a gift from God. People make sex this awkward thing, but no, it is just a gift from God. When you're in marriage, that's something you get to do. And I love that Mattie and I get to wait for it. And we love and respect each other enough not to step over that boundary. That is a beautiful thing. And I love Maddie that she respects me that way. And I think. I hope she loves it. I respect that about her.

[Ange]

Yeah, totally.

[Bryce Crawford]

And I know that to be true. I know she does. And so, like, knowing ourselves, like, okay, God's not some cosmic dictator trying to take our fun away. Oh, you can't have sex. No. It's a beautiful thing that God has given you. And it's more enjoyable when you do it for someone. And to the people. Like, do for someone that you're married to.

[Ange]

Yeah.

[Bryce Crawford]

And to the people out there, like, because sex has now become about status. If you go around, a lot of people have had sex. A lot of people are more worried about how many people they sleep with. It's, like, a popular thing, how many people you can sleep with. Like, when you come to Jesus and you come to him with a repentant heart, God wipes your slate clean as if you've never done anything. Meaning you are brand new. You're waiting for marriage.

[Ari]

Yeah.

[Bryce Crawford]

What a beautiful thing, man. God, I'm just waiting. I'm waiting. I'm new and just know who I am, and I'm waiting, and that's it.

[Ari]

Amen.

[Bryce Crawford]

I think it's beautiful. So, like, people that drown in shame. Like, again, Satan knows your name, calls you by your sin, but Jesus knows your sin and calls you by your name, who's talking to you and know those things. And so I would say that with boundaries. And again, I'm 21. This is my first real relationship. I'm learning, I'm growing. And that's a big Reason why I don't try to hand out as much relationship advice as possible because. So take everything with a grain of salt of what I said because I do not know everything. I'm learning, I'm growing. And I love getting to talk to people, married couples, about relationships because they just have so much wisdom.

[Ange]

Totally. No, it's so beautiful. I just. I want to honor you and who you are and. And just who you are in this world. What you do for Jesus. I'm just so grateful that you'd come on. We were so excited for today.

[Bryce Crawford]

Thank you guys. It was an honor. I was super happy and nervous.

[Ange]

Listen, if there's anyone who doesn't need to be nervous, you're good it spill. The wisdom just spills out of you on your worst day. You could move mountains. So don't ever forget it.

[Bryce Crawford]

Thank you so much. That's really encouraging. Thank you guys. Thanks for having me on.

[Ange]

Thanks, Bryce.

[Bryce Crawford]

I love you guys. You guys are awesome.

[Ange]

Thank you, Maddie. Thank you, Josh, for being here.

[Bryce Crawford]

Oh, yeah.

[Ange]

We love you guys so much. Thank you guys for being here. May the Lord bless you and keep you. May he make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. May he turn his face towards you and give you peace. We love you.

[Ari]

We love you.

[Bryce Crawford]

Amen.

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